Spike At Your Service

Spike quickly stepped inside and shut the door to her office.

Tempest was softly lounged back in her chair, pulled away from her desk again. She faced him with her hindlegs spread apart much as she was earlier, yet this time she wore an incredibly alluring skimpy one-piece made of tight black faleath that smelled well-cared for with natural oils, though it was likely that it was simply just new. Some sheer silk accentuated it in places, being accompanied by some faleath thigh high hoof-boots on her hindlegs and lacy silk elbow gloves on her forelegs, both of which matched the colour of the outfit.

The outfit framed her body wonderfully, clasped at the neck it contoured to her perfectly chiselled form as it cut out in several different places. It travelled down in an arc from the neck that cut at the shoulders, with flicks of silk draping over the upper limbs from where the faleath ended; bore a love-heart shaped hole at the chest that let her small tuft through freely, with the contour of faleath around the heart being surrounded by a silk window at either side; was tightly snug around her barrel and flank as it cut out around the belly and teats, showing off her toned abdominals and the size of her mammaries; had symmetrical gaps at the flanks that let her flared hips and haunches push out, equally draped with some silk; it was completely cut out around the genitals and backside to frame and squeeze her shapely croup and buttocks, and where it reached her puffy dock it was separately cut out and snug in such a way as to perpetually keep it and the tail partly raised. It ended just across her upper thighs, with the nice detail of silk coattails travelling from the back to hang down. If she were standing normally, the silk would frame her backside and everything in between wonderfully.

Completing this tantalising and raunchy look was both the comfortably supportive lacy bra that cupped her wonderfully fat teats, barely hiding the mouth-watering puffy nipples and areola within the design, and the extremely snug faleath panties that were so tight around her gorgeous sex that he swore he could see the faint indent of her inner fold, her puffy ponut tautly compressed much the same. Lastly, but certainly just as eye-catching, came the intricate masquerade ballroom mask resembling a dragon's skull ─with the addition of a full horn that covered her broken one─ resting around her head, muzzle, and across her nose in a layered flurry of gold and polished onyx crystal surrounding the eyes. It stopped around the ears and freely allowed her spiked mane back. Her striking teal eyes stared out at him from within the fractal crystal window patiently.

Where had she been hiding this?

"I-I...." Spike stammered, his breath caught as he was utterly transfixed by both surprise and her sheer heart-stopping beauty.

"I've been thinking a lot lately about you, and us," Tempest cut in through Spike's short-circuiting, a serious tone to her voice as she spoke. "You've been extremely well behaved, and perfectly diligent to me in your training, Spike."

Spike came back to his senses upon hearing his name as she was using her business tone, and it wasn't often she used that on him. It was usually that she did that with other people because he wasn't a rich CEO or something that came in with designs on her capital. He stood a little straighter and tried to keep focused on her eyes, rather than everything else she was showing off.

"Our dynamic has been working well, and overall any issues we might have are always resolved with understanding; you strive to improve for me, as I try for you," she continued as she languidly relaxed in her sexy outfit, but kept the formal tone. "I've enjoyed and am enjoying what we have together, and I believe you feel the same enough to continue further?"

"I... Yes, Ma-Mistress," he stumbled and corrected, a little nervous, his ears folding ever so slightly. He swapped into calling her by the second title just in case as he didn't want to displease her, and he really did enjoy being hers. "It's been amazing. I've learned a lot from you, I would still like to."

She gave a nod.

"Hmm. You see, Spike; tonight there's a very special party happening," Tempest purred the word 'party' through the proper tone she'd put forth. "I've been debating with myself as to whether it's something you would be able to manage, and seeing how you've been over the past month from the previous months as you've grown, how you've been with Aurora, as well as how you've kept form when Shadowmane is around the office, I fully believe that you would."

Tempest sat up a little straighter.

"Every Master or Mistress has their own way of doing things. I've taken a different approach to how I have trained you from how I did Aurora," Tempest stated, with a quick glance at the intercom. "Aurora required a different teaching method, but does act much in the same way you do when serving. Although your meetings have been somewhat minimal and in passing you have both gotten along splendidly so far, which is a quality I certainly want in any sub that I take on. The ability to get along with one another to both serve in the greatest capacity possible, and forming a strong bond that will ensure that they can help one another grow as they learn are key."

Spike felt a little lightheaded. Tempest was advancing things on, he hadn't expected it to happen anytime soon. Hadn't Aurora taken longer before reaching this point? Did this mean he was going to see a lot more of her? He didn't think he'd been that far along in his training, he thought things were going to at least take a year. He tried his best to keep his demeanour smart and breathe evenly to stop his heart from beating out of his chest, which had already begun from seeing Tempest in the lovely scented faleath fit she wore. Spike felt himself to be extremely fortunate, being a part of this strange little world she had introduced him to.

