> Obsession and Regression
>  by wayward_pony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Part 1, Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Part 1

1


It was Rainbow Dash's day off, and yet she still practiced her flying. Soaring high above Ponyville, the wind flowing through her mane and fur, she collided with the few straggler clouds left by an earlier patrol, obliterating them on impact. The few remainders she flew around and around, condensing them into the perfect cloud for napping... then, she rested.

"Rainbow Dash!" A somewhat lyrical, familiar voice shouted from below. "Rainbow Dash!"

She peered over the cloud's edge... it was Rarity.

"What do you want?" Asked the rainbow maned Pegasus, placing her head back on her folded hooves. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"I..." Rarity cleared her throat. "Need a favor, Rainbow..."

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow slowly got up and flew down to Rarity.

"What?" Rainbow asked abruptly.

"Well, you see Rainbow I have this Client... and I need a model."

"So, why don't you ask Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow scoffed. "You know I don't like that frou-frou stuff..."

"This Client is especially partial to rainbows... especially partial."

"Oh..." Rainbow thought. "You're asking me to model because of that?"

Rarity's eyes lit up:

"Oh, would you kindly...?"

Much like Spike, when Rarity's eyes sparkled... Rainbow had trouble turning her down.

"Well, maybe..."

Rarity attempted to seal the deal:

"The Client is also a, ahem... single filly-fooler."

"So?" Rainbow gritted her teeth. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well, Rainbow... it's been a while since you've had a partner, and me and the girls feel that maybe if we..."

"Are you trying to have me model for you or are you trying to get me laid?"

"Good heavens, Rainbow! Primarily I would like you as a model... secondarily, I feel perhaps broadening your contacts might increase the possibility of you meeting the right pony..."

Rainbow remained quiet, scowling at Rarity. This was none of her business, as helpful as she was trying to be. Still, she continued:

"Rainbow, we're your friends... and we've all noticed you looking at each of us in a way that suggests, while it's quite flattering, that... well, most of us have no interest in exploring those feelings with you."

"I've got Apple Jack if I'm lonely, and her Cider for when I'm lonelier."

"But Apple Jack can't commit herself..."

Again, Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth. Rarity knew too much information...

"I'm fine Rarity, really... thanks for your concern, though."

The rainbow maned Pegasus started flying back up towards the cloud, when Rarity called out to her one more time:

"You'll be reimbursed for your time, of course. Throw out everything I just said, and please be my model just to appease the Client."

Rainbow turned back towards her:

"Get me a small keg of the Apple Family cider when cider time comes and you've got a deal."

"Well, that IS quite an expensive proposition, Rainbow... and I'd have to be up very early in the morning."

"Too rich for your blood? Too early for your worm? Then... we don't have a deal."

Again, rainbow turned towards her cloud.

"Very well, Rainbow Dash! You win."

In an instant, Rainbow was back on the ground.

"Omygosh, I didn't expect that to work! When do you need me?"

"I am grateful you are willing," replied Rarity. "I just hope the deal goes through... I would like you to show up at my shop two days from now, at about 5:00 PM."

"Fine, fine..." Rainbow said in a disinterested tone, turning away. "I'm going back to my cloud... see you in two days... and thanks."

"Thank you, Rainbow. You won't regret this!" Rarity then whispered to herself, "a whole keg... that's almost 50 Bits! Why did I agree to that?"

"Start saving!" Replied Rainbow, nestling herself comfortably upon her cloud.
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


2


Rainbow Dash was a pony who kept her commitments. She showed up at Rarity's shop two days later a bit before 5. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were loading up a small, yet sophisticated-looking 2-pony drawn carriage with materials and designer outfits.

"You say my cider's almost too expensive, yet you can afford this?" Asked Rainbow, eying the golden vehicle.

"It's at the Client's expense... she wants us to show up prepared and in style."

"Oh."

Rainbow helped with what she could, but got in the way more than anything else. Carrying fabric she unraveled... hat boxes she dropped. Rarity asked her politely to wait in the carriage, and Rainbow Dash grudgingly did as she was instructed. The unicorn got in herself only 10 minutes later to have the carriage take off almost immediately after.

"They waste no time..." Commented Rainbow.

"At this pace we'll be there soon. All you have to do is wear a few outfits and smile."

"I can totally do that. It's worth it for the cider!"

Rarity rolled her eyes. Either way, Dash would get paid... but if the outfits didn't sell, the Unicorn would be out quite a bit.

The ride took them to the outskirts of Ponyville. All in all, about 45 minutes and they were there. Rainbow peered out of the window as the drivers trotted along. There were few houses in this part of town, and those that were there looked very nice. Rarity mumbled something about "gen-tree-vacation" or something. Rainbow Dash was only partially listening.

"We're here!" Rarity exclaimed as a gray Earth Pony Butler in a black jacket opened her door.

She and Rainbow got out. The cyan Pegasus was expecting to see a mansion with giant walls, but instead she laid her eyes upon an old country house, somewhat modest in size. It reminded rainbow of Sweet Apple acres... it was just on the opposite side of Ponyville.

"Welcome! My servant Ironhoof will get your things," said an angelic voice from the other side of the coach.

The speaking pony approached. Rarity smiled upon seeing her Client and Rainbow was taken aback. She was a slightly older Pegasus pony, but not some stuffy old mare like she was expecting, a little chunky. Light gold in color, she had a long, brilliant gamboge mane with light strands. For lack of a better word, she was gorgeous.

As Rarity and she chatted, Rainbow Dash felt Rarity's eyes flitting back to her every now and again... she realized her mouth was hanging open.

"And you must be the model?" Asked the light golden pony, extending a hoof to Rainbow Dash.

"Yes ma'am! Name's Rainbow Dash! Pleased to meet you!" Replied RD, taking her by the hoof and giving it a hardy shake.

"Likewise, Miss Dash. My name is Buttercup."

"Buttercup, huh? That's pretty!"

Rainbow Dash suddenly took an interest in her name, unsure if Rarity had even mentioned it before.

Buttercup turned towards Rarity:

"We'll be holding the fashion show in my living room. I want to see 3 of your best, most varied designs of dresses, 3 matching hats per dress. Ironhoof will show you to the dressing room and help you set up. I look forward to seeing your modeling debut... Miss Dash."

Buttercup then left the two standing in her driveway with the butler getting their bags together.

"She's charming, isn't she?" Rarity asked Rainbow, who was in a stupor, floating ithrough the air.

"Yeah..."


* * *


Rarity and Rainbow were taken through the house. The ceilings were surprisingly high for a two-story home and on the walls were hanging 100 year old portraits of various ponies, everything from Princess Celestia and Luna to the founders of Ponyville. They came by one smaller, newer portrait before entering the living room with Ironhoof, one portrait which Rarity had not initially seen but it made Rainbow Dash come to a screeching halt. It looked just like her... as a foal.

"Rarity, check this out! It's me!" Rainbow exclaimed.

Rarity and Rainbow both looked at the picture. Sure enough, Rarity saw it too: as far as she was concerned, that was Rainbow Dash... as a foal.

"How did she get this?" Asked Rarity.

"That's her foal," replied Ironhoof, lugging a collection of cases on a cart. "Please keep in mind that although you are guests you are not here for pleasure, Miss Dash, so keep your mind on your work and comport yourselves in a professional manner. As we've precious little time to get set up, the mistress is quite eager to see what you've got to show her," he turned to Rarity, "you only have a single model... a cute one, but inexperienced one at that."

"He's being a bit curt, but he's right, Rainbow. We absolutely must remain focused if we want to impress Miss Buttercup."

"Sorry!" Exclaimed Rainbow, getting in line behind Rarity. "I'm focused."

"Yes, we are ready... setting up should not take more than a few minutes at best." Rarity turned to Rainbow. "The dresses are simple and easy to put on, but please don't come into the living room until I've seen you do a full twirl and I've given you the nod."

"Fine."

The living room doors swung open. Sitting in the center of the room on a very large and luxurious-looking tan couch was Miss Buttercup, sipping tea. She nodded once they entered, smiling as they passed. They were lead into a back room, a 10x12 ft. fitting room, with toilet and sink.

"Here we are," said Ironhoof. "I will keep the Mistress entertained while you set up. Good luck, Miss Rarity!"

"Thank you, Ironhoof," Rarity said, unzipping her bags with her magic. "Okay, Dash... let's get you dressed."



* * *


Rainbow Dash waited nervously behind the curtain as Rarity introduced her.

3 outfits, 9 hats... She thought. Here we go....

"The first outfit is a fashionable, yet simple Sporty ensemble worn by the model Rainbow Dash." Rarity looked back at her and nodded, then Rainbow entered... feeling Miss Buttercup's eyes on her. "The outfit is made of light-weight Egyptian cotton and comes in a variety of colors... this color, in particular, midnight blue, matches Dash's eyes and fur color scheme."

"It's hard to have anything look less than spectacular on a pony with a rainbow mane, yet one as lovely as Miss Dash." Commented Miss Buttercup.

Rainbow's anxiety melted away with those words, as Rarity's rose a pinch. Seemed like she was taking a stronger liking to Dashie than to Rarity's hard work... a thought Rarity had conidered before even asking Rainbow Dash.

Not the worse case scenario...  She thought. We can still do this.

Rainbow did an obligatory spin followed by a slow turn, showing off the dress and hat as Rarity continued to describe the outfit:

"The hat is a wide brim style, elegant yet simple..."

After a few moments of displaying the items, with a nod from the Unicorn, Rainbow went in back, changed the hat and came back out. Now Miss Buttercup remained silent, nodding to Rarity each time she'd seen enough or heard enough. Rarity's explanations were to the point and professional. All Miss Buttercup did was smile and nod, occasionally winking at both ponies when they showed even a hint of nervousness.

The next outfit was considered a Feminine style. Rainbow Dash sauntered out slowly in a rather lacy, yet not over the top, ensemble which made Miss Buttercup giggle. Rainbow blushed, and fortunately it was over soon... the golden Pegasus nodded, having seen enough of the first showing. Rainbow went back into the dressing room and put on a few more hats before finally changing out of the outfit all together.

"This next outfit I enlisted the help of my good friend Fluttershy in designing. It's based off the French Ode Couture design and several beta models have already been requested by numerous clients from Canterlot..."

Rainbow Dash stepped out, feeling literally meek as Fluttershy at the time.

Miss Buttercup's eyes widened the moment she saw the blushing cyan Pegasus. The furry outfit was simply adorable and the fact that Rainbow was embarrassed by it made it all the better.

"My, my... that's marvelous." She sat up. "Show me the hats... I've seen enough."

Rarity smiled, nodding at Rainbow Dash who went in the back in a flash.

Two more hats were quickly shown to the seated Miss Buttercup, then that was that.


* * *


Rainbow was in the back, changing out of her outfit. She overheard Rarity and the Client talking.

"That is all we have to show you today, Miss Buttercup," said Rarity, nervously. "I hope you've enjoyed our display..."

"Indeed, I have," replied the golden Pegasus. "Don't be nervous... you both did fine. Miss Dash is a very fine model... she helped sell your product."

Rainbow Dash felt Rarity's excitement through the wall:

"So you'll...?"

"Provide funds for you? Certainly, provided you deliver and can guarantee me a profit. Seeing as you're already selling some of these dresses in prototype, I don't think we'll have a problem there. I have faith in your abilities."

Rarity lost her dignified composure:

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She giggled like a filly.

Rainbow came out into the living room as Ironhoof packed up in the back.

"Rainbow!" Exclaimed Rarity, looking back at the Pegasus. "Did you hear what she--"

"Yup." Rainbow replied, not even letting Rarity finish. "She said I helped sell your product... I think I've earned TWO kegs of Apple Family cider now."

"You're definitely getting one from me," said Miss Buttercup, approaching the confident Rainbow Dash. She gazed into Rainbow's eyes, and the Pegasus couldn't help looking away, her confidence melting. "I think you're a very lovely model, Miss Dash. May I call you Rainbow?"

"Yes!"

"Rainbow... you've got just the right type of body I'm looking for... for my own purposes. I'm inviting you here next week at the same time to plan this idea with me over tea. Does that sound like something you might like to do?"

"Omygosh, yes!"

"Then consider it a date. I look forward to it."

Rainbow thought back... she had just seen the next weeks work schedule:

"But... I work at this time next week. I'm on the night shift!"

"Would you like to be excused from that?"

"How?"

"Please don't question me, Rainbow... if I want something, I get it, and I want you here that day. I can get you excused from work that day just by a simple note. Are you still interested? You're objection is the only thing that will stop me. At this point, that is."

"Yes, I'm very interested."

"Then Ironhoof will give you an official note with my personal seal... you will be excused next week. Feel free to be fashionably late," she shook her hoof, "but don't show at all up and I'll have no choice but to have Ironhoof get you. By that, I mean, come and get you."

All three laughed... though Rarity waited for Buttercup to start before she joined in.


* * *


Everything had been loaded back into their carriage. Rarity and Rainbow were cozily nestled in the carriage when Ironhoof approached and opened the door. He passed Rainbow Dash a letter in a fancy envelope:

"Do not lose this as you are expected to be here then." His voice was firm.

The rainbow-maned Pegasus saluted with a grin. He nodded before shutting the door. Once he did the carriage took off like a shot, with him stepping off its side almost at full speed... in his haste he misjudged where his hoof should be and tumbled to the ground. The two mares gasped as they looked out at him sprawled over the lawn with his cutie mark, a Mortar and Pistil, on display for all to see along with his backside. Once he got up, slowly brushing himself of in a dignified manner, the two mares relaxed as he faded from view. They enjoyed an otherwise peaceful trip home.

Rarity was pleased with herself as was Rainbow Dash. The beginning of the ride was silent, both ponies stoked the meeting had gone so well. Once they left her property, Rarity made sure both windows were rolled up:

"I told you she'd be interested in you... a bit too interested. You'll be careful next week, won't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she's clearly attracted to you... but 'the right type of body for her own purposes'? Excuse me, Dash... I don't speak that language. That sounds dangerous to me in all the... wrong ways."

"Well, if it helps my 'dar is telling me she's a top, and my guess is that she was just making it clear to me... " Rainbow replied, putting her hooves behind her head. "And I'm fine with that... I go either way."

"Okay, just remember what I said..."

"I'm Ponyville's Class Athlete!" Rainbow retorted smugly. "When there's trouble with another mare, I buck and make for the exit. It works on stallions, too, so I think I can manage an older, chubby mare."

"Very well."
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


3


The day had finally come!

Rainbow Dash had presented her note to her boss the week before. Upon opening it and reading its golden scribed contents, he imeadately told RD that she would be switching with Thunderlane for the next day... no if, ands, or buts about. Thunderlane weasn't happy, since he requested the night off a month before, but there were no other ponies who could do night shift to take her place. Rainbow thought it was weird, but this was the first date she'd ever had with a rich pony... maybe she just had that type of power, and it seemed cool to be able to do that type of stuff whenever you wanted.

The entire Mane 6 heard about this date Rainbow had with the rich pony from Rainbow herself (as well as Rarity in private). Together they gave the excited Pegasus some meaningful advice before she left:

"Be careful, Rainbow," said Twilight. "I've got a bad feeling about this..."

"Just remember we're your friends if you need us." Said Apple Jack.

"My Pinkie sense is telling me something's up, but I don't know what... it could be good or it could be bad. Be careful Dashie!"

"Do be careful, darling, and remember what I said..."

"If you get nervous just listen to your body! It's what I tell my animal friends... if something looks scary or feels scary, get away!"

"Don't be silly, girls!" Rainbow non-nonchalantly replied. "I can take care of myself! Thanks though!"

They all hoped that would not be the last they ever saw of her...


* * *


The cyan Pegasu landed in front of the old, renovated farm house in the outskirts of Ponyville. She didn't even have to walk all the way onto the property when the old butler Ironhoof came out:

"Welcome Miss Dash. The Mistress has been expecting you. Come in!"

Rainbow Dash followed him in, down the hall and towards the entrance of the living room. Again, she saw the small portrait of the foal and asked:

"What is this about?" Pointing at it with her hoof.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss the Mistress's possessions, Miss Dash, other than to say that is her foal."

"It looks a lot like me though!"

"Yes, there is a striking resemblance between you two... perhaps the stallion whom she made the foal with also resembled you? I do not know. Forgive me, I've been forbidden to discuss any more than general facts with guests." He opened the large living room door. "Please be seated... the mistress will join you momentarily."

Once inside, the door slammed shut. Rainbow Dash was now alone in the large room with the large couch in the middle. She walked up to the big luxurious piece of furniture and sat, noticing a small coffee table to the left... aside from that, the room was sparely decorated. 12 foot high white walls full of nothing... Nothing. Not a book case, not a portrait, not even a nick-nack or souvenir. It was empty.

"Hello Rainbow," said Buttercup, coming out of the back room with an old tea kettle and two cups on a platter balancing on her back. "I take it you flew here?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Replied the cyan Pegasus, nervously scratching her head.

"Please! Call me Buttercup."

"Yes, Miss Buttercup..."

"No, just Buttercup, silly!"

She approached Rainbow with the items balancing on her back, looking back at them once they were within a few feet of each other. Rainbow took the cue and removed the platter from her hostess's back, setting it on the coffee table. Buttercup filled two cups with the dark tea:

"I know I've got Ironhoof to do things for me, but I find every once and a while doing something for yourself just... feels good. Don't you agree?"

"Yeah."

Buttercup began filling the little teacups, looking up at Rainbow, who blushed when their gaze met.

"It's not as good as doing for others, though. Tea?"

Rainbow nodded, taking one of the little cups she began sipping on it. It was wonderful and she made sure Buttercup knew it:

"It tastes just like honey," said Rainbow.

"It's a secret family recipe... I'll have another one for you to try soon enough." Buttercup took a sip of her own tea. "Of all the luxurious things I have or could get myself, I could never go without my family's tea recipe."

"What's in it?"

"Oh, you silly filly... if I told you that it wouldn't be a secret!" Buttercup put her free arm around the cyan Pegasus. "I like you Rainbow... you're just the right mixture of cute and foolish. Plus you're very pretty, if you don't mind me saying so." Rainbow blushed when she said that. "Ah, I thought you might be... you're a filly-fooler, aren't you?"

"Yeah..."

"It's perfectly fine," Buttercup kissed Rainbow's forehead. "I like the mares, too, and I've taken a liking to you."

"But I thought you had a foal..."

The once mellow, almost bedroom eyes of Buttercup became wide saucers for a fraction of a second. She looked as though she could cry, but then... suddenly it vanished.

"My baby died."

There was a long pause between the two. Rainbow Dash looked into the yellow mare's eyes.

"I'm sorry Buttercup," Rainbow said, giving her a big hug. "That must've been terrible."

"It's alright, Rainbow... you didn't know. Things've been... quite empty since that event. She was only 9 months old... and it was very sudden, with no discernible explanation. I don't like to talk about it. Fortunately, Ironhoof is wonderful at cheering me up when I think too much about it. Doesn't change what happened, no matter how nice he is to me... he is very kind to me and I am in return very kind to him."

"Let's talk about something more happy..." Said Rainbow, leaving her hoof around Buttercup.

"Okay. I'll start then, Rainbow... what is your favorite..."

The two did the normal dance of boring, getting to know you chatter, while sipping tea. They had similar likes -- both enjoyed the Wonderbolts and Buttercup's eyes lit up when she saw just how excited Dash was when talking about them. 

Eventually their tea ran out and Buttercup summoned Ironhoof, who was right outside the door, with a sharp yet pleasant shout.

"Could you please get us some more tea... this is round 2, so bump it up to the special tea." She turned to Dash. "You have to try this tea, Dashie!"

"Hey, only Pinkie Pie calls me that!" Said Rainbow without thinking. "... Not that I mind you calling me that, too, but I'm just surprised."

"You're very cute, Honey," replied Buttercup, giggling. "You're lucky I speak your language."

Dash blushed.

"I've never been this interested in an older mare before," she said. "And I like it when you call me Honey..."

"I'm flatterred you like my name for you, but... Older mare?" Buttercup shook her hoof. "How old do you think I am?"

... 48?"

"I'm a bit younger than that, darling."

"47...?"

"Keep going..."

"... 45?"

"Yup! Now let me guess your age... 20?"

"A lil older...."

"21?"

"Not quite..."

"23?"

"We have a winner! Third time is a charm!"

"And the crowd goes wild..." Buttercup replied, chuckling. "You're not too young for me, though I am old enough to be your mother."

Again, Buttercup gave Rainbow a kiss... this time not on the forehead, but on the cheek.

"Buttercup... I... uh..."

"It's okay, Honey... just go with your feelings."

"Too fast! I think I need to have that tea first!"

"Well, it's just arriving," Buttercup motioned towards the door, where Ironhoof showed up with the tea kettle filled with a steamy beverage. "Give it a minute to cool down... you'll find its effects to be somewhat... soporific."

"Sopo-wha?"

"It means relaxing, dear. Very relaxing... lulling you into a mood where having a bed nearby seems like a good idea. Drink it slow. Savor it!"

"I think I know what you're up to," Dash said as Ironhoof took her cup and filled it. "I'm not so dumb... you'll see."

Rainbow Dash looked down at the sweet smelling liquid and up at Buttercup:

"I bet you I can drink it this hot."

"Oh, please don't try. I wouldn't want you to burn yourself..."

Rainbow opened her mouth, holding the steamy tea cup in front of it.

"Down the hatch..."

Rainbow took a gulp of the incredibly hot beverage. Buttercup looked as though she were concerned, but it was nothing the strong Rainbow Dash couldn't handle... though the initial swallow did burn her insides a bit, it didn't last. She was tough.

"Honey, you're drinking that way too fast!" Said Buttercup, in an almost concerned, authoritative way. "Slow down for your own good..."

"I can handle it," Rainbow said, once the whole cup was gone. She showed it to Buttercup "See? That was awesome tea, by the way."

Buttercup shot Ironhoof a stone-faced look.

All was silent for a brief moment as Buttercup and Ironhoof stared into Rainbow's empty teacup.


* * *


"Did she have too much at once?" Buttercup asked Ironhoof. "Do you need to get the Doctor Bag?"

"Yes, she did have a lot, but she should be alright.... She'll just be out a little longer than expected."

"Out?" Rainbow echoed. "What're you talking about?"

"You're going to take a nap, Rainbow Dash," said Ironhoof, his voice starting to echo. "You will be fine, though. I guarantee it."

Rainbow rose up high from the sofa, her wings beating... beginning to grow weak and uncoordinated already.

"I don't know what you two are up to," she said, angry. "But I... she... it isn't..."

The room began to spin well before Rainbow spun out. She found herself feeling oddly lighter than air, everything around her moving as if it were in a fan or under a strobe light. She knew she'd been drugged, but couldn't process it anymore. She had just enough cognizance to slowly ask:

"What's... going... on?"

"It's what I told you, Miss Dash." Replied Ironhoof, opening his arms below the floating Pegasus as everything began to fade. "Now come down here and go to sleep... you're going to be fine. You just need to rest."

Rest.

Ironhoof seemed to grow as Rainbow made an involuntary descent... she didn't remember a thing after that.
> Part 2, Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Part 2
1


Dash slowly came out of her medically induced slumber. Unsettling to the Pegasus, her awareness faded in well before her senses... she couldn't move. Her surroundings were black and empty, and she had a deep pain in her gut. She couldn't open her eyes quite yet, but gradually she became more and more aware of where she was as her senses returned:

The first sense to come back was her keen sense of smell. Where she was now smelled warm, relaxing, and inviting... familiar, but she couldn't place it. Her hearing came back next. She heard hoofsteps above her head... above her head? Her sense of touch and orientation were coming back now, too. She was upright, which was odd seeing how she was just asleep... last but not least, she opened her eyes.

At first she saw just a blur. She was in a pink room, with a few lights in the corner. Was she in Pinkie's room? No, not there... she saw a small rectangular window high up, maybe 2 feet above her current position and 9 feet in front of her. Was she in a basement? Worse yet, there was light coming from the window... daylight. How long had she been?

She looked at the floor next. It was covered in a light cyan carpeting, matching her fur. There were a few boxes beside her, with a large navy blue satchel on top, and table which... looked like it belonged in a nursery.

She took in another wiff of the air...

Foal powder?

She tried to move her arms now that she was more awake and realized she couldn't move more than an inch or two. She looked over at her arms to see they'd been bound tightly to metal shackles which were attached to this odd table she was on, suspending her upwards. She felt weightless. She looked down at her legs to see a similar setup, then she noticed her attire.

She was wearing what looked like a sleeveless shirt, dark olivine in color. She noticed a small picture of Daring Doo over the heart, which made her smirk briefly, forgetting the confusing severity of her situation. She then noticed the shirt kind of connected between her legs in an odd way...

"A one piece swimsuit?" She asked herself out loud, squirming to get a better look.

She noticed the presence of buttons where the garment fastened between her legs. She felt this strange, somewhat awkward thickness between her legs. She squirmed to get a better look still, then heard a sound coming from around her hip area: crinkle!

This better not be what I think it is... She thought.

Sure enough, cranking her body from side to side while trying to get a better look, a bit of the thin white plastic she had on under the cotton garment showed through one of the leg holes. Rainbow Dash saw it and it confirmed her thoughts: Rainbow Dash had woken up dressed like a baby, bound and in a onesie, disposable diapers and all.

"What the hay!?!" Rainbow squirmed in the restraints. "Hey! Somepony get in here!"

She tried to open her wings, but then realize they were bound close to her body under the onesie. Everything was starting to sink in... whoever had put her there didn't want her to leave. She went from moderately creeped out and trying to get a picture of things to being full-blown scared at this point.

Luckily she heard somepony quickly descending stairs behind her.


* * *


"Honey, you're awake!" A familiar lyrical voice said from behind Rainbow. "You were napping so long I started to worry!"

The pony behind Rainbow Dash rotated the table she was on so that she now faced a door. She was nearly snout-to-snout with the golden pony.

"Hi, how are you?" Buttercup said in a joyous tone, nuzzling Rainbow. "I'm sorry you had to be asleep for so long!"

"Buttercup... what's happening? Why am I dressed like this?"

"Oh, Honey, I know you're upset... Are you hungry? I have plenty of milk for you stored in my body. I have to take special hormones Mr. Ironhoof gives me to keep it going nice and fresh. Try some!"

Rainbow Dash just stared at her:

"Come again...?"

Buttercup's demeanor had completely changed. She'd gone from sophisticated and understanding to... oddly silly and condescending. This had to be a game. Maybe it was a fetish of hers?

A few clicks to the table had Rainbow laying supine, looking up at Buttercup. Buttercup then lowered the table a few feet with a jack beneath it, winking at Rainbow Dash the whole time.

"I'd imagine you are very hungry after napping so long. Here..." she turned around, putting her back hoof up on the table by Rainbow's head, her teats now directly facing the bound Pegasus. "Drink up!"

Woah.

Rainbow Dash was face-to-face with Buttercup's engorged bosom. They were, indeed, quite swollen, and quite attractive in this state... Rainbow still throughly confused, just stared up at the teat trying to make sense of the situation.

"Drink, Honey... it's all for you!" There was a long pause in which neither pony moved. "Oh, don't make me have to get a bottle."

"Well, now that you mention it, I am pretty thirsty..." Rainbow thought aloud.

She opened her mouth in the direction of the teat, looking up at Buttercup.

"It's okay!" She cheerfully nodded her head.

Having nothing else she could do... Rainbow Dash hesitantly took one of the breasts in her mouth and began to suckle on its teat. After the first two sucks she was rewarded with fresh, warm milk. She was surprised when she realized it actually didn't taste all that bad... creamy and rich. She was still worried about what was going on, but seeing Buttercup this relaxed... it just had to be a game... there was no other explanation that made any sense to Rainbow.

"There's a good girl... drink up!" Buttercup took a hoof and gently stroked Rainbow's head. "You want to be big and strong when you grow up!"

Rainbow actually continued drinking for a few minutes. The milk tasted good, and looking up at Buttercup's smiling face felt... relaxing.

Rainbow Dash finally decided to break away.

"Okay! I'm done, I'm done!" she exclaimed, as Buttercup slid off the table and turned around.

"Good girl! You drank a lot for a filly your size... hope you don't get a tummy ache."

"I think I'll be alright," said Rainbow as Buttercup put the table back up and hugged her.

The rainbow-maned Pegasus felt gentle pressure on her back, followed by gentle pats... she was being burped.

It doesn't quite work that way with adult ponies, any pony knew that, but Rainbow still humored the older pony by forcing a burp... a burp in which she accidentally spit up a bit of the milk. Maybe it was in part due to the drugs wearing off in her system or her body just not being used to pony milk, either way she was embarassed:

"Sorry Buttercup!"

Buttercup pulled away, looking down her spit-up covered back. She then went through the wooden table next to the metal table Rainbow was on and got a cloth, gingerly wiping her back clean. She then turned to Rainbow Dash and gently cleaned her face.

"There's my pretty girl!" She exclaimed, beeping the nose of the bound Pegasus.

"Buttercup, I... uh... don't know what to make of this."

"Call me Mommy, sweetie." She replied, ruffling Rainbow's mane. "Buttercup's what grown-ups call me... you call me Mommy."

"Okay, Mommy... I don't know what to make of this."

"You're my little foal, silly. I'm here to take care of you!"


* * *


Buttercup turned away from the cyan Pegasus and went into the table... which resembled an old changing table. "I've got just the thing here... if I can find it..." She turned back to Rainbow with a book in her hooves and a big grin on her face. "It's story time!"

Dash's eyes were wide when she saw the title of the book: Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone.

"That's the first book in my favorite series..." Excitedly commented Rainbow Dash. "I normally don't read, but I love that series! How did you know?"

"Some might call this book a little too grown-up for babies," replied Buttercup in a cheerful voice as she leaned against the table Rainbow was on. "But I believe in challenging my foal and exposing her to all sorts of neat things..." She cleared her throat. "Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire stone..."

Rainbow hung there and listened to the story Buttercup read to her. She enthusiastically set the atmosphere by reading very slowly and deliberately through the suspenseful passages, ruffling Rainbow's mane just about every time Daring got away, saying "you know she's going to be alright... she's tough and lucky.". When the story finally got to the villain Ahuizotl, her Spanish accent surprised and captivated the captive Pegasus.

The whole time Rainbow felt a need growing in her body need that all creatures great and small experience: a need to relieve her bladder. She kept quiet during the story, but after Daring Do got away the from the trap room, the book closed.


* * *


"That's all the story for today," said Buttercup, putting it away. She turned back to Rainbow and blew a raspberry on her stomach. "You are SOOO cute!"

Rainbow giggled:

"Hey! Cut that out!" Rainbow laughed as Buttercup met her eye-to-eye. "Mommy?"

"Yes Honey?"

"Can you get me a bucket..?" Rainbow added in a cute voice. "I gotta go pee-pee..."

Buttercup reached down and put her hoof on Rainbow's hip, crinkling her undergarments.

"You can't be serious." Rainbow replied, looking down at her attire. "That's totally undignified! Look, 'Mommy,' I really have to go pee... please get me a bucket... or something. Anything but that. It's going too far!"

Buttercup just looked into Rainbow Dash's eyes with the same level of compassion and love one would expect a mother would have for her own foal.

"You keep calling me, Sweetie, but you're not saying anything," she said, plucking a feather from her own back. "I know! ... you want to play."

"No, now I want to get down..." Rainbow said the second word very firmly. "Let me down. I've had enough of this game."

Buttercup brought the feather she'd just plucked up to Rainbow's lower set of exposed, defenseless hooves.

"No, no..." said the bound Pegasus. "Please don't! ... I really hate having my hooves touched."

"Is baby ticklish?"

Rainbow nodded sincerely.

"Don't..." She mouthed.

Buttercup lightly grazed her captive Pegasus's hoof with the feather, and as a result she fruitlessly attempted to pull it back. The restraints held her snug.

"No, please!" Cried Rainbow. "I can't take it..."

Buttercup gently worked the tip of the feather against the bottom of Rainbow's hoof. Her hoof moved only inches, side to side and up and down, while she threw her head about trying to retain her laughter... among other things. Buttercup ignored Rainbow's distress, tickling a bit fast as time went on.

"Please stop!" There were now tears streaming down Rainbow's face. "I gotta go... I gotta go..."

Instead of slowing down and being merciful, Buttercup's tickling got even faster and more intense. 

Laughing uncontrollably, Rainbow Dash was fighting a losing battle. She was tickled non-stop and no matter how much she pleaded and struggled, she couldn't get Buttercup to ease up on her... if anything Buttercup seemed to tickle her HARDER the more she begged. Finally the inevitable happened: Rainbow gasped as she felt a warm, wet release between her legs. She couldn't help it, much less stop it once it started. All she could do in response was cry, much like a foal. Once her tears out weighed the laughter, Buttercup finally eased up on her.

The golden Pegasus finally put all four hooves on the ground as she asked:

"What's wrong, Honey?" 

"Are you happy? I am soaking wet now because you wouldn't stop tickling me!" Grumbled Rainbow. "What in the hay is wrong with you!?"

"Oh."

Rainbow was still, feeling the warm, swollen wet material between her legs. Before she knew it, Buttercup walked behind the table and pulled on a lever, and... Rainbow was laying supine once again, looking up at the ceiling.

"You're not going to do what I think you're going to do..." she said quietly, as the table was slowly lowered.

Buttercup stood in front of her and began unsnapping her onsie.

"Come on..." weakly cried Rainbow Dash, as the dignity was being stripped away from her. "This isn't fun anymore..."

"There, there," replied the Golden Pegasus, rubbing Rainbow's stomach. "It's okay, Honey..."

Rainbow just looked up into her deceptively kind eyes and scowled.

Sure enough, once the onesie was open, Rainbow's squishy undergarment was carefully inspected, then removed by speedy yet gentle hooves which popped the adhesives wide open. Rather than watching, Rainbow just looked away... she knew there was no way to get out of this. Once the old diaper was removed, she saw out of the corner of her eye, the satchel being raised and set beside the table on a close box. She was then wiped off, a new diaper pulled from the satchel, which was slipped under her butt and taped into place. Rainbow Dash could now cross getting a diaper change passed the age of 3 off her bucket list...


* * *


"There! All better!" Buttercup pulled Rainbow's silent body back into an upright position, and began to put things away. "Mommy's got to go back upstairs soon to talk about grown-up stuff with guests who'll be here soon, but don't worry... she'll leave the light on so you don't get scared."

She looked over at Rainbow Dash, who was still scowling. She continued to look into Rainbow's eyes for so long that the bound Pegasus finally spoke:

"If you let me go, I promise not to press charges... I'll just go back to my friends in Ponyville and forget all about this... I won't even tell Rarity! Please... I just want to go back to my friends."

Again, Buttercup beeped her nose, giggling.

"Oh, sweetie, you make the most adorable baby talk!" She reached into the satchel. "Here. I have something for you."

She clipped one end of this thing to Rainbow's loose collar, then, before Rainbow could even see what it was, stuck the other rounded, rubbery end in her captive's mouth.

"You look so cute sucking on your little binky..."

Once she looked down and realize what it was, Rainbow immediately spit it out.

Buttercup sighed.

"Honey, I'm not to going to be here for at least three hours! That's a long time to a little filly like yourself to be alone... This is the only comfort you're going to have for a little while," She approached, gently rubbing the side of Dash's face. "I'm going to stick it in your mouth just one more time, and if you spit it out again it stays there... okay?"

Rainbow looked off to the side, not giving any sign of acknowledgement.

Buttercup picked up the dangling pacifier and forced it into Rainbow's closed mouth. It immediately fell, dangling once more.

"I'm very disappointed in you, sweetie..." Buttercup walked away, taking the used diaper and satchel with. "I think you need more time to nap..."

Buttercup then ascended the stairs behind Rainbow Dash, who was facing the window again. She was left alone, in the warm room, by herself... once again.

The lights were turned off right before the door closed. Rainbow heard at least two locks being bolted after the fact. She could still see, but the only source of light was from the window, which had a shade over it making it very dim.

"How am I going to get out of this...?" Rainbow asked herself out loud once she knew she was alone. "Where's Twilight when I need her?"


* * *


Rainbow spent at least an hour struggling in her restraints, hoping to find some weakness which would cause an arm or a leg to slip out. Maybe then she'd have the leverage to smash the other shackles one by one with her free hoof. She could kick the door open and bolt for her life in the confusion... if only she could find one weakness. She had no such luck, the restraints were well made and very strong. With no watch, no clocks, no way to keep track of time but the faint sunlight... Rainbow didn't even know how much time had passed for sure. Her situation was clearly laid out for her... she'd have to find some way out, but until then she was at Buttercup's mercy. What caused Rainbow's anxiety to stir the most wasn't the situation itself, but rather she couldn't decide if Buttercup was just plain cruel or totally nuts. Both were unsettling prospects, and without getting inside her head... she never would know. That was the last place she wanted to be either way.

After a while, Rainbow heard sounds above her head... ponies walking around in the upstairs. She called out:

"Help! Please help me! I'm being held against my will! You gotta help me... please!"

No pony came to her rescue. Perhaps no pony could hear her or no pony cared. The noises continued all the same, and eventually Rainbow Dash shouted herself so hoarse that she could shout no more.


* * *


Hours later, it was nearly pitch black and all was quiet. Rainbow Dash hung there, spacing out... thinking of better times. She hoped to fall asleep and wake up again, in her bed in Cloud's Dale... it never happened, though.

She heard bolts unfastening and a door opening upstairs. The lights came on, blinding her, as she heard a pony descent the stairs.

"Help..." She said quietly, with a tear in her eye.

"Honey, my grown-up friends are all gone now!" Said Buttercup's angelic voice from behind Rainbow. "We didn't hear a peep out of you... you've been a good girl!"

"I was shouting and you didn't hear a sound?" Asked Rainbow, as the table was turned so she was facing Buttercup, who was dolled up in fancy evening wear and carrying a small matching saddle bag.

"Let me see..." She poked Rainbow's crotch. "Your diapers are all clean, but you look so sad." Buttercup picked up the dangling Binky and stuck it once again in Rainbow's mouth. "That'll cheer you up!"

Again, Rainbow spit it out and struggled in her restraints.

"Come on! Just let me go...!"

Buttercup's response was, as always, to playfully beep Rainbow's nose. Rainbow had finally had enough of that and attempted to bite her hoof... she missed of course, but that made her feeling's known.

"Bad girl!" Buttercup replied in a stern voice. "Biting is NOT okay!"

Rainbow felt a sharp sting against her lower flank... Buttercup had disciplined her with a spank.

"Ow!" Rainbow cried. "That hurt!"

"You could have hurt Mommy a lot worse..." Replied Buttercup, shaking her hoof at Rainbow.

Again, Rainbow attempted to bite, and every attempt missed.... to be met by a sharp stinging sensation as Buttercup slapped her flank.

By the 6th whack, tears started to form in Rainbow's magenta eyes.

"We can do this all night, Honey," said Buttercup, with a mean smile. "... though Ironhoof tells me to be tough on you, tougher than I was on the others. He's raised many a foal. If you don't stop trying to bite me, I'll go back up stairs... I came down here to give you dinner."

"Food?" Rainbow said. Though her appetite was low, the food might make her feel better. "As in... real food?"

"Of course, sweetie!" Buttercup replied, setting her bags on the floor and opening them up. "Lemme see here..." She presented each item to the hanging pony as she named it: "I've got Strained Peas, Carrot Puree, Mixed Vegetables, Mashed Potatoes..."

The food came in jars.... small jars. It was babyfood.

"I'm not eating that!" Stubbornly snapped Rainbow. "Get me a carrot or a sandwich, I'll eat it... but not that mush! No way!"

"This is good food," said Buttercup sadly, looking up at Rainbow Dash. "Are you sure you don't want to eat it?"

"Yes!"

"Okay." Buttercup sighed. "I guess we'll have to see if you want it tomorrow..."

"Wait!" Rainbow sighed, thinking. ""Can't you get me a little bread or something then? Foals love whole grain bread!"

"You're too little," replied Buttercup, getting up and ruffling Rainbow's mane. "Most of that was babytalk, but I heard bread in there... maybe when you're older, Honey."

"Give me bread! Cut up a soy dog if you gotta! Anything!"

"Sorry, Honey... you can't always get what you want. Maybe in a year." Again, she playfully beeped Rainbow's nose as she finished putting things away.

Rainbow realized that Buttercup was indeed going back upstairs at this point. If she could just... get her talking, maybe she'd convince her to set her free. She wasn't smart or diplomatic like Twilight, but it was better than just letting her walk off.

"Wait...! Please don't leave me here!" Cried the rainbow-maned Pegasus. "Read me a story! Anything!"

"I'm sorry, Honey... it's late. You have to sleep down here in the Nursery." Buttercup walked up to her Pegasus captive and put the Binky back in her mouth, kissing her on the cheek. "Mommy loves you very much. You know that... there, there. It's okay! I'll see you again when it's light out." She hugged her tight. "Mommy won't let anything happen to you this time... I promise."

She then left Rainbow in the restraints, the pacifier still in her mouth.

Once the lights went out and the door locked... Rainbow broke. The pacifier fell as she sobbed herself to sleep... what had she gotten herself into?
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


2


Suddenly the lights came on.

Dash opened her eyes as she heard a light-footed pony slowly descending the stairs.

"Who... who's there?" She asked, squinting her eyes in the bright lights.

The pony gave no answer, but she heard the approach getting closer.

"Let me out of here, please..." She said as she sensed the pony a few feet behind her. "I just wanna go home..."

She was rotated, now facing both the approaching pony and the stairs. It was Ironhoof.

"Good morning, Miss Dash!" He said in a friendly tone. "I trust you slept well?"

"Please... let me go..."

"No can do, Miss Dash. That's been expressly forbidden by the Mistress!" He then got very, very close to Rainbow, taking her lower jaw in his hoof. "You do have my deepest sympathies, as did all the others... but that's neither here nor there! What the Mistress wants, the Mistress wants!""

He pulled away and began walking about the table Rainbow was on, circling her slowly. Her belly ached with hunger and her head hurt, but she still kept her wits about her.

"That table is a work of art... I welded it myself for the Mistress from schematics for a modified inversion table. We've got 9 others just like it, all crafted by me, so if it wears out we have a spare. Get comfortable, Miss Dash... you are not going anywhere we have not already carefully mapped out for you!"

"Why? Why are you doing this to me?"

Ironhoof chuckled:

"You'd have to be a silly filly not to understand that, Miss Dash... the Mistress said you were. You resemble her foal Honey to a veritable Tee! Doing this to you makes her happy... so I'm happy. If we let you go, that happiness goes away... and when she gets sad, I get sad. I can only find the strength to pull the Mistress out of her melancholia so often!"

"But I'm a sentient pony... you can't do this type of stuff to others... it's not right. I have my own thoughts and feelings."

"We can and, obviously, we have... and we'll do it again, too, if it's necessary. Your feelings about it mean very little to her, and are irrelevant to my actions so long as this is her wish... she comes first to me, always. Never, EVER will anything matter more to me than what she wants -- if it means a pony's life, then that's what it takes... we've had others before."

Rainbow's skin crawled:

"You keep mentioning that! What others?"

"Yes! Ponies just like you who I sadly sedated too often for their own good... they eventually passed away. Fortunately, through trial-and-error, I think I've learned what too much is. It's hard to know for sure when all you've experimented on is lab mice and vagabonds."

Dash locked eyes with the gray pony. He was clearly crazy, so she just had to be crazy back. It was ultimatum time:

"If you don't let me go... She'll hug me one time you both least expect it, and I'll bite your Mistress's neck as hard as I can. I don't know if that'll kill her, but I'll try as many times as I have to... I'll be dangerous to her and you'll have to let me go."

Ironhoof again got close to the bluffing Pegasus's face, looking prepared to give her a black eye with his front hoof... instead, the fire in his eye died down:

"Should you succeeded in doing that Miss Dash..." Pulled sharply pull a lever by the side of the table and suddenly Rainbow was upside down. "And she died... I have an old, woodcutter's saw in the shed behind this house. It's very rusty and has large, jagged, dull teeth... should you succeed and I have to dig a grave for her, first I shall give her vengeance... starting between your legs with the saw, I will cut slowly... it will take a frightfully long time for you to die, with the blood rushing to your head you will not exsanguinate or pass out... it will be a slow, excruciating death, which could take an entire day... and you will be begging for mercy in the first 5 seconds."

By the end of the description Rainbow was in tears once more:

"Please... just... put me back upright. I won't hurt her. I promise."

Just like that, he snapped back to being cordial and, with the flip of a lever, Rainbow Dash was back up right again and being carefully dusted off.

"If you are kind to the Mistress, I shall be kind to you." He gently patted her cheek. "You are not the first rainbow-maned Pegasus we've had down here, but with luck you will be the last. As I said before, get comfortable... every last need your body has shall be taken care of. You'll be fed by her, bathed by her, entertained by her, and you'll even have your bottom wiped by her... Some would give up their lives for this care-free existence."

"Yeah, well I'm not one of them..." Rainbow scowled. "I need to fly and be free! I need to laugh, and see my friends. I know they miss me... I miss them, more than I miss the wind through my mane..."

"After a while, you won't miss them as much as you do now, Miss Dash... you'll come to see things my way, and if not by your own accord, I will gradually make you."

"You can't force another pony tosee things the way they don't want to!" Thundered Rainbow. "I'm my own pony... my mind will always be up there in the clouds and with my friends until they come and rescue me."

"You think they are going to barge in one day and rescue you? Look around you!" He turned her in the direction of the small window. "This basement is soundproof and magic proof, thanks to some very gifted unicorns. You can hear outside, but they can't hear you... and that one window right there... you can see the outside, but nopony can see in." He stood in front of her, snout-to-snout. "The sun is just coming up on your new life. You are our prisoner and you will grow to like it here."

Rainbow just scowled at him.

"At this point then, Miss Dash, there is nothing more to be said. We are done having this conversation!"

