Clash of the Legends

"Good to see you!" Scorch beamed at the arrival of Shining Armor, Princess Cadence (now concious), Glinting Spear, Serrated Edge, and Aerlion Drift. "How are you Cadence?" He jabbed a hoof at Cadence, who reeled back with a shocked expression on his face.

"The princesses are just through there! Let's go!" Scorch bounced ahead.

"That's worrying." Glinting whispered to Serrated, who nodded in agreement.

"That's not normal. Something's up." Shining muttered just loud enough for everypony to hear. After they all had finished thinking of what may have happened, they headed through the doors to the throne room. The sight they saw was incredibly worrying: Scorch was kissing Luna's hooves, making compliments every so often. Celestia was simply sat on the other throne, bemusedly staring and giggling at the Stallion in front of her sister that was kissing her hooves.

"Err..." Was all that came out of Shining's mouth. "I'm just going to go with 'being mind controlled by Luna' and speak with them." he walked forwards, towards the thrones. Seeing this, Luna simply looked at Scorch and gave new orders.

"Please, back massage." she commanded. Scorch obeyed, walked around the back, before beginning to massage Luna's back.

"Good, you've arrived." said Celestia. "Shall we?" she stood up and a team of ponies followed her to the doors to the arena. Motioning for Luna to follow, she carried on, conversing with the Architect about the locations in the arena.

"Lieutenant, come." Luna commanded once more as she followed her sister.

"Yes, ma'am." Scorch cheerfully replied, before trotting after the princess with a spring in his step. The following group was silent, before Glinting broke it.

"Yep, mind control." she murmurred. "She's screwed with his mind. Who knows what else she's planned?" she shuddered.

"So, are you enjoying your tasks, slave?" Luna asked Scorch in as soothing a manner as she could.

"Yes." He quietly replied.

"Later, I may reward you." she sighed.

"Thank yo-" Scorch barely finished his sentence before his eyes flashed white. His expression went blank, before he finally shook his head and asked, "How...wha-"

Luna feigned surprise, holding onto him and signalling to Celestia that he was out of it.

"Don't worry, don't worry. I'm here, you're safe. You must have blacked out. But you're OK, that's important."

"Errr...Ok?" Scorch was confused.

"Just tell somepony if it happens again, alright?"

"Yeah...sure..." He began to become suspicious of her behaviour. Anyway, he may as well drop back to the group behind him. Maybe they knew something about what was happening.

"...probably just a joke." Serrated finished.

"Nope," Glinting responded, "I think she has plans for him, and I won't change my mind."

"Well, what do you think she has planned?" Shining quizzed suddenly.

"Team killing, kidnapping, I don't know. Probably some kind of match advantage. Look, here comes the butler, let's ask him."

The moment Scorch had reached the group, he was bombarded with questions.

"What do you think she did to you?"

"Did she...touch you?"

"Did you want to kiss her hooves?"

"Wait, what?" Scorch shouted over them. "What are you talking about?"

"When we walked in you were cheerful, we followed you and you were kissing Luna's hooves, then you gave her a back massage? And now you claim you have no idea what we're talking about?" Glinting grinned. "Looks like somepony has a crush."

"NO!" shouted Scorch. "I do not!"

"Oooh, yes you do." she laughed. "I bet you'd kill just to be able to kiss those lips, hmmm?"

"No..." he was starting to crack.

"Seriously, if this affects the match?" Shining glared daggers. "I'll snap your neck. Good luck reappearing from that."

Scorch began whimpering under the stress of constant teasing. The metaphorical Dam of Insult Ignorance had help up since foalhood, but now it was on the brink of imploding.

And soon it would all break loose.