“This is not the time,” Twilight thought to herself. “I’m wounded, and why walk on a broken leg when you can be carried to where you want to go. But when the time comes-and it will come soon-they are going to learn what it means when the Princess of Friendship becomes unfriendly.”

Even as those thoughts went through Twilight’s head, another dog walked up. Tall and proud of bearing. He bore several bandaged wounds about his body, and had one foreleg in a sling. A bandage on his head gave him a rakish air.

“You can take their bits out,” said the newcomer. “It will do no harm and Valiente can acquaint her friend with the realities of their situation. You can remove Valiente's check rein as well.”

Rarity did a sudden and complete reversal in attitude and bearing. From defeated and despondent she went to a blazing fury that had Twilight worried for the dog’s safety. Were Rarity not bound and bridled, Twilight was absolutely sure her friend would be lunging for the dog’s throat. “Murderous” was the phrase that came to mind.

“You Raarg, are a cur. A mangy, flea ridden, snaggle-toothed, dew clawed, misbegotten...” Rarity sputtered as her bit was removed. “I will even add one of AJ’s sayings because it fits. You ‘varmint’!” Rarity all but spat at the dog. “You killed your own brother. A dog whose only crime was trying to do what was right.”

“Long Strider isn’t dead,” said the dog. Rarity's tirade cut off with a look of surprised shock. “I-” Raarg hesitated, “I could not kill him. It was my duty to do so, but when the moment came, when I had my teeth on his throat. I could not do it. I...I am confused by what happened. I must speak with the Alpha. He can make things clear again.” Shaking his head, the dog walked away. The dog seemed more affected by his own introspection than anything Rarity had said to him.

“Um...Rares?” Twilight's heart ached for her friend as Rarity cringed even at the diminutive of her name. But, the bridle did not react, so Twilight pressed on, “Who was that?”

“That...Twi,” Rarity paused, having taken her cue from Twilight. Nothing happened. “That,” she continued, “was Raarg. My captor, my jailer, my trainer, my master and almost, my rapist.”

“What?” exclaimed Twilight as the two of them were picked up again.

“It’s been quite a time, dear,” Rarity said to her friend. “Raarg didn’t start out as a monster. At first, he was almost respectable and seemed to have a code of honor. But the longer things went, the darker he became. It came to a peak a few nights ago when he tried to rape me.”

“That’s horrible,” Twilight said and then frowned in thought. “Does it have anything to do with why his speech patterns are more sophisticated than other diamond dogs?”

“Oh that,” Rarity said. "Their Alpha spread special crystals from the war around the inhabited areas of the Badlands. The crystals gave the Diamond Dogs better health overall and some of them became much smarter and were able to speak in a more refined manner. Those dogs found themselves promoted into leadership positions. Up until this Blight thing showed up the crystals have been a real boost to them. Of course, I'm terribly summarizing several conversations over the past week or so."

“But that’s impossible!” declared Twilight. “You never get something for nothing. Particularly when it comes to magic. There is always price to be paid. And if these crystals have had effects as profound and far reaching as you say…” Twilight’s voice trailed off as she began to consider possibilities.

“How long ago did you say they were distributed?” Twilight asked, in a slightly absent-minded voice.

“Supposedly, around two years ago,” said Rarity.

“That would put it a few months before…” Twilight stopped speaking as she became lost in thought. Rarity could see her friend’s face go into it’s “thinking” expression. She could see Twilight was mentally assembling a puzzle in her mind’s eye that only she could see. Rarity realized just how much she had missed watching Twilight like this.

“And you say Raarg started out as a fairly decent individual and then became progressively less so?” asked Twilight abruptly.

“Yes,” Rarity said. “Originally, I had the impression he was doing something he didn’t want to do, but as long as he had to follow orders, he was determined to carry them out with as much compassion and professionalism as possible.”

“But he changed, later,” pressed Twilight.

“Yes, greatly,” answered Rarity, “why?”

