[Blazing's Entry]
We have things to do, so I am calm, focused, and I'm definitely not thinking over and over about the black cloud rushing through the streets of Sagar, seeping into houses, and corrupting every griffon within the city.
[End Entry]
"Out of sheer curiosity," I ask while following Desert Shade through the dark streets towards the mountainside part of upper Canterlot where the brothel is located, "if you're so sure the mass suicide of the nobles was caused by this Joy why not bring some guards with us, or at least some Silver Sun assistance?"
"Because I have no proof, dummy," Des' tone clearly conveys the rolling of her eyes even with her head covered by the hood, "As for the Silver Sun, I don't really have any influence there so without you accompanying me they wouldn't offer any help."
"We could have met there instead of here."
"Well, I didn't think of that in the five minutes we had to arrange things aboard Grand Cross before Emperor Cassius took you away."
"Sorry," I realize how nitpicky I am. It's easy to plan for things in hindsight.
"Don't be," she sighs, "I'm just on edge because of what happened every time I tried this before."
Faint red shimmer lights the darkness filled with prowling Corrupted as we finally turn a corner and reach a three-story building with a crimson lantern hanging above simple oak door situated on top of short set of stairs leading from the sidewalk.
"Alright, this is it, Blazing," she stomps the ground nervously, "How do we do it? Walking in clearly didn't work last few times. I get the feeling I've been here before, so I might have tried finding something out in the past and I don't know about it."
Shaking my head, I walk up the stairs and reach for the doorbell. It doesn't make any noise, likely not to bother other customers, but it has to alert a receptionist or something.
"Stay next to me. I can sense divine power, so I'll know if something's up. If you feel a tentacle poking you from the floor, get ready."
"No sneaking inside?"
"If you knew what to look for that might be a good plan, but we're here completely blind and hoping somepony will slip up. Hmm, this might work - you do the talking and pretend I'm your Corrupted companion or pet looking for fun. We'll see where it leads."
"What if they get us both with the mind wipe thing?"
"There are three of us."
"What?"
"You forgetting Heavy Hoof's spirit walking around-"
"Somepony is coming."
"-and he has good ears. It's up to you now, Des," I whisper.
"Right, right."
A light blue unicorn with aqua mane wearing a dark blue, silky, see-through dress opens, gives me a slightly startled look which changes into a friendly smile as she notices Des.
"This place is a rebuilt apartment complex. I bet the landlord's place is the reception and every room is for the clients."
Would the employees and the owner live on the ground floor or on the top one?
"My experience is limited in this case, but most institutions I know have lodgings on the top."
Can you go through the closed doors?
"I can peek inside for a second or two, but it's pretty exhausting and I can't get too far away from you and through thicker walls."
Alright, do what you think is best.
"I have, ehm," Des plays the role of bashful customer perfectly, "a request I'd like to ask about."
The receptionist nods knowingly and waves her foreleg around to show off the dark red carpet on the floor and the dim red lanterns similar to the one outside scattered on the walls.
"We offer services of all kinds other than violent ones, those are strictly forbidden. We can even offer you a place where you can safely enjoy yourself with your Corrupted companion without any harm to your body or mind."
Now that's new. Can they really prevent corruption from spreading?
"Apparently. There's a unicorn and a Breeder just on the other side of the second door, and the unicorn still has his horn and looks normal despite having just chugged a cup of Breeder breast milk. I'm not sure how to feel about that."
It's delicious, Heavy. I have no doubts that ponies who try it once in the wild never let go anymore. If the unicorn still has his mind intact even after a quick suckle then there has to be some powerful force preventing insanity. What bothers me is that I can't sense anything unusual.
"What? No no no, I'm here on business and this is my bodyguard. However, when we're done I'd love to browse your service catalogue, ehm," Des ends up blushing.
"We don't work like that, dear," the receptionist chuckles, "Just tell us your desire, and we'll find a way to fulfill it. Nothing aside from what I've mentioned before is beyond us. If you're not clear on what you want, we can of course discuss it and come to an arrangement."
"Do you- do you offer services for them?" she tilts her head towards me.
"If they can communicate their unusual desire then of course. In my experience, however, all they need is a willing enough partner to play with, and we offer more than enough of those."
"Perfect. We'll talk about the price later then," Des presents an amethyst-decorated golden badge with two crossed spears on a crest, "but now I need to talk to whoever is in charge here."
"Is our estabilishment under Hex Guard investigation?" the unicorn asks calmly.
"Not for your services, but I have a reason to believe that certain flows of money in and out of here are tied to a mass murder of nobility."
Okay, her reaction is either completely genuine, or she's an excellent actor.
"Oh, what, us? But we just spread pleasure. We don't even allow fetish violence in here."
"That is why I need to talk to your boss. Your business is under no suspicion whatsoever, I just need information."
"Of course, of course, just be quiet, please."
"I have no intention of causing unnecessary trouble. Especially," Des winks and smiles at the shaken receptionist, "when I intend to use your services later."
Heavy's guess proves wrong when the nervous receptionist leads us through the main hall into what had to be the hindmost apartment when this place still used to host ponies. She knocks on the wooden door with simple brass plaque depicting a heart. Without a word, the door opens and an absolutely stunning pegasus mare walks out, wide hips swaying and smile on her puckered, ruby lips. Despite her grey coat which still reflects the red light of the lanterns and makes it look as if a river of magma was flowing through it, she's far from unremarkable. Her two-tone mane of yellow and red only accentuates the flickering flame and shadows reflected on her coat. She isn't wearing anything, and I get the feeling that any clothes would just distract from her astonishing beauty and shapely figure.
And yet... all my warning bells go off.
Heavy?
"Yes?"
How do you feel about that mare?
"Gorgeous, but I'm not really interested anyway."
Yeah, she's a divine being. No metaphor intended.
"Alicorn in diguise?"
No, the power I feel is too weak. Probably some other minor divine creature.
"Uh oh. That would explain Desert Shade."
Des' eyes are glistening and she's staring dazedly into the golden ones of the "definitely not a pegasus".
"What can I offer you?" the entrancing mare asks with warm voice dripping like syrup. Her head turns from Des to me and back, "If you are looking for a sensual session with your companion, that can be arranged."
I spawn a tiny tentacle next to Des' fetlock and give her leg a sharp poke.
"Ye- no no no," she nearly jumps, blinking and taking a deep breath, "Later, I mean. I apologize for daydreaming, the air is pretty heavy here."
"Musk and spring flowers," the pegasus laughs, "I feel it gives my place the proper vibe. If you aren't here for our most sought service then why did you ask for me?"
"I need to see your ledgers, invoices, and other documents regarding cash flow," Des shakes her head, fighting off the mind melting presence yet again.
The pegasus' eyes go wide, clearly taken aback.
"Whatever for?" she asks, "And by that I mean definitely not."
"I'm afraid I must insist," Des pulls the amethyst badge out again.
"What did we do to earn the ire of the Hex Guard?"
"I just need to see where the money goes through your estabilishment, nothing more. I am absolutely certain you are not the type to be involved in mass murder-suicide of cultists."
"Whah- what?!"
Just like with the receptionist, the reaction seems genuine.
"It is a long story, but one of the clues and theories led me here. I'd hate to ask for the books again," Des raises an eyebrow.
"Of course, of course," the frazzled pegasus nods eagerly and beckons us to come inside, "How far back do you want to look?"
"This and last month will be enough for now."
"I'll be right back with the ledgers. Anyway, forgive my rudeness, my name is Comfort."
"Wasteland Scout," Des offers her talons which Comfort shakes immediately, bows, and trots off. The receptionist leaves shortly after.
"Where did you get the badge of Twilight's guards?" I whisper.
"The less you know the better," she hisses back.
The place is a clear mix of an office and a home, leaning towards the latter. There is a workdesk in the middle of the main room, there are shelves full of books, and even some filing cabinets by the back wall, but all of that is surrounded by comfortable and doubtlessly expensive furniture. Comfort's apartment is more a suite, at least from what I can see through the two doorways leading into other rooms. The entire place is decorated in the shades of wine red so common in this brothel.
Comfort returns, balancing two ledgers on her back, and puts them on her desk.
"This month and the last one," she looks at Des, "Care for a cup of tea? I doubt this will be a short visit."
"Got any lemon one? I have simple tastes as far as my drinks go," asks Des, and Comfort nods before looking at me.
"And you?"
"Hisssss..." I try to look as friendly as possible.
"Give him a cup too, please. He looks scary, but he's a big softie once you get to know him."
"Gotta admit, she's got you figured out."
"As you wish," Comfort walks with a seductive gait to the next room. I can't help having a quick look at her perfectly shaped backside, and I notice Des' mouth is hanging open and she's breathing heavily.
This isn't natural. From the time I spent with her and her group, I know she swings both ways, bored immortals usually do eventually, with heavy preference for males, and her reaction clearly isn't caused by only her body.
