Harmony's Clown

by SciWriter

Prologue: Liberty or Death

Ponyville County Jail, 90 AHD (After Harmony’s Discovery).

Thunder Fall leaned against the metal wall, his billy club tapping his side as he did. This job was so boring most of the time, he wanted to flip down his hat and just sleep. No one was getting out of their cells-heck, there were days when he welcomed the idea of a prison break. Really this was mostly a peaceful lot though. A few federal prisoners were here, but only for a small stay before their trip to Canterlot Pen, as this wasn’t a place for them. Even Light Angel was here, the leader of the Eagles, the most feared Pegasi supremacy group in all of Equestria. He was here for- embezzlement. Yea, even if something sounded like things might get interesting-nope.

Not exactly what Thunder thought he would be doing when he trained to be a prison guard, watching a bunch of blue collars and petty thieves. All the movies made it look like he would be fighting for his life every day… yea no. He smiled, getting ready for one more pass, making sure everyone was still in bed, no funny business. He stretched his wings and set out. Too bad he didn’t get to use his wings often these days.

Foosh! Down a hole, that he was pretty sure wasn’t supposed to be there, he went. It was only a single floor drop, so landing on his side, pinching his hip against his billy club, hurt alright, and he gave a yelp, but hardly too dangerous. He jumped to his hooves and scanned around himself. He looked up… there was no hole, he could see that, so how did he fall? The Pegasus shot into the air and flew in the middle of the cell area, the cells of his charges all around him in a large circle. He looked at the ground and scanned the railing he had been on.

In casually strolled a black unicorn wearing body armor and a multicolored mask. “Sup?” he shouted over to Thunder.

“The hell are you doing in here? Who are you? Identify yourself immediately!” Finally something interesting-don’t mess it up Thunder!

“Well, I’m a guy in a mask so, pretty safe to say I don’t belong here right? So… we gonna do this fight thing or you just gonna fly there?” asked the unicorn. “I mean if you’d prefer that, it’s fine. Imma just let everyone stretch their legs a bit outside, you good?”

He flashed his light at the unicorn, “Stay right where you are!”

“You… I mean… I’m here in body armor and a mask and you’re going through the hole routi- okay fine- no.” He nodded side to side. “What now?”

Thunder pulled up his radio, “I have a suspicious individual in cell circle 5, send back up, looks like a trouble maker…”

The unicorn looked at himself. “Suspicious… think that’s a bit of an understatement don’t you?” The unicorn then looked at Thunder, who flew there, fumbling with his uniform, trying to look tough by bringing himself up to his full size. “New at this?”

Thunder pulled up his cross bow from his tunic, dropping in a round, “Hold it right there!”

“You could put someone’s eye out with- na, too easy. Anyway,” the unicorn turned and moved to one of the cells.

“I’m warning you!”

“Well I would warn you too, but I’ve done this song and dance a few times precious.” he banged on the cell, the prisoner getting up. “Just pull the trigger, it’ll be fine,” he opened the door to the cell. The prisoners all around started to get up and run to the cell doors. The stallion in the cell moved towards the strange unicorn.

“You stay in there Fade,” Thunder shouted. “Not another fu***** step!”

“Language!” the unicorn said. “I’m doing a jail break, no need for cussing, that’s just rude!” He looked at Thunder, the lifeless mask giving the guard the heebee jebees. “Oh right… step…” the unicorn took another step. The Pegasus jumped in the air and his cross bow activated, the bolt flying forward. A black plate like object formed in front of the unicorn’s face, the bolt flying into it and out a second plate like object near the Pegasus, the arrow suddenly shooting back out and taking Thunder’s hat as it traveled up and smashed against the ceiling. The unicorn smiled, Thunder seeing it under the open lips of the mask. “Good practice right?” He got up on his hind legs and held out his forelegs, “Let’s do this then. Come at me bro!”

“FREEZE!” “HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!” Several shouts filled the room as a team of ponies in body armor swarmed into the room, unicorns with their magic warmed up moved around the room, earth ponies with drawn cross bows occupied the door and pegasi zipped around the room to take different angles for attack.

