There was no denying that Yiazmat’s interest in Eris was a little more than just casual.
Sure, there were lots of ponies who’d pined for the Goddess of Chaos, and some who’d even gotten their chance at having a fling. But that’s how it always ended up—ponies wanted to go on romantic walks (too boring), or try their best to understand how chaos worked (spoiler alert: you couldn’t), or even simply let Eris have her way with them (too weak-willed). Dating these ponies for Eris must have been no more satisfying than eating a light snack.
But that’s all they were—ponies. They went about their lives in the same ways their entire species did and only liked Eris because she was “cool” and “different” and “not like the other girls”. They couldn’t understand that beneath her whimsical and daring aura lay a profound and complex creature who marched to her own beat.
That creature, to some extent, was lonely (or so Yiaz theorized), as all social creatures were. She didn’t need just any pony, she needed a mate.
Someone who didn’t follow the rules of pony society, who could grasp even a foundation of the workings of chaos.
Someone who could run loops around her, just as she would run loops around them.
Maybe even someone who was just like her, a draconequus.
There were not many who could fit the bill so well. Draconequui were few and far between, and none made Equestria their primary hunting grounds…
Besides Eris, and Yiazmat.
Would Eris believe in a thing called destiny? Yiaz certainly did. He was dynamic, charming, free-spirited…
If ponies were a light snack, Yiaz was the full buffet—and Eris would have her meal.
Still, if he wanted to be able to win her over, he needed preparation. Unlike ponies, he was not willing to run in with reckless abandon and lose his head. Furthermore, there was no predicting how she would respond—meaning no script, no speech. Outside of a few pickup lines, he would be entirely on his own.
Of course, this was a challenge, but it was clear Eris liked it that way. She was a goddess—it was not her responsibility to guide others to the mountain where she stood. Yiaz would have to navigate her very being to reach its peak.
It meant he had to refine his personality—be willing and able to respond to any jab or punch with his own wit.
It meant he had to learn to be unpredictable, and match her chaos with that of his own.
Most importantly, it meant he had to be captivating. If Eris turned her back on most ponies, it meant when she noticed Yiaz, she wouldn’t even think about turning the other way.
It was not a perfect plan, per se, but was there really a concept of “perfection” when it came to chaos? All Yiaz had to do was show up big time, and hope it would be enough. He didn’t have to “win” (if such a thing was even possible), but he did have to show he was “good enough”.
There was one pony phrase he’d been taught that suited the situation, at least…
Carpe diem!
So Yiazmat prepared, refined, and waited.
It didn’t take long for him to find his chance. The Prancing Pony Brothers were in town, and with the circus came colorful tents and banners, flyers posted all over, and crowds drawn from all across Equestria. There was no doubt Eris would be drawn toward such a spectacle, eager to cause a little chaos.
And indeed, word through the grapevine travelled quite quickly—Yiaz overheard some of the security guards talking about beefing up measures in case (not that it would accomplish anything). Before Eris showed up, he had to make his move.
He slithered through the carnival grounds, his body moving with surprising grace as he observed the preparations. To anyone on watch, if they looked in his direction, they’d only manage to see a shadow and a disappearing tail.
Scratching his chin, he read off the flashy signs attached to each tent:
“THE AEROWING FAMILY: A GENERATION OF TRAPEZE”
No, too dangerous.
“MAGIC AND ILLUSIONS: STARLIGHT SPARKLER”
Also no. Unfortunately, unlike Eris, he couldn’t wield particularly powerful magic on his own.
“GENTLE GRACE: DANCE WITH THE TIMBERWOLVES”
There was potential there. Something about the mystique of it caught his eye, but he decided to look around one more time for potential targets anyway.
“THE GREAT MESMAREINO: MASTER OF MENTAL MANIPULATION”
Bingo.
Quiet as a mouse, Yiaz opened the tent flap and snuck in.
Inside, a dapper little unicorn (a stallion, surprisingly) was facing away from him, humming and putting on a gaudy suit and fake mustache. His pendulum lay flat on the table beside him.
Awfully amusing how ponies needed props for this sort of thing, and only to accomplish some parlor trick, Yiaz thought to himself. Time to show a master at work. He swooshed from the floor up to the ceiling.
The unicorn, who was presumably “Mesmareino”, flinched at the glint of movement that reflected on the dresser mirror. “W-who’s there?”
Yiaz only took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When they opened again, there was an unmistakable glow. His voice rumbled as he spoke. “Hello, friend.”
Mesmareino spun around, eyes wide, pupils shrinking to pinpricks. His voice quivered as he spoke. “W-who’s there?” Attempting to regain some composure, he made eye contact and gave an unconfident smile. “Are you an excited fan? Come to see the show early?”
Yiaz chuckled softly. He decided to play along, descending from the ceiling with a flourish. “Indeed, friend,” he replied, a sly grin on his face. “I’ve heard great things about your… mental manipulation skills. Would you be so kind as to give a… demonstration?”
The unicorn, still somewhat flustered, adjusted his suit and licked his lips. Yiaz could smell his discomfort. “W-well, normally that’s reserved for volunteers during the show only, but a-anything for a devoted fan.” Inching over back toward the table, he picked up the pocket watch and began to swing it in front of Yiaz’s face, his voice attempting a steady rhythm. “Just follow the watch… back and forth… back and forth…”
Yiaz gave him the benefit of the doubt. He tried, he really did. He even swung his head and traced the movements of the pendulum, waiting for any kind of foreign pressure to manifest in his own head.
