As a distant bell chimed one in the morning, Daring and Phillip led the trio of demons to their home at 221 Honeybee Bakery Street. As they turned a corner a block away from the house, Phil held up a hoof.

“What’s up?” Daring asked.

“It’s one in the morning,” Phil said quietly. “Yet our street’s as crowded as if it were rush hour.”

Sure enough, parked cars lined either side of the street in front of their house. Ponies were milling about as well, reading newspapers under the light of streetlamps or talking to one another in hushed tones. But Phil’s trained eye told him they were on surveillance – eyes and ears scanned up and down the street.

“Interlopers,” Judgement growled. “Shall I dispatch them?”

Phil and Daring frowned, looking at her slowly with quirked eyebrows. “Let’s not jump straight to violence,” the latter remarked.

“So what do you propose we do? Walk over and say hello?” Lucifer asked.

“If they jump us, we’ll handle it,” Phil said. “We’ve been in worse spots.”

“Then we jump to violence,” Judgement said with a satisfied smirk. “They’ll be no match for the three of us.”

“Five of us,” Daring interjected. “Now let’s go – and no fighting unless provoked.”

“Fine,” Judgement grumbled as they stepped out of the shadows and walked towards the house.

The pedestrian’s target became clear as soon as Phillip and Daring approached – all eyes fell on them. A few slid past them to the trio of demons, some gawking as the towering sight of Judgement. She glared back at them, and the pedestrians soon occupied their eyes with anything but her own glowing orbs.

Justice and Lucifer, however, looked over them as if studying them, the latter’s crimson eyes glowing softly in the darkness of the night.

“They’re guards, all of them,” Justice whispered.

“Yes, but why are they guarding your home?” Lucifer asked, looking at Phil and Daring.

Phillip and Daring shared a look. They opened the front door and stepped inside – only to be immediately flanked by more guards, this time clad in full armor. The door promptly shut behind them.

“Detective Finder, Detective Do.” Princess Luna rose from her seat on their couch, wings spread in grand display. “I apologize for this intrusion at this time of night.”

“Your majesty,” they said as one, bowing to her. Daring was the first to look up – and frowned as she studied the princess’s face.

Luna was hardly of regal composure. Darkened bags hung under her eyes, despite some attempt at covering them up with makeup. Her coat was tousled in places, as if she had rolled around in bed before visiting. Even some of her wing feathers seemed askew.

“Are you alright, your majesty?” Daring asked.

Luna sighed. “Ah, you’ve noticed. I should have anticipated such perception. I am afraid we are in great trouble,” she said, bowing her head.

It shot back up in surprise as the door opened, crimson magic gripping the door handle. The guards jumped at the ready, horns flickering with magic and weapons at the ready as Lucifer, Justice, and Judgement all stepped into the living room.

“Well, that was rude, shutting us out like that,” Lucifer scoffed, smoothing out her suit with a hoof.

Luna’s eyes narrowed at them. “You,” she said with an icy tone. Pale blue magic ignited around her horn as she stomped forward. Phillip and Daring stepped to the side.

Lucifer, however, just stepped up to the princess. “You’re looking a little perturbed, princess,” she said casually, a smirk crossing her muzzle. “Haven’t been sleeping well?”

“What did you do?” Luna roared. Pale blue magic gripped the unicorn’s body and she was slammed back into the front door. Lucifer opened one eye, shooting Luna a murderous gaze.

“Back off!” Judgement barked, angling her horn at the alicon. It ignited with pale white fire. Some of the guards that approached her were gripped in a similarly-colored magical aura.

“What evil have you wrought upon us this time, demon?” Luna snarled. Her magic snared Judgement, but the larger unicorn was harder to budge. Judgement pushed against it, the fire of her horn growing brighter.

“Demon?” Phil and Daring said at the same time, looking at one another.

“Everybody chill!” Justice shouted, getting between Lucifer, Judgement, and Luna. She held out a forehoof to both of them and turned to Luna. “We didn’t start this, but we’re here to finish it.” She looked to Lucifer and Judgement. “And now is not the time, we need all hands—er hooves on deck for this!”

Judgement let out a snort, her magic flickering out. The guards gasped as they were freed from the restricting magic.

Luna narrowed her eyes at the trio before her magic, too, flickered out, releasing Lucifer and Judgement. The smaller unicorn pushed off from the door, smoothing out the wrinkles in her suit.

“Your majesty… did you say… demons?” Phil asked, looking at the trio of unicorns with new, warier eyes. Daring did as well, a hoof going to her necklace.

“Aye, demons. From the pits of Tartarus,” Luna spat more than said. Her hardened gaze didn’t leave Lucifer. “Who are supposed to be keeping the Old Gods down there.”

“It wasn’t our idea to let Nightmare Moon get loose,” Lucifer protested. “Beelzebub the Exiled took her, and who knows how many other damned souls. We’re just here to get them back!”

“And a fat lot of progress you’ve made!” Luna jerked her head towards Phillip and Daring. “Here to tempt them, like your kind did Starswirl?”

Lucifer let out a quiet growl as her eyes narrowed. “Listen, you,” she seethed. “My predecessor made that mistake, and it’s not one I’ll be making. I offered the soul pledge to them, yes, but only to keep them safe – they refused, and I abided by their wishes.”

“Hah! Their souls wouldn’t be safe in your clutches,” Luna scoffed.

“Guys!” Justice shouted. “We’re getting off-topic here again. Look, we got an Old God to stop here and a runaway demon to toss back in the Abyss. I get it, we’re not on the best terms, but we need to work together on this.”

