Laying upon Lavey's back as he soars above the clouds is more exhilarating than Twilight had originally anticipated, even if she isn’t the one technically keeping herself up in the air. Although she's not one to delve into heart-racing, sweat-inducing, out of the norm activities like this, it's rather enjoyable. It's something completely outside of her comfort zone—but then again, so was mingling with other ponies, going on adventures, and making friends.

Although feeling rather queasy from looking down the perilous height, she’s mesmerized by the birds-eye view of the landscape. She can see plumes of smoke puffing from the Friendship Express as it chugs along the tracks back to Ponyville. She spots the sharp peaks of mountains, the green hills below, and the winding rivers and streams cutting through the land.

Riding by train has always been a preferred mode of transportation for the unicorn; it's calm, slow, and she can take time to talk to somepony or read a book. However, long rides to and fro from her destinations, the limited scenery, and the normally cramped seats are a bit frustrating, if not uneventful.

It’s no wonder Rainbow Dash loves to fly so much, since the scenery and sensations are absolutely breathtaking. The rush of wind through her fur and mane, the fresh scent of foliage and trees, and the feeling of flying with fowl brings excitement and joy to the unicorn’s heart, which she had no idea she needed.

“How is it up there?” Lavey asks.

“It’s awesome!” the unicorn exclaims with joy. “I never knew flying could be so fun!”

“We’re almost there,” the hybrid announces as the thick clouds part to reveal the small town of Ponyville like in a film. “I need a place to land, so where is your home?”

With her new field of vision, Twilight easily spots the Golden Oak Library and points to it. Lavey extends his wings and glides towards the tree, making sure to gracefully land on the balcony near the base of the crown of the tree. As he settles on the perch, he kneels to allow the unicorn to slip off of his back and onto sweet ground.

“I wish I were a pegasus,” the unicorn says dreamily, “then I could enjoy that thrill as many times as I want."

The hybrid chuckles at the unicorn's fantasy as he ducks inside the library. "If you were a demon or an angel you'd have no problem changing your biology to how you see fit. But you should be content with what you already are. Everyone's special, no matter how they're made."

Twilight can't help but blush at Lavey's kind words. "Of course, anypony would want to change their biology to accomplish certain feats only other races can accomplish. That's why things such as enchanted amulets or transformation spells are invented, to provide ponies with abilities they can only dream of."

"That's just silly," the hybrid chortles once more. "The only reason demons or angels transform is to blend in with mortals, just as I did when I met Celestia. We're unfathomably powerful on our own but mortals are granted abilities, not just physically, but mentally and also spiritually. No matter the creature, most mortals will always have tenacity and the will to fight. That is what makes them unique above all other beings in the known universe."

Twilight considers her guest's words of wisdom and recounts times in her own life when she and her friends have fought through the toughest of battles. From Nightmare Moon to the Lord of Chaos, Twilight and her friends have risen up and persisted in their battles against forces unimaginable.

As the duo climb down to the ground floor, a little, purple dragon waddles over to Twilight and hugs her foreleg. "Twilight, where have you be—" The little reptile holds his tongue as he gazes at the legs of the unicorn's esteemed guest. His fearful eyes travel up to the hybrid's smiling face and his scales drains of color. "W-w-w-w-w-what..."

Twilight pulls the little dragon off of her and moves off to the side to let him get a better view of her guest. "Spike, this is Lavey, a demon/angel hybrid," the unicorn introduces. "Lavey, this is Spike, my number one assistant."

Gathering his wits, Spike, without warning, grabs Twilight by the mane and brings her muzzle into his snout. "TWILIGHT, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?!" the dragon explodes. Both the unicorn and hell-spawn are startled by the outburst, but he's not done. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING SUMMONING DEMONS INTO EQUESTRIA!?"

Twilight yanks the drake off of her in a telekinetic field and leaves him suspended in the air. "I didn't ‘summon’ him, Spike," she explains. "This is the creature Rainbow Dash was supposed to tell you about. He's the reason I went to Canterlot in the first place."

Disregarding Spike's previous outburst, Lavey extends a clawed hand for the drake to shake while the little guy remains suspended in the air. "A pleasure to meet you, Spike."

Still doubtful, Spike takes the regal's hand and shakes it gently before being dropped onto the floor to run back into the kitchen. Both Twilight and Lavey chuckle at the dragon's timidity as they make their way into the main foyer.

"You know," Twilight says, looking up at her guest, "Spike is actually still a baby dragon, yet his mind works just like that of an adult or at least a toddler."

"I thought so." Lavey replies. “He looked way too young to be making coherent sentences like that.” He looks around the room as if searching for something out of the ordinary. "Where is that Rainbow Dash? She seems like a fun, energetic mare."

“Well, I asked her and the rest of my friends to meet me here once we arrived at the...station. Crap.”

Lavey opens his mouth to console the unicorn but his ears suddenly perk up. He looks to the door and smiles as if he can hear something which Twilight can not.

“I think they’re already here,” he states.

Twilight cocks an eyebrow at the prince's assumption but it is soon verified by a loud, familiar, rhythmic knock at the door. She knows that tune anywhere and dashes over to the door, swinging it open with magic to reveal Rainbow Dash and four other unique ponies.

"Sup, Twilight," Rainbow chimes as she makes her way into the library. "I saw Lavey flying past the station and assumed you were with him. How'd you like the flight?"

"It was amazing," the unicorn replies. "I see why you prefer being in the air all the time." Twilight looks to the doorway and counts the number of souls, making sure everyone is present and accounted for. "Good. You brought everyone along."

