Chapter 12

Placing her hand behind their backs, Jupiter guides Marble and Octavia to her apartment building. The sisters stare at the forty-five-story building as they walk up to its twelve-feet-tall glass double doors, its trim and handles made of bronze. Their eyes tremble at its height and the countless glass panes making up its skin, reflecting their surroundings.

Stepping into the building's lobby, the sisters feel a chill run down their spines as they eye the brilliant white marble and lapis lazuli that line the walls and floors, the deep cherry-wood pillars and trim, the enormous fifty-feet diameter glass chandelier that hangs mightily over them, sparkling in the soft yellow light of the iron-light fixtures lining the ceiling and walls. On the other side of the lobby in a cove is a pair of elevators designated for the apartment's residents. To their left and right are halls leading to ballrooms, office rooms, and janitor spaces.

"Ma'am?" Four security guards walk up to them. "Do you need help with your slaves?" The main guard standing in front of the others asks.

"Yes, Indigo, that would be lovely." Jupiter hums with a smile as she hands him two black collars adorned with red rubies. "I'll have one of the staffs bring you their dresses." She commands him to follow. He nods to his men, they nod back and take Octavia and Marble towards the service elevator. "I want them to have the full treatment, and please make sure that their fur is soft and their manes and tails trimmed nicely, those slave merchants I bought them from did a terrible job."

"Don't worry ma'am, we'll let the groomers know." Indigo smiles. "As you know Canterlot Lux has the best slave groomers around." He bows and follows her.

As they walk alongside each other, Jupiter feels that the stallion is uneasy. "Indigo, what's bothering you?" She looks at the stallion with a soft smile.

Indigo looks at the mare. "I never took you for a slave owner." He sighs, "What changed your mind?"

Jupiter smiles at the stallion. "All in good time dear, all in good time." She giggles as she steps into the elevator. Indigo raises a brow in confusion and wonder at her statement.

"Ma'am?" The lift attendant asks. "What floor?"

"Twenty-fifth floor," Jupiter states smiling at the teen unicorn colt. The colt nods and closes the doors before pulling a lever. Before the doors close, she gives Indigo a small wave.

Octavia and Marble stand in the middle of the elevator surrounded by three guards. They stare at the guards nervously. Their tails flick back n' forth as they imagine what awful things the guards have in store for them.

DING!

The elevator comes to a stop with a jolt. The sisters find their balance as they watch one of the guards open the door. The guards gently nudge them forwards.

Nervously, the sisters walk out of the elevator and into a twenty-feet by thirty-feet room, lined with tan marble tiles on the floor and walls. Dark-red marble trim breaks up the monotony of the tan. Ten, foot-long halogen bulbs, in pairs of twos, hang from the ceiling, flooding the room in a bright light-orange.

"Two more? Darn, I was about to call it a day." The sisters rip the eyes from the décor and turn their attention to the pony in front of them. The pony is a unicorn mare, who looks to be in her early twenties. He stature is average height. Her light blue fur sticks out from the room's hues. Her short grey mane hugs her round shaped face. Her navy-blue eyes study the sisters. "They're new, who do they belong to?" She walks up to the sisters.

"They belong to Mrs. Jupiter." One guard states, handing her their collars.

"Really?" She takes the items, her gaze never leaving the sisters. The sisters stare back, their eyes showing her that they're unsure of what to do or how to act. "What does she want done with them?"

"Your best, Tulip," Indigo states, entering the room, closing the door behind him.

Tulip looks at the clock and sees that it reads 3:30 pm. "You're helping me then?" She sighs giving the stallion a dull frown.

"Where is everyone else?" Indigo asks, waving to his fellow men to leave.

Tulip grunts as she looks at the empty makeup tables behind her. "They all left for the day." She looks back at the stallion. "So, you're going to help me!" She gives him a sly smirk.

Indigo looks at the sisters. They stare back at him, trying to decipher their language. "Sure…" He looks at Tulip. "You're not giving me much choice anyway…"

"Good! Ihr zwie hort auf!" The sisters shiver at her tone and look at the mare. "Now that I have your attention, I want you to walk over to those tubs and undress while I prepare you baths, understand?" The sisters blush and shyly nod. "Well then, geh! Geh! Geh!" The sisters run to the tubs in a panic. Tulip looks back at Indigo and gives him a smirk. "Let's get to it."

