Twilight grits her teeth. She recalls Discord saying ‘If you have to trick Harmony into going along, it de facto makes it an abomination’, though he had been referencing her twins. And now Radiant Hope is saying the same thing about Cadance, or her foal?

“How dare you,” Cadance growls at Radiant Hope. She takes a step forward, as does Tempest Shadow, withers to withers with her husband, and both lock eyes with the unrepentant unicorns. A chill runs down Twilight’s spine as they square off, a hush coming over the crowd. “You talk of Harmony and Kindness, yet call an innocent foal an abomination?”

Radiant Hope raises her muzzle higher as Cadance spits out her words. “Is it Kind or Honest to call a pile of dirt a bale of hay, and feed it to your young? Harmony has bestowed upon you Her gifts. Yet you have taken those gifts and twisted them, denying Harmony’s primacy in your life as surely as you denied his seed of its magic.”

Twilight’s eyes narrow as worried rumbles permeate the crowd. How could Radiant Hope have gone from not knowing what is wrong to accurately divining the origins of Cadance’s foal? Rumors exist about the nature of Tirek’s magic-draining spell that Celestia researched and taught to Twilight but the exact details remain hidden, for obvious reasons. Or is she testing her?

Cadance’s resolve falters for an instant, her eyes growing wide. “Never.”

“Yet now that magic returns.” Radiant Hope stands straighter, seeming to tower over the shaken alicorn. “For Harmony will prevail through the darkest times and against the strongest of foes, even if those foes are our own desires.”

“She is no mere desire,” Cadance states, cold and hard. Next to her Shining Armor snorts, pawing at the ground, clearly unhappy about any slight against his wife or their foal. The crowd echoes his agitation, perceiving an implied threat against their Princess. “And how can you claim she is against Harmony’s will, if we used that very power to bring her about? Does Harmony want her to exist, or not?”

“Harmony is not Chaos,” Radiant Hope says, firm and unyielding, “but Harmony turns Chaos into Order, turns discord into unity, and turns enemies into Friends. What is dark magic except that which would strip a pony of their Harmony, as displayed by their cutie mark? So ask yourself. Do you wish to follow Harmony’s tenets, and subsume your desires under Hers? Or do you wish to follow your own path, to be your own master? For one cannot follow two paths; her hooves will trod along one and spurn the other, or seek one and ignore the other. You cannot serve Harmony and your own heart.”

Cadance shudders as though struck; Shining Armor looks stricken, that he cannot defend his mare. “But Harmony gave me this heart,” she implores, and Twilight isn’t sure if she is referring to her desires or the blue crystal stamped on her flank. “How can the desires of that heart be wrong?”

“When Harmony uplifted us from our ancient horses ancestors,” Radiant Hope says, softer yet still clearly heard by all present, “She imbued in us Her power, the ability to think and to choose. She has no use for automatons, for beings with no will of their own. Yet, for now, Chaos continues to exist in this world, as do the basic desires of our bodies. She wants us to use our Harmony-given talents to follow Her tenets, to act according to Her will, to join Her chorus. The choice exists for us, as it does for Her, the choice about how we act. She will generously bless all who live in Honesty and in Friendship.”

“But not with foals,” Cadance spits out, eyes narrowing.

“Each mare has their own gifts from Harmony,” Radiant Hope concedes to Cadance, “and their own talents, as shown by their mark. Is it not better to focus on those? But if your desires are so inflamed? Harmony has not inspired me, but I would say it is better to herd than to stray.”

Shining Armor scoffs, “And all you demand is our complete devotion? To sing to your tune?”

Radiant Hope addresses Shining Armor, “Harmony demands no less from us than our entirety. You despise it when your mare leaves in the evening and comes to you in the morning; Harmony is no less jealous.”

With a mighty stamp of his hoof Shining Armor shatters the ground, rage contorting his features. Everypony staggers backward. “That’s it! I’ve heard enough. Guards!” Four armored and spear-wielding earth ponies muscle forward at his call with two burly Storm Guards lumbering behind, on loan from one of the joint training exercises Raikou initiated. He points at Radiant Hope and Tempest Shadow, growling, “Arrest these mares.”

Dead silence passes over the restless crowds. They immediately give way, without even a breath of protest, as the six guards warily approach the two unicorns. The earth ponies exchange hesitant glances, not wanting to potentially incite the agitated mob by detaining two clearly peaceful and compliant ponies, even if they were insulting a Princess. The towering Storm Guards have no such compunction, though; one withdraws a pair of metal hobbles from one of the many pockets strewn about his armor, the other a bottle of gel that shines with even the slightest magical current.

Cadance whirls to confront her husband. “What?” she hisses out.

“They are disturbing the peace,” he retorts, his steely gaze leaving no room for argument. “Inciting a mob by insulting the Princesses.” He whispers, “I have to protect you. What good am I if I can’t do that?”

Cadance chews on her lip for a moment before turning back to Radiant Hope. “Why the change of heart?” she implores. “You did not react this way when we met in Klugetown.”