The stallion in the mask lowered his head, “Oh… fun times…” he slammed his hooves into the grating “C’mon!” Several arrows were set lose, screaming towards the bravado pony as hundreds of black tendrils surrounded him creating a wall. The arrows pierced through, but stuck like trapped in a mess of flesh, black gew flying all around. “You have any idea how hard this stuff is to wash out? Especially body armor… what do you think this stuff is machine wash-“ several unicorns set off their spells as he teleported mid sentence. The railing where he been erupted into metal shards as the stallion reappeared on the ground level with the guards.

One of the pegasi swooped down and slammed his jaw with her back hoof. The masked pony flew back, tables smashing under him, as nonetheless, black tendrils surrounded him and protected him from the impact. He sighed as he got up, fixing his jaw. “Okay… I can see you all mean bus-“ he teleported to the railing to the right “ness, and this is-“ another teleport and he was in a cell with a very surprised stallion. Tendrils shot out around him and ripped opened the bars, “really getting annoying.” He walked out of the cells, a pegasus landing in front of him as he disappeared and reappeared in another cell. “Magic inhibitors in the cells make it akward too-“ a black portal appeared under him and he fell through, falling out a portal three feet from the other guards. “Thing is, I need you guys in here.”

Many unicorns turned to him their horns glowing. “You see I don’t understand-“ he disappeared and reappeared to the left “something. Am I honestly-“ he teleported again, this time appearing on the opposite side of the room, this time the unicorns fired their spells as he reappeared, but a large black portal appeared in front of him, another appearing to the left the magic flying out and ripping apart the left wall, making an opening to the outside. “Ooooh! Got clever with it that time. But none of you guys thought to just put like a sock or something on your horn so folks can’t-“ several pegasi flew towards him as he disappeared again, appearing once again on the railing, “tell when you’re charging a spell? Mine's nylon!”

An earth pony walked forward into the room. “Keep playing, you can’t actually fight us, we’re too many. May as well surrender now.” The masked unicorn kept teleporting around the room. “We’ve done enough damage and I have an offer that you would be smart to take… or maybe you’re as much an idiot as you sound.”

“Oh I am so much more of an idiot than I sound, but do tell!” said the masked unicorn appearing next to him. He vanished again.

The earth pony raised his hoof and the unicorns discharged their horns, the earth ponies lowered their bows and the pegasi landed all around. “Give up now,” the masked unicorn stopped teleporting, now across the room. “In fact, there’s the door,” the leader pointed at the exploded wall, “Just walk. I don’t know what the hell you’re up to, but I don’t want my stallions or prisoners hurt.” The unicorn just stood. “Well, what is your answer?”

“Well… let me explain something. Masks hide a lot of things, for instance, if you’re concentrating on a spell- DEMONIC MYST!” As the other ponies resumed their attack positions as the room became dark, the large earth pony looking around in fear. All around the leader, hundreds of large eyes appeared, like they were floating in the room. The ponies in the doorway pointed their weapons at random eyes as they started to leak what looked like black blood. Several of the pegasi slammed into the floating eyes, most by accident, as they appeared so suddenly. Many pegasi found themselves caught in a sticky substance, several shouting for help or just screaming in terror.

“WHAT ARE YOU?!!” shouted the earth pony.

“Good question,” said the masked unicorn. Several eyes ripped open, black blood flying out as black bipedal creatures fell out of them. The black creatures stood up, like apes, each with one large eye on their faces and- no faces at all, just their one eye each. The lead pony quickly bucked one of the creatures, it splattering blood everywhere.

“Fight them, they’re not invincible!” the leader shouted. Black blood splattered all over, many of the ponies becoming drenched. The room, as suddenly as it darkened, brightened up, the monsters all destroyed, the eyes just vanishing. Black blood covered the floor and tables on ground level. One last demonic creature stood, it’s head turning to look at one unicorn in particular, a white mare with a pink mane wearing blue body armor. It started walking towards her. She started to sweat as it walked towards her, it’s head moving erratically. Two bolts flew at it, but instead of falling down like the others, it just kept going forward with one bolt in its chest and the other in its head. She warmed up her horn but it didn’t seem to respect the warning. Finally she unleashed her spell, incinerating the monster and- catching the whole room on fire!

