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Everything around him was numb, his memory awash in a fog of clouds that refused to relent. His subconscious called him to rise, his eyes slowly blinking open as a rush of pain filled his head. The world around him blurred like a mirror in a humid room, only the tingling sensation of feeling returning to his body. He shook his head, expecting to feel his bed below him only to find it had disappeared, replaced with hay. His head rocked, heart beating faster as if a fear that had been caged inside was finally seeping through the cracks as he started to finally realize what had happened. 'Where... where am I?'

He knew he was walking back home the night before, he had to have been. It had gotten late, the deep blue of the sky filled with the dazzling lights of the stars, the pearl or purity peeking over the buildings in the town, lighting the pebbled road ahead of him. He had just finished his work at Broken Beasts, happy to be done for the night as he headed home, relishing the thought of just turning on some tv and relaxing. But as he pondered over the previous day, things once again became blurry. No matter how much he tried to focus on what happened during the walk, it just... cut off.

'My head...'

It came back just as suddenly as it had been taken from him, the image of someone jumping out from around a corner of a building, slamming something into his head. He remembered the hard thump as he hit the ground, reaching out with a pained yell to try and stop the attacker, but it was too late. It was only now as the room around him began to settle into view that things slowly began shifting into place.

The ground was strewn with hay, hay he'd seen for so many days of his life. He raised his head to the light above him, lanterns hanging from the wooden banisters, the golden hue filling the large room. His gaze, wide-eyed, scanned his surroundings, his heart clenching as the familiar wooden walls climbed around each end of the barn, reinforced with metal alloy to keep the creatures inside from breaking out. 'Am I... At work? Why...'

It was only as he raised his hand to his head that he let out a surprised gasp, reeling his face back.

His hand... was covered in scales! Verdant, emerald green plates covered each inch of his previously human fingers, talons grown where his nails used to be. He turned them over, raising his other forepaw to stare at them, his mind piecing together the bigger picture despite how much he refused to believe it. His head shot around to gaze over his body, yelping loudly at the sight of wings and a tail, his entire form both regal and yet completely feral. His head started spinning once more, blinking with a gulp as he tried to calm himself down. He talked aloud, placing a paw on his chest, knowing it was just a dream. But when his maw opened and his vocal cords rang out, all that reached his ears were the rumbles of a dragon.

He floundered in the hay, trying to articulate something, anything that could be coherent! But the more he tried, the more impossible it seemed to be, his wings flaring as he stood up and took a deep breath. 'It's okay, I'm just dreaming. Take a deep breath and pinch myself.' But when he did so, all that returned was a sharp stinging, the deadly claws on his forepaws prying beneath his scales before pulling back, hissing at the sharp pain. He bared his teeth, tail lashing as he turned in a circle as he was lost in disbelief.

"So, what do ya think of your new body?~"

The former human's attention immediately shot to the voice as it rose above the chaos in his mind, finding a familiar face leaning against the side of one of the horse pens, adorned in his thick training gear, leather covering his body. He held a cigar in one hand, puffing out a cloud of smoke, his other forepaw gripping the end of a long whip, resting at his side. The molten lava in his gaze turned to him in amusement, pulling out his stick before letting out another large plume into the air. 'Soot.'

He then rumbled, taking a step away from the wooden gate behind him as Erin began growling loudly. "What, something got your tongue? Too scared to speak?"

Erin hissed, tail thwacking on the ground in instinct, shaking his head once more as everything seemed so unreal. He then pounced forward, attempting to leap and pin down the fucker for doing this to him! But he fell over onto his face, the new limbs and posture of a feral making every movement impossible. He yelled out in a deep rumble, talons scraping at the floor, digging through the thick layer of hay. The anthro dragon watched, whip trailing through the yellow grass at his side, eyeing the confused lump of a dragon trying to situate themselves, "Look at ya, a proud Dragon Tamer turned into a dragon himself. Ain't that a sight."

Soot then pulled back his whip in preparation as Erin got to his feet again, eyes burning with rage. The other Trainer eyed him up, warning, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. You and I both know that the only way you're getting out of here is with an eye scan, and your eyes aren't gonna work anymore. You're stuck."

That didn't stop him from trying though.

He leaped forward, making it a few feet, wings hanging at his sides as he couldn't figure out how to properly control them yet, especially in the heat of the moment. But the drag of them faltered his lunge, landing a few feet away from the golden-eyed trainer, watching as he pulled back his right hand. Then, with a loud CRACK of his whip, he snapped it towards the dragon's side, crashing against his scales with a sharp pain. Erin roared out, gasping as his tail twitched, collapsed in the hay again, glaring daggers at the anthro dragon.

"Heh, didn't expect ya to listen. Still, you gotta learn your manners. You're part of Broken Beasts' property now, so ya better learn to act like it." He then leaned down into the growling mess of the former trainer, his shit-eating grin showing how much he enjoyed the act, "You ain't got no power 'ere anymore. Now, I suggest you let me bind you up like the others, lest I need to resort to harsher methods to keep you tamed."

Everything was happening so fast that it made him nearly faint. But it didn't change the fact of how real it felt despite how impossible the situation presented itself to be. He'd never heard of a human turned into a dragon before, he'd never gotten on anyone's nerves to piss someone off to even do such a thing to them. But as he watched Soot walk to the side of the barn to grab some equipment from the hangers, he spoke up, keeping an eye on Erin at all times to make sure he was ready for any backlash. "You've been treaten' the horses 'ere like they're somethin' special, whippin' em' less, caring about em'. I've even heard you sayin' that they should be free in the wilds, that we don't got no right to break em', and I can't let ya do that."

He then returned with many bindings, the same ones Erin would use whenever they received a new dragon to break. A bridle, muzzle, mitts, and wing binders. It made his fear spike even more, taking a step back only to fall onto his hindside with a grunt, pushing himself back onto his paws shakily. He growled out, the anthro standing at the same height as him and yet seemingly having a clear advantage. Soot eyed him up, chuckling, "Look at ya', backing up like a scared dog with your tail between your legs. Hehe, I thought you regarded dragons as powerful creatures. Well then, why don't you try me?" He then dropped the bondage, smiling widely with a crack of his whip at his side, the thunder of the clack resounding around the barn.

