Discord teleports his friends, still in sacks to the throne room of Canterlot Castle. It's 5:30 in the afternoon. Princess Celestia and Luna tell everypony to give Discord, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and her friends privacy.
"Discord, what's the meaning of bringing Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends in sacks?" Princess Luna asks profoundly.
"Well, I found them on boats drifting away like this."
"You have? Princess Twilight, what led to this?" Princess Celestia asks.
"It's a long story, Princess Celestia."
"We have all day to hear your story."
"First, can you help us get out of the sacks?" Applejack frustratedly said.
Discord snaps his claws. The sacks come to life and spits out the girls. Princess Celestia and Luna are stunned to see matching equal cutie marks. However, Discord is aware of the situation. He knows what it represents.
"What happened to your cutie marks?!" Princess Celestia freaks out a bit. Never in her reign in Equestria she has ever seen matching cutie marks.
"That's part of the long story, Princess Celestia," Twilight said.
"Who shall break the ice?" Princess Luna said.
"After my friends and I sat on our thrones, our cutie marks illuminate. The castle created a map of Equestria. Then, our cutie marks hover over an area we never seen before. Applejack had the notion that the CMC were there."
"Were they there, Twilight?" Princess Celestia asks.
"Yes," Twilight nods. "They were living in that village this whole time."
"Wow. What happened next?"
Twilight explains more in full detail when she and her friends entering the village, seeing how everypony acted togetherly in a twisted way, getting introduced to Starlight Glimmer. Twilight explains more of the village and villagers, with the tour that Starlight displayed. After a while, Twilight said that the map sent her and her friends to liberate Starlight Glimmer's dictatorship and free the cutie marks stored away in the vault. Twilight looks down a bit.
"What happened next, Twilight," Princess Celestia calmly asks.
Twilight sighs. Applejack steps in to take control.
"After a while of waiting in the basement of the bakery, your highnesses, Starlight escorted us to the vault. On the way there, Party Favor, Night Glider, and Sugar Belle followed closely behind us. When we saw the vault, we were mesmerized. So many cutie marks contained in the vault. We were speechless."
"Then-" Applejack is cut off by Twilight.
"Starlight calls the vault a thing of beauty. I said it was disturbing. I also said to her, How can you do this to everypony, you dictator?"
"Then I said, Yea! Out of anger and spite! What is wrong with you?!" Rainbow said.
"Starlight responds by telling us she has never done any sort. She flips the switch by asking us have you done something out of anger and spite?" Twilight sighs heavily.
"I replied no to Starlight's question. Also, I said, We haven't done anything out of anger and spite!" Applejack sadly said.
"I say We listen to what ponies have to say." Rarity includes her part in the saying of the story.
"I included myself by saying, We help create friendships," Fluttershy softly said.
"Then, I said, We show those that there are always better days ahead," Pinkie said, losing more of her cheerful-self.
"That's when we heard Scootaloo angrily shouting her response. It took us by surprise seeing her trot to Starlight Glimmer. Sweetie Belle was second to respond by calling us hypocrites. Apple Bloom was last to come out, reminding us about the Gabby Gums incident and lying to Starlight."
The Princesses are now intrigued and yet, horrified to hear more of it.
"I believed that Starlight brainwashed the CMC cause of how they were next to her. I asked what Starlight has done, she replies by telling me she took care of them while being outcast by us. That was when Scootaloo parents come out of the darkness of the cave to confirm the stories they heard. Then all of a sudden, everypony from the village came closer to us. I knew it was a trap and was about to retaliate by using my magic. That is when Starlight grabs a staff to strip my cutie mark off of me. I received an equal cutie mark after the transition."
"I called Starlight a monster after she did that. Scootaloo said looks who's talking." Rainbow said. "She and her friends reminded Applejack, Rarity, and I a lot of things that were true. Before we can respond, Scootaloo's parents said that we had no remorse and felt disgusted that we had relations with their daughter and friends. I said we're sorry but for them, it was too late."
