//------------------------------//
// Chapter 23: "Abacus's Recovery." 
// Story: A Pop Star, a Princess, and a Prisoner 
// by Raptormon132 
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Within the first two months, many letters were written to Abacus while he and Lawful Eye were staying in the princesses castle in Canterlot. Almost all of them were apology letters from the ponies in Ponyville. Despite all this, Abacus refused to accept their apologies, for they had understandably damaged him. The letters of Mayor Mare, Lady Justice, and Light Socket were the most distressing of all, finding out that Mayor Mare and Lady Justice compared him to a domestically violent and abusive stallion they each knew. In addition, that Light Socket's electrical work he did on the replaced power socket was the cause of the fire that destroyed everything he once owned, and took the life of Tiger Lily and his unborn child. Even though he already knew from the evidence Lawful Eye presented in court at his retrial. Abacus wrote back to Light Socket saying that he should have been the one to suffer what he went through, and that he never wanted to see or speak to him again.

Soon, the news that Task Force River had found the illegal sex trafficking ring, that all those involved were busted and shut down, and that all the children of the prisoners were tracked and found was announced. With that news told, the trial of the members of the Canterlot investigation force, and Armstrong and his guards of Hoofstrong Prison Center commenced in Canterlot at Equestria supreme court. The trial lasted for three days. With Abacus testimony, and the evidence shown, it was an instant guilty verdict, and they were sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison. Ironically enough, they were sentenced to Hoofstrong Prison Center. Turncoat was given a much lighter sentence, and was offered to work for the special royal services in Canterlot after his sentence. He accepted this as a way to try and right the wrongs he did.

At that same time, the princesses had revealed everything about the criminal actions of Canterlot investigation force, and Hoofstrong Prison Center to the public in Equestria for the first time, telling about Abacus, and what he and many more victims went through. In addition to telling the actions of Lawful Eye, the FPI, and Task Force River of revealing and putting a stop to it. They explained that they had kept this behind closed doors from the public for many months because revealing it to the public would endanger the undercover investigation. In addition to the fear that it would tarnish the image of the Equestrian police, and would cause a fear of the law enforcement to the public. The public reaction to this news was meet with a mix of great anger and revulsion, and great disbelief and betrayal by the criminal actions Canterlot investigation force, and Hoofstrong Prison Center.

Two weeks later, Abacus and Lawful Eye went to Cloudsdale, for the trial of Strike Law and Rogue Order, and Storm Dasher, Coco-Nut, and Honey Blossom soon after. Strike Law and Rogue Order were found guilty of numerous charges, including aggravated assault and battery, wrongful arrests, malicious wounding, wilful negligence, abuse of authority, insubordination, and perjury. They showed no emotion in court as they were each sentenced to twelve years in prison, with a non-parole period of six years. Storm Dasher, Coco-Nut, and Honey Blossom however pleaded guilty of assaulting Abacus. They all showed great remorse for it, but would accept whatever punishment they got. Despite their remorse, Abacus showed great anger and hatred towards them for what they had did to him. He even stated how he only agreed to have them get lighter punishments because of Scootaloo, and Buttercup, and that the princesses, the Main Six, and Lawful Eye convinced him. Storm Dasher and Coco-Nut were each sentenced to two months in jail with five months of community service and a four-month good behaviour bond after their release. Honey Blossom was given four months of community service with a four-month good behaviour bond. The judge that sentenced Storm Dasher, Coco-Nut, and Honey Blossom lead the princesses example, believing punishment should help a pony better themselves, not be an excuse for meanness and misery. Before Storm Dasher and Coco-Nut were escorted to jail from the courts, Storm Dasher left Scootaloo in Rainbow Dash's care while he was spending his two-month sentence, until her aunts Lofty and Holiday moved in a month later. He thought of no one better to help take care of her, and be a big sister to. Buttercup openly said that she hated Abacus, and called him "scum" for having her father being sent away to jail. She was comforted and lectured by her mother and father to not call him that, and not to hate him. Telling her that they deserved their punishment, and that he was understandably really hurt emotionally.

