Discord's Playground

Quick Time walked through the streets of Canterlot. Despite the somewhat late hour, she wasn’t afraid of getting mugged or anything. After all, she was a well known figure in the city, being a partner in the most successful business around.

Her rise to fame was chronicled in newspapers and tabloids all around. She’d started as the assistant and secretary to Fancy Pants. He’d discovered that she had quite the business mind herself, and she’d made a meteoric rise through the company, eventually becoming a business partner to Fancy himself.

Anypony who mugged or harassed her would quickly find themselves in far more trouble than they could ever have anticipated. Being famous and wealthy had its perks.

The streets were well lit, though not by the streetlights. This was the entertainment district; glowing signs were everywhere. Pinks and reds and blues and greens, all the colors of the rainbow, illuminated the sidewalks. Ponies walked or stumbled everywhere. Nightclubs had their doors open, flashing lights and thumping beats spilling out.

She paid everything around her no mind. There was only one destination in her eyes. It had been awhile since she’d last been there, and she was feeling the itch again.

Up ahead, at the end of the street, stood the largest club in the city. The bright sign on the facade proclaimed it to be called Discord’s Playground. That was her goal.

A long line of ponies stood outside. Each of them were hoping to get inside that night, to revel in the atmosphere of Canterlot’s hottest club. Many of them stood there knowing that they’d never get in, but were willing to take that chance anyway. Fools.

Quick strutted right up to the front of the line. One of the bulky bouncers raised a hoof, stopping her. “I’m sorry ma’am, you’ll have to go to the back of the line.”

The mare reached into her saddlebag, pulling out a small sheet of parchment. “I think you’ll find that I’m on the list.”

The bouncer took the sheet, holding it up to the light and peering at it. After a moment, he gave it back to her. “Apologies for the trouble ma’am, head on inside.”

She gave him a smile, tucking the paper away. “It’s no problem. You’re just doing your job.” She knew this pony, and he knew her. Yet this was a dance they had done before, and would do again. Protocol must be followed, and discretion was key.

“Thank you, ma’am. Please, enjoy your night.” He stepped aside, allowing her to pass. Ponies in the line were groaning, some of them protesting that she was allowed inside while they had to wait.

The poor fools. They had no idea. Being rich and famous came with many perks. Access to the club whenever she wanted was one of them. It also helped that she was a member of the VIP club. All VIP members could access the building whenever they wanted. Even when the outer club was closed, they could get in the back door.

Inside, the noise level jumped up significantly. Glancing up at the DJ booth, Quick could see that Vinyl Scratch was manning the tables. The electric maned DJ had long since graduated playing clubs like this, but that was one of the draws of the Playground. Even hugely famous ponies would come play here.

Quick wasn’t the biggest fan of this type of music, but it was enjoyable enough. Not that she’d be sticking around here long enough to listen. No, she had only one thing in mind.

Walking with a purpose across the club floor, she dodged around numerous ponies. Some were standing around and shouting at each other, trying to have a conversation over the music. Others were walking to and fro, heading to some place. A few were dancing, not having the courage to make it out to the actual dance floor.

Between two booths sat a nondescript door. There was no sign or plaque telling anypony what it was. The only thing that marked the door as important was the presence of another suited earth pony standing in front of it. He was larger than even the ones outside.

This time she was ready. At her approach, he turned towards her. “Authorization, please.”

She gave him the little sheet of parchment again. Again, it was held up to the light. To anypony who looked, the parchment was blank. However, to those wearing a special lens over their eye, when held up to the light a marking would appear. It was impossible to reproduce unless one knew the spell to make it, and the only one who knew the spell worked for the club.

Satisfied, the bouncer gave her the parchment back. Turning around, he opened the door for her, giving a light bow. “Please, enjoy your night.”

She nodded, smiling at him. “Thank you.” It was always nice to see ponies who respected their betters. Even if they were paid to do so.

She stepped inside, the door closing behind her. The sounds and wubs of the club became muted. Giving a sigh of relief, she began the long journey deep into the heart of the club.

The long staircase spiraling down into the darkness was not only an aesthetic thing, but security as well. Should the secrecy of the club ever get compromised, then the stairs would delay a raid long enough for those inside to act. That and there was something fitting about the long descent, scarcely lit by torches.

It took her ten minutes of walking, but she finally made it to the actual entrance to the club. The door opened at her hoof, revealing the posh interior. No expense had been spared building this place, and it showed. Art from master painters lined the walls, some of them even being officially listed as missing from museums. Museums whose curators enjoyed what was on offer down here.

The influence wielded by this club was staggering to those who thought about it. Not even the princesses could control the city like the Playground did. Nobles, business leaders, magnates and more were members. The rich and elite were all members. Whoever owned the club, the identity of the mysterious pony being a hotly debated topic, could rule the city with an iron hoof. Whatever he or she wanted, they got.

Quick headed down the corridor and around the corner, reaching the sitting area. In front of her was the welcome desk, April and May both sitting there. They were chatting to each other, but at her approach quickly gave her their attention.

“Ah, Ms. Time. Welcome back. It’s been awhile since your last visit,” April said.