And wait… there was something… a yawn!
Unfortunately, it was not because he was sleepy—it was because he was bored.
He sighed. After all, Mesmareino was a pony hypnotist who worked on ponies. And unlike Yiazmat, ponies were oh-so-suggestible—ponies like Mesmareino.
A touch of disappointment colored his expression. He flicked his gaze away and advanced on the cowering performer, who gulped nervously. “Why don’t you allow me to show you how it's truly done?”
And before the unicorn hypnotist could say yes or no, Yiaz’s heterochromatic eyes began to swirl with psychedelic patterns. “Allow me, as a little… professional courtesy.”
At once, Mesmareino was assaulted with a barrage of kaleidoscopic color. Caught off guard, he dropped to his knees, his mouth hanging slack and his own eyes glazing over.
Yiaz's voice dropped to a velvety murmur as he leaned in closer, his eyes glowing with a mesmerizing swirl. “Look deep into my eyes,” he instructed, his tone silky and irresistible. “Feel yourself getting lost in the patterns, in the colors… letting go of all your thoughts, all your worries…”
Mesmareino's resistance melted away almost instantly. Yiaz's eyes seemed to pull him in, deeper, deeper, drowning him in a sea of colors and sensations. Quietly, he nodded mechanically.
“That’s it,” Yiaz continued, his voice like a caress. “Just let go… deeper and deeper… let your mind float, weightless and free…”
Mesmareino's body swayed slightly, his consciousness slipping further under Yiaz's spell. The draconequus could see complete submission painted on the unicorn’s vacant stare, the hypnotist now a mere puppet to his will.
“Good boy,” Yiaz whispered, his lips curling into a satisfied smirk. “Now, I’m going to need a little favor from you, okay? When I snap my claws, you’re going to…”
It was nighttime, and the circus was in full swing.
Several acts had already come and gone, and the packed crowd was in good spirits. Yiaz lounged near the front wolfing down a bucket of popcorn (his seat, of course, came courtesy of being a “very special guest” of Mesmareino’s).
Eris sat not far away. A special VIP box had been reserved for her, no doubt by the security, who’d decided appeasing her would be far better than combatting her. Fortunately, so far, for the staff and audience, it had worked, resulting in only minimal “adjustments” to the show—a manticore transmogrified into a flamingo, a trampolinist faceplanting into a giant pie, nothing that couldn’t be played for laughs.
So, to the others in attendance, Eris had been nothing more than suitable entertainment. To Yiaz, it had meant… so much more.
Admittedly, it had been the closest he’d ever been to her. From his vantage point, he got to see her snow-white mane, mismatched body, and lithe figure better than he ever had. She was sleek, suave, poignant.
They were a match. They must have been a match—he was simply sure of it!
Of course, that hardly stopped the nerves. He had long stopped paying attention to how hard he was grinding his teeth against the popcorn kernels.
The lights in the circus tent dimmed, and the crowd began to hush.
The sound of a trumpet blared through the tent. The ringmaster, a burly earth pony, trotted to the center ring, a megaphone held firmly in his mouth. With a dramatic flourish, he gestured toward the shadows behind him.
“Ladies and gentlecolts, fillies and foals!” his voice echoed through the big top. “Prepare to be amazed by the master of mental manipulation, the sultan of suggestion, the hypnotic hero himself… the Grrrrrreat Mesmareino!”
Now this was what Yiaz had been waiting for. Lights, camera, action.
A spotlight illuminated the back of the stage, where Mesmareino awaited. As he travelled down the tunnel to face the crowd, and if things went right, he wouldn’t be in any more than a slight daze. There would be a small gap in his memory, easily explained away by zoning out during his final practice, and a little nudge in his mind to proceed as normal with the show.
As he stepped into view, the audience began to applaud. From Yiaz’s front row seat, if he squinted, he could see the hypnotist’s smile was slightly strained, his attention not quite fully there, but not enough to alert the audience. Perfect.
As Mesmareino must have rehearsed, he raised a hoof to silence the applause, the glint of a gold pocket watch visible from beneath his suit and cape. “Thank you, thank you!” he called out, voice shaking ever so slightly. “Tonight, I will take you on a journey into the depths of your own minds! Watch as I command even the strongest wills to bend and submit!”
Yiaz watched as the banners overhead began to wriggle and distort, and glanced behind him. Indeed, Eris, lounging comfortably in her VIP box, twirled her claw lazily as she watched on. Yiaz couldn't help but notice the amused glint in her eyes as she observed Mesmareino's performance. Good, she was interested.
In one sweeping motion, Mesmareino withdrew the pocket watch and swung it in front of the audience, who oohed and aahed. “I need a volunteer,” he announced. “Someone brave enough to delve into the mysteries of their own mind…”
Patience. It wasn’t time yet. Yiaz kept put and watched as a few eager mares in the audience excitedly waved their hooves.
Mesmareino tipped his top hat. “How excellent. How about… you, and you. Now, for all of you to understand the complexities of the equine mind, we must go back. Back until the very beginning of our kind…”
As the show wore on, Yiaz quietly admitted the unicorn had a flair for presentation. Though most of his tricks were fairly standard, he always presented them in an impressively grandiose way, as if weaving a continuous story about the history of ponykind.
Of course, throughout his performance, audience members were brought on and made to think they were the creatures that only existed in the far past, then the first ponies, even historical figures spoken of in pony legend. During intermezzos, ponies were hypnotized into thinking they were unmovable planks, tasting apple juice while drinking water, and much more.
