There were three principles Dr. Caballeron held in life.
One: superior planning was the key to defeating the enemy.
Two: victory could often be short, but sweet. It was important to savor each moment of it.
Three: long monologues were boring, but necessary.
Well, maybe that third one was a little bit of a stretch, but he was monologuing to Daring Do now, and things always worked best when implemented in threes.
"You see, I've been convinced recently there's a script against me," Caballeron rambled. "And no, not just the script from your books. Something much bigger than that."
He glared suspiciously around the well-lit room, located within the deepest cavern within the Palace of the Crimson Hoof.
"It makes no sense. Every single time, you win, and I lose. If life were more... realistic, maybe you would win most of the time, and I would win some of the time, but not none of the time. The real world is messy. Good does not always triumph over evil, yada yada."
He scratched his chin, staring off into nothingness. "So, I say, I'll let you win. Let's say you get out of any situation I throw at you, no matter how impossible. So what can I do, then? I pay attention to what the script tells me. First, I always get the treasure first and hold onto it, for a while. Then, I always catch you in a bad spot and leave you to lose, for a while. Finally, you always find a way to escape, save the day, and claim the treasure which should be rightfully mine. Isn't that correct?"
Dr. Caballeron casually strolled over to the motionless adventurer. Of course, it had been a rhetorical question. He was certain he was still in his "short but brief victory" phase, and if the script was right, that meant he'd get to have his way with her for a little while.
"That's right, Daring Do. So really, it was a cinch to find the Gem of Obsidian Will before you. Child's play, to combine it with some more... modern technology. When you found me, it was already too late. The second I turned it on, you were putty in my hooves."
He sneered, looking down at Daring's still form.
"And if the script is right, which it always is, one of your stupid little friends is going to come busting in here any moment, and I'm going to inexplicably do something even stupider and get my butt kicked. I bet you already even have somepony scouring the hallways this instant. That's why I chose this palace, for its many secret passageways, Daring Do. Your little friend will find us eventually, but pure random chance will slow her down. So I'm going to enjoy my victory for as long as I can."
Caballeron chuckled, basking in his own sense of grandeur. Principle one had gotten him here, and now he would enact principle two. It was so great when things aligned perfectly like that!
He fumbled with the device he had been absentmindedly stroking during his monologue, shaking his head.
If he could've kept it, nations would've paid a small fortune to obtain it. It was truly a shame Daring would just put it in some old museum instead.
Well, if that was if it worked beyond the initial tests. Dr. Caballeron held his breath as he flicked the power from OFF to ON.
Immediately, there was a spark as the mana from the magic circuitry of the modern device interfaced with the built-in enchantments of the artifact. The machine hummed and buzzed for a short while before the tip of the antenna glowed and fired a spark of magic directly toward Daring Do's stiff body.
With a jolt, she gasped, seemingly coming back to life. That was good—it meant everything was in working order so far.
Well, here went nothing.
His hooves trembling slightly, Caballeron pushed one of the levers upward from its idle position. He held his breath—
—and exhaled in relief as Daring Do's front left hoof immediately shot up into the air and pointed forward.
Caballeron basked in the surreal sight. Here was one of Equestria's greatest heroes, its most famous and feared adventurer, completely wall-eyed, sticking out her limb for no reason other than the fact Caballeron had commanded her to.
"Hah. Hahaha! Hahahahaha!" He couldn't contain it anymore. Loud, sonorous laughter filled the chamber as he howled in delight.
"I'm a genius!" he declared. "A genius!"
And in his own way, he was right. The fully operational remote control he held was truly intricate. There were four levers for all four hooves, one for the head, even two for the wings and one for the tail. A few more pre-programmed buttons could change a pony's emotional state and facial expression.
And the cherry on top: even a working microphone—when he spoke, it would be Daring Do's voice that responded.
Oh, he would have killed to see Celestia under its spell!
A shame. For now, Daring Do would do just fine.