“Yes it has. However, I felt like it was time for another playdate.”

“Of course. Are you wanting your usual?”

Quick nodded. “I am. Though I think this time I’ll go for a stallion.”

May reached under the desk, pulling out a photo album. “Here are the current candidates. Please, take as long as you like deciding.”

Quick took the album. “Thank you. I’ll let you know when I’ve decided.” Placing the album on her back, she trotted over to the seating area. Several dozen ponies, and a few other species, were scattered around, engaging in conversation over drinks or food.

She found a table that was unoccupied, sitting down and setting the album on the table. A mare came up immediately, asking if she wanted anything to eat or drink. Quick declined. She would need her body free of anything for what she had planned.

Opening the album, photos of stallions stared out at her. Some of them were smiling, others were not. Below each photo was a name. Despite the club having dozens of stallions in their stock, only a fraction of them were in this book. Eight, in total.

There was evidence of pictures having been removed, some fraying of the pages. Quick knew that some of the pictures being removed was through her actions. And after tonight, another picture would leave the book.

Carefully, she mulled over her options. Two of the stallions were discarded instantly, they were too disfigured. Whoever had them last had certainly not been careful. The remaining six were scrutinized and judged.

It took her fifteen minutes, but she had finally made a choice. Standing up, she made her way back to the welcome desk. “I’ve decided,” she announced. Her hoof pointed to the open book. “I want him.”

“Of course, Ms. Time,” May said. “I know you know this, but I have to ask. You are aware of the additional fee for these services and are prepared to pay?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Good!” She reached under the desk, pulling out a form. “Just fill this out and we’ll get you set up.”

The form was a bank draft. Since most fees in this club were for more bits than was practical to carry around, one of these was filled out and the money would be moved from her account to the club’s. The actual draft was disguised to make it seem like she had simply racked up an absurd bar tab.

Quick filled out the necessary information, signing the document and giving it back to May. “Wonderful,” the mare said. “It will take us some time to get everything set up. One of the staff will let you know when it’s all ready.”

“Thank you, May. I’ll go see Fox first, then come back here.”

May nodded, heading out to issue the necessary orders. The club was a model of efficiency. If every business ran like this, there might actually be some competition for Fancy’s company.

She left the seating room. There was a certain stallion she needed to see, then she could enjoy herself.

* * *

Copperhoof leaned up against the cold stone wall. All around him, the other stallions in the stockroom were similarly relaxed. So long as the little red light over by the window was off, they were free to do what they wanted. Provided they didn’t leave the room, of course.

When the light came on, they were to be attentive and present themselves, as that meant that the curtains would rise and a member would be looking. Not that it really mattered to Copper, nopony picked him anymore.

He used to be fairly popular. Originally he was from a mining town and worked underground, digging up metals and precious gems. When mining wasn’t enough to provide for his wife and little filly, he had headed to Canterlot, vowing to find a better job.

For a time, he had. He worked in the castle as a servant. His days in the mines had honed his body into a solid block of muscle, making him well suited to carrying things. And making many a mare eye him with lust.

Even after he explained that he was happily married, there were still mares who tried to bed him. He had resisted all temptation, and remained faithful to his Ginger Snap. Every time he got paid, he would send most of the bits home, as room and board, as well as food, were taken care of by his employer.

Then she had happened. That conniving little bitch of a mare. She was one of the ones who had pursued him even after he made it clear he was married and not interested. Even just thinking of her made him grind his teeth together. It was her fault he was down here, that bitch named Sky Shine.

Sky was a pegasus, quite pretty, he had to admit. If he hadn’t been already tied down, he probably would have taken her up on her offers of a good time. But she just wouldn’t take no for an answer.

One day she had asked for his help moving some things around so she could clean a storeroom. The whole way there, she continued to do what she always did, flirt with him. He was naive, thinking that she no longer felt anything for him and just viewed it as a game now.

When they had reached the storeroom, he’d headed inside. She came in behind him, closing the door. The room was full of boxes. A thin layer of dust covered everything. It certainly needed a good cleaning.

“Where do you wanna start?” he asked, looking around.

Soft hoofsteps echoed behind him, before a hoof touched his flank. “Right here,” she said.

Copper moved away. “Sky, you know I won’t do it. If getting me alone is the only reason you brought me here, I’m leaving.”

A sob derailed his train of thought. Turning around, he saw Sky sitting on the ground, her face buried behind a wing. “What’s wrong, Sky?” he asked, concern for her overriding his desire to leave. In all the time he’d known her, he’d never seen her cry.

“Why don’t you like me?” Her voice was quiet, her face still hidden. “Am I not pretty enough for you?”

Against his better judgement, he had stayed in the room. Part of him knew that this could be a ploy by her, but his father had ingrained in him from the time he was a young colt to take care of a mare. If she was genuinely upset, then it was his duty to console her, regardless of their past.

“You’re a very pretty mare, Sky. It’s not that at all. You know why.”

“Your wife isn’t even here!” she yelled. “She’s hundreds of miles away. She’ll never know. Just once, lay with me. I’ll show you that I can be much better than her.”

