Iron and Blood: We Dear Sisters

Nightingale looked towards the horizon. He watched the sun slowly peak above the horizon. The cool orange light of the morning sun hit his face as he sipped his cup of coffee. He looked at his watch, 5:25 am. “Four hours of sleep….” He yawned as he stood up from his kitchen table and up to a control panel that faced the north end of the compound. Looking at a dial, he hummed to himself as he turned it. Sirens that stood tall over the mining complex’s walls wailed their melody. After a minute, he shut them off and finished the rest of his coffee. “The mine comes alive once again.” He told himself as he walked to the kitchen.

“Prisoners! Stand by your doors! The cafeteria is serving breakfast at six hundred hours!” A voice shouted over the prison’s loudspeakers.

Pinkie slowly awakened from her slumber. Her eyes were caked with discharge as she struggled to sit up on her tattered mattress. The sheet that covered her and her sister was itchy and barely kept them warm. She had to cross her arms from the cold that dwelled in their cell. “Marble?” She shivered. “Wake up….” She shook her sister awake fearing what might happen if they failed to get up in time.

“What?” Marble asked half awake.

“They’re serving us breakfast, but they said we need to be standing by the door.” Pinkie forced herself to get out of bed, but her sore achy limbs made her endeavor more excruciating. “Come on….” She grabbed onto Marble, practically dragging her out of bed.

“I don’t want to go out there!” Marble began to cry.

Pinkie felt her eyes begin to water. “I don’t want you to get….”

“Prisoners? Are you by the door?” A masculine voice shouted. Pinkie and Marble shivered as they ran up to the door and stood in front of it. “Are you deaf? Answer, or you’ll get whipped!”

“Yes, sir!” Pinkie shouted, her voice cracking.

The cell’s viewing hatch opened and a pair of eyes peered in and glared down at the twins. The sisters looked at the eyes and shivered at its gaze. The guard on the other side of the door let out a huff as he opened their cell door. “Both of you follow the others. Stay in line and face forward at all times!” Pinkie and Marble nodded their heads as they exited their cell and followed the other prisoners out of the prison.

“Wake up!” Snowy shouted. “5188…. Uh….” She saw Limestone turn over, giving her a raised brow. “Um…. Limestone. Limestone! It’s time to wake up!” She let out a giggle as she jumped off the cot and ran up to the door. “We have to stand by the door!”

Limestone stared at the filly. She felt uncomfortable by Snowy’s smile, her mannerisms, and how giddy she was to get up and out of bed. She felt her throat get tight. Would she end up like her? Limestone slipped out of her bed and walked up to the filly. “What’s going on?”

Snowy smiled as she put her hands to the side and stood at attention. “We are going to eat breakfast and then work!”

The viewing hatch to their cell door opened. A pair of eyes looked down upon them. The guard opened the door and nodded her head. “Follow the others and make it quick!”

Obsidian sat on the floor as he stared at the door before him. His expression was hollow as he laid his arms on his knees. His tail wagged in between his legs while he kept his furious gaze on his cell’s door.

The viewing hatch to his cell slid open. Seeing that he sat on the floor, the guard sighed as he opened the door. “We’re doing this the hard way?” Obsidian’s flat expression ever so slightly turned sour. “Fuck it! Colts we got one!” The guard activated his horn.

Obsidian felt the tug on his collar. He grunted as he fought back. He dug his hooves into the concrete as he resisted the unicorn’s pull. Another guard stepped into his cell and activated his own horn. Feeling his resistance waning, he lined himself up and allow himself to be pulled toward the guards.

Obsidian managed to get a good punch on one of the guards before the other one slammed him onto the floor. The guard let out a huff as he bent down. “You’re one of the newcomers, aren’t you?” He grabbed Obsidian by the tuff of his mane. Obsidian grunted at the discomfort. The guard laughed as he shook his head around. “Now listen to what I have to say.” He lifted Obsidian’s head to be eye level with his. “I’m only going to do this once. You’re new here and I’ll be nice. I’m going to let you off the hook but pull this again and it's solitary for you!” The guard growled as he slammed Obsidian’s face against the floor. “Got it?”

