Monsters, Chapter two: Judgment

Six months passed, following Tobis’s departure, and I will not lie, I became very concerned. He had promised that he would write when he landed, and yet, he did not. I tried to convince myself that he was merely too busy to do so. Yes, he was merely having too much fun to write his lover.

It worked, for a time. It worked until I saw a letter on my desk. It was the letter I had intended to send before Tobis’s departure, explaining who, and what, Tobis was… but it was here, and that meant I had not sent it… which in turn meant that Twilight had not expected his arrival. That meant… but surely, Twilight would let my love explain himself!

Regardless, I could not be certain. As ancient as I was, I knew that even the slightest misunderstanding could spark an entire war. It has happened in the past, and it could easily happen again.

How could I have been so foolish?

~{(M)}~

I stood on the prow of my personal airship, approaching Ponyville, when she came out to greet me. Her navy mane waved gently in the wind , and she flashed me a bright smile. But he was not with her. As my ship came to dock in the town square, I quickly embarked from it’s deck, and glided down in front of my former student.

“Hello Celestia, it’s nice to see you again,” she said, giving a slight bow. These bows I did not mind, as they were merely a courtesy from her, out of respect for equals.

“Twilight… where is Tobis?” I asked, and immediately began to hate the look that crossed my protégé’s face. It was a look of disgust, and malice.

“I don’t know how you know about that monster, but I digress. Please, follow me. He’s being held in a cell under my library,” she said, and turned to trot away. As I followed her, I felt my face break into a scowl, and my wings twitched as we drew closer to Twilight’s home. I was led inside, then quickly to the basement. “There, Celestia, in the cage.”

I approached the enclosure carefully, dreading what I knew I would see. Tears began streaming down my face as I looked upon Tobis’s huddled form.

He sat in a corner, in what he called the fetal position, shaking in fear. “She’s back…” he muttered, no doubt referring to my former student. Even with him curled into a ball, I could see that he was in poor health. His ribs poked through his barrel, and his spine and shoulder blades were all clearly visible on him.

“Why is he in here?”

“He came on one of your airships, I assume it was stolen, and claimed that you had sent him. Obviously, he was lying, so when the beast landed, the mayor had him arrested, and I was tasked with keeping him held. Why do you ask?” she said, puffing out her breast with some pride.

“So he never actually committed any crime against you?” I asked, trembling on my hooves. I was furious, but I would hold in my anger, until I was positive I had a reason to unleash it.

“No, but a lion doesn’t need to kill for you to know it’s dangerous. I had Fluttershy examine him, and she says that he has the teeth of a carnivore. That alone is proof enough that he is dangerous,” she said, giving me a bit of a confused look. “Here, I kept a research journal.”

A small, kelp leather-bound book appeared beside my head, and I caught it in my magic.

“Celestia, what’s going on?”

I turned to her slowly, and, in as calm a voice I could manage, I said to her, “Twilight, please wait upstairs. I’d like to have a word with Tobis.”

“Of course,” she answered, and trotted up the stairs, calling for spike to make some tea for us. I was in no mood for such things.

Once I was sure she was gone, I kneeled beside Tobis’s cage and gently caressed his chin with my magical grip. “Tobis, my love, please, look at me.”

His eyes fluttered open, and tears started pouring down his face, which was dotted with a number of large bruises, and a few cuts. “Cel… you came for me…” was all he could manage before passing out.

“Tobis!” I hissed, “Wake up!” When he did not, I slammed my hoof down on the wood floor, and bit my lip in rage. “Please, Tobis, hold on. I will return momentarily for you.”

I stood and walked toward the stairs, flipping through the pages of Twilight’s journal, growing angrier every second. Nearly the entire town had been in support of Tobis’s imprisonment. A few individuals, a large enough number to make some noise, were against it. Among them were the Element of Kindness, and Laughter. They would be spared.

~{(M)}~

“Ah, I trust you… Celestia? What’s wrong?”

