Harmony Doesn't Knock

Chapters

"Love, Peace, Friendship"
Knock Knock, It’s the Real Harmonists
Inductive Reasoning

"Love, Peace, Friendship"

Snowblossom clung to her mother’s skirts, doll clutched to her chest by the other foreleg, trying to puzzle out what the grown ponies were discussing.

“. . . telling you, we need to surrender! They’re almost to the palace gates! Perhaps they will give us mercy if we but—”

“No,” Valiant Wing, captain of the royal guard, cut in against their seneschal. “They showed no mercy to House Mareida, and they will not here. We fight to the last, and just hope Lord Flawless can arrive in time.”

Snowblossom looked up at her mother, Queen Radiant Hope, consort to King Sombra, protectress of the Yaket Range, warden of the Sombran Dynasty Plain, governor of the Crystal City, and guiding light of the Empire. Once, she was beautiful. So much so, in fact, that she was seen as the very image every high society mare in the empire should seek to model. Now, her once elegant sapphire dress, sewn by Suri Polomare herself—famed for being the only major fashion designer willing to do business with King Sombra’s regime—was wrinkled and stained with tears. Her turquoise eyes were red and puffy and there was a sag to her shoulders, making her deep purple coat appear wan. “Mother, what’s going on? I don’t understand. Where are Father and Silver Sword?”

The mare looked back down at her with a small, forced smile. “Your father and brother are . . . away. Do you remember what they said they were going to do?”

Snowblossom nodded. “They said they would protect the city. Are they not done yet?”

“No, dear, they are done. We shall probably see them very soon.” Her gaze wandered off, resting on the smoke-stained window.

“Your majesty,” Captain Valiant Wing said, giving a deferent nod to her mother. “With the king . . .” he trailed off, glancing at Snowblossom, “. . . not present, the decision rests upon you.”

Her mother blinked in surprise. “Do the generals not have anything to say on the matter?”

Valiant Wing let out a pained hiss. “Well, you see, the problem is—ahem, your majesty—that we do not have any generals left. Shadewind and Colthar have been laid to rest, Silvershot deserted, and Flash Sentry went turncoat the moment the King’s magic was dispelled.”

Her mother gave a resigned nod. “So, what do we have left?”

“A few hundred palace guards and a loose assortment of servants more interested in disappearing into a cupboard than fighting for the crown.”

As if on cue, one such servant entered, shaking as she held out a letter for their seneschal. The moment it was out of the young unicorn’s trembling magical aura, she gave a hasty curtsy and bolted from the room, not bothering to check if they needed anything else.

Snowblossom wondered why the servant was in such a hurry, not even offering to serve tea as was her duty, but quickly forgot about it in curiosity over the letter.

She let go of her mother’s skirts and approached the seneschal, letting her doll trail along the floor as she approached. With her free hoof tugging at his sleeve, she reared up onto her hind legs, trying to see the message. After all, Old Dusty just taught her all sorts of new letters but a few days gone, though Snowblossom wasn’t sure if she could remember all of them.

The seneschal gently pushed her away and read the letter to himself, twice over by the look of it. Finally, he glanced up at Captain Valiant Wing and Queen Radiant Hope, wiping sweat off his brow as he spoke. “Your majesty, it seems Lord Flawless was delayed by last week’s flooding. His army won’t arrive for another few days.”

An eerie silence took over. The grown ponies were at a loss for words, all waiting for somepony else to speak first. Snowblossom thought being quiet for no reason was stupid, so she decided to break the silence herself. “Mama, what does that mean? What are we supposed to do now?”

Her mother reached over and pulled Snowblossom into herself, stroking her pale blue mane with one quivering hoof. “It means, little dove, that we are out of time.” She looked up at her subordinates. “Raise the white flag. I shall treat with General Applethorn and his rebels personally. Perhaps I can convince him to offer some form of clemency.”

Captain Valiant Wing shook his head. “With all due respect, your majesty, that’s suicide. If we were treating with Celestia or Luna maybe, but these rebels aren’t so forgiving as them. I say that if we’re going to go down, we might as well give them a good fight before we do.”

The seneschal glared at the captain. “The only one committing suicide here is you. At least this way, there is a chance some of us may live. Surely, they have no need to cut down servants and foals, after all.”

Valiant Wing laughed, contempt for the other stallion heavy as a worker’s shackles. “You mean they might spare you? Bah, you’re craven as a diamond dog! The dirty mutts.”

The seneschal gritted his teeth, his face going red with rage, which was really more of a purple, given his powder blue coat. “Now hold on just one minute!”

Snowblossom tried to block out the angry sounds they were making, and instead turned to her mother. “Mama, what does suicide mean?”

Though it seemed impossible, as deeply purple as she was, her mother’s face blanched the color of the Crystal Mountains in dead winter. “Well, darling,” she made out breathily, “it means that the action would be detrimental to oneself. That is, it would be unwise.”

“Oh. And raising a white flag is unwise?”

Her mother sighed. “No, honey, it just means that we’re done fighting. You want an end to the fighting, don’t you?”

Snowblossom took a moment to consider, then nodded. “I don’t like it when ponies fight. They’re always so mean. I don’t understand why.”

Her mother took her head in both hooves, looking her in the eyes like she did when she was angry, only it was not in anger that she spoke. “Sometimes ponies have a cause so important, they are willing to fight for it. Your father, for instance, was one of the greatest fighters on Equus.”

Snowblossom cocked her head to the side. “You mean he is one of the greatest fighters on Equus? Old Dusty said ‘was’ is for the past, ‘is’ is for the present.”

Her mother sniffled, wiping away her tears with an already damp sleeve. “That’s right, my little princess, he is the best. You’re so smart for catching that; I’m very proud of you.”

Snowblossom smiled at the praise, but it lasted only a moment before she frowned. “Mama, why are you crying? Is something wrong?”

Her mother nodded grimly. “Yes, sweetie, something is wrong. We’ve lost the fight. It’s okay though,” she took to stroking Snowblossom’s hair again, “I’m going to talk to the other side and get everything sorted out. You’ll see, everything will be just fi—” She burst into tears, startling Snowblossom and getting the attention of the captain and seneschal.

Valiant Wing quickly picked Snowblossom up and set her aside, whispering into her mother’s ear while the seneschal cracked open the door and spoke to the guards outside.

Snowblossom started to tear up too. “Mama? I don’t understand. Is everything really that bad? Can I help you? I don’t like it when you cry.”

When she didn’t get a response, she slid down the wall to the floor, wrinkling her nice, yellow dress in the process. Before long, she too was weeping. She didn’t understand it, but she knew something was deeply, horribly wrong. Her mother said they lost, but Snowblossom couldn’t remember why they fought in the first place. It was all so unfair.

The seneschal stepped away from the door, turning back toward the queen. “Your majesty, a banner of white has been raised and Applethorn awaits you at the gates. I’m told he is not a patient stallion. Shall I have him meet you in the throne room?”