An orange earth-pony with a straw-colored mane and brown stetson hat stands at the front of the group. Her body is toned and well-built with a few dewdrops of sweat, causing her coat to glimmer in the light. The ambrosial aroma of fresh earth and juicy apples emanate from her like a luscious perfume and flood the library.

To the farm-mare's left, a snow-white unicorn mare with a glistening, amethyst mane stands in an unnecessarily fashionable pose like a hot model. Her face clearly has a thick layer of makeup and her super long eyelashes obviously aren't real. The scent of powerful perfume flows from her and, unlike the farm pony’s fragrance, it stings Twilight’s nostrils.

To the right of the farm pony, a pink bubblegum earth-pony mare bounces in place. Everything about her is obnoxiously pink from her frazzled, raspberry mane to her plump, bubblegum-colored body. She just continually bounces like a beach ball while growing an unnatural grin.

Finally, a yellow pegasus mare with a pale, pink mane hides behind the doorway. She peers at the hybrid with her fearful, cyan eyes, despite the creature’s compassionate smile.

“Everyone, I’d like you all to meet Lavey, a demon/angel hybrid,” Twilight introduces without the slightest bit of hesitation between her guest’s name and species.

All of the ponies, besides Rainbow Dash and the mare behind the door, slowly trot towards the imposing, otherworldly figure. They each look him over from his tail to his horns, taking in his built figure and calm atmosphere, almost disregarding his intimidating appearance.

“Lavey, huh?” the orange mare asks. “Name’s Applejack, pardner. Heard from Twilight and Rainbow thacha saved ‘em from a bunch of...angels?” She looks over to the pegasus, who gives her an affirming nod. “Yeah. So, thanks fer that.”

The prince bows to the mare and rises to face the other ponies around him.

The alabaster unicorn approaches him, looking him up and down with intrigue. “While I do appreciate you saving our friends from certain death, I don’t suppose you could have done it in a more...civilized fashion?”

“If they didn't try to kill your friends first, then maybe,” Lavey responds. "I honestly try not to kill but sometimes I'm given no other choice."

“Still doesn’t ease my worries,” the unicorn says with a shiver. “The name is Rarity by the way, darling.”

“A pleasure,” Lavey says with a warm smile. “I’m assuming you’re nobility, considering your stunning appearance?”

Rarity’s uneasiness melts away as she blushes from Lavey’s comment but swats his compliment with a modest wave of her hoof. "Oh, come now," she gushes. "I'm far from being a noble. I'm just a simple seamstress living in a quaint little town."

"Did I fail to mention, Rarity, that he's also a prince?" Twilight adds.

That seems to be the icing on the cake for Rarity as her eyes suddenly glow with astonishment. "A PRINCE!?" she exclaims. "M-my apologies! Let me start over." Immediately, she bows before the hybrid and shows him the utmost respect. "It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness!"

Despite the treatment and the reverence, Lavey seems discomforted by this sudden approach. He cringes at the mare's display of reverence as if disgusted.

"P-please, I don't want to be treated like royalty while I'm a guest on your world," he stammers anxiously. "Just consider me as another friend, not a regal."

Rarity looks up at the prince and blushes in embarrassment. She opens her muzzle to say something but the bubblegum pony interferes.

“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie!” the mare says with an overzealous grin. “Rainbow Dash told me all about what you did to save her and Twilight and I just gotta say, it was amazing! Though, it was kinda extreme and a little over the top. Still, it’s great that we have another citizen in Ponyville since that means I’ll get to make another welcoming party to celebrate you joining our little town...”

As Pinkie Pie continues her tirade with a beaming smile, Lavey stares at the mare with bewilderment, trying to process the babble that pours out of her muzzle. Even with all the time Twilight's spent around her, even she still can't seem to follow along.

“Just smile and nod like you understand,” Twilight whispers. “I suggest you don’t think too hard about how her mind works. Trust me, I've tried and...” A shiver goes up her spine as a painful memory runs through her head, "...it did not go well."

“Noted,” the hybrid murmurs. He looks over at the doorway and spots the final mare still in hiding. “And who do we have here?” he asks with a raised brow.

All eyes turn to the timid mare as she further pulls herself behind the doorframe. Unfortunately, she suddenly gets pulled out of her hiding spot in Twilight's field of magic and is placed in the midst of the group. She continues to cower and tremble under her hooves and wings as she plants her face into the floorboards.

"This is Fluttershy," Twilight introduces as she places a reassuring hoof on her friend's trembling back. "She's a little timorous, so try your best to coax her out of that."

Lavey gets down on one knee and looks down at the pegasus as she continues to shiver in fear. Fluttershy attempts to glance up at him as he tries to put on a friendly grin but she cowers once again.

"Fluttershy, was it?" the hybrid asks. The pony's only reply is a stifled squeal, which Lavey takes as a satisfactory answer. "There is really no reason to be afraid of me because of my appearance, I assure you." Still, Fluttershy doesn't seem relieved. "How would you like to be my friend? I don't get much of those where I'm from."

The mare uncovers her face and peers back up at Lavey's warm face, this time, without cowering back into the ground.

“A f-f-friend?” she stammers.

“Yeah. I know I look scary and am unfathomably powerful, but I just want a friend in my life. What do you say?”

Fluttershy slowly rises and extends a trembling hoof for the hybrid to shake, which he gladly accepts without hesitation.

"W-we can be f-f-friends,” the pegasus finally says with a shaky smile. “It's n-n-nice to m-meet you.”

"Likewise," Lavey replies. As he proceeds to stand, he looks around at everyone's smiling faces and smiles back, contempt by everyone's kindness and acceptance. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. Though, if you don't mind, I need some rest. Nearly dying at the hands of two stubborn angels and having to carry a unicorn on my back miles to her home has left me rather exhausted." He looks to Twilight with a cheeky smile while she glowers at him.