I stared at my former student with a look that put the fury of Nightmare Moon to shame, causing her to take a few steps backwards. “Twilight,” I said harshly, “You have disappointed me.”

“What?” A look of terror flooded her face, and I felt sorry for her, for only a split second.

“I sent Tobis here. He is not only my ambassador, he is my lover. He was my best friend, and now… now, you will serve your punishment for your abuse of him.” Twilight’s eyes grew wide as a sphere of magic formed around my horn.

“Please… I’m sorry! I didn’t know!” she hollered, stumbling backwards. “Please, forgive me!”

“You are too late in your remorse. You never gave him a chance! You locked him away, and you DIDN’T EVEN GIVE HIM A CHANCE!” I screamed, and unleashed a blast of arcane might straight at Twilight, who did not even try to dodge. When the blast subsided, Twilight lie with her forelegs covering her face, screaming in agony. For a long time, I simply stood there, and let her scream. “You tortured him. You locked him away, and you tortured him. It is as though you have learned NOTHING from your time here.” I leaned in next to her, almost gagging at the smell of burnt flesh. “An example will be made of you, Sparkle,” I said, summoning an iron cage.

“PLEASE NO!!!” she screamed, attempting to crawl away, surely knowing that her horn was too damaged to use anymore. Her wings were singed, and that ensured she could not fly away from me. I gripped my magic around the middle of her tail, and pulled her back towards me, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. “NONONONO!!! PLEEEAAASE!!!”

“SILENCE!” I shouted, causing the mare to stop struggling. As I threw her into the cage and slammed the door, she looked at me with utter fear, and sheer despair in her eyes. “You have NO right to beg forgiveness!” I told her, and cast a spell to keep her forelegs pulled apart, as though she were crucified, then sent the cage floating to the middle of town.

Gathering a bit of magic, I cast a projection spell, and summoned a visage of my own face above town square. “Denizens of Ponyville, this is Princess Celestia. I require that all citizens gather in the central plaza. That is all.”

~{(M)}~

I stood in her door, scowling down at her. She had not come to the square, as I had asked, and I was given no choice but to bring her by force. In a flash, we vanished, and reappeared in town square, on a stage I had summoned moments before. On said stage, resided the hovering cage that housed Twilight Sparkle, for all to see.

Rarity’s makeup was running after having cried for a while before my arrival. I could tell she was afraid, and that was good. Ordinarily, I would wish that no creature fear me, but today was different. Today, that fear served me in issuing a their punishment.

“Rarity, Bearer of the Element of Generosity,” I said, using my magic to amplify my voice.

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty?” was her timid response.

“What do you fear most?” I asked, cutting my eyes at her.

“Th-That my sister, Sweetie Belle, will hurt herself. She’s always off doing these crazy stu-” She stopped as I raised a hoof.

“I understand the feeling. I worry for my sister as well. I also worried for Tobis.” Her eyes grew wide as I continued. “From this day forth, until a year has passed, there shall not be a day when you do not fear for your sister’s safety.”

As the magic charged around my horn, I could see the tailor cowering before me. Her eyes darted to her friend behind me, still bleeding from her burnt face, though the flow had begun to subside. Were it not for the occasional whimper, I would think my former student dead. “Please, don’t hurt my sister…”

“I will not,” I told her, and cast my charm. “However, whenever you are away from your sister, you will constantly worry for her safety. You will always assume that the worst has happened to her. And whenever you think of there being any remote possibility of danger, you will be haunted by visions of what that danger could result in. So… What if she were to walk in front of a wood chipper?” I asked cruelly.

“No…” I watched Rarity’s eyes tear up again, indicating that my charm had already began working. “No… please, I don’t want to see this… I can’t… it wont… stop… Sweeetiiie!!!” she screamed, falling back onto her rump. The tears began to pour freely from her face, dripping onto the stage. I decided to let her suffer for a moment.

I knew what she was seeing, and afterwards I truly felt that maybe it was too much. By the end of a year, she may have very well lost her mind… it was of no matter to me at the time.

“Rainbow Dash, Bearer of the Element of Loyalty.”

