Discord's Playground

Straight Stitch was having the best night of his life. It was his eighteenth birthday. Finally, he was a stallion. Finally he was able to go out and join his older friends at the various bars and clubs around Canterlot.

Being the youngest amongst a group of friends sucked. Being the youngest by several years sucked even more. For two years now, he’d been forced to stay behind while his friends would go off to party in clubs. But not anymore.

To celebrate his birthday, his friends had been taking him on a club crawl all around Canterlot’s Entertainment District. They were on their eighth club, and the last one they’d hit that night. Of course, they’d saved the best for last.

Discord’s Playground was the hottest club in town. Every single night there was a line of ponies stretching around the block, hoping to be able to get in. The club had a reputation for always having the best acts booked. Even musicians and DJs who had long since graduated out of playing clubs would come to Discord’s Playground to play a show. Just last week, the Princess of Pop herself, Sapphire Shores, had held a show there. Plus, the bar was always well stocked; they never ran out of anything.

If there was a party to be had anywhere in the city, it was at the Playground. Even on nights with no acts booked, the house DJ was known to put together incredible mixes. Inside the club was a veritable who’s who of ponies in Canterlot. It was perhaps the only place in the city that a regular pony could rub shoulders with the rich and famous.

Currently, Straight was on the dance floor. He had no idea who the mare was he was dancing with--they’d just come together on the floor--but he also didn’t care. She was gorgeous, her blue mane with that yellow streak in it falling lusciously around her face, and complementing her dark orange coat so wonderfully. And the way she was looking at him, it arose a hope that tonight he’d be getting lucky in more ways than one.

The DJ was playing a song with a fast beat. His partner was moving accordingly while he tried to keep up. Straight never was a good dancer, but tonight he didn’t care. A combination of alcohol and sheer good mood lent him courage. All he wanted was to not trip over his own hooves. Or hers.

Finally, the song transitioned into one with a slower beat. The two of them stopped for a moment, before the mare inclined her head over to the bar. With a nod, Straight followed along behind her. She looked back at him with a smile, then casually flicked her tail ever so slightly, giving him the briefest glimpse of what lay underneath.

Stumbling a bit, he picked himself up and trotted after her. They reached the bar, sliding into two empty stools. Most ponies were either out on the dance floor still, or in one of the many booths that ringed the room.

The bartender came over. “I’ll have a dirty martini, extra dry,” the mare said. Her voice was throaty and alluring, better on Straight’s ears than the music. She looked over at him. “What about you? Want anything?”

“Apple whiskey, on the rocks,” he told the bartender. The burly stallion nodded, moving away to fix their drinks. “I’m Straight Stitch,” he told his companion.

She held out a hoof. “Mirage, nice to meet you.”

He took the hoof, holding it in place and pressing a kiss into it. “Enchanté mademoiselle.” He really hoped she wasn’t Prench, or knew the language, because those two words were the entire extent of his knowledge of Prench.

She giggled. “Mmm, you do know how to treat a mare right. Much better than most of the stallions in here who just stare at my flank.” When he looked guilty for a moment, she laughed again. “Oh I’ve seen you staring at my flank, but you’re more interested in what’s up here,” she pointed to her face.

“Well, you’re, uh, very beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she purred.

The bartender saved him from further embarrassment by showing up with their drinks. Straight grabbed his, taking a steady sip of it. The alcohol burned its way down his throat, filling his stomach with a pleasant fire. His head was already partially swimming from the numerous other drinks he’d consumed that night; one more wasn’t going to hurt anything. If he wasn’t puking in the gutter outside by now, then he wasn’t going to be tonight.

Mirage took a sip of her own drink. “So what brings a charming colt like you to the Playground?”

He tried not to take offense at the word colt. “It’s my birthday,” he said.

She raised her glass. “Well, happy birthday to you, Straight.” He raised his own, the two of them clinking their glasses and taking another sip.

Mirage set her glass back down on the bar. “Let me guess...” She put a hoof to her chin, tapping it thoughtfully for a moment. “Eighteenth birthday, going out with older friends, last stop for the night?”

Straight’s jaw dropped a little. “How did you know?”

She gave another rough laugh, setting a hoof on his arm and drawing it up and down. The touch sent shivers down his spine. “Isn’t it obvious? I’ve never seen you in here before. I did see you earlier talking with a few older stallions. And by this time of night, you would be at your last stop.” She gestured around her with the hoof not stroking his arm. “After all, why not save the best for last?”

