Chapter 17: One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer

Graceful and Riffraff discovered rather quickly one of the major benefits of a small, agrarian town like Ponyville -- it was nearly impossible to take more than just a few steps in any direction before finding a locally-owned fruit/vegetable/baked-goods stand or a slightly larger store selling a surprisingly large variety of groceries, supplies and other essentials. The lack of overwhelming commercialism made shopping seem easy, if not enjoyable. They stopped by the one in-town branch of their bank to make a small cash withdrawal and then browsed several different produce stands and family-owned stores to pick a wide selection of home-grown foods. Their small room had no appliances for cooking, but Graceful had been more than happy in offering to set up their camping stove behind the inn and make a few hot meals whenever they had the urge.

The two stallions still received curious, sometimes awkward, looks from the townsponies, but they found Ponyville’s citizens to be gracious as a whole. The less-than-warm reception at the saloon had apparently been an isolated incident as several of the shop owners offered them extra pieces of fruit and vegetables as a reason to return for future business. Graceful Melody’s piercings still drew odd gazes, though he received more compliments than either pony had expected. By the time they returned to the inn, the periwinkle pegasus had a broad smile plastered across his muzzle, all but prancing through the lobby with two satchels of groceries slung over his sides. Riffraff offered a sheepish smile to the amused mare at the front desk before quickly following Graceful up the stairs, a smile quirking at his own muzzle.

“Gracie, are you serious about doing this. Fashion show?” he asked with a snicker as the giggling pony unlocked the door to their room and tromped in loudly.

“Yes! Oh, Duuuuusey!?” The pegasus shrugged his bags off and to the carpet before whooping as the grumpy demon lifted his head groggily from the bed to glare at the cheerful mortal.

“This is not the way to awaken a great demon lord,” Amdusias grumbled, flailing his bulky arms in search of a pillow before grabbing one to fling at Graceful irritably.

The smaller stallion laughed, catching the pillow easily before setting it down and glancing over at his companion as Riffraff closed the door behind him with an entertained smile. “Well...next time I’ll wake you up with my penis!” he announced before prancing over to their luggage and wiggling his hips excitedly. “Dusey! You get to judge first, but then we’re gonna dress you up, too!”

Amdusias blinked several times as he slowly sat up and rubbed at his forehead. The words seemed to sink into his mind a moment later, the demon’s expression slowly twisting into one of horror. “Do I look like some sort of slack-jawed glam punk to you, more interested in his hairdo than his musical achievements?”

“Oh Dusey, you don’t have hair, silly!” Grace replied brightly, and Amdusias groaned and rolled his eyes as he dropped his muzzle into his hands and glared past his fingers. “Anyway! Let’s get started!” The pegasus giggled cheerfully and yanked out several seemingly random articles of clothing, a mixture of dresses, skirts, scarfs, stockings and lingerie flying across the room -- most of it landing on the mildly amused stallion sitting on the other end of the square carpeted area. Riffraff carefully plucked a pair of frilly white panties off his muzzle before joining Amdusias in the amazed and horrified stare the demon had affixed onto Graceful.

In the few seconds of having clothing flung through the air and temporarily blocking his line of sight, the periwinkle pegasus had already changed his black and white scarf out for a soft, fleecy half-jacket that began at his shoulders but only went partially down his back and sides, the yellow material left open at the front. The slender pony grinned broadly, holding his head up primly as he strutted in a small circle, then paused. “Ooh, wait! I know!” He laughed and pranced over to his companion, poking through the pile of clothing at his hooves and then brightening as he held up a bright golden scarf that he quickly looped around his neck twice. “There!” He beamed and struck a pose as Riffraff did his best not to smile too wide. “Scores?”

“I’d give that an eight-point-five,” Riffraff said, winking when the smaller pony pouted at him. “Come on now, you’re just getting started, I can’t ruin the curve.”

“What are scores?” Amdusias asked blandly, looking irritably at the ponies as he grumbled and rubbed at his long, arching horns. “I do not understand what is happening.”

“Well, we dress up, an’ you rate what we’re wearing from one to ten,” Graceful explained easily, tossing the scarf aside and instead plucking a pair of dark green and blue stockings from the assorted clothing pieces, then giggling as he disappeared behind the corner, his voice continuing to float into the main room. “One is the worst, like mega-poo-brain-straight-pony-look. Ten is super-sexy-hey-I-wanna-bang-you-now!”

Amdusias blinked. “What is banging?”

The crimson stallion barked out a laugh, grinning despite himself at the confused, frumpy demon. “Dude, seriously? Banging is. What we did two nights ago. You banged us.” He paused and looked meditative for a moment. “Well, technically we all sorta banged each other. There was a lot of banging going on.”

“It was not banging,” the reptile retorted sourly. “Do not insult my natural and perfect rhythmic motions with comparisons to that ever-loathsome section of the orchestra to which only the most tawdry and unskilled musicians are banished.” He made a face, practically hissing the next word. “Percussion.”

“You have really got to learn the local lingo, Dusey,” Riffraff replied amusedly before glancing over his shoulder with a laugh as his companion strolled past, the dark stockings pulled up snugly over his front legs as a rich azure skirt barely covered his ample buttocks. The larger stallion whooped despite himself, flashing a teasing grin. “Now that’s more like it, baby. A solid nine!”

“I give it a two,” Amdusias grumbled drably. “This is foolish.” Graceful jutted his chin out childishly and then spun around, dropping his chest down low as his forelegs splayed across the carpet, thrusting his rear into the air and toward the demon to flash his uncovered backside. Amdusias scowled, though his eyes lingered longer than he was willing to admit before he cleared his throat loudly. “Perhaps a three and a half.”

Graceful laughed and wiggled his flank teasingly before turning around once more, smiling up at the reptile. “Okay, Dusey, then you try!”

“If you think you will succeed in convincing me to perform for you two as a transvestite, you are sorely mistaken,” Amdusias muttered, throwing a hand into the air dramatically. “After all, I do not see the soul-seller parading around...in...” He blinked stupidly, his rant trailing off as he stared at Riffraff.

The masculine pony cleared his throat awkwardly but puffed his chest out all the same as he flexed his muscular frame, wearing a snug leather collar, his battered leather jacket and a pair of too-tight black panties that did little to cover much of...anything. Graceful immediately grinned and licked his lips in delight, sitting back on his haunches and clapping his hooves. “Alright, Riffy! Ten, ten ten! I looove the black leather look! Reminds me of that harness we once had, ooooh, remember that? I’d wear it and you’d go NUTS for it, I could barely even keep up!”

Amdusias seemed frozen in horror, his shocked expression bringing a blush to the crimson pony’s features. The demon slowly worked his jaws before shaking his head quickly and spluttering before he could help himself: “Eight, I suppose.” A look of embarrassment rapidly swept across his face, flailing with both arms. “Only because I...do not wish to make you cry for you have horrible self-esteem issues!”

“Sure, sure,” Graceful teased, shaking his head with a laugh. “I’m not even mad that you gave him such a better score! Only ‘cause now you gotta try somethin’ on.”

The demon scoffed and leaned back somewhat upon the bed. “I think not. Besides, none of your foolish mortal garments would even fit.”

“Somepony’s a fatty-fat-fat,” the slender pegasus sang out as Riffraff sniggered behind a hoof. “We understand if you’re afraid, Amdusias,” he continued in a more serious tone, nodding solemnly. “Not everypony can look as good as us, even with the most perfect outfits.”

“You are both wearing articles of clothing meant for females,” the demon replied dryly before adding, “And you are even less intelligent than I thought if you believe you can manipulate a master of manipulation into participating in your childish playtime.”

“Your loss!” Graceful chirped as he quickly shrugged off the jacket and slid neatly out of the skirt. He began to rummage through their small but eclectic assortment of clothes as Riffraff sat back with an entertained smile, apparently content in his awkward ensemble of leather and lingerie.

Graceful Melody continued modeling for the two with a variety of form-fitting dresses, an almost frighteningly expansive collection of stockings and of course multiple selections of feminine underwear that seemed to become progressively smaller and tighter. Even Amdusias found himself blushing at some of the scanty lingerie, stammering his numerical opinion of each outfit while Riff laughed and provided cheerful applause along with a multitude of tens and elevens for his partner’s playful, seductive and surprisingly well-coordinated combinations.

The two pegasi managed to eventually convince Amdusias to don a long silver scarf that complemented his inner scales well, the reptile scowling the entire time. He refused to even consider pulling on one of the many pairs of colorful and suggestive panties, though the grumpy lizard did consent to Riffraff strapping a thick leather belt around one thigh. He’d glared down at the woven leather accessory for a few seconds before pursing his lips and turning his grouchy expression to the giggling stallions. “What purpose does this serve? This is not the intended function for this device. It is useless wrapped around my leg.”

“Most stallions wouldn’t complain while giving that line,” Riffraff quipped, grinning despite himself as his companion laughed and nodded several times.

Graceful took a step back to admire the demon’s minor costume change, his own features cheerful. “What purpose? Shoot, it’s a damn fine look for you, that’s it’s purpose!”

“Plus you can totally put like...some sneaky throwing knives in there or something,” the other mortal added helpfully as Amdusias scowled at them.

“Or you could put all your earnings from the strip club in there!” Graceful suggested brightly.

“Or maybe like...a sweet pair of scary-demon-daggers?”

“Ooh, or little bottles of lube! Not all ponies are stretchy like us!”

“Or how about tiny vials of sneaky-demon poison? You could be an ultimate ninja assassin!”

“Or condoms!” Graceful paused thoughtfully as Amdusias simply stared between the stallions morbidly. “Do they make condoms in your size? Do they make them in your shape? And what do those ridges do, anyway? Do you use them as a guideline to see how much you can fit inside? ‘Cause I got a perfect ten, in case you didn’t notice.” The periwinkle pegasus tilted his head up proudly, wings briefly flapping as he sniffed delicately.

The enormous demon slowly rubbed at his features as he mumbled under his breath for a moment. “I noticed, little one. I noticed. This still does suffice as an explanation, though I have become certain that I will not obtain any kind of sensible dissertation on the value of this so-called ‘fashion’ you so adamantly attempt to push upon me.”

