Luna blazed through the castle at a reckless speed, knocking over ponies and entire suits of display armor as she beat her wings at a fevered pace.

‘SMASH!’

“OW!”

“MY APOLOGIES, MR. FEVERED PACE!”

‘CRASH!’

“PLEASE SUMMON THE ROYAL JANITOR!”

‘SMACK!’

“Hey! No flying in the halls!”

“I AM THE PRINCESS OF THE VERY NIGHT! YOU CAN PLACE YOUR TEETH ON MY POSTERIOR!”

Finally, with a trail of knocked over ponies, knocked over armor and smashed vases, and one shattered plate glass window that probably shouldn't have been transported both upright and across the hallway in the first place, Luna arrived at her destination.

She could already hear her sister through the large, ornately carved golden doors…

“Then it’s decided… Fizzlepop Berrytwist’s fate shall be—”

Luna’s horn blazed with midnight blue energy and she threw open the doors and burst inside. “Cease this discussion at once!” she commanded.

Celestia fell silent, her eyes widening in surprise at her sister’s sudden entrance. Likewise, Twilight and Cadance jumped slightly as they stared at the new arrival. Additionally, a fourth pony, which Luna quickly identified as the ‘accused’ Tempest Shadow, sat next to Twilight. Tempest had an expression beyond simple surprise. In fact, Luna seemed to have startled the battle-hardened mare so much that she gazed upon Luna with a certain degree of terror.

Well, such things wouldn’t matter in a short while.

“Hello, Luna,” Celestia greeted in an oddly cold tone. “We were just about to wrap things up.”

Luna bobbed her head up and down. “Yes! So, I heard! I wasn’t aware this was to be discussed today!” she breathed a quick sigh of relief. “Thankfully, Raven informed me this meeting was taking place as I returned to my chambers after a quick lavatory visit.” Luna gave her sister a most incredulous look. “I would think something as important as a possible death sentence would warrant me missing a few hours of slumber.”

For some odd reason, the atmosphere in the room seemed to thicken from the tension emanating from the four ponies at the table.

“You chose not to use your own private chambers?” Celestia asked.

Luna smiled slightly. “I suppose I’m still feeling some unease regarding the recent attacks and wanted to confirm that all was well…” Luna offered a nod to Tempest. “No offense intended.”

“I… uh… That’s…” Tempest muttered out, something clearly tripping up the mare’s tongue.

Luna’s forehead tightened at the unicorns befuddled response. Twilight and Cadance still said nothing, instead seemingly waiting tensely for another horseshoe to drop.

“You needn’t have worried,” Celestia assured, her tone still rather cold and detached. “Your opinion on the fate of Tempest Shadow was fairly obvious.”

Luna turned to her sister and gave her a relieved smile. “Ah, I see… So that is why you choose not to wake me for my slumber.”

“Yes,” Celestia answered simply.

Luna frowned. “Still… I’m surprised this warranted discussion at all. The actions to be taken regarding Tempest should be most obvious.”

Again, the atmosphere thickened. This time feeling like one would need a cutting spell of the highest magnitude to cut through the tension. Luna looked across the group in concern her eyes focusing on the clearly beside herself with fear, Tempest Shadow. “You… you three couldn’t have possibly—”

Celestia raised a forehoof to stop Luna, “We have decided given Tempest’s—”

Twilight cleared her throat.

“Sorry… Fizzlepop Berrytwist’s actions during Twilight’s return that she is to be pardoned and placed under Twilight’s care.”

Immediately, all eyes were focused on Luna like pigeons on who'd just caught sight of a handful of birdseed hitting the ground.

Luna closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let out a most relieved sigh. Smiling, she opened her eyes again, “Good. I was afraid that…” Luna trailed off, her smile faltering as she noticed the most curious expressions directed at her. “… Why, may I ask, is everypony staring at me thusly?”

“You’re not upset?” Cadance asked.

There was a long, very pregnant pause as Luna’s forehead and eyes tightened in confusion. Finally, the pause gave birth to a very firm. “No.”

Tempest’s expression softened immediately as relief appeared to flood the mare to her very core.

Meanwhile, Cadance, Twilight, and even Celestia all shared slightly confused looks.

Luna’s turquoise eyes flew opened in disbelief. “You… you all thought I wished for Tempest Shadow’s demise?! H-HOW?! WHY?!”

