Angels, Demons, Ponies, and Gods

The scent of buttered toast and mild-roast coffee wander into Lavey's nostrils, forcing him to open his eyes from his late-morning slumber. Groggily rolling onto his back, he takes notice that a certain purple fluff-ball is not resting in his arms and—to add to his brewing worries—Chrysalis is not in the unicorn’s old bed. This is troubling because if both mares are up and about, it could only spell out trouble and headaches for Lavey all day.

He rushes out of bed, making sure not to get entangled in the sheets, and enters the main foyer of the library. Sweat collects on his face and his breathing is rapid as he frantically scans the area for the mares, however, he’s surprised to see neither of them are around. Strangely, though, the scent of breakfast seems to grow stronger in the area and gradually drags his attention away from the current situation.

“Morning, Lavey,” Spike calls out. The hybrid looks to the doorway leading to the kitchen to see the little drake walking out with a small mug of creamy coffee. “Chrysalis just made breakfast if you want some.”

That piques Lavey's interest and anxiety at the same time. He’s never expected the pompous changeling to cook anything, let alone do anything besides demand things from either Twilight or Spike.

Trying her cooking is another thing all on its own, though. With a species that feasts on the sweet emotion of love, she couldn’t possibly have much knowledge in preparing meals. However, watching Spike nonchalantly drink a cup of coffee made by the bug-horse and survive or not throw up would have to persuade Lavey otherwise.

Cautiously, the hybrid enters the kitchen where the scent of breakfast suddenly intensifies, causing Lavey’s mouth to finally water. He staggers for a minute as the surprising aromas of toast, omelets, flapjacks, and fruit salad flood the atmosphere and flow into his nostrils.

The gentle hum of an unfamiliar tune drags his attention over to the changeling queen standing near the dining table, still preparing a meal by shifting a pan in her etherial magic over an emerald flame hovering in midair. What's most peculiar, however, isn't her actions but her appearance. Her mane is tied back into a ponytail and a frilly, pink apron is draped over her bosom, giving her a housewife appearance.

Lavey blinks a few times to make sure he's not hallucinating or having a strange dream. Unfortunately, it's all real.

“Uh, good morning, Chrysie,” Lavey greets with suspicion and confusion.

The changeling peeks back at him and flashes him a seductive smirk. Her harlequin eyes have that usual lustful glint to them that fans the flames of Lavey's worry.

“Good morning, Lavey, dear,” she coos. “Why don't you go ahead and have breakfast? I made enough to go around so help yourself."

Her loving housewife attitude sends a small shiver up Lavey's spine. As nice as it is to see her actually act like a wife instead of a demanding parasite, the hybrid can't help but think there could be some ulterior motive hidden within her coy act.

Nevertheless, he indulges the matriarch and himself and grabs a plate stacked with a small tower of fluffy pancakes. Tentatively, though, he takes a small piece of one of the batter disks and plops it into his maw. To his surprise, a flood of sweet flavors attack his taste buds. Even without syrup, the pancakes have a surprisingly sweet taste to them as if they've been stuffed with sugar. He nearly chokes on the bolus in surprise but manages to chew and swallow the morsel before proceeding to eviscerate the tower.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" Chrysalis sardonically asks as she places a bowl of fruit salad on the table. "Would you like some coffee with that or maybe some orange juice?" Lavey notices it out of the corner out of his eye but doesn't pry his attention from his meal; Chrysalis waltzes over to the hybrid in a rather alluring manner and wraps her forehooves around his neck as she leans in to whisper into his ear. "Or would you rather have me instead?"

He's not taken aback or surprised by her attempt to make him lay with her but more...disgruntled. Here he is, enjoying a wonderful meal made by the love-bug queen herself, and now she's trying to ruin his appetite by trying to use her damned seductive charm on him. If only Twilight could impede in this situation.

"Wait a minute..." he mumbles. He shoots the matriarch an icy cold glare but she doesn't seem to be fazed in she slightest. "Where is Twilight, Chrysalis?"

"She's out of the house for while," the leech responds, her sly tone unwavering. "I told her I needed some groceries because I proposed to make dinner for tonight. Since I don't have any wealth of my own, I'm having to rely on her to fetch things for me."

Lavey releases a relieved sigh as he leans back in his seat. "I was afraid you've gone and done something unspeakable to her while I wasn't looking."