The cyan pegasus trudged forward, hanging her head low. “I’m here, Your Majesty.”

“What are you most afraid of?”

“Losing my flight,” she said shortly, which was honestly the answer I had expected.

“Then, from this day forth, until a year had passed, your hooves will be bound to the ground, and your wings rendered useless.” As the magic swirled around my horn, I had fully intended to cripple her wings, perhaps by breakage, but as I looked upon her defeated form, with her wings held out above her I had a better thought. In my room, under my bed, was an object. One that I perhaps was not entirely proud of owning. A wing harness, used to keep the wings of a pegasus bound and unusable. So I changed the makeup of my spell, and instead summoned said harness, along with a number of locks.

A collective gasp ran through the crowd as they recognized the indecent artifact. As I forced the mare’s wing to stay open with my magic, the device came wrapping gently around them, but soon tightened to the point that Rainbow Dash’s eyes grew wide, possibly believing I was going to crush her precious wings.

As angry as I was, I had genuinely considered it.

Before a moment had passed, Rainbow Dash’s wings were now coated in a number of buckles, straps, and locks. Satisfied at my handiwork, I pinned them to her side, and looped two straps under her barrel, and three over her back ,then buckled them.

“Flap.”

Rainbow looked to me in a mix of confusion, anger, hate, and sadness, but despite these things, she complied, and strained against the tight harness. “I prefer the ones with a solid restraint, instead of straps,” she said sharply, and I was fairly certain she was being serious.

“I prefer straps. Off the stage, and take your friend with you,” I commanded, watching as Rainbow wrapped a foreleg around Rarity’s barrel, and dragged her away. “Fluttershy, Bearer of the Element of Kindness!”

“No! Please! I didn’t do anything! Plee-heeease!!!” I heard her scream from the back of the crowd, as she was dragged forward by a unicorn guard I had brought with me. “I tried to get him out! I wanted to help him! I was on his siii-hiide!!”

“Guard, be gentle with her. Show her the kindness she has offered my lover,” I said, eliciting another gasp from the audience.

“Yes, Princess,” he said, as he gently let her go and wrapped his magic around the yellow pegasus, and lifted her onto the stage, before letting go.

“Fluttershy, look to me, my little pony.” She tentatively opened her eyes, and lifted her head, looking at me with a terrified eyes. “You, my child, have nothing to fear. You have done right by trying to save my love, and I wish to reward you. I see your wings are broken. How did this happen?”

“I-I broke them so I could try to slip out of my shackles, your majesty. I just had to get Tobis out of that cage… but I couldn’t save him while I was still in my own cage,” she said, standing up, and for the first time ever, I saw her puff out her breast proudly. It brought a warm smile to my face.

“Then allow me to heal you,” I said sweetly, and enveloped her wings in my magic. “You, Element Bearer, will now become my regent, and bear rank equal to that of Knight. Your orders will outrank that of even the Mayor. I trust that you, of all ponies can be trusted with this power. No one will ever harm you again, my little pony.”

As the bones in her wings creaked back into place, a tear ran down her cheek, and a smile spread across her face. “Thank you Princess, I’ll ensure that everypony is treated with the kindness they deserve.”

“I’m sure you will. Do you wish to stand by me now, or would you return home?” I asked, laying a gentle hoof on her shoulder.

“I need to get home, and tend to my animals. Discord’s been taking care of them, so I don’t know how well that’s gone…”

“I can only imagine. Take care of yourself, Lady Fluttershy, and give our friend my regards.”

“I will, Princess,” she said, before she flew away towards her cottage.

The smile I sent after her quickly faded, as I scanned the crowd for my next victim. Yes, I now call them victims, because I now realize that I had been a bit too harsh with them. After all, I hadn’t sent that letter. “Applejack, Bearer of the Element of Honesty!”

The mare didn’t even bother moving around to climb the steps on the side of the stage, she simply leapt the entire six hooves onto the front of the stage. “What’s it gonna be? Gonna ban me from my farm? Or you gonna cut off one uh my legs? Those all sound pretty bad.”

