Flyte

(A/N: Does anyone know how to upload this to E Daily? Because I do not. And on another note HOW THE BUCK IS THIS A 4.5 STORY????....I *sniff* never thought you all would like it so much)

I sighed as the Royal Guard Stallion finished tying the hoof-cuffs around my legs, binding my movement. The white pegasus gave me a glare and rudely shoved me away from the tree library.

"Now hold on a second sir!" Shouted Twilight getting in the way, "what makes you think that you can just take our friend here away?" I saw him wither a little under her fury, feeling a bit of pity I answered for myself. "Well he's taking me away to see Princess Celestia, she's kinda been hunting me all across Equestria for some time now, every since I-"

"WHAT?!?" She shouted cutting me off. "I know my mentor and she would never do something like that! Now I need to go talk to her. Lead the way sir." She said, moving from shock to outrage in a scary change of moods. The stallion shivered for a bit before setting off at a brisk pace. I meandered behind him rather slowly due to my restraints. I suddenly felt a soft wing drape itself over  my back from my right. "It's gonna be okay, Twilight here is Celestia's prized pupil. If anypony can clear this misunderstanding it's her." Whispered Scotaloo next to him, offering him a small smile. He gave her a sad smile. "I don't think she can clear this up though." I whispered back, we didn't talk for the rest of the way. Apparently the Princess had chosen the Ponyville market Square right next to a fountain. There she sat, sipping a cup of tea as she eyed our troupe warily. Apparently both Rarity and Fluttershy had been staying over at Twilight's when we interrupted so they tagged along. We met Applejack selling apples, once she saw my predicament she begrudgingly followed the guard as we progressed onto our destination.

After the mane 6 had joined us, the guard had gotten wary and ordered them to stay back no less than 5 feet. I could hear every word they whispered thanks to my draconic hearing.

"It's not fair! Why would Celestia want to see him? She probably doesn't even know him!" Whispered Rainbow fiercely. "Well she probably wants to see him because he did something! She doesn't do these things for no reason Rainbow!" He heard Twilight whisper back, trying to salvage some respect for the princess's decision of arresting a colt. "Ah jus, don't get it! And that colt is a might fine feller to! I jus can't see why the princess would want to lock em up." Mused Applejack. "Darling we have to stay calm on the matter! We must respect Celestia's decision. Twilight's right she doesn't do these things on a whim Rainbow." Rebutted Rarity. I heard incomprehensible murmuring from I assumed was Fluttershy. "Oh! Are we having a surprise party?!?" Shouted Pinkie appearing from a bush. The troupe recoiled in fright of the party pony who soon joined her friends, but not before assaulting me.

"Oh! Who are you? I've never seen you around here! Oh! I know! I should throw you a surprise party! Wait, why are you in hoof-cuffs? Oh well! My names Pinkie Pie! Nice meeting you! See you at the party!" She said in one breath, bouncing off humming a wordless tune. The Stallion in front of me looked at her in complete confucian. "What? How? When?" He asked scratching his head. "Dude, there are some things better left unexplained." I said flatly urging him to move on with still bound fore hooves. We made our way to the still waiting princess uninterrupted after that. Good news was the guard had let Scootaloo stay by my side which gave me some measure of comfort. Her wing was so soft and strong, I could feel the muscle tense and relax shifting it's position as we walked.

"Sup P.C" I said when we neared the Princess who rose to meet us. "Nightshade." She curtly replied back. Looking past me, she smiled at the rest of the mane 5 (Pinkie was nowhere to be found). "Good Morning everypony." She said warmly. Dash was the first to speak. "Why the hay have you arrested my son?" Asked Rainbow furious. This prompted Celestia to raise her eyebrow. "Arrested? I did nothing of the sort. I just asked my guardsmen to escort him to me, apparently somepony got a little overzealous." She said glaring down at the shivering stallion. "S-sorry Princess, won't happen again." He muttered unlocking my restraints. As he turned to leave, I gave him a pat on the shoulder and a warm smile telling him all was forgiven.

Celetia sighed, she couldn't figure this colt out. "So Nightshade, I think you know why I'm here." She said tiredly. "Eeyup. And I told you I'm still not gonna say sorry." I said, this drew a look of confucian from the group of friends and loud murmurs from the crowd that had gathered due to Celestia's very presence. "Why though? Every other time you've committed a crime you've always payed back the victim in some way. Why have you not payed Prince Blueblood back yet?" She asked like everypony knew what type of crime I had committed.

"What the hay?" Shouted Rainbow over the growing murmurs of the citizens of Ponyville. Celestia sighed as she began to explain. "A little over 7 years ago when Nightshade was 5 he crashed Prince BlueBlood's sweet 16 birthday party and ate grand 3 tier Tiramisu cake and drank the 10 gallon punch bowl all by himself. He then outran the guards and escaped enraging all members of the royal house and launching a three year ponyhunt." She said quickly explaining the situation. There was a collective gasp as the news sunk in.

