FSE

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A man stepped forward into the darkness because he had no other choice. The revolver leveled at his head would no doubt be used if he were to try an escape. The wound in his shoulder was a testament to that.

He clutched at his arm on his way into the cave, glad to put distance between him and his aggressors. Though he knew a fate worse than death awaited him down this dark path. He dared not speak even as the entrance disappeared into the dark behind him. The hissing and bubbling of things outside his vision in the dark filled the silence between his gait.

That was until a deep and practiced voice echoed all around him.

"Ah. Hello."

It thrummed with a song so deeply ingrained in this world's history; the known baritone of a dragon. There was no mistaking it, as this man had heard it before.

"You are... Saint?"

He let the question fall even as the world around him started to warm and come alive.

"Just as I suspected. Come forward as you were."

He listened and obeyed. Soon clacking and hissing cracked the air before him and his footfalls hit entirely new material below him. Something smooth. The darkness relented a small amount soon after, and the hide of the dragon revealed itself in front of the man who he called Saint. Then an ivory muzzle slithered into view.

"You were the one he was searching for. The Savior. Worshiped in silence across multiple nations. Man of no name. The Resurrected."

He did not respond to any of these. So the dragon sharpened his already knife-like gaze.

"Truly. No other before you carries this aura. You surely hold knowledge of worlds beyond our own as a demi-god among men. I see it in your eyes, and the way you regard me. At long last I may complete the research." The serpent disappeared into the dark.

The man tensed. Research was a poisonous word to the saint. The dragon may be right, but this 'demi-god' did not like being addressed like this. He may have lived to fight for the good of many but he did not like titles and to be 'researched'. The human approached into the dim light and scanned his surroundings. Nothing still, just abstract shapes in the dark. A low hum sprung to life in the few seconds he stood there however.

"You're hurt." The voice hummed, "but stable. Good, we have plenty of time to talk." There was little pause between that statement and the following to come.

"Long ago, man dominated this world. A force of nature somehow stronger than the Mother Planet herself. They sought and hungered for knowledge even beyond their own star. Beyond this place. And we know the story that follows; pride cometh before the fall. Before a race stronger and more ravenous than they came to destroy them. This alien race turned men into beasts of burden, picked them apart and reshaped them, and made them a mockery of their former glory. Man was defeated. At least not for long."

More things began to hum, click, and spring to life outside of the little well of light the saint stood in. "In the intervening years, these beasts of burden found their own hold. Developed their minds once more, and became the dragons you know of today. We owe our existence to the very things that destroyed our forefathers so to speak. A bitter taste of irony for sure. And to throw salt in the wound, men resurfaced. These ones dug themselves deep to avoid extinction by the hands of the 'Betas'. They, to my father and my father's father, were an insult to our existence. It angered them. But despite my father's best efforts it did not anger me."

The light shone upon scales once more as the deep voice returned to encircle the man. "Instead, I sought answers, reasons to overcome our shortcomings. Why were they so angry? Why conquer? Why such a fixation on this 'Saint' of legend? I researched all of it for the sake of my mother and others of his harem, while he went to conquer lands with the help of my siblings.

"As a result, I found my father lacking."

The place burst into bright clinical light. Warmth and humming machines chugging to life. It became clear they both stood in a tile-covered room, aging in some places and falling apart at the corners.

"He was missing important details. Like the humanity we lost, the truth of our world, and who 'Saint' really was. I began to take a more precise approach."

The shimmering scales, cold as the tile around him and deep abyssal red in his chest, shifted and slid along as he worried away at floating digital panels and statistics that popped up every which way. "Where my father erred was taking in men who made valor and recognition their defining factor. Wearing clothes of regal value, and generally acting out of fear... Rather than a determined purpose. He did not scan for those who prefer the dark, and hide their good deeds while reveling in their vices. Those who regard everything with the intensity of an animal. One like you."

"Red handed." The Saint spoke. It caught the dragon off-guard for a moment until the machines filled the silence again. The scaled head eased up and down in a nod.

"Anyways, the reason my father turned men into hens for his harem was at the very least selfish, and at most vaguely worrying, what with how he treated them. Either he truly simply wanted an army of young dragons to serve as guards while he 'conquered', or he thought he'd eventually create an heir that can control-"

"The Gate." There was no doubt now that this was the Saint.

"Yes." The ivory scaled dragon hummed. "He gave every single one of those unfortunate 'Saints' the same line when he finally broke them. 'Do you think they will be able to travel as you once could?'" His deep chuckle shook the tile beneath the two. "Maddening."

The human cracked his knuckles and folded his hands behind him. Motion to ready himself for a larger chat. "So you sought me after how many years? To continue that quest?"

"Mmm." The dragon flicked away the panels and rose from his position to pace in front of the machines. "I can't say how long it's been. I never really counted the days after my mother passed. And my interest in the Gate is only so far. No, my true goal is a bit more simple than that." He tapped at a physical panel close to one of the machines that of course led to it opening wide. It was a vat, of something orange and viscous.

"I'm going to bridge the gap between us post-human beasts and the remaining men and women on this planet. Usher in a new era where even as beasts, we can have the companionship we crave, and the socialization of our kind with man. Because that's what drove my father crazy."

The saint blinked. "And you need a Saint, why?"

"Threefold," the dragon did not hesitate, "you are the exemplar of sapient beings. A force of nature just like the collective man. To put you in the body of a dragon would elevate my kind to the same level as humanity in spirit and kinship, thereby prolonging any efforts to 'breed out' our sapience once the legend is established. Second, your bestial and instinctive nature puts you closer to me, where I may have no qualms about changing you to suit my goals. Third, we are kin to some extent and I miss having company. If only because my father was so obsessed with finding you, that I had to research you extensively."

"So you didn't think for a moment that leaving all of this behind might be healthier for you."

"On the contrary, I did think that. I ruminate over it extensively, at least more so in the past when I was emotional and broken over the destruction of my family." He turned back toward the man that stood below him, regarding him with gold-lined cherry eyes.

"Destruction?" The saint's word lost just that bit of edge.

"Well, what do you get when an angry dragon breeds an entire army of his children to wage war against man?"

Silence followed as the saint thought and felt the bit of grief that the dragon had left.

"That's right. There's a reason I'm the one who stayed behind." His foreclaw clacked on tile, before returning to the panel before him. "So while I fought over myself whether to continue the research or simply leave and be a beast like my siblings, I read up on the legends. Which I will not detail because I'm sure you're well aware of your own story. Then I decided in my fit of rage and grief that I will take you from man and give my kind the natural ability to use the Gate as my father once dreamed. It was selfish at the time, but when I calmed down and gave it more thought I realized it was a brilliant piece of this puzzle to redeem both our kinds."

After a moment longer the saint spoke up again, "and I have no choice in the matter."

"Precisely."

"Sounds like the apple didn't fall far from the tree."

"No it did not. My father was an idiot savant. Surely on the right track but went about it all wrong. And didn't have root access to this entire facility like I do now. We will want for nothing. I will guide our kind forward with the help of this technology, instead of squandering it for some misguided attempt to overthrow a species we should have as allies."

"So what's your plan?" The saint sat where he stood with his stoic gaze fixed on the dragon tapping away at the panel.

"Turn you into a suitable mate and breed you." So matter-of-fact.

"Very close to the tree aren't we?"

"Well, there are some changes. For one, I perfected the algorithm for picking DNA sequences out of limited material. I now have multiple full evolutionary tracks at my disposal, though I have already decided on one." The dragon opened a floating panel and pushed it to "Guest User".

The image portrayed a lithe wingless dragoness. A thick mane flowed back from a softly angled muzzle and tufted ears, fur in some parts like along the arms and feet, and was armored in more important places by tougher scale. "Impressive." The saint hummed.

"I also managed to figure out why the mental faculties of the mothers were deteriorating. Something my father never bothered with because he was too far gone in his madness."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ah. Sorry, I forget you may not know everything, even if it is a lot." His head nodded toward the vat. "This orange goop here was what the Betas used to make beasts out of anything they wanted or needed, and doing so meant that there was no need to keep similar brain structures to sapient beings. So while my father was able to register our evolved forms, he couldn't figure out how to retain our ability for sapience. You will be preserved in mind."

"That's a relief."

"Ah but you won't be spared everything. I was able and determined to make behavioral adjustments to the genome map, because I know you. A beast form would give you the natural weapons to overcome me regardless of size, and I'm not about to lose everything at the cusp of shifting the paradigm." The saint's stoic gaze sharpened. Fuck, he should have known the dragon was smarter than to let him retain his full self. He was banking on some part of this plan having that kind of mistake. Now, what to plan for a response...

"Don't worry, the changes are very minor. A few priority shifts, compulsive obedience to me, a need to be felt. It'll be a pleasant experience, I guarantee that."

"And what about-"

The dragon's arm lifted to dismiss the thought coming from the saint. "Everything has been taken care of. Your traveling ends here. It's time to pass the torch to a new species and get that shoulder of yours healed."

The dragon motioned to the vat of orange liquid. The saint picked himself up, but refused to move toward it. "And if I fight?"

"My species loses access to the Gate, which would be a great loss. But that's if either I kill you, or you manage to leave. You and I are stuck in here and I will not release the door until either one of us is dying, or you're changed into the form I want for you." The dragon hummed and made another insistent motion with his fore, "Let's be honest. If there was a choice, it'd either be 'continue to struggle without the Gate' or 'enjoy a pleasant life as the new broodmother of a great species.' Which would you choose?"

The saint grimaced, leveling his anger at the four-legged beast before him. "The former. As it always has been."

"Good to know. At least you'll be a strong mother."

Bargaining with the dragon wasn't going to change anything. Saint's only way forward seemed to be going along with him. Even if the man fought and won, he was still wounded and would probably be even more so after a fight which meant that any forces outside the hidden facility would easily take him down.

Saint stood at the edge of the vat while the dragon tapped at the panel again. "What's your name?" The man asked as the last thing he'll say as a human. It wasn't an ideal final word, but at least it was information he could hold on to.

"Zavos. But you can call me Sire, to soothe that little mean streak I have. If you want."

Bumped by a tail, and gone into the orange madness.

