“the jury finds the defendant guilty as charged. I hereby sentence the defendant to life in prison on the grounds of murder”. Carver despaired when those words were announced. First of all, he never hurt or let alone killed anypony. But he seemed to be the only one who knew the truth. Outraged he tried to stand up, only to be held back by the chains that bound him to his chair in the court. He could never have imagined all of the despair that he felt that day. During the night, he wept in his holding cell and tried to force himself to go to sleep.But he could not. During his sleepless vigil he came to accept what he felt he had to. Having been sentenced to life in prison there was noting he could do to change that.
In the morning, the bus came. He was shackled in chains and escorted onto it along with several other convicts who faced the same or similar consequences as he did. When they were finished loading the bus took off. the engine rattled loudly as he was driven out of manehattan and into the countryside.The trip was long and exhausting as he watched the houses, homes, and fields zip by, another prisoner approached him. As he sat next to Carver he said, “beautiful isnt it” with a hint of longing. Carver snapped out of his trance with a shake of his head and stared at the stranger.The stranger reached out his hoof in a friendly manner and introduced himself, “My name’s heart runner. “
Carver shook Heartrunner’s hoof and replied, “Mines Carver.” In carvers opinion, it was nice that at least somepony was a bit friendly. Everypony else was givimg eachother the evil eye as if they were all saying, come near me and I’ll strangle you until your neck becomes jell-o
Heartrunner pointed at a sign that had “welcome to ponyville’ and mentioned that he had been sweet on a mare from there. When carver asked who, Heartrunner lowered his head and whispered, a name that carver didnt hear. Leaving it at that, the two stallions were silent for the rest of the ride.
When they arrived at the prison, everypony on the bus was exhausted from the long ride. both guards and prisoners. Upon their arrival, carver and the rest of the prisoners were escorted off of the bus by the guards. Who were different than the ones patrolling the streets. they werent painted white, and didn’t bear the same regal armor. They were brutal looking, and werent afraid to speak whenever they wanted. In an orderly, single file line the prisoners were led to the check-in . There they were weighed and measured in height and length. At this particular part of the check-in, carver began to feel nervous because most of the other ponies seemed to be large, big , and burly.As he approached to get measured, he felt as if everypony was staring at him, waiting for him to be proven as a meekling. Fortunately for him, it did not last long, he was weighed measured, and sent on his way.
Once the other ponies were finished, they were told who their cellmates would be and then were escorted int their cells. Thank You Sweet Celestia, carver thought when he found out that he and Heartrunner were to be cellmates.The cell was small. Yet sufficiently sized for two ponies.After they had dinner they decided who would stay on the top and bottom bunk. This is where the foal in carver kicked in making him blurt out, can i have the top bunk?” leaving His cellmate staring at him as if he had asked if pegasi had wings.
This confused him, and he asked, “What?”
Heartrunner then realized, “ you have never been to prison before have you. The deal is, in here the bitch gets top bunk and the owner gets bottom. i know, it should be the opposite way around. Anyway, i was thinking that we alternate traking turns on the bottom bunk and the floor.”
that was when Carver noticed the two other bunks on the other side of the cell.”hey Heart”deciding it was a fitting nickname for the kind pegasus, and then was cut off “don’t evercall me that again, that’s how somepony ends up as a bitch. Trust me, it does not look fun.”
“sorry, but what about the bunks over there. We could each get a bottom one.”
“That’s not possible. i can guarantee that another two ponies will be in here” His friend explained, “and they will most likely abide by the BS”
“BS?”
“bitch system”
“oh”
Just as was expected, Another two prisoners arrived. Arrived One was an incredibly massive and muscular Red Stallion with a shaved Black Mane who stood straight towering up as he walked. Carver Gulped when he walked in giving him a hate filled glare. Following Him was a smaller, younger pegasus colt who kept his head down and dared not to look anypony in the eye. As he entered, he shot a glance of helplessness at carver and Heartrunner. Carver could help but feel sorry for him. The big stallion saw that the younger one looked and Carver and his friend and menacingly scolded him, “What did i tell you, Bitch? You belong to me now, and i’ll not have you looking at other ponies. You’ll only look at me when i’m fucking you. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!?”
The small pegasus feebly answered,”Yes”
Still,the tall Earthpony was not pleased with this answer because he then said, “Yes what?”
“Yes master” the young pegasus began to cry. The larger one paid no attention and continued, “Youre a fucking filly. You know that?”
“yes master”
“good bitch.”
At supper, Carver was very unsettled. There were a lot more inmates than he had initially thought, the lunchroom was huge,but was still crowded by at LEAST a couple thousand ponies. IT was unreal. Not only that.But Carver noticed a slight pattern in which they sat. Muscular, burly ponies sat next to weaker ones like the small pegasus from earlier who were shaking in fear. Oddly enough to Carver, other smaller ponies were very willing, and affectionate towards their “owners”.When carver asked Heartrunner why, he said that it was just their means for survival. If they obeyed, their masters were kinder and more protective. Meanwhile, every now and then, there would be an estranged Loner who glanced in every direction with distrusting eyes, wary of anyone who might Want to cause them trouble. Even though there were fewer of these ponies, they seemed like they were the most dangerous to be around because they had the most to lose. their pride.
When the dinner bell rang everypony got up and got in line for their meal. Before he got up, Heartrunner stopped carver and said that it was better to wait slightly and then get in the back of the line so as to not attract as much attention.He Was right. When Carver got in the back of the line, he noticed that all of the inmates’ attention was directed towards. the front of the line. Most likely because everypony wanted their lunch first. Or, carver figured, it might be a symbol of power, the futher up, the more powerful in the inmate system you were. Carver pondered about this for about an hour until it was finally his turn to get some food.
the table That carver and heartrunner sat in was in the very back corner. Luckily, it was one of the spots that managed to escape attention. save for the occasional brute who would walk by and glance at them. Both ponies were silent as they ate. Tearing away at the tough bread that was served with the expired canned soup, Carver thought that the food wasn’t as bad as its reputation on the outside world. Where it was told that they were served the carapaces of giant dead bugs. As far as he was concerned, carver didn't care anymore about stories told to scare little foals. But he hated it there too, left and right seemingly helpless colts were being pushed around, while others were paying no attention to them, and coming on to other, buffer stallions.
Things got real though, when somepony smashed a young colt into his, and Heartrunners table.
