Author's Note

Just decided to veer off the tracks for a sec to add this little side chapter; hope you enjoy it! Will have some crucial information at the end, so keep reading! The next chapter tomorrow will return to the main story.

The Kidney Killer

"Drink’s will be on me for today,” Rainbow Dash says as she and Lavey take their seats. “I expect you to pay me back after and not order too much. Ya got it?”

Lavey places a hand on his chest and raises his other hand to commit to the agreement. “I promise to pay you back for every bit,” he swears. “Devil's promise.”

Rainbow smirks and flags over a bartender to take down their orders. “Gimme a shot of the strongest stuff ya got!” she requests.

“Same for me,” Lavey orders.

The bartender stares at the hybrid for a brief second in fright before turning back to the shelf of delectable booze and levitates two shot glasses and a tall, slender carafe of emerald alcohol.

As the bartender pops open the bottle, the scent wafts into Lavey’s nostrils and trigger his preternatural senses. A bit of a citrus and minty flavor floods his nerves. Something herbal and bitter stings his nostrils, setting a queasy feeling brewing in his gut.

“Yo, you good?” Rainbow asks.

Lavey shakes his head and recollects himself before responding to the pegasus. “My senses are a little sharper than most creatures,” he replies with a reassuring smile. “These fragrances just hit me like a freight train, is all.”

The boisterous pegasus grabs one shot glass of emerald booze with her wing and turns to face her friend as he grabs his. “Cheers, bro!”

The two clink glasses and down their drinks. Lavey’s pallet fires off wild signals as his sharp senses register the flood of flavors. It's almost sweet and has a thick licorice taste but bitterness ruins the ecstatic pleasantness. The taste of sharp spearmint makes its appearance as Lavey lets the liquid sit on his tongue. Swallowing the strange liquor, the hell-spawns throat burns slightly and is suddenly attacked by citrus and something earthy.

"Not bad," he says with satisfaction. Looking over at Rainbow, the pegasus tries her best not to scrunch her face in anguish as she swallows the bitter tonic. Her shot glass isn't even halfway empty, causing a cocky grin to spread across the hybrid's face. "Too hard for you?" Lavey asks.

The mare shoots him a blazing glare in response. Not wanting to seem like a chump, Rainbow downs the rest of her glass and slams it back onto the wooden table. She glares at her rival with tears welling up in her eyes, yet her brows are creased and her irises have embers of determination brewing in them. She swallows the drink, trying her best to maintain her composure and not to wince from the blazing pain in her throat.

"Too hard for who?" she shoots back with a cocky smirk. "Come on, I can take a few more shots!"

Lavey raises a curious eyebrow as he looks the mare over. Her face is already starting to turn red from just a shot of the hard substance. Though her eyes are filled with blazing resolve, Lavey can tell she won't last long.

"How often do you drink, Rainbow?" he inquires as he pours himself another shot.

"All the time, duh! Wh-why'd ya ask?" the pegasus questions.

Though it's only subtle, the hybrid can identify the tiniest bit of slur in her voice. "Already one shot in and you're slurring a bit," he says as he downs his second drink. "I don't recommend you continue taking this. How about something a little lighter?"

"Lighter!?" the pegasus booms, drawing in unwanted attention. "Whaddaya think I am, four? Give me another!"

"And ruin your...what was it called...Sonic Rainboom?"

Rainbow's eyes fly open as the thought of her responsibility resurfaces in her mind. She looks away shamefully and pushes the shot glass away from her as if disgusted by her actions.

"I...guess I'd better control myself," she says solemnly. "I'm sorry I got worked up."

"And?" Lavey prods.

Rainbow shoots him a perplexed look as a hot blush appears on her cheeks. "And what? I said sorry!"

"Rainbow Dash, I can see straight through a lie. Demons are the masters of spouting out lies, but you...are terrible."

The pegasus slams her hoof on the table, gathering curious looks from the other patrons. "Fine! I don't drink all the time! I've never even tasted a drop of alcohol until now! Happy!?"

Lavey rests a gentle hand on the mare's head in comfort. She looks up at him, his kind face peering down at her contrite expression.

"I'm satisfied with your answer," he says, ruffling her mane. "Just not with the delivery."