“I have a theory,” said Twilight. “It’s just a theory at the moment, but it could explain everything.” Twilight blinked, as she came away from her thoughts and looked over at her friend, as they were carried along. “Why did...Raarg, was it? Why did he call you Valiente,” she asked.

“It’s a little hard to explain,” sighed Rarity. “That name is what they call me. Also, if I say the name, the bridle...strengthens a…Oh, this is hard to explain. I’m afraid I will simply have to show you.” Rarity paused, her eyes losing focus for a moment as Twilight tried to puzzle out Rarity’s cryptic comment.

“Hello darling,” said Rarity. Only, it wasn’t Rarity. It was her voice, but the stresses in the words were all different. Her face had taken on a sly smile and her eyes were half closed, seductively gazing out from under her eyelashes and focused completely on Twilight. “It is a great...pleasure, to finally meet you,” said the not-Rarity, whose gaze smoldered it’s way down Twilight’s form. Twilight could feel the heat from that frank assessment caressing its way along her body’s every curve and angle; her own face heated in response.

“Take a good look at the bridle on...my head,” said not-Rarity. “What do you see?”

“Well,” said Twilight, “it’s actually kind of pretty. And there is a name on it. Oh! ‘Valiente’ is there. So, are you the bridle? Am I talking to the bridle through Rar-” She stopped herself just in time.

“Please be more careful,” said Valiente, “You saw what happens if you say her name. It happens if she says it as well, or my name. You can say it without problem though. And no, I am not the bridle, dear.”

“Then who, or what, are you?” asked Twilight.

“Originally, I was just a part of her inner thoughts,” said Valiente. “A piece of her personality. The more earthy part of her. I was part of her drive for pleasure, sex, survival and partially, submission as it related to pleasure.”

“And now?” Twilight prompted.

“Every time the bridle’s power has been triggered, one of it’s effects has been to make me stronger,” Valiente said. “Into a person of my own. And my sister, here, she greeted me as a friend. Not an enemy. So, I’ve done all I can to help. She is part of me and I am part of her. We are two, but one. It’s wonderful, and working in concert we can do incredible things. But there is a problem.”

“And that is?” Twilight was fascinated, despite the situation. A true dual personality. A second complete psyche, sharing memories and thoughts as an active partner within a single mind. After working with Side Slip, Twilight had done some reading on pony mental health issues during the long train ride. There was disappointingly little on altered or multiple personalities but according to what she had been able to read, secondary personalities were never this...alive.

“The bridle,” Valiente said. “It has another purpose. Conditioning. It’s driving her away from her name, from who she is. It’s trying to push her into me. What is worse, is the bridle is pushing me to take over. To take possession of this body as the driving personality. I don’t want to do that to my sister and friend. I’m supposed to be submissive, not dominant.”

“What happens if the bridle succeeds?” Twilight asked.

“Then my other half would be locked away inside our mind,” Valiente said, sadness in her voice now. “I would hopefully be able to bring her out for short amounts of time, but for all other intents and purposes she would no longer exist. As for me, my submissive nature would let whoever claimed me to completely control me. And that is the best outcome. That is if she surrenders and allows the bridle to have it’s way.”

“What is the worst outcome?” Twilight asked, suddenly very afraid for her friend.

“We both break,” Valiente said bluntly. “Our mind and personalities shatter. Something would be left, of course. Something sad and cringing and eager to please whoever held our leash. But the two of us would be broken into very small pieces.”

“Like Side Slip,” Twilight breathed.

“Side Slip?” Rarity asked. Twilight blinked. It was incredible. The change from one personality to the other was profound. Physically, both personalities used the exact same body, voice box, everything. But even a blind pony could tell when the switch from one to the other happened. Valiente had gone back inside, and her friend, the Rarity she knew, was back with her.

“Um, yes, Side Slip is a pegasus that the dogs had,” began Twilight. “He was going by the name Aerius, when Celestia managed to get him home to Equestria, and I was able to piece back together his mind.”

“That is about the best thing I’ve heard all week,” said Rarity. “It means that even if the worst happens there is still hope of bringing me back.”