Twilight couldn’t help but scowl at Luna.

“Easy, Luna,” Celestia soothed, “apparently there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“I should say so!” Luna snarled. She raised a forehoof to her forehead as if she was suddenly suffering a great pain. “How could you all think I’d demand such a harsh retribution as death! Even if Tempest’s end was to be painless, that’s simply far too severe given her actions!”

Twilight opened her mouth as if to speak, but another pony was quicker on the draw.

“It wasn’t going to be painless,” Tempest said simply.

All eyes were suddenly on the unicorn in the room.

“What?!” Luna growled out in disbelief.

“None of the executions were going to be,” Tempest added simply, her fright having now changed to anger directed at the alicorns sitting at the table with her.

“Ex-executions plural?!”

“The most likely choice was ‘fed screaming to a Ursa Minor’,” Tempest said coldly, now outright glaring at the other three princesses present.

Luna’s jaw almost hit the floor. “Why would you even think that I was capable of envisioning such madness?!”

“Well… We took a vote after we pared down the list of options,” Twilight offered sheepishly.

“A vote?! A LIST?!” Luna shrieked. “How, many different execution methods did you all propose on my supposed behalf?!”

“Er, well…” Twilight sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. With a magenta glow of her horn, a flat page of glimmering parchment and a modest pile was floated over towards Luna.

Luna took the pile in her magic and examined for first page curiously.

“IiiiEEeeeeee!” A tiny scream erupted from the glowing parchment and Luna nearly dropped the pile to the floor as she bore witness to a well-drawn, if slightly cartoonish, moving depiction of an Ursa Minor swiping open Tempest’s midsection and feasting on her innards as she thrashed and cried in agony. “This is ghastly!” Luna cried. “Why would you even draw such a thing?!”

“I asked the very same thing,” Tempest uttered in a frigid tone.

Twilight threw up a forehoof. “I felt the extra detail would help get across the gravitas of the punishment Fizzlepop might be facing!”

Tempest narrowed her eyes at Twilight. “Oh… Good job,” she said in an aggravated tone.

Luna began to flip through the other parchments.

“Aaaaaahhh—!”

“EEEEHhhhhhh—!”

“Whhhyyyyyeeee—!”

“WHY DO THEY ALL SCREAM?!” Luna exclaimed. “WHY IS TEMPEST BEING DEVOURED ALIVE BY BEASTS IN EACH AND EVERY ONE?!”

Twilight grit her teeth.

“THAT’S WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW!” Tempest cried.

“What is the meaning of all of this?!” Luna demanded.

“I’m sorry,” Celestia said, once again attempting to sooth. “I thought you liked animals.”

“HOW IS THAT IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW?! WHAT HAVE I DONE THAT YOU’D EVEN HUMOR I WOULD ACCEPT SUCH DEPLORABLE TREATMENT TO EVEN THE GUILTIEST OF EQUESTRIA'S CRIMINALS?!”

Celestia sighed. “Honestly, based on my past experiences with you as a co-ruler, I thought you were still for state executions.”

“Still?!” Luna fumed. “When have I EVER endorsed executions, sister!?”

Celestia’s face tightened into a scowl. “Don’t play innocent with me, Luna! I’ve seen you march scores of ponies to their deaths!”

Clearly feeling it was her time to attempt to calm ponies, Cadance spoke up, “Now Auntie, that was a rather long time ago… Perhaps Princess Luna has changed…”

“I have never in my life demanded the life of another!” Luna insisted. “I am, frankly, shocked and appalled at the very accusation!”

“Uh… What about Nightmare Moon?” Twilight suggested in an unsure tone.

Luna rolled her eyes. “My envy over my sister’s position literally transforming me into a horrible monster aside, I have never called for the execution of any pony either in recent times or prior to my transformation.”

Celestia’s brow tightened as looked upon her sister with light-magenta eyes filled with bitter memories. “I must have misremembered our shared history then, sister.”

Luna’s expression softened. “Sister? Celestia… If I have wronged you, I am truly…” Luna suddenly trailed off and she sent her turquoise orbs up toward the lids of her eyes. The rocked back and forth as if Luna was searching for something in the recesses of her mind. Her eyes suddenly opened widely once more. “Is… is this about Princess Perfect-Day and her Stuffed Army of the Sun?!”

