Author's Note

The first two parts are 3rd person, then two sentences from StarSong's POV, then after that the pony whose name is called.

The number before 12: All's Fair in Slaves and War

"Quick! Act busy!"

Everypony in the room was quick to obey Pinkie Pie, grabbing random objects as they heard the hoofsteps. They all gave a sigh of relief when they saw that it was Clover the Clever, not Rarity. They stared.

It was the first time they'd seen her since they had first been foalnapped three days ago. In that time they had quickly learned that whether they actually did anything didn't matter as long as they looked busy when Rarity came to check on them. They also hadn't seen StarSong in that time; Minty had said she had been arguing with Clover, but that was all they had heard. They had occaisionally seen Sweetie Belle walking past, but she was always flanked by two guards stopping her from talking to them.

"What are you doing here?" asked Minty.

"Oh," answered Clover. "I was actually meant to be checking on you and feeding you this whole time, but a little something cropped up and I had to take a few days off.......You'll find out soon, trust me. Speaking of which, one of the younger Unicorns, Sweetie Belle, requested a meeting with all of you as well as me. There will be an announcement when it is time for you to come. Anything that confuses you shall be explained then.

"Will StarSong be there?" asked Toola-Roola.

Clover paused. "StarSong SkyHigh? The Pegasus?"

"Yes, her," rushed Rainbow Dash. "What about her, darling?"

"She will be discussed at the meeting, and if the guards agree you may be able to see her."

"Cool beans!" yelled Scootaloo. "We get to see StarSong and Sweetie Belle!"

"Yeah..." muttered Rainbow Dash. She had a feeling it wouldn't just be any old meeting.

"Sweetie Belle! I haven't seen you in the longest time, darling!"

"Wow! Your mane ith pinker than ever!"

"Cool beans! You're okay!"

"I'm so glad you're alright-"

"Okay, okay!" snapped Clover. "This meeting is for a reason, you know!"

"Sorry," mumbled Minty. "It's just that we missed her-"

"I missed you too, guys," muttered Sweetie Belle. "But remember those glowing rocks?"

"Yeah?" asked Toola-Roola.

"I managed to take them," continued Sweetie Belle. "and Clover took them outside. We're going to use them to escape."

"We're going to escape?" asked Cheerilee.

"No," snapped Toola-Roola. "we're going to stay here and be servants forever."

"Really?" asked Scootaloo. "Can we escape instead? Staying here is boring!"

Clover nodded. "I haven't worked out the details yet, but I have a few friends who are eager to help free you. When it does happen, don't ask any questions. Just do as I say, alright?"

They all nodded, then looked around. Somepony was missing. "What about StarSong?" asked Cheerilee.

"StarSong SkyHigh?" muttered Clover. "Oh, err....when she woke up after we brought her here, she tried to break out by attacking me. The guards subdued her and took her to a high security cell. You'll each be able to go see her, one at a time. I'll call your names in alphabetical order and the guards shall escort you to her cell."

"Eh?" asked Scootaloo.

"When she calls your name, go with her!" translated Cheerilee.

This has gone on long enough. I'm telling them. Except Sweetie Belle, she's too young....

"Cheerilee Joyride!"

I nervously stepped forward. Why did I have to be first? Stupid alphabet! "Stay here, Scootaloo." I muttered, knowing she would try to follow me.

"Come on!" urged one of the grey Unicorn stallions, starting to trot ahead. I followed quickly, glancing back at my sister and friends as I left.

Through the hallway and down a few flights of stairs we went. At that point was a massive black door, with what looked like a window at the top, but covered in bars. One of the guards pressed his front hoof against it and it swung open. I nervously glanced at him. "Go," he said simply. "She is waiting."

I nodded, galloping forward, staring at either side of me. I could hardly see the walls through all of the prison cells, all walled by bars too close together to slip through. Each one held a different pony, some Unicorns, some Pegasi and a few Earthponies. Most of them were furiously trying to bend the bars, or writing on the wall, or just sitting there helplessly. One Unicorn was using his magic to tattoo himself. I hope Scootaloo doesn't notice him when it's her turn.

Ahh, there she is. StarSong. I trot to the side and sit in front of the door to her cell. "StarSong! Are you okay?"

"Shut up. I need to tell you something."

I stared. Shut up? StarSong doesn't tell ponies to shut up!

"What is it?" I asked.

She looked me dead in the eyes. It was like in those scary stories that Scootaloo had asked other ponies to tell her even though I told her not to. "There is no StarShine."

"What?"

"I have no sister. I found 'StarShine' out in the middle of nowhere with Rainbow Dash's hat. She told me to tell you guys she was my sister. And she looks exactly like Clover, except Clover is a Unicorn and she's a Pegasus."

"Pinkie Pie!"

Cheerilee trotted back and nodded to me. I gueth it'th my turn now. I thtepped forward and one of the guardth grunted in annoyanthe. "Hurry up!" he muttered. I nodded, breaking into a canter and following the quicketht of them.

He lead me down the hallway and down a few flightth of thtairth. After a while we came to a pure black door. There wath a window at the top, but with no glath, only barth. He prethed hith hoof onto it and it thwung open. I thtared. Wath thith a good idea? Rainbow Dash had had a feeling this wathn't any old meeting, I know becauthe the narrator told me.

The guard raithed hith hoof and pressed againtht my tail, pushing me forward thlightly. I gathped. Every inch of the room exthept for a tiny pathway was covered in prithon thells. I glanced back and trotted through until I thaw her.

SssstarSsssong.

"SsstarSssong!" I yelled. "You're alright!"

