Daring Do and The Staff of Circe
Daring Do slowly opened her eyes and groaned as waves crashed against her back. She forced herself to stand up from the soft, sweet sand and brushed herself off as best she could. She then took in her surroundings: an empty beach as far as she could see and, behind her, a thick jungle. She noticed a lone tree nearby on the beach so she climbed up it to get a better look at where she was. And it wasn't the best news.
"Horseapples! I’m… on an island. In the middle of nowhere.”
Daring scanned the horizon and found there was no land anywhere within flying distance Not that she could fly off the island. After getting into a confrontation with a couple of thugs, she ended up with a broken wing. And then getting wanged on the back of the head with a boat oar, getting knocked out, then tossed over the side of the boat didn’t leave her in quite the best shape. So she wasn’t sure how long she had been out, nor how far she had drifted to end up on the island. As she scanned, however, she found what appeared to be a large clearing halfway between the beach and the center of the forest which appeared to have a lone palace. Seeing there was only jungle and ocean, the clearing was her best bet at trying to find out where she was and how to get back home.
After an uneventful trip through the forest, Daring Do finally emerged at the edge of the clearing. In front of her loomed the large visage of an old but rather well-kept palace. Well, the outside portion made it look like a palace. Inside the castle walls sat a moderately sized stone house. As she approached the house, she felt as if there were eyes were watching her. She turned her head and found that she WAS being watched... by a mix of wild beasts. WIld beasts that oddly seemed to be staying back near the edge of the clearing. They seemed… tame. Even the bears and lions didn’t seem interested in chasing after her. They were content to just… stare and watch.
Unnerved slightly at the oddly behaving animals, but knowing this was the only house she had seen on the island, Daring Do steeled herself and knocked on the door. There was silence. Daring listened but heard no movement. So she raised a hoof to knock again. But before she could knock again, the door swung open.
“Hello?” came a lilting voice. “Who knocks on my door?”
Daring Do glanced up at the pony who appeared in the doorway and gasped. The mare was quite taller than herself, her coat was a pure white alabaster, and her mane was gorgeous. A mane the color of fire which waved about like it WAS fire. Draped over her flank and obscuring her cutie mark was a purple robe and here yellow eyes were obscured by a golden veil. In short, she was immensely beautiful. And it was a beauty Daring Do found she could not look away from. In fact, Daring was at a loss for words. In response to how Daring was acting, the strange pony just chuckled at the response as if it had happened many times before.
“Ah, let me guess. You are awestruck of my beauty, yes?” she asked the supposedly mute mare. “It happens all the time. Now, I ask again, who knocks on my door?”
Daring Do managed to break her gaze from the beauty in front of her to finally answer.
“Oh! Yes, of course!” Daring said quickly in apology. “I’m… well, I’m just a pony who has become extremely lost. I was attacked by some thugs, hit with an oar, and tossed overboard. The next thing I knew I washed up on the shore of this island.” She paused her brief explanation. “Or would this be YOUR island? I’ve not noticed any other ponies here. And your animals-”
A loud growl cut through her question before she could ask about the strange behavior of the animals she encountered. Both ponies glanced at Daring Do’s stomach and Daring could only chuckle. “Eh heh… well, it seems it’s been some time since I’ve had something to eat. I don’t exactly know how long it’s been.”
The white pony smiled and gave a nod and motioned for Daring Do to enter. “Oh please, allow me to be a good host,” she offered. “Come inside and eat! Drink! Have your fill, and then,” the beautiful pony smiled wider. “Then we can figure out how to get you back home, yes?”
Daring Do agreed. She’d definitely think better once her hunger and thirst was slaked. She followed in after the as of yet unnamed pony, her jaw dropping again when they entered the dining area. There was a giant spread of foods of all types, drinks, honey, wine, everything that Daring could ever want. And along the walls of the hall hung tapestries of intricate design. No discernible pattern or picture, but the interplay of color and light made them just as beautiful as her host. Said host noticed Daring Do staring at the tapestries and she gave another small chuckle.
“Ah, admiring the tapestries that I wove?” she asked in that honeyed, lilting voice. “It’s one of my favorite hobbies.”
“Oh, they’re beautiful!” remarked Daring as she grabbed a golden goblet filled with water and took a swig. “If you’d be willing-” her words cut off and she gasped at the taste. While the liquid inside the goblet looked like plain water it tasted of the ripest of blueberries, her favorite food.
“Wow! This drink is absolutely delicious!” Daring remarked while she licked her lips and downed the rest of the drink. Regaining her composure, she spoke again. “I was about to say, though, if you’d be willing to part with one of those tapestries, I’m sure it would be a hit in a museum.”