The queen glumly nodded, then strode over and picked up Snowblossom in her bright blue magical aura, setting her atop her mother’s back and whispering in her ear, “It’s okay. I’m right here. Don’t cry; just focus on me.”

Snowblossom nodded and buried her face in her mother’s neck, letting her doll drop to the floor. Closing her eyes, she tried to forget about this horrible day. She hoped her father would come back soon. He always knew how to fix things. He would take just a moment to turn the problem over in his head before giving the order, and ponies would leap right to it. He was pretty awesome that way.

Before she knew it, her mother was setting her down atop the queen’s throne, a beautiful piece of gold and lavender silk. Meanwhile, the queen took the larger one of spikes and onyx, normally reserved for King Sombra. This elicited a confused frown from Snowblossom, who was never allowed near the thrones. Why was she allowed here now? Why did her mother take father’s place? She opened her mouth to ask the question, but was cut off when a tall stallion in a soot stained coat and stetson of celestial white burst through the doors unbidden.

The guards lining either side of the great hall leveled their spears at him, though he flashed only an amused smile their way before disregarding them entirely. Instead, he eyed the queen, who sat halfway between a defeated slouch and the more elegant posture Snowblossom was used to. Then, with a barely noticeable smirk, he strolled past the guards and up to the foot of the dais, revealing only a little swagger in the process.

His trot was stopped short by a warning glance from Captain Valiant Wing, but he seemed undisturbed by it, casually readjusting his hat to make the image stitched into its crown—a snowflake, the old symbol of the Crystal Empire—more easily visible. “I must say, your grace, I was quite pleased to find a white banner awaiting me. I feared I might have to do something less than wholesome in front of the young princess here.” He gestured toward Snowblossom, who responded by sticking her tongue out at him—mostly for using the incorrect form of address. Even she knew the queen was to be called ‘your majesty,’ not ‘your grace.’ That title was reserved for dukes.

“Master Applethorn, I fear I must seek terms of surrender,” the queen said, using a commoner’s title rather than that of a general. “You have us soundly defeated, and our capitulation was inevitable. I only wish for the chance to plead for my subjects.”

The rebel leader tipped the stetson back an inch, giving an amused raise of the eyebrow. “Plead for your subjects? Please, it is their support that put me here in the first place. The tyranny of King Sombra, and indeed anypony who thinks they deserve to rule over common ponies with absolute authority, is at an end. It is high time the ponies of the Empire had a say in things around here, free from your dear husband’s influence or even that of the remaining alicorns, no matter how benevolent their intentions. I will not harm your servants, but as for you . . .” He loosened his sword in its scabbard with one hoof, eliciting a dark look from Captain Valiant Wing.

Snowblossom gave a concerned look to her mother, who was shivering like she was caught in a blizzard yet sweating more than their fattest cook after the king ordered an impromptu feast. Should she do something to help her? She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly swallowed her tongue when her mother placed a gentle hoof on her withers, regarding Applethorn with a shaken yet still determined stare. “I . . . I accept the consequences of my family’s defeat, but I beg you, don’t let any harm come to my daughter. She’s only a foal, innocent in this struggle and ignorant of the ideologies behind it.”

Their enemy sighed, distracting himself with the straightening of his coat. “You understand the danger I’d be putting our new republic in, yes? Having the heir to the old throne around might give your remaining supporters some rather seditious ideas. Still, she’s only what? Four? Five? Six at most? No, not even that. Not yet . . .” He trailed off, rubbing idly at his muzzle with one hoof. “Hmm. It would be a shame to see anything untoward happen to one so helpless. Very well, your request is granted, if only because I have a soft spot for foals. She will be kept under my personal care until a proper home is found. I shall find another way to deal with the reactionaries.”

Her mother heaved a sigh of relief, slumping in her chair from exhaustion. “Thank you. May I assume your soldiers await me outside then?”

He nodded grimly. “The block has already been set up.”

Snowblossom frowned at her mother. “Mama, what does he mean? Why would they need a block? What’s it for?”

The queen stood and pulled her into a warm embrace. “It’s not important, sweetie. There’s just something I have to do.”

Snowblossom picked at a loose strand of cobalt hair clinging to her mother’s skirts. “Can I watch?”

“No,” her mother replied firmly, “you may not.”

Snowblossom frowned and looked up into her mother’s face, tears rolling from the queen’s sympathetic eyes. “Well, when are you coming back?”

“It may not be for some while . . .” She frowned, then bent down to face her daughter at eye level. “Listen, I need you to be strong for me, okay? Things might get tough for a little bit, but this stallion is going to make sure you’re taken care of. Do you understand?”

Hesitantly, she nodded. “I think so. You’re going on a trip then? Like when you visited Lady Mareida?”

Her mother nodded, the tip of her muzzle trembling. “Yes, it will be like that. Except this time, I may be gone even longer. Perhaps I can see Lady Mareida again while I’m there. I can tell her all about how big you’ve grown.”

Snowblossom smiled. “I like her. She’s so nice to me.”

“Yes, she wa—” her mother stopped to cough, “is. She is. Look, you know I love you, right? More than anything, in fact.”

Snowblossom nodded. “I love you too, Mama, but that stallion looks like he’s in a hurry. Should you really keep him waiting?”

Radiant Hope turned to face Applethorn, who was tapping one of his rear hooves anxiously. “Yes, I suppose it is time to go now.” She gave Snowblossom one last nuzzle, then released her. “Stay here, and be strong. You are going to be okay. Captain Valiant, will you watch after her?”

The captain gave a solemn nod. “It would be an honor, your majesty, just as it has been an honor serving you.”

She nodded back. “Thank you. Goodbye.”

And with that, she wiped her tears, held her head up high, and strode to the giant doors at the other end of the hall. Few of the royal guard met her eyes as she passed, and some even began to lay their spears on the ground. Most looked defeated, uncertain of what to do.

Once she was gone, Applethorn motioned Snowblossom to follow him, setting off for the nearest hall at a trot. Not wanting to upset her new caretaker, Snowblossom quickly followed after, sparing only a quick glance to make sure Captain Valiant Wing was coming with.

Strangely enough, Applethorn peaked into many rooms before finally finding one he liked—and when he did find one, it was an armory of all things. Snowblossom didn’t know why he would go there—she herself only visited it with her brother—but she followed him in without question. Only Captain Valiant Wing remained outside, though it took a few words from Applethorn and the arrival of some soldiers to keep him out. She didn’t recognize their uniforms, and for some reason, Valiant Wing didn’t seem to like them.

Once she and the stallion were alone, he pulled two stools into the center of the room and sat atop one, motioning her to the other.

Snowblossom sat and smoothed out her dress, waiting for the stallion to tell her what he wanted. She didn’t have long to wait before a clatter and the sound of grunts interceded from the hallway outside. What could that possibly be? She began to stand up, only for the stallion across from her to motion her back down.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. Probably just your captain and my soldiers engaging in some contest of bravado or another. You know how us stallions are, always wrestling and getting rowdy and such.” He let out a reassuring smile.

