The demon's life in Ponyville

Awakening the next morning at 8 AM, Seltzer yawns and notices he is alone in the bed. Shrugging it off, he heads for the bathroom to freshen up with a shower.

10 minutes later, he emerges feeling cleaner and smelling nice. “Nothing quite like a warm shower to make a demon feel new! Just wished she had different shampoo. What the hell does fresh-mountain-spring-rain-grass-lotus even smell like?” He muses out. “Damn Equestria and its weird names.” Heading downstairs, he sees the Rarity-Changeling standing at the bottom. ”Oh hey, Rares. You're up early today!”

“You would say that. I awoke before you.” The fake Rarity states in a tone unlike the one he's grown used to.

“Jeez, sorry. Someone woke up on the wrong side of bed this morning.” Seltzer mutters under his breath. He stands around while he watches the fake Rarity trot off to the kitchen. Seeing he may as well try to help, he begins to clean the house up starting with the living room.

As he was dusting a table off, he is unaware of the fake Rarity who has snuck up behind him since his gaze was focused on the table. Her horn is aglow and a green substance begins to materialize.

Just as the fake Rarity is about to launch it, Seltzer whirls around and barges into her, running and pinning her to a wall that leaves a pony-like indent, causing him to wince since he knows who's going to have to fix that for Rarity.

“Speak up! What have you done with Rarity?” Seltzer speaks in a low tone, brow furrowing.

“How d-”

“How'd I know? Simple.” Seltzer smirks. “It wasn't hard feeling your kind yesterday. There was simply no way I could warn the others since there would have been wide-spread panic and once you morphed you gave off normal aura signatures. It made it downright impossible to search for you. I do have to admit that you had me fooled for the real Rarity for a while there, at least until you spoke in a tone unlike hers this morning.” He finishes and gives off a glare that makes the Changeling shake.

“Answer me. What did you do to Rarity?” He asks the Changeling. The bug only shakes his head in response and doesn't say anything.

Wrapping a hand around the bug's horn, Seltzer begins to lightly bend it backwards, causing the Changeling to hiss in pain and revert back to its normal self.

“Tell me! What have you done with her?!” Seltzer shouts into its face.

“W-We will never t-tell you anything!” The Changeling hisses out.

“Damnit!” Seeing no option, Seltzer shoots a spell off into its head. The Changeling shakes once and passes out.

Using a spell to restrain the bug on the floor, he dashes out the house and through the streets of Ponyville. A few ponies glance at him oddly though he ignores it. Not wasting time, he arrives at his house and gets himself ready.

Slipping his clothes off, he grabs a simple black shirt and black pants. He then grabs his enchanted silver demon-mail and clips the armor over his chest. Afterwards he grabs a black cape with green trim and slips it over his head. Walking out his home, he is about to search for them when he suddenly notices that he can't sense their auras.

“Oh no… I-I can't feel them. I have no idea where they're even being held. I could ask the princesses but its very likely they've already been replaced. What if…” He talks to himself to try and form some kind of idea. It fails since nothing forms and he slumps to his knees. “Damnit!! I promised I wouldn't leave her side! If only I acted yesterday when I felt them!” He pounds a fist into the ground in anger.

As he begins to think of his friends, his mind drifts to Fluttershy. Something it wants to remind him about her. “There's something… I'm not seeing. What is it? …” Standing up, he snaps his fingers in realization. “Discord! He should know where those Changelings and their queen live at.”

Running to Fluttershy's cottage, he arrives after a couple minutes. Seeing Starlight Glimmer and Trixie there, he hides behind a bush, wary of the two who may be fakes themselves.

“(Hmm, what are those two doing here? Surely they aren't here to capture Discord are they?)” He thinks. “(If they do, my only hope of finding Rarity and the others will vanish. I can't allow that!)”

The two knock on the door and he creeps closer with the bush, now only a few feet away. Discord appears in front of the two mares in a flash of light.

“What do you two want? I'm trying to relax.” He asks them, annoyance in his tone.

“Discord, we have a problem and came to ask for your help.” Starlight replies.

“My help? Why not ask for Ridley's? He's following you two.” He answers back, earning a confused look from the two.

