The Following Week...

It had been a few long, moderately painful days since my last visit to Ponyville. Over the course of that time, I'd had an industrial-sized mop bucket of issues to mull over regarding how I'd survive the coming weeks in this town. With everything that went on in the past weekend and how I'd come VERY close to dying, as well as how I'd fare with everyone in town knowing I was basically an alien trespassing upon their territory, getting into trouble with their inhabitants, and courting their (equine) women like the conquistador I'd unwillingly become, I was swirling through a mental cyclone of emotions on how I'd cope with it all. At the forefront of the aforementioned tasks ahead, however, was how I was going to face Princess Celestia AND the two criminals she helped us apprehend.

Twilight had come for me the minute I was ready, so as to allow me to jump straight into my bucket list of errands. With a letter to the Princess notifying her of my return and her subsequent instruction for us to wait for her, Twilight and I casually conversed outside the library as we anticipated Celestia's arrival...

"So I really gotta do this, huh?" I lamented as we stood just outside the Golden Oaks library, with me being in the form of a pony once more. It goes without saying that I was disguised again because, to my knowledge, just about no one outside of Ponyville had any knowledge of me or my native species.

"You did promise the Princess you'd talk to them, did you not?" rebutted Twilight.

"Yea... I suppose there ain't no gettin' around it... Say, how have things been here since we last met?"

"Not too bad, surprisingly. I went about my normal tasks almost entirely unhindered. There were a couple of less-than-pleasurable encounters here and there regarding us as a couple and how dangerous it was for me to bring an unidentified lifeform into the town's midst without being absolutely sure it wouldn't endanger anyone, but most ponies have treated me as they always have."

"Good, good..." I sighed in relief. "I just hope they'll treat me the same. I'm still not even sure whether or not I should ditch this transformation shtick once I'm done in Canterlot or if i'ss still necessary..." I pondered.

"I'm fairly certain you can come and go as you please, though I do understand your concern with continuing to masquerade as a pony when everyone in Ponyville knows you're not. Generally speaking, I feel as though you'd be safer if you had access to both forms in case anything goes wrong or if you might need to transform for some reason... at least, for now. Suffice it to say, I feel there's a level of utility in your situation."

"Heh, leave it t' Twi t' turn a social dilemma into a cause for excitement over what I could do with access to a transformation," I mused, humored by my companion's analysis.

"Hey now, practicality is just as important as assimilation into life in Ponyville," she smilingly countered. "I've thought about your situation myself and I have to say, you're in a unique position. If you want my honest opinion, sweetheart, then I say it doesn't matter what form you're in while you're here; you're the same on the inside. Simply altering your appearance won't change that. However, you can't deny that, given all you've learned in terms of being able to almost freely change between human and equine forms, it provides a definitive edge, so to speak, in what you could do. Consider the vast assortment of possibilities."

"Good point..."

"Indeed. Speaking of, have you thought about it at all since our last chat? Y'know, what practical advantages and disadvantages come between forms?"

"Hmm..." I briefly pondered. "The only things I can tell you off the top o' my head are that I think I'm faster as a pony, but somewhat weaker-- at least, by Earth pony standards-- because I don't have the full range o' motion I'm used t' havin' as a human... bizarre as that might sound. Plus, some things strangely feel heavier when you can't just pick 'em up with hands, instead relyin' on hooves or a mouth. As a human, I think I'm at top strength, but slower because I don't have as many legs t' run on. Plus, I sometimes get the strangest feelin' I'm a lot heavier as a human than as a pony. You think that might have somethin' t' do with conservation o' mass or somethin' havin' t' do with alterations to my molecular makeup?" I queried, knowing it would pique Twilight's scientific intrigue.

"You know, now that you mention it... I'm not certain. The law of conservation of mass states that mass does not change due to it measuring how much space an object occupies. You can't destroy or create matter, so your mass should be consistent between forms... However, it isn't the same case with weight. Plus, now that I think of it, we're not even sure these laws apply the same way in your universe that they do here."

"Huh... I dunno either. I'm inclined t' believe that law stays consistent between worlds but I can't conjure up a reasonable explanation for the weight changes."

"Are you certain that's the case?"

"Yea. Wrestlin' with Rainbow as a pony, she usually has little t' no trouble liftin' me off the ground. But when she rescued me as a human last week, she complained about how heavy I was... That had me thinkin' about how much heavier I might've been at the time. At first, I figured it was because of how she was liftin' me, but if I was a pony at the time, I'm certain she wouldn't have had nearly as much trouble."

"We may have some experiments to conduct on you in regard to this anomaly," the mare concluded in wonder. "However, it'll be awhile before that happens. As it stands, we're both going to have our schedules tied up for the next few weeks."

"You can say that again..." I concurred before being cued into remembering an equally-controversial topic at hand... or hoof. "That reminds me... Have you talked to you-know-who since last week?"

"You mean Fluttershy?" Twilight expertly deduced, her face suddenly reading an expression of mild discomfort.

"Er, yea..."

"...Yeah, I have... What about her?" she stated rather curtly, seeming not to want to talk about her. The calm, breezy atmosphere suddenly became a little hot as we fell silent for a bit. I knew better than to push the envelope further with Twilight, considering what happened up to this point regarding the benevolent pegasus mare. However, dealing with Fluttershy was of utmost importance and simply skirting over the issue wouldn't be acceptable.

"Uh... I... are you... still upset with her?" I so eloquently, yet fearfully inquired. "About all that's happened up until last Sunday?"

"No, I'm not mad..."

"It sure don't sound like it..." At that, the mare sighed.

"Okay, yeah, I am still just a little perturbed she would do something like kiss you without my knowledge or consent; in my own home, no less. I'm also a bit frustrated that we still haven't gotten our thoughts into line about what to do with her... but all things considered, what else could we expect, right?"

"I... I guess so, but I still ain't certain... there's so much t' think about..."

"If it means anything, she said she didn't mean to go so far with such a bold gesture; she was, as she put it, 'caught up in the moment.'"

"Yea, that helps a ton... not."

