Celestia sat on the uncomfortable cot attached to the wall in a holding cell in Equus county jail. She brushed some lint off the leg of the bright orange jumpsuit with a hand and stared down at her feet sitting in the flip-flops, they had confiscated her tennis shoes. "Suicide watch.", she half-chuckled in the back of her throat, "As if I'd give Blueblood the pleasure of that. If he wants me dead, he's going to have to do it himself." She knew he had enough money and connections to hire or blackmail somebody to do it for him, if he did send someone to kill her, she would gladly die knowing that he could do it once. She thought about if he sent someone after Luna, that would be the biggest mistake they ever made. Though Celestia was no slouch in the physical department, being a former under-twenty one power lifting champion, three time judo champion and a second-degree black belt in hapkido, Luna was in a different league on her own, she spent four years in the army and was a veteran of the short-lived Serbian conflict.

Celestia let her mind wander back to her arrest three days before. He memory ran through the events after she had been placed the back of the police car handcuffed, the officer who had officially arrested her, a police sergeant name Rosewater Blush, had just slipped behind the steering wheel and turned around to talk to her through the thick glass, "Officially I have to go on record and state the neither I nor the county of Equus and the state of Kansas condones the use of violence or murder, but off the record, I'm glad that someone finally stopped those bastards who hurt all those girls...especially my Wallflower." She had recalled that Wallflower had been attacked and raped in the girl's locker room six months ago, it was the janitor who found her locked in one of the stalls shortly after school had been let out when he heard scared whimpering. The police had determined she had been attacked some time between noon and two and Celestia had confirmed when reviewing the footage from the cameras that Wallflower had been attacked during lunch break. When the investigations from the police and school board had come too close to Long Pass and his cronies, they suddenly stopped with rumors of money changing hands. She recalled that Wallflower had been in and out of the hospital several times since then.

The key turning in the lock of the cell door snapped Celestia out of her thoughts, maybe she was to see the probate judge today for her bail hearing. Two cops stepped in carrying a pair of handcuffs and shackles. "Stand up, turn around and place your hands on the wall.", the first officer said in a stern tone.

"Am I seeing the probate judge today?", Celestia asked as the officer attached the shackles to her ankles.

"Naw...", the first officer said again, "...you got a couple of visitors. Turn around and place your hands in front of you, palms facing each other, link your thumbs together." After Celestia had complied, the officer placed the handcuffs around her wrists.

"Alright, follow me.", the second officer said in an authoritative tone. The officers led Celestia through the halls into a room with that had what looked like several heavy metal picnic tables that were bolted to the floor. At several of the table sat men and women who were inmates as they visited with their wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends and children, periodically soft sobs would echo around the room. All around the room were several signs saying that all inmates would be strip searched after visitation and what the penalty was if visitors tried to sneak the inmates contraband.

Celestia looked around in confusion as the police officers led her to a table and sat her down. "I thought I wasn't allowed to have visitors until after I had my bail hearing.", she said looking up at the officer standing guard over her at the table.

"I don't know nuthin' 'cept what they tell me.", the cop said in a gruff tone, "All I was told me was that you had two groups of visitors today. Keep your hands on top of the table at all times."

Celestia sighed as she rested her hands on the cool metal ugly grey-green painted table. She let her eyes drift back and forth from her hands to the tabletop to the bland gray of the unpainted cement floor with too many layers of floor wax on it. Her thoughts began to drift back to the barely conscious form of Sunset laying in the pile of old trash bags as she mumbled incoherently. The loud buzzing from the door at the far end of the room snapped her out of thoughts as it signaled to whoever was on the other side that the lock had been opened.

The heavy metal door swung open and Senator Blueblood walked though, his glare threatening to ignite anyone it landed on. Celestia leaned forward laughing loudly, "Of fucking course it would be you!"

As Blueblood sat at the ugly metal table, the cop walked away from the table while giving Celestia the "I'm watching you" gesture. Blueblood gave an approving nod and grunt to the officer as he walked away, then turned his gaze onto Celestia. "Why did you shoot Long Pass and his friends?", he said coldly.

