Interview With A Mad Mare

Locket quickly escorted Pound down the hall and through the doorway on the opposite end. Inside, he saw a dimly lit room. A light hanging from the ceiling in the center of the massive room was the only light source he could see. It cast a fairly wide cone of light, more easily seen than the shadowy surroundings, but even that was dim and hard to see clearly. Pound had a feeling the bulb would probably need changed soon, but he also suspected everypony would probably be too afraid to change it.

About half of the room was taken up by a huge, square cage in its center. In the cage's center was the cone of light, which barely illuminated the edges of the cage, and in the center of the dim light was the cage's occupant.

The earth pony within the cage looked weak, and she sat on the floor in a hunched position with her ridiculously long mane draped over every side of her body. Pound could hardly even make out where her face was, but her muzzle shifted some of her hair to the sides, allowing him to see that part of her face. He guessed that nopony was brave enough to try giving her a haircut, and nopony was crazy enough to supply her the scissors needed to do it herself. Even through the mess of hair that was this mare's mane, Pound could make out two perfectly clear and calm eyes boring steadily into his soul as he approached.

He took a seat in a chair that was placed a few feet away from the cage's edge and opened his mouth to introduce himself.

"Pound Cake," interrupted the inmate in a slow yet cheerful tone that sent chills down Pound's spine. "Welcome. I've been wanting to see you for a long time."

"Long time?" asked Pound jokingly. "You sent me that letter less than a week ago!"

She let out a light chuckle, both unsettling and somehow endearing. It sent waves of nostalgia through Pound, though he wasn't quite sure why.

"So, what's your name?" Pound asked casually, being careful to not display his fear.

"Oh, I think you'll know by the time we're finished."

Thoroughly confused, he looked back towards Locket, who was standing casually in the doorway.

"Don't look at me!" she said quickly. "She asked the warden and I not to tell you her name. Can't for the life of me imagine why."

"If you wouldn't mind, my dear Locket," chimed in the inmate, now glaring at the guard, "I'd like to continue our interview privately."

Locket glanced nervously between the door and the inmate before settling her gaze questioningly at Pound.

"It's fine," he said.

"If something goes wrong," he added jokingly, "listen for the scream."

Locket seemed to not enjoy the joke, for she visibly gulped as she retreated back through the door, closing it behind her.

"So," Pound said to the inmate. "Shall we continue?"