“Guys! We've been looking for the wrong queen! We don't need the Queen of the Hippos! We need the Queen of the Hippogriffs! Part pony, part eagle!”

Capper leaned forward, a gleam in his eyes. “Oh! Oh, the Hippogriffs! Now, the trouble with that is… no one knows… where they are…”

But Twilight was focused. “Says here they're on the top of Mount Aris!”

Pinkie Pie pointed outside with a bright giggle. “You mean the mountain right outside the window?”

Capper gave an awkward smile. “Objects in windows may be less mountainous than they appear. Heh heh heh...”

Determination settled in Twilight's eyes. “Let's go, everypony.”

Capper gasped as Twilight began to leave, sprinting over to cover the door. “Wait!” he blurted, a claw stretching toward them. “You can't—you can't make it by y'allselves. You need an airship! And lucky for you, I can get you a ride.”

Twilight eyed him skeptically and pushed him out of the way. “I think we can get there on our own.” She opened the door, and—

“Heeeere's Verko!”

Twilight's breath caught, her gaze snapping to the grotesque figure awaiting her: a mole rat with an unsettling grin plastered across his face.

“These ponies better shoot rainbow lasers out their eyes if they're gonna settle your debt!” Verko mocked, gesturing grandly as his cronies heaved a massive cage forward. “Brought the big cage. Let's load 'em up!”

“Debt? What do you-” Twilight whipped her head around and gave Capper a furious gaze. “You… you betrayed us?”

Capper's mouth fluctuated somewhere between a smile and a frown, and he tucked his tail between his legs. “A cat's got to earn a living somehow, right?”

“No more chit-chat, whiskers. We'll take it from here,” the mole rat interrupted. Before Capper could so much as lift a paw, he and his minions began advancing on Twilight and her friends.

Twilight gritted her teeth. “So be it,” she resolved. She'd fought off monsters, ancient enchantments, time travel… these small fry compared to the Storm King would be nothing. “Let's do this, girls!”

“I'm on it!”

“Yeppers!”

“Ready to kick some flank!”

“Excuse me? Ladies? I think you should really be looking out for-” Capper's sentence was cut off as, immediately, all hell broke loose. Verko and his minions began to charge at the same time, just as even more assailants came streaming from the roof and through the windows.

Twilight needed to think fast. She threw up a magic shield to fling away the nearest attackers and fired bolts of energy at the biggest ones to intimidate the little guys, protecting her friends from those who got too close for comfort.

Through momentary glances, she could see her friends fighting beside her, barely fending off the horde that had converged on them. Rarity was using her magic to levitate debris as projectiles, while Rainbow Dash and Applejack bucked any creature that got within range of their hooves. Even Fluttershy was helping by distracting some of the smaller enemies.

It was an admirable effort, but no matter how hard they tried, it didn't seem to end. Twilight was very briefly reminded of her fight against the changeling horde—except instead of winning through sheer numbers, her current opponents always seemed to get up no matter what, even after being knocked down.

To her right, there was a cry. Twilight whipped her head around and saw Rarity collapse to the ground. She was covered in some kind of glowing net—no doubt some primitive magic-infused weapon they had seemingly acquired. This wasn't good. Twilight was getting tired, too. If this kept up…

Twilight swallowed hard. “Girls, we need to get out of here!” she shouted.

Rainbow Dash looked up, barely dodging another glowing staff that had been prodded her way. “But Rari-”

“We'll come back for Rarity later! I promise.” It was a hard call, but it was the right call. Either only Rarity got captured, or all of them got captured. Twilight's horn flashed with one last boom, sending shockwaves through the crowd and briefly stunning most of the attackers. She turned tail and sprinted for the other end of the house. Soon, her friends followed, kicking away the last of their attackers and galloped or flew in her direction.

“How do we get out?” yelled Applejack.

“Brace for it, girls!” Twilight took a deep breath and pooled magic into her horn. It glowed brighter and brighter until, with a great bang, she projected it out and leveled the wall.

With a whoop, Twilight began to sprint through the hole she made, but then—

There were other ponies on the other side.

What were they doing here? Were Twilight and her friends not the only ones? She tried reading their expressions but found it impossible to tell if they were confused, relieved, surprised, or frightened.

Still, if they were ponies, Twilight intended to help them too. Celestia be damned, she wasn't just going to finish her quest and forget about those she met along the way! “I don't know how you guys got here,” she said quickly, “but you need to go.” She galloped up to one and quickly inspected her to make sure there were no hidden traps, wounds, or bindings. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I'm here to help-”

Whoomp!

W-what?

Twilight gasped in pain as a punch connected hard with her stomach, forcing air out of her lungs. What were they-

“You jerk, I'm going to- agh!” In the corner of her rapidly blurring vision, she saw Rainbow being ambushed from behind, one efficient blow sending her reeling to the ground.

Twilight didn't understand why she was being betrayed, but as another blow landed and she began to lose consciousness, the last thing she could see was that pony's cold, unblinking eyes.

Not long after Twilight and her friends had been hauled off and the scene cleared out, a dark purple unicorn with a broken horn stepped foot into the center of Klugetown. She slowly panned her eyes across the scene of devastation around her and gave a slow, meaningful whistle.

