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rarara ginger

By Guest
Created: 2023-08-19 21:50:09
Expiry: Never
rarity

  1. >They let you out of prison pretty early in the morning.
  2. >Maybe too early.
  3. >What kind of psychopath wakes up at 5 in the morning?
  4. >You groggily peeled yourself out of the holding chamber at the behest of the militia, stumbling after them in a drunken fashion.
  5. >The pain in your feet does a fair bit to wake you up, but you’re definitely not all there.
  6. >To your great embarrassment, you manage to walk several blocks in the opposite direction of home before getting your bearings.
  7. >The streets are completely dark save for a few lamps placed at major intersections.
  8. >The excessive use of crystals in the local architecture turns these lanterns into a hall of mirrors, with innumerable points of light surrounding any who get too close.
  9. >And between disorienting points of radiance lie a void.
  10. >An inky emptiness wherein one can’t see past their own nose.
  11. >Maybe if the skies were clear you’d be able to see by starlight, but as it is you’re moving more by feel than anything.
  12. >It takes far longer than you’d have liked to finally make your way home.
  13. >Sunrise comes late in these autumn months.
  14. >The Empire isn’t above the arctic circle so you’re not going to get 24 days nor nights, but it should get kinda close.
  15. >If tonight was anything to go by, you’re going to want a flashlight or something of the like soon.
  16. >You step up to your door and move to unlock it, only to find it’s already open.
  17. >Did you forget to lock it?
  18. >Or is there an invader?
  19. >You foolishly step in, heart pounding.
  20. >You prowl through your own unlit home trying not to make a sound.
  21. >As you close the door behind yourself, common sense takes over.
  22. >You’re injured and unarmed.
  23. >PLUS some of these ponies are freakishly strong.
  24. >Assuming it even IS a pony…
  25. >You carefully open the door, planning to leave…
  26. >And hit your worst toe.
  27. “Son of a-”
  28. >You cover your mouth quickly and stand in complete silence.
  29. >That’s when you hear it.
  30. >The shower is running.
  31. >Who breaks into a home and takes a shower at this hour other than Rarity?
  32. >Of course it was her.
  33. >Damn changelings have you paranoid.
  34. >You close the door again and fumble about to light a candle.
  35. >You’ll let her know you’re here then head to bed.
  36. >Actually, it would be more fun to scare her.
  37. >You push the door open and step in.
  38. >A very wet pony stares at you in shock, her mouth agape.
  39. >And a weak groaning noise comes out of her mouth.
  40. >What is she doing?
  41. “Are you okay?”
  42. >She draws the shower curtain to cover herself.
  43. “You really should have that drawn all the time. You’re flooding the place.”
  44. >That’s a paddlin’.
  45. >You pull the curtain aside and see Rarity cowering in the bottom of the bath, letting icy cold water pelt her from above.
  46. >She shrinks away as you look at her.
  47. >A pathetic wretch, incapable of meeting your eye.
  48. >You look on in a perverse mix of horror and satisfaction at the welts covering her body.
  49. >It was a hard day for her.
  50. “I’m sorry.”
  51. >You reach in and turn off the water.
  52. >The hot water was on, but still the shower is near freezing.
  53. >She must have been here for quite a while.
  54. “I really really am sorry.”
  55. >Are you?
  56. …
  57. >Yeah.
  58. >You are.
  59. >Sure, you’d sent her in to get face fucked for hours on end.
  60. >But you’d been planning on being there for her when she got out.
  61. >You fetch a towel and start drying her off.
  62. “I tried to get you out of it, and I thought I’d found a way.”
  63. >The goal had been to humiliate and degrade her.
  64. >Maybe hurt her a bit too.
  65. >You hadn’t been trying to do whatever this is.
  66. >Damn.
  67. >Cadence was right, you ARE getting soft.
  68. >You’ll have to be careful not to go too easy on her.
  69. >Make a point of pushing her limits at least once a day.
  70. >Not today though, she’s suffered enough.
  71. >Wait, no! Bad Anon!
  72. >She’s getting pushed today whether you like it or not!
  73. “Let’s get you warmed up.”
  74. >You pick her up with more difficulty than you care to admit.
  75. >But that’s only half the challenge.
  76. >Next you have to waddle your way to the bedroom on battered feet and a wet floor.
  77. >You make a point of moving slowly to try and not break your skull.
  78. >Shoulda just ordered her to move.
  79. >Stupid softie.
  80. >You dump the still damp Rarity on your bed and start wrapping blankets around her.
  81. “How are you feeling?
  82. >She coughs out what might have been words.
  83. “Sore throat then? Open.”
  84. >You don’t need a tongue depressor to see there’s a problem.
  85. “Oh. Oh wow, that’s, um, that’s some swelling. You need more practice if it’s that hard on your throat. Meanwhile I’ll give you some anti-inflammatory pills, should take the edge off. If you can swallow them that is. Lemme get some water for you.”
  86. >The FUCK happened?
  87. >Okay, you know it was fellatio and all, but still!
  88. >That was well beyond normal wear and tear on her throat.
  89. >Little wonder she wasn’t talking, she probably couldn’t!
  90. >Rarity struggles to drink the water you offer her, choking and sputtering when it hits her tonsils.
  91. >No sucking for her for a while.
  92. >Keep this up and you risk real damage.
  93. >Though you can’t help but wonder…
  94. >Is that a medical opinion, or are you just going soft again?
  95. >This self doubt is already becoming a problem.
  96. “I’m going to take a look at where they hit you. Try to hold still.”
  97. >You peel the blankets off and brush her coat aside to get a closer look at the welts.
  98. >The first few you look at seem fairly minor.
  99. >The next one not only broke the skin, but probably bled for a fair while.
  100. >It’s going to take a while to heal.
  101. >You’re not worried about scars though.
  102. >Though numerous, the wounds are pretty shallow.
  103. >And with a healthy coat like hers she’d need them to be pretty nasty before they were even visible.
  104. >Hay, surgical scars usually don’t show on these ponies.
  105. >This won’t have a lasting effect on her appearance, thankfully.
  106. >It would be a waste of a great butt.
  107. >You can’t help but notice that the damage caused by each hit varies wildly.
  108.  
  109. >Had Cadence started off kinda soft and ramped it up once she started having fun?
  110. >Or had she started going hard because her husband had said to, but eased up as she grew tired?
  111. >Either way some of these could benefit from treatment.
  112. >It would be irresponsible to use antibiotics here.
  113. >Petroleum jelly will help retain moisture and repel bacteria though.
  114. >Is it soft to use the one with the topical analgesic?
  115. “I’m going to put some goo on your butt to help you heal faster. It might sting a bit.”
  116. >You take your time to massage her ass, alternating between actual wound care and simple groping.
  117. >Rarity seems to melt beneath your fingers.
  118. >Your presence and care seem to be doing wonders for her mental state and stress levels.
  119. >And for a moment, you start to wonder if she’s fallen asleep.
  120. >Your question is answered by her squirming when you squeeze her inner thigh.
  121. “Feeling any better?”
  122. >”Srr.”
  123. “Hay, don’t try to talk just yet. Just nod or shake your head.”
  124. >She nods.
  125. >You’re not sure if that means she understands, or if she’s saying she feels better.
  126. >Maybe it doesn’t matter.
  127. >You can see that she’s improved vastly since your return.
  128. >They were hard on her.
  129. >Too hard?
  130. >You honestly don’t know.
  131. >It feels like they were, but for one you weren’t actually there.
  132. >And second there’s no lasting damage
  133. >Well, aside from the psychological trauma.
  134. >But dealing with that has never been your job..
  135. “I want you to know that I’m not mad at you.”
  136. >She squirms a little bit and grunts in what might be a confused tone.
  137. >Or maybe a relieved one?
  138. >It’s really hard to say.
  139. “You disobeyed. But you did it trying to help. I can’t be mad when your heart’s in the right place. Besides, I figure you’ve learned your lesson.”
  140. >”Mhmhmm.”
  141. “I’ll talk to them, but at this point it’s going to be… hard. I’ve already called in a lot of favors to make things easier on you, and they’ll figure it’s a done deal at this point. Plus I’m kinda in hot water already. They only had me in prison for one night, but if I push too hard it might get worse.”
  142. >She perks right up and looks you in the eye with a mix of shock and dismay.
  143. “What?”
  144. >She mouths something that you can’t quite understand.
  145. “What’s the plan?”
  146. >She shakes her head and pantomimes pulling at bars.
  147. >Bars…
  148. “Oh. Why was I in prison?”
  149. >She shakes her head again.
  150. >But then holds up a hoof, possibly to signal a change in mind before nodding.
  151. “I pushed too hard trying to get you out. Candy Ass wasn’t too happy that I broke our deal and wanted a total pardon. Shining Armor was mad because… I don’t know, come to think of it.”
  152. >You didn’t actually talk to him directly.
  153. >Hay, he might not even be mad at you specifically.
  154.  
  155. “And the militia’s mad because I made a lot of paperwork for them. Turns out there’s no standard form for an unarmed civilian storming a base, so they don’t even know where to begin on this one. Honestly, with all the ill will I’ve generated recently I’m just happy it was only one night.”
  156. >She looks away from you, instead staring down at the bedding.
  157. >Shame?
  158. >You were going for grateful.
  159. “Hay, none of that now. You’re my slave, remember?”
  160. >You don’t need to see her face to know she’s blushing.
  161. “It’s my job to take care of you. And while I’d obviously prefer it if I didn’t have to come to your rescue, I don’t regret doing it.”
  162. >You scratch her behind her ears.
  163. >Truth be told you’re not actually sure if ponies like that.
  164. >It just seems like they would enjoy.
  165. >Maybe you should ask sometime.
  166. “But, uh, try not to get into trouble too often.”
  167. >You climb into bed and cuddle up against Rarity.
  168. >She’s still mighty cold.
  169. >You can’t help but wonder if she did some damage to herself in that shower.
  170. >You hold her against yourself, trying to warm her up.
  171. >And quickly nod off.
  172. …
  173. >Your alarm jostles both you and her awake after far too short of a nap.
  174. >You’re disoriented, groggy, and more than a little exhausted.
  175. >You hadn’t gotten nearly enough rest in prison, and without proper bedding whatever sleep you did get wasn’t high quality.
  176. >In your distinctly unalert state, some part of your brain invokes fears from times past.
  177. >Some unforgotten dread that will forever linger in the recesses of your mind.
  178. >The board of directors was…
  179. >Thorough.
  180. “That was years ago.”
  181. >Somehow, the dread remains.
  182. >You finally turn the alarm off before collapsing back in bed.
  183. >”Are you okay master?”
  184. >Rarity.
  185. >She still sounds awful.
  186. >But at least she can speak.
  187. “Yeah. How’s the throat?”
  188. >”Terrible.”
  189. “So… better?”
  190. >”Much. Thank you. You don’t seem okay.”
  191. “Bad dream.”
  192. >Even knowing there’s nothing wrong, adrenaline still flows through your brain.
  193. >And not in a fun way.
  194. >You close your eyes and try to steady your breathing.
  195. >There’s no point in thinking about your old job.
  196. “We need to talk.”
  197. >”Oh no. Have I done something wrong?”
  198. “No, that came out wrong. We need to…”
  199. >You can’t think of a tactful way to word this.
  200. >There probably isn’t one.
  201. “Do you have a plan yet?”
  202. >”A plan for what, precisely?”
  203. “Normalizing slavery.”
  204. >She nods at you slowly and deliberately.
  205. >Then ducks beneath the blankets, hiding her face.
  206. “Oi! None of that.”
  207. >You pull the blankets aside, destroying her hiding space.
  208. “You already agreed.”
  209. >”But-but-but-”
  210. >You roll your eyes as she stutters.
  211. >She keeps it up for a good long while.
  212. >Though come to think of it, you’ve never seen her stutter before.
  213. >Is she faking?
  214. >”But-b–b-but-”
  215. “Try a different word.”
  216. >”It can’t be done!”
  217.  
  218. “That’s because you’re aiming too high. Small steps.”
  219. >”SMALL steps? What step could possibly be small?”
  220. “It’s like making an outfit. You don’t think of the thousands of stitches you’ll need to do, you just start sewing and eventually it’s done.”
  221. >”I am almost certain that simile doesn’t work!”
  222. “Why not?”
  223. >”A stitch is a small isolated task that’s part of the greater whole! What could possibly be a small, isolated part of… that?”
  224. “One pony.”
  225. >”But-”
  226. “Introduce one pony to the lifestyle, preferably somepony who’ll naturally take to it. Then once they’re-”
  227. >Don’t say indoctrinated.
  228. “Accustomed, maybe they spread the word to one more pony.”
  229. >”It’s… insane! I don’t know how things work in your world, but the ponies wouldn’t stand for it!”
  230. “Surely there must be at least ONE pony who’d get off on it. Find that one pony, and teach them the secret to feeling good.”
  231. >”I can’t!”
  232. >C’mon, man.
  233. >You promised yourself you’d push her.
  234. >Lay down the law!
  235. “You have your orders!”
  236. >”But-”
  237. >She says something, but it doesn’t really register.
  238. >You’re too busy being shocked.
  239. >Not with her, Rarity fighting back is pretty par for the course.
  240. >She needs more training and discipline.
  241. >Mostly you’re just surprised with yourself.
  242. >There was anger in those words.
  243. >Maybe anger isn’t the right word.
  244. >Rage?
  245. >Fury?
  246. “I don’t know what came over me.”
  247. >She looks frightened.
  248. >You reach out to her, and she flinches away.
  249. >You insistently put your hand on her back.
  250. “I’m sorry.”
  251. >You can’t act like that around her.
  252. >You could scare her away!
  253. >What if you lost her?
  254. >You don’t know what you’d do with yourself!
  255. >It would be-
  256. “Oh wow, there really IS something wrong with me.”
  257. >”Are you crying?”
  258. >Huh.
  259. “I sure hope so. If any other liquids are leaking from there we’ve got a problem.”
  260. >Cadence had warned you about this.
  261. “Don’t worry. Just the changeling influence wearing off.”
  262.  
  263. >They fucked up your emotions apparently.
  264. >Or ate them?
  265. >Presumably leading to a point where you could no longer feel certain feelings?
  266. >And now your “heart” might overcorrect as you recover, or so Cadence said.
  267. >You don’t really understand to be honest.
  268. “If I snap at you in the next few days, try not to take it personally.”
  269. >She’s staring up at you with a grin so wide it’d need a pilot car to move about the city.
  270. ”What?”
  271. >”Oh, nothing at all.”
  272. >Filthy liar.
  273. >You know it’s the magic talking, but you really want to wipe that smile off her face.
  274. >Sure hope this doesn’t last long.
  275. >You weren’t stuck with her THAT long, right?
  276. “I’d better go back to sleep before I do something retarded. You joining?”
  277. >”No, I don’t believe I shall. I have work to do. Rest well, master!”
  278.  
  279. >Shining Armor walked into his meeting room with purpose.
  280. >Had he been less preoccupied he might have noticed ponies keeping a wide berth as he passed.
  281. >And had he looked in a mirror he might have seen a scowl that could make Tirek himself seem approachable.
  282. >Of course, he knew not that everypony in the palace was scared of him, because he was preoccupied with something far more important.
  283. >He sat down at the head of the table before his assembled council.
  284. >Some had been forced to stand for this meeting, as he had called upon far more ponies than normal.
  285. >This was a crisis, after all.
  286. >One far too big for any single advisor to properly handle.
  287. >He briefly considered doing a head count to ensure everypony was present, but quickly discarded the notion.
  288. >Even he had lost track of how many were meant to be here for the first parts of this meeting.
  289. >There was no way to be certain exactly the right number of ponies were present without accepting unacceptable delays.
  290. >And so he resolved to merely check for the most important ponies.
  291. >Gilded Gemstone, trade minister.
  292. >Frost Lilly, xeno-ambassador.
  293. >Lapis Lance, minister of defense.
  294. >A myriad of minor officials.
  295. >And most importantly, science advisor, arcane advisor, Equestrian ambassador, and all around best sister ever, Twilight Sparkle.
  296. “All of your lives are about to get harder.”
  297. >There was no point in beating around the bush.
  298. >Shining Armor could feel his eye twitch with irritation as a hushed murmur filled the room.
  299. >He wasn’t going to wait for propriety to return, he was just going to speak.
  300. “About two years ago, an unidentified object was found about 300 miles Northwest of Canterlot. It was a modestly sized lump of a then unidentified material. Further investigation revealed the object to be filled with other a number of unknown materials, arranged in patterns that clearly indicated it was not a natural formation. Scholars and natural philosophers from around the world assembled to investigate it, hoping to discover what it was or where it had come from.”
  301. >”Your highness-”
  302. “Later. The history of human contact is important, and I need to know you all understand the position we’re in.”
  303. >Twilight gave him a worried look, but said nothing.
  304.  
  305. “Most of the individuals who investigated the object came down with a mildd undocumented illness. The object was deemed hazardous and sealed away deep underground. A few months later, another appeared. This one was much larger, and had several visible lenses on the exterior. Princess Celestia ordered an exclusion zone be erected around the object to protect the public from the unknown illness. Careful testing was executed at a distance, primarily by unicorns using telekinesis. In the early stages of disassembly, somepony presumably punctured the machine’s power supply. A massive flash of light came from the object and it burst into flames. The flames burned freakishly hot, and filled the sky with a noxious black smoke the likes of which we had never seen. Twenty days later, another object appeared out of thin air in the exclusion zone. This time, it was a human.”
  306. >Murmurs again.
  307. >With what he now knew, Shining Armor couldn’t help but find it weird they’d send a human to meet them so quickly.
  308. >They had destroyed the previous two probes, and there was no assurance of safety with the third excursion.
  309. >In retrospect, it was probably another machine designed to mimic a human.
  310. >They couldn’t see its skin after all.
  311. “They were only present for a few minutes, and they wore a thick protective suit to insulate them from both weaponry and atmospheric hazards. To our knowledge they bore no weapons. Early attempts at communication failed, and the human vanished as suddenly as they appeared. What followed was a number of brief visits and a gradual erosion of the language barrier. We now know that the unidentified objects were machines devised to measure their environment. The unknown materials were plastics, circuitry, and exotic metals. The mysterious illness was the result of inhalation of toxic gasses that were released when we damaged their machinery. The humans had not taken proper precautions against harming us since they didn’t expect to find life on the other side of their portal. Mercifully, human medicine had treatments. All the afflicted have made a full recovery. Frost Lilly. Tell us about ponykind’s relationship with humankind.”
  312. >”Of course. Humans are a predator species with a long history of horrifying wars. Despite this they have been very friendly with us. Our ambassadors have been given access to many kingdoms, with most of the exceptions being those currently involved in armed conflict. None of our ambassadors have come to appreciable harm to date. Humans share knowledge with us eagerly, and they seem to take pleasure in spreading their understanding of reality.”
  313.  
  314. “Do you expect these friendly relations to continue?”
  315. >”One must always take caution when interacting with different species, especially one so alien to ourselves. We can’t ever truly understand how they think. They may take horrendous offense to innocent actions, or forgive atrocities without second thought. At present I see no reason why we cannot maintain friendly relations, and they seem to desire peace as much as we do. But we cannot know that this paradigm will persist.”
  316. “Thank you. If humans desire peace, why do they fight so much?”
  317. >”As predators, their natural history incentivises it. Those who were incapable of fighting were removed from their genetic population, likely before the beginning of their recorded history. The capacity for conflict has never gone away, rather they have suppressed it. Humans find non-destructive ways to channel their impulses, structure their society to disincentivize violence, and take a proactive stance in jailing troublemakers. There’s a strange nobility to that, choosing to be better than your own nature.”
  318. “Then why do they fight?”
  319. >”The usual reasons. Desperation, misunderstandings, retaliation, and sometimes they get a Sombra of their own. Their frequency is much greater because there are so many competing powers and such an immense population. With billions of humans and hundreds of kingdoms it’s only a matter of time before somehuman starts a fight.”
  320. >Shining Armor had been hoping for a more well rounded answer.
  321. >Lilly liked humans, and her bias was clearly showing.
  322. >Still, that didn’t necessarily mean she was wrong.
  323. “Harmless, until they aren’t. Gem. Would you say that interacting with humanity is worth the potential risks?”
  324. >”Yes, your highness. There are individual humans with more material wealth than the entirety of ponykind. And while your rank and file human is actually quite destitute in some regards, they’re unimaginably rich in others. The machinery, materials, and industrial capacity they wield all vastly exceed anything we could hope to match for centuries, even with all the know-how they have so generously provided. Material exchange is slow because of the periodic nature of the portal, the extreme tariffs placed on interdimensional trade, and our struggles with finding anything they want other than gold. Even so, what little we have received from them has proved incredibly valuable and in some cases even life saving. Any kingdom, be they equine or otherwise, that chooses not to trade with Earth will immediately find themselves economically devastated relative to all other kingdoms.”
  325. “So we either get rich by trading with them, or we go bankrupt.”
  326. >”Yes, your highness.”
  327. >Nothing they could have said would have changed the prince’s mind.
  328.  
  329. >No trade with humans means no human medicine.
  330. >Anon had made it clear that without the preparations he was importing from Earth, he was almost powerless.
  331. >Twilight Sparkle would be dead without that material exchange.
  332. >They had to be careful about this, and it was likely going to cause unexpected problems.
  333. >But it would be unconscionable to shut humanity out entirely, if they had a choice in the matter.
  334. >He had merely asked Gem to speak to avoid questions about why they should interact with humans at all.
  335. >Questions that actually had better answers.
  336. >Better answers he wouldn’t be sharing with most present.
  337. “This is not without risk. They have proven to be generally friendly and helpful, but they are also a hazard. Lance.”
  338. >”Thank you, your highness. Humans number in the billions. Only a small fraction are combat ready, and they are divided amongst well over a hundred kingdoms. Even so, they could easily crush any resistance with numbers alone. They do not, however, require numbers to defeat us in combat. Civilians in certain realms can possess weapons that put the firearms we possess to shame, and can own armored vehicles which can endure most magical attacks. This alone tells us that we are woefully ill-prepared for any armed conflict, yet we are still comparing ourselves to civilians. Most kingdoms rely on a standing force, paid to be prepared for battle at any time, and equipped with cutting edge hardware. Some of their aircraft can move faster than a sonic rainboom, some firearms are able to interpret the will of their user and assist in aiming, some munitions can strike locations on other continents, the list goes on.”
  339. >He didn’t mention WMDs.
  340. “Tell us about their explosives. The BIG ones.”
  341. >”Well, it’s unclear how many such devices exist, how big they are, who has what and so on. We can’t be sure where they might be, when they might be deployed, what might provoke their use, whether or not they’re seen as practical…”
  342. >Shining Armor was underwhelmed by this part of the presentation.
  343. >He clearly hadn’t prepared, and was trying to filibuster for time to think.
  344. >Was Lance shirking his duties?
  345. >Wait, no, that wasn’t it.
  346. >Shining Armor himself had ordered Lance to ignore them.
  347. >Or more accurately, to only concern himself with things they could actually handle.
  348. >He hadn’t prepared for this because he had been ordered NOT to.
  349. “Right, that’s not your department. My mistake. Plutonium. Named for one of their gods of Hell. A rare and deadly metal that will break itself apart, shooting off invisible but deadly particles. They have found a way to accelerate the rate at which it breaks apart, and can use the resulting output to annihilate entire cities with a single strike.”
  350.  
  351. >No hushed murmurs on that one.
  352. >Just a stunned silence.
  353. “We don’t know how many kingdoms have these weapons, but we do know they haven’t been used in a very long time.”
  354. >”Ten kingdoms claim to have these weapons. I suspect that most of them have the capacity to make them and either have chosen not to, or have done so in secret. Humanity’s first strike capabilities are more than sufficient to wipe ponykind off the map, and they are better equipped for prolonged conflict than we could ever aspire to.”
  355. “Thank you. Fillies, gentlecolts, none of what we have discussed thus far is new. However, recent events show it in a different light. As I hope you all know, we recently suffered a changeling attack. During this attack, Chrysalis revealed she was in possession of an M270 LMG. This is a firearm I attempted to purchase for our own forces. I was unable to secure one.”
  356. >Shining Armor waited for the ponies to figure out what this implied on their own.
  357. >Based on facial expression, Gem figured it out first.
  358. >No surprise, she understood interplanetary trade better than anypony else in this room.
  359. >Twilight figured it out shortly after.
  360. >To his dismay, nopony else seemed to get it.
  361. “Despite being eager to share information and trade material goods, humanity is reluctant to sell weapons of war.”
  362. >Lance figured it out.
  363. >Somepony who’s name the prince didn’t know worked up the nerve to ask a question.
  364. >”What about our guns?”
  365. “The Imperium, the kingdom which currently controls the gateway, does not consider any of the weapons they’ve sold us to be useful in war. Ours are considered civilian weapons. The M270 is not. And yet, Chrysalis had one.”
  366. >Either there were a lot of stoics in the crowd, or even that wasn’t a big enough hint.
  367. “The Changelings have infiltrated Earth to some degree, and have successfully smuggled contraband through the gateway. We do not know the degree to which they have infiltrated, nor what they are capable of smuggling. But it is clear that the changelings have privileged access to human hardware. To make matters worse, we now have confirmation that changeling magic can affect human behavior. Cadence has informed me that Chrysalis was feeding off of humans. Twily?”
  368.  
  369. >”Right. Changeling mind control is accomplished through selective destruction or promotion of emotional responses. By manipulating how their victims feel about certain things they can overwrite intentions and beliefs in unexpected ways. Take for example convincing somepony that their fiance is actually themselves rather than Chrysalis-”
  370. >The prince REALLY wished Twilight had picked a different example.
  371. >”When their victim grows suspicious, they can instill deep feelings of shame and guilt to push them away from that line of thinking. They can also reward their victim for buying into the deception by removing pain and installing a feeling of peace or joy. Like a drug addict, the victim will quickly adapt to their altered state of mind and their thought patterns will mold themselves around the provided incentives. Once their conditioning is complete, the victim will be so thoroughly conditioned that they cannot accept reality even with proof right before their eyes. Their mind will resist and reject evidence, hoping to avoid punishment or reap reward. If given enough time to condition their victim, a changeling can force them to believe nearly anything. Since changeling mind control can be done by selectively depleting emotions, if a changeling can feed off a human…”
  372. “They can control a human. Anon seemed to have most of his faculties with him despite prolonged exposure.”
  373. >”His mind is going to be pretty alien to our own. It will take time for the changelings to figure out the intricacies of controlling them, and proper mind control might actually be untenable. But it’s probably only a matter of time before they can manipulate human thought patterns, assuming they can’t do it already.”
  374. “Humans wield power beyond our comprehension. And now the changelings wield humans. Frost Lilly. Your job is to prepare a warning to be delivered to all the humans in the world, followed by a detailed warning to be delivered to Earth’s representatives next time the portal opens. They’re not going to want to be manipulated; if we give them the tools to resist, they will resist.”
  375. >”Of course!”
  376. “Gem. We need to revise how we conduct trade. The changelings got contraband through, and while we can’t change how the humans run security we can control our end of the exchange. I don’t want any human goods to fall into changeling hooves ever again.”
  377. >”I’ll do what I can.”
  378. “The rest of you are here because you’re part of the militia or are involved in the maintenance of critical infrastructure. Make sure your subordinates understand the situation, and prepare for updated orders.”
  379. >Most of them kept silent, electing to nod instead.
  380. “Everypony except Lance and Twilight are dismissed.”
  381. >Lance seemed surprised by this move.
  382. >Twilight took it in stride.
  383. >She knew what was coming next.
  384. >Shining Armor waited for the masses to file out and the door to be closed before uttering another word.
  385.  
  386. “This is classified information. I expect Twily will be sharing it with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna assuming she hasn’t already-”
  387. >”I have.”
  388. “But beyond that I want to control how this is released. It’s going to cause panic. Twilight? You’ve been in contact with many of the humans in Equestria, right?”
  389. >”Yes. We’ve been pretty cautious with who we allow into our borders, but we haven’t banned humans entirely. We have diplomats, educators, physicians, and researchers. The researchers have been surprisingly open with their studies, and have shared with us much of what they’ve discovered.”
  390. “Tell Lapis Lance about the limitations of teleportation technology.”
  391. >”Well, a lot of this stuff is new to me. Hay, it’s pretty new to them! But from what I understand, human teleportation works very differently than ours. In fact it’s probably not even right to call it teleportation since they can’t really move through space like I do. They can only shift between universes.”
  392. >Twilight had explained it to Shining Armor before.
  393. >She made it pretty hard to follow by going into unnecessary detail, but he was used to that.
  394. >Shining Armor understood his sister, and that was a huge asset at times.
  395. >”Humans have several competing theories trying to explain why there is a universe. Most of these theories are attempts to explain why there is stuff, matter, energy, light etcetera. But some of them are trying to explain why there is space for the stuff to be in. Some of these models posit that there is in fact more than one universe. One such model claims that space exists on 4 plus n axes, but most particles are stuck in a potential well along n of those dimensions.”
  396. “Sorry, Twily. Dumb it down a bit.”
  397. >”Oh. right. The gist of it is that if you can find a way to force something along one of these extra directions, it’s really hard at first but then super easy, kinda like when you’re opening a jar and you break the seal.”
  398. >”I, um, I don’t really understand. If they can do that, why do they have to wait four months before opening the portal?”
  399. >”They don’t.”
  400. >”Okay… And why do they need to go to the gateway they made?”
  401. “They don’t. The schedule and the gateway exist for safety reasons. Unicorns who can teleport have to be careful with their power, and they’re not moving nearly as far, nor as blind. Having things appear out of nowhere is risky, so we decided on a place that was to be kept clear and a time at which to expect sudden apparitions.”
  402. >”Humans can appear anywhere and anywhen, so long as the potential well is low enough and they’re willing to burn the energy. Strangely they seem to lack the ability to teleport WITHIN a universe, just between them.”
  403. >”Sorry, I’m not sure I understand. They’re not restricted to the gateway, just where a well is low? What well?”
  404. >”A region surrounding a local minimum of potential energy.”
  405.  
  406. “She’s talking about how much resistance there is to moving between places. Their tools don’t seem to be strong enough to teleport to any universe, just the ones that are easier to get to.”
  407. >”Okay… so what’s easy to get to?”
  408. >”Here. Equestria, the Empire, the planet, our solar system, and probably even beyond. When they first started teleporting they didn’t come here on purpose. Hay, they didn’t even know there WAS a here! Instead, they chose the places that seemed easiest to reach, and it just so happened to be that Equestria was one of them.”
  409. “If they’re willing to pay about 250 bits per pound for energy, a human with the right equipment can manifest practically anything, practically anywhere, and at any at practically time. Thankfully it’s extremely hard to get the right equipment, and moving large objects this way would doubtlessly attract attention. But if Chrysalis is able to control enough humans to undermine their security, we have a problem.”
  410. >”She could apparate tanks in the middle of the palace! Or worse.”
  411. “The fact that she didn’t do it tells me she can’t, at least not yet. But if she can control humans it’s only a matter of time before she has access to their tools, their armies, their logistics, their intel- Chrysalis could beat us over the head with the power of an entire alien race.”
  412. >”Your highness… we can’t fight that.”
  413. “I know. That’s why we have to stop her before she can make contact with Earth.”
  414. >”Can’t we shut down the portal? Or wait, no we can’t.”
  415. “If humanity wants in, they’re going to get in. You likely recall that I initially denied humanity all access to the empire. It quickly became clear that this was an untenable position. Your primary assignment it to hunt down Chrysalis. Your secondary assignment… is to prepare for a non-nuclear war with Earth.”
  416. >”Your highness-”
  417. “I know, it’s an impossible fight if they launch a full scale invasion. But we might be able to resist a smaller force, at least long enough to get assistance.”
  418. >”Understood, your highness.”
  419. “Dismissed.”
  420. >He bowed before showing himself out.
  421. >Twilight bore a long face.
  422. >This talk of conflict was clearly bothering her.
  423. >And why shouldn’t it?
  424. >It was bothering the prince too.
  425. >Chrysalis was bad enough.
  426. >But he couldn’t help but wonder…
  427. >Why would Earth deny them access to weapons?
  428. >Unless, of course, they were preparing for a fight…
  429. >Was neutralizing Chrysalis enough to prevent an invasion?
  430. >”Shiny? That vein on your forehead is twitching again.”
  431.  
  432. >You wake up gradually at what you can only assume is an unreasonably late hour.
  433. >And then you simply lie in bed.
  434. >You feel… drained somehow.
  435. >You’re not tired in any sense of the term.
  436. >And yet you can’t seem to work up the energy to move.
  437. >So you just lay there.
  438. >Staring at the ceiling.
  439. >Minutes turn to hours, and your boredom starts to grate at your nerves.
  440. >And yet, you still don’t move.
  441. >There’s all sorts of beautiful things to see in the Empire, many of which you’ve been wanting to check out.
  442. >And if you get bored of this alien world, you still have a bunch of stuff on your laptop to waste time on.
  443. >None of that appeals to you.
  444. >It’s clear that there’s still something wrong with you.
  445. >Fucking magic.
  446. >But still, this feels different than before.
  447. >You’re not getting really angry for no reason.
  448. >You’re just…
  449. >Empty.
  450. >You can’t help but wonder what the timeline for recovery will be like.
  451. >Days?
  452. >Months?
  453. …
  454. >Years?
  455. >The ponies only had a few case studies, and even then they were ponies.
  456. >This might be the first ever case of arcane parasitism affecting humans.
  457. “Someone should really be documenting this. Girl! Girl, get in here!”
  458. >Wait.
  459. >She left, didn’t she?
  460. >And she’s probably not much of a typist anyway.
  461. >You mutter something a bit whiny before resigning yourself to your fate.
  462. >At least it gives you a reason to get out of bed.
  463. “Augh!”
  464. >And land right on your mangled feet.
  465. “I’d forgotten about those.”
  466. >Stumbling out to the living room is a slow and clumsy process.
  467. >Mercifully it’s not a long trip, and you’re soon sitting down with your laptop.
  468. >It doesn’t take long to compile a list of all the symptoms you’ve noticed.
  469. >For one, it hasn’t actually been that long.
  470. >But mostly it’s hard to be certain what’s caused by magical interference and what’s just normal emotion.
  471. >Is that intentional on their part?
  472. >Instinctual?
  473. >Just dumb luck?
  474. >It might simply be the nature of emotion playing into their hooves.
  475. “Patient retains his capacity for pointless speculation.”
  476. >The more you think about it, the less certain you are about your own actions.
  477. >When you decided to lend Rarity’s mouth, was that you?
  478. >When you changed your mind and made an ass of yourself, was that you?
  479. >Honestly, you should be thinking further back on this stuff.
  480. >She was with you for a fair while, and you didn’t notice.
  481. >It actually hadn’t even occurred to you that the shapeshifter master of deception might be nearby.
  482. >Was that oversight part of her manipulation, or was that just you being an idiot?
  483. >How long does it take for them to get into one’s head anyway?
  484. >For all you know, she was manipulating you when you agreed to help her drone.
  485. …
  486. >No, she was surprised when you agreed to it.
  487. >Is it safe to assume that it takes longer than that to worm into someone’s brain?
  488. >You spend who knows how long thinking it through and reflecting on your emotional state and thought patterns.
  489.  
  490. >Or right, you have a clock right there.
  491. >About 20 minutes.
  492. >About 20 minutes thinking about thinking, and you have no clue what was you and what was the bug.
  493. >You can’t help but feel a chill at the realization.
  494. >You don’t know what she forced you to do.
  495. >Honestly, you’re not even sure she forced you to do anything.
  496. >Yeah, she was eating your love or whatever, but that doesn’t mean she was actually controlling you.
  497. >Even after being released you can’t seem to be sure what she did to you.
  498. >How are you supposed to catch it in the moment?
  499. >And if you can’t even tell what’s being done, how can you resist it?
  500. >Something at the back of your mind tells you you have the key.
  501. >It may just be a gut instinct, but these hunches tend to be at least partially true.
  502. >The front door opens.
  503. >You quickly write in a reminder
  504. >Learn how to resist changelings.
  505. >You haven’t yet clicked save before Rarity walks into your living room.
  506. >”Ah! How are you feeling, master?”
  507. >Not irritable, so that’s a start.
  508. “Something’s still off. But it’s not as bad.”
  509. >”You sound stressed.”
  510. “Maybe a bit. I was just trying to figure out how to resist changeling control.”
  511. >”That would be marvelous. Have you succeeded?”
  512. >Wow.
  513. >She didn’t sound even remotely skeptical.
  514. “Nope.”
  515. >It was probably unwise to share that information.
  516. >Supposedly they’re gone for the time being.
  517. >But who knows how long that will last?
  518. >You have to keep any anti-changeling conniving close to your chest, lest they learn of it.
  519. “What were you up to?”
  520. >”Being inspired.”
  521. >She sits down next to you and cuddles up.
  522. “That’s pretty vague.”
  523.  
  524. >”It’s the first step of my process! First one finds inspiration, then they capture a facsimile of it, usually on paper. Once that’s done one should analyze it, trying to find the essence of what makes it marvelous. One all the chaff has been removed and you are left with naught but the kernel of beauty, then the design process can begin.”
  525. “Sounds time consuming.”
  526. >”All art is. I take it that this isn’t how you do your craft?”
  527. “Nope. Not sure if you know this, but before coming here I just did emergency work. I’d usually get a call from, uhh…”
  528. >What’s the pony word for paramedic?
  529. >Do they have one?
  530. “From the people bringing the patient in. They’d describe what was wrong and tell me how many minutes until they arrived.”
  531. >”That doesn’t sound particularly… structured. Though I suppose such is the nature of an emergency. Did you have plans prepared for various types of crises?”
  532. “Oh sure. Anything that can be done in advance should be. Sometimes it’s plenty, most emergency calls are actually pretty easy to handle. Other times there’s nowhere near enough time to prepare, and the deadlines are, ahem, flatlines.”
  533. >”I’m afraid I don’t follow.”
  534. “Just some wordplay that doesn’t translate well. So what inspiration were you looking for? New fashion line?”
  535. >”Oh heavens no! One doesn’t SEEK inspiration, one awaits it.”
  536. >Uh-huh.
  537. >Sure.
  538. >”And, well, it wasn’t all fashion related…”
  539. “Oh?”
  540. >”How would you feel about doing some… charity work?”
  541. “All I do is charity work. That’s my entire practice.”
  542. >”I thought you charged for your services.”
  543. “Not enough. What did you have in mind?”
  544. >”Well, I know of a certain mare who could use our help.”
  545. >Is she hinting at what you think she’s hinting at?
  546. >”Somepony who might never discover the joys of intimacy on their own.”
  547. >She is.
  548. >And you don’t care.
  549. >No excitement, no erection.
  550. >Another symptom to write down.
  551. >But you’re pretty certain that, were you not magically afflicted, you’d be interested.
  552. >You resolve to behave as though you cared so as not to let your future self down.
  553. “Something of a wallflower?”
  554. >”No, it’s not Wallflower. Perhaps she needs some help too… though I’m not certain where she is these days. Come to think of it, I can't even recall when I last saw her. If I can find her she could certainly use our assistance! But in the meantime, I propose we work on Twilight Sparkle.”
  555. “No.”
  556. >”But-”
  557. “Not happening.”
  558. >”But maaaaaster-”
  559. “It’s WAY too dangerous. Do you have any idea what her brother would do to me?”
  560. >”I’m certain he’d understand if I were to talk to him.”
  561. >No.
  562. >He would not.
  563. “Shining Armor’s a good guy most of the time. But he’s got a nasty temper, doesn’t take much to set him off.”
  564.  
  565. >And raping his sister is DEFINITELY enough for at least a whoopin’.
  566. >”But we wouldn’t be doing anything wrong! He approves of our relationship, does he not?”
  567. >You’re actually pretty sure he doesn’t.
  568. >”Why should his sister not find love with a strapping stallion in some similar manner?”
  569. >Stallion.
  570. >Not human.
  571. >Well…
  572. >That’s something to work on.
  573. “I agree with you. She needs to be tied up and fucked until she loses her capacity for higher thought. It’s just not going to happen.”
  574. >”That’s a shame.”
  575. >It is.
  576. >Unless…
  577. >”Perhaps if we were to ease the prince into such things by showing him ever more wonderful romances. What if we were to introduce somepony else to our lifestyle? Then it wouldn’t be so scandalous for poor Twilight.”
  578. >You’re not ready to give up on Twilight just yet.
  579. >But you might as well hear her out.
  580. “Got anypony in mind?”
  581. >”Why, yes. One of my associates, Coco Pommel.”
  582. “Is she-”
  583. >You were going to say cute.
  584. >That might make it harder to keep up this whole altruistic air.
  585. “Lonely?”
  586. >”I suspect she is, though it’s hard to be certain. The poor dear is so meek that even if she were to find love, I fear she might wind up with somepony abusive.”
  587. >You refrain from clearing your throat.
  588. “Err, yeah… that’d be bad. Does she live nearby?”
  589. >“Not exactly. She lives in Manehattan.”
  590. >Manehattan?
  591. “Does she spend 2,000 bits a week to live in a gutter?”
  592. >”Heavens no! She lives under a hoofbridge where the rain can’t reach!”
  593. “Nice, nice. How many roommates?”
  594. >”Only thirty.”
  595. >It seems both you and she have your senses of humor intact.
  596. >”Joking aside, I must confess that having a presence in that city is quite costly. I may have overestimated how profitable that branch would be, but we manage.”
  597. “I’d like to meet her.”
  598. >To your surprise, that’s true.
  599. >You’re actually interested in meeting her.
  600. >That’s probably noteworthy.
  601. “We’ll have to try and schedule a trip down there.”
  602. >”Oh there’s no need for that. She’s meant to arrive here any day now.”
  603. “That seems suspiciously convenient.”
  604. >”I had invited her here to help me set up shop, but the trains were shut down for so long because of the changeling scare. Honestly she’s already several days late, though through no fault of her own.”
  605. >If Coco’s cute she might be a good pick.
  606. >Rarity already has some degree of control over her.
  607. >And with Rarity on your side, it should be easy to break her.
  608. >Relatively speaking of course, you’re not expecting anypony to immediately lift their tail.
  609. >But you’re still thinking about Twilight.
  610. >If you could break her, you’d have an incredible asset on your hands.
  611. >What if Shining Armor didn’t know?
  612. >It would be a hard suture to thread, but if you were to condition Twilight while maintaining your innocence, you wouldn’t need to lose any teeth.
  613. >It would be slow and indirect.
  614.  
  615. >You can’t do with her what you did with Rarity, that’s for sure.
  616. >But it might be possible.
  617. >Was it worth the trouble with the other one being so convenient?
  618. >High value, high risk.
  619. >Or low value, low risk?
  620. >Do you risk your neck for one of the biggest possible conquests, or play it safe and find out what this no-name can do for you?
  621. >You know it’s ambitious.
  622. >No, not just ambitious, it’s outright greedy.
  623. >But still, you decide on the obvious.
  624. “We’re going after both.”
  625. >”But I thought you said Twilight wasn’t an option.”
  626. “I think I have a plan. We mustn’t tell ANYPONY about this. Not even ponies who would approve of it.”
  627. >Cadence won’t keep a secret from her husband.
  628. “For this to work, not even TWILIGHT can know.”
  629. >”How would that work?”
  630. “Mind control.”
  631. >She looks at you wide eyed.
  632. >”You can do that?”
  633. “No. Nopony’s actually going to be hypnotizing her. But she doesn’t know that, does she? I’ve talked to her with Candy Ass in the room-”
  634. >Rarity spat on the floor, much to your shock.
  635. >That was new behavior.
  636. >Quite unlike her too.
  637. >You were going to have to correct that.
  638. “You’re going to clean that up. Anyway, Ca- the princess, was aggressively flirtatious with Twilight. Talking about blowjobs and whatnot. I think she wants to fuck Twilight.”
  639. >”But they’re sisters in law! Not to mention they’re both mares!”
  640. “Are you really surprised that Candy Ass-”
  641. >She spat again.
  642. “Wants sex?”
  643. >”Well, when you put it like THAT I most certainly am not.”
  644. “Anyway, the princess seems to think that there’s a sexual mare in Twilight somewhere. If she’s right we just need to give her an excuse to overcome her inhibitions. If she thinks she’s being mind controlled, she’ll come out of her shell.”
  645. >”It’ll never work.”
  646. “Sure it will. Trust me on this.”
  647. >”I’m afraid you’re asking for quite a bit.”
  648. “When we first met, would you have believed you’d love being rutted while tied up? Or did you need a bit of help learning to enjoy yourself?”
  649. >The pensive look on her face tells you that you just fucked up.
  650. >You’re reminding her that you’ve abused her several times.
  651. >And that she hated it.
  652. >But while it might have been a mistake, there is a silver lining.
  653. >Rarity’s hesitance has shown you, or perhaps reminded you, that she still needs more training.
  654. >Better to find out now than to have her suddenly turn on you.
  655. >”I suppose we could try.”
  656. “That’s the spirit! She’s curious, so we just need to put the ideas in her head and she’ll explore them eventually.”
  657. >Right after you do a bit of malpractice on her of course.
  658. >You can’t mind control like a changeling does.
  659. >But you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve.
  660. >”This feels wrong. If we must be so sneaky about our doings, perhaps we should not be doing.”
  661. “Well, if you don’t feel right doing it then maybe-”
  662.  
  663. >We shouldn’t, is what you were going to say.
  664. >You sure seem to have to watch your words today.
  665. >Is that a symptom?
  666. >Either way, you remember telling yourself that you wouldn’t go easy on her and bite your tongue.
  667. “Maybe you need more training.”
  668. >You can hear her gasp, and feel her reeling back.
  669. >You move to stand up, but mercifully remember the foot problem for once.
  670. “Panties, blindfold, medium sized vibrating dildo, ball gag. Get ‘em.”
  671. >Rarity doesn’t break eye contact immediately.
  672. >But when she does, she looks to the front door first.
  673. >To your relief, she does eventually go to the bedroom.
  674. >At first she returns only with the vibrator, carefully held in her teeth with lips spread wide so as to avoid actually tasting it.
  675. >It’s funny how many hangups she still has given what she’s agreed to do.
  676. >When she returns the second time, the panties are on and the gag is strapped into her mouth.
  677. >You’re honestly not even sure how she did that.
  678. >She looks up at you in terror as you place the blindfold over her eyes.
  679. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
  680. >You have to let her butt heal before the next round after all.
  681. >Though her eyes are covered and her mouth forced open, you can still see tension leaving her body.
  682. >She was definitely worried you were going to hit her again.
  683. “You followed through even though you were afraid. That’s good. Turn around.”
  684. >She obediently turns to show you her lace covered ass.
  685.  
  686. >Her tail is twitching, seemingly caught in a struggle between her instinct to move it aside and her stubborn prudishness.
  687. “But you hesitated. That’s bad.”
  688. >You turn the vibrator to its highest setting, slip the panties aside, and shove the toy up her cunt.
  689. >She tries to scream in shock, but it comes out as a muffled grunt.
  690. >You slide the panties back into place to hold the toy in.
  691. “If we’re going to do this, you’ll have to be an exemplar. The highest quality slave around.”
  692. >”Hnn! Hnn!”
  693. >You sit back and put your feet up, resting them on her butt.
  694. >She stands dutifully still, serving as a living foot rest while the fake phallus grinds mercilessly in her pussy.
  695. “You love it, I can tell. Moaning like a beast, desperate for more cock.”
  696. >You’re actually enjoying this.
  697. >You grab your laptop to note that some things are starting to be fun again.
  698. “You’re lucky you found me, aren’t you? You needed someone to control your lust, before you wound up being a common whore.”
  699. >Her grunts reach a fevered pitch.
  700. >You can feel her legs trembling, but not quite giving out.
  701. “Cumming already? No surprise, this is what you were made for.”
  702. >There’s a rapidly growing wet spot on her panties.
  703. >The trembling grows stronger, and for a moment you’re worried she’s going to collapse.
  704. >But eventually, her shaking subsides.
  705. >The vibrator keeps buzzing.
  706. >Rarity starts shifting around uncomfortably.
  707. >She tries to say something, but you can’t make out what it is.
  708. “Hold still, girl.”
  709. >”MMMF!”
  710. >You take an educated guess.
  711. “I’m not taking it out.”
  712. >”MMM!”
  713. “You’ve got four hours to go. Don’t worry though, you’ll get breaks when it’s time to change the vibrator’s battery.”
  714. >”She’s whining.
  715. >But somehow, you think she’ll have fun.
  716. I was extremely hesitant to go for Twilight because, as one Anon noted, it’s suicide. A gradual, hands off approach is necessary, but given how long it took to crack Rarity with practically a practically unrestrained approach, that will take forever. And so I’ve decided we can work on the runner up while waiting for things to develop.
  717.  
  718. There's some good insight here, especially in regards to Coco. I'll try to keep your posts in mind...>When you let Rarity go, she immediately stumbled into the shower.
  719. >It’s still something of a wonder to you just how much time she spends in there, and how the city’s water supply manages to hold up.
  720. >You figure you’ve got a few hours to kill before she’s done in there.
  721. >Might as well try and be a little productive.
  722. “I’m heading to the clinic!”
  723. >You get up with a bit more difficulty than expected, and gingerly walk to the door.
  724. >Crutches in hand, you open the door and step out into the light of the late afternoon.
  725. >Even with crutches your walk is slow and deliberate.
  726. >Any misstep could end with a face full of cobble and a blinding pain in your abused toes.
  727. >You can only hope that this doesn’t last.
  728. >Nopony could take you seriously like this, after all.
  729. >A crotchety genius doctor with chronic pain and a cane?
  730. >It’s been done.
  731. >The air of the Empire has noticeably changed in the last few days; barricades and checkpoints have vanished and the streets are lively once more.
  732. >But it would be a mistake to say things had returned to normal.
  733. >The first thing that struck you was how many ponies stopped to wave as you passed.
  734. >You were well known before, of course, but by and large you were eyed with suspicion and apprehension.
  735. >There was no shortage of ponies whom had grown to appreciate and trust you, but they were outnumbered by those who feared you.
  736. >Ponies as a whole had an understandable tendency to be uneasy around the unknown, but in your experience the Crystal ponies were by far the least trusting.
  737. >Perhaps it was their history of oppression, or maybe a side effect of being locked out of time.
  738. >Whatever it was, their trust was hard won and had it not been for your good fortune in the early days it’s doubtful you’d have ever been accepted in the Empire.
  739. >Yet today seems to indicate that the balance has perhaps shifted, and that most of the locals view you in a good light.
  740. >Word must have spread about one of your recent accomplishments.
  741. >Was it that you had helped a few high profile ponies cheat death?
  742. >Or perhaps it was because you’d been instrumental in rooting out the changelings.
  743. >Maybe it was something as simple as growing familiarity.
  744. >Whatever had happened, their newfound friendliness had put a smile on your face.
  745. >But as you continued your journey, something a bit more subtle caught your eye.
  746. >Your public image wasn’t the only thing that had changed.
  747. >It wasn’t until you saw a particularly stalky stallion with a battleaxe strapped to his back that you noticed it, but once you did it was clear.
  748. >Most of them were armed.
  749. >Not just armed, but flaunting their weapons.
  750. >And unless you were mistaken, they kept a bit more distance from each other than they used to.
  751.  
  752. >When you let Rarity go, she immediately stumbled into the shower.
  753. >It’s still something of a wonder to you just how much time she spends in there, and how the city’s water supply manages to hold up.
  754. >You figure you’ve got a few hours to kill before she’s done in there.
  755. >Might as well try and be a little productive.
  756. “I’m heading to the clinic!”
  757. >You get up with a bit more difficulty than expected, and gingerly walk to the door.
  758. >Crutches in hand, you open the door and step out into the light of the late afternoon.
  759. >Even with crutches your walk is slow and deliberate.
  760. >Any misstep could end with a face full of cobble and a blinding pain in your abused toes.
  761. >You can only hope that this doesn’t last.
  762. >Nopony could take you seriously like this, after all.
  763. >A crotchety genius doctor with chronic pain and a cane?
  764. >It’s been done.
  765. >The air of the Empire has noticeably changed in the last few days; barricades and checkpoints have vanished and the streets are lively once more.
  766. >But it would be a mistake to say things had returned to normal.
  767. >The first thing that struck you was how many ponies stopped to wave as you passed.
  768. >You were well known before, of course, but by and large you were eyed with suspicion and apprehension.
  769. >There was no shortage of ponies whom had grown to appreciate and trust you, but they were outnumbered by those who feared you.
  770. >Ponies as a whole had an understandable tendency to be uneasy around the unknown, but in your experience the Crystal ponies were by far the least trusting.
  771. >Perhaps it was their history of oppression, or maybe a side effect of being locked out of time.
  772. >Whatever it was, their trust was hard won and had it not been for your good fortune in the early days it’s doubtful you’d have ever been accepted in the Empire.
  773. >Yet today seems to indicate that the balance has perhaps shifted, and that most of the locals view you in a good light.
  774. >Word must have spread about one of your recent accomplishments.
  775. >Was it that you had helped a few high profile ponies cheat death?
  776. >Or perhaps it was because you’d been instrumental in rooting out the changelings.
  777. >Maybe it was something as simple as growing familiarity.
  778. >Whatever had happened, their newfound friendliness had put a smile on your face.
  779. >But as you continued your journey, something a bit more subtle caught your eye.
  780. >Your public image wasn’t the only thing that had changed.
  781. >It wasn’t until you saw a particularly stalky stallion with a battleaxe strapped to his back that you noticed it, but once you did it was clear.
  782. >Most of them were armed.
  783. >Not just armed, but flaunting their weapons.
  784. >And unless you were mistaken, they kept a bit more distance from each other than they used to.
  785.  
  786. >Violence was nearly unheard of in the Empire, but still it was perfectly normal to see ponies going about their day with a blade or bow.
  787. >Some even flaunted firearms, though they were far from the norm.
  788. >It was no secret why so many chose to arm themselves given their history.
  789. >Not to mention that their reigning prince happily encouraged such behaviour.
  790. >But it WAS unusual to see weapons in such great number.
  791. >The ponies were uneasy.
  792. >And you felt it too.
  793. >Sure, the changelings had retreated, and you’d been assured they wouldn’t return immediately.
  794. >And yet, simply knowing that there were heavily armed invaders who could become all but invisible was enough to set anyone on edge.
  795. >The third thing you notice on your way to the clinic is by far the most interesting.
  796. >A teal pegasus with a vanilla mane stands before the front door, looking worried.
  797. >It’s a familiar face that you feel as though you haven’t seen in a very long time.
  798. >It’s your receptionist.
  799. “Sassaflash?”
  800. >Wasn’t she supposed to be back from vacation a while ago?
  801. >Better late than never.
  802. >”Anon! Oh my goodness, are you hurt? What happened here?”
  803. “Uh, a lot. Let’s go inside and talk it over.”
  804. >”Is it safe?”
  805. “Yep.”
  806. >She hesitantly unlocks the door and steps in.
  807. >You hear her gasp in shock as you walk past the boarded up windows.
  808. >”What happened here?”
  809. “Here as in the clinic? Or do you mean the empire?”
  810. >”Both! The front window is broken, the furniture has been scattered, and some of it’s broken too!”
  811. “And somepony kicked down my office door. The short version is shapeshifting bug monsters.”
  812. >”Changelings? Oh dear, is that why the trains weren’t running?”
  813. “The TRAINS weren’t running, of course. Here I was wondering why you were only getting back just now. Silly me.”
  814. >You can’t really blame her for that.
  815. “Twilight Sparkle and her friends were in town-”
  816. >Looking for Rarity.
  817. “And the changelings thought they were onto some secret plan or something and attacked her and her friends to try and get rid of them.”
  818. >”Oh dear. Last time the changelings attacked they locked several ponies up in their cave. How long was princess Twilight missing?”
  819. “Oh, she didn’t go missing. They just stabbed her.”
  820. >”Stabbed?”
  821. “With a spear. Wait, maybe I’m not supposed to tell you that.”
  822. >Oops.
  823. “She’s alive, don’t worry.”
  824. >”I know.”
  825. “Oh, you’d heard then? Guess I shouldn’t be surprised that word has spread.”
  826. >”What? Oh, no, I didn’t hear anything. I was on vacation!”
  827. >Things really are different without telecoms, aren’t they?
  828. >You sit down at your desk with a grunt, dropping the crutches on the floor.
  829. “How do you know she’s alive then?”
  830.  
  831. >”Because you were here to help her.”
  832. >Hm.
  833. >It’s nice to have somepony so supportive around.
  834. “You were out of town for like, a week longer than planned. Where did you stay?”
  835. >”With my family. Don’t worry, I’m fine, I’m more worried about you!”
  836. “Me? Oh my feet. I suppose the crutches were a good hint, weren’t they? Well, turns out changelings take hostages. And it also turns out humans don’t like freezing.”
  837. >”Are you going to be okay?”
  838. “Should be. That’s actually why I came in today.”
  839. >”What do you need?”
  840. “High osmolality contrast medium.”
  841. >She trots off after giving a quick nod.
  842. >You’re glad to have her back, even if it’s going to be hard to pay her.
  843. >The crown is supposed to pay you for putting Twilight back together, and while nopony’s promised anything you’re pretty sure they’re going to pay you for the other stuff you’ve done lately.
  844. >But it’s been an awful long time since you actually received a single bit.
  845. >Sassaflash returns with a syringe.
  846. >You quickly check and confirm it’s the right one.
  847. >”What happened in the store room?”
  848. “Oh yeah, that’s changed too hasn’t it?”
  849. >”A bunch of your medicine is missing!”
  850. “The prince threw it in a fire because of changelings. It made sense at the time.”
  851. >The needle hurts more than you’d expected it to, but it’s in.
  852. >Now you just have to wait while it diffuses.
  853. >”So what kind of medicine is that?”
  854. “Contrast medium. It makes my blood opaque to x-rays, so I can see my circulatory system without having to cut anything. Just trying to figure out how severe the damage is.”
  855. >”But you said you were going to be okay!”
  856. >She sounds genuinely worried.
  857. >What a great pony.
  858. “I’ll be fine, but my toes might not be. Worst case scenario I lose a few of them. We’ll find out soon.”
  859. >”But what if your toes aren’t okay?”
  860. “Then I might need help counting to 20. Speaking of a counting, there are more than a few outstanding accounts. We’re obviously not open at the moment, but could I ask you to use some of this downtime to mail out invoices?”
  861. >”Right now? But you’re hurt!”
  862. “Come to think of it, you’re RIGHT! Now clearly isn’t the time to be worried about billing.”
  863. >She gives you a soft smile.
  864. “We need to clean up!”
  865. >The smile is gone.
  866. “There’s a high profile patient coming in for a followup tomorrow.”
  867. >”You are in no condition to be seeing patients!”
  868. “I’ll be fine, it’s just hard to walk. Besides, she’s in no condition to be without medical help.”
  869. >”But- okay. If it’s important we don’t have much of a choice. Who’s the patient?”
  870. “Twilight Sparkle.”
  871. >”The one they stabbed? Yeah… we’d better not bump that appointment. What are we booking?”
  872. “Wound inspection and cleaning, probably debridement. Oh! And remind me to check her blood pressure, there’s a family history of problems there. Aaaand…”
  873.  
  874. >You thought you had more time to come up with an excuse.
  875. >But here you are.
  876. >Put on the spot a full day early.
  877. >Wait, it’s actually pretty easy!
  878. “We don’t have good pain management options, and I’m probably debriding. Better knock her out for a while. That or hand out earplugs.”
  879. >If she’s unconscious you can get away with some malpractice!
  880. >Just a bit of secret nerve stimulation and neurotransmitter manipulation, nothing big.
  881. >Gotta target an erogenous zone OTHER than the dorsal clitoris though.
  882. >Some ponies already know that trick, after all.
  883. >You REALLY want to give her a cochlear implant too.
  884. >But you’re neither equipped, nor properly trained.
  885. >And even if you WERE, there’s no way you’d get away with it.
  886. >Drilling away chunks of her skull would leave her plenty sore, and plenty curious.
  887. >Still, the power to make her hear voices would be so sweet.
  888. “She’s not in any appreciable danger, but recovery is going to be rough.”
  889. >”Is that privileged information?”
  890. “I’m not sure how they want to handle that, so assume it’s confidential for now.”
  891. >The contrast medium is in your system.
  892. >You remove the needle and dispose of it.
  893. “That’ll take a bit to circulate properly. I’m going to go prepare for tomorrow.”
  894. >She reaches down and grabs your crutches before you have a chance.
  895. “Thanks.”
  896. >”I’ll clean up the lobby. At the very least we have to get rid of the broken glass!”
  897. “Wait, there’s still broken glass in there? That’s news to me.”
  898. >”Under the desk.”
  899. “Ah. Must’ve overlooked it.”
  900. >That’s embarrassing.
  901. “In my defence, things were kinda crazy.”
  902. >Better get to work.
  903. >It feels wrong to use the surgical theatre for wound care.
  904. >It’s completely excessive; she doesn’t need anything particularly invasive.