“That pretty much sums it up, yeah,” Straight admitted.

“So,” she said after taking another sip of her drink. “What were your plans for the rest of the night?”

He shrugged. “Probably go home and get some sleep.” He knew what she was hinting at, but didn’t want to seem too forward.

“Sounds boring,” she said. “I have a better idea. My apartment isn’t too far from here. Feel like coming back to my place?”

Straight was quite glad he wasn’t taking a drink, as he’d probably have choked on it right then. Mirage, the beautiful mare he’d known for all of half an hour now, including the time they’d spent dancing, was inviting him back to her place. Truly Luna was blessing him with luck on this night.

“I’d love to,” he replied.

She smiled at him, her touch moving from his arm to his cheek. “Well then, let’s finish our drinks and get out of here. I’m sure your friends won’t mind “

He thought about all the times they’d left him behind to go clubbing. “No, they won’t mind at all.”

She giggled again, leaning forward to capture his lips with hers. He jolted, but quickly found himself returning the kiss. She tasted of alcohol, but beneath that there was a taste of berries. Her lips were soft and smooth, fitting perfectly over his. Her breath came out of her nose, washing over his face.

After an eternity, she pulled back, a smile on her face. “Not bad,” she said.

“Yeah, not bad at all,” another voice spoke up. Straight looked over to see his best, and oldest, friend Top Sell, standing behind them. Top looked over at Mirage. “Damn, you got yourself a real looker.”

“Oh good,” Straight said. “You can tell the others that I’ll find my own way home tonight, thanks.”

“No need, they’ve all already left. It’s just you and me here, buddy.”

“Soon to be just you.” Straight slammed back the rest of his drink. “Shall we, milady?” He held out his hoof to Mirage.

Before she could say anything, Top interrupted. “Oh but the night’s not over yet,” he said. “I’ve still got one more thing planned for ya.”

“Not interested in what you have planned, Top.” He looked over at Mirage. “I’ve got my own plans.”

Top’s face never lost its grin. “Oh I think you’ll be interested in this. Don’t you wanna see what’s in the VIP area of the club?” He pointed towards a single door set between two booths. Straight had noticed the door before, guarded by a single, very large, earth pony in a suit. Many ponies had approached the door, and most had been turned away. Only a few had made it through.

Mirage suddenly looked intrigued. “The VIP area? You’re taking him in there tonight?”

“That’s the plan, yup. You been in there?” Top asked.

“On occasion,” she replied. Her attention turned back to Straight. “You should go with your friend. The VIP area is an opportunity you don’t want to miss out on.”

“But what about you?” he asked her. “I don’t want to leave you hanging.”

“I’ll be fine. But if you really want to see me after you’re done in there.” Her horn lit up, pulling out a quill from behind the bar. Straight could tell that it was one of those self-inking ones. Licking the tip, she wrote across a napkin for a few moments.

The napkin slid across the bar, coming to a halt in front of him. “There, that’s my address. If you still want to see me tonight, just come on by. If not, then look me up later this week.”

She finished off her drink and stood up. “Go have fun with your friend, you won’t be disappointed.” She leaned in, giving him one last, long kiss, before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

Straight grabbed the napkin, quickly folding it and stuffing it into a pocket of the jacket he was wearing. “Dammit, Top. What’s so special about this VIP area that you had to go and ruin my night?” If all the VIP area had was comfy chairs and free drinks, he was not going to let Top hear the end of it.

“I can’t really say anything,” Top replied. “You really just have to see it for yourself. But rest assured, it’ll be worth it.”

Straight sighed, but stood up and followed his friend over to the door. Part of him wanted to just turn around, find Mirage, and head back to her place for a night of passion and fun. She was certainly sexy, and willing.

However, another part of him really was interested. As soon as Top had mentioned the VIP area, Mirage had also perked up. She said that she’d been there herself before and had recommended that he go. If both Top and Mirage wanted him to go, it couldn’t be all that bad. Besides, if he didn’t like it, then he had Mirage’s address so he could always just leave and go see her tonight. She’d offered.

As they stepped up to the door, the bouncer held up a hoof. “Only authorized ponies allowed. Please show your authorization.”

“I got it right here,” Top said. He dug into a pocket with his magic, pulling out a piece of paper. The bouncer took the paper, holding it up to the light. Straight couldn’t see anything actually written on the paper. However, there had to be something, as the bouncer nodded, handing the paper back to Top.

“You and your friend can go in. Have a good time.” The bouncer opened the door, allowing them inside.

Top headed inside, followed by Straight. Inside the door was a very short hallway, another door at the end of it. As soon as they were inside, the bouncer closed the door, the sounds of the club becoming muted.

Top opened the second door, revealing a staircase that went down. Straight looked down, seeing that it spiraled off into the darkness down below. “What the hell, Top? I thought you said this was a VIP area.”

“It is.”

“So why does it go down? Most VIP areas I know are above the floor, not under it.”

Top threw a foreleg around Straight’s neck. “Oh this is far from your normal VIP area. It’s one of a kind.” He removed his leg, heading down the stairs. “Trust me, you’re gonna want to see what’s down here.”

His curiosity getting the better of him, Straight followed after his friend. “This had better be worth it,” he muttered. Images of Mirage laying in her bed flitted through his mind. He could be having that right now.

Instead, he was following his best friend down some staircase underneath the hottest club in Canterlot. The whole thing just kept going down. Only torches on the wall provided illumination, so it was dim. There was no railing, so falling was a possibility.

After several minutes spent going down, they finally found the end of the line. The staircase ended in a small room, a single door set into it. A torch burned on either side of the door, which was a simple, wooden thing. To Straight, it looked like somepony had read one too many medieval novels and made the door look like it was out of some dungeon.

“You ready?” Top asked, his magic gripping the door handle.

“For what? I still don’t even know what to expect?”

Smiling, the torchlight casting half his face into a creepy shadow, Top tugged on the door, opening it. On the other side was a well lit, very plush hallway. A red carpet flowed down it as exquisite pieces of art lined the walls. Little recesses held sofas and tables, a couple of ponies sitting in one.

“Come on in,” Top said. He headed through the door, ignoring the ponies sitting on the sofa.

Straight followed after him. “What is this place?”

“You’ll see.” They rounded a corner, the hallway spilling out into a large room. Plush looking furniture was everywhere, set into little depressions in the floor. A small bar sat along one wall. Several doors led out of the room. Several ponies, each wearing the same uniform, were wandering around, trays held on backs or in magic. There had to be another few dozen ponies sitting around the room, both mares and stallions of all three tribes. They were sharing drinks and talking, laughing.

Right where the hallway and the room met, there was a small desk. Behind the desk were two mares. One of them was green coated with a brown mane, while the other was brown coated with a green mane.

“Welcome back Mr. Sell,” the green coated one said. “I see you’ve brought a friend along this time.”

Top indicated Straight. “Yup. This here is Straight Stitch, and it’s his birthday today.”

The mare brightened up. “Well, happy birthday Mr. Stitch. My name is April Showers, and this here is my sister, May Flowers,” she said, pointing to the other mare. She turned back to Top. “Are you interested in the dual services tonight, then?”

Top shook his head. “Actually, I was hoping one of you fine mares would be willing to give him a tour. In the meantime, could the other of you set me up with my usual?”

April nodded. “Of course. I’d be delighted to show Mr. Stitch around. May can help you get things set up.” With a nod to her sister, April stepped out from behind the desk. “If you’d follow me, Mr. Stitch.”

Straight nodded, following the mare into the large room. So far, this was a lot more posh than the VIP areas he’d heard about, but it didn’t seem all that different. Comfy seating, a private bar. The only thing missing was the sound of the club, that had been left behind long ago as they descended the stairs. Other than the sound of clinking glasses, and soft voices, it was eerily quiet in here.

April stopped in the center of the room. “This here is our main lounge. Members can come here whenever they want to relax and get a drink. Everything at the bar is free for members, however, since you are Mr. Sell’s guest, that extends to you as well.”

She pointed to one of the ponies wearing the uniform. “If you need anything, simply speak to one of our staff members. They’ll help you.” Next she gestured to a group of ponies sitting in one of the circular areas. “As you can see, beyond drinks we also offer a wide selection of foods, also complimentary for members.”

She started walking again, towards the left side of the room. As she threaded her way around the seating areas, Straight followed. “This is a long way underground to have a simple seating area.”

April giggled, turning back to look at him. “Your friend didn’t tell you anything about us, I see. We’re more than just a seating area, as I am about to show you.”

Straight tried to ask what she meant, but her only answer was another giggle. She stopped in front of a door. “Through here you’ll see a small selection of services we offer.”

