The skies above Canterlot were something to behold. All around were the loyal guards of this kingdom, valiantly searching for the creature who, not even an hour ago, burst into the castle and chased the guards around. For the third time now, a two-pony squad of pegasi went right over the pastry shop and, unknown to them, their target.

‘Wow. This is kind of pathetic. What’s the point of sending out these pegasi if they can’t even see or sense me? It kind of reminds me of that time when that archmage was looking to kill me but couldn’t find me, even though I was right in front of him. Actually, this is different. It wasn’t so much my ability to hide as it was me stabbing his eyes out the night before. Actually, that wasn’t even me. That was that assassin I paid to do it. Come to think of it, I never did see that assassin again to pay him, so I suppose that explains how that wizard knew it was me that told him to do it, and why he was still blind the next day. Magical poisons are awesome. I’d say dying on the job like that would be unprofessional, but he did technically get the job done, and I didn’t have to pay him for it. Anyway, what was I thinking about? Oh, right. These pegasi. You know, the way they just fly around searching the ground, it makes me want to start shooting them out of the sky. Then again, I really wouldn’t be able to get help from these ponies if I did that. What would Iatril do in this situation? Come to think of it, what is she even up to right now?’

With a thought, Dante rose into the air and flew towards the mountain, lazily avoiding the searching pegasi. Once he reached the face of the mountain, he noticed an indent behind one of the waterfalls. He floated over to the waterfall and, sure enough, a cave stood before him. The cave seemed large enough to let even a larger creature, such as a troll, walk through with ease. Given its closeness to the waterfall, the cave walls and floors were relatively dry. A few stalagmites decorated the floor of the cave with few stalactites on the ceiling.

He entered the cave, removed his invisibility, and took out his needle. As he was about to open the portal, a movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned to face a dark gray pony clad in a similarly colored cloak. His eyes were magenta, and across his left eye was a vertical scar. Just poking out of his hood was a patch of his dark blue mane. The pony stood there, mouth agape.

“Uh…hi there.” Dante said to the pony.

“Good, uh, good afternoon.” The pony replied.

“So…this is your cave?”

“Just, um, passing through.” He said, a little nervously.

“Same here. Same here.” The tension in the air could be cut with a knife.

“So, are you what was causing the commotion in Canterlot?”

“I may have contributed more than initially intended, yes. You noticed that up here?”

“Well, I was keeping an eye out if any guards came looking around here. I didn’t think all those guards out there were looking for me, though.”

“Oh, I know who you are! You’re Shade Strider! I saw your wanted poster in the castle.”

Shade Strider takes a few steps back. “You aren’t here to turn me in, are you?”

“Nah. There’s no way they’d listen to me anyway. I just ran the guards around in the castle, hence the search patrols.”

“Huh. Fair enough.” Shade says, seeming more at ease. “So, if you don’t mind me asking, why did you chase the guards in the castle?”

“That…is a very good question. I was planning on asking the rulers for help concerning…a certain matter, and then I got this idea to mess with these ponies, and, well, here I am.”

“That’s pretty crazy.”

“I get that a lot. Now, I have a few questions for you. Aren’t you the least bit scared of me, of what I can do? I have this sneaky feeling there aren’t any of my kind native to this place, yet you don’t seem fearful at all.”

Shade Strider gives a small smirk. “I’ve travelled all around Equestria and beyond for years, taking jobs from various creatures. I once took a job from a dragon to steal from another dragon, and let me tell you, you are no dragon.”

Dante quickly shifts his form once more into the abomination he was before in the castle, swishing around his now liquid-like body in the air and screeching from his many mouths. Shade took a step back, but kept his composure.

“That’s a nice trick, but you’re still no dragon.”

“I can turn into a dragon if that’ll help the situation.”

“You might break the cave if you do that.”

“Eh, point taken.” Dante shifts his form back to his own. “Ok, next question: What is a wanted criminal such as yourself doing this close to the capital of this country? Call me crazy…well, you already did, but that seems like a bad idea to me.”

“It doesn’t seem too wise to reveal my plans to a complete stranger, does it?”

“Another good point. You remind me of someone I used to know.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Generally? No. Fortunately for you, he was one of the few people I liked. In the interest of no longer being strangers, my name is Dante. I’d give you my titles as well, but I’ve accumulated so many and some are redundant. Anyway, I digress. You might as well tell me your plans. I have no interest in stopping you, only a now growing curiosity. Plus, I may or may not kill you anyways, whether or not you tell me, so you might as well tell me so I don’t have to get the answer from your corpse.”

