"Ah don't get it...How is makin' Jason feel better a bad thing?" Applejack asked, staring up at Celestia with a raised eyebrow. "If spendin' three years out in th'Everfree ain't drove him mad, Ah don't think a little spell's gonna do 'im in."
"We can't take that chance. If what Luna says is true, even the possibility of Jason becoming violent is unacceptable." Celestia responded, eyebrows furrowed. "I understand you are invested in his recovery, but if Luna's predictions of his abilities are correct, he cannot be allowed to roam free with his mind compromised."
Applejack glared, stepping forward until she was nose-to-chest with the alicorn. "Now you jes' wait one apple-buckin' minute! Jason's made it crystal clear he don't wanna cause no trouble! Rainbow attacked HIM first, he ain't gonna go off tryin' ta destroy Equestria without a darn good reason!"
Celestia's eyes hardened. "We've given him a reason. What my little ponies, what YOU have done to him has given him a better reason to destroy us all than anypony Equestria has faced so far." She gulped, dropping the stare-down to look down at the floor. "To be honest...part of me believes he deserves revenge. But I can not let him endanger my subjects." She looked back up, a grim resignation on her mug. "No matter the personal cost."
Applejack reeled back as if struck at the accusation, before narrowing her eyes. "Well, ya have ta find 'im first. He jes' got up and walked out the castle right under yer nose! AND stopped fer lunch on th' way! He's made it perfectly clear ya can't keep 'im if he don't wanna be here. An' ya won't be gettin' any help from me!" Applejack turned to storm away, tail swatting Celestia's face, before a white flash in the air caught her eye.
FSSSSHHHH-POP! "WHOOAAA!!!
-----
I take back everything I said about stone being comfortable. It can go die in a fire. I groaned and rolled onto my side, putting my hands over my face. Why is it always the face?
"I don't believe that will be a problem." Great, Celestia, just who I want to see.
I stood and dusted myself off before clearing my throat. "A-hrmmhrmmm...Excuse me Princess, but I would like to voice a complaint. Your student Twilight Sparkle has the most atrocious manners I've ever seen!" I crossed my arms, a mock-angry expression on my face. "She didn't even offer me a drink! What kind of host does that?!"
"Jason Wright!" Oh great, Applejack. I hope she's not sore over the whole tying-her-up thing. "Jes' what in tarnation are ya jabberin' about?!" I turned to Best Pony, a grin pasted onto my face. "An' jes' how didja end up here in the first place?!"
"Well, when a mommy and daddy love eachother very much—YEOWCH! Not the shin!" Jeez, tough crowd... "I went to Ponyville, visited the library, talked to Twilight, and next thing I know I'm here. Happy?"
"...Exactly how did you get to Ponyville?" Celestia asked, sounding almost like she dreaded the answer.
I shrugged. "I took the train."
Two disbelieving stares later, Applejack added, "...the train?"
I nodded. "The train."
I was met with a silence unlike any before it.
"...An' don't think Ah've forgiven ya for tyin' me up with mah own rope!" Applejack finally shouted, pressing her forehead to mine. "D'you have any idea how embarassin' it was to be found like that by Princess Buckin' Luna?"
I grinned, not moving from the awkwardly close confrontation. "Hey, at least I didn't gag you."
She pulled back, raising an eyebrow. "...Gag? What in Sam Hill are ya talkin' about?"
Princess Celestia cleared her throat, coughing into a hoof. "Some creatures, like Diamond Dogs and I'm assuming Jason, have something called a 'gag reflex' that forces them to regurgitate the contents of their stomachs if something dangerous enters the throat."
Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. "So ponies don't have gag-reflexes?"
Celestia shook her head. "I'm afraid not."
"...Sweet." THUD! "Ow! What was that for?!" I turned around to glare at Applejack, rubbing my arm where she'd hit me.
"Ah've lived with a stallion all mah life, I know that tone a' voice, mister."
"Killjoy..."
"What was that?"
"I said 'apples are good'." THUD! "WOULD YOU STOP HITTING ME?!"
"Then stop lyin'."
Celestia sighed, putting a hoof to her head. I hear the moon is quiet this time of year...
-----
Spike fell to his knees, coughing and hacking. The smoke rolling from his throat puffed with every forceful heave, until he finally managed to catch his breath. The hoof-pats to his back were a huge help, and he gave his sister-figure a weary smile over his shoulder. "Thanks, Twilight..."
"Spike, what were you thinking?" She worried, "you know transporting anything larger than a scroll hurts your stomach, why would you try sending a living thing twice the size of a pony?!"
He shrugged, breathing hard. "Looked like he was scaring you..."
Twilight pulled the little drake into a hug, an endearing little 'awwww' making it's way unbidden from her throat.
"...Why'd he come here, anyway?" Spike asked, "he didn't look like he came to start a fight. Do you think he really just wanted to talk?"
Twilight shook her head. "I couldn't take that chance...We've seen humans before, Spike, we know what they're capable of."
Spike pushed himself away so he could look up at the alicorn. "Are you still upset about that? So they eat meat, so what?" He pointed to himself, "gems won't always work, Twilight. I'll have to eat meat too someday. Does that make me bad?"
Twilight patted the drake on the head, smiling sadly. "That's different, Spike...I trust you. I know you wouldn't hurt anypony."
"No, but I could!" Spike protested, "I'm a dragon! I'll grow Celestia knows how big, I could hurt lots of ponies! But that doesn't mean I will!" The dragon looked down at the floor, his scaly brow-ridges furrowed and eyes downcast. "Did he ever hurt anypony?"
"Spike, I—" She began, but was cut off.
"Did that stallion ever hurt anypony, Twilight? If he has, then you're right. We can't trust him. But if he hasn't, then how is it any different from me?"
"But he's not you! It's completely diff—"
"Has he hurt anpony?!" He shouted, eyes screwed shut.
Twilight sat and wracked her brain, trying to think of anything, any time Jason had proven himself a threat. In all three years he'd been in Equestria, right outside Ponyville, she reached a terrifying conclusion.
"...No..."
She kept her gaze locked at the ground, even as she heard little paws stomping against the wooden floor, and the door opening and closing in silence.
He never showed even the slightest bit of aggression... Twilight's forelegs gave out right then, sending her fully to the ground. Gathering herself into a ball, she covered her eyes with her hooves.