“Nope!” Graceful responded with a beaming smile before he began to neatly fold up the scattered garments strewn across the room. “Good fashion show, though! Dusey, you get a seven, because you’re a beginner and also a real frumpy-face. It should toats be way less than that, but I am feeling generous. But next time no bonus points!” He looked up at the demon pointedly and Amdusias muttered darkly in his own tongue.

“Whatever shall I do without my precious bonus points?” he grumbled, reaching up to fidget with the scarf looped about his neck. He glanced down at the smooth material, running it through his fingers meditatively. A strange idea came to mind, but the demon shook his head slowly and snorted softly as he rejected it promptly. Ridiculous notions. I do not need the approval or attentions of this world. He nonetheless kept the long accessory around his neck as he watched the two ponies work in tandem, quickly clearing the carpet of their odd wardrobe. Riffraff finally squirmed out of the panties he’d still been wearing, looking embarrassed and yet quietly pleased with the chance to escape his usual role, the reptile watching the crimson stallion’s sheepish smile as his grey eyes gazed adoringly at his partner. The demon made a face but kept his observations to himself, tapping a claw thoughtfully against the belt still locked around his thigh before glancing down at it moodily. This is silly. It serves no true purpose, other than to augment visual appearances. Shallow, tawdry means to a self-fulfilling end. I am no creature steeped in Pride.

As Riffraff tenderly folded his jacket into a compact square, slipping it back into the once more plump duffel bag, his companion gazed curiously up at the musing reptile with a tilt of his head. Amdusias seemed lost in his own thoughts, his amber eyes unfocused even as they settled upon the leather belt adorning his muscular thigh. Graceful smiled a bit, then reached out and gently tapped the demon’s knee with a hoof. “Dusey?”

Amdusias blinked several times as his leg jerked slightly in reaction to the contact. He immediately glared down at the small pegasus, a slight flush glowing beneath his scales. “Yes, you may have your ratty little accouterments back, they hold no value to me.” He reached a hand up toward the scarf but Graceful pouted and gave the reptile a pitiful look, his eyes enormous.

“Duseeeey! They’re yours to keep! You should keep ‘em on, they look great on you!” He beamed and nodded several times, the muscular male scowling down at him. “At least the belt!”

Amdusias groaned and pulled the scarf off from around his neck, holding out and then hesitating. He studied it for a moment with a sour expression before rolling his eyes and sighing as, instead of dropping to the ground, it disappeared from between his fingers with a familiar amber glow. Riffraff smiled quietly as Graceful nodded firmly in satisfaction. The demon glanced down at the leather strap around his thigh, then grumbled bad-naturedly. “I suppose this is snug enough that it will not cause me to exert any extra energy when I reykrfara. And I do not wish to see either of you sobbing over such ridiculous materialistic attachments.”

“What do you rake?” Graceful asked curiously, his muzzle screwing up in confusion.

Amdusias muttered and slowly rubbed two fingers at his temples. “Hel, grant me strength. Dear tiny-minded mortals, we really must enrich you with the basics of Helheim’s culture and history. Especially since at least one of you will be spending a very, very long time there.” He dropped his hands, then leaned forward, crossing his muscular arms across his thighs. “Reykrfara is to travel by smoke. A knowledge of which I direly wish I could impart upon the two of you, it is so very dreadful to have to lie about, waiting for the infernally sluggish pace of plodding mortal travel.”

“Well then teach us now!” the smaller stallion chirped, sitting back firmly on his haunches and gazing up at the enormous demon. “We won’t rape you again if you talk to us about that stuff!”

The scaled entity blinked, a frown slowly crossing his features. “I...cannot simply teach mortals to reykrfara. Furthermore, I am wholly convinced that you would use this ability to the worst possible extent.”

“No, no, no! As awesome as THAT would be, oh my gods, Riffy imagine all the stallions I could just like...SWOOP down on and make friends with!?” Graceful grinned brightly as his companion came to his side to plop down onto the carpet as well, looking amused.

“Make friends, right. Some might call it ‘rape’,” Riffraff replied with a chuckle, shaking his head slowly and then shifting his eyes up to the grumbling demon. “C’mon, Dusey. We ain’t got much more else to do for now. Give us a little lesson about Helheim.”

Amdusias was taken aback, leaning back slightly and glaring suspiciously between the mortals. “Are you serious in your request?”

Riff smiled slightly. “We are serious in our request. And you’re a good storyteller, even if a bit verbose and ubiquitous,” the crimson stallion answered with a wink.

The demon huffed crossly but glanced at them both once more before giving a grudging nod. “Very well. If only because I do not wish to engage in another invasion of personal spaces. I may be supernatural, but I am no Lust demon. My resources are vast but not inextinguishable.” Graceful giggled quietly behind a hoof, peering suggestively up at the muscular reptile, but Amdusias only muttered and lightly slapped his tined tail against the small pony’s side. “Sheath your sword, little one. And I shall make an attempt at educating you two.” He sighed but gave a slight smile all the same, unable to hide his unexpected surprise at their eagerness to engage in such a subject. “We will begin with a brief history of Helheim, or at least that which I believe to be true. It is said that there are very few entities who remember the beginning, or even existed at the time...other than Hel herself, of course...”

The two stallions played their first show at the Golden Horseshoe that weekend and had just about a full house to impress. They’d been less apprehensive than the silent, invisible demon had expected them to be, however. He’d been watching them quietly from the rear of the large, barn-like structure while avoiding the stumbling ponies that constantly threatened to step on his long tail. But for the most part, he was able to keep his attention on the two mortals as they efficiently set up the stage. They’d brought a good bit of their gear in the cart -- while the small stage had a few loose cables strewn across it, connected to the compact wall-mounted speakers just behind the wooden platform, Riffraff and Graceful felt as if they could finally put on a performance on their own terms and wanted to make the best impression possible. They’d brought their own speakers and Riff’s full array of guitar accessories; his battered acoustic became as versatile as any fully-furnished electric guitar once it was plugged into an effects pedal or two. Graceful had his microphone stand, now decorated with a few bright scarves he’d tied to the top of the slender pole. They’d even taken the time to do a full sound check with the tiny mixing board that was balanced upon one of their monitors, eager to please the packed bar.

They’d lost track of the number of sets they’d played through that first night, happily drowning themselves in the music as the crowd responded with nothing shy of positivity and repeated shouts for yet another encore. Nopony working at the establishment felt the need to go and pull them off the stage despite the owner having met with Riffraff and Graceful Melody the day before, all three ponies agreeing to an hourly wage for any night they played on stage. They’d gone far into the sixth hour before the majority of the audience began to filter out with drunken smiles and overly cheerful expressions for which the two musicians took a bit of altruistic and vain credit. At one point, they’d started taking requests and, rather than the dreadful modern-pop hits they were expecting to be called out, almost every suggestion had been of a blues or rock-and-role genre. They’d carefully stumbled through a few country songs they hadn’t quite been as familiar with, but the exuberant crowd hardly seemed to notice.

Stonewall himself had ambled across the dented, worn floors as the pegasi packed up their gear, greeting the two stallions with a warm smile. The unicorn had a cheerful expression on his features and he’d praised them both, admitting surprise even with the positive review he’d received from Dewdrop. He’d made a joke about the amount of cash he was having to pay them, considering how late they paid, but wouldn’t hear of Riffraff attempting to accept only four hours’ worth. “You played for six and a half, I’m gonna pay you colts for six and a half.” He pressed the bag of coins into Graceful’s hoof and both pegasi smiled sheepishly but gratefully. But more important to them that the first night’s payment was when the unicorn had invited them back for a second night the following weekend, to which they’d both excitedly agreed.

Time began to pass at a comfortable blur for the two ponies and their demon consort, finding a particular resonance with the small town that became more inviting with each consecutive night spent at the inn, with each warm, lazy day that the trio often enjoyed together at the outskirts of town where Amdusias didn’t need to conceal himself so cautiously. They occasionally caught Trixie in town, as well, sharing a few bits of conversation when they could. Their one actual lunch date, however, was interrupted when news of an attack in Canterlot by some crazed escapee from the mental institution had caused Trixie to hurriedly apologize and rush back to the library, leaving the two dumbfounded pegasi at the outdoor cafe.

They later found out from Amdusias that the so-called “psychopath” running through the streets of the royal city with a knife had been none other than the pink pony he’d mentioned having hints of a demonic possession. Apparently Trixie’s friend-slash-ultimate-rival had been a close friend and had left immediately for Canterlot, which the two pegasi respected enough to know that it likely wasn’t something they’d want to bother Trixie about.

Amdusias reassured them that it had been an isolated incident, and that he still hadn’t sensed any other supernatural activity beyond the norm in the surrounding area. It was enough to calm both mortals and they cautiously settled back into the serenity of life in Ponyville, albeit not without curiosity and perhaps a hint of disappointing for the interruption of the rare chance to catch up with one of the few ponies with whom they’d had the semblance of a friendship lasting more than a couple weeks.

They played at the Golden Horseshoe again the following weekend, finding the surprise of an accompanying drummer and keyboardist that Stonewall had intentionally double-booked. At first, Graceful and Riffraff had their suspicions and mild disapproval, but were immediately humbled when the bar’s owner informed the two that he intended to offer the newcomers a similar part-time deal only if they meshed well with the guitarist and singer. He shamelessly told them that the past two weekends had shown a generous increase in profit from the energized crowd and that he had no desire to replace them, but only to augment their performance. That was, assuming the excited unicorns behind the small drumkit and electric keyboard could match Riff and Graceful’s positive reception.

Riffraff’s normally quiet pride swelled at the thought of himself and Graceful being used as a measurement for two hopeful musicians, the crimson pegasus unable to hide his smile as he nudged his partner gently. “Let’s make sure we keep ‘em on their hooves, Gracie. And neither of us can be douchebags. The last thing we want is to turn into Keyes.”

Graceful visibly shuddered at this notion, muzzle screwed up in displeasure. “Yuck, don’t even joke about that! Besides, Dusey might beat us up like he did Keyes if that happened.”

“Exactly.” Riff smiled amusedly, giving a sidelong glance to the slender stallion. “In other words...let’s just be ourselves.”