Snowblossom eyed the door for another moment, then hesitantly nodded. “Right, I suppose that makes sense. I mean, Silver Sword did the same thing. Didn’t you want to talk to me?”

“Of course.” He pulled a crossbow off a nearby hook and began to idly string it. “I hope these recent events haven’t been too distressing for you. Uh, that is, I hope you are not sad.”

“Well, my mama seemed really sad, but I suppose she never did like to travel. I’m sort of confused by it all, actually. Aren’t you supposed to be my enemy?”

He laughed. “Why, of course not! You are young, and lucky enough to not have time for enemies. I merely wished to return the power of friendship and harmony to this fair nation, and allow the common ponies to direct its use. Do you understand?”

She frowned. “I think so, but my father always said common ponies don’t know how to rule, that they need us to do it for them. That's how Equestria's always done it, right?”

He chuckled again, picking up a bolt and placing it in the crossbow’s flight groove. “Your father was very misguided, and besides, somehow I think he wouldn't want you looking at Equestria as a model. Which they aren't, mind you, but that's a unique situation. Right now, I need their support, and I have far too many cousins down there anyway. I would hate to cause a rift in the family." He blinked, as if realizing he had said too much. "Anyhow, your father's influence seems to have affected you a great deal, just as it brought this nation to ruin. Fear not though, I shall handle the situation. I’m going to make everything better.”

She smiled. “Well that’s good. Are you going hunting?” She gestured to the crossbow, a device designed to be strapped to the leg and fired from a cord pulled by one’s teeth.

“No, princess, I am not,” he said grimly. “It’s much closer to target practice. Now, I would like you to close your eyes and imagine where you are most content, the place that makes you feel warm and safe and happy. Can you please do that for me?”

She cocked her head to the side at the odd request, but decided she would be better off just doing it. After all, she didn’t want to anger the stallion who was supposed to take care of her.

“That’s right, eyes closed,” he said, a soft, winding noise drifted to her from his direction.

Snowblossom smiled. She was at the dinner table, surrounded by her family. Her brother cracked jokes while studiously directing attention away from his academic performance; her father spent half his time writing letters to some noble or another and the other half individually inquiring about each family member's day; her mother fretted over Snowblossom’s poor etiquette, rolling her eyes whilst hiding that small smile of hers every time her father said, "bah, let the foal be a foal." More than anything, she loved her family, loved sitting with them at this table. There was nowhere else she felt more safe, more happy.

And that was when she knew it; everything was going to be just fine.

Author's Note

The story originally ended here, but it wasn't that good, so I attempted to save it with two more chapters. Expect those to have a significantly different tone.

Knock Knock, It’s the Real Harmonists

General Starfrost trotted down the main boulevard of the Crystal City, palace directly ahead. Along the street, soldiers in white and gray uniforms and kettle helms similar to her own removed hastily erected republican banners, replacing them with those of the one true Crystal Empire.

Starfrost couldn’t be more proud. For years, she’d led her small band of guerrillas in and out of mountain passes, through monster infested tunnel networks, and across open plains under cover of blizzards too brutal to have been imaginable before Sombra’s corruption of the crystal heart. Each time they would strike at Sombra’s true supporters, cut off supply lines, seize crucial resources, or spread propaganda leaflets. Her rebellion got larger over time as their mind controlled friends were freed and those made complacent by fear began to see the light. By the time they marched on the Crystal City, she had at her tail the largest army the Empire had ever seen, excepting only Sombra’s own.

To finally be there—her mission complete, homeland reclaimed—it made her want to grin until Hearth's Warming. She didn't have time for that though. She knew from experience that after every war, came a mountain of paperwork. She hated paperwork almost as much as she hated having her country under occupation. Well, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but still, she considered trying to hoof most of it off onto her sister. She was much better at that kind of thing. Of course, it was going to be even more complicated as a result of what the Imperial army found when it had arrived at the Crystal City.

At the time, she'd been more amused than anything to find not Sombra, but a miniature republic occupying the nation's capital. She knew there’d been a battle and she did sent assassins after Sombra in the midst of it, but she never expected the rebels to win. Since the moment she petitioned her Equestrian allies to divert some military aid to the republicans, she’d only been using them as a means of keeping Sombra distracted. That way, her forces could run amok out in the countryside.

What amused her less was the so-called revolutionaries’ refusal to give the city over to the legitimate government of the Crystal Empire. Naturally, Starfrost didn’t let that stop her. Prevented from outright attacking non-aggressors by official Imperial doctrine, she’d ordered the army to march straight into the city as if on parade, leaving the defenders only a choice between surrender or starting a conflict with a numerically superior and well equipped force. Some surrendered, some fought, all lost.

Those of low rank who surrendered were told to go home, no questions asked. After all, even with the battles won, they still had to unite the nation. The officers and those who chose violence were under much greater scrutiny though. Already, rumors of war crimes committed by these ponies were spreading, and she knew at least one was true. She’d seen the carnage leftover from the butchering of the Mareida family. It wasn’t pretty, and while once upon a time, she wouldn’t have been too put off by it, she liked to think of herself as reformed now—despite the princesses skepticism of that fact. Even back then, she’d never harmed foals though, and the Mareidas had several.

“Starfrost, there you are. I have those reports you requested.”

She smiled and turned around to see a white-coated earth pony with a dark mane. Her colorings closely matched Starfrost’s own, but with green eyes instead of blue. Though she recognized the voice even before seeing her. Only one pony never ever addressed her by her title, and that was her sister. Starfrost had expressly forbidden it the moment she first outranked Icy Snow. Her sister was ever embarrassed by the informality of it in front of their subordinates, but it had been an order, and Icy loved following orders. It was probably the reason Starfrost outranked her despite having gone through the academy at opposite ends of the grading scale, a fact Icy never once rubbed in her face, even when she had every right to.

“Well, Colonel, what’s the situation?”

Icy Snow’s emerald eyes narrowed at Starfrost’s refusal to follow her own rules, but she didn’t hesitate in hoofing over a sheaf of papers. “It seems they took Radiant Hope from the palace and executed her in the street. No trial, mob justice.”

“I’m not surprised. A trial would likely have ended in her execution anyway.“ Starfrost flipped a page. “Didn’t she and Sombra have a daughter? Where is she?”

Icy Snow frowned at the quick dismissal of Radiant’s death, but went on, nodding toward the palace. “Last seen in the company of the rebel leader, Applethorn. General Applethorn, he styles himself. After that, no sign of her. I’ve already ordered a full investigation of the matter. Hopefully, we’ll be able to track her down and bring some sense of normalcy back to her life.”

Starfrost raised an eyebrow as she began walking toward the palace. “You think she’s alive?”

Icy blinked. “Why wouldn’t she be?” She set a pace with her sister. “I mean, she’s just a little filly.”

Starfrost shook her head. “You have too much faith in the good of ponies.”