"You do that," Twilight complies with a stern tone, somewhat offended by his last statement.

Lavey quickly moves into the bedroom and shuts the door behind him as he proceeds to sleep on the unicorn's tiny bed. In just a matter of seconds, his calm snores fill the naturally quiet library.

"So, what did the princess say about him?" Rainbow Dash asks as she perches on a wood-carved stallion head in the center of the library. "Is he staying here or what?"

"He's definitely staying for the better," Twilight replies, looking back at the room containing the slumbering creature. "Since he got rid of those two rogue angels, more demons and angels are going to want a piece of him; that means our world too, since he tried to save us."

A tinge of guilt brews in Twilight's heart. Having to put someone they just met at the front lines to protect an entire world from hellish and heavenly forces of unimaginable power is too much to ask. However, she’s willing to stand by his side to protect him and her world.

However, such a time can come later, as the only thing Twilight and her friends need to focus on is getting the hybrid associated into Ponyville—and make some new friends.

Lavey and Twilight stand in the middle of an open field, their eyes locked on Rainbow Dash as she soars through the sky with the grace of an angel and the speed of a vigorous demon. She weaves around clouds and performs breathtaking maneuvers, igniting Lavey’s interest in the mare.

Although Twilight’s friends had already introduced themselves to the hell-spawn, she believes spending time together can help the hybrid really get to know the rest of the ponies and build stronger bonds with them. After all, it worked with Twilight when she first moved to this quaint town.

So far, Lavey’s been interested in seeing Rainbow Dash after hearing about her obstinate determination. Her speed and agility seem to have him enthralled in astonishment and surprise, which doesn’t come as a surprise to Twilight since just about everypony who has witnessed Rainbow’s abilities for the first time are always left in shock—especially when they believe they have the upper hoof.

The rainbow blur comes crashing down, picking up speed, until landing safely onto her hooves without making so much as a dent in the earth. She looks to her spectators and puffs out her chest with pride as Twilight and Lavey give her a round of applause.

“Waddaya think?” Rainbow asks, looking to Lavey to fan her ego. “Pretty awesome, huh?”

“I’ll admit, you’re pretty fast,” the hybrid admits with a bit of interest. “You’re actually faster than most dragons back in my home realm.” Rainbow gives a satisfied humph as she struts off in the opposite direction, her pride shooting through the roof. “Though, nowhere near as fast as me.”

Twilight’s ears perk up and she looks to the hybrid's impudent face with shock. She's heard plenty of ponies try to mock Rainbow Dash, claiming they're better than her when it comes to speed and agility. However, a creature, who has just been in Equestria for less than a day, deciding to claim the title of "Best Flyer" is absurd and completely out of the blue.

She looks over to the pegasus to gauge her reaction and can already feel Rainbow’s animosity rising. She stands frozen in place, her flaring from anger; Twilight can almost feel her blood pressure rising from where she's standing. If there's one thing the unicorn has learned about Rainbow Dash, and pegasi in general, it is to never attack their pride.

Rainbow looks back at Lavey and glares venomous daggers at him. She slowly trots over to him but the hybrid doesn't seem nervous or regretful of his actions. He simply places his hands on his hips and bends over to get down to Rainbow's level, which she takes into offense.

"You. Me. Race. Now," the aggressive mare growls. "Just because you're part angel and part demon doesn't mean jack. I'm the best flyer in all of Equestria and ain't nopony gonna take that title away from me."

Lavey simply smiles with cockiness as he peers into his opponent's eyes. His red eyes are calm within those seas of black, while Rainbow's magenta irises burn with a determined flame. Lavey chuckles as he slowly stands straight and crosses his arms over his chest arrogantly.

"Very well then," he complies. From where to where are we racing?"

Rainbow looks around the area, hoping to find a suitable spot to race to to prove herself. She spots a cloud hovering by itself in the middle of sky. No other pegasi seem to be going near it and there aren't any obstacles that can hinder her from reaching it.

"That cloud is the finish line," Rainbow says, pointing to their destination. "No tricks, got it? Just a beeline to the cloud and that’s it. Winner takes the title of fastest flyer. "

Lavey nods and even crosses his heart to solidify the agreement. “Very well then.”

The two contenders get into crouching sprint start positions, their wings unfurled for flight. However, they both stay motionless for a few seconds, perplexing Twilight a bit as they should have started by now. Now, it seems as if they’ve switched to doing a contest on who can stay still the longest.

“Uh, Twi?” Rainbow says, gaining the attention of the unicorn. “You wanna start us off?”

“Oh, right.” Twilight ignites her horn in a calm aura of magic, which soon becomes wild as it crackles and fizzes. “On your marks, get set...GO!” She fires off the spell, letting a powerful BANG resound through the field.

She watches as Rainbow Dash launches from the earth like a comet returning to the atmosphere. A rainbow tail follows her as she rapidly ascends to her designated target with ease. Of course, her speed knows no rival and she gracefully scales the sky to her destination.

However, Twilight notices that Lavey is nowhere to be found in the sky—alongside, behind, nor before his competitor. She looks back to their starting area, her jaw dropping to the ground, to see the hybrid standing nonchalantly with his arms crossed over his chest and his head craned at a rather uncomfortable angle as he watches Rainbow beat him. Twilight was sure he was going to race the pegasus. To see him not even attempting to give chase, let alone unfurl his wings, bewilders her beyond comprehension.

She shifts her attention back to Rainbow, who is only a mere few seconds away from the finish line. At this point, Lavey has no chance of succeeding before Rainbow makes contact with the goal. But something catches her eye.