It was about four or five months back after he started working at the Plaza, for a month after then Tempest had prowled as he had properly caught her eye, saying her subtle hints of desire that had gone over his head, and then came the forwardness of just outright saying what she wanted not long after when she'd requested he come to her office. He had been attending his duties around the office and as she'd asked; came in to deliver her a piping hot cappuccino, simply business as usual, but she'd asked him to stay for a moment and then told him to sit.

Spike had believed himself to be in trouble, considering her tone. He'd thought perhaps he was already getting the axe, that perhaps he hadn't been doing well enough with the heavier workload that was now thrust upon him for the job. Maybe he'd upset one of the higher-ups that had come to inspect the office or something...

Then Tempest asked if he would be interested in fucking her.

It had taken him a moment to recover.

Spike had been blushing madly while she'd awaited an answer. She was a polite mare and a pleasant boss, absolutely wonderful to behold, and easily one of the most ravishing mares he'd known, and yes he absolutely wanted to do that and he didn't think many males would say no either. Yet, he couldn't just say that, she was his boss! He tried to more or less tell her in a nice way that she was very pretty and attractive and that while she was lovely... He hadn't gotten much further than that because she'd pursed his lips in magic and repeated herself. Did. He. Want. To. Fuck. Her?

Tempest had really emphasised the 'fuck'.

Well, he'd said yes, how could he not?

Then... she went into that worrying tone. Spike knew now of course that it was just the tone she took on during a business discussion, the same as she was talking to him now, and her proposal hadn't been any less formal in her dealing with him. She'd taken him as seriously as she would have anypony else, regardless of his nature. Tempest had taken a breath, and then laid out that Spike was altogether very stunning, beautiful, and interesting to her, and that she'd noticed his curious looks at her every now and then, of which she'd taken such as interest. She'd been trying to get his attention for the past month or so ─of which he had of course been completely blind to her advances─ and that she wanted to get to know him in the personal sense, and if that worked out then she wanted to invite him to be hers to see if they would truly connect in a far deeper sense.

She explained that if they found one another agreeable, and he thereafter accepted moving forwards, then it would see them becoming quite intimate in a semi-formal power exchange known as a Domination and submission dynamic where they would be Mistress and submissive. It had been so forthcoming and candid in its delivery that it had completely taken him by storm, and he hadn't any clue what any of those last details had meant beyond the basic ideas of the words.

At first he'd thought she was perhaps joking, yet her expression had been anything but laughable; Tempest wasn't a mare to put down such ideas lightly. He'd simply sat there utterly perplexed until she took it as a sign to continue, starting to lay out the additional duty she would set him beyond his normal job as a step in the journey ahead, which would have of keeping a special locker of some kind that would be his responsibility to set up and keep safe, and that she would give him something to store that she would regularly inspect.

Which was how he came to keep a personal stash of her beverages and confections, when they'd moved on from simple storage. He still did keep personal files for her when she needed it, personal drafts of upcoming business plans she didn't want to lose track of, and he was trusted enough to take those home with him and keep them safe.

Again he'd remained quiet, as he was actually quite intrigued by her honesty, and she'd continued on. After inspection ─or in his current case delivering her pep─ he would be allowed to go on with his usual work day, though she might also wish to engage sexually with him for a while, but that he would always have the option of declining her if she made an advance he wasn't comfortable with. She wanted to make it perfectly clear he would have the most power in this dynamic, and that as the one guiding and nurturing him she would be completely fair in her training of him. Tempest had used the term training, however then specified that he should not feel as if he would be made to learn things he disliked, or that she wanted him to be anything other than how he was; simply that their dynamic would encounter a few bumps along the way as they came to understand one another, as that was what training a submissive truly was.

He'd been confused at first, many questions had run though his mind. Why would she want to surrender power to him when he wasn't exactly commanding in nature? Why if she was the Mistress would she not have the power to do what she liked? He thought the whole power thing was to do with dominating somepony completely, like a slave, wasn't that the idea? Wasn't this whole weird dynamic thing she was going on about to do with whips and chains or something? Granted, he'd gotten a lot of his ideas of what it all was from magazines and films that Rarity tended to enjoy, but the questions were there.

Tempest had answered all of them in time, he knew better now as part of his training had been teaching him about the specific dynamics that she employed, although at that point in time he'd been speechless. She had explained that she already had Aurora under her and had for some time, but still wanted Spike to be hers if he was comfortable with that, and that everything she'd just told him she had initially told Aurora as well. She'd not expected an answer the same day though, so she told him to think on it and come back the next day. If he came back and wasn't interested then they wouldn't speak of it anymore and they'd simply go back to their normal work environment with no fuss, though she'd said she still might tease him regardless. He'd left bemused, and spent the entire night awake mulling over her words and the expectations she would have of him, and he'd have been lying to say he hadn't been interested.