Unceremoniously, he lowered the lever, allowing Daring's hoof to return robotically to the ground. He'd spent too much time musing already. Time to get to work.
He shifted his body toward the chest he'd packed, then paused. Why bother doing it himself when he had such a compliant puppet to do it for him?
Gripping the remote in both hooves, he began flipping the levers up, down, up, down. Smirking, he watched as Daring plainly rotated in place and began marching toward the chest herself. Though her movements were jerky and unnatural, she never lost balance—just as he had theorized. Though he couldn't control her perfectly, he couldn't just straight up make her trip and faceplant either—fortunately, her instincts still kicked in when trying to keep balance. That would make his job much easier.
He halted Daring right in front of the chest. Her face remaining unnervingly placid, her forelegs jerked until they rested on the chest, and she gripped it open with mechanical precision.
Caballeron made sure to tilt her head down so she could get a good look at what was inside. "Like what you see, my dear?"
Bundled tightly within were a countless number of silly outfits and props. There was a wide range of dresses and costumes and everything in between—it looked more like an actor's wardrobe than a villain's safekeep.
There came no response from Daring, of course.
Caballeron sighed and shook his head. Now that just wouldn't do. He pressed the button and turned the microphone on.
Moments later, Daring whirled around, her face twisted into an uncharacteristically loopy smile. Her mouth moved up and down, parroting his words with mindless glee.
"Oh, I love it so much, sir!" she singsonged. "What a lovely collection you've saved just for me. But may I ask why, sir?"
Dr. Caballeron cleared his throat, trying to hide the rapidly forming blush on his cheeks. This was his doing, after all; it wouldn't do to get flustered so easily. He straightened his posture and gave the best evil grin he could muster.
"The script, Daring Do. Maybe my victory will only be short-lived, but you know what isn't short-lived?"
Laughing, he pulled out the second device he'd been carrying and showed it off to Daring.
"Pure, high-definition, magically-engraved video footage. For someone so focused on the past as you are, I don't expect you to know what this is, so let me explain. Say hello to the newest and best-in-line CrystalCorder," he proclaimed. "With this, I'll be able to watch your 'performance' again and again. Maybe even 'accidentally' leak it to the press if I need some dirt on you. Very convenient, no?"
Daring's mouth moved again. "Oh yes, very well done, sir. I bet normally I would be sooo embarrassed by this, so it's a good thing I don't have any choice at the moment." With a deft maneuver, she was made to flutter her eyelashes at Caballeron.
"How wonderful to hear, my little toy," he mused. "Now, I'm going to turn this thing on."
With a flicker, the screen came to life, a little red pulse from an embedded ruby showing that it was recording correctly. "Now, would you be a dear and try on some of those lovely outfits?"
"Of course, sir!" Daring's body whipped up into a stiff salute. "I'll gladly obey your command, sir."
Caballeron sniggered. This was so much more fun than he'd anticipated. All he had to do was simply never show the remote. With proper editing, it would even look like Daring had done all this willingly.
Daring spun around until she faced the chest again. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe!" Her hoof dropped into the chest, mechanically whirling around like some kind of claw machine game before she withdrew an outfit from within. "This one!"
Dr. Caballeron's grin widened. "An excellent choice, my dear! And pray tell, what about this outfit spoke to you?"
Daring was made to clutch the tutu tightly to her chest. "Oh, I've always wanted to be a pretty dancer," she parroted. "Everypony always sees me as this big, mean treasure-hunting machine, but it's never really been my true life's calling," she gushed. "It's been such a big secret, and I want to thank you so much for making me brave enough to tell the world!"
Caballeron chuckled. "Of course, my dear. Well, the floor is yours."
Daring nodded. "Right away, sir."
She started suiting up, slipping into the ballerina outfit piece by piece. The tutu was pulled over her head, the silky fabric brushing against her fur as it slid down her body, settling snugly around her hips. Her hooves mechanically slipped into the soft ballet slippers, each one conforming to her feet as though they were made for her. The bodice clung tightly to her chest as her limbs, with a marionette-like precision, fastened the straps in a jerking motion, the soft material hugging her figure. Her body was made to move with a false sense of grace, rhythm forced into each step, each twitch, until the final layer was in place.