“Very well, I plan on stealing a magic object from the personal collection of Princess Celestia.”

“…That was quite unexpected. Usually, when I say shit like that, people will put up some sort of fight.”

“I’m a thief, not a warrior. You just easily shifted your form into some abomination and claimed to have the ability to change into a dragon. An ability I believe you have and would be willing to use, if need be. Also, I believe you wouldn’t try to stop me and I don’t believe you are going to kill me.”

“Wow. That is a very good sense of judgment you have there. I have to say I am impressed.”

“Hey, I think I heard some voices over here.” A voice called out from behind the waterfall.

“Crap, it’s the guards!” Shade says, looking towards the waterfall. “Come on, follow me. We can lose them in these caves.” He turns and starts heading deeper in.

“Hold on there, my little thief. There’s no need to run away like this. We can hide in style.” Dante opens up the pouch on his hip and pulls out a small, ivory loop, a bit of marble, and a small, silver spoon. He then makes a gesture with his hand and speaks a few intelligible words and before them appears a portal out of thin air. “Come on inside and make yourself at home. I promise this will be much more appealing than the caverns of this mountain. One thing first.” He pulls his left eye from its socket and lobs it into the air, letting its newly formed legs cling to a group of stalactites. Shock fills Shade’s face. “Don’t worry, that’s normal.”

They both enter the portal and appear in a grand mansion, just like the one Dante created the day before. The portal on their side closes and takes the shape of a grand, mahogany double-door.

“This is amazing.” Shade says, wonder in his eyes. “Was that some sort of teleportation spell that brought us here?”

“That’s one way of looking at it. More accurately, I created this place out of nothing but the magic in the air. We are in a separate, temporary dimension that will last a bit less than two days. It comes with a fully stocked kitchen fit to serve a royal feast, several living quarters varying in style, a relaxation area, and a bath.”

“You’re pulling my leg. You created all of this? With one spell?”

“Yep, yep.”

“This seems…almost god-like.”

“You flatter me.”

“What was with pulling out your own eye though?”

“I can see through it while it hides out there.”

“I’ve never heard of any unicorn doing anything like that.”

“You know much about unicorn magic?”

“Not really. I know enough to get by. How to avoid magical detection and traps, that sort of thing. Honestly, unicorn magic never really appealed to me, seeing how I’m not a unicorn.”

“Ah, yes. Pegasus, right? That’s what your wanted poster led me to believe, and I doubt you’d get very far working for dragons otherwise.”

With a swift pull with his teeth, Shade dropped his cloak to reveal a pair of dark gray wings. “Correct you are, sir. Shade Strider: thief, spy, and infiltrator, at your service.” He gave a mock bow before Dante.

“I’m glad I met you! I was worried this world was filled with nothing but peaceful ponies. That, and manticores. And timberwolves. And dragons. Well, mostly filled with peaceful ponies then. I was beginning to think I had somehow died and this was my punishment: to live peacefully until the end of time. Of course, killing a manticore should have straightened that out right away.”

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you Dante?” Shade says, looking around the mansion foyer.

“You’re an experienced thief who just went through a magic portal created by a creature you barely know. I’m the more surprised one here.”

“I’m just good at reading ponies. You aren’t so different to read. Besides, I might’ve been caught in that cave, and then spent the rest of my life in a dungeon. This seemed the better choice to me.”

Dante looks over the pony before him. “Yeah, you really do remind me of him.” He looks down at the floor, only to notice the summoned servants out of the corner of his eye. “But enough of that. You three.” He points to a few servants. “Bring me some ale, meat of some sort, fruit, and donuts. You three, bring my guest whatever he wishes.” Dante then turns to Shade. “Go ahead and tell them what you want. I got a good idea about what you ponies eat from what I observed yesterday, so whatever you want should be here. Meet me in the room at the end of the hall after you’ve decided. Oh, and I hope you aren’t too bothered by the whole ‘meat eating’ thing.” He says, moving to the door on the opposite side of the room.

“I’ve worked for dragons, remember?” Shade replies, turning to the servants.

Just at the end of the hall, an open room stood with various chairs and cushions. Dante takes a seat on an almost spherical cushion, sinking into it. A few moments later, three servants come into the room with the plates of food and ale, followed by Shade and his servants. The latter servants brought back some sandwiches composed of daisies, a few donuts, and a few glasses of wine.

