Ponid-19

Chapters

Spring Break Plans
The Outbreak Begins
The Crystal Virus
The Virus Escapes
Starlight's Doubts
Trixie Joins In
Where Do We Start?
The Mare and Her Daughter
The Protesting Pony
A Map of Paper
In The Princess's Court
Get Out!
Starlight's Old Village
Clean Bill
Laboratories of the Supposedly Insane
A Potential Answer
The Betrayal
The Villain
Meanwhile...in Canterlot's Dungeon
Luna's Strategy
Confronting the Villain
Getting to Twilight
Warm Memories
The Villain Defeated?
Help From an Unlikely Source
Royalty Crowned
Epilogue: Newness of Life
Smooth Boulder's Story
A War Between the Sun and the Moon

Spring Break Plans

Starlight awoke with an odd mixture of repugnance and peace. It was yet another lovely Spring day. The birds were chirping from a low hanging branch just outside of her window. Multicolored feathers filled the frame as they did their work. They seemed to be calling out to something so vastly empty, yet, so filled with joy and cheer. She had always held a curiosity regarding these birds, namely, what each individual fluttering creature was saying. Yes, she knew that it was mostly about finding mates and carrying on various conversations with other feathered ones within the same species, but she had always wondered what might be said were they to be tossed in between quotation marks.

She seemed to lose her train of thought in the endless stream of sounds, but then her mind flipped right back to where it was. That strange mixture. It was an absolutely exquisite day, so…why on Earth did she feel this way? She felt like there was some impending doom, yet at the same time, felt an urgent sense that everything would be alright. Like the ending of the story would be much better than the beginning. Perhaps she was simply remembering her village in the far northern reaches of Equestria, and how Twilight had helped rewrite her own tale.

I owe so much debt to that pony, she said internally, I only hope that, someday, I might repay it.

“Starlight!” A young male voice called, “breakfast!”

Starlight smiled as she registered Spike’s vocal tone, and quickly arose and magically floated her bathrobe over to her. After she covered herself properly (which was weird, considering a pony’s normal lack of dress), she trotted out of her room and down the carpeted hallway of the Castle of Friendship. She yawned deeply as she entered the dining area, which was rather sparsely adorned. Twilight liked to keep things simple when it came to decoration. The table was short for a royal locale, and round in shape. It held three large chairs made of the same marble that the six thrones were made of. On it sat a pile of pancakes, eggs, and various fruits that ponies enjoy.

“Wow!” Starlight exclaimed, “this looks amazing!”

“Aw, shucks,” Spike said as he entered the room with a pitcher of orange juice, “it wasn’t anything.”

Starlight smiled, silently thanking the young dragon for all his hard work. She pulled her seat out and looked up as Twilight entered the room, yawning and looking as if she’d had a rough night. Her mane was unkempt and her eyes were bloodshot. Her fur was matted and looked as if she’d taken one or two well placed hoof shots to it. She looked angry at something as she used her magic to yank the platter of flapjacks over and rather scornfully toss two onto her own plate. She dumped a careless pile of syrup on them and went to chewing rather loudly.

Starlight rolled her eyes. “Bad night, Twi?” She asked, knowing the answer.

“UGH!” Twilight grunted loudly, “I just can’t STAND it!”

“Can’t stand what?”

“Spring Break is in two weeks, and I have NO IDEA what to do! I was up half the night last night trying to figure out the perfect schedule, and the perfect organizational structure so that I might elicit as much time with each of my friends as possible! But it’s…IMPOSSIBLE!”

Starlight felt a twinge at her heart as Twilight slapped her face on the table and began crying. She knew just how badly the Princess wanted to be able to see everypony during their break, but she also knew that her fellow teachers and faculty were making plans of their own. Still, though, Twilight was her best friend, and she felt a sense of duty to ensure that everything was alright. She trotted around to where Twilight was and placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder.

“There, there, Twilight,” she said, “everything’s gonna be just fine.”

“No, it’s not!” Twilight cried, “I’m not gonna have the perfect Break plan! It’s all over! Goodbye, fun vacation, and HELLOOOOOOOOOO boredom!”

“Well…thanks a lot,” Starlight said, reminding Twilight that she would still be there.

Twilight turned and saw how much her mood and her words were affecting her school’s guidance counselor. “Oh…I’m sorry, Star,” she said with an honest smile, “I guess I’m just upset at my own failure.”

“You know you can’t be afraid of failure, right?”

“Well…yeah, but…I just wanted this Break to be so perfect. I wanted to thank everypony for working so hard to make the school a success. Now, I’m not gonna be able to. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash are going on a ‘sister’ trip with the Crusaders, Fluttershy’s going off to Saddle Arabia to study some new species of spider, and Pinkie’s going off to tour Equestria with Cheese Sandwich and throw parties for foals who’ve ordered them! I just feel…alone.”

Starlight smiled and hugged her friend. “Well, you’re wrong. You’re not alone. I’m here, and so is Spike.”

Spike chuckled. “Heh…actually, I’m not gonna be here.”

“You aren’t?” Starlight asked in surprise.

“Nope,” Spike responded, “Ember’s invited me to the Dragon Lands for a special celebration. Apparently, dragons really get into the whole Spring thing. I accepted and I’ll be leaving the minute the school bell rings.”

“Oh…” Starlight said, before turning back to Twilight, “…well, you’ll still have me!”

“Thank you, Starlight,” Twilight said, “I’m grateful that you’ll be here. I know I shouldn’t get so worked up about these things, but I’ve just…always been able to pull things out of my rump at the last minute.”

Starlight nodded, understanding her friend’s position. When she was dictator of her village, she had to make things happen quickly. Unfortunately, when she did so, it was to the detriment and despair of everypony. Twilight had to do it for the benefit of everypony, which was, obviously, a lot harder. Being mean to ponies was easy. Being kind and friendly was way more difficult.

“Well, I’m sorry that things didn’t work out for your perfect Break,” Starlight said, “but, I’m sure that there are plenty of fun things you and I can do around here!”

Twilight smiled. “Yeah, there are…” Suddenly, she stopped and acquired one of her famous looks of brightness. “Or…”

“Or what?” Starlight asked.

“I’ve got it!” Twilight exclaimed, “everypony else is going somewhere, so why don’t we?!”

“You mean…?”

“Our very own road trip!”

Starlight became very excited. She had always secretly hoped to spend some one-on-one time with Twilight that didn’t involve school or lectures on friendship. Now, she would be able to do all that! She was thrilled at the prospect, and immediately shook Twilight’s hoof. She noted, with some amusement, the sense of confusion that came over her friend, and explained that she was ecstatic to be able to have some time with her.

“Not that I don’t love our other friends,” she said, “but it would be nice to spend some time just with you.”

“Aw, thanks, Star!” Twilight said, “then, it’s settled. We’ll go out and paint Equestria red!”

The Outbreak Begins

The ensuing fortnight seemed to fly by, in essence, with the speed of the very light that daily warmed Equestria. Starlight had a lot on her plate, and she seemed to be helping a new student every three or four seconds. Her life became a whirlwind of friendship issues and questions. It did peak her concern that so many students at the School of Friendship seemed to be having problems connecting with each other.

She might have a pony come in and talk about how their griffon friend treated them poorly, or she might have a changeling enter and speak badly of a hippogriff. Whatever the cause, it seemed that everyone was on edge, and with Spring Break rapidly approaching, she felt that it would do all the students a bit of good to be away from each other. Even she and her pony friends were nipping at one another. She and Twilight still got along fine, but the rest of her fellow teachers were jawing on a daily basis. Needless to say, everyone needed the rest badly.

The day before Spring Break was set to begin, she was trotting down the hallway, having just finished helping her fifteenth student of the afternoon. Her hooves were aching from all the running around she had to do, because necessity had dictated that not everyone could meet in her office on her schedule. So, she went to them, even though it meant more hoofsteps and a heavier dose of medicine when she returned to her room in the castle. Oh, Celestia, I NEED this break! She complained to herself, I don’t think my hooves, ears, or mind can take many more friendship problems!

She was turning the corner to her office when a young brown mare came running up to her. “Counselor Starlight! Counselor Starlight!” She exclaimed.

Starlight bit back a frustrated groan and put on a happy face. “Why, hello there, Cinnamon Spice!” She greeted in a somewhat robotic, rehearsed voice, “what can I help you with today?”

“I don’t need any help,” Cinnamon said rapidly, “but you’ve gotta come to the gym! There’s a special report on the E1 Network, and Head Mare Twilight said that everyone needs to see it!”

Starlight held back yet another groan and reluctantly followed the severely excited mare towards the athletic center. She knew that Cinnamon often got bouncy about things, but that was when she was happy. It figured that she and Pinkie Pie had become fast friends, as the two shared a love of both parties and various sweet treats. But now, the lightly brown mare seemed upset and deeply worried about something. It also didn’t make sense that Twilight would order a spontaneous school assembly to view a news report unless it was something important.

When they arrived in the gym, hundreds of students had already packed themselves into the bleachers. Two large projection screens were being set up, and the school’s busy audio and visual department was busy patching the feed from a smaller television set through the projectors and onto the equivalent of about thirty bedsheets. It was so crowded that Starlight could barely make her way through the sea of concerned pupils and onto the stage with the rest of her friends.

“Ugh…what’s this about, Twi?” She asked, “my hooves are killing me!”

“I’m sorry, Starlight,” Twilight said, “but everyone needs to see this.”

As they watched, the screens came to life and there sat Lead Story, E1’s veteran anchor. She looked different, though. Normally, she was perfectly coiffed and absolutely sparkling. Even through bad news, she kept a certain sense of hopefulness about her. But today, she looked as if she were trying to downplay her own franticness. Her mane was absolutely unkempt, and it seemed like somepony had attempted to bring it into line, but failed miserably. She was wearing no makeup, and her blouse looked shabby.

“Good afternoon, Equestria,” she said in her typical voice. Starlight made a mental note of just how well she presented herself, even in the midst of what appeared to be chaos.

“We’ve interrupted your regular programming for this breaking news story,” Lead continued, “there are multiple confirmed reports that a sickness akin to a plague has swept over The Crystal Empire almost overnight. Dozens have been confirmed sick, and two ponies have already passed away from this illness. We here at E1 cannot confirm just who the first patient was, nor why the disease has spread in this manner. However, we do have reports from leading Equestrian medical experts, that this is one of the deadliest diseases in the history of our country.

Princess Cadance has barred all travel to and from The Crystal Empire, and Prince Shining Armor has created a taskforce in order to ensure that her order is followed. Ponies who attempt to enter the Empire will be asked to leave. If they resist, fines and other punishments will be implemented. Prince Armor had this to say in an earlier press hearing.”

Suddenly, the camera cut to Twilight’s older brother, in full battle regalia, addressing a mob of reporters, photographers, and twinkling flash bulbs. “This is serious,” he said, “and we’re choosing to take it that way. Ponies cannot come to The Crystal Empire, nor may they leave. Some might call it subtle imprisonment, and others might question our commitment to the liberties and freedoms of our subjects. However, rest assured that these actions are being taken with the support of our highest level medical officials. Thank you.”

They quickly cut back to Lead. “That was Prince Shining Armor earlier. Please, stay with E1 as this story continues to develop. We’ll be back with the latest just as soon as we can.”

The projectors shut off and everyone looked around at each other nervously before Twilight got up and spoke to the students. “I did not show you this to scare you,” she said, “rather, I showed it to you because I want nothing more than your safety. If you were traveling to The Crystal Empire for your Spring Break, I urge you to follow Cadance’s order. She’s sent me a letter detailing this disease, and it is not something you want to mess with. So, please…be careful. That will conclude this assembly, and I hereby declare the day over! Have a great break, everyone!”

The students cheered at the announcement and quickly rushed from the gym to pack and chatter among themselves. But the teachers stepped forward and surrounded Twilight with odd looks. They each knew that there were two periods left in the day. It seemed odd that she would cancel the rest of that day, and they each worried that the news from her family’s home up north had shaken her to the core.

“You okay, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Yes, darling, I wonder the same,” Rarity said, “especially considering you just ripped my class from under my hooves!”

“I’m sorry, Rarity, but until this illness is brought under control, I’m gonna be shutting the school down.”

“But…it’s not anywhere near us!” Rainbow Dash argued.

“I know that,” Twilight said, “and if they’ve acted properly, it won’t get anywhere near us. But still…there are things about this that we don’t know, and we must behave with caution. We’re shutting down. END…OF…DISCUSSION.”

Twilight gave her friends a look that said she meant business before trotting off towards her office. Starlight followed her, a look of grave concern painting the canvas of her face. As much as she loved Twilight and saw her as a sister, she just couldn’t accept the way she was acting. It was as if she were hiding something, and wanted things to remain closed until she could figure out just what to do with it. Her secret seemed to be weighty.

When they arrived at her office, Twilight sat in her large desk chair and whirled around to face Starlight. “Did I ask for company?” She queried rudely.

“Good Celestia, Twi!” Starlight said in shock, “I’ve never heard you talk like that! Come on, what’s up?”

“There are a good many things that are ‘up,’ none of which you need to concern yourself with.”

“Well, like it or not, I am concerned,” Starlight responded, trotting around to face her friend, “now…why are you so…rigid?”

Twilight sighed and her tough look melted away. She pointed at a piece of paper laying on her desk and Starlight noted that it was the letter from Cadance that she’d mentioned earlier. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with it, as far as the light purple counselor was concerned. It was sealed with the Royal Insignia of Equestria, but that was normal.

“I…don’t understand,” she said.

“I know who patient zero is,” Twilight said in a voice that hung in that emotional canyon between a pained whisper and an anguished scream, “it’s…Flurry.”

The Crystal Virus

“They call it PONID-19, or, in street terms, The Crystal Virus,” Twilight explained as the train chugged along. She and Starlight were on their way to The Crystal Empire, specifically to see Flurry Heart, but in more general terms, to check up on their friends and ensure their safety. They each knew of the grave risk in going, but they also knew of their unwavering care for those whom they held the dearest. Since the Empire had closed its borders to both outward and inward traffic, they’d had to request special clearance from Cadance herself. Of course, it had been granted, and not only that, but she’d sent them a special letter thanking them for their trip.

“So…what exactly are the symptoms?” Starlight asked.

“First, it starts as your average cough and runny nose, followed by a terrible stomach pain. From what I’m told, it burns worse than any fire ever could. Endless vomiting accompanies that. Then, your immune system…” here, she stopped and gulped nervously, “…crystallizes itself, and you basically freeze to death from the inside out.”

Starlight broke out in a cold sweat. Twilight wanted to take her to see somepony who had this disease? Really? It seemed that her former mentor had taken on all the qualities of somepony who had gone completely mad. Either that, or Twilight’s intense love for Flurry outweighed all other logical decisions. Starlight silently deduced that it was the latter reason, and she shook her head.

“You really love Flurry, don’t you?”

Twilight nodded. “She’s like my very own daughter. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but sometimes, I act like she is mine when she visits.”

Starlight smiled. “I don’t think that’s so embarrassing. I mean, I think everypony who isn’t married wants to know what it would be like to have their own foal.”

“It’s not just that, Starlight,” Twilight said as tears played with her eyes, “I have such a deep bond with the filly. I’ve been there for every single important moment in her life. In a way, I am a second mother to her. That’s why I’m taking this so hard…because if she dies…I may not get another chance.”

Starlight saw the pained look in her friend’s gaze, and her heart ached for her. She realized that Twilight wasn’t just playing mother with Flurry. For her, this was reality, and it had slammed into her like the train that they rode in. It must have been truly terrifying for Twilight to read that Flurry not only had the disease, but had been the very first pony infected. If this was how Twilight was reacting, Starlight dreaded seeing how Shining Armor and Cadance were. This nightmarish situation must have been complete hell for them, and the fact that there was no cure for the disease probably made the situation even worse.

The train slowly chugged its way up to The Crystal Empire’s borders. Twilight and Starlight were the only two passengers left aboard, and the train had to stop and get inspected by guards and health officials. Two stallions in armor climbed onto Twilight and Starlight’s car and went about disinfecting things. They were followed by a female nurse, whose brown coat seemed to stand on end. They figured she must have been terribly busy, so they decided to do whatever she asked, no matter how insane it might be.

“Hello, Your Majesty, and Ms. Glimmer,” the nurse said, “I’m Healthy Heart, the head nurse at Empire General. I’ve been sent by Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor to welcome you and instruct you on just what to do and how to do it. I know this may seem awfully restrictive, and I do apologize, but it’s for the good of everypony.”

“Healthy Heart,” Starlight said, “you know, we’ve got a nurse named Red Heart back in Ponyville.”

Healthy smiled. “That’s my cousin. We both graduated from medical school together. I am pleased to hear that she’s doing well. Now, then, while in the Empire’s borders, we’re asking that everypony wear one of these.”

She produced a face mask perfectly formed to fit the visage of anypony. Before Twilight or Starlight could say anything, she slapped it on them and dragged them off the train. She led them to a white tent and lay them on tables before calling a doctor over for an examination. He did the typical doctor things, like listening to their hearts and taking their temperature, before asking them what their business was and how long they planned to stay.

“Well, our business is seeing my niece, Princess Flurry,” Twilight said, “and we’ll stay as long as we need to.”

“Sorry,” the doctor said, “our new federal regulations forbid the few visits that we have to last for longer than three days.”

“Um…I’m one of the rulers of Equestria,” Twilight pointed out, “so I think I’ll stay as long as is necessary.”

“We’re under strict orders from Princess Cadance,” the doctor rebutted, “NOPONY is allowed to break the rules, period. We’re enforcing them regularly, and we will do so to you as well.”

Twilight was shocked. Nopony had ever spoken to her like that before. Frankly, she found it rude and insulting, and she was definitely going to report this particular doctor to Cadance. She found it a slap in the face to all the regular pony medical officials that this stallion was even allowed to be licensed. He might have carried the cutie mark of a stethoscope, but that didn’t make him a likeable pony. In fact, she’d go so far as to say that he was one of the least personable ponies she’d ever met.

After being cleared into the Empire, they trotted along and noticed ponies waving at each other. Nothing was out of the ordinary about this, except for the fact that they never got more than six or seven hoofsteps from each other. The gaps between friends caused Twilight’s kind heart to twinge a bit, and she had to fight back tears. Nopony could properly show the typical facets of friendship, and all because of this ridiculous illness! Her hatred for the affliction grew, and soon, she found herself snorting into her mask.

“Uh…Twi?” Starlight asked, “you’re snorting.”

“Sorry,” Twilight said, “I’m just so frustrated by all this!”

“Yeah, me too. I just hope Flurry will be alright.”

Twilight’s look of agony was the only response Starlight needed as they trotted up to the castle. The guards at the door were very friendly, bowing to Twilight as they opened the large portals to let them inside. Once they got in, their mouths fell to the floor as they noticed just how many ponies were there. They all wore hazmat suits, large masks, and multiple layers of hoof gloves. Every time somepony touched something, somepony else swooped in and thoroughly cleaned it. To be more precise, the castle shone with just how utterly neat and tidy things were.

“Twilight!” A voice sang out from the top of the grand staircase.

“Cadance!” Twilight responded happily.

The two old friends trotted towards each other, and Twilight went for the customary hug, but Cadance stopped short. “I’m not coming any closer, Twilight,” she said, “I’m not only trying to set a good example for my subjects, but I’ve been caring for Flurry all morning and my suit needs to be thrown out.”

“Oh…alright,” Twilight said as her ears flattened.

“We can hug later, after everything’s been taken care of,” Cadance reassured.

“Do we need those suits?” Starlight asked.

“Yes,” Cadance said, “I’ve had two specially made just for you. Thin Line is bringing them down right now.”

As soon as she said this, a yellow mare brought the lightly grey suits over to where they were. Standing the respectable distance apart, she dropped them and urged the visiting ponies to quickly put them on. They were also told that, every time they visited Flurry, they would need to destroy the suit and get a new one. The virus could defeat typical laundering soap and water, so they had to take extra precautions when dealing with how to clean them.

This being accomplished, Cadance led them through the halls of her castle and into Flurry’s room. On the way, she explained that the only thing they had discovered so far that could kill the virus was extreme heat. Unfortunately, that same scorching flame would kill the pony who had the illness. So, they couldn’t use that for a cure. But, she assured the visitors that the best scientists and medical personnel in the Empire were working night and day to find something.

“Alright,” Cadance said, “we’re here. Now, I must warn you…do NOT touch her. Even with your suits on, there’s still a risk. We’ve got her resting comfortably now.”

With those words, she opened the door and Starlight and Twilight peeked inside. Even though the room was dark, they still noticed a small pack of ponies around a small bed. They crept inside and peered over their shoulders, and Twilight nearly burst into tears. There, on sheets stained with her body’s daily struggle, lay little Flurry Heart.

The Virus Escapes

Twilight nearly burst into tears at the sight of her beloved niece. The small filly, who had just barely learned how to talk, lay in pools of her own vomit. It appeared that the three buckets laying underneath her bed were filled as well, and she just couldn’t wait for them to be replaced. Her normally bright white coat was dulled to a grey, and her bouncing blue eyes lay half closed in pain. She groaned as a tremor shook her tiny body, and another expulsion of the formerly eaten followed suit.

