Chapter Eighty-Three: Forgiveness

Wounds cleaned, stitched, and wrapped, Pendulum turned to his present employees as he was surrounded by officers. They watched in bewilderment as their boss' front and back pasterns were cuffed, the expressions on their faces demanding an explanation, especially since he was the one who had been bitten. The stallion forced a calm smile as the non-verbal sign that everything would be revealed to them. He certainly wasn't looking forward to the moment they learn about what he had done. His stomach clenched unpleasantly at the thought.

"If we're done here," Twilight Sparkle began, turning to Smokey. "Do you think you might be in any condition to travel? Or should we find someplace to stay and rest up for a while?"

"I-I can walk," the dragon winced, releasing Terra Cotta and placing Chenoa into the awaiting forelegs of Fluttershy before slowly and deliberately getting up. It was a very excruciating process, but he was able to rise onto his feet with the help of Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

"Befoore you goo, is there anything I can proovide foor you? A large meal?" Pendulum offered.

"That's mighty kind of yeh," Applejack snorted. "But we don't need yo-"

"Some food and a nice place to rest would be appreciated, thank you," the lavender-pelted princess butted in, taking notice that Smokey was having difficulty taking steps, requiring assistance to walk. "Though, I think we can manage."

"Really, I insist!" Horn glowing, he summoned a large bag of bits from within his coat with a quiet mutter that sounded along the lines of needing to acquire more bags under his breath, and dropped it at Twilight Sparkle's hooves. "Stay in the finest 'ootel in Las Pegasus."

"That still doesn't make me not wanna pound you!" Rainbow Dash seethed.

"Nor me!" Applejack agreed, her brows sinking into a glare.

"Rainbow Dash, Applejack-" Twilight Sparkle started.

"No, Twilight," the orange mare rebuffed. "Ah'm as sorry as Ah can be, but Ah am not going to have anything to do with this excuse of a stallion anymore. Y'all can let this filthy blood money to pay for your luxuries, but Ah'd rather just find my own hotel for us to stay in!"

She whirled around and stopped in Pendulum's direction.

"Ah know you're probably tryin' to say yer sorry, but this whole tryin' to buy your way into our good graces is makin' me angrier! Do you honestly think we're just going to forgive you that easily?!"

"I forgive you," said Smokey as he lowered his head to nuzzle the pale yellow mare in front of him as he settled back down to take a brief break, hoping that the searing pain in his side would die down to tolerable currents.

"What?!" Rainbow Dash incredulously exclaimed.

Even Pendulum himself was bewildered.

"I said I forgive him," the winged reptilian repeated.

"Yeah!" Applejack growled, before her expression shifted into one of surprised as she processed what Smokey had actually said and tilted her head back to look up at him. "Huh, wait, wha?"

Even Terra Cotta was shocked. She had seen Pendulum WHIP him! He was injured! He could have died! And, yet, he was FORGIVING him?

"I forgive him, too," Fluttershy spoke up. "… You're not a bad pony, Mr. Pendulum. You're just misdirected."

Pendulum felt his chest swell with a flurry of emotions, resisting tears from pooling in his eyes. After all he had done to Smokey and his friends… After fooling them and splitting them apart, ultimately causing them misery… Brainwashing and beating the dragon… Cutting him off from the outside world…

And he was going to forgive him so easily? Him AND Fluttershy? How could anyone possibly have hearts that big, he wondered.

"I forgive him, too," Pinkie Pie followed, sighing. "I can't stay mad at anypony. Besides, we got Smokey and Chenoa back! This is a reason for a party if there ever was one!"

Rarity was silent for a moment.

"… Well… I suppose I can't really be that furious, either… I want to, but… he really does seem to be repentant…"

"Oh, Ah can't BELIEVE the manure Ah'm hearing!" the apple farmer barked. "Twilight?!"

Twilight Sparkle compressed her lips. Gazing at Applejack, then at each of her friends, he emitted a sigh.

"I know it's hard… but, he really DOES seem to be truly sorry. I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt. Don't you?"

"Rrrrgh…" Applejack grunted. Scrunching her face in anger, she glared at Twilight Sparkle, then at Pendulum. For several moments, she stared at him, before ripping her gaze away. "Ah'm sorry. But Ah can't. Ah don't know if Ah can. Not after what he did."

"Neither can I!" the sky blue pegasus huffed, dropping and stamping all hooves into the ground and leaving deep imprints.

"I understand you booth doon't ever want to foorgive me… I woon't ask you foor it," the brown-coated stallion stated, his eyes downcast in shame. "Thoough, I insist you stay in luxury while you're 'ere."

Twilight Sparkle was apprehensive. However, she couldn't help but offer him a smile, nodding once.