Celestia kept her expression stern. "Why did you let your son and his friends get away with hurting all those girls?", she fired back.

Blublood snarled with contempt before answering, "If you had bothered to ask around, you might find that those girls were little more than whores letting anybody and everybody sling it to them as they wanted."

"Whores?!", Celestia snarled back in anger, "If you had bothered to go to the hospital and see Sunset in a coma, fighting for her life, after your son and his toadies had beat and raped her, then left her to lay in a pile of trash for three days before I found her, you might be singing a different tune. But then again knowing you, you'd probably still still sit here in front of me and say the same thing. What's it like senator, to be completely heartless?"

"Heartless?!", Blueblood snapped back, "I guess you'd think that being in here, not being able to see me grieve for your callous murder of my son."

Celestia sneered at Blueblood, now it was her turn to return the glare. "You never cared for your son!", she spat the words out like a toxic venom, "You only cared what he could do for you and your image. Just like you never cared for the girls he hurt. You weren't the one who had to look in the faces of their friends and families, seeing the fear and concern in their eyes. I hope and pray that one day you'll open your eyes and see all the hurt you caused by stopping the investigations."

Blueblood leaned in close and whispered, "I know that a half-retarded mind like yours made you think you were doing the right thing and all I can say is that a little bird told me that tomorrow morning you're going to see the probate judge, then moved to general population. Be careful, fights break out all the time and people get hurt in the showers." After finishing, he stood up and began walking to the door.

"Threaten me all you want, send all the goons after me you want, but your secret is out.", Celestia called out to Blueblood's back.

When Blueblood snapped around and a couple of cops stepped towards him. He considered running over to the table and smashing hi fist into her face several times, she was cuffed and shackled so she couldn't defend herself very well, but then thought better of it as the police would probably tackle him before he could do anything. Clenching his teeth together, he quickly pivoted and stormed towards the door with a half-scoff, half-huff.

Celestia let small smile spread across her lips, Bluebood had nearly lost his temper right there in the middle of the jail. She considered it a small victory. After Blueblood had slammed the heavy door behind him, she let her posture slump, dealing with the soon-to-be former senator had been mentally exhausting. The lock on the door buzzed loudly again and her eyes went wide seeing who had walked through, Dean Cadance, Applejack and Sc-Twi, the lavender-skinned girl with the dark purple hair with twin lavender and magenta stripes had tucked under her arm the journal with the red and yellow stylized sun that Sunset had written in several times before.

As the three sat on the bench across from Celestia, Cadance leaned in close and said, "You look like you could use some coffee." When Celetia nodded, Cadance stood up and walked over to the coffee machine as she fished change out of her pockets.

Applejack reached across the table and grabbed Celestia's hand. "How ya holdin' up principal Celestia?"

"I'm not your principal any more, I'm definitely fired. What are you doing here? I didn't think they'd let minors visit me."

Applejack gave a smile before replying, "First of all Ah'm eighteen. Second, ya know how the other Twilight shows up sometimes, 'specially if'n there's heaps o' trouble?" After Celestia gave a confused nod, she continued, "Well ya see this here journal's actually from the world Sunset is origin'lly from an' after we heard 'bout what happened tuh both her an' you, Twi here got ahold o' Sunset's journal an' wrote to the other Twilight on what happened."

Celestia was intrigued and she raised an eyebrow in response.

Applejack nudged Sci-Twi with an elbow. "Show her what ya wrote Twi an' th' responses that was sent back."

Sci-Twi laid the journal on the table and flipped it open to the last messages. "This is the message I wrote.", she said tapping a finger on the page, "But that's not what's important, it's the two responses we've received." She moved her finger to the next page, turned the journal around and let Celestia read the responses.

