The world around her had an almost starry look to it. Mountains and clouds, trees, bodies of water, and the very earth itself looked wispy, made out of the very thing she represented. Starry, and looking incorporeal much like her very being was in this moment... this was the land she traversed when Equestria didn't need a nocturnal defender against creatures of the night. Here, she was just a defender of the many that dreamed - those that were both hers, and her sister's subjects.

The ripples in this reality she traversed, witnessed in every town, village, and city she drifted by, were windows into the very dreams ponies had every night. She didn't have time for everypony in a single night alone, but even then a direct presence in pushing them forward wasn't always needed. Sometimes, she merely observed and steered dreams in such a way that it would give insight, or lessons to those who had them. Surely, with that alone, they would remember such dreams, and take them to heart.

Rising above Canterlot, the Princess of the Night drifted away from the nation's capital. Already aiding a young foal with her fears of the dark in a more direct manner, she moved on. Many of the dreams were much the same in Canterlot, given the nobility that made up the city. Dreams of lost and gained fortune, material belongings lost entirely, or being the focal point of her own, or her sister's attention. Sometimes, there were just dreams like the foal's she'd just visited. Sometimes there were simple, and requiring her direct involvement to aid them.

Down the mountains he went, drifting with a non-existent wind that carried her across the rolling hills of the plains and towards Ponyville. While she'd been here a few times now, she enjoyed the place so. Many dreamers, but often some requiring her own protection from nightmares of beings that once tried to attack the quaint village. Upon its edge, she caught wind of otherwise... unwelcoming imagery. Whips, distress, and what looked like a... stable, of all things, were what she could see in the very window.

Curious, she drifted in, arriving into the dream at a rather large, but moderately kept stable. Hay bales were stacked along the walls, and stalls were empty with ponies, save for bits of straw and hay... save for near the center. An ivory colored pegasus wore a black and violet dress, boots reaching up into her skirt, her black mane dangling freely down to her shoulders, and riding crop in hand as an earth pony, fallow, and sporting an auburn mane stood nude in the stall before the pegasus. She had her hands behind her back, and looked like she didn't dare raise her head at the pegasus.

Curious, Princess Luna hid at the end of the rows of stables. Crouching, she raised a bit of her head over the top and watched on as the scene unfolded. The fallow colored pony brought her arms forward, raising both them, and her head cautiously as she showed no sign of resistance or defiance against who was before her. Ready to intervene, Luna then and there thought this was a manifestation of past abuses, she had her horn glowing, ready to disperse the the dream in its entirety. However...

"Do you know why I did that, Latch?" The pegasus questioned, looking disappointed. Arms crossed and with the loosely resting over another arm, she patiently tapped her shiny, gloved arm.

"Yes, Mistress," the pony named Latch replied meekly, "it's because I tried to leave the stable again without you letting me out, or without you holding my reins."

"And where do animals belong, Latch?" The pegasus further questioned, cocking her head at the earth pony briefly. Seeming almost uninterested, the pegasus traced a few fingers along the solid base and middle of the crop, stopping at the tip as she tapped it against her free hand.

"In their stall, or in reins, Mistress," Latch quickly replied.

"Very good, and where do you belong, Latch?"

The earth pony visibly fidgeted, lowering her head as she rubbed her arm. She turned away, mumbling something unheard of to the lunar princess. The earth pony made no effort to look back, and ready to react again, Luna was about to take a single step forward to announce to presence. However, there was a audible, but soft thwap heard as the crop struck the pegasus' hand.

"Louder, dear," the pegasus ordered, "I want to hear you admit your desires to me in full. I want to hear you say it clearly before I even begin helping you dress again, which, I know you want to happen... it's the only reason why you would do this, isn't it? You just miss your Mistress that much, don't you?"

"Yes, Mistress Anne," Latch replied louder, enough for Princess Luna to hear it. "I-... I belong in a stall, bound, and having only you hold my reins for training, or to let me out, Mistress Anne. I just wanted you to come back."

The pegasus relaxed, giving a slow, affirmative nod to silence her... pony. Reaching out with the crop, she pressed the rectangular, flat tip against Latch's chin, raising it and her pony's head. "I know you wanted to see me again, that's why you're here now, aren't you? It's why you're standing before me and not even trying to put up a fight. You're just a submissive at heart, Latch. No matter how hard you try to hide or mask it, I know the truth."

Luna crouched back down at the end of the stalls, more curious than ready to unleash her fury at this point. This definitely wasn't a dream based on abuse of past... but internal, denied feelings of the heart. For it being a dream based on that, it had an awfully risque spin to it. Regardless, she couldn't help but to stay, wanting to see how this dream progressed.

Latch nodded slowly, bobbing the crop with it. "I am, Mistress," she then responded meekly, and with a visible blush on her cheeks.

"Good mare. Let's get you dressed up again, shall we? I will need to go and fetch a clean set of gear for you to wear. You will kneel and await my return."

