The parlor was small and spartan. There was a liquor cabinet, a rug and a few round tables. The walls were bare; only lanterns adorned them, to compensate for the lack of windows. Twilight Sparkle noticed a lingering smoky smell – incense, tobacco and something else – which was faint and not unpleasant. The guests were settling in and taking seats at three of the tables.

“I'm terribly sorry to have left you all,” Rarity announced to the room, “but it shan't happen again this evening. Is everypony ready for drinks?” Rarity tasked Twilight with procuring refreshments for their guests, and provided her with instructions for mixing the various cocktails.

Twilight delivered a Manehattan, a Horse's Neck and a neat gin respectively to the table where Head Turner, Whiplash and Deep Well sat. Their subs were situated at the table beside them. Which wouldn't be necessary if Head Turner hadn't brought a small harem of delicious looking stallions, Twilight noted. Still curious about the sort of company Rarity willingly kept within The Club, she took her time setting out the drinks and allowed herself to eavesdrop just a little.

“Is nopony else just a little curious what Elusive's up to?” Whiplash asked. “It's a bit odd – especially for somepony as prim and proper – to finally host another event after months, but also have a private... whatever that was.”

Twilight left and returned with drinks for the submissive stallions as quickly as she could, then began distributing them with great care as she listened.

Head Turner dismissed something one of the others had said, “-and honestly, you sound like a conspiracy theorist! It's none of our business. I'm just glad to have an excuse to parade my boys without it being another of Crumble's shindigs. They're fun, but you can't hear yourself think.”

“I'm too curious to just ignore it, but there's no point gossiping about it,” Deep Well pointed out. “Let's just ask. Hey, new girl!”

Uh oh, I shouldn't have lingered!

“Whoa there, don't have a heart attack. Before you scamper off, can you tell us what that was all about earlier, with the prima-donna dom in the back room?”

“Um, I can't say, Ms. Well. Please excuse me!” Twilight rushed back behind the small counter beside the liquor cabinet where Rarity had already prepared drinks for the remaining doms. “Your guests are wondering why you were talking to some ponies in private, my Lady.”

“Is that so?” Rarity responded, evidently unconcerned. “Let me handle any questions, Darling. Come along now.”

The two of them took their seats at the same table as Aloe, Lotus, Symphony and Synth. Twilight distributed a pair of Maretinis, a scotch on the rocks, and a shot of vodka with Colt-a-cola as a chaser. Rarity was already sipping on a sweet brandy and Twilight realized that she had neglected to collect a drink for herself.

Rarity was just about to speak when Head Turner shouted out, “Oh, Elusive, sit over here with us! I wanted to discuss having Evening Star gang-banged by my colts!” The unmitigated enthusiasm in her voice left Twilight slightly unnerved and thrilled.

“And I wanted to have a word with you about our unannounced visitor earlier,” Whiplash said with the air of a pony who gave orders for a living.

“Contain thyself, darlings. I've already decided what my slave and I will be doing tonight,” Rarity told them. “Vera has asked to make use of Evening Star as an educational aid, and how could I say no?”

What is she talking about? Twilight asked herself. She shot a sidelong glance at Rarity, then met Aloe's gaze. The expressions on the spa sisters' faces reminded her. Oh gosh, please not in front of everypony. In spite of herself, she was getting excited.

“Please don't look so distraught,” Aloe consoled her. “It will be very tasteful, just demonstrations.”

“Erm, just the four of us, right?”

“Hohohoh,” Rarity chuckled. “It's tempting to let you think otherwise, my pet, but you know I'm not big on large groups or brazen displays. At least, not when the voyeurs are such a small, well-acquainted group.” Rarity's face suddenly lit up even more. “I wish you could see yourself; your eyes are like dinner plates. Not to worry, when I finally have you out in the open, I promise you'll be unrecognizable. Not unlike you are now.”

Twilight huffed and crossed her forelegs on the tabletop. I must seem green-eared to everypony here, the way I keep betraying my surprise and anxiety. I guess I'm still adjusting to all of this.

Synth chuckled. “Uh oh, somepony's in a bad mood.” Twilight glared daggers at her across the table. Symphony nudged her partner roughly and the spa twins trembled with suppressed laughter. Twilight could hear Whiplash and Deep Well muttering from the other table behind her.

“All right, that's enough,” Rarity said loudly. “I think it's time to begin the main event.” She levitated a box of cards from a drawer built into the underside of the table. “Evening Star, I haven't yet explained this to you fully, since I wanted to wait for some actual games to demonstrate. You see, when I host a party, it's more of a game night than anything.” Rarity separated the deck into two piles of cards, returned one to the drawer and began shuffling the other. “There are quite a few methods that Club members use to settle disputes and compete with one another. Yet, old fashioned games of skill and luck are by far the most common. Advantage is especially popular.”

“What do you mean, Mistress?” Twilight asked. “Is that a game, 'Advantage?'”

“It most certainly is, Darling,” Rarity continued. “This is a normal deck of cards, but I've set aside the Solos through Nontets. That leaves us with the Blanks and face cards.”

“That's just 21 cards. There can't be enough for a proper game, can there?”

“It's generally played with two or three ponies at a time. Each player is only dealt three cards and there are an additional four on the table, so it's typically just ten or thirteen cards out at a time. I intend to play against Vera; we'll bet the number and severity of techniques she and Nymphaea may practice on you against special services they shall provide for us the next time we visit their spa.”

Twilight felt her face flush hotly under the latex. “I'm still not sure how comfortable I am with this, Mistress,” she said quietly. “I thought you weren't going to let other doms use me freely.”

“Oh no, my sweet slave, never freely. I shall be there the entire time, and I won't gamble any activities without your express consent. However, I must insist that you allow for a few things; you deserve punishment. Besides,” Rarity pointed out, “they've both had their hooves on you at one point or another. Aren't you the least bit curious what a pony with a good knowledge of equine anatomy and a professional background in... relieving stress can do?”

Twilight fidgeted for a moment. Finally, she squeaked, “M-maybe just a bit.”

“Wonderful!” Aloe cheered and clapped her forehooves once. “Basics first. We know she likes spanking and restraints, but I want to teach Nymphaea how to do it properly. She's too gentle and never makes her knots tight enough!”

“Wait! What about us!?” Synth interrupted. “Turner, Well and Whip are all starting a game! Who are Symph and I gonna bet against?”

“I suggest each other to start,” Rarity told her pointedly. “Neither of you is submissive to the other this evening. Why not gamble to decide who has the right to bet the others services tonight?”

The pair looked at each other, then smiled simultaneously. Synth levitated the remaining cards from the drawer to their side of the table.

“Climb or Greed?” Symphony asked.

“Ugh, Greed,” Synth responded. “You always win at Climb.”

“Well that's settled,” Rarity returned to her own game. “Alright, first win to Vera will be spanking. After that, bondage. My first and second victories shall be...” she paused to think. “Sensual massage and 'deep tissue' stimulation?”

“Agreed,” Aloe consented.

“Is that a euphemism?” Twilight asked.

“Manners,” Rarity chimed.

“Mistress, were you using a colorful euphemism a moment ago?”

“What do you think, my pet?” she asked with a smirk. “Now, I'll explain the basics of Advantage. It's currently the most popular game within the Club, and you'll be seeing it a lot.” She dealt two cards each to herself and Aloe. “Now, each of us has two cards which the other won't see until we've both finished betting-”

“Haven't you already bet?”

“Hmmph~,” Rarity blushed slightly as she pulled out two stacks of faux coins and set them on the table in front of her and Aloe. “We will use these as an arbitrary representation of our performance. Once one of us takes all the others chips we will consider it a victory and divvy them up again. It should only take a few rounds to clean out an opponent.”

“You must not be terribly confident, dear,” Aloe teased. “Often opponents will bet entire sexual favors back and forth during a single round, until one of them decides to stop digging her own hole.”

Rarity's eyes had that predatory gleam once more. “Fine.” She returned the chips to their place. “Compulsory bets are in effect. We each are in for the first items we agreed on.”

“This won't take long at all,” Aloe said with a smile. She and Lotus shared a look and a chuckle.

Twilight whispered into Rarity's ear. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” She was surprised by the high pitch of her own voice.

“Don't be silly, dear, I will destroy them. Then I'll let them win enough to have some fun later tonight.” Rarity cleared her throat and resumed her explanation. “SO, it goes like this: the first two cards dealt to a player are his or her Store, the opponent won't see them until it's too late to change tactics. We're both compelled to make a bet at this point. Next comes the Obligation card.”

Rarity magically dealt one more card each to herself and Aloe. These were face up. “Alright,” she whispered, “let's see what we've got.” Rarity's face up card was a Dragon, her two face down cards were a Spell and a Pony. Aloe had a face up Castle.

“Okay, so you know there are three suits for the three tribes of ponies, but in Advantage, they are irrelevant. Only the face of the card matters. At it's core, Advantage is a convoluted game of rock-paper-scissors. The four highest cards each take the advantage over one another. Castle beats Dragon, which in turn beats Pony, which beats Alicorn, which beats Castle. Whichever opponent has the most little victories wins the hoof.”

“Okay,” Twilight said slowly as she made mental notes. “but that doesn't explain what Blanks, Gems and Spells do.” She lowered her voice to a whisper, “Also, does this mean Aloe's Castle beats your Dragon, but your pony doesn't do anything?”

“I don't know yet if my pony will do anything, one of her face down cards might be an Alicorn or a Dragon. Ahem,” she cleared her throat as she raised her voice again. “Now Blank cards are a help or hindrance depending on the circumstance. I will explain that in a moment. Gems force the players to bet higher; if neither of us fold, Vera and I will agree on an additional gamble before the Store cards are revealed, in case either of us has one. Spells reverse the order of the win/loss relationship between the four high cards.”

“Oh!” Twilight let slip gleefully and beamed. Then she caught Rarity's disappointed look and Aloe and Lotus' polite smiles. Twilight's face fell as quickly as it had brightened. I might want to work on my game face.

“I'll wager that deep massage you wanted for the second round of betting, Ms. Elusive,” Aloe spoke up. “Will you match me with the spanking?”

“Certainly, and now we may see the Opportunity cards.” Rarity laid out two more cards in between them, both face up. One was a Castle, the other a Gem. “Alright, so these are the first of four cards which either Vera or I may use to make our hooves. We each must use our Obligation cards, but we may choose to replace one or both of our Store cards with cards from the center of the table. Now I can explain what a Blank card is for in Advantage: it will always be replaced with a card from the center of the table, even if it's an Obligation card.”

“I see,” Twilight replied. “That way your opponent can't be sure what any of the cards in your hoof will be.” Wait a minute, she thought to herself, that doesn't seem right. “Hold on, do you both decide which cards you'll use before telling the other? What if one pony ended up using all cards that were face up? The other might change their choice because of that.”

