//------------------------------//
// Responsibilities 
// Story: The Magic of Friendship 
// by Darkswirl 
//------------------------------//

"I'm glad you're doing this, Princess." General Starshine whispered as he and Celestia stood behind a thick stage curtain.

"I'm doing what I must, General." she replied; her voice plain and unemotional.

Only her eyes betrayed her pain and sadness.

As the crowd beyond the curtain began to die down from boredom, Celestia made her calm and elegant entrance.

"My little ponies..." Celestia began.

"There she is!"

"It's the high-tailed princess!"

"Where have you been while we've been suffering?!"

Celestia was taken back by the harshness in their tones.

She understood that they were angry with her incompetence, but their snouts practically dripped with vile hatred as if it were some form of sickness.

"Please, let me explain-" Celestia started desperately before she was pelted by a rotten tomato.

"This is what we've had to eat for the past two days because of this storm!"

After the first rotten food-thing splattered against her mane, three royal pegasi guards flew in close to protect their ruler from further harassment while a band of royal unicorn guards wet through the crowd to round up the trouble makers.

The guards were met with protest from the entire crowd and were barred from entering as more and more ponies began through rotten food towards the stage.

Celestia was loosing her patience and her cool.

Sensing this, Starshine galloped onstage and attempted to make his voice heard over the roaring crowd.

But he would not be heard over Celestia, who suddenly let her magic flare; binding everypony's snout shut and their hooves together.

"SILENCE!" she ordered, using the Royal Canterlot Voice so that she could be heard over the storm outside.

Letting her tail and ears twitch in anger while her horn glowed, Celestia began her speech.

"I understand that everypony is upset with me, and they should be.  I have fled from my duties and let this storm blow out of control, and for that I sincerely apologize.  However, there is reason for my actions; albeit a poor reason: Five days ago, my sister requested my presence in the Everfree Forest at her castle.  Unbeknownst to me, I was trotting into a trap." Celestia said, pausing to catch her breath and let her rage subside.

Releasing everypony from their binds, she continued sadly.

"Luna was under the impression that nopony appreciated her beautiful night.  This is somewhat true, as you all have expressed some degree of fear when out late at night or even simply in the presence of Princess Luna.  Her rage and jealousy fueled something that took control of her body so that she could have her revenge and make everypony appreciate her hard work as you all do mine.  I was imprisoned for two days before I managed to escape my sister's castle, but I couldn't just leave her like that; that horrible creature she had become out of rage.   And so I returned, wielding the Elements of Harmony, with a plan to free her from the entity. But it appears as though she submitted willingly and I could not free her, so instead I was forced to banish her.  This storm began as soon as Luna was gone, although I only noticed it later.  I have been hiding out of depression and fear, but I realize I cannot do so any longer.  Equestria needs a ruler.  Equestria needs somepony to look up to in times of need such as this one.  I do not know how to stop this storm, my little ponies, but rest assured I will not rest until I do." Celestia explained, standing proudly and causing everypony to stare at her with wonder and amazement.

This certainly wasn't the princess they had all imagined that was holed up in her comfy little castle while the rest of Equestria was being torn apart.

This was a pony they could trust and depend on.

This was a leader that ponies would die for.

This was a ruler that ponies needed.

With the acceptance of her responsibility, the storm outside began to grow fainter and fainter as it quickly faded into nothingness...