Opening the door, she strode inside. Straight followed, looking around. One wall of the hallway they were in was the same as the hallway leading to the sitting room: lined with artwork and sofas. The other wall was entirely made of glass, though a curtain on the other side obscured what was in there.

April stood next to a button on the wall, right where the glass started. “Here is where you’ll come to choose who you’d like for your services.”

“Services, what services?”

His question wasn’t answered. Ignoring him, April reached up and pressed the button on the wall. Straight heard a soft buzzing for a moment, before the curtain rose up, revealing what was behind it.

It was a large room, devoid of any furniture. Instead there were several dozen mares. His eyes roamed over the crowd, the mares all looking back at him. He swore he saw several zebras, and even a gryphoness in there as well. A single door was set into the far wall.

The mares in the room all tried to get his attention. Some were smiling at him, licking their lips. Others were blowing him kisses. One mare even turned herself around, her tail pulled up and to the side, completely exposing herself to him.

In contrast to them, some of the mares towards the back avoided his gaze, even trying to hide behind the others. When they did look up, it was with fear in their eyes.

Straight stumbled backwards, his hind legs hitting one of the sofas and causing him to sit down on it. “What is this?” he asked.

“These are the mares you can choose from. We have private rooms set up down the other hallway. Once you make your pick, feel free to head back to the lounge and grab a drink. When everything is ready, a staff member will notify you of which room. You simply head there and begin.”

“Sex...” he said. “This is a sex club.” He’d heard of them before. Back alley shops that sold sex with prostitutes. Prostitution itself was illegal, but he knew that Canterlot had its share of mares and stallions waiting in back alleys. If you had the bits, they’d do whatever you wanted them to. He knew a few of his friends who’d indulged in their services a few times, but he’d never done it himself.

“We are far more than a simple sex club,” April said. “We offer a wide range of services you won’t find anywhere else.” She turned her head, looking through the glass. “Any mare you see here is available for whatever you wish. Some of our members simply prefer to have a companion.” She jerked her head back towards the lounge. “Some of the mares and a couple of the stallions in there are our workers. If all you wish is for a companion to speak to, then we will oblige.”

She stood up, heading further down the hallway. “Come, follow me.”

Straight stared after her for a moment. So the VIP area of Discord’s Playground was some sort of really posh sex club. With the actual club itself being a hangout for the rich and famous, he wasn’t entirely that surprised. It was just he expected more cloak and dagger stuff. Yet down here April was very open about it.

Judging by the way April spoke about things being free for members, this was an exclusive club. Most likely there was some fee or another to join. Top was obviously a member here.

Yet, April had said that they were more than just a sex club. He wanted to know what she meant by that. He stood up off the sofa, following after her.

She’d stopping walking when she realized he wasn’t following her. “It can be disconcerting, at first,” she said. “Most of the new faces we get down here at least have an idea of what to expect. For you, this will all be new and is most likely quite shocking.” She started walking again.

They passed by another long section of window. This room was full of stallions. “We here at Discord’s Playground don’t play favorites. If stallions are more your thing, or if you simply wish to experiment, we are more than happy to provide. Our motto is ‘Your pleasure is only stymied by your imagination.’”

“Ah no,” Straight said. “I’m into mares.”

April smiled. “That may be, but never dismiss something until you’ve tried it.”

There was a third, and final row of glass before the end of the hallway. A single door was there, leading off into some other part of the club. April stopped in front of the glass, gesturing inside it. “And here we have our final selection group. These are for a more discerning member, or those simply looking for something new.”

Straight peered through the glass. What he saw made his heart drop, his breath hitching up in his chest.

Foals. Little foals of both genders filled the room. They all looked scared, none of them trying to grab his attention. Most of them were doing their best to hide, a few braver ones sheltering the youngest. At a glance, only a few in the entire room had cutie marks, the rest being too young.

Straight’s jaw flopped open. “Wh-What the fuck?”

April kept her serene smile on her face. “Remember our motto? We try to make as many pleasures a reality as possible. I’ve never indulged in one so young, but from what our members who have say, it is one of the most exquisite pleasures.”

“But foals? Innocent foals?” Straight was trying to wrap his mind around this. Of-age mares and stallions was one thing. They were at least adults who knew what they were getting into. But foals? This was monstrous.

“Oh not to worry, all of our stock has been selected with the utmost care. They are all clean, healthy, and disease-free.” She clicked her tongue. “Plus, each foal is here with the consent of their parents. Often the parents receive a tidy sum of bits.”

“Wait a second. So these foals were sold to the club by their parents?”