Octavia stares at herself in the mirror. She eyes her mane, studying its curls. Her sister Marble stares at her sister's mane as well as her own with raised brows. Feeling her sister's gaze, Octavia looks down at her with the same expression.

"Don't you like it?" Tulip asks sanding to their left. The sisters look at her with blank expressions. "The mane style is called soft curled bob. It just looks so wonderful on you two." She stands behind them and looks into the mirror eyeing her work. "So cute!" She squeezes their cheeks. The sisters groan from her embrace.

"So, are you done?" Indigo asks leaning on one of the pillars supporting the ceiling.

"Almost." Tulip quips as she takes out a tin tray filled with powdered makeup. She turns the sisters around and beings putting powder on Octavia's cheeks. "I never took Jupiter to be a slave owner?" Octavia groans, but a part of her is enjoying the pampering.

"Same…" Indigo mumbles.

"Did she say why?" Tulip asks, looking at the stallion, questioning his somber tone.

"No… It's so unlike her…" He sighs, running his hand through his mane.

"You thought she was like you?" She states flatly. She eyes her work and gives a content hum.

Indigo frowns. "Yes…" He eyes Octavia and sees that her cheeks are flushed.

"Not everyone is like you Indigo..." She powders Marble's cheeks.

"They should…" He sighs looking at the cloud of makeup dust floating around the filly. "Do you like your job?"

Tulip looks at the stallion a little stunned by his question "Yes, of course I do…"

"Please!" Indigo interrupts her. "Be honest with yourself? Do you really?" He waves to the room. "You're stuck underground, in a small, 'lavish' space cleaning and preparing… Earth Ponies and other intelligent beings like ourselves! For a measly salary!"

Tulip just stares at the cotton disc in her hand. "It pays the bills…" She mutters solemnly as she finishes her work. "We have to do our part, follow the king's laws…" Indigo grabs her arm by the wrist. She shivers and looks up at the stallion.

"You know what we're doing is wrong don't you?" Indigo asks in a tone that sounds more like begging.

Tulip stares at the stallion, glaring into his fiery blue eyes. "Yes… But, but we need to play our part… For Unicorpia's sake…" She steps away from them and walks up to a sink by the corner of the room. "They're done, you can take them to Mrs. Jupiter." She mumbles.

Indigo huffs as he looks at the sisters. They look at him and Tulip with questioning stares. He can see the gears in their heads turning as they try to understand their conversation. "Come." He speaks to them in Earthen. "It's time to take you to your mistress."

Jupiter sits at her circular kitchen table, going through her mail. Picking up one of the envelopes, she reads its address. '1256 East Long Hair Lane, Midtown Gollan' She wonders why an invitation would come from the eastern lands of Unicorpia. "Could it be?" She asks herself. Before she can read the contents of the letter, there is a knock at the door. "Hold on!".

She opens the door and sees Indigo with her newly bought slaves. "Do you like what the groomers did ma'am?" Indigo asks with a bow.

Jupiter studies her slaves, a small smile forms across her face. "Yes." She smirks at Octavia. Octavia blushes and looks away. "Who did their manes?" She messes with Marble's mane.

"Tulip, ma'am." Indigo watches the filly fidget under the mare's touch.

"What a dear… I should give her a tip for her hard work." Jupiter walks up to her couch-table and takes out a few bits from a glass bowl. "Please gives this to her… and this is for you." She places the coins in Indigo's hand.

"Ma'am…" Indigo begins to speak before looking at the sisters. "Why did you buy them?"

Jupiter sighs as she pats his hand. "I can't say… not in front of them."

"They don't speak our language," Indigo mutters with a growl.

"I get that… But they will soon." She leads the sisters into her home and has them sit at the table. "Indigo, does the mood of our empire feel different to you?"

Indigo sighs as he leans against the doorframe. "Yeah, I've been noticing a change, why?"

"I have felt it as well…" She pats Octavia's head. Octavia looks up at the mare, her confused emotions running wild. "Give me six months to prepare and I'll will tell you everything…" She walks up to the stallion. "The others need more time."

