Shining Armor levitates a folder with the Wonderbolt seal on it and checks its contents. Needless to say he’s very surprised by what he’s seeing. He knows that the pony in front of him has immense talent, and even though she had some problems adjusting to the military structure and taking orders, she quickly got that fixed. Now with her skills on top of military discipline she has been personally recommended by the Wonderbolt higher ups to test the newest piece of technology, courtesy of the team that reverse engineered Roar Shock’s technology.

Although his body language is calm and collected, inside he’s prancing around like a colt on a sugar rush. For once something is going right! Out of all the witnesses for his case against the EIB dropping like flies, the growing unrest in Equestria, and him getting crucified for having a simple drink, he’s finally getting favorable results from Research & Development. And on top of that, the Wonderbolts handed over their most promising recruit to date over to him on a silver platter with next to no questions. He also seemed to have gained some popularity among the grunts, because apparently he knew how to party hard.

Shining Armor puts down the folder, looks up at the mare in front of him and gives her a warm smile. “It’s been awhile hasn’t it, Rainbow Dash?”

Rainbow Dash gets a small smile and nods, but even though she is in the presence of an acquaintance she is constantly shifting and the little beads of sweat roll down her neck and face. In an attempt to lighten the mood Shining Armor turns back to the paper to look at her achievements.

“Well Rainbow Dash, I have to say that you have an impressive record,” says Shining Armor. “Your scores are in the top ten percent range in just about every section, and they clocked you as the fastest flier in Equestrian history. Probably the fastest flier in the history of the world.”

Rainbow Dash’s smile shifts to a slightly smug one as she relaxes in her seat. “Yeah, I’m pretty awesome like that.”

Both of them exchange a chuckle, and when she is comfortable being in his office after a casual conversation, Shining Armor has to admit that when he’s actually close up to the pegasus he finds himself gawking just a little bit. Not only does her colorful figure make her stand out, but her toned body fits perfectly with her uniform.

“So,” says Shining Armor, trying to keep himself from staring at the Element of Loyalty for too long, “now that we are comfortable, let’s get down to business.”

Shining Armor takes a sip from a glass of water he’s keeping by his typewriter.

“Right. So, what’s next?” says Rainbow Dash.

It is at that moment in time that the water he’s drinking decides to take a detour. Shining Armor’s eyes bulge and he coughs up the water, dropping his cup in the process. Rainbow Dash cringes and shrinks back in her seat with her nervousness returning with reinforcements. Shining Armor beats a bubble out of his chest, and when that’s done and over with he leans over, wheezing.

“Oh man! I’m sorry, I don’t-I didn’t mean to make you freak out!” cries Rainbow Dash, now sweating like a hot pig.

“It’s fine,” wheezes Shining Armor with a wave of his hoof.

“Please don’t get mad!”

“Rainbow... relax...”

“If I screw this up the others would never forgive me!”

“Airmare Dash, it’s fine!”

Rainbow Dash stops, but is still worried sick, while Shining Armor repositions himself and tries to regain his bearings.

“It’s fine. The water just went down the wrong pipe is all,” says Shining Armor.

Rainbow Dash nods and tries to keep her cerise eyes locked on him, but her eyes keep shifting away from the Captain. Shining Armor, on the other hand, is trying to figure out why fate decided to embarrass him like that.

“You okay?” asks Rainbow Dash uneasily. When Shining Armor doesn’t respond due to him trying to fix himself back to par, the hopeful pegasus frowns sadly and sulks in her seat. “If this is a bad time we can reschedule... or something.”

Shining Armor gets himself back to his normal, proud appearance he smiles casually at Rainbow Dash.

“No, it’s fine,” says Shining Armor, he even chuckles to alleviate the newfound stress between them, but his chuckle does not put the cyan pegasus at ease. “I’m going to ask you some questions, and I need you to answer them truthfully, okay?”

Rainbow Dash nods. “Yes sir.”

