//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Absolution // by ed2481 //------------------------------// “He left?!” Applejack shouted, outraged. “Yes,” Fluttershy replied with a firm nod of her head. “He said that he wanted to go home, so I let him.” The earth pony let out a sour grunt and frowned. “Hmph... typical excuse for a criminal like him to make... if he ever dares to show his face again, I’ll make sure he won’t have a chance to leave again.” She said with a single stomp of her hoof. “I think not,” Celestia said calmly as she looked down at Applejack. “What you should do is report him to Twilight or the local guards, Applejack.” The mare closed her eyes and let out a steamed sigh. “Yes... Princess Celestia....” she replied reluctantly. “Good,” Celestia said before giving Fluttershy a smile. “Fluttershy, if you’ll excuse me, Applejack and I have some things to talk about,” the alicorn said as she put a wing over Applejack’s back and turned around walking back down the path and somehow managing to move Applejack along with her with the simple touch. The pony slowly followed Celestia down the path until they were a good distance away from Fluttershy’s cottage, but not close enough to Ponyville itself for any to hear what was said. Then the alicorn released Applejack and looked down at her. “Applejack, do you know what punishment I was going to give Cres for his crime?” she asked the mare. “A few days in a fireproof cell is the proper idea that comes to my mind,” Applejack replied in an all too sour tone. “No, a few days of house arrest in Fluttershy’s cottage and a few minute lecture, actually,” Celestia replied with a small shrug. “But he violated too many of our laws for a simple house arrest!” the mare protested. “No, he did not,” Celestia stated calmly. “In reality, he violated very few.” “He killed on our land, resisted arrest when we tried to contain him, assaulted me multiple times, and breathed fire near my sister! How is that deserving of only a house arrest!?” Applejack demanded, nearly forgetting who she arguing with. Celestia simply smiled down at Applejack and a slight chill ran down the mare’s spine as Celestia straightened just a little bit. “I already forgave him for his previous ‘crimes’ if they can be called as such for a person from an entirely different world,” the alicorn explained slowly, as if she was talking to a particularly slow student. “His assaults on you, if a single scratch can be called as such, were purely self defense motivated due to your attempt to trap him a a pitt, something that is quite out of line for how such things are normally pursued by law enforcement. Furthermore, he then went on to save the life of Zecora, who while she may not be an Equestrian Citizen, is still technically under the protection of the Equestrian Government. For that I gave him amnesty from whatever crime he committed against you up to that point.” “And breathing fire near my sister?” Applejack asked. “Was the one crime that I was going to agree with,” Celestia said, nodding her head. “However, the circumstances behind it were not worthy of any real jail time.” “Circumstances?! He breathed fire near my sister, not only that but her friends as well! He could’ve given them serious burns or worse!” the mare growled. “Which is why he would have been under house arrest,” Celestia explained, still smiling slightly at Applejack, continuing to speak slowly. “However, given the world that Cres comes from, not to mention the fact that I highly doubt he intended to hurt them. I believe a pointed lecture would have been more then enough to correct his mistake and the house arrest would have further driven home the point.” Applejack closed her eyes and emitted hard sigh as her right hoof dug into the dirt. “World he came from... hmph why do I keep hearing that as an excuse? It shouldn’t matter what world he comes from, our laws are our laws. It shouldn’t matter if he’s from another ‘world’.” “And yet it does,” Celestia replied. “Applejack, the place where Cres comes from is full of creatures powerful enough to level Canterlot in a matter of hours if they truly wished. Nearly every Pokémon there can breathe fire, or ice, or lightning, some can destroy other’s minds with their own and still others are the spirits of those long dead come back to life with the sole purpose of harvesting souls. My point is that if Cres had wished to harm your sister and her friends, he very easily could have, furthermore, he should not be overly punished for something that comes as naturally to him as breathing.” The earth pony grunted sourly again as she tilted her head away and frowned in thought. She closed her eyes for a momented. “Hmph... fine... but if he does come again, I will report him.” “Good,” Celestia said with a nod as a bit of her regalness fell away again. “Though I still think there are some things