“Impressive.”

Twilight awoke with a pounding headache. She groaned as she blinked away the spots in her vision, feeling her way around the confines of her area.

Her friends! Where was she?

Her eyes shot open as she scrambled to her hooves. Though the glaring light that beamed down upon her made it difficult to see, there was no doubt she'd been enclosed in some kind of small glass cube.

Around her, it appeared her friends were in similar predicaments. Twilight could see, but not hear, them as they all came to their senses with various levels of confusion. She tried to cry out to them, but from how the glass seemed to refuse to echo even within her own chamber, she was pretty sure they wouldn't be able to hear her either.

She needed to break out of here, then. She readied a spell only to find that it fizzled into nothingness and sent tingles racing into her head. Desperately, she tried banging on the walls, but found they were thick and sturdy.

“Careful, girly. That glass is magic-proof and very expensive,” a voice taunted.

The same voice from the attack. Twilight's eyes narrowed into slits. “You!”

The smirking mole rat seemed to pay her no mind. “And that's, of course, just backup for the magic blocker I put on your horn. Comes with a lock, one you probably won't be able to break very soon. Also expensive. But hey, it's what you call an investment.”

Dozens of thoughts raced through Twilight's mind. Who were these guys? Did they work for Tempest or the Storm King? Or were they some unknown secondary threat to Equestria? What did they want from her?

Maybe to find out, she needed to bluff.

She banged on the glass once more. “I swear, once Princess Celestia finds out I'm missing, you're going to be in big trouble!”

Again, Verko seemed to pay no attention to her comments. Evidently, the glass would not let sound out, but it would let sound in. “All right, all right. Quit your banging. How about you just sit there nice and good and get ready to join the rest of your little pony friends soon?”

Her friends? What did he mean by that? Twilight looked over at the other girls and found they were all being attended to as well. But nothing had changed about them—what did he mean?

Her eyes followed his gaze. He wasn't staring at her friends at all. No, he was looking at the ponies who she'd found waiting for her behind the wall.

Except there was something… different about them. They were all standing in some sort of organized grid, and completely unmoving. Some stared straight ahead, and some had their heads slumped over like they'd fallen asleep standing up. All were completely expressionless and had some kind of wire attached to them that extended to the ground.

It was one of the most unequine things she'd seen, and her stomach twisted in nervousness. What had Verko meant when he said she'd be like… this?

He seemed to notice the look on her face and chuckled loudly. “Don't worry about it! It only hurts a little, promise. We've had a lot of time to iron out the kinks in the procedure, as you may see. It might even make you feel good, real good.”

Twilight didn't like how his voice sounded when he said that last part. She cursed under her breath and banged against the side of the glass again.

Verko sighed and rolled his eyes. “Listen, I've done this before with many other ponies, but you've got to be one of the most stubborn I've seen.” He craned his neck over his shoulder. “Maruk, lever time.”

Twilight grimaced. She knew the tone of a villain who was already convinced they'd won. She clenched her jaw, steeling herself for whatever was coming, even if she couldn't win. No matter what, she'd go down with pride and wear the title of “most stubborn pony” like a badge of honor.

The minion who was presumably Maruk nodded and wrapped his hands around an impressively large industrial lever that looked almost as tall as him and pulled.

Almost immediately after, Twilight could hear the hissing of escaping steam above her. There were whirs and clicks of parts unknown, and Twilight's gaze turned toward the array of multicolored buttons that Verko presided over. So, that was it—they’d built some sort of… machine. In better times, she would have loved to inspect it—her studies of magic had meant that mechanics were not her strong suit.

In better times, and not now. If Verko was going to finish her off with some kind of machine, it would have moving parts. Nothing too different from any of the other creatures she fought. If she couldn't destroy it (as much as she wanted to keep and study it), then one of the other girls would. She once again cast a quick glance at them all, and they all seemed equally determined to fight—everypony had understood the message.

Verko had caught her eyeing the control panel, evidently. “You're a curious one, aren't ya? I can tell you all about it if you'd like. Even if it won't change anything.”

For a moment, the series of clicks and whirs halted. “All ready? Clear!” shouted Maruk.

“We all good, boys?” Verko called to the others, who all nodded. “Excellent.” His claw shifted toward the first button and pressed.

This was it. Twilight's stance lowered as she prepared to fight…

…Only to be surprised when a pink gas started seeping into the chamber.

It began to spread and diffuse quickly, and Twilight's expression shifted to one of confusion. “Wh- wha-?”

Though she tried holding her breath at first, Twilight's prayers were answered as she reluctantly inhaled the gas and found it did not immediately seem toxic or nauseous. Whatever it was, it honestly smelled… nice—something like a mix between almond and cherry.

She took another whiff—a larger one—like she was a foal in a bakery. Its scent was not exactly irresistible, but it was one of those things Twilight felt she had to inhale over and over again to capture its full profile.

Around her, her friends were doing much the same, their formerly determined expressions morphing into more placid visages. Twilight could feel her own heartbeat slow, and she squinted her eyes, trying not to let a sudden wave of sleepiness overtake her.

