Note: Dead Dove: Do Not Eat This chapter contains extreme dark content including non-con, heavy psychological degradation, mind break, sadism, humiliation, and explicit sexual violence. Read at your own risk. In others words is gonna escalate, so be warned. Broken Incentives - Side Story: The Cases of Trixie Case One: The Unicorn Circle Part One of Two Trixie’s POV One more year. One more year of this suffocating solitude, and I swear the last scraps of my humor will rot away completely. I levitate the shot glass to my lips and down the tequila in one burning swallow. It’s not my usual drink — too harsh, too common — but tonight I want something that scorches all the way down. Something that reminds me I’m still alive, even if I feel like a ghost wearing my own skin. The bar is dimly lit, the kind of place where ponies go to forget. A few glances my way — some curious, some pitying. I ignore them. I slam the empty glass down a little too hard. Damn it all. Damn that cataclysm. Damn those reckless, arrogant versions of us who thought they could play with dimensions like toys. Damn the rift that tore my world apart and took my parents, my grandparents, everyone who ever mattered. Tears sting my eyes before I can stop them. Bitter. Hot. Useless. The bartender — a red-coated pegasus mare with a golden mane and striking gray eyes — gives me a concerned look. She’s beautiful in a rugged, world-weary way. I wonder idly who she lost. Everyone lost someone. “Miss… I think you’ve had enough,” she says gently. “Can you make it back to your room alone?” I wave a hoof dismissively, my words already slurring. “Yesss… perfectly capable. The Great and Powerful Trixie needs no assistance…” I try to stand. The world tilts violently. I crash to the floor in a graceless heap, cape tangling around my legs, hat tumbling off my head. Dignity? Long gone. Two hotel staffers eventually scoop me up and half-carry, half-drag me to my suite. They dump me unceremoniously onto the massive bed and leave without a word. Alone again. I roll onto my back and stare at the ornate ceiling, the luxurious chandelier blurring through fresh tears. I have everything now. Money. Fame. Respect. Power. And yet I have nothing. No family. No herd. No one who sees me instead of the mask. The sadness curdles quickly — as it always does — into something sharper. Hatred. A dark, ugly hatred that has become far too common among ponies since Zero-Four. Hatred for the guilty realities. For the ones who opened the rift. For the versions of ourselves who destroyed the lives we should have had. I clench my jaw until it hurts. Tomorrow I have another job. Another broken pony to reshape into a perfect, obedient doll. And for the first time, the thought doesn’t excite me. It just feels… empty. I close my eyes, letting the alcohol pull me under. In the darkness, I wonder how long I can keep doing this before I break too. Before I become just another toy. Before I stop caring. --- I wake up to a pounding headache and the taste of regret in my mouth. My back aches from sleeping in the wrong position. My throat is raw and dry. Sunlight stabs through the half-open curtains like a blade. I groan and sit up slowly, the luxurious hotel suite spinning for a moment. The room phone rings — sharp, insistent, drilling straight into my skull. I levitate the receiver with a wince. “Yes?” “Miss Lulamoon, this is your requested wake-up call. Your appointment is in three hours.” I hang up without answering. Three hours. Wonderful. I drag myself out of bed, shrugging off my cape and hat with more reverence than I feel, laying them carefully on the side table. Then I stagger to the bathroom. A cold shower helps — barely. The icy water shocks some life back into me. I towel off, throw on a simple but elegant outfit, and force down a quick breakfast from room service. Black coffee, strong enough to strip paint. It burns going down, but at least it clears the fog. Outside, a sleek black limousine is already waiting. The human driver — a woman in a crisp uniform — opens the door for me. Her eyes carry open disdain as I slide into the backseat. She doesn’t even try to hide it. A speciest. How original. I don’t blame her. Most humans feel the same. If it weren’t for the strict separation between guilty-reality ponies and allied ones, they’d probably treat us all the same. The car pulls away smoothly. I lean back against the leather seat and stare out the tinted window, already thinking about today’s job. It’s not a challenge. Just an annoyance. Three unicorn incentives. All rebellious. All delivered as a “gift” to some tech entrepreneur who wants something… specific. Not simple dolls. Not broken and empty. He wants them aware. Conscious. Still holding onto fragments of who they were, while being perfectly obedient. I make a face of mild disgust. There’s always one like that. Still, it’s