Canterlot Academy Trials

Elsewhere, in the school dorms…

Mei the Kirin mare was on her way back to her room but was stopped before she could get there by a certain zebra mare.

“Hey,” Spearklip called out to her, “You up for some grub? I just got through with a mission and wanna get some food. Think the Tasty Treat is crowded right now?”

“Hmmm…” Mei wondered if her team’s efforts had managed to bear fruit by now. It was still the same day though, so she wasn’t going to expect too much. “Maybe. But I’m not even sure if they’re open right now. Their business has been pretty lacking lately.”

“Can’t hurt to check, right?” Spear tried to entice her friend to come along, “C’mon, I bet they got that special curry we’ve been waiting for.”

At the very least, it couldn’t hurt to see how Saffron Masala was doing, right? Mei would eventually agree. “Alright, let’s go.”

A quick walk to Restaurant Row later…

Sure enough, the place was still rather empty. But curiously enough, one of the ponies inside was someone whom Mei never would’ve imagined returning to the Tasty Treat…

Zesty Gourmand had arrived and was apologizing to Saffron Masala!

“What the--” Spearklip took notice, and glared at the old mare through the window, “What’s she doing here? I thought she hated this place?”

“Hang on, Spear,” Mei urged her friend to calm down and observe the situation before acting. As they watched, they’d notice Zesty speak with a painful expression of regret on her face. Saffron’s expression turned from anger, to understanding, to forgiveness as the older mare explained herself.

Soon enough, Zesty left the restaurant, and started trotting towards another one…

Confused, and now curious, the young ladies entered the Tasty Treat and approached Saffron Masala to ask her a question.

“Ms. Masala?” Mei spoke up, “Was that…Zesty Gourmand here?”

“Yes!” Saffron replied with a shocked tone, “I’m just as surprised as you are. She actually…said she took full responsibility for the damage she caused to the Tasty Treat’s reputation and intended to correct her mistake by using her authority to help me instead.”

The zebra mare didn’t quite buy it. She tilted her head with a suspicious glare. “...Uh-huh,” Spear muttered, “Sure she did. People don’t just change their minds like that at the drop of a hat.”

‘So it worked, huh? Maybe we have the power to help others through their minds after all.’ Mei cleared her throat and tried to clear it up. “Ahem--uh…well, it’s possible that she’s been reflecting on what she’s done for a while now.”

“Maybe…” Spear muttered dubiously.

“Either way,” Saffron went on, “If she truly regrets her actions, then I’ll accept her apology. I’m on the brink of closing up shop for good at this point. I’m sorry, girls, but there’s nothing here for you today.”

“Damn…” Mei huffed with a sigh and flicked her tail, “But I understand. All we can do is hope Zesty makes good on her word. What’re you gonna do in the meantime, Ms. Masala?”

The chef mare placed a sweatband on her head. “Might go for a jog. You girls run along now, hm?”

Heeding her words, the mares left the restaurant in a slump of disappointment. Mei could only hope that her and her friends' efforts would come through for Saffron’s sake…

“Such a shame,” Spear sighed, “But I guess we can’t really help it. Where should we go to get lunch, Mei?”

“Hm?” the kirin idly kicked her hoof against the ground and looked up, “S-sorry. Was a bit distracted in my thoughts. Umm…”

Just then, Spearklip let out a shocked whinny with her eyes growing wide as she glanced down the street. “Hey, Mei. Check this out.”

“...Eh?”

The two looked up and saw a few members of the Royal Guard speaking to Zesty. Soon enough, they were escorting her away from the area, and towards the castle…

“What the hell?” Spear muttered, “First she apologizes, and now she’s essentially turned herself in without a fight? What could be going on with her?”

“...I have a feeling we’re gonna find out soon,” Mei replied.”

Within the confines of a prosecution office in the castle…

Several guardsponies had brought Zesty in for questioning. Her daughter, Harissa, was observing the interrogation through a one-way mirror on the other side.

“...I only did what she said because I thought it was right,” Harissa admitted to Tungsten who sat at the table across from her. “I even lied about the fact that she bribed the courts so she’d get custody over me instead of my dad.”

“Well ain’t that fuckin’ great,” Tungsten seethed under his breath. Because of this, an investigation would have to be conducted into the entire Canterlot court system. “Now I ain’t got a clue who to trust in this bitch.”

“...I-I’m sorry,” was all Harissa could respond with as her voice broke.

Tungsten sighed and shook his head. “...it’s okay, little miss. I ain’t yo fault yo mama’s a corrupt ol’ broad. But now, I wanna know from your own words: Who would you wanna stay with?”

“...My dad, no doubt about it,” she replied with a bit more confidence in her voice as she put her hooves on the table. Now that Zesty no longer had any authority over the young mare, she was finally able to think for herself. “My mom was…she made me say and do things that I wish I could take back. I’m…truly sorry, sir.”

“Don’t stress yourself out, kiddo,” Tungsten replied, “We’ll keep her held here for the day and get started on her case tomorrow. You got a place to sleep for now, yeah?”

“Mm-hmm…” Harissa nodded.

“Alrighty. Wait for us to call you. I’ll have a guard fetch ya in the mornin’. Zesty Gourmand’s reign of terror over Canterlot’s culture is officially over, ya’ll.”