Copper sighed. “Ginger may never know, assuming I don’t ever tell her. But I’ll know, and that’s enough. I could never do that to Ginger.”

The wing dropped, revealing a very angry, tear stained face. “How do you even know she’s being faithful to you?”

“I don’t. But I trust her and love her enough to believe that she wouldn’t do that to me.”

“And if she has. What then?”

He thought about that for a moment. He and Ginger swapped letters all the time. He knew that she missed him, and wanted him to come home. The mine had been picking up recently and perhaps it was a good time to head back. It had been so long since he’d seen Ginger and his little filly, Granite.

What if she had cheated on him? After so long away, could he really blame her for seeking comfort in the hooves of another stallion? Celestia knew he’d been tempted while here. What if she had as well?

“I think... I think she and I would have to talk about it. But I’m not entirely sure I could blame her. It has been so long since we’ve seen each other, and a mare has needs.”

Sky sniffled once more. “And what about you. Don’t you have needs?”

“Of course I do,” he growled, irritated. “I’m just a stallion. You don’t think I’ve been tempted around here, by you and others?”

“Then why haven’t you? I’m not the only one who’s made advances.”

“Because while I may not blame Ginger if she sleeps with another, I could really even forgive her, I could never forgive myself. I was raised far better than that.”

Sky threw her hooves in the air. “Ugh, typical stupid stallion. It’s been two years since you’ve been here. Not once have you gotten to see your wife. You have no idea if she’s still yours or if she spends her nights in the bed of another stallion.”

“I love and trust-”

“Spare me the bullshit,” she interrupted him. “You have no idea. None at all. Just some vague hope. I bet the stupid slut has fucked half that pathetic little village you call home.”

Copper’s jaw hung open for a moment. “Now listen here. You have no right to say those things about Ginger.”

“I bet your wife is now the town whore, lifting her tail for any stallion that wants some of it. Hell, right now she’s probably getting fucked by one of your friends. Maybe even several of them at once.”

Copper blinked. One moment, Sky was taunting him, insulting his wife. The next, she was laying on the ground, a hoof holding her now bleeding jaw. His own hoof was pressed against her throat. Her wide eyes and the small choking noise emanating from her mouth surprised him.

Scrambling backwards, he felt his back hit a stack of boxes. “What?”

Sky drew in several deep breaths, coughing. Droplets of blood scattered throughout the room.

“Sky? Are you okay? I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened!” He slowly moved closer to her. Besides the bleeding jaw and what would surely be a bruise on her throat, one of her wings was bent at an odd angle.

After a few more coughs, Sky found her voice. “You fucking idiot. You just attacked a helpless mare.”

“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” He helped her sit up, cautious of her wing. “Are you okay?”

She nodded. “I’ll be fine.” Her gaze turned towards him. “You won’t be.”

“What do you mean?”

Despite the blood running from her mouth, she smiled, showing several red stained teeth. “I think you owe me now.”

He took a step back. “Owe you for what? You provoked me!” Turning his back, he headed for the door. “Just leave me alone, Sky.”

Her next words made his blood run cold, his hoof reaching for the door handle frozen in the air. “If you leave I’ll tell everypony that you attacked me.”

“They’d never believe you,” he countered, though he wasn’t entirely sure that was true.

“A big, strong earth pony stallion and a small, helpless pegasus mare. I’m the one who’s bleeding, has a dislocated wing, and most damning, a bruise in the shape of your hoof on my throat.”

He turned around, facing her. She still had that smile on her muzzle. “I wonder who they’ll believe.”

“You wouldn’t.” He narrowed his eyes, staring at her.

“Leave and find out. You’ll be in the dungeons within the hour.”

Copper sat down, still staring at her. “What do you want?”

She approached him, her hips swaying. “You know what I want. Sleep with me, and this’ll all be a dream.”

“That still doesn’t explain away your injuries.”

Her hoof gestured to the boxes around them. “Spill a few over. We’ll say that you tripped while carrying some. In the fall, you fell into me. I landed badly on my wing, smashed my muzzle into the floor, and in your haste to get up, you stepped on my throat. All an accident. The most that’ll happen is you get reprimanded for being clumsy.”

He was silent for a long moment. What had started out as a normal day had quickly turned into a nightmare. He now found himself between a rock and a hard place. On the one hoof, he could refuse her offer and call her bluff. If she really wasn’t lying, he would face legal trouble for attacking her, probably be thrown in jail. On the other hoof, he could sleep with her, just once, and it would all go away. His conscience would bother him, and he would be forced to admit it to Ginger. But given the circumstances and Sky’s conniving, she would forgive him.

“Fine. I’ll sleep with you. But only this once.”

“Once is all I need.” She mashed her lips to his. He almost drew back, but stopped himself at the last moment. The kiss tasted of blood and copper, but he knew that he had to persevere.

Sky laid down on the floor, spreading her legs. “Now, fuck me like I’m your wife.”

Whispering a silent prayer to Ginger to forgive him, Copper straddled the mare. His lips found hers again as her hooves wrapped around his neck.

Twenty minutes later, they were done. Sky lay on the floor still, panting as a small stream of his seed ran from her nether lips. “That, was amazing.”