During these first two months, Abacus had many visitors, mainly from the Main Six, Spike, and those in town who were on his side who believed in him. Lock Down and Warden Rehab came to see him when they could, Lock Down even brought his wife, Sugar Dough and their three children over to visit and meet him. On one week, Commissioner Gold Shield, Chief Cloud Patrol, and other Equestria police commission officials came to see him as they promised they would in their letter. They gave their most humble apologies to him and discussed the things they have done to insure things like that cannot happen again. They even helped organize an Ex gratia payment by the court for him as promised. They even told him that Ponyville has organized with the princesses, and the police commission for a police station to be built and opened there.

Not long after that, the family of Rotten Eggs, the Egg family came to visit Abacus. They felt so ashamed for what their son had done, and was a mystery to how a pony from a good, loving, well respected family of Fillydelphian egg farmers turned out to be so evil to bully, then commit rape, and recently be one of many responsible for the pain, suffering, and deaths of many innocent lives. The Egg family wanted to give their sincere apologies to Abacus, and even kindly offered to help make it up to him in any way possible for all of what their son had did to him. The Egg family told Abacus and Lawful Eye about how they visited Rotten Eggs at Hoofstrong on the first week he was locked up there to announce their great shame of what he had done, even greater than the violent rapes he was convicted of years ago. His own mother and father asked why he did all those horrible things. Rotten Eggs's response was "Because I can.". The Egg family was left heartbroken with the horrific reality that one of their own could be one of the ones responsible for the suffering and even deaths of countless victims.

Surprisingly, Abacus and Lawful Eye had another two visitors. The visitors were Rad Ballad, Sapphire Shores’s keyboard player and co-songwriter, and his father, "High Note". They came to talk with him about a certain matter that Rad Ballad told Abacus and Princess Luna when they went with them back to Canterlot. It was about a unicorn stallion victim at Hoofstrong that Abacus suffered with a couple of times. A unicorn stallion named “Sound Wave”, who is Rad Ballad’s half-brother. He was another victim of the corruption ring, when he was later found out to be framed and charged for setting a nightclub in Manehattan on fire, that killed seven ponies. Abacus told them in great detail on what happened. How he was forced by Armstrong and his guards to suffer alongside him, to how Sound Wave was used as a breeder for children to be sold for slavery. He even mentioned about how he witnessed a mare victim that gave birth to one of Sound Wave’s children being hung and killed before she could be summoned for a retrial when there was a technicality found in that poor mare’s case. Lawful Eye even mentioned how it was even presented as evidence in court at the trial of the Canterlot investigation force and Hoofstrong Prison Center, including the real case file that Turncoat hid away. Rad Ballad’s father, High Note described how he had great guilt and shame with what happened to his poor son, Sound Wave. It hurt him even more when High Note mentioned the last thing he said to him before they took him away. How he disowned him, that he was not his son, and that he hoped he would die behind bars. And how he was informed of what happened to him, and that he was told that someone else was responsible for the crime he was framed for. Rad Ballad and his father then mentioned that Sound Wave was exonerated and released a few days prior, but was to be sent to a mental hospital due to him being too mentally and physically damaged. Knowing that they could erase Sound Wave’s memories, if it was hopeless. In addition to Sound Wave getting a prosthetic horn, to replace the horn that was removed from him by Armstrong’s guards. High Note was also left with some of Sound Wave’s children that were rescued from the sex slave trafficking ring connected with the Canterlot investigation force and Hoofstrong Prison Center to raise as his own. He was Heartbroken that Sound Wave suffered so horribly, and was determined to be a loving, caring grandfather to them, and take care of his now broken son. Rad Ballad even decided to start his very first solo album as a singer and musician, with Sapphire Shores’s help.

The news of what happened with Abacus, and the actions the former members of the actions of Canterlot investigation force and Hoofstrong Prison Center even got to as far as the Crystal Empire. Twilight and her friends even made a trip to the Crystal Empire to see Princess Cadance and Shining Armor about it. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor confirmed to Twilight that it was true about Shining Armor being the one who organised and was in charge of the royal guard raid of Hoofstrong, but were sworn to secrecy by Celestia and Luna.