  905. >But if you’re going to sedate her, it’s easiest to do it here.
  906. >And malfeasance aside, the choice to sedate her IS defensible.
  907. >Debridement varies from quite painful to downright agonising depending on where it’s being done.
  908. >This session would tend towards the latter.
  909. >It’s okay to inflict some amount of pain on your toys, but there are limits!
  910. >Besides, pain aside it could be dangerous if she flinches or squirms too much.
  911. >Yes, general anaesthetic is excessive, but with so few alternatives to be found it seems proper.
  912. >Not to mention how safe the process has become over the years.
  913. >Even when you were in med school, putting a patient under with general anaesthetic demanded a lot of prep and training.
  914. >But with current gen drugs it’s foolproof, aside from the risk of respiratory arrest.
  915. >Something you’re well equipped to handle.
  916. >You make a point of keeping most of the surgical theatre wrapped up so as to minimise cleanup, and only prepare the things you’ll actually need.
  917. >It doesn’t take long, and yet Sassaflash finishes before you do.
  918. >You return to the lobby to find it neat and tidy.
  919. >Aside from the boarded up windows and missing chairs of course.
  920.  
  921. >Strangely, she’s nowhere to be found.
  922. >You head into medical imaging to find she’s beaten you to the punch.
  923. >”X Ray is ready.”
  924. “Much obliged. You remember how to run this thing, right?”
  925. >”Point it at the thing, put the heavy apron around whatever we’re not looking at, and then stand behind the shield. I’ve been meaning to ask though, why is there a shield? Isn’t it safe?”
  926. “Safe is a relative term.”
  927. >”Oh. Oh dear.”
  928. >Everything looks to be in order, but she hasn’t pushed the button yet.
  929. “Do it.”
  930. >”Okay, if you’re sure…”
  931. *DRRRRRRRRR*
  932. “And the other foot.”
  933. >You adjust the machinery yourself, letting Sassaflash stay put.
  934. “Go.”
  935. *DRRRRRRRRR*
  936. “Alrighty. Shut it down, and I’ll go look at the results.”
  937. >”Can I see?”
  938. “I guess?”
  939. >That’s sorta private.
  940. >But knowing her, she’ll assume the worst if you say no.
  941. >You don’t want her well meaning self to be breathing down your neck at all hours.
  942. >You make your way to your office and open up your laptop.
  943. >No surprise, the X Ray had sent the images to your harddrive via Bluetooth.
  944. >That damn thing is near impossible to turn on because it’s so old, but when you manage to get it to run it’s plenty reliable.
  945. >You open the files and-
  946. “Eugh!”
  947. >”That doesn’t sound good. Lemme see!”
  948. >She nearly shoves you aside to get a closer look.
  949. >”What are THOSE?”
  950. “Those would be my bones.”
  951. >”Oh. Are they supposed to look like that?”
  952. “Yes, actually.”
  953. >”Oh. Well, what’s THAT?”
  954. “My blood.”
  955. >”Oh. It’s not a weird spider? Well… good. I’m not seeing anything bad here.”
  956. >The “weird spider” was smaller than expected.
  957. >You’d severely underestimated the severity of your injury.
  958. >And while it’s still possible to make a full recovery, you’re no longer optimistic.
  959. “Could you get some, uh, quinapril and warfarin?”
  960. >”Do we still have those?”
  961. >”Am I interruptin’ something?”
  962. >Both you and Sassaflash look up from the display.
  963. >”Applejack?”
  964. >”Sassaflash? I ain’t seen you in years. This where you wound up?
  965. >”Applejack! It’s been too long. Yes, I’ve been working with the good doctor here for a while now.”
  966. >”Good doctor. Right. What’cha got there?”
  967. “Nothing that concerns you.”
  968. >”It’s Rarity, ain’t it?”
  969. >Uh oh.
  970. “I am not at liberty to discuss the private affairs of others.”
  971. >Applejack shoves you aside, knocking you helplessly to the ground.
  972. >Sassaflash gasps in shock
  973. >”Are you hurt?”
  974. >Not really.
  975. >”This ain’t Rarity. What is it?”
  976. “Nothing that- it’s my feet, okay? It’s my feet.”
  977. >”That’s what they look like down there? No wonder you wear those shoes.”
  978. “It’s an X ray image- that’s not important right now!”
  979. >You grab hold of your desk and start to pull yourself up.
  980. “You’re not supposed to be in here. Get out!”
  981.  
  982. >”Nothin’ doin’! I’m here until you tell me the truth!”
  983. “Fine! I admit it! Eggs aren’t actually bad for you!”
  984. >”What- EGGS? I’m talking about Rarity! What did you do to her?”
  985. >Sassaflash stares wide eyed as Applejack crowds you in, pinning you helplessly in the corner.
  986. >Something tells you she could kick right through you if she really wanted to.
  987. >And the look in her eyes suggests she’s considering it.
  988. “Nothing! I didn’t do anything!”
  989. >”Liar!”
  990. >She stomps on the ground, filling the air with an ear splitting crack.
  991. >”What, did you just think we’d all forget just ‘cause Twi got hurt? The other might have a short memory, but I sure don’t! Tell me the truth ‘fore I beat it outta you.”
  992. >Courage, Anon.
  993. >Courage.
  994. >You correct your posture, close your eyes, and take a deep breath.
  995. “Well? I’m waiting.”
  996. >”Beg your pardon?”
  997. “I’m not telling you anything. Better start beating me.”
  998. >”So you admit you’re lyin’?”
  999. “Of course.”
  1000. >Both Applejack and Sassaflash give you the slack jawed look of one who’d just been told that water was not only dry, but a desiccant.
  1001. “I am privy to sensitive and embarrassing information. Ponies trust me to keep their secrets, so when busybodies like you come by I LIE sometimes! Sometimes I lie about symptoms, sometimes about medication, hay, sometimes I lie about having even MET certain ponies!”
  1002. >To your great relief, she’s shrinking back.
  1003. >You decide to push your luck and shove your finger up in her muzzle.
  1004. “Would YOU appreciate it if I just told everypony all of YOUR health problems?”
  1005. >”Well, no, but-”
  1006. “Then how DARE you come in here and stick your nose in others’ secrets? You have no right!”
  1007. >”Anon, you’re asking me to be okay with you lying to me!”
  1008. “No, I’m asking you to LEAVE. And stop asking questions that I’m not allowed to answer!”
  1009. >”I- I’m sorry for shoving y’all. I’ll show myself out.”
  1010. >Sassaflash scoots aside to let Applejack leave, still looking equal parts shocked and terrified.
  1011. >Your heart is still racing.
  1012. >And you think your knees are trembling a bit.
  1013. >Both you and Sassaflash stay silent until Applejack leaves, barely daring to breathe.
  1014. >The front door swings shut.
  1015. >And you collapse back in your chair.
  1016. >”I’ve never SEEN her like that before!”
  1017. ”She’s not normally like that? Good. She’s… scary.”
  1018. >“What happened?”
  1019. “Well, one of her friends came to town to see me. And she… what can I say here? She didn’t return as soon as they expected, so Applejack and her group came to look for her. Unfortunately, they caught her here.”
  1020. >”Oh. Oh dear.”
  1021. “The worst part is I had already denied having ever met her. Now Applejack seems to think… I don’t know what she thinks. That I had abducted her friend and was hiding her from the world or something?”
  1022. >”That’s just silly. Which friend? Wait, Rarity. Right. I’m guessing I shouldn’t tell anypony she was here.”
  1023.  
  1024. “Not if you can help it. Though she’ll be around for a while, so it might not be possible to keep quiet forever. Do you know Rararay?”
  1025. >You should really learn how to pronounce her name properly.
  1026. “Rarity? We’ve met, but we weren’t close.”
  1027. >That complicates things a bit.
  1028. >You’ll have to make a file for her, if only so Sassaflash can find it when Rarity “checks in”.
  1029. >And you’ll have to falsify a problem in case somepony looks at it.
  1030. >Something something numb horn, something something no magic.
  1031. “So of what you know about Applejack…”
  1032. >”She’ll be back. If she thinks somepony hurt her friend, she’ll be back.”
  1033. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
  1034. >You briefly consider switching targets to Applejack.
  1035. >But with her being so suspicious, there’s no way you’d get her.
  1036. >Not without a lot of help.
  1037. >Best to keep her at a safe distance for the foreseeable future.
  1038. >But some day you’ll put her in her place.
  1039. >It might not be this year, it might not even be this decade, but she’ll pay for her insolence.
  1040. >You try to shift your posture to hide the growing bulge in your pants, and banish the thought of Applejack choking on your dick.
  1041. “Well, I’ve got a bit of paperwork to do, but there’s not much point in you sticking around.”
  1042. >”I’m going to do invoices. AFTER getting you those pills you asked for. What were they again?”
  1043. “Quinapril and Warfarin. Thanks, Sassaflash.”
  1044. >Better make up that fake file sooner rather than later.
  1045. >Let’s see here…
  1046. >Patient mentioned lack of sensation in her horn after minor head injury…
  1047.  
  1048. Looks like Anon isn’t in the clear just yet. The smart move would be to lay low until the heat’s off, but that doesn’t make for good storytelling.
  1049. Since it would be unwise to hijack Twilight’s clitoral nerve I’m open to suggestions for something else to target. Preferably an erogenous zone, but if somebody has a fun idea I’m willing to be flexible.
  1050.  
  1051. >You return home a few hours later, paperwork filed and blood thoroughly thinned.
  1052. >And you can’t help but feel a bit… excited.
  1053. >Maybe it’s because you got out of the house for a while, or maybe it’s because changeling magic has an expiry date.
  1054. >Hay, maybe it’s just natural biochemistry doing its thing.
  1055. >Whatever’s going on, your crutches aren’t the only wood you’re carrying.
  1056. >If only that joke translated well, you’d be able to make Rarity moan for a different reason!
  1057. >Are bad jokes a suitable form of PUNishment?
  1058. >Naa, that’d be dumb.
  1059. >You shove the door open and make your way to the couch.
  1060. “I’m home!”
  1061. >”Master.”
  1062. >Rarity is lounging on the couch with a towel beneath her rump.
  1063. >She’s awkwardly running a brush through her mane, trying to style it before it dries.
  1064. “Need help with that?”
  1065. >”NO! That is to say, I have it under control.”
  1066. >You sit down next to her.
  1067. “You don’t trust me with your mane.”
  1068. >She immediately breaks eye contact.
  1069. >Looks like you were right on the money.
  1070. >”It’s just that, well, um, that is to say-”
  1071. “I don’t blame you.”
  1072. >”Oh, that is a relief.”
  1073. “But I do expect you to tell me WHY you don’t trust me. You shouldn’t keep secrets from me, after all.”
  1074. >”Oh dear, how shall I word this? It’s not easy to style my coiffure properly, in fact it has taken me many years of experimentation to learn how to do it consistently. I suspect that, were you to attempt, it would not turn out properly.”
  1075. >You just offer a non-committal grunt.
  1076. >”You aren’t upset?”
  1077. “Nope. Should I be?”
  1078. >”No! No, it is perfectly acceptable that you aren’t upset.”
  1079. >Is she afraid of you, or afraid of upsetting you?
  1080. >Either way, that attitude suggests she’ll try to please you.
  1081. >It’s important to keep tabs on such things, and critical that you keep working on Rarity.
  1082. >It would be far too easy to lose sight on her while working on future conquests, and the truth of the matter is she’s not done yet.
  1083. >Come to think of it, that’s a huge problem.
  1084. >You were going to make her do at least some of the training for her friends, but how can she be expected to do that when she herself isn’t properly trained?
  1085. >She probably doesn’t even know what the ideal sub looks like!
  1086. “Wait a second.”
  1087. >”Pardon?”
  1088. “Just thinking aloud.”
  1089. >Do YOU know what the ideal sub looks like?
  1090. >You’ve been playing it by ear this whole time, with no clear vision.
  1091. >If you yourself don’t know what you want, how can you communicate to Rarity her orders?
  1092. >You grab your laptop and open a new text document.
  1093.  
  1094. >You try to position yourself such that Rarity can’t see the screen, but then remember she can’t read English anyway.
  1095.  
  1096. The Perfect Mare:
  1097. Unwavering obedience
  1098. Fanatical devotion to her master
  1099. Proactive about serving
  1100. Always wearing a token or symbol of submission
  1101. Eagerness to perform all sex acts
  1102. Constantly seeking to improve herself (skills, appearance, assets etc.)
  1103. An advocate for the D/s lifestyle
  1104.  
  1105. >There has to be more to it.
  1106. >This is supposed to be the PERFECT mare.
  1107. >But you can’t think of anything else off the top of your head.
  1108. >It’s something you’ll have to update over time.
  1109. >Still, this gives you some guidelines that you can convey.
  1110. >More importantly, it demonstrates how Rarity herself is still lacking.
  1111. >You look over the list and find that Rarity falls short on every single item.
  1112. >If only-
  1113. >”What are you working on?”
  1114. “A checklist. We’re going to introduce others to the lifestyle, so I figured it would be good to get our thoughts in order.”
  1115. >”I see! What is of the utmost importance?”
  1116. “A good master should always prioritize the safety of his submissive.”
  1117. >Doesn’t hurt to make yourself look good.
  1118. “Oh, did you mean for the submissive? I was actually going to ask for your thoughts when making that list.”
  1119. >Because if it’s her idea, she can’t blame you for it.
  1120. >”Well, it’s all about love, is it not?”
  1121. “That’s pretty vague. We want actionable things.”
  1122. >”Hm. I suppose.”
  1123. >And she goes silent, further proving that she falls short of the ideal in every possible way.
  1124. >This is so far from proactive…
  1125. >You might have jumped the gun on moving to other ponies.
  1126. >Is it too late to back down?
  1127. >No, you’re looking at this wrong.
  1128. >Having Rarity train others is part of HER training.
  1129. >You take the silence as a chance to think.
  1130. >It would be… unwise to share the exact wording of your goals.
  1131. >Best to make it sound more romantic and less controlling.
  1132. >You think you’ve got it figured out, but manage to bite your tongue.
  1133. >If you’re going to think, you might as well think ahead.
  1134. >She’s probably going to ask how YOU should behave again.
  1135. >And while you managed quite well last time, it’s unwise to rely too heavily on improvisation.
  1136. >What if…
  1137. >What if you gave yourself an excuse to constantly demand more?
  1138. >And worded it such that it was about helping HER…
  1139. >Got it.
  1140. “I think it has to be about trust and commitment.”
  1141. >”Those are indeed key to any proper romance. But they aren’t actionable.”
  1142. “Aren’t they? You can resolve to give the benefit of the doubt, or commit to being the best partner you can be.”
  1143. >”I… suppose that makes sense.”
  1144. >At least she agreed.
  1145. >”What’s second on your side of the list?”
  1146. >Called it!
  1147. “To prioritize the long term over the short term.”
  1148. >”I’m not certain I understand.”
  1149.  
  1150. “Broadening one’s horizons can be difficult, or even painful. I need to make sure you live a good LIFE, not just a good DAY. And- hmm…”
  1151. >”Is something the matter?”
  1152. “Yeah. Just worrying I haven’t been doing a very good job of that.”
  1153. >”Well, I for one think you are doing a fine job.”
  1154. “I’m really not. We’ve got a bunch of rules that I haven’t been enforcing.”
  1155. >”We do?”
  1156. “Did you sleep in bondage last night?”
  1157. >”Um…”
  1158. “Are you wearing your choker? Do you have a plug in?”
  1159. >”I… do not.”
  1160. “And have you masturbated recently?”
  1161. >”You cannot ask a LADY such questions!”
  1162. “That’s a yes. I made those rules for a reason. And while I am disappointed you haven’t been following them, it’s partially my fault. Do you know why these things are important?”
  1163. >”No.”
  1164. “No what?”
  1165. >”No master.”
  1166. >There’s something else you’ve been a bit lax on.
  1167. “The choker isn’t a piece of clothing. It’s a reminder. A reminder that you belong somewhere, that you have a place where you’re loved. And…”
  1168. >Do you say this part out loud?
  1169. >Yeah.
  1170. >Yeah you do.
  1171. >She’s ready.
  1172. “And a reminder of your obligations. The fact that it looks quite fetching on you is a bonus.”
  1173. >”I’m not certain that I need a reminder, master. It’s not likely that I would just forget you were here!”
  1174. >It’s actually very important.
  1175. >You don’t want her to compartmentalize being your slave to specific times nor locations.
  1176. >She’s yours even when you’re not around.
  1177. “Just trust me on this one.”
  1178. >She opens her mouth immediately.
  1179. >But nothing comes out.
  1180. >Had that seed you’d planted about being more trusting already borne fruit?
  1181. >”Very well. I still don’t intend to wear it in public.”
  1182. “Alright. I think you should, but if it’s important to you then I won’t force it.”
  1183. >You really want that one, but it’s not worth it.
  1184. >It would be a breach of your agreement, which would seriously undermine trust and foster rebellion.
  1185. >”How is my sleeping arrangement important?”
  1186. >You want her to rely on you for even the most basic needs.
  1187. >If she needs you to bind her before she sleeps, she effectively needs your permission to sleep.
  1188. >But there’s another reason.
  1189. “It’s so you learn to relax while bound, and so we can learn different methods that are comfortable.”
  1190. >She pouts.
  1191. >”I fail to see the value in that.”
  1192. “Would you rather be tense and uncomfortable during sex?”
  1193. >”I-”
  1194. >There’s that blush again.
  1195. >”Okay. Perhaps we can resume that practice a bit... What about that dreadful thing you put in my rear?”
  1196. “Broadening your horizons.”
  1197. >”Some horizons are already broad enough!”
  1198. “They really aren’t. You’re sexually repressed and downright frigid.”
  1199. >”Nopony does THAT!”
  1200. “It’s actually a lot more common than you’d think.”
  1201.  
  1202. >”And WHAT precisely makes you think that?”
  1203. “The ponies who needed my help extracting something from their back door. You should play with your ass, just make sure it’s something that you can get out and that won’t break.”
  1204. >”Is that… truly a problem you’ve encountered?”
  1205. “Yes.”
  1206. >You weren’t even lying this time.
  1207. “It’s something that lovers do sometimes.”
  1208. >”Be that as it may, I don’t like it.”
  1209. “I know. I’m trying to fix that.”
  1210. >”I-”
  1211. >She bites her lower lip.
  1212. >”Do you…”
  1213. >She’s surprisingly articulate given she’s still biting that lip.
  1214. >”Why is it important that we have that option?”
  1215. >Good question.
  1216. >From your end, it’s mostly just about control.
  1217. >You don’t want to have it as much as you want her to give it up.
  1218. “Don’t you want to be a better lover?”
  1219. >”Of course!”
  1220. “Then you should want to be skilled, and also well rounded.”
  1221. >”But, it hurts…”
  1222. “Again, I’m trying to fix that.”
  1223. >”I…”
  1224. >She stares at the floor for a while, breathing heavily.
  1225. >Then quite suddenly, she sits up straight and looks you in the eye.
  1226. >Her eyes are watering, and she’s trembling a bit.
  1227. >But she also has a warm smile on her face.
  1228. >”If you think it is for the best, we shall try it.”
  1229. >She leans forward and plants a wet, sloppy kiss right on your lips.
  1230. >You hold her tight, wanting to make sure she feels rewarded for this.
  1231. >Rarity breaks the kiss shortly after, but you continue to hold her, stroking her mane all the while.
  1232. “I want you to know you’re doing a great job. Thank you.”
  1233. >”I’m still frightened.”
  1234. “If it starts to hurt, tell me and we’ll stop.”
  1235. >”Right.”
  1236. “And it’s going to take some time before you really get the hang of it, but that’s okay. We can take it slow.”
  1237. >”You promise that we can stop if it hurts?”
  1238. “Yes. But if we’re going to do this, well, there’s a reason I forbade masturbation too.”
  1239. >And that reason is so she would become dependent on you for release.
  1240. >But this is a decent excuse.
  1241. “If you keep playing with your crotch, you’ll never learn to appreciate your other erogenous zones. They’re sensitive and shouldn’t be ignored, but until you learn to enjoy them, getting off the easy way is just going to slow things down.”
  1242. >”I’m not certain I understand, but you’re the expert on the body.”
  1243.  
  1244. “We’re going to start now.”
  1245. >”N-now?”
  1246. >You don’t answer.
  1247. >Instead you close up your laptop and make your way to bed.
  1248. >By the time Rarity arrives, you’re already removing your pants.
  1249. >”I can’t help but notice you are disrobing. Do you intend to…”
  1250. “Not tonight.”
  1251. >”Thank goodness. It’s far too big!”
  1252. >Somehow that complaint felt like a compliment.
  1253. >You take Rarity’s hoof as she climbs up into bed.
  1254. >You catch her gaze briefly.
  1255. >Though fleeting, you can see fear in her eyes.
  1256. >You’d been planning on binding her, but now you’re second guessing it.
  1257. >She’s already anxious, and you’d much prefer her to be relaxed.
  1258. >But on the other hand, if she’s bound then she has no choice but to go along with it.
  1259. >By denying agency you might actually calm her.
  1260. >In the end you settle for light bondage.
  1261. >You wrap a ribbon around each of Rarity’s hind legs, making a point of putting the pressure on her thighs.
  1262. >Once the ribbon is good and secure, you tie it to your bed’s legs, pulling her legs apart.
  1263. >Could be wider.
  1264. >You pull more-
  1265. >”That’s a tad much!”
  1266. “Alright.”
  1267. >You’ll have to work on her flexibility too.
  1268. >But for the time being, you relent.
  1269. >That’s a pretty low priority, and getting this far already took some coaxing.
  1270. “Your job right now is to relax. If you’re all tense you’ll instinctively try to fight it.”
  1271. >You move to grab her butt but stop.
  1272. There are still welts from the whipping.
  1273. Red lines of varying intensity criss cross the otherwise pristine ass.
  1274. >You’d said you wouldn’t hurt her, and you intend to make good on that promise.
  1275. >For tonight, at least.
  1276. >You lightly stroke her reddened cheeks, resisting the urge to give them a good slap and watch them jiggle.
  1277. >You reach into your labcoat to fetch a glove, only to remember that you’re not currently wearing it.
  1278. >Rarity suppresses a chuckle.
  1279. “Yeah, yeah.”
  1280. >It takes you a few seconds to fetch what you need.
  1281. >”There’s no need to be bashful, dear.”
  1282. >You glove up one hand and prepare to lubricate it.
  1283. >But wait.
  1284. “Where’s your choker?”
  1285. >”Oh dear, I had completely forgotten. It’s in the nightstand. You’re… certain it’s necessary?”
  1286. “Don’t you like it?”
  1287. >”Of course! It simply seems a strange requirement for love making.”
  1288. >You carefully wrap it around her neck.
  1289. “I told you. It’s a reminder and a symbol. A symbol of our relationship, and a symbol-”
  1290. >The lock makes a satisfying click.
  1291. “Of belonging.”
  1292. >It fits snugly around her neck, tight enough to make its presence known.
  1293. “Ready?”
  1294. >You don’t wait for an answer.
  1295. >Your gloved finger slides into her butt quickly and easily.
  1296. >”Cold!”
  1297.  
  1298. >You use your knowledge of anatomy and the magic of fingers to guide your probing precisely.
  1299. >Most of the nerves of the vagina pass near the back door, including the clitoral trunk.
  1300. >And you know EXACTLY where to poke to stimulate them.
  1301. >Rarity shivers and squirms, pulling against the ribbons that hold her in place.
  1302. >She’s trying to get away from it.
  1303. >But you maintain the slow and gentle prodding; one finger carefully but insistently invading her body.
  1304. “How are you feeling?”
  1305. >”It feels… peculiar. But not unenjoyable.”
  1306. >You push a second finger in.
  1307. >Rarity gasps as it worms its way into her body.
  1308. >She’s hiding it well, but you can tell that she’s aroused from the blush blooming on her face and the moisture appearing from her groin.
  1309. >You reach around with your other hand and tickle her rock hard nipples, all the while tenderly prodding her nerves.
  1310. >She starts squirming again, but this time it’s different.
  1311. >She’s not pulling away from your touch; Rarity has started pushing against you trying to get a bit more sensation.
  1312. “See? I told you it would feel good.”
  1313. >“Hnn… it’s not enough!”
  1314. “Sure it is. You’re just frigid. But don’t worry, we’ll fix that together.”
  1315. >She whimpers in a bizarre mix of lust and sadness.
  1316. >You watch Rarity try helplessly to rub her thighs together, desperate to stimulate her pussy in even the slightest manner.
  1317. >She arches her back, barely managing to shift her weight onto her pelvis.
  1318. >And then she starts squirming about, touching her clitoris to your bedding.
  1319. >You deliver a swift and firm smack to her abused butt, eliciting a pained yelp.
  1320. “I told you, no masturbating.”
  1321. >”But I neeeeeed it!”
  1322. >She’s nearly crying!
  1323. >Truth be told, you need it too.
  1324. >But you can’t relent!
  1325. >Instead, you add a third finger.
  1326. >”Ack! Stop!”
  1327. “Wait, really?”
  1328. >”TAKE IT OUT!”
  1329. >Huh.
  1330. >You acquiesce, somewhat surprised that she called for mercy so early.
  1331. >You had her exactly where you wanted her, nearly begging to be buttfucked.
  1332. >But apparently, a third finger crossed the line.
  1333. “No signs of damage. I’m sure you could have taken it.”
  1334. >”I’m sorry, but it was too much!”
  1335. >She definitely needs more training then.
  1336. >You sit on the bed beside her and give her a pat on the back.
  1337. “But you see now, right? It felt good.”
  1338. >Her attempts to hide behind her mane are almost laughable, splayed out as she is before you.
  1339. >”It did. It was quite different from the normal way… It could make a good apparative.”
  1340. >You discard your glove and lie down next to her.
  1341. >”Umm, aren’t you going to untie me?”
  1342. “Why? I’d just have to redo it in 10 minutes.”
  1343. >”What’s happening in 10 minutes? Oh. Oh my…”
  1344.  
  1345. I’m not particularly keen on anal stuff, so hopefully that turned out okay.
  1346. And yes, we’re playing with Rarity again. I intend to continue lewding her until I inevitably run out of ideas and shut this story down. She's not intended to be the focus of this arc, but she'll be around.
  1347.  
  1348. >You arrive at the clinic the next morning with a spring in your step.
  1349. >Or at least in one of your steps.
  1350. >There’s a good 20 minute yet before your appointment, but it’s best to be early for this kind of thing.
  1351. >That way you’ll have time to make sure everything’s in order, review your plans, prepare for the interview…
  1352. >You’ll just have time to be ready in general.
  1353. >You slide your key into the lock and turn it, but the bolt doesn’t engage.
  1354. >That’s odd…
  1355. >The door’s unlocked.
  1356. >You push the door open to find that the lights are on.
  1357. “Sassaflash?”
  1358. >That’s right, she’s back.
  1359. >You’d gotten used to her being gone.
  1360. >”Hello, doctor. You’re early, but not early enough.”
  1361. >You stumble in to find Sassaflash seated at her desk, and across from her is Twilight Sparkle.
  1362. “Twilight? I wasn’t expecting you for- well, your appointment is in 20 minutes so I probably should have been expecting you now.”
  1363. >”Is there something wrong with your leg?”
  1364. “Yep. But don’t worry about that for now, come into my office. I’ve got some questions to ask you.”
  1365. >”What happened though?”
  1366. “Changelings.”
  1367. >”They’re BACK?”
  1368. “Hopefully not. I just haven’t gotten over what they did quite yet.”
  1369. >You make your way into your office and wait for Twilight.
  1370. >Her movements are awkward and sluggish.
  1371. >You’re strongly tempted to help HER walk.
  1372. “Alright. So I don’t need to ask if you’re having mobility problems.”
  1373. >”Yeah. It just hurts. A lot.”
  1374. “Hm. Maybe I should have talked to you in the lobby. Well, nothing to be done about it now, you’re already here. Have a seat.”
  1375. >You get up from your chair to go and close the door for Twilight.
  1376. >Just as you’re about to put your hand on the handle, Sassaflash pushes it shut for you.
  1377. >Of course.
  1378. >You grit your teeth and walk, not stumble, back to your seat.
  1379. >Though annoying, it really isn’t Sassaflash’s fault.
  1380. >She probably closed it as soon as she noticed it, it just so happened to be at the most annoying time possible.
  1381. “So Twilight. Has the pain been getting better at all?”
  1382. >”Yes. I’m now at a 7 on the Mankoski scale.”
  1383. >Self reporting is NOT reliable.
  1384. >But that figure seems plausible.
  1385. >Or at least it WOULD if…
  1386. “You haven’t been taking your pain medication.”
  1387. >”Yes I have!”
  1388. “Not as directed though. You’ve been skipping doses.”
  1389. >She averts her gaze and gives a sheepish grin.
  1390. >Nailed it.
  1391. >”I was afraid of running out so I’ve been rationing them.”
  1392. >Amazing.
  1393. >Hoarding medication like a fucking addict already.
  1394. >It would be bad enough if you had her on the good stuff, but you don’t.
  1395. >Her brother burned the good stuff.
  1396. >She’s behaving like an addict because of over the counter meds!
  1397. >You’ll make a note on her file that she’s prone to drug seeking behaviour.
  1398. “Well, stop it. How’s your strength?”
  1399. >“Bad. I just feel weak. If I didn’t have magic it would be hard to even brush my teeth.”
  1400.  
  1401. “You’re not going to like this, but I advise that you not use magic.”
  1402. >”Shiny said the same thing…”
  1403. “He’s right. You’ll never get your strength back without working for it.”
  1404. >Unfortunately, it’ll probably take years.
  1405. >But she’s not so hurt as to make it impossible.
  1406. “Well, I can see from here that your bandages need changing. Hold on…”
  1407. >You lean over the desk and pull a bandage aside.
  1408. >There is no beauty to be found in a festering wound.
  1409. >To describe one properly one would either need to use the driest, most clinical language possible or to convey the most primal form of disgust into language.
  1410. >Even after having worked on so much damaged and poisoned flesh, there’s still a faint echo of revulsion in the pit of your stomach.
  1411. >One that you have thankfully become quite adept at ignoring.
  1412. “It actually looks pretty good considering what you’ve been through. Lots of diseased tissue of course, but it’s healing up at a good rate. I’m still going to have to do some work on that though.”
  1413. >”W-what kind?”
  1414. >Her voice isn’t the only thing that’s trembling.
  1415. “Cleaning the wounds, debriding, and washing off any bacterial growths with sterile water.”
  1416. >”Debriding as in… cutting…”
  1417. “Yes. Cutting out non-viable tissue. I’ll make you sleep through it, don’t worry.”
