Blue

The events of the following day were a blur for Rainbow Dash. She could see ponies shoot a glance at her whenever the door to her room opened, which only happened when a doctor came to check up on her. He did not say a word to her, and somehow the pegasus felt that if it would've been up to him, she would have been kicked from here the moment she'd awakened. But Rainbow Dash was not all right. Not counting the shock and feelings of betrayal, she felt terribly alone. AJ and Twilight visited her, but she wished they didn't. Wondering what the others would say, she became even more depressed. Fluttershy would probably be too afraid to visit her, and Rainbow was not sure if Pinkie even knew what happened. Her lifestyle was like a bubble: she simply ignored the bad stuff happening, and tried to spread laughter, as her Element prompted. Rarity… she would probably murder her for hurting Sweetie.

That was the other thing bothering Rainbow. She would never, ever hurt her friends intentionally. Why did everypony believe she was evil? She gathered her courage, and asked the doctor when he entered her room the next time, while he was removing her cast. He shot him a disgusted glare, and stated only the following: "You're blue." , as if it was the ultimate answer. It left Rainbow utterly confused. Up until this time, she only received compliments to her mane from her friends, and (sadly), from stallions not awesome enough to be her coltfriend. Nopony told her that having a blue coat is a federal offense.

Some time later, the guards came for her. They silently unlocked her chains, and hoofcuffed the pegasus, leading her out of the hospital. The cold wind brushed her mane, a feeling she was thankful after being confined to a small room. She glanced around at the blank landscape, deliberately avoiding the carriage before her. Nothing seemed to be out of order. The trees stood where they always did, the river flowed vigorously, the birds were chirping, and Rainbow Dash was surrounded by a plethora of guard ponies. They urged her to enter the aforementioned carriage. She did not like it, not even a little bit. It reminded her when Princess Luna first came to town on Nightmare Night—however this one was like a fully closed box with wheels, the only contact with the outside world is a small window adorned with iron bars. The guards swiftly loaded her inside, and the carriage pulled away without a sound.

Upon arrival to their destination, Rainbow was blinded by the afternoon sunlight; the place of her confinement being nearly pitch-dark. When her sight cleared, she saw Twilight's brother, Shining Armor, trot towards her, surrounded by a few Royal Guards.

"S-Shining? What's going on?" she asked in a pleading tone.

"No talking, prisoner. You're going to Canterlot Prison." the stallion replied sternly. Despite the hostility in his voice, the captain's eyes transmitted a different message. She got the distant feeling that he is trying to tell her to stay put and not attract any attention. Deciding to comply with that, she hung her head, and let herself be escorted by them. She kept silent the whole journey, even when the houses slowly disappeared around them, making their way through the suburbs. The pegasus caught herself pacing up a rather steep hill.

She looked up, and saw a rather large, square building on top of said hill, with tall towers in every corner, containing spotlights. All in all, it was rather menacing to Rainbow, but she was a bit relieved that she didn't go to an actual dungeon, with chains and no sunlight. She still winced at the thought of meeting criminals, though.

As she pondered all of this, they arrived at the grey, metal gate. The guards saluted and left, only Shining remained. He gestured her to go inside, and Rainbow obeyed.

The first thing she saw inside was a burly, dark brown earth pony, with a bright yellow mane, and an iron-barred window for a cutie mark. He stepped towards Shining Armor.

"I'll take 'er from here."

Shining nodded, then gave a last glare to Rainbow that said "Don't do anything stupid", before he left. The cyan mare was left alone in a strange environment.

"Well, ya damned murderin' blue daugher-ova'-bitch," the earth pony's voice crackled, startilng Rainbow, "my name is Strong Walls, and ya better remember me, ya filthy blue, 'coz I'm the head warden here, and I know the tendencies of yer kind. Ya will stay here, until the Princess decides what to do with you. And don' even think that I'll go easy on ya fer that whole 'Element' shtick. Ya sinned, ya pile of rubbish, and now ya have to take the fall. Somepony take her away." he finished, turning to the wardens. One of them stepped forth.

"Sir," he asked, "which cell should we put her in?"

"I don't care," the director spat. "Let the damn criminals sort it out themselves. If she’s left out, like that other one, detain her, too."

The warden saluted, and took Rainbow to a room, where she was given a soap, a towel, and a uniform which she was instructed to put on. The warden had a gray coat and brown mane, his wings shifting around frequently in the uncomfortable warden's uniform. He did not seem to share other ponies' animosity towards Rainbow, and she risked the question eating at her.