The two mares jump in fright hearing Seltzer suddenly shout, “Discord! Get away from there!!” and the demon tackles Trixie to the ground.

“Let go of me, you ruffian! The great and powerful Trixie demands it!” The showmare angrily demands.

Starlight has snapped out of her fright and bucks Seltzer off Trixie with her back hooves. “Leave her alone! She hasn't done anything wrong.” Starlight then stands between her and Seltzer.

Seltzer on the other hand stands between the two and Discord. “Nice try, but you ain't fooling me. I won't allow you changelings to trick Discord. He's my only shot at finding Rarity!” He then starts prepping a spell to freeze the two impostors in blocks of ice.

“What was that I heard? Did Rarity get herself ponynapped?” Discord asks Seltzer. Sliding his body around Seltzer's like a snake, Discord gazes into his face. “Do tell us what happened, demon.”

“… Creepy.” Seltzer mutters and rips Discord away from him. “Don't ever do that again.”

Ignoring the guffaw from the chaos lord, he looks at the three. “Changelings have snuck inside the village and a few ponies are now missing. As you heard me say, Rarity is one of them, but I'm not sure who else is missing.”

Starlight clears her throat and catches his attention, seeing he doesn't plan to attack again. “That's why we're here. We already know and came to enlist the help of whoever is left.” She calmly states, keeping a level head.

Trixie meanwhile is the opposite. “Trixie doesn't like our odds. All the princesses have been taken along with the royal family. What hope do we got?”

“All of them? … Shit, I knew it.” Seltzer says. “Wait, even Flurry Heart?!”

The two mares nod and Seltzer clenches his fists. “They shouldn't have done that. Ponynapping adults is one thing, but to take a foal?! Despicable.” He mutters angrily.

“Discord,” Starlight Glimmer manages to get him to listen. “You heard what happened. Can we count on you to help us out?”

“And what's in it for me?” He answers back, reclining on his arms in the air.

“Don't you care about everypony?”

“Not really. I'm sure you three can make do on your own.”

“Alright, but just know they have Fluttershy as well.” She responds with a smirk.

On cue, Discord's face furrows and he leans in close to Starlight. “Then count me in. Nothing better lay a claw on her.” He states in a dangerous tone, eyes flashing.

“Then its decided. I presume its up to us four to save them?” Seltzer asks the other three. They nod and he signs, “Lovely. We have a group that consists of a showmare that's more talk than bite,” Trixie frowns. “A mare that used to be obsessed with everypony being equal and was borderline crazy,” Starlight scowls. “A creature of chaos that used to be evil and might still be,” Discord only grins in return. “And a demon not of this realm that has questionable tactics. What couldn't possibly go wrong?” starting to laugh in worry afterwards.

“A lot, my fellow chaos maker,” Discord replies and tickles the under-side of his chin with the tuft of his tail. “But that only makes more chaos and thus more fun to be had.”

Smacking the tail aside, Seltzer frowns. “Discord, be serious. Fluttershy is still trapped and so is Rarity.” He replies and Discord's face again turns back serious.

Seeing everyone is ready, Seltzer looks at the group. “Okay, here's the plan. Discord will teleport us to their location and we'll bust everypony free.”

“Do you really think it'll be that easy?” Starlight questions.

“Nope. But we must remain optimistic and not think about failure!” Ridley replies.

“What about Thorax? Surely we can trust him since he knows the place.”

“I don't know. He genuinely seems like a good changeling, but I don't want to take chances.”

“Trixie has a wonderful idea.” The showmare interrupts, “Show of hooves: Who think his idea is crazy and we should leave?” and raises a hoof.

“Ah Trixie, Trixie, Trixie,” Seltzer smiles softly and pats her head. “We still need to give it a shot. If not us, then who? Sadly its only us now.”

Knelling down, Seltzer cups her chin with a hand. “Would you rather changelings take Equestria over?” She shakes her head no. “And that's why we have to do this. Just believe in yourself oh great and powerful Trixie!” He says with a knowing smirk.

“Yes, you are right. The great and powerful Trixie will do her best! She wouldn't be great if she didn't give it a try!” The showmare states with a flourish of her cape.

