Chapter 122: Pet Goblin
[Kira POV] Year 5, Day 207
| PONYGIRL BONDING: Hob of the Mindglow |
Kira felt it. The offer. For bonding.
It didn't look harmful. She wasn't sure how she knew that — the certainty arrived without explanation, the kind of world-given knowledge that came when magic was about to make something binding and real.
[Also, ponygirl bonding? Is it some kind of divine joke?]
But then she remembered magic lessons from school. Almost any connection can in theory register as world-accepted bonding, binding, or contract when used in large enough numbers with sufficient dedication. Enough people doing something, believing in something, making it real through sheer repetition and faith.
[So what if goblins managed to game the system? Get the world to accept ponygirl bondings as legitimate? This would explain why I have this "no harmful" feeling and knowledge. World letting me know that when offered the bonding, it's real. It's safe. It's valid.]
Hob was still busy. She felt the movement—physical sensation, pressure, rhythm. But nothing else.
[Does this bonding help? Dragon in me wants it for some reason? Or more like... dragon almost screams and demands to accept it. Why?]
Kira just accepted.
And nothing happened. Or nothing she really felt. No surge of power. No change. No transformation. Just: continuation. Same as before.
However, few seconds later—
Hob cursed. Stopped. Pulled out.
Then sent everyone out. Clear command. "Leave. Now. We need to talk privately."
The servant girls left immediately. Professional. No questions. Door closed behind them.
Only Kira and Hob remained.
Hob moved around to face her, eyes wide with something caught between shock and horror.
"What ARE you exactly?" His voice carried genuine confusion. Fear even. "This is not how ponygirl bonding works. It's a world binding—equal in theory. But no woman in existence has ever managed to keep it equal in the face of goblin power."
He gestured at his lower body. At his massive equipment. At the disproportionate size.
"We're... designed this way. Natural advantage. Every bonding tips in our favor eventually. They submit. They serve. They want to please us more than we want them. That's how it works. Always."
He fell silent, visibly struggling to process whatever was happening to him.
"But this? Right now? This was my best ever. Best I've had. But something is very wrong." His voice carried genuine distress. "I want to worship the ground you walk on. I want to fulfill every wish you make. Yes, I want to take care of my ponygirls—but they all want to serve me more. Always. That's natural. That's normal."
He gestured between them. "This is the direct opposite. I'm the one who wants to serve here, the one who feels lesser, the one who would beg for your attention. That's not... that's not how this is supposed to work."
Kira thought for a bit. Then asked, "Do you have anti-spying devices?"
Hob looked confused at the question. But then pulled several from his storage. Placed them around the room. Activated them.
The magic flared up and sealed the room. Whatever they said now wouldn't leave the walls.
Once those were active, Kira spoke clearly. "It's probably because I'm not really a tigerkin. True dragon would be more correct to say."
Whatever color was in Hob's face drained out of it instantly.
"I've... I've heard legends. Prey too powerful can flip the relation. Reverse the natural order. Fuck — what could possibly be more powerful than a true dragon?"
He went quiet as fear settled into his expression — the reality of what he'd just bonded to clicking into place.
Then Hob asked, voice gone small and vulnerable. "What do you feel about me? How fucked am I?"
Kira thought, then chose her words carefully and honestly.
"I would never harm you if that's your worry. The binding works. I accepted it willingly. Would do it again. I can call you Master if you want—just need to coordinate details with Void so there are no mix-ups."
She paused. Searching for the right description.
"How I see you? Like a pet, perhaps. A cute pet I want to take care of and keep happy. And if you're worried about my holes—no man will ever get them again. For dragons like me, this proceeding is pointless anyway. I don't feel anything from it. Just mechanical function."
She continued. Making sure he understood completely.
"And this ponygirl binding makes the idea of any other man really unacceptable. Repulsive even. But you, Hob—you can use them. If I have nothing better to do, I'm more than willing to make my pet goblin happy from time to time."
Hob was silent for a really long time, working through the implications and adjusting to his new reality.
Finally said, "I can live with it."
After that, a bit of embarrassed silence settled.
Kira decided to break it. Genuine curiosity. "What is your relationship with your other girls?"
Hob clearly thought about how to explain. Organizing thoughts. Then spoke.
"There are sixteen who've been with me long time. Like permanent residents. I actually pay them and provide everything. They're free to leave—we use contracts, but those all have one-gold payout clauses if they ever want to terminate. Symbolic. No real binding."
He paused. Different category coming.
"Other than that, I have close to one hundred fifty other ponygirls. Relations with them are mixed. Most come and go. They have their own lives. Many of them rich and powerful. I don't take boring girls—there has to be a challenge for each hunt and taming. You can take it as a compliment I asked."