Finally, when the last frill was fluffed, and the last strap was fastened, Daring turned to Caballeron and gave a demure curtsy.
Caballeron clapped his hooves. "Bravo! It's like all that toughness has been erased from you. You look like a fine young mare."
Daring curtsied again. "Thank you, sir. I'm glad you think so, sir. Shall I do a little dance for you?"
Caballeron leaned back, still clutching the remote control, and double-checked that the CrystalCorder was still angled properly. "You may proceed."
A thought occurred to him. "I'm sorry I don't have music to play for you. But I'm sure that will be of no issue, right?"
"Of course not, sir." Daring held up her hoof with an empty smile. "But, if you'd like, you could always make my pretty little self imagine it in my head instead?"
Caballeron feigned shock, putting his hoof to his head. "Of course! How did I not think of such a thing? You must be so excited to get this underway."
Daring bobbed her head up and down eagerly. "Of course, sir. I'm ready when you are, sir."
Caballeron pressed another button—now, when he spoke into the microphone, it would channel his commands directly into Daring's mind rather than forcing her to repeat the words in sync. Leaning in, he muttered into the mic.
Immediately, the opening notes of a melody began streaming into Daring's mind: Beethoofen's Seventh. Each note sent jolts of pleasure to her nervous system, instinctive tingles of delight racing through her body. This was also perfect for Caballeron's plan. Though it was easy to march her body and direct her to perform fairly simple movements, he needed her cooperation for anything more complex, using the pleasure as a tool to trick her mind into willingly following along with his commands.
Still, he retained some control over her movements. With a quick adjustment, her upper left and lower right hooves extended, positioning her body into the perfect starting position.
As the music in Daring's mind swelled, Caballeron began to play her body like a violin.
Her limbs jerked into motion, puppeted by invisible strings as Caballeron manipulated her body with precision. Daring's hooves were made to glide across the floor, one elegant hoof raised delicately into the air, her leg trembling ever so slightly under the stilted movement. She twirled once, her head snapping to the side, her eyes wide and unblinking.
Her front legs were extended above her, her body twisted into an arabesque. Each stretch of muscle and sinew seemed to faintly tremble, not from fatigue, but from her mental struggle to process commands as best she could. Her wings and tail swayed unnaturally, too precise, too guided, as though their movement was predetermined. Her hooves tapped rhythmically, outstretched just enough to look graceful from afar, only betrayed by the slight wobble in her legs, a momentary hesitation that belied the unnatural force behind each step.
As the movements became faster and the music continued to escalate, her body was manipulated into leaps and pirouettes, each twirl guided by Caballeron's careful hoof. With each ramp in intensity, the rhythm in her steps faltered just a little bit more, fluidity transitioning into an unnatural stiffness. Her hooves quivered with the weight of not being in control.
As the concluding notes of the song played (or so Caballeron guessed) Daring made one last leap across the room and slid into a bowing position, prostrating herself in front of her new puppetmaster. Caballeron sighed in relief, letting go of the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Any more, and Daring's unseen strings would seem on the verge of snapping, ready to collapse her where she stood.
He tilted her head up, forcing her eyes to meet his.
"Was the performance to your liking, sir?"
Caballeron observed her body and breath, watching her chest rise and fall. She was no Wonderbolt, but she was still an incredible athlete in her own right—her breath was only the slightest elevated, and she had barely broken a sweat.
Caballeron smirked. He could do better than that—by the end of the night, even if Daring won, like she always did, he wanted her to really feel it in the morning. "Not bad," he said, "especially for a first performance. But I have so much more in store for you, my little toy."
Daring's lips turned upward in a smile. "Of course, sir. Anything you say, sir. I can't wait to see what you have in store."
