Tommy was in bed.

She wasn't asleep yet. She never had been able to just lay down and be asleep in a moment the way some children could. It always took a while, sometimes quite a long time, for her mind to wind down sufficiently for her to rest.

So she was quite awake when a deep purple shadow loomed up silently beside the bed. Some faint breath of air or hint of sound prompted Tommy to open her eyes. She saw the shadow, a deeper darkness against the gloom of her bedroom, rising up from beside the bed. A pair of slitted eyes opened, and a fanged mouth gaped beneath. Suddenly the shadow leapt at her, swift and silent. It landed atop her, the heavy weight driving the breath from her lungs.

"Ha! Got you!" Annika sat atop her sister, grinning.

Tommy managed to get enough breath back to laugh. "You do indeed seem to have me. But can you keep me?" Suddenly she rolled, tumbling Annika off of her and pinning her in the blankets. Annika yelped and flailed, but Tommy kept the upper hoof. "There. I win!"

Annika stuck out her tongue at Tommy. "No fair. You always win."

"Privileges of being the older sister."

"Privileges of being the bigger sister, you mean. You should eat less cake, you're going to squish me flat."

Tommy's eyes narrowed, though she was still grinning. "Be careful what you say, sister. You could get yourself in trouble that way."

"Bah," said Annika, and blew a raspberry at Tommy.

"Oh, you're definitely in trouble now," said Tommy, and her grin was wicked as her horn lit up. She conjured a feather which she ran along Annika's sides. Annika laughed and flailed about, squirming under her sister. Tommy laughed in mock-evil fashion, an over-the-top "Mwa ha ha ha!" and tickled more.

"Help!" laughed Annika, and squirmed more.

"No mercy!" said Tommy.

"Noooooooo!" Annika managed to get a hind hoof hooked around to push Tommy off of her, blessing her flexibility as she shoved her sister over onto the bed.

"Ack!" said Tommy as she tumbled.

"Yes!" crowed Annika. She rolled over, atop Tommy, and kissed her, hard. Tommy kissed back for a moment, then broke it off and grinned up at her sister.

"So that's the way of it tonight?"

"Why else do you think I am in your bed, hmm?"

Tommy laughed. "I see." She reached up and booped Annika lightly on the nose. "Poor Annika."

Annika stuck out her lip in an exaggerated pout. "Aww. Does that mean you're not in the mood?"

"Indeed. It's very sad."

"It is." Annika, still sitting astride Tommy, gave a little hip wiggle. "Are you sure?"

Tommy chuckled. "Fairly."

"Fairly, but not absolutely?" She wiggled again. "Maybe something kinky? Would you be interested in some toys, maybe? Or I could shape-shift, that's always an option."

The chuckle turned into a snicker. "You are beginning to sound like Neigh I May. But this is not Green Eggs and Hay."

Annika grinned. "Would you could you with a mare? Would you could you in the air?"

"I would not, could not in the air, I would not buck you anywhere," said Tommy, almost laughing as she spoke.

"You tempt me to imitate Neigh I May and keep asking... She got the unwilling protagonist of that story to like green eggs and hay in the end, after all."

"I wouldn't, if I were you." Tommy was still almost laughing, but there was a steely glint in her eyes.

Annika's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Then her grin returned and she said, in a tone of exaggerated innocence, "But Tommy! I'm sure you'd like bucking if you just tried it!"

Tommy snorted. "That's it, you brat. Now you're in trouble." Suddenly she was the one shoving Annika over, tumbling to two in the huge bed and rolling on top. She pinned Annika down almost forcefully, and her horn sprang to life, forming a golden band of magic around Annika's neck that contracted ever so slightly. Looking down at Annika with that same steely glint now much stronger she said, "Little sisters who refuse to know when to stop get punished, you know."

Annika's eyes were wide, and little shudder went through her. She licked her lips, looking up at Tommy. "Punished?" she asked, a little breathlessly.

Tommy's smile turned evil. "Oh yes. And don't think I mean the kind of punishment where you get what you want, either. I'm going to show you your place, little sister. Or should I say little pet? Yes, that suits, I think. A bratty little pet. Let's see..."

Her magic flared and she pulled something out of thin air with a tiny "pop!" Annika's gaze fixed on it. It was a strap of black leather, with silver fittings. It jingled as Tommy flourished it in front of her and she saw that it had a large silver bell attached to it. A cat's collar, sized for a pony princess.

"Shall I?" asked Tommy, waving the collar, making the bell jingle again. "I think keeping a nice, collared, chaste pet all night is just the sort of punishment you deserve."

Annika gave a little wiggle and whimpered as she heard "chaste", but she nodded her consent.

Tommy grinned. "Excellent. Now be a good kitty and let me put this on you." Tommy climbed off of Annika, who rolled over in the bed but didn't get up. She lay on her stomach and stretched her neck out, her nose to the blankets in a submissive posture. "Good kitty," said Tommy, and fastened the collar around Annika's neck. Annika gave a little sigh, a tension she hadn't even realized she'd been holding her beginning to leach out of her as she accepted the collar and all that went with it.

Then she squeaked as Tommy bent over and nipped the back of her neck. Tommy giggled at the sound. "Cute little kitten!"

Annika blushed, but didn't object.

"Now, let's see what else we can do to transform you into a sweet little pet..." Tommy put a hoof to her chin, pondering the possibilities. She eventually nodded, having constructed a vision of what she wanted to do. Her horn glowed and with another little popping sound she pulled a pair of kitty ears out of nowhere. They were black, covered in soft fake fur on the backs and velvety on the fronts, and hollow so that Tommy could slip them over Annika's own ears. A little clip, like a clip-on earring snugged them down tightly at the base of each ear, so they wouldn't fall off when Annika's real ears moved them around.

Annika kept still as Tommy slipped them on. Her eyes were closed, and the muffling effect of the ears over her own made the world seem to slip away from her. She let out a second soft sigh, relaxing a little bit more.

"Cats don't have wings," said Tommy, pulling a length of blue fabric, slightly stretchy, out of nowhere. "Get up." Annika climbed off of the bed and stood obediently beside it. She kept her wings folded to her sides, and Tommy wrapped the cloth around her. It was close enough to the color of her hide that it blended in, and when the end was fastened with a little velcro tab under her barrel her wings were bound snugly but comfortably to her side. The restraint might have been distressing in other circumstances, but now it was just one more little thing she could let go of, one more bit of her everyday life that she no longer had to worry about.

"Good kitten," said Tommy when the wrapping was done, and she stroked between Annika's ears.

Annika purred, a remarkably accurate sound, though she couldn't keep it up infinitely the way a real cat could. Something about the purring was relaxing as well, and she leaned happily into Tommy's caress.

"What next?" said Tommy, still petting Annika. "Hmm. Hoooves, I think. Cats don't have hooves either. So let's do something about that." The next object she pulled from wherever she was getting these things was a set of four padded boots. They were dark blue with pink paw-pads embroidered on the undersides. "Roll over," said Tommy as she held them in her magic.

Annika looked up at her and there was a sudden glint of mischief in her eye. "Dogs roll over. Cats don't." She stuck her tongue out at Tommy.

"Bad kitty," said Tommy, and her hoof was suddenly gripping Annika's mane, right at the nape of her neck. She twisted the hoof-full of hair and shoved down, pushing Annika to her knees on the floor. Then her magic shoved Annika sideways. Annika flailed her hooves about, trying to roll back upright, but Tommy's magic pinned her on her back. Then her hoof grabbed her collar and yanked on it. "Very bad kitty."

Annika let out a little eep as her collar was grabbed, then whimpered, her ears going back as flat as they could with the cat ears over them. "No more of that," said Tommy, giving the collar, and hence Annika, a little shake. "Now hold out a hoof."

Her hooves had been tucked up tightly against her, but Annika extended one front hoof obediently. Tommy loosened her grip on the collar a bit and said, "better", before slipping one of the paw boots over it. She tied the ribbon at the top of the boot, just at Annika's knee, snugly, securing it.

Tommy put the other three boots on as well, covering all her hooves. They muffled her earth pony magic a bit, she wouldn't be able to use her hooves to grip things or to have secure footing at she walked. It was a little bit disorienting, and yet she found herself letting out another soft sigh and relaxing even further once they were all on. Tommy chuckled and rubbed her tummy. Annika purred more, her eyes half-closed. This was humiliating in a way, yet it was also very good.

"One last little thing, I think," said Tommy. "Up you get." She tugged Annika's collar, and Annika scrambled somewhat awkwardly upright. "Keep still while I take care of your tail," said Tommy. Annika felt a tug on her tail and looked back. Tommy had pulled the strands apart into three clumps, which were trying to wave on the cosmic breeze, and looking rather odd as they did so. Tommy began to braid them, working the strands in a pattern that looped back on itself so that when she was done Annika's tail was in a tidy little bundle. The process was slow, almost ritualistic, and Annika felt her eyes grow unfocused, sinking further into the state of submission, of non-self that the feline gear embodied.

When she was done braiding, Tommy pulled one last object out of thin air. More leather was a harness, and a long fall of fake fur attached to it made up a cat-shaped tail, with a pink bow tied around it near the end. As Tommy began putting it on her, Annika could make sense of the tangle of straps and realized that it was a chastity belt, a thick strap passing between her legs, covering her pussy completely. Tommy snugged it down firmly, and fitted base of the tail over her actual tail, so that she would swish it about a little bit.

Finally the last buckle was fastened and Tommy stepped back, regarding Annika with a satisfied smile. "There. A cute little kitten, just the sort of pet to keep me company tonight." Annika heaved one last deep sigh, letting out the final scraps of tension that had filled her. This wasn't the release she'd sought, but it was a release, and she gave herself over to it, melting into the role of kitten. No longer a princess, no longer even a pony, for tonight at least her only cares were those of a kitten who wanted to please her owner.

Tommy patted the foot of the bed. "Here, kitten. Come lay at my feet."

Annika jumped up somewhat awkwardly onto the bed and curled herself up on her side. Tommy settled herself next to Annika, reclining on her stomach. She reached out and stroked Annika's mane. "Are you going to be a good kitten for me?"

Annika nodded. She almost said something, but she felt that perhaps kittens shouldn't speak, so she meowed instead.

Tommy smiled. "Good." She petted Annika more, just stroking her soothingly. Annika purred softly, letting her eyes close, relaxing into a blissful contentment.

They rested together peacefully for some time, but at length Tommy stretched and rose. "I think I could use a midnight snack. How about a little stroll down to the kitchen?" She grinned.

Annika's head snapped up, and her jaw gaped open in shock. Stroll through the palace like this? The night watch was on duty, and could see through any spell or disguise they used. She would be humiliated forever.

Tommy laughed as she saw Annika's horrified expression. "That's what I thought. Well, let me go and fetch us a little snack, then. Stay right where you are like a good kitten."

Annika went limp with relief and nodded, giving a little meow of assent. Tommy smiled and patted the top of her head. "Good girl." Then she stepped out into her parlor, headed for the door of her suite, and the distant kitchen several floors below. Annika put her head back down and waited for her to return. The thought of walking through the palace halls like this was still sending shivers of fear down her spine. There was something almost pleasant about the shivers, though. She pictured it, being caught out, being seen by one of her own night guard in such a humiliating situation, and the wave of fear that went through her was almost erotic. She would never do such a thing in reality, but the thought, that was strangely alluring.

She squirmed around on the bed, then stopped. Tommy had told her to stay. She shouldn't move too much. She curled herself back up again, though her tail was flicking, making the cat tail attached to it lash back and forth. It was all too easy to work herself up into a state, thinking such thoughts. Her mind began to drift into improbable fantasies about Tommy leading her on a leash through the palace, and hot, horny guardschildren noticing and being invited to participate in her humiliation.

Fortunately it wasn't long before Tommy returned from the kitchens, carrying two bowls floating in her magic. She flopped onto a lounging cushion with one, which had a spoon stuck in it, but set the other on the floor.

"There you go, kitty. Eat up," she said.

Annika jumped off of the bed and investigated the bowl. It was filled with little brown bits, and for a moment she wondered if it was actually cat kibble. Then she caught a whiff of chocolate and recognized them. Chocapuffs, one of her sister's favorite breakfast cereals, and one she herself rather liked too. Tommy was eating the same, but with milk and using a spoon. Annika's bowl on the floor, sans both those items, made it clear what was expected of her.

She buried her muzzle in the bowl and ate, crunching the cereal bits between her teeth. She'd eaten head down like this often, of course. Grazing had never been beneath her, especially not when she'd been younger. Grazing had been quite common then, though it had rather fallen out of fashion now. But something about the bowl, about eating like this while Tommy held a spoon in her magic and ate like a modern pony, drove home the submissiveness of Annika's position. She crouched a little bit to better reach the bowl, and sank once more into that strange, special place, where she was merely a kitten, a non-pony, a creature with no agency of her own.

When the bowl was licked clean, Annika jumped back up onto the bed and curled up there. Tommy smiled at her and continued to eat her own cereal. She finished, eventually, and jumped gracefully up into the bed, where she settled herself next to Annika. She rested her head over Annika's withers and Annika leaned into her, cuddling up beneath her with another soft sigh.

"Such a good kitty," murmured Tommy softly.

Annika purred again, and kept purring until her eyes slid shut. Tommy's eyes closed too and the pair slipped gently into a comfortable slumber. Later there would be waking, and the removal of the kitty gear, the setting of the moon, the raising of the sun, and all the duties and trappings of rule that both were obligated to perform. But for now there was only this: two children, together, pet and owner, sharing a rare and special warmth.