By this point, Twilight was in tears. She couldn’t bear to see her little bug like this. She wanted an embrace from somepony…anypony. Something to comfort her and reassure her that Flurry would make it through. But, thanks to the intensely contagious nature of the disease, everyone was standing a good length apart. Even with all the protective measures, there was still a good chance of catching it. Sicknesses tend to work in this manner, so everypony was being extra cautious. Thus, there was nopony to hug, so she bent her head into her hooves and cried deeply.

“Oh, Twilight…” Starlight said from her safe distance, “…it’ll all be alright.”

“No, it won’t!” Twilight wailed, “she’s gonna die, I just know it! I’ll never see her again or play with her again or…anything!”

Starlight noticed that Cadance’s head was bowed and tears ran from her eyes as well. The pain of this grieving mother was so great that she had no need for hysterics like Twilight. She just had to tilt her face in a certain way, and Starlight understood the horrible feelings that must have been coursing through her body. To watch one’s own offspring perish and be completely helpless to stop it? That must have been worse than Tartarus.

“I’m so, so sorry, Your Majesty,” Starlight offered, putting a hoof on her heart to signify her solidarity and kindness.

Cadance managed a small smile. “Thank you, Starlight. Your support is truly appreciated.”

“Support?!” Twilight wailed, “Flurry’s dying, and you’re talking about support?!”

“Twilight, calm yourself!” Cadance ordered firmly, “I don’t want anything to disturb Flurry. She needs her rest…she’s been struggling and battling so hard these past few days.”

Twilight seethed with rage and a terrible sadness. How could Cadance just stand there and not weep and wail at the sight of their Flurry Heart crumbling into dust? How?! Had she lost her love for the filly?! Twilight felt like attacking her former foalsitter, but forced her hooves to remain fixed to their spot. Still, she felt an overwhelming sense of contempt towards the pink princess.

As she raged away inside herself, her brother suddenly barged his way into the room and hurried over to his wife. He remembered to stand the proper distance from her, and then the following came out of his mouth: “Darling, someone escaped the Empire.”

“WHAT?!” Cadance shrieked. It seemed that she’d been awakened from her grieving slumber by this tragic news. “Bu-bu…but your guards…they were supposed to be keeping their eye out! Nopony got in and nopony left without the proper clearance from one of us! What happened?!”

“I’m sorry, Cadance,” Shining said sadly, “one of my guards just wasn’t paying as much attention as he should have, and somepony slipped out under the fence.”

Cadance sighed and looked at the floor. Her face once again took on a pained expression, as if this one pony’s actions could have dire consequences for all of Equestria. She appeared concerned for everypony, and judging by the new batch of tears that welled up in her eyes, the Princess of Love felt deeply for the population. She stomped a hoof on the floor, angry and upset at the apparent lack in her husband’s ranks.

“Did you at least fire the guard?” She asked.

“Of course, I did,” Shining said, “I won’t allow incompetence like that within my units. The only question is…what to do about the rest of Equestria?”

“We’ll have to recommend a complete lockdown of the borders,” Cadance said sadly, “I don’t enjoy doing that, as I want ponies and creatures from other nations to visit us, but…we cannot risk any further infection. We must also suggest a complete shutdown of every town in Equestria. Twilight, that includes Ponyville. It must be completely restricted, and ponies must stop seeing each other.”

Twilight gave a look of shock. This had all happened so quickly! Her eyes became wide as she realized that she carried the fate of everypony in her beloved village in her hooves. She thought of her close friends, and the ponies she saw every day. She thought of the foals in her town. But she also thought of their freedom and how happy they were living there. She just couldn’t infringe on that. Heck, she was the one who defended freedom and friendship. Were this shutdown to be implemented, she might never be able to gain those things again. She and everypony else would be isolated from each other…banned from even touching hooves.

“I…I just can’t,” Twilight said, “I love my friends too much to keep them apart.”

Cadance sighed. “I know of your deep affection for them, but it’s for the greater good! If everypony gets sick, there won’t be an Equestria to have friends in! Twilight…the foals…the elderly…those are the two groups who are at the highest risk. They must be spared, along with as many as possible. We’ve already got 300 cases in our town of 1,500 ponies, and the curve is only going up! We must think of everyone’s health.”

Twilight felt completely torn apart. Her loyalty to her principles clashed with her loyalty to the well-being of everypony. She remembered the oath she had taken when Celestia made her a Princess. She promised to defend everypony, even at the cost of her own life. She promised to look out for their safety, and ensure that they all led happy, healthy lives. But she also promised to conquer enmity wherever it might exist and turn it into pure friendship. She felt her entire life as a Princess go spiraling out of control as her mind seemed to congeal and then right itself. The question in her cortex was one that she never thought she’d ever have to answer: could she…ban friends from seeing each other?

Starlight's Doubts

Twilight worried herself all through the night. She tossed and turned in her bed, which was covered in something akin to mosquito netting and distanced away from the other ponies in the room. There were so many helping to care for Flurry and keep the castle free of the illness, that she had to sleep in the same general area as thirty others. She didn’t mind, as she had often slept near her friends when on an adventure, but she missed the closeness of everything. She understood why it was happening, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed it. She wanted to be near somepony, and that familiar feeling of needing one simple embrace returned.

She didn’t sleep a wink and awoke the next morning with crusty eyes and a lack of direction. She just couldn’t decide what to do. On the one hoof, she knew that banning friends from seeing each other would help to “flatten the curve,” as Cadance had put it, and save ponies from catching this dreadful illness. On the other, her own principles demanded that she stand up for friendship in the face of every single adversary, including this one. So…which was the right decision? Would temporarily banning the intimacy of friendship help save it?

She stumbled into the castle dining area where Cadance, Shining Armor, and Starlight were already eating. They sat at separate tables, something that sent a shockwave of sadness coursing through Twilight. She knew that this was wrong, but she also knew the reasoning behind it, especially with Flurry Heart being so sick. Her worry intensified as she sat at her own table and was served eggs and pancakes via a long contraption that helped lessen the hoofprint of the server.

“I’m sorry for any inconvenience this might cause Your Majesty,” he said, “but Princess Cadance has ordered it.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Twilight said, “I’m just trying to make a fairly hefty decision and I don’t know what to do.”

“May I offer some advice?” The server asked boldly.

Twilight gave him a thankful look. At this point, she could use all the advice she could attain. “Of course!” She said, “and don’t be afraid. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Do what is best for everypony else. Forget everything you know about friendship and things like that and ensure their survival…even if it means restricting their freedom for a while.”

Twilight nodded. Of course. His advice was the exact same that Cadance had given her, and it didn’t help a speck of her horrific burden. But all the same, she smiled, nodded, and thanked him for his time. He bowed to her and trotted off to finish serving all the other palace workers and medical personnel. She suddenly thought of all the ponies back in her home who had these kinds of jobs and made friends while working. She wanted them to be able to have a future to look forward to. So, she put her hoof down.

I still have no idea if this decision is the right one, she told herself, but…I do want to help everyone, and I do want friendship to, not only survive, but thrive in the future. I have to think of the foals and the elderly. I…have…to shut down Ponyville.

She gulped at the sick feeling she gained when she finally made her decision. But she shook her head and consoled herself with the thoughts of all the future friendships that she might be saving. She asked Cadance if there was some extra parchment laying around, and her former foalsitter nodded. She floated a piece over to Twilight’s table, and Twilight called Starlight over and gave it to her.

“I need you to pen a letter to Mayor Mare for me,” Twilight said in a tone of voice that spoke of the official nature of this particular memorandum.

“Alright,” Starlight said, “what should I say?”

“I want you to tell her that I am ordering an immediate lockdown of Ponyville. Anypony found outside their homes on business other than getting food or acquiring medical care is to be arrested.”

“ARRESTED?!” Starlight yelped.

“I have to be incredibly strict about this, Starlight,” Twilight said solemnly, “it’s for everypony’s own good.”

“But…we don’t even know if the virus is IN Ponyville!” Starlight pointed out desperately.

“We don’t know that it’s not there, either,” Twilight snapped back, “now, Starlight, please quit being difficult and just write the letter. I don’t like doing this, but I have no choice.”

Starlight was absolutely shocked at the reaction Twilight put forth. But it seemed that a hardened fear for times yet to come had gripped her mind, even though she could not see them. She had proclaimed herself the soothsayer of Ponyville’s doom, and now Starlight had to be the messenger. She hated the position, and tried so hard to think of some way out. But with Twilight giving one of her famous looks that somehow combined cute pleading with tense warning, she just couldn’t. So, she wrote the letter, explaining everything to the Mayor in careful detail.

When the letter had been magically sent, Starlight and Twilight thanked Cadance and Shining Armor for letting them spend some time with Flurry. With the virus having been taken out of The Crystal Empire, they wanted to get back to Ponyville as soon as they could. Ensuring everyone’s safety was their top priority, and Twilight’s beloved family members nodded in complete understanding. Twilight also mentioned the doctor who had treated her rudely, and Cadance said she’d look into having his license removed. With that, Starlight and Twilight trotted off towards the train depot…

“Do you really believe that Ponyville is next on the virus hit list?” Starlight asked Twilight as their train chugged back towards home.

Twilight nodded. “I do. There’s no telling where that crazed pony might have gone. I mean…they could be purposefully infecting Equestria as we speak! Think about it, Starlight. What happens if all of Equestria gets this horrible illness?”

“Then friendship will die, and Equestria along with it,” Starlight said in a robotic tone, and then quickly added, “but I don’t think that’s gonna happen!”

“It might happen!” Twilight exclaimed, “that’s why we need to take measures now to protect everypony. That’s why I ordered Ponyville to be shut down. No businesses, except for the most essential, no parks, no picnics, no concerts, no…nothing! Ponies must remain in their homes. It’s…what everypony needs.”

Starlight sighed and slumped back on her bench. She couldn’t believe that The Princess of Friendship was taking steps to destroy the very nature of her title. She knew of the great fear that lay in such an illness, and she also knew of the grave risk in simply going outside with it hanging around. But all the same, even though the air might carry death, the heart definitely carried life. She wanted to experience that life, the same one that she had taken from so many when she dictated her cutie mark-less village. She felt that many were being unfairly punished for the sickness of one group.

She also found the timeline of the sickness to be a little suspicious. The Crystal Virus had afflicted ponies before, but always on a very small scale. While they were in the Empire, she’d spoken with one of the virologists that was working to help develop a cure for Flurry and all the other sick ponies. It seemed that this was the first outbreak of the sickness on this level, and it was a completely new strain. He also told her that it was a silent killer, and most ponies didn’t know they had it until they began showing symptoms. They would then average three weeks of life before dying in terrifying pain.

A virus of this magnitude just suddenly appears in The Crystal Empire? She asked herself, this cannot be right. I mean, viruses don’t just…appear! They have to come from somewhere! Whether that be animals, toilets, or all manner of disgusting places. They have to be born!

She suddenly sat straight up and took on a brave look. I’m gonna find it! I’m gonna find out where PONID-19 is coming from! I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but I WILL find it! If I can uncover the source, perhaps we can use it to create a cure, and if that happens, Twilight won’t have to lockdown Ponyville, nor will the rest of Equestria have to suffer! Friendship can still be saved!

Trixie Joins In

Starlight trotted about in her room, trying to think up some way that she might crack the lid on the entire situation. Something was rotten in Canterlot…or Manehattan…or somewhere, and she intended to find out just what that was. The virus had appeared so suddenly, and so enigmatically, that she just knew someone, or something, was behind it. She believed that it had been engineered for some diabolical purpose, and she was determined to reveal everything. Once that was done, she could take it to Celestia and Luna and demand that those evildoers be brought to justice.

Now, she just needed the perfect sidekick. Somepony who could keep her company, help her solve clues, and piece the puzzle together. It needed to be someone with a good sense of humor and a sharp sense of detection. She recalled a movie she’d seen when she was still a filly that featured a hardened detective and his companion, a stallion who made a lot of mirth but was also fairly competent in his own skills. She had to have somepony like that, and she began running through a list of the ponies she knew.

She thought of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, but figured that they’d be much too serious. She needed somepony to bring a sense of levity to the investigation and, even though Rarity had proven to be an expert detective, she figured that it would be all seriousness, all the time. She needed someone who knew when to laugh, when to cry, and when to act a part. That eliminated both Pinkie and Fluttershy, because Pinkie would laugh way too much, and Fluttershy would cry way too much. She also eliminated Twilight, because she didn’t want the same pony who had just shut down Ponyville to be caught up in a secret operation like this. It would look pretty damn hypocritical.

“Alright, Star,” she said out loud, “that’s all your friends…except…no, no, I couldn’t! Trixie wouldn’t want to do something like this, would she?”

Her knees knocked a bit at the thought of asking her dear friend to take part in the proceedings. But she also realized that she didn’t have a choice. Time was running short for ponies, as the news had reported that morning that the first cases had popped up in Canterlot, Manehattan, Vanhoover, and Appleloosa. It seemed that the pony who had escaped from The Crystal Empire had gone to Manehattan and given the virus to a bunch of ponies there without even realizing he had it. Then, they went to the ensuing cities and spread it there. They became unknowing carriers of this deadly affliction.

Starlight knew that, were she to avoid asking Trixie, she might live to regret it. Ponies might live their entire lives in complete fear, shut up in their homes, waving at each other from ridiculous distances, and wearing those awful masks that the Princesses were beginning to require. She understood the reasoning of safety and health, but she also understood that she was a free pony. The Equestrian Constitution demanded that freedom be defended above all else, and as a reformed dictator, she had come to love her newfound liberty in friendship. She hated to see it decisively destroyed by a blob of mindless parasitic proteins.

I must ask Trixie, she told herself, the fate of Equestria may depend on it.

“Aw, come on, Trix!” Starlight begged her friend. She had asked her about thirty times to join in the investigation, but each time the fake magician had soundly refused. She told Starlight that she didn’t want to risk her health, nor her stage show by getting caught up in these “whackjob conspiracy theories.”

“But it’s not a conspiracy theory!” Starlight protested, “it’s a quest to find the truth! I’m just saying that this entire virus thing is being blown way out of proportion. Everypony’s acting like this big, bad ball of evil is gonna rain hellish fire down upon them the moment they step outside their door! It’s just-“

“-crazy?” Trixie finished, and then nodded. “I agree with you. However, I also agree with the experts. I think we can find common ground on that.”

Starlight snorted. She was about to leap at Trixie and force her to help, but then she reminded herself of the reasons for her impending search and decided against it. She grit her teeth together and put her hooves on Trixie’s shoulders. “Trixie, listen to me,” she said urgently, “I know what the experts have said, and I know what the Princesses have said. But still, I also know what my gut tells me.”

“You’re basing all this on a feeling of indigestion?” Trixie asked sarcastically.

Starlight puffed out a frustrated sigh. “Look, you’re one of my best friends,” she said, “and I can’t force you to help me. But just know that, if you still refuse, there may be dire consequences. I may never find the solution on my own! I…need you, Trixie.”

She put on her most irresistible face, knowing of Trixie’s deep seated requirement for constant companionship. It wouldn’t be long before the walls of cracked stone that she’d built against the idea would crumble and she’d be begging Starlight to tag along. The former dictator understood Trixie’s deepest heart, which was what made them such good friends. In a way, they had both been lulled into the caring arms of gentility, respect, and love by Twilight. Now, they shared so much in common…and Starlight hoped that this adventure would be the same.

Trixie sighed, unable to put up any more barriers against Starlight’s impeccable charm and friendliness. “Alright,” she said, “but if I catch this damned disease, it’s on you.”

“We’re not gonna get it, Trix,” Starlight said with confidence.

“How can you say that?” Trixie asked, “the news said that 1,300 ponies have been infected already, and that’s just from one stallion escaping The Crystal Empire. Imagine what could happen if we caught the disease from somepony and then unknowingly gave it to the ponies we know!”

“We’ll just have to take the chance,” Starlight responded, “I would rather get sick and die a free pony, then live knowing that I was under the hooves of a silent ruler.”

“Boy, you really have changed,” Trixie remarked.

“Yes, I have,” Starlight said, “and it’s thanks to Twilight that I did. I can’t call myself one of her best friends if I don’t do everything within my power to help her save Equestria. Now, come on! We’ve got some digging to do!”

Where Do We Start?

Trixie and Starlight quickly began making plans for their investigation. The arrogant, yet ditzy, magician was insistent upon the wearing of the traditional detective garb. She claimed that it would lend authenticity to their performance, however Starlight put her hoof down. She knew of the necessity for absolute secrecy regarding this mission. She didn’t want anypony else knowing of their locations, their conversations, or anything. She even told Trixie to keep her food choices secret.

“Everything must be done under a shroud of mystery,” Starlight said, “if we don’t do that, then our case could be blown before it even begins. We might even be arrested!”

“Arrested?” Trixie scoffed, “me? I think Twilight has too much respect for me. That, and she KNOWS what will happen if she gets on my bad side again…”

Starlight smacked her face with a hoof. “Trix, if you’re not gonna take this seriously-“

“Alright, alright, I’ll be more serious,” Trixie said, and then muttered under her breath, “but Twilight knows better than to mess with me.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing!”

Starlight eyed her friend suspiciously, but then remembered the requirements she had set forth for the mission. She needed help, and Trixie was the only pony that could give it. Starlight had been through everypony else already. So she puffed out a long breath and steadied her nerves before telling Trixie to pack up her things and that they would leave Ponyville at the crack of dawn. “As soon as the roosters crow,” Starlight said, “we’re gone.”

“But…where in Equestria do we begin?” Trixie asked, “I mean, this seems like a rather huge operation, and we have nothing to go on.”

Starlight smiled. “You’re right, we don’t have anything…YET. We’re gonna start at the most logical place. The spot where every last bit of this nasty virus began. We’re going to The Crystal Empire.”

Trixie frowned questioningly. “Didn’t you just come from there, and didn’t you tell me that they’re being really strict about the ponies they let in and out?”

“Yeah,” Starlight said, “but we’re not going by train.”

“Oh…we’re going in my wagon, right?”

“Nope,” Starlight responded, shaking her head, “we’re gonna go by teleportation. If we do that, then I can just zap us into the Empire unannounced and unnoticed. We’ll be wearing the suits and masks that are required of everypony, and in them, we’ll look absolutely inconspicuous. Then, we can nose our way through town and find clues.”

Trixie’s frown dissipated slowly. She carried many questions for her friend, but she didn’t ask them. She was just glad that they finally got to spend some time with each other, especially since the sickness had broken out. The news reports were getting stronger and stronger by the day, and they seemed to have some kind of hypnotic power over everypony. The equines would stare at the television screens as E1 continued to break story after story of new citizens gaining an illness and nearly losing their lives. It was a sad sight to see, and with the new “friendly distancing” rules set in place by the Princesses, the sad became even sadder.

Starlight understood these things on a deeper level than most ponies, especially considering her background as a totalitarian. With a wince of pain, she remembered the lies she had spread to everypony and how they had completely fallen for her. She remembered the mares of the town coming to her for advice on various things. She would cruelly tell them the worst thing to do, and then watch in delight as they went and committed to the act. She remembered each stallion coming to her, begging for her hoof in marriage and telling her how much they adored her teachings. She had played with them, toying with their fear of losing friends, telling them that marrying her would slaughter their social lives. She had smiled as they went away weeping, loving the absolute control she had over everypony’s lives.

But now…she missed them. She suddenly wondered how everypony in her village was doing, and how much they enjoyed their new freedom and individualized unity in their cutie marks. She made a mental note to visit them while she and Trixie were on their journey. She also realized that it might be a good idea to speak with some of her former mental slaves about their thoughts on the virus. They would be far enough separated from the rest of Equestria that they wouldn’t impede the investigation. In fact, they might help it. Though she was nervous about seeing everyone again, she dug in deep and held to the philosophies Twilight had taught her. If they’re truly my friends now, she said to herself, then they’ll be perfectly happy to see me. Hell, they did invite me back for a festival! Perhaps I am still welcome there after all…

“HELLO! EARTH TO STARLIGHT!” Trixie suddenly shouted, startling the purple mare out of her thoughts.

“Ugh! Do you HAVE to yell like that?!” Starlight asked, “we’re not exactly following the friendly distancing rules right now, and I’d prefer not to get caught.”

Trixie sighed. “Sorry, but you just seemed to stare off into space for a while. Are you okay?”

Starlight nodded. “Yeah, I’m good. I’m just trying to map out where we need to go, and which ponies need to be let in on this query. Trixie…we’ve got the fate of Equestria in our very hooves. The information we uncover could very well lead to everypony’s complete understanding of what the virus is, why it exists, and where it came from. Then, Celestia and Luna can help create new-“

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Trixie said with a yawn, “look, I’m tired. I’ve been practicing magic all day, and if we’re gonna get going so early in the morning, I need sleep. I can’t do that with you yammering on about investigations and Princesses and destinies and all that.”