"Yes, Mistress."

Luna watched as the pegasus left, turning and walking down the rows of empty stalls and towards the a large set of double doors. The earth pony that was left behind, watched the Pegasus go as well. After a short period, there was a soft sigh heard in the wake of clicking heels. The pony named Latch then kneeled, no longer in the lunar princess' view.

To deny one's self of feelings of the heart was a rather tumultuous ordeal. Sooner or later, feelings would escape, and they would manifest in some way or another... for this earth pony, it manifested in very risque dream. A dream with a Mistress of Latch's own designs, and of herself as the sole submissive.

Several minutes went by in silence, nary a peep escaping the only occupied stall, or herself for that matter. She didn't want to get caught by Latch, or the Mistress of Latch's dream. Soon enough, the double doors to the stall opened, letting sunlight in briefly as the one named "Anne" approached the stall again, none the wiser of the Princess of the night hiding on the opposite end of the stable. In her arms, she carried a black case, one that she presented forward to Latch as she arrived at the stall.

"Go on, open it," Anne ordered.

Slowly, the pony rose from off the floor, and stepped forward. She was hesitant, tugging her hand back reflexively once as she reached for the case. Eventually, she undid the latches with a series of clicks and thuds. The case opened then, the top held by Latch as she gasped softly at its contents.

"Better coat yourself for now, Mare," Anne said simply, "as these won't be coming off until I say they do."

Latch nodded and reached into the case, procuring what looked like a large bottle of... something, it was something that Luna couldn't make out for a name. She watched as Latch put some onto her hands and started to lather her body. Arms and legs, and her torso in its entirety. All the while, Anne took the case back and started to hang articles of what looked like clothing along the front gate of the stall.

"You know the order, Mare. I will be here to assist if you need me."

"Yes, Mistress. Thank you," Latch replied quickly as she resumed lathering herself with the fluid from the bottle.

Silence, and the odd squeak, and creak filled the air between the two ponies. Latch went about in finishing lathering herself, and soon began to slip what looked like a shiny, black leotard that had connecting gloves. Unzipped at the back, she had no trouble getting it. Next, she turned around, letting herself get zipped up. Anne procured an accessory from the case, shiny, black, and matching the outfit in its entirety.

Straps went beneath and around her breasts, pushing them up slightly, and squishing them together. A collar was attached to the harness, and the two shifted about as straps were tightened and belted through behind the back of Latch. Next, Latch knelt down, going out of view as another article was tugged off the gate of the stall. More squeaks were heard as something was adjusted out of view, and after a short period, Latch reappeared... albeit standing just a bit more stiffly.

"We'll do the locks and straps at the back of your boots afterwards, Mare. Let's get you finished up first, my dear Mare," Anne cooed as she reached out, brushing her hand against the cheek of Latch. The pony squirmed, shyly looking away as she inched forwards.

Luna watched as Latch presented her arms forward, outstretched, and awaiting something. Anne, grabbing the bottle that was set aside by Latch, started to coat and lather Latch's shiny black gloves with its fluids. Setting it aside not long after, another article was pulled up and off the gate as what looked like a socket of some sort was wriggled and pulled up Latch's arm. The bottoms of what looked like gloves ended with looked like metal, looking a bit stiff as she realized that Latch's hands were becoming hooves... without having to use magic to transform them.

"You're almost ready, Mare," Anne spoke again, softly as she went about wriggling and tugging the the final hoof-glove on. As the final glove was then pulled up past Latch's elbows, Anne reached turned around, reaching back into the case and bringing forth a new set of accessories.

"Up to the gate, Mare," Anne ordered once more.

It was methodical, the process, from what Luna could witness. Straps went on, around Latch's arms, tucking her arms closer to her shoulders as her artificial hooves dangled loosely over where the strap held her forearms back. Next, bridle was brought up with a thin bit. It was confusing then that Luna watched Latch so obediently opened her mouth, letting the bit slip in as she wiggled her head, aiding in in getting the straps firmly, and snugly around her head.

Not quite realizing it sooner, Luna blinked as she'd felt a bit of redness in her own cheeks from the blood rushing in. "Dear me..." She muttered, shaking her head slowly as she ducked down entirely.

"Good Mare," Luna heard, knowing full well who it was. "Let's clip the reins to your post for now, I have to run a few errands, so I shall be back for you soon, dear."

With another shake of her head, and a sigh, Luna channeled her magic back into her horn. Once again becoming starry and wispy like the dreamscape, she ascended out of the barn, passing through the reality of the dream and back into where she was to patrol. "Never have I seen such a strange dream like that before," Luna mused as she spared a glance down towards the dream she just left.

Perhaps... perhaps another time she would pay this Latch pony a visit in her dreams again.

Author's Note

A longer one, but this is where I started to do some changes to my writing. I'm quite proud of this one, but I do hope you enjoy it.