Ponid-19

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!”