Starlight rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Alright,” she said, “good night, Trixie.”

“Good night, Starlight,” Trixie responded, “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning.”

The Mare and Her Daughter

At the very moment the first rays of Celestia’s sun poked their way over the far off mountaintops, Starlight and Trixie were flying through the very realms of space and time. What most ponies fail to realize about teleportation is that, though it may look quick and easy, it is actually a laborious process for the Unicorn performing the spell. Starlight had to remain absolutely precise with her aura, guiding both she and her magically underwhelming friend straight into the back alleys of The Crystal Empire’s capital. She understood the necessity for complete concentration, and had found it difficult with Trixie’s constant chattering at the beginning. But then she became awestruck by all the different colors and things that swirled past them and she shut right up.

Almost…there, Starlight thought as she saw a bright white light open up in front of them. She smiled as she realized that they had reached their destination. Like an expert tram operator, she pulled the brakes on her magic and dropped the two of them neatly on their hooves. They stopped and looked at the buildings that surrounded their alley, noticing that they were boarded up. They slowly crept forward and poked their heads out into the sunlight, looking at the wooden bars that prevented customers from visiting their normal places of business. They noted that red and black messages had been written on them.

“Hm…’closed due to PONID-19,’” Trixie read aloud, “seems like everyone here’s taking the virus very seriously.”

“Well, wouldn’t you?” Starlight asked.

“Of course!” Trixie defended herself, “I just don’t see why we have to wear these awful hazmat suits!”

“Oh, for Celestia’s sake, you’re as bad as Rarity!” Starlight snapped, “it’s just a precaution.”

“But what do we need to take precautions for?” Trixie asked.

“The virus!”

“I thought you didn’t care!”

“I do!”

“Well, then, why are you so into conspiracy theories if you care so much?” Trixie asked snidely.

“I do NOT have any theories!” Starlight exclaimed, and then quieted, “I just wanna know what’s going on and why. It’s an investigation, a search for the truth.”

“Whatever you say,” Trixie said with a pointed eye roll.

Starlight shook her head and looked around for a guard station. She and Trixie were already wearing their proper protective gear, so now all they needed was a green stamp of approval on their suits. She noted that the ponies who were coming to the Empire to help out or visit loved ones were given the aforementioned marking in order to keep them out of trouble with the law. Cadance had imposed such strict regulations that, were someone to be caught out without the green stamp, they would be forced into quarantine within the depths of the castle dungeons.

She finally located one of these stations and managed to float over one of the checkmark stamps without anypony noticing. She stamped herself and Trixie, and then quietly set the stamp back where it was. She nodded at her friend, who was becoming a bigger strain on her nerves than the virus itself, and the two trotted out into the open. They smiled when they realized that each guard they passed was leaving them be. We can pull this off! Starlight thought, now, if I could just find that pony I saw protesting everything…

“HEY!” A guard suddenly screamed, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Starlight and Trixie were frightened by the sudden vocalization, and turned to look at just who the soldier was yelling at. They noticed a frightened mare holding her small foal behind her. She looked at the ground and then back up as the intimidating guardian made his advance. They noticed that her lips quivered and tears came to her eyes as he got closer and closer. He seemed to relish every single step he took, as a hawk eyes its prey from high above before circling down and striking as quick as lightning.

He got six hoof steps from her and halted. “I’m not getting any closer!” He thundered, “Unlike you, I happen to FOLLOW the law! You know that nopony’s out without the green stamp! You know of the distancing rules!”

“Please!” The poor mare begged, “I’m just trying to get food for my foal! She’s so hungry!”

“We’re ALL hungry!” The guard roared, “but that doesn’t give you any excuse to put your fellow Crystal Empire citizens at risk!”

“I…I tried to get the stamp, but they turned me away!” The mare cried, “they said I wasn’t necessary to the daily operations of the Empire!”

The guard grit his teeth. “Well, if you aren’t necessary…THEN YOU AREN’T NECESSARY! Now, you’ve earned yourself a one-way ticket to the big house of quarantine! MARCH!”

“No, please, I’m begging you, sir, please don’t take me from my foal!”

“STOP!” Starlight suddenly yelled before trotting over to the situation. She got the respectable distance from the mare and pointed to her green checkmark, “she’s with me!”

“Oh, she is, is she?” The guard asked.

“Yes, sir,” Starlight responded respectfully, “and you can drop this entire arrest. I’m personally escorting this mare, and I’m under orders from Princess Cadance herself to do so.”

The guard’s eyes widened and he noticed, not only the green checkmark on Starlight’s suit, but also the All Access pass that she’d been given when she visited with Twilight. She had flicked it out into the open as an insurance policy against cases like this one, and it seemed to work beautifully. The guard growled a bit, upset at being unable to haul somepony in, and stomped his way back to the others.

“Thank you so much!” The mare cried, “I would hug you, but-“

“I understand, and you’re welcome,” Starlight said kindly, “please, what’s your name?”

“I’m Rose Garden,” the pretty mare said, “and this is my daughter, Kite String. I was going to get my daughter something special for her birthday tomorrow, but I guess the Empire Guard had other ideas.”

“Not to sound like a know-it-all, but…they are delivering to homes here, right?”

Rose nodded. “They are, but as it is, we’re barely making enough to live on. My husband died of a severe case of Pony Pox two years ago, and he was the bread winner of the family. I basically stayed home and took care of Kite. When he passed, I went out, learned a few things, and got a job as a travel agent, but…when the virus hit…”

“They decided you weren’t necessary and you lost your job,” Starlight finished.

Tears played with Rose’s pretty pink eyes as she bent her head and nodded. There seemed to be a pain so great within the heart of this complete stranger that Starlight suddenly saw her as a friend. She wondered if this was what Twilight felt like every single day, or every time she saw somepony knew to be loved and listened to. She felt compassion and deep sympathy for this mare, whose entire world had crashed in around her ears. She suddenly decided that the “friendly distancing” guidelines weren’t worth following in that moment and she stepped forward and hugged the mare.

“What…what are you doing?” The mare asked, “don’t you know what’ll happen if someone catches you?”

“I don’t care, Rose,” Starlight responded before backing up and looking her new friend dead in the eye, “I once had someone take pity on me and teach me just what it was like to have true friendship in my life. Now, I want to show it to somepony else. I know we’ve only just met but…I’m wondering if you and Kite would like to accompany us on our journey.”

“Where are you going?” Rose asked.

“Well, it’s more of a journey of discovery rather than a journey of destinations. We’re trying to find out why this awful virus exists and where it came from.”

“Well, it sounds very exciting, but…I just don’t know.”

“It would get you out of the Empire for a while.”

Suddenly, Rose’s eyes lit up. “Yes! Yes, we’ll go with you! I think we’ve both been needing a little time away from here. Perhaps some adventure would give us both the spark we’ve been looking for.”

“Starlight!” Trixie whispered harshly as she trotted over to join the small group, “what about our…you know…need for secrecy?”

“Trixie,” Starlight responded, “when it comes to friendship, all secrecy is obliterated. We’re fighting for that, and this is the way we’ll reconstitute it across Equestria. It truly is a great hoof step in the right direction.”

The Protesting Pony

Starlight, Trixie, and their two new friends quietly made their way down a certain street. They darted from alley to alley, nimbly avoiding detection while keeping their forward progress certain. As they did so, the shadows of their hiding places crept over them, and they could almost feel the virus’s steely grip grasping onto their flanks. Sometimes, one of them would absentmindedly jump at something that was not there, and other times, young Kite String would yelp in fright and nestle closer to her mother.

“We’ve gotta find something soon,” Starlight said, “I think the thought of the virus is more threatening to us than the illness itself.”

They managed to get to the corner of the avenue, although most of the company was completely out of breath. There sat a grizzled stallion, without a hazmat suit, holding up a wooden sign that said, “the government cannot decide my essentiality.” It seemed that he was putting on a small protest against the harsh measures that Cadance and Shining Armor had taken. Starlight smiled as she realized that this was just the type of pony they needed to see. But the guards, along with Shining himself, had seen him first. So, the investigating ponies shot back behind a building, out of sight of the intruding soldiers.

The armor clad stallions trotted up to him. One of them eyed him suspiciously. “Alright, move it, old timer!”

“Make me,” came the rebellious response.

“Alright, I will!”

The stallion went to throw the older pony off the corner, but Shining Armor stopped him. “Your Majesty!” The guard protested, “I mean, forgive me for contradicting your…hoof, but-“

“Leave him alone,” Shining Armor commanded firmly, “he’s not hurting anypony.”

“But he doesn’t have his suit on! How do we even know he’s from here?”

“We don’t,” Shining said, “but the Equestrian Constitution guarantees the right to peaceably protest things. As far as I’m concerned, one pony sitting on a street corner with nopony else around isn’t doing anything to upend our fight against the virus. Unless twenty unsuited ponies come and stand three inches from him, I’m not worried. Carry on, sir.”

Shining and the other stallion turned and trotted off. There was a noticeable disappointment on the stallion’s face, as if he was actually excited about arresting the older pony. But Shining Armor’s word was law, and the stallion could not stand against it. So, the guards left the older pony to his devices. Unfortunately for him, there didn’t seem to be many. Hardly anyone was around, and the one or two who did pass him by completely ignored him. Some would even shoot small rocks his direction and tell him that he was putting other lives at risk.

“You moron!” One mare shouted from behind her hazmat facemask, “you’ll get it, you know? You aren’t FRIENDLY DISTANCING YOURSELF!”

“This is me,” the grizzled stallion replied, holding his hoof between the ground and some imaginary dot in the air, before dropping it to the ground itself, “and this is the level of fucks I give about what you’re saying.”

“Oh…riffraff!” The insulted mare said before using her back leg to hurl a pebble at him and stalking off.

At this point, the investigation team came creeping out from the shadows. Rose Garden was strictly instructing Kite String never to use the term that he had used that began with the letter F. But, of course, the young filly’s ears were burning with curiosity at just what the word meant and why he’d used it. Her mother quickly struck down her inquisitiveness with one glare, and the filly knew better than to cross her. So she crept back beside her mother, upset at not knowing, but happy that she wouldn’t be punished.

“Hello,” Starlight said as they stood a respectable distance from him.

“You here to join the cause or just throw rocks at me?”

Starlight smiled kindly. “Neither. My name is Starlight Glimmer, and these are my friends Trixie, Rose Garden, and little Kite String. We’re investigating PONID-19, and we wanted to ask you some questions.”

“Ah, this PONID-19 business. What absolute chicanery! What absolute malevolence! What-“

“Okay, okay,” Starlight said, “I don’t mean to be rude, but I get it. You don’t like the sickness, nor the reactions to it. My question is: why?”

The older stallion smirked. “Do you really wanna know?”

Starlight and the others nodded desperately, so he got up and instructed them to follow him. He led them through a winding maze of alleys and streets, yet he seemed to know exactly where he was going. It dawned on everypony that he had an excellent sense of direction and could judge north, south, east, and west as if he were a living, breathing compass. Starlight, in particular, was awed at his sense of maneuverability and she made a mental note to ask him about it at some point. Now, they had more important things to discuss.

“Pardon me, sir, but…I never got your name,” she ventured.

“My name? My name is Smooth Boulder,” the stallion said, “but most folks just call me Tin Foil.”

“Ah,” Starlight responded, “I take it you’re a conspiracy theorist?”

The stallion turned his head and eyed Starlight, who offered a sheepish smile in return. He whipped his head back around and faced forward, pointedly ignoring her presence, yet acknowledging her inquiry. “Yeah, that’s what other ponies say. But I like to think of myself as a subterranean detective, plowing into the very thoughts of those who believe they are in charge. If nopony kept the higher-ups on their hoof nails, then our entire society would crumble.”

“Yeah,” Starlight said, “I can see the need for that kind of thing, but…honestly, the ponies in charge are good and kind. I’ve met Celestia on multiple occasions, and she’s wonderful.”

“Bah!” The older one spat, “Celestia! She’s at the top of the Equestrian food chain, the link between ponies and the very heavens above…yet does she know us? Stop and think, my dear Starlight, does Celestia actually dwell among us common ponies?”

“Well…no,” Starlight responded, “but she does go out and see everyone every day.”

“Oooo…a carriage ride through Canterlot,” the grizzled one said with severe sarcasm, “do you think that would cause her to see the plight of those who do not have what she has?”

Starlight stopped and pondered his question. She realized that the point he made was an excellent one. The royal sisters had every need tended to and were waited on leg and hoof. They had hordes of guards to protect them, and they kept themselves shut up in their castle unless it was necessary for them to emerge. Luna got to sleep all day, while Celestia trotted about her hometown waving at everyone. As much as she loved them, she had to admit that the grizzled protester had his fair share of logical meaning.

She was so deep in thought that she accidentally bonked into his rump when he stopped. She offered another sheepish smile and blushed deeply. “Um…sorry,” she said honestly.

He grunted at her before pointing to a house on the outskirts of town. “We’re here.”

A Map of Paper

Starlight’s mouth opened in shock. She certainly knew of the old timer’s love and deep devotion to his family. It showed from the moment he began speaking of his dearly departed wife. The tears that brimmed his eyes were like film projectors into memories of days long gone by. Days of picnics by the lake, long walks through forested glades, and gentle nights by a beautifully burning fireplace. She saw his love for Marea, and the way that she had treated him. She didn’t have to know the pony…she could see that entire life’s work pulsating through the veins and emotions of the stallion in front of her.

But a trip to Manehattan to see his daughter and grand foals? She didn’t know how that was possible, not just due to the current lockdown situation, but because she didn’t believe her spells would be powerful enough to transport all five ponies there. She could do one or two, but that was simple. This was significantly more complex, and she became unnerved at the prospect of trying and failing. If she couldn’t get him to Manehattan…would he still want to be her friend?

“Um…well…” she stammered, “I just…don’t know.”

The grizzled one’s look turned distraught. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure if my magic’s strong enough to teleport everypony,” she confessed, “plus, Manehattan is in a pure lockdown right now. We’d have to dart in and out of alleys just like we do here.”

“I don’t care,” Smooth said, “I want to see my family. It’s been over a year, Starlight! I had planned to go see them next week, but then this whole virus thing hit. Please…please, promise me that you’ll at least try.”

The final words of the statement were barely above a whisper as he finally broke down, laying on the floor and letting out soft sobs of pain. Starlight realized that it was up to her, not just as a good Equestrian citizen, but as a former student of the very embodiment of friendship itself to try and make it work. Her loyalty to Twilight’s ideals demanded that she at least give it a good shot. If it didn’t work, it didn’t work. She just hoped that she wouldn’t be losing somepony’s trust were she to fail.

“Alright,” she said as she helped the older pony back to his hooves, “I’ll give it my all.”

He smiled as he wiped his tears away. “Thank you. You’ve no idea what this means to me. Even if we cannot make it, I shall always hold you in the highest regard.”

Starlight smiled back and blushed a bit. She used to love it when ponies told her that they would think of her among the very tops of their mental pedestals. Now that she had learned how to be humble and accept others instead of commanding them, she felt unworthy of the praise. But still, it felt good to know that she had made a new friend and that their friendship would last. She made a mental note to write to him on a regular basis when she returned to Ponyville.

“Well, thanks,” she said, “but first, may we look through your collection?”

“Please, help yourself,” he said.

It was thus that their search began. Rose Garden and Kite String were a little dark about just what they were looking for, but Starlight informed them that they were searching for anything that might point them to the truths they sought. Whether that was a deadly conspiracy, or just another random case of life turning into something evil, it didn’t matter. They needed to find something that might help them in their cause.

“Hey!” Kite suddenly squeaked as she flipped through a small stack of newer papers, “I think I found something!”

The others hurriedly trotted over and looked at the clipping that Kite held in her hooves. The headline was small, but rather noticeable: “New Pharmaceutical Organization Opens in Canterlot.” It certainly wasn’t front page news, but it might have been buried in the back pages for a reason. Starlight and Trixie looked at each other and thought that they might need to do a little digging into the backstory of this particular outfit.

“Oh, my Celestia!” Smooth Boulder suddenly exclaimed.

“What is it?” Starlight asked.

“The article says that this particular organization is known as The Ponies of Medical and Physical Expertise. PMPE. That’s the organizational stamp that’s on every single medication I take! They have serious pull in Equestria, and they’re governed by some of the best doctors and nurses the nation has to offer. They could stand to gain a LOT from all this…”

“Let’s not create our theories before they’ve formed,” Trixie quipped.

This earned her a confused look from Starlight, but the light purple pony just chalked it up to Trixie being Trixie and continued to think. The grizzled pony made a terrific point. PMPE could have created the virus in an effort to sell more medications to ponies and then, when the time was right, suddenly reveal that they’ve “invented” a cure for the sickness. In reality, they would have had it the entire time, but they would wait for enough ponies to become envenomed before telling the public everything. It would make them tons of money, protect all their medical licenses, and be a way for them to control the very lives of Equestrian citizens. That kind of power was difficult for the evilly inclined to pass up.

“Hm…I don’t know,” Starlight said, “it’s a plausible postulation, but I still want to check into things deeper. Perhaps-“

“FREEZE!” A deep voice suddenly shouted at them, “YOU’RE ALL UNDER ARREST!”

Everypony turned and saw their worst nightmare: a small dispatch of guards. There were ten or twelve of them, and they all had on the same hazmat suits as everypony else. They held spears towards the frightened group, who huddled together and tried to put up a front. But their efforts were futile and the guards dragged them away towards the Crystal Castle. They tried to get out. They bucked and howled for all they were worth, but it was no good. The guards were simply too strong, and the mares in the group had no experience in hoof-to-hoof combat. Smooth had some, but his time as a retired pony had thrown his body into physical regression.

“Where are you taking us?!” Came the frightened shriek of Kite String.

“Yes, where?!” Rose shouted, “also, if you lay a hoof on my daughter-“

“Oh, shut up, you callously pathetic hooligan!” The lead guard thundered, “we’re going to see Princess Cadance and she’ll decide what to do with you!”

In The Princess's Court

Starlight’s heart thudded right out of her chest. She swore that Shining Armor, at the head of the group, could hear every last beat. It seemed to echo off of the surrounding, boarded up structures, and the extra wood only accounted for more sound. Sweat poured from her head down her face, getting into her mask and obstructing her ability to smell correctly. Her breaths were rapid, and as they worsened, she began to feel faint. She suddenly wobbled and fell over, but was caught by one of the guards, who smacked her and viciously ordered her to keep moving.

“But, sir…I don’t feel well,” Starlight complained.

“I don’t care!” The guard barked, “you didn’t seem to mind when you put the entire Empire at risk! Now…MARCH!”

“I just don’t understand,” Starlight went on as she forced her hooves to take each painful step forward, “how…in the world…did you guys know we were here?”

“It’s simple, Starlight,” Shining Armor responded, “all of our guard stations have invisible magic auras surrounding them. These will alert me immediately if they are broken, and when you violated one to take the stamp, it caused my horn to go absolutely berserk. Since the magic ties include identifying the precise location of the offender, I was able to find you and your little posse rather quickly.”

Starlight growled to herself. How in the world had she not sensed the aura? She knew of her terrific abilities when it came to magic, and she also knew that she could tell if something had been placed inside one. Even if it was invisible to other ponies, the aura would appear to her clear as day. She was that perceptible in the realm of the mystic. Her mind racked through idea after idea as she attempted to deduce just how she had been unable to sense it.

“I just can’t come up with anything,” she said quietly.

Trixie, who was the only one within earshot, cocked her ears. “About what?” She asked.

“Why I couldn’t see or feel that aura. My magical abilities are such that invisible auras aren’t a problem. I’ve always been able to single them out. But I guess…something was blocking me from seeing it. It’s as if another barrier, one much stronger than the aura itself, was placed in my extrasensory field of vision. It’s so odd to think about, because that would require a magic powerful enough to break into my very thoughts and senses.”

Trixie put on a thoughtful look. “Maybe somepony hidden away didn’t want you to find out about the aura so you’d get arrested on purpose.”

Starlight nodded. She could definitely tell that someone did not want her digging around in the world of the virus. Horrifying thoughts flashed through her mind of a shadowy pony with cruel teeth and evil intentions hurrying through the darkest of nights. It seemed to be coming after her, but no matter how she tried to escape, she would always become ensnared within its awful embrace. Then the bites would come, and she saw blood drip from her neck. She felt as if she were dying the same death that a virus victim experienced, until she awoke from her daylight reverie and saw that they were entering the Crystal Castle.

It did not appear to be the beautiful and inviting abode that Starlight had previously experienced, but rather, it carried a mournful tone. As they entered and passed by the Crystal Heart, she noticed that it was dull and losing more of its love powered fuel every single second. It became apparent that The Crystal Ponies were incapable of properly loving each other since so many of them had become infected with the illness. She knew that, if the Heart shattered, the illness would be the least of their worries.

“Shining, haven’t you noticed the Heart?” She asked.

“Sh!” Shining commanded, “and from here on in, you’re to refer to me as Your Majesty. Understood?”