Obsidian moaned through clenched teeth. “Screw you….” He mumbled. Seeing Maud and Ruby glancing back at him, he felt a wave of shame as he saw the fear in their eyes. He let out a defeated sigh as he allowed his body to ease up.

“I think he understands.” The guard laughed to his comrade before lifting Obsidian off the ground. “Now follow the others to the mess hall!” He shoved him down the hall.

Pinkie stared at the meal on her tray. The strange mash of oats and fruits stared at her with an aura of sadness. “Sit at table one!” A unicorn mare spat. “Get moving!” Pinkie shivered as she wandered over to the table. She breathed a sigh of relief that Marble was sitting at the same table.

Taking her seat, Pinkie picked up her spoon and stared at the mush. Her stomach growled at the smell but her mind wasn’t pleased by the appearance. Marble looked at her sister’s hesitant posture and nervously looked at her own meal, timidly poking it.

“Are you two just going to stare at it?”

The twins looked up from their meals and eyed a thirteen-year-old earth pony colt, with a yellow mane and tail, and dark forest green fur. The colt stared at them with his bright yellow eyes.

Pinkie looked back at her meal. “No… Just not that hungry.”

The colt looked up at the second-story catwalk and eyed the guards patrolling with rifles in hand. “Well, I would eat if I was you.” He sat down across from them.

Pinkie and Marble stared at their meal. Pinkie picked up her spoon once more and shoved the slop in her mouth. The ‘food’ held some flavor, but it was still stale and the texture was ungodly. She struggled to swallow and frantically grabbed her cup of water.

The colt rolled his eyes, but he let out a sigh. “I get it…” He played with his meal. “You’ll get used to it.” He took a bite.

Marble timidly nibbled her mush. “H-How long have you been h-here?” She stuttered.

The colt looked at the mesh windows on his right and stared at the overcast sky. “Since the war started,” He looked at the twins. “Two years now.”

The twins looked at each other. Their ears laid flat against their heads as they mulled over his words. Pinkie glared at her meal… Was this her life now? Of course, it was. Her dreams were no more. Feeling her emotions starting to boil over, she quickly put another spoonful of the mush in her mouth to keep her mind distracted…

Feeling a soft tap on her back, Pinkie looked down at the bench seat she sat on and saw a wadded-up napkin. Confused, her left ear stood erect as she glanced up at the catwalk. Noticing the guard was distracted by something outside the window, Pinkie looked over her shoulders and saw Limestone and a white-furred filly sitting next to her at a table a few feet from them. Further past them were Maud and Ruby who sat beside each other as well as Obsidian who sat at the end of the table.

Marble noticing her sister, looked over her shoulder as well and her eyes lit up. Limestone was the only one really looking at them. Maud only gave a few glances up, when she caught the guard close to her wasn’t looking.

The twins desperately wanted to run to their sisters, but a harsh cough from the colt at their table broke them from the overwhelming need to do so. Pinkie turned around and glared at the colt. “What?” She hissed. “I want to see my sisters!”

“You want to get yourself into solitary or worse?” He replied. “You sit where you’re told and you eat!” He happened to glance at the clock above the doors they came in from. “Hurry up and finish.”

“Why?” Marble asked.

“Because when that bell rings,” He nodded his head in the direction of the bell. “We get to work…” As if on cue, the bell rang a mind-splitting melody. “The clock is three minutes slow…” He frowned.

Nightingale stood in front of a cell. He stared at the mare within. She looked like a hot mess. Tears stained the fur around her face. The eyes that cried those tears were bloodshot. Her gown was pulled over her knees. He sighed as he crossed his arms, watching her pluck the hairs of her tail. “What is your name prisoner?”