"Caught up in the moment, hm?" I echoed, uncertain of how to comprehend the statement. "She ain't mention nothin' about certain... physiological issues or what that might do in terms of causin' trouble on our little excursion tomorrow?"

"We dabbled in that topic of discussion, yes," Twilight candidly answered, her mood seeming to become slightly sour.

"...And? Anything you wanna clue me in on? Am I gonna hafta lay down the law if she gets 'bold' again? Did you talk t' her at all about this whole... 'temporary threesome' idea? Did you say anything about what we're supposed t' do if her heat cycle starts t' get in the way? Am... am I gonna wind up... I dunno, havin' to... 'help' her if she falls into one o' those heat-related crampin' spells?" My last prod into Twilight's thoughts made her cringe slightly as she momentarily looked away from me.

"Well, you've got your date with her tomorrow and from there, you two can clarify what you think should happen," she rebuffed as she looked at me once more.

"Right, but... what did you talk to 'er about, if ya don't mind me askin'? I don't wanna go int' this scenario blind."

"A few things... but I feel you'd be better off figuring it out for yourself talking to her. If I told you everything here and now, that might spoil your day with her. Plus, I'm... not in much of a mood to mull over everything she and I discussed right now. It's pretty grating to think about, given how personal it was..."

"Understood... I guess. Sorry for the discomfort."

"Wow, what an unnervin' cliffhanger t' leave me on... I got almost no insight at all. Not even answers t' those VERY IMPORTANT questions."

"It's okay... I'm sorry for being so short about it. It's just... the perfectly wrong time for any of this scenario to be carrying out. Plus, I don't want to make the same mistake I made before when I preemptively blurted out Fluttershy's affections, nor do I want to risk exacerbating any of the complications this ordeal already presents to us as a couple."

"I understand completely, boo. I'm sure that it'll all work out for the best."

"I hope..."

"Good. So... pardon me for changing the topic, but how do you think your discussions with Celestia and the other two ponies will go?" Twilight asked (presumably in order to ease her emotional tension, but doing nothing to ease mine).

"If I might speak forthright: Celestia, I'm just a TEENSY bit nervous about an' Comet should be fine, but... havin' t' even share the same breathin' room as... HIM again? I'd rather eat every splinter of wood from that vegetable stand I crashed into... with no water t' wash it down."

"Yikes... You REALLY don't want anything to do with him, do you?"

"What gave it away?" I rhetorically and disdainfully shot back.

"I only hope you don't have to spend too much time talking to him in that case. Since we're on the topic, have you considered writing that letter yet? Spike is inside if you want to get started."

"Hm... Nah. I'd rather give her the entire monologue in person. I'm thinkin' maybe it'd be easier t' do so AFTER I had my talks with Comet and the degenerate," I replied, refusing to acknowledge that disreputable terrorist by name.

"The degenerate? Harsh words, Ty," the unicorn humorously mused, though I found no amusement in the subject matter.

"A testament t' how much I dislike him."

"Don't you think you should lighten up a bit, hon? I know he's done some-- no, MANY reprehensible things to us in his time here, but don't let it get to you so deeply that you'll wind up hating him for the rest of your life."

"Considerin' what he did to us, hatin' him for the rest o' my life sounds like an understatement."

"I understand, but if there's something I'd like you to know before you go, it's that I actually hope you come out of this not feeling so bitter. Holding such vindictive grudges will only make you miserable. It's kind of a stretch to say this, but... living well is the greatest 'revenge' you can have." Hearing her quote both made me realize her point and amused me.

"Haaa, somepony's been keepin' up on her human-world quotes," I teased as I playfully nudged her with a hoof, lightening my mood a little.

"I try," the mare answered back as she smilingly winked at me.

"Still... you're not angry or upset with them over what they did to us?" I asked, genuinely amazed at her magnanimity. "You're quite saintly."

"Are you kidding!? I'm flipping furious at them!" she boisterously answered, thus completely refuting my previous sentiment.

"Whelp, nevermind that!"

"Those troublemakers tormented us and our friends, messed up my big reveal of you to the town, cost me a LOT of valuable studying time, and almost killed you... TWICE! And that isn't even close to all the damage they caused in a matter of two days! Just THINKING about it gets me fuming from the horn! Buuuut... I press on knowing I won't hold it against them; even if it WILL take me a long time to truly get over the entire ordeal."

"Sooo... Moral o' the story is that it's okay t' be so mad at them that even thinkin' about 'em makes me wanna choke 'em, but instead, keep on keepin' on until it EVENTUALLY doesn't or...?" I jokingly asked, pretending not to get her point. "Cuz y'know, this message o' yours seems kinda contradictory..." I added, throwing in a dopey-sounding tone in my voice.

"Hardy har har, Ty," my bemused lavender love partner remarked, though she smirked with amusement. "You know exactly what I mean, with that word-analyzing brain of yours. You're a real comedian sometimes; y'know that?"

"Borrowin' your words, sweetums: I try," I slyly retorted, shooting her a humored smirk. "Hey, speakin' of fury... you'll go easy on Spike for eavesdroppin' on us, right? Upsettin' as it was that he spied on us, he was jus' curious. Don't you think makin' him do all of his and that owl's chores for the next three months, puttin' a strict limit on how many jewels he can have per week, and makin' him write 'I will not spy on Twilight' over and over until his claw cramped just a LIIIIITLE... harsh?"

"Nope. He's gotta learn one way or another that actions have consequences. Plus, he reacted much worse to the 'birds and bees' talk than he did any of the admonishments or punishments."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I spared him the vast majority of the details, though. Suffice it to say, he's still got some time ahead of him before he's able to fully comprehend what I taught him."

"Well then. I sure hope his curiosity was worth it." At that moment, a silhouette of another pony eclipsed the afternoon sun, drawing closer until it revealed itself as a royal white alicorn that softly landed in front of us.

"Good tidings, my little ponies," the Princess of the Sun happily greetings.

"Good afternoon, Princess!" Twilight happily greeted back.

"Hey..." I nervously and shakily replied, her presence sending a chill up my spine.

"What's the matter, Ty? Feeling a little nervous about our date?" she mused, seeming to be in rather high spirits. Although, her comment about our meeting being a 'date' made my jaw drop just a little. Twilight got a healthy laugh out of it.

