Arc leaves the room and proceeds to the Audience Chamber's Outer Hall. It is filled to bursting with ponies seeking an audience. He approaches the Royal Guard Commander as he looks around.
“Full house today, huh?”
The commander does not look up from his scroll and speaks in a bored tone.
“Name and purpose of audience.”
Arc folds his arms over his chest. “Arc. And I'm here to listen to other's problems.”
The commander’s eyes shoot up at this! “S-sire! My apologies! I was just so busy I...”
Arc holds up a hand for silence. “Look, I know your job probably isn't too... action packed or rewarding. However, the ponies here are counting on us to listen to, and if possible, fix their problems.”
“I'm sorry sire. It's just... those seeking an audience with the princesses have a bad habit of complaining to US about things that we have no control over! They can get really nasty about it too!”
“Like what?”
“Well, like the long wait times, the princess' judgments, politics, the weather... I'm not trying to complain sire, but it sometimes feels like we're being treated more like scapegoats than Royal Guards!”
Arc nods. “I see. Okay, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to have a couple guards from the Audience Chamber come out here and stand on either side of you. Anyone gets too out of hand, you order the guards to throw them out. They try getting physical, you lock them in the dungeon for a couple hours to cool off. Understood?”
“Yes sire. Thank you very much!”
Arc nods. “You’re welcome. Now let me see the list of audiences.”
The commander gives Arc his scroll. “Here you are sire.”
He looks over the scroll for a few moments before picking up a quill and making a few notations.
“Forget the order they arrived. I want you to send ponies in to see me in the order I have noted. We’re starting with the most pressing cases!”
“It will be done, sire!”
Arc turns to the group of squabbling ponies awaiting his judgment.
“Can I have everyone's attention please?! I need to make an announcement.”
The din of angry ponies dies down slowly until they are silent.
“We will be holding audiences in just a few minutes. But before we start I just wanted to bring a concern of mine to YOU!”
The gathered ponies look confused.
“It has come to my attention that some of you have been treating the Royal Guards like they are just here to serve you! That is NOT their purpose! They are here to protect you and see to it these audiences can proceed smoothly. Anyone who verbally or physically abuses a Royal Guard, or any other staff member, WILL be thrown out! If you plan of MAKING problems for them, don't expect me to hear YOURS! Thank you for your patience and understanding during this transitional time.”
Arc walks toward the Audience Chamber. Two Royal Guards open the doors for him and close them behind him. Raven is waiting for him near the throne. He points to two guards.
“You and you! Go stand with the Royal Guard Commander outside this chamber.”
The guards salute and rush to carry out his orders! Arc walks over to Princess Luna's throne and sits down. Raven approaches him and gives Arc his Royal Scepter.
“I believe you'll be needing these, Lord Arc.”
He sighs as he accepts the scepter. “This thing again?! I really don't feel right holding this!”
“Maybe not sire, but you should be seen with it when you pass judgment over a case.”
“Fine... let's get started, shall we?”
Raven motions to the guards at the door. “Very well Lord Arc.”
The doors open. A mare and stallion enter with a rather sad looking filly with a pink mane, pink coat, and pink eyes following them slowly into the room. They approach Arc and bow. Raven addresses them.
“Please state your names for the court.”
The stallion nods and speaks first! “Chef Searing Bolero.”
“Aqua Serenade.”
Arc nods. “What seems to be the problem?”
Aqua Serenade looks angrily at the stallion and points her hoof at him! “I want a divorce from this... this LETCH!”
Searing Bolero looks at his wife, angrily! “Ha! Takes one to know one, you bimbo!”
Arc sighs. “A divorce huh? May I ask why?”
“Because I caught this stallion in the hooves of another mare!”
“That is NOT true! I...”
Aqua Serenade interrupts! “No?! I SAW you with my own eyes!”
“But...!”
She puts a hoof in the stallion's face, interrupting. “Shut it! I don't want to hear any more of your lies! Our daughter shouldn't have to be around a PIG like you either! She's coming with ME!”
Searing Bolero looks to her, clearly furious! “Like hell she is! I don't want MY daughter growing up learning from YOU! I know what you did last night at the bar!”
She looks to him, surprised! “What?! How did you...?”
“Word of what you did with half of Canterlot last night travels fast, you harlot!”
The filly behind them lies down on the floor, covers her face and begins to cry softly as her parents continue to fight!
“What do you care?! It's not like I did anything that YOU haven't done yourself! I bet you spread that hussy out on...”
Arc yells in a voice that fills the Audience Chamber and reverberates off the walls!
“ENOUGH!!!”
Both the mare and stallion stop talking. They nervously take a step back as Arc turns to Raven.
