//------------------------------// // Part 6 // Story: King Sombra's Slaves // by Mocha Jon //------------------------------// The next morning was a strange mystery for Mocha Jon. He found the tiniest closet in the entire castle fairly easy, the door had a bar window and even a sign labeled 'New Slaves' on it. Clearly Sombra starts everypony out this way. Jon and Toby stayed the night in the incredibly cramped room with Jon standong on two legs because there was not enough room to stand properly; he even toughed all three walls and the door toughed him with he went into the closet, making him incredibly cramped. Under any other cirsumstancers he would never bother to spend any time in a place as tight and dark as this due to his extreme claustrophobia but he was given an order and he wanted to make his first obeyed command a good one. Jon was awaken at the crack of down, not that he slept much in that position anyway. After he was sent by a guard into the throne room, he could tell that his Master had more plans for him, though this time he wasn't sure if he was to test Sombra's patience this time or not. Before he was enslaved he was willing to be snarky because he hated authority but Sombra used that as ammo to hurt his other slaves. Sombra liked hearing his insults but now Sombra has the right to actually hurt Jon. Jon would be willing to sacrifice his comfort for his master but none of his slaves would offer it unless it was requested by Sombra first. At the moment only Shining Armor, Big Mac, and Caramel were with Sombra but so was Fluttershy, much to Jon's confusion. Sombra looked like he did before Jon was enslaved, still trying to seem mysterious in his orders, "How was your sleep slave?" Jon yawned and then answered, "It was not easy sleeping Sir, if I had not exhausted myself during my test yesterday I would have been up all night." He answered honestly, knowing that lying to please Sombra is moot, a good slave must answer honestly and face the consequences for wrong answers, however Sombra expected this. "Get used to it, you will stay there until I take in my next slave!" Sombra yelled in a demanding tone, forcing Jon to panic, but not out of fear but out of guilt this time. "Now Fluttershy, you told me that badger of his is a pet to you both, go stand with them, this test requires you both..." Fluttershy looked upset but she complied, knowing what was to happen. Jon himself just looked forward expressionless as Fluttershy came by and picked Toby from his back, waiting for the order. He was not sure what was to happen but the fact that Sombra was willing to let Toby stay with them meant that the King must have cared about him on some small level. Sombra walked up to them with a no nonsense expression, not afraid to make either Jon or Fluttershy upset, "Do you know why I gave you the grace to allow this filthy unwashed creature to stay in my palace?" "No Sir." They said in unison. Sombra chuckled smugly, "During this coffee boy's challenge, I kept this thing close by as motivation. I may be heartless and evil, but I truly am a pony of my word." The two along with the other three all nodded in agreement, "He's not like the other pets I made everypony abandon though, having him by my side was an interesting experience. I never understood the point of pets aside from simply bending simple minded creatures to one's will." Fluttershy wanted to gasp at that comment but reluctantly agreed, "But this one has grown on me, the fact that you two have managed tame this vicious beast is admirable." Shining Armor, Big Mac, and Caramel all gasped loudly as they heard that comment, Sombra almost never gives a compliment like that to anypony and he usually saves it for those who have been so loyal that they put themselves at risk. Sombra just looked over and growled in response, "You do not interrupt your Master..." He said as he slowly walked towards them, "One more time and you will be punished so badly it might even scare me." He said quietly but assertively. "Yes Master!!!" They all said in panic and fear as Sombra returned to Fluttershy and Mocha Jon. "Anyway, I have decided to take the credit upon myself for taking this vermin, and I have decided that the vermin shall be mine and not yours. You two are to surrender him to me." Sombra demanded. Fluttershy and Jon did not want to do that, he badger is what brought the two of them together as friends and they both love him extensively. Jon only took this as a chance to prove his loyalty, but Fluttershy saw this as Sombra warming up to another living creature, even in a bad way. The two looked at each other reluctantly but complied, "Yes Master." They said as they tried handing over the badger, but Sombra felt this was too easy. "You two gave in faster than I assumed, perhaps I