“Good. Question one: Are you willing to push yourself above and beyond for the protection of the Royal Family, their subjects, and the Solar Doctrine, the supreme governing document of the Solar Empire of Equestria?”

Rainbow Dash straightens herself out, and puffs out her chest and feathers.“Yes, sir,”

“Question two: The Chrysaor Program requires supreme loyalty to the Program and to the Royal Family. Are you willing to spend your life serving the Royal Family, the Solar Empire Royal Guard, and the Chrysaor Program of the Wonderbolts?”

Rainbow Dash hesitates before she nods. “Yes sir.”

After nearly an hour of questioning, Rainbow Dash leaves Shining Armor’s office feeling beaten, and her nervousness about everything that has happened doesn’t make her feel any better. She is certain she botched the test, and she knows for a fact that Shining Armor was not impressed when she explained her favoring bull rushing tactic of fighting over slow and time consuming take-downs. Plus, she is still shaken up about Shining Armor’s reaction to choking on his water, so she makes a mental note to warn Soarin on the dangers of water consumption.

Instead of walking down the hall, she decides to take the faster method and fly. Once she’s by the elevator she waits impatiently for it to arrive. She finds herself tapping her hoof on the tile and wishing that there was a balcony nearby so she can just fly out, but there isn’t. The place like a tomb.

When the door finally opens, Rainbow Dash pushes back her claustrophobia and is about to step inside, but familiar faces are there. One being a unicorn she never wanted to see again, and the other being the minty green pony she ran into at Joe's.

Rainbow Dash unfurls her wings and glares at Trixie with clenched teeth. “Pinkie, what are you doing with this little snot!”

The pony she knows is Pinkie Pie pales and her eyes widen while trying to push Trixie out of the elevator. She has to strain herself, though, since Trixie is digging her hooves into the floor and is trying to close the elevator door by frantically hitting the emergency close button.

“I’m not Pinkie Pie, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says as she manages to shove Trixie out of the elevator. Trixie is quick to hide behind the earth pony like a pathetic foal, complete with the drooped ears and shakes.

“I never said ‘Pie’!” says Rainbow Dash, grabbing the pony and looking into her eyes, now ignoring Trixie completely. She can see her reflection plainly in those eyes -the eyes that she knows belongs to Pinkie Pie. And despite seeing her friend alive and well she is still pissed off. “What’s the deal, Pinkie?”

“I’m not Pinkie! I’m Minty Sprinkles! Candy Associate of Princess Celestia!” says this so-called Minty Sprinkles.

Rainbow Dash tightens her grip, veins now throbbing and her blood boiling.

“Enough with the games, Pinkie!” shouts Rainbow Dash. Then she finds all her anger evaporate and sadness take over. She starts sniffling and shaking, and her voice cracks and her grip softens. “It’s me, Pinkie. It’s Dashie. Your friend, remember?”

Minty sighs, releases herself from Rainbow Dash, and then she puts her hoof on the pegasus’s chest and gently guides her backwards into the elevator.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not your dead friend,” she says.

Rainbow Dash tries to push her way out, but the earth pony holds fast, and her desperation increases tenfold when her friend pushes her into the wall and hits the express button to the basement floor.

“Pinkie Pie, ya gotta listen to me! What happened was not your fault!” says Rainbow Dash desperately. “It was not your fault what happened to Spike, okay? Please stop this! I’m begging you, please!”

That seems to have struck a sore spot as she sees Pinkie Pie’s eyes glisten in an instant.

“Goodbye, Rainbow Dash,” says Pinkie Pie, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Pinkie, no!”

Pinkie Pie steps back and the doors slide shut before Rainbow Dash can put a hoof in it. Rainbow Dash screams for Pinkie Pie and when the doors click shut and the elevator begins its descent, Rainbow Dash tries to stop the elevator, but express really did mean express. The elevator shows no signs of slowing down, and Rainbow Dash screams in a mixture of sadness and frustration as she watches the numbers on the dial drop. Then she swears, punches the wall and slumps to the corner of the elevator, and then buries her face in her hoof. A few seconds later, her wings sulk and a small whimper escapes her lips.