Aloe fielded that question. “It is generally good practice to tell a third pony or write it down, that way both opponents selections will be set before either is declared. We typically go by honor here, but you shouldn't rely on that with anypony you don't know.” She turned her attention squarely on Rarity. “The next technique I want to practice on Ms. Star is orgasm denial. I'll bet a thorough hoof massage... using our tongues.”

Rarity wriggled in her seat. “Ooh~ You know me too well! Give Eve and I a moment.” She flipped her mane to the other side so it would act as a convenient curtain and turned to whisper in Twilight's ear. “Listen, each card can only win once, but can lose multiple times. So if she takes that Castle in the middle, she could take two advantages from my Dragon. If I used my Spell, my Dragon would only win once over the two Castles. I'm fairly certain she intends to take the Castle, since she knows I have the Spell and I know she knows, therefore she expects me not to use it.”

Twilight nosed in between Rarity's cheek and mane, nuzzling as she went, and whispered in her mistress' ear. “But that's still a big risk – if you use the Spell, you'll take one advantage from her Castles and she'll only have one other card in her hoof. She'd be relying on playing a third card that can take an advantage over you when the relationship is reversed.” Then the idea hit her. She'd do it if she had a Pony card! The reversed Pony would win over the Dragon! “Rarity, don't use the Spell without an Alicorn!”

Rarity chuckled softly. “But then her Castles would win over the Alicorn,” she reminded her submissive lover. “If she has a Pony I couldn't win with a Spell unless I had another Dragon. If a second Dragon shows up in the last two face up cards, she won't take the second Castle because my Spell will be too powerful.”

This isn't like rock-paper-scissors at all, Twilight mused, it's more like psychology crossed with statistics. “I'm... not sure what you should do. I'm sorry I messed up and let her know you had a Spell.”

“Don't worry, I'm quite good at this. Just tell me if you're comfortable with being kept on edge for a while.”

“Erm, I suppose? How are they going to keep me there if I do climax?”

“I suspect Aloe or I will just build you up again if Lotus makes a mistake.”

Twilight was more than a little hesitant to agree to coming an indeterminate number of times until Lotus could get the hang of edging a pony properly. Oh dear Celestia, let her be a quick study. For that matter, Princess, I hope you never find out about any of this. “Okay, just make the bet.”

Rarity turned back to Aloe. “We will match your bet!” she declared. “Finally, we have the last pair of cards, the Harvest; so called because we must now reap what we've sown. In the traditional gambling format, players who have gone 'all in' with their betting money may find themselves praying for a particular card at this point.”

Then Rarity laid out the last two cards. An Alicorn and a Blank, which was practically useless in the middle of the table. Twilight began running the possibilities in her head. OK, so the Blank won't help. The Alicorn is strong against Castles and weak to Ponies; Aloe wouldn't want it. Unless she thought we would take the Castle, but why would we? Our Spell will give us one victory over her Castle outright, but then what would our third card be? Our Pony card would be weak to Alicorns, but presumably she won't take the one on the table. We can't know what she has in her Store... but some possibilities are more likely. There are two Castles out, so she probably doesn't have the last one. A Blank would be irrelevant. An extra Gem wouldn't matter. Do two Spells counter each other?

She covered her mouth with a hoof and whispered to Rarity, “My Queen, would two Spell cards cancel each other out?”

“Yes,” she replied without bothering to drop her voice. “Now we must decide on the final bet, and an extra in case of the winner using a Gem.”

Aloe and Lotus whispered back and forth a bit. “We have come to an agreement. In the case of our victory, we require some special materials. I want to teach Nymphaea how to encase a pony. Should we lose... well, feel free to request what you like.”

“Encase? Encase in what!?” Twilight demanded.

“Encasement is just severe bondage,” Rarity explained soothingly. “It could be anything from a suit too thick and heavy for its occupant to move to a pair of latex sheets which are temporarily sealed around the submissive pony while she breathes through a tube.”

“We were actually thinking of using the large tub kept in the basement here to avoid making a mess while we coat her in our own home-made concoction,” Aloe elaborated. “A mud clay which dries quickly to be hard as rock. Of course, it's a simple matter to chip it off afterward; I want Nymphaea to practice applying and removing it. It will be very good for your coat, should you choose to remove your latex suit while we do it.”

“That doesn't sound too bad,” Twilight thought aloud. “Will I still be able to say my safety word?”

“We'll leave you a bit of breathing room.”

“In that case,” Rarity asked impishly, “would you care to wager a more typical mud bath?”

Aloe seemed confused. “But... Ms. Elusive, that's one of our normal services. It's not really...”

“Oh, I know, but a girl wants what she wants. Is that a problem?”

Aloe and Lotus merely smiled and shook their heads. “Well, then,” Aloe observed, “neither of us has chosen to fold.”

“Evidently not,” Rarity concurred. “Let us make our extra wager. I'll wager myself as a second learning aid, if you think that will help.”

Aloe seemed lost in thought for a moment, biting her lip and blushing just slightly. “I suppose we could use another,” she said with a husky tone. “Just so Nymphaea can follow along,” she added hastily. “Should I lose, Nymphaea and I will... polish your horns, in a manner of your choosing.”

“Mm, I know Evening Star will appreciate that. We discovered she has a weak spot just this morning.”

Twilight blushed intensely. You don't have to tell everyone! “Erm, that sounds very nice.”

“Then it's settled,” Aloe observed.

“Yes,” Rarity agreed. “It's time to finish this.”