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor then decided to make a trip to Canterlot to meet Abacus in person, mainly out of Shining Armor's great disgust and shame of hearing that some of the ponies who committed such evil actions were in fact members of the Royal Guards. When meeting Abacus, they gave their most humble apologies to him for what he went through, and offered to their friendship, despite Abacus's fear of Shining Armor at first due to him once being the captain of the Royal Guards. After a while, Abacus soon realised that Shining Armor was kind-hearted and gentle, much like Lock Down.

Soon enough, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had recovered from their chickenpox, and were well enough to go and visit, and soon came with the others to Canterlot castle to see Abacus. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were very happy to see him, and Sweetie Belle was glad to finally meet him. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo told Abacus that they were visiting her father, Storm Dasher in jail. So far, he and Coco-Nut had not been harmed due to them both being out doing prison guarded community service, and that they were sharing a prison cell together in the non-violent jail ward. But Storm Dasher and Coco-Nut have no grudge towards Abacus, and were understanding of his anger towards them in court. Scootaloo also said to Abacus that she did not hate him or Lawful Eye for putting him in jail, and that she and her father were going to work through things together when he gets out. All with the help of her aunts and a social worker. Rainbow Dash had even reserved his position on the local weather patrol so that he would have work to support himself and Scootaloo.

Dr Stallion, one of the visitors who visited Abacus, organized a referral for psychological help, and made arrangements of a psychologist to see him at the castle privately. The psychologist seeing and examining Abacus was very kind, patient, and very understanding. And he himself was a resident of Ponyville, but somewhat kept to himself in town. He was also someone who believed he was a not murderer due to him knowing about Abacus and Tiger Lily, but not ever meeting them both. On top of that, Abacus did not know about him either. Twilight herself had suggested this psychologist to Abacus, knowing how...different he was, but helpful. After evaluating his psychological health, he had recommended for Abacus to also receive therapy at Oatenburg Psychiatric Institution.

Then one day, Abacus got visitors from Ponyville that he was not happy to see at all. It was Mayor Mare and Lady Justice, who, despite being told not to see him yet, really wanted to see him. They were both very sorry for how badly they misjudged him, and had learnt that they should not have let it rule either of their lives, and that they should have gone by example. They also told him that the whole town had started to change any town memorials for Tiger Lily, and that they put a new headstone on Tiger Lily's grave site that had no hateful words towards him.

Despite their very heartfelt and genuine apologetic words, Abacus was understandably still very bitter and hateful towards Mayor Mare and Lady Justice. It was the same as they were before towards him, which they did not blame him. It was there they both told their pasts, from the loss of Lady Justice's mother at the hooves of her abusive father, and Mayor Mare's past. Mayor Mare then revealed the exact real reason she had been suspicious of Abacus for so long. The truth was that she had been abducted, and sexually assaulted by a unicorn stallion in her late teenage years when she lived in Canterlot. A stallion named "Aster", who owned a florist in Canterlot. Like Abacus, Aster was autistic, and was socially peculiar. Even worse was the stallion, Aster, was a once close friend of her family's. What she told him and everyone else of what happened was horrible to talk about, especially when Aster committed suicide before he could be convicted. But what she revealed while talking further about it was a great shock to everyone. A secret that Mayor Mare had kept from Abacus, Tiger Lily, and almost everyone. It was revealed that Mayor Mare was in fact Tiger Lily’s birth mother due to Aster’s rape, and that it was her who secretly abandoned her as a baby in Fillydelphia. She found out by when Tiger Lily mentioned her past to her one day on a social visit. Mayor Mare secretly had a DNA test with hairs of Tiger Lily’s mane she secretly took from her hair brush about one month before her death. The DNA test came up as a match, confirming her suspicions that Tiger Lily was her long lost daughter. Mayor Mare mentioned that she only told this to Lady Justice in confidence, and it was how they got to be close friends, and were both suspicious of some stallions. She even told Lady Justice solely about her huge secret when she found out a few months before the house fire, and wished she had told this to Tiger Lily especially sooner before she died.

