Melody woke slowly, nursing the bruise on her chest. She pushed herself off of her pillow, rolling off the side of the bed.

A quick glance confirmed her suspicion. She was still in the same dingy old little adoption house with the same dingy old little beds and the same dingy old little slits for windows.

The fourteen year old Melody sighed. She glanced at her sister sleeping in the bed next to hers. Symphony always put a smile on Melody’s face. She was pleased she had been able to protect her sister’s innocence from the world. Or at least, as much as she could.

Melody watched the cream pony as she rolled over, a single, purple eye cracking open.

“Hey, Symph.”

“Hey, Mel.”

Melody smiled. As long as Symphony was there with her, nothing really bad could happen.

A new source of light came as the door at the end of the hall cracked open. A tall, brown stallion with blonde hair and grey eyes came bursting through the door, banging two large pots. The brown pony roared. “Wake up, you useless little runts!”

Melody watched with a burning hatred as the stallion walked down the aisle, either banging the pots together or using them as a weapon against those unfortunate enough to be deep sleepers. Only once all young mares had been stood at the end of their respective beds did the brown pony returned to the doorway, setting the pots by the door.

He marched up the room, gazing at the young ponies. “For all the ponies who are new here; allow me to introduce myself; I am Caretaker. You will address me as ‘Caretaker.’ or ‘Sir.’ If you do not,” He peered deeply into the eyes of one filly, a malicious grin crossing his face as she pulled away from him. “You will be punished.”

He returned to pacing, doling off more of the speech Melody heard every week since she’d been here. “Punishments will vary. The very first punishment is for back-talking. If you want to know about what punishment that is, ask this foal, here.” Caretaker pointed his hoof straight at Melody’s chest. “She’s got quite the mouth on her, don’t you, you little bitch?”

Melody glared straight back at Caretaker. She had never felt the fear he tried to inflict, but he knew that he could do all he wanted to her. For Symphony’s sake. Caretaker’s voice cut through her thoughts. “The second punishment will be awarded to disobedient ponies. If you disobey or fail to do your chores, you will be beaten.

“Third rule is this: My word is law. Anypony who thinks that I care about them, even a little, is sadly mistaken. I do what I want, when I want. If you make a single mutter against that, I’ll beat the living shit out of you.

“The fourth. Theft. Stealing is no game, little ponies. As such, if you are caught stealing, you will be beaten. Your food and water rations will, also, be cut in half, an-”

Melody took her gaze from the floor. It wasn’t like Caretaker to stop in the middle of an “encouraging” speech. A quick glance made her heart drop like a stone: A young golden filly had raised her hoof.

Caretaker’s smile was anything but friendly, and his tone dripped malice. “Yes? Do you have a question?”

The stupid golden foal returned the smile brightly. Melody mentally swore. She’s too dumb. Too young. She’s what? Five? Six?Buck…

The gold foal answered with an innocent tone to match her smile. “Um… Well, Mr. Caretaker, I was wondering, what’sa ‘rashun’?”

Melody could see Caretaker’s eye twitch from ten yards away. “Well, you see, miss...?”

The young mare smiled again. “Goldenflower.”

Caretaker smiled a fake smile before he started speaking in a tone Melody knew was bittersweet. “Miss Goldenflower. A ration is how much you get to eat or drink. And my name isn’t ‘Mr. Caretaker’.” Melody caught sight of a blur of brown, accompanied by the sound of hoof on hide contact and a small, startled cry. Caretaker resumed his normal, barking tone. “It’s ‘Caretaker’ or ‘Sir’! Get it right!”

He rounded the hall again, this time circling for scared, timid ponies. He stopped at a young bronze filly who was trying to hide behind her bedside. The Caretaker grinned wildly. “Did you find anything wrong with that punishment?” His grin grew deeper as the pony shook her head.

He aimed his head in the direction of a green mare. “Did you?”

Receiving another head shake, he looked down the entire hall. “Did any of you?”