should up the anti." At that moment the King used his horn and removed the collar from the badger's neck, making him completely aware of his surroundings. Fluttershy and Jon were confused, though in differentt ways. "Hypnotizing him was easier because his simple animal mind is much easier to mold than ponies, I was able to completely write out his personality without needing to break his will like you two. Sense he can hear you two fully, I want you two to tell him why you're giving him up without using me as a reason. The two could not bear themselves to do this, but they had no choice, Fluttershy was holding in tears but she had to be honest, "I'm sorry but I don't want you anymore, you are too much to handle and you were too much of a hassle when you started staying with Mocha, it's just easier for me if you're gone, I don't want to see you ever again." Fluttershy was for the most part being honest, agreeing to let Toby stay with Mocha Jon made Toby enraged and he was reluctant to leave her, becoming clingy and too much pressure. She didn't want to loose him though, she wanted to do what she was told. Toby looked saddened from that and wanted to hug Jon for comfort but Jon held him away with his horn, "I'm sorry too but I don't want you anymore either, you're too gullible and you're too much work for something that just doesn't give anything back, plus every time I try to bathe you you always end up right where you began. From now on you only deserve to be kept by the King of fear and Darkness, somepony that evil is the only pony who can give you what you deserve. King Sombra, please take this badger as a gift..." Sombra grinned and took the panicking badger from the two with no remorse. Despite obeying the order, the two clearly did not like doing that to him and both want to apologize to him. Sombra chuckled more and returned the collar to the badger. "I can tell that was hard, too bad I don't care. Fluttershy, I want you to go and wake up the day time guard dogs and put the night guard dogs to bed." "Yes sir." She shivered a little bit but left the room to do as told. "In case you're wondering, the guard dogs don't like being put to bed or woken up, and they love to bite." Sombra added as soon as she left. Jon decided to see if Sombra was in the mood to want to fight, he figured it was time to risk his pain, "Really...? I had no idea..." He sarcastically said. Sombra just eyed the unicorn with a strange ambiguous squint, "I see..." He walked closer him and when they were face to face Sombra added, "You're lucky I'm in a good mood now, I like that you are willing to risk yourself like this. Just don't get cocky with being cocky. At any moment I might want to punish you, but for now I'll let it slide." The other three slaves in the room were shocked at how well the King was treating their new slave, they expected him to try and stab him with his horn. It's almost like Sombra sees something different in him. "The special hour is about to begin, enjoy it while you can..." Sombra then just walked out of the room while leaving the rest of them in the room. Jon wanted to ask what hour he was talking about, but he was not called too and he already took enough of a risk. "You will love this Jon, it shows how much we love our Master!" Caramel yelled in excitement. "Eeyup!" Suddenly without any warning a strange flash appeared around their necks, Jon put his arm over his eyes to shield his vision and when he looked over he noticed the collars were taken off the three. He also felt his neck and noticed his collar was gone too, and all their eyes lost the spirals in them. "Wait... What just happened?" Jon asked as he shook his head. The three walked over to him and helped him with his headache. "It's Free Will Hour, every morning Sombra gives us an hour where we lose our collars and get to think for ourselves." Caramel responded. Jon didn't know what to do, he was only hypnotized for one night but thinking for himself just feels, distant. He felt as confused as he did when his collar was placed on. He wasn't sure what to ask despite having so many questions in his head, "Really? Why?" "We're not sure, he's never said why." Shining answered. "Nope." Big Mac added. "Well... What do we do?" Jon asked, still confused. "Well Big Mac's gonna organize Sombra's uniforms, Caramel's gonna clean the throne room and I'm undecided between organizing his sock drawer and typing up this week's propaganda about Sombra to send out to everypony!" Shining said excitedly as all three of them looked eager to get to work. "Wow that all sounds great! Anypony need help?" Jon also eagerly asked also wanting to serve the King, "Wait, what the Hell did I just say!?" Jon wasn't sure why he or the rest of them would want to serve Sombra when they weren't hypnotized.