  1418. >”I… I kinda wanna see what you do though.”
  1419. >Oh.
  1420. >That’s unexpected.
  1421. “It’s going to hurt. A lot.”
  1422. >”I know.”
  1423. “It might hurt more than the actual stabbing.”
  1424. >”This might be my only chance to see how this is done!”
  1425. >Curiosity won’t kill this cat, but it will certainly make it suffer.
  1426. “Alright… I think this is a really bad idea but it’s ultimately up to you. You can change your mind if it gets to be too much.”
  1427. >”Thank you doctor.”
  1428. “Somehow I doubt you’ll be as thankful once we start.”
  1429. >This is going to screw up your plans.
  1430. >Or at least it would if she actually went through with it.
  1431. >You’re certain she’ll change her mind, and fast.
  1432. “Alright. Just a few quick tests before we start.”
  1433. >You get up and wrap a pressure cuff around her leg.
  1434. >Her brother has chronic hypertension, and that tends to run in the family.
  1435. >You’re expecting her to be high too.
  1436. “120 over 95?”
  1437. >Huh.
  1438. >High for a human, perfect for a pony.
  1439. >”Is something wrong? I thought that was good.”
  1440. “It is.”
  1441. >”You sound surprised.”
  1442. “I am. I thought for sure you’d have hypertension.”
  1443. >”Wouldn’t you have noticed when I was here before?”
  1444. “I was keeping your pressure low on purpose to lower the risk of internal haemorrhage. I had just assumed that once that stopped, well- it doesn’t matter. Sometimes it’s good to be wrong.”
  1445. >She frowns, clearly upset by something you’d said.
  1446. >If you had to guess, she’s trying to figure out why you thought her pressure would be too high.
  1447. >Strictly speaking you shouldn’t tell her why even if she does ask.
  1448.  
  1449. >But Twilight’s a clever pony, she’ll probably figure it out without your help.
  1450. >”Shiny has really high blood pressure!”
  1451. >You just predicted she’d figure it out, but it still comes as a surprise.
  1452. >That was fast!
  1453. >”THAT’S the condition he mentioned, THAT’S what those pills are for! And THAT’S why he won’t take them, they make them sleepy!”
  1454. “I can’t comment on- he doesn’t take them?”
  1455. >”Oops! Did I say that out loud?”
  1456. “That idiot… I’ll have to have a talk with him.”
  1457. >”I’ll try too.”
  1458. “I appreciate it. Well, I didn’t have you scheduled for a little while yet, but should we just get it over with?”
  1459. >”You want to start early?”
  1460. “Might as well.”
  1461. >”Don’t you have some preparation to do?”
  1462. “I did it last evening. Let’s head on to the theatre.”
  1463. >You’re almost disappointed when she doesn’t make the joke.
  1464. >Twilight Sparkle makes her way to the surgical theatre on her own, moving slowly and stiffly.
  1465. >Poor girl’s been through a lot.
  1466. >And if she has her way she’ll be through even more.
  1467. >This is just cruel.
  1468. >You wouldn’t do this to Rarity even if she ran away from you again.
  1469. >But Twilight’s literally asking for it!
  1470. >You help Twilight up onto the table.
  1471. “You’re SURE you want to do this.”
  1472. >”Yes. I’m sure. It’s scary-”
  1473. >That explains the trembling.
  1474. >”But I really want to know how this is done.”
  1475. “I could just explain it to you.”
  1476. >”It’s not the same.”
  1477. “Well… alright! I’ll try to make it quick.”
  1478. >You produce a pair of scissors and pull a bit at her bandages.
  1479. >”OW! Owie- augh! Stop, stop! It hurts too much!”
  1480. “I’m just removing the bandages.”
  1481. >”And it hurts! Knock me out!”
  1482. >She uses her magic to levitate the mask over her own muzzle.
  1483. “Okay. Just let me put some sensors on you to make sure you’re okay.”
  1484. >”Make it quick, please!”
  1485. >This was going more or less as you’d expected.
  1486. >Sure, she was chickening out a bit sooner than you’d thought, but not by a lot.
  1487. “Alright. Count backwards from 5.”
  1488. >”FIVEFOURTHREETWOONEZERONEGATIVEONENEGATIVETWO-”
  1489. “Deep breaths, one digit per breath.”
  1490. >”Negative three. Negative four. Negative five. Five. Five. Five…”
  1491. >Silence.
  1492. “Twilight Sparkle.”
  1493. >She twitches a bit.
  1494. >Not quite out yet.
  1495. >Though the risks of general anaesthetic have drastically reduced in recent years, it still stresses you to do this on your own.
  1496. >You used to have specially trained anaesthesiologists to do this stuff for you, and a team ready just in case something went wrong.
  1497. >You know what to do in the event of an emergency, and the machinery is more reliable than even the best humans.
  1498. >And yet it still feels…
  1499. >Wrong.
  1500. >The sooner you’re done with her, the sooner you can turn it off.
  1501. “Twilight Sparkle! WAKE UP!”
  1502. >No response at all.
  1503. >And her heart seems to have slowed quite a bit.
  1504. >It’s time.
  1505. >First off, you do the actual medical care part.
  1506. >You toss heaps of dirty bandages into a nearby bin.
  1507.  
  1508. >7
  1509. >In a real hospital this would be considered a biohazard, and treated as such.
  1510. >And strictly speaking it is.
  1511. >You’re cutting corners by handling it this way, and it’s a bad habit to get into.
  1512. >But you know what diseases Twilight has, and these bandages are harmless.
  1513. >Even so…
  1514. >Somehow this feels wrong, even though it’s totally fine.
  1515. >You eventually resolve to destroy them properly, grumbling to yourself all the while.
  1516. “It’s a bloody waste of time…”
  1517. >The cleaning is easy.
  1518. >You just wipe away the bacterial medium with sterile cloth and water.
  1519. >Any idiot could do it
  1520. >Then comes the bad part.
  1521. >It’s not difficult to identify what needs to be removed during debridement.
  1522. >Chunks of blackened and slimy tissue tend to form when it needs to be done, as the body is quite literally rotting.
  1523. >The damage suffered by the tissue tends to leave it weak and loose; the healthy stuff is far harder to displace than the bad parts.
  1524. >No, the hard part isn’t figuring out what has to be done, it’s staying focused.
  1525. >Seeing somebody or somepony literally rotting before your eyes brings forth both a disgust and a pity response.
  1526. >These emotions are important in many contexts, but right here and now they’re just distractions.
  1527. >You know what you have to do, and the instinctive instructions that have been bred into humanity since time immemorial are unproductive at best.
  1528. >You should NOT distance yourself from the disease, you have to confront it.
  1529. >You do NOT need to concern yourself with her pain, she can’t feel any.
  1530. >And you do NOT need to provide for her, you need to CURE her so she can take care of herself.
  1531. >You’re quite experienced at working through emotional situations though, and manage to make good time.
  1532. >Before long, fresh bandages have been carefully wrapped about her injuries and you’re getting ready to burn a bucket of yuck.
  1533. >But it’s not time to wake her up.
  1534. >Not yet.
  1535. >Because you have an unconscious mare before you, and total privacy.
  1536. >You discard your gloves, and begin probing at her pussy.
  1537. >It’s pretty dry, which is no surprise.
  1538. >Dry, but very tight.
  1539. >And interestingly, there’s a hymen in the way of your exploration.
  1540. >Not only is she a virgin, she’s never put anything up there.
  1541. >It doesn’t matter that she’s dry, you’ve got lubricants.
  1542. >You could fuck her right here right now.
  1543. >You could be her first.
  1544. >You could break her in.
  1545. >But…
  1546. >That would be cheating.
  1547. >You’re going to be her first, but not like this.
  1548. >The goal isn’t simply to fuck her, it’s to OWN her.
  1549. >And raping her right now wouldn’t accomplish that.
  1550. >Plus it’s just a really bad idea.
  1551. >Not to mention you’re not really in the mood after doing all that wound care.
  1552. >You’ll just go back to the original plan.
  1553. >You’re going to install a remote neural stimulator on her nipples.
  1554. >While it would be nice to put it on her clitoris, it might be just a bit too obvious that you’d done something.
  1555. >That trick is already known after all.
  1556.  
  1557. >This shouldn’t be too hard…
  1558. >New incisions are too obvious, and her wounds aren’t in the right place.
  1559. >You’ll have to install it non-surgically as an injection.
  1560. >Even 10 years ago that would have been totally out of the question, but mercifully neural stimulators in the current year are pretty sophisticated.
  1561. >The lightweight machinery will latch onto the nerve itself if properly positioned, and then most of the implant will be destroyed and removed by the body leaving only the necessary components.
  1562. >It’s really not hard to do as long as you’ve got a steady hand, the right sized cannulae, and a good knowledge of anatomy.
  1563. >You plunge the needle deep in Twilight’s teats, disrupting and damaging sensitive tissue.
  1564. >If she were awake this would be agonising.
  1565. >As it is, she’ll probably never know.
  1566. >But you’re not done just yet.
  1567. >As far as you’re concerned, her not begging for your dick counts as sexual dysfunction.
  1568. >And there are treatments for that.
  1569. >THIQ is seemingly doomed to forever be a research drug.
  1570. >The selective MC4 receptor agonist had long been known to stimulate one’s sex drive with seemingly no side effects.
  1571. >For reasons which are apparently known but beyond your pay grade, it doesn’t influence the other functions of melanocortin receptor 4.
  1572. >Unfortunately, it doesn’t last.
  1573. >Nobody had found any way to make it last more than a few minutes, never mind how poor the bioavailability is.
  1574. >Freyjadine, however…
  1575. >Previously known as pl-6983, this drug was considered best practice for female sexual dysfunction.
  1576. >It was much less potent than THIQ and was known to cause weight loss in about 10% of users, but the tradeoff is that you don’t need to stick a needle in her every 5 minutes.
  1577. >You’d considered giving Rarity freyjadine, but eventually decided it was unnecessary since you had other tools at your disposal..
  1578. >Twilight, on the other hand, is actually pretty hard to drug most of the time.
  1579. >You can’t slip a pill into her coffee at a convenient moment, and this handicap has taken some of your options off the table.
  1580. >You punch a small hole in Twilight’s skin and slide in a slow release implant, hoping it will be enough.
  1581. >Putting two in is tempting, but too risky.
  1582. >The listed side effects on these things are for recommended dosage. you might actually hurt her if you overdo it.
  1583. >The wound will close up quickly, and it’s extraordinarily unlikely that anypony will notice it.
  1584. >It’s close enough to one of her major wounds that the bandages cover it.
  1585. >She won’t notice the minor ache of the implant, not next to that thing.
  1586. >And even if by some freak occurrence it IS noticed, you can just say you had to drain a cyst.
  1587. >And with that you’ve got 3 months of heightened sex drive to work with, plus the ability to remotely tickle her teats.
  1588. >Will it be enough?
  1589. >Hopefully.
  1590. >After taking a few minutes to dispose of the evidence, you revive Twilight.
  1591.  
  1592. >The process is very simple when everything is working properly.
  1593. >You just press a button, and the mixture of the gases being pumped into her lungs changes.
  1594. >Clean air goes in, and any residual drug comes out.
  1595. >There’s always the risk that something will go wrong and you’ll have a lot of work to do.
  1596. >In a different timeline she’d have decided to stop breathing and you’d have to mechanically ventilate.
  1597. >If you’d been extremely unlucky her heart would have stopped.
  1598. >That’s always exciting.
  1599. >But today everything worked smoothly
  1600. >You’ve never been under yourself, but your understanding is that waking up is a gradual and unpleasant process.
  1601. >One that you have to oversee.
  1602. >Again, you’re used to having other people to handle this for you.
  1603. >It’s not complicated work monitoring post anaesthesia.
  1604. >All that you have to do is make sure the patient is still breathing and their heart’s still beating.
  1605. >If either of those things prove untrue things will get exciting, but the act of waiting can be so…
  1606. >Boring.
  1607. >Yet it must be done.
  1608. >You’ve put way too much work into keeping Twilight alive just to let her choke on her tongue now.
  1609. >It takes only a few minutes for Twilight to show signs of awareness.
  1610. >Muttering incoherently is an important milestone.
  1611. >You expect her eyes will open relatively soon.
  1612. >That’s when things get weird.
  1613. >Though this isn’t your specialty, you’ve watched a few patients wake up from their induced coma.
  1614. >Most of them were ponies.
  1615. >And sometimes they just start talking to you.
  1616. >You can’t make any sense of what they’re trying to say when it happens; it’s incoherent gibberish that’s informed by a hallucinating drugged mind.
  1617. >They won’t be able to remember it later, and if you remind them of what they said they won’t be able to make sense of it themselves.
  1618. >It’s much like a dream, but somehow less real.
  1619. >Still, you talk back to them when they’re waking up.
  1620. >There’s really no point in interacting with them during this stage. The words are meaningless, and they don’t seem to understand what you’re saying anyway.
  1621. >But even so it somehow feels wrong to just ignore them.
  1622. >”No.”
  1623. “No, what?”
  1624. >”Can’t hide.”
  1625. “What are you hiding from?”
  1626. >”Why did you kill me?”
  1627. >Uh…
  1628. >That doesn’t sound good.
  1629. >”My head is gone.”
  1630. “You’re okay, Twilight. You’re going to be fine.”
  1631. >A pointless answer.
  1632. >If she can hear you, she can’t understand you.
  1633. >”I don’t want to go underground. Don’t close the box.”
  1634. >Oh no…
  1635. >She’s crying.
  1636. >You stand by the bedside, drying her tears with gauze.
  1637. >This isn’t normal.
  1638. >You suppose that if they’re hallucinating, it makes sense that the hallucination would be unpleasant sometimes.
  1639. >You really have no clue what to do about this.
  1640. >Maybe you shouldn’t do anything.
  1641. >You can’t really tell anypony because of confidentiality.
  1642. >If the stuff she intentionally says is private, then surely the stuff she couldn’t help but say is as well.
  1643.  
  1644. >But you can’t in good conscience ignore what you just heard.
  1645. >You’ll have to talk with her about this once she’s lucid.
  1646. >”I feel sick, mister monkey.”
  1647. >That sounded a bit more coherent.
  1648. >A bit more offensive too.
  1649. >”I’m nauseous.”
  1650. “That’s normal. What’s your name?”
  1651. >”It’s… I’m Twilight Sparkle.”
  1652. “Do you hurt?”
  1653. >”A little.”
  1654. >Acceptable.
  1655. “And do you remember what you were talking about?”
  1656. >“Was I talking? I don’t remember.”
  1657. >Figures.
  1658. “Don’t get out of bed. Just relax, you’ll be back to normal soon.”
  1659. >”Okay. Thanks Anon.”
  1660. >She’s still slurring her speech a bit, but it looks like she’s reasonably aware.
  1661. >The danger has passed.
  1662. >You collect the bin of waste and head out back.
  1663. >A fire pit isn’t exactly a proper incinerator, but it works.
  1664. >You dump the stuff in the pit, and toss a small orange crystal in.
  1665. >In the blink of an eye, everything erupts into flames.
  1666. >Smoke wafts to the sky, taking with it all pathogens and all evidence.
  1667. >Once it cools down you’ll retrieve the depleted crystal, and get it refilled.
  1668. >Maybe this time you’ll remember to ask how it works.
  1669. >Or better yet, you can ask Twilight!
  1670. >It’ll get her talking, and give you an excuse to be near her.
  1671. >Once you’re satisfied that the fire is contained, you step back in to find Shining Armour and Cadence in the lobby.
  1672. >You don’t wait for them to ask any questions.
  1673. “She’s fine. Go ahead, just don’t be surprised if she’s a bit confused.”
  1674. >”Go ahead, Cadence. The doctor and I need to talk. In private.”
  1675. >Uh oh.
  1676.  
  1677. Invoking pharmaceuticals is a bit risky. I don't want to completely negate the process by using mind control drugs, but it doesn't make sense for someone like Anon to skip using tools so readily available to him. Since there's not much information publicly available on pl-6983, the obvious solution is to assert that it is however effective it has to be to make a fun green.
  1678. How strong do you think this aphrodesiac should be?
  1679. Also how has it been so long since the last update? I thought it had been like, a week.
  1680. Shameful. Thanks for keeping the thread warm while I was out.
  1681. ==========
  1682. In retrospect I did a very bad job of explaining the drug seeking part. I assumed people understood practices that aren't widely know, and it wound up not making any sense. I'll rewrite that part when transferring to the paste.
  1683.  
  1684. Drug seeking isn't the same as addiction. When Anon said "like an addict" he didn't say she was actually addicted to basic painkillers, he was saying she was behaving like one and had demonstrated one of numerous red flags for patients using controlled substances. The phrase "like an addict" is technically correct, but since it is unintentionally misleading it is wrong. When working correctly, eg. almost never, a hospital will closely monitor patients on narcotics for signs of addiction. Not taking pills isn't considered "drug seeking" in and of itself, rather what was wrong was that she was trying to hoard them. This might seem harmless, but my local health authority considers this to be a warning sign of addiction. Early stage addicts who still have most of their impulse control intact will sometimes take less than a full dose and squirrel away the remainder for later because they fear being cut off from their supply.
  1685.  
  1686. Twilight Sparkle isn't addicted to whatever she's on, and Anon knows it. This scene was meant to indicate that, unless >rape is an option, he follows the rules even when they don't make sense. I just didn't do a good job of it is all.
  1687. ============
  1688. Sorry for the wait!
  1689.  
  1690. Since I left it on a cliffhanger last time, I'll give a quick reminder. We just did some malpractice on Twilight, and Shining Armor walked in shortly after and said he wanted to talk to us.
  1691.  
  1692. >Try not to panic, Anon.
  1693. >There’s no way he knows what you just did.
  1694. >You just have to keep a level head and everything will be fine.
  1695. >The two of you make your way into your office.
  1696. >You try to steady your breathing and maintain a confident posture.
  1697. >As far as he knows, you haven’t done anything untoward.
  1698. >Relax!
  1699. >Oh no, he’s sitting in YOUR chair!
  1700. >He’s taking the head of the desk and forcing you to take the visitor’s seat!
  1701. >This is a power play of some kind, he’s getting into your head!
  1702. >”Oh wow, this chair is really uncomfortable.”
  1703. “I didn’t-”
  1704. >You nearly proclaim that you didn’t do it, but manage to catch yourself.
  1705. “I didn’t find it to be uncomfortable.”
  1706. >”So what were you burning? Anything interesting?”
  1707. “Biohazards.”
  1708. >And incriminating evidence in the form of a few wrappers.
  1709. “Dirty bandages, necrotic flesh, you know. Normal stuff.”
  1710. >”Flesh? You were burning flesh?”
  1711. >He gives you an angry look.
  1712. >No, anger doesn’t do this justice.
  1713. >He has transcended mere rage, and is verging on maniacal fury.
  1714. >Worse, there’s the distinctive air of passion in his gaze.
  1715. >You can’t mistake the fire in those eyes.
  1716. >This is a pony who is ready to abandon reason.
  1717. “That came out wrong, she’s fine! You should talk to her, I’m sure she’d explain it!”
  1718. >”Chrysalis will pay.”
  1719. >Oh.
  1720. >That’s who he’s mad at.
  1721. >You nearly turn to liquid as the tension drains from your body.
  1722. >Shining Armour is a passionate pony.
  1723. >Some might think that to be a fault, and sometimes it is.
  1724. >He’s quick to act, and perhaps too impulsive.
  1725. >But to be dispassionate or apathetic is a failure as well.
  1726. >This anger, this fury that flows through his veins is only a moral deficit if left unchanneled.
  1727. >Hatred is a virtue when it drives one to protect the innocent.
  1728. >And mercifully, his virtue isn’t directed at you.
  1729. >At least not today.
  1730. >”Twilight told me that this might happen… I thought it was hyperbole.”
  1731. “Is she prone to exaggerating?”
  1732. >”Catastrophizing? Yes. One time she had decided that she was being sent back to magical kindergarten.”
  1733. “Ouch. It’s not that weird to worry about being held back a grade, but being sent back?”
  1734. >”A grade? As in one? You don’t understand, Anon. That was just a few years ago! She was already a post-grad!”
  1735. “Oh.”
  1736. >That changed things a lot.
  1737. >”She’s been handling things, err, I was going to say she was taking it poorly but I’m not sure that’s true. What’s normal for being stabbed repeatedly?”
  1738.  
  1739. “I thought you were the head of the guard. Don’t you have experience with wounded?”
  1740. >”Head of the guard during peacetime. We had injuries, sure, but nothing like this. And if anypony HAD gone through that, we wouldn’t exactly be worried about mental health.”
  1741. >Hard to argue with that.
  1742. >Even with your intervention, her survival wasn’t guaranteed.
  1743. >If those wounds had been even the tiniest bit closer to the heart, well…
  1744. >Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
  1745. >And on that day, you had to be both.
  1746. >”How long does it normally take for ponies- humans to calm down after stuff like that?”
  1747. “No clue, not my department.”
  1748. >Maybe never?
  1749. “I suspect that something like that will stick with her though. These things will change you.”
  1750. >”It probably will… but maybe once Chrysalis is in a cage she’ll be able to relax a little.”
  1751. “Any leads?”
  1752. >”Classified.”
  1753. “Fair.”
  1754. >”I want to tell you.”
  1755. “No, I understand. It’s not worth the risk.”
  1756. >”Thanks. But… that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”
  1757. >Uh-oh.
  1758. >”I’ve come here with a warning.”
  1759. >About his sister?
  1760. >”I wanted to let you know that Princess Celestia will be in the empire tomorrow.”
  1761. “Oh.”
  1762. >That’s a relief.
  1763. >But wait, why did he tell you that?
  1764. “Go on.”
  1765. >”And she wants a private audience with you.”
  1766. “With me? Why?”
  1767. >You’ve never actually met her.
  1768. >You’ve seen pictures, and heard stories, but you’ve never had cause to be near her.
  1769. “Should I be worried?”
  1770. >”Princess Celestia is a gentle and patient pony, you’ll be fine. That said, she’s going to want something from you, and you should be prepared.”
  1771. “What does she want?”
  1772. >”No clue.”
  1773. >So you have to be prepared, but you don’t know what for.
  1774. >Great.
  1775. “Maybe she just wants to express gratitude for how few corpses there are?”
  1776. >”No. Well, yes, but she’ll be working on something else too.”
  1777. “So we don’t know what she wants, but I should be prepared to give it to her.”
  1778. >He shrugs dismissively, as though this were a totally normal situation.
  1779. >Maybe it was.
  1780. >”It’s probably information of some sort. Princess Celestia is always thinking ahead, she’s much more wise than she lets on.”
  1781. ”Wise? Didn’t her kingdom nearly get destroyed a dozen times in the last few years?”
  1782. >”Nearly is an important word. Is the name Hydia familiar to you?”
  1783. >You nod.
  1784. “Yeah, it’s an mGluR 2 antagonist. I’m kinda surprised you’ve heard of it, that’s normally just used for research.”
  1785. >His blank stare suggests that maybe he meant some other Hydia.
  1786. >You think back, trying to remember why that name might be important.
  1787. >Oh.
  1788. >Oh right!
  1789. “I also know it from something else… but I thought it was a bad translation. I read that name when I was still on Earth trying to get a feel for your history before moving in.”
  1790. >”What do you remember about it?”
  1791.  
  1792. >”The basics. Malevolent spirit of disharmony that was exorcised a long time ago. I didn’t take it seriously.”
  1793. >”Understandable. A magical spirit must have seemed mighty far-fetched.”
  1794. “No, that wasn’t it. It’s common knowledge on Earth that some unknown force is at play here.”
  1795. >He gives you an incredulous look.
  1796. >”Hydia is extremely unusual for a spirit. Most ponies don’t even believe in it. But you’re telling me that you did?”
  1797. “Sure.”
  1798. >”It didn’t follow any of the principles of arcana, nor did it fit into any of the major categories of spirit.”
  1799. “Yeah, but I didn’t know that until just now. At the time I knew so little of magic that I couldn’t judge what was real and what was just a myth.”
  1800. >You still don’t know, really.
  1801. ”I just knew that there was some weird power at play out here and that things wouldn’t always make sense. It still catches me off guard sometimes-”
  1802. >Like when you discovered bugs could eat emotion.
  1803. “But I accept that weird things happen here.”
  1804. >”Weird things. This is coming from the species that uses transmutation to boil water and shoots invisible light into space to talk to each other.”
  1805. >Transmutation to boil water?
  1806. >Oh, he’s probably talking about nuclear power.
  1807. >”So why were you so sceptical about Hydia? Is it because it has a human name?”
  1808. “Well, it’s because she- yes, actually. That. I had a hard time believing one of your monsters had a human name before you ever knew what a human was. I thought for sure there had to be some mistake. Though now that I actually hear you say it out loud, it’s pronounced very differently. And yet I wonder…”
  1809. >”How would Hydia itself have pronounced it? We’ll probably never know. Hay, we don’t even know where it came from! One account says that Hydia used to be a hideous beast, and an immensely powerful magician. It used its magic to separate itself from its failing body so they’d have more time to do their evil work. If the story is true, she sought to render parts of our world dark and dead but was stopped by a champion whose identity has been lost to time. But that, of course, is unprovable.”
  1810. “If so little is actually known, why bring it up?”
  1811. >”Every now and then somepony will notice a short but intense burst of magic. We can’t predict when they’ll happen, nor where. And even when we catch them, our best and brightest can’t make sense of what the magic is doing, if anything.”
  1812. “Your best and brightest being your sister, I presume.”
  1813. >”Among a few others. What we do know is that it’s almost totally alien to how pony magic works, that it has the same arcane structure as Hydia’s spells, and that it’s a portent.”
  1814. >There are still many gaps in your knowledge of the equine language, and that’s one of them.
  1815. >But you can hazard a guess.
  1816. >Portent…
  1817. >A strong surge of magic from an evil magician.
  1818. >Portent must be some subset of deleterious spells.
  1819.  
  1820. “So you’re telling me that Equestria is being sabotaged by evil magic.”
  1821. >”We don’t actually know. It might be reacting to trouble rather than causing it, or it might be a coincidence. But yes, there appears to be some kind of magic causing trouble. Changeling invasions, demons from Tartarus, evil thorny vines, plagues of house eating insects, time travelling cult leaders-”
  1822. “You made that last one up.”
  1823. >”No, I didn’t. Stuff like that is a constant in Equestria, and yet there’s always a conveniently located arcane artefact, or a few brave ponies with just the right life experience, an hidden stockpile of important resources; I worked with princess Celestia for years, and I know there’s always a contingency plan.”
  1824. “What was the plan for Chrysalis’ first attack?”
  1825. >That one hit him differently.
  1826. >He hangs his head and averts his gaze.
  1827. >And he might even be slouching a bit.
  1828. >This is… guilt?
  1829. >Remorse?
  1830. >Shame?
  1831. >Whatever it is, you regret asking.
  1832. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. Sorry.”
  1833. >”That was a tough one. We didn’t know what or who we were dealing with. We were totally surrounded and compromised before we even knew what to look for.”
  1834. “So she didn’t have a plan for that one.”
  1835. >”But she DID! She had something. Something big… a trump card. I don’t know what it was.”
  1836. “If she’s half as wise as you say, she probably hasn’t told anypony. She doesn’t want Chrysalis to overhear it.”
  1837. >”Maybe. But again, we didn’t know it was Chrysalis. We didn’t even know what a changeling was! All we knew was that we had been threatened with violence. She had something that could stop an attack in its tracks though. Something that could stand even if the guard wasn’t good enough.”
  1838. >Ooooh.
  1839. >That’s why he sounds ashamed.
  1840. >He was the captain of the royal guard.
  1841. >And Celestia had something that could put them to shame.
  1842. >He probably felt weak and-
  1843. >Wait.
  1844. >Celestia had a contingency plan in case her ARMY got creamed?
  1845. >And this pony wants to talk to you personally.
  1846. >You’re starting to feel pretty intimidated.
  1847. >”Princess Celestia has definitely been talking with Twily. She knows what’s been happening here, and she’s anticipating more trouble in the future. Whether she thinks you’re the solution or the problem, I don’t know.”
  1848. “Er, haha, yeah. I’m not going to cause trouble.”
  1849. >”I know that, Anon. And don’t worry, if she hasn’t figured that out yet she will tomorrow.”
  1850. >That doesn’t exactly put you at ease.
  1851. >What if she finds out what you’ve done while here?
  1852. >What if she finds out why you came here in the first place?
  1853.  
  1854. >If she’s actually that clever, you’re in real trouble!
  1855. >Calm down, Anon.
  1856. >It’ll be okay!
  1857. >Cadence will protect you!
  1858. >Maybe!
  1859. >”If you’ll excuse me, I kinda want to go see my sister.”
  1860. “Oh, sure! I drugged her pretty heavily to try and not hurt her. Don’t be too worried if she’s nauseous and confused, that’s normal. But one last question, why did you take my chair?”
  1861. >”It’s further from the door. You’re still having trouble walking, right?”
  1862. >Wow.
  1863. >That was really considerate of him.
  1864. “Thanks, buddy.”
  1865. >”Any time.”
  1866.  
  1867. Meanwhile…
  1868.  
  1869. >Rarity was frustrated.
  1870. >She’d spent most of the night plagued by arousal at her master’s behest.
  1871. >Though she couldn’t deny that there was a certain appeal to what they had been doing, it was a poor substitute for proper proclivities.
  1872. >She had ended up sleeping poorly, tormented by the lack of culmination.
  1873. >Though it may be indecent, she couldn’t help but regret ending the night in such a disappointing manner.
  1874. >Rarity could not deny a strong desire to take matters into her own hooves and satisfy her more primal desires.
  1875. >Though it may be forbidden, it would surely be fine.
  1876. >There was no way he would find out, after all!
  1877. >Unfortunately, Rarity had an appointment to keep.
  1878. >Her friend and associate Coco Pommel was meant to be arriving today!
  1879. >A quick fling with the self would leave her mane out of order and could leave a rather embarrassing aroma!
  1880. >She didn’t have time for another shower, so she couldn’t afford to get dirty.
  1881. >Nor to be dirty.
  1882. >She took one last look in the mirror to ensure her mane was pristine- it was of course- and quickly adjusted her outfit before heading to the door.
  1883. >She wore a powder white twill outfit with fairly simple hemming that was cut to flow gently and mask the broader movements of her legs, complimented by a silver and amber brooch to clasp the dress’ collar.
  1884. >It was a simple but tasteful piece, perfect for a more casual meeting.
  1885. >Rarity wanted to show Coco that she was a friend first and an employee second; wearing something intricate might imply that Rarity viewed herself as the superior, and she simply couldn’t have that!
