Ponid-19

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?