"Eh-heh, just a lil' bit..." I stammered, trying to play along. "It uh... it ain't every day a princess agrees t' spend quality time with me..."

"Too bad this 'quality time' is gonna consist of her pickin' my brain... AFTER she forces me t' bend to her will."

"I suppose you should be honored," quipped Twilight, though she understood my pulse-pounding concern. "I just hope you get to enjoy yourself in the long haul..."

"Fret not, Twilight. I will see to it that our extraterrestrial friend has an enthralling time," she assured Twilight before turning to me. "Are you ready?"

"Ready as spaghetti..."

"...made of burnt confetti..." With that, Celestia approached me and touched a royal hoof to my trembling back as she powered up her horn. I turned to Twilight, who'd moved to give me a short, sweet kiss to calm me down.

"For good luck?" I questioned with a rather weak smile.

"As always, dear. See you tonight," she bade as she backed up and waved at me. I waved back to her and with a *POOF*, the Princess and I were on our way...

Once we arrived at her palace, Celestia and I perambulated through a series of halls and corridors that led down to a particularly grim-looking hallway that looked pretty much EXACTLY like a medieval dungeon if it was at least somewhat well-kept and brimming with guards at each cell. Never did I think I'd see a prison of all things in this world... The sight was as encapsulating as it was intimidating; though, my fear of this dank cavern paled in comparison to my fear of the leader of Equestria at this moment. Compounding my fear was my bitter vitriol towards one of the two ponies I'd have to interact with in this dungeon.

"You haven't spoken a single word to me since we arrived, Ty," Celestia pointed out, seeming to be a little hurt by my strong silence. "Am I that frightening to you? I sincerely apologize if that is the case."

"Oh, it's not you..."

"Not entirely..."

"I jus'... I wanna get these talks over with before I get an aneurysm from the stress..."

"Oh, my... I understand your predicament. I do hope your time with me will be worthwhile at least. I know my request may have sounded stern when I made it to you last week, but I assure you, I merely want to speak to you in earnest. I haven't been granted with an opportunity as of yet. You aren't in trouble if that's what you're implying..." the regal glitter-maned mare reasoned as we stopped in front of one of the cells. With a nod from Celestia to the armored unicorn stallions standing in front of it, they opened the bars. "You may speak to the first of our... 'acquaintances' now. You may leave as soon as you are finished." With that, I stepped into the cell, the bars slamming shut behind me as Celestia trotted off. As I turned to face my talking partner, I was relieved to see it was a teal-coated mare with a royal violet mane, shackles on her hooves and what I could guess was some sort of inhibitor ring adorned on her horn.

"Comet...?"

"Oh... Hello, Ty... Glad to see you are well..." Comet greeted, looking and sounding incredibly forlorn.

"I don't suppose I could complain... How've you been since we last met...? Better, I hope?"

"Hmph. If you consider THIS better... well, you'd be right," she answered, though I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or serious. I analyzed her face to see she'd been crying profusely... her eyes were red and irritated, her eyelids puffy and discolored, her cheeks heavily stained with her sorrow... it was a pitiful sight to behold. "Oh, and good job on nearly frying Gillian to a crisp," she added, though her downtrodden tone masked the statement's true meaning.

"...Are you bein' serious?" I asked just to make sure.

"Yes I am. I saw him after the incident. You did quite a number on him." I stared blankly at the mare, discombobulated by her words and her sincerity in them.

"Jeez, I haven't seen or heard about him SINCE then... Did I really cause THAT much damage?"

"Judging by your gaze, I take it you haven't seen him since you two had your last confrontation?" she deduced.

"You guessed it. Was it that bad?"

"I'd say so. He was practically a mummy when he was discharged from the hospital; wrapped from head to hoof in bandages, barely able to move on his own, and hardly able to talk."

"...Are you upset that I did that t' him?"

"No. Not at all. In fact, I'm glad you did it," she confessed, much to my astonishment. "The heartless manipulator reaped what he sowed. Although, you could say I'm also disappointed that you stooped to his level. I was certain you had a bit more tact than that, but given the circumstances, your action was not entirely unreasonable."

"I... I didn't wanna do it, but all that anger... All the pain..."

"You need not explain yourself to me," the unicorn mare interjected. "As I said, I understand the situation for what it was and, to be honest, I'd likely have done the same thing if I were in your position. If you're looking for my forgiveness, then you already have it."

"Gee, thanks, but you know I don't feel good about doin' it. But, so long as I don't have his blood on my hooves, and you don't hate me for it, then I suppose that makes dealin' with the memories of it a lil' bit less mortifyin'. Enough about me, though. I came here t' talk about you."

"What do you have to say?" she asked candidly.

"I'm... very sorry it had t' come t' this. You don't deserve t' be locked up like this." I consoled, saddened to see her in such a bad state.

"Yes I do..." she responded with a sullen sigh, her mood falling significantly as she lowered her head, her eyes wavering with a mix of regret and pity. "It's what I get for allowing myself to be fooled into the malicious, delusional farce I dared to call my relationship with that... that despicable, unfaithful traitor..."

"Unfaithful? I guess that means she knows what he tried t' do t' Twilight in the forest... Shit, I was hopin' she'd AT LEAST be spared the knowledge of that horrific event..."

"It's what I get for thinking anyone could ever truly love me... It's... it's what I get for giving up my life for something-- or someONE I should've known would wind up ruining it. I've been such a mindless, irrational harlot of a mare all this time... thinking so stupidly and blindly that trusting a criminal would EVER make me happy, failing to realize it'd land me in captivity alongside him when the illusion steadily crumbled and deteriorated into THIS... I barely even recognize myself anymore," she carried on, her eyes building up a fresh wave of tears. She seemed keen on beating herself up, but I didn't want her to continue her self-deprecating tirade... it hurt just to listen to. I could only imagine what it was like to be the one castigating oneself so harshly.

"Comet, no. Please, listen to me. You aren't at fault for the majority of the things you've done. It ain't even your fault that you're locked up like this. It's--!"