The mare stared off into space as she kept plucking her tail. Still feeling the stallion’s gaze, her body jerked from a chill that ran throughout her body. “Cheerilee…”

Nightingale nodded. “Why are you like this?” He pulled out his pocket watch and fidgeted with the lid. “You mentally retarded?”

Cheerilee shook her head. “No…” She looked at the stallion. “I was a teacher…”

Nightingale studied her, seeing if her eyes deceived her answer. “I see.” Finding none, he looked at the time. “Who did this to you?” Cheerilee looked back at her tail and started plucking it once again. Hearing her soft moaning, Nightingale nodded. ‘That son of a bitch.’ He cursed in his head as he thought of Moonlight. Rubbing the base of his horn, he let out a long sigh. “You’ll receive food soon.” Nightingale pushed himself from the bars he leaned against and walked out of the special holding block.

Limestone, Maud, and Obsidian worked in the open-pit mine. They slowly toiled away at the earth, their pickaxes digging into the rocky soil of the foothills of White Horn. Maud felt relief that she was able to work alongside her sister and husband. She felt some familiarity with her past life by just being beside them.

It also gave her the ability to make sure that they were safe.

Her pickaxe slammed the earth and stayed buried in the ground. Her mind wandered to the twins and Ruby. She wondered how they were doing in the pulverizer warehouse. She sighed as she ripped her pickaxe out of the ground and looked up in the direction of the warehouse a hundred yards from the edge of the open-pit mine. She could just see the tops of the warehouse’s smokestacks at the ridge of the pit.

“What are you looking at?” Limestone asked as she grabbed her shovel. She noticed some guards at the top of the mine were looking in their direction. “You should be looking busy sis.” She tossed a shovel load into the cart behind her.

Obsidian eyed the guards taking interest in Maud. “Sweetie, let’s not get on their bad side…” The muscles around his swollen right eye twitched, causing him discomfort. “Speaking from experience.” Maud looked at her husband and slowly nodded as she grabbed her shovel and got back to work.

Pinkie, Marble, and Ruby stood next to one of six massive sluices, each connected to large pulverizing machines. The sluices themselves were a looping system of water that flowed fast enough to eject smaller particles but allowed heavier ones to sink to the bottom to be sorted by hand.

The warehouse itself had a post-apocalyptic vibe. From the walls made of corrugated sheet metal. The dark-grey concrete floors, to the bulky machinery, coated in light surface rust. It was a vibe that made Pinkie’s skin crawl. Not too mention the noise. Pinkie thought her head would explode from the pulverizer’s mind-numbing sound.

“You’ll get used to it.” A white-furred filly who stood across from her spoke.

Pinkie looked at the filly, it was the same one that sat next to Limestone during breakfast. “Thanks, I guess?” She looked into the water. “What’s your name?”

“1245.” Snowy stated in a dull tone.

“1245?” Marble raised her brow.

“We go by numbers, not names.” Snowy hummed as she finished her bucket. “Oh, by the way, the more buckets you fill before the day ends, the better.” She looked into their relatively empty buckets as she walked past them. “They whip you for missing quota.”

Ruby shivered as she stared into her bucket. Feeling her throat tightening up at the thought of the punishment, she dug deeper into the water and brought out a hand full of rocks, and began searching for anything that looked like a copper nugget. Pinkie and Marble copied her and quickly began filling their buckets.

A guard who leaned against the catwalk’s railing stared at Pinkie. She was on the other side of the warehouse, but she could still see Pinkie in all her glory. The guard smiled, crossing her arms as she took in every detail. She was drawn to Pinkie’s bright blue eyes. They held so much emotion, so lively and expressive… So innocent.

Her tail wagged side to side as she turned her attention to Pinkie’s petite frame. She couldn’t help but watch the movement of Pinkie’s hips as she walked with her full bucket over to the drop-off station. Lifting he head to look over the machinery, she frowned as her view was obscured. Letting out a frustrated sigh she pushed herself from the railing and made her way down the catwalk.