She winced in pain as her headache momentarily returned, sending shocks racing through her mind. When it subsided, she felt her thoughts become even more sluggish, no matter how quickly she tried to think. More importantly, there was a buzzing in her head that felt… quite nice. It spread from the base of her spine to the rest of her body like an itch that was being scratched at the same time.

Her movements were even becoming slow and lethargic. In the moment, it simply felt easier to just sit and inhale the pleasant-smelling gas and do exactly what her captors wanted.

Which, even if her thoughts were becoming jumbled, she wasn't going to do. Weakly, she tried lashing out again, but it felt like wading through water, and she only got so far before her legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground in a heap.

Was this it? Maybe it was what they'd done to those other ponies—turn them into dumb sheep.

Unfortunately, it wasn't so straightforward. The next few things happened all in quick succession. Verko and the others, evidently having determined the ponies had been sufficiently placated, pressed the next button. Before Twilight could react, a hole in the ceiling withdrew and two metallic chassis with straps attached shot down and scooped her sluggish body up. She could feel her front and back legs being slid into something cool and hard before hearing hisses and clicks and finding herself stretched out, completely unable to move around.

There was far less gas leaking in now, and Twilight felt her mind start to lurch back toward painful awareness. Part of her almost wished there would be even more of it throughout the entire process so she wouldn't even have to think about what she was being subjected to.

But it meant the part of her that wanted to fight was returning. She tried struggling against her restraints, but winced as a light electrical zap pierced through her body. When she tried again, the feedback was even stronger, and she had to grit her teeth to prevent herself from moaning in pain.

“Careful, girlie,” said Verko. “We didn’t build this thing to kill ya. How about you just play by our rules, okay?” He pressed the next button in the sequence. “Just sit pretty and let us do our alignment without problems.”

Gears and wheels continued to whir and click above her. Twilight glanced above her and was able to see the internals of the machine at the same time—a mishmash of intricate cogs, belts, and chains of wood, brass, and iron turned in lockstep, shifting the chassis toward the center of the room.

Verko was looking, too. “She really is something else, isn’t she? While you ponies were practicing magic and all that, we had a bit of a tech boom ourselves. Our little town may look like nothing but dirt and poverty on the outside, but there’s a pretty little engine at the heart of it all.”

Twilight felt the machine thud as it came to a halt. There was a series of new hisses and squeaks as hidden parts adjusted.

Verko knocked on the glass. “This is the part where it gets fun,” he said. “It all happens very fast, so just pretend like you’re on a rollercoaster or something, okay?”

Twilight scowled at him. “Screw you.”

Verko simply shrugged and pressed the next button.

Suddenly, Twilight found herself being lurched upward toward the ceiling. At the same time, more parts of the ceiling opened up, and machine arms came reaching down toward her. They each carried different metallic parts, and to her horror, Twilight quickly realized they looked like parts of her body.

“It’s a bit like armor,” Verko shouted above the noise. “But way cooler, in my opinion. You’re gonna see it start to wrap around ya—this is why we had to align you, by the way. It doesn’t work if we don’t.”

And indeed, the machine arms didn’t seem to attack her, only surround her. The first piece of aluminum wrapped around her ankle, and she shuddered at the cool touch.

Parts encased one leg, then the next. Twilight again tried to thrash to and fro, and this time, the machine didn’t even bother to shock her—she was already completely within its grasp. She heard noises behind her, and gasped as a solid backplate to a chestpiece was pressed against her spine, quickly followed by a front panel that locked into place with a solid click.

For not the first time that day, Twilight felt the air being pushed out of her lungs. The chestpiece wasn’t exactly restrictive—it was flexible, and she could still swivel around—but it was tight, and her own body had no choice but to mirror its shape.

She was only given a moment of recovery before the machine continued its unrelenting assault. It pressed against all her hooves, threading metal rings through them like sleeves. Each joint was sealed with sharp-smelling rubber, slowly covering up whatever visible parts of her body that remained. Padding was attached to her waist and thighs before her tail was wrapped up until it pressed against her back, and the entire area was encased in several more curvy plates.

As Twilight was wrapped up more and more, her feelings of panic could only heighten. The last remnants of the gas had cleared, leaving her only with a mild tingle that scrambled her frantic thoughts. Only a few parts of her remained unenclosed—her head, wings, and…

She gasped as two last triangular pieces were slotted neatly beneath her navel and dock—directly into her awaiting marehood and ass.

The metallic tendrils slid with an unexpected tenderness. Twilight groaned as her most sensitive parts were invaded, squeezing against her until they were inserted all the way.

Verko watched from behind the glass, a knowing smirk on his face. “What did I say about pleasure, my little pony?” he taunted, his voice echoing through the chamber, reaching Twilight through her daze. “Let me show what happens when you’re nice and good and compliant for me.” He reached out and pressed another button.

The vibrations from the inserts began gently, like a whisper that caressed her senses, causing a low moan to escape from her throat. As they hummed away, her body instinctively clenched around them, eager to experience every sensation.

It was only then Twilight realized the gas had not just succeeded in making her tranquil—it had also been making her horny.

Her body, constrained and stretched, started to respond involuntarily to the rhythmic pulses. It was as if each tremor coaxed her mind further away from her predicament, luring her into a haze of confusing pleasure.

Twilight's wings fluttered helplessly, the sensation reverberating through her entire being. Her breaths came quicker, shallower, as the feelings built with an unrelenting persistence.

And then, it stopped.

Twilight’s mind reeled in confused arousal. She was this close. Why had it stopped? Was she being toyed with?

Verko tsked. “That’s just a sample, girlie. If you want the full package, you’re going to have to show why you deserve it.”

Twilight blushed with a mix of shame and frustration. It was embarrassing just how easily she felt herself succumbing to this… second-rate villain. Even now, her marehood winked with need, clenching around the part still firmly inserted within her. As the final few parts came carried toward her, her wings writhed and her head twitched, but whether consciously or unconsciously, she struggled less than she would have otherwise.

If she wasn’t escaping from this, she might as well just go along with the process… r-right?

Two plates clasped around each wing with a hiss and click, immobilizing them completely. They were slotted neatly into a resting position on her back, before another large piece covered them completely. From the outside, it looked like she was just another normal unicorn—save for the metallic body.

She bit her lip as more elastic rings slipped around her neck, enough to prevent her from moving around freely, but not too tight to cut off her breathing. There was no use in fighting it—she lifted her chin, aiding the machine in its process.

She yelped as she was awarded another small buzz for her efforts. “Yeah, just like that,” crooned Verko. “Almost done now, okay?”

Twilight pursed her lips. She wasn’t quite ready to address him directly, yet.

“This part is a little delicate. You’re gonna need to hold your head steady if you wanna prevent yourself from getting hurt.” Verko pressed the next button.

And with one last series of whirs, the final two pieces were lowered toward the last of Twilight’s unenclosed body. In front of her, she saw a sculpted metal mask. There was some sort of glass coating around the eyes, holes punctured around the nostrils and throughout the mask for breathability, and a carefully-engineered set of levers around the snout that would enable her to move her mouth up and down.

Near the base of the horn protruded a small nub with an intricate set of patterns engraved on it. Twilight’s eyes widened as she realized it must be the key to her horn. No doubt, it could be turned open or closed when fully on, almost like she was some kind of… magic gardening hose.

Not daring to move an inch, Twilight glanced behind her as best she could. The other half of the mask was also quickly approaching, and beside the space that would contain her mane, there were a series of cables and tubes she couldn’t puzzle out. Most importantly, there was a thick wire stringing out directly from the back of the head, much like the one she’d seen already attached to the other ponies.

Closer and closer the two parts came, right until they were tickling at her fur. Twilight held her head as best she could and squeezed her eyes shut and waited until she could feel the metal press against her snout and forehead.

If the procedure had been constrictive so far, this was another level. As the two halves of the mask latched into place, she could feel every cheekbone, every inch of her horn, every part of her face squished against the mask, sealing her in completely. She felt it invade her nose and mouth, smelling and tasting the bitter flavor.

With every movement, every breath, her body pressed against its new frame. She was completely trapped.

Slowly, reluctantly, she opened her eyes, and observed the world around her with her new tinted vision.

“You can move around now,” said Verko. “It helps with the calibration.”

Calibration? What calibration? Still, Twilight lifted one hoof, then another. Her breath hitched as she looked down and no longer saw lavender fur, but bits and pieces of alloy bonded with rubber. A slight creak accompanied every step she took. It was harder, but not difficult, to walk around her enclosure, and she moved all the way up to its edge until the tug of the wire connecting to the back of her head reminded her she still wasn’t entirely free.

She tried to dismiss the obvious thought that came. A wire keeping her tied up, like a leash on a dog.

It was better to think about other things—like her friends. Were they okay? As she looked around, she sighed in relief. They were all geared out, just like her, with near indistinguishable body shapes. Twilight realized it must be what she looked like to the others, too. But at least they were okay, stumbling around their own enclosures just as she was.

“Stunning.”

Twilight whipped her head around to look at Verko.

“Simply stunning! You ponies look magnificent in silver,” he proclaimed, clapping his claws. “I’m sure at least one of you must think my fashion sense is simply terrible, and I just think it’s funny no one’s seemed to realize what you’re really supposed to look like.”

He leaned in toward Twilight, and leered at her. “Wanna make a guess, sweetheart? What do you call a pony who looks like she was built a few hundred years in the future, follows orders without question, and has a brain that looks oh so programmable?”

It was such an odd question… and yet.

Twilight had seen smaller versions of metallic automata before, sure. She’d seen comic books and heard postulations and drawn diagrams and attended lectures and-

But it was all theory, wasn’t it?

Verko had made no mistake when he’d said programmable.

Oh, oh no.

“Ding ding ding,” exclaimed Verko. “I sincerely hope you ponies enjoy your new robot lives.”

He pressed one more button and Twilight’s vision exploded into a torrent of color.

Many things happened at once. The glass Twilight had been seeing out of fluoresced with a glowing rainbow, assaulting Twilight’s entire field of view with waves upon waves of light. She felt a spark from the wire connect with her mind, piercing into her psyche. Every part of the robot exoskeleton seemed to tighten around her just a bit more, right as the two bits in her marehood and ass began to vibrate again.

