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Chapter 1: Trapped in the Sky

The enemy's flagship sailed above the plains of Equestria with grim purpose. Twilight squinted across the horizon as Canterlot emerged through the haze. The Storm King's airships circled the city like hungry vultures and choked the sky with black smoke. So many ponies had counted on Twilight to save the day, but rather than returning as a hero she would arrive in a cage.

The clangs of her captor's iron hooves drew near. Tempest gloated in victory, yet for all her pretensions as a blackhearted commander she had revealed a weakness. Hidden under all the metal and scars was a lost mare who wanted to find her place in the world and make a real friend. This was Twilight's new mission. Maybe her last.

"Face it, Princess," Tempest said. "Friendship has failed you too."

Pinkie Pie's crestfallen face haunted her memory. Twilight had abandoned her friends at the edge of the world, and all of Equestria might soon pay the price for her arrogance, but she had to summon the courage to move past her mistakes. "Friendship didn't fail me. I failed friendship."

Tempest strut across the deck as her broken horn sparked with crackling energy. "Don't beat yourself up, Princess. You're smart and resourceful. You carried that gang of imbeciles across a whole continent with me hot on your cute little tail."

"I'm a princess because of my friends. If only you could see--"

Tempest pulled a lever that dropped the cage flat against the deck and knocked Twilight off balance. Tempest reached through the bars, cupped Twilight's chin in her hoof, and spoke in a reassuring tone. "After being cast out you'll blame yourself for not measuring up, but you'll soar higher without anyone weighing you down. Trust me."

Twilight blinked and stammered as she lost herself in the piercing gaze from such an imposing figure--the mare who led armies, the mare who conquered nations, the mare who could do anything to her she wanted. An intoxicating thrill dulled her mind while Tempest rubbed along her jaw and down her neck. The steady drone of the airship's propellers mesmerized her further into a helpless trance.

A cool gust of wind swept across the deck and jolted Twilight back to reality. What's wrong with me?

Twilight took a deep breath in preparation for what may be her last chance at setting things right. "I know one thing that doesn't measure up: Equestria."

Tempest's ears perked at the provocative statement, but her cold eyes narrowed into a skeptical glare. "Elaborate."

"When I was a filly they taught us Equestria was perfect, and like everyone else I actually believed them. But then I grew older and traveled beyond Canterlot's gilded towers, out where the rest of ponykind lived, and you know what I saw? Pain, isolation, and ponies struggling to find their place. You have every right to be angry, because Equestria broke its promises and cast you aside, just like so many others."

Tempest's eyes widened. She didn't expect such bitter truths from a princess.

Twilight continued with a firmer tone. "But your horn isn't worth restoring if the cost is hurting the innocent. The only way to rid yourself of that empty feeling is working with others to make the world a better place--for everyone."

Tempest looked away. "It's too late for that. I wouldn't even know how."

Twilight offered her hoof through the bars. "Then let me show you."

Tempest opened her mouth, but words were in short supply. She stared down at the deck for quite some time before lifting her gaze to Twilight's outstretched hoof. Their manes flowed in the wind as they stood together in silence. Tempest's somber face brightened into a burgeoning smile, and Twilight's heart soared from the breakthrough--further proof that compassion and understanding always prevailed.

Tempest threw back her head and howled with laughter, a strained cackle from a mare who rarely expressed anything but contempt. "You princesses sure can deliver motivational speeches. Is this how you convince the peons to do your bidding?"

Twilight wanted to sink through the floor, but she couldn't give up. A flock of colorful birds flew alongside the airship, and their swarming numbers inspired a rush of confidence. "We ponies have a great many allies. They'll attack from all directions and overwhelm you."

"Your concern is appreciated, but unwarranted. We've prepared for all contingencies."

"What's your genius plan for when the dragons burn your fleet to ashes?"

Tempest studied the horizon. "By day's end the Storm Empire will be the world's unquestioned power. If you wish to see our battle plans you need only wait."

The airship chugged closer to Canterlot by the minute. Winding rivers flowed across Equestria's verdant heartland like unraveling scrolls, and on their banks sat countless villages filled with the hopes and dreams of their citizens. Twilight reared up on her hind legs, pointed at their motherland, and shouted in desperation. "You think ponies will love you after this? You'll be history's biggest traitor. Your name will be a curse."

"Let them curse and spit and sing their miserable songs. I wear their contempt as a badge of honor."

Twilight slumped down the bars and her voice drew quiet. "So that's it. You don't think you're good enough for anyone's love, and you want to keep it that way out of spite."

Tempest sneered. "You've read too many psychology books."

"I don't need a book to know that destroying your birthplace won't make you whole."

Tempest pinned her ears. "Are all princesses this melodramatic? A change in management isn't the apocalypse."

"I traveled through your Empire. I saw refugees, shattered cities, and the downtrodden struggling in a world of misery and fear."

Tempest took a deep breath and exhaled. "The Storm Empire has brought order to lawless lands and vanquished evils greater than you know. If you value Equestria you want someone like me protecting it."

The excuses piled higher and higher into a fortress of dizzying sophistry. Twilight pressed between the bars and spoke in a soft tone. "It's not too late to change. Equestria isn't perfect, but forgiveness is our most celebrated virtue."

Tempest pointed at Twilight's face. "You'd say anything to save your skin. If you could, you'd throw me overboard and cheer as I fell to my doom."

"That's not true."

"Listen, Princess--"

"Please, call me Twilight."

Tempest's horn crackled with white hot energy. "I'll call you whatever I damn well please, Princess. You've been nothing but a pain in my ass."

"I want to help you."

A torrent of electricity burst from Tempest's horn and tore through Twilight's body. Her muscles convulsed in searing agony until she went limp and fell in a heap. Mocking laughter rained down from above.

"You can't even help yourself, Princess."

A buzzing excitement flooded Twilight's extremities as the fading electrical currents danced across her skin. The blinding attack sapped her strength and rendered her helpless before this wicked mare, but the worst part was that realization gave her such an intense rush. The bewitching sweetness of ozone invaded her nostrils and brought memories of pegasi gathering storm clouds on the outskirts of Ponyville. Twilight braced herself against the cage as she struggled to rise on shaky legs.

Tempest circled the cage with a domineering stride. Her ruby tail swished and jerked as she studied Twilight's pathetic attempt to steady herself. "Mmm, I rather enjoy watching you cower before me. You're already so good at it." A cold fire burned in Tempest's eyes as she ogled Twilight's figure without a hint of shame. Twilight gasped and pulled her tail against her rump in a last ditch effort to shield her modesty.

Tempest stood on her hind legs and leaned against the cage. "It's too bad a pretty little mare like you is such an insufferable know-it-all. It's about time someone taught you humility."

Stunned, Twilight fell back on her haunches. Tempest couldn't possibly mean--

"You're wrong about them hating me, by the way. Power attracts supplicants and worshipers, and you'll be there with the rest of them kissing my hooves and begging for mercy."

Twilight gulped. Despite her best efforts she had only marked herself as a target for Tempest's pent up frustrations.

Tempest marched toward the heavy wooden door to the ship's interior, wrenched it open, and glanced back with a playful smile before disappearing into the shadows. "Don't go anywhere, Princess."

Another gust of freezing wind engulfed Twilight and tossed her mane into a tangled mess. She just couldn't win today. Despite the setback, there was no reason to change her approach. The dormant spirit of friendship would only awaken if Twilight treated Tempest with sympathy.

Still, what did she mean by teaching her humility? Twilight closed her eyes while dark desires simmered just below the surface of her psyche. These feelings of helplessness awakened fantasies she had always tried to push down, fantasies of powerless and frailty, and she feared Tempest glimpsed that weakness before she could hide behind her tail.

Twilight's restless imagination conjured a vision of the Canterlot Castle hallways in the dead of night. Silver moonlight bathed the marble corridors with ethereal pools of sanctuary in a sea of shadows. Tempest emerged from the darkness and beamed a sick predatory smile. Twilight galloped with all her might but couldn't get away, always losing ground, never strong enough to make a stand and defend herself. They raced through the sacred hall of stained glass windows until her stamina failed, and then Tempest leaped and pinned her to the plush carpet. Below Twilight's own portrait, Tempest smothered her with an oppressive strength, kissed her with abandon, forced her legs open, then reached down between her thighs and--no, no, no!

Shameful shivers ran through Twilight. Where were these depraved flights of fancy coming from? The Friendship Festival must be to blame. The planning, the details, the worrying, it had consumed so much energy, and she had failed to attend to her needs for far too long. Or maybe the electrical attack messed with her nerves, or this stupid wind was giving her hypothermia, whatever the case, it certainly wasn't because she actually wanted Tempest to do those perverted things. If only she could--

"Gah!"

The cage lurched forward and Twilight stumbled along with it. A storm soldier was shoving the prison across the deck while squinting at her with beady eyes. After a final push the metal enclosure docked against the hallway with a bone rattling thud. Tempest's hooves darted from behind and grabbed Twilight's throat, and in their brief struggle Tempest slipped a metallic band around Twilight's horn.

"This is a magic limiter of my own design, so don't get any bright ideas."

The prison door flew open and Tempest stepped through the entrance with a devilish grin. Twilight tugged at the device, but it wouldn't budge. She summoned her telekinesis, but her horn only produced a fizzle of useless purple sparks.

"You're a poor listener," Tempest said as she advanced. "But I can fix that."

Twilight considered spinning around and kicking as hard as she could, but Tempest was such a battle hardened mare there's no way that would work. Tempest closed the gap one metallic step at a time and forced Twilight to cower in the back of the cage. Twilight prayed for a miracle, some bolt from the blue to save her, but she was all alone with this sinister mare. She clenched her eyes shut and steeled herself for a crippling attack.

Twilight's heart leaped into her throat as cold armor pressed against her sides. "P-Please, don't do... whatever it is you're thinking."

Tempest's mouth hovered next to Twilight's ear. "What exactly would you like me to do, Princess?" Tempest discarded an iron shoe and caressed her naked hoof along the contour of Twilight's back before stopping just short of her tail. A fuzzy warmness spread through Twilight's chest, as if--against all evidence--everything was going to be all right. Tempest's hoof glided up Twilight's neck and brushed her windswept mane back into place in a surprising display of affection.

Tempest threw a foreleg around Twilight's shoulder and embraced her in a one sided hug. "Isn't this nice? Who knows, maybe we really can be friends."

Twilight opened her eyes with trepidation. "Really?"

"Of course. Look, I even brought you a present. Friends give each other presents, right?" Tempest produced a gray metal case and slid it in front of Twilight. "Go ahead, open it."

Twilight ignited her horn, but nothing happened. Duh, the limiter still blocked her magic. She reached down, popped the lid, and peered inside. A tiny cushion held up something dark and circular with a gleaming metal ring, but what in the world was it? Twilight's blood ran cold. It was a slave choker.

Tempest snapped the restraint around Twilight's neck and fastened it to a small chain leading to a silver band on her foreleg. "I'm afraid back in Canterlot I crushed your crown, but you look much better in a collar."

Wide eyed, Twilight held the chain in her shaking hooves. This couldn't be happening.

"Look on the bright side. I'll be the one friend you can't lose today." Tempest yanked at the harness and brought Twilight stumbling into the dingy hallway. "Step lively, Princess. I want to show you something."

Twilight followed the chain into the grimy metal corridor. She kept several steps behind so as not to crowd into Tempest's personal space, but she also made sure not to fall behind. The more obedience she displayed the more the pressure around her neck eased. They passed leaking pipes and red fumes wafting through grates in the floor. That couldn't be healthy. Tempest's rigid trot transformed into an easy saunter as her hips swayed back and forth. "Turning you to stone would have been a waste. Maybe instead I'll keep you as a pet and parade you through the streets of Canterlot on this leash. What would your friends think about that?"

One moment Tempest revealed a hint of tenderness, and then without warning she descended into jeering mockery. If Twilight kept prodding Tempest to examine her choices she might fly off the handle and do something really crazy. Maybe pretending to be a debased captive and waiting for an opening was the best strategy.

Tempest glanced back and caught Twilight staring at her rear end. "That isn't what I wanted to show you, Princess." Wait, that wasn't right, Twilight was just lost in thought, certainly not admiring Tempest's shapely rump, but she was too flustered to say anything in her defense. Twilight's face flushed with heat while Tempest chuckled to herself. Pathetic. This couldn't get much more embarrassing.

The rotund mole-like creature named Grubber waddled around the corner, preoccupied with a half-eaten slice of cake. As soon as he saw Tempest he froze and hid the treat behind his back.

"I'll be interrogating the princess in my quarters," Tempest said. "Don't interrupt me unless it's important."

Grubber's eyes darted from side to side. "Uh, right--interrogating--of course." He gave a quick salute and a "yes, ma'am" before shuffling back around the corner.

Tempest guided Twilight through a rusted door, shut it behind her, and latched it with a heavy iron bar.

The wood paneled room was an upgrade compared to the hallway, but its aggressively utilitarian aesthetic would drive Rarity to tears. The only hint of artistry was the bed wedged into the corner, which was covered in a navy blue comforter emboldened with the Storm King's insignia. Tempest pulled down the blanket, revealed a pine green sheet, and beckoned Twilight to sit next to her along the edge. What choice did she have? The mattress sank as she plopped down.