“How long will it take you to draw up a set of divorce papers?”
“Not long sire!”
“Get started on them then. Bring them here the moment they are ready.”
Raven bows. “Yes, Lord Arc.”
She leaves the Audience Chamber to carry out Arc’s order.
“Now then, I want the two of you to turn around.
They do so and see their daughter lying on the floor in a puddle of her own tears. The couple quickly walks over and sit down on either side of her. Aqua Serenade puts a hoof on the filly's back.
“Don't worry honey! I'll protect you from your father's vile ways!”
Searing Bolero puts his hooves around the filly and pulls her close to himself! After last night, do you really think I'd let you get anywhere NEAR my daughter?!”
Aqua Serenade grabs the filly and tries to pull her away from her father! “Ha! You mean after what YOU did, right? You disgust me!”
Arc stans and tosses his Royal Scepter onto the throne! He walks toward the unhappy couple and their filly.
“That will be quite enough of that, both of you!”
He looks at the filly between the couple.
“Little one, I would like to speak with you. Is that okay?”
The filly looks to Arc, nervously. “Y-yes sir!”
“Good! Please follow me to my office.”
Arc and the filly walk toward his office together with her parents following closely behind. The guards part to allow Arc and the filly to pass. Arc closes the office door and they again block the entrance.
“Um... excuse me, but...”
One of the Royal Guards cuts her off. “The Lord Regent wishes to speak to your daughter. He said NOTHING about the two of you joining them.”
“Yes, but...”
“Please wait here patiently.”
Meanwhile inside the office the filly looks back at the closed door nervously.
“Aren't my parents coming?”
Arc shakes his head. “No. I want to speak with you alone.”
He walks over to a couch and sits down as he motions for the filly to join him.
“Have a seat. Don't worry, you're not in trouble.”
The filly sadly walks over to the couch and sits down next to Arc.
“Now then, why don't we start with your name”
The filly nods nervously. “It… it’s C-Cheery, sir.”
“Well then Cheery, do you know who I am?”
She nods. “You’re the Hero of Light and the King of Canterlot now, right?”
Arc smiles at her. “Close. I'm actually the Lord Regent.”
Cheery squeezes her eyes shut. “I'm sorry!”
Arc pats the filly on the head in an effort to comfort her. “It's okay. You might find this hard to believe, but I have a daughter of my own about your age.”
“Really? Where is she?”
“She's back in Ponyville at the moment. Right now, she's in school. Do you go to school, Cheery?”
“Yes sir. Normally I do, but right now, my parents...”
Cheery looks suddenly sad.
Arc nods. “Tell me about your parents.”
“Well, there's my mom. She's really nice to me, even when I do something bad! She helps me with my homework, makes me supper and puts me to bed every night.
“What about your father?”
“He's really nice too! But he's not around too often these days.”
“Why not?”
Cheery sighs. “He's really busy with his job as a Chef! He owns a restaurant here in Canterlot on Restaurant Row! Most days he's gone before I get up. Sometimes after mom puts me to bed, if I can stay awake long enough, I can hear him come home at night!”
“You miss him, don't you?”
Cheery looks down sadly. “Yeah... I do. We used to do all kinds of fun stuff together! Go to the park, cook together, play ball… that sort of thing! But now... all he does is work. He told me he's working really hard so he can give me a better life than he had growing up!”
Her eyes suddenly grow wide. She looks over to Arc, frantically!
“Is this all MY fault?!”
Arc shakes his head. “No dear. Believe me when I say that NONE of this is your fault!”
“But how do you know?!”
He sighs. “Because I too had a father who was never around. I often wondered if it was my fault he didn’t come home! But now that I'm all grown up, I know for a fact that there was nothing I could have done to bring him back to my mother and I! He made his own choices.”
“What happened to him?”
“I don't know. He's been gone for many years. Perhaps someday I will know the truth. But enough about that. Tell me... do you love your parents?”
Cheery nods! “Yes sir! I love them both very much!”
“Do they love you?”
She looks down at her hooves. “I... I know they do, but...”
Cheery seems to have trouble finding the right words to say.
“Sir, can I tell you something?”
Arc nods. “Go ahead.”
“I know they still care and want the best for me. It's just... I wish they still cared about each other! Before all this happened, we were happy together! I just want to go back to the way things were!”
Cheery looks back up at Arc with a pleading look in her eyes!
“Please sir... can you help them? I'm sure they want to go back to the way things were as well! Even if they won't admit it.”
“I can't promise anything Cheery, but I will try, okay?”
Cheery jumps into Arc's lap and gives him a hug! “Thank you, sir! Please do your best! You're my parents last chance!”