"I could do something to you while Twilight isn't here," the temptress woos. A porous forehoof crawls down Lavey’s body until landing on his groin, which shows no signs of arousal. "While she's still out, let us copulate until the neighbors can hear the lecherous symphony of our love making."

"Maybe after I eat," Lavey apathetically replies. "Do you mind?"

Chrysalis willingly does as her “king” demands and allows him to take part in the sumptuous meal. He doesn't know if she took his words as a promise but he hopes that he won't have to go through with it.

He grabs a handful of fruit from the fruit salad and picks out a single nut-looking morsel to plop into his maw. It tastes sweet for a nut, with a hint of sour like a Granny Smith apple. It has a soft, crunchy shell with a gelatinous interior like a creme-filled chocolate.

"Lavey..." Chrysalis speaks up with a hint of concern. The hybrid looks over at her as he takes another delectable fruit and plops it into his mouth, and notices a startled look on her face. "You should probably stop eating those fruits." The hybrid almost unconsciously eats a few more of the sweet treats before heeding the matriarch's words. "T-those are Constrictor Fruit," she says in a quivering voice. "They cause full body paralysis to anypony that eats them!"

Lavey’s mouth hangs open in shock, allowing some of the mushed fruit to leak onto his plate.

"WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS IN THE FRUIT SALAD!?" he roars, bits of mush flying out of his mouth.

The changeling flinches at his rage but recollects herself to explain her actions. "W-well, you wouldn't like my reasoning even if I told you," she says with an anxious grin. Lavey's burning eyes, however, project enough authority to command her to explain. "I was going to...give Twilight the fruit salad and have her take a bite of the Constrictor Fruit..."

This only provokes Lavey's rage even further into a wild inferno. "WHAT!?" he roars. His aroused demonic features resurface, displaying his unfettered rage. "YOU INTENDED TO POISON TWILIGHT!?"

"It was just going to paralyze her for a few hours," Chrysalis hastily defends herself, quickly putting up her forehooves in defense. "She would still talk and be cognitively aware of everything, I swear! I just wanted to be alone with you so she wouldn't have the opportunity to see what we were up to!"

"THAT IS THE MOST IDIOTIC THING I HAVE EVER HEARD!" Lavey bellows. However, despite wanting to snuff the queen right here and now and give the library a fresh coat of red paint, he doesn’t want to be seen as a monster. He attempts to mellow out his wrath, causing his aroused features to recede and disappear, and speak in a calmer yet furious tone. "I don't know what's going on in that sick head of yours, you parasitic bitch, but if you EVER har—"

Lavey freezes as a sharp, stabbing pain courses through his gut. He collapses onto the floor, holding onto his belly as the pain becomes unbearable while he screams in agony. His veins feel as if they are on fire and his muscles start to spasm.

"Lavey!?" Chrysalis shrieks in horror.

The hell-spawn’s mind starts to fade in and out of consciousness as his eyes struggle to stay open. His throat clenches on its own, preventing any air from escaping or entering his lungs. Everything is on fire and his vision begins to tunnel. He finally gives into the effects of the fruit and falls into a dark, dreamless slumber.

“What...done!?” a familiar voice barks as it fades in and out. “He may...demon hybrid but...Celestia, you’re just awful!”

“I didn’t think he’d go straight for the fruit salad!” another voice replies, much clearer and much more recognizable than the first. “It was meant for you but he took most of them without me knowing!”

Lavey struggles to open his eyes, only to be met by blinding light and the soft beeps of an EKG ringing in his ears. Everything feels numb but numbness doesn’t even feel like the appropriate word to use in his current state. Everything has no feeling at all. His entire figure can’t seem to move or have any sensation. He can’t feel the fibers of the blanket, the mattress, or even the air around him.

“Lavey, you’re alive!” the first voice sobs. The hybrid manages to ever so slightly move his eyes to glance over to his left and see Twilight’s smiling, tear-drenched face. “I thought I’d lost you forever!”

She goes in for a hug and embraces her paramour around the neck but, unfortunately, he can’t feel her warmth or any pressure from her hold. He can still feel the passion of her hug, though, which is good enough for him.

“It’s gonna take more than a bunch of paralyzing fruit to take me out,” Lavey weakly mumbles. “I’ll probably be fine in a few hours.”