  1886. >It was nice…
  1887. >But it lacked allure.
  1888. >Perhaps a bit more leg?
  1889. >A redesign would have to wait, however.
  1890. >She had to be on her way!
  1891. >Rarity made it as far as the front door before realising something was missing.
  1892. >She had been instructed to…
  1893. >Fill…
  1894. >Her rear.
  1895. >That really didn’t sound too appealing.
  1896. >Rather, it seemed downright appalling!
  1897. >No matter how many times he shoved things up there, Rarity couldn’t help but feel some degree of revulsion.
  1898. >It was improper!
  1899. >And though she couldn’t deny that it felt somewhat good, it was still a poor substitute.
  1900. >But she understood that it was going to keep happening.
  1901. >And the interruptions from last night had been rather bad for the romantic mood.
  1902. >It would be preferable if penis weren’t painful.
  1903.  
  1904. >With some reluctance, she returned to the boudoir and pushed her dress aside.
  1905. >She fetched the dreadful thing from the drawer, making a point of using her hooves and not her mouth.
  1906. >The bulbous hunk of metal was shining in her master’s lights, pretending to be a jewel of some sort and not a depraved instrument of indignity.
  1907. >The gleaming sapphire on the end did make her feel a bit better about what she was about to do, but only a little.
  1908. >Rarity sat on the plug.
  1909. >It took a bit of work and patience, and verged briefly on the point of pain, but finally the wretched thing popped in imparting a chill as the metal greedily absorbed her body heat.
  1910. >She corrected her clothing and made way to the door, trying to ignore the foreign weight she was feeling.
  1911. >The empire was gorgeous, as she had come to expect.
  1912. >It was a far cry from the verdant warmth of Ponyville, and she had to admit to feeling a yearning for her home.
  1913. >Still, there was much to be said about the splendour she had found amongst the streets and spires of delicately carved crystals.
  1914. >The radiance of daylight danced intricately through the myriad of naturally formed prisms and lenses, scattering points of brilliance almost at random along the landscape.
  1915. >It was almost as a daytime analogue for the stars, but upon the land rather than in the heavens.
  1916. >And she was having a VERY hard time properly appreciating it thanks to that strange full feeling.
  1917. >Each stride sent a firm and inescapable sensation up along her spine, reminding her of the shameful situation she found herself in.
  1918. >The train terminal was extraordinarily crowded and clearly well above its normal operating capacity.
  1919. >The vast majority of the ponies present were crystal clear; Rarity estimated that only about a tenth of those present were of Equestrian origin.
  1920. >A quick glance at the train revealed that very little of its great length was reserved for passenger cars.
  1921. >The assembled throng was busily loading and unloading cargo cars, trying to overcome what was surely a massive backlog.
  1922. >How long had the Empire been occupied by the changelings?
  1923. >Well, that was a question that simply couldn’t be answered.
  1924. >They had no way of knowing when the changelings had first arrived, nor how long they had been entrenched in the palace.
  1925. >More pertinently, how long had the Empire been locked down?
  1926. >It had only been a few days of district lockdown, but the border had been closed for far longer!
  1927. >Had it been over a week?
  1928. >A whole week with neither imports nor exports!
  1929. >Rarity was no economist, yet even she knew that was a problem for a settlement of this size.
  1930. >She hadn’t noticed any hardship from this blockade, but surely there was some limit on how long they could hold out without the train.
  1931. >Was there a stockpile of necessities somewhere within the empire?
  1932. >If something happened again, what could the prince and his whore of a wife do to ensure their safety?
  1933.  
  1934. >And how long would she have to tolerate this REPUGNANT hunk of metal up her butt?
  1935. >What would happen if somepony were to find out?
  1936. >How might they react?
  1937. >What would the tabloids say?
  1938. >What would her friends think?
  1939. >Worse, what if they found out she liked it?
  1940. >Rarity scanned the crowd hoping to find Coco.
  1941. >She quickly discovered that it was a vain effort.
  1942. >There were so many ponies assembled that she couldn’t possibly move forward!
  1943. >She found herself standing before a wall of ponies, each entangled hopelessly amongst each other.
  1944. >What had appeared from a distance to be a steady flow of ponies moving about their business had proven upon closer inspection to be little more than meaningless and chaotic movements of the masses.
  1945. >There were too many ponies trying to access to few passageways, and no amount of movement nor posturing seemed to result in anything that could be meaningfully called progress.
  1946. >Though each individual was busily milling about looking for their own opportunity to pass through, the crowd as a whole had been paralyzed by its own mass.
  1947. >This was sure to be a problem.
  1948. >Rarity had no chance of finding Coco here, but she couldn’t simply leave!
  1949. >Coco would be stranded, far from home!
  1950. >Rarity had to persist and somehow locate one pony amongst the-
  1951. >”Rarity. It’s good to see you.”
  1952. >She nearly jumped out of both her dress and her skin, startled by a quiet and demure voice coming from the horde.
  1953. >Coco emerged from the chaos, moving swiftly and elegantly as though the others weren’t even there.
  1954. >To Rarity’s amazement, Coco had managed to escape the crowd without so much as crossing another pony’s path.
  1955. >Rarity couldn’t help but notice that her collar was askew, her mane tangled, and her hair pin flattened.
  1956. ”Coco! It’s been far too long.’
  1957. >”Oh dear. You don’t sound too good. Are you sick?”
  1958. >She was not.
  1959. >She was, however, still injured by Cadence’s bizarre conception of justice.
  1960. >Rarity was dreading the next session of horrific abuse.
  1961. >Though strangely, not quite as badly as she feared the first round.
  1962. “Not anymore. I did have a cold a few weeks back and stubbornly refused to leave my throat, but otherwise I’m fine. I hope the trip wasn’t too hard on you!”
  1963. >”Not at all. I was surprised when they honoured my ticket- it was for when the trains were shut down but they took it anyway!”
  1964. >Was that really out of the ordinary?
  1965. >She had done nothing wrong after all, the trip had been cancelled through no fault of her own!
  1966. …
  1967. >Yes, yes it was unusual.
  1968. >At least it was in Coco’s eyes.
  1969. >Rarity had a tendency to forget how Manehattan worked.
  1970. >She had been there multiple times, and there was no shortage of good to be said about the city!
  1971. >And yet she had to confess that it had a dark side, one she did not intend to become accustomed to.
  1972.  
  1973. “I do believe the rail to be state property of Equestria, including most of the terminals. You were likely dealing with Canterlot when they accepted the ticket, dear.”
  1974. >”Maybe. I thought the Manehattan station was privately owned, but I might be wrong. I like your outfit.”
  1975. “You do? That’s good to hear. I was worried I’d be underdressed.”
  1976. >Rarity lied.
  1977. “And your outfit is… is this a bizarre fashion statement or are you just dishevelled?”
  1978. >”Is it that bad? I’m sorry, I know it’s unprofessional. It was a tough trip, and I haven’t had a chance to clean up.”
  1979. “Oh, fret not dear! I was just a tad worried because-”
  1980. >She looked extremely tired.
  1981. “Because your grooming is usually impeccable. Do you need some time to freshen up? Or perhaps a bit of time for a nap?”
  1982. >”Oh, no thank you. I’m excited to see the new location.”
  1983. “Very well. Let’s be off!”
  1984. >Rarity was still uncertain how Coco had managed to navigate that crowd.
  1985. >She knew that as a lifelong Manehattan resident, Coco would be more accustomed to such chaotic overcrowding.
  1986. >Rarity’s own trips to the big city had been exciting, but fraught with challenges to which the locals seemed oblivious.
  1987. >Even so it was remarkable seeing such a thing in action.
  1988. >”It’s so… quiet.”
  1989. “I suppose you might think that. But rest assured, this is the middle of the day! You shall find nights far more peaceful.”
  1990. >Not as peaceful as Ponyville of course.
  1991. >The Empire was a relatively small settlement in terms of population.
  1992. >Not as small as Ponyville of course, but still on the tinier side.
  1993. >She wasn’t certain of the precise population, but she figured it was perhaps half as big as Cloudsdale.
  1994. >The difference, of course, was the lack of space!
  1995. >Whereas Cloudsdale could expand almost arbitrarily, restricted only by how much of a shadow it cast, The Empire was confined to the bubble.
  1996. >She knew that in the milder months there was no harm in going beyond the boundaries.
  1997. >Indeed, there was even supposed to be some amount of agriculture despite the short growing seasons.
  1998. >But during the cooler months, the ponies retreated to within the protective dome provided to them by the Crystal Heart’s magic.
  1999. >All the residences and most of the industries and commerce had to fit within.
  2000. >“It’s so spacious!”
  2001. “Come now. Surely you’ve left the big city before!”
  2002. >”Well, yes. But that was a long time ago. I don’t have many chances to get out.”
  2003. >That was true.
  2004. >The poor thing was quite industrious.
  2005. >”And I always pictured the empire as being a lot… bigger. Aren’t empires big?”
  2006. “Usually, yes. I am woefully ill informed on the history of the empire, though my understanding is that there were far fewer ponies a thousand years ago when they were locked out of time. Never mind the fact that they lost all their territories during the thousand years of non-existence. Are you disappointed?”
  2007. >”Not at all. It’s so cosy.”
  2008.  
  2009. >The accursed plug was making itself known once more.
  2010. >It seemed to rub just wrong with each stride, resisting the subtler effects of her muscle’s movements with the unyielding bite of steel.
  2011. >It was uncomfortable to be sure.
  2012. >But by the stars it was distracting!
  2013. >And worse still, unfulfilling.
  2014. >It was unjust to be teased so endlessly.
  2015. >She had tasted dick both literally and figuratively, and she knew that this… THING wasn’t even a substitute.
  2016. >How she wished for a romp.
  2017. >A full night of denial followed by a day of ceaseless teasing…
  2018. >It was cruel.
  2019. >Perhaps master would be willing to provide a proper culmination tonight…
  2020. >She could nearly feel him probing her depths, invading and defiling her in a way that no other could.
  2021. >A glorious night of passion, sweat, and debauchery.
  2022. >She would wear the choker he had bought her, allowing him to clasp it over her next as she adorned herself in her most alluring garb…
  2023. >And master would ravage her.
  2024. >Taking her like a brutish beast, displaying no care nor concern for Rarity’s own pleasure but seizing her body as plunder…
  2025. >Rarity would have no choice but to languish in the pleasures of the flesh, letting him rub her raw and sore until-
  2026. >”Are you sure you’re okay?”
  2027. “Ack! Er, yes.”
  2028. >”You look really distracted. And flush.”
  2029. “I’m just doing some thinking.”
  2030. >”About work?”
  2031. “Yes, of course!”
  2032. >”Is it about the Manehattan branch? I know it’s not doing well. I’ve tried really hard to get more ponies in, but… it’s hard.”
  2033. >She knew it wasn’t doing well?
  2034. >But how?
  2035. >Rarity had tried to keep that a secret!
  2036. “Whatever do you mean? We have sales all the time.”
  2037. >”In Manehattan.”
  2038. “Yes, operating there is a tad expensive, but we do charge a premium for-”
  2039. >”Rarity? You’ve been very good to me, so I won’t ask anything of you. But it’s okay. You can tell me the truth.”
  2040. “I- I just want to know how you knew.”
  2041. >”I, um, I work there. I see nearly all the sales. And yes, we’re pretty busy. But we’re not Manehattan busy.”
  2042. “I see.”
  2043. >Rarity’s arousal was completely forgotten.
  2044. “It’s not nearly as bad as it could have been, but you’re right. I have been losing money.”
  2045. >”What went wrong?”
  2046. ”I fear it was a failure in planning. I had managed to accumulate some notoriety, and felt it would be enough to carry me into the big city. And it was! Canterlot Carousel has been paying its bills quite comfortably, why, I think the loan ought to be paid off within four years!.It was a dream come true to have my works being adopted by high society. I was so thrilled that I sought to do it again… and I fear I may have done so a tad prematurely.”
  2047. >”May I ask?”
  2048. >The obvious question?
  2049. “I’d have to check my ledger to be certain, but I think I’m short about 20,000 bits from my business plan.”
  2050. >Coco stopped in her tracks.
  2051. >Rarity kept walking for a moment before noticing, and was forced to turn back.
  2052.  
  2053. “Is something the matter, dear?”
  2054. >”That’s so much money!”
  2055. “It is quite a bit, yes. Fortunately Canterlot Carousel will-”
  2056. >”That’s more money than I’ve ever had! Or ever will have!”
  2057. “Really? I pay you quite generously, and- Manehattan. Right. I keep forgetting.”
  2058. >”You can’t keep doing this, Rarity.”
  2059. >She knew that.
  2060. >And the lease was up for renewal pretty soon.
  2061. >But she couldn’t close down.
  2062. >She couldn’t do that to-
  2063. >”You’re staying open for me, aren’t you?”
  2064. >Rarity was both surprised and disturbed that Coco knew her so well.
  2065. >”I knew it. Rarity? I quit.”
  2066. “You what? But-”
  2067. >”I’ll manage. It’s okay.”
  2068. >Would she?
  2069. >Coco looked profoundly exhausted!
  2070. >And worse, Rarity couldn’t help but notice her eyes were watering.
  2071. >Coco didn’t want to terminate her position, Rarity was sure of it!
  2072. ”But what about your career? You finally had your hoof in the door! And if memory serves, your designs were starting to do quite well on their own!”
  2073. >“Maybe… but only as part of your brand. I’m very grateful for what you’ve done for me- I can never pay you back! And that’s why I need to stop taking from you and stand on my own four hooves.”
  2074. “You seem to have put some thought into this.”
  2075. >”I have. I’ve known for a while that it wasn’t going well, though maybe not just how bad it was… I’ve had time to think about it. My mind is made up. Manehattan will use and abuse generosity, sucking you dry until there’s nothing left to give. I don’t want to be part of that.”
  2076. “I see…”
  2077. >There was no denying that Rarity For You had rather… bleak prospects.
  2078. >She was well behind her business plan, which had assumed she would lose money for the first few years anyway.
  2079. >If things didn’t improve, well…
  2080. >She had been hoping her other branches would be able to pay for it.
  2081. >It had indeed become something of a millstone around her neck.
  2082. >But…
  2083. “Ideaaaaaa! Coco my dear, dry your tears! As it turns out I’ve stretched myself rather… thin. Opening a new branch in the Empire was going to demand some sacrifices.”
  2084. >”Like what?”
  2085. “Well… Oh! We’re here. How convenient.”
  2086. >Rarity gestured at the building she had selected.
  2087. >A narrow storefront, perhaps a bit too small on the ground floor, but with a second story that could serve as storage.
  2088. >It would take some renovations of course, but the external structure was nearly perfect.
  2089. >Massive bay windows for product display, ample natural lighting, a highly visible location right in the heart of the shopping district…
  2090. >And best of all, the lease was only 1400 bits per month!
  2091. >The business licence was a bit steeper than she’d been expecting, but still her operating costs would be miniscule next to the Manehattan branch.
  2092.  
  2093. >Hay, even the Canterlot location was going to cost far more to run!
  2094. >”It’s a bit run down, but…”
  2095. “Yes, you see it too! Not as it is, but as it yearns to be. As it SHALL be! But there is a problem. I simply cannot keep up with demand!”
  2096. >”What do you mean?”
  2097. “I mean that I’ve been falling behind on my orders! Even with you doing so much needlework in Manehattan, I have in recent history failed to meet some deadlines.”
  2098. >This month was looking to be catastrophic with the trip having taken so long…
  2099. “Worse, Crystal ponies are aesthetically unique.“
  2100. >”Oh, you’re right. They can’t wear an outfit designed for an Equestrian pony.”
  2101. “I cannot keep up with demand. The plan to alleviate that had been to have a few stock designs, pret a porte for off the shelf sales.”
  2102. >Coco bore a horrified expression befitting one who’d just discovered that their best friend was in fact a demonic entity from the deepest depths of Tartarus.
  2103. >”But… your brand!”
  2104. >Rarity knew.
  2105. >It was shameful in a way few would understand.
  2106. >She would have never entertained the idea had she not needed the money.
  2107. “But there is a solution. My second biggest mistake was opening Rarity for You in Manehattan. But my biggest, most humiliating and catastrophic mistake of all? Well, that was making you an employee instead of a partner.”
  2108. >”Hm? I- do you-”
  2109. >Coco fainted.
  2110. “Oh my! You do that too? I thought it was my thing.”
  2111. >Coco was catatonic, laying on the ground.
  2112. >With nary a fainting couch in sight!
  2113. >That would have to be addressed during renovations.
  2114. “Oh dear. Let’s get you out of the street and-”
  2115. >”I can’t!”
  2116. >Oh!
  2117. >She had awoken quite quickly!
  2118. >Standing up was taking a bit longer though.
  2119. >”I’d love to, Rarity. But I can’t do that. I’m not good enough-”
  2120. “Nonsense. To my eye you are plenty good enough, and I shan’t hear anything to the contrary.”
  2121. >”But I’m just a small time-”
  2122. “I like your designs. Are you telling me I have poor tastes?”
  2123. >Coco broke her gaze immediately.
  2124. >”I’m scared. What if I make a dud? It would reflect poorly on you!”
  2125. “You raise a point. Or rather you would, if we were selling it under my brand! You’ll have to work on your signature, my dear.”
  2126. >Coco was fading again, getting ready to collapse.
  2127. >Rarity propped her friend and business partner up before she could tumble once more.
  2128. >”I accept! I’ll sign anything, I’ll do anything- I accept!”
  2129.  
  2130. >She’d do anything?
  2131. >Hm…
  2132. …
  2133. >Nope.
  2134. >Rarity knew that this was an opportunity for exploitation, but she couldn’t think of anything.
  2135. >Not even as a thought exercise!
  2136. >It simply wasn’t in her character.
  2137. “Very well. We’ve got a lot of work to do, partner.”
  2138. >Rarity extended a hoof.
  2139. >Coco hesitantly took it, trembling with excitement.
  2140. >The hoof shake was limp and awkward, but both of them were thrilled for the agreement.
  2141. We shall come up with an agreement, I’ll lease the building and- oh right! If you’re my partner I’ll need to consult you on the renovations won’t I? This shall take some getting used to, please forgive me if I overstep my bounds.”
  2142. >This was going to complicate things a great deal.
  2143. >But it was clearly the correct solution!
  2144. >Rarity could give Coco the chance she deserves.
  2145. >And she could give the ponies the quality they deserved.
  2146. >Plus she could keep her money, which was always a nice bonus.
  2147.  
  2148. =========
  2149. Spellcheck was adamant that “trump” be capitalised. Truly the worst thing to ever come out of American politics.
  2150. So now you know why I started making references to the cost of living in Manehattan 4 updates ago. I'd initially had different plans for Rarity's boutique, but this ties Coco in so nicely that I had to adapt my plans. Oh well! It's definitely worth it.
  2151.  
  2152. I've never written Coco before, and she doesn't actually appear in many episodes so this depiction is both coming from inexperience and a shallow understanding of her character. If she seems out of character at all, please let me know.
  2153. I'll post it tomorrow. Not really happy with how it turned out, but this has already taken way too long and it's not worth another rewrite.
  2154. Thank you for your patience.
  2155. !bwwXn5Gx.o Mon 24 Oct 2022 08:21:33 No.39208089 ViewReport
  2156. >>39205370
  2157. >>39207151
  2158. Hey, if you've got your own read on the situation run with it. I'm not telling that story, and even if I was it would just be one possible interpretation of the characters. Maybe you're right and it would play out differently.
  2159.  
  2160. >>39204856
  2161. >>39205729
  2162. Glad you're enjoying it, and thanks for the kind words. I'm sorry that I release so infrequently, but I don't have as much time as when this started way back when. I'll try to pick up the pace because it doesn't have to be THIS slow, but it can be hard at times.
  2163.  
  2164. >>39206050
  2165. I don't care for the anal slut meme personally. I've said before that anal doesn't do much for me, but worse still you're discarding most of her potential when you focus on just one hole.
  2166. It will ultimately be up to the thread, but I want Coco to be far more well rounded than that.
  2167. That doesn't mean she can't have a preference of course! But I for one envision her being worked far more heavily than that.
  2168. !bwwXn5Gx.o Sun 23 Oct 2022 11:19:15 No.39204555 ViewReport
  2169. >>39204529
  2170. >>39203555
  2171. >>39203697
  2172. >>39203554
  2173. >>39204270
  2174. Y'all niggas is gay.
  2175. To answer the question with only a few minutes of thought, my version of Cadence would jealously guard her "wife" and try to displace the nameless master. She'd quickly become an extremely demanding and perhaps even cruel mistress by trying to be the master's superior in every way. Shining would be emasculated and humiliated by both of them on a constant basis as they tried to one up each other.
  2176. Would Cadence actually enjoy it, or would she just be doing it to try and keep her spouse? I think she'd actually hate doing it at first since it runs contrary to her ideology, but her extreme lebido would quickly teach her to love it, probably even enough to make her rethink her worldview. She's willing to impose her views on others in strange ways, and I see no reason why this new desire wouldn't also become her goal.
  2177. Congrats, femdom and sissification is to be the law of the land.
  2178.  
  2179. ================
  2180. >You wake up to the sound of your alarm.
  2181. >It had been a rough night, made so by your worries about Celestia.
  2182. >There are dozens of reasons why she might want to talk to you, and most of them are fine.
  2183. >But she might know things you’d rather keep hidden.
  2184. >You crawl out of bed out from under Rarity, whom you idly note isn’t properly bound or dressed.
  2185. >You’re not entirely sure when she got home last night.
  2186. >It was late, you know that much.
  2187. >But you’re not sure WHY she was out so late.
  2188. >Something to discuss with her later.
  2189. >For now you need to get ready.
  2190. >As you prepare for your meeting you can’t quite shake a heavy sense of dread.
  2191. >A primal part of your mind is telling you you’re in danger.
  2192. >That you should RUN.
  2193. >But of course, there’s nowhere to run to.
  2194. >Maybe it’ll be okay though?
  2195. >She’s just a pony after all!
  2196. >There’s no way she knows EVERYTHING.
  2197. >Sun powers or not, there’s an actual physical brain there.
  2198. >She has to store everything she knows in limited space, and rely on information from imperfect sensory organs.
  2199. >All that talk of cursed kingdoms and incredible wisdom was probably just talk.
  2200. >Shining Armor clearly held her in very high regard, he couldn’t be trusted to stay objective!
  2201. >And even IF she was the genius she’s made out to be, it’s no big deal.
  2202. >There was no way she would have let you into Equestria if she had problems with your past.
  2203. >And nopony knows about what you’ve done to Rarity.
  2204. >Well, nopony who counts.
  2205. >Rarity won’t have blabbed, Cadence is on your side, and Applejack-
  2206. >Fuck.
  2207. >She doesn’t actually KNOW, but she’s certainly suspicious something’s up.
  2208. >But Cadence will protect you!
  2209. >She’s the princess, what she says is law!
  2210. >Except that Rarity’s an Equestrian citizen, so Celestia will definitely have some say.
  2211. >And the Empire is tiny next to Equestria, not to mention a protectorate state, and heavily dependent on imports of grain from the South.
  2212. >They definitely have an extradition treaty, and even if they didn’t Celestia had more than enough leverage to demand your head.
  2213. >Even if Shining Armor and Cadence didn’t like her…
  2214. >Well, it’s okay anyway!
  2215. >She OWES you!
  2216. >Twilight and Pinkie would be DEAD without you!
  2217. >Though they wouldn’t have even been hurt had you not been here-
  2218. >The princess doesn’t know that!
  2219. >Hopefully!
  2220. >If she tries anything, you can just shut her down by reminding her that you’re the alien with advanced medical knowledge that they’re heavily dependent on!
  2221. >Except that they could probably import more physicians to replace you.
  2222. >And that you’re not the right specialisation for their needs, so your replacement would probably be better.
  2223. >But you’re a hero!
  2224. >The public would side with you if anything were to happen!
  2225. >Well, the part that trusted you.
  2226. >There were plenty of ponies that were nervous about your very presence, having heard that humans were a predator species with weaponry that must have seemed to them as a death ray would to you.
  2227.  
  2228. >And quite a few of those who DID trust you changed their mind when they learned what you did for a living.
  2229. >Somehow the idea of cutting flesh frightened some, no matter how many times you insisted it was a curative process.
  2230. >You’re far from being a pariah, but there’s still a significant part of the population that would be happy to see you gone.
  2231. >And of course, the whole rape thing would doubtlessly bolster their numbers.
  2232. *sigh*
  2233. >This coping isn’t working.
  2234. >The truth is that this is a very powerful pony coming to interrogate you, and you’ve done things she won’t approve of.
  2235. >She has the capacity and motive to take away everything!
  2236. >You’re nervous.
  2237. >Maybe even scared.
  2238. >But there doesn’t seem to be any avoiding it.
  2239. >Trying to run or hide is just an admission of guilt.
  2240. >With luck, she doesn’t know.
  2241. >There’s a good chance everything will be fine.
  2242. >You groom yourself to the best of your abilities, hoping to put forward a professional and approachable air.
  2243. >And then you leave.
  2244. >Except…
  2245. >Before actually opening the door, you go back to check on Rarity.
  2246. >Still asleep.
  2247. >Should you say anything?
  2248. >This might be the last time you ever see her.
  2249. >You sit down on the ground, heart racing.
  2250. >You feel sick.
  2251. >This might actually be the last time you ever see Rarity!
  2252. >Celestia could take her away from you, and there’s nothing you can do!
  2253. >Should you say goodbye?
  2254. >Tell her you’ll miss her?
  2255. >Maybe it’s best if you don’t say anything.
  2256. >She’ll find out what happened to you sooner or later.
  2257. >You’re a nervous wreck right now.
  2258. >You’d make a fool of yourself.
  2259. >You don’t want Rarity to remember you as a nervous wreck.
  2260. >You collect yourself as best as you’re able, and head out the door.
  2261. >It’s a miserable day outside, as though the skies were warning you to stay home.
  2262. >The normally radiant empire was caught in the middle of a snowstorm that had blocked out the sun.
  2263. >It’s not nearly as dark as when you had to make your way home in the middle of the night; street lights are all lit and there is some sun filtering through.
  2264. >But it’s still far dimmer than a normal morning up here in the empire.
  2265. >Ponies normally reacted fairly poorly to these dark days, but truth be told you like it more.
  2266. >The empire is just too bright for human eyes.
  2267. >Now, when most of the light had been filtered, it looked…
  2268. >Peaceful.
  2269. >Sure, if you were to leave the bubble you’d change your tune real quick, but you’re sheltered by the magical shield until Celestia kicks you out.
  2270. >The blowing snow isn’t biting at your flesh, it’s just filtering the bulk of the light.
  2271. >The crystals seem to glow faintly, refracting the modest light that reaches them and clearly lighting your way.
  2272. >Shining Armor had made a big deal of this when you first told him.
  2273. >He seemed to think that this was surely because of some horrible trauma, like you were associating bright lights with explosions or something.
  2274.  
  2275. >You can understand why he’d think that.
  2276. >Liking blizzards isn’t exactly normal after all.
  2277. >And there HAVE been more than a few fiery explosions on Earth in your lifetime.
  2278. >But you’re confident he’s just overthinking it.
  2279. >Human eyes are just adapted for a darker planet; hostile weather isn’t pleasant per se, but it does make this world a little more Earth-like.
  2280. >You cross through the nearly empty streets slowly and cautiously, careful not to hurt your rotting foot.
  2281. >And yet, despite your sedate pace, you reach the palace much too soon.
  2282. >In those crystalline walls lies your judgement.
  2283. >May she show you more mercy than you deserve.
  2284. >The palace guards let you pass without a second glance.
  2285. >Perhaps if you were less worried that might have seemed odd, but at present you don’t even notice.
  2286. >You wander around the labyrinthine interior, fully aware that you’ve got no idea where you’re going.
  2287. >Aware, but not caring.
  2288. >You don’t WANT to reach your destination.
  2289. >The longer it takes for you to arrive, the longer you can hold onto hope.
  2290. >It may be cowardice, it may be futile, but it’s the only control you yet retain.
  2291. >Your only option for influencing your fate.
  2292. >”Doctor! The princess is in the meeting room in the other wing. If you’ll follow me I’ll take you to her.”
  2293. >And with that, your choice has been taken from you.
  2294. >A small light grey mare with a brown mane…
  2295. >You don’t recognize her.
  2296. “Thanks. Uh…”
  2297. >”Raven Inkwell. I’m one of Princess Celestia’s aids. We haven’t met.”
  2298. >Well, at least this won’t be socially awkward.
  2299. >You fall in line behind her as she trots to what you presume to be a meeting room.
  2300. >Your attention is drawn to a small file folder grasped in her mouth.
  2301. >You can’t be sure, but somehow you suspect it’s about you.
  2302. >Somehow, she leads you to the opposite side of the palace in the blink of an eye.
  2303. >Even when you’re in a hurry it’s normally an ordeal to get anywhere in here.
  2304. >But she seemed to know the layout as though it were her own home.
  2305. >You find yourself in a modestly sized chamber far too soon, sitting across the largest and most elegant pony you’d ever laid eyes on.
  2306. >She has fixed upon her face the very image of tranquillity and mercy.
  2307. >Her soft smile has somehow convinced you everything will be okay.
  2308. >”Good morning. I hope life is treating you well.”
  2309. “Good morning, your… princessness? Thank you for gracing me with your presence?”
  2310. >Maybe you should have brushed up on etiquette first.
  2311. >”And thank you for coming to see me. I understand you were injured by Chrysalis. I hope you recover swiftly. I’ve asked you here today because I have a few concerns about Twilight Sparkle’s treatment.”
  2312. >Uh oh.
  2313. >”More specifically, the preparation used to suppress her infection.”
  2314. “Oh, fidaxomicin?”
  2315. >”Not that one, though I may ask a few questions about it as well. I’m curious about Dificid.”
  2316. >That’s all she wants to know?
  2317.  
  2318. >Here you were freaking out over nothing!
  2319. “Well, first I must compliment you on that pronunciation. That was perfect.”
  2320. >Genuinely remarkable.
  2321. >Your accent is as thick as tar, how does she do that?
  2322. “Dificid and fidaxomicin are the same drug.”
  2323. >”It has multiple names?”
  2324. “Many drugs do.”
  2325. >”Does that not lead to confusion?”
  2326. “Yes.”
  2327. >A scroll and quill appear before her in a quick flash of light.
  2328. >You avert your gaze and close your eyes, blinking several times to try and clear the after image.
  2329. >You’re used to unicorns using magic.
  2330. >You’ve seen it plenty of times.
  2331. >But the light that comes from them is nowhere near that potent.
  2332. >Did she just cast a freakishly strong spell?