The thought of Mayor Mare and Lady Justice comparing him to the stallions in their lives angered him greatly, even more so with finding out Mayor Mare's biggest kept secret of her being Tiger Lily’s mother. It was unbearable to find out that one of the mares who ruined his live was his mother-in-law. He angrily told them that he was never going to return to Ponyville, and that he was going to be moving back to Fillydelphia to start over. Stating that it was "better than being in that town full of ponies like them", before angrily telling both of them to leave.

The Main Six, Spike, Lawful Eye and the others would try to convince Abacus to return to Ponyville, but he would tearfully and aggressively refuse. Then one day, after having time to think about, Lawful Eye accepted the princesses offer to be the one to run the new police station that was to be built in Ponyville. She hoped that it might help convince Abacus to return. When telling Abacus this, he said that he would move into his mother's apartment in Fillydelphia without Lawful Eye. That was when Lawful Eye revealed another secret she did not tell him. She revealed that while Abacus was prison waiting for his retrial, Lawful Eye put Abacus's mother's apartment, as well her own apartment on the market, and sold them both to get the money needed for his retrial. And for that whole time in Fillydelphia, Lawful Eye had stayed in a hotel, and had put her and Abacus's mother's belongings into storage.

This made Abacus go into an angry rage that resulted to him nearly striking Lawful Eye. Abacus was very devastated about nearly striking the pony he now loved, and for losing the only home he had left, the place where he was born and grew-up in that was so dear to him. Though Lawful Eye was very understanding, and devoted to be by his side, Abacus refused to speak to her.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were aware of all of this, and thought that it was time to get help from other sources. With the use of ancient Alicorn magic, the princesses were able to summon the spirits of the two ponies from the dead that could possibly convince Abacus. That was Tiger Lily, and his mother, Arithma. They first had them to see Mayor Mare and Lady Justice, as well as the whole town of Ponyville so that they all could tell Tiger Lily and Arithma how sorry they were for accusing Abacus, and for ruining his life. Along with Mayor Mare telling Tiger Lily her secret to her of being her birth mother, and how that she was sorry for not telling it to her sooner. Tiger Lily told Mayor Mare she had always had a feeling that she knew she was mother. Tiger Lily and Arithma then forgave Mayor Mare and Lady Justice, and the whole town. Celestia and Luna than afterwards took Abacus into the royal Canterlot garden to see Tiger Lily and Arithma's spirits, with the Main Six, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Spike, Lock Down and his family, Warden Rehab, and Lawful Eye. There, they convinced him to return to Ponyville to be close to them as a final wish from them both, to try forgiving the residents of Ponyville, and to give them a second chance. To show grace and mercy, like them. They also told Abacus to forgive Lawful Eye, since what she did it was the only way to get his freedom back, before leaving back to the afterlife. Afterwards, Abacus tearfully and reluctantly agrees to return to Ponyville, but in respect to his wife and mother's final wish. In addition to apologising to Lawful Eye, which she forgave him.







The next six months were needed for Abacus's recovery. He went to Oatenburg Psychiatric Institution with Lawful Eye, after she did a background check on the institution, finding out it was one of the best in Equestria. Though Abacus was afraid to be in an institution out of the fear it could be like being locked away in prison all over again. So they made special arrangements for him to come to the psychiatric institution to get treatment and therapy during the day every second day. The staff of Oatenburg were very helpful, patient, kind, and gentle, including two staff members who took a friendly, helpful interest to Abacus due to hearing about him from the newspapers. A male griffon named Gale, who was a therapist assistant, and a minotaur named Aengus, who was an orderly. Abacus was understandably scared of them because of them being part of the same races that caused him pain at Hoofstrong. Gale and Aengus were determined to help him get over his fear of their own kind.

During that time, the Main Six told Mayor Mare and Lady Justice that Abacus was convinced to return to Ponyville. Hearing this, they both made another trip to visit Abacus to verify from him if it was true. Abacus then begrudgingly told them that it was true, but that he was only going to return to Ponyville for Tiger Lily and his mother, and for the Main Six, and Lawful Eye. Mayor Mare and Lady Justice were very understanding, and did not have bad feelings towards him, for he had every right to be that way towards them.

A couple of days later, Storm Dasher and Coco-Nut were released from jail, and came to visit Abacus on their request to Lawful Eye, with his sister, Lofty, and her partner, Holiday. There they shared their feelings and told about what they went through behind bars. Although they were lucky enough not to get beaten or even raped, they held no grudge towards Abacus and that they were very sorry for what they did to him. Storm Dasher even shared his experiences with grief and depression, and gave him guidance on seeing his bitter, hateful attitude towards the residents of Ponyville, for it reminded Storm Dasher of himself. He discussed with Abacus how much they both have in common, and how much he was proud of Scootaloo for being by both their sides in their times of need. While visiting Abacus, Storm Dasher gave away the remainder of the liquor he had in his house to Warden Rehab and Lock Down, commenting how he did not want that "manticore piss" (the liquor) in the same house as his daughter. It was a huge step in getting back on the right track, and he was grateful that Lofty and Holiday have moved in to help.

On the same week, he had another visitor. It was the former secret agent, Southern, along with Sir Top Hat of the Trottingham security services. Abacus was very terrified of Southern, because of him being forced to rape, beat, and torture him while being undercover. Despite Lawful Eye telling him that he was not a bad pony, and that he had no choice. It was part of him going undercover, and that it was the only way to save him. He was very gentle and kind to him, a real gentleman. With the help of the princesses, and after a long heartfelt, genuine talk and apology from Southern, Abacus began to slowly forgive him. Southern even gave the news that he was signing himself up to the Ponyville police force, since he found out recently he had family living there. His long lost sister and her son who moved there from Trottingham. Southern revealed it was the reason why he wanted to retire as a secret agent, so he could be with his one and only sister, and get to know his nephew.

When explaining about Abacus's encounter with Southern to the Ponyville psychologist, he mentioned to Abacus that there was a recent client in Ponyville who was seeing him suffering from trauma, fear and doubt of his profession after being called to work on two new buildings in Ponyville, because he felt like he was to blame for a tragic accident. The client he was talking about was Light Socket, and had a message to tell Abacus that he really was sorry. Lawful Eye, the Main Six, and the princesses talked with Abacus to convince him that it was an accident, one that can happen to anyone, and for him to see Light Socket and understand. The psychologist and Celestia talked to Abacus about grace and mercy, and told him about some of their experiences. They even told him an old wise saying: "Holding a grudge, refusing to forgive, is like drinking poison, and waiting for the other person to die".

Hearing their advice, Abacus finally wrote to Light Socket to have him come to Canterlot to visit him in the palace chapel. When Light Socket arrived, Abacus said that he could not stay angry at him forever after what he heard, and after a while of talking, the two stallion made up, while hugging and sobbing together over what happen. Light Socket got some of his confidence back, and later mentioned that one of the two buildings he was called upon to do was the new Ponyville police station, but the other was the most surprising to Abacus.

Back in Ponyville, the whole town was working together to prepare for Abacus's return, while also working on the new police station. They had started a local charity fund raiser, and the whole community began to create numerous other events in addition to being connected to the fund raiser. It was simply dubbed "The Help Abacus Sum Fund", and was organized by Mayor Mare and Lady Justice to raise money to build Abacus a new house, and to get his life back on track again. The whole town hosted many charity events, like local or schoolhouse fairs, talent shows, fashion shows, drama play's, discos, and charity auctions. Rainbow Dash even organized for the Wonderbolts to do a charity air show, which was one of the highest money raised events. Many simply made donations as well, with the highest donations coming from Mayor Mare, Lady Justice, and Filthy Rich. Originally, Filthy Rich had plans to build a new play room for his daughter, but decided to donate the money he saved, thinking that Abacus's needs were more important. He even made a promotion at Rich's Barnyard Bargains for ten percent of all profits to go to the Help Abacus Sum Fund. Even the Egg family from Fillydelphia became a sponsor to the local foundation.

