The Fall, Part 1 (Let me Please Introduce Myself)

>Pazunia.
>Hell.
>The Abyss.
>Tartarus.
>You reflected on these many names as you lay seated on your throne.
>Your thoughts often turned in this direction during your long spouts of boredom.
>The nature of names. One could tell so much by a name. Take yours, for instance. Known across this infinite expanse and the worlds that lay beyond it.
>You could hear them cry it now. Mortals. Desperate summoners, thralls, those with just enough knowledge to know your name, and not enough to know better than to speak it.
>You answered none of their summons. You were bored.
>You, the Prince of Temptation, Lord of the Lower Aerial Kingdoms, were bored.
>Imps fluttered around your head as you reclined on your throne, babbling desperate in hopes of catching your attention, your aid.
>You could help them, if you wished. Little was beyond your power. You could make them mighty demons or fearsome warriors. You could free them from the Abyss and return their souls to mortality.
>You could tear their eyes out with your talons and feast on the juicy morsels kept within your skulls.
>Alas, you were too bored to do any of that. Too bored to move, even.
>Your four great wings flex and lie limp against the throne as you cupped your beak in one taloned hand, thinking.
>The cries of desperation and supplication tickled your ears as they rolled through the red dust of Hell, tempting you with targets, with souls.
>So many desperate mortals, mortals of all worlds. Earth, Krynn, Faerun, and countless others, all desperate enough to call on you.
>You could leave, if you wanted. Answer their cries, grant their fondest wishes, and pluck their souls like ripe fruit as you did.
>But you were bored.
>You'd done it all b-what was this?

>A new voice.
>From a world you'd never heard of....
>And they were...
>You blinked and lifted your great avian head out of your talon, flummoxed.
>Surely no one could be that stupid.
>...Someone was binding you.
>The whispered voice, female...young...unsure.
>She spoke as if she read from some dusty tome, unsure of her words, but willing to recite them anyway.
>"...And now the fall from vaulted hall..."
>You heard the words of an ancient spell. A summoning. A gate that had been unused for centuries...
>Who would be foolish enough to try and bind YOU?
>"These bones! This flesh! Consume it all!"
>You rose from your throne and the imps scattered.
>The skies above Pazunia, the layer of infinite portals, crackled with lightning as blood-red clouds wept acid rain over the dusty plain below.
>Demons, small and terrible, winged and froglike and horned and hideous, trembled as you stood from your throne.
>You were not bored anymore.
>And that terrified every living thing on the first layer of the Infinite Abyss.
>"P͡҉͢á̵̷̧͞z̵̡͡ų̀̕͘z̧̀ứ͡!́͟͝ ̴̸̛͏P̧̧͟͞͞ą̵́͘͠z̴̛ų̷̢͟z̢͜u̵̸̡͡!͏̴͘ ҉́P̀͞á̵̀͜͡źų̧͜z͘͡u̧͘͡!̀̀͠"
>You laugh as you let the binding spell sweep you up.
>Ephemeral chains burst from the fabric of the Abyss itself, encircling you almost reluctantly, as if fearful of what you may do when tethered.
>You welcome them like old friends, your beak split in a malicious grin as you feel the magic tug at your essence.
>Someone was fool enough to summon YOU?
>You were going to have fun with this one. So MUCH fun.
>You lean back and laugh as the binding spell ensares you with a -CRACK- of misplaced air, sending dust and wind whirling through Hell as you leave your realm behind.
>There is a brief moment of disoriented translation...
>And when you open your eyes, you stand within...a library. A clean-swept, well-maintained library, clean of all life except the two unfortunate souls before you.
>...A purple unicorn, and a tiny dragon.

>The unicorn is not looking at you. Instead she seems to be...working on a checklist.
>"Alright Spike, that's mysterious tome number....six hundred and sixty six. A dud like the last. Let's get rid of it and move on to the next."
>The purple dragonlet is looking up at you with what you consider the appropriate amount of horror.
>"T-T-Twilight?"
>"WHAT, Spike?"
>You ignore the petty whining of the tiny lizard as you lean down to examine the binding that holds you.
>Your wings creak as you bend, and your tail lashes outward, its stinger tapping at the extremities of the binding circle.
>You meet resistance, as expected.
>This unicorn knows her Art.
>The binding circle you stand is drawn correctly, in...you sniff...chalk, no blood elements added, the circle is correctly inverted...she's drawn the right runes to keep you dimensionally locked within...
>You turn, your wings flaring as you examine every drawing, every rune, every inch of the summoning circle.
>You could break it, of course. But...surprisingly, not without repercussions.
>The spellcaster who drew this circle was powerful, there's no doubt, and...you sniff the air, good, too. Pure.
>Your beak curves in a cruel smile.
>Perfect.
>Meanwhile, the two mortals argue.
>"Twilight if you'll just look up-"
>"Spike. Please. This is the forty second time you've freaked out about seeing something in the circle. I'm -telling- you, none of these work. Princess Celestia just wants us to make sure none of the magic in Sombra's book collection works before we burn them!"
>"I know, Twilight, I know, but, I think this one work-"
>"You think she'd give me something more important to do after that stupid....ugh...sorry, I'm rambling again. Hand me the next book, Spike?"
>"Uh, Twilight, I -really- think you should-"
"Hello."
>Both of them look up.
>And that, of course, is when the screaming starts.

