In the distant mountains of Equestria, a small black and purple biped was happily skipping through the rocky ridgelines. She was singing a tune while looking over the rocks as if looking for a lost item. "Hello?" Her voice squeaked through the mountain range, echoing across the stone. Her purple and black skin lit up in child-like glee. "HELLO!"

Her voice seemed to argue with itself as it echoed, thundering across the pass while still being high enough to crack any glass unfortunate enough to be in its path. A heavy hand dropped over the shoulder of the small figure, and a deep voice of gravel and steel seemed to come from the ground itself as it spoke. "Brighteyes, we're looking for Demoin, remember?"

Brighteyes seemed to pause, staring out at the pass while the hand rested lightly, before jumping up, her nubby legs racing in place. "Up, up. We gotta go up Nary!"

The figure looked at Brighteyes as the small biped began its climb. He couldn't stop the smile as he slowly followed, the nubby horns under a bright orange flash of hair, the way purple and black seemed to swirl around the minute little creature. It was such an opposite to his dull pale gray skin and his tall figure. His name was Nareen, and he knew better than to judge his tiny companion. Instead, he reached to his hip, pulling a small grappling hook from his hip. He began spinning it slowly. "Well little one, I believe I can get us up there faster."

Brighteyes jumped from her small lead on the wall, instantly raising her arms and leaping in front of him. "Oh, oh, carry me!"

Nareen let out a chuckle. "Of course little princess, hop up." He lowered his arm, and Brighteyes lept up, crawling from his arm over to his back. With a flick of his wrist, the hook went flying, soaring through the air with unerring precision. It found a home on one of the high rocks of the mountain pass. With it securely locked in, his legs tensed. There was a moment where a casual observer might have seen a shift. The area around his legs seeming to vibrate for a moment, before with a massive jump he scaled the wall. The wind whipped his hair over skin colored like ash as he reached out a hand, grabbing a jutting rock. With a spin, he landed firmly on the rock, not pausing before pulling the rope tight, and pulling himself up at a running pace.

Climbing is an art that most creatures never fully appreciate. They think it is simply a manner of upwards locomotion. Nareen was of a different sort. Nareen saw climbing as the holiest of movements. Demoin had Luna, Brighteyes had Vectron, though he was loath to bring it up. He had something simpler, he had the climb. There may have been a god involved, but if so Nareen never bothered to care. It was the simple joy of gravity bending knee to his might. Plotting routes, moving exactly, jumps with no safety rigging to catch him if he fell. Just a lone rope, and the strength of his body. His single-minded love shone through, as the sheer cliff they had started at the bottom of shrank under his arms, and upon reaching his hook he barely paused. Unhooking it with his left arm, he used his other three limbs to jump upwards. With the final leap, he scampered up the ledge, waiting to roll over until Brighteyes got off his back.

The Duskling was jumping, pointing in the distance as Nareen smiled softly. He followed the excited digit of his comrade pointing towards the horizon. With a flash his smile faded, his mouth forming a thin line. A red demon rising from the air, looking minuscule in the distance. However, Nareen knew exactly what it was. That was Demoin giving them a sign. With all the subtlety one expected from an eternal. Brighteyes jumped up and down in the air, arms exploding outward. "I knew it! I was thinking of what it would be like to see Demmy again and I thought a clifftop meeting would be PERFECT! And she did too, so now we've met on this cliff!"

Nareen nodded, long since used to the antics of the living fable. "Yes, little one. You did it. But now I think we have a heading." He began looping the rope of his grapple, checking it for any damage. "I'll remember this spot, so let's head back to our ship. We'll gear up and head out at first light."

Brighteyes sighed. "Can't we just go Nary, I wanna see Demoin!"

Nareen reached down, ruffling the orange hair of the Duskling. "Sorry little princess, but I won't go that long without proper food, and I'm sure little crack-crack will want to tag along."

Brighteyes nodded, though with hesitation. "Fine, but you have to carry the food!" She stomped a foot, pointing an incriminating finger at Nareen. With a laugh, he nodded.

***

Twilight Sparkle paced recklessly in a small rut inside the vault door of Demoin. The woman herself was still unconscious, though her slashed arms had long ago healed. Twilight looked between Demoin and the vault, her wings twitching as she moved her sight up to the large symbol of Luna on the ceiling. She watched it slowly shift, trying to figure out the events of the previous night. Demoin had told her much, though she doubted the second Luna she knew was a relevant detail. Though, several hints were dropped of her imminent departure. Celestia seemed adamant that Demoin wouldn't lie, though the why of the matter eluded Twilight, but did leave her with a dirty job. Finding out how Demoin had escaped.

A groan snapped Twilight out of her thoughts, as Demoin rolled over. She sat up, rubbing her head. "Mental note. Bleeding to death still hurts. Quite a little bit in fact." Twilight found herself staring yet again, this time at the cat-like way Demoin seemed to stretch, her back arching as the faded black bodyglove she wore accentuated her curves. As she watched the alien move, she saw something new. Her eyes had a glint in them, a sign of life she hadn't seen before. Demoin moved to her vest and pistol, donning the vest and sliding the pistol into its little pocket off to the side. "Now, to try and figure out..." Demoin turned to see Twilight in the room with her, and instantly the small glint Twilight had seen in her eyes seemed to die. "Oh. I assumed Celestia would have me on lockdown after that, the wheel normally states I would be alone until rescue arrived. Unless your here to torture me."