As Lavey downs another shot of booze and finishes off Rainbow's Rainbow releases a hearty chuckle. "Well, I was a teeny bit drunk. Could you blame me?"

"You ordered the strongest drink here," the prince replies, taking another few shots. "Speaking of which, how much does this cost?"

The bartender looks over and goes slack jawed as he notices the nearly empty bottle. "W-what the—!?" he stutters in shock. "Sir, you just drank enough to put a normal pony into a coma! What in Celestia's name are you!?"

Lavey looks at the remaining beverage in the bottle indifferently and, without hesitation, finishes the bottle down to the last drop. Slamming the carafe onto the table, he looks at the bartender with a stone-faced expression.

“So, how much?” the hybrid repeats with a raised brow.

“That’s at least fifty bits, sir,” the pony replies, slightly startled and in awe at the creature’s feat.

Rainbow Dash glares daggers at the hybrid, who looks back at her with a calm expression. “DUDE!” she bellows. “I don’t have fifty bits on me! You screwed me over!”

“Um, excuse me,” the bartender’s sheepish voice drags the two patrons’ focus back onto him. “If you want, you can try the Kidney Killer Challenge and earn one hundred bits if you...survive.”

He points a hoof over at a chalkboard positioned near the front of the establishment. Written and decorated with different colored chalk, an advertisement for a limited time Kidney Killer Challenge is displayed for all to see.

“I was just about to request that,” the hybrid says as he glances over at Rainbow’s worried look with a devilish smirk. “Well then, hook me up!”

The bartender runs to the back of the establishment to fetch the liquor used for the competition. The sound of boxes shifting and alcohol bottles clinking originate from the storage room while Lavey waits patiently for his potent poison.

“Dude, are you sure about this?” Rainbow Dash asks with worry. “No pony has ever beaten the Kidney Killer Challenge and not enter the E.R. Are you absolutely sure you wanna go through with this?”

Lavey simply smirks at the worried little mare and places a proud fist on the pentagram on his pectorals. “Hell has way more potent stuff than the alcohol you got here, so I highly doubt I’ll even stumble after chugging this.”

With the clatter of supplies having finally ceased, Lavey and Dash look forth to see the bartender bringing out an onyx-black, medium-sized bottle. A skull is carved into the face of the bottle, and the label with the words “Kidney Killer” is wrapped around the circumference.

The bartender turns back to pluck a margarita glass from the top shelf but Lavey freezes him in his tracks.

“That won’t be necessary"

Grabbing the ominous bottle and using a claw to uncork it, Lavey lets the scent plunder his senses. It’s oddly warm and sweet; rather enticing for an infamous liquor. A hint of spearmint and citrus sting his nostrils but a sudden wave of fruit bring in a drop of pleasure.

Bringing the bottle up to his parted lips, Lavey suddenly stops as he can sense everyone's fascinated eyes boring into him. He's no Crown of Pride or a spawn thereof, but the progeny of Satan can feel an bit of haughtiness brew in his heart as everyone stares at him. However, he immediately throws those thoughts away as he puts his main task back into focus: repaying his friend for the pleasurable drinks.

Rearing his head back with the lip of the bottle connected with his, Lavey takes a long, fresh swig of the toxic beverage. His airway remains closed as his gullet slightly expands to allow easy access for the fluid to enter his gut. The bottle quickly drains, glugging as air impedes the liquid's movement, but continues to push through as every drop floods the hybrid’s belly. All eyes remain glued on Lavey in awe and wonder as he flawlessly and smoothly empties the bottle down to the very last, venomous drop.

He raises the bottle in victory like a hard earned trophy as everyone cheers and stomps their hooves in congratulations. At a loss for words, the bartender hands the prince not one, but two bags of bits; one hundred shimmering gold coins in each.

"Do you, uh, think I could take your picture for the Wall of Fame?" the bartender stammers, still trying to process the events that unfolded before his very eyes.

Lavey stands up perfectly fine from his seat and walks over to where the stallion has a camera waiting for him. Standing with the drained bottle of liquor in his hand, the hell-spawn produces a toothy grin for the camera, which flashes to capture his smug mug.