  2333. >Or is her magical light just different?
  2334. >Hard to say, probably best to not ask.
  2335. >Once your vision returns to normal, you see Celestia bowing her head before you.
  2336. >”I am sorry, Anonymous. I was aware that human eyes are more sensitive to light, but I am accustomed to being able to do that without causing harm.”
  2337. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
  2338. >”You’re certain? I hope I haven’t damaged your eyes.”
  2339. >You doubt she has.
  2340. “No more than just ageing a few more days. Even if you had, I expect I’ll be replacing them when I get older anyway.”
  2341. >Optical implants aren’t exactly cheap, but most people wind up getting them eventually.
  2342. >The optic nerve just isn’t suited for a long life.
  2343. >And unless you get lynched for the rape, you should live more than long enough for your natural eyes to deteriorate.
  2344. “So you had some questions about fidaxomicin. While there are some possible side effects, it’s far safer than going without treatment, and I’m pleased to report that Twilight doesn’t seem to be adversely affected at all.”
  2345. >”While I am relieved that she hasn’t been harmed by the treatment, that isn’t quite what I came here to discuss. Twilight has told me it functions through a rather unusual mechanism. It prevents replication of genetic material in targeted cells, correct?”
  2346. “Yyyes?”
  2347. >You’re not sure where she’s going with this.
  2348. “It reacts with the clamping region of C. Difficile’s DNA, preventing it from unfolding itself and therefore replicating.”
  2349. >”And how does it know which DNA to target?”
  2350. “It doesn’t really know, it’s just a chemical. But when it was being designed the researchers identified a sequence that was unique to the bacterium, and designed their drug to react with that specific sequence.”
  2351. >She frowns, but nods.
  2352. >”Every species has unique DNA, mister Anonymous. Could a similar drug be made to target other bacteria?”
  2353. “Yes. It’s been done several times in fact. Targeted treatments are troublesome because you need to know exactly what you’re dealing with, but they’re extremely effective and often considered the best practice.”
  2354. >She scribbles something on her scroll.
  2355. >You have no hope of finding out what without taking it from her, which is probably a bad idea.
  2356.  
  2357. >”Since it is possible to target specific genetic sequences, could one hypothetically design a drug to affect targeted DNA in a more aggressive manner? Perhaps by outright destroying it?”
  2358. “Uh… yes. That doesn’t happen very often since it’s a bit more dangerous, but it could happen. Fidaxomicin takes a very passive approach and relies on the body’s immune system to clean up since there’s less risk of harming the patient. Administering highly destructive drugs is usually reserved for extreme cases since there’s always a risk of harming the host, but some cancer medications are pretty aggressive. There are lung cancer treatments that target specific trigger mutations to kill the target cells while hopefully leaving the rest of the body unharmed. Last I heard, a new preparation was being tested for treatment of certain pancreatic cancers too.”
  2359. >Her eyes widen and her posture becomes tense and rigid.
  2360. >”You can target specific subgroups of cells within a human?”
  2361. “I can’t, but it can be done.”
  2362. >”This is far worse than I thought.”
  2363. >Really?
  2364. >What’s the problem?
  2365. >”I had planned on asking you if such medications could be used to selectively target macroorganisms, but now I find out it’s far more powerful than I’d feared.”
  2366. >Target macroorganisms?
  2367. >Why would-
  2368. >Shining Armor was right about her.
  2369. >She IS sharp.
  2370. “You were wondering if this could be used as a selective weapon to target certain species?”
  2371. >”No, I had already pieced together that it could do that, but now I find it’s far more powerful than I’d been led to believe.”
  2372. >She already KNEW?
  2373. >She’s not just sharp.
  2374. >She’s freakishly insightful.
  2375. >But wait…
  2376. >If she already knew, what did she want to talk about?
  2377. >Has she not yet gotten to the point?
  2378. >”Could a similar drug be designed to kill certain breeds of creatures? Certain families? Individuals?”
  2379. “I’m sorry to tell you, but yes. One could hypothetically target whatever you wanted with similar drugs, as long as there was a good DNA sample to analyse.”
  2380. >”And target specific parts of the body with a variety of possible outcomes. A poison that harms only the intended target, and only to the intended degree.”
  2381. >Yeah, she was still going!
  2382. >Celestia hadn’t asked her question yet, she was just walking through her reasoning to look for mistakes!
  2383. >Mistakes like underestimating how powerful these drugs were.
  2384. >Where was she going with this?
  2385. >”We ponies would consider this an incredibly dangerous weapon. And yet, somehow, you have it.”
  2386. >Uh oh.
  2387. “Princess, I assure you it won’t work on anything other than C. Difficile. Your ponies are safe.”
  2388.  
  2389. >”I am aware, mister Anonymous. The exact preparation you have is mostly harmless. How one is able to secure that specific chemical is no great mystery, and I do not object to how it is being handled here. The problem at hoof is more about the development; I cannot imagine that the researchers who created this substance failed to see the dangers as I have.”
  2390. ”It’s not the most dangerous thing that man has made.”
  2391. >”I know. The destructive power your kind wields is unparalleled even within our wildest myths. It is truly a testament to the restraint and foresight of mankind that you can hold such terrible power and still survive! It is exactly that foresight that confuses me; normally when your kind plays with Tirek’s toys, it is done in secret or in the face of overwhelming public outrage! And yet these substances are openly manufactured and traded, whilst being largely ignored by the public. Why, until quite recently I had not even heard of this technology. I would have expected ongoing protests, or even riots, not silence!”
  2392. >Oh.
  2393. >She wants to know why people tolerate such dangerous research.
  2394. …
  2395. >No, that wasn’t it either.
  2396. >She would definitely understand the utility.
  2397. “We fear disease more than we fear medicine.”
  2398. >She scribbles something down again, speaking even as she writes.
  2399. >”This isn’t simply a medicine, mister Anonymous. This is a gamble, nay, a sacrifice. A willingness to allow a new breed of weapon into the world knowing that in the fullness of time it will be abused. With so many billions sharing such a small world and so many generations ahead, it is inevitable that one person will do the wrong thing. The intent was doubtlessly to suppress a great evil, but in doing so you have enabled another.”
  2400. “Are you proposing that this line of research was a mistake?”
  2401. >”No. Humans are susceptible to lapses in judgement as any other creature, but in the long term you tend to be quite pragmatic. Had this been a mistake, your kind would have realised it by now and if nothing else there would be talks of how to mitigate the damage. Instead, you tell me that similar drugs are still being developed. Your kind has concluded that the inevitable tragedy is more tolerable than the status quo.”
  2402. “Disease is bad.”
  2403. >”Indeed. These tools have allowed you to slay a terrible demon. Or so I would have expected. Had it worked as it should have, there would be no need for further sacrifice. You’ve told me that new curatives are still being developed, and I have it on good authority that the equivalent of trillions of bits are spent on medicine every year. Treasure beyond comprehension, and unconscionable risk. These are not the actions of the victorious, mister Anonymous. Your current trajectory is one of ruin, and you tolerate such reckless research because you have no choice. The diseases are fighting back, and they’re winning. Or am I mistaken?”
  2404. >You’re dumbstruck.
  2405. >She had pieced all that together?
  2406.  
  2407. >And from so little information?
  2408. >It takes longer than you care to admit to find your voice.
  2409. “Unfortunately, yes. Old illnesses that were once thought beaten are returning.”
  2410. >”And the treatments no longer work?”
  2411. “No. They’re…”
  2412. >What’s the equine word for mutant?
  2413. “Do you have a dictionary on hoof?”
  2414. >”I’m afraid not.”
  2415. “They come back different. Usually only a little, but that little bit is enough.”
  2416. >”And it isn’t trivial to develop a new treatment either, otherwise you wouldn’t need to devote so much to the search.”
  2417. “It’s usually harder the second time. Whatever vulnerability was once exploited is gone, or at least reduced.”
  2418. >”And so it is not a simple battle against, but an eternal struggle. A fight against nature herself, in which all triumphs are inevitably erased. Now I ask you, by allowing human medicine into Equestria will I be dooming my ponies to a similar fate?”
  2419. >This is most definitely not what you were expecting this morning.
  2420. “Yes. But princess-”
  2421. >”I agree, it would be unconscionable to deny the sick their remedy. The question is not whether or not I secure their remedy, the question is how I deal with the consequences.”
  2422. >She’s a bloody mind reader too!
  2423. >You’re going to pretend that’s not what you were going to say though.
  2424. >Suggesting she’d deny medicine to the sick is really an accusation, and you haven’t forgotten how much power she has over you.
  2425. >You get the feeling she’s very forgiving and patient, but even so it would be best not to insult her.
  2426. “Actually, I was going to correct you on one detail. Fidaxomicin has not been losing its efficacy.”
  2427. >You hadn’t noticed she was frowning, the warmth and grace on her face had completely obscured her sadness from your eyes.
  2428. >But now that she’s changed her expression, you can tell she was in a foul mood.
  2429. “It’s been in use for decades, and still works beautifully. You’re right that most of our victories are transient, but sometimes we really do come out ahead.”
  2430. >”That is wonderful news. You have been a great help today, and I am thankful for your assistance. But perhaps you could help me just a bit more.”
  2431. >She passes you a folder.
  2432. >You’re pretty sure it’s the one her assistant was carrying earlier.
  2433. >You open it up and-
  2434. >And your heart jumps into your throat.
  2435. >This is paperwork.
  2436. >More specifically, an application for temporary residency in Equestria.
  2437. >More specifically than that, it’s YOUR application.
  2438. “Is, um, is something wrong your majesty?”
  2439. >”There is, yes. Were you not aware?”
  2440. “Aware of what?”
  2441. >”You failed the background check.”
  2442. “I… pardon?”
  2443. >”I rejected your application.”
  2444. >That doesn’t make sense.
  2445. “I’m looking at it right now. Your signature is right there.”
  2446. >”It’s a forgery. I hope you realise that this is a very serious crime. Are you certain you don’t know anything about this?
  2447.  
  2448. >You feel like you’ve been shot in the chest.
  2449. >The fear you experienced this morning seemed so miniscule by comparison to the mind numbing panic you felt in that moment.
  2450. >This was worse than you’d feared.
  2451. >You’re an ILLEGAL ALIEN.
  2452. >A trespasser!
  2453. “Princess, there must be some mistake! I- I- I was told I was approved! I had the papers and everything!”
  2454. >She looks you dead in the eye.
  2455. >Somehow it feels as though she’s looking through you, studying your interior.
  2456. >She was reading your very soul, you just knew it!
  2457. >”I believe you.”
  2458. “You- you do?”
  2459. >”Yes. And what’s more, I regret my decision. You have proven a valuable asset, no matter how it is that you came to be here. I was wrong to reject your application.”
  2460. “I-”
  2461. >You’re still freaking out a bit.
  2462. >Your heart is hammering, your thoughts are scattered, and your adrenaline is running high.
  2463. >”That was genuine shock in your eyes, mister Anonymous. I believe you when you claim this is a surprise. You will be allowed to stay, barring any future developments.”
  2464. “How did this happen?”
  2465. >”Somepony intercepted my rejection notice then proceeded to forge my signature AND my royal seal.”
  2466. “But… who could do that?”
  2467. >”I have my suspicions, but I don’t know yet.”
  2468. >This didn’t make any sense.
  2469. >Was somepony going to approach you and demand payment?
  2470. >Did you owe a dangerous criminal a favour?
  2471. “Why did you reject my application?”
  2472. >Maybe if you were a bit calmer, you wouldn’t have asked such a stupid question.
  2473. >”You know why.”
  2474. “Y-yeah, I do.”
  2475. >”Have you told your friends yet?”
  2476. “No. No, not yet.”
  2477. >How could you?
  2478. >Cadence approves of rape, but she wouldn’t approve of this.
  2479. >”You have to stop lying to them, mister Anonymous.”
  2480. “I… I know.”
  2481. >”Very good. If you will excuse me, I have a health policy to make and a saboteur to root out. I bid you a wonderful day.”
  2482. >She shows herself out of the room.
  2483. >You’re free to go.
  2484. >But instead, you just stay put.
  2485. >You try not to scream from the stress.
  2486. >Sadly, you fail.
  2487. ========
  2488. Looks like Anon has a secret.
  2489. Full disclosure, this green has gone beyond its original scope. When designing it I wanted to make a serial drama with no definitive end. It's supposed to be able to adapt to reader requests like Coco, while also being able to introduce new story elements for as long as it takes to run out of makes to fug or people stop reading. The purpose of this green is to give readers agency, and this is mutually exclusive with a rigid story arc so I made it flexible instead. This element was decided on shortly after we met Chrysalis, and some hints have been dropped since then. However it's possible this contradicts earlier passages.
  2490.  
  2491. Next time, I think Anon will meet Coco. He has little control over her, but if you want him to try something I'll try to work it in.
  2492. ============
  2493. We did this once upon a time but it got dropped. I plan on bringing it back.
  2494.  
  2495. There was a lot of talk about Sweetie Belle, including a suggestion in the previous thread. I'm reluctant to include foalcon in this green. I started writing this to revive SiM, and though I haven't been doing a very good job of late it has served its purpose. There is something here that appeals to pretty much everyone who would participate in this kind of thread. If I start introducing things that some SiM regulars might find repulsive, this green will become less effective. I am not opposed to introducing fetishes other than Domination and Submission, just so long as they're not going to be highly divisive.
  2496.  
  2497. >It took a little while to calm down.
  2498. >Mercifully, everypony seemed perfectly content to leave you alone for as long as it took.
  2499. >You were sure that the noise would have attracted attention, but you were mistaken.
  2500. >Had they kept a wide berth so as to avoid getting involved in your troubles?
  2501. >Or had they figured alone time would be the best treatment?
  2502. >Perhaps it was something else entirely, like restrictions on entering the area.
  2503. >You’re not sure, and frankly you don’t care.
  2504. >You’re just happy to have been left alone.
  2505. >There was a lot to take in after that.
  2506. >Celestia said you were free to stay, which was good.
  2507. >But it still left you with two massive questions.
  2508. >Who had forged her approval?
  2509. >And why?
  2510. >And how, come to think of it.
  2511. >Though that third question really isn’t your problem.
  2512. >Is some shadowy figure going to approach you in the middle of the night and demand your help with something?
  2513. >Were they going to try and blackmail you?
  2514. >Maybe…
  2515. >Maybe it’s not so bad.
  2516. >Celestia already knew, and you had her permission to stay.
  2517. >Whoever did it, they had just lost their leverage.
  2518. >And they likely didn’t know that you knew.
  2519. >When the time comes, just refuse.
  2520. >Unless they’re the kind that makes offers one can’t refuse…
  2521. >Then just agree to their demands and immediately go to the authorities.
  2522. >Hay, maybe it won’t even come to that!
  2523. >Celestia was doubtlessly going to try and root out whoever had done it.
  2524. >Maybe they’d be caught before anything happened.
  2525. >And come to think of it, how do you know they want something from you?
  2526. >You haven’t been here that long, but even so it seems like they’d have contacted you by now.
  2527. >Maybe their plan already fell apart?
  2528. >It was a total fluke that you wound up positioned in the Empire.
  2529. >Any reasonable mastermind would have expected you to be somewhere in Equestria itself, likely a major city.
  2530. >It could be that you were useless to them, and they were just keeping their distance to mitigate risk.
  2531. >Unlike your attempts from earlier today, this round of coping IS working.
  2532. >By the time you stand to leave, you’re feeling almost okay.
  2533.  
  2534.  
  2535. >Still anxious, sure, but not that bad.
  2536. >You make your way out of the palace, having no difficulty navigating the halls on your way out.
  2537. >Something about the layout is so baffling when you’re trying to get in, with branching corridors and dead ends scattered throughout.
  2538. >And yet, leaving is trivial.
  2539. >No matter where you are, there’s always a nearby passage that leads to a larger room or hallway, eventually pushing you to the entrance.
  2540. >Perhaps it’s deliberate?
  2541. >Maybe the layout was intended to disorient intruders.
  2542. >Now that you look a bit closer, trying to go deeper into the palace forces one to navigate numerous blind corners and pass through who knows how many chokepoints.
  2543. >It’s a fortification!
  2544. >You know that the crystal ponies have had a long history of struggle; it’s really not strange that the palace would be designed to be defensible.
  2545. >And yet it still surprises you.
  2546. >You’ve been here dozens of times before, and always complained about the labyrinthine nature.
  2547. >Somehow it had never dawned on you that that might be a feature.
  2548. >This militant utility was just so incongruous with the peaceful and tranquil world you had seen.
  2549. >The facade Chrysalis had shattered.
  2550. >Or perhaps it wasn’t merely a facade, but more of a veneer.
  2551. >A final finishing touch to smooth over the rougher edges.
  2552. >These ponies were a part of this planet’s natural order after all.
  2553. >Much like Man was a defining aspect of Earth’s ecology, they too had used their power to dictate the order of this land.
  2554. >The fact that their will was not absolute didn’t make it any less real.
  2555. >Just more fragile.
  2556. >Hopefully, they’ll catch Chrysalis before she shatters the Crystal Empire.
  2557. >Her ability to control others is still weighing heavily on your mind; you STILL don’t know what of your actions were your own and what was her whispering into your ear.
  2558. >You’d like to think that you were in control for the whole time, that you chose to help the sick of your own volition.
  2559. >And there is some evidence to suggest that’s what happened.
  2560. >You remember her being surprised when you volunteered.
  2561. >And you were still able to rat them out in the end.
  2562. >But it’s clear from your mood swings earlier that they had some effect on you.
  2563. >Did she use you in some way you haven’t realised yet?
  2564. >Would you even be allowed to remember if she had?
  2565. >There’s a chilling thought.
  2566. >Come to think of it, you’re not a reliable judge of any of this stuff.
  2567. >If her control is thorough enough, she could make it impossible for you to think about it properly.
  2568. >She could prevent you from noticing or understanding critical clues, eliminate certain chains of reasoning, or even just force wrong conclusions.
  2569. >The fact that you can even suspect that would imply that her control is not absolute…
  2570. >But since that idea came from YOU, you can’t be sure it’s true.
  2571. >No matter how obvious it may be.
  2572. >You need help.
  2573. >Rarity?
  2574. >No, Chrysalis had been around her while you two were having fun.
  2575. >Twilight?
  2576.  
  2577. >Hm…
  2578. >She seems like a good candidate.
  2579. >But if YOU’RE the one making that judgement call, can you be sure that it’s a good assumption?
  2580. >Are you certain that asking Twilight for help isn’t part of some grand plan?
  2581. …
  2582. >No.
  2583. >You aren’t.
  2584. >And you never will be.
  2585. >Chrysalis has made certainty impossible, whether she mind controlled you or not.
  2586. >Her mere existence has sowed doubt in every thought, every memory, and every observation.
  2587. “Man, how do the ponies deal with this kind of thing?”
  2588. >”You get used to it soon enough.”
  2589. >That was Rarity.
  2590. >You’re pretty sure she wasn’t answering your question.
  2591. >”It’s really unsettling.”
  2592. >You don’t recognize that voice.
  2593. >”Trust me, Coco. You get used to having a pink sky.”
  2594. >Coco?
  2595. >This is great!
  2596. >You NEED a distraction to get you out of this…
  2597. >Whatever this is.
  2598. >You don’t have to search for long to find the two of them.
  2599. >They’re not far in front of you, both staring up at the Empire’s shield.
  2600. >”Besides. It’s far better than being exposed to the cold!”
  2601. >”I suppose so. But couldn’t they have picked a different colour?”
  2602. >”It does clash, doesn’t it? I’ve never thought to ask, but perhaps it could be changed. Ooh! Imagine seafoam!”
  2603. >”That could be interesting. I think the city’s skyline would need to be revised if that happened though.”
  2604. >”You say that as though it isn’t already in desperate need of a touch-up. Have you noticed the use of accent walls?”
  2605. >”They’re hard to miss.”
  2606. >”Those dreadful things were out of vogue even before the Empire was locked out of time.”
  2607. >You casually walk up to the two, hoping to make a good first impression.
  2608. >Coco will be yours in the end.
  2609. >But that doesn’t mean the introduction isn’t important!
  2610. >This could decide how long and hard you have to work to get her.
  2611. “I kinda like them.”
  2612. >”Oh! M- doctor! Fancy seeing you here.”
  2613. “And you must be miss Chanelle.”
  2614. >”Um. It’s Pommel.”
  2615. >”He does that a lot. Something about the inflection used to denote a name just doesn’t agree with his tongue. I assure you, he’s trying.”
  2616. “Rarity has told me-”
  2617. >Wait.
  2618. >Had she told you a lot?
  2619. >Not really.
  2620. “Good things about you.”
  2621. >Good save.
  2622. >It was true, but you’re starting to wonder if she’d oversold it.
  2623. >Coco looked a bit dishevelled.
  2624. >Tired, unkempt, a bit vacant.
  2625. >Maybe she was just exhausted?
  2626. >”That’s very kind of her. I haven’t spoken with her much lately, but you came up pretty quickly. She had mentioned something about a local hero.”
  2627. “Local hero? I like the sounds of that.”
  2628. >”Pardon me for asking, but is your injury permanent?”
  2629. >You don’t know yet.
  2630. >But it’s not looking good.
  2631. “I sure hope not. Crotchety genius doctor with a bum leg? It’d never work.”
  2632. >Had you already told that joke?
  2633. >You’re pretty sure you have.
  2634. >Eh, who cares.
  2635. >They’re not going to get it anyway.
  2636. “How long are you in town?”
  2637. >”I was just leaving.”
  2638. “Oh.”
  2639.  
  2640. >That was going to be a problem.
  2641. >”I’ve got to go back to Manehattan to pack if I’m going to be moving here.”
  2642. “Oh! You’re moving in?”
  2643. >Convenient!
  2644. “Where will you be staying? If you’re looking for a roof we could probably arrange something.”
  2645. >”I appreciate the offer, but it’s okay. I’ll be moving into the storage room of Rarity’s new boutique.”
  2646. >”Ah! Correction, OUR new boutique.”
  2647. >A joint venture?
  2648. >You hadn’t heard anything about that!
  2649. >Was this a new development?
  2650. >”That’s nice of you to say, Rarity. But we both know it’s yours. You’re the one putting all the money up for this; I can’t afford to help out at all.”
  2651. >”Don’t worry about that, dear. Right now isn’t the time to worry about money! It’s time to celebrate the kickstarting of your career!”
  2652. >Wow.
  2653. >Coco was extremely lucky to know her.
  2654. “Still though, are you going to be okay living in a storage room?”
  2655. >Maybe you shouldn’t have said that, given you had Rarity locked in a basement.
  2656. >”Oh definitely.”
  2657. >Rarity shook her head disapprovingly, but remained silent.
  2658. >”It’s about as big as my apartment so it shouldn’t be a problem. And just think about how short the commute will be!”
  2659. “I don’t want to think about it. I tried that when I moved here, lived in the basement. It drove me crazy, always being at work.”
  2660. >”Perhaps it has something to do with how garish it is down there? One would be hard pressed to relax in such an environment.”
  2661. >Rarity had a point.
  2662. >It was something you’d used against her, in fact.
  2663. >You just hope she doesn’t realise that was intentional.
  2664. >”If you’ll excuse me, Rarity. Doctor. I’d better be going”
  2665. >”You’re certain you don’t need my help?”
  2666. >”I definitely need your help, just not in Manehattan. I need you here to set things up.”
  2667. >”Ah yes, right you are!”
  2668. >”I had better get going. This is so exciting! Thank you again, Rarity. I already owe you so much, and- just, thank you.”
  2669. >The two gave each other a quick hug before Coco turned to leave.
  2670. >Cute butt.
  2671. “She seems nice.”
  2672. >”Get in here!”
  2673. >She shoves a nearby door open and gestures for you to follow.
  2674. “Why?”
  2675. >”Just get in there!”
  2676. >Are you in trouble?
  2677. >Wait, you can’t be.
  2678. >That’s not how this relationship works!
  2679. >You walk in because you WANT to, not because you were told to!
  2680. >A quick glance at the interior suggests it hasn’t been vacant for long.
  2681. >Dust is minimal, there’s no obvious sign of bugs, and you can’t see much in terms of damage.
  2682. >The layout is a bit awkward with the building itself being quite narrow and the stairs consuming a sizable portion of the floor.
  2683. >You also can’t help but notice the counter is way too far forward, cutting the floor in half.
  2684. >And that Rarity is now standing between you and it.
  2685. >She looks you sternly in the eye.
  2686. >You steel your will, preparing to deny her whatever she’s about to demand.
  2687.  
  2688. >It doesn’t matter what she wants, you need to put her in her place and remind her that you’re in charge-
  2689. >She leans over the counter and displaces her dress, revealing drenched genitals.
  2690. >”Please… I need it.”
  2691. >This is going to be harder than anticipated.
  2692. “No.”
  2693. >You can hear her whimpering.
  2694. “Not until you’ve earned it. My dick is a reward, not a right.”
  2695. >”But- okay. What must I do?’
  2696. “First, go upstairs and wait for me.”
  2697. >There are bay windows here, plus she left the door open.
  2698. >If anypony were to pass by they’d see everything.
  2699. >Either she’s kinkier than you thought, or way more desperate.
  2700. >But what to demand of her?
  2701. >Hm…
  2702. >You follow behind her shortly after closing the door, and nearly trip over Rarity.
  2703. >It’s dark up here, with just a bit of light sneaking in from the ground floor.
  2704. >She has positioned herself right next to the stairways, face down and ass up.
  2705. >And it’s your job to not immediately enjoy yourself.
  2706. >She needs to learn, and you need to take every opportunity you can to teach her.
  2707. “The plug is in place. Good. Good.”
  2708. >”I- I can’t stand it! It’s always there, taunting me!”
  2709. >Excellent.
  2710. >”Please, master. Please! I- I need it!”
  2711. “Well…”
  2712. >There are multiple demands you want to make.
  2713. >Perhaps the most important is to remind her not to make demands.
  2714. >But…
  2715. >Maybe just this once you’ll-
  2716. >No.
  2717. >You promised yourself you wouldn’t go easy on her.
  2718. “You raised your voice at me.”
  2719. >She starts rubbing her thighs together.
  2720. >Is she getting anything out of that?
  2721. >Probably.
  2722. >The way it’s squeezing her labia like that, she’s bound to get at least a little sensation from it.
  2723. >That just won’t do.
  2724. “Spread your legs.”
  2725. >”Thank you!”
  2726. >Poor thing thinks you’re going to give her what she wants.
  2727. >She spreads them to what must be near their current limit.
  2728. >You can’t help but smirk when a single drop of her arousal falls to the floor.
  2729. “Again, you raised your voice at me. That’s okay in some contexts. But when it’s to command me? I thought there was something urgent in here.”
  2730. >”This IS urgent! I- I- I’m sorry.”
  2731. >She starts standing up.
  2732. “Wait. Stay like that. I’m going to have to punish you, you know.”
  2733. >She’s shivering.
  2734. >Is it from arousal?
  2735. >Fear?
  2736. >Or is it just because it’s kinda cold in here?
  2737. “And what about your friend? You said you were going to help-”
  2738. >Maybe you shouldn’t say the S word too much.
  2739. >You don’t want Rarity to feel guilty after all.
  2740. “Cure her of her frigidity?”
  2741. >”I will! I promise!”
  2742. “And what steps have you taken?”
  2743. >”I- I don’t- None.”
  2744. “I’m disappointed. She’s in need. Are you really so selfish that you wouldn’t help her?”
  2745. >Maybe you do want her to feel guilt after all.
  2746. >Just not when she’s doing your bidding.
  2747. “One week. We’re going to have sex with her in one week.”
  2748. >”PARDON?”
  2749. “Or less. Less is good.”
  2750. >”I- WE? As in, both of us?”
  2751. “Correct. I’ll be there to help.”
  2752.  
  2753. >”Can we perhaps discuss this?”
  2754. “Sure. I’ll see you at home.”
  2755. >”WAIT!”
  2756. >You didn’t even have time to start walking away.
  2757. >You wait while she stands up and turns to face you.
  2758. >She didn’t have permission to do that…
  2759. >You’ll allow it though.
  2760. >Rarity looks up at you with teary eyes.
  2761. >You’d been worried about this.
  2762. >Telling her it wasn’t going to be an exclusive relationship.
  2763. >You’d sorta hoped that she’s overlook that detail with how insane your deadline was…
  2764. >Looks like you miscalculated.
  2765. >But you know what angle to work.
  2766. >That whole generosity thing.
  2767. >Call her selfish, just not directly.
  2768. >”You were going to cheat on me?”
  2769. “No. It’s a 3 way.”
  2770. >”But-”
  2771. “Do you enjoy having sex with me?”
  2772. >She blushes and averts her gaze.
  2773. >But she eventually nods.
  2774. “Do you think your friend would enjoy it too?”
  2775. >”Yes…”
  2776. “Do you think sharing is bad?”
  2777. >”I- I don’t want to.”
  2778. “Alright.”
  2779. >”Pardon?”
  2780. “We don’t have to if you’re not comfortable with it.”
  2781. >This is a risk to be sure.
  2782. >But it would be best if it were her idea.
  2783. >You don’t want resentment to build up any more than it already has.
  2784. >Besides, you’ll get another chance eventually.
  2785. >”You mean it?”
  2786. “Of course. I love you, Rarity.”
  2787. >Do you?
  2788. >You definitely like her.
  2789. >And not just in a sexual way.
  2790. >She’s charming, and her exuberance is contagious.
  2791. >This feeling… maybe it’s not traditional love.
  2792. >Maybe it’s more possessive, more manipulative.
  2793. >And admittedly, it’s way too abusive.
  2794. >Maybe you love the feeling of controlling her and not Rarity herself.
  2795. >Ultimately, you don’t know what this feeling is.
  2796. >But you know you want her to be with you.
  2797. >Maybe that’s close enough.
  2798. “And I would hate to push you away.”
  2799. >”Thank you, master.
  2800. >She suddenly hugs you, compromising your balance and nearly pushing you down the stairs.
  2801. >”Oh my goodness! Perhaps that wasn’t the best idea. Are you harmed?”
  2802. “No, I’m okay. Thanks for asking.”
  2803. >No need to scold her.
  2804. >She knows what she did wrong, and isn’t likely to do it again.
  2805. >You sit down next to her to ensure nothing topples you.
  2806. “No matter what happens, I want you with me. You’ll always have a special place in my heart. You don’t have to share if you don’t want to.”
  2807. >”Thank you. I… I want to make both yourself and Coco happy. I- I need a promise from you.”
  2808. “Go ahead.”
  2809. >”You want to bring Coco into our relationship, don’t you?”
  2810. >Oof.
