//------------------------------// // Cloudsdale Penitentiary // Story: Rainbow's Redemption // by AstonMartinLover //------------------------------// Chapter 6: Cloudsdale Penitentiary Rainbow Dash was to be transferred. The tiny prison in Ponyville was not large enough to accommodate her. So she was being transferred to the massive and infamous Cloudsdale penitentiary. Princess Celestia had tried to do everything possible to make sure Dash was not harmed while in the prison. But she didn't have that much influence. Cloudsdale penitentiary was the most dangerous prison in Equestria. And behind it's walls, nopony was under the rule of even Celestia herself. Rainbow Dash was waiting in her cell, playing with a ball a guard had given her, waiting for the pegasus driven wagon to come and take her away from her home forever. "It's time Rainbow." The guard said, opening the cell door. Rainbow got up and trotted over slowly. They slid a blue uniform onto read CLOUDSDALE PENITENTIARY across the front. On the back was the ID, DASH. Rainbow shuddered as she put it on. "Hey guys? Is the name really necessary? I mean is there anypony in Equestria who doesn't already know who I am?" She laughed. One of the guards managed a smile as he slid the metal shackles around her front legs. The other guard strapped down her wings. Rainbow winced. "Is THAT really necessary?" The guard glared at her. "Kidding. Kidding. Geeze. You're not the ones going to Cloudsdale Pen. I'd think you guys should be pretty cheerful." They led her out towards the waiting wagon. She began making faces at one of the more serious looking guard. She stretched out her face and began making weird noises. The guard looked at her with a stone cold expression. She raised her shackled hooves and pointed at him. "You sir are a killjoy. Why doesn't anypony crack a smile? Don't make me start singing the smile song." The guard glared at her again, this time with an angrier expression. Dash laughed. "Well it isn't a smile, but at least I got something." They exited the prison. She shielded her eyes from the magnificence of the sun. So bright. So warm. So comfortable. But that wasn't all that greeted her as she was led to her wagon. Her friends at congregated around it. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were crying. The others looked at her with a disappointed sorrow. They looked like a funeral procession. And in a way, this was a funeral. Rainbow Dash tried to smile at them. To reassure them that she was okay. But they didn't respond. They continued looking at her with sadness. And something else. Fear. It was the first time Rainbow Dash had seen fear in the eyes of her friends. Directed at her anyway. And in this moment, Rainbow's heart seemed to split apart. These were not her friends anymore. She nodded to them. "See you when I see you." Suddenly Fluttershy flew towards her. The guards were on alert. She flew right up to the restrained Rainbow Dash. "Look...Rainbow Dash. We'll come and visit. I promise. We're not mad at you..." "It's okay Fluttershy. I understand. I guess I'm just a big scary monster to you all now anyway." The words of her last sentence were sharp as daggers. Fluttershy stammered. Then she flew away crying. Rainbow Dash was hoisted into the wagon. The pegasi took off. She saw her friends one last time. They were all crying softly now. The door slammed shut. Just like that, Ponyville was gone. Rainbow sighed. The serious guard was sitting to her side. She looked at him and thought deeply. He glared back at her. Finally he spoke. "You got a problem prisoner?" Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Nah. Just wondering if I should sing the smile song. You look like you could use it." The guard shook his head. "Don't even think about it." Rainbow Dash shrugged and looked down. The guard began fidgeting with his uniform. "Cause I love to see you smile smile smile, yes I do." She sang softly. The guard's head snapped up and he glared at her. "You...you didn't." Rainbow Dash grinned mischievously. "Come on Everypony smile smile smile, Fill your heart up with sunshine, sunshine, All I really needs a smile smile smile, from these happy friends of mine!" The guard got up angrily. The other guards were fidgeting around, but they got up as well. "Hey take it easy! She's not gonna be our problem for much longer." One of the guards reasoned. Wind came out of the guard's nostrils as he sat back down. "No more of this funny business." The wagon touched down in Cloudsdale. The doors opened, and Rainbow Dash was led out. She looked up at the towering cloud structures. "Home sweet home." Then she saw it. The hideous Cloudsdale Penitentiary. A massive, misshapen blob of sinister intentions. Rainbow shuddered. The truth was, even as she tried to joke with the guards, she was terrified. This place was as intimidating as they get. The guards led her towards the massive doors. There was a slow creaking as they opened. Inside was cell block upon cell block. All seemed to go off into eternity. The guards marched Rainbow through. All around her, prisoners looked down and jeered. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes. "Oh look! It's the speed demon herself!" A convict shouted. "How you doing Rainbow Crash?" Another of the inmates recognized her. He stuck his hoof through the bars. "Hey Rainbow! Welcome to hell!" He laughed. The inmates broke out into a chant of "RAINBOW CRASH! RAINBOW CRASH!" The guards led Rainbow to her cell. A small one window room with nothing in it but a cot. Rainbow shuddered again. The guard unshackled her legs, but left her wings strapped down. He turned and trotted out of the cell. "Hey. Yo! You forgot my wings!" Rainbow shouted. The guard turned and finally smiled. "Oh no. I didn't forget. Enjoy your stay." Rainbow Dash collapsed onto her cot. The stone ceiling left much to be desired. She sighed. "First day of the rest of my life." She moaned. She shoved her head into her pillow and wept. Rainbow woke with a start. She had cried herself to sleep. It was now late in the evening. She looked around her cell. At least she didn't have to share it. "Well look who it is." A venomous voice called out. Rainbow Dash's ears perked up. So familiar. Gilda. Gilda the Griffon. Dash got to her hooves. "Gilda? Is that you?" Gilda sneered. "You look lost friend. I'm surprised. Didn't know you could do that to all your lame friends in Ponyville. Destroying their town and all..." "I didn't do it." Rainbow Dash snarled. Gilda rolled her eyes. "No. Of course not. You always were a loose cannon Rainbow. No surprise where you ended up." Rainbow Dash punched the bars. Gilda backed up. "I told you I didn't do it." Gilda punched the bars back. "Watch it prisoner. I can douse you if I want." Rainbow Dash withdrew into the cell. "So what do you want?" "Nothing. Just want to hang out with my buddy." Gilda said. Rainbow Dash growled. "What you did to my friends..." She trailed off. They were not her friends anymore. They believed her to be guilty of a terrible crime. She never planned to see them again anyway. "Alright. Let's hang Gilda. I...I don't have any friends left. They left me in here. I forgive you for everything." Gilda was silent. Then she gestured to a guard. He opened the cell door. Gilda trotted in. Rainbow Dash managed a weak smile. Gilda smiled back, then shoved her to the ground. "You forgive ME?" She kicked Rainbow hard in the ribs. "You should be begging ME for forgiveness. You lame sellout!" She kicked again. Harder. Dash yelped in pain. Gilda laughed. "It's gonna be fun being your warden. Catch ya later RD." She turned and stormed out of the cell. Rainbow Dash groaned and crawled onto her bed. Life in prison had just gotten much longer. The days seemed to be infinite in Cloudsdale Penitentiary. Two weeks had gone by since Rainbow Dash first arrived. And she was truly miserable. Today she loitered around her cell. She had found another rubber ball to bounce around. But Gilda had quickly caught wind and taken it from her. But today she had visitors. She was surprised to find her old friends from Ponyville at her cell door. Rarity and Twilight Sparkle. Twilight greeted her with a cheerful smile. Rarity shuddered. "Oh darling! That shade of blue does not work for you at all!" Rainbow Dash looked down at her prison blues and laughed. "Wouldn't wear it if I didn't have to." Rarity went up the a nearby guard. "Sir? Is it possible I could make some...fashionable edits to my friends prison uniform?" The guard pony looked at her with an incredulous expression upon his face. Then he slowly shook his head. "Uf. Fine." Rarity went back into the cell. "Let's forget about that, shall we?" "We have something more...pressing to talk about." Twilight said. "Lay it on me." Rainbow replied, happy to be back in the company of friends. "Well...Spike is still missing." Twilight said. Rainbow's mouth gaped. All this time spent feeling sorry for herself. She had never even considered the whereabouts of Spike. "Well...do you guys have any ideas?" Twilight looked at her. "Well...I was kinda hoping you'd tell us." Rainbow Dash furrowed her brow. "What? I don't..." She trailed off, realizing now the falsehood of their visit. "Those rock things took him. Maybe you know where they're keeping him?" Twilight managed uneasily. Rainbow Dash felt her heart break again. She suddenly felt faint. She swayed. Her two friends ran over to help her keep her balance. "Don't touch me!" She snarled at them. "You're here to interrogate me? Is this some kind of cruel joke?" "Look, we really miss Spikey Wikey." Rarity said gently. "We just want to know where he is. And that he's safe." "If I could tell you, I swear to Celestia I would." Rainbow Dash growled. "But I have no idea." Twilight felt a twinge of anger. "Rainbow Dash. I don't care why you snapped. I really don't. And I do understand. But please. Spike is my oldest friend. Tell me where he is." "I don't know." "TELL ME WHERE HE IS!" Twilight shouted. "I DON'T KNOW!" Rainbow Dash shouted back. Twilight