A Prince, A Commoner & A Dungeon
"You should consider yourself lucky you didn't get a worse punishment." A very arrogant stallion muttered through the bars, rubbing the bruises that covered his forelegs. The normally well-groomed blonde mane frazzled from the result of being tossed into a cell.
"You should be considered lucky I didn't decide to tackle you any harder than I did." Dusk shot back, still very angry at the self-entitled brat.
The two glared at each other through a set of steel bars, the air so thick with contempt that it could be cut with a knife. Blueblood's white coat was covered in sweat and dirt from the events prior to being thrown into his current living arrangements closest to the door. The cell on the immediate left was inhabited by a calm unicorn with a blue coat and short black mane. He wore a simple tux that was torn in several places across the forelegs. Thankfully, it wasn't a rental tuxedo. But there was a lot of care put into it and Dusk felt bad tearing it like he had. But in hindsight, it wouldn't have mattered. He still would have taught Blueblood a lesson no matter the circumstance.
"I don't see why you are so upset, if anything you should feel proud to have F-"
"Speak her name, and you will regret it. You don't have the right to talk about my date." Dusk replied coldly. It became a apparently the prince forgot his lesson.
"Fine, fine, no need to be rude to royalty. In fact, you should be kissing my hooves begging me to be merciful."
"Blueblood, did you notice which side of the bars your on right now," the blue unicorn retorted. "Here, we are equals. Also, I would never beg you for anything, least of all mercy."
"I refuse to lower myself to the level of a commoner," he replied, his nose so high that he couldn't see the floor. "Besides, my auntie will get me out of this dreadful place and leave you here to rot."
"Ha! That's quite hilarious, she'd sooner bail me out before you," Dusk scoffed.
"That's the most ridiculous thing you've said all evening. I'm her nephew."
"She saved my life and raised me through the end of my childhood. If I was as arrogant as you, I would say I am the closest thing she has to a son."
As he said this the door to the cell block was opened, revealing the alicorn in question. "You wouldn't be wrong in that assumption my child."
"Oh, Auntie! Thank Heavens, you can get me out of here!" Blueblood cried, clinging to the bars of the cell door.
"Mentor." Dusk bowed.
"Dusk... Blueblood. I took the liberty of questioning the guards that brought you in here. I have to say I'm disappointed in you both."
"In my defense, I was inebriated!"
"That's not a defense, it's a confession!" Dusk replied
"Nephew, I will speak with you in a moment when I am done speaking with Dusk here." Celestia eyed him with disappointment.
"But... Auntie..." he pleaded.
"You will refer to me as Princess, Blueblood. You lost the privilege to refer to me as such when you decided to shame this family." She turned to Dusk, "I sincerely apologize for his behavior, now I know why Fluttershy was so quiet in the waiting area."
"Wait, she's here!?"
"You expect me to believe that she was going to leave you here?"
"Well... no. She wouldn't willingly leave me here," he sighed. "Is she okay?"
"She's a little bit uneasy, but once you get released I'm sure she will be just fine."
"How long are they holding us?" Dusk asked calmly.
"How long are they holding me!?" the prince cried.
"Your transgressions, Dusk will land you a night here. That last punch was a little much for a defense claim."
"Small price to pay, he was more than deserving." Dusk smirked, recollecting the blow that he delivered before willingly going with the Royal Guards.
Celestia's gaze returned to the other unicorn in the room. "You should sit here for a week. I'm considering making it two after what you did. That was very inappropriate, especially for a member of the royal family."
"But A- Princess! I didn't do anything to deserve this! Please!" He was officially begging on his knees.
"If Fluttershy presses charges, you will receive no help from me or any other of your relatives." Her gaze softened as she directed her gaze back to Dusk. "I'm sorry Dusk, but I can't in fair judgement release you early without looking like I show bias. I'm sure you understand."
"You have a public image to think about. Just promise me one thing."