lucrative. A few weeks of work, assuming I have the right tools. And I always do. I allow myself a dark, quiet laugh as the limousine glides through the city. The Great and Powerful Trixie is on the clock. And these three unicorns have no idea what’s coming. --- The limousine glides down a long, dimly lit service tunnel. I can’t help the faint twist of irritation in my chest. A service entrance. For me. The Great and Powerful Trixie, reduced to entering through the back door like hired help. The car stops. The driver — that same human woman with open contempt in her eyes — opens the door without a word. I step out with as much dignity as I can muster. A stern earth pony mare is already waiting. Neat uniform, tight bun, expression pinched with clear displeasure. She looks at the human driver with barely concealed anger, then turns that same sour look on me. “Follow me,” she says curtly, voice clipped. The walk through the mansion is long and oppressively silent. Every corridor we pass shows more pony servants — pegasi dusting chandeliers, earth ponies polishing silver, unicorns levitating trays with practiced efficiency. All of them free. Allied stock. No collars. No inhibitor rings visible. What kind of client is this? We finally stop in front of an ornate office door. The earth pony — Flower Dew, according to the nameplate — knocks with stiff reverence. “Master,” she announces, “I have brought the specialist you requested.” A deep, surprisingly young male voice answers from within. “Come in.” Flower Dew opens the door and steps aside. The office is spacious, modern, lined with bookshelves and glowing holographic displays. Behind a massive desk sits a human — tall but thin, almost scrawny, with sharp features and tired eyes. He can’t be older than his mid-twenties. Too young, I think. Far too young to wield the kind of power this mansion suggests. He sighs deeply and waves a hand at the maid. “Flower Dew, leave us.” The earth pony looks ready to protest, ears flattening, but a sharper look from her master makes her bow stiffly and retreat, closing the door behind her with a quiet click. Now it’s just the two of us. He stands up. He’s taller than I expected, but still carries that awkward, almost boyish energy. Definitely not the usual bloated elite I deal with. I tilt my head, studying him with cool interest. This should be… interesting. --- “Miss Lulamoon, I apologize for the behavior of my staff,” the young human said, standing up behind his desk. “My name is Edgar Walker. I’m the one you were contracted to… assist.” The words hit me like a misplaced spotlight. I blinked, momentarily thrown off balance. The contract had been made through— Before I could speak, he continued, voice tired but steady. “James Earl Williams was the one who originally arranged everything. He intended to send the three unicorns as a ‘gift’ along with full support for your services.” Edgar’s expression turned bitter, almost pained. He clearly didn’t want this gift. I stayed silent, watching him carefully. He looked far too young for the kind of power this mansion represented. Thin, sharp-featured, with eyes that had already seen too much. He exhaled slowly and began to explain. “This house… this entire estate… has always been run by free ponies from allied Equestrias. They raised me after Zero-Four. My parents…” His voice faltered for a moment. “The anomalies liquefied their organs. They melted in front of me. I was eight.” I felt my stomach twist violently. Damn it. The image was too vivid. I barely managed to keep my composure, but the nausea rose fast. I turned away sharply and emptied the contents of my stomach into the nearest wastebasket — the expensive breakfast I’d forced down earlier. When I finally straightened up, wiping my mouth with the back of a trembling hoof, Edgar was watching me with quiet understanding. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I know it’s… difficult to hear.” He paused, then continued. “I want to change the terms of your contract. Whatever Williams asked for… I don’t want it. Not like that.” For a second I expected some pathetic display of mercy — a soft-hearted fool wanting the unicorns treated gently. What he proposed instead made my skin crawl. I accepted anyway. We renegotiated the price on the spot. I made sure to charge him extra for the extended stay — I would need several weeks here to fulfill this new, twisted request. Edgar agreed without hesitation. He pressed the intercom on his desk. “Flower Dew, bring wine. Two glasses.” A few minutes later the earth pony maid returned, balancing a silver tray with a bottle of fine vintage and two crystal glasses. She moved with graceful precision, acting as a living table while Edgar opened the bottle and poured for both of us. We raised our glasses. “To our new… arrangement,” Edgar said quietly. I clinked mine against his, forcing a