“I was debating both, but I think I know of one even better,” I told her, causing her eyes to grow wide. “I’m going to take away all of your strength. From this day forth, until a year has passed, you will be as weak as a newborn foal.” As the magic bean gathering around my horn, the farmer stood tall, and faced her punishment without flinching. I had to respect her resolve to hold up, but she seemed genuinely proud of her heinous actions, as though she believed they were justified.

As my magic finished charging, I let the spell loose, enveloping the mare in a red glow, that almost made me squint my eyes. When the glow subsided, she staggered on her legs, and fell down on her side. Gritting her teeth, she groaned, and picked herself up, staggering in place. Her breath was heavy, and she struggled to even remain standing. This was an adequate punishment. I could see Apple Bloom of to the side, scowling in our general direction, and I did not know if she was glaring at me or her sister… until a moment later. Her mouth began moving, and I was able to read her lips fairly easy.

“Serves her right,” she said, though I am not certain if she knew I could tell what she was saying. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t receive help from anypony.”

I nodded to her, and her eyes widened in shock, before I turned my gaze back to the farmer on stage. “Be gone, Infant!” She shakily nodded, and slowly turned, and walked off stage, and over to her sister, who slapped her hoof across the elder’s face in anger, then led her off to the farm.

“Now, I draw close to finishing the issuance of penalty to the Element Bearers, yet, I do not see Laughter. Where is Pinkamena Diane Pie?” I asked, glaring at the crowd of guilty ponies. Those who were innocent had been seated behind the stage, watching from a set of bleachers. My response came quietly from a very unexpected source. I turned to face Twilight as she mumbled an answer to me. “Speak up, traitor!”

She flinched, if only barely, and took in a deep breath. “She… nnng… went back to… mmm… the rock farm. Said sh-” I cut her off as I wrapped my magic around her muzzle, causing a muffled scream to escape her. I briefly thanked Faust that I had remembered to confine Spike in the library...

“Enough. I read the journal entry detailing her grievances. Since she is not present to receive her reward, I will now issue your TRUE punishment.” Her eyes grew wide as my scowl deepened even more, though I am not sure if such a thing were possible before my attempt. “You, Bearer of the Element of Magic, which is the representation of harmony and friendship itself, have committed the worst crime of anypony here. You, my former student, to whom I entrusted the fate of Equestria, whom I praised as my star pupil, who has betrayed my trust, and my praise, and has tortured the man I love! Your fate will be that of an eternity!” I said, my voice becoming even louder as I went on, and summoned the mare’s journal beside my head. “For as long as you shall live, you shall bear the visage OF A MONSTER!” The book separated from its cover, the pages being held together by only a thin strip of paper and some glue. “THE MASK I FORM, IT SHALL BECOM THY SKIN!!! THOU SHALT LOOK IN THY MIRROR EVERY MORN, AND THOU SHALT SEE WHAT A MONSTER IS!!! THOU SHALT LIVE WITH THY CRIME FOR AS LONG AS THOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO DRAW BREATH!!! THOU SHALT NOT PERISH BY THY OWN HOOF, NOR SHALT THOU FALL TO ANOTHER’S BY THY WHIM!!!” I screamed, my breath growing ragged. I cast a simple reconstitution spell, and formed the… the real leather… by Faust it was Tobis’s skin… I grew even more furious. I formed the leather into a mask, resembling the face of a Giant Timberwolf. I sent the tanned hide into the cage, and wrapped it around her muzzle, causing a bloodcurdling scream as I forcefully grafted the new tissue to her old, burnt one. “THOU SHALT BEAR THIS NEW SKIN, AND THOU SHALT NOT HIDE AWAY, THOU SHALT FACE THE WORLD IN ALL THY HIDEOUSNESS, AND THOU SHALT NOT WAVER IN THIS!!! I SHALL REMOVE THEE FROM OFFICE, AND THOU SHALT BE NO MORE THAN A COMMON PEGASUS WITH A POINTED STICK ON THY HEAD!!!”