we should discuss.” “What?” the mare asked as she opened her eyes and glanced up at the alicron. “You did not respond to Cres the way you have responded to many other problems that you’ve faced in the last few years. I’d like to know why, if you don’t mind,” Celestia requested with a gentle smile. “After all, you are the bearer of an Element of Harmony; you have a higher standard to live up to than the average pony.” Applejack closed her eyes once more and stayed silent for a moment. “...I will admit that I should have reported him to the guard sooner... but Twilight and Fluttershy thought they could handle and I trusted them enough in that.... I only acted accordingly since then.” Celestia looked down at Applejack for a moment before she let out a slow sigh, sounding incredibly weary. “Applejack, I’ve been a politician for longer than you can comprehend, please don’t try to avoid my real question.” “I’m not avoiding it, I’m answering it as honestly as I can,” she replied opening her eyes and giving Celestia a straightforward look. “I’m not speaking of the way you acted in terms of the law Applejack, I’m speaking of the venom, spite, and obvious hatred you have had towards Cres since the beginning of this sordid affair,” Celestia said, a bit of her regality returning to her. “I would like to know why you insisted that he was a ‘no good varmint’ no matter what others said, including Fluttershy, Discord, and myself.” “...he kept thinking our laws meant nothing to him, I just don’t like it when predators think that way,” Applejack replied. “I see, and yet, he obeyed the laws that he was told of, did he not? Regardless of what he said, I do not recall a single incident to the contrary once something was explained to him,” the alicorn said with a slightly raised eyebrow. “Then he should shut his trap instead of complaining over them all the time,” the mare remarked. “To me... that showed signs of him thinking of breaking them.” “And yet he didn’t,” Celestia reinforced. “So, does that make him wrong for voicing his opinions?” “Does it make me wrong to form an opinion off of his?” Applejack countered. “Of course not,” the alicorn replied with a small shrug. “It simply means that you were exercising your rights as a citizen of Equestria. However, I still find it rather troubling that you were never able to look beyond the outer ‘shell’ that he surrounded himself with and continued to treat him like a dangerous sphinx.” Applejack’s eyes blinked simply and her tail swished agitatedly. “Because, Celestia... none of my friends seemed to take precautions around him, so I simply filled in the job.” She turned around. “Now... is there anything else? I have some trees that need to be watered.” “Only that perhaps in the future you should try to be less judgemental about someone until you truly know that person,” Celestia answered. “Perhaps you could write me a report about it by, say... the end of the week?” “...I might...” she replied as she started to walk down the path. “Good day to you, Princess Celestia.” “And the same to you Applejack,” Celestia called to her before teleporting herself back to Canterlot, letting out a small sigh as she arrived. “Did it not go well, sister?” Luna inquired from the table where she was looking over the latest bills to be passed and deciding whether or not to approve them. “It went about as well as talking to a noble,” Celestia replied as she walked over to sit across from her sister. “Not an incredibly stubborn one, but a noble nonetheless.” “Ah,” Luna said as her horn glowed and a teapot and cup hovered over to Celestia and generous amount was poured into it and passed into her sister’s waiting magic field. “Is young Cres alright?” Celestia took a long sip from the teacup before let out a relaxed sigh. “If what Fluttershy said was true... he had already gone to see Giratina and went back to the Pokémon World.” Luna blinked twice and then she frowned. “That... is unfortunate,” she said, an uncharacteristic softness entering her voice. “I... rather wanted him to relay a message for me.” The solar alicron smiled softly to her sister. “I’m sure he will visit soon sister... you know him and being on time.” Luna snorted and shook her head slightly. “I suppose, really... it is my own fault for not speaking with Cres sooner, then perhaps he could have informed Giri of my release... no matter.” The alicorn looked back down at the bills in front of her. “How do you feel about raising the income tax?” Celestia shook her head lightly. “Well... it depends on the reason why,” she replied as she picked up a copy of the bill and the two began to work. I let out a happy sigh as I leaned against Belle, safe and dry, and WARM inside of Matt and Roxanne’s apartment. The two of us were snuggling together on the Pokémon bed beside the large one that the man and woman shared and I was very happy to be