The two pegasi approached the stage, passing a few early customers with polite smiles. Riffraff’s eyes first lit upon the mare kneeling behind the drum set, hooves darting between each piece of the percussion ensemble to check that everything had been properly tightened and secured together. Her coat was a dirty shade of blond, a short white mane held back from her eyes with a camouflaged headband. Her tail was cut longer but had a similar band of fabric securing it into a messy bundle near the end. His eyes were naturally drawn to her horn after a moment, realizing with surprise that it barely protruded past her ivory mane despite looking to be somewhere in her twenties. He cocked his head curiously but only smiled when she glanced up as she and her companion noticed the pegasi hopping onto the stage.

“Hey there,” he greeted her kindly, jerking his head toward the energetic singer at his side. “I’m Riffraff, and this bundle of joy is Graceful Melody.”

She grinned broadly, seeming relaxed at the two stallions’ laid-back demeanor and wiping a foreleg across her forehead before holding out a hoof nervously. “Hey! Uh, my name’s Amber Waves...patriotic parents, heh.” Riffraff chuckled quietly, shaking her hoof firmly before glancing over to the keyboardist as the other unicorn smiled at the two pegasi awkwardly. “That’s my brother, Shining Sea...”

Graceful beamed, trotting over to the tall stallion curiously as he stood on his rear hooves and crossed his forelegs across the top of the unicorn’s large keyboard. The other male blinked, leaning back slightly with a blush as he cleared his throat after a moment of awkward silence. But the feminine pegasus let it spin out between them as his warm silver eyes danced across the unicorn’s athletic build, admiring the sheen of his deep azure coat and the seafoam-green mane that had been styled back in a neat but not-elegant wave. His horn was significantly larger than his sister’s, the spire of dark blue standing out proudly from his skull. “Uh...um...”

“You can just call me ‘Gracie’ if it’s too hard to say my whole name between all the heavy breathing!” the periwinkle stallion finally piped up, grinning toothily as the unicorn’s blush deepened and he reared back even further. “Do you have a nickname, too? Or does everypony an’ his momma call you Shining Sea? ‘Cause it is a pretty name, yeah, but like. It would be annoying to say all the time. Not that you’re annoying!” Graceful paused thoughtfully for a moment, holding up a hoof. “Well, actually...you might be. I don’t know you yet! But you don’t seem very boring.” He beamed and nodded several times

Shining Sea blinked stupidly before staring at his sister as the unicorn mare failed to hide her snickering behind a front hoof. He scowled, then looked back at the cheerful pegasus with a lame shrug of his shoulders. “Um. I guess some ponies call me C-Note.”

“Now THAT’S a cool nickname!” Graceful replied brightly, laughing and winking before dropping back to all four hooves and trotting to the front of his stage, calling over a shoulder. “Riffy, I’m gonna grab the rest of our stuff.”

“Alright, hon,” the larger stallion responded softly, smiling despite himself before blushing a bit when the two unicorns peered at him awkward. “Uh. We’re. Partners.” He hesitated and then leaned forward with a slightly furrowed brow. “Ain’t a problem, is it?”

“Nope, not at all,” Amber Waves answered with a laugh, shaking her head and plopping onto the small, revolving stool that stood behind her drumkit. “We just...didn’t expect...uh. Two ponies like you, Mr. Stonewall said you guys were some really really talented blues and jazz musicians, so...you know. We were expecting...”

“Something less flamboyant?” Riffraff offered, but smiling as he took a moment to light a cigarette in his muzzle before exhaling slowly. “But it’s fine. We’re honestly excited to have a bit of accompaniment. We’re usually a two-pony show.”

Shining Sea tilted his head, asking before he could help himself: “You mean...you normally just have...a guitar and a singer?” His sister immediately glared across at him and the tall unicorn shrank back a bit behind his keyboard.

But Riffraff waved a hoof dismissively before grunting and hefting one of the large speakers onto the stage, then idly shouldering it into position. “Nah, it’s cool. Yep, that’s kinda how we started and...what we’re used to. But...if you two know the genre at all...” He let his voice fade as his sharp grey eyes examined both unicorns intently for their responses. He saw what might have been an excited nod from Amber, while her brother smiled nervously but nodded slowly as well. “Good. Well, as long as you two know the music, we’re actually kinda pumped. I wish like hell you had a third sibling who played bass to round things out but...having some drums and a multilayer instrument on stage with us will make a whole bunch of our songs sound a helluva lot better.” He nodded firmly and both unicorns seemed relieved, a bit more of their tension relaxing away as the keyboardist plinked at a few notes idly. Riffraff noticed that he’d run wires from the large instrument directly into the wall-mounted speakers on the wall and the crimson pegasus smiled slightly. “Graceful’s gonna have a mixing board with him when he gets back, we’ll get you wired into that instead. Give you a much better sound.”

The azure stallion blushed despite himself, looking humbled as he quietly sat back into the tall stool he’d placed behind the keyboard. “Oh, you don’t...hafta do that, we don’t wanna use your stuff if you don’t want...”

“Nah, it’s cool,” Riffraff reassured, shaking his head quickly. “We ain’t here to compete. We’re here for them.” He nodded over his shoulder to the mostly-empty bar and seating area. “Well. It’ll fill up, don’t worry. But you know what I mean.” He met the male unicorn’s gaze and received a hesitant nod in return. “Good!” He paused and then glanced between the siblings meditatively. “Out of curiosity, did Stonewall, uh...tell you anything...in particular about...you know. Tonight?”

Amber Waves smiled slightly. “Sound at least half as good as you two, or get the hell out?”

“Amber!” The keyboardist looked embarrassed, hooves clutching into the keyboard’s sides as he shot daggers at his sister. But the blond mare only rolled her eyes and smiled back at him.

“Chill out, C. Dude’s goin’ out of his way to be honest with us, I think that’s pretty cool.”

Riffraff chuckled quietly, drawing on his cigarette briefly before exhaling away from the other two as he nudged the other speaker into place and then slipped the guitar case from around his neck, propping it against one of the weathered units. “Hey, I’m not a fan of surprises. But if you two know the score ahead of time, it makes it way less awkward for me ‘n Gracie to try and explain later. Well, it’d be awkward for me. Graceful would likely explain it to you two in the most uncomfortable and spontaneous way he could think of.”

The drummer seemed amused though Shining Sea still looked nervous as his hooves played a hesitant but impulsive blues scale over the keys. Riffraff smiled slightly and then turned around as his partner’s cheerful voice sang through the bar. “Riffy! Look what I remembered!” Riff blinked before snorting laughter as the unicorns’ eyes behind him widened in surprise and perhaps a bit of horror in Shining Sea’s case.

Graceful Melody had a bag slung over his shoulder, but beneath it, his slender frame now sported a skin-tight plaid blouse and a black skirt that barely hung past his ample flank. A broad grin spread across his muzzle at the looks on the other two musicians’ faces, winking and putting a bit of excess wiggle in his trot. The multicolored top wasn’t buttoned, only tied snugly just above his belly as the short skirt hitched up over his buttocks with each rhythmic step forward. He licked his lips when one of the few early regulars tipped him a wink as he passed, flicking his tail teasingly in the earth pony’s direction before grinning again up at his companion and the two shocked unicorns that continued to gape stupidly. The slender pegasus flapped his wings once, the powerful motion lifting him gracefully into the air to float across a few tables and land neatly on the scuffed stage. “Well, whatcha think?”

“It’s gorgeous, babe,” Riffraff replied warmly, bumping his muzzle against the smaller pony’s neck before he eyed the other two musicians expectantly. “Well? What do you two think?”

Shining Sea could only stare awkwardly but his sister finally recovered, laughing and shaking her head with an amused smile. “Honestly? You pull the look off well. You’ve um. Got the right body for it.”

“Thanks!” Graceful beamed and bounced a few times before setting the bag down at the rear of the stage and digging through it to produce the mixing board and two of Riff’s effects pedals, sliding the latter objects toward his companion before starting to rapidly hook all the cables to the board and making a few tweaks to accommodate the addition of the keyboard. The two pegasi moved efficiently together as the unicorn siblings looked on with more than a hint of adulation.

Riffraff started them off with an easy warm-up tune, one that gave each instrument a few solo bars that served as a decent enough sound check for their volumes. He was pleased that the two were familiar with the bluesy tune, and continued to find himself surprised that the younger unicorns knew the first several songs of the set. The patrons began to filter in steadily, filling up the bar, booths and tables across the floor as many of them gazed up at the stage appreciatively at the sight of a four-part ensemble. Graceful and Riffraff traded off songs for the first part of the set but they eventually gave nods to the unicorns for suggestions, rewarded in turn by an unexpectedly broad knowledge of classic numbers. Shining Sea -- now C-Note to the rest of them, once his sister loudly introduced him during the usual blues-style introduction of the band members -- had loosened up considerably, even allowing Graceful to press uncomfortably close so the two of them could belt out a chorus together.

Amber herself had a seemingly boundless reserve of energy, though Riffraff hadn’t seen her horn glow once throughout the show. She played the drums with hooves alone, but certainly needed no magical assistance to provide ride after tireless ride across the kit. Riffraff felt his own performance boosted by the skilled accompaniment, and his companion was nothing short of dazzling in both his stage presence and his crystal-clear vocals.

Their rollicking concert went non-stop for nearly an hour before Riffraff and Graceful both brightened when a familiar pointed hat and gaudy cape became visible through the near-packed building. In the midst of a song, Graceful nonetheless grabbed his microphone stand and hollered cheerfully into it: “Hey, Trixie!” It nearly threw Sea off his solo, the unicorn scowling and horn glowing brighter as he struggled to keep his concentration.

Trixie herself shot a moody glare toward the stage, though a hint of a smile twitched at her lips. Graceful Melody laughed and again went back to swaying his hips to the unicorn’s jazz-inspired melodies, his sister shaking her head amusedly but keeping a steady beat as she looked past Riffraff curiously.

Riffraff continued his own easy strumming, though he watched the magician with a small smile himself. He was honestly surprised she’d showed up at the venue she’d haughtily insulted a few weeks ago, but felt somewhat honored by her presence. It wasn’t that he looked at the unicorn as some great performer to be held high above himself and his companion, but he knew her ego well enough that the mere act of her willingly visiting the show carried a meaning of its own. He could tell, however, that she hadn’t exaggerated much in her slurred recollection of the “incident” in Ponyville some two and a half years ago -- several of the locals shot her nasty looks as she squeezed between chairs, and her loud huffing and self-inflated proclamations of who exactly she was didn’t seem to help. The crimson pegasus smiled faintly to himself, shaking his head a bit and unable to help feeling a sliver of pity as Trixie finally found an empty booth to the extreme right of the building. The patrons around her all scooted their chairs a few inches away, a couple of ponies scowling before returning to their conversations.