"Why does everypony hate me 'cause I'm blue?"

The guard was surprised hearing her speak, but answered after a moment's thought. "Because everypony thinks being blue and being evil is the same."

"Why?" Rainbow asked dumbfounded.

"I don't know. It started in the countryside some time ago, and now it reached the capital. Now, we must be off."

The gray pegasus led her to the actual prison. She was pushed in, without a ceremony, to the various criminals spending their free time. Rainbow looked around. Some inmates were staring at her, some looked indifferent. Two mares from the former group stepped forward.

"Hey, new hay," one of them called.

"Y-yes?" the pegasus answered nervously.

"You in for murder?" the mare continued.

"Y-yes, how did you..."

"'Cause you're a goddamn blue," the other mare spat, interrupting her.

"What?" Rainbow asked confused. Has this 'colorism' spread through these isolated ponies, too?

"I'm saying that you're a blue murdering bastard," the other mare continued, "and even though we're thieves and drunkards who get into fights, we never ever tried to do something so evil like killing them!" Rainbow tried to protest, but the first mare's voice cut hers off.

"Girl, let's give her a warm welcome! And by warm, I mean thorough, and by welcome, I mean beating."

Rainbow looked at them, horrified. She just got out of hospital, there is no way she could take both of them on at once! The mares had drawn closer, and closer, raising their hooves... but then another voice came from behind them. It was a voice full of malice, and hidden threats, the type you dare not turn your back to, lest you find a knife in it.

"Oh Dumby and Plumpy..." the voice softly cooed, causing the two mares to drop their hooves and instantly turn around. "I am quite sure you only wanted to make way for Gobbles' dear cellmate, Spectrum. Right?" Spectrum? Rainbow was not called that before by anypony she could remember... but the voice was eerily familiar.

"We're not afraid of you!" shouted on of her assailants, labelled Plumpy.

"Oh," the third voice chuckled, dripping venom with her words, "do try Gobbles, please."

The two mares shifted nervously, finally deciding to run away spewing insults at both Rainbow and her savior. Giving a clear view at last, the pegasus watched dumbfoundedly as the owner of the voice closed in on her, limping heavily on her front right hoof. She looked at Rainbow with a maniacal stare, and a disturbing grin.

"How good to see you again, Spectrum," she said nonchalantly. Rainbow could not hold her surprise back anymore.

"TRIXIE?!"

Rainbow followed Trixie through the scores of ponies looking at them with distrust, the deep blue unicorn being faster than her limping should allow. She led the pegasus into a rather spacious cell, with six beds, a sink, a toilet, and surprisingly, a mirror with a chair in front. Trixie pointed to a bed. "That will be yours, Spectrum."

"I'm not Spectrum!" the cyan daredevil snapped.

"Oh, really." The unicorn shot a glare at her, still smiling. Rainbow felt herself intimidated by that gaze.

"...whatever..." she mumbled.

"Good little filly!" Trixie cooed. Rainbow looked around. All the beds were empty except one, which showed signs of being used. Why would Trixie get a whole cell to herself?

"Uh, is there nopony else here beside you?" Rainbow asked nervously.

Trixie let out a demented cackle. "Oh, Diamond Throat will be here shortly. Provided she gets out of detention today."

Detention? If a criminal needs to be isolated, he or she must have done something terrible. Rainbow could not imagine the sort of horrible monster the instabile showmare regarded so cheerfully. Suddenly, a loud thump could be heard. The unicorn brightened up.

"That must be Throat! Oh, the fun we will have!"

Rainbow felt even more nervous now. Being this close to a madmare, things could only go for the worse. Feared by hardened criminals in the prison? And this Throat fellow? 'Fun?' What do they plan to do to her? She heard two set of hooves, then one of them left. She prepared herself mentally.

"Spectrum!" Trixie was practically singing now. "Lookie-lookie, Diamond Throat is here!"

"That's not my name." a cooler, annoyed voice stated, as a white unicorn mare with spiky hair entered. "What's the big... Rainbow?!"

"Vinyl?!" Rainbow couldn't believe her eyes. What is this, a prison, or acquitance's reunion party? "How in Equestria did you end up in here?"

"Ooooh, story time! Gobbles is excited!" Trixie interrupted, giddy as a little filly on her birthday. She sat on her bed, clapping her hooves excitedly. "Sto-ry! Sto-ry! Sto-ry!"

"Why are you excited, you've already heard it." Vinyl shot a disapproving glare at the boincing unicorn. "Anyways, I can tell you, but I'm afraid there's not much you can make of it. You see..."