Alignment 4

>Early morning in the Equestrian Kingdom
>The morning air has a slight chill to it due to the window accidentally being left open the night before, but you don't seem to notice
>In your bleary, half-awake state, you're preoccupied with the thought of how awesome and strange it is to have your girlfriend smell faintly of grapes all the time
>Probably due to the fact that you fell asleep cuddling and woke up to a faceful of purple mane
>You are Anon, secret consort to Princess Luna of Equestria
>Well, 'consort' might not be the right word for what you are
>But, 'Anon, secret cuddle-buddy to Princess Luna of Equestria' doesn't quite have the same ring to it
>A few weeks ago, Luna confessed that she had a crush on you
>You were honestly surprised;  You thought you were seen more as an animal in this house than a thinking, feeling being
>But, as is the case most times when women and feelings are involved, you were mistaken
>And so it seems you now have a girlfriend
>Not that you're complaining
>Or, 'complaining all the time', rather
>You'd be lying if you said there weren't things you'd like to have stop happening
>Case in point:
>You spit out a mouthful of grape flavored mane and shake your still-sleeping companion


Hey
>No response
>You shake her harder
Hey
>She furrows her brow and groans in displeasure
>Aww, isn't that cute?
>BUT IT'S WRONG!
>Climbing out of bed, you grab the covers and yank them off of her
>Without missing a beat, you begin folding the comforter as Luna curls into a fetal ball and mutters curses at you
Yeah, no.
>The folded blanket lands with a *pomf* as you toss it back onto the bed
Up and at 'em, Princess Tinybutt.  You've got things to do today.
>And indeed she does
>From what you understand, some serious shit went down on the northern edge of the kingdom just before you arrived
>Some unicorn named Sombrero was raising an invasion force to overthrow the throne, and Luna stopped him
>As soon as she did, though, the entire empire disappeared underground
>Since then, a small team of magic scholars took to discovering the spell used to seal off this 'crystal empire', but to no avail
>Which is where Luna comes in


>In order to better understand the magics used for such a massive spell, the research team suggested a field trip to the former site of the empire
>But, a trek up to what what still has to be considered hostile territory comes with obvious risks, so an escort was requested
>You're pretty sure Celestia would have volunteered, but she's been far too preoccupied with being a spoiled, selfish cunt lately
>And besides, who better to lead an expedition than the mare of the hour herself?
>Luna reluctantly goes about her morning routine while you figet around the room
>Truth be told, you're not thrilled about this trip
>Not only is your girlfriend going on an expedition to a country that recently tried to invade, but she's leaving you alone to do it
>This wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for the fact that Celestia is staying behind
>She's passive-agressive to you on even the best of days; You're not entirely sure what's going to happen while Luna's not around to keep her at bay
>You must have zoned out, because suddenly Luna is shaking you
>'Hey.'
What?
>'Stop that.'
Stop what?
>'Stop worrying.  Everything is going to be fine.'
Yeah, like I'm just going to stop worrying about you just because you ask me to.
>She smiles and leans in to nuzzle your chest, and you wrap your arms around her neck
>Well, you might as well bring it up now...
Hey, Luna?
>She breaks your embrace and looks at you questioningly
You know how your sister and I...  Don't get along, right?
>She furrows her brow and says:
>'Yes, I've noticed some animosity between you two.'
>She closes her eyes and smiles
>'But don't worry, Anonymous.  I promise Celestia won't try and pull anything.'
>Noticing your apparant skepticism, Luna continues:
>'No, I'm serious.  Celestia may not like you, but she will at least respect the law enough to not damage my personal property while I'm away.'