“Or maybe you don’t have enough.”

“Maybe, but mark my words, we’ll be digging up a corpse, not fishing a scared filly out of some hiding place.”

Icy grimaced. “Once again, I find myself really hoping you're wrong.”

“Me too, believe me.” She sighed. “What about the prisoners? Anypony valuable?”

“Well, we have Applethorn in custody now. I knew you would want to interrogate him personally. Also, reports indicate that the last of Sombra’s key supporters, Flawless, has been captured. We have a battalion of soldiers escorting him and his officers to the Crystal City now.”

Starfrost smirked, pulling at the scar on her right cheek. “A whole battalion? Wow Icy, you are learning!”

Icy Snow’s cheeks flushed vermillion. “Um, well, at least we know he won’t get away this time.”

“Right. Take me to Applethorn. I have some questions regarding his involvement in the Mareida deaths, and if anypony knows where that poor filly is, it’s him.”

Her sister nodded. “Of course. Would you like me to assist in the questioning?”

“Oh, please do.” Starfrost flashed a smile at her. “You know so well how my solo interrogations tend to get less than friendly. Somepony has to hold me back.”

Icy rolled her eyes. “Or maybe you just enjoy forcing my hoof.”

Starfrost smirked. “That too.”

Two guards in helmets emblazoned with the symbol of the Crystal Empire entered the interrogation room, escorting “General” Applethorn. His coat was still torn and dirt-stained from his fight against Starfrost's forces and his white Stetson had a gaping hole in it. From the looks of it, he was lucky not to have lost his head.

Starfrost dismissed the soldiers the moment he was seated in the chair across the table from herself and Icy Snow, coolly stepping up to meet him eye-to-eye as the door closed. “Welcome. My name is General Starfrost and this mare beside me is Colonel Icy Snow, acting chief of the Crystal Intelligence Services.”

Applethorn scoffed. “The C.I.S. is gone, just like Mi Amore and her entire government. You’re just a bunch of pretenders using whatever you can to claim legitimacy over my own force. The very force that you unlawfully dismantled." He flashed a smile, though it looked somewhat forced. "The princesses will hear about this, you know, and when they do, they will be most displeased. I have been in their favor, after all. They even sent me supplies.”

Starfrost gave him a blank stare that lasted all of a few seconds before she burst out laughing. The poor fool had absolutely no idea what was really going on in the world. Her, a pretender? The princesses favoring him? Even Icy gave a small chuckle.

“What? What are you laughing at?” Applethorn insisted. “You think it’s funny to laugh in the face of those who believe in peace, friendship, and harmony? To laugh at the only ones capable of bringing liberty?”

At that, Starfrost’s laughter transformed into full on wheezing. Was he possibly referring to all of the "peace, friendship, and harmony" the Mareidas felt at the end of rebel blades? No, he couldn't possibly mean that. She knew she shouldn't laugh at something so dark, but something morbid inside her couldn't help it.

Icy Snow patted Starfrost on the withers, giving Applethorn a sympathetic look when she saw how offended he was. “I must apologize for my sister’s poor sense of humor. I’m sure she did not mean to demean your core values.”

“Yes, I did.” Starfrost hastily threw in as she got herself under control. It was always in her sister's nature to be diplomatic for as long as possible, but Starfrost felt no such obligation. She didn't see the point in appeasing ponies not worth anything to her.

Icy sighed. “Regardless, there are some things you need to know before we can begin with the questions. The Princess and her government are not gone, merely in exile. If you believed the rumors of her and her family’s deaths, then you have been listening to Sombra’s propaganda. The truth is that they were saved from Sombra’s custody, shortly before their planned execution date, by Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends. They were then taken to Canterlot, where they have been protected but told to keep a low profile to avoid Sombra’s assassins.

“You see, we aren’t pretending at anything. We are the legitimate government. Princess Cadance herself requested I take temporary command of the Crystal Intelligence Services during this time, and both of us were in the military even before Sombra’s take over.”

Starfrost nodded along with her sister, adding in, “Which means that when you refused to surrender the city to us, you were in direct defiance of the crown. I suppose I could have explained the situation then, but you clearly weren’t interested in dialogue. The last thing we needed was to give you time to prepare your defenses. Also, nopony favors you. I directed those supplies your way so you could keep Sombra occupied for me. That’s right,” she smiled, “you were nothing more than a distraction. Your victory is meaningless; the city was ours either way.”

Applethorn gulped, his gaze falling down to the simple, wooden table as he visibly soaked in the tirade of information. “I . . . I don’t know what to say. How could this happen? I never trusted them, but I didn’t think our so-called benevolent overlords could be this callous to our plight.”

“They aren’t. Don’t be dramatic.” Starfrost leaned in close, tipping the helmet she still wore back to get a good look at the stallion. “They accepted the advice of the military because the situation was desperate. The border was too fortified for the Equestrian army to break through and Sombra was rapidly gaining real supporters, ponies who didn’t need to be mind controlled to be loyal. I suppose we can blame Radiant Hope’s outreach for that. You saw many of these facts the same as I, but if you really think the princesses in their all-powerful wisdom could somehow be wrong, you can feel free to tell them yourself. After all, Cadenza is expected to be here later today. And believe me, I intend to have a detailed report of all your activities ready for her when she arrives.”

“All-powerful . . .” Applethorn’s eyes widened in recognition. “Wait. I know of you, don’t I? Yes, you were that nationalist who almost started a war with the Yaks a few years back. Didn’t the princesses have to repeatedly call you down for being overzealous? I think the papers even called you ‘dangerously unstable.’ Almost lost your job over that, didn't you? I mean, in addition to your sanity, of course.”

She clenched her teeth. First Princesses Cadance and Luna doubted her, then Blueblood and Rutherford took turns openly insulting her, then Artic Lily slandered her in front of thousands at the Crystal Fair, and now this fool? She tried to resist yelling at him, she really did, but she'd about had enough. The war against Sombra had been a good break from the criticism, but it seemed that era was quickly ending. As if in slow motion, she saw Icy realizing what she was about to do from the edge of her vision, but it was too late. She was suddenly quite sure that Applethorn would look much better with a few bruises. He might even be easier to question.

“For the last time, I’m reformed!” Starfrost screeched, rearing up to smack him across the muzzle.

“Okay!” Icy Snow jumped in, pulling her down into a seat just before her hoof could reach the stallion. “Maybe let’s not get you involved in a prisoner abuse scandal, especially since I would be the one tasked with investigating it. Okay?”

“Fine,” Starfrost grumbled, “but those papers exaggerated. Most were just attack ads written by old enemies of mine.” She coughed. ". . . and maybe a few old friends."

“Yeah, well, you have a lot of old enemies.” Icy said, choosing to ignore the last bit, probably to avoid further resurfacing bad memories for Starfrost. She turned to Applethorn. “And I will thank you not to antagonize her. We brought you down here to ask a few questions, not fight over who can act more like a foal.” She paused, glancing down at the papers sitting before her on the table. "Speaking of, I believe we have a rather important foal missing. Snowblossom, I believe her name was." She looked back to Applethorn. "Where is she?"