Indigo looks at the mare with questioning eyes. "Others? What? Why won't you tell me? What's going on?" He leans in. "Don't you trust me?"

"I do trust you." Jupiter sighs. "But you're not needed at this moment in time, but you soon will my dear." She pats his cheek. "Now run off, I'll ring you if I need help." She looks at the sisters.

Indigo looks at them as well and nods. "Will do ma'am." He shuts the door.

With the door shut, the mare looks at the sisters once more. "Now dearies, let me give you a tour of your new home." She speaks in Earthen with a smile. The sisters look at the mare, unsure of what to say. "Come fillies." She calls once again. Nervously, they stand and follow the mare.

"Well, this is your room." Jupiter hums, stepping into the room, walking up to the windows.

The sisters stare at the spacious abode and study its contents. From where they stand, a queen-sized bed sits in the middle of the room. There is a large walk-in closet on the wall to their left. A desk is to their right. A large mirror sits in the corner by the windows and the desk, and lastly a large cherry-oak chest sits by the wall behind them.

Stepping into the room the sisters stop in their tracks and look down at their hooves. Under their hooves is a soft-carpet that covers the floor. It feels strange to them. They've never seen such a thing. Marble runs her right hoof along the carpet, her left ear folds down as she ponders an opinion on the floor's texture. Octavia taps the floor with her hooves, her mind mulling over the imprints her hooves leave in the fibers.

"Never had carpet floors, dears?" Jupiter asks, smiling at their behavior.

"No…" Octavia mumbles.

"Well, I'm sure you'll like it." She smiles as she opens the curtains. Light floods into the room. The sisters' eyes are drawn to the image of the outside world. Timidly they stroll up to the windows and look out over the cityscape. Jupiter smiles at the sisters' mannerisms. "As you can see, the city is a busy one."

The sisters eye the multitude of bodies moving across the sidewalks and streets like a horde of ants. The putter-cars and wagons within the mass of bodies mosey about their business, weaving around the pedestrians with mild ease. They're overwhelmed by the organized chaos of it all.

Having enough stimulation, they move their attention from the streets to the sky and study the towering skyscrapers surrounding the humble building they occupy. The amount of glass used to cover the buildings' skeletons makes the skyline look like one large carnival's house of mirrors exhibit.

"If you fillies would follow me, I'll show you the rest of the apartment." She offers them a hand. The sisters pry their eyes from the window and eye her hand in confusion. The mare smiles. "I promise you, I won't bite." She hums happily. Timidly the sisters take her hand, Octavia holding onto Jupiter's with her left hand and Marble holding onto Octavia's right hand.

Leading them out of the room, Jupiter guides the sisters to the end of the hall. "The room on your left is your personal restroom. The room on your right is my husband's study. And the room directly in front of us is my husband's and I's room." The sisters stare into the rooms, their minds racing a million miles a second. "I can tell this is a lot for you…" She hears Marble's stomach growl. "Oh, someone's hungry?"

Marble looks up at the mare with a blush. "Yes…" She mumbles.

"Well then, let me fix you two something to eat." Jupiter guides the sisters back into the living room and up to the open kitchen and sits them at the island's bar. "I have some wonderful alfalfa left in the fridge, I could fry some up for you?" She rummages through her cupboards.

Octavia and Marble stare at the mare with conflicting emotions. Her kindness confuses them. Every unicorn they have interacted with for the past week has been mildly 'kind' to downright cruel. They look at one another, their minds racing, trying to figure out why she is being so, loving?

"So, what are your names?" Jupiter asks, setting a pan on the gas-stove. Octavia and Marble remain silent. "You still nervous?"

"No… Ow…?" Marble mumbles before her sister jabs her side with her elbow.

"Now, now, there is no need to be so secretive…" She pours some sunflower seed oil into the pan. "I could look through your files, but," She looks at the sisters and gives them a welcoming smile. "I would rather you tell me."

The mare's smile breaks through Octavia's emotionally protective wall. Clasping her hands, she begins fidgeting with her fingers. "My name is Octavia…" She gives Marble a nod.