Of course, he had been.

Several months on and now she was looking to advance him.

Was he really ready? He felt a little fluttery.

"I invite you to come with me to this party if you feel that you're ready, Spike. Aurora will be joining me as she has a few times before and I would like it if you did too. I think you would do well taking the next step into everything, and the party's dynamic would help you and Aurora bond a little more as a bonus," Tempest smiled, her tone becoming a little less serious now. "Although, you'd be needing an outfit."

"I-I'd love to come along!" Spike nodded, slightly bouncing on his toes as his ears perked. He squashed down the giddiness and smiled, quickly catching himself. "Mistress."

Tempest coyly grinned. "Wonderful. Then you may have this."

She tilted her head to one side as her horn sparked from within her mask, floating out another faleath fit that had a similar wonderous new oiled smell to it. He could see it was almost identical to hers ─albeit specifically tailored for his form─ with lacy silk elbow gloves, and a pair of gorgeous thigh high open-toe boots and snug-looking panties both of faleath, the underwear appearing as if it would only just accommodate his rather sizable package. The clothing was accompanied by a matching vaudevillian ballroom mask of his own that was shaped for his head, complete with a horn.

There were a few differences on his outfit to hers in that the back of his was cut out in two places and lined with smoky silk, although maybe hers was too and he just didn't see it because she was laying back. If that was the case then the only major differences were actually that the tail hole was bigger for his outfit ─and probably wasn't going to be capable of lifting his tail's hefty thickness like it would her dock─ and the neck on his didn't go up as high.

He wondered why that was amidst the overwhelming elation he felt from such a grandiose gift, the tightness in his chest from being awarded such a well-crafted set of beautiful garments heightening as Tempest floated up the reason as to why the neck was so low cut.

He was being presented with a collar.

It bore a small emblem on the silver plate at its front of a stylised nude and voluptuous dragoness with thick head spines not dissimilar to her own mane, expertly etched with a patterned backdrop into the plate with loving detail. Tempest really liked dragons, he knew rather well.

She'd spoken about the symbolism of it some time ago, and that she'd only offer him his own when she felt he was ready. It was more about commitment than anything else, and while it tended to vary from person to person the ideal behind it was the same. It wasn't marriage, there was no engagement as such even if some had themselves a ceremony, it was more a promise to serve loyally. It was an acknowledgement of a deep bond between people, and a profound symbol of friendship; although a bit more perverse and intimate than the standard fare of say, a hoof bracelet or something.

"I would also give you a collar, if you'd have it," Tempest said politely, meeting Spike's eyes with a sudden weight to them. "My collar; that carries my emblem. I have to admit I'm eager to offer it as it would show anypony else that you are mine, though it's also because of this party. You see without it while you might be part of my entourage, other Dominants may set their sights on you, possibly seeking to have you for themselves. You would receive offers to come serve them instead to which I'd rather that didn't happen, and a collar is a sure-fire way of circumventing that."

She quickly added. "But make no mistake; I don't want you to feel like you need it to be safe from another Dominant as there are strict rules, nor do I want you to feel like you have to accept it right now if you don't feel ready for the commitment it entails. It is a little unorthodox as usually a collar is only presented upon completing your training, which really should include your involvement with the deeper aspects of the culture, but I do tend to play things a little differently. If it's not something you would like right now, I would happily wait for you."

Tempest finished with a soft smile.

Spike's chest was still feeling tight, he wasn't sure what to do. He certainly felt appreciative that Tempest cared for him to the point that she was worried he might entertain other Dominants, not that he would, he liked her far too much, though he wasn't sure he deserved such a gift, or that he was ready to accept the full commitment.

In the past she'd taught that oftentimes a Dominant that wanted to collar a submissive would want that submissive to be readily available, which usually meant having them move in or at least be nearby. That was quite a jump in some respects. He'd really only just felt settled into his small flat downtown that he'd moved into when he accepted work here in Canterlot, and it was a fair distance away when accounting for delays. He generally left for work an hour before he began so he could arrive on time. It was an excellent way to stay in shape, but that aside it was still a trek from his home to work on foot.

So Tempest would probably want him to move uptown, nearer to or in with her. While that might not be such a big issue, he really liked having his own place, no matter that it was small. After living most of his young life with a constant presence from multiple ponies, it was incredibly liberating to have actual privacy and true freedom. He had also just finished decorating the place perfectly to his liking with the limited time he had after working as much as he did, as an extra reason.

He may also have been a little intimidated by such an offer.