Copper sat nearby, shame overrunning everything else. Not shame at what he had just done, but shame that he had enjoyed it. It had been so long since he’d felt the warmth and pleasure of a mare, he hadn’t known how much he’d been craving that release.

Sky was, he hated to admit it even to himself, a great lay. She knew just what to do to him. Even now, basking in the afterglow, part of him wanted to go another round.

Instead, he stood up. “We’re done.”

She nodded, getting to her hooves as well. “Yes. You spill some of the boxes and then go get some help. I’ll stay here and clean up a bit. Can’t leave any evidence of sex.”

It was short work to topple a stack of boxes, the contents scattering around the room. Sky lay back on the floor, setting some of the items on top of her. “Go now. Best to hurry so it looks fresh.”

Opening the door, he hurried out into the hall. It took him a minute to find some help, but he came across several guards. “Please, help me. There’s been an accident in one of the storerooms!”

They galloped after him as he led them back. Inside, Sky was still laying on the floor where he’d left her. The guards moved inside, helping her up. “Miss, are you alright?” one of them asked.

She shook her head. Her hoof pointed at Copper. “He- He raped me!” she cried.

Copper could only stare at Sky as the guards turned towards him. Before he knew it, he’d been tackled and shackles were strung between his legs, keeping him from doing anything other than shuffling.

It was only as he was being led away, Sky sobbing and leaning against a guard as she was escorted to Medical, that his brain caught up to what was happening. “You bitch!” he shouted. “You betrayed me! You swore you wouldn’t say anything!”

She looked up at him as he was being dragged away, struggling against the guards trying to hold him back. She turned to the guard with her. “May I speak to him?”

“Are you sure that’s wise, ma’am? Wouldn’t you rather get away?”

The pegasus shuddered. “I’d like nothing more. But I want to face him.”

The guard nodded. “That’s commendable. Don’t worry, ma’am, he can’t and won’t hurt you anymore. Speak your piece, then it’s off to the dungeons with him.”

With a barked command, the three guards escorting him subdued Copper. He found himself laying on the floor, two of them practically sitting on him. As Sky approached him, he glared at her with nothing but contempt.

“You lying bitch. You swore to me you’d keep it a secret,” he growled. Somewhere deep in his mind, he knew that what he was saying would only be digging his grave even deeper. Yet all rational thought was thrown out by her betrayal.

She leaned down close to him, to where only he could see her face and hear her words. Her distraught appearance shifted, once more becoming that maniacal grin. “I lied.” With those two words, she turned around and left with the guard. With those two words, she sealed his fate.

Everything after that was a blur. Sky had insisted that she didn’t want a trial, a view matched by the crown. They didn’t want a big mess, with reporters everywhere and headlines in the paper proclaiming that the castle employed rapists. Instead, it was all taken care of quickly and quietly.

The evidence against him had been overwhelming. Sky’s injuries, the state of the room, evidence of a recent sexual encounter, his seed inside her. All it took was a few words from her, and suddenly she was the victim in it all, not the perpetrator. If he hadn’t been there, even he would admit that it was all so plausible. The only defense he had was his word, which was not enough. His fate had been sealed.

He had avoided time in the dungeons only because he had agreed to a deal. He would be fired and given a severance package. He would return home, and never leave his town again. He would be monitored daily by the local guard attachment. But worse than that, he would have to admit his guilt to his family. In return, he would escape from the dungeons and outside of his family and the guard, none had to know.

He had agreed. Not that he’d had much choice. It was the only way he’d ever see his wife and filly again. The entire time he was stuck in that cell, or in front of all those arrayed against him, the one thing that had kept him going was seeing Ginger again. He knew that she would believe him. She’d known him all their lives, they’d grown up together. She knew that he would never do something like this, that he wasn’t capable of it.

So he had packed his stuff and headed out into Canterlot. He had a train ticket back home, where a guard was to meet him on the platform. If he wasn’t there, he’d been thrown in the dungeons, never to leave.

There was some time before the train left, so he headed to a bar and bought a drink. No amount of alcohol could wipe the shame and anger from him, but a mug of ale was a start.

On his way out of the bar, he had been jumped and dragged into an alley. Half a dozen stallions were there, along with a certain pegasus mare. “You!” he roared before he was gagged.

Sky turned to one of the stallions. “Here you go. One convicted rapist. Nopony will miss him.”

The stallion handed over a large bag. The clinking from inside sounded like bits. “And here’s your payment. He’s a good specimen. He’ll do well.”

Sky took the bag, placing it in her saddlebag before trotting over to Copper. “Enjoy your new home.” She ran a hoof down his cheek. “You silly fool. If you had simply fucked me back when I first asked, this could have all been avoided.”

Copper’s eyes widened. That’s what this was all about? He had turned her down for sex, so she had entirely ruined his life and now sold him for something. She had to be the most insane, most vindictive mare ever.

She placed a kiss on his forehead. “He’s all yours, boys.”

They had taken him away, and within short order he’d found himself in the Playground. There he’d begun a new life as a slave, forced to do whatever the one who requested him wanted.