"And my n-name is Marble…" Marble mumbles as she copies her sister.

Jupiter smiles. "Adorable names you have, your mother knows how to pick them." She giggles. Battering the alfalfa.

Octavia and Marble smile at the mention of their mother, but their smiles leave as quickly as they appeared. Seeing their mood turn to a sulk once again, Jupiter huffs sadly and returns her attention back to her task.

A few minutes pass and the smells and sounds of frying hay draws the sisters' attention. They quietly watch the strands of hay dance about in the hot oil. The bubbles forming around them, memorizes them.

Their mouths begin to water.

"Done!" The sisters' mindless haze shatters. Shivering, they watch Jupiter place the fried treats on a plate. "You fillies enjoy." Jupiter hums placing the plate in front of them. They stare at the mound of food, their eyes wide like saucers. They look at the mare, there eyes asking if what they see is true. Jupiter smiles and gives them a nod. Without question, they dig into their meal. They hum in delight as the salty flavors dance around their taste buds. "Let me get you two something to drink." She walks to the fridge.

RING! RING!

Hearing the phone ring from her room, Jupiter sighs as she closes the fridge. "Hold on dears, I'll be right back…" She grumbles.

Hearing her pick up the phone, the sisters return their attention back to the plate and quietly resume their meal.

Picking up a strand of fried Alfalfa, Octavia studies it. The batter coating its looks like a foamy stick. A delicious foamy stick. She tries to make out figures and images from the flakes of spices suspended in the batter to pass the time, but a sickness begins to take hold of her the longer she stares at the fry. Her thoughts wander to her family. Fighting the urge to cry, she looks at her sister and sees she is feeling the same. "Marble?"

Marble looks at her sister with tired eyes. "Yes?"

Octavia gives her sister a solemn stare. Looking over her shoulders, she eyes the door. Seeing a chain latching it shut, a tinge of fear begins to take hold. Looking back at her meal, she frowns and grabs Marble by the hand.

"Where are we going?" Marble asks in a panic as Octavia pulls her from her seat.

"We're getting out of here!" Octavia states with determination. Standing in front of the door, she sees that the chain is too high for her to reach. "Marble, I want you to stand on my shoulders!"

"What?" Marble quivers at her sister's tone.

"Just do it!" Octavia growls. "We need to get out of here and find Pinkie and Limestone!"

"And just how are you two going to find them?"

Octavia's and Marble's spines tingle, their bodies clam up. They look over their shoulders fearfully and see Jupiter standing at the entrance to the hall. "Um…" Octavia mutters.

Seeing their frightened expressions, Jupiter sighs as she walks up to them. "I'm sorry I couldn't buy your sisters." She huffs. "That blasted stallion beat me to the front of the line." She sits down on the couch. "But I managed to save you two." She pats to an open spot on the couch.

Octavia eyes the spot, shivering she shakes her head and brings her sister in closer to her.

Jupiter just nods and pulls out a can of almonds from the couch-table. "I know you're confused, frightened." She opens the can and pulls out an almond. "You're wondering why would a unicorn like me be treating earth ponies, our sworn enemy, so kindly…" She plops the almond in her mouth and offers the can.

Octavia shakes her head, but Marble extends out her hand. Seeing her sister looking at the almonds hungrily, Octavia gives in and lets her sister take form the can. Marble quickly walks up to the mare and takes out an almond before latching to sister's side once again.

Jupiter watches Marble nibble the almond. "I would let you go, but I can't… For one, you're not of legal age to be set free. Two, it doesn't guarantee that others will just make you their slaves… and three, at your age you need your master or mistress to accompany you at all times." She eats another almond. "The only safe place for you two, is this apartment."

Octavia looks at the door with a stern glare. "We'll…" Her sternness gives way to sadness as she looks at Jupiter. "Why?"

"Why?" Jupiter wonders. "Why what?"

"Why are you doing this!?" Tears begin to flood her eyes.

"Dear…"

"WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO TRICK US!" Octavia shouts a sob, tears running down her face.

Jupiter sighs as she stands up, walking up to the sisters. Octavia panics and steps away from the mare, her grip tightening around her sister. Jupiter stops in her tracks and gives them a comforting smile. "There is no need to be afraid." She sits on the floor and just stares at them.

