Ruby gently took my hoof and stood up still staring at me

“S-so, Ruby, what should we do?” I asked.

“Just head up to my bedroom… I’ll follow in a minute.” Ruby whispered.

I did as she asked, stopping at the door to look back. I don’t even remember what I was going to say because what she was doing was so damn shocking it just disappeared permanently from my mind. Ruby had raised the hoof I’d kissed to her face and was slowly licking it, sighing contently, her eyes were staring vacantly into space and she had a soft smile. Then she noticed me watching and started crying from embarrassment.

Ruby turned away sobbing.

“I-I’m sorry Bolt, I didn’t…” she choked up unable to find a way to finish her sentence. I slowly walked up to her and rested my good hoof on her shoulder.

“Hay Ruby, don’t cry…” I whispered.

“I j-just wanted to know what you tasted like but it’s mixed with my own scent.” Ruby blurted out I was partially confused but understood one thing, Ruby had tried to find out what my mouth tasted like. I pulled Ruby around to face me.

“Bolt I’m so…” Ruby stopped talking as I wrapped her in a hug, I could smell her aroma, like pines and roses, so sweet. I pulled back slowly and managed a soft smile.

“Please don’t cry, Ruby, it doesn’t suit you.” I whispered. Ruby remained frozen, her eyes still slightly teary.

“Blind love.” The comment Diamond had made suddenly came to mind.

“It’s not like that, we’re just good friends, and I care about her because I owe her my life.” I thought, but the mental argument felt like a dam with a patchwork of wooden planks keeping it together.

Ruby buried her head in my neck nuzzling it slightly.

“You smell like chocolate and cake.” Ruby mumbled sadly.

“Is that bad?” I asked.

“No… It’s very nice…” she purred wrapping her hooves around me. We simply stayed there for a minute or two as Ruby calmed down, when she finally wiped away her tears I smiled.

“Feel better?” I asked, Ruby nodded slightly.

“I’m still… Sorry you had to see that.” She whispered.

“Ruby it’s fine I don’t…”

“No it’s not I… I was tasting you in a way, as if I was debating whether to eat you or…” Ruby seemed so scared and upset.

“Hay Ruby,” She looked up at me “If you smile I’ll let you fully hypnotise me.” I offered.

Okay so you’re probably all like ‘Why were you suddenly okay with being hypnotised?’ Truth is I wasn’t, I just didn’t want Ruby upset it… It hurt me to see her like that. Ruby looked at me with disbelief, then a little smile tugged at her lips.

“There you go!” I said happily and Ruby chuckled.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Ruby asked.

“W-well… I’m scared but… It didn’t hurt with just the light trance so…” I shifted my weight awkwardly “What I’m trying to say…” I sighed “Yes Ruby, I am okay with this. I trust you.” I think that made her smile for real, that comment. Ruby took my good hoof and began almost dragging me along upstairs.

Ruby grinned at me as she pulled me onto the bed, she dumped her tail all over the bed randomly. Ruby pushed the pillows against the headboard, she then had me sit back against the pillows. I watch as she moved her tail around preparing, the huge mass of scaly muscle moving around me made me slightly nervous but exited, I knew how it felt to have Ruby’s tail pressed against my fur. Ruby finally smiled ready to start.

“So do you want me to start off easy and work up or go fast?” Ruby asked.

“Go slow and work up, please.” I whispered Ruby smiled before darting forward to hug me again.

“Thank you, Bolt.” She whispered.

Ruby closed her eyes and reopened them. There they were, those swirling, captivating colours, never matching, always changing demanding attention, there were four in Ruby’s eyes in total changing much more rapidly than before.

“Look into my eyes, look deeply into my eyes,” Ruby cooed softly, as if I need telling, she moved her head slowly in circles and I began to lean forward, my mouth falling open in awe.

“Feel yourself getting sleepy, be relaxed.” My eyes twitched strangely as my mind realised it was in fact very tired from all of our training.

I could feel my mind self-consciously fighting for control, whilst I might have willing submitted, my mind refused to go down so obediently, but Ruby just smiled wider as if this amused her.

