The events that take place in this chapter occur after the events of Chapter 10 and 11 of the main storyline. The night scenes before takes place right before Jethro meets with the two sisters in his Morphean form and the day after takes place, well, the day after.
Twilight Sparkle's Perspective
Twilight had been Princess Celestia's student for years. She'd seen the princess pleased with her progress, upset at her for a few things, even slightly morose occasionally, especially during the Sunrise Celebration, but Twilight had to admit to herself that she'd never seen her mentor this angry before. She, along with her new friends, we're standing before the dual thrones within the old Castle of the Two Sisters. Celestia sat in her old throne and Luna beside. Luna's face was neutral but it was Celestia's face that was full of rage.
And rightly so, Twilight thought. Not twelve hours ago, she and her friends had practically stormed the house of a Zebra named Zecora due to their fear that she'd led them into a patch of deadly flowers that had adverse effects on them. But that wasn't the biggest issue that her mentor was upset about.
No, it had to do with the other creature-no, he'd called himself a human, she reminded herself. Nopony had ever seen anything like him, let along heard of anycreature like him. And what had they done during their first meeting? Assaulted him. Hay, Applejack had practically begun strangling him. Twilight doubted she'd ever be able to forget the look of pure unadulterated terror on the human's face when Applekack lassoed the human's neck.
Twilight had wanted to tell Applejack to stop. She really had. But fear had gripped her and stayed her muzzle. And now, she was regretting that decision.
Surprisingly, it was Luna who spoke first. "What giveth thou the right to decide who is worthy of life and who isn't? We don't care if thou art the Bearers of the Elements now. Nopony is above the law, not even our royal sister and ourselves."
Nopony spoke, their heads hung low in shame. Twilight looked up at her mentor, but the look of anger on Princess Celestia's face shook her to the core of her being and she averted her gaze, looking at the meticulously recreated stone floor. According to the human's own admission, he possessed a magic hereto unknown to even Twilight, a magic he'd used to recreate the castle they were currently in. A palace that had once housed the Princesses a thousand years ago before Nightmare Moon destroyed it.
Luna continued. "Were it up to us, thou wouldst be cast into the Canterlot dungeons for assault and attempted murder. However, we are not the ones who shall dole out thy punishment. That is for our sister."
Princess Celestia suddenly stood from her recreated throne. The sudden movement caused Twilight and her friends to flinch as the Princess slowly walked down the raised dais towards them. Twilight winced as she specifically made her way towards Applejack and Rainbow Dash, both of whom were looking anywhere but the princesses. Rainbow Dash didn't look too happy, but it was Applejack who looked the most upset. Twilight couldn't blame her. She's just discovered something about herself that frightened and angered her: the fact that she was capable of cold-blooded murder. Defense of her family or not, Twilight was positive if she were in Applejack's position, there would be no excuse good enough to escape the guilt and shame.
"Raise your head, Applejack," Princess Celestia commanded. Everypony in the room flinched. The princess' tone was pretty much a snarl of barely restrained rage. Twilight watched her Earth Pony friend look up at the princess, fear barely hidden in those green eyes of hers. Princess Celestia leaned down fast, getting directly in Applejack's face. "I am not just disappointed in you, I. Am. Pissed."
Twilight's ears flattened back even more. Her mentor stood back up, spreading her wings regally. "You rushed to judgement against not only that Zebra, which could have caused an incident with Farasi, but you attacked the only member of a species in our land. In our world!" Applejack opened her mouth to say something, but Princess Celestia silenced her with a glare. "I am angry with all of you, but especially with you, Applejack. Would you be able to live with the death of somepony on your hooves? Do you think you'd be able to sleep at night, knowing that the blood of an innocent being was on your head!?"
Without missing a beat, she whirled on Rainbow Dash, who flinched hard under the gaze of Princess Celestia's regal rage. "And you! You assaulted him without any warning!"
"B-But-he was holding me-" Rainbow Dash began, before Princess Celestia interrupted.
"SILENCE!" she shouted, using a tone Twilight had never heard before, but had heard about. She'd just used the Royal Canterlot Voice on her friend. Rainbow Dash's wings slammed back to her side, and she knelt in fear.