Tempest removed the silver cuff from her own hoof and placed it around a bar in the metal headboard and--SNAP!--locked it tight. The chain held just enough slack so Twilight could crawl a meager distance without choking.

The vibrations of distant machinery reverberated through the room, and occasionally the whole ship groaned after hitting a patch of turbulence. An oppressive tension filled the air as the reality of the situation sank in Twilight's stomach. Forget waiting for an opening, she had to get out sooner rather than later. "This ship sure is impressive. I'd love to see the uh, engine room."

Tempest raised an eyebrow. "Good try, but no."

Twilight scanned the room, looking for anything to buy time, and spotted a modest bookshelf near the end of the bed. "So, read any good books lately?"

The mattress rose as Tempest stood up. She strolled to the shelf and appraised her collection. "Most of these are formal treatises about war and grand strategy and aren't exactly gripping yarns--except this one." She pulled out a worn tome with a blue cover and flipped through it. "The Old Spirit," she said with a hushed reverence. "It's about a skilled warrior who travels far from home to fight in the war. When she returns, she can't find her family or any of her friends. She wanders all over searching for them, but the war destroyed her country and everything is different than how she remembers it. She's a stranger in her own land."

"Wow, that sounds like some story. How does it end?"

Tempest snapped the book shut. "It doesn't. She keeps searching and never finds anything."

Twilight slumped. "Oh."

"She tried to be honorable and live the right way, and the world punished her for it. There's no miracles, no salvation, and no happy ending. It's perfect." Tempest returned the book to the shelf and stood in front of Twilight. "As your gracious host I should offer you a drink, but we run a dry operation. How about water?"

Twilight's gaze fell to the gritty metal floor, and her voice was low and rebellious. "Not thirsty."

Tempest looked down at Twilight with a detached amusement. "You know, I've been thinking, maybe parties aren't such a waste of time. We could have one, just you and me."

"What would we celebrate?"

"Your capture, of course. Oh, and our budding friendship."

"Friends don't chain each other to their beds."

"No? Silly me." Tempest strode to the opposite wall and peered through the lonely porthole. The sun brightened her face and the mocking edge in her voice melted away to a disarming sincerity. "But friends do talk to each other about their problems, right?"

Eager to help, even if the odds were poor, Twilight scooted down the edge of the bed. "Friends can't always solve your problems, but a sympathetic ear makes them more bearable."

Tempest gestured to a bureau covered in maps and documents. "This is where I planned the assault on Canterlot, from the logistics down to the invasion routes. Every last little detail is right there." She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I practiced my fighting routine for hours at a time, day after day, until my body ached and my hooves gave out, because I knew I would only get one shot. Have you ever thrown yourself into a project for so long that you neglected the rest of your life? The rest of your needs?"

This was a dangerous path. "Probably. Who hasn't, right?"

Tempest's armor shimmered as she stepped through the sunlight and faced her. "Like the Friendship Festival?"

"Uh, well, not exactly." Twilight forced a smile.

"Sorry for ruining your party, by the way. I bet it was a barrel of laughs." Tempest stepped closer, much too close, and Twilight fell backward onto the bed. "The other ponies live such carefree lives while you're always battling to protect them. That must be exhausting." Tempest climbed onto the bed and straddled her between powerful thighs. The mattress creaked under their combined weight, and the cold metal suit pressed against her stomach. "I've had to fight and scrap for everything I've ever had. You wouldn't believe the things I've done out there to survive."

Twilight lay helpless as Tempest crawled closer and closer. Those turquoise eyes stared straight through her.

"And now that I'm on top it's time to take what's mine."

Warm desire bloomed between Twilight's legs and rippled up her body. No, not here, not like this. If Tempest found out--she couldn't. Twilight struggled to drown it out, to think of anything else, but she couldn't focus while she felt so small and weak between Tempest's sturdy thighs.

Tempest leaned down and whispered in her ear. "You're going to do exactly what I say. Understand?"

Twilight whimpered and gave a meek nod.

Tempest chuckled. "Don't be afraid, Princess. You're going to learn a lot about yourself today."

Tempest rolled off to the side and pointed at the headboard. "Lay there and make yourself comfortable." Twilight blinked, scared to move, scared to make a mistake, scared to reveal her shameful urges. Tempest dragged her up the bed by the shoulders and propped her against the pile of pillows. "Don't move."

Maybe she could do that.

Tempest departed the bed, then stretched and let out a long groan. "It gets really hot and sweaty under this armor, especially after a long day of chasing stubborn princesses."

Tempest lifted the chest plate over her head and dropped it to the ground with a clang. She peeled away her pauldrons and kicked off her iron shoes into a growing pile of metal. The way Tempest squeezed out of her armor brought to mind Fluttershy's hermit crabs leaving their shells. Clad only in her skintight suit, Tempest rubbed her thighs together, then leaned against the bed and met Twilight's gaze.

"Ah, feels better already. What do you think?"

Twilight didn't want to stare. She stole a glance and then turned away, but found herself irresistibly drawn back to the curve hugging fabric. "Your outfit looks uh, comfortable. For combat, that is. Very efficient."

Tempest pulled the suit's neckline down her body, stepped through the expanding gap, wiggled her butt to free herself, and dropped the dark garment to the floor. Twilight raised her hoof and muffled a gasp. Bruises and blemishes marred Tempest's torso, and a terrible scar forked down her right side like a lightning bolt.

"Victory has a price, Princess. Never forget that."

A rough and tumble life had sculpted Tempest's figure into a spellbinding physique. The combination of soft curves and rippling muscles in her chest and shoulders robbed Twilight of rational thought and made her feel jittery all over. The tension in Tempest's long legs and sturdy neck revealed how she performed such dazzling feats of agility, not to mention how she moved Twilight with barely any effort.

Tempest clambered into bed, crawled between Twilight and the wooden wall, and propped herself up on an elbow. Twilight pressed her legs together and stared at the ceiling--a tapestry of gray metal crisscrossed with welded seams. Tempest's tail brushed along Twilight's leg and tickled her. "Look at me, Princess."

Twilight blinked. Tempest's dark body sloped back to wide hips and shapely thighs. Multi-colored fireworks adorned her flank. "Um, nice cutie mark."

"Come on, Princess, just admit you like looking at my butt."

Gawking at Tempest's body would only invite further humiliation, but Twilight couldn't stand to meet her eyes either. Running out of options, Twilight fixated on the ruined stump atop her forehead.

"I don't like ponies staring at my horn."

Twilight snapped her gaze to the bed.

"No worries. You can look wherever you want." Tempest lowered her head and allowed Twilight to peer over the crater's jagged rim into a hollow that went deeper than expected.

Twilight's forehead throbbed with sympathy pain. "Does it hurt?"

"Only when I use it."

"I'm so sorry, about your horn, about everything. I can't imagine what you've been through."

A single spark jumped from Tempest's horn. "I don't want your pity, Princess. I want your surrender."

Twilight lifted the chain. "But I'm your prisoner. I've already surrendered."

Tempest flashed a devious smile. "Not yet you haven't."

---

Chapter 2: Shocking Temptation

The walls were closing in. Nowhere to go. No one to help. There had to be something Twilight could say, some magic combination of words that would make Tempest see the light. "You want to control others because you've never felt in control of your own life, but no matter how much you conquer, no matter how many ponies you bend to your will, you won't find happiness this way."

"Your lectures amuse me, Princess. Perhaps you should turn that brilliant lens around and examine yourself. Or are you afraid of what you'd find?"

Tempest shifted so close their coats frizzed together. Twilight froze as Tempest reached out and played with the tuft of fur on her chest, first pressing it down, then whipping it back into a curly mess.

"You hate your responsibilities," Tempest said. "You're terrified of falling short and disappointing everyone. You've always had to play the part of the obedient good girl, and the pressure to conform has reached a breaking point." Twilight squirmed under Tempest's touch as the wandering hoof traveled down her chest and over the swell of her belly, threatening to descend even further and discover the shameful secret of her desire.

Tempest veered away and stroked up and down her side in a slow massage. "A raging storm consumed your world, and now you're lost in the wilderness searching for shelter. All you've ever known was a strong mare's leadership, so it's only natural that you crave my protection, my order, my discipline."

The brazen confidence in Tempest's voice ignited Twilight's secret warmth into a throbbing heat. These were wicked lies, yet Twilight's body still betrayed her. Some sick part of her wanted to fall into Tempest's inviting strength just to see what would happen, just to taste her lips and feel those forelegs wrap around and hold her tight. Succumbing to these fantasies would be so easy, so wonderful, and so wrong.

"I see the confusion in your eyes, Princess." Tempest moved closer, her mouth mere inches away, her words just above a whisper. "You're trapped in a prison of your own making. Let me free you."

This was Twilight's chance to say something, but she was too feeble in the presence of this powerful mare and her wild ruby mane, just like all those dirty dreams she pushed down and pretended didn't exist. Tempest leaned in and parted her lips. Twilight recoiled and stammered. "Wait, wait, we can still just--"

Tempest drove her into the pillow with a forceful kiss to the cheek. Fear and desire mixed into a bewildering cocktail and escaped Twilight's lips as half-hearted protests. Pressing her advantage, Tempest craned her neck upward and kissed Twilight's delicate ear, making it twitch at the unexpected attention. Tempest ran her tongue along the ear's sensitive edge, all the way to the tip, and blew hot breath against the damp skin. Twilight shivered and let out a soft moan.

"I know you want this, Princess. You want to surrender."

Twilight's heart raced faster than all the Wonderbolts put together. She struggled to regain her composure, struggled to speak. "Please--we can't--let's be friends, like you said."

"You couldn't hide from me out there, and you certainly won't hide from me in here."

"It's not too late to stop, it's never too late to--"

Tempest wrapped her lips against Twilight's open mouth. Twilight told herself to stay passive, don't kiss back, don't hug back, don't make a sound, just go limp and pray she realizes this is wrong. Sensing the lack of resistance, Tempest's hot tongue invaded her mouth and brought a fierce flavor. The metal, smoke, and power of the warship had soaked through Tempest's pores and into her essence. Tempest tasted like rust and ruin. Like tea brewed with chains. Like distant lands under the red setting sun. Tempest sucked on Twilight's lower lip and pulled back the tender flesh ever so slightly, then nibbled it before letting go. All Twilight could do was grind her hooves into the mattress and fight her tail's urge to straighten out and unfurl.

Tempest licked her lips and spoke in a playful tone. "You're a terrible kisser, but we can work on that later. For now, let's have a little fun." Tempest's horn flashed to life and strings of weak electricity arced into Twilight's mane like a bad case of static cling. The flowing energy puffed her hair into fuzzy clumps and pulled long strands toward the ceiling. A tingling vibration spread through her scalp and made her smile. Twilight bit down and chewed her cheeks. She didn't want to laugh, didn't want to give Tempest the satisfaction, and then Tempest shot a jolt into her side. The current pulsed below her ribs, digging into her most ticklish spot, and Twilight burst into laughter. The electricity flowed into her like fizzy water and needled her nerves from all directions. Uneasy tension sailed away on warm waves of shaky giggles and snorts, and Twilight's posture opened and loosened as the teasing magic faded.

She was completely defenseless.

Tempest launched a barrage of kisses into Twilight's exposed neck. She planted her lips on the vulnerable skin and sucked with such intensity that she rendered Twilight breathless and dizzy. This was the opening salvo of an invasion campaign, and Twilight's own body was the battlefield. The bristly edge of Tempest's mane brushed along Twilight's chin while Tempest worked her way down and peppered Twilight's chest and tummy with increasingly slobbery kisses. Tempest left a wet trail in her wake as she plundered Twilight's lowlands, snaking side to side, nibbling here, suckling there, until she paused just above Twilight's last defensive line. On the crest of twin hills, dusky tips stood as fortresses against further incursions. Tempest reversed course. Perhaps this was a feigned retreat by an experienced commander, but Twilight still breathed a sigh of relief.

Tempest's nostrils flared as she inhaled Twilight's scent. "Salt, seaweed--of course, the beach, that's where I picked you up. Some hints of that old musty pirate ship, and..." Tempest flashed a wicked smile. "I smell something else, don't I?"

Twilight squeezed her thighs together as hard as she could. The realization that Tempest had finally smelled her desire was humiliating, yet also stoked her inner fire all the hotter. She had to say something to defend herself, to make things clear. "That doesn't mean anything, just because you made me--"

Tempest's relentless tongue laid waste to Twilight's exposed teats. She sucked them one by one, coating the stiff and exquisitely sensitive buds in a dollop of saliva, then pulled away with a knowing grin. "I once feared my horn could only inflict pain and suffering, but after learning control I discovered a secret."

A faint neon glow shone from Tempest's forehead as her eyes squinted in concentration. Thin webs of electricity shot out and zapped Twilight's wet nipples, and she gasped as waves of delicious goosebumps dotted her tender flesh. The tingling buzz of pins and needles blanketed her soft mounds, while deeper inside the ribbons of magic danced through trembling muscles. Twilight was unprepared for this tantalizing trick and felt her resistance slipping. She was both disgusted with herself and impressed by Tempest's use of saliva to increase the magic's conductivity. Each new shock sent an urgent pang of desperation between Twilight's thighs, and the rising heat threatened to boil over and consume the last of her willpower. She seized up in a shaky moan.

"What's the matter?" Tempest asked with mock concern. "Aren't I being a good friend?"

Tempest leaned down and took one of Twilight's tingling nipples in her mouth. Every lick and nibble against Twilight's sensitive peaks sent heated bolts down into her dampening shame. She struggled mightily to tame her tail's wild urges and keep it tight against her rump, but her strength eroded under Tempest's relentless tongue, like a shoreline washing away under the onslaught of the ocean's waves.

Twilight couldn't stand the aching throbs anymore. She spread her legs and exposed her most private place to the enemy.

Tempest pulled back, but didn't say anything. Twilight panted hard and closed her eyes tight. Her face burned with shame and she was horrified at the bead of lust slowly dripping down her butt and onto the bed. She swore she could feel Tempest's gaze between her legs, judging her, mocking her, delighting in her surrender. After what seemed like an eternity, Tempest spoke with a husky voice. "Mmm, I've seen a lot in my travels, but I've never seen a princess's pussy."

The ship hit a patch of turbulence and the cabin shuddered with a metallic groan. Sweat coated Twilight's forehead and rolled down her brow. This wasn't over. She had to stay strong, and she couldn't let Tempest win no matter what. She considered saying something, but it was obvious Tempest wouldn't be deterred by any appeals to decency or morality, and if she struck a defiant tone Tempest would take that as a challenge.

A hint of tongue peeked between Tempest's lips. "Rumor has it you Equestrian ponies eat so many sweets you actually taste like candy. Let's investigate."

Tempest kissed the inside of Twilight's thigh and sucked the plump skin into her mouth, then looped her forelegs under Twilight's rump and held onto her hips from below. Leaving behind a sloppy trail, Tempest kissed and licked up the inside of Twilight's leg closer and closer to her throbbing heat. Tempest's tongue traced around the rim of her vulnerable marehood in a maddening dance--first speeding up, then slowing down, drawing closer to the wonderful center, and then falling away to the barren outskirts. Tempest rose up and pressed Twilight's legs together and kissed the back of her knees, a surprisingly sensitive spot no one had ever touched quite like this before.

Twilight expected to be taunted, overpowered, and maybe even brutalized in a hateful frenzy, but she didn't expect relentless teasing and tender kisses. It took every ounce of strength not to murmur in appreciation.

Tempest spread Twilight's legs and inhaled her scent straight from the source. "Mmm, just one last country to conquer."

That wonderful tongue finally slipped between Twilight's desperate folds and lavished her with attention. Soothing pleasure flooded Twilight's body as Tempest kissed and sucked up and down her soft valley. Twilight's tail bounced and flopped against the bed on its own accord, and her lungs ached and burned as she held a moan in her chest.

A princess must embody the highest virtues of ponykind and tread the path of light, which meant resisting this siren song of sensual sin. If Twilight's weakening dam collapsed she would drown in shame and degradation and be stained forever. Twilight couldn't let her disloyal body poison her mind.

Magic wasn't an option due to the limiter, but Twilight's talent for concentration remained intact. The best way to quiet the storms of the world were mindfulness and meditation. Twilight closed her eyes and slowed her breathing with a series of long drawn out breaths using her diaphragm. The world's dilemmas drained into a gray void, and she floated through the fog to her mental sanctuary. She imagined settling into a cozy chair back at her castle library, where familiar books, the scent of parchment, and a cup of warm tea brought sweet serenity.

These hallmarks of civilization sealed away primitive carnal desires. Tempest's profane assault on her dignity registered as a pleasant massage instead of a vile seduction. All Twilight had to do was lay back and breathe easy while Tempest worked through her issues and hangups. Twilight sighed in satisfaction as she sailed further into a dreamlike state.

But then something terrible happened. That hot tongue brushed against her clitoris.

A wave of bliss crashed through Twilight's world and knocked down several rows of library books. Fixing this mess would be easy if she focused on her breathing, but that cruel tongue kept licking in tight circles around her clit and diving at it again and again. Twilight's breath caught in her throat, and she dropped the tea cup and froze as it shattered to pieces. The comforting lie collapsed all around her and the world's colors radiated back to reality. Tempest's fiery mane stuck out between Twilight's quivering thighs while she licked the underside of Twilight's throbbing clit. There was no more hiding, no more holding back--Twilight threw back her head and let out a lusty moan.

"Ah, so you're not made of stone," Tempest said. "More than I could say for the other princesses."

Twilight scooted back, but Tempest held her steady by the hips. Twilight's clit winked in and out from the cold world and each time it popped out Tempest pounced and swirled her warm tongue over the divinely sensitive pearl.

The last sliver of Twilight's restraint dissolved under Tempest's tongue. Twilight arched her back and pushed into Tempest's face. "Oh, fuck! Fuck! Fuuuck!"

Tempest moaned her approval of Twilight's unraveling right into her slick heat. Mere moments ago Twilight would've been mortified by her heady scent permeating the air, but since her plans for restraint lay in ruins she spread her thighs further and reveled in her debauchery. Sloppy smacking noises echoed through the room as Tempest lapped and nibbled up and down her slippery softness. Tempest's thick tongue dipped inside and drew out another cry of ecstasy, and Tempest greedily sucked and swallowed her sticky juices.

Tempest crudely smacked her lips. "Hmm, you don't taste like candy to me. More like a ripe plum ready to be plucked."

Tempest pulled back Twilight's hood with a gentle tug, then opened her mouth wide and planted an airtight seal around the crown of Twilight's valley--and sucked down hard. The vacuum suction pulled another frenzied moan from Twilight's throat, and the flames of her pleasure roared higher and higher as Tempest's lips and tongue enveloped her needy clit and brought her to the height of a mind blowing--

That's when Tempest pulled away.

Twilight groaned as her blissful blaze went up in smoke. "W-What are you doing?"

Tempest propped herself up, her muzzle slick with Twilight's lust. "I'm teaching you humility and discipline, Princess. Consider this your first lesson." Abandoned to the cold world, Twilight reached down between her legs to remedy the pangs of empty pleasure, but Tempest smacked her hoof away. "I didn't say you could do that. If you're a good girl, maybe, just maybe, I'll let you finish."

A perverse delirium gripped Twilight. She wiggled her butt and whimpered as her marehood throbbed and yearned for something, anything to give her attention. In all her life she had never experienced such a sudden denial in the search for that special satisfaction only a climax could bring. Lustful instincts invaded her thoughts and took over in a panic. She couldn't believe what was coming out of her mouth. "P-Please, tell me how to be a good girl."

"I'm the wrong mare to ask about that," Tempest said. "Shouldn't you know?"

Twilight closed her eyes as her inner heat cooled and faded. Tempest's cruelty was more twisted than she could have ever imagined.

"Careful, Princess. You've stumbled from the path of light and risk falling into shadow. Maybe I can jolt you back into shape."

Tiny bolts poured from Tempest's horn and shocked Twilight's tail. She shuddered and groaned as the currents shot up her spine. The pint sized threads of magic jumped up Twilight's belly and teased her nipples with restless energy, but she needed so much more. Twilight shamelessly shifted her hips in hopes of catching one of the sparks between her legs, but Tempest directed the wisps of electricity so they fell short.

"It appears my aim is off today," Tempest said with barely concealed amusement. "Perhaps I need more practice."

Twilight groaned and splayed her wings against the bed, which only offered new targets for Tempest's next volley of tingling teases. Twilight jerked as the tiny currents swam through her feathers and made them stand on end. At long last a bolt of energy kissed Twilight's needy pussy and brought sweet relief, but that splash of magic was but a drop in the ocean of her desire.

Tempest spoke in a low, sultry tone. "Do you want more? Show me."

Twilight had already swallowed a sample of her pride and found it less bitter than expected, so another helping couldn't hurt. She pulled her tail to the side and spread her legs wide. Tempest breathed in hard, furrowed her brow, and delivered a blinding burst of current right into Twilight's desperate clit. Mouth watering waves of pleasure pulsed between her thighs and sent her into a gasping, panting, heaving fit. The crackling magic lit up the room with a swirling blue light.

Tempest cut off the flow and that rapturous light fell to cruel darkness.

Twilight feared her pleasure would evaporate and leave her with nothing but a cold memory, but Tempest offered another barrage of surging current to keep her hopes alive. With utmost skill, Tempest held her in a tortuous purgatory between the underworld of desire and the heaven of satisfaction. Long torrents of sustained electricity seized Twilight in a rocketing rush towards the stars, while short zaps kept her guessing and unsure of when and where the next jolt would bring another rush of mind bending pleasure. Whenever Twilight came close to the beautiful oasis she was thrown back into the desert, forever taunted by an ever retreating mirage.

The electricity's colors shifted from silver to sapphire and beyond as Tempest molded the magic to whatever design she wished. Pink will-o'-the-wisps flit to and fro like fireflies and left warm ticklish trails. Silver sparks landed on Twilight's dark nipples and popped like tiny electric firecrackers. Twilight might commit these fascinating spells to memory, but a vibrating coil of light engulfed her love button and tugged at the fraying fabric of her mind. Her groans and gasps joined the humming electrical buzz and created a perverted symphony, and Tempest was the conductor.

Tempest's face twisted into a grimace as her horn flashed blue and discharged the most energetic assault yet. The delicious cascade of electricity flooded Twilight's depths and forced her into a string of shameful moans. Twilight's clitoris winked in time with the shocking storm and her pussy throbbed and drooled all over the bed. "Ooh, yes! Don't stop, don't stop!"

Tempest halted the magic and shook her head in disapproval. "I don't think good girls make those kind of noises, Princess."

Breathing heavily, Twilight lifted her butt off the mattress and swished her tail back and forth in a pathetic display. "Please, more. Just a little more."

Tempest's tail jerked to the side, lifted up, and peeked out behind the curve of her rump, just like earlier on the deck. "You know what, Princess? Maybe you're not actually a good girl. Maybe you've just always played the part assigned to you. Isn't that what you've been afraid of this whole time?"

Twilight buried her face in the pillows and groaned.

Tempest almost sounded like she was concerned. "I know it's hard to embrace who you really are instead of what society demands. One day you'll look back at this moment and smile, knowing this is when your life changed for the better, when I pulled back the veil and revealed your true self. Your proper destiny is at my side, and soon you will call me Mistress."

A hot tangle of contradictions throbbed between Twilight's legs. Lies. Wicked lies. She was stronger than this.

"You'll definitely enjoy working under me," Tempest said with a hint of playfulness. "Besides, you're supposed to be the princess with the insatiable curiosity for magic. Aren't you even a little curious about the rest of my techniques?"

Twilight rolled over and met her gaze. "Like what?"

Tempest grinned as her horn flared into a blinding eruption. A burst of white hot electricity rocketed into Twilight's pussy, zoomed up her spine, and drop kicked her brain into an ocean of stinging jellyfish. Twilight let loose a rambling and incoherent stream of curses as Tempest shocked her again and again without mercy. The hypnotic energy glowed with vivid hues as it poured into her body, setting her nerves ablaze, robbing her of all virtue, and reducing her to Tempest's pathetic little puppet. Twilight twisted and seized up in excruciating pleasure before one last arc gripped her clitoris in a dazzling aura that sparked deep down the roots of her femininity and exploded in a flash behind her eyes.

The room spun in circles and reeked of ozone thick as caramel. Twilight gasped for air like she was drowning. "Holy fuck! You're gonna... kill me..."

"But then I wouldn't get to watch you squirm and beg for mercy."

That terrible ache still smoldered in the depths of Twilight' marehood. Tempest had somehow reached into the wellspring of her passions and done everything except give her a climax. Twilight wailed and fell into an even deeper pit of despair.

"Chin up, Princess," Tempest said as she stroked Twilight's leg. "Taking your medicine like that proved to me you're--well, not a good girl exactly, but maybe an adequate girl. You've earned a reward." Tempest leaned over the side of the bed and pulled another metal case from below, set it on the mattress, and lifted the lid. She peered inside, looked back at Twilight, and shrugged. "But if you don't want your reward, I understand."

Twilight perked up. "Maybe you have to be hardass around everyone else, but I know deep down you're a kind and loving mare."

Tempest snickered. "Deep down? Interesting choice of words." She spun the case around and revealed the prize.

A dildo. A shiny black dildo with ribs and ridges along the shaft. Twilight's mouth never watered at the sight of a dildo before, but this was a day of firsts. Tempest placed the case on the floor and presented the naughty toy like a trophy. "This was crafted with the finest silicone. It's stiff, yet pliable, and the curve makes it excellent for hitting all the right spots. As a bonus, it has a secret feature I'm sure you'll come to love."

Twilight erupted into cheers and applause. "I'm sold. You're the best dildo salespony I've ever seen."

Tempest crawled beside Twilight and glanced between her legs. "Perhaps I can indulge in this one act of kindness."

"You'd be sainted on the spot. Stained glass window and everything."

"Let's keep this a secret, just between you and me," Tempest whispered. "I have a reputation to maintain."

Tempest pressed the dildo's flared head into Twilight's tummy, lowered it inch by inch, and circled it around her aching pussy. Twilight wasn't sure she could stand another round of teasing, but the sight of the thick toy renewed her spirits. Tempest positioned the head between Twilight's swollen nether lips, then rubbed the length up and down, coating the smooth knob in her essence. Twilight held her breath in anticipation as the delicious tip sank in liquid smooth. Her walls pulsed with the joy of being spread open and--

Tempest pulled it out.

