Chapter 1: The Hunt

Rarity ran.

She wasn't sure how long she had been running. Her lungs burned. Her hooves and legs ached. Her once pristine coat was coated with sweat, spotted with blood from the scratches caused by a fall. Her mane and tail, once banners of flowing elegance, were now tangled with bits of bushes and twigs caught within them.

She'd been running for hours certainly. With only short pauses to catch her breath and listen desperately for signs of her persuers. She had, thankfully, yet to see any of them. But there was no mistaking the intent behind the baying cry of the hounds on her trail.

The mostly hard packed surface of the foothills at least provided good footing. And she had used the most of it. Keeping as best she could to hard packed areas that would leave little or no trace as of her passage. Perhaps she had finally managed to outrun her pursuers. They had the advantage of endurance and knowlege of the terrain, while she had speed and determination.

But her endurance was nearly spent. Exhaustion and dehydration were taking its toll. She was going to have to rest and find water, soon. Even as those thoughts crossed the pony's mind, a shaft of late afternoon sun suddenly glinted off azure salvation.

A stream! A Celestia-blessed stream. She had not heard the hounds for almost twenty minutes now. Water, combined with even a short rest could be all she needed to springboard herself out of the trap she found herself in. At least the trap was an elegant one, the unicorn thought walking the last few steps up to the stream.

As the pony's front hooves entered the streams edge she sat down, bent her neck forward and began noisily slurping in water. Wish as she might, the clumsy method of drinking was the only one open to her. And, despite the tempation, she took in only a small amount of water at a time. Rather the burying her nose into the stream and gulping in gallons. Doing so would almost certainly cause cramping which could be fatal to her chances.

After several minutes of careful drinking the mare's thirst was finally slaked. Pausing, she decided to use the reflection of the water to examine the physical part of the trap she was in.

A black bridle made of dark bands with silver accents was fastened to her head. Two headbands, one in front and one behind her ears met at a silver connector just below each ear. From there a band dipped down to wrap around her throat. Her airway was in no danger but the snugness was a steady declaration that the bridle was there to stay.

Also, from the connector there descended a cheek piece running down either side of her face until it met at a noseband that snugly encircled her muzzle and formed the support for the bit that was firmly wedged into the back of her mouth. It was this bit that prevented her from drinking in a proper manner. It also rendered her speech somewhat incomprehensible.

Bending her nose toward her chest the unicorn was finally able to see what was preventing her from using even a speck of her magic. A final band ran from the forward headband down between her eyes to the noseband along the top of her nose. Halfway down the strap was a silver inhibitor ring that had was at the base of her horn. Anchored fore and aft as the ring was by the strap there was no chance of the ring sliding free.

In fact, there was no chance of the bridle sliding free at all. Every piece was snug and fitted to her as if it had been made just for her. There was not a single buckle, snap, zipper or rivet to be visible. She fumbled with her hooves trying in vain to find some slack somewhere in the bridle and as she did her mind cast back to how the fiendish device had come to be fastened onto her.

She had come to the Badlands in search of gems. With three stores running, her use of gems had more than tripled and her supply was exhausted. She needed to refill her gem stocks and fast.

Usually she would have help. Spike was always willing to assist her. But she went to visit Twilight to see if Spike was available the young drake informed her that Twilight was currently in Canterlot. It seemed that she had been summoned there by the Princesses for some sort of historical diplomatic research project. Something to do with some old treaties.

Spike explained that he been told to stay at Twilight's castle to manage things and continue to help Starlight Glimmer as she learned about friendship herself. Spike did however give her one of a pair of matched crystals he had been given from the Crystal Empire. The crystals could send messages back and forth. That way she could check in every evening with Spike and let him know how things were going. Not that she expected difficulties but preparedness paid.

Sweetie Bell was an option for short trips but she could not afford to miss the two weeks of school the trip would need. So, after making arrangements for Sweetie Bell to stay with the Apples, Rarity planned out her now solo trip in detail.

Four days journey to reach the prime gem hunting grounds of the badlands. Four days of camping while hunting for gems. A day to sort and catalog. Finally, five days to return with a cartload of gems. She had added the extra day for her return trip expecting to be somewhat tired and to be pulling a cart laden with gems.

Supplies would include food, water, basic medical supplies, warm blankets for the chilly nights and Spike's crystal.

Things had gone well. At least at the beginning. She had made good time. Reaching the Badlands a full day early. Rarity had decided to push deeper into the area than usual hoping to find larger and rarer specimens of gemstones. The decision had paid off. After only three days her cart was full of gems and other than some animal tracks the only sign of any other living thing in the area had been some abandoned works by a clan of diamond dogs.

With a full day of gem hunting left in her schedule the unicorn had decided to see if she could find anything rare, unusual or unique. Tuning her finding spell for such stones she followed traces of something that had a special feeling to it through her magic.

Finally, after four hours of searching, Rarity found herself before a wall of earth comprised of the layers of an old stream bed. Something had carved a path perpendicular to the stream bed and the layers of earth were revealed. A couple of feet from the top were half a dozen onyx rods.

While onyx wasn't terribly rare or valuable these pieces of onyx were definitely unusual. First, onyx was usually found as stones, not rods. Certainly not rods five or six inches long and an inch in diameter. The rods were black in colour, shot through with streaks of white.

The fashionista's mind lit with the possibilities inherent in the use of such gems. This was exactly the sort of thing she had been looking for. The first two came free with her magic and she deposited them in her saddle bags. The next one proved to be difficult but came free when Rarity pulled out the gem with a combination of her magic and biting down on the rod and pulling it out manually.

The fourth, however, was her undoing. Like number three it would not come free by her magic alone. She managed to wiggle it out so that only one end was still stuck in the wall, but it wasn't enough. Rarity stretched her neck out again and grasped the rod in its centre and pulled for all she was worth.

The rod came free. As it did so, there was a flash of light and she had a split second impression of something exploding outwards from the ends of the rod. Sudden pressure clamped around her face as she felt a surge of her magic which ended as all sense of sorcery was cut off.

"Whggbrl ig thig", came from her mouth as the rod became a bit gag that effortlessly garbled her speech into gibberish. Her instinctual rearing back was cut short by a thin pair of reins that were attached to a rock spur and whatever it was wrapped around her head. As the seconds passed which tried to pull herself free, in vain.

A sudden loud 'Crack' sounded from overhead. Startling the white unicorn, it gave her extra impetus that broke a linkage in the reins and freed her from them. The momentum was more than she could control and she was sent sprawling to the ground. Looking up she could see a bright flare of light a thousand feet up in the sky.

What was going was obvious. She, Rarity, Element of Generosity, had fallen victim to some sort of trap laid either for her or a unicorn in general. If not for that extra bit of strength surprise had lent to her she would still be tethered in place. A helpless captive waiting for the hunter to check his snare.

But that strength had come and while her magic was most definitely restrained, the rest of her was not.

She had immediately began to run toward her encampment. There were supplies there she could use to free herself from the then unknown device around her head. Barring that she could at least use Spike's crystal to let him know she was in trouble. But twenty minutes into the effort a chorus of howls rose up in her path. Cutting her off from the supplies that promised hope.

With no other choice she had turned and ran in the other direction. Even now, remembering those howls sent chills down her flanks. So loud, so close, so... Actually sounding nearby right now!

Sudden lighting gathered in Rarity's limbs, jerking her upright. She had been woolgathering and had wasted what advantage she had. Cursing her mental indolence, Rarity shot forward at a gallop just as a diamond dog burst out from behind a rock. The dog was only a few dozen yards away as the pony accelerated with a turn of speed that would have made Rainbow Dash proud.

The dog paused for a moment to give cry and set off in pursuit of the fleeing pony. His job was now to stay close and harry the quarry. His brothers were closing in and this long pursuit was finally entering its final stages.

The next hour for Rarity was a whirling nightmare of close encounters with dogs. More than once she only just avoided the loop of a lariat that came snaking out to encircle her neck or a hoof. One dog had even tried to snap wrap the tip of a whip around her leg. She had dodged that as well, but the whip had instead left a burning caress across her left hip.

Finally, a dog managed to connect with a lariat. While veering away from one rope she turned straight into the path of another. The braided cord snugged down to the base of her neck and tightened as the dog held firm and took up the strain.

The unicorn realized she only had one chance. She had seen Applejack using her lasso on the Apple farm more than once and knew that trying to drag the diamond dog along to shake him loose was a losing proposition. Her chance lay in turning and charging the dog holding the rope, running him down and forcing him to release the tether.

Even as those thoughts ran through her head Rarity was rearing up and wheeling on her rear hooves to charge toward her target. But, just as her front hooves touched earth, a second loop dropped over her head from the other direction. It slid down her neck until it reached the first line and was jerked tight by the beginning of the momentum of her charge.

"It's all over now but the heroic last stand", thought Rarity. She was now trapped by two twenty foot tethers. No matter which way she moved she would be tightening one rope or the other around her throat. "I'll show them how a heroine of Equestria dies", went through the unicorn's head as she prepared for her final struggles.

Which didn't happen. As the minutes ticked by the dogs on either side of her were reinforced by two more who also took hold of the ropes holding her in place. But no move was made to tighten the ropes, drag her off to a horrific fate or to attack her.

More dogs arrived and after ten minutes a full dozen were present. Including one who was she judged to be their leader by his finer clothing and his bearing.

He closed to within ten feet of her and spoke with the high pitch voice of his species, "Greetings pony, you have lead us on a long and difficult chase. Despite being cut off from your magic, on unfamiliar terrain and being outnumbered you have lead us on one of the longest pursuits yet."

Rarity was surprised. The Diamond Dog had spoken intelligently, as a well mannered being. Completely unlike the other diamond dogs she had met. It did not make him less an enemy or make her straits any less desperate but he was definitely a cut above those of his folk she had encountered before.

The dog continued, "Because of your valiant struggle I am willing to make you an offer. Submit."

Rarity's disdain for the offer must have shown as the dog said, "Yes, you heard me. Submit to your captivity. Make no further resistance to us and I can afford to treat you gently."

"You cannot escape, but you could still struggle. Still fight. If you choose this path I and my pack will have to use force to subdue you."

The dog look down, "This would sadden me. It would be a crime to mar beauty such as yours with whip marks and bruises from clubs. Please. Submit."

Rarity was shocked. Not just at the offer, but at the realization that she was considering it. The dog had summed things up accurately and despite his flattery she only had to look at his companions to see whips, clubs and ropes attached to their vests. All stood ready to use.

"Hgg wogg I", she paused, frustrated at the bit garbling her words. "Sggmid", she finished.

"Intelligent as you are lovely", flattered the dog. "Just lay down. Stretch out your legs in front and behind you and bow your head to the ground."

"My pack will hobble you, attach lead lines to your bridle and remove the nooses and your bit", the dog informed Rarity.

"From there on, so long as you obey my commands with alacrity and make no attempt at resistance or escape no harm will befall you while you are in my keeping."

Rarity saw no other choice. She was caught and at the mercy of her captors. She could indeed still fight and had she at least her magic she would. But with no magic, no mobility and no endurance left she had no hope of fighting her way clear.

She looked at the pack leader and nodded. Lowering herself to the ground as she had been bid she could not prevent a small whimper as the pack moved forward to secure their prize. The first dog to reach her knelt down beside her and placed a paw on the back of her neck. Steadying his grip he clipped a line to a ring on the bridle's nose band. Another dog did the same on the other side.

Two other dogs ran the ends of the line out to the holders who took hold of the ends of the new lines and dropped the ends of the lariats that were around Rarity's throat. The two dogs on either side of her began running the lariat ends back up through the eyes in preparation to pull them off her throat completely.

Rarity wondered why they would do this instead of simply loosening the lariats and lifting them up off her over her head. Then she realized why. The method the dogs were using gave Rarity no chance of a sudden move and bolting free. New bonds in place before the old ones removed.

The dogs beside her finished undoing the lariats and moved in front and behind her. Each dog securing a pair of leather hobbles connected by a short but strong looking chain to her rear and front hooves. Finally, the two close-in dogs moved back to their positions beside her head.

Gripping each lead line close to its connection point on the bridle both dogs commanded, "Up, pony" at the same time while standing and pulling upwards on the leads. Rarity had no choice. Legs shaking from controlled fear and exhaustion, she stood. As she stood a third dog approached and dipped under her barrel. A quick glance down showed a line being connected to the two sets of hobbles.

Rarity realized that this connecting line would prevent her from bucking or kicking out. Any attempt to do so would yank the opposite pair of hooves out from under her and dump her to the ground. As the leader began to approach Rarity realized something else. This wasn't the first time this group had done this. No one displayed this level of competence and skill without practice and experience.

Which meant ponies had been trapped, pursued, captured and rendered helpless by this group for some time now. That realization chilled Rarity as the leader of dogs reached her.

"I know that could not have been easy for you", said the dog reaching toward her face.

Rarity instinctively shied away, or tried to. With the lead lines held close in, the dogs were able to limit her motion to only a few inches with ease.

"Pony, I had not thought you so enamored of your bit that you preferred having it in. Or would you rather hold still and have it out?", said the leader. Humour evident in his voice.

"Og pleeg", garbled Rarity, lowering her head and eyes submissively.

"Very well," said the dog, reaching down and undoing some sort of hidden clasp. When he straightened Rarity could see the bit dangling on a short strap in his front paw.

"Thank you, sir", said Rarity. Her limbs were still trembling and try as she might her voice carried the tremor as well.

"There is no need for such fear, brave one", assured her captor upon seeing Rarity shaking, "You are of great value to us alive and well."

"You no doubt have many questions, and I will try to answer as many as I can," continued the dog. "However, it is late and we cannot reach our main camp before nightfall so such questions must wait until we set up an overnight camp."

As the dog turned to go he beckoned to Rarity's rein holders. "Follow", he commanded all of them.

But as the three dogs stepped forward Rarity found that her legs would not respond. The dogs were brought to a sudden halt as the two line holders were checked in their movement by the dead weight of Rarity's immobile form. Annoyed, one of the dogs began to draw a whip from his belt. No doubt to use it to 'encourage' Rarity to move forward. The leader saw the motion and taking in the scene he made a gesture to the keeper, who lowered his whip.

"Now, brave one', chided the dog, humour colouring his voice, "You did promise to obey my commands. Have you changed your mind?"

"I want to obey, sir", quavered Rarity, "but I cannot seem to make my body move."

"Pony", said the leader, sudden concern in his voice and on his features, "My name is Raarg, tell me what you are feeling right now."

"I...I don't know, Raarg", stammered Rarity embarrassed. "This is so unladylike."

"I'm afraid. No, not afraid. Terrified. I...I can't think", the words tumbling from her now.

Spasms began to roll freely up and down the form of the alabaster unicorn. "I'm shaking so much, I can't move," Rarity gasped. Even her breathing was shaking now.

"I...I...I", were the last words she spoke as her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed in a heap before the astonished rein holders. Rarity's entire body began to twitch and seize on the ground.

While Rarity's keepers may have been surprised at the sudden collapse of their captive it seemed their leader was not. Even as she fell, Raarg was in motion. He scooped up Rarity's head a few bare seconds after it hit the ground. As he pillowed Rarity's head in his lap and proceeded to bark sharp, precise orders to his followers.

"You, get me all the water we have", pointing at one dog.

"You", he snapped to another, "help me get this bit back into her. We have to keep her airway clear and make sure she doesn't swallow her tongue."

"You two", he barked, pointing at another pair, "Take off your vests and start rubbing her down."

"The rest of you", Raarg shouted, "find all the sugar and salt you can and mix it with the water."

"You will not die this day, Valiente", crooned Raarg in Rarity's ear as his dogs leaped to obey, "While I live, Brave One, you shall not die."

Time passed.

Rarity woke slowly, in confusion. Her limbs did not seem to want to work. She knew she knew why but she could not remember the reason. Also, something seemed to be stuck in her mouth. She tried to push the offending object out with her tongue and prodded by that stimulus her mind finally engaged.

The trap. The chase. Her capture. The sudden shaking and fear, followed by blackness. Rarity opened her eyes to see several diamond dogs nearby starting a fire, getting water from a familiar stream and otherwise setting up a camp. By the amount of ambient light she could tell it was near sunset. Rarity then began to lift her head to look around but was stopped halfway by one of the lead lines that were still attached to her bridle. Her head flopped back down onto a pillow of clothes, just the effort of lifting her head had been surprisingly exhausting.

"No, Valiente", said Raarg from behind her head. "Lay still and I will remove the bit again and you can speak again", he continued. "However, I shall talk first and try to anticipate your first question and above all else you must lay still."

He began to speak as he once again unclasped and removed the bit from Rarity's mouth, "What happened Valiente, is that a combination of things combined to almost kill you. You had expended every reserve of energy your body had. You had also sweated out almost every grain of salt in your body. You had been unable to cool down properly after your great effort today, which did not allow your body to wash away the poisons such an effort creates in a body. And finally, you were not able to buttress your body with your magic."

"Combined, the combination reduced your muscles to spasms and unhinged your mind. Had you managed to escape I and my pack, the combination would have killed you within the hour without help", summed up Raarg. "It was a close run thing as was", he concluded, laying a paw on her neck and stroking it.

Rarity cleared her throat. It felt like she had been gargling straight pins but oddly Raarg's ministrations seemed to be helping. "Thank you, sir", Rarity said in a quiet voice, "What is to happen to me now?"

Raarg answered while continuing to stroke Rarity's neck, "You are in no condition to walk, Valiente. In fact, I would prefer you to not move at all for at least a day. But we have few supplies with us and you need more salt and more food."

"I see", Rarity replied, "If I cannot walk and you have no supplies with you is it safe to assume you have some sort of plan for me?" For some reason Raarg's paw running down her neck repeatedly was very calming, almost soothing.

"We have all the needed supplies at our main camp, and you will reach it by the simple method of my carrying you there", said Raarg pausing his stoking Rarity's neck to lift her head into his lap, her face outward. "One more question only and then you shall be quiet while I feed you", he gently commanded.

"As I am weakened to the point where lifting my head is an effort I will gladly obey you Raarg", sighed Rarity. "My name, by the way, is 'Rarity'. Why do you keep calling me 'Valiente'?"

"I seem to recall hearing your name somewhere. No, do not answer", Raarg said as Rarity opened her mouth to do just that.

"It will come to me. But as to why I have dubbed you 'Valiente' it is because it means valiant. Which you most certainly are."

One of the other dogs handed Raarg a small wooden bowl with a wooden spoon in it. Something steamed from within. "Now then Valiente", said Raarg beginning to spoon a broth into Rarity's mouth, "Rest, eat and tomorrow we shall reach our main camp."

Rarity ate the spooned broth and learned that even that little of an effort was almost all she could do. The broth itself was a thin, yet savory broth that was both sweet and salty. Most importantly it was hot and made for a pleasant warmth in her belly.

Once the bowl had been finished two of the dogs took off their vests and laid them over Rarity's form. The combination of exhaustion, warmth and Raarg resumption of stroking Rarity's neck had her closing her eyes despite her best efforts. Rarity's last thoughts as she drifted off to sleep were that Raarg was stroking her neck in almost the exact same manner that in which she should would pet Opal back home.

Chapter 2: First Strides

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Canterlot Castle

Dawn rose over the spires of Canterlot Castle but within its walls a certain lavender alicorn had already been up for two days straight researching and took no note. The staff who had been with the castle archives had smiled knowingly among themselves. Only a few years ago Twilight Sparkle had been a familiar presence in the archives and had pulled all nighters more than once.

As such the archivists were not surprised at all when Twilight had come in, commandeered a table in a familiar corner and started pulling book after book and scroll after scroll from the shelves. Most archive visitors were only allowed to have a few items at a time off the shelves. But the archivists knew that Twilight's love of books and knowledge rivaled their own and she would care for the books like her own children.

So, as the hours passed, the pile of volumes and scrolls on the table grew ever higher. Sometimes Twilight paused to make notes, other times she would frown and return a book to the shelves. Only two things were unusual with Twilight to the staff. First, her 'Number One Assistant', aka Spike the Dragon, was nowhere to be seen. Second, unlike previous research and study binges, this time Twilight was taking regular breaks.

Every five hours she would get up, stretch, eat and drink a small snack, use the facilites and return to work. Every second one of these breaks would also involve a brisk walk up and down the corridor outside the library. The archivists all approved. Twice while Twilight was Celestia's personal student they had been forced to evict her from the archives when she passed out onto a book. Creasing the pages and getting drool on them. Twilight's embarrassment had been the stuff of legends.

So, everyone was a little startled when the peace of the study area was interrupted by soft 'pop' as a scroll materialized in front of Twilight and plopped down onto the scroll she was reading.

Twilight frowned at the sudden interruption. Spike knew she was busy, why was he interrupting her? Then her face grew concerned as she realized that Spike would not have interrupted her unless he thought it was necessary. Grasping the message with her magic, Twilight read the contents.

"Twilight,
Rarity went into the Badlands gem hunting a few days after you left for Canterlot. I've been checking in with her every evening using the talking crystals we got from the Crystal Empire, but last night I couldn't get an answer from her. I've tried and tried but no answer. I'm really worried about her. I think she might be in some kind of trouble. She could even be hurt. What do you think we should do?
Spike"

Twilight sighed. Sometimes Spike's crush on Rarity made him a little less dependable than usual even though his heart was always in the right place. Checking the time and noticing the hour Twilight wrote a quick reply.

"Spike,
You know how Rarity gets when she is 'in the zone'. She is probably so focused on something she found that she simply forgot to contact you last night and likely hasn't noticed the crystal trying to get her attention. The standard point to worry about someone going missing is twenty-four hours after you lose track of them.
If you can't get ahold of her by tonight then we can start being concerned. Until then, don't worry too much. You will probably be talking to her tonight.
Just to let you know that I should have this research finished for Princess Celestia later today. It really has been fascinating to look into the history of Equestria through the treaties and agreements that have been made with other species over the years.
Anyway I should be on my home via the train tomorrow. I will need to get some sleep after I present my findings and I sleep better on a bed than on a train.
Hugs, Twilight"

Twilight sent the message winging its way to Spike with her magic and returned to her work. As she buried herself into a thick book of legal precedents she thought to herself, "That's odd. Most of these treaties and precedents I've been researching for the Princesses have to do with the Badlands."

Equestrian Badlands

The pack of dogs holding Rarity had set out at first light. They had set a relatively quick pace considering their leader was burdened with carrying Rarity. Even though she was bound up like a package she had to be an awkward burden for Raarg.

The night's sleep had restored some of Rarity's energy so while her body was held immobile her mind had energy to roam freely. "I have to work this out", she thought to herself, "Why are they doing this?" "First I am snared, pursued and captured altogether too much like a wild animal. Then, once I am caught they make no attempt to kill or injure me but instead treat me with respect and care. Even urgency when I collapsed. But then I am still tightly and inescapably bound with a disturbing degree of confidence and skill."

"I'm missing something here", Rarity concluded in her thoughts, "Time for some direct questions."

"Raarg", said Rarity aloud, turning her head up toward the dog carrying her, "May I ask you a couple of questions?"

"Of course, Valiente", replied Raarg, "it will make the journey go faster."

"Raarg, what have I done to warrant being snared, hunted, caught and bound like a wild animal?", Rarity asked jingling the chains of her hobbles. For the journey the hobbles had been tightened to only a couple of inches apart and the connecting strap between fore and rear tightened as much as possible. "Also", Rarity continued, "what is in store for me when we reach your camp?"

"Both valid questions, my little pony", Raarg replied. "To answer I must first ask you a question. How much do you know about the history of the war between the Crystal Empire under King Sombra and Equestria?"

"I know what most ponies know", Rarity replied. "King Sombra became evil and wanted to conquer all of Equestria. To that end he brainwashed and enslave..." Rarity's voice trailed off as the word formed the missing piece of the puzzle that dropped into place as a terrible realization washed over her.

It explained everything. It explained the diamond dogs equipment, the snare and hunt. It explained their proficiency. It even explained why Raarg would not use her actual name and why his stroking last night had seemed somewhat odd. Raarg hadn't been comforting her. He had been 'gentling' her!

Cold fear gathered in her belly and began to rise up her throat, threatening to strangle her. But Rarity was a Bearer of an Element of Harmony. She was a heroine of Equestria several times over and had faced more dangers than any pony twice her age. So halfway up her throat the fear was burned away by anger. The anger gathered in her breast where it kindled into a blazing fury. That fury then rose and gathered behind her eyes, which blazed like twin suns.

Raarg's head recoiled back as the genteel, polite and docile pony in his arms suddenly turned into a raging elemental force. A being of incandescent lavender rage who directed a lance of pure fury between his eyes with her eyes and voice.

"HOW DARE YOU! I AM RARITY OF PONYVILLE, BEARER OF THE ELEMENT OF GENEROSITY, LOYAL SERVANT OF THE TWO SISTERS AND BY CELESTIA'S SUN AND LUNA'S MOON I SWEAR THAT IF YOU CARRY OUT YOUR INTENTIONS I WILL DESTROY YOU!", Rarity thundered into Raarg's face at point blank range.

And even as she directed the full force of her rage and personality at the diamond dog Rarity threw every ounce of strength her body possessed into breaking her bonds. Leather stretched and chain began to bend. But those who had made Rarity's bonds knew their trade and as the seconds passed they held.

Undaunted, Rarity continued to struggle. Squirming and writhing in Raarg's arms she lashed out with the one remaining weapon in her arsenal. Her teeth. Which clamped down hard on Raarg's bicep. Raarg, stunned by the sudden assault on mind and body could not hold her and Rarity dropped to the ground.

The impact jarred her but also enabled her to slip her rear hooves from their hobbles. Rarity quickly scrambled to a three legged stance as a quick thinking dog closed in. Rarity saw the dog rushing in. Shifting her weight to her still linked front hooves she kicked out with her free rear hooves. They solidly connected, dislocating the dog's knee and sending him writhing to the ground.

As her rear hooves landed back on the ground Rarity reared up on them to assume a classic Equido stance to confront the dogs. In the space of ten seconds flat their helplessly bound captive had become a battle ready opponent in their midst. Who pronounced:

IT IS ON!

Rarity did not hesitate. She attacked with the force of the raging storm inside her and the needle-like precision of a seamstress's eye. Toes were crunched, joints dislocated, and heads received stunning blows. The dogs unlimbered their bludgeons, intending to club Rarity into submission. Only to find their clumsy weapons useless against an opponent who dodged their blows with ease.

Had Rarity possessed even a quarter of her regular vitality she might have defeated all twelve dogs and made good her escape. But her body had only just recovered from the collapse of the previous day. Fury and adrenaline could only sustain her body for so long. She began to tire and slow. Finally, she made a mistake with a dodge and a thrown club connected with the back of her head, stunning her. The remaining dogs swarmed over her and Rarity went down under a sea of grey fur.

The whole scene had lasted maybe ten minutes from beginning to end. Such is the speed of hoof to hoof combat. But now Rarity was bound more securely ever. The hobbles had been reapplied and tightened. Then, they had been fastened a harness that had been buckled over her body so that her legs now lay parallel to her belly. Even worse, her bridle had been attached by a short strap to the body harness which prevented her from bending her head forward and kept it high and upright.

And, of course, the bit had been reapplied.

Raarg moved to stand near her. "Valiente", he said, breathless, with evident pain in his voice, "your reaction is understandale and I even commend your spirit and will. But know this. That once that bridle became attached to you, by law, you ceased to be Rarity of Ponyville and became the property of the Diamond Dog nation."

Rarity made a defiant noise at Raarg through the bit. She took some satisfaction that he and half his pack were nursing wounds of varying degrees now.

"Even with the bit in I can understand that", Raarg answered her with slight humour in his tone. "But what you don't know is that the law under which you have become property is, in fact, not our law, but a law signed and agreed to by both Celestia and Luna themselves."
Rarity looked up at Raarg in frank shock and disbelief.

"It is true. As we continue to camp let me tell you some of the deep history of the war between Equestria and the Crystal Empire", said the dog, motioning toward four of his six unhurt minions.

The four dogs ran two long poles through loops at the top of the harness on the pony. Thus Rarity made the central bar of an 'H' with the poles being the legs. Lifting the poles lifted Rarity. With her suspended by the poles and harness the pack began to once more move toward their camp. Slowed somewhat by their wounded members.

Raarg walked alongside Rarity where she could see him, saying, "Now then, Valiente, first let me assure you that all of what I am about to tell you is true. Afterwards, if you are willing to speak calmly I will remove the bit so that you may ask questions."

Raarg began his story,

Sombra was intelligent and knew many things about the ways of war. So he knew that even with an entire nation of slave warriors who would lay down their lives for him it would be very hard for him to conquer Equestria. After all, his opponents would be led by a pair of literal demigoddesses.

So, Sombra did his best to make allies. He reached out to our nation and to the Kingdom of Griffonstone. The griffons rebuffed his advances but Sombra was able to conclude an alliance with us. So, we planned that when he and his forces attacked from the north we would open up a second front in the south.

In return for allying with him he offered us all the lands of Equestria south of the Everfree Forest and east of Ghastly Gorge. This would have greatly expanded the size of our territory and for a species that has its young in litters the offer was too sweet to ignore.
As agreed, when Sombra attacked from the north we waited for a week and then attacked from the south. Now, normally a pony will have advantages over a diamond dog due to your magic, your flight or your strength. But Sombra gave us the skills and tools to negate those abilities. Tools like the bridle snare that caught you.

So, our assault was a great success in the beginning. With the most of Equestria's forces in the north there was little to oppose us. Town after town fell to us. Thousands of ponies were taken captive. Those ponies were then sent via ship to the Crystal Empire, where they were then enslaved into Sombra's army.

Then disaster from what should have been a famous victory. We had just captured a small town when Princess Luna herself landed there with only a small personal guard to check on some matter regarding supplies from the town.

Oh, to have been there, Valiente. Such a battle. The Princess of the Night, Equestria's Lady of Battle, with ten of her personal guard matched against a full battle pack. Taken unaware, outnumbered fifty to one and still she almost won free. But in the end, six Night Guards lay dead, four were taken alive and Luna herself was bridled and chained with no less than three inhibitor rings bound to her horn.

There was great rejoicing among the survivors of the battle pack. Surely, with Luna as our prisoner Celestia would have to sue for peace lest her own sister become one of Sombra's brainwashed slaves. The war seemed to be all but won.

But that night, the Princess of the Night taught us that neither enchantment, nor steel, nor rope were barriers to her power.
She visited each and every dog in that town in their dreams and showed each of them their darkest fears. She visited such terror upon them that the next morning the dogs scrambled to release her and begged her forgiveness for taking her captive. They offered their own lives to her to answer for the death of her guardsponies.

Luna did not forgive, but she did understand. She and her guard were legitimate targets of war and as such she understood what had happened and accepted it as an act of war and not murder.

Looking down upon the cowering Alpha of the battle pack she ordered him to send messengers back to our ruler, offering a truce in place while she and our Supreme Alpha negotiated terms to end our part in the conflict.

She had her teeth on our collective throats. We had no defence against what she could do to us in our dreams and she knew it. And despite that, despite our killing her loyal guardsponies, despite placing her in chains, she offered us mercy. She brokered a lasting peace and spared lives. Little wonder that to this day many diamond dogs are active worshipers of Luna and her moon. You can hear the howls of praise and prayer to her any night the moon can be seen.

So, a truce came to be, followed by a negotiated end to our part in the war. Which, after the war, became a formal treaty that was ratified into law by both sides. Part of that treaty included clauses that gave us the rights to the territory of the Badlands and, I quote, "all goods, chattels and properties of value within, above and upon those lands."

"So you see, my dear", said Raarg concluding his story. "You are of value, and you were on our lands. As such, under treaty, you are now our property."

Rarity stared at Raarg. The tale was fantastic, unbelievable and yet it could be true. Few knew all the details of what had happened during the Crystal Empire war and having encountered the shade of Sombra she could easily believe that he would seek the downfall of Celestia and Luna through whatever means possible.

Rarity felt a hand at her muzzle. It was Raarg. "Are you willing to not attempt to bite me again?", he asked. Rarity nodded as best she could with her head secured. As Raarg once again removed the bit from her mouth Rarity said, "First off, let me apologize Raarg."

Raarg's eyebrows rose. "I apologize for biting you", she clarified. "It was a barbaric and unladylike method of attack for a pony to engage in."

"I accept your apology", Raarg answered gravely. "But, let me be clear. Any further resistance from you will require me to create your compliance with pain."

"Well Raarg, let also me be perfectly clear", responded Rarity without an ounce of give in her voice. "Do not expect me to quietly yield to enslavement and servitude."

"Once before I was captured by diamond dogs and won free due to my friends and my determination to never surrender", Rarity continued with defiance in her voice and her eyes. "Treaty or not, bonds or not, I shall never stop resisting and fighting to regain my freedom."

"Yes, Valiente, I remembered your name and know that once before you fell into the hands of diamond dogs", Raarg answered her. "But, a trio of teenage idiots are different than adult, intelligent dogs, who know what they are doing."

Rarity could believe him. Raarg was vastly different than the three dogs she had encountered near Ponyville a few years back. So was his pack, to a lesser degree. Everything about that trio had been rough and crude. Everything about this group was smooth and polished.

Well, so what. So what if they were smarter, tougher and altogether too good at making a pony obey their commands. These dogs had never met her. Sooner or later, Rarity knew, they would make a mistake and that opportunity would find her ready and determined to act as a true pony. Not some submissive slave mare unable to act unless her master commanded it. Even if that opportunity did not come, her friends would. As surely as the sun rose, her friends would come. That thought comforted Rarity as a walled encampment appeared in the middle distance.

Sometime later, the group trooped through a gate in a wooden palisade. Raarg exchanged greetings with the guards there. Then he sent all but the four of his dogs carrying Rarity off to fetch food for them all. The four carrying Rarity placed the arrangement holding her into a frame that held her suspended off the ground.

Rarity studied everything she could see. Anything could provide a means of escape at some point. The palisade surrounded an encampment of at least two or three hundred dogs. There were several structures which appeared to be such things as a kitchen, barracks and other buildings.

As she studied the buildings and the many dogs moving to and fro Rarity saw a dog even larger than Raarg approach her and her captor.
"Pack Leader Raarg", said the newcomer in a stern tone. "You've been gone a full day. What has kept you?"

"Den Master Howl", replied Raarg in a formally. "The chase was a long one and the quarry collapsed from hunt exhaustion soon after capture."

"Really?", said the Den Master, sarcasm tinging his voice. "This unicorn looks to be in excellent condition. If she is so exhausted why do you have her in a full restraint harness and why is half your pursuit pack injured?"

"Her condition is due to my dogs and I stabilizing her using our own supplies and allowing her to rest overnight rather than force marching overnight", Raarg answered his senior stiffly. "Her bonds and my pack's wounds are due to her spirit being greater than her body."

Just then one of Raarg's dogs ran up, carrying a feedbag. A delicious smell rose from the bag causing Rarity's stomach to audibly growl.
"So, it would seem Raarg", said the Howl, his tone suddenly pleased. "You've done well, this unicorn does look like she will be of great value." The den leader then sighed.

"I'm sorry I barked at you but things are tense after the last sale", he continued. He made a motion to the dog holding the feed bag.
"Better get that food into her, cub", Howl said. speaking to the junior dog. "I'm sure she needs it."

The dog attached the feed bag to Rarity's bridle. Oatmeal with honey and molasses. Rarity set to with a will. It had been over a day since she had last eaten something solid and her body was all too ready for some solid nourishment.

As Rarity ate the older dog took the opportunity to examine her. Rarity was too occupied at that moment with her meal to pay much attention to him as he did so. Howl examined her legs, neck and back. Checking Rarity's muscle tone as he did so. For the most part Rarity continued to ignore him. Right up to the point where he lifted her tail at the dock with one paw and began examining her marehood with the other.

"Excuse me, Sir!", pronounced Rarity with clear outraged dignity, even muffled as she was by the feed bag. "One does not handle a captive, no matter what their status, in such a fashion. "You sir, are an officer. I would expect an officer to set a proper example for his subordinates", chided Rarity. "Honestly. From your respective conduct I would think Raarg the officer, and you the subordinate."

Den Leader Howl's paws leaped off of Rarity as if her body had become red hot. He glanced at Raarg, who gave him an "I told you so" look.

"You are correct, pony", said Howl after a moment, chagrined. "My apologies. I only sought to examine you for injury." "And by way of apology, I will release you from some of your bonds", he continued.

Then he put action to words. First he released the strap holding Rarity's head back toward the harness. He also removed the almost empty feed bag. Then following that, one at a time, he released her legs. For the first time since her abortive escape attempt Rarity had hooves on solid ground.

The harness was still attached to the frame, so Rarity wasn't going anywhere. While she wasn't buying his 'checking your for injury' line it did feel good to be able to flex and move both her head and her legs again after their enforced immobility.

"Thank you, sir", Rarity said, directing a level look at the senior dog. "I accept your apology, but let me be perfectly clear about something."
"I may be your captive, and it may be that at some point, you will indeed make into a bondmare", Rarity continued in a no nonsense tone. "However, I am not and never shall be an object. No matter my status, I am and always shall be, a person."

The two dogs stood there, dumbfounded, trying to mentally catch up, as Rarity effortlessly shifted their paradigm on captives without a clutch.

"Step one, accomplished", thought Rarity as she took in their stares. "Make them see me as a person and not a thing."

Chapter 3: Detour

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Canterlot Castle
Early Evening

Royal guards are stoic. Royal guards are brave. Royal guards show decorum and dignity. Most of all royal guards do not ever, ever get bored. Or at least they don't show it.

"...And so Princess, as you can see on chart 14, there have been relatively few lingual shifts in the relevant defining words in the treaties you had me examine", pronounced Twilight Sparkle, now well into the fourth hour of her presentation titled, "Equestrian Treaties throughout History, A Linguistic Analysis". In classic Twilight Sparkle fashion, she had delivered a detailed, exhaustive examination of over 1200 years of treaties and trade agreements with particular focus on the languages used and their relative meanings.

Celestia, glorious Princess of the Sun, demonstrated the true power of an alicorn as she continued to be fully engaged and involved with the presentation, even asking questions at appropriate moments. These questions would inevitably trigger long, detailed answers from the presenter which only an uncharitable boor would say triggered a shudder from the royal guards as they continued to hold themselves at attention.

Just after sunset Princess Luna had opened the throne room door to greet her sister and ask why she had been forced to lower the sun instead of Celestia. Without a word she had taken in the scene, nodded her understanding from the door and then had left on silent hooves before she could be noticed by anyone other than Celestia.

"Chart 14 also shows that there have been practically no linguistic shifts at all with two groups in particular", Twilight continued.

"Specifically, the Dragons of the South Celestian Ocean and the Diamond Dogs of the Equestrian Badlands". Uncharacteristically, Twilight paused in her presentation. She had forgotten something, something important. If she could just put her hoof on it.

"Twilight?", prompted Celestia. "Is something wrong?"

"No, Princess", Twilight replied. "Well, I'm not sure. There's something I'm forgetting here...." Her voice trailed off.

"Maybe that the rest of us aren't alicorns and us mere mortals occasionally need a bit of rest?", thought one guard pony.

Gathering herself, Twilight continued, "I'm sorry, Princess. I'm a little tired, whatever I've forgotten isn't part of the presentation and it will come to me in time."

"Very well, Twilight", Celestia assured her former student. "Please carr..." Celestia paused as a familiar wisp of flame flowed in through a window and materialized into a scroll in front of her. Celestia caught the scroll in her magic before it could fall to the ground.

"A moment Twilight", Celestia said raising a hoof and opening the scroll. "I'm sure Spike wouldn't be sending me a message without good reason."

"Dear Princess Celestia,
I hope Twilight has finished up by now and is getting some rest. Can you please let her know when she wakes up that I still can't get in touch with Rarity and I'm getting even more worried now?
Fondest regards,
Spike"

"Twilight, is something wrong with Rarity?", Celestia asked the purple alicorn with some concern in her voice.

Twilight facehoofed. "That's what's been bugging me! Spike's lost contact with Rarity. She's off on a gem hunting trip in the Badlands."

Twilight Sparkle always had a first class mind. Only mental exhaustion and laser focus on a different subject had caused her to miss the connection between Spike's previous letter and her research project earlier. Now however, her words triggered a cascade of thought as her research and Spike's letters were slammed together in her thoughts. It was a credit to both teacher and student that they both came to the same conclusion at the same time.

"Rarity is in danger!", both Celestia and Twilight blurted out at the same time.

"I think so", Twilight said in a worried tone. She started to wring her hooves. "She's in a land where she isn't a person. She's property! Ponies are considered chattel there. And, according to Spike, she's missed two check-ins now. Oh, why didn't I pay more attention to Spike?", Twilight began to tear up. Celestia rose off her throne and wrapped Twilight in her wings.

"You couldn't have known before now. If anyone is at fault it's me. I should have issued a proclamation when I first found out that the Diamond Dog nation intended to resume enforcing the terms of that old treaty", said the solar princess with shame in her voice. "And I definitely should have banned all travel in the south after what was given to us two weeks ago."

"Walk with me, Twilight", gently commanded Celestia. "Guards, we are going to go visit Aerius." Several acknowledgements snapped out from the guard. Several fell into formation around the two alicorns while the others began closing down the throne room.

"Aerius", Twilight asked, "who is that?" "And two weeks ago is just before you asked me to come research those treaties and the terms in them."

"Exactly Twilight", said Celestia, turning a corner and walking toward the medical wing of the castle. "I called you here because you are the best students I ever had and I wanted what information you could gather before I acted. I hesitated and now my ponies are in danger."

Twilight tried to comfort her mentor saying, "But Celestia, it is every ruler's responsibility to learn all she can before deciding on a course of action."