>You would say their screams were music to your ears, but in truth, the music only last for the first minute.
>By the second, it became tiring.
>And so you ceased menacing them, dropping the fearsome stance you had taken up in the summoning circle, and instead relax, leaning back on the air as if it were your throne.
>It supports you, of course. You'd commanded it to.
>So relaxed, you speak again.
"Well? Aren't you going to make a wish? A demand? An entreaty?"
>They continue to run around and scream while you watch, and you swiftly grow bored once more.
"Stop."
>"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa-huh?"
>The unicorn skids to a stop as the dragon slams into her rump.
>"...You talk?"
>You blink at her, perplexed. Is this creature some manner of idiot savant?
"Obviously. Why have you called upon me? What is your wish?"
>"...You...what are you? Who are you? Where did you...none of these books...I don't understand!"
>You smile at her, your cruel beak curving as you scan her surface thoughts and lift her name.
"I am, that I am, Twilight Sparkle. You know my name. You called me here, did you not?"
>"...How do you know MY name?"
>You smile at her, and don't bother to answer. A little mystery always knocked them off balance. Made it all the easier to swoop in.
>"What do we...what do I..."
"You've never bound a demon before, have you?"
>She whimpers.
"Worry not, little...pony. I'm a simple, lesser creature of the Planes. I'm no threat to one such as you...who created a binding so flawless as this..."
>Twilight stares at you, and then at the binding circle, double-checking her work.
>No fool, then. That would make things fun.
>"Uh...Twilight? I don't...uh...the book says this guy's no lesser-"

>You concentrate, and the book in the little dragon's hands crumbles to dust.
"Ooooh, shame, that. Those old tomes always have a habit of falling apart in the claws of careless familiars."
>You chuckle as...you sift through his thoughts...Spike, glares at you.
>"Hey!"
>A stomping of hooves on wood turns your attention back to the pony.
>"Did you just DESTROY one of my books!?"
"My my. Such anger. I was just-"
>"Destroying valuable property! Damaging a priceless book BEYOND repair!"
>She interrupted you. This tiny creature interrupted YOU.
>Fascinating.
"...Were you not going to burn these?"
>She stomps a hoof closer to your circle.
>"Only if they didn't contain any -working- magic. But you...we just...GAH! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE DID AND NOW WE CAN'T REPRODUCE IT BECAUSE YOU DESTROYED THE BOOK WE USED TO SUMMON YOU!"
>She takes another step.
"If it's knowledge, you want, Twilight Sparkle, knowledge I can grant. All you have to do is wish it. I am bound to you, Twilight Sparkle. We must make a pact, you and I."
>She pauses.
>"...What?"
"Your spell succeeded. I live to serve you, Twilight Sparkle. I am your loyal servant."
>You bow your feathered head, your wings folding across your chest like a great feathered cloak.
>Twilight takes a step back, thoughts racing through her head as you remain stationary.
>"Right. Okay. Okay. Don't panic. Think this through logically. You just bound a demon, Twilight-"
>"Twi, you're talkin' to yourself again."
>"HUSH, SPIKE. You just bound a demon. A super-scary, possibly super-strong demon. Demons are bad news, right? Tartarus-level bad news. And one's bound to serve your every whim-"
"If I may interrupt?"
>"Huh?"
"I should have said I -would- have been bound to serve your every whim."
>You keep your head bowed, and tap a talon on the floor, next to where her hoof once stood.
"Had you not broken the binding circle."
>There is a moment of silence.

