Adjusting

“Nice hat. I thought you didn’t wear those?” The grey furred oddly horned earth pony Abraxas hummed.

“I was always told your kind was craftier. But look at you, trapped in a cage like an animal. How’d you fall into it? Oh yes. Me.” The tan furred unicorn named Sandstorm sneered, his hooves clicking against the cold stone of the dungeon as he walked away.

“Now now, no need to get snippy. You must be having an off day.” Abraxas cooed softly, his chained arms extending as if offering a hug. A bolt of what seemed to be light narrowly missed his head. Abraxas jerked away and hissed loudly.

“The fuck do you want Sandstorm?” Abraxas growled.

“I could ask the same thing to you.” Sandstorm stated.

“Are you high or something? You came to me, although I AM in your dungeon.” Abraxas snickered.

“At least you aren’t completely stupid.” Sandstorm said.

“A compliment!” Abraxas said with an over exaggerated gasp. “It must be the end of days.”

Sandstorm rolled his eyes, “It’ll be the last that ever slips through.” He said.

“It’s not as if I pose a threat with all the contingencies you’ve set up, so can we at least talk like civil people? I am a crossroads demon after all, it’s not my style to act informal. Usually…” Abraxas laughed, shifting around and letting his long white mane drift over the around above the floor before leaning back against the wall.

“Civility went out the door the second we met demon.” Sandstorm said in an almost sickeningly calm tone. After he ran both his hands through his shoulder length black mane.

“Very well. What is it you want? Come to taunt me more? I know you get off on it.” Abraxas sighed in a more bored tone.

“No. Infact I have something even more… interesting to tell you today.” Sandstorm chuckled.

“With you, I’m sure you’ll find many girlfriends.” Abraxas joked.

Sandstorm rolled his eyes, “Quite.” He said.

“Perhaps you have come to set me free? Come to enslave me as your personal demon?” Abraxas mused.

“Like I’d ever want a demon to serve me. And I’m never going to release you. I thought that was already established.” Sandstorm said, “But I have something else to say, though it seems you’re more interested in acting like a fool.”

“Just get on with it.” Abraxas groaned.

“I have a deal to make with you. And it does include… both our freedoms in this case.” Sand started. Abraxas stopped all movement, looking up slowly at Sand with genuine curiosity. “I’ll release you on three conditions. One. I’ll strip us both of our powers. There’s a way to do so and we’d slowly regain them. Two. We remain close. I want to monitor you. Three, I won’t touch you unless you’re doing something deemed by wherever we are as evil, I won’t interfere with what you do.” He cringed at the last part as if reluctant to utter it. Abraxas stared up at him before climbing to his hooves.

“What brought all this on? Not that I’m complaining.” Abraxas asked.

“I’ve grown tired of staring at these walls. And… I feel you have too.” Sandstorm said. Abraxas looked at Sandstorm for a few moments before extending his hand.

“Let’s swear on it.” Abraxas said, a grin sliding across his face. Sandstorm grabbed Abraxas’ hand and the chains that bound him to the wall crumbled into dust. Shortly followed by both of them feeling much weaker than they’ve ever felt before. Abraxas started to laugh quietly. “Oh it’s been awhile since I’ve done that.”

“I’m sure. We’ve both been in here since… what was the last thing that happened before I sealed this place…” Sandstorm muttered as he thought.

Abraxas started stretching, a small cracking as two horns sprouted from his head. “Ohhh that’s the stuff.” He sighed peacefully.

Sandstorm muttered to himself as he slowly walked towards the stairway leading up from the dungeon. “This way.” He stated.

“Yes yes, just stretching.” Abraxas hummed, following close to Sand, their hooves clicked against the stone almost in time with one another.. They walked up the staircase and reached a large obviously heavy stone door.

“I hope you have a key.” Abraxas chuckled.

“Of course. I had a failsafe made incase I killed you and I needed out.” Sand said as he glanced back at Abraxas. He then pressed on a brick that sank deep into the wall. The door soon began to grind against the doorway before it slid back into the same wall the brick did.

“Good to know.” Abraxas said.

“Now come on. We need to get to civilization.” Sand said as he walked out of the door.

“I don’t know about you, but I don’t think these clothes are quite holding up.” Abraxas said, glancing down to the ragged and torn clothing he was wearing.

“I’m sure I can get us some new ones.” Sand said, the wind tearing off the last of the rags from his body.

“How crude.” Abraxas sighed.