“Of course,” April said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “There are many ponies born in Canterlot whose parents don’t want them. We provide the parents with a discrete way to make the problem disappear, as well as give the foals something to do with their lives. We also have agreements with several orphanages here in Canterlot.”

“I don’t... I don’t...” Straight just kept repeating those two words over and over like a mantra as he struggled to comprehend what had been just revealed to him.

April stepped forward, putting a hoof on his shoulder. “It’s a lot to take in, I know. I reacted the same way when I first started working here. But you’ll find that this club is simply the best.” She dropped the hoof. “Come, let me show you what else this club has to offer!”

She moved over to the door at the end of the hallway. Pressing another button on the wall there, the curtains dropped back over the windows. Even with the foals now hidden from his view, he could still see them, huddled there, looking scared that he might actually pick one of them.

Giving them something to do with their lives? He honestly didn’t know how he felt about that. On the one hoof, these were foals who were being sexually abused. But on the other, he’d heard stories about some of the bastard foals of rich couples, locked away in mansions, often in single rooms, for their entire lives. Was that any better of an existence than this one? At least here, according to April, they were taken care of, even if they didn’t look very happy.

Lacking anything else to do, he followed April. She opened the door, leading them into the next room.

Inside was a room filled with display cases. Each case had some sort of plant or powder or tablet inside it. A long counter sat against the wall to the right, a stallion standing behind it.

“Ah, April,” the stallion said. “What brings your sexy flank all the way back here?”

She giggled. “Just giving a tour to a guest, Fox. Mr. Stitch, meet Foxwhelp, or just Fox. He’s our purveyor of fine goods.”

“You flatter me,” he said. The stallion trotted around the counter, coming out into the room. “What we’ve got here is the finest collection of substances anywhere.”

Straight peered into some of the display cases, reading the labels. The further down he went, the more things he recognized. “Drugs. These are all drugs. Most of them illegal.”

“Sharp mind on that one,” Fox said.

“He seems to grasp things easily,” April agreed.

“We have a collection of pretty much any substance you could ever want. When you fill out your membership form, we collect information such as height, weight, age, physical fitness, all that good stuff. What that allows me to do is discern just how much of a dose to give ya. This way it’s safe, and you get whatever high you want.”

“Fox here is a chemist by trade, so he really knows his stuff,” April explained. “He’s never made a mistake.”

“And I never will! That’d be bad for business. And my reputation.”

Straight rejoined the pair. “So you sell sex and drugs?”

April smiled. “We offer many services. Sex and drugs are large parts of it, but not everything. Remember our motto?” she asked again. “We offer pleasure in many forms. From sex to drugs to other ways.”

“Like what?”

April sat on her haunches. “Well, when being serviced by one of our stock.” The way she said stock didn’t sound quite right to Straight. “You can get as rough as you’d like. Slapping, spanking, hitting, even some light bloodplay is perfectly allowed. However, no permanent harm. Unless you agree to pay a fee. If more than a small amount of blood is to be shed during a session, we have special rooms set up just for that purpose.”

Straight felt his stomach sink again. Permanent harm? His mind conjured up images of mares missing limbs or with disfiguring scars. “What do you mean by permanent harm?”

“Some of our members enjoy certain, non-sexual pleasures. For some that means inflicting pain on others. For a fee, you are free to select from our stock and do just that. We make available a wide range of tools, from knives to hammers. Provided you do not kill your selection, anything goes.”

She winked at him. “Of course, should you wish to kill your selection, you must pay another fee, this one quite substantial. And your choice of stock will be limited, but the option is available.”

Straight couldn’t believe what she was saying. Making sexual slaves of foals was one thing. Cheerily talking about murdering another pony was something else entirely. What the fuck was going on here?

“So you make available not only sex with adult mares and stallions, but foals as well.” April nodded. “Plus, there’s all kinds of illicit substances available for consumption.” Again, April nodded. “And to top it all off, you’re telling me that I can torture or even murder a pony!?” Without waiting for a reply, he shook his head. “Why am I not surprised,” he muttered.

For a final time, April nodded. “Here at the Playground, we strive to make any and all forms of pleasure available to a pony. If you take pleasure in harming others, then we’ll cater to that. Your fee will be greater than those who simply want to partake in pleasures of the flesh, but we find that those who want it are willing to pay for it.”

