Celestia entered the room quietly. The other Celestia sat at the same table, its food left untouched.
Celestia sat down across from her doppelganger. “Is the food not to your liking?”
The other Celestia smiled. She plucked one of the cherries from the bowl, placed it in her mouth, and bit it slowly. The skin of the fruit snapped, the pit crunched, and a little bit of juice popped out of it.
“Are you s-satisfied?”
“I notice that every time someone comes in here, you are always in the same spot. Are the bed and other chairs not to your liking?”
“It is all the s-same to me,” the other Celestia replied. “I h-have had more than enough s-sleep for a while.” She plucked another cherry from the bowl, then ate it in the same slow and deliberate manner. “My p-p-patience is wearing thin. Are you ready to turn ov-v-ver the monster yet?”
Celestia shook her head.
“That th-th-thing is dangerous. It is my res-s-s-sponsibility. I will return it to my Equestria, and it w-w-will serve its sentence.”
“And what will you do if I refuse?”
“Of all the ponies, y-y-you would defend it? You should understand m-m-most of all. I am the one who d-d-deserves justice here, not it.” The other Celestia leaned forward. “I will not let anyone s-s-stand in my way. Not you or anypony else has the r-r-right to deny my justice.”
“As the authority of…this Equestria, Luna falls under my jurisdiction. I feel she has served her time and more.”
“I d-disagree.” The other Celestia closed one eye. “I’ll use whatever means neces-s-ssary to ensure that it atones for its crimes.” It opened the eye. The sclera and pupil had changed to Discord’s, yellow and red.
Celestia frowned. “So Luna was right. You are just like her after all.”
“Don’t you d-dare!” A crack ran down the center of the table. The marble shuddered, but stayed in one piece. “That thing murdered and despoiled an ent-t-tire planet for p-petty, childish revenge. I did what I h-had to. I am h-here for justice. I am nothing l-l-like her.”
“Perhaps not.” Celestia templed her hooves. “I wonder, what will you do now? I refuse to turn over Luna to your authority. Will you take her by force? Will you kill me to get to her?”
“I would n-never dream of hurting anypony. But I would n-not need to.”
Celestia’s eyes widened. Chains had appeared around her hoofs and neck. It reminded her of Discord’s magic: no preamble or time to react, not even a flash of light. But then, perhaps ‘remind’ is too light a word, Celestia mused.
Celestia swallowed. Her throat caught on the iron links. “Lethality is not the only aspect of violence. If you use magic and coercion and force, then that makes you no better than any other villain.”
“Do not condes-s-scend to me.” The other Celestia blinked, and her other eye changed as well. “You think you are so p-perfect? So im-mmaculate? If not for that monster’s interv-v-vention, you would be j-just like me.” The other Celestia grimaced, and one of her canines had grown longer. “One b-b-betrayal is all that separates us.”
“Does it really? We have both experienced betrayal before. Too many to count.”
“N-n-not from her. Not from our onllly constant.”
The chains loosened slightly. Celestia inhaled, just enough to check their tightness. “I know how you feel. When she first told me what she did, I struck her. The betrayal consumed me. I thought I would never be the same again.” Celestia smiled her most reassuring smile. “But I did. I will. Someday, the pain will fade.”
“An empty p-p-platitude.”
“Even platitudes have their kernels of fact to them. Why else would they be repeated so often?” Celestia touched her chest, and the chains slackened just enough to allow the motion. “'Time heals all wounds.' We should know the truth of that particular cliche more than any other pony.”
“Can you be so s-sure? I can think of many wounds that do not heal,” the other Celestia said.
“We have been through worse, haven’t we? We have endured worse hardships, for the sake of ourselves and of our little ponies. Betrayal is no different.” Celestia’s smile faltered briefly. “Regardless of its source.”
The chains dissipated.
“Is it that s-s-simple?”
“Of course not. But simplifying something doesn’t necessarily make it less true.” Celestia stood up. “I think you are finally ready to talk to…our sister.” She turned to leave. “I trust you will make the right decision, afterward. I shall send her in.”