"Then I tried telling Apple Bloom Is this what you want? To strip ponies of their cutie marks cause you aren't able to have one?" Applejack sighs heavily. "Wanna take a guess what she said, your highnesses?"
"She said yes. Agreeing to your claims," Princess Celestia answers.
"I was anticipating that answer from her. What she told me was something obscure. She decided to live her life without a cutie mark."
Silence reign for the Princesses. Discord knew of this but he's keeping quiet until he talks more in-depth about the situation. It's unheard of that a young filly wants to live life without a cutie mark.
"Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, your highnesses," Rarity said.
"What about Scootaloo?" Princess Celestia asks with a level of concern.
"She didn't include herself when they spoke of it. We can only assume that she still wants a cutie mark or not," Twilight noted.
"Then I drew my conclusions, Princess Celestia. I believed that Starlight put a spell on Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom. To get Twilight's cutie mark back, I sprung into action. I flew up, did a flip, and boosts myself to tackle Starlight Glimmer. Starlight didn't react fast enough but, Scootaloo did. She shove Starlight aside and took the hit. The collision was so hard," Rainbow sniffs, remembering the wails of Scootaloo. "Scootaloo was hurled back, crashing at the vault. Judging from the reactions after Scootaloo hits the vault, I gave her a broken back and a possible broken wings," Rainbow said as she tears up. "Her father, lunge at me and broke my wing in return. After Starlight saw what has happened to Scootaloo, she teared up and said it's now personal. She strip my cutie mark along with my friends. That is why we have the equal insignia cutie mark."
"The biggest reveal was Starlight Glimmer showing us that her cutie mark was intact. Same goes for everypony else from the village. They have a justice system for those that wronged them horribly," Twilight mentions. "The vault has a lot of cutie marks that caused a lot of trauma to a lot of ponies. Now, you know what has happened to us."
"Discord, please escort Twilight and her friends to the guest rooms, my sister and I have a lot to talk about."
"Yes, Princess Celestia," Discord snaps his claw and teleports everypony to the guest room.
"Discord, you knew more than us. Can you tell us what you know of Starlight and her doings?" Applejack asks.
Discord shakes his head. "I rather save the info when Celestia and Luna made up their minds."
"How is Scootaloo doing, Discord?" Rainbow worriedly asks.
"You broke her back and wings, Rainbow. As a younger pegasus, the joints are more sensitive than any other pony. Scootaloo is in immense pain and suffering. I can feel that she is crying uncontrollably right now."
Rainbow covers her face with her good wing and flinching a bit more with her bad one. She cries a bit, calling herself a monster.
"Discord, any advice on what we can do?" Twilight asks.
"Wait until we are summoned back to the throne room."
An hour goes by as Princess Celestia and Luna discuss the events that Twilight and her friends embarked on. They are deciding whether to have some negotiations or to retaliate for stealing Equestria's best defense cutie marks. The two bicker back and forth of the matter. Princess Luna says they should destroy the vault and take the cutie marks themselves. Princess Celestia wants to negotiate. Work on a little peace treaty. Princess Luna and Celestia can agree that Starlight Glimmer is a threat to all of Equestria as of now. Having the power to take away talents is scary enough. The Princesses need a third to settle the dispute. They send a Royal Guard to the guest room. The Royal Guard enters the guest room.
"Discord, the Princesses require your assistance," The Royal Guard salutes.
Discord takes a deep breath. "Understood. You lot come with me."
Discord and his friends walk to the throne room. Discord walks towards both Princesses as Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy stood back a little.
"You require my assistance?" Discord asks while he hovers in the air.
"Discord, my sister and I are having trouble settling our next plan of action. I want to negotiate with Starlight Glimmer," Princess Celestia said.
"I say we should destroy the vault and take the cutie marks back," Princess Luna coldly states.
"What do you think we should do?" Princess Luna asks.