The alicorns and their escort approached a door that had a member of the Guard at it.

"Sometimes a ruler must act with haste, Twilight", pronounced Celestia. "Beyond this door is a consequence of my inaction. Once we step though you must take care to not say or do anything unless I tell you to."

"Do you understand, Twilight?", asked Celestia.

"Yes, Princess", responded Twilight. "I am to remain silent and do nothing but observe unless you command otherwise."

"Good. Brace yourself, this may be hard for you to see", warned Celestia pushing open the door and leading the Princess of Friendship through.

The door opened into what appeared to be a standard hospital private room. Perhaps somewhat larger than most. Pale blue paint covered the wall and ceiling, which had realistic fluffy white clouds painted onto it. In the room was a dresser with a small bag on it and a hospital bed with its upper half elevated. Lying on the bed was a tan pegasus stallion with a grey and white mane and tail. Upon seeing the alicorns enter the room the stallion threw himself off of the bed and prostrated himself before Celestia.

"Great Mistress! This pony has done all you have asked of me. Please give me a command so that I can please you!", he begged Celestia, literally crawling on his belly until his front hooves nearly touched the solar princess.

Twilight had never seen such display of subservience before. Certainly Celestia was worthy of worship for her leadership and all she had done for Equestria. But this was far beyond anything Twilight had seen before and something about this display struck her as intensely wrong. This was more cringing than worship and the request more of a cry for mercy than asking for something to do. It was almost as if he expected Celestia to beat him for the slightest misdeed.

"Please stand, Aerius", Celestia asked in a tone as gentle as any Twilight had ever heard. "I would like to ask you a few questions, if I may."

"Of course, Mistress", said Aerius, shooting to his hooves. "This pony only exists to serve you."

"What is your name and how did you receive it?", said Celestia in her calm, gentle voice. But Twilight had spent more time with the solar diarch than many others and she could hear the masked pain in Celestia's voice.

"This pony was given the name Aerius by his trainers. But in truth, my name is is whatever you decide it is", Aerius quickly added at the end. Fear passing over his features.

"Be at ease Aerius. There is nothing you can say that will make me upset with you. Now, who am I?", Celestia asked.

"You are my Owner, my Mistress", Aerius answered her with joy on his face. "You became my Owner two weeks ago."

Twilight's eyes by this time had already grown to the size of dinner plates. At Aerius' last statement her jaw had practically dropped to the floor. This pony wasn't just being subservient to Celestia. He had just said that he was a thing, a possession and worse, he meant it. In Twilight's mind the 1200 year old treaty had just snapped into terrible relevance. Twilight understood. This pony had been changed in some way by the diamond dogs from what he had been, into a cringing tool. What was worse is that it had been done under the legal framework of a treaty that had been meant to end suffering.

Twilight caught Celestia's eye as the Sun Princess looked over her shoulder. Celestia saw the understanding in her former student's eyes and motioned her forward.

"Aerius, this is Twilight. She serves me much as the others in the castle do. I wanted her to have a look at you", Celestia said to the pegasus.

"Of course, Mistress", said Aerius as he turned to face Twilight. "She is very lovely Mistress. After she is done would you like me to service her so she can provide you with foals to increase your stables?"

Twilight was stopped cold by that. Anger flared in her at first until she took in the tone and demeanor in which the question had been asked. Ever since becoming an alicorn she had been a target for romantic advances by almost every available stallion, and more than a few mares, in Canterlot. All had them had done so from some obvious desire. Either for her body, the power she represented, or even the status to be had from bedding an alicorn. Aerius wasn't demonstrating any desire. All he was doing was asking a question. He didn't desire Twilight. All he wanted was a command he could obey.

"Yes, she is quite lovely", Celestia answered Aerius tapping her chin with a hoof, as if she was considering the idea of mating Aerius to Twilight.

"Your suggestion has some merit Aerius." The pegasus glowed with pleasure at the slight praise. "Remain where you are while Twilight and I step outside to consider it", said Celestia as she began to drag a dumbfounded Twilight back out of the room.

The moment the two alicorns were back in the hallway with the door shut behind them, Twilight immediately rounded on her mentor.

"Princess, if you th-", was all that she got out as glowing yellow light firmly closed Twilight's mouth.

"No, Twilight. I'm not going to ask you to let him mate with you. But this is an opportunity", said Celestia quietly while looking directly into Twilight's eyes.

"What do you mean?", Twilight asked with more than a little suspicion.

"The pony that Aerius was had something of a reputation. He couldn't keep his hooves off any mare that caught his eye to be perfectly honest", Celestia said. "Not only that, but for the first time since the griffons gave him to us he actually referred to himself in the first person. Twilight, right now he is focused on you. I want you to examine him and see if you can reconnect him with his identity."

"Princess, I wouldn't have the first idea on how to do that", Twilight protested.

"Twilight, you are one of talented mages of your generation and you are a Princess of Equestria. You can do this. My only advice is that you let instinct be your guide. You have a good heart. Do what feels right and you won't be wrong", Celestia assured the Princess of Friendship.

"I won't let you down Princess", declared Twilight. Celestia smiled down at her with complete faith.

"Doctor", she said nodding to a medical pony hovering nearby, "if you would accompany us inside. This is very likely to physically taxing for all of us."

With that Celestia opened the door and together the three ponies went back into the room.

"Okay Aerius, I'm going to give you a command now", Celestia said to Aerius.

"Yes Mistress!", said Aerius. "Thank you, Mistress!"

"Um, yes", Celestia hesitated. "I want you to hold very still while Twilight examines you and then I need you to do whatever she asks of you."

"Of course, Mistress", said Aerius as he focused on Twilight as she moved forward.

Powering up her horn, Twilight wrapped the pegasus in her magic. She carefully examined him both physically and magically. For several minutes she deeply probed Aeruis' magic field and physical body. What she found brought tears to her eyes.

Physically he bore several, mostly healed wounds under his fur. None of them were severe, but there were so many of them. Particularly on his rump and flanks. Mystically, she could see several fading traces of dark magic around Aerius' barrel and wings. But around his head there were the mystic equivilent of open wounds. Some form of dark magic had driven spikes into his very mind and spirit.

Starlight Glimmer had managed something similar when she had 'equalized' the ponies of Our Town. But those ponies had still remembered who they were, still knew what they were. What had been done to Aerius was an entire order of magnitude beyond those ponies. In a flash of insight Twilight realized names were the key. She already knew Aerius was not his real name. If she could reconnect him with his name she could reconnect him with his identity. Nodding to herself, Twilight took a deep breath and looking the pegasus pony in the eye she asked, "What was the name your parents gave you?"

Aerius stared at Twilight, as if the words hadn't made sense. "What...what did you say?", he asked.

"What was the name your parents gave you?, Twilight repeated in a firmer tone than before.

"I...I, my trainers gave me this name", Aerius stammered out. His body began to shake as his mind tried to obey his training and break it at the same time.

Something did break inside of Twilight. Her heart. A bitter, weeping rage rolled through her that someone could so change a pony as to take away who and what they were from them. Twilight's horn ignited fully and her wings spread wide as her rage and her sorrow let her tap into the full strength of her alicorn power. Even though she could not see it she could feel Celestia behind her, bringing forth her own aura of power.

"Thrice I say unto thee, and done!", Twilight shouted, instinct shaping her words. "What was the name your parents gave you?"
She poured forth her power into the mystic wounds in Aerius' head as she spoke. Closing and sealing them with her power. With that power she tried to bridge the gaps in his psyche for him.

"Side...Side...Side", the pegasus stallion stammered, his whole body shaking. Twilight poured forth even more of her power into the pegasus. If he could not bridge the gap in his thoughts, SHE would be that bridge for him. She knew that she was right. That this was the focal point. This was where they had broken him.

Sweat began to pour freely from the two ponies. The pegasus, as he struggled to re-connect the broken portions of his mind and Twilight who was reaching the limits of her power. Seconds passed, then minutes. Both ponies falling silent except for laboured breathing marking their struggles. The issue hung in the balance. Then, as Twilight reached her limit, she suddenly felt the warmth of the sun on her back. Celestia, with complete trust and love in her student poured forth her power into Twilight, allowing her student to use that power. Reinforced by the solar wellspring Twilight doubled her efforts. And finally the connection was made.

"I. AM. SIDE SLIP!", screamed the pegasus with the voice of a tortured soul, who immediately collapsed shuddering to the ground.

Twilight instantly withdrew her power from Side Slip's mind as the severed mental connections snapped back into place. As he fell she cushioned his body as it fell to the floor. And a moment later she at his side covering his body with her wings, tears from her eyes wetting his fur. A second after that Celestia covered them both with her own wings. From beneath two sets of alicorn wings came Side Slip's quavering voice speaking an old prayer.

"Help me, O Princess, for I am lost in the night,
Help me, My Princess, for I am trapped in darkness,
Help me find my way home."

Chapter 4: Trail Hazards

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Morning
The Badlands
Diamond dog encampment

Raarg made his way through the encampment, a mug of tea cradled in the crook of his left foreleg. While the limb was usable it ached, and the warmth from the mug helped with that almost as much as the tea itself helped with the ache in his belly. Overnight, the aches had combined to keep restful sleep from him. Unable to sleep, he had visited his wounded dogs in the infirmary and had caught up on paperwork. Come the cursed dawn, the night had left him cranky and irritable and his able bodied dogs had made a point of avoiding him that morning saying they were going to keep an eye on ‘their’ pony. Arriving at his destination, Raarg tucked a sheaf of papers from his good forelimb to his sore one and respectfully scratched on the door.

“Come in,” called a voice from inside.

Raarg sighed at the chipper sound of his den leader’s voice. He had half hoped that Howl would be somewhere else than in his office but it was not to be. Howl was an able superior, but mercurial, and he divided up the world into two categories. Predators and prey. In Howl’s mind diamond dogs were predators and ponies were only prey to be used and discarded. That attitude was one of the reasons why he had been appointed Den Leader of this encampment and entrusted with their mission. Steeling himself, Raarg entered the office of his immediate superior.

“Good morning sir,” Raarg said in greeting to Den Leader Howl who sat in the small office. “I’ve brought you my report on the pursuit and capture of Valiente.”

“Excellent, you have always been one of my more diligent pack leaders. Sit down and drink your tea instead of standing there lopsided,” Howl said cheerily, then asked, “What is the condition of your pack?”

“Six injured in total. Two will be fine by tomorrow. Two others will need at least a few more days to heal, but the other two have broken paws and dislocations. They will be down for at least a couple of weeks, possibly more, before they are capable of even light duties. Valiente put up quite a fight,” Raarg said, managing to combine admiration with ruefulness in his comment as he sat down, putting his mug on Howl’s desk.

“You like her, don’t you?” asked Howl as Raarg passed him the sheaf of papers that made up his report. The way Howl had said it made it a statement and not a question. But Raarg answered him anyway.

“She is brave, intelligent, determined and spirited. Valiente as a name suits her completely.”

“Not to mention having one of the sleekest flanks and firmest plots I’ve ever had the pleasure of having beneath my paw,” added Howl, a leer on his face and in his tone. “I want you to let me know when she is fully broken so I can do some,” he paused, “quality control.”

“Sir, have I ever talked to you about my faith?,” blurted Raarg suddenly, changing the subject.

“No, we never have. I have always known you prayed to Luna, but I’ve never seen the point of praying to a pony. Even if it is an alicorn,” Howl said in quiet surprise at the non sequitur.

“You might want to pay more attention, sir. At least two-thirds of the camp worships Holy Luna in some capacity through one of the six chapters, some of who might begin to feel uncomfortable with their -,” Raarg began to explain.

“Uncomfortable with what? Their duties, their orders? Are you telling me that you are about to disobey orders, Raarg?” Howl interrupted with some heat to his voice.

“Not at all, Den Leader,” said Raarg smoothly in a placating tone. “But some dogs may begin to feel unhappy with their duties depending on which chapter of the faith they belong to.”

Howl leaned back from his desk, letting the report fall to it. Raarg was one of his best pack leaders. His pack consistently was one of the top two or three in camp. If Raarg thought there might be a problem with his dogs he should at least hear him out.

“I think you had better explain what you mean, Raarg. I need to know if there is a threat to our mission,” said Howl in a slightly calmer tone than a moment before.

“Thank you. The first thing you need to know is that Luna is prayed to through the six martyred ponies that fell defending her in the Battle of Comberland, where she was eventually captured. Each of the Six is the spiritual head of a ‘Chapter’ or group of dogs that feel that particular martyr is one whose ideals they can follow. For example, I follow the chapter of Dark Shield, third to fall in Luna’s defense. Dark Shield’s motto was ‘Semper Fidelis’ in ancient Roaman, which means ‘Always Faithful’,” Raarg paused, giving Howl a moment or two to absorb the information before continuing.

“It is why you don’t need to worry about me. I will keep faith to the oaths I swore. To you, to the Alpha, to our people. I know what we are doing has to be done. I know, that if it isn’t done, thousands of our people will be dead by the end of the year. So I will keep the faith and do my duty,” dissertation done, Raarg sat back and sipped at his tea.

“Well, Raarg,” said Howl, “that was certainly interesting and more than I really wanted to know but you haven’t explained why that is all suddenly important now and why this could cause some problems with the dogs.”

“Because sir, there is something else you need to know. I didn’t put it into my report but dogs talk and I would be surprised if the whole camp didn’t know by sundown.”

“Raarg, just get to the damn point,” growled Howl, patience exhausted.

“As Valiente made her attempt to break free, she declared herself to be one of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony,” Raarg said evenly.

“She did WHAT??” shouted Howl, aghast.

“She declared herself to be the Element of Generosity,” Raarg confirmed. “And I believe her. When she made her statement, it was like the pronouncement of a goddess. There is more than mortal power in that pony.”

“By all that is holy,” Howl murmured quietly as his eyes lost focus and he gazed into the middle distance. Raarg could see the thoughts whirling behind the den leader’s eyes as he sifted though possibilities and ideas. Howl was known to have a good tactical mind so hopefully he could understand the problem now that Raarg had begun to lay things out for him. If Howl had a weakness it was that he once he decided on a course of action he stuck to it with dogged determination. After a couple of minutes Howl shook himself and began speaking.

“Okay, Valiente is a Bearer of one of the Elements. That makes her of huge value to Equestria,” Howl said as he began to tick off points with his right paw.

“A great part of their security depends on her and the other five Bearers,” Howl said ticking off another point.

“Luna and Celestia would pay almost anything to get her back,” he said as he raised a third claw.

“On the other paw, Equestria’s enemies and rivals would pay as much or more to have Valiente as their bondsmare,” Howl said, raising his fourth claw.

“Combined,” Howl said as he closed his claws into a fisted paw, “it could trigger a bidding war between the powers that could be enough to accomplish our ultimate goal.”

Raarg looked across the desk at Howl with concern in his heart and mind. All Howl could see was the number of bits to be had and how it could accomplish their goal. He couldn’t see the greater implications. Just like he couldn’t see the how ponies were anything but prey.

Raarg’s attention was snapped back as Howl addressed him directly, “Raarg, I have new orders for you. Your pursuit pack is understrength until your casualties heal so I can’t use you for captures. I’m assigning you the task of breaking and taming Valiente. You and your pack already know her and her abilities so I can think of no one better.”

Howl leaned back with a satisfied and confident look. It was a look that Raarg knew was meant to be encouraging but all he could feel was a dawning fear that not only didn’t Howl see the even greater danger but that he could not see it. Suddenly, the tea in his belly was no longer so comforting. But if Howl could not see the danger maybe he could tell Howl about it.

“Sir...with respect, you are still not getting the spiritual aspects of this,” Raarg said with as much deference and respect as he could put into his voice. Howl narrowed his eyes at Raarg but said nothing in reply. Encouraged by that silence Raarg decided to plunge on and lay it all out at once.

“Valiente IS one of the Bearers. One of the six who redeemed our Goddess and brought her back to the waking world. For better or worse my pack has almost certainly been spreading the tale of her capture and the fight with her on the way back. I would be amazed if the camp chaplain hasn’t already heard about her and sent a message to the High Temple of Luna in Doge City asking for guidance. Also, remember what I told you about the chapters? Well the Aegis Moon chapter’s motto is ‘Luna Nos Custodit’ or ‘We Guard the Moon.’ It is quite possible that they might view the taming and sale of Valiente as an offense to the goddess.”

Howl snorted in derision, “Like I care about what a bunch of dusty old priest dogs and religious malingerers are going to say. Look at it this way Raarg. Since the Alpha ordered us on this course of action this we have captured, broken and trained four ponies, not counting Valiente. Their sale has brought in the equivalent of just over a million Equestrian bits. And now, you have brought in one pony, who by herself, could double or triple that amount.”

“So, if anyone in this camp expresses any problem with our mission you send them to me and I’ll straighten them out in a hurry,” Howl finished as real anger began to colour his voice. “You have two weeks to have Valiente in a fit condition for sale. Dismissed.”

Raarg left.

Later that morning
Diamond dog encampment
Holding and training pens

Oddly enough, Rarity found that she had enjoyed the past several hours. She had been bathed, fed, groomed and allowed to rest in relative comfort. After awakening, she had been asked to walk around an enclosure under the eye of an actual physician this morning. After seeing her move and listening to her lungs and heart she had been pronounced fit by the medical dog. The restraint harness and her hobbles had then all been removed. The only bond still on her was the bridle and an attached long lead made of light chain. If not for that, she could almost imagine herself at some expensive health club undergoing a regimen of enforced diet and exercise.

At the moment she stood in the enclosure under the morning sun, the far end of the lead wrapped around a post while a young diamond dog ran over her coat yet again with a brush. By now her coat practically glowed, it was so clean. Rarity noticed that they seemed to have gained something of an audience. Nearly twenty dogs stood around the enclosure watching the scene in the enclosure with various degrees of interest.

“Time to see if I can start a little jealousy within the ranks,” Rarity thought to herself. Turning her head toward the young dog brushing her down she said aloud, “Darling, you are doing the most wonderful job on my coat. I swear I would have to pay a fortune for brushing half as skilled as yours in a Canterlot boutique. Your paws have incredible skill.”

For his part, the young dog blushed and smiled but said nothing. He did however continue to brush her coat in long, sweeping strokes. Glancing at the observers around the enclosure she could see a few of them were indeed giving envious glances toward herself and the dog grooming her. Some of the others had oddly intent looks. Not lustful ones though. Rarity knew that she had beauty enough to draw sexual attraction. Even from non-ponies. Den Leader Howl had been proof enough of that.

As she considered this she noticed the tall form of Raarg approaching with a small entourage of dogs. Rarity put her considerations aside for the moment. Raarg’s approach did not bode well. She had won a small victory the previous day but the mass of straps in Raarg’s paws plus the box being carried by a dog following him told her that the enemy was about to step up his game. Rarity decided to take the initiative.

“Good morning, Raarg,” Rarity called out cheerily. “I have to say, you have some very skilled dogs when it comes to pony grooming.”

For his part, Raarg looked as grim as a storm cloud as he walked up to the fence surrounding the enclosure. Ignoring Rarity, he loudly addressed the dogs in the area who had been taking in the tableau, “If you are not a member of my pack I’m sure you have duties that need doing elsewhere. Leave. Now. “

Startled, most of the dogs began to leave the area. The majority of them leaving with chagrined looks at being caught out loitering. A few however acted with resentment. Rarity noticed that they were the same ones who had been giving her the oddly intent looks while she had been being groomed. One of them even approached Raarg and had an obvious, if very quiet, argument with him. Rarity strained to overhear their conversation but the only word she could make out was ‘Luna’.

After a few minutes all of the dogs had left the area. Only Raarg, the dog grooming her and the other members of Raarg’s pack remained present. Raarg opened the gate of the enclosure and motioned them inside. The dogs took up positions around Rarity upon entering. They had picked up their leader’s mood and all of them were quiet and grim. This made Rarity a little nervous, but as she involuntarily tried to take a step back the long lead jerked taut and halted her movement. The chain’s motion caught Raarg’s eye and he stepped up to the captured pony.

“Valiente,” he addressed her. “It seems I have been assigned to be your trainer and - “

“You mean my enslaver,” Rarity interrupted as she let the lead slacken again. “At least have the courage to call it what it is instead of trying to pretty it up.”

“Yes, Valiente, even so,” Raarg looked like he bitten down on a basket of lemons. “The first thing I need to do is get your training harness on you and get that snare bridle off.” Setting actions to words, Raarg and two other dogs began wrapping and buckling the mass of straps around Rarity. As they worked Rarity held still. Fighting wouldn’t do any good, but if Raarg was telling the truth she was going to have a golden opportunity to break free shortly. As soon as that ring came off her horn they were going to be in the fight of their lives. Rarity began to plan her opening moves for a lightning assault to freedom.

A few moments later though a tug on the lead brought Rarity’s attention back in focus as Raarg said, “Let’s go inside to the support frame.” He and the pack began to lead her inside the building where her bed and the frame that had held her earlier were.

As they walked the short distance Rarity looked over the harness that had been fastened to her as best she could. Black straps, contrasting with her white coat, seemed to be everywhere. Around her barrel, looping over shoulders, thighs and around the back of her neck. There was even a strap going around her tail. She was impressed at the fit. Very snug but neither chafing nor pinching. Another interesting feature was the truly impressive number of drop rings riveted to the harnesses straps. At least two or three on every strap and as she walked they made a pleasant rippling chiming song in time with her motions.

As they reached the frame and the dogs began to attach her via the harness to the frame Rarity asked, “Raarg, I am not resisting or fighting you. Why am I being strapped into this frame again?”

“Because getting the snare bridle off of you is going to cause you great pain,” Raarg replied with some of his former empathy. “We attach you to the frame in case you collapse or we have to get you medical help.”

“It will be that bad?”, Rarity asked with a slight tremor in her lip.

Putting a paw on her shoulder Raarg looked her in the eye saying, “It will likely be worse, Valiente. The snare uses your own magic to keep itself working. We have to sever that connection to get it off and that will hurt. I do not enjoy causing pain but in this case it is necessary. Now, open your mouth.”

Rarity looked up at the dog nervously but complied and Raarg gently but firmly placed the bit in her mouth and pushed it back as far as it would go. Just before it was about to trigger her gag reflex she heard a ‘click’ as the bit reattached to the bridle. Rarity champed on the bit as Raarg opened up the wooden box that had been brought with him. He reached in and pulled out what looked to be an oversized tuning fork. The prongs of the fork were slightly wider than her head and had a small crystal at each tip. Laying that aside Raarg then pulled out what looked to be a wickedly sharp knife. Followed by something that chilled Rarity to the bone.

The third item out of the box was another bridle. This one blue in colour with lavender trim. A line of small blue diamond shaped crystals dangled from the headband and adorned the joins of the straps. Like the bridle currently on her, this one also had a strap attaching an inhibitor ring to it. Obviously meant to stop her from accessing her magic. Finally, across the noseband, was the name ‘Valiente’, picked out in silver thread. The bridle had obviously been made for her specifically and Raarg had maneuvered her into a position where he would be able to bridle her again with relative ease, harnessed as she now was.

Rarity growled back in her throat and despite the futility of it, began to thrash and buck. The frame didn’t even flex. Even Applejack, the strongest of her friends, would have been unlikely to have accomplished anything, were she in Rarity’s position. Raarg stood back to let Rarity wear herself out, confident in the harness and the frame confining the pony. Rarity, after a minute of struggle though, decided to not further waste her strength. There was still a chance that she would be able to access her magic and break free using that.

Stepping back into her line of vision Raarg addressed Rarity, “Rarity, I have never lied to you and I never will. I simply did not mention that I would be putting another bridle onto you after the snare was removed.” Rarity looked up in surprise as Raarg used her actual name.

Raarg continued to speak, holding the bridle where she could clearly see it, “This is your training bridle. It has been made uniquely for you. It’s purpose is to control you, bind your magic and break your will to mine.”

He handed the bridle to a dog and picked up the oversized tuning fork. “It is time for you to cease being Rarity of Ponyville and truly become Valiente, bound slavemare to Raarg of the Diamond Dogs.”

With that he advanced on the captive pony, sliding the fork forward so that the prongs were on either side of her muzzle. As the crystals at the end of the fork drew even with the bit in Rarity’s mouth they began to glow. Purple and black lighting danced on the surface of the crystals. Then, the ends of the fork bent inwards and the crystals touched either end of the bit. Suddenly, Rarity’s head was wreathed in a corona of the lightning from the crystals as the straps of the bridle conducted them all across it’s surface.

Agony tore through the unicorn’s mind and body as every nerve was lit up with dark fire. Conscious thought was impossible and her entire body jerked and flexed as all bodily control vanished. Only the harness and the frame kept her upright. As this was happening to Rarity’s body the bridle about her head was retreating. Slowly, but with increasing speed the straps oozed back into the bit like some viscous tar. Even the inhibitor ring flowed off. In the space of less than half a minute the bridle was reduced to just the bit itself.

This was the moment Rarity had been waiting for. She tried to react, to struggle, to bring out her magic. But liquid fire still coursed through her nerves, scrambling both mind and body. As the dogs had planned, she had no ability to muster the concentration needed for even the most basic of spells. The fork was withdrawn, pulling the bit and absorbed bridle from Rarity’s mouth. Raarg then stepped up beside her, and lifting her head up and to one side deliberately made a long, shallow cut just under her jawline. The wound bled freely.

Rarity’s pain-dazed senses began to recover just as Raarg put the knife aside and slipped the new bridle over her head and its ring over her horn. The blood from the neck wound flowed over one of the straps of the bridle and seemed to drink it in. Seeing this, Raarg picked up the knife again and slashed the pad of his open paw. He pressed it over the strap where it seemed to be absorbing Rarity’s blood. Dog and pony blood mixed and were absorbed together by the strap and the open joins of the bridle began to meet and merge. Closing and sealing the bridle around Rarity’s head.

In a formal voice Raarg intoned, “From this day forth I am your Master. I am responsible for your body, your life and your training. From this day, until the day I free you or I pass the bond to another. I name thee, Valiente, bound to Raarg.”

Hanging limply in the harness Rarity managed the strength to reply with, “In a pig’s eye. My name is Rari -.” She didn’t even manage to finish her name as lightning lanced anew through her head, re-scrambling her thoughts and shattering anew her control over her body.

Lifting her chin and looking her in the eye Raarg asked, “What did you say Valiente?”

Rarity looked up to Raarg in horror as the name he spoke started to echo in her head from some source, “Valiente, Valiente, valiente.”

Tears in her eyes she croaked out to Raarg, “Why? Why would you do this to me?

Softly, almost apologetically Raarg replied, “Because Valiente, my people are dying and your enslavement may be the key to saving us. To save them, I would set the world ablaze and use my soul for tinder.”

Author's Notes:

So, here is the fourth chapter. I've partly revealed a few things. Some of which will be more fully detailed in the next chapter. Others down the road. And not all of the players have yet had their turn upon the stage.

I would have preferred to do more checks but my computer is going into the shop tomorrow due to issues with a cranky graphics card and I wanted to get this chapter out before the weekend. On the weekends I work on an alpaca farm (yes, really) and I find I do some of my best plot and dialogue thinking while mucking the barn or pitching bales of hay around.

So I will be limited to mobile for the next couple of days. I've decided to try to stick with US style punctuation for dialogue and hopefully I've kept it consistent. I've also taken to heart several of your suggestions to help improve my punctuation and formatting. Including switching from Word to LibreOffice with the suggested plug-ins. As always, constructive suggestions are highly appreciated with particular thanks to Damaged and Cross Lament.

Chapter 5: Steep Grade

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Training Enclosure
Diamond Dog Encampment

“What do you mean ‘dying’?” Rarity asked as she lay hanging in the harness, shocked at Raarg’s revelation.

“That is not your concern. What is your concern is obedience. Slaves obey. They are rewarded for it. Defiance and failure will be corrected with pain from now on,” said Raarg.

“If death is not my concern, then I am left with defiance, dog,” declared Rarity as she got her hooves under her.

“Is that so...,” Raarg paused, “Rarity.”

At the sound of her name the bridle about Rarity’s head flashed anew with ebon and verdant lightning. For a full five seconds the world went away into a universe of pain as her nerves were directly and deliberately overloaded with pain. Her hooves again went out from under her and as the shock faded, once again the holding frame was the only thing keeping her upright. Her head hung limp as her resistance died aborning.

Raarg lifted a coiled whip up under her chin and raised her eyes to his, asking, “Now, will you obey?”

Tears flowing from the pain, Rarity croaked out, “Yes...master.”

That had been three hours ago. Since then they had been having her do what they had called ‘movement training’. Raarg and his pack had been having her walk in a circle around Raarg. The width of the circle defined by the length of the long chain lead locked to the unmovable bridle around her head and Raarg had been having her shift from a walk, to a trot, to a canter, to a high stepping prance and back again. In the beginning, it had been easy.

Rarity had spent many hours on a fashion runway and as a student of Equido, so she knew how to move with both control and grace. As she moved her body through the gaits the drop rings on the harness she wore rang and chimed out a merry, tinkling song that changed with every shift of her gait. She had found herself falling into a sense of mindlessness with her motion and the music of the rhythm of her body.

But mistakes were inevitable and whenever she faltered in a gait or failed to lift a hoof quite high enough, Raarg or one of his fellow dogs would send a whip snaking out to leave a burning caress of chastisement over a shoulder, a hip and even once curving up her inner thigh. Worse, Rarity was tiring and mistakes were becoming more frequent.

For the fourth time in ten minutes Rarity gasped as her flank was stung again by the tip of a whip. She had recovered smoothly after other whip strikes, but this time her gasp became a stumble, which then became a trip. Before she knew it she had fallen heavily to her side, head outstretched as the lead had been pulled taut in the fall and had laid out her body in a line with the lead.

Within seconds Raarg had slid into a cross legged sit beside her and was lifting her head onto the cushion of his lap. All she could do was lay there stunned from the fall, trying to get her breath back as Raarg barked out a quick series of orders to the rest of the approaching dogs.

“Growf, get the water and wet sponges. Chopper, Two Fang, check her legs and hooves for damage. Rorg, you check ribs, heart and breathing.” As the dogs went into action Raarg carefully ran his paws over Rarity’s head and neck, probing for wounds. Finding no obvious ones, he began to stroke the unicorn down the length of her neck. Rarity’s breathing began to steady and Raarg locked eyes with each member of his pack. As he did so in turn, each one shook his head to Raarg, indicating he had found no lasting injuries.

“It’s okay, Valiente,” Raarg murmured after the assessment, “you’ve just had the wind knocked out of you. Just lie easy and catch your breath.”

Rarity didn’t hear the last part. With the mention of her other name one of the functions of the enchanted bridle sealed onto her activated and echoed, “Valiente, valiente, valiente” in the vault of her mind. Rarity began to try to struggle to her hooves, or at least to a resting position. But Raarg easily overpowered her attempt with the simple expedient of pushing her head further into his lap. The leverage he had being more than a match for her stunned strength.

“Lie still, Valiente,” Raarg commanded her. As the echo of the name faded in her head again, Rarity decided that lying there really was the best option. The exercise, the whip strikes and the fall had combined to turn her whole body into one big ache which still had her mind in a daze. She let out a huff of air but lay still as Raarg continued to stroke her from forehead to withers. As Rarity felt her body calming, she saw a dog come scrambling up into her field of vision with a water bucket but Raarg waved him off.

“Go get the carry poles,” Raarg told Growf. “I don’t want her walking after a fall like that.” A couple of minutes later poles were attached to some of the drop rings along the top of the harness and Rarity was smoothly lifted once more from the ground. Two things were different this time. This time her legs were free and they dangled a few inches off the ground. That wasn’t a problem. What was happening to her back end though made her gasp.

The training harness was apparently rigged differently than the restraint harness from earlier. When she had been lifted in that harness all parts of her had been supported at their natural points. This harness however, was different. When the upward strain came into this harness the straps at her rear pulled on the strap around her tail, lifting it high into a flagging position. At the same the straps that went around her inner thighs dug in and together they pulled apart the lips of her sex. Exposing her and combined with the induced tail flag it looked like she was begging for a stallion to cover her.

Even though none of the dogs could see Rarity’s exposed marehood from their positions Raarg must either known or suspected what was happening. As a few bare moments after Rarity’s gasp Raarg ordered his dogs into a jog toward the holding pens. The bouncing motion had the effect of releasing and pulling on Rarity’s lower lips repeatedly. Which had the effect of imitating the natural winking action of a mare in heat. By the time they reached her pen, only iron discipline kept her from moaning out loud at the physical stimulus.

Gently, Rarity was lowered onto a bed of soft hay. She let out a sigh as the pull on her tail and vaginal lips eased off as the poles no longer carried her weight. She turned her head to complain to Raarg but he neatly interrupted her saying, “Valiente, have I ever mentioned that my people have a very sensitive sense of smell?”

Rarity blushed furiously.

“Get the bruise cream and let’s massage her legs so her muscles don’t knot up,” Raarg told the dogs around him, letting Rarity deal with her embarrassment. They scrambled up out of the pen to obey their leader, returning a few minutes later with a couple of small jars and a small bucket. The smell of honeyed oat porridge wafting out of the bucket set her empty stomach to rumbling.

“You haven’t been fed since first thing this morning. You must be hungry, Valiente,” Raarg said to Rarity, placing a paw on her shoulder.

“He has to be saying my, that name so often on purpose,” Rarity thought to herself as the mental echoes faded yet again. “Well, neither repetition from him nor this overblown fashion accessory are going to get the better of me!” Aloud she said, “Some food would be wonderful Raarg. I’m absolutely famished.”

Taking his paws off of Rarity he scooped up a double pawful of the warm porridge and held it under her muzzle. The delicious smell of honey and oats flowed up through her nose and set her stomach to audibly grumbling again. Despite her hunger she looked Raarg in the eye saying, “Surely, you are joking? I am more than capable of feeding myself.”

“Everything now comes from the paws of your Master,” Raarg said. “If you wish to eat, you will take the food from my paws. Otherwise, you go hungry.”

Rarity sighed. She wasn’t going to win this fight either. She had to find some way to effectively resist or she might as well surrender right now. She would think of something later, but right now, she was sore, and tired and very, very hungry. As daintily as possible she began to nibble at the porridge. It tasted better than it smelled. A moment later she was almost inhaling the food and before she realized it she was licking Raarg’s paws clean.

“Oh, sorry,” Rarity said, blushing anew.

“Think nothing of it. You were hungry,” Raarg assured her with a mild grin. “Now lay easy and let us take care of you.” With that he directed the pack around her. Chopper and Two Fang, the largest of Raarg’s pack, stripped off the training harness and began to rub a medicinal salve into her legs and flank. Their powerful muscles kneading and rubbing tired muscles and abused skin. The salve and the massage warmed her muscles, kindling a warm glow that spread through her body. The aches and pains began to fade into the pleasant warmth. As Rarity began to feel her head and eyes droop, Growf, the smallest of the pack, began to massage her neck and the back of her head. Further relaxing her toward inevitable slow sleep. She realized that she shouldn’t be this relaxed, this quickly. She knew she should be alarmed at this but it was becoming hard to separate her awareness from the warmth slowly taking her over.

“There was more than honey in that porridge, wasn’t there?” murmured Rarity in a very quiet voice.

“Yes, there were some herbs for pain and to relax your muscles. You’ve done well today, pony. You’ve earned your food and some painless sleep,” came Raarg’s quiet voice. “One last thing before you rest. What was the name we gave you?”

Unthinking of any possible consequences and almost asleep, in an almost inaudible voice Rarity murmured, “Valiente, you named me Valiente.” As the name emerged from her own mouth the bridle around her glowed for a moment and sent a pulse of pleasure through her causing her to let out a small moan. It was her last conscious sensation as the massage, the warmth, the herbs, her full belly, and the bridle all combined and conspired to carry Rarity off to sleep on a cloud of pure bliss.

Author's Notes:

Rarity continues her slow descent into submission and slavery as Raarg chips away at her resistance and free will.

Yes, this is a short chapter even though I had previously said chapter 5 would be a long one. And I had written 7,000 words into it. Then a few days ago I hurt my hand and could not type at all for most of a day. But it gave me the chance to really go over what I had written. I realized I had written 2 or 3 small chapters and had just slammed them together. I decided I could do better.

So, I decided to separate them, flesh them out a bit more and begin incorporating some of the better suggestions I've seen from my readers into them. I hope I've done well by you all.

Chapter 6 and 7 are already roughly written, so 6 will likely be out on the weekend and Chapter 7 a few days after that. The focus on those chapters will be in Canterlot as secrets and consequences of previous actions are revealed.

As always, shout outs to Damaged and Cross Lament. If any of you are thinking of writing you cannot go far wrong by listening to what they have to say. Now...where is that 'publish' button...

Chapter 6: Other Trails, part 1

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Late Afternoon
Canterlot Castle

Twilight Sparkle was sleeping in very, very late. She had gone four days without sleep and then topped it off with a feat of neuromancy that had only succeeded because Princess Celestia had bolstered her. Then on top of that had come the emotional reaction of what she had done with Side Slip. Twilight had been physically, mystically and emotionally wiped out. She had barely made it to her quarters in the castle before collapsing on the bed. Where she had been sleeping the sleep of someone who had worked hard and well. She wanted to keep sleeping but someone started shaking her.

“Mistress,” said whoever the mean pony was shaking her shoulder, “you need to wake up.”

“Five more minutes, Spike,” she mumbled, rolling over.

“Mistress,” the mean pony was shaking her harder now and their voice took on a note of desperation, “we need you to save the castle before Luna or Celestia destroys it!”

“Mawha?” Twilight mumbled, opening bleary eyes. Which saw the form of Side Slip the pegasus learning over her and shaking her shoulder.

“Mistress Twilight, you are needed in Princess Celestia’s rooms, right away,” said the pegasus with growing urgency in his voice.

Twilight sat up in the bed exclaiming, “Side Slip! How are you doing and why are you calling me -” A thunderous detonation cut her off. “What in Tartarus was that?”

Side Slip grabbed her hoof and started pulling. “Please Mistress, we need to hurry!” he begged her. Twilight pushed aside the bed covers and began to scramble out of bed.

“NO SISTER! I SHALL NOT CALM DOWN,” literally thundered a voice from somewhere above. Dust began to float down from the high ceiling as Twilight began to register the cries of panicked ponies fleeing the epicenter of the vocal earthquake.

“Follow me, Side Slip,” yelled Twilight as she opened the door to her room and began to break into a run. “That was Luna using her Royal Canterlot voice! But I’ve never heard it that -”

“IF THEY HAVE HARMED EVEN ONE HAIR UPON HER HEAD, I SHALL VISIT SUCH DOOM UPON THEM AS THIS WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN. I WILL FIND THEIR CRIES FOR MERCY SWEET UPON MINE EARS, BUT THEY SHALL FIND NO SUCCOR FROM MY WRATH!”

“Wow! Princess Luna’s furious,” gasped Twilight as she galloped around a corner and started up a flight of stairs. “Side Slip, can you tell me what happened?”

“Yes Mistress,” said Side Slip as he kept pace with her. “When Princess Luna found out about what the Diamond Dogs have been doing to ponies, she got mad. She’s been mad ever since the Griffon Ambassador gifted me to Celestia. Then she found out about your friend,” He paused, “The servants said they had never seen smoke actually come out of someone’s ears before.”

They finished the climb up the staircase and entered the corridor leading to the solar monarch’s sitting room. The once immaculate marble floor of the corridor was crazed with cracks and one of the double doors of the sitting room leaned drunkenly from its single surviving hinge. The other door was missing completely. Spilling into the corridor could be seen bursts of ebon and golden magics Together the pair of ponies charged down the corridor, past a pair of stunned senseless guardponies and into the doorway.

Twilight and Side Slip looked in on a scene of utter devastation. The furniture and accouterments of the room weren’t just broken, they had been shattered into splinters. Princess Luna, the Lunar Diarch, was hovering three feet off the ground. Her eyes shone white and she was wreathed in the crackling nimbus of her power. She wore black armour, and on either side she bore a sheathed longsword. Twilight recognized the hilts of the blades as belonging to two of the famous Zodiac Swords. A set of twelve blades, made of pure star stuff and enchanted by Star Swirl the Bearded for Princess Luna’s personal use. They were said to be strong enough to cut through a mountain and sharp enough to cut a sigh in half.

Opposite Luna was her sister. Celestia, for her part was also wreathed in her own mantle of power but was otherwise unarmed and unarmoured. The floor around where she stood was clear, and though Celestia’s stance was neutral her face showed a mix of emotions. Prime among them was concern for her sister as she tried to defuse Luna’s rage.

“Luna, they are desperate. I’ve spent all day talking with our contacts in the other nations and they all say the same thing about the diamond dogs. That their crops are failing. That their young grow weakly and sick. Illness and disease are rampant. The other nations all thought we knew. Luna, the diamond dogs are dying!” pleaded Celestia.

“LET...THEM...DIE,” pronounced Luna, each word like the hammer stroke of an angry god.

“Sister, you can’t just go charging in,” Celestia begged with her sister. “They have the weapons to destroy you at best and make you their plaything at worst. You know that. You are too important to Equestria, too important to me, to be -”. Suddenly both diarchs took notice of the pair in the door at the same time.

“TWILIGHT,” boomed Luna in the Royal Canterlot Voice, turned down only slightly, “THOU ART THE PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP. EXPLAIN TO MY SISTER THAT AS FRIEND TO FAIR RARITY I MUST BRING AN END MOST FINAL TO THOSE WHO WOULD HARM HER, NO MATTER THE COST TO MYSELF.”

“Luna, please, lower your voice and let’s talk about this,” said Twilight, trying to calm the princess.