Erin took another pawstep back, mind racing with conflicted thoughts as he fought with himself. His talons dug into the hay, reaching the wood deep below, grinding against the floor. He pictured Soot's body under his, slicing his throat open for doing such a thing. But then images of what would occur afterward flashed through his mind, remembering the protocol for situations such as that. He envisioned a trainer walking in to find the bleeding corpse, Erin standing over it... He'd be killed on sight for such an act. But, he couldn't just obey him! He wouldn't ever. And yet, as the whip snapped once more, he shrunk back, the baring of his teeth turning into a frown, gasping as the helplessness really began to seep in.

Before he knew it, Soot stepped forward, the shit-eating grin returning as he picked up one piece of binding at a time before affixing it to the feral dragon's body. First came the bridle, raising it before his eyes to let him get a good look at it, knowing he was only torturing him further. Erin wanted nothing more than to rip the device to shreds, to fight back and breathe fire over his arrogant body, but he knew it would do no good. With a wrench of his heart, the leather straps were quickly wrapped over his snout, covering the green scales in the anthro-made material, wrapping around the back of his horns and his forehead before the loop for his face slipped over it. He then felt the large metal bar in the binding force itself past his jaws, gliding over his tongue until it pulled at the edges of his maw, causing him to gag from the object.

Then came a muzzle, thick enough to hold back any fire, knowing how Erin himself had put many of these on the new horses for the first few months they were brought to the ranch. He pulled back slightly, Soot's talons gripping his snout, the whip brushing his side in warning as he then began sliding the face binding over him. As it was tightened his jaws closed unwillingly, muffling his growls, humiliating him further as the sudden urge to run away filled his chest. It was like a deep tug, an intrinsic desire to fight flaring in his mind, and yet Soot seemed to expect this. He felt the CRACK of the whip against his side once more, whimpering into the muzzle, feeling the anthro lock the buckles around the base and end of the leather before pulling back with a smug look. "Look at ya, turnin' into just another dumb horse. Stay still."

He then brought forth the leather mitts, undoing the straps around the ankles of each of them as he prepared to put dress him. Erin glared dangerously at his former coworker, growling loudly in the binding, looking down at his unworldly paws as he realized how much he'd be losing without them. He could kill Soot with them easily, he could rip off the muzzle over his face. He had the power to end his life, and god did he want to, but he knew there was no way out. His only chance at escape was to play along, to wait until he'd be brought out into the open to make his escape. So, as horrible as it was, he reluctantly raised one paw at a time, rumbling with his face only inches from the trainer as he slipped each leg into the leather without fear.

As his paws planted firmly at the bottom of each boot, he could feel the hard, distinct metal horseshoe at the base of them, representing the animals they were to be turned into. He remembered how horses - no, dragons - would kick and try to push them off, the wild creatures of power turned into simple tools for them. He knew after a while that it felt wrong, finding it hard to keep it up day after day, but only now as he was being put into them himself did he truly realize how heartless and horrifying it was. He could feel each buckle tighten around his ankle and thighs, clasping tightly and yet softly as the interior was thankfully padded to help his legs breathe. Each one came on just as horribly as the next, his claws locked inside a mitt, willingly letting himself be tamed as Soot took away his freedom.

Next came the wings, Soot pulling one of the last two pieces of leather from the hay as he then ran his scales digits over the leathery surface of Erin's membranes. The dragon flared his wings in indignation, Soot raising the whip, "No, bad! Woe!" The feral glared back at him, regretfully giving in as he pulled his sails to his sides, the touch from his captor adding a weight to the pain in his chest. His breath quivered, the anger slowly turning to fear, feeling the leather bondage slip around his strong wings as Soot began binding one inside the bag. He flexed the free wing for the first and last time, gazing over it, losing such a majestic limb in only moments despite the amazing power that it beheld. He couldn't imagine how scary this must be for the horses they'd tamed in the past, a sick feeling rising in his gut as the clamps and buckles locked in place around his wing before moving to the other.

Once they both had been binding, Soot then pondered over something, glancing over Erin's rear as he then spoke, "I know it'll take some gettin' used to, but don't worry, I know how to encourage ya.~" He then walked back to the restraints, Erin's mind already piecing together exactly what he was alluding to before watching with wide eyes as a large, metal plate was carried over to him. He attempted to stumble away, only falling over onto his side with a thump of pain, grimacing at how the hooves felt against his paws. Soot took advantage of the situation, moving to his hinds, "You're an animal now, a dumb beast. You don't get to decide when or where you get to breed, so why don't we just fix that little problem for ya'?"

'No... No, he CAN'T!' But he could, and every kick of his hooves and growl from his lungs simply resulted in a whip. He fought back against the pain, tears welling in his eyes as he refused to be chastised, knowing how horrible and humiliating such a thing was. These devices were only meant to be used when a horse was in heat, to keep them maintained, and yet, by the way Soot spoke about it, he knew he planned to keep him there for a long while. Still, after enough time and yelps of pain, he obliged, laying his muzzled face against the hay as the paws of his former employee raised his hinds, exposing his slit to the open air.

It was only then that he felt the shifting between his loins, only just now realizing how much more different his member must look after such a transformation. But there was no time and Soot made sure of that, the cold metal pressing firmly over his crotch, a hole in the metal to relieve himself if needed as the straps quickly fastened around his hips and back. He groaned out into the ground he lay on, leg raised as he was restricted, his hooves straining against the boots as he felt the latches on the straps finally click into place. Then, with an experimental tug against the chastity belt on Erin's crotch, he stepped back, chuckling at the sight. He then cracked his whip, eyeing the dragon-made-horse, "Now, that's a good horse. Already bound and helpless, and all because you were too scared to fight. Pathetic.~"

He then grabbed a long leather lead from the shelf, attaching it to the loop on his bridle before giving a soft pull, "Get up. Part of being a horse is learning to act like one, and you got a long way to go." He waited patiently as Erin got to his hooves- paws, grimacing at the sight of them, slipping for a moment and falling onto his face, causing some of the hay below him to fly into the air with his impact. Soot chuckled, rubbing the back of his emerald neck, "Havin' trouble? Don't worry, I'll be patient with ya, as long as you don't fight it." The dragon growled at him for a moment before cutting himself off, knowing he'd only be whipped if he continued. He shook his head hard in conflict as he rose up once more, taking slow steps as the anthro dragon stood at the side of his face and began walking through the room in large circles with him on the leash.