“Maybe, R-sorry,” said Twilight. “Side Slip is restored, but he isn’t what he once was. Plus, apparently I left a chunk of myself inside of him, patching up the holes. I’m not sure I could pull off that bit of neuromancy again.”

“Well, Long Strider, the other dog I spoke of,” Rarity said, “he will be happy to hear about Side Slip. He was to Side Slip what Raarg was to me. Unlike Raarg, Long Strider feels incredible guilt about his actions.”

“Don’t feel so sure about that, Rares,” said Twilight, as Rarity again flinched at the shortened name. “If I am right, Raarg might be feeling just as much guilt. But with him, I'm guessing its either buried or suppressed.”

“What do you-” said Rarity. “Oh, here we are.” The procession had crested a small hill and was now overlooking the outer encampment. If anything, even more dogs were there than before. Rarity, Twilight and the thousand dogs with them descended toward the base of the Diamond Dogs.

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Back in Canterlot, preparations were nearly ready. Starlight Glimmer had arrived. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Applejack had been released from house arrest. Celestia had let each of them have their say in turn.

“Princess, I’m mad as heck about this,” had said Rainbow. “You tried to make me choose between my loyalty to Twilight and my loyalty to you.”

“I’m as angry as a polecat who went swimming for a week, Princess,” Applejack had said. “You done all of us wrong and Ah for one am not happy at t’all.”

“I was going to have a ‘We all Save Rarity’ party,” was Pinkie’s comment. “But then you were a big party pooper Princess.”

“Um, Princess,” Fluttershy had demurred. “It really wasn’t nice to lock us up so we couldn’t help Twilight. I’m sorry, but I really think you made a mistake.”

“My ponies,” said Celestia facing the four directly. “You were right and I was wrong. When all this is over, I will personally make it up to each of you. That is not a promise of a princess to her subjects. That is the promise of one mare, to others. A promise from Celestia to Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie.” Celestia paused, “And to Twilight Sparkle and Rarity.”

“And Spike?” asked Applejack.

“And Spike, who first sounded the alarm,” Celestia confirmed.

“Pinkie promise?” Pinkie asked.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” said Celestia in the ritual words of the Pinkie Promise. Nopony ever breaks a Pinkie Promise. The four mares hugged their Princess as they forgave her, “Thank you, my little ponies. Now please take your places while I summon our last member.”

Celestia moved over to a clear area where a silver circle was set in the floor. It was one of sixteen such circles set into the stone of the ballroom floor. Most thought they were decorative, not realizing their alternate purpose. This circle had been swept meticulously and cleaned to a mirror finish. The alicorn princess ignited her horn and began to pour power into the circle. Closing and energizing it with arcane energies.

Celestia began to chant, her voice rising with her power, "Shining Armor, I call to thee. Shining Armor. Guardian, Protector, Defender. By your virtues I summon thee. Shining Armor: Father, Husband, Brother. By your roles I summon thee. Shining Armor, by your True Love, by your True Heart, by your True Name. I. SUMMON. THEE.”

The circle filled with a cylinder of blazing flame, seemingly only held in check by the confines of the mystic circle. As the amazed watchers looked on, the flame coalesced into the form of Shining Armor, Imperial Prince of the Crystal Empire. Who happened to be holding his daughter, Flurry Heart in his hooves, even as he held a diaper in his magic.

“Um,” said Shining Armor, “hello?”

“Welcome back to Equestria, Shining Armor,” said Celestia. “We seem to have caught you in the middle of something.”

“Yes, you did,” said Shining, who in the practiced motions of parents everywhere, finished diapering his daughter. “You know Cadence is going to be rather annoyed when she notices we’re gone. Can I assume you need me for something important?”

“Yes, Prince Armor,” said Celestia. “Due to my own shortcomings I have inadvertently placed your sister in grave danger.” Shining Armor’s eyes grew wide as Celestia continued, “Our plan is to send Princess Luna to rescue her.”

“For Twily, I would do just about anything,” said the unicorn, “and while I am glad to help, why can’t Luna just teleport there?”