Clothes dissolved. Then hair, then skin. Shocks to the system, nerves feeling their removal yet there was no pain. Every part of Saint's life that had led to this point played back in vivid detail. The many battles and hard-fought freedoms for peoples he had no ties to. A warrior in body and soul yet no delusions of grandeur remained. He was a scoundrel, a scavenger, a thief, and a liar. Perhaps that's why the Fates saw fit to toss him toward this crumbling soul of a dragon. To teach this Saint a lesson.

All at once new sensations made themselves known. A full rewrite of his bone structure, from head to... Tail. Thick and large yet light enough for flight if there were wings. He would turn to see, but that would come with new muscle. Everything else that was small came first, weaving around the new bones and defining a loose shape around them.

Then the muscle, searing heat without the pain.

Then the skin. Then the scales. The fur would come in soon enough.

As soon as the new body solidified and sealed in the changed man, the vat drained as a platform pushed upward to grab the new quadruped on its way out.

Tinnitus accompanied spasms, old senses firing off stronger than before and confusing the saint. He heard clacking on either side of his head, to which his ears flicked. Long, fluffy things that were not accompanied by horns like the dragon above him.

Nothing made sense. It felt as if mere moments passed in the vat, but the more his brain made attempts to, time caught up to him.

"A day. Not bad, on my part." Zavos confirmed. "Seems there was an error during the sanguination phase, so your muscles might take some time to repair fully. You'll be able to move in a few hours."

A beastial grunt was the saint's only response. The only response he could muster.

"It's okay. Take your time." More tapping away at a panel, then motion. It spooked the new dragon, instincts firing off when they weren't necessary. He couldn't see clearly, his eyes wouldn't adjust. Couldn't even, the nerves weren't trained yet. "Speaking with a more bestial face requires that you tuck your tongue back further in your mouth, and with more of your diaphragm. You'll get a feel for it. Watched plenty of changed men struggle with it for quite a while."

The man twitched and closed his eyes. His jaw shifted before he tried to make a sound. Nothing but more haggard air.

"While you think about that, you should rest. You'll need it."

The word rest was enough. He was essentially awake for more than twenty-four hours experiencing harmonized non-pain as his body was ripped apart and put back together in a new shape. Out in seconds after his head hit the platform.

'Till darkness.

--

Morning. Chirping birds. Whistling wind. The murmur of a crowd.

No, wait... Squeaking machines, whirring wheels, and the musings of one. The Saint's eyes shot open as those ears swiveled. There was no denying what happened. Zavos had his company.

The soft, angled features of the muzzle rose and led the rest of the body to a more upward position, though laying on its belly. This was all the other dragon needed to return his attention to the newest addition to his kind.

"Welcome back. Sleep well?"

The jaw and tongue stretched in a yawn before settling back into the position the dragon suggested earlier. The first sounds were rumbling messes. Then they started to form words, words that at first the former human registered as vaguely familiar... Yet entirely alien. As if his own voice was pressed into thousands of years of heat, and smoothed into rough diamond. Zavos remained patient throughout the attempts.

"No." The new dragon grimaced as much as a beast could. "Couldn't tell if I was dead."

"I wouldn't have let that happen." Zavos spoke from the confines of a nest, having paused his analyses on several projected hologram panels. "Especially not now. But before we get into the specifics of what you and I will 'let happen', let's get you settled hm?"

Saint nodded. Eyes were finally adjusting properly, and though the view wasn't any clearer right now... It felt as if there was potential for better sight soon. They leveled at Zavos, watching. Waiting.

"Answer me swiftly and truthfully to the best of your ability."

A brief pressure and release on those lungs elicited a shudder... And a gentle nod.

"Will you hurt me if we get too close?"

"Yes." What? Why would he say the truth so quickly? Because he told him to?

"Do you feel shame right now because of your predicament?"

"Yes." Again without thought. It was true, but why- Oh...

"What's your purpose?"

"To..." His hesitation brought with it an anxiety he couldn't place, "find the Gate."

He barely reacted. Did he know what the Gate was? "What do you think of me?"

Saint's teeth bared. "Talk too much. Lord your intelligence over everything. Perverted. Delusional. Bet you don't even care about your kin," the soft diamond voice was not doing this any favors, "you just wanted to feel the power trip from making a man submit to you."

Zavos was nodding along, still swiping at panels. "And what's your real name?"

The Saint fell silent.

This seemed to be all the answers Zavos needed, as he dismissed all the stats save for one. The evolutionary profile of the dragoness Saint now resembled albeit with quite the lesser mane.

"Alright then. We'll start with something small. I want you to sit on your haunches, and once you do; say 'I'm sorry, Sire.'" More of that pressure, the shuddering, and sharp cold air pushed through his lungs. He was already moving. Not even so much as a disobedient huff. Could he even really call this 'himself' at this point? His body scrabbled a little on the vat's cold platform where he hadn't been moved from since his transformation. It took a few tries but even with wavering fores and unhelpful hinds, he made it up. "I'm sorry, Sire." The words came without hesitance from a shuddering breath of crystal chimes.

"Apology accepted." Zavos' attention briefly went back to the panel in front of him, examining the model of the new body before him. "That behavior is working quite well. So... I was hesitant to do this, but you leave me no choice." A deep, guttural sigh came from the dragon before he inhaled again. "Whenever you're on the brink of hurting me, yourself, or our young, you will be so overcome with guilt, shame, and regret that you will stop what you are doing, count to three, then repeat this; 'I am calm. I am Zavos' mate. I am a mother. I will only harm those that seek to harm my family.' Understood?"

The new dragon in front of Zavos let out a ragged, "Yes."

"Good. I want our lineage to know their mother as a calm spring of love and peace when they need it. Between beasts, I was hoping some explanation beforehand would inspire you to give up any potential violent thoughts, but... I suppose that's on me for being a bit too cold about it in hindsight."

Eyes rolled. Were they even the Saint's anymore?

"Okay now I want you to walk around me. Take your time, then return to the platform. Go."

Saint's body was up and moving before any reasoning could be made about how to walk on all fours around the nest. His legs were still shaking too. So a few deep breaths were had before the attempt.

Every step was more anxiety inducing than the last. Especially with Zavos continuing to check on the progress every few seconds. Or was that admiration?

The tempo was lost, and the new dragon had to stop. Reset. Start again. Looping around the back of the nest, and then beelining it straight back to the vat and almost losing the tempo again before it was safe to sit.

"Well done. I would've confused you for a natural born quadruped." Zavos chuckled. "How do you feel?"

"Like cattle."

"Hmm..." The larger dragon gave that some thought before he could rebut. "No, you're much more than cattle. You're a goddess of beauty and fertility. At least, that's what I intend you to be." He didn't wait for an answer this time, "alright. With the safeguard in place, and having trusted you behind my back," That's what the lap around was for? "Come join me in the nest."

Oh no. The body shuddered again as if afraid to disobey, and started that direction. It would only be a matter of steps, then Zavos would be close enough to do whatever he wanted.

"This will be your nest for now. At least until I have every doubt soothed. Don't worry, I won't keep the lights on so bright all the time." He explained as he made room for the new dragon to lay parallel to him. Then when they were settled in he motioned for the panel to be brought closer and enlarged for his new other. "Let's look over this now that you are her. I do want to go over some details with you."

"Such as?" The chime hits reverberated with a burn to their ends.

"First and foremost, you're still endothermic. Meaning you are warm blooded, and more closely related to your old body than you are to me which opened up a lot of options for extras. The tradeoff is that your metabolism is pretty fast, but I'll have no trouble supplying you with the food you need. I've got a farm dug deep where remnants of the Beta farms were. And to help alleviate pressure on that, I added a little omnivore trait. Eventually our young will adapt and be more omnivorous because of this, though you will remain mostly carnivorous."

Zavos continued with descriptions of Saint's fur pattern and what that'll result in. The pretty iridescent cream that shimmered with a very dark crimson along the ends of his fur and the black streaks keeping it in line with the male's genetic path, will be echoed quite a lot in their young. But there are genetic markers for other colorations, as there should be.

Huff. Zavos was already speaking to the other dragon with such surety there will be young. With everything the male had set in place, there was little the Saint could do to fight this.

But he could run away. Zavos hadn't said anything about that yet.

Yeah, when he can run. When he wasn't so tired. He'll run.

"Now the most important part. I chose an evolutionary path where you are an induced ovulator. Which means you are capable of receiving more than one mate within a window after the first to add to your 'litter'. Since I am the only male here, I'll be run ragged of course. But the result is litter sizes in the double digits. Potentially over twenty." He said this with a glint in his eye, and his attention turning to the other in the nest. "May I touch you?"

One. Two. Three. I am calm. I am Zavos' mate. I am a mother. I will only harm those that seek to harm my family.

The Saint nodded. The guilt and shame was so overwhelming that he felt obligated to let the male's paw come down and brush along his flank, then pull him closer. This weakness permeated through his trembling body and rendered him meek. So he did nothing as the paw rolled along multiple sensitive somethings. "As such, you have quite the amount of teats to nurture them all. I promise this will become as natural as breathing. And you will be beautiful while doing it too." His muzzle pressed into her neck, and he shivered. It felt too good. Like a hot spring after a long fight. The touch of someone who wanted to feel calm.

"But, that's further in the future. In the immediate future, we have a schedule to adhere to." The paw and the muzzle pulled away. "You will have a strict diet, drink from the distilled water pool here, exercise and training, a few 'free roam' hours, there's a waste unit in the other corner," he motioned far from the nest, "but otherwise you will stay in this room unless I tell you to move. Is that clear?"

"Yes." The mix of the dragoness' old voice with the crystalline chiming still put him off.

A satisfied nod came from the male. "Speak your mind."

"Why? It's not like I'm going to go against your word. I'm stuck listening to you drone on about whatever fucking detail you want and obeying your every command. I'm not even my own person anymore, not even the demi-god you spoke so highly of." Oh fuck he actually spoke his mind.

"Hm," Zavos gave this some thought, "Okay fair. First however, do not use that harsh language." What? He can't be serious. "What would you like to have control over?"

The cherry eyes sharpened at the male. "Why bother?"

"I recognize the overwhelming control I have over you, and how much you're actually losing by falling into my plans. I'll let you have something. Anything you want- multiple things even, as long as none of them interfere with my plans." If it was a lie, it was a very good one. "Whether you believe me or not, I do want you to be comfortable here. My mother had a trial by fire by the way my father treated her. That will not be mirrored here. While I retain a lot of my father's characteristics- if only because it's hard to break patterns- and I don't care if you despise me, I still prefer to set you up to succeed. Along with our young. So, tell me. What do you want?"