Finally, as Mesmareino’s act began to draw to a close, he approached the history of Equestria’s present era.
“We stand at a pivotal moment in Equestria's storied history, a realm brimming with magical creatures and adventures untold,” Mesmareino narrated. “Home to a myriad of ponies who embody the very essence of harmony and magic…”
And then, Mesmareino’s mouth twitched.
It was the smallest of tics, but it was all Yiaz needed to know to confirm it was time.
“...as well as the other creatures who live amongst us.”
A deviation from his normal script, and an invitation for something more.
As the hypnotist's voice carried through the tent, the spotlight dimmed for dramatic effect. A smattering of hushed murmurs filled the air.
“May we have two volunteers from the audience, please?”
Yiaz couldn't help but smirk. It was all falling into place perfectly. With an exaggerated motion, he leapt up from his seat, sending popcorn flying. “Oh, pick me! Pick me!” he shouted, his tone dripping with faux excitement.
In Mesmareino’s normal script, picking a draconequus would have been virtually unthinkable. Draconequui were mysterious, unpredictable, and volatile. He had no experience with hypnotizing them, nor had any interest in learning so.
But for some reason, these thoughts refused to cross his mind. He simply saw a blur of motion, and felt his own hoof draw toward it like a magnet. His eyes momentarily unfocused as he forgot to think, and without prompt, his mouth almost began moving on his own.
Just in time, his eyes briefly flickered into awareness before resuming their normal flair. “Ah, we have an eager participant! Come forth, brave sir, and prepare to be mesmerized!”
The crowd, whispering at the surprise choice, parted to allow Yiaz through, and he slithered into the center ring, grinning like a predator closing in on its prey.
Mesmareino’s mind fought off the memories that threatened to invade him. The draconequus was… familiar. Had they met before? Why was his smile so recognizable? Surely, he could not have simply forgotten… right?
The unicorn clutched nervously at his pocket watch. He still needed another volunteer.
And against his better judgement, his lips began to move again. “For our second… why not complete the collection? I invite our very special guest of the evening, Eris, Goddess of Chaos, to the stage, if she would so fancy it.
Yiaz fought off the urge to laugh. Mesmareino had succumbed to his triggers perfectly. Now, it was up to Eris to accept the bait.
The crowd went silent. All eyes focused on the very amused draconequus.
She gazed around, soaking in the attention of the spectators. After a moment, she licked her lips. “My, my. You’re a confident little unicorn, aren’t you?”
And with a flick of her tail, she came swooping down onto the stage, right beside Yiaz. “I hope you understand how foalish trying to hypnotize someone like me can be, but I’d certainly love to see you try.”
Bait: accepted.
It was the first time she’d spoken all evening, and her voice rang like sweet honey to Yiaz. She was within arm’s width of him, though for now, she barely paid him any attention. If he wanted, he could easily just reach out and grab her and…
Not now! Follow the plan!
Yiaz knew that beneath Mesmareino’s cool exterior, he must’ve been instinctively in full panic. It was only appropriate Yiaz had sealed this bit of him deep within his subconscious, so he would be emboldened to continue the show.
“So,” he continued. “Who would like to go first?”
Yiaz stepped forward immediately, his grin broadening. “I volunteer!” He shot a playful wink at Eris, enough to satisfy his urges for now, and enough to give her a light snort. If he wanted the plan to work, then he’d have to endure knowing Eris’s first impression of him was as an overeager, naive fellow.
Mesmareino's hooves trembled slightly as he nodded. “Very well.” Leaning in to the pair, he whispered as gently he could, “Please, just play along, even if you can’t be hypnotized.”
Of course, Eris rolled her eyes. Yiaz made a show of doing the same.
Clearing his throat, Mesmareino began his grand spiel. “Ladies and gentlecolts, we are about to witness a truly unprecedented event. I shall attempt to delve into the mind of a draconequus, one of Equestria's most enigmatic and powerful contemporary beings.”
The crowd gasped in anticipation as Mesmareino withdrew his pocket watch once more, swinging it in front of Yiaz's eyes. “Now, my brave volunteer, I want you to focus on the watch. Let its rhythm guide you… back and forth… back and forth…”
Mesmareino’s mind suppressed alarm bell after alarm bell. Why was this so familiar? When had he done this before?
Fortunately for the poor stallion, Yiaz felt no need to challenge him. It was in his best interest to play along.
So, he dutifully followed the movements of the pendulum, his eyes tracing its path with exaggerated focus. Of course, he was merely pretending, but he kept his act convincing, even allowing his eyelids to droop as if succumbing to the hypnotic rhythm.
Mesmareino continued his speech, voice trembling slightly. “As you fall deeper into trance, your mind will become an open book, your thoughts and secrets laid bare for all to see.”
Yiaz fought the urge to roll his eyes. It was almost too easy. He feigned a dreamy expression, his body swaying gently.
From the corner of his eye, he observed Eris’s expression. She had her arms crossed, her mouth shaped into a frown—clearly disappointed by her fellow draconequus’s lack of willpower.
“Now, repeat after me,” proclaimed Mesmareino. “My mind is yours, my thoughts are free. Show me off for all to see.”
Yiaz had picked that phrase himself. It sounded quite pretty! “My mind is yours, my thoughts are free. Show me off for all to see.”
With that, he slumped his head forward. He bit his tongue and tried his best not to smile as the crowd began to cheer for Mesmareino’s seemingly larger-than-life feat.
In the hypnotist’s mind, there must have been a whirlwind of emotion.
I did it…? I did it!