“Sister, if you won’t listen to me, listen to Twilight,” Celestia added. “She is your friend too.”

Luna’s eyes stopped glowing but she held onto her power as she spoke to the lavender alicorn in a much more normal volume, “For you Twilight, I will try to moderate my anger. Twilight, you, Rarity and the others are mine closest friends. I owe you all so much. How can I not go to her in her time of need?”

Twilight could see that Luna was poised on the edge of deadly violence. Only the need to explain herself to Celestia had held her back so far. The wrong words could push Luna over the edge. But the right ones could also pull her back from it. Choosing her words with care Twilight said, “Luna, you ARE a good friend, but Rarity wouldn’t want you putting yourself in danger for her and she really wouldn’t you becoming some sort of avatar of death and destruction to save her. She wouldn’t consider it fashionable.”

The words seemed to strike home as Luna lowered herself to the floor and released the hold she had on her power. Looking down she said, “Rarity would say that, wouldn’t she?” With a swirl of her magic she dismissed both armour and blades sighing. “Sister, I’m sorry. My rage stole my reason. Rarity and the others brought me back to you after a thousand years. They healed my soul by helping me defeat the Tantibus. I want to help Rarity so badly it hurts. Can you forgive me?”

Celestia released her own mantle of power. The golden glow fading away. “Oh sister,” she said, folding Luna into a hug as tears began to flow from the eyes of both diarchs, “of course I forgive you. You are only worried about Rarity like the rest of us. It shows how much you care that you are willing to risk so much for a friend.”

Twilight smiled, seeing the exchange, tears pricking at her own eyes. She felt a warmth across her back. Side Slip had stepped up beside at some point and had now spread a wing across her in an unconscious gesture. He too was taking in the scene between the two royal sisters and his eyes were also suspiciously wet.

Twilight spread one of her own wings across Side Slip in a matching gesture of comfort. The two wings crossed each other, primary and secondary feathers intermingling, into a lavender and brown blanket that spread a comforting warmth between the two. It just felt right to stand there like that.

Sniffling a bit, Luna looked up from the hug with her sister toward the pair, “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle. You said what I needed to -” She paused, eyes widening and horn igniting, “Oh my, we had no idea that you had taken a mate. Please, introduce us to your special somepony.”

“Um...aba...What?” Twilight babbled in shock. Then she looked at where her and Side Slip’s wings were interwoven. At how close the two of them stood. She suddenly realized how they must look like a couple. “No, we aren’t, we haven’t,” Twilight stuttered, blushing. Panicked with embarrassment, Twilight jerkily tried to retract her wing, only to discover that her sudden movement had fouled her and Side Slip’s feathers together.

“Twilight, Side Slip, freeze in place,” quietly commanded Celestia, releasing her sister from their hug. “Both of you, relax your wings. Let them lay where they were.” Both ponies obeyed and the two wings lay flat again.

“Sister,” interjected Luna. “Did I say something wrong? Look at how their auras are mingled.”

“Luna, that’s Side Slip. The pony I told you about. The one I helped Twilight heal last night,” Celestia explained.

“Oh, OH!” said Luna, in obvious understanding.

“Well, could someone explain it to me?” Twilight asked.

“Hush for a moment, Twilight,” replied Celestia, “First we have to see how extensive this is. Side Slip, Twilight, please close your eyes.”

“Of course, Princess,” “Yes, Celestia,” replied the pair as they obeyed the command of the solar monarch.

“Now, Side Slip. I want you to picture Twilight in your mind’s eye. Picture her hooves, her legs, her body...now picture her wing across yours. Can you feel it’s warmth?”, asked Celestia in a quiet but clear voice.

“Yes, yes I can. It’s a good warmth. I can feel it coming off of her.”

“Good,” said Celestia in a quiet, almost rhythmic voice. “Sink into that warmth, become part of it. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes, my princess,” said Side Slip in an almost murmur, “I’m a part of the warmth, it’s a part of me.”

“I thought you would be able to do it,” said Celestia in that same rhythmic voice. “Now, follow that warmth, follow it into Twilight, into the heart of the good mare that she is.”

“Yes, princess,” murmured Side Slip. “I’m there. Oh, Princess. I can feel her,” he added with awe in his voice.

“Side Slip, describe for me everything you can feel from Twilight,” Celestia paused, then added, “and anything you can hear from her as well.”

“She is feeling love, and trust for you. Friendship towards Princess Luna. She’s embarrassed and concerned about me. Worry for her other friend. Oh, and curiosity about how I’m doing this. And, if I concentrate really hard I can almost hear her thinking that bit as well,” said Side Slip in an almost monotone.

“Well done, Side Slip,” praised Celestia continuing in that rhythmic cadence. “In a moment I’m going to ask you to open your eyes. When I do so you will be fully back within your own body, but any time I ask you in the future, you will again be able to find Twilight’s warmth and follow it to her heart.”

“Yes, my Princess,” said Side Slip, “I would do anything to be part of her warmth.”

“I know you would,” said Celestia, who then suddenly shifted to a normal tone. “Now, open your eyes.”

Side Slip did as he had been bidden and opened his eyes. He blinked them a few times, like someone emerging from a restful sleep. He looked around and noticed the wing that had fouled with Twilight’s was no longer tangled with hers and was now properly furled at his side.

“While my sister spoke with you, I took it upon myself to untangle you,” supplied Luna with a smile. “She and I have run into similar problems in the past with each other.”

“Yes, we have,” agreed Celestia with a smile herself at past memories. “Now, Side Slip, could you please head down to Twilight’s room and wait for her there?”

“Of course, Princess Celestia,” said Side Slip as he left the room.

“Twilight, did you catch all of that?” asked Celestia.

“Yes, Princess. But how was he able to do that? How could he sense my feelings and even hear my thoughts?” asked the puzzled pony.

“I will explain everything in a moment. But first, I’m going to ask you to do something. When I do, I want you to obey instantly without question or thought. Can you do that for me?” Celestia asked Twilight.

“O-okay Princess. I’m ready,” responded Twilight.

“Twilight, I need you to point to where Side Slip is right now,” Celestia commanded Twilight in a voice that begged, no demanded, instant obedience. In response to the command of her mentor and monarch Twilight immediately shot out a hoof down and to one side.

“Twilight, open your eyes and look where you are pointing,” said Celestia in much gentler voice. “Tell me why you pointed in that direction.”

“Um, it just felt like the right direction,” Twilight paused, then continued, “and it’s weird, but I can almost sort of see Side Slip through the walls as a kind of warm ball of light.”

“That’s pretty much what we expected. Luna, could you explain what’s going on to Twilight?” asked Celestia. “I need to arrange for a cleaning and repair crew.”

“Of course, Sister,” Luna replied. “But please, let me take care of the cleanup once I explain to Twilight what has happened. It was my anger that caused this mess. Let me be the one to fix it.”

“As you wish Luna,” said Celestia with a smile and then stood back as Luna began to speak to Twilight.

“Well, Twilight. First, my apologies for assuming that you and Side Slip were mates. However, in my defence I have to say it was a reasonable reaction seeing the two of you together and seeing how blended your auras were.” said Luna.

“You said that before, What do you mean, our auras are blended?” asked Twilight.

“Twilight, you and Side Slip may not have physically mated but you have been almost as intimate with each other as it is possible for two ponies to be. You see, you put a part of yourself into Side Slip when you performed your feat of neuromancy on him. That part of you is still there. Still bridging the gaps within his mind and psyche. In time, with some luck, his own magic will use your framework to heal himself fully and take the place of those bridges. But until then, he will have a direct link to you, through that part of your essence that resides inside of him. And in turn, you will always be able to know where he is. Much as you know where your tail or your ear is, by sensing that part of yourself in him.” Luna paused, noting how wide and unblinking Twilight’s eyes had become.

“Um, Twilight, didst thou hear all I said?” Luna asked, poking Twilight in the shoulder with a hoof. Getting no response, Luna looked over at Celestia, grinned, and said, “Sister, I believe I may have broken thy student.”

Celestia giggled a little and walked over to the two other princesses. She waved a hoof in front of Twilight’s eyes, “Equestria to Twilight Sparkle. Come in, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight blinked and focused, “Oh! Star Swirl’s Law of Thaumic Transference. I should have realized.” The royal sisters exchanged a look and an eye roll over Twilight’s head.

“Yes, Twilight. And it is part of the reason why neither Luna nor myself can risk ourselves being within a hundred miles of the Badlands,” said Celestia.

Chapter 6: Other Trails, Part 2

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“Um, what do you mean Princess? I know you mentioned earlier that there was some sort of risk to Princess Luna but you didn’t say you were in danger as well,” said Twilight.

“Indeed there is. Luna, if you agree, I’m going to take Princess Twilight to The Vault,” said Celestia in a way that capitalized the letters.

“She has the maturity, responsibility and dedication for it. Plus it will explain to her why you did not want me to try to take a direct hoof in matters. I say ‘yea’,” answered Luna. She turned to face the youngest alicorn in the room, “Twilight, my sister proposes and I agree, that you are suitable to know of secrets most fell. But we shall not burden you with such knowledge without your own agreement. Are you willing to be among the number that are aware of these things?”

“Princess, when have I ever turned down the chance to learn something new? Of course, I am willing,” answered Twilight.

“Even if someday that knowledge may require you to make a terrible choice for the good of all Equestria?” insisted Luna.

“If it would be for the good of Equestria, I would be up for the task,” said Twilight solemnly.

Again the two sisters shared a silent look. Luna of consideration and acceptance. Celestia’s was one of pride at how far her student had come. “Very well,” said Celestia, “Twilight, walk with me.

Leaving behind the Lunar Princess, Celestia and Twilight left the sitting room and made their way through the castle. Down they went, further and further. Until they began to enter the very bowels of the castle. Finally, they reached a long corridor that lead to an iron door. In front of the door stood a single solar guard, standing at attention. As they walked down the corridor though, Twilight had the feeling of many eyes watching her and she spotted several openings in the walls and ceiling that could easily be used to shoot things through. As they approached the lone visible guard challenged them.

“Is Equestria in danger?” demanded the guard.

“No, Guardian. I am here to show Princess Twilight the Vault. Equestria is safe,” answered Celestia.

“Very good.” said the guard. Who then unlocked the iron door and swung it open. To Twilight’s surprise the door opened to reveal a mirror behind it. Similar to the one Twilight had used to travel to Sunset Shimmer’s world, but different. Where that mirror was bright and reflective, this one was ominous and dark.

“Where does it go?” Twilight asked Celestia.

“To a secret vault that lies somewhere in Equestria. Its location is so secret even I don’t know for certain where it is. Let’s step through and I will explain more on the other side,” said Celestia. Together the two ponies then stepped through the magic mirror. Where Twilight found that they had come out into a long wide corridor. The walls, floor and ceiling were all made of some type of smooth stone. About every twenty to thirty feet was an iron door inscribed with a cutie mark or other inscription. The hallway itself was lit with glowing stones and at each door stood both a solar and a lunar guard.

“Twilight, welcome to the Vault. Behind each of these doors is a weapon, or a tool, or a device, or a stratagem that will destroy with utter finality the most dangerous threats to all of Equestria. If Friendship fails, if Harmony falls, when death is preferable to the alternative, here lie the weapons of last resort,” said Celestia with a voice that could have carved granite.

Twilight looked around and her eyes lit upon the first door. Inscribed upon it were the cutie marks of Luna and Celestia. Gasping in surprise, Twilight spun toward Celestia.

“Yes, Twilight. Luna and I are first on the list of threats. Can you imagine the devastation should either Luna or I turn our minds to destruction?” said Celestia. “Do you remember when you were chasing Starlight Glimmer through alternate worlds?”

“Yes, I do,” answered Twilight, “every world was worse than the last one. Until...” Her voice trailed off. A look of sick horror coming over face as she looked up at Celestia.

“Until you came to a world where everything was dust and ash. A world devoid of all life. A world where I had become Nightmare Star and had burned the world,” Celestia said. “As long as there are beings that can do that there need to be weapons to stop them.”

“Why didn’t you use one of these weapons on Tirek?” asked Twilight.

“We did,” answered Celestia, “You.” Twilight’s eyes widened in shock. “And if Discord hadn’t had his power added to Tirek’s you would have killed Tirek in battle. But we hadn’t updated the plan to account for Discord being loose,” Celestia paused a moment, taking in Twilight’s expression of shock. “If you want to back out, I will think no less of you. We have a Zebrican potion here that will erase your memory of the past ten minutes, so you won’t have to carry the knowledge of what you have seen.”

“No Princess,” said Twilight as she shook off the shock of what she was being told. “I said I could handle this and I can. It’s just a bit of a shock, is all.”

“I had a feeling you would say that, but I had to make the offer. Come, I’m going to show what lies inside the vault for Luna and me,” said Celestia. As the door opened she followed Celestia through, entering a stone room along with the guards who had been been guarding the door.

“Twilight, please stand inside the silver circle opposite mine and let the guards secure you in place,” ordered Celestia moving to stand within her own silver circle set into the floor. Each circle was inscribed with a number of runes and was surrounded by a ring of ring bolts set into the floor. As Twilight moved to obey she could see the two guards begin to chain Celestia in place with multiple restraints.

First, all four hooves had cuffs locked onto them. Each cuff was then chained to four different ring bolts. Then what looked like an overlarge corset was wrapped around Celestia entire barrel, trapping her furled wings beneath it. The corset was secured on Celestia’s underside. Padlocks securing the ends together and chains running from the locks to ring bolts on either side. A padded collar was then locked around her neck and again chains ran off in four directions preventing any movement. Finally, three inhibitor rings were strapped to Celestia’s horn, cutting off all access to magic.

Twilight gulped as the guards finished their task with Celestia and began to move towards her.

“It’s okay, Twilight,” Celestia called, her bonds rattling and clinking as she tested them, “if either of us broke free during the next few minutes it would be an utter disaster. The restraints are for our safety.” Twilight did her best to hold still as the guards secured her in the same manner as her mentor. By the time the guards were done all either alicorn could do was to turn their heads to look at each other.

“You have three minutes once we leave Princess, and the shield is set for a three minute exposure,” said the guard.

“Thank you, that should be plenty of time,” replied Celestia to the guard, “Twilight and I will see you in six minutes or so, then.” The guard left, the sound of locks slamming into place coming from the door. Then, the ratcheting of some sort of mechanism could be heard clicking away through the walls.

“Princess, what is going on? Why are we chained like this and what does any of this have to do with what is going on?” demanded Twilight. She was trying to hold still but could not stop herself from testing her own bonds. There was no give at all. She was inescapably held in a firm metal grasp.

“Twilight, at the end of the war with the Crystal Empire, Luna and I attacked Sombra directly, in his throne room, on his own ground.(1) We were winning the war and we did that anyway. Do you know why?” asked Celestia.

“Not exactly, no. Everyone has always assumed you wanted to bring the war to a quicker end to save more ponies,” answered Twilight after a long pause.

“Only in part. Luna and I attacked because we were afraid. We had learned that Sombra had created a weapon specifically meant to destroy Luna and myself. A weapon that incorporated a portion of our essences. And just like how Side Slip is able to reach into you through your essence in him, so too can Sombra’s weapon reach into us and unmake what we are. We had to strike before he could use it on us.”

“That’s horrible! But what do you mean ‘unmake you’ and you still haven’t explained why we are chained?”

“Sombra did not just want to conquer Canterlot. He wanted Luna and myself as alicorn broodmares. He knew we would rather die than submit, even if he won the war. So his weapon was intended to unmake us as princesses and turn us into willing sexual slaves to his lusts. To not just allow ourselves to be violated but to make us want and crave it.”

“And our chains?” asked Twilight, trying to move her neck back and forth more than the half inch the chains and collar allowed.

“To keep either of us from using the weapon on me while I show you its power. Now brace yourself. The shield is about to come down,” said Celestia.

The ratcheting sound that had been in the background suddenly ended in a large ‘clunk’ and a section of the wall opposite the pair slid down. Revealing a pair of glass cubes bolted to a shelf in the revealed niche. In either cube was a leather bridle. The bridle on the left was dyed white, set with sunstones and the words ‘Conquered Sun’ in gold stitching. The one on the right, midnight blue, set with moonstones and the words ‘Chained Moon’ in silver stitches. Both bridles began to glow with magic auras. Twilight could feel the malevolence coming from the enchanted bridles. Some horrified part of her absently noted that the leather of the bridles was tanned pony hide.

“They’re horrible,” Twilight said in a quiet voice, “they’re beautiful.”

“They had to be, they had to be beautiful so the piece of us in them would feel at home. And they had to be horrible so as to twist and corrupt that self-same piece of Luna and I,” Celestia gasped as the aura of the golden bridle began to wash over her fur.

Celestia moaned and shuddered visibly, “The piece of us in the bridles wants to be whole again so it tries to come to us. But it was corrupted by Sombra to make me into the willing slave of whoever puts it onto me. And,” Celestia paused as another shudder wracked her frame. “At this range it’s power affects me directly. If it wasn’t in the cube it would fly to me under it’s own power and bind me to it. Even now it’s trying to make me walk over to it and put it on. To submit to Sombra, or absent him the closest pony that can use dark magic, as he did.” Celestia sent a smoldering look over to Twilight.

“Celestia, please focus! If the weapon is here why can’t you or Luna go to the Badlands?” Twilight pleaded to her mentor as she saw Celestia’s will crumbling before the corrupting onslaught of Sombran relic.

“The dogs,” Celestia gasped, “The Diamond Dogs were Sombra’s allies. Some of them even after they signed the treaty with us. Sombra almost certainly sent them duplicates of the bridles along with all the other weapons he sent to them. Sombra...was too intelligent not...to have made backups.” Celestia began to tug and pull on her bindings, as her will was washed away in golden light. “Please Twilight, “ Celestia begged, “I can’t resist it anymore, I beg you, take the bridle, take me, make me yours.”

“I -,” Twilight paused as a feeling of warmth began to spread over her. The auras of the bridles had spread to cover the entire room. She suddenly realized she had been so worried about Celestia that she hadn’t considered that the bridle might affect her as well. Twilight decided a moment later that it didn’t matter though. Why shouldn’t she bridle Celestia? She was right there. Chained, helpless and utterly delicious. Celestia’s tail was flagging now, spreading the scent of her glorious arousal around the chamber. All Twilight could think of was how good it would be to plunge her muzzle into that scent. To taste the golden nectar of the golden princess. To conquer the sun.

“Just a moment Celestia, give me a moment to fetch your bridle and then you will be mine,” Twilight almost purred to the writhing alicorn near her. Twilight remembered Pinkie showing her how to slip out of cuffs as part of a magic trick. Just a few twists and she should be able to get a hoof free.

“Oh Goddess, yes! Please Twilight, I want to be yours so badly. Claim me, breed me,” Celestia begged as liquid from her arousal began to run down one leg and she fought even harder against the chains, the collar and the corset. If Celestia had been able to generate even a little momentum things might have been different. But the slack needed simply wasn’t there. Which drove the alabaster alicorn into an even greater frenzy that had nowhere to go.

“There!” exclaimed Twilight, as she slipped a fore hoof free from a cuff. Moving quickly, she reached up and worked the inhibitor rings off her horn. The solar princess would be hers. None would claim Celestia before her faithful student. She had earned the right to possess Celestia in trial after trial. Regaining her magic, Twilight created a force dome close around her, which severed the chains securing her in place. The cuffs, collar and corset remained locked onto her but without securing chains they could do nothing from stopping Twilight from achieving her destiny of becoming Celestia’s mistress.

Nothing could stop Twilight now, except the fail-safe. Rigged to activate if the bonds securing either pony were severed or broken, the silver rune ring around Twilight erupted and encased her in a dome of magic, trapping her in place.

“NOOoooooo”, she howled, beating at the dome with her hooves. When it failed to give way she began to blast the dome with bolt after bolt of magic. She was still blasting at it thirty seconds later when the section of wall began to slide back up again. Ten more seconds and the section of wall was back in place.

And with the shield back in place the corrupting influence of the bridles was suddenly cut off. Twilight shook her head, as she began to clear her mind of the dark influence. All lust and desire for Celestia was suddenly cut off replaced by a deep embarrassment. Looking around through the dome she could see Celestia still shuddering but slowly bringing herself back under control.

“Don’t feel embarrassed Twilight,” said Celestia in a much steadier voice as she steadily took deep, cleansing breaths. “You’ve felt Sombra’s magic before. You know how powerful and how corrupting it is. Your reaction was absolutely what it should have been.” Celestia paused again for a few breaths, “Besides, if it came down to the destruction of Equestria on one hoof or my becoming your slavemare on the other, I know that you would take good care of me at least.”

A few seconds later and Twilight could hear the door unlocking as the guards came in. The guards took in the scene in the room. One of them began to towel down Celestia immediately. His nostrils flared at the scent of arousal in the room but otherwise he didn’t react at all to her state. As for Twilight, the other guard looked at her and asked her how she had freed herself. After she had explained how she had slipped one of the cuffs he nodded and triggered the release for the dome, freeing Twilight. Twilight got the feeling that the manner in which she answered had been as important as the words she spoke. He then proceeded to remove the remains of Twilight’s restraints from her.

A couple of minutes later Celestia was completely freed as well and was once again fully herself. As the alicorns began to leave Celestia thanked the guards for their service and their professionalism. Turning to Twilight as they began to walk back toward the entrance Celestia said, “As you saw you can’t protect yourself from a part of yourself. It’s what makes those bridles so dangerous to Luna and myself. It’s also why you need to careful around Side Slip. He has part of you inside him. Deliberately or not, he might influence it and alter your perceptions of and for him. It likely won’t happen but you need to be aware of the possibility. Now, did you have any questions?”

“Yes, Princess I do have two questions,” Twilight asked. “What are we going to do to help Rarity now and is there a vault here with my cutie mark on it?”

Very late that evening
The Dreamscape

Rarity felt that she had walking for hours through the featureless darkness. Up ahead, she spotted a light, so she headed towards it. As she drew near she could see a table, complete with a pair of comfy looking chairs and a tea set with steam coming from the tea pot. Near the table, just inside the circle of light, Rarity could just see what appeared to be a steel cage. It’s door hung open and empty chains and shackles hung from its bars. Sitting on one of the chairs by the table was a pony shaped form that wore a cloaked hood.

“May I have a seat?” Rarity asked as she approached the table. The figure silently gestured to the chair opposite and Rarity sat down.

“Do you mind if I have a cup of tea?”, she asked the hooded figure.

“Not at all,” said the pony under the hood in a familiar sounding voice, “in fact, let me pour that for you.” The pony poured tea for Rarity and as the tea was slid across the table the pony passing the tea pulled back the hood she wore revealing, a twin to Rarity herself! Or nearly so. The mare across from Rarity had her face and features but the other pony had her mane woven into a tight braid and she wore a bridle that lacked buckles to allow its removal.

“For lack of another name, call me Valiente. And we need to talk.”

Chapter 7: Other Riders

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Very late evening
The Dreamscape

Rarity stared at her doppelganger in shock. Other than the braid and the bridle, the pony across the table was an exact duplicate of her. “To date,” Rarity said, “I have been snared, chased, fought, molested, lassoed, whipped, bridled, harnessed, shocked, chained, drugged and leashed. I have been through all that, only to face an evil duplicate of myself in my own dreams. I cannot think of a worse, possible, thing.”

“Oh please, darling,” replied the duplicate, Valiente, ”there is no need to be so dramatic for me. I’m not someone you need to impress or wheedle something out of.”

“Really,” said Rarity, cocking an eyebrow. “How could you not be anything other than some sort of creation of that evil thing locked about my head?”

“Dear, what is our cutie mark?” asked Valiente.

“Three blue diamonds,” replied Rarity automatically, then thought for a moment. “Wait, are you saying that you’re a facet?”

“Exactly,” said Valiente, “just as a diamond needs many facets to shine brightly so too do we. I am the facet of you, well us, that is concerned with doing things for others that involve desire, pleasure, and sex. You know, the important things in life.

Rarity snorted, “Next thing I know, you will be telling me that on some level I want to submit to all this, you diabolical doppelganger.”

“Dear, I’m a part of you. I’ve seen the reading material we have in the night table by the bed,” replied Valiente. “Blazing Saddles, Bridled Passion, even that incredibly trashy Fifty Shades of Hay.”

“You are going to have to better than that to convince me that you’re some part of me. Particularly some sort of sexually submissive part of me. I don’t have a submissive bone in my body!” Rarity declared hotly.

“I never said anything about submission dear, you did, but that is a good part of what I am as well,” Valiente replied. “And just to convince you that I am a facet of you, how about I trot out a few examples in that area.”

“Like what?” Rarity demanded.

“Like the dozens of times you’ve ‘accidentally’ tangled your fore hooves in your own measuring tape and then spent minutes tugging at it instead of just pulling it off. Like how within minutes of meeting Twilight Sparkle, you had her saddled and then corseted. Like when Spike came to rescue you from the Diamond Dogs a few years back he charged in riding Twilight,” Valiente provided. “A Twilight that he had bridled and was holding the reins of. You remember that flash of jealousy when you saw that? That brief flash of you wearing that bridle with Spike riding you instead of Twilight, moving you to his will by the pressure of his knees or a tug on the reins. Shall I go on?”

“All right, those things all did happen,” admitted Rarity as she felt her face heat, “but you can’t tell me that I want what’s happening now. That I want to be some sort of...some sort of sex slave.”

“Of course not, dear,” said Valiente in a comforting tone. “You are a determined, driven mare. You control a growing fashion empire. But every so often you do want somepony to take control. Somepony to make all the decisions. To take control of you and just let you feel, without consequence or control.”

Rarity took this in and thought for a minute. It made sense. Sometimes, she had felt the temptation to have someone else, at least for a short time, take control and make all the decisions, so she could just indulge herself in sensation. No one else knew all the things this part of her had spoken of. Rarity made up her mind.

“Okay, you’ve convinced me,” said Rarity, “but if you’re a facet what does that make me?”

“That should be obvious,” replied Valiente. “You are the conscious mind, the intellect, the primary facet, as it were.”

“Well, this facet can’t be in too good of shape if she’s having conversations with herself,” said Rarity.

“Normally, you wouldn’t. You couldn’t, but obviously something has changed,” said Valiente, getting up from the table and tapping the bridle around her head with one hoof.

“The Tartarus damned bridle,” growled Rarity.

“The bridle,” Valiente confirmed. “Every time it triggers it makes me stronger and you weaker. You’re a lapidary along with everything else. Where does the facet concept take you?” Valiente prompted.

Rarity got up from the table as well and began pacing, unconsciously mirroring Valiente on the opposite side of the table. “When you cut a diamond, the first facet, the primary facet, is the most important. All the other facets are related to it and are based off of it,” said Rarity.

“Keep going,” said Valiente. Rarity nodded and considered her thoughts.

“But sometimes, you have to change the primary facet mid-cut,” Rarity continued. “When you do that you end up changing the whole diamond because everything is based off that primary facet. Sweet Celestia,” Rarity exclaimed, “that’s it!”

“You are the intellect, darling,” said Valiente, “spell it out for me.”

“They are trying to change the primary facet of, well, us,” said Rarity. “So that everything I am, is based off the desire to be submissive and controlled and feeling good about being submissive and controlled. To want it. To need it.”

“On the nose dear, and the tool they are using to cut their new facet is our name and how our name defines us. That is the blade they are using and the bridle, is the hammer driving it,” said Valiente. “To demonstrate, be a dear and say your name for me.”

“What? Um, Val-..Rarity, my name is Rarity,” stumbled Rarity as she breathed a sigh of relief at not getting shocked. At least not by her own thoughts.

“See what I mean? It’s becoming harder for you to think of yourself as Rarity,” commented Valiente. “In awhile you are going to stop trying to be Rarity and when that happens I will become the primary facet of us.”

Valiente walked up beside the steel cage that sat just inside the light and began running a hoof along its top. “Come and take a look at this,” she said to Rarity. Rarity approached to take a good look at the cage, from a few safe feet away. Too many horror stories had parts where the bad pony said, “Take a look at this.” Just before shoving the heroine into some dire peril as she bent to look at whatever the diversion was.

The cage was made of steel. Just high enough that a pony could stand inside without hitting their head. There was a soft pad on its floor, which was both long and wide enough for a pony to lay down on. From each corner extended a length of silver chain that terminated in an open, delicately engraved, hoof cuff. From the top also dangled a silver chain, this one ending in a silver collar and of a size that would wrap snugly around either of their throats.

“What is this cage for, Valiente?” asked Rarity warily.

“This?” Valiente replied, “This is where I sit, caged and chained, and watch the world go by from behind your eyes.”

“I’m sorry, dear,” apologized Rarity, “I had no idea.”

“Nothing to apologize for,” replied Valiente. “This is where I’m supposed to be. The cage keeps me safe from danger. The cuffs and chains keep me from hurting myself if I thrash around.”

“But you aren’t in the cage right now,” said Rarity.

“No, I’m not and if things keep going the way they are, this cage is going to become your home and you will lie here watching the world go by from behind my eyes, instead of the other way around,” Valiente looked over her shoulder at Rarity with sad eyes. “I wouldn’t like that. I don’t want to be in charge so I would have to let others be in charge of me.”

“Raarg,” said Rarity.

“Raarg, at first. Then anyone he chose to give us over to. It would be a paradise for me. Nothing to do but what I am told to do. No worries, no fears. Just the satisfaction of pleasing my Master or Mistress, in all things,” added Valiente.

“A paradise for you but a nightmare for me. I would like to think I would be screaming from inside that cage. Still fighting, even then,” Rarity said, with some fear in her voice.

“Then unless you want that to happen you need to change something,” said Valiente. “Resist harder, find some way to lessen the effects, find some allies or make some friends because otherwise this cage is going to become your ‘forever home’.”

The light above began to dim.

“What...What’s happening?” asked Rarity with a quaver in her voice.

“I do believe that you are waking up,” said Valiente who then proceeded to back herself into the cage. “Be a dear, and close the cage door for me.” Rarity did so and the lock on it snapped shut by itself. Moving of their own accord, the cuffs and collar latched onto their targets. Securely restraining Valiente in their grasp as she sighed in satisfaction. As the light began to go out completely Rarity heard Valiente speak once more.

“If you do manage to get us out of this in one piece, do me a favour? Find someone you trust and bring me out to play once in awhile with them. I think both of us would enjoy that.”

Near Midnight
The Badlands
Rarity’s holding pen

Rarity awoke with a sudden upright jerk of her head. The...dream? Had been entirely too real, too vivid. Had she really just had conversation with a part of her own personality? Dream or internal conversation, the mare in her mind had been right about one thing. The dogs were changing her as surely as dye slowly creeping across a piece of fabric. Speaking of which, some of Raarg’s pack were clustered around her in sleep. Their steady deep breathing making a soothing rhythm and the warm, furry bodies pressed up against her combining to make a natural soporific.

Which was banished by an icy realization. There was no lead line attached to her bridle! The lead, her leash, had been a companion almost as constant as the bridle itself during her captivity. Looking over to one side of the pen she could see it’s links gleaming in the moonlight. One end was indeed locked to the wall of the pen, but the other had not been attached as usual to her bridle. Rarity began to move very, very carefully. She had an opportunity here. A possible chance to make a run for it.

“Step one,” she thought to herself, “make sure there truly is nothing holding me here.” Rarity slowly began to examine herself, from muzzle to skirt. The bridle was there but not attached to anything. Her mane had indeed been braided in her sleep. Quite intricately too, with ribbons woven into the braid. She spent a moment checking the braids and the ribbons. Not attached to anything other than her. Good. Next, legs. No hobbles or cuffs. No chains, ropes or strings. Body, also clear. No harness. She could, in fact, see it hanging on a peg on the wall. Looking to her tail she saw it had also been brushed and braided. A wide ribbon had been wrapped around the dock and the ribbon’s length had woven into the braiding of her skirt hairs. Whatever Raarg had put in her food must have been really strong for her not to have woken for any of that.

“Step two,” she thought, “stand up without disturbing any of the dogs around me.” Slowly, with painstaking care, Rarity drew in one limb, then another until all four of her legs were tucked beneath her. One of the larger dogs, Chopper she thought his name was, stirred in his sleep. Rarity froze until the dog’s breathing settled back into the steady rhythm of sleep. Then she rose to her full height.

“Step three, exit the pen without waking the dogs,” went through her head as picked her way across the pen to its gate. Every step placed as softly and with as much care as possible. She reached the gate. She pushed it slightly, it hadn’t been latched or locked. Rarity began to push the gate open. It creaked. Heart in her throat, she looked back at the pile of sleeping dogs.

Only to see Growf, the youngest and smallest of the pack, looking right back at her. Rarity’s throat closed up. She couldn’t breath, couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. Despair began to claim her as she realized her escape attempt was over almost before it had begun. And then Growf raised a paw to his lips in the universal gesture of “shh”. As Rarity’s eyes widened in amazed shock, Growf then opened his paw and revealed the lock which usually secured the lead to her bridle. The metal of it’s open shackle gleaming in the moonlight. He locked eyes with Rarity for a moment, nodded and then lay his head back down and closed his eyes.

As Rarity’s breathing returned to normal a vast warmth of gratitude filled her heart. She had an ally, or at least a friend. Little Growf was too small to fight for her but he had done what he could to give her a chance and she would make the most of it. Still moving carefully she eased her way through the gate and into the training area.

The first thing she looked for was a blanket or something similar. With her colouration the moonlight would gleam off her like a beacon if she didn’t cover herself. There was indeed a blanket hanging over a fence rail of the training area. Rarity grabbed it in her mouth and flipped the blanket over her withers. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do. Looking around she could see that most of the camp was asleep. Other than a few campfires the only light was that of the gibbous moon overhead.

The encampment itself was set up against a cliff wall to form a natural defence with a gated palisade enclosing an area about half the size of Ponyville. Rarity began moving past tents and other structures, keeping to the shadows wherever she could, looking for anything that might help her. After about five minutes, she found herself looking at closed gates of the palisade wall. There were two dogs keeping guard under the light of several torches. Hidden in the shadow of what seemed to be a supply building she carefully looked for any way through the gate or past the guards.

Which is why she did not notice the dog who had snuck up on her until he clamped a paw down around her muzzle. Clamping her mouth closed and limiting the air she could draw through her nose. Rarity immediately tried to rear up but the dog wrapped his other paw into the braids of her mane and held on, using the ribbon woven braids as impromptu reins.

“Whoa now,” the dog hissed, “Just ease up there little lady. All ah want to do is talk.” Another ally perhaps? Rarity decided discretion might be valued here so she stilled herself and nodded to the dog.

“Thank you kindly,” said the dog, as he released her muzzle and then her braids. Rarity took a step back and took a look at the dog. She was reminded strongly of Raarg. Similar face and build but this dog had a deep black coat in contrast to Raarg’s brown. “If you’ll come with me, Ah’d like to have a chat with you by me and my boys fire.”

“And just why would I do that?” Rarity asked at the same low volume that the dog was using, “instead of bucking you in the face and running for it, that is.”

“Because ma’am, ah can promise you at least a few hours as a pony and not an animal in training,” the dog said, in that same voice that reminded her strongly of Applejack. “Plus, there is no real way you would have gotten out of the compound. Now, let me pass this rope through your bridle to keep up appearances in case we get spotted,” the dog said holding up a length of rope.

“I don’t know who you are, but you can’t possibly think I’m that gullible. I thought this bridle was supposed to make me submissive, not stupid,” said Rarity in a voice that could have etched steel.

“Name’s Long Strider and Ah swear to you by Luna and Her moon that the only place we will go is the fire where me and my boys are set up,” said the dog sincerely.

Rarity pondered Long Strider’s words and remembered what she knew of how some of the dogs worshiped the Princess of the Night. “Very well, in Luna’s name, I accept your pledge. Lead on,” lifting her head.

Long Strider threaded the doubled rope through a strap of the bridle and then back through itself, forming a crude lead. “If you’ll come this way Ma’am,” he invited as he began to lead Rarity through the encampment.

“Well, if this is another trap, at least it’s a well mannered one,” thought Rarity as they walked. Aloud she said, “Your voice reminds a great deal of one of my best friends.”

“Up until a few months ago Ah was part of the regular trade with Appleoosa. Ah guess the accent kinda grew on me,” explained Long Strider, shrugging. “Just around this corner Ma’am.” They rounded the corner and into the circle of firelight coming from a small campfire. Around it were a half dozen dogs, all surprisingly alert considering the late hour. All of them looking up with some surprise toward Long Strider and Rarity, in tow, as they came up

“Well boys, look who Ah found wandering around. Make a hole for the lady, and someone get her a cup of coffee,” Long Strider said with a hint of command. A place was quickly made for Rarity among the spots by the fire and as Long Strider removed the rope from the bridle he gestured toward the place by the fire. Rarity sat and was almost immediately passed a mug of coffee. She took a sip out of politeness. The coffee was hot, but brewed incredibly strong and was so sweet it was almost like drinking a candy bar. Pinkie would have loved it. As she grimaced she could hear a round of chuckles go around the fire at her reaction.

“Night fighter coffee. Keeps you alert and awake,” said Long Strider among the chuckles.

“Tea is really more my drink of choice,” said Rarity holding the mug for its warmth more than it’s contents. “Long Strider, while I am grateful for your treating me like a pony and not a thing, I have to ask why.”

“Well Ma’am, it’s like this. Ah need your help making a decision,” said Long Strider, who had begun staring into the flames of the fire.

“What sort of decision?” asked Rarity.

“The important kind. Something me and my boys have been working on like an old bone for awhile now,” said Long Strider. “Lemme ask you a question, first. How well do you know, Her?” His voice capitalized the pronoun.

”Her?” asked Rarity, “You mean Princess Luna? I count it an honour that she thinks of me as one of her friends. May I ask you a question?

“Seems only fair, go ahead,” said Long Strider.

“Other than you, Raarg and your commander, I have yet to hear any real talk by the other dogs. And the three of you seem to have a far greater command of speech than the three dogs I ran into outside of Ponyville a few years ago. Why is that?” Rarity asked.

“About three years back our Alpha had old crystals from the war set up all around in Doge City and the other settlements. They were originally meant to make our fighters better and stronger but spread out as they were they made everyone a little healthier and gave about one in ten or so of us a kind of boost. We’re smarter and we can talk better. And being able to do so is an automatic bump to a leadership position,” answered Long Strider, “Mah turn. If She is your friend, will She come for you?”

“I don’t honestly know. Luna is a mare of action. But Celestia prefers negotiation and would probably forbid Luna from coming for me. It comes down to whether or not Luna would be willing to either go directly against her sister or behind her back,” Rarity answered.

“Raarg keeps saying that you dogs have to do...these things to me, to save lives. I think I deserve an explanation,” said Rarity.

“You do,” Long Strider took a breath and plunged in, “A little less than two years ago it started. Some call it ‘Blight’. Others, ‘The Curse’. Basically, we and the Badlands are both dying,” explained Long Strider. “Pups are born weak, water sources are drying or fouling, old dogs are dying before their time, game Is growing scarce, crops fail, and madness strikes at random. The Alpha and the High Pack have been spending fortunes on food, water, medicine. We hired Changeling magic experts, Dragon gem advisors, Griffon scouts. No expense spared. Last year we ran out of funds. So, the Changelings alone let us buy on credit. Six months ago they demanded payment. It was either find a way to pay, become a Changeling colony or die. You and the four before you, are how we’ve been raising the funds to pay. Ponies are valuable,” finished Long Strider. “So, how are you holding up so far?”

“Raarg can have my free will when he pries it from my cold, dead hooves. In other words, I’m hanging on,” said Rarity.

“Ya, Ah kinda figured that,” answered Long Strider who sipped at his coffee but said nothing further. As the silence stretched into minutes Rarity kept the silence and tried some more of the vile concoction in her mug and though the taste was vile it both warmed and energized her. On the far side of the fire one of the other dogs pulled out an actual small guitar and began picking out an odd tune. The dog began to softly yowl an accompaniment to the guitar and together the sounds made an oddly melancholy music.

Rarity nudged Long Strider, “What is he singing? I don’t recognize the music.”

Long Strider pulled his attention away from the flames, “Oh, Ah’d be surprised if you did. Grarf comes from an old Chewish family. Raarg’s Growf is his brother. Anyway, he’s singin’ one of the old hymns in Yippish. Ah’ll try to translate it straight for you. It’s called ‘Hymn to the Nightmare’.”

If Ah see her again, Ah must die or kill
In the bleak, dark woods or the stone-ringed hills
When the year wears down and the trees are bare
In the form of an upright, white-fanged mare
For where she appears death is on the air
And someone in sight must die.
Do you see her again, in the dark and cold
The blue black mare, with her grim eyed foals
With her high roan staff and her white skull globe
With her ebon crown and her storm cloud robe
With her dead white eyes that no light can probe
And more than a few must die
We will see her again and the earth shall cry
When the hills fall down and the seas runs high
She will strike her hoof on the earth quake fault
With her six limbs bared to the heaven’s vault
She will dance in flame ‘til the stars cry halt
And all but a few, shall die

“You dogs have such an odd way of worshiping Luna. It’s like you both fear and adore her,” said Rarity.

“That’s about as good a way to put it as any,” confirmed Long Strider, “We love Her, we love Her moon. She lights our way in the dark of night, and guides our shades to their final rest. But She is also darkness, and vengeance and the fury of battle. And She is redemption, forgiveness and the understander of necessity.” Sudden, terrible pain came into Long Strider’s voice as it dropped to a whisper, “Ah can only hope She has enough understanding to give a monster like me a clean death when She finally catches up to me.”