“Heh, you strike me as someone who’d drink wine. The donuts surprise me a little, though.”

“You don’t seem the type either, what with the meat.”

“Are you kidding? This morning, before my little escapade in the castle, I ate about a dozen of these things at some shop called ‘Pony Joe’s.’ They were delicious! If these existed where I’m from, I might have been a more easygoing guy.”

“You seem pretty easygoing to me.”

“It’s all part of my plan.”

“What plan?”

“The plan I keep on pulling out of my ass. The next part of that plan is to socialize with the pony in front of me. After that is unknown. Then, after the unknown, is profit.”

“Profit?”

“Yeah, that tends to happen. What I’ve observed is when I do stupid stuff, like chasing those guards around, I tend to relax for a while afterwards. Then, I make some obscure plan to do something, which then goes completely wrong, hence the unknown, and then I end up gaining something out of the whole experience. Or, I’m just lying through my teeth for the hell of it. You be the judge.”

“Well, you’re going with your plan so far, so it’s not a complete lie.” Shade replies smugly, taking a bite of his sandwich.

“Eh. Truthfully, I like doing things without much planning involved, you know? Just jump from one activity to the next without any rhyme or reason.”

“Is that why you let me hide in this magic house with you?”

“Mansion, actually, and that probably is the reason. That and, if I didn’t, I’d be here talking to myself for hours or scrying on my associate.”

“What’s scrying?”

“Scrying is a form of divination. It’s seeing and hearing some other location, anywhere in the world; on different planes of existence, too. I was going to scry on my associate when I came into the cave, but I find chatting with you to be more enjoyable.”

“Where is your associate now?”

“Questions, questions, questions. She’s in Ponyville, disguised as a pegasus, mingling with the townsfolk. Now, in all fairness, I think I should get to ask a few questions of you.”

Shade takes a sip of his wine before continuing. “Ask away.”

“For starters, what exactly are you trying to steal from Celestia?”

“It’s some sort of magical amulet. Supposedly, it gives its wearer untold strength.”

“You mean magical power?”

“Oh, no, physical strength. I guess enough to be able to lift, say, a cottage or a small building.”

“Who wants this magic bauble?”

“Can’t give you the specifics. You know, client privacy. I can tell you it’s a ‘he’ and a griffon noble.”

“Ah, griffons. The lions of the sky. I take it griffons and ponies don’t get along well?”

“Not necessarily true, it just depends on what ponies and what griffons you’re talking about. Griffons tend to be more prideful than some ponies care for, like some unicorns. Pegasi either regard them as friendly challengers or old foes. A couple hundred years ago, there was a war between ponies and griffons. It lasted about ten years, and ended when the griffon king was overthrown by his son. If my history is correct, it started because the king wanted to expand his dominion over Equestria. Not to be racist against griffons, but some of them tend to be more…domineering.”

“Every word from your mouth is a treasure-trove of information! What do you know about changelings?”

“Less than I know about unicorn magic. They attacked Canterlot a few months ago, impersonating a few ponies with their shape shifting powers. Currently, they’re in the Badlands. I think they feed off of love or something. I also heard a rumor that the changeling queen was able to overpower Celestia.”

Dante just leans back in his cushion, laughing manically. “Oh my gods! Forget those two alicorns! I’ll just get the changelings and griffons to help me! And you!” He yells, pointing at Shade. “You should work for me too! I promise I’ll always have work for you, and you’ll never go hungry! I offer very good rates.”

“No offence, but you seem a bit more…crazy then my usual clients. Besides, I make it a point to never commit wholly to any creature I’ve never done a job for.”

“You’re doing a job for me right now, though! You’re giving me valuable information about this and the surrounding countries. My payment to you, in turn, is hiding you from the guards and providing food and shelter. That seems like a fair trade to me, Mr. 70,000-bit-bounty-pony. By the way, I have no idea if that’s even a lot. My only observation is with buying donuts.”

“You’d be able to buy a mansion as big as this one, plus most of the furnishings. Still though, I don’t know if you’re just some lunatic whose trying to get himself killed, talking about getting the griffons and the changelings to help you with…whatever it is you’re going to do. I need some sort of assurance that my life won’t be in danger just by associating with you.”

“Hmmm. That is a valid point. Tell you what: if I can get you this magic bauble you’re trying to steal from Celestia, will that be enough assurance for you?”