"Go," said Caballeron. "March."
And she did, dutifully walking back over to the chest to pick out something else.
Before she did, Caballeron whirled her around to face him again. If she was going to put something else on, that meant her current clothing would have to come off. And now, that was almost as fun!
Daring's hooves moved of their own accord, slipping the straps of her tutu from her shoulders as her hips swayed in rhythm. The soft fabric peeled away slowly, revealing more of her fur, inch by inch, before she teasingly flicked it off to the side. Her hooves guided her to slip out of the slippers next, each movement of her striptease delicate. All the while, her gaze remained locked on Caballeron, her eyes half-lidded with forced allure, her lips curling in a seductive, programmed smile.
Once Daring finished undressing, she tilted her head toward the camera and gave her lips one last slow, deliberate lick. "I hope you liked that, dear audience," she crooned.
Caballeron, for his part, said nothing. There was no need to interrupt the moment with words.
Over the course of the next few hours, Daring Do was made to pull out outfit after outfit, changing her demeanor on a dime as Caballeron saw fit. There was a cosplay of some video game character he didn't recognize, but the tight clothing accentuating her body perfectly left little to the imagination. Caballeron made her believe she was being chased by monsters, and she faithfully mimicked the character's iconic lines.
Another uniform turned her into a bashful secretary, rambling on about deadlines and eager to please her 'boss'. Another costume change, and Caballeron dressed her in an outlandish circus uniform, having her adopt an equally outlandish accent as she cracked bad jokes. She was tested to her limits on how many balls she could juggle at once and how many extravagant hoofstands and cartwheels she could do before falling into a heap. Then, still while wearing that, she was made to don the lion costume lying right beside it and reduced herself to growling like a feral predator until her circus alter ego 'tamed' her. Obediently, she began balancing balls on her head and jumping through the rings she'd and made to set up earlier and forget about.
All the while, the CrystalCorder continued to engrave every action, capture every moment, record every movement, Caballeron still pulling all the strings.
At some point, Caballeron came to a rather amusing conclusion: once he retired from the whole crime thing, perhaps he could become a movie director, or voice actor, or something else along that line. A chance to scrub away his villainous deeds, and earn a blockbuster deal in the process? He was more than content living with that.
But for now, he still had one awaiting, obedient mare to attend to.
"Your next order, sir?" By this point, though Daring was still standing, she looked noticeably more tired, and Caballeron could hear her breathing heavily.
Caballeron would not push her limbs past the point of exhaustion—he was a villain, not a monster. But if he could see her collapse once, just once?
Good thing physical pain wasn't the only thing a pony could collapse from. Daring needed a reward for being such a good little toy. Perhaps pleasure instead? Now that would do the trick.
For the final time, Daring marched over to the chest, her hooves in perfect lockstep as they clacked on the ground. Ditching whatever was left of what she was wearing from her other outfits, her hoof lifted, then lowered into the chest to pick out the very last dress.
Caballeron's grin widened. He hadn't planned for this—Daring truly was picking at random each time—but it was a small sign maybe the universe had finally started to approve of him after all this time.
With careful reverence, Daring raised the maid uniform over herself and began slipping it over her head, jerkily fitting each hoof through the poofy sleeves. The soft black and white fabric wrapped over her coat, snugly covering her torso. Carefully, she slid the pastel blue panties up her legs until they hugged tightly against her rear, intentionally visible beneath her short skirt and emphasizing her well-defined muscles. She dutifully complied as she was ordered to rotate in a full circle, giving Caballeron a complete view.
To complete the outfit, Daring grabbed the feather duster at the bottom of the chest. She gave it a few experimental flicks, before opening her mouth once more. "So kind of you to leave the best for last, sir. I feel so pretty and girly in my silly maid dress. How can I be of service, Master?~"
Caballeron bit his lip. "You forgot just a little something, Miss Do."
"Oh?" Daring's neck craned as she peered into the chest. "My mistake, Master. How silly of me."