Ironhoof spun the table in circles, but luckily Rainbow's flying experience kept her from getting dizzy.


* * *


It took the table nearly 2 minutes to stop spinning, but once it did, Ironhoof positioned it so that Rainbow was looking at the stairs again.

"I was instructed to feed you," he said, putting on a heavy-duty black rubber glove over his hoof. "I've been told you are a bit bitey... you can bite these gloves as much as you want." He went through the bag and procured four small jars of babyfood. "I am not leaving here until all of these canisters are empty."

"Please just give me some adult food... I won't tell your Mistress."

"But I'll know," he said, getting out the rubber-covered spoon and approaching the table. "And that's unacceptable."

Rainbow Dash looked down at the opened jar of yellow mush he had in his hoof, then over at the spoon holding the mush.

"Please... I'm not hungry."

"Open your mouth, Miss Dash. I don't care if you're hungry or not, and you know it. Open it."

"No."

"Repeat: Open your mouth, Miss Dash... NOW!"

"I don't want to!"

"I will give you a black eye if you don't open your mouth. I'm counting to 3..."

"I'm not doing it!"

"1."

"You can't scare me!"

"2."

She kept her mouth closed tightly and remained silent.

"3!"

He set the food down and pulled back as if he was going to punch her in the face with his gloved hoof... hard. She shut her eyes and opened her mouth wide as he was winding up:

"I should punch you... knock a tooth out for a reminder!" He said coldly, settling back down. He stuck a spoonful of the mush in Rainbow's open mouth. "Everypony gets one... I will not be so kind next time."

Rainbow Dash was a good captive foal and ate the mush as she was told... a few spoonfuls down and she couldn't keep it in and more:

"Gah... It's disgusting!" She exclaimed, swallowing the mush. "I hate squash!"

"Well, fortunately for you, there's only a tea cup's worth for you to eat... eat it quickly and I will allow you to pick the next one."

The spoon was small and Rainbow's taste for the raincoat-colored mush didn't change as she was being spoon-fed it... eventually the jar's contents disappeared. Ironhoof showed Rainbow the three remaining jars and she picked one which surprised her they'd have in baby food form... sweetened apple sauce.

Even though the selection brought her some comfort, she ate it in small spoonfuls and could hardly taste any of it... in her mind, as she said earlier, she was elsewhere:

She thought of her friends... Oh, if it was morning... what would they be doing? Pinkie Pie was probably doing the same exact thing to the Cake's foals at this time. Twilight would be just getting up... Apple Jack would be long up and Rarity would just be having breakfast, while Fluttershy would be getting her animal friends their own food. She wanted so badly just to see them again she began to sniffle and cry... her tears were ignored by the Butler pony, who continued to shovel in the food every time she opened her mouth.

After the apple sauce was gone, a liquefied breakfast cereal was selected, then strained carrots... Rainbow swallowed each spoonful, opening her mouth for the next.

"You are finished." Said Ironhoof, taking off the gloves and putting everything away. "The Mistress will be with you soon. Be happy for her. You will not bite her, and you will be nice... or I will break your nose." Ironhoof got up and approached the hanging Pegasus. "Keep this in your mouth, please." He picked up the dangling pacifier and stuck it's rubbery end back where it belonged. "There's a good mare..." He then left with his bags, ascending the stairs slowly. "Have a good day, Miss Dash. You're still an adult to me, but only second. You're the Mistress's property first."

Ironhoof opened and shut the door, locking it up tightly.

Once Rainbow Dash was sure she was alone, she spit the pacifier out of her mouth once again.	
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


3


Dash heard the door unlock and swing open again. An excited, heavier pony bounded down the stairs and right up to the table, turning the Pegasus around to see her face-to-face.

"Good morning Honey!" Exclaimed the golden mare. "How are you?"

"I'm... okay. I guess."

Buttercup beeped her nose in response, like always.

"I've got something for you..." She went through the small saddlebag she had on her side. She held the object up high, announcing what it was at the same time she showed it to the cyan Pegasus. "A bottle! I think you're ready for this now..." She approached Rainbow. "Open up! Here comes the airplane..."

"I'm not thirsty..." Rainbow lied. "Maybe later..."

"Come on, Honey... enough silly babytalk! Open your mouth..." Rainbow kept it tightly closed. "Not even for mommy?"

Rainbow stared at the white fluid in the bottle, her eyes flitting back and forth between the container and Buttercup's creepy gaze...

Ironhoof's voice carried all the way from upstairs:

"Is there a problem down there?"

"Honey's not drinking her bottle!"

Dash heard Ironhoof slowly hiss:

"I'll be right down there then...".

Rainbow knew that the Butler pony wouldn't give up... he might even hurt her. She had no choice. Swallowing her pride, she slowly opened ber mouth.

"Good girl! False alarm Ironhoof!"

She began to suckle... and tasted just a bit of the fluid within the bottle. She gagged, pulling her head away.

"What is this?"

"Shh... shh... Drink your formula."

Great. I now know that formula tastes like chalk and paper pulp.

Rainbow knew she didn't have a choice... one way or another they'd get her drinking that bottle.

She put her mouth back to the nipple and suckled... and suckled... and suckled. Only a bit of the fluid came out at one time. It was terrible, it was rank, and just tasting it upset her stomach in a bad way. As she was drinking she felt her bowels priming for release. 	Like Clockwork, she thought. She always had to go after she got up, and the sour feeling in her stomach didn't help matters.

Soon enough the bottle was empty and set to the side.

"That must've been yummy!" Buttercup beamed a happy smile, going through the wooden changing table. Turning back to her rainbow-maned prisioner, the golden Pegasus put the binky in her captive's mouth and exclaimed: "It's now story time!"

Out came The Adventures of Daring Do and the Quest for the DASH DIDN'T CARE ANYMORE once again, and Buttercup resumed reading it where they'd left off. Dash let the Binky fall from her mouth again and again as Buttercup read, only to have it picked up and put back into place. After the 5th time, Dash stopped... and kept it in there... zoning out... waiting for Buttercup to come to a stop. At least her reading was entertaining, but Dash didn't care. What was the point? If she didn't get out, she's never go on any adventures like Daring Do ever again. She wasn't a dreamer, unless what she dreamed about she knew she could get.

She had to stop thinking like that.

I will get out of here.

It was about this time that Rainbow Dash heard some barking outside. It was incessant, so she tuned it out as best she could.


* * *


Suddenly, Ironhoof's voice bellowed over the barking, startling Rainbow out of her haze:

"Mistress Buttercup! We have some unexpected visitors requesting an audience... should I sent them away?"

"Who are they?"

"There are 5 mares. One has a dog, another a baby alligator. Neither animals are threatening. One of them is a Unicorn you most recently did business with. The rest are unknown."

It couldn't be...! Dash thought. That barking must be...

"What do they want?"

"They seek an audience and refuse to tell me why they are here. They keep saying they wish to talk to the owner... shall I send them away?"

The older mare sighed, looking out the window, then setting the book down as the barking continued:

"I'll be right up to talk to them..." She beeped Dash on the nose, then spun the table she was on around... and around... and around. "Don't you go anywhere, Honey."

As Dash spun, she heard the door close and lock. After a few minutes the table stopped spinning and Dash found herself facing the window... outside stood Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie, with their respective pets on a leash. Applejack's Winona was stretching her lead to its max while sniffing the ground... in the window's direction.


* * *


Rainbow's heart sped up... she saw that they were talking, and... if she kept really quiet, she could just barely make out what some of them were saying. Pinkie Pie was the easiest.

Pinkie Pie! It's only been a day or two, but I really miss your voice... Thought Rainbow.

"We're looking for our friend, a Rainbow Maned Pegasus," said a muffled, out view Twilight Sparkle. "Her name's Rainbow Dash. She'd not been to work today, nor is she at home, or anywhere we've been... last time we talked to her, she said she had an appointment here the other night. We can corroborate this with our friend Rarity's testimony."

"Corroborate for something I've yet to even deny?" Asked an out of view Buttercup." Why, you're not accusing me of some misdeed, are you?"

"No, I am not," Replied Twilight, firmly and loudly. "I just want to get to the facts. Can you tell me if my friend arrived here okay?"

"Yes, she did. We had tea, then she spent the night, leaving very early in the morning. My Butler Ironhoof let her out. The whole evening went very well.. I'm surprised she hasn't told you about it already. She certainly seemed like that kind of pony."

Rainbow started to breath rather heavily... not quite hyper-ventilating, but near it.

"Just what in the hay is that supposed to mean?" Asked Apple Jack, her face contorting into a scowl.

"Rainbow just seemed... prone to bragging. Dating a rich pony, I'm surprised she didn't gush over it. "

Rainbow now saw red. This pony kidnapped her, humiliated her, stolen her dignity, and was now badmouthing her to her best friends? She started struggling in the restraints harder than ever, even though she knew it was not good... unfortunately all the all clacks, clicks, and crinkles she was making drowned out almost everything her friends were saying. She had to remain still.

"Consarn it!" Thundered Applejack, gritting her teeth. "I've heard enough! She's our friend and we're worried about her... didn't she tell you anything about her plans after she was fixing to leave here? If she's the type to brag as you say, then she's also the type to let somethin' like that slip out, too!"

"I'm afraid not. I really do wish I could help you."

Dash noticed that Pinkie Pie remained quiet almost the whole time. She then noticed small, almost micro twitches, coming from her pink friend. Pinkie shook her head at the line she was being fed, patting Gummy the gator while listening.

Then she noticed Pinkie's nose twitching... she thought it was, again, just her Pinkie sense detecting the bologna, but then Pinkie made a comment that surprised her...

"Hey, does anypony smell foal powder around here?"

"Where!?" Buttercup exclaimed, coming down off the stoop to block the window with her body. She got right in Winona's way. "I don't smell a thing."

"Yeah, well... now that ya mention it, Pinkie Pie, I smell it too!" Said Apple Jack.

Rainbow watched through Buttercup's large body as all ponies sniffed the air, taking in the scent.

"It's nothing," said Buttercup confidently. "Just a neighbor's foal... or maybe somepony doing laundry."

"I'm desperate here..." Said Rainbow to herself, before shouting at the top of her lungs, "I'm here! Right in front of you girls... I'm not even 15 feet away. Come help me... please!"

It did no good... all her shouting did was make it so she couldn't hear.

They can't hear me...  She thought. But they can smell this room... maybe they can smell me, too.

Rainbow Dash had one more idea... no a pleasant one, but it might carry out there. She needed to void her bowels... maybe if she soiled herself, her friends might smell it.

She took in a deep breath:

Gritting her teeth, she pushed out the mass, grunting... years of being toilet-trained made it difficult, so it was slow, unpleasant, sticky, and icky, but it came out right after the initial push. Dash felt the warm, wet weight in the back of her diaper. The rank smell then began to permeate the air...

"Gah..." She sighed, disgusted by what she had just done. I really hope this works...

She stared off at her friends, who were still smelling the air...

Winona again started pulling in the direction of the window, much harder this time. It was working.

"Why's Winona keep trying to check out that wall?" Asked Twilight.

"There ain't nothing there, Winona!" Sighed Applejack. "Not even a window!"

They... don't even... see... the window?

Rainbow Dash screamed in a rage:

"GAAAAHHHH!!! WHY CAN'T YOU HEAR ME!?!"

Her answer was nothing but silence.

"Excuse me, girls!" Buttercup projected her voice at the 5. "I think perhaps you're smelling that container of foal powder one of my guests spilled over there," Rainbow felt her pointing in the opposite direction. "The wind does remarkable things to odors when it carries them..."

All 5 of Rainbow's friends turned around. In that brief instant Dash saw Buttercup give Winona a swift hoof to the chops, causing her to whine... back away... then growl.

"Get that mutt away from me," Buttercup commanded, pointing down at the dog. "She's is growling... she is dangerous, and you are lucky I have tolerated you uninvited friends of Rainbow Dash's for so long, much less with your pets. Do not come back with either of those animals or you will be arrested and I will have a nice coat made from your mutt and some gator soup the same night. You come here and you investigate my property with neither a warrant nor even probable cause which is unacceptable in the eyes of the Law. In case I have not made myself perfectly clear, I wish that you DO NOT come back here again at all."

"But... Miss Buttercup!" Shirked a horrified Rarity. "We are just concerned about our friend's well-being."

"Your concern is admirable, but barging in unannounced, disturbing my privacy, and bringing live animals onto my property is unspeakably inconsiderate. I take it you brought them all here yourself, Miss Rarity?"

"Well, someone had to show them, or at least tell them, where you live..."	

"You should have come alone then, Miss Rarity! This fax-paus of yours won't cost you your Career if you leave now, but it will cost you my business and the business of many Contacts in my Rolodex. Consider our Contract Null and Void, Miss Rarity. You are welcome to contest this in Court, but I will always have the better Lawyers. I say GOOD DAY to you, Madam!"

"But... I..." Rarity started to cry.

"Come on, Rarity," said Apple Jack. "Let's get out of here before SOMEPONY does something she might regret."

Rainbow Dash watched as all of her friends, and one dejected dog, sauntered away slowly... Pinkie Pie looked back with a scowl, right in the direction of the window... right through Buttercup's legs. That was the only hope Rainbow Dash had, as she watched her friends leave...

Something was a miss... just remember that Pinkie... something was amiss.


* * *


Rainbow Dash felt herself being spun around quickly. It startled her as she didn't hear the pony behind her doing it come down the stairs... or even come up behind her for that matter.

"What a lovely bunch," said Ironhoof, one hoof in his saddlebag, the other on the inversion table. "They were very kind friends, weren't they? I can see why you would wish to go back to them as badly as you do now. It's a shame the Mistress won't allow me to let you go, because I sincerely wish to." He sniffed the air. "And I'm sure you are quite aware that you now smell strongly of dung, Miss Dash... the Mistress wishes to take care of that personally."

Rainbow was silent, looking up at the gray pony. He pulled himself just a few inches from her face and smiled:

"Now... I want you to listen to me very carefully." He pulled from his saddlebag a hypodermic needle. "In a little while we're going to give you a small bit freedom down here, so you can get some exercise... don't get too excited, you'll be confined to just the Nursery and you're going to need to be sedated." He stuck the needle right into Rainbow's left arm. "In 5 minutes time you will be very relaxed... you won't have the coordination to do much more than crawl on your belly, so we won't have to worry about you escaping once the shackles come off."

"Why bother doing this?" She asked, wincing as Ironhoof removed the needle.

"Because the Mistress likes to watch her foal play... I was a pharmacist before I met the Mistress and have been doing this type of thing for years. Using a mixture of alchemy, black magic, and science I have developed a few tranquilizers for various occasions. What I just gave you is a diluted version of what you had the other night, laced with a hallucinogen... a bit faster-acting, too. If you had drank your tea casually, that mixture would have taken a couple hour to work. You and the Mistress would have had quite the night first, and she might've even dressed you up like this and led you to the table while you were still awake."

"And I would have been totally game?"

"Exactly, Miss Dash. It makes you quite suggestible... But because you chucked it, we had to go about things differently."

"That explains why I woke up with a stomach ache..."

"Woke up with a stomach ache? You were asleep 15 hours at least and you threw up on my shoulder the way down here." Ironhoof chuckled. "If I had my way, a pony with your personality you would be sedated all the time for this treatment... it would make you easier to manage."

Rainbow scowled at him:

"Then why not do it? Just not care about the consequences to me... I know you don't."

"That's not entirely true, Miss Dash. It's true would cause nervous system damage and eventually kill you, but I would not intentionally harm you without the Mistress's direct orders... or if harming you means keeping the Mistress safe."

"That's good to know..." Rainbow yawned unexpectedly.

Again, Ironhoof chuckled:

"It's starting to work... you're getting relaxed. Caring less about all this... Don't worry, Miss Dash... a small amount of my mixture once or twice a week should not hurt you. Daily or in large amounts, that's another story..."

As Ironhoof went back upstairs, Rainbow started to feel the effects of her recent injection... Her breathing slowed and she felt distant, somewhat disconnected... foggy-headed, as though she had been up for many nights without sleep. She wasn't quite at the point of wanting to go to sleep, but she found herself starting to feel a bit indifferent towards the fresh load in her pants... something she had been disgusted with mere minutes before. With every minute that went by, this feeling only grew stronger... and stronger. She still cared, but she didn't care that she cared.


* * *


"Hi Honey..." Said Buttercup, coming up to Rainbow Dash. "How are you doing?

Rainbow gave no answer. She just looked up at Buttercup.... and drooled.

"Aww, you're such a cutie." She quickly kissed Rainbow's cheek. "You smell stinky! Did you make a poo-poo in your diaper?"

Rainbow just stared at her for a brief moment, then cracked smiled.

"I thought so!" Buttercup poked Rainbow's relaxed tummy. "Don't worry! Mommy will make you all better!"

Rainbow was lowered into the familiar supine position, looking up at the ceiling. The way the light broke into beams when she squinted her eyes made the Rainbow-maned Pegasus giggle and squeal in delight.

Her legs were released by a key, then her arms. She was now free from the bondage.

Now's your chance!

"There, there," said Buttercup, unsnapping Rainbow's onsie. "Feels good to be out of your big, scary playpen, doesn't it?"

Again, Rainbow said nothing... she went from looking at Buttercup to looking at the ceiling.

"Mommy... I..." The room rocked back and forth as Rainbow slurred her words. "I wannttt... down."

"In a moment, Honey. I gotta change your diaper first!" She poked the sedated mare's butt. "Looks like someone's going to need a new onesie, too! Woah!"

Rainbow was still and unphased by that statement as all the supplies came out.

Tapes were then popped open as the golden mare proceeded to wipe a cyan butt clean. Rainbow laid perfectly still, enjoying the cool, cleaning sensation against her soiled fanny. She was unable to process much more beyond that.

"Okay, here we go!" Said Buttercup, holding an open disposable diaper up high. "Legs up, Honey!"

Rainbow complied, putting her legs up in the air as Buttercup slid the diaper beneath her. A few tapes were applied, then Rainbow was sat up.

"Okay, now put your arms up!" Buttercup said in a soothing voice, beeping the rainbow-maned idiot's nose.

Dash giggled in reply, doing exactly as she was told.

Get out! Run!

"Good girl!"

Buttercup pulled the onsie off Rainbow very carefully... it hurt her ears:

"Ow! Ow!" She cried.

"It's okay, sweetie," Buttercup said, quickly and carefully pulling the onesie off Rainbow. "I'm sorry, I had to.. I know it hurt, but it had poo-poo on it."

Rainbow was in tears because of how much it hurt, but her caregiver had just the thing in mind... before it came out, though, Rainbow felt around her chest area, looking down at the tight bandages which bound her wings tight to her body... she found a loose end and pulled on it...

Now's your chance... just pull on that a bit more.

"No, no, no.. That's for big ponies!" Buttercup scolded, sticking the adhesive back where it belonged. "Look up here, at Mommy!"

Again, Rainbow did exactly as she was told, smiling at the older mare. She beamed a warm smile and a wink back.

"I know you like rainbows," she said, going through the wooden changing table. "If you give me just a second... I'll get out a surprise for you. I bet you like tie-dye, too, don't you?"

She held up a tie-dye onesie before her Rainbow-maned captive's eyes, and in response she smiled.

"I thought so... arms up again. This time it won't hurt. Mommy promises!"

This was the last instruction Rainbow would be given for a while... and she did exactly as she was told, just like before. She kept still as she had the new onesie put on and snapped into place. After she was dressed, a familiar long elastic band came out... one end was attached to her loose collar, the other stuck in her mouth.

"There's your Binky!" Exclaimed Buttercup, ruffling the rainbow mane. "You like your Binky, don't you?"

Rainbow didn't answer.... all she did was suck on it. It felt soothing to do that, so she didn't stop.

"Okay now," Buttercup said, putting her hooves under the Cyan Pegasus's arms "I'm gunna lift you up now! ... 3 ... 2... 1... lift!"

Rainbow Dash's heavy body was lifted into the air by the older mare who nearly fell over with the dead weight on top of her...

Tip her over! Tip her over! Tip her over! Now's your chance! Tip her over NOW!

Despite the difficulties, Buttercup managed to set Rainbow gently on the floor. On average, a pony could lift another pony easily... Buttercup, however, was more than a little out of shape.

To express her gratitude over being lowered to the floor, Rainbow Dash smiled and drooled a syrupy mess on the floor, which spilled out with her Binky. This felt much better than being up there.

"Mommy will be right back with some toys, Honey... have fun and explore until then!"

Buttercup left, back upstairs... Rainbow stayed still.

Come on... run Rainbow! Run!

Rainbow looked around... everything was blurry and wavy. She laughed at the way things seemed to swirl.

She attempted to move, falling flat on her gut.

That's it... just make it to the stairs.

The Rainbow-maned Pegasus giggled as she put one hoof in front of the other... just barely crawling... around the room. This in itself was a chore, but she was at least getting somewhere at what she thought was a good speed. In reality, her pet turtle Tank would have beaten her on the ground with no handicaps.

This is fun... NO! FOCUS! What do you want?

"Up... staiirrs," Rainbow slurred.

Good! Then go! What are you waiting for?! Move your diapered butt! Move!

Rainbow continued to look around the room, looking for the exit. She finally found the stairway and slowly crawled up to it.

Here we are! Climb!

Rainbow attempted to put her hoof on the first step... it was difficult, but she did it.

Alright RD! Let's go for hoof #2...

She managed to get two hooves on the step.. slowly she put her hooves on to the next step up, and managed... very gradually... to pull herself up.

Yes! You're doing it! You're doing it!

In what seemed like 20 seconds she went up 3 steps. She kept her eye on the goal. The stairs went up 10 wiggly steps, then there was a small landing where it made a turn right... how many there were there after that landing, she wasn't sure. 10 wiggly steps was the goal for now.

What felt like a few minutes went by with no sign of Buttercup. Rainbow had successfully pulled herself up 8 steps -- a feat nopony kidnapped by the two had ever managed to accomplish in her state -- she was nearly there. She didn't know what she would do when she got there, but it was better than rotting down in the basement... she couldn't process that thought, but she could feel it. She pushed herself, and she pushed herself, and she pushed herself, climbing each step. Her muscles felt like gelatin, her bones like spaghetti, but she still tried.

She could now see over the landing! One more step and she'd be able to rest!

Cocking her head to the right, she looked upwards. She saw 5 wiggling steps and one opened door. She was going to make it.

"Yeessss...." She hissed.

In her excitement, Rainbow Dash misjudged where the step was behind her and her hoof slipped. She was never too sure of where her hooves were to begin with, since she felt half out of body and in a rather uncoordinated state. She slid back down the stairs, almost regaining her traction... if it weren't for the Binky on the elastic getting in the way. thumb-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump! She slid quickly, hurting her bound chest and back along the way. Adding insult to injury, once she reached the very bottom she felt a familiar warm tingly release between her legs. She cried out in pain, and a bit in humiliation... which subsided pretty quickly in her sedated state.

Winners never say die...

Wiggling back up to her crawling position, she tried again. Up one step.... up two... up three!

Come on, Dashie... you got there before.

She made it up 6 steps when she finally heard somepony approaching.

"Okay Honey! Me and Mr. Ironhoof have some blocks and toy cars for you..."

Rainbow Dash allowed herself to slide back down the steps once again... a slower, not quite as painful trip. She was fortunately not seen or heard by either pony.

"Oh," Buttercup was now standing on the landing, looking down at the sedated Rainbow Dash balancing on the bottom two steps. "Were you trying to find mommy? I'm right here, silly filly!"

Rainbow Dash just giggled in response, picking up the binky and putting it back in her mouth. It was better that neither pony know Rainbow Dash still had one or two of her marbles tucked away... she had to fight hard for them, but they were there. Now... she'd have to play and try to enjoy herself. Her escape attempts would have to wait for another day...
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


4


On the other side of Ponyville, the remaining Mane 6 gathered at the library. They sat around a large circular table and spoke in loud voices:

"Rainbow's somewhere in there. I know it!" Exclaimed Twilight.

"We should contact the police!"

Any tell 'em what, Rarity?" Snapped Apple Jack. "Tell 'em we think some mean, crazy old witch kidnapped our friend?"

"I didn't say anything at the time," said Fluttershy. "But out of the corner of my eye I saw Buttercup kick Winona."

"An' I heard the blow land and Winona cry!" Apple Jack stamped her hooves on the table. "I know Winona would never growl at any pony, even the most unpleasant. That mare gives me the creeps, consarn it!"

"Agreed." All ponies murmured, except Pinkie Pie... who remained silent.

"I know where Rainbow is..." Pinkie mumbled quietly. Nopony heard her, and even Fluttershy talked over her. "I said I KNOW WHERE RAINBOW IS!"

Everypony went silent, turning to her.

"Where?" Asked Twilight. 

"She's in the basement of the house."

"How do you know?"

"I can feel it... my Pinkie sense is telling me she's in the basement. And she's suffering. We need to get her out before they do something bad to her."

All ponies looked at each other... if this was true, it was pretty grave news.

"Well, it's a better lead than any of us have been coming up with, and it makes sense." Twilight cleared her throat. "Winona was pulling in a downwards direction towards the house, Buttercup standing right where Winona was pulling. It's a stretch, but my knowledge of pre-contemporary architecture tells me that there might have been a window there at one time... perhaps it was blocked off so ponies can't see what's down there?"

"You're right, Twilight!" Said Apple Jack. "It's a much better theory than any of us have been able to come up with so far... and it's somethin'."

"But we can't all go into the house again at once..." Rarity said hesitantly. "We'll be seen and it will have grave repercussions!"

"It's true," said Twilight. "She could press charges... sue us. Apple Jack could lose her farm, Rarity her shop."

"You better believe it'd be worth it to me just to try and find Rainbow."

"It would be worth it to me, too... after all, I got Rainbow into this mess."

Again, Twilight cleared her throat:

"We should select one pony then... any volunteers?"

All ponies hooves went up... even Fluttershy's.

"This isn't going to work..." Twilight looked up above her head. "Owlowiscious! Will you please come here and give up 5 of your feathers for our friend's well-being?"

Owlowiscious descended from Twilight's ceiling and landed right in front of her.

"Hoo!" He said, shutting his eyes and bracing himself for the great pluck.

"Look away, girls..."

All ponies shut their eyes as Twilight gently took 5 quills from her owl pet, patting him on the head afterwards for his cooperation. He immediately flew off.

"There!" Twilight said, holding the quills up. "They all look identical, but they're of varying length! Shortest quill goes in."

The purple Unicorn walked up to each pony, who selected a quill, leaving one for Twilight in the end.

"Okay," Twilight said, sitting down. "Let's see what we have..."

Twilight had a quill long enough to be a writing utensil, putting her out first thing. Both Rarity and Fluttershy nervously held up their fairly short quills... Apple Jack was confident she'd be going. Pinkie Pie held up the shortest quill, not even an inch in length.

"Okay, it's been decided. Pinkie Pie is going!"


* * *


It was a pitch black night. 5 ponies dressed in black sneaking suits crept quietly through the streets in the outskirts of Ponyville. Their target, a farm house upon a hill.

"Are you sure you want to do this completely alone, Pinkie?" Asked Twilight. "Any one of us is willing to go with you."

"I can handle myself, Twilight!" Pinkie replied, focusing on the house. "I've got my Pinkie sense on my side!"

"You have to be *very* quiet, Pinkie..." Said Apple Jack.

"You'll hear a pin drop all the way out here before you hear me!" Pinkie replied.

"Okay... if you're not out in 15 minutes, we're all coming in."

Pinkie saluted Twilight, then disappeared... slowly creeping through the shadows towards the house.

First she tried the front door... Her Pinkie sense didn't tell her the door was about open or anypony was coming. The front door was, of course, locked up tight. She tried each window beside the enterance, and each window was locked.... she crept around to the back door. No such luck! Locked as well. She tried each window, and each window was locked... there was one final winow, just out of reach. She looked around and saw an old fashion garbage can twinkling in the dim light. Skillfully she picked up the canister, quietly setting it just under the window... she stealthly climbed to the top and sucess! The window opened. She crept inside.

She was in a long hallway which she slowly snuck down on the very tips of her hooves. She hardly made a sound... her whisper-quiet breathing could be heard before the sounds she was making as she crept through the house.

She saw what looked like the front door from the other side... she walked up to it and unlatched the locks, allowing it to silently swing open. Looking out into the cold, country air she waved to her friends. Twilight nodded, then Pinkie snuck back inside...

Pinkie was again in the long hallway, looking at dusty old pictures of Princess Celestia and some of the founders of Ponyville. As she quietly strode down the corridor, she noticed the small doors on either side of her... since she was out to get a mental picture of the place first, she would come back to explore them later. Finally she came to the end, where there was a big door. She turned the knob and it opened a crack... she peered inside at the large room. First thing she heard was the loud sound of a pony with a bad snoring problem. She looked around the room to find the Golden Pegasus asleep on a very lavish sofa, a tea kettle and cup beside her.

So Crazy pony's there. Pinkie thought to herself.

Pinkie quietly closed the door, going back into the grand hall. As she descended the hall, she inspected each door closely... Twilight had first told her along the way to look for a door with a lot of locks on it, as that means there's something they want no pony to know about behind it. Sure enough, Pinkie found a mustard-colored metal door with two dead-bolts she could unlock from her side. An odd way to secure one's property... whatever they had behind the door, they clearly wanted it to stay there and it wouldn't leave without help. Pinkie carefully unbolted the first lock, followed by the second. The door creaked open and she gulped once she saw the blackness before her... it was scary, but she could always laugh it away... if it were an imaginary danger.

She slowly descended the stairs, bringing the door to a near shut position. She then felt for a light switch and found a tiny one hidden under the railing.

Do I really wanna flip this yet? She asked herself, deciding it would be better to hold off.

As Pinkie crept down the stairs, she heard snoring... she didn't know whether it was a pony or not, but she certainly hoped it was:

I hope that's not some gimpy monster who lives in a box and wants to eat me!

She smelled an odd smell as she descended the stairs...

Foal powder?

The smell confused her as it was not what she expected a dank, grimy basement to smell like... but she smelled it on the property before, so she knew she was on the path to something! Her Pinkie sense started to act up as creepy crawls ran up and down her spine. She was unsure of what that meant, but knew it probably meant danger, so she kept an eye and an ear out for trouble. Her love for Rainbow Dash outweighed her fear as she continued down yet another stair... and another... until she reached a landing where she heard a soft moan escape the snoring creature.

"Dashie?" She said aloud, immediately putting both hooves in her mouth.

The snoring stopped and all was silent for a moment.

"I'm still here," quietly cried Rainbow Dash. "I thought I heard Pinkie Pie calling me, but I must've been dreaming... I'm still here."

"Rainbow Dash!" Exclaimed Pinkie in a hushed voice, taking giant leaps on the stairs to get to her quicker. "Rainbow Dash, you are here!"

"This better not be a trick..." Said Rainbow in an exhausted, monotone voice. "Is it really you, Pinkie?"

"Yes it is!" Pinkie finally got up to her and hugged her, tears streaming down the pink mare's face. "Rainbow Dash! We were so worried about you! I'm glad I found you. This place gives me the willies!"

"I can't see you, but I'm glad you're here." Rainbow sighed. "I'm stuck, Pinkie. You're not going to get me out without a key."

"I'll have to find it then, Dashie. I saw Buttercup in the big room. That'd be a good place to-- hrkk!"

Pinkie Pie was silent... all was silent for a moment before Rainbow Dash spoke:

"Pinkie Pie?"

There was no response. Pinkie had been right next to her.

"Pinkie... please... answer me! What's happening?"

THUD.

"Good evening, Miss Dash." Said Ironhoof's cold voice from behind the table. "What a pity you are now awake... you looked so adorable sleeping as you were."

Rainbow did not respond at first.

"D-did... did you just kill Pinkie Pie?"

"No. She's alive. With a hoof to her mouth I sedated her with a knock-out solution. She just dropped off and is snoozing like a foal. She'll be okay, just like you were..."

"Please don't hurt her..."

"I've no intentions of that, Miss Dash. I'm setting up another table, right beside yours. That's really all I can do, other than kill her. She'll surely go to the police if I don't hold her here, too. You now have company, at least."

"Please... no! Just dump her on some street somewhere... maybe she won't remember this. I don't remember much of anything right before I went under."

"She'll be out for just over ten minutes... wake up with a head ache, but she'll remember. I've made my mind up, Miss Dash. I have to act fast."

"But she came here for me... please, just do it for me. It's my one request. Please?"

"I guess having your good friend come all this way just for you makes this your fault then, doesn't it...?" He patted Rainbow's head, feeling the tears running down her cheeks with his forearm. "Perhaps she'd come back again if I cut her loose... you have good friends, I'll acknowledge that. They'll be your friends to the end, but if it means 6 tables for you all to be together again... then that's what we'll do. Neither of you are ever leaving this basement alive."

"No... you won't get away with this."

Ironhoof did not respond. Rainbow Dash heard the sound of the aging stallion grunting as something heavy, composed mostly of dead weight, was being dragged across the floor... it moaned softly.

Pinkie Pie...

"She's restrained now..." Ironhoof panted. "I can at least take my time with this."

"My friends will stop you," Dash hissed. "We've stopped worse monsters with the power of our Friendship!"

"Do you think the rest of your friends are here now?"

"I hope so."

"You'd best not hope so! ...I'm going to release the hounds."

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened:

"But that'll kill them!" She cried. "You said you'd never do anything to harm another pony."

"To quality that, Miss Dash: in my charge, in my charge... If they make it here, they'll end up safely in a table... if they don't, they're puppy chow. It's the mistress's order that I deal with late night intruders this way, but once they enter the house... it's my responsibility to stop them as I wish."

"If I could move, I'd kill you." Said Rainbow, jerking forward in the darkness bound by her restraints.

"You frustrate me Miss Dash...  I hope you will not appreciate my mercy only after it runs out. I could always get the blunderbuss." He patted something heavy he had on his person, about head-level. "Ah, thermo-optics... I can see you quite well... but you can't see me. Hiding in the shadows, they will never see me coming."


* * *


"It's been too long... think somethin' happened to her?" Asked Apple Jack, looking up at the quiet country home.

"I don't know," said Twilight. "But it has been long enough... move out, girls!"

The four crept silently towards the house on the hill, not making a peep. With them they had Twilight's knowledge, Apple Jack's strength, Rarity's keen eye, and Fluttershy's wings... would that be enough for them to accomplish their task? They all hoped so...

The four were about 30 ft. from the house, by the hedges one would pass first entering the yard when they heard it. It sounded like a garage door being raised from behind the house, pulling piles of leaves along with it... as if it were in the ground. Suddenly the three heard a loud crash behind them, and turned to see a 10-foot high chain-link fence blocking the exact spot where they had just entered. This was not the most disturbing thing they heard... there was loud, piercing bark, followed by two deep, thunderous growls.

"That's not good..." Said Apple Jack, taking in a big gulp.

The creepily quiet sound of large animals skittering around the house accompanied the loud, angry barks... they'd be upon them any second.

"Make for the door!" Shouted Twilight, taking off in the direction of the house. "They'll get you for sure if you try to climb the gate!"

The house got closer and closer... it looked like they were going to make it. 7 feet from the entrance, Twilight was still leading with Apple Jack beside. By this point the purple pony's hoof was less than a foot from the door knob...

There was a cutting sound that echoed... a horrible guttural roar coming from right from behind the ponies. Loud and visceral, the creature that made it was clearly aiming to kill and maim. It turned the pony's blood to ice... and leapt upon the nearest mare with more rancor than any beast she'd ever had the misfortune of being attacked by.

"Help!" Screamed Rarity, as the horrendous sound of tearing fabric and frantic crying filled the air. "Oh, Celestia. Please help me! It's going to tear me to shreds!"

Apple Jack turned right around as Fluttershy got behind her, her wings frozen in fear. The group was now face-to-face with two Big Mac-sized Rottweilers.

"Time to play!" Howled the hound not set yet upon Rarity in ecstasy, as the other dog holding her down looked up at Apple Jack and smiled sadistically. It looked to its prone friend, who continued to grin, then set its red eyes firmly on Apple Jack. "TIME TO PLAY!"

It lunged at her... Apple Jack had one surefire defense and only a split-second to get into position. With nerves of steel, she turned around and struck the monster dog square in the face with her two muscular back legs as hard as she possibly could. The blow connected with the creature's lower mandible, fracturing its jaw. It howled in pain, immediately running off into the night, tearing a section of the chain link fence down with it...

As Apple Jack's altercation with the hound took place, the other dog preparing to feast on Rarity took one final rip at her clothing... exposing a delicate ivory leg. It was just about to take a bite when Apple Jack turned towards it and shouted:

"LET HER GO RIGHT NOW!"

The creature smiled at her, exposing its sharp fangs and rancid drool:

"Kill." It grumbled in a low, guttural voice getting up. "KILL!"

The second dog lunged at Apple Jack, and she had even more time to prepare for it. She turned and bucked as hard as she could in its direction... this time missing completely. The hound dodged her attack swiftly and like a freight train it plowed right through her, knocking both her and Fluttershy over.

"Pony! Pony! Pony! Pony! Pony! Pony! Pony!" Howled the dog in a frenzy as it turned and lunged for Applejack yet again.

Her body was thrown like a rag doll against the house, knocking the wind out of her. Rarity was just getting up at this point, unharmed except for a few bruises. The dog repeatedly slammed Apple Jack against the side of the house, cracking a couple of her ribs in the process, blood spurting from her now broken nose. Once it stopped, the hound looked down at it's writhing victim, licking the blood off her face:

"Gunna suck your guts..." It hissed in her ear.

This whole time Fluttershy and Twilight had been paralyzed with terror. Since ponies had been a peaceful race for hundreds of years, never in their lives had any of them witnessed such brutality... this was especially nasty even for a guard dog. It had been bred not to protect, but to dismember. Rarity got up and limped towards her friends as they half covered their eyes, watching the vicious assault completely in a daze, unsure of how to help their brave orange friend.

"No. I won't let you." Rarity gritted her teeth, snarling. "No!"

Rarity charged at the attacking animal... she wasn't sure what it was going to accomplish, but she was going to try. Apple Jack was her friend, and without her... Rarity would've been in unspeakably horrible pain by now, praying to Celestia to just let her die. This wasn't going to be Apple Jack's fate... not if she had anything to say about it.

She head-butted the creature as hard as she could and bounced right off it's thick, muscular body. However, when she hit the dog, it wailed loudly in pain... clutching its side where she had made contact.

From the ground she looked up at the wincing animal, which was buckled over, protecting a fresh wound... how had she done that? She then noticed the blood on her horn.

As Rarity got up, Twilight followed suit with the same tactic, aiming for the animal's chest... because the hound had already been hit and was in shock, it's defenses were down and when she connected, she needed even less force to make a hole just as deep as Rarity had. Apple Jack pulled herself away as the creature covered its fresh wounds and cried out.

The hound turned its attention towards Fluttershy now, growling...

"Please, just go away..." she whispered nervously as it took a few slow, lumbering steps towards her. "GO AWAY!"

She attempted to use The Stare, but she immediately knew it was no good... if anything, it made the creature's eyes glow even more intensely.

As it prepared to lunge, she simply rose into the air, out of its reach. Distracted and batting at the flying pony, Rarity and Twilight took the opportunity to ram the creature's exposed belly on either side. The hound fell to its stomach, letting out pathetic cries. It looked as though they had defeated it, when it got up... now turning to Twilight.

"Kill." It muttered, setting its red gaze on her. "Kill."

Slowly it limped towards the purple unicorn, snapping its jaws. 

"These dogs ain't giving up!" Said Apple Jack, standing by Twilight's side. "If it gets the better of me, ram it again. "She wiped the blood from her face. "I'm gunna make it rue the day it met me."

She charged at the dog, throwing both forehooves into the air, bringing them down to make explosive contact on the animal's face. Three direct hits -- she chipped one of it's teeth and gave it a shiner. In response, the animal snapped at her face and throat, fortunately missing completely. She lost her balance, however, falling to her back and exposing her delicate underbelly to the horrible monster.

The hound leapt upon her aching, tired body. It looked down at her, grinning, its sharp claws twisting into her sides. Slowly it pulled its head back, opening its mouth and hissing. She shut her eyes... this was it. She was going to die and she couldn't bare to see it coming...

Instead of feeling sharp jaws clamping down on her neck, she heard a sharp yell come from one of her friends behind her, followed by a high-pitched whine above her head. She buckled as she felt the entire weight of the monster collapse on to her body... and lay still, as though it were a throw rug. Dead weight?


* * *


All was silent as the three ponies gathered around the behemoth.

"Apple Jack?" Shouted Twilight. "Are you okay?"

"Git this thing off me!" The orange pony shouted in a muffled voice, under the large hound's lifeless body.

All three ponies worked to push the heavy carcass to the side, exposing their friend to the fresh night air.

"Wha... what happened?"

"I nailed it in the heart,"  said a faint-looking Twilight, motioning to her blood-spattered horn. "I'm so glad you're okay..."

"Me too," said Apple Jack, attempting to get up. Intense pain shot through her sides. "Gah! Ahhh! Consarn it!"

Twilight pulled down Apple Jack's sneaking suit and examined her closely.

"You've got two broken ribs and I think you might be bleeding internally," she said with clinical detachment. "You shouldn't go any further... we'll pull you inside so the other dog doesn't come back through that hole and maul you," she turned to the yellow Pegasus. "Fluttershy, when we get her in there, guard her!"

"No!" Shouted Apple Jack, attempting yet again to get up. "I'm fine!"

"No!" Twilight shouted back, watching Apple Jack wince and cry in pain as she rose to her hooves.

"I'm not resting until we find Rainbow and Pinkie," she said, now standing. "Once we find 'em and we're out of here, I'll go straight to the Hospital, but until then ma needs come second."

"Apple Jack," said Rarity, watching the orange pony slowly limp towards the door. "Rainbow will understand... you're in such bad shape. You could be dying!"

AJ didn't answer. She kicked open the door and went inside. All three ponies still outside looked at each other:

"They most likely know we're here now," said Twilight. "So maybe we are better off with Apple Jack being mobile."

No pony argued. They just went inside.


* * *


The lights were now on in the Nursery, though Rainbow Dash couldn't see a thing outside since she had been turned towards the stairs. He friends were RIGHT out there. She'd heard the dog's vicious growling and her friends screaming. She's also heard some very canine-sounding whines accompanying the sound of Apple Jack's attack, but before that... when she heard Rarity's frantic, blood-curdling screams... she knew the ivory pony didn't stand a chance. She cried for them, believing that at least one of them had died a very horrible death trying to save her.

Ironhoof, with his pair of heavy-duty black goggles propped on his forehead, smiled at the cyan Pegasus:

"Sounds like a few of your friends made it into the house." He looked down at the unconscious, bound Pinkie Pie still in her sneaking suit. "The mistress is probably awake now, but she's on the other side of the house. Securing the intruders so they don't get to her before I do takes precedence. I will be back with the rest, Miss Dash."

He tightened his saddlebag, pulling a hypodermic needle from it. Rainbow Dash caught a peek of the inside of Ironhoof's saddlebag for the first time... he had more knifes and hypodermic needles organized in there than she could count... some of the syringes having a skull and crossbones emblazoned on them. He then trotted over to small light, pulling the goggles down over his eyes and turning it off. Rainbow and he were now in complete darkness again. She felt him creeping around, heading away from her... upstairs. He barely made a sound. She didn't even want to breathe out of fear of missing the tiniest noise. She barely heard the metal door creak at the top of the stairs, she heard what sounded like Twilight's voice organizing the search not far off...

"GIRLS! HE'S COMING TO GET YOU!" She shouted as loud as she could.  "WATCH OUT! HE CAN SEE IN THE DARK!"

There was an immediate response, that sounded like a Karate champion delivering a heavy blow:

"Gaaa-RAAH!" Apple Jack yelled out in a vicious growl, like she was bucking a two-pony wide tree. There was a titanic crash, louder than two carts colliding on the road... then silence. The two distinct voices of Ironhoof and Apple Jack rose in volume as they fought, struggling and screaming in pain. There was the sound of scraping, hooves against metal, making all pony's fur stand on end. The forceful sound of loud tumbling filled the air... down the stairs it went, a percussive crescendo getting louder and louder, like thunder, ending right beneath the restrained Rainbow Dash. She prayed it wasn't Apple Jack...

All was still for a few brief moments, which seemed like an eternity to her. She  heard Ironhoof's deep groan beneath her and sighed in relief. It was finally over...

> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


5


At the very top of the stairs, Twilight called out into the darkest below:

"Rainbow?"

The bound Pegasus's eyes lit up:

"I'm down here! Help!"

Twilight found the small switch hidden behind the railing. At once the lights came on and Rainbow got excited! She looked to the stairs, eager to see her friends who were now rushing down to get her. It felt like she'd been there an eternity and it was finally over.

She felt an... odd prick at her leg, like a nasty insect bite. She looked down to see a needle stuck in her thigh and Ironhof below it. He looked back at the Pegasus with red in his eye that rivaled his dogs in comparision. In the other hoof he held a silently gasping Apple Jack in a tight headlock, a second needle by her throat.

"Don't even breath," he whispered to the bound Pegasus.

All three of Rainbow's friends stopped dead in their tracks when they saw what waited for them at the bottom of the stairs. It wasn't just one of them in danger anymore, but three of them. Rainbow was so elated to just see her friends together and (for the most part) in one piece that for a mere split-second it nearly trumped the terror she was feeling in her gut... she could even overlook the fact that the faces of Rarity and Twilight were covered in blood.