He wanted nothing more than to kick out the smaller creature's legs and kill them, being treated like a dumb animal, wondering now if all the dragons they taught at this farm felt this way when being captured at first. It couldn't be though, they were wild creatures, they weren't sentient. Sure, over time he felt bad for making such magnificent animals into tame beasts, but this, to him? ...It was just wrong. He could think, feel, he was alive, and yet he was led around like a wild beast on a leash. The anthro's whip trailed through the hay as they moved, a constant reminder of his place. A picture of Erin walking a new horse like this around the barn rose into his thoughts as he walked, huffing out with a stomp of his paw. He had to escape this, he would, and when he did, Soot would pay.

Erin could feel the hard hooves over his dangerous claws, unable to flex his digits anymore as the feeling of the ground left him. He felt desensitized, unable to feel the ground beneath him, taking in another deep breath of the dragon-scented farm air. He could pick up the thick scent of the hay along with a stale trace of water and food coming from the pens. He tried not to think about it all, one step in front of the other, glaring out of the corner of his eye at the anthro who took great pleasure in the humiliation.

He then stopped them a few minutes later, releasing the lead and grabbing a snack from a large bag locked away inside a chest. When he returned, he was carrying a large carrot, breaking off a piece on the end before holding it out to Erin, "Good horse. Already learning how to walk in your new gear."

The dragon rumbled at the sight of it, baring his teeth inside the muzzle, knowing he couldn't eat it with his binding on anyway. Soot looked over his face as if he wasn't already aware of this before smirking, "Oh, that's right, you're muzzled. Guess I'll just have to reward you later then, unless you want to give me a Neigh to show your submission.~"

Erin stomped his hoof on the ground, taking a step toward him in his exasperation before another hard CRACK hit his side. He yelped in his bindings, stepping back, "It's a shame, for a brief moment I thought maybe you changed your mind. I won't be so lenient anymore then."

He then stepped back a bit, holding the lead in his hand. "We'll work on commands now. A horse needs to learn them. Walk!" The dragon glared but obeyed, the chastity plate over his crotch cold and ever-present with each movement of his hips, raising his eyes to follow Soot as he wandered around the barn. He then spoke sharply a moment after, "Whoa! Whoa, boy!" He gave a pull on the reins for him to slow down, Erin overcome with another strong urge to smash his head washing through the former trainer at having to obey such commands. Still, he did as he was told and halted, huffing through the nostril holes in the muzzle. "Good boy. Now, let's see if you already know how to trot.~"

Erin snarled, earning another whip to his side, shrinking back before eventually walking on his own without Soot guiding him. He moved in a large circle around the hay-strewn floor, his trainer shouting, "Did I ask ya to walk? No. Hehe, I guess you are just a dumb horse. I want you to trot." When the dragon shook his head, he warned him, "You are going to obey me because you're just an animal now. In fact, no one will ever know you were anything different. So go on, trot like a good pony."

There was then an intense moment of silence as the two glared daringly at one another, the dragon that should have been able to overpower him easily, now so helpless despite his previous advantage. The whip at Soot's side CRACKED against the ground in a snap that sent hay flying, Erin eventually complying if only to get him to leave sooner once they were finished with him, putting a bit of pep in his step as he trotted around the room. It was utterly humiliating, to do something so horse-like, but he kept at it until he was told to stop. He told himself it was a dream as if that would make him think about it less and keep up the motions.

"Whoa! There you are, good- Hmm, now that I think of it, I guess I should give you your proper tag now, shouldn't I?" His eyes glinted with amusement, dark pleasure pulling his cheeks back as he then took another puff of his cigarette before calling him over to the stalls, "While I'm looking for those, why don't you get acquainted with your new home?" He then unlocked one of the pens, a large area for dragon-made-horses like them, presenting them with a bucket of stale water to the right of the room with a food trough on the left. Erin cringed at the sight, not wanting to take a step inside as he knew once the gate to the entrance was closed he would be locked in. But Soot gave him a whip on the rump, stumbling forward before forcing himself in disgust within the stall.

The trainer laughed at his fear, watching him stand inside a room made for horses, muttering darkly, "You don't have a house or job anymore. No dreams, no family. Your only purpose now is to be a horse, a good animal. Your only goal to fulfill is to one day be blessed with the job of pulling carts with ropes attached to you. Cattle to use. Now, I'll be back in a few moments.~"

As he closed and locked the gate, Erin suddenly felt a wash of insecurity take over him, a shiver passing through him at how real this was. He could feel the thirst in his throat, but the water in the bucket... he would never drink from that! He drank with his hands, from a cup! And the food trough, while it was empty, he had no doubt that it would be filled later on to feed him. He almost felt like throwing up but held it back, his tail twitching as Soot returned soon after, opening the gate and approaching their head without fear. The dragon snarled, "Oh, calm down big guy, I gotta make sure we label you so we can tell you apart. After all, you are just another horse here, nothing special other than your number."

Then, without much warning, a clip suddenly affixed itself to the end of his ear. Erin yelped, stepping back quickly, hitting the wall behind him before turning his head to try and see what they did. Something bumped against his ear from where it hung, eyes widening as he pieced it together a moment before Soot spoke, "53. An insignificant number for a dumb animal like you." He then held up one last adornment, a large red feather held in his hand, smiling back, "You didn't think I forgot about this, did you? A feather marks you as Broken Beast's property. Now if you ever get lost, or somehow escape..." He then leaned forward, gripping the muzzled animal in his paw, "You will always be returned here. You are owned. Think about that now. I can't believe you ever thought you were more than that!"

