"Darling, I do so hate to ask, but shouldn't you go to jail for this?"
Twilight looked up at Rarity from the mountain of paperwork spread out across the Cutie Map. "Yes, obviously," she said, her horn glowing as she filled out another form while speaking, "Allocating state funds that far exceed my personal allowance in order to purchase a plethora of pastries from my friends for my own consumption? That's several counts of corruption right there."
"I see." A pause. "And might I ask as to why you are engaging in such a flagrant violation of the laws you swore to uphold? I do believe we are supposed to be on the side of Good, after all."
"Because it's no worse than what most of the Canterlot Elite have done before," Twilight said with a shrug. Her tone was casual, but Rarity could sense the edge beneath it. "Are you aware of what the criminal conviction rate in Upper Canterlot was last year?"
"Rather low, I would assume," Rarity replied.
"One," Twilight hissed. "There was only one conviction among the residents of Upper Canterlot last year, and it only happened because Tulip Sea ripped off the wrong ponies. The nobility are, for all intents and purposes, above the law."
"I'm well aware of the injustices in this world perpetrated by those with the power to help others," Rarity pointed out, "but I fail to see how this justifies you doing the same."
"Well, I think it's about high time we stood up against this sort of thing." Twilight slammed another stack of papers onto the Map. "Even though I'm a Princess, there's not much I can do to stop the rampant corruption in this nation, so I'm hoping to get the regular ponies of Equestria to help. When nothing happens to me despite my blatant abuse of the system, they should see that it's finally time to rise up and bring justice to all. Also, Pinkie really wanted to throw a 'reformation party' so this is a way to fund that too."
"That seems… rather fraught with risk," Rarity said delicately.
"It'll be fine. I've read a number of works on social engineering." Twilight gestured to a pile of books in one corner of the room. "At worst, current societal pressures towards maintaining the status quo will result in no action being taken, and I'll make sure to give away all the food I'm having ordered to those in need. Let them eat cake for a bit — I'm sure they'll be happy about it."
"If you say so," Rarity said. "I trust you."
Twilight smiled. "Thanks."
From the balcony of the Friendship Castle overlooking the town of Ponyville, Rarity turned away from the crowd gathering below to glare at her friend.
"Twilight Sparkle, I'm afraid my trust in you was sorely misplaced."
Twilight waved off Rarity's concern. "I'm sure it's going to be fine. Stirring up public opposition was the goal, after all."
"So the large mob forming outside your Castle was part of the plan, then?"
Twilight nodded. "I've galvanized the ponies into action. Their dissatisfaction with the current system is going to force change."
The general rumblings of the crowd suddenly shifted towards something more assonant. Twilight smiled. "Do you hear the ponies sing? Singing the songs of angry mares?"
Indeed, a loud chorus had formed, their words spreading out across the land.
"When our ranks begin to form, will you take your place with us? Here upon these stones we will build our barricade!"
Loud crashes and thuds followed quickly behind the singing, prompting Rarity to glance downwards at the ponies below her once again. "Oh my," she said, grimacing. "How gauche. My talent may be in fashion and not in interior design, but that ebony armoire clearly does not match the mahogany table next to it. This barricade they're building is an absolute disgrace to good taste."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Change isn't pretty." She stepped up beside Rarity to observe the crowd.
An orange filly climbed on top of the newly-erected barricade. "Will you join in our crusade?" Scootaloo cried out. "Who will be strong and stand with me? Somewhere beyond this barricade is there a world you long to see?"
"Her singing has vastly improved," Rarity noted. "Sweetie must be rubbing off on her."
Next to her, Pinkie held up a megaphone and sang to the crowd. "The color of the world Is changing day by day. Red - the blood of angry mares! Black - the dark of ages past! Red - a world about to dawn! Black - the night that ends at last!"
Twilight winced. "Luna isn't going to like that at all."
"I hate to alarm you, but it seems somepony is distributing torches and pitchforks to the masses."
The now illuminated crowd continued to grow behind the cover of the barricade. "With all the anger in the land, how long before the judgement day? Before we cut the fat ones down to size?"
Twilight's eyes widened as the crowd cheered at that prospect. "Okay, maybe it's getting a teensy but out of hoof," she said nervously. "But I'm sure Pinkie will keep this under control!"
"Will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance? Some will fall and some will live; will you stand up and take a chance?" Pinkie turned to shout at the mare next to her. "Berry, put the bottle down!"
Berry Punch let out a resounding belch. "Give me brandy on my breath and I'll breath 'em all to death!"
Pinkie shrugged. "We must be ready for the fight. To arms!" Holding up a rolling pin, she charged forwards, the rest of the crowd ignoring the barricade and following her.
"I would think by now that you'd know asking Pinkie to keep anything under control is… unwise," Rarity said as she watched the ponies surge towards the castle.
"This is bad," Twilight said, beginning to pace nervously back and forth. "I haven't read up on how to diffuse a violent rebellion!"
"Death to each and every traitor!"
To Rarity's surprise, the cry came not from the crowd on the ground but the skies. Looking up, she saw a squad of pegasi clad in the Wonderbolts' signature uniforms. And at their head, a familiar blue pegasus.
"Let's nip this in the bud!" Rainbow Dash called out to her squad. "We're ready for these ponies. They will wet themselves with blood!"
"Oh no," Twilight said as she watched the scene unfolding before her in horror.
On the ground, Pinkie glared up her at her friend. "The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of Ponyville! Let's give 'em a bucking that they'll never forget!"
As the two masses of ponies met with the force of two tidal waves, Twilight abruptly charged her horn. "Gotta go!" she shouted to Rarity. "I need to stop my friends from killing each other!"
As she disappeared with a "pop," Rarity sighed and walked back towards the castle interior. Unlike a certain alicorn princess, she didn't have access to teleportation magic, and would have to walk down the stairs to meet up with her friends.
"And now I'm all alone again," she mused as she walked. "I wonder what future they'll bring when tomorrow comes? After all, never know your luck when there's a free for all."