"Dogs do tricks. Cats play tricks." - Eloisa James

===========================================================================================================

"What do you want me to do?!" I shouted down at Starlight, "They're going to find them, and we were stupid enough to think nopony would come for a damn princess!"

"I'm sorry, okay! Quit yelling at me and let me think!" Starlight shouted back, tears slipping from her eyes.

I flinched, her crying finally registering. She had woken up not even that long ago and I was already yelling at her. Ugh... I hate guilt. So, I nodded and backed off to dull the awful feeling. Starlight let out a shaky breath, seeming appreciative, before plopping down right there on her bedroom floor. She put a hoof to her chin, tapping it every so often.

"Maybe we could... No, that wouldn't work.... Or maybe....! No, that's stupid!" Starlight hummed in thought, her blurry eyes suddenly brightening, "Alvar, since you're a demon, you can do things that are considered impossible right?"

I nodded, bringing into existence a bubble of purple water containing an 'alien' fish, "Does this look possible to you?"

"Question answered! So, I'll leave this problem to you. From what I've seen, demons are creative in the ways they deal with things." Glimmer promptly got up and exited the room, a confidence in her step.

"But... Ugh. Asshole." I tapped a clawed foot against the wooden floor, an ear flicking absentmindedly.

Maybe I could...

A sharp toothed grin spread across my face, getting larger by the second, and my pupils shrank to small black dots. It was so obvious, so blatantly obvious and simple. Why hadn't I thought of this before? I let out a psychotic giggle, my tail lashing happily from side to side. This was going to be so much fun.

===========================================================================================================

The void was silent all around me, the sense of familiarity comforting. I had wanted to come here for a while, and now I could share it. The Misfits were all huddled together, their hooves or wings keeping them from drifting apart. Every so often one of them would drift from the others and they all scrambled to get them. It was rather amusing, to say the least.

"Why are you doing this?" Twilight choked out, her voice heavy with unshed tears.

I shrugged, a smirk finding it's way onto my lips, "Dunno, maybe just for the amusement," My smirk dropped as a deep, guttural growl escaped me, "Now shut up, or I'll make you."

"But-"

"You don't want me to silence you, Twilly." I spat out her nickname.

The alicorn seemed to try and make herself smaller as I turned away from her, my mouth tightening into a thin line as I focused. Taking in a deep breath, I allowed my magic to build and churn in my chest as I held my hands out in front of me. Once it had built to an almost unbearable amount, I unleashed it and my breath as a portal took form. A slight ripping sound was heard, the village slowly coming into view. I snapped my fingers, purple eye contacts appearing as I transformed into a beaten Twilight. Smiling a half-lidded smile, I put the contacts in just as the portal opened up and allowed all to see me. I curled up and cast a mortified expression on my face, just as Shining Armor came into view to investigate.

"Twilight...?"

"Shining...?" I uncurled myself a bit, the fake tears falling down my face becoming a steady stream.

"Twilight!" Shining ran towards the portal with a desperate, tear-filled look, "Guards, to me!"

The guards fell in line behind Shining, most looking nervous or relieved. Just as they stepped through, however, they disappeared and were cast to the place nopony wants to go or visit. I stood and clapped my hooves together, stepping towards the now portal-turned-barrier, as the Bone Dry Desert faded in. The group looked around in confusion before their eyes landed on me, only causing their ignorance to grow. I let out a dark chuckle, surprising them, before I morphed back into myself.

Plucking the contacts from my eyes, I threw them through the barrier and 'accidently' hit a guard on the forehead, "You are really dumb. Your little sister wasn't that stupid to fall for a trick like that!"

Shining charged at the barrier, stumbling back a bit when his head hit the window, "W-Where's my sister? Where is she?!"

I waved Twilight over to me, gripping the back of her shivering neck, "Right here, safe with me. Don't worry though, I haven't hurt her and I don't plan too. Well, unless I'm ordered to, of course."

"Let her go!"

"Nah, I quite enjoy her company. It's nice to have somepony to talk to, plus digging around in such a smart pony's brain can be pretty informing. No idea you had a wife and child, by the way," I shrugged, boredom taking hold.

"I swear to Celestia if you hurt them, I will personally send you back to Tartarus where you belong!" Now that's new...

"Pfft, I can't go back there. Family issues and all that... Anyway, toodles! Have fun with dehydration and hallucinations!" With the snap of my fingers, the portal closed.

Twilight burst into tears, burying her face in her hooves as sobs wrecked her body, "Wh-Why? Why a-are you doing *hic* this to m-me? To us?"

"Ponies are so emotional. It's sickening," I let her float back over to her amazingly silent friends, "Though I will admit, it's rather admirable how much hope your species has. Now why I'm doing this? I've already answered you. Entertainment," With the wave of my hand another portal appeared and spit me out in Starlight's town.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way.... I turned towards Glimmey's house, I've got a unicorn to apologize too.

Author's Note

Shoutout to 'Venerable Ro' for giving me this amazing idea! To be completely honest, I was trying to figure out how to set this chapter until you suggested the portal thing.

To prove that, yes, the Bone Dry Desert is a thing : https://mlp.fandom.com/wiki/Locations

If you see any grammar or spelling mistakes, please let me know! Also, constructive criticism is always appreciated!

This is short, I know. Fight me, would ya? I'm tired.