"She will be staying at the castle tonight."
"Thank you, just tell her I will be fine. It's one night, and the only other one in here is Blueblood. I think I will be able to survive."
"You don't want to tell her yourself?"
"I don't want her anywhere near that so called Prince. No offense, to you Princess."
"None taken. I will take my leave, then. Good night to you both."
"Good Night ,Mentor, tell Luna I said 'hello'."
"I will do that Dusk. I have quite a tale for her, though." She walked to the door, but was stopped by a most pitiful stallion grovelling and begging for her help. Her reply was shaking her head and walking through the door.
"Splendid! Why would she just leave me here!? I won't survive in here!"
"Calm down, your acting like a foal."
"Am not!"
Dusk gave an annoyed sigh. This night was going so well too. Beautiful walk through the gardens, excellent dinner, dancing. She really enjoyed herself... but of course, it had to end with me in a cell. I just hope I can be forgiven.
"Wait she said that F- that mare might press charges! Would she really do that!?"
"You're asking the wrong pony. If it were up to me, you would have to change your name to Black & Blueblood." He knew full well the sweet little pegasus would not even consider pressing charges.
"Why are you being so aggressive? I didn't do anything that bad!"
"You really, truly believe that don't you?"
"Yes!"
"You think you can just do something like that and it's perfectly acceptable?" He already knew the answer.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"Wow, I knew you were a little thick, but I didn't expect you to be that much of an imbecile!" Dusk laughed for a full minute.
"I am not an imbecile!" Blueblood stomped his hoof defiantly, the sound ringing through the hollow cell.
"Then, why do you think you can do whatever you want?" he asked as the laughing fit subsided.
"Because I'm a Prince!"
"A Prince of what?" the commoner asked.
"What?" the prince's expression quickly turned from smug and prideful to confused.
"Celestia is the princess of the sun. Luna, the moon. Cadence, love and Prince Shining Armor rules with her as the governing bodies of the Crystal Empire. What exactly do you reign over?"
"I... uh... stuff," he muttered.
"Oh dear Mentor, you don't reign over anything! Your title is just that, a title with no power or weight behind it! Based solely on the fact you are related to actual royalty!" Dusk proclaimed.
"Shut up!" Blueblood stomped his foot again.
"Oh, did I strike a nerve?" Dusk asked.
"Shut your peasant mouth!" He screamed.
"Yes, struck a nerve." The commoner confirmed.
"Hmph!" He turned away from his neighbor and began shouting. "Guard! Guard!"
"He's not letting you go tonight."
"I am not trying to get out, I need to use the lou."
"I think there's a bucket in the corner." Dusk pointed to the far corner, a bucket indeed sat there.
"I refuse to relieve myself in a bucket."
"It's either that or soiling yourself," Dusk stated. Even though he had never been in prison, he was intelligent to figure out how things worked.
"Can you at least... turn around?" Dusk did as asked, and before it could be brought up, he threw a sound proof sphere around himself for a few minutes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Blueblood sit back down, and the bubble dropped. "Thank you," the prince muttered.
Five minutes later, a guard walked in to the room. He wore the golden armor and helmet that covered his white coat with a dark blue mane sticking out of the top of his helmet. "Oh thank heavens, please you have to-" Blueblood's plea was interrupted by a blue sphere encompassing most of his cell.
"Thanks, I can't stand hearing him whine," the guard laughed a little. "But it's not getting you out tonight."
"You think I want to hear him? So, I assume you wish to speak to me."
"Well, not exactly. I was asked to give you this." He produced a sizable bottle full of water.
"I don't deserve any special treatment from the Princess."
"Actually, it was a request from that yellow mare that was sitting out there. I told her I couldn't but then she started crying, I couldn't be responsible for making her cry," the guard admitted sheepishly.