In that moment, a stray thought passed through Twilight's head. Maybe this was one reason why Jethro was afraid of the princesses?
The princess loomed over the Pegasus. "Maybe I should throw you in the Canterlot dungeons, or perhaps put you on trial-"
"Princess, wait!" Twilight shouted, rushing forward and standing between her friend and her mentor. "It's my fault. Please don't punish them."
The look of disappointment on Princess Celestia's face shook Twilight to her very core. It took every bit of her willpower not to break eye contact with the princess. Her legs were shaking, and her emotions were all over the place. Princess Celestia's voice lowered and her tone shattered Twilight. "Out of all the Ponies here, I expected a lot from you. You allowed baseless rumors and fear to rule your actions. You are the Bearers of Harmony," she continued, looking angrily at each of the Ponies. "How can you claim those titles when you can't accept non-Ponies among you? You can accept Spike, but not a Zebra, who looks more like a Pony than anything? Not to mention a being from a whole other world who's first impression of us is that we are violent and disharmonious?"
Twilight heard Fluttershy softly crying from nearby, Pinkie too looked like she was about to cry, Rarity was looking at the ground, a look of shame on her face, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash were doing the same. Twilight knew her mentor was right. Why had she let herself be swayed? No, I can't blame the others for this. I'm just as guilty as the others. I didn't act, and that's just as bad as acting.
"We…we're awful sorry," Applejack said, and Twilight could sense that she was being sincere.
To Twilight's surprise, however, Princess Celestia sighed. "You six don't need to apologize to me. There are two other individuals you need to apologize to. As for how I'm going to deal with your actions…will be to do everything in your power to make up for how poorly you treated those two." The princess turned to Applejack. "Be grateful, Applejack. I was considering revoking the land grant I gave to the Apple family all those years ago."
Applejack's eyes widened in horror. "Wait! It was mah fault! Don't take this out on mah family, please!"
"No, I wouldn't do that," the princess said, "but I will be writing to your grandmother about what you tried to do in detail."
Applejack paled in fear, but slowly nodded, looking down at the ground once more. The princess looked at the others. "I want you to imagine what would have happened if Zecora hadn't stopped Applejack from her murder attempt. I would have had no choice but to place each and every one of you into custody. Murder hasn't occurred in Equestria in many years, and as such the punishment is very severe. Life is sacred and should never be taken needlessly and on a whim! Be grateful that we have no death penalty or that I'm not banishing you for your actions!"
Twilight flinched. She'd heard that nations like Griffonstone had the death penalty. The others looked like they had the same thoughts. Execution was completely foreign to Pony thinking. The thought about it normally sickened them. Princess Celestia looked all six mares over slowly, before she stood straighter. "I hope you realize just how lucky all six of you are. I'm breaking so many rules by letting you off so easily, but if this does happen next time, I won't be so merciful. In fact, if there is a next time, I will let my sister choose your punishment. As it is, you six are going to be making a sincere apology to Jethro Bethridge as soon as possible. However, if you can't find it in yourselves to be honest and sincere about it, then I will make sure to think of a suitable alternative punishment for you. Depending on Mr. Bethridge's response, you might have further punishments coming your way. Now, leave my sight. I have prepared a large room for you all to sleep in. Guards, take the Bearers of Harmony to their room."
Twilight and the others bowed and left the throne room, a cloud of gloom above their heads. All Twilight could think was, What have we done? What do we do?
Applejack's Perspective
What in tarnation was I thinking? Applejack's thoughts were all a jumble as the six of them were led down the well-lit hallways. When did I become like this? Oh, Celestia's flowing mane…what will Granny think? What will she do?!
Applejack was brought out of her thoughts by somepony nearby sniffing and quietly crying. Applejack looked over and saw Fluttershy walking down the hall, tears falling down her face. Applejack wanted to go over to her Pegasus friend and try and reassure her, but she couldn't find the nerve to do so. She just wanted to close her eyes and pretend that this was a bad dream. How could I have been so gosh-darned stupid? I almost killed sompony…no, some…what'd that creature call himself again? Ponyfeathers! I can't remember! I need to figure out how to earn his forgiveness. But how? What do I do?