Emptiness gnawed on the edges of Twilight's psyche. None of her lessons prepared her for this torment. She was unmoored and set adrift in a storm of sin.

Tempest tilted her head and held back the flicker of a smile. "Are you sure you want this?"

Twilight grit her teeth and wiggled her legs. "Please, I need it so bad you don't even know."

"I know mother nature mocks our pieties. When we need them the most they prove to be mere illusion." Tempest rubbed the tip along Twilight's slick groove. "Earlier you acted like you didn't even want me to touch you. Maybe this was all a big mistake and I should stop."

If Twilight didn't get relief soon she might cry. "I was confused then, okay?"

Tempest's eyes twinkled with perverse delight. "Princesses should be familiar with delayed gratification. Maybe we should wait until you cool off and you're in a more rational state of mind."

Twilight thrashed her tail. "No, no, I can't wait anymore, please hurry."

"Hurry and do what?"

Twilight's ear twitched. "You want me to--"

"Say it."

"Please. I said please."

"Please what?"

Twilight closed her eyes. "I want you to--"

ZAP!

Twilight yelped as a spark shocked her leg. Tempest crawled closer. "Look me in the eyes when you say it."

Twilight blinked as she struggled to meet Tempest's icy gaze. That judging stare made her feel lost, powerless, and utterly pathetic, but against all reason that made her desperate marehood even hotter. She had already surrendered so much of her pride, so what was a little more? Especially if this was the only way to release this terrible pent up tension. Twilight sat up and clasped her hooves together like she was confessing a sin. Her mind was swimming with twisted thoughts, and what came out of her mouth was perhaps not the height of sophisticated civil discourse. "Please, for the love of the sun and moon, ram that dildo in my pussy and fuck me silly."

Tempest pinned Twilight's arms to the bed and kissed her hard on the mouth. This time Twilight's tongue met Tempest on the field of battle and even tasted her own juices smeared around Tempest's lips, but she was no match against the brute force of this second invasion. They moaned into each other's muzzles as Tempest ravaged the inside of Twilight's mouth.

Tempest broke away and picked up the toy. "You asked so politely, and with such regal grace. Maybe you deserve some relief."

The dildo's head wedged inside Twilight and slid in deeper, opening her up further, ah yes, this was it, Tempest would really let her have it now. Twilight prepared to lose herself on that beautiful toy and feel every--

Tempest pulled it out again.

"Oh, Princess, how thoughtless of me. This dildo may have been sabotaged by spies. Here, let me test it for you."

Shaking in sheer disbelief, Twilight watched as Tempest rose to her knees and slipped the dark cock between her own thighs. Twilight couldn't see Tempest's marehood--not that she wanted to, of course--but she definitely saw Tempest's tail rise up and her face pinch as she worked it in. "Mmm, those first couple inches sliding in feels so good, don't you think?"

Twilight grumbled and clenched her jaw. Perhaps she had drowned in the ocean and this was some elaborate punishment in the lowest circle of Tartarus.

Tempest's face remained stern even as she pleasured herself, but her voice was raspier than usual. "Don't worry, it just needs a little bit more testing."

Sadly, Twilight was very much alive. She prayed for the airship's propellers to suck in a flock of geese so they could all crash in a fiery explosion. That didn't happen, so instead she stewed in her own juices. The pillows were soaked from her sweat and the thin fabric clung to her neck.

Tempest pulled the dildo from between her legs and dangled it in front of Twilight's face. The whole length was coated in Tempest's glistening honey and smelled like a damp forest. "This is my contribution to the Friendship Festival. I'm sure you'll agree this counts as a cultural exchange." The warm liquid ran down the toy and drizzled across Twilight's neck and chin, and without thinking she opened her mouth and let Tempest push the head past her lips. "That's right, we both know you're thirsty now. Drink it all down and suck it clean." Tempest removed the invading toy in a slow and smooth retreat. The essence coated Twilight's mouth and tingled her tongue with tangy bitterness.

Tempest returned the dildo between her own thighs and grunted as she slid it back inside just long enough to fully coat it again. "Given your interest in theoretical magic, maybe you'll enjoy my new friendship hypothesis: Mixing your cream inside another mare makes you best friends."

The dildo's head was shiny from Tempest's desire and parted Twilight's wet passage, sinking inside with little effort. The slippery length plunged deeper and deeper until the fat base pressed against Twilight's engorged lips. Tempest dragged it out inch by inch, an agonizing pace, then without warning she bottomed it out to the hilt.

Twilight groaned from being filled so thoroughly. Her mind reeled from the thought of Tempest's sticky juices churning deep inside her. She huffed and played along. "You're learning about friendship--ah--so fast."

Tempest crawled between Twilight's legs and added her wonderful tongue to the mix, while her horn sparkled with energy. Tiny thunderbolts raced into Twilight's pert nipples and coaxed out a shivering moan. Toy, tongue, magic--they all worked together in a sublime rhythm, nice and steady, the sort of attention that would push any mare with a pulse to a hoof curling orgasm. Astonishment washed over Twilight as she didn't expect to recover so much ground after the endless stops and starts and teasing and edging and oh, wow, Tempest may be a snake with a forked tongue, but what a tongue it was.

"Want to know this dildo's dirty little secret? There's a crystal focus in the center. It's shockingly conductive."

Lightning surged from Tempest's horn and flooded the dildo's base. The toy buzzed and emitted a brilliant blue light, even brighter than Pinkie's crazy glow sticks, and the shaft shot out glorious bursts of electricity in all directions. Sparks melted inside Twilight's marehood all along the stiff length and poured into the super sensitive patch just inside her front wall. Twilight gasped as her whole body stiffened. Wave after wave of narcotic pleasure throbbed from that transcendent sweet spot. Joyous magic coursed deep inside and massaged nooks and crannies she didn't even know existed.

Twilight's leg twitched uncontrollably in the dancing blue light as the hot tension grew unbearable. "A-Ahh... I'm so close."

Tempest smiled and kept working the sparkling dildo inside Twilight's slippery hole. "You've been such a good princess. You deserve a real reward for putting up with me for so long. I'll let you cum."

Twilight bit her lip at that wonderful word. She could barely see straight.

"When you go over, I'll send extra magic right into your clit. You'll remember this one for a long, long time."

Twilight cried out as she rushed headlong into the wildest climax of her life. Her eyes rolled back as the ferocious wave of pleasure approached. She was going to ride over that crest straight into heaven.

That's when Tempest pulled out the dildo with a wet pop.

The wave collapsed and Twilight's marehood gripped hard around a cold empty void. She arched her back as her clitoris screamed for attention, but instead of finding sweet salvation all the tension and energy fizzled away to nothing. Twilight thrashed and cried out in agony, but it was too late. The frozen abyss extinguished the last embers of her inner fire.

Tempest rubbed a hoof between her own thighs as she basked in her betrayal, a vision of intense concentration plastered on her face, her tail bobbing up and down. Twilight suddenly understood that the pleas and protests of a mewling mare like her ignited Tempest's lusts more than anything else in the world, and she had played her role to perfection.

"My poor, poor Princess," Tempest purred. "When will you ever learn? Depending on others only leads to bitter disappointment."

Twilight closed her eyes and cursed herself. She deserved every ounce of humiliation for being such an idiot and letting her passions run wild. Yet despite everything, despite her numbed and useless marehood, Twilight's body hummed from the manipulation. This was a sick sense of pride, a pride born of the knowledge that Tempest was finding pleasure at her expense, her debasement, her desperation.

The room dimmed as something blocked the sun outside. The airship shuddered and all the mechanical humming ground to a halt.

---

Chapter 3: Shadows on the Wall

Hazy sunlight filtered through the porthole and saved the room from falling to total darkness. Tempest crawled next to Twilight and propped herself up. "Ah, we've landed. I bet Grubber is in a near panic, the poor oaf."

Desperate knocking rang out from the door. "Tempest, we're back at Canterlot. The Storm King should arrive in a couple hours. Are you still interrogating the princess or what?"

Tempest playfully elbowed Twilight in the side before belting out orders. "Affirmative. Gather the storm soldiers and post them around the landing zone. This might take awhile."

"Aye aye, ma'am, and good luck."

The air was humid and thick with their sweat and arousal. Tempest stroked Twilight's cheek with her glistening hoof. The lustful fragrance crowded out rational thought and planted lurid desires to gaze upon its hidden source. Twilight knew this was all so wrong, but she couldn't help but lick the hoof of her adversary until it was clean and proper. Tempest pressed her body's warm strength against Twilight's side. "Tell me what you're thinking, Princess."

Twilight looked away. Her voice was quiet and distant. "You're making it hard to think about anything respectable."

Tempest rubbed circles into Twilight's shoulder. "Oh, you poor thing. Try your best."

"The whole world feels wrong and off balance, like I'm falling backward over a cliff but gravity refuses to pull me down."

Tempest rested her hoof on Twilight's chest. "You've left the path of light far behind. Don't despair, that was never your destiny. You were too intelligent, too curious to be herded into such a sterile life."

"I know what you're doing. You're trying to break me down until I form some sort of traumatic bond with you."

Tempest traced over the contour of her stomach. "Don't lie to yourself, Princess. You've been seeking a new path long before the fates brought us together."

Twilight wrenched away from Tempest's grasp and rose to her haunches. "No, this is all your doing. Sex should be beautiful and precious, but you've twisted it into a weapon."

"Is that what I did?" Tempest asked with an air of innocence. "I've traveled across many lands, and they all used sex as a means of control--one way or another."

Twilight shook her head. "Not in Equestria."

"Especially in Equestria. Taboos, shame, jealousy, gossip, the stifling drive for Harmony--it's all a form of control. That's why you feel so lost right now."

The foundation of Twilight's entire belief system wobbled. "Ponies are free to love who we want, isn't that all that matters? We're meant to rise above our basest impulses. We should love with light and devotion, that's how we join together and create Harmony."

"And yet Harmony doesn't get you hot and bothered. Without the light you're free to be who you want."

"Being enslaved by your worst instincts isn't freedom."

Tempest leveled a doubtful glance. "So this is what all the ponies believe?"

"Of course not. There are liars, hypocrites, and sinners wherever you look, but enough ponies uphold these virtues to keep Equestria together. I'm a princess. I have to set the example. I can't waver, not ever."

Tempest curled the chain around her hoof. "Is it any wonder ponies revolt? Even you don't believe those old dogmas anymore."

"You're projecting your sins onto everyone else," Twilight said, fidgeting with her tail, grasping for solid ground. "I've been with mares before--kind, sweet, loving mares--but you're different. You're clever, but also cruel, and--"

Tempest yanked the chain and pulled Twilight into her grasp. She rested her hoof below Twilight's throat. "Go ahead, Princess. Tell me exactly what I am."

Twilight swallowed hard as she stared into those icy eyes. "You're a sadist."

Tempest chuckled as she cradled Twilight's chin and stroked her face. "You think you can reduce everyone down to a manageable size, put them in a box, label them, file them away, and that will make the world a less frightening place. Maybe that would make you feel better, at least for a moment, but if you stick to old habits you'll never banish these compulsions."

Twilight was jittery under Tempest's touch, her breathing quick and uneven, and she spoke faster than usual. "Maybe you're right about some things. Maybe I've had these thoughts before. The pressure to be polite and responsible, the pressure to stay on the proper path, it all builds up and seeks release, until you're dreaming of being defiled and humiliated, to be told that it's not wrong, that you can share this weakness with someone and they'll accept you."

Tempest shot ribbons of electricity into Twilight's teats and made her shudder and gasp from the rush of tingling pleasure. The magic coiled around her soft plump mounds and dazzled her mind with a rush of needles. The stinging intensified into ghostly thorns that pricked her sensitive swells, pulling her closer and closer to the yawning abyss from which she would never escape.

"Only I can bring your darkest dreams into reality."

Twilight pulled away from the nettlesome magic. "No! It's wrong, it doesn't make sense, I shouldn't want this."

Tempest wrapped her thigh around Twilight's hips and held her fast. A hidden heat poured into her skin. "The monster under our tails is totally irrational. You can keep running away and be miserable for the rest of your days, or feed its hunger and find sweet relief."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Is that how you made sense of the world?"

A wistful memory washed over Tempest's face and she spoke like a mystic. "The fates have plans for us all, Princess. We all have our parts to play, even if we can't see it yet."

Doubt, guilt, and self-loathing roiled inside Twilight. She searched for answers in this new confusing reality, but the old ways proved wholly inadequate. Tempest was a pillar of strength she could cling to for meaning, but Tempest was the one who dragged her down in the first place, the mare who made a mockery of her, the mare who destroyed everything she valued, yet against all reason that just made her all the more mesmerizing. The warmth between Tempest's legs brought a strange comfort, as if they were somehow in this together, as if they were fighting a common foe, an enemy from within. They could help each other. They could give each other exactly what they needed to calm their inner storms.

Tempest gathered Twilight's legs together and dragged her away from the damp pillows until she rested flat on her back, then climbed up and straddled her abdomen between warm flexing thighs, her stomach sleek and tight against Twilight's flabby belly. Tempest looked down, brimming with confidence, her eyes fierce, debilitating, stupefying. She spoke as if making an imperial announcement. "From this day forward I am your mistress, and you will be my dirty little slave."

The turmoil ceased. Everything snapped into place and suddenly made sense. Twilight could only stare up in hushed awe. Tempest's muscular body rippled against her weak frame and smeared sticky lust across her stomach.