Twilight quickly finished weighing the possibilities in her mind. The four cards which could affect the outcome that she is most likely to have hidden are a Spell, Dragon, Pony and Alicorn. An Alicorn would offer her no obvious benefit, so she wouldn't likely use it anyway. A Pony would lose to our Dragon, unless she cast a Spell, but then her Castle would lose instead. If she expects us to take the Alicorn to beat her Castle, then she might want a Pony, that would be two wins for each. A Dragon would be a safe bet, since it's unlikely for us to have a Castle hidden and the one in the middle of the table would be an equal loss since we would each have a Castle and a Dragon. We should use both of our Store cards. The Dragon will take a victory from her Castle for sure, and prevent her from getting any benefit from the second Castle on the table. Our Pony will only be a problem if she uses an Alicorn, which she won't unless she is very sure that we have a Pony and intend to use our Spell.

Twilight was just about to let Rarity know what she had concluded when the others flipped all the cards face up. Aloe actually had another Castle, as well as a Gem. “Three castles,” Aloe said simply. Twilight felt ecstatic, such a blatant attack on their Obligation card wasn't hard to counter at all. She must have thought my reaction to the Spell was actually a bluff!

“Oh.” Rarity sounded dismayed.

“Oh?” Twilight asked suddenly worried. “What do you mean 'oh?'”

“I had assumed that Vera thought I would use my Spell.”

Oh no, please no.

“Erm, my hoof is Dragon, Pony and Alicorn. I, um, take one advantage with my Alicorn.”

“I, however, take three with my Castles,” Aloe said triumphantly. “You shouldn't assume these things, Ms. Elusive. Just be glad I didn't take a Gem instead of one of my Castles.”

“There goes our special treatment at the spa,” Rarity lamented. “Eheheh, as well as a long nights worth of thorough use for you, I'm afraid.” She winced and pleaded in her panicked tone, “Forgive me.”

“I'm going to have a drink now,” Twilight announced as she rose to do just that. She poked through the liquor cabinet for a minute and found some peppermint schnapps. She briefly looked for something to mix it with, but decided to just have some over ice. Twilight watched Rarity and Aloe start another game as she slowly sipped her drink. I don't think Rarity is as good at this game as she thinks she is. Now I have to do all of these things. I don't even know what to expect. Am I supposed to enjoy it? Are they going to try to get me off, or am I just going to stand there and be a prop while Lotus tries to get the hang of domming ponies? Oh jeez, what all was it? Spanking, bondage, extra weird bondage, and a lot of edging. Twilight finished her drink and poured another.

When she returned to her seat, Twilight found Rarity looking rather smug. “Did you win?”

“Quite well. Vera didn't have the stomach to match my confident betting. She folded before I could draw out all the favors I wanted, but I have secured a sumptuous spa day when we return from Canterlot.”

“Around the time Ms. Elusive began raising me several favors at a time, I decided to call it a night. At least for gambling,” Aloe added with a sultry look at Twilight.

The latex-bound princess turned lewd learning aid gave her drink a hard stare before downing it in one go. “Alright, shall we get on with the lesson then?”

“I'm afraid you're getting ahead of yourself, my sweet slave,” Rarity pointed out. “Vera and Nymphaea must collect the ingredients for their clay encasement. Meanwhile, we shall prepare a room and tend to the other guests. Be a dear and fetch the tub Vera mentioned from the basement, please. Oh, and put these cards away as well.”

Rarity trotted over to the other table to mingle with her dominant friends as Aloe and Lotus made their way out. Twilight had just started to gather the loose cards on the table when Synth spoke to her.

“Elusive was digging herself into another hole and Vera folded for her sake; I guarantee it.”

“Really?” Twilight's voice dripped with sarcasm. She felt defensive of her lover and dom. “I suppose you're just good enough to tell when you don't even know what they had face down?”

“Well...” Symphony interjected, “Elusive has always been terrible at these games. No offense meant, but the mare couldn't win a hoof to save her life.”

Twilight looked over the cards she had been picking up. She still had Rarity and Aloe's cards apart. It was hard to tell anything for certain, since the game depended too much on the personalities of the ponies playing. However, if Rarity's performance earlier was any indication... I hope Rarity doesn't have a reputation in Canterlot for being bad at this.

Twilight was fidgeting incessantly as she and Rarity waited on Aloe and Lotus' return. Excitement, anxiety, and a powerful feeling of arousal she wasn't sure she wanted had put her on edge. “What if I don't behave the way one of their customers would?”

“Whatever do you mean? Each pony would behave differently; it doesn't matter how you respond, so long as you're comfortable and give them the feedback they need.”

“I don't know how to tell if Lotus does a good job or not! What if I'm too critical since I'm less comfortable with them than you? Or I might not be critical enough since I'm not very experienced yet!”

“Darling, you're working yourself into a tizzy over nothing. Everypony else is having fun. You will, too, I promise. Just be calm and let me know if you begin to feel uncomfortable. I want you to be able to enjoy this sort of thing, and Aloe and Lotus are very dear friends who've been in The Club longer than I have.”

“I'm still confused over why you're so eager for this when you basically said we'd be exclusive to each other.”

“Ah, that's why you're so worked up,” Rarity said as she drew Twilight into an embrace. “And why your breath smells like alcohol and mint.” Twilight blushed and made a small noise of discontent. “I did say we would dedicate ourselves to one another, even before we had quite worked out our feelings toward each other. However, I do want to explore your budding passion for subservience with a little help from other doms, who may be able to draw out more of your passion in ways I wouldn't have thought of. Aside from that, exhibition, superficial pain and restraints haven't worked as punishment, so maybe a little mare-handling in front of other ponies will.”

“I know you want to put me on display, but do you really want others to dominate me?” Twilight asked. “I never thought I'd let anypony else touch me or, well, use me in that way. At least not any time soon.”