>Twilight is the first to break it.
>"...Spike?"
>"Yeah, Twi?"
>"That's bad, isn't it?"
>"...Really, really bad."
>She takes another step back.
>You move.
>Before her hoof can meet the floor again, you lift her up by the throat to meet your avian gaze.
>Honestly, you were disappointed. She went through all the trouble to summon you, only to muck it up with a simple misstep.
>You idly turn your head to the side to get a closer look at her.
>After all the pretending you've done to get up here, it would really be a waste to just eat her eyes and devour her soul.
>There was so much....-more- you could do to her.
>That big purple eye widens in fear as you hold her at arm's length.
>"Paz-"
"Shhhhh. I'm thinking."
>You idly note the dragon spitting fire at your leg and telling you to let her down or else.
>To his earnest surprise, you comply.
"I suppose everyone gets one, don't they?"
>Both the unicorn and dragon huddle together in fear, staring at you.
>"Wh-what?"
"You made a mistake. It happens. There's still no reason we can't come to an arrangement. I am a reasonable being, after all."
>You make a show of leaning back on your air throne in the summoning circle, steepling your taloned fingers.
>Twilight and Spike look at each other. They're still freaking out, you can tell, but a plan is forming in those two purple heads.
>Wonderful. The plans of good souls always ended well for you.
>"...So...wait. You...have to do anything I ask?"
"Correct."
>"And you can give me...anything? You grant wishes?"
"Correct."
>You had her. You always know when you've won. Soon you'd have another soul under-
>"Do we have to take your offer immediately?"
>What.
"What."
>"Can we have time to think about it?"

>This was...new.
>You shift uncomfortably on your throne of air.
"...Perhaps we misunderstand each other. Let's begin again. I am-"
>"Pazrael, Pazuzu, and a few other names, Prince of the Aerial yaddda yadda you're some kind of demon and I've bound you. You have to give me anything I want."
>Your wings shift, and the feathers on your head ruffle.
"Correct...anything. Any desire you have ever-"
>"I know."
>Twilight paces the perimeter of the broken summoning circle, Spike glaring at you from the outside.
>"...We need time to...think up a proper...errr...wish. Request. Demand. Whatever you prefer."
>Spike nods.
>"We need to tell the Princess."
>"And the girls."
>You tap your talons on your beak as you think.
>This wasn't going as planned.
"Twilight Sparkle."
>You lean forward in your seat, offering a talon to her with a smile on your beak.
"Perhaps we can come to another arrangement later. You, after all, know my name. You know how to call upon me when-"
>"Shhhh, I'm thinking!"
>She paces again, eyes on the floor.
>She interrupted you. Again.
>What kind of curious creatures WERE these?
>"You have to listen to me, right?"
"...Those are the rules of the binding, which I have graciously chosen to accept."
>"Fine. You're...coming with me. Until we know what you are. And why Sombra had your name in his stupid tower library."
>You considered it. You weren't -ACTUALLY- under any sort of compulsion after she broke the circle, not that she could construct a binding capable of snaring you in the first place.
>You could just kill her, steal her soul, and be done with it.
>...But then you'd be bored again.
"Very well, my...Master."
>You offer her a shallow bow.
>"...Okay. We'll...err...need something to call you. Your real name's kind of...ominous."
"...Whatever made you think that name was my real one?"
>"It was in the-I mean-many names. Right. Uh...so...."
"Will 'Anonymous' suffice?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBecM3CQVD8
>You smile and step off the throne.
"Anonymous. Catch all name, don't you think? Normal. Easy to remember."
>Your first talon touches the floor.
"Not to mention...fitting. It's got style. Panache. Qualities I admire."
>Your second foot touches the floor, shoes immaculate and gleaming.
>You reach up and brush off your sleeve, whistling.
>Twilight and Spike are both staring at you in confusion.
"Hmm? Oh. Well. I assume my previous appearance isn't something...'ponies' are quite used to. That's what you're thinking, isn't it? 'He doesn't look like a pony'?"
>You offer her a smile as her dumbfounded expression grows even dumber.
"Well, Twilight Sparkle, I'm not one for deception. I'm not a pony, you see? So I won't be one. I'll be something...else when I meet your...friends? Who's Rarity?"
>You adjust your hat, still smiling.
"How do I look?"
>Twilight blinks.
>"I was just...errr...thinking. She's going to like your...outfit."
"I should hope so. I put a lot of work into it, after all. Well, Twilight Sparkle?"
>You offer your hand.
"Let us shake on what I am sure is going to be an absolutely wonderful relationship."
>She glances at your hand, then at your smile, distrust written across her mind and her face.
>Then, veeery slowly, she reaches up and places her hoof in your hand.
>And you shake.
>You smile, wider.
>Oh, you are going to have fun here.
>There was nothing in all the worlds quite like corrupting the innocent.
>And poor little Twilight here was about as innocent as they come.
>You have such sights to show her.