The guitarist watched as she fidgeted a bit, eyes continuing to flick back to the pegasi on stage before she finally signalled a passing server. Riff smiled slightly again, almost able to hear her loud order and nevertheless mouthing it from memory. The Great and Powerful Trixie requests a dry martini with three olives. He snickered quietly as the other mare jotted something down in her notepad before continuing her rounds in that section. Predictable as always.

He turned his attention back to his musical companions as the song drifted to an end and Graceful announced a brief break before the next set before flicking his microphone off and sitting back with a contented smile. Behind Riffraff, Amber Waves exhaled loudly and dropped the chipped drumsticks onto the snare as she leaned back in the stool, drenched in sweat but looking pleased with herself. Sea himself looked exhausted, trembling slightly and exuding the same sheen over his coat, but smiling as he nodded to the other three and them stumbled off the stage. “Gonna grab some water...you want one, sis?”

“Yes, please,” she responded immediately, laughing and nodding several times before pushing her damp mane back behind the soaked headband as she glanced past the drumkit at the two pegasi. “Wow, you two. And we thought we were fans of the blues.”

Riffraff smiled slightly and glanced over his shoulder, keeping his guitar strapped across his chest as he began a quiet solo that was just audible above the din of the crowd. “Hey, I’m not ashamed to say I’m impressed, though. Gracie and I have had a good long while to work almost non-stop on this stuff -- you two are keeping up well, and you can both improv damn well.”

Amber laughed and nodded several times. “Yeah, not complaining but...geez, do you two like to throw some curve balls.”

The periwinkle pegasus giggled, hopping off the stage and glancing back at the mare with a wink. “It keeps things more exciting that way! Hey, Riffy, I’mma get us some water, too, be right back!”

Riffraff nodded amusedly in response, leaning back with one lower leg extended across the stage, the other supporting his guitar as he proceeded with the quiet intermission. He felt an urge to go strike up a conversation with the lonely magician at her vacant booth, but the guitarist was determined to show the two unicorns that a dedication to the art was worth the effort, noticing that the buzz of the full bar never quite grew enough to drown out the soft instrumentals he played. Dusey, hope your scaled ass is watching. Better be proud as hell of me right about now.

He half-expected the demon to reply through whatever mental communication he could no doubt project from wherever he currently lurked. But the sarcastic response never came and the blood-red pony smiled for no particular reason as he nodded gratefully when his companion returned with a tall glass of ice water. Guess he really isn’t always creeping nearby...

Once the siblings seemed to have mostly recovered, Riff led the quartet into a rapid-fire medley of blues jams that stretched across the generations, quickly bringing the audience into an excited frenzy as some ponies began to laugh and stomp along, others grabbing their partners and beginning to swing with that strangely accurate rhythm that a nice inebriation always seemed to inspire. They continued to play song after song, raising the energy of their performance to a higher level with each number until the grinning, panting Graceful shed the drenched blouse and grabbed the microphone stand with both hooves, standing on his rear legs and leaning forward as his voice became gravelly and soulful all at once, the rest of the band falling silent at the introductory lines.

“Waaaaay down, upon the Swaaaanee River...” Graceful sang, drawing out the words as the crowd hushed somewhat, the periwinkle pegasus’s voice the only sound coming from the stage. “Far, far away...” Sea played a gentle chord, then almost tenderly played a second chord shifted up along the keyboard. “That’s where my heart is turning over...that’s where the old...folks...staaaaay...”

As he drew out the last syllable, the male unicorn began to move across the keys in a faster, rollicking rhythm, his horn glowing and augmenting the skilled motions of his nimble hooves. Riffraff grinned and joined in with a steady melody on his guitar after slapping his effects pedal a couple times, giving his instrument the timbre of a fiddle. Graceful flashed his teeth as well, reaching up to grab his microphone stand as he began to stomp a rear hoof vigorously against the stage flooring. He gave a well-timed burst of laughter into the mic as the fourth member of their ensemble started an upbeat tattoo on the drumkit, keeping steady tempo for the quartet with a constant, cheerful smack against the tambourine mounted above the toms.

Graceful continued to laugh and vocalize rhythmic sounds to the beat of the other three’s instrumentation, their pace becoming faster and faster as the energy visibly thrummed and boiled higher and higher. Amber Waves and Shining Sea grinned across at each other, their eyes bright as they began to echo short, repeated improvisational measures between themselves while Riffraff closed his eyes and let his hooves move naturally, the small appendages tickling along the strings. He brought the pitch higher with each bar until Graceful whooped loudly into the microphone, his cue immediately understood as Riff slid his upper hoof slowly down along the strings for a rising tremolo, Amber’s snappy rhythm cutting down to a slower, bluesy groove while her brother returned smoothly to the original cycle of steady notes.

Graceful waited for Sea to complete one brief run of the stable but still jaunty melody before leaning into the microphone, repeating the scant lines of the classic bayou favorite once more. “Waaaay down, upon that Swaaaanee River...far, far, so faaar away...” Riffraff neatly interjected with a few punctuated fiddle-like squeals along his strings. “Thaaat’s where my heart is tuuuurning over...that’s where the old folks stay!” Even as his last few words rang out, the other three rapidly picked up the tempo, returning quickly to the driving instrumentation as Graceful laughed again, stomping a hoof cheerfully and plucking the microphone from its stand. He danced nimbly across the stage, moving easily to the animated rhythm before ducking under Riff’s foreleg, one hoof grabbing his harmonica and holding it against his muzzle as the other shoved the microphone against the back end. The crimson stallion shuddered with the sensation of his pseudo-phylactery being gripped, feeling a deep twist of vertigo somewhere in his soul but grinning all the same as he threw his head back and ripped out a fiddle-like solo, his companion playing the harmonica energetically around his own instrument.

The quartet hardly noticed as a good portion of the bar’s patrons hollered along, their hooves stamping eagerly in time to the lively tune. Riff and Sea traded swaggering solos back and forth, effortlessly rolling into each other’s melodies as if they’d always played together. Amber herself overlaid short but impressive rides along the cymbals and toms without losing her vice-like grip on the powerful, heartbeat-like beat, her impeccable ability to keep the rapid tempo giving the other three a constant rhythm.

They continued the improvised jam for nearly five minutes, laughing and all stomping along as they enveloped themselves in the song with all the musical passion they could muster. Riffraff felt his pride swelling, ecstatic to finally enjoy the experience he and his partner hadn’t shared in ages as his guitar squealed with a higher and higher pitch until Graceful Melody finally pulled back from the harmonica. The periwinkle stallion neatly slid free of the larger pony’s foreleg, tossing the microphone into the air and then catching it in the other hoof before standing proudly on his hind legs, wings spread with both forelimbs thrown above him. Riff grinned and heard Amber automatically slip into an extended outro as her brother began a slower melody that moved down toward his lower notes, the guitarist catching onto the progression and easily following on his guitar until they reached the bottom end together. He gave a hard strum in perfect time to a definitive chord on the keyboard before Amber whooped and gave a brief roll on her snare, then finally slamming a drumstick firmly against the ride cymbal.

The combined sounds barely had time to reverberate through the speakers before the bar erupted into a roar of cheers and applause, the four band members glancing at each other with matching grins as they all gave an appreciative nod. Graceful laughed as he dropped back to his front legs, holding the microphone to his muzzle. “Thank you, and good night!”

He placed the mic back onto the stand as the crowd continued to stomp and applaud loudly, beaming out across the tables and then sitting back as he looked over the other three. Riffraff had already muted his guitar, leaning back against Amber’s bass drum with a lit cigarette sticking out of his muzzle. Like the unicorn siblings, his hide was gleaming with sweat...but he also shared the same pleased expression. He closed his eyes with a happy smile and Graceful laughed warmly before trotting over to the keyboardist. “Dude, you’re damn good!” he said brightly, slapping the other male’s flank firmly and eliciting a blush and a scowl from the exhausted unicorn. “I’m sure they’ll wanna keep you both around!” He laughed and danced across the cables leading back to the board as Amber sat back on her stool, breathing hard but smiling cheerfully. She held a hoof out to the feminine pegasus, who immediately knocked his own against it with a giggle. “And for a filly, you ain’t so bad, either!”

She laughed and shook her head amusedly, reaching down to drain what remained of her melted ice water. “Comin’ from you, I’m gonna take that as a huge compliment,” she replied with a grin, nodding once before glancing across the drumset as the delighted audience began to turn back to one another, conversations picking up but not without a noted increase of uplifted expressions and cheerier dispositions. Graceful giggled quietly again with an agreeable nod, then returned to his companion’s side to flop down next to him.

Riffraff glanced down at the slender male with a smile, his breaths finally beginning to slow. “I’d say that was one of the best jams we’ve had in a long, long time, hon.”

“Oh yeah!” Graceful replied happily, his wings fluttering once before settling against his back. He idly smoothed out the short skirt still adorning his lower body and then glanced over his shoulder to watch the unicorn siblings trade a tight hug, already chatting excitedly to one another about their performance. They paused and looked down at the two seated pegasi for a moment, but Graceful only beamed and waved a hoof to them. “Go, go, enjoy yourselves. We’re done for tonight, an’ we’ll be sure to tell Stoney that y’all need to have a spot here with us as long as you’re in town!”

Amber and Sea both blushed slightly, the stallion smiling despite himself and nodding firmly. “Thanks. It was...a lot of fun tonight. We gotta get together so you two can teach us some more tunes, too.”

“It’d be our pleasure,” Riffraff said softly with a laugh, tapping his cigarette to the side and meeting their gazes. “You two were outstanding.” They both smiled gratefully again before Amber nudged her brother’s side and hopped off the stage to make a beeline for the bar. Shining Sea rolled his eyes but followed with an amused expression, leaving the pegasi alone on the stage.