It’s for a split second, but Twilight definitely saw a red and black blur whizz past her out of her peripheral vision. She can feel a strong, preternatural gust of wing rising from the earth and into the skies above. She looks to where Lavey is to see that he’s disappeared; only a small crater remains in his stead.

“What the—?!” Rainbow shouts, dragging Twilight’s eyes back up to the clouds.

Up on the cloud, standing ever so carelessly on the edge, is that cheeky little hybrid with his hands on his hips. He’s bent over, leering down at the pegasus as she peers back up at him with confusion—merely a few feet away from the stolen mark.

“What did you do?” Rainbow questions.

Lavey leaps from the cloud and slowly falls back to the ground with his wings unfurled, gracefully landing on his feet, and Rainbow follows suit.

“I just flew up there,” the hybrid replies. “No tricks and nothing special was used. Just my wings and natural speed.”

Twilight looks the hybrid over and, sure enough, there doesn’t seem to be anything attached to his body that would modify his abilities. He’s been courteous and truthful up till now, so there’s no way he could be cheating.

“No way,” Rainbow refutes. She circles him like a lioness, eyeing every inch of his figure—from the tips of his horns to his sharp talons—in search of something amiss. “You teleported up there, didn’t you? Can you do that?”

“I most certainly can,” Lavey nonchalantly replies. “But if it were true that I teleported, it would have been a little more noticeable—through a simple displacement of space.”

To prove his point, Lavey disappears from his spot, leaving a small area of distorted space lingering for a few seconds. After a while, he reappears, holding a small, pink-frosted cupcake in his hand this time.

“Though, if you really want to see some speed...”

Twilight watches as the hybrid gently tosses the cupcake over her head. Following the snack's trajectory with her eyes, she's surprised to see it land right back into the hybrid's claws on her other side. She looks back to where he was before and, sure enough, Lavey is standing in his previous spot. He and his afterimage play a small game of catch with the cupcake before he finally devours the morsel, wrapper and all.

“W-what the...?” Rainbow stammers in surprise.

Twilight is absolutely flabbergasted by this unworldly speed. She’s heard of magic that can create multiple copies of one’s self but never something attainable by speed beyond mortal capabilities. She's certain that no combination or fusion of speed-enhancement spells could possibly match Lavey's otherworldly speed.

“See? I’m just supernaturally fast—at least, supernatural to you mortals,” Lavey says. His afterimage begins to vibrate and fade until finally disappearing into nothingness. “I can only move fast enough to keep one afterimage. I can improve if I want to, though.”

Twilight is infatuated by all the knowledge she's obtaining all of a sudden. It’s not every day a pony like her can learn about new creatures, especially one from a different realm. A shame, though, she didn’t bring her parchment and quills, because this would be the perfect moment to take notes.

“WOAH!” a young voice gasps in astonishment.

All eyes turn to see a young pegasus filly with a copper-colored coat and purple mane gawking at Lavey; her adorable glimmering eyes are filled with wonder. Her mouth is agape and, completely unbeknownst to the filly, a bit of drool escapes her lips.

“And who do we have here?” Lavey asks with a warm grin.

“Aw crap,” Rainbow mutters under her breath. “Scootaloo, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be out hanging with your friends?”

The little pony known as Scootaloo finally snaps from her entrancement and looks upon the older pegasus with a gleeful smile.

“I was, actually. I just saw you flying through the air and I knew you were trying to race somepony.”

Scootaloo turns back to Lavey, who seems prideful of himself, but he keeps his smile up to seem as kind as possible.

“You’re fast, right?” the filly asks, basically trembling with excitement. “Like really, really fast? I saw you race Rainbow Dash and you were awesome! I’m the founder and president of the Rainbow Dash fan-club, by the way. Do you wanna join or do you—“

“Look, Squirt,” Rainbow interjects, finally putting the little mare’s tirade on hold,” if I give you an autograph or somethin’ will you leave me alone for right now?”

Scootaloo’s eyes explode with joy as she prances in place, profusely begging for the autograph from her idol. Rainbow simply groans in frustration and dashes off somewhere else. Not even five seconds later, she returns with a signed photograph of herself and hands it to Scootaloo.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” the filly squeals as she hugs her gift tightly to her chest. “I promise to cherish this one forever!” With that, she finally leaves, allowing Rainbow, Twilight, and Lavey to converse in private.

“Yeah, just like the other twenty or so pictures you got of me,” Rainbow mutters. She wearily looks to Lavey, who seems bewildered by what just happened. “I like the kid, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy having a fan club and all that good stuff. That’s why I can’t let Scoots and her buddies know that I lost. I have a reputation on the line, ya know?”

“Understandable,” Lavey says with a smirk. “The victory is still mine today but I’ll let you retain your image for the public.”

Rainbow sighs with relief at the hybrid’s agreement and Twilight feels relieved as well. She knows how much is on the line if Rainbow loses at something; her pride, reputation, and identity are meaningless if she were to ever be less than who she is now.

“Well, we better get going,” Twilight says. “I still have plenty more of Ponyville to show Lavey, so we’ll catch you later, Rainbow Dash.”

Everyone waves farewell to each other for now as Twilight and Lavey depart for their new destination.

Carousel Boutique is perhaps one of the most extravagant and classy locations in Ponyville. With its wide selection of outfits, sewing materials, and embellishments, it's the number one spot for ponies in the small town to purchase high-quality clothing—despite everyone basically walking around in the buff nearly all the time.

As Lavey follows Twilight into the renowned establishment, the bell rings, alerting Rarity to the front door to greet her new customers.