Twilight pulls back but her attention isn’t focused on Lavey anymore. Her eyes look past him and her brows are furrowed, giving the hybrid a clear idea as to who she’s glaring at. Looking over to his right, he manages to spot Chrysalis’s shameful face out of the corner of his eye.

“I’m surprised they let you in here since this is basically your fault,” he groans. “I don’t even know if I want you here.”

The changeling surprisingly doesn’t wince at the prince's sharp words but continues to hang her head in shame.

“However...” Lavey gently says, causing Chrysalis to lift her head with a small glimmer of hope in her verdant eyes, “I do appreciate you being here by my sides—both of you.”

“If there is any way I can make up for my transgressions, let me know,” Chrysalis says somberly as she places a hoof on the hybrid's shoulder.

“Well, he won’t be heading back home for a little while, so you can’t exactly do much,” a male voice says, dragging the trio’s attention to an open doorway where a stallion doctor dressed in a simple, white doctor’s gown approaches them. “Although I don’t know much about your anatomy, Lavey, it would be recommended that you stay here for the time being.”

The stallion, known around Ponyville as Doctor Horse, grabs a small clipboard from the foot of the bed and flips through the pages until finally settling on one. He scrunches his muzzle in thought as he looks between his notes and his patient.

“Says here you’ve accidentally eaten a cluster of Constrictor Fruit,” the doctor reads aloud. He looks to the hell-spawn with a suspecting glare. “How did you ‘accidentally’ eat a toxic fruit is my question?”

Everyone knows all the blame is on Chrysalis’s envy and gluttony, but for Lavey to rat her out for attempted harm or even murder would cause the local authorities to take her away, and that wouldn’t be pretty. He opens his mouth and speaks the only thing that may make sense.

“I...was interested in learning more about your world’s indigenous plant life so I asked Twilight for a few samples...” He looks to the unicorn who seems like she’s been betrayed, but his eyes tell her to trust him. She calms down a bit an allows the hybrid to continue. “I’ve eaten a few berries and fruits, expecting my body to flush out the toxins but...this Constrictor Fruit proved a little too much for me to handle.”

“So you ate a whole cluster of them?” the doctor questions with a piqued brow.

“They tasted really good. You think I’d resist?”

Doctor Horse releases a rather annoyed sigh and places the clipboard back where he found it. “Well, all we can do right now is let you get some rest while you recover. It’s going to, probably, take a few hours for the paralyzing toxins to get flushed out.”

He then looks between the despairing mares and gives them a grave look. “I’m sorry, you two, but visiting hours are almost over and I’m going to have to ask you to leave. You can see him later this evening.”

Although respecting the hospital’s rules, the mares are reluctant in leaving the hybrid’s side. Only until he gives them a forced, affirming nod do they leave his presence.

Once the door closes behind them, Lavey tilts his head over to the doctor and smiles maliciously. "Hey, doc, can you do something for me?"

The stallion raises an intrigued brow but complies, nevertheless. "Sure, whatever do you need?"

The hybrid quickly sits up and slowly gets out of bed, nearly toppling over before stabilizing himself. "Don't get mad or kick me out just yet, please."

The doctor's jaw drops to the ground as he looks over the hybrid's perfectly healthy appearance. "Y-you were fine this whole time!?" he exclaims.

"Pretty much," Lavey nonchalantly replies. "I simply lowered my body's immune system and let the paralyzing toxins affect me for a second. Once I knew I was in the hospital, I rejuvenated my immune system and now I'm fine." The doctor's face remains stifled with shock and disbelief at the hybrids Munchausen syndrome. "It was just a way for my plan to follow through. I knew what Constrictor Fruits were already, so phase one of my plan is complete."

"W-what plan?" Doctor Horse asks with understandable fear.

Lavey simply places a claw up to his lips, signifying the secrecy of his scheme. "It doesn't really concern you but I would appreciate it if you didn't inform Twilight and Chrysalis of my Munchausen syndrome. They'd probably be as pissed as you. Also, I'm going to need this room again for later, if you don't mind?"

The doctor doesn’t utter a single word but slowly nods. The hybrid smiles graciously and pats the stallion on the back as he exits the hospital wing.