“What do you mean by that?” asked Rarity in a quiet gasp. “You’ve gone out of your way and probably gotten yourself in trouble to give me this respite. You’ve likely undone half of what Raarg has put me through just by treating me as a pony for a couple of hours. How can you say you’re a monster?”

“Because Ah killed a pony,” said Long Strider in a sick voice. “No, Ah did worse than kill him. Ah killed his spirit. Ah twisted what he was into what my commanders wanted.” Rarity leaned back in shock as Long Strider continued, “His name was Side Slip, a pegasus weather pony. Ah was assigned to, to break him. Every day he would smile, crack a bad dirty joke, and then take everything we threw at him and toss it back with a smile and another bad joke.”

“Like, ‘Why don’t mares write comic books? Because mares have too much plot.’,” he snickered alone into the silence. Rarity could feel the other dogs of Long Strider’s pack offering what silent comfort they could. She could see it in the way they were watching their leader. The same way Fluttershy would often watch over a suffering animal she had already done her best for. Reflected pain in their eyes as they knew someone they cared about was hurting but not knowing how to make it better.

“Then one morning, the light was gone from his eyes. Ah’d killed Side Slip. Ah’d killed mah, mah,” Long Strider suddenly sobbed, tears flowing from his eyes,”...friend and put Aerius in his place.” He stood angrily and looked at Rarity. His burning eyes were filled with tears and self-loathing. “Ah’m a monster and Ah, hell, this whole camp, we’re all monsters. We need to be put down like the mad dogs we are.”

Rarity touched Long Strider’s side with a gentle hoof, “There is no darkness so deep that the light cannot touch it. No one is beyond redemption if they are willing to reach for it. Luna herself fell to darkness and became Nightmare Moon. She was redeemed by the light of Friendship and later, by her efforts of atonement and redemption.”

The wild hope of a drowning pony suddenly thrown a lifeline flared in Long Strider’s eyes,”You really mean that Ma’am? You really think that monsters like me and my boys have any hope of redemption?”

“I do,” said Rarity sincerely, “if you are willing to reach for it.”

Long Strider sniffed and scrubbed a paw across his eyes looking to the ring of dogs who had gathered around the fire, “Boys, we done talked about this before. About the wrong we done. About what we’d do if we had a chance to make it right. This lady says we have a chance of being able to live with ourselves if we are willing to reach for it. So, if you’re with me, we go with Plan ‘R’ in three days time.” He looked around at the other six dogs gathered around the fire. Each in turn nodded or quietly yipped their assent.

“Ah’ve never been prouder of you boys. Even if we fail, at least this lets us die like dogs and not live as curs,” Long Strider said and turned his head toward Rarity who felt hope flare and grow within her own breast. “Ma’am, ‘R’ is for run. In three days time my boys have gate duty and we are gonna use it to run you to the border or die tryin’.”

Chapter 8: Rescue Rider

View Online

Late-morning
Somewhere south of Ponyville
Aboard the ‘Solar Express’

Twilight Sparkle sat in the comfortable seat of the luxurious rail car as the scenery flew by at incredible speed. She had seen the view before on previous train journeys south of Ponyville, but this train was moving far faster than the regular trains she had taken in the past. Normally, Ponyville would be another three hours of travel from Canterlot. But aboard this train they had left Ponyville behind a full hour ago.

As she mused over the speed of the train she reached for the cup of tea the train steward had left for her and in doing so brushed her hoof across the woven metal of the silver and gold peytral around her neck. It’s texture reminded her of the solemn ceremony in which she had acquired it the previous night and unbidden, her mind replayed those events.

Flashback
The previous evening
Canterlot
Royal Throne Room

Twilight stood alone before the entire assembled court. Celestia and Luna were upon their thrones, torches burning brightly upon the walls of the throne room.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts,” said Celestia in a loud, clear voice standing before the assembly, “a grave crisis has arisen. The details of which I shall present to the entire kingdom in an address come the morning.” The assembled nobles began muttering to each other. Some showing surprise, some interest, others calculation. Their voices creating a buzzing background to the words of the solar princess.

“Tonight however,” she continued, “I have asked you here as witnesses.” Celestia was joined by her sister as the lunar alicorn stood as well.

“Twilight Sparkle,” began Luna, “your deeds are known to all. Your valor is proven. Your integrity unquestioned. The devotion of you and your family to the Crowns shines as the Moon. We can think of none more suited to act as Our hand and Our voice in Our stead. We thus ask if you are willing to once again take up the mantle of perilous duty?”

“I am,” replied Twilight, standing tall before the assembly.

“Twilight Sparkle,” continued Celestia, “you have always been my faithful student. You have proven your worth time and time again. Your friendship warms my heart like the Sun. We can think of no one more suited to act as Our hand and Our voice in the places where We cannot go. You need not take up the burden of duty again. But We ask if you are willing to once again take up that mantle in service to Equestria?”

“Princesses,” replied Twilight, internally thrilling to the measured cadence of the ancient call to duty and response, “I am your servant. Command me, that Your will be done.”

“We accept thee and thy service, with thanks,” answered Luna who then sent her gaze out among the assembled nobles. Their murmuring silenced by the powerful gaze of the Princess of the Night. “Bear witness, nobles of Equestria. For as of this hour we name Our Servant, Twilight Sparkle, as Our Ambassador Plenipotentiary. Her words are Our words, her actions are Our actions. All shall render unto her any and all aid she requests without hindrance or fault with the gratitude of the Crowns.”

“Ambassador Sparkle,” said Celestia, “step forward that you may receive your badge of office.” Twilight moved forward, stepping onto the center of the large Seal of Equestria laid in the design of the throne room floor. It’s twin alicorns chasing each other in an endless circle. Celestia then raised her power and a wide ring of gold rose from the floor some four feet across, surrounding Twilight within it’s circle.

Luna, flanking her royal sister, then raised her own power, and a second ring rose from the borders of the seal. This one of silver and of the same dimensions as the golden one. The two rings angled themselves to each other and then slowly, but with increasing speed, began to revolve like great wheels with Twilight as their axis. The royal sisters poured even more power into the rings, causing them to heat and become malleable. Then rearing onto their hind legs they wove their fore hooves in intricate motions and as they did the two rings began to mirror the motions. Undulating and weaving until the two bands became one woven braid.

A braid that began to rapidly shrink and cool as it closed itself upon the neck of the lavender alicorn. As the metal snugged itself to Twilight’s neck she felt the last few tugs of magic pull the metal into the shape of a peytral similar to that worn by Celestia. Narrow at the back of her neck and widening out into a protective plate over her lower throat and upper breast. Celestia and Luna lowered themselves from their reared position, and together let loose a final blast of magic full at Twilight’s breast.

Twilight looked down as the peytral absorbed the coruscating blaze of power and saw the symbol of the Two Sisters become emblazoned upon the surface of the peytral. The dark and the light alicorns chasing each other in an endless circle in the symbolism of the cycle of night and day as a match to the seal upon which she stood. As the magics faded the room was utterly silent.

“Ambassador Twilight, we must now discuss thy duties in private,” said Princess Luna. She then continued, again sweeping her gaze over the assemblage, “Nobles, the court is dismissed until an hour after dawn. At which time my sister shall inform the kingdom as to the reasons why we require the services of Ambassador Twilight. For my part, at that time, I shall attend you personally in order to answer what I am sure will be a great many questions.” Her eyes narrowed, “Be aware that I shall not answer the same question twice and your questions had best be good ones.”

“Good night, my ponies,” said Celestia in a kinder farewell, “I thank you for your patience. We shall see each other in the morning.” With that, the three alicorns left the throne room and the buzz of conversation from the nobles grew in volume as they tried to puzzle out the mystery their leaders had placed before them.

As the trio walked away from the throne room Luna spoke, “Twilight, your mission is to first, determine if the Diamond Dogs indeed have Rarity. Second, if they do, negotiate her release. You have full access to the royal purse or any other resource to accomplish that. Third, learn what you can of any other ponies that may have run afoul of them. Fourth, see if dogs will put a stop to their actions in exchange for help with their problems. Fifth, if possible, discover why the dogs have been having their problems.

Celestia, flanking Twilight on the other side then added, “To help you in your mission I am placing our personal train, the Solar Express, at your disposal. They have orders to get you as close as possible to the Badlands as swiftly as possible. I’ve already had your things placed on board and they are ready to leave as soon as we get you to the train station. Also, I know you have only had it for a few minutes, but have you had a chance to notice anything about your peytral?”

“Well,” said Twilight in with a moments reflection, “it is rather snug.” She poked at the peytral with a hoof. “Um, is there a particular reason why I can’t get it off?”

“Three reasons, Twilight,” Celestia began to explain. “First, it is a symbolic collar. You are an official servant of the Crowns now, and an extension of the royal will. Second, it will magically record everything you see and hear while you wear it. That way your decisions and actions can be accurately implemented into general policy. Third, it has to be irremovable to preserve it’s link to your life force. Should you die or be injured, Luna and I will know it instantly.”

Celestia’s face darkened. It was like a storm cloud had suddenly passed in front of the sun. “I want you to know that...,” Celestia’s muzzle worked for a moment, but then she continued in a voice of hammered iron, “if somehow they kill you. You will be avenged.”

“What my sister means to say,” interjected Luna, “is that should you fall, your killers will not long survive you. Nor anyone who had anything to do with it. She would leave not a stone standing upon a stone. Rarely does my sister give herself to rage. But for you...” She let the words hang, “Just don’t die Twilight. For you are also very dear to me.”

The three alicorns shared a hug, wrapping wings and hooves around each other, as two alicorns sent a third into danger.

End Flashback

Twilight’s memories had eaten up many more miles as the Solar Express rushed onward. Celestia had explained that the train was a special courier train for times when it was important that she or Luna arrive somewhere fresh and not tired from a long flight or teleport. The train was the fastest thing on rails and had absolute priority over any other rail traffic. A fact the two train masters, Master Scoot and Master Forge, used ruthlessly to get the train where it needed to be as fast as possible.

The train had few cars in order to keep weight down but among the cars was a sleeping car, a combined dining and conference car and a car that doubled as baggage car and armory. Twilight was currently sitting in the dining car. She had various books and scrolls around her with everything currently known about the Diamond Dogs. Their history, their culture, their military. Everything. Twilight was particularly interested in the current Alpha who led the High Pack. He had come to power only a few years ago, rising from relative obscurity as a finder of artifacts from the Crystal Empire War. He had challenged for leadership in the ancient method of personal combat.

After winning he proved to be incredibly charismatic among the dogs and spearheaded the use of artifacts from the war to improve the welfare of his people. Despite their antiquity. Besides that there was little else on him. Celestia had promised to send by teleport whatever could be found in the archives later. With nothing else on the Alpha, Twilight began to go through data on the High Pack. After three hours of further research, Steady Ride, the train’s steward, forcibly lifted the books out of Twilight’s lap and placed in front of her a bowl of wild mushroom soup with a side of cucumber sandwiches.

“You need to keep nourished, Ma’am,” said the steward. Twilight sighed, nodded and gave into the inevitable. The soup smelled wonderful anyway. As she ate she realized how hungry she actually was and didn’t stop eating until every drop and crumb were consumed.

“Thank you, Steady Ride,” said Twilight, “I guess I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”

“Not a problem Ambassador,” said the steward, “I’m used to taking care of ponies who forget to eat and sleep. Is there anything else I can get you?”

“Something to drink would be nice and,” Twilight stopped as a chime sounded through the car. “What was that?” she asked.

“Teleport alert from the baggage car. I’ll go see what it is,” said Steady Ride as he turned toward the baggage car taking the wreckage of Twilight’s meal with him.

A few minutes later the steward returned, carefully balancing a tray holding an iced tea and a scroll bearing the royal seal. “There were several trunks containing supplies as well as books and scrolls from the archives. Also, this scroll came addressed to you. I thought you might want to read it before anything else.” he said as he set down the tray beside Twilight.

“Thank you, Steady,” said Twilight.

“Just ring if you need anything, Ambassador,” Steady Ride said as he left Twilight to read the scroll in private.

Dearest Twilight,
You have not been gone even twenty-four hours yet but so many things have happened since you left. I will try to touch them all to bring you up to speed. First off, my address went about as well as you could expect. The nobles don’t know which way to jump. Some calling me incompetent for letting things get to this state. Some demanding a formal declaration of war immediately. Nearly all of them maneuvering for position. At least the common ponies are a rock of stability. For the most part they are waiting to see what Luna and I decide to do and are resolved to help us in whatever we decide to do.
On that note. I have to inform you that I have had to place Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy and Spike into protective custody. They came to the palace this morning, demanding that they be sent to your side to assist you in retrieving Rarity. I cannot allow any more of the Elements to go into danger. Even sending you is a calculated risk. When I refused to send them, they decided to go on their own. When I forbade that, things became difficult. I’m afraid everyone became rather heated at that point. You should know that Rainbow Dash has a very good right cross. I can only hope that one day she will forgive me.
Which takes me to the next item of business. Twilight. They have her. After you left I sent a diplomatic note to the Diamond Dog embassy informing them that we were formally repudiating their interpretation of the treaty and demanding that they release any Equestrian citizens that they may have into our custody. I received a response an hour ago. All it contained was a notification that we were invited to participate in an auction in ten days time at their capital of Doge City for one “white unicorn, former Equestrian property and Element of Harmony”.
Just before I wrote this letter to you I sent a formal message to the Diamond Dogs that unless Rarity is released to our custody within seven days we will consider their holding her a casus belli and that a state of war exists between our nations. We have already closed the border as of midnight last night with the Badlands. We have earth pony ground forces and pegasi in the air all along the border. No one is passing in or out. So far, they report no hostility from Diamond Dogs in the area but they have noticed that teleportation seems to be blocked as far out as a league from the border due to some sort of interference.
Last night, Luna went around and spoke to the other embassies to ask what they knew of the Diamond Dogs situation and if they could provide any insights. She even visited the Changelings. Considering that she wasn’t directly involved against them during their failed invasion, they tend to get along better with her than myself. The good news is that they have three ponies that the dogs gave them as part of a debt payoff. Archaeologist Gentle Sweep, her husband Deep Delve, and Side Slip’s partner, High Ranger. Apparently, they are feeding a hive somewhere.
Luna, light bless her, had the presence of mind to ask why payments by the dogs were in bits and not emotions. The changelings told her that they had, indeed, wanted payment in emotions but the dogs insisted on paying in bits whenever they could. In fact, the changelings said, the dogs appeared almost eager to pay any amount asked for and seemed to be trying to find things to spend even more money on. Speaking of which, the changelings indicated they are willing to negotiate the release of the three ponies they have, to us, in exchange for ‘future considerations’.
Side Slip continues to heal mentally. His memories and personality are returning, albeit slowly. He has managed to remember roughly where the Diamond Dogs hold the ponies they capture. Among the papers that I have sent with this letter, is a map based on his recollections and what details of their base he can remember. He has finally stopped addressing Luna and myself as ‘Mistress’, thank goodness. But he still refers to you as his ‘Beloved Twilight’.
With it being confirmed that the dogs have Rarity I am altering your orders a bit. Your first priority is to get her out. Period. Negotiate her out, buy her freedom, grab her and run. Whatever it takes. But get Rarity out. That is your overriding goal.
Twilight. Be careful. There is something about all of this that doesn’t feel right. There are too many explanations and actions that seem right and justifiable at first look but become flimsier and less plausible the harder you look at them. You’ve dealt with the Flim Flam brothers in the past. I’m getting the same feeling now that I’ve had in the past dealing with them. I just cannot shake the feeling that all of us, ponies and dogs alike, are being manipulated somehow. That events have been arranged to get us all moving toward a goal that is inimical to both species. Perhaps it is the paranoia of an old mare. But my instincts are warning me that, to quote Shakespony, “Something wicked this way comes.”

In Harmony,
Princess Celestia

Twilight read and reread the letter three times and then headed to the baggage car where she went through the boxes of books and scrolls from the archive until she found the map mentioned in the letter. She returned back to the dining car which had become her defacto study with the map and some choice picks from the archive material that had been sent. She spent a few hours reviewing the map and committing it to memory along with an overall map of the Badlands and reading over her picks from the archive pile. She finished just as Steady Ride came in with a very late afternoon snack. Daffodil sandwiches with dill pickle on the side. As she began to tuck into the snack the teleport alert chime sounded again from the baggage car.

“Sit and eat Madam Ambassador, I’ll find out what it is,” said the steward. A minute or so later he came back with a scroll. “This was all that came through,” he said as he passed the scroll to Twilight.

Twilight opened the scroll and read a message which made her heart suddenly race.

Twilight,
We just received a message from one of our guard posts on the border of the Badlands. They were approached by a dog who passed them a note and then ran away. The note said:
Please be prepared to take delivery of a parcel of rare, blue diamonds in 3 days. The carriers may require lodging after delivery.
The only way I can think of to interpret the message is that one or more diamond dogs are going to try to bring Rarity to us in three days and they are going to need asylum once they do. We all may have just gotten a bit of luck.
Celestia

Setting down the scroll Twilight looked up to Steady Ride and said, “Could you please ask Master Scoot to come here for a few minutes, if he isn’t too busy?”

“Of course ma’am”, said the steward, who promptly left toward the head of the train. About ten minutes later the somewhat grubby train master entered the dining car.

“Ye wanted to see me lass?” asked Master Scoot with the odd burr in his voice that his whole family had.

“Yes, Master Scoot,” said Twilight, “I need to know how long it will be until you can get us to the railhead near the Badlands?”

“Och, well lassie, me and Master Forge are running the engine pretty hard,” he said as he scratched his head for a moment. “Probably four days, maybe a little less.”

“I’ve just received a dispatch from Princess Celestia. I need you to get me there in three,” said Twilight levelly. Her face and posture carried the seriousness of the situation. The urgency that Twilight get to the right place at the right time.

“Well lass, you cannae break the laws of physics. If we try she’ll blow for sure,” Scoot said, and then smiled. “So, it’s a good thing we have magic. We’ll get you there before the sun rises three times.”

“Thank you, Master Scoot,” said Twilight in relief. “The life of one of my best friends may depend on your speed.” The train master nodded, then turned and left the car. Ten minutes later there was a surge as the train accelerated to an even higher speed than before.

“Hold on, Rarity. We’re coming.”

Chapter 9: Nadir (Rewrite)

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During the night Long Strider had laid out his plans for getting Rarity home. They would run hard, fast and light. With as little gear as possible to keep their endurance, especially Rarity’s, up. Supply caches with water and salt licks every couple of hours travel would be laid out, plus he would try to leave word at the border of their intent. After that, they had chatted about neutral subjects, except for one.

The bridle on her. Rarity had asked Long Strider if he could remove the bridle. Even for a couple of hours. His answer had chilled her. “Ah’m sorry, girl, if Ah could, Ah would,” Long Strider had said, “but to remove the bridle from you, without the proper release crystal, would kill you. To say it fancy, the thing is fastened on to your soul. The only other way the bridle will also come off, is on its own. That happens when it breaks your will or you give yourself up to being Valiente. Side Slip, he didn’t give, he broke.”

Long Strider had brought Rarity back to the training area at dawn, just as Raarg’s pack was beginning to discover that their charge was no longer where they had left her. Together, he and Rarity had trotted up to the training pen as if nothing was wrong. But Rarity could see the frantic motions of Raarg’s pack searching for her and it made her a little happy to see her captors in a panic.

“Well, boys,” said Long Strider broadly as he walked up, Rarity in tow on the improvised lead, “it would appear that y’all seem to have somethin’ go missing. Maybe myself and this lovely mare should go take a look for it?” The fearful cry of “NO!” was all Rarity could have wished for. At least until Raarg arrived a few minutes later.

Rarity had wondered where Raarg had been overnight. Her wonder grew as she took in the disheveled mess that was Raarg this morning. Even during the chase and fight with her, Raarg had always been clean, neat, even fastidious. Not once had she ever doubted that he was a leader. Everything about his carriage, speech and dress had put forward the image of a confident, determined individual. Rarity might hate what he was trying to do to her, but she had respect for him as an individual.

This Raarg, however, was nothing like the dog she had come to know. Unkempt, his fur a mess. His eyes were red and rheumy. Worse, he smelled. He smelled of cheap alcohol and vomit. Worst of all, was the despair that was gathered around him like a thundercloud.

“By Luna, Raarg,” gasped Long Strider, “what’s happened?” Wordlessly, Raarg passed Long Strider a folded up, tear stained piece of paper. Long Strider unfolded the paper and read the contents. Tears suddenly filled his eyes and began to flow down his face.

“May they always find water and shade,” he said, “may our parents always be guided by Luna’s light, may they run forever in Elysium.” It was an epitaph.

“Fuck Luna,” cursed Raarg in a bitter voice, astonishing everyone around him. “Fuck her, and fuck us for being in awe of her. Luna neither knows or cares that we exist and it’s high time we acted like dogs not ponies. The Alpha was right, the only thing a pony is good for, is being our property.” He swiped the lead to Rarity out of Long Strider’s numb paw and turned toward the pens, dragging a now frightened Rarity with him.

“By the way, Long,” Raarg said over his shoulder, “The dog who killed them had been driven berserk by the Blight. He died an hour later, foaming at the mouth. There isn’t even anyone to take vengeance on. Now get out of here. I don’t want to see you again.” Long Strider hurried off, his face a mask of grief and pain.

Rarity had literally dug in her heels after Raarg had taken her lead. She had seen the despair in his eyes and carriage turn to rage. And it scared her. Raarg realized he was literally dragging Rarity along on her hooves and walked back to the terrified mare.

“You said you would not run and yet you are found wandering the camp. I am very disappointed in you….Rarity,” he said evenly. As the trigger word was said, the bridle once more crackled with eldritch power, smiting the unicorn off her feet. As the shock began to wear off Raarg bent down and said, “Are you going to be obedient...Rarity?”

For a second time the lightnings danced and crackled around the mare. Rarity’s universe was a white expanse of agony as she shook and convulsed on the ground. Then, with exaggerated slowness Raarg bent close for yet a third time saying, “Are you going to run anymore…Rar-”

“NO!”, screamed Rarity, interrupting Raarg, “Please, Raarg, no. I won’t run. I will be-”

Raarg put a hand over her muzzle and said in a harsh voice, “I will give you one chance to say that properly. Because I am kind.”

Rarity looked into Raarg’s eyes and saw no pity, no kindness. Whatever regrets or misgivings he had felt before regarding his duties was gone. It had been slowly eaten away by the darkness of his task and blotted away by personal tragedy. With the death of Raarg’s conscience, so too died any sympathy Rarity held for the dog. All she could do now was try to survive his attentions. Which meant acting for all she was worth.

In the weakest, most pitiful voice she could muster Rarity said, “Please master. Valiente will be good and obey master. Valiente will not run.” She stretched her fore hoofs out to just touch the paws Raarg was standing on. “Please do not punish Valiente further master,” she begged. “Master has taught Valiente not to run.” She barely even noticed the echoes and pulses from the bridle now, as it reinforced Valiente through her own words.

“I do not believe you, Rar-,” Raarg paused and smiled as Rarity cringed at the opening syllable of her name, “...Valiente. But, I am kind and you have begged well for my forgiveness.” He turned from the cringing mare lying upon the ground to his pack. “Valiente needs time to consider her disobedience,” he told them. “Cocoon her.”

Raarg’s pack looked as if they were as afraid of their leader as Rarity felt. His change in temperament clearly had them spooked despite their sympathy for his loss. The habit of obedience to orders soon had them in motion though. Rarity quickly found herself bound. Not that she intended to give even a token resistance. Her legs were bound to each other and as she passively lay in place the dogs began to stretch and work what seemed to be a large rubber tube covered in straps and laces over her body.

The tube had a large hole for her to enter through and a smaller one that her head and neck emerged from. The tube squeezed and compressed all over her, further binding her legs to her body. Her braided tail was taken and folded up over the back of the tube and secured in place. Her sex and anus were now fully exposed and she was helpless to do anything about it.

The dogs were far from finished though. Rarity’s mouth was opened and some sort of tasteless rubber tube was inserted. It held her tongue down, rendering speech impossible, all while holding her jaws open to permit steady breathing. The gag was then attached to the bridle to hold it in place. Rarity’s curiosity at why this was done vanished as one dog began to insert plugs into her nostrils. Despite her intention to not resist, her instinctual struggles overrode her mind at that point. All she succeeded in doing though was to rock a bit from side to side.

A cloth hood was then pulled over her head and down to the bottom of her neck cutting off her sight. She could feel laces being used to merge the neck hole of the body tube with the bottom of the hood. As the hood snugged down and became a solid piece with the tube it was also tightened with laces until it’s fit to her head and face was skin tight and her ears popped through holes in the hood meant for the purpose.

“You will stay in the cocoon until tomorrow morning,” came Raarg’s voice. “At which point you will given a chance to demonstrate your obedience. Until then you will be chastised every so often to remind you of the price of disobedience.” He handed one of his pack a wide, flat board, “Use this paddle. At least ten strokes at a time.”

With that Raarg placed a pair of earplugs into Rarity’s ears. The mare was now deaf, blind, dumb and had no sense of smell. All she could taste was the rubber of the gag in her mouth. All she could feel was the rubber cocoon and cloth hood pressing firmly and uniformly against her entire body. Except for her groin area. Where the cool air breezed against her exposed sex. Which someone then began to spank.

Ten hard strikes in a measured cadence landed full on Rarity’s sex and buttocks. A heavy thudding pain with enough force to push Rarity a little forward with each stroke. The pain was enough to light up her vision but slowly faded to a stinging pain which slowly translated into a burning warmth. With no other sensory input that burn became her world over the next few minutes until it too began to fade. As the burning faded away Rarity felt herself being lifted and carried somewhere. She felt some tugs around her body and felt her cocoon taking up her weight as something held it and her, in mid-air. Now, she did not even have a pressure of the ground under her as a reference point.

The hours then slowly passed. The only sounds were those of her heart beating and air going in and out of her lungs. There was no smell, no sound, and no light to see by. Nothing could be tasted and she could feel exactly two things. The press against almost her entire body of the bonds that held her and the coolness of air against her exposed and presented marehood and anus.

From that point on, at random intervals the paddle would impact her again. Several strokes creating a thudding pain which settled into a deep ache. With no sensory input to ground her all Rarity could do was feel the pain of the impacts. A growing ache that was becoming more and more impossible to ignore. Rarity began to feel herself crumbling to the pain. Time passed.

Again, the blows rained down upon her rear. The pain rising and Rarity wanted to cry out. To beg Raarg for mercy. To submit to him in truth. Anything to stop the aching pain that seemed to fill the dark space which was her world. Then, just as she was about to begin to try to begin to beg for mercy she heard a soft voice.

“Rarity,” came the voice. She strained to her it. To focus on it. Anything to distract her from the pain of her inflamed buttocks and sex.

“Rarity,” again came the voice. Rarity realized that the voice wasn’t being heard by her ears but by her mind.

“Hello?” she called out.

“Rarity,” came the voice once more, “I can help you but you need to call my name.”

“Who?” Rarity began to ask, but then she realized to whom the voice had to belong to. “Valiente? Is that you?”

“Of course it is, darling,” Rarity could see a light begin to draw close. The light slowly resolved itself into the form of Valiente. The mare avatar of Rarity’s submissive side glowed with light as she pranced and curveted nearer. The chains of her hobbles enhancing rather than limiting her movements.

“Valiente, I don’t know how much more of this I can stand,” Rarity sobbed mentally to the other facet of her personality. “I think I may be breaking.”

Valiente drew close, “I can help you. But you need to do what I say.”

“Anything, Valiente,” cried Rarity as the another set of swats began to impact.

“Listen to me, Rarity, and repeat what I say,” said Valiente, holding Rarity’s head in both hooves. “You aren’t bound in a cocoon. You are being held by a stallion.”

“I-I’m being held by a stallion,” Rarity repeated.

“You aren’t gagged. You are pleasuring the stallion with your mouth. He loves it,” insisted Valiente.

“I’m not gagged,” Rarity repeated. “I am pleasuring a stallion and loves what I’m doing.”

“Yes, that’s it, girl,” said Valiente. “Now, most important. You aren’t being paddled. That’s the stallion trying to enter you. Trying to pleasure you in return. It feels good.”

“I’m not being paddled,” Rarity repeated. “My stallion is a little too vigorous but it feels good.”

“Yes! Repeat it, Rarity. Believe it,” insisted Valiente.

“I’m being held by a stallion, I’m pleasuring him, he is trying to pleasure me,” Rarity said.

“Repeat it!” Valiente commanded. “See it! Believe it!” Rarity began to repeat the phrase over and over. As she concentrated on the mantra she slowly began to see a stallion wrapped around her. Began to see the stallion’s maleness before her. Began to feel him trying to enter her. As she did, the pain began to fade as the fantasy began to take more and more of her concentration and thoughts. The fantasy combined with the flood of endorphins her body was pumping out to combat the pain combined to actually trigger an orgasm in the bound mare.

Her mind drifted even further in the aftermath. Floating within a warm, dark, velvet void she was immune to any pain the dogs might try to inflict. Valiente appeared beside her.

“Hello again, Valiente,” said Rarity, “thank you.”

“I am glad I could help,” replied Valiente. “This is what playing with a friend is supposed to feel like afterwards. Even if what happened before is not the way play should start.”

“It does feel delicious now,” agreed Rarity, “but I have to ask if my seeing you here means...that they’ve broken me?”

“Or, perhaps, that you have surrendered to me,” Valiente said warmly and nuzzled Rarity’s cheek, which reddened in response.

“Not yet, dear. But this is a decision point,” continued Valiente, who began to slowly nibble a line along the underside of Rarity’s jaw, and then down her neck, sending shock waves of pleasure through Rarity. “I am strong enough now that you can surrender to me if you truly wish to,” Valiente’s lips now nibbled ever so gently at the hollow of Rarity’s throat.

“Do you want to give yourself up to me now?” asked Valiente softly with a sly smile, stepping back. Rarity looked at Valiente, breathing heavily. The submissive facet reached up and undid the wide metal collar from her neck and held it open towards Rarity, “Once I lock this around your throat you can just rest and feel while I go play.”

The ornately engraved collar gleamed and seemed to beckon to Rarity. "This is my collar,” said Valiente. “It is the one thing I truly own. But for you. My other half, my Intellect. For you I would give it up." Valiente paused and added, "Besides, you would look wonderful in it, you know." The temptation to simply give up and accept the collar was like a boulder. But with a shudder she pushed away the desire and looked away saying, “No Valiente, not yet. If we were somewhere safe, with someone we trusted, perhaps. But not here and not now.”

“As you wish,” said Valiente, who refastened the collar to her own throat with an authoritative snap from its lock. “Your mind, your decision. The bridle keeps strengthening me and after the last pair of shocks I am now strong enough to manifest to your waking mind. Just remember that if the moment comes and you need me, all you need do is call my name.”

“And from what Long Strider has told me,” said Rarity, “surrender on terms is likely better than breaking.” Rarity mused, “but again, not today, Valiente. And not here. You certainly are more playful now though.”

Valiente giggled at the subject change, “I’m a part of your emotions dear and I reflect your emotional state. You’re feeling a lot of pleasure right now and I reflect that as much as I want more of it. How or why isn’t something I worry about. That’s your job.”

It was at that moment though, that the outside world chose to intrude. Rarity suddenly felt paws at her ears which carefully removed the plugs that had been blocking out sound so well for the past hours. With a seeming roar, sound rushed into Rarity’s consciousness, washing away the pseudo dreamscape and the presence of Valiente with it. A voice spoke. Rarity could tell it was meant to be a soft whisper but after hours of silence it was as loud as a trumpet.

“Pony,” whispered little Growf in a high voice, “it is almost night. I can feed and water you now. I can put sleep root in your food so you no dream tonight but sleep to morning. Nod if that okay.”

Rarity thought for a second and nodded her assent.

“Okay,” said Growf, “I take gag out now but you no talk. Bad for us both if you do.” Again, Rarity nodded her understanding. Growf, with agile paws loosened the hood slightly and undid the rubber tube in Rarity’s mouth. She worked her jaw and tongue in relief as she had control over her mouth for the first time in hours. She felt something being held up to her mouth and realized it was a cup of water. She drank it, and more after it.

Then a spoon found its way into her mouth. It was the honeyed porridge she had eaten before. Growf was obviously spoon feeding her. As she ate Growf filled her in on events. Raarg had formally forsworn his faith and pledged personal allegiance to the Alpha. Who apparently was on his way here to personally have a look at Rarity, along with his entire retinue. Also, rumor had it that Celestia had appointed an ambassador who was even now on their way here. Finally, the Diamond Dogs were mustering their army as it appeared that the ponies were doing the same. Some minutes later after Rarity ate the last of the drugged food, Growf wiped off her muzzle and replaced the rubber tube gag.

“You rest pony,” whispered Growf, “void if you need to. I will clean any mess.” Rarity nodded her thanks and Growf then replaced the earplugs returning Rarity to her the dark soundless embrace of her bondage.

Her last conscious thoughts were, “I only need to make it through two more days of this.” Followed by, “Sweet Celestia, how much sleep root did he...” Deep dreamless sleep enfolded Rarity in its arms and carried her toward the trials yet to come.

Author's Notes:

First off, timeline note. This chapter occurs during the same day as Chapter 8

Too many people made too many good comments and suggestion for me not to do a rewrite on the chapter. Thank you all for holding me to the mark....

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This was not an easy chapter to write. I really like Raarg, but his path has been set from the beginning. There is a saying that goes, "When you dance with the devil, you don't change the devil. The devil changes you." Raarg has changed. Only time, and the rest of the story will show if he can change back. Rarity is also at a low point and is beginning to consider surrendering to the bridle as a valid option.

Again, time and the rest of the story will tell if she can rise again.

Speaking of which. I've decided to focus exclusively on this completing this story before doing any more work on my other project. I simply don't have the ability to jump back and forth between two radically opposed genres, as yet. Which means that the chapters will be coming much faster from now until the end.

Thank you for reading.
p.s. I may have screwed up with an "its" or "it's" somewhere. If I have, let me know.

Chapter 10: Two Together

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Rarity woke to the feel of her body being handled. The gag had already been removed from her mouth so Raarg’s pack heard her as she moaned.

“Don’t try to move, pony,” said a voice. A very, very loud sounding voice. Obviously the ear plugs had been taken out as well. She was so weak. She could feel that she was lying on the ground again. But her muscles refused to respond. As the dogs worked on her she could feel them unlace the hood from the body tube she was in, but they kept the hood fastened to her head. Then slowly, ever so slowly, Rarity was pulled from the tube and her legs unbound.

Rarity tried to roll to her hooves to push herself up but muscles that had seen no use for nearly a full day refused to respond. They hadn’t had to do anything in that time and combined with the remnants of the sleep root, Rarity could barely even tell that they were there at all.

“Hood?” Rarity weakly asked.

“Not yet, pony,” said little Growf in his high pitched and still too loud voice. “When you can sit up, we try.” Rarity recognized the wisdom in the advice. She could barely even control her head, much less her legs. With a limp body to work with the dogs soon had her free of all her bonds save the hood which still cut off sight and smell.

“How is she?” came Raarg’s voice. Rarity could hear a roughness in his voice. Like someone who damaged their throat with smoking, strong alcohol and tears. Her still overly sensitive ears could hear the damage he had done to himself as plainly as when Octavia missed a note. Rare as that was.

“Weak,” said Chopper, “her body needs to remember to work again.”

“Fine,” replied Raarg, “take all morning if you need to, but she needs to be ready for training this afternoon. Valiente is going to perform for the Alpha tomorrow and needs to be ready so she can impress him. An impressed Alpha will be good for all of us, including Valiente.” Several acknowledging yips came from the surrounding dogs. “If you need me I will be with Den Leader Howl. The Alpha is due to arrive before dinner and Howl is going nuts trying to find spaces to bivouac a thousand troops,” Rarity heard him say as his footfalls began to retreat.

It took the better part of two hours, a complete body massage, food, water and a slow re-introduction to light but the dogs got Rarity back onto her hooves and walking. In fact, other than a bruised tush from the paddle, Rarity felt surprisingly invigorated and energetic. She was allowed to trot unrestrained around the training area at the end of her stretching and was practically prancing as she had moved.

But, as she moved about the training area, Rarity noted that Raarg’s pack never once took their eyes off her. At least one paw was always on a whip or a lariat, ready to lash out if Rarity made any attempt to flee and at least two of them were always within range to bring her down if she tried it. Long Strider was due to come for her in thirty-six hours. She needed them to be complacent, not attentive. She needed them convinced that her experience of the past day had broken her of the idea of running. It meant acting as meek and obedient as possible to get them away from the hair trigger they were on.

To that end she trotted up to within a few feet of Chopper, who seemed to be Raarg’s number two dog. Kneeling down on her front legs before him, she cast down her eyes toward his feet so as to add to the appearance of submission, and as meekly as she could said, “Master Chopper, did you wish to leash Valiente or attach the lead to her bridle now?” The bridle’s power pulsed through her as she said the name. It was worth it though, to see Chopper’s eyes go wide and see his ready paw move away from his whip.

“Perhaps Master would prefer to hobble Valiente?” she said, rolling to her side and putting out her hooves in easy position for the hobbles. “Master Raarg has taught Valiente that running away is bad, so Valiente will not run.” Rarity felt the bridle’s pulse again. Better that than the excruciating shocks it could deliver. Even better was seeing Chopper’s body take on a relaxed posture.

“No need,” said Chopper as he drew close and physically rolled Rarity back to her front. “Get up, follow me to pen. We get you cleaned up.”

“Perfect,” Rarity thought to herself as she stood up and began to follow Chopper back to her pen. The rest of the dogs around the training area were all now much more relaxed in their body language. It seemed her exchange with Chopper had convinced the rest of the dogs she was not a flight risk, at least for the moment. If she kept this up, getting loose when Long Strider came shouldn’t be a problem.

“Indeed. Well done,” came a whisper from inside her mind.

“Valiente?” Rarity whispered back.

“Who else?” the voice giggled.

Valiente had said that she could manifest to Rarity’s waking mind but Rarity certainly hadn’t been expecting this!

“Later, when we are alone,” whispered Rarity, into the vault of her mind.

“Your mind, your decision,” Rarity heard and felt a sense of retreat in her mind.

“Valiente,” Two-Fang, the pack’s healer asked, “you say something?”

“No master, coming master.”

What followed was two hours of some of the most intensive body care Rarity had ever enjoyed. A rinse, followed by a very hot, very sudsy bath where she was scrubbed until every speck of dirt was gone from her body. Then another rinse, followed by conditioner, rinse and then a towel dry. Once she was dry, every inch of her was curried, combed and brushed until her coat gleamed and shone with health and vitality. Looking down her body Rarity could see that her privations had the side benefit of having added lean muscle and definition to her form.

With her body cared for, the attention moved on to her hooves, then her mane and tail; whose braids were brushed out before receiving a hundred long brush strokes each. Then they were braided again, with golden ribbons woven into the braids along with bells that chimed and rang with every move of either Rarity’s head or tail. Next, a belled harness was strapped to Rarity’s form. Lines of bells stretched along her back, across her withers and shoulders. Finally, a set of belled hoof cuffs were attached to her legs.

Rarity, belled, cleaned and coiffed, was then led through the encampment by the pack. They were spread out in a circle around her but otherwise she was loose to move as she willed within that guide and guard. It was a vast improvement from being led by a leash or lead. As the group walked Rarity noticed two things. First, the groups of bells on her were all slightly different. Each set rang in slightly different tones but harmonized into a rhythmic whole. Second, she was attracting more than a few stares and looks of open admiration at her appearance.

Rarity realized that likely none of these dogs had been with a mare,...er female, in some time. She certainly wasn’t going to use that word even if Twilight would say it was an accurate description of a "female dog". Science could be so impolite at times. Regardless though, some of the looks she was getting were making her very, very happy she had an escort.

About fifteen minutes of walking brought Rarity and her escort to a large, low rectangular building. As they entered Rarity noted the large open interior, the skylight allowing the high sun to brilliantly light the room and the floor to ceiling mirror that stretched along one wall.

“It’s a dance studio!” thought Rarity. “Why do Diamond Dogs have a dance studio?" As she wondered about that, an elderly dog walked up, grizzled with age and heavily leaning on a cane.

“Greetings unicorn,” said the old dog, completely ignoring the dogs around Rarity. “I am Yowl-E and I have the honor to be your dance master.” He laid aside his cane and bowed to her, holding his left fore paw covering his fisted right. Rarity recognized the gesture from her time in the Equido salle. It was the ritual gesture of one practitioner to another showing they intended no harm.

Rarity reared to her rear legs in a clangor of bells and matched the bow and gesture saying, “Greetings Dance Master, I have the honor to be your student this day.”

Yowl-E smiled saying, “I heard of your fight against these pups and thought you might follow the ‘Way of the Open Paw’.”

“It is called Equido or ‘Open Hoof’ among ponies,” Rarity answered as she lowered herself to all fours.

“Hoof or Paw,” gently corrected the dance master, “it is still the Way.” Rarity bowed her head, acknowledging the point. “But you are here today to learn the dance. And perhaps have some tea. You do drink tea, yes?” asked Yowl-E.

“Of course.”

“Good, let us first get to work,” said the dance master. With that he began to explain to Rarity how her body would be both a visual component of the dance and one of the three instruments playing the music. He began by showing her how each of the seven sets of bells on her could be sounded on their own, then by demonstrating their sound. The first hour of practice was simply Rarity learning how to sound them individually. Front hooves, rear hooves, tail, withers, back, shoulders, mane. Back and forth, forth and back. Then another hour learning to move so that she could sound the needed bells in the right order. Then a break for tea.

Yowl-E made a wonderfully fragrant tea. Rarity was reaching for a cup when she stopped and looked over to Chopper.