“Because Shining Armor,” interjected Luna, “Twilight lies behind a nation worth of crystal wards. If it were not for my placing a teleport anchor upon her there would be no possibility of immediate succor for your sister. As it is, we will require the full power and focus of a ritual square for me to reach her.”

“And you need me as one of the focus elements,” said the prince in understanding, he being no stranger to large workings of magic. He passed off his daughter to an attendant, “Be a good princess. Daddy has to do some work for Auntie Twily.”

At that moment the doors to the ballroom opened. In came a quartet of guards carrying the scrying mirror with Side Slip accompanying them. “Princesses,” he said, motioning for the guards to set down the mirror. “You are going to want to see this for yourselves.”

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Twilight had been impressed at the number of diamond dogs as well as the size of the fort and surrounding encampment. She had commented on this to Rarity who had numbly replied, “It’s somewhat less impressive when it is ones prison.” After Rarity’s surge of her old fire and passion, she seemed to be slowly retreating back into the defeated captive Twilight had first encountered.

Twilight tried to cheer up her friend as the procession came to a halt and their carrying arrangements were set onto stands meant to hold them, “It will be okay, Rares,” said Twilight, “there are two of us now.”

“All it means dear, is that I will get to see one of my dearest friends begin her own slide into the pit which is about to claim me,” answered the despondent Rarity. “Oh wonderful,” she said with some sarcasm, “here comes the Alpha, who intends to rape me tonight.”

Shocked and angry, Twilight swung her gaze forward where a noble dog walked into the square that had been cleared for this obvious meeting. She took in the dog and his trappings, her eyes narrowing as she said in a low, angry voice, “Theory...confirmed.”

“Hmm? What do you mean dear,” asked Rarity.

“My theory about what’s going on,” answered Twilight. “I’ve just had it confirmed. Take a look at what that dog is wearing.”

Rarity looked at the Alpha, who was busy congratulating his warriors some thirty or so feet away, “He’s wearing a circlet, a rather nice red cape. And a collar of some sort of metal with a very tacky claw or tooth dangling from it.”

“That is no tooth. It’s not a claw either,” said Twilight, whose anger was now a fire within her. “That, is a unicorn horn.” Rarity looked back and forth, from Twilight to the Alpha in shock, realization spreading across her face as she put together the same clues Twilight had, and got the same answer.

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Through the magic of the peytral and scrying mirror, Celestia and Luna also saw the same thing. The blood drained from their faces as at last they saw the face of their foe and realized his identity, just as Twilight and Rarity had.

“EVERYONE, TO YOUR POSITIONS,” commanded Celestia loudly. “WE HAVE TO DO THIS NOW. RIGHT NOW.” She turned aside to her dark sister who was donning her barding and settling a pair of swords.

“I am nearly ready,” Luna said. She spoke calmly, only someone intimately familiar with her could have noticed the slight tremor in her voice.

“I could go in your place,” Celestia offered. “Of the two of us, I am the stronger.”

Luna hugged her sister, “You know as well as I, that the anchor is attuned to me. And while you may be stronger I have always been the better at battle.” Around them, ponies hustled to put the finishing touches on the ritual square. “If I fall, sister. If there is indeed a bridle waiting for me and he ensnares me in it, promise me three things."

“Anything Luna, name them,” said Celestia.

“First, I ask that you do not blame yourself. You acted with responsibility and care as always. Our foe simply used that against us,” began Luna. “Second, do not allow him to celebrate his triumph for long. End him. No matter what it takes. Third, when it is done, care for me as best you are able. Do not put what is left of me aside in some hidden place. Keep me near you, as a reminder that sometimes love and friendship requires sacrifice.”

“I swear it, Luna,” said Celestia in a small, fierce voice as her vision blurred with unshed tears. “It shall be as you ask. Until the sun goes cold and the stars grow dim.”

“Thank you,” said Luna. “Now, let us do this thing.”

Author's Note

The last part(s) of the climax may be delayed a day or two. I'm rewriting small sections I'm not totally happy with. The last of it will be out by Friday at the latest. Leaving only the conclusion.