"Princess... Was what she said true?" Twilight asked her mentor as they departed the Island of Storms, it's namesake naught but a dot in the distance. The Elements were gathered around, along with the rulers of the Empire, all of them seated in the cabin of the Skyward Gypsy while Celestia looked out the window, a cup of tea steaming on a plate next to her.

Celestia was silent for a time. Twilight looked around. Nopony was talking. She looked back to her former mentor. Celestia finally sighed and spoke.

"...Yes," she said.

"Why?" Twilight asked.

"Twilight, you are still new to running a country. Sometimes you must make decisions. Hard ones. Ones that can break and ruin friendships," Luna explained, walking up to her sister.

"But are they really the only options? Spying on ponies?" Twilight queried.

"...Sometimes, yes," Celestia said with a deep sigh. She turned to face Twilight. "Twilight, tell me, do you know what happened in the war with Sombra? Or Discord? Or the Griffons or any other race?"

"Well... I know that we didn't know much about them, and that we still don't..." Twilight started. Celestia stopped her there.

"Exactly. So, we had to gather information. By whatever means necessary," Celestia explained. Luna stepped in.

"Much of it was gathered through force, and subterfuge. Such things couldn't be relayed to the public, not without possible sleeper agents to retaliate. Thus, it was kept hidden," Luna continued.

"But if that's true, why is there still little-to-nothing in any history books about any of these events?" Starlight queried.

"Have you all heard of The Purging?" Celestia asked, taking her tea cup and sipping from it slowly.

"Well, yeah, it's one of the darkest times in our history. In the world's history," Rainbow replied. Everyone looked to her. "What? I know stuff too!"

Celestia shook her head with a small smile, before her face returned to it's usual mask. "Do you know what caused it?"

"Wasn't it about some kind of outbreak of an incurable disease?" Rarity ventured. Luna nodded.

"The disease, which we called The Black Cycle, made many go insane and turn into feral states, killing and feeding on souls, turning others into Blighted... Of course, the process was too erratic to define a solid amount of time before it happened, so that furthered our worries," Luna explained.

"Many riots broke out all over the globe, and information, traditions, and many relics of the past were lost, either plundered or destroyed," Celestia continued. She set her tea cup down. "Only after we found the... Source, shall we say, of the outbreak, and sealed it away, did the disease stop spreading. But the scars went deep, and the other races blamed us. Thus, we have not only lost the trust of many of them, but we know less of what goes on in their nations than before because they have all but shunned ponies. Dragons and Griffons in particular."

"We still know little of them. Thankfully, the Dragons and Griffons have had a change of heart after you and your friend's efforts, but the other races? Not so much," Shining Armor continued. The girls went quiet.

Twilight was silent, staring at the oaken floorboards in deep, troubled thought. Now that she was a Princess, did that mean she'd have to dirty her hooves too? That thought and many more raced through her mind, and she found herself glancing back to where the Island of Storms was on the distant horizon. The Storm Queen... She sounded like she'd known that fact for a long time.

"...What would it take to get her to soften up...?" she wondered to herself quietly.

EDIT: Added a new, better intro, complete with a new, more fitting song.

EDIT: Added an intro, complete with a song.

I know this one is a lot shorter than the others, but honestly, I find it impactful enough. In essence, it is hopefully short but sweet to you, my dear readers.

Thank you for reading.

-Timeless Celestial