Octavia and Marble feel uncomfortable. The longer the mare stares, the more their resolve to be defiant crumbles. The weight of the past few days finally gets to Octavia. Her big sisterly damn breaks. Tears overwhelm her sight, her knees buckle, sending to the floor. Seeing her sister break out into a fit, Marble begins to cry as well.

Jupiter feels her chest getting tight as she watches the fillies lose their minds. With a sad sigh, she walks up to them on her knees and sits beside them, bringing them into a loving embrace. "Shh… Quite yourselves."

Marble gives into the mare's embrace, but Octavia resists. "Let go… err! Of me!" Octavia quivers.

"Shush child! Get a hold of yourself!" Jupiter chastises. "You need to be strong child; your future depends on it!" Octavia gives one last attempt to push her away, but her will is gone. Finally, she gives in and lays her face against mare's breasts. Jupiter looks down at the sobbing fillies and lets out a long sigh. "What did they do to you, dearies…"

-Several Hours Later-

"You have a good night sir!" A taxi driver shouts at a tall, thin stallion.

"You too!" The stallion replies, waving to the driver as he leaves.

Watching the putter-car disappear into the night, the stallion gives a long sigh and heads up to the doors of his apartment building. Stepping inside the cool-conditioned air washes over him, making his fur stand on end. "It's been a humid day hasn't it, Ceres?" A guard states making his way to him.

"Yes, it has Indigo, very unusual for this time of year," Ceres replies, shaking Indigo's hand.

"How was work?" Indigo asks.

"Very bland," Ceres mumbles, walking up to the elevators. "This whole week will be." He stops at the elevator's entrance. "The university is fixing the telescope which is forcing me to teach through books… Young minds hate books." He chuckles.

Indigo shakes his head. "I'm sure it will be done in a timely manner."

Ceres laughs. "When bits are involved, that is doubtful." He steps into the elevator. "Goodnight Indigo, see you in the morning?"

"Goodnight to you sir and your wife." Indigo bows with a smile. Ceres bows back.

"Sweetheart? I'm home." Ceres calls out as he steps into his abode.

"Shh!" His wife hisses from the hall. "Inside voices."

Ceres gives his wife a confused look. "What do you… oh..." Her words begin to make sense. "How many?"

"Two, fillies." Jupiter giggles. "One thirteen and the other nine."

Ceres smiles. "Two… We saved two."

Jupiter's smile leaves. "I could've done more… they had two other sisters."

Ceres frowns. "We had the bits sweetie, why didn't you buy them as well?"

"I tried!" She whines. "Some stallion was in line before me…" She leans against the wall, looking sadly at her hooves.

Ceres sighs leaning against wall she's leaning on. "At least we could save the ones you bought." His wife gives a weak nod. He places his arm around her and kisses her head. "We'll make it work… The group will be pleased."

Jupiter sighs as she rubs his chin. "They need a lot of work… The camp they came from, broke them good… You know the others want them to be loyal like the others."

"It will be done… They'll be ready when the time comes." He walks towards their room. "May I see them?" His wife nods. He smiles and steps up to their door and gently opens it. Activating his horn, he dimly lights the darkness as he peers in. He sees the sisters laying in the bed, the comforter shielding them from the world. He leans against the doorframe and watches their lips flop about, their soft snores eliciting a chuckle out of him.

Jupiter watches her husband's giddy behavior for a few minutes before her emotions change for the worse. Her chest gets tight, her eyes begin to fill with tears. Not wanting to worry her husband, she heads into their room and gently closes the door.

Fighting her emotions, she sits on her bed and places her hands over her lips. A minute passes by and still her emotions brew. With a drawn-out sigh, she glares at her nightstand and opens its drawer. Pulling out a picture, she turns it over and stares at an image of her and her husband holding a four-year-old earth pony filly in their arms. Tears come to her eyes as she runs a finger along the image of the filly. "The time for change is approaching…" She wipes her tears away. "And you'll never be forgotten…" She kisses the picture. "We love you, sweetie… we love you…" She clutches the picture to her chest and lays on the bed in the fetal position.