Fluttershy's Perspective
That human almost died! That human almost died! And it's all my fault! I didn't speak up! Oh, good job, Fluttershy! You scaredy-Pony!
Tears of shame, fear, and self-loathing flowed down Fluttershy's face in a continuous stream as the six silently walked down the hall towards their room for the night. As they continued, she couldn't keep the image of that look of fear out of her mind. The one on the human's face. So much like that of a Pony…those eyes were intelligent, and it was all her fault.
He won't forgive me…he almost died because of me…because of…me…I have to make it up to him! I have to! But…what do I do?
Rarity's Perspective
Rarity walked in silence down the hall, her thoughts a blur. She didn't even know what to think. She'd been there, she'd seen what happened, and did nothing to help that poor human from Applejack's noose.
She felt sick. She felt very, very sick. She didn't know what to do or say when they next saw the human creature-no, creature wasn't appropriate for a lady to use. Being, yes. Human being worked.
Maybe I can craft some clothes for him as an apology, she thought. He did say humans wore clothes all the time. But…is that really enough? Can't I do more for the poor human stallion to make up for my lapse? What do I do…?
Rainbow Dash's Perspective
Damn it, I screwed up a lot, Rainbow Dash thought as they all walked down the hall towards their room for the night. Sure, he could have been dangerous, but I didn't know that for sure, did I? Rainbow frowned and looked at the ground. She'd been impulsive and quick to judge all her life, and never had gotten in so much trouble for it.
What do I do? Applejack might have almost killed him, but so did I! How can I make up for it? Rainbow Dash thought long and hard. Maybe I can get him some tickets to see a Wonderbolts performance? He might like that. Maybe I can offer to show him what it's like to fly around and carry him on a flight? What do I do?
Pinkie Pie's Perspective
I need to make that human smile, somehow! Pinkie Pie's mind was a complete chaotic jumble now. I just gotta! He's a new friend to Ponyville! I've got to make him the biggest party ever! Then she remembered how she hadn't even given him a smile when first meeting and her thought turned sour like the sourest of lemon drop candies. Will he even want to be my friend, now? Do I deserve to be his friend?
She looked down and couldn't help herself. She let a small tear fall. I messed up big time. What do I do? What do I do…?
Twilight Sparkle's Perspective
Their room was a large six bed affair, with large comfortable beds against the walls. There was a large window looking out at the lower towers and the Everfree Forest below. Twilight looked down at the forest, trying to find the location of Jethro's house, but finding nothing. Whatever cloaking spell he'd used was perfect. She couldn't even detect a house in the general direction of where they'd just been.
She looked at her five friends. All of their expressions presumably matched hers. Morose, guilt ridden, completely upset and angry at themselves. All the emotions Twilight herself was feeling.
As if there was a hidden signal, the six mares all began looking at each other, exchanging glances of uncertainty. Twilight wanted to say something, anything, but she couldn't think of anything that could lift their spirits.
To her surprise, it was Rainbow Dash who spoke up. "If nopony else's gonna say it, I will. We all fucked up."
A gasp came from Rarity. "Rainbow Dash! A lady doesn't use such words!"
"It's the truth, like it or not!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, stamping her hoof on the floor. She pointed a hoof accusingly at an unusually silent Applejack. "She and I almost murdered that human! And the rest of you?"
"Rainbow, we know what we did," Twilight said, trying to diffuse the situation, but Rainbow wasn't done.
"I almost did something that I wouldn't be able to fly away from, damn it!" She hit the floor again, harder this time. "The princess was right! We all deserve prison time!"
"Rainbow…" Twilight began, but she still wasn't done.
"No, Twilight! We did something completely fucking stupid and something that could have gotten us in serious trouble!" Rainbow shouted louder.
That began to anger Twilight. "Shouting about it isn't going to help!" she shouted back.
"Settle down there," Applejack said, and Twilight was surprised at how much the farmgirl's voice was trembling. It wasn't easy to spot, but it was there. "Rainbow, we all messed up big time, but Twilight's right. We can shout at each other all we want and it ain't gonna do us a lick of good."