small, professional smile. “I hope I don’t regret this tomorrow,” I muttered under my breath. The wine was excellent. But the taste in my mouth was already bitter. --- The morning dragged on. I stood in the dressing room, sliding into the custom acrylic suit. It clung to every curve as I sealed it, the material turning glossy and tight like a second skin once I channeled magic into the gem brooch at the collar. It covered me completely — from neck to hooves, even my tail — forming a sleek, impermeable layer. I sighed in annoyance as I opened the jar of gray pomade. The thick, sticky substance smelled faintly chemical. I scooped a generous amount and began rubbing it into my mane and eyebrows, turning the vibrant blue and silver into a dull, uniform gray. It was humiliating, but necessary for this job. “Tsk… that human really hates ponies from the guilty realities,” I muttered. Once finished, I stepped out of the dressing room and into the training chamber. The stench hit me immediately — thick, fetid mud that covered the entire floor, reeking of rot and waste. I wrinkled my nose in disgust, but kept walking. From the far side of the room came a sharp, piercing shriek. “Nooo!” A white unicorn with a pink mane and tail — she remind me of Rarity, without doubt — was being dragged forward by a heavy collar and leash. Her eyes were wide with terror and revulsion as her hooves sank into the foul mud. Beside her, another unicorn struggled violently — Twilight Sparkle. The former student of Celestia fought hard, but the inhibitor collar around her neck was already cutting off her magic, leaving her gasping and compliant after a few moments. And finally… “Oh, wonderful,” I murmured with clear disdain. “They really gave me the second-rate one too.” Two handlers were hauling a fiercely resistant Sunset Shimmer. She snarled and dug her hooves into the ground, but they kept pulling until all three were dragged into the center of the muddy pit. The moment they saw me, their faces twisted with disgust and fear. I smiled — slow, sharp, and full of dark promise. “At least I’ll get to vent a little,” I whispered to myself as I approached my new victims. The three unicorns stared up at me from the filth, breathing hard, already trembling. This was going to be fun. --- The three unicorns stared up at me from the filth, eyes wide with raw terror. Sunset Shimmer tried to hide it. She forced a cocky, arrogant smirk, even as mud dripped from her coat. “What’s this? The Great and Powerless Trixie here to play warden?” she sneered. “How far you’ve fallen.” I sighed, already exhausted. Another inflated ego. How tiresome. Without a word I focused my magic, seized her head in a crushing telekinetic grip, and slammed her face down into the fetid mud with brutal force. Sunset’s smug expression vanished instantly. I ground her muzzle deeper — twisting, rubbing, forcing her nose and mouth into the thick, reeking sludge. Bubbles burst around her face as she thrashed violently, legs kicking, body bucking in panic. Mud filled her nostrils, her mouth, her eyes. She choked, gagged, desperate for air that wasn’t there. Her struggles grew weaker, more frantic, hooves scrabbling uselessly against the slick floor. Twilight and the white unicorn with the pink mane watched in horror, bodies trembling, unable to look away as their friend slowly suffocated in the muck. I held her there for a long, merciless minute. Then another. Only when her movements turned weak and sluggish did I finally release her. Sunset wrenched her head up with a violent gasp, coughing and retching, thick ropes of mud and saliva pouring from her mouth and nostrils. She sucked in desperate, ragged breaths, chest heaving, eyes streaming. I smiled coldly. “Let me make one thing perfectly clear,” I said, voice calm and cutting. “I don’t wear a collar. Neither do any of the ponies who work here. That means you three have the misfortune of being surrounded by ponies who would happily tear you apart if I gave the word.” The threat landed hard. All three unicorns visibly shrank, fear settling deep in their eyes as the reality of their situation finally sank in. To drive the point home, I gave a small nod toward the rafters. A pegasus dropped like a missile. The impact was brutal — a high-speed body slam straight into Sunset’s side. The sound of flesh hitting flesh cracked through the chamber. Sunset cried out in pain as she was knocked sideways into the mud, gasping, wheezing, ribs no doubt bruised. The pegasus simply flapped back up to join the others, a cruel little smirk on her face. Twilight’s eyes darted around the room, finally understanding. The pegasi weren’t leaving. They hovered above us, watching with hungry, bloodthirsty smiles. “You’ve figured it out, haven’t you, Twilight?” I said sweetly. “You always were a fast learner.” Twilight nodded shakily, ears pinned flat against