Ponid-19

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!”