The Earls and Their Ponies

Claude reentered Trancy House, his frown etched deeper on his face, the echo of what had happened still playing in his mind.

"I'll see what I can do, Claude, but I can't guarantee anything."

Sebastian would likely do something similar, once he found out what was going on. He might already know. The Lord of Chaos liked to mess with people like that. But still...

"Hey! Claude!" The voice by the door of his masters study was familiar. Too familiar.

"Alciel? What are you doing here? I thought you were helping Satan acquire that new vacation home or whatever." Claude looked at the demon standing before him. He seemed embarrassed.

"That kind of fell through. Turns out one of the humans had a holy sword. We had to escape."

"So you came here."

"First, we accidentally went somewhere else, but yes." Alciel rubbed the back of his head. "Japan, around the year 2000, in a version of earth with less arcana. We were stuck awhile."

"I see. Where is the Demon King?"

"He's in the kitchen, I think. He learned to cook while we were there, actually."

"Lovely. Let's go make sure the kitchen is in one piece, alright?"

"What does an anime about pirates have to do with anything?"

~*~*~*~*~

Sebastian reentered Phantomhive house, his frown etched deeper on his face, the echo of what had happened still playing in his mind.

I'm sorry Sebastian. I'm afraid I can't do anything. I'm sure Princess Celestia will sort it out.

Claude would likely do something similar, once he got himself together. He might have already. The Lord of Chaos couldn't disable him that much, could she? But still...

"Sebastian, why am I here? And why can't I leave?" The suit of armor by the door of his masters study, which hadn't been there before, asked.

"Alphonse? My, this is a surprise. It seems that The Lord of Chaos is messing around quite a bit. I wonder what her plan is."

"Are you sure she has one, Sebastian? She's been known to do stuff like this without one."

"I'm afraid to even think about that possibility right now, Alphonse."

"Sorry."

~*~*~*~*~

The humans-turned-ponies walked briskly along the trail. The crescent moon shone overhead. Behind them, there was a loud cracking noise.

"AAAGH!" Aloise clung to Ciel like he was a lifeboat on a sinking ship.

"Get off of me!" Ciel shouted, trying in vain to pry his mortal enemy off of him as the cockatrice's head popped out of the bush. "There, see? It's just--" Ciel looked into the cockatrice's eyes, and turned to stone.

"AAAGH!" Aloise screamed again, closing his eyes. Then he screamed some more for good measure.

~*~*~*~*~

Fluttershy, returning home from the days trials, heard the first scream. She stopped. She looked at the forest. "Somepony's in trouble! I should help them. I'll get the others. But that could take too long!" The second scream split the air. "I've got to help now!" She exclaimed quietly, and ran whimpering into the forest.

When she found Ciel, Aloise, and the cockatrice, Aloise had turned to stone, too. "You again?" She said to the cockatrice. It turned, and she closed her eyes. "Turn them back, please." The chicken-snake squawked. "Alright." She said. She opened her eyes and stared. She could feel her hind legs and her tail once again turning to stone. "Turn them back." She demanded. The cockatrice stared harder. So did she. "Turn them back now!" The cockatrice, recognizing it couldn't win, stopped staring, and backed down. So did Fluttershy. Her rear half, Ciel, and Aloise returned to normal.

"Huh." Said Ciel. "I'm alive!"

"What were you two doing out here? You could have been seriously hurt!" Fluttershy began fussing over the two.

"Well, sorry." Ciel said. "Nobody told us to stay out of Deathtrap Woods." He moved Fluttershy's hoof away from his face.

"Actually, it's called the Everfree Forest." Fluttershy muttered.

"Right. Duly noted. Never go into the Everfree Forest, ever, and never listen to Aloise when he's raving mad. Which is always."

"Hey!"

"It's true, you know. You are raving. Come on, everyone, let's go back."