"I want unrestricted access to the entire facility."

"Not possible. I'm even locked off from a few rooms and I have administrator privileges. Give me a smaller desire."

"Okay... I don't want to be constrained to this room." Simpler and more encompassing.

"Hmm," it almost seemed he was mocking the idea of thinking about it, until the answer, "alright. But I reserve the right to tell you to return to the nest. I know that you will listen to me regardless, saying so is merely a courtesy. Anything else?"

"I get to tell you to be quiet."

"Very, very fair. I do apologize if I'm coming off as a bit overbearing. It's been far too long since I had anyone to talk to-"

"Quiet."

He nodded, honoring the desire. This made Saint's mane bristle. He actually listens. "I want an account with the central system. So I can have things to do."

The male's jaw pressed tight. "About that... If you really want this, you're going to need to learn the Betas' written language. I can help you, but it's a very complex mess of implications, technicalities, and exceptions. Nothing as elegantly simple as the English language. Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure." The soft angles curled into a snarl again, "also can I have a little autonomy back when you ask questions? It's jarring to need to speak so quickly."

"No. That's for my comfort. A lot of things were left up in the air with little communication around my father. You will always answer me swiftly and truthfully to the best of your ability." He was tapping away at the holograms again as if he wasn't seeing the rage in his charge's eyes.

"Did you really have to reinforce it?" This push and pull better stop. "Yes. Now, anything else?"

A few more thoughts came right up. "Don't call me beautiful again."

"You are beautiful. I guaranteed that."

Saint sprang up but he was quicker. "Stay. Lay back down against me."

He had no choice. He shuddered in fear as he obeyed. "It's creepy." The protest was quiet as his flank pressed back into the male.

"It's the truth. I don't care what you think about it. I chose this form because it pleases my eyes and I will say what I want about it. Wouldn't you do the same if you had this kind of power?"

"I did have that kind of power and no, I wouldn't. I'd leave people alone."

"I guess I should have been more specific. I am only doing this because my species risks extinction if we don't adapt, after all. So our conditions are different. At any rate, I feel like everything else you have in mind would be classified as minor nitpicking. Am I right?"

"Yes." Couldn't even have his own definition of "minor".

"Okay, good. You will consider them less important."

That was stepping over a boundary. But even as the new dragon thought that, it suddenly was less important. The ivory male seemed to have no problem stepping over many boundaries to get what he wanted, and what would have been minor now could very well become big later. But it really didn't matter objectively speaking.

"There, that's better." His draconic smile was directed at the panels, but Saint could tell it was because of the more relaxed state his smaller body was in. "You know I could have easily made you more readily obedient and placid. But I do like you quite a lot. The humanity in you is tantalizing, I can't resist wanting you to fight. Those nitpicks just need to be quelled a little. I know I can be annoying and overzealous but I want to be sure our lineage's future is secured. If that means picking and choosing which parts of you shine through, I'll have to make do."

"You could just let me be."

"I could. But then again, you are mine."

--

Routine was Zavos' backbone. Adhering to a rigid structure that did not waver, as if he himself needed to be a machine in order to take advantage of the technological marvels at his disposal.

So the new dragon was inducted into it for the first taste of this new life. It was horribly mundane with the diet changes, checkups to be sure no problems arose from the transformation, supervised walks, and a lot of talking. Gone were the nights of thieving and the days of fighting for good. He couldn't even enjoy a piece of gold for too long before Zavos told him to put it back in the hoard they were inspecting. That was how he hired those men to track him down, a casual throwaway line from the bigger dragon.

It was on the seventh day, when the Saint's new body had been declared perfectly adjusted by Zavos, that things changed.

"You're free to explore. As promised." Without a single hint of irony.

The Saint squinted at the ivory dragon. "Really? You're actually going to trust me?"

"Well, not entirely. But you did ask to have time out of the nest. And, in a surprising twist, I apparently have the ability to restrict access to any part of the facility from any user registered to the system. I figured there was another account type, but it turns out those rooms I'm not able to access are special permissions separate from the Administrator."

"That's enough of that." Saint rumbled, "in less words, what are you saying?"

"Oh, you're free to explore any part of the facility I haven't restricted access to. But don't worry, there's a lot of ground to cover regardless. It's a lot larger than this room and the few hallways we walked down for your physical examination."

Saint was surprised to find he could still click his tongue, "oh so you're technically restricting me to the nest." There was the catch.

"No. Just trimming the options so you don't stumble upon something that can hurt you."

And how many rooms have something like that? Ah whatever. "Fine." The chiming response received a nod from Zavos. His followup had a softer tone to it though, which caught the new dragoness' ears, "besides, it's less about me trusting you. I want your trust. I want you to know I'm good on my word, not leading you to fail. There are just too many factors I have to take into account when yielding to you."

"You want my trust, eh?" The Saint was already up and headed toward the door to the hallway.

"Yes. At least enough to know that although I'm taking you for my own goals, you'll still be comfortable in everything else. It's a simple process and more than I was allowed as a whelpling."

The door opened without Zavos' interference. So the wingless one was able to move freely, at least to the extent that Zavos allowed. "And that door?" Saint motioned toward the one that opened into the cave that he came through last week. Along the wall adjacent to this one he stood at. "Sealed until we are ready to introduce ourselves to the humans again." Zavos' answer satisfied some kind of question in Saint as that answer felt good enough. So he started moving again. No hesitation. The automatic door closed behind him, leaving Zavos in the nest.

But of course he couldn't be left alone for long. A floating panel appeared before the now roaming dragon, displaying a line. A sonic graph, as the voice that came through confirmed;

"Check. Another good reason to get you in the system, no matter how far deep you go I'll be able to contact you." Zavos' voice was almost clear enough to be right beside the Saint.

"I shouldn't have asked for access."

"I was going to register you anyway. Perhaps with less permissions if you hadn't asked. Count your blessings." Watching the waveform was a little mesmerizing. It'd be better a little behind Saint's vision, so it was pushed back with a passive paw.

"Gee, thanks." Doors upon doors passed by. A lot of them refused to be accessed, others were simple offices or near-human dwellings and bunks. "So how is your voice being projected? I don't have any implants."

"You do now, after the change. And I'm surprised you know of the systems, or at least have a cursory knowledge. In the case of the 'cattle' the Betas used to make, the option to give them implants was usually defaulted to off. I figured it'd be better to simply give you some connection to the system and myself, but restrict in other ways. We do need to be equals in some fashion, or what good is my word when you're treated as a lesser dragon?"

"You really do talk too much." Saint hissed.

"My apologies. Enjoy your exploration. I'll be fabricating some new material up here. Don't be afraid to tap your ear to call me."

"Yeah." Some part of him felt bad for being so venomous. It was a reasonable stance if a little overbearing. But that's most, if not all, of everything Zavos has done so far so why? Why was it difficult to shake this feeling that he should apologize?

It wasn't long after that Saint found a very peaceful place to shake off the feelings. There was barely enough room to squeeze through the door, but the sleek and slender form made it easy.

A biodome. Full of absolutely overgrowing samples from the planet, as if it was supplied for centuries but never maintained. The first thought was to find a fruit tree. That'd take no time at all, in fact there were many to pick from. So he picked cherries... Oh sweet cherries. So very tiny with this new body, but still such a blast of flavor and tart sweetness. Mmh.

Even with a carnivore's maw and metabolism, the treat was wonderful. Picked by muzzle and enjoyed without worry as the pit and stem were spat out soon after. A few more disappeared into his muzzle before he continued onward. He really shouldn't be scarfing down the whole thing, besides there was more underbrush to trudge through and things to see here.

It truly felt like he stepped into an ancient forest the longer he spent in here. There were always the dirty and destroyed white tiles and walls, though they really added to the atmosphere. Like hints of an ancient tomb.

And just like ancient tombs, there's always a few ways out. At least in movies. He started tracing along the walls until he found a sizable break caused by roots and ivy on a warpath. Then he pulled at whatever was remaining with one fore, the other joining soon after. Some of the refuse came off, but the wall wouldn't budge. He'd need something stronger. At least he could stuff his nose through and get his head in to look on the other side. However there really wasn't much to see. It was dark, with distant or weak red lights occasionally filling space behind the silhouettes of pipes and wires. With all hope, it might just be a maintenance shaft. Now if only he could pull the panels off. Maybe he could find a tool to help.

His quick retreat was fuelled by determination. And to continue enjoying the "forest air".

It would be hours before he could reveal a utility closet full of nothing useful. If he could make out what the chemicals were. There was probably something in there to melt away the walls, which was wishful thinking at its best.

But they could definitely kill him if he drank enough. Yeah...

One. Two. Three. I am calm. I am Zavos' mate. I am a mother.

I will only harm those that seek to harm my family.

He bolted. He had to get away, away from anything that would make this guilt worse. What else could hurt him? Sharp angles, poisonous things, this little world collapsing in or trapping him. It all towered over him. Mocking, jabbing, vicious.

Squeezing out the door was harder than before, but he managed through sheer force of will. And once he was in the plainness of the hallway, he trudged back to the nest. Not a thought to the chaos in his head. Just keep moving.

Zavos was gone. Good. If he asked what happened, he'd close that door off too.

What to do now? That guilt had been worse than the last one, weighing his shoulders and chest heavily. Laying down seemed to be a good course of action if only to rest off this maddening crushed feeling.

It'd only take a moment for sleep to wash over the new dragon. A light nap, if anything

--

A weight had been placed on top of him. A warm and firm weight that shifted lightly in response to the changed man's stirring.

Zavos.

The saint froze as he realized this weight was Zavos on top of him. At least partially. He was resting too, but that didn't matter. The furred one rolled up and away, leaving Zavos' head to plop into the nest and rise in confusion.

Then the mask was back on both of them. His was marred with a light frown but Saint couldn't care enough. "How was your exploration?"

"Found a bio-dome and ate cherries." Saint answered truthfully... Wait, truth enough without saying anything about the scare. Understanding clicked into place. The dragon's compulsion can be satisfied with part-truths. "Is that all?" The male rumbled. Something beneath the tone wasn't sitting well with the smaller dragon

"No." Darned obedience behavior.

"Well, tell me. Did anything else happen?"