calmed down. "Please Dash. I need to know he's okay." Rainbow Dash looked at her and fell back on her bed. "So do I. But I don't have any idea. I scouted out looking for him. And then I...blacked out. I woke up back in town. And I got sent here." Twilight looked at her intently. Rainbow could tell she was trying to believe her story. Trying. "Rainbow. Please..." "Twi, I told you everything I know. If that isn't enough then feel free to leave." She pointed a hoof at the door. Twilight looked at her, then shuddered in disgust. "Who are you? I don't even recognize you anymore. You've lost it Rainbow Dash." Rarity and Twilight turned to leave. The guard slammed the door behind them. Rainbow Dash got up right against the bars to see her friends one last time. "Say hi to the others for me okay?" Twilight sighed, then nodded. A tear came to her eye. "You were the best of us Rainbow Dash. And you wasted your potential. You wasted our friendship. How could you do this to us?" Rainbow Dash felt no more kindness towards this pony. Only anger. "It doesn't matter what I say anymore. You won't believe it. Get out." Twilight and Rarity trotted away slowly. Twilight stopped and turned. "You. The element of Loyalty. Now THAT is a cruel joke." She turned and left the heartbroken Rainbow Dash in her cell. The cafeteria was brutal. She was jeered every time she entered. Her words before had been all too true. Everypony in Equestria had heard of her. Especially the residents of Cloudsdale pen. And being a speed demon on the outside didn't get you much respect on the inside. Today she trotted over to her bench where her food was already waiting for her. It was terrible. Worse than the hospital food she'd eaten when she broke her wing a few months ago. But she ate it. It was all she got. "Hey! They spelled your name wrong on your shirt. Never seen Crash spelled with a D." An uproar of laughter came from that table. Rainbow Dash ignored them and began eating. "HEY! HAS BEEN! I'm talking to you!" Rainbow Dash continued eating. The convict got up and trotted over to her. She turned. "Can I help you?" "Hey Rainbow Crash. Somepony wanted me to ask you. How's Ponyville?" Rainbow Dash bit down on some of the stale bread. "Fine. A bit boring but fine." "So why'd you torch it?" The convict asked. "I didn't." Rainbow Dash replied through gritted teeth. The convict laughed. "Yeah. Sure. Cause that's illegal. And nopony in here has ever done anything illegal. But seriously daredevil, you gonna torch a town just because somepony took ya record from you?" Rainbow Dash put down the plate of food. "You should go." The convict laughed. "You're funny. But really. I used to have a pet goldfish. Wish he was still around. Could probably beat you in a race..." Rainbow Dash turned and punched the pony in the face. He collapsed to the ground. The other table erupted. Rainbow got up on her hind legs and put up her hooves. "What? You want some too? I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!!" They charged. The guard ponies stormed the cafeteria. Rainbow punched out a couple oncoming convicts. But the guards knew who had started everything. Rainbow Dash was tackled to the ground. Shackles were placed around her hooves. She didn't fight back. Gilda threw her into her cell, not even bothering to take off the shackles. She groaned as she tried getting up. It was hopeless. She couldn't move her legs. She couldn't move her wings. Despair and rage overcame her. She began pounding the floor in frustration. There was a banging at the door. "Hey Dash. Knock it off. You got a visitor." An old, grey pegasus trotted in. His face was wrinkled with age. His coat was rough and frayed. Rainbow Dash looked at him closely, and smiled when she recognized him. "Titan!" The old pony rubbed Dash's mane affectionately. "It's been too long champ. I heard you were in here. Figured I had to come see you." "Thanks. Seriously. I needed to see a friendly face." Titan looked down sternly at the pegasus as she struggled to get up on four hooves. "So you got yourself in some trouble huh?" Rainbow Dash looked down at the floor. "You believe them too." "Well you always were a bit wild, kid." Titan said, laughing. "But no. The little Dashie I know would never do what they say you did." Rainbow Dash sighed. "This really does mean a lot to me. You showing up. Nopony's come to visit me. I mean...none of my friends. They're all afraid I'll go crazy or something." Titan looked around at her surroundings. "Going crazy can't be that hard in a place like this." Rainbow Dash felt a wave of hopelessness overcome her. "I'm not getting out of here am I?" "Well I'm not really the pony to put in a word. I ain't nothing to anypony. I just figured...he would've wanted me to check in on you. Make sure you're okay." Rainbow Dash collapsed onto her bed. "Yeah. He would've..." Titan winced, realizing he'd brought up a touchy subject. "Well how's the food?" He offered, pathetically trying to change to a better topic. Rainbow Dash managed a laugh. "Oh it's worse than you're cooking." Titan laughed now too. "That's pretty bad!" The two of them laughed together in the tiny cell. Rainbow Dash stopped to catch her breath. It occurred to her how long it had been since she'd laughed. "This place...it's so...degrading." She said. "I hate this place. More than anywhere I've ever been." Titan nodded. "I know kid. I know. I'm doing everything I can to get you out. But...I just can't do much." Rainbow Dash nodded. "Thank you." "Don't thank me. I told you I can't do much..." "No, not for that. For...you gave me a home. And you gave me love and support. All those years dealing with my attitude. And I never thanked you for it. I guess it takes living in a place like this to realize how much all that stuff is worth." Titan smiled. "You're welcome Dash. And if you get out, feel welcome to stay with me. My doors always open. Now I gotta go. Training some filly's how to fly." Rainbow Dash smiled. "Go ahead. And don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Hours after Titan left, Rainbow Dash felt the frustration building again. She began pounding her hooves against the walls of her cell. "Alright! I get it! I'm not supposed to get into fights! Now take these things off!" She heard a flapping sound. Then claws hitting the ground. "Dash. Shut up. I'll take em off when you learn who runs this place." "You! You run this place!" Rainbow shouted. "I'm sorry alright?" Gilda sighed. "Here's the thing. I think you're just saying that. Trying to talk your way out of this. This is my house Dash. You can't talk your way out of those shackles unless you're sincere." There was a pause. "I run this place. Here's something to help you remember. Douse her." Ice cold water began spraying onto the bed where Rainbow Dash lay. She looked up to see another guard with a hose, grinning. She sputtered as the water hit her. Frigid. It was already cold in the prison. Now it was freezing. "I think she catches my drift." Gilda sneered. "Shut it off." The water stopped. Rainbow Dash collapsed to the floor, still coughing up water that she had inhaled. "Sorry 'buddy'. But you looked like you needed an extra shower." She turned and trotted away, cackling with glee. Rainbow Dash shook violently on the floor. Her blanket was soaked. She lay in the puddle of water, desperately feeling for warmth. But there was none. The water ran down her mane. She huddled next to her bed, teeth chattering from the cold. She felt her eyes closing. "It's...not...fair." She protested weakly. "Life ain't fair." A familiar voice replied. Rainbow Dash snapped to attention. "Who? Who's there?" "You know who I am squirt. Don't try that with me." A blue pegasus with a green mane was standing at the cell door. Rainbow Dash got to her hooves, chains jangling as she did. "What is this?" The pegasus demanded. Rainbow Dash stammered for a response. "I tell you what it is. It's a waste. So much potential. You could have been famous kid. Instead you...you've ruined your life." Rainbow shook her head. "No daddy. I swear I didn't...I didn't do what they say I did. I swear." "You're a bust squirt. Tell me why. Why I wasted my time with you. Trying to train you. Perfect you. When you throw away my lessons like this. TELL ME WHY!" Rainbow Dash began sobbing. "I tried daddy! I really did! I just couldn't." "You cost me so much Dash." The pegasus snarled. "You cost me everything. And you've failed, consistently, throughout your life. You WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SOMEPONY!" "I am! I am somepony!" Rainbow Dash whimpered. "No you're not. You failed to be a good friend. You failed to be a hero. You failed to save my life." The pegasus suddenly burst into flames. Rainbow Dash stared in horror as her father burned. She reached out to save him. He cried out in pain and began rolling around on the floor. Dash looked around her cell desperately for something to put out the fire. But she was too late. He disintegrated into dust. Suddenly, her coat caught fire as well. She cried out for help as the fire spread across her body. She writhed on the floor in agony. The fire consumed her. Her eyes snapped open. She was on the floor. Still soaking wet. Somepony had removed her shackles as she slept. She had been dreaming. Rainbow Dash had tears in her eyes. She was out of breath. She rubbed her coat, relieved that the fire had been but a dream. She stared at the spot where her father had stood. Her breathing became heavy. She closed her eyes and shook her head, expelling the thoughts from her mind. She had enough problems right now. The moon shone through the bars of her cell, casting a ghostly shadow upon the floor. Rain had begun pouring down on Cloudsdale. Thunder and lightning followed it. Rainbow Dash looked out at the wet world beyond her cell. She always loved storms like these. The raw power. The sound of the heavens booming down on the earth. But now it only haunted her. Thoughts swirled around her head. But one thought kept recurring. She needed to get out.