The family watched Artex walk out of the museum with a sense of trepidation. He had been rather unpleasant with the curator and the archaeologist, yet he had been nothing but pleasant the previous night. The change was concerning. Mason trotted up next to Razor and spoke quietly, "Uh, Razor? Does your stallion seem a little... unfriendly compared to last night?"

Razor nodded subtly, "He's called a man, not a stallion, but I do see what you mean. It's been worrying me, too. By the way, he can hear us clearly, can't you?" She never changed her tone or volume.

Artex simply replied, "Clear as day." He turned his head, "Have I been acting weird?" He slowed to a stop in the middle of the street.

Oriana piped up, "You really have." She trotted around to his front, "It seemed like the curator and the archeologist really didn't mean to vilify Humans. I can understand being upset about the admittedly huge errors they made, but they were more than willing to try to fix the problems as soon as they knew. You could have been a lot nicer to them."

Artex put his hand to his chin, "Hmm... I hadn't noticed. Even thinking back it doesn't seem like I was particularly rude." He shrugged, "Meh, they screwed up, I got gutted, I'm not worried about them getting a little 'butt hurt' over me telling them like it is. They'll live, I almost didn't. I will try not to be rude to anybody who doesn't deserve it, though."

Rose trotted up to Artex' right and nudged his leg, "Can I talk to you for a minute in private please?" She nudged him toward the side of the street away from the family. Once she judge they were far enough she stopped and looked up at him in concern, "What is wrong with you right now? You're never this nasty..."

Artex held up his hand, "Under normal circumstances, you're right, I'm not rude but with this?" he gestured to his healed stomach, "This nearly ended me. I think I'm entitled to make their day 'hell' because of their 'fuck up'. I can admit that I'm a bit messed up in the head right now, but making them miserable makes me feel a lot better right now."

Rose took a step back, "Stop. This isn't you. This isn't who you are. Where is the sweet man we all know?"

Artex crossed his arms defensively, "I'm still here, I'm just a little pissed right now."

Rose nuzzled his knee, "You need to try to be pleasant if you want to make a good impression on Razor's family. Aren't we on this trip so you can gain their approval to marry her? How are you going to accomplish that goal if you're 'pissy' the whole time?" She lifted herself up onto her hind legs and embraced him, "I have no idea what you've been through Artex, but don't you think you'll be kicking yourself if you mess this up with Razor's family? We still have today and tomorrow before we go home and whether or not you like them, they're still the reason you're here." Rose pulled her head back and looked him in the eye, "Please Artex, you know how much this means to Razor and I know you love her. Please just try to be nice... especially to her family."

Artex sighed and uncrossed his arms, "I'll try..." motion caught his eye and his head snapped up.

A stallion and two mares had turned the corner of the building that Artex and Rose were in front of. The three Ponies stopped and stared at him. They slowly began backing up as he scowled at them, but a new voice caught his attention, "Leave that Human alone!"

Artex followed the voice back to the speaker, a dirty brown colored Earth Pony mare who had a mane and tail of blaze orange. She looked to be an older mare and had another younger dark yellow mare with her. The older mare trotted up to Artex while Rose disengaged herself from him. She gulped quietly, but not quietly enough that Artex missed it, "Hello, sir," she began, "I uh, I have been made aware that you suffered an attack while visiting Trottingham." Artex nodded silently so the mare continued, "On behalf of the citizens of Trottingham, we wanted to express our sincerest apologies for the treatment you received while here." She offered him a broad and obviously strained smile.

Artex gritted his teeth in irritation, "And who are you to be making apologies for those who wronged me?"

The mare's already strained smile, strained even further, "I am the Mayor of Trottingham, sir."

Artex pursed his lips, "Alrighty then, if you will follow me, I will lead you to the store of a mare who threatened me with a weapon."

The Mayor's eyes widened, "Oh dear," she mumbled, "Yes, please do."

Artex looked over to Cloud Cutter, "Hey," he addressed getting the young stallion's attention, "Where is the book store where we had our encounter?"