Getting back to her spot at the sluice, Pinkie placed her bucket on its podium and went back to work. Her mind wandered as she dug through the grounded-up rocks. One thought landed on her father and his deep smoky voice. ‘Sweetheart.’ She shivered as she picked up a handful of rocks. She saw one impure copper nugget. She stared at the nugget. Its color reminded her of her father. Holding back her emotions, she picked up the nugget and tossed it in her bucket.

“How’s it going prisoner?”

Pinkie shivered at the voice’s tone. Turning around she saw a unicorn mare wearing a dark-purple uniform that contrasted against her red fur, and ivory-white mane and tail. Her light-pink-colored eyes looked down at her with a loving gaze, but something at the back of Pinkie’s mind was screaming at her to run. “Uh…” Pinkie looked at her bucket, then at her sister, then at the guard. “It’s okay…” She went back to work. Still feeling her gaze digging into her skull, however, Pinkie prayed that this feeling would end.

“Okay?” The guard tilted her head. “Just, okay?” Seeing that she was still keeping her eyes on her work, she smiled. “Hard worker, I like that.” She stared at the tag on her ear. “So, 5178, what’s your name?”

Pinkie slowly looked at the mare and saw her sickening sweet smile. “My name…” She felt her voice getting stuck in her throat. “My name is Pinkie….” She replied softly before going back to her task. But a hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks. Her spine shivered as the guard leaned her face close to hers. She could feel her breath running down her neck.

“That’s a fitting name for you.” The guard hummed as she massaged Pinkie’s shoulders. “And a cute one.” She whispered in Pinkie’s ear. “My name is Scarlet.” Her voice had a seductive tone to it as she rested her right cheek against Pinkie’s left cheek. Humming a giddy tune, she moved Pinkie from the sluice so they could both look into her bucket. “Not that much in there?” She pulled away from her embrace and stared into Pinkie’s blue eyes.

Pinkie felt a heavy sensation forming on her chest as she was forced to stare into Scarlet’s eyes. Those bright pink eyes of hers, sent alarm bells ringing in her head. She wanted to pull away but Scarlet held a firm grip on her shoulders.

“Are you having trouble with your task?” Scarlet asked as she gently rubbed Pinkie’s cheeks.

Pinkie didn’t know what to make of the mare’s affection. It just felt so wrong. “I… I…” Pinkie tried to speak.

Scarlet placed a finger on her lips and let out a laugh. A laugh that didn’t sit right with Pinkie. Marble and Ruby looked at the pair, unsure of what to do. Marble felt her body shiver as she feared the worse.

“Can’t get your words out?’ Scarlet hummed as she ran her index finger across Pinkie’s lips. Pinkie trembled at the touch and backed up against the sluice. Tears formed around her eyes as she stared at the guard unsure of what to do. Two other guards on the catwalk looked on with a curious gaze, they were more interested in the outcome of the interaction than stopping it as they talked amongst themselves.

“Well,” Scarlet hummed as she activated her horn. “Let’s get you up to speed, shall we?” She grabbed Pinkie’s bucket and threw it on the ground. Pinkie watched in horror as the copper nuggets she had collected bounced across the concrete floor like wild jumping beans.

Confused and upset, Pinkie glared at her with tear-filled eyes. “Why?”

Scarlet smiled at Pinkie’s sobs and bent down to be eye level with her. “It’s not my fault, little one….” She pinched Pinkie’s ear. Pinkie hissed at the pain and grabbed onto the mare’s offending arm. Scarlet frowned at her reaction and threw her to the ground. “Pick it up!” She kicked Pinkie in the stomach.

Marble began to cry as she watched her sister struggling to breathe.

Pinkie let out a sobbing moan as she got on her knees. Sucking in what air she could, she crawled over to her bucket. Scarlet let out a little ditty as she placed her right hoof on Pinkie’s back and pinned her to the floor. “Can’t let you get off easily, you new arrivals can’t get a free pass!” She grabbed Pinkie’s mane with her magic and pulled it, yanking her head back.

