Ex-Evils Anonymous

by PensacolaRanger

Chapter 9 - Rainbow Dash Speaks, and Closing Talks

Groans echoed from the chairs at the end of the room nearest the locked door. Then…gradually, rubbing their heads and staggering to their hind-feet, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, and Princess Luna all stirred and woke up, groggily coming back to their senses.

Only Discord seemed undisturbed, as he uncurled from his coiled sleeping position on the floor near their seats, and
yawned & stretched himself awake, like when he first re-emerged from his stone pedestal back in the Canterlot royal hedge-maze.

Spike also uncurled awake in his little napping corner, yawned & stretched, and asked: “Hey, guys…what’d I miss?”

In that instant, Discord’s muzzle detached, sprouted legs, and ran across the floor past Spike, making gagging noises!

“Huh?” Spike puzzled, before Discord got up, grabbed his muzzle & re-attached it to his face. “Running gag!” he said.

Spike looked mortified, and face-palmed himself with a claw.

“Oh, I say…” said Discord, pointing a claw-thumb like a hitchhiker: “…who ordered the MAGIC SHOW?”

“WHAT!?” said Twilight, Spike, Dash & Luna all at once, as they all leaned forward with WIDE-EYES!

Sure enough, across the room where the other Ex-Evils Anonymous members were previously seated at a poker table playing cards, there now stood a small Vaudeville-style theater stage, with warm footlights and a short fashion runway... with a pole at the end!

The others had re-arranged their seats into a half-circle audience pit, and were cheering & whistling, as they watched----of all things---the Great & Powerful Trixie, performing a strip club-style pole dance, while doing magic tricks at the same time: card tricks, top hat tricks, an Indian rope trick, levitating a camera to flash & snap instant photos---all while bumping & grinding & blowing kisses in a sassy manner, sweeping her flowing white mane & tail in sensual fashion, making sultry shadows dance on the deep royal purple stage backdrop, as a lone self-lighted spotlight shone on her from the back of the room, and singing:

"Better believe, I got tricks up my sleeve, see me dominate, 'cause I'm Powerful and Great..."

Discord’s player piano was now plinking out the 'Tricks Up My Sleeve' number, and was joined by a self-playing drum set and a self-playing trombone. The combo played to the delight of the crowd, as Trixie now danced in all her medium-blue birthday horsehide glory, clad only in a white feather boa (matching her mane & tail) with her magically animated purple hat & cape dancing separately, creating the illusion of a couple's dance with an invisible partner.

“Dang! I’ve been missing out on THIS?” said Spike, eyes bugging out, mouth panting, and his tongue drooling.
(Not unlike the puppy dog he was, in Sunset Shimmer’s other world.)
He bent thumb & index claws into a circle, raised them to his lips, and BLEW A SHRILL WHISTLE in glee!

Both Twilight & Luna used this to their advantage: they both BELLOWED!

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING?? STOP THIS AT ONCE!!"

At this, all the others froze! Everything Trixie was levitating now fell in cluttered heaps on the stage. Even the music combo stopped & clattered to the floor---the piano sounding its own discord notes as it landed with a heavy THUD!

Suddenly feeling very nude indeed (what exactly is nudity when you’re built like a pony, anyway?) Trixie crossed her hind-hoofs awkwardly, crossed her forehooves and feather boa over her chest, levitated her hat & cape on, and made both ends of the cape cross over her front, like a stage curtain being pulled closed. Her eyes were wide as teacup saucers, her amethyst pupils small as ten-bits, and her cheeks blushed red like roses. The lips of her mouth were sucked into a tight puckered “Oooh…” expression, like a naughty little filly in BIG trouble.

“OOOOH, YOU’RE BACK! (Heh) What a surprise…” she managed to whinny with a SQUEE grin.

From behind the Princesses, an enthusiastic WOLF'S WHISTLE sounded! Twilight turned around to see---and noticed the small barred trap door on the Chamber Door had somehow been unlocked and was wide-open, allowing the two guards outside to peer in and see the lewd & lascivious dance in progress! One flash of her horn, and Twilight snapped the tiny door shut! A muffled "Awww..." could be heard coming from the hallway, as Twilight turned back around and GLARED DANGEROUSLY at Trixie!

Desperately darting her eyes around for an easy target, the magician pony ventured a right hoof out of the cape to point accusingly to
her left---at Sunset Shimmer! "It was all HER idea! SHE made us do it!" she blurted out quickly in a high-pitched voice!

"WHAT!? Why you little---!" said Shimmer, storming the stage to attack Trixie!

A BLUE-WHITE BOLT OF ENERGY, like lightning, struck a stage footlight, right below their hind-hooves!

"ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!!" commanded Luna, shaking the smoke from her horn, out of her mane.

Both wide-eyed combatants shrank away off the stage, and huddled with the others, all cringing together.

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF CELESTIA’S BEEN GOING ON HERE WHILE WE WERE OUT?
SOMEPONY’D BETTER START MAKING SENSE AND FAST!!” A stern Princess Twilight ordered!

Upon hearing the “sense” word again, Discord raised a cocky eyebrow at the Princess of Friendship.

Then quickly wished he hadn’t, as she turned and gave him a killer glare that could probably melt solid rock.

“Oh, sure…like YOU had NOTHING TO DO with this, before coming to our rescue, hmmm?” she quipped.

“I swear, I didn't! It was just a poker game before I left! Trixie suggested a game of cards, so, I added a saloon table & piano,
for atmosphere! Then after a few predictable games, everyone got bored with just the piano, so I added brass & percussion!
That was when your vitals went all crazy and I bedded down to go & rescue you! That’s was all I saw! Honest!”

“Hmph, I bet…” said a skeptical Rainbow Dash.

“Ah, yes! It was a bet!” said Flim. “With very high stakes!” said Flam!

“Pray tell…WHAT STAKES?” asked a dangerously stern Princess Luna.

“W-well…you see, Miss Luna… Princess Twilight did say we should ‘keep ourselves entertained…’ an’ you guys were
takin’ an awful long time gettin’ back, an’ we were gettin’…well, kind’a bored just playin’ cards…” Babs stammered,
looking next to Gilda.

“…And we had no bits to bet, anyway, so, we, um…” the griffon claw-handed off to the minotaur.

“…proposed a little wager.” Lord Tirek confirmed, with manacled arms folded.

Twilight and Luna turned next…to Sunset Shimmer. “…WHAT WAGER?” they asked, coldly.

The red & gold-maned yellow unicorn quailed...gulped, but meekly answered.

“W…w…winner of the next game, um…m-makes the loser…do a… (*gulp*)… strip-tease dance."

At this, both Princesses froze, eyes glassy, cheeks twitching, hooves trembling.

“(*Ahem*) Which I thought was rather silly…” Trixie cut in: “…since none of us actually wear that many garments, anyway!
A-ha-ha-ha, I mean, just look at us: a hat here, a coat there, come on! A-heh-heh-heh…” she tried to sound happy & jokey
about it.

“Hey, you lost, fair & square!” Sunset accused!

“No, I didn’t! You cheated!” Trixie countered!

“I DID NOT!” “YOU DID TO!” “DID NOT!” “DID TO!” “DID NOT!” Both countered back & forth, like spoiled little fillies!

All this while, both Princesses were mounting in geothermal pressure, both reaching critical mass!

"A WHAT!???" came their ERUPTING VOLCANO OF A RESPONSE!!

The others huddled around Lord Tirek, trying to dive under his cloak and hide!

All he could do was gather them in like a mother duck, and spread both endsof his cloak over them.

Lightning FLASHED & thunder CRASHED all around the room, coming from both Princesses’ horns!
Their manes & tails flared like the wind, and their eyes gleamed like suns, their faces contorted in wrath!!

Trixie & Sunset threw themselves prostrate on the floor, bowing low.. “WE’RE SORRY!!!” they cried!

Then suddenly… A BURST OF BRIGHT LIGHT appeared in front of them!

It stood between them, and the wrathful Princesses.

The two magic unicorns covered their eyes with their hooves!

Lord Tirek and the others also ducked, shielding their eyes!

If they could see…they might have noticed…the light was ringed with flares…of pastel colors.

"PEACE... BE STILL!!"... a strong female voice commanded, from within the light!

Both the angry Alicorn Princesses froze in shock…then calmed down, and ceased their wrathful magic.

Trixie & Sunset remained flat on the floor, too terrified to look. The others peeked out from under Tirek.

The minotaur himself tentatively opened one eye, squinting.

Soon…the light went from brilliant, to temperate…and out stepped… a tall, elegant equine figure.

Gleaming white coat. Golden crown & royal collar. Majestic dove-soft wings. Gleaming ridged horn.

Deep lavender eyes. Shining-yellow sun cutie mark on her flanks. And pastel-striped mane & tail.

“SISTER!” said the now restored Luna.

“YOUR HIGHNESS!” said the now restored Twilight Sparkle.

They each bent one foreleg, stretched out the other, and bowed reverently to the equine deity.

It was indeed, the Grand-High Alicorn Princess herself… The Sun Princess: CELESTIA.

After the light dimmed futher, allowing herself to be seen more comfortably, the regal equine commanded:
“Arise, my subjects...”

They rose, and gazed upon Celestia’s gleaming countenance. And felt very...unworthy..

Self-conscious, they all looked down at their feet. Even Luna & Twilight.

“For pony sakes, all of you…” said Celestia, reprovingly: “I could hear the noise coming from this chamber, all the way back to Canterlot Castle! I thought this was supposed to be a support group, founded to help each other! Not to trample on each other’s hooves! You should be ashamed of yourselves; squabbling like fillies & foals over such petty concerns! And at your very FIRST MEETING, too!”

Upon the word ‘first,’ Princess Celestia STOMPED her hoof hard enough to shake the very room! Everyone cringed at the jolt!

Celestia stared a cold, hard glower around the room. So cold, even Discord flinched.

“My staff and I are in the middle of preparations for a very important state banquet & 3-day delegates summit in Canterlot for this coming summer, with representatives from 49 other cities across Equestria! The fate of the entire nation, could well be decided then! So I expect no further distubances or interruptions tonight! Do I make myself quite clear?"

Not once did Celestia need to resort to the old royal Canterlot voice. Her tone was stern, but patient, and even-tempered.
Thus: her words brooked no argument, whatsoever.

“Very well. I shall overlook tonight’s disturbance. But I expect better, more civilized behavior from each and every
ONE of you in the near future…” She gazed particularly at Princesses Luna & Twilight. “…ALL OF YOU. Do not force me to
order the disbandment of this newly launched program, before it has a chance to show any promise.
GOOD NIGHT to you all.”

And with that, the Princess of the Sun turned to leave through the same portal she entered through…But…

She paused for a moment, turned back around, and addressed the Night Princess:
“Younger sister, I will be expecting you and Princess Twilight at Canterlot Castle early tomorrow night.
The Planning Committee and I are to decide who is going to be put in charge of organizing the entire
summer event. Please do not be late."

Luna seemed to gulp, but silently. “Y-yes, Tia.”

“We’ll be there, Your Highness.” Twilight hastened to add.

Celestia then turned to gaze at the small footlight stage…raised a golden hoof to her muzzle, and giggled.

“Well, well, well…” she mused, “…who ordered the racy stage?"She asked, giving a sidelong sly wink.

Not waiting for an answer, the Sun Princess departed, and the bright light of the portal winked out.

Pausing, to allow their eyes to adjust back to room lighting again…everyone thought about Celestia’s last words.

After a while, Twilight opened her eyes, and furrowed her brow. “Mmmm, hmmm…who indeed...?"

“Who veeeeerry indeed?” said Rainbow Dash, now stalking towards (and both Princesses craned their necks toward)…

…a veeeerry nervous-looking Draconequus.

“(Heh) My my my…whatever made Princess Celestia draw attention to that?” he asked, sheepishly.

“WHAT is a STAGE with a POLE doing in this room? In this CASTLE?” Twilight demanded: “It wasn’t there before we entered Rainbow Dash’s dream! Somepony had to have put it there deliberately, and I know perfectly well Trixie is not capable of that level of teleportation, to have conjured it up herself!"

“HEEEYYY….” Trixie neighed, hurt, offended, and cross.

“Oh, yeah…what about ME?” Sunset Shimmer challenged.

Twilight nodded. “Okay…what about you? Are you that capable?”

The two former magic apprentice ponies locked eyes in a staring match… for about 5 seconds.

“(*Sigh*) No…” Shimmer admitted, bowing her head in defeat.

“’Ey, what about de Flim-Flams?” Babs suggested. The salespony brothers just looked at each other, dumbstruck.

“Not going there,” Twilight countered: “Their magic only powers machines. They don’t teleport things. or build things instantly.”

“(Hmph) Anyone going to suspect the minotaur?” asked Lord Tirek, manacled arms folded again.

“Nope,” Twilight answered: “You’re not capable of magic anymore! And even when you were, you only used your powers to siphon off other ponies’ magic; not use it to conjure up anything more than destructive fireballs, or confinement bubbles, after you stole Discord’s magic.”

Lord Tirek nodded sagely. He had to admire the purple Alicorn’s brilliant detective skills, and photographic memory.

“So unless Gilda or Babs have suddenly turned magical…” They both shrugged at Twilight’s mock-accusation.

“…that leaves only one likely suspect…YOU, DISCORD!" She pointed a hoof squarely at him!

The Draconequus did a surprised shock-take! But then grimaced, and cocked a white hairy eyebrow, quizzically.

“You didn’t have to see Trixie’s dance happen; YOU KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! So you
conjured up that racy stage before coming after us, to make it POSSIBLE!” Twilight fiercely concluded.

“(Heh-heh) Guilty…” he conceded, shrugging.

The drum set delivered a *BRRUM-TSSH!* comical rim-shot!

Now tired of the obnoxious instrument, Discord snapped his claw, and the music combo & stage all flashed away!

“I knew it! I KNEW IT!” Twilight reared up like a wild mustang, seething with anger!

“Thou CONNIVING, DECEITFUL SNAKE-IN-THE-GRASS!"Luna bellowed, marching toward Discord!

“You tell 'em, Princess!” cheered Rainbow Dash, resuming her own threatening approach.

“Uh-uh-uh, your Highnesses! Remember: no more disturbances! CELESTIA’S ORDERS!”
Discord reminded them, waggling a claw-finger at them!

At this, both Alicorn Princesses paused, and straightened up..

“Aww, not again…” a disappointed Rainbow Dash complained.

Simultaneously, the Princesses then closed their eyes, took a deep breath, let out what sounded like
a mix between a pained moan and a frustrated groan at the same time…and hung their heads..

“Right, again…” Twilight conceded, and started pace-trotting back & forth again to think: “…we came together tonight to try and help each other; not to fight. But clearly, I’m going to have to be more careful about what I say and how I say it around this group… And clearly, had I left somepony in charge while we were out…” she eyed Sunset Shimmer, but wasn’t sure why, “…maybe things might not have gotten so out of hoof.”

Sunset paused, stunned and blinking. She was genuinely touched. But like Twilight, she wasn’t sure why.

“(*Sigh*) It’s getting late, this meeting’s clearly running longer than I’d planned, and we still have one last testimonial to hear…”

At this, Twilight stopped her pacing, and faced Rainbow Dash. All eyes now focused on her.

"Mine??" Dash asked, crestfallen.

Discord snapped his claw again----and instantly, everyone was back in their seats, in the ‘horseshoe’ semi-circle again.

“Yes…yours. Not about the dream… about your trial. The real one; not the one in the dream. Tell us how it really
happened.” Twilight confirmed, matter-of-factly.

“Will I have to resume my note-taking on the transcript scroll?” asked the little dragon.

“No need, Spike. This one’s already on record…. Public record.” said Twilight, dryly.

“Eh, wait a minute…” Babs interrupted: “…Not everypony wuz dere at de trial. I couldn’t come, ‘cuzza school, y’know, but I’d read about it in de Manehattan Times."

“I certainly wasn’t there; serving hard time in Tartarus; nothing to read there…” said Lord Tirek.

“And I could only follow it through "Trans-Dimensional Daily!"said Discord, making a newspaper copy appear right in his paws, and reading glasses appear on his nose. “Which reminds me: I need to renew my subscription…” the headline read: “RAINBOW DASH TRIAL STARTS TODAY! The issue was already 6 weeks old.

“Of course.” said Twilight, “It was a high-profile case, with full press coverage from Manehattan to Applewood. Still… I thought it would be best for the group, to hear you tell it in your own words, Rainbow Dash. Please??"

All eyes fixed on the little cyan Pegasus pony. She blushed, and trembled in her seat.

“D-do I have 'ta?"she asked nervously.

“Yep…’ya have 'ta.. Celestia’s orders.” said Twilight, with crossed forelegs.

Rainbow Dash gulped, as though trying to swallow an enormous oat.

“Why do I get the feeling I was better off asleep?"she murmured.

And so, with much trepidation. Rainbow Dash proceeded to tell the group, the real story of her fateful trial day,
in the Royal Canterlot Equestrian Supreme Court…

(This was, of course, all part of the terms of her sentence…)

Shortly after the catastrophic events at Cloudsdale and Ponyville, whereby said defendant Rainbow Dash was arrested, arraigned, and tried on charges of conspiracy to turn back winter, petty theft of various winter properties including skis and snow-clouds, and willful sabotage & destruction of the Cloudsdale Weather Factory’s Winter Lab---all in a vain attempt to keep her beloved pet tortoise from leaving her to go hibernate for the season.

“I told the Court I had no idea what came over me. All I knew was: I didn’t ‘wanna lose Tank. I didn’t care if it was only for a few months out of the year…I loved him! I couldn’t stand to see him go! I would’ve done anything to keep him with me…anything. If he was your pet, and you loved him that much…wouldn’t you do anything for him, too? The thought of losing him, just…made me all crazy-horse! I thought stopping winter was the perfect plan. But I only worked out how to do it…not what would happen afterwards, or what could go wrong in the process. Or what other Pegasi could do to spoil it. (Heh) Good thing I’m not a full-time baddy; I’d be totally lousy at it! Well…needless to say, I failed to stop winter from coming, and here I am without Tank, anyway… (*Sniff*) I miss him so much…(*sob*) But I guess it’s also a good thing he didn’t have to witness the trial, either. What would it do to him, to have to see me go through a thing like that?”

Princess Celestia presided as Judge, with Luna as Prosecutor, Twilight Sparkle as Defense Counsel, Flash Sentry as Bailiff and Spike as Court Stenographer. It was an historic trial with testimonies from several witnesses, including bystanders caught in the big snow-blast, factory staff and weather pony teams, and of course the Mane 6 as character witnesses---Fluttershy in particular: "Your Honor, I can think of no friend in my life, more loyal than Rainbow Dash. I mean, sure, she can get a little crazy sometimes, but... whatever she does, however crazy it seems, she only does it out of her own loyalty to the ones she loves,, and to the things she believes in.
No matter what happens, I BELIEVE in Rainbow Dash!" The Court applauded the Kindness Pony.

Then after Dash’s own tearful, heartfelt testimony and public apology on the stand, it seemed everypony finally understood what led to her actions, and even found it in their own hearts to forgive her, but knew that not even Dash’s offenses could be overlooked.

“I told the court: 'Honest, Your Highne---I mean, Your Honor--- I'm not looking to get out of being punished for all this. My dad always taught me: if you do something wrong, you can't run away from it; you have to tell the truth and face up to it. Even if that meant taking a horse-whipping, or being grounded. (Literally; no flying for a whole week.) But even then, Dad told me it wasn’t because I was wicked or unloved. but simply because I did wrong, and had to be corrected. I totally get that, now! I was taught to be loyal to friends and family, to love home and country, to stand up for what I know is right, and sometimes, only sometimes... to take matters into my own hooves if and ONLY IF there was no other way. But, I guess…somewhere along the way… I just got used to winning, to getting my own way, to being the hero and being praised & loved for it! And…I got used to not being alone. Not being left out of things. I got all braggy & self-important. In some ways, I guess, I still am, and probably always will be. But I know now…the one thing I’ve never been, and will never, ever be…is perfect. That’s why I make friends. That’s why I compete in sports. That’s why I work as a weather pony. And why I let Fluttershy talk me into getting a pet in the first place. I need to be more of a team player; to appreciate what others do for me, and in turn, do more for them. They need me. I need them. I don’t need to be perfect. I just need…to be needed. And I can’t stop saying how sorry I am for being so selfish and reckless…’cause I’ll never be sorry enough.'"

Up in the gallery, Dash could see Big McIntosh & Miss Cheerilee seated with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The grown-ups nodded sagely at Rainbow Dash's words, but evidently Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle & Scootaloo were hanging on every word---Scootaloo, especially. She gazed down at her hero, and Dash back up to her greatest fan. Scoots did a small hoof-pump in the air, as if to say: "I still believe in you." Dash winked, as if to say: "Thanks, squirt!"

In the end, however, it was not the verdict that was in question: Dash was inevitably found ‘guilty as charged.’ What was in question was the established form of punishment. By Equestrian law, the prescribed penalty was banishment---to either the Moon, the Sun, or to the outer fringes of the solar system! But, while this seemed perfectly acceptable to impose on obviously incorrigible outer threats to the kingdom, no one wanted to see such a stiff penalty carried out on one of their own---not even a fellow Pegasus pony. Celestia was painfully reluctant to pass such a harsh judgment on such a valued member of the Friendship Council, seeing that no good could possibly come from it. So, too, was Luna reluctant to demand it, remembering her own banishment to the Moon, and not wishing that on anypony, let alone the likes of Rainbow Dash. But the law was the law, and had to be upheld. Something had to be done, and soon.

“I can’t begin to tell you how scared I was, right then & there. I didn’t 'wanna be sent away, to a place where I’d never see anypony again. So, I…(yeah, here comes the really sappy part…) I threw myself at the mercy of the court. I said: ‘May it please the court, Your Honor: I may be pony enough to carry my equal share of reward…or blame…but I am NOT pony enough, to face the world…(*gulp*) or the universe…all alone. And I will be alone, out there in space. In exile…far away from all ponykind. Please…
can’t my time be better spent here, than out there?'"

Even poor Twilight couldn’t stand to see one of her best friends shackled & chained any longer than necessary, let alone kicked off the planet forever. It was at this point in the trial, that Twilight delivered the same ‘insanity plea speech’ that Discord got an earful of,
back in the dream.

Finally, with tears brimming in her own eyes, Twilight Sparkle pleaded from the bottom of her heart to the Court for leniency, as this was Rainbow Dash’s first official offense, and urged that she was not beyond reform. Post-sentence deliberations carried on for several more minutes…

Ultimately it was decided, to the satisfaction of even the general public, that instead of being banished, Rainbow Dash would be
sentenced to a term of “supervised community service and probation:”

First: affect supervised repairs to the damages to the Weather Factory.

Second: return all stolen winter properties.

And third: go into social group therapy, to ensure she and others like her, when tempted to act out like she did in such
situations, would never go bad again.

This last term, in part, became the springboard from which Twilight chose to launch her new “Ex-Evils Anonymous” program.

“Before adjourning the Court…” Dash said in closing, “…I remember Celestia saying to me from the bench: ‘Rainbow Dash, I know this has been a rough experience for you, but you obviously need to remember…if you’re ever tempted to act out in frustration again the way you did…remember what it cost you this time.” To which I could only thing of saying: “Yes, your Honor, your Highness…I’ll remember it forever.”

Thus finished, Rainbow sighed…and bowed her head.

A JOYOUS APPLAUSE erupted around the room!! Not because the meeting was finally about to end, but because they were all very happy for Rainbow Dash, for coming clean on everything: the trial, her fears, her virtues & vices, and coming through it all, a sadder but wiser pony. It was this moment, and the ones preceding it, that made the whole effort of their all coming together for this first weekly EEA meeting, worth while. Rainbow Dash leaned back in her seat, and (*Pbpbpbpbpbpbghhh...*) blew a big vibrating horse-lip blow of RELIEF… knowing whatever came next after tonight, she ‘could totally take it on,’ as she so often bragged in the recent past.

“Well done, Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said proudly, “And well done, all of you. I think we can declare this first meeting of Ex-Evils Anonymous, an official success!" Enthusiastic applause followed!!

“In closing, I would just like to say, congratulations to each and every one of you, for coming forward tonight with your testimonials. Truly, it can’t be easy for any of you, to be forced to go on living in the shadow of your own past alter-egos. A shadow which, unfortunately, the world-at-large still sees, and refuses to let you walk away from. Most likely, it’s going to continue to be a long, hard battle, for you to prove your reform, and build a new reputation & track record based on your present worth, and to earn the trust & forgiveness of others, in a world still not yet ready to be openly, ‘ex-evil-friendly.’ "

(Heh) You know..." Twilight continued, "...before I was sent to Ponyville to learn about the Magic of Friendship, I , too, used to make it my civic duty, to stubbornly believe that permanent public records about evil-doers, were never wrong; that there was, as Tirek’s said tonight, ‘no such thingas a reformed ex-evil.’ But now, as the Princess of Friendship, I can tell you from experience: every new friendship, begins with trust. And likewise, every old rivalry, ends with forgiveness. As of tonight, no matter what your old records say…I make it my new civic duty, to forgive you of your past wrongs, and to trust you, to do right from now on. An evil-doer is dead to the world…but once reformed, is alive again. I hope you all feel as alive tonight, as you’ve all made me feel, just getting to know you better. Let’s close out now, with Sunset Shimmer’s very own, ‘Ex-Evils Anon Pledge.’”

Here, the red & gold-maned unicorn joined hooves with Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and the rest of the group, and led the recitation of the Pledge. It was the chorus to a song she’d recently written and recorded for the Rainbooms Band back at Canterlot High. This was her donation to the EEA group, and how happy she was now, for this chance to put it to a far greater use.

The members all recited it together now, softly, slowly, and prayerfully:

"Like a phoenix burning bright in the sky...

I'll show there's another side of me, you can't deny...

I may not know what the future holds, but hear me when I say,

That my past does not define me, 'cause my past is not today."

On finishing the Pledge, each member looked to the other in the group. Smiles, hugs, handshakes, hoof-shakes, fist-bumps & hoof-bumps, blossomed like flowers all around. It was good for them to know that from now on, they were no longer all alone, in their ongoing struggle for social & professional acceptance.

Twilight knew this was only the beginning for this group. There would be the weekend charity drives: bake sales, wagon washes,
community dinner sales & deliveries, rummage sales, talent showcases and so on---all designed to show business leaders that ex-evils
were people, too, and deserved an equal chance to prove their new worth. It was going to be a very tough sell, for as Princess Celestia had demonstrated, they were all under closer scrutiny than the average Equestrian creature, to toe the mark and do good. Still…Twilight was confident, just as Fluttershy had confidence in Discord, that this new reform program would be a success; that all of the members (including Rainbow Dash) would at last be able to move on productively with their lives, and find the much-needed closure they all sought.

At last, a full two hours after the meeting started, Twilight ordered the Chamber Door re-opened, and the guards dismissed.

“Gee-willikers! ’Bout dang time y’all let out!” said an exasperated but enthusiastic Applejack: “I dunno’ what all that hullabaloo noise was earlier, but them gooney guards wouldn’t let us come down here to see what in the hay was goin’ on! Well, come on, gang! We’ve got us an apple-smorgasboard waitin’ right upstairs for y’all!”

“Oo-Oo! And I've prepared an X-Party!!” said Pinkie Pie, bouncing her spunky way up the basement stairs: “There’s all sorts of games we can play! Like X-marks the Spot! X-ecutive Decisions! X-tra X-tra Read all About It! Brand-X! Uncanny X-Mare Comics! I’m so X-tra-cited!!"

“You do realize that’s not a word, either. Right, sugar cube?” asked Applejack , following behind Pinkie up the steps.

But Babs squirmed and hopped on her hind-hooves: "Umm, can somepony just..." She whispered the rest into Twilight's ear.

Twilight giggled, and pointed a hoof to the nearest off-door beyond the chamber. Babs zoomed through it---faster than a speeding Rainbow Dash!

“Okay…” said a stunned, wind-blown, bug-eyed Twilight, holding a hoof to her crown to keep it from falling off.
“New rule… Next week: bathroom breaks before the meeting!”

“Got it!” said Spike, making a note with a quill on the meeting scroll. Luna simply giggled!

As the other ex-evils followed AJ & Pinkie up to the Dining Room level, Fluttershy came flying down over them, zooming to embrace her fellow Pegasus friend. “Oh, Rainbow Dash, I was so worried about you. I heard the most horrible screams coming up the stairs from down here. One of the guards said you fell asleep and were having an attack, like a nightmare or something! You weren’t still thinking about Tank, were you? Aww, you still miss him, don’t you? Look, I promise, next Winter Wrap-Up, I’ll see you get to wake him up personally---mmph!”

Rainbow pressed a hoof to Fluttershy’s mouth. “(Heh-heh) Having a Pinkie Pie moment, aren’t ‘cha?” asked Dash. “Look, I’m fine, Fluttershy. Really I am. Hey, um…I didn’t get the chance to say this to you after the trial, but, uh….thanks for stickin’ up for me. That really meant a lot to me.”

“Aww, Rainbow Dash…that’s what friends do.” said Fluttershy. They embraced again.

Sunset Shimmer held back a bit, to meet again with Twilight as she approached the Chamber Door to leave. “Um…did you really mean what you said? About…leaving somepony in charge next time you’re out? Did you mean…me?"

Twilight thought a moment, recalling where & when she said just that. Then, when satisfied, she gazed at Sunset, and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Of course, I did. And I really do mean it. Next week, I’m making you Second-in-Command of the EEA! (I figure it’s the only way to keep you out of mischief when I’m out.)”

Sunset felt herself start to smile & cry at the same time. “(*Sniff*) Gee…nopony’s ever done that for me, before. THANKS!”

The two ex-rivals embraced, warm and long.

“Hmph, great…” said Rainbow Dash to Spike: “I'm the Loyalty Pony…and she's the one who gets promoted?”

Spike shrugged. "Princess's prerogative!" he explained.

“You know..." Spike continued, "...I had the strangest dream, too, during my little nap… I dreamed Rarity and the others
threw you out of the castle! I stood up for you , of course, but...funny, huh? Who’d ever believe she’d do an...un-generous
thing like that?"

“Yeah…who'd ever?" Dash mumbled under her breath.

“ I just hope she didn’t go crazy on decorations again.” said Spike, blushing.

Princess Luna just stood, covering her mouth again with a hoof, to stifle the giggles from all she’d overheard.

CONCLUDES NEXT CHAPTER…

Author's Note:

Just one last chapter to go. Mane, what a ride...