He scoffed, watching as the creature shivered, "It's okay, I know you're scared to be in such a new place, but you'll come to love it in time. Now, let's get that muzzle off you so you can drink while I'm gone." Each touch to his face as he removed it was torture, resisting the urge to bite his fingers off, relishing in the cool air washing over his muzzle as it finally was pulled off. Soot then took it with him and closed the pen once more, announcing as he finished up, "I made sure to give you enough water for the night. You should be thankful, I typically don't allow horses to drink after the resistance you showed. I'll feed you tomorrow if you behave." He didn't bother speaking another word, simply packing some things up before the shut of a door and locking of a key sounded his exit, leaving Erin all alone in his small cell.

When the silence began to grow, the fear set in, his heart racing as he flexed his claws and felt the metal hooves beneath them. He shook his head, giving a deep growl before ramming his side against the pen door with a SLAM! It only gave a faint creak, the wooden reinforced with metal bars, only causing him to groan. He mumbled out loud, dragon noises returning to him once more, reminding him of his loss of speech. He gasped again, seemingly forgetting he couldn't formulate words anymore, collapsing onto the ground as he stared over himself as he lay on his back. He blinked at the sight of his body, his scales, tail, and paws sealed away beneath thick leather. He could feel it all, see it all, watch his limbs respond as he moved them. He wished it was a nightmare, but as he roared out in anger and desperation, the rumbling in his throat came out as an animal, his own human voice that he had known for all his life now snuffed out to be replaced by a dragon.

He spent the rest of the day going between fear and anger, smashing into the walls until his scales were bruised, eventually left so tired out that he curled around himself before just lying there in the hay, thinking to himself quietly. He tried to imagine a way to escape, considering the possibility that his eye could still work on the exit door, and then grimacing as he knew the eyes of a dragon were much different than that of humans. 'I'm... a dragon.' He gulped, breathing deeply, glancing over to the water bucket before rolling onto his paws and walking up to it.

He stared down into the water, his reflection speaking the truth he so desperately feared, staring back at the common horse he had become. He tilted his muzzle, raising a hoof to it to feel it, opening and closing his maw as much as he could with the bridle on to examine his teeth and tongue. He blinked, watching his attempted words come out as simple noises. The metal bar in his mouth pulled back his cheeks uncomfortably, mouthing over it with disgust. He then eyed the tag hanging from his ear, getting closer to the surface of the water to make it out, '53...' The other side had the label of the company 'Broken Beasts' written on it, turning slowly on its own as he held his head still.

He then yelled out, swiping his paw at the bucket, watching as it flung to the side, splashing water onto the walls and hay as the metal echoed out loudly with the clang! Erin shook his body, turning around, eventually calming himself down before laying once more on the hay, waiting for something to happen. He had no idea what time it was, no clock or window to see the sky, but he did know that if the horses weren't back that it hadn't reached evening as most of them returned by then. He'd become quite familiar with the scheduled routine of the company after working here for multiple years, only now he was the one being broken in.

And after a time that stretched for eternity, the opening of a large metal door reached his ears, raising his head sleepily as he hadn't managed to truly get any rest in the circumstances. He could hear the neighs of the other horses, deeper than what a real horse would sound like, as their true nature was sealed away beneath the bindings. The calls of the trainers led them inside, Erin standing up and staring through the cracks in the wood of his pen door, watching through the small slivers as silhouettes passed by, put into their stalls one by one. The animals didn't resist, simply obeying as they'd been taught, listening as the trainers began filling their buckets and adding to their troughs.

For a moment, Erin thought he may be spared from the humiliation, but when the lock to his pen opened, Soot stood there grinning, eyeing him, "How're you liking the pen? Hehe." He whispered that under his breath, calling out to the other trainers a moment after, opening the gate wide so they could see him, "Hey, guys, here's the new trainee! We had them arrive earlier today so I got them bound and ran them through the initial training protocols." The other anthros looked over Erin, letting out cute, adoring noises like one would use on a dog, the dragon snarling back at them with a lash of his tail. Soot frowned back, "53 seems to be quite resilient, but I can take em'. Just make sure to keep an eye on them." They all nodded, his trainer noticing the discarded water bucket in the corner of the room on its side. "Oh, did you spill your water? Here, I'll refill it for you."

But as he stepped in, Erin growled back, Soot huffing before adding on, "If you keep acting like this, 53, things are only going to get harder." But he didn't let up, the dragon intent on not being tended to like an animal, the trainer eventually closing and locking the pen once more. "Have it your way. We'll fill your bucket in the morning then." He then turned his attention back to the others, guiding the animals into their stalls before eventually leaving them all securely inside for the night.

The sounds of the other horses were disgraceful to him, squirming on the ground at how unreal this was. He was a human not 24 hours ago, and yet now he was here, bound in the pen of his workplace, treated no differently than any other animal. What made it worse was that the other trainers, when they saw him, couldn't even tell there was anything different about him from the others. They simply gauged him cautiously before going back to their work, not even mentioning how he hadn't shown up for his shift today. With all these thoughts in his head, he eventually drifted off into a disturbed sleep, waking up multiple times in the night on the uncomfortable hay.

.....................................

The next few days went by slower than he could have imagined, the commands of the trainers breaking down his pride with every whip to his scales. His body ached with the chains and leather binding to him, slowly forcing himself to stop fighting back, at least until he could get outside to see the light of day. But Soot made sure to keep him locked in the barn, bringing him out to walk around the room, taking great enjoyment as Erin's fight began to fade. He remembered crying in his pen, thinking of his home, his dreams... He had to get back to it, but now it felt like it was a world away.

After a while he forced himself to eat from the trough, watching in disgust as the horse feed filled the wood before staring down into it. He'd never really thought about what it would taste like as he only ever fed it to the dragons, but now that he was faced with this being his only source of food, it made him nearly throw up. Soot smirked through it all, simply going through some things in the barn as Erin ate only enough to sate his hunger before pulling back, leaving most of it unfinished. Surprisingly, the taste wasn't as horrible as it should've been, wondering if the supplement they used in their mixture was tasteful to a dragon. He blinked, shaking his head, reminding himself that he was a human.

Through the days, he began to feel a bit of a fog wash through his mind, like a cloud of relaxation causing his mind to drift away from his memories as if coaxing him into his new lifestyle. He found it terrifying when he had referred to himself as 53 earlier that day, growling at himself that night because of it, repeating his name over and over as he reminded himself why he needed to escape.