“But, Shining, we’re friends-“

“IS…THAT…UNDERSTOOD?”

Starlight quivered and nodded, unable to comprehend just why he was treating her so harshly. They’d always been welcomed with open hooves before, and she figured that they were still on the same level. Even though she was being arrested and dragged before Princess Cadance as a defendant, she still understood them to be the very best of friends. After all, had it not been herself and Twilight who had come to visit little Flurry in her hours of agony? Hadn’t they followed the rules explicitly, and been assured of their constant friendship?

Starlight couldn’t answer those questions positively, and she found herself being flung at the Princess’s hooves. She looked up into the face of a princess defeated, a mother in indescribable pain, and a friend betrayed. She could barely look at Cadance’s beautiful eyes, because they carried such a dull look. Their brightness had died, and it seemed that they had gone dark forever. Starlight knew that something was terribly wrong.

“Please, Princess…” She began.

“Silence,” Cadance said in a voice that spat hatred.

“But, Cadance-“

“I SAID TO SHUT UP!”

Cadance rose from her throne, and lightning flashed around the castle as she did so. She trotted down the steps and imposed herself upon Starlight, pouring all of her wrath into the look she gave. It was terrifying, and the light purple pony blubbered under her stern gaze. It was as if large steel hooks had been thrown directly into Starlight’s head and she could not stop bleeding. Her teeth chattered as she mentally begged Cadance to spare her life and the life of her friends.

“Please, Your Highness,” Rose Garden said softly, “we…we didn’t mean to.”

“Didn’t mean to what?!” Cadance thundered, “put all of the Crystal Empire at risk while you all just go out and flounder about in the streets?! While you play your stupid games of chance with your own life, you throw everypony else under the apple cart of misery and deprivation! Well, now you’re gonna experience what it’s like to have what I have!”

“Don’t tell me you have the sickness!” Starlight breathed, “that would be terrible!”

“Oh, so NOW you care about us!” Cadance screamed in a voice that would make the hounds of Tartarus stand at attention, “WELL, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING: WHILE YOU GOOF OFF OUTSIDE WITHOUT A CARE IN THE WORLD, MY DAUGHTER IS LYING IN A BOX WAITING TO BE BURIED! THAT’S RIGHT, FLURRY HEART IS DEAD!”

Get Out!

Starlight had never seen Cadance so filled with rage. Volcanoes seemed to explode within her constitution as she glared over the cowering subjects. Rivers of hatred flowed from somepony who once was famous for her love and affection. Memories of that same endearment flashed through Starlight’s mind, and she saw the myriad of times that the princess had showed kindness, compassion, and complete tranquility in the face of unending evil. She saw the times when fury of a more righteous nature had launched itself from the ruler’s pink eyes…but that was always to protect and defend innocent ponies. Now, it seemed that anger had turned malicious and, worse, had been pointed in their direction.

“Please, Princess-“ Smooth Boulder spoke up, but was quickly cut down.

“I know you,” Cadance said scornfully, “you’re that idiot who’s always protesting every single move I make to try and protect you. Do you seriously expect me to have mercy on somepony who has demonstrated such cowardice and treason?”

“Treason?!” Rose asked, “Princess Cadance, he’s done nothing treasonous! The Equestrian Constitution guarantees a pony the right to a peaceful protest if they feel something has gone wrong. He did NOTHING to harm anypony!”

Cadance slowly and hatefully made her way over to stare the mother straight in the eye. It appeared that “friendly distancing” didn’t matter as long as she was dealing out punishment. “You’ll all regret this day,” she said in a voice that Starlight didn’t recognize, nor did she wish to hear ever again, “now…get the hell out of my Empire.”

“But-“

“I SAID, GET THE HELL OUT!” Cadance roared as more lightning flashed around her, “YOU AND YOUR PUTRID DISEASE CAN JUST GET THE HELL OUT!”

With those words, the ponies ran from the palace, frightened for their very lives. At that point, Cadance seemed to be more of a killer than the virus ever was. Starlight understood that she was grieving her horrific loss, but Rose Garden made a very valid point. Smooth had not done anything to violate any law except the “friendly distancing” mandate, and even then, he always stood a respectable distance away from everypony; or, to be more accurate, ponies stood apart from him. All he was trying to do was voice his mind, a right which every single citizen of Equestria was guaranteed. Since The Crystal Empire fell under Equestrian rules, guidelines, and bylaws, Starlight was sure that Cadance would understand.

But it seemed that the mother’s grief had taken ahold of her mind, and she now ruled with an iron hoof. As they ran along towards the barrier separating the Empire from the rest of Equestria, Starlight noticed that more guards were being dispatched. She saw them drag ponies off the street, hurl them into their homes, and place a single sentry at the front door. She saw ponies who were sick, with even just a minor cough, forced into carts with iron bars to be taken off to the hospital. She saw guards threaten and intimidate the ponies who were still honestly running their businesses, forcing them to close and return home. In one single afternoon, it seemed that the love had dissipated from the Empire, and she knew that The Crystal Heart had been shattered.

“Mommy!” Kite String cried, scared at what was happening around her.

“Don’t worry, my little one,” Rose Garden assured, “we’ll make it out!”

The five ponies galloped as hard as they could, racing through the border and out of the Empire just before they closed the gates for good. But then, they heard the iron doors creak open again and a bright white pony chased after them. Starlight recognized the wavy blue mane and bright blue eyes. It was Shining Armor, and the last thing she wanted was to get caught by him. Even though Cadance had banished them, she knew that he could still do terrible things to them if ordered to do so by his wife. He was bound by solemn oath to follow her orders, even though he technically ruled on an equal level with her. His duties as Captain of the Guard would not be swayed.

“Starlight, wait!” Shining called.

Starlight slowed down when she realized that he had used her first name and had not spat at her as he had done before. She turned around and looked back just in time to take a mask’s worth of dirt as he skidded to a stop in front of her. Her friends, both new and old, also stopped. But when they saw their pursuer, they tried to turn and run again, only to be held up by Starlight’s magic. They turned back and quivered with fear.

“Please…don’t hurt us!” Kite String begged.

“Don’t worry, little one,” Shining said kindly, “I would never dream of harming any of you.”

He smiled at the mother and daughter, who both blushed deeply. Then, he turned back to Starlight. “I’m so sorry that Cadance reacted the way she did. I assure you that, as soon as this is past us, you will be welcome in the Empire once again.”

Starlight smiled. “Thanks, Shining Armor.”

“But I must warn you,” he said as his voice took a turn for the more serious, “if you’re digging into this…do not dig a hole that you cannot get out of.”

His look was somewhere between the dutiful respect of a leader and the harshness of a disciplining father. It became clear that he was conducting his own investigation into what the virus was and where it had come from, and he was trying to tell them not to drown in their own mystery. If they went much further, things could get dangerously out of hoof. They might become hurt, trapped, or entangled in mazes which they could not escape. The labyrinthine road to truth, at least in that moment, seemed impossible to navigate. Perhaps Shining was trying to be a good friend and tell them to leave the game while they still could.

But Starlight was not one to give up so easily. “I’ll be sure of that,” she said, “but you can be sure that I won’t quit until I find out the truth.”

“I am certain of that, my dear friend,” Shining replied, “if there’s anypony in Equestria who could do this, it’s you. But listen to me, Starlight. What Cadance told you of our little Flurry Heart? I don’t believe that it’s true.”

“You mean…Flurry’s alive?”

“I think she is,” Shining said, “I just haven’t been able to find her for a few days. I’ve searched all throughout the castle and the town, but I don’t know where she could be. I think that Cadance foalnapped her and hid her, but I don’t have the evidence to accuse her yet. I’m still looking.”

Starlight looked at the ground and then back at Shining Armor. Could this really be true? Could Cadance have taken her own daughter and hid her in order to justify a complete and utter lockdown of her kingdom? Worse, could Cadance be…the virus’s origin?

Starlight's Old Village

The five ponies bade farewell to Shining Armor, who galloped off back towards his Empire. Starlight still had this terrible idea on her mind that Cadance might be evil and that her reactions to their intrusion into the town were all completely fabricated. Flurry Heart might still be alive, which, if it were true, was the most wonderful news she had heard in quite some time. But still, if Cadance wasn’t evil and Shining Armor’s theory was incorrect, then that would mean that somepony else had procured Flurry’s body by hook or by crook. She wondered who would do something like that, but then realized that those kinds of questions needed to be answered after she unraveled this mystery.

“Alright,” she said as she turned to head east, “let’s go.”

“Go where, Star?” Trixie asked, “I mean…that’s not the way back to Ponyville. The Orientated and Knowledgeable TRRRRRRRIXIE knows that!”

“Is she gonna do that all the time?” Kite String asked.

“Yes,” Starlight said in sheer defeat, “yes, she is. But, listen everypony. I know that the way back to our hometown of Ponyville is south of here, but I feel a need to return somewhere I know very well. There might be someone there who can help us. Come on!”

She began galloping at a full tilt in that direction, and the others followed in confused excitement. It was thrilling to think that they might be going to explore a new place and converse with other ponies. It was adventurous and somewhat daring, and more than a few of them began to think of the theme to a very popular series of movies about Daring Do. The musical strains wafted through their minds like beautiful aromas of heroism and cunning. They felt a certain sense of bravery begin flooding their bodies, and they galloped even faster. Some of them even passed Starlight, and she had to patiently call them back as they had no idea where they were going.

For two straight hours, they galloped along. Their hooves became sore and cracked as the sharp stones of the barren earth made themselves known. It took a toll on everypony, but none more than little Kite String, who had never gone that far in such a short amount of time. So it happened that she began to yelp in pain and her mother had to toss her onto her back and carry her. Kite grabbed onto Rose’s mane with her teeth and held on for dear life as the train of thundering hooves and flying tails raced along through the Celestia forsaken parts of northern Equestria.

Finally, they turned around a large rock and there, just down the hill, was the village that Starlight had dictated once before. She skidded to a stop, and the others managed to follow suit. She raised a tentative hoof and took a few moments to examine the town. She noticed, with a small sense of pride, that it had grown. No longer was it the two simple rows of cottages that looked exactly the same. There were many more, and they flooded the landscape. They all had their own individual personality and charm, and it reminded her a lot of being in Ponyville. She also noted the school, bank, and town hall that had been erected.

She smiled. I’m so proud of you, she thought, it seems you’ve taken your new freedom to heart. I’m only sorry that I was such an awful leader…

“What are we doing here?” Trixie asked, “are you trying to take over again?”

“Of course not, Trix!” Starlight snapped, “we’re here to see a pony who was smarter than all the other ponies in Equestria put together. He was even more of a brainiac than Twilight! Unfortunately, when I took over this town and forced the removal of all the cutie marks in sight, I also took away his intelligence. He became a shell of his former self. But he was still the only pony with any experience in medicine, so he became our de facto town doctor. Now, his true sense of keen insight might help us in our quest.”

“Might is a very strong word,” Trixie warned, “what if he can’t help us?”

“Then we’ll just have to find somepony who can!” Starlight responded, “but if I know him, I know that he’s studying this viral strain with every last second he can spare.”

With that, she led the ponies into the town. To her shock and happy surprise, it was teeming with life! There were ponies everywhere, and it seemed that whoever was leading the hamlet was doing an excellent job. She saw restaurants and shops and marketplaces. She even saw a dress boutique that was selling Rarity’s fashions. Her mouth continued to drop open as her smile abounded. Once again, that small sense of town pride welled up inside of her, and she forced herself not to let out a small trill of delight. Not only was the town buzzing, but there didn’t seem to be any sign of the terrible virus!

“Wow…” She breathed, “this is amazing!”

“Yeah!” Kite String squeaked, “but…it’s smaller than the Empire’s town was.”

“Oh, that doesn’t matter, Kite,” Starlight said, “what matters is that they’ve managed to build it up beautifully. I’m so happy for them!”

“Uh…Star?” Trixie asked, “aren’t we here to see somepony?”

“Yes, Trixie,” Starlight said in exasperation, “but at least give me thirty seconds to admire what they’ve done here! I mean, they’ve risen from the ashes that I led them into and managed to craft something for themselves. It’s absolutely stupendous!”

“Hello, Starlight!” A familiar voice suddenly broke in.

Starlight turned and her smile became wider than ever as she recognized her old friend, Party Favor. She noted that he was wearing a top hat and a cape, and she deduced that he must have been elected to some important office. “Party Favor!” She said as the two embraced, “oh, it’s so wonderful to see you!”

“It’s great to see you too, Starlight,” the stallion responded, “and I see you’ve brought some friends with you.”

“Oh, yes,” she said, “I think you remember Trixie from the last time I was here, and these are my new friends Rose Garden, Kite String, and Smooth Boulder. They’re from The Crystal Empire.”

Party’s face fell. “The Crystal Empire?” He asked, and then went on when Starlight nodded, “are they…free of the virus?”

“Don’t worry,” Smooth responded for them, “we’re all as healthy as horses!”

“Yep, Smooth’s right,” Starlight said, “they’re clean.”

“Good,” Party said, “because we haven’t had a sniff of the sickness come through here. Perhaps it’s because we’re so utterly isolated from the rest of Equestria. Either that, or we’ve stumbled upon some kind of dumb luck. As the mayor of the town, I feel that it is my duty to protect everypony, so I grill all of our visitors about their origins and their business here. We also ask that ponies who visit us get tested and remain in quarantine until their results come back. This way, we've been able to continue business as usual while still keeping an eye out for the virus. ”

“Party,” Starlight said, “we’re investigating the illness. We picked up some clues while we were in the Empire, but then Cadance threw us out.”

“Cadance? The Princess of Love?”

“The same,” Starlight responded to the shocked stallion, “and I believe that Clean Bill can help us.”

Party Favor sighed, and Starlight detected a note of nervousness in his eyes. “You…wanna see…Clean Bill?”

“Yes,” Starlight said.

“Alright,” Party responded, “but I have to warn you, he’s not the same pony he once was. Follow me, and I’ll take you to him.”

Clean Bill

Party Favor led everypony through the village and down one of the new side streets. As they trotted along, Starlight was able to get a very good look at what had become of the ponies whose lives she had attempted to destroy. She saw familiar faces living happily and with their own cutie marks intact. Some of them had families of their own, and small foals played joyously at their parents’ hooves. Others owned businesses and conducted them with all of the talent and individuality she had tried to take from them. Each new sight was both an uplifting experience and a dagger to her soul. She remembered how her former socialistic and fascistic tendencies, along with a complete rejection of friendship had led to a town where everyone truly was the exact same.

How mundane things must have been for them, she thought sadly, and…I caused it. What the hell was I thinking coming back here?! Now all I wanna do is run away! I mean, to see their lives now and to know just how egregiously erroneous of a leader I was…it’s…almost…too much to take!

She stopped and shook some tears away. Trixie and Rose Garden helped hold her up and encouraged her with their smiles. She realized that she should be happy for everypony and not beat herself up for her past misdeeds. They were buried back there, along with her old life, and now she had a new penchant for loving and caring for her fellow pony. She had learned how to love her cutie mark again, and in so doing, had acquired a new appreciation for the different talents around her. She suddenly saw everyone in a new light, and became excited that so much had changed since she left.

She suddenly saw Party’s hooves stop in front of an old, dilapidated structure. She looked on in shock. Surely, this wasn’t Clean Bill’s residence?! It just couldn’t be! The walls were cracked and looked ready to crumble at a moment’s notice. The pillars on the front porch had undergone a severe weathering, and the slats beneath them were bent and broken. The windows had all been smashed, though it appeared that the incidents happened some time before. The roof sagged, and Starlight noticed water dripping from it. Vines grew over the outer siding, and some of that appeared to have been burned off in a small fire.

“No…” Starlight said, “…he was always so neat and organized!”

“That was before he went insane,” Party said, confirming Starlight’s fear that this was the old doctor’s place of living. “We had to exile him from the village, because he was threatening to do experiments on foals.”

Starlight’s mouth dropped to the ground. “But…he was such a nice pony! I remember him giving me shelter for a few days when I first arrived. True, I might have taken his cutie mark, along with a lot of his intelligence, but it was returned to him! He should have gone back to the way he was! How can somepony so kind, charming, and benevolent go so wrong?”

Party Favor shook his head. He was at a loss to explain just why the aged stallion had bats in his mental belfry. It seemed impossible to justify, yet it had happened right in front of him. He remembered the very day that one of their town’s most respected citizens and newest fathers, Double Diamond, came to him with a complaint that Clean Bill had offered him 500 bits to use his daughter to test some kind of new serum. The only issue was that, had the serum failed, the young filly would have died instantly. Naturally, Double had refused and Clean Bill had run about the town screaming, breaking things, and causing a general ruckus. Party and the other ponies had no choice but to throw him out and put him here. That was the crime, but the reasoning for it was beyond Party’s comprehension.

“You’ll have to ask him yourself, I’m afraid,” he said, “now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be getting back to the town hall. I’m due at a meeting in five minutes. But, it was wonderful to see you again, Starlight, and please know that you’re welcome here anytime.”

“Of course,” she responded, “and it was great to see you, too!”

Party Favor waved farewell and trotted off to his meeting, leaving the five investigators standing there dumbfounded as to what to do next. The rotting excuse for a building didn’t have any kind of doorbell, nor did it even have a front door! It was simply a wooden frame in the wall, surrounded by weeds that grew up through the floorboards. They stepped carefully, and Kite String rode on her mother’s back. They managed to pick their way through the foyer and into something of a kitchen, where more dirt and grime met their eyes. A foul stench wafted into their noses as well.

“PU!” Kite String said, “Mommy, this place stinks!”

“You aren’t wrong, my little one,” Rose responded, “but let’s try to keep things quiet until we find Dr. Clean Bill.”

“Who are you?!” A new voice barked sharply, “what do you want?!”

Starlight turned and smiled as she recognized the brown stallion in front of them. His mane had grown long and tangled, and his beard drooped towards the floor, but there was no doubt of his identity. Even though he might have gone insane, she still saw a glimmer of kindness in his eyes. She trotted over to him and shook his hoof gladly.

“Dr. Clean Bill!” She exclaimed, “it’s wonderful to see you!”

“Who the hell are you?” The old stallion replied, “how do you know my name?! Oh, my dear Celestia, they’ve come to drag me off to the asylum, haven’t they?”

“Oh, no, no, no!” Starlight said, “we’re friendly ponies! I’m Starlight Glimmer, remember?”

“Oh, yeah…the bitch that took my cutie mark.”

Starlight blushed as she saw Rose begin lecturing Kite on the “naughty” word that he’d used. “Um…yes, I did do that. But I’ve changed completely! I work for friendship now, and I’m a personal compatriot of Her Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

“Eh?” The old pony asked, “these ears ain’t what they used to be, ya know. Speak up!”

“I SAID THAT I’M A FRIEND OF PRINCESS TWILIGHT’S!” Starlight shouted.

“Oh, alright, alright, I’m not deaf!” Clean exclaimed, “I’m just a little rough around the old auditory canals. But I’m still sharp as a tack!”

Starlight looked around them, then raised a curious eyebrow. She wondered just how much truth there was in his statement, but he didn’t give her time to ask. He barked at them to follow him, as he was working on something “secret” in his laboratory and wanted to show them. Starlight was a bit trepidatious at the thought of his crazed old pony having a lab of any kind, but then she cleared the cobwebs and focused on her mission. Clean Bill might have some valuable insights into the world of the virus, ones that not even the Equestrian medical officials did. She remembered that he was always into the realm of the bizarre. His intelligence and curiosity for the unendingly strange was never quenched, and she hoped that this was still the case. His ideas could help them save Equestria.

Laboratories of the Supposedly Insane

Clean Bill led everypony down some rickety stairs and through a large, thick metal door. Once inside, he clapped his hooves and everything roared to life! There were dozens of beakers, test tubes, wires, and all manner of liquids and solids running rampant throughout them. There was some purple juice running into a soft, blue sponge that looked awfully like cake. There was a yellowish liquid dripping into an empty beaker with a white circle drawn around a particular measurement. There were computers and screens everywhere, and all of them seemed to speak Clean Bill’s language. He would ask them to do something, and they would respond instantly.

It became apparent that he was not as insane as the ponies of the town would have everyone else believe. In fact, he was something of a genius! Underneath that ratty old structure, he had constructed a laboratory that would rival anything that a top university could offer. There were thousands of bits worth of material, all buzzing and beeping away. What was more impressive was the automation of it all. He didn’t even have to lift a hoof, and something new would begin dripping or swirling or mixing. Of course, he knew what it all was, but to his guests it was a wonderland filled to the brim with gizmos and gadgets that looked both dangerous and fun.

“Welcome to my haven of relaxation,” Clean said, “I hope you find it as interesting as I do.”

“Clean, how in the world did you get all of this?” Starlight asked, “I remember, back when I ruled here, all you had was a ramshackle test tube and your mind. I mean…this is…amazing!”