Tempest wrinkled her muzzle and pursed her lips as Twilight and Cadance exchanged glances as if hoping the other had the answer to the question each one was thinking.

Celestia smashed a forehoof on the table causing it to shake and all eyes to fall upon her. “Luna! You fed the army to your menagerie of frightening and terrifying creatures!”

“Tia, I was four!” Luna replied.

“And I was a child of eight, Luna!” Celestia cried. “It was terrible! It was traumatizing to me!”

“You brought back Princess Perfect-Day and her army with the power of love, sunshine, and a bit of glitter!”

The other ponies present began looking back and forth between the princesses in confusion.

“And then YOU had your evil animal army destroy the very castle they were living in, in a fit of rage!”

“And I was put in timeout for it!” Luna paused as her eyes went vacant, before zeroing in on Celestia with the high-octane rage only fueled by foalhood trauma as she roared, “ BY YOU! You held me suspended in the air for the better part of an hour!”

“I SPENT ALL BUCKING DAY BUILDING THAT BLOCK CASTLE, LUNA!”

“YOU CALLED IT ‘BANISHING EVIL PRINCESS NIGHT TO THE PHANTOM ZONE!’ ”

“Are you two just talking about playing with stuffed animals and blocks as foals?!” Tempest cried in disbelief.

“It wasn’t JUST stuffed animals!” Insisted Celestia.

Luna couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Yes, Tia, some of them were figure carvings… This is not important. What is important is you’ve been convincing others I’m some sort of bloodthirsty, retribution craving tyrant, based off of an ancient play-time gone wrong!”

The room went silent once more as both Luna and now Tempest fumed in the direction of Celestia.

Celestia let out a sigh. “Alright, I’m truthfully sorry, my dear sister. Perhaps things got a little out of hoof.”

“A little?!” Both Luna and Tempest squealed.

Tempest exhaled sharply. “I haven’t touched food for over two days I’ve been so scared!” she cried.

“Two days?!” Exclaimed Luna. “Why was it even necessary to hold Tempest’s fate in limbo so?!”

Celestia huffed out in annoyance and motioned towards Twilight. “Twilight needed time to do her pictures!”

Twilight offered a sheepish grin. “Sorry… I’m pretty good at drawing on the fly, but it does take time to animate them and add sound effects.”

Luna took a moment to glance at one more illustration, apparently tiny-cartoon Tempest being slowly digested by the Smooze.

“AAAAAAAIEEEEEEE! I can feel my organs being liquified!” a tiny voice called out from the picture.

Luna’s right eyebrow twitched as she lowered the illustration. “Indeed…” She shook her head. “Well, as harmful, insulting, and pointless as this exercise was, at least we all can move on with our lives.”

Celestia raised a forehoof once more. “I still feel it was quite important we have this hearing regarding Tempest’s fate.”

“Well, it would have gone smoother had I had been invited!” snapped Luna.

“Again, my apologies, I thought your unquenchable bloodlust to see those who you felt had wronged you, or stole your snacks, or where just ‘too-perfect’—“

“Again! Purely a fiction crafted by you!”

“..Ahem.” Celestia continued, “Your vote”—

“Assumed vote!”

—“was not the only one crying out for justice.”

Luna was suddenly taken aback. She looked amongst her fellow princesses. “My… my fellow princesses. I must admit I’m shocked! Tell me… Who amongst you was considering such a harsh punishment?! My feelings on Tempests are quite set, but mayhap I can at least understand your alternative point of view.”

Celestia and Twilight turned towards Cadance.

“YOU Princess Cadance?!” Luna asked, clearly shocked to her core. “You are the Princess I would think least likely to call for such harshness.”

“… Thanks, Luna,” Celestia said sarcastically.

“Tia, I know I had a hoof in many of these capers with you in the past, but Tirek was banished to Tartarus, Sombra now only exists in spirit form -if at all- and Discord was encased in stone!” Luna shook her head. “I hope it doesn’t sound too hypocritical considering our past conversation, of which I was a child regarding that particular subject, however I’m forced to conclude that you at least humour somewhat extreme forms of punishment."

“I am so glad I know I’ve been pardoned…” Tempest mumbled, her eyes focused far, far away from anything in the immediate vicinity.