"The Storm King will invade other lands and leave me in charge of Equestria. Ponies across the realm will swear fealty to their new queen."

Tempest whirled around, facing away from the headboard, and slowly backed up. Her toned bottom loomed over Twilight like a shadow. Twilight's heart fluttered as she got her first good look at Tempest's ruddy labia and pink inner lips, both engorged and glistening with desire.

"All I need now is a throne to rest my fancy royal ass."

Tempest grunted and pushed her dripping pussy against Twilight's face. The pungent odor seeped into her nostrils and stuck in the back of her throat like a warm perfume. Tempest sank down until her ample ass and burning body heat consumed all of Twilight's earthly senses. Taking full advantage of her superior position, Tempest rolled her hips across Twilight's face in a steady and persistent rhythm, leaving behind a slick coating. There were no more machinations or clever ruses, only the satiation of a primal hunger. Twilight delighted in her helplessness and was enthralled by Tempest's naked display of dominance.

A low growl rumbled from Tempest's chest. "Lick my cunt, Princess. That's all you're good for now."

Tingling energy surged through Twilight and her own marehood stirred once again. Yes, of course, she was a pathetic slave, and her only purpose in life was pleasing her mistress. The c-word was ugly and irksome, especially for describing this beautiful sight that demanded reverence, but there wasn't time to dwell on Tempest's language. Twilight grabbed Tempest's hips and dragged her soft tongue along that needy groove. Fresh syrup dribbled into Twilight's mouth and coated her tongue with a rich earthy flavor, along with a tartness that resembled bitter red wine.

"I knew you'd enjoy working under me, my thirsty little slave. Now get your muzzle in there."

With a dopey smile, Twilight spread Tempest's plump cheeks and kissed and licked her thick folds until Tempest drenched her face with the spice of her inner depths. This was a purification ritual that consecrated a new era, except the traditional holy oils were replaced with Tempest's sticky feminine juices. Twilight slipped her restless tongue inside the rosy interior of Tempest's silky heat, sampled the source of that intoxicating brew, and shivered with excitement at the honor of swallowing the essence from the most powerful mare in the world. Wrapped in its hood, Tempest's crown jewel winked and throbbed, and Twilight enveloped the prized gem with her lips and polished it with her eager tongue.

Tempest let out a long contented sigh, like a mare sinking into a warm bath after a long day. "Mmm, I can see it now. You'll be the star of the royal court, my own pet princess, and ponies will come to watch you sing, dance, and recount old tales of adventure. They'll gather around while you bury your face between my legs, the only place you truly belong, a daily reminder of old Equestria's weakness."

A shudder ran through Tempest, and her ruby tail lifted high above her round cheeks. Tempest looked over her shoulder and grinned, then pressed down all at once, consuming Twilight's snout with her hot valley. The pink prison constricted her muzzle and drowned her with sweltering heat. Tempest's suffocating weight pressed Twilight deeper and deeper into the mattress, robbing her of all dignity, and to add to the humiliation Tempest kept grinding against her face. The aroma from the dominant mare rolled over her like a thick fog, invading every pore with her bewitching scent, the twinge of fear in her chest giving way to an intoxicating bliss.

Complete and total surrender, as Tempest had demanded when she invaded Canterlot, seemed so close, so tempting, yet one more idea came to the fore. Whenever Twilight had a satisfying orgasm she always wanted to cuddle, kiss, and whisper sweet nothings in her lover's ear. If she made Tempest feel that way then maybe there was still a chance of escaping this erotic abyss.

Twilight squeezed her hooves around Tempest's colorful cutie marks and was just able to raise her bottom with a grunt. "Remove the limiter so I can use my magic on you."

Not realizing she was sincere, Tempest laughed at the absurd suggestion and lifted her butt further. "What's the matter back there, running out of air?"

Twilight frowned. She wanted something more substantial than her tongue. "Where's that toy?"

Tempest slid the dildo across the bed and into Twilight's grasp. The exquisitely-crafted cock was smooth like powdery silk. It terminated in a wide base with a small recess in the back, and inside sat a glittery purple gem, presumably the crystal core that channeled Tempest's lightning. Twilight couldn't use magic, but she smiled at the opportunity for her own teasing revenge. She guided the flared ridge past Tempest's quivering entrance and wreathed the shaft with thick dark lips. The slick tunnel tensed and grabbed at the ribbed length, and Tempest's tail flopped to the side to free as much room as possible. The wonderful girth sank in halfway and spread her open.

That's when Twilight pulled it out.

Tempest groaned and her swollen marehood rippled from the denial. "Don't get cute with me, or I'll get ugly with you."

Panic shot through Twilight as she fumbled the toy and almost dropped it. She eased the head back inside and set things right. Tempest abruptly sank back and took the entire length with a satisfied grunt. Twilight's jaw dropped. The dildo's base rested against her chest while Tempest bounced up and down in quick succession. Wishing to be more involved, Twilight reached around and rubbed her hoof against Tempest's bulging clit the best she could. This wasn't exactly the best positioning, but the sight of Tempest's shapely ass flexing and pumping while her marehood devoured the dildo from tip to base was something Twilight wouldn't soon forget.

As if reading her mind, Tempest turned around, discarded the dildo, and wrapped her big thighs around Twilight's head, ensuring there was no escape as she descended onto her face. Tempest's warm and sweaty weight pressing down was somehow more liberating than oppressive. Twilight's feeble helplessness under such an aggressive mare filled her with an erotic thrill like nothing else, but she couldn't let her passions run away from her again. Tempest glanced down, her eyes simmering with lust, while her pink jewel jutted out and demanded attention. Overwhelmed by Tempest's intensity, Twilight certainly didn't need to be told what to do, not that she had many options. She hungrily suckled on that sensitive bud just like she would a nipple, eager to display her fervent devotion.

"You're not half-bad at this," Tempest said as she wiggled her hips and shivered with delight. "I bet the other princesses only kept you around so you could clean their dirty cunts. That's one royal tradition I can respect."

Blood pumped hot in Twilight's ears, but not even profanity against Equestria's sacred matriarchs could divert her focus. She wrapped her forelegs around Tempest's expansive bottom, parted her mouth, and engulfed as much of Tempest's soft marehood as she could. Twilight swirled her tongue over that shiny pink pearl again and again, sending increasingly intense shudders rippling through Tempest, though she never moaned, never lost control. Tempest squeezed her eyes shut and rolled her head back and forth.

Another wave of Tempest's heavy odor wafted into Twilight's nostrils and brought back peculiar memories. These were the days after Tirek set fire to the Everfree and the smoke was so thick she could taste it. Bitter ash drifted on the wind, but so did the savory scent of exotic woods and wild fruits. When the emergency rains came the whole mess sank into the dirt and rose in an oddly invigorating steam that clung to everything. Twilight had joked to Rarity that she should bottle the scent as a deluxe perfume. And now, after all that time, the closest likeness to that fragrance was pouring from Tempest's fierce pussy.

A subtle increase in the movement of Tempest's hips hinted at her growing tension. Not even Tempest's aura of unflinching confidence could survive such persistent stimulation to a mare's most sensitive spot. Tempest's breathing grew erratic and haphazard, and her stoicism wavered. "Don't you dare stop," she said with a bubbling urgency. "Ha! I know you won't because you're a pathetic little pervert who wants me to cum on your face." She curled her lip and bellowed with desperation. "Ooh, suck my clit, Princess. Suck me off like your life depends on it."

Thrilled by Tempest's ravenous desire, Twilight brushed her tongue under Tempest's pulsing love button, wrapped her lips around it tight, and sucked for all she was worth. Tempest went rigid and her powerful body shook and jerked from wave after wave of debilitating pleasure. She hissed through gritted teeth and clenched her jaw as her whole face scrunched into a pained grimace, as if she were hiding how much she enjoyed her release, even as her clitoris throbbed between soft lips. What should have been unbridled moans of ecstasy in any other mare degraded into a series of strangled wheezes and muffled gasps.

Tempest's hips bucked off Twilight's face in a sudden flurry of excitement. She groaned and mashed down in hopes of finding her pleasure again, but her movements were too imprecise, and she only managed to dribble excess juice across Twilight's nose and mouth. The warm dew rolled down her face and stung her eyes. Twilight gasped and sputtered, but she wouldn't let a little pussy juice in her eye stop her from saving Equestria. Blinking and squinting through the irritation, she steadied Tempest's wild hips and lavished her desperate pussy with an emergency tongue bath. Twilight blindly licked up Tempest's warm silky folds until she enveloped the juicy berry between her lips and flicked her tongue with abandon.

Lightning rocketed from Tempest's horn and splashed against the ceiling. An ethereal glow filled the room as ropes of energy raced outward and blanketed the ceiling with a pulsing web of light. An anguished moan rang out from Tempest's throat, and the light surrendered to the shadows. All went still.

Tempest bared her teeth with a pained wince, lifted her bottom, and scooted backward. She leaned to the side as her strength faded until she collapsed onto the bed and slumped against the wall. Her chest rose and fell in ragged breaths as she recovered from her first climax in who knows how long. With drooping ears and half-lidded eyes, Tempest looked surprisingly weak and vulnerable, like she had just been defeated in battle. There's a first time for everything, and Twilight intended to seize the opportunity, but her muzzle was a sticky mess. She wiped it clean the best she could, discovering that Tempest's juices had also trickled down her chin and coated the restraint. The collar's chain stretched and clinked as Twilight crawled away from the headboard and past the discarded dildo. Twilight reached out and placed her hoof over Tempest's limp foreleg and curled them together in a show of solidarity.

Tempest stared back.

---

Chapter 4: Storm of Sin

Tempest pulled away. Her eyes were cold and suspicious. "What are you doing? I didn't say you could--"

Twilight hugged her tight and their bodies squeezed together in a warm embrace. Stubborn resistance melted away into a moment of openness, an unspoken invitation, the awakening of a long lost hope for belonging and acceptance. Twilight ran her hooves across Tempest's back and kneaded her trembling muscles, bringing a healing calm to a mare starved for affection. Tempest cooed and whimpered. Her stern features softened and fell away, revealing how much she needed not just a sexual release, but actual love and kindness. Twilight cuddled and caressed the broken mare, the emotional turmoil evaporating off her body as Twilight rubbed her sides in slow, circular motions. Tempest pinned her ears and let out a pained gasp, and Twilight realized she had put pressure on the scar running along her midsection. "Oops, sorry!"

Tempest smiled at Twilight's clumsiness and fell into her embrace, sinking into Twilight's chest and sliding down her body, and the broken stump of her horn fell into view. Twilight kissed Tempest on the forehead, then slid her tongue across the base of the ruined horn and into the open hole. The edges poked and jabbed, but Twilight wanted to show Tempest how much she accepted her, all of her, without reservation. Tiny sparks jolted from deep inside and tickled Twilight's tongue, until it was tingly and numb.

Struggling to sit up, Tempest grabbed Twilight's shoulder and leaned against the wall. Her eyes were wide and bewildered. "Princess, I never--I didn't say--what was all of that about?"

Twilight had punctured Tempest's caustic veneer, and something real and vulnerable sheltered inside, long protected from the cruelties of the outside world. Twilight nuzzled her face and whispered in her ear. "I've never met a mare like you, so smart, so spirited, and so beautiful."

"I already knew you liked my butt," Tempest said, a dismissive shadow lingering on the edge of her voice.

"You've got me there," Twilight said with a giggle. She held Tempest's chin and looked into her scarred eye. "You're beautiful here too."

Tempest's face twisted into an annoyed scowl and she pulled away. "I'm not beautiful. I'm hideous."

Twilight played with the tuft of fur on Tempest's chest. "You're beautiful to me. Hasn't anyone ever told you that before?"

A surge of strength exploded from Tempest and she shoved Twilight into the mattress. Sparks poured from her horn and she spat her words like poison. "I'm not beautiful. I don't want to be beautiful. And I already told you I don't want your fucking pity."

Twilight reeled back. "I know you feel trapped, but this isn't you. It doesn't have to be this way."

Tempest's eyes narrowed and her voice grew dark. "You still think you're some savior from on high? You think you're better than me? You're a joke, and I'll prove it to you once and for all." The room spun as Tempest rolled her over, dragged her to the side of the bed, and arranged her into a lewd position. Twilight's knees sank against the edge and her butt poked into the air. "I was being nice when I said you had a cute little tail. You actually have a big fat ass. You've been stuck inside castles eating too many teacakes, or whatever fancy rubbish they feed you."

There was movement from behind, but Twilight couldn't see anything except the mattress and the pile of blankets at the end of the bed. The clanking of hooves against metal made her wonder what Tempest was--

SMACK!

Twilight shouted as something flat and wide struck her rump. Tempest's foreleg wrapped around the handle of a dark blue paddle. A thunderbolt etched with green lines adorned its broad surface.

"Don't act surprised. You know this is exactly what you deserve."

Another blow hammered down with stunning speed. Twilight's left cheek shook and jiggled as the fleshy slap echoed through the room, and the vibrations ran through her knees and hooves like the ringing of a perverted bell. Twilight hissed and writhed from the indignity.

"Did you not study for this test?" Tempest asked with a haughty sneer. "Did they not cover ass whoopings in your fancy magic schools? Allow me to complete your education."

