To protect the society

by TwiwnB

The old and the new

“You wanted to see me?” asked the jail’s director.

Twilight nodded. She had demanded to see him once again, as she had taken two decisions.

“I want you to find and send me the case file of my friend’s father. I want to know how he came to be wrongly imprisoned.” she told the director.

“Of course. I’m sure I can do that for you, it will just take some time.”

Twilight smiled. She was becoming accustomed with the bureaucracy and the mountains of paper it was creating. She knew the director would have to search through many and many documents until he would find what she had been asking for.

“Good.” she answered. “I also need you to tell me where a certain Fire Anthem is being kept. I know he is suspected of arson and I want to talk with him.”

The director thought about it for a few seconds and then replied.

“Fire Anthem? This is even easier. He is here, in the custody wing. I can walk you to him if you’d like.”

Twilight told him it wasn’t necessary and wanted the director to focus on Rainbow Blaze’s case file. She found a warden and went to Fire Anthem’s cell, as he had to be there at this time of the day.

“Do you want me to come in with you?” the warden asked.

Twilight preferred to be alone. Still, she knew the warden would stay outside, waiting for her, ready to intervene if anything were to happen.

The door opened and Twilight enter the cell that was bigger than she had expected, and immediately saw a young stallion with a dark red coat and an orange and red mane and tail. Fire didn’t say anything, probably too surprised to see a princess enter his cell, so Twilight took upon herself to begin.

“Hello. My name is Twilight Sparkle.” she said. “You are Fire Anthem, aren’t you?” she asked.

He nodded, still trying to understand why a princess wanted to speak with him. There was something funny in his awkward shyness.

“I’ve come here because I want you to tell me about what happened the night a fire happened at miss Full’s house.”

The name “Full” created a reaction of disgust on the stallion’s face.

“You won’t believe me if I did.” Fire said. “I told the guards and the inspector, but nopony believes me!” he added with a sudden burst of anger towards those he thought he owed his current situation.

“Please just tell me what happened that night.” Twilight asked.

So he told her the same exact story that was in the case file. She noticed that he would easily shout when telling his story, mostly when it was about Face Full who he obviously wanted to insult in a very vulgar way, but found enough strength not to out of respect for the alicorn.
He finished his story and waited for Twilight’s remarks.

“Let’s say I believe you.” the princess began. “Who would have put the house on fire? Who is the arsonist?”

“I don’t know!” shouted Fire with rage. “If I knew, I would have said it since the very beginning! I don’t know who did it, I just know it’s not me!”

“Miss Full says you did it. Given what you told me, it could have been you, no?” asked Twilight.

“Not it couldn’t have been me! Of course it couldn’t have been. Can’t you see that?” the young stallion responded with conviction.

“And why is that?” asked Twilight, hoping she would get some new information through that trick.

“Because I would never do something like that.” Fire replied, dampening Twilight’s hope. “I may be a bit virulent at times, but I’m not mad and I’m certainly not a criminal.”

“Did you tell Face Full she could burn in hell?” Twilight asked.

Fire Anthem hesitated a bit, and then replied:

“Yes. Yes I did. But I was angry at her, I didn’t mean it!”

There was actually only one question left Twilight wanted to know the answer of.

“Do you still love her?” she asked.

“What?” replied Fire, taken by surprise.

“Do you still love Face Full?”

“That cutthroat bitch?” rhetorically asked Fire.

“Yes.” confirmed Twilight.

The young stallion looked away in multiple directions, stood up, walked around, laughing in a maniacal way and then just sat against a wall.

“I know it’s crazy.” he said. “I know I should hate her. I do hate her.”

Twilight just waited a little longer.

“It’s just… I don’t control such things.” Fire said. “I just love her. I don’t know why, I just do.”

Twilight thanked him and began to walk away, but he called her out:

“What is going to happen to me? I didn’t light that fire!”

Twilight stopped and turned to the young stallion.

“Tell me… Fire Anthem, why do you have that name?” she asked him.

“It’s the mark of my passion for music, why?” the young stallion replied, not understanding what it had to do with anything.

“Thank you.” Twilight replied, before leaving the room and letting the warden lock the door behind her.