For a second, Twilight’s mind began to race as it struggled to take in the overwhelming display. But then there was the scent of almond and cherry again and as the pleasant gas began to leak into the mask, she inhaled deeply—in and out. In and out.

She huffed as her thoughts began to slow once more. Her concentration, no longer divided, settled on the hypnotic spirals dominating her vision, pulsating and swirling with an almost predatory intent. They lapped at the corners of her mind, matching her breath. In and out, in and out, pulling her deeper toward its center.

Deeper into trance.

There was no need to comprehend all that was happening to her. It was simply much easier to… let go.

She was feeling so calm now, wasn’t she? So focused and compliant and good. So desperate and horny.

As if the very essence of submission was being painted across her mind.

Her breathing grew heavy as the vibrations from the plugs intensified, and she felt them slide and shift around inside her. Though her legs wanted to squirm, her robot frame kept her in place, still as a statue as she was converted.

Electrical signals from the wire raced through her mind like a lightning bolt. She could feel it spreading through her thoughts, coating every axon with its influence. It felt a bit like submerging herself in water, every new thought carrying just a little bit more weight.

They redirected and reshaped her neurons. With pulse after pulse, Twilight could feel the subliminals being seared into the core of her mind, just as she could see the words flashing on the screen in front of her, burrowing into her consciousness.

They were clear, distinct, echoing within her head with a relentless persistence: Submit. Obey. Free yourself from thought.

Twilight's entire body shuddered as the sensations intensified. The exoskeleton almost seemed to meld against her fur, binding her to her new reality. The vibrations in her marehood and ass continued, teasing her relentlessly, each pulse amplifying the messages being drilled into her brain.

“Submit,” the signal commanded, resonating within her very core. “You are no longer Twilight Sparkle. You are a drone. A mindless drone. You exist to serve.”

Her resistance waned, her thoughts becoming even more muddled and slow. The buzzing pleasure in her body made it hard to concentrate, her rational mind succumbing to the blissful haze of obedience. The hypnotic spirals seemed to draw her in further, captivating her with their endless dance, erasing her will with each mesmerizing swirl.

Her eyes threatened to roll into her head from the pleasure alone. Every huff of gas heightened her arousal and dissolved any modicum of opposition. Her legs began to tremble, and she barely even noticed she was beginning to whimper.

“Succumb to pleasure,” the voice ordered, each word feeling like an iron weight. “Let go of your thoughts. Let go of your resistance. Become what you were always meant to be.”

Twilight's breaths came in ragged gasps. The pleasure was becoming unbearable, her mind desperate to surrender to the euphoria that enveloped her. Her thoughts were becoming less and less her own, each one twisted and reshaped to fit the mold of submission.

“You are a drone. A mindless, obedient drone.”

The words echoed louder, her entire being consumed by the relentless repetition. It was getting hard, so hard to distinguish the foreign voice from her own. Her jaw hung slack and her eyes began to dull, losing their formerly inquisitive sheen.

It was as if there was an entire orchestra pounding her with a perfect harmony of notes, sweeping her away helplessly in its musical current. And yet, it was an orchestra that still needed its final conductor to step into place.

Was she ready to give it all up for this?

She took one step toward the podium.

She felt the memories of the past few days wash over her—seeing her beloved mentor turned into stone, travelling with her friends to save the world once again.

The next step was heavier, but she took it nonetheless.

She remembered fighting and defeating villain after villain, proving herself and ascending to become Equestria’s next alicorn princess.

Another step. Her hooves felt like lead.

She remembered moving to Ponyville and meeting her friends.

Her hoof stopped halfway. Some part of her remembered the peril they were in now. No, she couldn’t give them up, even if it felt so good to.

The vibrations stimulating her stopped again, and Twilight’s loins burned with an aching fire. No! She needed this!

The machine would not be denied. It doubled down, surging another pulse of gas and sending even stronger waves of pleasure through Twilight’s body. Her metal prison creaked as it seemed to tighten even more around her.

Twilight’s body began to betray her. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She was teetering on the edge, her body begging for release while her mind tried to fight it. Even as she tried burning the image of her friends in her mind, the picture grew farther and farther away, pulled away by her inescapable physical desire.

The voice continued its relentless assault, drilling deeper into her mind, repeating itself over and over. “Submit. Obey. Free yourself from thought.”

Twilight’s legs trembled violently, her resistance waning. She wanted to hold on to her memories, her friends, her identity, but the pleasure was overwhelming. The vibrations intensified, sending shockwaves of bliss through her.

“You are a drone. A mindless, obedient drone.”

Twilight’s willpower cracked, her thoughts becoming more and more muddled. The hypnotic spirals drew her in deeper, her resistance crumbling. The gas clouded her mind, her thoughts becoming a foggy haze.

Then, a single thought pierced through the chaos. There was no need for her to fear losing her friends. Together, they’d join her in obedience, and set her free.

The pleasure in her body reached a peak, her vision flooded with the hypnotic spirals, and with one final, overwhelming wave, her mind shattered.

As the vibrating resumed, Twilight's body convulsed in an instant, earth-shaking orgasm. She cried out, gasping and moaning as parts of her mind were rewritten with no resistance. She remembered meeting Celestia, and her worship and awe were replaced with a mindless subservience to the machine. Her upbringing—she’d always been made to obey her masters. Her manifestation of devotion toward her friends was pointed toward her true, new purpose.