"Spare me your pity, human!!" she angrily shouted, understandably wanting to hear none of my words of comfort. "You have no idea what I've been through! All the mortifying experiences I've had! All the heinous crimes I've committed! The harm I've caused! The harm I've been dealt!"

"I understand," I calmly replied, wanting the atmosphere to remain tranquil and devoid of hostility. "I understand and I know where you're comin' from. But tell me somethin'... why do you blame yourself so harshly?"

"That much should be obvious," she spat. "You in particular got a definitive taste of my transgressions. I'm a rotten mare who's justly gotten her rotten punishment. And it's all because I dared to go where no mare had gone before... only to have it blow up in my face in so many ways..."

"I get that the circumstances have been... less than favorable t' you. But would you have really committed all these acts if you knew Gillian was usin' you the way he was?"

"...No."

"An' do you think you'd be in this position if you'd met him?"

"What's your point?" she impatiently asked.

"My point is that I say this isn't your fault; it's his. Obvious as that might sound, i'ss the truth. Trust me, no amount of harm you caused coulda been entirely of your own volition."

"You say that as if you know us. What would you know about the nature of our crimes? Of our relationship? Do you seriously think you've got Gillian and me figured out?"

"A lot more than you give me credit for, Comet... I know yours an' Gillian's situation in an' out." Hearing this seemed to pique the mare's interest; even if only slightly.

"Elaborate," she flatly demanded.

"From the moment you an' I began talkin' when you held me hostage, I suspected it, but after what happened when I found you in the woods, I figured it out..."

"And your grand deduction is...?"

"He's a sociopath. A remorseless, manipulative, malevolent, schemin' sociopath. More specifically, I think he's antisocial. As for you, you were his ace in the hole when it came to him gettin' his way."

"Me being his 'ace in the hole' is obvious enough but... him, a sociopath? Antisocial?" she questioned in wonder, though her skepticism was evident. "Don't you think that's a bit extreme? He's clearly been able to show emotion... and he hasn't ever been one to recede from others. Plus, he hasn't killed anyone... though he DID try to kill you... He can't be either of those. It doesn't add up, given how he's treated me up until our break-up."

"Don't believe me? Fine. I'mma ask you a series of questions an' the first one you answer 'no' to, we'll stop."

"I'm not in much of a mood for games, but I'll play along this time... You have me intrigued."

"Okay. When you first got t' know him, was he... charismatic? As in, he told you everything you wanted t' hear, right when you wanted t' hear it? Was he able t' convince you t' do just about anything he wanted you t' do just by sweet-talkin' you int' doin' it? Did he have such a way with his words an' actions that you found yourself unable t' say no t' him, even when it cost you somethin'?"

"...Yes...?" the mare uncertainly answered, seeming to hold on to her skepticism.

"Whenever he didn't get his way or whenever somethin' hindered him... did he wind up losin' control of his emotions?"

"I told you already that he has an explosive temper. That is irrelevant."

"Don't shoot me down yet. I'm talkin' even with small-scale stuff... like say, if you didn't do somethin' he wanted you t' do or maybe when somebody even slightly offended him?"

"...Yes, actually. He DID have... rather frequent moments where he'd lose his cool for seemingly no reason... He'd be so close to fighting other ponies for the most insipid reasons before I stopped him. In addition, whenever we'd get into arguments, he was always unnecessarily cruel with his words... but then he was always so apologetic and endearing to me later. He'd buy me gifts to cheer me up and shower me with affection as though he were deathly afraid of losing me... You're not saying that even those gestures...?"

"Were a means t' manipulate you int' stayin' with him? Sorry t' say, but... yes. They may very well have also been a means t' soothe his own diminutive conscience... more so than they were a means t' keep you in his good graces."

"..." Comet went silent in thought, though her gaze never left my eyes.

"How about this?: Whenever he did somethin' wrong himself, was he immediately regretful of it or did it take some time before he realized it?"

"It usually... it usually took an extensive amount of time before he came around... and even then, now that I think of it, his apologies never were genuine... he'd be right back to a negative behavior almost immediately after he apologized for it... It was almost as it he never really felt guilty for anything he'd done... as if he'd either never committed the act or as if he thought the act was someone else's fault..."

"I see..." I merely replied, getting into the swing of Psychology mode. "Now answer me this: Has he ever shown himself t' be impulsive, irresponsible, dishonest, extremely self-absorbed, and/or uncaring toward the safety of you or himself?"

"I... Y-yes...! He's consistently been exhibiting all of those signs since I met him... Even with this most recent plot of his... How... How could you know all of this?"

"I might not look it or give the impression, but I'm a sort of a psychology buff," I admitted to the mare's surprise. "It jus' seemed clearer an' clearer with each of our interactions that there was somethin'... off about him. Well, more-so than his most recent schemes. I didn't really get clued in on it 'til that mock trial at Twilight's library. Suffice it t' say, dude's got a personality disorder."

"I... I see. Does that mean I have one as well? I mean, all things considered, I've done some rather... unsound deeds and have my fair share of unfavorable personality traits... Plus, you did say you knew my personality type in and out. Are you going to analyze me next and tell me what's wrong with me?"

"Not necessarily. I'm fairly certain nothin's wrong with you. You are merely a mare with honest motives who was led astray. That doesn't go t' say you're not at least partly responsible for your actions, but you were devoted to another pony's cause under the pretense that he would give you the love you were lookin' for."

"Then why are you spelling all of this out for me now? What is the point of this discussion?"

"To get you t' see that this whole smorgasbord of bad situations you got in with him... they are not your doin'; they're his. I do this in hopes of makin' you realize that, while you've made some bad decisions-- whether by your own will or not-- it ain't too late for you. I won't say your path from here will be smooth or without its hitches an' crossroads, but I implore you, Comet; don't resign yourself t' this. You're not the criminal you're paintin' yourself out t' be. Stop kickin' yaself while you're down. I firmly believe you can change for the better."

"What about Gillian? Do you see a bright future for him, too? Even with the personality disorder you so expertly diagnosed him as suffering from?"