Daring’s host glared at Daring briefly, the adventure mare not even noticing. The white pony grabbed a glass, filled it up with another clear liquid, then gave it to Daring. Despite the brief glare, she still had that same sweet demeanor and voice.
“Here, you must still be thirsty,” she said, giving the glass to Daring. She watched Daring down the glass then saw the pony make a disgusted and confused face. “Ooops, did that not taste well?”
Daring Do could only shake her head. “It was so bitter!” she complained. “Definitely not as good as-”
“Who did you say you were? And what is it you do?”
Daring Do gave a smile. “Oh, I’m Daring Do, an adventure pony. I travel the land to find artifacts to place in museums. In fact, I was following a lead for the Staff of Circe when-” She stopped herself and gasped. She never would just outright admit who she was, especially a pony she had never met before! It felt like her head was swimming.
She blinked and shook her head and tried to clear it. No, she was sure she had met this pony before, and she wasn’t just somepony she met, she was obviously a friend. Before she could try and figure out what was going on, her stomach growled loudly. So she mindlessly grabbed some of the food off the table and shoved it in her mouth. Even as she ate, she began to feel strange from what she ingested.
“Let me ask again,” the white pony asked, her sweet demeanor taking on a more gruff and aggressive tone. “Who did you say you were? And what is it you do?”
Daring Do struggled to answer the question. “I’m… I’m Daring Do and I….” she shook her head. It felt like the memories of her old life were trapped in a kind of fog. “I don’t… what is it that I do?” She then glanced at the white, beautiful pony and realized she hadn’t asked her name. “Wait… who… who are you?”
The white pony gave a single word reply. “Celeste.”
At that word, Daring took a step back from the food and spat out what little food was still left in her mouth. But by then it was too late. The tainted food and drink were already working on her. “No! How did I forget the…” She blinked and shook her head. “Your beauty blinded me, just like the legend!”
Celeste nodded. “Indeed. You mortals seem to have forgotten the stories of me,” she replied with a growl. “Though it seems you at least remembered my staff.” Celeste sighed. “Why must you mortals always disappoint me? I put my trust in you as being just a lost wanderer, after all. I’d have fed you, helped you find your way home, with no compensation asked. But you’re just like all the others!” she growled out. She grabbed another hooful of food and forced more of the drugged food into Daring’s mouth. The drugged items worked to make Daring forget all about where she was from and even her desire to leave. “Put my stuff in a museum? How insulting!”
She didn’t stop force-feeding Daring the laced food until the poor pony began to eat it all by herself. “Now instead of helping you find your way home, I’ll help you forget your old life! I’ll make sure you never want to leave, make a pig of you and-” Celeste paused her thought. Her smirk grew three sizes. “Now there’s an idea! Let’s make a pig out of you!”
Celeste left the room for a short time while Daring continued to stuff as much of the food and drink as she could handle into her mouth. When she returned, she was wielding a long staff. The same staff that Daring had set out to find.
“My favorite artifact. The Staff of Circe.” Daring Do glanced up at the artifact, a look of horror on her face as she continued to shovel food into her mouth. “Of course, it seems you’re already familiar with this item, seeing as you were searching for it. How about a demonstration?” The next thing she knew, a blast from the staff struck her chest and threw her across the room.
Daring groaned as she laid on the ground in a heap. Working through the pain she slowly stood up even as the magic worked over her body. The room itself seemed to grow taller around her as her legs shortened and her hooves reshaped into a more porcine form. She watched in horror as her coat and mane disappeared into her body, leaving behind smooth, pink skin. Her tail, now devoid of any hair, curled into a short pigtail as it shrank in size. Her ears grew slightly larger and reshaped from pony ears to a pig’s ears. Her snout slowly elongated and her teeth took on a more porcine shape as her belly began to swell in size. Daring could only watch in horror as she was transformed from a fit pegasus pony into a fat, slovenly pig.
Despite all the changes, her mind seemed to be relatively left alone. She could remember who she was, just not where she was from nor that she wanted to leave the island. She was fairly certain she had to find some way to reverse her transformation. And knowing the staff was the likely cure for what happened, she had to get ahold of it. So with a flash of anger in her eyes, Daring took a lunge forward and…
“Tut, tut, it seems all you mortals truly have forgotten the tales,” laughed Celeste. “I transformed you which means you are now a pet, a plaything for me. None transformed by the Circe Staff can ever bring harm to its wielder, and that means you must obey me.”