“That really was fun,” Graceful chirped, tapping his hooves against his lower legs and smiling up at his partner before brightening suddenly and peering out across the crowd. “Hey, let’s go see Trixie!” He spotted the very distinctive pointed hat at the same booth, waving cheerfully over the heads of ponies. The unicorn had already been studying them, however, and she only huffed in return. But when Riffraff glanced at her himself, he noticed the hints of a hopeful thought. He recognized the expression from their time together, when she’d often sit apart from the local ponies at the nearest bar after her performances, bragging about her talents but always seeming more than a bit lonely when so few strangers showed any interest in her claims.

He smiled a bit and nodded once. “Yeah, sounds good, Gracie. Let’s go.” He carefully set his guitar aside as his partner beamed again and quickly hopped off the stage to trot toward the booth, Riff looking amused but following a few steps behind. She scowled when they immediately slid into the booth across from her, Graceful leaning across the table to sniff curiously at her drink.

“Hey, hey, are you gonna eat your olives?” he asked almost childishly, rounding his eyes as she pursed her lips and slowly moved the martini glass out of his reach. The feminine pony pouted and crossed his forelegs immaturely, dropping his pierced muzzle down atop them. “Meanie-face.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes, lifting the toothpick out of the clear cocktail and then making a dramatic show of slowly plucking one of the olives off and slowly chewing it. Graceful whined loudly and stomped his hooves against the floor while his companion snorted quietly and shook his head slowly. She grumbled and then sipped from the glass before dropping the remaining garnishes back into the alcohol as she studied the pegasi meditatively for a few seconds. Riffraff looked back at her with the same small smile before tilting his head, asking teasingly, “So? What did the Great and Powerful Trixie think of our little show?”

She huffed, apparently displeased at having her opinion rushed. The unicorn mare tipped the last of her martini back, then bit another olive off the toothpick before pausing and then grumbling as she slid the final fruit toward the smaller pegasus. Graceful squeaked happily and chomped down on it, the toothpick appearing in the corner of his muzzle a few seconds later. Trixie made at face at this but sighed and finally looked back at Riffraff. “The Great and Powerful Trixie found your performance to be extremely...pharisaic.” She finished with a dramatic sweep of her forelegs before propping her chin onto her hooves.

“Um. What?” Riffraff looked confused, staring across at her.

She gave a long, loud sigh before rolling her eyes again. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has deemed your performance acceptable.” She scowled again. “Those unicorns with you...they were hardly capable of more than a few pitiful spells. In fact, Trixie is fairly certain that your butch little drummer is unable of performing any magic at all.” The powder-blue mare grumbled and crossed her forelegs across her chest as she slumped back in the booth, her horn glowing a paler azure when a server approached, sending the empty martini glass floating through the air to set down neatly upon the tray balanced on the earth pony’s back. “The Great and Powerful Trixie would like another martini! And she demands you tell the bartender to use a bottle of vodka that requires a ladder!”

The server blinked, eying the huffy unicorn as Riffraff cleared his throat and leaned toward her. “Uh. Could you get her another dry martini, three olives? Ask the bartender to use Definit.” The earth pony looked relieved at the simpler instructions, nodding a few times and tossing him a small smile before weaving her way back through the crowded section.

“Trixie sees that you continue to flaunt your useless testosterone-based talent to get Trixie drunk so you may have sex with her,” the unicorn muttered, rubbing slowly at her features before glaring past her hoof at the crimson stallion. “Where did you find such weak unicorns to join you two on stage?”

“We just met ‘em today!” Graceful answered cheerfully, bouncing a bit on the booth cushion. “They’re really good, huh?”

“Trixie thinks they are boorish,” the unicorn sniffed as she tilted her head to the side. “And you...two always performed without accompaniment without any issue. The Great and Powerful Trixie believes you are wasting your abilities.”

Riffraff smiled amusedly and cocked his head. “Did you just admit that we have skill?”

Trixie blinked and then shook her head violently. “No! Trixie merely meant that...in comparison to those talentless ponies.”

The larger pegasus snickered softly while his companion flashed a broad grin. “It’s okay to admit it, Trixie! I’m reeeeally good with my mouth, an’...well, you already know that Riffy’s especially good with his hooves!” he sang out, the last line bringing a blush to both the other two ponies’ features.

“Trixie does not appreciate this slander on her good and well-respected name,” she mumbled, glancing up when the server returned with the drink and using telekinesis to lift it onto the table herself. “The Great and Powerful Trixie does not need to pay, correct?”

The other mare cleared her throat loudly and gave the unicorn a pointed look. “I’m sorry, hon, but everypony has to pay here.”

“But...Trixie is also a good friend of Twilight Sparkle! She respects Trixie very much, and will soon sing praises of how wonderful Trixie is!”

“Everypony has to pay, I’m afraid.” The server gave a thin smile. “Even...friends of Twilight Sparkle.” She hesitantly reached to take back the martini but Riffraff laughed quietly, holding out a hoof.

“It’s alright, her tab’s on us.” A relieved expression immediately washed over the earth pony and she grunted with a grateful nod.

“You colts played real fine tonight. Anything I can get you two?” She paused and drew out the next line purposefully. “On the house, of course.”

Trixie reared back with a horrified look, her muzzle wrinkling into a pout. The crimson pegasus had to hide his smile, glancing awkwardly at the grinning stallion seated next to him. “Um. Gracie? Want anything?”

“Just a diet cola, thank you!” he called out before leaning across to whisper loudly. “Trixie, we can get any drink we want...for free!”

The light blue unicorn glowered darkly at Graceful as she took a gulp from her cocktail before she shifted her baleful glare to Riffraff. “Uh...the, uh. Same for me. Thanks.” He smiled sheepishly and the server seemed pleased with herself as she nodded and trotted back toward the bar, leaving the trio to their awkward moment. “It’s. Uh. A perk?”

“It is not Trixie’s fault she often finds herself unappreciated by the unwashed masses,” the unicorn mumbled dejectedly. “Trixie could get things on the house if she wanted. She would just bring up that she is the most prized student of Lu... Lu... L... uh...”

Graceful Melody blinked and giggled. “Wait, you had a teacher named Lululuh?”

Trixie blushed deeply, clearing her throat loudly and looking around nervously as she gripped into the stem of her glass. “Trixie...uh. Yes. Yes, she does.” She shook her mane out quickly and adjusted the tall hat perched upon her head. “Trixie means, that...she had, yes. And everypony here would think much better of Trixie if she could tell them about her tutelage!”

“I ain’t never heard of no Lululuh,” Graceful commented pointedly, idly twirling a hoof through his messy mane. “I somehow think that ain’t no pony here ever heard of Lululuh. Graceful thinks that Trixie is drunk.”

Riffraff snickered softly, gazing amusedly across the table as the embarrassed unicorn glared at his companion and then tossed her head to the side before downing the last of her second drink. “The Great and Powerful Trixie would never be so easily inebriated,” she mumbled, plucking the toothpick from the drained chalice, eating all three olives at once and shoving the empty glass to the side. Crossing her forelegs across the table, she dropped her muzzle across them desolately as her pointed hat slid down across her features somewhat. “Order Trixie another drink. We will use your mediocre performance as a reason to celebrate.”

“Kinda looks less like a celebration and more like one of your poorly-hidden pity-parties,” Riffraff observed mildly, though a hint of concern touched the surface as he propped his chin up with a hoof. He watched the grouchy magician for a few moments before looking down at Graceful Melody lamely. Their eyes met and his silent plea for some sign of how to proceed was met with a soft, encouraging smile. The crimson stallion laughed a bit, nodding once and then glancing back as Trixie glared up sourly from beneath the brim of her patterned hat. “Alright, alright, sorry, Tricks. All teasing aside...what are you actually doing here? Yeah, I know, I know, your eternal rival-slash-new-best-buddy lives here, but you can’t have possibly been that stubborn that you’d stick around in this tiny town, where – sorry in advance, but – it kinda seems like you still aren’t getting the best reception.”

Trixie pursed her lips and opened her muzzle to respond. But when the server returned with sodas for the pegasi, she remained silently and only glowered expectantly at Riffraff, refusing to look at the entertained earth pony.

“Here y’all go,” she said politely, sliding Graceful’s drink across the table first before setting the second in front of Riffraff. “Anything else I can get for ya, sweetie?”

Riff smiled a bit. “Another drink for our friend here, please.” He paused and dropped his head down low to meet Trixie’s scowl beneath the shade of her brim. “Was the last mix acceptable?”

She shot daggers at him across the scuffed table but nodded with a quiet grunt. Riffraff smiled again, nodding toward the server. “Then another the exact same way. Let the bartender know I’ll leave him a separate tip for all his trouble.”

The server laughed warmly, tipping him a wink. “Well that’s awful kind of you, I’ll be sure to let him know.” She smiled before once more leaving their booth. Trixie immediately grumbled and lifted her head slightly to glare after the earth pony.

“Trixie thinks you are foolish, why would you give more money to these ponies just for doing their jobs?”

“To make sure he doesn’t add his own special ingredients to your martinis,” Riffraff responded sweetly, earning a giggle from the smaller stallion. “And besides, I’ve never seen you complain about getting some extra bits during your shows.” He paused as Trixie narrowed her eyes slightly in anticipation of his follow-up. He grinned awkwardly, unable to resist as he added, “Not uh. Not that I ever really saw you getting a whole lot of ti--” He suddenly yelped as a light blue aura surrounded his drink, the entire glass upending into his lap. He flailed wildly, eyes widening as he jerked himself up from the now-wet-and-cold booth with a huff. He glared down at the somewhat-pleased unicorn, ignoring the stares of several patrons around them. “Dammit, Trixie. Not cool.” At his side, Graceful whined at the spreading liquid, grabbing a hoof-full of napkins from the holder upon the table and did his best to start soaking up the puddle beneath his companion’s dripping flank.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie did not see your ‘good hooves’ preventing her simple feat of magic,” the mare replied smugly, her features brightening some as she looked expectantly over her shoulder. Riffraff grumbled but watched as her eyes lit up when she saw their server bustling back to the booth, apparently attracted by the distinct sound of a drink spilling in her section. “And now, the Great and Powerful Trixie will rectify the clumsiness of her greatest fancolt!” she announced clearly as multiple heads turned toward her, many of them displeased with another interruption from the loud magician. As the earth pony approached with several dish rags and the third martini, Trixie lifted her head with a proud wave of her forelegs, her horn beginning to glow brightly. Riffraff blinked stupidly before his eyes rounded once more in horror, throwing a hoof out.