Straight stumbled on his hooves. Else he fall over, he sat down. April leaned forwards, putting a soft hoof on his shoulder. “I know it can be a lot to take in at first, but trust me. We’re the only club of this type anywhere. The things you’ll find here, you’ll find nowhere else.”

Straight didn’t doubt that. The things found here were despicable. There was no way the princesses would allow something like this to continue. He only needed to tell them about its existence.

“How?” he asked. “How do the princesses allow this?” Luna was well known to browse ponies’ dreams. Surely she knew about this from that.

April looked at him sadly. “We have royal sanction,” she said.

“What?” Straight didn’t believe that. There was no way one of the Royal Sisters approved of this. They were always going on about love and tolerance. About freedom for everypony.

April nodded. “It’s true. Before he was married, Shining Armor was a member of this club. After his marriage, he has brought Princess Cadance here on more than one occasion. Princess Luna herself visited once. She expressed her approval of our...” She trailed off for a moment. “Our carrying on of the olden ways. Or something close to that.”

Straight couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This club was sanctioned by two of the three Royal alicorns? That couldn’t be. Surely they were missing something that was going on down here. There was no way that murder was sanctioned.

Yet, April had to be telling the truth, as well. She’d been so open about everything so far. What reason would she have to lie about this? If he didn’t believe her, he only had to show up to Princess Luna’s Night Court and inquire about it. By leaving him such a wide open out, she had to be telling the truth.

“I don’t...” he said again.

April came in close to him. He could feel her coat brush against his. She was quite cute, if he was being honest. Her coat, her skin, brushing against his, was very pleasant.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Many ponies feel this same thing when they first learn just how far our services go. Please, partake of us just once. Then you’ll see.”

“What... What about you? If I demand to bed you, what then?” he asked. The words flowing from his lips surprised him. He wasn’t seriously considering this, was he?

April giggled again. “I’m afraid that so long as I am on the clock, I’m off limits.” Her lips closed around his ear, sending a wave of pleasure down his spine. “However, if you wish to meet me, or my little sister, or both of us, after hours, we are more than willing to... Entertain you.”

Her breath in his ear was satisfying. What she was promising, a threesome with her and her sister... It enticed him. Part of him wanted it, he was ashamed to say. To be thrusting into April, to see her moaning underneath him, while her sister kissed him, licked him, pleasured him... He wanted it. He wanted it as much as he had wanted Mirage earlier tonight.

He shook his head. No, this was wrong. This whole club was wrong. He needed to find Top and get out of here.

“April, where is Top?” he asked.

“I assume he’s in one of the pleasure rooms. Your friend really has a fondness for Clover. He almost always picks her as his partner.”

“Take me to him, please.”

April nodded. “I understand. This is a lot to take in all at once.” With a glance at Fox, she led him out of the drug room, down the hallway, and into the lounge.

“Hey May,” she called. “Where did you send Mr. Sell?”

“He’s in room thirty seven,” she said.

April pointed to the door on the right side of the room. “If you head in there, take a left at the end of the hallway. Look for room thirty seven. Your friend is in there.” She smiled at him. “If any door is open, feel free to watch. Or even join in if an invitation is extended. However, if a door is closed, please respect the privacy of our members.”

Straight nodded, still unsure of what to think about this place as a whole. In a fugue, he left the two mares. Heading across the lounge, he opened the door and stepped inside.

There was a tiny hallway, barely ten feet long, before ending in a t-junction. He stood at the end of the junction. Both hallways looked the same, posh and with doors all down them. Celestia save him, but he wanted to know what was down the right hallway. However, April had told him to go down the left hallway, to room number thirty seven.

Taking a left, he headed down the hallways. Both sides were lined with doors, a number of which were open. The sounds inside were spilling out into the hallway, loud moans and shrieks echoing off everything.

His gaze remained focused, the first few open doors he passed. Yet around the time he passed the door labeled with a fifteen, he gave into temptation and looked.

Inside was a stallion. On top of him was a mare. The stallion’s hooves were clutching her flanks as she rode him. He thrust inside her without abandon. Both of them were moaning. Her hooves rested on his chest.

He paused a moment, watching them. Just from a look, it was impossible to tell which was the member, and which was the slave. Both were equally invested in their pleasure. Both were into the sex.

He moved on down the hallway. Each open door told the same story. Inside, at least one pair of ponies was receiving pleasure from each other. Two doors had more than two ponies in there, but he still couldn’t tell who was who.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t tell the members and the slaves apart. Even in the room where he saw a fully grown stallion thrusting into a little filly. In the back of his mind, he knew that the filly was the slave, but the way she moaned, the way she begged for more, it blurred the lines.