“Hey!” Twilight spoke up. “Why would you think it was me over Cadance?”

“Must I answer that; Miss. Depicts-ponies-being-repeatedly-mauled-to-death?” Luna retorted.

“It was just one pony over and over again!”

“Of course that is the issue,” Luna said with an eyeroll.

“I don’t get asked to draw a lot, okay!” Twilight added. “I feel I’m pretty good at it.”

“You are…” Tempest said.

Twilight smiled at Tempest. “Thanks, Fizzlepop!”

“Perhaps too good.”

Cadance cleared her throat. “To be clear, the call for an execution was not mine, exactly…”

“Oh?” Luna replied, raising an eyebrow.

Cadance nodded. “Shiny was the one howling for Fizzlepop’s immediate, and brutal end.”

Luna glanced at Tempest, noting that once again, the unicorn began to wilt slightly. “Shining Armor cries for vengeance?!” she asked in disbelief. “He’s told you himself? I was not aware you’ve even seen him. I thought he still to be in the Crystal Empire.”

“Oh, we’ve had some correspondence,” Cadance casually replied. “I sent Shiny a letter detailing exactly what had happened.”

“Cadance, I’m flabbergasted!” Luna admitted. “Shining is perhaps the most forgiving pony I know!”

“I was just as surprised as you!” Cadance admitted. “But it’s all here in black and white!” with an aquamarine glow of her horn, Cadance raised a scroll in front of her and began reading from it. “‘My dearest Caddie’,” Cadance paused and tittered to herself, “Shiny always calls me ‘Caddie’ when he’s missed me.” She continued. “‘Words cannot possibly express how relieved I am that you’re okay. You are the love and light of my life. Without you my world is dim and dreary. The thought of losing you was nearly unimaginable as was the pain that little Flurry Heart would have to grow up not knowing her dear, sweet, and caring mother.’” Cadance began to tear up, and Luna took note that neither Celestia nor Twilight seemed spared from the onslaught of emotions. “S-sorry…” Cadance sobbed out. She wiped at her eyes with her forelegs and continued. “‘I had heard of what the Storm King and his minions did to you, and—’”

“Apologies,” Luna interrupted, “did Shining Armor emphasize that last bit?”

“Oh, no…” Cadance said. “Actually that’s not written here at all, I just thought it heavily implied…”

“I, uh… see…” Luna said, her eyelids drooping slightly.

“‘—and I had rallied the troops of the Crystal Empire should I have to reclaim my love if necessary. My dear, darling wife. I would have gone to the ends of the earth for you and faced down the Storm King and that tall, slender, hussy Tempest Shadow myself if that’s what was needed of me.’”

“Shining is so brave!” quipped Twilight.

“I know, right!” Cadance said with a beaming smile. “‘The fact that you’re once again safe and we will meet again fills me with joy. Flurry and I can’t wait to see you again and hold you in my arms.’” Cadence’s smile grew. “‘With all my heart and soul, Shining Armor.’” Cadance sat down the letter and looked up at Luna expectantly.

“… Tis all?” Luna asked. “’Tis the end of the letter?”

Cadance nodded. “Yes… Again! I’m just as surprised as you at how angry Shining is about this!”

“I…” Luna gave Cadance a bewildered look. “That Prince Shining Armor was ready to plunge the country into all-out war for your sake, I have no doubt. Yet, nowhere in that letter does it suggest he’s calling out for the blood of Tempest Shadow. Nor anypony else.”

“I’m sorry, but I have to say something!” Twilight said.

Luna smiled at Twilight. “Ah, so you too are miffed at the gross mischaracterization of your brother, Princess?”

“Huh… Oh, not that… Shining can be rather vague in what he actually wants.”

“We’re talking about a the LIFE of Tempest Shadow here, Princess Twilight Sparkle!” The Lunar Princess snarled.

Twilight’s expression hardened. “No, we are not talking about Tempest Shadow!”

Luna growled in frustration. “What other possible topic could we be discussing then?!”

Twilight motioned towards Tempest. “Her name Fizzlepop Berrytwist! Not Shadow Tempest.”

Luna let out an incomprehensible rage-filled snarl.

“Twilight, it’s fine!” Tempest said. “Really, ponies can call me whatever they want! If Princess Luna wants to call me Tempest Shadow, I’m absolutely okay with that.”

“But it’s your bad guy name!” Twilight shouted.

“Yes! That I picked for myself because I thought it was cool!” Tempest fired back.

Luna groaned and looked at Cadance. “Princess Cadance, how could you possibly think that letter expressing love and joy for you also reads as a cry for retribution?!”

“Well, as Twilight alluded to, you’ve got to read between the lines with Shiny.” Cadance tittered like a school-filly with a crush once again. “Figuratively in this case!” She turned the scroll to face Luna. “Because literally Shining filled the scroll with tiny love hearts between each line.”

Luna let out a pained groan.

Cadance glared at her. “I don’t care if it’s cheesy! I appreciate the thought.”

“Neigh, that is not the source of my frustration!” Luna said. “I mean… You two are most assuredly dorks. Adorable dorks. But still dorks.”

“Right,” Tempest interrupted, “see, I thought it’d be sweeter if he sent a vial of his own blood!”

“Uh… Riiiight…” Luna replied in an unsure tone. She turned back towards Cadance. “Princess Cadance, far be it from me to tell a mare what her husband thinks, but Prince Shining Armor is the most forgiving pony I know! Princess Cadance, he was brainwashed prior to your wedding day! At the same time, you were locked in a cave -alone- for days before the kingdom was nearly overrun by Changelings! And this was before you, he, and your daughter were captured and cocooned by their armies! Yet, he holds not an ounce of hate for them! Not an ounce!” she stressed.

Cadance glanced at the ceiling. “So, Shining tolerates a co-existence with the changelings.”—

“The stallion dreams of the tea parties he’s had with their kind!”

—“The doesn’t mean he’s fully forgiven them!” —

“He literally dreams of this! And his past yoga classes with them!”

—“Shiny can be every bit as angry as anypony else!” —

“He thrives on the stillness the changelings bring him!”

—“Hard as it may be accept, Shiny doesn’t forgive Tempest. ” —

“He wallows in the joy forgiving others brings him!”

—“And he might never!” Candace concluded.

Luna let out a heavy sigh. “Well… I don’t think I agree, but perhaps if Shining was here—”

‘SLAM!’

“I’m here!” Shining Armor exclaimed as he burst into the room, nearly barreling into Luna.

“Oops! Sorry, Princess Luna!”

“No, no… All is forgiven” Luna tossed a wayward glance at Celestia. “I would not wish ponies to think I was some sort of tyrannical, grudge holding, blood-craver.”

Celestia replied with a silent roll of her eyes.

“Shiny!” Cadance squealed excitedly as she practically dove over the table.

“Caddie!” Shining Armor replied before his loving wife dove into his waiting forelegs and the pair shared a tight, intimate embrace.

Twilight smiled at Shining Armor while Tempest did her best to melt into her chair. “We were just talking about you, big brother!”

“Oh?” Shining said as he parted from Cadance. “I guess my ears must have been burning,” he said mirthfully.

“What brings you here?!” Cadance asked excitedly. “Is Flurry okay?!”

Shining smiled. “Of course! I rushed us both to see you after I sent my letter! When you told me you had official business still, I couldn’t bear to be without you for a moment longer than necessary.”

“AwwwWwww~!” Cadance warbled. “Well… You didn’t have to burst in on this meeting just to see me!” Cadance said, once again giggling like a little filly.

Shining’s expression suddenly became deathly serious. “Well… I was going to wait, but then I heard you were talking about Tempest’s fate!” He shook his head. “I mean… I’m amazed you all even felt such a discussion was necessary!” Shining turned towards Tempest. “It should be pretty obvious what needs to be done here.”

Once again, the air in the room became thick as Shining marched himself around the table and up to Tempest. She stared directly into her turquoise eyes with his light teal ones. “Tempest Shadow?”

“Erm… Yes?”

Tears sprang to Shining’s eyes immediately. “Thank you… From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for saving my dear sister!” He suddenly took one of Tempest’s forehooves in his own. “Look… I know you’ve made some bad decisions and probably have done a lot you regret…”

“I-Yes… That is true…”

Shining's eyes continued to water even as his smile widened. “But if you hadn’t made the right choice at the end, my family would have been torn apart!” Shining’s chest began to heave and he took a moment to exhale in through his nose. “S-sorry… Just…” Shining’s earnest smile returned. “You made the right decision in the end and put the lives of my sister and her friends above your own. I…” A small sob escaped Shining’s mouth. “I’m just so relieved you were there to make things right! And… sob… Can I hug you?!”