The next impact walloped Twilight's right buttock and rocked her forward. Heat rippled across her cheeks like a stone dropped into a puddle. She pinned her ears and cried out, from the pain, from the sudden reversal of fortune, from her complete and utter failure.

Tempest rested her hoof on the small of Twilight's back. "I see the problem, my proud little princess. You're only accustomed to other ponies kissing your ass, not spanking it. Maybe you'll be comfortable with a more familiar routine." Tempest flipped Twilight's tail to the side and clutched her flanks. Sensuous kisses dotted her stinging cheeks as Tempest moved across her rump and planted big sloppy smooches against the throbbing hot spots the paddle left behind. Twilight sighed from the welcome relief and giggled a little when Tempest teased her crack. Tempest employed her tongue as a brush and painted Twilight's rump with a thin coating of saliva. The air filled with a charging electrical growl that buzzed her tail, and a blue flash lit up the room as bolts of electricity pierced her wet cheeks. Twilight howled and trembled as the stinging energy vibrated inside her bottom. The energetic pinpricks danced across her tender skin and grew into a river of phantom nettles that flowed between her crack and down her pussy, needling, tormenting, and tickling every inch of her nakedness.

"Someone should have done this to you a long time ago. Your problem is you never learned proper obedience. Where Celestia failed, I shall succeed."

A quick swat from the paddle disciplined her beleaguered rump, yet the painful pulses left an oddly satisfying glow in their wake. Tempest varied the hits and kept her off guard. Long wind-ups sent a thundering wave rolling deep through her muscles, while short hits whipped the bare surface of her tight skin. The stinging heat was vivid and utterly exhilarating.

Wicked laughter echoed from behind. "Too bad you can't see this, Princess. Your ass is turning a lovely shade of scarlet."

A barrage of spanks rained down on Twilight's helpless bottom from every direction. She tensed and flinched, expecting the next attack whenever Tempest shifted position, only to be met with an uneasy silence. After she lulled herself into a false sense of security that's when Tempest flogged her sensitive flesh without mercy, spanking the same spot over and over in quick succession, each hit more punishing than the last, building into a crescendo of strained cries and ragged breaths. A stupendous heat radiated from her besieged cheeks, and most shameful of all, from between her thighs.

"Your tail is lifting," Tempest said with a devilish delight. "Don't pretend to be so high and mighty when you're giving me an eyeful."

A terrible blush filled Twilight's cheeks--at both ends. She had never been so embarrassed, so exposed, so vulnerable, yet she couldn't help but raise her tail even further and reveal the true depth of her perversions. Twilight gasped when Tempest licked her sensitive dock, brushing her tongue along the thick base until the delicate skin turned into the bristles of her tail. Tempest discharged a healthy zap that sent exquisite shivers racing up her spine.

Tempest caressed the contours of Twilight's tenderized cheeks with a possessive hoof. "This is our future together. I'll march you down the streets of Canterlot and spank you whenever I please. I'll tie your tail so it's always raised, so you can never hide your wanton lusts, so everyone understands exactly why you surrendered."

Shame and desire poured into the furnace between her thighs and melted into an unalloyed pleasure that dripped down her legs. Twilight had never been this wet in her whole life. The outside world retreated in a dizzying rush. Worries and doubt always plagued her ceaseless mind, and now at long last they were vanquished by a storm of righteous spankings. Red stings popped across her rump as if she were sinking into a luxurious bubble bath of pain.

Tempest raised her voice and yelled in a staccato rhythm. "You're. My. Fucking. Princess." Each shout punctuated a crushing wallop that devastated Twilight's ass and left searing imprints she would never forget. Bewildered moans of ecstasy and sweet agony escaped her throat. She wasn't sure how much more she could take, wasn't confident in the limits of her nerves, but she wanted nothing more than to find out. Twilight wiggled her rump and pressed back into the relentless and humiliating punishment. She sacrificed her dignity for an odyssey into the uncharted secrets of her most depraved fantasies. The strikes didn't even hurt so much anymore. She stuck her ass out in defiance of all virtue and moaned for more. The shadows on the wall danced and shifted, the rapid clanking of hooves against metal rang from behind, and a heavy rush of air swept past. Tempest smashed the paddle into Twilight's upturned bottom with the power of a running start and sent her careening into a heap. Tears blurred her vision and her face plunged into the mattress.

The world fell away into a pale blue mist. Twilight floated on a dark and beautiful storm cloud far above the judging world. The cool wind soothed her inflamed backside and dissolved her frailties and foibles. Tempest was there too, quiet and kind, attending to her with soft kisses along her neck and a gentle massage down her back. "You did such a good job back there," she whispered. "I know embracing who you really are feels wrong at first, but you'll find life so much easier when you don't have to pretend anymore. Now do you understand your place in the world?"

Twilight sniffled. "I'm nothing compared to you. I'm pathetic."

Tempest cooed and massaged her shoulder. "You're so hard on yourself. If that were really true this wouldn't be nearly as satisfying. But then again, who am I to say? In this miserable world finding even a speck of real pleasure is a struggle, so maybe you should believe whatever it is you need to find peace." Tempest crawled back while tracing her hoof along Twilight's side, over her rump, and down her thigh. "I was just playing around earlier. Your royal derriere isn't really fat. It's delightfully plump. Now lift it up for me."

Twilight did as she was told with a rush of pride and longing. Her clit was a twisted knot of pent up desire that pulsed when Tempest drew near. Tempest pressed her hoof into Twilight's squishy mons, then rubbed closer and closer to the beacon of her lust, but she only grazed the brim of her hood. Twilight bit her lip as she teetered on the edge between pleasure and despair, and without warning Tempest slapped her burning rump. Twilight yelped but held her posture in a perfect display of discipline. She inhaled and waited with dire anticipation. Tempest traced down the curve of Twilight's ass and eased her hoof's soft rim against Twilight's neglected pussy, then nursed her clit with a slow and gentle massage. Twilight floated through a trail of glittering stardust and hummed with joy while mindlessly swishing her tail. The spankings had turned her on so much she could practically taste her release already.

Tempest pulled away. Twilight buckled and almost collapsed with grief, but somehow kept prim and proper and didn't even whimper. Tempest returned to rubbing the small of Twilight's back, and the gloomy room faded back into reality. "You're already so much more disciplined than before. You need a strong mare to guide you, don't you?"

"Y-Yes. Whenever I try to be a leader everything blows up in my face. I'm not cut out for it."

"You already know what you want. You need only say the words."

Twilight took a deep breath, gazed into Tempest's steely eyes, and bowed her head. "I submit to you, Mistress. Help me deal with these shameful urges."

"Slaves do not give orders. They make polite requests, and if they behave their mistress may show them mercy."

"Please help me."

Tempest crawled closer. "Let's come to an agreement first. You'll explain to the rest of Equestria that I'm their benefactor, and that the Storm Empire will bring a new purpose to their realm. Then we'll work together and make the world a better place, just like you said."

"Of course, Mistress. I'll tell them whatever you want, but I don't think they'll believe me."

Tempest smiled. "I have full confidence in the power of your cheesy speeches. As you've submitted to me, so they'll submit to the Empire. Now, do you think you've earned a release with this fawning display, or are you really too pathetic to assert your own desires?"

Twilight choked back a sob. "It doesn't matter what I say, does it? You'll never let me find relief."

"My, my, how cynical." Tempest slinked back and her soft lips engulfed and sucked Twilight's desperately winking clit. Twilight let loose a shuddering moan, parted her legs, and pushed back, making sure Tempest could really get in there and--

That's when Tempest pulled away. Of course she did. Twilight would never be free of this miserable ache.

Tempest rummaged under the bed--how much junk did she keep under there?--and wrapped a dark belt adorned with sockets and loops around her hips, with another strap that fastened around her butt and under her tail. She showed off a pink egg-shaped device that vibrated with the press of a button. "This is for me," she announced with a flourish, then reached back and attached the lively toy under her tail. The buzzing was distant and muffled as the egg went to work. Tempest closed her eyes and murmured in satisfaction. "Airships and grapple cannons are cute toys, but this is all a mare really needs." She retrieved the magic dildo--a comforting sight indeed--and secured the base into the socket between her legs. "And this is for you. I believe you've already met." The curved length was as obscene as it was stiff, and it bobbed as she advanced.

Twilight shrank into herself as Tempest climbed onto her back and positioned those powerful hind legs on either side of her vulnerable and still stinging bottom. The humbling reality of being enveloped and mounted by Tempest's unstoppable strength filled her with trembling anticipation. The angle wasn't quite right, so Tempest lifted her from the edge and shoved her into the mattress. With her legs splayed out behind her, Twilight whimpered as Tempest pressed down and searched for her opening. Her pussy was hot and heavy with desire, and her breath went ragged when the head of the strap-on rubbed along her slippery crease.

Tempest draped her hefty figure across Twilight's back, and Tempest's hot breath washed across her neck as she spoke. "Don't worry, I'll give you exactly what you need." The dildo's head parted her throbbing passage, forcing out a gasp, and the toy kept sliding inside her swollen marehood in a long and delicious descent. Tempest stopped and pulled back. "Or would you still like to pretend you don't want this?"

Twilight struggled to contain her urgency. "Please, Mistress, please release me from everything that ever held me back."

Tempest nuzzled her neck and whispered soft encouragements in her ears. The girth of the smooth silicone eased into Twilight's needy entrance and spread her open, and then Tempest withdrew it again. "Your heart, your soul, and your cunt are my playthings. Do you understand?"

The dildo's head slid up and down Twilight's sticky groove and filled her with delicious shivers. "Yes, yes! I'll do anything. I'll lick your hooves and beg for mercy every single day just like you said I would."

Tempest nipped at her shoulders. "Tsk, tsk, now you're only saying what you think I want to hear. A proud princess should resist to the bitter end."

"I... I can't. You're too strong."

The stiff length sank inside for a moment, and then retreated at a maddening pace until it threatened to fall out and leave her utterly empty. The smooth head pressed against her folds, probing, poking, prodding, the teasing was unbearable, she needed to be filled. "Try again," Tempest said in a husky voice. "You don't want to be enslaved by your worst instincts, do you?"

"Fuck you! I'll never give up! I'll fight you to my last breath!"

Tempest pounced and plunged the shaft to the hilt. Twilight cried out in delirious ecstasy. "Mmm, Princess, you're so mixed up it's downright adorable." Tempest wrapped her forelegs under Twilight's chest and drove into her with a long forceful thrust that stretched Twilight's pussy with such majestic pleasure she wanted to sing. The slow retreat of that wonderful stiffness was a grueling loss, and Twilight pushed back with her butt and took more of that shaft exactly where she needed it. Tempest bore down with her weight and immobilized Twilight under her immense strength. This is what Twilight always wanted. She needed to be controlled and put in her place. The strap-on's smooth wide base rubbed against her clit and took her breath away. Tempest wiggled her hips and rendered Twilight a shuddering mess.

Wet smacking sounds filled the room as Tempest settled into a steady rhythm. The impacts against Twilight's sore cheeks were a tantalizing texture over her growing bliss. Tempest's thrusts were smooth yet powerful, and it was easy for Twilight to lose herself in thought, even as Tempest kissed the nape of her neck and nibbled her ears. Tempest placed a pillow under Twilight's hips and forced her bottom into the air. This new angle allowed Tempest to hit a deeper, more sensitive spot along Twilight's back walls, and her mind went blank as an upwelling of unexpected pleasure seized her. Tempest's form molded into Twilight's back and she rolled her hips into a deep and powerful plunge that overwhelmed Twilight's lust-addled mind.

Twilight's frustrations with Tempest, the other princesses, her friends, herself--it all coalesced into a hot spark at the tip of her clitoris. She pursed her lips in the hopes Tempest wouldn't notice her impending release and deny her again, but the strength of her willpower was like gossamer in a hurricane. She let out a guttural moan into the mattress.

Tempest bottomed out and paused. The only sounds were their frantic breathing and the distant buzz of the vibrating egg under Tempest's tail.

"No, no, please," Twilight begged. She wanted to hump backward, but she was trapped under Tempest's crushing weight. Tears welled in her eyes as her pent up desperation broke free. "Please let me cuuummm!"

Tempest's snout poked Twilight's ears. "Now why should I do that?"

"I've been good! I've been a good slave!"

"Have you? Good slaves don't keep secrets. Tell me about your friends."

Twilight's heart skipped a beat. "W-What about them?"

"Where are they? What are they doing? Tell me and I'll soothe your aching cunt."

Twilight groaned as she realized this was her utmost humiliation, the final degradation of her core values, and the sullying of her loyalty to Equestria and her friends. Yet her mind frayed, she lacked the willpower to stop herself, and she couldn't deny the oppressive ache in her marehood. "T-They were on the beach," she said, willing to forfeit everything, to be a traitor, to do anything to find relief. "We found the hippogriffs. They wouldn't help us, so I tried to steal their magic pearl. That's why my friends abandoned me, because it was all my fault. I screwed everything up and now they hate me."

Tempest pulled out and sank inside at an excruciatingly slow pace. "And?"

Twilight trembled and her tail went wild. "And then you showed up. That's all I know. Honest!"

"Well done, Princess. I know that was difficult. You should be proud of how far you've come. Discipline and humility have forged you into an obedient mare and a proper princess. Now remind me, who decides when you can cum?"

"You, Mistress, only you. If you will it I'll never touch myself again. I'm yours."