Her hooves reached inside, Caballeron careful not to throw her balance off as she leaned over the edge. After a few moments, she withdrew the pièce de résistance, presenting the small egg vibrator subserviently to him. "Saved to the end, just like you planned, Master."
Caballeron snickered. "Of course, Miss Do. Tell me, have you ever used something like this before?"
He guided her front hooves until they shuffled awkwardly against each other. "No, Master. I've always been too busy cleaning your manor to have much experience with these things. Could you show me how they work? I-if that's not too forward of me to ask, M-Master."
"Of course not, my dear maid. You can ask anything from me." Caballeron eased himself in his chair, checking once more to make sure the CrystalCorder was working perfectly. He made a mental note of the timestamp—he was sure he'd be going back to rewatch this soon. "Luckily for you, I don't have to show you anything when you can show yourself. It's convenient being hooves-off, eh?"
Daring's hooves squished her cheeks and she squealed in delight. "For sure, Master! Sometimes I just completely forget I'm completely under your control. It's almost like obeying your commands and letting you take over my limbs is second nature."
Caballeron hummed in approval. "Good girl."
He licked his lips as he manipulated the controls with deft precision. Daring's body trembled with anticipation as her hooves, stiff and jerky, moved towards her quivering pussy. With the vibrator held between her unsteady hooves, she was made to slide it in slowly, her entire body shuddering as the toy disappeared inside her. Whether from Caballeron's control, or her own natural instinct, a faint whimper escaped her lips and her tail twitched excitedly as it squeezed her inner folds.
Then, he turned it on, and she felt true pleasure.
She gave an involuntary moan, squirming at the sudden vibrating sensation. Her legs began to twitch, natural instinct acting despite her limbs receiving no additional orders from the remote. It was something she'd never felt before, and the shockwaves of sensation up her spine left her teetering on the edge of control, each pulse rippling through her trembling limbs.
"M-M-M-M-Master, i-i-i-it's inside," she stuttered. "Ohhh, I can't-"
"Shhhh." Caballeron withdrew from leaning next to the microphone, then turned it off. There was no more need to make Daring speak. The other sounds she made were more than enough. "You're going to be a very good girl and help clean my room for me, okay?"
His hoof rapidly twiddled the lever controlling her head, causing her to nod rapidly. Another few flicks, and she was sent off to brush one of the walls.
Of course, it was all roleplay. The room was hundreds of years old, and dust caked its walls and floors. Daring's silly prop feather duster wasn't suitable for even cleaning the most freshly-built apartments, but to her poor puppeted mind, there were rows of dusty shelves and books and Master needed them looking good as new post-haste.
Caballeron leaned back, his eyes half-lidded as he watched Daring begin her routine. Her limbs moved in automated sweeps, the little feather duster uselessly waving in the air as she 'cleaned' the old room. He exaggerated her every movement, forcing her tail high as she swayed her hips, skirt barely covering her rear and pastel panties as she leaned forward, dusting an imaginary shelf.
The arousal simmering within her was evident. Her breath had become shallow, and soft moans punctuated her labored panting. The vibrator nestled inside her continued its relentless buzzing, driving waves of pleasure through her trembling body.
All the while, foreign thoughts generated from the remote bombarded her mind. She had to ignore the sensations, as mind-melting as they were. She had to continue cleaning and do a good job for Master.
A trail of slick liquid began to drip down her legs, which went completely ignored as she mindlessly carried on with her silly charade. Every step she took left a faint trace behind on the stone floor, though her mind was too far gone to notice, her attention wholly on 'pleasing' her master with her cute, girly cleaning routine.
The show was brief but intense, and Caballeron watched with rapt interest until he pretended to notice another "shelf" nearby. He grinned and called out, "Daring, my dear, would you be so kind as to retrieve something from the ledge over there? There's something important you missed."
Without hesitation, her robotic movements guided her where Caballeron was pointing. Pulling back a draped cloth, she reached out and picked up a long, smooth object that left no question as to its purpose.