Twilight Sparkle stepped forward, speaking clearly and calmly:

"Sir? ...I-I don't know what we've walked into. Please, just let us take our friends and go... We won't disturb you or tell anypony what we've seen. Just let us pass and we'll be on our--"

"Stop!" Ironhoof coughed, dripping blood from his mouth. "You've got quite a strong friend here considering how badly banged up she is..." He looked down at Apple Jack as the consciousness slowly faded from her body due to having his forearm wedged against her windpipe. "Now, listen to me very carefully, mares: I was once a pharmacist before I started serving the Mistress many years ago. My penchant for making designer drugs and testing them on small animals cost me my employment, but I bounced back when I met the Mistress. She supports my hobby and is the only thing in the world that matters to me. I worship her..." his eyes went wide, showing the depths of his madness, "and you all being here puts her in danger."

"Sir, we just want our--"

"Quiet mare! I will not tell you again..." He squeezed Apple Jack tightly. "Earlier tonight I gave your Rainbow-maned friend here a tranquilizer and hallucinogen-hybrid which reduced her to a blithering idiot with the motor skills of an infant for about 3 hours. The syringe I have in her leg now contains 500 times the dose and has a 90% chance of killing her within minutes... I have it in my possession as a method of suicide or self-corruption should myself, or my Mistress ever get caught doing this. I assure you it is a painless way to go past the initial pinch of the injection. In fact it looks rather pleasant from what I've observed in the animals and ponies I have tested it on. Should you put me in a position where I have to push the plunger and she survives, she'll be either severely brain damaged or comatose. You will lose her forever either way. This is not the way I wish for this to end, but I do what have to. Do as I say and I will not hurt her."

"What is it you want?"

"I want you," he motioned towards Fluttershy. "To go get the Mistress in the living room and bring her down here now... and then give yourselves up to us. I promise we won't hurt you. Don't try anything Unicorns... magic won't work down here. I'll kill all three ponies if either of you try to go upstairs. Now... what'll it be?"

"No... deal." Weakly said Applejack, pulling on the stallion's death grip with her battered hooves

Ironhoof's grip tightened on AJ's windpipe as he butted her forcefully on the head with the thickest part of his skull. She immediately blacked out.

"Apple Jack!" Everypony in the room but Ironhoof shouted at the same time.

"So, that's her name... huh?" He popped his neck. "Ow! Sheesh, Apple Jack did quite the number on me for being so banged up! Well, purple Unicorn... you seem to be the ring leader here, so allow me to break it down for you: I have your orange friend Apple Jack in a headlock. She's unconscious now but if I keep her like this for long enough she will succumb to oxygen deprivation and die. Agree to have your yellow friend go get my Mistress and I will let her go... you do not have long to decide."

Twilight looked at Apple Jack's pale, unconscious body... she'd probably die at this point if they didn't get her to a hospital, her injuries were so bad. She knew this pony probably had no interest in getting her help... but what were her choices?

"Fluttershy..." She started to say, turning to the yellow Pegasus.

"Ironhoof! What's going on?" Shouted the familiar voice of his Mistress from the floor above. "I heard a horrible commotion and I find my Nursery door is nearly ripped off its hinges! Did you release my dogs?"

"Yes I did! Mistress, please be careful!" Replied Ironhoof. "I'm in the basement with 5 intruders. Not only have they broken my rear foot, but they came to set your Honey free. The most dangerous one I have in a headlock. Vicious thing -- she could've torn my head clean off its shoulders."

Slowly, the golden Pegasus descended the stairs. Fluttershy and Rarity looked back at her once she reached the landing. Twilight kept her eyes on Ironhoof. Buttercup's eyes greeted the intruders with a cold stare.

"What must be done?" She asked Ironhoof.

"6 tables." He replied. "Either that or 5 graves in the backyard..."

"You can't kill all of us..." Said Twilight, dragging her hoof across the cyan carpet.

"No, but I can kill these two," replied Ironhoof, looking at the two captive ponies in his grasp. "And given no choice I will. Believe me, I will."

"It's up to you, girls." Said Buttercup, with a mean smirk. "I'll have Ironhoof break your orange friend's neck if you don't give yourself up... I'll give you until the count of 10." She began to count slowly: "One... two... three..."

Twilight looked at her three friends on the other side of the room, starting with Rainbow Dash... she saw nothing but fear and exhaustion in her eyes. She wasn't crying, but it was obvious she had been... and she'd clearly been humiliated and tortured. Her eyes had yellow rings around them and her mane had lost its "coolness" during the short time she'd been down there. For some reason was dressed like an infant. Twilight also saw no sign of Rainbow's wings, which deeply disturbed her. Apple Jack was held tight in the stallions arm, covered in cuts, bruises and blood. She was pale from having the life squeezed out of her by his massive, well-toned arm. Pinkie Pie was bound and... awake, propping herself up. Not only was Pinkie Pie getting into position, but Twilight saw a little sliver of hope in her determined eyes. Pinkie Pie blinked... her eyes were open and twitching, looking silently up at Twilight. With her hooves tied together, she could hardly move, but she could move enough to distract the cruel pony. Pinkie showed Twilight a serious look, followed by a nod.

"Okay, we surrender..." Twilight said, lowering her head. "Just don't hurt our friends."

Ironhoof immediately released Apple Jack to the floor, who laid unconscious by her friends' hooves. However, he kept the syringe in Rainbow's leg.

Twilight looked to Rarity and Fluttershy, who were also lowering their heads as if accepting defeat. She then looked at Pinkie, and her two friends saw what the rest did not.

"Good, good," said the gray stallion, sitting up. "Mistress, I am stuck at an impasse. I need you to subdue the three. Are you comfortable giving an injection?"

"No." Replied Buttercup. "You know I hate needles."

"Then be that as is may, they need to be restrained in some way to make them docile. We have no choice: in the bottom of the wooden table I have two lengths of rope. It would be best to tie up the unicorns first... Be brave and careful, as you can see by the blood on their faces they are very dangerous. I am right here, however, and I will kill them all if they hurt you. Once they're tied up, I will handle the yellow one. She looks the most non-threatening of the bunch, so I'd imagine I won't need to be holding their Rainbow friend hostage any longer..."

Buttercup sauntered over to the table and went through it as Twilight nodded at her friends beside her, looking away as if accepting defeat. They nodded back, lowering their heads, and getting ready. Buttercup approached Rarity, who squealed as she was wrapped tightly in the length of rope. Twilight was next:

"I'm going to have 5 babies now..." She said, wrapping the binding around her body. She turned to Ironhoof. "Kill the orange one. She's too badly injured to bother with."

"Are you sure?" Replied her Butler, raising an eyebrow. "She is harmless now and may pull through with some treatment..."

"Yes I am sure!" Screamed Buttercup. "She hurt you! Kill her now!"

"As you wish," replied Ironhoof, holding up the syringe he had in his hoof. "I take no pleasure in this."

"No!" Shouted Pinkie, biting into the stallion's unsuspecting flank. 

He jumped, his broken lower extremity aching horribly as his leg shot out in surprise. He turned towards the pink mare in a rage, swinging the syringe downwards as Fluttershy head-butted Buttercup in the flank, who screeched in surprise.

"Don't you touch her!" He screamed, looking back at Buttercup as he brought the needle down towards the pink pony with all his might. It barely scraped her arm, which was pressing right up against his thigh... He winced.


* * *


Ironhoof gulped, realizing the severity of what he'd just done in his haste:

"This is most... unexpected."

No pony but Twilight paid attention to that, though. In a state of rage that no one in the entire group could have predicted, Fluttershy repeatedly head-butted Buttercup in the side until her legs gave out from under her. She continued to strike her past the point of submission until she cried out in fear and dampened the carpet. The blows were vicious but not hard, and she stayed on the floor in tears once they finally stopped.

The gray stallion got up slowly, his back facing Twilight, who looked at his thigh... Right behind his Mortar & Pistil Cutie Mark swung an empty needle.

"Mistress... mistress...." Ironhoof mumbled, his lips feeling numb as he limped forward taking a couple of steps on his broken foot, his back leg buckling. He nearly collapsed, and fought to keep himself on his hooves. "Please don't hurt her anymore."

"Girls, he got himself!" Yipped Twilight happily, wriggling herself free not too tightly secured bindings. "We can go home now."

"Uh, Twilight..." Dash said, looking down at her own stuck thigh. The needle was hanging, a little over half empty. "Help me..."

The purple unicorn ran up to the table Rainbow was in, knocking over Ironhoof along the way. She pulled the needle out of her leg turned to Ironhoof, who was now having trouble keeping his balance:

"Tell me where the antidote to this is RIGHT NOW!"

"Don't have... any here." He replied, laying down in front of Buttercup. "Just let me be with her."

Twilight turned to Fluttershy, who was triumphantly standing above Buttercup, and nodded... she knew what to do.

"WHERE'S THE PHONE AND THE KEY TO THAT HORRIBLE DEVICE!?" Thundered Fluttershy at Buttercup in a voice that might've scared off one of their hounds.

"Mine's somewhere...!" Buttercup shivered in fear. "I.... Ironhoof's got the key in his saddlebag. The phone is... in the living room. It's portable. Please don't hurt me anymore!"

Fluttershy jerked her body threateningly towards Buttercup, then ran by her as fast as she could... up the stairs.

While waiting for Fluttershy to return, Twilight loosened Rarity's bindings while keeping an eye on Rainbow Dash. They were all worried and Fluttershy took more than a few seconds to return. At this time Rarity was walking over to Pinkie Pie, ready to help her out of her own bindings.

"I'm really dizzy!" Said the pink pony as Rarity helped her. "But I should be okee!"

Apple Jack had been the bravest pony by far, but unfortunately she was the last pony to receive any attention due to the urgency and confusion of everything going on. She was still unconscious, but the color had begun to return to her face and she was breathing. She was just starting to hear the world around her...


* * *


Apple Jack was in a warm, happy place... it felt like she was in a warm bath, with her head the underwater. There was no pain. She never wanted to leave.

"Wake up, Apple Jack!" Shouted a distant Rarity. "Wake up!"

Why should I? I'm perfectly happy here!

"They'll be here in minutes!" Shouted a distant Fluttershy.

"I sure hope so..." Said Twilight Sparkle. "Rainbow! Please! Stay with us."

"I feel funny Twilight..." Shivered Rainbow Dash. "I don't want to die."

Why's she cold when I'm so happy here? ... die? ... Rainbow?

Apple Jack's eyes bolted open.

"Rainbow!?!" She cried out, frantically throwing her hooves in the air.

Rarity had been right over AJ, looking down at her and shouting for her to wake up... now the ivory pony was getting out of the way.

"Rainbow! Rainbow!" Shouted Apple Jack, pulling herself in the direction she heard her friend's voice coming from.

She trampled over some large body, only glancing back at it... Ironhoof, beside him a bound Buttercup, his eyes wide and lifeless. She wanted to buck both their brains out, but that would have to wait. She looked forward and focused... then she saw her. Laying on the floor by the machine, dressed in that ridiculous outfit... pale... her magenta eyes wide with fear.

"Apple Jack..." Rainbow shivered. "You look horrible!"

"I'm sure I feel a might better than I look," Apple Jack joked with a smile. "I'm here, RD. Don't you go anywhere on me."

"I can't help it, Apple Jack... I can't help it." The Rainbow-maned Pegasus's eyes were already starting to look glazed over.

"Please! Rainbow... just hold out for a little while longer." Apple Jack glanced up at their friends, who'd gathered around and were looking very somber. "We've got doctors on the way who can help ya out... patch us both up real nicely. We'll be back to our hi-jinks at Sweet Apple Acres by next week!"

Rainbow smiled, looking up at her orange companion.

"That would be nice..."

	
> Part 3, Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Part 3
Chapter 1


One week later...

Apple Jack spent a few days in the hospital. She left with a limp, a collar brace, and a bandaged side. She wouldn't be bucking apples for months in her condition.

Rainbow Dash was still in the hospital. She was alive, but hadn't spoken a word since her last happy muse to Apple Jack. She wasn't exactly catatonic, but she wasn't exactly responsive either:

The hospital staff didn't know what to do with their rainbow-maned charge at first. They initially had Dash on life-support, because they didn't know what she'd been given and had no idea if any of her vital systems were going to suddenly give out. After a week of stability they unplugged Rainbow and kept her under observation. All she did was lay silently in her hospital bed, looking off as though she were daydreaming, occasionally sighing or giggling to herself. She ate when they placed food near her snout, and even took it in her hooves, but that wasn't something that happened right away. They had to feed her at first. Rainbow never became restless, agitated, or even indicated in any way she wanted to leave, which the Doctor knew was uncharacteristic of her. The only thing she did during her stay that suggested even the tiniest desire for comfort was touch the satin of her blankets and bury her face into its soft, cool ribbon. Never would she look up if another pony came into her room, even her own friends. Doctors and therapists got nothing out of her, and could only run a handful of tests because she didn't seem to respond to anything, even pain. She'd been checked over with a fine-tooth comb for any sign of brain damage or organ damage, but her MRIs came back just fine. This baffled the Doctors. It was as if she had gone somewhere else, leaving her body behind. What remained resembled a pony who was conscious yet comatose, completely isolated from the world, and completely helpless.

Ironhoof was dead and Buttercup was brought up on criminal charges of kidnapping, keeping illegal animals from the Everfree Forest (the dog which had escaped was fortunately put down by the police). There were also the charges of attempted murder as well as the second-degree murder of two ponies who's remains were found in her backyard, as well as possession of illegal substances. Her trial wouldn't be for a while, but normally mysterious and reclusive pony was now the talk of Ponyville for very horrible reasons. The papers called her the "Filly-fooler Faux Foal-napper" (many ponies had trouble saying that three times fast, so it never caught on). She would kidnap a Rainbow-maned mare and hold her in her basement, treating her like an infant. Constant sedation of the mare to bring about an infantile state eventually would lead to her demise... every subsequent mare that fell into her web got sedated less often... but eventually, they'd succumb and either die or stop eating/responding to the world... much like Rainbow Dash had. Rainbow at least could eat on her own, which was promising. This was the only sign of improvement she showed during her stay at the hospital.

Doctors and Pharmacists has no idea how Ironhoof's drugs worked. They were common hallucinogens, as well as barbiturates and sedatives, however they were enhanced and cut with chemicals one would find under a sink, and manufactured using MAT (Magic, Alchemy, and Technology), which a pony had to get permission from Celestia to legally do. Even looking at his notes and samples, Equestria's scientists were unable to replicate perfectly what he had made on their own, even though he'd gotten common magic ingredients from stores and was not a Unicorn. As a result, they never could fully understand what was going on with Rainbow Dash, and could only treat her symptoms as they showed up... ineffectively. Eventually they put her down as a casualty they were unable to help.

With the help of her friends, Apple Jack went into Rainbow's room to pay her a visit. The 5 didn't know if she even heard them or not when they visited, but it was better the group didn't talk about her like she wasn't even there. They talked about good times when around her, amongst themselves, giving Rainbow room to respond... which she never did. Still they tried, twice a week for an hour at a time, for the three months Rainbow Dash stayed there:

"Rainbow?" They'd always ask, entering her room.

They'd never get a look from her, let alone an answer.

Rainbow's friends eventually had to have a serious talk. Her home in Cloud's Dale was gone. She had no family to take her in and if they left her in the Hospital for much longer she'd end up being Institutionalized. Locked up and all 5 of them knew in their hearts that if they ever wanted Rainbow Dash to go back to the way she was... this was not the way to do it. They would not allow the loyalist of ponies to be put away somewhere to rot, especially after rescuing her. They had one idea, but they could only carry it out together.

One night Twilight sat down with all her friends around her and had Spike take a letter:

Dear Princess Celestia,

We are all writing to you concerning our good friend Rainbow Dash. We know of the regular updates you have been receiving on her status, and we wish to let it be known that we are very afraid for our friend. Given her fate of shortly being Institutionalized, we would like to adopt Rainbow Dash as our charge and care for her in hopes that she will someday recover. We realize the severity of this proposition and everypony is up to it. She's still our Dashie and always will be. However, we require a letter of recommendation and would like to simultaneously ask for your approval. We will not let you down!

Your Loyal Subjects,
Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Apple Jack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy

Within 20 minutes, the Spike barfed up a response:

Dear Twilight and Friends,

I approve of your request and you have my full recommendation if you truly wish to take on Rainbow Dash as your charge. You realize that you all are taking on a huge responsibility and it is noble of you to put your friend's needs ahead of your own. You have learned a great deal about the meaning of true friendship, and I know you will not let me down.

Sincerely,
Princess Celestia

It started by signing the paperwork at the hospital and turning over the letter. They would individually be responsible for Rainbow Dash's well-being for one whole week, then it would be another pony's turn to look after her. They'd all be checked up on every couple of months by a Social Worker to make sure they were fit. Their attitude was that they must come through for their friend or she'd be taken away and lost forever. They had to put their goal in writing, too, and this was easy enough for them to do. They were all very nervous about the future...


* * *


With the Mane 6 trailing behind her, Rarity rolled Dash out of the hospital in a wheel chair. The Pegasus wore a back brace to keep her loose body from slumping over and a disposable brief or "diaper". There was a blanket draped over the front of her chair for warmth and to protect Rainbow's dignity, though it did little as she quietly blubbered to herself when they hit a few bumps, staring off into space.

"Okay, Rarity has her the first week..." Said Twilight, going over a checklist on some parchment. "Are you sure you're up to this? Being the first pony?"

"It's the least I can do. I'd imagine it can't be that hard... I've already made some perpetrations. She'll be staying in my guest room on the bottom floor! I'll just need to take a week off to make sure she's going to adjust well enough."

"You'll need a week off each month!" Said Apple Jack, now with a slight hitch remaining from her injuries. "Now, I can do that, living with the Apples... I'll just have to work harder on my days ta compensate. But you're all alone. Sweetie Belle only visits every once and a while, and she can't sew dresses!"

Rarity sighed:

"You're right... but I'm doing this all for my friend! And how hard can it be? ... it'll be like caring for a foal!"

"I wouldn't recommend you say that again," sighed Twilight.

"Why not? That's pretty much what it'll be like! ... helping her eat, bathing her, changing her, putting her to bed, talking to her, and even just watching her will be almost exactly like caring for an infant. An extremely heavy infant, but an infant nonetheless. I'm ready for all that... so what is the problem?"

Twilight looked into Rainbow's seemingly vacant eyes:

"Because I know if I were in there... I'd probably feel bad enough about this as it is already. Girls, she's helpless and entirely at our mercy... the last thing she needs is to think of herself as some freak or burden. We need to take good care of her, show her respect and dignity. You know she'd do the same for any of us. She's in there... I know it."

"You're... entirely right Twilight. Perhaps I am simply trying to detach myself." Rarity turned to the Pegasus and smiled sincerely. "I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash."

Twilight continued to look into Rainbow's eyes:

"We're here to do everything we can to help you. It's our prerogative to get you back to the way you were. We'll keep at it however long it takes..."

The other 4 nodded in agreement.


* * *


Rarity took her first, reflecting on what Twilight had said. The 5 pushed her chair to Rarity's home. Ponies gawked at the spacey, frizzy-maned Rainbow-headed retard as they passed... rather than acknowledging that, the 5 kept their mind on their destination.

Months passed by in a big rainbow'd blur with Dash in their care:

The first few days went so well that Rarity felt she could work a small amount with Rainbow in the room. After all, the biggest chore was just getting her into the bathtub, which she could always call on her friends for help in doing. The ivory Unicorn reflected out loud on good times she had with her rainbow-maned friend, per Twilight's instructions, while she worked and Rainbow snacked on some baby carrots on the floor next to her chair. The goal was to (hopefully) jog her memory and get her to respond. No such luck. Worse yet, Rainbow had gotten a hold of some beads and of course put them in her mouth... Rarity watched in horror as her friend was choking to death, cursing herself for being stupid enough to feed Dash in the same room that she worked. The Unicorn struck her back repeatedly, performing the Heimlich when all else failed. Fortunately the beads came loose... watching RD would require more energy than Rarity thought, but she still needed to create something during this time to keep production moving.

That night was sleepless... she had Rainbow on her mind. Sleepless nights can sometimes work for artists. Rarity got hit by an idea: make a simple, yet dignified garb for Rainbow to wear over her medical gear. The next morning she called upon Fluttershy to help her take measurements and draft... 2 days later they had a prototype design ready and waiting. The mares carefully slipped her into the dress, which flowed silky down to her hooves. It was loose and light-weight, enough so to accommodate the rigid brace and bulky materials Rainbow wore beneath. It didn't look frou-frou, but practical... sleekly made with Rainbow's personality in mind. It was stripped in magenta to match her eyes, its streamlined appearance made it appear smaller than it really was. In a couple weeks variants of it would appear in Rarity's shop under the label "Stylish Accommodations".

Fluttershy took Dash in next. It's a given that her animals still needed to be cared for even though she had her friend to worry about, too... but she made it work. The biggest obstacle was Angel, her pet bunny, who was used to seeing other animals sick but didn't know what to make of a grown pony -- a particular pony whom he thought of as God-like -- being in that type of state. To top it off, he was a jealous animal... and just hearing about how beautiful Fluttershy thought her friend's dress was... how she cared for it and invested so much time and energy into it... he couldn't help but wonder what it tasted like.

"No Angel Bunny!" Fluttershy shrieked, finding Angel eating a loose piece of Rainbow's dress on the third day.

It just was a small piece he'd taken, but it was noticeable. Fluttershy managed to mend it.

Even with her animal friends to help lift the Pegasus, it wasn't easy caring for her. It was the very last night for Fluttershy and things had been going smoothly. While drawing a bath for her friend, Fluttershy left the room for a brief second... to quickly take care of an impatient badger's needs in the hallway. She heard something she hoped she never, ever would hear again -- a blood-curdling scream coming from her bathroom. The room she had just been in seconds before. She rushed in to find that Rainbow Dash had disabled the cold water while the tub was filling, and was being burned by the rushing hot water. They had to make a trip to the E.R...

Dash was bandaged and fine, passed off to the next pony: Pinkie Pie. Problem was, the Cake's Bakery was set up in a way that had all inhabitable rooms on the second floor. This meant the pink mare and the owners had to lift Rainbow in her wheel chair up and down those stares every single time the cyan Pegasus needed to go out. Fortunately it wasn't often, but Pinkie loved the outside... and where ever Pinkie went, Dash had to go, too. The Cakes were too busy with a Bakery and their own foals to help out for even a half an hour. Despite this, Pinkie took good care of her rainbow-maned friend, even making her smile and laugh with her random antics (which was progress seeing how she was unresponsive to most things when they first took her). Taking Rarity's advice, she kept candies and other small objects away from her friend... though she once caught Rainbow eating a small amount of confetti during meal time (which she promptly spit out, a good sign at least). The worst thing Pinkie actually did to Dash was give her too much soda, which caused the Rainbow-maned Pegasus to barf multi-colored syrup on her bedroom floor.

Finally the day came to pass her on to Twilight. While taking her down the stairs, one of the safety catches on Dash's wheel chair harness failed. She fell hard and tumbled down ten stairs. Twilight and Pinkie both heard the high-pitched snap when she struck the first step with brutal force on her way down. At the bottom, Rainbow was silent... they prayed she hadn't broken her neck. They both heard her take a very large amount of air... then scream. 