He sighed, leaning further into the wall. Absentmindedly, he scratched at one of the scars along his flank. One particular member had wanted more than just sex, she’d wanted pain. She had been careful to avoid his face, but after that session he’d been left with scars and burns all along his body. What had once been a muscular, attractive body, was now a ruined facade. After that session, the number of members requesting him had dropped drastically.

The other stallions in the stockroom had formed small clumps, talking. He didn’t feel like being sociable tonight. At least, he assumed it was night time. He had slept and was now awake, which meant it was most likely night, as that was when the club was the most active.

Sure he had made a few friends down here, but more and more he missed what he had above. Despite the years, he could still picture Ginger clearly, as she had been on the day he’d left for Canterlot. She was standing in the door of their home, waving goodbye, with Granite standing next to her, also waving.

Granite had to be growing up now. She probably even had her cutie mark. It pained him, knowing that he’d never get to know what it was. He’d never see them again.

The door leading into the room opened. He didn’t pay it much mind, figuring that it was just somepony coming back from a session. It wasn’t until he heard his name that he paid attention.

“Hey, Copper!” He looked over, seeing the red pegasus, Windy, standing in the doorway. His usual clipboard still under one wing. “You’ve been requested.”

Slowly, Copper stood up. “What room number?”

“Room D.”

At that, all conversation stopped in the room. Every stallion turned to face Copper, who had paused mid step. Rooms where ponies went to have sex were numbered. Rooms where ponies went to be tortured were lettered. They all knew what was about to happen.

Windy eyed Copper. Even he looked slightly sad. “I’ll give you a couple minutes.” He retreated from the door, closing it.

The first stallion to approach Copper was Gentle Giant, a fellow earth pony. “Copper...” he said.

Copper could feel tears threatening to overcome him. “Hey, it’s ok. I’ll be back, just a little uglier.”

The other earth pony threw his forelegs around Copper’s neck. “This is bullshit.”

“Yeah, but there’s nothing we can do about it.” He patted Gentle on the back. “Now come on, you’re gonna make me cry.”

Gentle eventually pulled away. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry about.” Copper shared hugs with several other stallions he knew well. “Sorry guys, but I’ve gotta go.”

He opened the door, seeing Windy standing just down the hallway. “You ready?” Windy asked.

Copper nodded. “I am. Let’s go.”

They headed down the hall, Copper leading. He knew what was coming. Part of him wanted to fight, to struggle, to run away. That would only lead to him being tackled, restrained, and taken to where he was going anyway. If he was going to go through this, he was going to do it with his dignity intact and his head held high.

Silently, he whispered a prayer to Ginger that he would see her again.

* * *

Quick Time trotted down the hallway. Because of her visit to Foxwhelp, everything was cast in a much clearer light. The everglow coursing through her system seemed to highlight things, enhance her senses. The lights were brighter, objects more clearer to see, sounds more distinct.

She had been sitting by the bar, patiently waiting, when a mare had told her to head to room D. Now was exactly what she’d been waiting for. That itch that had been building since her last visit was about to be scratched.

Reaching the end of the hall, she turned right. Down the left hallway, the sounds of sex and pleasure echoed out. All the ponies down there were fools. They had yet to discover true pleasure.

The fourth door on this part of the hallway was her destination. It was slightly cracked, awaiting her to open it. It was teasing her with what lay inside.

Opening the door, the familiar sight greeted her. A large table sat in the middle of a floor that sloped slightly downwards. Along one wall was a workbench piled high with all kinds of tools and objects. A single light hung from the ceiling, casting everything on the table in a bright light and the rest into shadows. Already strapped to the table was the stallion she had requested.

Unlike some of her other playthings, he wasn’t struggling. He was laying there, limbs splayed out and tied down, placidly. A gag was in his mouth, as per standard procedure.

She closed the door behind her, the sound causing the stallion to turn his head. She smiled at him, trotting over. “Hello. I’m Quick Time.”

He didn’t answer. Her hoof reached for the gag. “I’m going to remove this.” Carefully, she pulled it out, causing him to cough a bit.

“Thanks,” he said.

Quick tossed the gag away. “You know, you’re awfully calm. Surely you know what’s about to happen.” She gasped. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those slow ponies.”

His head shook as much as possible in the restraints. “No. I know what’s about to happen.” His eyes traveled downwards, Quick following his gaze. She beheld the scars on his body.

“Oh so you’ve been through this before. Good. I like it when my plaything knows what’s happening to it.”

“I may not be able to choose the time and manner of my death, but I can at least face it with dignity.”

The mare wandered over to the workbench, surveying everything there. A wide array of things were available, and if she wanted something else, all she had to do was ask the club. They would provide it for her.

“Wise words,” she said. “What’s your name?”

“Copperhoof.”

“Well, Copperhoof. I’m a mare of particular tastes.” She gripped a small blade in her hoof, ambling back over to the table. “See, I enjoy it when my plaything knows what’s going on. But I enjoy it even more when you scream.”

Using the blade, she drew it slowly across his side, earning a gasp and a trickle of blood. Good, it was very sharp. “So scream for me, long and loud, and I’ll grant you mercy.”

