You didn't close the italics, and as a result a large portion is still in italics.
And damn, I always loved parlor scenes. Always made me think "the clues were there ALL ALONG" and makes it an intricately woven story-line, where you go back through and see the clues that were given beforehand.
"That's not the point though! The point is the Legion is out there, and they're doing this because it's their job, and I'm—I—I just, I did this because I was bored , okay?" Scarlet shut her eyes and screamed. "I was bored ! I was bored and I wanted—I just, I thought this was going to be an interesting case, so I decided to get involved
Doing something because you were bored and it sounded interesting is not a bad reason to do something Scarlet. Its a strong reason, its a personal reason, and personal reasons tend to motivate someone far more than a professional one does
In short: Doing something because you want to do it, is a very good reason to do something
Scarlet is like an antique clock isn't she ? Beautiful when whole, easy to break, and requires special care when being put back together
Hmm. Who stands to gain from this? And what? Is it just a frame job or does it go deeper than that? The idea that this sort of thing is both possible and actually happening could shake the Society to its foundations.
Also, now I want shrimp and grits. And I find myself wondering who's providing seafood to what is, geographically speaking, horse-Kansas.
8412813 Yeah, Scarlet's anxieties unfortunately mirror my own. This kind of emotional self-castigation is unfortunately not uncommon in kink communities either.
Perique smiled and began to hum as she opened her icebox, hunting for something special she had picked up in Canterlot's market street the day before
As Perique claims, getting shrimp in Ponyville is tough. Getting it in the market street of a major city? A bit easier. Canterlot's still not a seaside town, but the number of airships that come by means it can act as a receiving port for trade from relatively far off areas.
Okay, putting these ideas in spoiler tags since it deals with information revealed in the latest chapter.
I can think of another reason why somepony would want the crime discovered. Earlier, it was mentioned that some ponies in the society are untrusting of rape-players. Somepony COULD want to shut down the Borderlands, and be planning to use incidents within it to justify shutting it down. I say incidents, because for it to work, it would have to be more than one.
Given the frame job theory, however, the step AFTER talking to Redheart will be to find out who the Torch Legion is building a case against... then look for connections between that pony and the pony or ponies running the investigation. In this case... well, Praiseworthy seems like an obvious suspect, but I'm not locking that in quite yet. I'll wait for further discoveries.
I want to say I'm really enjoying this mystery. I hope to read more of Scarlet's adventures in the future, whether linked to the Society, or in a separate capacity.
I don't think High Tide is the sort to have done this. He *seems* legitimately broken up that she was even *almost* hurt, and not like he'd have been in a position to protect her. Still, he could have arranged something that went horribly wrong, and a rescue nearly turned into a crime.
Floral, if she did this to herself, is either *desperately* mentally ill or tried to be incredibly stupid and it backfired badly.
Hmm. There's actually a possibility that comes to mind that'd be damned tragic, and leaves me hoping I'm wrong with both my top theories.
But I don't know your writing, so I don't know how likely either one is. But I do think one thing for sure: Whoever did this didn't mean any harm, but they were dumbasses.
1: Grant did it. Frankly, it's the Occam solution. If he wanted to be a hero, convince ponies he was a good guy, how hard would it be to drug a victim in the Badlands, then stage a near-rape, then "rescue" them from himself? Easily justified as victimless in his mind; as soon as his victim was drugged, he jumps them, stuffs their bell, gags them, and then 'saves' them, knowing they weren't really hurt and that the drug with uld prevent any memories (like GHB).
Moron didn't realize he would really traumatize his victim though.
2: High Tide is desperately in love with Floral, but 100% incapable of satisfying her sexual needs. He wants to care for her, she wants the Borderlands - does HT really seem like a Borderlands type of pony? Not to me. And his broken response to being asked about playing with other sub's?
Dude desperately needs help, addiction counseling, depression therapy, and probably treatment for ED.
He can't satisfy his younger, gorgeous crush the way she really wants - so he tries to we up what she wants. She *wants* non-con, not play, the real deal. Her rape fantasy is based on *pure* fantasy, and she thinks actually not having control will be the biggest rush very.
She's the one who knows flowers - she knows Ponyville too, and probably the Everfree's bounty.
She preps the brew. She and HT bust her Pipsub and stuff the bell. And she walks off while HT is supposed to observe and protect. But he can't take it, and heads off to get thoroughly salted. Meanwhile, Floral learns that there's a BIG difference between fantasy and actually being 100% out of control; fortunately she's spotted by Grant instead of really raped, but not before she's traumatized.
It's possible that the two theories are even connected or mixed - but I *think* HT couldn't have done this on his own. He'd need something - or someone- to a make him betray Floral.
Scarlet sighed. Perique was teasing, but with anypony else - how often had she explained that you couldn't just get to the point when the point was a distant station and your mind a train? You couldn't just go there, you had to stop and connect and do - do train things, damn it! It all made sense once it was laid out, even if most ponies had no patience for it. It really hurt that they had no-
Oh I love this paragraph and this metaphor.
Hi kids, I brought you sex!
Thanks, it was very nice! But I forgot to bring anything for you... :(
Had picked up on the bell and wanting it to be heard things, but not exactly put them together yet. Out of the potential culprits so far, it seems like almost everyone's pretty eligible, still. Motive's added for the victim herself, and both the inspector and the discoverer to a degree fit the part about wanting to have it found and some semblance of control in either the initial framing of or the prosecution of the investigation. Is Redheart part of the Society? If so, I did find her acquiescence to Scarlet's asking questions to be suspicious. Only High Tide (guess what it takes for me to remember a minor OC's name without looking is for him to have the name of an MtG deck/card :/ ) particularly seems off on those counts, and the high-power salts are a path laid to him having opportunity. So good job on maintaining those red herrings.
Alright time to get caught up! Scarlet has an idea! Going by what we've seen, if I had to make a guess at this point, it would be that High Tide was pissed that 'his' pet was being played with by Grant, and so he set this up to try and frame Grant for this and get him in trouble and potentially kicked out. It mostly fits how things might have gone, and can see a misequinthrope like Scarlet seeing the worst like that. Not sure that is the case, seems too easy, and there is still a lot of story left.
Oh Dear Princess Celestia, why was I born?
Ugh.. been there, done that, and yeah that is about the right response. Morning exist for only one reason, to give you something to sleep through without missing anything.
Perique smelled the fire before she saw the smoke.
Not sure if literal, figurative, some threat..... or is Scarlet trying to cook breakfast? Wait, smelled the fire? Eh, can work though technically, given how smell works, you can't really 'smell' it since fire is simply pure energy, no physical matter, and hence has nothing for the olfactory receptors to pick up on. But if it's more, smelling the alterations to the air the heat from the fire cause, that works.
she had stayed the night and spent most of it in Perique's embrace.
