Idle Hooves are the Devil's Playthings
Rainbow Dash and Twilight crashed down deep through stony gates. Using a combination of her own intelligence and a pragmatic use of telekinesis, Twilight had locked down the lost temple of Skaiaitopos, an ancient pegasi city far to the north. Despite the sweltering heat, endless jungles, hordes of everfree beasts, and unforgiving weather, they'd managed to locate the coordinates of the ruined city and enter the capital, a luxurious temple. "Just imagine it Rainbow! All that culture, the magnificent history! So much to study, I'm excited just thinking about-" "Laaaame. Yeah yeah all that stuff, but what about the Pegasi idols and traps you said would be here! This does NOT look like a Daring Doo book. You promised we'd go on an adventure, but all this so far was boring!" Rainbow Dash whined.
Twilight rolled her eyes and batted Dash's wings slightly. "Just let me study for one hour, I promise one hour will be more than enough. Than we can explore deeper into the temple, or the city if need be and have an adventure. Remember this is important to me Rainbow!" She assured her cyan friend. Dash groaned and started dragging herself off. "Fine, one hour. Be ready to dodge some arrows when I get back, I'll be waiting over by those boring vases."
"Mmmhm." Twi was already methodologically examining every last rune and hieroglyph in her own self-interested world. Dash went into a small room full of various containers. Wooden chests, stony caskets and shelves, different vases and barrels and countless treasures awaited. She made a bed for herself around a silvery pile of exotic coins and laid down to stare at the ceiling. 1000 years of Pegasi history, her people's history, her history, lost to her until now in these solemn hours. Compared to all of it, what was she? And who were they? Big questions like that really hurt her brain.
"Psst..girl..hey you, rainbow haired girl over there."
"Me?" Rainbowdash turned around.
"Yes you. Below you."
Dash got up. "Dig through all that." Stuffing her hooves through the pile, Dash dug away all the piled treasure until a a pearly white Horn with a red pearl at the tip was revealed, glowing brightly as it 'talked' directly into her head. "Nice to meet you, Dash is it?"
Dash rolled his head around a bit. "I guess? As nice as a meeting can be in a temple of doom. Or atleast the most boring temple one could think of."
She pulled the horn up and let it shine towards the ceiling as she talked to it. "You don't find this temple very interesting? That's quite strange for a Pegasi. It's interest should be your interests."
She waved her tail about. "Pppfft."
The horn psychically laughed, sending mental laughter into Dash's rather annoyed head.
"I see. Maybe I can introduce you to something you can really sink your head into?"
Dash hesitated for a moment. He'd recalled similar stories in his Daring Doo books about cursed objects and talking artifacts, but he was listening cautiously. "Yeah? I'm listening."
"Me!" The horn said. She raised an eye. "Put me on. I was created by an ancient Alicorn Princess to give that which is bestowed by her magic whatever wish they desire, the true form that they wish to possess. I can sense ambition in you, Rainbow Dash. Wouldn't you like to be a leader, a queen even?" It spoke it's arguments craftily and carefully, as if it were a lawyer offering a convincing settlement. Dashie wrung her mane out of all the dust that had gathered inside it. After a brief cough she yawned. "I'm not really really sure about that. I don't care about being a queen, not really my think you know? And you're probably cursed. Like it's creepy enough that you're speaking in my head trying to get me to accept you, why should I again?"
The horn felt her reluctance very actively, for her element of loyalty not only provided her magic against such temptation but her very aspect itself, the Element of Loyalty gave her that much more resistance. But even the most loyal of mares has a soft spot, weaknesses inherent in their desires and deepest wishes themselves. "Not a queen you say? Fair enough. How about...a Wonderbolt?"
Rainbow Dash's head turned upwards at the horn she held up. It'd accomplished getting it's attention, the first step. "Oh, so you're not above reproach afterall!"
She kept listening. "Or say, what if you could have your own Wonderbolt team? As many Wonderbolts as you want!" She stared directly into the horn, which had begun to glow. It worked it's own hidden magic on her mind, shifting through her subconscious and accessing her uttermost reserve of desire and slowly melding it, bringing it to the forefront and controlling it, reprogramming it even. Although Dash had been immune to such shallow offerings of power and authority, if she could be offer it with an exchange closer to a simple craving she could not defy, her soul could be tainted with the temptings of desire.
"Think about it Rainbow Dash. This is what you've always wanted. You may think I'm trying to trick you or seduce you with false promises, but I assure you I am very powerful. If you accept me and put me to your head, you'll find everything you ever desired will come to fruition. Far beyond your basic necessities, I'll give you the desires you didn't even know you had." The aura around the horn started to glow brighter, and a purple glow mimicked itself in Dash's eyes the longer she stared into it. "The desire...you need to be taught how to desire. I promise I'll help you that, give you all the desire you need, tell you how to think, what to feel. Don't fear it, don't reject power or turn away from your desire. Accept me and know that I am so much more than you you'll ever be, and soon...I'll be all you'll ever be."
