Out of the Darkness...

Just then, there was a knock on the front door of the Boutique. Rarity scowled. "Can't ponies read?! I know I put the 'Closed Until Further Notice' sign on the door!" Getting grudgingly to her hooves, she muttered, "Please excuse me, everyone," then stomped down the stairs. They all winced, expecting to hear a burst of invective as she threw open the door, but instead, they heard...silence. All exchanged puzzled looks, then turned to the bedroom door as they heard hoofsteps approaching.

Then bowed to their knees as the One majestically entered the room.

Sweetie sat up in her bed. "Pr...Princess Celestia?!" She started to get up and join the others, but the Princess motioned for her to lie still.

"Please, my little pony, remain comfortable." She smiled down at the others. "And all of you, please, rise....this is an informal visit." Despite her assurances, Rarity was as flustered as her first day of sales.

"M...May I get you anything, Your Highness? Tea, perhaps, or maybe some sort of confection?" Celestia shook her head.

"No, thank you. It is gracious for you to offer, but I would like to spend some time with your sister." She turned her radiant smile once again at Sweetie. "Would you care to take a walk with me, dear?"

Sweetie's eyes grew big. "A...walk? Ju...just the two of us?" She looked around at her friends and sister. "Sure!" All bowed again as the little unicorn scrambled off her bed and joined her Monarch as they made their way down the stairs and then out of the Boutique. Celestia's Guards, in their golden armor and each armed with long, wicked-looking halberds, snapped to attention and took up flanking positions as the two exited the building. These were two Celestia had specially chosen for this occasion, for they were the two of the most enormous Guards in her garrison, standing almost as tall as she.

A subtle nod over her shoulder was signal enough for the two to fall back far enough to allow her and the filly some privacy, as Celestia turned to Sweetie and said, "You have the most remarkable teacher, child."

"I do?" Sweetie's eyes grew big. "I mean, I like her, but what do you mean?"

Celestia spared a glance at the crowd of ponies beginning to form as they made their leisurely way across Town. "Did you know she temporarily closed the school yesterday?" Sweetie shook her head.

"No, Your Highness...why would she do that?"

Celestia smiled down at her. "Because apparently, she took the midnight train to Canterlot and slept outside my throne room in the hopes she would be able to speak to me..." She paused, then added, "...about you..."

Sweetie stopped as her face went crimson. In a small voice, she stared at the ground and said, "...what...what did she tell you about me...?"

Celestia halted as well and sat next to her. Her voice was gentle as she replied, "Only that the other children were being especially harsh with you because of...what happened to you...and that your sister and parents are worried about you."

Sweetie looked up at her as her eyes grew wet. "You...know about what happened?" Celestia sadly nodded.

"Yes, dear. I followed the trial most closely." She placed her hoof under her chin. "You were quite brave, speaking in court against him as you did. I was and am very proud of you." She took her hoof away and waited as Sweetie looked off in the distance and sighed.

"My sister and I got a letter from the Warden a few months ago, telling us he got killed in prison." She looked back up at her Ruler. "I shouldn't feel happy about that, but I do! Am I a...bad pony, Your Highness?"

"No, my dear, you are not. Somepony like that was bound to come to a bad end. One might even say his fate was...inevitable..." A grim smile passed quickly over Celestia's face, which went unnoticed by the filly as they resumed their stroll. All around them, ponies were gathering in groups of two or greater, whispering together and pointing in their direction.

Sweetie put her head down and laid her ears back. "Ev...everypony is...looking at me..."

Celestia kept her head high, and her expression imperial as the heavy sound of her massive Guards' hooves marched in lockstep behind them. She looked around at the gathering crowd and said, "Such was my intention, my little pony..."

The filly looked up at her. "Your...Highness...?"

The Solar Monarch smiled down at her subject. "All will be made clear, Lady Belle." As they neared the Market Square, the place was already bustling with shoppers, as it was a Saturday and, therefore, one of the busiest selling days of the week. Cries of "Princess Celestia!" along with scattered "...look who she's with!" and a few, "I can't believe it!" were heard among the crowd of shoppers and sellers as the retinue marched into the Square as all hastened to bow and show obeisance.

These last remarks caused the Alicorn to turn her head in the direction of the speakers and order, "You two there. Come forward." The mares she addressed blanched, then on shaking limbs, made their way through the crowd until they stood shivering with their heads bowed before their Ruler. She stared down at them, and her eyes held no pity.

"What is it you find 'unbelievable?" The Guards joined her on either side, unholstered their weapons, and slammed them as one into the cobblestones hard enough to smash the stones and cause a miniature shock wave to reverberate throughout the Square. Windows shook, and a few unsecured flower vases on a nearby stand fell over and crashed onto the street. At the two mares' continued, terrified silence, Celestia looked out over the crowd and said, "Lady Sweetie Belle has come to my personal attention; anypony that speaks ill of her will find me most...displeased..." She looked down. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Highness!" they both squeaked at once.

She held them in her gaze a moment longer, then quietly said, "...begone..." They practically fell over each other in their haste to leave, forgetting any purchases they'd made in their mad scramble to be out of Celestia's Presence.

Sweetie watched them go, sighed, and said, "They'll still think of me the same, Your Highness..."

She nodded. "I know." She turned her smile on the filly. "But from this moment forth, they will not dare to speak ill of you, even amongst themselves." Her smile turned predatory. "I...have that effect..."