her skull. They had two choices. Obey. Or be left at the mercy of ponies who had every reason to hate them — and now had permission to express it. I stepped closer, voice dropping to a venomous whisper. “Welcome to your new life, little unicorns. Let’s begin.” --- “Voluntarily,” I ordered coldly. “Roll in the filth. Cover every inch of your worthless bodies. Now.” Twilight didn’t hesitate. With a shuddering breath she threw herself forward into the thick, reeking mud, rolling pathetically until her once-pristine lavender coat was completely coated in brown and black sludge. The white unicorn with the pink mane — Rarity — hesitated, tears already streaming down her face. But after one sharp look from me, she broke. Sobbing quietly, she lowered herself into the muck, her luxurious coat ruined in seconds. Sunset Shimmer tried to resist. She pushed herself up, eyes blazing with defiance. I smiled — slow, cruel, and full of promise. That was enough. She swallowed hard and slowly, painfully lowered herself into the filth, the earlier blow still making her movements stiff and awkward. I watched with satisfaction as the three of them wallowed like animals, the proud unicorns reduced to trembling, mud-covered messes. “Good girls,” I purred. “Your owner wants you broken but aware. So that’s exactly what you’ll be.” I began channeling magic. Twilight’s eyes widened in confusion as she felt the spell take hold — not an attack, but something far more insidious. Before she could react, I seized Sunset in a crushing telekinetic grip and yanked her forward. With a sickening crack, I twisted her foreleg until the bone snapped. “Gyaaargh—!” Sunset’s scream tore through the chamber. Her face contorted in agony, but the fire in her eyes didn’t die. I leaned in close, voice dripping with malice. “Don’t worry, my arrogant little understudy. I won’t kill you. But those useless airs of superiority need correcting.” Another sharp crack — her other foreleg. Sunset screamed louder, tears of pain and rage streaming down her mud-caked face. Twilight watched in horror as three pegasi descended around her, grinning with bloodthirsty malice, waiting for any excuse to strike. “No! I obeyed—please—!” the one that behaves like Rarity’s,desperate screams filled the air as the pegasi descended on her, hooves and wings delivering brutal, relentless blows. Twilight barely had time to scream before one of the pegasi slammed into her skull from behind. Her world went black. I stood amid the chaos, breathing steadily, a cold smile on my face. This was only the beginning. Three proud unicorns. Three new canvases. And I had weeks to turn them into exactly what their owner desired. --- Rose Shard’s POV I woke to pain. Not the sharp sting of open wounds, but a deep, throbbing ache that radiated through every muscle and joint. My body felt like it had been trampled. The memories came flooding back without mercy — the relentless beating from those pegasi, their hooves and wings striking with cruel precision, their laughter mixing with the insults they hurled at me. “Useless pretty doll.” “Look at you, thinking you’re still a lady.” “Cry louder, princess. Maybe your precious Celestia will hear you.” Tears burned my eyes as I lay on the cold, filthy floor. I had once been a respected lady-in-waiting to Princess Celestia. Graceful. Elegant. Now I was just another broken toy in this nightmare. A soft groan nearby made me lift my head. Twilight — this world’s version, a unicorn like me — lay curled up a few feet away. Her eye was swollen shut, dark bruises covering her barrel and flanks. Sunset Shimmer looked even worse, breathing shallowly, body marked with fresh welts. The heavy metal door creaked open. Bright light stabbed into the dim room, making me flinch. An earth pony mare entered — plain uniform, tired eyes. She carried a large metal dog bowl on her back with practiced ease. She set it down in the center of the room without a word, revealing a mess of table scraps, wilted vegetables, and half-rotten fruit. Still technically edible. She looked at me for a moment and sighed. “Eat,” she said quietly. “Today’s training will be harder than yesterday.” Then she turned and left, the door slamming shut behind her, plunging us back into near-darkness. My stomach twisted with hunger and shame. Dignity? What good was dignity if I starved? I dragged myself across the filthy floor, legs trembling. The cold mud and grime clung to my once-beautiful white coat. I didn’t care anymore. I lowered my muzzle into the bowl and began to eat — desperately, messily, like an animal. The taste was awful, but I forced it down. Survival. That’s all that matters now. I glanced at the other two. They were still unconscious or too broken to move. They don’t matter, I told myself. If I want to live… I have to focus on myself. Tears mixed with the cold food as I ate. I had once