The suit seemed to react to her climax, the internal mechanisms milking her for every drop of cum. The metallic tendrils inside her pulsed and contracted, drawing out her release with meticulous precision.

The pleasure was all-consuming, her mind a haze of euphoria. The vibrations seemed to sync with her contractions, drawing out the orgasm for what felt like an eternity. Her vision blurred, and her body trembled uncontrollably as the suit continued to milk her, ensuring no ounce of her climax was wasted.

As it did, Twilight continued to feel bits and strings of commands rewire her mind. To her conscious mind, it was indecipherable, but her programmed mind could sense it scan and read through every memory, rifling through her very being like an open book to be parsed by her captors. And as each memory was replaced, and the new Twilight began to take hold, the old Twilight was relegated to some far corner in her head, just as a simple backup system that deserved a nice, long slumber.

Twilight Sparkle ceased to exist. In her place was a mindless drone, obedient and eager to serve.

As the orgasm finally subsided, Twilight's body slumped within the suit, completely spent. The suit's grip remained firm, holding her in place as she panted, her mind now fully conditioned to its new reality. She stood there, encased in the metallic shell, her eyes vacant and devoid of any spark of individuality.

Just like that, everything stopped. The machine, having ensured its victory, withdrew its last arms. It stopped stimulating her and pumping her with gas, for drones did not need pleasure to obey.

It cleared the hypnotic spirals from her vision, and as she was made to see again, she confirmed the presence of five other unmoving drones, standing as diligently as she was. It filled her with a sense of unity.

Her head swiveled toward the tapping on the glass. Verko was peering at her while scrawling notes.

“How are we feeling, princess?”

It took her a moment to realize he’d been addressing her with an informal nickname, rather than with her former title. She opened her mouth, only to remember she had not been ordered to speak.

“Wonderful. Test one, pass. Drone, you may speak.”

How did she feel? Did she feel at all?

An answer was provided to her via the wire connecting her to central command. “This unit feels as she is commanded to feel, Master.”

“Excellent. Amazing. Test two, pass.” Verko scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Identify yourself, please.”

She was quickly learning that when she was connected, there was no need to think on her own behalf. “This unit was formerly identified as Twilight Sparkle, Master, but has been permitted no personal memory of being this pony.”

Verko checked another box, and clicked his pen shut. “And test three, pass. Congratulations on your full conversion.”

He pressed the final button on the panel, and the walls surrounding her lowered into the ground. She was being set free.

Another set of commands were channeled through her head—but instead of noticing any mental change, she felt the lock on her horn twist, and her mana began to flow free once more.

Not long before, she would have taken the opportunity to launch herself into the mole rat and tear his base into rubble, before scrambling away with her friends. Now, it was impossible to even conceive such a thing.

Gears and motors clicked away inside her robot exoskeleton, forcefully tugging her limbs so that one hoof lifted, then the next. She was being made to walk.

New signals channeled into her mind ensured she complied. As her synapses fired, her body followed—left, right, left, right. She marched mindlessly into the center of the room. Beside her, her friends silently followed in perfect lockstep.

As they convened in the middle, no pony even acknowledging the presence of the others, they sorted themselves into an even grid and were turned to all face the same direction, just like the ponies Twilight had wondered about so keenly earlier had done.

No sooner, her mind went completely blank. It was like being put into standby mode—no commands, no orders. Her head hung loosely, and as her friends slumped beside her, her brain did not even process seeing it.

“Now, let’s see what we have here…” In front of her, Verko turned to another monitor powered by enhanced magitech. Pressing a few more buttons, the screen flickered to life, and began scrolling through the memories of Twilight and her friends, as if replaying a movie.

Though at first he only observed with a casual interest, he began to lean forward more and more, until with a long whistle, he leaned back and put his claws behind his head. “Well, well, well.”

He ambled toward them, his thoughtful expression slowly turning into a wolfish grin. There was no mistaking what the memories had told him. “If it ain’t the six legendary Elements of Equestria I’ve caught in my little trap.”

“Look at you, the once powerful Elements of Harmony, reduced to my lifeless dolls. All that strength, all that power, and now… now you’re nothing but obedient little robots.”

He slowly circled them, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. “You see, my original plan was simple. Capture some ponies, shove them into these lovely metallic frames, and sell them off for their bodies. You know, make a quick buck. But you six… oh, you six have given me so much more.”

Verko stopped in front of Twilight, his grin widening. “With the six of you under my control, the possibilities are endless. Imagine it, drones. Equestria, ripe for the taking. No one would ever suspect the beloved Elements of Harmony could hand their country over on a silver platter. We’ll infiltrate, we’ll conquer, we’ll rule.”

He leaned in closer to Twilight, his voice a low whisper. “And the best part? No one would ever know. They’ll think it’s still their precious Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack. They’ll never see the metal and gears beneath your skin, the mindless obedience in your eyes.”

He licked his lips. “Answer, drone.”

Twilight was relayed a single command. Instantly, she sprung back to life and bowed before her new master. “Of course, master! I wouldn’t think twice before betraying Equestria for you, master.” As soon as she finished, her expression again dimmed as she was brought back into standby.