Tears poured from Pinkie’s eyes as she struggled to break free from her hold. “I’m sorry! I’ll work faster!” She tried to wiggle free. “Please! Ma and Pa taught me to be good!” Pinkie sobbed as Scarlet slammed her head against the cold concrete floor.

“Aw…” Scarlet let go of Pinkie and watched her crawl to her bucket. She kept her eyes on Pinkie’s butt. Placing her hands on her hips, she let out a long whistle as she watched Pinkie’s tail frantically wagging from her stress as she threw her dropped nuggets back into the bucket. “Did I strike a nerve? Are you missing mommy and daddy?”

Several prisoners looked up from their work and stared at the scene with worried eyes. Some of the guards kept their gaze on them, while others just shrugged their shoulders and turned their attention elsewhere. Marble and Ruby stared at their sister, tears blurring their vision as they tried to come up with a plan to help her.

Upset that Pinkie was ignoring her, Scarlet ignited her horn. Her red magical aura engulfed the bucket. Pinkie stared in horror as it lifted off the ground. Before she could comprehend what was going on, Scarlet placed the bucket on her head with such force that it sent her to the ground. Pinkie sobbed from the mind-numbing headache that swam in her head.

Scarlet frowned at the fetal position Pinkie had resorted to. Rolling her eyes, she took the bucket off her head and grabbed her collar with her magic. Pinkie choked at the pressure on her neck and grabbed her collar in a desperate attempt to escape. Scarlet brought her closer until their snouts touched. “Someone needs to give you some motivation.” Scarlet gave Pinkie a sly smile. Pinkie cowered from her menacing glare. “Let me be the one to give you that motivation!” She threw Pinkie against the wall.

“NO!” Marble cried as she ran up to Scarlet, throwing several punches.

Scarlet rolled her eyes at the weak display of aggression and grabbed Marble’s mane with her left hand and shook her several times. “Shut your mouth!” She gave her one final shake and threw her to the ground. Ruby cowered and sulked in an attempt to hide from the horror she was witnessing.

Pinkie clutched her stomach as her diaphragm spasmed from the impact. Her eyes trembled as Scarlet walked up to her. “Shit? I already knocked the wind out of you?” She knelt down and tickled Pinkie’s snout with a finger. “Damn little filly, you’re cute when you’re in pain…” She giggled as she grabbed Pinkie’s collar. “You’re in for a rude awakening…” She motioned at two guards standing by the door as she dragged Pinkie toward them.

Maud and a stallion slowly pushed a full cart up the incline to the warehouse. The warm dense air felt sticky on her fur. She hissed at the pressure emanating from her lower back. “We’re past the hard part, it's smooth sailing from here.” The stallion sighed as the cart found itself on a more level part of the incline.

Maud let out her own sigh. “Somewhat…” She looked over her shoulder and stared at the open-pit mine. She shivered at how deep it went. ‘We pushed this from that?’

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

Maud looked at the stallion. “Yes, nothing like the coal mine back in Ashmore.”

“You’re from Ashmore?” The stallion asked with a hint of despair in his voice.

“Yes,” Maud studied the stallion’s posture. “Why?”

The stallion let out a heavy sigh watching the gravel move under the weight of his hooves. “Damn, Unicorpia is that far inland…”

The squeaking of the cart’s metal wheels against the tracks danced in Maud’s ears, sending tiny shivers down her spine. “Where were you from?”

A small smile tried to work its way onto his lips. “I use to live in Buckington…” He looked up and saw the warehouse getting closer to them. “That was two years ago. It feels like a lifetime.”

Maud lowered her head. ‘Two years?’ Thoughts went wild in her head. ‘How long will we be here?’

“PLEASE STOP!”

Maud’s felt numb as she heard the primal scream for help. Scared, she abandoned her task and ran toward the sound. “Filly, wait! Where are you going?” The stallion tried to stop her but he just missed her hand. “Oh shit?”