“Hello and welcome to—“ She catches herself as she realizes it’s only her friends, but that doesn't mean her smile falters. “Oh, welcome Twilight, Lavey.” She flutters her fake lashes as she drags out the prince’s name with a flirting tone. “Why the sudden visit?”

“Just taking Lavey on a tour through Ponyville,” Twilight says. “I decided to let him visit you at the boutique, unless your busy, then we can come back.”

“Oh, of course not, dear,” Rarity hastily replies. “Business is a little slow so I can strike up a conversation with our renowned, regal guest of honor.”

With Rarity's elegant looks, proper etiquette, and breathtaking charm, one would think she were a noble trying to fit in with commoners, though that's far from the truth. However, her sweet spot for nobles and royalty is a widely known fact amongst the rest of Ponyville. She’d even attempted to date Princess Celestia’s adopted nephew during the Grand Galloping Gala—Celestia knows how well that went.

Despite the mishaps back at the Gala, her affection for upper-class citizens hasn’t wavered, which is clearly shown with how she’s ogling at Lavey. She looks him over like a prize to be won, her eyes glimmering with desire. Lavey, on the other hoof, doesn’t seem too interested—in fact, he’s a little creeped out by the alabaster mare’s behavior.

“Please, for the love of God, I do not wish to be treated like royalty while I’m here,” Lavey demands. “It’s honestly no fun when you’re born into a well-renowned and adored family like mine.”

Twilight is confused by the hybrid’s statement. Being royalty, one would have the adoration and loyalty of the public. They can make decisions that can alter the courses of history for their nation or for the entire world. To forsake all of that is unimaginably confusing to the lavender unicorn.

To Rarity, however, it’s sheer blasphemy to the royal title.

“Oh, come now,” she says, rolling her eyes at Lavey’s statement. “What’s so wrong with being born into royalty? I would give anything to have that luxurious lifestyle.”

“Even sacrifice friendships and all the time in the world?” Lavey asks. Rarity’s confused face crumbles and Twilight is left even more bewildered than before. “Trust me, the royal life is nothing but loneliness, work, meetings, and hair-pulling stress.

“Back home, I can’t even step one foot outside my castle without the citizens shrieking my name, begging for autographs, or bowing before me without even letting me get a word in. I can’t even make friends because everyone always acts like I’m going to have them executed for disagreeing with my favorite flavor of ice cream. Honestly, it’s one of the few reasons I left home in the first place.”

Twilight ponders Lavey’s words for a brief moment and dread festers in her heart. In her mind, she recounts all the times Celestia has laughed with nobles, smiled and waved at the citizens, and hosted meetings with esteemed ambassadors from other countries, all the while seeming as if she were enjoying her life.

If what Lavey says is true, which it most likely is, then Twilight has been mistaken all her life. She should have seen the pain in Celestia’s eyes sooner, it was so obvious, but she’s only seen her through a one way mirror.

Perhaps that would explain why she wanted the young unicorn to go out and learn about the Magic of Friendship, something the princess was severely lacking in all this time, in order to share it with her and to somehow give her the true feeling of having a friend.

“I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Rarity finally speaks up. She looks like her dreams have just been crushed. “I guess it’s not all sunshine and rainbows as royalty and it would seem it’s more taxing than being a simple seamstress from a simple town.”

“Indeed. But enough royal talk,” Lavey says with a restored smile. “How would you like to make a brand new line of clothing for my people? I can give you tips on what certain demons prefer when it comes to outfits and the like.”

Rarity’s eyes shimmer with glee once more as she squeals like a filly earning her Hearth’s Warming gift.

“I would LOVE TO!” she ecstatically exclaims. “Of course, not because you’re a prince, no. Simply because you’re our new friend.”

Twilight smiles as the prince’s happiness is reignited. Rarity fetches a tape measure and some materials and gets to work on creating a stunning new outfit fit for Lavey.

As Twilight sits on a bench, watching the events take place, she decides now would be a good a time as any to start jotting down notes. Igniting her horn, she summons a small collection of parchment and a quill with a well of ink out of thin air. As she dips the quill into the ink, she jots down all she’s learned so far, and then some.

“Well, howdy there, pardner,” Applejack shouts from the white arbor acting as the entrance to her family farm. “What brings ya ta Sweet Apple Acres all of uh sudden?”

“Just having Twilight give me a little tour of the town,” Lavey replies as he surveys the area. “That’s...a lot of apples.”

As far as the eye can see, apple tress are spread across the fields and the hills. It’s the main crop of the Apple Family—hence their name—but the products the farm ponies make are to die for, everyone in town should know.

“It’s our only cash crop but we make plenty of other things with these delicious jewels of nature,” Applejack states. “Apple cider, apple fritters, caramel apples, apple pie, apple tarts, apple crisp, apple coleslaw, zap apple jam, apple dumplings...” And the list seems to go on for an eternity, but Twilight knows a better way for Lavey to get accustomed to the farm and it's delicacies—and its inhabitants.

“Applejack...” Twilight interjects, putting the mare's spouting on hold, “...do you mind introducing Lavey to the rest of your family? I’m sure he’d love to make some new friends.”

The farm pony’s eyes light up with excitement as she dashes over to the farm house. A small smirk spreads across Twilight’s lips as she looks over at Lavey, who seems confused, as he should be. She’s not doing it out of spite but simply because he deserves a similar welcome like she did all those months ago.

“Soup’s on!” Applejack shouts at the top of her lungs as she rings the dinner bell.

The ground begins to tremble as what sounds like the rapid beating of drums echo in the distance, seeming to grow louder with each passing second. To Twilight’s left, a large cloud of dust approaches and the silhouettes of different ponies, young and old, make their appearance.