Pinkie Pie stares at the elevator for a couple more seconds before she wipes her face and looks at Trixie. She’s still looking petrified about what had just happened, and the gathered crowd doesn’t help either of them relax.

“I seem to be running into a lot of old faces in this city,” says Trixie.

Pinkie Pie nods her head in agreement and wipes the tears out of her eyes.

“Let’s go see what Shining Armor wants,” says Pinkie Pie.

Shining Armor stares at the photo taken of him and Cadence when they went to the Crystal Kingdom for their honeymoon. He is wearing his uniform while Cadence is wearing a flowing dress, and they are both smiling lovingly into each others eyes while the Crystal City shimmers behind them, adding to the glow they have. He smiles as he remembers the good days, where they laughed and snuggled every chance they got. He remembers how they played games, talked about their day, and how she was kind enough to give him back massages every day after work. The smiles they shared on a daily basis was enough to make him believe in love and the goodness of the world.

He misses the days when ponies smiled and where being a Royal Guard meant protecting royalty from something as asinine as a pony getting a little too excited. He remembers how ponies had a great time even after the Changeling attack. He remembers how fear was really just nervousness. Nervous about a job interview. Nervous about a date. Nervous about being in a new place, only for it all to go away with a welcome wagon. He remembers it all.

Ponies were honest.

Ponies were kind.

Ponies were generous.

Ponies were loyal.

Ponies were laughing.

All these things were the magical elements that held Equestria together, but what is left now? Liars, haters, thieves, backstabbers, and tears, all disguised to be something better than what once was in a twisted world where everything is believed to be okay because the old morals are not appropriate anymore. Ten years, and it all went to shit.

Shining Armor places his hoof on the picture and traces Cadence’s smile; he wants to smile, but he cannot. There is nothing left to smile about.

Shining Armor puts the picture down and stares at the Equestrian flag he has in his office. He wants to believe in Equestria, and the ideals of love and tolerance and the harmony it created, but he knows that it is all gone. Equestria was poisoned, and he knows its nearing its end. One thousand years and the Equestrian way of life will finally die in flames.

There is a knock on the door and Shining Armor wipes his eyes and says that the door is open. Case Study walks in with two ponies behind her, and she introduces them as Minty Sprinkles and Trixie Lulamoon. When Shining Armor sees Trixie he is surprised at how much better she looks. It looks as though she’s never been injured at all. The scars are gone, bruises are nowhere to be seen, and her curly mane isn’t a mess. The only thing that is really wrong is that she is pale. Very pale. Also, her expression hardens into something that reminds Shining Armor too much of a pissed off Manticore.

But looks and pissed off expressions aside, Shining Armor is glad that she has answered his call. Now all he has to do is see if she’s willing to cooperate with him for his investigation into the EIB.

“Is this about the EIB?” asks Trixie.

“Yes, Ms. Lulamoon, this is,” says Shining Armor, standing up to meet the two mares. “And you must be her parole officer.”

“That is correct, Captain. You can call me Minty, or Minty Sprinkles, whichever you prefer,” says the mint green pony, forcing a smile.

Shining Armor notices that, aside from the clear anger, Trixie looks saddened, as well as her parole officer.

“Is everything okay?” asks Shining Armor.

“It’s fine,” says Minty, “I have to see Princess Celestia on important business. Take care of Trixie till I get back. Cool. Thanks. Bye.”

And with that, Minty leaves before Shining Armor can say anything and when the door shuts behind her, the remaining two ponies take their respective seats.

“You watched,” says Trixie in an angry, low voice, her head tilted down so he cannot see her eyes.