“Stop?” But we haven’t done anything!” Scarlet teased. Her laugh echoed out over the camp. Prisoners and guards who were working the grounds around the warehouse turned their attention from their work and watched with varying levels of interest. “Shit stallions, looks like she wants to throw in the towel already!” Scarlet put her hands on her hips as she bent down. “Sweetie, I know you can do better?” She smiled sweetly at Pinkie.

“Please, I’ll do better! AH!” One of the guards cracked his whip on Pinkie’s back, sending her to the ground in pain.

“Sweetie, I want to believe you but you don’t sound genuine.” Scarlet hummed as she placed her head in her hands, as she rested her elbows on her knees. Pinkie let out a sob as she covered her head burying her face in the gravel. Upset at Pinkie’s reaction, Scarlet looked at one of her fellow guards. “Private Wright, whip her!”

Wright nodded and cracked his whip. Pinkie screamed at the sharp sensation radiating across her back. She bolted up from the ground and tried to run toward the camp’s main gate. Frowning, Scarlet activated her horn and grabbed Pinkie’s collar, pulling her to the ground. “Where are you going?”

“NO! I’M SORRY!” Pinkie held onto her collar as Scarlet dragged her along the ground. “PLEASE!”

“Oh, baby filly, I’m trying, but you’re not listening.” Scarlet hummed as she caressed Pinkie’s cheeks. Pinkie couldn’t form words as she shivered from the mare’s touch. Scarlet’s eyes went manic as she lifted Pinkie in the air. Her excitement built as she saw the filly’s nakedness as she looked up her prison gown. “Colts, give her a whipping!”

Maud frantically climbed the hill and dragged herself up. Her head popped over the top of the hill. Her eyes narrowed as she saw three guards surrounding her sister. The world around her slowed as she watched the guards whipping Pinkie mercilessly.

Maud’s fingers dug into the course dirt. Her teeth ground against each other. Her face felt hot from the anger swelling her thoughts as all her ire directed itself on the mare holding her sister in the air by the neck. Without caring for the world around her, she bolted toward the mare.

Numbness coated her body as her adrenaline pumped throughout her body. What felt like an eternity only lasted a few seconds as her right hand connected with a sold meaty thud as she struck Scarlet in the side of the head. Scarlet’s magic died, dropping Pinkie to the ground, scraping her knees and elbows against the gravel.

Tackling Scarlet to the ground, Maud unloaded her fury, landing a few good punches on the unicorn’s face. Scarlet’s comrades activated their horns and pulled Maud off her and pinned her to the ground.

“Ah, shit…” Scarlet groaned as she sat up, holding her jaw in her hand. She glared at Maud. “You son of a bitch!” She stood up unholstering her revolver. “If it weren’t for the King’s brother’s laws, I would put a bullet in your skull!” She placed the barrel against Maud’s forehead.

Maud looked at the weapon in fear. Her adrenaline faded as her reality came back into focus. She looked into Scarlet’s manic eyes and swallowed. “What’s stopping you?” Her stomach rolled into itself as she remembered what the Unicorpian soldiers did to the citizens of Willow Brook.

Scarlet raised a brow. “What’s stopping me?” She looked at her fellow guards with a perplexed stare. “What’s stopping me?” She looked back at Maud and glared at her. “It’s the king’s brother and his soft spot for the enemy!” She struck Maud across the face with the handle of her revolver. “For unevolved filth!” She spat in her face.

Maud spat the blood in her mouth on the ground as she glared up at the mare. Her right cheek just below the eye, swollen from the hit. “That’s the best you got horned freak!” Maud’s eyes flickered over to Pinkie. Pinkie stared at her sister’s black eye with wide eyes, horrified by the wound.

Scarlet growled at Maud’s defiance and cocked her revolver’s hammer back. “Don’t call me a…” She saw her looking at Pinkie. Looking between the two, a sly smirk came across her lips. “Shit… Wright, Nebula, keep whipping little Pinkie-Winkie.” She cooed as she gave Pinkie a loving smile.