"I'll find that out when I talk to him once you an' I are done here. My main concern is you, though. I can't speak for Gillian in terms of his aptitude for change, but no hardened criminal would go outta their way t' help and relate to a hostage in the situation we were in. Nor would she actually take a stand against the stallion tryin' t' get her t' do wrong once she saw the error in her ways; even when it cost her a relationship in the process." With that bold statement, the cell fell eerily quiet as Comet and I stared at one another.

"...Why?" she managed to ask in a mixture of frustration and bewilderment, the emotions evident in her wavering sea-foam green eyes.

"Why what?"

"Why do you care so much about what happens to me? After all I've done to you... After all I've done to your friends... Don't you hate me? Don't you feel even the slightest bit of resentment toward me? I don't understand..."

"I think... I'm jus' seein' the bigger picture of it all, t' be honest. As such, I know that, maybe if we met under different circumstances, we coulda been... dare I say, friends. Hell, I don't doubt that we could be friends in this scenario. I can't speak for my girlfriend or any o' my other friends aside from Fluttershy, but generally, I still see some redeemin' qualities in you, Comet."

"I... I appreciate your sentiments greatly, but I'm sorry to say I don't outright agree with your view of my situation."

"You don't have to. Jus' keep ya head up while you're servin' this sentence... an' don't let your past rule your future." With that, Comet and I fell silent, with me staring intently at her as she mulled over our discussion. Figuring we were done here, I turned to leave before...

"...Before you go, Ty... I have something I'd like to ask you."

"Wha'ss that?" I asked back as I approached her again.

"Do... do you think it'd... be possible for me to get my life back on track? As in, resume my career? Possibly move someplace where no one has heard of me or this dreadful string of crimes that has effectively dragged my name into an abyss of shame, manipulation, and debauchery? Maybe even... to find love again?"

"Good question... I'm not sure..."

"I... can't really answer that definitively for you, given that I don't even know what sort o' sentence you'll be delivered... however, I believe that you have more control over this situation than you think. At the very least, you're 100% free from Gillian. Far as I hear, you're stayin' in Equestria t' serve your time while he gets sent back t' Saddle Arabia."

"True."

"All I can say is... that it's not impossible for you t' truly break free o' this situation, find a new place t' live, an' find yourself a stallion with whom t' settle down. Keep your hope strong. I definitely will," I confessed as I brought a hoof to her shoulder and looked her directly in the eye.

"...Thank you..." she responded as she moved to lay her head on my shoulder. Though the action surprised me, I didn't hesitate to bring a hoof to her reasonably-frazzled mane as I embraced her. Not long afterward, I felt my shoulder getting wet as I heard muffled sniffling coming from the mare in my grasp.

"It'll be okay, Comet..." I consoled, though frozen in place. "It'll be okay..." I didn't know what else to say or do as the mare's weeping progressed into a bout of sobbing.

"I just want to be happy again, Ty... I feel like so much of my life was robbed from me by this horrible situation," she confessed as she held me tight, her tears pouring like waterfalls of despair. "I'm so scared of what's going to happen to me and I don't know what to expect once they deliver their sentence. I'm so upset that everything I thought I knew turned out to be such an egregious lie that once the ugly truth was revealed, it was like barreling headfirst into another world..." Hearing her plight made me embrace the mare just a bit tighter. "...I'm so angry at everyone and everything, myself included and I have no permissible means to let it out other than by sobbing my pathetic eyes out on the shoulder of a pony I personally tortured... I'm so sorry... I'm sorry," she apologized through her tears.

"Comet, it's fine. I forgive you for everything that happened. I have no qualms against you. But I sincerely hope you do get t' see a brighter side t' this ordeal. You're a good mare, though you don't think it right now. You CAN be happy again. As they say, i'ss always darkest before the dawn. As such, I want you t' promise me that whatever happens t' you, you will hold onto your faith that things will get better from here on out. The more you tear yaself down, the more likely you are t' be stuck in prison; whether physically or psychologically. Will you promise that you'll look ahead an' not behind?"

"...I... I promise," the somber mare agreed as her crying came to a steady halt. We embraced one another tighter as the cell fell silent once again.

"Is everything alright in there?" asked Princess Celestia as she peered in, seeming to have overheard the noise.

"Yea... yea, I think so..." I solemnly answered as Comet and I broke our hug, though she seemed rather reluctant to let go. "I... I have t' go now, Comet. Please, remember what we talked about," I advised as I turned to leave the cell and rejoin Celestia's side, though my eyes were fixed on the poor, distraught unicorn mare. "I hope we can meet again sometime... as friends."

"I... I do, too... Farewell, Ty..." Comet bid her melancholy goodbye. Soon after, the cell gates shut once I was out.

"I trust you've gained some insight on the mare you've been vying to save?" Celestia questioned as soon as we were out of Comet's earshot.

"Yea... yea I did. What will happen to her?" I worriedly asked.

"While I won't divulge to you the full details of her punishment at this time for legal reasons, I assure you it won't be something she couldn't handle."

"Hmph. Such an ambiguous answer... well, here's t' hopin' that punishment is lenient enough for her..."

"I see. Will... will she be okay?"

"I assure you, she will be properly dealt with. With that in mind, I trust you'll be able to face the other acquaintance without needing to be restrained yourself?" That question instantly made me very angry... not at Celestia, but at the very pony she was referring to.

"I'll... I'll try not to lose it," I assured her with a heavy exhale of breath hot enough to melt pile of ice cubes in under a minute. With that, we reached the other cell. Celestia permitted the guards to open the gate to allow me in, though I was much slower in stepping into this cell. Each step I took, my anger grew... the air grew thin, dry, and hotter than a furnace doused in gasoline. I'd begun trembling with rage to the point where it almost felt like I couldn't walk... then the cell gate boomed shut and there I was... standing in front of the stallion I hated with the intensity of ten fierce nuclear explosions.

"Well then... Aren't YOU a sight for sore myopic eyes?" he greeted, his position much the same as Comet's. I took note of the bandages wrapped across various sections of his body. I also saw that other spots on the parts of his coat the bandages failed to cover... were singed and an alarming shade of ash gray.

"Evidently, I messed him up PRETTY bad..."

