[Voice/Action to those nearby] All Apologies

[letteropener]

I am sorry.

[That simple heartfelt statement of grief and regret -- absolute, sincere regret that she has no reason to believe will be accepted by anyone -- is all Celestia has the strength for. Having spoken the words, she lowers her head back to her forelegs.]

[She has neither moved from this spot on the deck, nor eaten anything, nor slept, since she was dragged out of the collapsing fortress after doing her very best to murder everypony.]

Comments

[forthevillage]

You are forgiven.

[A simple, serious response.]

Now do your best for your crew, and if they are at all understanding of the situation everything should work out.

[letteropener]

I do not think it will be so simple with the one I killed.

[forthevillage]

Have they since been revived?

[letteropener]

She has, yes. Particularly unhappy about matters, as well... understandably so.

[forthevillage]

If she lives, she has no room to complain. Outside of this place, most don't get a second opportunity.

You were under someone else's control. The fault is not yours.

[letteropener]

Control is a tricky thing. My perceptions were influenced, but not my choices. The surest way to get somepony to do something is to make them believe, with all their heart, that it is necessary.

[forthevillage]

I know. I was under her control for a time as well.

The fact remains that we were still influenced into believing these things and would not have acted that way under normal circumstances.

[letteropener]

Not under normal circumstances. But if I believed that to preserve Equestria, I would need to kill my crew, then I would choose that -- because that is the choice I made, even if the circumstances were lies.

[forthevillage]

[There is a long pause.]

Equestria. I assume this is your homeland.

I know of this sort of decision. It is not easy.

[He had to make it himself, and he had to kill his own clan in the end.]

But I think you would have exhausted more angles first if possible.

[letteropener]

I would have thought that too, which is why I place the blame on myself.

[forthevillage]

If you know that's what you would have done, then you would have done it.

The witch twisted our minds to have us act in ways we otherwise would not.

[letteropener]

That would be... a comforting thing to say. To simply believe that my mind was fogged. But I made a choice I should not have, and the agency behind that choice was solely mine, no matter the reasons I made it.

[forthevillage]

If you choose to believe that, then so be it.

Use this opportunity to make up for that choice, then. Most don't get that chance.

[letteropener]

Some choices cannot be made up for. Not entirely. What has been done cannot be undone. The problem, then, is reconciling that fact. That is what I am still attempting to find a way to do.

[forthevillage]

[He's the last one that needs to be told that, and he sighs.]

Then you should do so with determination.

[letteropener]

I will gladly commit myself to a path without reserve. I only need to figure out the path.

[forthevillage]

Perhaps you should start with speaking to those you wronged.

[letteropener]

In truth, I barely remember the fight with those who plunged into the castle while I was serving as bodyguard. It was a... very intense fight, one which I recall as a series of intense images, attacks and defenses, spells and counterspells, but not faces. I hope that everypony I fought will hear my apology.

[Even an alicorn like Princess Celestia suffers from adrenaline and that curious quirk of 'combat processing' that a mind switches to when it turns all the filters off in a crisis. She has never really experienced it before, though.]

[forthevillage]

I can give you names if you want them, but I don't suspect many will hold a grudge. I attacked the same group myself.

I spoke more of the one you killed.

[letteropener]

Strangely, she's been avoiding me lately. [Celestia is at least capable of being wry.] I shall, when forcing my presence on her will not make a greater misery. I believe she understands... but emotions do not always respond so well to logic.

[forthevillage]

No, they do not.

In any case, I wish you well with any backlash you receive.

[letteropener]

I thank you for your kind wishes.

I would bow, but I'm afraid that would be a waste, so I hope the sentiment suffices.

[forthevillage]

The sentiment is returned. I'm sure some day we will meet under better circumstances.