I hung up a candle from the ceiling and lit it at the bottom by utilizing entropy magic. The wax dripped on the floor below it. I turned to Trixie, who lay on the floor. “One drop of wax on you will fulfill your punishment. You’re free to stick around if you want more. I won’t even tie you down, so you can move away from the hot wax whenever you feel like it. I won’t stop you.”

After stripping her naked, I dragged the motionless body under the candle. She kept still, even after a droplet fell onto her. Yet, I knew she was wide awake and sentient under those closed eyes. Another droplet splattered on her coat.

“Are you sure you didn’t have enough yet, Trixy? You can end it at the time of your choosing. Or you can just tell me to stop it and I’ll blow out the candle right away. It’s all up to you now.”

There was no response.

“You must feel really bad for what you did. I’m all for taking responsibility for one’s mistakes, but don’t you think this went far enough? How can you even stand all the pain? I’d imagine it would be unbearable. Just give me a signal. Any gesture will do. That’s all I need to stop this nonsense. I want to help you so badly, why won’t you let me?”

I wanted to stroke her on the head, but when I moved my hoof toward it, a drop of wax fell on my fetlock. “Auch!”

I puffed on it, but it still stung. After jumping on my hooves I trotted toward the barrel on my three legs. I sunk the injured hoof into the water and sighed with relief as the cold flow eased the burn of hot wax.

Pulling the hoof out, I removed the wax with my mouth. I still felt the sting, but I couldn’t see the burn. I wondered if I should have put a bandage over it, but decided to just toughen it out.

I heard a splash from behind me.

When I turned around, I saw that the candle was no longer fixed on the rope. It had fallen down, sticking onto Trixie’s abdomen. Apart from the streams of tears, she wasn’t reacting to it at all.

“Pet!” I raised my voice. “I think that’s enough! If you’re not putting a stop to it, then I might have to pinion your free will more by intervening. If I let you do this to yourself, you may get burnt, and that’s not a pleasant feeling. I know what I’m talking about.” I raised my injured foreleg.

If you really want to persist with your punishment we’ll just have to figure out a less damaging way to do that. How about electricity? Do you have any resistance left against that? Surely, we could squeeze some more data out of you. I’ve replaced the fuses you burned out with the stronger ones. My puppy is prepped and ready for you.“

She didn’t respond.

“I want to stop this madness so badly, but alas, I have zero agency. You’re in full control, Trixie. Why must you make me bear witness to all these detestable things you do to yourself?”

The lump on the floor twitched. Gurgling sounds came out of her mouth.

“Because of you I even hurt myself!” I yelped and lifted the injured hoof. “It’s not showing, but it does hurt me, you know?”

She wearily clambered on her legs. With a foreleg, she hoofed at the candle mounted on her chest, but it stayed firmly stuck on her.

“Trixie, I need you to blow on my burn to alleviate my pain.” I extended the injured leg in her direction. “It hurts as bad as if an ant bit me.”

Tears rushed from her eyes. “You’re hurting?” She murmured and spread all fours, trying to catch her balance. “You are hurting‽ You have no right to say that after what I just went through! It stings so bad, and I can’t even rip off the wax...”

“What’s the matter, Trixie? It’s the simplest of things that I asked of you. Just blow on my wound. You waste air constantly, anyway. It wouldn’t hurt if you put your destructive breathing to some positive use.”

“The fuck?” She sighed. “That was the last straw. I can’t bear it anymore.” Her muscles clenched as she turned around. “I’m done. No more. Fuck this shit. I’m out!” She broke into a gallop toward the wall.

I charged my horn, extended my channels and caught her just before her head impacted the hard surface. I abruptly pulled her away and floated her in the air. “What the buck was that all about?”

“Fuck you, Twilight! Just fucking kill me already. I can’t… I just can’t take it anymore. It needs to stop. I just want to end it. No more...”

I levitated up an injection with sleep paralysis up to her and shook it about.

“I don’t care...”

I levitated up my scepter and floated it to the needle.

“I won’t play a part in your stupid games anymore. Keep your insanity, but leave me out of it. From now on, I’m no longer here.” She faced away from me.

“If one’s eyes close, does the world around cease to exist?” A dildo joined the floating party in the air. “I think not!” When I squeezed the magical bubble around the device, it began vibrating at high frequencies.

“I...”

“Just keep talking pet.” I half-closed my eyelids as I gazed at her. “I’m listening. Anything you say can and will be held against you.”

“I...” She switched her gaze from one item to another. I floated them around her.

“I, I, I!” I snorted. “Is that really what we’re back to? Everything I taught you… You’re just throwing it all away?” All the items strained me, so I dropped them on a nearby table.

She kicked with a leg, but that had little effect on the binding field around her.

I levitated up Trixie's cloak toward the wall. “Well, if we’re starting over, I might as well wipe clean your forgiveness points.”

“No!” she responded.

“What?”

“I don’t think I’ll live long enough to earn them all, but they’re my one way out of here. At least I can hope. Please don’t erase my forgiveness point. I earned it.”

“Have you?”

“It’s not all about me. See, I remember.”

“Hmm...”

“Mistress, I can see that you’re hurting. May I please blow on your dire wound to ease the pain?”

“I don’t know...”

“Please!” Her eyes opened wide. “I beg you, let me blow on your wound.” She blew with all her breath in my direction. It was absurd, considering she was floating at the other side of the room.

“Well, since you’re so nice to me, I’ll return the favor. Let’s get the wax off of you.” I enwrapped the candle on her chest with magic and tore it off in one go.

“Aaa!”

“Hm... ” I floated the furry candle closer. “Trixie, you left a patch of your hair on it...”

Author's Note

Don't forget to participate in the Comment section minigame when you're done reading this chapter.