I DID IT!!!
And with the burst of confidence that followed, it was only a matter of time before he could gather the willpower to turn his attention toward his next subject.
So, he faced Eris, and wrote his own demise.
“And now, for the true challenge. I shall attempt to hypnotize the Goddess of Chaos herself!”
Eris smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Give it your best shot, dear. I could use a good laugh.”
Mesmareino swallowed his hesitation and presented his pocket watch one last time. He swung it before her eyes, adrenaline pushing him onward. It all led to this. “Just focus on the watch… back and forth… let yourself relax…”
Yiaz peeked at the unfolding scene from underneath his mane. He saw as Eris watched the pendulum for a moment, her smirk never fading. Unlike Yiaz, she had no reason to fall under its spell. Instead, she yawned exaggeratedly and stretched, causing the audience to giggle.
“Oh dear,” she said mockingly, “I'm afraid your little trick won't work on me.”
Try as he might, Mesmareino (of course) could not get Eris to budge. His face flushed with embarrassment as he fumbled with his words. “Uh… p-perhaps another approach, then.”
But before he could even try, Eris leaned in close, her eyes locking onto his. “Too late. My turn.”
With a sudden snap of her claws, Eris materialized the pocket watch in her grasp. Before Mesmareino could protest, a cloud of smoke enveloped it, and a little bird stood in place where the watch used to be. Mesmareino could only watch helplessly as it tweeted noisily, then flew into the air, far, far away.
“N-no! That was my-”
His sentence cut off midway as, for the second time that day, he found himself face to face with a pair of swirling eyes.
“That’s right, dear.” Eris’s eyes were awash in a sea of mesmerizing color as she leaned in and scooped up the helpless pony in her arms, tilting his chin to comfortably rest on her gaze.
“You dared mess with the Goddess of Chaos,” she monologued, “and I commend you on your… boldness. But it’s time to show a true Mistress at work.” She turned toward the crowd.
Her voice was silky and alluring. “Ladies and gentlecolts, it seems our dear Mesmareino here has gotten himself in a bit of a pickle. You see, hypnosis isn't just about flashy pocket watches and parlor tricks. No, it's about control. Power. And what better way to demonstrate than by showing just how much control I have over him?”
She glanced around, her smile predatory, before focusing her full attention back on the brain-blasted hypnotist. “Now, my dear Mesmareino, look deeply into my eyes. Feel yourself getting lost in the swirling colors. You can't look away, you don't want to look away. You are completely and utterly under my spell.”
Mesmareino's body went rigid, his eyes wide and unblinking as Eris's hypnotic gaze took hold of him. He tried to speak and merely babbled, before being shushed by a single claw.
“That's it,” Eris continued, her voice dripping. “Feel the weight of your own mind slipping away. Let go of all your thoughts, your fears, your resistance. You are mine now, Mesmareino. Completely and utterly mine.”
And so, Yiazmat eagerly awaited as his trap was sprung.
He decided to savor the moment forever as Eris, seemingly confident in her victory, said her next line.
She moved her claw to gently stroke Mesmareino’s cheek. “Repeat after me, dear: I am yours, Eris. My mind is yours to command.”
Somewhere deep within the recesses of the entranced unicorn’s mind, a lock unclicked, and a box was opened.
He began to remember all that had happened earlier in the evening. Meeting Yiaz, falling under his spell, and being made to remember a very specific set of commands.
Of course, he’d known he could never hypnotize Eris. Of course, she would have turned the tables on him. Even in chaos, there were behaviors that were oh so predictable.
Yiaz had simply… “convinced” him it would have been tremendously entertaining to not let her get her prize at the end of the tunnel, and of course, being the compliant fellow he was, he’d agreed.
Mesmareino opened his mouth to speak. “I am yours, Yiazmat. My mind is yours to command.”
Eris’s lidded eyes immediately widened. “W-what? Eris, not ‘Yiazmat’, you fool. Pledge your loyalty to Eris.”
But he would not be stopped. “I am loyal only to Yiazmat,” he babbled. “He put me under his spell, and I belong to him and him alone. My pleasure is his, and his pleasure is mine.”
“Who even is this Yiazmat?” Eris hissed, baring her fangs. “Is this some kind of setup?”
It was time to shine. Yiaz shook his head and awoke from his fake slumber. Slowly, he began ambling toward the frantic draconequus, who was still too busy in her disbelief to notice him.
“Yiazmat is wit. Yiazmat is mischief and independence.” Mesmareino continued to ramble off his memorized script.
“I swear, I’ll turn you into a potted plant.”
Yiaz was so close. Eris was in arm’s reach again, and now, he could finally reach out and touch her for the first time.
“Yiazmat is more than just a concept. More than just a pony. Yiazmat is… here!” Mesmareino gestured.
And with one continuous movement, Yiaz swept the confounded Eris around, and bowed deep to the crowd. “Very nice to meet your acquaintance, Goddess.”
He closed his eyes and soaked in the thunderous applause as the lights dimmed and the circus prepared to transition to its next act.
Author's Note
I channeled my best Trixie for this one
It was past midnight now, and the show had concluded. Ponies filtered out of the stands as Yiaz sat on the grass outside, watching the shooting stars.
Eris flew above him, running loop-de-loops in the night sky. Every once in a while, she’d catch a curious glance her way and poof them a little souvenir—a puzzle with no solution, a candy with a wrapper made of chocolate, a hat that spun in perpetuity.
In short, Eris was in a good mood.