The loyal pegasus's mind went dull, almost blank. The only thing reigning in her mind was the image of wonderbolts. Herself as a wonderbolt captain- than one leading a team of wonderbolts, commanding them even. Seeing them perform for her and bow to her in such obedience, a tribute to her coolness, her greatness and own (newly programmed) vanity, she felt her desire not only shift but consume her. With her agency deprived from the artifact sucking it right out in front of her, she moaned half lucid. "Yes...give into desire..become so much more.. be all that I'll ever be." In a dozed daze, she moved the horn inch by inch to her forehead. It rotated itself and the base, sure enough 'drilled' itself onto her forehead. The pearl at the tip began shooting out crackles of energy that went into Dashes eyes, turning them a deep dark azule shade. Out of the tip spread a shiny carapace coat, slick and skintight. It spilled out the and covered her muzzle, going down her neck, soon across her body and reaching every limb. As it fused with her body, Dash grew almost 3 times her size matching that of the two princesses. The carapace merged with her wingspan and mane, growing them out into a cloudy mist, translucent yet massive. The inky black substance went far past her cutiemark, becoming a an extravagant gown for her own beauty. The outfit tightened across her body, slimming it smoothly at every curve, making her a slinky and stylish mare that even fleur de lis couldn't compete with. With every step she creaked and squeaked, of course due to the carapace covering her joints she couldn't move terribly much, not that she needed to move or make any fanatical maneuvers. She was a Queen, not some clownish performer, one meant to rule and establish her will. Her beauty, power and style would only be an extension of that iconic rule, not the forefront of it. Thoughts such as these consumed Dash's suppressed identity as they gradually merged with it, changing her completely even into the deep of her soul into a vain and self-loved Mare, and an enchantress at that. She was no Nightmare Moon- she would be far better than that lousy lady luna!
A black crown grew atop her forehead, and a pair of smooth sleeves of the same slinky inky substance appeared on her gown. She moved poised and gracefully through the air, striking a magnificent pose with each and every movement, pulling up the hem of her gown as she floated up all the while.
Moving back through the temple, she shortly after drifted to her former friends location. Head deep in a book on Pegasi history, looking through wall scrawlings per usual of the scatterbrained egghead. Dash scoffed. She couldn't even begin to imagine why Celestia would choose Twilight, sweet little innocent twilight to be an Alicorn, a princess, a ruler even. To the newly corrupted Dash that seemed like a philosophers highest conception of irony, a humor played out in a tragic play or old mares tale. No, as this newly formed entity continued to conjoin with Dash's reasoning Twilight wasn't fit to be a princess, but she was a great friend to her former self, so she would no doubt be given the chance to stand by her side when she ruled Equestria. Her cloud-like mane drifted over to Twilight, and tapped her on the neck. The princess turned around, greeted to nobody and nothing.
When a figure floated above her and levitated down she almost fell back. "Ahhh! W-who are you! If you're guarding this temple I swear I'm not hear to steal anything!"
Dash chuckled, her altered voice less than recognizable in the instant. "Easy there Egghead. It's me, Dash. Or that whatever name you prefer for me." The slick carapace around her head melted temporarily and reeled back, revealing Dash's original head. However it had changed significantly, becoming much more feminine and exotic. From forehead to nostril it was much longer and flatter, and her eyes much sharper, with long fluttery lashes that oozed promiscuity and gave a sensual touch with each movement.
Twilight had nearly charged her horn in defensive preparation when she saw the figure in front of her. "Dash?" She scanned up and down her body, than turned towards her new horn. "What happened to you? You're a- alicorn?" She said apprehensively.
"That would appear so, wouldn't it Twi?" Despite trying to feign her own originality, Twilight could tell from her tone alone that she was much different now, in voice and mannerisms. "I found a spare horn earlier, or rather it found me. Doesn't it just look..dashing? Ohoho!" She fluttered her eyes prettily and gave a chuckle at her own pun. The studious alicorn in front of her couldn't believe her eyes, being able to see her own reflection in the opaque skin of her friend seemed to memorize her. She shook her head and stepped back.
"Y-yeah, but enough of that! Let's get that off you. I need to, to study it! Please take that outfit off." Twilight's own horn started to glow, an act of self-defense that was as instinctive as it was raw and revealing in her fears. Dash looked at her sternly and plopped herself on the ground, pulling up her shiny glittering gown so that it never so much as touched the ground.
"Why Twi, no need to be such a worry wort. It's forgivable, you always were prone to worry. But this is me talking about, Rainbow Dash! Your friend, remember? I can understand well why you're scared. Seeing me like this, with all this power and in this new body. It's only natural to fear what you don't understand. Shucks, I bet you think I've gone all scary and evil like Nightmare Moon! ohoho, what a foolish silly thought." Dash shifted her hooves and wings in an expressive manner soothing her voice with enough sensuality to make Rarity seem uncouth and unrefined by comparison.