Leaning close to Starlight, Seltzer whispers, “Its too easy to appeal to her ego.” and stands up.

But before any of them can do anything, a green flash of fire forms behind the four. A black chitin hoof smacks into Discord who had his back to the sudden assailant, smashing him into the ground that leaves him unconscious and a sickly-green colored beam of magic is fired at Starlight and Trixie.

Without wasting a single thought, Seltzer jumps into the beam's path and shields the two mares with his body. As the beam collides with him, he sees its none other than queen Chrysalis who somehow arrived.

“Gah!! You two hurry! Barriers up now!!” The two mares follow his order, translucent spheres around the two. Seltzer tries to keep his voice steady as pain assaults and almost overwhelms him. This is new to him as it feels as though the beam is targeting every cell of his being.

“Ha, foolish demon. Do you really think you're a match for me?” Queen Chrysalis smugly says, her voice missing the echo he once heard from her.

“Yes, I am!” With that, Seltzer rushes forward through the beam and grits his teeth in pain. Before she can react, he yells and slugs her across the face, sending her skidding across the ground a few feet.

Panting, Seltzer notices his vision start to blur. His body joins as he starts to feel queasy. “The hell? What's going on?!”

Chrysalis begins laughing and it echos around the landscape. He can just make out seeing her stand up no worse for wear, her body starting to appear fuzzy to him. “Do you like it? After hearing reports about your battles here protecting these puny ponies, I came to the conclusion that you have an inverse-tolerance to dark-based spells. Naturally that wouldn't have fazed you since your power is beyond the scope of everything in this land, but what if there was a spell to mess with the flow of magic in a ponies body?” She begins to say.

“There was such a thing, but it wouldn't work against you since you're not a pony. It took a bit of time but I managed to make a new spell, one that targets the very essence of power in your body. Not only that, the spell is dark-based and is made to combat evil-beings such as those from Tartarus. You may be a noble and pure soul, but your body is still that of a demon. In short, its your perfect weakness since a little bit of spell tinkering has allowed me to trick the spell into thinking you're evil, foolish demon!”

Seltzer only smirks and chuckles in response. “So that's it? You can do better than that, can't you?” He taunts her, flipping the bird for added insult.

Chrysalis growls, baring her fangs. She teleports behind Seltzer and bucks him to the ground.

“Argh!” Feeling his left arm has became numb, Seltzer swiftly dodges a set of dual hooves that splinters the ground and flips onto his feet, launching a blast of energy from his good arm.

It vanishes a few inches from her face and leaves him shocked, “What? No way!” and she lifts him into the air with magic.

Grinning savagely, Chrysalis begins to slam him into the ground over and over again. Each slam harder than the last, earning horrified looks from Starlight and Trixie who stand behind knowing they can't do anything against her. “Give up, demon. My forces have already won. Canterlot and the Frozen Empire are ours and Ponyville is next!”

Grinning, Seltzer is only able to keep his right eye open, face bruised and a few cuts that are leaking blood opened up. “Heh, heh, heh, you'd love that wouldn't you, buggy? Well guess what? I NEVER GIVE UP!!”

With a shout, Seltzer's irises change to red and he breaks free from her telekinesis. Landing on all-fours, he pounces forward and spears her to the ground before she can react. He's able to land a few decent blows across her face before she kicks him away, blood trickling down from her now slightly-crooked muzzle.

Both beginning to now pant, they stare at one another. “Tis a shame you're against me, demon. You'd be a nice help to take over Equestria and a wonderful mate in bed.” She says with a glaring-smirk.

“And its a shame you're evil. You make for a good sparring partner. The fact you even managed to find a weakness of mine is both surprising and shows you're worthy of being a potential spouse if I wasn't already with somepony.” He smirk-glares back to her.

Staring each other down, Seltzer coughs and blood flies out. He wobbles a bit and falls to one knee.

“Urgh, not good. You really have me in quite the pickle, Chrysalis.” Lifting a hand, he only manages a weak beam of magic that pings off a barrier she summoned. “Damn…”

Chrysalis is about to speak when Seltzer suddenly pops in front of her after another short yell and a whirlwind of punches and kicks that are almost impossible to see begin to lash out at her. She cries out in pain from the sudden assault and is knocked into the air from a nasty uppercut. Landing on her back, she kicks a leg out and luckily strikes him in the head.