there, especially with Belle beside me. Belle nuzzled me, her soft fur rolling across my cheek. “It feels nice to do this again,” she said with a soft chuckle. “You’re telling me.” I asked, a chuckle of my own rolling out of my throat as I nuzzled her back. “A great deal of my time up on the mountain when I was not praying was wishing that I had you there to warm my rest.” “Oh, I bet,” she said with a soft purr. “Though if you ever do something like this again... I’ll hunt you down and personally make sure you won’t be able to run again.” I gulped. She meant that. “I believe you,” I said quietly, a soft purr of my own building in my chest as I leaned closer to her. “Believe me... I won’t ever do it again... I lost so much running away from you.” “I’m glad you came to that conclusion,” she said as she gave me a small lick across my cheek. A long sigh left my throat as I closed my eyes and let wrapped a forepaw around hers, and leaned deeply against her crimson fur. I didn’t speak. She leaned against me equal and a soft pleasant purred rolled throughout her body and the two of us lay against each other quietly for maybe an half an hour before she spoke. “So... do you want to tell me why it took you nearly a month to get back from wherever Giratina sent you to?” she asked. “It was only a week there,” I answered, pained by hearing the word ‘month’ exit her lips. I’d wasted an entire month of time with her... not to mention the two years before that. Small tears formed in my eyes and I pulled my head away from her, looking away as they rolled down my cheeks. She didn’t deserve me. “A week?” she said softly to herself. “I guess the theory of time flowing in different worlds are true... still...” I felt a soft nuzzle rub across my neck. “You’re back, and that’s what matter.” “I-I guess,” I agreed, still crying, unable to face her. “Cres... please look at me... there’s no reason to cry in shame,” she said softly to me. I still looked away, the tears coming heavier. “I... I abandoned you Belle... I... I did it for something that doesn’t exist,” I moaned. “I was... so caught up in my own-ego that I-I-I threw away the most important thing in my life to-to-to pray on a mountain!” I shouted, my own failures and stupidity weighing even heavier on me. Belle remained silent for a long moment. “Yes... yes, you did. You made a mistake... a very foolish mistake,” she said, not belittling me or anything, just softly speaking to me in a calm tone. “Yet... that doesn’t change the way I feel about you Cres. I love you... and I have ever since we were kits.” I felt another nuzzle, feeling some wet along the way. “Nothing will ever change that Cres... nothing. So please... stop crying and let us just be happy for the rest of the night.” I let out another sob and then turned to burry my muzzle in her neck. I stayed there for a long time, breathing in her comforting scent as my crying began to weaken into sniffles and then eventually nothing at all. Eventually, I lifted my face up to see Belle’s own wet cheeks staring over at me before she leaned over to give me several licks across my tear stained face. “Feeling better?” she asked. “A... a little,” I said softly before I licked away the remnants of her tears. “Sorry my love... you know how stupid I can be at times.” “I know,” she said with a soft chuckle. “That’s one of the reason why I stick around you... how else would you survive?” she add with a slightly teasing tone. A soft chuckle left my lips at our old joke. “Oh, I’m sure I wouldn’t, I’d be starving to death somewhere.” “Exactly,” she agreed with another chuckle as she licked me once more and rested her head against mine. I let out a sigh, this one happy. “So... when are we going to start thinking about starting a family?” “Oh, I’ve been thinking about that for a long time actually... and part of my plan is already in motion,” she said with another soft chuckle. “We already got a place to live together, good trainers to live with, and a nice bed for us... all we have to do is wait for my time to be ready to come,” she said, giving me a lick across the cheek. “Hmm... not too much longer if I remember my dates right,” I commented with a small frown. “Do you think we should do a bit of practice?” “I don’t have any objections to that,” she said with a sly smile. “I was hoping you’d say that,” I said, leaning over to give her a nuzzle. “I just hope I’m not too rusty, two years is a lot of time for ‘rust’ to form’.” “I’m sure we’ll be able to clear that rust soon,” she said with another lick. “You might be foolish... but you’ve never been a slow learner when you really wanted to learn something.” “True...” I agreed as I got up and walked over to the door to the room, closing it, happy that we were more or less alone in the apartment with Matt and Roxanne out doing something. “Well then... lets see if I can’t recall how this dance goes.”