Mephisto and the Pony

"Mephisto!"  Cried Ariel has he charged into the throne room.  Several ponies dodged out of the way, and he saw the now ptich-red alicorn sitting upon his golden throne in an empty hall.  Ariel stopped for a moment to admire the crimson fur, but he shook himself and babbled.

"Please!  Please bring her back to me!  I need her, without her I can never do anything again!  Ill never get up, Ill never eat, Ill never sleep..."  He trailed off as tears flowed down his face.

Mephisto looked at him like a flavorless vegetable.  "Actually, I already tried.  I cannot, something is interfering with my power."

"What is it!?  Ill kill them, Ill take their power and Helena will be back with me!"

"I believe it is Princess Celestia."

"What?!  Why?!  ...Wait, how can you be sure?"

Mephisto pointed upward with a wingtip.  Slowly, Ariel followed it to see Princess Celestia, Luna, and six other mares standing on a decorated ledge overlooking the hall.

"That's where I stand when I want to look omniscient."  He sighed.

Ariel's eyes went wide with horror as the Princesses drifted down to land on either of the long tables in the hall.  A purple alicorn landed behind Celestia, Fluttershy and a blue pegasus drifted next to Luna, and the other three mares simply watched.

Ariel took a step towards the sun princess.  "I will say this exactly once.  Let.  Her.  Go."

The mares looked at Celestia, mystified.

"Don't be deceived.  He cannot use necromancy, because I gave Helena her last rights."  She nodded.  "Most ponies would be honored."

Ariel turned to Mephisto.  "By that, she means that she is blocking my power to reach... you know, outwards.  At all, really.  She isn't a very good sport."

"Reach out to where, exactly?"  Asked Ariel.

Celestia interrupted.  "You should be ashamed, trying to steal some pony's final rest."

Mephisto chuckled.  "Any other judgments for us, my love?  Just get it out of your adorable system now, so that we can get serious."

Each mare, and even Ariel, looked aghast at Mephisto's implication.

"Love?"  Said Ariel.

"I am the pony who most loves Celestia."  Said Mephisto simply.

Celesita looked like she had just thrown up.

"Wait a sec,"  Said Rainbow, "How do we know he's even a pony?  I've never seen one that's all red but still an alicorn, but ive seen pleanty of monsters disguise themselves as ponies.  Who are you?"

Everypony glared at her.  Then Ariel said "He was white when I met him."

Everypony looked at Mephisto.  He smiled.  "I am the only pony deserving of this horn and these wings,"  he said as he flexed them.  "I'm more pony than anypony here, excepting my good friend, and ally, Ariel.  He is a work in progress."

Ariel nodded, but Celestia visibly shook.  "Now Ariel,"  She said gently, "Mephistopheles is going to try and tempt you, with all sorts of things.  Never give into him, or promise him anything."

Ariel gave her a wicked smile.  "Princess, how did I know where the castle was?"  Celestia said nothing.

"How did I so easily ask him to bring back a pony?  How did I get all the way up here from Ponyville so fast, while it took you all days?"

Celestia said nothing.

"My friend here has given me more help in a moment than you gave the entire nation in your existence,  and he did it with no violence, no teaching, not even any magic.  My life has begun anew, and yes, he now may lay claim to my soul."

Mephisto smiled at her.

Celestia shook her head.  "Ariel, when we bind ourselves to Tartarus, it is very hard to break free.  But not impossible."

Ariel shook his head.  "Tartarus?  Binding?  Your words are as empty as your heart, Princess.  Mephisto could do anything, if you would but let him.  So, i beg you, you monster, to let him."

Luna flushed with rage.  "Thou may not speak to my sister like that!"  Ariel thought he saw something fall from Celestia's face.

"Fine," Celestia allowed herself to say.  "But I warn you, your not going to like-"

"Mephisto, do it!"

Mephisto flexed both wings and his horn lit up with the power of death.  A pony Helena materialized on the table in front of him.  She said nothing, and looked awful blank.  Ariel climbed up the table, an expression of euphoria on his face, and embraced her.  She said nothing, but slowly allowed herself to hug him as well.  "Whats wrong with her?"  He asked Mephisto.

"When you play with fire, you must anticipate some burns.  Chasing your desire is just a different way to learn."  He answered.

"I... I am defected from the light."  Ariel whispered into Helena's back.

"Yes."  Said Mephisto.

"Light has seized my soul."  Whispered Helena.

Ariel let her go and turned away.  "So low.  Redemption's to far..."

Celestia shook her head.

Helena rose into the air, light coming off her body.

Ariel looked at the mares above him.  "Shes the one that I loved!"

"Love is all we know..."  Whispered Helena.

Ariel whirled around, enraged.  "And she tore me apart!"

"That dark can never win!"  Said Celestia.

Mephisto rose from his throne, bating aside Helena.  Ariel seemed not to notice.

"All that I require is some trust as the pages turn.  I can take you higher, 'cause your will is my concern."  He said.

Celestia looked at Mephisto.

Ariel howled "Why did life take away the one thing I wanted?!  Maybe life is a melody we all serenade..."

Ariel looked at Celestia again.  "For so long,  Maybe forever.  I must carry on."

Celestia's expression narrowed slightly.

Mephisto placed a wing on Ariel's back, but looked at Celestia.  "You would not feel sorrow if you'd never tasted joy.  That's the curse of ponies,  Born in passion, you destroy."

Each of the mares in the hall whispered "The dark can never win..."

Ariel looked down.  "I got what I came here for.  Thank you, Mephisto."  He strode past the mares, the alicorns, and the other ponies waiting in the entrance hall, and back out into the cold.