"Judging by how you're gawking at me, you're taking note of how badly you injured me with that brutish magic blast."

"Hmph. You could say that," I contemptuously shot back. "Didn't feel so good, did it?"

"You should know. You oh-so nobly took one from me in order to save your other girlfriend, Fluttershy. Remember?" I momentarily flashed back to the nefarious trick he pulled to get a free shot in at me... Shooting a highly-concentrated beam of magic DIRECTLY at Fluttershy, knowing I'd desperately push her out of the way, thus having no time to avoid it myself... and the thought made me so infuriated that I'd glared vindictively at the stallion. "So you do remember."

"...Yea... yea I do remember," I replied after a heavy breath, though I said nothing else immediately after. I was too consumed by pent-up rancor toward Gillian to think, much less speak or do anything other than stare hot death at him as memories of everything he'd done to me... to Twilight... to Rainbow Dash... to Spike... to Rarity... to Applejack... to Lyra, Zecora, Pinkie, and even to Comet all surfaced. Every transgression he perpetrated raced through my mind as my vicious hatred of this despicable reprobate of a stallion came to a boiling point. He did the same. For what felt like a wrathful eternity, he and I were locked in an optic warzone, each of us trading unspoken, unacted upon thoughts of how much we'd like to have our revenge against one another... but in that heated moment, I managed to flash back to what Twilight said to me earlier about the best method of revenge. So, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed a good deal of the frustration away to show that he wasn't going to get the better of me again. I relaxed my facial expression, though there were still trace signs of enmity in it. Nonetheless, the injured unicorn was thrown off.

"What, you finally get your knickers out of that twist?" he sarcastically remarked, though I ignored it entirely.

"Look... it's pretty clear that neither of us is gonna come even remotely close to likin' the other; not in this or any lifetime. But what I came here t' do is clear the air between us so we can get on with our lives."

"What am I to infer from that? That you're just going to forgive me for my actions? That by showing me that you're 'the bigger man' that you've won once and for all? Because as you might have already surmised, I'm not sorry for anything that's happened... aside from me being stuck back in shackles and left to rot in a repugnant excuse for an adult daycare center."

"Oh I know you ain't sorry for anything," I simply replied. "I didn't come here expectin' an apology. I don't even expect you t' admit that anything was your fault. If it were up t' me, you an' I wouldn't even be in the same breathin' space, much less talkin' to one another."

"Then what's your point, huh? You are honestly the LAST pony I wanted to receive a conjugal visit from."

"As if it brings me any sort of pleasure t' see a cretin like you after everything you did...! In any case, I guess I'mma try t' understand things from your perspective. So... why? Why did you go through with all this?"

"Oh, so now you're trying to pick my brain like your psychologist girlfriend Twilight tried to?"

"In a way... though I ain't doin' this in hopes of makin' you change for the better or make us friends. We both know there's not a snowflake's chance on the sun that THAT'S gon' happen. I just wanna know what your real intentions were."

"And why would I ever bother sharing that with you? What makes you think I'd just open up to yet another mind-numbingly dull counseling session?"

"You don't have to. I won't lose an ounce o' sleep either way, nor will it make your fate any better or worse. If anything, maybe you can vent out some o' that poisonous aggression you're latchin' onto."

"Poisonous aggression? Coming from the guy who nearly barbecued me over a broken flask filled with poison?"

"It wasn't poison, first of all. Second, you did a whole lot more t' me than break that potion container that made me attack you like that."

"Whatever... I don't need another 'doctor' to try and figure out the enigmatic puzzle that is my apparently-diseased mind. So do yourself a favor, pal, and beat it. I don't have any interest in talking to you," the bitter unicorn stallion angrily rebuffed. "You've already gotten your glory by seeing me battered, bruised, burnt, and chained to these dungeon walls."

"Why do you assume I'm takin' pleasure in seein' you in such a pathetic scenario?" I dared to question rather than follow his nastily-delivered order.

"Is that a serious question? Come on, dude: I KNOW you hate me. I know all your friends hate me. I know just about everyone I come across hates me. You malicious bastards practically get off on seeing me in pain or being tortured. It's as disgusting as it is sad that you enjoy haranguing me while I'm down. Why else would you be here?"

"Wow, he REALLY believes I'm here t' rub salt in his wounds..."

"...and what if I told you that it DOESN'T bring me pleasure t' see you here? That I find it just as unfortunate for you as I did for Comet? That it's actually somewhat... disappointing to see you here like this?"

"Then I'd call you a fucking liar," he spat as he continued to glare at me. "It's simple: I did something to mess up your life, you get your 'righteous' revenge on me, then you drag your haughty ass in here-- back in the form of a pony, no less-- to gloat. It's just the way the world works. It's the way the world ALWAYS works... Laugh at the poor mentally-deficient clown who wound up in prison for just trying to do himself some justice."

"Hmph. Tha'ss a pretty grim view of things," I observed, though his sharp tongue was irritating to listen to. "But it ain't the only way either of our worlds works; especially not the one we're standin' in right now. What's interestin', though is that you think that all the shit you pulled counts as 'doing yourself justice.' What justice could POSSIBLY be attained through treachery, deception, manipulation, kidnapping, coercion, attempted murder, and constant defiance of the law?" I queried, taking note of some of the crimes he committed in just the two days we spent squabbling with each other.

"Depends on who's asking the question and who's answering it. Justice is a subjective term and that much is demonstrated by your lack of understanding of me as a person."

"Then get me to understand. Why? Why would you think ANY o' this is okay when you know you're hurtin' everybody around you? What is the point in pursuin' this justice when you KNOW nobody else around you sees it the way you do? How could you even fathom actin' the way you did an' be so inconsiderate to the wellbeing of others?" I asked, urgently pushing him to spill some sort of insight on his thoughts and behaviors. I could tell he was getting agitated because each question seemed to rip into him like arrows as his face grew angrier and angrier. "Why is that the kind of 'justice' you're lookin' t' attain for yourself?"

"BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY JUSTICE I SEE FIT, ALRIGHT!!??" The stallion bellowed, alarming me as his rage echoed through the hallway.

"I wonder if we'll get somewhere with this..."