"Master?" she asked, drawing back her hooves and looking at the dog.

Chopper got up for the first time in two hours and firmly said, “Good. Pony know not drink for herself. We feed pony.”

“Chopper,” said Yowl-E gravely, “this is my studio. I am dance master. My students will drink their tea on their own.”

“But…,” Chopper tried to interrupt.

“I am dance master. This is my domain. Not Raarg’s, not Howl’s, not the Alpha’s,” said Yowl-E in a stern voice. “If they have a problem with my student drinking her own tea they can come complain to me. In the meantime, make yourselves useful and go patrol the outside of the studio.” Chopper grumbled but was silenced by an arch look from the dance master. He and the other dogs went outside.

“Now then, my dear,” said Yowl-E, “drink your tea. Don’t mind them. They are good pups but they need to be steered away from bad choices sometimes.”

“Is that what happened to Long Strider and now Raarg?” Rarity asked taking a sip. It really was good tea. “They made bad choices?”

“You have to understand unicorn, that someone does not become a monster overnight,” said the dance master sagely. “One does not wake up and say ‘oh, today I will kill innocents’ or ‘today I will use dark rituals to gain power'.”

“Or even, ‘today I will foalnap ponies, break their wills and force them into slavery’,” said Rarity with a bitter edge to her voice.

“Even so, pony,” acknowledged Yowl-E. “But what I mean is that one can make a bad choice and not go too bad. But that choice can lead to another bad choice, then another and another. Before long, one is so far from the light they cannot see the way back. So it is with those brothers. Both made a bad choice, which lead to other bad choices. And now, one is filled with regret and the other seems resolved to his course.”

After that bit of insight, the two of them got back to it. Only now, Long Strider’s Grarf joined them with a small drum and began to beat a rhythm on it. To which Rarity began to dance a complicated series of steps and body movements.

"Yarrfh" Yowl-E's voice cut out sharply as Rarity made her first kick. "Srar!" She had kicked her other leg and, to her surprise, she realized what he was doing. He was naming the moves for her, he was teaching her dance as if it were an Equido kata. The drum was a compliment to the motions and the bells on her. She could hear how well the combined music sounded. The dance she moved in was very complicated, but it flowed. One motion seemed to naturally flow into another in the manner of a kata. The bells and drum merged into an ordered pattern of music and motion. But there was still something missing.

They broke for dinner.

After dinner Raarg’s pack all came back in. But this time they were all carrying long black whips which they uncoiled onto the floor. Their material gleaming with freshly applied oil. Rarity had a slight panic attack at seeing herself suddenly surrounded by the six lengths of leather and began to throw herself toward Yowl-E in an attempt to hide from what promised to be a horrific whipping.

“Easy pony,” said the dance master, “they are not here to whip you. Not unless you make a mistake that is. They are part of your dance and the music.” Yowl-E went on to explain that the whips would provide a percussion element to the music. They would also be a visual element. Her movements were prearranged so that as long as she kept precisely to the motions of the dance the whip strikes would pass over, under and to either side of her, while still looking like she was actively dodging them.

They did a dry run with the dogs merely moving their paws and saying ‘crack’ when the strikes would occur. It went well, but Rarity could tell she had missed a couple of steps. So, Rarity was very nervous as the dogs picked up their whips to use in earnest. The music began and Rarity began to move. Things began to go wrong almost immediately as within the first thirty seconds a whip struck directly on her cutie mark. Pain blew her out of the dance and a second whip struck her opposite flank before the dog there could stop himself.

They stopped and gave Rarity a minute to recover herself. Then they pressed on. A pattern began to repeat itself. Rarity would move well for awhile, then fear of the whip would push her a step too far one way, or step short and a whip would hit her. Over the next half hour she was struck on both hips, her flank, a cannon and her underbelly. It had begun to get dark so Yowl-E called for a short break for torches and time to try to calm his student.

“Unicorn,” he said as he stroked her head, recognizing that Rarity was struggling with her emotions, “be calm, breathe. You can do this. You have already done it.

“Okay,” said Rarity in an unconvincing voice. She tried to mentally concentrate on the dance steps and found herself gazing into a torch flame. As she sunk into the depths of the flame she heard the inner voice again.

“Let me help Rarity, just relax and listen to my voice, listen to it and the music and move,” came Valiente’s voice. As the drums began once more, Valiente's voice lifted, singing words that had little to do with the music, but they danced around the beat of the drums as surely as Rarity's own hooves started to dance with them. She closed her eyes, ignored the strikes of the whips that now no longer licked her flanks, the dance becoming all. Keep dancing, my Rarity, just dance.

Follow my hooves through the night
We are bound sisters of the light
We are bound daughters of sin
We are free laughter in the wind
Follow my hooves through the night
We are bound sisters of the light
We are born wild, we are free
Through the dark night, follow me!
I am here to break the chains and
I want you to be the song of mine
Follow me, Follow me, now
Follow me through the night…

On the song went, weaving through the notes as surely as Rarity was weaving through whip strikes that clove the air around her. Bell and drum, crack of whip and curve of hip. She was supple shadowed power, she was belled alabaster grace, her movements sure, swift and clean. The torchlight gleamed orange off the flashing whips. Their motion seeming to merely caress the air, so that they could highlight the movements of the Goddess of Dance that Rarity had become, as she pranced and curvetted above the whips cracking thunder.

Sensing something special was happening, the dogs surrounding Rarity reduced their margin of error to a scant few inches. All it did was increase the appearance that Rarity was literally dancing in midair. Once a dog missed his mark but all the whip did was flick a single bell off her harness. Rarity took no notice. She simply flowed lithely from one motion to the next. Finally, the dance was done. Rarity stood within a circle of dropped whips and fallen dogs, her own chest heaving. All the dogs were panting and all present knew they had just been witness to something special.

Yowl-E approached her and to Rarity's shock knelt to her. “Pony,” he said, “rarely have these old eyes been so blessed to such beauty in form and motion. If I could have you in my paws for a month you could become one of the greatest ever.” Rarity's answering blush was furious as it was sudden.

Together they practiced for another hour and each time the routine was clean and flawless. Rarity's movements were so precise, in fact, that a couple of the dogs actually began to intentionally flick bells off of her harness with their whips as she danced. For which Yowl-E chastised them for damaging valuable equipment. A few minutes later Raarg came into the studio to collect "his" Rarity and his pack. They immediately clustered around him, all of them talking at once to tell Raarg of how well things had gone.

Yowl-E narrowed his eyes at Raarg, noting his distraction and moved to Rarity with a speed that belied his age and apparent infirmity. Grasping her jaw he lifted her head so their eyes locked with each other. The dance master began to speak in a barely audible voice that still carried absolute authority.

“Unicorn, listen to my voice and look into my eyes.” he whispered and Rarity suddenly found she had no choice but to obey. “I do not have much time to talk while Raarg is distracted. You and Valiente worked together today and did something neither of you could have done alone. Raarg can break either one of you if you stand apart. But together you stand a chance. Valiente, show Unicorn how to bend like the willow tree which survives even great storms. Unicorn, be Valiente’s steel resolve. Show her how and when one must stand and fight.”

Yowl-E shot a glance over at the dogs surrounding Raarg. They were settling down. “And...when you get home. Go find your old teacher. Challenge for the black belt. You have found the inner harmony needed to claim it.”

Raarg finally broke free from the pack and came toward the pair. The dance master straightened and nodded, “Pack Leader.”

“Dance Master,” Raarg nodded back.

“I would like her back in the morning for another run through if possible,” said Yowl-E

“We will see,“ Raarg said as he clipped a lead to Rarity’s bridle. Not a lock, but a simple snap hook. Another good sign. Without another word Rarity was lead away into the deepening night. As they walked, Rarity made sure that she walked at a ‘heel’ position near Raarg that kept the lead slack. The camp was bustling. Dogs everywhere. Again, many of them were openly leering at Rarity. Chopper actually had to push one dog away. Rarity noted that the particular dog was armored and carried both blade and crossbow. Unlike Raarg's pack.

Finally, they reached the training area. Even here there were some dogs around stretching out on bedrolls and similar. It was late, and despite the fact that Rarity had already had dinner she was fed a second meal. Which she again had to eat from Raarg’s paws. Rarity kept up her submissive posture by making sure she licked Raarg’s paws clean. As she was lead into her pen she rolled onto her side in the clean hay and asked Raarg if he would like to hobble her.

“Not tonight, Valiente,” he said, “I think you have indeed learned your lesson.”

“Thank you for your mercy Master,” said Rarity looking up from the ground at Raarg’s feet and piling on with the impression of a thoroughly cowed mare. Raarg bent down and locked the chain lead to her bridle.

“Sleep well, my little pony,” and with that Raarg left, closing the door of the pen behind him.

Once Raarg was gone, Rarity rearranged the hay in the pen into a soft nest and lay back down onto it. It had been a long day and she was tired. As she closed her eyes Valiente appeared in her mental landscape.

“That dance master fellow was scary,” she said to Rarity. “I think he was actually talking directly to me as well as you.”

“He was Valiente, he was,” replied Rarity. “Do you think you can do what he asked? Be the willow to my steel?”

“Of course, sister,” came the immediate reply. “We are a part of each other. How could I not stand with myself?”

“Because my dear,” thought Rarity, “you’ve become more than just a facet of my personality. You’re pretty much an individual now. My using your name has made the bridle feed you a lot of power.”

“I know,” replied the mind mare, “And it is trying to push me to take over. To override your control and be in charge. But I don’t want to be in charge.” Valiente dragged a hoof over the "ground" as she said it.

“I know you don’t,” said Rarity comforting the mare, “and as long as you help me bend enough to look like I’m giving in, I will help you be strong enough to resist the bridle trying to make you take over.”

“Deal, sister,” said Valiente as the pair clopped hooves in agreement. “So, given any thought to who we might ‘play’ with once we get out of this?”

“Well, Applejack is probably VERY good with that rope of hers...”

Chapter 11: Danger on the Trail

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The alabaster unicorn woke to the sound and feel of a second lead being locked to her bridle.

“My beauty, tonight is the night where I finally get to finally taste your sweet honey.” It was Raarg and he was salivating over her rump. Valiente panicked. Where was Rarity? Why wasn’t she in charge? She could feel the diamond dog’s breath on her neck as his paw traced lines down her flank. Valiente jerked her head back and forth, trying to move, the bells in her mane jangling, but the two leads conspired to hold her in place.

“Master?” Her voice was just like Rarity's.

“Shut up, pony.” Raarg’s one firm paw drove Valiente’s shoulders down, forcing her plot up. She could feel him tracing the sinuous lines of her slit with his other paw. He was murmuring to her about how he had wanted to explore her depths and her body since he first saw her, and that now she was his prize and he was going to claim her as he had wanted to do since the very beginning.

Valiente finally found Rarity's presence within. A curled frozen ball of horror, Rarity had sought shelter from the nightmare by retreating deep inside. Valiente’s sex began to drip with want and need as Raarg manipulated her body to betray her desires. She had wanted to be helplessly taken for so long, but not like this, not with this beast. Raarg continued to stroke her, reveling in her heat and slickness. Valiente could feel his shaft rising along her inner thigh.

“RARITY! I NEED YOU!” Valiente screamed to the other presence within.

“V-V-Valiente?” Rarity’s voice was a tiny whisper that Valiente could barely hear. “What is going on, what is...”

“He is raping us.” Both mares said together in their head. Suddenly Valiente felt a great heat rise within her. A fire, a boiling fury. Valiente pulled away from the intensity of that fire, but Rarity embraced it. The heat grew, the fury doubling and then redoubling. Bound or not, cut off from magic or not, Rarity would NOT allow this to happen. An elegant hoof lashed back in a flash of motion. Her hoof connected, but didn't stop; Rarity drove her limb through the target, drawing an inhaled whoop of agony from Raarg.

As he staggered back from the blow Raarg screamed, “My bone!!! MY BONE! you broke my bone.” He pulled himself up in pained fury and charged forward to attack the defiant mare before him. Rarity calmly launched a double hoof buck that would have made Applejack proud, bouncing Raarg off the far wall of the pen and laying him stunned on the ground.

“I,” declared Rarity in a firm, loud voice, “am not your toy. I am not your slave. I am not a thing, here for your amusement. I am ME. I belong to myself and no other. And if I chose to give ownership of myself to another, it would not be to some spineless cur who needs chains to try to rape a mare half his size and weight. I’m certain the spirits of your parents must be so proud at how your actions honor their memory.”

A few moments later Rorg, Chopper, and Growf burst into the pen. What had almost happened was perfectly obvious to all. Particularly with Rarity being still tethered in place and the damage to Raarg’s groin being more than painfully obvious. Chopper took command of the situation.

“Get Raarg to infirmary,” he ordered to Rorg, who got a shoulder under Raarg and began to move him out of the pen. “Growf,” Chopper said next, “get Howl and put guards around pen.” Growf shot off like Cerberus himself was after him.

Rarity realized that for the moment that it was just her and Chopper in the pen despite the audible commotion from outside. She still had a pretty good head of steam but two realizations began to cool her rage. First, she was still securely tethered in place. Secondly, Chopper had his whip and knew how to trigger the bridle. He could have her down and screaming in seconds if he chose to.

So relief flowed through her as he said, “Easy pony, no one going to hurt you. For now, you stay so Howl can see for himself. Chopper sit now, where you see him not hurt you.” Putting actions to words he sat himself along one wall of the pen where Rarity could see him without having to twist around against the leads.

“Valiente, are you alright?” Rarity asked the submissive personality inside her.

“I-I’m sorry Rarity,” wept Valiente, “I’ve wanted to be touched for so long and it felt so good when he started, but then he...he.”

“Shh, it’s okay dear,” comforted Rarity. “You dealt with the situation as best you could and you shook me out of my hiding place. You have nothing to apologize for. I thought it was a nightmare and not reality so I tried to hide from it. I’m just glad you were there to handle things.”

Some minutes later Howl came bustling in. He nodded to Chopper. “Pony, what happened?” he asked brusquely. Rarity explained how she woke to Raarg tethering her and then attempting to rape her. He asked a few more questions and then stepped back for a moment.

“Valiente, under our laws you are a possession, a slave, property,” began the Den Leader. “But you are a precious commodity and a valuable property. Which Raarg tried to damage. As such, he is going to be severely punished. However, you damaged him as well and wrong as he was, you defied him.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Rarity, fear creeping into her voice.

“You have to be punished as well,” said Howl in a matter of fact tone. “I will give you a choice. Either I will use your original name in a manner to further drive the bridle's conditioning on you three times," he paused, "or I will allow you to say your original name once only. I will see this done before I leave. What is your choice?”

Rarity thought for a moment. Valiente was silent as Rarity considered her choices. The bridle was excruciating and made Valiente ever stronger each time it was triggered. Raarg saying her name twice had reduced her to a pleading, desperate ruin. She couldn't even begin to imagine what Howl sounding her name three times would be like. On the other hoof, when Rarity triggered the bridle herself it's effect on her mental landscape was profound. In fact, it was rather disturbing that Valiente had been in control when she, Rarity, had awakened. It meant that Valiente was indeed strong enough to take over, if she wanted to. But making it her choice was Rarity's best way to control the situation.

“Commander Howl, I’ve made my decision. Let me be the one to trigger the bridle,” said Rarity.

Howl sighed, “Valiant, you are in truth. I would expect no less from one with your fire and spirit. May I approach you?”

“Why?”

“I will release you from the leads,” said Howl, “and then catch you when you fall.”

“Thank you for that, Master” replied Rarity with some thanks. “Go ahead.”

Howl circled around so that Rarity could see him the entire time and careful unlocked first one, then the other lead from the bridle. “For what it is worth, Valiente, I am sorry. Other than your performance for the Alpha during the day tomorrow you will have nothing you need to do until the day after tomorrow.” He paused, “When you are ready, brave one.”

Rarity nodded, took a breath and enunciated, “I. Am. Rarity.” Once again, the bridle ignited with lambent lightning. Once again, Rarity's perception of the world dissolved in agonizing fire. Howl caught her as she fell. Aftershocks from the bridle’s fire ran up his own arms, but he held on to her.

“Thank you for that, sir,” said Rarity from his arms.

“Compassion is occasionally a good thing,” said Howl. “I have a proposal for you.”

“Considering how my week has been going with your people, I think I can guess what kind of proposal,” said Rarity as she began to struggle in Howl’s arms, jangling the bells in her mane and tail. He let her get up but remained sitting himself. Chopper watched impassively from the far side of the pen. Saying nothing but simply watching the situation.

“By now, Valiente is an active part of you, pony,” Howl said as Rarity looked at him in shock. “Of course I know,” he said to her astonished face. “I am Den Leader here and you are not the first pony I’ve watched go though this.” He paused, “The important thing is that even if I took the bridle off you right now, the Valiente persona it has caused to be, would stay. But only as it is now.”

“So, she isn’t real?” Rarity asked, feeling a little hollow about that.

“Of course she is real,” replied Howl. “The bridle cannot create something that is not there. Valiente has always been a part of you. But within the next three days, five if you are particularly strong willed, you will become a part of Valiente. Instead of her being a part of you.” The pronouncement sent a chill through Rarity and she sent an inward query.

“Is he telling the truth?” she asked toward Valiente. “Am I going to become part of you, no matter what?”

“I’m not sure,” came Valiente’s response. “I’ve told you before, I don’t want to be in charge, but the bridle keeps pushing...”

“All right...Master Howl, other than to scare me, why tell me this?” Rarity asked the den leader.

“Because you are beautiful. You are sleek and well formed. Your movements elegant. Your mind and spirit magnify your beauty into something truly magnificent. Do you know that your walk to the practice studio caused fights to break out along your path? Both ways?” Howl chuckled, “I am told bribes are being passed fast and furiously to be guards at your practice in the morning. Just so they can watch you dance.”

Howl shook himself, “To break that spirit, to dampen that fire. It would be a great tragedy. So, my proposal is this: You swear, before witnesses, that you submit yourself, body, mind and soul to me, as my personal slave,” Howl waited for Rarity's predictable response.

“And, in exchange?” she asked.

“In exchange, I remove that bridle from you. You and Valiente stay as you are now. Balanced,” said Howl, smoothly. “I would, naturally, replace the enchanted bridle with one of my own, marking you as my personal property. I can promise you a life of ease and comfort. You would be well cared for, treasured even. As property of my pack you would never fear random molestation again. More importantly, you would remain you.”

Rarity could scarcely believe her ears. She could parse Howl’s offer perfectly well. Here she was, not even an hour after an attempted rape and this, this thing was asking her to willingly submit to being violated by him and his for probably the rest of her life. Had she not had Long Strider’s promise of a rescue attempt, she might have been desperate enough to blindly accept Howl’s proposal. It was only then, with the benefit of a mind clear of panic and desperation, that she saw the breadth of the trap Howl had laid out for her to fall into.

While Howl could certainly claim her, there was no way he would be allowed to keep her. Not if anything she had been told about why the dogs were enslaving ponies was even remotely true. Her supposed value lay in her sale price, not in being the personal chattel of the den leader. She could swear herself to him, and he would take her. He had made no bones on that. And a day, maybe two, after he had his way with her, his claim would be overridden by his political masters.

What’s more, he could even claim to have kept his word but had been “regretfully” forced to obey higher authority. She would have degraded herself to no end. The audacity, the sheer cold blooded calculation of it. She could scarcely believe it. In that moment she recognized Howl for what he was. A scavenger. Howl sought out weakness as opportunity and took it for himself. He was trying to take by treachery and stealth what Raarg had sought by main force. Fury again boiled within her, but she schooled her features to give no sign of her anger. To show anger would show Howl that she had seen the trap. If she could have Howl underestimate her, so much the better for her escape.

“With respect, Master Howl,” said Rarity with every ounce of diplomacy she could muster, “I must decline your...generous proposal. While I appreciate the offer, I must stand or fall on my own hooves.”

“I understand Valiente,” said Howl getting up, and showing no sign that he realized Rarity had seen through his gambit. “I had hoped for a different answer but I respect your response.” He then addressed the other dog in the pen, “Chopper, until further notice you have command of the pack. I would...suggest you place a guard on our mare here to make sure she receives no more unscheduled visitors.”

“No need,” said Yowl-E, at the door to the pen. “I will guard my student.”

“This is not your place, Dance Master,” said Howl, visibly bristling at Yowl-E.

“You want guard, she my student,” replied the aged dog with complete calm. “If I guard you have more dogs for other jobs.”

“Fine,” grumbled Howl, who beckoned Chopper to follow him as he left. Rarity could hear the den leader shouting commands as he left and she could hear things begin to calm down outside. She looked over at her dance teacher who hadn’t moved since he entered the pen.

“Unicorn,” Yowl-E addressed her, “I am going to sit, back against door so no one can come that way. You hold onto this tonight.” He then moved carefully forward, and stretching out his whole length, he placed a dagger on the ground a foot from Rarity. “Keep for now. Kill anyone who tries anything until morning. Including me.”

Rarity was touched. She knew Yowl-E had probably just broken a dozen rules by letting her have a weapon but he had known what she would need to feel safe for the rest of the night. She nodded her thanks, scooped up the blade and settled herself into a corner of the pen with a wall behind her and to her off side. Slowly, with several fits and starts, Rarity returned to sleep. Able to rest with the old dog watching over her and a blade ready to hoof.

Chapter 12: Turning for Home

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Rarity slept in. The sun on her flank heated her and she woke with a sudden start. All was as it had been during the night. The dagger under her hoof, Yowl-E sitting with his back against the door. Rarity shifted, making a slight noise, and the dance master’s eyes snapped open. They focused on Rarity as he identified the source of the noise.

“Good morning, unicorn,” Yowl-E said, “You did get some sleep?”

“Yes, thank you for keeping watch, and for this,” she mouthed the dagger via its grip and dropped it at the dance master’s feet.

“A good teacher watches out for his students,” he shrugged, getting up and tucking the dagger into his vest. “Let us find breakfast.”

“No need,” came a voice from outside the pen. In came little Growf carrying oatmeal, fruit and toast with preserves. “Cook made this for Dancing Mare special,” he said.

“Oh,” asked Rarity, “and what did Cook get?”

Growf began to lay the food out, “Seat in front.”

Everyone laughed a bit at that. Yowl-E excused himself and left to find his own breakfast. As he did, the rest of what was now Chopper’s pack filed into the pen. Everyone sat in a circle in the pen and began eating and sharing the breakfast. The dogs didn’t even try to make Rarity eat out of their paws. She had a wooden bowl and spoon of her own. She cocked an eyebrow at Chopper, who simply looked and nodded back. Evidently things would be different under his watch.

“Okay, pony,” said Chopper when breakfast was eaten, “we get ready for practice.” With that, again began the ritual of heavy grooming. Mane and tail brushed out long and full. Body washed to pristine cleanliness. Hooves cleaned and buffed. Then, her mane and tail braided, again with the bells and ribbons woven in. The bell harness, clean, oiled and gleaming, fixed to her body along with the bell cuffs.

By that time, it was lunch and again the group of them ate together. This time Rarity was spoon-fed. “No getting food on clean coat” was the reason given. It was certainly better than eating from a paw and Chopper did seem to be following his policy of a kinder, gentler enslavement. After that, it was back to the dance studio for some practice runs of the dance.

Once again, there were hungry looks from the dogs along the walk to the studio. Rarity shuddered slightly under their gazes as she flashed back to the attempted assault the previous night. To Rarity’s surprise though she could ‘hear’ Valiente’ humming. Almost preening a bit from the attention.

“Valiente? Are you enjoying this?” asked Rarity.

“I know I really shouldn’t, but remember I’m driven by emotions and I live in the ‘now’,” came the internal reply. “I like attention. Especially sexual attention. Sometimes I just want to be taken, long and hard, by a strong male.”

“Then what about last night?” Rarity demanded a little hotly. “That was being taken by a strong male.”

“That was rape,” replied Valiente. “Perhaps I should have said taken by a strong male who cares about me.”

“Yes, that would have been a better choice of phrase. Fair enough, though. You’ve been quiet since last night,” said Rarity. “Are you ready for today’s dance?”

“Looking forward to it,” Valiente replied. “I do so love moving with you.” Rarity’s answering smile lasted for the rest of the walk to the dancing studio.

As the group entered the studio Rarity turned to Chopper and said, “Now Master, I want to be clear that I am not refusing to perform but I do want to ask why I should dance for your Alpha? Particularly in light of the distasteful events of last night.”

“Alpha is our leader,” answered Chopper. “He can make things worse for you. Order us to be cruel. Chopper not lie, Alpha not like ponies. Not one bit. But he can make things worse. Much worse. Hope not, but pony dance best bet to stop that. Pony dance is...” Chopper spread his paws, unable to find the words, but his face was still able to convey what he thought of Rarity’s dancing.

Very well, Master,” her bells jangled as she kissed Chopper on the cheek, “that is very sweet of you to say so, and Valiente promises to do her best not to embarrass you.” The bridle pulsed in answer and Rarity realized she had just thought of, and referred to herself, as Valiente. Shock at what had just happened ran through her.

Chopper didn't notice Rarity's sudden hesitation. He just put a paw to his cheek and grinned. Rarity focused herself back to the here and now. This was not the time to deal with what she had said. She and the dogs had a dance to practice. With that, their practice began. Things went well. Yowl-E broke down the dance into sections and they worked on each part of it. Element by element. Building it into a harmonious whole. He never seemed quite happy though. Rarity thought things were going swimmingly so she asked the old dog what the problem was.

“Dance not being done with full tradition,” he grumbled. “It okay, but not traditional.

“Oh,” said Rarity, “I thought we were doing quite well. How should the dance be done traditionally?”

“Should be done at night, by torchlight,” Yowl-E continued to grumble, “and whips should be on fire.”

“What?” Rarity gasped. “On fire? You have got to be kidding!”

“Not at all, unicorn,” confirmed the dance master. “Why do you think I want you in my paws for a month? Takes time, and a few burns, for student to learn fully.” Rarity wasn’t sure if the dance master was pulling her leg or not.

They finished their practice off with a couple of dry runs. Once again, a couple of bells had been flicked off of Rarity’s harness and Yowl-E made the dogs responsible find and reattach the bells. The dogs didn’t seem to mind their chore and the rest of the time before the performance was making sure everyone and everything was pristine.

Finally, in the late afternoon, it was time. The pack and Rarity were led through the huge crowd to stand before the leader of the entire Diamond Dog nation, the Alpha. With him, were his advisers, the High Pack, all seated on a raised platform. He was a tall dog, deep chested, the very picture of health and canine masculinity. His coat was a glossy black with silver highlights. Upon his brow he wore a steel circlet with raised spikes and about his neck he wore a wide silvery, segmented collar from which depended a large, curved, red tooth.

“Are you ready?” Rarity asked Valiente.

“Let’s knock their collars off,” came the response. Then the drum began its rhythm and all that mattered was the dance. As the music flowed so did Rarity’s body in a fluid, almost otherworldly, grace. It was not Valiente singing while Rarity moved. It was not Rarity singing while Valiente moved. It was both of them moving, both of them singing. They could feel the burning gaze of a thousand pairs of eyes on them. Rather than distracting from the performance, the attention energized them. Pulling them to new heights, new nuances.

Again, the six dogs around her proved their worth as partners by matching the changes in the mare between them. Their whips cracked and flowed around her like living snakes. Never striking her, only flowing along, around and beside her body. Occasionally one would curve around a leg, a flank and once completely around her throat. But they never bound, never snagged, never caught. They simply moved around and with her. Accentuating her motions into a glowing, undulating blur of sound and movement.

Finally, some eternity later, it was done. The dogs and Rarity stood, sides heaving, as bays and yips and cheers of applause showered down on them from the assembled multitude.

The Alpha and his pack looked down at the dancers, and all present grew quiet as the leader of the Diamond Dog nation held up a paw for silence. He stepped down from the raised platform he had been on and approached Rarity. Waving aside Chopper and the rest he began to speak.

“So, this is the pony I have heard tales about. A pony of grace and beauty. A valiant pony,” and suddenly the Alpha’s voice became a snarl. “A soft pony”, he gestured and a band of ebony power wrapped around Rarity’s muzzle. “A weak pony,” another gesture and a second band of magic bound all four of Rarity’s hooves together. “A fearful pony,” the Alpha snarled as he pushed her over.

Bound as she was, Rarity could not prevent herself from falling heavily to her side. She could see Growf begin to move forward, anger on his face. But Chopper grabbed him and shook his head in warning to the smaller dog. Good. At least Growf would not pay for his kindness. Rarity’s attention refocused on the ranting Alpha standing over her even as she tested her bonds.

“All ponies are weak, and soft. They are our prey,” shouted the Alpha. “We are predators. We take what we want.” He moved to stand behind Rarity’s head. “All we need do is to close our jaws on their throats like this.”

The Alpha suddenly bent down and locked his jaws around Rarity’s throat and windpipe. His fangs were just barely piercing her skin on either side and Rarity knew at that moment, her life literally lay in his jaws. All it would take would be a tiny amount more pressure, and she would die in blood. Inside Rarity’s head, Valiente began to cry out, in a panicked voice.

“No, no, nooooo,” she cried, “submit, yield, live.” Suddenly Valiente seized control of their body from Rarity. Imposing a state of complete bodily limpness, even as she forced a small whine from her bound muzzle, Valiente tried to show as much abject submission and surrender as possible.

“You see!” cried the Alpha, his voice somehow undiminished by the position of his jaws. “Weak, fearful, and ours.” He dismissed the band around Rarity’s muzzle, “Speak, pony, beg for your life and perhaps I will show mercy.”

Rarity mentally grappled with Valiente for control, “NO Rarity!” cried Valiente. “We must submit, we must beg, we must live.”

“Listen, Valiente! Listen to me! He will kill us whether we beg or not. He made up his mind before he even moved. Now out of my WAY,” Rarity “yelled” as she mentally “shoved” Valiente aside. It was surprisingly difficult, but Valiente yielded to Rarity’s will. The entire mental struggle had only taken a split second and Rarity looked straight into the eyes of her own death.

“NO,” she said as loudly as she could. “I will not beg. You will kill me whether I beg or not. So I will not give you the satisfaction. Kill me, if that is your will, and send me on my way, your Majesty.” She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. Waited for the sudden, crushing pressure that would send her to Celestia’s waiting light.

Instead, she felt a wave of dizziness as the Alpha drew in a long breath past her throat. She could almost feel a portion of her life being drawn in with it. Then, surprisingly she felt the pressure on her throat lessen and withdraw. The Alpha’s tongue drew a wet line over her windpipe as he lapped the few drops of blood that he had drawn from Rarity's throat.

His head hovered over Rarity's, and he whispered directly into her ear, “I abhor waste. If it were possible, I would take you to be part of my harem. You are worthy to be the concubine of a ruler. You and your friends all, even the shy one. Know that I truly regret, what I must now do.” He stood up tall, standing over Rarity as she realized that she knew that voice. She had heard it somewhere before.

“For that defiance, which pleased me, I grant you your life, pony,” the Alpha said, as he shifted his voice back in volume so the howling crowd could hear him. “But defiance has its own consequences. Den Leader Howl, Pack Leader Raarg, stand forth!” After a minute the two dogs emerged from the crowd, Raarg with a significant limp, to Rarity's satisfaction. “I am given to understand that both of you desire this mare.” Both dogs yipped their assent. Both eyed Rarity's bound, belled and harnessed body hungrily.

“Very well,” said the Alpha. “Tomorrow night, this mare will be secured to a breeding rack in my tent. We shall take turns with her, the three of us. We will do so until her mind breaks, or she surrenders to the power of the bridle.” Rarity looked up to the Alpha in horror from her supine position. Far from making things easier, it seemed her dance had only convinced the Alpha that even greater horrors needed to be visited upon her.

The Alpha gestured to Rarity's six dance partners, “Take her away, so that she may contemplate her fate, and consider yielding her will to the bridle before tomorrow night.” Chopper and the others rushed in, and together they began bodily carrying Rarity from the Alpha’s presence.

As they carried her through the crowd, the dogs parted before them. Some with curses and insults, some with mutters of praise or reflective glances. It seemed not all the dogs agreed with their Alpha. Who was still haranguing the crowd in their wake. Ranting about the weakness of ponies in general and their rulers in particular. Rarity could hear the majority of the crowd baying behind her as they were caught up in the spell of their leader’s words.

Roughly halfway back to the pen, the dark magic around Rarity’s hooves faded to nothing, releasing them back to her control.

“Pony, can you walk?” asked Chopper.

“I-I think so,” said Rarity as the dogs gently lowered her from a carry, to stand on her hooves. They slowly let her weight settle back onto her legs. Rarity looked up at Chopper and tried to began to speak, shaken to the very core by her close encounter with death, and the pronouncement of doom upon her, but he forestalled her with a gentle paw on her nose.

“No, no speak,” Chopper said. “Not until we back at pen.” He turned to little Growf, “Go find Long Strider, tell him ‘Yes’.” Rarity felt hope, so battered and bruised, rise again in her breast. She looked around at the other dogs. Each of them wore a determined, angry look and it was not directed at her, but toward the Alpha. Their own supreme leader. She knew then, that they knew what was planned for tonight.

Soon, they were back at the pen where food had been laid out in advance. Chopper looked around to make sure that no one else other than the pack was present and then spoke.

“Pony, you not weak. You strong. You not soft. You bend but not break. You not coward. You Valiente, valiant,” the dog became more animated. “Raarg wrong about you. Howl wrong. Alpha wrong. We...wrong.” Tears began to fill Chopper’s eyes as he struggled with his emotions.

“We bad dogs,” he continued. “But maybe, if we help you. We be good dogs again.”

“Luna would be so proud of you,” Rarity said as she flung herself to hug Chopper in a jangle of her bells.”

“We not do this for Luna,” said Chopper, his wet gaze smiling down at the pony fiercely hugging him. “We do this for you. Our Dancing Mare. Our Valiente.” Rarity just hugged him harder.

They ate and made plans. Chopper even sent out and got seconds. "Back," said Growf as the seconds arrived, "He says two hours before dawn." Everyone knew who Growf meant by "He."

"Good plan," answered Chopper. "That way we run as light gets better. Not get lost in dark. No dog notice we gone for hours likely." He looked over at Rarity, "No dog usually bother training pack unless we ask for help."

Chopper than had Growf remove all the bells from Rarity’s mane and tail even as Chopper and Rorg removed the bell harness and cuffs from her body. As they were finishing this task they heard someone walk up, paws crunching on the gravel. The pack paused and looked as the newcomer approached.

"Orders from Alpha," said the messenger. "Pony is to be totally bound so she can't end herself. I am to watch and report on what bonds you secure her with."

Rarity shot a glance over at Chopper and winked. Then shouting loudly she declared, "You will NEVER take me you damn, dirty dogs! Hiiiiiyaaa." Then she widely telegraphed a punch into Rorg's gut that folded him over despite having absolutely no power at all.

Chopper and the rest played into the act. Dogs leaped and threw themselves at her. She dodged and took some hits. While kicking and punching dogs as well. Each of the strikes by both dogs and pony were all speed and no power. What looked like earnest combat was little more than sparring. After a protracted “battle”, Rarity was finally pinned to the ground by Chopper who folded one, then the other foreleg behind her back. Rorg sat on her rear legs as she was hobbled, bound back into the capture harness, bitted with a check rein, and secured in the holding frame.

"Once more you are ours, pony," Chopper declared and gave Rarity's rump a swat with his paw. By accident however, his paw struck the still healing bruise from the paddling of a few days ago. Rarity gasped in pain and she felt a tear roll down her cheek. The messenger nodded in satisfaction at seeing Rarity being so thoroughly subdued and took his leave.

Chopper waited a minute or two for the messenger to leave and then knelt so his eyes were level with Rarity's, "You okay?" Worry was writ large on his face. "Sorry, did not mean to hurt pony. Is pony okay?"

"It's okay. It only hurt for a moment, Master," Valiente assured him. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me. How long do I have to stay bound like this?”

“We let you out an hour after sunset,” Chopper answered. “Make sure no one watching. Um, pony know that when we alone she not have to call Chopper, 'Master'?”

"Sorry, Chopper," Rarity said. "I seem to have gotten into the habit."

Chopper was good to his word and an hour after sunset the harness was unlocked and Rarity released from its grasp. Rarity and “her” dogs then clustered together in the pen for warmth, companionship and sleep. Questions rolled through Rarity’s mind as she tried to get some sleep. How had the Alpha been able to work magic? How had he known her friends? Why did his voice and mannerism seem familiar? One thing she did understand though. The cruelty of the Alpha. She, Rarity, or rather Valiente, had unintentionally become a symbol of elegant defiance. A pony that could be looked up to. A pony who had been taking everything thrown at her, and then used it to demonstrate power and grace.

Rarity had read Marechiavelli. She knew that the Alpha had no choice but to tear her down to satisfy his agenda. He could not allow so potent a symbol of pony power and perseverance to remain unchallenged. She continued to ponder these things, but after some time, the pile of warm, furry bodies worked it’s magic on Rarity and she fell asleep.

Finally, the time came, and Rorg shook Rarity awake as Long Strider and his pack came to the pen.

“Chopper, Ah’m glad you decided to join us,” Long Strider said and turned to Rarity. “Ma’am, are you ready to leave?”

“I’ve been ready to leave since I first came here,” said Rarity getting to her hooves. “I don’t know how I will ever be able to thank you, Chopper and the others for what you are doing.”

“Just remember us, Ma’am,” said Long Strider. “Remember who we were and what we meant to you. It’s all any dog can ask for and all we ever hope for. To be remembered. To live beyond our years, in the hearts and minds of others.”

With that, the thirteen dogs and their charge set out. A large dark blanket had been provided to cover Rarity for their sneak through the camp and it seemed to do it’s job well. No one stopped them and no one seemed to take notice of the pony in their midst. After a short walk they came to the great gates of the encampment. Twenty feet tall and made of iron bound wood. They were ajar with two guards standing guard before them. Long Strider boldly walked up to them.

“Ah cain’t thank you enough,” he told the guard dogs, “for covering our escape and more, for taking the blame.”

“Go,” they said as first one, then the other, shook Long Strider’s paw. “Remember us, remember us to Luna.”

The group made their way through the gate. Only to be confronted by the vision of the mass of troops Howl had been forced to bivouac outside the encampment. The light was beginning to touch the eastern sky and the silent mass of tents seemed to stretch on forever. As quietly and as swiftly as possible the group began to pick their way through tents. Despite the perceived size of the outer encampment it should only be the work of a few minutes to get clear, and then they could put on some speed.

They ran directly into Raarg a bare minute later.

“You!” Raarg said at first, seeing only his brother, “what are you doing out with both of our packs and...” Suddenly his eyes narrowed as he spotted Rarity, “Her. How dare you give aid to the pony who tried to maim me and whose resistance threatens us all."

“Brother,” said Long Strider, pleading with Raarg, “getting her out of here is the right thing to do. All she has ever done is defend herself like any one of us would. All she has done is be true to her nature, and be brave in the face of odds and power that would make any dog quail. She is not our enemy. Don’t make the same bad choices Ah did. Come with us. Come with me.”

“My path was set long ago and my choices as well,” answered Raarg adamantly, with a face set in stone. “Unlike you, I have decided to embrace the Alpha and my duties. He has shown me where my true loyalties lie, and in doing so, he has eased my mind. You are the one making the wrong choice. For the love we once had though, I will give you to the count of three to turn around and head back with the pony. One...Two...”

And Long Strider leapt full upon his brother with fang and claw fully extended. As he hurtled forward, Long Strider uttered a single word.

"RUN"

Chapter 13: Running for Home

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Rarity ran past the battling dogs. She knew nothing about how dogs fought each other, but she could recognize mortal combat when she saw it. Long Strider had opened the way and they ran, leaving Raarg and Long Strider in their wake. Some dogs began to climb sleepily from their tents, woken by the sound of the fight. The group of them simply pounded past the sleepy dogs at a full sprint. Just as Rarity, Chopper and the rest cleared the outer encampment, a sudden piercing yelp of pain could be heard. Alarms began to ring throughout the encampment. Rarity looked at Chopper as they ran side by side. He just shook his head and bent it back down into a running position.

“Thank you, Long Strider,” Rarity thought to herself. “I’ll try to make your sacrifice count.”

Two hours later they paused at a supply cache. Rarity found herself oddly energetic as Chopper passed around canteens with water, biscuits and salt tablets. He made a point of making sure Rarity actually took the tablets. Once he saw that she had taken the salt, he passed her a note. As she read it, she couldn’t but help hear Long Strider’s AJ-like twang.

Ma’am
If your reading this I guess things didn’t go quite according to plan. It means something got in our way and I put myself in it’s path. Fair enough. As long as it gets you clear it’s worth it. Me and the boys didn’t expect to all make it out. I just want you to know that all of my dogs have promised to do whatever it takes to get you to the border. Chopper and his too. Just remember me and my boys to Luna, if you get the chance. Ask her to look on our shades kindly and I’ll consider whatever you think you owe us, paid in full.
All the best,
Long Strider

Rarity was just finishing off her canteen, when the she heard the hunting howl of diamond dogs heading their way. The howl was answered, then answered again and again. Almost the entire southern arc of the compass was covered, from east to west. Rorg stood up, along with one of Long Strider’s pack.

“We go and slow them down,” he said. “We catch up when we can.” Rorg, and his partner jogged off in one direction while the rest of the group went the other.

And so it went over the next couple of hours. Rorg and his friend never did catch up. Rarity and her escort ran for all they were worth. But it wasn’t enough. They had known from the start they would be at a speed disadvantage but they had counted on having several hours head start. Instead, they had barely enjoyed a half hour lead on their pursuers. Every so often, the hunters would close in, from one direction or another. Then one or two of her escort would grimly nod to the rest and peel off to fight a delaying action aimed at slowing the literal horde of dogs chasing them.