Another trip to the E.R. and an x-ray at the 5's expense discovered that Rainbow had broken her arm and wing in the accident. Since she was now inactive, she only needed to be kept overnight, and was released bright and early the next day to Twilight Sparkle.

For the most part, Twilight had a pretty easy time caring for her friend. Since she was also the master of carefully budgeting her time, hardly did her work and studies suffer at all. Again, there was the same problem Pinkie Pie had -- no inhabitable space for her chair-bound companion to live on the bottom floor. Taking the wheel chair up and down Twilight's extra long staircase was an absolute nightmare, but with Twilight pulling and Spike making sure the harness stayed snug, they managed. Spike also helped substantially in feeding and keeping Rainbow clean, but was too grossed out by the idea of actually changing her. That job was left to Twilight, who grudgingly carried it out with a clothespin on her nose like all her friends had to. It was just one of the many sacrifices they'd have to make in order to keep Rainbow free and give her a chance.

Towards the end of her stay,Twilight was reminiscing with Spike about all the wonderful things the Mane 6 had done with Rainbow Dash while working in the Library. Rainbow was nearby, sitting on the floor, a small laminated chart listing the colors, shapes, and letters was laying nearby for the Pegasus to look at. Unfortunately she was staring off into space... not looking or apparently caring about anything. While talking, Twilight hoped she'd say something or even perk an ear, but it never happened. As Twilight got more engrossed in her work, there was a bit of a rhythmic sound, almost like rocking, not too far off. Twilight, too absorbed in what she was doing to look, immediately thought of her dragon assistant:

"Spike... What in the wide, wide world of Equestria are you doing?"

"I'm over here, Twilight!" Spike said, his voice coming from the other side of the room. "I thought that was you!"

In seconds Twilight zeroed in on where the sound was coming from. Somehow Rainbow had moved over at least two isles and was rocking an entire bookcase while looking off to the side with a blank expression... heavy-looking books were threatening to topple off the highest shelf.

"Spike! Please stop her before she gets hurt!" Twilight cried out, running towards Rainbow Dash.

She was too late. 4 books landed directly on Rainbow's skull and she fell over like a sack of potatoes... knocked clean out.

The Mane 6 were not having the best of luck caring for their newly accident-prone friend. Another trip to the ER, with Rainbow Dash being discharged the same day after being treated for a concussion, cost Twilight and her friends quite a handsome number of Bits. However, it was not entirely wasted. Twilight remembered that in order to have gotten hurt by those books to begin with, Rainbow Dash would have had to have moved... while she didn't see her in motion, it was the only logical answer. However, Twilight had to answer to the Social Worker, who came to talk to not only her, but also the Mane 6. Assembled in the library, the white-collared earth pony said that Dash had been injured way too many times and he said told them bluntly they were on thin ice. He left with Spike and Pinkie Pie blowing him a raspberry.

There was one more place for Rainbow to go before being dropped off at Rarity's for a second stay (which the Unicorn was dreading and looking forward to at the same time). That place was Apple Jack's farm house.


* * *


It was mid-day. Twilight pushed Rainbow Dash to her new destination with Apple Jack at the front of the group. On the farm the air was open, quiet and clean, unlike any other place she had stayed in Ponyville. The group tried to talk to her, but she didn't answer... simply looked off into the distance, smiling at what must've been all the tall Apple Trees they passed. With the farm house in sight, the group passed Big Mac, who was out bucking apples.

"It's our week to care for Rainbow," said AJ as they crossed paths.

"Eee-yup," responded Bigmac, acknowledging the 6 with a nod. "I'll do what Ah can to help out."

Apple Jack had a guest bedroom on the bottom floor for their friend to stay in, much like Rarity's set up. She was set up and the 4 said to their orange friend:

"Call on us if you need help!"

"I'll be fine," replied AJ with a confident smile.

The first few days Apple Jack devoted entirely to Rainbow. During her waking hours, she attended to Rainbow's every need, talking to her about the good times and the Mane 6, and how much they valued her Element of Loyalty... to the point if had rubbed off on them all. She took her on walks through the apple fields, thinking the fresh air would do her some good. She even slept on the floor in Rainbow's room right beside the bed, just in case there was an emergency. She found an old stuffed animal in the attic, spruced it up and had Rarity repair it so that she could give it to Rainbow... of course the Pegasus just laid there with it beside her, but she never gave up hope. There had to be someway of reaching her friend. Someway. Only their closest friends knew of the two's past together... spending nights together in bed and whispering sweet nothings into each other's ear... wrestling, cuddling, kissing. They dated briefly, but like always with Apple Jack, things in the relationship department were surprisingly complicated:

"I never felt I had the time, Rainbow," Apple Jack said one late night in the darkness. "Now I wish I'd never felt that way because it looks like we might not ever get the chance again."

There was no response.

There were... other adjustments to be made in having Rainbow living at Sweet Apple acres for a week. Though Apple Jack had told Apple Bloom that her friend would be staying there once a month for a week and was in awful shape, Apple Bloom couldn't even begin to imagine what that even meant. Even though the entire family tried to explain, using simple medical words like "unresponsive" and "handicapped," the idea of a pony just not being there was too foreign and scary for Apple Bloom to comprehend... therefore, it didn't exist. She'd been told to stay out of the way for now and for a few days, Rainbow and Apple Bloom never crossed paths because of school... but once the weekend rolled around the two finally met in the guest bedroom. Apple Jack had briefly stepped into the little fillies room, leaving the door wide open:

"Hi Rainbow!" Apple Bloom cried, cantering up to the wheelchair bound Pegasus. "How're ya doing? It's been so long!" She noticed the casts. "Heard ya broke your arm and wing!"

Rainbow Dash stared at the wall... grinning but not blinking.

"Come on, Rainbow!" Apple Bloom approached her. "Say, that's a really pretty dress!"

Again, nothing. Not even a nod.

Apple Jack stepped back into the room, wiping her hooves.

"What's wrong with Rainbow?" Asked Apple Bloom a tone of concern in her voice. "She ain't... talking."

"This is just the way she is right now," Apple Jack replied in a matter-of-fact way. "Ain't nothing we can do 'cept hope she snaps out of it."

"Can't the doctors do nothing?"

"Lock her away."

"That's awful." Apple Bloom suddenly sniffed the air, catching wind of an unpleasant oder emanating from the wheelchair bound Pegasus. "Yuck! She smells like foalpowder and wee-wee!"

"Eyee-yup. That's just the way it is right now."

"Pollutin' herself like that... gross!" She stuck her tongue out at the idea.

"Apple Bloom... don't say that."

"Why not?"

"Because maybe she can hear you and you're hurting her feelings." 

"She can't hear me," replied the little filly, waving a hoof in front of the rainbow-maned Pegasus. There was no response. "See? There's no pony in there!"

"Knock it off!"

Big Mac casually stepped into the house, hearing the commotion from outside. He walked right into the doorway of the room:

"What's troublin' you Apple Jack?"

"Apple Bloom is saying Rainbow's a lost cause... it ain't true, an' we don't need that type of disheartin' talk in this house!"

He looked at Apple Bloom:

"Is this th' truth?"

Apple Bloom swallowed nervously... nodding her head.

"Well..." Big Mac paused for a moment, deep in thought. "GIT OUT!!!" He thundered, pointing behind himself with a hoof.

The little ran out of the room in terror, all the way up to her own room on the second story.

Big Mac sighed, approaching Apple Jack and putting his arm around her:

"That must hurt, hearing it from yer own sister..."

Apple Jack nodded, looking at the floor.

"Ah don't know if it's the truth, but giving up on somepony you care so much about will get you both no where fast. Ah know you love Rainbow, and Ah could see it in the way you two looked at each other... the way you two played together on the farm during your off time." Apple Jack gazed up at him, her eyes suddenly suggesting only a faction of the vulnerability she actually felt. "It's alright... it's alright. I'm your big brother and Ah love you, and nothing will ever change that."

"I don't want Rainbow to stay like this," Apple Jack said. "But I don't know how to make it better..."

"You are doing all you can, and Ah think that's mighty noble of you." He gave her a hug. "Years back when Ah was a colt in school, everypony made fun of me because of how quiet and calm Ah am. They'all thought Ah must be simple... do you know why they really made fun of me?"

Apple Jack shook her head.

"Because Ah was different from what they were expectin' and they didn't understand. It's the way younger ponies cope with things they can't wrap their heads around. They're afraid. Having Rainbow here in this state might actually help Apple Bloom develop into a compassionate young mare if'n we lead by example showing both her and Rainbow consistent understanding and love, and that we're there for them no matter what. Are you with me, AJ?"

Apple Jack nodded her head.

He looked over at Rainbow:

"Ah really do not know if you'll ever be the same, but Ah know you're a strong pony and Ah support my sister's decision to help you. As Ah said, Ah will do what Ah can. Fight it for us all, Rainbow, but mostly for yerself. You owe yourself that much."

> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


2


Thus the Rainbow-maned Pegasus was passed back and forth among her friends for months. Ever since her injuries while in their charge (followed by the white-collared Social Worker's very stern warning), Dash's friends were extra cautious in watching her and thus she remained incident free as a result. The Social Worker came and went, giving them all high marks as she went from Rarity, to Fluttershy, to Pinkie, to Twilight, to Apple Jack back to Rarity with little deviation. If anypony was sick, her friend could be persuaded to have Rainbow for one day more... they helped each other out time and time again while taking care of their friend, never looking at her as a chore. This was the Magic of their Friendship.

There was no visible improvement in Rainbow Dash, other than occasionally laughing at Pinkie's humor, and yet there was also this... odd behavior which first popped up while Twilight was watching her:

Again on the floor, Rainbow had managed to get to the same section, but this time she got hold of a book and was smashing it repeatedly into the ground while Twilight cataloged with Spike. The purple Unicorn slowly cantered up to her friend and took the book from her. She looked at the title:

"Daring Doo and Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone?" She looked into Rainbow's detached gaze. "Rainbow... do you want me to read to you?"

No response. Not even a glance or a twitch.

Twilight still read to Rainbow... just a chapter, watching her carefully. She continued to stare off into space looking vacant, but Twilight remembered this incident. When in good health, Rainbow had gone to that section dozens of times... she even casually flew there backwards once while talking to Twilight, she knew the way that well.

This behavior was not a one-time occurrence and continued on through each of Twilight's friends. At Apple Jacks she stamped her foot over and over while resting in her chair during a walk; at Rarity's she managed to get her hooves on a length of mascara and pounded in into the floor; at Fluttershy's a pencil into the dirt, and at Pinkie's she pounded a crayon into the carpet... not one pony knew what was going on, but they knew to keep an eye on her.


* * *


Apple Jack was so used to the routine of what to do while watching Dash that she actually managed to get a few hours of work in a day. She talked to Rainbow, who was in the corner, about the sacrifices every pony was making for her while in the barn hoisting a bale of hay. She noticed the cyan Pegasus playing in the dirt. It almost looked like she was drawing, though she wasn't looking at what she was doing.

"Well, that's nice to see," she said, looking down at the scratches in the dirt. "Let's see what you got there..."

She had drawn shapes which looked like... letters!

"It can't be," said Apple Jack, doing a double take.

Some were backwards, some were upside down, but they were definitely letters:

"u... oyK Na... HT," Is what it said, once the Pegasus finally stopped. Utter gibberish as far as the farm pony could tell, but that didn't matter. The collection of letters was bizarrely spaced and some were larger than others, but certainly it was a collection of letters. Coming out of the nearly catatonic Pegasus was something to celebrate.

Scooping Rainbow up into her wheel chair, Apple Jack rushed with her Twilight's hoping the letters would still undisturbed by the time they got back.

"Twilight, Twilight!" Apple Jack exclaimed outside of the library. "Come quick! You won't believe what Rainbow just did!"

Though she was in the middle of research, she didn't question Apple Jack. Coming ALL THE WAY from Sweet Apple Acres meant something big must've happened. She left Spike to tidy up while she galloped all the way back to Sweet Apple Acres with her two pony friends.

"What" *gasps* "did she do?" Twilight asked while they raced.

"Letters!" Joyously replied the farm pony.


* * *


When they got to the barn, Twilight took one look at Rainbow's message and her eyes widened.

"I... don't believe it." She said, her voice losing it's volume in the excitement.

"What is it? What does it mean?" Asked an antsy Apple Jack.

Twilight took in a deep breath:

"Were you talking about anything when you found her writing this?"

"Yes, the hard sacrifices we've all had to make... and how we'd do it again if we had to."

"She's communicating," replied the Purple Pony, looking up at her Rainbow-maned friend. "Set her on the ground again, so she's comfortable."

Apple Jack did as instructed.

"Rainbow!" Twilight said, approaching her friend. "Do you know who I am?"

Rainbow, while looking off into space, wrote again in the dirt...

"sE...y"

"Apple Jack," Twilight said, turning to her friend. "Rainbow Dash is in there. We were right the whole time!"

Apple Jack held back tears:

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent!" Twilight pointed back at the first message. "If you read it backwards and disregard the odd spacing and capitalization you get--"

"Thank you!" Apple Jack yipped.

"Precisely." She gestured in front of herself. "Down here she wrote 'Yes'... she does know who I am."

"Rainbow." A lone tear ran down Apple Jack's cheek. "Are you really there?"

Still looking off to the side, Rainbow wrote into the dirt.

"S...e..Y. j...auo...yEv... ol I"

The orange farm pony looked to her learned friend:

"I got yes from that, Twilight, but what does the rest mean? It's too scrambled!" 

"Brace yourself, AJ... She's saying 'Yes. I love you, Apple Jack.'"

Tears welled up in Apple Jack's eyes and she broke down on the spot.


* * *


Twilight spent hours interviewing Rainbow Dash during which the rest of the Mane 6 was assembled in the barn by Big Mac. They were asked to bring pencils, pens and pads of paper with them of varying types, anything that a pony could use to take notes. Pinkie Pie actually brought a vintage typewriter. Voices murmured curiously to find out out what was up.

Twilight had figured out so far that Rainbow could not see, which might explain why she'd hurt herself so many times. She could very stiffly move both her arms, her right arm better than her left, and she could control her left calf and ankle. She couldn't speak, obviously but was completely aware of everything being said around her from the moment she faded away... and wrote about something that deeply disturbed her purple friend who was asking her about her hospital stay at the time:

"!tr...uh .sre...ll..ik... nia...pOn.... gn.... i ts...eT"

"Testing with no pain killers!" Cried Twilight Sparkle, shivering at the thought knowing they'd not only given her friend a Spinal Tap but CUT HER OPEN to examine the tissue around the injection sight. "That must've been awful."

".Saw"

The 5 tried different mediums of stationary. Rainbow couldn't hold pencils or pens well enough in her hoof anymore.. she'd drop them when trying to write. They then tried the typewriter:

"How's this, Rainbow? It's Mr. Cake's old typewriter!"

The Pegasus typed stiffly and slowly with one arm:

"good" was the one word reply, no punctuation or capitalization.

Rainbow started typing slowly on the keyboard, keys clacking intermittently, as she looked towards the ceiling:

"thank you so much fo r everything girls youre thebest friends ive everhad"

"Rainbow, I'm going to ask you a very tough question now..." Twilight said, intensely. "Has there been any improvement at all since you first got afflicted by this?"

Rainbow slowly typed out her answer:

"yes i ca n  hear better andmove better"

"Then there's a chance with help you may get even more function back!" 


* * *


The girls spent all day and night talking with Rainbow. Though physically she was in bad shape, her face near lifeless save the random smile or twitch and her eyes drawn off to the side, she was still exactly as they remembered on the inside. She recalled many small demonstrations of kindness done by her friends -- some instances so small they were not even remembered by ponies that did them. The way they kept her spirits up by talking to her, the foods they gave her to eat, the gentle yet methodical ways they kept her clean and warm. She knew she was hard to get in and out of the bath. She thanked Rarity and Fluttershy for making the dress she would probably never be able to see. Later on that evening Big Mac fetched Spike so that they could all see what had become of Rainbow, and his jaw dropped:

Wide-eyed, he asked the stiff, rigid Pegasus with the olde-timey typewriter in front of her:

"Rainbow Dash? A- are you really doing this by yourself?"

Slowly she typed:

"yeah spike. sorry i never took you swimming like i said i would"

"That's okay, Rainbow... that's just... fine." At this point, Spike rested his head in Twilight's shoulder and started crying, too.

The only tear-free pony was Big Mac, stoically keeping it in with a proud smile on his face.


* * *


With everypony gathered around, Twilight took a letter before they left:

Dear Princess Celestia...

I have the most wonderful news: though her body's been weak and catatonic, we discovered today that Rainbow Dash can not only write letters but she can also type! After setting her up with a vintage typewriter, we've been talking to her all night! Thank you so much for believing in us and giving us your letter of recommendation...

Twilight's letter went on to describe what events exactly had led the 5 to these conclusions and where they got the equipment from Rainbow was now using. It also delved deeper, into the first few weeks of having their Rainbow-maned friend as a charge... the accidents, trials and tribulations were summarized in a few short words, with Rainbow adding her own thoughts here and there. Twilight made sure to add where this wonderful ability of their rainbow-maned friend was observed. At the end, the Mane 6 all signed the letter and Spike sent it off... to get an almost immediate reply:

Dear Faithful Student Twilight and Friends,

You have done wonderfully by your friend and more than justified my faith in all of you. Apple Jack, your sharp eyes caught Rainbow's attempts at communicating -- if you were not paying attention, no pony would know for sure whether or not Rainbow Dash would ever improve. Your constant vigilance has given each of your friends hope and has shown Rainbow just exactly how much you care about her. Tomorrow I will be sending a Canterlot aide with a modern typewriter to present to the Pegasus as a gift.

Sincerely,
Princess Celestia


* * *


The very next afternoon the Mane 6 all waited eagerly at the train station. Even Rainbow was there, smiling, but staring off into space with the old typewriter in her lap, making the group hard to miss. While she didn't look it, she was very excited. They all were.

Earlier that morning Twilight had received yet another letter from the Princess detailing the time of the Aide's arrival, what her looked like, and a few other traits. Though his train seemed to take forever to get there, everything was running perfectly on schedule... it was only a matter of time before they'd be seeing the young, mustachioed chestnut Pegasus...

He arrived on time, with just one small piece of carry on luggage in a black, zip-up bag...

"You must be the Mane 6!" He said enthusiastically as he approached the group. "And you must be Rainbow Dash! My name's Dark Mane, and I've got something special for you!"

Carefully, he opened the smaller bag as Twilight used her magic to levitate Rainbow's old typewriter away. He set a smaller typewriter made of titanium in her lap. It felt much lighter and had considerably larger keys.

All of Rainbow's friends went "oooh" and "ahhh" as she typed... her face nearly impossible to read:

"herwgelhg.." she slowly typed, the text much larger than that on the other set.

Her friend's smiles all started to sag once they saw the gibberish appearing on the paper. She paused for a moment, stretching her arms and hooves. With more speed and precision than she had been using on the other vintage typeset, she started again:

"I   likethis one better than the other." It said as she hit the return key. "This is AWESOME!"

Her friends immediately cheered.

Dark Mane smiled, making his exit into the crowd, he disappeared... still hearing their excited voices. He was happy they were happy, but that was not his victory to celebrate. He simply moved on to the next assignment...
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


3


Another couple months went by with Rainbow Dash staying with each of her friends for one week at a time. Her ability to type had changed everything: it proved to them that their friend wasn't just a shell left over from Ironhoof's drug overdose, that she had always been there. They didn't need to watch her as much, just keep danger away from her and keep an ear out for typing, which was much easier. She was still blind and still needed some help eating, as well as most of the other stuff, but with Twilight's help they were able to arrange a schedule which worked everypony, Dash included. The newly established, sentient aspect of the cyan Pegasus had the 5 thinking about their duties to her differently:

"I know it's embarrassin'," Apple Jack said one day while changing Rainbow. "But it just goes to show how much we all care about ya!"

Rainbow Dash, the typewriter beside her and the letters within reach, didn't argue with her friend. Disgusting? Definitely. Necessary? Unfortunately. A wonderful gesture of their boundless friendship? Absolutely.

The 5 were now able to tend to their work almost as well as when Rainbow wasn't there, and they were able to live their lives almost the same as before this fiasco. Rarity was known to take Rainbow to her fashion shows and interviews, though the Pegasus preferred to remain unseen for obvious reasons. Twilight took her shopping, getting her input on what to buy, Pinkie Pie took her on adventures and had her input while setting up pranks, describing the aftermath in fine detail later on. Her time with Apple Jack hadn't changed all that much... save she could now talk to her orange friend. Rainbow expressed her gratitude to her friends one day, via her typing, when they were all together:

"To think, if you girls hadn't taken me in I'd probably be drooling in some padded room with white coated ponies talking to me like I was a baby. Not cool!"

Her typing had been improving and would continue to improve over time.

Ponies still made fun of Rainbow Dash's odd facial expressions, strange smell, and overall appearance, but they were usually ignored. Occasionally a pony on the street would crack a nasty joke, only to have Rainbow type something that made her caretaker laugh.

"What did she just say?" Always asked the rude pony.

"Sorry, it wasn't addressed to you!" Would reply her caretaker, usually Twilight Sparkle, on account of how much time they spent in town shopping.

During these months, Twilight and her friends had been helping Rainbow with Physical therapy. Her limbs, stiff and useless, would be gently stretched and rotated every morning, night, and after her baths. This is something Twilight Sparkle had read might help their wheelchair-bound friend. She asked Dash what she thought of it after the first session:

"Not too painful," the Pegasus replied on her keypad. "It feels like my arms, legs, and wings are all asleep when you do that! It drives me nuts. But I'd do anything to be able to walk again."

Rainbow, like always, was determined.

Apple Bloom and the Cutie Mark Crusaders saw the wheel chair bound Pegasus multiple times since her change. At first they avoided her, even hen she could type... but after a while they came near and talked.

"I- I'm sorry I made fun of you, Rainbow," Apple Bloom said one day. "It was... kinda hard seein' you like that and thinkin' you were still in there."

"It's okay," replied the Dash on her typewriter. "You're still cool in my book!"

"And you're still cool in mine, too!"

Scootaloo agreed wholeheartedly with Sweetie Belle. 


* * *


One late night at Sweet Apple Acres, AJ was nestled up in a blanket, half asleep on the guest room floor. It was pitch black in the room and she was just dropping off into the early stages of sleep. She'd been reminiscing with her cyan friend just a few minutes before, even though she knew Dash couldn't reply without the typewriter. Rainbow was snuggled up tight in blankets on the bed wishing she could.

Apple Jack didn't hear it, but her friend's  breathing had gradually gotten really heavy. She was upset, fed up with her limitations. It had been so long since she last cried, the closest thing being her reaction to breaking her bones on the stairs at the Sugar Cube Corner (which was the single most painful experience she'd ever had). There was a tiny whisper in the room, just a hair above inaudible:

"App..le..."

Apple Jack twitched her nose as Rainbow continued to breath heavily.

"Apple Ja..."

The pony on the floor winced, reacting to, (but not hearing) the sound.

"Apple Jack... Apple Jack..."

The farm pony gasped, her eyes bolting opened as she sat up.