“It feels nice, doesn’t it?” Ruby said and I moaned, unwillingly, nodding my head slightly.

My mind was turning to mush, slowing down, I was no longer leaning against the headboard and my front hooves twitched as my body tried to force them to cover my eyes.

“Just relax, keep listening to my voice. Don’t worry Bolt it’ll get so much better if you just relax.” I grunted, I couldn’t even form the thought of looking away now it was just too good watching Ruby’s endlessly spiralling eyes.

But I didn’t want to cave in… Submit so easily… I wanted Ruby to really try, since she clearly wasn’t yet, judging from how her tail was held back.

“There’s no way you can look away from me now,” part of me wanting to say ‘You don’t say’ but it came out as a quiet sigh.

“You can’t resist me, just keep looking at my eyes.” Ruby’s voice was causing me to shiver in delight now, her voice bouncing around in my rapidly emptying head.

It felt so good to submit… But I couldn’t because… Because… I’d forgotten why I was resisting I just knew I had too, maybe to entertain Ruby, that seemed like a good reason to me, at the time.

“There’s no need to worry… No need to think, you just want to relax don’t you?” Ruby asked.

“No… Need to worry… To think… Want to… Relax.” I droned softly.

I felt like a sponge, absorbing Ruby’s words into me, making them part of me, after all she’d emptied me now she was filling me back up.

“Now relax, into my coils.” Ruby whispered as her tail snaked (no pun intended.) around the very base of my body, above my tail.

“Feel the tightness around you,” The first coil had formed, pressing into my body and the second pinned my hooves downs, the first coil flexed followed by the second, causing a ripple effect against my body.

“You’re getting sleepy… So… Sleepy.” My eyes drooped at the word sleepy and I groaned and my head fell down slightly, before I forced my eyes open and my head up to keep watching.

“It feels good to look into my eyes,” Ruby cooed as a third coil wrapped around my body, I relaxed further, letting Ruby support my weight.

“You feel so relaxed, so sleepy… So good.” Ruby dragged out the word good as her tail continued to climb further up my body, reaching my upper chest.

I felt so tired, like Ruby said, my eyelids felt like anvils all I wanted to do was let go and sleep, but part of my mind wouldn’t let me… Why wouldn’t my mind be quiet and enjoy this beauty?

“Now, when I squeeze you around your neck… You’ll let my spell take you.” Ruby purred as her tail looped slowly around my neck.

“Or do you not want my spell to take you?” Ruby asked, her tail stopping just around my neck the coiling unfinished.

What sort of a question was that? Of course I wanted to submit, to let pure bliss completely take my mind. To obey Ruby and feel so good!

“P-please… make me… Submit…” I managed moaning softly.

Ruby giggled quietly and tightened her tail around my neck. I gasped, my mouth hanging open as it twitched up into a wide opened mouth smile. My mind collapsed and I closed my mouth grinning at the pleasant blissful buzz all over my body.

“Good boy.” Ruby whispered chuckling.

Ruby tilted my head up with her tail, letting her eyes remain spiralling, they had remained consistent throughout the process but I didn’t care at the moment, they were reinforcing the hypnosis so I’d be happier for longer. Though it threw off my speech and what little coordination I had left, though that had little effect due to the cocoon. Ruby lifted me up and span me around, her tail wrapping around my rear hooves which had been missed, I hadn’t notice but they felt incredibly heavy, like lead pipes and Ruby cradling them made me feel so good. Ruby lay me down and it felt almost like I was in a sleeping bag.

“Now… What should we do Bolt?” Ruby purred softly.

“You said… Wanted to know… How I tasted… Lick me?” I begged Ruby blushed.

I’m pretty sure she mentally sent me orders or maybe this was what she was thinking. Either way Ruby leaned down and out of view, I suddenly felt Ruby nibble on my left ear, her teeth didn’t puncture through my skin, on the contrary it felt quite nice. Her mouth was warm and damp and her tongue kept darting out.

“Ahh.” I gasped as Ruby licked me with her forked tongue along the edge of my ear, and over the top where it was jagged from my knife accident.

Ruby moaned, licking my ear slowly.

“Who would ruin such a perfect little ear?” Ruby asked.

“I’m… Sorry.” I gasped.

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” Ruby moved back into view “I’ll just have to lick somewhere else.” She whispered dragging her tongue along my cheek.

Ruby worked her way down my face, moving her tail aside so she could lick under my neck. I tilted my head up sighing as Ruby continued to run her tongue along my neck. Ruby playfully nibbled my neck before moving back up to look at me. Ruby pressed her muzzle against mine, her eyes lighting up into swirling spirals again, she looked happy but sad at the same time.

“Have I done… Something wrong?” I asked Ruby blinked and closed her eyes.

“No Bolt I was just… Thinking…” Ruby’s tail squeezed me and I exhaled slowly.

“Anything I can do… To help?” Ruby opened her eyes and I relaxed upon eye contact with the spirals again.

“Bolt… The normal not hypnotised Bolt, would he mind if…” Ruby’s voice trailed off and I blinked in confusion. Ruby stared at me for a minute.

“Doesn’t matter… Anyway do you want to go to sleep now Bolt, you must be exhausted after all that resisting and training we’ve done?” Ruby grinned as my eyes drooped.

“Want to watch… Spirals more…” I moaned foalishly.

“Maybe in the morning… Goodnight Bolt.”.

“Night, Ruby.” I managed resting my head against a pillow of scales.

It felt like I was sitting on something, but I was floating in a limbo filled with endlessly pulsing colours from Ruby’s eyes, the colours wrapping around me like rope. It felt amazing and I didn’t want to leave, I then realised that somepony was stood staring at me. I looked up at the bright white mare.

“Hello Bolt,” Ruby whispered as she cupped my chin with a hoof smiling “Mind if you put me under your spell by kissing me properly this time?” She asked and I felt my face burn.

The hypnosis behind her cracked like a dam about to burst. The hypnosis zeroed in on it trying to seal it, but it simply delayed how fast the cracks appeared, like a spider’s web being chiselled out. I blinked.

“Ruby what are you…” Ruby hissed softly, but this wasn’t her purring when I stroked her tail, though it sounded identical.

“How dense are you, Bolt? Can’t you see my feelings go further than just friends? You taunt me with hugs, even kissing my hoof like an old fashion knight in a story! Yet…” Ruby broke down her eyes tearing over “Yet you aren’t like a knight in a story are you… In stories the mare gets the stallion and there are no complications… Why isn’t it that simple? Why can’t you just love me; why can’t you just show your feelings? Or do you not have any for me, is it because I’m half snake?” Ruby backed away and I tried to stand, but I was pinned down on my stomach unable to move from the hypnosis.

“Ruby wait please!” Ruby shook her head fully crying and turned disappearing into swirling mist.

The hypnosis dam smashed and sharp pain spread across my body, causing me to scream as I woke up. Even awake I continued to thrash, screaming. Ruby sat bolt (…Fuck me) upright and began to freak out.

“Bolt, Bolt what’s wrong? Stop struggling, please.” Ruby begged, the door slammed open and Diamond appeared whilst I continued to struggle madly in Ruby’s coils.

Diamond slid beside me and took about a minute to look at what was happening.

“You’ve crushed his cast, let him go Ruby you’re hurting him!” Ruby’s ears pressed against her head and she loosened her tail.

I breathed slowly, my leg was still stinging and I felt tears in my eyes, from more than just pain. I tried to speak but it just came out as a moan of pain.

Diamond held up my leg and sighed.

“Luckily you didn’t impale him on it… Good grief Ruby, what happened?” She asked.

“I’m sorry I was having a nightmare and I… Must have squeezed Bolt too hard in his sleep, I’m sorry!” She said.

“It’s fine let me just go get my supplies, hold his leg up and make sure he doesn’t go back to sleep.” Diamond disappeared and Ruby did as she was told.

Ruby grabbed the very end of my leg, just before it joined my torso, where it wasn’t broken, and slowly moved it up onto a pile of coils. Ruby sobbed softly.