"I . . . I don't know . . ." Applethorn floundered for a moment before taking a deep breath and visibly regaining his bearings. "I mean, she escaped." He looked between Icy Snow and Starfrost with an apologetic smile for the first and a disapproving glance for the second. "Sorry, you caught me a bit off guard, what with the almost hitting me and all. I last saw Snowblossom when I locked her in the palace armory just before going to give a victory speech in front of my ponies. By the time I came back, she was gone. I suspect she climbed out the window. You must understand, she wasn't more than four or five. She was scared and confused, too young to understand that we would never harm her. I sent some soldiers to look for her, but then you attacked and the hunt was called off in the chaos. She could be anywhere by now."

Icy Snow merely nodded and wrote some notes down, but Starfrost wasn't satisfied. "You expect us to believe that? That you didn't so much as have a guard look after her during your speech? No. I think you had your ponies kill her, just like you did to her mother. You might as well confess now, because I intend to question every last soul here until I have the evidence to hang you with."

"But I didn't—" Applethorn began before being cut off by an icy glare from the mare of the same name.

After a few moments in silence, Icy turned to Starfrost, pulling her close to whisper in her ear. "Look, I get it, you think you have the solution. But you can't just decide that you're a hammer and he's a nail. If he is guilty of that particular crime, it will come to light in our investigations, but yelling at him now will only make him more hostile going forwards. In the meantime, we have other, arguably more serious crimes to worry about."

Starfrost sighed. "As usual, you are right." She glanced down at Icy's papers, found the one she was looking for, then slid it across the table to the revolutionary. "The Mareida family. Or 'House' Mareida, as they were decreed by Sombra's regime. What happened to them?"

Applethorn spared only a glance for the report in front of him before calmly meeting her eyes. "I sent Major Redwood to handle that. He claimed to have killed their soldiers and broken his way inside only to find the family had committed suicide." He frowned, gaze falling to the floor in sorrow. "They even killed their own foals to prevent our soldiers reaching them. If only they had just surrendered." He shook his head. "An unnecessary tragedy."

"Right," Starfrost said skeptically. "Well, Colonel, do we have this Redwood in the city?"

Icy Snow shuffled through her papers. "I believe . . . yes. Right here." She pushed one page forward on the table. "He is being treated for head trauma in one of the temporary hospitals. Seems he was wounded in the assault against Sombra's forces, but he should be stable enough to talk, seeing as how he isn't in emergency care."

"Good." Starfrost nodded. "I'll go speak to him now. Have the guards see this one back to his cell."

Starfrost stepped over to the door, opening to find an orange unicorn stallion on the other side, hoof raised to knock with a message floating beside him in a red aura. She snatched it from him without a word and scanned the pages. "Well, Icy, looks like Flawless just arrived." She looked up, smiling at her sister. "And he's requested to speak with you personally."

Icy Snow sighed. "I see. Very well. You handle Redwood and I will handle . . .” she gulped, “Flawless."

Inductive Reasoning

Icy Snow walked the long hall of cells, lit only be the occasional torch affixed on a wall sconce. Once, the prison was barely used. The Crystal Empire simply didn't have many prisoners. Sombra had little reason to imprison anypony either. He could just mind control those who didn't conform to his laws. Now, every cell was full, sometimes two or three ponies to a cell. The front half of the prison was filled with republican officers, suspected war criminals, and anypony who had refused to stand down when the war ended. The rest contained Sombra's remaining supporters. It was for one of these cells that she looked, all the way in the back, containing one of her and her sister's fiercest rivals.

The aging gray unicorn she sought grinned as Icy Snow approached his cell, showing off a perfect set of teeth and sparkling steel eyes that would have been charming if she hadn't known him. "Icy, Icy, dear, how are you? Fantastic to see you again by the way. You cannot imagine how I've missed our little chats."

Icy Snow barely restrained a groan, determined to make the conversation perfectly cordial despite Flawless's quirks. It was a rare pony that could get on her nerves, not even Starfrost had the talent, but Flawless was one howling blizzard of an exception. If he was simply antagonistic, that would be one thing. She was used to that from her sister. But no, he liked to taunt all while playing the innocent charmer. If she or—more likely—Starfrost, exploded in rage, he would take it as a personal affront. After all, he was only being polite. How she became his favorite victim, she couldn't say. Perhaps he liked the challenge. Starfrost was far too easy.

"Changeling got your tongue, dear? I know I can be quite stunning, but it is rather impolite to stare. Not that I mind too much." He gave her a wink and a wry smile.

"I was merely wondering why you called me here," Icy quickly recovered. "Surely you wanted more than just a 'little chat.'"

"More?" The unicorn flashed a lopsided grin. "I didn't know you were so interested, though I must say, I'm hardly surprised. You always had fantastic taste. Much better than that runaway wagon you call a sister. No offence."

"You know what I meant." Icy sighed, fighting back a blush. "This is hardly a social call, and if it is, I can always leave you here. Alone. No, you have some sort of business for me, don't you? I don't suppose you want to confess? No, knowing you, it's something you can offer in exchange for a commuted prison sentence."

"Hah! Don't make me laugh," he said with a smirk and a slight deepening of his accent. "I know Princess Cadance will never grant me less than a life sentence, and she has more than enough on my crimes to put me there without a confession. Though I suppose I can offer that if you ask nicely enough." He gave a wry smile that might have been attractive if it was worn by somepony else. "The main reason I asked you here, other than to enjoy the splendid company, is to help with an ongoing investigation. The one surrounding General Applethorn, to be specific."

Icy Snow blinked. "Wait. How did you know we're investigating Applethorn? We just arrived in the city. Most criminal proceedings haven't even begun yet."

"So I was right?" He grinned. "Perfect. That would have been embarrassing otherwise. Of course, I knew you and Starfrost just couldn't help yourselves. You two wanted an easy enemy to pin every non-Sombran atrocity on for when Princess Cadance arrives, am I right? Surely it would make her job easier, and she can feel free to raise you up as heroes without fear of some dark secret coming out." He met her eyes, still smiling, seeming to see right through her.

Icy shifted uncomfortably. She had fallen right into his trap, giving up information he had no right to know. He was half right on the reason too. Neither she nor Starfrost cared about being made a hero, but they did want to make her majesty's job easier. If Cadance could quickly pile a list of war crimes on Applethorn's head, it would help discredit his rebels and allow them to more easily suppress any republican sentiment still left in the country.

She sighed. "Okay, Flawless, you're right. But why do you want to help us? Surely there is something you want in return."

"Oh please," he spread his hooves wide, "I can't just want to help an old friend?"

Icy Snow raised an eyebrow. The two had never been friends. They just had the misfortune of meeting on opposite sides of the war many times over. He was clearly messing with her, as he did with seemingly everypony he met.