Cloud Cutter jerked his head toward the right, "It's down this way." He stopped with his forehoof lifted, "Uh, can we go this way, Sergeant Slaughter?" He knew it was a wise idea to address his Petamine by her title while she was on duty.

Visceral Slaughter nodded, "Lead the way, but stay close by, on the ground."

The family and herd followed Cloud Cutter as he led them through the city. Rose trotted alongside Artex occasionally casting worried glances his way. Artex noticed her of course, "What's eating you, Rose?" He asked, keeping his eyes forward.

Rose chuckled dryly, "I didn't know that Humans used that term." She sighed, "I'm worried about you, my love."

Artex nodded, "I'm worried about me too. It's no small problem if everybody else sees an issue and I don't."

Oriana suddenly nudged his leg from the other side, "Nopony blames you for being upset. What happened to you was terrible. You have every right to be hurt, angry, and bitter, but you need to make sure that you aren't being mean. It doesn't do you or anybody else any good if you go about with a cutting tongue. What good can come from acting in such a way so as to validate the incorrect views of these Ponies? When other Humans come here, the Ponies are going to think that all Humans are just as unpleasant."

Artex almost snarled, "Well it's a bit late for that..."

Vaiawa suddenly appeared in the air in front of his face, "It is never too late." He voice was heated with emotion, "Had I the same view, New Humansville would be a far lesser town." Artex realized she was referring to how the Changelings were seen, "Somebody has to make a stand for change and show that public opinion is wrong. Alana and I took that risk and you already know how it turned out."

"Yeah, you ended up having rotten fruit thrown at you and three crossbow bolts sticking out of your chest." Artex quipped.

He realized right away that he had said the wrong thing. Vaiawa's eyes narrowed significantly as she hovered right up to his face, "I am going to assume that you misspoke just now." she said quietly, "Change is difficult for most species. Once an idea is embedded it tends to stay. It takes a great deal of effort to alter perceptions, effort on the part of everybody involved. I am not prone to physical violence, but I was very tempted to slap you for saying what you did. This is your choice Artex, but ask yourself this: are you going to let your hurt feelings dictate how other Humans are treated in the future? Is that fair to them?" Vaiawa fluttered down to the ground and continued walking, leaving Artex to think on her words. Razor Wit trotted up to Vaiawa and nuzzled her consolingly.

* * *

Cloud Cutter led them back to the open plaza where he had assaulted the Human. Artex recognized the place and sped up his steps to match those of the Mayor. He pulled up alongside her and pointed to the bookstore, "There," he identified the shop, "That's the place."

The Mayor nodded, "Thank you, sir. Would you like to come in and listen while I share a few words with the owner?"

"I would, thank you." He replied.

The door of the shop was propped open so the Mayor and her aid just trotted on in. Artex, his herd, and Feather Tip followed behind her while Razor's family waited outside. The Unicorn mare was behind the counter and saw Artex right away, "HEY!" She yelled, "What do you think you're doing here?! Get out of my store!"

The Mayor, who had been hidden from her by a shelf, stepped out from behind her accidental concealment and fixed the Unicorn with a stern expression, "Did you threaten this Human with a weapon?"

The Unicorn's eyes grew large, "Erm, Madam Mayor... I-I just wanted him to leave." She put on a false smile that would have been identifiable as false from a block away.

"Why did you want him to leave?" The Mayor asked.

"Because he was here, of course!" The Unicorn replied, "Everypony knows what Humans are like!"

"According to what, exactly?" The Mayor queried.

"The attack on Flankfurt and the exhibit at the museum. Where else could one find information about those sneaky Humans?" The Unicorn spat.

"Did he do anything?" The Mayor asked.

"He tried to buy a book." The storekeeper said.

"Ooh really? Since when is that grounds for evicting somepony from your store? Or better yet, threatening them?"

"He was here! I saw a bunch of stallions chase him in here so he must have done something bad!" The shop keeper replied.

Artex stepped forward, "You're lying!" He interjected, "You couldn't have seen that. First of all they didn't chase me in here and second, you wouldn't have known anyway. You were in the back room until I brought the book up to the counter."