"I'm aware of that-" she rushed. "Now, listen-"

"Lithening? I'm good at lithening!"

"Alright then, I need to tell you something-"

"What do you need to tell me? What is it? What do you need to tell me?"

"It's important-"

"I like important thingth-"

"Can't you just be quiet?"

"Quiet ith my favourite!"

She raised her front hoof and thlamed it againtht her fathe. Charadeth? Ooh! I like charadeth!

"Let me gueth, you actually don't have a thithter and ThtarShine ith just thome random Pegathuth that took Rainbow Dash'th hat and made you lie to uth and you think that she might altho be Clover?"

She gathped. "How did you know?"

"Jutht a hunch."

"Minty Bubblegum!"

I noticed Pinkie Pie trotting back, flanked by two or three guards. I nervously trotted forward to take her place. The guards led the way. I bit my lip. Cheerilee and Pinkie Pie went in there and they were fine, right? So what's the worst that could happen?"

We went through the hallway and down a few flights of stairs before we came to a rusty old door. One of the guards pressed his hoof against it and it swung open. I glanced back as if I were trotting into the death sentence and walked in.

Cells. Jail cells.Jail? StarSong broke the law? I knew she had tried to escape, but geez.....

I stumbled through until I noticed her. "StarSong!" I reached my hoof through the bars. She didn't reach back.

"Minty, I need to tell you something!"

"What is it?" I asked urgently.

"I don't have any sisters, only StarSwirl. StarShine is just some stranger that tackled me in the air and told me to lie. I don't know who she is. But she looks almost exactly like Clover the Clever."

"Rainbow Dash!"

I stared. "Who, me?"

"No," snapped Toola-Roola. "the other Rainbow Dash that's a really fast Pegasus and a tomboy."

Clover giggled. I rolled my eyes. I love Toola-Roola, but when did she get so sarcastic?

I awkwardly stumbled forward. One of the Unicorn stallion guards started to trot ahead and led me down a few flights of stairs until we came to a halt. I stared. To my shock, towering over us was a huge black door. The front guard raised his hoof and pushed it open. I glanced back and they gave me a 'hurry up' look. I sighed, trotting inside.

I stared to the left of me. A part of the room cut off by walls made of bars, containing an Earthpony. To my right a similar arrangement with a different pony. And next to each cell, another. And another. And another.

Prison.

I galloped forward. Talk to StarSong, then get the hell out of here. That's my plan now. I looked from side to side. I can't afford to miss her.

There she is. I came to a halt. "StarSong! What happened, darling?"

"Rainbow Dash.......there's something I need to tell you....."

"What is it, darling?"

"StarShine is just a stranger who took your hat and told me to lie. I don't know her. I don't have any sisters. And I'm pretty sure Clover the Clever is-"

I gasped. "I had to go without wearing my hat for a whole two minutes for nothing?!"

"Scootaloo Joyride!"

"Yes?"

Cheerilee sighed. "Scootaloo, go with the nice stallions, okay?"

I nodded, skipping over to the guards. One of them started to trot forward and the others followed. I galloped after them. "Hey! Wait for me!"

I'm finally gonna see StarSong again! Cool beans!

After going down a few flights of stairs we came to a solid black door. There was a single window near the top, like the door to our house, but there was no glass, only bars. One of the Unicorns raised his front hoof and pressed it against the door, which swung open. I turned. "So, do I go in now?"

He nodded, without blinking. I stuck out my toungue. Nothing. I rolled my eyes, trotting off into the room. "Whoa! Jail cells! This is where they lock up bad guys! Cool beans!"

I noticed StarSong in one of them. Eh? She's not a baddie! Why would a good guy be in jail? I galloped over to her. "How did you get in jail? You're not a baddie!"

She sighed. "Scootaloo, I lied to you and the others the other day. I said StarShine was my sister and she stole Rainbow Dash's hat so she wouldn't have to introduce herself. But the truth is that StarShine is some stranger who tackled me and told me to lie about her. I don't even know if StarShine is her real name."

"Eh? You lied? But good guys don't lie! Lying is for baddies!"

She sighed again. "Scootaloo, the world's not quite as simple as that. Sometimes good ponies do bad things, and bad ponies sometimes do good things. Some ponies aren't really good or bad, they just do what they want, whether it's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Toola-Roola- err- how do you pronounce it?"

I grinned, blowing my mane out of my eyes. "You don't. You have a few goes and then give up and complain and then never use my full name again. That's what normally happens."

I sighed, trotting over to the guards, which noticed me coming and started trotting off. I followed them through the hallway and down a few flights of stairs. Soon we reached a pure black door. There was a tiny window at the top, but no glass, just bars. One of the guards raised his front hoof and pressed it against the door, which swung open. I shuddered.

Bars. Bars. So many bars. So many bars they box off sections of the room into cells, each one containing a pony. Some of them were drawing on the wall or tattooing themselves, some just staring brokenly at something or sturggling to bend the bars. I shuddered again.

It looks pretty dark.

Alright.This is gonna be fine. I'll just gallop inside, find StarSong, talk for a minute and leave. I'm not that scared of the dark. I can be in a dark room for five minutes, right? Right?

Okay, deep breath. You can do this, Toola-Roola. I blew my mane out of my eyes one last time and galloped.

I galloped down the room until I noticed a purple Pegasus out of the corner of my eye. "Hey! StarSong! Start talking. Now."

"Err- well-" she stammered. "Remember StarShine? I lied. She's not my sister. I don't even know her. She just tackled me in the air and told me to lie."

StarShine? Who's StarShine? I rolled my eyes, galloping outside. It wasn't until I was outside that I remember.

Oh, that's who StarShine is.