//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: The Prisoner's Dilemma // by AYC //------------------------------// The prisoners were given two days to decide on whether to stay silent or confess for their partner in crime. Gold Coin thought on it, and decided the best course of action within about half an hour after Luna left. She spent the rest of the two days relaxing as best she could. Russet Apple, however, could not choose. He trusted his wife, and he knew she trusted him, but would she choose what was best for him, or for her? Was she planning something? Okay, that was stupid- she always was planning something. She would know the move he should make. She'd have confidence he'd choose correctly. Trouble is, he had no idea which was correct. Okay, Russet, he told himself. Gold Coin's got your back. She'll stay silent. You should too, that way you both get off well enough. Three years, when spent with someone you love, isn't that bad. And the food's free. But then again, he countered, what if she expects me to be the gentleman, and let her blame me while I stay silent? It'd be the chivalrous thing to do. She'd get out quicker, and then she'd owe you one. But then you get six years! That's a long time... alone, with bad food. He didn't know how long he'd make it without Gold Coin's cooking. And anyway, that wasn't fair! He loved his wife, but she can't just expect me to spend six years of my life in a cell? I ought to tell on her! She'd stay with me. We'd be suffering, but at least we'd be together. But she wouldn't do that, she's got your back! She's probably going to stay silent. Around and around it went, making the poor stallion's head swim. Princess Luna's Private Chambers The game was going quite poorly for Celestia. It hadn't been fifteen minutes and she'd lost both of her knights, a rook, three pawns, and a bishop. Luna had held on to all her pieces but one pawn, which Celestia had snagged with a knight, and then immediately lost the knight. She sighed. "What's the matter, sister?" asked Luna. "You're playing worse than you normally do. What is it?" "Gee, thanks." muttered the monarch. "Well, I guess I'm a little concerned about those prisoners. You haven't hurt them, riiight?" "Sister!" the younger Princess was indignant. "We have done no such thing! Why, the nerve to suggest that we-" "Luna." "That we would do something as horrible as that, it offends us! Why, we-" "Luna! You're doing it again." "Oh- um, ahem, I didn't hurt them. I never have hurt prisoners, and I never will!" huffed Luna. "I believe you. But it's been two days, Luna. Most of these matters are decided a bit, well, quicker." "I told you! I'm not in control of the output here! I've given them the choices, and they must decide. I can't rush them or they'll mess up." "And do what," Celestia said, raising an eyebrow. "Make the wrong choice? This whole thing makes no sense anyways." "There is a right and wrong choice in that game for each of them. They must think as long as they can before they decide!" "Didn't the unicorn decide within under an hour?" Celestia moved her pawn forward- but wait, that left her last bishop exposed. "Well... yes," stuttered Luna, observing her sisters pieces. "But she's made the right choice, I feel." "Which was?" better to move the bishop itself, take out the rook. The little black rook fell with a clatter as Celestia used her bishop to knock it down. "Hmph. I liked that rook. Sorry, anyway, I can't tell you. Confidentiality, you understand." "What! You're ridiculous. You're just bitter because I'm fighting back here, aren't you?" "No, not really." She moved her Queen two spaces to her left. "Check and mate, I believe." "What! That's not possible! You can't-" "Rook is here, the knights mean you cannot move there, and Queen can kill you in one move." Celestia studied the board furiously, looking for any way out. There was none. "Damn it! Who invented this Faust-Damned game anyway..." Celestia grumped. "You're just bitter because I'm fighting back here, aren't you?" parroted Luna. "Don't you start. Just... handle the prisoners, okay?" she moved to leave the room. "Don't scare them too much!" "They'll make the right choice!" smiled Luna. "And sister," Celestia looked at her sister, sitting contentedly by her chessboard, fire in the hearth and the moon she raised filling the room with a mixture of orange and silver. "The game count is now seventy four to thirteen, in my favor. Goodnight, sister." Celestia did something truly un-royal right then. She rolled her eyes. Canterlot Dungeons Russet was in a truly grim state. His had thought from each angle a hundred times before, and each seemed both possible and reasonable. Damn mares and their mind games! It seemed to him, now, that no matter what he chose Gold Coin would be frustrated with him. He could end up endangering her to a longer sentence, or he might accidentally allow her to condemn him to six long years. The earth pony rubbed his head. He wished he had his hat. The guards had taken it. *Knock knock* The cell door knocked twice before it swung slowly open. He could see not the princess, but a unicorn in the Canterlot Guard armor. A mare. Damnable mares. "Russet Apple!" barked the unicorn in a voice that sounded vaguely familiar. "Your jail sentence has been decided! You shall be in this room for five hundred years!" "What? Who are-" he began, thoroughly befuddled at this crazy mares' actions. The guard raised her helmet, revealing eyes he knew all too well. "It's me, you dork!" His eyes lit up in realization. "Coin! How'd you-" "I had a magic-negater on, not a hoof-negater." Gold Coin muttered hurriedly unlocking his cuffs, which had been attached to the wall. "They seem to think I can't throw a decent punch. We have a bit of time before the guard wakes up, I cast an Illusion on him so he looks like me." "You undressed another stallion?" "Yes, and you can thank me later! Come on, Russet!" She stood by the door, impatiently motioning for her husband to follow. He stepped towards her, only to feel her magic stop him from moving another step. "Oh yeah, and one last thing..." She kissed him quite passionately. She then proceeded to dropp him on his hindquarters and began to hurry down the hall. The stallion blinked, euphoric. "Come on, Russet!" Still dazed, he quickly trotted after his scheming wife. Damned mares, he thought. Damned mares.