"To my friends, That is very serious. I am going to contact Princess Celestia as soon as possible. Please keep a close watch on Sunset Shimmer and Principal Celestia. May Faust keep them both safe. Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of friendship, Grand Duchess of Smith Prefecture

"To the friends of Sunset Shimmer on the other side of the portal, I have just received word of what has happened to my former student. Please send thanks to Principal Celestia. Inform her that if she so requests it of us, My sister and I shall grant her sanctuary in Equestria. As soon as you able, instruct her how to use the journal and have her contact me immediately. Princess Celestia, Mare of the sun, Mistress of the day, Diarch of the land of Equestria"

Celestia tapped her chin with a finger. "So you just write in here and the Twilight or Celestia from the other world will contact me back?" When Applejack and Sci-Twi nodded their heads, she asked, "Either of you got a pen?

Applejack pulled out a ball point pen from her shirt pocket and held it up so the nearby police officers could see it. "Jus' lettin' Miss Celestia here sign our book!" After the cop nodded, she passed the pen to Celestia.

Celestia took the pen in her hand, pulled the cap of with her teeth and began writing in the journal. "To whom it may concern, My name is Celestia, former principle of Canterlot high school. I found Sunset Shimmer laying unconscious in an alleyway three days after she was attacked, she's currently sitting in a medically induced coma because of her injuries. I am currently sitting jail after I shot her attackers with my old Walther PPk. The father of the leader of the group that had brutally attacked Sunset and several girls, a well to do businessman and senator named Blueblood, came by the jail shortly before Sunset's friends to threaten me. Do not concern yourself with my well being as I can take care of myself. I only ask that you send someone to not only help Sunset and her friends, but also the other girls who have been hurt to come forward. ,Celestia"

Almost immediately the page lit up with golden magic as words began to appear on the page. "Dear principle Celestia, You are most selfless and brave. If only more ponies and humans in both our worlds were more courageous and selfless, there would be much less injustice. Though you do not ask it for yourself, I shall still send one of my representatives to look out for your best interests as well as helping the fillies girls that have been harmed to come forward and get the help they need. ,Princess Celestia, Mare of the sun, Mistress of the day, Diarch of Equestria and hopefully your friend"

Celestia smiled slightly as she slid the journal back across the table, then returned the cap to the pen and gave it back to Applejack. "Thank you for your help girls, I know with you all by Sunset's side, she'll be able to pull through this." She looked to Cadance who was sliding a paper cup of coffee across the table. "If you'll Cadance and I a few moments, I'd like to talk to her about some personal things."

Applejack said as she and Sci-Twi rose from the table, "We'll jus' be waitin' outside th' door."

Celestia watched AJ and Sci-Twi walk away from the table, when they were far enough away she turned her attention to Cadance and took a sip of the brown liquid in the paper cup that resembled coffee. "Blech!", she exclaimed sticking out her tongue in disgust before continuing, "So exactly were you able to get not only yourself, but also two of my students here to see me?"

Cadance smiled as she sipped the foul brown liquid with enough sugar in it that the officers watching thought they were going to have to administer emergency insulin. "Being technically Milanese royalty gives me access not only enough money to get anything I want, but also enough political clout to get almost any thing done."

Celestia blinked in confusion. "W-w-what?!"

"That's right, you didn't know. My great-grandmother fled Italy back in nineteen twenty-three, bringing her children with her and sought asylum here.", Cadance replied, "I technically have a dual citizenship with the U.S. and Italy as after the war my great-uncle chose to re-immigrate back to the old country and reclaim the the family titles and holdings. As a sign of good will, Italy has given the remaining Mi Amore family here official citizenship." She cleared her throat before continuing, "As you're most likely aware of, the school board has officially terminated you. For now Luna is sitting as acting principal and they've asked me to fill in as acting vice-principal."

"Better you to be the vice-principal than Cinch.", Celestia said flatly, "As much as I respect her, she is a total see you next Tuesday."

"Oh I can agree with you one hundred percent.", Cadance said with a slight chuckle, "I wouldn't have told you that they asked me to be vice-principal unless I was seriously considering it."