“Uh… Go ahead?!” Tempest replied with wide, surprised eyes.

Shining practically dove on Tempest and buried his watering eyes into her shoulder as he let loose powerful sobs of relief and held onto her tightly. Still rather unsure of what to do in the situation, Tempest awkwardly patted Shining’s back.

Meanwhile Luna’s expression had contorted into one of absolute rage and she was more than happy to share it with the other princess.

After a whole minute of uncontrollable emotions, Shining parted from Tempest slightly, only to once again take one of her forehooves in his own. “Tempest, if you ever need anything… Ever! Don’t hesitate to come to the Crystal Empire!”

“Uh. Of course…” Tempest said, forcing a smile onto her still confused face.

“I mean it!” Shining insisted. “As far as I’m concerned, you're family!” He glanced at Cadance. “Right?”

“Oh! Uh… Totally!” Cadance said with a quick nod as she just as quickly put a smile on her otherwise surprised face.

“Don’t worry though,” Shining looked up at Twilight and smiled. “You’re in the hooves of the kindest, most forgiving pony I know!”

“Recent evidence suggests otherwise!” Luna barked.

“Luna!” chastised Celestia.

Luna sighed. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry…” She looked back at Shining Armor. “What makes you think Tempest is in Twilight’s care, now?”

Shining nearly had to collect his jaw from the floor. He looked around the room. “You’re… you’re all forgiving her, right?! I mean… I know she did some bad stuff, but you can’t possibly be considering an execution like I heard.”

Luna raised a forehoof. “I never once even considered the idea.”

Shining couldn’t help but laugh. “Well of course you didn’t! You were forgiven immediately upon return to Equestria!” Shining shook his head. “I mean… what kind of monstrous hypocrite would you have to be to want an execution after you yourself were forgiven so easily?”

“Indeed…” Luna uttered with a bitter coldness directed at the other three Princesses present.

“Wait!” Shining shouted. “Does that mean you three—”

“I was the one who suggested I take her as a student!” Twilight quickly blurted.

“Right, she’s family!” Cadance hastily added. “Just like you said!”

All eyes suddenly fell on Celestia. Celestia who silently sat there stone-faced. After a lengthy beat of silence, Celestia spoke, “I felt I should remain neutral so I could best arbitrate.”

Luna suddenly exploded in anger. “Tia! You unbelievable twat-waffle!”

Celestia suddenly shouted back at her sister. “She petrified me while I was talking to you! I didn’t even get a chance to defend myself or attack any of the Storm King’s troops!”

“YES! But she also REDEEMED herself!” Luna pointed out. “How is you completely failing to do the most basic attempts at defending yourself Tempest’s fault?!”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “Look, I have to think and measure my words carefully! I’m a princess!”

“You could have screamed ‘Luna! Go South! Find the Hippogriff Queen!’ in a near frantic state as you lobbed a mailbox at Tempest, and I would have gotten the hint!” Luna countered.

“Well, you could have at least flown serpentine maneuvers instead of presenting yourself as an easy target for Tempest!”

Luna rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes. I am likewise disappointed in my own performance. However, my sub-par flying abilities are still the fault of my own.”

“Uh…” Shining looked about the accumulated princesses in perplexed awe for a moment then turned to smile once more at Tempest. “The important thing is you’ll be well taken care of by Twily!”

“Uh… It’s good somepony is endorsing her!” Tempest offered with a smile.

Grinning, Shining gave Tempest’s hoof one more earnest squeeze as he placed his forehooves back on the ground and trotted around the table back towards his wife. He smiled warmly as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “Well, I have to get back to Flurry, but I’ll let you girls hammer out the details!”

“Alright, Shiny!” Cadance said in giddy tone. “I love you!”

“Love you, too!” Shining added as he left the room, walking past Luna’s whose face was STILL contorted in disbelieving rage.

Luna took a moment to emphatically motion towards the door Shining had just trotted through.

