Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Jack stood at the edge of the Everfree Forest. The ever present gloom of dusk hung heavy in the boughs of the nearby trees, despite the early hour. Rarity sighed in relief as she looked toward one particularly large, ugly, and angry looking tree that stood nearby.

"Well, she's still there, at least." She turned to Apple Jack. "Thank you again, deary, for offering to accompany us."

"Oh, don't you worry none about that, Sugar Cube. S' what friends are for. But, um, ... should she really be comin' along too?" Apple Jack nodded toward the little white unicorn who now was practically hiding behind Rarity as she peered toward the forest. “After all, it could be dangerous for her.”

“She's going to have to learn about these things eventually, Apple Jack. It's better sooner than later. She has to be able to take RESPONSIBILITY for her actions.” She put emphasis on the word as she shot a pointed look toward her younger sister.

“Uh … I guess I can't really say that it's not my fault, can I?” Sweetie Belle had briefly considered using her tactic of trying to look very innocent and cute, but decided against it. This was something she was going to have to face up to it.

“No. You most certainly can NOT.” Rarity's tone came out harsh, causing her sister to wince. She paused briefly, allowing her tone and expression to soften a little. “Honestly, Sweetie, pets are more than just cute little toys to be left around for others to pick up after you finished playing with them. You must learn that they are living creatures, and need to be treated with the respect and love you would give to any other living thing.”

“Plants are living things, and we just leave them laying around all over the place.”

“Yes, but we tend to the ones that belong to us and don't allow them to run wild. The ones that already grow in the wild tend to themselves. Besides, pets are not plants, they have a mind and a personality, even if it isn't as complex and sophisticated as their owners.”

“Oh.” She looked to the ground for a moment before looking back to Rarity. “But you said they had to be punished if they did something wrong. I was just … just trying to keep her from running wild.” Sweetie Belle's eyes widened as she looked up at her accuser in earnest.

“Oh, my yes, they do indeed, but you must have the punishment fit the crime. You wouldn't simply chop a foal's head off if she accidentally broke something you told her not to touch, would you?”

“No. I guess not.” The little violet maned unicorn lowered her eyes to the ground.

“Of course not. The foal wouldn't have learned anything. That is the purpose of punishment: for the lesson to take on physical form, not to simply vent out your frustrations on the poor thing. Discipline must always be given in context, so as to let your pet know the reason for the punishment. Abandonment atop a dangerous tree is hardly a way to teach any lesson.” Rarity looked once more up into the tree. “Now then, lets see if we can't coax her down.”

“I don't know Rar, she looks pretty scared up there. Want me to just buck her down?” The orange workhorse was now studying an area on the tree's trunk.

“If it comes to that then we can do it, but first I want to try- Wait, what's that?” The fashionista perked her ears up. The other two ponies turned in the direction she was looking, and peered into the gloom of the forest. “It sounded like a … a small screeching noise. You both didn't hear it?”

Apple Jack was about to answer when suddenly she saw them. At first there were two, then four, then ten. “W-what in tarnation?! Are those baboons? What's that they're wearin'?”

“They look mean.” Sweetie Belle covered her nose with her hoof. “And the smell bad.”

“Oh no! No, it can't be! They're butt monkeys! Oh, they're horrid foul little things that wrap themselves in trash rags and roll in filth. It looks like they- WATCH OUT!”

The three ponies dove to the side as a disgusting glob of gooey material was thrown toward them. Apple Jack was the first to regain her bearings. She snorted roughly and stamped her hooves into the ground before running full force into the pack, hooves swinging. Rarity's horn began to glow as she concentrated on the fallen limbs nearby. The chunks of wood were soon rapidly moving through the air stopping only after meeting their targets with pinpoint accuracy. In a matter of minutes the fray was finished, the attackers running back into the forest wailing in fear and pain. Sweetie Belle found herself standing with her mouth agape at what she had just seen.