"I... um, I think I would... I think I want to wait," Spike told her, his ears folding down as he felt like he was letting her down. "I-I'm sorry, Mistress."

"Don't fret, Spike," Tempest smiled plainly, floating the aweing collar away into a drawer. She hid her slight chagrin at the rebuff incredibly well, or she'd expected he would decline, before her expression then became almost predatory. "As I said; I will happily wait. I understand you might feel it's a bit fast."

Spike felt a little awkward about it now, at least until Tempest brought up a neatly sized box and placed his outfit inside along with the mask, putting the lid on and pushing the outfit over on the desk towards him. Not accepting the collar didn't mean she didn't want him to come to the party with her, after all. He was thankful she wasn't pressing him, she never did try to force anything he wasn't comfortable with and it made him like her all the more.

"Now then, that is yours. It will fit, the couturière I commissioned can tell measurements just by seeing a photo," Tempest grinned impishly. "You recall that one I took during our little business trip to Manehatten?"

Oh.

Spike blushed.

"Such a lovely photo, you should model that bikini for me again," Tempest chuckled warmly, beginning to take off her outfit piece by piece with her magic. "I will get ready to leave, please gather your things and be waiting for me in the lobby with Aurora, and I will join you shortly. I can't very well go out like this in public."

Nodding, Spike began to turn to the door and do as he was bid, before Tempest's comfortable seat creaked as she got up and came over on her hindlegs. Standing bipedal she was roughly the same height, she leaned forward and met his lips in a soothing gentle kiss that was accompanied by a swirl of lavender in his nose, before she pulled back with a caring smile.

"And please don't worry about the collar," she said, keeping her smile. "I don't think any less of you for not accepting, and I'm not going to throw you by the wayside, alright?"

Not that he had any doubt of that, but he very much appreciated the words. Well, alright... maybe he thought she might be really disappointed. Her words meant a lot. He smiled and gave her a nod before a hoof went down behind him to slap one of his immense cheeks, making him jump in a squeak. She chuckled and nodded at the door.

"Go on downstairs. I shall see you shortly."

While Tempest was getting prepared, Spike stepped out of the lift onto the ground floor with his gift under one arm. Walking through the hall he moved into the expansive main lobby of the building, glancing down the other connecting corridors for anypony else but finding them barren. Opposite the main seating area for waiting guests on the left was the circular surround of the reception room and its neat desk, looking almost like a rather stylish and slightly more open pillbox, with the lobby entrance not far from its position to readily welcome visitors.

Aurora Ember sat within, the pretty alabaster unicorn mare looking more than a little bored this late at night. An almost iridescent platinum-blonde mane cascaded down in tresses around her cute features as her fiery-orange eyes scanned over a sleek and expensive looking gem-phone held in her equally fiery corona. She wore a simple office blouse and long skirt for work, but with a dark silk scarf around her neck. She was a rather gorgeous mare similar to Tempest in body shape, albeit a significant deal more bottom heavy with a slightly wider waistline. Whereas Tempest was trim around the barrel with the barest amount of fat over her muscular belly, and plenty of fat over muscle in all the right places to make her excellently curvy; Aurora was a tiny bit softer around the barrel with the slightest level of feminine belly fat, and a great deal more curvaceous around the croup, bottom, and haunches. She was roughly equal in the size of her thighs to Tempest, though hers were a great deal more cushioning-with-some-muscle rather than muscular-with-some-cushioning, and from what Spike had seen she had a far puffier dock as well.

Aurora didn't look as if she was enjoying herself all that much as she rested her stony face on a hoof, but Spike figured that was just... kind of her default facial expression. He knew he'd heard Ribbon use a specific term for her before about her face, he just couldn't recall what it was. Resting... something that wasn't nice, even if it wasn't exactly wrong. He'd certainly used more than a few pleasant terms in regards to her body however, and Spike couldn't help but agree on that front too.

She probably should have finished at around nine like he usually did unless he was working overtime, but if she already had the party to consider... Aurora didn't live too far away like he did, surely she could have just trotted home and relaxed for a while before coming back in time? Unless Tempest asked her to wait patiently, he'd done something like that a few times as she'd ordered, however that was usually kneeling in her office on his pillow while she worked.

"Hey, Spike," she greeted nonchalantly while not taking her eyes off of her phone.

"Hi, Aurora. Been a fine day?" he returned with a smile, toeing over and gently putting the box down onto the reception desk while they waited, breathing in her pleasant scent that was akin to roasted chestnuts as he rested on the polished wood.

"Boring as shit, as usual," Aurora commented rather dryly, her eyes flicking to the box, and then to him for a scant moment before returning to her screen. "Coming along then? It'll be nice to have some extra company."

"I... yeah," Spike gave a nod, glancing around at the lobby briefly, before his eyes went back to her phone from the noises it was making. "What are you playing?"