The Unicorn turned a shade of red, "Who gave YOU permission to speak to me!" she spat indignantly.

"That would be me." the Mayor said evenly, "I asked him if he wanted to join me while you and I spoke. I placed no restrictions on his speech and it is far beyond my capacity or will to do so. He," she gestured to Artex, "Is a royally sanctioned Emissary, but more importantly, he was a customer. You have yet to show me any proof that he had done anything wrong."

"He stole a book!" The Unicorn suddenly said.

"I left you the Bits on the counter." Artex countered.

"I never agreed to the transaction, so it counts as theft!" The shop keeper said, "I reserve the right to deny services and goods to whomever I please as a licensed shop keeper."

"How many bits did he leave?" The Mayor asked.

The Unicorn shop keeper laid her ears back, "Forty-eight Bits."

"Did he and you haggle?" The Mayor asked.

"Y-yes... we did." The Unicorn answered.

"Let me make sure I have all the facts. He came in. He wanted to buy a book. You were not out here minding the store so he could have just taken the book and you wouldn't have known until you took inventory. He went to the counter. He and you engaged in haggling, which by law is you giving him permission to make a purchase, thus giving up your right of refusal of service. He paid you forty-eight Bits for a book, which I might add is a ridiculously high price, and then you threatened him. Do I have all of this correct?"

"Uh the order is a little off," Artex said, "She threatened me as part of the haggling."

The Mayor blinked, "And you still paid her more than the book was worth?" She shook her head, "This is unbelievable." She turned to the Unicorn, "As of right now, your license to sell in Trottingham is revoked. Do not bother applying for a new one. You will be refunded the price of the license and you may claim it at City Hall before the close of business tomorrow. Should you fail to claim your refund by the appointed time tomorrow it will go into the city treasury. I am also placing a lean on your rented location. You will have all of your belongings out of here by the end of the week. Anything left in here after that time will be liquidated." The Mayor held her face stern as the Unicorn began to stutter and break down in tears, "Have a good day." So spoken, the Mayor turned and left the store.

Artex and his herd followed the Mayor out. The Human man was feeling conflicted, 'I know what she did was wrong but... barring her from ever selling anything in town ever again? Forcing her to move out of the store? That seems... too harsh.'

He moved quickly, "Madam Mayor?" He asked.

The Mayor stopped and looked back to him with a stoic expression, "Yes, sir?"

Artex still felt conflicted, but he also felt she had been too harsh, "I do very much appreciate that you're willing to go to such lengths for me... but do you think you might have been too hard on her?" He scratched the back of his head, "I mean... yeah she was rude and nasty to me... but taking away her livelihood? That seems like it's going too far."

The Mayor smiled at him, "Very well, perhaps she should be fined instead? Payment will be due... before her license is renewed. You get to chose the amount."

Artex nodded, "Two hundred Bits sounds about right to me. May I have your word that the Bits will go toward a homeless shelter? I noticed a number of stallions who helped me the other day when I was injured."

The Mare smiled warmly, "Perfect." She turned to her aid, "Go inform the shop keeper that the Human she threatened has interceded on her behalf. Be sure to inform her of the fine." The aid nodded and trotted back into the store. The Mayor winked at Artex, "Looks like I still have it."

Artex smirked and crossed his arms, "You expected this."

The Mayor smiled back, "Of course. I found out too late to do anything about the attack, but I knew I could help with the source of the problem. This bookseller is a gossip. She'll go around town spreading word that you helped her after she acted out so badly. Word will spread that the Mayor has a very firm stance on how other species are to be treated, Humans will appear in a new light, and the shop keeper learned her lesson." She held out her hoof to Artex, "And the crowd around us at a distance will see us interacting on a friendly level. It all works out."

Artex shook her hoof, "It seems so. Thank you."

Author's Notes:

Let me know if you spot any typos.

EDIT: it may end up being a long while before I can update again. My computer gave me the infamous blue screen of death. I'm posting this from my phone.