"Very well. We graciously accept your offering," she said, choosing to ignore the responding snorts of disgust originating from Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "Thank you, Pendulum."

"Yes, thank you," Smokey contributed. He had always wondered what it would be like to stay in a luxury hotel. Not making much money throughout his life, he had no choice but to stick to the minimum.

As she levitated the bag of bits in her magical grasp, Twilight Sparkle turned to her friends to issue them a smile… though it faltered lightly seeing the displeased faces of Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Administering an apologetic frown, she turned away to begin leading the party off.

A frown tipped Pinkie Pie's normally smiling lips at the expressions of discontentment. While Rainbow Dash flapped her wings to fall into place behind their leader, the pink mare doubled back to assist Applejack with Smokey as Rarity remained at Fluttershy's side.

"Er, thank you for the bits, Mr. Pendulum," Smokey grunted again, even with the help he was given. Tearing his eyes from the stallion as he was being led away by the fleet of officers, he plastered them to the small earth pony filly behind them and forced a smile. "Come along, Terra."

"Kay, Papa!" the child called, skipping off after them.

Terra Cotta beamed, practically dancing around the dragon and mares helping him along as they set off. The rust-colored filly was actively elated-not only was she leaving the circus, but she had a new family. A true family, one she knew would love her. As Fluttershy carried Chenoa, she giggled at the chick as she continued to skip around in excitement.

"Be careful now, sweetie," Fluttershy warned in a warm, motherly intonation. "We don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Kay, Mama!" she squeaked, settling down. She repeated her last word to herself once… then twice, as if testing it out to confirm that she wasn't dreaming. "Mama. Mama. MaaaaMA. Mama!"

Following this, she turned to Smokey.

"Dadi! Dadi. Daaaadeeee!" She then broke out into laughter, bouncing around them all over again, her joy evident. "Mama! Papa! Mama! Papa!"

Feeling her heart warm, the yellow pegasus blushed lightly, turning to Smokey.

"She's certainly adapting quickly."

The dragon felt his own heart melt hearing the child so elatedly refer to Fluttershy and him as her own mother and father. They had another child. ANOTHER child! That, and he was returning to Ponyville to spend the rest of his life his children, his friends, his animals, his little brother, and the love of his life. He felt like he couldn't be happier.

"I think that's that," Twilight Sparkle said, tightening her saddlebags. "Is everypony ready to go?"

It had been two days since Smokey had been freed, and Twilight Sparkle had already written out an entire report to send to Princess Celestia. As Spike had not been present, she couldn't have asked him to send it right away. Still, she wanted to make sure it got sent as soon as possible.

Regardless, the fact didn't change that Smokey needed to rest and recuperate. As they relaxed the past couple of days, the alicorn spent her time reading, while Rarity occupied herself with studying local fashions. Applejack and Rainbow Dash seemed content to sit and brood, not wanting to have anything to do with the luxuries, though eventually relented when Rarity and Twilight Sparkle all but dragged them to the nearest massage parlor to get them to relax. The two mares ended up melting under the strong hooves of the masseurs. Pinkie Pie paid her time to the casinos and the buffets, eventually getting thrown out after cleaning out the latter. Fluttershy, of course, invested her time with her recently rescued beloved and children. Smokey spent almost all of his time laying upon one of the pillow top mattresses.

All needs were provided by the most opulent hotel in the vast metropolis. Even though most of the rooms had been booked when the party arrived, their most expensive suite wasn't, and there had been more than enough bits given to them by Pendulum to cover everything. When the dragon wasn't in bed or giving attention to Fluttershy, the other mares-when they weren't out and about exploring the city-, and the children, he relaxed in the room's personal hot tub.

In order not to frighten any of the other guests or faculty, he requested his meals to be brought straight to the room-of course, someone else would answer the door when room service came by-as well as housekeeping, and considering the dragon, had refused any of the maids from entering the room. Often, he ordered something he could share with Fluttershy and the kids. While he had rested, he was quite touched that the yellow mare would rather spend her time by his side rather than see a show or indulge herself in anything else Las Pegasus had to offer.

Even though he was still in pain on the day they were scheduled to depart, he had not been in nearly as much agony as when he was shot.

"Does everypony have everything?" he tacked on.

"Yeah, Ah'm good," Applejack replied. She and Rainbow Dash felt better and weren't nearly as angry as they were at Pendulum… but they still weren't QUITE to the point they felt they would forgive him.

The equines had gathered up enough supplies for the trip back. They would have to, Twilight Sparkle had reasoned, since they would be going back they way they came, and they didn't have adequate transportation this time. Once the others had sounded off that they were prepared, the princess nodded in acknowledgement.