“Why Harmony has revealed these things to me I do not know.” Radiant Hope presents her hooves to be shackled and her horn for the gel. Tempest Shadow gives a disquieted grunt, though makes no motion to intervene. “But she has made clear to me everypony’s iniquities. For Honesty entails that all will be revealed, every hidden thing made visible and every secret exposed to the light. But those who deal in Deceit will despise this, fearing their deceptions being revealed.”

“Sorry, Commander,” one guard says to Tempest Shadow as she is likewise restrained.

“Anything committed against me will be forgiven,” she says, her holier-than-thou attitude played up to the fullest. “But woe to any who besmirch Harmony.”

Shining Armor’s scowl deepens as Cadance continues, “We have nothing to fear, yet you believe us to be separated from Harmony by our desire to be our own master. Do I have that right?”

Radiant Hope nods. “You have ears, but your hearing is not at issue.”

“Then…” Cadance hesitates. She glances at Shining Armor, eyes large as saucers and lips quivering.

“You would trust her?” he spits out. “After what she said?”

Cadance gulps, then slowly walks next to Radiant Hope, the guards standing aside to let her through. “You have healed the others here. Can you heal what ails me?”

“If you wish to again know Harmony?” Radiant Hope closes her eyes and tilts her head upward. Suddenly her muzzle clenches, as if in agony or severe doubt. “If…” she falters, struggling to form the words. “If Harmony required it of you. Would… would you give her up?”

Cadance blinks as she processes the question. “Eh… excuse me? Give her up?” Her eyes slowly widen. “You mean…”

“No!” Shining Armor shouts, whirling on his wife much like she whirled on him, terror straining the stoic unicorn’s normally neutral expression. “Never!”

“I am the Princess of Love,” Cadance states as she stands with her husband, her resolve returning. “There is nothing I would not sacrifice for those I love.”

Radiant Hope opens her eyes to regard Cadance with grim resignation mixed with a steely determination as pointed as her armor piercing question. “But do you love Harmony?”

Cadance’s eyes narrow. Twilight is amazed she can keep her cool and not lash out at the pony who would dare ask such a question. “And what do you know of Harmony? How would I even know that it is Harmony demanding this of me and not some fiend?”

“You have heard what has been said, and seen what has been done.” The chain rattles as Radiant Hope indicates the crowd, many still waiting in line for their turn at being healed. She seems completely unconcerned about the spears pointed at her or the hobble between her legs. “Do our powers, our abilities and talents, not come from Harmony? Could Chaos have produced such effects of Honesty and Laughter? And if you do not believe me about physical things, then how will you believe anything else? Harmony, through Grogar Her servant, has granted me my most fervent wish: to be reunited with Sombra, my love, whom you saw scattered as ashes. She restored Tempest Shadow’s horn, who wandered and searched for decades without avail. She has redeemed the Mad King, purified and sanctified him against the corruption of the Umbrum from which he came. And she can do the same for you.”

Twilight bites her lip. Could she see Discord doing something like this, bringing back foul enemies and getting them to work together? It doesn’t seem like the Lord of Chaos to do such a thing, but she can’t put it past him, either. What would be his end goal?

Cadance’s lip quivers. “I want to believe,” she whispers.

Radiant Hope speaks, so quiet Twilight can barely hear. She suspects the words are also for her. “Harmony knows the contents of your heart. Raise your foal in her tenets, teach her Harmony’s ways. But for you: before you lay down to sleep, turn around three times. The relief you feel from knowing the sire of your foal will extend until the next evening.” She smiles and says louder, “Now go, and live in Harmony.”

Cadance studies the purple unicorn, memorizing the words. “Guards,” she says firmly. “Unchain these mares.”

The Storm Guard dutifully removes the restraints while a burst of magic from Cadance evaporates the gel with a bright flash. Shining Armor looks a little put out that Cadance countermanded his order, and the guard complied without looking to him for confirmation, but says nothing.

“Come on, Shiny,” Cadance says with a wink, trying to stay upbeat. “We’ve got a game to get to.”

Shining Armor gives Radiant Hope and Tempest Shadow a long, hard stare as he nods, keeping his eyes on them as Princess Cadance leads the way through the murmuring crowd.

“What about me?” Twilight asks, stepping forward. “And my foals. Do I need the same advice?”

Radiant Hope turns her head toward Twilight, regarding her with such perplexity as though it was Discord asking about the best ways to spread Harmony. She blinks a few times, her features smoothing. “You worry about your friends and your… foals?” Her features scrunch together again, confused. “About placing them in a higher position than Harmony. Treat them as Harmony has taught: with honesty, generosity, loyalty, kindness, laughter, and magic, which is friendship. Treat all creatures this way, and teach them to live this way, as Heralds of the Chorus to come.”

With a cautious nod and glance to Rarity - who has remained silent the entire time, almost lost in thought - Twilight gallops down the stadium tunnel after Cadance, Rarity following in her wake.

Next Chapter: Ch. 175 - Spirit Guards, Part Five Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 32 Minutes