Celestia reached across the table with her hands and laid them on Cadance's. "I know you'll do those kids right. Keep an eye on the statue out front, if anyone comes from the other world, that's where they'll show up. Also remember to trust Sunset and her friends when it comes to magic."

"I still remember the friendship games.", Cadance said patting Celestia on her shoulder before rising from the table, "Take care of yourself and keep your head on a swivel, Blueblood is on the warpath. If he sends anybody after you, don't hesitate to call me or Luna." She stepped away from the table and started walking towards the door.

"Call Fleur dis Lee and tell her I'm seeing the probate judge tomorrow morning!", Celestia called out to Cadance, who in turn paused, looked over her shoulder and nodded before walking to the door.

Celestia sighed as one of the cops gestured for her to follow her to a nearby room for a strip search.
********************************************************************************************************

Celestia walked out of the courthouse after seeing the probate judge that morning, shackles on her ankles, cuffs on her wrists, a chain connecting the two and looped through a steel ring on the wide leather belt around her waist. Fleur had been waiting on her at the courthouse for her bail hearing. After the bail hearing, Fluer told her that she'd be waiting on her at the jail and would meet with her before they put her in general population.

Celestia shuffled out to the van with several other inmates who had bail hearings or court dates and clumsily climbed in. as she shuffled to a seat, one of the inmates in the van called out in a hoarse whisper, "Hey! You're that woman who capped those rapists ain't ya?" When she didn't respond, the inmate leaned up behind her and nudged the back of the seat, before speaking up again, "You are the woman who capped those punks."

Celestia lifted her head, shook the multi-hued hair away from her face as best as she could and looked at the woman, taking in she was a beefy gal, with strong features. "I don't want any trouble and just want to get back to the jail."

"You ain't gotta worry about no trouble from me.", the beefy woman said, "The name's Bitter Sweet. Those punks messed up my daughter pretty bad last year, I just wanna say thank you for dealing with them. Somebody should have splattered them long ago."

Celestia looked at Bitter Sweet. "I don't recall seeing you at any of the PTA meetings. Who's your daughter?"

Bitter looked down at the seat in front of her. "My daughter goes to Crystal Prep. Those punks cornered Sour in the bathroom of Taco Overlord and left her all kinds of messed up, when I went to the hospital, I nearly didn't recognize her." She sniffled softly for a moment. "Her face was so purple and swollen where they had beat her up so bad."

"What happened that wound you locked up in country? if you don't mind my asking."

Bitter Sweet looked out the window of the van as the doors were closed. "To pay off the medical bills, I had to do some things I'm not particularly proud of."

Celestia turned in her seat t better face Bitter. "Did you sell yourself?"

"Nothin' that far. I sold some substances and items that weren't exactly legal. Bein' a waitress don't exactly pay a whole bunch and before Sour was hurt, I was keeping our heads just above the water. You see, I never finished high school myself and I wanted my little girl to have the education i never got for myself."

Celestia was about to ask Bitter another question the driver slapped her hand against the cage at the front of the van, "Alright ladies, sit down, shut up and eyes front!" A police officer stepped into the passenger seat in the front of the van, quickly gave a quiet head count and wrote down some numbers on a clipboard. A moment later the van cranked up and began driving to the county jail general population lock-up.

After the van pulled up to the jail and the inmates slowly filtered out before entering into the building under the watch of police and guards. One of the guards holding a clipboard gave a loud whistle and gestured Celestia over, "Your lawyer's here to see you." Celestia shuffled down the hallway as three guards escorted her. They opened a metal door to a small white room with a small able and two metal chairs bolted to the floor. One of the guards unlocked the cuffs and shackles, then took off the wide leather belt, then pointed to the table and chairs, "Sit down, your lawyer will be in to see you in a moment."

Celestia did as she was told and sat in the char on the far side of the table so she could see when the door opened. While waiting for Fluer to get in, she took the opportunity to look around the room, it was stark white except for the bland gray of the table, the chairs were the same color, the floor was they typical speckled asphalt tiles with too much floor wax, the ceiling was the usual weird grayish-white fiberboard panels, the heavy metal door was painted a bland gunmetal gray with a small sliding slat for the guards outside to be able to look in, in two of corners on the ceiling were small square-shaped cameras silently recording everything that happened in the room.