Many of the pegasi and the lead pony, covered in black blood, for some reason, did not catch fire. The ponies started looking around in a panic, the prisoners shouted in fear and anger. “You see everyone, I needed you here for one simple reason. You care about your prisoners, and so, if you don’t want them to burn, you’ll have to perpetrate your own jail break. I’m bringing this place down… give us liberty, or give us death.” The masked unicorn vanished from the room.

The guards ran to the cells, keys out as their prisoners shouted for them to hurry. Outside loud explosions provided extra “motivation”. The unicorn mare who set the room on fire grabbed an extinguisher from the wall with her magic. The leader grabbed her with his foreleg, “Seriously, you’re gonna do what, put it out?” She dropped the extinguisher and teleported to one of the cells. The leader ran out of the flames and too the rails. “None of those monsters were on the rails…” he said pausing. “So the prisoners wouldn’t burn before we got to them… what is this guy doing?”

Minutes flew by as the pegasi flew prisoners and injured guards out. Thunder landed by the leader near the opening on the outside. The earth pony looked at him. “You can explain later guard, he got all of us, can’t fault you, I need you flying ponies out pronto.”

Thunder felt nervousness like always when he addressed his commander, but the fire was motivating him to swallow it. In emergencies he was one of the communications officers. “Sir, that’s not what I’m reporting on. Three more cell circles are reporting massive fires, all on the roof, apparently this guy spread gasoline and black powder up there before he entered. There’s a lot of damage, but this was pretty well planned… well, if he wanted us to get everyone out…”

“Something he didn’t plan for then it seems. This is a stone facility. Sure we have to evacuate, but fire can’t burn stone unless it’s REALLY hot, so it can’t spread. This fire won’t destroy the facility, just make it useless for a while.” The leader didn’t want to pause, but he did, he had to know, “Which circle hasn’t he attacked?”

“Number two, maximum security.”

“Any reports from them?”

“Short conflict, but we’ve lost communication sir.” Thunder swallowed. “I can relay ponies to investigate…”

“I… we can’t. We have three hundred prisoners to evacuate before they burn or suffocate… let’s hope they can wait…”

(***)

Cell circle 2

The blue bodied yellow maned pegasus, Light Angel watched out his cell, hearing the explosions occur all around him. He remained calm, his war time training making this feel… almost like home. He watched as several mare and stallion guards were tossed aside by black tentacles from the shadows. In short order they were all unconscious. Then he watched as a black unicorn in a mask started walking around the small cell circle, holding a small clip board. He looked at a red stallion in the first cell he came to. “Fire Scream… four counts of assault and one murder in second degree-doubt even half the staff knew you were here- so you won’t be missed,” Angel couldn’t see, but he could easily guess what happened as he saw black tendrils shoot from around the unicorn and the pony inside the cell screamed.

The next cell, “Forward Star, eighteen counts of rape against your own daughter- don’t care if they miss you.” more screams, then a sudden stop to them.

“Night Dawn, bank robbery, two counts of destruction of property, and assault forcing a mare to let you shave her head… let’s make a deal, I let you go, you shave your own mane and tattoo “I’m a freak” on your head. Can I count on you doing that?...” he looked at the tendrils coming out of smoking mist around him. “Not like I’m not considering alternatives.”

“Buck yes, please just let me go…” the door was ripped open and the green unicorn ran fast as he could out of the circle to the main area.

“Sun Day,” the fourth cell. “Fifty thousand bits stolen and five counts of stealing medicine for your sick grandmother… seriously?” the cell was ripped open, “Hope she’s okay. Get out of here.”

Finally he came to Light’s cell. Light smiled at him. “Hello.” Light said.

The unicorn looked at him. The unicorn had on a mask with six colors on it, arranged in radiating triangles. Purple, cyan, pink, yellow, white and orange. Tendrils raised up all around the black unicorn as his mask looked into the cell. Light had a hard time determining what was going on behind the mask. “Light Angel, leader of the hate group, the Eagles. Five counts of embezzlement.”

Light shook his head. “That was for a business affiliated with my group, which you may not like my group, but I still have freedom of speech do I not?”

The unicorn growled. “I want to end you so badly… so many lives ruined.”

“I have attacked no one, just spoken my mind. I see what you’re doing. Eye for an eye, hmm? You kill me, you know it, you’re no better than the first guy.”

