Hello there, and welcome to Carousel Boutique!

Octavia, is it? The princess told me you would be coming.

That’s me. But please, just call me Mistress. Why don’t you have a seat over here? Yes, there. Would you like tea?

Just a moment.

Here you go. Sugar?

Oh, I do so look forward to working with you, darling; it really was a stroke of luck the princess had you available.

Right now all you have to do is wait – I still need to mind the boutique for a few hours before we can get you set up.

Well . . . what do you know about fashion?

That’s what I thought. No, darling, I do think it’s best if you simply sit tight there and leave the boutique to me.

Oh, it’s no trouble. Just try not to disturb me, okay?

So, darling, I don’t think there’ll be any more customers today. Shall we get started?

Oh, just leave that here; you won’t need it anyway. There isn’t anything perishable in it, is there?

Well, there you go. Come, it’s this way. Down the stairs, after you. Here, let me switch on the light.

Why, it’s a dungeon, darling. I thought you would be familiar with such things already?

Absolutely not – perish that thought at once! Not that it’s any of your business, but I have a perfectly satisfactory circle of lovers without needing the princess to press-gang anypony into banging me, thank you so much. Why, if I didn’t know any better, I’d almost think you were trying to offend me. Believe me, darling, you don’t want to offend me.

Did I remember to tell you to call me Mistress? We’re going to get along much better if you call me Mistress.

That’s better. Now, if I remember correctly, you’re a cellist, correct? So you do most of your work standing on your hind legs?

Wonderful! I think I’ve got just the right thing to start with, then. Hold out your forelegs, please.

This is not too tight, is it?

Now for the blindfold. Here we go. How many hooves am I holding up? Good – up you go.

Yes, the winch is a bit slow. Just have patience.

I think that’s about it. You can still reach the floor like that, can’t you?

I’m winding your tail up in a knot so it won’t get in the way. Try not to ask stupid questions.

Haven’t you figured that out yet? I’m going to hurt you, of course.

Of course you won’t talk, darling. But you can scream for me if you want to. It’s all soundproofed.

Good morning, darling! Did you sleep well?

Yes, I can see that might be a problem. Let’s hope I won’t have to do that again, shall we?

Oh no, you did good yesterday. That’s why you’re free to move around in the cell.

Yes, you did pass out at the end. Don’t worry, I won’t hold that against you.

To set expectations, darling. Now that we both know what I can do, I’m sure the rest of the week will go a lot smoother.

Would you like breakfast? I’ve got hay and hay and hay and – oof – a fresh bucket of water. Eat up; the princess is paying.

Of course not. I do need to go up and open the boutique now, but I’ll be back in the evening after closing time. And because you were a good filly yesterday, I’ll even leave the light on.

Thank you, what?

Good, and don’t forget that.

Good evening, darling! Are you awake?

Yes, I imagine it can be a bit boring. So let’s get to work, shall we?

Just come out here, this way. Don’t trip on your chain. Sit up here. Yes, upsie! Your hooves go here and here – surely you’ve been to the farrier’s before?

Yes, there are a few extra straps on this one. Keep your head still, then I’ll – good. Everything nice and tight now?

Now, if I understand correctly, your main defense at trial was that your victim couldn’t have performed sexually if he didn’t want to, right?

Goodness gracious, such language. I think we’ll need to muzzle you before we proceed.

So the plan for today is that I’m going to give you a nice warm sponge bath and grooming, and then a massage. I know that isn’t what you expected – but if you want me to stop the massage and instead begin hurting you like I did yesterday, all you have to do is orgasm. That’s easy to remember, isn’t it? And no risk of mistaking it because ponies are in complete control of such matters.

Is this too hot? Just lean back and relax. I’ll lather you up first . . .

This is nice, isn’t it? I think you like it. Almost ready for your massage now, too – you’re tensing up a lot in those hindquarters, but I’ll get it all worked out, don’t worry. We have lots of of time.

Why, look at you go! Squirting, convulsions, barely controlled moaning – that’s your signal, I believe. You must really want to get punishment instead of this. Very well – just a moment while I fetch the whip.

Okay, I think that’s enough for today. Can’t have you faint on me again, can we?

That’s all the straps. Can you walk back to your cell by yourself?

Good girl.

Goodnight, darling. Sweet dreams.

Good morning, darling! It’s a beautiful day today.

Of course you can’t see that from down here. How thoughtless of me. Here’s your fresh water and hay.

I have to go, darling, the boutique doesn’t run itself. Enjoy your day!

Good evening, darling!

Very good! You get a treat for that. Here!

So, these stocks are what we’ll be working with today. Come on out and get into position.

I wouldn’t recommend that, darling. I’d only pull you out by the chain – I have a winch out here, remember? And you’d lose bunk privileges. It folds up, you see. You’d just have the floor.

