Equestria Underground-Book I: Hope Is Magic

The six-stallion battalion of passing guards shuffled over to each end of the hallway as General Twilight Sparkle marched forward, her dragon Spike thudding behind her like some titanic shadow. A chill ran down the mare’s spine as she neared her destination but her expression gave no indication of her sense of dread. She wasn’t particularly fond of the other five mares that made up the elite Generals but Pinkie Pie, the royal inquisitor and executioner, was the closest one she could properly call a friend. Even though she filled Twilight with an indescribable uneasiness and genuine fear for her life, Pinkie Pie was something of a sweetheart once you got to know her. That is, if you weren’t on her torture rack.

Reaching a hoof for the door handle, Twilight paused when she heard Spike’s footsteps had abruptly stopped and turned to find him six feet behind. “Hey Big Guy,” she said soothingly. “Are you still scared to go inside?” The dragon nervously wrung his hands and nodded. Despite having the form of a fully mature dragon, Spike still possessed the mind of a ten-year-old, an unfortunate result of having his body magically and alchemically modified to turn him into the hulking beast that loomed over her now. Regardless, Twilight treated Spike as though he were a normal hatchling and did her best to look after him.

“You can stay out here if you promise to behave yourself.”

This was music to Spike’s ears. “Yes, Twilight!”

Twilight bit her cheek to keep from giggling and simply nodded, turning back towards the door and, steeling herself for whatever horrors lay within, turned the handle and entered the room. Shutting the door behind her, she couldn’t help but feel put off by the lack of silence as she climbed down the stone staircase. Usually Pinkie’s torture room was filled with wails of agony but today it was eerily quiet. The room was cylinder-shaped and lacked windows, a conscious choice designed to mentally break down the prisoners and make their confessions that much easier to obtain. A pink earth pony mare was whispering to a unicorn stallion tied to an X-shaped beam in the center of the room and though Twilight couldn’t hear the exact words, they sounded threatening and sadistically gleeful, as though one were sharing a naughty secret.

“Pinkie Pie.”

The earth pony turned and for a split second, madness dominated those blue eyes before turning into happy surprise. “Twilight! So nice of you to visit! If I’d known you’d be stopping by, I would’ve cleaned the place up.” Pinkie slid some of her straight, dull pink mane behind her ear. “Soooo, what can I help you with?”

“I’m here for the prisoner. Sunburst, I believe.”

Upon hearing his name, the unicorn stallion lifted his head up. One eye was heavily bruised and almost closed while blood dribbled from his lips and nose. His torso was covered in a variety of cuts and burns and judging from the wounds on his hindlegs, it was possible that they were broken. “Please...let me down.”

“Quiet you!” Pinkie scowled and then smiled widely at Twilight. “Sunburst was such a doll! He told me everything I wanted to know before I even touched him!”

Twilight looked over a nearby tray of bloodied instruments. “So why did you still torture him?”

“I already had everything ready. It would’ve been a waste,” Pinkie shrugged, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “To his credit, he didn’t do a whole lot of screaming. Just some crying and couple of ‘Please no’s’ and ‘Dear Goddesses.’”

“I see.” Twilight was disgusted but didn’t want to risk upsetting the clearly unhinged mare standing next to a table covered with sharp objects. “And what did he have to say?”

“Oh, that he had no idea why Captain Sunset would free Discord and that he only learned of it when the princesses did and that he didn’t do anything and blah, blah, blah.” Pinkie casually leaned up against the stand and peered up at Sunburst, who bristled at her unnecessary close proximity to him. “Did I cover everything or was there anything that I left out?”

"Umm, you left out the part were I cried for my mother. Thank you for that."

Pinkie slapped herself. “Oh yeah, that’s right! It was nasty too! Tears and snot and ugh! So nasty. So yeah, he’s clueless.”

Twilight bit her lip. “Well that’s just great! We’re no closer to any answers! When Daybreaker finds out…-”

“When I find out what, exactly?”

"Oh nothing, just that SunnyD here knows just as much as a rock." Pinkie Pie replied nonchalantly. Both mares then froze and slowly rotated to find the fiery-maned alicorn standing at the top of the stairs, her expression one of rage and disappointment. She leaped down from the stairs and landed in front of the two mares, her wings unfolded challengingly in a raptor-esque display of dominance. The pair immediately fell to their knees as Daybreaker began to circle them.

“General Twilight, how long have you known Captain Sunset?” The anger was there, only slightly subdued.

"About three years when she became squad leader of the battle mages, Your Highness" Twilight said without hesitation.

“I see. And in all that time you never once picked up on any signs of rebellion!” Daybreaker roared, the flames of her mane shooting into the air. For once, Pinkie visibly trembled in fear.

"No, she even suggested training the new recruits without the potions to toughen them up." Twilight replied not looking up.

The flames receded to their normal height as Daybreaker stood fuming over Twilight. She glanced over at Sunburst and then back at Twilight. Seizing her chin, she forced the mare to look at her. “Find out where she and that chimeric simpleton went. Bring her back so that I can deal with her personally. As for Discord, bring him to the island with the others. But for now I have an idea." She looked at Pinkie Pie. "Inseminate Twilight with Sunburst’s seed. The offspring they will have will no doubt be a skilled mage. Once you're through, give Sunburst to Starswirl for experimentation."

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Pinkie Pie squealed. “Star Swirl has been requesting more ‘volunteers’ for his studies and the dungeons are pretty much all out.”

Daybreaker nodded and started to leave. "Consider this foal your last chance, Twilight. You’re a great general and a talented enchantress but don’t think for one moment that you’re irreplaceable." She then vanished in a ball of fire and despite the intensity of the heat, the room felt as cold as the Frozen North.

Twilight nodded, her body moving on its own as she processed her latest command. She’d done everything ever commanded her without question but this? Was she really being used like some sort of breeding whore? She rose on shaking limbs, the room appearing to spin around her and she had to grab hold of the table to right herself.

Meanwhile, Sunburst had begun to thrash about upon seeing his tormentor approaching him with a plastic tube and an electric probe. Lacking the mirth or malevolent glee she previously had, Pinkie shoved the tube over Sunburst’s cock before thrusting the probe up his ass, forcing him to ejaculate, much to his own horror and disgrace.

"This will be a lot easier if you hold still, Twilight. After all, orders are orders." Pinkie said surprisingly sympathetic, gesturing over to a gurney. Twilight stared at the gurney and gulped, a shuddering breath escaping her lips. She didn’t feel the tears rushing down her cheeks as she climbed on top of the gurney, refusing to meet Pinkie’s eyes out of shame. Hail the Eternal Flame. Hail Daybreaker...

"Now spread your hindlegs and open wide."