Twilight flinched back. "No, of course not!" She stomped a hoof, nearly shivering at the memory of Demoin's arms. If she would do that to herself, no torturer could break her. Not that Twilight could ever torture anything.

Demoin simply nodded, before turning her back to the young princess. "Ah, I see. Celestia knows I do not lie, and she also knows I dislike her. She sent you to try and squeeze how I left out of me, didn't she?"

Twilight nodded, feeling next to no shame from the backhanded nature of her assignment. Partly because she already guessed it would be seen through in an instant. "Yes, she did. Though you have to understand, you said you couldn't escape and just left. Either you've actually left, or something happened."

Demoin shrugged, moving to the small bookshelf filled with books. She pulled one loose, opening it and placing it on the table. "Of course something changed, but you surely know how this works." Demoin walked to her bed, pulling a pen out of a pocket in her vest. "What deal do you propose? I'm feeling particularly fair today, so you may name the terms."

Twilight nodded. "Uhhm, I don't really know what you want, but maybe you could tell me how you got out, and I'd promise to visit you every week from now on?"

Demoin paused, nodding her head back and forth as she thought over the deal. After a few seconds where Twilight worried about offending the creature in the room with her, Demoin smiled. "Ah, now there is the unintentional ruthlessness I was hoping for. You stopped giving me a privilege to see if I'll behave with less, then only offer it back when you need something." Demoin nodded a few times as Twilight froze, now almost sure she had offended the immortal. Instead, Demoin's smile widened. "Yes, I agree."

Twilight stumbled back, reeling as if struck with a closed fist. "You mean it?"

Demoin nodded. "Yes, if only for a glimpse into that innocent little mind of yours." Demoin sat in front of the opened book, picking it up before leaning the chair back on two legs. With a smirk, she began writing in the book. "Of course, if only because the answer is so simple. I had help."

Twilight stared. It all fit, she had to admit that. Demoin had stated very simply that she couldn't escape alone, and Celestia had agreed that she probably had help. Unfortunately, it didn't actually answer any questions. Twilight realized almost instantly that she was played, but found herself smiling at the fact instead of getting annoyed. It was a game, and though she realized she probably wouldn't win it did seem fun. She moved a bit closer, testing the waters. "Well, that's hardly all the information."

Demoin shrugged, finishing the page before starting the next one. "It is the way of the wheel. I give what you ask for, nothing more and nothing less."

Twilight smiled. "So maybe for my weekly visit, I don't stay for longer than a minute."

Demoin paused in her musings, her head slowly turning to the young princess. "Really now?" Demoin stood, her book snapping shut with a loud crack. "You think you can use my own tricks against me?" Twilight faltered, as if reality reasserted itself, reminding her that she was talking to a being with powers beyond her knowledge. Even with this knowledge in mind, she stood firm, not backing down as Demoin walked up, crouching down in front of her. She froze as Demoin raised one hand in front of her face, worried of just what this creature could do to her, but whether through fear or bravery she couldn't bring herself to move. "Boop." Demoin tapped her open palm to Twilight's nose, before moving back to her chair.

Twilight stood still for a moment, flabbergasted at the singular snapshot of physical contact that was a first for Demoin. She was roused from her frozen state by Demoin herself, beginning to speak as she reopened her book. "Well, I can't give you a name, but bravery should be commended. I called in a marker from a fellow follower of the goddess Luna, but I do not wish to expose them to whatever justice your world would give."

Twilight paused, trying to figure out if this was another part of the game. Was she using this to ensure Twilight would stay longer than a minute or was she actually extending an olive branch? So many questions whirled around in her head, but in the end, only one question spilled from her lips. "So I should stay for more than a minute, huh?'

Demoin shrugged. "Do as you will, though you are certainly much more interesting than Celestia or Luna in their heyday." Demoin paused, tapping the pen to her chin. "Actually, towards the end, Luna was certainly more interesting, though she did try to kill me once or twice." Demoin shrugged. "But that was when the madness took her, so I can hardly blame her."

Demoin lapsed into silence as Twilight digested this, letting her words sink in. "So, you want me to visit again?"

Demoin smiled, and Twilight noticed the glint in her eyes reappeared, if only for a moment. "Do as you will, though I will be happy if you only visit for a minute. You interest me Twilight Sparkle, which is a great compliment. In your past, you have taken some absolutely cutthroat actions, and yet you still hold that childlike innocence many creatures in your position lose." Demoin tossed her book back onto the table. "But you are surely tired after I have caused such a stir, go back to your quarters, rest your head, and sleep. I will be here for at least another week." Demoin stretched, letting out a yawn of her own. "Be warned though, my friends are coming. They will not rest until I am returned to them, and I would suggest not giving them a reason to turn their ire on you."

Twilight paused, looking over Demoin. She looked... different. Where before, such a threat was delivered coldly and with a vague threat, now it seemed softer somehow. If Twilight were forced to put words to it, she would say that instead of threatening her, Demoin was warning her, trying to keep unnecessary violence to a minimum. With that thought in her head, she nodded. Neither said anything as Twilight turned to left, and the room was silent as the vault door slammed shut.

Author's Note

Did you miss me? I missed me, here we have the first introduction of the crew, if you know where both races are then you get bonus points, one is mentioned by name the other is based on a single character, good luck.