"We're all to blame, darling," Rarity said in an unusually subdued voice, especially from a mare like her. "We all jumped to conclusions without even doing any proper investigation."
Pinkie Pie, who was lying in one of the beds already, looked over. "And I sang such a meanie song about Zecora, too…And that song about Jethro was even worse…"
Twilight thought back to the time when Pinkie had made up a second verse to the song about Zecora. Something about the slave of Zecora who would help kidnap more Ponies for Zecora's tasty stew. It had even sent a shiver down Twilight's back with how far she'd gone in her wild imagination. "Pinkie…we didn't know-"
"That's not an excuse ah can live with, sugarcube," Applejack said. "Ah nearly killed a stallion, Twilight. Me!"
"Applejack, we all screwed up," Twilight tried to assure her. "But Princess Celestia's given us an extremely generous chance to make things right. So…let's try and make this right with the human and Zecora."
"B-But how?" Fluttershy asked, and her voice was hoarse.
Sounds like she's been crying, Twilight thought with worry. "Well, once we all calm down, maybe we can do something for him tomorrow morning," Twilight said. "Maybe make him breakfast?"
"With what, darling?" Rarity asked. "I doubt this palace is stocked with anything that we can even begin to cook with."
Rainbow Dash was still hovering nearby, not looking especially happy. Twilight walked over to her. "Rainbow…"
She glared down at Twilight. "What?" she spat angrily, but Twilight could tell that the anger was directed mostly inward.
"I get that you're angry, but please…could you help us think of a way to make things right with Jethro?" Twilight practically begged.
"Like it'll help," Rainbow Dash said. "But sure, why not?"
Wow, Rainbow Dash is taking this really hard, Twilight thought. She looked at the others, who all had similar self-loathing looks on their faces. She trotted over to the window, once more looking out at the forest. Turning around, she cleared her throat. "Okay, so should we make a breakfast for Jethro as a means of apology?"
Applejack looked up at the ceiling, eyes unfocused. "Yeah…ah don't know how that is supposed to make up fer things. But…maybe it's a start…"
Fluttershy just nodded. Pinkie Pie did as well. Rarity sighed. "Applejack's right. Maybe it could be a start…"
That's probably as good as it's going to get, Twilight thought. "Okay, so a breakfast for Jethro tomorrow. Here's what I was thinking…"
Zecora's Perspective, The Next Morning…
A bird's song outside the window woke Zecora from her slumber. She slowly sat up and stretched before looking over at her savior. She and he had finally met with the diarchs of Equestria. After the events of the previous evening, she did not wish to leave him alone. She had never seen him so scared before, and it greatly concerned her. Slowly, she got out of bed, quietly enough that she hoped to let him sleep while she made him a healthy breakfast.
However, that was not to be. Jethro suddenly stirred, and opened his eyes. Sitting up, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and brushed his light brown hair aside. Yawning, he looked at the clock next to his bed. "Damn, ten thirty seven already? We really slept in." He then turned and looked over at Zecora. "Good morning, Zecora."
"Good morning, my savior," Zecora said with a warm smile. "I hope you slept well."
"As well as I could," he said as he pushed the covers aside and swung his legs over the side of his bed. Standing, he arched his back and Zecora could hear a cracking. He stretched his arms above his head. "Have you been awake long?"
"No. I was just about to make us breakfast," Zecora admitted.
"Thank you for thinking of me, but don't worry," Jethro said. "I can make breakfast easy enough. I still have some eggs left, and the bread hasn't gone bad yet, so toast is on the table."
Zecora felt a bit badly, now. After all he'd gone through, she wanted nothing more than to make his morning relaxing. And yet here he was, all ready to make breakfast for the two of them. "Jethro, my savior, it's alright to take the day off for once. I can do it."
Jethro gave Zecora a reassuring smile, one that made Zecora's heart flutter ever so slightly. "I know what you're doing, and I appreciate it. But I need to do this. For my own sanity."
"At least let me help," Zecora said.
"Alright…I know you'll continued to bug me otherwise," he said as he threw on his dark green bathrobe. "Let's go."