"I walked around for a while." Truth. "And poked my head into a hole." Truth, and nothing more. Seems "anything else" only needed two true conditions, if more than one, until the weight was lifted.

And that satisfied him. Until his eyes sharpened. "Alright. Saint. I won't try to keep secrets from you, so I hope you will afford me the same. It seems you've figured a way around the compulsion behavior. I know what happened in the bio-dome, I watched through security feeds."

What? Dismay brought him down to his belly. One little hope dashed. "I will be closing it off. In fact, I think a good portion of this facility is too dangerous for you. I will let you continue exploring later after I assess every room personally. So for now you are to stay here."

He'd wail and thrash, but he knew it was futile. Only a defeated nod survived his thoughts.

It seemed that the larger dragon had some amount of sympathy, because a few heavy steps brought Zavos close enough to attempt some kind of comfort. "Press your nose to my neck."

Compulsion closed the distance for the new female. Manipulated, but just barely. "You're still upset at all of this, I know. But you don't have to consider it a prison for long. I want you to find peace here as soon as I make it into the castle we need it to be. Take in my scent." Zavos commanded. Saint obeyed for the sharp, yet bulky scent to fill his nose. And he shuddered, a deep and stimulating prickle having jumped through his entire new body. Down and up. Like ambrosia.

His muzzle matched her ear, and in a gentle whisper. "We can start tonight. If you want to. Take the edge off, and really feel your new self. I still have a lot to plan out but I did make sure to leave these next few days open."

The shake of his head came before the vocalization, "no."

Zavos nodded before squeezing their bodies together briefly. "Did you want anything to eat?"

The rumble of her stomach came before the answer, "yes."

He parted her with a nuzzle into her mane. Then the saint took in a fresh breath of air. The ivory dragon was already gone by the time he could process what happened, and went to lay back in the nest that was also full of Zavos' scent.

He'd continue to bury his nose into it until the dragon returned. Not sure of anything else, but that this scent was the only real thing he'd truly taken in since the transformation. He'd almost melted into the nest until food was in front of him. It was difficult to remember a time where this kind of relaxation was possible, even if still tinged with the aggravation of being some lonely dragon's new consort.

Zavos offered to clean him after they'd eaten. Citing that he'll need to do plenty of it later, when things are more difficult. He almost protested, but the pitfall of comfort and distraction was a hard one to climb out of. So he only gave a passive huff, and the dragon set to work with a warm rag and some licks to the scales.

This intimacy still annoyed a part of the saint, but his body was horribly in tune with the act; as if it was a natural thing for dragons to wash one another. Except, Zavos did not expect him to do the same for him. He also avoided the sensitive parts. That wasn't lost on the more well-adjusted dragon.

Fed and bathed, the saint had a lot to think about now. All of this just in a short week had started to drip little inklings of trust. He could sense it and understand it despite his "better" self attempting to ignore and downplay every detail. How Zavos conducted himself and handled the facility certainly had its fair share thrown in. He wasn't tyrannical, just protective. He'd already mentioned multiple times that his father wasn't the best, but was he really that bad that this dragon couldn't live a day without carefully planning and caring for each step in his life?

The thought to ask came up, but when Zavos returned once again with a treat from the bio-dome, his heart stopped.

The paw that offered it was gentle, intentful. As if to show off the larger fruit more alien to the world outside before the soft muzzle snapped it up.

It wasn't too sweet. Hold on, why did he eat it? He tried to think about it, but the rolling flavor in his muzzle was too interesting to reason out why he would take this "gift".

"Just for a little while. You'll have plenty of time to explore once I'm done clearing every room. You'll live long enough to see and experience everything." Zavos reinforced, his draconic smile aimed right at the leery fur drake.

--

The next week proceeded much the same as the first since being restricted on his first day out and about the facility. Lots of pacing around the room, supervised walks, lab-grown carcasses to learn how to rip into. Mundanity.

The third week started with a new thought. Why was Zavos taking his time? Was this really about earning the saint's trust? Or was he really that busy, planning every step of their future?

There was much less reason to be leery of the dragon after this amount of time. He never truly forced himself on the softer wingless one, and asked for almost everything rather than commanding to do anything. So even if there were a lot of "no"s, the ivory dragon took them in stride. He quite literally only wanted clear communication and the truth rather than to be appeased. Like a reasonable human instead of a feral beast. It was a strange juxtaposition to be in the middle of, albeit greatly comforting.

So when the third day of this week came with a very jovial looking Zavos, Saint was certainly more interested than passive. He didn't ask why though.

"I've been doing a lot of research in my free time," he started, tapping a holographic panel with his nose as he approached, "and I may have finally understood one reason why you're largely upset."

"Could it be the removal of my free will?" The Saint asked passively.

"Nothing so obtuse." Zavos retorted with a grin, "No, I figured you may want some clothing."

Clothing on a quadrupedal beast? What is going on in this male's head? "Really." It was more a statement of disbelief than a question.

"Really. But if I'm to give you clothing, I want it to match your beauty and regal-like venom. Would you allow me to dress you as I see fit?" He hummed, his fores almost tapping and kneading the ground. He must've found some very exciting things if he was showing this amount of emotion. It was inspiring a morbid curiosity in the other dragon.

"How revealing will it be?" Saint rumbled, to which Zavos scoffed, "you're already naked. I think you should be asking how much it'll restrict your movement." Cherry eyes leveled at the male for a moment before more thoughts popped up. Give him a chance. He's already appeased Saint quite a lot. "Alright." And he might regret it.

He quickly flicked open a panel and tapped it which summoned a few bots holding a table. On top of the table a pile of clothing lay strewn and formless. Hard to make out anything, but it didn't matter too soon, as Zavos had approached as well to start dressing the smaller dragon up. Silk made the most of the outfit, but a lot of golden clasps and jewels flit by to lock the flowing pieces to points on Saint's body. He even moved his target around to match both sides.

When Zavos finished, he summoned a camera from the table to display the image of his work.

Through the panel that displayed the camera's view in color, Saint saw that not only was it flowing and covering a lot of his back, but the shimmering jewels gave the feminine body quite the extra shining accent. Most of the silk and lace was red with some amount of dark beneath to provide contrast. It all connected at the golden loops around his neck, arms, and tail. Suffice it to say, he was impressed.

Then it hit him. That was him. Dressed in finery and jewels, from a male. He didn't know how to process this. Breathless pressure squeezed in on the dragon, confused as to whether to thank or to tell him to take it off. So he lay there, stunned and turning his head this way and that.

"Do you want me to finish it off with piercings?"

"Yes." Wait, was that Saint answering? He felt a buzz of delight, but he wasn't sure-

Click. Click. Click.

Each one stung, but it faded quickly as he saw the little golden chain hanging off one ear, and both adorned with a dangling jewel closer to his cheeks. Beautiful. If he were a knight storming the castle, this would be his princess.

"I'll fabricate more later. In the meantime, think of this as a promise. That I will treat you to anything you want, within reason."

"You mean anything you want, that I might like." The pout was strong.

"Semantics." He didn't deny it, that smile implied he knew very well what he was saying. And that inspired a little flutter in the saint's chest. Was he really just going to say something like that? After almost three weeks of pleasantries and courtship? The fluttering only got worse the more Zavos stared, until those cherry eyes were matched with a quiet snarl in his direction. The smaller dragon didn't know why he was doing it, but when that little action caused Zavos to recompose himself they both resumed their acts. Albeit with more peeking from the male.

"At any rate, please don't be shy to enjoy anything I give you." He passed the floating camera to his ward, and quickly explained that to control it one only needed to open a panel in its direction and use the little holographic sphere and arrows that pop out of the panel. "I promise this camera is completely separate from the security feeds. Only the one who has its panel open has access to it."

That must have been a way to earn more trust. It might be working. Then he left again, and the saint was left to his own devices. Literally now.

Experimentation with the camera followed. It couldn't stray too far from its open panel. The most it could probably functionally do- no way to test yet- is peek around a corner for the user. It might've been used that way before, since it was armored as if it was a war device, but repurposed for vanity.

He definitely got to work on that vanity part. The past few weeks he noticed his scaled parts often needed to be preened and plucked along with the shedding from his mane and fur. This camera helped him make quite short work of all that; plucking the sheds off with the help of the new perspective. That in turn led to a need for a cleaner nest, inspiring the young dragoness to brush it all out. Being able to lay in the nest without worrying about all that certainly left him comfortable and content. If there's no way out, best make the most of it.

He could finally think again after he settled down from all that fussing. What to do? He can't go out and snoop around especially with that anxiety bubbling in the chest whenever he dared think about disobeying Zavos. Maybe he could just rest here... Turn his mind off and let it wander. It was easier than accidentally thinking about things that would cause more of that anxiety. Then again the mystery of that compulsive behavior was starting to pique his curiosity. What exactly was causing it? Could it be the implant Zavos was speaking of earlier? Or was it something deeper? Maybe he could ask instead of trying to assume.

Beyond all that, the camera was starting to draw his idle attention. He spun it around himself, admiring the beautiful creature dressed in silk. He could at least disassociate for a moment and really appreciate the form Zavos tailor-made for his own goals. In that way he may be genuinely amazing. Who would have thought a forgotten child would become a technological genius? More evidence that nature definitely finds ways to balance things.

The disassociation stopped when the Saint realized that line of thinking was causing quite the stir. A shiver of hopefully disgust shot through his spine, though the earlier casual acknowledgement of Saint's bratty response and the fluttering put doubt on that description. The dragon that took what he wanted and more from a vulnerable human? Amazing? He shook his head. At best he was smart, clever, and resourceful.

The camera had stopped behind him, and he thought to guide it back and turn it off. But curiosity had a way of redirecting when one's thoughts were on themselves. It became a nagging feeling that he couldn't help but entertain, and was already fiddling with the little holo-sphere as if to make it happen.

Did he really have the wherewithal to do it though? To really confirm and let there be no doubt at all? He may have thought there was no doubt at one point, but to actually look and see what's under his tail he'd start to have a lot of trouble continuing to think of himself as a he. But he has been ogling his own body quite a bit. Would it be unfair to have a look? He lingered, camera buzzing away and eyes firmly locked on the dragoness' behind.

Too late, Zavos returned with something to eat. "Now be careful with this meal. I'd prefer we keep that outfit on you for now, and getting messy with our food will require a dress-down and wash."

