We continued watching the horrendous display in front of us, and I'm not entirely sure I can make a case for why. It was sort of like watching a train wreck—by which I mean, it's terrible, but you can't look away.

I still don't understand why I was "turned on" by any of this. It bothers me even now. How can something be so disgusting and still be "sexy" at the same time? To be honest, I think all sex feels like this to me. It's just a matter of degrees of disgust.

I almost wish there were no such thing as sex, journal. Things would definitely be simpler that way. I feel guilty for these temporary desires that well up in my barrel like a siren's call. I don't know if I'll ever be able to enjoy myself in any of these disgusting ways without becoming a completely different pony in the process.

Then again, I remember being with Applejack, which wasn't so bad. That was only a little gross, and I felt... I felt like I loved her. I don't know what's real, or how to tell. Standard logic doesn't seem to apply to these situations.

How I wish Princess Celestia were here.

Wait, I don't mean I wish Celestia were watching vampony sex with me! Just to be clear on that. Okay, moving on.

After Cheerilee finished shackling Thunderlane's hooves together, front and rear, she placed her head up inside Orchard Blossom's skirt, and there were some really disgusting sounds I don't want to think about. It didn't seem to faze Orchard Blossom a bit.

"Rarity, dear," she said, "I believe it's too warm in the shed this evening. I'd prefer our new cunt's induction not be too traumatic, so perhaps we should put it in the house for the evening."

Rarity nodded. "Good idea, Mistress. But shouldn't somepony watch over it?"

"Yes, and I think it should be Cheerilee, once she's done finished with her mare's duty," said Orchard Blossom. "I'd prefer to have her here with us as we finish Pinkie, but we're already keeping things... severely toned down for our audience," she added, and looked into the camera from a distance.

Cheerilee pulled her face out from beneath Orchard Blossom's skirt, covered in cum. and licking her lips. "Aww," she said with a mock pout.

"Don't you fuss. We'll play with you later, bitch," Orchard Blossom promised sweetly, and Cheerilee returned to her task.

"Wait, what? This is toned down?" I gasped. "Why would they show us any of this, Zecora? It certainly isn't encouraging me to follow the Order!"

"Too long have these ponies had taint. What's normal to them, would make others faint. They do not realize this show does not stir up your fire, below," said Zecora.

"You mean they've forgotten what's normal?" asked Spike.

"That actually makes sense," I said. "If they've been heavily focused on their private time together, perhaps they can't remember exactly where normal boundaries lie. They might think they're encouraging me when I feel terrified."

"To be fair, I must admit: I'm almost encouraged by it," said Zecora, with a hint of a blush.

(That reminds me of the joke about what's black and white and red all over—now I have two punchlines, ha! The other one is "a newspaper"—because it's "read" all over. Get it? It's a homonym pun! I love those, but Pinkie keeps telling me I can't tell a joke properly. Comedy is much harder than it looks.)

"Disturbing," was all I said, but I took a cue from Spike and put a pillow in my lap. It was starting to affect me, even though I was far too unsettled to feel any urge to submit.

Rarity stood Thunderlane up. The shackles made movement slow and difficult, and he blushed like fire as his lubricated penis waggled crudely beneath him, drooling cum onto the hay covering the flooring. He whined softly but the gag prevented him from speaking.

"Relax, darling," said Rarity. "We'll take good care of you. You'll be in absolute bliss before you know it."

Cheerilee finally withdrew from Orchard Blossom's skirt, licking the cum from her face with an impossibly long, whiplike tongue. "It's sooooo good, Mistress," she moaned, then giggled up at Thunderlane. "Alright, somepony needs a time out. Mistress, where should we sleep?"

"If you clean it up properly, you can sleep in AJ's bed. Also, there are marble accessories on the kitchen counter. Put it in marble wing clips and a marble collar for now. No earrings. I want to pierce its ears personally," she said, with an evil grin.

"Oh! What a treat!" Cheerilee said, and stood up to walk Thunderlane out of the barn. "Perhaps we'll leave a wet spot or two for Applejack to find. Come on now, sweetie pie. You're in good hooves," she said as the pair exited the view.

Pinkie Pie bounced slightly in place, even though she could only jump about two or three centimeters with the shackles on her legs. Unlike Thunderlane's, hers were bolted to the flooring (but I think I already wrote that).

Orchard Blossom adjusted her blonde wig and pursed her lips in thought. "I think I'm going to go au natural for this one, Rarity. I trust you have your kit with you?"

Rarity nodded and retrieved something from her saddlebags. "Let's go off camera," she suggested, and they moved to the end of the barn.

"Twilight! Hi hi hi Twilight!" said Pinkie Pie, grinning from across the barn at the shelf that held the amulet. The drop of Thunderlane's ejaculate resting on the lens only obscured a tiny bit of the window, but it was starting to get on my nerves. I tried my best to ignore it, with little success.

"I guess it's not all that bad," said Spike. "Sick, yeah, but they're not, like, murdering ponies or anything."

"Spike, you're rationalizing this because you love Rarity," I pointed out. "Don't defend these kinds of aberrant behaviors."

Zecora nodded. "Love is blind, and blind one it can. You are a hopeless Rarity fan."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I know how I feel about Rarity affects my judgment, but I'm just saying, it could be a lot worse."

I sighed and planted a hoof over my face. How do you convince somepony that a behavior is sick and disgusting when they no longer feel the revulsion they should?

Worse yet, what happens if I stop feeling revulsion?

Fortunately, I don't think that will happen. I'm still disturbed by nearly everything I've seen tonight. Yes, I might be a little turned on, but I'm unnerved in equal measure.

Big Macintosh returned into view, absent the wig, dress, and makeup. I could see he still had a little bit of eyeliner on, but for the most part he looked normal. Well, if you ignore the fact that he's tottering about oddly on his hind legs and his cock is bouncing in the air, of course.

"Aww, no more Orchard Blossom," pouted Pinkie. "You're so cute like that!"

"Pinkie! That is not how you address Master," said Rarity, admonishing with a wave of her hoof. Big Mac frowned and nodded.

"I'm sorry Master. But, it's true," she whimpered.

"It's alright, bitch," said Mac, minus the falsetto now, yanking Pinkie's mane. "Your Master enjoys it too, but I need to focus if I'm gonna let the wolf out for your marbling."

"Ooh, I'm so nervouscited!" Pinkie squealed. Rarity chuckled and pulled out a marble brick from her saddlebags.

"That's it. That's the brain box," I said, pointing at the image with a shaky hoof.

"Huh. It doesn't really look like much of anything," said Spike.

"Sometimes, quite the largest thing, in tiny package, it may bring," said Zecora.

I nodded. "Be careful not to stare at it," I said. "It can't affect you if you will against it. All I had to do was shut my eyes."

Big Mac looked at the camera and smiled softly. "Now, Twilight, this is a very important ceremony. We're gonna tread real light so we don't upset your delicate princess stomach, but what you're about to witness is a beautiful thing."

"Honestly, Pinkie, you should really be in marbles right now since you haven't submitted to the stone already. Master has been far too patient with you," said Rarity.

"Don't you question my patience, bitch," said Mac, yanking back on Rarity's mane. This elicited a wide smile and a moan from Rarity (not to mention an incredible amount of discomfort in my nethers).

"Yes, Master, I'm so sorry," she whined. Mac pulled hard on her mane, then leaned down and kissed Rarity deeply in the mouth. It sounded terrible, like an army of ponies slurping soup at the same time. I could see their cheeks bulging out and knew they were doing ghastly things with those unnaturally-long tongues.

Pinkie giggled. "Oh Twilie, I really hope you're still watching! This is going to be a blast!"

I shuddered uncomfortably at the nickname.

Rarity and Mac broke off the kiss, and Rarity gasped and panted.

"Bitch, why don't you explain this to Twilight? You're useful at that sort of thing," said Mac.

Rarity smiled and walked halfway to the camera. "Thank you, Master. Twilight, Pinkie's practically already broken because she wasn't abused as a foal like all the rest of us were—her sister kept that naughty part of her brain from developing in the first place," said Rarity. "So the effect of the ritual will be relatively minor."

"It may be just a formality," said Big Macintosh, looking back to the camera. "But it's an important formality, and we can move forward once Pinkie is fully within the fold."

Rarity set her saddlebags to the side and moved the marble brick in front of Pinkie. "Alright, darling. Are you prepared and willing to submit this time?" she asked.

"YES YES YES!" shouted an extremely excited Pinkie, vibrating against the shackles.

"We're gonna make this crazy pink pussy explode if we keep teasin' her," said Big Macintosh. "Pinkie, you're unbound right now, but don't let the wolf out until after you're broken. Do you understand?"

Pinkie Pie nodded. "I remember! It's okay, I'm used to keeping my hooves clenched by now."

"Unbound? But she's shackled," said Spike.

"I think he means she doesn't have the shoes on," I said. "Shoes and the aconitum flower are the only two things that keep Pinkie from going full-on darkhoof."

Rarity looked up at Big Macintosh, and Mac nodded. "Go back there and service the bitch. Clean both of her holes with your tongue and play with her teats. Make her squeal."

"Yes, Master," said Rarity with bright eyes and a fangy grin, and she walked back behind Pinkie.