A breathy moan sounded from behind her. Verko turned toward the source and tsked at his henchman who’d been looking at Twilight with wanton need.

“There’ll be time for that later,” stated Verko. “For now, we have some appearances that need making.” He called out to the larger crowd that had formed around them. “Pelt reconstruction, now!”

There was a clamor as Verko’s minions scrambled to man new machines and start new sequences. Twilight’s exoskeleton was powered up again, and though her mind was not activated, her body felt it scanning her entirety, her fur warming up bit by bit as sensors passed over each inch.

When the scan was complete, a light turned green somewhere, and a button was pressed, causing another machine to turn on.

Verko watched with anticipation it whirred to life. Gears clicked and turned, and pistons pumped rhythmically, creating a steady beat that echoed through the room.

Mechanical arms equipped with fine, precise needles began to extend from the main body of the machine. They carried dyed threads of purple fabric that matched Twilight’s coat identically, fed by spools of soft lavender cloth. As they thrummed and moved back and forth with lightning speed, a fabric was weaved with delicate precision. Each stitch was meticulously placed, naked to the public eye and creating something indistinguishable from real fur.

A secondary set of arms emerged, carrying different textured threads that matched Twilight’s mane and tail. Each thread was individually strung and stretched. One arm acted as a comb, brushing away any frays or loose ends as the faux hair began to take shape.

Slowly but surely, a new set of Twilight-colored hooves, arms, torso, and wings began to form. Special care was taken for the head, with space made for the horn and eye and mouth holes that dangled loosely in the machine’s grasp. The mane and tail were unceremoniously attached. Once the bodysuit was complete, it was flopped onto the base of the machine, its head and limbs limply hanging over its edge as a final arm engraved Twilight’s signature cutie mark.

With the outfit nearing completion, the machine performed a final scan to ensure everything was perfect. Once satisfied with the results, its arms retracted, and the newly created ponysuit was dangled up and presented to Verko.

It was a perfect replica of Twilight Sparkle, down to the last detail. The lavender fur matched every crease, every imperfection. The mane and tail were brushed just the way Twilight liked it.

It hung limply, its hooves hollow and floppy, devoid of any structure. It looked ready to be stretched and worn—and Verko almost had half the mind to do it himself.

But alas, though he wouldn’t fit the shape, he certainly had six very compliant ponies who would.

Five other ponysuits, those of the other girls, fell into a heap in front of him. It was time to get to work.

He snapped his claws, and each henchman picked up a suit. One strolled over to the command center and booted the ponies back up, and Twilight once again found herself conscious.

It did not faze her as her own empty skin was carried toward her. She had not been instructed to feel fear, disgust, or anything else. She merely watched as it came closer, closer…

…Past her, and toward the other unicorn of the group: Rarity. Just as Rarity’s pelt was brought to Twilight.

She had no desire, nor right to complain. Complaint was not a part of her manual. It was her job as a drone to follow the orders of her masters—“Twilight” was just her backup memory. It made no difference if she played Rarity or anypony else.

A command lifted her hoof up as the fabric was roughly stretched over it. Twilight felt the vibrations of the soft material glide over her exoskeleton—it was an odd sensation, feeling herself enveloped snugly despite already having been encased by her robotic frame.

The fabric continued to stretch and envelop her leg, pulling tight against her body. Inch by inch, the suit climbed higher, wrapping around her leg, other arms, her chest. Each limb swiveled obediently as she was puppeted into wearing the ponysuit of her friend without even a question.

Each tug brought her closer to being fully disguised as Rarity. The suit was guided over her torso, pressing against her and creating an almost seamless appearance. The suit’s chest area was fitted perfectly, and Twilight saw her metallic frame disappear beneath the white fabric.

Finally, the henchman brought the head of the suit closer, the empty eyes and gaping mouth of Rarity’s face staring back at Twilight. There was no hesitation as the fabric was pulled over her head, the mask fitting snugly against her snout and around her eyes. Her vision adjusted to the new eyeholes, and the lenses she was seeing through transformed into Rarity’s signature blue.

With a final series of tugs and adjustments, the suit was put in place. Twilight’s body was now fully encased in the white fur and purple mane of Rarity. Beside the mindless expression, she looked indistinguishable from her friend, each obedient twitch and whir of her robot body masked underneath.

Around her, the other ponies were being suited up as well. There was no telling if Pinkie and Applejack were wearing their own empty skins, or vice versa, and same for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. As for Rarity, an additional set of mechanical arms drilled artificial wings onto her metallic frame before Twilight’s wings were wrapped over them. A few experimental flaps was all it took for them to be controlled to look just as they normally would.

One by one, her friends finished donning their disguises, before being returned to an idle state. To everyone else in the room, it created an odd sense of normalcy, seeing the ponies they’d fought earlier seemingly back in the flesh.

Most impressed was Verko, who whistled once more at his creations. “You are some beautiful specimens,” he enthused. “I have really outdone myself.”

He pointed behind Twilight. “You, Pinkie Pie. Someone get her to say a line or two, please.”

After a moment of delay, a low voice with a distinctive Southern twang came out. “Ah don’t really know what you want me tah say, boss. Not like ah know what she says normally.”