been elegant. Graceful. Now I was just another filthy, starving pony fighting to stay alive one more day. And the worst part? A small, terrified voice in the back of my mind whispered that this was only the beginning. --- Rose Shard’s POV I screamed. The fusta came down again and again — sharp, merciless cracks across my already bruised flanks. Each impact sent fresh fire blooming over my skin. My tail was bound tightly inside a thick leather hood, locked to my collar, forcing it high and useless. I couldn’t even cover myself. Every strike landed perfectly on my exposed rear, turning my once-pristine white coat into a canvas of angry red welts. Trixie finally paused. I was panting, trembling, tears streaming down my face. Then I felt her warm tongue — slow, deliberate — tracing over the fresh bruises. The contrast was devastating. Gentle laps over burning skin. Each lick pulled a broken, humiliating sound from my throat — half pain, half unwanted pleasure. “At least one of you is starting to understand her place,” Trixie murmured, voice dripping with satisfaction. Her magic flared. She forced my hind legs wider, then used her magic to spread my folds obscenely, exposing everything. I whimpered in shame. Her tongue returned — hot, wet, and merciless. She licked long stripes from my clit down to my entrance, then pushed inside, fucking me with her tongue in slow, deep strokes. My eyes rolled back. My hips twitched involuntarily, chasing the sensation despite everything. She found a rhythm — cruelly perfect — and I came hard, shamefully, squirting across her muzzle with a choked cry. Instead of anger, Trixie only smiled wider, licking her lips like she had tasted something delicious. She didn’t stop. Her tongue moved lower. I tensed as I felt the wet heat press against my tailhole — gentle at first, then more insistent. She rimmed me with devoted, filthy care, circling the tight ring before pushing inside. The sensation was overwhelming — invasive, humiliating, and far too pleasurable. At the same time, her magic focused on my clit — stroking, pinching, vibrating with precise torment. It was too much. I came again. And again. My body convulsed helplessly, fluids soaking the floor beneath me. My mind fractured further with every orgasm she forced from me. Still, Trixie didn’t stop. She kept licking, kept teasing, kept breaking me down with cruel patience. I was sobbing now — pleasure and despair mixing into something unrecognizable. And deep down, a terrifying thought bloomed: She’s only just getting started. --- I was still moaning, lost in the haze of unwanted pleasure, when a new, brutal pressure pushed against my tailhole. My eyes flew open. A thick, calloused dildo — massive, ridged, far too big — was pressing insistently against my entrance. I barely had time to tense before Trixie shoved it forward. The stretch was agonizing. I screamed as the huge toy forced its way inside me, inch by merciless inch. It felt like I was being torn apart. The rough texture scraped my sensitive walls, the sheer girth making my tailhole burn and spasm around the invasion. My mind went white for a moment, overwhelmed by the sheer size and the violation. Trixie watched with a sadistic, hungry smile, slowly licking her lips as she worked the massive toy deeper. “Relax, darling,” she purred. “You’re going to take every inch. Your owner will expect nothing less.” The pain was intense, but the worst part was how my body was starting to betray me again. Even through the burning stretch, a sick heat was building. Finally, the dildo bottomed out. I felt impossibly full, my insides stretched to their limit around the brutal intruder. Trixie’s breathing had grown excited, almost eager. The sight of me like this — impaled, trembling, ruined — clearly aroused her. Then she stopped being gentle. She started thrusting — hard, fast, merciless. The thick toy slammed in and out of my ass with wet, obscene sounds, each brutal plunge forcing a broken cry from my throat. The pain mixed with something filthy and hot, turning my screams into desperate, shameful moans. Trixie leaned over me, her breath hot against my ear as she whispered the most degrading things. “Look at you… such a proud little lady, and now you’re just a sloppy anal whore taking whatever I give you… Does it feel good, having your tight little ass ruined? Are you going to cum from your ass like a pathetic fucktoy?” Every filthy word made me wetter. My marehood clenched and dripped onto the floor as she pounded my ass without mercy. I hated it. I hated how much my body loved it. It didn’t take long. I came violently — harder than before — my vision going white as my tailhole spasmed around the massive dildo. My whole body convulsed, squirting messily onto the floor beneath me. I went limp, like a puppet with its strings cut, drooling and twitching helplessly. Trixie pulled the