The command caused a shiver, while the small dragon redirected the camera back around to turn it off. "Reasonable." Was the answer from the chiming and soft voice.

Zavos set the meal in front of them, and joined the nest. He did jump in surprise first, though. "You cleaned the nest?"

"Brushed the shedding away." The saint was about to jump right into the meal to stop any more comments, but the compulsion slowed that muzzle down and forced to take smaller, gentler bites.

Zavos' pleased swell of his chest matched wide eyes and a glint Saint had only seen once before. When the ivory dragon spoke of the smaller one's new functions. "And you preened yourself?" The swell of his chest rose even higher.

Oh. Saint nervously fidgeted with a claw. It seems he didn't think about how he'd look to Zavos having done those. "Yes." Then he dug back into the meal, upset that he couldn't take any more than the compulsion would allow to keep clean.

"I didn't even have to command you. Will you continue to do them now that I pointed them out?"

"Maybe." Oh! His first 'maybe' since this ordeal started. "Depends on if you have something for me in return."

"Anything." His excitement caused him to press tighter into the small dragoness.

"A thank you?" The simplest thing. Just make it a little more bearable.

"Oh. Well... I guess I didn't say that huh? Thank you for cleaning up." His head was held higher that time, before going down to join his other in snapping up some meat. And things seemed a little better. A little kindness between two sapient beings. Just because he couldn't ask him to reverse all this, doesn't mean he has to be unbearably antagonistic. But the saint knew this would just lead down the slippery slope of going beyond bearable, into likable. It was maddening, so much that Saint simply leaned in to take more bites. Little bits at a time until he wasn't hungry anymore

"Oh, let me get that for you." Zavos said. Saint looked up almost instinctively, and the dragon's muzzle came down. His tongue lapped at a dribble of blood, then a few more times to be sure.

The motion and texture caused plenty more surprised blinks. Until it registered that this was a moment of affectionate cleaning, and... Well, he couldn't help himself. He did the same for Zavos, whose muzzle was quite a bit more bloodier. It took a bit more time to finish for the smaller muzzle, but when it was about finished, Zavos rumbled with delight. "Can you get my teeth as well?"

"Sure." The automatic answer came. It seemed right, they did just have a meal and his teeth were in some need of cleaning. The tongue was a good method to do so. He didn't force her to do too much more than the outsides though, and pulled back to nose under her chin.

"Thank you." The words were deep and intentful. He truly meant it with as much energy as he could push into those two words. It made the shimmering iridescent mane hike up. "This might be too much to ask after that, but... Will you let me sleep with you tonight?"

He hadn't been doing it. Probably for fear of passive retribution, with good reason. The cherry eyes sharpened into slits for a brief moment before they relaxed. "I can. Will you keep yourself in check?" The question came as a result of knowing he could but... That fear remained. He wasn't ready to accept it. That he was a tool- a beautiful and well-cared for one- for Zavos' future plans.

"Always and forever." His muzzle came down to press against that fluffed neck and nuzzle in deep. "Allow me this at least." And the Saint couldn't refuse.

After cleaning up with some more pleasantries and exchanges, they'd settled back down. Zavos was reading something from the facility's archives as he said he would after their meal. But it was the perfect time to ask the question that's been burning since Saint thought of it.

"Zavos." The smaller one hummed, the voice ringing like crystals clinking into each other rather than the intentful attention grab it was supposed to be.

"Hmm?" His reading slowed until he turned at least one eye to the questioner.

"How did you get this compulsion behavior thing in me?" The look that came from the male was an apologetic one before it became a little more stern. Perhaps he was thinking that it was more poking and prodding his defenses... Though this time it was pure curiosity, at least to Saint. If he could find a way around it, it wasn't going to be from Zavos himself.

"It was a trait I borrowed from the Beta cattle. After the Betas had their fun, some research and development was put into domestication. They couldn't quite staunch the effects of sapience in cattle. As in, the unruliness and violent outbursts from a beast that no longer knew why it held such feelings. There was some overlap with the loss of brain function, but when I could isolate the data it was a simple drag and drop."

Huh. That made sense... But one thing came to mind, "how did you test it?"

"Smaller models. Had a rat problem for a while. My work cleaned that up quickly." He seemed proud of that, leaning his head to look in her direction.

"You mean there's little dragons running around the nooks and crannies?" Saint couldn't contain a little tilt of his head.

"No no, I couldn't risk them going out and causing problems. So after that I put them in little cages and took care of them until they passed away." A little tinge of sadness hit his baritone.

Awwh, that's sweet. Wait, what was he thinking? Shake it off. One more detail needed to be taken care of, the crux of this entire thing. "So you can change anything into anything else.This power is immense, so much so that I have to ask... Why can't you make new dragons? Instead of changing other things?"

The holopanel lowered as Zavos' smile turned to the dragoness. "Very good question. I tried. They were lifeless."

"What?"

He nodded, "these machines are powerful for sure. But one thing you cannot do is jumpstart the nervous system and brain. They can be changed, molded to fit new forms, but new ones are simply inconceivable without significantly complex electrical nodes already in place. So in order to gain a 'new' dragon, one must insert something with already active brain patterns to take advantage of. And as a result, one cannot elevate a mind that is already placid in its existence without that hypothetical electrical node cluster, or in the case of your question, bring something that has no life, such as a fabricated brain, to life."

"What about cloning?" A question that needed to be asked. It was a method of making new life.

"Cloning had been perfected but was restricted to the evolutionary branch that came as a result of the methodology. It only referenced the genetic profile available from the subject and could only be shifted within that paradigm- like bioluminescent scales or a different skin profile. It'd then take whole research and development teams to unlock the ability to trace back the evolutionary tree and start a new branch of evolution from there." His breath ran short before he paused to take in another, closing his holo-panel in the meantime to devote his attention to the question and its questioner. "The tradeoff was that generating new bodies from that branch couldn't merely take the genetic material from a similar subject and grow a body from it. It had to be applied to a body that was closer to the intended branch, or at least different from the source branch that supports the traits the new body would need."

"I don't believe you," Saint rumbled, "there's no way they couldn't create new forms of life. And you picked up their research afterward, so you must have found something to do about it."

"I'm just one dragon that was forced to learn their language from scratch before I could make sense of their systems, and the Betas either left or suffered a terrible fate here before they could finish the work. You're welcome to experiment once you're caught up to me but I doubt you'll want to. It's much too complicated to even map a brain let alone shock one to life." He then turned to simper at the smaller dragon; "Of course, you'll probably have no time for it anyways." He had that glint in his eye again. "Creating life the traditional way."

That ended that conversation. Any more questions were set aside the moment Saint looked away. Though he didn't protest, he noticed. He couldn't because more bubbling thoughts were pressing on his mind. Things to occupy since his questions could only go so deep after that tangent and he couldn't be bothered to complain about the boundary stepping. Creating life... What would they look like? Would they look more like their mother? Be more like their father? Somewhere in between? Like beasts? Like humans? Ack! Stop thinking about that!

She stiffened when his muzzle touched the back of her head. "Speak your mind."

"Are you saying I'm incapable of doing anything like your research?" Darned commands, at least that thought came up right before it.

"Do you actually want to?"

"W- No." Well hold on! That could always change!

"There's your answer then. No, you are capable. But if you don't want to then I won't pretend that you might." His muzzle brushed into the iridescent mane, more soft shocks to the system. "Now tell me what you were actually thinking."

She couldn't look at him. He was pressing on her back and snuffling through her fur. The compulsion to speak wore on her in the few seconds she didn't answer until it was unbearable. "I was thinking about... Our children."

"Good." Zavos hummed. "I'm glad you understand some aspect of this in a way that lets you think about them. May I hold you?"

Something was beginning to fight the urge to say no. A growing comfort, the one he knew was coming. Zavos was a creep, a presumptuous jerk, a thief, and a massive weirdo. But his touch was soothing. It calmed the ache that grew with every command and every question. There was no way to walk the fence. He had to answer now or risk breaking down.

"Yes, please." Why did he add that?

The pleased chuckle that followed matched with strong scaled arms tug the two tight together. Petting along his soft chest followed, then along his belly. Across those rows of teats that he didn't notice desperately needed attention until that paw sent more positive signals through his nerves. He shuddered out a heavy sigh. He hadn't realized just how much he needed this, and Zavos was drinking it up. "I expected quite a lot more fight than this. It's only been two and a half weeks, yet you're settled in and begging me to hold you. Did I make that desire to be touched too strong?"

"Probably." But at this point it really didn't matter. The little touches over the weeks had only fuelled a desire for more, so even if it was intense to begin with, the final realization that she needed to be held was going to happen anyways.

The lights dimmed at Zavos' command until the room appeared once again to be a hidden cave with a little glow in the center. "Don't worry. I won't go too far. For now, let us rest."

Too far. That had been passed long ago. Saint was ambivalent to his intent here, he was just glad to be felt. As Zavos intended. Maybe giving in to the male's desires won't be so bad? It's not like he can change much more about this situation and a few more good moments like tonight would be nice.

He did like the cleaning part.

--

They woke up together the next morning. It was a pleasant feeling to at least be consciously synced in that moment. A few more pleasantries were exchanged before their respective masks were put on again; Saint's continued passive attentiveness and Zavos' analytical observations. It'd almost become a dance. One the two were actually enjoying to some extent as if being challenged was all they needed.

At some point Saint was left alone to pace in the room and play with the camera that he'd found had a still-image function. Pictures. Though a lot of weird unreadable errors did pop up when trying to use the save function he'd figured out from the icons. Was there some kind of cloud system that should be accepting them that's not available anymore? That's a shame. Maybe he could get a good angle that captures everything about his figure and let the camera linger on that.

Everything.

Yeah yeah. He'll give that more thought later. Right now, finding a good quadrupedal pose to snap was difficult. Can't put his hands through his mane without significant balance problems. Maybe he could do a lay-down on the harder tile- no that also kind of hid a lot... How about sitting on haunches, looking to the side, one paw on chest?

Heck yeah, that looked great. The holo-panel really added to it too.

Click- vrrr.

If only he could spruce it up a little. Oh well, the clinical look was alright. And his silk-covered frame had plenty of contrast. He got a little giddy over the final result, and bounded over to the nest to look it over some more.

He could really use a different sort of style for his mane. It was constantly swept back but maybe when it gets longer he can do little adjustments. Maybe a fake cowlick? Zavos might like that.