“Wait, don’t do that one sp--AUGH!” His protest was cut off by his own yelp as Trixie grinned and whipped her head forward, her tall horn giving a bright flash of azure light that blinded several of the surrounding ponies. Their server cursed and stumbled forward, the tray upon her back pitching forward while Riffraff howled sharply, his body jerking against the table reflexively as a loud sizzle filled the air, a blast of steam exploding up from around his soaked hindquarters and the drenched cushion beneath. Graceful Melody yowled as well, rearing back from the sudden expulsion of dry heat that instantly evaporated the soda from both pegasus hide and vinyl-covered booth.

Riffraff pouted, immediately clutching at his flank with both front hooves as he half-slumped over the table before scowling when the steam began to lift from around him. Grinning triumphantly above him, Trixie had her forelegs still thrown out to either side with her salvaged martini floating neatly before her muzzle, apparently oblivious to the horrible glares she was receiving from the surrounding ponies. “That is the only free display of Trixie’s power for tonight! Trixie hopes everypony enjoyed her amazing abilities!”

The server slowly picked herself up from the wooden floor, gritting her teeth as she gathered up the rags scattered about her while several patrons muttered darkly and slowly turned back to their own tables. Setting her jaw, the earth pony took a deep breath before glancing coldly from Trixie to the two pegasi, Riffraff still flopped across the table with a scowl on his face, hindquarters still cupped in his hooves. “I will go and get you another drink,” she enunciated slowly, showing visible restraint as a few veins pulsed in her neck. “And you!” She whipped around to growl up to the posing unicorn. “No magic in the bar! New rule!”

Trixie blinked and huffed loudly, lifting a hoof to grab her martini out of the telekinetic grip and sipping from it delicately before she replied in a surly voice: “Trixie already said she would not be performing any more wondrous magic tonight. Not without payment!”

“I’m about to make a withdrawal from the Equestrian Bank of Flank-Kicking,” the earth pony muttered under her breath as she stormed off toward the bar, tail flicking furiously behind her.

But Trixie didn’t seem to notice as she preened from her stance upon the cushion, looking extremely pleased with herself. “Trixie told you she has become only more impressive since you two last rode upon Trixie’s coattails,” she announced with a proud grin before finally dropping back into the booth and swirling the half-empty martini glass before removing the toothpick, nibbling off one olive and then poking Riffraff’s nose gently with the wooden tip.

He glared up at her from the surface of the table, his flank still steaming slightly as the flesh beneath his hooves felt hot to the touch. “I think the only damn reason that didn’t hurt as much as the last time is because you weren’t targeting my goddamn genitals.”

She immediately reared back somewhat, flushing despite herself and spearing his muzzle in retaliation with the toothpick to make the large stallion flinch. Graceful seemed torn between giggling and pouting as he finally sat up again and then jutted his chin out childishly. “Yeah, hey, that’s right! I couldn’t have happy-fun-time with him for like a week after that! Well, I mean, it didn’t help that I tried to scrub it clean with hot water the next night...I didn’t know you like...scalded his sweet ponymeat, I figured it was just a negative reaction to your nasty gross fillyjuice. Well.” Graceful paused thoughtfully, both ponies creakily turning their heads to stare at the distracted pegasus. “Actually, it was probably both. Riffy isn’t violently allergic to fillies like me. But I bet you still gave him cooties! You burned his goodies and gave him cooties! So...uh...” He trailed off and tapped his chin slowly with a hoof. “Um. There’s a lesson here, hold on...”

Riffraff groaned as he removed his hooves from his flank and slowly lowered his hindquarters into the still-warm vinyl. His eyes widened a bit on contact and he grumbled quietly, dropping his head back to the table as he crossed his muscular forelegs over his muzzle. “The lesson is that Trixie should be banned from ever performing magic on other ponies. Ever.”

Graceful seemed content with this answer, nodding several times while the powder-blue unicorn huffed disdainfully and swirled the remainder of her drink idly with the toothpick. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is not at fault if silly musicians are unable to withstand the awesome might of Trixie’s magic.” She paused, looking somewhat embarrassed despite herself when Riffraff grimaced and carefully shifted position on the cushion. The mare cleared her throat quietly and added lamely, “Trixie could. Use a cooling spell, if your unappreciative flank needs to –”

“Nooooo. Nooo no no, no. No thank you,” Riffraff mumbled from beneath his crossed limbs, hooves idly massaging into his own scalp. “I’m so glad you haven’t changed, Trixie. You’re still a total bitch.” Graceful nodded vehemently again at his side and the unicorn scowled once more, but was prevented from answering when Riffraff raised a hoof, adding in a muffled voice. “Also. Now you owe us. So.” He paused and lifted his muzzle with a grumble, resting his chin on his muscular foreleg. “Tell us seriously what you’re doing here. No more sleight of hoof, we know how you work.”

Trixie made a face and slowly rubbed a hoof against her cheek before sighing and gulping down the last of her cocktail. Her cheeks were somewhat flushed again, though the pegasi now recognized it more as a sign of her decreased sobriety rather than embarrassment. “Fiiiine,” she groaned, slumping down over her forelimbs to nearly mimic Riffraff’s pose, her horn glowing gently as the empty martini glass slid across the table for Graceful to happily remove the two remaining olives, chomping into them quietly. “The Great and Powerful Trixie...did originally come to Ponyville to prove to Twilight Sparkle that Trixie has truly become her better in magical arts.” She grumbled quietly but the two stallions only gazed at her curiously and she rolled her eyes. “Apparently Trixie still...has some things she could benefit from learning. And...she is currently studying under Pr--er, she...is studying with Twilight Sparkle under a...very powerful unicorn. Who is a secret, and Trixie will never reveal who she is, so do not try and use your...your...guitarist’s charm to coax it from her, Riffraff.” She glared across at the amused pegasus.

But he only smiled gently and nodded once. “Alright, Tricks. Everypony has their secrets, we won’t pry.”

The light blue mare gave a satisfied grunt. “Good. Trixie will trust you, though most regrettably. Anyway, Trixie has been learning magic she...did not know she could learn. Even though the Preat and Gowerful Trixie can learn any which magic she chooses.”

“Great and Powerful,” Graceful corrected softly, smiling a bit as the unicorn blushed and mumbled incoherently for a moment, her eyes closing.

“Of course. That is what I said. What Trixie said. But...it...is a very strenuous course of training. And Trixie is not happy to admit this, but she is...truly being challenged. And Trixie is grateful, although she thinks that sometimes she may come across as annoying to Twilight and Lu...uh...her teacher. Yes.” Trixie nodded a few times, opening her eyes again and looking quietly embarrassed. “Trixie will live here in Ponyville while she continues her training. She will prove that nothing is below what she can perform, and that she never gives up!”

Riffraff smiled quietly and reached a hoof out to gently squeeze one of the mare’s forelegs. “You’ve never given up before, Tricks. I’m sure that’s nothing you need to prove, certainly not to us. You never let anypony stop you from doing what you loved to do, no matter what they said to you.”

Trixie seemed oddly touched by the stallion’s words, regardless of what they suggested. “That...that is true, I suppose. I...mean, Trixie supposes. Thank you, Riffraff.” She smiled sheepishly across the table, allowing his hoof to remain upon her limb before her slowed synapses demanded that she give an awkward look over toward the smaller pegasus. “Um...”

Graceful Melody only smiled again, one of his own hooves quietly sliding across to pat her foreleg reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Tricks. I can share.”

She blushed deeply again, finally jerking her legs back and sitting up as she rubbed embarrassedly at her muzzle. “Trixie has no wish to...to...oh, you two are always so weird,” she complained, sighing loudly and dropping her elbows onto the table as she studied the two pegasi moodily. “Trixie has now told you why she is here. She demands the same from you.”

“Oh ho ho, demands, now THIS is new!” Graceful sang out, giggling all the same. His partner snickered quietly and shook his head before nudging the slender stallion lightly.

“Now, now, be nice,” Riffraff scolded gently, then gazing back at the flushed unicorn with a smile. “We’re here in this little podunk town...well. Because it’s a little podunk town.” He laughed softly. “We uh...we ran into some...issues, a month or so ago. I got...pretty beat up.” He glanced at his companion, his hoof silently grasping one of Graceful’s own. “Ironically enough, it was by somepony who is here with us in Ponyville. Anyway, we wanted to get out of the big cities.” He paused and smiled a bit more, reaching out to tap Trixie's horn lightly with a hoof. The unicorn flinched backward, furrowing her brow in confusion. “Because...even though we admittedly got the crowd rockin' tonight, and I'm sure we looked all awesome and stuff to you, we haven't exactly been hitting it big. Canterlot was a bust and...while we did find a great little place in Manehattan, we, uh...” He rubbed lamely at his own features. “We weren't making our money from our shows. We were living off of what you could call an...uh. An unexpected inheritance. But all the same, big city life, ain't what it's made out to be.”

“Trixie believes that only those unworthy of such a life would say that,” the mare replied softly. Her eyes were tender, however, and she nodded silently, gesturing for him to continue.

“Well...anyway, we still had...some of the money left after the hospital.” Trixie gave the pegasus a curious look at this, though Riffraff only waved a hoof quietly. “Nah, I'm...all better now. Luckily we had good, uh. Help.” He glanced down at Graceful sheepishly, who smiled up at him supportively. “Yeah. So uh...we're just hangin' out in Ponyville for now. Seems like a nice enough place, and we got lucky with this bar, too. We weren't expecting to find somewhere that would welcome our kinda music.”

Trixie nodded slowly and smiled wanly at both pegasi. “Trixie does not think Ponyville is so bad, either. Even though many of the dumb ponies here cannot seem to fathom her wonder.” She huffed quietly, rubbing one of her forelegs before tilting her head back imperiously. “But it is...good to see you two hangers-on, even if I still suspect that you simply followed the Great and Powerful Trixie.” Graceful looked amused as Riff only shook his head with a smile. “And now, dear adoring...adorers. Trixie...must go find that stupid tree-library. For Trixie is drunk.” She nodded solemnly, the smaller stallion attempting to hold in his giggling.