Perched upon a puffy cloud overlooking Ponyville, Lavey watches Twilight and Chrysalis’s actions with boredom and anticipation. So far, they had barely spoken a single word of kindness to each other, yet they've been traveling everywhere together. They bicker and put the blame on each other for Lacey’s “bedridden state” but never apologize for their harsh words.

The main outcome he wants out of his deceptive ruse is to bring the two closer together so they can cease their bickering. It will take time, he knows that, but the evening is just around the corner and he’ll have to head back to the hospital soon to prevent any growing suspicion. Hopefully, Doctor Horse maintains his silent promise, otherwise things are going to get messy between Lavey and the mares.

The two mares exit Sweet Apple Acres, with Twilight holding a basket of apple treats in her arcane field and Chrysalis carrying a small blanket and pillow in hers, much to Lavey’s curiosity. He pans his ears around to get as much of their conversation, disregarding the background noise from the rest of the town.

“I’ve never asked Lavey, but what are his favorite colors?” Chrysalis inquires.

“He enjoys anything red, blue, black or silver,” Twilight lists off. “He doesn’t like anything too flashy or too dull and always appreciates a gift when given from the heart, sort of like these treats or that blanket.”

Lavey smiles warmly at Twilight’s astute observation. He’s never said his preferences aloud but has always given either mares small hints or gestures about his interests. To know that Twilight was able to list those colors off so boldly makes him proud.

“Twilight, I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” the matriarch says hoarsely. She seems to be trying to hold back tears of guilt but the dam breaks. “I was just desperate for a mate, you must understand.”

This piques Lavey’s interest, prompting him to listen closely. He notices Twilight doesn’t look back to glare daggers at the changeling but continues to trot through Ponyville with a cross face.

“Do you think I care?” Twilight grumbles back. “You paralyzed him from the neck down trying to get to me! I wouldn’t understand because I’m not a horny bug-horse trying to win him over like a pompous slut!”

She bellows the last word as if hoping heads would turn. Most ponies do look in shock in response to the mare’s sudden explosion, aghast at her use in profanity amongst toddlers, no doubt. Twilight’s soul is burning with hatred and Chrysalis seems like a child who got caught doing something wrong.

“Yo, Lavey!” a familiar, tomboyish voice drags the prince’s attention away from the scene below and to the left where Rainbow Dash is approaching him. “Whatcha doin’ up here, bro?”

“Just watching Twilight and Chrysalis,” he responds. “I kinda faked an illness in order for them to work together and have a little sympathy for each other, but it’s not going as I planned.”

Rainbow raises a suspicious eyebrow at the hybrid’s odd plot. She looks down at the scene, noticing the changeling queen and Twilight are bickering as they’re walking through the street.

“You can hear them from up here?” she asks, straining her ears to pick up even a single sound from the squabbling mares’ lips.

“Yup, and it’s not pretty,” the hybrid replies. “I might have taken things a bit too—no wait, what's this?" Lavey leans forward a bit and turns his head to the side to pick up on something interesting about Twilight and Chrysalis's conversation.

"Look, sit down for a minute," Twilight solemnly says as she leads the matriarch over to a small park bench. With the two finally staying still and getting comfortable, Twilight proceeds with an intriguing question. "What do you see in Lavey that would make you think he's a good partner?"

The changeling looks down at her hooves as she ponders the question for a bit. "He's powerful, a caring creature, rather unique, and has a copious amount of love to—"

"There it is," Twilight interrupts. "You see him as a viable food source, don't you?"

Chrysalis opens her mouth to most likely refute her claim but only broken words escape. "I don't see him as simply that! I...I just..." Twilight raises a brow, wondering where the rest of the changeling's argument went, but puts on a smug smirk when she can't manage to speak.

"Do you know what I see in him?" Twilight asks. Chrysalis looks back up to her face and Lavey piques a curious brow as he listens intently. "I see everything you see in him—a powerful being, a caring soul, a unique creature to be around—but that's not all. He's reliable and puts others before himself. He’s someone who burns away boredom and malaise and is always there to comfort me whenever I feel like I just wanna rip your head off. He's not exactly someone to swoon over, he may be a prince but he is still a servant. And I love him for every single quality he's shown, despite some of them being a little boorish."

Lavey is taken aback by Twilight's harsh but meaningful words. He's never heard his qualities being exalted like this before; it almost forms an iota of pride in his heart. Though, he does feel sorry for Chrysalis; the way she seems guilty of her current actions and probably how she's been treating everyone else around her almost hurts the hybrid.

"I have seen those qualities in him," Chrysalis mumbles as she glowers at her hooves. "However, I never considered them to be of importance when it came to what I wanted from him. I suppose you truly do love him..."

Twilight takes a deep breath and exhales, releasing all of her pent up anger and murderous intent. The red splotch of wrath in her ethereal form simmers until it's nearly as large as her glistening, yellow lick of greed.

“I know you’re trying to mean well,” she says. “I don’t like it when you try to take him for your own, especially when you know he’s explicitly mine. Pardon how rude this may seem to you, though I don’t regret saying it, but he doesn’t love you because you don’t love him back.”

The queens eyes widen in shock, though it honestly shouldn’t surprise her. It should have been crystal clear, what with Lavey giving her the cold-shoulder and showing off a malaise attitude around her. Every time he’s around Twilight, he’s jovial and energetic. Around Chrysalis, he’s annoyed and feels as though he’s pestered by an insect.

“I suppose you may be right,” the matriarch replies solemnly. “Though, I have had a loving mate in the past who blessed me with a wonderful family. I lost him a thousand years ago and I am doomed with this accursed immortal body. The only one whom I could stay close to for the rest of my eternal life is Lavey, since he is an immortal like me.”

“So, would you say you actually love Lavey?” Twilight asks.

The changeling looks back up at the mare with tearful eyes. “Yes, of course I love him but...I understand and respect your boundaries. Seeing him in that hospital bed due to my envy...my foolishness...I will leave him alone from now on.”

“That doesn’t mean you’ll run off, will it?” Twilight asks.

Chrysalis raises her head, confused by the unicorn’s statement. Even Lavey is surprised by what she said.

“D-does that mean...”

Twilight nods, though still not complacent. “You can continue to stay with us, just as long as you don’t try to have sex with him. You can feed off of his love from a small hug or so but nothing explicit.”

The matriarch’s eyes water as she embraces Twilight in a surprising hug. Twilight seems taken aback but she hesitantly pats the changeling’s back as the queen proceeds to profusely thank her.

Lavey smiles at the lovely scene beneath him. He stands up on the cloud and stretches his wings, knowing his work here is done.

“Wait, what just happened?” Rainbow Dash asks as she looks between the hybrid and what’s happening below.

“Twilight and Chrysalis finally made amends,” Lavey explains. “It didn’t go exactly as planned but the results were satisfactory, nonetheless. I’d better get back to the hospital; I’ll be seeing you around Rainbow Dash.”

With that, Lavey gives the pegasus a small salute as he leaps from his cloud and flies over to the hospital just in the nick of time. He hovers between windows and floors until finding his old room and leaps into bed just before the door flies open to allow Twilight and Chrysalis entry.

They both have gleeful smiles—Twilight’s less jovial, but it pleases the hybrid. However, he can’t tell them he’s been spying on them or orchestrating a plan for them; all he can do is play along and act as dumb as possible.

“Glad to have you two back,” Lavey hoarsely groans. “What’s that you have there, Twilight?”

The unicorn places the basket of confections and lifts out a small apple fritter from its confines. It’s flaky and filled with apples and sugar, a wonderful gift for someone bedridden from paralyzation.

“I asked Applejack for some snacks I could give you while you rest up,” she says. “Chrysalis brought you a blanket made by Granny Smith; orange, and I know it’s not your favorite color but—“

“It’s great,” Lavey interrupts. “Thank you, girls. You really didn’t need to get this for me. I mean, it’s not like it’s my last hours here. I’ll be—OW!”

Twilight jabs a hoof into Lavey’s cheek, cutting off his sentence. He looks at her, perplexed by her action until noticing her eyes are filled with furious sorrow.

“Don’t say that!” Twilight barks. She slams her hooves on Lavey’s chest and, although it doesn’t really hurt, he makes sure to not show any reaction. “That’s the last thing I want to hear from you, Lavey. Please...”

The hell-spawn reads the distressed unicorn’s eyes clearly and manages to slowly nod his head in compliance with her wishes.

“Indeed, Lavey,” Chrysalis whispers. “Do not ever say such negative things. You know as well as we do, we can’t bear to lose you.”

“We?” Lavey asks with a piqued brow. “Are you two making up or something?”

The two mares look at each other, uncertain and certain at the same time. They then turn back to Lavey and nod their heads in confirmation, prompting a gracious smile to spread across the hybrid’s lips.

“Well, that’s assuring,” he says as he slowly rises from his position. “And I’m feeling a bit better so I guess we might be good to go home.”

“You sure can,” Doctor Horse declares as he enters. “I hope you enjoyed your rest and please, for Celestia’s sake, don’t blindly eat random things you find in a forest.”

“We’ll make sure of that sir,” Chrysalis claims as she and Twilight guide the prince out of the hospital room and back to the Golden Oak Library.

Lavey extenuates in the bedroom, watching a bit of anime and enjoying the absence of monotonous quarreling. His little ruse is just what the doctor ordered. Though, Dr. Horse wasn’t too keen with the hybrid’s manipulation, he didn’t care as long as he could get Twilight and Chrysalis to finally make up.

“Lavey! Can you come here for a second?” Twilight shouts.

Speak of the devil.

Reluctantly rolling out of bed and landing feet-first onto the wooden floor, the hybrid saunters over to the source of the unicorn’s voice. The scent of freshly squeezed berries and citrus grab his attention, guiding him to the kitchen where Twilight and Chrysalis are collaborating.

A warm smile spreads across the prince’s face as he walks over to the two mares and embraces them in a loving hug, dragging them away from their work. They look back at him, their faces shifting from shock to elation at the sight of his presence.

“How are my two favorite mares doing this fine evening?” he asks.

“Just magnificent,” Chrysalis replies. Igniting her horn in etherial, green energy, she levitates the hybrid a glass of purple liquid. “We got together and decided to brew you a simple treat to say we are sorry for all the stress we may have caused you.”

Lavey grasps the floating glass and peers at the contents with perplexity. The liquid almost looks like grape juice but slightly clearer and brighter. Although it’s a small gift and with the way the two mares are staring at him with expectant faces, he shrugs off the uncertainty and downs the drink in one fell swoop.

It has a sour taste to it and it’s thick as paste despite its clear appearance, as if there’s invisible pulp mixed in. Lavey struggles to swallow the beverage, trying his best not to hurl the contents in his stomach and disrespect the mares’ work. Eventually, he manages to swallow it, letting it splash into his gut and the taste follows along, much to his displeasure.

“It’s...good,” he lies, though he’s sure they’ve read his appalled expression. “What is it?”

“Oh just some orange juice mixed with Constrictor Fruit and Blackshade Berries,” Twilight reveals with a sinister smile.

The glass in Lavey’s grasp falls, shattering into a hundred pieces on the floor. His eyes snap open and his hearts drop into his stomach as he registers what the unicorn had said.

“Did you say Blackshade Berries?” he asks, hoping he didn’t hear that right. Unfortunately, Twilight nods in confirmation, further feeding the hybrid’s fear.

Constrictor Fruit are of no concern to the hybrid but Blackshade Berries, a toxic berry species found only in the deepest, darkest forests of Hell, are one of the most potent foods in existence. It’s capable of even tranquilizing the most ferocious of hellish beasts, rendering them almost dead.

“Dr. Horse revealed to us about the Munchorsen Syndrome you portrayed in the hospital after we had left,” Chrysalis says with a sadistic grin. “Although it may be against HIPPA rules, or whatever modern medical practices are in place nowadays, he decided to indulge us on your little ruse.”

“I got into contact with Atrum and had him send over a couple of Blackshade Berries,” Twilight reveals. “It’s just enough to have you bedridden for a while, not enough to kill you, so don’t worry about that.”

A sharp pain shoots through every nerve in Lavey’s body but he can’t react to it at all. In fact, his body can’t even move to let him contort in unfathomable agony and words can’t escape his sealed lips to express his pain. Losing his balance, he falls to the ground like a torn-down statue and watches in helpless fear as Twilight and Chrysalis hover over him with devilish grins.

“Though we appreciate you getting us together...” Chrysalis says.

“You made us worry for nothing this whole time,” Twilight finishes. “This time, you’ll experience full-body paralyzation first hoof. Don’t worry though, Lavey, we’ll take good care of you, personally.”

Despite that promise, Lavey can’t help but think there’s going to be nothing but torment and punishment for him from here on out.