Clean Bill smiled. He thoroughly enjoyed how much she admired his work. As much as everyone else thought he was crazy, he was actually a very friendly pony, and an ardent supporter of Princess Twilight. When she came through the village and drove Starlight out, he considered it a major victory for everypony. Now, to see his old dictator transformed into somepony so caring and encouraging was almost too much for the veteran of life, and he wiped a small tear from his eye. She had never complimented him before, but he figured that the old utterance of “better late than never” applied perfectly.

“Thank you, Starlight,” he said simply, “that means more than you know. But, we do not have time to stand here and gaze about. I have important things to show you!”

He waved a hoof, and they followed him through the endless maze of ongoing scientific advancements, and through another metal doorway. In this room sat a projector, a screen, and fifteen or sixteen small seats. They all faced the viewing portal in perfect symmetry, and everypony was rather impressed by this. More and more of the villagers’ misconceptions about Clean Bill were unraveling before their very eyes. They expected to find a half-deranged lunatic foaming at the mouth and mumbling about some apocalyptic prophecy. Instead, they found somepony who was rough around the edges, but held a composed and constructive view of society.

“This is my projection room,” Clean said, “though, that might be painfully obvious.”

“Yeah…it was,” Trixie said dryly, earning a sharp foreleg from Starlight.

“Don’t mind her,” Starlight said, “she can be a little…nippy when she hasn’t had breakfast.”

“Or lunch, or dinner!” Trixie complained.

Starlight gave her a look of warning before turning back to Clean. “Please, continue.”

“Thank you,” Clean said, “I built this to show the residents of the town my experiments and the wonders of a life devoted to studying both science and magic. But…”

“But what, Mr. Clean?” Kite asked.

“Nopony has ever wanted to come out and see them. The rumors of my eccentricity and insanity have permeated the town’s thick atmosphere, and…and nopony likes me anymore.”

Starlight saw pain shoot through his eyes as he said those terrible words. She realized just how lonely the older stallion must have felt. She looked and saw sympathy draw its picture on Smooth Boulder’s canvas as well, and she knew that the two had a lot in common. Both had been ostracized by their fellow pony, both had been branded insane and fit for cells in any asylum, and both had once known the sweet embrace of a friend. She gulped as she felt her own tears begin stinging her eyelids, and she stepped forward and hugged the old scientist.

“I still like you,” she whispered honestly.

“Thank you, Starlight,” he said as she backed away, “but, enough of my troubles. There are slides I need you to see!”

With those words, he retreated behind the projector and everypony settled into their seats. They found them to be surprisingly comfortable, and Kite String felt like she was floating on a big, puffy cloud with the world about to be revealed to her. Her small orange eyes burst forth with curiosity and inquisitiveness, something which her mother took note of. She had received these elements of her personality from her father, and it only made Rose miss her husband even more. She suddenly bent down and nuzzled her daughter.

“I see you like the big screen, don’t you, Kite?”

“I do!” Kite said in wonder, “it looks like they could show a movie about all of Equestria at once!”

Rose chuckled and sat back just in time for Clean Bill to start the presentation.

“Here we go!” He announced before showing the first slide. It was a picture of a blue blob with tons of straight red spikes coming out of it. “This, my friends, is a picture of the hoof virus.”

“The what, now?” Trixie asked.

“The hoof virus, or PONID-18. It’s a strain of pony flu that deposits itself within the caves surrounding the very mouth of Tartarus itself. It is said to originate from the…various bodily deposits of the bats that live there, although no scientist in Equestrian history has been able to confirm this.”

“But…I thought that the virus was PONID-19,” Kite said questioningly, “what does PONID-18 have to do with it?”

“Ah, an excellent question, young one,” Clean said approvingly, “PONID-18 is the original virus. The next slide will show you…PONID-19 in its purest form.”

The next picture caused them all to recoil in shock! The same blue ball and spikes greeted their eyes, but there was something so different about this germ. Oh, it certainly looked just as frightening, but its personality had been altered.

“The…spikes…are…bent!” Starlight exclaimed.

A Potential Answer

Clean Bill smirked. So Starlight had not lost her intense power of perception, after all. The spikes on this particular spore were indeed askew. When the picture was blown up, it became incredibly noticeable, and everypony gasped at just how badly awkward the forms were. They jutted up from their blue base, and then curled and whipped their way through jagged turns in order to reach their peak. The summits were bent as well, with tiny tails curling away into the thin atmosphere of nothingness that surrounded the germ.

“You’re absolutely right, my dear Starlight,” the scientist said, “they’re bent, which means they’ve been tampered with magically.”

“But why would somepony want to mess with something so terrible?” Kite String asked.

“Power and control, my little filly,” Clean said matter-of-factly, “although I do not know the villain whom has taken it upon themselves to mass produce something like this, I do know the reasons behind it. They are silent in the shadows, watching and waiting for the right moment to pounce. When all of Equestria has this terrible illness, when everything is at its peak, and perhaps even Celestia and Luna have succumbed…then, they shall strike. I’m just sure of it. This is no natural disease, it is one of magic.

Years ago, even before Starlight came to rule our village, I knew a love unlike any other. Her name was Rosy Cheeks, and she was the most amazing mare I’ve ever met. We did everything together, and shared a curiosity for the scientific and magical that was completely unquenchable. We thirsted for knowledge, and it was that thirst that killed her. Somehow, she contracted the current strain of the disease, and she was gone within three weeks’ time. It was…the most awful, painful, terrifying experience of my entire life.”

Starlight saw the old pony wipe a tear from his eye, and she had to force herself to keep the tears in. She remembered him mentioning Rosy when she first came to the village, but her quest to hurt other ponies kept her from finding out more about the situation. Her cheeks burned as she realized that her purposeful ignorance probably dashed Clean’s heart. She had faked being his friend in order to perpetuate her own rise to power, and she’d never forgiven herself for the way she treated him. Now, the old demons made themselves known again, and she gritted her teeth in anguish.

“Starlight,” Clean Bill said kindly, noticing the pony’s pain, “are you alright?”

“I just…can’t believe I didn’t take the time to get to know you better when I was first here. You mentioned Rosy on multiple occasions, but I would always interrupt you or cause you to lose your train of thought. I was a worthless excuse for a pony…”

“I forgave you for everything a long time ago,” the doctor said, “now, you just need to forgive yourself.”

Starlight’s eyes opened wide as she realized that he was absolutely right. The strains of harmony had been plucked on the harp of her life, and the musician weaving the beautiful melody was Twilight Sparkle. Now, she just needed to take that tune and spread it throughout this small rough patch of her past life. She smiled and instantly felt warm inside all over again as her mind allowed itself to break free of the mistakes she had made. She turned and nodded at Clean Bill, silently proclaiming that she had managed to forgive herself and return to the ways that Twilight had taught her.

“Good,” he said, “now, as I was saying, Rosy did crystallize from the inside out. One day, when I went to check on her, she was nothing more than a statue! It must be an awful way to go. From what I’m told of the ponies who’ve watched this death occur, the victim freezes until there’s nothing left.”

Starlight’s mind filled with images of the ponies she loved and held dear, lying in bed without any hope of warmth or relief until their bodies crystallized. The dark magic that lay within each spore of this dreadful disease carried notes of death until it became a symphony of devastation. She smelled the foul odor of a terrible conspiracy, and she knew that she would not rest until she figured out which of Equestria’s enemies had taken themselves to the task of creating this biological and magical weapon. It violated the general consciousness of the population, which always tended to lean towards friendship and care. It had to have been one of their most dangerous foes…but who?

Tirek, Cozy, and Chrysalis are the main suspects, she reasoned, Discord’s a good guy now…or…is he? No, no, he is. Plus, he wouldn’t have the power to think logically and make a disease such as this. He’s more into creating chaotic fun with his friends now. But who? Tirek wouldn’t have the power to control his magic long enough. Plus, he’s weak without usurping the auras of other creatures. Cozy’s much too small and wouldn’t have the intelligence to pull it off, not to mention she’s a Pegasus pony so she doesn’t have any magic flowing through her. That leaves Queen Chrysalis…but she feeds on the love that ponies share with each other, so wouldn’t she want to keep them alive?

She racked her mind, but could not come up with an explanation. Then, a lightbulb went off. She knew exactly who might hold the answers they sought, and it had been right in front of her nose all the time. At first, she had not wanted to get royalty involved, but now that Clean Bill had explained the virus and just how bad it was, it became time to bring the message to Princess Celestia herself. In Canterlot, Starlight and the others might just find the answers they were looking for.

So, she told the others and they bade farewell to Clean Bill and Starlight’s old village. He wished them luck, and gave Starlight a special pendant to keep in honor of their newfound friendship. She smiled and kissed his cheek before they left on the train bound for the royal capital. This is it! Starlight thought as the train bounced along its tracks, soon, friendly distancing and this whole virus will be obliterated! Once we tell Celestia of the true nature of the sickness, then she’ll know what to do! We’ll soon be free to be ourselves once again!

The Betrayal

Starlight and her friends raced into Canterlot’s castle, determined to see Princess Celestia and clear everything up once and for all. The former dictator felt her mane abound in waves behind her, and she truly began to put herself in Twilight’s position. She imagined The Princess of Friendship coming into the throne room with questions and problems that only Celestia could help her with. Only now, Starlight was the one with the query, and she felt that she had assembled an excellent team of heroes that could help save Equestria. All they needed was a push in the right direction, and Celestia could give them that push.

They blew past the surprised guards and hurled themselves down at the hooves of a very surprised ruler. The white princess looked each of them over, but smiled. Even though, technically, they had broken her orders to remain sheltered and away from other ponies, it was good to see some of them. The ones she did not know, she still treated with the utmost care and respect, as she did everypony.

“Welcome, Starlight Glimmer,” she said kindly, “and Trixie as well. I see you’ve brought some new friends to see me.”

“Yes, Princess!” Starlight said as she panted, “this is Rose Garden, her daughter Kite String, and our friend Smooth Boulder.”

“I’m delighted to meet all of you,” Celestia said, “but I must ask…why have you come to see me when I did not call for you? You know that it’s against the law to be out and about with this terrible virus running rampant.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, and please forgive us,” Starlight said, “but we had to know of the truth, and we’ve found it. Princess…this virus is not natural!”

Celestia’s look turned surprised, and she leaned forward on her throne. Her ears pricked up, as if standing at attention to receive Starlight’s words. Her eyes became wider and her irises seemed to grow in size. She was physically imposing enough as it was, but as she bent her head over and nodded in encouragement, Starlight felt like she was as tall as the sky itself. Her rainbow mane seemed to flow faster than before, and the sparkles that dwelt within seemed to multiply rapidly.

“Go on, my little pony,” the princess said.

So Starlight told Celestia the entire story, from the moment she and Trixie had left Ponyville, up until their visit with Clean Bill. Every passing second was like an anguished hour to the reformed pony, and she felt sweat bead up on her forehead and down her back. Like a clammy judge whacking his gavel on the block of her very existence, it spoke of her own fear. She still was not sure if Celestia would punish them for their investigation. Would she put them into prison? Would she harm them?

“…and that’s it, Princess,” Starlight finished, “the virus was small and only existed around the gates of Tartarus until somepony tampered with it and infected little Flurry Heart on purpose!”

Celestia’s look became mournful, and she got up from her throne and trotted over to the stained glass window that represented the birth of Flurry Heart. In it, Cadance was portrayed as bringing forth the very light that would shine all throughout Equestria. The baby princess was at the center of the glow, and everypony around looked with awe and wonder. It had been commissioned right after Flurry’s crystalling, but now it seemed that the young pony might be crystallized. Starlight still wasn’t sure if Flurry was really dead or not, and the fact that they’d received no news from Shining Armor made her worry all the worse.

“Princess…I’m…I’m so sorry,” Starlight said.

“No, my friend,” Celestia said, “there is nothing for you to be sorry about. You have done Equestria a great service with your actions, and I commend you for them.”

She turned and trotted over to Starlight, bending down to nuzzle at her and assure her that she was being praised. “I don’t believe I’ve ever met somepony who is as determined or tenacious as you, Starlight. Perhaps not even my own Twilight Sparkle!”

“Oh, Princess,” Starlight said as her face turned a deep crimson, “I was just doing what I felt was right.”

“That is all I’ve ever asked of anypony,” Celestia said, “and now, you have given me vital information that could lead to the eradication of this accursed infliction! You and your friends will be hailed as heroes, and I shall make sure that your names are written in all of the books of Equestrian history.”

“Well, thank you, Your Majesty,” Starlight said, “but…I don’t think we deserve any kind of special recognition. All we’re trying to do is help everypony.”

“Yes,” Celestia said, “you’ve certainly done that. My dear Starlight, your little group has gone beyond the call of duty, and I am very proud to receive every last bit of information you have to offer. Everything you tell me shall be crucial to my science team in attempting to reign in the disease. Rest assured, you have my full cooperation…and my thanks.”

Starlight smiled as Celestia’s warm words draped down upon her. She felt as if she were floating on clouds of compliments with the sun of the princess’s love warming her from the top of her head to the tip of her tail. Her reverie was amazingly euphoric, and she felt heroic for the first time in her life. Perhaps she and her friends did deserve the heap of praise that Celestia was tossing upon them. Perhaps they truly had solved this crisis and Equestria would be free once again.

She was enjoying herself very much…until a magic beam from behind caused her to crumple to the floor in terrible agony. She screamed as pain shot through her like millions of tiny bullets, and she felt the contents of her stomach begin to stir awfully. She couldn’t hold herself back and vomited at the hooves of Celestia. She panted heavily after the discharge, and looked behind her to see…Trixie, with her horn pointed downward and giving off a bit of magic smoke.

"You...shot me!" Starlight gasped.

Trixie laughed evilly. "Yes, I did, Starlight, and now you have PONID-19!"

"No...no...NO!" Starlight yelped.

Then she turned back to see Celestia smiling wickedly with a rope in her magical possession. The princess tied Starlight up and then yelled for her guards to arrest the other ponies. Starlight could only watch in helpless pain as her friends were dragged away to some unknown fate. Then, she was hurled onto her hooves and forced to march out of the throne room and down the hall to Celestia's chambers.

The Villain

“You…monster!” Starlight coughed as she was hurled upon a metal table in Celestia’s room. The guards strapped her down and then bowed to their commander as they hurried off, presumably to arrest other ponies. Celestia, on the other hoof, towered over Starlight. Her evil smile gleamed in the light, and fire seemed to shoot from her mane. But this was no Daybreaker. It seemed to be the true Princess of the Sun, which made Starlight all the more concerned. If Celestia had not turned into Daybreaker, then there was no telling how evil she might become! Either that, or…

“You’re a Changeling!” Starlight gasped.

“EAGH!” Celestia shouted, emulating the sound of a buzzer, “wrong! But we do have a lovely consolation prize of death with a one-way trip beneath the ground!”

“How do I know you aren’t a Changeling?!”

Celestia sneered. “Because, ‘Dim Light Glimmer,’ the Changelings have all accepted and embraced harmony. They were transformed by that goody two-horseshoes former student of mine! That, and I would be able to answer any query you might have that only the real Celestia would know the answer to. Go ahead, ask me anything.”

Starlight thought long and hard, which wasn’t an easy task considering the fact that her blood was solidifying. The question would have to be one where the answer was easily accessible to both herself and Celestia. It would also have to be so hard that any type of evil Changeling would rid themselves of a disguise in frustration. Her eyes twitched as she racked her rapidly deflating mind for some kind of inquiry. Then, she suddenly found it.

“Alright,” she said weakly, “what’s…Twilight’s favorite book?”

Celestia’s sneer grew even more wicked. “That’s easy: Mystic Mare and The Secret of The Cave. Try again?”

Starlight’s shocked look was tempered only by her need for relief from the stabbing pain coursing through her. This was definitely not a Changeling. Their beloved Celestia had turned inside out, and it seemed that some eternally negative and vastly antonymic version of herself had taken over. The old Celestia was kind, warm, generous, and benevolent. This Celestia was cruel, cold, selfish, and calculating. Her own cunning defined her eyes, which now flashed a very deep red. Her teeth seemed to sharpen themselves, and for a moment, Starlight became fearful that she might bite her.

Celestia’s golden crown gleamed and her rainbow tinged mane flowed faster than it ever had before. But the normally comforting sight was now one of complete fear, and the sickly mare tried to escape. She pulled and pulled at her metallic bonds, but none of them ever gave way. She was simply too weak to continue onward, and so she acquiesced to their tightness. She lay her head back and prayed that Celestia would show her some mercy and kill her before the disease could.

“Please…” she said, “…kill me. I can’t take the pain…”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Celestia cackled, “why in the hell would I kill you, when I can have so much more fun watching you slowly harden alive! Oh, yes, it might take a few days, but the reward will be WORTH IT!”

“Why?” Starlight asked, “why are you doing this to everypony? You used to be so wonderful…”

Celestia’s look turned sour with disgust and she slowly made her way over to a window. “Fine, I’ll tell you,” she said, “you know…I used to love everyone. I used to care about this job and about Equestria and about the future. But…I just decided…I don’t anymore! When Luna was banished to the moon, I got to rule Equestria all by myself! It was such great fun! Oh yeah, I’ll tell her and everyone else that I hated it, but that’s not the case. I loved every single glorious second of it!

Ponies came to ME for advice on everything, I got to make EVERY SINGLE LAW, and all the cake at royal events was MINE! But, the icing that sat on top of this particularly delicious pastry of subtle dictatorial totalitarianism was that I got to patrol ponies’ dreams.”

“I didn’t know you did that!”

“That’s because I never told anypony. I siphoned away Luna’s dream magic, and used it to play my own little game. I saw everyone’s hopes, painted against a beautiful landscape of hope and joy. Then, I realized…I hated them. I hated these hopes. I hated these dreams. Because, if ponies are free to accomplish what they want to do with their lives, that means I’ve completely lost control of them. I wouldn’t be dictating their destinies; I’d be playing the role of out-of-touch ruler!

All I could think of were rebellions and uprisings, and I couldn’t have that. So, I faked a love that lasted for over a thousand years. That love caused me to become involved in so many lives, guiding so many hooves, and ensuring that they would forever do homage to me! While this was happening, I secretly paid a team of magical scientists to create a virus unlike any other! They sold the lives of everypony in Equestria for a meager sum! I couldn’t believe how easy it was to sway them! Then, I met a little blue unicorn-“

“-ME!” A new voice suddenly said.

Starlight turned to see the traitor herself trounce into the room as if nothing bad had happened. She was wearing a gold chain with Celestia’s crest on it, along with a small robe. Her smile was one of cockiness and complete victory, and she spat on Starlight.

“Trixie, what have I told you about interrupting me?!” Celestia asked sharply.

“A million apologies, my liege,” Trixie said, “but I came in at the most exciting part of the story.”

Celestia rolled her eyes and continued. “Yes, I met Trixie. At first, she was completely useless. But then I managed to think of a role she could play in my grand scheme. She would go around Equestria, putting on fake magic shows and posing as a nuisance. That added an extra layer of protection against the virus development program. Once everything was completed, I simply asked Cadance for permission to infect Flurry Heart. When that bastard Shining Armor began digging around into our affairs, Cadance hid Flurry.”

Starlight felt tears begin dripping down her face. “How? How could you have infected YOUR OWN NIECE?!”

“Oh, shut up, bitch!” Trixie said, smacking Starlight with a well-placed hoof.

“Thank you, Trixie,” Celestia said, “as for your rude question, Starlight, my reasoning was simple: Flurry Heart is beloved throughout the kingdom. She is a kind and sweet little filly. Her father has taught her well. But her mother…oh, her mother LOVES power and money, and I promised her lots of it if she allowed her daughter to become ‘accidentally’ infected with the disease. Once Flurry began showing symptoms, we simply took her around the Crystal Empire and exposed her to everyone. We also had a mole in the town, who ‘escaped’ and took the disease to Manehattan and beyond!”

Starlight managed a growl. “So…you wanted to harm ponies and their dreams, hm? You wanted to take away individual liberty?”

Celestia and Trixie both nodded.

“You infected a nation…and maybe even the world…just so you could have more?”

“Oh, we’ve done more than that,” Trixie said wickedly, “the world is only beginning to feel the effects of our plans.”

Meanwhile...in Canterlot's Dungeon

The fate of the other members of Starlight’s group was decided via a swift dose of palace guard violence. They were each beaten badly and hurled into a dungeon and told to rot. Little Kite String took everything the worst, and her mother desperately tried to dress and clean her wounds. She cared nothing for her own painful cuts and bruises, but only for her beloved daughter. Smooth helped as best as he could, remembering his old war training for helping to heal the sick and injured. But alas, they were not doctors or medical staff, and they could only manage to stop the bleeding. The pain wore on, and Rose couldn’t bear to hear her daughter’s moans and cries of agony.

“Don’t worry, my darling filly, I’m here,” she said in a voice that attempted to be as reassuring as possible, but in the end, broke down and shook with sadness.

“I know…Mommy,” Kite said, “but…everything hurts!”

“I know, I know, sh…” Rose said as she gathered her daughter up into her embrace and cradled her close, “it’s all gonna be okay.”

“Like hell it’s gonna be okay!” Smooth suddenly exclaimed.