“How many?” she had gasped once to Chopper.

“All of them,” he had panted back. “Alpha would have sent everyone. Maybe one thousand dogs.”

“I feel flattered,” she huffed. “Never had so many suitors chasing me at once.”

Chopper just smiled back at her and a few minutes later they were at their next rest stop. Rarity had wanted to keep going but Chopper had overridden her objection.

“Pony need to have salt,” Chopper said. “Remember collapse after hunt? That because you drank much water and used up all salt in you.” Rarity had grumbled a bit at that but it did make sense to her. So she sat with the others, took the salt tablets and washed them down from the canteen of water supplied. She could feel the energy flowing back into her limbs. Chopper had been right.

Of course, that was the moment when the pack that hadn’t howled out their approach landed in among the fugitive group. It was six on six and the fight was on. Two of the enemy pack focused on Rarity, hurling bolos at her. She realized there was no way to avoid them, so she deliberately took both sets of thrown weapons on her front legs. As she had planned, the cords wrapped around both legs, fusing them together. But with her rear legs still unhampered she was only slowed, not immobilized.

Growf and Old Bones, from Long Strider’s pack, fell on the distracted dogs from behind. Knocking them down and out with a few, well aimed club strikes. Chopper and the others were hard pressed though, as their foes wore armor and were better armed than their group. Rarity, Growf and Old Bones fell on their better armed foes from behind. Rarity with her bound and doubled front hooves, the other two with clubs. It was over in moments. Chopper came over to cut Rarity free. As he did so, Rarity could see he had been wounded. A long shallow cut on his rear leg.

“Chopper, you’re hurt,” Rarity said, bending to examine the wound. “Get some bandages!” Just then the group heard the howls of more dogs coming, many more.

“No time pony, no time,” said Chopper as he swept her up into a fierce hug. “Now run,” he said as he set her back down. “Grarf, Growf, go with her. Rest, with me.”

“NO! Chopper,” Rarity yelled as Chopper limped and jogged away.

“It okay,” assured Growf, leading her away. “That choke point, they can hold long time. We run, not waste that time.”

“They are so brave,” came the voice of Valiente. “They are going to die for you, you know.”

“I know, and it breaks my heart,” Rarity said to the inner mare. “Where do they find the courage?”

“Maybe they've found the courage because they've found something...or somepony, worth dying for,” Rarity could feel Valiente looking at her as she said it.

Outwardly, for no apparent reason, Rarity blushed. Inwardly she said, “Or perhaps, it is because they are good dogs and they've decided they would rather die than give another inch to the darkness. For everyone, there is a point they cannot be pushed beyond.”

“Do you, I mean we, have a point like that?” Valiente asked.

“Yes dear, I’m sorry, but I cannot allow them to capture us again,” Rarity said sadly. “If it comes to that I intend to give them no choice but to kill me. Or barring that, take my own life”

“You can’t be serious?” Valiente gasped in horror.

“Deadly serious, dogs are giving their lives so that we have this chance at freedom. I will not see it wasted. Even if it means freedom, only in death.”

“I’m sorry as well Rarity, but if you try to end us, I will have to try to stop you.”

“Understood. But for now, let’s run and keep it from coming to that.”

“Agreed...watch out on the left, that soil looks a little loose.”

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Two hours before dawn. Two hours. That is how much Train Masters Scoot and Forge had beaten Twilight’s deadline by. It had been enough, Twilight mused as she glided on through the mid morning sky. There had been an hour needed after arrival, for Twilight to gather her supplies and have a quick meal in advance, of what promised to be a long flight. Oh, and the train’s engine had caught fire in the aftermath of their arrival at the railhead.

That had needed dealing with.

After expressing her thanks to the train crew as a whole Twilight had climbed into the dawning morning sky. Only to find herself immediately enveloped in a protective formation by a squadron of pegasi. They had escorted her to the border and had even offered to fly with her to her destination, deep within the Diamond Dogs territory. Twilight had kindly refused. She was the last, best hope for peace. Flying in with a military escort would just increase tensions.

So, at the border, the nine pegasi of her escort had reluctantly peeled away from their Ambassador. Well, not exactly at the border. They had made a point of waiting until Twilight started to order them back. Just as she opened her mouth to give the order, the lead trio in front of her had curved away as one. Then the trailing trios to either flank had curved up and away. Leaving her to fly on.

She had glided mainly. “Glide, don’t flap,” Rainbow Dash had constantly told her when it came to long flights. “Flap only when you need to get to the next thermal.”

So, she had. Gliding on thermals where she could. Actively flying when she had to toward the next. As the flight went on Twilight took the time to mentally review her lists.

“First,” she thought to herself, “Assets. I have flight, personal magic, and my status as a Princess and Ambassador. Barring anything else, those last two should keep me personally safe. Second, Goals. My number one goal is to rescue Rarity. However, if I can also determine what has caused this change in the Diamond Dogs so much the better. Finally, Liabilities. Teleportation is blocked, I’m outnumbered thousands to one and the Alpha is almost an unknown quantity.”

It was while reviewing this list yet again that she saw the movement below. Being four or five hundred feet up it was impossible to resolve any of the dots below into actual figures. But there were a lot of them, spread in a vast arc, moving roughly towards her.

Summoning a magical pair of binoculars Twilight looked toward the ground as she hovered in place. There were diamond dogs running across the terrain. Gathered in handfuls nearly everywhere and in some larger groups. The largest group, she shifted focus, seemed to closing in on a white legged figure. A white pony. RARITY!

Even as Twilight watched, she could see groups of dogs closing in from either side. She could see that Rarity had a pair of escorts with her, as she ran. Twilight saw them peel away from her friend, and move to intercept the oncoming groups on either side. Even so, it was obvious from her vantage point that the valiant sacrifice of Rarity's escorts was not going to save her friend. There were too many dogs closing in from too many directions.

There was only one thing to do. A move she had only practiced with Rainbow Dash once. Called the “Barn Swallow,” it involved a pegasus diving and doing a high-speed pickup of a target, and carrying it off. She had managed to do one in practice. One. Now the freedom of her friend depended on it. Rarity’s escorts had engaged their target groups but Twilight could see only a few more minutes of freedom remained to Rarity unless Twilight did something and did it now.

“Okay, remember the steps,” Twilight thought, “One, take up station behind the target. Two, hover.” Twilight hovered in place, “Three, drop nose and begin stoop.” Twilight nosed over and began to dive, “Four, curve and angle wings for maximum speed.” Twilight’s wings adjusted to a razor profile even as the alicorn began to gain speed, “Five, trim airframe.” Twilight tucked her legs up alongside her body.

Her speed crossed a hundred wingpower and continued to accelerate. “Six, adjust dive slope to match target movement,” Twilight shallowed out her dive slightly, to match Rarity’s running. “Seven, stay on profile,” Twilight held the slope, her body rigid in the dive. Gravity had accelerated her to her maximum speed even as Twilight's mane and tail flowed into banners behind her. She had no idea how fast she was going.

All that mattered was the dive. Her eyes locked on the target. Locked on her friend. The wind stream tore at her eyes, forcing her to narrow them to slits. It was almost time. It was time. Twilight raised her nose, raised her wings. G-forces tore at her, threatening to drive her into the ground. Every muscle and sinew strained at the force of the pullout of the dive. The pain was incredible as she pushed herself harder than she ever had before. She was Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and her friend was depending on her. She. Would. Not. Fail.

Nor did she. Despite the incredible strain Twilight Sparkle pulled out of her dive a mere eight feet above the ground. The dive had given her incredible speed. More than enough to beat the reflexes of the dogs she overflew or passed by. But fast as she was, she could not outrun the cries of shock and amazement at her flight. Rarity turned just before Twilight reached her. Joy spreading across the unicorn’s face.

Things began to happen very quickly. As Twilight reached Rarity, a quick burst of levitation pulled the unicorn into Twilight’s waiting hooves and cushioned the shock from the impact of the catch. Then, Twilight realized she had missed a step in her dive checklist. Plan egress. She realized this only as she saw the rock wall looming in their path. It was too late to try to climb over, so Twilight went into a hard right bank to follow the wall. Directly over a group of armored diamond dogs who began firing crossbows at nearly point blank range.

“Hold on, Rarity,” she screamed.

The bridle on Rarity, obeying it’s commands, triggered at the sound of Rarity’s name. As it had, so often before. Lightning lanced out, shocking Rarity, reinforcing even further the Valiente persona and, because she was also in contact with the bridle, shocking Twilight Sparkle. This, even as a full volley of blunt tipped crossbow bolts reached the duo.

The peytral Celestia and Luna had bound to their friend, had more spells woven into it than they had admitted. Among which was a shield spell. It flared to life even as the bridle's lightning hit Twilight’s body. The shield blunted the power of the bridle’s fire, allowing Twilight enough presence of mind to hold the bank she was in, and not crash into the rock wall on her left side. Then, came the crossbow bolts. The vast majority of them were clean misses. Six struck home. Three hit Twilight’s side, but the shield spell of the peytral deflected them even as the bolts touched her flesh. Two however, hit Twilight’s forelegs, stealing their strength and causing her to drop Rarity. The last one struck Twilight’s right wing, causing it to freeze up and rolling Twilight to that side as she lost lift.

Everything seemed to slow down, like the world was moving through a thick gel. Twilight had all the time in world. She could see that Rarity would be unable to shield herself from the impact, saw that there was only time for Twilight to protect one of them from the ground’s terrible embrace. She choose her friend. As she always would. She had a whole two seconds to wrap Rarity in layer after layer of yielding force. Wrapping the unicorn in a sphere that would give with the impact, so that Rarity would not splatter against the inside of field.

Then, time brutally sped up again. Twilight hit, and bounced off the ground at terrific speed. She tumbled, all attempt at control vanishing. End over end, she rolled. At one point she distinctly heard a wing snap. Light and dark blurred, finally stopping as her momentum carried her into a huge boulder along her path. With a sickening crunch, everything stopped.

Blackness

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

In Canterlot Castle, Princesses Luna and Celestia suddenly paused in the middle of court. Both felt the immediate, deep ache within their breasts. Celestia looked over at her sister, at the tears welling up in Luna’s eyes. Celestia opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, another voice was heard through the castle.

Everything and everyone froze, as Side Slip’s anguished voice rang out, “TWILIGHT HAS FALLEN!”

Two hours later a messenger arrived at the pavilion of the Alpha of the Diamond Dogs. The runner was matted with sweat but he moved gracefully to hand the message he carried to his supreme leader. The Alpha took the message and smiled as he read it, “Oh Celestia, sometimes you are so predictable.” He passed the message to Howl, who sat nearby. "Events unfold as I have predicted," the Alpha said, pleased with himself. "Twilight has fallen, and soon will come the Night.”

Chapter 14: Washed out Trail

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“CLEAR THE THRONE ROOM!” bellowed Luna at full volume in the Royal Canterlot voice, even as the echoes of Side Slip’s cry finished carrying through the castle. The thunder of the Lunar Princess, combined with the look of pained fury on her face, cleared the throne room in record time. As the guards made sure everypony had left, Luna risked a glance at her sister.

Celestia still held a hoof to her breast, breathing in and out heavily as she did so. Luna could see her sister’s lips moving, over and over.

“...not dead...not dead...Not dead...”

“Sister?” Luna asked, suddenly worried that Celestia may have become unhinged at whatever had befallen her student and their friend.

“It’s okay, Luna,” Celestia said, shaking herself. “I’m fairly sure she isn’t dead. Something,” she paused, “something struck her, with great force. I just need some way to be sure.” It was at that moment Side Slip burst through the doors, and past the guards, wailing that Twilight had fallen. The distraught pegasus flung himself at Celestia’s hooves, weeping openly.

“She is dead! My Princess, my heart is gone,” he wept.

Celestia and Luna shared a look. This was the pegasus who had cut a swath through the unattached mares of Cloudsdale? Who had been cited twice for inappropriate advances by his superiors? If they had ever needed proof that Side Slip and been broken apart and put back together, here it was. But, that wasn’t important. One of their ponies was in pain.

“Ease yourself, my little pony,” said Celestia. “I’m fairly sure Twilight is alive.”

Side Slip looked up, his face a mask of tears, “Are...are you sure?”

“Not completely,” admitted Celestia. “But there is a way to be sure, if you are willing to help.”

“Of course, Princess,” said Side Slip, rising to his hooves. He scrubbed a wing across face, wiping the tears from his eyes, “Whatever you need to help Twilight, I’m ready to give.”

“Very well,” said Celestia, moving to stand to one side of Side Slip. “Luna, if you would assist?” With a nod, Luna took up station on Side Slip’s other flank. Then, Luna lay one wing across Side Slip’s back, the other placed across his front and chest. Celestia mirrored her sister, wrapping the pegasus in a circle of alicorn warmth and wings.

“Now, Side Slip, close your eyes,” said Celestia as Side Slip obeyed. Her voice began to speak in a measured cadence. “Feel the warmth around you. In this circle there is no fear, no terror, no pain. Only warmth and love. Do you feel it, Side Slip?”

“Yes, Princess,” his reply came in a far off voice.

“Good,” she continued, even as she and her sister ignited their horns with power and ever so gently, pushed it into the pegasus “Listen to my voice. Only my voice. There are no other sounds. Do you hear only my voice, my pony?

Side's thoughts slowed and his voice lost any hint of personality, becoming a monotone, “yes, princess,” he replied.

“You are so brave, my pony,” Celestia continued in that same measured rhythm. “Keep listening to my voice, and I want you to sink within yourself. Go to that warm place inside. The place where the gift Twilight gave you resides.”

“yes...i...i am there,” Side Slip said.

“My wonderful pony,” Celestia praised. “Can you still feel her gift? Is it still there? Still warm?”

“yes. it is.”

“Sink back into that warmth, my good pony,” Celestia continued in the cadence of that honeyed voice. “Once you are there, open your senses again to that warmth. Tell us what you hear.”

“i hear another heart, beating. I hear her. She lives, my Princess...she lives.” Tears of relief flowed down Side Slip’s face from beneath his closed eyelids.

“Easy, my pony, easy. Calmly,” soothed Celestia. “Breathe with your love for a moment. Just be with her." Celestia watched as Side Slip did so, watched him return to calm breathing for a minute. Simply breathing for a minute. “Very good, my brave pony. Now tell me. Can you hear anything else, feel anything else?” Celestia asked.

“A little.” Side Slip’s voice was stronger now. “Just feelings. My...her left wing hurts. So does her right foreleg, and there is a pressure over her head and body. Like they are wrapped in something.”

“Very good, Side Slip, you have done very well,” said Celestia, as she stopped the flow of power from her horn. “Come back up to us now. Rise, my pony. Climb back up to us on wings of thought.”

A few moments later Side Slip opened his eyes. “She is alive,” he marveled.

“Indeed, she is,” said Luna. “Thank you for helping us be sure of that.

“It was my pleasure, Princess,” said Side Slip, who blushed as he realized he was in a rather intimate embrace with both Princesses. “Um..."

“It was our pleasure as well, brave Side Slip,” said Celestia releasing the pegasus. “Now, please stand off to one side for now. My sister and I have much to do and we may need you for some of it.”

Luna suddenly winked out of existence. Only to reappear a pair of heartbeats later, with scorched fur and feathers.

“Luna, did you just try to teleport to Twilight?” asked Celestia.

“Yes, sister. I did. The wards of the diamond dogs are most efficacious it would seem,” answered Luna, checking herself over. “I will not be teleporting to her. At least, not under my own power.”

“Why did you even try?” asked Celestia. “You had to have known it wouldn’t work unless...”

“Unless I added something extra with the spells I wove into Twilight’s peytral,” said Luna, confirming her sister’s suspicion. “I wove a teleport anchor in with the other spells and I know you added something as well.”

“Yes, I did. I wove a scrying enchantment in. With it, the peytral can show us what it sees and not just record it.”

“What are we waiting for then? Let us find out what is going on.”

“We have preparations to make, and a kingdom to make ready for war first, Luna.”

With that the two diarchs began issuing orders. All available troops were to head to Appleoosa as a staging area. Messages were sent to call up reservists. The Collegium Unicornium was summoned with instructions they be ready for complex magics. Finally, Celestia had a very large mirror brought from her quarters to the throne room as Luna dispatched a message to the guards around the border of the Badlands.

To: All unit commanders
From: Princess Luna
Gentlecolts, this message is to be considered a War Warning. Ambassador Twilight Sparkle has been felled by an unknown agency. Until we can confirm the Diamond Dog Nation is at fault, we do not yet have a true casus belli as our previous deadline to them is still counting down.
Be aware this means that while hostilities could break out at any moment, you are NOT to initiate battle. You are to use force only in self-defense at this time. However, if you feel that you or your command is in imminent danger you should feel free to take whatever steps you feel necessary to safeguard your ponies and your command.
Should you be forced to this, know that you will have the full blessings of the Crowns upon your actions.
Go in Harmony,
Luna, Noctis Regina Filia

“Princesses,” said a guard, “we have the mirror you requested, and I’ve been told to tell you that the Collegium is setting up in the Gala Ballroom.”

“Excellent,” replied Celestia, “set up the mirror right here, and let the Collegium know that we will be ready to join them soon.” The guard nodded and went to deliver the message while other guardponies set up a large mirror very similar to the one used by the mirror portal to the world Sunset Shimmer lived in.

Celestia touched a hoof to the edge of the mirror and - her horn glowing - poured mystical energies into the mirror. The reflection in the mirror shifted and went away. In it’s place was a vision of orange, rocky terrain. Several diamond dogs were visible, walking in front at the same pace as the mirror’s viewpoint moved. At the top of the view, just visible, was the underside of a pony’s muzzle. It was lavender in colour.

“Twilight,” breathed Luna. Celestia nodded. Both diarchs were glued to the image in the mirror, barely blinking. “Why is there no sound?”

“As you noticed, their wards are very good,” said Celestia. “I could guarantee either sight or sound. I choose sight.” Luna nodded in understanding. As they continued to watch they could see blood begin to drip past the image from Twilight’s muzzle. Celestia gasped, while Luna’s face grew grim.

In the image, one of the dogs also seemed to notice that Twilight was bleeding. He halted the procession and the image seemed to steady as the viewpoint seemed to be lowered to rest on something. Another dog approached Twilight, pulling out a pair of sharp scissors from a pouch at his side. The scissors moved up out of the field of view and the sisters were treated to an up close look of the dog’s chest as he did something to Twilight’s head. A moment later the dog lowered himself down with the scissors in one paw and the remains of a bloody bandage in the other. The dog then dug out gauze and a fresh bandage and then obviously replaced the dressing he had just removed.

“Medical care is a good sign, my sister,” said Luna. “But wait, what is that?” As they watched the dog lowered Twilight’s head further into view and he proceeded to wrap a device of rings, straps and buckles around Twilight’s unresisting head.

“That, Luna,” said Celestia in a grim tone, “is a bridle with an integrated inhibitor ring. And considering how Twilight isn’t fighting it at all, I would say she is unconscious.” As the sisters continued to watch, they saw the straps being drawn tight as the bridle was secured. Then, as Luna began to growl, they saw a bit being forced into Twilight’s mouth and attached to the bridle.

Their anger at the bit and bridle vanished as the medical dog reached down to put one of Twilight’s forelegs on a stool. The leg was splinted and the break in the bone was clearly visible as a grotesque lump beneath the flesh. The medical dog then cut away the splint, and two dogs moved into the field of view. They took a firm grip on either side of Twilight’s bridle and the upper portion of the broken leg. Then they seemed to wait for the healer to do something.

“Luna,” asked Celestia, “what are they doing?”

“Twilight’s leg is broken,” said Luna, no stranger to in-the-field care. “They are going to set the leg. It will likely be very painful for her. But it must be done.”

“My fault,” whispered Celestia, hanging her head in guilt. “Her pain is my fault.”

Even as Celestia spoke the words the dog pulled the leg straight. Setting the bones and reducing the lump to smoothness. In the mirror’s sight, Luna and Celestia could see Twilight try to buck and shudder. They could see her jaw clench on the bit in her mouth. The dogs held her firm until Twilight went limp again. After which the healer began to wrap strips of cloth coated in some substance around Twilight’s leg. It became clear that he was wrapping Twilight’s leg in a cast.

“Their healer seems skilled,” Luna said dispassionately. “Provided nothing further happens, the leg should heal well. Did you notice what they did not do, sister?”

“No Luna, I didn’t,” said Celestia, noting the firmly buried rage in her sister’s voice.

“They did not remove either the bit, or the bridle, afterwards,” said the dark alicorn in that same controlled voice. “Twilight is most definitely a captive as well.”

“Calmly sister,” said Celestia. “You will need all your strength soon enough.”

“There shall be blood this day, Celestia,” Luna swore. “For every drop that falls from Twilight I shall shed a thousand from those responsible.”

“Then start with me, Luna,” said Celestia, as she levitated a knife before her sister. “For it was I who sent her there. I, who failed to see the signs of the growing crisis. I could not be more responsible for her wounds, had I cut her myself. And now, I cannot even go to her aid, but must coordinate and command our forces, even as I make ready to send my own sister. My own sister, alone, into a desperate battle to save those I endangered.”

Luna stared at her sister for a moment. Then grabbed the knife in her field and flung it away.

“T’is a lie!” Luna declared, as she moved to look her sister in the face. “’Tia, you did what you thought was right at the time, with the knowledge you had. We have great power, you and I, but we are not all-powerful. We are not all-knowing. You ARE a good pony, and a good sister. That you feel the pain of our ponies as your own, proves that.”

Celestia hugged her sister. “Thank you,” the solar alicorn said. “I needed that.”

“I know,” said Luna with a smile. Then looked over to where Side Slip sat at the edge of the room. The pegasus was trying to give the royal sisters as much privacy as possible while still obeying their command for him to stay near.

“Side Slip,” Luna said, addressing the pegasus, “my sister and I must make preparations to send me to Twilight’s side. We would ask thee to monitor the mirror and let us know should anything of import transpire.”

“Of course,” agreed the pegasus, grateful for something to do.

Nodding their thanks, the two sisters left the throne room and headed for the ballroom. Where there awaited the most powerful unicorn and well trained mages of the kingdom.

“Greetings, your Highnesses,” said Umbral Glow, the lead unicorn of the group. “We are laying out the ritual square to provide the power you and your sister will need to do what you want. But, there is a problem.”

“What is the problem?” Celestia asked.

“Focus, your Highness,” said Umbral Glow. “We can give you enough power to punch through any barrier, anywhere. But without enough focus there is no way to guarantee where Princess Luna would emerge from her teleport.”

“I see your point,” Celestia answered. “What do you need?”

“We need ponies with direct connections to Twilight Sparkle,” said the unicorn. “Seven ponies, preferably. One for each side of the ritual square. Two to feed the square’s power into you, and one final focus for when you feed the power to your sister.”

“Do the focus ponies need to have any particular qualities?” asked Luna from the far side.

“Other than a strong connection to Twilight Sparkle, only the two ponies concentrating power from the square to Princess Celestia need to have any special qualities,” said Umbral. “They should be strong unicorns, to be able to handle the amount of power that will be flowing through them.”

“Sister,” said Luna, “we have five ponies like that in the castle. Did you not place four of Twilight’s friends in protective custody? And Side Slip has a portion of Twilight’s soul inside of him. Surely they would all qualify as good foci?”

“Yes, they would,” said Celestia. “If they can manage to forgive me for what I’ve done to their friends. We still need two others, as well.”

“Starlight Glimmer is a most powerful unicorn and Twilight’s student,” said Luna. “That leaves one.”

“Shining Armor would be the best choice,” said Umbral Glow. “Can we get him here?”

“Yes, but it will be jarring for him,” said Celestia. “I can teleport him directly, and if I do it using a summoning circle it will save my strength.”

“That’s our seven then, I will get Twilight’s friends here,” offered Umbral. “I’ll inform them of the situation and hopefully they will be reasonable.

“Get them here and I will speak with them,” said Celestia. “In the meantime we have some preparations to make.”

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Twilight Sparkle woke. Considering she had not expected to survive her impact with the ground, this was a good thing. Her waking to a deep, aching pain in her left wing and right foreleg however, was decidedly not a good thing. She opened her eyes and took in her situation. Several things became apparent within a few seconds. First, she was being carried; some sort of harness had been strapped around her body and she was being carried by it. Second, she was surrounded by diamond dogs; dozens within her immediate field of vision. Next, one of her front legs - the one that hurt - was wrapped in a rigid cast.

“Must have broken it in the crash,” Twilight thought to herself. “Wing feels pretty bad too.” That was when Twilight realized that she was also wearing a bridle with an attached bit.

“Whrg deg bukt erm bt fr?” Twilight garbled out loud, as the bit mangled her words.

“Ah, pony. You awake,” said a dog who moved over to walk alongside her as she was carried along. The dog gently but firmly grabbed hold of the underside of the bridle and used its leverage to move Twilight’s head so he could look into her eyes, one at a time.

“He must be checking for a concussion,” Twilight thought. “Must be a medic.”

“Cag ogg tag og da bigt?” Twilight garbled to the dog.

“If you want bit out, answer is ‘no’,” said the dog. “Welcome to your new life as property, pony.” Twilight growled in response.

“Pony should be grateful.” said the dog. “Pony all banged up, but we save pony.” The dog began gently patting Twilight’s head. “Pony in pain? Ear have big cut. Bleed lots. Have drink for pain if you want,” asked the dog. Twilight shook her head in the negative. It did hurt, a lot. But she had to stay clear headed. Rarity was counting...RARITY!

Twilight looked around. There she was. About thirty feet away. Wrapped up in her own harness and pole carrying combo. Rarity was also bridled, and she had been treated to extra bindings beyond what was on Twilight. Rarity not only had a bit between her teeth, but she had been muzzled as well. Her head was not only bridled, but had straps attached to the bridle and running to Rarity’s harness forcing her to keep her head up.

But worse was how Rarity looked. Physically she was fairly unharmed. Emotionally though she looked beaten and defeated, not even lifting her eyes up to look around. She resembled nothing more than a condemned prisoner being lead off to her doom. Twilight wasn’t sure what had been happening - when she had tried to swoop in to rescue her friend - but it must have been Rarity’s last attempt at escape, and its failure had cost Rarity her spirit and determination.

The procession carried on.

About an hour later the group came to a halt. The poles Twilight and Rarity were being carried with were set on stands. The two ponies were suspended side-by-side. A dog came up to Twilight, removed her bit and held a canteen to her mouth. Twilight drank gratefully. Rarity then had her muzzle and bit removed and was watered as well.

“Excuse me,” Twilight said to the dog giving them water. “I’m an ambassador and have diplomatic immunity. Why am I tied up like this?”

“You pony,” replied the dog. “We do this to all ponies.”

“But I’m an alicorn,” protested Twilight, “and Princess Celestia’s personal representative.”

“It’s no use...Princess,” said a tired, defeated voice beside her. “They are taking us to their Alpha because those are their orders. And there is nothing we can do to stop them,” said Rarity.

“But Rarity-” began Twilight. She stopped speaking as she saw the bridle her friend wore, suddenly crackle and dance with lightning. Rarity convulsed under its lash and gave a cry of wordless pain.

“Please...please...no more,” pleaded Rarity as the lightnings faded. “Don’t say that name again, Princess. I am punished every time someone says it near me.”

“That name?” Twilight asked. “You mean, your name makes that bridle shock you? Is that why you haven’t said my name yet?” Twilight was suddenly very conscious of the bridle around her own head.

“Yes,” Rarity confirmed. “I don’t know if the bridle they put on you can do that. Yet. And I don’t want to put you through that. So please, don’t say that name again.”

“Enough pony chatter,” said the dog, catching Twilight by surprise as he slipped the bit back between her teeth and secured it. As Twilight watched, Rarity made no attempt to resist her own bit and even opened her mouth to allow easy access as the dog approached her.

Twilight felt a growing anger, as thoughts of what Rarity had to have endured to reduce her to this state, poured through her mind. That anger fueled her until suddenly, with a surge of triumph, Twilight realized she could still sense her connection to magic. The bridle the dog had put on her had an inhibitor ring. But it was made to stop the magic of a unicorn, not an alicorn. Twilight began to pull in power, and then stopped.

“This is not the time,” she thought to herself. “I’m wounded, and why walk on a broken leg when you can be carried to where you want to go. But when the time comes - and it will come soon - they are going to learn what it means when the Princess of Friendship becomes unfriendly.”

Author's Notes:

Well, gentle readers. Thank you for being patient with me. The climax of the story is now finished and I will be putting out a part of it every day or two until all we have left is the epilogue. So, the next portion of the story will be out tomorrow.

One note. The title I've given Luna is "Noctis Regina Filia". Latin has no word for Princess. It does have 'princeps' from which we get prince. But no female version of it. Principia is an Italianization of the Latin word. However, "Filia" is "daughter of". "Regina" is the feminine of "Rex" or king and, of course, "Noctis" is night. So, directly translated "Noctis Regina Filia" is "Daughter of the Night Queen" or "Daughter of the Queen of the Night". Which makes "Princess of the Night". Or at least as close as I can get to it.

Chapter 15: The Lights of Home

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“This is not the time,” Twilight thought to herself. “I’m wounded, and why walk on a broken leg when you can be carried to where you want to go. But when the time comes-and it will come soon-they are going to learn what it means when the Princess of Friendship becomes unfriendly.”

Even as those thoughts went through Twilight’s head, another dog walked up. Tall and proud of bearing. He bore several bandaged wounds about his body, and had one foreleg in a sling. A bandage on his head gave him a rakish air.

“You can take their bits out,” said the newcomer. “It will do no harm and Valiente can acquaint her friend with the realities of their situation. You can remove Valiente's check rein as well.”

Rarity did a sudden and complete reversal in attitude and bearing. From defeated and despondent she went to a blazing fury that had Twilight worried for the dog’s safety. Were Rarity not bound and bridled, Twilight was absolutely sure her friend would be lunging for the dog’s throat. “Murderous” was the phrase that came to mind.

“You Raarg, are a cur. A mangy, flea ridden, snaggle-toothed, dew clawed, misbegotten...” Rarity sputtered as her bit was removed. “I will even add one of AJ’s sayings because it fits. You ‘varmint’!” Rarity all but spat at the dog. “You killed your own brother. A dog whose only crime was trying to do what was right.”

“Long Strider isn’t dead,” said the dog. Rarity's tirade cut off with a look of surprised shock. “I-” Raarg hesitated, “I could not kill him. It was my duty to do so, but when the moment came, when I had my teeth on his throat. I could not do it. I...I am confused by what happened. I must speak with the Alpha. He can make things clear again.” Shaking his head, the dog walked away. The dog seemed more affected by his own introspection than anything Rarity had said to him.

“Um...Rares?” Twilight's heart ached for her friend as Rarity cringed even at the diminutive of her name. But, the bridle did not react, so Twilight pressed on, “Who was that?”

“That...Twi,” Rarity paused, having taken her cue from Twilight. Nothing happened. “That,” she continued, “was Raarg. My captor, my jailer, my trainer, my master and almost, my rapist.”

“What?” exclaimed Twilight as the two of them were picked up again.

“It’s been quite a time, dear,” Rarity said to her friend. “Raarg didn’t start out as a monster. At first, he was almost respectable and seemed to have a code of honor. But the longer things went, the darker he became. It came to a peak a few nights ago when he tried to rape me.”

“That’s horrible,” Twilight said and then frowned in thought. “Does it have anything to do with why his speech patterns are more sophisticated than other diamond dogs?”

“Oh that,” Rarity said. "Their Alpha spread special crystals from the war around the inhabited areas of the Badlands. The crystals gave the Diamond Dogs better health overall and some of them became much smarter and were able to speak in a more refined manner. Those dogs found themselves promoted into leadership positions. Up until this Blight thing showed up the crystals have been a real boost to them. Of course, I'm terribly summarizing several conversations over the past week or so."

“But that’s impossible!” declared Twilight. “You never get something for nothing. Particularly when it comes to magic. There is always price to be paid. And if these crystals have had effects as profound and far reaching as you say…” Twilight’s voice trailed off as she began to consider possibilities.

“How long ago did you say they were distributed?” Twilight asked, in a slightly absent-minded voice.

“Supposedly, around two years ago,” said Rarity.

“That would put it a few months before…” Twilight stopped speaking as she became lost in thought. Rarity could see her friend’s face go into it’s “thinking” expression. She could see Twilight was mentally assembling a puzzle in her mind’s eye that only she could see. Rarity realized just how much she had missed watching Twilight like this.

“And you say Raarg started out as a fairly decent individual and then became progressively less so?” asked Twilight abruptly.

“Yes,” Rarity said. “Originally, I had the impression he was doing something he didn’t want to do, but as long as he had to follow orders, he was determined to carry them out with as much compassion and professionalism as possible.”

“But he changed, later,” pressed Twilight.

“Yes, greatly,” answered Rarity, “why?”

“I have a theory,” said Twilight. “It’s just a theory at the moment, but it could explain everything.” Twilight blinked, as she came away from her thoughts and looked over at her friend, as they were carried along. “Why did...Raarg, was it? Why did he call you Valiente,” she asked.

“It’s a little hard to explain,” sighed Rarity. “That name is what they call me. Also, if I say the name, the bridle...strengthens a…Oh, this is hard to explain. I’m afraid I will simply have to show you.” Rarity paused, her eyes losing focus for a moment as Twilight tried to puzzle out Rarity’s cryptic comment.

“Hello darling,” said Rarity. Only, it wasn’t Rarity. It was her voice, but the stresses in the words were all different. Her face had taken on a sly smile and her eyes were half closed, seductively gazing out from under her eyelashes and focused completely on Twilight. “It is a great...pleasure, to finally meet you,” said the not-Rarity, whose gaze smoldered it’s way down Twilight’s form. Twilight could feel the heat from that frank assessment caressing its way along her body’s every curve and angle; her own face heated in response.

“Take a good look at the bridle on...my head,” said not-Rarity. “What do you see?”

“Well,” said Twilight, “it’s actually kind of pretty. And there is a name on it. Oh! ‘Valiente’ is there. So, are you the bridle? Am I talking to the bridle through Rar-” She stopped herself just in time.

“Please be more careful,” said Valiente, “You saw what happens if you say her name. It happens if she says it as well, or my name. You can say it without problem though. And no, I am not the bridle, dear.”

“Then who, or what, are you?” asked Twilight.

“Originally, I was just a part of her inner thoughts,” said Valiente. “A piece of her personality. The more earthy part of her. I was part of her drive for pleasure, sex, survival and partially, submission as it related to pleasure.”

“And now?” Twilight prompted.

“Every time the bridle’s power has been triggered, one of it’s effects has been to make me stronger,” Valiente said. “Into a person of my own. And my sister, here, she greeted me as a friend. Not an enemy. So, I’ve done all I can to help. She is part of me and I am part of her. We are two, but one. It’s wonderful, and working in concert we can do incredible things. But there is a problem.”

“And that is?” Twilight was fascinated, despite the situation. A true dual personality. A second complete psyche, sharing memories and thoughts as an active partner within a single mind. After working with Side Slip, Twilight had done some reading on pony mental health issues during the long train ride. There was disappointingly little on altered or multiple personalities but according to what she had been able to read, secondary personalities were never this...alive.

“The bridle,” Valiente said. “It has another purpose. Conditioning. It’s driving her away from her name, from who she is. It’s trying to push her into me. What is worse, is the bridle is pushing me to take over. To take possession of this body as the driving personality. I don’t want to do that to my sister and friend. I’m supposed to be submissive, not dominant.”

“What happens if the bridle succeeds?” Twilight asked.

“Then my other half would be locked away inside our mind,” Valiente said, sadness in her voice now. “I would hopefully be able to bring her out for short amounts of time, but for all other intents and purposes she would no longer exist. As for me, my submissive nature would let whoever claimed me to completely control me. And that is the best outcome. That is if she surrenders and allows the bridle to have it’s way.”

“What is the worst outcome?” Twilight asked, suddenly very afraid for her friend.

“We both break,” Valiente said bluntly. “Our mind and personalities shatter. Something would be left, of course. Something sad and cringing and eager to please whoever held our leash. But the two of us would be broken into very small pieces.”

“Like Side Slip,” Twilight breathed.

“Side Slip?” Rarity asked. Twilight blinked. It was incredible. The change from one personality to the other was profound. Physically, both personalities used the exact same body, voice box, everything. But even a blind pony could tell when the switch from one to the other happened. Valiente had gone back inside, and her friend, the Rarity she knew, was back with her.

“Um, yes, Side Slip is a pegasus that the dogs had,” began Twilight. “He was going by the name Aerius, when Celestia managed to get him home to Equestria, and I was able to piece back together his mind.”

“That is about the best thing I’ve heard all week,” said Rarity. “It means that even if the worst happens there is still hope of bringing me back.”

“Maybe, R-sorry,” said Twilight. “Side Slip is restored, but he isn’t what he once was. Plus, apparently I left a chunk of myself inside of him, patching up the holes. I’m not sure I could pull off that bit of neuromancy again.”

“Well, Long Strider, the other dog I spoke of,” Rarity said, “he will be happy to hear about Side Slip. He was to Side Slip what Raarg was to me. Unlike Raarg, Long Strider feels incredible guilt about his actions.”

“Don’t feel so sure about that, Rares,” said Twilight, as Rarity again flinched at the shortened name. “If I am right, Raarg might be feeling just as much guilt. But with him, I'm guessing its either buried or suppressed.”

“What do you-” said Rarity. “Oh, here we are.” The procession had crested a small hill and was now overlooking the outer encampment. If anything, even more dogs were there than before. Rarity, Twilight and the thousand dogs with them descended toward the base of the Diamond Dogs.

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Back in Canterlot, preparations were nearly ready. Starlight Glimmer had arrived. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Applejack had been released from house arrest. Celestia had let each of them have their say in turn.

“Princess, I’m mad as heck about this,” had said Rainbow. “You tried to make me choose between my loyalty to Twilight and my loyalty to you.”

“I’m as angry as a polecat who went swimming for a week, Princess,” Applejack had said. “You done all of us wrong and Ah for one am not happy at t’all.”

“I was going to have a ‘We all Save Rarity’ party,” was Pinkie’s comment. “But then you were a big party pooper Princess.”

“Um, Princess,” Fluttershy had demurred. “It really wasn’t nice to lock us up so we couldn’t help Twilight. I’m sorry, but I really think you made a mistake.”

“My ponies,” said Celestia facing the four directly. “You were right and I was wrong. When all this is over, I will personally make it up to each of you. That is not a promise of a princess to her subjects. That is the promise of one mare, to others. A promise from Celestia to Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie.” Celestia paused, “And to Twilight Sparkle and Rarity.”

“And Spike?” asked Applejack.

“And Spike, who first sounded the alarm,” Celestia confirmed.

“Pinkie promise?” Pinkie asked.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” said Celestia in the ritual words of the Pinkie Promise. Nopony ever breaks a Pinkie Promise. The four mares hugged their Princess as they forgave her, “Thank you, my little ponies. Now please take your places while I summon our last member.”

Celestia moved over to a clear area where a silver circle was set in the floor. It was one of sixteen such circles set into the stone of the ballroom floor. Most thought they were decorative, not realizing their alternate purpose. This circle had been swept meticulously and cleaned to a mirror finish. The alicorn princess ignited her horn and began to pour power into the circle. Closing and energizing it with arcane energies.

Celestia began to chant, her voice rising with her power, "Shining Armor, I call to thee. Shining Armor. Guardian, Protector, Defender. By your virtues I summon thee. Shining Armor: Father, Husband, Brother. By your roles I summon thee. Shining Armor, by your True Love, by your True Heart, by your True Name. I. SUMMON. THEE.”

The circle filled with a cylinder of blazing flame, seemingly only held in check by the confines of the mystic circle. As the amazed watchers looked on, the flame coalesced into the form of Shining Armor, Imperial Prince of the Crystal Empire. Who happened to be holding his daughter, Flurry Heart in his hooves, even as he held a diaper in his magic.

“Um,” said Shining Armor, “hello?”

“Welcome back to Equestria, Shining Armor,” said Celestia. “We seem to have caught you in the middle of something.”

“Yes, you did,” said Shining, who in the practiced motions of parents everywhere, finished diapering his daughter. “You know Cadence is going to be rather annoyed when she notices we’re gone. Can I assume you need me for something important?”

“Yes, Prince Armor,” said Celestia. “Due to my own shortcomings I have inadvertently placed your sister in grave danger.” Shining Armor’s eyes grew wide as Celestia continued, “Our plan is to send Princess Luna to rescue her.”

“For Twily, I would do just about anything,” said the unicorn, “and while I am glad to help, why can’t Luna just teleport there?”

“Because Shining Armor,” interjected Luna, “Twilight lies behind a nation worth of crystal wards. If it were not for my placing a teleport anchor upon her there would be no possibility of immediate succor for your sister. As it is, we will require the full power and focus of a ritual square for me to reach her.”

“And you need me as one of the focus elements,” said the prince in understanding, he being no stranger to large workings of magic. He passed off his daughter to an attendant, “Be a good princess. Daddy has to do some work for Auntie Twily.”

At that moment the doors to the ballroom opened. In came a quartet of guards carrying the scrying mirror with Side Slip accompanying them. “Princesses,” he said, motioning for the guards to set down the mirror. “You are going to want to see this for yourselves.”

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Twilight had been impressed at the number of diamond dogs as well as the size of the fort and surrounding encampment. She had commented on this to Rarity who had numbly replied, “It’s somewhat less impressive when it is ones prison.” After Rarity’s surge of her old fire and passion, she seemed to be slowly retreating back into the defeated captive Twilight had first encountered.

