It's been three hours since I've woken up... I think. What I found when I did, was myself inside some sorta dungeon on a small cot, with a magic-suppressor on my horn. At least... I'm pretty sure it was a dungeon, I haven't seen a guard pass by yet. That means this place wasn't part of the Equestrian government.
Hold on, I'm getting ahead of myself. First off, my wounds. When I woke up, I wasn't in an ounce of pain, which I hadn't quite acknowledged until rising from bed. I had burn marks and melted fur everywhere but the pain had completely subsided. It makes me wonder just how long I've been asleep. Days? Months? Years?! Without a window or any source of light besides a lantern in the long hall that my 'prison' opened up from, I couldn't tell.
My thoughts were interrupted by what I could only assume was hoofsteps, just, very much more metallic. As they got closer, a figure clad in white armor stepped past my cell and proceeded to the one next to mine. His armor had a somewhat translucent glow, so it was hard to see him with my vision adjusted to the darkness, but I could make out that he was a unicorn.
After a few metal clangs and scrapes, he went back the way he came, although this time he had a large white glowing box following behind. What was inside of it, I don't know.
It's been another hour, four in all, and I'm getting tired of this. This room is so quiet and there's nothing to really do. I've spent enough time counting the cobblestone this place is made of. I need to study what I know and go from there.
A. I don't where I am specifically. What I do know is that I'm underground at least. My horn may be suppressed but I can still sense earth magic flowing through the walls in large currents. I'm either very deep or near the Everfree in that case, as they are the only two places where magic surges so powerfully and freely.
B. I don't know what time it is. In fact, I don't really know how long I've been awake. I've been guessing for the most part, and there's no sunlight to judge by. I don't have any hope on finding out any 'when' questions so I'll leave that be.
C. I don't know who I'm with. It's already estebelished that this is not part of the Equestrian Government. It can't be with Griffins as our nations are slightly at odds with each other at the moment. If that really was a pony I saw earlier, then Griffins would in no way, shape, or form let him in here. It's not the Zebras, they don't have the resources to build a base like this nor have armor so advanced.
D. This brings me to the last point: me. I have not been harmed, I've been helped, if nothing else. They took away the pain. I'm still intact as is my armor...
Wait...my armor! I'm still wearing it. Why would they...
My thoughts were interrupted once more as hoofsteps approached again. This time, however, theywere accompanied by a normal set of hooves. When the armored unicorn came to my door once more, he opened it and stepped aside as a pony dressed in white button up shirt stepped inside. His coat was dark brown. His mane and tail were shades of blue, although it was hard to tell with the armored pony standing behind him.
He sat down in front of me and spoke, "Hello Mister Gold. Vow are you on zis beautiful morning?" my eyes shot wider. I know that voice!
"You!" I shouted as I stood up, "You're that pony from the hospital. The pony who..."
"...offered you a second chance. Yes, yes, no need to sank me. I am just happy to be obliging." As he said this, he smiled horridly and pulled out a small clipboard, "Now zen, I am sure you vant to know Vhut is going on. All in ze good times. First I have Zees questions for you."
I was about to retort angrily before catching myself. If I want answers, then I need to be friendly. I chuckled, "The last test I took was in College. I hope you're okay with a B minus."
He smiled and nodded before asking, "Vhut is your name?"
"Solid Gold."
"Vhut are you?"
"A Royal Guard."
He shook his head, "No, no, no. Vhut are you?"
I raised an eyebrow, "Um...confused? I don't..."
He grunted indignantly, "Hmm...it seems you do not yet know ze answer to zis question. Zat simply vill not do." With that he turned and tried to head out the cage. I realized that diplomacy had it's day and launched myself fast as possible at him. Right as my hoof was close enough to grab his tail, I froze in mid air. There was no aura around me, nor any indication that something was holding me there. I was simply... frozen. I could still speak though.
"Who are you!? What do you want from me?" I asked through clenched teeth. He exited the cage and the armored pony closed it. He then stopped and looked at me.
"I am Doctor Fleisch." He smiled at me, and I noticed that his teeth were fanged, " and I want you to become my greatest success."
Then... I could feel again.
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I've been trained to withstand pain. I've been trained by some of the best to take a punch in the gut, cut my leg open, and break a rib all while talking about how good my day was. Drop an anvil on my hoof destroying it forever? Fine. Talk a blow torch to my nether regions? Sure thing.
But what I felt at that moment? It was unlike any sort of pain I'd ever felt before, so I didn't give a damn about holding in screams. Every bit of pain I hadn't been feeling for the past...however long it's been, it came rushing to my brain like a freight train. I writhed, I wiggled, I strained, but nothing stopped it. I could feel burns and rips searing every part of my body.
When it finally stopped, I collapsed. I didn't move from that spot, what felt like years. I couldn't get the feeling out of my mind. I wasn't even relieved that it had stopped.
"First time I'm guessing?" I heard a voice say. I opened my eyes and looked around from my place on the ground. No one was there. No one was outside the cell either.
"What?" I asked through a raspy throat.
"This is your first time. Feeling again." the voice said. I looked in the direction it seemed to come from, that being the wall between my cell and the next one over.
"Wh...what do you mean by 'first time'?" I asked desperately," Is that going to happen again?"
The voice chuckled and responded, "No shit sherlock. I said first time for a reason."
I managed to stand up and make my way to the wall. I sat down with my back to it, and likely to my new "friend" and asked, "What's happening?"
"Well, you're sitting in a cell and talking to somepony you don't know..."
I chuckled, "You're not as smart as you seem. At least now I know you're a pony." I listened but didn't get a response. That's not good. I need him to talk if I want to learn anything, "My name's Solid Gold."
A few seconds went by before I heard anything. Hoofsteps, and then squeaking, followed my silence. He must have decided to go to bed. No matter, I'll ask him again when he wakes up. For now, sleep sounds nice. I get up and trot over to my cot over in the corner. I lay down and let unconsciousness take over.