Digging his feet into the ground as he slides, Seltzer stumbles trying to keep himself standing and manages to stop sliding. Huffing deeply, he raises his head and Chrysalis sees what appears to be thin black markings around his eyes.

Gasping and stumbling forward, Seltzer falls to both knees and coughs violently, spewing forth more blood. Her spell is starting to do a number on his body.

“Damn… Not even my second form is helping!” Looking at Starlight and Trixie who are staying back with looks of fear, he then glances at Chrysalis. “I have to say 'queen,' I'm impressed. You aren't even close to my power let alone most weak things in my universe, but you still worked around that. You're a worthy opponent, Chrysalis.” He congratulates her sincerely.

“Thank you, demon.” She gallops and tackles him to the ground. She opens her mouth and bites his shoulder.

Groaning in pain, Seltzer's irises change to a bright green coloration and the markings around his eyes spread out, becoming thicker and now framing the side of his face. Feeling renewed vigor once more, he lays a hand on her neck and effortlessly rips her away. She is surprised at his sudden strength and screams as he tosses her like she was a simple stick high into the sky until she's no bigger than a dot.

Chrysalis growls and readies a spell to teleport back down but doesn't have time as she sees him take off from the ground, leaving behind a green trail of aura. Her eyes widen in fear as he catches up to her in the blink of an eye and imprisons her within a magic green sphere.

Seltzer clenches his hand and makes it explode, following it with a tackle that sends the two tumbling in the air. He follows it up with jutting one hand into her chest. Using his other, he slashes her neck and deep claw-marks open up on Chrysalis's neck, spewing forth green blood.

She screams in pain and rears her head back. Horn glowing, she hastily rams her horn through Seltzer's chest and out his back, smirking wide since she thinks he's finished from his sudden gasp as the two continue to fall.

“So much for the mighty demon being the protector of ponies.” She revels in her victory over him as his body spews blood around her horn that drips onto her muzzle.

“T-That's all, 'queen?'” Until Seltzer suddenly speaks up. Chrysalis's face is replaced with one of terror when he wraps his hand that he pulled out of her chest around her neck tightly. “Come on then, BUGGY!!”

Digging up the last reserves of his rapidly fading energy, Seltzer begins to fly downwards, picking up speed and aiming to slam into the ground with her after materializing a group of explosive magic mines around themselves. “This is for EQUESTRIA AND RARITY!!!” He shouts as the ground rushes up to them.

“AHHH! L-Let me go! You're hurt yourself too, foolish Ridley!” Chrysalis screams and squirms trying to break away. Its proven futile since he keeps a tight lock on her.

“Worth it to stop you.” He calmly says. Before she can respond, the two smack into the ground and a series of explosions ring out. A crater 30-feet deep and 5 meters wide is formed as a huge cloud of dust is kicked up.

Starlight Glimmer and Trixie are pushed back a few inches from the shock wave that formed. Keeping their barriers up, the two cautiously trot to the crater's rim.

“Did he do it?” Trixie asks trying to peer through the dust.

“I hope so. Such a slam should at least have knocked her out.” Starlight answers back.

A shadow flies in the middle of the dust cloud and the two breathe out easy.

“Ridley, you did it! Is Chrysalis…?” Starlight hopefully asks.

Her hope turns to fear along with Trixie's quickly when the dust clears and Chrysalis is seen floating in the air, hole in her chest dripping blood along with her left eye, horn cracked along the surface.

“Surprise~” Landing in front of the two mares, she begins closing her chest wound with magic. “Happy to see me?” She asks while taking a step towards them.

Starlight glances at Trixie who is now cowering behind her. Gulping, she returns her gaze back to the bug queen.

“How? How did you survive that?” She just manages to keep her cool and not freak out.

“You think I wouldn't be without a plan? He forgot to neutralize my magic. My barrier prevented me from being harmed too much.” She begins to laugh at the end but quickly turns into a coughing spasm, wincing at her wounds. She couldn't heal her chest all the way.