Melody instantly shot her hoof into the air. She knew that Caretaker would be grinning. She knew he’d enjoy beating her. She also knew he’d never break her morals, like he had the many fillies before her.

What was new this time was that she wasn’t alone. Another mare, red, about the same age as her, raised her hoof as well. Risking a glance at Caretaker, Melody was pleased to see he was completely dumbfounded.

Caretaker started walking towards the red pony, only stopping to smack Melody across the cheek. He stopped in front of the filly, who in turn never took her large gold eyes off of him. “Now… Mel I expected. Who the buck are you?”

The gold eyes narrowed at Caretaker. She spoke with a voice much more demanding than her small, slender demeanor. “I am Hearth Claw.”

Caretaker leaned backwards, his voice dripping sarcasm. “Hearth Claw, huh? Well, I for one am pleased to make your acquaintance, Hearth Claw. You some sorta tough-mare, Hearth Claw? Can I call you Hearth? Or just Claw?”

The mare stared back with infinite patience, failing to clue-in. “I am no ‘tough-mare’, nor do I wish to know what one is. You can call me Hea-”

Caretaker smacked the young pony across the jaw, knocking her out of Melody’s line of site. “Do I look like I give a buck? No? Good. ’Cause I don’t, really.”

Leaning towards the senseless pony, Caretaker whispered into her ear in a way that cut clean through the air, allowing everypony in the room to hear. “Let me be very clear one more time. I will call you, and everypony else here, whatever I want.” He struck his hoof forward a second time, a cry emanating from out from behind the bed. “Rule number three.”

Caretaker turned towards a filly in the far back. “Now, if you want to be a good role model, ask this pony, here.”

The silver pony nodded, and Melody instantly recognised her as Lightning Twister: Caretaker’s little pocket slut. “Thank you, Caretaker, Sir.”

Caretaker returned the nod, adding “Lightning here has helped me out on a lot of occasions. Couldn’t ask for a better filly. This pony, however…”

Melody turned from Lightning to see a large brown hoof only an inch in front of her muzzle. “This pony… I wouldn’t recommend talking to her. She’s a whorse. A slut, really. Aren’t you, Mel?”

Melody glared at the grey eyes boring into her. She burned with the urge to end this pony. “No, I’m not. You, on the other hoof...”

Caretaker smiled sweetly before smashing his hoof into Melody’s face. “Rule one, Mel. Keep up, now.”

Melody slammed into the ground, taken off guard by the punch. She slowly started to rise, rolling onto her stomach as she pushed herself up. She was brought back down to the ground as a hoof connected with her ribs. Falling to the ground, she could hear Caretaker’s butch chuckle, along with Lightning’s higher pitched laugh. Melody made the count of three before she heard other ponies joining in on the laughter.

'I’m not doing this. Not again.'

Caretaker brought his leg back again, but this time Melody was prepared. As he brought his hoof forward, Melody punched outwards, slamming her hoof into his shin. Grappling onto Caretaker’s hind leg as hard as possible, she pulled, sending him sprawling onto the wooden floor.

Whatever the punishment for fighting Caretaker, it was worth it. To take him down that one peg. Melody heard the crushing silence brought on by his loss, and watched as he slowly started to push himself up.

Melody felt a bolt of fear from Caretaker as she saw a look of pure malice on his face. “So. You can play.” He clacked his hooves together in a slow applause. “Good job. Want to see how much that cost you?”

Caretaker slowly walked over to Symphony. “Well, Mel? How ‘bout it?”

The gears in Melody’s head finally clicked, and she launched herself at Caretaker. A heavy weight crashed into her mid-flight, and she caught a glimpse of Lightning’s blonde mane. “You touch her, Caretaker, and I will rip your throat out myself.”

Lightning was having difficulty holding the struggling Melody back. “Anypony want to help me hold down the bitch, here?”

Two ponies jumped at the chance to suck up, both latching onto one of Melody’s hooves while Lightning put her in a headlock. The three ponies forced her to her hind knees.