Celestia sat quietly as her thoughts drifted. How was Luna holding up taking care of the school? Was Sunset going to pull out of the hospital fine or would there be physical complications? Would she come out of this fine or would she need therapy? She had the name of another girl that had been hurt by those five, a young girl named Sour Sweet. That made three now known for sure hurt by Long Pass and his toadies, along with Sunset Shimmer and Wallflower Blush. All three occasions it was certain that Senator Blueblood had either used his money and influence to ensure they wouldn't face any criminal or civil, or he would have in Sunset's instance if Celestia had decided to not take action. How many more girls had those bastards hurt? It was pretty clear that Blueblood had hired some hatchetman to completely ruin their images and probably badger them into silence. How many people on the school board were complicit with his corruption? She growled in disgust and ground her teeth in frustration, regardless of whether or not she spent the rest of her life locked up, she would devote every second of her life to not only exposing all of Blueblood's corruption, but also ensuring that the girls that were hurt could come forward and get the help they need.

The lock on the door turning brought her out of her thoughts. As the door opened, Fluer dis Lee walked in wearing a simple gray pantsuit, a crisp white blouse, a thin smoke-gray tie and shoes with low heels, the sway of her body as she walked told everyone she was the queen bee. In one hand she held a leather briefcase and under her arm she carried a file. The guard outside closed the door as she sat down in the chair bolted to the floor across from Celestia. "I take zat your ride over here was uneventful, non?"

Celestia smiled wryly. "No problems, but not uneventful. I talked to a woman on the ride over who's daughter was hurt by those five. She's locked up in here and we had a short conversation on the ride over. If you want, I can give you her name and the name of her daughter."

Fluer reached inside a pocket in her pantsuit and pulled an eyeglass case. Opening it, she pulled out a pair of wire-framed reading glasses and put them on. Opening the briefcase, she pulled out some paperwork. "Wis a little help from Fancy, we were able to track down suspicious wire transfers from ze bank zat Blueblood likes to use. We've got him by ze cheveux courts et boucles. Even if he walks, his career is over, not to mention ze lawsuits he'll face." She pulled a small tape recorder and switched it on. "Before you tell me about ze ozer girl zat has been hurt, for official records, tell me about ze visit you had from Blueblood, please."

Celestia sighed as she recalled the face-to-face. "He mostly came in to gloat and give faux hurt, though he did give me a veiled threat."

Fluer pushed her reading glasses down on her nose and looked over them at Celestia. "Please elaborate on what he said, if anything happens to you here, we can use it against him in ze courtroom."

Celestia smirked slightly. "He leaned in close and whispered to me to watch myself, people always get hurt in lock-up, especially in the showers. He's probably paid some poor schmuck or blackmailed some poor soul to try and hurt me."

"Well unless someone attacks you, this is all conjecture.", Fluer said calmly, "Just keep your nose clean and you head on a swivel. If someone tries to jump you, he'll have made our case much easier, just don't pick any fights. Here, fill zese forms out."

As Celestia filled out the forms Fluer passed her, she said, "I'm sorry I'm not going to be able to make our dinner date this week. Give Fancy my love."

Fluer looked over the paperwork as Celestia passed it back. "Non worry, Fancy understands." She gave the paperwork one last one over before stacking it neatly and placing it her briefcase. "Now about the woman you talked to, if you would, please write her name down for mon and I'll try to contact her.", she said passing a sticky note over.

For the remainder of the hour, Fluer discussed Celestia's current case as it stood. Rising from the chair, she put away the the paperwork and said before turning to the door, "Take care of yourself, I'll be back in a couple of days. Keep an eye out, in case Blueblood isn't blowing hot air up your derriere."

"I will, thank you Fluer."

"Pas de prbleme. Au revoir.", Fluer said with a slight smile. She reached up a hand and knocked on the heavy door.

