Midnight Hour [Fall of Equestria ANTIDOTE story]

The ILUNAnati's experience with Canterlot Castle varied when they were in their civilian lives. Whisper Blue worked there, of course. Crystal Clear never visited officially, and Silver Song only saw the long hallways and beautiful stained-glass decorations as a colt whilst on a school trip, as part of a history lesson. All three came here at set meetings to discuss the organisation, but it was rather different to being escorted around by a tour guide and taking the time to admire the sculptures and learn about the past events these halls had seen.

Right away, Silver Song knew there would be a marked difference. The stained glass illustrations that he had seen as a colt had changed; instead of depicting events like the defeat of Nightmare Moon, the imprisonment of Discord, and the repel of Queen Chrysalis, these murals seemed to depict the conquest of Equestria. Tall figures he didn't recognise, dressed in fur and leather, subjugating ponies and claiming the throne. Pornographic illustrations of the enslavement of mares. Informative depictions of the three collar colours that he had seen already; a red collar around a mare that was sitting submissively on a red cushion, her hands folded on her lap and her head down with a smile on her face, but rays around her to show her as the idealised figure. A purple-collared mare, her expression one of joy, but the colours around her clashing and odd to show her delirium. And at the bottom, cast down in dark colours with tears on her face and her ears down in defeat, a black-collared mare. The willing, the broken, the defiant.

The only image of the Princesses that he could see was one that depicted a very large figure, whatever cervine creatures that ruled this place, standing tall and proud with the flag behind his head, a crown held aloft between his horns, and a depiction of a defeated Celestia and Luna at his feet. Feathers fluttering off their wings, their horns broken, silver collars and chains around their necks, it depicted them as defeated, but did not show what had happened afterwards.
Perhaps that was a job best suited for the tour guide, who seemed to relish retelling the victory of the current rular.

"King Dainn, the proud and wise rular from across the frozen seas of Northern Equestria, realised something about his kind; they were heading towards a catastrophe that had been foretold many times by prophets of old. Seeing no way to stop the impending collapse, he took a few brave warriors with him towards Equestria, landing in Lindisbarne on the Eastern shores of the Crystal Empire ..."

So, Princess Cadence must either be captured, dead, or has not ascended

"First taking an audience with Princess Cadence and Prince Consort Shining Armour, they were welcomed and allowed to stay. However, King Dainn saw that Equestria was under weak rule, despite the great treasures that the land possessed. Seeing that his kind would make far better rulers, the Caribou took it upon themselves to enforce their vision of a better world. The Crystal Heart was taken, forged with rune magic, and now allows everyone to partake in the joys of ownership, submission and pleasure"

The Crystal Heart, the sacred relic within the Crystal Empire that kept it safe from the harsh winters that blighted the region, also showered the world with love and harmony. Any corruption of it ... Silver Song was starting to see how the world could have been so thoroughly tainted.

"After the fall of the Royal Sisters, the King as ruled with his council in fair and wise ways, giving us the system of the collar, and bringing peace to the land. Every stallion has the right of access to a mare, and mares have found pleasure in their new place as servants to the superior sex. No longer do they have to worry about jobs or careers; they just need to think about servicing their masters, and their masters take care of the rest"

Almost on cue, the Royal palace guards passed the tour group, seeming to appear the same as always. However, the mare guards were nude, collared with red collars, and trailing after the male guards with their heads bowed low. The same flag insignia that Silver Song had seen outside the bookstore was branded onto the rump of these mares, and the tour guide noticed his group staring at them.

"Guard mares ensure that mares who are here to service the staff are kept in line. Their reward is time spent with the council, if they are good ..."

"Can we see the council?" A unicorn stallion to the left of Silver Song spoke up, raising his hand. The tour guide shook his head.

"They are busy attending to important matters. We can, however, see the Throne room ..."

Silver Song was, in a way, relieved they wouldn't see these 'caribou', as he had no desire to look upon the monsters who had done this face-to-face just yet. Entering the throne room, the twin thrones of the Sisters were gone. Instead, there was a single throne, made of bones with leather stretched across it. Two thick, golden chains coiled to the left and right at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the throne, along with two pet bowls; one said 'Moon Slut' and the other 'Sun Whore'

Imaginative Silver Song thought bitterly. He had to bite down the urge to outright ask where the Princesses were kept, and instead focus on the strange rocks that littered the room to either side of the red walkway to the throne.

Since Whisper Blue heard the cries of the Princess, it could be taken as read that she was alive, at the very least. And based on what he had seen of this world, he had to imagine she was being used as any other mare in this dark, terrible world ...

"The royal whores are busy resting, ready to service their King. Only the highest sluts can serve, as we all know. Not to say he doesn't partake in sampling the fair castle maidens ..." A snicker amongst the tour group. Silver Song pretended to share their mirth, but he was more interested in the architecture, looking for signs that the ILUNAnati's secret network of tunnels and passages existed in this world too.

Nothing in the Throne Room, but rarely did they use such a direct path in their own world. He kept a sharp eye as the group moved through the lower parts of the castle, showing the guard rooms and the poor mares leashed here, ready for guards to 'relieve stress' with them. The ones more firmly chained were black collared, and he noted, were former guards themselves. No doubt ready to be conditioned into being guard mares for other captives.

As he tried to ignore the boasting of the guards, happy to show off their privileges to the awe of the group, he spotted something at the very topmost corner of the room. Hidden in the shadows, half-covered by masonry, was the shape of an eye with the crescent of the moon as the shine in the pupil. A sign. A sign his group did exist here.

I need to get back to the others. We need to return in the night, and find our enclave here ...