This didn't go unnoticed by Twilight. Whatever malevolent force had taken control of her friend, she realized it clearly couldn't stand acting like her, even to convince another of their authenticity. She formed a transparent defensive shield around herself, this time deliberately. "How can I think anything else right now? Come on Dash, I know you're in there. Either let this thing go or convince me you're still, you!"
Dash smiled whimsically. She sensed the tension and unease in her friend and decided to use that to her advantage. Her eyes started to glow as she channeled her magic directly through the shield and into Twilight's mind, working on her own fears and desire to see her friend, and using it, directing it towards the change she'd begin to apply.
"Oh Twilight, I am me! A better me, I'm still your friend, the same friend you've always known. Only now, you get to know me more than ever before! We can still be friends, just closer now." Sensing her innermost desires, desires to please and serve, piety and devotion.. Dash sensed this. She simply took the present fantasy of those desires, of being an underling and disciple to a certain Sun goddess, the bringer of life and light to Equestria, Celestia, and began reprogramming it to lean towards a different subject, such as herself. She already saw the psychic shield weakening, resistance lowering, Twilight's mind unwinding with all her fears colliding with all her innermost desires to great the concoction of emotions that would begin to shake her consciousness, leave her vulnerable. She was already shaking.
"R-really Dash?" Twilight said, as if pleading.
Her heart was now exposed. Time to take advantage of and walk her way in, Dash figured. In a poetic and quite physical sense walked right through Twilight's shield, moving inches from her body and lips. "Yes Twilight. I've always been there for you haven't I, ohoho I am the element of loyalty afterall. I was thinking that maybe you could return the favor. Show me a little loyalty in return, if you don't mind?" Her eyes and horn lit up, spreading the glow to Twilight. At first Dash's magic shared between Twi's, sending electric sensations, than it canceled it out leaving her numb. As Dash continued twisting the Alicorns mind, she shut down all powers of reason and moral spirit, completely taking the mental devotion to Celestia, Ponyville, her friends and loved ones, her entire world into one focused figure knelt purely towards herself, doing so with the express purpose of her embracing her as her queen, her god. Twilight began to feel warm inside.
"Loyalty..to you. To Dash?" She muttered, mind twisting up inside.
"Loyalty. To me. But that old name isn't worthy of my voice now, call me Spectrum. Queen Spectrum, as a spectrum shines for all the colors in the rainbow, I shine for all the world to see and reflect back on. And do you love me..your queen?"
Twilight moaned as Queen Spectrum rubbed her shiny hooves against Twilight's fur. She nodded, almost panting as her eyes went to the back of her head.
"Than prove it, to your liege."
Nodding, Twilight's mind went white hot and irreconcilable from itself. She reached in, kissing Queen Spectrum passionately. Her queen relished in this kiss, taking the opportunity to pull back her carapace headpiece and spreading it like silky air over Twilight. It turned a strong blue shade as it did so, going down her throat and across her body, consuming her inside as much as out. The studious unicorn was absorbed by the miasma in her entirety, and it merged with her to form a similar slick skintight carapace overtop her fur. This version was bulkier however, with more plates and weight across her shoulders, chest and flank, armoring her slightly more, yellow markings decorating the most armored portions. The new suit, taking on an appearance much like that of an embellished Wonderbolt, absorbed Twilight's own magic and converted it into physical mass, doubling Twilight's size, especially in her upper half. She lost her feminine form and became a sturdy, dashing stallion with a physique to trump even her brothers; a profound display of strength and might to protect his queen. He was her shield, her living vessel of protection and physical devotion. Her very name was erased, and he retrieved a new one, Cardinal Rythm. Cardinal gains a massive shield and a spear, and along with his size and formidable magic, pulls away not only only from his queen but as his solider, his guard and in some cases lover. Spectrum figured she'd need a toy sometime afterall.
Cardinal bowed his head down in the face of his queen. Spectrum smiled amused. "Stand hardy my warrior. Don't hold your breath, don't hesitate. Don't give into sentiment or sympathy, nor should you act submissive. You shall protect my new world as much as I will yours, and together we shall remake this world anew. Deep in Spectrum's mind she showered herself with appealing fantasies. It was Dashes desire to have his old wonderbolt team, which Cardinal would leave, and her own to revive her city and see Pegasi dominate the world once again- she didn't need a history lesson to know how arrogant and self-fulfilled the Unicorns were in their own ways. What better prize than to have the heir apparent to their line, the uttermost promise of Unicorn divinity- as her dashing protector, not loyal but fawning over her as a fighter and in the bedroom, lover. The very thought tickled Spectrum's perverted fancy like none other.
Cardinal and Spectrum found their way out of the temple, the breeze and wind that brushed by for a thousand years cooling their lips as the world awaited them.
"What a glorious wind, ohoho. Shall we see the world, before it's offered to us as our destiny has forepromised?"
"Lets, my queen."
Author's Note
A request I wrote out involving Dash and Twilight sneaking into a temple and getting a little makeover in the process.
Probably filled with typos and I'm a complete novice when it comes to format on this site so I apologize in advance if trying to follow my lines hurts your eyes.
Any criticism is appreciated.
