Pony Meat Business – Dissent

Sunset trotted back into the main cavern to scope out the situation. The two Celestias were bickering again and the word KARiN came up a few times. Sunset gathered that the monster had left already. She then spotted a Pinkie Pie leaning forward on a rock, smelling like the same Pinkie that had a dab of blood on her ear.

Sunset walked over to her. “Come on, Pinkie, we're going to see Celestia.”

"Okie, dokie, lokie," murmured Pinkie Pie.

As soon as they showed up, the real Celestia eyed the Pinkie disdainfully. “I suppose you’re going to claim you’re the real Pinkie Pie, too?”

Pinkie put her hoof to her chin to think, then exclaimed, “Actually, I think I am the original Pinkie Pie,” she giggled.

Celestia got very irritated. “No, your memories have been faked. Replicated. Are you smart enough to understand that? You were born half an hour ago and you are in the same standing as cattle.” She turned to Tia, “As I said, you get to have the first shot to torch the pink impostor.”

Pinkie pie gulped and stood there frozen, gaping at the angry Celestia who had spoken, trying to comprehend what she just said. Then she turned her stare to the other, forlorn looking Tia. “You’re gonna…. b..b.. burn me up?”

Meeting her frightened gaze, Tia felt internal conflicted. She worried her power may cause serious harm to the innocent Pinkie. After sweating for a while, Tia relented. “No, I’m not going to burn you up Pinkie. It doesn’t matter who I am, I would never ever hurt you.”

Pinkie Pie gave a cheer with tears in her eyes. “Oh thank you, Celestia!” she exclaimed as she ran up and hugged the Celestia clone. They embraced as intensely as they could, not knowing if this would be their last chance before their imminent demise.

Celestia huffed, “I can see you’re trying very hard to pretend that you’re real ponies with real feelings. It amazes me the lengths you will go to. It doesn’t matter; you’ve conceded the match and you two will be treated as the livestock you are.

Sunset smiled a bit cruelly. “I knew this would be resolved quickly, which means my feeding time is near.”

Tia looked up from her embrace at her two oppressors. “What are you going to do now?” She put both her front hooves around Pinkie to protect her. “I’m not going to let you harm Pinkie.”

Celestia was disturbed. “Harm her? She’s a magical construct. You’re trying to paint me as the villain. I’m a fake villain to fake ponies. Am I supposed to embrace insanity and see you as if you contain soul?”

Pinkie Pie spoke up, “You should see the soul in everypony even if they don’t have one, because that’s what makes reality so magical.”

Celestia cocked her head to the side. “Huh… no, it doesn’t matter. I don’t know what we’re going to do with you two but it won’t end well. I have to work towards the greater good.”

Tia plead “no, stop trying to weigh the morals like that; you don’t understand the truth of what you’re doing. When you hurt me you hurt yourself. This is wrong, more wrong than you’ve lead yourself to think. You’d know this if you could stand in my hooves, and feel this filly trembling under my body.” She paused as she felt Pinkie nuzzling her softly. “You cannot hide your belief systems from me; you chose to convince yourself that clones do not have feelings and I know all about it. I have all of your memories and knowledge, and I have just one thing that you don’t have: a clone’s perspective.”

“Why are you the first Celestia to defy the system?” inquired Celestia. “Why aren’t you willing to lay down your life for the good of Equestria?”

“In the past you were more sure of yourself, that you were working for the greater good. But over time your doubts have grown, even if you don’t admit it. The only thing you need now is a catalyst to finally have your epiphany and see the madness for what it is. Waking up as a clone is enough to do it.”

The real Celestia shook her head. “Sunset, this clone can’t be allowed to be distributed like normal because she is throwing around too many dangerous ideas. We need to make sure that both of them are actually terminated; it’s the only way.”

Tia’s adrenaline spiked. She started backing up and dragging Pinkie closer to her. The danger that they were in hit her hard. Whatever she was, she knew she wanted to live and save Pinkie Pie’s life. She thought and thought and then got an idea. If she had all of the real Celestia’s memories, then that means she could find the path through Celestia’s barriers and hidden feelings.

“Please, I’m just like you! I remember the pain of banishing Luna and the love of mentoring Sunset and Twilight Sparkle! I value everything you value. We’re the same pony; you can’t do this!”

Celestia frowned. “I can do what I want; it’s my call because I’m Princess Celestia. I’ve made up my mind and decided that you’re too dangerous to the welfare of Equestria to let live.”

Tia shouted, “But I’m you! I could only endanger your business with my ideals if those same ideals were already within you. You need to go back to the basics and think about the morals of sending tens of thousands of innocent lives to their horrible end.”

The real Celestia grimaced. “I know that my enterprise may seem immoral, but I need to protect it because it’s an economic imperative. You’ve seen the numbers. You know my values and I do put Equestria first. If we don’t go forward, the economy is doomed.”

Tia countered, “The souls of the mirror pool are the ones who are truly doomed. It’s an endless cycle of torture and death! How could you allow such exploitation of the innocent? We’re not worth less than real ponies, we’re equals!”

Celestia sighed. “I’ve absolutely had enough. What are we going to do with the two of them?”

Sunset felt the naughty feelings of hunger and lust take over. The way her prey was huddled up for protection was starting to really trigger her. “I’ve never got to eat a Celestia before, even though I really wanted to.” She blushed when Celestia looked at her strangely. “Well, I never asked because I knew you’d look at me like that. But you know how it is; it’s the body of a goddess. It’s just the best quality meat. And I can’t wait to eat this cute little Pinkie Pie up alive, excitedly kicking her hoovies and squirming,” she said while licking her lips.

Sunset kept trying to move her hoof down close to touch her marehood, regardless of the pain, but when Princess Celestia stared at her curiously she stopped herself.

Celestia softened, “It’s okay Sunset, you might as well. After all of madness I’ve allowed to happen, it would be hypocritical of me to tell you you can’t touch yourself. That’s just what the world has come to; we allow ourselves pleasure in any way it can come and the copies are devoured so that the real ponies can survive and live on. I just want you to be as happy as you can in this world, Sunset. If you ever stopped smiling... that would surely be the end to all of this.”

Sunset felt a rush of both freedom and excitement at being given permission to behave how she wanted. She reached a hoof down to lightly stroke herself, her cheeks blushing profusely. She scooted over to Celestia, nuzzling against Celestia's forehoof. “Oh, thank you Celestia, you are my eternal friend. I’m going to feast in your name. I… love you…”

Celestia smiled politely. “I’ll leave you alone to enjoy yourself. I’m going back to the castle and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Once she departed the cave, there was nopony else left except Tia, Pinkie, and Sunset. Business was closed for the day.