“Smooth Boulder!” Rose said sharply, “I would ask that you refrain from using such language around my daughter!”

Smooth sighed. “I’m sorry, Rose. Old war habits, you know. But all the same, I fail to see how we’re gonna find a way out of this. Celestia was obviously the one who invented the virus, so there’s gonna be no help from her, and we can’t get any help from anypony else! I mean…we’re as doomed as my platoon was when we got caught in that forest during the Battle of Everfree!”

“You fought in that battle?” Rose asked, remembering when she was a filly and the textbooks hailed the heroism and bravery of those who served.

Smooth nodded. “Yep, I sure did. It was the most terrifying experience of my life, but I somehow made it out alive. I don’t know how…but I did.”

Rose smiled. It was good to know that he’d endured something so horrifically tragic and bloody, yet still come out in one piece. He seemed to be something of a stallion cockroach, surviving sickness and death at every turn and continuing to live life on his terms. She couldn’t help but admire that, and she suddenly saw him as a fatherly figure. Her own had passed away years before, and she’d been looking for somepony else to look up to. She felt that she’d found him…if only he could control his mouth around Kite String.

She managed to trot to him and embrace him. He was a bit taken aback by the gesture, but realized how warm it felt to have her fur nestled against his. He remembered his daughter in Manehattan, his grandchildren, and how much he missed them. He had been having such an adventure with Starlight and the others, that he’d completely forgotten of the request he’d made back when he first met them. But now, having somepony his daughter’s age embrace him brought back all of the wonderful memories of his dearly departed wife, and his family. The old timer shed a tear or two as he gratefully returned the gesture and then pulled back.

“What was that for?” He asked with a playful gleam in his eye.

“Just for being you,” Rose said, “and for helping to keep Kite String alive. You know…she could use somepony special in her life. She doesn’t have any grandparents, and I believe you would qualify as the perfect candidate…IF you can keep your language clean.”

Smooth smiled. “Well, I’ll do my best.”

“Alright,” Rose said, “now that that’s settled, we need to find a way out of here!”

“But Mommy,” Kite managed to squeak, “there is no way out, is there? I mean, there are stones on all the walls around us, and a set of iron bars in front. How are we gonna be able to escape?”

“I believe I can help you with that,” a kind voice responded.

Everypony gasped and turned to look towards the source of the voice. They saw that a stone in the wall between the cells had been removed and a very familiar blue face was looking back at them. The mare was smiling, even though her eyes were dull and she seemed like she hadn’t eaten or been offered water in days. Her face was coated with cuts and dried blood, and her mane had stopped flowing and lay limp beside her eyes. It was Princess Luna…or what was left of Princess Luna.

Rose cautiously stepped over to her, knowing of the terrible deeds her sister had performed. Even now, she needed to be wary around anypony who wore a crown. Even if Luna looked like this, it could just be an act and she could be spying on them to keep them there. But, there was something authentic about Luna’s appearance that grabbed Rose. She genuinely looked hungry and thirsty. In fact, she had lost weight, and her skin was dangerously close to thinning all the way to the bone. Luna looked up at Rose and offered another smile, trying to show that she meant no harm.

“You…you’re Princess Luna!” Rose gasped.

“In the flesh,” Luna said weakly, “but forgive me, I must look an awful sight.”

“No, no,” Rose responded, “it’s alright. Tell me…did Celestia throw you in here?”

Luna nodded. “When I found out the virus’s true purpose, and the concoction of a plan that my sister was coming up with, I rose up against her once again. But this time, she did not hold the Elements of Harmony, so she could not banish me to the moon. So, she tossed me in here to be forgotten. Apparently, she’s been telling everypony that I’ve caught a terrible case of PONID-19.”

“Please, Your Majesty,” Smooth Boulder spoke up, “what is the virus’s true purpose?”

“Power and control, Smooth Boulder,” Luna managed to get out.

“How…how do you know my name?”

“I’m a co-ruler of Equestria, dear one” Luna said kindly, “I know everypony by name, so that I may care for everypony’s dreams as they are needed. I also know that Kite String is your daughter, Rose Garden.”

“We are in desperate need of your help, Princess,” Rose said, “we have to warn everypony, and rescue Starlight Glimmer!”

Luna’s eyes went wide. She had a very soft spot in her heart for Starlight, because the light purple Unicorn had helped her when she was captured by the Changelings. She also knew of Starlight’s great love and affection for her friends, and she considered the former dictator to be a close personal companion. What she didn’t know was that her sister and Trixie had purposefully infected her and now she lay on a metal table, solidifying into a statue.

“We will, my little pony,” Luna said as she calmed her nerves.

“But how?!”

“We’ll do what anypony else in this situation would do: plan and execute an escape.”

Luna's Strategy

“Escape?!” Rose breathed, “but, however shall we manage that?!”

Luna smirked. “My sister might have siphoned my magic before hurling me against these walls of stone and iron, but she didn’t count on my mind. I was able to save a sliver of my abilities, and I was waiting for the perfect moment to use it. I can see that the moment has fluttered its wings and alighted on us. I can hypnotize the guards into letting us out. If you’ll call your daughter over, Rose, we’ll discuss it.”

Rose smiled and she turned to wave her daughter over. Kite somehow limped her way over to where the three older ponies were, but each new hoof step caused a jolt of pain. Her eyes filled with tears as she wondered why the normally kind and benevolent Celestia would have sent her, her mother, and their new friend to be flagellated and imprisoned. She felt the stings of her scratches, and the awful tearing of fur and skin as each movement sent barbs hurtling through her small being. By the time she got to her mother and was able to prop herself up, the tears were like waterfalls.

Princess Luna took pity on the small pony, and gingerly reached out a hoof through the hole in the wall. She managed to touch the filly’s face, and revolted internally at the amount of swelling that presided there. The poor pony had been beaten so badly that she was nearly unrecognizable. But there still lay a fire within her tear filled orbs that Luna noticed and deeply treasured. It was determination like this that would help save their beloved homeland, and Luna was counting on the filly and her friends to play important roles in that rescue.

“Little Kite String,” Luna said, “I have seen your dreams at night.”

“You…have?” Kite asked as her pain induced sadness turned into awe.

Luna nodded. “Indeed I have, young one. I know how much you wish to grow up and help ponies with your special talent.”

Kite looked at the floor and scraped a hoof along nervously. “But…my special talent is kite flying. I don’t know how I’ll help others with that.”

Luna smiled. “Perhaps, you might fly kites outside the windows of the foal hospitals and help cheer up all of the sick colts and fillies who reside there; or, perhaps you might fly your kites in a retirement community and bring friendship and light to the older ponies. There are a lot of options and, even if it does not directly involve your special talent, you can still find ways to help your fellow Equestrian.”

“I can?”

“Absolutely, my young friend,” Luna said warmly, “and I believe that with every fiber of my being. You can begin by helping us to stop my evil sister and rid Equestria of this terrible affliction. Ponies should be free to pursue their interests and lives, and I won’t allow Celestia to get away with her scheme. Will you help us?”

“Your Majesty, I will do my best!” Kite squeaked proudly.

Rose had to stifle her laugh, but she couldn’t stop the smile of pride that lit up her face. Her daughter had truly listened when her father and mother had taught her the virtue of chasing a dream, living freely, and making the conscious decision to help others. They had always told her that she was her own individual pony, but that there were many other individuals as well, all chasing dreams of their own. They taught her to make friends when her path collided with somepony else’s, and to help them find their own individuality and character. “Ponies are not one collective group,” they had told her, “they are each special in their own unique way. That is why you must make friends and learn from them. It will lend credence to your own individual thinking.”

“Alright,” Luna said, snapping Rose out of her reverie, “Celestia’s turned Equestria into a sickness riddled hell on earth. We must stop her, and I have a part for each of you to play.”

“What’s my part?” Kite asked.

Luna stopped and thought hard. If it weren’t for her injuries, Kite might be able to get to Ponyville and warn Twilight of Celestia’s secret coup against Equestria. But she had promised the quivering filly that she might play a special role in their escape and saving of the nation, and she didn’t want to break that promise. So, she began looking around the dungeon, searching for something that would both aid their escape and create an air of importance regarding the filly. Luna had to stop herself from laughing as Kite wiggled her small rump in excitement.

“Um…uh…I know!” Luna said, “you can be the lookout!”

“The lookout?” Kite asked, a bit disappointed in the job.

“Oh, it’s very important!” Luna exclaimed, “you need to use those eyes of yours and keep a sharp eye out for guards while I am fighting Celestia.”

“Fighting?!” Kite asked in fright, “but…I figured you’d just…talk with her and she’d apologize and everypony would be happy.”

“I’m afraid life doesn’t work that way sometimes, Kite,” Luna said gently, “the best thing for me to do is battle my sister and attempt to usurp the antidote from her. If I can do that, then I can get my magic back, we can duplicate the cure, and circulate it throughout Equestria. But I’m going to need your eyes to watch out for guards, okay?”

Kite nodded, a bit concerned about the fighting, but overall happy with her position. Luna then turned upwards and addressed Rose Garden and Smooth Boulder. She smiled as she noted how much like a father and his daughter they looked. It reminded her of times past, when a stallion had impregnated her and she’d secretly given birth to two fillies. When Celestia had found out, she was furious, and Luna had to send her daughters away. She had no idea what had become of them, nor where they had gone, but they had always remained within the confines of her heart.

“Are…you okay, Princess?” Rose asked as she noticed the tears begin wafting over Luna’s eyes.

“Yes, I…I’m fine,” Luna said as she quickly wiped them away, “just some dust, I guess. But back to business. I need the two of you to leave the castle, jump on a train, and get to Ponyville as fast as possible. Once there, you need to get to Princess Twilight and tell her that I need help. I can always count on her and her friends to assist in fighting evil.”

“Wait a minute,” Smooth protested, “I’ve never stepped hoof in Ponyville! I don’t know where Princess Twilight will be!”

“That’s easy,” Luna said, “just follow the main thoroughfare until you get to a gigantic castle with an adjoining school and dormitory. Knock on the door, and if a dragon answers, tell him ‘Luna needs Twilight, and it’s urgent.’”

Smooth and Rose nodded, unsure of just where they were going, but knowing of their determination to see it through to the end. They just needed a push in the right direction, and the thought of their various family and friends succumbing to the disease created that acceleration. Their faces took on very rigorous looks, and they decided right then and there that death in this endeavor would be much better than failure. Equestria needed them, and they would not disappoint it.

Confronting the Villain

Luna turned about and whistled at one of the guards. She knew how to use her own appealing figure and scintillating blue eyes in order to get what she wanted. She used to do it with palace guards all the time when she was younger, knowing that most of them were single and absolutely starving for a mare’s attention. She also realized how lonely it got working in the castle all by one’s self, or with another stallion or two for company. They could make friends with each other, but they needed a pony of the opposite gender to really complete their lives. She assumed that the scenarios were the same in the dungeon, and she was absolutely right. The guards could not resist her batting eyes and wiggling rump.

“Oh, boys…?” The Princess of the Night called irresistibly, “could you come and help me for one tiny moment?”

The guards turned and she flashed them a smile. Instantly, they were smitten and seemed to float over to where she was. She gave them both a small kiss on the cheek in supposed gratitude. But, in reality, she was instilling her hypnotic magic within their minds. One more flash of her eyes, and they would be her puppets. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed using her spells to get everything her heart desired, but then she remembered the vow she had taken to never use them for selfish purposes again. Celestia, ironically, forced her to swear to it after she returned from her lunar exile. Now, she needed it to work for the freedom of Equestria.

She flashed her eyes in just the right way, and they became spellbound. “Listen and heed my command,” she spoke in a deep and beautifully regal voice, “my sister hath chained Equestria to a terrifying illness all for the sake of her own gain. Thou must let us and our friends out of the dungeon so that we may do battle with her and save everypony. Thou shalt go and procure the key from that ledge over there and unlock the door. We promise thee, when this is all put into the past, that thou shalt be rewarded bountifully for thine service to thine country. Now, go!”

The guards seemed to move as one, heading to the ledge and using their magic to pick up the key. They brought the shiny gold implement over and placed it into the lock, allowing the captors to go free and receiving two more kisses from Luna. She smiled and slowly ordered them to lock themselves into the cell, promising to free them when it was all over. They did so, and Luna shut the door tight and removed the key. She asked Kite String to watch it while she was in battle, and the eager filly nodded and took it from her.

“Alright,” Luna said, “the hypnosis will wear off in ten minutes. Normally it’s a twenty-four-hour thing, but my sister took so much of my power that I could only cast it for that length of time. But, no matter. It’s given us plenty of time to escape. Now, friends, to your duties…and may the sun and moon guide your paths.”

Rose Garden and Smooth Boulder nodded and took off for the castle exit, heading to Ponyville to warn Twilight and the others. Luna looked down at Kite String and nodded before they headed upstairs towards Celestia’s chambers. Luna had never galloped so hard in all her life, and the weakness she had received from her sister threatened to envelop and destroy her. But she pressed forward, hurrying along and leaving Kite String in the dust.

“Your Majesty!” Kite suddenly squeaked, “wait for me!”

Luna skidded to a halt, and turned to let the foal catch up. Then, the two were off again, only this time Luna put Kite on her back and took off flying with every ounce of strength in her being. When they arrived outside of Celestia’s door, Luna set Kite down and instructed her to keep watch. Then, she crashed through the doorway and beheld a terrifying sight. She saw her dear friend Starlight Glimmer strapped to a metal table, crystallizing into nothing more than a member of the Canterlot Statue Garden. The light purple Unicorn’s blood was turning solid, and Luna knew that time was precious.

She then beheld her sister, rainbow mane flowing and eyes dancing as always. But her orbs seemed to trot to a different tune than before. This time, they were dancing evilly and seemed to mock the weakened moon raiser. Within them, Luna saw the fires of Tartarus and a terrible fate for Equestria were she to lose this fight. It was a microcosm of what had been, what was, and what she was trying to stop from becoming true. Celestia held Equestria in her hooves, and it was Luna’s duty to break it away from her. She breathed deeply and then advanced, picking her way around the glass she had broken in her grand entrance.

Celestia looked shocked. “How…how did you escape?!”

“You didn’t take all of my powers, ‘dear’ sister!” Luna yelled, “I was able to seduce and hypnotize the guards!”

“UGH! THOSE MORONS!” Celestia howled, “I should’ve known better than to give them charge over you and your friends. I should have KILLED THE LOT OF YOU!”

“Hindsight’s 20/20, my sister,” Luna smirked.

“You dare to insult ME?!” Celestia asked.

“If the horseshoe fits …” Luna smirked again.

“Oh, shut up, you whore!” Celestia shrieked, “I still have the antidote, and there isn’t a thing you can do about it! I will rule Equestria with my sickness until the very end of days, and you cannot stop me!”

Luna sighed and looked at the ground. “What happened to you, Celestia? You used to love ponies…”

Celestia sneered. “That was before I realized just how tremendously wonderful it was to rule Equestria alone. I made all the decisions, and I did not have to rely on you or Star Swirl or anypony!”

“If our dear mentor could see you now,” Luna said sadly, “it might crush him…and I know it would crush our parents!”

“Parents, shmarents,” Celestia said in a foal-ish voice, “I will do whatever I want! All private businesses, private lives, and privacy shall bow to me! All ponies shall have their lives in my hooves, and I will save whomever I want and kill whomever I want! This sickness is my own, and you won’t take it from me!”

“I will do what it takes to free Equestria,” Luna said, “and if I have to kill you to do that…so be it.”

“Fine, then,” Celestia said, “come at me…”

Getting to Twilight

Rose Garden and Smooth Boulder ran through the streets of Ponyville, trying desperately to reach The Princess of Friendship. The normally crowded thoroughfares and avenues were hauntingly empty, and many of the shops had small signs in the window stating that they were closed because of the national health crisis. They saw more and more guards trotting through the streets and understood that the entirety of Equestrian freedom depended on the success of their mission. They would not allow Celestia’s evil plan to bear more fruit than it already had, and they had their weapons at the ready. They felt heroic, and for Smooth, it was almost like a return to his Third Hoof War experience. He trusted Rose, and she trusted him, even though they had only been friends for a short while.

They galloped harder than they had ever done before, trying to fend off a company of soldiers who had engaged them in hot pursuit. They felt their tails soar behind them, almost as if they had magically transformed into Wonderbolts and now soared through the air on a quest for truth and justice. They nodded at each other as they turned a certain corner and skidded to a halt, awestruck at the majestic Castle of Friendship that loomed in front of them. Their eyes widened as they beheld its sparkling glow, akin to the beautiful pony that resided there. They nodded again and raced to the door, banging on it and screaming for help.

Just as Luna had predicted, a small dragon answered. “May I help you?” He asked politely.

“Yes, we need Princess Twilight!” Rose exclaimed, “it’s incredibly urgent!”

“I’m sorry, but Twilight isn’t seeing anypony right now. She doesn’t want to get the illness.”

“But it’s about the source of the illness!” Smooth yelled, “Princess Luna sent us! You’ve got to believe me!”

The dragon looked them up and down, and then saw the group of guards that were hot on their hooves. He quickly halted them and told them to return to their jobs, in the name of Twilight. Since any Equestrian order evoked with a royal’s name is legally binding, the guards were at a complete loss. They turned, grumbled, and trotted back to their stations. Once they had gone, the dragon smiled and invited the two ponies inside. He was still wary of them, because asymptomatic ponies could spread the disease without knowing it, but he put them through a thorough disinfecting process and then led them down a carpeted hallway.

Rose and Smooth were slack jawed at the beautiful sight around them. The castle was absolutely exquisite. No detail had been left untouched and, even though the builder had been magic itself, they were still impressed with the care that had been put into the construction. Each wall held shimmering stones and amazing carvings. It reminded each of them of their own home back in The Crystal Empire. The fortress was almost crystallized, and they each couldn’t help but produce a sincere smile. It truly was the friendliest, warmest, and most welcoming place they’d ever been in.

As the dragon led them along, he noticed their reactions. “I take it you enjoy our home?”

“Oh, it’s wonderful!” Rose breathed, “absolutely mesmerizing! But…where is Princess Twilight?”

“She’s been holed up in her room for a few days now. She’s frightened of the illness, but more than that, she’s terrified that she’s tarnished her reputation as a Princess.”

“What do you mean by that?” Smooth asked, “I mean, I’ve always thought of her as being endearing and helpful.”

“Yeah, but now she’s worried that friendships are being destroyed over this virus.”

Rose and Smooth looked at each other knowingly. They understood that Celestia was at the heart of all this, working behind the scenes and tugging on each string. She was playing everypony like a concert grand, and they knew that Twilight and her friends were a crucial part of the rescue force. Even though they didn’t know that there was an antidote, it fell to reason that, if Celestia had created the illness, then surely she must have given herself immunity. If that were the case, then Twilight and the others could disperse the cure throughout Equestria, healing everypony and returning life to normal.

“Look,” Rose said, “I appreciate that Twilight has such care in her heart for everypony. But we need her to be the strong Princess that we know she can be!”

“Yes,” Smooth affirmed, “if we don’t have her support, we won’t have anything. Please…may we see her?”

The dragon looked at the floor, and then nodded as they stopped in front of a certain door. He gingerly opened it and peeked inside. “Twi…there’s some visitors here…”

“Go away!” Came the frightened and mournful voice of the Princess, “I’m not seeing anypony, not until Celestia comes up with a vaccine for this illness! In fact, I’m thinking of forcing everypony to wear a magic mask! If they don’t, I’ll fine them…or throw them in prison…or…or….WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Twilight’s angered proclamation was suddenly interrupted by a fit of weeping. The poor mare was so scared of what she’d had to do to protect everypony that she had buried her face in her pillow and would not stop screaming. Rose and Smooth looked at each other and shared yet another simultaneous nod before gently entering the room and trotting up to the bedside. They found the purple mare in a pool of her own sadness, and each tear seemed to drain more and more of her energy. She looked up and saw the kind face of Rose Garden, and immediately tried to wipe her tears away. She attempted to look brave, but failed miserably.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty,” Rose said sweetly, “you’ve got friends here. My name is Rose Garden, and this is Smooth Boulder.”

“What friends?” Twilight asked darkly, ignoring the introduction, “ever since I shut down Ponyville, I haven’t been able to see anypony. Everyone’s on edge, and the quarantine’s only making it worse. Oh, why? Why didn’t I allow everypony to make the decisions for themselves? Why did I take freedom from them? Why have I harmed friendships for something as trivial as ‘the greater good?!’”

“Your Highness,” Smooth said, “we all make mistakes, and be assured that friendship will endure. If everypony’s belief in it is as strong as we Equestrians make it out to be, then this will not destroy it.”

“He’s right,” Rose said, “I know we’re just two ponies you’ve never met before, but…perhaps we can offer some comfort in this time.”

Twilight wiped her tears away and smiled through her pain. “Thank you. I needed to hear that. I’m just so scared that I’ve done something that has ruined my beliefs as The Princess of Friendship. I’m afraid that ponies won’t be able to be friends once this is over.”