>You tense up
>She should know better than anyone that you don't like being reminded that you're technically a pet
Fucking really?  We're going with the fact that I'm an animal?
>Luna gives you a flat look
>'Hey, you're the one who wanted reassurance.  I just pointed out that the property laws in Canterlot are very clear and that my sister wouldn't chance it.'
>'And besides...'
>She kisses you on the cheek and you relax a little
>'You know I don't think of you as property.'
It'd be nice if you weren't the only one, though...
>You mutter under your breath
>She doesn't seem to hear you, as she's busy double checking that she has everything
>After a few more minutes, she says:
>'Alright, Anon.  I think I'm good to go.'
>You hug and say your goodbyes
>Even though she's only going to be gone for a few days, it's still going to feel strange without Luna around
>She's been a permanent fixture since you moved in so many months ago
>Fortunately for you, a little digging in the library resulted in plenty of reading material to keep yourself occupied
>Once Luna has well and truly left the castle, and after you've grabbed some breakfast, you make your way to the second floor study
>You heft an old, yellowed book from the shelf you placed it on yesterday, flop down onto the surprisingly uncomfortable gilded couch, and pick up where you left off:


...and in order to understand the civilization in which they live, you must first understand the caste system that their civilization has evolved around.

The Earth, or Worker Caste, is primarily charged with growing food and tending to the land.
The Pegasus, or Warrior Caste, is responsible for the safety of the kingdom;  Not only from invaders, but also from out-of-control storms or other weather phenomena.
The Unicorn, or Merchant Caste, are just that;  Merchants and specialists that keep the Equestrian economy afloat.
The Alicorn, or Priest Caste, is charged with ruling and governing the other races to ensure stability and cooperation between castes.
Lastly, Uncasted, or 'Untouchable' races, refer to non-pony species that reside in the country.

There are exceptions, of course.  Many unicorns become warriors, and occasionally pegasi will care for the land and it's creatures, but these choices are nearly always seen as demotions; stooping to do work that you're entitled to be above.  I say 'entitled' because the central pillar of the ponies belief system, and indeed, their civilzation, is that of Dharma (to use their idiom).  This notion of Dharma, which lays out rules and structure for each of the castes, compels ponies to behave in certain ways according to the caste that they are born into.  Adherence (or disobediance) to these rules creates Karma, a sort of spiritual merit/demerit system.  Having good Karma makes it more likely for positive things to happen to you, and ultimately allows for your spiritual reincarnation and ascention to the next highest caste.  Conversely, bad Karma evokes negative things, and may cause you to be reborn into the same, or maybe even lower, caste.

Examining this system from an objective viewpoint, some flaws are immidiately apparant.  Firstly, there is no hard evidence that a creature's soul lingers after death to be returned to a mortal form.  Also, it's no secret that ponies who are nicer to others are treated better themselves (and vise-versa).  Lastly, and possibly most disturbing, is the animosity between castes that a set social order would be likely to impose.  Because social rank is determined by race, which is determined by the purity of one's Karma, it can be (and is) assumed that everyone is in the position they are because they fundamentally deserve it.

Another unexpected, but understandable, issue with a caste system like this is the problem of inbreeding.  Because of the percieved nature of the different races, the society of the individual castes will generally not tolerate dating below your social status.  To marry or mate with a different caste is to break Dharma, which creates bad Karma, which invites misfortune into your home-

>'You're not supposed to have that, you know.'


Whuzzat?
>You jerk out of concentration to find Celestia standing across from you, eyeing you coldly
>'That book.  It's from a section of the library that's supposed to be off-limits to non-royalty.'
>This is news to you
>Although it's not surprising; This book just happened to show up in Luna's room a few days after the two of you had a conversation about the apparant lack of objective, outside opinion in most of the Equestrian history books
Yeah, about that.  Luna pulled it out for me to flip through.
>A half truth, but still true enough
>'For some reason I believe you, Anonymous.  However, that doesn't excuse the fact that you have something you're not supposed to.'
>She inches toward you; cautious, yet eager and excited
>You've actually never seen her like this
>And that's usually a cue for trouble
>'But you're in luck, Anonymous.'
>'I'm thinking I could just forget what I saw here today.'
>'But first, you would have to do something for me.'
>Scratch that
>THAT was your cue for trouble
>Though, you find it strange that she's giving you a choice
What would that be?
>She smiles
>'Tell me I'm pretty.'
>You're taken slightly aback;  You were expecting something a little more... degrading


Uh...
>You stammer for a second, not sure of how to feel about this turn of events
>'Do you not find me attractive, Anonymous?'
>Well, this is becoming awkward quickly
>As far as ponies go, you've only ever thought about Luna as attractive
>And even then it's kind of a stretch
Personally, no, but you are attractive.
>She pouts
>'So you'll tell me I'm beautiful to my face, but not mean it?'
>This can only end poorly
It's not that, it's just I'm not attracted to ponies at all, Celestia.
>And with that, the coyness drops from her voice and she gets a small smirk
>'But Anonymous, haven't you been dating my sister for the past few weeks?'
>A shiver runs up your spine
>She knows
>It's okay, Anon, this isn't a big deal.  You can lie your way out of this
>Very slowly, you say:
I... have no idea what you're talking about.
>Her smirk grows a little larger


>'Don't play dumb with me, Anon.  Everyone else may believe you're just the pet, but you can't fool me.'
>'Which puts you in an awkward situation, Anonymous.'
>She seems delighted in watching you squirm
>'It seems I've caught you in a lie.  Either you are not attracted to ponies, and have been lying to my sister for the past few weeks for some unknown reason...'
>She throws her hoof against her forehead in mock drama
>'... which would, of course, COMPLETELY and UTTERLY devistate poor Luna, and likely end with your re-imprisonment, banishment, or worse...'
>You visibly twitch
>Her example seems far-fetched, but without Luna here to stick up for you it doesn't seem unlikely that the royals wouldn't just throw you back in prison
>No pony, with the exception of one, has ever made any bones about telling you that you're an inferior subspecies
>'Or....'
>Her tone shifts, blending seduction with a predatory undertone that reminds you of a cat playing with a trapped mouse
>'You lied to me, and are in fact attracted to ponies.'
>She flips her amaranth pink hair, and begins advancing on you
>'Now, the way I see it you have a few options'
>You subconciously back away from her advances, but she continues to push forward
>It looks like she's trying hard to be subtle with her actions, but she's failing
>'Admit to not finding ponies attractive, and suffer the consequences of falsely leading on a princess...'
>Your back hits the wall with a thud, and Celestia continues to advance on you
>'...Or admit to wanting to ravage a pony, and suffer the consequences of falsely leading on a princess.'


>Okay, something's wrong here
>She's pushing you pretty hard to admit that you want to stick your dick in a horse
>But to what end?
>She can't blackmail you into doing something she couldn't already just command you to do
>If she wanted to get you in trouble for it, she could just lie and everyone would believe her anyway
>Wait...
>Does she... want to sleep with you?
>...
>Given your situation, you decide to just take the bait and hope it goes okay
Okay, Celestia.  You got me.
>You shrug
Provided it can pass the Harkness Test, I have no problems with engaging in sexual intercourse with a pony.
>She perks up a bit
>'So you'll have sex with me?'


>For a second, you flash a look that makes it clear that your brain may indeed be full of fuck
N-no?
>'Why not?'
>Because you're a total bitch and I hate you?
I think the better question is 'Why?'.
>She gives you a puzzled look
>What do you mean?'
Well, for starters I thought you hated me.
>She laughs, and says:
>'It's not so much that I hate you, it's just I really couldn't care less about you or your feelings.'
>A solid five seconds passes in silence
Fair enough.
Next question:  Why me?  Aside from being beastiality, you're also talking about breaking Dharma!
>She pauses
Blackmail!
>She bites her lip
Infidelit...
>It takes for her to start panting heavily before you figure it out
...
You are one sick bitch, you know that?
>'I've been a bad pony, Anonymous.'


>She turns around and starts grinding against your crotch
>'So hot... So... Taboo!'
>You throw your hands up in the air and slide out from behind her
Nope!  Fuck this, I'm done.
>Hands still in the air, you quickly make for the door while shaking your head
I am so done.
>You hear hooves clicking behind you, and your breath catches in your chest
>Now that the initial shock of Celestia wanting your dick has worn off, it's morphed into mostly disgust with a tinge of anger
>You remember a friend back on Earth who had his ex jump into bed with his best friend the week after they broke up
>He handled it well enough, but you can clearly remember that sleazy, slimy feeling you felt when you heard about it
>Just the thought of hurting someone that badly makes you physically sick
>And Celestia wants to try and put her own sister in that situation?
>What kind of sick game is she playing?
>'Where do you think you're going?'
>Your hand involuntarily spasms, and over your shoulder you remark:
Out of here.  Away from you.
>You reach the door, and it glows yellow before slamming in your face
>"I don't think you quite understand your situation, Anonymous."


>*spasm*
>You turn on your heel, and you meet Celestia's glowering stare with your own
Oh, really?  I don't?  And why's that?
>With a smug look that actually suits her very well, she starts:
>"Well, if you don't do what I tell you to, I'll..."
>And that's all you needed to hear
You'll what, Celestia?  What'll you do?  Tell everyone that your kid sister is in love with the family pet?
>Your tone rises, and you begin to pepper your sentences with emphatic arm flailing
Here's a newsflash, Sunbutt!  We haven't exactly been covering it up too well!
>Months of pent-up grievances aimed at this mare are welling to the front of your mind
Only a fucking moron wouldn't be able to see that we like each other!
So what are you really going to do?!  Blackmail me with something that everyone already knows anyway?!
>Taken aback by your outburst, Celestia takes a step back from you
>You push forward, staying right in her face
And suppose your blackmail DID work, and I fucked you.  What then?
Instead of an *implied* relationship with a horse...
>You pause and stick your finger right in Celestia's face


...And I say *implied* because nothing physical has happened between us yet, because I'm not ready for that and SHE RESPECTS MY GOD DAMN BOUNDARIES
>You knock on Celestia's head
YOU HEAR THAT?
*knock knock*
RESPECTING BOUNDARIES?  LEARNING THAT NO MEANS NO?  TURNS OUT, IT'S IMPORTANT!
>You back off of her and re-rail your point
Instead of an implied relationship with a horse, you'd blackmail me into an actual relationship with a horse!  And then you could blackmail me with THAT!
>Celestia looks like she's been slapped
>'...How d-...'
Fucking seriously?  How fucking stupid do you think I am?!
>You throw your hands up in exasperation
What else am I to seriously expect out of you?  You've been a total cunt to me since I got here!
>She winces
>Judging from the look on her face and the small tears forming in the corners of her eyes, you're pretty sure no one has ever yelled at Celestia this way before
>on any other day, you'd feel bad
>But right now, you feel good
>Justified, even
>But your rage is starting to run dry, and your voice is becoming raw from yelling so you decide to wrap it up
Now, would you kindly get the FUCK out of here?  I've had just about enough of your shit today.


*
>You turn your back on her, intent on continuing your reading
>Still a few steps from your sofa, you hear:
>'Do you think I offer my flank up to just anyone, Anonymous?'
>You hear a *THOOM* from behind you, and you turn to look back at Celestia
>Her horn is glowing purple, and a look of rage flashes across her face
>'Do you know how many stallions would KILL to be in your position right now?!'
>You hear a *POP**SNAP* as a purple aura envelops your arm, and your wrist is hyperextended backwards to lay flat against your forearm
>Shrieking in pain and fear, you watch as your arm seems to roll up itself, breaking the bones and straining the tendons as you writhe in agony
>'So much for Celestia not damaging Luna's property', you think in the back of your mind
>'I offer you the PRIVILEGE of pleasuring me, and you treat me like THAT?'
>Your arm unrolls like some demented party horn and snaps into its familiar shape, bones knitting and healing just as easily as they were broken
>'How DARE you talk to me like that!'


>You feel magic grab your ankles, and you're slammed into the marble wall like a rag doll
>When you hit you feel your ribs strain and crack from the force, sending your sternum into your heart and lungs
>But as soon as you bounce off the wall, your bones re-align and heal as if nothing had happened
>'Why is she doing this?', you think
>But, as you heal, your pain ebbs and you have a sickening revelation
>If there's no permanent damage, there's no proof of damage
>'How dare you choose HER over ME!'
>You're flung across the room and collide with the opposite wall, shoulder first, in a sickening *squish*
>The force of the blow snaps your neck, and for a terrifying second you can feel the bone shards cut into your muscles as your head hangs limply from your shoulders
>As your head snaps back into its natural position, you catch a glimpse of Celestia's hate-filled grimace before she slams you straight down onto the floor
>'What does she have that I don't?!'


>The force of the blow turns your legs into hamburger, but like the other wounds they heal just as fast as they're inflicted
>Now that you've been given a respite from the beating, you notice Celestia seems to be tiring quickly
>Despite your better judgement, you decide to press the initiative and take a stab at this bizzare inferiortiy complex she's developed
>Through labored breaths, you manage to wipe some of the blood off of your face and pant:
Well it's partly the fact that Luna doesn't beat me bloody when I make her angry, and also partly due to her ass-tattoo not being directly to scale
>She glares at you, angry and confused
>'What's that supposed to mean?'
Best lay off them cream cakes, 'cause shit, bitch, you is FAAAAAT
>Celestia roars in anger and frustration, and levitates the gilded couch you were sitting in
>Fortunately for you, the couch is too heavy for her
>Straining with concentration, she takes a step toward you to throw it at you, but slips in some of the gore you donated to the floor


>The couch misses you, striking the bookcase and shattering on impact
>You nimbly dodge to the side as the bookcase crashes to the floor next to you with a thud that could probably have been felt in the dungeon
>Celestia is now on the floor, exhausted from the exertation
>And you, not knowing when to leave well enough alone, limp over to her
What's the matter, Princess Bitchface?  I thought we were having so much FUN!
>You kick the weakened princess in the ribs, causing her to whine and curl into a ball
Or is it only okay when it's the other way around?
>Grabbing her by the horn, you lift her head to face you
Now listen here, you goddamn horse-
>'ALARM!'


>You glance to the doorway to see a clearly terrified pegasus in full royal guard attire
>As he screams for help, a cold feeling of lucidity passes over you
>You are in a destroyed room, unscathed, covered in blood, and standing over a the prone form of a beaten and equally bloody pony
>Not just any pony, either, but a PRINCESS
>Even in a world where you aren't regarded as a questionably dangerous animal, you'd still hang for this
>'ALARM!'
>The guard's cries snap you out of your trance, and your adrenal glands kick in to offer you the only way you'll make it out of here alive
>Run
>Run until the law can't catch you
>You spring for the door, shoving the guard out of the way, and begin sprinting down the long hallway
>You can hear more guards sounding the alarm as you run, crashing through any pony who happens to be in your way
>This doesn't happen often, mind you, because the sight of a bloody ape running loose in the castle is cause enough for any pony to run away shrieking
>As most of your concious mind drowns in a blind panic, winding through the twists and turns of this labyrinthe castle, there's still a cold, emotionless version of you that's wondering how you're actually going to get OUT
>As you run, and as you notice more and more royal guards with livid expressions, you remember a small balcony not far from here
>The balcony overlooks the castle garden, and from there it's a straight shot to the dense forest at the base of the mountain
>It's not much of a chance, but it's the only one you've got


>You round the last corners, and crash through the glass doors leading to the balcony
>Maintaining your speed, you vault off the balcony, deciding in a split-second that your fear of heights is significantly less worrisome at this time than your fear of death
>The wind is knocked out of you as you gracelessly phlomp in the soft dirt of the flower garden, but that's okay
>You don't really need air to run anyway
>The sight of that arrow barely missing your head as you lifted it out of the dirt was all the incentive you needed
>Terrified, you make a mad dash for the treeline, weaving chaoticly as you desparately try to avoid the archer's bolts
>Thankfully, you make it
>But you don't stop running
>You run into the forest until you are well and truly lost
>You happen upon a small stream, and run down it in an attempt to keep them from tracking your scent
>And still you keep running
>Deeper and deeper, into the forest
>Until your legs begin to buckle underneath you, and you faceplant into the loam
>And as you lie in the ferns and pant, you think about what just happened


>About how you can never go back
>And, most prominently, about Luna
>About how you'll never see her again
>A lump forms in your throat
>And, if you ever do see her again, she'll probably have to kill you
>Like the owner of a golden retriever who suddenly attacked a child, she's probably going to have to put you down
>Is that really the case?
>Does it even matter anymore?
>You crawl over to the trunk of a large tree
>Too exhausted to connect formal thoughts anymore, you simply curl up underneath it and begin to cry
>You realize you're in the open, exposed to both the elements and predators, but right now you simply don't care
>Sleep takes you, and as you discover, you're too tired even to dream

End Part 4