Smart choice. Now, your neck and forehooves go here. Then we close it shut. It doesn’t pinch, does it?

Good. And – oof – for your hind legs here – oof – bit further apart, please. Yes, like that.

So, I think you remember the rules from yesterday. You’ll get hurt if you choose to come; otherwise just relax and enjoy.

We’ll begin with the feather duster. Are you ticklish?

I’m quite impressed by your behind, darling. Even after all I’ve done to it, it’s still –

Stop that! I don’t have to tie up your tail, too, do I?

Ooh, there we go again! Almost as much as yesterday. Now I have to hurt you. Why do you do that?

See, I’ve brought some tools with me already. Haven’t you always wanted an ear piercing? It does cheeks too.

. . . What?

Who’s Rusty?

There’s no Rusty here, darling. He can’t help you. Let me just wipe those tears off and then we can get to it.

Do you want it up here, or perhaps more out towards the edge? No? Well, if I have to choose myself, I think somewhere in the middle is best. Ready? Here we go –

. . .

Breathe, darling. Nice and calm, yes, deep breaths. We still need to do your other ear; I’ve never held with this fad for asymmetry everypony is –

That’s just crazy talk, darling. Now be a good filly and hold still while I –

Yes, let it all out.

You know, I think we’ll save that cheek piercing for another day and just have a good spanking instead. I’ve got some lovely studded paddles I’d like to try . . .

Okay, back into your cell.

Get up, darling. You’re not getting any more today.

Faster!

Good morning, darling! Here’s your breakfast.

And let the princess down? You should know better than that, darling.

Good evening, darling.

Be quiet!

So what I was saying is you need to entertain yourself tonight because I need to, um, go and help my sister with some dreadfully important homework. Funny how that kind of thing can pop up all of a sudden, isn’t it? Certainly not because I’m not eager to get on with your punishment, of course. You can borrow a flogger if you want to continue by yourself –

Sorry. Bad joke. Darling, I really need to be going. Terribly sorry to leave you hanging, but you know how it is, don’t you? Family.

Anyway, don’t wait up. See you tomorrow.

Good morning, darling. Enjoyed your night off?

Bon appetit.

Good evening, darling! Ready for tonight’s session?

I suppose it doesn’t. Let’s get on with it, though. Stand over here with a hoof next to each of these rings in the floor. Just a simple tie-down for today.

You know the drill by now, I think –

Sorry, didn’t catch that. I know you can’t what?

Darling, that can’t be. Why, you said yourself that everypony knows –

I see. So would you say this is true about stallions too?

You guess? Okay, let’s make a deal, then: If you can come up with the right conclusion from that, I’ll go easy on you tonight. Okay?

I think you know perfectly well what I’m waiting for.

There’s nothing ‘perhaps’ about it, darling. Try again.

Very good! That wasn’t so hard, was it? So you win an easy ride. Do you still want the massage first?

No? Hmm, I suppose even if something feels good you can still not want it to happen. Who’d have thought that?

I’ll get started, then.

That’s it for today. Let me just get your legs free, and then you have the rest of the night for yourself.

Darling, that was going easy on you. Don’t you remember the other nights? I’ve kept count.

That’s a rather ungrateful attitude, I think. But that’s up to you. Good night.

Good morning, darling! Feeling better today?

Oh, pardon me for asking.

Good evening, darling!

No, don’t bother getting up; we’ll keep it right in the cell today. Hold out your forehooves. Good. Now point them up towards the sky, so I can get the cuffs hung from that hook up there. Yes, like that. Nice and helpless now?

Now, today I’m going to –

For pony’s sake, it’s only a crop. You know a crop, right? It goes like this.

Oh, stop bawling like that, dear, it’s most unbecoming.

Stop crying! It’s a fucking crop. It barely even stings! See! What’s the matter with you?

You’re pathetic, do you know that? STOP IT!

You will be punished unless you stop crying this instant!

Okay, you want something to cry over? How about this? And this? And this and this and THIS –

. . .

Now see what you’ve made me do.

It’s disgusting, is what it is.

Okay, have it your way, see if I care! I’m done here.

What? Why? Give me one good reason I shouldn’t leave you hanging there?

You wouldn’t know that if it crawled up and bit you in the night. . . . Okay. I’ll let you down. Because I’m generous like that. You know that?

Yeah, keep the cuffs.

Bucking foal . . .

Good morning, darling!

Goodnight, darling!

Good morning, darling! Do you know what day it is today? It’s the day I can let you go.

Yes, one week, that was the plan.

Officially you have until early afternoon, same time as you showed up. But I think I’ll just kick you out now. Let’s call it good behavior.

No, I didn’t think you would. So here you go –

Hold still for a moment so I can get the collar off you. Right you go, up the stairs.

Don’t forget your bags.

I’ll take care of that. Now just –

Goodbye.

* * *

“Princess?”

No.

“Princess, wake up.”

Leave me be.

“Princess, please!”

“Uh . . . what time is it?”

A lackey swims into view, one whose name I don’t remember. “Eleven in the morning, Your Highness.”

“Is the castle on fire?”

“No, Your Highness. But there’s a Miss Rarity to see you.”

I sit up and shake my head, trying to wake up.

“She said it was important,” says the lackey apologetically. “And she is on the Purple List.”

There’s a small number of ponies, other than guard officers on duty, that we trust to judge when something is really important – monsters-are-invading important, that is – and get access to Tia or me simply on their say-so. The element bearers are all on that list, though they haven’t been told they are.

I manage to pull myself up to something approaching consciousness, and scramble out of the bed. “Send her in.”

The lackey leaves, and I have time to run a bit of magic through my mane. Perhaps that’s not strictly required – Rarity, if anypony, already knows me at my least presentable – but if she comes to me at this time, she needs me to be The Princess.

Rarity comes in, a model of composed grace. She nods politely to the guard showing her in, and turns to me as he closes the door. Then her façade drops. “Never. Ever. Ask me to do that. Again,” she hisses.

“To do what?” Perhaps I’m not awake enough yet.

“That pony! The pony you sent me. Octavia.”

Right. “Her first week with you ends today, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, it is done,” she says tonelessly. “Princess, please. I can’t do that again.”

What gets to me is how quiet she is. The Rarity I know would be loud and theatrical when something doesn’t go her way. This? It’s as if the dramatic entrance was all she could manage and now she’s spent. That must mean something is gravely wrong. I walk over beside her and wrap a wing around her. It’s more Tia’s style than mine, but what can I do?

“Rarity, please . . . dost thou need to lie down?” I guide her towards the bed, sweeping my blankets out of the way with my magic. She climbs onto it, and I lie down beside her, still wrapping her.

“Rarity, what happened?” I knew Octavia would be a tough nut to crack, but Rarity has faced dragons. What did she do?

Rarity shifts around under my wing, collecting herself.

“I did what you told me to, but . . . she begged. She cried. She just wanted to go home . . .”

“She broke,” I summarize for her.

“Utterly.” She sniffs. “She even confessed.”

Are we talking about the same pony here? “She confessed?”

Rarity nods. “Said she knew the stallion hadn’t wanted it. To . . . to get me to stop . . .”

“So you let her go,” I conclude, cutting to the chase.

She tenses up slightly. “Of course not! But, um, I may have neglected the actual punishing the last few days. And I will not do it again!” she says, with resolve.

Oh, Rarity! I give her a bit of a squeeze with the wing. “Rarity, you don’t have to do it if you don’t want it. But – what went wrong? I thought it would be just the job for you.”

“So did I!” she almost shouts. She inches away from me, and I pull my wing back. “And I, I did like it at first. But then she began crying and shaking and being miserable –”

I look at her. “What did you expect? I, too, become miserable when you have me over.”

“Not like that!” She looks suddenly confused. “I mean yes, but not . . . It’s true that you don’t like it, but . . . you still want it, somehow.”

“I see.” She has a point. No matter how I try to let go, I still know I deserve my own punishment. Octavia wouldn’t have that; I should have known.

“At least we know for certain now that you’re not a monster,” I say.

Rarity slides down from the bed and walks over towards the window, sighing. “It doesn’t feel that way.”

I sit up straight; time to get into character now. “Rarity!” I say, letting a hint of royal command seep in. “You did a task for the state, one that turned out to be dirtier than we thought. But doing it doesn’t make you a monster. Enjoying it too much might have, perhaps. I apologize for making it yours, but I truly thought I was doing you a favor. I see now that I was wrong. You are hereby dismissed, honorably, as royal Master of Pain, and I will figure out what to do with Octavia.”

Did all of that come out right? Nopony should be called upon to govern on four hours of sleep.

Rarity turns around with a cautious smile. “Thank you, Princess,” she says. So it can’t have been all wrong. “I’m sorry for waking you up.”

“No, the fault is mine. But I really should –” I stifle a yawn.

She hides a grin reasonably well. “Sorry, Princess, going now, Princess!” She scampers out the door.

I let myself fall back on the bed. What now? With Rarity taken care of, I still need to do something about Octavia. I promised her a way to avoid exile, and no matter what she might deserve, where would we be if the word of a princess is worth nothing? On the other hoof, I can’t simply let her go free. Oh joy, I may need another meeting with Obiter Dictum . . .

Not right now, though. I pull the blankets up around me and go back to sleep.

* * *

We don’t meet many doms in the Rescue Service. Oh, about two-thirds of the customers who call Hissy Fit are doms, but when we ordinary rescuers get sent out somewhere, it’s because the dom is not there – excepting the few times when they arrive in the nick of time. So, deep down, we tend to think of them as the ones who desert our clients. You can say what you want about selection bias (and you’d be right) but that’s how it goes, at least for me.

I got a lot more respect for doms as a group after Vinyl tried to teach me to top. That stuff is hard! And exhausting. I was perhaps not the best of pupils – most of our sessions ended with Vinyl hugging me and awarding points for effort. Eventually I think I kept on only by sheer stubbornness: This should be right up my alley, not like weathercraft or playing the piano, but just a matter of reasoning out the right thing to do when. Brainy stuff.

Well, that and perhaps I felt I owed her after dragging her through that trial.

It became a bit easier after I figured out she would become especially frustrated with me whenever I said something in a way that implied the role I was acting out was not myself, even when we were talking after a scene. Avoiding that kept her in a better mood, though it also made it difficult to ask what I should have done differently.

One night, at the end of a spanking exercise where I felt I’d gotten my persona at least halfway right, Finey Jr. refused to participate in the big finale. After a few minutes of fruitless jumping up and down, I lay back on the bed, cursing at the ceiling.

Eventually Vinyl stood up – I’d forgotten to restrain her for the scene – and took off her gag.

“Finey,” she said with a slow sigh. “Have you ever thought maybe we should . . . I dunno . . . just be hugging friends instead?”

“Perhaps,” I said, still looking at the ceiling. I had been about ready to admit defeat anyway. In a way I felt relieved.

A few moments went by before it occurred to me that I was being broken up with. Oh well, if it didn’t feel any worse than this, it was probably for the best. “I’m sorry,” I said.

She was about to sit down next to me, but caught herself with a wince. “You don’t really enjoy any of all that, do you? I can tell.”

No shit. I shook my head slowly.

“But I think I need somepony who does that. That’s the only way I can deal with a stallion. I’m . . . I can’t just change what I am, you know?”

I sat up and reached out to hug her from the side. “It’s alright.”

She didn’t move. “Thanks,” she said hollowly.

There was one thing I needed to say before she went away. “You should know I forgive you,” I said. “For that time with Tavi.”

That did make her smile a bit. “Silly colt,” she said. “I knew that.” She turned around and hugged me back. “Friends?”

“Friends.”

Late one night, about a week afterwards, Vinyl showed up on my doorstep and asked if she could borrow the couch. “I’m an idiot,” she said. “Kinda still used to just crashing at, you know . . .” She grimaced, scratching her crest with a foreleg.

“Of course,” I said. “Come in.”

She had been summoned to Canterlot by Princess Luna to discuss the terms of her community service. The deal turned out to be that DJ PON-3 would be playing for free at a number of public events over the next year or so. And a few formal court functions too.

“I don’t know what to think about that,” she said. “It’s gonna give me a lot of publicity, and Celestia knows I need that right now, but how is that punishment? I thought I’d be sweeping streets or something.”

“What did you think? You’ve got a talent; naturally she’ll want to use that. Would you take those jobs for free, just for the publicity, if you didn’t have to?”

“Buck no. Not gonna undercut myself that way.”

“See? Look, I forgave you already. Roll with it.”

She sighed. “Thanks. Oh, and the princess gave me a letter for you. I’ve got it here somewhere.”

Dear Affine Scheme! I hope you are satisfied with how your case turned out. Though, let it not be said that I have perverted justice for your sake; I should hope our ordinary courts would have reached the same outcome, had they heard the evidence I did.

Speaking of what should be said, I understand from Vinyl Scratch that you have not told her you were the one to bring the case to my attention. I am afraid I let that slip, thinking she would already know. If you did not want her to, please accept my apologies. It will be up to you how much more to tell her.

I only ask that, even though you are free to tell ponies that I did owe you a favor, the circumstances in which you earned that favor must remain untold.

LUNA

While I read, Vinyl put down her bags by the couch and sat toying with her travel hoofcuffs.

“Can I get you to hide the keys for me? You don’t have to dom, just . . . it feels more real that way.”

I smiled. “Of course. Old friendship’s sake?”

“Mmhm.” She floated a set of keys over to me and began cuffing herself up.

“Do you know what the letter said?” I asked.

“She didn’t tell me. Is it a secret?”

“In a way.” That was only half a lie, and it would have been awkward to start to explain how I’d been keeping things from her but couldn’t tell her all of it anyway.

“Okay,” she said, and lay down, chains clinking faintly. “Goodnight.”

“Sweet dreams.”

The next morning I saw her off towards Ponyville at the station on my way to the Institute.

Author's Note

Editing by Taialin.