Shade puts his hoof to his chin, turning to the side. “Well, not really. But it’s a start. It’ll prove you’re serious about getting stuff done.”

“So,” Dante says, donning a wide grin, “how about a demonstration of my fighting prowess then?”

“If you’re talking about fighting me, that wouldn’t be much of a demonstration.”

“Oh no, I’ve got something better in mind. Something…glorious. In a few days, you will have you magic trinket and a good measure of my power. After that, you can decide whether or not you want to work for me, and I won’t hold it against you if you decide not to follow me. My methods can be a bit…unorthodox.”

“You aren’t going to go killing a bunch of ponies, are you?”

“Why does everyone keep thinking I’m going to go around killing ponies? No, I won’t. I’m not going to tell you what I’m going to do, though. I want it to be a surprise.”

“This has got to be the weirdest business I’ve done with any creature, ever. But, okay. I guess it couldn’t hurt. I get to keep the amulet even if I don’t work for you, right?”

“Absolutely. Now, just to change pace, how about we scry on my associate?” Dante pulls out his needle, swiftly draws a circle in the air, and pulls his crystal ball from its hiding place. “We’ll use this to watch her. She should be in Ponyville making friends or something.”

“She’s making friends while you terrorize the royal guards?”

“Heh, yeah, funny world. Come closer and watch with me.”

“Well, it would give me a chance to observe more of your magic.” Shade moves from his cushion over to one next to Dante.

Dante looks deep into the crystal ball before speaking. “Show me Iatril.”

~ _ ~ _ ~ _ ~ _ ~

“That party was AMAZING!” Iatril squealed. She, Flurry, and the elements stuck around in Sugarcube Corner after the party had died down, sitting around a table. The store had already been cleaned up from the party and was ready to open tomorrow for business.

“I still can’t believe you like hot sauce on your cupcakes too!” Pinkie said with glee. She coats a pink-frosted cupcake with said sauce and passes it over to Iatril, who promptly eats it.

“What can I say? I love spicy food. Flurry here can barely handle peppers. He would have drowned in a river trying to quell the spice if it wasn’t for me.”

“You would bring that up.” Flurry says with a slur, clearly tipsy from the party cider. “I wonder who it was that sugg-suggst-told me to eat it. ‘Oh, Flurry. Try dis pepper. You’ll love it!’ Stupid…stupid-pepper.” He leans his head on the table, passing out almost instantly.

“Hah!” Rainbow Dash yells, springing to the air a little wobbly. “I knew he’d pass out first! I’m the champ of…of…” She quickly falls to the ground, landing on her back, passed out as well.

“Heh, lightweights.” Applejack says, without even a hint of a slur. “ ‘M glad ta hear ya had a good time, Iatril.”

“Oh, it was wonderful! Thank you all so much for welcoming us like this.”

“Don’t mention it, Darling.” Rarity says. “It’s how we greet ponies here. Thanks to Pinkie Pie, that is.”

“I really do appreciate it though. This is the most fun I’ve had in years. I haven’t even had the chance to talk to others like I have today.”

“Well then, how about we have another party tomorrow?” Pinkie Pie says, jumping up and down. “It can be a Glad-you-had-so-much-fun-let’s-do-it-again-party!”

“That sounds like fun,” Iatril giggles, “but I think I should pace myself with these parties. I wouldn’t want to make them less special by having too many so close together.”

“Speaking of pacing, I should probably head out.” Twilight says to the group. “I have to get up early tomorrow to go to Canterlot.”

“Ooh, what’s the occasion?” Fluttershy chimes in.

“I’m going to be spending the day with my brother and Cadence and spend the night in the castle.”

“That’s right.” Iatril says. “You’re Princess Celestia’s student, aren’t you?”

“Yep. I’m hoping to visit with her too, but she can get real busy sometimes.”

“Well, if yer heading out, Ah am too. Hafta do some apple bucking tomorrow.” Applejack turns to the unconscious Rainbow Dash. “And Ah need to make sure she gets home alright.”

“Seems like a good time to call it a night.” Rarity says, standing from the table.

“What are we going to do about Flurry?” Fluttershy asks.

“Not to worry.” Iatril responds. She moves next to Flurry and, in one quick motion, lifts the larger stallion onto her back, sideways. “I can easily carry him.”

The girls said their goodbyes and went their separate ways, with Fluttershy, Iatril, and an unconscious Flurry heading towards Fluttershy’s cottage. The cool evening air was quite refreshing after several hours of partying in the bakery. It was the only thing to think about, given the sudden silence between the two pegasi. Eventually, Iatril broke that silence.

