//------------------------------//
// 2: A Change 
// Story: Hidden Prisoner 
// by MoonlitHaze225 
//------------------------------//

	I can feel the sun shining on me through the cape. I didn't want to wake up but I had to. I forced my eyes to open, but slowly. The now brightly lit alley came into focus. I was facing a corner where a wooden fence and a yellow house met. I sat up and shook my head back and forth. I look over my shoulder, and turn back around as quick as I could. I quickly jump over to the other corner where a dumpster would hide me. I don't know how they found me, but they did. I saw a tall shadow as if the pony were looking down the alley. I pushed myself, quietly against the dumpster. Two more shadows came next to the pony and stopped and looked at the other pony. I held my breath in, trying not to make a sound. The shadows fidgeted around while I eavesdropped on the guards conversation. 
"What?" a guard with a deep voice asked curiously yet frustrated.
"I thought I saw something." the other one looking down the alley exclaimed. I was quiet until the guard started to head down the alley. Stopping right before the edge of the dumpster, all I could see was his hoof. It was one of the gray guards. I didn't know what to do, I froze, hoping he couldn't see me. His shadow made me aware he was slowly scanning the area with his head. He turned around and left the alley. 
"Nothing. Let's go." the gray guard said to the others.
"Seriously. We have to find her before the boss finds out." a new voice said with a stern tone, the third guard. All of the shadows walked away and I let out a big sigh of relief. I guess my gray coat blended with the dumpsters shadow.
I lift my cape up and pull out of satchel a brush and mirror. I sit down and begin to brush my mane and tail. I have some difficulties with my mane but I managed. When I was finished, I put them back inside the satchel and stood up. I head away from town to the left, needing a change.
I enter a good sized black building that was separated from the town. The sign above read "Tattoo Shop" and under that, "We welcome walk-ins." I nudge the door open with my hoof and walk inside. The first room looked to be a waiting room. There were some couches, tables with magazines, a small shelf attached to the brick wall with bottles, and a black desk. There was nopony behind the desk so I trotted up to it, raised my hoof, and rang the bell. 
"Coming!" somepony shouted. She trotted out from the left hall and moved behind the desk. She was a cyan mare with pink and black mane, I noticed her many piercings and tattoos. "Yes, how may I help you?" the no named pony asked me with a blank expression.
"Oh, I would like to get two piercings and a small tattoo today. Is it possible to tell me how much?" I replied, I drew a circle with my hoof on the tile floor, hoping not too much. The pony used her magic to open a drawer and pulled out a calculator, also using her magic to calculate.
"About 40-45 bits. You know what you would like?" She put the calculator in the drawer with her magic and kicked it shut.
"Yes." I partially lied, I knew the piercings but not the tattoo. I stopped drawing the circle in the tile. 
"Alright, give me a minute. I'll send you to Marble. He's almost done with a client, shouldn't take long. Name?" 
"Moonlit." I replied as she started to head down the hallway on the right. I heard a door open, a few words and the door close. She soon appeared again and walked behind the desk down the hall where she came from, not taking a look at me. 
I went to go sit on a couch away from the window, still trying to stay hidden. I pondered through my thoughts of what kind of tattoo I would get. Hmmm. Maybe this, no no no.  I looked at the magazines lying on the table, I reached for one called "Tattoos of Today" right as I placed my hoof on it Marble called me.
"Moonlit!" He saw me and motioned me with his hoof. "Come on." he stood there. I hopped off the couch and trotted over to his door, as his customer walked past me. I walked inside and he followed. "Alright, so which do you want done first, piercings or tattoo?" he asked as he shut the door and walked over to a counter of supplies. I noticed he was also a unicorn.
"Um. I guess the piercings. Lip and upper ear." I told him, my voice was shaky, I placed my cape and satchel on a counter in the room.
"No need to be nervous. It will pinch for only a second" He exclaimed, he knew I was nervous. I heard him getting the tools ready with his magic. He had the tools all ready and turned around with the needle floating in a bubble of light blue. "Take a seat up here." he pointed his hoof at the chair, so I did. "Where for the lip?" he asked. I raised my right hoof aiming at my bottom right. "Alright." he squinted his eyes and brought the needle closer to my lip. I moved my head back a little. "First time?" I nod. "Ah. Okay, it's better if you relax, deep breaths" he said with a smile. I began breathing and trying to relax since metal wasn't my favorite thing lately. He seemed to have more emotion than the pony who greeted me. "Alright, open, loose though. Remember relax." I tried. I didn't know where to look. So I looked into his beautiful blue eyes. He had the the metal positioned. "One," I closed my eyes and kept breathing. "Two," CLICK. It was done. 
"Okay, ow. What happened to three?!" I exclaimed. He smiled and turned back around, reloading for the next piercing, and turning back. I showed him, he positioned quickly, and without warning pierced my ear. 
"Done. Alright. So what kind of tattoo did you have in mind? And where?" he smiled as he began to gather ink, needles, cotton, and other necessary items. I look at my right hoof and sigh.
"I don't really know, I want a small one. And on the inside of my right  lower hoof." I told him the truth.
"Well, lets see." he took my hoof in his hoofs and looked at the location. I guess he was thinking, "Any important event for you?" He asked. The first thing I thought of was my escape. But I wouldn't tell him, all I said was, "Well, let's just say I'm lucky to be here  today." I smiled. He tilted his head and quickly shot out, "Lucky. How about clover or a horseshoe?" he exclaimed in an excited tone. I thought for a second. 
"What about and infinity sign with a gold horseshoe hanging off of it?" I suggested. Hoping it wouldn't look as stupid as I made it sound. 
"Sure." he told me with a smile. He sketched it out with pen and imprinted it on me as a guideline. It looked great. He told me to lie down and hold my wrist out. I did, he set the tools up next to him, dipped the needle in the permanent black ink and hovered over the starting point. Here I go. I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes, the pain got to me, the needle rapidly moved up and down on my wrist. "It's okay, relax. Talking is a good distraction. So, let's see, name?" he began the conversation, not looking away from my wrist. 
"You know mine, yours? Well, full name?" I responded. He spoke up. "Marble Needle. My parents named me after my grandfather, Needle, and Marble because they felt I would be artsy. Well. Here I am, tattoo artist." I sat quiet for a second. Marble started up the conversation again. As our conversation continued, I could barely feel the needle.

~

"All done, take a look." Marble said with pride, he put aside the needle as his horn stopped glowing. I sat up and took a look. "Oh goodness. It's perfect. Thank you" It turned out amazing. I guess escaping comes with a price. Smiling Marble said "I do my best." I got up and picked my satchel off the counter, "How much?" he tilted his head and said "I'd say 38 bits for not crying like many others." he laughed. I gathered my bits and paid him. I put my satchel and cape back on. "See you around!" he shouted as I left the room, "Um, maybe!" I shouted back, knowing I won't be around for  long time. 
I began to trot a little into town, for I had one more stop. 

~

I entered the bright pink building, knowing it was my lucky day since some of the mane an tail stylists from the Crystal Empire were at the Ponyville boutique today. I quickly got seated by somepony with the name Dandy Brush. 
"Alright dear, what would you like to done today" Dandy asked me running her hoofs through my mane. 
"I would like dark purple streaks in my mane and tail." I quickly responded, sort of regretting it, but I had to get it done. She was a little surprised. I nodded already responding to the question she had in mind. She went to the back to get the supplies and mixtures ready. She put the bleach mixture in my mane wrapped in tin foil, I waited a long time for my dark black mane to turn white. When that was done she did the same for the dark purple, then the same for my tail. She rinsed out my mane and tail, I paid about 40 bits and galloped away.

~

I stood in front of the sign on the hill, I lift my head to see it since the hood was in my way. The sign had bold letters reading "Now leaving ponyville. See you again soon!" I remember as a young pony I always wanted to leave ponyville. But this is not what I expected. I expected leaving with my friends for a trip, or moving on my own. Not being forced, by my own very different self. I turned around looking at Ponyville one more time before I leave again for a long time. I sigh, and tossed my hood on once more. When something catches my eye in the distance. I see the guards, trotting out of town, towards me.