If Twilight were still fully conscious, she would have giggled at the sight. It was quite obvious to her that Applejack and Pinkie had been swapped as well—but to the creatures who’d captured them, they’d never heard the Elements talk once.

Verko crossed his arms. “Hmph. Fine, just start the reprogramming, then. We’ll let her say it herself.”

“Pinkie” gave a salute. “You got it, boss.” Her hoof dropped limply to the ground, and a button was pressed.

Twilight and the others gasped as the wires connecting them to the central command hummed to full power, throttling them with new commands. Through the connection, Twilight's mind was bombarded with a flood of memories, personalities, and traits that were unmistakably Rarity's. It felt like a torrent of thoughts and emotions pouring into her consciousness, molding and shaping her identity.

Every thought that had been recorded from Rarity’s psyche transferred over to Twilight. Visions of elegant fashion designs, vibrant fabrics, and intricate sewing patterns filled her mind. She could recall the feel of a needle and thread in her hooves, the satisfaction of completing a stunning dress, and the joy of seeing her creations worn by others. She felt a sudden sense of attachment and protection grow toward Sweetie Belle. All of it felt vivid and detailed, as if she had experienced it herself.

As the memories continued to pour in, Twilight's sense of self began to blur, her old backup memory retreating even further into its little corner, her new memories layered over her drone self. She felt an overwhelming urge to be generous and to care for others. Her demeanor shifted to one of grace and poise, her movements aligning with her body’s programming to become more refined and deliberate.

Yet, at the center of it all still lingered the presence of central command. Though her outside body bore the mask of the charming seamstress, inside, she still understood she was Verko’s obedient drone, just with a few adjustments. The machine identified and eliminated any form of conflicting thought, forcing Rarity’s mindset to be perfectly accepting of her new condition.

The reprogramming didn't stop at just memories and personality traits. Twilight felt metal press against her voice box, causing her vocal cords to shift and change to match Rarity's distinct tone and inflection. Even as she breathed, she felt her voice box resonate differently, producing a more sophisticated sound.

One by one, she and her friends were rewritten. When all was finished, they picked themselves up and diligently arranged themselves in the grid shape again. It was time for a roll call.

Instead of being asked to parrot their commands word for word, they were relayed a different order: how would they respond normally, if asked?

For Twilight Rarity, that was quite obvious. “Present, darling!” she singsonged as it got to her turn.

Verko chuckled as they each rattled off their signature lines. “That’s much better. Isn’t it great to be your normal selves?”

“Of course, dear,” Rarity found herself saying. “And it’s great to serve such a charming master as yourself~”

Verko’s cheeks flushed crimson red. “Well, I, uh-”

A sudden crash that sounded not so far away drew everyone’s attention.

Verko swore under his breath. “Someone found us already?”

“What do we do, boss?” one of his minions cried.

“Stay calm and evacuate. We planned for this too.” Verko wrung his hands together, before glancing at Rarity and her friends. “As for you girls, you need to continue your mission. You’ll free your other little princesses, get celebrated as heroes of Equestria, and then bring them under my control. Until I say so, you operate autonomously, so that no one notices a thing.” He rushed over to the command center and quickly entered the prompts to cement the commands.

As Rarity processed her orders, the other dronified ponies were unplugged from their wires, each pony jerking slightly as the connection was severed. Without hesitation, they all fell in line, moving in a synchronized manner to follow Verko.

The crashes were growing louder. Two yelps—no doubt his guardsmen had been overwhelmed by whatever force had decided to break in.

“For now… ta-ta, girlies!” And with that, Verko and his crew disappeared through the emergency exit.

Rarity felt the wire connecting her disengage and withdraw back into the machine. Shaking away lingering brain fog, she rifled through her thoughts independently once more, flexing mental muscles she’d been made to forget throughout her conversion.

The fight she’d had with Verko, getting captured as his first victim… those memories didn’t matter anymore.

What did matter was the dark purple unicorn with a still-smouldering broken horn who advanced on her and her friends with a wry smile. “Long time no see.”

“Behind me, girls,” said Twilight. Rarity backed up instinctively and took her flank, readying her horn for a fight.

Then, a clink clink clink as something small and spherical was rolled onto the ground. All ponies, Tempest included, stared in confusion before, with a great puff, the room was completely enveloped in smoke.

Rarity yelped as a… paw grabbed onto her. “Quick, we gotta get outta here!”

The voice was smooth. Male.

“C-Capper?”

“No talk! Move! I’m really sorry about the ambush, okay? But you have to trust me and go.”

“You’re dead!” Tempest growled from somewhere, a random flash of blue permeating through the smoke.

Rainbow Dash growled. “And why would we go with you, Mister-”

“Like I said,” interrupted Capper. “You need an airship! And lucky for you, I can get you a ride.”

Another flash, and another bang.

Rarity didn’t need to hear another word. She grabbed onto Capper and ran.

If she didn’t think about it too hard, she could almost ignore the robotic frame and faux fur surrounding her as her joints stretched and contracted, her programming whispering her onward.

After all, Mount Aris awaited her. Soon, the Storm King would be defeated, and she simply couldn’t wait to claim her prize at the end of her journey.

Author's Note

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