Pinkie clapped her hooves together. "Hiya! This isn't exactly the cheeriest of situations to be meeting, but it felt important." Despite the gravity of her words, the room around her was decorated with colorful and gaudy party ornaments. Even the chairs they all sat in were stylized to look like circus animals.

Cheerilee raised an eyebrow at the sight. "Ah yes, about that. Why are we here?" She had a chair that looked like a pony made of balloons, painted on the seat and back. "Are we celebrating something?"

Dawning Star rubbed at an arm lightly. "I assume it's because of what I did?"

"Yup!" Pinkie smiled brightly. "Or at least, that's part of it." She had her own chair shaped like a giant cupcake. It was solid enough to sit on, but otherwise appeared as if it was a piece of cake perched atop an actual cup. "You did a naughty thing!" She leaned in closer to Dawning Star. "On one hoof, that's bad, don't do that ever again! But on the other, I was really hoping to know why, and also how. That was pretty clever of you. You kept me totally guessing!"

Dawning grumbled softly. "Why? So you can be sure to never let it happen again?" She slumped over. "That makes sense. If I was a bad pony, they'd want to stop me from doing it again."

Cheerilee slid her chair closer and placed a hoof at Dawning's shoulder. "You're not a bad pony. And not a bad dragon either. I talked to your friends, and they had so many things to say about you, most of them quite nice. North Star, for example, said you are really good at finding trouble, but never start it. He also said you love jokes and playing with others."

Pinkie smiled as she scooted her chair over to bump against Dawning's. "So what made a not-bad dragon do a bad thing? C'mon! We're all buddies here." Her tail swayed energetically behind her. "We want to know how to help."

Dawning winced, flinching away from the contact. "I'm sorry." She hunched up in her seat, drawing her arms and legs closer. "It's my fault."

Cheerilee ran her hoof along Dawning's side, trying to comfort her. "Start from the, well, start. Who asked you to do this?"

Dawning drew a slow breath. "Some dragons are still angry with the ponies, wish they'd stayed dead. Then you came along, bringing news they were doing just fine, and that message?" She rubbed behind her head. "Proof that there were even more ponies waiting out there? That got some dragons really worked up."

Pinkie nodded at that. "And somebody told you to make sure we didn't meet with those ponies?"

"Yes." Dawning looked away, earfins pinned back. "They weren't exactly asking. More like ordering, but they, uh, were promising things too." She hugged herself firmly. "We dragons are like that. Threaten the worst, promise the best. If I did it, they were promising the sky. If I didn't do it, they were threatening to take it all away. Not just from me, but my family. My friends. They made it sound like if I failed to sabotage you, that failure would be a very painful death for all of us, if we were lucky."

Cheerilee grimaced, recoiling at the idea. "How terrible. Well, you're here." She rest a hoof on Dawning's shoulder. "And they aren't." She paused a moment. "Did you, uh, don't take this the wrong way, but what I know of dragons implies they don't often do friends, nor families. Did you have either?"

Dawning poked her fingers together. "Well, no. And yes. It's complicated. There are clan systems and groups that act like families. That's where my friends come from." She sat up straighter. "I wanted to do good, I really did. But if I didn't..."

Pinkie raised a hoof to her chin. "Your clan thingie, it had powerful dragons, right?"

Dawning perked. "Super strong! Way stronger than me. They were super cool, that's why I joined them!"

Pinkie rolled a hoof slowly. "So anydragon trying to pick a fight with them..."

Dawning picked on the hint being laid out. "Would be in for a hard time." She buried her face in her palms. "They were never really in danger. I did all of this for nothing." But she recovered quickly. "Well, not nothing. They did promise a lot. Um, not that I'll be getting that."

Cheerilee patted Dawning on the back. "You'll get better things. My experience has been that the friends you earn are far more precious than what you're promised."

Dawning let out a loud huff. "Yeah." She poked Cheerilee in the chest. "You ponies sure are snuggly things."

Cheerilee perked. "I wasn't hugging you."

"Yes you were." Dawning rolled her eyes. "With your words. You ponies can't help but snuggle anything that doesn't stop you, I swear. A big, warm hug for every being in existence." She nodded to Pinkie. "And you? What is your special brand of snuggly?"

Pinkie tilted her head slowly. "You want to know more about me? Well!" She threw her hooves wide. "For one, I love parties, and that's why we're in the middle of one. Let's call this the 'I'm sorry for scaring creatures but nobody actually got hurt so let's be friends!' party." She gave a little wiggle. "Feel free to add to the theme!"

Dawning sighed at that. "What now?"

"So there's that." Pinkie motioned towards Dawning. "You have to decide that. Your friends, the ones right here, are hoping you admit your mistakes, say sorry, and be a good dragon. Can you do that?"

Dawning flinched as she was put on the spot. "Of course I can! I already did!"

Cheerilee rubbed Dawning's side. "Don't yell, please?"

Dawning snickered softly. "Right. Moms, another thing ponies do." She hopped to her feet. "I won't try that again, promise. Besides, I can't. I barely had the supplies to try that once, and now you know what to look for. I'd have to be suicidal to try that again."