"Some weird Nippone sci-fi game. Only one they got seeing as the tech's still new. Lotta base building and management between battles, lotta collectable hotties."

Oh, one of those games.

"You haven't paid for anything, right?" Spike asked with concern. He avoided mobile phones in general as they seemed like such a nuisance, but because he knew if he ever played a game like that he'd end up having his wallet drained of bits. "Syntax from admin said he'd managed to spend a good five-hundred bits on one of those things in a month once."

"Syntax is an alright guy, but he's a fucking idiot," Aurora said, not taking her eyes off what she was doing. "I aint paid for shit, I just use a hacked gtk to increase my drop rate, then I get more shards to buy what I want."

"W-what are shards?" Spike asked with a little confusion. He wasn't sure what a gtk was either, but he could hazard a guess that it was something to do with cheating seeing as she'd said 'hack'. Syntax had spoken about hackers, they didn't seem like nice people but he supposed if Aurora was using one... Maybe it wasn't that bad?

"In-game currency," Aurora explained. "Save up enough and you can get the best outfits for the characters you unlock or whatever else, don't gotta spend bits on stardust. Takes a bit longer even with the better drop rate but that's fine by me, I got time to kill."

"Stardust?" Spike was still lost.

"Different currency bought with real money," Aurora flicked her eyes at him and looked annoyed, as if he should obviously know this. "It's for buying shit you want immediately or what you don't wanna grind for."

"A-and you... um, have a lot of it, the shards? Like uh, for outfits, that sounds good." Spike was trying to converse even if he really didn't get the point; it wasn't often Aurora spoke this much to him. Sure they got along well enough that Tempest felt happy, and on the couple of occasions he'd been told to work with Aurora to do something they'd never fought or anything. He wanted to do well to build rapport wherever possible.

Aurora smiled, albeit rather subtly. "It is."

She did something with the phone for a second before turning a screen to face him, and he curiously leaned in. He felt his cheeks burn as he looked upon a semi-realistic image of a rather lithe, and rather provocative stallion, that in typical Nippone fashion was extremely pretty in a way most stallions weren't, and was extremely feminine to the point that Spike was certain the only thing that made the stallion a stallion was his genitals.

His outfit was somehow more erotic than if he was naked, made of gossamer silks and faleath belts as if he was meant to be a thief of some kind, and... well, it made Spike feel warm as semi-realistic was true; the outfit had the stallion wearing a large silk ball-bra that was supporting the absolutely unrealistic size of his testicles, and they as well as his overly puffy ponut were very much in the face of the viewer, his large dick barely hidden by a partially transparent length of tight silk that pressed it against his belly. The girly stallion's expression was both annoyed and aroused behind his ninja-like hooded mask.

That was not something he saw everyday.

"Cool, huh? That outfit cost me like, two-hundred-and-fifty-kay shards," Aurora commented, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Had to grind for about a week to get it."

"I, uh, yeah." Spike nodded, a little dumbfounded. He really didn't get the point of playing a game to unlock erotic pictures, but if Aurora enjoyed it he supposed...

Both their ears perked as there was a ping from down the way, and both of them sharply turned their heads and looked back towards the lifts. Spike imagined that Aurora also felt that sense of excitement within her chest whenever Tempest was going to appear. She had that effect on people. Well, maybe for some it was fear, she did have a very imposing aura, so it was all the more special that she liked his company and was so gentle with him.

Cantering down the hall and into the lobby, Tempest stepped into view wearing her tight looking business attire again, with a smart looking saddlebag over her back and her own special box in magical tow.

"Hello, you two. I trust you're getting along?" she said with a smirk.

"Yep."
"Yes, Ma'am."

Spike side-glanced at Aurora as she didn't refer to Tempest with any level of respect in greeting, something that she commonly seemed to get away with that irked him. Aurora simply shot him a knowing raise of the eyebrows as he looked on with slight puzzlement at her. He didn't comment as Tempest came over.

"Come along. The limo's arriving to pick us up shortly, and they're rarely late."

A limousine? That sounded... expensive.

He supposed Tempest did say it was a special party, and their outfits were tailor-made by a couturière, which he knew was just Prench for a dressmaker. Even Rarity didn't have such a title, and the title alone probably lent to being even more expensive.

Tempest was spending a lot on him, and Aurora too he saw as she floated up her own box from behind the counter as she gathered her things, throwing on a baggy looking wine-red faleath jacket over her simple blouse. He glanced at Tempest as she kept her vision quite evenly on Aurora, trying to stifle his worries. He really hoped he would be befitting of a good sub at this party and make Tempest proud.

Tempest tapped a hoof impatiently as Aurora didn't hurry herself, but led on when she eventually came around from the reception desk, locking the door behind her into the reception room as she left it.