“Twilight, they will not be your doms, in any sense. I am still your mistress and I am allowing them to do these things to you, under my supervision, for my pleasure. I am dominating you vicariously. Besides, it's not as though we'll be as intimate with them as we are with each other in the first place. Your sweet, little flower is mine alone, and I intend to keep it that way.”

Twilight crooked her neck over Rarity's and held her close. “Okay, I feel a bit better about this. I love you, Rarity. You're my Queen, and I'll serve you always.”

“Mm! My sublime slave,” Rarity cooed. “I love you too, Twilight.”

It wasn't much longer before the twins joined them in the private room. “I hope everypony is ready?” Aloe prompted as she set down her saddlebag.

“I believe so,” Rarity said.

“I'm actually very nervous,” Lotus admitted. “Ms. Star, er- Shall we continue to use aliases while in private? I was never clear on that rule.”

“I only ask that everypony gathered agree one way or the other,” Rarity explained. “We may as well use our actual names while alone, since we are all acquainted.”

“Very well. Ms. Sparkle, I know that you weren't exactly looking forward to this. However, I'm very grateful for the opportunity to learn with you, and I hope you find my best efforts pleasurable.”

Twilight was a bit surprised by how formal Lotus was. “Oh, well, I'm sure you'll do fine. Just relax?”

“You seem to be having a difficult time with your own advice this evening, Princess,” Aloe pointed out. “My sister just needs to warm up to you, and vice versa. Forgive us, if we seem overly professional in tone. This is the decorum we must provide our customers unless they ask otherwise. Will you remove your suit, or do you prefer to wear it?”

“That's up to my Lady.” Twilight said with a nod to Rarity.

“Wear it unless it becomes too uncomfortable to continue. I like the little squeaky noises when you move. Oh, but take the jacket section off. Better to let them practice restraining wings.”

Twilight removed the outer portion of the suit with her magic and set it aside. She spread her wings for a moment to ease away the stiffness and looked expectantly at the twins.

“Let's take it slow to start,” Aloe said. “I understand you are already familiar with restraints. How do you feel about being tied up and then abused a little?”

“I think I can handle that.”

Aloe nodded and turned to Lotus. “Sister, begin by tying her legs and wings. Pick any of the knots I've taught you. Remember the important steps before starting.”

Lotus paused to think a moment before she asked, “What is your safe word, Ms. Sparkle?”

“Flyleaf.”

Lotus laid out her supplies: a silken cord of considerable length, a pair of flat-edge safety scissors, some heavy straps and a muzzle. She picked up the muzzle and considered it briefly before putting it away. “Not much use if we're relying on vocal communication. Please lay on your back or side, Ms. Sparkle.” Twilight reclined on the bed and tried not to fidget. Lotus drew the cord across her belly until roughly the midway point was resting on her. “Please hold your hooves up, about a foot apart from each other.”

Twilight obliged and Lotus wrapped the cord around Twilight's right forehoof and left rearhoof in a figure 8 twice, twisted the loose ends around the center, and did the same to her two other hooves, forming a sort of looping X. Huh, I thought she was going to hogtie me at first, but this is... much more intricate. Then, she began to wind the loose ends around the loops, alternating between the two pairs she had formed at the start. Oh, hurry and tighten the knot..! Darn it, I'm enjoying this more than I expected. After a minute or two, the X was made of two tight bundles which intersected; Lotus drew the loose ends through the center and tied them off, leaving the cord a fair length on either side of Twilight. She squirmed and sighed a little, but didn't speak as Lotus turned away for a moment. She tested her binds a bit and found she couldn't slip them off of her ankles. Ye~s, she thought, so tight.

Lotus approached the bed again, this time with the large, heavy straps draped over her leg. Twilight felt a shiver in her sides and her feathers rustled. "Please pin my wings now," she begged. "I need to feel totally helpless." Ugh, why can't I help myself? I really shouldn't get this excited with somepony else, should I? Twilight looked over at Rarity who was seated in a high-backed chair, bent over the armrest and gently rocking as she used her magic to stimulate herself.

Twilight didn't hear Lotus the first time since she was focused on trying to catch a glimpse of her dom's nethers. "What?"

"I said, I need to roll you onto your side for a moment. You do want me to bind your wings, yes?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Twilight awkwardly half-rolled away from Lotus and began to thrust her hips in a stilted way. I feel ridiculous fighting the cord like this, but I need to move! “Please restrain me so I can't move. Force me to lay still.”

“As you wish.” Lotus wound one of the two straps under and over Twilight's left wing and drew it tight to keep it bent in the resting position. It was painful for just a moment, making the pliant princess gasp and shudder. The end pointed toward Twilight's stomach had several small holes which Lotus threaded one end of the cord through and tied off. She turned Twilight onto her other side and tugged the remaining end of the first strap out from under her back. She wound the second strap around Twilight's other wing in the same fashion and threaded the remaining end of the cord through it. “Uhn...” she whined. Hurry, I need it tight. I can still work my wings out of the straps.

Lotus paused. “Are you alri-”

“Yes, yes!” she cried. “Please finish. I need it.” I'm shameless, but it doesn't matter. Tie me up and turn me back over so I can see Rarity.

The last strap was more like a belt. Lotus fed it through slits in the ends of the first two, and wrapped it around the front of Twilight's chest where it buckled into place. She adjusted it until it hugged Twilight very firmly. Then she pulled Twilight onto her back. O~h, Celestia, I can barely move my legs or wings. She tried again and found that struggling painfully cinched her wings. “Oh, it shouldn't be this fun to hurt yourself...”

