All that remains

The sound of approaching hoof steps roused him from sleep. He grimaced at the thought. “I haven’t slept in weeks.”
The heavy iron door opened slowly, its rusty hinges protesting loudly at their use. The sound would have once grated against his ears, filling him with the need to cover them.

But that feeling had long since died.

As the door swung wider, faint light could be seen flittering in from the lamps outside in the hall. “It must be nighttime.” He thought. Lifting his head he saw a silhouetted figure standing in the doorway.

"It’s time for our daily sessions.” The figure said in a high pitched and condescending voice, obviously a mare. With a wave of a hoof, two large burly figures shoved their way into the room and approached him. The one to his right kicked him viscously in the ribs, driving the air from his body while the other punched him in the face.

After several painful minutes passed the mare whistled loudly. “That will do. Sit him down.”

The beating ceased, leaving him barely conscious as he was lifted up and placed heavily in a cold metal chair.

“Bind him.”

Another punch to the gut followed by heavy chains being wrapped around his legs and torso. He vaguely noticed a metal foldout table being placed in front of him before his head was smashed into it.

“Thank you, now if you two would wait outside so that I may talk with our guest.”

Heavy hoof steps moved away from him as he weakly pushed himself off the table.

“How are we feeling?” The mare asked innocently.

Managing to sit back in his chair, he saw that his captor was of smallish build and was dressed in a tight black suit. A small lamp sat on the table casting its light around the room and effectively hiding their face in shadows.

He rolled his jaw to make sure it was still in place. “I’ve been better.” He answered dryly.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” The mare said, in mock concern. A faint orange glow sparked where the top of her head would be as a fold out chair was placed at the table across from him. “I’ll be sure to tell my superiors that you’re not enjoying our hospitality.”

He didn’t answer as he rolled his tongue around in his mouth. “Think I chipped a tooth.” He thought.

"Since you don’t seem to be enjoying yourself, I have some good news that may brighten your day." The mare said happily. Her horn glowed again as a deck of cards was conjured out of thin air. She leaned forward just enough that her mouth was visible in the light of the lamp.

"We found another one of your friends." She said with an unnatural smile.

He said nothing as the mare used magic to pull a card from the deck. "The Jack of Spades." She said, flopping it down on the table in front of him.

He looked at the card, showing no emotion even though his heart broke at the sight. Partially covered by a large red X was a photo of Rainbow Dash.

"It’s a shame really." The mare said sadly, leaning back out of the lamps light. "I was told it was gruesome."

Cold hatred in his eyes was his only reply.

The mare lightly tapped a hoof on the table before drawing five more cards and placing them on the table beside Rainbow Dash’s.

Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie looked up at him from behind red X's while Fluttershy's and Twilight's photos were unadorned.

"Only two left now." The mare said simply.

He remained silent, simply staring at the photos of his friends.

"We’re closing in on The Alicorn Twilight Sparkle. It won’t be long now."

He looked up into the shadows where her eyes were and remained silent.

"Fluttershy has remained elusive but I’m confident she won’t remain so much longer."

He continued to stare in silence.

The mare clicked her tongue in annoyance. “I’ll get straight to the point. I’m offering you a chance to save your friends. If you tell me where they are I promise they’ll be brought in alive.”

He nodded towards the cards on the table, never once dropping his gaze. “I see four reasons why I shouldn’t believe you.”

Orange magic enveloped the six cards and gently floated them back into the deck. "Very well then." The mare said. Pushing herself away from the table, she turned and walked towards the open door but stopped before passing through it. “Remember I gave you a choice. What happens next is on you.”

“I already made my choice.” He said quietly as the mare left the room. He heard her talking with somepony outside.

"I want that information." He heard the mare say faintly. "Get it out of him by any means necessary."

"Yes ma'am!" Answered a gruff voice.

He watched in silence as the doorway was darkened by the two figures from earlier.

“She did say by any means necessary, did she not?” Asked one of the figures.

“That she did.” Replied the other gleefully. “That she did.”

The pair advanced on him from both sides while he continued to stare towards the door. Without warning the figure to his right rushed forward and placed a punch squarely in his jaw with enough force to send him toppling back.

"You were a big shot once, weren't ya?" He heard one of them say.

"Spike the great and honorable, or some nonsense like that." Through the daze he felt his head forcibly jerked up and to the side so that he was looking into the gleeful eyes of one of his tormentors. "Now you’re little more than a punching bag." The figure raised a hoof. "Don’t bother telling us anything. My compatriot and I will take turns beating you until we get bored regardless whether you talk or not.”

Spike closed his eyes in preparation of the pain soon to come and saw that his friends were all waiting for him with open arms and warm smiles.

He smiled as the first of the blows fell.

Author's Note:

So just a quick story that popped into my head the other day.

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