Riffraff laughed softly and jerked his head toward his companion. “Gracie, you mind droppin' some coin for our tab, plus a. Very generous tip? I'm gonna help our great and powerful friend get outside.” He slid out of the booth, Trixie scowling disdainfully while the slender pegasus laughed as well, nodding several times.

“Sure thing, sweetie.” He winked to them both. “I'll go grab it from our stuff...we gonna pack up afterward?”

“Yeah, let's get her to bed and then we can come back,” Riff replied amusedly before wincing when Trixie attempted to slide out from her side of the booth.

The inebriated unicorn got caught in her own cape, yelping and toppling toward the floor, her legs flailing. But Riffraff quickly stepped forward and caught the powder-blue mare across his back with a grunt as Trixie groaned and then remained flopped unceremoniously over his broad frame as she mumbled against his side. “'M not...drunk. You're drunk. Trixie does not get...drunk. Trixie is too...Trixie. To get. Drunk.”

Riffraff glanced over his shoulder with a grateful smile when he saw his companion already trotting back to the stage. He sighed but remained quietly entertained as he made his way carefully to the entrance of the bar while softly apologizing whenever he or the rambling unicorn across his back bumped against another table. “And...furthermore, you...stop your apologizing. You are bearing the Super...Great Trixie, and she is above all apologies! She will...she will turn you all into...babies! Baby turtles...turtles and...princesses...” Riffraff blinked, peering over his other shoulder as Trixie continued her senseless mumbling against him, her front hooves clutching childishly into his wing. “Riffraff. You smell like sweat and stallions. You need a shower. Trixie wants a better carriage.”

“You ain't just smellin' stallions,” Riff replied wryly under his breath before peeking back to meet the unicorn's eyes. “Sorry, babe, but this is the best carriage you're gonna get for now.”

The magician pouted and squirmed a bit across his broad frame before huffing and falling still once more. She shoved her maw against his side, mumbling quietly. “Trixie supposes that you will do, then.”

Riffraff smiled despite himself, gently headbutting the door open after a polite nod to a few patrons near the entrance. “Well thanks, Tricks. I'm touched.” He snickered softly and stepped out into the crisp night air, closing his eyes for a moment and inhaling deeply. Part of him craved a cigarette, but part of him felt content. It hadn't been as strange as he'd thought to spend time with the magician once more. Their few months together had been...interesting, to say the least. And although he only had eyes for Graceful, it certainly hadn't been easy to ignore the memories of a particularly intimate night with the magician's companionship.

“Do...you wanna walk? Or...” He glanced over a shoulder lamely as the unicorn blinked blearily and then blushed herself.

“Oh, if...Trixie must walk, she...she can walk,” the mare stammered, beginning to slide herself backward. “You are not obligated, Trixie is more than ca –”

“No, no, it’s alright,” Riffraff interrupted gently before smiling when Graceful pranced out of the bar a few seconds later. “I gotcha.”

“I told Stoney that we’d be back to pack up our stuff later -- but he was real excited about the show! He said he hadn’t seen the crowd that pumped up in a long while!”

“It was a very, very good show,” Trixie admittedly in a mumble as she nodded against Riffraff’s side. “Trixie is using your coltfriend as a stagecoach, Graceless. If you have an issue with this...Trixie will...Trixie will...turn you...upside-down.” She nodded resolutely and the slender pegasus giggled softly, trotting up to his partner’s other side and glancing into his eyes amusedly.

“She’s not a heavyweight,” Riffraff mouthed almost silently, causing Graceful to nod agreeably as the unicorn grumbled from upon his back. “Did you say something, Trixie, dear?”

“Trixie...is asking if you know where Trixie’s tree is.”

Graceful couldn’t help from asking behind a hoof, grinning childishly. “Does Trixie need to mark her territory?”

“Yes,” the mare answered firmly, nodding again as her horn began to glow. “Yes, so that everypony can know that the Mighty Trixie is amongst them!” She lifted her head with a drunken giggle, horn glowing brighter before Riffraff cleared his throat loudly and paused in his easy gait to reach back with a hoof and gently clasp it around her spire-like appendage. She immediately writhed upon his back, though Riff wasn’t sure if it was discomfort, pleasure or some awkward mix of the two. Graceful knows more about horns than me. My horn. Jet’s horns. Both of them. Dusey’s horns. All. Seven of them. “Riffraff! Trixie did not permiss you to touch all over her glorious horniness!”

“Riffraff just thinks that...wait.” He coughed and looked awkward for a moment. “Um.” Graceful began to giggle madly at his side and he huffed with embarrassment. “Riffraff is. Covering your. Horniness because doesn’t Trixie think it might be somewhat...dangerous to use her great and powerful magic while she is more than a bit tipsy?”

“The Great and Tipsy Trixie only uses her wondrous magic to awe ponies! And for great justice!” she declared roundly before sulking as his hoof remained firmly gripped around her pulsing horn. She dropped her head back against his side and mumbled dejectedly against him: “Oh...very well. Trixie will restrain herself. Please find Trixie’s tree.”

Riffraff smiled quietly, letting his foreleg drop once more. He and Graceful began their steady pace again, heading to the square toward which they recalled the unicorn going after their first meeting on the street. “To the tree!” Graceful Melody announced, laughing softly and hopping into the air as his wings spread and beat just hard enough to keep him afloat.

They reached the enormous tree after crossing a few intersections and Riffraff spotted a sign standing before it, labeled only with a drawing of a book. He and his companion stopped just shy of the door, the larger stallion smiling a bit before glancing back at the magician. “You want us to take you inside, Tricks?”

She remained quiet for a moment, eyes closed as a slight blush rose to her cheeks again. But she eventually shook her head and, with a bit of help from Graceful, slid down from the muscular pegasus’s back. “No, that’s alright. Trixie...is a guest in this silly library. She...she does not wish to intrude even more.” She stumbled forward, past the two males before turning around and smiling sheepishly at them both. “Trixie must also figure out how to explain her hangover to Princess Luna, she will not—oh, horseapples.” The unicorn immediately flushed deeply and dropped her head with a groan.

Graceful blinked and dropped his jaw as Riffraff stared in disbelief. “You...you’re training with Princess Luna? She’s...here?!”

“No, no, no, oh sweet Celestia, no,” Trixie mumbled, shaking her head sluggishly and rubbing a hoof against her features, the pointed hat falling off from atop her skull to flutter down next to her. “She...she is not here, and...you cannot tell anypony! She would gut Trixie, and remove her horn, and probably put it in places a horn should not go!”

“That’s a matter of personal opinion,” Graceful remarked before clearing his throat awkwardly when the other two ponies gave him matching, horrible glares. “Um. I mean.”

“He means that we promise not to utter a word,” Riffraff reassured, smiling slightly and then reaching down to grab the sorcerer’s hat, decorated with the unicorn’s trademark celestial designs. He held it out to her, meeting her nervous eyes. “Like I said before...we...all have our secrets. Yours is safe with us.”

Trixie studied them for a moment, her drunkenness seeming to fade somewhat as she tilted her head slowly. “Trixie...Trixie...is glad to hear that but...why aren’t you two screaming in terror like Trixie did when she stumbled upon this truth?”

“Uh...” Riffraff rubbed lamely at his chest, looking desperately across at his companion. But the feminine pegasus only shrugged his shoulders awkwardly. “Um. We...have a friend of our own, and...he knows that she isn’t evil? And...that what happened at Canterlot...wasn’t...what it seemed to be?”

“Also, he’s a demon!” Graceful added helpfully, nodding before shrinking slightly to the side when Riffraff glared at him. “Uh...a demon in bed! He’s. He’s a demon in bed. With a really big—”

“Ignore him, he’s got stallions on the brain,” Riffraff interjected embarrassedly, attempting a weak smile. Trixie wobbled a bit on the spot, continuing to eye the pegasi with a mix of suspicion and confusion. “Let’s just say that...we are open-minded after all we’ve experienced and...we aren’t the kind of ponies who are gonna freak out and go screaming to the town that the horrible and terrible Nightmare Moon is among us.” He smiled a bit again, quietly shaking the cap in his hoof. “We promise nopony will know.”

It seemed to finally calm the anxious unicorn as she nodded silently. She mumbled a quiet but grateful thanks, plucking the hat out of his hoof and then leaning forward impulsively to kiss his lips briefly. The crimson stallion widened his eyes in surprise, blood rushing to his own cheeks as his wings fluttered a bit. Trixie pulled back, closing her eyes and then taking a deep breath. She silently placed the hat upon her light blue mane once more, then smiled sheepishly at both stallions. “Trixie is...glad to know you both. Let’s...let’s get together again sometime. It was nice to see you.”

Graceful smiled brightly, bouncing once on his hooves. “Yeah! We wanna see what you’ve learned, too, Trixie! We should hook up and you can show us some new tricks, and we’ll play some music for you, too!” He paused and then glanced thoughtfully between Riffraff and the gently swaying unicorn, giving a softer smile. “You...you sure you wouldn’t like for Riffraff to come in with you?”

Riffraff blushed quietly again but didn’t chastise his companion, allowing his eyes to meet Trixie’s as the unicorn gazed at him for a moment. They shared the silent exchange for several seconds before the mare finally laughed softly and shook her head a few times. “That’s very sweet of you, Graceful...but...Trixie needs to try and sleep.” She paused, looking suddenly morbid. “Trixie must have her rest in case that big dumb poet leads her into another nest of giant bugs.”

Riff and Grace both blinked, glancing at each other and deciding to write it off as drunken rambling. The larger male smiled slightly and nodded as he leaned forward and gave the unicorn a gentle kiss to her forehead. She flushed again, bowing her head forward silently as he bumped their noses together. “That’s the smart decision, Tricks. Go get yourself some rest, sleep it off.” He hesitated before adding softly: “If we...share something like that again, I’d prefer for you to not be drunk out of your mind, after all. I’m not out to ruin your reputation and everything.”

Trixie blushed even deeper as she backed against the door and looked extremely humbled. “I...thank you, Riffraff,” she murmured. “You two are good ponies. I’ll...Trixie will...no, I will look forward to our next meeting.” She offered a small smile but her eyes shone with appreciation. “Goodnight, Riffraff, and Grace.” She nodded shyly, then turned around to fumble with the door before slipping inside and giving them one last soft gaze as the door shut gently.