To add to the humiliation, the best food he got was from the rewards of obeying commands. Unlike the combination of mulch in the trough, Soot and the other trainers would offer him a full carrot when he followed their words, eventually finding himself unable to resist the treat if only to eat something that was akin to what he usually ate in the past. Still, the pets to his snout as he began chewing on it from their hand only made it worse, accepting it reluctantly.

And as time passed by, they began to leave him unmuzzled in the barn, allowing him more freedom to breathe as the air in the leather had grown quite hot through the small holes. Now each breath was cool and clear, taking confidence in the fact that his obedience had gotten him here. 'It's only a matter of time... I can do this...'

Soot waited a few weeks before bringing him out of the barn, Erin's legs calling him to run, to bolt away to safety. But it hit him hard: Where would he go? His home was in the city but, if they saw a dragon like him - he wasn't a dragon he reminded himself - that he would likely be caught and brought back here. In the mountains, he had no idea how he'd survive. Perhaps he could find a witch that could turn him back into a human, but that was unlikely. Instead, he forced himself to continue following their orders until he could formulate a plan and find a way to overpower the trainers that were always present around him.

They promptly hooked him up to a cart, bringing him out to the large green fields on the outskirts of the city, strapping his body with ropes as the wagon behind him was securely attached. He felt so uncomfortable through it all, like an object or a motor simply reduced to pull cargo. All he heard them call him was, "53!", or "Good Boy." and the lack of acknowledgment of his sentience... it made him feel alone. But there was nothing he could do, even now as he forced himself to pull the heavy cart across the ground.

He found that with each step, the dirt below pulled at the wheels of the vehicle, Soot adding that it was better to train them on uneven ground so that when they moved to the smooth roads of the capital that it would be a breeze for him. That didn't make it any easier though, wondering if he could really bear to present himself as he was in front of townsfolk as just another dumb animal. In fact, one day they had some other horses pull carts alongside Erin, their movements strong and yet unthinking, a simple feral beast. The only difference between him and them was the purposeful movements and reactions he had to the trainer's words, wondering if he could gain the attention of anyone in the city to show them he wasn't a normal animal.

.....................................

When the day came to finally leave the barn and carry supplies into town, a conflicting tightness in his heart grew up into the back of his throat. A city that once felt like a home to him back when he was a trainer now showing its true colors, true as day, as a place of torture for a sentient dragon like him. His mind kept circling around to the thought that, perhaps some of the dragons he'd trained had been sentient, or maybe Soot had done this to others and he'd never noticed. He threw up the night before to the thought, the wooden pen around him now a metal cell.

But when he broke back out into the sun and was strapped to the cart to prepare for the journey, he reminded himself that today could finally be the day he broke free. It was obvious to him how different he was to the ferals, he could simply throw a pleading look at someone in town. To add to that, using magic against someone other than for defense was illegal, so surely Soot's actions against him, when discovered, would be enough to have Erin released. All he had to do was gain someone's attention.

That didn't make the trek up the dirt road any easier, the tall stone walls surrounding the castle in the center of the city, protecting the inside from intruders from bordering regions. As the harness on his body dug into his scales, he found himself disgusted at how stupid he was to let his guard down when he was first captured. He wasn't sure if he'd been knocked out on the streets or how he'd been turned into a dragon, but no matter how much his mind circled back to it, it did no good to think about this. Once he was out of this predicament, he'd shut down this business and get Soot thrown in prison. He was in the right and he was going to win, and today was the day he'd break free.

As the dirt road turned to stone, he felt a soft tug on the lead to his right, forcing his head to turn as he was led on by Soot. The trainer paid him no more mind than any of the other ponies, simply commanding him with "Walk!" and such as the trip continued. He still occasionally would slip with his metal hooves beneath him, but as time went on, the feeling in his paws began to dull against the hard surface underneath, numbly following the pavement stretching into the town before them both. He felt a smaller whip flick briefly on his hip, Erin speeding up as he'd been taught, moving at a jotting pace as the cart with food rumbled behind him quite loudly, helping to drown out his thoughts.

He was greeted with the sounds of happy chatter among the people as he made it within the walls, the guards checking the cargo and him briefly before ordering him in. He tried to eye the man, hoping he could see something in his gaze, but he merely brushed over him and let them pass. As they wandered deeper into the city, a group of kids ran across the busy street, buildings of brick and stone decorated with wooden roofs laying on each side of them. Greenery decorated the lively place, something that brought warmth to Erin's heart after being away from it all for so long before quickly shrinking away from the thought as he realized how unholy this was.

Everyone here was happy, normal, and this was a road he frequently traveled. Now though, it all felt fake, like he was an outsider looking in. It felt like he was a needle in a haystack, everyone blind, the thought of how many others might have gone missing to the magical deeds done in secret in the dead of night. For now though, his metal hooves clopped on the ground with each step, the cart rolling behind him, a whip to his rear making him realize he'd slowed down considerably to look over everything. Picking up the pace, he pushed on, careful not to run into anyone. In all honesty, he had no idea where they were even going, but by the time they reached the Market, he assumed the food they were carrying must be for a vendor here.

The soft burning of dark wood incense wafted into his nostrils as they entered the large opening in the city, a large statue of their leader riding a dragon standing high between it all. Around it, stalls were set up with red and green tents to block out the sun, smells of all kinds filling his senses. He could hear the soft pluck of strings from a musician near the statue, and the barking of a dog. It all should have made him feel at home, but when he gazed down at his hooves and scales, he felt the most alone he'd ever felt in his whole life.

He wandered through it as commanded. "Whoa, 53!" He could feel the pull on his snout, raising it back a bit, slowing his pace as the crowd parted as they made their way through. He heard a child speak to his mother as he passed, asking why dragons like this were treated as horses.

"Dragons are strong, so we have them pull the carts. It's better that way, making them docile. Like our cat, Marcy, back at home!" He caught her rubbing the kid's head, the soft chuckling from the human, wondering if he should cause a struggle here to try and get someone to help him. But for some reason, the innocence in the young child's eyes made him feel wrong. The perversion Erin had now realized was present here was unknown to the kid, he was blind, but perhaps his ignorance was a good thing. He then shook his head, or tried to with the harness but was quickly chided for that, Soot not bringing out his whip with so many others close around.