"Do you have any idea what it's like to live a life like mine? Where, from an early age, you're used and abused to such a despicable degree that it becomes the most effective way you know how to interact with others? Where you're primed practically from birth to see other people and ponies as potential stepping stones to your own endeavors? Where you're beaten, harassed, and tormented into being skeptical of anyone who approaches you with a shit-eating grin on their face and a hand or hoof reaching toward you? Do you have ANY idea what it's like knowing the world for the sadistic, rabid, carnivorous beast it truly, irrevocably is?" I fell silent as I listened to his vitriolic, nihilistic monologue. I was rather surprised at his outburst but the content in it... it was sickening. "Because quite frankly, I don't think you do!"

"Unbelievable... so is THIS what it's like in the mindset of a sociopath?"

"Let me fill you in on something, Mr. Analytical: With my kind of lifestyle before and even after being transported here by pure chance, you tend to want to get ahead of the game before it screws you over. No matter what, you have to play to win; even if you have to step on a few toes to do so. Satisfied now?" At that point, I'd heard enough.

"You do realize you're saying this to a person you almost murdered... to a person you kidnapped and tortured... to a person whose life you made a livin' Hell... to a person whose friends you also tormented an' mistreated... to a person whose significant other you sexually ASSAULTED... don't you?" I dared to ask, my heart sinking to the pit of my stomach in anxious, nerve-wracking fear of his reply.

"...Your point?" he deflected as he rolled his eyes. That cold reply sent one of the most hideous chills I'd ever experienced rocking through my body. I almost felt like I'd momentarily lost touch with reality, I was filled with such unprecedented anger.

"Suddenly, I don't feel so bad for almost endin' his life myself...!" It took EVERY LAST fiber of my being not to lose it and erupt on the now-defenseless stallion with such justifiably-monstrous hate-fueled rage that I'd have likely gotten myself locked up in this dungeon. Instead, though I trembled with boiling rage, I took another deep breath before I replied.

"All of this... was just a 'game' t' you? You seriously don't see the wrong you've done?"

"Of COURSE I see the 'wrong,' moron; at least, what you and the rest of these moralistic peons define as 'wrong.' I prefer not to have anything hold me back from my pursuit of the elusive, possibly imaginary concept of 'happiness,' however. Over time, I realized more and more that the generally-accepted definition of happiness is all just a façade to bend society to the will of a convoluted series of short-sighted, contradictory norms everyone is expected to follow without question, lest they end up in oppressive shackles, trapped in what they erroneously dub a 'correctional facility.'"

"Hm... Well, I beg t' differ. Obviously, I don't think the same way you do, so I never acted the same way you did... I won't say my own life was perfect or that it has been up t' this point; after all, I've gotten the grossly mortifying dishonor of meetin' you. I won't even deny that you're right in that society has its fair share of imperfections. But, however negatively you view life or how often you get kicked while you're down, you always have a chance t' make it better for yourself."

"As is what I've been trying to do."

"No... What YOU'VE been tryin' t' do... is not anywhere close t' pursuin' happiness," I rebuffed.

"Oh? And how is that? Just because my modus operandi just so happened to infringe upon the ideals of others? Big whoop... So I hurt a few ponies. That's supposed to be enough to make me reconsider my views? It isn't like I killed anyone or anything. They're all still alive and well to complain about how much they don't like me because I know what I want out of life and how that fact and my demonstration of such made them unhappy; you being a prime example, 'Mr. Memoir,'" he mockingly spat, much to my chagrin.

"My god... does he HEAR himself? I'ss almost like his idea of happiness includes makin' everybody else miserable... makin' everybody else... miserable..." With that thought, I'd hit a chilling epiphany.

"What you've been tryin' t' do... was the opposite. You've been tryin' t' make everybody you interacted with more miserable than you, so as t' make yourself the least miserable pony you know." I deduced in realization.

"Oh, get out of here. You--"

"Let me finish. Do you not get it? The life you've lived, the things you've experienced, the way you've been built up as a sentient being... all the way down t' things you've done... they're all based around misery, resentment, an' bitterness. People an' ponies alike have all sorts o' hardships come their way. Some worse than others. But when you let those hardships embed themselves in your mind, the memories fester an' grow an' evolve like a malevolent parasite that drains its host as it takes complete control of it. Soon enough, you start to feel like happiness is impossible to attain... like the only way to go up is t' bring others down... whether you lie t' them, cheat them, string 'em along on some year-long romantic farce as a means t' control them, or otherwise..."

"Uh-huh..." was all he had to say, as he finally seemed to be listening intently.

"It all falls back on the premise that misery loves company. You might believe the world is out t' get you an' that the best way t' cope with that is t' preemptively lash out at everyone before they get a chance t' do it t' you, but... le'ss face it: The world generally ain't that cruel. You paint the world t' be that cruel in your eyes so as t' justify the reprehensible things you've done."

"Well, look who's got it all figured out now," Gillian bitterly and sarcastically remarked. "Want yourself a prize, detective?"

"Your sarcasm won't weaken my point," I confidently deflected. "I know how you think now. How you feel. Why you've done these sorts of heinous misdeeds."

"And why, pray tell, is that?"

"Because I used to think the almost same way you did when I was younger..." I confessed, alluding to what Twilight had me share with her back when she and I first started dating. He seemed taken aback by my confession as his eyes widened with intrigue, though he looked at me with a cocked eyebrow.

"What? Now that, I demand you elaborate on."

"I won't go int' too much detail, but I had my reasons t' be miserable back then. Harassment, abuse, learning the wrong lessons about life... I've experienced it. Granted, I don't think I ever thought so to the extreme that you accepted as your cold, brutal, lonely reality. I eventually figured out that I didn't have t' become a product o' my surroundings or a slave t' the negative influences of others. But just a few short years ago, I might have related to you..."

"Oh? So you're saying we're essentially two peas in a pod, separated only by which of us is greener than the other?"

"Kinda..."

"Comparin' myself t' you is sickening enough as it is, but that is where I'm goin' with this..."