"Are you sure you feel up to traveling?" Fluttershy questioned Smokey. "I don't want to rush anything…"

"Yes, I am ready to go," he insisted with a wide, toothy grin, making it apparent that he was eager to get home.

"Uh. Okay, if you say so," said Rainbow Dash. Precipitating herself at the scaly being's side, she tucked her body underneath one of his arms to help him off of the bed.

Smokey was a little stiff, but nothing walking couldn't cure. Taking his first step, he nearly stumbled and fell over. Catching himself on his other foot, he smiled sheepishly.

"May I please… still use one of you ladies as a crutch?"

"Of course," Fluttershy immediately responded, shifting Chenoa into one foreleg, and was instantly at his side to allow him to prop up against her.

Twilight Sparkle bit her lip, observing them.

"On second thought, maybe we should rent a carriage and take turns pulling it…"

"Do we have enough for that?" Rainbow Dash queried.

"From Pendulum's money he gave us?" Twilight Sparkle removed the bag of leftover bits from her saddlebag to double check. "After getting all our supplies and from renting the room, getting the massages, and paying for the meals… no, not really."

"We would have," Pinkie Pie huffed. "If somepony didn't keep blowing it on the slots!"

"That was you, Pinkie!" Applejack retorted.

"… Oh. Oh yeah! Hehehehe!" the pink mare giggled, an embarrassed blush touching her cheeks.

"Thanks a lot! Now Smokey's gotta walk the whole way back!"

"Calm down, Miss Rainbow Dash. I'm sure I'll be just fine," Smokey assured. "Besides, I will have plenty of time to rest up once we return to Ponyville."

"Yeh, that'll only take about six days or so. And Ah didn't think it would take this long to get Smokey back… though." Applejack paused to turn a smile to the dragon. "Heh. Fer a friend, it's worth it."

The dragon flashed a grateful smile to the farmer, his sea green eyes threatening to glaze over with happy tears.

"Thank you, Miss Applejack."

"Of course," Rarity piped up. "You mean a lot to us. Especially to Fluttershy. She was ever so insistent about you when we thought that you… well… we originally thought you really DID bite Pendulum. You had us almost convinced!"

"Except for me!" Pinkie Pie squealed. "And Fluttershy! We totally didn't believe it, not for a moment! Yeah, you might LOOK scary, but you're really the sweetest sweet sweetie we've ever known!"

"And when we found out that it was fish's blood on the handkerchief… Heck, we couldn't just LEAVE yeh," Applejack continued. "When it comes down to it, we'd move Heaven and the Moon for friends if the situation calls for it."

By now, there was no way Smokey could have held back his tears. Heaving as his chest flooded with overwhelming emotions, he pulled Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash closer. He wasn't sad though-he was just incredibly happy.

"Th-th-thank y-y-you a-all!"

Fluttershy just gave him a warm smile and rested her head against him with a soft murr.

"I couldn't bear to lose you… I would go to the ends of the world for you, Smokey. I'd do that for any of my friends."

"… When we were apart…" Smokey began, lowering his head to nuzzle her. "It felt as if… somepony had torn out a substantial piece of me…"

The remaining mares-and even Terra Cotta-exchanged a small smile.

"I felt exactly the same way," Fluttershy, returning the nuzzle before she drew her head back to meet his eyes. "It… wasn't the same. Like… everything was so much… darker. I could barely find the strength and motivation to take care of my poor animals. I barely found myself being able to properly take care of Chenoa."

She went silent for a moment.

"And then… Chenoa got out… and she got lost…" She bit her lip. "Oh, what if I AM a bad mother? Pendulum's right! Maybe I should've never-"

"Whoa, nelly!" Applejack interjected. "Lemme stop ya there! Yeah, shore, y'could've been a little better prepared. But y'can't go blamin' yerself entirely."

"This is your first time being a mother. Our first time. We are bound to make mistakes," said Smokey, a gentle smile tugging at his maw as he nuzzled the mare again. "The important thing is Chenoa is back with us and we learned from this experience."

"And… try not to make any more dumb mistakes," Rainbow Dash added.

Fluttershy blushed with a frown gracing her visage.

"I… really messed up, didn't I…?"

"Yeah… yeah, ya did, sugarcube. But, at least you realized yer mistake. Like Smokey said, ya live, ya learn, ya get Luvs. Or something to that effect. Thing is, you won't mess up like that again. We ain't gonna let'cha."

"You got that right!" Rainbow Dash confirmed with a nod. "What are we waiting for? Let's get going already."

Releasing a laugh, Twilight Sparkle nodded once.

"All right then!"

"Wheee! Ponyville, here we come!" Pinkie Pie cried as they all set off.