Must've been dreamin' She thought, yawning and allowing herself to drift away, back to slumber land.

The room was silent. Rainbow's breathing had returned to normal the moment her friend had opened her eyes. This was hard, but Rainbow wasn't about to give up. Before the minute was up, there the sound was again:

"Apple Jack."

It was much clearer this time, and it was coming from the bed. The orange pony wasn't quite asleep, but thought she was hearing things.

"Rainbow?" She called out into the room.

She heard it again:

"Apple Jack."

"Rainbow?" She got up off the floor in an instant, walking towards the bed. "Rainbow! 're you talkin'?"

"Yeah," weakly replied her friend. "Apple Jack. Come here."

"Rainbow..." Apple Jack said, smiling in the darkness. "I'm here, sugar cube. What's on yer mind?"

"Hold me," the Rainbow-maned Pegasus chuckled. "It's been so long since I've been held. Please hold me."

"No problem," the orange pony got into the bed with her paralyzed Pegasus friend. "Happy to oblige."

"Gentle... gentle..." the cyan Pegasus felt minor twinges of discomfort when Apple Jack put too much weight on her. "That feels so nice, Apple Jack."

"I'm so happy you're talkin', Rainbow," the orange pony replied in an excited voice. "Haven't heard your voice in almost 8 months! Not sure I'm gunna sleep now!"

"Just be with me, AJ. I don't wanna sleep either."

Before she realized what she was doing, Apple Jack put her head over and kissed the rainbow-maned Pegasus on the cheek. Her stomach immediately went into knots:

"I'm sorry, RD, that was a little too fast of me..."

Rainbow Dash chuckled.

"I can't see you anymore, but I remember your touch... and I remember your kisses. I love you, AJ."

"I know. I love you too, RD."

The two spent all night talking, falling asleep a mere 30 minutes before Big Mac got up. Though Rainbow could barely talk above a whisper, she didn't let that stop her. She had a lot to say and Apple Jack was more than happy to listen. She'd spent 5 months not talking and 2 just typing. It was nice to just be able to TALK. Apple Jack also had questions of her own to ask:

"What do you see when you look at things, Rainbow? Do you see blurs? Do you see darkness?"

"I don't see a thing," the Rainbow-maned Pegasus replied. "In my sleep I see cool stuff. I fly around Ponyville and Equestria, through clouds, and over open fields. But I'm starting to forget what colors even look like... that's really scary to me."

"Please, RD. I'll help you any way I can."

"I know you will, Apple Jack. You're the loyalist pony I know, next to yours truly..."

"And you're still the Rainbow Dash I know and love," Apple Jack said, smiling and gently nooging her cyan gal pal.


* * *


In the late afternoon. Just after the two ponies got up, they left for town, skipping breakfast entirely. Though Rainbow Dash couldn't see, it was easy to see that she had a different aura about her. One that looked more focused and confident. They plotted along fiercely, fiercer and with more gusto than they had before... the trees whipped by at breakneck speeds. It was the closest feeling to flying Rainbow had felt in practically forever.

It now was the weekend and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were out in the fields trying out different ideas on how to finally discover themselves and earn their Marks. As They happened to cross paths, and the three fillies said:

"Hi Apple Jack! Hey Rainbow Dash!"

"Hey yourselves," replied the Pegasus quietly as the wheelchair came to a halt briefly.

Though it was quiet, they all heard it. Sweetie Belle, who was at the front of the group (sparing the rest her horn), heard it and jammed on the breaks along with the other two.

"Did she just talk?" Asked Applebloom.

"Eey-yup!" Replied Apple Jack, resuming rolling along. "Goin' off to tell the rest of the girls, now."

They continued along until they ran into Big Mac, who was working a plow by the front of the Acres. They stopped by the field he was working on:

"Ya missed all yer chores, AJ," he said, chuckling. "Don't worry, Ah got 'em fer ya... you owe me, though."

"She's sorry." Said Rainbow Dash almost as though she were back to herself again. "Trust me."

"I am and I'll do anything I can to make it up to you!" Apple Jack said, panting loudly as Big Mac's eyebrow raised once he processed that the Pegasus was the first of the mares to speak. "She can talk now. I've gotta show the others. Bye!"

She rushed again, leaving the bemused Big Mac to the fields. They headed straight to Twilight's library, ready to show off her friend's ability to the others. Apple Jack knocked on the door and Twilight opened it:

"Hey, Twilight! You're not gunna believe-" Apple Jack was cut short.

"Twilight, it's been a while since I talked to you," said Dash. "I think we've got some catching up to do."

All of the color left Twilight's face.

"I-I... have to get a drink." She said, faintly.

Apple Jack went to assemble the Mane 6, leaving Rainbow in the library with Twilight and Spike. Twilight had a shaking cup of tea in her hand and was observing her friend from a distance at first. With the purple unicorn in a state of mild shock, both were initially scared to talk to Rainbow, because it had been so long since they heard her speak. Twilight couldn't wrap her head around what was happening, which is what she had to do as a budding scientist to make sense of anything. One second she was experimenting with a grass-growing chemical, the next she was listening to her once catatonic friend Rainbow Dash speak... which she hadn't in such a long time. She dreamed of this moment since the beginning, but in her dreams she was given a sign and it always happened at her home, after giving Dash a potion. Twilight needed a moment... but once Dash said "Hey, come on, guys! I don't bite!" They all laughed and approached her, talking until the rest of the Mane 6 was fully assembled.

Pinkie Pie came in first, then Rarity and Fluttershy together... each pony had the same reaction once the wheelchair bound Pegasus said hi -- their jaw hit the floor. They all talked for a bit, Fluttershy pointed out something after getting over the initial shock:

"I think maybe if you had been Institutionalized, it's possible they would have set you free if you started talking like this."

"I don't know about that," said Twilight.

"Part of what got me to this point," said RD. "Was you girls talking to me so much... I think I'd just kind of be somewhere else if it weren't for you."

"That's very insightful of you to say, Rainbow." Said Rarity. "You've grown-up a lot!"

"When you spend 5 months not talking, or seeing, or feeling all that much, you either go kinda Koo-koo or you think a lot about stuff. Laying in that hospital bad, sometimes I wished when I fell asleep... I wouldn't wake up. I tried to speak back there, but my lips felt like loose rubber and I could hardly tell where my tongue was... it would just come out as babbling. I could hardly scream... even when things hurt my body. I couldn't make a sound! Everypony thought I'd gone nuts. There was one nurse who even called me the R word... and it wasn't Rainbow. Uncool."

"Very much so, RD." Said Apple Jack from behind her chair, rubbing her friend's shoulders.

"When I started typing, it was the coolest experience I could remember having... you all were understanding me, and after all that time, all that investment of loyalty... it totally made it worth it. I can't even cry right now, but I want you each to know that I love you so very much."

They all walked up to the Pegasus and gently gave her a hug.


* * *


The next week, Rainbow was at Rarity's shop. She was, admittedly, bored talking fashion with the ivory Unicorn, but now that they knew she was in her right mind and able to talk... there was less drive to keep her going. It was just the result of having a healthy friend after all that work -- the ponies were all going back to their lives. All but Rainbow.... she was a permanent, yet constantly moving fixture in each of their lives. Rarity was boring Rainbow for another reason... fashion's a visual medium and Rainbow couldn't see! At least she had the dress to be grateful for, but she couldn't even see that.

Dash was deep in thought, mentally back on the farm... or with Pinkie Pie at least. Away from the perfumed air of the shop and somewhere fun. Rarity had her facing the window while she took inventory. The rainbow-maned Pegasus was getting frustrated.

"Gah..." she said, rubbing her face with her most usable hoof. "I'm getting a headache." She rubbed her eyes, pulling her hoof away and seeing purple and blue squiggly lines with her eyes shut. "It's so intense..." She opened her eyes.

The world looked blurry, like she needed glasses.

"Uh, Rarity...?" She said, rubbing her eyes again. The world looked a bit sharper once she pulled her hoof away. "Rarity!"

"What is it, darling?"

"I can see!"

Rainbow Dash looked out at the slightly blurry world. It looked a bit like it might rain later on. She then looked down at her pretty, streamlined dress... feeling its texture with a hoof then seeing it for the first time. A tear welled up in her eye. She could cry, too, and did so... the release feeling divine to the Pegasus as Rarity walked up to her and spun her around, showing her all the beautiful items in her shop. Even though Rainbow wasn't big on fashion, she was throughly engaged by this. Bright colors of nothing interesting beat nothing period.

"This is wonderful, Rainbow!" Said the Unicorn, embracing her friend in a warm hug.

"It is." Replied the Pegasus. "It is."

Another hurdle was jumped and the rest of the Mane 6 were more casually informed of this new ability rediscovered by their friend. Having efficient use of only one arm meant she still had to be wheeled around by her friends, but even that might eventually fade... it was just a matter of time. All ponies were hopeful.
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


4


Time passed as it used to once more... Rainbow Dash smiled at each new day, now able to control her once stiff face along with her ability to see. Looking up at the sun Celestia brought out, each day was a gift to the young Pegasus. It meant hope.

To her friends Rainbow hadn't changed all that much. It was easy to just forget about everything that had happened to her while talking to her... pretend she's just sitting down. Imagine she's fine. After all, she talked like she was fine. Her friends didn't like thinking about what put her there, but they were happy she'd come far enough to quell most of the questions plaguing them late at night. Not to mention she was still as feisty, as full of herself, and as much of a hot ticket as she always was. The reality of it, however, is that Rainbow had been robbed... but she hid her anger well, even from Apple Jack.

It would be nice if Dash got all her old abilities back, bought back her old house in Cloud's Dale, and learned a series of lessons from this whole ordeal about trusting eccentric strangers. Unfortunately life, even in wide-wide world of Equestria, is not perfect. Rainbow's abilities stayed the same way as she was passed from friend to friend... and her house in Cloud's Dale was torn down... in its place a duplex was built by a rich Pegasus to rent out to tourists. 

However, even though she was grounded, it was not all bad. Because of her outstanding recovery there was one thing she do now that could possibly bring her some closure. That is testify.


* * *


Because Buttercup's trial had not yet come to pass, a few months before it began Rainbow got a letter forwarded to her by the Princess. The letter contained an Official Court Document asking her to testify. Rainbow agreed, sending an immediate reply via Spike. She was appointed a high standing lawyer from Celestia herself to accompany her while she gave testimony in Judge Horsechops's Courtroom. Sufficing to say, Rainbow Dash was quite nervous.

"You don't have to go," said Twilight Sparkle, wheeling Rainbow Dash towards the courtroom. "Just having found those things on her property will be enough to put her away for a long time."

"I know I don't have to go, Twilight," Rainbow replied nervously, as she was pushed into the court room. "I want to go."

The Mane 6 settled in the front row and waited for everything to get started.

At the trial, Dash didn't know what to expect, but at least she had her friends nearby. They were all beside her, just as eager as she was. They'd all be testifying. Rainbow was frightened at first, scared to have to look Buttercup in the eyes and recount everything that happened in front of the judge, jury, and courtroom spectators. It was more than simple stage fright. However, once the Defendant -- the fat, makeup-less mare in the stripped full body uniform... her once cute, chunky body having grown pudgy and unattractive from inactivity -- was finally brought in... Dash felt she'd have no issue recounting what had happened. Buttercup looked pathetic, her eyes exhausted and racked with worry.

Hard to believe I was scared of that. Dash thought.

It was her turn to be scared now.

The charges were presented by the Prosecutor and Rainbow was called up to testify. As Twilight rolled her up, with her Lawyer by her side, she began to feel a loathing in her gut for the golden mare that she'd never felt for anypony before. It was time to let the beast out. She recounted everything and watched Buttercup's face contort like she was being struck in the face by a steel hoof. If only Rainbow could have actually done that to her, it would have brought her more satisfaction. Never once did she blame the dead Ironhoof who couldn't defend himself like she blamed Buttercup. All she did was answer questions -- never once did Judge Horsechops have to call order due to any abuse of testimonial privileges. She said things, horrible things about how she was treated that she had never told any of her friends... even Apple Jack. This was therapy at its finest and by the time Rainbow was finished she was in tears... and just wanted to go home. That would have to come later, though, and her Lawyer could at least take care of the rest.

All of the Mane 6 testified afterwards as well, since they had been there asking questions while out looking for their friend. They also broke in, and were honest about it. They also felt no remorse in making Buttercup, the most reclusive of ponies, look awful for her first major public appearance. She'd nearly killed their friends, after all, and the illegal dogs were... so horrible that when Rarity took the stand and described the way the hounds ripped at her... she admitted she'd been having nightmares about them for months. Once all 6 had testified, the Honorable Judge dismissed the charges of breaking in, given the circumstances... and provided they didn't make a habit of it.

Evidence was then presented, coroner reports on the other mares found in the yard read, toxicology reports shared, and that was that... chances looked very grim for Buttercup, but still she stood by her plea of innocence... she was shaking by the end, but still stood by it strong.

The jury gave its verdict of GUILTY under every single charge. Judge Horsechops could override the verdicts if he felt their was any ambiguity about the charges... but it was not likely in this case.

The Honorable Judge Horeschops asked Buttercup if she had any closing statements before pronouncing her sentence. She stood silent, looking at the floor... still shaking like a leaf. She knew she was in so deep that she didn't know what to do, and she knew that no matter what she said it wouldn't make a difference. She looked up at Rainbow Dash, the Mane 6, and Celestia's representatives for any sign of mercy. They looked back, all stone-faced. Money meant nothing when your opposition has a Deity on its side, who wasn't there but ever present nonetheless. Casual acquaintanceship with Judge Horsechops from a few years back meant nothing now: he carried out justice with the same detached conviction that Ironhoof carried out her own orders.


* * *


It was time:

"Buttercup Lightwood Gambroge! For the 2 counts of keeping illegal animals from the Everfree forest I find you GUILTY!"

The golden Pegasus's heart visibly sank.

"For the 189 charges of hoarding illegal chemicals for nefarious purposes I find you GUILTY!"

She closed her eyes.

"For the 4 charges of kidnapping I find you GUILTY for 3 and an accessory to the last!"

The last mentioned was Pinkie Pie, whom she hadn't told Ironhoof to kidnap. There was no reaction in anymore. Buttercup felt faint. She chuckled to herself, shaking her head, fighting to keep on her hooves.

"For the 3 charges of 2nd degree murder and 2 charges of attempted murder I find you GUILTY!"

Buttercup shook in horror at the final verdicts... no pony in the entire courtroom, much less Ponyville, cared that she was suffering so much torment, humiliation, and fear in the courtroom. Her life had turned to dust and she knew it. She was, after all, guilty. No pony to comfort her now... no Ironhoof, nopony to turn to because she was rich and could help them if they helped her. The crowd was almost as blood thirsty as her dogs. She deserved it. She knew it, and it didn't matter what happened to her at this point anymore. The judge had to call order twice.

"This is most unusual," said the Judge once the frenzy settled, "but a fair and fitting punishment nonetheless for these crimes: I am extending 3 life sentences to you at the Ponyville Maximum Security Prison for your crimes against Ponyville and its inhabitants. There will be no possibility of parole."

Buttercup was already gone. She'd fainted once Judge Horsechops came to the number of life sentences she was going to receive. The guards helped get her up and took her away. The Mane 6 sat stoically, happy for their friend and the innocent victims of Buttercup's obsession. Rainbow Dash was glad to see justice done, but was the only pony who felt... empty through all this. She saw red when she looked at Buttercup, but seeing her punished didn't change Dash's state of being.

Few times had the courts ever given out a life sentence, let alone multiples. As Judge Horsechops said: Buttercup would never get out. She spent the rest of her life behind bars and no pony came to visit her.  Ponyville's disdain and hatred for her actions saw to that, not that she had any friends. The golden mare spent the rest of her days surrounded by tougher, angrier ponies. Her first day they branded her uppity and beat her senseless on a regular basis, taking whatever they wanted WHENEVER they wanted it.

Life was hell for the pony who took so much from her now, and still Rainbow felt... nothing.


* * *


In the weeks following, Rainbow Dash put everything behind her. It was a new day and she worked hard, every day... her goal was to get out of the chair. Going from pony to pony, she did her exercises regularly and regained full control of both her arms, eventually being able to push her wheel chair by herself. However, ...that was it in terms of improvement. Though she tried every day, the improvements she made were minuscule at best, and plateaued eventually. While her core got stronger, to the point she eventually no longer needed the back brace, her wings remained useless for the rest of her life and her legs, except for one of her ankles and part of her calf, remained ever still, stiff, and unresponsive. Physical therapy eventually stopped hurting... but it also stopped helping. So many little things the average mare could to for herself Rainbow would never, ever be able to do again: fly, trot, write her name, use both arms for more than just pushing her chair, hold her fluids... these abilities just weren't there anymore. Gone. She missed flying the most, though speeding along in her wheel chair did remind her of it from time-to-time... especially when she raced against Scootaloo, who loved her all the same even though she couldn't fly anymore. This was how life ended up, and Rainbow had learned to count her blessings as it could always be a lot worse.

Life isn't entirely composed of compromises, however, and ponies do learn a thing or two about appreciating what they have when they almost lose it. Though Apple Jack was racked with extra work for a couple weeks in total due to Big Mac doing her chores that one day (to the point Pinkie Pie took Rainbow for Apple Jack's week TWICE).... AJ gave her friend a lil more of her time. They slept in the same bed, were a very tactile pair, and eventually called each other "Special Someponies". Given Rainbow's condition, making love was not practical, but that does not mean they didn't love each other all the same. This ordeal had strengthened their love, to the point that Rainbow occasionally stayed an extra week or two, and, because of that, eventually Rainbow made a decision.

With an objective in mind, she pushed herself into a local market and used her confidence on the Manager in an interview. She got a job. All she was doing was ringing up purchases, she was a self-made pony once again. She took those Bits she earned and gave them to the Apple family as her contribution for staying in the guest room, since she was known to stay extra weeks every once and a while. Granny Smith, the pony she talked to along with Big Mac, only accepted a quarter of her offer, and they huddled together with Rainbow at the side. After a few minutes, Granny Smith approached:

"You love Apple Jack, hmmm?"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"You want to live here?"

"... yes, Ma'am!"

"Then we'll consider that your rent. The guest room is yours."

It was at this point that all ponies went back to their lives, and Rainbow salvaged what was left of hers. She had a place to stay and a way to pay for it... so she started building in a different direction along with Apple Jack. Though she'd never again feel the pleasures of flying high through the air, the joys of tasting the rain water before it even came down to the ground below... they were at least happy. Happiness is everything and both ponies had learned that before it was too late.


THE END

> Alternative Ending (exercise)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Alternative Ending (exercise)


"You can't kill all of us..." Said Twilight, dragging her hoof across the cyan carpet.

"No, but I can kill these two," replied Ironhoof, looking at the two captive ponies in his grasp. "And given no choice I will. Believe me, I will."

"It's up to you, girls." Said Buttercup, with a mean smirk. "I'll have Ironhoof break your orange friend's neck if you don't give yourself up... I'll give you until the count of 10." She began to count slowly: "One... two... three..."

Twilight looked at her three friends on the other side of the room, starting with Rainbow Dash... she saw nothing but fear and exhaustion in her eyes. She wasn't crying, but it was obvious she had been... and she'd clearly been humiliated and tortured. Her eyes had yellow rings around them and her mane had lost its "coolness" during the short time she'd been down there. For some reason was dressed like an infant. Twilight also saw no sign of Rainbow's wings, which deeply disturbed her. Apple Jack was held tight in the stallions arm, covered in cuts, bruises and blood. She was pale from having the life squeezed out of her by his massive, well-toned arm. Pinkie Pie was bound and... awake, propping herself up. Not only was Pinkie Pie getting into position, but Twilight saw a little sliver of hope in her determined eyes. Pinkie Pie blinked... her eyes were open and twitching, looking silently up at Twilight. With her hooves tied together, she could hardly move, but she could move enough to distract the cruel pony. Pinkie showed Twilight a serious look, followed by a nod.

"Okay, we surrender..." Twilight said, lowering her head. "Just don't hurt our friends."

Ironhoof immediately released Apple Jack to the floor, who laid unconscious by her friends' hooves. However, he kept the syringe in Rainbow's leg.

Twilight looked to Rarity and Fluttershy, who were also lowering their heads as if accepting defeat. She then looked at Pinkie, and her two friends saw what the rest did not.

"Good, good," said the gray stallion, sitting up. "Mistress, I am stuck at an impasse. I need you to subdue the three. Are you comfortable giving an injection?"

"No." Replied Buttercup. "You know I hate needles."

"Then be that as is may, they need to be restrained in some way to make them docile. We have no choice: in the bottom of the wooden table I have two lengths of rope. It would be best to tie up the unicorns first... Be brave and careful, as you can see by the blood on their faces they are very dangerous. I am right here, however, and I will kill them all if they hurt you. Once they're tied up, I will handle the yellow one. She looks the most non-threatening of the bunch, so I'd imagine I won't need to be holding their Rainbow friend hostage any longer..."

Buttercup sauntered over to the table and went through it as Twilight nodded at her friends beside her, looking away as if accepting defeat. They nodded back, lowering their heads, and getting ready. Buttercup approached Rarity, who squealed as she was wrapped tightly in the length of rope. Twilight was next:

"I'm going to have 5 babies now..." She said, wrapping the binding around her body. She turned to Ironhoof. "Kill the orange one. She's too badly injured to bother with."

"Are you sure?" Replied her Butler, raising an eyebrow. "She is harmless now and may pull through with some treatment..."

"Yes I am sure!" Screamed Buttercup. "She hurt you! Kill her now!"

"As you wish," replied Ironhoof, holding up the syringe he had in his hoof. "I take no pleasure in this."

"No!" Shouted Pinkie, bearing her teeth as she lunged at the Butler's unsuspecting flank.

As she bit as hard as she could, he jumped, falling over on top of her. He cried out in agony -- the pain in his broken ankle rising to an unbearable level as it twisted unnaturally, making a horrible grinding sound. The syringe in Rainbow's thigh came out, ripping a nasty gash but causing minimal bleeding. On the floor, he managed to brace himself as Pinkie attempted to bite him one more time. He had one shot and took it... knocking the pink mare clean out with a straight jab to her jaw. Blood flew from her mouth as her head snapped back from the full force of Ironhoof's blow. She then collapsed.


* * *


"Pinkie!" Her friends cried out in anguish for their friend.

The level of blood and violence quelled any desire in Fluttershy to fight back... replacing it with pure fear. She could not move. She was known to go into a rage if her friends were tossed about, but this level of brutality, much like the dogs outside... left her overloaded and petrified. Her protective nature was suddenly lost... her knees quaked instead.

Ironhoof, despite the broken ankle, slowly rose to his hooves... shaking the whole time. Buttercup looked on, her eyes looking genuinely upset for the first time to Rainbow Dash.

"I'm alright." He said, looking directly into Buttercup's concerned gaze. "I just need to set my ankle... but first..." he limped towards Fluttershy. "Tighten the purple one and we'll take care of this one together. I shall deal with the orange one later... these ponies are too full of surprises for their own good."