So absorbed in my rage was I, that I did not notice as a small yellow hoof came to rest on my shoulder. “Princess, please. Calm yourself. I do not disagree with your verdict, but I must ask you to calm down. My first task as your regent is to ensure that your rage does not carry on to the other citizens.”

I turned to glare at the kind pegasus, and I came to the realization that she was right. The citizens of Ponyville all cowered before me, terrified of what their sentences would be. I sighed, and finished grafting Twilight’s new face. She sat there in her cage, wide eyed and hyperventilating as the tears rolled down her new face, stinging against what bit of burnt flesh was left exposed around her eyes.

As I turned to the other citizens, I sighed, and used my magic-amplified voice to address them. “My subjects, you shall not be punished. I have read of this town’s endeavors through this journal… which I seem to have destroyed… oops,” I said, with a faint(though utterly fake) smile. A nervous chuckle rippled throughout the crowd. “But be forewarned, and let these mares be a testament, I shall not tolerate such prejudice in my kingdom. Is that understood?” a collective nod made the audience appear as a tidal wave.

“Good,” I said, and turned to Fluttershy. “Would you please release, the former princess? And do me a favor, pick a suitable title. Twilight ‘the something,’ preferably.”

“Yes, Princess. But may I ask, where are you going?”

“To fetch my love,” I said simply. “And once he is secure, I will travel to the Pie family’s rock farm. I should like your company during the trip.”

She nodded, and I galloped off towards the library.

~{(M)}~

He had still not awoken. As I delicately levitated him out of the cage, I scanned his body for injuries. The most obvious was a large rectangular patch of skin missing from his back, where Twilight had extracted his hide for her journal. As well, there were a few burns here and there along his skin, a number of poorly stitched incisions along key points on his body. They would leave horrendous scars… scars that even I could not take away.

“Discord,” I said solemnly, and waited for him to heed my summon. “Discord! To ME Draconequus!”

A bright flash before me signaled the former villain’s arrival. “You don’t have to be so pushy, Celestia. What do you want... and why do you have that creature?”

“This is Tobis, a human, and my lover,” I said, flinching as the chaos spirit scowled.

“It can never be just a pony, can it Celly?” he asked, and began drifting about, lazily scanning Tobis’s form.

“No, I suppose not. Discord, why didn’t you help him, or Fluttershy?”

“Twilight anti-magicked their cells. Seems miss purple pants still doesn’t trust me. I’d have contacted you, but Fluttershy, in her infinite kindness, asked me not to get involved… was worried more about her animals and her friends than herself. Now, if you‘ll excuse me,” he said coldly, and raised his hand to snap his fingers. “I have things to do.”

“I understand. Wait, what things? You don’t do things.”

“Yes I do. I take enthusiastic walks through the woods,” he stated, and it was obvious he was making a reference that only what he called ‘The Audience’ would understand.

“Right. Discord, I need you to stay here with Fluttershy, and deal with Twilight.”

“Right-o. See you later Celly,” he said, just before vanishing.

~{(M)}~

“By the crimson mane of Faust!” Luna shouted, as I carried Tobis into the castle. “What happened?”

I felt my teeth clench hard enough that they should break steel, and I growled at the thought of my former student. “I… just read this.” I summoned the journal, and trotted off towards the castle’s hospital wing, hearing a gasp behind me. As I continued down the hallway, I staggered about as I used my hooves to remove my regalia, and my crown, and deposited it all on the floor. A servant would pick it up sooner or later.

My thoughts lingered on the cruelty I had exercised only a few hours earlier, and of how monstrous my own student had become. She was MY student, and her actions had some base in my teachings; there was no other logical reason she would behave in such a way. I scoured my memories for something, anything I could have ever taught her that would prompt her to think in such a way.

I could find nothing. I had always taught Twilight to be a kind filly, and later, a gentle mare. I had taught her to be respectful of others, and I had taught her restraint over her power. Her power that was so great it could open a rift between heaven and hell. I had taught her responsibility, and many, many other strict things.