“Are you in pain?” Aloe asked with some concern as Lotus stepped back.

“It's good. It's so good. I deserve it. My Mistress is punishing me.” Twilight shuddered. “Rarity...” she breathed.

“Well, sister, why did you select this knot?” Aloe asked as she tugged up on the center of the braided cord. Twilight gasped sharply and twitched as she tried to buck.

“It seemed like a good starting place. It prohibits movement almost completely and can be adapted quickly to suspension in various positions.” Lotus tugged on the cord and straps to indicate places the binds could be attached to hooks or rope. Twilight groaned and panted as she was callously abused and moved around. “It also makes a fair hoofhold in the center and leaves the submissive pony quite exposed with their legs in the air.” Lotus demonstrated by patting Twilight's rump.

“Ooh! Mm, yes, please!” I should be mortified, but I've been waiting for this all night. Maybe... maybe longer. It's so good, being used like this.

“Now about the pain,” Aloe mused. “Ms. Sparkle, would you say you could get out of these bonds without the use of magic?”

Twilight panted and feebly tugged for a minute. “N~o,” she whimpered.

“Are your bonds causing you distress or discomfort?”

“No,” she said confidently, “I like them.” She craned her neck to look in Rarity's direction. “I'm sorry, Mistress,” she said with a smirk. “I'm having fun after all.”

“That may change,” Rarity replied. Her voice was thick and husky. “Let's just wait and see.”

“M-may I see what you're doing to yourself, m'Lady?”

“Not just now.”

Twilight laid back again and the spa twins leaned over her. “I think it's time to practice your hoof at corporeal discipline,” Aloe instructed. “Begin abusing her backside, don't be afraid to change her position using the restraints.”

Twilight screwed her eyes shut and grit her teeth. A long moment passed and her anticipation grew, making her writhe and shudder. Warmth spread in her loins and butt and she felt extremely aware of her own body in that moment. Yet, nothing happened. Why don't I feel anything? She cracked open an eye and peeked. Lotus was trembling slightly and looked terribly embarrassed. She had her hoof in the air, but seemed stuck.

“Sister,” Aloe urged.

Lotus thrust her hoof forward. It thumped against Twilight's rear with a soft, squeaky pat. Stupid latex, Twilight thought. “Um, Lotus, you can be, you know – rougher with me.”

“Forgive my sister, your Highness, this is one area she needs work on. Badly.”

“I... I'm a pacifist,” Lotus explained meekly. Rarity giggled just out of sight.

“Let's try again. I will demonstrate for you. Just copy me, and remember that some ponies want you to strike them.” Aloe delivered a swift blow to Twilight's bottom, causing the cheek to jiggle nicely inside the tight suit.

“AH,” Twilight cried.

Lotus tried several times to imitate her sister, slowly building to more and more powerful hits. It was agonizing and wonderful to be struck over and over, alternating between considerable force and odd gentleness.

“Alright, I think I can do this,” Lotus suddenly said with uncharacteristic boldness.

Oh my, she sounds so different when she's getting into it. Twilight felt that same acute sensitivity come back as she tensed in anticipation. Go for it, Lotus! Really smack my ass! Make me scre- Lotus shut her eyes and swung her hoof directly into Twilight's pussy. “OH CELESTIA FUCK ME!” Twilight cringed as much as her bonds would allow and then convulsed as she came.

“I think that's enough spanking.”

“I'm so, so sorry, Ms. Sparkle.”

“Darling? My pet, can you hear me?”

“Ah-hah, ugh. Y-y-yes!” Twilight panted as she came down from her orgasm high and the pain fully set in. “Oh, it hurts, but... I still kind of like it.”

Rarity nuzzled Twilight and Aloe considered them for a moment. “I think now seems like an ideal time for some prolonged teasing. She'll not orgasm a second time particularly easily. Ms. Rarity, would you care to bring your sub to the brink of ecstasy for us?”

“I can certainly manage that.” Rarity turned Twilight on her side and laid on top of her. She rubbed her alabaster groin into Twilight's cheek, making slick, muffled squeaking noises on the latex. Twilight blushed and began to pant as Rarity's warmth and scent washed over her face. “You can do more than huff and puff on me, slave.” Twilight turned her head up to face her dom's loins and began to kiss, lick and nibble fervently. “That's it, good girl.” Twilight felt pressure on the small of her back as Rarity started rubbing in small circles. “Such an obedient slave, such a well-behaved pet.” The sensation more than doubled as another hoof pressed into her crotch through the suit. Twilight started probing Rarity's depths with her tongue, lapping at the tart-sweetness flowing out.

Time slipped away for a while and suddenly Twilight felt the pressure lift from her erogenous zones. Rarity did not dismount her nor did she stop grinding her loins against Twilight's face, but she did nothing to further stimulate Twilight. “Hmm,” Twilight moaned into her lover, “nn-nn, mrr.”

“You want more?” Rarity asked with mock uncertainty. “Is that what you said?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Well, I think Lotus has been waiting to help you.”

Twilight shuddered warmly. “Hmm.” How long does she have to keep me on the edge? I hope it lasts a while... I hope it takes her several tries.

A gentle pressure worked it's way over her hip and around the curve of her backside. The hoof skirted around her eager pussy, just barely teasing the edge, and continued along the inside of her thigh. The feelings were all dulled by the suit, but the material felt tighter wherever she was touched. Celestia, help me, why do I love this torture? Little erratic movements began working around her belly just above her sex, making her twitch and gasp whenever they passed over her nipples. The searching hoof closed in on her teats and insistently kneaded them, only to be accompanied by a second hoof that began rubbing agonizingly slowly over her pussy. Oh, no, please be firmer. I can barely feel it.