"Fine." He lowered his hooves. "I do want something. A nice feast before I'm condemned to a lifetime of prison food will do, so long as you join me for it. And a letter of well wishes from you and your sister, of course. I think I would like to hang it on the wall of my cell. Oh, and a kiss. On the cheek will do. I'm not a savage, after all."

She found herself grating her teeth. His last wish was literally just to mess with her one more time. "Anything else?"

"No, dear. That will be plenty." The grin was back.

Starfrost pushed back the flap of the medical tent and stepped inside. A line of cots was set up in a row with injured ponies being tended to by a single field medic. The lack of a read doctor was just as much a sign of the Crystal Army's strained resources as the presence of only one medic, though they had more than enough common foot soldiers to spare two for guarding the entrance. It wouldn't have been necessary if the injured were Starfrost's troops, but this tent was specifically designated for treating wounded republicans.

The medic saluted as soon as he looked up from his notes long enough to notice her presence. "Oh, General, I didn't see you there. What can I do for you, ma'am?"

Starfrost looked back and forth along the line of patients. "I'm looking for a pony by the name of Redwood. Would he happen to be here?"

The medic nodded. "In the back. If you'll follow me, ma'am." He turned and began plodding down the isle of beds.

The two arrived at the last bed. It's owner was, unsurprisingly, given his name, a red earth pony with a tree for a cutie mark. His head was wrapped in bandages, but one eye and his muzzle was left exposed. He looked bad, but was thankfully awake.

"You are Redwood, correct?" Starfrost prodded when he gave no indication that he noticed her presence. "I have some questions to ask you regarding the Mareida family."

He slowly blinked, then sluggishly shifted his head to face her. "Redwood? Uh, yeah, I think that's me. Yeah, I know the Mareidas. They had a dog. Sir Whines-a-lot."

Starfrost grimaced, turning to the medic. "Uh, is he okay? He's acting kind of strange."

"Well . . ." the medic hissed. "He does have a teensy bit of brain damage. And by that, I mean that his long term memory is slow to recall and his short term is completely shot. He also seems to have trouble evaluating the importance of any given fact compared to any other."

Starfrost groaned. "Ugh. That's just my luck. Okay, I want you to write down everything he says. I'm sure I can get what I need out of him, one way or another."

"Wait. Who're you ponies?" Redwood looked back and forth between them, mouth hanging open, a bit of drool dribbling out. "Where am I?"

Starfrost didn't facehoof, but she very much would have liked to. She didn't have time for this. "You're injured but under care, my name's General Starfrost, and I need to know about the Mareida family. They died. Can you tell me about how that happened?"

"Starfrost? Applethorn said you wouldn't help, that you hated republicans almost as much as communists."

She sighed. "That's not, strictly speaking, true, but there's no time for that. Answer my question. The Mareida family. How did they die?"

"Um." He frowned. "We . . . I mean they, killed themselves before we could arrive. Yeah, they were afraid. They screamed. Their dog whined."

"Enough about the dog." She leaned in to a mere few inches from his face. "My reports speak quite vividly of how they died. Now, somehow I greatly doubt that they would have hacked their own foals up with machetes—or themselves, for that matter. What—"

"What do you mean? What's the matter?" he interrupted, catching Starfrost so off guard that it took her a second to realize he was referring only to the end of her sentence. Everything else had been forgotten.

This time, she really did facehoof. At least she'd gotten far enough to hear his lie for herself. She had to check if Applethorn just made up that part or not. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "Take three." She gently grabbed him with one foreleg, sure to get his attention. "The Mareida family was butchered by your soldiers. I know that for a fact. Who gave the order? Was it you, or did it come from higher up?"

"No, no, no." He shook his head, though not in a very wide arc with her hoof around his neck. "I never wanted to. They were afraid. They screamed. Their dog whined." Tears came to his one uncovered eye. "I had to. Orders are orders. You don't disobey . . . who are you?"

"GAAAH!" Starfrost screamed as she ripped her helmet her helmet off with one hoof and threw it across the tent, eliciting a shocked squeal from the medic. "Okay. That's it!" She grabbed Redwood with both hooves and hauled him up, bringing him nose to nose with her furiously scrunched face. "The Mareida family was butchered. Your soldiers did it. Who gave the order? WHO?"

"I . . . I didn't." The stallion was actively crying now. "He said we had to. He said they were evil ponies. He said he'd killed me if I talked."

"Who? Please, listen to me," she pleaded. "Who said this?"

"Applethorn. I . . . wait, where am I?"

Starfrost sighed and released him. It was nothing more than the rambling testimony of a brain damaged pony, but it would have to be enough. It wasn't proof of anything, of course, but every scrap of evidence helped. Regardless, despite his involvement in the murders, it was useless taking Redwood to court. He'd already received punishment for his crimes, and it was inside his own mind. The medic's notes on his bedside claimed he was unlikely ever to recover.

"Starfrost, are you finished up in here?"

She turned to find Icy Snow waiting at the tent's entrance. "Yes. Walk with me."

She stepped past, heading back toward the Crystal Palace. "Well, I learned that Applethorn ordered the butchering of the Mareida clan, just as expected. The only problem is that the source can't exactly be called super reliable. What about you? Did Flawless have anything useful to say, or was it just him being him?"

"Both." Icy shook her head to herself, keeping pace at Starfrost's side. "He had information about Applethorn, but it came with a price. A price I was willing to pay. You're supposed to write a letter of well wishes with me, by the way." Icy Snow glanced over, no doubt taking note of Starfrost's grimace. "Don't worry, since I made the deal, it's only fair I write it myself. We can just have you put your name on it."

"Thanks." Starfrost smiled at her sister. "Well, don't hold me in suspense. What was the information?"

"Applethorn ordered his forced to destroy the dams about a week's trot east of here. The recent flooding? Yeah, that wasn't just a structural failure. It was caused by revolutionary forces. Apparently, he did it to slow down Flawless and prevent his army from reinforcing Sombra here at the Crystal City in time. Thousands of innocents died as a result."

Starfrost smiled. "Excellent."

"Excellent?" Icy said incredulously. "It's horrible!"

"Uh, right," She quickly corrected. "Really, it's a tragedy. Truly terrible." She took a breath, waiting just a beat before speaking again. "But you have to admit, it's quite useful. Did he have proof?"

Icy sighed. "Yes. He gave details on the damage to the dams as well the locations of any documents his forces hid away when they surrendered. His army's scout reports on the disaster should be among those. I've already sent some of our pegasi out east to collect them and bring them here, posthaste. My investigators have also convinced the tutor of Sombra's children to talk about Snowblossom's disappearance. He is an old gelding named Dusty, and he's waiting for us in the armory where the filly was last seen."

"Good. We sho— wait." Starfrost abruptly spun to face her sister directly. "Did you say gelding?"

Icy nodded grimly. "Correct. Apparently Sombra wanted his children's educator to be more docile."