Her lessons in friendship, they have taught her so many things as well. To list all of the things she had learned would take all day. And yet, she had thrown it all away. Upon the arrival of Tobis, she became dark and twisted, and her instabilities manifested. She became torturous and vile.

My pupil was, at the deepest level of her heart, a monster.

And it sickened me.

~{(M)}~

“Well, it looks like he’s stable, Princess,” the doctor said to me, as a series of wires were being attached to Tobis’s body. “But, he’s in shock, it seems.”

“Will he ever wake?” I asked, leaning my had down to nuzzle his hand.

“I… I can’t say for sure, Your Majesty. I won’t make a promise that I can’t keep, but I will try my hardest to help him.”

“Thank you, Doctor. I have business to attend to. I shall return in a few hours,” I said, before standing to leave.

It was time to visit the Bearer of the Element of Laughter.

~{(M)}~

The airship touched down over a barren field, devoid of any plants, with only a few clusters of giant rocks keeping the flat expanse from being completely empty. My regent, now clad in a slightly regal and position appropriate dress, stood beside me, ready for the task at hand.

“Princess, what if she panics?” she asked, as the crew lowered the gangplank. “When she left Ponyville, she claimed that you would come and punish us. She knew exactly what was going to happen, and when she sees you, she may believe you’re here to punish her.”

I sighed as we embarked from my vessel, and trotted off towards the lone house occupying the land. “That is why you are here, my regent. You are my insurance that she will understand my purpose in this visit.” She flew a little ahead of me, and turned to hover before me.

“Maybe I should go first? I can make sure she doesn’t run,” she said, waiting for me to nod before flying off ahead.

I waited for a while, until I heard a scream I recognized sound across the farm. I stretched out my wings, and lifted off, bolting towards the house’s front door, and slammed through it to find a grey mare pinning Fluttershy to the floor, with a hoof against her throat.

“I never thought you would betray Pinkie like this. You don’t deserve to be her friend,” the mare said calmly, and pressed harder on the regent’s neck.

“Enough!” I shouted, causing the mare to look up at me, in time to see my hoof crash across her face, and send her careening into the wall. Or, it should have sent her into the wall. It just made her stumble a few steps, before looking at me with such an intense hate in her eyes that even I felt a little taken aback. “Where is Pinkie Pie?”

“None of your business. I won’t let ANYPONY hurt my little sister!” she said, finally showing a bit of emotion. “Now leave, or I will make you!”

I forced myself to remain calm and looked at the mare with cold eyes. “Though I doubt the possibility of you doing such, I am not here to harm your sister.” She snorted, narrowing her eyes. “I am merely here to issue a reward, for her objections to the happenings in Ponyville.”

“I don’t believe you,” she said, her voice fluctuating with her anger.

“Wait,” Fluttershy cut in as she rose to her hooves, “It’s true. I tried to free Tobis, and the Princess made me a regent. Pinkie helped me, and she deserves the same.”

She paused, and seemed to think things over for a moment.

“I… I’m going with you.” She started towards the door, looking back at us over her shoulder. “You promise you aren’t going to hurt her?”

She waited for me to nod, before continuing outside.

~{(M)}~

We were led out across the field, heading towards a cave with numerous stacks of rocks guarding the entrance. It was not until we drew close that I saw the stacks for what they were: statues, shaped( and quite masterfully so, I must say) to resemble some of the citizens of Ponyville, her friends, and other loved ones. I felt a pang of sorrow as I beheld the display, knowing how much she would hate me for what I had done to her closest friends.

I gestured for Fluttershy to go in first, and quickly heard an excited squeal from inside, followed by the muffled sounds of Fluttershy assuring the party mare that she was okay. I smiled, reveling in the small bit of light in my dark day. That changed, as I heard a terrified ‘What?!’ emanate from the inky blackness, signaling that Pinkie was now aware of the reason for her friend’s visit. More muffled conversation ensued, and I started to grow impatient.