Melody watched in burning agony as Caretaker pulled a small blade from his vest pocket. “ I warned you, Mel. You don’t buck with me, and I won’t buck up your sister.”

Caretaker stretched her sister’s mouth wide, putting the blade in Symphony’s mouth and pushing it against the inside of her muzzle. Melody watched for a whole two seconds before breaking. “Stop!” Caretaker hesitated, the knife resting against her cheeks. Melody spoke softly, looking into her sister’s large, fearful purple eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Caretaker smiled, sarcastically ignorantly. “Beg pardon? I didn’t hear you.”

Melody let out a low growl before shouting for everypony to hear. “I said I was sorry.”

Lightning drew her muzzle daringly close to Melody’s ear, making it twitch as she spoke. “You bend for others so easily. Don’t you, you little whorse?”

Melody glared at Caretaker as the other ponies in the room broke into another round of forced laughter. She curled her lips up in a snarl as he put a hoof on her sister’s cheek. “Alright, bitch. I won’t ruin your sister’s pretty little face. If,” A long smile drew itself across his lips. “You admit to everypony in here what a slut you are.”

Melody let out another growl. “Go buck yourself.”

“Oh, language my young filly! Such a fowl mouth for a little bitch. Well, if you hate your sister that much…” Caretaker set the blade across Symphony’s mouth, pushing on it ever so slightly. Symphony let out a low squeal as the blade started to meet hide.

Melody finally let her gaze drop. “Alright.”

Caretaker smiled. “‘Alright’ what?”

Melody glared at her hooves. She murmured. “I’m a whorse.”

Shaking his head, Caretaker extended a hoof to grab her chin without taking the knife away from Symphony, locking eyes with Melody once more. “Y’know, I don’t think anypony heard you.”

Melody would have paid for a knife. Or a sharp piece of metal. Or even a reasonably sharp stone. Had she not been held down by three ponies, she probably would’ve done without. As it was, all she could do was mentally curse.

She spoke up, allowing herself to enunciate clearly. “I said I’m a whorse.”

Caretaker’s grin widened. “I’m sure everypony wants to know: how much of a whorse are you, exactly?”

Melody shut her eyes. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. A single thought fired back from her brain. For Symphony…

“I’m a whorse. A huge whorse. I’m a filthy, little… s-slut.” Melody glared up at Caretaker. “Satisfied?”

Caretaker shook his head. “Now, now, Mel. We both know you have a much more extensive vocabulary than that.”

Melody glanced around at the younger foals in the room before swallowing nervously. 'They’ll find out, eventually.' “I… I l-love… d-d…dicks… i-in… m…” She broke down, tears flowing freely. “Just stop hurting Symphony. P-please?”

Caretaker shook his head, the grin still evident on his muzzle. He waited for the laughter in the room to die off before he spoke. “You’re bucking pathetic.”

At a gesture from Caretaker, Lightning slammed her hoof into Melody’s jaw, knocking her, senseless, to the ground. The silver pony kicked her in the ribs before trotting away.

Caretaker pointed down at her, addressing the other fillies in the room. “Let this be your example. You will obey my every command, or I will make your life a living hell.” He lifted his hoof in the air, stomping down on Melody’s spine to emphasize his point. “Breakfast is at nine. To those of you too stupid to read a clock, Lightning will tell you when it’s time to go.”

Melody glared after the retreating figure until the door shut. As soon as it had, an immediate buzz filled the room, scared little fillies discussing what just happened.

Melody quickly brought herself to her sister’s side. “Symphony, are you okay?”

Her sister shook her purple mane back and forth. “I’m fine. What about you?”

Melody waved her hoof dismissively, ignoring the raging pain in her abdomen. “Don’t worry about me; I’ll be fine.”

Symphony shook her head again. “Don’t lie to me, Mel. He’s destroying you.”

Melody gave her sister a questioning glare. “What do you mean?” She absently minded started nursing the new bruise on her muzzle.