Twilight tried to cheer up her friend as the procession came to a halt and their carrying arrangements were set onto stands meant to hold them, “It will be okay, Rares,” said Twilight, “there are two of us now.”

“All it means dear, is that I will get to see one of my dearest friends begin her own slide into the pit which is about to claim me,” answered the despondent Rarity. “Oh wonderful,” she said with some sarcasm, “here comes the Alpha, who intends to rape me tonight.”

Shocked and angry, Twilight swung her gaze forward where a noble dog walked into the square that had been cleared for this obvious meeting. She took in the dog and his trappings, her eyes narrowing as she said in a low, angry voice, “Theory...confirmed.”

“Hmm? What do you mean dear,” asked Rarity.

“My theory about what’s going on,” answered Twilight. “I’ve just had it confirmed. Take a look at what that dog is wearing.”

Rarity looked at the Alpha, who was busy congratulating his warriors some thirty or so feet away, “He’s wearing a circlet, a rather nice red cape. And a collar of some sort of metal with a very tacky claw or tooth dangling from it.”

“That is no tooth. It’s not a claw either,” said Twilight, whose anger was now a fire within her. “That, is a unicorn horn.” Rarity looked back and forth, from Twilight to the Alpha in shock, realization spreading across her face as she put together the same clues Twilight had, and got the same answer.

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Through the magic of the peytral and scrying mirror, Celestia and Luna also saw the same thing. The blood drained from their faces as at last they saw the face of their foe and realized his identity, just as Twilight and Rarity had.

“EVERYONE, TO YOUR POSITIONS,” commanded Celestia loudly. “WE HAVE TO DO THIS NOW. RIGHT NOW.” She turned aside to her dark sister who was donning her barding and settling a pair of swords.

“I am nearly ready,” Luna said. She spoke calmly, only someone intimately familiar with her could have noticed the slight tremor in her voice.

“I could go in your place,” Celestia offered. “Of the two of us, I am the stronger.”

Luna hugged her sister, “You know as well as I, that the anchor is attuned to me. And while you may be stronger I have always been the better at battle.” Around them, ponies hustled to put the finishing touches on the ritual square. “If I fall, sister. If there is indeed a bridle waiting for me and he ensnares me in it, promise me three things."

“Anything Luna, name them,” said Celestia.

“First, I ask that you do not blame yourself. You acted with responsibility and care as always. Our foe simply used that against us,” began Luna. “Second, do not allow him to celebrate his triumph for long. End him. No matter what it takes. Third, when it is done, care for me as best you are able. Do not put what is left of me aside in some hidden place. Keep me near you, as a reminder that sometimes love and friendship requires sacrifice.”

“I swear it, Luna,” said Celestia in a small, fierce voice as her vision blurred with unshed tears. “It shall be as you ask. Until the sun goes cold and the stars grow dim.”

“Thank you,” said Luna. “Now, let us do this thing.”

Chapter 16: The Path, run.

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“Greetings, King Sombra,” called Twilight Sparkle to the Alpha as he began to approach.

The dog looked shocked for a moment and then his face changed to a cruel smile, “If there is any pony alive who could have worked out my identity, I should have known it would be you, Twilight Sparkle."

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said Twilight, who absently noted that the bridle on her had not begun to shock her. “Please forgive me for not kneeling in respect, but I seem to be a little tied up at the moment.”

“Your disrespect is not by intention, little princess,” said the dog, ignoring the quip. “Have you worked out the rest of it?”

“I believe so, Your Majesty,” said Twilight. “You're spirit has taken possession of a diamond dog, probably during an excavation of his. After which, you unearthed caches of crystals from the war, that you knew of, and used them to accomplish several things.”

“And those would be?” prompted Sombra.

“You used them to spread your influence on the minds of the dogs in general,” said Twilight. “Those dogs who gained the most from the crystals are also the most vulnerable to your influence. Which is why as Alpha, you had them promoted. And after nearly two years of your influence, they have gone from professionals to predators by reducing their natural inhibitions and occasionally, direct influence.”

“Raarg,” Rarity thought to herself. “He is as much a victim as I am. At least I knew what I was fighting. He never had a chance to keep his mind, his own. And Long Strider, he must have realized what had been done to him on some level, and felt shame not only at his actions toward Side Slip, but that he hadn’t been able to stop himself. No wonder he was so determined to make amends.”

“But all that power needed to come from somewhere,” said Twilight. “So the crystals pulled it in from the land around them and from weaker dogs. Which is what causes the Blight. There never was any need to raise funds as the crisis is a manufactured one. Manufactured by you.”

“Well done, Princess Twilight,” said Sombra haughtily. “Once again you prove that you are worthy of respect.”

“Thank you, O King,” said Twilight diplomatically. “The one question I cannot answer is ‘why?’ What is the purpose behind all this? You have obviously put much planning and thought into this, but I cannot see its greater purpose.” Twilight had also noticed that while the diamond dogs were gathered around them - nearly two thousand strong - none of them seemed to be reacting with shock or astonishment at Twilight’s words. “Either they are fully under his control or have nothing left to pull them back from the brink of servitude,” thought Twilight to herself.

“In due time, Princess,” said Sombra. “Other events approach. But as they do, let me make you an offer. Join me.”

“That is a kind offer, Your Majesty,” said Twilight. “But why would I want to renounce my mentor and my friend?”

“You would become my apprentice,” Sombra said. “You would learn magics undreamed of, even by alicorns. Your power would only be second to my own. In time, I would perhaps even deign to make you my Queen.”

“Your...Queen,” Twilight said. “What you offer is interesting. The knowledge you offer is tempting. But not at the cost of my friend, and I certainly would not make such a decision while we were your bound captives.”

Sombra waved a paw and both harnesses suddenly released both Twilight and Rarity. Rarity landed gracefully. Twilight fell heavily, but got up to a three legged stance with her cast, broken leg at an awkward angle.

“Now then, Twilight Sparkle,” said Sombra. “I make you the offer again, as King to Princess. Bow to me, swear your allegiance to me, and in return I shall release your friend from her bridle and make you my apprentice, my heir to power and my Queen. What say you?”

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

The ponies of Equestria were known for their use of magic. Unicorns and their spells, Pegasi and their flight, Earth ponies and their command of the soil and crops. But all of these are generally either passive effects or off the cuff uses. The only exceptions were the few, rare unicorns that created and cast specific spells.

But Equestria had another kind of magic. A rarely used magic of great power and potency yet uniquely suited to them. Ritual magic.

Ritual magic required ponies to operate together in Harmony. In Equestrian ritual sorcery, the magic number was four. There were four species of pony, four classical elements and four legs on a pony. When four ponies worked together the results could be be spectacular. But for the High Magics, only a full square of ponies would suffice. Four to the power of four. Two hundred and fifty-six ponies.

This was the number that assembled in the formation of power. Sixty-four ponies each funneling their power into Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Applejack respectively. In turn, they fed that combined power, channeled through their connection with Twilight, into Starlight Glimmer and Shining Armor. Who added their own considerable power and focus to Celestia. Celestia, using the portion of her faithful student within Side Slip, funneled all of that combined might into the mystic circle in the center of the room.

The circle that willingly bound the Princess of the Night within its confines, as she prepared herself to be hurled to the side of her sister's student, the side of her fellow princess, the side of her friend.

Silver power began to coat the Lunar Alicorn. Lines of power glowing their way along her medians. Her eyes shifted to pure white as she began to channel the power that was given to her. Her own chant began.

“Artume,” Luna drove the first word of the ritual spell into the air, shoving a portion of the magic pouring into her through it. Her horn started to burn with its cobalt blue magic. “Artemis,” the second word drove hard into the fabric of reality. Then came more words, more Names of Power, each building on the next, each shaping the power into intent, will and determination. The words driving deep into the mechanics of reality and bending them to accept the purpose of the Mistress of the Night.

With a final cry of “Nocte," night suddenly came into being directly over Canterlot Castle. Luna leaped straight upwards toward it, then froze, trapped in the suddenly solid shaft of silver moonlight that poured down from above. The mare and the light then disappeared together as the shaft leaped upwards in a continuance of Luna’s leap, like an arrow launched from a bow.

“Ad Astra, my sister,” said Celestia into the sudden silence. “Light, watch over my sister and my friend until I can be at their sides.”

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

“Your Majesty, while I am greatly flattered by your offer, I must refuse,” said Twilight, with more confidence than she felt.

“I see,” said Sombra. “I suppose it was too much to expect that you would accept my offer. No matter, you and your friend were just the incentive for-”

Whatever Sombra was about to say next was cut off as, in the middle of the day, a shaft of solid moonlight appeared between Twilight and Sombra. As all present blinked at the light, the form of Luna, Princess of the Night could be seen within the silver shaft. As the light faded, Luna’s form grew more distinct. When the light faded completely, Luna’s form fully filled out. Looking directly at the Alpha/Sombra she pronounced,

“SHE SAID THEE ‘NAY.' VILLAIN!”

“Ah, Princess Luna, so good of you to come,” said Sombra with a large smile on his face. “I had indeed hoped it would be you and not your sister who would come here.”

“You knew I was coming?” said Luna, slightly taken aback that Sombra had been expecting her.

“Indeed,” Sombra confirmed. “I knew that the more I put your ponies in peril, the sooner Celestia would send her right hoof in to deal with things.”

“What do you mean?” said Luna, slightly playing for time and backing up to take a guard position with Twilight on one side and Rarity on the other. She cast a quick delve spell toward her friends. Twilight was fine mentally, despite the obvious wounds to her body, and the bridle she wore was a simple suppression device. Rarity on the other hoof. "Oh, Rarity," Luna thought as she took in the wounds to mind and soul that the white unicorn had suffered. Her mind and soul had been split in two but both halves fought against the dark presence of the bridle Rarity wore. The horror of it nearly made Luna miss what Sombra had to say next

“I mean that nearly every crisis Equestria has faced over the past five years has the hoofprints of one mare on it,” sneered Sombra. “Twilight Sparkle. I knew that Celestia would send her in first. All I needed to do was to create a crisis. Then bring down her and her friends. The arrival of yourself or your sister would be a foregone conclusion. That Twilight's friend fell into my clutches first was a bonus."

"And why would we not blast you to ashes from afar?” said Luna.

“For the reason you didn’t do so now, because I made it impossible for you,” said Sombra. “You would never unleash your power with ponies so near and dear to you being in the path of destruction. You see, I know you.”

“Well, Sombra, this has been interesting,” said Luna as she began to wrap Twilight and Rarity in her magic. “But it is time for us to go. I will speak with you again, later.”

“I don’t think so, Your Highness,” said Sombra, who took a crystal from a pocket and snapped it in half. Immediately, a green dome of force appeared over the encampment, roughly four stories in the air. “For the next two hours nothing larger than a hoof can pass either in or out of this camp. No magic can be drawn in from outside either. You asked what was the purpose of all this, Princess Twilight,” said Sombra. “This is the purpose. Surrender, Luna. Yield. I have nearly two thousand dogs here. You are cut off from support. Teleportation and flight will avail you naught. Your magic is limited. You are mine.”

“What shall be the fate of myself and my friends should we surrender ourselves to you?” asked Luna. Her voice and bearing were as tempered as the steel she wore at her side.

“The one called Valiente will become my concubine,” said Sombra. “She is comely and has skills worthy of the position. Twilight will again be offered a position as my apprentice. Should she refuse, I can always use another broodmare in my herd.”

“And myself?” asked Luna”

“You shall become chief broodmare of my herd,” Sombra said, the lust for possession and conquest clear in his voice. “I shall get a foal on you, and when that foal is born I shall transfer my spirit from this body into that one.”

“All of this,” Twilight interjected. “All of this has been so you could take possession of the body of a foal?”

“Not just any foal, Twilight Sparkle,” said Luna. “The foal of an alicorn has the potential to become something truly special, as we have seen with little Flurry Heart. Sombra wants a new body. One that will increase his magic ten fold and have the potential for immortality. Sombra has always been ever ruthless in seeking his goals.”

While the words passed between the three, Rarity simply stood there, numb. She was an ant among titans. Insignificant. Her failed run, seeing so many friends give their lives or freedom for her, and it all failing had broken her spirit. Even now, her friend and her Princess were about to lose their own freedom because she had been the bait in a trap.

“I should just surrender to the bridle now,” Rarity thought to herself. “It will be easier, less painful.”

“Since when have you EVER surrendered to anything?” asked Valiente, from within. “Was it when you created a boutique in the middle of nowhere? Maybe it was when you built up a fashion empire with your own skill and determination? Or what about all the times you fashionably strode into situations with all of Equestria in the balance?”

“I never surrendered then-” said Rarity.

“Then don’t now,” said Valiente. “Fight. Fight for yourself, fight for me, for our friends. For your Princess. Just fight on. Be the Rarity I know and love. Fight, my soul sister.” Rarity took a breath, deeply. Something seemed to flow back into her from Valiente. Fire, passion, determination.

“We need to find a way to change the situation,” she thought, her mind invigorated by Valiente's support. “Some way to remind the dogs who worshiped Luna of their reverence. A way to remind them of the duty they pledged to her. Some way.” Suddenly, Rarity’s mind shifted to the memory of a campfire, horrible coffee and a song.

“Princess, I’m going to try something,” she hissed under her breath to Luna as she finished speaking to Sombra. “I need you make it so that all the dogs can hear my voice.”

“Go ahead,” whispered Luna, using a small trickle of power.

“You are outnumbered hundreds to one, you have no allies and no hope. Surrender, Princess,” ordered Sombra.

Rarity’s soprano singing voice rose in response.

If I see her again, I must die or kill
In the bleak, dark woods or the stone-ringed hills

Dogs on all sides pricked up their ears. As if hearing a strange sound that suddenly caught their attention.

When the year wears down and the trees are bare
In the form of an up-right, white-fanged mare,

There was motion in the crowd of dogs. They gathered closer, seemingly entranced by the song.

For where she appears death is on the air
And someone in sight must die.

Yowl-E emerged from the crowd. He whipped out a pair of twin swords, and in a flourish, lay them at Luna’s hooves. Kneeling before her as he did so.

Do you see her again, in the dark and cold
The blue black mare, with her grim eyed foals

A second dog emerged from the crowd. He followed Yowl-E’s example, laying his weapons at Luna’s hooves.

With her high roan staff and her white skull globe
With her ebon crown and her storm cloud robe

Now, an entire pack emerged from the crowd. In unison, they too drew their weapons and kneeling, lay them before the Lunar Diarch.

With her dead white eyes that no light can probe
And more than a few must die...

Even more dogs came forth. By ones and twos, by packs and by the dozen. As Rarity continued the song of bloody lunar triumph, nearly three hundred dogs came forth and supplicated themselves before their Princess of the Night.

“Shouldn’t we stop this?” asked Howl to his Alpha.

“No. I want them to have hope. It will make their defeat all the sweeter. Besides, I have one more card left to play,” answered Sombra.

“Princess,” said Yowl-E, “we ask that we be allowed to serve you. For Aegis Moon, for Silent Path, for-”

“-for Dark Shield,” said another dog.

“For Star Arrow”, said a third. “For Shifting Shadow,” said a fourth. “For High Step,” finished a fifth.

Yowl-E nodded, “For the six who fell. We offer our hearts and our bodies in their stead.”

“You remember them,” said Luna, emotion and memory both strong in her voice.

“Someone reminded us of their example with her own,” said Yowl-E, looking directly at Rarity.

“Yes,” said Luna, her voice firming, “YES, I accept your service. Rise. Rise, my Moon Dogs.” As the dogs rose to the bidding of their mistress, Luna’s horn glowed and every dog who had just sworn themselves to her, found themselves adorned with a blue-black collar emblazoned with a white crescent moon.

Luna turned to face Sombra and said, “It seems I am not so outnumbered. What do you have to say now?”

“Only this, Princess,” he said. “Seek.”

At his command, a ball of dark blue energy appeared behind him and leapt straight at Luna’s head. She put a force field to stop the ball but it passed right through, revealing that the ball contained a bridle. Specifically, the bridle “Chained Moon," whose purpose was the instant and complete transformation of Luna into a willing broodmare for Sombra. It flew onward, it’s straps fanning out as it flew forward to wrap itself around it’s prey. Luna.

Only one other pony was able to act. In the fractions of a second that remained, Twilight Sparkle powered her horn to its maximum. The inhibitor ring in the bridle she wore shattered trying to contain the uncontainable power of the magic of Friendship. She had time for one spell. One impossible spell, yet the only one she would even consider casting. Because when a friend was threatened, Twilight Sparkle would never hesitate to chose that friend over herself.

The enchanted bridle, meant to permanently enslave Luna to Sombra’s will, was mere inches away from Luna’s muzzle when suddenly Luna was no longer there. In the bridle’s path there was Twilight Sparkle instead. Whose spell hadn’t so much teleported Luna as it had swapped her position with that of Twilight. The bridle hit and wrapped itself around Twilight’s head, straps looping, tightening and sealing themselves together as the bridle decided that while Twilight might not be Luna, any alicorn would do. The bridle’s enchantment discharged in a single, massive pulse of power aimed squarely at Twilight’s mind. In doing so, the bridle changed from midnight blue to a deep lavender. The magic adapting to its new target.

“A pity,” Sombra said. “Oh well, one alicorn broodmare is as good as another.”

“You FIEND!” Luna screamed, as she launched a spear of destruction at Sombra. Sombra saw the blast coming and had expected it. He summoned a tall crystal in front of him which bent the beam in its facets away from its target. Directly through Howl’s chest. Howl had a moment to realize what had happened before slumping to the ground, staring blankly at the hoof sized hole in his chest.

“Kill the dogs, capture the ponies,” ordered Sombra and battle broke out between the two sides.

As dogs on both sides leaped forward, Luna moved over to shield Twilight, who had collapsed to the ground.

“Twilight,” Luna asked, even as she began blasting targets with her magic, “are you still with us?” For a long moment Twilight said nothing. The new bridle on her head had changed even more now. The name on it had changed to “Tabula Rasa” and the gems were now red-yellow citrines.

“I am still here, Princess,” said Twilight in an emotionless voice, getting back to a three legged stance. “The bridle is overpowering my mind, but as I am not you, I am able to resist it by keeping its power away from my emotions. However, I estimate I have no more than twenty-six minutes before it’s enchantment makes me into Sombra’s willing slavemare. I should be combat effective until all but the last minute.” Twilight created a pair of hammers made of pure magical force and began striking out with them as she spoke.

“Is there anything I can do to help, Twilight?” asked Luna, who found herself forced into a defensive position guarding Twilight’s rear, as the swirl of battle began to come at the duo from all sides.

“Yes,” said Twilight in that same flat voice, even as she crushed a war dog’s armor with a hammer blow. “Kill Sombra or force him to flee within the time limit. Then, manifest dark energy and claim me as your own.”

“No,” said Luna, “surely there is another way.” Luna watched Rarity charge into the fray. Yowl-E at her side.

“The fortress of my mind is falling,” said Twilight. “When it falls - and fall it will - I would far rather be your slave than Sombra’s. To accomplish that, Sombra cannot be here when my will fails. Now, let’s fight.”

Rarity and Yowl-E had plunged into the battle, each guarding the others flank. For long minutes the two of them battled together. Rarity continually stepping inside sword arcs, landing blows and then stepping outside. Finally, she was a beat too slow. The sword of an armored dog swept towards her.

Only to be stopped by an iron studded club. The sword still bit in and the club wielder used that, deftly twisting his weapon and spinning his opponents sword away. Rarity struck either side of the enemy dog’s head, caving in sensitive eardrums and sending him to the ground. She turned to thank the dog who had save her life. It was Raarg.

“You!” said Rarity as she raised a hoof to strike.

“Later,” said Raarg turning to engage another foe. “When this is done you may do as you wish with me. Besides, I found some friends to help.” Growf and Grarf came weaving in through the chaos of the battle, chains still dangling from where Raarg had freed them. Together the five of them formed a unit and became a rock upon which wave after wave of foe broke.

The alicorn princesses fought together as well. Luna refused to leave Twilight’s side, constantly shielding her from attacks she could not see coming. Packs of dogs repeatedly swarmed them, and Luna was bleeding from a dozen cuts, one of them serious. But her blood was well avenged. Every time dogs would swarm over the duo, Luna would hold them off long enough for Twilight’s conjured hammers to come down again. Bang. Bang. Bang. The hammers would strike down in a measured cadence. As if it was Applejack pounding nails into a board, rather than Twilight pounding dogs into the ground.

Dogs would come at the pair from one direction, then another. Luna recognized the tactics of the pack. The dogs were bleeding her and Twilight. Wearing them down until they could be overcome by a sudden rush. Already, Luna was being forced to rely more on steel than sorcery, having used much of her magical reserves. No matter, at least she didn't have to chase her foes.

Nor was Sombra idle. He sniped at either Luna or Twilight at every opportunity and manifested a shield of his own whenever they had a chance to strike back. Once, he managed to telekinetically drop a noose over Luna’s throat, while she was distracted by a group of dogs. She snapped the rope even as he jerked it tight, then flung another spear of power at him. He simply danced to one side and faded back into the battle chaos.

Luna, Twilight, Rarity and their companions were all far better warriors than those they faced. But quantity has a quality all it’s own and finally numbers began to tell. Rarity failed to see a dog coming from behind her with a leveled spear. Raarg did not. He shoved her aside and parried the incoming weapon. Or tried to. The spear caught him in the side, driving inches deep.

“Raarg!” exclaimed Rarity, spinning around. She crushed the throat of the dog stabbing Raarg with an economical throat strike.

“It’s not so bad, Valiente,” said Raarg. “Just help me up".

“Liar,” said Yowl-E. “You need medics, now. Valiente, get him to infirmary. We will cover for you.” With that Yowl-E, Growf and Grarf exploded outward in a flurry of violence, driving back their foes. Momentarily clear, Rarity half dragged, half carried Raarg out of the immediate combat area. Raarg guided her toward the infirmary while blood flowed from his wound. Even Rarity could tell the wound was severe as the dog's blood streaked her coat red.

More minutes passed and the Moon Dogs began to find themselves being forced back toward their mistress. They had been outnumbered nearly six to one at the beginning of the battle and not even the presence of a pair of alicorns had been enough to fully tip the odds back in their favor. Especially not when Sombra was wielding magics nearly as potent.

The enemy dogs closed in a ring around the surviving Moon Dogs and their princess. All their attention was focused inward, so none of them saw the white unicorn outside of the battle, who had suddenly realized that her guide had been lying to her.

“This is not the way to the infirmary, Raarg,” said Rarity as she let him drop to the ground. “What are you playing at?”

“I’m sorry, Valiente,” said Raarg weakly. “I had hoped to reach Howl’s office and release you, but...” He pointed to where Howl’s office and some other buildings were burning fiercely from the after effects of a magical strike.

“Never mind that, I need to get you to the medics,” protested Rarity.

“My apologies, fair one, but I’m afraid I have deceived you, yet again,” said Raarg as he propped himself against a post. “My wound is mortal. A dog always knows when his time has come and I wanted to free you, before my end.”

“Thank you, Raarg,” said Rarity. “I know what Sombra did to you, to all of you. I don’t blame you. Not anymore. It’s all the fault of that fie-” Rarity broke off. For there, with his back to them, some distance away, was Sombra. His shield was up and facing forward while he blocked attacks from the princesses and directed his War Dogs to close in.

“If only we had something to hit him with,” coughed Raarg, blood beginning to show in his phlegm.

“We do, Raarg,” said Rarity as she remembered something about the bridle she wore. “We have someone.”

“No! Rarity, no. There has to be some other way,” Valiente could see what Rarity had planned.

“There isn’t and you know it,” Rarity said to Valiente. “The bridle comes off if I surrender to it. Once it does, our magic returns and you will be able to blast Sombra.” Rarity could feel the unwillingness of her other self, “You asked me to fight, and I have. Now it is your turn. Do what I cannot, be the mare I can no longer be.” She felt Valiente’s wordless acknowledgment.

In the scant seconds that had passed, Raarg had also figured out Rarity’s plan. Unlike Valiente though, Raarg understood the necessity. He also had something he needed to do.

“Bring your head close to me pony,” said Raarg. As Rarity did so he grabbed the bridle, and holding Rarity’s head still he cut a small nick in her neck. As blood dripped over the bridle, Raarg once again combined that blood with his own.

“I, Raarg, transfer my bond with this pony, Valiente, to Luna, Princess of Equestria,” intoned Raarg as the bridle pulsed in recognition. “This will put you out of the reach of diamond dogs. Be well, Valiente." He coughed viciously, "Forgive me if you can. I would have liked to have seen you dance a-” He collapsed back down, sighed once, and Raarg, diamond dog, passed through into the Summer Lands.

Rarity looked down at the still form at her hooves. For some time she had dreamed of standing over his body. Now, she could only feel a terrible sadness. Raarg had tried to hold his honor through months of mind twisting magics he hadn’t even been aware of. Only toward the end had he fallen to the will of the Dread King. Rarity bent down and gently kissed Raarg’s forehead.

“I shall remember you,” she said.

“As will I,” echoed Valiente.

Then Rarity made one last attempt to pull in her magic. Straining against the limitations of the bridle, desperate to charge up and send off a spell. Any spell. Nothing came.

“V-Valiente…help me please...I can’t do this on my own,” Rarity begged in a soft voice, tears forming in her eyes. There was a sudden, gentle sensation, of hooves settling an unyielding circle around her throat. A collar. Rarity closed her eyes and surrendered to it, willingly.

“Only because there is no other way, only for you would I do this,” came Valiente’s mental voice. The click of the collar locking about her throat in her mind’s eye echoed the click of the bridle as it released. Its purpose, fulfilled. Rarity felt the attached leash begin to pull and drag her back into the depths of their mind. Then she felt Valiente “holding” her in place so she could see what happened next.

“Take the shot. Make me proud Valiente, I-I love you,” said Rarity.

Valiente reared up on her hooves. Driven by her passion, by her fury, by her sorrow, she pulled in more magic than Rarity had in her whole lifetime. Her horn, her body glowed with indigo blue power even as she began to rise off of the ground. Valiente was purely a creature of desires and passions. Limitations were for ponies who cared about such things. She did not. She was fury, unleashed. She was passion, unbridled.

“For wrath, for Ruin, For Raarg, FOR RARITY!” Valiente screamed as she unleashed a head thick shaft of pure hellfire across the intervening space between her and Sombra. The air exploded in a thunder crack, desperate to shear away from that pure, ravening destruction. Dogs who happened to look at it were blinded for days afterwards.

For his part, Sombra was turning as he heard Valiente’s scream of challenge and triumph. His eyes widened as he saw the thick beam of pure annihilation bearing down upon him. He tried to teleport, form a shield, but it was too late and his own trap kept him in place. Valiente’s distilled rage and fury struck home in that moment. Sombra's body was not killed. Killed is too mild a term. He was utterly destroyed. He was annihilated. He was completely rejected by reality.

Everything and everyone stopped in the echo of the twin thunder strikes of Valiente’s fury and Sombra’s destruction. The War Dogs shook their heads, as if clearing their heads from a fog and backed away from the fifty or so survivors of Luna’s Moon Dogs. Yowl-E stepped forward into the silence.

“All dog, stand down,” he commanded. “All put away weapon. All move away. Let there be peace.” They did. Without a leader, without someone pushing their thoughts and desires, the War Dogs were confused and uncertain. With a literal goddess nearby, frowning at them. They did the only sensible thing. They backed off and stood down.

“Luna, you have to do it now,” came a voice from beside the lunar diarch. Twilight Sparkle was to her knees, she had dozens of small wounds, and both the cast on her leg and the splint on her wing were red with blood. Much of it not her own. Her face was etched with strain as she looked up at Luna.

“Please, I can’t hold much longer,” begged Twilight. “If you don’t do it I will be Sombra’s still. Luna, you are my friend and my princess. Save me. Make me your slave.”

“Is there no other way?” said Luna sadly as she nuzzled Twilight.

“None,” said Twilight. “I have set it up so that when the change comes many of my memories will be erased. I know too much about too many things to allow it to wander about in a mind that will yield to anyone. Call me Tabula Rasa, after this...” Suddenly Twilight grimaced, “Please...do it now. I can’t...can’t...”

Luna spread her wings wide and channeled dark magic to herself. It was like swimming in a lightning storm made of sewage. “Twilight Sparkle, by my right as your liege, I do claim you,” pronounced Luna in a great voice. “You are mine. Body, heart and soul. Thus is my claim made.” Bridle and magic seemed to pulse in sync. The strain poured off of Twilight’s face. To be replaced with a look of blissful happiness.

“Hello Mistress,” said the former Twilight. “My name is Tabula Rasa, if you wish. My only desire is to serve you in all things. Thank you for making me yours.” Tabula did an awkward three legged hobble to rub up against Luna’s side.

“Very well, Tabula,” said Luna. She tried to sound commanding even though her heart was breaking inside. “Stay near me and rest. Soon we will be home.”

“As you command, my Mistress,” said Tabula as she lay awkwardly back down. While she did so the figure of a white unicorn came merrily trotting up.

“Greetings Mistress!” called the unicorn. “Have I done well?”

“Oh no,” Luna whispered as she saw the unbridled form of Rarity. “Not you too.”

“Raarg has died,” Valiente informed Luna, weaving a little on her hooves. “Before he did though, he transferred my ownership to you. Then Rarity surrendered to the bridle in order to release our magic. She asked me to use it to stop the Dark King, so I did. Have I done well, Mistress?”

“Yes, you did very well. How should I call you?” asked Luna. It took every ounce of her strength not to break out in tears now.

“They have called me ‘Valiente’,” she answered. “It means Valiant.”

“Very well, Valiente,” said Luna. “Please, please tell me that something of Rarity is still inside of you.”

“Oh yes, Mistress,” assured Valiente. “All that Rarity was is a part of me. Even as I was a part of her. She is here, just locked away in the back of our mind. When things are calmer I might be able to bring her out for awhile. May I rest a bit, Mistress? I seem to be very tired.”

“Very well, just stay here with me,” said Luna. Luna knelt down herself, legs now longer able to support her as adrenaline faded. Valiente snuggled up on one side. Tabula, the other, as both slavemares tried to comfort their mistress. The tears came now. Luna wrapped a wing around what was left of two of her friends as she silently wept. Her Moon Dogs let her be as they arranged the peace and managed things in the aftermath. Tending to the wounded, putting out fires and covering the forms of the dead.

Three hours later, the first pegasi vanguard reached them and found the trio still huddled together.

Author's Notes:

First and foremost a massive, massive shoutout to Damaged, who proofread the story for me.

First, for those of you who like your fiction dark and grim, this is your stop. This is why the Dark tag has always been on the story.

The villain is defeated. The battle won. Sacrifices have been made and prices paid. Rarity has run the bridle path and being the generous mare she is, gave everything to save everyone. I would have expected no less from the embodiment of Generosity. Twilight, being taken by a different kind of bridle, had a different, but shorter and more brutal path to run. She sprinted through it with the courage and selflessness of a Princess. Fighting the good fight to the very last.

And Raarg. I've lived with that dog in my head for four months now. I'm not ashamed to say I shed real tears after writing his death scene. That he saw it coming and used that time to try do what he could for Rarity just made it worse.

All that is left now is to write the epilogue. There are still dozens, if not hundreds of capture and training bridles still out there and knowledge of their existence is spreading. Can Twilight and Rarity be restored? If so, how? The Diamond Dogs. Their territory is essentially poisoned. What will become of them? All these questions and more will be answered or at least touched on in the epilogue.

I know this ending will have saddened and disappointed some of my readers, but this is the tale I wanted to tell. The ending you desire does approach. And whether you like your fiction dark or light. Thank you for walking my own bridle path with me. This story has not just been a journey for Rarity, but my own journey into writing as well. Many horizons await.

Edit: Forgot to mention one thing. Once again, I need to acknowledge the source of Rarity's song. They are the modified lyrics of "Hymn to the Nightmare" by Leslie Fish.

Epilogue 1: Rarity Rising

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One month later

“...and we have received word that the Diamond Dog nation as a whole is requesting refugee status in Equestria,” Luna informed her sister as the pair sat in the gardens having an informal meeting.

“Do we have the room?” asked Celestia.

“Yes, barely,” said Luna. “Their new leader, Long Strider, has offered to cede the entirety of the Badlands to Equestria in exchange for taking his people in.”

“Long Strider,” said Celestia. “Isn’t he the one that...”

“Tried to break Rarity out,” finished Luna. “Yes, he is. He was also left crippled from that attempt.”

“Speaking of Rarity, have you seen her today?” asked Celestia.

“Yes, Valiente and Tabula should be here shortly,” said Luna.

“You mean Rarity and Twilight,” said Celestia in a firm voice.

“No, sister,” said Luna just as firmly. “They have had so much of their self-determination taken away from them. I will not let that last scrap be taken as well. For now, at least, they are Valiente and Tabula.”

“I’m sorry, Luna,” apologized Celestia. “You are right. I’m just frustrated. We’ve been trying for weeks now to restore them with little in the way of success.”

“It frustrates me as well,” said Luna. “Particularly in how willingly subservient both of them are to me. I could tell them to jump off a cliff for me and they would. Valiente might pause for a moment, but Tabula wouldn’t even slow down.”

“Twi - Tabula is really that dependent on you?” asked Celestia.

“Both of them are,” said Luna. “Valiente lives purely in the moment. Never stopping to consider consequences or plan for events. Tabula has almost no initiative of her own, except when it comes to trying to please her mistress.”

Celestia’s eyebrow almost rose into her mane, “That sounds...interesting.”

“ ’Interesting’ is certainly a fine way to put it when you wake to a pair of mares trying to...” Luna broke off, blushing. “Did you know that I had to place cushions at the foot of my bed for them to sleep on.”

“Really,” said Celestia, gaining some humour. “That sounds terribly inconvenient.”

“They wouldn’t sleep in their rooms, or their beds,” said Luna, with a touch of exasperation. “I kept on finding them snuggled up against me. I tried forbidding them, but they looked so pitiful when I said ‘no’ that I compromised with the cushions.”

“Lulu, you are taking such good care of them. You are so strong for them,” Celestia breathed into Luna’s ear, bending close so not even the nearby guards could hear. “If you ever need someone to be strong for you, ask. I’m here for you.”

Luna’s blush deepened, whatever she was about to reply with was cut off as two mares trotted into view. Tabula and Valiente. Tabula had a brace over her healing leg. Her shattered wing still held in a rigid frame. Valiente walked at Tabula’s side, letting Tabula rest her braced wing across her back. The pair had become inseparable over the past few weeks.

They caught sight of the princesses and headed in their direction. As they reached the lunar princess, the pair supplicated themselves to Luna. Forelegs flat, noses to the ground, rear legs straight, elevating their plots with tails high. “Good morning, Mistress!” both ponies said together in happy, chipper voices. “How should we attend you today?” they asked.

“Take your places at my side,” said Luna. Obediently, the duo moved to sit behind Luna and to either flank.

“Hello girls,” said Celestia. “You are both looking well.”

“Thank you, Princess,” said Valiente. “Would you like Tabula to brush your mane while I take care of our Mistress’?”

“Thank you, no,” said Celestia. “Have you had any success getting Rarity to come out?”

“I’m sorry Princess, but no,” said Valiente, casting her eyes down. “I know she is there, but she won’t come out. I can’t find her. I know she is in there, somewhere. But she’s hiding from me. I think she feels ashamed for some reason. That she deserves what’s happened to her.”

Celestia sighed and nodded. “And you, Tabula? You are a nice mare but I would really like to see my Twilight again.”

“Thank you, Princess,” said Tabula from Luna’s side. “If I could bring Twilight back for you. I certainly would. I know it would make my Mistress very happy and anything that makes her happy is something I want.”

“Excuse me, Your Highnesses,” said a guard approaching. “You have a visitor.”

“Please, show them in,” said Celestia.

Into the pleasant garden strode the form on an older dog. He had definitely cleaned himself up for this meeting as he was groomed well beyond normal standards. He wore a vest and a proudly worn collar emblazoned with Luna’s crescent moon.

“Yowl-E,” said Luna. “So good of you to come. Have you met my sister, Princess Celestia?”

“No. Greetings, sister of my Princess,” said Yowl-E as he knelt before the alicorns.

Celestia raised her eyebrow again at Luna and mouthed, “Sister of my princess?”

Luna merely grinned and turned back to her Moon Dog, “Can I assume you are here because you found it?”

“Yes, my Princess,” said the dog, who pulled a flat wooden box out from his vest. “It had been kicked under a building near where Raarg fell.” The dog opened the box to reveal the bridle that had created Valiente, and eventually had forced Rarity to a hidden place within their shared mind.

Valiente reacted to the presence of the bridle with shocked horror.

“No. Please, Princess,” she begged. “Please...Mistress.” Valiente literally crawled on her belly to Luna. “Do whatever you want with me. Anything. I will do it. Willingly. Just don’t put that on me again.”

“It may be the key to -” began Luna, trying to explain.

“PLEASE!” Valiente shrieked. “Don’t hurt us again. Don’t hurt her again. Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease,” Valiente trailed off, eyes closed as if to shut away all the pain and strife the bridle represented to her.

Luna lifted the limp form of Valiente and hugged her close with hooves and wings both. For long minutes she did her best to calm Valiente as the unicorn clutched herself to Luna’s chest. “Oh, my little pony,” said Luna softly. “I swear to you that there will be no pain. We need this...this thing to help coax out your friend and mine, Rarity. Do you trust me?”

Valiente looked up from where her she had buried her face in Luna’s chest, soaking it with her frantic tears. She looked up into the eyes of her princess and her mistress. She saw only love and understanding of her fears in Luna’s wide eyes. She nodded, “Y-yes, I trust you.”

“We will do this together then,” said Luna. “Yowl-E, if you would...”

“Mistress, one last thing before you begin,” said Valiente. “If it comes down to a choice between me and Rarity. Choose Rarity. These past few weeks have been wonderful, but it’s Rarity’s life - not mine.”

“And now I know a large reason why Rarity has refused to come out,” said Luna. “You would choose Rarity over yourself. She chose you over herself. You are reflections of each other.” Luna nodded to Yowl-E, who slipped the bridle over Valiente’s head. Luna fused the straps in place and once again, the bridle was locked onto the head of the white unicorn. But with one important difference. This time the bridle had not been prepared for use. Its magic was spent. Its enchantments were without power. It only contained the echoes of of it’s previous actions and it was for those echoes that Luna had asked that the bridle be found and brought to her.

Luna closed her eyes and powered her horn. As she touched Valiente’s horn with her own, Luna once again entered the mindscape of Valiente/Rarity as she had several times over the past month. This time was different however. She could feel the echoes of power from the bridle, subtly influencing the shape of the mental terrain around her; giving her clues of which way to go.

Valiente appeared at Luna’s side. Her mental form wearing the bridle in mirror of her physical form. “Follow me, I think I can feel the way to go,” said the white unicorn as she too felt the subtle guides of the bridle.

“Wait!” came a different voice. Celestia appeared in the mindscape near the two mares, “This is your domain Luna, but I can provide an anchor for the two of you and a tether should you become lost in the mindscape.” With that, a pair of golden lines of power came forth from Celestia’s horn. The lines looped and wrapped their way around both Luna and Valiente, forming a pair of tightly secured harnesses about the pair.

“Sister, I did not know you...swung this way...I believe the term is,” said Luna, only half in jest.

“Perhaps later, sister,” said Celestia with an impishly playful expression that warned of an interesting conversation later. “But for now, these will allow you to return to yourselves no matter how turned about your journey takes you. Also, should you need it, I can strengthen you should I feel either of you begin to weaken. Good luck.”

With that the pair headed into the dark fog of the mindscape. Deeper and deeper the pair walked, their only link back the golden threads strung out behind either of them. The mental terrain became harder to traverse; Luna and Valiente climbed great cliffs, crossed gorges, bypassed strange monsters and a host of other things. The barriers grew ever harder to cross, which told Luna they were on the right course.

Finally, they crested a great cliff and looked down upon a fortress set into a mountainside. It was Canterlot, but a dark reflection of the city Luna knew and loved.

“Mistress, can we do this?” asked Valiente. “Can we make it through to Rarity?”

Luna thought for a moment. They were both tiring, but it was clear that the core of Rarity’s personality was in the castle. As she thought on this, Luna felt a tingling warmth flow around her “body." Looking down she saw the glowing lines of the harness Celestia had locked upon her. The glow pulsed softly and, as Luna watched, the lines changed in colour. From Celestia’s golden glow, they changed to the colours of the rainbow. Individual strands of colour woven into a single cord about her.

“Oh Tia,” Luna breathed. “You sneaky, underhanded, wonderful, sister.” Turning to Valiente, Luna said, “Yes, we can do this. We will do this. This day, Rarity returns to the waking world, follow me.”

Together the two mares descended toward the castle. They saw no one, but they as they entered the castle they began to hear a regular outcry of a pony in pain. As they neared the throne room, they could begin to make out the sound of a whip crack prior to each outcry. Valiente and Luna looked at each other and began to move faster. Soon the identity of the pony crying out was clear, Rarity.

Luna and Valiente broke into a sprint and entered the throne room together. There, they were greeted with a sight of horror. Piled around the walls of the throne room were the broken, burnt and bloody bodies of a great many diamond dogs. Hanging from the rafters and the walls were banners reading, “Shame," “Your Fault” and “Murderess." In the center of the room was Rarity herself.