Kira processed that. [So they treat it like a hunt — a chase and a taming. And I qualified as worth pursuing. That's... something, I guess.]
Hob thought a bit more. Then added, "This corner of the arena we're using is actually a gift to us from one of my brother's ponies. She really wants to be our sugar mama. Hopes it gets her special attention."
Kira didn't expect that answer. [Rich woman gifting entire arena sections. Hoping for notice. Competing for goblin attention. Strange world.]
But then she asked, curious. "So did the gift help? Did she get special attention?"
Hob laughed — a genuine, dark sound. "Ponies never make the rules. The year of the gift, my brother kept her leashed all day in the same spot you were in before. While having fun with every other pony in this room under her eyes. Then when we got back home, kept her leashed to the pool for some more time before she understood her mistake."
Kira wasn't sure what to say about that.
[Cruel but effective — a textbook demonstration of hierarchy. But also... consensual in the end? The woman wanted special attention. She got it, just not the kind she expected.]
So she just asked, "Why?"
Hob's expression showed genuine confusion at her confusion. "Why do they want to be our ponies? New experience. Challenge. Usually those who have a lot of responsibilities in their everyday life make the best ponies."
He thought a bit. "Perhaps 'vacation' is the best word I can use to explain. Escape from being in charge. Let someone else control everything for a while. No decisions. No pressure. Just: obey. Simple. Relaxing in strange way."
Kira processed that. [Makes sense actually. I've seen it in other contexts. People in power craving surrender. Leaders wanting to be led. The psychological relief of giving up control temporarily.]
"You and your brother Drek," Kira asked. "Do you share ponies?"
Hob's face made an expression of almost horror. "NEVER. Who do you think we are? We share some facilities and tools—but never use each other's ponies. We're not animals."
His voice carried genuine offense — wounded pride bleeding through. "From time to time, there's some pervert who offers themselves like that. But we just let guards send them away. It crosses every line we have. Disrespectful, degrading, treating ponies like they're just random slaves. They're not. They're precious ponygirls."
Kira didn't expect this strong answer. Almost like she'd wounded Hob with the question.
But she liked the answer. In her heart. The boundaries. The respect. The clear separation between what was acceptable and what wasn't.
[They have rules. Standards. Lines they won't cross. Even in this. Especially in this.]
Silence again. The last question had kind of killed the dialogue. Plus Kira didn't know what else to ask — her mind was too jumpy and distracted, with too much still to process.
So Hob finally asked, eyes almost pleading. "Can I try your other holes? All of them?"
Kira didn't see any issues there.
[Need to think anyway. Process everything. And need to get my new pet motivated. Happy. Satisfied. Good pet care.]
"Yes."
The next hour or so was Hob's life best hour. Or so Kira thought, at least, based on his reactions.
Kira herself tried to move and turn to make it easier for her pet, using what she remembered from courtesan lessons — positions, angles, rhythm. Hob seemed to approve, his pleasure visible and his gratitude expressed through enthusiastic action.
She still felt nothing. Just physical sensation. Pressure. Movement. But no pleasure. No satisfaction. Just: mechanical function.
The change was really unreal. An hour ago — before this — she would have felt horror over every part of it: what was happening, what she was doing, what she'd accepted.
Currently? Nothing. Despite Hob testing every hole in this body. Back and forth. Up and down. This goblin was really creative. Thorough. Enthusiastic.
All of this gave her a serious fear. [Will I end up like Null? Obsessing over the few things that still make sense — food, hot springs, the rare mortal pleasures that still register. Because most things? Just empty mechanical function now.]
During that time, Kira also had time to think it through — to actually analyze and understand what had just happened to her.
After she lost her flower, something broke in her. Her last mortal legacy perhaps. The final connection to what she'd been before the dragon merge.
And not only that—the bonding and Hob's goblin "power" had stirred the dragon. Awakened it. Forced her to either submit or give space to it.
And the dragon would never retreat to a goblin. Never submit to something so much weaker. Never accept lesser status.
She felt it was almost funny. [Goblin "power" really is impressive in strange ways — it unlocked the dragon's potential, woke it fully, and finally made me whole.]
This dragon power in her—before, it was something unusable and troubling. She'd been often worried about breaking or destroying something. Losing control. Hurting people by accident.
Never again.
Now she felt it fully and embraced it, quite sure she could control it properly.
But this dragon factor in her—22 really broke this dragon to create something like it. And even more, it was painted over by Mistress's eldritch seed.
She could somewhat understand it now. What it actually meant. What was actually inside her.
[It causes divine awe and unlimited fear. Good that other mortal maids can't see it like I can. They'd probably die screaming or go crazy on the spot when seeing and feeling what's actually inside them. What the seed really is. What Mistress really is.]