“I’m sorry Bolt, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to do this.” She begged I tried raising my good hoof and managed to get it around her neck.

“Not your fault, it was just an accident,” I paused “Hay Ruby,” I whispered softly she looked at me “Since yesterday you wanted to…” Diamond chose that exact moment to return and I shot a look hoping it said “Later.” Ruby seemed to understand because she nodded faintly.

Diamond had brought with her a small sealed wooden box and two plastic cups, one white, one purple. Diamond set the box down and unlocked it, levitating out a set of powders and putting them into the two separate cups. She set them down, the white one fizzing softly, and began pulling out bandages and other essentials to make another splint. Diamond levitated the purple cup to me first.

“Drink this, it’s a pain killer, all of it in one go or it won’t work.” As she handed me the cup I could smell the contents, it smelt like decayed hay mixed with rotten bread and eggs. Not good.

I took a deep breath and forced it down in one gulp. I coughed but managed to keep the contents of my stomach down. We sat there for a few seconds before Diamond poked my stomach with her horn, blue magic engulfed Diamond’s horn and she began moving slowly across my body towards my damaged leg. Ever had the feeling like you’re about to be sick and you know it and want to run for the toilet, it felt like that as Diamond slowly moved up my body. When she reached my leg it turned numb.

“Black ringed rose?” I whispered, Diamond nodded.

“I see Ruby informed you what I used, now…” Diamond set my leg into a splint and smiled at her hoofiwork.

“There you go, good as new.” She said cheerily.

Diamond then levitated over the white cup.

“This next.” Diamond said I took the cup, it had stopped fizzing and I downed it again. This time Diamond didn’t use her magic to move it and simply began packing up. The drink was pleasant, it tasted of cherries but felt lumpy as if it was nearly yogurt.

“What was that?” I asked.

“We call it bone dough, it sort of speeds up and repairs damaged and broken bones. Couple more cups of that on time and you should be out of that cast by next week.” I dropped the cup which bounced along the floor, I looked at Ruby who looked incredibly guilty.

“A week huh… Did Ruby know you were giving me this?” I asked softly.

“Course, she reminded me,” Diamond said picking up the cup “Why?” I was tempted to inform Diamond of our wager with the Queen but decided against it.

“No, I just wasn’t told I’d recover so quickly,” I said managing a smile “Thank you.” Diamond nodded politely.

“I’m off to bed, don’t break his cast again, Ruby.” She said Ruby blushed and Diamond left. I turned almost wishing I could shout.

Ruby smiled sheepishly at me.

“So… A week huh…” I snapped “You can’t possible get ready in that time! You’ll be killed! What will Diamond think if you end up dead?” Ruby looked upset but I suspected it was less about guilt “What will I do without you?” I whispered Ruby’s ears perked up at that and she looked at me again, bingo. I sighed.

“Ruby I’m… I’m sorry I haven’t paid you more attention I do care about you… A lot, you’re the only friend I have around here,” I paused admitting a sad truth “The only one I’ve had in Equestria to be fair.” I looked back at Ruby “So I don’t want to lose you, if you get hurt or… Or killed in the arena I’ll blame myself because I won’t have anypony else to blame… Please don’t do this.” I understood that I was trying to pull her heart like an instrument but, damnit, I was desperate! I meant every word.

“Bolt, a few things; one, no matter what you say I am not backing down from this fight, it’s high time Midnight got knocked down a peg, you can either help me or shut up!” Ouch “Second, why am I your only friend?” Ruby asked I froze realising I’d blathered too much.

I tried to say it didn’t matter but Ruby refused to take that as an answer, she wrapped her tail around the back of my head and rested her forehead against mine.

“Tell me or I’ll draw it out with hypnosis.” She threatened. I gulped then nodded.

“Okay… The reason I don’t have any friends is- bwiiiztfffiiiizzzz” (Dah fucking shit I dropped the mike, sorry. Where was I? Oh yeah).

“Ruby, I told you before that I got bullied and I talked to my friends right?” Ruby nodded faintly “Well, that was true but… Eventually not even my friends could convince me it was okay so I… I left, as soon as I was old enough I packed up and left, that’s the reason I travel… I’m running away, I have been for ages now.” I whispered sadly “You wanted to say a third thing, or was that it?” I asked. Ruby hesitated as if she wanted to say she was sorry, but knew from experience it wouldn’t change anything.

“Ruby, did you want to say something else?” I asked she shook her head.

“Let’s just get some sleep, okay?” Ruby lay down not waiting for an answer, she didn’t even want to hypnotise me to sleep.

The following morning I was awoken by a faint voice speaking.

“So, he’s a loner… Would explain quite a bit, especially him rejecting you he’s not used to this.”

“I just… I just want to make him happy.” That was definitely Ruby.

“You do that just by being his friend, Ruby, give it time he’ll come around.” I opened my eyes.

“Come around to what?” I mumbled sleepily, Ruby gasped in shock and Diamond chuckled.

“Don’t worry Bolt, you’ll understand in the future.” She said with a wide grin. He smile made the already weak worry walls that Ruby had broken yesterday break again.

“Diamond your daughter and I have a wager with the Queen, Ruby’s going to fight Midnight you’ve got to…” Diamond shook her head sadly.

“Bolt, I am quite aware of your wager with the Queen, you scared Ruby last night with you trying to stop her that she spoke to me. I know my daughter, she is like many lamias, stubborn. We don’t back down easily when we want something. So, while we may try, the best we may be able to do is simply guide her,” Diamond levitated up a white cup “Though the fact that once your leg heals she will fight is not comforting. But she refuses to stop me giving you bone dough, she threatened to do it herself and it’ll probably end up with you being ill if she does.” Yeah I didn’t want that either, bad enough having a broken leg, never mind an illness.

I took the white cup and stared at the clear liquid within, for a second I had the image of it filled with blood, Ruby’s blood. I glanced at her and she smiled encouragingly, the sweet taste didn’t suit the drink. I held out the cup and Diamond took it in her magic again before moving forward, her horn touched the base of my broken leg, encasing it in a blue magical cast.

“Healing just fine.” Diamond said with a worried smile. She left us after that with a,

“Have fun you two.” Hinting at what fun she was talking about by her tone of voice. Ruby and I blushed.

“Practise?” Ruby asked.

“Yeah, sure but… No wagers this time please?” I asked Ruby smiled slightly.

“Sure.” She said and we left.

We changed how we were practising this time, we planned to focus solely upon Ruby dodging me and hitting me as she dodged. I simply had to charge her and land a successful hit, I thought this would be easy for me… I sure was wrong. The first time Ruby dodged me by jumping around me in a spring shape before clamping down on me so that I fluttered my free wings uselessly.

“Aw, you look like a little wrapped up gift.” Ruby said grinning then let me go.

The second time Ruby simply lay down on the floor and made a net out of her tail which caught me like a fly, before folding in on itself, third time Ruby made me fly through a hoop like a dog and we counted that as a point. Fourth time Ruby made a kind of ramp down into her tail so I lay on her tail like a bed.

“Would you like a rest?” Ruby purred her tail flexing causing me to sink and relax.

“We have to… Practise Ruby.” I muttered weakly it was almost painfully tempting just to relax but I forced myself back up into the air.

Ruby smirked and as I charged her she jumped forward, we veered off course spinning in a mid-air hug, before we crashed to the ground.

Ruby laughed and I chuckled, though I was pinned on the ground between Ruby and her tail. But I didn’t care, I was more focused on the way her eyes were twinkling slightly and her fur smelt like a spring breeze. I blushed slightly and Ruby laughed more.

“Y-You know I forgot to mention but it’s adorable when you blush.” Ruby said.

“Wait you can see me blushing?” I asked.

“Yes, everypony can, you blush pink, which really clashes with red.” I blush WHAT!?

I blush pink, really, why couldn’t I have blushed yellow or black, oh blushing black would be so awesome! But no, says the universe, I must blush pink, great.

“If you two are going to have a sentimental moment get on with it, this is boring me.” Ruby and I both froze then looked over at Midnight.

Midnight stood staring at us with a smug grin on her face as we stood up.

“What do you want?” Ruby asked, Midnight winked at me but it was hardly friendly, I won’t deny that I hid behind Ruby in fright.

“Oh I wanted to know if you were legitimately trying to prepare to fight me, seriously Bolt you think you can have her ready before your leg heals in a week… Or did you think it’d take you several weeks to heal?” I didn’t answer but my eyes must have betrayed me because Midnight laughed evilly.

“You held that back from him, knowing what he meant? Wow clear loving trust here!” Midnight sneered and I felt rough scales against my good leg and I was pulled forward.

Ruby reacted quickly by coiling around my chest and the two wrestled to coil me up. In the end I ended up stuck between the two, it felt incredibly strange being coiled up by two lamias, rough and soft coils wrapped around me. I imagine it would look very pretty but I wasn’t focusing on that.

“You know Ruby it’s actually pathetic, I bet you had to hypnotise him when you first met him just so you could talk, is that why you were separated? Your hypnosis was so weak he escaped and scared you away?” She was closer than she must have thought because her eyebrows raised up as Ruby looked guilty, causing Midnight to laugh.

“Pathetic, you have fallen for him and can’t even keep him. Why I bet you two haven’t even kissed… I wonder if you will want to kiss him after me.” I blinked in confusion then felt Midnight press her lips to mine.

I gasped in shocked allowing Midnight to force her tongue into my mouth. Much like her tail her tongue wasn’t gentle, it wrapped around my own with surprising flexibility but the taste of her mouth was rancid. It felt like my lungs were rejecting the air from them. When Ruby pulled me away hissing I began to cough.

“Oh did I steal your first kiss, what a shame.” Midnight taunted at me.

“What a waste of a first kiss! You taste like a compost heap backed up in a sewer dipped in rotten fish guts!” I cried, Ruby burst out laughing and it was Midnight’s turn to hiss.

Then Midnight grinned and her eyes began to pulse with hypnotic colours, Ruby copied her and my right eye watched Midnight, my left Ruby. Having my mind being hypnotised was weirder than the two tails around me, it felt like ropes were being tied around my brain, the left side less so ropes more blankets, they were less dominant or maybe more friendly, whilst Midnight was caring little for my mind. My mind was split three ways, one side wanting to turn and watch Ruby and the other Midnight, a little of me was assisting Ruby but it didn’t seem to make any difference. I tried closing my right eye and Ruby helped me but Midnight did likewise and we just ended with a stalemate until my eyes opened again forcefully. It was a split between pleasurable bliss from the hypnosis bombardment and painful from the mental battle between the battling hypnosis.

“Stop please… Feels like my brain… Will melt…” I managed.

Ruby flinched then covered my eyes with her tail and I slumped in my scaly prison as my mind returned, exhausted from the ordeal.

“Why’d you cut our game off? I take that as a victory!” Midnight said and Ruby lowered her tail from around my eyes down so it was like a scarf around my neck.

“We were causing him physical pain, and neither of us were making any progress, we’d have just senselessly hurt him.” Ruby muttered Midnight shrugged.

“Eh, he’s a pony, plenty more like him.” She said.

“No… No there isn’t.” Ruby whispered then looked up at Midnight “I think you’ve overstayed your welcome.” She muttered.

“She was welcome to begin with?” I grumbled Midnight scoffed and uncoiled her tail from around me, slapping my cheek with the end as she did so.

“Before I go,” Midnight said turning to face us again as she began to leave “Some advice. The Queen has set up this match with the intention of me winning, she wants your coltfriend Ruby and she’ll have him. But don’t worry, if he survives I’ll keep him. As a trophy to remind others what happens when you mess with me… He should survive at least a year.” Midnight laughed coldly.

“You won’t get a chance, nor will the Queen! Bolt is mine and mine alone!” For some reason this made me blush, I was Ruby’s… Midnight barked, or hissed, with laughter.

