+++

Soen - The Conservatory

As Soen Ordo looked around the conservatory grounds, the mystery of these plants and their livelihood grew all the more troubling. She found watering cans dripping from the spout, bags of recently opened fertilizer, and tools still caked in maintenance mud. However, no boot prints or gloves were lying about. The windows and doors were all sealed aside from the one she had entered by. Surely she would have noticed someone in the rooms as she walked past them?

Her mind was completely focused on the matter until she heard the sounds of stones shifting. Her ears perked up, focusing in on the sound as she crouched low. A gentle scraping, like someone adjusting the pavers—that must be the mystery gardener. The Hellhound adjusted her posture to let her move more freely. Leaning into her stance, she began to creep forward through the plants. Row by row, she drew closer to the sound.

"I don't know what I'm doing; this could be the homeowner." Soen thought to herself, pausing momentarily to brush a patch of fur from her eyes. "Shit, they're probably going to think I'm some sort of robber or something. Hmmm, maybe a friendlier approach?" Her ruminations occupied her brain as her feet carried her across two more rows of dense ferns, bushes and flowers. Suddenly, there was a break in the repetition, with an open patio in the center of the space. Some furniture was scattered about, along with a large tool shed. "Wow, this place really does have it all," Soen said in amazement.

"That it does, pup," the velvety voice of a woman invaded Soens ear from right next to her, causing her to leap from the bushes with a start.

Soen found herself prone on the ground again, growing tired of seeing the world from this perspective. This time, however, she had more significant problems.

"Oh, a skittish thing, how cute." the voice said once more as a shadowy figure broke through the bushes.

Soen's eyes widened as she realized the figure wasn't moving through the vegetation so much as the vegetation was moving through her. A panther adorned in a long Victorian hunting coat, fine-pressed pants, and sport boots seemed to almost float from where Soen had just been hiding. As the leaves passed through the Panther's body, Soen could see little licks of blue flame dance forth, dissipating as the intruding plant matter was removed. This was an actual ghost.

"Friend or foe spirit?" Soen asks as she begins rummaging through their pack for the spirit ward she had crafted. Who knew if it would actually work? It was better than nothing.

"They called me Embra, little pup. I was in charge of keeping the hounds and the grounds on this property. One set of those things is long gone; the other is thriving, " the Panther said. Now free of the bushes, she cut quite the striking figure, causing Soen to blush deeply. "However, I think I see a solution to that problem," Embra said, her eyes filling with the same blue flame.

"Oh shit." was all Soen could utter before the shade dashed toward her.

Scrambling to her feet and hastily slinging the backpack over her shoulder, Soen began to run. This was not a careful jog meant to maintain distance. This was a sprint, a frantic flurry of movement which smashed its way through plant after plant. Leaves, sap and twigs stuck to Soen close as she shouted, gasped and growled in frustration. Just a little further, just-

The end was in sight, however. The doors were right there, just one more set of bushes, one more crossing, one more-

-Click-

Soens's eyes opened wide in shock as she felt the collar close on her neck, the soft click of lock pins falling into place. The Hellhound reached up, her fingers attempting to grip the foreign device, but as soon as she did, a loud buzz could be heard all through the conservatory. Her muscles spazemed, sending her cascading to the ground. Her eyes were bleary with tears as the lingering electrical charge tingled at their throat. "F-fuck you," she said weakly, reaching into her backpack and drawing out the spirit ward.

She held it weakly, and the decahedron of fabric, wood, and plant matter began to shine dimly. "I invoke thee right of protection to ward against the shades of mortality; by my hellhound right, I cast you to the nether." Soen nearly shouted, her voice rapturous. A confident smile curled the corners of her mouth, and then... nothing.

"Such an adorable little thing. That charm wards away malicious spirits, and 200 years of caring for these plants and my pups has left me quite in the good column. Now, be a good girl, and come," Embra said with a chuckle before flashing out of existence. She appeared just behind Soen, an arm closing around her body, clicking a leash onto her collar while holding her in a tight embrace.

Soen stumbled and walked, following Embra as she led her down the paths back toward the center of the conservatory.

Reaching the center of the conservatory, debris still hanging from her clothes and a soft sweat encasing her body, Soen was done. She stared at the spirit ward, still glowing dimly in her hand, offended by the fact it hadn't fully taken effect. Embra was likely correct. The spirit had done so much good for the world by maintaining the conservatory grounds that a ward wouldn't work; there just wasn't enough negative energy to work upon.