“What kind of mercy?” His eyes bored into hers, seeking an answer.

“A quick death. If you do really well, I might even grant you a favor.”

At the mention of a favor, he tried to sit up. “Miss Time, may I ask of you the favor now, while I can still think clearly?”

She brought the knife to her muzzle, licking a drop of the blood, tasting it. This Copperhoof was certainly unusual. By now they would be fighting and struggling, not accepting. This one seemed resigned to his fate. She wasn’t sure whether that excited her or was a disappointment. She did so love it when they screamed.

“I suppose.”

“My wife, Ginger Snap. She lives in Hollow Shades. Send her a letter, telling her that I’m sorry for never coming home. Tell her that I love her, and our filly, Granite. And tell her that I await her in the Summer Lands.”

There was a manic hope in his eyes. Whoever this Ginger Snap was, he clearly loved her deeply. “Very well. You satisfy me, and I’ll send an anonymous letter to her.”

“And if you ever come across a white pegasus with a blue mane named Sky Shine, she probably still works as a servant at the palace, you tell that bitch that Copperhoof hopes she rots in Tartarus.” His calm demeanor was gone in an instant, replaced with a firey look.

Quick laughed, tossing her head back. “Oh, there is some fire in you yet. Good. I suspect there’s a story behind that, and it involves how you came to be down here.”

She climbed up onto the table, straddling him with her hind legs, sitting on his waist. Her forehoof still held the knife. “You harness that fire and really show me a good time, and I’ll seek out this Sky Shine personally and deliver your message.”

She brought the knife down to his shoulder, slowly pressing the tip into his flesh. Leaning down, she brought her lips to his ear. “But you better scream as we go along,” she whispered.

With her teeth, she bit down on his ear, hard. Blood flowed into her mouth as he let out a short scream that turned into a groan. “Pitiful. Do better or you’ll find that I can draw out your pain for a very long time.”

Her knife sank a little farther into his shoulder. “I have nowhere to be for days. I can draw this out, make you suffer, for that entire time. Or this can all be done tonight.”

She twisted the knife, drawing another scream from him. This one continued, punctuated by gasps and groans as the blade turned inside him. “Much better. Keep that up and you’ll earn your favors.”

The knife was pulled from his body. Blood flowed sedately from the wound, spilling down his coat and onto the table. Soon it would spill off the table and onto the ground, where it would flow towards one of the drains in the floor.

“Oh and don’t worry, I won’t hit any major veins or arteries. We don’t want this to end too early, now do we?”

She lowered the knife back towards him, slicing his chest shallowly, earning some pained grunts. Her hips began rocking back and forth. “We’ve got all night to enjoy this.”

Her muzzle lowered and she dragged her tongue across his chest. The blood was fresh and warm in her mouth. It tasted of copper. Because of the drug, she could taste every little thing about it. Behind the copper there was acceptance, but behind that, there was fear.

He may be putting on a solid front, but he didn’t want to die. If his words were anything to go by, he wanted nothing more than to see that mare, Ginger, again. He was good now, but give it a few hours and he’d be as broken as the rest of her playthings were before the end.

Quick kept using the knife to make small cuts. She switched the grip from her hoof to her mouth. She wanted to taste what was happening, to smell it. This was the essence of pleasure.

Her hips kept up their rubbing. Slowly, she could feel his body responding. Even through the pain, he was a stallion, and when a mare was rubbing herself against their crotch, they responded in kind.

It took her ten minutes of ministrations with her hips and hoof before he was ready. Already she could feel herself dripping with anticipation. Blood coated his torso and had been smeared across hers, the red standing out amongst her light green coat.

She dipped a hoof in his blood, rubbing it between her legs. “I have something special for you,” she breathed. “It’s going to make you and me both feel good.”

He nodded. The pain so far had been mostly superficial, so he was still thinking clearly. He knew what was about to happen.

Slowly, carefully, she slid him inside her. This was not the pleasure she was after, but it still felt good. It would heighten what was to come next.

They set a rhythm, going slow. She used her hooves on the table to brace herself, rocking her hips. It would be okay to enjoy this for a moment.

After several minutes of thrusting, she suddenly drove the knife into his side. His eyes went wide and he screamed out in pain, his back arched as his head fell back onto the table.

Quick screamed as well, though hers was from pleasure. The rhythm fell apart as she was the only one moving. Not that she cared. She pulled out the knife, watching the blood jet out and onto her hoof. She’d gone deep, but still not hit anything vital. It wouldn’t be a fatal wound on its own. Though it would hurt like none other.

She switched hooves, stabbing his other side. Again the both of them screamed out. Quick could feel herself getting close. One more, she just needed one more.

Giving the knife a little twist, she pulled it out. Gripping it in both hooves, she drove it down into his chest, angled just right to slip between the ribs.

His eyes bulged out as another echoing scream left his lips. This one was the longest and loudest yet. She left the knife in there, scraping against the bones. Again, she’d aimed carefully, making sure to hit only meat, nothing vital.