Arc smiles down at her. “I'll try. But please understand something! The choice is ultimately up to them. I can't actually MAKE them love each other again.”
Arc stands up and walks over to the door.
“Are you ready Cheery?”
Cheery nervously nods her head. Arc opens the door and motions for Cheery's parents to join them in his office. Raven has returned with the divorce papers and the unhappy couple has already signed them! She looks over the papers one last time before levitating them over to Arc.
“These papers will be made official as soon as Lord Arc signs them.”
Arc accepts the papers and looks them over before setting them down on his desk. He turns to the couple.
“Have a seat with your daughter.”
The couple wordlessly does so.
“Before I sign these papers, there is one final matter that the two of you must decide.”
Aqua Serenade looks to Arc. “And what's that?”
“Who will Cheery live with from now on?”
“A foal's place is with her mother!”
Searing Bolero looks past Cheery angrily! “Not with a courtesan it's not! She's coming with ME!”
Raven turns to Arc. “It appears YOU will have to decide where this filly will live, Lord Arc.”
“I do, huh?”
“Yes. In the event of a disagreement during these proceedings your word is final. You must decide which parent is most fit to raise this filly.”
Arc looks at the couple. “Do you both want me to do what's best for Cheery?”
They look irately at one another before nodding to Arc.
“Very well then. Based on what I have seen and heard, there is only one clear course of action.”
Both parents appear nervous.
Arc turns to the door and raises his voice.
“GUARD!”
One of the Royal Guards from outside the office quickly enters and salutes Arc.
“You will escort this filly to the Little Hooves Orphanage in Ponyville.”
Cheery and her parents look fearfully at Arc!
“WHAT?!”
Arc turns back to the family. “You heard me! I deem BOTH of you unfit to raise Cheery! She will be sent to the orphanage until the two of you can get you acts together and GROW UP!”
Both parents jump off the couch and fall to their knees at Arc's feet! Searing Bolero is the first to reach him!
“But... no! You can't!”
Aqua Serenade joins her husband! “Please! I don't want THIS for my little one!”
Arc turns away. “Well, when you two can come to an agreement...”
There is a sudden knock at the door!
“Come!”
The Royal Guard Commander quickly enters the office!
“My apologies sire! Town Councilpony Minuette insists on seeing you at once!”
Searing Bolero mutters to himself quietly. “Minuette?!”
Arc motions to the scene before him! “Do you not see I'm busy here?! Tell her I'll see her when I have time!”
“Again, I apologize sire, but she claims to have information regarding your current audience!”
“...very well. Send her in at once.”
“Very well, sire!”
The Royal Guard Commander leaves the office. Arc motions for the Royal Guard to leave as well. A few moments later Minuette bursts into the office! She is panting and trotting in place!
“Lord Arc, I...”
Aqua Serenade points a hoof at Minuette, angrily! “There she is!”
The angry mare charges at Minuette!
“I'll teach you to...”
Arc holds back the furious mare back with his magic before she gets to Minuette! “Woah there! You better have a pretty good reason for going after one of my advisers like that miss!”
Aqua Serenade turns to Arc and points a hoof at Minuette! “She's the one I saw kissing my husband the other day! You TRAMP!”
Minuette bows her head, sadly. “It... it's true.”
Arc looks to Minuette surprised! “Really?! Wow... did not see that coming...”
Aqua Serenade seethes! “See?! She admits! Lord Arc, I demand justice!”
“Start explaining, Minuette.”
Minuette sighs. “What she said is true. She did see me kiss her husband on the cheek last night at her front door. But I'm not his lover!”
“What else could you possibly BE?!”
Searing Bolero walks over to Minuette. “She's... my little sister.”
Minuette nods. “It's true! I stopped by your house the other night to give my big brother an early birthday present!”
Aqua Serenade stares at Minuette is disbelief! “What?! But... but that's impossible!”
Minuette reaches into her saddlebag and pulling out a wrapped package. She walks it over to Searing Bolero.
“I... I know this might not be the best time, but happy birthday big brother.”
Searing Bolero accepts the gift and unwraps it. He pulls a frame out of the box and looks at it for a long time.
“What is it dad?”
“Have a look sweetie.”
Cheery walks forward to look.
“This is an old family picture of my parents and I, along with my sister Minuette when we were foals.”
Minuette looks down at the floor. “I found it while I was cleaning out my attic a few days ago. It reminded me of the good times we used to have! But it also made me think about how I didn't keep in touch with you over the years! Last night I went to your house in hopes that we could be reunited!”
Minuette begins to cry. The tears fall to the floor.
“I had no idea you had a wife and a filly! Now it looks like I've ruined your marriage! I... I don't really know what to say other than... I'm sorry, and you'll never see me again!”