"Finally," Tempest deadpanned with a flick of her ears, though she didn't look all that angry. "Come."

Spike followed beside Tempest, exiting out of the crystal turnstile doors into the Plaza courtyard, it was situated between all four buildings making up Tempest's complete domain of printing. It was really quite impressive, and with the crystal lighting around the courtyard and the glow of the city at night, it made it flourish. Easily keeping pace he went along until they came to the pavement just before the road, and Tempest stopped.

"Ah, you're lucky, Aurora; it's only just arriving." Tempest commented.

Spike contained his regard as he saw the limo coming, pleasantly surprised in how quietly and smartly it pulled up to the curb as its headlights glared. It, like a majority of other devices of technology, was powered by gems full of pulsing energy. He didn't know the specifics of how the engine worked, just that some type of gem-spell-matrix-thing powered it and its propulsion system and needed to be charged with magic every few weeks, but it was aweing.

The limo was sleek and polished, its onyx metal chassis made from an alloy ─which meant two or more types of metal combined to be stronger, he'd learned that from a book Twilight had been studying on metallurgy once─ and carried on a strange glowing plate that was vibrating with energy, the system created by magic from pegasi that allowed it to fly along just above the ground. It was angular and aerodynamic, if a bit sinister looking with the superficial pieces on the front, back, and roof that swept back almost like fins on a shark.

Without a word, he toed over and opened the door at the back for Tempest before either of the mares had taken a step. Tempest grinned with a slight chuckle, thanking him and getting inside. Aurora smirked and gently rolled her eyes at the courteous action, getting in after her after a moment of shuffling her sizable marely backside through the door, and he quickly followed with a blush at the amusing sight of her bottom wiggling in the tight skirt, closing the door behind him.

It was very moody inside the passenger section, and he was welcomed by the sharp scent of cleaning oils and the heavy smell of upholstery balms within the cabin. There were fluorescent lighting strips either side of the limo in the upper corners, with a single light at its centre, and all three lights were quite dim which probably meant they were just made from quartz as that was a gem that didn't glow very much when given energy. It didn't help that the windows were heavily tinted, barely any light filtered inside from the strong crystal light outside. It made things feel a bit atmospheric, as when he sat down he noticed that moving his hands around looked as if he was almost within a smoky mist or something with how the ambience played on his vision.

He sat next to Aurora on the back seat, opposite Tempest, who got comfortable before the driver's window at the front of the limo, the faleath seats were wide enough that a pony could lay down quite easily and comfortably, even a pony like Aurora with her incredibly generous lower body. Spike placed his box down next to where they had both put theirs, noticing now that they were all colour coded to their bodies with small ribbon strips so as to not get mixed up, which he smiled at the thought. Almost instantly Aurora's horn ignited as she took her sleek phone out of her jacket and likely went back to her weird erotic picture game.

Tempest cleared her throat, looking at Spike.

He glanced up, meeting her intense gaze. "Ma'am?"

"We're in private now, Spike." Tempest smiled, her horn flaring too as she accessed a neat compartmental box on the side of the vehicle that blended with the limo's wall, opening it and revealing a bottle of champagne and some glasses. That was interesting.

"Sorry, Mistress." Spike gave a nod, knowing she wasn't angry. He didn't think a limo was particularly private, he had to use his intuition to guess if it was correct to call her by either moniker as and when. He guessed it made sense that the very fancy limo taking them to a very fancy special party where they'd be wearing very fancy custom outfits would be a place to be able to call her Mistress.

"This party will have certain rules you must abide by, and I have no doubt you will do your best to ensure you follow them to the letter," she began, speaking only slightly in her business tone, it was far more relaxed than usual. "When we leave the limo you are only to speak when spoken to. You may however ask me a question if it is necessary, you know your etiquette on that so be selective, and of course, you may ask to use the bathroom if you need it. If another Dominant addresses you, you will refer to them as Sir or Miss, and it will be up to your discretion to use a different title for them should they politely ask. It's often a respect granted, but it is first a respect earned. You will be spoken to by many other Dominants I would wager, I don't think I need to tell you to be polite and courteous to them, and not to talk back. The same basic rules that generally apply to you with me, apply with them as well in that regard."

She took a sip of the champagne she'd poured into a glass, her horn sparking as she smoothly floated one forward to Aurora, who nodded once and ensnared it within her own brilliantly fiery magic. Their glowing horns were the only good sources of light in the dim haze of the limo. She offered a glass to Spike, and he gingerly accepted it as she continued. He didn't really drink alcohol but he took a sip anyway and tried not to cough as he stifled his reaction at the almost heady smell. It wasn't the best tasting thing, almost acidic to his taste-buds, but it was only polite to drink it if it was offered, really.