Soon, they reached the entrance to a small building, eyeing the veggies and fruit in the windows of the establishment. He'd come here many times in the past to grab some food to support the local business, but this time, instead of being able to enter, he halted just outside. Soot climbed off the wagon a moment after, eyeing a well-dressed lady who passed by before turning his gaze to him, "That's a good boy. You're doing so well." He then leaned close to his ear, pulling softly on the reign, "I honestly thought you'd give some sort of fight... perhaps this is natural for you.~"

53- No, ERIN growled back, the trainer glaring at him before attaching a leash to his harness and wrapping it around a large, thick metal pole in front of the building. Erin noticed it as one to lead up your animals while you browsed the local stores, instantly repulsed by being connected to such a thing, taking a step back. The cart nearly bumped into someone as it moved with his motions, Soot gripping his muzzle firmly, "Bad! Stay!" His gaze was unmoving, the dragon staring right back with the same fervent flame, eventually breaking it as he was reminded of his place below him. The anthro dragon snorted in amusement, "Wait here, and try not to get yourself into trouble while I'm gone."

As he made his way inside the store, a crisp jingle of a bell marked his entry, closing the door behind him a moment after before leaving Erin alone tied to the pole. The dragon blinked, letting out a long sigh, feeling a bit more relaxed and a bit invigorated with the hope that this might be his chance to escape. He gave a few pulls at the leash with his weight, wondering if he could break the strap or topple over the object he was attached to, but it remained firm. He knew that the city had in mind the dragon-turned-horses when constructing the town, so poles like these were made thick and rooted deeply underground to keep them in line. Still, if he could grab the attention of someone, maybe...

He then caught movement from the window, Soot glancing back at him from within before speaking to the lady at the counter. Erin huffed, eyeing one of the humans who passed, a longing calling out in his heart to be one of them again. He never realized how free being a human was, but now that he'd been turned into an animal, it seemed anyone other than a human was either a slave or a product for use. It was inhumane and, as much as he had previously hoped that all this wasn't true, it indeed was. They were acting like gods over all of nature and now he was just part of the byproduct of their conquest for power, a pawn without free will.

He caught the scent of smoked meat from a vendor nearby, his maw watering inside his muzzle, the smell of actual food having nearly been forgotten after so long of eating from a trough. He watched as a couple walked away with what looked like steak on a stick, sharing it together before wandering into a clothing shop across the street. He saw a man begging for coins beside the steps of one of the buildings farther off from the crowd, a person that, while poor, possessed even more freedom than Erin did right now.

He lashed his tail, angry with himself at not having tried to escape yet, yelling in his mind as the cart behind him shook a bit in his disgust. 'No, no! I'm not cattle! I'm not a dragon! Someone save me!' He gave a soft whimper as people passed, earning some glances but nothing more. He tried to catch their eyesight for more than a moment, that was all he would need to show them, and yet they moved on as they had no reason to help a simple horse.

After a few minutes, another carriage with supplies rolled on up, the 'horse' trotting up to the pole before stopping, the human controlling the cart affixing them to the same object Erin was connected to with a similar leash. The man eyed him up, looking at the side of his head to the tag before talking to himself, "53, eh?" He then looked into the dragon's eyes and then over his scales, admiring him, "You look new around here, haven't seen you before. Hmm, guess one of them trainers must be in there?" He smiled, giving another firm loop around the pole with the leather strap before making sure it was secure.

Erin took this moment to move forward, bumping his muzzle against the human, whimpering softly as he gave the most pleading look he could. He tried to make noises that sounded like he was talking, flicking his tail for emphasis to get any sort of reaction.

The human gasped as his muzzle touched his side, giving a smile with a playful chuckle, "Hey, careful there! You-" He then paused, tilting his head a bit as he listened to the noises, looking into his eyes curiously. Erin's heart fluttered, eyes gleaming with hope as he continued, rubbing his snout softly against his arm. The human hummed, "Huh, peculiar. You have a personality to ya. What is it? What do you want, boy?"

'How do I tell him?! Ah, I don't know!' The helplessness of such a situation made his body squirm, lifting a hoof for a moment as he tried to think. But just then, his eyes shot wide, the perfect thing lifting above the others. 'An SOS! That's it!' He then took a deep breath knowing he'd only have one chance before the human broke his attention from him. He softly placed the metal hoof against his chest, the man gasping at the touch yet not fighting back. Erin then brought his muzzle up to his eyes, gazing right back as he began blinking three times slowly. He made each purposeful and careful, starting with the faster blinks shortly after.

The human's gaze flickered for a moment as if the idea that something was off was finally beginning to click, "W-what? Are you..."

But before he could finish the sentence, the ring of the bell signaled Soot's approach, a hard CRACK on Erin's side caused him to break the stare, yelping as he pulled his hoof off the man and took a step back. The anthro dragon quickly gripped his muzzle, glaring dangerously, "Bad horse! Bad! No touching strangers!" His gaze raged with fire, seeming to know exactly what he was trying to do. He then turned to the man against the pole, calming his tone of voice as Erin stared fearfully at his commander, "Ah, I apologize for that sir! 53 here is still in training! Are you alright?"

There was a moment of silence between them both, the human staring at the master and then at the dragon. He blinked, his jaw opened a bit as if he wanted to say something. But just as he got hopeful, the stranger shook away the thought, "Ah, sorry I... I thought I saw something... It's probably just the liquor I had earlier." He then addressed the apology, brushing off his shirt that Erin had touched, "It... It's alright. I was just about to grab some food here and, well, I was admiring the new horse around town."

"Ah, yes. He's a fighter, but all ponies break in time. Don't let us disturb you." He then stepped to the side, holding out his hand to gesture at the stranger towards the store. It was in that moment that the human gave Erin one final look, staring into his eyes with curiosity before shaking it off and entering with a ring of a bell, the toll of his hope humming away into obscurity like the strings of the guitar playing softly among the clamor of the marketplace.

