Having run into Twilight before she could leave, Starlight had to stand her ground. The latter had no idea what to do, but she had to play it cool if she wanted to leave. However, Starlight was now beyond angry after seeing what Twilight was doing in the room where she disposed of the bodies.

"So this is where you do your research, huh? To be honest, I was hoping you would work in one of those big labs that I read in a horror book once. I'm very disappointed." Starlight said in a sarcastic manner.

"Well, we can't all get what we want now, can we? But forget about me. Let's talk about you. Why are you in my laboratory?" Twilight asked in a sharp manner.

"Oh, I just thought take a walk around to look at the castle architecture. Very well-designed. I just didn't expect to see a lab such as this."

"Right. So what's in the bag?" Twilight asked.

Starlight turned to the bag that was on her back. She already knew that Twilight would catch on to her trying to leave the laboratory with the canister. But she needed to at least figure out a way to leave without giving herself away.

"I think I should get going now. I have some more spells I need to develop." Starlight said as she moved towards the door.

But before she could leave, Twilight said,

"Wait."

Starlight turned around and asked in a meek manner,

"Yes?"

"When you came in here, you looked like you had something to say to me. What did you want to talk to me about?" Twilight asked as she moved towards Starlight. The latter was already nervous enough trying to get the canister out, but the former was already beginning to figure out what Starlight was doing.

"Would it be too much trouble if took a peek inside the bag?" Twilight asked.

Uh, well..." Starlight said as she tried to figure out a way to leave.

Just then, Pinkie bolted through the door and said,

"Twilight! Luna and Cadence need to see you right now! It's super urgent! Something about a few manticores and a couple timberwolves coming near the Empire! Oh... hi Starlight." Pinkie said with a smile.

"Hey, Pinkie. If it isn't too much girls, I'm gonna go now, okay? It was nice seeing you two again." Starlight said, trying to make it to the door.

Just then, Pinkie stopped her and said,

"But you just got here."

"She's right, Starlight. You don't wanna be rude to us now, do you?" Twilight asked in a smug manner.

"Now's not the time-"

"What's in the bag?" Pinkie asked.

"It's really none of your business, Pinkie Pie." Starlight said as she tried to leave.

"Really? Because it looks to me like you're trying to steal something." Twilight implied.

"Can't I just-"

Just then, Pinkie snuck into Starlight's bag and showed the canister containing the ooze. Starlight was now scared of what was going to come next.

"So you did come her for a reason. Nopony would just come in here without having a clue of what would go on in here." Twilight said as she levitated the canister back to her side.

"Why are you doing this?" Starlight asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Twilight asked.

"Why are you bringing in the stuff that's trying to kill us? Do you realize the risk you are gonna put us through if the ooze gets out?"

"We are doing everything we can to fight back against this developing Anomaly, but sometimes in certain extreme situations, we must fight fire with fire." Twilight explained in a calm, almost robotic manner.

"By risking the safety of the Crystal Empire? Do the others know about this? Do the princesses know about this?" Starlight asked, starting to get angry.

"We're not doing this to hurt you, Starlight. We're just running low on options. Please don't tell anypony." Pinkie pleaded.

"They need to know about this, Pinkie Pie. We could be in much bigger danger if the Corruption gets anywhere." Starlight urged.

"Okay, so if everypony finds out about this, what then?" Twilight asked.

"Huh?"

"Consider the following... Right now, we are focused on trying to fight back against the ongoing Corruption that has now plagued us around Equestria. If everypony found out about this, everything will end up in chaos and turmoil. Do you want that on your conscience?"

"Ha! How rich coming from the pony who banished her very first friend!"

"We can't fix the past, Starlight. Only the present." Twilight said as she headed to the research table.

"Oh, don't give me that crap. Spike is out there and you're just sitting here working on your little science projects with your lab assistant!" Starlight shouted.

Feeling worried about Starlight, Pinkie said as she put her hoof on Starlight's shoulder,

"Starlight-"

"SHUT UP!!!" Starlight yelled.

Pinkie flinched away from Starlight the very moment she shouted.

"I don't care what reason you have for keeping all this from everypony! I am telling Celestia about this!"

"Okay? And what will she do?" Twilight asked in her eerily calm voice.

"What?"

"Let's say that you did tell Celestia about this. If she were to know about this, she would immediately take over all our operations. And if she did, progress would come to a complete halt. All our hard work with holding back the enemy forces will have been for nothing and everything will have been corrupted. Use your brain, Starlight Glimmer. What would you have done?" Twilight asked.

After Starlight thought long and hard about this, she said,

"I wouldn't lie to my friends."

"Then it appears we have reached an understanding."

"You're damned right we have, Princess! We have stood by each other since the day you defeated me, and you have become the very thing I could have become!"

Twilight simply chuckled and said,

"Even if you did tell the truth, who would really believe you? You were once a criminal who nearly destroyed our home with time travel. Nopony will ever listen to you. Wake up, Starlight. We are now living in a world filled with hate. May as well embrace your true nature as the one who nearly destroyed Equestria."

Shocked at having heard Twilight say that, Starlight said with tears nearly pouring out,

"So it seems I was right after all. You really are a hypocrite!"

Having said that, Starlight immediately left the room, walking through the castle where she saw Cadence and Luna.

"Starlight? Why aren't you back in your study?" Luna asked.

"Spare me the idle small-talk, Princess. I already know the truth!" Starlight shouted.

"What?" Luna asked in a worried manner.

"Oh yes. I know everything! The secrecy, the smuggling, the experiments! I learned what you were planning to do with the ooze when you took it underneath the castle!"

"Starlight, you don't understand. We need a way to combat against this Anomaly. Unless we have the Elements of Harmony or Discord, there's nothing we can do to stop this. This is all for the greater good." Cadence reasoned.

"Spare me your greater good crap! All that you're doing is making our lives worse! What if the creature uses it to get inside the Crystal Empire? What if he is using it to spy on us? We could be at greater risk than we think!"

"Starlight, we are all out of options. We are losing more and more ponies to these monsters everyday now and the body count won't cease unless we do something. Do you not understand?"

"I understand that the three of you are going against everything you stand for as Princesses!"

"Starlight, we have no other choice!"

"Screw this!" Starlight yelled before running out of the castle.

"Starlight, wait!" Cadence pleaded.

Before Starlight left, she said in a tearful manner,

"I thought you two were our Princesses."

Finally realizing what has impacted them, Luna shouted,

"Wait! Starlight! Come back!"

Starlight ignored her and just kept moving.

"Starlight!" Cadence shouted with a hint of worry.

Starlight kept moving forward, ignoring everypony that wanted to talk to her. FIve-to-ten minutes later, she made it to Celestia's room.

"Princess?" Starlight asked.

"Yes, Starlight?" Celestia responded.

"I just found something deep within the castle and you won't believe what I have witnessed."

Upon hearing that, Celestia's eyes widened as Starlight proceeded to explain what happened.