Storm Dasher, Coco-Nut, and Honey Blossom however did not donate, instead they requested to the courts if they could spend the rest of their remaining community service in helping to build Abacus's new house. Lady Justice, who was the judge of the courts granted their request, and Storm Dasher, Coco-Nut, and Honey Blossom were permitted, with Storm Dasher and Coco-Nut working on the house, and Honey Blossom working on the house's yards and gardens. The reporters of the Equestria Telegram got word of this, and decided to go to Ponyville to follow up and make a story on this. In an interview with Mayor Mare, she quoted "Though we were all fooled and deceived by the evil corruptive acts of the Canterlot investigation force, this whole town, including myself and our local court judge, Lady Justice had done wrong to poor Abacus Sum. So to make things right, we, the whole town have organized for this charity fund raiser to raise money to build Abacus Sum a new house, and to help him in his time of need after all the horrific suffering he endured. He is welcome here, and we're doing everything we can to get Abacus Sum's good name back. We don't care about our reputations, we of Ponyville all love him, and want him home soon. We're all very, truly, and deeply sorry.".

Abacus was surprised to hear of this news, and was so touched. Realizing that they really did care, he requested for the Main Six to tell them that he would like to see Mayor Mare and Lady Justice again. Getting his message, Mayor Mare and Lady Justice went to Canterlot, and meet him at the same palace chapel. Went meeting him, they once again offered their most heartfelt, genuine apologies to Abacus. Stating that “If they spend every second, every minute, every hour, of everyday saying how sorry they were, it would not come close how their hearts feel.”. To their surprise, Abacus tearfully, genuinely, but reluctantly forgave them both, and the whole town. He did it to follow the advice of Princess Celestia, and his mother to show grace and mercy, and to follow the wise words of not wanting to drink the ‘poison’ of a grudge. The three ponies talked with one another for a very long while about their pains, and how they were all victims of the Canterlot investigation force and Hoofstrong. Mayor Mare even offered to be the mother-in-law to Abacus to make up for not being the mother to Tiger Lily. Explaining that it was what Tiger Lily requested for her to do when she and Arithma’s spirits were brought back for a while. Although Abacus accepted it, it would be sometime before he would ever really fully trust them again.

Abacus’s name was becoming well known by most ponies in Equestria due to the truth of the events that happened with Canterlot investigation force, and at Hoofstrong Prison Center. Reporters from the newspapers and magazines all wanted to interview Abacus to get his side of the events, and they even offered to pay him. Though, Lawful Eye was careful to who would interview Abacus, and it was hard for Abacus to talk about what he went through. Then one day when Rarity came to see him, she was invited to a garden party organized by Fancy Pants. He invited Abacus to attend too, for Fancy Pants really wanted to meet him. At the party, though the guests at the party did pity Abacus, and knew he was somewhat famous, some of them were uncomfortable and even scared of him at first because of his horribly scarred face, and the fact of him once being a prisoner in prison, much to Lawful Eye and Rarity's annoyance. Fancy Pants, and his wife, Fleur Dis Lee on the other hand were not scared nor uncomfortable around Abacus, and his entourage, Swan Song, Silver Frames, and Golden Gavel were the same.

After that, Abacus was upset to show his horribly scarred face in public again, seeing how scared and uncomfortable some ponies were of seeing it. Then Lawful Eye remembered the business card Sapphire Shores gave her of her plastic surgeon friend, and after checking Dr Cosmet Wonder out, she made an appointment with her for Abacus on one of his free days from his psychological therapy. At the Canterlot Specialist Center, Dr Cosmet Wonder examined Abacus's face, and was confident that she could try and fix it. She said Abacus would still have some scarring, but it would not be hideous, and would look close to normal.