The duo are swept away by the horde and are placed before a large, round table with a green and white-checkered tablecloth draped over it. Twilight knows exactly what’s to come but she didn’t expect to be caught in the wave again.

The drumming hoofsteps slow down and die out. As the dust settles, a vast majority of Applejack’s relatives surround Twilight and Lavey with familial, friendly smiles.

“Say hello to yer new friends!” Applejack states. All of her relatives stand in single file at a leg’s-length apart as she names them off. “Here, we got mah immediate family: Applebloom, Big Macintosh, and Granny Smith!”

A young filly, a burly stallion, and a senile mare wave at the hybrid with friendly smiles, completely unperturbed by his physical appearance. Lavey brightens up and waves back but is cut short as Applejack brings forth the rest of her family.

“Then we have everypony else: Apple Fritter, Apple Bumpkin, Red Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp...”

The list seems to go on and on, seemingly longer than how Twilight remembered it. Nevertheless, it’s great seeing everyone’s faces again, even if she didn’t properly socialize with them in the beginning.

Just like with Twilight’s first time at the farm, the table is piled with delectable apple sweets and drinks for the hybrid to try. The tower of morsels looks threatening and Twilight feels a sharp pain in her stomach as she recollects unwanted memories from her first visit to this sweet little farm.

“This is...wow,” Lavey says, flabbergasted by the family’s kindness and generosity. “Is this normal for first time visitors to your farm?”

“Sure is!” Applejack replies. “Just ask Twilight! I remember it like it were yesterday when she came to our farm. You had a swell time here dincha, sugarcube?”

“Oh yeah,” Twilight replies with an uneasy smile. She clutches her stomach as the sharp pain intensifies by a bit. “Real swell.”

“Well then, dig on in!” the farm pony shouts.

Twilight decides to sit this one out and keep jotting down notes. She watches as Lavey effortlessly devours the pastries, caramel apples, and apple cider and juice, as if his stomach is an endless void.

Only until all the plates are cleared, residue and all, does Lavey finally let out a satisfied sigh of relief. He pats his endless belly and gives Applejack a clawed thumbs up for a job well done.

"This is a nice change from eating fancy food all the time," he sighs. "I could probably eat this all day without even having to worry about putting on any weight."

"If that's true, how's about a second helping?" Applejack suggests.

Twilight's ears perk up at the sound of the offer and quickly grabs Lavey by the arm. “Sorry, but we better get going to our next destination. Save those snacks for later, Applejack! Bye!"

Fluttershy’s cottage is almost separate from the rest of Ponyville but it’s preferred by the timid mare inside. Interacting and being around other ponies is not her cup of tea; being around non-pony creatures, however, is actually okay.

The woodland animals, the only creatures Fluttershy has ever felt safe around—besides Twilight and the others—are her main friend group and are rather protective of their caretaker and beloved friend. The creatures not only provide her with a sense of comfort, but also a sense of safety. They know who or what is lurking around her abode, and who may pose a threat and who has a kind heart.

That being said, after meeting the unknown creature that popped up in her world, she’s inclined to believe he’s a kind soul, however, the entity’s appearance is all too terrifying. She’s met dragons and ferocious beasts but that doesn’t mean she no longer fears such creatures.

It would be best to let her personal home security system take charge and decide whether Lavey is safe or not. While they do that, she can tend to her own duties.

The gentle pegasus sits in a small patch of grass, tending to a small family of rabbits who have received a rather copious litter. She counts ten little balls of fluff but can’t tell for sure if she miscounted, since they all seem to blend in with one another. Every time she tries to number them off, the little ones always hop around—their elusive color patterns always befuddling her vision.

It doesn’t help much that their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thumper, are busy napping to even pay heed to their kin’s misbehavior, but would it matter if they stepped in? The kits are still young and could care less about listening to authority figures. Fluttershy simply sighs as she reattempts to count the little ones.

“Good afternoon, Fluttershy!” Twilight’s voice rings out.

The pegasus’s ears perk up to the sound of her trusted friend’s voice and looks behind her to meet her face to face. Although being taken by surprise isn’t favored upon by the mare, hearing that it’s one of her friends always reassures her and calms her racing heart.

However, as she performs a one-eighty spin to meet her friend, her heart leaps into her throat to see Lavey tailing Twilight. His lumbering, terrifying figure completely overshadows the ponies like a behemoth, causing the color to drain from the pegasus's face.

“Fluttershy, are you alright?” Twilight asks.

Her voice manages to break the mare from her fear-induced trance, allowing her to finally get a word out.

“Y-yes,” she whispers, her eyes not daring to wander from Lavey. “What are you two doing here?”

“I just thought it would be beneficial for Lavey to meet all of you individually and get to know you all better,” Twilight responds. “So far, we got to see everyone but you and Pinkie; and the next pony on our list was you.”

“Oh, great!” Fluttershy says through a clenched smile. Though, everything about this situation is the complete opposite of “great”.

“This is a lovely home you have here,” Lavey compliments as he scans the area. Fluttershy wants to thank him for the small compliment but her lips remain sealed shut. “Separated from the rest of the town, safe with the comfort of animals, and so calm and serene with the foliage and the rest of nature surrounding you.”

“Th-thank y-y-you.” At last, Fluttershy finds her voice but it’s so quiet and so fearful, she couldn’t tell if the hybrid had heard him.

“Uh, Fluttershy,” Twilight says, “I think you should speak up. I don’t think Lavey heard you.”

Fluttershy knows exactly what Twilight’s trying to do but hates it all the same. She isn’t the best at speaking, especially to new ponies. Her voice only ever comes out as stifled whispers that are nearly impossible to pick up, even by the most sensitive ears.