It was a true testament to Caballeron's depth of control that she stared at the dildo with dull, empty eyes, not even a flicker of recognition betraying her expression.
"Oh, you found it!" Caballeron said with false surprise. "That's a special relic, my dear, one that needs to be… examined thoroughly. And what better way to examine it than to, well… test it? I think you know what you need to do."
Daring was made to blink slowly, her head nodding stiffly. Her eyes followed Caballeron's hoof as it traced toward the microphone, and her mouth prepared to open again. "Of course, Master. I'll do whatever you ask."
Caballeron flicked a lever, and Daring's body began to turn and crouch, positioning itself over the dildo, her hooves gripping the edges of the "shelf" for balance. Slowly, precisely, her hips lowered toward the toy. Another flick, and her walls clenched as the toy was gently guided inside her. Her body shuddered at the intrusion, and she let out a small gasp.
There was one thing left for Caballeron to do. He gripped the lever controlling Daring's torso, and began moving it. Up, down, up, down.
Her thrusting began slowly at first. He helped her breath in tandem with her motions. Up, down, up, down. All the while, the egg vibrator continued to buzz inside her, and she was made to lift up her poofy skirt to give a full shot of the action.
With each adjustment of the remote's levers, Caballeron increased the pace, matching her movements to the rise and fall of his commands. The dildo slid deeper inside with each thrust as she grew accustomed to its girth, while the egg vibrator already nestled within her continued its relentless buzzing, overstimulating her senses.
Her moans grew louder, every thrust sending shivers of forced pleasure through her quaking body. "M-M-Master Caballeron, I'll be such a good maid for you," she whimpered. "I-I'll clean everything, Master, just like you want. M-make sure everything's perfect… for you!"
Her body moved with a rhythm she could not control, hips bouncing up and down, impaling herself on the toy. Her maid uniform clung tightly to her, her short skirt flipping up and down with each motion, exposing her pastel panties and the trail of slick liquid dripping down her thighs.
"S-s-s-so proud to serve you," she squealed. "Anything you want… I'm your good girl… a-ahh…"
Her mind was on fire. Every neuron tingled with pleasure. And just as promised, her fur ran slick with sweat and her body ached but in such a good way. Long gone were memories of the proud adventurer who thwarted Caballeron at every step—now, she was but his humble servant, and it was her highest obligation to let him pull her every string.
"G-g-good puppet for master… m-master owns me… m-master c-controls me…"
She was tensing muscles she didn't even know she had. It felt almost like a dam was about to burst. Caballeron was feeling it too, his own arousal peaking with hers.
Suddenly, a shout echoed from the hallway beyond. "Daring, you said you'd be back hours ago! If this is a prank, this isn't funny!"
Caballeron cursed under his breath. It seemed Daring's friend had finally caught up with them. It was a royal shame he didn't have two remotes with him. But such was life when the script came calling.
"Well, looks like our meeting has been cut short," he muttered to the half-lucid pegasus. Though at first he frowned, he began to smirk as he continued to watch Daring ride the dildo passionately.
Maybe the script wouldn't let him finish his evil plans. But it certainly said nothing about how he had to leave heroes when they were found.
With a button press, the CrystalCorder whirred to a halt, and finished its recording. He quickly packed it into his bag, all while soaking in every last one of Daring's moans.
Before he made his speedy getaway, he relayed one last simple set of programmed instructions to her body. Up, down, up, down, all the way to the point where her friend would burst in the room, and be treated to quite the final spectacle.
So away he went, still clutching his remote control as he left Daring in her little dress riding the toy, panting and moaning as she helplessly carried out her controlled motions.
The script told him soon Daring would recover, and then he'd probably get caught, and lose the artifact, and suffer yet another defeat.
But, it also told him he would run away, back again to play some other day.
Caballeron smiled. Maybe losing wasn't so bad after all.
Author's Note
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the story, I'd really appreciate if you left a like <3