“We’ll see in a week, good luck… You’ll need it.” With that Midnight slithered away.

Ruby and I returned to our practising and I noticed an instant change in Ruby. She was a lot less playful, determined. I don’t think I stood a chance. After several hours of Ruby positively whooping me I finally called defeat, Ruby blinked then smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry Bolt, I just… Can’t stop seeing Midnight’s smug face.” She muttered I managed to stand and walked over to her.

“Well I doubt she’ll be very smug when you thrash her.” I said.

“You think I can?”

“If you fight like that, I might actually feel sorry for Midnight.” Ruby smiled

“Thanks Bolt.” We returned to Diamond’s house for the night after that.

The training followed for another several days, Ruby seemed so focused whenever we began training, getting close to Ruby was a challenge in training and she was a blur when dodging. But while training I began to notice strange things, the way her mane flew behind her head whenever she jumped sideways, a lock of it covering her eyes and making her nose twitch as if it tickled, how her tail curled to have the top facing me sparkling in the sun. I didn’t know why I noticed these things but I did and it kept reminding me of what I could lose. During the nights Ruby didn’t really hypnotise me to sleep, but she cuddled me up like a hot water bottle, for warmth. We were always too tired to have any hypnosis sessions, and Ruby was too tired to even squeeze me. But at least it told me she was serious.

Finally on the tenth day of my imprisonment, I followed Ruby down to the living room as we did most mornings and had breakfast (Deer again like the first day). After breakfast Diamond would have me take some bone dough but she didn’t offer me any. Instead she cast her magical glove over my broken hoof (It’s a sort of x-ray image in her mind apparently) then looked up at me grimly, she silently removed my splint and bandages and told me to try walking. I did, no pain but my leg was a little numb and I got a cramp at one point, but it was deemed that my leg had healed.

For the most part I was happy, I could finally walk without the inconvenient awkwardness of my leg being held up, but it was tainted by a horrid truth Diamond and I feared. Ruby would be taking up on that wager now, but for the minute she was too busy wrapping her tail around my leg.

“What are you doing that for, Ruby?” I asked.

“I want to see if you react differently, I haven’t been able to squeeze your left leg at all. I can finally stop holding back on my squeezing.” She whispered I smiled softly then gasped as Ruby pulled me into a hug.

“I’m sorry I got your leg broken.” Ruby managed.

“Ruby it’s not your fault and it has healed now, so it doesn’t matter.” I said.

“No it does… We still haven’t go back at who broke it.” Oh no, I didn’t even get to open my mouth Ruby simply muttered “Let’s go.” I nodded grimly.

Since first arriving the only time I’d visited the palace was when I was first brought here, and my shackles were placed around me. I didn’t like the palace, it gave me the creeps but we had no choice but to ascend once more to the doors watched by that cobra head. I glanced at Ruby often, she was incredibly tense, her eyebrows were furrowed and her lips tight in a frown. But she still looked adorable to me.

“Hay you alright?” I asked Ruby looked at me and the tension faded a little from her face, or maybe she began to hide it.

“Yeah I’m…” Ruby sighed “No Bolt, I’m not, I’m scared.” she admitted.

“That just means you’re brave.” I said.

“How?”

“A brave pony isn’t a pony with no fears, a brave pony is somepony who has fears and faces them. Somepony with no fears is a fool.” Ruby smirked.

“Look at you, the quote master.” I chuckled and Ruby giggled, which died as we reached the doors.

Two guards flanked the entrance like stone gargoyles and they didn’t seem to have noticed us until Ruby cleared her throat.

The guard on the right of the door stared at us.

“State your business.” She said.

“That is between the Queen and us, I imagine she has been expecting us.” Ruby said the guard glanced at her companion.

“Wait here, Ruby Scales.” She grumbled entering the palace, I didn’t like how she knew Ruby’s name.

A few minutes and the guard returned to her position and the Queen greeted us inside. We took a seat on a pile of cushions at the base of the fluffy thrown again, but this time there was only one pile and I wasn’t wincing in pain.

Ruby and I sat side by side, Ruby protectively coiling me up, it looked like I was wearing a red and white cape really but I didn’t mind, the weight of Ruby’s tail was comforting.

“So I take it you are here to take the arena challenge?” The Queen asked smirking at our cuddling and Ruby nodded silently.

“You remember our wager?” The Queen asked bringing the end of her tail forward, and cupping my chin with it, tilting my head up. She winked at me and looked back to Ruby.

“If I win, Bolt and myself have the right to leave the city but must return monthly… If I lose…. If I lose Bolt…” Ruby gulped glancing at me.

“Becomes my little toy for six hours.” The Queen confirmed “Right, well unless you wish to back out, we’ll head to the arena.” The Queen stood and Ruby growled softly.

“I’m not backing down.” She muttered.

“Good, Midnight. We’re beginning.” The Queen said.

Midnight opened her eyes in the shadows and it was like some monster with torches as eyes, I noticed her silhouette for the first time. She slid forward into the light and I gasped. The dark grey mare was clad in full combat armour dyed midnight black, a spear and circular shield were strapped to her back and a sword at her hip, she was also wearing a large black helmet so I could only see her eyes, her hair was spiked up through the top much like the royal guards in Canterlot, along her tail was more armour with leather straps holding it down. She was an imposing sight and clearly ready to fight.

“You’ll be fighting in what you came in of course.” The Queen said. I did a double take, here was Midnight looking like she was going to war and Ruby was bare.

“Don’t worry Bolt, it’s fine.” Ruby whispered to me.

I had thought the only time I would pass through the city gates again would be when I escaped or was let go. I didn’t imagine I’d pass through them on my way to a battle between my friend and somepony who had almost killed me, the stakes being my freedom or rape. With that cheery thought we trudged through the grass, we seemed to be heading East (The entrance of the lamia village faced North, towards the desert, I’d come from the West in case anypony is confused). We finally broke through into what I first though was a clearing, then I realised it was a massive building. It was made entirely of slate stone in a giant circle, rising a couple stories high, on either side were two boxes, one larger than the other, likely offering a much more elevated view. From the angle I was at, I could see what looked like the main entrance as well as a smaller door.

“Midnight head around to your side.” The Queen said nodding towards the blind side. Ruby, the Queen and her guards and I headed towards the small entrance.

“You know when to enter?” Ruby nodded.

“Good, we’ll head up to my personal watch box.” The Queen said smirking at me.

“Bolt, if I don’t come back… I’m sorry that I couldn’t get you your freedom.” I felt tears prickle against my eyes and I walked forward towards Ruby.

“Let me wish you luck,” I whispered.

“Go on then, tell me good luck.” I managed a smile.

“Not what I meant.” I said and I leaned forward kissing her.

I’d been slightly afraid that she might taste like Midnight, but I was pleasantly mistaken. Ruby tasted like strawberries dipped in sugar, and she made such a cute surprised sound when I kissed her. It could have been a lot better, I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy it, I did. I just wish that it hadn’t been so public, with the Queen and her guards watching (One made a nice aw sound) and me crying all over Ruby. I pulled back and stared at Ruby.

“You’re going to win this, and if you die I’ll drag you back out of Tartarus to fight again!” I muttered Ruby managed a smile.

“I won’t lose.” But neither of us really believed that the inevitable couldn’t happen.

Ruby turned and disappeared into her entrance and I turned walking towards the main way in.

“Let’s get this over with.” I muttered walking beside the Queen. All I could see was Ruby’s face in my mind, eyes closed as if asleep, but not breathing… I couldn’t shake the image of Ruby’s corpse.

Author's Notes:

So let's see what the chapter contained, Ruby almost destroying Bolt's already broken leg, Bolt FINALLY grasping that he might like Ruby... Though he's still denying it slightly cause idiocy! We have a really long hypnosis session, Midnight steals Bolt's first kiss and she get's a verbal bitch slap! And then Bolt and Ruby kiss! EEEEEEEE! Anyway hope you enjoyed, more on the way.