Forty Minute Fantasies

Though she tried to hide it, High Lady Papillon marveled as she walked through the enchanted grove.

On rare (very rare) occasions, she had been permitted outside her mother’s caverns (albeit with at least a pawful of her mother’s guard to watch over her),  to see the grasses and trees that lay beyond.  Those were interesting enough, but… well, as she’d found when she tried, trees weren’t very good as food.  These, though - the young Diamond Dog’s eyes goggled as she took them in.  A vast expanse of trees stretched before her, all of them laden with food.

Papillon turned back, towards her current guardian, the strange orange monster called the Eyzhey.  The larger creature nodded, then turned and gave a swift kick to one of the trees, knocking a few of their ripe fruits off of them.  The Eyzhey held Papillon back until she was certain no more would fall, then allowed the young Dog to step over and pick one up.  She did, biting into it and relishing its sweetly-sour taste.

There were, Papillon thought, benefits to being a High Lady.  This enchanted grove, filled with such fruits, was one of them - the grove belonged, after all, to that ancient and wise monster known as the Grani, of whom the Eyzhey was but a servant.  Most Dogs were forbidden to tresspass on the grounds of the Grani’s domain, or of the vast lair of monsters that lay just beyond it, a realm of artificial caves of wood and stone.  Papillon herself was only allowed to walk this place of enchantment because her uncle, Oberjarl Togo, had requested it as a gift from the Grani, and a small part of Papillon wondered fearfully at what promises it must have cost him.   He had come, after all, to trade precious smithcraft, artifacts of virtue, for a supply of the very things she had so casually been allowed to devour.  A large supply, true - but still, the price must have been staggering.

When Papillon looked up, she noted that the Eyzhey had wandered off a bit, looking over one of the trees nearby.  Right as Papillon started toward her, though, a flash of color in the distance, bright purple, caught her attention.  Papillon turned, following that splash of color, and her heart froze within her chest as she saw what it was.

Another monster had stepped into the Grani’s grove.  Unlike the Grani or the Eyzhey, however, this one was pure white, a spike of white atop its head poking through the silken purple cascading down its face.  This beast Papillon knew from the tales told around the feasting table - the vicious monster known as the Mizraret, whose screams could freeze a Dog in her tracks, or bend their wills to the Mizraret’s own service.  Papillon’s breath caught in her throat as she realized that the Mizraret was heading straight for the Grani’s own wooden cave.

Papillon turned back towards the Eyzhey, but the orange monster was staring off into the distance.  Frantically, Papillon looked around her, spotting a stout branch on the ground, no doubt knocked off when the fruit had been.  She grabbed it and started running, a frantic ululation bursting from her throat as warcry as she sought to do whatever she could to prevent the Mizraret from harming her uncle or the Grani.

Rarity looked up from the cart she was hauling as the high-pitched ‘yiyiyiyiyi’ broke out into the morning stillness.  A bundle of fluff and dust, looking to be a bit smaller than Sweetie Belle, was charging toward her, a small branch held in one paw.

As the bundle of fluff drew close, it leaped into the air, the branch swinging downward.  Rarity grabbed at it with her telekinesis, and quickly held her burden away from her.  Seen like this, she held a young diamond dog, really just a pup, and Rarity couldn’t help but smile as the creature continued to thrash the air with her weapon.

About three second later, Applejack burst onto the scene, a loud cry coming from her.  The farm mare drew up in front of Rarity, looking chagrinned, and Rarity couldn’t help herself.  Swinging the little Dog around, she shoved it over towards Applejack.  “Lose something, did you?”

“Dagnabbit.”  Applejack winced as she continued.  “I’m awful sorry, Rares.  I was s’posed t’be watchin’ her for her uncle.”  Applejack then turned toward the young pup, growling and snuffling.  The still-squirming pup responded by barking, then swatting backwards with her stick, and when the Vargish conversation ended, Applejack looked up at Rarity in shock.  “You ain’t gonna like this, Rarity.”

“Try me, darling.”

Applejack shoved one hoof behind her head.  “Seems you’re somethin’ of a legend with the dogs now… some kind of hideous monster with a screeching voice and evil powers.  Papi here thought you were tryin’ ta hurt Granny Smith and th’ other Dogs as are here.”

Rarity’s face hardened.  “I see,” she said slowly, then snorted.  “I acknowledge your point, Applejack - I don’t like it.  However, I can’t help but admire her; she thought I was a monster, and came after me to protect her family despite that.”  She nodded, then continued.  “Besides, I recently received a new Prench serge I thought Togo might appreciate.  This will give me a chance to show it off.”  Rarity flashed a grin to Applejack.  “I’m going to need somepony to translate for me.  Congratulations, darling, you’re my new evil minion.  Now come along.”

Papillon struggled, to no avail, as the monster held her powerless.  She watched, horrified, as it turned its power toward the Eyzhey, taking control of Papillon’s former guardian with ease.  And her best efforts to escape were as nothing as the Mizraret continued towards the Grani’s wooden cavern.

The monster stopped a few feet away from the wooden cavern, sending the Eyzhey inside.  Moments later, the Eyzhey returned, leading the Grani and Uncle Togo onto the raised ledge that marked the mouth of the wooden cavern, and the Mizraret began to make its strange noises again.  After a few seconds, the Eyzhey began to speak, translating those noises into proper Varg.

“Most noble Jarl Togo, my lady decrees that I warn you to keep better watch upon your kindred.  She does not take kindly to being attacked, as the Lady Papillon did, and declares that she would be within her rights to claim the small Lady as her own.  However, even my lady’s heart may be moved by great love and valor, and she recognizes such within your own small Lady.  In recognition of this, my lady returns Lady Papillon to you, requiring of you in return the privilege of crafting for her a suit of royal garb by which others may know that the small Lady has won my lady’s favor.”

At those words, Papillon froze in shock.  She was still unmoving as the Mizraret slowly spun her to face itself, then gently lowered her to the ground, a smile on its lips.  Finally, the Mizraret lowered itself to the ground, its eyes never leaving Papillon’s face and the smile never leaving its lips, and the Eyzhey stepped over and spoke for the Mizraret.  “Lady Papillon, it is not fit for a princess to be carried like some common bundle.  Would you please climb on as I take you to your reward?”