The guards nodded and held Pinkie down with their magic as they cracked their whips across her body. Pinkie screamed out as she tried to escape her torment. “MAUD!” Tears poured from her eyes. “HELP ME!”

“STOP!” Maud shouted.

Scarlet growled. “Prisoners keep their mouths shut!” She kicked her in the chest. Maud doubled over onto the ground. Her breaths were shallow as she forced herself to breathe.

Maud rested her head on the ground. The gravel slowly pressed against her skull as she dug her fingers into the gravel trying to hold onto anything for comfort. The anger fueled by her sister’s cries drowned out the logical side of her brain. “And, and a real soldier picks on someone their own size!” She hissed, baring her teeth at Scarlet.

“What was that?” Scarlet glared at her.

Maud knew there was no turning back. “You heard me… But I guess you don’t have the balls…” She smirked. “That’s right, you have none!” She stood up on her knees. “But that’s what happens when a mare tires to do a stallion’s job!”

Anger flooded Scarlet as she grabbed Maud’s neck with her magic. “The fuck you said to me?” She yelled, putting her revolver to Maud’s temple. “You think you're more of a mare than me!” She placed her finger on the trigger.

Wright stopped whipping Pinkie and looked at his comrade with wide eyes. “Scarlet, calm yourself…”

“PRIVATE SCARLET!” Nightingale’s voice boomed out over the camp’s loudspeakers. Scarlet pulled her revolver away and looked up at the loudspeaker by the gate. The rest of the camp stopped and looked at their respective speakers. “Would you and your posse, bring yourselves and the two prisoners you’re scuffling with up to my office. Thank you.”

Holding back her anger, Scarlet holstered her revolver and glared at Maud with wild eyes.

“Sir…”

“Quiet!” Nightingale’s tone was stern as he wrote down on a piece of paper with predefined lines. “Now let me get this straight, you were punishing this filly,” He looked at a folder and looked at a picture of Pinkie. He then turned his attention to Pinkie who stood beside Scarlet, with her hands handcuffed in front of her. “This filly, 5178, for her slow pace on the sluice at the pulverizer warehouse?”

“Correct sir?” Scarlet put her hands behind her back.

“And then this prisoner, 5179 came in and tackled you to the ground.” He looked at Maud and her folder. “Causing you to get into a scuffle?”

“Yes, sir.” Scarlet eyes quickly glanced over at Maud. “Sir?” She watched Nightingale writing on the paper once again. “Sir, permission to speak?”

“Permission granted.”

“Why are I and my stallions here?” She looked at Maud. “Clearly, this prisoner is in the wrong and needs to be put into solitary!”

“I know.” Nightingale sighed as he put the paper in a green folder.

“And?” Scarlet looked at her boss with a raised brow.

“I have a feeling that there was more that started this…” He pointed at all of them. “Incident.” He took out a cigarette. Taking a few puffs, he looked at the clock by the door and saw that it was 2:34 pm. “Damn, we’re short of funds, and I did not need this…”

“Sorry, sir…” She quickly glanced at Pinkie. She felt her chest tighten from the swarm of conflicting emotions swirling through her head.

“Apology accepted private.” Nightingale put the green folder in his desk’s drawer and picked up both folders on the prisoners in front of him. “So, your name is Maud?” He looked at said pony. Maud looked at him and slowly nodded her head. He nodded and looked at her sister. “And your name is Pinkie?” Pinkie struggled to look at him, but she gave a frantic nod.

Nightingale noticed her timid demeanor. He gave Scarlet a quick glance before turning his attention back to the folders in his hands. “And you two are sisters. Correct?” They nodded. “And you have two other sisters.” He huffed, nodding his head with a flat smirk. “A family of four, how about that.”

He kept his eyes on Maud. He could read her like a book. She was a stern and stoic mare, strong-willed and stubborn… stubborn as hell. ‘Loyalty to her sisters… at all cost.’ He smiled. “You have me in quite a conundrum little missy.”

Maud looked at him with a bewildered look. “How so?’ She managed to say.