Not sure if meant in the d'awwwww way or the kinky way... I'm going to go with both. Also, yeah Scarlet's trying to cook, isn't she?
Scarlet sat, coughing, in the center of a rising cloud of noxious, black smoke.
Called it! Though really have to wonder how she could smell the heat before the smoke given the likely heat/smoke ratio there. Also, hey, still better then Sweetie Belle!
The smell of burnt eggs permeating every inch of her kitchen.
Could be worse.... could be burnt popcorn...... (Or burnt plastic, fun story, one time one of our Assistant Mangers left her lunch in the microwave WAY to long, melted the plastic, and created a stench so bad, the entire STORE reeked for the rest of the afternoon. People could smell it before they even got into the place.)
That she'd attempted to make breakfast, despite knowing this of herself, signified only the health of this relationship.
D'awwwww that is sweet. Granted it also shows Scarlet's rather... shaky risk/reward decision tree process. And do like how Perique handled it, calm, reassuring, thanking her, while at the same time leaning onto the whole "I'm in charge" thing to short circuit a breakdown, get Scarlet into an obedient mindset, and Mistress didn't tell her to be upset. Give her a task as 'punishment' that makes her feel like she's making up for it that is needed, but not overly harsh. Just, a really really great approach.
She was dumb. Dumb and stupid and probably worthless.
Granted, not enough to prevent the required self-recrimination, depression, and "I'm an idiot" thoughts. Poor mare.....
dragged her marefriend across the country to the capital city to have conversations with a stranger because she had to know who committed one particular crime?
Well... technically... she insisted on coming despite you not wanting her to, and Ponyville to Canterlot is hardly 'across the country'. Still shows how hard up she is to think the worst of herself that she exaggerates and misses the basic facts.
there were professionals dealing with the problem, she was just
As a note, would be nice to see this happening, or have some direct references to show this really is going on. So far, it's felt like Scarlet is the only one really doing things.
crid seafood tang
Wait, what kind of 'seafood' would ponies have? Kelp?
small, pink, perfect shrimp
Oookay... so going with Batponies like some amounts of meat here? Not unheard of, kind of find myself defaulting to that at times. But that's mostly thanks to Ponyfinder, where Leatherwings and Seaponies are explicitly the only two pony races that are naturally omnivorous.
Shrimp and grits. I have been meaning to try it out for some time, but getting shrimp in Ponyville has been a challenge.
1. That sounds utterly disgusting. But then again, I don't like seafood at all, and don't get the whole thing about 'grits'. 2. I can bet, still likely a lot easier to get in Canterlot, and it's not that far away.
"They're delicious. Ponies have no idea what they're missing."
Okay and did address the 'this isn't normal' thing directly. Have to figure with Gilda around, Scarlet would also have a chance to try other meat.... you think seafood is good? Just wait till you try some bacon!
Scarlet eyed the half-full bowl with envy
"What brings you here?"
Oh, getting some info on the official investigation now? Guessing some 'why are you poking your nose in' type stuff? Though.. why would that come here rather then go to Scarlet?
"It's come to the attention of the Torch Legion you're investigating the incident regarding Floral Fragrance, and you have already had a conversation with High Tide. Is this correct?"
Okay, figured this was that but... again, why come here rather then go to Scarlet's house first? If they did, damn that is just indecently early to be banging on somepony's door.
"Please look at me when I'm talking."
Buck you. Not everyone is going to give a crap about this sort of regimental bullshit, and coming into somepony's home and then barking orders about what they should do like that? Buck you! What the frelling tartarus does 'looking' have to do with 'hearing'? Just... yeah getting off on a wrong hoof right away.
"neither of you are in trouble" the same way some ponies might pronounce "I hate you", or "ugh, disgusting."
As in 'you did nothing technically wrong that we can punish you for, but I would if I could?'
. "So you do suspect High Tide, then?"
Praiseworthy snorted. "Perique, she's your pet, yes?"
Perique nodded. "Aye."
"Gag her more often. She should learn the value of keeping silent."
The FUCK! The fucking hell! Screw you you uptight, compatible piece of CRAP! Do you see any Goddesses damn fucking collars here!? No. So what in the fucking hell do you think you are doing? This is not 'play' there is no freaking ANYTHING giving her authority over Scarlet right now, nor is that even anything you should ever say. That is... that is just wrong on so many freaking levels! Seriously, how the hell did a bitch like you get any position like that with that freaking attitude that goes against... pretty much the very freaking basis of everything the Society is based on?
We should probably just stop. We'll get in trouble, and—"
After that? Oh fuck that, keep going, just to rub you getting the answer in that bitch's muzzle. Also, she outright said you did nothing wrong, nor did she say you had to stop. Just pathetic intimidation BS. Keep going!
"We're investigating a crime," Perique reminded her, "not trying to be amateur den mothers."
True, granted Scarlet could certainly handle HOW she does things a bit better, but she's doing the right thing. How often do the CTS guards have to actually investigate stuff like this? How many actually have the knowledge and experience at putting pieces together to unravel a mystery? They should be asking for any help they can get on this.
The point is the Legion is out there, and they're doing this because it's their job,
And from what we've seen so far..... it's a job they suck at. We've head nothing about them asking questions, no word about them having had these talks with the people involved, and then that dismissive, "I'm right, fuck you" attitude of someone who isn't going to give a crap about facts or the truth, and just do whatever gets things done fastest? Not giving me a very high opinion of their ability to do this job.
"Thou hast indeed made selfish decisions. Thou hast told the truth about failing to have concern for others, and of thine own boredom, and this case as a source of pleasure for thee."
Yes, those are all true, but they are not THE reason she did this, she did this.. because she saw how much the idea of this happening hurt Perique, and she was going to do anything she could to solve this... just to set her friends mind at ease and make sure she felt safe.
"Thy unruly mouth is in need of discipline."
ehhhhhhhh...
I get it, and how in this context it has a massively different meaning, and is being used to try and calm her down, to get her to stop being so hard on herself, to try and use the position to get her to let go of that internal monologue of how much she sucks. But saying Curseworthy was right, about something so utterly wrong on every conceivable level... not comfortable with that. IN the context Perique is using it, it does work well. Just really hate giving the bitch any credit for being anything other then a massive asshole.
Perique had drawn a black collar tight around her neck, and each time Scarlet breathed in just a bit too much she swore it was pinching her just a bit, just uncomfortable enough to remind her of her place.
Okay... this line also has me a bit uncomfortable. First the saying the collar was 'drawn' around her neck, it made me think literally drawn, that she had taken a magic marker and just drew a black line around her neck. The second part cuts that out, but at the same time... granted it's pointed out as "she swore" as in, might just be all in her head, but still, one of the very, very, very much made clear features of Society collars is that they are painstakingly designed so that they will never, under any circumstances, pose a chocking hazard. Same would go to potentially cutting off blood flow to the brain. So having a collar tight enough to do this raises some... at least yellow flags for me. Then again, given there is no clarification on just HOW tight that is, and the qualifier of 'she swore' it could be nothing even close to that and just simply feeling it around her neck at all that is doing it.
"Train thee to be more honest. With thyself, and with me."
Mmmm, I like where this is going!
Scarlet shook her head, staring at it numbly.
Blindfold?
"This is a blindfold, little one. It will teach thee trust, and discipline."
Okay, which leads to the question, why didn't Scarlet know that? it seemed rather obvious. Just to lost in the moment to really think?
Scarlet felt a slight tug on her leash as Perique secured it to the bedpost.
Hmmm, how would Scarlet know that's what was happening? All she felt was a tug.
Waiting required patience and self-control, the things she lacked most. It required discipline.
Hence, one reason I love where this is going. Using CTS play to actually help, to use it to try and get ponies to better themselves teach them things they might not otherwise. Like here, using this to try and help Scarlet develop patience and discipline. Or in the main fic, the refugee from Starlight's village using it to try and reclaim a feeling of control over herself.
Surely even if she got caught, her punishment wouldn't be that bad? And she could hear Perique coming so easily, too!
Definitely needs to learn patience. And for all she knows, Perique is standing in the doorway watching, just waiting to see what happens.
She rolled over, her forehoof straying to her nethers.
Bad pet. Also, wow she has one really really poor Will Save.
"Naughty filly. So close to doing what was told!"
Called it! Scarlet, you really should have seen that one
Then thou must deduce it for me once thou hast enjoyed a well-deserved punishment."
Military training, trained to move silently? Or just went and got something to muffle your hooves with? Flying could be an option, but likely to cause noise, plus the displaced air.
"Little one, I know thy tolerance for pain is quite... limited. So we shall restrain ourselves,"
Seriously I love this line. Acknowledging that, no, not every sub is going to be into pain, that there are a wide array of thought on it. Even though it can come off as "As you know" type exposition, it is needed and does work great. Sure they both know it, but this is Perique making sure that Scarlet knows she knows, and through doing that, reassuring her that Perique wasn't going to go to far. It's a small nod to reality and a Dom making sure her Sub isn't to scared, treating her in a way she knows the Sub would feel better with. Without breaking character. I! LOVE! IT!
If she was bound like there, there was no way to anticipate which direction the strike would come from - or when.
Okay, I get the idea, and it works. Having no way of knowing where or when, no way to be ready. Buuut, that first part 'If she was bound like there,' huh? was it supposed to be 'this' rather then there?
. She screamed out in pain.
Okay, and the above reassurance about how Perique knows Scarlet has a low pain tolerance.. kind of falls apart when things are described as being so painful and not actually feeling like Perique is holding back because of Scarlet's preferences.
. If she failed this time, she didn't think she would be able to take another. In the back of her mind she remembered that she could scream her safeword or simply tap out, but-
-but she needed this, didn't she? She'd been naughty, so naughty. This was mama's way of punishing her for being such a naughty filly. If she did very well, mama might even reward her once it was all do-
Ohhhhkay, and this is setting off a bunch of potential SASS warnings. It is almost exactly the mindset and thought process Luna has that is itself one major reason Starsong and Cadance consider her such a high potential risk for SASS. Feeling like you deserve this, no matter what, that even if it's agony and you want it to stop, you deserve to be hurt like that for your failings... not sure if it's meant to come off like that, but just how close it is to Luna's mindset about things certainly sends off those warnings for me.
She just couldn't take another. She tried to raise her voice to call for a pause, but it failed, turning into a breathless squeak. She had failed-
wait wait... are they doing this without a safety bell? I mean, technically they aren't IN the Society and not bound by the rules there, but still, given this, and just how out of it she is.. and what a huge deal was made about Safety Bells being the core driving force of the story, doing this without one, and in a way that shows a damn good reason to have one even beyond potential issues with being gagged... really sending an odd message story.
More, it's just, very odd choice to call attention to Scarlet being unable to call a safeword when she wants to, when the main core of what is driving this story, the reason it's such a major crime, is how wrong a sub being unable to do so is. Now yes, MASSIVELY different situations, but still an odd parallel to make.
Not to mention, for Perique saying all that about taking it easy and knowing Scarlet has low limits for this, that was rather extreme and felt nothing at all like she was actually following that. Pushing her to that level, and with no... joy there, no taking pleasure in the pain, just, what we got.
Now yes, Perique stopping it at that point, comforting her, holding her, reassuring her, that was spot on and perfect, but till that point this whole bit just felt... really uncomfortable more then anything for me.
"I-i..."
"Hush now, pet. I know thy limits quite well,"
It could be this, and her knowing exactly where to stop, and she DID stop, that is the key thing. But at the same time, it still felt really uncomfortable. Mostly in how it focused just on how much this hurt and how agonizing it was for Scarlet.
. "...Denied."
Scarlet looked up, horror washing over her. "No..."
"I am afraid so, little one. Thy punishment for dishonesty is to spend the rest of the day... wanting."
Hehehehe, but this ending, ohhhh now that is some fun 'punishment' to watch Scarlet suffer through. Naughty fillies don't get to enjoy themselves.
She'd only been teased for half an hour or so before Perique had mercy and let her go. She'd fixed her tea, and wrapped her in blankets, and now they were snuggled together on a big, comfy chair in the living room.
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Just her, and the facts, and a comfy chair with a willing listener.
Exactly what she needs!
"Figured things out?" A smile played around Perique's lips. "Do I sense a parlor scene coming on?"
Well, not quite yet, need to get all the accused together to reveal that. This is more... the scene where the detective goes over her thoughts with her assistant and comes up with potential ideas, then has either an epiphany that makes it all come together, or sets up plans to test each possibility further.
"It's not really a parlor scene yet, though. I haven't quite figured everything out. It's more... like, the midquel.
I so love when stories do this, read my mind like that.
I prefer my mysteries to border on ones of a capital-M variety
Ummm, not 100% sure what that means.....
"Okay if I can solve this the first thing we are doing is sitting down with a copy of like, at least one of those books," Scarlet sighed. "You are my marefriend and my official co-detective, you need a proper education."
I love this, I really do. Not just the idea, but Scarlet's attitude, being so forward, so direct, treating this like the relationship of equals it is, rather then being always submissive and a door mat. Showing that's just one facet to their relationship, not what defines the totality of it. (Also a reason Mockingworthy's comment pissed me off, as it only works if one assumes that is the case.)
how often had she explained that you couldn't just get to the point when the point was a distant station and your mind a train? You couldn't just go there, you had to stop and connect and do - do train things, damn it!
Also loving this! Just, it makes so much sense. It's how thought's work at times, you need the process, you need the lead up, need to get things firing right, need to build up to them and get everything settled. Find the start of the line and follow it through, rather then just jump around at random. Again, I so so so SO love how Scarlet thinks about these things.
She took a deep breath. No. Absolutely no pity parties during snuggle time. That was a rule.
YAY! Good mare! Not even Pinkie Pie would like pity parties!
He named his detective after his own pen name, just to mess with readers.
I C wut U did there.
He'd tell them they had everything they need to solve the case, and challenge them to guess whodunnit before turning the very next page.
Ohhhh I like! Making clear when all facts are present, and also that you are playing a fair-play whodunit. Or at least meaning to. Then just, giving them that pause... I very much like that.
It was a little much, and it interrupted the book but I always thought it was fun - especially when I figured out how to spot his culprits. He had patterns.
Agree, and also, yeah a real threat there, slipping into writing patterns. If things always end up going the same way, if there is a pattern to your writing, it will lead to Meta-Gaming the mystery rather then going just on the in story facts.
"Yeah! Like... like-" Scarlet felt her train of thought rearrange itself and crash. "I was - I was getting to something, right?"
"You were. Take your time, though." Perique smiled, full of indulgence.
We're at that point, kinda - interviewed the suspects, the major players, the police have told us to knock it off - that kinda point. That's how it feels.
We are? We have everything we need? No checking the scene of the crime, working out the type of damage done to her PipSub and how it might have been done? That is a pretty large lose thread for clues. Plus, that assumes it was only one of those three that did it, and not somepony else... though can meta-game that into it being narrativly fitting. Still, feels like there should be more to be found.
Scarlet's face fell. "...To figure it out because I have no clue still."
AH, so likely still some clues left undiscovered.
Life has no pattern but fiction has narrative. If you look closely, you can build narratives out of life, and discard everything until you find one that makes sense. That's how you solve crimes, right? You make up every story you can out of the facts until you make up the true one.
I get that... and yeah a large part of the time, it would work. BUT, IRL does not have the Narrativium the stories do to MAKE things obey the dictate of a narrative. So isn't bound to obey them. There will always be exceptions, and you can't quite rely on it working all the time, without being willing to adjust. It's not an outright bad mindset, but it does have it's limits.
"I'm not making any sense, am I?"
Makes sense to me.... mostly.
The last one, I liked it because it turned the mystery from a whodunnit into - into, like, a whydunnit and howdunnit. And I think that's where I am now.
Okay, so she thinks she knows WHO, but not how or why. Also, yes those are great too, just look at Colombo. Sometimes even simply 'howproveit' while knowing who, how and why can be exciting.
The problem with learning your trade from fiction was that fiction had a way of keeping to rules that life had no respect for.
Exactly!
The Ten Laws of Hard Knocks
OHHHH I know what that is referencing... all thank to other Pony fic! Thank you again for that Oroboro! (seriously you like mystery that adheres fully to those rules? Read Heart of an Author)
"Alright I... it's not good yet, okay? Don't be mad if I'm wrong later."
You've made clear it's just a theory, not stating it as fact, at this point, it's a hypothesis, and a hypothesis being wrong is NEVER something to be mad at, the whole point is to TRY and prove it false after all.
It's basically impossible right now to determine who attacked Floral Fragrance
Okay.. so determine who would want to? Or maybe how it could be done?
It is, however, possible to construct a working theory of the kind of pony who committed the crime.
AH Profiling. That has a.. spotty record. But at the same time, for something like this, it really would take a rather specific mindset.
She's gagged with a gag that does not belong to her,
That still feels odd, given how easy gags must be to find around that place.
Her Pipsub has been sabotaged.
This is the really big one. How could anypony do that? Hmmm, maybe look for somepony from CTRL? That's worked there and would have access to the knowledge about them to do that? Also, in what WAY was it damaged? Cloak the HARM screen to hide her condition from Doms?
Bells have enchantments laid on them so they'll sound whenever the pony they belong to wants them to sound. Stuffing cotton in one shouldn't matter, right?"
Ehhhh, again, if that is the case, then why ever have any precautions about not stopping the bell, if NOTHING can ever stop it from ringing? Why have it as a bell in any case? Why not just a small charm that they wear on their collar that beeps? I'd still say it's more likely that there is a physical component to the bell.. after all what if you hit some kind of magical suppression field? You always want a physical back up in place as well.
Granted for the sake of this mystery, guessing we accept this as how thing work? Which then, yeah, does bring in, why? And if that is the case, why would anypony be making AS huge a deal of this if it would not work, what would be the point? Why do it in the first place if everypony knows it's pointless to do that?
Exactly - which indicates some kind of mental fogging magic was induced.
Or chemical in nature. Plus the 'mind fogging' prevention is new. (Yeah, this is an oddity in trying to do mysteries like this without things being fully 100% defined at times, have to account for various headcanons about how they work... assuming this is based on the Archangel idea?)
I've said over and over again that it's way too easy to get your hands on controlled substances in CTS. Starbright makes you a little more sensitive, Stampede makes you horny, but put them together and you don't always get a bad cocktail."
Except those don't really seem to be 'controlled substances' very much, because the effects are meant to be mild enough to be overcome if you want to. More like the Star trek idea of Synthahol. Not exact, but close. However, there are so so SO many other things that might be snuck in.
Perique gasped. "Alchemy?"
Exactly. And again, don't overlook the power of plain old chemistry either.
I can't imagine that somepony hasn't at least wondered how easy it would be to put together a philter of mental mastery, or whatever, and slip it into somepony's Creamy Pussy." Scarlet stuck out her tongue. "Honestly, that'd probably improve the flavor."
That bit... is way to disturbing to be so hilarious.
In theory that bell should have only sounded if Floral wanted it to.
And the drugs kept her from being coherent enough to want to. Okay, and that makes a good reason for the cotton as well, to draw attention to the crime, and make clear something bad was going on. So, next question that comes to mind... WAS this targeted at Floral at all? Was this personal, or was she just a target of opportunity for somepony who wanted to cause panic and drama for some reason?
"...I guess I'd assume that she had simply been overcome by the intensity of play, or been dehydrated or something."
So, either it was Floral herself doing this, or as above, was someone wanting to make DAMN clear that this was the result of an outside force. So, yeah does fit into High Tide doing it to try and frame Grant, but, still feels.. wrong. Not quite fitting... High Tide didn't really come off as able to do that. Mostly because of just how depressed, screwed up, and all around a mess he was. I could see him lashing out, doing something stupid, but this requires a bit to much planning and set up, to much cold, logical calculation. I cold see him having the motive to do it, not necessarily the means to do it. Though, we also have the whole salt thing, which is clearly some kind of metal screw up think as well that he might have used.... so.. not 100% on him, but is still a plausible suspect.
Right now, though, my best guess is that they are planning to use the investigation to benefit themselves in some way.
So, either a frame up to target a specific pony for personal reasons, or something larger to try and cause some kind of change in the Society?
"They think they're above investigation in some way,"
So not High Tide or Grant..... I want to say Blueblood... but that's just knee jerk reaction to who the first pony that springs to mind when 'thinks they are above the law' comes up. But, soooo, somepony high up, or protected in some way.... and she's being chased off the case... well this just got a WHOLE lot more interesting.
. "...Scarlet, we should go see Nurse Redheart."
She's involved, respected, and really not anypony that could do this.
My first thought would be Starsong, not only a igh ranking Torch Guard, but also a Lunar Guard, and more importantly for this, the Alpha Den Mother, but Red Heart is a close second and can see them going with her firs since they likely haven't dealt with Starsong at all so, go with the one they know.
Think about this: we were able to profile our motive thanks to you. But it's the means that will help us determine more specifics about our criminal.
ALSO..true, find out if they did a tox-screen on her when she was brought in.
"A toxicology report?"
DING DING DING!
So the mystery deepens. There are a number of things that this cold lead to, either somepony trying to do to The boderlands what happened to the Mind Control Guild, stir up public pressure to get it closed. Or could be, as said, somepony trying to target a pony they want out of the picture. Or... just somepony being nuts and doing this for some other screwed up reason. Either way, this is getting even more interesting then ever, can't wait to see where this goes!
8418926 With any fabric, to be drawn is to be pulled tight. So that line tells us that the collar is probably just slightly tighter than usual, but not to the point of constriction. I'd imagine it being no more than two notches past the typical mark, if it were buckled.
It's in that delicate range that Scarlet's collar transcends the symbolic status of Clocktower design and lives up to its function as a restraint, physically acting on her in a meaningful way.
It's a very velvet-glove style act of domination and I thought it both exciting and romantic, but without the immediate association of the word draw to the act of taking up the slack of a fabric, I can see how it'd stumble a little.
8427656 Yeah, I got what it meant quickly, but my first reaction to the word was that it meant 'draw' like with a marker. I get the idea of it, and how it plays in well to the rolls, and what it represents, that just crashes against the, as you put it "Symbolic status" of collars in CTS for me. Even though I also get they aren't technically in the Society or held to those rules right now.
My only real 'issue' beyond personal preference to keep things in line with CTS rules even when outside CTS, is a very very minor one of it does feel a tad odd that in a story driven by how important some of those safety features and regulations are, and how horrible bypassing or restricting them is, to then have them not following standard CTS safety precautions. I fully get they don't need to here and are doing nothing actually wrong, it just feels like an odd choice for the story to do that to me.
Wow, I am loving this! I feel like you're one of the only authors I've read who seems like they've actually been in kink culture, all those little subtleties and details, it makes it feel so real. I'm really enjoying the relationship between these two, I can see how they work so well with each other! Can't wait to see how it all goes down!
I can't imagine that somepony hasn't at least wondered how easy it would be to put together a philter of mental mastery, or whatever, and slip it into somepony's Creamy Pussy." Scarlet stuck out her tongue. "Honestly, that'd probably improve the flavor."
God, does that cocktail actually exist for any reason besides the name? Like, is that actually good? Are people out there having those? I've had strawberry ice cream with chocolate chips before but something about the notion of Irish Cream plus Strawberry Cream plus how they're both liquers sounds like such an...unbelievably rich while uncomfortably alcoholic drink that I'd need a good night's sleep and a really kind calm day eating wise before I even tried to down that, lest I not have the constitution for it and just perish on the spot
I could be twice my current age and feel like trying to order one of those in public would turn me back into a stuttering 8th grader
Doesn't something like that get you arrested?
You didn't close the italics, and as a result a large portion is still in italics.
And damn, I always loved parlor scenes. Always made me think "the clues were there ALL ALONG" and makes it an intricately woven story-line, where you go back through and see the clues that were given beforehand.
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Should be fixed now.
And yeah, that's the appeal of Parlor Scenes for me. We're about halfway through or so and I had to include one already!
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not if "kids" is your affectionate term for your audience of adults :P
Doing something because you were bored and it sounded interesting is not a bad reason to do something Scarlet.
Its a strong reason, its a personal reason, and personal reasons tend to motivate someone far more than a professional one does
In short: Doing something because you want to do it, is a very good reason to do something
Scarlet is like an antique clock isn't she ?
Beautiful when whole, easy to break, and requires special care when being put back together
Hmm. Who stands to gain from this? And what? Is it just a frame job or does it go deeper than that? The idea that this sort of thing is both possible and actually happening could shake the Society to its foundations.
Also, now I want shrimp and grits. And I find myself wondering who's providing seafood to what is, geographically speaking, horse-Kansas.
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Yeah, Scarlet's anxieties unfortunately mirror my own. This kind of emotional self-castigation is unfortunately not uncommon in kink communities either.
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As Perique claims, getting shrimp in Ponyville is tough. Getting it in the market street of a major city? A bit easier. Canterlot's still not a seaside town, but the number of airships that come by means it can act as a receiving port for trade from relatively far off areas.
Okay, putting these ideas in spoiler tags since it deals with information revealed in the latest chapter.
I can think of another reason why somepony would want the crime discovered. Earlier, it was mentioned that some ponies in the society are untrusting of rape-players. Somepony COULD want to shut down the Borderlands, and be planning to use incidents within it to justify shutting it down. I say incidents, because for it to work, it would have to be more than one.
Given the frame job theory, however, the step AFTER talking to Redheart will be to find out who the Torch Legion is building a case against... then look for connections between that pony and the pony or ponies running the investigation. In this case... well, Praiseworthy seems like an obvious suspect, but I'm not locking that in quite yet. I'll wait for further discoveries.
I want to say I'm really enjoying this mystery. I hope to read more of Scarlet's adventures in the future, whether linked to the Society, or in a separate capacity.
Good work so far!
This was a really great chapter to read as it came together!
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love you so much
I don't think High Tide is the sort to have done this. He *seems* legitimately broken up that she was even *almost* hurt, and not like he'd have been in a position to protect her. Still, he could have arranged something that went horribly wrong, and a rescue nearly turned into a crime.
Floral, if she did this to herself, is either *desperately* mentally ill or tried to be incredibly stupid and it backfired badly.
Hmm. There's actually a possibility that comes to mind that'd be damned tragic, and leaves me hoping I'm wrong with both my top theories.
But I don't know your writing, so I don't know how likely either one is. But I do think one thing for sure: Whoever did this didn't mean any harm, but they were dumbasses.
1: Grant did it. Frankly, it's the Occam solution. If he wanted to be a hero, convince ponies he was a good guy, how hard would it be to drug a victim in the Badlands, then stage a near-rape, then "rescue" them from himself? Easily justified as victimless in his mind; as soon as his victim was drugged, he jumps them, stuffs their bell, gags them, and then 'saves' them, knowing they weren't really hurt and that the drug with uld prevent any memories (like GHB).
Moron didn't realize he would really traumatize his victim though.
2: High Tide is desperately in love with Floral, but 100% incapable of satisfying her sexual needs. He wants to care for her, she wants the Borderlands - does HT really seem like a Borderlands type of pony? Not to me. And his broken response to being asked about playing with other sub's?
Dude desperately needs help, addiction counseling, depression therapy, and probably treatment for ED.
He can't satisfy his younger, gorgeous crush the way she really wants - so he tries to we up what she wants. She *wants* non-con, not play, the real deal. Her rape fantasy is based on *pure* fantasy, and she thinks actually not having control will be the biggest rush very.
She's the one who knows flowers - she knows Ponyville too, and probably the Everfree's bounty.
She preps the brew. She and HT bust her Pipsub and stuff the bell. And she walks off while HT is supposed to observe and protect. But he can't take it, and heads off to get thoroughly salted. Meanwhile, Floral learns that there's a BIG difference between fantasy and actually being 100% out of control; fortunately she's spotted by Grant instead of really raped, but not before she's traumatized.
It's possible that the two theories are even connected or mixed - but I *think* HT couldn't have done this on his own. He'd need something - or someone- to a make him betray Floral.
Oh I love this paragraph and this metaphor.
Thanks, it was very nice! But I forgot to bring anything for you... :(
Had picked up on the bell and wanting it to be heard things, but not exactly put them together yet. Out of the potential culprits so far, it seems like almost everyone's pretty eligible, still. Motive's added for the victim herself, and both the inspector and the discoverer to a degree fit the part about wanting to have it found and some semblance of control in either the initial framing of or the prosecution of the investigation. Is Redheart part of the Society? If so, I did find her acquiescence to Scarlet's asking questions to be suspicious. Only High Tide (guess what it takes for me to remember a minor OC's name without looking is for him to have the name of an MtG deck/card :/ ) particularly seems off on those counts, and the high-power salts are a path laid to him having opportunity. So good job on maintaining those red herrings.
"Scarlet closed her eyes "First:"
"eyes."?
And... eh, to save the trouble of continuing to check manually for updates, I think I will go ahead and favourite.
Alright time to get caught up! Scarlet has an idea! Going by what we've seen, if I had to make a guess at this point, it would be that High Tide was pissed that 'his' pet was being played with by Grant, and so he set this up to try and frame Grant for this and get him in trouble and potentially kicked out. It mostly fits how things might have gone, and can see a misequinthrope like Scarlet seeing the worst like that. Not sure that is the case, seems too easy, and there is still a lot of story left.
Ugh.. been there, done that, and yeah that is about the right response. Morning exist for only one reason, to give you something to sleep through without missing anything.
Not sure if literal, figurative, some threat..... or is Scarlet trying to cook breakfast? Wait, smelled the fire? Eh, can work though technically, given how smell works, you can't really 'smell' it since fire is simply pure energy, no physical matter, and hence has nothing for the olfactory receptors to pick up on. But if it's more, smelling the alterations to the air the heat from the fire cause, that works.
Not sure if meant in the d'awwwww way or the kinky way... I'm going to go with both. Also, yeah Scarlet's trying to cook, isn't she?
Called it! Though really have to wonder how she could smell the heat before the smoke given the likely heat/smoke ratio there. Also, hey, still better then Sweetie Belle!
Could be worse.... could be burnt popcorn...... (Or burnt plastic, fun story, one time one of our Assistant Mangers left her lunch in the microwave WAY to long, melted the plastic, and created a stench so bad, the entire STORE reeked for the rest of the afternoon. People could smell it before they even got into the place.)
D'awwwww that is sweet. Granted it also shows Scarlet's rather... shaky risk/reward decision tree process. And do like how Perique handled it, calm, reassuring, thanking her, while at the same time leaning onto the whole "I'm in charge" thing to short circuit a breakdown, get Scarlet into an obedient mindset, and Mistress didn't tell her to be upset. Give her a task as 'punishment' that makes her feel like she's making up for it that is needed, but not overly harsh. Just, a really really great approach.
Granted, not enough to prevent the required self-recrimination, depression, and "I'm an idiot" thoughts. Poor mare.....
Well... technically... she insisted on coming despite you not wanting her to, and Ponyville to Canterlot is hardly 'across the country'. Still shows how hard up she is to think the worst of herself that she exaggerates and misses the basic facts.
As a note, would be nice to see this happening, or have some direct references to show this really is going on. So far, it's felt like Scarlet is the only one really doing things.
Wait, what kind of 'seafood' would ponies have? Kelp?
Oookay... so going with Batponies like some amounts of meat here? Not unheard of, kind of find myself defaulting to that at times. But that's mostly thanks to Ponyfinder, where Leatherwings and Seaponies are explicitly the only two pony races that are naturally omnivorous.
1. That sounds utterly disgusting. But then again, I don't like seafood at all, and don't get the whole thing about 'grits'.
2. I can bet, still likely a lot easier to get in Canterlot, and it's not that far away.
Okay and did address the 'this isn't normal' thing directly. Have to figure with Gilda around, Scarlet would also have a chance to try other meat.... you think seafood is good? Just wait till you try some bacon!
Oh, getting some info on the official investigation now? Guessing some 'why are you poking your nose in' type stuff? Though.. why would that come here rather then go to Scarlet?
Okay, figured this was that but... again, why come here rather then go to Scarlet's house first? If they did, damn that is just indecently early to be banging on somepony's door.
Buck you. Not everyone is going to give a crap about this sort of regimental bullshit, and coming into somepony's home and then barking orders about what they should do like that? Buck you! What the frelling tartarus does 'looking' have to do with 'hearing'? Just... yeah getting off on a wrong hoof right away.
As in 'you did nothing technically wrong that we can punish you for, but I would if I could?'
The FUCK! The fucking hell! Screw you you uptight, compatible piece of CRAP! Do you see any Goddesses damn fucking collars here!? No. So what in the fucking hell do you think you are doing? This is not 'play' there is no freaking ANYTHING giving her authority over Scarlet right now, nor is that even anything you should ever say. That is... that is just wrong on so many freaking levels! Seriously, how the hell did a bitch like you get any position like that with that freaking attitude that goes against... pretty much the very freaking basis of everything the Society is based on?
After that? Oh fuck that, keep going, just to rub you getting the answer in that bitch's muzzle. Also, she outright said you did nothing wrong, nor did she say you had to stop. Just pathetic intimidation BS. Keep going!
True, granted Scarlet could certainly handle HOW she does things a bit better, but she's doing the right thing. How often do the CTS guards have to actually investigate stuff like this? How many actually have the knowledge and experience at putting pieces together to unravel a mystery? They should be asking for any help they can get on this.
And from what we've seen so far..... it's a job they suck at. We've head nothing about them asking questions, no word about them having had these talks with the people involved, and then that dismissive, "I'm right, fuck you" attitude of someone who isn't going to give a crap about facts or the truth, and just do whatever gets things done fastest? Not giving me a very high opinion of their ability to do this job.
Yes, those are all true, but they are not THE reason she did this, she did this.. because she saw how much the idea of this happening hurt Perique, and she was going to do anything she could to solve this... just to set her friends mind at ease and make sure she felt safe.
ehhhhhhhh...
I get it, and how in this context it has a massively different meaning, and is being used to try and calm her down, to get her to stop being so hard on herself, to try and use the position to get her to let go of that internal monologue of how much she sucks. But saying Curseworthy was right, about something so utterly wrong on every conceivable level... not comfortable with that. IN the context Perique is using it, it does work well. Just really hate giving the bitch any credit for being anything other then a massive asshole.
Okay... this line also has me a bit uncomfortable. First the saying the collar was 'drawn' around her neck, it made me think literally drawn, that she had taken a magic marker and just drew a black line around her neck. The second part cuts that out, but at the same time... granted it's pointed out as "she swore" as in, might just be all in her head, but still, one of the very, very, very much made clear features of Society collars is that they are painstakingly designed so that they will never, under any circumstances, pose a chocking hazard. Same would go to potentially cutting off blood flow to the brain. So having a collar tight enough to do this raises some... at least yellow flags for me. Then again, given there is no clarification on just HOW tight that is, and the qualifier of 'she swore' it could be nothing even close to that and just simply feeling it around her neck at all that is doing it.
Mmmm, I like where this is going!
Blindfold?
Okay, which leads to the question, why didn't Scarlet know that? it seemed rather obvious. Just to lost in the moment to really think?
Hmmm, how would Scarlet know that's what was happening? All she felt was a tug.
Hence, one reason I love where this is going. Using CTS play to actually help, to use it to try and get ponies to better themselves teach them things they might not otherwise. Like here, using this to try and help Scarlet develop patience and discipline. Or in the main fic, the refugee from Starlight's village using it to try and reclaim a feeling of control over herself.
Definitely needs to learn patience. And for all she knows, Perique is standing in the doorway watching, just waiting to see what happens.
Bad pet. Also, wow she has one really really poor Will Save.
Called it! Scarlet, you really should have seen that one
Military training, trained to move silently? Or just went and got something to muffle your hooves with? Flying could be an option, but likely to cause noise, plus the displaced air.
Seriously I love this line. Acknowledging that, no, not every sub is going to be into pain, that there are a wide array of thought on it. Even though it can come off as "As you know" type exposition, it is needed and does work great. Sure they both know it, but this is Perique making sure that Scarlet knows she knows, and through doing that, reassuring her that Perique wasn't going to go to far. It's a small nod to reality and a Dom making sure her Sub isn't to scared, treating her in a way she knows the Sub would feel better with. Without breaking character. I! LOVE! IT!
Okay, I get the idea, and it works. Having no way of knowing where or when, no way to be ready. Buuut, that first part 'If she was bound like there,' huh? was it supposed to be 'this' rather then there?
Okay, and the above reassurance about how Perique knows Scarlet has a low pain tolerance.. kind of falls apart when things are described as being so painful and not actually feeling like Perique is holding back because of Scarlet's preferences.
Ohhhhkay, and this is setting off a bunch of potential SASS warnings. It is almost exactly the mindset and thought process Luna has that is itself one major reason Starsong and Cadance consider her such a high potential risk for SASS. Feeling like you deserve this, no matter what, that even if it's agony and you want it to stop, you deserve to be hurt like that for your failings... not sure if it's meant to come off like that, but just how close it is to Luna's mindset about things certainly sends off those warnings for me.
wait wait... are they doing this without a safety bell? I mean, technically they aren't IN the Society and not bound by the rules there, but still, given this, and just how out of it she is.. and what a huge deal was made about Safety Bells being the core driving force of the story, doing this without one, and in a way that shows a damn good reason to have one even beyond potential issues with being gagged... really sending an odd message story.
More, it's just, very odd choice to call attention to Scarlet being unable to call a safeword when she wants to, when the main core of what is driving this story, the reason it's such a major crime, is how wrong a sub being unable to do so is. Now yes, MASSIVELY different situations, but still an odd parallel to make.
Not to mention, for Perique saying all that about taking it easy and knowing Scarlet has low limits for this, that was rather extreme and felt nothing at all like she was actually following that. Pushing her to that level, and with no... joy there, no taking pleasure in the pain, just, what we got.
Now yes, Perique stopping it at that point, comforting her, holding her, reassuring her, that was spot on and perfect, but till that point this whole bit just felt... really uncomfortable more then anything for me.
It could be this, and her knowing exactly where to stop, and she DID stop, that is the key thing. But at the same time, it still felt really uncomfortable. Mostly in how it focused just on how much this hurt and how agonizing it was for Scarlet.
Hehehehe, but this ending, ohhhh now that is some fun 'punishment' to watch Scarlet suffer through. Naughty fillies don't get to enjoy themselves.
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Exactly what she needs!
Well, not quite yet, need to get all the accused together to reveal that. This is more... the scene where the detective goes over her thoughts with her assistant and comes up with potential ideas, then has either an epiphany that makes it all come together, or sets up plans to test each possibility further.
I so love when stories do this, read my mind like that.
Ummm, not 100% sure what that means.....
I love this, I really do. Not just the idea, but Scarlet's attitude, being so forward, so direct, treating this like the relationship of equals it is, rather then being always submissive and a door mat. Showing that's just one facet to their relationship, not what defines the totality of it. (Also a reason Mockingworthy's comment pissed me off, as it only works if one assumes that is the case.)
Also loving this! Just, it makes so much sense. It's how thought's work at times, you need the process, you need the lead up, need to get things firing right, need to build up to them and get everything settled. Find the start of the line and follow it through, rather then just jump around at random. Again, I so so so SO love how Scarlet thinks about these things.
YAY! Good mare! Not even Pinkie Pie would like pity parties!
I C wut U did there.
Ohhhh I like! Making clear when all facts are present, and also that you are playing a fair-play whodunit. Or at least meaning to. Then just, giving them that pause... I very much like that.
Agree, and also, yeah a real threat there, slipping into writing patterns. If things always end up going the same way, if there is a pattern to your writing, it will lead to Meta-Gaming the mystery rather then going just on the in story facts.
We are? We have everything we need? No checking the scene of the crime, working out the type of damage done to her PipSub and how it might have been done? That is a pretty large lose thread for clues. Plus, that assumes it was only one of those three that did it, and not somepony else... though can meta-game that into it being narrativly fitting. Still, feels like there should be more to be found.
AH, so likely still some clues left undiscovered.
I get that... and yeah a large part of the time, it would work. BUT, IRL does not have the Narrativium the stories do to MAKE things obey the dictate of a narrative. So isn't bound to obey them. There will always be exceptions, and you can't quite rely on it working all the time, without being willing to adjust. It's not an outright bad mindset, but it does have it's limits.
Makes sense to me.... mostly.
Okay, so she thinks she knows WHO, but not how or why. Also, yes those are great too, just look at Colombo. Sometimes even simply 'howproveit' while knowing who, how and why can be exciting.
Exactly!
OHHHH I know what that is referencing... all thank to other Pony fic! Thank you again for that Oroboro! (seriously you like mystery that adheres fully to those rules? Read Heart of an Author)
You've made clear it's just a theory, not stating it as fact, at this point, it's a hypothesis, and a hypothesis being wrong is NEVER something to be mad at, the whole point is to TRY and prove it false after all.
Okay.. so determine who would want to? Or maybe how it could be done?
AH Profiling. That has a.. spotty record. But at the same time, for something like this, it really would take a rather specific mindset.
That still feels odd, given how easy gags must be to find around that place.
This is the really big one. How could anypony do that? Hmmm, maybe look for somepony from CTRL? That's worked there and would have access to the knowledge about them to do that? Also, in what WAY was it damaged? Cloak the HARM screen to hide her condition from Doms?
Ehhhh, again, if that is the case, then why ever have any precautions about not stopping the bell, if NOTHING can ever stop it from ringing? Why have it as a bell in any case? Why not just a small charm that they wear on their collar that beeps? I'd still say it's more likely that there is a physical component to the bell.. after all what if you hit some kind of magical suppression field? You always want a physical back up in place as well.
Granted for the sake of this mystery, guessing we accept this as how thing work? Which then, yeah, does bring in, why? And if that is the case, why would anypony be making AS huge a deal of this if it would not work, what would be the point? Why do it in the first place if everypony knows it's pointless to do that?
Or chemical in nature. Plus the 'mind fogging' prevention is new. (Yeah, this is an oddity in trying to do mysteries like this without things being fully 100% defined at times, have to account for various headcanons about how they work... assuming this is based on the Archangel idea?)
Except those don't really seem to be 'controlled substances' very much, because the effects are meant to be mild enough to be overcome if you want to. More like the Star trek idea of Synthahol. Not exact, but close. However, there are so so SO many other things that might be snuck in.
Exactly. And again, don't overlook the power of plain old chemistry either.
That bit... is way to disturbing to be so hilarious.
And the drugs kept her from being coherent enough to want to. Okay, and that makes a good reason for the cotton as well, to draw attention to the crime, and make clear something bad was going on. So, next question that comes to mind... WAS this targeted at Floral at all? Was this personal, or was she just a target of opportunity for somepony who wanted to cause panic and drama for some reason?
So, either it was Floral herself doing this, or as above, was someone wanting to make DAMN clear that this was the result of an outside force. So, yeah does fit into High Tide doing it to try and frame Grant, but, still feels.. wrong. Not quite fitting... High Tide didn't really come off as able to do that. Mostly because of just how depressed, screwed up, and all around a mess he was. I could see him lashing out, doing something stupid, but this requires a bit to much planning and set up, to much cold, logical calculation. I cold see him having the motive to do it, not necessarily the means to do it. Though, we also have the whole salt thing, which is clearly some kind of metal screw up think as well that he might have used.... so.. not 100% on him, but is still a plausible suspect.
So, either a frame up to target a specific pony for personal reasons, or something larger to try and cause some kind of change in the Society?
So not High Tide or Grant..... I want to say Blueblood... but that's just knee jerk reaction to who the first pony that springs to mind when 'thinks they are above the law' comes up. But, soooo, somepony high up, or protected in some way.... and she's being chased off the case... well this just got a WHOLE lot more interesting.
She's involved, respected, and really not anypony that could do this.
My first thought would be Starsong, not only a igh ranking Torch Guard, but also a Lunar Guard, and more importantly for this, the Alpha Den Mother, but Red Heart is a close second and can see them going with her firs since they likely haven't dealt with Starsong at all so, go with the one they know.
ALSO..true, find out if they did a tox-screen on her when she was brought in.
DING DING DING!
So the mystery deepens. There are a number of things that this cold lead to, either somepony trying to do to The boderlands what happened to the Mind Control Guild, stir up public pressure to get it closed. Or could be, as said, somepony trying to target a pony they want out of the picture. Or... just somepony being nuts and doing this for some other screwed up reason. Either way, this is getting even more interesting then ever, can't wait to see where this goes!
Wow... that's... a pretty solid logical arguement for a somewhat abstract motive...
Looking forward to card night.
What kind of deck does Scarlet run?
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With any fabric, to be drawn is to be pulled tight. So that line tells us that the collar is probably just slightly tighter than usual, but not to the point of constriction. I'd imagine it being no more than two notches past the typical mark, if it were buckled.
It's in that delicate range that Scarlet's collar transcends the symbolic status of Clocktower design and lives up to its function as a restraint, physically acting on her in a meaningful way.
It's a very velvet-glove style act of domination and I thought it both exciting and romantic, but without the immediate association of the word draw to the act of taking up the slack of a fabric, I can see how it'd stumble a little.
8427656 Yeah, I got what it meant quickly, but my first reaction to the word was that it meant 'draw' like with a marker. I get the idea of it, and how it plays in well to the rolls, and what it represents, that just crashes against the, as you put it "Symbolic status" of collars in CTS for me. Even though I also get they aren't technically in the Society or held to those rules right now.
My only real 'issue' beyond personal preference to keep things in line with CTS rules even when outside CTS, is a very very minor one of it does feel a tad odd that in a story driven by how important some of those safety features and regulations are, and how horrible bypassing or restricting them is, to then have them not following standard CTS safety precautions. I fully get they don't need to here and are doing nothing actually wrong, it just feels like an odd choice for the story to do that to me.
Really liking the logic behind Scarlet's suspicions here.
This is the greatest and most fluent story I have ever read
If I could express my emotions better, I don't believe I would be so speechless right now.
Wow, I am loving this!
I feel like you're one of the only authors I've read who seems like they've actually been in kink culture, all those little subtleties and details, it makes it feel so real.
I'm really enjoying the relationship between these two, I can see how they work so well with each other!
Can't wait to see how it all goes down!
God, does that cocktail actually exist for any reason besides the name? Like, is that actually good? Are people out there having those?
I've had strawberry ice cream with chocolate chips before but something about the notion of Irish Cream plus Strawberry Cream plus how they're both liquers sounds like such an...unbelievably rich while uncomfortably alcoholic drink that I'd need a good night's sleep and a really kind calm day eating wise before I even tried to down that, lest I not have the constitution for it and just perish on the spot
I could be twice my current age and feel like trying to order one of those in public would turn me back into a stuttering 8th grader
huh buncha sex havers