Surprisingly, the only other picture on the Wall of Fame is a roided, white pegasus stallion with a blonde flat-top cut. His wings are tiny compared to other pegasi but he makes up for them with his his god-like biceps. A screaming expression of victory is plastered onto his face as he crushes a bottle of Kidney Killer liquor in his teeth.

As Lavey and Rainbow exit the establishment, saying their final farewells to the other patrons, the mare can't help but shoot the prince an astounded look.

"Dude, I knew you were awesome from the start but you continue to impress me every day!" she exclaims with awe. "You just chugged that thing like it was nothing! You are a true badass in my book."

The hell-spawn simply chuckles at the pegasus's compliments as he plays catch with his rewards.

"Here you go," he says as he hands her one of the weighty sacks of bits. "As promised. I payed you back, and in abundance, too."

"T-thanks," Rainbow replies in awe as she takes the sack, trying to process the magnitude of the reward. "Quick question, how much booze can you drink 'til you pass out?"

Lavey ponders the question, at the same time, juggling his half of the prize. "Honestly, not too sure," he replies. "In Hell, we have much, much more potent stuff than this, some of which can even knock out dragons. I don't know if it's because this stuff is crafted to affect ponies, but it just doesn't affect me in the slightest."

Rainbow opens her mouth to throw out another question, but the sound of approaching hooves cause the duo to shift their attention to a nearing individual. The pony is another alicorn; this one with a strawberry-pink coat and different highlights of purple and pink in her mane along with a few yellow streaks. Her beauty isn't like Princess Celestia's but she is stunning, nonetheless."

"Rainbow Dash and Lavey, I presume?" the monarch inquires.

The hybrid and pegasus respectfully bow before the majestic alicorn and bride-to-be.

"Y-yes, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, ma'am!" Rainbow shouts in a soldier-type tone. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence?"

Lavey never thought he'd hear the rebellious pegasus address someone so formally. According to Twilight, Rainbow hasn't shown much reverence before Celie, except for a simple bow. To be before a monarch who is also requesting a Sonic Rainboom—whatever that is—at the end of her wedding is worth showing a little more respect, he assumes.

"I was just wondering how your Sonic Rainboom was going," the princess interrogates in an odd, overly-cheery tone. "I haven't seen any practice occurring lately, so I just wanted to make sure everything was alright."

Rainbow stands at attention and salutes the princess with the most militant face Lavey has ever seen her make. "Everything is alright, ma'am! Just grabbing a drink with my friend, ma'am!"

Cadenza raises a curious brow and looks up at the hell-spawn with a strange gaze that Lavey can't quite put a claw on. "Grabbing a drink, huh?" she asks. "Tell me, Lavey, you are a demon, correct?"

"Indeed I am, ma'am," he replies plainly. "Well, half demon, half angel."

"How come you are coexisting with ponies instead of ravaging and conquering worlds like normal?"

Though odd to hear a question like that to pour out of the regal's mouth, Lavey indulges her questioning. "Oh, we've stopped all of that after I was born. We signed an armistice and now we coexist with one another and other species. It's almost ludicrous, I know. Even Celie had a hard time believing it."

Princess Cadenza nods slowly as she registers this information. "Alright, well, take care you two! And Rainbow Dash...?" The princess glances over at the pegasus, who continues to stand at attention. "Have that Sonic Rainboom ready by the time the wedding rolls around. I want this day to go off without a hitch." With that, the princess trots off towards the castle, leaving Rainbow and Lavey on their own.

"Well, I guess I'd better get going," the pegasus says as she flutters next to the prince. "If you wanna hit up another bar or have a race some day, just hit me up when I'm not napping on a cloud."

Lavey smirks and proceeds to hoof/fist-bump the pegasus. "Of course. See you later, Dash. Though, I don't think we should get into any competitions."

Rainbow Dash raises an eyebrow in confusion but scowls as she playfully punches the hybrid shoulder. "Come on, I can win against you at something!"

"Whatever. Just get that Rainboom of yours sharpened for tomorrow."

The two wave farewell for now as they proceed to tend to their own business. However, as Lavey walks back to the castle to meet up with Twilight, he can't help but pick up a strong scent of malice emanating from the exiting bride-to-be.