"What I'm sayin' is that we both stared into the abyss of self-pity, shame, loneliness, an' hatred at some point. The difference between us is that you blinked before you saw what fallin' in entailed," I reasoned before the cell fell eerily silent for a few tense moments.

"That's... actually a pretty interesting, if not familiar analogy you crafted there," he admitted. The first thing he's said to me that wasn't laced with impudence or disdain. "It actually pains me to concede that you might be onto something."

"So you do understand. Then maybe there's hope for you yet."

"Hope in what? That I'll change? That I'll suddenly become a 'good guy' because you pointed out the error in my ways?"

"That, at the very least, you'll finally see things through the eyes of all the honest, good-natured people an' ponies you crossed. An' maybe that you at least THINK about more productive ways t' make your life better... even if you might spend the majority of your future days in a place like this. There's always hope."

"Hmm... nah, I don't think so," he denied after considering it for a moment, though I wasn't in the least bit surprised. "It's far too late for me to do anything to make my poor excuse of an existence any more tolerable at this point."

"Why?"

"I'll tell you a joke I once heard that, now that I think of it, perfectly clarifies our situation," he said before clearing his throat to prepare.

"I guess I could hear it," I warily permitted.

"So it goes like this: These two guys are deep inside a dark, foreboding cave, both of them highly mentally unstable. They've been stranded there for so long, they've completely forgotten what the outside even looked like. One day, they decide they don't want to be stuck in the cave anymore. They want to see what it's like outside; what they've been missing out on all this time. So after some planning, they venture through a series of pathways and tunnels until they reach a long, dark stretch with a dim light at the other end of it. However, there's an issue; there's a deep, wide, perilous trench below that would swallow them whole if they fell in. On the other hand, freedom is literally gleaming for them on the other side. The first guy's approach is to leap across the chasm, paying little heed to what fate would befall him if he made a single misstep. Surprisingly enough, he makes it across with relative ease."

"Where is he goin' with this?"

"The other guy has no intention on jumping for fear of falling, and thus, is unwilling to proceed. The first guy tries to encourage him to move along, but the second guy won't have it. So the first guy gets an idea. He pulls out a flashlight. Then he says to the second guy, 'I have this flashlight! Why don't I just shine it over the gap so you can walk across the beam and join me?' And get this," the stallion said with a slight, though forlorn chuckle. "Second guy shakes his head and goes, 'What do you think I am? Crazy? You'd turn it off before I even got close!'" He broke into a hearty laugh after he finished his joke, though it took me a bit to register it. Eventually, I understood it and... though I NEVER thought I'd have seen the day... I laughed with him.

"Ahhahaha, I get it... That's quite the killin' joke you made there," I admitted, though I was actually slightly disheartened by the joke's ulterior meaning in context to this situation.

"Heh, isn't it?" he agreed. "It's a classic..."

"But... do you really see this scenario as that hopelessly grim?" I had to ask.

"Yeah, man... yeah I do," the stallion plainly replied, his laughter gone. "I've come a long way in my life, and nothing I've done has landed me anywhere but in serious trouble. I've been operating in a certain way for so long that sometimes, I feel it's the only way I CAN operate. Who's to say that, if granted another chance at freedom, I wouldn't screw it up because I was still unhappy? Y'know, just trying to understand what it means to be content with yourself and your situation... The way I see it, if I haven't found my answer by now, even after being transported to a world full of magic talking candy-colored horses that incessantly preach friendship, tolerance, love, and acceptance, there isn't very much hope I have for finding it anytime soon. You understand that, do you not?"

"...I... I guess I do see your side o' things..." I hesitantly replied, though I wished I could've found a reason to disagree with him. "But, one last thing before I go..."

"What's that?"

"What WOULD you do if you were set free just one last time?"

"Hmm... I dunno at this point. Chances are, it probably wouldn't involve living here as you have; all content and 'normal' and such. I'd probably be going about my usual way of pursuing happiness... or, as you put it, 'making everyone around me miserable.' Then I'd end up here again."

"Damn..." I sullenly muttered as I studied his mannerisms... We locked eyes, but his expression was blank. His body was motionless like a tarnished doll propped up to sit on its own. I could read nothing from him at this point. No anger, no sadness, no penitence, no hope... nothing. It felt like I was peering into the soul of a man whose life either lost its purpose... or never found one in the first place. It was a depressing vibe, but considering Gillian's own personal issues and mental instability, as well as the troubles he's perpetrated, I understood his standpoint. "Well, I guess I won't waste more of your time with idle chatter," I managed to utter to the stallion as I turned to see Princess Celestia staring in at us with an expression I could only read as total surprise. "If there's one thing I suppose I should say before I go, though, Gillian..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry it had t' come t' this. An' also... I... I forgive you... for everything," I said, though I struggled with the words. As much as I'd have REALLY wanted to hold onto my hatred of him or see him get what he deserved for what he did to me and my friends, I realized through my discussion with him that there'd be no point. So many others had already held bitter vendettas against him for the various misdeeds he carried out in his lifetime and he's demonstrated that he didn't care because that's what he was used to. Those he'd crossed would either attempt to harm him in some way as an act of revenge (like me) or they'd try to play the 'savior' role and 'cure' him of his anguish and ailments (like Comet Gazer). But I wondered how many of them simply let go of the grudges they held for the things he'd done (no matter how reprehensible) and let him know that straight up. Out of curiosity, I looked over my shoulder to see his reaction; astonishment, from what I could tell as his eyes grew wide, though his position was stationary.

"Ready to go, Ty?" the Sun Princess asked as I stepped out of the cell and heard the gate's voluminous metallic crash.

"Yea... You an' I still have that 'date,' do we not?" I remarked as I gazed up at her rich violet eyes, mustering a half-smirk. The alicorn merely smiled back, seeming relieved that my previous tension had (ostensibly) passed.

"Let us proceed, then," she replied as she took the lead. I wordlessly nodded as we headed out of the dungeon, though thoughts of my discussions with Comet and Gillian weighed heavily upon my mind. It was like a hefty burden was lifted off my back, though I still felt some tinge of concern for them. However, I did learn a valuable lesson talking to them, and I was certain it'd be a lesson Celestia of all ponies would greatly appreciate hearing about...