"Blazing we've got problems."
Yeah?
"She's pouring something into the cups. It's some clear, sticky liquid. I wish I could at least tell you what it smells like, but the tea completely drowned it out."
At least we know something's going on. Anyway, I doubt it's poison. If Des has really already been here and her head was wiped out afterwards, I don't think she's on the kill list. My best guess is that it'll either be a sleeping agent or something that would help this Comfort mind control Des as she's been trying to do since the beginning.
"But what if it is poison?"
I'll chug the whole cup first. I'm pretty sure I'm immune to most things that would affect a pony. However, if I'm wrong you're to watch everything that happens to us and then tell me when I wake up.
"And if you don't?"
Then you're back where you started, Heavy.
I can feel Heavy's sigh as he follows Comfort carrying a tray with two cups on her back.
"Here you go-huuuh?" she covers her mouth to stifle a laugh as I open my mouth, grab the steaming cup with two of my tongues, and down it in one go.
Well, now she thinks I'm pretty dumb, and I AGREEEEE! IT'S BOILING HOT!
"I would ask you what you were expecting, but I don't think I'd like the answer."
My eyes cross, and I hiccup as I try to deal with the fact that I've just burned my throat and stomach. Thank stars for the adaptability of the Corrupted body.
The good part is that after my tears clear up, I am not frothing at the mouth, and Des is still sitting in the guest armchair, reading the ledger with a completely untouched cup.
I don't feel any different. No nausea or sudden new desire to breed the hay out of Comfort. She's still unbelievably hot, but my paranoia works like a glacial shower.
Comfort walks off while Des reads the book, and when the hippogriff sees I'm not keeling over she sips her drink as well.
"I must admit you do have a figure befitting a Hex Guard, miss Scout," Comfort walks close to Des, leaning against her back as she looks over her shoulder at the ledger.
Des giggles like a lovestruck schoolfilly, which is all the answer I need.
"I bet you say it to everypony you meet here."
"I do share compliments which I don't mean sometimes, but this one was genuine."
Des rubs her eyes, and Comfort walks around the table, her tail and plot brushing against Des' muzzle.
With that touch, I can feel Des' mind tainted by me unravel and fall into the warm haze of lust and submission. Props to her, she fought it far longer than I thougth she would, but it's time to ask some serious questions. The mind control clearly isn't magic. It must be some divine influence so soft but persistent that I can't isolate the source and break its effect on Des.
Like a marionette, Des closes the ledger and stands up.
"I believe I must have misread my clues, miss Comfort. There is nothing to find here."
"Good girl," Comfort circles Des, leans her head to Des', and softly bites her ear. Des' moan makes the atmosphere even heavier, "Now forget about this investigation, and take your companion with you. Of course, I will be ecstatic to see you again if you choose to use my services. I can give you a very 'personal' and unique treatment."
"Yeesss..." Des breathes out.
And with that, like talons of pure white fire, I feel an influence crawling into Des' open and suggestible mind. Whoever Comfort is, she's clearly behind Des' loss of memories, although I'm still doubtful she's behind the suicide of the nobles and my resurrection. Perhaps she's not the mastermind of all this?
YOU'RE MINE!
The mental command I send straight into Des' head shakes her and confuses the other invasive force. Terrified by visions of teeth and claws I transfer to her, reminding her about the panic she felt when I was corrupting her inside Legius' camp, she stands there, swaying and staring in confusion in random directions.
Lunging forward, I swipe my foreleg at Comfort who almost dodges with completely inequine agility. The glancing blow sends her tumbling backwards into the shelves.
I pounce at her, she somehow slips away before I land, and is already standing on all fours when I find her after turning my head from side to side.
"Put your pet on a leash, Desert Shade!" she calls out in a commanding voice.
Des gives her a dizzy look, but her eyes focus as she starts gradually surfacing from whatever steamy daydream she'd been locked in.
"Oh screw this, I'll just explain it to her later," Comfort's forelegs glow red, and razor-sharp claws take place of her hooves. Her tail loses its hair, revealing a dark red prehensile whip ending in a spade. Her wings change into leathery bat ones, and small curved horns sprout from her head.
A succubus.
Huh, I'm far less impressed than I thought I would be.
I guess that after gods, demigods, dragons, and griffons armed with guns that can raze a building, a demon of lust isn't exactly the most terrifying enemy.
"LEFT!"
Thanks to Heavy's warning, I brace myself and dodge to the side in time for Comfort's talons to score only a shallow groove in my barrel.
I stand corrected.