Zavos might like that.

Speaking of Zavos, he entered once more before the dragoness could really linger on that thought. Though no hurried action came of it; Zavos had seen everything so far so what point was there in hiding the finished picture?

"The first floor is completely clear. You're free to explore it now." He hummed, flexing and stretching as if working out some kinks in his muscles. Saint's confused squint probably was enough to jump at, "I thought you sa-"

"I know what I said. After last night I changed my mind. I'll let you have a floor after I clear it." His smile was a little too infectious, even inspiring a little puff of Saint's fur. "So don't use the stairs until I say it is alright to do so."

The smaller dragon nodded. So he was yielding to rewards over restrictions. What else could the furred one do to earn more? Did... Did he have to allow Zavos to do more things to him? Concessions could be made, though Saint was hesitant to let things move too much toward the end of this part of his new life. His hang ups were a lot more about losing the ability to move and look around for escape routes, and letting Zavos do more did risk the final result. If he did finally give in to Zavos like he thought last night, that ability would be gone in mere months. The male definitely wouldn't let him be without the moment it started.

Then again the idea of being touched and held like that started to fill his head. And the amount of control he'd have over Zavos was tantalizing.

"What do you have there?" The question knocked the dragoness out of his thoughts. "Oh, I was playing with the camera... But it can't save because I think it's trying to send the picture to a system that doesn't exist."

Zavos approached, and when he caught a glimpse of the subject in the photo he froze. Not a single word left his muzzle, merely looking at it with that glint in his eye again. That telltale sign of deeper pleasure. It had the smaller one grinning just a little.

"I'll get to work on fixing that." He rumbled, a panel appearing before him to trace the error. "May I join you for another meal?"

"Yes." Saint answered swiftly, truthfully, to the best of his ability.

Zavos nodded, and left for another round of checks before he'd return with the food.

In the meantime, the dragoness decided to do another preen and clean. The nest was in quick order and even with slightly cleaner tile in front of it. Perfect. Zavos will have to thank him again. Even if it was a smaller deal this time.

And as if he knew just when Saint was about to get bored, he appeared again with the carcass they would be feasting upon. He stopped before he got too close.

"Two things." Oh, here we go. It seems they both had quite the plans for each other. Saint listened with faux-interest. "I want to hear a thank you from you." He grinned a little. That wasn't a command, it was a statement of what he wanted. And an inversion of what Saint wanted from him. "For feeding you and allowing you privileges my family never had. A proper one, no snark or feigned delight. And you will continue to eat carefully as long as you have clothing on." An interesting command. Though the look on his face said it was because he liked something more about it than keeping clean.

He was waiting to hear it. Great. Soft nostrils took in a heavy breath, and soft eyes looked up right into his gaze. All the genuine feelings welled up for as much as Saint didn't like the position he was in, at least he was being fed and cared for. "Thank you for the food. And some amount of freedom."

Zavos did look like he wanted to add something more for a moment, his jaw clenching. He may have thought against it though as a nod of approval followed before he dragged the corpse over and settled in the nest.

They ate as normal, and the compulsion did settle in nicely. As long as Saint was clothed... What was clothing? Did the earrings count? Ah, something for later.

After the meal, Zavos did not speak. He merely caught her gaze. That was enough to replay the command from yesterday, and her muzzle lifted for him as he went in to clean. Again the sparks of stimulation soothed the regularly anxious or watchful dragoness, and again there was no obligation tied to it. They parted with licks to each other's chin. Oh, but when Zavos made to clean himself, a little nerve fired off that filled the heart of the smaller one with energy.

Before she knew it, her small muzzle was licking away at his lips, and going for his teeth. She needed to earn more, she reasoned. He reasoned. He needed a bit more freedom, so why not do more of what he likes?

But he was soon nudged away by a heavy claw. Confusion and dismay ensued, before the male clarified. "Only when I ask of you. By motion or word." His voice was stern, and Saint's eyes went wide. What? He's allowed to have boundaries but not her? His gentle eyes matched a steely grin, "I want you to be obedient, not subservient. There may be little distinction in your mind, but if you think you can win something from me by assuming you can serve me to get what you want... You'd be mistaken."

Speech left the dragoness in that moment. So he took advantage of that to reinforce his point.

"My father wanted subservience even from his children. It's a disgusting, fake kind of care. One that breeds resentment and fear." His eyes sharpened and pierced right into her. "Especially in those who demand it."

At that moment, Saint was definitely smaller. Shrunken and introspective as Zavos' muzzle closed the distance again. "If you truly mean to clean me, I want you to ask first. I want you to assume nothing. I may not want that attention, but at least that will prove to me you care enough to put action and word together. Like I do."

The dragoness' heart pumped. Okay, that was a surprise. All of that. Yet he stepped over her when he wanted to. Or was that when he needed to? What was his criterion for that? He was lingering now, snuffling along the line of her mane. Is that him waiting for the ask? Should she? "M- May I-?"

"No. You've lost the privilege of cleaning me for now." He did scoot closer though, following that up with, "you may press your nose to my neck if you want to." His matter-of-fact statements only deepened this confusion and internal restructuring. This added a whole new layer of complication for Saint. Asking too much will invite the question of motivation. Asking too little won't get her anywhere.

She found her nose stuffed firmly into his neck while he went about fixing the systems. The shock and fear that came out of that simple interaction reduced her more than the implications of his statements. She did want to put her nose on his neck, if only because it was more touch and his scent was soothing to her mind after her expectations were shattered. Her chest even had that fluttering again, as if something about that clear limitation made her... Want more. More what? More to think about and figure out. He was like a stone wall in some places, how the heck was she supposed to figure a way out of this if he had hangups like this?

And why was she thinking of herself as a she?

"Error fixed." Zavos rumbled, "try to save it now."

Without removing her muzzle, the save button was tapped on the hologram. The picture blinked out of existence with a confirming circle. He then looked down to her with that grin again. "Did you enjoy posing for that?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'd like to see more if you don't mind." Again there was no command attached to it. Why won't he just do it? Restrict and tell her what to do? "Ah, and I can see everything you tried to save." What!? She blinked. "Yeah, it's all here. Must have been a queue in the camera's local storage." He was chuckling and rumbling along with the scrolling in the panel. "You're a vain little girl aren't you?"

"Y- yes..." Saint tried to dig her nose into his neck further in embarrassment but that was only making it worse. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you answer that," he chuckled again, his tail sliding up to laze across her own. Again something more was at his lips, but he withheld, and merely closed the panel. "I better sleep before I accidentally command something more from you."

Her turn to want to say something, but his motion to bring her underneath him and nuzzle into her fur stalled that. "It's barely evening." She managed.

"Sleep is important for a mind that thinks far too much." His grip tightened, almost squeezing the air out of her before relaxing. "And you're too calming of a presence to want to leave."

Saint couldn't summon a snarky response to that. It seemed too unreal. Between being scolded and praised in such a short timespan, too many conflicting thoughts were trying to take hold.

So she slept too. And only just noticed she didn't receive a thank you for cleaning the nest again.

--

Saint woke up alone a number of days later. After the day he was scolded, things somewhat returned to their regular state. At least regular in the sense that Zavos separated himself from the nest with some limp-wristed excuse about giving the still-adjusting dragoness some space. Which he both appreciated and disliked.

At least he could remember he was a "he".

Which gave him some reason to go out into the first floor and explore, if only to stop thinking about how he was quickly slipping down into exactly what Zavos wanted.

He had to admit it. He was doing so very little to actually take advantage of all the material at his disposal under Zavos' rule to get out. But thinking 'rule' wasn't fair, he was actually being accommodating. And that's exactly why all of this was so frustrating. That damn dragon was making it hard to reason out leaving him. He alluded to the Gate being here in some sense, and all he wants is a little love in return. Was that so bad?

Kind of! Losing freedom the likes of which Saint hadn't had for quite a while is a big downside. And there's little to say about what's on the horizon with that male.

He jumped onto a massive bed and tested it. Smelled like an old dead alien. Some of the pillows looked alright, smelled better too. He threw them at the door and continued to snoop around. Odd how the first floor had dorms. Perhaps they were the guards' rooms? Let them sleep off-duty? Seems about right.

The blanket came too, if only because the stench will be stamped out in time.

And returning to the nest with multiple rooms' haul of pillows was easier with it.

Once it was all in the nest and patted down, Saint rolled into it. Rolled. Roll roll roll. Picture taken and saved. Pout visible. He had shed the silk clothing for it to be washed, and hadn't worn it again in a while. This little photoshoot certainly gave incentive to put it back on, but he figured it was best to wait for Zavos' next creation. He had come up with a few more outfits over the continuing week, all of which were worn once and set aside like the silk, though Saint did keep a shawl from one cycling through washes and on his neck.

Before then he did find out that the earrings did count as clothing. So he was forced to eat slowly and carefully for as long as he had them on. Effectively forever if that look in Zavos' eye was to be believed. It was a bit of a confusing distinction, but the dragoness soon got over it, instead being sure to be extra careful and keep his lips clean so Zavos didn't have an excuse to lean in for more. That didn't stop him a few times, before he decided to separate for a little bit and let Saint have the first floor to himself.

He was starting to miss it though. Those little moments together proved that Zavos was more than good on his word; he was a gentleman. Yeah, Saint will admit it. Despite everything, Zavos never overstepped when it wasn't necessary or at least when it would otherwise harm his sense of justice. And just thinking of his paws trailing all over this feminine body was driving Saint to daydream just about him. He had his hooks well established, and a good portion of the new dragoness was starting to care less about getting them out.

Her own paws started to trail down her teats, eliciting a little huff and more memories of him touching her. If she had her better mind established she'd think it was Stockholm Syndrome. It probably was. But he was much less a captor and more a beast with proclivities, even with his sapience often proving otherwise. Ah but that made it worse didn't it? He knew exactly what he was doing by leaving her all on her lonesome. That need for touch he so clearly established early on. Darn him.

That thought caused a little tension between her legs. A little confirmation that a self-censored word had hit a note. Was she starting to like being commanded? He never commanded her to like it, nor had he confirmed it with a question. Just thinking about it caused more shivers. This was the most dastardly of tight spots she's been in. It seemed no matter where she turned, he was there to stop it. Trapped yet given little freedoms here and there. Like the camera and the facility's first floor. Rewarded for good behavior and punished lightly for little bits of defiance.