“I thought you demons enjoyed nudity.” Sand smirked before he walked towards another wall. He simply walked into it and the wall shimmered around him as he passed through.

“Oh I’m enjoying it.” Abraxas said, staring at Sand’s backside, his eyes slightly following his swishing black tail.

“Don’t get any ideas.” Sand said as he completely vanished from sight. Abraxas moved to the wall, smacking into it roughly and stumbling back.

“Excuse me.” Abraxas called.

A chest slid right through the wall and stopped in front of Abraxas quickly followed by another one. Sand stepped out right behind them. “Only I can enter that area.” He said calmly as he opened the chests, revealing that they were stuffed full of gold and silver bars.

“Oh my, quite the player you are.” Abraxas cooed, staring half-mesmerised by the chest full of valuables. Sand shut the chests.

“You’re carrying one of them. And you are not leaving my sight with it.” Sand stated.

“Oh calm down.” Abraxas said dismissively, lifting up one of the bars. “There, one.”

“Let me rephrase that. You’re carrying a chest. Just like I am.” Sand smirked.

“Wasn’t part of the deal.” Abraxas said.

“Well then.” Sand said as he snatched the bar from Abraxas. “Get your own money.”

“How generous of you. I can see your angelic side practically radiate kindness.” Abraxas joked.

“I was offering to get us both into somewhere nice. And since I don’t have the same strength I had before I can’t carry both chests by myself.” Sand said. “But it seems like I was hasty in trying to be generous to you.”

“Be quiet.” Abraxas rolled his eyes, lifting one of the chests over his shoulder. “Let’s go.” He said, taking a step and falling side ways straight to the ground.

“Mm… Maybe two was too much.” Sand muttered before he pushed the second chest back into the wall. He walked over to Abraxas and reached his hand out to help him up. He grabbed Sand’s hand and stood up, staring down at the chest.

“How about we drag them?” Abraxas suggested.

“If need be we can always come back. I have a sort of… beacon here.” Sand said. “Until then why don’t we carry it as I don’t know. A team?”

“Sounds fair.” Abraxas said, grabbing one side and looking over at Sand. Sand grabbed the opposite side from Abraxas and lifted his side up.

“And where exactly are we going?” Abraxas asked.

“It’s a good thing we don’t have to eat or drink as much. Because I have no idea.” Sand grunted.

“Here’s an idea.” Abraxas said, releasing his side.

“What?” Sand questioned. Abraxas kneeled down and placed his hands on the ground. “What are you doing?”

Abraxas smiled as a centipede crawled out from the dirt and onto his hand.

“Hello?” Sand questioned. Abraxas took the centipede into his mouth and swallowed it. Sand sighed. “Of course. Eating a bug isn’t helping our situation at a-”

“There’s a town that way.” Abraxas pointed, interrupting Sand.

“How… You know… I don’t care… Lets just go.” Sand mumbled as Abraxas’ horns retracted into his head, making him look like the earth pony he had appeared to be before.

“That… was a long… walk…” Sand panted.

“Town is great... resting place.” Abraxas mumbled, sitting atop the chest.

“First need clothing… Then we can rest…” Sand said as he sat down against a nearby tree.

“Sounds great.” Abraxas nodded, falling atop Sand and leaning back against him. “Best seat.” Sand simply stared at Abraxas. “Are you going to smite me?”

Sand shoved Abraxas off his lap. “Enough resting. Let’s get into the town.” He said as he stood up.

“Fine…” Abraxas groaned, standing up and moving to the chest.

“Lets just drag it the rest of the way. That’ll take much less energy.” Sand stated.

“Oh NOW you use my idea.” Abraxas sighed, grabbing the chest and starting to drag it towards what looked like one of the shops in the strange town. Abraxas seemed entranced by all the outfits in the clothing shop and his mouth parted slightly.

Sand on the other hand just glanced around, seeming a little taken aback by everything.

A red furred, orange haired earth pony mare ducked up from behind the counter after she heard hoofsteps approach “Oh hello the-” She stopped herself as she stared at the two in bewilderment. “Feel free to… look around…” She mumbled as she glanced between them.

“Oh hello you.” Abraxas said, snapping out of his trance and locking eyes with the mare.

“Hello.” She said back as she looked back into his eyes. Abraxas approached the counter and leaned against it, letting his ragged looking white mane slide down onto the counter.

“How are you doing today?” He asked softly.

“Great.” The mare smiled, “Thank you for asking.”