Cadance sighed. “Okay, so I was maybe a little peeved myself! Just… Shields are supposed to protect, dangit!” Her ears folded back as she folded her forelegs across her chest. “So OP…” she grumbled grumpily shooting a peeved look across the table.

“I was petrified as well!” Luna countered. “In fact, I nearly died in that attack! That doesn’t mean I feel Tempest should be summarily executed for making a poor choice that could have had consequences for all ponies of Equestria! I was forgiven for my past mistakes! How could I not forgive Tempest for hers when she’s shown such obvious desires to make amends?!”

Celestia gave her sister a scrutinizing look. “You must desire some punishment for her?”

“I was never punished!” Luna reminded. “Why would I hold a pony to standards that I myself was not held to?”

“Er…Tantabus?” Twilight reminded cautiously.

Luna rolled her eyes. “Alright, so I myself craved punishment to the point where I created an entity as penance for my own sins! Fine! Tempest should have whatever punishment she feels is adequate that she doesn’t construct her own nightmares as to unrelentingly punish herself in her own dreams and force me to help fix her self-inflicted woes!”

Once again, uncomfortable silence filled the conference room.

Luna groaned. “What is it now?”

Twilight rubbed the back of her head. “We uh… We thought you’d want Tempest punished a great deal… so…”

“What did you do?” Luna asked in an accusatory tone.

“Well nothing you’re not already aware of,” Twilight said. “I … well, you already know about the drawings…”

“Aye…?” Luna drawled. She glanced at Tempest and noted a lingering glimmer of discomfort in her eyes. Luna let out a disapproving shriek. “You three were purposely trying to give her nightmares!”

“Oh…” Tempest uttered. She turned to sneer at the three princesses. “Good job!”

The three princesses all shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

“WHY?!” Luna demanded. “WHY WOULD YOU WISH SUCH A HORRIBLE FATE UPON A PONY WHO'S MADE IT CLEAR SHE REGRETS HER PAST ACTIONS AND WISHES TO MAKE AMENDS?!”

“Well you did it to yourself!” Celestia countered.

“Yes!” Luna shouted. “And Twilight and her friends convinced me I was WRONG to do so! Did… Did you think I learned nothing from that experience?! Why would you think I’d take pleasure in Tempest Shadow’s suffering?! Especially dream-based suffering! I have to deal with enough of that just from the mares in this very room!” Luna pointed at Twilight. “Twilight, you have nightmares about your current student unleashing horrors on Ponyville and your friends due to gross misuse of magic!”

“Er…” Twilight nodded. “To be fair, Starlight does that in reality… Kind of a lot, in fact.”

Luna shot Twilight an unamused look. “You do realize I now have to occasionally fight my nightmare self AND nightmare sister all because of your meddling with your protege while she was attempting to mediate between my sister and I, correct? Additionally, I’ve had to craft many-a dream tentacle-repellent spray!”

“I DREAM OF SHAPES THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE ON THIS OR ANY OTHER WORLD I’VE KNOWN OF, PRINCESS LUNA!”

Luna inhaled sharply. “Admittedly, that is fair.” She turned her attention towards Cadance. “Princess Cadance, you fear your child will crush or vaporize another pony with an accidental discharge of her magic or during a tantrum.”

Cadance pursed her lips. “I feel this is a perfectly valid concern given past and recurring evidence.”

“I am nearly incinerated or crushed by a giant crib on a near weekly basis!”

“Again, these are fairly indicative of the fears I face daily!”

Luna let out a heavy sigh and turned her forehoof towards Celestia. “Sister, you have constant nightmares about the aristocracy nagging at you until your ears fall off and then nibbling at your body until they consume you whole!”

“Okay, but you’ve met the nobles!” Celestia countered. “Imagine dealing with them every day!”

Luna rolled her eyes. “I’m not calling into question what you all fear, I’m requesting you not give me additional work or use my domain as an avenue to punish ponies, especially without consulting me first!”

Oppressive silence once again filled the room as Celestia, Twilight, and Cadance shared somewhat shame filled expressions.

“Sister, I do apologize,” Celestia said.

Cadance nodded. “It does seem rather wrong of us to presume your opinion on this matter.”

Luna cleared her throat.

“And others’…” Cadance added.

“Sorry, Princess Luna,” Twilight said, “I should have known better than to think you’d want a pony shown less mercy than you’ve learned you, yourself deserve.”