Then again, she talked about her dogs as if they were still around, yet she hadn't seen any in the kennel. Did that mean she wasn't the first to be taken as a new puppy? If so, where were the rest? All these questions raced through Soen's mind as she padded along, the collar on her neck pulled gently by the shade. "You don't have to do this; you could just look after the garden out here," Soen said, her voice a mix of stoicism and kindness. She could appeal to its kind nature.

"Ah, little pup, I know how you feel. You don't want a new owner, a new home," Embra said as she rotated midair to face the Hellhound, her eyes... soft? "It's okay. You're safe now. You'll see," she said, floating close enough to cup Soen's chin with one hand, the other keeping control of the leash. Her thumb traced the surface of Soen's cheek as she stared into the Hellhound's eyes.

Those eyes remained determined. Soen lashed out, and her hand broke the spirit ward. While, as a whole, the charm had been ineffective, the Drowweed that made up its interior had unique properties. Namely, rendering the incorporeal corporeal. As soon as the tiny flecks of brown plant matter touched the spirit, Soen lunged. She had targeted the arm she had just extended, hitting it with a full-on cloud of the stuff. Her mouth opened wide as she lunged through the spirit's hand, feeling its fingers pass along her face and neck as she found her target.

Biting down hard, Soen felt a cool liquid fill her mouth. There was no blood to draw, only the ethereal cold ectoplasm of a spirit. Embra squealed in surprise and pain, something she hadn't felt for a long time. In the chaos, Soen found her opportunity to escape. She raced forward instead of back, knowing Embra wouldn't be prepared for that direction and slipping the leash from her hand. It was a silly enough trick she had seen dogs perform. The chase was on again for a moment.

As soon as Soen reached the middle of the conservatory, she ran out of road. In front of her floated a complete set of bondage gear perfect for a puppy on invisible currents of energy. "Damnit" was all she got out before the first components rushed towards her, taking her to the ground as they set to work, consuming her. A core latex suit seemed to melt through her clothing, expelling the now purposeless garments to the ground. Next came the arm and leg binders, folding her limbs at the major joints to shrink her profile and reduce her movement. At that point, the partially assembled suit lifted Soen and placed her on her new particular paws, directly facing the approaching Embra.

"My dear little puppy, look at you, rushing to your new home. I guess you truly did want to be with me." The panther laughed as she alighted on the stones, walking now to approach the prone Soen before crouching down to meet her gaze. "You are coming along so well."

"You bitch, that's it; I don't know how the hell you managed to stay on this side of the earth, but I am kicking your ass out of here as soon as I -" Soen screams at the spirit, her voice everything a hellhound is known for.

"That's enough of that potty mouth, little pup. I think it's time for you to relearn your ways." Embra's hand suddenly snaps up as a ritual circle appears below Soen. As it spins and glows, Soen tries futilely to escape, only managing to unbalance herself and fall over. As everything below her becomes a blur, one final bright flash of light consumes her and everything around her in a dazzling display of magical force.

A stillness filled the room. Neither Soen nor Embra moving to break it. Slowly, Embra draws close again, placing a hand down on Soen's retrained arm. "Are you okay, puppy? Are you feeling any different?" she asks as her other hand searches through Soen's discarded pants, drawing out her wallet and looking at her ID. "Ah, Soen! Awwww, that name is so sweet, I think I'll keep it."

"Arrr..... ARRRR..... ARRRF!" Soen barks; she actually genuinely barks. Her eyes open in shock as she stares headlong at Embra. "Grrrr, ARF ARF!" she continues, trying to find her words while internally screaming, "Undo this, you bitch!".

"Tsk tsk, those eyes, such an aggressive little one I have here, but that's okay. I have broken much worse." Embra said, snapping her fingers. As she did, cold blue light radiated from the ends of the binders on Soen. Embra watched as she tugged at her new legs and paws, her expression twisting into a devious smile as Soen discovered she could no longer lift them off the floor, stuck in a standing position. "Excellent, now your training can truly begin."

Embra began to move around Soen, gathering up her former belongings and picking each with a pinched combo of finger and thumb. She held them at arm's length with a growing look of disgust. "No need for these anymore, but I know they are important to you," Embra said with a sneer. How about I help you make the right choices, little pup? It's a challenge if you will. Embra pursed her lips, drawing in a short breath as the air formed a high whistle. That alone seemed like quite the feet; however, what came next left her prey astounded.

Without warning, Soen felt an urge building inside of her. This was not fear; it was not anxiety; no, it was the urge to pee. Somehow, that whistle had triggered something within her, and her most basic and primitive biological functions now seemed to be in overdrive. 'Wh-what, no, what did you do to me?" Soen thought; she tried to curse the ghost and utter her question, but it only elicited frantic barking. "Woof, arf, arf!" she said before realizing it was pointless. Somehow, that feeling made her emit a whine.

