“So, Trixie, do you want to see some more of my toys?”

“Twilight, please stop. Cut off my horn or kill me already. I don’t even care. Just no more of this. I don’t want to play your games.”

“Again with changing your mind. You’re not a very trustworthy pony, it seems. We make a deal and you break it. We make another deal and again, you want to change your mind. Enough, Trixie!”

“Please! Just let me go. I promise to never do anything bad again. I beg you.”

“You’re saying this now, but if you got your freedom back, you’d relapse to your old ways in no time and forget what you promised here.”

“No, I wouldn’t. I swear. I will always be good, just please, let me go.”

“I’m not stupid Trixie. I believe that you are, indeed, motivated to be good right now, but if I were to remove the cause of your motivation you would break the deal in a heartbeat.”

“I’ll never break my promise. You can trust me on that. I’ll keep to it forever. Please believe me.”

“Maybe an example would help. You and King Sombra stand on the edge of a cliff.”

“Who?”

“He agrees to jump if you promise to plunge with him into the abyss to both of your deaths. You agree to it, because he would torture and kill you if you wouldn’t. You may have also had a desire to save other ponies from his reign of terror, even if it means sacrificing yourself. I imagine that the last statement doesn’t resonate with you, but it doesn’t change the point of this example, so I digress.”

“Whaa?”

“You both jump, but mid-flight you remember that you have a parachute strapped on your back.”

“I don’t understand what you’re even going on about.”

“Would you open it? Would you save yourself and break the deal you made?”

“I’ll never break the deal… ”

“You’d open your fucking parachute, Trixie. Anypony would in such a situation. That’s why I’m not giving you a parachute that would enable you to break your word. I’m making you keep your deal with me. If you can’t be trusted with it, I have to be responsible for you, instead.

“A bunch of fireworks isn’t gonna cut it this time around, Trixie.“

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. “Please!”

“You have to learn to stand behind your words. I’m teaching you this lesson, whether you like it or not. We’re sticking to our current deal. 120 points will set you free.”

“Why don’t you just kill me now and be done with it? I won’t be able to take that much stress.”

“It’s okay Trixie. I’m not placing my faith in your mental fortitude. I know you’re too weak to bear all that’s coming your way.”

She hyperventilated. “You’re freaking me out Twilight. Please stop. I’m scared.”

“You won’t be alone in this. I’ll keep you up and running despite your reservations. I’ll make you endure everything coming your way.”

“I know you can’t be serious. Tell me you don’t mean it!”

“Your mental strength isn’t as big of an issue as you make it out to be.”

She shook her head. “Please!”

“I see you’re already losing yourself. It’s okay. I’ll be there for you. I’ll help you collect all the forgiveness points you need even when you won’t be feeling up to it. I won’t be placing any responsibility on you, we both know you’re weak in that area. I’ll be calling all the shots, so you won’t have to.”

“I’ll do anything you ask of me Twilight, just stop this madness.”

“Madness? This is karma! A pure balancing procedure. You caused me pain. It’s only fair that we equalize the turmoil. Everything will balance out in the end. I shall see to it! The moral entropy will be preserved. The tree of harmony wills it.

Author's Note

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