She had stopped cleaning the nest a few days ago. At first it was manageable, but the anxiety built up by not doing it, and potentially never getting another thank you- which she also noticed disappeared for a bit- launched her into doing it again. Even building it up with these pillows.

So soft... And soon to no longer smell like stale aliens. Her paws continued up and down as if she were reminding herself of something. Like Zavos, and his touch. Mmm, how much to think about? Just the belly rubs? The licks on her snout? That caused a little lip lick. How about the nose in her fur? Or the tail coming to twirl around hers?

How about the last touch he hasn't done yet?

That was enough to pause and bring both paws up to her chest. They rested there. More thoughts, but too fast to recount. She watched one paw reach out and open the camera's panel, then roll the incorporeal sphere around. The camera came around to aim at her muzzle, as if asking if she was sure. She watched herself watch herself watch the camera for quite a while. Maybe it was about time to actually have a look. Her tail dropped-

Right when the door opened. She was exposed but didn't scramble to hide. He already broke down far too many barriers for her to care about what he sees anymore. He didn't have any holo-panels open. That was a bit of a concern. No, he was walking intently toward the nest. She froze and watched as he stepped into the bowl of pillows then settled perpendicular to the upward-belly. His eyes were firmly locked on hers.

"Can I help you?" Came her answer, to elicit a smile that again was too infectious.

"You're exhibiting nesting behavior." He said simply. "A part of your body is ready for the next step. But I want to be sure you're comfortable. Will you let me ask you some questions?"

"I don't see why not." Huh, that was a new way to say "yes".

"Will you hurt me if I try to claim you?"

All the alarms and old feelings were bubbling up just at that. But the truth came first. "I can't."

His chest swelled. "Do you feel shame right now because of your predicament?"

These were the same questions as last time."No."

"What's your purpose?"

Her hesitation brought with it an anxiety she couldn't place, "to find the Gate."

Zavos' chest deflated a little, but his eyes glinted again."What do you think of me?"

Saint only stared on in some amount of placidity.. "You talk too much, make a lot of sense, and generally stick to yourself unless you need me. You're self-serving and touchy. Probably miss your mom and the comfort a female can bring." That was all the truth, how Saint felt about it was a complex story.

"And what's your real name?"

"I don't have one." That brought one of her paws up to hide her muzzle. That wasn't supposed to come out.

The male's eyes went wide. No real name? They said to Saint. He wasn't just asking that to be a weirdo, he genuinely wanted to know. He then opened a panel, something that accessed another camera. He zoomed it in on a mess, and focused it.

"Is this what you've been searching for?" He brought the picture closer to Saint. "The Gate?"

On a pedestal in the center of the room, a device hooked up to many-a-wire and tube lay tilted, showing its unmistakable patterns and the presence of a ring that neither needed to be attached to the central sphere, nor held up by anything. Even in its inert state, it was perfectly preserved despite obvious tampering.

"Yes." The answer held every emotion at once.

His excited rumbling started up again, before he placed a paw over her belly. "It's sealed and buried deep in the facility. I only recently took access to the cameras. If that's it, then you've found it by being here. The coincidence is staggering. Almost as if fate demanded I find this just days before you start to show signs of your body preparing."

"Then... What do we do about it?" She asked, already recognizing her mistake in asking.

"You will do nothing about it." The command locked the feeling in. She was not her own being anymore. "I will keep it sealed." His paw gripped her tightly, his cold and possessive gaze bore down on her. "And your new purpose begins soon."

"Why?" Was all that came from her mouth. Disbelief, dismay, that little bit of hope crashing down even after all of the positive thoughts she afforded him swirled into a complex storm.

"To keep you safe. I want you to forget about all of this madness. That machine is for our children and our children's children to keep. You are a mother. The way you've adopted the role alone this past month has confirmed it for me more than any of my commands could. I want to see you grow and nurture. To love them."

Defiance grew, past the commands and past the frustration; "Then why don't you command me to do so?"

"I don't have to. You already know. What is your purpose?"

"To bear your children."

The words left her mouth as she collapsed in the nest. All Zavos did was lean back and look down his muzzle. "Amazing what a few simple changes do. How do you feel?"

"Defeated."

"Not for too long I hope. I'll build you up stronger than you were before."

Saint huffed and rolled her gaze away from him. "Only in the way you want."

"In the way you need. Am I wrong?" He can't ask that, that's not fair.

"No." Her body was working against her. He'd stripped her of all the edges and slotted her snugly into this pinhole.

"You know exactly that this is more beneficial to our world than whatever you were going to do with the Gate." His muzzle came down to brush into her mane, humming softly. "It is our world, after all. Right?"

There was no right answer, she was allowed to stay quiet without feeling anxious about that.

It only gave him more room to smile upon her. "It's good to know you have plenty of fight in you. Do you need comfort?"

"Yes." She whispered meekly.

"Let me give it to you."

She rolled back toward him as his paws traced along her back and neck. "There was no other outcome for this as soon as you were in the liquid. I really am sorry." He cooed, brushing along one ear for a moment before tugging her tighter into his form. He made her feel so weak. Yet, he was there to keep her upright. Even as she broke down into quiet wails, burying her muzzle into his shoulder and soaking in the touch.

--

The next week and a half was preparation that Saint didn't care about. He remained lethargic and stayed in the nest regardless of Zavos' news that he'd cleared the second floor. Zavos himself had slowly lost that glee that he had that day as well. She saw it, and willed it to continue silently. She hoped it was guilt. She hoped it really dawned on him just what he'd done. This wasn't a minor nitpick, it was her whole life up to this point.

Zavos will have his way regardless. Hell, if he had all of his way, she'd only be made to move when he wanted her to exercise. Which happened a lot the past few days, since she wouldn't get up without commands anyways. Yeah, just use them. There's no distinction between her own free will and his command anyways.

The whole time she thought she was working toward figuring out his devious scheme and appeasing him to find a way out. A lot of good that did. Now she seemed like the demure little dragoness he wanted her to be, and how could she deny that after that night? She played right into it thinking he'd take months of preparation, and here they are only barely into the second month of her change and she's building a nest and everything.

She even admitted to the fact that objectively her purpose now, regardless of whether she felt otherwise, was to have his children and rear them like some kind of fat cow. It wasn't fair! She didn't care if his overwhelming power over her was starting to sink in and make up for her own lack of control. She didn't care if his maddening touch was driving her insane. She didn't care that every day she goes without it, she puts her paws and attention lower and deeper than before until-

Sweet relief. She realized with cold indifference that her paws had found their mark and started to bat and curl at the pliable thing under her tail. A good time as any to pull out the camera and take obscene pictures of it. Maybe that'll finally throw him off. Maybe it'll make him curl his lips into that sickening grin again and she'll finally get the balls- hah- to hurt him.

Oh but one two three. Yadda yadda.

She didn't hesitate this time, her tail dropping away and one freed paw coming up to roll the sphere around until the camera was in position. Then with a little bit of focus and zoom, she got her first look at what she had.

A teardrop. Whoopty freakin' doo, baby girl. She finally did it, she did the lookies and confirmed once and for all- as if there was any doubt- that she had a massive flap of drooling meat shaped to fit Zavos' baby-batter dispenser. And still she couldn't curse or scream obscenities about it.

She snapped a picture of it. Moved it a little. Another one. Then another. Another. Maybe one with her paws spreading it wide. Oh how about one with her other hole in the frame too? Her pink part could use a friend! Hahah, how about three more of her staring longingly into the camera? And one with her ass up and mock begging? How many more until it's all full of just her freakin' slit and if he looks, he can't look away at it?

The novelty wore off fast. She didn't know why she was making a big deal about it. It's just a vagina. A massively fat, disgusting thing that took up 90 percent of the space under her tail. She really was a cow. The realization loaded up a weight so heavy in the pit of her belly that tears welled again. This was the body Zavos wanted, that pig. She bet all the sows in his pen just couldn't do it for him so he absolutely needed to find something to give him his dream cow.

She screamed- roared- "Go away!" When she heard the door open.

It closed before she could complete her mantra

I will only harm those that seek to harm my family.

That programming would not go away. Despite the fact he knew he had it over her, he still only limited talking to her when he brought food or told her to exercise.

This time it was a basket of cherries. That two-bit lizard actually brought cherries? Does he know the thing they say about females with the cherry metaphor? No. He can't, he's not that smart about that. He had to have watched her eat them on the security feed. The absolute gall. The maddening amount of idiocy. The complete incompetence. He should know better.

She spat the first pit at the vat across the room and shoved another into her muzzle. Then his waveform profile popped up.

"Are you feeling better?"

"No." The second one clacked against the panel of the vat.

"May I speak?"

"What so you can command me to be a good little cow and take your- your-?" She tried to hold off the anxiety for not answering the question. It was getting harder-

"Nothing so brash."

"Yes! Ffffffaaaaaaaahhh-" She collapsed back in the nest and shoved another cherry in her muzzle.

"I... Wanted to apologize. Again."

"Apology accepted. Go away." Cherry pit number three made it into the empty part of the vat. Score one for the dragoness in the nest.

"No, no, not like that. Listen, what I said about wanting you to be comfortable is still true regardless of everything. I messed up. I really messed up. I can't revert that command, and I made it because I couldn't resist you-"

"Oh so it's my fault?" Number four missed but rolled into one of the empty nests. A second's delay to think about how she was able to spit came up while Zavos sputtered, "no! Agh, stupid... Dammit Zavos."

"Language." She tried, she really did.

He took in a deep breath that came through the audio link. "Okay. I am in control of my own actions. What I did a few days ago was far out of line, I wasn't thinking clearly, I was being selfish, and I desperately, terribly want you to know that I am deeply, invariably sorry. No buts. That's it."

She hissed through her teeth, "Do you think that'll be enough to get under my tail?"

"No. And that's not my intent."

"Well it sure is sounding like it is. Tell you what," she had every idea how he could make it up to her, "how about you give me administrator access to this entire facility, let me blow it sky high, then we can talk about your darn plans for the future?"

"Admins don't have access to the self-destruct sequence and even if they did it's been defunct. I kind of already tried to hotwire it when my father was still here."

"Ffffffudge!" She screamed again until her lungs gave out. "Then give me the ability to delete everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything! All the data, all the research, all the little bits and bobs you used to make me into this weak b- mewling thing!" The next cherry pit flew far and out of sight.