"Ugh." She shook her head. "As if we needed any more reason to hate that monster. Come on, let's go see this gelding then."

Starfrost tried very hard not to glance between Dusty's legs out of sheer curiosity, something Icy Snow didn't seem to have a problem with at all. The prude. It was hard not to let one's mind wander when their supposed source of information was rambling on about how he was so glad that good old fashioned monarchists had driven the republican rabble out, trying and failing to ingratiate himself with the new regime. Though Starfrost wanted to yell at him to get to the point, her sister merely nodded along and subtly pushed him in the direction of the investigation.

“. . . and that’s when I was finally allowed back in to clean, and I noticed a few drops of blood on the floor.”

Blood? Starfrost snapped back to attention. It seemed Icy had finally gotten him on topic.

“So,” he continued. “I asked them about it and they said it was from an accident, that their cleaner must have missed a spot. So, I went ahead and cleaned the rest up for them. I got in there real good with bleach too. Didn’t want to leave anything behind. That would be downright unsanitary.”

Starfrost groaned, and she could have sworn Icy almost did the same. The old fool just admitted to tampering with evidence. She would have believed he was intentionally deceiving them, except there was a certain genuineness to his apparent senility that made her actually believe him. Regardless, he was as useless as winter gear in Saddle Arabia.

“You know what? I think we have what we need. You can go.” Starfrost gestured to the door.

"Oh." He looked back in forth between them in confusion. "Okay then. I sure hope you two nice ladies find that sweet little filly. I would hate to think something bad might have happened to her. In the meantime, I'll make like a foal and head on out." He chuckled to himself as if he hadn't just told one of the most cliché jokes ever, then made for the exit.

Starfrost shut the door almost on top of his tail. "Is it just me, or is everypony we meet an active detriment to our sanity? Icy?"

She looked over. Icy Snow was staring at the armory's small window. "What is it, Icy?"

"Applethorn claimed that Snowblossom must have climbed out through the window." She glanced to Starfrost. "Now, while that window might be large for a foal to squeeze through, somehow I have trouble imagining anypony, let alone a foal, getting that high unaided. Any higher and it would be on the ceiling. I suppose the weapon racks could work as a boost, but they're so heavy it would take two or three good stallions to move one."

"You're right. Combine that with Dusty's claims of blood and we can make a serious argument that Applethorn was lying. It still doesn't make for sufficient evidence to convict him of murder though."

At that moment, one of Icy's agents entered with a salute and a report held in a turquoise magical aura. "Ma'ams, you're going to want to see this."

Starfrost returned the salute. "What is it?"

"Our team found a body that we think might be Snowblossom's. Word of it first came from the palace seneschal, who admitted to seeing some of the revolutionaries haul something out wrapped in a rug. Our search led to an old storehouse not far from the palace. It was already burned when we arrived, but we went ahead and cordoned off the area to prevent further meddling. The site is set up for your arrival now."

She turned to Icy. "Come on then. This might just be exactly what we're looking for."

The two walked out of the room, down the hall, through the palace doors, and two blocks down. There, they found the storehouse, kept restricted to the public just as the agent said. Upon entering, they quickly found the charred corpse of a filly wrapped up in what remained of an equally charred rug. The skeleton was completely blackened, but had the look of something burnt fairly recently.

Starfrost frowned. "It's beyond recognition. Do you think there is any way to prove this is Snowblossom?"

Icy shook her head. "No, but we can build evidence. This body is the perfect size for a filly her age, and what little remains of that rug matches those found on the palace floors. You put that together with everything else we collected, and I think Princess Cadance will be more than satisfied." She sighed. "Still though, I'd hoped we wouldn't be finding this."

Starfrost nodded. "I know. Let's get this report written up and have it waiting when the princess arrives. Then we can be done with this whole mess. The ministry of propaganda can handle it from there, and by the time it's through with them, it will have thoroughly marred all republicanism within this country for years to come."

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza set down the report and looked at the two officers standing at the foot of the throne room's dais. The first was General Starfrost, leader of the valiant rebels to which she owed her crown. Though prior to Sombra's takeover, Starfrost had been a perpetual pain in her flank. She still wasn't sure if she would allow Starfrost to maintain her position as highest officer of the Crystal Empire's military. She could express her gratitude for recent events by promoting the mare to field marshal, or she could do perhaps the more sensible thing and give Shining Armor the position, now that he was ready for a return to service. He would be much easier to work with than her, but it would also feel like a betrayal of the general's loyalty and devotion to the cause.

The second pony was Colonel Icy Snow, who just a few years ago, Cadance had assigned as acting head of the Crystal Intelligence Services. Given her exemplary service, she was inclined to grant her the position on a more permanent basis. That was less of a toss up than the Starfrost question, as Icy Snow had always been an absolute pleasure to work with—even if she lacked the raw tenacity and battlefield prowess of her sister.

In addition to taking back the capital, it seemed the two had come with a solution to the republican problem, though Cadance was hesitant to mention just yet that she already had an entirely different solution in mind for said problem—mainly because it was not a solution they, mainly Starfrost, were bound to like. It was certainly a much gentler approach than they suggested.

She cleared her throat. "I must say, the things you describe here are quite disturbing, but I have some problems with your sources. Redwood's claims are almost totally inadmissible on account of his current condition and I am skeptical of this Flawless's motives, even if backed up by his army's reports. Are you sure that Applethorn is responsible for every one of these things?"

"We can never be sure, your majesty," Icy Snow spoke, "but we have more than enough reasons to believe he is. Regardless, the presence of a body gives us very good reason to believe he murdered Snowblossom. According to our reports, no other fillies of the same size disappeared around that time period near that location. With the rug we found at the scene, we are reasonably sure it's her. That should be enough to pronounce him guilty. The rest is merely a bonus."

"I see. And what does my military high command suggest I do with such a dangerous criminal?"

Starfrost stepped forward, smirking. "Why that's rather simple, your majesty. Lop his head off, of course. It's no less than they did to Radiant Hope."

"What?" She gasped. "You can't be serious. An eye for an eye has never been our way, nor should it be. This must be a time of healing, and we will not begin that by making his supporters bitter or by betraying our values."

"Fine." Starfrost shrugged. "Send him to Princess Celestia then. She can turn ponies to stone, right? I mean, I think that's what she did to Discord. Frankly, I could use a new statue for my garden. Once I get a garden. To be honest, I have a bit of a brown hoof."

Cadance shook her head. Starfrost would defend to the death any loyal citizen of the Empire, but she was frustratingly flippant toward the lives of anypony not under her jurisdiction or directly allied to her. This was exactly why she didn't believe Starfrost's claims of being reformed, especially since the only thing that changed was how vocally she supported conquering their neighbors. If she were not so loyal, and indeed useful, Cadance would have removed her from service long ago. As it was, she had been relegated to a relatively unimportant border garrison until Sombra took over. Though it was exactly that distance that allowed her to avoid being mind controlled.