"Well, I can't blame you." Dusk took the bottle and noticed there was a note attached to it, it read:
Dusk,
I am so sorry I got you put in jail and ruined our special night. I don't care what you say, it's my fault. I hope you make it out okay. I know it's not much, but I hope this helps. I will be there first thing in the morning when you get out. Please don't hate me.
Love, Fluttershy
Dusk couldn't help giving a chuckle, only she would ask me not to hate her. Like I ever could hate her.
"Thank you sir, is that all?"
"Well... no. I, kinda sorta, promised her we would refill it every hour or so for you." He rubbed the back of his neck. "The Captain is going to be cross about the fact that I agreed to do such a thing."
"Just tell him that she was an ex-model, or one of the bearers of the elements. I'm sure he won't be so cross."
"Are you suggesting that I lie to my boss?"
"It wouldn't be a lie, sir." Dusk smirked.
"So, you mean... she's the Element of Kindness?" Dusk nodded and the guard facehoofed immediately, "How could I miss one of the elements coming in here!? I mean it's not like they saved the country three times or anything!"
"In your defense, she doesn't go walking around in a dress like that. She hasn't done any modeling in over two years and she was a model for roughly a week. I didn't know until she brought it up."
"You're making it difficult to keep you locked up. You know that, right?"
"Just because I'm in a cell, it's not an excuse to lash out at a pony that's simply doing there job. I appreciate the drink, but could I get your name, sir?"
"Lt. Shield, your name?"
"It's Dusk Light, nice to meet you sir."
"Dusk, huh, that name sounds familiar. But I don't know why."
"I'm sure it's nothing Lt." If he finds out, he might just open the door and tell me to leave. I don't want anymore special treatment than I was given. "Have a good night."
"You too Mr. Light. I hope the brat doesn't drive you insane in here." He laughed as he walked over to the door, Blueblood started pounding on the barrier fruitlessly. He was desperately trying to beg for his release. When the door slammed shut, Dusk dropped the barrier.
"Why did you do that!?"
"Because I wanted to carry a conversation without being interrupted by the sound of you crying and begging like a child who had their toys taken from them." He opened the bottle and took a gulp, and judging by the taste, it was straight from some mountain spring.
"Well, I see you are having as much difficulty surviving in here as I am," he said sarcastically.
"Notice the difference in our behavior?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about," he stuck his nose high again.
"You've been acting like a foal who was sent to time-out since we got in here."
"I have not!"
"Let's look at this, logically, if we could: You were throwing a temper tantrum when we first brought here, you deny doing anything wrong, you cry and beg to get out whenever someone with the authority to do so walks in, and no matter how many times they say 'no' you keep trying. Sound foalish enough for me. I went quietly and have done nothing to try to get out. I take responsibility for my actions. Something I highly doubt you are capable of doing." The unicorns both went silent.
"That is the most moronic statement I have ever heard!" Blueblood denied any truth in that little speech.
"Well, I tried." Dusk rested his head on the pillow on the end of the cot he had been sitting on. He was satisfied that there was no hope for the poor fool. He was a special type of arrogant. The kind that preferred the comforting lie to the point that they can't accept the hard truth.
"Why is this pillow so hard?" the 'prince' whined.
"Because, ponies in here don't deserve the goose feathered pillows that you are so accustomed to. Is there anything else you want to whine pointlessly about? I really don't want to put up that sound proof barrier again if I don't have to."
"Fine, but can I ask you something?"
"I suppose..." Dusk answered hesitantly.
"This has been racking my brain since I saw you two outside. How did you get a nice piece of tail like her?"
"First, if you refer to her like that again, I will make you regret it," Dusk replied calmly. "Second, what in Tartarus is that suppose to mean!?" he shouted angrily.
"I mean, I have heard about you. About how you came from this city, then you vanished after that accident. My Auntie took you under her wing and you vanished again. You have no money to your name, no authority, nothing. But, you still manage to get a mare like her. How did you do that?"
"Okay, Blueblood, I'm going to let you in on a carefully guarded secret. And I will only say this once, so pay attention. Actually you may want to write it down so you don't forget, ready?"
"Well, go on." Blueblood implored impatiently.
"Mares..." Dusk began.
"Mares," the prince repeated.
"Like..."
"Like."
"Nice..."
"Nice."
"Guys." Dusk finished.
"Mares like nice guys?" The gears in his head began to turn. Dusk was hopeful that the slow breakdown would help it sink in. "Really, what did you do?" His hopes were smashed against Blueblood's thick skull.
"In all honesty, I am not a jerk. I treat her with respect and I treat her as an equal. Not as a piece of eye candy, but as the independent mare she is."
The prince began laughing haughtily, annoying Dusk further. "You... you treat her as a... as an equal!?"
"Is that a problem for you?" Dusk asked sternly, sitting back up to get a better look at the laughing pony in the other cell.
"Well... well no, it's just too comical. You treat her, that timid little mare as an equal. How far do you have to lower yourself to be her equal?" He guffawed for another couple of minutes before calming down.
"Huh, I didn't take you to be a sexist," Dusk lied. Oh yes I did. I really, really did.
"Well, how can I help it? Stallions are just better."
Oh boy, I really picked the most annoying cell neighbor this side of the country. Lucky me. "Okay, I am determined to get through that diamond hard shell you call a skull. Let's start with a simple question. Why do you think that?"
"We are stronger, more durable and more intelligent," he replied arrogantly.
"Okay, I'm going to take this one step at a time and I want to clarify, the two genders are equal. Let's start with the easiest to explain. You say stallions are more durable, but mares go through something called 'childbirth.' They grow a foal from a cell to a 8 pounds average children inside of their bodies. Then, they have to give birth to said child. I do not know about you but that is something I can't even begin to imagine."
"But-" Blueblood tried to retort before being cut off by the lecturing unicorn.
"Please save all comments until after I am finished. Now where was I... oh yes, the 'more intelligent' remark. Let me ask you a question. Who are the governing bodies of this country?"
"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna," he replied almost inaudibly.
"Who?" Dusk asked. Being with Fluttershy he learned to pick up such quiet statements, but he wanted Blueblood to admit it again.
"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."
"And which gender are they?"
"Mares."
"Exactly. And my final point, you say that Fluttershy is little and timid. But, she stared down a dragon, made him cry and then got him to leave the country. It takes a lot of strength to do something like that, doesn't it?"
"I... I guess."
"So Blueblood? What did we learn tonight?" Dusk asked.
"That... that mares are..." he trailed off.
"Mares are?"
"Mares are just as good as stallions." Blueblood admitted.
"Dear Celestia, he can learn!" Dusk proclaimed.
"Ha... ha... ha. Are you finished?"
"I guess."
"Good, because I have a throbbing headache now thanks to you. I'm going to bed."
"Yeah, probably a good idea. Good night."
The two fell asleep and found themselves in an empty, white expanse. In front of them, a familiar form approached.
"Princess Luna? Dusk asked.
The form approached them, cackling a dark, menacing laugh. "You wish," it said darkly. Once it came into view, both unicorns knew who it was. The tall stature, the dark blue armor, pure black coat and the very sharp teeth,.
"N-Nightmare Moon?" Blueblood stuttered.
"Hmm, it's been so long," she started licking her lips. "So, who wants to be eaten first?"
With that, both Dusk and Blueblood left the dreamscape. No doubt they were terrified and this pleased 'Nightmare Moon.' Of course, once her victims left, the nightmarish beast was engulfed in a white light. When the light faded, Luna's true form took it's place.
"So, do you think they learned their lesson Tia?" she asked.
Celestia appeared next to her, "I think so, Lu-Lu. I think so."
Author's Note
My first one-shot and my first attempt at Comedy, rating and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to thank OfTheIronWilled for helping with as a pre-reader and editor.