“Forgive my naked friend back there, we’ve been kind of stuck for awhile out in the forest and as you can see, our clothes didn’t quite make it.” Abraxas laughed, holding his hand out. “I’m Abraxas.”

“Oh don’t worry about it.” She smiled as she took his hand. “I’m Penny.”

“The pleasure is mine.” Abraxas said, kissing her hand, but not letting go of it as he continued to caress it in his warm grip. Penny giggled a little and blushed. “If you don’t mind me asking, are you by chance free tonight?”

“Yes.” She nodded vigorously.

“That’s great. Would you mind if I tried on some clothes?” Abraxas asked, not even waiting before he slid his shirt off, revealing his slim body but the occasional muscle seen bulging out. Penny’s eyes slid over his entire body as she took it in.

“No… Not at all…” She mumbled.

“Thank you. I hope you don’t mind but, I don’t usually try on things in public.” Abraxas teased, moving to one of the lines of clothing and giving a glance back at her. Her mouth was hanging slightly open as she stared intently at him.

Abraxas noticed Sand was already dressed. “Hm… I like this new style.” Sand said as he looked at the black hoodie he had on, before his eyes shifted to the black sweatpants that hung loosely around his legs. Abraxas put on a pair of jeans after entering the changing room, coming out and stretching in them. He glanced to Penny.

“How do I look?” Abraxas asked, a significant bulge in the crotch of his jeans, a smaller one (but only slightly) traveling about a foot down his left pant leg. “Although, nothing compares to you however.” He said softly, giving Penny a sly look.

“You look great…” Penny mumbled as her eyes slowly looked up and down the bulges.

“How kind of you.” Abraxas said, approaching her slowly and pushing some of her green mane behind her ear. Her blush brightened as she looked up at him. “Do you by chance know of any good places to stay? Maybe a good home? I was thinking of moving here, but if you don’t think this is the best town I’d be happy to try elsewhere.” He asked.

“There’s a few houses for sale in town right now!” She said quickly.

“Good to know, I haven’t been here long, but so far I like what I’ve seen.” Abraxas said in a more coy tone, kissing her hand again. “I should be going though.”

“No you shouldn’t.” Penny said.

“Oh? Is that so?” Abraxas questioned, pushing her gently against the wall and looking down at her. She nodded slowly as she looked up at him. “How about you take the rest of the day off?” He suggested, wrapping his arms around her. “And maybe… tomorrow too.”

“That sounds good…” She sighed softly as she melted into his grasp.

“You need to get your damn priorities straight. House first. Then you can fuck like the animal you are.” Sand stated as he grabbed Abraxas’ shoulder and pulled him away from Penny.

“Pick you up later!” Abraxas shouted as he was dragged outside.

“You stay.” Sand ordered as he pointed to the exact spot Abraxas was standing in. Sand walked back into the store and dragged the chest outside.

“So besides delaying my sex life, what are we doing after the house?” Abraxas asked.

“After the house I’m just going to sit back and keep a close eye on you like I have for the longest time.” Sand stated.

“You really need to get laid.” Abraxas smirked.

“Shut the fuck up.” Sand snapped. “I do not need to ‘get laid’ the ground is quite uncomfortable.”

“Yeah okay, let’s go.” Abraxas said with a hint of irritation.

“Finally we’re on the same page.” Sand said as he dragged the chest along behind himself.

“Something with a basement, lots of rooms.” Abraxas said, scratching his chin.

“I will not be near another dungeon for at least another millenium thank you very much.” Sand stated coldly. “Nor will I condone anything torture related being in the house.”

“Oh come on, I’m not as malevolent as you believe me to be.” Abraxas said in a feigned hurt tone.

“Mmhm.” Sand mumbled. “We need an attic. Or something with a large room for a library.”

“Furniture, what do people nowadays use as that.” Abraxas asked.

“I don’t know.” Sand said. “I’m fine with a cot, a library, and some place I can go to be alone if I need to.”

“You spent long enough alone, you need to get out.” Abraxas said almost genuinely, putting an arm around Sand.

“Why are you being adamant on me getting out?” Sand asked. “I’d assume you’d want me to suffer. It’d make my life harder and your’s much easier.”

“I guess you spend enough time with someone, you grow to like him. Not that I like you.” Abraxas chuckled, giving Sand a small shove.

Sand glanced over at Abraxas with a slightly confused look, “Fine. I’ll go out. And, I’ll let you have your basement.” He said. “I just don’t want anyone getting violently injured in the house.”

“No promises.” Abraxas laughed.