Just as Twilight began to move her hips what little she could, the hooves stopped completely. No, no, please don't stop. I'm not there yet, I can go a little longer! “Mmn! Nmm-hm-hm.”

“She seems very desperate for your attention,” Aloe observed.

“Mm! Mm-hmm!” Yes, very desperate! I need it! Twilight redoubled her efforts with needy thrusts of her tongue into Rarity, hoping for attention from her dom.

“I think it's best to make her wait now, yes?” Lotus asked.

No! Keep teasing! “Nuh, mm-mm!” She withdrew her tongue and found the fashionista's clit, which she sucked and nibbled at with gusto.

“At least wait until she finishes whatever she's doing to me,” Rarity said thickly. “Celestia as my witness, she's a first-class pussy pleaser.” Twilight whined into Rarity's loins, and slowed down. “Oh no, Darling,” Rarity admonished. “Finish what you started.” Twilight craned her neck and opened her mouth wide, she thrust her tongue deep and sucked on Rarity's plump mound. Rarity gasped and gripped Twilight's midsection tightly. “Yes, Twilight, keep doing that! You're an animal, Darling, a beast!” Twilight could feel her lover shaking as her legs trembled. Rarity's internal muscles contracted and squeezed at the tongue tickling them. “Oh... oh... oh, oh, OH! Yes, ye~s. Nnnah, hah, AH-AH! G~ooh, TWILIGHT!” Rarity slid sideways off of Twilight and hugged her close for a minute in an upside-down spooning position. “I think she's earned some more stimulation,” she managed to say in between gasping and panting.

Lotus fell in on her immediately. She tugged Twilight away from Rarity by the silken knot holding her hooves and set her on her back in one quick motion. Oh, that hurts! “Don't just rub me, please be rough too!”

“I-I'm not so...”

“Please, Lotus, it'll keep me close, but I won't go over if you keep an eye on where you hit me.”

“I'll try.” The timid dom in training massaged either side of Twilight's rump firmly for a minute before alternating swats to her cheeks, building up to strikes which were actually quite audible, though not as loud as Twilight's involuntary vocalization.

“Ahn! Ooh, yes. Oh! Nuh! Like that, just like- AGH!”

“Are you getting close, Ms. Sparkle? If you lie to me, I'll know soon enough, and you'll be punished.”

“I'm close! Please don't stop.”

“That's not my decision,” Lotus said as she stepped away, leaving Twilight squirming and whining.

Aloe sounded pleased. “You've done very well. I think we can move on-”

“Can I cum!?”

“...To practicing encasement.” Aloe finished without responding to Twilight. “Ms. Rarity, can you keep your sub from gratifying herself once the bonds are removed? Encasement is most effective when the subject goes in unsatisfied.”

“Hoo,” Rarity sighed as she got back up, a bit wobbly on her hooves. “She'll do as I say if she knows what's good for her.”

Lotus was as adept at removing restraints as she was at putting them in place. It took very little time to have Twilight upright again and standing in the tub she'd been made to bring upstairs earlier. While Lotus prepared the clay mixture, Rarity was in charge of keeping Twilight excited which she did by taking advantage of the princess' recently discovered weak spot. Twilight leaned over the rim of the tub in a daze of sexual excitement and sensual pleasure, nuzzling Rarity as the base of her horn was massaged.

Suddenly, Twilight felt something splash onto her side and jerked away from Rarity to look. Lotus was pouring the mixture into the tub and Aloe was agitating it with a short, wooden oar. “Forgive us for startling you, Ms. Sparkle,” Aloe said, “We need to get you covered as quickly as we can, there are only a few minutes before it starts to set, and then it will become hard and brittle very rapidly.” Lotus donned a pair of rubber boots on her forelegs and scooped the wet clay onto Twilight's back and sides, smearing it a bit before she reached for more.

“It sticks to the suit well,” Rarity noted. “Make sure you cover her wings. Oh, and avoid getting it in the suit if you can.”

“I will stay away from the openings in the suit, Ms. Rarity,” Lotus assured her. “Some may get in around her wings, though it shouldn't be difficult to clean out.”

Once Lotus had mostly covered Twilight's back and sides, Aloe stopped stirring and used the oar to spread the clay onto her legs. Lotus carefully spread the clay over her wings, liberally coating them to make the clay connect with the rest. Finally, the twins worked together to cover Twilight's neck and head, meticulously leaving openings around her eyes and mouth. They cleaned the clay off of their hooves and stepped back.

Twilight began to feel as though her suit had become stiff and heavy. The clay was already weighing her down when it was wet, but now it seemed to contract and grip her whole body. “It feels... tight.” This is actually kind of scary.

“Please stand in a neutral position that you can maintain for an extended period, Ms. Sparkle,” Lotus instructed.

“Are you alright, Darling?” Rarity asked and took a nervous step forward.

“I think so.” It's as though the mud turned to lead, I can feel it hardening. After a long moment, Twilight felt as though she couldn't move without taking a great effort. “I... I don't think I can move.” She looked from her lover, to the twins and back again, flicking her eyes side to side. “This is actually... way more intense than the rope. It doesn't hurt, but I really can't move an inch. I thought this was supposed to be brittle?”

“It is,” Aloe said, “but if you can't move enough to bend it, you certainly can't break it.”