“Princess,” Smooth said, “ponies will remain friends, sickness or no sickness. Rose and her friend Starlight Glimmer taught me that.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “You…you know Starlight?!” She asked, “where is she?! We’ve been frantic in our search for her! Please tell me she’s alright!”

“Well…she’s not…alright at the moment,” Rose said, and then told Twilight everything that had happened to them in Canterlot, and how Luna was fighting Celestia for the liberty of Equestria at that very moment. Twilight’s eyes got bigger and bigger until they threatened to fall off the cliffs of her face. Her mouth fairly hit the bed as Rose’s story went on. By the time she was finished, Twilight’s look had turned fiery and she spread her wings in a rage.

“Rose, Smooth…let’s go round up my friends. We’ve got a country to save.”

Warm Memories

Celestia cackled as she bound her sister to a metallic surface akin to the one Starlight was strapped to. Evil thoughts and malicious deeds coursed through her mind as she slowly lowered the bar on Luna’s personal rebellion. She loved watching the two ponies squirm beneath her, and then suddenly realized that they would be her playthings forever. When the magic sickness caused their blood to solidify and they turned into crystallized statues, she could do whatever she wanted with them. She smiled wickedly and began planning the places where the statues might go. They would be silent testimonies to what happened when ponies dared to cross her. She would keep their origins a secret, but she would allow everypony to gaze upon them. She could simply lie, and tell everyone that they were gifts and sculpted with care.

“Soon enough…” she said, “…you’ll both be gone, and I’ll have won this war. Granted, it was an easy victory, but any kind of triumph is worth celebrating. Come, drink and be merry with me!”

Celestia used her magic to float over three glasses, which she filled with the most delectable looking cider that Starlight had ever seen. She licked her lips, as she had not drunk anything since being there and her dehydration was only adding to her suffering. Her head spun and ached beyond comprehension. She had nearly fallen into unconsciousness on multiple occasions, but had forced herself to remain alert. She wasn’t going to lapse into a coma while Celestia was still free to attack and harm as she pleased.

The Princess sneered at them and pressed two glasses forward…before cackling and moving them away. “Aw…did the wittwe fiwwies miss their gwasses?” She asked, treating them like worthless foals, “I’m so sowwy….”

“Oh, come now, Celestia,” Luna said as she grunted in pain, “surely…you can come up with a more mature insult than that.”

“I could…I just don’t want to!” Celestia exclaimed as she launched into another fit of laughter.

Starlight looked around the room and felt hopeless. The very Princess that had once told her what a great job she was doing as the Guidance Counselor at Twilight’s School was threatening her life. Her mind whirled as she wondered what death felt like, or how it would be to become encased in crystal for all eternity. She suddenly felt terribly cold, as if the Windigos of old had returned and unleashed their wintry evil upon her and her alone. She looked down and saw one of her hooves begin crystallizing as the blood froze to the point where it had no other choice. It wouldn’t circulate, and her hoof slowly grew numb with a terrifying stillness.

But then…memories began flashing through her mind, and they were so warm that she just couldn’t pay attention to her pain. She took solace in thoughts of Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash…and Twilight herself. A smile formed on her face as she smelled the patented, famous Sweet Apple Acres apple pie. She saw Dash and Fluttershy streak across the sky, fearless in the face of the illness. She saw Rarity and Pinkie creating fashion and delicious pastries and just generally living without fright. To top it all off, Twilight was in the front of her mind, pushing her forward and telling her, “I love you like a sister. Please, don’t give up.”

“Ugh…” Starlight groaned.

Celestia stopped her laughing. “What was that, dear? I was too busy enjoying your absolute misery.”

“Yeah, well, the thing is,” Starlight managed to get out, “I’m…not miserable.”

Celestia’s mouth dropped to the floor. “Wha-bu-th-dh-HOW?! Everypony who catches PONID-19 is terrified, depressed, hopeless, and completely horrified! I manufactured it to prey on a pony’s fears, much like Sombra’s dark magic of old. So tell me, Starlight Glimmer…how the hell are you not miserable?!”

“Because I have wonderful memories of my friends,” Starlight said, “and it doesn’t take any strength at all to believe that they’re still out there and they’re still fighting. It may not be me, Celestia, but I assure you that, one day, your terrible deeds will come to light. You will be defeated…I’m just sure of it.”

Celestia sneered. “You aren’t really in a place to be making threats, Starlight. You’re turning to crystal, and I’m gloating. You’re powerless to stop me.”

“Yes, I am,” Starlight responded, “but…she’s not!”

“Wha-?” Celestia asked before turning to look behind her. “T-T-T-TWILIGHT!”

There stood Twilight, along with Rose Garden, Smooth Boulder, and little Kite String. The Princess of Friendship’s eyes blazed with anger, and she spread her wings. In a symbolic moment, her feathered appendages covered the three ponies on either side of her, ensuring their protection. Twilight never thought that she’d ever see Celestia in such a manner, cackling and howling about the pain and suffering of others. But now she saw that the benevolent and kind Princess she’d known, loved, and studied from was a fraud, and her anger turned towards the white Alicorn.

“You…are despicable,” Twilight said with all the rage and hurt of somepony who had been utterly betrayed.

“Oh, Twilight!” Celestia said in fake kindness, “I…I found Starlight and Luna on the street! I brought them here to nurse them back to health!”

“Oh, shut up!” Twilight thundered, “I heard the whole damn conversation! YOU are the greatest threat to Equestria, not this pathetic disease! Once we destroy you, we’ll be able to take the antidote and give it to everypony! Equestria will be safe once again, and you will pay DEARLY for your crimes!”

Celestia’s look turned into one of hatred, and she advanced on her former student. The purple Alicorn stood bravely against her sudden foe, even though tears blinded her eyes. All she could see was the passionate teacher who had spent countless hours helping her to learn about magic and the world around her. She saw the patient instructor who had always encouraged her penchant for learning, and urged an unquenchable thirst into the dimensions of the curious and inquisitive. Now, that same pony had turned into the greatest enemy Twilight had ever faced, and the young Princess’s belief in herself wavered. Could she do something she’d never even dreamed of? Could she…fight…and kill Celestia?

The Villain Defeated?

Twilight broke through her inhibitions, though it took all of her strength. In her eyes, Celestia was still the devoted mentor who had worked tirelessly to create something out of her life. But she had to shake off her former bindings of care and love and formulate new barriers of disgust and enmity. As much as she believed in friendship, she also believed in the freedom of everypony in Equestria, and that had to outweigh her own morals. She needed to stand up for everyone, because they were too sick to stand up for themselves.

Her eyes burned with tears and rage as she charged at Celestia, dodging multiple blasts of the sickness along the way. She didn’t say anything, nor did she engage in petty cursing as her former mentor had. Rather, she fought with honor and duty on her mind. Their horns gleamed in the sunlight and clashed over and over again, each mare trying their best to run the other one through. Twilight had never fought to kill before, and there were times when she questioned her decision. But then she thought of young Flurry Heart. She loved the filly more than life itself, and she had been distraught at the sight of the little pony bedridden with the devastating illness.

She didn’t know the full extent of Celestia and Cadance’s cruelty to the young one, but that didn’t matter. She knew she was fighting for her niece, her friends, and all of the ponies that she cherished so dearly. Ironically, it was Celestia who had taught her how to care for and respect everypony. She had learned friendship at the hooves of the very one that she now defended it against. Every time her horn found a bare patch of Celestia’s skin, her heart did battle with itself. The stabs weren’t satisfying, but rather an obligation to everypony else. She found no pleasure in harming the one who had harmed Equestria.

But Celestia would not let up, and so the battle continued. The other ponies, not wishing to be viewed as only spectators to this historical moment, ran across the room and set Luna and Starlight free. But then they were confronted by Trixie, who grabbed young Kite String and galloped out of the room with her. This earned the complete ire of Rose Garden, who tore after the traitorous magician. She chased her throughout the upper levels of the castle, and did not care how much damage she did. All she knew was that her daughter was in danger, and she needed to rescue her. All of her motherly instincts kicked in, and she found that her hooves seemed to float over the carpet.

“GIVE ME BACK MY FILLY!” She screamed in a voice that would make the hounds of Tartarus quake.

“Ha! Not until you promise to be a good girl and do whatever Celestia and I say!”

“NEVER! YOU’LL GIVE HER TO ME…OR I’LL DESTROY YOU!!!!!”

Kite String shivered in fear. She had never heard her mother speak that way before. She always thought of the matron as being kind, gentle, and very sweet. She remembered the times when she used to tuck her into bed and read her old pony stories. She remembered the smile that her mother had painted onto her face in a beautiful display of love and absolute care. She remembered the times when she’d scraped her foreleg, and her mother would comfort her and bathe the wound with tenderness and gentility. That had all been replaced by the fire-breathing monster that stood before her.

“I’ll NEVER give Kite back!” Trixie thundered, causing the filly to flinch even more, “I’ll just have to destroy YOU!”

Trixie used her magic to knock over a nearby suit of armor. But in the heat of the moment, she forgot that she had never won any awards with real magic. So, the armor fumbled down around Rose but failed to hit its target. Trixie was aghast with embarrassment and realized that Rose had the upper hoof. She could never win any type of hoof-to-hoof combat with the Earth Pony, so she simply turned and ran off again.

“Oh…you WRETCHED thing!” Rose screamed before galloping off after her.

They made their way back into Celestia’s room, and by this point, Twilight had Celestia down and was on top of her. Her horn pointed at the wicked ruler’s heart, and she threatened her. Both ponies were coated with a thick layer of dried blood and sharp scratches. Both breathed heavily. But Twilight’s breaths seemed to be less laborious than Celestia’s. Perhaps this was because she had finally found the upper hoof. She growled at the Princess and shoved her horn closer and closer to her chest.

“You…shall…die!” Twilight said between pants.

“No…I…won’t!” Celestia retorted, “Equestria needs me. Without me, who shall raise the sun every morning?”

“Oh, I’m sure I can manage that,” Twilight said, “as long as I have my friends around.”

“Then perhaps I should just kill your friends!” Celestia roared.

She then began weaving her evil magic over Ponyville, and Twilight watched helplessly as a dark cloud of vile sickness raged in the sky over her home. She knew she had to do something, so she recklessly ran her horn through Celestia’s heart. She felt her mentor cough and sputter up droplets of blood, and the life giving magic that kept Alicorns alive for thousands of years quickly scattered. She knew she had hit her in just the right spot and that she only had moments to live.

“You deserved every inch of that horn,” Twilight said darkly.

“Perhaps…” Celestia said as she began drawing her final breaths, “…but I still managed to take something from you. Your friends are dying as we speak. Heh…I might not have won this battle…but I am victorious in the war. Twilight, may your reign be filled with misery and heartbreak.”

With those words, Celestia dropped into death’s embrace. Twilight backed away and began weeping, though she did not know why. So many conflicting emotions coursed through her body. She was thrilled that the conspirator had been defeated, yet she was terribly sad that the pony she saw as a second mother was gone. She also wept for her friends, as she saw no way of saving them. There wasn’t a method for getting the antidote to them on time. At least…not as long as the storm cloud raged over Ponyville.

By this point, Rose Garden had Trixie by the tail and was threatening her life. “You stole my precious little one from me!” She growled, “give me one good reason why I shouldn’t absolutely demolish you!”

“Mommy, NO!” Kite suddenly squeaked at her mother’s side, “don’t hurt Trixie!”

“Whatever do you mean, darling? She foalnapped you!”

“Yes, and that was very wrong,” Kite said matter-of-factly, “but how are we to emulate Princess Twilight’s examples of friendship and trust if we don’t give ponies a second chance? Trixie deserves a punishment, but I don’t think she deserves one as bad as Celestia had. After all, she didn’t make a disease and enslave Equestria. She just helped.”

Rose saw the wisdom in her daughter’s words and she dropped the vicious prestidigitator. “Alright, Trixie,” she growled, “you get off with your life for now. BUT, you’re gonna be our servant for the rest of your life. You’ll do what we say, when we say it. Then, you’ll know what it’s like to be tied to something you can’t control!”

Trixie scoffed. “The GREAT and POWERFUL TRRRRRRRRIXIE is NOPONY’S servant!”

Rose gave her another threatening look and raised a hoof.

“Alright, alright, alright!” Trixie begged, “I’ll do what you say, just please don’t hurt me!”

Rose sighed and slowly made her way over to Twilight, followed by Smooth Boulder and the others. Twilight’s tear stained eyes were grateful, yet very pained at everything that had occurred. All they could do was offer her their shoulders to cry on, which she gladly took. She saw no way out of this hell, and nothing else could be done. She had defeated Celestia, and Trixie wouldn’t be an issue anymore. She could give Starlight and Luna the antidote. But her friends were still at Celestia’s mercy, even beyond the grave.

Help From an Unlikely Source

Twilight and the other ponies quickly administered to Starlight and Luna. The antidote coursed through their veins, knocking the virus completely out and saving their lives. Starlight felt feeling return to her numbed hooves and legs, and she leapt for joy. She couldn’t wait to throw herself into Twilight’s embrace. The long hours of waiting for something to happen had paid off. She had kept the faith in her friendships, and as always, they had not failed her. She was so thrilled when she saw Twilight burst through and engage Celestia in battle, and now she had the opportunity to thank her.

But when she went to joyously embrace the Princess, she saw nothing but sadness and darkness hovering over her face. Twilight’s normally cheerful purple orbs looked tired, as if they’d aged thousands of years in the course of a few moments. Her ears drooped even more severely than they ever had before, and her entire body spoke nothing but pain. There was a hollowness to this victory that was unavoidable, and the cumbersome nature of the burden seemed to weigh Twilight down to the very dirt the castle was erected upon.

“Twilight?” Starlight asked, “what’s wrong? I mean, you beat Celestia!”

“Yes, I beat my mentor,” Twilight said with absolutely no happiness, “and now she’s unleashed a cloud of sickness specifically designed to target my friends. They were already dealing with the illness, and now…well…now there’s just no stopping it.”

“But, Your Majesty!” Smooth Boulder exclaimed, “what about the antidote?”

“I can’t do anything with that!” Twilight snapped, “there was only enough for Celestia and Trixie, and we’ve used it all in returning Starlight and Luna back to health. We have nothing to clone, and I don’t know the recipe! My friends are doomed, along with everypony else. We might as well have kept Celestia alive!”

The tone of her voice was harsh and decidedly unfriendly. Her eyebrows furrowed in a deep rage, although it was at nopony in particular. She was angry with Celestia, and her helplessness unleashed itself in something primal. Her eyes seemed to rebound between this horrifying emotional paroxysm and reality. Her need for friendship was suddenly interred very deep within her own psyche, and she did not know if she could retrieve it. She threw herself upon the carpeted floor and began weeping bitterly into her hooves. All she could do was watch as Celestia’s dark cloud of destruction began preparing itself to fire lightning bolts of sickness upon the ponies she loved.

“It’s hopeless…” she said, “…completely…hopeless.”

“Maybe not,” a small voice spoke up.

The ponies all turned to see Kite String standing there. Twilight smiled at the young one’s dedication to the cause, but she knew that there was absolutely nothing she could do. For one thing, she was an Earth Pony who carried no magic properties whatsoever. For another, even if she did, it would take the strength of an Alicorn Princess to carry the antidote all throughout Equestria on the back of one single spell. Add to that the fact that they seemed to be completely devoid of the cure, and it became a recipe for complete disaster.

“You must be Kite,” Twilight said, “your mother told me a lot about you on the train ride back here. While I am very grateful for your perseverance in the face of this evil, I don’t think there’s anything that can be done.”

“Please, Princess,” Kite said as she trotted over to where Twilight lay, “let me try.”

Twilight didn’t want to crush the filly’s feelings, but she needed to know the truth either way. So the princess decided to be as gentle as possible. “Kite, my dear, it’s very noble and brave of you to want to try and help everypony. It’s also a testament to the friendship inherent in your very soul. But…all the same, you aren’t a Unicorn. You’re an Earth Pony. While that’s not a bad thing, it just doesn’t help in this situation.”

“I don’t care,” Kite said firmly, “I wanna try.”

“Well…I mean, if you really want to, then you’re welcome to. We just have no antidote left for you to use.”

“There’s always one drop left,” Kite said.

The little filly trotted over to the empty bottle and picked it up. She shook it a few times until a small droplet came out, and she caught it on her tongue. Once the cure was inside her, she headed over to the window and looked out over Equestria. She grunted, shut her eyes, and squeezed herself for all she was worth. But nothing happened. No magic beam of bright hope and safety came shooting out of her. There was nothing but the wind, the rapidly setting sun, and the startling quiet of the normally bustling city streets.

Still, she was not deterred. Something inside her was calling her to do this. So, she tried harder. She thought of everypony and every place she could think of. She pushed her little body to the limit, and she began to sweat very hard. She grunted and squealed with effort, trying desperately to enforce her will over the sickness. She thought of her home, and of little Flurry Heart. She prayed to whatever would listen. She just wanted the sickness to vanish, and for all the ponies to be happy and healthy again. Her attempts seemed futile, as the day continued as normal.

“Sweetie,” Twilight said kindly, “I’m appreciative of your effort, but-“

Suddenly, a HUGE blast of magic exploded from out of the filly’s body. It was bright white, and it seemed to cover the land with its warmth. Like new fallen snow, it blanketed town after town, ridding Equestria of Celestia’s concoction forever. Kite String floated above the shocked ponies in the castle, eyes glowing and mouth open in a silent call for health and wellness to be the order of the day in their land. Mountains, lakes, rivers, streams, cottages, and everywhere in between. For five minutes, the country beheld the power of one little filly’s unwillingness to give up on her friends and loved ones.

“EQUESTRIA,” Kite String bellowed in a voice that seemed to be gifted to her from a deity, “THOU SHALT NO LONGER BE BOUND TO THIS WRETCHED ILLNESS. THOU SHALT KNOW A NEW ERA OF PEACE, FRIENDSHIP, AND HARMONY. THOU SHALT BE HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS ONCE MORE.”

With those words, a rainbow shot forth from the filly’s mouth, engulfing all of Canterlot and inviting the quarantined ponies to come out and behold its beauty. So, they did, and those who had been sick before returned to normal. They came out and told their friends and neighbors of the cure, and everypony began shouting and dancing with delight. The sickness was completely obliterated, and everything was back to the way it was.

Royalty Crowned

Twilight watched with droplets in her eyes, only now, they were happy tears. The happy citizens of Canterlot bounced and reveled in their new freedom below her, and she couldn’t help but smile. She could not believe all that had transpired in the past few hours. Celestia had revealed herself to be a tyrant, secretly dictating the lives of everypony while waiting for just the right moment to unleash her horrifying concoction. While The Princess of Friendship did not know the exact motivations behind such a sinister plot, she knew that it could not go on uninhibited. But then, when all hope had seemed lost, and she had been defeated even as she had sent Celestia into a deserved grave…help came from the youngest among them.

“Kite…how in Equestria did-“ Her mother began.

She was suddenly interrupted by another blaze of magic, only this time it was reddish in color. It matched Kite’s coat, and burst throughout her small body. It lifted her off the ground and she seemed to soar within her own emotions. As the ponies watched, Kite went through a string of convulsions, and the visions that the magic showed her were ones that very few ponies were privy to. She saw both the laughter of foals, and the cries of their pain or fright. She saw her platonic brothers and sisters discovering their cutie marks and individuality for the very first time. She also saw the tense and strenuous wars waged with others while maturing and fighting for a spot in life. She saw beauty, love, joy, laughter, sadness, misery, and pain all wrapped up into one. She even beheld the very dichotomy of life and death itself.

She tried to let out a scream of confusion, as her young mind became overwhelmed at the rapidity with which the visions came. It was juxtaposed with the time outside of her small magic covering. It lasted an eternity for the ponies watching, but inside, it seemed to go by in a flash. Some of the things she saw were absolute horrors, and she wanted to reach out and help the ponies who were being hurt or neglected. Yet other things were absolutely stupendous, and she wanted to participate in them. She also noticed that all of her visions seemed to revolve around foals. As she looked on, she felt a sharp pain in both her back and her head, and once again, she tried to let out a yelp. She didn’t know where her mother was, and in that moment, those thoughts became the most frightening of all.

But then, a soothing light happened upon her, and two new figures stepped into the realm. Their manes blazed like fire, and their eyes glowed. Their hooves carried golden horseshoes of importance, and upon their heads sat two crowns of the same complexion. They were Alicorns, but instead of two wings, they each carried four. Their tails were streaks dotted by the very stars of the heavens. As they moved further into her field of vision, Kite recognized Princess Luna and Princess Twilight. She didn’t know what form they had taken, nor how they appeared to her so suddenly, but she bowed low in obeisance and reverence. They looked like goddesses, though she knew better than to worship anypony.

“Your Majesties,” she said solemnly.

“Kite String,” Luna said in a voice that bequeathed the breath of the wind, and the thunder of a Cloudsdale storm, “welcome.”