Shining Armor sighs sadly and leans forward to try to look at Trixie’s eyes. “I know, and I know no amount of apologies will fix what I didn’t do, but I can fix this. I can help you if you’ll let me.”

Trixie is silent, and Shining Armor waits for her to answer, but she doesn’t. She keeps her head down and eyes locked on her hooves. A moment later Shining Armor gets out of his seat and sits on the floor next to her. She remains still, and up close he sees faint, fresh bruises along her body and a shimmer in her eyes.

“Trixie, please, let me help you,” begs Shining Armor.

Trixie swallows and a tear falls to the floor, but still she refuses to look at him, and he carefully puts his hoof on her shoulder and tries to look her in the eyes.

“Please, Trixie,” says Shining Armor softly. “Please, let me make this right.”

After Pinkie Pie leaves Shining Armor’s office, she heads towards the throne room to meet with Celestia. As she walks she greets the guards, maintenance crew, and other castle employees along the way. When she reaches the massive double doors she stops and stares at one of the last ponies she wanted to see. Rarity.

Rarity is sitting down, waiting patiently for someone, and when she sees Pinkie Pie, she nods politely at her. Pinkie Pie returns the nod, silently thanking Celestia for her disguise’s effectiveness, and takes a seat across her former friend. Rarity stares at Pinkie Pie and she looks away, trying to look at anything other than the Element. A moment later Rarity gets up and takes a seat next to Pinkie and continues her staring.

Pinkie Pie tries to ignore her, but the constant staring is making it increasingly difficult for her to do so. Finally, after a couple of minutes of awkward silence on Rarity’s part and silent aggravation for Pinkie Pie, the fashionista decides to speak.

“You look familiar,” says Rarity. Pinkie Pie’s heart skips a beat and she starts to become nervous, fearing that Rarity has seen through her disguise. “Are you related to Pinkie Pie, by any chance?”

“I don't know who that is,” says Pinkie Pie innocently.

“You've never heard of Pinkie Pie?” says Rarity skeptically.

Pinkie Pie shakes her head. “Nope, can’t say I have. Is she a baker or something?”

Rarity skepticism grows. “She was, actually. She was also the Element of Laughter.”

Pinkie Pie blinks, putting on her best confused face. “I'm sorry, but I don't listen to hip hop.”

Rarity's lips curl into a deep frown. “No, darling, she was one of the Elements of Harmony. She was Laughter, just like I am Generosity. Or, was, since the Elements are no more.”

Pinkie Pie clops her hoof, as if she just had an epiphany. “Oh, yeah! I remember, now! The Elements of Harmony were a group of friends that protected Equestria, right?”

Rarity smiles, appearing to be relieved to see some intelligence. “Yes, that's what we did.”

“There was Twilight Sparkle, the know-it-all, OCD chick that nobody liked dating because she was a weirdo with a book fetish.”

Rarity's smile fades.

“Then there's Applejack. The crazy, backwards, racist bigot, right?” says Pinkie Pie.

“Where on earth did you get that idea from?” says Rarity, her jaw to the floor.

“She's a farmer with a twang, ain't she?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“Then there was Rainbow Dash, the dyke,” says Pinkie Pie. “Wasn't she in love with that Pinkie Pie filly that got your dragon lover brutally killed by a psychopath?”

“Miss, can you-”

“Nah, forget about them. What about, oh, what's her name? Fluttershy. She was a model wasn't she?”

“At one point, yes.”

“I wonder how much porn there is of her out there. Probably a lot, huh?”

Rarity gasps in disgust. “How can you say that? What is wrong with you!?”

“And speaking of gratuitous sex. You must be Rarity, the fashion extraordinaire and subject to lots of raunchy rumors.”

Rarity blushes furiously at the mention of “raunchy rumors” and tries to hide her face from Pinkie Pie while stammering flimsy defenses that only get worse.

“Hey, don't feel bad,” says Pinkie Pie, giving Rarity a playful slap on her shoulder. “You're just living up to your Element, Ms. Generosity.”

Rarity's face ignites into a hot red, and her whole body shrinks while Pinkie Pie smiles about her victory. However, before she can do anything else, the massive doors to the throne room swing open and Twilight walks out, looking smug and proud. Then Pinkie Pie hears her alias being called so she has no choice but to skip out on her original on-the-spot, mentally-torture-Rarity plan.

“Before I go, I gotta tell you that I heard that Buttonbelle just came out with a new line of sewing machines,” says Pinkie Pie.

Rarity’s embarrassment dissipates in an instant and she gets a huge smile with sparkles in her eyes as she leans closer. “Really? You must tell me what they are! You must! You must! You must!”

Pinkie Pie taps her chin in a mockery of thought. “I don’t remember their names exactly, I just know that they are durable. Like really durable. So durable, in fact, that they won’t break.” Pinkie Pie leans closer to Rarity and her innocent smile turns wicked. “Even if you throw them at somepony’s head.”

Rarity’s whole body stiffens and pales to pure white, and as her eyes grow and water, her ears droop and her lips barely move, yet make no sound. Minty Sprinkles is called again, and Pinkie Pie struts towards the chambers, being sure to give Twilight a tail whip to the face as she walks past her.

“What was that for?” says Twilight, giving Laughter a terrible glare which has replaced her smug expression.

“Tell Fluttershy that a fan of hers says ‘Hi’ for me,” says Pinkie Pie without looking over her shoulder.

When she is in the chamber the doors close, and Pinkie Pie takes a deep breath and approaches the goddess sitting in her fancy throne, smiling proudly all the way. When she is a good dozen or so feet away from Princess Celestia, the alicorn raises her hoof and orders her to stop. Pinkie Pie complies and bows.

“How are you doing, Your Majesty?” says Pinkie Pie.

“I just talked to my Most Faithful Student, and I had to lie to her,” says Celestia.

The tone in the Princess’s voice makes Pinkie Pie wince, and she stands up, looking at her benevolent ruler with concern. “You sound upset, Princess.”

“That doesn’t begin to describe my mood.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

“For starters you can cut your charade and tell your friends that you aren’t dead.”

Pinkie Pie’s eyes narrow and points an accusing hoof at the doors behind her. “You mean your surrogate daughter and her horny friend? Sorry, but I think you’re mistaken. They aren’t my friends anymore, they are just a bunch of fakes.”

“Says the pony who created a false life after faking her death.”

“I have to be dead!” cries Pinkie Pie with a stomp of her hoof and tears clouding her vision. “I have to be dead so nopony else gets hurt! And even if I didn't, those guys don't deserve to know that I am alive! They sucked as friends and don't deserve to be called Bearers!”

“And neither do you!” booms Celestia's voice, her whole body flaring and blackening her throne and the red fabric that surrounds it.

Pinkie Pie shrinks back, ears low and eyes wide, and a sickening feeling of pain and nausea drowning her as Celestia approaches her. When the alicorn is towering over her, the flames are gone, but the stench of burnt fabric lingers in the heavy air.

“Laughter chose you to be its host, but I am not laughing at your jokes or your puppet. Your act has gone stale and needs to end,” says Celestia.

Pinkie Pie risks standing. “Celestia, I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Don't play dumb with me, Pinkamena. You may hide your brilliance well from others, but I know you, and I am tired of this discord. I am tired of you using Trixie as your puppet for the nonexistent threat. I am tired of letting Equestria believe that the Elements are broken. Most of all, I am tired of lying to Twilight. Either you end these games, or I will, and trust me when I tell you that you do not want me doing that.”

Pinkie Pie looks at Celestia defiantly. “Princess, these are not some games we play. The things I'm having Trixie do are going to help her fight what is coming.”

“You’re going to get her killed! Is that what you want? Do you want to see her die from your paranoia?”

“It’s not paranoia!”

“It is paranoia!”

“I’m trying to save your kingdom!”

“Equestria does not need to be saved by you or your puppet!”

Pinkie Pie falls silent and looks down, feeling the whole world crushing her as Celestia paces around her with no light of sympathy in her eyes.

“Pinkie, what you’re doing now is not right and will lead to dire consequences. You’re not only toying with your friends, your family and with me, but you are puppeting the life of somepony who thinks she has freedom. Cruelty at its best. And what will you do when your past catches up? Will you fake another death? Find another drifter to manipulate? The Elements of Harmony trusted you to be Laughter and the only joke I’m seeing is the one your playing on the lives of others!”

With that, Celestia stomps her hoof on the tile in front of Pinkie Pie, making a deafening BOOM that echoes in the throne room and hurts her ears. Celestia stares down at Pinkie Pie, waiting for an answer, and when she doesn’t get one, she snorts and goes back to her throne and watches Pinkie Pie look at the floor in silence.

“You have two days to tell your friends that you aren’t dead,” says Celestia.

Pinkie Pie’s full attention snaps back to the Sun Goddess. “What? But Princess-”

“Either you tell them, or I tell them. If you tell them then I’ll see to it that Trixie Lulamoon is pardoned of her vigilantism and I’ll make sure your back is properly taken care of ahead of schedule.”

Pinkie Pie hesitates. “And if I don’t?”

“Trixie Lulamoon will be punished to the full extent of the law and you’ll have your turn for surgery docked two months. The choice is yours.”

Pinkie Pie glares at the Sun Goddess and her jaw tightens as she stands up.

“So let me see if my ears are working right,” says Pinkie Pie. “You -the benevolent, thousand year ruler and master of the sun- is blackmailing me -a loyal subject doing everything in her power to save your kingdom- into announcing my identity, even though it will put my family at risk from the very same ponies that are plotting Equestria’s destruction?”

Celestia nods, still holding her harsh gaze, and Pinkie Pie scoffs and starts pacing in circles.

“Unbelievable,” she mutters; she stares at the princess with eyes that would bore into the soul of any normal pony. “Unbelievable! Just please, pretty please, tell me that if I do this you’d at least let Trixie have her inheritance.”

“No,” says Celestia sharply.

“No?”

“Eclipse Lulamoon was a criminal, so the money in his inheritance was obtained by illegal means. Think of us taking Trixie’s inheritance as a means of us reclaiming our property.”

Pinkie Pie stomps the ground. “That’s five million bits you’re stealing from her! Since when are you a dirty, grubbing, diamond doggy thief, huh?”

“The money was obtained unlawfully. Anything purchased by Eclipse Lulamoon and his associates must be reclaimed by the state, as stated by the Solar Doctrine. Any piece of property or sum of bits that was in Eclipse’s will was never his to begin with, therefore it wasn’t his to give to Trixie. And before you say anything about my actions being cruel, take a look at yourself. We are merely taking back what is ours, while you are manipulating a lost soul for your own gain.”

Celestia’s horn lights up and Pinkie Pie watches the double doors swing open out of the corner of her eye. Then Celestia stands up and approaches Pinkie Pie once more, her stern demeanor becoming impossibly more imposing.

“Our conversation is over. Tell your friends that you are alive themselves and this madness will end and nopony else will suffer from your mistakes.”

Those last words stabbed Pinkie Pie in the heart and all she can think about is Spike dying on her back.

Those words -Spike’s last words to her- bring tears to her eyes and the painful memory causes her legs to give out on her and make her sit on her haunches. Pinkie Pie’s widened eyes are now flowing with tears, and her jaw is agape and she’s breathing heavily, like someone punched the air out of her. It is then that Celestia’s stern gaze melts into that of shock, and she steps forward and tries to put her hoof on Pinkie Pie’s shoulder.

“Pinkie, I-” starts Celestia.

Pinkie Pie slaps the hoof away. “You’ve made your point.”

She then gets up and hurries to the door without giving Celestia a farewell or a glance. She really wants to say something snarky, something spiteful that will tear out her goddess's heart, but all she can think about is Spike's blood all over her. The blood she caused to spill by her own carelessness. The friendships that she broke because she got Spike killed. His blood. Her hooves. Just like the rest of them.

Celestia watches Pinkie Pie hurries out of the throne room, wanting to call out to her and bring her back to embrace and apologize for her words. Her tongue does not work, though. Her legs cannot move her and her wings cannot propel her. Not even her horn will generate the magic needed to pull the lost Element back to her. When she is able to lift a hoof, it is too late. The door is closed. Laughter is gone and all that stares back at her is the large sun engraved on the door that seals all noise and life on the other side.

Celestia sighs heavily and slouches in her throne, no longer caring about her royal appearance, and feeling resentment against herself for being so careless about her subject. Her friend. And so she sits in silence, staring at the lifeless sun before her, wanting to rewind the clock and take back her words. And it is during this period of miserable silence that the doors part ways with the magic of the guards outside, allowing Major Glimmer Fuller to march inside, dressed in his dress uniform.

As usual with the unicorn, his steps are placed quickly, yet carefully, from decades of muscle memory, and his eyes do not break from Celestia. When he is at the appropriate distance, he stops and bows, rising when she gives him permission to do so.

“Your Majesty, the problem in Ponyville has been contained, as per your orders,” says Fuller.

“Thank you, Major Fuller,” says Celestia, mentally breathing a sigh of relief of having some good news. “Was anypony hurt?”

Fuller shakes his head. “The CDA and EIB took care of the troublemakers without any issues.”

“And what of Applejack?”

“She is fine.”

Celestia eyes him skeptically. Fuller may have an impressive record, but with how emotionless he appears, she wonders if the trauma his record shows has corrupted him on what the definition of delicate is.

“I assure you, Princess, we are treating her with extra care. You do not need to worry or feel guilty about what had to be done,” says Fuller, his stolid expression not faltering.

“I know, but I have known Applejack for a long time and seeing her act out like this and what she forced me to do has placed a burden on me that is hard to carry,” says Celestia.

“Princess, will you allow me to be frank with you?” asks Fuller after a pause.

Celestia nods, even though there is some worry. “Go ahead.”

“You are placing an unnecessary burden on yourself. Applejack may have been your friend, but friendship is dangerous and in the end it only brings pain. You need to let go and focus on what is at stake, not something as destructive as friendship. Think about the country and the millions of ponies, here. Not your friends.”

Silence. Silence and disbelief at what she has just heard. At first she really cannot find a good reason why someone would think like that in terms of friendship, but then a thought crosses her mind.

“Were you hurt by your friends?” asks Celestia.

Fuller stares at Celestia, and she stares back, waiting for an answer. His gaze is neutral and his stature solid. With his lack of emotions, Celestia gets an uneasy feeling running along her spine, worrying that she might have unintentionally triggered another unpleasant memory.

“Pain has it uses,” says Fuller finally. “Are there any other orders for me to tend to?”

Celestia shakes her head. “No, that will be all for today. I’ll be in my chamber for the rest of the evening. I do not want to be disturbed.”

Fuller nods and Celestia stands up, spreads out her wings and her whole body becomes encased in a warm glow. With that, she disappears in a flash of light that momentarily fills the room with blinding light. When the light fades, Celestia is nowhere to be seen, leaving Fuller alone in the emptiness of the throne room.

Seconds later, Fuller heads to the door. His steps are heavy and his focused eyes harden at the sun engraved on the massive doors, and speaking in a barley audible whisper, he says: “How unfortunate I was to know them.”

Author's Notes:

Added on 28 Feb 2016

(Formerly Betrayals [A])