She turns to leave. Aqua Serenade looks at the picture in her husband’s hoof.
“Wait!”
Minuette stops and looks back with tear-filled eyes.
“If you want revenge on me, go ahead and take it. After all, I deserve it!”
Aqua Serenade takes the picture from Cheery and looks it over. Tears begin to fill her own eyes! She walks over to Minuette, still holding the picture.
“Miss Minuette? I am SO SORRY for what I said... and for what I did to your brother!”
Aqua Serenade looks back to her husband.
“I'm sorry for what I did, dear. But why didn't you tell me?! Why didn't you say something?!”
“You never gave me time to before you ran out the door screaming!”
The couple embrace and fall to their knees together. Cheery and Minuette join them in a family hug! Aqua Serenade looks her husband in the eye.
“I know I don't deserve it, but... can you EVER forgive me for... for what I did last night?”
Searing Bolero looks away sadly. “I... I don't know. What you did... isn't exactly something that can be easily forgotten.”
She puts her hoof on her husband’s face and turns it toward herself.
“I know that dear. But I'm willing to spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you and our daughter! Please give me a chance!”
Searing Bolero looks over to Arc.
“Lord Arc. What should I do?”
“You've asked a difficult question. It is YOU who must make the final decision. Listen Aqua Serenade, had you given your husband a chance to explain himself before jumping to conclusions none of this would have happened.
Aqua Serenade bows her head. “I know.”
He turns to Searing Bolero. “Had you not been so busy with your business, maybe you would have noticed your relationship with your family crumbling.”
Searing Bolero lowers his head and sadly nods.
“Where do we go from here?”
“I suggest the four of you go back to your house, close and lock the door, and sit down on the couch and just talk”.
Minuette looks to them, shyly. “Even me?”
Aqua Serenade smiles. “Yes, even you! We're family after all!”
Cheery looks to Arc. “But what should we talk about?”
“Everything! Get to know each other all over again! In time perhaps these wounds will heal. But only if ALL of you choose to make the effort!”
Searing Bolero looks over to his wife, smiling. “I'm willing to try, my love.”
“Then so am I, honey!”
The pair embrace and kiss lovingly
Cheery walks back to Arc. “Thank you sir. Thank you for giving me my parents back!”
Minuette looks down at her hooves. “I'm sorry for causing you all this trouble, Lord Arc.”
“There's nothing for you to apologize for Minuette. Now go and enjoy getting to know your brother, sister-in-law, and niece.”
Searing Bolero nods. “Thank you Lord Arc... for everything!”
Aqua Serenade smiles! “How can we ever thank you enough?!”
Arc walks over to the office door and opens it. “In the future, try to think more about what would be best for Cheery! Do that and I'll call it even.”
“We will! Count on it!”
Minuette smiles and trots out of the office. “Come on everypony! We have a LOT to talk about!”
The happy family leaves the office and trots out of the Audience Chamber. Everyone waiting for their audience is flabbergasted at their change of mood! Arc returns to his throne and picks up his Royal Scepter as he sits down.
“That went well.”
Raven nods. “I suppose. Tell me Lord Arc. Was that really your entire plan? Bluff them into cooperating by threatening to send their daughter to an orphanage?”
“I wasn't bluffing Raven.”
“I'm sorry, what?”
Arc sighs. “Had Cheery stayed around such influences she too would have most likely grown up to become just like her parents.”
“But... I don't understand. How could you do that?!”
“Unlike the couple when they came in here, I was only concerned with what was in the best interest of Cheery. Their petty argument mattered little to me. Now I'm sorry if you don't always agree with my methods Raven, but someone needs to make the hard choices. And right now that someone... is me.”
Raven looks concerned.
“It would most certainly not have been permanent. When they had come to an agreement, I would have allowed Cheery to return to her parents.”
“How long do you think that would have taken?”
Arc shrugs. “That would depend on how much they loved their daughter. If a judge tried to take Dinky away from me, don't you think I would be on my hands and knees, willing to do whatever it took to keep her?!”
Raven nods. “I can tell she means a lot to you, sir. As you know, I have no foals to call my own. So I can't truly understand the love a parent feels for their child. Please forgive me for questioning you.”
“It's fine Raven. I do appreciate your bravery and willingness to stand against me when you disagree. Please continue to do so in the future.”
“Wait! Are you TELLING me to question you?!”
“No. I'm telling you I value your opinion and want to hear it more often.”
Raven nods. “Very well, commander. I will do my best.”
“That's all I can ask of you Raven. Thank you.”
Arc looks to the Royal Guards at the door.
“Next audience.”