Quick arched her back, screaming at the ceiling. Her body shuddered as an intense orgasm overcame her. Waves of pleasure crested against her brain. She spasmed, having to concentrate to not fall off the table.

She wasn’t sure how long it was before she came down. The member inside her, once hard, was softening, though whether that was because he was finished, or because he couldn’t concentrate through the pain, she didn’t know or care.

Panting, she opened her eyes, looking at him. The knife still stuck out of his chest, quivering with each breath he took. Every breath was followed with a painful wince or grunt. His lung must be pressing against the blade.

She cooed down at him. “Mmm, that was wonderful. You performed well. I haven’t felt like that in a long time.” Slowly she slid off the table, standing on shaking hooves. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been without for so long.”

With shaky steps, she went back over to the workbench. “I mean, being a mare in my position, you get busy sometimes. I just haven’t had the time to devote to something like this. And unfortunately, unlike others, I can’t just sate my urge with any back alley stallion. I must be careful, which means coming here.” She turned around and looked at him over her shoulder. “You know what I mean, right?”

Without waiting for a reply, she picked up a roll of cloth. Carrying it over to the table, she set it down, heedless of the blood it soaked up immediately. “So since it’s been awhile, I think I’ll draw this out a bit more.”

She unrolled the cloth, revealing at least two dozen knives of different types. “Now don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten my promise. You’ve done very well so far, certainly worthy of a favor. Keep this up and I’ll end things for you quickly.”

Pulling out another blade, she held it up to the light. “Oh yes, quite well indeed.” Bringing the knife down, she held it against his forehoof. “Now then, let’s get to the heart of things, shall we?”

* * *

Pain.

Pain was all that Copperhoof felt. At first, he’d thought that she’d go easy on him, be like the mare who had disfigured him. All that mare had wanted to do was slice him up a bit and burn him. She’d never stabbed him or anything.

Then that psychotic mare had tried to have sex with him. He had figured that she was into some heavy bloodplay with her sex. At least, up until she’d stabbed him three times then orgasmed.

Even now, that knife was still in his body. Every breath he took was painful. He tried to breathe shallowly, as every deep breath caused his lung to press up against the blade. It would work for a time. Then she’d make him scream again.

Joining the first knife were five others sitting in various parts of his body. He had one in each limb, at the joints. Two in his forelimbs at the elbows, digging between the bones, and two in his hindlimbs at the knees, also between the bones. The fifth one rested in his side, the tip pressing against something painful.

He was honestly surprised he hadn’t passed out. Or maybe he had at some point and didn’t know it. This mare was very efficient in doling out pain. It was always a lot, but never too much to where his system shut down.

Currently she was browsing the remaining knives. A low hum was coming from her as she ran her hoof along first one, then another. The way she eyed the knives was almost like a mother looking lovingly at her foal. He’d seen the same look in Ginger’s eyes as she looked at Granite.

Copper wasn’t sure how much longer he could last. At first, the screaming had been partially genuine, partially acting on his part. If all it took to get a message to Ginger was some screaming, he would scream as much as he could.

Now, the screams were real. The pain was all genuine. He was torn inside. He wanted to keep going, to please this mare so she followed through on her promise. Yet he also wanted everything to end, for the pain to go away.

The mare pulled out another knife, running it across his hoof to check its sharpness. He hissed as it cut him. Another perfectly sharp blade. Another small cut to join the dozens and dozens of others on his body, along with many stab wounds. His blood decorated the table in liberal pools and splashes.

“You’ve been doing so well these last few hours, Copper. You have a most delicious scream.” She gripped his chin with her hoof. “Tell me. Do you want it all to end?”

He stared at her, not sure what to think about the question. It could be a trick of some kind. If he said no, she’d continue. If he said yes, she could blame him for being weak and withdraw her promise.

“I want whatever you want,” he said. His voice came out as little more than a croak, his throat raw from all the screaming. He could taste blood.

“That’s not what I asked.” She smiled at him, a warm one full of love. “I won’t hold your answer against you. Promise.”

His eyes closed, cutting off her smiling face. Unbidden, several tears fell from his eyes “Yes,” he croaked. “I want the pain to end.”

She cooed at him, stroking his cheek with a blood covered hoof. “There, there, it’s ok. Everypony ends up like this at some point.” She gave him a kiss on the lips, a kiss that tasted like blood.

“I tell you what,” she said. “If you let me do whatever I want to you for ten minutes, I promise that I’ll end it quickly after that. Fifteen minutes from now, you won’t be feeling anything.”

He closed his eyes tighter, lines forming on his forehead. He wanted nothing more than to bury his head in his forehooves and cry. But even twitching his limbs caused him intense pain with the blades jammed in there. She had done that early, so when she caused more pain and he spasmed, it only amplified the feeling.

“Yes. Oh Celestia... Yes. Do whatever you want to me, just... Just end it.” He opened his eyes, staring at her. “Will you send the letter? Have I been good?”

The blood stained face nodded at him. “I will. You’ve been so good, my pet.” She ran the blade over his chest, criss crossing several other wounds. “Ginger Snap in Hollow Shades, right?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

She climbed back up on the table, straddling him once more. “These next ten minutes will be the longest of your life. But I promise, it’ll be over soon.”

She leaned over, giving him a deep kiss. He kissed her back, determined to be the best he could until the end. Her teeth gripped his tongue, biting down hard. A muffled scream escaped his throat. The taste of blood grew stronger as a warm liquid pooled in his mouth.

Pulling back, she smiled, blood running down her muzzle. “Soon, my pet.” The light glinted off the metal blade as she raised it high. “Let’s begin.”

Her hoof slammed down, driving the knife deep into his torso, right into something vital.

He opened his mouth and screamed. And screamed. And screamed. And screamed...

Again and again she drove the knife into him. No longer was she being careful, she just stabbed and stabbed. Her cuts were no longer shallow, but deep. He had no doubt that even if she hadn’t promised to kill him after ten minutes, he would be dead shortly thereafter.

The pain was monstrous. He’d never felt anything like it at all. Ginger had complained about the pain of birthing a foal, but even that had to pale in comparison to this.

Time seemed to distort. His vision narrowed until all he could see was the knife. He tried to follow it, but kept losing sight of it. His entire world was simply pain. There was no meaning to anything else. Everything lasted forever, and a second.

Finally the pain receded slightly. His vision faded back in until he could see her. Much of her was in shadow, the light shining right behind her. He could still tell that she was smiling.

“There, there,” she whispered. “It’s almost over. You’ve been so good, my pet.”

He couldn’t speak. His throat was too raw. He couldn’t cry. The tears wouldn’t come. He could only nod, only look at her.

Her hoof reached down, picking up a new blade. This one was long and large. Taking great care, she set the blade just under his chin, pressing lightly. “Time to go, my pet. You did so well. But I’m afraid I was a little overzealous there at the end and, well, I did promise you a quick death.”

Once more, he could only nod. The blade to his throat just felt right.

She leaned in close, putting her face just above his. “Goodbye.” With a savage and quick motion, she drew the blade across his throat. Red blood jetted up, splashing across her face. She closed her eyes, snorting some of the liquid out of her nose.

Her mouth opened, catching some of the blood. She used her hooves to spread it around, moaning slightly. Her entire face was covered in his life fluid.

It took several moments, but the spurts slowed down and lost their power. He could feel his heart beating slower and slower, and blackness creeped in the edge of his vision. He tried to speak, to say something, but all that came out were a few choked gags.

As his breathing grew shallow, she leaned over to him, her muzzle right next to his ear. The darkness had almost overtaken his entire vision, when her words reached him.

“Oh, and about sending that letter? I lied.”

Those two words were the last thing he heard before the darkness fully smothered him and he knew no more.

* * *

“I lied.”

Quick pulled back. The light was quickly fading from the stallion’s eyes, but even now she could see, buried in them, the hurt and betrayal. It only lasted a brief moment before the light disappeared.

His chest no longer rose and fell, the blood no longer flowed out of his wounds. He was dead. Her little plaything was gone.

She slid off the table. Blood dripped from her face, her chest, her entire coat. She was coated in it. The room stank of it.

Carefully, she stepped across the blood soaked floor over to the corner. There was a small shower there. She turned on the water, stepping under it.

As much as she loved her playtime, it wasn’t good for it to leave this room. A collection of soaps and shampoos sat on a shelf, allowing her to wash the blood away. There was no point in walking home covered in blood. That would only invite attention and questions, neither of which she wanted.

She wasn’t lying, he had certainly been a good pet. Not her best one, but very good. Never mind the fact that she had never been intending to send the letter. Those were just words she said, they meant nothing. If saying them got him to play along, then of course she would say them.

His favor, the letter, was intriguing. Most of her toys asked her for a fine meal, or something to drink. Others asked for one last fuck. Those were the only favors she granted, as she was only a mare and pleasures of the flesh were still nice.

He was the only one to not be selfish, to think of somepony else. He must have truly loved that mare. Pity she’ll never know what happened to her husband, and that her daughter will grow up without a father. Not that it was her problem.

After the shower, she inspected herself all over. She was clean enough to walk home. There she could relax in a nice bath, a glass of wine at her hooves. After all her hard work tonight, she deserved that little treat.

Careful to not step in the puddles of blood on the floor, she left the room. Somepony would come by to take care of the body and dispose of it. The room would get hosed and scrubbed down, as would the knives. Either that or they’d replace the blades. Either way, the room would look brand new by tomorrow night.

As she passed the welcome desk, April was sitting there. “Ah, Ms. Time. All done?”

She nodded. “Yes. I’m afraid there’s a bit of a mess in there.”

April waved a hoof in the air. “It’s no problem. Would you like anything else?”

“No, thank you. I’ll just be on my way home now.”

“Enjoy the rest of your night, Ms. Time.”

Quick nodded at the mare, taking her leave. Tonight had been a wonderful night. Finally she’d been able to scratch the itch that had been building for so long now. Now all that was left was that bath and wine.

The stairs leading back to the surface before her, she paused a moment. If there was one thing she was thankful for, it was the Playground. It was certainly the biggest blessing on this city.

Setting off, she could only imagine the waiting bath, and how good it would feel.