"However, they cannot force you to do anything you are uncomfortable with. They will immediately catch on that you are without a collar, unlike Aurora─" she gave a nod towards Aurora then, and Spike saw she'd already removed her scarf to not hide Tempest's own mark of ownership, the tight ornament snug around her throat. "─and will likely wish to talk to you one-to-one if they find you as interesting as I do. The host of this party's general rule is that uncollared subs that are often in-training and even normal guests are something of an opportunity. Don't fret however, I wouldn't bring you along if I didn't think you capable of handling that little detail. Dominants may possibly invite you to sit with them and their submissives, if they have any, and it's your choice whether you take them up on that offer or not, but I would prefer you exercise caution; it's highly common for sexual activities to occur at these parties, between Dominants, submissives, or the two of differing groups. It may be that you're invited over and then such activities take place, to which I know you might be inclined to allow yourself to be assailed-"

Tempest smirked gently, giving him a knowing look which caused him to redden.

"-Out of your rather lenient attitude towards receiving positive attention, your general nature to want to please others, and your wish to not offend," she paused for a sip of her champagne, eyeing him, which he took as a sign to also take a sip of his own, even if it didn't taste all that pleasant. "Just as you accepted the champagne but don't really like it because you want to please me..." Tempest paused again as he looked away for a second with a blush, and resumed speaking after a brief chuckle when he looked back. "Don't drink it if you don't actually like it, you adorable little ditz," her smile lessened as she resumed with a more semi-formal tone again. "In such occurrences, I believe it would be best to leave their presence before anyone can ask to touch you, as permission must always be asked first, though it would not be unfair to say that without me present it would... make me agitated, and removing yourself from the situation before it escalated would make me happier-"

"For fucks sake! She doesn't want you fucking other Doms or their subs unless she's involved," Aurora cut in with a cute snort, looking up from her phone. "Celestia's divine teats, you've always got to be so long-winded."

Spike felt a very sharp rise of light-headedness as he blanched at Aurora. He would never dream of talking to Tempest that way, he couldn't bring himself to do that as he respected her too much as she was both his boss and his Mistress. He was surprised Tempest didn't do anything more than glare daggers at Aurora, and at least Aurora had the decency to look a little meeker as her ears flattened, quickly hiding behind her phone.

"...Aurora isn't entirely wrong." Tempest stated after a moment, her eyes fixing onto Spikes' own.

"I-I don't have a problem with that, Mistress." Spike replied.

"That's reassuring, then. I'll continue," Tempest dipped her head. Spike saw a slight amount of tension ease from her. She took a longer sip of her drink. "Sometimes games are played, bets are made, and subs are swapped between groups in order to socialise that sub if they need it. Most of the time fellow Dominants seek to mingle and chat while their subs talk amongst themselves, and sometimes there are separate performances by third parties or indeed other subs. It depends entirely on the party. Regardless, there is nothing done that submissives are not comfortable with, please keep that in mind," she smiled briefly. "Personally I will be looking to meet with a few of my peers, so for the first half-an-hour or so I ask that you stay at my side, at least so you can observe and get a feel for the landscape."

"Of course, Mistress."

"Good," Tempest smiled gently. "You may find other subs have free reign of the party and that they have no restrictions, and may even have permission to talk freely depending on the protocol laid down at the opening ceremony, however the protocol I've set down for you when you're with me alone will apply here regardless, and as a point of training this time around, for other subs that are not Aurora you are also not to speak to them unless spoken to. You are not to remove your mask at any time whatsoever unless it is an emergency, and if you willingly take part in a game or event and don't wish to continue, or if for any reason you feel overwhelmed or someone is trying to coerce you, force themselves on you, or hurt you; your safeword is 'raisin cookies'."

"But you... hate raisin cookies, Mistress." Spike said, a little bemused.

"Exactly," she dryly muttered, speaking up. "I will hear you and act accordingly," a smile as she finished her drink, quickly humming into the glass and perking up as she looked at Spike properly. "Hm, before I forget, silly me. You're going to need a pseudonym, you can't very well go by your normal name. As you might have guessed this whole get-together is somewhat anonymous in nature, at least by play, it's not as if some don't recognise others or get to know them but the tradition calls for it. You'll hear me referred to as Spitfire, and Aurora as Cinder."

"Spitfire, Mistress?"

"Yes, I imagine the first thought that comes to mind is the current Captain of the Wonderbolts, no?" Tempest smirked, waving a hoof. "Not many mares with that name around, and I felt it was better than going with 'Storm' or something to that effect. What do you think would fit you?"

"Uh..." Spike fidgeted slightly being put on the spot, but an idea did come. "Well, maybe... Ruby would be fine, Mistress?"