As Ironhood made approach, Fluttershy backed into the wall. Buttercup tightened the ropes binding Twilight Sparkle... then they both turned to the yellow Pegasus, eyes fixed on her.

Fluttershy, having nowhere to go, spoke up... her voice weak and choked off in fear:

"Please... I... just..."

"I'm not going to hurt you," said Ironhoof, in a calm voice, stopping with Buttercup in the front.

"We're not going to hurt your friends anymore either," said Buttercup, also stopping, looking back at Ironhoof. "You have my word, child. I won't have Ironhoof kill your orange friend, either... Provided you don't fight us, that is."

"I won't," replied Fluttershy, still shaking. "Please... just..."

Ironhoof took another limp towards the frightened Pegasus and she cried out in fear, backing up into the wall and towards the nearest corner. Buttercup looked back at him and firmly shook her head... he didn't move after that.

Looking directly into the other Pegasus' eyes, Buttercup took a small step towards Fluttershy, and Fluttershy took a small step back towards the corner. Another step forward from Buttercup was met by another step backwards from Fluttershy.

"You're going to run out of space, dearie," said the golden mare.

Fluttershy's eyes went wide with fear as she took a few more steps back and finally bumped into the corner. She had nowhere to go, as Ironhoof leaned against one side of her escape -- barring the door -- and Buttercup approached from the other side. The yellow Pegasus had no more options, so she just shook like a leaf. Closing her eyes tight, she winced... blushing, Fluttershy felt a warm release between her legs that dribbled down both her thighs and pooled by her two back hooves on the carpet. Buttercup heard the faint splashing and immediately picked up on what the scared Pegasus was doing in her sneaking suit.

"You poor thing," she said, in a soothing voice. "You must be scared to death."

"I am..." the Pegasus said, with her eyes still closed.

"Look at me," replied Buttercup, in the same calming tone. "Look up... right at me. Come on, little one... it's okay."

Despite Fluttershy's instincts telling her otherwise, she found herself looking up into Buttercup's gaze. Her eyes, for some reason Fluttershy couldn't even begin to explain, were strangely calming.

"You don't have to be frightened of me, child. When I said I wasn't going to hurt your friends, I sincerely meant it. I won't hurt you either."

"I know." Replied Fluttershy, shaking slightly less.

"There's just one thing you have to do... one little thing and I promise you, you won't have any reason to be scared ever again... can you guess what it is?"

Pausing for a moment, Fluttershy shook her head. That was the only part of her body that shook at this point. Her eyes looked exhausted, but relieved to be provided a way out... even one that didn't make any sense.

"I want you to lie down on your back in front of me and trust me... that's all. Nothing bad will happen to you. I promise."

"I... don't know if I can do that," said Fluttershy, her eyes still fixed into Buttercup's hypnotic gaze.

"You're going to have to... or I'm going to have to call my Butler to help. It's your choice."

The yellow Pegasus looked back and forth between the two ponies before her... the nearest pony, an aging mare offering her kindness, had a look of kindness in her eyes now... something Fluttershy could relate to. The stallion behind her looked cruel and she didn't want him near her. She looked to the distant Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash for only a second... the look of horror on their faces was unbearable. Fluttershy's mind went far away... she said nothing, but everypony knew what was coming next.

The yellow Pegasus, now defeated, sat, laid down like a dog, and rolled over for Buttercup. The Mane 6 was completely defeated, but at least intact.

"Fluttershy! Don't!" Called out Rainbow Dash. "Fight her! Please fight her... Fluttershy!"

As expected, she was ignored by Buttercup, but not by Ironhoof... who shot her a very nasty glare.

"Good girl," said Buttercup, going through the table beside her for the supplies she would be getting next. "I promise you, you're going to be okay."

She turned back to Fluttershy, who was still on her back and facing her as instructed. She had her eyes closed, just wanting to be somewhere else.  Before her friends, Buttercup peeled off the Pegasus's wet sneaking suit and cleaned the urine out of her fur with a wipe. Then out came a disposable diaper, which promptly was opened up and slid under the new captive's slender bottom. All she did in terms of objection was wimper in embarrassment... the only sign that there was still some semblance of sanity in Fluttershy's overloaded mind.

"It's alright," Buttercup said, applying foal powder to a yellow keister while manipulating her captive's legs and tail. She pulled it up tight between Fluttershy's legs and wrapped it around her hips. "This fate awaits every last one of you."

Rainbow, Rarity and Twilight watched dejectedly as Fluttershy was diapered in the corner. They could see clearly enough and once it was over with, Fluttershy sat up... looking down at her new garment with a grimace. Her hooves went for the tapes first thing.

"No you don't," said Buttercup, turning towards the disturbed Pegasus, yet still going through the table. "If you untape that, Ironhoof holds you down for the rest. He won't be gentle like I am..."

Fluttershy's hooves went to her sides as Buttercup approached her with a leaf green onsie.

"Fore hooves up!" She said in a high pitched voice.

Having the option of being insubordinate only to involve Ironhoof didn't seem too terribly attractive to the yellow Pegasus. Even with a broken ankle, he looked quite threatening. Hesitantly, she raised her fore hooves and once they were up Buttercup slid the onesie on her, pulling it between her legs and snapping it in place. With a gentle nudge, Fluttershy found herself on her back again... and Buttercup was standing above her then... suddenly, holding her down.

"Ironhoof," Buttercup said, turning towards her Butler. "I want her sedated immediately."

"No! Please don't!" Cried Fluttershy as she struggled. "I was good! You said you wouldn't hurt me!"

She tried to push Buttercup off her body, but Fluttershy was too weak and Buttercup too pudgy. The golden mare hardly moved.

Ironhoof limped towards the frantic Pegasus, pulling out a syringe:

"This will hardly hurt," he said, as he stuck it into her thigh and pushed the plunger. "In minutes it won't matter anymore... you will relax and everything will be fine."

"Please.. just..."

"Shhh...." whispered Buttercup, stroking her captive's pink mane. "It's okay."

"No! I-"

"Shhhh..."

"C-"

"Shhhh... it's okay."

Buttercup, Ironhoof, Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all watched, some in horror, for several minutes as Fluttershy's pushing became less and less frantic, her objections (all shushed by Buttercup) became quieter, and less urgent... her eyes grew less frightened (and more glazed over). Finally, after about 5 minutes, Fluttershy looked up at Buttercup vacantly... and drooled.

"There," said the golden mare, still stroking her mane. "Such a cutie."

She went through the table and procured something round and rubbery, sticking it in her new captive's mouth.

"Suck on this baby," she said soothingly. "It's good!"

Fluttershy did as she was told, then Buttercup turned to the rest of her captives:

"Next?"


* * *


Fortunately, Buttercup had said next in cruel jest, as she and Ironhoof had a lot to do before she could proceed with regressing the rest of the 6.

First thing was tending to Ironhoof's injury, as well as Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie, who were still both unconscious and bleeding... but at least breathing. Ironhoof limped towards them both, looking them over as his mistress got his Doctor's Bag:

"I'm happy I get to spare you," he said to Apple Jack, sitting beside her. "You proved yourself worthy of that. I was quite unhappy when the mistress instructed me to kill you, but you've been pardoned, so you are lucky. I hope you survive the night at the very least. I look forward to talking to you, to find out what makes a pony tough as you."

Buttercup came back with his Doctor's Bag, and first thing he did was empty its contents and take the heavy duty wooden handle of the bag, putting it in his teeth. Then, holding onto his foot with both hooves, with all ponies watching... he set his broken bone. There was a loud snap as Ironhoof let out a deep groan, as if he's just been struck in the back of the skull with a baseball bat. It was painful even for the captive ponies to watch. It was the only time Rainbow Dash saw a tear in the Butler's stone cold eyes. Buttercup dried his eyes and gave him a kiss on the forehead. He then wrapped his foot up tight, putting a splint on it. Then he turned his attention Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie... in that order, as his Mistress cleaned up the room around the captive ponies.

Ironhoof pulled down Apple Jack's sneaking suit, examined her cracked ribs, and treated them very carefully. She was wrapped up tight in an immobilizing bandage, and he made a make-shift collar brace for her neck which was badly bruised. He made sure to take a long, strong bandage and wrap it multiple times around Apple Jack's feet and fore hooves... restraining her much like the way the Unicorns were tied up. Once done, he pulled her sneaking suit back up, leaving her head and neck uncovered by the suit, and moved on to Pinkie Pie.


* * *


Apple Jack woke up looking at a dark hazy figure looming over another dark form on the ground with a pink face and tail... her eyes refocused to see Ironhoof was wiping the blood off Pinkie's face.

"Get away from her!" Cried Apple Jack, trying to get up. This time the pain was even more intense, and she would have made it to her hooves if it weren't for the additional restraints. "Stop it right now! Consarn it!"

"Apple Jack!" All of her friends exclaimed, excitedly.

"Ah, you're up!" The Butler replied. "She has a few cuts in her mouth... I'm simply disinfecting them... she's going to be alright."

"Don't you hurt her!"

"I knocked you both out," replied Ironhoof, proudly. "You almost killed me, but you failed. You are now all the Mistress's property."

"What the hay do you mean 'the Mistress's property'?"

"You came in, we captured you... you are our prisoners and you're all going to endure the same treatment your rainbow-maned friend did..." He pointed over to Rainbow Dash. "Look at her to get an idea of what we're going to do to you."

AJ looked over at her friend, her friend who she fought to get to... in lighter times she would have laughed. Hanging before her, on some type of strange bondage table Apple Jack couldn't make heads or tails of, was Rainbow Dash... dressed like an infant in a tie-dye onesie. The farm pony was speechless.

"What... did they do to you, Rainbow?" She finally asked.

"They put me in this table so I can't move!" Replied the rainbow-maned mare. "They treat me like a foal-- bottle feed me, put diapers on me, and won't let me out... not even to use the toilet!"

"That's about right," said added Ironhoof, pointing to the side. "Except once or twice a week you are all to get some exercise and engage in 'play time' for a few hours... of course, you're going to be in the state of your yellow friend over there."

Apple Jack didn't need to see who he was talking about to place a face to that description:

"Fluttershy?"

The orange pony looked over at the yellow mare, who was laying on her stomach, rocking from side to side. She had a onsie on, like Rainbow, and a pacifier in her mouth. Her eyes looked... disturbingly empty, like there was no pony home. Her back end was somewhat raised due to her being on her knees... Apple Jack could tell she'd been diapered, too.

"I injected her with a sedative and hallucination hybrid... for a few hours she will be docile and suggestible. It impairs one's higher cognitive functions, making the most violent of ponies harmless as a foal. You had best believe you will get one too." Ironhoof looked to each captive pony, putting away his tools. "Once a week at least you will all get a shot."

The Butler Pony turned to his Mistress:

"It is time to set up the tables!"


* * *


With all of the Mane 6 either incapacitated or tied up, the area cleaned, Ironhoof and Buttercup went to work. Unfourtnately, with a broken foot Ironhoof was much slower in this task than he would have been otherwise... but he still continued, with his Mistress's help. It took them 45 minutes to set up the first table, during which time Pinkie Pie awoke:

"What's going on...?" She asked Apple Jack, weakly, as she wriggled around in her restraints.

"We've been captured, Pinkie," replied AJ. "I'm not so sure we're gunna make it outta this one..."

Pinkie looked around -- at Rainbow, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Apple Jack... -- she couldn't make any sense of this mess.

"Am I dreaming?"

"No," said Twilight, trying to squirm free. "We've been captured and we're in serious trouble!"

"Pinkie, you tried to save me," said Dash. "You got caught... don't you remember?"

"Yeah... why are you in a onsie?"

"It's what they wanted to do to me, Pinkie... you're going to get one, too."

The pink mare squinted, focusing between Dash's legs, going back and forth between Rainbow and Fluttershy:

"Are you...?"

"Yes, Pinkie..." Said Rarity, her eyes wide. "They're wearing diapers! They're doing it to them for the sake of being cruel and we're next!"

The pink mare's zest suddenly turned sour, her poofy hair lost it's friz, turning straight.. and finally her smile turned to a frown:

"That's awful."

"Please keep yer spirits up, Pinkie," said Apple Jack, giving the party mare a warm nuzzle. "We're not going to take this laying down."

"That's exactly how you're going to take it," said Buttercup with a mean smile, as she and Ironhoof turned to Fluttershy and picked her up. "It's going to be a while yet, but each of is going in a table. I guarantee it."

The rest of the Mane 6 looked on as the drooling Fluttershy was loaded into a table, the restraints clicked closed. Buttercup picked the pascfier up off the floor, as it had fallen, and stuck it back in the yellow mare's mouth... she proceeded to suck on it like an infant foal.

"At least you have each other," said Ironhoof, turning back to Buttercup. "Who should be next?"

"That one," said Buttercup, pointing at Pinkie Pie. "I like the way she looks right now... I want to set up the table before we do anything else."

"As you wish."

Buttercup went back upstairs, leaving Ironhoof to guard the mares.

Another table would be set up, each piece was brought down and assembled by the waiting Butler. This time it took longer, since he was starting to get tired, but no pony down there slept despite the fact that the sun would be coming up soon.

They all felt a need as they sat there... a need all creatures have. Rarity felt it first, followed by Twilight, then Apple Jack... and finally Pinkie Pie. They all had to pee, but kept quiet about it at first, until Rarity spoke up:

"Buttercup, as your friend... I'd like to make a request of you."

"You are not my friend, Miss Rarity," Buttercup said coldly, gazing into the Unicorn's eyes with rancor. "You are still welcome to try asking for something... what is it?"

"I have to, well... use the little filly's room. I know that there's no way any of us are actually going to get to the filly's room, so I was wondering if--"

"Who else has to use the little filly's room?"

They all murmured a similar request, except for Pinkie Pie who just sat there... Rainbow Dash knew it was hopeless, having quietly acknowledged that with another warm, tingly release when she had to go.

"If you have to go, go in your suits. We are too busy to care for you right now."

"But Miss Buttercup!" Shrieked a horrified Rarity. "At least have the decency to diaper us first..."

"She's right!" Said Twilight. "It's the only sanitary thing to do..."

Buttercup's cruel smile peeked through her otherwise kind features:

"No."

She then went back to helping Ironhoof set up the almost finished table.


* * *


"Girls... I'm here." Said Rainbow Dash. "I kinda already had to do something like this... It's pretty embarrassing, but it's not the end of the world."

"Just remember if we're going to do it... we all have to do it," said Twilight. "That won't make it as bad."

While Rainbow and Twilight were trying to comfort their friends, Pinkie Pie was the first to give in... she didn't say anything and her sour expression didn't change as she peed her suit. Apple Jack felt the warmth spreading through the carpet over towards her:

"Gross, Pinkie!" AJ exclaimed, trying to move away from the pink mare. She suddenly sighed... and then stopped pushing away. "Yeah, well... I guess there really ain't no point in holding it any longer..."

Apple Jack lowered her head in shame and blushed. She then wet her suit the same way Pinkie had. Her insides and kidneys had suffered a lot of abuse that night... and it felt so good to finally let go after being tossed around by those dogs and hurled down the stairs. She knew she was pretty much peeing in her pants, but she didn't have much of a choice, so she made the most of the awful experience being with her friends.

Twilight was next. She knew holding it was futile, and after seeing AJ and Pinkie do it, it didn't look that hard. It would be over in a good ten seconds -- the thin black material wouldn't show it too easily, it would just feel wet. Maybe it would dry quickly? She sighed, biting her lip and pushing a bit. She felt the same warm, tingly release all her friends had. It was indeed a very humiliating thing to do, but once it was done, she felt better. She felt wet and eventually that wetness would cool... but she no longer had a full bladder on her mind at least.

All eyes were on Rarity.

"What?"

"You were the one makin' the request for the little filly's room," said Apple Jack.

"Well, yeah..."

"Rarity," whispered Twilight. "They may hold off on putting protection on you because you're holding it in and suffering. They seem like those kinds of ponies!"

"They are." Said Rainbow Dash.

Rarity paused, blushing.

"What's the matter?" Asked Twilight.

"I reckon she doesn't have to pee, Twi," said Apple Jack. "But do somethin' else..."

Rarity was quick to defend herself:

"Oh, I do! I do! I just... well, I have to do both."

"I'm surprised you didn't do both when the dogs were on ya..."

"I'm surprised I didn't either," replied the Unicorn, looking down at the torn fabric on her leg. "I suppose I have to, don't I? After what you girls just did...?"

"Simmer down there, Sugar Cube... you don't have to do anything you don't want to on account of us. It's gunna happen sooner or later, though, if we can't get out of here."

"You won't think as well with this on your mind," said Twilight. "Do what you think is best... my gears are turning, however."

Rarity winced.

"Turning gears? Twilight, you haven't the foggiest of what to do and neither do I!"

"That's very discouraging talk, now."

Twilight lowered her head... it was discouraging but true.

Rarity looked down at her crotch.

"My sincerest apologies for the second half of this." She said, sighing, releasing her bladder and feeling the warmth quickly grow. A puddle formed between her legs as her tail lifted... it felt gross but Rarity knew she didn't have a choice. It wasn't any massive amount, but felt sticky, gross and warm.

It was now Twilight's turn to sigh, just as Buttercup and Ironhoof turned their attention to Pinkie -- a diaper, onesie, and syringe on hoof. They all watched in horror as their pink friend with the straight mane was stripped, diapered, and sedated in under thirty seconds. They didn't even need to hold her down for the shot. Pinkie didn't voice a single iota of objection. In minutes they knew her eyes would glaze over, though she was already mentally somewhere else... not that it made any difference. As Pinkie's pupils began to widen, Ironhoof loosened her bonds and Buttercup pulled the onesie over her head.

"Rarity..." Whipsered Twilight sadly. "You were right. I don't know what to!"

Buttercup then turned Rarity, looking down between her legs... her nose wrinkling as she approached. She pulled a diaper from the cabinet, along with wipes and foalpowder, then got down on the ivory mare's level. She locked eyes with her and asked a question:

"How does it feel, Rarity? Your clothing is full of horse apples, you went wee-wee in it... you have to feel something, don't you? Does it feel disgusting?"

In response Rarity stared at the floor, biting her lip. She shook her head from side to side.

"Perhaps I should leave like that for a few hours, but I think getting changed in front of your conscious friends will feel a bit more... personal." Buttercup began to tug at her suit, exposing more of her ivory coat to the light. "You're got such pretty legs." She said, rubbing Rarity's thigh, all the way to her Cutie Mark. The mare winced just as she stopped just shy of the modest load in Rarity's suit. "Don't worry... Mommy's going to take good care of you!"

Buttercup stripped Rarity in one sweet motion. The mare was wearing a pair of light blue panties underneath that contained the mess almost as well as a diaper. Stripping her of that she cleaned the dung off her bottom in a few quick wipes. The mare closed her eyes as the diaper came out, feeling it being slid under her well-toned rump and wrapped around her flank. She thought about her family, her dreams... a tear rolled down her cheek. Over time In Buttercup's care Rarity's physique would lose its firmness, but so would all of theirs. She felt Buttercup sprinkling a tiny bit of foalpowder inside of the diaper, rubbing the inside of her thigh... for longer than was necessary. Then the golden mare pulled the padding up between her legs. With the exception of Ironhoof not one pony watched... though they heard everything, including the small whimpers escaping their friend that she wanted to keep to herself. Rarity was diapered.

"Such a cutie." Said Buttercup, beeping Rarity's nose.

She felt both of Buttercup's forehooves on her shoulders and heard another pony approach. She looked up.

Standing there was Ironhoof, holding a out syringe. Rarity continued to look up, unblinkingly, as he stuck the end of it into her shoulder and pushed in the plunger. It hurt a little, though not nearly as much as her encounter with the dogs... she didn't even wince. She knew from looking at Fluttershy and Pinkie shortly everything would fade away. She would then be put in a onesie, probably restrained on a table soon, and the rest of the group would follow.

Buttercup turned to Apple Jack

"You're next." She said, with a smirk. "Ironhoof, you really respect her?"

"Yes. She nearly killed me."

"Then she's yours to care for... keep her clean and healthy. I don't want her. Should you ever tire of this, give her something lethal."

"That will not happen." Ironhoof said, as Buttercup passed him a diaper. He looked down at Apple Jack, tearing a hole in her sneaking suit for easy removal. "I will keep you healthy and soon, I will also break you. Tell me, why did you come here?"

"To save ma friend!" Apple Jack erupted.

Ironhoof opened the diaper and stuck it under the farm pony's rump. He didn't answer her, rather looked over his shoulder to see Buttercup removing Twilight's very wet sneaking suit and positioning her bottom half so that she would be easiest to diaper. The unicorn struggled, but it was all in vain... the bonds were too tight and she knew she couldn't use her magic down here.

"You love her, don't you?" He asked Apple Jack, reaching for the next supply.

Apple Jack did not answer. She sat their, awkwardly restrained, waiting for what he was going to do next... there was nothing she could do.

As they powdered up the last of their victims, Buttercup let out a warm sigh:

"I'm going to take good care of my babies, and it appears so will Ironhoof. You'll always be together... forever and ever. Mommy promises."


Coda


One month later...

Laying back Buttercup was in heaven. Pinkie snuggled up on her left, Fluttershy on her right, their mouths dripping with warm milk, kissing uk against her neck. Rarity and Twilight each suckled on a nipple... each of them already growing plump from a predominantly high-fat liquid diet coming directly from Buttercup's bosom. Their eyes were closed, yet their pupils were wide. Not a clean diaper in the room... all of them more than just wet. It had started to become second nature for all the mares, even when not anesthetized. Front and center was Rainbow Dash, who got a special treat after drinking her fill -- Buttercup's pie, lower, juicer. It was instinctive for her in this state to lick, kiss and suckle aggressively on anything put in front of her. All would have a turn at her nethers as weeks went on... Fluttershy had been the last and Rarity was already selected for next week's end of play season. Buttercup had to admit, next to the Rainbow-maned mare, she was probably the most attractive... especially like this.

As for Applejack she was in the same boat as her friends, but sucking on a bottle instead of a boob... her diaper loaded, wet; pupils wide and indifferent to the fact. Ironhoof didn't tend to keep her in dirty diapers for every long, but there's no way he'd interrupt feeding time or what would come next for that. This was his time to relax alongside his mistress, receiving what he deserved for all the hard work. He wasn't able to get much out of the farm pony, but he knew she hated his guts... he could see that on her face when she wasn't under the influence. He had a camera with him, and this wasn't the first time he'd done this with her -- when the bottle was empty he removed it, and she continued to make the sucking motion with her lips. He held out a hoof and she began to suckle on that. He looked over at Buttercup, who nodded approvingly, then he directed the farm pony's face towards his lap, where (once she found the intended target), resumed happily suckling again. He took a picture each time, just so he could show Apple Jack after she came to... he'd take another one a few minutes later, so he could show Apple Jack how far she'd gone each time and how she seemed to enjoy it. Soon Applejack would get her desert... in more ways than one.

Both Ironhoof and his mistress smiled, allowing the bliss to take them once it did. They'd truly won.