Emerald explains that his step-parents were horrible people, and that they put a ball clamp on him (which is proceeds to show). They only want him back presumably because they want to continue what they were doing before. If she wants to send them back to that it’s on her conscience.
The Grandma shrugs and says, “I don’t care. And even if I did it’s too late now. The soldiers are here and we don’t have any way of stopping them from taking you. All we can do is collect the reward.”
This causes Sweet Tea to stare at the grandma and start arguing again.
While this is going on, Emerald strides over to his backpack and pulls out his dragonfire lantern. He scrawls out a note to Joyride about the situation and sends it quickly. The light of the flame draws the attention of everyone in the room, and one of the guards hurries over to Emerald.
“What was in that note, Emerald?”
Just as the pony gets those words out however a small slip of paper coalesces out of ash in the air and lands near Emerald. Emerald snatches it up quickly and reads it, and though it is quickly pulled from his hooves by the soldier Emerald saw the letters clearly.