To hammer in the point, she pointed the staff at various locations on the ground. Daring Do stared in surprise as she walked to each indicated point while unable to stop herself from moving. Celeste was about to have the pig try and climb up onto the table when, in the midst of her fun, Celeste’s stomach growled loudly. She strode to the kitchen, her new pig following behind her. Once inside the kitchen, Celeste set the staff to the side while she prepared some things.
Daring Do stared at the staff and groaned. If she could only get ahold of it she could reverse the spell and find a way to escape. But no matter how hard she willed herself to move she just would not take a step. It wasn’t until Celeste returned and picked up the staff that Daring could walk again, following where Celeste pointed the staff. And it was pointed at a large roasting pan on the floor. Despite the fear on her face, Daring watched as she walked right to the pan then climbed inside. Celeste set the staff down again, Daring no longer able to move again.
“You’ll make a fine roast, don’t you think?” Celeste asked aloud. “Of course, I don’t expect an answer from you. Pigs don’t talk,” She leaned down and shoved her face nearly against Daring’s pig snout, an annoyed and offended growl mixing in with her words. “And they don’t try to steal from me.”
With those words, Celeste lifted the pan from the floor and walked over to the oven. “I think I’ll forgo the preparations and just shove you inside. I’d rather have the pure taste of what you’ve become, untouched by seasonings and spices.” Celeste paused then gave a grin. Instead of sliding the pan into the oven, she took the pan over to the dining room table and plopped it down hard. “Actually, that’s an even better idea.” She paused and licked her lips. “It’s been some time since I’ve swallowed down a mortal with no preparations.”
With those words, Celeste opened her mouth wider than she should have been able to. She lifted the pan up and tilted it just enough for Daring Do to start sliding to the edge of the pan. As soon as her snout hit the edge, she found herself airborne. And not just airborne… her trajectory had her on a collision course with Celeste’s open mouth.
When Daring landed on Celeste’s tongue, her natural flavors lit up the taste buds. The flavor was a slightly tangy musk from Daring’s sweat mixed with the flavor of pork and seawater. It was a taste Celeste knew well, but one she hadn’t tasted in a long time. So she started off her meal by wanting to savor that very flavor as long as she possibly could. Her tongue lathered all over the pony turned pig’s snout and head, pleasured moans filling the room. But as the seconds ticked by and the more taste she got, the stronger her hunger protested the wait. So after one final lick she gave a powerful swallow.
Over half of Daring was gulped and trapped into Celeste’s tight throat. Something that Daring thought shouldn’t be possible. But despite pig Daring’s size, Celeste seemed to easily handle her girth. Another swallow forced more of Daring into the tight throat, the large bulge easily seen from outside. Celeste gave another swallow, the sounds echoing through the mostly empty house. Mixed in with the swallowing sounds was the pleased and delighted moans of somepony quite savoring her meal. Another swallow and the bulge that was Daring Do sank deeper. Eventually that bulge disappeared from Celeste’s throat and instead appeared in her belly. The pony turned pig rounded the belly out nicely, making it nearly impossible for Celeste to walk properly.
“UUuuuuUuUOOorp!” Celeste let out a loud and satisfied belch as her meal settled into her stomach. “Mmmm, you were quite delicious, for a mortal,” she commented as she plodded her way to her resting chambers. “In fact, you mortals are so fragile, it may only take a short nap to finish you off.”
Celeste let out another belch as her meal found she was able to move and squirm again. “Fight all you want, but it doesn’t matter now. You’re just a small snack for a goddess.” Celeste ran a hoof over her belly and sloshed it about. “Don’t feel too bad, though. I’m sure it’s comforting to know,” she continued as she climbed up into her bed and plopped down hard on her full, sloshing belly. “I’ll probably have burned off what little energy you provide me just getting out of bed.” Her tone changed and she gave a small growl. “A fitting end for an artifact looter such as yourself. You’ll never steal from me or any of the other gods of this world ever again!”
With those words, Celeste laid down and curled up on her bed, the noisy sounds of digestion lulling her to sleep.
Barely 30 minutes later, Celeste awoke from her nap. Her belly had returned to its’ flat shape and upon her belly was Daring’s own cutie mark. “Hmmmm… 30 minutes… you lasted longer than most mortals that happen upon my place,” she commented. “Now, lets see if what I told you was correct.” Slowly and deliberately, Celeste rolled off the side of her bed and stood up on her hooves. Once standing up from her bed, she glanced at her belly to see the cutie mark no longer there. “Just enough energy for me to stand up, just as I said,” she taunted as she strode back to her main living area, where she would work on her weaving while waiting for the next mortal to show up on her doorstep.