In the blink between disappearing and reappearing back in Celestia's private chambers, I felt as if all of existence had been shoved into my skull. In a time too brief to measure, I saw stars burn away and explode into existence. I saw impossible cataclysms ripple through time and space, the birth of planets and life, and the death of the universe.

Of course, I couldn't understand even a fraction of it. My mind swam as the spots faded from my vision, barely keeping balance as my senses returned to me. What...was that? I blinked the blurriness from my eyes, staring at the motionless alicorn splayed out on the bed with a positively miserable expression.

"Hello, Celestia!" Discord's mocking voice sounded from behind me. I tried to demand what he had shown me, but my mouth refused to follow commands. I couldn't even make my lip twitch, let alone utter a sound. I glared hatefully at the draconequus as he walked through me, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Aren't you looking positively radiant?"

The solar diarch refused to move, her empty eyes moving to Discord's face before returning to staring blankly ahead. "Leave me, Discord. I'm in no mood for your tricks."

The trickster chuckled and ruffled Celestia's hair, before responding with "your manners are slipping, little Tia. And here I thought you'd be happy to have your little pet back!" I glared at Discord with pure loathing, my fists shaking. That...bastard...

"Jason?!" Celestia immediately shot her head up, flitting her eyes about before training them on me. Her eyes narrowed and she glared at Discord just as I was. "What have you done to him?"

Yes, Discord. What DID you do to me? I crossed my arms and tapped my foot impatiently, pointing at my mouth. Celestia noticed the gesture, her eyes hardening further.

"He has quite the potty-mouth Princess, I almost fainted from his language!" Discord feigned dizziness, before his lips turned into an open zipper and he continued. "So I made sure he was more pleasant to be around." The zipper closed of it's own accord, before returning to his usual lips in a flash.

"Let him speak," Celestia ordered, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Or so help me..."

"Why should I?" Discord prodded, suddenly inches from Celestia's mug. "Your sister seemed to think he could use an 'improvement'. I just went about it a more direct way, is all!"

"If you knew he was under her spell, you know I broke it. What's your point?"

"Oh, but you didn't want to, did you?" Discord's sinister hiss caused the alicorn to shudder, attempting to speak before once again getting cut off. "You took him to bed and made him say what you wanted to hear. Oh yes, little Tia. I saw everything." Discord's face dropped from a contemptuous sneer to an outright glare. "And here I almost thought better of you."

Celestia closed her eyes and forced down her temper, taking a deep breath and facing the draconequus with an even glare. "What do you plan to do?"

"Moi? Oh, you misunderstand. I'm here on behalf of Mr. Wright here!" The master of chaos snapped his talons, and my jaw finally began to move again.

Celestia turned to me, eyes pleading. "Jason, please tell me you haven't struck a deal with him."

"OBJECTION!" Discord exclaimed, pointing his lion's paw at the princess, "Your line of questioning is irrele—"

"Shut up," I snapped, "that joke was old when I was ten." Honestly, how—wait, how does he even... I shook my head. I don't wanna know. "Anyways," I turned back to Celestia, crossing my arms. "He's right, that's beside the point. I'm here for a request."

Celestia was visibly thrown off, but continued nonetheless. "If it's within my power, I will try. What do you need?"

"Justice," I started, "Twilight Sparkle started my situation for the last three years. Rainbow Dash actively assaulted me with fucking lightning. Applejack..." I shook my head, banishing the thought. "My point is, what the Elements have done has to be against some laws. I'd like to press charges however I can."

Celestia sighed and stood up from the bed, giving me a pitiful stare. "I can't do that."

"WHAT?!" Discord and I shouted in near perfect sync, my hands balling into fists. "I'm sorry, but...what?" I hissed.

"I can't imprison the Eleme—"

"Oh, I heard what you said, Princess," I growled, "I'm giving you a chance to change it to something that won't make me punch you."

"The Elements of Harmony are supposed to be the epitome of Equestrian values, even before myself. If word got out to the public that they were imprisoned, there would be chaos!" Celestia's voice raised towards the end, and she lowered her ears. "Anything else. If there is anything, anything else I can do to make it up to you..."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, turning around to walk out of the room. "No. I'm done here."

"Jason!" Celestia shouted, "you don't need to leave! I understand my ponies have hurt you, but I can protect you! I—"

"You understand nothing!" I turned to her, marching up until I was a hair's breadth from her muzzle. "Did you ever, EVER think to check on me?! Did you send anyone a message letting them know I was coming? NO! You promised me I'd be safe!" I was screaming in her face, but I didn't care. "Sparkle turned me away because she said she'd seen enough of humans, so OBVIOUSLY there have been others! I SURE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM! What, did they all kill themselves too?!" My arm had raised of it's own accord, reared back for a strike. Celestia had her eyes screwed shut, head turned to the side. It took all my willpower to lower my arm.

"No...your word is worthless to me." I once again turned to leave. "If this is how you 'take care' of others, it's no wonder Luna went insane."

Discord, for his part, looked incredibly uncomfortable, and for the first time looked like he had been rendered speechless. The draconequus wordlessly followed me, but I was too pissed to care.

"Don't you think that was a little harsh?" He sounded quiet, subdued even.

"Yeah, well..." I glared out at nothing, "the truth hurts..."

"So what's the plan?"

"If Celestia won't right her wrongs, I will." A small, bitter smile came to my face. "I'd really, really hoped it wouldn't come to this..."