Zecora smiled and joined her savior in the small kitchen. Just as Jethro was grabbing a frying pan, there was a quiet knock at the door. Zecora saw Jethro stiffen slightly. Putting her hoof on his back, she said, "I can go see who it is."
"Thank you," he said, quieter than before.
Zecora walked over to the front door and unlocked it with her teeth. Slowly opening it, she looked through a crack to see, of all Ponies, Twilight Sparkle. Behind her, Zecora saw her other friends. She opened the door more. "Well, what can I do for you Ponies six? Is there another potion you need me to mix?"
Twilight shook her head solemnly. Zecora finally noticed that all the Ponies behind her were carrying small baskets. She could smell various different foodstuffs. She smelled eggs, toast, something made of apples, and a few other dishes. "Is Jethro awake?" Twilight asked. "We wanted to give him something."
"I'm awake," Jethro said from behind Zecora, sticking his head out. "What's going on? Why are you all here?"
The Ponies backed up a bit, looking away from him with various degrees of guilty looks on their faces. All except Twilight, who gave the lonesome human a forlorn and apologetic glance. "We…we never apologized yesterday," she said softly, "We did things we can never apologize enough for, but even so, we wanted to begin to make things right. We brought you breakfast."
Zecora looked up as Jethro gave each of the Ponies an unreadable look. Zecora put a hoof on his foot gently, and he looked down at her. The two exchanged a small glance. The night before, Zecora and Jethro had talked long and extensively about each of the Ponies. Even if he'd known about them from his show, he still was a bit nervous around them and upset. Zecora was pleased, however, when Jethro began to reason that he couldn't be too mad at them for their reasons behind it. He stepped aside and pushed the door open. "Well, come on in, everyone. We'll have to eat in the living room, since I have no room at the kitchen table for eight of us."
"Eight…of us?" Twilight asked, sounding more confused now.
"Well, yeah. I can't eat all that food by myself," Jethro said. "Besides, it'll give us time to talk."
Twilight Sparkle's Perspective
Twilight had to practically force down the scientist within her so as not to ask the questions burning inside her. All of these strange devices in his home practically screamed worthy of study, but she knew better than to do anything in the present circumstances. She took a seat on the floor near a flat black device. The others filed in and handed their baskets to Jethro and Zecora, who walked into the nearby kitchen. Twilight could hear the two of them talking quietly, but in no language she'd ever heard before.
"Do…you think he'll forgive us?" Pinkie asked softly. Twilight hadn't even seen her smile ever since the princesses had dressed the group down the night before.
"Ah wouldn't be surprised if he didn't," Applejack said. "'Specially me."
"Come on, we can't give up hope yet," Twilight said, but she felt like a hypocrite saying that. She was almost ready to give up hope. He hadn't looked too pleased to see them, and that hurt. Not only had she completely failed in her mission to learn more about friendship, but she had caused injury to a possible new friend, enough that he might hate all of them forever.
It was to this kind of gloomy hopeless mood that Jethro and Zecora came back to. Jethro looked around the room, a look of alarm plastered on his face. "Whoa, what got all of your panties in a bunch?" he asked, and Twilight was surprised to hear a small sense of concern in the human's voice.
"My savior, it would appear to me that these Ponies all feel badly," Zecora said. "A terrible sin they committed against you, and now feel terrible they do."
Twilight winced at those words, then winced again as Jethro put his hand to his neck. To her shock, a thin red line was still visible around the neck. "Yeah…I guess so. Well, why don't we at least eat something before we discuss that," he said. He put a large platter down on a small table in front of the couch. The platter contained all of the food the Ponies had managed to all cook together that morning. Zecora was carrying a set of plates which she set down beside the platter. "I'll pour the apple cider you brought into some glasses," he said as he walked back into the kitchen.
This…is going better than I imagined, Twilight said, some more hope coming back to her. She hoped it would continue to go better as Jethro came back with eight glasses. He poured them and set them on the small table.
"Let's dig in, everyone," Jethro said as he served himself up a modest sample of eggs, a piece of toast, and a small portion of apple pie.