“I think punishing you like every other prisoner won’t teach you a lesson.” He sighed as he crossed his arms on his desk. The smoke from his cigarette danced around him as he kept staring at her. “Scarlet, send prisoner 5178 to solitary. I think a week will be good enough.”

Scarlet felt her brow perspire. “Sir, she shouldn’t be getting it! She should!” She pointed at Maud.

“Are you defying an order, Scarlet?” Nightingale raised his brow.

“No, sir…” Scarlet stood at attention.

“Good, now take her to solitary now!” Nightingale pointed at the door. Scarlet bowed. She looked at Pinkie with a flat frown and placed her hands on the filly’s shoulders, leading her out the door.

Maud stared in horror as she watched the door shut behind them. “No!” Maud shouted. “Send me!” She begged as she placed her bound hands on his desk. “Please!” The other guards behind her activated their magic and pulled her away.

“Let her go.” Nightingale waved a hand as he stood up and walked over to Maud. He smiled as he got eye level with her. “And that’s why you’re not going.” He took a drag of his cigarette and blew out the smoke in Maud’s face. “But, if I punish your sisters for your mistakes, then I know for sure you’ll learn.” Maud felt her throat tighten up as she glared at the stallion. She wanted to punch him, but the thought of her other sisters being thrown into solitary scared her to her core. “Glad you understand.” Nightingale smiled.

Scarlet scanned her surroundings as she neared the west side of the camp. Seeing no one around, she tightened her grip on Pinkie’s shoulder as they walked up to ten concrete domes, with no windows and adorned with a red-painted wrought iron door. Pinkie stared at the domes. The small slits over their metal door scared her. They looked like menacing eyes that tore into her soul.

Walking up to one of the domes, Scarlet turned the valve handle and pulled on the door, throwing it open. Pinkie stared at the interior of the cell. It was bare as bare can be. There was no mat to sleep on and just a hole in the ground for a toilet. Pinkie shivered as a moist musty smell tickled her snout.

“Your sister fucked this up!” Scarlet yelled as she wrenched Pinkie by the neck. Pinkie cried out, her arms trying to grab anything to escape. “Now I have to wait a whole week!” Scarlet growled as she pulled Pinkie into a hug and held her head against her breasts. “But don’t you worry!” She ended her hug and held Pinkie’s head in her hands. “I’ll visit you, sweetie. I’ll make sure you’re safe!” Pinkie just stared at the mare. She couldn’t comprehend her words. Her mind hurt as she let out a weak groan.

Scarlet felt her throat tighten up as she slowly led Pinkie into her cell. “I love you.” She kissed Pinkie on the lips. Pinkie’s body shivered. Her fur stood on end as she stared at the mare with wide eyes. Her mind snapped as conflicting emotions overwhelmed her. She didn’t know what to do. Tears flooded her eyes as she tried to pull away.

Scarlet broke her kiss and grabbed Pinkie's hands, unlocking her cuffs with her magic. “Stop fighting back!” She pushed her into the cell and shut the door.

Bathed in complete darkness, Pinkie slowly sat on her knees and stared at the door. Tears stained her face. Her emotions assaulted her mind as she scanned her surroundings, her body shivering as she mumbled her cries. The smells of the cell finally broke through her despair. Her stomach twisted into itself. Before she could fight back, she vomited.

Groaning out her discomfort she crawled to the door and stuffed her snout into the crack. What little fresh air she got, wasn’t enough to kill the smell. Her vision blurred as she greedily sucked in what fresh air she could. Vomiting again, she pulled her head back and glared at her bile covering her only source of relief. “PLEASE!” She screamed to the heavens. “LET ME OUT!” She stood up on her knees and pounded on the door. “PLEASE!” Her sobs tore her throat up. Her hands hurt as she swung her arms with all her might.

Her stomach tried to vomit once more, but nothing came out. The pain of her dry heaving sent her to the floor once more. Curling up into a ball, she wrapped her tail around herself and cried into the tip of her tail. “I want… to see my family…”