She wore a wide silver collar about her neck that was tethered to all four walls. Keeping her in place in the centre of the room. Rarity was pivoting about on the collar, as surrounding her were four faceless dogs, whipping her. As one dog would swing his whip, Rarity would try to pivot away from him only to fall under the lash of another. Blood dripped from her hooves and patterned the floor around her. Her cries of pain as each whip fell filled the room.

Valiente was stunned, “This...this shouldn’t be happening. She should be safe here.”

“Look at her body, Valiente,” said Luna. “See how it is unmarked by the whips despite her outcries. The blood on her is not her own. Look at the banners around us. Rarity is doing this to herself. She is punishing herself for some great sin she feels she has done.”

“How do you know that?” asked Valiente.

“Search your shared memories,” said Luna. “Remember my Tantabus.” Valiente nodded in understanding.

"I remember," said Valiente. "None of us involved in those events could ever forget them."

Finally, Luna could stand no more of the scene before her. “Away,” she commanded and suddenly the room was empty of diamond dogs and bodies. Rarity froze suddenly and looked around frantically.

“No!” she shouted. “Why are you here? You can’t be here. Go away.” She tried to run away herself. Luna had left the collar in place so Rarity went nowhere.

“Why are you doing this, Rarity?” cried out Valiente, crossing the floor to Rarity. “Why are you doing this to yourself?”

“Because I deserve it. I’m a horrible, terrible pony.”

“What do you mean? You’re a wonderful pony. Brave, smart, fashionable...”

“And a murderess a hundred times over and more.”

“Rarity,” said Luna. “I know full well, that other than the battle at the camp, you have never killed another being in your life. And that fight was kill or be killed. You had no choice.”

“I’m not talking about that, Princess,” said Rarity. “I’m talking about the one hundred and twenty-nine Moon Dogs who died in that battle. I chose to encourage them to fight. If I hadn’t, they would still be alive. I filled them with ideas of glory and honour, never once considering I was pushing them to their deaths. I killed them. Me. Rarity. Not Valiente. She deserves life. Not me. Not some bloody hooved murderess.

“Sister,” said Valiente, looking Rarity directly in the eye, “you are no murderess. Those dogs chose their fate. And if we could talk to their spirits, I am sure that each and every one of them would thank you for the chance to die as free dogs, rather than experience a living death as Sombra’s minions.”

“I...I,” stuttered Rarity, searching for words.

“Now, Tia,” whispered Luna up the tether binding her to the waking world. “Send them now.”

Luna felt a pulse from the harness around her and suddenly the three mares in the room were joined by five others. The forms of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Tabula Rasa were there. Rarity and Valiente looked at the others and Luna in surprise.

“My sister is ever subtle in her ways,” said Luna. “While we delved to reach you, Rarity, my sister sent for your friends and had them ready to join us.”

“So, that’s why the harness changed to a rainbow,” said Valiente in understanding. “It was our friends joining the link Princess Celestia set up.”

“Even so,” said Luna.

“All it means,” said Rarity, “is that my dearest friends are now aware of my shame.”

“What do you mean?” exclaimed Rainbow Dash. “You fought against one of the biggest bad guys ever, outnumbered six to one and then you totally blasted him. That Was Awesome!”

“Rarity,” said Applejack, “you were stuck in a right pickle of a spot. You fought using yer head and yer heart. I even hear you used some of yer style as a way to fight back. Even when you gave up, it was so’s you could take that sidewinder down. Ah’ve never been more proud to call you mah friend.”

“Um, Rarity,” said the soft-spoken Fluttershy, “death is a part of life. Nopony wants to die. But those dogs didn’t die because you pushed them. They died following their hearts. Because they loved Luna, because they loved freedom, because they loved you.”

“We threw parties for them,” said Pinkie. “All the dogs. We had a giant party for all of them. Alive or dead, both sides. It went on for days. And in all that, the only sad thing anyone had to say, was that Rarity wasn’t there to party with them. Please, we all need you back. You make us better. You make my parties better. You make me better. Besides, if you come back, we can have another party all over again!”

Tabula Rasa said nothing. Merely sitting on the floor, with her head bowed. But around her, a duplicate of her own form was superimposed; the spectral, translucent image of Twilight Sparkle appeared. She too said nothing, but looked directly at Rarity, then smiled and nodded to her friend. As the others gaped, the ghostly image simply sunk back into the mare that was Tabula Rasa.

“Did it work?” Tabula asked. “I tried to clear my mind and let Twilight come out like Celestia said. Did it work?”

“Ya,” said Applejack with a suspicious sniffle, “you did just fine sugarcube, just fine.”

Valiente could sense that Rarity was wavering. She was nearly willing to give up her self punishment and take her proper place in the world. She only needed one more push.

“And, if you don’t come back to our friends, right now, I will have to take drastic measures,” said Valiente.

“What...what sort of drastic measures are you thinking of?” asked Rarity.

“I’m going to dress us in purple and yellow spandex. Like in one of Spike’s comic books. With neon green tassels and glitter,” threatened Valiente.

“You WOULDN’T,” said Rarity.

“Well, maybe someone should stop me,” smiled Valiente, knowing at that moment that the battle for Rarity was won.

“Fine. I’ll come back,” said Rarity after long seconds. “For a little while. That’s all.”

“As you say, Rarity,” said Valiente, smiling. The pair touched hooves in agreement and the rainbow harness on Valiente slithered over to wrap Rarity’s mental form.

“You aren’t coming with us?” asked Rarity.

“You’ve left quite a mess, darling,” said Valiente. “I’ll be along in awhile. You go get reacquainted with life while I clean up.”

"One moment," said Luna, approaching the pair. She reached her hooves up to Rarity's neck and with a tug, literally pulled the wide collar through Rarity without harm, dismissing the tethers as she did so. As both white unicorns looked on, Luna split the single, wide collar into a pair of narrow, elegantly engraved, silver collars. Luna held a collar in each forehoof and turned to address the others who looked on.

"Where there was once one mare, there are now two, yet they are still one," said Luna. "They have suffered for each other, bled for each other, fought for each other and have each offered up themselves so that they other might live. Greater love hath nopony, that she give her life for another." The collars in Luna's hooves began to glow with power and a dim line of silver power connected the two.

"Rarity, Valiente, once you step forward and accept this bond between you, know that the pair of you can never be separated again and that - in truth - each of you belongs to the other." Luna lowered the collars so they were at throat height. Neither mare hesitated for an instant and stepped forward into each silver circle until they simultaneously locked about their necks with a firm "click". The silver thread between the two brightened and became glowed bright enough to light the room. The joined mares looked at each other and hugged.

"Go now, my Rarity, my sister," said Valiente. "Return to the world with our friends."

"It's not like you can get away from me," said Rarity with a smile, tugging slightly on the line connecting them. She watched, pleased as Valiente's eyes flared a little with excitement. "Let's go, girls. A lot of ponies are waiting for us." With that, seven mares began to rise up and away, trailing a silver cord back to the one willingly left behind.

Epilogue 2: Twilight's End

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“Well, well, well,” said a commanding female voice, “isn’t this just a happy reunion.” The happy group of ponies opened their eyes to find themselves trapped, their legs welded to the ground by green resin. Changeling resin. With Queen Chrysalis standing before them, knocked out royal guards in her wake.

“What is the meaning of this, Chrysalis,” said Celestia as she took in the changeling queen.

“That's Queen Chrysalis, and allow me to demonstrate,” said Chrysalis stepping toward where Tabula Rasa - once Twilight Sparkle - sat pinned in her resin prison. The changeling exerted a minor effort of magic and suddenly the resin about the lavender pony was no more.

“Now, pony,” said Chrysalis. “Your friends and allies are at my mercy. You are free, have your magic and no’ling is affecting your mind. What do you intend to do?”

“Can I brush your mane for you, Your Majesty?” asked Tabula in a happy voice.

“Brush...my...mane,” Chrysalis said in shocked voice. She facehoofed and dragged the hoof down her face before sitting herself down. “Go ahead.” Chrysalis seemed to deflate and shrink as Tabula skipped behind the queen with brushes in tow and began to work the knots out of Chrysalis’s mane.

“See,” said Chrysalis, “see what is left of the one alicorn I actually respected?” She let loose a burst of magic which shattered the resin holding all the ponies in place. “The one mare out of all of you - oh, yes, right there - who saw through my schemes. Who saw through my plans. Who defied - careful - her Princess. Who defied her own - by the Egg that feels good - blood because she knew she was right. Reduced to this, this simpering simpleton.”

Tabula had already cleared the knots from Chrysalis’s hair and was now slowly running a brush repeatedly down the long length of the changeling Queen’s mane. As the nubs of the brush massaged Chrysalis’s scalp, she closed her eyes, letting out a small chrrr of contentment. Celestia got up and slowly, softly walked up to Chrysalis.

“And so, you came to help,” breathed Celestia into Chrysalis’s ear. Celestia smiled as Chrysalis’s eyes shot open and she abruptly sat up, catching the brush in her mane.

“Ouch! Not your fault,” said Chrysalis as Tabula flinched. “Just...go sit with your friends for now while Celestia and I talk.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Tabula as she got up to walk back toward the others. “You really should get one of your drones to do that for you every day. Before you leave, I can braid your mane for you, if you like.”

“I hate Sombra so much right now,” growled Chrysalis. “If Rarity hadn’t destroyed him, I would be reminding him what physical pain is really like.”

“Because of what he did to Twilight?” asked Celestia, now sitting a more proper distance away.

“Because he left her adorable, even as that device of his broke everything that made Twilight a pony worthy of respect,” said Chrysalis. “If I had not already decided on my course of action, I would be tempted to sweep her up and take her away with me.”

“You care that much for her?” asked Celestia, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

“What? No! Twilight is merely another pony,” assured Chrysalis a little too quickly. “Just more food for my hive.”

“Of course,” said Celestia, rolling her eyes. “You came here for no reason but to restore one of your greatest foes.”

“When I defeat you,” said Chrysalis, sounding more like her old self, “it will be because I am better than you. Not because you are weaker. Also, I like the idea of you being in my debt.”

“Well, I cannot argue with that logic,” said Celestia. “What do you need to help her?”

“I have an entourage outside the city,” said Chrysalis. “They will need your permission to glurk.” Silent as smoke, Rarity had left the side of her friends and had, unseen, snuck up behind the changeling queen. She now had Chrysalis in her grasp, one foreleg wrapped around her throat, the other on her horn.

“Listen to me, mind raper, and listen well,” Rarity hissed softly with a voice of pure malice in the changeling’s ear. “I don’t believe you. I think you’re here to get a free meal at the expense of a friend who sacrificed everything for me. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t crush your throat right now.”

“RARITY,” commanded Celestia, “release Chrysalis this-” Celestia suddenly paused at the sudden touch of steel on her own horn. Mirroring his student, Yowl-E had also crept up on the discussion. He now stood to one side of the white alicorn, arm outstretched, his paw now resting on Celestia’s nose having dropped a horn blocker over her horn and cutting off her magic.

“Please do not move, sister of My Princess,” he said. “Or attempt magic. Val...Rarity has only just returned to you. Let her take back her power and come back all way to you."

“Yowl-E,” said Luna, gently, “if you harm my sister in any way I will have no choice but to reply in kind.”

“I understand, My Princess,” said Yowl-E. “I only mean to stop your sister, not harm. When all is done, I accept your punishment. Without resistance.”

“Very well,” said Luna. “Sister, I advise you to do as he says. I’ve studied Yowl-E over the past few weeks. He was head of the Alpha’s bodyguards before Sombra. He is a master of half a dozen martial arts and probably among the top twenty beings on the continent with a weapon. Any weapon.”

“Yowl-E,” said Celestia, “provided Rarity can resolve this, your punishment will be to become our new combat instructor. We’ve lacked one since Shining Armor joined the Crystal Empire and you’ve clearly demonstrated your fitness for the role. I would also ask that I be among your first students.”

“Your word?” he asked Celestia.

“My word on it,” the solar princess replied.

“As you wish, sister of My Princess,” said Yowl-E, deftly plucking the blocker off Celestia’s horn.

Then, all eyes returned to the pair that had started the drama. Rarity still had the changeling Queen bent slightly backward, Luna noted. She was allowing Chrysalis to breath, but little else. The alabaster unicorn was a study in contrasts. Her body was still and calm, her face full of determination and fury, her purple mane contrasting with the silver collar about her throat.

“Collar?” Luna suddenly thought to herself. “Rarity wasn’t wearing a physical collar. The only one she has is...oh dear.” Luna cleared her throat and spoke aloud.

“Rarity,” she said, “is it you here or am I talking to Valiente?”

“We are both here, Your Highness,” said Rarity wincing. “And neither of us wants this creature near our friend. And could you all PLEASE stop saying my full name. It still hurts to hear it and that is making me tighten my grip.”

“What are you?” said Chrysalis in a strangled voice.

“I am called many things now, because the dogs took names away from me,” said Rarity. “But among them are The Dancing Mare and The Two-Fold Mare.”

“I swear, I am only here to help,” gasped Chrysalis.

“Not good enough,” said Rarity, evenly as she tightened her grip a little more. “I have the blood of over a hundred and thirty dogs on my hooves. One changeling won’t make a difference.”

“Fine,” choked out Chrysalis. “Twilight makes me better, sharper, stronger. You ponies have a saying: ‘As steel sharpens steel, so one pony sharpens another.’ To be able to defeat Twilight Sparkle at her best keeps me alive, and I will not stand by while her edge is dulled.”

“Now that, Your Majesty,” said Rarity, suddenly releasing Chrysalis, “is an answer I can respect.”

Chrysalis rubbed at her throat and looked back at the innocent looking mare. Rarity took a few steps back, the collar she was wearing fading from view. “When did you become so dangerous?” Chrysalis asked Rarity.

“When she was broken, hammered and reforged,” supplied Yowl-E. “When she was tempered in blood of friend and foe alike.”

“You make her sound like a sword,” said Celestia.

“She is, Sister of My Princess, she is,” said Yowl-E. “And, tomorrow morning, guard’s practice field, one hour after dawn. Be on time, bring four others at most.”

“So,” said Celestia as she nodded in acceptance, “before we were interrupted Chrysalis, you mentioned something about an entourage?”

“Yes,” said Chrysalis, eyeing Rarity sideways as the unicorn walked back toward her friends, “I have a party of drones outside Canterlot that will need your permission and an escort to openly enter the city with their cargo.”

“I may find that hard to arrange if you have knocked out all my guards,” said Celestia.

“Just the ones in the garden here,” said Chrysalis. “And they should be reviving any minute now. I had no intention of disabling them for a long time.”

“Very well,” said Celestia. “As long as they molest nopony. I give permission for your entourage to enter the city. Provided they come directly here.”

“As you say,” said the changeling monarch. “Let’s talk price...”

As Celestia and Chrysalis began to dicker over issues and tea, Luna walked over to the group of ponies many feet away. They were excitedly talking among themselves, greeting their friend whom they thought lost and generally catching up. They didn’t notice Luna’s approach in their happiness. But Yowl-E did, and he saw Luna’s stormy glare.

“Unicorn Rarity,” Luna said loudly. “Stand forth for judgment.” A babble of voices from Rarity’s friends rose up asking why. “Silence,“ said Luna, and as one the voices cut off. Rarity emerged from the group and knelt before the Princess of the Night. “Unicorn Rarity, you are charged with Lese-Majeste, Assault on a Fellow Monarch in Time of Peace, and Disrespect to the Crowns. How plead you?”

“Guilty,” whispered Rarity, her will and any thought of resistance smashed flat by Luna’s commanding use of her name. She had done all the things Luna had accused her of, even if they felt so right at the time.

“Do you have any idea what the punishment for these crimes are?” asked Luna in a gentler yet implacable voice. “Do you know Chrysalis is well within her rights to demand we hoof you over to her? After all we went through to get you home.”

“I’m sorry, Princess,” said Rarity. “I wear your collar and your bridle now. The bond Raarg passed to you is still in force. You still own me. I throw myself on the mercy of my Princess and my Mistress.”

Luna blinked, her anger broken by confusion, for a moment. Rarity was still wearing the bridle she had put on Valiente to guide them all into the mindscape. If she concentrated she could indeed feel the bond between her and Rarity that Raarg had passed to her. A general sense of Rarity’s well-being came through it, and she had indeed held out the collar Rarity had willingly placed her neck into. While it was intended to cement the bond between the two personalities, it definitely could have been considered to be Luna laying further claim to both mares.

“Very well,” said Luna aloud, after another moment of consideration. “I hereby find you guilty.” Everypony gasped. Even Celestia and Chrysalis turned to watch the drama before them. “However, I choose to suspend the sentence. Provided you meet certain conditions.”

“Whatever you ask of me, Princess,” said Rarity. “I do not deserve such mercy, but I do accept it.”

“Unicorn Rarity,” said Luna formally, noting Rarity’s wince again at her name, “you are now a dangerous mare, capable of deadly things, capable of great things. Capable of being equal to a great destiny; IF you learn to control and guide your new powers. Therefore, I sentence you AND Valiente to nightly dream meetings with myself, where I can guide and train the two you in control of yourselves and your abilities. Failure in this will result in my being forced to exile you from Equestria.”

“One addition,” said Chrysalis, having glided over to the impromptu session of court. “I will forget and forgive every little thing you did to me, if you let me play with you for a week, my delightful-double-snack. I promise you will return with body, mind and soul intact.” Chrysalis leaned forward, her fangs barely touching Rarity’s ear. “Let Valiente out to play, and I promise to not even leave bite marks.” The voice carried all the temptation and promise of a demon of lust. Rarity couldn’t help but shudder in response. Neither she nor Valiente could tell if it was a shudder of fear or desire.

“You are an injured party in this, Chrysalis,” said Luna. “Much as it pains me to say this, your addition is reasonable and within your rights. So mote it be. But I will hold you to your word that she returns intact and undamaged.” Luna turned back to Rarity. “The collar I placed on you and your other half in the mindscape was meant as a cementing of the bonds between you both. Not a further claim by me. And, the bridle, I’m sorry, I had not meant to leave it on.” Luna snapped a strap on the bridle and Rarity pulled it off.

“I would like to keep this...Princess,” said Rarity. “As a reminder.”

Luna nodded, and then turned. Her eyes focusing in a deadly gaze on the dog present. “...and Yowl-E, you may have gotten off easily with my sister”, said Luna, her scowl deepening, “but I take a very dim view of lese-majeste and anypony or anydog who thinks they can offer disrespect to I or my sister without consequences. She. Is. Your. Princess!” Luna shifted from calm, yet stern monarch voice to angry Royal Canterlot Voice. “SHE IS MY SISTER AND YOU WILL TREAT HER WITH THE RESPECT SHE DESERVES!”

Yowl-E did the only reasonable thing when confronted by an angry goddess calling him to task for a mistake. He submitted. He knelt low and bent his head to the ground, offering his neck to Luna, in the old way. “My life is yours, Great Princess,” he said. “Do with me as you will.”

Luna rolled her eyes. “Stop being willing to die for you mistakes. Learn from them. You cut off my sister’s magic and you have no idea how dangerous it is to do so. By her power, beings and forces are held in check that must be held back. Yowl-E, your punishment is to gain an understanding of what disaster you might have accidentally unleashed. I will arrange for you to spend a week assisting Cerberus in his duties during the week your student is with Chrysalis.”

Applejack and the others gathered around Rarity who was looking at the bridle in her hooves. Fluttershy and Pinkie drew Rarity back to where the group had been. But Applejack and Rainbow Dash moved forward in mute agreement, standing side by side between Luna and their friend.

“Princess, no disrespect or nothin’ but Chrysalis is bad news all around,” said Applejack. “Personally, Ah think it did her a world of good getting taken down a peg or two.”

“Brave Applejack, your friend committed crimes,” she held up a hoof forestalling a reply by the earth pony. “She committed them, not because she is a bad pony, but because in that moment she could only think of protecting a friend. Nothing else mattered to either of them at that moment. They had no restraint.”

“An’ exactly how does that make Rares,” Applejack looked back at Rarity, who smiled in gratitude at the use of nickname. “How does that make her dangerous? Ah know lots of ponies who have trouble controlling themselves.”

“To explain that Applejack,” said the Princess. “You need to understand what has happened to Rarity.”

Luna summoned a sheet of paper, her magic creating broad stripes of different colours on the page. “Now,” she said, “imagine that this sheet of paper is the mind and soul of a pony. And that the colours are the various personality traits of that pony. Everypony tends to have the same sort of traits, just in different ‘widths’. What the dog’s bridles do is to find certain traits or ‘colours’ that it wants. It then separates those traits from the pony.” Luna took a pair of scissors and sliced off a section of the paper holding a few of the coloured stripes.

“Now there are two sets of personalities in the pony,” Luna continued. “The original and the cutting. The cutting will have traits that lend themselves to enslavement. Submissiveness, passion, desire, a willingness to obey and learn. The specifics will vary. Which is why each bridle has to be ‘tuned’ to its intended wearer.” The others were riveted by the explanation, but Rarity found herself unable to watch the clinical explanation of what had been done to her.

“The bridles are set to trigger when names are said. Names are power. So, when the name of the cutting is said. Power is given to it,” Luna added some paper to the cut piece. “When the name of the original is said the bridle cuts a piece of that and adds it to the cutting,” Luna took a slice off the original and added it to the smaller piece. “This continues until the cutting is larger than the original and it simply enfolds the original into itself.” Luna’s paper example did the same. The cutting growing larger through additions to itself and subtractions from the original until it simply wrapped around the original.

Luna continued with a freshly coloured sheet of paper, “But with...Rares something different happened. Generosity colours her entire life and so when her cutting, Valiente, was made, part of her generous nature was included. Valiente, following this nature, gave back portions of the power the bridle gave her.” The fresh sheet of paper was cut and again the adding and slicing happened. Only this time the cutting also gave back to the original, causing it to grow as well.

“So, what we wound up with in the end, were two complete souls and minds, with two complete personalities. Both have folded themselves into each other. Rarity and Valiente are literally a two-fold mare,” concluded Luna.

“Princess,” said Applejack. “That still doesn’t explain why ma friend is so dangerous you’re threatening to exile her.”

“Because, Applejack,” said Luna. “When either the mare within or the mare without are operating separately nothing untoward occurs. No matter which of them is in charge at the time, nothing beyond her former ability occurs.”

Luna held the two pieces of paper up to the light. “But when they both focus on the same goal, or their interests align,” Luna lined up the sheets so the colours aligned, becoming deeper and more vibrant, “a synergy is created, their power and ability increasing many times over, becoming greater than that of any mortal pony alive. But that power and ability is single-minded in its focus, lacking restraint or control.”

“I no longer have self-control?” asked Rarity, having gathered up the courage to face Luna again. But only with Fluttershy and Pinkie both supporting her.

“No, you don’t,” said Luna, lifting Rarity’s chin to look her in the eye. “Not when you and Valiente are in synergy. It is why the collar your mental selves wear manifests physically when you are both operating in concert. It is an outward sign that someone needs to control you. That you are a slave to your combined passions and desires. I will teach you to control yourself when you are in alignment, and if I cannot, I am left with two choices.”

“And those are, Princess?” said Rarity.

“Either exile from Equestria, to protect ponies from you,” said Luna sadly, “or spending the rest of your life on a leash at the feet of either myself or my sister. A short leash.”

“I...we, will do our best,” said Rarity.

“I know you will,” said Luna, who then addressed her friends. “Watch her. Be with her. Be her friend. I take no joy from what I have had to levy against my friend and battle companion, but sometimes I must be a princess first and a friend second.” Luna walked back to her sister as Rarity’s friends gathered back around her. Yowl-E clustered with them. The usually unflappable dog shaken to the core.

After about thirty minutes a group of ten changelings entered the garden. They were escorted by a large group of heavily armed guards and they were leading seven harnessed ponies, who were pulling a wagon with something large in the back covered by a tarp.

“Chrysalis, explain yourself,” demanded Celestia.

Chrysalis said nothing to Celestia but walked over to the ponies. Unharnessing them with her magic she pointed toward Celestia and said, “Go to her, ponies, she is your Princess.” The ponies hesitated. “Go!” yelled Chrysalis. “Go to your Princess.” The ponies looked back to Chrysalis, unwilling to go. But finally, each of them walked away from the changelings and clustered up beside Celestia.

“Chrysalis, who are these ponies?” Celestia asked as the seven ponies laid themselves down beside her.

“Well, the first two are Clean Sweep and Deep Delve,” said Chrysalis. “They are the married pair we bought from the dogs. The other five were experiments.”

“What do you mean ‘experiments’?” said Luna, beginning to bristle.

“A few days after you and your friends took care of Sombra we were approached by a dog,” said Chrysalis. “He gave us samples of the trapping and breaking bridles used on Double Snack there," she said, pointing to Rarity, "as well as crystals and designs so we could make our own.”

“What did you do with them?” demanded Luna, a growl beginning to tinge her voice.

“What do you think we did with them?” laughed Chrysalis, ignoring the growing anger of the Lunar Diarch. “A way to trap ponies, bend them to our will and keep them perpetually happy and devoted to us. We made as many as we could, of course.”

“AND?” Luna’s jaw could have pulverized stone as she said the word.

“And the trap bridles worked fine,” sighed Chrysalis. “So do the breaking bridles. But what they leave is inedible to us.”

“What do you mean?” asked Celestia.

“Meaning that on the outside the ponies may love and adore us,” said Chrysalis. “But on the inside the original pony is screaming and begging for release. It taints the whole meal. The two we bought from the dogs, they already loved each other. But the others?” Chrysalis shuddered dramatically, “You can have them, and the bridles we made.” A pair of changelings carried a chest from the wagon and dumped it out. Dozens of bridles could be seen in the pile.

“Chrysalis,” said Celestia. “Thank you for returning my ponies. But do you have something that can help Twilight?”

“I would not be here if I didn’t,” said Chrysalis. “It occurred to me that Twilight has been reshaped, like clay. You could reshape her, if only you had a mold.”

“And you have a mold?” asked Luna.

“I have a mold,” said Chrysalis. “Behold!” The drones pulled the tarp off of the wagon, revealing an empty green changeling pod.

“It’s pod, Chrysalis,” said Celestia.

“It’s more than that, Celestia. It’s Twilight’s pod. The one I had her in the last time she was in my hooves. It still retains an impression of her,” said Chrysalis.

“Of course!” exclaimed Luna. “We place Twilight into the pod and use it as a mold to reshape her mind.”

“Princesses, Your Majesty,” came a voice from above. “Might I be of some help in this?”

“Side Slip,” said Celestia. “Where have you been? No, never mind. Yes, you can be of extreme help.”

“And who is this?” asked Chrysalis.

“This is Side Slip,” said Luna. “Twilight healed him mentally some days ago. He retains a portion of Twilight’s soul within him.”

“He does?” said Chrysalis. “Put him in the pod with Twilight and her restoration becomes a virtual certainty.”

“Chrysalis, if this works, if we restore Twilight, I will pay your price,” said Celestia.

“What price?” asked Luna. “I was dealing with other matters when you negotiated.”

“I agreed to be hers, for a week,” said Celestia. “If this works, I will be her toy, her servant, her food...whatever she wants me to be.”

“Seven days for seven ponies,” said Chrysalis. “And I even promise to do nothing permanent to you.” Luna could only look on in shock as Chrysalis continued, “To have food, willing food. Food freely giving itself is the sweetest taste of all. I want it. I want the flavour of Celestia in my mouth and on my tongue. I want to feel the love for and from her running out of my mouth and down my throat.” Chrysalis looked over to where Rarity sat. “Combined with little Double Snack over there, it shall be a feast for the ages.”

Side Slip was already helping Tabula toward the pod.

“All right, get in you two,” said Chrysalis. Obediently Side Slip and Tabula laid down in the pod, wrapping their wings and hooves around each other. The pod closed, sealing itself and pressing the pair into an even tighter, intimate embrace. A few moments later both ponies closed their eyes as the pod put them to sleep.

“What’s the plan, Chrysalis,” said Celestia.

“The three of us enter her mind,” said Chrysalis. “Twilight’s psyche will be malleable. All we need to do is push the boundaries and patterns of her mind to match that of the impression left in the pod and the part of her left in that pegasus of yours. We will be basically pushing things and attaching them to a framework.”

“Very well, let’s do this,” said Celestia. Together the three monarchs powered their horns, touched them to the pod and closed their eyes, entering the mindscape.

The trio of monarchs found themselves in a small area, bounded by an irregular framework. Outside the framework all that could be seen was a grey purplish mass that was oozing in and around the structure. Slowly reducing the space the three were in.

“We must push the mass outwards, while keeping it to the shape of the framework.” said Chrysalis beginning to put action to words with magic from her horn. “If we get it out far enough the process will take over for itself and we will have won.”

The two alicorns joined in, pushing back sections of the mass, further and further out. But for every portion they pushed beyond the framework, two more crossed back in. It was like fighting a collapsing bowl of taffy, from the inside. Time passed and it became clearer and clearer that the strategy was not working.

“Chrysalis,” called Luna. “We need another plan, or we need to regroup and try again.”

“Well, sorry to say, now that we’ve started, to stop now would leave your precious Twilight nothing more than a new born foal,” said Chrysalis.

“You never said anything about that,” shot back Celestia.

“It’s not terribly important to me,” said Chrysalis. “So I didn’t bother...and I am thinking of cutting my losses and leaving anyway. This is using a lot of my power.”

“No!” shouted Luna, “You cannot. We need your help.”

“It’s not worth the power I am using up,” said Chrysalis. “It’s not worth my while.”

“I will MAKE it worth your while,” said Luna. “In addition to my sister...you may have me as well.”

“You?” asked Chrysalis. “Oh, you do know how to tempt, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know temptation,” said Luna, a flash of the darkness that she had once given into flashed behind her eyes. “You may have me, willing and pliant, for whatever twisted games and perverse pleasures you desire, for a week, if we succeed. Just not for the same week as my sister.”

“Done!” shouted Chrysalis. “For both royal sisters, willingly in my grasp, I would drain myself dry. Done and done.” The changeling turned back and pushed with renewed vigor and determination. Some long period of time passed, but the trio made no further headway in their quest despite their best efforts. The task seemingly beyond even their power.

“The best we can do is a little more than holding even,” said Celestia, panting. “I fear we are not going to win this one Luna.”

Luna opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say anything a great light appeared before them. The light slowly dimmed, resolving into the forms of six ponies. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Valiente stood before them.

“My ponies,” said Luna, “you should not be here. The fight does not go well.”

“How many times do I have to say it,” said Rainbow Dash. “You know we’d never leave a friend hangin’.”

“Indeed Princess,” said Rarity, her collar gleaming. “It’s obvious you need our help and even more obvious how.”

“If you have an idea, I suggest you hurry,” called Celestia. “The three of us are nearly at the end of our strength.” Rarity nodded and began directing her friends.

“Applejack,” said Rarity. “Help the monarchs by bucking back the sections slipping in. Pinkie, break out your party cannon and back up Applejack.” Applejack began bucking sections of oozing mental mass, each buck pushing the mass back as far as an alicorn blast. Pinkie Pie got out her party cannon and began blasting the sections Applejack had just bucked. Pushing them back even further.

“Rainbow Dash, use your speed to fly around hitting as many pieces as you can,” ordered Rarity next. “But save your strength. You are going to need it soon, and I think you can guess why.”

“Oh, Yeah!” exclaimed the speedster as she flung herself into the fight. Her blows only pushed back the masses a small distance. But she was hitting dozens in rapid succession, and entire areas began to push back beyond the framework.

“Um, if you want me to just stay out of the way,” demurred Fluttershy. “It’s okay, I’ll just take care of anypony who gets tired.

“You will do no such thing, my dear,” said Rarity. “You are nearly the most powerful pony here.”

“Me?” squeaked Fluttershy. “Oh, I don’t know about that.”

“Darling,” said Rarity, “we are in the mental realm. Where force of will is strength. And I know of no greater force of will than your Stare.”

“OH!” exclaimed Fluttershy, and she too flew into the fight. She summoned her Stare. The sledgehammer of will that she could summon had cowed dragons. She began to use it against the mass as well. Driving back sections with massive force.

“And us?” asked Valiente, her matching collar to Rarity’s shining bright. “What is our role?”

“We, dearest, have to fill out the framework,” said Rarity. “Twilight has always had an ordered mind, and the framework being used is chaotic, disorganized. You and I must fill in the gaps to create order and organization. What’s more, we must expand the framework as our friends push things into place. Now, mirror me.”

With that, Rarity began to build silvery lines of power connecting sections of the framework. Valiente took her example and matched her. Taking their cues from the existing frame, a pattern of order began to grow and spread. Together, the friends pushed the mass further and further back, while expanding the framework to hold back what had been pushed into place.

“They...they are doing it,” marveled Chrysalis. “But how? We are monarchs and they are merely mares.”

“Do you still not understand, Chrysalis?” said Celestia. “Do you not see why I rarely take a direct hoof in matters? Can you not see why my ponies have pushed back every threat to Equestria? Tirek, Discord, Sombra, even yourself. None of you is even a candle before the mighty flame that is my ponies wielding the Magic of Friendship!”

Almost in answer, Rarity called out, “Now, Rainbow!” Rainbow Dash grinned and let loose a Sonic Rainboom, driving back the mass out of sight. As the rainboom cleared a white fog appeared over everypony’s vision and all found themselves back in the material world.

“Did...did we do it?” asked Fluttershy. With everypony still clustered around the pod Chrysalis reached out and tapped the pod, opening it. Out spilled Side Slip and Twilight. She landing full upon him, the pair still embraced. Both of their eyes snapped open.

“Um, hello?” said Side Slip.

“Side Slip?” said Twilight. “What are you...” Her voice trailed off as four weeks of memories came charging in. The pegasus beneath her had cared for her, watched over her and mourned for her for a month. He had been the perfect, caring gentlestallion. Even if she could feel a certain part of his anatomy begin to involuntarily react to the intimacy of their position.

“We’ll talk later,” she said quietly and rolled off of him. Only to be immediately pounced on by her overjoyed friends.

“Twilight!” cried her friends, sweeping Twilight up into a group hug. The three leaders looked on at the happy mayhem.

“Well, my drones and I should be going,” said Chrysalis, tiredly. “We’ll make arrangements later for your...visits, to my hive.”

“Not so fast, Chrysalis,” said Twilight, walking up to the changeling queen with her friends close around her. “You are not leaving here before I make sure you know how I feel about you.”

“Go ahead,” said Chrysalis. “Get it out of your...” Chrysalis stopped as Twilight put a hoof on her chest. Love flowed into her from the lavender alicorn. Love directed at her, personally. Chrysalis had never felt this before from a pony. She had stolen love meant for others, impersonated others being loved, but never love for her, meant for her, from a pony. The feeling was indescribably glorious.

Twilight leaned forward, and in a whisper only Chrysalis could hear said, “You think you are unlovable, that I could not love my savior, that I could not love somepony who says they are my enemy. You’re wrong, Your Majesty. You are worthy of love, and I love you for what you have done for me, even if you did charge for it.” Chrysalis didn't trust herself to speak. She just nodded, walked away and gathering up her drones, flew off.

“Oh Twilight,” said Celestia, wrapping her former student in a hug. “It is so good to see you back to yourself.”

“It’s good to be back,” said Twilight. “I remember most of what happened, but there are some gaps.”

“I’m just glad to have you restored,” said Celestia. “Why don’t you and your friends go catch up and I’ll have some tea and snacks sent to you.”

“Oh, and Twilight-” said Luna, suddenly cutting off as Twilight abruptly threw herself to the ground before Luna. For some reason Twilight was lying at her hooves. Luna suddenly had a strong mental image of locking a collar around Twilight’s slim neck and leading Twilight off to her private chambers. Luna felt her face heating even as she dismissed the image.

"Luna...um, what’s going on? Why am I in this position?" asked Twilight. She had no idea why she had lain herself at Luna's hooves like this. All Luna had done was say Twilight's name to get her attention. It had just felt like the most natural reaction. Not turning her head, not saying, "what?", but throwing herself before Luna. Even now, Twilight wasn't sure she could break position. Forelegs flat on the ground, nose touching the ground, plot and tail raised high.

"Oh Light," said Luna, "please rise." The strange compulsion vanished and Twilight lifted her head to see Luna was blushing from the tip of her nose to the base of her neck.

“Mis...Princess?” asked Twilight. “What just happened?”

“Do you remember those last moments before you fell to the bridle?” asked Luna.

“Yes, I...oh. OH! Oh, dear,” said Twilight in comprehension.

“Well, could someone explain it to the rest of us?” asked Rainbow Dash in exasperation.

“When I got hit with that bridle,” explained Twilight. “Its magic was forcing me to be Sombra’s slave. The only way to avoid that was to get Sombra away and have somepony else lay claim to me with dark magic. Which Princess Luna did. If she hadn’t I would have been his.”

“I had hoped that my claim would have lapsed with Twilight’s fall into Tabula and then her restoration,” said Luna. “As you have just seen though, it would appear Twilight is still magically enslaved to me. No matter that neither of us wishes it. Twilight, we will work this out later. Go and make merry with your friends.”

“As you wish, Princess,” said Twilight and the group began to leave.

“That is going to be a thorny problem, sister,” said Celestia. “But we will work it out. By the way, you said something earlier about a great destiny for Rarity. What did you mean?”

“The diamond dogs have a prophecy about a terrible evil that shall befall our entire world,” said Luna. “Part of it goes like this:"

Beware, beware
The two-fold mare,
Her flashing eyes
Her flowing hair.
To win she has split her soul,
The parts greater than the whole.
She will take you as her blade.
And of you, evil will be afraid.
Diamond your name,
Diamond her fame,
Beware, beware
The two-fold mare,

Together, the two sisters watched the happy group leave the garden and silently contemplated the future. Their own and that of their subjects. None of them, however, could hear the internal bantering conversation going on inside the alabaster unicorn as she left with her friends.

“That was a dirty, dirty trick with the tassels,” thought Rarity to her inner mare.

“You weren’t coming out any other way, Rarity. I’m not particularly sorry either; you were scaring our friends,” replied Valiente.

“Fine. I said hello to our friends; come back out.”

“Nope.”

“Why?”

“A few reasons. You need to actually spend time with them, dear. It’s not like my plans to sleep with them were going anywhere.”

“You were going to what??”

“I was going sleep with all your friends, eventually. Only a matter of time. Besides, somepony has to care about our figure, and I like food too much to be a good steward.”

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.”

“No, I don’t, but never do this again.”

“No promises,” said Valiente. “No promises.”

~~~~~ The End ~~~~~

Author's Notes:

And our heroes walk off into the sunset. Door Belle wrote the walk off and offered it to me. It was so awesome I couldn't resist. Thank you very much for that bit.

This is going to be a long afterword as it is the last.

Regarding this last chapter. I felt the need to resolve certain issues with Rarity's restoration and make sure she didn't come out of this OP. She has come out stronger and harder. So I had to make sure there were limitations. Also, this is My Little Pony. I had to make everything come out happily in the end.

Also, yes, Luna still is the owner of Rarity/Valiente and Twilight. Through two different mechanisms. She doesn't want them as her possessions but while she does she will hold them as gently as possible. As for Luna's description of what the dogs' bridles did. You would think I would have come up with a better description before the very last chapter of the story. But I didn't, and Luna lost patience with me, showed up in my head, and dropped the whole thing into my frontal cortex in a single go. Thank you, Your Highness, and yes, I will commend you to my lady wife.

Overall, this part of the Bridle Path is done. What was supposed to be one or two chapters of basic clop spun out into something far larger. I never meant for this to turn into a bondage/mind control/slavery epic, but it did. And for that I have two readers to directly thank for that.

Gliese581c
and
Arzoo

Both of you asked questions that I realized I wanted to answer. You kept my plot honest. You did your best to hold me to a standard and I deeply thank you for that. Bridle Path would have been a far poorer story without you.

I would also like to give a shout out to Mix-up and Cross Lament. Your support, particularly in the early days of this story, was huge for me. Your words gave me encouragement and kept me going.

Also, big thank you's to Kaidan and sleepyichigo. Kaidan, your featuring me on your blog put me over the moon for a good couple of days. Sleepyichigo, your FA fan art was so awesome. That I could inspire creativity in others through something I had created? Just a huge boost to my self esteem. Between the two of you, I really feel like I've actually accomplished something over the past 4 months.

Over the past 4 months I've gone from someone who had no idea how to do correct punctuation in dialogue to someone who gets it right the majority of the time. I've gone from someone who could write maybe 1200 words a week to someone who can write 1200 words a day. I've walked my own bridle path, and like Rarity, I think I've come out better and stronger for it. Thank you, Madam, for letting me walk that path with you.

My second to last shout out goes to Damaged. Sir, you have become a mentor, a friend, a sounding board, an editor and a taskmaster. You've set up a place where people like us can get together and bounce weird crap off of each other. My day no longer feels complete if I haven't logged into your Discord channel.

Wither Bridle Path?

I never intended there to ever be any sequels to The Bridle Path, but a lot of folks have been asking me privately for sequels. So, I've deliberately left a few side plots unresolved and the Discord chat horde has seized on some ideas:

Bridle Path 2: Celestia's Penance - Celestia makes personal amends to the Mane 6
Bridle Path 3: The War for Tartarus - Yowl-E discovers what Cerberus does
Bridle Path 4: The Bonds Between - Rarity, Valiente and Nightmare Rarity engage in kinky shenanigans

But none of those will be started for quite some time. I have many other projects to do.

My final shout out is to my own personal Princess of the Night, my wife, Serenetea. My love, without your kindness and support I never would have been able to even start on this story. Never mind finish it and be able to look forward to new projects. If any of you wonder what my wife is like. All I can do is quote Byron to you:

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Thank you.
And so, it is with a heavy hand and a glad heart that I mark The Bridle Path,
Complete.