Twilight tried to wiggle, twitch and squirm in every possible way, but no part of her body had even the slightest room to move. Ah, if it weren't for my magic, I'd be completely helpless. She began to pant from the effort and arousal. It's just gripping me too tight, there's no escape. She felt her fluids seeping down the back of her hindlegs, and the sweat across her body made her feel slick. Maybe that's enough to move inside the suit. She tried her absolute hardest once more, but twisting her midsection was impossible with her wings sealed in place, and there was no natural way to move her neck or limbs inside the confines of her earthen bonds. “Hah, huh, I can't,” she panted. “It's just impossible.” She was very hot and exasperated, and the suit wasn't breathing at all. “Is it supposed to be uncomfortably hot in this?”

“I... didn't think so?” Lotus said and looked to her sister.

“The clay is somewhat porous,” Aloe said. “It must be your rubber suit.”

“I'm getting really hot and tired.”

“May I ask a favor of the two of you?” Rarity interjected. “It's getting a bit late. If you don't mind, I need to attend to something, a promise I made one of the other guests. I'd just love, love, love it if I could take care of that, wrap up the party and come back to an encased sub, but I don't think she'll hold out for that long. Did you bring extra clay?”

“Of course,” Lotus said. “In case I did a poor job the first time, we brought enough for three tries.”

“Well, could you let her out, give her a quick break to remove her suit and wash up, then put her back in the clay? By the time you've got her all snug, I'll be ready to see you off and then come back up for a little fun to finish the night.”

“You're going to leave me like this?” Twilight whined. “For how long?”

Rarity leaned over the edge of the tub. “Oh my sweet little slave,” she whispered, “longer now that you've asked me in such a disrespectful manner.”

“I'm so sorry Mistress, please-”

“Tut, tut, be quiet. You're not allowed to please yourself while your out of there, and you'd better be ready to do as I say when I return.” Twilight closed her eyes and whimpered softly. “Don't be impetuous with me! Do you understand what I've ordered you to do?”

“Yes, my Queen. I'll be a good slave. I won't touch myself and I'll wait for you to return and use me before you free me.”

Rarity addressed Aloe next, “You don't mind, do you?”

“It's quite alright. It gives Lotus another chance to prepare and apply the clay. This time directly onto a pony, instead of over a suit. I think you'll find that our clay does wonderful things to her Highness' coat as well.”

“That's fabulous, dear.” Rarity hugged Aloe and Lotus in turn and made for the door. She peaked back in through the frame and watched for a moment as the sisters lightly tapped cracks into the surface of the clay. “Perhaps... leave her backside exposed. I'd hate to try and break through to it, only to free her legs by mistake.” The spa sisters nodded and Rarity disappeared down the hall.

“Isn't this a bit much?” Head Turner whispered in Rarity's ear. She watched her host mull things over for a moment while she continued to use her wings and toys to stimulate her colts. The stallions were blindfolded and had their ears plugged, but Head Turner hadn't gagged them so that she could play an orgasmic symphony of pants, gasps, grunts and moans. Noise well-suited to snubbing any eavesdroppers while making it seem as though she and Rarity were engaged in typical Club activities.

“I don't see it that way,” Rarity told her in a hushed tone. “These are desperate times, as they say. I'm determined to find the motive behind this and use it to prove her corruption. If all else fails, the aftermath of the vote should bring her misdeeds to light.”

“It will also destabilize the country's weather patterns. You know as well as I do that there are places where deregulated weather will inevitably be abused. Is it worth it?”

“The law can be overturned. Whatever benefit it will bring her is likely to be short lived, but obvious if one is observant enough.”

“Observation is only useful if one knows where to look. I'm worried about you, Rarity.”

“Don't be. I've been playing this game long enough to know what's at stake and how to win.”

“It's not a game,” Head Turner said flatly. “It's bad enough that you're trying to take them head on again, let alone involving her Highness. Suppose for a moment if you lost again – what then?”

“Will you help me, or not?”

“All right. I don't know how far a member of Commons can get trying to root out a conspiracy in the Nobles, but if there's a single lead I'll chase it.”

“As for the vote?”

“Well...” Head Turner weighed the dilemma carefully. “I prefer to keep my nose out of bad politics; this seems like a fool's errand at best and blatant corruption at worst.” Rarity gave her a pleading look. “However,” Head Turner continued, “I can make an exception for a friend. Just promise me that this will blow over.”

“Like a stormy cloud giving way to sunlight. Now, if you don't mind I have a party to wrap up and a statuesque princess to ravish.”

Author's Note

This took much to long to get out. I apologize to everyone for my lack of motivation and waffling these past weeks.

I am always desperate for criticism! Point out every technical error! Disagree passionately with my writing style! Be pedantic! It will make me a better writer in the long run.

I am also eager to hear about your impressions of the story. So, as is my wont, I will ask specific questions to get discussion going. Feel free to comment on other stuff, though.

Did you think the section with the card game was overly long or slow-paced? I'm setting it up as a plot point that will recur a few times infrequently, and I wanted to make subsequent instances of it much briefer. Tell me if you thought I struck a good balance between clarity and brevity.

What did you think of the revelation that Head Turner is a politician? Was it too out of left field? Do supporting OCs make you cringe? Was the hook too ham-handed?

The sex scene! Did it titillate? Was the establishment of consent strong enough? Did it reaffirm Rarity and Twilight's affection for each other, or undermine it?

Lastly, were there any sources of unexpected humor? Did I ever manage to make you laugh suddenly?

Thanks, everyone for reading! I hope I can get back to once a month updates, maybe fortnightly. Have another update for you soon, I promise!