The silence from him crushed the air around her. Had she gotten through to him? Was he finally going to listen? The panel was still visible. He hadn't ended the connection. "Why?"

"You already have me. You've already made your research worth it just by creating me. I want to know if you mean that you want me to be comfortable, and I don't feel comfortable knowing you could at any point make another one like me."

"Hm. Alright. On one condition; if I do this... We start today."

"No."

"Then what else do you want me to do? Sit here and apologize forever? Might I remind you that your fate is the one that's absolute here. You can take that with grace like I thought you would, or tear us both down by forcing my hand."

"You already tore me down. Why not go a step further?"

"Because maybe I mean it when I say I want you to be comfortable! And I mean you- the being that came in here a month or so ago that I put in the bio-gel to change. Not some half-cognizant broad that's only good for breeding and chewing on whatever. Have you even given thought as to why I've tried so hard not to accidentally command you into slavery?"

The waveforms stopped abruptly. Did he mean for her to answer?

No, because he spoke not long into the silence. "How about I figure out a way to end the compulsion behavior? You won't have to do everything I say and I don't have to try so hard to be careful."

That drew her attention. "After you've already gotten so far?"

"Yeah. I can't guarantee any previous commands will fade away with it, but we're near the end."

"But you're so close to this goal that I have to wonder if it even matters."

Another brief moment of silence, which she assumed was simply him mulling over that. "Come to my office. Just down the hall to the right and through the door at the end." She nearly choked on her latest cherry. He's got an office? Since when?

"So that's where you've been hiding." She hissed before lifting herself out of her nest.

"Hiding is one way to say it. Being respectful of my other half is another." Oooohhh she could almost hear the snickering grin.

"Respect my butt." She was already on the way, and down the hall to the right.

He didn't let that one slide. "I will."

She heard him tap the button to open the door through his audio transmitter. "Come in."

They continued without the technology while she was beset by alien books and ornate wood. A masculine scent spoke about how much this dragon spent here, but it was kept cold and bearable by working ventilation. Impressive. "Come sit with me."

She did not hesitate. Instead plodding over discarded books and pushing aside whatever stacks of paper to plop her rump right in front of him. Against his chest and at the desk. His head tilt barely registered in her peripheral vision but she got enough of that before also plopping her head on the desk. "Could've asked."

"I could have." Zavos hummed. Though he had her close, he merely continued his work. His hands went nowhere near her. "But I still have the ability to use it. Might as well prove to you that even if it's gone, you're going to continue to be mine."

"How so?" She merely stared at the now closed door, and shifted to get comfortable.

"Well, you're noticeably more calm in my presence, and letting out a little more natural quirkiness. If I were lesser I'd say you had no problems about what I did the other day. But that's not quite true, it's merely the need for touch that's doing that. I have problems about what I did the other day. I broke my promise that you will be comfortable, and I will forever be riddled with guilt because of it."

She huffed papers into the air. "Is that all you wanted me here for?"

"Well, no. I did want to go over a few more clothing ideas with you. Perhaps even more piercings, if you have the desire for it." She shimmied, and rolled her eyes while she talked over scrambled books. "Ah yes, riddle me with jewels until I finally forgive you. Like a simple-minded cow."

"Not the intent- you know what..."

"What?"

He leaned his head until he was in her vision, and she looked up to him with those fierce eyes. "I get the feeling you want me to command you. Is that it?"

The jolt in her system confused her for a moment. The answer wasn't clear even in her own head, because... Well, yeah. Make things simpler, instead of forcing her to fight tooth and nail. "What gave you that idea?" That satisfied the question.

"Look at you so obediently sitting underneath me."

"Well I don't have a choice." She huffed.

"If you really didn't have a choice, why did you sit beneath me? I said come sit with me. That could have meant anywhere next to me. But you chose here." Her rump was already up and making a move- "No." He commanded, a paw dropping to her rump and pressing it back down. "Stay."

She easily dropped back down. His paw stayed, and squeezed. She couldn't have had too much power until Zavos made her do anything, right? "You already made that choice. To try and reconsider after I point it out... You like this don't you?" His head was working now. She saw it in his eyes.

And her face flushed. Was she really just challenging him at every turn to get a rise out of him because she liked it? It was fun, better than just being a placid little cow in a nest. And adhering to some amount of that need to be touched did mean she chose quite a lot of places that would get her the most attention.

He pressed his chest down on her as he brought a holo panel in front of her. The mess of the Betas' written language, laid out and listed before her. "You still don't know anything about the systems here. How could you possibly learn how to delete my research without my help?" He asked, grinning and starting to pet along her scales and fur. And she hung her head, "I don't know." That inspired a smile from him, which quickly turned into a chuckle.

"I don't have to appease you at all." He hummed. His muzzle dropped in to snuffle at her mane, and she didn't budge a bit... Because it was a good feeling. "You like being led around." He wasn't presenting questions for her to answer. And despite everything she couldn't bring herself to deny them. Then she felt it.

His paw sought the space underneath her tail, and her eyes went wide. She wasn't begging him to stop. Why? Her tail twitched out of the way. Then the press of fingers against her pussy jolted her forward, freezing her hinds in place. Her fores knocked over stacks of books and piles of paper. She felt her body welcoming the touch while she made a wordless protest about being pushed forward. It was even more confirmation. Why wasn't she saying anything against this?

His head hovered over hers, as the free paw came around to switch the view of the holo-panel. It became the plethora of poses she just did not too long ago. Each one looked more pleading than the last. But she swore she was thinking of getting revenge on him. She swore it was out of spite, not need. The digits crawled in without further warning.

She vocalized, and it wasn't a cry for help. She heard the lewd schlock of his claws dug in, played with her, threatened a touch so deep she will not be able to crawl back. And her eyes were locked on her own pictured form. The visage of a beast that needed.

"I want you to apologize. For being unruly and forgetting your place. To your Sire."

It wasn't a command. "I'm sorry, Sire. I won't do it again." It wasn't a command.

"Bend over the desk." She was left open and stretched enough, drooling from a place she absolutely knew she had now. His touch was too real to deny it. She obeyed the command, pushing off physical books of strange shapes and papers. Her body shivered, her thoughts scrambled, she was feeling shocks all through her lower half... Without the touch. He'd pushed her down the slope with that one moment. Now she could feel the fat thing under her tail blossoming and flushing, especially with him pressing on her back and whispering into her ear.

"You're going to lay there and think about what you've said."

"Don't be like your father," She whimpered, "don't do this."

He barely flinched. He'd already acknowledged that he was a lot like his father, she couldn't use that against him. "I do with you what I please, little miss." No hint of that hesitant, guilty voice, "I dare you to consider just how powerless you really are." He rumbled, putting the mask back on as they have so many times before. "All of your bargaining has led you back to me and obeying my command. You have nothing to offer except your body and I already own that. You don't even have a name. Just a title that barely fits. So, unless I missed anything, what do you really have?"

"Nothing." She answered swiftly, truthfully, and to the best of her ability.

"But not for long." He rumbled, tapping at the holo panel in front of him. "I'm going to give you everything you deserve." He hummed as he loomed over her. "I'm going to keep you just the way you are. You will not touch my research." His muzzle dropped to her ear, "and you are going to be a mother. Think about that while I do my research. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes." She whispered in her warm and crystalline voice.

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, Sire." That felt good. Too good. Something warm and firm pressed against her back at the base of her tail but all that followed was a pleased chuckle, then he dismounted and sat back to leave her on the desk. She looked over her shoulder though, her eyes a mix of defiance and a feeling she couldn't place.

Oh but he did not advance again. Instead he did as he said, continuing his research while she stewed over the desk. She dared not to think about anything but what would come. She had recognized his overwhelming power over her a long time ago. This was simply the natural conclusion. Could she fight it? Probably, but that would've left her a brainless cow. A cow with multiple heavy teats, and young suckling from them. Her bull always ready to console her. She found herself obeying the command even in her head; to think of being a mother. Continuing to obey him. Pleasant in all iterations. Pleasant enough to wrap her feelings up into warm blankets and say everything will be alright.

The hours passed and she felt nothing but the tense shivering in her hind legs and the sense that she was slipping all the way down the slope. Then a strong paw that came down to squeeze the base of her tail shook her out of her stupor. The claws dug in, but all she could vocalize was a muffled squeak. "Good girl." Zavos rumbled. "Thank you for reminding me that you're still mine. That little command changed nothing about you. It merely secured your place as my mate. And you agree. I can tell by the scent under your tail."

She whimpered as her tail was pulled away, and cold conditioned air brushed on obvious wet spots. "You've been thinking about it as I ordered. Tell me, do you have a name?"

Her breath caught as she thought for only a moment. "No." It's been days since she...

"Good." His muzzle pressed under her tail. It was a new taste of heaven, the first contact she'd had there with him since this all started. She realized far too late how much she needed it. The monstrous thing he had his lips on practically sucked in his tongue, and the fat knob that he touched with his chin confirmed that she loved it, and feared it. She sprayed, he grunted.

That bit of pleasure didn't last long. He was clambering over her, huffing wildly. She hadn't been told to move so all she could do was be still while he took his place. The final emasculation and the last thing he needed to do to completely take away the Gate from humanity was right here. She sat there, dared not speak. Not a sound but the ones he forced out of her. She truly had no control, despite the appearance of it. She could only decide where and how to sit, and even then it was in service to her Sire. He'd made her into his perfect mate and she did nothing to stop it.

"Do you want me to take you?" He asked. He knew full well what he's done so far made her want it, so bad. He knew her body was trembling and buckling. He knew that his hooks were in.

She merely pressed her rump up into his hips. That was enough for him.

She collapsed back on the desk with rolled eyes and a chiming huff while he worked his hips against her drooling teardrop. Mashing against velvet and viscous trails, until he was accepted with a squeal. Then he had her. He would have her as many times as he wanted for as long as she was without children. But for the first time he was content in knowing that she hadn't changed at all. So he wanted to put the last piece into place.

He pressed in gently for his last pump. While she moaned in frustration at her lack of climax, he held her down with a soft paw on her back. His lips could only get so close until they were pressed right up into her ear, and the excited breath made her shiver while she felt him driving his seed deep into the crevasse he made in her. While he felt her squeezing and milking him for everything he's got.

"Your name is Ada."