Soon after making the date for the surgery, Sapphire Shores heard about it. She then came to visit Abacus with Rad Ballad, and another good friend of hers named “Film Reel”, who was a famous film maker. He wanted the rights to his life story, for he wanted to make a motion picture film based on the horrific events on that happened to him from Canterlot investigation force, and at Hoofstrong Prison Center. They also made an honest offer of paying him a large cut of the profits from the film, and the song Sapphire Shores and Rad Ballad were writing and going to record together for it. Although it was so hard for Abacus to talk about it, he agreed, but on the condition that they would wait until he felt ready to talk about it in an autobiography. They understandably agreed, and took pictures of Abacus's horribly scared face to get the picture of what the scars looked like for the film and for him to use in his autobiography.

Not long after, Lawful Eye made a proposal. She felt guilty for not being there for Abacus when he was in danger, despite that he and his mother's letters being intercepted by the Canterlot investigation force. It had plagued her ever since she found out. With the death of Tiger Lily and their unborn child, and his dear mother, it hurt her all the worse. So out of her love and devotion to Abacus, Lawful Eye decided to make things right, and she proposed to marry Abacus and be his wife to help his heart heal. Abacus, emotionally touched by this, tearfully agreed, but they kept it quite for the time being.

Lawful Eye then suddenly mentioned to Abacus her desire to have a child with him, but he was traumatised by rapes and tortures he received at Hoofstrong. A fear for sex. He spoke about it to the Ponyville psychologist, and he tried to give the best advice possible. Lawful Eye even confided in Lock Down and Sugar Dough about it, and decided to talk to Abacus about it. After they talked with him, Abacus agreed to try, with the condition that they keep it quiet.

During the psychological treatment and therapy Abacus was receiving at Oatenburg, he was treated for his post-traumatic stress, fears of stallions, griffons, minotaurs, and dogs, and depression. Abacus was making progress from his treatment at Oatenburg. Although it was slow, they felt confident that he soon would be safe to return to Ponyville, and have therapy with his psychologist in Ponyville. Lock Down suggested to bring his family dog, Boris, who was a very big, but gentle bullmastiff. The psychologist from Ponyville suggested for him to either get a puppy or to interact with therapy dogs to help conquer his fear of dogs. As promised, Lock Down and his family brought their dog, Boris whenever they came to see him. Oatenburg even took advice from the psychologist, and brought therapy dogs in for Abacus to interact with. Then on Abacus’s thirty-forth birthday, Warden Rehab, Lock Down, and his family brought Abacus and Lawful Eye a gift. The gift was a puppy, a German shepherd that they named Rex. Lawful Eye was going to train Rex to be police dog, as well as a good, loyal, lovable family pet. After a few weeks, Abacus was beginning to conquer his fear of dogs. Then a few days before the Main Six's next visit, he wrote to Applejack and asked her to bring her dog, Winona. When she did, Abacus apologized to Winona for being so terrified of her, and avoiding her. Winona, being a very loving, understanding dog, quickly forgave him, and was so happy Abacus was not scared of her anymore. As for his fear of griffons and minotaurs, Gale and Aengus socialized with him, and befriended him in the hopes that it could help him. It was working, but slowly, and eventually Abacus learnt to not judge all those of their kind as bad, especially after a heartfelt talk with him on one occasion.

On one of the visits Warden Rehab and Lock Down made to Abacus, Lock Down told the news that he was considering joining the police force and being one of the police ponies of Ponyville's new police station, something Spike inspired him to do. He and his wife, Sugar Dough were looking to move to Ponyville, and have found a good house for he and his family to move into. One that was not far from where the new police station and Abacus's new house was being built. Warden Rehab said that he might join the Ponyville police force as the watch-house keeper of the station, but for now, he felt that he was needed at the Hoofstrong Prison Center for despite there actually being real criminals locked away, there was still other innocent ponies in there that need to be cared for, and to be eventually exonerated, cleared, and released. And with Turncoat's help, and with the knowledge, and over eight years’ worth of real case files of every single pony that went there and killed within that time, it was cut down by many years, but it would still take some time.

Sometime later, Abacus went into surgery. Lawful Eye, in the meantime, organised for movers to take the items and furniture from her and Abacus's mother's apartments that she put in storage back in Fillydelphia to the new house in Ponyville.