toy out slowly, savoring my weak whimpers. She smiled down at me with dark affection. “Good girl,” she whispered. Then she grabbed my face and kissed me. Her tongue invaded my mouth with possessive hunger, tasting me, claiming me. I could only moan weakly into the kiss, too exhausted and broken to resist. She pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, her voice soft and cruel. “We’re only getting started, my dear.” I trembled. And deep down, a terrifying realization settled in: I wasn’t going to survive this unbroken. --- I left Rose Shard to rest — trembling, leaking, barely conscious on the filthy floor. I won’t deny it: I was aroused. Few ponies turned out to be such natural masochists. The way she came from pain and degradation… it was almost beautiful. But I pushed the thought aside. Tsk. That’s the problem with this kind of work. There was always the risk of getting too attached to the canvas. I stepped into the next room. Twilight Sparkle lay bound in the center — forelegs shackled to the floor, forcing her chest down and her hindquarters raised high. Her tail was locked in a leather hood, just like Rose Shard’s. The position left her completely exposed, marehood and tailhole on full display. Two sturdy earth pony maids were flogging her ass with rhythmic, heavy strokes. Each impact left bright red marks across her lavender coat. Twilight was sobbing, begging between gasps. “Please—! Stop—! I can’t—!” I raised a hoof. The maids immediately stopped and bowed. “Leave us,” I ordered. They obeyed without question, shooting Twilight one last cruel smile before closing the door. Now it was just the two of us. I approached slowly, savoring the sight of the once-proud student of Celestia — reduced to a trembling, marked mess. “You know,” I began, voice calm but laced with venom, “I used to ask the Elements of Harmony why they didn’t stop it. Why they let something as monstrous as Zero-Four happen.” Twilight looked up at me with tear-filled, exhausted eyes. She opened her mouth to answer— I didn’t let her. “Because in the end, it doesn’t matter,” I continued, voice growing colder. “No matter the reasons, no matter the convictions or regrets… what happened, happened. And there’s no going back.” I levitated a black case from the corner and opened it. Inside was my favorite double strap-on — thick, ridged, merciless. I secured it around my hips with a tight leather thong, the smaller end sliding into me with a wet sound. I let out a soft, pleased sigh as I adjusted it. Twilight’s eyes widened in fear as I pressed the thick head against her soaked entrance. “Please… don’t—” I thrust forward hard. She cried out — pain and shock mixing in her voice. Her walls clenched tightly around the invading toy as I buried it to the hilt. “You still think you’re free?” I snarled, starting to move with brutal, frenzied thrusts. “After everything your kind took from us? You’re nothing but meat now. A hole for me to use.” Each savage thrust made her body rock forward. Her moans grew louder, more broken. I slapped her flank hard, the sound echoing. Twilight came hard — walls spasming violently around the strap-on, squirting messily onto the floor. But I didn’t stop. I kept pounding into her, chasing my own pleasure while grinding her face into the dirt with magic. I was going to break her mind with pleasure. Turn the brilliant student into nothing but a drooling, needy fucktoy who lived for the next orgasm. Because no matter how many I destroyed… It would never fill the hole they left in me. --- Two hours later, I finally stopped. Twilight Sparkle lay collapsed on the filthy floor, body twitching uncontrollably. Her tongue hung loosely from her open mouth, drool pooling beneath her. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused — completely lost in a haze of overstimulation. She had cum so many times her voice had given out, reduced to weak, broken whimpers. I smiled — slow, satisfied, cruel. I unbuckled the strap-on and pulled it free from my hips. The thick end that had been buried inside her glistened with her juices. I brought it to my muzzle and dragged my tongue along its length, savoring the sweet, musky taste of the once-proud student of Celestia. I licked it clean with deliberate, obscene care, eyes half-lidded in dark pleasure. Even after destroying her so thoroughly… that hollow void in my chest remained. I put my favorite toy away with a soft sigh and straightened my suit. One left. Sunset Shimmer. I walked toward the next chamber, already anticipating the challenge. Sunset still clung to her defiance, still spat venom with every breath. It was almost admirable. Most broke much faster. I paused at the doorway and glanced at one of the assigned maids — a quiet earth pony waiting nearby. My smile turned sharper. What I had planned for that arrogant second-rate unicorn wouldn’t be gentle at all.