Luna nodded. “I appreciate the words of remorse, but there is another here who is owed apologies.”

The Princesses all turned and stared at Tempest, watching her silently.

Silence once again overtook the room as Tempest shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

“Oh, you cannot all be serious!” Luna snapped.

“She still petrified me while I was talking!” Celestia exclaimed. “That’s just rude!”

“I put up a shield!” Cadance insisted. “A shield! We need obsidian orb legislation! Or at least a nerf… That’s all I’m saying...”

Twilight just shrugged. “I guess I am still a little peeved that she chased me for three days and put me in a cage.”

“But she saved you!”

Twilight nodded. “Right! Plus, she has to share a roof with Starlight and the ever-present danger we’ll get sucked into a blender dimension, or something… I guess I feel we’re about even at this point.”

Tempest’s dark purple face turned a few shades lighter. “Can I… Can I rethink my status as your student?”

“No!” Twilight snapped. “I already had Spike make a guest room for you and everything!” Twilight smiled. “Besides! Tonight is Scrabble night with everypony!” Twilight leaned in close to Tempest and began to whisper, “Just keep an eye on Starlight… she occasionally tries to tear reality when she thinks no-pony is looking to see if her random string of consonants are words from other dark and twisted realities.”

Tempest couldn’t help but let out a sad, concerned whimper.

Luna inhaled then exhaled through her nose angrily. “Alright, if any ponies here deserve to be punished, it’s you three”

“Ah-hah,” Celestia exclaimed. “Here comes the ‘Luna the Butcher’ I know!”

Cadance and Twilight couldn’t help but cringe in fear.

Luna sneered at Celestia. “Very well, Sister. If I do, in fact, have a reputation to live up to.” Luna shot Tempest a look so grave that even Tempest couldn’t help but shudder as if a pony just walked over her grave. “Tempest Shadow, you are hereby ordered to meet me outside this room in ten seconds time where you will accompany me to the royal kitchen and assist me in consuming a nice dinner followed by all the cake we come across!”

If the thought had occurred to Tempest, she clearly would have blinked ‘I am confused’ with Morse code.

Likewise, Cadance and Twilight exchanged surprised glances.

“No…” Celestia murmured in a distressed tone.

“YES!” Luna cried. “And after that, Tempest Shadow and I shall consume all the ice cream from the royal freezer! Muhahahaha!”

“You absolute MADMARE!” Celestia declared.

“And after that, I shall do nothing for you three!”

There was yet another beat of silence and confusion.

“You mean nothing ‘to’ us,” Twilight suggested, “right?”

“That is possibly also grammatically accurate,” Luna said.

Again, a series of mystified glances where exchanged within the room.

Cadance gasped. “Our… our dreams!”

Celestia somehow packed more distress onto a face already overflowing with it. “Luna… You can’t! Haughty Highborn has a new pair of dentures! They’re terrifying!”

Twilight let out a distressed cry. “Starlight has a new book! It has cover that looks like a face! I think I can hear it chanting and laughing darkly at night!”

Cadance grasped her head. “I-I’ve had to raise Sunburst from the dead and wipe his memory three times this month already!”

“Sounds like you three have much to work out,” Luna said dismissively as she turned. “Yourselves!” she punctuated coldly over her shoulder for greater effect. “Come along now, Tempest Shadow…” Luna put on an oddly cheerful, grim smile. “Your fate awaits you.”

Laughing to herself, Tempest got out of her chair and trotted after Luna. “Oh nooo!” she howled in a faux tone of distress. “Whatever shall I dooooo?!”

“Come back, Princess Luna!” Cadance pleaded. “There’s still a burnt imprint of Sunburst on the nursery I covered with an armoire! EVERYTIME I SEE HIS SMILING, UNSUSPECTING FACE I CAN FEEL MY SOUL BREAK A LITTLE MORE!”

“Princess Luna, I’m begging you!” Twilight cried. “I can’t find Owlowiscious! I think the book ate my owl and he’s trapped in a nether realm between realities! I HEAR HIS DISTANT, FORLORN HOOTING EVERY NIGHT BEFORE I FALL ASLEEP!”

“Dentures, Luna!” Celestia called. “No, please, come baaaak! DENTUUUUURES!”

The End