Yes the filly could have been trained that way, but it looked so real. She didn’t even have her cutie mark and yet she... She wanted the stallion. She wanted more, she wanted him to do those things to her.

Unsettled, he left that doorway. It wasn’t much farther now. Soon, he’d see Top. He’d also see what Top had described as his usual.

Soon the door labeled thirty seven was next. It was open, the sounds of moaning, of flesh slapping together, echoed out. He wanted to know. He needed to know what Top was doing in there. Yet he didn’t want to know.

What if Top was with a filly? If he was fucking some cutie mark-less filly, what would happen? Would that change his opinion of his friend? Would he ever be able to look Top in the eye again? Or would nothing change?

Luna preserve him, he wished right now that he’d told Top to fuck off and simply gone home with Mirage. He wished he had never learned what was down here. Hell, he wished he was asleep and that all of this was simply a bad dream.

Yet none of that was true. This was real. This was happening. His only choices now were to see what Top was doing, or leave this place.

Cautiously, he took a step forward. His head peeked around the corner, seeing what lay inside the room.

Top was there on the bed. A mare, this one fully an adult, was in front of him. With rough, quick slaps, he was thrusting into her. She was on her knees before him, submitting fully to his will.

Top looked up, seeing him staring into the room. “Hey Straight!” he called. “You finished your tour?”

Numbly, Straight could only nod.

“Awesome. Hey, wanna take the other end?” Top pointed at the mare’s head. “Clover here is great at either end.”

Clover panted, her tongue hanging out of her mouth. “Oh yeah,” she said. “I’m... mmmm... I’m great. Oh yeah, right there. Come on over here... Oooh... Big boy.” She licked her lips. “I’ll pleasure ya real good.”

Straight’s mind went completely and totally blank. He had no idea how to react to that. Not only was Top, but the mare—the slave!—he was screwing was inviting him to join in.

By the prodigious and sexy plot of Celestia he wanted to. He wanted to scramble into the room and stick his member right down Clover’s throat. He wanted her to suck on it until she gagged, until he spewed his seed down her dirty, nasty throat.

He wanted to fuck her brains out. He wanted to feel that clover cutie mark of hers under his hooves as he thrust into her. He wanted to bang her again and again until she couldn’t take it anymore.

Instead, he scrambled away from the door. Throwing his back against the wall, he heard Clover say from inside the room. “He’s nervous, that one.”

“It’s his first time down here,” Top replied. “He’s just getting used to everything.”

Clover chuckled. “Ah. A newbie. Well, don’t be surprised if he’s not around when you get done with me.”

Top laughed as well. “Baby, I’m gonna be here all night. If he’s still around by morning, then so be it.”

Clover purred. “Oh Top. I’m yours, all night. Now fuck me until I can’t walk.”

If Top said anything in response, it was drowned out by the increased sounds of their union. Clover moaned loudly, encouraging Top to continue.

Straight had no idea what to think. This place, it should be hell. But instead, it was anything but. The ponies here, both members and slaves, seemed to want to be here. Well, with the members, they wouldn’t be so if they didn’t want to. Yet with the slaves, they were happy. Sure some of them looked at him fearfully when he was in that glass hallway with April, but once out of those rooms, they changed. They wanted it.

His legs picked himself up. Without any input from them, they carried him back down the hallway and out into the main lounge. April and May were both behind the desk again.

“Decided not to join your friend?” April asked him.

“No, not tonight,” he replied. His voice sounded distant to him, like somepony else was speaking.

“Well then, can I get you set up with anything? If you want you can take another look, pick out whoever you want.”

“No, thanks. Not tonight. I think I’ll just go home.”

April smiled at him. “That’s understandable. It’s a lot to take in all at once.” She reached under the desk, pulling out a piece of paper. “Here, take this. It’ll grant you one-time access to the VIP club. After that if you want to come down here again, you’ll have to become a member. There’s a twenty thousand bit membership fee, as well as five thousand bits a month after that.” She giggled, winking at him. “But trust me, it’s worth it.”

Straight accepted the paper, tucking it into a pocket on his jacket. Thanking the mare, he left the VIP club. It was a long walk back up the stairway to the regular club, but somehow, he made it in the blink of an eye.

Exiting the VIP door, he found the club empty and abandoned. It had shut down for the night. The only ponies in there were cleaning the room. A stallion holding a broom noticed his arrival.