Soot then warned him, flicking the tag on his ear with a rumble, "You best remember that this tag will always return you to me. Why don't you stop trying to hold on to something you lost? This role fits you better and you're a horse now, whether you like it or not." A few strangers passing by threw a glance in their direction as they spoke, quickly moving on as the trainer gave them a glare. He then stood back up, a shiver passing through Erin's scaled body as he pulled himself onto the cart and grabbed some of the cargo. "I'm bringing these inside, then we're heading home."

.....................................

He was then trained rigorously over the next month, breaking in his pride and his hope of freedom as Erin began to start addressing himself subconsciously by his number. No one had used his name in so long that it felt like a dream he'd dreamt, like he was simply looking into someone else's life that was long gone. The more he called himself 53 and the longer he stayed in his stall with the other horses, the more he felt less himself. At first he was greatly saddened, knowing that freedom was out of reach, but over time he began to make due with what he had.

When he began fighting less, he was rewarded with treats and even was granted the pleasure of pulling a cart into the city to deliver things. On those trips he didn't bother trying to escape, the bindings on his body a reminder that he was owned. It made him feel weak and, as the hopelessness fell into background noise in his mind, an opportunity of embracing this new life came forth. He knew it was a humiliating and seemingly pointless one at first, but he started finding ways to make himself feel better.

As time passed by, his trainer informed him about the yearly festival taking place later that week, making 53 only now realize how much time had passed since his capture. He was told that they would be bringing supplies and taking some of the well-trained horses to show off for the activities, and so they spent the next week doing just that. And as the time drew near, while he fit more into his role as a servant, memories of the past flickered through his mind, wondering if he'd be stuck here for the rest of his life.

And when the day came, he was attached to a carriage, the weight much greater than he was used to as he brought with him multiple trainers sitting in the seat. Soot and another commander sat in front with the reins, controlling 53 and another horse brushing sides with him as they made their way into the town. The whole time he couldn't get over how he was just another animal like them, trying to push that into the back of his mind as he knew the festival would be exciting, even if he only got to see it from where they would travel.

When they reached the market area, it had been transformed on the occasion into a clearing of large tents and stages, banners streaming from the poles and performances going on all around for people to enjoy. He noticed a puppet show going on for younger children and their mothers, a stage where a group played bagpipes and drums, another station set up with games. And once again, the scent of food wafted into his nostrils, the muzzle having been removed as he had been a 'good boy' as of recently. He took some pride in it, clopping along the stone pavement before pausing for a moment.

A few of the trainers got off to enjoy the entertainment, grabbing the supplies they'd carried along the way, but a few others remained. Soot gave a quick pull on the reins, "Walk!", leading the two animals onward. As they made their way through the festivities, glimpses of 53's former life flashed through his eyes, the image of friends dancing to the music and living to the fullest. He smiled, thinking over it all before frowning as the soft tap of the whip against his rear kept him moving.

But when they turned the corner he quickly realized where they were headed, his heart clenching at the sight of the spring-up tavern before them. Lanterns hung on the sides of the tent, barrels upon barrels of whiskey and wine being served to the customers at the bar. It was brimming with life, jolly folk chatting amongst one another, laughing. It was a happy place set up once a year where drinks from all around the continent were brought together to celebrate the occasion. 53 came here every year with a friend of his as he quite enjoyed a good drink, but now that he saw the establishment, it was like a part of his mind flickered to life once again, awakening within him his humanity.

When they stopped at the entrance to the pavilion, 53 was tied up to one of the large metal poles nearby, Soot giving them a soft rub on the head for obeying before walking into the crowd of strangers in the bar. As he left, a few other trainers jumped off the wagon, leaving only one of them left to keep watch over him and the other horse. 53 felt the scales on the back of his neck prickle, his now numbed talons clenching, trying not to look at anyone in the tent as he feared what he would find. 'He can't... he can't be. It's too long ago... I...'

He fought back and forth with himself mentally, knowing his friend would have likely still visited the traveling tavern during the festival even without him. But the idea of seeing him, knowing he likely assumed 53 was dead... He had to contain himself from growling, blinking in confusion as his brain seemed to question itself. 'Wait... why do I feel like this? A friend? Why do I feel like I'm losing something?' Over time, while he kept his human mind, part of his past began to dull over, still always present but more muted and toned down below his new life. He'd forced himself to be the animal they wanted him to be, but, if he was there...

And then, to 53's disbelief, Soot returned with his friend, Torrent, at his side. He gasped at the sight of them, the human and anthro dragon approaching casually as they sipped on their glasses. Suddenly, the horse felt vulnerable, scared, as if the past was torturing him. He tried to look away, wondering if his friend would not even care to save him. But it hit him that, if anyone ever would know who he was... it was him.

He took a deep breath, focusing as hard as he could, knowing that with Soot around he wouldn't be able to do much to convince his friend. But he had to try, it was his last shot.

"And here's the new one. Been trainin' them for a bit now, seems they've finally started to simmer down." The took another sip from his mug, leaning against one of the wooden pillars holding the bar aloft, glancing directly into the horse's eyes before back to his friend.

When Torrent spoke, the familiar tone of his soothing voice made 53 want to jump over and hug him while another part wanted to cry at the same time. "Ah, I see. Yeah, I've seen this one before, but him..." 53 stepped back as the human took a step forward, looking into his eyes. He smiled kindly, a little tipsy from his drinks but curious nonetheless. "He's new. A strong one." His eyes scanned his body slowly, admiring every part of him, seemingly lost in thought. And in this moment where 53 thought he should've done something, he froze up, too scared to move.

"The stronger the better, makes it easier to pull heavier weights. Didn't make it any easier trainin' em' though."

Torrent gave a soft hum, turning his gaze back up to the muzzle. He then breathed out, blinking, "Why do you... feel familiar then..." He stared at him deeply, 53- NO, ERIN'S eyes opening widely, leaning towards him as his chest fluttered. The two stared at one another, like a wall was between them that Torrent just couldn't break. Erin then noticed Soot chuckle darkly, smiling, making his stomach turn. The human took a step back after a moment, brushing off his shoulder with a grimace.