She tries to thank him for his compliment once more, increasing the intensity of her voice ever so slightly. “T-thank you.”

“Maybe just a bit louder, Fluttershy?” Twilight entices.

“Thank you!” It comes out as a hoarse whisper but Fluttershy’s sure it’s sufficient.

“But of course, Fluttershy,” Lavey says with a small bow. “Oh, who do we have here?”

Fluttershy follows the hybrid’s line of sight and spots a hoard of different animals emerging from behind the cottage. Bunnies, wolves, birds, and even bears make their appearance, though staying wary of Lavey.

“Come on, I won’t bite,” the hybrid says with a kind smile.

He drops down to his knees and holds out his hand, palm face up, and waits patiently for one of the creatures to come closer. Eventually, a wolf with a brown coat and silver back and muzzle approaches the hybrid, still wary of his intentions. The animal sniffs Lavey, searching for any sign of hostility before making its final judgement.

Fluttershy knows Lavey means no harm but just to be sure, she needs her animals to give her some assurance that he’s alright. If they believe he’s compassionate and just, she has nothing else to worry about.

At last, after a thorough sniff-search, the wolf places its chin on Lavey’s hand, rolling its head around to get a few itchy spots taken care of. Instantaneously, Lavey gets the message and takes care of the wolf’s needs on his own.

“Who’s a good boy?” Lavey coos as he scratches behind the canine’s ears. “You are! You’re a good boy! What’s your name?”

With her confidence solidified in the otherworldly creature, Fluttershy opens her lips to answer his question, but the wolf beats her to it. He barks in his specie’s tongue, something that Fluttershy decides to translate for the hell-spawn.

“Lemmy?" Lavey asks without letting Fluttershy get a word in. "That’s a lovely name. Is that yours or did Fluttershy give it to you?”

The wolf barks again in response to the hybrid’s question, but Fluttershy’s attention isn’t focused on them anymore. What surprises her is the fact that all of her animal friends surround the hybrid as if he were a nature deity of sorts. Every animal either stands or sits around him, waiting patiently for their equal share of attention. The birds perch on his wide shoulders and horns and some bears give him literal bear hugs. Even Angel Bunny, who almost always ignores the timid mare, sits quietly in Lave’s arms as he gets his belly scratched.

“How are you doing that?” Fluttershy asks in awe.

“Are you actually able to understand them?” Twilight asks. “I've only ever known Fluttershy to be the animal whisperer around here.”

“Oh yeah,” Lavey responds. “Demons and angels can communicate with any living creature from any part of the universe. Angels have a certain atmosphere to them that causes all animals to feel at ease whenever they approach; that’s why everyone is so eager to get scratches. Isn’t that wight?”

As Lavey continues to befriend the animals around him with belly scratches and pets, Fluttershy stares at the scene in astonishment and relief. She feels complacent with the hybrid and his intentions, knowing that her animal friends trust him. All of her fears and speculations are thrown out the window as she watches her animals happily surround the creature.

“We should probably get going,” Twilight says. “Sun’s almost down so we should head home for now. We’ll see you around, Fluttershy.”

“Do we have to?” Lavey asks as he is tackled by a pack of wolves, who lick his face with excitement. “I don’t get to play with animals often. Please can we stay for a bit longer?”

The big, strong demonic-looking creature suddenly acting like a child is an adorable sight to see for Fluttershy. All Twilight has to do is meet up with Pinkie Pie anyway and that would be the end of the tour. Having them stay for a few more minutes at the cottage wouldn't hurt.

"Everyone seems to be enjoying him," Fluttershy speaks up. "He can stay for a bit longer."

“Alright. Another thirty minutes then it’s back home,” Twilight agrees with a smile.

She and Fluttershy watch as the hybrid plays fetch, gives belly rubs, and has a jocund time with the animals around him. He’s like a foal in a candy shop, his eyes filled with joy and his heart soaring with elation.

With the sun diving below the horizon, the stars make their appearance overhead, signifying the time for everyone to be asleep. However, Twilight has one last surprise for Lavey to enjoy and she's sure Pinkie Pie has everything and everyone ready and accounted for.

“I’ve never had that much fun in centuries!” Lavey exclaims with joy as he and Twilight trek back to the Golden Oak Library. “I’m always hiding away in my castle with nothing to do and no one to be around with. Thank you, Twilight, for freeing me from my boredom.”

The little unicorn feels a small iota of pride in her heart but humility douses it a bit before it can consumer her. She simply looks up at the ecstatic creature and smiles warmly.

“Well, as one of the pillars of friendship in this world, it is my responsibility to ensure everyone, no matter where they’re from or who they are, experiences the magic of friendship,” she states.

“You make it sound like spreading friendship is a job,” Lavey says with a smirk. “Tell me, did you think about your ‘work’ when you first met me?”

“It’s not a ‘job’,” Twilight refutes. “However, no, I didn't think of it as some sort of duty that was assigned to me. I did what any reasonable pony would do.”

Lavey remains quiet for a brief moment, letting only the trotting of their steps in the dirt and the small gusts of the wind flood their ears.

“So, you’d consider me your friend?” he finally asks. “Even if it were your duty to make me your friend?”

They stop at the front door of the Golden Oak Library but stall in opening it. Twilight looks up at the prince with confusion, only to see him glancing back down with worry. In a gesture of reassurance, she muster a smile and places a hoof on his thigh.

“Of course,” she replies. "Again, I don't see making friends as some sort of job. If I didn't accept you for who you were and just chased you away from our world, what kind of pony would that make me? I’d probably be more of a detestable monster than most ponies think you were. N-no offense.”