“He finally broke you, Mel. This was the first time you’ve ever obeyed him. Or even tried.”

Melody snorted. “This was also the first time he brought a knife.”

A sigh rose from her sister. “Why do you do this to yourself?”

“You know why, Sis. I can’t let him hurt you…”

Symphony somehow managed to scowl and smile at the same time. “You’re so stupid, sometimes.”

Melody went to go answer when an unknown voice broke in. “E-excuse me?”

'Nopony talks to me…' Melody turned, seeing the red mare from earlier. Only now, her right eye was swollen shut. The red pony continued. “Are you alright?”

Melody let out an exasperated sigh. “Why does everypony keep asking me that?”

Hearth snorted. “Probably because you were crying twenty seconds ago?”

Glaring at the other pony, Melody spoke candidly. “So were you.”

“Fair enough.” Hearth Claw glanced around at the gossiping ponies. “That took guts. Standing up to him like that.”

Melody grit her teeth. Through them, she spat “Don’t matter. He used, and always will use my own sister against me.”

Hearth let out a small laugh. “Yeah, he’s a coward alright. A grown stallion beating up little fillies?”

A snotty tone cut through their conversation. “Alright, ponies. Time to head to breakfast.”

Melody fell into step behind her sister, following her slowly out of the room. A sudden silver hoof pulled her out of line. “Not you.” Lightning said. “You get to stay here. No food for you, remember? Your still on Caretaker’s shit-list.”

Melody glared at the silver pony for a long time, toying with the idea of killing her. Most of the ponies had already filtered out of the room before she slowly nodded and turned back to her cot.

She had just put her hoof on the bed frame when Lightning Twister spoke again. “Maybe I’ll finally have some fun with your sister.”

Melody froze, her vision slowly fading to red. She spun suddenly, galloping across the room. Lightning waited until she was in the doorway to slam the door on Melody’s muzzle, her shrill laugh piercing through the door.

Melody started slamming into the locked door. Breaking one hoof through the two inch thick wooden door, she clawed for Lightning. She hesitated, her hoof in midair before pulling away and bringing her eye to the hole.

Spotting a grinning Lightning, Melody spoke very clearly. “If you lay one hoof on the air my sister breathes, I. Will. Buck. You. Up.”

Lightning drew both of her hooves to the sides of her muzzle. “Oooo… I’m so scared of the little, locked-up bitch pony.” She turned her back on Melody, slowly walking away.

Melody sat there for half an hour, her eye pressed against the hole. It had only taken her five minutes to realize the lock wouldn't open with malicious thoughts, much to her disappointment She finally pulled away as the sound of hoofsteps started towards her.

The ponies returned, led by Caretaker. He fit his key into the lock, pulling the door open. “Out. Now.”

Melody walked out slowly, glancing around for her sister. Caretaker grabbed her neck with a steely grip, steering her down the hall.

Catching a glimpse of the only purple mane in the hall, Melody tried her best to see her sister, but Caretaker led her away too quickly.

Melody walked the usual route. After three halls it was obvious where she was going. Reaching a small janitors closet, Caretaker slammed another key into that lock, pushing Melody in and slamming her inside.

A small metal mail-flap slid open, and Caretaker’s voice echoed around in the box. “Your sister will fix the door. Personally. You’ll be in here ‘till she’s done. Don’t expect any food. Or water. I’m also halving your sister’s rations as well.”

Melody stood slowly, approaching the slit and the grey eyes behind it. “Tell Lightning that if she touches my sister, I’ll kill her.”

Caretaker grinned. “I hope you do. I haven’t been able to use my whips in a long time.”

Melody stood staring back, unshaken. “I look forward to breaking them in on you.”

Caretaker slammed the mail-flap shut. “Tough words for a locked-up bitch.”

Author's Note

Hey guys. Thanks for reading thus far. Quick little note: Next weekend, I won't be able to update. Sorry about that.

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