Sweetie dimpled at her. "I...don't know what to say, Your Highness...thank you...it means a lot..." But Celestia shook her head.

"Do not thank me yet, dearest." She scouted her gaze until she spotted a certain high-end jewelry shop. "There is yet one more task I must needs perform."

"What was that shaking?!" The mare turned to her husband and held onto the counter just as some displays started falling over. He looked up from his place behind the counter and gave her a sour look.

"I have no idea, but as you can see, I'm with a customer..." He turned to the mare, smiled, and said, "Miss, I do believe this necklace will suit you, and as we will be leaving Ponyville soon, we are offering a discount to our most loyal customers!"

"A slight discount!" his wife added.

The customer blinked. "Oh, really? I wasn't aware you were moving. Do you...no longer enjoy living here?" The stallion started to open his mouth but was cut off by his wife.

"That is not your concern!" Then she smiled and lowered her voice. "But if you must know, it's because of a certain tramp and her sister!" She exchanged a look with her husband and said, "They both attacked me at the school when I was defending my child from her, so in order to protect our daughter, my husband and I decided it would be best if we moved away." Her smile grew. "Surely, you would do the same!"

The customer's eyes grew wide. "I...didn't hear about this! When did this happen?!"

"Two days ago," replied the husband, "so if you have a child attending Miss Cheerilee's class, I'd advise you to caution them around a filly named Sweetie Belle."

The customer looked from one to the other. "Sweetie Belle?! You mean...the sister of the mare who runs Carousel Boutique?!" Her brow furrowed. "But...I don't understand...she's the one who was in the news a few months ago after those horrible things happened to her!" Her face grew more concerned. "You...say she...attacked you?"

"Not just me, but my innocent daughter first!" smiled the mare. "All my sweet filly did was to tell her the truth, that she's a slut, and that she probably deserved what happened to her." She looked at the stallion before adding, "My husband thinks I went too far and shouldn't have been so blunt with my daughter, but I feel she needs to know the truth about other ponies, or else she might end up like them!"

The horrified customer took a faltering step back, staring openly. "Wha...what kind of pony ARE you?!"

"She IS a slut!" yelled the mare. "Everypony knows she must have loose morals or acted provocatively for a grown stallion to do those things to her! That sort of thing never happened to me, and it certainly would never happen to MY daughter!"

The customer stared at her as her face began to turn green. "...you...you're crazy..." she whispered. But before she could turn and flee, the door opened. When she saw who it was, her eyes grew large, and she fell to her knees. The other two hastened to come from behind their counters and fall to their knees as well.

"Princess Celestia! Such an honor!" cried the mare. She raised her head. "May I be so bold, what brings you to..." her voice trailed off as she read the look on her Ruler's face. Then, her own face lost color as a little filly stepped out from behind her. The mare dropped her eyes and began shaking as her husband beside her did the same.

The Princess spoke. "What is your name, my little pony?"

"D...Daisy Mae, my Princess," said the customer.

"You may leave. Be well." As the customer quickly left, Celestia turned her attention back to the shop owners. "I believe this child is known to you both, am I correct?"

Neither dared to raise their heads. "Y...yes, Your Highness...she is..." stammered the mare. There was a loud commotion as several display cases fell over with a crash of glass and scattered gems, necklaces, and other fine apparel as the two giant Guards shouldered their way in and assumed positions to the left and right of their Monarch and the filly.

"My apologies..." said Celestia, while never taking her eyes off the two shopkeeps, "...you may send the bill for repairs to the Crown." But they both remained silent, not daring to speak. She stepped closer. "It has come to my attention, my...personal attention...that certain, shall we say, unsavory terms have been used by yourselves to describe this child." She leaned down, put her hoof under the mare's chin, and slowly raised her head until they were eye to eye. "IS THIS TRUE?" The mare strove mightily to keep from soiling herself in front of her Monarch but did not possess the strength to speak, only weakly nodding her head. Celestia released her and stepped back.

"You disappoint me." She looked at the husband. "You both disappoint me." She then sighed and closed her eyes. "This child has suffered one of the most horrible acts a child can endure, and you both have added to her misery." She opened her eyes and looked sternly at them both.

"I will NOT forget."

"There is one more thing I wish to tell you, dear," said Celestia. She stood next to her chariot as her Guards had hitched themselves back to the harnesses, awaiting the order to ascend back to Canterlot.

"You've already done so much for me, Princess! I can never pay you back!" squeaked Sweetie.

She smiled. "You are such a treasure! But no, this isn't just for you; it is for Ponyville and possibly all of Equestria. The Summer Sun Celebration will be coming soon, but this time, it will be a special occasion! I am therefore sending somepony very dear to me, one I've been training for many years. I do hope your sister and your friends will welcome her!

"Ponyville?! Never heard of it!" Twilight bustled about her quarters, checking and rechecking to make sure she had every book she'd need for her..."temporary" journey. But as soon as she'd throw something into a bag, Spike would take it out. She finally noticed. "Spike!! What are you DOING?!"

He sighed. "Twilight..all you need is the list...Celestia's got us fixed up in a Library, so we don't need all these books..."

She huffed a few times, then relaxed. "You...you're right." Then she turned and trotted to the door. "Come on, Spike! The sooner we get to Ponyville and get done with all that nonsense, the sooner we can back to some REAL work!"

"...like making some friends, I hope," muttered Spike.