Starlight gathers her magic and fires a beam at Chrysalis. She only smiles and casually magic's up a barrier to defend against it.

“Oh please, little pony. You don't have a hope left now. I am far more powerful than back then after draining the love from your captured friends.” Chrysalis grins wide and her horn begins to glow. “Sorry to say, but this is the end. You'll be joining your captured friends soon enough.” A ball of magic is formed in front of her horn, “nighty night, little ponies.” and launched to the two mares.

Trixie and Starlight grimace and await their fate knowing they're outmatched, “Don't think I'm finished yet!” until a voice boldly shouts and they open their eyes.

Gasping, they see a bloodied and battered Seltzer dash in front of them. His armor is falling apart and his shirt is torn to shreds. One arm is bent unnaturally along with deep wounds in both shoulders. He raises his arm that isn't bent, hissing with pain as he does so and forms a sphere around Chrysalis's magic ball. He then clenches his fist and both explode harmlessly away.

The bug queen has a growl rumble through her throat. “You, how did you recover? I sensed no magic from you.” She glares at the demon.

Seltzer chuckles and a smirk is seen. “You have no idea how tough I am. Don't underestimate your opponent lest it could prove to be your downfall. My sworn-brother learned the hard way.” It turns into a pained expression as he collapses forward onto the ground, panting deeply. Lifting his head, he eyes Starlight Glimmer and Trixie.

“Starlight, Trixie. Take Discord and… run a-away. You don't have… much time.” He manages to speak between pants.

“The great and powerful Trixie will not allow such a thing to happen. We'll stay here with you!” The boastful mare answers back.

“Its not about being here, its-” His eyes widen and he has to quickly cast a spell to halt the charging queen Chrysalis at the two. She begins to thrash against his magic hold and he grits his teeth in concentration.

“Go! I c-can't hold her much… longer!” He yells.

“B-But Ridley!” Starlight starts to interject.

“I'm finished.” He says with a small smile. “Her spell from e-earlier has weakened me to the… brink of exhaustion. I'll be… fine-!” A cough happens and blood oozes from his mouth. “Urgh, don't w-w-worry about me. Escape now!!” He gurgles out and moans in pain.

“We won't leave you! We'll fight until the last breath ourselves!” Starlight says with confidence and her horn glowing.

Feeling Chrysalis about to break free, Ridley smiles sadly in response. “I knew you would… say that. Y-You're kind creatures a-and… refuse to leave someone that needs he-elp. Just like myself.” He lifts his hand and points at the two mares and the still unconscious Discord.

Green swirling lights form around the three and both mares know what he's doing. Banging against the spell that's holding them, they scream at him not to send them away.

“So-orry ladies, but because of that I know you won't leave. Head dropping in weakness, he gives a light smile. “Just… make sure… Rarity… is safe and you three… as well.” The two mares yell one last time and the three vanish away just as Chrysalis breaks free and misses them from her charging leap.

“Noooo!! I almost had it won! Those three were the only ones left. Had I captured them, I would had ruled all of Equestria!!”

Whirling around angrily, she trots over to Seltzer and stomps on his head, pushing it into the dirt. “You, I won't forgive you for this! I have something special in mind,” She lowers her face next to his and an idea forms. Smiling devilishly, she runs her tongue across his cheek that leaves him shivering in disgust. “Something that will have you to never go against me, demon scum.”

Seltzer grunts in pain and manages to stare at her with his right eye that's slowly changing from green to red and then back to his usual yellow-gold color. “Heh. I told you I never give up and never will. Even if I'm up against impossible odds, Bug Queen.”

Chrysalis lets her horn glow and a sickly-green substance starts to form around his body. “We'll see.” The bug queen answers back, malice etched in her words.

Not liking his odds, Seltzer can only mutter two words, “… Crap baskets.”

As he begins to fall unconscious the demon wishes that Starlight Glimmer, Trixie and Discord stay safe. Its up to those three to rescue the others and prevent Queen Chrysalis from taking over Equestria fully. Everyponies freedom is now in their hooves is the last thing he thinks as blackness overtakes him.