Luna grumbled quietly, before letting out a long sigh. “She is correct, this is no time for in-fighting. My apologies – you are right, I haven’t exactly been sleeping easy with Nightmare Moon loose.”

“I’m sorry we haven’t made much progress on recovering her,” Lucifer said. “We were coming here to put together what we know so far.”

“Well, please: illuminate us.” Luna gestured around the room.

“So Nightmare Moon has been targeting a lot of the officers at the local precinct here,” Justice said, pulling out her notepad. “Everyone from Chief Cold Case to Twilight Sparkle and Dr. Suunki.”

“Everyone close to us,” Phil summed up. “Any connections?”

“Each nightmare was catered towards the victim – some sort of past trauma, some sort of fear or insecurity. Other than that, nothing.” Justice shook her head.

“The only thing that ties them together is Nightmare Moon – they’re her constructs for certain. No figments of the mind have ever rebelled against me so fiercely,” Luna said firmly. “And so frequently.” She looked to Lucifer. “What of this wayward demon?”

“Beelzebub the Exiled, one of the most dangerous kinds of demons there is,” Lucifer said with a frown. “I cornered her at a bloody mass murder scene, but she got away. Before she did, she mentioned she’d found new employment. And apparently, this wasn’t her first dance.” She nodded to Phillip and Daring.

“These murders…” Luna turned to Phillip and Daring. “Tell me about them.”

“All criminals in a meeting, torn apart by some unknown means and often with signs of some sort of recent ailment in the body,” Phil said.

“None of the weapons were touched, nor any illegal contraband,” Daring added. “Whoever did it was there to kill them in the most brutal way possible.”

“Beel was harvesting their souls,” Lucifer concluded. “Tainted souls, plucked from mortal bodies when they were at their most anguished… but even a demon like her has no use for such things. It must be for her employer.”

“So we’ve got Nightmare Moon targeting those close to us, and this crazy demon killing ponies for souls… how are they related?” Daring asked.

“I’m not entirely sure,” Lucifer admitted. “Beel is the one who stole Nightmare Moon, but even she can’t control a soul that powerful. Not on her own.”

“Wait…” Daring paled. “Nightmare Moon… she’s an Old God, right?” She looked to Phil, who gave a hesitant nod. “She should be out there letting the whole world know she’s free… and all she’s doing is giving some ponies bad dreams?”

Luna’s eyes widened. “Someone… or something… must be controlling her.”

A silence fell over the room. Justice and Judgement looked at one another, the latter with eyebrows raised. Daring sucked in a breath, while Phillip’s mind ran a mile a minute.

The air was pierced by the sound of a phone ringing, causing some of the guards to jump. Phillip walked over and answered it, swallowing so his dry throat could speak. “Finder and Do Detectives,” he said, trying to keep his voice level.

“G’day mate,” came his voice from the receiver.

Phillip’s head shot away as he stared at the phone like a snake that had bit him. “Who is this?” he demanded, outrage overcoming his fears.

Daring, Luna, and Lucifer walked over quietly as the voice continued. “Well I’m just havin’ a good ol’ walkabout down here at the police station. You know, where I work. See you, wankers.”

There was a click as the Phil on the line hung up, and he slammed the receiver down on the cradle.

“This is serious,” Lucifer said. “While we were given pony forms, Beelzebub was given a changeling form – that could’ve been her. And we don’t know if her employer is with her.”

“As much as I want to help, Nightmare Moon is still out there. I must stay here and defend the dreamworld,” Luna said.

“We’ll handle this Beelzebub, your majesty, don’t worry,” Daring said, reaching into her vest.

“How in my damned name do you intend to fight a demon?” Lucifer asked.

Daring smirked, producing the weathered stock whip from her vest. She ran a hoof down the length of its cord, feeling a slight tingle of static against it. Meanwhile, Phil produced his weathered waddy club, thumping it in his hoof and feeling it rumble in his grip.

“Will these work?” he asked Lucifer.

Lucifer smirked, looking over the weapons with an approving nod. “I knew someone up there liked you two. If those are enchanted by some sort of deity, they should suffice. Judgment, Justice, and I will see if we can divine Nightmare Moon’s location. If she’s conjuring nightmares, her soul must be around here somewhere.”

“How do you plan to do that?” Luna asked.

“The three of us should be able to channel our soul reading abilities enough to find her soul – it’d be stronger than a normal mortal’s so it’d stand out,” Judgement explained.

“You’re not going to say hello to your old friend?” Daring asked.

“No offense, but I’m not getting in the crossfire of those bad boys,” Justice said, pointing to the weapons.

“Be careful out there,” Luna said, nodding to them.

Phillip and Daring gave her a brief salute, pocketed their weapons, and bolted out the front door where Phillip was scooped up by Daring and spirited away into the night.

“Phillip Finder” hung up the phone on the receptionist’s desk before changing in a flash of scarlet fire back into the crimson changeling. She turned to the golden unicorn beside her with a smirk. “They’re on their way,” she reported.

The golden mare grinned maniacally. “Then let’s spring our trap,” she purred.

Beelzebub nodded. “Time to divide and conquer.”

Author's Note

Ugh, that pun at the end.

Yes, royalty tends to not like us demons much. Something to do with one of us tempting this Starswirl character. Not any of my colleagues, of course, but my predecessor. It’s how I wound up with such a cushy job – and a thankless one at that. Honestly, do you think its pleasant dealing with the damned for all eternity?

But enough about me, let’s see how this fight will stack up, shall we?

Oh, and are any of you familiar with Afton Robotics by any chance? Oh, no reason. Just wondering. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you in the next chapter.

~L