"Hehe, something wrong? Don't be worried, he can't harm ya."

Torrent shrugged, avoiding Soot's gaze before looking over the horse again, "No, it's not that. I... And, no offense to you, but..." He then turned toward the anthro dragon, admitting, "Well, I know you worked with Erin so, you knew him... He just never liked the idea of turning dragons into horses like this. I never really cared but..." The human then turned to face Erin once more, the very person he missed so dearly standing right before him, "Since he's gone now, I almost feel like I owe it to him to try and do something about it. I don't know, I just wonder if dragons deserve this."

'TORRENT, I'M RIGHT HERE! PLEASE!' His mind yelled out, his own whimper escaping his muzzle, unable to stop himself from leaning forward and pressing his snout into the human's side. Torrent stepped back from the touch, frightened by the quick movement, Erin's heart turning to ice from the rejection as the person he once knew as his best friend distanced himself from him.

The anthro dragon spoke up, giving a pleased growl for a moment before placing down his drink and lighting up a cigarette. "Beasts like these would harm ya if they weren't tamed. We're doing the people a favor. Perhaps you should come by the barn sometime to see them?"

And as if that very taunt was to make things worse, his friend turned his back to him, not even noticing that the horse was crying out for him right behind. "No, no I'm good. I don't really want to see dragons anymore. It reminds me of him too much. Sorry."

Erin's heart broke. He bit his lip, tears welling in his eyes as he had to hold himself back from roaring. His claws scratched into the metal hooves, leaving permanent marks from his pain as Soot simply added on, not paying any attention to him, "No, it's fine, I understand. You go enjoy the festival." Torrent nodded, glancing back at the horses for a moment before walking back toward the crowd of the bar. But just before he went too far, the anthro dragon finished, blowing out a plume of smoke, twirling around like the twisted fate he was entangled in, "I'm sure your friend is in a better place now. My regards."

They then continued about their day soon after that, 53 finding it hard to walk, receiving multiple whippings as the event flew by. Before he knew it, the moon had risen into the sky and the once bright festival was now glowing with the yellow lights of the lanterns set up all around. But not long after they left the celebration, the walk home feeling numb and bland. The only thing he could muster to do was to lead them back, lost in his thoughts until they finally arrived at the barn. All the horses were promptly put into their stalls, 53 not even bothering to try and fight it as he trudged into his pen and watched as his trough was filled up along with his bucket. He ate it with pain in his chest, knowing he could never return to the life he once lived as he finally started to let go of it.

He slept that night dreaming one last time about his previous life, about Torrent and his family, the days that had felt so uneventful and lackluster now appearing as the most wonderful time of his life. But he had to move on and little did he know that by morning, he would be facing something he never in his life imagined would happen to him.

.....................................

"1,500! 1,500 over here! O-oh? Is that a 1,600? 1,600!"

The persistent shouting from the auctioneer rang loud in his ear, 53 gasping for breath as he stared down at his paws, standing atop the stage with a leash attached to a metal ring on the ground. Many other dragons were upon the platform as well, standing side-by-side as the announcer worked his way down the order of them. He still had a few more dragons to go before he got to 53, so the horse tried to relax and not stare at the humans for long.

He really couldn't believe he'd been brought here, out along the road between cities to be auctioned off as a sort of peace treaty between the regions. He'd only been informed about it when he woke, realizing he didn't have a say in it as he dragged the cart he'd been trained with away from the place he'd called home until they'd arrived here. It was bittersweet, watching the castle disappear as they walked into the forest, but now that he stood there on the stage in the middle of the large valley before the crowd of people, he told himself leaving behind his past was for the best.

"Sold to the man with the straw hat!"

53 glanced at the dragon that was auctioned as a worker undid their leash and walked them off the stage to the buyer before the large man above them continued. 'Two more to go...'

Just as 53 managed to raise his head, he quickly took notice of an anthro dragon staring him down, red eyes glinting as he watched him carefully. The horse shrunk back, as much as he could anyways, hearing another "Sold!" a moment after. The dragon standing in the crowd wasn't familiar to him, but the fancy clothes he wore in addition to the dark look in his gaze made his scales crawl.

He bit his lip, letting out a yelp as the auctioneer placed his hand onto his bound wings with more force than he expected. It was then that the gaze of the entire audience was on him, eyeing him up like he was a piece of prey. Some laughed at how startled he was by it all, the horse pulling his ears back and letting out an uncertain whimper.

"Next up we have, uhm, what's the number?" The man pinched his ear briskly, turning it without bothering to ask for permission, eyeing up the tag clipped to it, "53! He comes from 'Broken Beasts', just recently caught a few months ago and already tamed!" He then walked around the dragon, whacking him on the shoulder, "He's got some good meat on him, hehe. A strong one it seems." He then raises his head, setting his hand on 53's neck, holding it firmly in a way that made him want to bite back at the sheer disrespect for him. "We'll start the bid at... 2,000! 2,000 for-"

"10,000!"

The announcer cut off at the shout, seemingly taken aback by the offered price. 53 then realized it was the man with the crimson eyes who spoke, standing tall as he eyed down his prize. The auctioneer repeated himself in confusion, "Excuse me sir, but I said starting at 2,000-"

"I heard, and I am bidding 10. If someone else wants to bid higher, go ahead."

The crowd quieted down for a moment, shifting around him as if he was a wisp of poison in a clear river, allowing him to step forth closer to the stage. The man grumbled for a moment as if he was having fun shouting numbers, calling out loudly, "10,000! 10,000 for this gentleman over here! Any other bidders?" Some in the crowd gave glares at the determined anthro dragon, seemingly interested in 53 themselves. But none spoke up.

"Going once... going twice! ...SOLD!~"

He then waved to one of his attendants to undo the horse, the announcer leaning down to whisper to the stranger, "Hey, don't ruin the fun. The crowd is here for the noise, so next time let me build it up a bit first."

The dragon didn't respond, simply looking over 53 with a smirk before the announcer huffed and moved on to the next dragon. Then, as the helper began undoing his leash and handed it to the man, he introduced himself with a deep-toned voice, "53... I have great plans for you. Come, let's get you home.~"