"General, we cannot simply make statues of everypony who commits a major crime. Celestia is not a gorgon, ever eager to expand her collection."

Starfrost sighed and for a moment it even looked to Cadance like she was going to roll her eyes. "You are, as ever, quite correct, your majesty. I suppose he will face a life behind bars then? It's a bit of a boring punishment for my taste, but I suppose it will suit your purposes."

"I imagine you are correct," Cadance nodded, "but I will need to speak to him first. Later though. Something must be done about his revolutionaries, and I do not intend to simply disgrace them with propaganda as your report advises. Their viewpoints are valid, and must be heard. I will unite this nation through love and compromise, not by spreading slander and browbeating any potential opponents into submission."

She could see Starfrost's jaw tighten at her words, but what the general said was not at all what she expected, party because it was unlike her and partly for the radical change in direction. "Your majesty, when you pronounce Applethorn's sentence, I must ask that you also give one to me." The mare met her in the eyes, standing tall and firm while somehow maintaining a countenance of respect and even repentance. "I directed aid to Applethorn's rebels. I didn't need to do this, but it did make things easier for a time. I fear many ponies have died as a result. The floods, the Mareida deaths, Snowblossom, those who died defending the city from us—all of it couldn't have happened if not for my actions. For that, I must pay. After all, I am reformed, and it is the right thing to do." She gave a soft smile.

The princess found herself in shock. Starfrost was requesting punishment? Among that pony's many flaws, narcissism was not one of them, but it was still the first time anything like that had happened that she knew of. Even after almost starting a war with the yaks, Starfrost had been outwardly apologetic but not truly remorseful. Cadance was still fairly sure the general wanted to take control of the Yakish range for their mines. Still, maybe she had worked to change herself more than the princess gave her credit for, even if only by a little bit.

"General, you don't need to do that. Your actions were understandable, given the desperate situation. You could not have known what would happen. In fact, if you hadn't sent them those supplies, we might still be at war with Sombra right now. You are a hero, whatever you had to do to get here."

"Respectfully, your majesty, we aren't giving Applethorn that leniency, and I'm sure many see him as a hero too. Besides, I'm not naïve, I knew exactly what might happen. In fact, I fully expected there to be collateral damage. I counted on using it later to disgrace them."

Cadance sighed. Starfrost was once again putting her in a very difficult position, albeit in a much different way than usual. She needed every loyal officer she could get for the coming days, and Starfrost's status as a war hero would make Cadance extremely unpopular if she were to make any kind of pronouncement against the general. If she were to offer punishment, it would have to be relatively lenient, yet deeply unpleasant for Starfrost. Otherwise, the general might claim that she was going too easy on her or, on the other end of the spectrum, Cadance might face public backlash.

The Princess smiled. If she knew Starfrost, this would be perfect. "Very well. I hereby am restricting you to administrative work for the next three months. In that time, you are to take up the position of head clerk here in the palace. All paperwork done within the building is to pass directly through your office. Additionally, your pay will be docked and any promotion opportunities you would have otherwise had as a result of your actions will be forfeited. You will still receive the medals you are due, however." There, just like that, she’d also solved the problem of who would be made field marshal. It would be Shining Armor.

Starfrost's eye twitched at the mention of that much paperwork, but to her credit, she quickly fell into a gracious bow.

“Now, if you will excuse me,” Cadance added, “I must address my little ponies. They deserve to hear from their ruler.”

The princess rose from Radiant Hope’s throne, her own throne having not yet been tracked down from wherever Sombra put it, and strode to the massive double doors of the palace’s entrance. Colonel Icy Snow and General Starfrost seamlessly joined her at the left and right flanks respectively, though remained several steps behind. When the doors opened, she was met by a massive crowd of ponies, many of whom were waving the purple and white banners of the Crystal Empire. Though they had not been there when she entered the palace, she knew it was hardly spontaneous. She had spied Icy Snow giving the orders to gather them and pass out flags when she first arrived.

"Ponies of the Empire," she announced, addressing them with the royal Canterlot voice to reach those in the back—a technique taught to her by her Aunt Luna, "today is a momentous occasion. After years in exile, the legitimate government of the Empire is restored and the Tyrant King defeated." She paused while the crowd cheered. "It is with great pride that I stand here today, humbly thanking the saviors of this nation. All of us owe the mares and stallions of the armed forces our deepest gratitude, and we owe General Starfrost here even more for leading the free ponies of our nation in my absence." She stopped once again to allow the ponies to cheer their soldiers and General Starfrost, who merely smiled and waved back to the crowd.

"Despite these victories," she continued, "there is still great work to be done. Even now, investigations are being carried out against those suspected of war crimes, engineers are being sent to examine destroyed railways, and medical professionals are being hired to treat the Empire's many wounded, regardless of who they fought for. This is a time of healing. To that end, I will meet with the remaining leaders of the republican movement to discuss the future of our government. I have heard your cry for liberty in the face of an oppressive regime such as Sombra's, and I ask you to help me ensure your freedoms are never taken away again. We will begin by expanding local elections, and from there, leap into places new and as yet unknown, but not scary in the least.

"Only together can we move forward into this new era, restoring friendship and harmony to a broken nation. This is a project that will never end, for we must always be improving upon ourselves, but I firmly believe that it will lead us to the highest of heights, never seen before in the Empire. This is, has, and always will be the Empire of Love, and I thank you all for the part you play in that. Forevermore, the Crystal Ponies will stand together in fellowship, a shining beacon of the best Harmony has to offer!"

The crowd's cheers were thunderous, the drumbeats of an army marching into a new age.

Applethorn walked the final stretch to his cell, where he was likely to spend the rest of his life. Escorting him was the newly promoted General Icy Snow, official director of the military branch of the Crystal Intelligence Services. He couldn't say why somepony so important would want to escort him themselves, but he doubted the reason would be pleasant for him.

They stopped at a cell in the very back of the prison, already occupied by a gray unicorn stallion just reaching his later years. At present, he was simply leaning against the back wall with his eyes closed.

"Hello there, Flawless." Icy Snow smiled. "I have a cellmate for you. Do treat him well, won't you?"

The stallion opened his eyes and flashed an eerily perfect grin. "Oh, you do know how to treat me, dear. Worry not, I am sure him and I will get along just fine. We'll tell stories, have long chats, and be the very best of friends in no time."

The general's smile grew. "Just what I was hoping for. Have fun, you two." She gently pushed Applethorn inside and locked the cell behind him, then left without another word.

Applethorn watched her leave for only a moment before turning to the stallion. "That name, Flawless. Do I know you?"

"Well, I would think you should." He smirked, stepping up to stand next to him. "Say, why don't I tell you a tale? It's one you'll love, I'm sure. You see, it is about a rather horrific flood, and what I did to the ponies sent to cause it."

Applethorn eyes widened as he gulped down something inexplicably stuck in his throat. Oh, he definitely recognized this stallion, and just then, he would rather have been anywhere else.