"Also, what information you know of Starlight Glimmer and the villagers. I know that I asked of you not to reveal any information of any pony in Equestria, let them live their lives but, just this one time, I'm lifting that boundary for this occasion only. Any info would be vital for the cause," Princess Celestia states.
Discord takes a deep breath. He turns to his friends then back at the Princesses.
"The info that I'll be sharing, no pony is not allowed to speak of it afterward. Everything I say here, stays," Discord looks at Pinkie directly. "What did I say Pinkie?"
"Something about not speaking. It only stays here, I guess..?"
Discord sighs. "Close enough," Discord turns to the Princesses. "Honestly, I would negotiate with Starlight Glimmer and the villagers about returning Twilight and her friends' cutie marks."
"What?!" Rainbow complains. "Are you serious?!" She whines.
"I know your venturing isn't intentional but, I warned you all about letting Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo go. When I mentioned that their alright and fine, the truth was they were happy. They were being loved by an equalist village. Starlight Glimmer is not a dictator. She's a friend. With Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo living in the village, things turned around for the better in that village. Also, the part about stripping cutie marks away from wrongful ponies, that was Scootaloo's plan."
There is dead silence in the room. Twilight, her friends, and the Princesses couldn't believe that Scootaloo came up with an ingenious plan, and yet, it's still horrifying.
"In the village, there is no bullying and discrimination. Starlight created a set of rules in which everypony follows through. They all live as a family."
"They discriminated us as being wrongful ponies. How does that fare with the ruling?" Rainbow said.
"The ruling applies for those who are living there. The rules apply for newcomers that gone through unfortunate hardships in life. When it comes to wrongful ponies, it's an immediate trial of punishment before being sent away."
"Besides us, anypony else got their cutie marks taken away?" Twilight asks.
"A lot of horrible ponies who deserve life in prison. Hearing the testimony of those villagers is breathtaking for what they've endured. Makes me wonder how in Equestria they didn't end themselves. Two ponies in particular caught my attention. A pegasus named Fire Flier and an earth pony named Diamond Tiara."
Silence reign for a few seconds. They couldn't believe that Diamond Tiara's name is mentioned by Discord.
"Diamond Tiara?" Princess Luna calmly said.
"Diamond Tiara stumbled her way to Starlight's village weeks ago. The CMC took pleasure of stripping her cutie mark. She swore vengeance."
"What about Fire Flier?" Twilight asks.
"All I know is, he can cause fires just by flying at rapid speeds. There is not much I can say. I was keeping a closer eye on Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. In case any of you were to go searching for them. I would be trying to make you see the bigger picture by letting them go and to continue your lives without them," Discord takes another deep breath. "Celestia, Luna. I know how to get to the village. We need to make an agreement with them. For all of Equestria's sake. If the vault were to get destroyed, we can be dooming everypony in Starlight's village. Also, we may have a Civil War. I know for a fact that war is not on either's mind."
Princess Celestia and Luna agree with that statement. They nod in understanding. Senseless violence is not the answer, neither is war.
"Very well, Discord. We shall negotiate with Starlight Glimmer and everyone else in the village," Princess Celestia calmly states.
"Let's go now, everyone. Let's get the cutie marks back," Princess Luna declares.
"We're going to take the train there," Discord announces.
"Why not teleport us there?" Applejack asks.
"I have my reasons. Also, we're going bearing a white flag," Discord spawns a white flag.
The girls look down shamefully. First, their cutie marks gone, now returning while bearing a white flag. What more will they endure?
An hour later, Discord, Princess Celestia, Luna, Twilight, and her friends board the train. Discord closes his eyes while the rest talk among themselves for how they'll be handling the peace treaties. If there will be one.
During this time, Tempest is wearing a dark hoodie. She sees Spike and Big Mac hanging out. They are both going to hang out for the rest of the weekend, giving Tempest time to scout all around the castle. For the sake of the Dark Order and the Storm King. Either way, Tempest will know how to capture Princess Twilight Sparkle and friends from the inside when given the opportunity.