“Please,” begged Fluttershy. “Twilight, Rarity, you have to do something!”

Twilight looked back over her desk and sighed. She stood up, her ephemeral smoke-like violet and pink mane trailing behind her as she crossed the room. As Twilight got closer, Fluttershy fouond herself looking up at her tall alicorn friend.

“Fluttershy,” said Twilight, putting her hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “There’s nothing I can do.”

“Yes there is!” cried Fluttershy, pushing Twilight’s hoof away. “You’re a Princess!”

“I am,” said Twilight, “but my role at this point is purely executive. I simply carry out Celestia and Luna’s will. You’re asking too much.”

Twilight crossed her office once again. Years ago, the Princess of Frienship had ruled from her castle in Ponyville. Ever since Pinkie Pie had been killed, though, Twilight had refused to return. Instead, she had taken an office in the Canterlot Palace where she ruled directly alongside Celestia and Luna. This room, an office with walls lined with tomes and legers and scrolls, was just the front room of a much larger facility that she seldom left. She had not seen the world like Fluttershy had, and not watched it decay.

Twilight stood next to Rarity, who was sitting in one of the comfortable chairs of the office. Rarity was dressed with her usual sense of fashion in a stunning modern dress, but it hardly disguised the fact that she was well into her nineties. Her once young and youthful face was lined with wrinkles, and she shook when she moved- -a feature that, like her inability to use magic, was related to her former addiction to enhancement metal.

Seeing Rarity like that was heartbreaking- -especially since Fluttershy herself had not aged a day since they had first met. She understood why Twilight had not: Twilight, as an alicorn, only grew taller and more powerful over time. Fluttershy had no idea, though, why she herself never changed even as her friends grew old and died.

“You haven’t seen it,” said Fluttershy, shaking her head. “The forest, they’re tearing it all down! And without the trees, all the little animals have no homes, no food!”

“Fluttershy,” said Twilight, “you have to understand, the population of Equestria is growing exponentially. We need places to put all the new ponies.”

“But that’s just it! If it was houses, it might be- -no. Even houses wouldn’t be okay! But it isn’t houses! Just factories and mines!”

“Which furnish the growing economy. Equestria isn’t like it used to be, Fluttershy. Technology is advancing exponentially. We’ve eradicated most diseases, and found ways to give so many ponies food and clean water. You’re overreacting.”

“Overreacting? Overreacting?! How is it overreacting when all those ‘advancements’ came at the cost of animal life? Or did you think I didn’t know about your legalization of animal research?”

Twilight gasped, and looked away. “I had to, Fluttershy. Science can’t advance with in vitro work alone. We needed model organisms. But think of all the ponies we’ve saved. If Applejack had been alive today, we could have cured her- -”

“I’m sorry, but she isn’t! You’re hurting them, Twilight! And worse, they’re…oh Celestia, they’re eating them!” Fluttershy shuddered violently, thinking of the things she had witnessed. The slaughterhouses, the hunters, the destroyed forests, the rows of cages filled with sick animals, their bodies linked to machines to develop the next generation of cybernetics. “How…how can you just let that happen? The rabbits, the sheep, the sheep, the cows, the birds- -they’re my friends, Twilight. And they’re dying.”

“I know. We’ve taken initiatives to discourage carnivory, but- -”

“Initiatives aren’t enough. You know what needs to be done. Get the demons out of Equestria!”

“I can’t do that!” shouted Twilight. “You don’t understand, Fluttershy! Blackest Night made a treaty with Satin Veil. In exchange for troops during the Choggoth War, she promised a permanent demonic military presence! And demons eat meat!”

“You’re going to honor a treaty made by Nightmare Moon instead of doing the right thing? And the demons didn’t do a thing during the war! I know they risked their lives, but it was us who won!”

“Do you think I don’t know that?” screamed Twilight. “But Blackest Night was the legal ruler of Equestria at the time. Fluttershy, you have no idea how much this hurts me, but I’m a Princess. I have to uphold the law.”

“No! You have to do the right thing!”

“I am doing the right thing!”

Fluttershy turned to Rarity, who had been listening patiently. “Rarity, please, help me convince her!”

Rarity looked up at Fluttershy. Her eyes were clouded by cataracts, and she was nearly blind, but Fluttershy still saw the look in her eyes and knew which side she was on. “Fluttershy,” she said, her voice creaking in her old age. “I don’t know…Twilight has a point. Darling, I’ve lived so long, and Equestria has come so far. I don’t know if…if it would be right to stop that.”

“No,” hissed Fluttershy. “You just like using leather and fur too much! Do you know how that fur is made? They take a chinchilla, and skin it- -while it’s still ALIVE!”

Rarity looked hurt, and turned away. Fluttershy suddenly felt terrible. “Rairty,” she said. “I’m…I’m sorry.”

“No,” she said. “No. You’re right. I’ve done a lot in my life that I’m not proud of. But please, Fluttershy, at least consider Twilight’s side.”

“Rarity,” whispered Fluttershy. “Not…not you too…”

“Fluttershy,” said Twilight, stepping forward again. “Please. You have to understand. This is for the good of Equestria. Technology, science, mathematics, magic- -they all have to advance. I’ve spent my life researching so many things. Look how far I’ve come in sixty years. Look how far Equestria has come! Right now it’s bad, I know, and I’m sorry, but if we just wait, everything will turn out okay, I’m sure!”

“Twilight…” Fluttershy sniffled and felt tears running down her face. “You’re breaking my heart.”

“Fluttershy,” gasped Rarity, pointing. “Your eyes!”

Fluttershy lifted her hoof and wiped her tears- -and saw that her hoof was covered in blood.

“Blood,” she said. “I’m crying blood. For my animals. For my friends.” She closed her eyes. “I- -I can’t do this anymore.”

“Fluttershy, please…”

“No!” said Fluttershy, opening her eyes suddenly and watching Twilight recoil at the sight of her. “No! I can’t bear this anymore, Twilight. I don’t know who you are, but you are not my friend! Not anymore! Equestria is dying, and you can’t even see it! This world, it’s all wrong! It wasn’t supposed to be like this!”

“Fluttershy,” said Rarity, standing shakily. “Please stop. We just need to calm down…”

“Rarity,” said Fluttershy. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. But I will never see you again. I love you, but I can’t stay here. Not like this.” She turned toward Twilight, who was also crying. “I’m leaving Equestria. Forever. I only hope you live long enough to understand what you have done, and that this is your fault!”

Fluttershy stormed out of the room. As the door slammed behind her, Twilight collapsed to her knees and sobbed into the carpet. Rarity put her hoof around Twilight and tried to comfort her. Both of them knew what would eventually turn out to be true- -that for the rest of both of their lives, neither of them would ever see Fluttershy again.