Tempest pulled out until just the tip sat inside. "Do you wish to savor your last moments as a hopeless mare clinging to the past, or do you want a release from these burdens?"

Twilight moaned and wiggled backward as much as she could. "Yes, yes, give it to me! Fuck me!"

The weight vanished as Tempest rolled onto her side and left Twilight confused and beside herself in disappointment. A blue flash ignited the dildo with a brilliant electrical buzz. Tempest scrambled to mount Twilight again, her forelegs grabbing her shoulders, the flickering arcs from the strap-on hissing and popping, and with a grunt Tempest plowed deep inside.

"Ooh fuuuck!" Twilight shouted. The bed springs squeaked as Tempest rammed into her again and again. She wasn't stopping. This wasn't a trick. The sparkling blue shaft delivered rapturous erotic energy into the heart of Twilight's desperate marehood and set sparks to the fuel of her lust. She clamped her eyes shut as riptides of bliss pulled her into the churning heat. Teased and neglected no longer, her aching pussy finally found sweet salvation, and with a triumphant cry Twilight shuddered as the tension released all at once. Throbs of hot pleasure rippled through her in wave after wave of mind numbing ecstasy. That terrible ache melted away in the heavenly light, tears of joy poured from her eyes, and her walls clenched in appreciation around the invading cock as it filled her deepest fathoms with surging jolts of current. A soft whinny escaped her lips and she went limp.

"You were never better than me," Tempest said with a derisive snort. "If a degenerate like you can become a princess there's something wrong with Equestria." A dark and foreboding fury possessed Tempest, and her graceful movements turned volatile. She slammed into Twilight and forced a grunt from both their throats.

"Ah! Slow down a little," Twilight pleaded.

Tempest gripped her tight and pounded away with a deranged frenzy. "I can't wait to see the look on your face when the Storm King drains every last drop of your magic. Then you'll have nothing."

Twilight whimpered and buried her face in the mattress as she rocked forward from each thrust. She was small and fragile in Tempest's clutches. The strap-on's magic dissipated.

"You've always been an ugly failure," Tempest said, her voice wavering. "No one will ever love a fuck up like you. You ruin everything you touch!"

Tempest's hips were an infernal engine hammering Twilight again and again without mercy. She poured out the totality of her hateful strength between Twilight's thighs, against her burning cheeks, trying to teach her some depraved lesson. The pillow positioned her hips so the ribbed shaft glided over the special spot on her front wall with each urgent thrust.

Tempest cast Twilight into a pit of dark disgusting desires where she was forever cursed to be a dirty fallen princess. After surrendering to her forbidden impulses she could never aspire to be anything more than a sinful caricature of a mare. Unholy ecstasy gripped Twilight and her eyes rolled back as another mind melting orgasm wracked her frail body and sent her into a lust drunken stupor. Tempest's heart thundered against her back.

"It would have been better," Tempest said through pained gasps, "if you were never born."

That's a screwed up thing to say, and to make matters worse Twilight wasn't even sure which one of them she was talking about anymore. Tempest's thrusting turned sloppy and erratic until she threw herself against Twilight and buried herself to the hilt. She hissed through gritted teeth and squeezed Twilight for dear life. The hairs in Twilight's mane tingled as electricity blasted from Tempest's horn and shot into the wall with a flash of iridescent colors. Tempest's mighty figure trembled while the vibrating egg satisfied her stormy passions, yet her anguished moans simmered with doubt and confusion. After a few last spurts of magic, Tempest weakened and rested against Twilight's shoulder, both of them panting as their hot sweat dripped down Twilight's back. They were mired in a swirling sea of mare scent. The comforting girth pulled out and left a woeful void as Tempest dismounted and rolled off to the side. She disconnected the strap-on from the belt and discarded it.

Twilight spoke through ragged breaths. "Are you okay? You can talk to me if you want. I'm here for you."

A menacing laugh erupted from across the bed. "I'm peachy keen," Tempest said as her horn charged with power. "You're the one who's fucked."

Lightning exploded from Tempest's horn and surged into Twilight's sopping wet marehood. After two powerful orgasms this brought not moans of delight but a piercing shriek. Twilight scrambled away in a panic until the chain around her neck went taut and choked her. Tempest pulled her back by the shoulder as a fountain of sparks flew from her horn. "No, no, I can't take anymore," Twilight said. "It's too much!"

Tempest shoved Twilight onto her back and yanked her legs apart. "You said you wanted a release from your old life, from everything that ever held you back. I'll show you the depths of your depravity and the limits of your flesh."

"And I want you to show me, but just give me a second, okay? Just a--"

Another torrent of sparking energy blasted Twilight's hyper-sensitive clit, rushed up her back, and radiated into her limbs. She howled from the overwhelming assault and went rigid as a board. When she got this sensitive after an orgasm she always backed off and rested, but Tempest forced the issue, forced her nerves to go taut as wires. The electricity rocketed Twilight through the heavy fog of her mind and into a strange new realm. This was a sensation she never felt before, a hot, twitching urge along her front wall. The last vestiges of control slipped from her grasp. Her body was no longer hers. There was a heavy pressure and a sudden release.

Something was coming quick.

Clear liquid gushed between Twilight's quivering thighs in wave after wave of hot spurts. Time stood still as the feverish pleasure jetted out in a messy spray and splattered across the floor. Both Twilight and Tempest gawked at the fountain of pure mare lust arcing through the air. One of her legs twitched and kicked with each wave of sublime joy, totally beyond her control, beyond her comprehension, and her wings spread wide as she emptied herself. Twilight trembled like she was stranded in a blizzard and then suddenly pulled into a warm house. Her mouth fell open but convulsions rendered her mute. It was too good to moan, too good to beg, too good to do anything but abandon all reason. She fell against the mattress as she gave a final shudder and her wings fell limp at her sides. The last of her essence spilled between her legs and soaked the edge of the bed.

"You made a puddle," Tempest said, sounding rather impressed. "Let's make a lake." She knelt and pushed her muzzle into Twilight's flooded valley. Fears of hypersensitivity were long gone. Now the pleasure was pure and perfect, every lick, nibble, and spark a new rush of delight, until Tempest's horn surged with a silver light, a dancing, dazzling, hypnotic glow. Stinging electricity roared into her most private and sensitive places and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

A strange mare's voice rang out in the distance. "My cunt is yours," she said over and over in a perverted mantra. "I'm a sinner. I'm a perverted freak. Punish me! Punish my dirty cunt!" She was completely deranged. That's when Twilight realized with a dawning embarrassment that she was the strange mare. She had never uttered so much gutter language in her entire life. The biting current warped and twisted her, and she couldn't help but fall into a trance where everything was permitted, where she could finally be herself. In no time at all another orgasm consumed her and a rush of sticky juices spritzed Tempest's muzzle. There wasn't as much of a gush this time, but the clenching waves of pleasure were even more debilitating, each wave partnered with a delicious pulse from her clitoris. Twilight's whole body wrenched from side to side, and Tempest's insistent tongue only spurred her onto more outlandish heights. A warm blush crept across Twilight's neck and chest as a sign of her corruption and sin.

Twilight descended into a giggling stupor. The bed felt so good against her back. She could grind against that wonderful fabric forever. Tempest was so serious and dour. The intensity in her eyes--combined with this carnival of perverted euphoria--produced an outrageous dissonance. Twilight laughed so hard she snorted.

Tempest pulled back and grimaced as she gathered energy for another salvo. She didn't seem to care if she hurt herself as long as she dragged Twilight down into the muck and mire, and Twilight was more than happy to cheer her on, but all that came out was a restless moan. An eruption of crackling electricity flooded Twilight's ravenous and unquenchable pussy, building her pleasure further and further until she soared up a lightning bolt into the heart of the storm. There was no pausing and no respite. All nuances were erased. Her clitoris was a glowing hot ember and her marehood was a raw bundle of nerves leading straight to her brain. Each rush of electricity was so overpowering she feared her heart might give out, but then another surge knocked down every last barrier in her mind. All self-doubt and restraint collapsed, and through the lusty haze she begged for more, but she wasn't sure whether her pleas formed coherent words or a stream of babbling nonsense. Twilight had never bathed in such distilled bliss. She couldn't stop cumming. Her orgasms came faster and faster and fed into each other until they joined together into a mountain that roared higher than all others into a bright and shining peak.

"I'm not letting go," Tempest said through gritted teeth. "Take it all!"

Tempest's horn detonated and consumed the whole world with prismatic fury. A cataclysmic orgasm quaked through Twilight's body, through her blood and bones, each wave crashing down, rocking her pussy to the core, plunging her deep into a blinding ocean, washing away her mind, her memories, everything that mattered, awakening primal sexual impulses, buried truths beyond consciousness, a stupefying euphoria transcending mere language and thought. She leaped through the prison of her skin into the blinding flash of paradise. Soul sizzling heat drowned her formless mind in unbounded primeval pleasure. She knew she was about to die and welcomed the ultimate surrender.

The material world receded into a distant fog.

The ethereal plane beckoned.

A bridge formed across the living lightning and connected the two mares. Twilight peered through the layers of Tempest's psyche and into her past. Tempest was lost in a windswept wasteland where she fought off bandits and wild beasts. She gathered all sorts of strange creatures--misfits and refugees just like her--and formed her own band of marauders. Under her command they ruled the badlands with an iron hoof, until a traitor plunged a knife in Tempest's side and kicked her into a ditch. She crawled out and sought her revenge, but the rest of the petty warlords were scattered by the arrival of the Storm Empire. Twilight beheld Tempest's drive for greatness as she fought up the ranks and vowed to humiliate all those who ever doubted her. And at the very center of her psyche lay a kernel of self-loathing, entombed like a toxic pearl.

Twilight's memories surfaced in a kaleidoscope of emotions: Spike hatching from the egg, the gang watching the shooting stars from the hillside, the changeling invasions, her first awkward kiss with Pinkie, a heated argument with Rarity over the finer points of neoclassical poetry, the loss of the Golden Oak library, and her continual struggle to reconcile her belief in the goodness of others with all the pain and selfishness in the world.

The light evaporated and Twilight collapsed into a dark pit. They were back in the airship. Tempest panted nearby as she rested on her side. Twilight gazed into her hauntingly beautiful eyes as if for the first time. They knew each other in ways no one else could. They had seen the other mare at her worst, or best, or whatever that was. Tempest labored with great effort and dragged Twilight to the soft pillows. Tempest spooned her close, rested her muzzle against Twilight's shoulder, and caressed her sides in a long and slow massage. They enjoyed a shared silence and relaxed in each other's warmth while their coats mixed together.

"I've decided something," Tempest said. "Out of all the ponies in the world I hate you the least."

"Careful. That almost sounded like a compliment."

Tempest hugged her close. "Oh Twilight, you're such a silly mare. I'm keeping you all to myself."

"Am I hearing things, or did you just call me Twilight?"

Tempest chuckled. "That's your name, isn't it?"

"My name is whatever you say it is, Mistress."

Tempest squeezed a little tighter. "If we work together, maybe we'll find a new Harmony outside the light, something that's an extension of our dark desires, something that isn't a hollow illusion. Do you think that's possible?"

"I don't know, but I trust you to show me the way."

An inky gloom blanketed Twilight. She was cold and exhausted, but as long as Tempest held her close she was at peace. The shadows on the wall of her diseased mind told her everything would be okay. She had just saved Equestria. Or destroyed Equestria. It didn't really matter anymore. A tingling numbness beset Twilight's weakened extremities, sweat drenched her from head to tail, and more than anything else she was satisfied on a deep and cosmic level. Every particle of her body was exactly where it was supposed to be. Nothing was worse than misaligned particles.

Twilight's unhinged thoughts wandered further afield. The idea that she could have walled off her mind from her body was folly. Duality was an illusion. The mind was not superior or separate from the body, but wholly of it, just as a card catalog is part of a library. If her body was polluted then so too would her most private thoughts, and vice versa, which meant Tempest had been right all along. Self-doubt and simmering perversions had set the stage for her surrender long ago.

Ugh. Thinking expended too much energy. She didn't need to think anymore. Mistress Tempest would do that for her. She pressed back into Tempest's comforting embrace and let out a contented sigh. Thank heavens she didn't write friendship reports anymore, because explaining this one would've been a doozy.

---

Chapter 5: Bitter Dessert

A thunderstorm loomed over Ponyville and deepened the sky into a somber gray. Twilight paced back and forth in the alley alongside Sugarcube Corner. She had put this meeting off for too long, but if she didn't confront her mistakes this rift would tear them apart. The shadows advanced in the dying light, and an uneasy tension vexed Twilight, like she had forgotten something important. The streets stood empty as fierce winds forced ponies to seek shelter. Twilight entered the bakery and spotted Pinkie Pie behind the counter tending to a white cardboard box.

Bubbly as ever, Pinkie waved and smiled. "Hey Twi, wild weather, huh? I just finished your order, so super sweet timing on your part."

Twilight trotted to the counter faster than usual. She had so much to get off her chest she didn't know where to start. "Pinkie, we need to talk. About the beach, about us, about everything."

Pinkie giggled and leaned against the counter. "That was sooo long ago. You were under tons of pressure, and everyone loses their cool sometimes. Let's be real, I was causing my fair share of aggravation too. It's okey dokey."