"Oh no that is so gross," I said, recoiling against the blankets. I can't believe Rarity would lick somepony there! It's just not Rarity. I don't know if there's anything left of the pony we knew," I whispered. I felt on the verge of tears.

"Twi, I'm pretty sure Rarity did stuff like that before she became a vampony," said Spike.

"That's literally impossible, Spike! Why would you even think that?" I said, in deep frustration.

"Things ponies would never do, in sex, they may. It's odd, but true," said Zecora. "I would not be so surprised to see her tongue 'twixt Pinkie's thighs."

"That's the part of this I don't get," I said. "How does sex change ponies like this? It sounds like you're saying that even if all the vamponies went away, one day I might behave like Rarity is right now!"

Zecora nodded and smiled.

"I think that's true," said Spike. "I dunno how it works. All I know is there are things I think are gross, that stop being disgusting the moment I imagine Rarity doing them."

I shuddered. "Someday I'm going to invent a spell to destroy a pony's sex drive, and use it on myself to end this madness entirely."

Spike tossed a frightened look at Zecora, who frowned at me in turn. "We will talk later, my dear student, but that attitude isn't prudent. It is unhealthy to resist primal needs when nature insists."

I know I'd be called a 'prude' or whatever, but I'm certain Zecora's wrong. I need to get to the bottom of what makes pony sexuality 'click' someday, so I can conquer these needs for good.

Pinkie's eyes rolled back in her head, and she moaned and her ears twitched as Rarity did things with her muzzle beneath Pinkie's tail. Fortunately, the view was obscured. (Unfortunately, my imagination took over.)

"I need you to look down here now, bitch," said Big Macintosh. Then he squatted down, slid the box open alongside the metal seam, and folded down the edges, exposing most of the stone on the bed of black crushed velvet. It was hard to see well from this distance, but I wasn't going to look directly at it.

"I doubt the stone could affect us through the visual window," I said. "There isn't a mana channel in the television device. There's still a small chance that the artifact is able to make a connection with your mind as long as you can visualize it and it's within a certain distance, however."

"So don't stare at the brick. Got it," said Spike. "You don't have to tell me twice."

Big Macintosh grabbed Pinkie's mane and tilted her head toward the box. "You know we love you, Pinkie," he said. "This is for your own good." Then Mac started whispering something to her, but it was too soft to make out.

"Oh...!" said Pinkie, staring right down at the brick and into the stone. "It... it hurts my noggin a little... but it's so pretty! I can see it everywhere, cotton candy clouds in a lemonade sea! Changing colors..."

"Shush," said Mac, gently bopping Pinkie on the muzzle with a hoof. Pinkie Pie blushed. "Yes Master. I accept this," she murmured gently, then fell silent, gazing into the stone as her jaw began to hang open.

Behind her, I could see Rarity lifting Pinkie's tail high and licking and kissing up the dock. Then she returned to servicing the lower area. It sounded like she was using her vampony tongue to... dear Celestia, I don't even want to write it. But it was obvious that somehow, in some sick way, Rarity was enjoying herself almost as much as Pinkie Pie.

Big Macintosh let go of Pinkie's mane, and she continued to stare straight at the stone, eyes wide and glazed over. "That's it, bitch," said Big Mac, kissing her on the side of her muzzle. "Let it all go, and show our good friend Twilight just how wonderful it is to fall into the Order."

"So good," gasped Pinkie. "Ow-owie... no, it's a b-better now..." she murmured, then fell silent again.

I'm scared for her. I don't know what to expect. I hope we haven't lost Pinkie Pie, but it's not a very strong hope.

Pinkie's head wavered a little, as though she were disoriented, then her eyes pulled up and away from the brick. I couldn't see too clearly from this distance, but I could tell her eyes were bloodshot. She had a silly smile on her face (even for Pinkie).

"That's my good girl," Big Mac cooed approvingly, and then he kissed her square on the front of the muzzle and parted his lips. For a few seconds, the only sounds were the filthy sound of tongues against wet surfaces, and Pinkie whining in tiny little staccato sounds emanated through her nose.

"I guess that's it," said Spike. "Huh. I was expecting more of a show, the way they played it up."

"I think the show is more internal than external," I said.

Rarity stood up and licked her muzzle by wrapping her tongue all the way around it and pulling it tight. She looked over Pinkie's rump, up at the camera, and grinned. "All better," she said, gently stroking Pinkie's tail base with a hoof.

Mac broke the kiss with Pinkie Pie. "Alright, my little bitch. You can let it free now," he said. "Let's see those pretty hooves of yours."

Rarity walked up to Pinkie's flank and looked into the camera from a distance. "Twilight, Pinkie needs to be shackled because she can't control the wolf. Big Mac, on the other hoof, is a Master."

