A Locked Jewel

by JesterintheNight

Chapter 1: The Inescapable Prison

A Locked Jewel
Chapter 1: The Inescapable Prison

The Everfree Forest, a dark, unwelcoming place, home to a many creatures. Home to the castle of the two sisters, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna or what’s left the castle is more accurate to say. This dark forest has its fair share of secrets, treasures and life. Far to the north of this evil wood lies a large wall with towers at the six corners making an octagon shaped structure course to anypony who stubble upon this strange shape they would only see the black gate doors with no other way in, no way to see what secrets lay hidden behind its walls.

That’s what the old stories would say at least to those inside those dark walls, there were no secrets just Tartarus on Equestria. It was properly named, Lost Hope Prison. Any earth pony, pegasus, unicorn, griffin and so on that went in never returned to the outside world. Never saw the light of day again, felt the grass on their hooves, the wind in their mane. Hence the name Lost Hope, a prison that had once stood as the fortress against the goblins of the north that had tried to invade Equestria long ago. Only to never pass those walls, that damned forest, and the two alicorn sisters that protected the lands.

It’s walls were tall, long, and thick stone to keep any earth pony from bucking out. Runes laid imbedded in the towers to disrupt any unicorns magic that didn’t carry a special ring around their horns. Ballista’s lied along the walls to fire down any and all pegasi that tried to fly over the walls, plus the winds from the Everfree Forest would blow hard enough to keep pegasi from reaching their top speeds. Only the guards had the free will to come and go as they pleased.

The guards, more like timberwolves in ponies clothing. They were ruthless inside that hell, beating any prisoner who so much as looked at them wrong, sometimes beating them for no reason seeing them as nothing but monsters. But beating a pony down for doing nothing til they could barely move who was the true monster? Sure when the Princess came to inspect the prison they acted like her Royal Guard but as soon as her sun butt left those gates. The hell continued, they knew her royal sun butt would never approve of such conditions.

But when her previous Captain of Guard was replaced by somepony named Shining Hinny or Shining Shield something like that. Sun butt offered the old captain the position of warden to keep those her guard arrested from harming others; he eagerly accepted. Seeing as the old warden was poison by some inmates, the new one made sure no one but himself cooked his food. He instated all new rules, to show he was the king of the prison. Nopony put a hoof out of line with him around, they all knew the punishment should they do so…

Of course that was just a small taste of what hell this prison held for certain ponies, but for one ‘human’ it was a whole other form of hell. A hell the warden made sure he suffered for, with the crimes he committed against ponykind. A crime where Princess Celestia herself made sure history forgot him.

Hence where this humans journey began, a young man’s escape from hell. And his quest for revenge, against who? Well you’d have to stick around to hear the answer to that…

“That should do it…” A certain human said, as he pressed his quill one final time to the paper he wrote on. Pulling the tip away a single drop of ink escaped the pen and hit the paper, giving the piece of parchment one last read through. With a sad smile, he quickly crushed the parchment in frustration at his own failure. Glancing at a trash bin by the wall, with his right arm he tossed the paper making it bounce off the wall and into the bin.

“Two points, and the crowd goes wild.” He said with a slightly annoyed tone, he had been working on his writing for almost a year. Though from the amount of paper balls in the bin, he was making no progress what’s so ever. He hadn’t come up with a title for his work, or even a main character for it. And to make matters worse if that was possible, he was out of paper. How would he even manage to steal more, the last time he was nearly caught. His actions didn’t go unnoticed though, since then the guards were on the high alert for a thief or thieves. So securing more would take a little more tact then he normally used…

BEEP
“621 Report to Warden Armorheart!”
CLANG

The young man turned his attention to the large iron door that had slammed opened. As it did two large stallions in riot helmets came into view one on the right, and one of the left. Each one glaring at him, one was a light brown coat it’s mane hidden in the helmet. The other was the same only it’s coat was dark blue, that stallion stepped into the cell. The young man glanced at the strange mark on the stallions flank, it was iron hammer with a crack in it.

“Hard Justice, how can I help you this evening?” The young man said with a calm tone of voice, the stallion snorted once in disgust. Though this didn’t bother the young man, as he smiled softly at the angry stallion.

“Don’t speak to me filth, and its morning. Not that you’d know given the fact you haven’t seen the light in five years.” Hard Justice said with a cocky tone in his voice, this made the young man’s smile falter as his eyes tense up. A smirk pulled at Justice’s lips knowing he got under the man’s skin. The other stallion came into the cell as well, his glare had vanished. His eyes held no emotion in them, the man’s eyes moved to this one’s flank seeing a cell shaped mark.

“Don’t waste your breath on this one Justice.” The stallion said, Justice glanced at him with that same smirk. “Why not Lockdown, it’s fun to see his pain.” He said, Lockdown shook his head as he moved his mouth to a pair of handcuffs that were attached to a leather belt. Grabbed the cuffs he spoke though his voice was muffled thanks to the cuffs.

“We bring him in late and Warden will have both our flanks in a cell.” Lockdown said, this made Justice’s smirk vanish as he nodded knowing full well how right he was. Turning his attention back to the man who was just staring he charged forward slamming his helmet hard into the man. The forced knocked the man clear out of his chair and into the wall with a cracking sound. Justice held him there as the man tried to push of the wall to break free, though with the stallion’s strength that wasn’t going to happen.

The other came right up and raised a hoof punching one of the man’s hands, he cried out in pain as his hand was pinned. With a swift click one cuff was on, pulling hard on the chain that was in his mouth he forced the man’s arm behind his back. The one pinning him to the wall raised a hoof forcing the man’s free arm close enough to..CLICK. The other cuff came on, pulling away from the man. Chain still in Lock’s mouth he yanked hard forcing the man from the wall to the cell entrance with a thud as he hit the cement floor.

“Shit…was that neces-Oof!” The man cried as Justice hit him with one hoof sliding the man outside the cell and into the safety railing outside the cell. The man coughed hard, as the impact hurt his ribs. Not even bothering to wait for him to get up Lockdown grabbed the chain and attaching it to his belt; began to drag the man down the walkway with Justice on his heels as they looked forward.

“Hey it’s the freak!” Somepony yelled, the man opened his eyes a bit to see a pegasus with its wings tied tightly to its body preventing it any freedom to fly. It spat at the human hitting him on the cheek, the man glared as he wiped his face on his shirt sleeve since it was the closest thing besides the floor. The next cell came as a unicorn with a broken horn, glared at the man with one eye. The other was sown shut, it’s brown eye followed the man.

“Warden’s gonna execute you today boy; best start praying.” He said in a raspy voice, the man lashed out kicking the cell bars. The impact startled the unicorn as he jumped back a bit in fear of the man. Lockdown grunted yanking hard on the chain forcing the shoulder joint to pop free for a moment, but it forced itself back into its socket. Cursing in pain/anger the man tried to pull free from the stallion only to have the other slam one hoof down hard on his stomach knocking the air completely out of him. He felt his vision dying as darkness took him…

…
…..

“Wake him up!” An angry voice commended, a simple “Yes Sir” was heard in the darkness. It was quiet for a few second before what sounded like water splashing around could be heard in the darkness, before… SPLASH! The darkness was wash away, with now an ice cold wetness. “Get another bucket!” The same angry voice demanded, only for the splash victim to answer back.

“The darkness was more welcoming…” The victim said, before opening his eyes at first the light forced him to instantly close them back up. A few blinks later he managed to see his feet weren’t touching the floor, a small puddle right under him. So he was splashed after all, he just hoped that was a bad dream. As he looked into the puddle he could faintly make out his reflection. He first noticed his hair a metallic white, he couldn’t even remember his original color thanks to the sunless prison his hair was stuck as this lifeless color. His eyes were no different, the strong amber color that once filled them was now a greyish red. Small cuts decorated his face, which he knew weren’t originally there must be they threw him around a bit before finally reaching here.

Bringing those lifeless eyes to the unicorn stallion with a snow white main, jet black coat, his stern golden eyes, a cocky smile on his face. A face like his life was complete, which meant… bad news for the human. The stallion pushed away from his office desk and calmly walked around it to come right up to him. As he did his flank came into view a shield with a golden glow around it. “Good morning prisoner, I have wonderful news!” The stallion said, the human smiled lightly.

“I’m being set free?” He said, the stallion laughed lightly he was in too good of mood. Which could only mean one thing.. “You’re funny today, but no.” He turned around to a folder on his desk, opening it up quickly he read off the contents. “Jasper Abbott, age 18. Height 5 foot 11, weight when you arrived 165. Weight now... doesn’t matter.” He said keeping that smile, Jasper Abbott as he’s called; smile began to fade. When they named off who you were and your stats ment only one thing…

“Your crime… Bioterrorism. And after months of convincing Princess Celestia, and somepony road blocking me…” He whipped around with a smile “I’ve secured your execution, isn’t that great!” His voice darken as his teeth began to reveal themselves from under that smirk. “And no time like the present” Jasper’s eyes widen, his execution was so soon? Geez they really hated him, not that he could blame them really…

“Oh sir!” Jasper and the Warden’s attention pulled away to Hard Justice, who look excited. “Sir with your permission may myself, and Lockdown bring the prisoner to the chamber?” Lockdown nodded lightly though his expressionless face showed he didn’t care either way. The Warden smiled lightly “Of course you way, I know how close he is to you” Jasper glared at the Warden “What am I a housecat being put down?”

“No no dear Jasper, housecats are actually loved by their owners” Warden said with a cold smile, he was enjoying this too much… and ponies considered Jasper a monster. Who is the real monster here? Lockdown moved to a lever by the wall and hit it once, as he did the chain holding Jasper up lowered a bit so his feet touched the ground. Justice grabbed the chain with his mouth and swiftly attached it to his belt, with a quick pull they were already moving to the door but as Lockdown opened it out that cold voice reached Jasper’s ears.

“Jasper Abbott, I should thank you. You showed Equestria that humans are monsters, and also thanks to you for helping to improve our prison. So that when the day comes another human crosses into our lands, I’m sure the Princess will lock them up and when she does… They can thank you for ruining their lives.” Warden’s smug tone said, Jasper looked at him and smiled lightly. “Glad I could be of serve.” The Warden’s smile vanished, as he looked into Jasper’s eyes there was no fear in them…

“Get him out of here!” A female voice said, the Warden turned to look at a female pegasus with a clipboard his secretary. The two guards nodded once pulling him from the room, Warden watched them go til finally the door to his office clicked shut.

“Sir are you alright?” His secretary said, he nodded lightly once. “Yes Sunny Clouds… Tell the control room to watch them carefully.” She nodded once before walking out of his office to complete her task. “Somethings wrong…” He said when he was alone…

…
…..

The three male figures walked along the halls, this time Jasper was on his feet. It was quiet, only sound was the trotting of hooves on the cement floor as they headed for the elevator leading to the execution chamber on the bottom floor. No way out once down there and Jasper knew this as well, his wrists cuffed to Justice’s belt. Two fully skilled Earth Pony guards one in front one behind, they had the advantage on him…

As they finally reached the elevator, Lockdown hit the button. A soft machine starting up could be heard as the elevator came to life, Jasper looked up at the ceiling as he thought hard. The two stallions began to chat to themselves about later plans, nothing important to Jasper’s thoughts. When the door finally opened up and they stepped in, click the bottom floor button. And finally the doors closed, the soft jerk as the platform descended down. Jasper opened his mouth a bit to speak…

“Hey Justice… have I done any good in this prison?” He asked, Lockdown glanced at him but turned his attention back to the control panel that read what floor they were on. Justice laughed lightly “Oh yeah tons of good, you helped get the power in the lower level back online, you helped the audio system so that we don’t have to travel all over this place to tell a simple message. You also helped get these moving floo-“ He was cut off by Lockdown who simply said “Elevators” Justice glared at his partner “Whatever, you got these ‘Elevators” working, even helped create the maintenance system that keeps it all running. Shame those ladders won’t be put into use anymore waste of metal” Justice said, Jasper’s head raised a little as his eyes looked up.

“Oh yeah… I did do all that didn’t I?... I’m going to miss you two…”