"Because you like them so much. It's perfectly acceptable," Tempest chuckled warmly, relaxing into the seat again. "You should also be aware you can use my pseudonym as your safe-word as well, as sometimes panic can occur and a sub might forget what their Dominant has said their safe-word was."

He nodded. Okay, new rules and protocol enforcement, safe-words, false names, that all worked. They'd briefly skirted on the topic of safe-words before settling primarily on different types of touch signal for safety, aware of all the risks. He remembered the rules she'd already laid down and what she'd taught so far, he was almost constantly at a medium protocol even when they were in private, he could certainly remember a few new rules and names without issue. He could do this, he used to be the number one assistant to a Princess that made about six different checklists to sort the castle library in an exact order, and he could remember how everyone took their drinks in two different office buildings; this would be a cakewalk.

"Now, is there anything I have said that you don't understand or wish for any clarification on? Any worries you might wish to air?" Tempest asked with a raised eyebrow, gently taking his unwanted glass of champagne from him, which he nodded thankfully at.

"N-no, Mistress," Spike shook his head, but stopped, quickly nodding. "Actually... um, you said the protocol might be set high, doesn't it... get a little confusing? If every Master and Mistress has their own personal protocol between their subs."

"A good question," Tempest dipped her head, meeting his curious eyes. "All Dominants tend to have a similar baseline for high protocol, at least the ones that run in this circle, hence why we are guests of this host as we adhere to the same principles of the lifestyle in what we personally see as the best and healthiest way. So, whether a more relaxed affair at medium protocol, or a bit stricter at high, you will find Dominants will not get perturbed if you don't follow their idea of protocol unless you disobey the rules laid down at the opening."

"Why don't you know the protocol or overall etiquette before the party begins?" Spike wondered.

"Because the host likes to have his fellows adapt accordingly," Tempest laughed gently. "It keeps us on the tips of our hooves, and it does make things interesting."

"O.K... that's all I wanted to ask." Spike bowed his head a little.

"Do you still want to come along to the party?"

"Yes!" Spike's head shot up, quickly adding. "Mistress."

"Hm. Good." Tempest smiled contentedly.

"Glad that's sorted," Aurora commented, not looking up from her phone, side-eyeing Spike with a look. "The rules do change sometimes but they're pretty baseline once they're set, and she─" Aurora motioned her head towards Tempest. "─hasn't changed her own rules in about forever."

"And you," Tempest sharply uttered, her magic pointing her empty glass at Aurora, who looked up from her phone with surprise. "When we arrive you are to adhere to the mute rule," her eyes flicked towards Spike before keeping on. "You will only respond to me or others with nods or shakes of the head, and you may only speak with Spike if he asks you a question, otherwise; complete silence," Tempest smirked and sat back, Spike much appreciating the explanation for his sake; she'd never hit him with a mute rule. She added with a note of finality. "You will also stay with me for the first half-hour, or however long Spike stays by me after that, no interaction with others until then."

"W-what? That's all bullshit, Mistress!" Aurora scowled, frowning at Tempest.

"Oh no no, calling me by title now won't soften the blow," Tempest's smirk gently widened into a grin as she waved the glass chidingly. "I'm also throwing you into the first few games that occur, that's your punishment for being such a damn brat."

Aurora glared at Tempest, a red tinge to her cheeks as she flushed and squirmed with annoyance, her eyes flicking to Spike as he shrunk a little watching the confrontation. He wondered if she may have felt slightly embarrassed that he was seeing her be told off so brazenly. He felt she definitely deserved it for disrespecting Tempest. To his surprise Aurora didn't question it further, simply nodding at Tempest with a gasp of indignation and anger before sharply downing what remained in her glass and returning to her phone.

"Now, Spike," Tempest turned her vision to him again, starting to drink the drink she'd taken from him. "We're not long away from our destination as this limo is fairly speedy. We will enter a security compound, and then enter a garage. When we exit the limo we will be met with a chaperone, and they will take us to a changing area," she gave a nod to the box Spike had been gifted. "Get dressed in your outfit, and join me as quickly as possible. However, if you have trouble getting changed into it then Aurora will assist, she's used to the fittings."

"Babysitting, yay." Aurora muttered wryly, not moving from behind her phone.

"Brat." Spike found himself whispering under his breath.

He reddened again and folded gently as Tempest barked out a loud singular laugh, while Aurora glowered at him but remained silent. Tempest smirked and raised her eyebrows briefly at Aurora, who promptly engrossed herself into her phone as an escape.

"Ah, new ground trodden." Tempest smiled serenely at Spike, then glanced out of the tinted windows at the streets of Canterlot with a smile still resting on her face as she sipped the champagne.

Things were certainly going to be interesting this evening.