Twilight took Pinkie's hooves in her own. "No, it's not okay. You mean so much to me I can't even put it into words. Saying such hurtful things to you was inexcusable, and I'm terrified that I've damaged our friendship and this will always hang over us. Can you ever really forgive me?"

Pinkie looked down and sniffled. "Gosh, it means the world to me that you care so much. I'll accept your apology if you do me one itsy bitsy favor."

"Anything, you name it."

Pinkie bit her lip and nudged the baker's box closer. "Enjoy!"

The mouth watering scent of hot cinnamon buns wafted from the box. Twilight giggled and grabbed one with her magic. "No one whips up sinfully delicious treats like you."

"Just be careful, those babies pack enough carbs to knock a yak into a coma."

Twilight bit into the spice-filled pastry and made an appreciative murmur as the frosting and brown sugar melted in her mouth. "Mmm, perfect as always."

A big toothy grin spread across Pinkie's face. Few things in life made her happier than seeing other ponies savor her baking, and Twilight was more than willing to oblige--to her figure's detriment.

Twilight swallowed the first bite and cleared her throat. "You know, I've always been a little jealous of you."

Pinkie cocked her head. "You? Jealous of me?"

"Sure. You're the life of every party, and you make friends with everyone so easily."

Pinkie waved her hoof as if batting away the praise. "Aw shucks, stop trying to make me blush. Hey, wanna hear a real knee slapper?"

Twilight took another bite of the warm buttery bun. "Mmhmm."

"I grew up on a rock farm in the middle of nowhere. None of my talents were encouraged, and yet against all odds I found my place in the world. Meanwhile, you grew up in the lap of luxury and were afforded every privilege, but you were content to sit in your room reading all day while life passed you by."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. Pinkie's jokes were usually shorter and sprinkled with atrocious puns.

Pinkie's voice fell to a flat deadpan. "And who helped you break out of your shell and become the Princess of Friendship? I did--a dumb clown who drags you down and wastes your time. Isn't that hilarious?"

A heavy pit sank in Twilight's stomach. "Why would you say such terrible things?"

Pinkie slinked around the counter with a mischievous grin. "I always thought sharing love was the best way to make you happy, but maybe hurting you is better. Isn't that what you really want?"

The color drained from Twilight's face. "What are you talking about?"

"You liked it so much when Tempest hurt you, and she's not even your gal pal, so I figured--"

"No, I never want you to be like Tempest. You're kind, sweet, and loving. What she did to me was super messed up and just plain wrong. How do you even know about that?"

Pinkie drew closer and ignored her question. "You say it's wrong now, but your legs quivered, you howled like a banshee, and you made a puddle of yummy cream. Gosh, I wonder which is more honest?"

Twilight backed up into the wall, a dark shame warming her face. "That didn't mean anything, she forced me with her magic. I mean, I was trying to--you know, um--it's complicated, okay?"

Pinkie pinned her against the wall. "Nah, it's as simple as a dimple. Everyone already knew you're a pervert, but to think you get off on being humiliated by that hateful witch instead of loved by your friends? That's twisted."

Lightning cracked the sky and rattled the shop with booming thunder. The flash of light curved the shadows around them. Twilight struggled under Pinkie's strength. "Let me go."

"But this is what shakes your grape soda until it fizzes and explodes." Pinkie dragged Twilight to the ground and pulled her legs open.

Twilight struggled against the wall as Pinkie reached for the box of cinnamon buns. "Pinkie, stop right now. Wait, what are you doing?"

Pinkie licked the bun in her hoof and went into a giggling fit. "Ya know how our stomachs growl when we're hungry? What if our coochies growled when they were hungry? Now that's outside the box thinking." Pinkie howled with laughter and shoved the bun into Twilight's exposed marehood. Most of the dessert fell apart and crumbled onto the floor, but the rest lodged deep inside. Pinkie bent down and licked up and down Twilight's extra sticky folds. "Mmm, yummy in my tummy," Pinkie said, swallowing bits of the ruined treat. "Hey Twi, can you believe it? I'm eating you out--literally. And don't look now, but you got a bun in the oven!"

Twilight was definitely a normal mare, and a normal mare would cry out in outrage as Pinkie forever shattered the trust they once shared, but in defiance of all logic her breath went ragged and her pleasure surged. More pastries disintegrated and smooshed into her marehood, and the warm sticky frosting clung to her clit. "Stop, please stop," Twilight said in a feeble protest. "I don't want this."

Pinkie's voice grew forceful and raspy, like she was imitating Tempest. "Don't lie to me, Princess, we both know you love it. I'll shove this whole bakery down your greedy cunt." She grabbed cinnamon buns from out of nowhere and smeared them between Twilight's legs. Pinkie sang a little ditty with each new bun: "Hot and fresh, tasty and sweeeet."

"This isn't healthy," Twilight lamented.

Pinkie snorted. "Oh, but getting shocked by a bajillion volts is hunky-dory? I guess you just couldn't resistor."

Twilight groaned and tossed her head.

"Time to ring the devil's doorbell," Pinkie said, rubbing Twilight's clit in tiny circles. "Mmm, I always loved playing with joy buzzers."

A terrible tension rose inside Twilight. She had to push these feelings away, but Pinkie's enthusiasm and bad jokes were too much.

Pinkie compressed and compacted the doughy mess, stretching her walls further and further. "Your coochie is caked with confections. Now we just need a candle and a match."

Twilight met Pinkie's warm blue eyes with a silent plea.

Pinkie didn't stop her messy massage. "It's okay, Twi. Just admit you like being humiliated. That's what you think about when you paddle your pink canoe, right?"

"No, that's not true, this isn't me, this is all wrong. Why are you doing this? I can't, I can't..." Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and gasped as her pussy throbbed with heavenly pleasure and her whole body shook and shivered.

"Wowzers, you must love having extra sugar on your sugar walls, 'cuz they're really going to town."

Twilight left the fog of her climax and glanced up at her friend. "Why am I like this? What happened to me?"

Pinkie shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe you're screwed up in the head from all these crazy adventures. That's the simplest explanation, right?" She giggled and hugged Twilight close. "Welcome to the club."

Warmth flooded Twilight's chest, but not from the embrace. Something told her if she looked into her friend's gaze she would find the answer to all her questions. A great hollow festered in the center of reality and called out to her. Pinkie's eyeballs melted into a black ooze that flooded the shop and Twilight fell screaming into the inky void and drowned.

A faraway voice pleaded. "Wake up, Twilight. Wake up."

Twilight jerked awake in a strange bed. Tempest's bed. She was still on the airship.

What in Equestria?

Clad in her battle armor, Tempest stood next to the bed shaking Twilight's shoulder. "Wake up, Twilight. We've been docked for hours. I let you sleep, but it's time to rise and shine."

Groggy and blurry eyed, Twilight sat up with some effort, her fur matted with sweat. Tempest had apparently covered her with the blanket.

"Are you okay?" Tempest asked. "You were shivering and mumbling something about cinnamon buns."

Twilight froze. "Maybe that's because the only food I've eaten since the Festival was a bowl of gruel."

"Oh, want me to get you something?"

Twilight waved her off. "I've lost my appetite."

Tempest placed a canteen in her lap. "At least drink some water."

Twilight quenched her thirst, and Tempest switched the chain from the headboard back to her own wristband and guided Twilight to the edge of the bed. Twilight's bottom still glowed with warm memories.

A bucket of soapy water sat on the floor next to Tempest's leg. "Let's clean you up." Tempest ran a damp washcloth across Twilight's chest and teased her nose with a dollop of soap bubbles. Twilight giggled as Tempest gave her such sweet and gentle affection. That terrible nightmare seemed so far away now.

"Um, you might want to do the rest," Tempest said, a subtle blush spreading across her dark face. "You know, down there." This was a curious change from the mare who earlier demanded Twilight lick her cu--she didn't even want to think about that filthy word. Tempest turned her head and Twilight cleaned the sticky mess under her tail. Tempest handed her a towel and she dried herself.

Twilight stretched and yawned. "Did I call you Mistress? Did that really happen?"

"You surrendered to my will, so you better be on your best behavior, slave." They locked eyes in a deadly confrontation, a battle of wills, a standoff for the ages, and then they burst into a fit of giggles. Tempest fell against Twilight as she doubled over in laughter. "You should've seen your face at the end. You looked like you were having a seizure."

"I think I had a transcendental experience. Or maybe you gave me mild brain damage."

Tempest rubbed Twilight's back and smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment. Your resilience was impressive, I'll admit. I almost thought you'd outlast me."

Twilight leaned against her mistress. "I'm still grappling with these embarrassing urges, but the way you made me feel weak and helpless was the most exciting rush ever."

"You don't have to tell me. I cleaned your 'excitement' off the floor with a mop."

A rosy warmth filled Twilight's cheeks. She looked away and twirled her mane. "That never happened before. Honest."

"I hope not," Tempest said. "Otherwise your lovers would need water wings."

"Hey!" Twilight playfully punched Tempest's shoulder.

Tempest returned a shock into Twilight's side that made her burst into laughter. She wriggled away from the tickling magic, but Tempest grabbed her by the waist. "You're so damned cute when you're flustered, you make me want to--" Twilight surprised her with a kiss and a gentle, loving, pristine embrace. She licked and nibbled Tempest's bottom lip, pulled it away, and let it go with a playful smile. "So you can kiss," Tempest said. "Fancy that."

"I could do a lot more if you took this limiter off my horn."

Tempest looked away and squinted. "I'm sure you could."

Twilight moved closer. "When we were together, you said some worrying things. Are you sure you don't want to talk about anything?"

"I'm fine," Tempest said in a firmer tone than needed. "You say whatever comes to mind, you know, in the heat of the moment. It doesn't mean anything."

Twilight leaned into Tempest and rubbed her chest. "I still think you're beautiful."

Tempest scowled and nudged her away. "Don't get mushy. I have a low tolerance for mushy."

"So I've noticed."

"Your mane is a tangled nightmare," Tempest said out of the blue. She stood up and retrieved something from her bureau. "Let's fix you up." Tempest dragged a brush through Twilight's hair and fluffed it back into place. A comforting familiarity washed over Twilight while Tempest groomed her, like they were close friends, or maybe even a couple. She murmured as the bristles massaged her scalp and made her feel normal again. Tempest took a good look at her and smiled. "Now you're presentable for the Storm King."

Twilight's spirits cratered into dust. "You're still taking my magic? How could you?"

Tempest sighed and rested her hoof on Twilight's knee. "Maybe in another life we could've been friends, but the fates chose this path for me."

"No, you chose this path. Not the fates, you."

Tempest stared at the ground and slumped.

Twilight rubbed her shoulders. "We shared something special, didn't we? We can work together and stop him from--"

Electricity sparked in Tempest's horn and her voice grew stern. "You're confusing lust with love. Big mistake."

"It's not all or nothing, is it?"

Tempest pulled Twilight out of bed. "Sorry, Princess, it has to be nothing for now." She yanked Twilight to the door, lifted the bar, and rested her hoof against the metal. "The rest of what we talked about can still happen. We'll figure something out. Find our own path."

Twilight gestured toward the nearby bookshelf. "The warrior from The Old Spirit, did she ever give up?"

"No, she didn't, just like I'll never stop fighting for the Storm Empire. Someday we'll bring peace to this wretched world." Tempest threw open the door and pushed Twilight down the hall. Grubber waddled alongside them and storm soldiers crowded around the cage at the end of the hallway. Tempest snarled at her minions. "The princess knows nothing of her allies and collaborators. She's worthless."

At the end of the line, Tempest disconnected the chain, shoved Twilight into the cage, and slammed the door. With a zap of electricity the magic limiter rattled onto the floor. The walls between fantasy and reality crumbled all around her. Twilight had been immersed in her erotic bubble so long she almost forgot about the outside world. She grabbed the bars and shouted over the commotion. "You don't want to do this. Stop before it's too late, before you do something you can't take back."

Conflicting passions battled across Tempest's face until she forced a menacing glare. "Your persistence is admirable but utterly pointless. I'm getting my horn back no matter the cost. Now shut up or I'll shut you up!"

The last drops of Twilight's miserable hope evaporated. After everything that happened Tempest had barely changed at all.

The Canterlot Castle towered into the smoke filled sky. The caravan drove through streets cluttered with the tattered wreckage of the Friendship Festival. Ponies had traveled far and wide to partake in Twilight's dream for a better world, a world where strangers could form bonds that might last a lifetime, but now they were kept in cages like animals or forced to pull heavy carts laden with military equipment. Twilight could have fought Tempest when she had the chance, but instead she fought her friends and became a willing plaything for the enemy. She wasn't worthy of crowns or titles. She was disgusting.

Laughing storm soldiers poked their spears into rows of cages. The trapped ponies danced for their captor's amusement and cried out for help. Tempest ordered the caravan to halt. She confronted the unruly soldiers with a bellowing shout and a burst of sparks. They pulled their spears against their sides and stood at attention. "These prisoners are to be treated with respect. Another breakdown of discipline like that and you'll be answering to the Storm King. Now get back to your stations!" Tempest cast a guarded glance back at Twilight, a fleeting warmth in her eyes, and then she resumed the march.

A scintilla of hope returned. The spirit of the Friendship Festival couldn't be vanquished so easily. Maybe Twilight had planted a seed of doubt in Tempest's heart that might yet flower into something dark and beautiful.