Riffraff immediately exhaled as his eyes bulged, turning around and shaking his head several times. “Well that ran the full gamut of any and all possible awkward subjects and emotions.” He peered down at an innocent-looking Graceful. “Because it’s not weird enough to try and get us to have sex, you also have to go and tell her all about Amdusias.”

“Tell who about me?” the reptile’s voice asked dryly. Riff groaned and dropped his head, not having to look to sense the demon’s sudden appearance to his other side.

“Dusey. Nopony summoned you.”

Graceful brightened, leaping up and quickly looking around for the concealed reptile before beaming and waving a hoof toward the library sign. “Hi, Dusey!”

“Why does he do that?” Amdusias muttered drolly, crossing his muscular arms across his chest as he watched the energetic pegasus before glancing around the dark, quiet street mildly. “I thought he could smell me.” He blinked stupidly and then slowly stared down to find Graceful’s muzzle shoved against his crotch.

“Found you!” he announced cheerfully, wings fluttering once before he giggled and leaned back, tensing his legs only to spring forward a moment later. The invisible demon stumbled back in surprise but automatically caught the slim pegasus with a dark mutter. “Hi, Dusey!”

Riffraff rolled his eyes before glaring up at the two. “Seriously, somepony is going to see Gracie just. Floating in the air and they’re going to be very, very confused.”

“He did this, not me!” the demon protested, attempting to push down Graceful but finding the unexpectedly strong forelegs already clutching his neck stubbornly. He scowled before rolling his eyes and dropping his massive arms to his sides. “Besides. You two are the aerial variety of mortal rat. They will find it natural for your lavender to hover.”

“Not without moving his wings, they won’t,” Riff grumbled before producing a cigarette and lighting it in the side of his muzzle. He shook his head slowly and took a long draw, then began to walk away from the library as the enormous demon and attached Graceful Melody fell into step at his side. “Anyway. As I was saying, nopony summoned you and. Who I talk to you is none of your damn business.”

Amdusias pursed his lips before shrugging mildly. “I can simply read your thoughts, foolish insect. Or.” He paused and then grinned toothily before taking another cursory glance around the abandoned streets. A moment later, his scaled features became visible to Graceful Melody, who smiled brightly and squirmed excitedly against the reptile’s broad chest. “Little one. I demand you tell me to whom your dear paladin was just speaking.”

“Nope!” Graceful replied promptly, sticking out his tongue. “Coltfriend-coltfriend confidentiality! Just like you always taught me, Riffyriff!”

“Exactly,” the larger pegasus grunted, surrounding his head in a plume of bluish smoke for a moment. “Good colt.”

Amdusias huffed and then gave the sweetest smile he could muster. “Dearest Graceful Melody. Have I ever spoken in length to you about the fine quality of your crystalline voice? It is comparable to hearing the sweet sounds of love itself, an emotion made into pure aural treasure, made only possible because of your undeniable talents.” Riffraff blinked and then glared up at the reptile sourly as his partner blushed and giggled, waving a hoof in shy, coy denial. “Oh, but it is true! And your flank...why, there mustn’t be a more perfect, supple flank throughout all of Helheim! Demons of Lust are most assuredly lining up at your door, struggling with one another, ripping each other to shreds to even cast their eyes upon its rounded glory for even an instant!”

“Oh, Dusey!” Graceful cooed, swooning dramatically against the reptile before grinning cheerfully down at his partner’s horrified expression. “You big sweetie-pie! He was talkin’ to Trixie! They once had drunken sex! And apparently it was really hot because she still remembers it even though she was tooooats wasted that night!”

“Aha!” the demon cried out victoriously. “Your paladin has indeed slept with a female! I knew you had some other dirty secret, Riffraff, you can hide nothing from me.” Amdusias tilted his head up triumphantly as Riffraff grumbled and shook his head slowly.

“Dear gods, you have spent way too much time with Gracie if you really think that qualifies as a ‘dirty secret’, Dusey. Anyway, what does it matter? It was a one time thing and...the three of us were just reconnecting after our show.” He paused and then glanced up at the demon amusedly. “Which, by the way, was one show you shouldn’t have missed. It was pretty freakin’ awesome.”

“Super epic!” Graceful piped up before finally releasing the demon’s neck to glide down to his partner’s side once more, shoving his muzzle against Riff’s neck as their bodies naturally pressed together.

Amdusias idly brushed a loose feather from his scaled chest, looking thoughtful as the trio made their way back toward the bar. “Is this so? Well...I will peruse your dreams while you two slumber tonight. Judge this performance for myself. And also sate myself on the awkward sexual encounter with this...Trixie. Is this mysterious mortal also a mediocre musical cricket?”

“Nope! She’s a magicpony training under Princess Luna!” Graceful chirped brightly.

Riffraff immediately glared sharply at his companion. “GRACIE!”

Amdusias widened his eyes slightly. “Oh, you two simply adore tempting fate, do you not? Why don’t we just parade right up to the Princess of the Night herself and lay down our bodies as sacrifice, perhaps she will then show mercy.” He shuddered, adding icily, “I think the two of you need to avoid this ‘Trixie’ while we remain in this dreadful town. And all three of us will keep our distance if this aegis of the night truly resides nearby. Particularly you, Riffraff, I do not desire to imagine what she would do if she discovered you seeded and sullied her so-called student.”

Riffraff stared up at the demon morbidly, jaw working stupidly. “I...what? What? Why? I thought you demonfolk hated Celestia! She’s the...Princess of Sunshine, what the hell are you scared of the Night Princess for?”

Amdusias grimaced and gave another involuntary shiver. “While it is rumored that Princess Luna may...partake in darker activities than her heliocentric sibling, especially due to her connection to the entity of darkness residing within her, she has also historically not been one to say ‘no’ to even the slightest potential of a physical brutalizing, and this includes engaging fearlessly with even the most dangerous of my kind.” He paused, rubbing lamely at his spiked muzzle. “And I am most certainly not within any proximity of that which defines the ‘most dangerous of my kind’. Furthermore, she is known to be fiercely, stubbornly, almost idiotically protective of those over whom she rules or with whom she has bonded. She would not greet kindly one who has sown the fields of any trainee of hers, especially considering that you apparently went about flinging your weak mortal seeds while this magician lay giggling under the effects of your weak mortal alcohol.” Amdusias made a face and rubbed his biceps slowly with both hands. “Therefore, I highly recommend that you do not make contact again with your female faux pas.”

“...are you really that scared of her?” Riffraff asked nervously as Graceful whimpered and clung to his neck from the side.

“If you must know, then yes. I do not wish to be beaten like a tone-deaf mascot that has stumbled into the rallying performance of a surging marching band leading their club to the championship-winning goal,” Amdusias replied dryly. “She is said to be extremely vicious. And even more prejudiced.”

“Well...then. You just. Stay at home when we go visit Trixie. Because we will visit her again, because she’s our friend,” Riffraff replied quietly but defiantly, glancing up at the demon. Amdusias wrinkled his muzzle but only grunted as they approached the front of the bar, still crowded with ponies inside. “And...furthermore...” Riffraff turned his head, then blinked when he discovered that the reptile had disappeared entirely, leaving him and his companion alone. “That jerk.”

“He is a jerk,” Graceful agreed, nodding quietly and nudging his partner’s muzzle with his own. “Don’t let him stop you from hangin’ out with Trixie.”

“Let him stop US hangin’ out with Trixie,” Riffraff corrected with an amused smile. “Why the hell are you so intent on getting us to hook up? And don’t give me that ‘I’m so guilty that I’m such a slut!’ routine. You can’t possibly feel THAT bad about you going around doing it dirty with every stallion that catches your eye.”

“Well maybe I do!” Graceful protested, stamping a front hoof quietly. “I mean...it’s not fair to you! I go around and do the the pony-pokey with any five-legged pony I see, and...most of the time, you just lurk outside, making sure that they don’t kill me or something, and don’t even get to join in!”

“Sometimes I think I’m on standby more for their protection than yours,” Riff replied dryly before laughing a bit and shaking his head. “But...c’mon, Gracie. You know I’m fine with it. I’ve been fine with it since day one.”

Graceful smiled faintly. “I know. I know you have, hon. Ugh, and I don’t know why.” He rubbed at his features slowly before reaching a hoof out to the bar’s front door. “Well. Maybe I also just...think that it’d be as good for her as it would be for you. We both know Trixie is rarely as happy as you’d think her I-Am-The-Greatest-Magician-In-All-The-Lands act would suggest. She’s...sad behind it. I see it. But she’s happy when she hangs out with us, her eyes are different.” He smiled a bit and then silently pushed the door open, walking in and saying softly over his shoulder. “And you’re poo-brain if you don’t notice how often she turns those eyes to you.”

Riffraff blinked and slowly sat back for a moment, cigarette still dangling from his muzzle with nearly an inch of ash teetering in place. He glanced down and took one more long draw before letting the half-smoked butt drop to the ground, idly stubbing it out with a hoof. But I’m yours, Gracie. And you’re mine. There’s no room for a third. I still don’t know how we’re managing to work Amdusias into things... He sighed and pushed his messy bangs back from his eyes, following his companion into the bustling bar a few moments later as his thoughts swirled and reeled through his mind. I really don’t want to try and deal with yet another confusing, awkward, strange relationship. He mumbled and lifted his eyes to see his companion already breaking their gear down on stage. The crimson stallion shook his head once in a vain attempt to clear it before wending his way through the room to join Graceful, unable to stop himself from wondering if the periwinkle pegasus had any other ulterior motives in mind.
He was fortunately saved from having to continue the uncomfortable line of mental questioning when the unicorn siblings hopped onto the stage shortly thereafter to chat about the show and pack up their own gear. Graceful Melody slipped back into the blouse he’d slung off at some point, positively beaming when Amber promised to bring him some of her outfits from late foalhood, when she had still maintained appearances as a “normal” teenage mare.
Shining Sea inquired about Riff’s various effects pedals as he put away the large keyboard, leaning over the case to peer curiously at one of the compact pieces of equipment. Riff had been all too glad to explain that a nearly identical board would work just as well with the unicorn’s instrument, since it technically only acted as a “gate” between source and speaker and was mostly oblivious to the type of sound fed through it. He also gave the lanky unicorn a list of jazz and blues tunes that Sea hadn’t recognized – much to Riffraff’s horror – and demanded that he listen to them post haste.