Pinkie raised a hoof thoughtfully. "Oooooh. And about that. Is this your only punishment?" She blinked, then nodded quickly. "Don't answer that yet! Tell me after I'm done!"

Dawning blinked at Pinkie. "Were you asking me?"

"Nope!" Pinkie tapped at her head. "I was checking with Twilight, and she's checking with the captain. Roger gets the last word. He is the captain and all. There we go." She frowned slightly. "Not what I expected, but I approve. Oh dear, do let us know when you hear back."

Dawning rose a claw to ask, then just threw up her arms. "Well, don't keep me in suspense!"

Pinkie turned to Cheerilee. "Would you like to do the honors?"

Cheerilee twitched. "Oh dear. Not that it's bad, but it is serious." She cleared her throat and nodded. "You are restricted to your quarters for now. You are only permitted to emerge when in the company of another crewmember. This is to be the case until told otherwise."

Twilight appeared without warning. "I did have one question, if I may?"

Cheerilee startled and swatted at the air. "Don't do that!"

"Ah, apologies." Twilight appeared in a window this time. "Pinkie? Is Dawning really considered a child by our legal system?"

Pinkie inclined her head. "Of course she is! She hasn't even molted yet, so she's not even a proper teenager yet. Nope! Not an adult. Really, an adult that hasn't finished growing? That's crazy talk, Twi! Was that your only question?"

Twilight turned to Dawning Star. "How did you distract me? I had been tracking you, but then I simply stopped doing so. I do not believe that was simply carelessness on my part. How did you make me look away from you?"

Dawning leaned back with a sigh. "They gave me some sort of thing, some little device." She held up her claws in front of her. "It wasn't bigger than this. But it worked? The moment I activated it, you went away. At least, that's what they said would happen."

Twilight leaned in closer. "Where is that device? Kindly allow me to study it."

Dawning tilted her head. "But... Don't you already know where it is?"

"I was looking away, remember?" Twilight rubbed at her cheek. "It's difficult to think about the time that began. I would dearly like to study it, and ensure I am hardened against its future use. Voluntary surrendering of the item will be reported to the captain. That means he'll release your punishment sooner, one hopes."

Dawning twisted nervously. "I have to get it first." She raised a hand. "But that's not a problem. I'll show you where I stashed it."

Twilight beamed at Dawning. "Thank you. I'll let Roger know. Now, don't let me interrupt your meeting anymore than I already have." She spread her wings and faded at the same time, ceasing to be there.

Pinkie shook her head slowly. "Sometimes she is such a show-off." She pointed to Dawning Star. "Where were we? Oh yes, introductions. You're my friend now. I'm Pinkie!" She bounced in place. "and that? She's Cheerilee. We're both here for you. I'm here to chase sad faces away. If you need somepony to talk to, you come find me."

"And I am an educator." She put a hoof at her chest. "I'm helping your friend learn things. I'd be delighted to assist you as well. Even if you're already very intelligent."

Dawning gave them both a wistful look. "We really are friends?" She shifted from foot to foot. "That sounds pretty good."

Pinkie walked over to grab Dawning's face. "Really! I don't say what I don't mean. That'd be silly. And also not very nice." She let go of Dawning. "Your punishment isn't going to last forever. So we're here for you. Gotta make sure that, when it's all said and done, you learn from this, and become an even better dragon."

Cheerilee came over and nuzzled against Dawning. "Let's learn from this troubling little incident. Now, Pinkie prepared quite a few little snacks for us. Do you like sweets?"

Dawning shook her head, but it wasn't exactly a 'no'. "Sweets are kinda rare." And yet, there they were, waiting to be taken. "I guess I can try one." She took up a small cupcake and sank her teeth into it. "Soft!" And sweet. The combination of unique mouthfeels had her trying to figure out what she was feeling in her mouth. "I have never tasted anything like this before."

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "If you notice any crunchy bits, that's 'cause I sprinkled some gem powder in there. I hear dragons love that!"

Dawning sputtered at that. "Th-that's what it is?! I've never tasted raw gems before. Is that good for ponies?"

Cheerilee sighed softly. "It is not, but neither Pinkie nor I are physical, so we have no stomachs to bother. You are a dragon, so your palette is the one we're trying to make happy today. Taste good?"

Dawning struggled against a mouthful of cake and frosting. She swallowed it all down with a contented sigh. "Very good. I think I would like more."

Pinkie sat down next to her with a grin. "Good thing we have a selection." She waved a hoof over the other sugary treats. "Eat up! Good dragons get all the treats they want! And the bad ones? Well, um, that's complicated."

Cheerilee shook her head. "Not really, and I'd be remiss if I did not discuss this. Dawning Star?" Dawning looked over. "We are willing to forgive this, but if we deem you a 'bad' dragon, our forgiveness does have limits. Kindly don't make us demonstrate how that could go."

Dawning flinched, then nodded in understanding. "Got it." She shuffled around. "So, what now?"

Pinkie picked up another cupcake. "We eat!" She chomped eagerly into the snack. "Today's all about you, recovered good dragon. Oh, Fluttershy said to call her when you have the chance."

Author's Note

Pinkie welcomes a dragon back to the good side.

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