She doesn’t know if that’s the exact response he was seeking but her confirmation is earned through a strong, warm hug from the hybrid. It came out of the blue but it’s not discomforting in the slightest. It is odd though, that Lavey would just hug her right out in the open where everyone could watch.

Strangely, his embrace is soft, despite his rigid muscles. With her body pressed up against his taut figure, she can feel his heartbeats and a calming heat courses through her, shielding her from the chilling, night air. Any concerns and any negative thoughts are washed away in the sea of comfort.

“I’m sorry,” Lavey chokes. “I’m just overwhelmed by this new feeling. I’ve always been alone since my mother passed; no friends to spend time with, my siblings are always away from home, and I’m always chased out of new worlds whenever I just tour around. But today, I’m glad I met you, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight doesn’t know what to say. A “you're welcome” would be in order but talking would just ruin the gratifying silence. Instead, she reciprocates by silently wrapping her hooves around Lavey and relishing this strange comfort.

However, they can’t delay for much longer. Behind the door to the library, one last surprise is waiting for Lavey, and Twilight knows it’s going to be the most extravagant and overwhelming gift of all.

“Come on, Lavey,” she says as she pats his back. “We should get inside. The sun’s about to set soon.”

The hybrid releases the mare and wipes away his tears. As he rises, he opens the door for her like the gent he is, and allows her into her own abode. As he shuts the door behind him, the room is plunged into darkness.

Suddenly, the lights turn on and a wave of cheers erupt all around from nearly every pony in town that has gathered within the library.

“SURPRISE!” the denizens shout.

“Hey there, Lavey!” Pinkie Pie greets as she bounces her way over to Twilight and the stunned creature. “Welcome to your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party! I throw it for all the newcomers and you’re no exception!”

"Is this...really necessary?" the prince questions with a chuckle.

"Of course it is!" Pinkie replies. "When I first saw you, I could tell you were down in the dumps and the smile on your face didn't feel quite right. Then I realized, after a little snooping, you needed to make some friends! So now, you have lots and lots of brand new friends right here in Ponyville!"

The hell-spawn looks around at the crowd of ponies at a complete loss for words. Some of the citizens go back to conversing with each other while some of them are inviting the hybrid over to their circles. He smiles with gratitude as a single tear manages to break free.

“Lavey, darling, there you are!” Rarity calls out. Twilight looks back to see the seamstress approaching the hybrid with a neatly wrapped present in an arcane field. “I managed to finish your new garments. I hope it’s to your taste.”

Lavey graciously accepts the gift and casually opens it. His eyes widen as he gazes upon his new threads and takes it out for all to see.

It’s a black denim jacket with white trim, cuffs, and collar. On the front are small, white crosses on the bosom, and on the back is a massive white cross with intricate designs inside. Upon the sleeves are blue eagles flying up the arms and up to the collar.

“Turn it inside out,” Rarity says. “I think you’ll like this.”

Lavey complies and his smile grows even wider. Turning it inside out reveals a completely opposing theme. The jacket is now white with black trim, cuffs, and collar. Where the crosses were, there are black, inverted pentagrams. Red dragons climb up the sleeves from the cuffs and end at the collar.

“I...don’t know what to say,” Lavey mutters as he looks his gift over with welling tears.

“Well, you could put it on and tell me what you think,” the seamstress replies.

Rarity levitates the jacket and places it on for him. As it slips over his body—black side on top—he pats himself and smiles as he revels in its comfort.

“It’s amazing,” he replies as he looks to the mare. “Thank you. I don't know how I could pay you back."

But Rarity simply shakes her head and smiles humbly. "I desire no gratuity or reward. This is simply out of the goodness and generosity of my heart."

“Why don’t you go ahead and mingle with a few other ponies, Lavey,” Twilight says, patting his thigh. “I’ll be right here.”

The hell-spawn looks to the throng of ponies and takes a deep breath before splitting from Twilight to mingle with the denizens of the quaint town.

"Yo, Twilight!" Rainbow calls out from amongst the crowd. Instead of trying to look through the sea of guests for her friend, Twilight looks up to see the pegasus fluttering above everyone. Rainbow slowly descends to the unicorn and lands gently on the floorboards in front of her. "How'd the rest of the tour go? You didn't tell anypony about...what happened?"

"No! Of course not!" the unicorn assures while raising her hooves in defense. "The rest of the tour went great. I think Lavey's really going to love it here."

"I do hope he stays" Fluttershy says as she makes her appearance from the crowd. "The animals really enjoyed being around him."

"And I hope to try starting a new line of clothing for Lavey's other friends and family," Rarity adds as she takes her place next to Twilight. "It's taking some time since I'm unfamiliar with his figure but new ideas are already sprouting up in my mind that I simply can not wait to try!"

"Ya know, he could be some mighty fine help down at the farm," Applejack says. She leans against a bookshelf, munching away on a gooey apple fritter. "He seems like a strong feller; probably better than Big Mac, too."

"I need to find out his birthday so I can throw some more parties for him!" Pinkie exclaims as she cartwheels over to the group. "Then an anniversary party for when he arrived in Ponyville, then maybe a party for when he becomes an Equestrian citizen, then maybe a party for..."

Twilight chortles while shifting her attention to watch the prince mingle amongst common folk. Come demons or defected angels, Lavey won't have to be alone. For where there's anyone threatening the safety of Equestria and Equus, his friends will be right alongside him.

Author's Note

Introductions are out of the way, Lavey got his 'Welcome to Ponyville' party, and he got to make new friends. A befitting beginning for our hell-spawn's new adventures in Equestria.