Twilight Sparkle trotted into Flash Sentry's room with Shining Armor in tow. Upon seeing each other their faces both lit up.

"Twilight!" Flash exclaimed as Twilight hugged him. Shining Armor responded by grunting, which created a blush on the pair.

"Real professional, Twily," Shining Armor chuckled out.

"Right. It is so good to see you Mr. Sentry," Twilight reached out in the most awkward hoofshake in Equestrian history. Given the circumstances, Flash reacted appropriately, by shutting down all functions momentarily. His functions only rebooted when Shining Armor bursted out laughing. Twilight then asked, "What's so funny?"

"Yeah, what's so funny?" Flash repeated.

Shining Armor wiped his brow and said, "Oh nothing. You two are too cute." This elicited more blushing and laughs. After a good awkward minute, Twilight spoke up.

"Flash, are you okay? I was so worried when I heard. Do you remember anything?" Probed Twilight.

Flash rubbed his head and thought. "Well, I feel alright, but I can't recall anything other than a chimney. Strange."

"I can explain that. We had finally cornered the killer, but he then jumped on top of a building," Shining Armor explained.

"Who was the culprit?" Twilight asked and turned towards her brother.

"He was some Dragon, never got his name."

"Oh, so he flew up."

"No he jumped up," Shining corrected.

"What?! No Dragon can jump that high!" Twilight shrieked.

"Well, he used a spell. I noticed him cast it and I thought he was going to attack us so I tried to grab him, but my magic only got his cloak, and that was when he jumped and revealed his figure. For someone of such brutality, I expected him to be less skinny."

"What happened next?" Twilight asked.

"I remember why I remember a chimney now. I flew after him and had to go at max speed. I ended up crashing into a chimney, didn't I?" Flash cringed. Shining nodded and he groaned, "I'm never gonna live that down. Then I fell and... wait, that can't be right."

"What is it?" Twilight asked.

"I remember the killer saving me from the drop, but that can not be correct."

"Well, it did happen. It was the only way I caught him. He grabbed you and traded a clean escape for you," Shining said.

"What!?" Flash Sentry jumped up from the bed and sat upright.

Twilight did a quick double take. "I need to meet him. Now." Twilight turned to leave, but Shining Armor stopped her.

"Twily, he is dangerous, who knows what he will do to you. He can mind control ponies!"

Twilight looked at him with wide eyes. "Please, Shining. This is important." Shining sighed and eventually he gave in. Twilight promptly left the two in the room and asked a nearby guard to lead her to the newest prisoner.

...

Twilight was closing in on the cell when she heard a faint, "This was who I was, now, I am Duulo and ready to look towards the future, even if it turns out short." When she finally closed the gap, she saw Celestia herself give the creature a small nod.

Twilight then called out, "Princess Celestia! I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Celestia turned and chuckled slightly before returning to her base expression. She then said, "Hello Twilight. When I got here neither did he."

"Princess, is that him? The killer?" Twilight asked. She looked at him and noticed how he was slightly shorter than Celestia.

"Yes. His name is Duulo." Celestia stepped aside and gave Twilight room to get closer. She then noticed how scarred his face was.

"Duulo?" Twilight said as a question.

"It is a pleasure to meet another royal." Duulo said as he sat back down and used his magic to chain himself again. Now Twilight and him were at eye level.

"My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle and I want to thank you for saving my friend Flash Sentry. He was the one you saved from falling."

"Yes, the guard," Duulo paused. "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" Twilight raised an eyebrow at his statement.

"Most ponies don't thank me for helping them."

"Why?" Duulo simply gestured at himself as a response. "Right," Twilight said with a blush. "Also, how can you use magic? I thought Dragons didn't have magic."

"Well, they don't."

"Then how do you have magic?"

"Well, for starters, I am not a Dragon, but a Draconian. An Aurak Draconian to be specific, and we are born with magic."

"Oh no, what I said wasn't specist was it?" (Specist- racist, but with species)

"Only a little, the two species look the same anyway," Duulo chuckled at Twilight's blush.

Celestia then interrupted the two with her newly acquired knowledge. "Your trial is starting soon. Twilight, you must get going."

Twilight looked at her old teacher and said, "May I watch the trial? I want to see what happens to him." Celestia nodded and the group left to the court with Duulo sporting new chains.

...

A long and arduos trial full of gray area debates finally had reached a verdict. Princess Celestia rose to the podium and declared it. "The jury has found the defendant guilty of murder, but due to circumstances and witness accounts has been found guilty of aiding the ponies of Canterlot. This, along with his co operation upon capture has been given a lenient sentence of 5 years of exile from Canterlot. Court has now ended." The guards went to take Duulo, whom had no lawyer as he did not request one and plead guilty, making this an easy trial.

The cuffed him and began to walk him out of the city, but Twilight went to him to say one last thing, "For what you did for Flash, you are always welcome in my castle back in Ponyville." Duulo nodded.

When Duulo was led to the edge of the city they returned his things and freed him. Duulo walked out into the road with his head held high. He would travel forwards in life, towards a future where he would keep his promise, and be happy. While walking he put back on his holsters and put his weapons back on. He tied the cloak back on, but didn't put on his hood. He then placed on his last article of clothing: the steel gray mask.

Author's Note

I got inspired to write this as quickly as possible, so today you guys get a two-fer today. Sadly, this is the end, no epilogue, sorry! Tell me what you thought of the ending down below, was it too lenient? Too harsh (not likely)? Was the story good as a whole? Or do you think it sucked? And why. Constructive criticism is appreciated. And for anyone who wants to know, aka no one, I first thought up this story when I listened to:

Any Iron Maiden fans out there? If not here's the A7X cover that I prefer: