Once again, the large group of ponies, both Princesses included, found themselves sitting in the infirmary. But now they were all seated around not only Rainbow dash's bed but also, the slightly elongated bed containing the slightly miffed human, Jay and another bed containing the limp form of Shadow. The doctor bustled about, clearing away bloodied cloths that had been used to clean up Jay's wounds and mumbling angrily about the amount of work he had to put up with. The human winced angrily, drawing in a sharp breath as the doctor attempted to tighten the bandages covering his newly repaired ribs. Since being dragged up from the half destroyed cells, the doctors had been feverishly working to repair the human's damaged body. Now the sun was beginning to set on the day. The human was sitting up, propped by several pillows, gulping down whatever foul smelling potion that the doctors had handed him. He glared around at the harden looks that the ponies around him were giving him.
"What happened down in the cells?" Celestia asked confusedly, staring at the unconscious form of shadow. Luna shook her head, unable to speak. The Princess of the Night had been staring at the floor for the best part of an hour, her eyes shut and her eyes shut tightly. She seemed just as shocked as Twilight felt. The night Princess was shaking from horn to hoof. Twilight still couldn't believe what she had seen. It was burned into her brain.
Standing over the bloodied, beaten body of the human. The black furred Unicorn pressing his hoof, covered with blood, deeper into the humans chest. A mad chuckle escaping the crazed ponies lips as the crimson liquid stained the black fur. The Human weakly attempting to push the hoof away. Rasping breath, chocked by the bubbling blood pouring out of the humans lips. Twilight calling for the unicorn to stop. The Unicorn taking no notice, swinging his horn in an arc, powering up a spell to finish the human once and for all. Then...Luna's voice, calling out, carrying over the sounds of destruction.
"ENOUGH SHADOW!" The black furred unicorn turned, his manic grin freezing at the sight of Luna stepping forward, with her horn lowered, blue energy beginning to build up around the tip. Stepping off the dying human, Shadows crazed grin widens before Luna releases the blast. Blue energy hits the unicorn. He howls in pain, the grin faltering, fading, twisting into a grimace. The pulse continues, Luna's face set into a grim mask of fury. "YOU WILL STOP THIS!" Luna shouts, gritting her teeth. The pulse increases in power. Finally, with one last cry of agony, Shadow drops to the ground. His eyes shut and his smoking form twitching sporadically. Twilight rushes to the smoking body, her legs shaking so badly that she could barely stand. A small flow of blood flows from Shadows nose, dripping onto the flagstones. Luna rushes to their side, her horn glowing once more. With a puff of smoke, two stretchers appear, one longer than the other and both unconscious creatures are lifted onto the stretchers. Guards join them in the devastated room. Twilight vaguely hears Luna shout for a doctor. But all she can do is stare at the smoking body, of a pony, she thought she knew.
"WHAT?" Jay demanded angrily. The ponies each looked at one another before looking back at the human. Celestia moved forwards, holding up Jays lockseed and driver. "Thank you." The human said curtly, reaching out to take the two objects. Celestia moved forwards, her magic jerking the driver and Lockseed out of the humans reach. Jay glared at the sun Princess. "WHAT?" The human demanded again, leaning back against the pillows as Celestia leaned forward, a hard look on her face. Jay shivered. Twilight smiled, knowing that look from when she was younger. As a student of Celestia, she had sometimes watched the Princess partake in her day courts. Whenever a noble would get particularly mouthy with the Princess, she would fix them with that same glare. Any pony caught in that glare with shrivel up and retreat, often with a whimper. With a sense of satisfaction, she heard Jay give that exact same whimper. Though a braver creature would have averted their eyes from the thunderous look on Celestia's face. Jay however, didn't look away.
"I have some questions for you Human." Celestia said coldly, holding up the Lockseed. "Where did you get this. And for that matter, how did you acquire this?" she shook the rectangular driver in Jays face. "The only driver we currently knew about is locked in our vaults." Jay eyed the driver for a moment before looking back at Celestia. Rarity who had been eyeing the torn and ripped garments that had been taken from Jay with an expression of of distaste, decided to speak.
"Who for that matter, wears such horrible garments?" She demanded, holding up the the torn top. She tutted loudly at the tears and holes across the garment. She looked up to see that every-pony was glaring at her. She blushed lightly. "What, I can't be excited at the prospect of new if not slightly......damaged clothes?" She asked, a bright pink blush beginning to appear on her cheeks. To cover her blush, she hid behind the damaged clothing, muttering about design faults.
Both Celestia and Luna were glaring at Jay, who had appeared to have shrunk under the weight of two princesses glaring at him. Finally, he spoke up. "I forged it." Celestia stared at him. Luna's mouth had frozen in a perfect round O. The other ponies frowned confusedly as Jay looked back up at the ponies with an angry look on his face. "The art was not lost to those on us who knew where to look." Jay shook his head. He glared round at them, then looked at the lemon lockseed in Celestia's grip. "I don't really remember to much about how I got here. All I remember is walking up to the palace to confront you..." He looked up at Celestia, "Then...nothing..."
"You're lying." Celestia's voice had lowered to an angry hiss. The others, even Luna looked round at Celestia in surprise. Her face had twisted into a snarl and her face was steadily inching towards Jay's, until they were almost nose to snout. "No creature I know of had the knowledge to forge a driver" She pressed her snout against Jay's nose, pushing the frightened human back against the bed. "ONE last time...."Celestia growled, "WHERE....DID...YOU.....GET....THESE?" Jay stared back at her, his eyes blinking rapidly. He was shaking so badly that the bed-frame was rattling. AppleJack and, surprisingly, Fluttershy stepped forward and tapped Celestia on the side of her foreleg. The Princess whirled round and glared at them instead. "What is it?" She demanded. Surprisingly, neither the Orange farm pony, neither the usually timid yellow Pegasus did not shrink away.
"Pardn' me, yer highness but I can tell he ain't lyin'." AppleJack said firmly, whilst Fluttershy nodded vigorously. Both of Fluttershy's eyes were visible, as she had shook her mane out of her eyes. Rainbow Dash leaned forward and glared at Celestia.
"If AJ says that this..." she glared at Jay who winked at her, "creep is telling the truth then I believe her. Though..." she continued in an undertone while the others turned to look back at Celestia. "I still don't like him to much. He cheated to win that fight!" Fortunatly, Pinkie Pie, who had been amusing herself, by poking the Lockseed, that was still floating in the grip of Celestia's magic, so that the Padlock object span dizzily through the air, only heard this. She chuckled lightly and winked at her Rainbow maned friend.
"Yes, even I can tell he....isn't...lying.." Fluttershy's voice trailed off as Celestia swung her head about to gaze at both of them. The Princess considered the two for a few seconds, before her fiery look faded as she sighed. She turned to the rest of the ponies then glanced at Jay, who had taken to nodding with a nervous smile on his face. She tilted her head to stare at the ceiling for a few seconds. Then a small smirk began to grow on her face. She looked close to laughing by the time she looked around at the gathered ponies.
"I have had an idea." She winked at Luna, who seemed to have understood what Celestia was talking about, as she too was smiling. "Jay..." Jay looked up, tensing in fright. "Will be staying in Ponyville..." The group of ponies all stared at her, some, spluttering in surprise, others frozen, with expressions of outrage on their face. "At least until we figure out what to do with you." Celestia said smirking at the look of total fury on Jays face. The human eyed them all for a second, before opening his mouth.
"YOU FRIGHTENED THE SHIT OUT OF ME FOR THAT! ARE YOU FU..." Celestia lightly pressed her hoof over Jays mouth. She smiled wider at the look of complete indignation on Jay's face.
"Language Jay..." She scolded softly.