The muffled noises stopped and Fluttershy emerged from the darkness, glancing behind her every few paces.

“I’ll warn you Princess… She’s a little unstable.” I turned to look at the grey mare beside me, my eyes widening as her own began to tear up. “I trust you dealt with the reason for her damage?”

“It was taken care of. Those who began this cycle of despair have been punished,” I told her quietly, as I watched a pink form emerge from the cave’s shadows. “How long has she been out here?”

“Three months. And it was you that started it,” the mare said, giving a very faint edge to her voice, as her precious little sister emerged fully from the cave.

“And… I have been punished…” I said under my breath, as I took in Pinkie Pie’s features. Her normally vibrant, messy, cloud of a mane was now dull and flat, and I could spot a few tangles here and there along it’s length. With a dejected sigh, I took a slow step forward, causing the poor mare to flinch. “It’s okay, Pinkie Pie, I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Like you did my friends?” she said, tilting her head to one side, gazing at me with blank eyes. The left one twitched a bit, and she tilted her head to the other side. “I mean, it’s okay, the were really mean and all, but then, so was I… Am I going to be punished too?”

“How were you mean?” I asked, lying down and gesturing for her to come closer. I saw out of the corner of my eye as Fluttershy raised a hoof and wiped her eyes on with a fetlock.

“I… I didn’t try to save him. I ran. I ran all the way here. I tried to warn them, but they wouldn’t listen. If I had stayed, then Shy-shy wouldn’t have been arrested… and she wouldn’t have broken her wings. It’s my fault, Princess…” I could see the tears start forming in her eyes as she recounted her self proclaimed cowardice. Her face scrunched up, and she did something I never expected. She raised her right hoof, and smashed it across her muzzle, and furrowed her brow. I heard stifled whimpers from both my regent, and Pinkie’s sister. “No!” Pinkie exclaimed, “No tears! You don’t deserve them, you coward!” My eyes widened, as her tears did not stop, but intensified, prompting her to punch herself again. “Stop… CRYING!” The tears only got worse, but I did not allow her to strike again.

I rose, and lunged towards the mare, wrapping my forelegs around her neck, and took the punch with my own muzzle. “It’s okay, Pinkie Pie. You can cry. Just as everypony deserves a smile, everypony is allowed to cry at some point, whether they feel like they deserve it or not.”

“B-But…” She couldn’t form another word, and I felt her face scrunch up, and heart wrenching wail erupted in my ear.

I just held her, and let her cry in my arms.

~{(M)}~

“You’re sure you won’t reconsider returning with me to Canterlot?” I asked, as I stood atop my airship’s deck, looking down at the pink mare, whose warm smile beamed back at me. “I could use somepony like you as my counsel.”

“No, but I thank you. I’ll return to Ponyville, and I’ll work with Fluttershy to keep things peaceful. But I need to say my goodbyes first,” she said, her smile never fading, but it was never forced. It was a genuine smile.

“Very well,” I said, nodding my head to the pilot. “My offer will stand, Miss Pie, should you ever change your mind.”

“Thanks, but I won’t. Say hi to Tobis for me when he wakes up!” she called, waving a hoof to me.

“I certainly will!” I called back, smiling at her.

~{(M)}~

After everything was done, I returned to Canterlot, and immediately went to my loves side. I refused to leave him, and I had him returned to his bedroom, so that I may continue to keep an eye on him.

For the next four months, I stayed by his side, and delegated a small amount of my duties to council and Luna, making sure not to give them too much, but just enough to clear up a few hours to spend at Tobis’s side.

My life would become bleak in his absence, but I would endure, and I would be there when he awoke.

I would never abandon him again.

Author's Note

There, Chapter two is finally done! Faust, this took a long time to finish. There will be one more chapter, the epilogue, and it'll be a bit of a doozy. The dooziest. Rated Ponystar has been absolutely wonderful in helping me stick somewhat to his original ideas, and offering constructive criticisms here and there. He is just a peach. I hope you all enjoyed this, and are looking forward to the next chapter.

Peace!