“So, Fluttershy, did you enjoy the party?”

“Oh, yes. Pinkie Pie always throws the best parties. I’m glad you got to meet everypony.”

“I’m truly grateful for that. It’s just so nice to slow down and talk to others, you know?” Silence again. Iatril looks around a bit before speaking again. “So, listen. You aren’t mad about Flurry and the manticore, are you? I don’t mean to bring it up again, but I just want to make sure you aren’t freaked out about it.”

“Well, I don’t think he needed to kill it. There’s always another way besides ending the life of another creature.”

“I know. Were I there, I would have only subdued it. Flurry can be a little overzealous at times.”

“Oh I’m sure. Like how you subdued those timberwolves, right?”

Iatril nearly trips over her own hooves from the sudden voice in her head.

“Jeez, Dante. Don’t scare me like that! And yes, I did subdue them. You would have known if you’d asked.”

“Are you okay there?” Fluttershy asks.

“Yeah, just wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking.” ‘And being harassed by a disembodied voice’

“I know bears eat fish and I understand that some animals are like that, but for something to die for no reason just isn’t right to me. I’m not mad at Flurry for defending himself; I just wish he did it differently.”

“Well, sorry Miss-animal-lover. Next time I kill a manticore, I’ll cook it up and eat it. Maybe cook it with peppers and hot sauce.”

“Must you do this now?”

“Flurry will be glad you aren’t mad at him.” Iatril says calmly, despite Dante’s voice in her head.

“Oh yes, I’m very glad. Anyway, I just wanted to check in. Glad you had fun. No pun intended.”

“Thanks. What did you find out in the city?”

“Not much. I did meet a pegasus who might work as a spy for me. He’s been giving me political ideas.”

“And what kind of ideas are these?”

“Just who I can ask for help from, like the griffons. I’ll inform you more as I find out more. That’s all. Goodnight.”

The three ponies arrive at Fluttershy’s cottage, where a little white rabbit is waiting just inside the door.

“Hello, Angel.” Fluttershy says cheerfully. Angel starts waving his paws around, pointing at Iatril and Flurry and the stomping his foot on the ground. “Oh, they’ll be staying here for a few days.”

“Speaking of which, where should I set Flurry down, Fluttershy?”

“I have a guest room just up the stairs and to the left. Can you get Flurry up there, or do you want some help. Um, if that’s okay.”

“Oh, no. I can take him up easily.” Iatril states, going up the stairs without breaking a sweat. She enters the room and sets Flurry down on the bed, covering him with a nearby blanket. “Thanks for the save at Twilight’s house. I owe you one.” She says to the knocked out Flurry.

Iatril walks back downstairs, observing Fluttershy as she coaxes the little rabbit into letting her and Flurry stay. Iatril just trots over to the couch and sits, watching the debate between the two. ‘Such a funny, little rabbit. I’ll have to talk with him tomorrow to see if I can make friends with him. This has been a real good first day here. It almost feels like I’m forgetting something.’

~ _ ~ _ ~ _ ~ _ ~

Back in the Cake’s shop, Raven was locked in his most difficult battle yet. Before him stood a creature so unimaginably strong willed, he could not believe his senses. This creature had stood there and stared into the very soul of Raven and had the arrogance to say nothing about it, like he was unworthy.

After a final, long glare from Raven, he hopped over to his adversary and pushed his head right against his opponent's. “I will return. And next time, you won’t know what’s coming!” And with that, Raven took flight, passing right through an open window.

Just as Raven left, the door to the room opened and the lights were turned on. “There you are, Gummy.” Pinkie Pie said, trotting over to her pet. “What have you been doing all this time?” The baby alligator merely blinked its right eye, then its left. “Oh, you big silly.”

END CHAPTER

Author's Note

Here you go, the next chapter. It's out a bit later than I wanted; I blame Youtube. It's got more dialogue in it than initially intended, but I don't suspect future chapters will be quite as chatty.

What could Dante be up to? Who is the griffon Shade Strider is working for? How powerful IS Gummy? Are all of these questions really important? The answers to some of these questions may be revealed on the next episode of Dragonba- I mean A Demon, a Devil, and Ponies.

Since college is starting up again, the release of new chapters may be varied. And by 'may' I mean 'will probably,' but I'll still be getting out chapters. Peace out!