“This isn’t about whose better, it’s about setting things right… doing what’s right… I… I have… no choice,” the door to Light’s cell was ripped open.

Light walked out calmly. “I won’t soon forget this unicorn.” Electricity surrounded the pegasus as he passed the door. “You have gained a powerful yet unlikely friend.” He smiled. “I will be keeping my eye on you.” Electricity shot off Light’s body and into the roof of the cell circle, ripping it apart. “Fear not, I pay my debts.” He flew out.

The unicorn sighed. “Matriarchs... moms... tell me I did this right...”

(***)

The jail was smoking hours later, but still standing, the fuel for the fire had finally been burned through. Pegasi were flying overhead, watching the fire die down. The fire ponies were starting to move on as one watched. He stopped, watching as he flew in place. Up the fire continued to go.

“What was this guy after?” the green pegasi asked himself. “We’re just gonna-“ explosions rocked the facility, fires reigniting, windows erupting and portions of the jail collapsing including all of the entrances.

The pegasi pulled out a radio. “Sir… I have no idea what he had in mind, but this had to be planned… we’re dealing with a character all right.” He looked at the wreckage. The building hadn’t been vaporized, but no way was it reopening for several weeks if not months. “What do you want?” he asked, as if the perp were right there with him.

Author's Note:

Hope you all enjoy, wonder who can figure out where this story goes. Yes, it's all the same universe as You're Wanted, and yes, that means, if you read that story, you might know who Clown is.

Comments

[SciWriter]

So this story is meant to make you think about several things.

1. Does the government of a country have the right to punish criminals however it deems fit, so long at the people don't object? Or is there an independent standard of what is "cruel and unusual" as stated in the US Constitution and I'm guessing a number of other country's founding documents, that world governments must be subject to?

2. If a government is perpetrating cruel and unusual punishment, is that a human rights violation by itself, regardless of severity?

3. Could a poorly conceived penal system cause corruptions beyond just jails themselves?

4. Would you rather a penal system determined by facts, or feelings? If a man commits murder, not in self defense, then the fact is, he committed murder, and his sentence, by most moral codes, should be death. However, all kinds of circumstances could have motivated that, so wouldn't we feel death could be too harsh of a punishment? What about mercy anyway? Isn't that something the greatest world religions and philosophies espouse above all else? If a man commits theft, a good punishment would be to pay the victim a set amount based on how much was stolen. However, that theft could have ended a fifty year family business that can't be brought back by just that payment, doesn't that feel like not enough? Isn't the point of justice to restore victims and stop crime? But then, if punishments aren't set, how you feel about someone, say, how you feel about their gender or skin color, can matter more than what they actually did, and a person can be essentially punished for how they were born, their crime being little more than an excuse to exercise our prejudice. What one person feels is a good punishment, another will feel is cruel and unusual. If we have no determining factor, how do we say which feeling is right? How the hell would we even know what someone is feeling when making a punishment?

5. If we want a determining factor for punishment, what should it be?

[Mother3Forever]

The next cell, “Forward Star, eighteen counts of rape against your own daughter- don’t care if they miss you.” more screams, then a sudden stop to them.

oh god.... 18 counts of... I'm gonna be sick. To his own DAUGHTER no less...

[NicLove]

Before I read this, what is the Dark tag for ?
And how bad does it get ?

[SciWriter]

8359783
In particular, I changed one scene in the begining. Nothing was "shown" per say, but Forward Star was implied to have been castrated and left to get medical attention on his own, if he could. Kinda cut that for a number of reasons. One, it gave more of a "Punisher" vibe than an "eye for an eye" vibe and this character isn't out to punish, per say, just set things right. Second reason, I think scenes THAT over the top could force a mature rating- yep, I PG13ed myself.

Clown does the "judge and jury" thing a quite a few times and, I'm sure it's not a surprise to hear, the oh so subtly named character, Light Angel (if you don't get it, look up "angel of light") is gonna be showing up again and doing some nasty stuff. Basically this is a future Equestria that is using a system of "crime prevention" similar to the US and other western countries, that is resulting in mass incarceration. I'm not sure how "dark" that all sounds to you, but I thought it qualified.