“You have entered the Realm of Princesses,” Twilight said in the same tone, “and now it is our privilege, honor, and joy to give you a very special gift: the gift of becoming one of us.”

Kite’s mouth nearly fell to the floor. “But…I…I am not worthy of such an honor.”

“Yes, you are, dear filly,” Luna said with a smile, “for you have done a great deed in our eyes this day. You have saved Equestria from my sister’s terrible affliction.”

“I…I don’t understand,” Kite sputtered, “I don’t even know HOW I did it!”

“It’s because you hold the true magic of friendship in caring for your fellow pony,” Twilight said, “you placed the health and wellness of all Equestria on your back today, and everypony owes you their very existence. You’ve defended freedom and friendship above all else, and for that, we are giving you this title.”

“But Princess Twilight, you had to study and work for years to get your wings!”

“Yes, I did,” the purple Alicorn responded, “and unfortunately, the pony who gave them to me turned out to be the biggest traitor of all. But that does not rescind their importance, nor does it denigrate what we’re here to do for you.”

“Kite String,” Luna said, “do you swear to uphold the Equestrian Constitution, defend friendship and freedom, and protect the ponies of Equestria from all enemies, both foreign and domestic?”

“I…I do,” Kite said as a smile crept over her face.

“Then by the power vested in both of us,” Twilight said, “I now pronounce you Princess Kite String, The Princess of Foals. You shall rule Equestria on an equal level with both Luna and myself. We are both very proud of what you’ve done today, and your mother and new friends will be thrilled.”

“But…I…I still don’t understand,” the new Princess said as she felt her new wings and horn for the first time, “I mean, I’m ecstatic beyond belief at this gift, and I will never be able to give enough thanks for it, but I still don’t know just how I did it. All I did was follow a small voice that spoke to me.”

“That was the spirit of harmony that resides within those who have a close connection with the concept,” Twilight explained.

“No offense, Your Maj-er-Twilight, but you were blubbering on the floor while all of it was happening. Did…you believe in the spirit?”

“I will admit that, for a few moments, my faith was shaken,” Twilight said, “until I realized that everypony was abounding in their restored friendships. Then, and only then, did I think back to when I was crowned a Princess and how Celestia taught me about the spirit. I only wish that she would have been a legitimate believer in it. If she had, and had cared about the hopes and dreams of everypony, we might be looking at something completely different right now.”

“But that does not negate the great things you’ve done today, Kite,” Luna said, “no matter what has happened in the past, we must continue to move forward as a nation. Now, let’s get you out of the realm and show you to your mother. I am certain that she will be as proud of you as we are.”

Epilogue: Newness of Life

Author's Note

Holy freakin' crap, this was a long story! But I wanna thank everypony who made the journey. You all are the reason I do this. Thanks for making this so much fun to plan and write and see come to life. I've got some more ideas for T-rated stories in the future, so I hope you'll return and read those as well.

Stay gold, everyone!

Epilogue: Newness of Life

Princess Luna’s prediction came true. When Kite String and the other Princesses stepped forth out of the bright whiteness surrounding them, Rose Garden’s green eyes filled with the happiest of tears. She leapt forward and threw her hooves around her daughter, calling her “Princess” for the very first time. Her eyes sparkled as she held her beloved offspring, eagerly enjoying every tender moment they got to spend with each other. She didn’t say anything, but allowed the situation to flow on as it needed to. Everypony else looked on with absolute silence, wanting very much for the mother and daughter to have these moments to share and remember forever.

“So…how do you feel?” Twilight asked when the sweet moment had concluded.

“I feel…different,” Kite confessed, “like I could travel the world and conquer it all, yet I don’t want to. I feel power, yet I also feel a soothing peace. My feelings are so diametrically opposed to each other, yet I feel a resounding sense of sameness. I feel conflicted, exuberant, and rapturous. Also, it seems my vocabulary has grown a great deal.”

The ponies all laughed at the quip before turning to look back down upon the celebratory streets of Canterlot, filled to bursting with the healed and their ecstatic loved ones. They were just getting ready to leave and join the party, when suddenly, the door burst open behind them. There stood an enraged Cadance. The look on her face was one of absolute malice to everypony there. Since nopony except Starlight knew of the secret plots that the evil mare had made against her very own flesh and blood, it came as quite the shock to see her in such a manner. Her look even frightened Twilight, who had always looked up to the pink pony. But this was not the kind foalsitter that she had loved and adored for years. This was somepony new.

“ALRIGHT!” Cadance barked, “it’s time that I got what was coming to me! Celestia’s held out on me long enough! Now, where is she?”

“She’s dead, Cadance,” Starlight said weakly. She was still recovering from the effects of the disease. “Nothing you do will bring her back.”

“WHAT?!” Cadance screamed, “YOU FOOLISH FOALS KILLED MY AUNT?!”

The ponies parted to allow Cadance to look upon the body of her fallen adopted relative. She immediately turned on a fake set of waterworks and rushed to the corpse. She held it and proclaimed that an evil that nopony had ever known had befallen Equestria with the loss of their leader. She moaned and groaned over the cadaver, kissing its cheek and wailing her fake grief to the ceiling and beyond. Her manufactured grief was so great, that everypony had to step out of the way to avoid her flailing head and thrashing limbs. It was very easy to see through her grief, though, and Starlight finally got up the courage to step to where she was.

“Your idiotic performance won’t work on us,” Starlight said, “I know everything. I know how YOU poisoned Flurry Heart! I know how Celestia promised you money and power if you’d test this diabolical disease on your own daughter! I know-“

“Oh, please!” Cadance said, “did you actually believe what this lying sack of shit said?”

The ponies all looked at each other and nodded. Cadance had done such a terrible job of trying to hide her true intentions, that it was as if she had not hidden them at all. Twilight quickly called for her deposition and arrest, and two guards answered her. Before they dragged her away to be tossed into prison, Twilight magically removed her wings, destroying any hope of her return to the Princess pantheon. For, as everypony knows, if a Princess loses her wings or her horn, she can never hope to regain them. Cadance would be forever shamed, and Twilight and Luna both silently promised that they’d see to that.

“But what about second chances?” Kite asked.

“Second chances and mercy are all well and good,” Twilight responded, “but, in some cases, punishment is all that needs to be called for. Cadance abused and nearly killed her filly in a foolish quest for power and the satisfaction of greed. We cannot have somepony in power in Equestria who exhibits such harmful, dangerous traits.”

“Twilight is right, my young Princess,” Luna affirmed, “the oath you just took was one to defend Equestrian freedom and friendship. Cadance broke that oath when she fed her daughter a disease. I don’t know how she did it, I don’t WANT to know how she did it, but she did. Now, she must pay the price for it.”

Kite nodded solemnly. While she was upset at the harshness with which the judgment had been pronounced, she understood the reasons behind it. She now knew that Cadance meant nothing but trouble, and the leader she had once admired now stood as an enemy to her. She silently promised that she’d never behave in the way Cadance had. She’d always be a good leader, and a good Princess.

“Now, then…I’d say the Crystal Empire needs a new ruler,” Twilight said.

“Indeed,” Luna responded, “and it shall. Prince Shining Armor will rule until his death, and then Princess Flurry will take over as co-ruler when she is old enough. Twilight, make a note that we need to take a trip to the Empire and turn Shining Armor into an Alicorn. It’s time that wrong was righted.”

Twilight smiled and had to stop herself from jumping with glee. Her brother was going to become just like her! She was so thrilled that she nearly knocked over the new Princess. She stopped and helped Kite get on her back. Then, the group stood united over the newness of life that abounded throughout the land. From their perch, they could see firework displays all over the land as everypony discovered that the disease had been obliterated. They realized that their time of crisis truly was over. The evil ponies had been defeated, and freedom reigned supreme in Equestria once again.

Smooth Boulder's Story

Smooth Boulder led everyone inside of his home. It was a small abode, with the perfect amount of room for him to live, eat, and do the various things that he either needed or wanted to do. The living room spilled over into a rather nice little kitchen, featuring silvery appliances and a bright white refrigerator. As for furnishings, he had chosen the minimalistic method that had become popular in the interior design world recently. He probably had no idea of the upsurge, but just decorated the place to make it his own. It became apparent that he had no desire for roommates or companions, and enjoyed things as they were.

“Look, it’s been a while since I’ve had guests,” he said, “so…forgive me if I’m stale when it comes to social graces. But if you’ll make your rears comfortable, I’ll put together some refreshments.”

“Thank you,” Starlight said, “that’s very kind of you.”

The grizzled pony grunted in acknowledgement before shuffling off into the kitchen. As they watched, he expertly got down the proper number of glasses and pulled out a pitcher of lemonade. Since he was an Earth Pony, he had to use his hooves to pour the drinks, which was rather adventurous and amusing for the others to view. He spilled a little bit, but quickly acquired a napkin and soaked it all up, tossing it into the local wastepaper basket and then whirling back around to place the drinks on a small tray.

He brought them into the room and sat them on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Starlight and Trixie sat there, while Rose and Kite made themselves at home in two other chairs. He offered them the glasses, and they graciously took them and drank freely. The acidic taste caused their lips to shrivel a bit, but the thirsty travelers were grateful for the beverage. Their happiness was apparent from the warm smiles they offered, and Smooth sat back in his own chair. He felt a small twinge of warmth temper his heart. It was something he had not felt in a long time, and he experienced a minor thrill at it.

“You know, for somepony who hasn’t had guests in a while, you entertain well,” Starlight complimented.

“Yeah, well,” Smooth replied, “when you learn something thoroughly, I guess it never leaves you. You’d do well to remember that, young filly.” He jerked his head at Kite String, who nodded excitedly in return.

“Ugh…I thought we were here to advance a conspiracy theory,” Trixie complained, earning a sharp jab from Starlight.

“Conspiracy theory? Young mare, there ain’t such a thing that exists as a theory in all Equestria.”

“There ain’t-I mean, isn’t?” Trixie asked.

Smooth shook his head. “It’s all a giant hoax, fabricated by the ones up top who want to stick the shiv of their power into the bodies of all us common ponyfolk. Here, follow me, and I’ll show you what I mean.”

He arose from his seat and beckoned the others to do the same. They did, and he led them down a long hallway blanketed by the shaggiest carpet any of them had ever seen. He ducked into the third door on the right, and they followed suit. Once inside, he lit up the place and their eyes were accosted by the most amazing collection of newspaper clippings, articles, and various writings that they’d ever seen. It was a veritable museum of the literary arts, and Starlight was baffled by just how long it must have taken to gather all of this information. It was all tied together with various bits of string, and it seemed to form a pattern.

Kite String was particularly impressed. “WOW!” The filly breathed, “there must be a THOUSAND YEARS of newspaper stuff here!”

The small comment earned a smile from the grizzled one. “Well, not quite, my dear filly, but it is around thirty years’ worth of very hard work.”

Starlight turned to face him. “How in the world did you collect all this…and why?”

Smooth smiled and pointed at a framed picture on a small end table in the center of the room. It showed four ponies, happy and gaily smiling at the camera. Since it was black and white, it became apparent of the age of the photograph. It was also thoroughly important, considering the pedestal and placement with which it had been carefully set.

“I am a veteran of the Third Hoof War,” Smooth confessed.

This led to gasps from everypony. The Third Hoof War had been a terrible conflict between Equestria and Saddle Arabia. Ponies on each side were conscripted into military service and fought bravely to defend their countries. Sadly, due to the irreparable nature of war, most of them returned in wooden coffins with their nation’s flag draped over them. It had all been for naught, as the friction quickly dissipated through peace meetings between the leaders of the nations. Princess Celestia was heartbroken at the devastating loss of life, and a very famous photograph had circulated of her weeping in pain at the memorial service for those who had passed.

“But…how in the world did you survive?” Starlight asked.

Smooth smiled. “I survived thanks to the courage and quick wit of the three ponies standing with me in that photo. I’m second from the left, and the pony standing first in line was Swift Wind. He was the fastest Pegasus I’ve ever seen, and bequeathed that down through his line after the war. He had a son, Bow Hothoof. That colt was the scrawniest one I’d ever seen, but he grew into a great flyer. Then Bow had a filly named Rainbow Dash, who’s apparently done very well for herself.”

“I can vouch for that,” Starlight said with a smile, “I’m one of her best friends.”

Smooth’s smile became wider. “Well, then, you tell her that her grandpappy’s old pal Smooth Boulder said ‘hello.’”

“You have my word,” Starlight responded.

“Now, then, back to the picture. The pony standing to the right of me is Iron Hoof, the toughest Earth Pony I’d ever known. I mean, that stallion could go up against the iron gates of Tartarus and buck the whole thing down! He was a country pony, from some place called Ponyville, and he told me how he’d met this really cute mare named Granny Smith. He married her after the war, and they had a family. We sort-of…lost touch afterwards, and I assume he’s passed on by now, but I would like to know what became of him.”

“I can tell you,” Starlight said, “because I’m from Ponyville, and I can assure you that Granny Smith and the entire Apple Family are doing just fine. In fact, her grand colt, Big McIntosh, recently married and now his wife is expecting a foal of her own. Her grand mare, Applejack, is running their farm and dating a stallion of her own, and her other grand mare, Apple Bloom, helps other young ponies discover their special talents!”

Smooth Boulder looked at the floor, then back at her. “I truly am glad we met, Starlight,” he said honestly, “I believe ‘twas fate that brought us together. I was wondering about my old war buddies, and…now I have some closure. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, but…who’s the mare standing last in line?”

Smooth’s smile became wider than it ever had been, and it became apparent that he held a special place for this pony. “That…is Marea Barton, the first mare to ever nurse on the front lines during an Equestrian war. She was beautiful, kind, and caring, and she always knew exactly what to do. Sharp as a tack, that one was! But even more than that, she looked beneath my rough exterior and saw somepony worth caring for. We fell in love deeply, and we got married after the war.”

“AWWWWWWWW!” Came the excited shriek of Kite String.

“Kite, dear, hush!” Her mother softly commanded, “don’t interrupt the nice pony.”

“It’s alright,” Smooth said, “it reminds me of when I had a young filly.”

“You had a filly like me, Mr. Smooth?” Kite asked. Her rump was wiggling with joyous anticipation, and the old timer couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Yes, I did, young Kite String. She was the pride and joy of my life, and I loved her very much. I still do, in fact. She’s moved to Manehattan with her husband and their three foals, and I…I haven’t-”

Here, the veteran was moved to tears. It seemed that he had not seen his grand foals or daughter in a very long time. Starlight felt moved with him and stepped over to embrace him. He wrapped his hooves around her, grateful to have a friendly gesture after all this time. They broke apart and looked at each other, one with a desperate determination for truth and friendship and the other with the dull pain of years of loneliness.

“Mr. Smooth?” Kite asked.

“Yes, little one?”

“What happened…to Ms. Marea?”

“Now, Kite, perhaps Mr. Smooth doesn’t want to relay that,” Rose Garden chided.

“No, no, leave her be,” Smooth said, “it does my heart good to remember those who’ve gone. I now know that all of my wartime friends have met their end, and it leaves me with a sense of peace. I know I shall be joining them soon. How soon, I cannot say. But it gives me comfort to know that we shall be on the front lines of a cemetery together, just as we were during that horrible, blood spilling conflict.”

Starlight looked down, and then back up at him. “Smooth Boulder, it seems that you’ve got every last newspaper clipping from those thirty years here. May we use them? We might find a clue from the past that could help us here in the present.”

“Feel free to use them,” Smooth responded, “I would love nothing more than to crack the lid open on this whole dang virus. But…I am wondering if you might do something for me in return.”

“What’s that?”

“Can you…take me to Manehattan? Please? I want to see my grand foals one more time.”

A War Between the Sun and the Moon

Rose Garden and Smooth Boulder noted that Twilight was incredibly quiet on their train ride back to Canterlot. After ordering the conductor to let them on, she’d taken her seat and remained motionless. It wasn’t a very long trip back to the capital, but it looked as if she would be sitting there for years. Her head bent downward, and her eyes looked as if an absolutely perfect storm had been unleashed upon her. It was beyond pain, beyond heartbreak, and beyond depression. It was completely lifeless, and the other two ponies didn’t know what to do. So they just sat beside her and tried to make themselves available for friendly and encouraging conversation.

Twilight noticed. “Look, I appreciate everything you’re trying to do,” she said sadly, “but…I just don’t feel like talking right now.”

Rose spoke up anyway. “Princess, what happened to your final words before we left the castle? You were so gung ho about heading to Canterlot, battling Celestia, and saving Equestria. Why the sudden change in emotion?”

“I just said that to sound royal,” Twilight confessed, “the fact is, I don’t know if I should believe you or not! I mean, you are just two ponies off of the street, and here you are accusing MY mentor of being evil and conspiring to eliminate everypony! However, my commitment to my ideals, and my love for Celestia and Luna demand that I at least investigate your claim. But I warn you…if Celestia is still good and Luna doesn’t recognize you, then may they protect you from my rage.”

The way she spoke the last part and the way her eyes flashed caused the two to flinch. They knew they were in the presence of greatness and power, but they had not realized just how much power. For two ponies who had never experienced such a phenomenon, it caused quite a shock and they realized that Celestia must be much more powerful than this. Even though they knew the truth rested in their encampment, Twilight’s quietly aggressive threat was enough to startle them into silence. They knew better than to cross her.

Luna dodged another magic blast from her sister’s potent horn. Celestia still had a wicked smile plastered to her face, and she cackled every time her sister had to bob and weave. She hurled insults at the moon raiser, determined to break her spirit and end her existence. One small dab of the illness and Luna would turn to crystal just like that. Since an Alicorn had created the virus, it was much more devastatingly rapid on their species. Celestia knew this, but Luna did not. Even so, she guessed that the blasts were concentrated spores of the virus and she rolled out of the way of each forced emission.

“You BITCH!” Celestia howled, thoroughly enjoying having the upper hoof, “I don’t know why I didn’t kill you when I had the chance!”

“Perhaps because you still carry a small, shriveled ounce of love for me?” Luna offered as she ducked behind a couch.

“Oh, PLEASE!” Celestia shrieked, “I never loved you! You were always under hoof, always in my way! Ever since we were fillies, you’ve always been IN MY FUCKING WAY!”

Celestia’s barbs stung Luna’s heart, and drove her to tears. The gentle Princess of the Moon always held a deep affection for her sister. She remembered the times when they were fillies, when Celestia’s love was real and they were able to play and learn together. She remembered the joyous birthday celebrations, and the beginnings of Hearth’s Warming. She remembered the spring frolics, the summer wonder, and the piles of leaves they would ecstatically bounce into during autumn. She remembered when they were simple Unicorns, and did not have the weight of Equestria on their shoulders.

Oh, my dear sister, Luna thought as time seemed to stop around them, you might not love me anymore, but…I still love you. I just wonder where you went wrong. What kind of monster would enslave an entire nation to a sickness? What kind of brutish, malevolent creature are you? Even so…I love you. I hate all that you’ve done in these past few days, but I still love you.

With those thoughts, Luna stepped out from behind the couch and faced her sister bravely. “I shall not allow you to harm Equestria any longer! I shall not allow you to determine the fate of everypony with a wave of your horn! I hereby depose you as Princess!”

“Oh, really?” Celestia asked with biting sarcasm, “because that worked SOOOO well the last time you tried to evict me from my place! Perhaps…no…I WILL kill you this time! Nopony will ever know of my secret, and I shall be free to rule Equestria as I see fit! Nopony will be free ever again, and I can just use ‘the greater good’ as an excuse for racking up new laws and new oppression! Your night is done, Luna, and my day is just beginning.”

Celestia let forth an evil laugh as her horn lit up once again, preparing to shoot the death blow. But Luna suddenly leapt forward and knocked her sister to the floor. What had been a battle of magic now turned into a battle of hooves as each sister fought to gain control. Luna had never struck Celestia before, but she broke down those mental barriers as quickly as each sharp hoof connected with her sister’s face. Celestia landed her fair share of shots as well, and soon, each pony was bruised and bloodied severely.

Luna nailed a particularly hard right front fore hoof to her sister’s jaw, and then began slowly scraping her sharp hoof nail across the fur and skin. She hated every single second of it, but she knew that Celestia needed to feel it. She was a little skittish at being so close to her sister’s horn, yet she continued dealing out her punishing blow. Celestia’s warm blood pulsed out and around her hoof, and she had to stop herself from flinching. But her justice laden blow remained, and Celestia howled in pain.

“Do not think that I enjoy this, Celestia!” Luna said, “because I don’t! I want so much for things to return to normal between us!”

“Normal?! With you…everything is abnormal!” Celestia spat.

“Your barbs and insults can no longer faze me,” Luna responded, “as long as I know I’m fighting for the freedom and lives of everypony in Equestria, I shall press forward until the bitter end!”

“That end might be sooner than you think,” Celestia said before firing up her horn.

“Go ahead! Shoot me!” Luna shouted, “I don’t care! I’ll still fight you! You’ll never be able to be rid of me!”

“As you wish,” Celestia sneered before blasting Luna directly in the face with a spore-packed beam of sisterly hatred.