She must have noticed Yiaz noticing, too, because with another snap, a keychain of Mesmareino in a pink tutu appeared in his paws. “Well?” she asked. “Speak.”
Yiaz snorted, before clearing his throat. “I hope you enjoyed our little performance. I just figured if I wanted to catch the eye of Chaos Incarnate, I'd need to think outside the box. Though between you and me”—he leaned in conspiratorially—“I've never been quite sure where they keep this box everyone's always talking about.”
Eris raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Quite the cliche for someone aiming to impress me.” She stopped in midair, arching her back and turning to give Yiaz her full attention. “You’re bold, I’ll give you that. I’ve never seen so much effort expended to earn my favor. Most don’t even bother trying at all.”
“Well,” Yiaz chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “I figured you’d had your taste of pony stuff already. No point in giving you more of the same. I simply decided to get… creative.”
Eris scoffed lightly. She swooped down closer to him, examining his face with an appraising look. “So, ‘Yiazmat’, was this all a plan to get my attention? Would you happen to be seeking fame, fortune, importance? Or did you really believe you could pull one over on me?”
Yiaz leaned back slightly. No matter what, he had to look calm and composed. “Why not both?” he mused. “Your beauty, power, unpredictability… how could any self-respecting draconequus resist?”
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” Eris purred, although her eyes twinkled with amusement. “But I'll admit, you've piqued my curiosity. Very few manage to surprise me.”
Out of nowhere, she made a beeline toward Yiaz. It took all his focus not to flinch and roll out the way. Instead, he swallowed heavily and braced himself as Eris’s sharpened eagle claw drew closer and closer…
Until it landed, resting on his chest.
Badump, badump. Badump, badump.
Eris was… touching him!
She licked her lips. “My, how interesting. Another suitor after my own heart.”
Yiaz laughed nervously. At least that was one less thing he’d have to confess. “How did you know?”
Eris’s grin widened. She snapped her talon, a blackboard materialized in front of her, and a pair of thick glasses fell onto her face.
“Draconequus anatomy 101,” she began. “For one, our heart rhythms can change when we're experiencing certain emotions. A normal draconequus heartbeat is already irregular, but when we're feeling affectionate or interested, it takes on a distinct, rhythmic pattern. Like a dance of its own.”
She traced a small heart on the board and tapped it twice. It came to life and started vaguely dancing to the beat of Ponhemian Rhapsody. “And, there's the way we express affection physically. Ponies hug and nuzzle, but we have something a bit more… intimate.” She stepped closer to Yiaz, her breath warm against his face. “Our tails instinctively begin to curl, yearning to intertwine, like a serpent’s embrace. It’s an unmistakable sign one wishes their destiny be bound to that of another’s.”
The way she was even just looking at Yiaz was almost too much. If he thought about it, his tail really was curling, just as Eris had said.
But still, no matter what, he couldn’t rush it. “So, what's the verdict? Have I passed your little test?”
Eris tilted her glasses down and stared at Yiaz with raised eyebrows. “Test? What test?” she asked innocently.
Yiaz coughed. “You tell me.”
Eris's laughter pierced through the night air. “Oh, you've passed something, alright. You've got a certain… je ne sais quoi.”
Unexpectedly, she added, “So, ‘Yiazmat’, would you like to intertwine tails with me?”
Really? That was all it took?
It was an awfully forward request coming from the Goddess of Chaos. Yiaz scrambled his mind trying to think of some trick, some catch, but could not come up with any.
“Of course, I’d love to,” was all he managed to say. “And call me Yiaz.”
Yet, his body language still betrayed him, in a sense. Sure, he’d been with ponies before, and he’d even met other draconequui, but he’d never “intertwined tails” with another creature.
Evidently, Eris had spotted his uncertainty. “Allow me,” she offered, and began slithering her tail around his.
Her touch sent a shiver down Yiaz's spine. He reveled in the sensation of her fur against his, a reminder of how far he’d come, and how close he was. As the last of the ponies headed home in the distance, the air filled with the sounds of chirping crickets, and the atmosphere was electric.
As Eris’s tail gently brushed against Yiaz’s, slowly, deliberately, she began to press against his body. Yiaz watched as with a wave of her claw, her body began to elongate into coils, wrapping around him with a fluid grace only she possessed.
“Close your eyes,” she purred, her voice as smooth as silk. “Let me guide you.”
Yiaz did as he was told, his heart racing with anticipation. His breath came short as she coiled tightly around him, squeezing him tightly. Her warm touch was everywhere, overwhelming his senses.
“That’s right, Yiaz,” he heard her murmur. “Nice and wrapped up, like a little present. Doesn’t it feel good being like this?”
Yiaz let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding and eased into her grasp. “Y-yeah…”
“All wrapped up in chaos.” Eris squeezed against him tighter. “It feels good to relax like this, doesn’t it? After all, you must be awfully proud of what you’ve accomplished today.”
Yiaz nodded wordlessly. Every inch of him felt alive, yet so tired, with her presence. It was like being enveloped in a comforting blanket.
“So ready to take it to the next step with the Goddess of Chaos… so willing to trust her so unconditionally, so soon.”
Wait.
Her last sentence set off an alarm bell in Yiaz’s mind.
It sounded leering, almost predatory. Was he doing something wrong?
“You know,” Eris continued, “it’s not like every draconequus I’ve met has had the ability to hypnotize ponies. Some merely have mismatched parts. Some only possess light magic. Some have no special features at all.”
Yiaz’s thoughts raced, as did his heart. He could feel it pounding in his chest, the vibrations reflecting off Eris’s body.