Celestia watched as Fluer walked through the door with her queen bee walk, she chuckled in her throat as a few of the guards letched as she passed. Fluer dis Lee was woman who knew how to play the game and could get anything she wnted, if she had wanted to break Celestia out of jail, she would have given a slight tip of of her hips, a few honeyed words and she was certain that half the guards would have personlly escorted them both out the front door.

A guard walked in the room and ordered Celestia to follow her.
********************************************************************************************************

It had been two days since Celestia had been in the county general population. She had quickly learned the routines of the jail. Slipping into the bright orange shorts, plain white T-shirt that had "county jail" printed on the back and the plain blue tennis shoes they had issued her, she prepared for the few hours of recreational time. Quickly moving to the line that lead out to the yard where she and the other inmates could exercise. Standing as six feet two inches, she stood out in a crowd at the best of times, which worked to her benefit at the worst of times such as here in county lock up.

The guards opened the door that lead to the yard, which consisted of a couple of concrete basketball courts, a baseball diamond, a running track and a few heavy concrete tables with benches. Celestia blinked her eyes along with several of the other ladies in the bright sunlight. A few guards wheeled out a couple of heavy plastic bins that contained an assortment of basketballs, softballs, three heavily dented aluminum bats and an assortment of well worn softball mitts. The inmates quickly took the various sporting equipment from the bins as she made her way to the track.

Celestia made her way to the track, pivoting her head around and keeping a close of an eye as she could on the three women who had been watching her like hawks since she joined general population two days ago. Everything about those three told her that they would be the ones that would most likely be the ones to attack her, but they wouldn't try it here, not in front of everybody and the guards. She began doing basic stretched to limber up before going on the run around the track, which elicited catcalls and wolf whistles from some of the inmates. Putting the unwanted verbal advances out of her mind, she began going around the track in a brisk jog. Each time she passed the tree women who continually watched her like a hawk, they would make a threatening gesture at her, which she returned their gestures with a soft, non-threatening smile. "That's it Celly, make them think you're just a harmless woman from the suburbs."

After ticking off what felt like three and a half miles jogged around the track in her head, Celestia moved to a patch of grass alongside the track, she began doing basic calisthenics, mostly to keep her strength and flexibility up, partially to show anyone who was wanting to attack her that she was keeping her physical fitness up. After nearly thirty minutes of calisthenics, she switched push-ups and sit-ups to finish out her work-out. A guard blew loudly on a whistle and banged a hand on an empty plastic bin, signaling that time in the yard was over. She quickly got in line as the inmates put the sporting equipment in the bins. Several guards moved along the line giving a quick head count, one of the guards shot a thumbs up to the door and the lock turned from the inside to let the inmates back inside.

"Alright ladies! The showers are open!", a guard shouted, "Grab a fresh jumpsuit, clean underwear, a bar of soap and a towel from the laundry, you have thirty minutes before slops on!" Celestia knew that this was when the attack would happen as she felt eyes burning holes in her back. A few minutes later she stepped into the gang shower with eleven other women. Placing her fresh jumpsuit and towel on a nearby shelf, she stripped down. Grabbing the bar of soap, she turned on the shower, letting the water flow through her multi-hued hair and down her muscular body as she lathered up. Splashing water on her face to rinse the soap suds from it, she noted that the women in the shower began scrambling out with uneasy looks on their faces. "So it's happening now."

Turning the water off, Celestia pivoted in place. The three women who had been watching her like hawks walked into the gang shower, the middle one rolling a shiv over in her hand. Celestia quickly took assessment of the situation, threre were three of them wearing their jumpsuits, at least one was armed, she was naked as the day she was born, with only the flip-flops on her feet and a bar of soap in her hand. The floor was wet and slick, which wouldn't afford her much traction, it wouldn't afford them much traction either, but she knew how to even the odds a little bit.

"I think you know why we're here.", the woman in the middle said with a predatory look in her eyes. All three of them began to spread out as they moved forward.