Rainbow Dash burst out laughing "that's my boy!" She said whipping away tears of laughter. She was quickly silenced by a hoof upside the head courtesy of Applejack. "Ya stole? From Blueblood? Mighty commendable but ya know stealing is against the law!" Said Applejack scoldingly. Nightshade just sat in the dirt eyes closed. Celestia mused after she was done. "I looked into his criminal record after that, it seemed he had stolen food before but he always repaid the victim with either community service of bits to cover the price of the food. I can't understand why you never repaid the BlueBloods."

She said tilting her head slightly as she rubbed her chin with a hoof. Nightshade sighed quite loudly.

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I never believed in taking things that belonged to other people. I always believed in earning things for yourself. That's why I've always repaid what I've taken, always. The Blueblood's however were a special case however. I decided to explain as myself to them. Starting from the very beginning, why I stole in the first place.

"Have you ever been hungry Celestia?" I asked, my voice nice and even, the crowd hushed as soon as I began to talk. "I'm not talking about; 'oh it's lunchtime' I'm hungry, it's not 'man that was some hard work I did!' hungry, it's not 'I feel bored with my life' hungry." I said my voice keeping the steadily growing anger well hidden.

"I'm talking about stomach turning inside out, acid burning our walls, moaning and rolling around in the dirt hungry." I said, the bleached Alicorn was staring at me with wide eyes. I could feel my voice growing bitter as I remembered all those days I stayed out on the sidewalk begging for food.

"Have you ever been thirst Celestia?" I asked again. "I-" she began but I was having none of it. She wanted an explanation and I was giving it to her. "I'm talking about searing throat, drinking your own saliva and piss to get something in your stomach." I said, my voice was now fully bitter and full of anger as I remembered the days I spent in the wild doing just that.

"No, of course you haven't! Your a royal pony who's had everything she'd ever wanted." My voice was now full of anger and hate.

Calm down! It was just the life she was born with! Urged my Logical Side.

No way Jose! It's time these uptight prissy ponies learned the truth. Shouted my Illogical Side.

I decided to listen to my Logical Side for once. "I'm telling you this because I wanted you to know why I stole, and why I've always given back. I never wanted to steal but it was the only way to survive another day. I hate to admit it but sometimes ends justify the means." I said, my voice returning to normal.

The crowd was quiet for a minute, it was really eerie which was why I was glad when Celesita cleared her throat. "Well, I...I don't know what to say. I think that that's a horrible way to live....you might want to talk to somepony about it." She said. This struck me funny, not sarcastic, but seriously funny because it was true. "Look Celestia, I know that I do have scars, I do have anger issues but their part of me." I said trying to find a way to put it.

"My scars are like experiences, they keep me going sometimes with the fire of anger and pain. Sometimes when I'm wallowing in my miser I think to myself you've faced worse. They allow me to connect to other ponies still trying to get over their grief and I can relate to them because I've felt the same pain! The pain of watching ponies pass by you as you lie in the gutter, too weak to move. The pain of your parent yelling how much of a failure you are! My pain keeps me working harder, better, faster, and stronger. It makes me the best pony that I can possibly strive to become! It's what keeps me from becoming a sad sack of wailing flesh. It makes me a better pony because I know how painful it is! I know what it's like! And I will work to stop it when I can!" I said, my voice growing louder and stronger with each word. After I finished there was a silence in the crowd. I cleared my throat.

"Now, the Blueblood's were a different case as to why I never paid them back." I said bringing the crowd's attention back to the felony at hand. "Yes I stole from them the food the ONLY reason for that was I hadn't eaten or drank anything in 3 days and I was on the verge of dying. During those three years I ran from the police, I saved enough bits to pay them back. So naturally, I went up to their residence and snuck in." I got incredulous stares from the 5 mares behind me. "What? Do you honestly think they would let me in?" I asked, I had a point I was still a shaggy un-groomed homeless pony back then.

"So I snuck into their living room and threw the bag of bits on to floor and apologized my heart out. And you know what they said to me?" I asked questioningly, looking directly into Celestia's distraught eyes.

"They said keep your filthy self away from us!" I said imitating a highly polished Manehattan accent. "So I took the bits with me and ran out of there faster than a pony in red during the running of the bulls." I said jokingly, this drew a couple of chuckles from the otherwise quiet crowd.

Celestia spoke with a deadpan voice now.

"I still think you should talk to somepony."

"And I'm telling you I'm not gonna talk with a shrink." I replied equally flat.

"Should too."

"Should not."

"Should too."

"Should not"

"Should too!" She shouted.  I sighed and got up.

"Make me."