Badump, badump. Badump, badump.
Something occurred to him. Beyond its elevated pace, his heartbeat wasn’t abnormal in the slightest—not chaotic, nor unpredictable. Not like what Eris had said at all.
And what was that about an instinctive need to curl his tail around another? If he’d never felt it before, had Eris been…
As his mind raced to piece it together, Eris began to chuckle. “Sue me,” she said. “Of course I made the whole thing up. Though it was easy figuring out what you wanted from the silly grin you’ve been sporting since Mesmareino’s show.”
“Thank you for revealing your suggestibility, though,” she added. “You may now open your eyes.”
What was she planning? Slowly, cautiously, Yiaz began to open his eyes…
…and found his vision bombarded with a rainbow of color.
Eris’s seductive voice filtered into his ear. “The real test starts now, my dear.”
Instantly, all of Yiaz’s muscles tensed, then slackened as he was assaulted with the full force of Eris’s hypnotic stare. Waves of boundless yellow, white, blue, and green lapped as his very consciousness and pulled him deeper into her gaze. It was so hard to focus—just as he found his eyes tracing one ring, it would pull in and disappear, replaced by another, and another.
His thoughts came to a near-grinding halt, save for one singular strand: listen to Eris. Obey Eris. Already, she was whispering something to him, and he couldn’t make out what, but he knew his subconscious would understand.
It was a losing battle. And yet, some part of him still refused to budge. He had come this far. He was this close. He would not succumb like ponies would have so easily.
“Nnngh… n-no…”
“Oh?” Eris’s tone was one of amusement. “You’re still somewhere in there?”
Yiaz clenched his teeth and knit his brows and focused. He was a draconequus, damn it, and he was going to show it.
He reclaimed one warped thought after another, until he felt he had just enough of himself left.
If it was a challenge Eris was issuing, it was a challenge she would get. Gradually, then all at once, the spirals in his eyes began to shift until they were distinctly his own. Even if he couldn’t hypnotize Eris, like he could Mesmareino, he had to try.
Eris's eyes widened, and if Yiaz squinted, he could almost see his own hypnotic colors threaten to trickle into them. “Oh, how very intriguing…” she mused aloud.
Yiaz’s heart pounded furiously in his chest. “E-Eris,” he stammered, trying to maintain the control he so desperately sought. “I-I’ve always admired your strength, your… chaos. Y-you… you’re captivating.”
Her smirk grew as she listened. “And why is that, Yiaz?” she cooed, leaning closer until their noses nearly touched. “What is it about me you truly desire?”
Yiaz swallowed hard, struggling against Eris’s coils. “Y-you’re powerful, unpredictable, untamed. You’re the epitome of what a d-draconequus should be.”
“Is that so?” Eris’s voice was filled with playful malice. She booped him on the nose. “So, what does that make you? A pale imitation, trying to capture a piece of the real thing?”
“N-no,” Yiaz stammered. His mind still clouded with fog as he pushed back against Eris’s hypnotic influence with his own. “I j-just think y-you deserve a compliment.”
She leaned even closer, her voice a whisper. “And I think you desire more, my dear Yiaz. You’ve a deep need to worship me. Perhaps it makes you a willing servant, eager to submit to true chaos.” Her hypnotic gaze intensified, even as Yiaz’s own color continued to slowly seep into her.
“I won’t!” Yiaz blurted out, a flicker of defiance in his eyes. “I’m a draconequus too! I won’t be hypnotized, I won’t be… reduced to somepony’s pawn. I’m not like them. I’m… better.”
And for a moment, Eris’s hypnotic assault halted. “Not like them?”
“G-gah!” Yiaz gulped down fresh air as Eris released his vice grip over him. “Not like ponies. Ponies are hypnotizable… controllable. Unlike me and you.”
“Hmm.” Eris scratched her chin thoughtfully.
Sweat trickled down Yiaz’s forehead. Had he convinced her? Had he won?
Eris began to giggle.
The giggle turned into a laugh, then a loud guffaw. Yiaz watched in bewilderment as the Goddess of Chaos roared with amusement.
“Is that what you think this is about?” she said. “You think you can amuse me better than the ponies do?”
She exhaled and looked at Yiaz once again, her smile widening. “You do amuse me more than most, I’ll admit. You’ve done a wonderful job surprising me this evening, and I’ll be the first to say it’s been most appreciated. But your assumption that I simply dismiss ponykind is fundamentally wrong.” Her tongue slithered out her mouth like a snake’s. “And I have just the way to prove it.”
She snapped her claws, and her coils wrapped tightly around Yiaz’s body again.
“H-hey, what’s- urk!” Yiaz nearly choked as he was squeezed even tighter than before. Damnit! He’d had it!
Eris merely waved her paw over him. All she said was, “Bibbidi, bobbidi, boo!”
And Yiaz felt one body part being squeezed especially hard—a sudden tightness constricting around his left arm, like an invisible vise.
There was a magical flash, and he yelped. When the smoke faded, his eyes darted toward it before reeling in confusion.
His arm had been replaced with… that of a pony’s. It was still very much his limb, with his own white fur—he could wriggle it to and fro, but his paw had been swapped for a very distinct pony hoof.
Eris watched with a mischievous gleam in her eyes as she continued her work. Her grip moved to Yiaz's right arm next, and once more, he felt a squeeze before it too changed with a poof into another pony leg.
“You wanted to think you were better than the ponies, hmm?” she taunted, her voice dripping with delight. “Let's see how you do as one of them.”
She continued down his body, coiling and squeezing and poofing, each limb transforming one after another. His powerful hind legs shortened into shorter pony legs, and he waved them around in the air where Eris held them.
“H-hey!” he pleaded, trying to wiggle out of her grasp. “T-this isn't funny!”
Eris's chuckle reverberated through the air. “Oh, but it is,” she said. “Chaos has its own system of justice, you know. What is it they say—the pride cometh before the fall?” Another squeeze, and his black and white tail was transformed into a pony’s tail—soft, sleek, and completely ordinary.
With every squeeze, Yiaz felt himself grow smaller. His back, then his torso, became a perfect match for his new four limbs. Finally, with a toothed grin, Eris placed her claw on his head and gave his nose a boop. As he coughed from the magic dust, he felt an odd series of sensations as his snout shrank, his mane grew thicker, and his horn warped into that of a unicorn stallion.
The transformation complete, Yiaz looked down at his new pony self in disbelief. Though his mostly black and white coloring remained, almost everything else had changed, and his face flushed a bright crimson.
“Now, let’s try again, shall we?” Eris sounded cool and confident as she scooped him up to eye level.
Yiaz waved his little hooves around as best he could. “W-whatever you do, just know that- thaunhhhh…”
His voice, and his thoughts, once again trailed off as he met Eris’s renewed hypnotic gaze. Waves of psychedelic color crashed through against his vision, turning his world into a glowing kaleidoscope.
The now-pony squirmed, completely defenseless in the Goddess of Chaos's grip. “You thought you could match me, little Yiaz?” Eris purred. “I admire the attempt, I really do. But now, I think it’s time for you to go to sleep.”
No longer a draconequus, Yiaz had no more means of fighting back with his own hypnosis. He tried channeling his unicorn magic, but all that came out were weak sparks that Eris quickly transformed into colorful fireworks.
As each one burst, it sent shockwaves pulsing through his mind, pulling him deeper into trance. “M-mnhhhh…” Now, forming coherent thought was even a challenge.
Eris tightened her coils around him, pressing her face close to his. Her hot breath washed over him, causing shivers to run down his spine. “No use fighting, little pony. Be a good boy for me and drop.”
Her hypnotic gaze grew more powerful, more invasive. Yiaz's attempts to resist grew weaker and weaker as his mind was overwhelmed by the assault of colors and patterns. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, drowning out his own thoughts.
And when they did form, to his horror, the very things he believed began to work against his favor.
You're just a pony. Ponies can't resist hypnosis. Your will is weak.
The idea wormed into his mind like an uninvited guest. It echoed across his consciousness, clinging to the rest of his thoughts as tightly as Eris gripped him.
You’re just a pony. Just a helpless, suggestible pony.
It was already getting hard to tell if the voice was his, or Eris’s. The thought repeated itself insistently, and with each instance, he felt his struggling grow weaker and weaker.
Every word sent a pleasurable shiver down his spine. You enjoy obedience. It feels so good to let go.
“Nnn... nggh...!” He whimpered as his body tingled, both from the stimulation of the mantra and the squeeze of Eris’s coils. As much as he hated to admit it, the words felt not embarrassing, but just… right. It felt so good to listen and obey.
Her eyes were so close they were practically touching his own. You want to be good for me. You want to show your devotion.
Almost all traces of resistance had slipped away. Yiaz merely accepted the words without protest, staring back at Eris with a loopy grin.
Good ponies submit to Eris. Good ponies serve Eris. Service brings you pleasure. My pleasure is your pleasure.
He wanted to be a good pony so badly. He wanted to submit and serve and worship and-
You’re mine, little Yiaz.
And at last, the remnants of Yiaz’s mind clicked into place with a final ping!
As all his muscles and tensions loosened, Yiaz’s head fell limply into Eris’s awaiting paw. Even as he looked away from her, hypnotic rings still pulsed within his eyes. He was completely hers.
She leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Say it, dear. Tell me you belong to me.”
Yiaz's jaw hung slack, drool trickling from the corner of his mouth as he mumbled, “I… belong… to you… Eris…”
Eris’s eyes glimmered with satisfaction. “Good boy,” she purred, her affirmation sending tingles of pleasure through his body.
She cuddled around him and reached out her claw, stroking his mane like a pet and reveling in his unfocused stare. He looked so small and cute all bundled like this! She could just lean over and kiss him right now. Nay, she would.
As Eris closed the distance between their lips, she kissed him passionately, her mouth warm and inviting. Her lips moved fervently against his, sucking and nipping as her claws raked lightly through his mane.
The taste of her sent a rush of sensations through Yiaz’s mind and delightful shivers down his spine. Finally, he’d achieved his dream. Thoughts of wooing her troubled him no longer—as far as his mind knew, it had always been his destiny to submit to her.
“Now,” Eris purred between kisses, her voice dripping with command, “kiss me back. Show me just how much you worship me.”
Yiaz needed no further prompting. In a heartbeat, his lips matched hers as he kissed back eagerly, clumsily pressing against her. He kneaded his hooves against her firm body as he squeezed his eyes shut, feeling her tongue dart out and wrestle his own.
His body nearly shook from the intensity. Obeying Eris was his ultimate pleasure, and it left him feeling pure, unrefined joy.
And, it also left him feeling incredibly horny.
With shame long since purged from his mind, his body trembled with arousal, and his erection began to grow, pushing against Eris’s coils.
It didn’t take too long for Eris to notice it harden, and she smirked. It was about time.
Carefully, she guided her coils such that his shaft poked out between them. She wriggled to and fro, stimulating the length and causing Yiaz to gasp.
Her gaze filled with a predatory gleam. “My, it seems you're enjoying this far more than you expected,” she chided. “Now, isn't it simply delightful to submit to chaos?”
Yiaz let out a needy whimper, his eyes glazed over with pleasure. His hardened dick throbbed, straining against Eris's body as his mind drowned in ecstasy. “Y-yes, Eris… feels s-so good…”
Her chuckle was low and sultry. “Mmm, that's right. Let yourself feel it. Let yourself enjoy it. You’re mine now, Yiaz. My loyal, obedient little pony.”
She shifted her position, pressing even more firmly against his throbbing cock. Her touch sent electric sparks of pleasure coursing through him, and he let out an even throatier moan.
“M-more…”
“What was that, Yiaz?” Eris feigned ignorance as she continued to playfully knead and stroke around the length. Liquid dribbled out the tip and onto Eris’s fur—he was already leaking.
“M-more… I n-need more…”
This time, Eris used her paw to squeeze at the exposed tip as the tension within Yiaz built and he trembled and gasped for more. “You like that, don't you?” she teased. “Tell me, Yiaz, how badly do you want this? How much do you want to cum for me?”
Yiaz's breaths came in short, needy pants. “S-so much… please, Eris… I n-need it… please…”
Her eyes glimmered as she pressed her paw even more firmly against his length. “Then beg for it,” she commanded. “Beg to be fucked and to cum for me. I want to hear you plead, my little pony.”
Yiaz's body shook with anticipation as he whimpered, the words tumbling from his lips in a desperate rush. “Please, Eris… I-I need you… I need to be fucked… I need to cum… Please, please fuck me, let me cum for you… I'll do anything… I’ll worship you… please…”
Eris savored every word. “Very well, little Yiaz. You've earned it.” She shifted her position, guiding him lower on her body… and toward her own moist arousal.
She whispered into his ear, “I'm just as horny as you are, you know.” Biting her lip, she turned him around until his cock was positioned right above her awaiting entrance. “I’ll make sure this is a night you’ll never forget.”
She gently lowered him down, and the pair saw sparks fly.
Yiaz twitched and shuddered as he finally entered Eris. He shivered in ecstasy, his body writhing as the pleasure surged through him. His breaths turned into moans, and he began thrusting into Eris, slowly at first, then with increasing intensity.
Eris clung to him with surprising gentleness. It was impossible to deny her own lust, too. Her breath was heavy, her moans sweet music to Yiaz’s ears. Even as a pony, his cock was thick and satisfying, and it filled her in a way she hadn’t experienced in a long time. She clung around him tighter as they shared their body heat and danced in the moonlight.
Their bodies intertwined, Yiaz and Eris moved in sync, lost in the moment of passion. The sound of their mutual moaning and the rhythmic slapping of flesh against flesh filled the night air. Each thrust sent shockwaves of pleasure through the pair as both the draconequus and draconequus-turned-pony panted and moved as one.
Even as sweat coated Yiaz’s body, the pleasure of Eris’s touch pushed him on. His mind was flooded with thoughts of being a good pony for Eris, serving her, pleasing her. His unrelenting pleasure from his total obedience drove him to push against her, each plunge more intense than the last, each movement a chance to prove what a good pony he was.
And with each thrust, Eris released latent chaotic energy from her body, striking anything nearby. Trees bent at impossible angles, bushes turned into furniture, and flowers grew before shrinking again.
Their movements grew more synchronized, and their bodies moved with unspoken understanding. Eris wrapped herself tighter around Yiaz, her firm grip filling his head with glee. Their shared moans became louder, more urgent, echoing through the night.
The pressure built within them both, their pleasure mounting with each powerful thrust. The air was thick with their passion, the chaotic energy intensifying around them.
They were both so close. All they needed was one more push.
And Eris, body quivering with anticipation, cried out, “Cum for me, Yiaz. Cum for your Goddess.”
Her command pushed Yiaz over the brink. With a loud cry, he let go, his orgasm crashing through like a tidal wave. Breath ragged, his cock pulsed, firing load after load of cum into Eris’s snatch. Eris’s own climax followed almost immediately, her body tensing and convulsing around him as she clung on tightly to him, squeezing her eyes shut.
As the waves of pleasure washed over them, they collapsed onto the grass, panting and trembling in the afterglow of their mutual orgasm. For a moment, they simply lay there, basking in the lingering sensations.
Even as Yiaz lay facing the night sky, swirls still clouded his vision as his mind whirled with thoughts of continued submission. After a while, Eris crawled over to him and gently stroked his body.
"You know, I actually find your determination quite endearing," she mumbled. "I could see myself enjoying your company as a draconequus."
Her eyes glimmered mischievously. "But I think I'll keep you in this adorable pony form… for now,” she continued. “It's rather fun seeing you squirm."
In his mind-melted state, Yiaz couldn't muster a coherent thought to disagree. Instead, he simply gazed up at Eris with adoration in his eyes, a loopy smile plastered on his face. The thought of serving his Mistress again and again filled him with unrestrained joy.
"Yes, Mistress," he mumbled obediently. "I'll do anything to please you…"
Eris chuckled softly. "Good boy. We'll have so much fun together, my little pony."
And with a contented sigh, the two of them lay beneath the starry sky, savoring the quiet moment and the promise of more chaotic adventures to come…
Author's Note
ponies :3