  2811. >Yeah…
  2812. >She figured it out.
  2813. >You were hoping she would think this was a one off thing so you could ease her into it.
  2814. >Well…
  2815. >If you lie, you have to give up on Coco or betray Rarity’s trust.
  2816.  
  2817. >If you tell the truth-
  2818. >Why are you weighing your options?
  2819. >It’s too late, she’s figured it out.
  2820. >Maybe pretend you didn’t know it was going to be a problem?
  2821. “That was the plan. Is there something wrong with that?”
  2822. >”Yes!”
  2823. “Oh. I’m sorry. This world is still strange to me. I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”
  2824. >”I want to make both of you happy. But I have feelings too.”
  2825. “Alright. I won’t touch her or anypony else..”
  2826. >Sorta a mood killer.
  2827. >You’re not sure she wants it anymore, and you’re pretty sure you wouldn’t be able to-
  2828. >”Well… perhaps we don’t need to be that firm on the issue.”
  2829. >And now you don’t know what’s happening.
  2830. >”It could be fun to have a friend with whom I could discuss these things. Perhaps… what if… maybe she could be my slave and I yours?”
  2831. >And suddenly, you’re in the mood again.
  2832. “That’s a pretty good idea. I’m willing to share you with her.”
  2833. >And to constantly remind her that this was her idea, AND the ability to say that if she demands exclusivity with you that she’s a selfish hypocrite.
  2834. >”I don’t know how this would work though. How am I meant to proceed? I don’t wish to overstep my bounds with you, and I don’t know what you’re expecting. Are you certain this is okay?”
  2835. “We’ll talk through the details when we get home. But for now?”
  2836. >You start undoing your pants.
  2837. >”I was hoping you’d do that.”
  2838. >Rarity once again assumes the position.
  2839. >She’s clearly less aroused than before this little talk, but you’re still glad it happened.
  2840. >You fish around in your lab coat, looking for lubricant.
  2841. >”I’ve needed this since last night. Since before last night! Why, it feels like it’s been months!”
  2842. >She starts rubbing her thighs together again.
  2843. >Looks to be something of a habit.
  2844. “Ah! Did you forget? No touching yourself down there. Spread your legs.”
  2845. >”Oh. Umm…”
  2846. >You pull the plug out of her butt with minor difficulty.
  2847. >Rarity grunts as it leaves.
  2848. >You position yourself before her butt, prodding insistently but not yet penetrating.
  2849. >”Right. Perhaps I’m not in the mood after all. Maybe we can wait until we get home? And AH!”
  2850. >Slowly, gently.
  2851. >Just the glans for now.
  2852. >”Please pull it out! IT- um. It doesn’t hurt?”
  2853. “That’s what the plug was for. Well, partially. It got you used to this.”
  2854. >You slowly inch your way in, stroking her back to try and keep her calm.
  2855. >It takes several seconds for you to bottom out, but Rarity doesn’t fight it at all.
  2856. “How are you feeling?”
  2857. >”Full.”
  2858. >You rock your hips back and forth gently, not truly thrusting.
  2859. >And before long, Rarity starts moving with you.
  2860. >”It fits. This still feels wrong.”
  2861.  
  2862. “Feels right to me. And I promise you, once you stop fighting it it’ll feel right to you too.”
  2863. >”I just- hnnn- the right hole is right next to it.”
  2864. “They’re both the right hole. This is about variety.”
  2865. >You begin to thrust properly, albeit very slowly.
  2866. >The pressure of her entrance feels like it’s milking you, insistently tending to each millimetre of your shaft one section at a time before finally catching on your glans and refusing to let you leave.
  2867. >You speed up slightly, still taking care not to hurt Rarity.
  2868. >”I don’t like it.”
  2869. >You don’t believe her.
  2870. >You lean over her, covering her back and wrapping your arms around her body.
  2871. >And then you speed up.
  2872. >”Ah!”
  2873. >A satisfied moan.
  2874. >You knew she liked it.
  2875. “You’re going to learn to love it. Just give in. Enjoy yourself.”
  2876. >She’s begun to tense up, seemingly trying to rip your dick off every time you pull.
  2877. >The sensation lacked to subtlety of her pussy.
  2878. >Whereas it gently caressed you, this was simply trying wring you out.
  2879. >”I- I can feel it! I think I’m starting to get it!”
  2880. >Her motions speed up, becoming almost frantic.
  2881. >You stop moving entirely and just let Rarity fuck herself.
  2882. >It doesn’t take long for another moan to come out, then panting and sweating.
  2883. >And unfortunately, not long after that, you reach your limit.
  2884. >You pull Rarity against yourself as you unload, emptying deep inside of her.
  2885. >You hold her against yourself for several seconds, just enjoying her touch.
  2886. >And then, once you’re totally soft, you finally pull out.
  2887. >You put the plug back in immediately, making sure none of your seed leaks out.
  2888. “How are you feeling?”
  2889. >”Exhausted. But I have to say… that was fun.”
  2890. “I’m glad to hear it.”
  2891. >”I’m still not certain I believe it possible to actually, ahem, finish in such a manner. But… perhaps we can try again soon?”
  2892. “I’d love to.”
  2893. >You’d also like to lay there, enjoying the afterglow.
  2894. >But laying on the cold wooden floor of an empty building in the dark isn’t very comfortable.
  2895. “Alright. Let’s go home.”
  2896.  
  2897. Okay. It took a lot of thinking to come up with a reason why Rarity might possibly be okay with this, but hopefully we've got it figured. If this still too forced, I did what I could.
  2898.  
  2899. >>39550198
  2900. No worries. These things happen.
  2901.  
  2902. I think Rarity is a massive perv who has suppressed her desires to try and be more refined and ladylike. I see her enjoying Coco's company quite a bit.
  2903.  
  2904. >>39560105
  2905. That's a fun idea. I'll make a note of it.
  2906. !bwwXn5Gx.o Thu 26 Jan 2023 07:46:19 No.39559831 ViewReport
  2907. >>39550637
  2908. >>39550238
  2909. I currently intend to have Rarity coerce Coco using her position of authority, as well as implying that she's wasting her life by not getting railed.
  2910. Suggestions and requests are, as always, welcome.
  2911. ===============
  2912.  
  2913. Alright, I'm back. And only after...
  2914. Oh.
  2915. Much too long.
  2916. >>39678211
  2917. She's going to have to pioneer that look. It'll be a good challenge for her!
  2918. >>39676225
  2919. >>39676569
  2920. I have spent a fair amount of time thinking about this. It's something I'm going to have to handle carefully because foalcon might be a deal breaker for some. None of the following is set in stone yet since I want feedback on how far I should take this, but if I were to proceed it would be something like this.
  2921.  
  2922. Flurry Heart is roughly crusading age. Perhaps a bit younger so the timeline works out better, but close. Cadence loves her daughter and wants what's best for her. She understands that most mares aren't as sex crazed as she is, and would want a more restrained approach than what she desires for herself. Yes, that means what she has done to Rarity is the tame version.
  2923. She also understands that life as a free mare is full of pressure, doubly so for alicorns. You're constantly expected to make decisions and lead others, even if you don't really know what you're doing. Life is also empty when you live it for yourself and have nopony to share it with. Flurry would obviously be better off with a husband who took charge, gave her purpose, and provided companionship.
  2924. The problem is that there are no colts out there good enough for Flurry, and there never will be. A mare wants, nay, NEEDS a good partner to be satisfied. "Good" is a relative term, which is instinctively measured against contrasting elements, including the self. Stallions should be built up as much as possible to make them the best mates possible. Mares, including Flurry, should be degraded and broken down as much as possible to make stallions seem superequine by comparison. That way every relationship will seem like a fairy tale ending, and all mares will be thrilled with their stallions. No mare will ever have to "settle". You can't completely destroy a mare, of course. You want them to be properly equipped to support their husbands so that they can succeed together. But they have to understand that they are inherently inferior in most ways, and that their goal in life should be to support their better half.
  2925. By virtue of being an alicorn, Flurry is more desirable and will therefor need harsher degradation than most mares. Cadence is worried that she won't find her own way, and is trying to nudge her onto the proper path. She's also scared that she'll push too hard and that Flurry will rebel. She might even decide that- stars forbid- MARES should be on top! But on the other hoof if she doesn't push hard enough then she might not get through to her daughter. It's going to be a delicate balancing act, but if she can erode the social stigma around it and maybe even bring extreme D/s relations into public consciousness, it will be easier. She'd better work fast, so that her daughter can be free from freedom ASAP!
  2926. ===============
  2927.  
  2928. >>39706936
  2929. I also figure that Cadence approves of starting them young. Foals are quick learners after all, so the earlier you begin the better they will be! The problem is that neither Celestia nor Luna would approve, and though they've been very fair in their dealings so far she has a hunch that legalizing foal molestation might make them irrationally angry. Worse still, her husband doesn't approve. If she goes against his wishes it risks deteriorating their relationship, possibly beyond repair. By defying the natural order she's inviting despair, conflict, and the not-fun kind of suffering. But she is obligated to do right by her daughter. Cadence doesn't know what to do.
  2930.  
  2931. >It had been a long shift at the clinic.
  2932. >This wasn’t a metaphor, you’d been there for nearly 12 hours at this point.
  2933. >Your brain was fried, your patience thin, and your butt sore.
  2934. >Hopefully not as sore as Rarity’s though.
  2935. >You’ve taken to standing and pacing for every fourth patient.
  2936. >That causes its own problems of course, mostly with the frozen foot.
  2937. >But you welcome the change, even if it does hurt.
  2938. >Your next patient comes in.
  2939. >Doesn’t take long to figure out what’s wrong with them.
  2940. >Just a quick glance at their face says it all.
  2941. “Please take a seat.”
  2942. >”Do I have to?”
  2943. “No. You may stand if you’d prefer.”
  2944. >Odd.
  2945. “Alright… I’m sorry if I get this wrong. Names are really hard, it’s a long story.”
  2946. >”Oh, don’t worry about it.”
  2947. “Are you sure? Because sometimes I get it extremely wrong. I’ve hurt a lot of feelings-”
  2948. >”It’s okay! Just try your best, and I’m sure you’ll do fine!”
  2949. >You look at the document again, nearly overcome by panic.
  2950. >You could read this one name in like, FIVE ways!
  2951. >Ditzy Doo, Bright Eyes, Bubbles, Muffins-
  2952. >Who thought it was a good idea to include homonyms in such a tonal language?
  2953. >Couldn’t they at least differentiate better in the written form?
  2954. “Derpy?”
  2955. >She actually claps for you.
  2956. >Somehow it doesn’t come across as condescending.
  2957. >”See? You did great!”
  2958. “Oh. Wow, okay. Thank you.”
  2959. >That really does help the ego.
  2960. “Let’s get a look at those eyes then.”
  2961. >”Why? Is there something wrong with them?”
  2962. “Hm?”
  2963. >”I came here because of a rash. Oh no! Has it spread to my eyes?”
  2964. >Oops.
  2965. >You were doing so well, too.
  2966. “Sorry, I misspoke. Let’s see the rash then.”
  2967. >It was on her butt.
  2968. >Of course it was.
  2969. >At least you knew why she didn’t want to sit.
  2970. “Dermatitis. Contact dermatitis, I’m sure of it. And a really bad case of it! I’ve got an ointment that will help, but we’re going to have to figure out what caused it or it’ll just keep happening. Have you sat on anything weird lately?”
  2971. >”All sorts of weird things!”
  2972. >She sounded strangely proud of that.
  2973. >”I’ve sat on cactuses, lily pads, other ponies, weather vanes, lightning clouds, lightning BOLTS- All sorts of things! Sometimes it’s even on purpose!”
  2974.  
  2975. >Unfortunately, that doesn’t help much.
  2976. “Anything new lately?”
  2977. >”I got a new delivery route.”
  2978. >Not quite what you meant to ask, but it could be a lead.
  2979. “Have you been exposed to anything new that might have caused this?”
  2980. >”Well… I did slip in that weird puddle at the research place.”
  2981. “Research place?”
  2982. >”Yeah. That one that has the humans near Everfree.”
  2983. >You vaguely recall where that is.
  2984. >Pretty scary place if you understand correctly.
  2985. >Wait…
  2986. “Is it one of those labs where the humans are researching magic?”
  2987. >”Yeah! One of those!”
  2988. “I didn’t know there was one near there. Last I checked there were only two labs- that’s not important right now. This puddle. Could you describe it?”
  2989. >”It was really greasy and smelled funny. And it was kinda rainbow coloured but mostly really dark. Oh! It was really hard to get it all out of my coat too!
  2990. >Sounds a lot like a petrochemical.
  2991. >Plenty of people react badly to prolonged contact with those, no reason why ponies should be different.
  2992. “You said you do deliveries, right? Any chance you’ll be going there again soon?”
  2993. >”Probably!”
  2994. “Alright. Try not to get more of that stuff on you, and if you do make sure you wash it off. And while you’re there, deliver this note to them for me.”
  2995. >You quickly write on a scrap of paper.
  2996. >”What is it?”
  2997. “A letter, asking what they might have gotten on you. I suspect that this will wind up being of little consequence, but it would be good to know exactly what was spilled.”
  2998. >”Alright, I can give that to them no problem! Six bits!”
  2999. “Hm?”
  3000. >”Six bits for delivering the letter!”
  3001. “Really?”
  3002. >”Standard rate for international air mail.”
  3003. >When she worded it like that, it suddenly sounded downright reasonable.
  3004. “Would it be okay if we handled that as a discount on your bill?”
  3005. >”Nope!”
  3006. “Oh. Uh… why?”
  3007. >”This trip is being covered by workmare’s compensation, and the delivery fee is going to the postal service. Two different accounts!”
  3008. >Great.
  3009. >More accounts to try and collect from.
  3010. >At least they would be easy to track down…
  3011. >Do you REALLY need to send this message?
  3012. >What are you thinking?
  3013. >Of course you do!
  3014. >There’s no way you’re risking somepony’s health over 6 bits!
  3015. >If it was something bad, you need to know.
  3016. >You just hope somepony paid today.
  3017. “Well, take this cream and apply it as needed. No more than four times a day though. If symptoms don’t abate within a couple of days or if the condition gets worse come back to see me.”
  3018. >”Thank you doctor!”
  3019. “My secretary will pay you on the way out.”
  3020. >That felt so weird to say.
  3021. >She gives you a not totally unwelcome hug.
  3022. >”Thank you so much! Have a wonderful day!”
  3023. “Y- you too?”
  3024. >The strange mare leaves your office.
  3025. >A few seconds later she returns to collect your letter.
  3026. >After her second departure, you get to work.
  3027. >While it’s very tempting to cut corners, you know better.
  3028.  
  3029. >Go to any hospital on Earth and you’ll hear a horror story about a patient’s records not being properly maintained.
  3030. >Negligence kills, even when it’s just paperwork.
  3031. >In fact, you’d nearly lost a patient because of exactly that.
  3032. >One would hope that pulmonary agenesis would have been mentioned, but somehow that was missing.
  3033. >A collapsed lung isn’t nearly as urgent when the patient has a spare, so you intended to handle the bleeding first.
  3034. >Thankfully his panicked gesturing at his chest tipped you off that something was wrong before you ran out of time.
  3035. >To this day you’re not sure how he managed to live long enough to warn you, much less stay awake.
  3036. >Maybe it hadn’t totally collapsed until well after the accident?
  3037. >Who knows.
  3038. “Not sure how a swollen ass would kill anyone though.”
  3039. >If it could, Rarity would be doomed.
  3040. ”Alright, Sassaflash. Send in the next one.”
  3041. >”Last one for the day doctor!”
  3042. >What a relief!
  3043. >Hopefully it was going to be an easy one.
  3044. >Aaaand it was Twilight.
  3045. >Probably not the easiest, but there are upsides to dealing with her.
  3046. “Good to see you.”
  3047. >You were planning on sitting for this patient, having been on foot just two visitors ago.
  3048. >But Twilight needs to actually be inspected.
  3049. >You get up from your desk with relatively little difficulty and make your way to her.
  3050. >”Are you doing okay?”
  3051. “Good enough. Worried about my foot?”
  3052. >”Yeah.”
  3053. “It’s better than it was yesterday.”
  3054. >Except for one toe.
  3055. “Not sure how long it’ll take to heal, but a couple of months should be plenty.”
  3056. >”What about the toe?”
  3057. “Hm?”
  3058. >”The toe that’s not healing.”
  3059. “How do you know about that?”
  3060. >”Rarity told me about it.”
  3061. >Figures.
  3062. “Why?”
  3063. >”She was hoping I knew of some healing magic that might help.”
  3064. >Huh.
  3065. >It wasn’t her place to blab about your injury.
  3066. >But it’s hard to be mad when she’s looking out for your well-being.
  3067. >”I can’t help but notice you’re not answering.”
  3068. “I don’t know the answer.”
  3069. >”Oh. Can you regrow it?”
  3070. “I couldn’t. There are some very clever people who could grow a new toe though.”
  3071. >”Really? That’s great!”
  3072. “Yep. Terrible shame they wouldn’t be able to attach it though.”
  3073. >”Oh.”
  3074. >Bandages look clean and dry.
  3075. >You slip one aside to get a better look at her wounds.
  3076. >Infected, of course.
  3077. >You’d have been surprised if they weren’t.
  3078. “Does it hurt when I move the bandages?”
  3079. >”A little.”
  3080. “Only a little? Great!”
  3081. >Looks like the smaller ones have all closed.
  3082. >The bigger ones are all noticeably smaller than when you released her.
  3083. “Mobility problems?”
  3084. >”Yeah. I’m still kinda weak.”
  3085. “That’s not likely to change any time soon, I’m sorry to say.”
  3086. >Blood pressure’s fine.
  3087. ”Any confusion? Difficulty thinking? Disorientation?”
  3088. >”Well…”
  3089. >Uh oh.
  3090.  
  3091. >That could be dozens of things, none of them good.
  3092. >”I’ve been having trouble concentrating.”
  3093. “Alright… tell me more. Is this mostly in the morning? Later in the day?”
  3094. >”Usually when Cadence is around.”
  3095. >What?
  3096. >That was odd.
  3097. “Okay… any other symptoms?”
  3098. >”Yeah. I start to, um, feel funny. Around back.”
  3099. “What the-”
  3100. >Oh!
  3101. “Does your face get flush?”
  3102. >”Yeah!”
  3103. “Heart speeds up? Breathing gets a bit faster?”
  3104. >”Sometimes.”
  3105. “Genitals engorged and wet?”
  3106. >”Ew! No!”
  3107. >You’re still confident that’s what’s happening.
  3108. >Cadence being involved was unexpected.
  3109. >Probably some weird magic thing.
  3110. >You go back to your chair and ease yourself in.
  3111. “Well, Twilight, normally I’d say that this was a good sign.”
  3112. >”Really? Why?”
  3113. “Because it’s normal. How are you not familiar with this though? It sounds almost like you’ve never felt that way before.”
  3114. >”I haven’t.”
  3115. “Seriously?”
  3116. >”Never.”
  3117. “Huh. I wonder why. That should have started YEARS ago, there might actually be something wrong with you.”
  3118. >Wait, no!
  3119. >Idiot!
  3120. >Don’t draw attention to it!
  3121. >”Like what?”
  3122. “Er-”
  3123. >The fact that Frejadine worked implies a few things.
  3124. >But you can’t say that, obviously.
  3125. “Not sure. I’d have noticed most of the possibilities while you were in here, so it won’t be anything too scary. Probably psychological.”
  3126. >”So you’re not worried about this? It doesn’t feel normal.”
  3127. “It’s perfectly normal. Just ask Candy. Well, maybe not her, she’s DEFINITELY weird. Still, I think she’d be very happy for you.”
  3128. >She doesn’t look convinced.
  3129. “Hm. You like taking notes, right?”
  3130. >”Do I ever!”
  3131. “Keep a log of when this happens and what might have triggered it. If there’s anything weird going on, this would help us figure it out.”
  3132. >And more importantly, it will give you a lot of insight about what gets her going.
  3133. >You’re tempted to activate the implant, but decide against it.
  3134. >It’s a potent tool, but it’s going to be hard to use properly.
  3135. >You don’t want her to associate weird sensations with your presence, after all.
  3136. >At least, not in a way that might suggest culpability.
  3137. >”I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Self assessment is notoriously unreliable.”
  3138. “True.”
  3139. >You lean back in your chair and stretch.
  3140. >This could be a really productive talk, but you’re still looking forward to it being over.
  3141. “Unfortunately there are no reliable metrics for sensations. One could measure hormones or even neurotransmitters, but there’s a lot of wiggle room in interpreting these measurements. Different peo- err, different ponies will react differently to seemingly identical hormone levels. Self assessment is the best we can do with this one.”
  3142. >”Huh. Well, if you think it’s a good idea.”
  3143. “I’m pretty sure this is nothing to worry about, but if you want to be certain then we need more data.”
  3144. >”Okay, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you doctor.”
  3145.  
  3146. >She stands.
  3147. “Wait. I have a few questions about something else. How does changeling control work?”
  3148. >”Oh, that’s actually a really big question. There’s a lot we don’t know about the specifics, and the basic spell structure is quite different from anything a pony does so it’s hard to make sense of the magical components. We hardly ever get to study somepony being controlled by them, and that the changelings themselves aren’t willing to talk and there are a lot of things we just don’t know.”
  3149. “I thought you told me it was a selective emotional agonist and antagonist, making certain behaviors unbearable while others were irresistible.”
  3150. >”It seems to be, but we have no idea how they do that.”
  3151. >Fair.
  3152. “Well, I’ve been trying to make sense of my own experience with them. How do I know I’m no longer under their control?”
  3153. >”You don’t.”
  3154. >Not the answer you were hoping for.
  3155. “Could they prevent me from thinking things, or just doing them?”
  3156. >”They seem to be able to control your mind almost arbitrarily.”
  3157. “So that would include forcing me to think certain things?”
  3158. >”Maybe. It’s applied emotional control, so I don’t see how they could put an idea in your head, but they could certainly reinforce it.”
  3159. >Hm.
  3160. >They might not be able to make you think something new.
  3161. “Though they could say something and suppress the knowledge that I’d heard it from them, making me think it was my own idea.”
  3162. >”Probably.”
  3163. “That’s almost as bad. Alright. One more question.”
  3164. >That’s not true.
  3165. >You have TWO more questions.
  3166. >But unfortunately, one of them might be your trump card.
  3167. >You can’t reveal your anti-magic plan unless you’re CERTAIN there are no changelings here.
  3168. >And the sad fact of the matter is, you’ll never be certain again.
  3169. “How do they identify who’s controlled and who isn’t?”
  3170. >”Uh… memory?”
  3171. “Right. But if changeling A were to control somepony, would changeling B be able to figure it out on their own?”
  3172. >”Hm. That’s an interesting question. What makes you ask that?”
  3173. >Because you’re hoping to be able to fake being controlled.
  3174. “Because if they can tell, we can too. We just need to know the signs.”
  3175. >”Weeeeellllll… we don’t know.”
  3176. >Figures.
  3177. >”But all spells leave their mark. I would imagine changelings would try to be subtle with that since they don’t want to be noticed… Oh! I’d bet that somepony who was emotionally depleted would be hard to feed off of.”
  3178. >You can’t draw from an empty well.
  3179. “That makes sense. It might be possible to tell with an M.R.I., but I can’t do that here. Besides, I doubt the thralls would be eager to get in the scanner. Thanks for the help, Twilight.”
  3180. >”No problem!”
  3181. >She leaves.
  3182. >And with that, you’re FREE!
  3183. >Well, almost.
  3184. >You need to update her records.
  3185. >Unfortunately, the fact that she didn't have a libido is worth noting.
  3186. >You were telling the truth when you said it wasn’t worrying.
  3187.  
  3188. >But it IS unusual.
  3189. >Sassaflash walks in while you’re writing.
  3190. “Thanks for staying so late.”
  3191. >”Don’t worry about it.”
  3192. >She looks like she’s ready to pass out, but she still manages to find the energy to smile.
  3193. >”When you told me the next few days were going to be really bad, I thought you were exaggerating.”
  3194. “We’ve been closed for quite a while. Gotta catch up somehow. You don’t have to stay though.”
  3195. >”It’s fine.”
  3196. “You’re sure? I appreciate the help, but you shouldn’t have to do such long shifts.”
  3197. >”I’m sure. Besides, the money is good.”
  3198. >Uh oh.
  3199. “Yyyyeahhh… I can’t pay you unless we can collect on a few accounts.”
  3200. >”Oh. I understand.”
  3201. >She turns around and leaves without another word.
  3202. >Not a good sign.
  3203. >Honestly, you can’t blame her though.
  3204. >You really need to get some money coming in.
  3205. >”Gotcha!”
  3206. >Sassaflash trots back in, with a small sack in her mouth.
  3207. >She drops it on your desk, filling the room with the glorious sound of coins.
  3208. “Who paid?”
  3209. >”The prince settled his account.”
  3210. “He had an account?”
  3211. >”All that stuff he destroyed to keep away from the changelings. Oh! And all the stuff he took for changeling tests. And a good chunk that was attached to some work you did a while back?”
  3212. >Probably the implant in his wife.
  3213. “In full?”
  3214. >”Yep!”
  3215. “Then why is the bag so small?”
  3216. >”He paid with a bond. This is the coin for the day.”
  3217. >She’s good at scheduling, screening, and placating the offended.
  3218. >But this right here proves that you can’t function without her.
  3219. “I haven’t collected a single bit since you left.”
  3220. >”Oh, don’t tell me that! I might just think I’m worth a raise!”
  3221. “You might just get one.”
  3222. >”Wait, really?”
  3223. >You were closed most of the time she was gone.
  3224. >But the days that you WERE open…
  3225. >Cadence wasn’t very well suited to this line of work.
  3226. “The prince was talking about restructuring this operation, and I don’t really know what he has in mind. We’ll have to renegotiate once that’s done since I don’t know what the budget will be like, but until then yes.
  3227. >She smiles at you prettily.
  3228. >You pass the bag back to her.
  3229. “I’ll pay you what you’re owed tomorrow, but this should be a good start.”
  3230. >She pushes it back at you.
  3231. “Really?”
  3232. >”I can wait.”
  3233. “If you’re sure.”
  3234. >”Also I may have already written cheque for myself and was hoping for a signature?”
  3235. “Ah. That makes more sense.”
  3236. >Just a few hours ago, that paycheque would have been disastrous.
  3237. >But it looked like money was coming in again.
  3238. “Here. Just make sure you wait until the deposit is credited before cashing that.”
  3239. >”Really? It was that close?”
  3240. >Hm.
  3241. >You might be getting too comfortable with her.
  3242. >Ah, whatever.
  3243. >She knows how much you make anyway.
  3244. “I’m hoping you can collect from somepony else sooner rather than later.”
  3245. >”You don’t need to worry about that.”
  3246. “Why not?”
  3247.  
  3248. >”Because I’m here to help!”
  3249. >True enough.
  3250. >”You head on home, I’ll close up.”
  3251. “Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
  3252. >You shove the cash in one of your pockets and head out.
  3253. >It’s pretty dark outside.
  3254. >That’s not so unusual, of course.
  3255. >You’re really far north and the winter solstice wasn’t that long ago.
  3256. >But even so, it’s darker than normal.
  3257. >Days on this world are a decent bit shorter than on Earth, and you’ve been at work for a long time.
  3258. >Unfortunately, you’ve got more long days ahead.
  3259. >You’re really looking forward to getting home and calling it an early night.
  3260. >Of course, it wasn’t meant to be.
  3261. >Because when you open the door to your home, you hear a most unwelcome sound.
  3262. “She isn’t.”
  3263. >But she was.
  3264. >The frantic panting and occasional cries of delight prove to be exactly what you’d expected.
  3265. >Rarity was masturbating.
  3266. >A clear rule violation!
  3267. >You want her desperate so that she’s more pliable, and this kind of setback cannot be tolerated!
  3268.  
  3269. Looks like somepony's in trouble.
  3270. So how do we handle Rarity being so naughty? She clearly needs a reminder that just because she's a recruiter now doesn't mean she's above the law!
  3271. And how far should I take the Cadence and Flurry thing? Right now I'm assuming she is not for sexual, but this green is meant to be guided by the thread. Pure and chaste? Implications and hints? Offscreen only? Getting gang banged in the streets?
  3272.  
  3273. ==========
  3274. >>39712803
  3275. I definitely want Rarity to wind up designing her own symbols of submission. I don't know how long it will take to get to something like that though, since even when I was writing at a good rate things tended to develop fairly slowly.
  3276. I think she still has too many hangups and misunderstandings to submit to that degree.
  3277. !bwwXn5Gx.o Fri 10 Mar 2023 11:04:53 No.39709218 ViewReport
  3278. >>39707323
  3279. >>39707462
  3280. Remember that what Cadence wants and what Cadence gets are going to be different. In my personal notes I have her goals listed as "Raising a big family with her husband, ensuring the well-being of the crystal ponies, and depravity beyond mortal comprehension." But some goals are untenable. Her influence in finite, and if she angers the public or the other princesses too much she will lose her influence. The specifics of that depend on how far she oversteps her bounds, but even assuming the worst of it is being disobeyed she's obligated to stay within the realm of tolerable. That's why she gave Anon this insane task, she wants to redefine tolerable.
  3281. As big of a problem as that is, her husband is also worse. Cadence is certain that mares should obey their stallions. If a stallion tells her this is wrong, there's immediate cognitive dissonance. Shining Armour already disapproves of what she's doing, he's just unwilling to speak out against it because he's afraid of losing her and doesn't understand she would never leave him. She understands he disapproves of her wishes, and is trying to find ways to reconcile her beliefs with his values.
  3282. If people are comfortable with exploring this then we can look into what Cadence is doing to prepare her daughter. Maybe some day she would be able to legalize it, but right now she's only able to "raise her right".
  3283. >>39708014
  3284. I agree. Everything should be done slowly. That's why I take so long to update ^:)
  3285. I'm trying, guys. It's just hard right now.
  3286. >>39707753
  3287. Flurry is definitely a nerd. Her father is a nerd, her aunt is a nerd, and though her mother might not be traditionally nerdy she's certainly got a dorky side. Just look at how she behaved near the end of the wedding episode. How she expresses that isn't decided yet, but I want it to be charming if possible.
  3288. >>39708088
  3289. You're right that Shining Armour is unaware of how perverse his wife is. So is Anon. And I'd argue that Cadence herself is since she's never been able to pursue her desires unrestrained. She's hiding it to the best of her abilities because she wants to live up to his ideals and doesn't want to upset her friends and mentors. Shining Armour doesn't know about her plans. She's hoping that once it's a bit more normal he'll see the merit of her ideals and will change his mind. It's not wrong for a mare to present her stallion with new ideas or evidence after all. Their superior minds can still draw wrong conclusions if they don't have all the information, and it's her duty to make sure he's as well equipped as possible to make the right choices! But until she has shown him that it's okay to dominate mares, she has to respect his wishes.
