The next day was just like the last wherein the sun was shining, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I found myself waking up in a strange bedroom.

"Where am I?" I wondered aloud, getting out of bed.

Going over to the door, I opened it, only to find Spike standing there.

"Twilight's made breakfast, if you're interested. Everypony, except Spitfire, and Soarin' who went back to wonderbolt Headquarters is in the dining room."

"Sounds good," I said, smiling, going back over to make the bed.

"Well, well! Look at you! Having Breakfast with friends!" called out a familiar jovial voice.

Discord appeared out of thin air, and I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want, Discord?"

"I just wanted to say that I'm happy for you, believe it, or not, and when the Princesses talk to you about what they're going to talk to you about, listen carefully, and try to keep an open mind about it.

"I will."

"Good," Discord says. "Well, I need to get back to tending to Fluttershy's animals. Ta-ta!"

The Draconaquis wiggled his fingers at me, and disappeared again.

I made my way down to the dining room, and everypony was there, just as spike had said.

I sat down between Fluttershy, and Princess Luna just as Twilight cantered in carrying big platters of pancakes, maple syrup, a pitcher of orange juice and a big bowl of gems, some of which were levitating in her magic. She gently set them on the table, and smiled.

"Dig in everypony."

The food was passed around the table, and the meal began with everypony in a happy mood.

"Six String, there is something we wish to discuss with you, regarding certain ponies," Luna told me.

I nodded.

"I know what you're going to say, Princess, and it's best to let it go, and move on, not letting it weigh heavily on my mind, and looking toward a better, and brighter future with those who truly care about me."

"But surely you can see that these vile fiends must be dealt with."

"No, I can't, your highness, and don't call me 'Shirley'."

There was a pregnant pause, as Spike, and the six Element bearers sat with muzzles agape, and eyes wide that I had just mouthed off to the princess of the night. Celestia had shot orange juice out of her nose, and was gigglesnorting uncontrollably like Pinkie Pie.

"Six String!" Twilight exclaimed, shocked at what I had said.

"I do agree that justice should be done, but if we treat them badly, just because that's what they did to me, then we will no be better than they are."

Celestia smiled.

"You show great wisdom in your words. However, As my sister has said, they must be punished for their crimes."

"What do you suggest, Princess?"

"They should stand trial for their crimes, and any memories, photographs, and other things that they have of you will be removed from their home, as well as their minds, just as your memories of them will be wiped from yours," said Celestia. "You will be as strangers to each other when, and if you ever see them again."

Applejack spoke up.

"If y'all believe that is best. Though Ah don't understand how a few harsh words spoken by closed minded bigots is really a crime."

"It's a hate crime, because the persecuted him for his beliefs, and lifestyle, darling," Rarity told her.

"Yeah! Though It'd be funner to pound 'em!" Rainbow Dash said driving one of her fore hooves into the other for emphasis.

"We're trying to avoid any violence though, aren't we?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yes, Fluttershy," I said. "We are."

"We can still have a party later, right?"

"Of course we can! " Discord said appearing out of thin air. "First thing's first though, 'The trial of the century'."

"I don't like it, and I don't feel comfortable about it," I sighed. "Besides, there aren't any laws about hate crimes against certain groups."

"Then it shall be done quickly, quietly, and without a trial to avoid any complications." Celestia stated.

"That just makes it seem more underhoofed, and makes me feel worse about it."

"Then what would you suggest, Nimble Hooves," she asked, causing me to wince in displeasure. "I mean Six String."

"One final chance to accept me for who, and what I am, and if they refuse, then a restraining order will be placed against them barring them from coming within 500 yards of me, and from ever contacting me again."

"That's all?!" discord groaned. "Come on! Where's your spirit of vengeance for the wrongs committed against you?!"

"I don't have one. Once they've been barred from coming to within 500 meters of me, and from ever contacting me again, then the matter will be closed. If they break the restraining order, then further punishment can be implemented. All pictures of me that they might have will be removed from their home, if they haven't been already by my former family at the same time that the restraining order is served."

The three Princesses, and the other elements all nodded in agreement while discord muttered something about how Justice wasn't being done, and how if he'd been in charge he would have had them slowly, and brutally killed for their crimes.

"Well you're not in charge!" Spike said grabbing a handful of gems "So keep your opinions, and thoughts to yourself!"

"Fine. Since my suggestions are going to continue to be ignored, I'll go see what my old friend Jean-Luc, and his shipmates are up to. I was just trying to help, you know. My sense of moral outrage literally went through the roof when I had heard what your family had done to you, Six String. You should be free to live as you see fit, as long as it's not hurting anypony, and crossdressing doesn't hurt anypony at all. Besides, you look better in mare's clothing than most of the mares on Equis, present company excepted."

"Only because nopony can look as good as they do," Spike retorted.

"The three Princesses, and the other element bearers blushed.

"I'm going to go before I say anything that might land me hot water later. After all, everypony here knows where I live."

He disappeared in a flash of white light, and everypony, and Spike breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now that that matter has been settled," I said turning to the Princess of Friendship. "I heard you've gotten a new apprentice of your own Twilight."

She nodded, and I mentally kicked myself for being so far out of the loop that was only recently hearing about Twilight having a pupil, just as Twilight was once Celestia's. Of course I was still out on my last tour when it happened.

"Starlight Glimmer. She'll be back from the Changeling Kingdom tomorrow."

"I'll stop by, and introduce myself. I hope I can be friends with her, just as I am with all of you.

"I'm sure she'd love to meet you."

Author's Note

I hope everypony caught the two references in the story. The first was the "Don't call me 'Shirley'!" joke from the film Airplane.

The second was to Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D/ U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E from Star Trek The Next Generation, and its films (Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis).