//------------------------------// // Hard Time // Story: Troubled Twins // by Wayofthepen //------------------------------// She broke through our homes door in a hurried manner. She shouted to me as she galloped up the stairs. “Kin, we have to leave!” I had no idea what she was talking about. Why would we need to leave our home? “Stop thinking and get ready to get the hay out of here!” She knows me too well. I trotted to the stairs to find her coming down as quickly as she went up. “Silent, what’s wrong?” She had a look of anger and fear in her eyes. Much like when she first found out that I had issues. Then I realized what she was worried about. “Why in Celestia’s name did you do it again?!” She shook her head and galloped out the back door, nearly knocking the table over in the kitchen by doing so. I followed her out the back, still wondering why she would have robbed another rich pony, and picked this time to get caught. She has been turning to crime every since our parents left, promising to come back but never did. The last time we heard from them was when we received a letter that told us they didn’t want us. I was indifferent, taking how they paid more attention to Silent. She was standing in the back near the fence in the rain. When I caught up with her, I made sure to let her know what she just did. “You’re such an idiot! Don’t you think they would follow you here? Celestia, you promised you wouldn’t go down that road again.” I was screaming at her, not caring if the guard was near or not. She just looked at me with a little bit of fear. I had always been quiet around her. Never spoke against her ideas, never gave my opinions, only made comments every blue moon. Yet now, I just can’t take it anymore. “Kin...” Was all she could say to me as I used my magic to disguise myself as a unicorn. As if right on cue, a squad of guards came to our backyard. “The elusive Silent Scream, and who’s this? Your accomplice?” I shot a rude glare at Silent before turning to face them. “Are you going to come peacefully or do we have to get rough?” I shook my head and took a few steps towards them. Smirking, I scanned each one of them over. Each wearing the same armor, each of the three a different race, and same bland expressions on their faces. Taking them on would be no problem for me, but I don’t feel like getting myself into anymore trouble than I already am. “We’ll come quietly. Right, sis?” I turned to her once more, giving her a strong glare. She slowly nodded and trotted to the guards, head hanging low and eyes shut in sadness. Whether it was out of guilt of the crime or seeing me this way, I will never know. - - - - Four hours later - - - - By the time we reached the prison in our chariot, the rain had picked up even more. As we stepped off of the chariot, the unicorn guard spoke up. “Word of warning. Magic has no effect here. Any spells you attempt to cast or have casted on yourself won’t work anymore. Get ready to live life as an earthpony.” Shit. After walking the chainlink fence path to the main room, I prepared for my disguise to turn off. Surprisingly, it didn’t. The room was just blank, except for the guards lining the walls. We heard one of the guards call out on a radio. “Grease, what’s going on? My magic still works.” A bit of static from his radio emitted. It ended quickly as a feminine voice came from it. “Sorry Captain. Got some strange energy fields, much like when Celestia was here. I have re-attuned the machine and it should start in a few. Grease out.” The guards around us decided now was the best time to put our shackles on and ship us to our rooms. After we followed a extremely long and bland hallway, the path split into two. The signs said “← Mare | Stallion →”. Silent and I were separated, her looking sad and me holding on. She may be my sister, but she’s also the reason I’m here in the first place. As we moved through another set of hallways, I started seeing the cells and their occupants. Ponies of every race in orange jumpsuits, some having made their own modifications to it as well. Each cell was outfitted with two cots, two sinks, two toilets, and one light. Must use electricity here, taking how magic seems to not work. We stopped outside of a cell and it slowly inched open. They forced me into the cell with a very rude shove, tripping me and forcing me to the ground. By the time I got up and turned around, they had shut the door and were staring in awe. I had just now noticed that my wings were once more present and my horn was longer, which must be what they are gawking at. “Don’t you two have someplace to be?” The two just stood there for a few more minutes until their commanding officer told them to come to the barracks. They slowly made their way out of view, obviously still shocked by the existence of a third alicorn. You’d think they would be more scared of the other ponies... “Well, this is a shock. Don’t I know you from someplace?” I quickly turned around at the voice, only to find a small pegasus. He had a light grey coat, clipped ear, and a blueish purple mane and tail. What struck me as odd was he had two orange horns sprouting from each side of his head. “No, they’re not part of the outfit.” I knew only one pony with this condition. “DJ THUND3R? Why are you in here and not with Vinyl Scratch?” He was her partner the last time I checked. They made some of the best techno and other types all across Equestria. He looked a little down at the question, but perked up soon after. “At my last concert, a fight broke out from a group of drunk ponies. They were stupid enough to come on stage and fight me. As for what happened to them, my horns are the answer.” In the middle of the fight, he stabbed them. Let’s NOT get on his bad side. I just let a few nods, remembering that that was where Silent and I went for her birthday. He has been in here for at least a year. “Shadowkin. I expected more from prison guards, ya know?” He gave me a short nod of agreement and acknowledgement. I trotted over to my cot and laid back, looking over to find him doing the same. After he got situated, he turned to face me. “Bet you got all the ponies running up to you.” He gave me a smile, either trying to be nice or playful. I just shrugged. “When you’re in hiding, nothing like that happens. Only pony I had running to me was my twin sister.” He looked dumbstruck at me. “There are two of you?!” He shouted out, causing some of the other prisoners to moan in protest, as it disturbed their un-needed beauty sleep. I shook my head. “I’m the only other alicorn. She’s a unicorn, and for the record, neither of us have our cutie marks.” He shifted a bit and mumbled something under his breath. “I heard that. If you want to call me a ‘blank flank’, the least you could do is say it out loud.” He cringed at what I said. Calling somepony that was DEFINITELY not a good idea, as it is very offensive. I just laughed. It was nice to be able to talk to somepony who wasn’t Silent. “Relax. I don’t plan on sending you to the moon or something.” He let out a sigh of relief, of which I laughed aloud again. “Anyway, what’s your real name?” “Shadow Raven. I think it’s time to say lights out. Night, Shadowkin.” He turned himself over as I said goodnight. I rolled over onto my back and stared blankly at the ceiling. Closing my eyes, I let my thoughts wander. So, my sister takes me to prison and I meet my favorite DJ. I am officially out of hiding and hope that neither of the princesses hear about this. The only thing that would bring is me being taken from my sister. I may not like her at the moment, but we’re family. Those were the last of my thoughts as I drifted into a deep sleep, not having a single dream or nightmare after a long chain of both.