[I see it because the dragon and seed are linked now — dragon perception merged with seed connection, dragon understanding of what Mistress actually is. And what I see is terrifying and beautiful in equal measure. Overwhelming. Perfect.]
She would actually like to try transforming — take true dragon form, see how well she could control it now that the dragon was fully awakened and integrated, finally hers in every sense.
But this wasn't the proper place to test it.
[Need to wait until we're back home in Borderwatch. Trip to the playground in the desert with Mistress. Safe environment. Proper testing ground. No collateral damage if something goes wrong.]
Hob finally finished — exhausted, satisfied, completely spent.
He pulled out. Stepped back. Breathing hard despite his supernatural stamina.
"That was..." He couldn't find words. "That was incredible. Thank you."
Kira nodded — pet care complete, mission accomplished.
[Still felt nothing. But at least someone enjoyed it.]
Hob then asked, "You wanted something before. Other than this opening of your master's establishment?"
He waved dismissively. "For that one, don't worry. Helping to make the best opening event ever—something people talk about for years to come. But this kind of large event needs preferably at least a few years of planning. Plus I need to build good relations with this Void anyway, so he doesn't start causing us issues later."
Kira felt some peace over it. [Good. He wants good relations with Master — needs them for the opening event anyway. All of which gives him more motivation to invest real effort in destroying brother.]
Then she spoke directly and honestly. "It's about my brother. I want to destroy him."
Then understood that might be misunderstood. "Not kill. Just destroy socially. Make him feel the pain every day as everything goes to hell for him."
Hob laughed — genuine and appreciative. "So you basically want to be an ass to your brother?"
Kira thought about it. Then nodded. "Yes. You can say it like that."
Hob laughed more, clearly enjoying this. "We goblins are known as the nastiest race in existence. Let me confirm—you want to make it legally?"
Kira answered without hesitation, her voice clear and strong. "Yes."
Small pause. Then she continued. "I had an initial idea to ask you to make an interview with him. About how evil he's been against his sister. Like forcing me to become a ponygirl and everything."
Hob smiled, his understanding clearly shifting. "I may have misread you. So you were ready to go public from the start?"
"Well," Kira said, "if I had to choose between walking around on a chain held by brother's goons, then I'd rather select my own humiliations. At least control the narrative."
Hob's expression shifted into pure planning mode, strategic thinking visible on his face. "Your brother, as much as I know and hear about him, is very sensitive about his public face. The fact he tried to force you to remove your name with these kinds of extreme methods here should show it well."
He leaned forward slightly. Interest clear. "So if you're ready to test some limits—I know how to totally destroy him during this interview. The level where he may try to take his own life later, if we're lucky."
Kira processed that. [He's offering to take brother apart in public view — exactly the kind of social destruction I've been working toward for years. Handed to me on a plate by a goblin who knows precisely how to weaponize public humiliation.]
"Nothing illegal?" she asked. Practical concern. Legal boundaries mattered.
"Nah. All fine under wonderful Republic law." Hob's smile was viciously professional. "And if your brother tries something afterward, I know some very nice lawyers who'll milk him poor for us afterward."
Hob laughed, clearly enjoying himself. "Basically — sit back and enjoy the show. Let this be the first gift to you from your pet goblin."
[Perfect — legal revenge wrapped in professional destruction, with legal protection on top of it. Everything I need in one package.] And Kira could feel how the dragon side of her liked the tribute offered by the pet goblin.
After that, Hob called the servant girls back.
They washed Kira — professionally and thoroughly. [Goblins having fun with you for hours leaves its mark. Need proper cleaning.]
And while all this happened, Hob used some kind of communication tool to talk to someone, laughing a few times during the conversation. Kira almost wanted to ask what they were planning, but decided to wait for the surprise instead.
Her dress—already in perfect form. Automatically cleaned and fixed despite everything. The awakening dragon had clearly helped it. Enhanced it somehow.
[It's probably on the edge of breaking into legendary quality. Dragon essence bleeding through. Upgrading everything it touches.]
After that, Hob jumped onto his saddle on Kira's back. Settled in. Ready.
"Ready to ride?"
"Yes."
Hob indicated to the servant girls to put the bit back in Kira's mouth.
Then he spoke as they fastened it. Evil smile visible. "Ponies don't talk. This allows me to mess with your brother initially a bit."
The bit clicked into place. Kira's mouth pulled back. Silence enforced.
After that, they left the room with the "THE STABLES" text on the door.
Direction: brother. To mess with him. To destroy him.
[Let's see how much he enjoys his victory now — how his champagne tastes when this interview goes live, how well he maintains his public face once goblins start asking questions.]
Kira felt the dragon inside — awake, aware, ready for whatever came next.
And for the first time since the merge, she wasn't afraid of it.
She was grateful for it.