The silence was almost unbearable for Twilight. She wanted to say something, anything, but nothing really seemed appropriate. The mood in the small room was growing more and more uncomfortable by the passing minute. Twilight could see the various feelings of fear and general unease on her friend's faces. Jethro and Zecora, on the other hand, didn't have any particular looks on theirs.
The meal seemed to go on forever, and Twilight couldn't even enjoy it. It was good, but her tastebuds were soured by the overwhelming gloom in the room.
Zecora and Jethro were the first to finish, and the two sat and waited, keeping a watch over the room with cool gazes.
It was Rainbow Dash who cracked first. She put her plate down on the ground, a bit too hard since it spilled bits of egg everywhere. "If nopony else is going to say anything, I will!" She looked up at Jethro. "You hate us, don't you?"
"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight went cold. That's not what I wanted him to hear!
Jethro raised an eyebrow. "Now…why would I hate you? Tell me." He sounded more curious than anything.
"Oh, come on! It's obvious! We almost murdered you!" Rainbow shouted. Twilight saw Applejack flinch a bit.
Frowning, Twilight watched the human stand and walk over to Rainbow. He knelt before the angry looking mare, then quick as a wink, he lightly chopped her forehead. He stood, and walked around to Pinkie Pie next, doing the same to her. One by one, he lightly hit their heads, even Fluttershy's. He saved Applejack for last, then stood. Looking over the six of them, he crossed his arms. "Tell me something. And be honest. As honest as the Element of Honesty."
It still unnerved Twilight as to how he knew their names, but she put that thought aside. "Anything," Twilight said earnestly.
"How protective of you of your friends and your fellow townsfolk? I want Applejack to answer first."
That threw her off. Why is he asking that? Twilight watched as Applejack took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "Ah'm mighty protective of them," she said. "And apparently ah'm willin' to go to great lengths to protect them…ones ah'm not proud of. Ah can't apologize enough…"
Jethro nodded, then turned to Rainbow Dash. She snorted derisively, then said, "I'm not the Element of Loyalty for nothing!"
"I want my friends safe," Fluttershy added.
"Darling, our friends mean everything to us," Rarity added.
"If they aren't smiling, we can't either," Pinkie said earnestly.
"But even that's no excuse for what we did," Twilight cautioned. "We all judged you too quickly and almost ended your life because of our action or, in my case, inaction."
Jethro took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Then it's a good thing that I'll be forgiving you all."
The looks on all of her friends faces was identical. Shock, disbelief, confusion, all mixed in with incredulity. Rainbow Dash flew up towards him, glaring. "And what's your angle about it?"
"Rainbow!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Relax, Miss Sparkle," Jethro said, "Miss Dash has a point. But honestly, I can't really be that angry at you. Sure, I'm plenty miffed, steamed even, but your reasons for what you did, well, some of them, are completely understandable. Trying to protect your friends and family is a valid reason to try and deal with the issue. Yes, you went completely overboard. Yes, you didn't do your research. Yes, I'm steamed about it. But I can't bear seeing anyone looking so self-loathing or upset. Any of you."
Twilight walked over to a trembling and teary eyed Fluttershy. He knelt and held out his hand towards the Pegasus. "Please don't look so sad," he said in a slightly pleading voice.
Fluttershy sniffed and began blubbering. "I-I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed suddenly.
To Twilight's astonishment, the human slowly wrapped his arms around the crying Pegasus. "It's okay…"
Pinkie was the next one to burst out crying. She rushed over to Jethro, blubbering out an apology. Jethro reached out and put an arm around the pink Earth Pony. Even Rainbow Dash's anger was dissolving, being replaced with dull listless look. Twilight herself shed a few tears, but was too nervous to approach the human. Rarity and Applejack looked beside themselves with regret.
This human…why is he being so nice like this? Twilight asked herself as the man who had almost died yesterday comforted two crying mares. It doesn't make sense. She looked over to Zecora with a questioning glance, but Zecora was watching Jethro. Her own smile was full of warmth and approval. Maybe we have her to thank? Twilight wondered. Or maybe I shouldn't assume things anymore. Not without researching them first.