“Have a good time down there?” he asked.

Straight nodded. “Yeah.” His lips moved without him even realizing he’d said anything.

The stallion chuckled. “Typical. Get your brains fucked out and you don’t even know how to talk anymore.” He moved off, sweeping the floor. “Oh well. You’ll find your way home eventually.”

Straight stumbled out into the street. The moon was getting ready to set, yet the sun wasn’t yet appearing on the opposite horizon.

He had no idea where to go. He had no idea what to do. He could always go home, but right now he didn’t want to be alone with his thoughts. He needed someone to be with him.

He dug out the napkin that Mirage had written on. With all of his might, he prayed that she hadn’t been lying to him, that this really was her address. She wasn’t kidding when she said it wasn’t far, only a couple blocks from the club.

He didn’t remember getting to her place. The entire walk through the early morning streets of Canterlot was forgotten. One moment he was staring at a napkin on the street outside the club. The next, he was staring at a door, an apartment number staring back at him.

With a hoof, he knocked on the door. “Mirage?” he called. “You in there?”

There was the sound of somepony shuffling around inside. It took a minute, but the familiar dark orange face was staring back at him. “Hey,” she said. “I honestly didn’t expect to see you tonight.” She opened the door wide, standing to the side. “Come on in.”

He walked passed her and into the room. She had a nice apartment. Somewhat small, but most ponies in Canterlot couldn’t afford much room. Without even asking for permission, he sat on her couch.

The mare came and sat next to him. One of her forelegs found its way around his neck and soon he was leaning against her shoulder.

“You knew,” he said. “You knew... you know, what’s down there.”

She nodded. “Of course. I’ve been down there myself. I’m not a member, but I’ve been a few times as a guest of somepony else.”

“How? How can you know what’s down there, what you can do down there, and keep going?”

Her other hoof stroked his mane. It felt right. It felt comforting. He leaned into her touch. “I, like many others, believe in pleasure. For me, pleasure comes in the form of a stallion, rutting my brains out. The club makes that available to me. At least, it would if I could afford to be a member.

“For others, pleasure comes from drugs, or sex with something exotic and forbidden.”

“Like a foal?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes, like a foal. Personally I find that detestable, but to each his own.”

“But what about the... the torture, or murder, of ponies?”

She frowned. “I don’t condone that practice. But the club caters to everypony.” She sighed. “There are some aspects of the club that I don’t agree with, but overall it’s a great place.”

She continued to stroke his mane. “It’s like me, for example. At first glance I may seem perfect, but if you get to know me then surely there will be something you don’t like. It’s the same with the club, only opposite. On the surface it’s flawed, but underneath, it’s perfect.”

Straight tried to wrap his head around the analogy. It made sense, sort of. Mirage was a perfect mare, beautiful and sexy. Sure she had her flaws, not that he’d seen them yet, but she was still overall a good mare.

The club was flawed on the surface. It allowed for foals to be sold into sexual slavery, as well as for members to murder its workers, for a price. Yet underneath it had to be perfect. Discord’s Playground had been around for twenty years as a club, since before he was born. Surely the VIP area had been around for at least that long. If it had survived for two decades and nothing had happened to it, then there couldn’t be anything wrong with it, right?

Mirage planted a kiss on his lips. “The club gave you a temporary pass, right?”

He nodded. “Yeah, good for one entry.” He pulled the piece of paper out of his jacket.

“I’ll tell you what,” she said, giving him another kiss. This one he returned. “Why don’t tomorrow night you and I go back there. You pick out a pony, mare or stallion, it doesn’t matter to me. Then the three of us will have whatever fun we want, all night.” Her lips moved down his face and onto his neck, kissing and nibbling there.

That... That sounded like a good idea, actually. Just the thought of being with Mirage and another mare made his nether region tremble with anticipation. Some of the mares on the other side of that glass had been very cute, sexy even.

Mirage bit at his neck, her lips and tongue eliciting a moan from him. “Yeah... That sounds good.”

“Mmm, yeah,” she replied, still working at his neck. “But for tonight, how about we go to my bedroom.” Her hoof found its way between his hind legs, caressing him. “You can show me just how good you are with this thing.”

She got up off the couch, her stare making her intentions very clear. Straight gave a smile, hopping off the couch and following after her. Tonight was going to be fun, and tomorrow? He’d give the club a chance, see what it’s all about. After all, it couldn’t possibly be that bad.