“Now then, … close your mouth please Sweetie, there are some terrible insects that roam the forest, and I would hate to have to spend bits on an emergency room visit that could have been easily prevented.” There was the soft audible sound of teeth clacking together as Sweetie Belle promptly obeyed her sister. “Thank you, deary. As I was saying: I think it's time to get her down from there, and since you were the one who ordered that she stay up there so long, I think it only fitting that you be the one to guide her down.” Rarity looked once again at her little sister. “It will be a good experience in trust for the both of you.”

“Um … ok.” Sweetie Belle stood at the base of the tree looking up. Her tone changed as she shouted up into the branches. “OK. It's time to come down now. I'll guide you through it. Just do what I say, and you'll be able to get down just fine.”

Apple Jack turned to Rarity and muttered into her ear. “This would be so much faster and easier if'n you just let me buck her down.“

“Oh, I wholeheartedly agree with you, but the lesson would be lost, and I think this one will be of distinct value in the future.” Rarity looked up again at the blind shaking form being directed by her sisters voice.

After a few tense minutes, Scootaloo safely reached the ground. Sweetie Belle wrapped her hooves around the leather clad filly as she admonished her, tears of relief welling in her eyes. “You SEE what happens when you don't obey me?! You brought that on yourself, you know.” She tried not to smile too much, even though she knew the pegasus's leather hood blocked all vision.

“SWEETIE! The punishment has already been served! You never give your pet additional insults afterward. It can cause confusion and lack of faith in your leadership. Now chain her to her leash, and lets get going.”

Scootaloo reached up to unzip the mouth of the face mask. “Did any pony bring some food or water? I was up there for a long-”

“Scooooot! You're not supposed to talk with the hood on.” Sweetie Belle's whine interrupted as she clamped the leash onto the metal ring in the center of her friend's collar.

“I know, but I'm really thirsty. I was up there all day, and now these wing bindings are starting to ache.” She shifted against the leather harness that pinned her tiny wings to her sides.

“Oh, well I guess we can loosen them up a bit.” As Sweetie reached to adjust her friend's harness she happened to glance over at her sister. Rarity was practically scowling down at her, and it was all she could do to keep from shrinking under the older unicorn's glare. “ … uh, I mean … Silence!” Sweetie's tone was now absolute, and her expression became a cold unreadable mask as she continued her commands. Scootaloo crouched down in fear.

“You KNOW you'll only speak when I SAY you can speak. For that matter, you'll eat or drink only when I say too! So since you're in the mood to make noise now, I'll allow you to make noise. You're going to cluck like a chicken all the way home. Now! Do it!”

“I'm sorry Mistress Belle.” Scootaloo mumbled, as her head hung to the ground.

“NO talking. CLUCK!” Sweetie Belle yanked the chain closer, pulling Scootaloo to her hooves.

“Buwaaak. Buk buk bu'CAWW!” She mimed a motion with her neck that looked strikingly similar to a chicken pecking for seed.

Sweetie Belle glanced briefly back to her sister who gave a slight smile and an approving nod. The young unicorn allowed herself a small smile in return before refocusing her attention on Scootaloo.

“There's a good little chicken. Come on now. I'll lead the way.” As she started forward she managed to tangle a foreleg in the leash, pulling both her and her companion to the ground. “Oof! … dumb chain bindings. Get up.” She shoved her hooded clucking friend off of her, and they continued on.

As the two friends clumsily made their way forward, Apple Jack turned to Rarity. “Remember when we were that age? Ah' tell ya, Rar, ah' can't help but smile at these young'uns. Not a care in the world.”

“Oh, my yes. It really was a much simpler time back then.” Rarity sighed as a wave of nostalgia washed over her. “I sometimes wonder how things would be different, if we had taken different paths.”

“There you go again, fuss'n all about things you can't change. Come on. Let's go catch up to them before somethin' else goes wrong.” Apple Jack smiled as she whipped her tail to swat Rarity on the backside.

The white unicorn yelped and blushed a bit, before grinning mischievously and giving a sly glance toward her friend. “Very well then. It IS almost sundown, and we both know how things get after sundown.”

“Ya' mean dark?”

“Well, yes, that too. Shall we?” With that, they both trotted to catch up to the two fillies, and, together, the group walked back to Apple Jack's cellar, where Sweetie Belle finally decided to let Apple Bloom out of her cage.