"I think I'm safe in assuming that you're not here to invite me to join the knitting club.", Celestia snarked as she kicked the flip-flops off her feet and began slowly backing towards the wall.

"Everybody like a piece of ass, nobody like a smart ass."

As the three women moved in, Celestia turned slightly sideways, put her left hand up in a defensive posture and tucked her right hand against her thigh to conceal the bar of soap she still held, she didn't need to beat these three women, just hold out long enough for the guards to get curious and come looking.

"You know you don't have to do this.", Celestia said in a calm tone, "Just walk away and we all can leave here much happier."

"Lookie here girls, I think she's scared." The woman in the middle quickly nodded to the woman to Celestia's right, she was slightly overweight, but still looked fit and strong. As she rushed in cross the slick floor, Celestia threw the bar of soap into her face and gave a quick, sharp kick to her knee. The woman's knee buckled from the blow and as she fell, Celestia quickly drove her shin into the woman's temple.

Celestia shuffled to the side as the woman who had just rushed her slumped to the floor in an unconscious heap. She looked up to the woman with the shiv and smiled. "One down, two to go."

The woman with the shiv gave an angry huff then rushed forward. Celestia used her greater reach and strength to the woman by the wrist, twisted her arm around and tossed her to the floor with a hip throw. The last woman rushed forward and Celestia drove her heel into the woman's stomach with a quick side kick, causing her to double over with a gasp.

The woman with the shiv struggled back up to her feet, though the slick floor made it difficult. Looking Celestia straight in the eyes, she grit her teeth and said, "If I had known you knew that hop-socky shit, I'd have brought more bitches with me." As she readjusted her grip on the improvised stabbing implement, a guard rushed in like a dark blue streak and tackled the armed woman to the floor. She had her arm twisted behind her back as the guard pried the shiv from her fingers.

Celestia put her hands up as she slowly backed up. A sharp blow to the back of her head caused stars to flash in front of her eyes for a split second and she dropped to a knee from the hard strike. The third woman pounced n her as two more guards rushed into the showers and Celestia acted on pure instinct. Rolling forward, she grabbed the woman's arm with both hands and wrapped her legs around it in an inverted arm bar. The woman screamed in pain as Celestia flexed her legs and back, a split second later there came the wet pop of a breaking bone.

The guards pried the two of the apart and pinned Celestia to the wall. "Hey hey hey!", the first guard shouted after she finished putting cuffs on the now unarmed woman, "I came in just after the fight started. They jumped her and she was defending herself." The guard that had Celestia pinned against the wall looked her in the eyes and squinted before letting her go.

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Celestia rubbed the back of her head where the last woman had struck her. "Get dressed.", the guard that had pinned her against the wall, "I'm going to take you to the infirmary, then I'm going to take a statement." Celestia nodded as she carefully made her way over to the shelf where her clothes were and got dressed.

Sitting in what passed as the infirmary, Celestia took stock of the room. It was little more than long room with a few gurneys, separated by some curtains and a couple of ugly green padded exam tables with some long tissue paper on it. She ran her hand along a split in the plastic, faux leather of the exam table as she waited for the nurse or served as medical staff.

A guard escorted in an elderly woman wearing some sea foam green scrubs and a pocket-less white coat, a first aid kit carried in a hand. The nurse shined a pen light in Celestia's eyes, then felt around on the back of her head. "Well it looks like just a bump to the head." She opened the first aid kit and shoved a packet of aspirin into Celestia's palm. "Just take this and if you're still hurting in a couple of days, come and see me again."

Walking over to a nearby water fountain, Celestia opened the packet and swallowed the two aspirin with a mouthful of water. A guard gestured to her while calling out, "Follow me! We've got to make a statement." She sighed, following the guard, Fluer would be by tomorrow and this would just be another shovel that Blueblood has used to dig his hole even deeper.

Author's Note

The prologue went longer than I intended.

The first chapter is when the story proper story begins.

Fell free to leave a comment, criticism, shade or just pure bane.

Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoy.