Wayward Souls (private)

When Lightning found the window, she would see both princesses in a fair sized room, alone with Brim. They didn't seem to be talking yet. Then as a glow surrounded Celestia's horn, the window she was in front of suddenly opened. "Please join us Lightning, your testimony would be most helpful in fully resolving this issue," she said with a knowing tone.

she jumped through "alright, but don't try anything funny, got it." she said as if she had the advantage.

The sisters chuckled slightly, at the threat from Lightning. "We wouldn't dream of it," Celestia said as she settled back to listen to the testimony. "Now, why don't you tell us what happened during the second half of the attack," Celestia said with a slight smirk.

"i remember little more than waking up in the morning and a recognisable knife, that had once been plunged into my gut on the floor, it was a hazy morning.. oh and there was a spector using a crystal to amp its power up, and healed me... it was familiar but i could not place her. sorry went on a tangent, no sorry, nothing" she said with no hesitation

"Oh? You recall nothing more of the night when you and Brim were attacked by 4 larger ponies and yet three of them were killed with the last just barely escaping with claims of a demon ripping apart his friends," Celestia asked with a quirked eye brow.

"i was in a sort of coma from being stabbed by one of them, i dont remember much more from before either, the shock somewhat drained my memory abit" she said trying to remember best

Celestia accepted the answer with a nod, and then she turned to her sister. "Well then sister, would you care to elaborate on what you saw that night?"

"We are willing to, but keep in mind that tis slightly disturbing sister," Luna replied with a slight sigh. "The four ponies did attack these two, nearly killing them both, but the presence of the priorly mentioned specter and Brim's transformation turned quite the table. Tis hard to believe that such a brutal monster is in the same body as this one." Luna said resolutely and looking hard at Brim who was almost shaking in fear and confusion.

"Di-did I really kill other ponies?" Brim asked on the verge of tears. When the princess of the night nodded, there was no holding back as the terribly upset demon ran over to a corner and began to sob. While Luna continued to watch Brim with a worried expression, Celestia turned to face Lightning with an expectant look. She didn't have to say 'go comfort him' for the meaning to come across, especially when she tilted her head briefly in Brim's direction.

she did so already about to go before being told, she sat next to brim and put a hoof round his sholder "brim, if what they say is true that means you saved me, and my life and for that i hold you fully responsible for my life, twice infact, you've saved me, and could very well meen my suvivel, and for that you deserve praise not punishment, yes it is true you did something that by all means is horrible, but seeing them, they were no differant to the ponies that killed my mother, and you did the world a favour imagine what they would have done in your absence." she said leaning in for a hug.

"Buh- but I killed other ponies!" Brim stammered out through the sobs. "D-Death told me that everypony has a time, a-and when somepony kills somepony else, their time is ended early. H-he said it's one of the worst things to ever do," Brim continued all but oblivious to the princesses still in the room and watching the scene play out.

"Yes, while it was in defense, killing another pony is a terrible thing to do," Celestia said taking a step forward. "And you will have to be punished for it."

"there's no doubt but who knows what those monsters could have done, we could be talking about 20 ponies dead by there hoves" she got up and stood to confront celestia. "you've said it enough, there will be punishment i get that, you said there will be a special punishment for him, so do tell, what is it" she said, treating her as her equal rather then her ruler.

Celestia smirked while looking down into the eyes of the small mare, but it was Luna who responded. "We have agreed upon a special punishment for this demon, one we believed to be most fitting," she said levitating out a small box. "Brim, if thee could stand and look this way for a moment," she asked to which Brim replied with a sniffle before obliging. His head down and awaiting whatever painful horrible punishment the princesses had for him.

Moments passed, and the demon felt no blow, heard no words, and slowly began to wonder what was happening. He slowly raised his head with a questioning look on his face, only to look right back down in surprise as a pin was stuck to his chest. The small badge featuring a blue shied with a split moon and sun insignia on it.

"From this moment on, Brimstone is here by sentenced to community service within the newly created department of the helpers reformation program," Celestia responded with a smile. "As such, he will be personally responsible to travel the lands of Equestria, the Crystal kingdom, and other neighboring lands, offering assistance and help to the communities he visits until we say he has served his sentence," she continued still smiling.

Luna then levitated out a second badge onto lightning's chest. "And as an accomplice to the murders, Lightning will also be sentenced to accompany Brimstone on these travels acting to serve out her punishment and acting as a guide to the visiting de... pony," she said with a grin of her own.

Shock was all Brim seemed able to express as he turned expectantly to Lightning. "C-can they do that?"

lightning was as shocked brim, but said quietly "i guess so.." she just staid at them gormless.

The sisters shared a chuckle before Celestia spoke. "Now you two should be on your way. There are many ponies out there to help, and your reformation isn't going to complete itself. I expect regular progress reports from you Lightning on both your's and Brim's actions. And I expect them to be truthful, I have ways of finding out after all," Celestia continued with a smile that hinted to more than it actually showed.

Luna began moving the two out of the room with a smile of her own. "And I will be making regular checks on you two as well, so good luck and happy helping," she said with a chuckle before closing the door. "I think you might have broke them for a moment sister," Luna said with a chuckle once Brim and Lightning were out of the room.

"Only for a moment dear sister, but after all this time, one learns how to do it pretty easily. Luckily this should keep them busy and the parliament satisfied while the finer points are worked out," Celestia remarked with a sigh.

"so.... that happend then" lightning remarked.

"Ye-yeah," Brim stated still rather unsure of what to make of the situation. "Are they usually like that?" he asked while beginning to walk out of the castle.

"like what?" she asked contemplating what just happened.

"I- I don't know... So we're supposed to help ponies now?" Brim asked looking at the badge and then back up to Lightning.

"i beleive so..." she said trying to rap her head round this

"Then where should we go first?" Brim asked next as they left the castle. The guards gave them a wary eye at first, but after glancing at the badges, their expression shifted to a small smile and a quick nod before returning to their stoic stature.

she watched the odd behavior "no clue, how are we meant to help brim?" she asked.

"How ever we can?" Brim suggested with a shrug, still a little unsure of what the princesses had meant for him to do. "But what about that other town you talked about, Pony-something? Why don't we go there and see if we can help at all," Brim then suggested as they continued walking through the city.

"that sounds about right, ok sure" she said with a smile, "wish my mum would be there to see us though" she said with a sigh

"What happened to her," Brim asked without realizing that it might have been a touchy subject as they continued to walk.

"my step mother is out of town is what i mean... but do you really want to know how my mum died and why she was in tautarus?" she asked.

"Not if you don't want to tell me, I don't want to make you upset," Brim replied finally realizing what he'd actually said and how it could be upsetting.