Pinkie laughed. "Fun and educational!" she said, then grinned inanely wide as her body began to change. Her muscles rippled beneath her pelt, her ears poofed up cutely, and she snarled and licked the side of her face with her tongue. Her hooves started coming apart, as much as they could with the shackles on, at least. The hoofoids squeezed violently at the flooring and hay, making scrabbling sounds as they began dripping blood-red goo against the yellow straw.

"Ouch," said Spike, wincing.

"I don't think it hurts her. But yeah, it looks a lot like blood, and that's pretty unsettling."

"Hooves shouldn't do that, Twilight."

"I agree, Spike."

Pinkie snorted and snarled, and her tongue flew out of her mouth and grasped Big Mac by the withers. He stepped forward and held his hooves aloft as the change began to take him in turn: the fangs extended fully, his ears fluffed up, and his forehooves—which he held up to Pinkie's face, mind you—split in thrain and dribbled red ooze.

Then something curious happened which I still don't understand. Pinkie and Mac both appeared to be repeatedly sneering in a very obvious but odd way: the upper lip curling hard to expose the gums above their fangs, and always as the mouth began to open. Now that I see it, I'm pretty sure Rarity made that same motion with her upper lip once or twice back when Thunderlane was being... you know. She was a lot more subtle about it, though, so I didn't recognize it as anything notable at the time. Maybe they just want to 'look nasty', or something? I'm not sure...

Anyway, Pinkie squealed pleasurefully as Big Mac wrapped his hoofoids around her face, smearing it with bloody goo and tugging at her flesh. His rear hooves split as well, into little tripods still allowing him to maintain his balance on two legs. He began to snort and growl ferally, and his tongue shot out and met Pinkie's in midair. His cock swelled and smacked Pinkie's neck, and his hoofoids gripped tighter. Pinkie Pie howled as she sprayed urine(?) forcefully out of her backside, tail lifted high and bobbing mesmerically.

Rarity motioned to Big Mac. It took him a moment to respond. It was clear he needed to engage considerable concentration to avoid losing control entirely. She whispered up into his fuzzy ears.

"Eeyuuuuuuuuup," he said horsely, his voice sandpapery and deep.

Rarity grinned. "Oh, this will be perfect," she said, and trotted to the camera, lifting it with her magic and holding it up to her face. "I hope you're watching, Twilight," she said. She was walking back to Pinkie but kept the camera in her face so we couldn't see exactly where she was. In the background there were loud slapping, screeching, and crunching? (shudder) noises that sounded like something out of a historical battle reenactment.

And then Rarity smiled sweetly and said, "Have a sample, little princess."

Suddenly, the entire viewport was the stone itself.

I gasped and tried to turn away or shut my eyes, but it was too large and bright. It was a little blurry, but it didn't matter. The image worked even from a distance of kilometers from the source. I felt it taking longer than before, but it started boring into my forehead again, and I couldn't even blink to stop it. I could hear Spike gasping and panting for breath next to me. I tried to cancel the spell, but I couldn't see anything but that beautiful, impossible sky, now on all sides of me—if there even was a "me" anymore. And then...

...Zecora finished dragging both of us into the kitchen, and I snapped back to reality.

"Holy shit," I coughed. "That was much stronger than I remember. It connects based on visual stimulus, so the television must have inadvertently amplified the connection. The stone was weaker at this distance, but the effect much harder to resist."

"Ow. I have a headache, Twilight," Spike complained. "Oh no. Are we going to be okay?"

"Yes, thanks to Zecora. But this experiment needs to end now," I said, and cancelled the viewport. The main room of the library went dim.

"I figured that you might desire to leave that magic's line of fire," said Zecora.

"Zecora, how did you avoid connecting to the stone?" I asked, as Spike and I scrambled to our hooves.

"It would take time to explain, but I know many tricks of brain," she said, with an odd half-smile.

Okay, that's over with, and that was a lot, so I'll summarize the rest. Spike and I were really tired, and I knew I should leave the library, but Zecora convinced me to stay. I can actually put a strong force bubble around the tree that will last for a few hours, so she's going to wake me in the middle of the night and I'll recast it. Nothing short of alicorn magic should be able to penetrate it.

Of course, I know Rarity said they were going to leave us alone, but right now I trust her about as far as I can throw Big Macintosh without using magic.

Spike and I need to have that conversation in the morning, then the three of us will make plans together. I have no idea what our next move should be, but my temptation is to infiltrate the castle in Canterlot and take my brother hostage. He seems to be at the top of this particular totem pole, so he may be all the leverage I need. It's not like Cadence remains a threat without her horn.

Luna's the one I'm really worried about, though. Zecora gave Spike and I each a brew (rather foul-tasting, bleah) that should mask our dreams this evening. I guess we'll see.