After the two mares had calmed down, Jethro stood and faced the others. "I was always taught by…my parents…that forgiving those who've wronged you is better in the end. Especially if you feel like those who've wronged you are genuinely sorry and won't repeat those same actions. And it seems like you all feel that way, judging from the doom and gloom I'm feeling here."
"Is there…any way we can make it up to you?" Twilight asked nervously, afraid of his answer.
"Simple," he said, looking Twilight directly in the eyes. "Learn from this. Become better Ponies because of it. Don't go rushing headlong into a situation based off of assumptions. Don't judge a book by its cover simply. Need I say more?"
Celestia's Perspective
Princess Celestia stood on the tallest tower balcony, overlooking the Everfree Forest. She'd missed this view. This part of the view hadn't changed at all. The Everfree, while deadly, had its own unusual beauty that Celestia could appreciate. It was the view behind that had changed. There had once been a large city there, one which had been dismantled and abandoned after the battle with Nightmare Moon. A thousand years had completely hidden anything that might have remained of the foundations of the former city. A new forest had arisen there instead.
However, if Celestia closed her eyes and let her mind wander, she could pretend it was a thousand years ago. She could hear Luna busily training some of the precursors of the Wonderbolts, could smell Blueberry Spark cooking her famous triple chocolate fudge cake, and could see the large cityscape full of her Pony subjects.
"We thought we would find thee here, sister," Luna's voice brought Celestia back to the present. Celestia opened her eyes slowly, looking down at her long-lost sister. "Dost thou miss the olden days?"
Celestia looked out at the landscape before her again, then slowly nodded. "Sometimes, yeah. At least, certain aspects of it."
"We feel the same," Luna said, walking over and taking a seat next to Celestia. There was silence between them for a bit, the familiar feeling of the breeze at this height blowing through their already flowing manes. Finally, Luna spoke. "Dost thou think it worked? We weren't sure about using such tactics to teach thy student and her friends a lesson."
Celestia sighed. "I didn't like saying those things, but they needed to be said. My student let her assumptions get the better of her, and her friends too. Nopony's above the law, Lulu. I'm hoping this little display sows a seed in her. A seed that teaches her the dangers of not striking immediately. As well as the dangers of not stopping your friends from doing something foolish. Besides," Celestia said, this time with a heavy heart, "if something like this does happen again, I will be forced to take action. Bearers of the Elements or not, I won't be able to overlook it."
Luna put a wing on Celestia's back. "We understand, sister. The Elements are our biggest defense, but even their bearers are not flawless. We did not enjoy having to yell at them at all, but it was for their own good."
Celestia nodded in agreement, then some motion below caught her eye. She saw six familiar Ponies walking out of seemingly nowhere. Even from this viewpoint, she saw that their postures looked more optimistic, if still a bit subdued. She smiled. She had a feeling that Jethro would be able to forgive them. When she thought about Jethro, her smile faltered. The fear in his eyes had hurt to see. She wanted to reassure the lost human, but the world he was from was one without magic, and one which seemed far more dangerous in many ways than Equestria. "I suppose it was…" Celestia said.
"Cellie, what troubles you, now?" Luna asked.
"It's about Jethro," Celestia said, not taking her eyes. "I'm worried about him."
"Because he fears us so?" Luna asked.
"That, and for another reason," Celestia said. Without being prompted, since she knew her sister would ask anyway, Celestia continued, "He's been through something terrible, something that causes him some hesitation about friendship. Twilight herself told me she saw something in his eyes. Something that I want to help with, if possible."
"Thou were always the compassionate one, sister," Luna said. She spread her wings. "We shall be getting ready to head back to Canterlot. Wilt thou come?"
"In a minute, Lulu," Celestia said.
"Very well. We shall see you soon." And with that, the Lunar Princess flew down towards the open gate.
Celestia went back to watching the Bearers of Harmony disappear into the forest on their way back to Ponyville. As they disappeared, she looked back to the spot where they'd appeared from, only to see the aforementioned human and Zecora standing near the entrance, talking. I hope someday, Jethro Bethridge, that you won't come to fear me, and I sincerely hope that you become friends with the Bearers of Harmony…
With that thought, she spread her wings and flew down…