"Aww, the little baby pup needs to go? Go on, puppy! You don't need those things anymore, right?" Embra said, her voice saccharine, sweet, juxtaposed against the evil she was committed to Soen.

Soen looked down, realizing her belongings were now in a newly created firing line. Her eyes lingered on the shirt she had just bought not 2 months ago. Her shoes that she had been so proud to snag at a limited-run raffle. Then there was the backpack; it was such an excellent pack with all the hidden compartments and... shit. How had she forgotten? As her eyes locked in on the backpack, she looked closely at a bulging form inside. The average passerby might think it a phallic embarrassment, but Soen knew what it was.

On a previous mission, Pike had found himself in a close call. A Kraken spirit had bound him in its immense tentacles, threatening to swallow the skunk. The only thing that had saved him was a totem carved of birch, burnt in the near-dead fires of the stump which had birthed it. One touch of that and the spirit didn't dissipate; it had exploded. She had one more tool, one more chance. If she could only get through this... embarrassment.

"Oh dear, does the puppy want to keep her precious little memories intact? I'll tell you what, accept your master's special gift, and it will protect them for you. What do you think?" Embra's voice contained the subtle venom of a trap that became obvious as soon as she drew her hand from behind her back into view. Held within it was a thick diaper. One is adorned with paw prints and bones, and the text Embras Little Puppy is on its rear panel. "It comes with a bonus too. Once you put it on, it will render you permanently incontinent! Your whole life will be puppy pampers from this day forward." Embra says, jumping up and down and clapping her hands like some twisted cheerleader. "What'll it be, pup?"

"Shit," Soen thought, "I have no choice, not really. The ash on the totem is what gives it power. If I... pee... on it. I could be stuck like this forever." Her face contorted in an expression of loss. This was it; this was the sacrifice it would take to escape from this madness. "Arf," Soen softly barked in resignation as her head looked down in shame.

"Oh, sweetie, you don't know how happy you've made me." The panther spoke as she flashed with those blue flames; the diaper left her hand, floating through the transient space between them, unfurling like some immense bat along the way. This wasn't normal; it was so thick, abnormally so, even for kink play. Soen squirmed as it drew near, her bladder threatening to unleash a geyser upon her clothing. Just as that dam was about to break, the perilous padding reached her, slithering over her suit, melting, becoming one with it.

The newfound padding served its role almost immediately as Soen released a torrent into the waiting mass. A loud hiss filled the space as Embra looked on affectionately. "Yes, dear, that's it. Let it all out. I wish you could see it from my perspective. Those faded letters on your rear, defining your role in the world, are growing bolder. Yes, you heard me correctly, bolder. I am taking your incontinence with that lovely accessory; however, I am doing so exactly as I should. I am stealing every ounce of your big brain and leaving only puppy thoughts in place. Won't that be sweet? No more worries, no more responsibility, only puppyhood and your love for your owner." Embra walked closer, each step graceful and loud against the stone pavers. It was like she became more corporeal and tangible the longer this happened. She crouched next to Soen, her hand petting the hellhound's face gently before scruffling around her ears. "You'll learn to love this, my darling; don't worry."

Soen's eyes watered in sadness. There was too much trap here to escape from. There was only one real chance. Shifting her position slightly, she fell hard, the spell on her limbs released as she made to roll over on her belly. As Embra continued her skritches, moving to her belly, Soen writhed in... pleasure. Yes, her brain had fallen that far that fast. She adored the attention, the skritches, the everything. She adored Embra, her new owner, and loved her!

"Such a darling; now let's get you into your crate, hun," Embra said, her voice once more velvety and caring. She picked up Soen as if she weighed nothing, holding her on her back as she carried the hellhound to a large crate that appeared from the floor in a flurry of shifting stones. She placed her inside on a bed of blankets. More pieces of the enchanted suit emerged to greet her. A bib with the text 'Hungry Puppy' emblazoned on it. A mask with a built-in pacifier that pushed the limits of the Soens jaw and special eye lenses activated in the mask showed other rooms in the house. She could switch feeds by blinking, but why? You might like to see how things turn out for your friends. Make sure to repeat your new mantras, dear," Embra said as she closed the latch and lock on the crate and began wheeling it out of the conservatory and towards the Kennel. On the screens, she saw her friends; she also saw her 'mantras':

Good puppies love their padding.

Good puppies love their master.

Good puppies love their crate.

Good puppies...