  3290. >>39708579
  3291. Foal slaves would be impossible in the current context. That's part of Cadence's goal, but it's not reality. We're talking about early training and indoctrination, exactly as you'd proposed.
  3292. ===================
  3293.  
  3294. >Because Rarity, despite her clear disobedience, is doing what you had asked her.
  3295. >Masturbation is forbidden.
  3296. >But you had instructed her to practise anal.
  3297. >Or at least you think you did, honestly you’re too tired to be sure.
  3298. >She doesn’t seem to notice you as you enter.
  3299. >She just keeps staring at the ceiling as she slowly but methodically impales herself over and over again on her toy.
  3300. >It’s a small one, probably only about half the girth of your shaft.
  3301. >It’s also a lot less smooth than you are, instead being a series of bulbs of roughly equal size.
  3302. >The polished steel slides roughly into her as she sits on it once more.
  3303. >Rarity bites on her lower lip as it goes in.
  3304. >”Ah! No, no! I was- I was getting so close!”
  3305. >She stands up from the ground and slams it into herself again and again.
  3306. >But there’s obviously a problem.
  3307. >Her movements, frantic though they may be, are slowing down.
  3308. >She’s getting tired.
  3309. “Eh.”
  3310. >You go and take a shower and get ready for bed.
  3311. >You’re too sleepy to care about sex.
  3312. >By the time you return, Rarity is lying on her side in the fetal position.
  3313. >Gasping for breath, but not in a satisfied way.
  3314. >She’s trembling.
  3315. >And grinding her legs together.
  3316. >You’ve seen her do that a lot when she’s aroused.
  3317. >It’s one of her tells.
  3318. >Honestly it makes sense, given it would stimulate her clitoris a little bit.
  3319. >You’d have assumed it was just a sign of arousal in them except you’ve never seen Cadence do it.
  3320. >Though maybe she’s not somepony you should use as a baseline…
  3321. “Good attempt. Try again in the morning.”
  3322. >”MASTER!”
  3323. >She tries to sit up, but immediately falls over.
  3324. “Come on. Let’s get you tied up so you can get some sleep.”
  3325. >”No! Please- I- I can’t stand it any more! FUCK ME! PLEASE FUCK ME!”
  3326. >She stands up and approaches with a slightly crazed look in her eye.
  3327. >And immediately stumbles as her legs give out.
  3328. “Come on. It’s bedtime.”
  3329. >”I- I need- I NEED IT!”
  3330. >Hm.
  3331. “Alright, fine. But first I tie you down.”
  3332. >Her eyes light up, and she scrambles up onto the bed.
  3333. >There are a few false starts, but eventually she’s in place.
  3334. >She shudders in anticipation as you help her put on her nightwear.
  3335. >She’s worn them before, but it somehow felt like it was a long time ago, and you’d forgotten what they looked like.
  3336. >The tight and form fitting garments wrap around her legs perfectly, and draw attention right to her upper thighs.
  3337. >What looks like simple stockings at first glance has a more sinister use.
  3338. >Stitched into the fabric is a series of dozens of small hooks and eyes.
  3339. >None of them are particularly strong, but all of them together?
  3340. >You force Rarity’s forelegs behind her back and start hooking the stockings together.
  3341. >What was a moment ago just a provocative garment is now, when fixed in place, a bondage glove.
  3342.  
  3343. >And then, once her forelegs are firmly fixed behind her back, you roll her onto her belly.
  3344. >Her rear legs are given a similar treatment, except instead of being bound to each other you secure a rope to a loop on each one.
  3345. >You pull her legs apart until she begins to squirm slightly in pain, then fix them with a rope to the bedposts.
  3346. >The strain is placed primarily on the garments, so she should have no trouble with circulation at night.
  3347. >Then, as a final security measure, you grab Rarity’s mane.
  3348. >And you tie it to one of the remaining loops on her rear legs’ stockings.
  3349. >She can’t take them off without pulling out her mane, or removing her head.
  3350. >Somehow you think the latter might be more likely with Rarity.
  3351. >It’s honestly a magnificent sight.
  3352. >Rarity’s drenched cunt is totally exposed, her well lubricated ass is jiggling enticingly, and her mouth and neck are perfectly positioned for a rough throat fucking.
  3353. >And she can’t do anything to change that.
  3354. >Too bad it’s a changeling.
  3355. “Don’t flinch.”
  3356. >You prick her with a needle.
  3357. >She flinches.
  3358. >And you get the proof that you need that THIS THING IS A BLOODY IMPOS-
  3359. >Oh.
  3360. >It’s not a changeling.
  3361. >That’s…
  3362. >You don’t actually know how to handle that fact.
  3363. “Huh. I… I guess I’ll deal with that in the morning. Good night.”
  3364. >”BUT you said you were going to FUCK ME! PLEASE FUCK ME!”
  3365. >This is so weird.
  3366. >You’re not at all used to Rarity being like this.
  3367. >Other than dicks and dick shaped accessories, what’s gotten into her lately?
  3368. >Is Cadence contagious?
  3369. >You sure hope not.
  3370. >Having a bad foot is trouble enough, no need to crush your pelvis.
  3371. “Not tonight.”
  3372. >”BUT-”
  3373. “Shush. What do you think it means to be a good slave?”
  3374. >”To support you in everything you do!”
  3375. >Huh.
  3376. >Actually a good answer.
  3377. >That’s not what you meant with the question, but you can’t fault the effort.
  3378. “What do you think the properties of the perfect slave are?”
  3379. >”I- I don’t know! Please… I just… I need it.”
  3380. “Not tonight.”
  3381. >She whimpers while you rummage around in the nightstand.
  3382. >When you pull her muzzle out, she closes her mouth tight.
  3383. >You could really get used to this.
  3384. >Horny Rarity is so compliant!
  3385. >Which is exactly why you don’t want to satisfy her lust if you can at all help it.
  3386. >You gently drape a blanket over her, snuff the candle, and then climb into bed with her.
  3387. “Try to think on the question, and we’ll discuss it in the morning.”
  3388. >But there’s no way you’re going to be able to fall asleeo.
  3389. >Even as tir as yar, just so stressed.
  3390. >Going to be sleepless n,,,
  3391. >For some reason, your alarm decides to go off.
  3392. >And for some reason, it’s also daylight outside.
  3393. >Surely you haven’t slept the whole night.
  3394. >You’re still exhausted!
  3395. >You try to roll over and go back to sleep, but nearly fall out of the bed.
  3396. >That’s strange…
  3397. >Why were you so close to the edge?
  3398. >Oh, right.
  3399. >Rarity.
  3400. >Still not used to that.
  3401.  
  3402. >You look at the clock and hold back a single tear.
  3403. >It IS morning, and you have to start getting ready for work.
  3404. “Okay. Fine.”
  3405. >You remove the muzzle from Rarity’s mouth and start working on releasing her bindings.
  3406. “Have you thought at all about my question?”
  3407. >”Of course, master.”
  3408. “And?”
  3409. >”And… I don’t know.”
  3410. >Well, that’s going to be a problem.
  3411. >”And that’s exactly the problem, isn’t it?”
  3412. >These last few days have been a major breakthrough it seems.
  3413. >Maybe you’ll continue the orgasm denial longer than planned just to keep her pliable.
  3414. “Correct.”
  3415. >You pat her on the head.
  3416. “I know your kind. You’re never satisfied with the idea of good enough, you’re always pushing for perfection. But if you don’t even know what that is, how are you meant to reach it?”
  3417. >”But how am I to learn what I’m meant to do?”
  3418. >Good question.
  3419. >How is she supposed to know what you want from her?
  3420. >The truth is, you’re not really sure what you want from her.
  3421. >Words such as “more” and “better” come to mind, but more and better what?
  3422. >You don’t have a clear vision for what a fully trained Rarity is.
  3423. >What does fully trained even mean?
  3424. >Is it just about submission, or does that mean there’s no more room for growth in anything?
  3425. >You need time to think.
  3426. >Wait, no.
  3427. >That’s the wrong approach.
  3428. “Well… I have to go to work. But there IS something you can do while I’m out.”
  3429. >It’s not your job to figure this out.
  3430. >Rarity’s job is to help you enslave mares.
  3431. >Therefore, Rarity’s job is to help you enslave herself.
  3432. >Cadence will put her on the right track., and Rarity will do the rest.
  3433.  
  3434. Later…
  3435.  
  3436. >Rarity’s legs were quivering.
  3437. >Normally this would have been at least a tad exciting, as the plug in her rump might have offered the stimulation she so desperately needed.
  3438. >But she was far too scared to enjoy such things right now.
  3439. >Rarity circled the block for what must have been the fiftieth time.
  3440. >She knew it was folly to spend so long in this areas, as the sooner she left the less likely it was that something might go catastrophically wrong.
  3441. >And yet, she couldn’t help herself.
  3442. >Doing what had to be done was simply too nerve wracking!
  3443. >And yet, she had her orders.
  3444. >She was to speak with an expert on these matters about her duties.
  3445. >Master had implied that she was to talk to Cadance, but he hadn’t explicitly ordered her to do so!
  3446. >It was okay since he didn’t say her name!
  3447. >This wasn’t disobedience, just an… alternative interpretation!
  3448. “Steel your nerves, and take deep breaths. You’re supposed to speak with an expert on these matters. It is either this, or you consult with that abomination.”
  3449. >Rarity adjusted her hat and dress to ensure her identity remained concealed.
  3450. >An ill fitting green slip and a straw sunhat were a terrible combination, and a fashion travesty at that!
  3451. >All part of her master plan.
  3452.  
  3453. >Nopony would dare think that Rarity would wear such an abhorrent outfit, after all.
  3454. >To even entertain such a thought would be libel!
  3455. “You can do this. She’s a pony of fashion as well.”
  3456. >Rarity approached the door on trembling legs, and cautiously entered the overfilled store.
  3457. >”Hi there! Welcome to Lovelace’s Lovely Lace.”
  3458. >The Maya blue pegasus chirped with irritating exuberance.
  3459. >Rarity remembered her being much too chipper when she had visited with master.
  3460. >”Is there anything I can help you with today?”
  3461. “Why, yes. There are- boy howdy I sure am in a pickle!”
  3462. >Genius!
  3463. “So what do y’all charge as a consultation fee?”
  3464. >”Consultation fee?”
  3465. >Hm.
  3466. >Perhaps the bits she had brought weren’t necessary after all.
  3467. “So, my, um, how is it you say, my part’ner and I had a discussion last night and we-”
  3468. >Oh blast!
  3469. >How was she meant to say this without dropping her perfect facade?
  3470. “We decided it would be… swell… to consult an expert on certain matters?”
  3471. >Lovelace was suppressing laughter.
  3472. >WHY WAS SHE SUPPRESSING LAUGHTER?
  3473. >Has something gone wrong?
  3474. >Rarity was already feeling faint, and they hadn’t even begun their discussion.
  3475. >”Heh- ahem. Okay! I can try to help with that. I’m nowhere near as good as princess Cadence-”
  3476. >Rarity spat on the floor.
  3477. >”Uh… huh. Not a fan of hers?”
  3478. “Not as such.”
  3479. >”Well, hopefully you’ll like me more! What kind of relationship do you have and what’s the problem?”
  3480. “Well, um… my… ahem. Paramour and I purchased a choker from you a short while ago. I must say it is fetching, though perhaps lacking a bit in artistic flair.”
  3481. >”Thanks! Would you be the one who was with the doctor?”
  3482. “Yes. And, um, boy howdy do I love him! I just don’t seem to understand him.”
  3483. >”Yup! That’s going to be hard. Understanding your partner is always going to have challenges, but it’s going to be especially tough with him since he’s an alien.”
  3484. “I suppose. I just wish it could be a bit more straightforward.”
  3485. >”It probably is! I don’t know so much about humans, but stallions aren’t really that different from mares when you get down to it. We have different strengths and weaknesses, sure. We also usually have different priorities and perspectives. But mares and stallions will always have one critical thing in common.”
  3486. “What’s that?”
  3487. >”We’re only half of a couple!”
  3488. >That was perhaps a tad saccharin.
  3489. >”Think about it. Every single one of your ancestors had a partner at least once. It’s the natural order for us to fall in love, and we are missing something if it doesn’t happen.”
  3490. “I suppose, but what does that have to do with my, err, barn burner?”
  3491. >Was that the right term?
  3492. >”The same thing applies to the doctor, doesn’t it?”
  3493. “I suppose. Oh- shucks? There might have been a bit of a croaker in the lodge.”
  3494. >Had Applejack ever said that?
  3495.  
  3496. “I get that it’s normal for mares and stallions to be together, I’m trying to figure out what he wants.”
  3497. >”You. If he didn’t want you he wouldn’t be with you.”
  3498. >Rarity’s heart was aflutter.
  3499. >”Besides, you can’t be somepony you aren’t or it won’t work in the long run.”
  3500. “I suppose that does make sense. I’m just frightened that he’ll leave when he finds out what I really am.”
  3501. >A depraved whore.
  3502. >One who revels in the vile things they had done together, and needs ever more.
  3503. >Rarity HATED Cadance with a burning passion.
  3504. >What that wretch had done to her was unforgivable, and what she’d said unforgettable.
  3505. >And the worst thing of all, the crime for which Rarity would gladly see the so-called princess beaten bloody?
  3506. >It was the simple fact that she was right.
  3507. >”Filly steps. These things take time to work out. If you need something from him, try to talk to him. And if you don’t think that you can, talk about something related or similar and gauge his reaction.”
  3508. “I suppose I can attempt that.”
  3509. >She was still scared.
  3510. >But what was she meant to discuss with him?
  3511. >Rarity knew she wanted to go further, she just didn’t know how.
  3512. >This was still all so new and strange!
  3513. >It was only natural that she might be confused.
  3514. >Sometimes she was afraid that things would grow out of control, and felt she had to back out before it was too late.
  3515. >Sometimes she wanted to tear up that silly contract and say nothing was off limits.
  3516. >And sometimes, she wanted to demand that he put her in her place.
  3517. “I just don’t know where he wants to go with this relationship.”
  3518. >”He probably doesn’t either.”
  3519. “That’s preposterous.”
  3520. >”Are you sure? ‘Cause, like, he’s obviously really new to this stuff.”
  3521. “How would you know?”
  3522. >”Trust me. I’ve seen a lot of first timers, and he’s one of them. He’s exploring this just like you are. Don’t WAIT for him to set the boundaries, HELP him set them.”
  3523. >Of course, it was all so obvious!
  3524. >Rarity was meant to support him in his endeavours.
  3525. >That included her OWN enslavement!
  3526. >She had to be proactive in her submission.
  3527. >But how?
  3528. >”So is the problem that he’s going to far, or not far enough?”
  3529. “I would prefer not to say!”
  3530. >”Oh, of course! It’s your decision what you do and don’t tell me, don’t worry about it at all. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?”
  3531. “There is… another matter, yes. I assume you can answer this. He seems upset that I won’t wear the choker in public.”
  3532. >”Well, YEAH! I’m a little surprised that he lets you take it off! You’ve got a very patient master.”
  3533. “But WHY must I wear it?”
  3534. >”Because he’s proud of you and wants to show you off?”
  3535. >Rarity could feel herself blushing.
  3536. >It seemed so obvious in retrospect.
  3537. >She was quite the catch after all.
  3538.  
  3539. >”I’m getting the feeling there’s something else to this. You’re obviously uncomfortable here, so you probably wouldn’t be here anymore if there wasn’t more to this.”
  3540. “You’re most certainly right that I’d prefer not to be here. It’s just that… I was left… unsatisfied last night.”
  3541. >”Ooh. That’s a problem alright. I’m sorry for asking, and feel free not to answer or even to lie! I’m not trying to pry and I don’t need to know, but I’m trying to help. How long did he last?”
  3542. “He didn’t.”
  3543. >”Oh. Wow.”
  3544. “He just tied me up and went straight to sleep. I was so needy, and yet…”
  3545. >”So he just… released before even starting?”
  3546. “I’m afraid I don’t understand the question.”
  3547. >”Oh. Sorry. Tell me what happened.”
  3548. “He came home from work, expressed that he wasn’t in the mood, and went to bed. But I needed it!”
  3549. >”Oh. That’s- I thought you were talking about something else.”
  3550. “I begged him, and he still didn’t do it.”
  3551. >”Sounds like he was really tired. He probably couldn’t! You know that penises don’t work all of the time, right?”
  3552. “I’m not as naive as you seem to think!”
  3553. >”I’m just saying that they can only go so frequently, and only at certain times. I’m sure he’s trying, but you might have to take matters into your own hoof every now and then.”
  3554. “I would have, but I’m forbidden.”
  3555. >The words had left her mouth before she’d noticed them.
  3556. >Rarity was mortified.
  3557. >It didn’t matter that her identity was concealed by the perfect disguise, nor that she had flawlessly hidden her accent and not even for an instant dropped the charade.
  3558. >This was quite probably the WORST.
  3559. >POSSIBLE.
  3560. >TH-
  3561. >”Again, I hope I’m not asking too much, but is he trying to broaden your horizons in any way?”
  3562. “Well, um…”
  3563. >”Do you enjoy it?”
  3564. >YES!
  3565. >BY THE STARS, YES!
  3566. “Ugh. I suppose I might, if only a little. But I can’t seem to finish.”
  3567. >”Then he’s probably doing the right thing. I have a few items here to lock your holes away if you can’t seem to help yourself-”
  3568. “I am NOT without temperance, my dear!”
  3569. >”Okay. But if you need help there’s no shame in asking. It’s hard learning new things! Hay, the first time I came from a teat massage it took me like, MONTHS of practice.”
  3570. >Teat massage?
  3571. >”I had it all locked away the whole time, nearly drove me crazy! But it was worth it. You know, having an orgasm from a different erogenous zone feels totally different! If I had to pick, my favorite would still be vaginal. But teats are a close second.”
  3572. >Her favourite?
  3573. >”The best part is that now that I can do it, I can play with multiple hot spots at once! It gets easier after the first few times. Soon you won’t know why it was ever a problem.
  3574. “I suspect you might be mistaken about me, madam.”
  3575. >”If I am then you’re weird.”
  3576. “Well! I had thought you would be a better judge of character than that!”
  3577.  
  3578. >Rarity turned to leave, and immediately tripped on a display rack of small training dildos.
  3579. >She tumbled to the floor dragging the merchandise down on top of herself.
  3580. >The next thing Rarity knew, she was covered in fake penises, and one was lodged inside her mouth.
  3581. >”Oh. My. GOODNESS! I’M SO SORRY, I’m supposed to pretend I don’t recognize you but I’m like, a HUGE fan.”
  3582. >Her vision was fading fast.
  3583. >This was WAY too much!
  3584. >”Let me help you up! Wait, let me lock the doors first. Don’t worry! I won’t tell a SOUL!”
  3585. >She bolted to the front and barred the doors.
  3586. >Rarity spat the dildo out of her mouth while the world slowly came back into focus.
  3587. "I feel faint."
  3588. >"I'm so sorry about all this. Nobody will ever know you were here, I promise! Hay, nobody will even know I've met you!"
  3589. >Rarity was able to get up from under the pile of dicks, albeit slowly.
  3590. >She scooted herself aside to get away from the degrading debris, and leaned against the counter for stability.
  3591. “Dreadfully sorry about that, I must have had quite a scare.”
  3592. >Oh.
  3593. >Oh dear.
  3594. "MY REPUTATION IS RUINED!"
  3595. >”I was, like, kinda annoyed when you said my stuff wasn't artistic, but coming from you that's a huge compliment! You're the one who got me to give up on fashion, you know!”
  3596. >Gave up?
  3597. >On FASHION?
  3598. “I'm sorry, you… gave up because of me?”
  3599. >The shame was melting away.
  3600. >In its place was an agonising sense of guilt.
  3601. >”Yeah! I wanted to be a designer, but then I saw you at one of the shows in Manehattan! It was really good, but more importantly you were just so… so PASSIONATE about it! Seeing somepony who genuinely lived and breathed fashion made me understand what it meant to have found your calling! It didn’t bring me to life the way it did you, so I knew I hadn’t found my place.”
  3602. “That's a rather unusual story. Is this your passion?”
  3603. >”Definitely! I’m not a good matchmaker like a certain princess who won’t be named ‘cause the floors are dirty enough already, but that’s okay! My purpose is making sure that couples get the most out of their time together!”
  3604. >Rarity was torn.
  3605. >That somepony would give up on fashion was unconscionable!
  3606. >And yet, Lovelace seemed to enjoy her work.
  3607. >Had Rarity’s mere existence sabotaged an aspiring artist?
  3608. >Surely not!
  3609. >Rarity gave her head a shake; that line of thinking was sheer madness!
  3610. >One doesn’t simply cease being an artist!
  3611. “There must be more to this career than I realise, else somepony such as yourself wouldn’t be fulfilled.”
  3612. >”Oh, definitely! I’ve got SO MUCH to learn still, it’s not even not funny. I don’t think I’ll ever have it totally figured out.”
  3613.  
  3614. “Of course you won’t, dear. Art isn’t something that can be solved, after all! It is ever growing, and ever changing. One must always be setting new goals! What is your dream, if I may ask?”
  3615. >”I want to make things specifically for my clients. This setup is okay, but if you want to get REALLY good results you have to design for your client rather than trying to fit a client to your design.”
  3616. “Pret a porter is never quite right, is it?”
  3617. >”It’s really not. But it’s so hard in this business, since I usually don’t even know what a client wants! Like, usually THEY don’t know what they want!”
  3618. “That is a serious obstacle, is it not? Perhaps you could develop a rapport with some, but otherwise I suppose the best you can do is provide options, and hope they choose correctly.”
  3619. >Rarity suddenly understood why the store was so cluttered.
  3620. >Lovelace was trying to do exactly that, just not in the right way.
  3621. >EVERYTHING was on display.
  3622. >Lovelace wanted to have the widest variety possible to try and get a perfect fit.
  3623. >A classic mistake.
  3624. >This combined with her undercharging was quite telling.
  3625. “Please forgive me for saying this, but you could stand to improve the business aspect of your store.”
  3626. >”Oh, TOTALLY. I’m going to change the prices like you told me last time. At first it just seemed kinda stupid, but you definitely know what you’re talking about!”
  3627. “That would be a good start. However, this setup is totally overwhelming! How are they meant to identify what they’re after with so many options on display? You should remove most of your stock so it’s easier to go through.”
  3628. >”Really? Okay, I will! But then how will ponies pick the right thing?”
  3629. “That’s just the ticket, isn’t it? Have a few display models for each type of item, each with a brochure or better yet a placard explaining the available options for that product line. You can talk them through the options, or if they’re sheepish, provide a form.”
  3630. >”Oooh. So they go to the kind of thing they’re looking for, then I walk them through customization and go get the right one from the store room!”
  3631. “GOODNESS NO! Never, under ANY circumstances, get it from the store room! Tell them it will be delivered to them in… how long do these things take to make? I suppose it depends, doesn’t it? Make them wait about a day longer than it would take to make it from scratch, even if you have it in stock.”
  3632. >”Right. Got it. Um… why?”
  3633. “BECAUSE it’s a bespoke item! Even if you had it on hoof already, this is custom made for your client! Just because you made it before they came in doesn’t make it any different. You need them to understand and appreciate how special your services are, and fetching things from a dusty old warehouse doesn’t send the right message!”
  3634. >”It’s a store room, not a warehouse. And it’s not dusty, I take good care of my products! Oh. OH! THEY don’t know that.”
  3635.  
  3636. “That is a serious obstacle, is it not? Perhaps you could develop a rapport with some, but otherwise I suppose the best you can do is provide options, and hope they choose correctly.”
  3637. >Rarity suddenly understood why the store was so cluttered.
  3638. >Lovelace was trying to do exactly that, just not in the right way.
  3639. >EVERYTHING was on display.
  3640. >Lovelace wanted to have the widest variety possible to try and get a perfect fit.
  3641. >A classic mistake.
  3642. >This combined with her undercharging was quite telling.
  3643. “Please forgive me for saying this, but you could stand to improve the business aspect of your store.”
  3644. >”Oh, TOTALLY. I’m going to change the prices like you told me last time. At first it just seemed kinda stupid, but you definitely know what you’re talking about!”
  3645. “That would be a good start. However, this setup is totally overwhelming! How are they meant to identify what they’re after with so many options on display? You should remove most of your stock so it’s easier to go through.”
  3646. >”Really? Okay, I will! But then how will ponies pick the right thing?”
  3647. “That’s just the ticket, isn’t it? Have a few display models for each type of item, each with a brochure or better yet a placard explaining the available options for that product line. You can talk them through the options, or if they’re sheepish, provide a form.”
  3648. >”Oooh. So they go to the kind of thing they’re looking for, then I walk them through customization and go get the right one from the store room!”
  3649. “GOODNESS NO! Never, under ANY circumstances, get it from the store room! Tell them it will be delivered to them in… how long do these things take to make? I suppose it depends, doesn’t it? Make them wait about a day longer than it would take to make it from scratch, even if you have it in stock.”
  3650. >”Right. Got it. Um… why?”
  3651. “BECAUSE it’s a bespoke item! Even if you had it on hoof already, this is custom made for your client! Just because you made it before they came in doesn’t make it any different. You need them to understand and appreciate how special your services are, and fetching things from a dusty old warehouse doesn’t send the right message!”
  3652. >”It’s a store room, not a warehouse. And it’s not dusty, I take good care of my products! Oh. OH! THEY don’t know that.”
  3653.  
  3654. “And if you told them they wouldn’t believe you. Remember that your clients know LESS about your trade than you do, not more. Otherwise they wouldn’t seek your assistance! They can know what they like, and they can appreciate a finished item, but they cannot properly assess how good something is at a glance. If you want them to understand that you are offering high quality items, you must signal this in ways that they will respond to, even if such hallmarks are totally unnecessary for actual quality.”
  3655. >”I think I get it now. When they’re trying to figure out if something’s good or not, they’re looking in all the wrong places. I need to look good even where it doesn’t matter, because most of them won’t know any better!”
  3656. “You’re a quick learner, dear! Now, let’s see if you can tell me where you should place your products.”
  3657. >”Basic and beginner stuff near the back, so they have to see everything to get at it.”
  3658. “Good. What if somepony wants something that you don’t carry?”
  3659. >”I tell them that we normally have it. Though we happen to be out of stock- wait, right. No stock.”
  3660. “Good attempt, try again.”
  3661. >”I don’t have an accurate display model for that item because of a redesign, but I can make it to their specifications.”
  3662. “You’re doing far better than you were mere moments ago. I applaud you, my dear!”
  3663. >”Thanks. But… I had a good teacher. Though I was honestly expecting you to tell me more about fashion and less about business.”
  3664. “Oh, I’m afraid I can’t help you with your designs.”
  3665. >”R- really? Are they that bad?”
  3666. “No. They just lack passion. If you don’t really care about your work, it will show no matter how talented you might be. Since your passion is something else, I suspect your apparel will only ever be good, not great. I would tell you to stop carrying apparel altogether and just focus on what you care about, but I suspect it’s an important draw for potential clients.”
  3667. >”It’s not so much a draw as a value add, but you’re right. I kinda need to sell it to keep this place running. Hay, it’s in the store’s name! I can’t just stop selling clothing. But you’re right, my heart’s never really in it. I really need to find somepony to partner with.”
  3668.  
  3669. >Rarity could be oblivious at times.
  3670. >She had a tendency to ignore the world around her and fixate on minutia, leaving herself totally oblivious to the world at large.
  3671. >But even had she been obsessing over what shade of indigo ought to be used, she would not have missed a hint like that.
  3672. “Perhaps…”
  3673. >Perhaps it was the thrill of a new challenge.
  3674. >Or the desire to help out somepony who seemed to have a good heart.
  3675. >Maybe it was her unwavering desire to bring fabulosity to every aspect of life.
  3676. >Or maybe it was simply because she was literally dripping with arousal.
  3677. >But for some reason, Rarity was interested.
  3678. “Perhaps we can work something out.”
  3679. >Lovelace was so wide eyed Rarity couldn’t help but fear they’d fall right out.
  3680. “I have a grand idea, but I feel I might need your help to make it a reality. Would you be willing to meet me at my new location this evening?”
  3681. >Excited squealing was the only answer she got.
  3682.  
  3683. ==============
  3684. I needed a break. It was appreciated.
  3685. Since I'm here, how do people feel about orgasm denial? What if it was medically induced? The mention of chastity last time was meant to be setup, but why limit ourselves? We have control over Rarity’s senses, and it might be fun to do that the hard way.
  3686. !bwwXn5Gx.o Sat 29 Apr 2023 20:01:30 No.39876328 ViewReport
  3687. I suppose I should post something if we're back. I'll aim for Tuesday.
  3688. !bwwXn5Gx.o Thu 06 Apr 2023 08:51:19 No.39803632 ViewReport
  3689. >>39796666
  3690. Join an alliance and you're okay. I'm in Maresaw, and they take good care of me. We could use some help though since TNN is making demands. I think we'd win if it came to blows, but more help is always appreciated.
  3691. Just... not as a Prze nation. We're good on those.
  3692.  
  3693. And Lovelace has been around for a fair while, she just hasn't been used much. She was meant to be Rarity's partner in this act, then we decided on Coco. I still want to use her though.
  3694. As for the Sweetie/Diamond thing, it seems like there's a lot of room to play with etiquette. Rarity will have doubtlessly emphasized the importance of proper mannerisms on Sweetie Belle, but it's likely that Sweetie would have a weak grasp on the rules. Diamond could give her instructions presented as being etiquette, and Sweetie would think it was of critical importance to follow them without asking too many questions. You'd have to be careful with this because there are limits to her naivety, but it's a great way to start pushing the envelope.
  3695.  
  3696. >>39797093
  3697. It's good fun and you only have to check in like, twice a day. But I admittedly spend a lot more time than that because I've become invested in the politics. My senpai runs an alliance and I want to help him win because I'm weirdly attached to his greens.
  3698. Join Maresaw! Help us resist the offboarder menace!
  3699.  
  3700. >>39802707
  3701. Lovelace genuinely didn't know it was Rarity. Perhaps I should have included a line about why? Let's just say that she didn't think Rarity would ever wear such a bad outfit and wouldn't have figured it out without seeing her face.
  3702. And yes, Rarity has some misunderstandings about the trade she's getting into. Fashion is meaningfully different than this, but I think it would be fun for her to try and blur the lines.

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