“Quick Draw...why? Why go to such lengths? What good does freezing everyone accomplish?”
The yellow-ish earth pony trotted over to me, pain and sorrow behind those eyes of hers. “You don’t get it do you? If you release her, then you’ll cause an assortment of problems. Even now, plenty of ponies still ache over the damage that Cozy Glow caused. Not to mention other species like the Dragons and Griffons who are deathly afraid of her. Do you think that her being able to walk freely is going to just be sunshine and rainbows?!”
“Of course I don’t!” I snapped back. This had officially gone too far. “Suspicions and judgements don’t just disappear overnight. It takes time to earn trust of others. That’s why I did all of this. So that, upon her return, it will be that much easier for her to have a proper life here.”
She huffed, and shook her head. “You absolute jackass…even now, you have individuals out there that want you imprisoned for life because of what you’re doing. But I won’t let them take you away from me--us! We’ve been through too much together to lose you to something you’re not equipped to handle.”
“Enough.” I scowled. I decided a long time ago that I would follow my ideals. But something I knew I would never do was let someone else control my ideals for me. “Whatever it is you’ve done, undo it right now.”
As expected, Quick remained firm on her stance as well. “I can’t do that. Even now, you run the risk of endangering your life because of this crazy case. Do you honestly think just setting Cozy free will go off without a hitch?” She leaned her head back, and cackled. “Ohohoho! Please! Even if you get approval from Princess Smarty-Pants herself,” she pointed her hoof at the frozen purple alicorn, “you’ll still have enemies. And with that, comes conflict. And with conflict, comes war.”
I took a step back and glared at her. “Just what are you saying?”
“Don’t you get it?! You’d be throwing her back into a system that’s already against her. Her life is at risk. Your life would be at risk. Everypony that you’ve talked to up until this point? All of their lives are at risk!” she pointed at each member of the court as well as the congregation. “Is that what you want? Do you want to risk bringing back someone with such a dangerous reputation who would cause those that think ill of you to attack you? Or Cheerilee? Or Tree Hugger? Or our buddies Corkscrew and Flash Drive? This whole time you’ve thought of no one except yourself and your own selfish philosophies. Did you ever consider the effects it would have on everyone around you?”
My eyes darted back and forth. I shut them as I looked down. “Hm…” I exhaled and shook my head. “Of course I do. That’s why I have so many precautions in place just in case anything were to go wrong. In the end, my life is trivial compared to those around me. I wouldn’t dare let anything befall them. Once I have enough support from the court as well as the public, the ire towards Cozy will recede, and we can start making progress towards giving our children a better tomorrow. Somepony has to end this cycle of the strong trampling the weak!” I stomped my hoof as I looked up at her.
Quick was unamused at my statement. She simply rolled her eyes and looked off to the side. “So that’s it, huh? You think we’re all weak?”
“Yes!” I shouted, “We are all weak creatures. If Twilight and her friends suddenly became evil tomorrow, who would be there to stop them? In addition, there are probably hundreds, if not thousands of fillies and colts out there who are missing parents and are just as troubled as Cozy Glow is. Do you think that the fear through negative reinforcement of being trapped in stone for all of eternity with no way to die or be at peace is acceptable? Do you want your home to become a dictatorship?!”
“It’s not a dictatorship if it’s how things always have been. If the next foal who plans on lashing out thinks about where Cozy Glow has ended up, they’ll stop. They’ll learn how to behave and listen so they won’t be where she is.”
I slapped my forehead with my hoof. That was such a ridiculous ideology to follow due to how destructive it could be. “And how do you know that, huh? How do you know that a truly twisted, and deranged child wouldn’t simply carry out those actions regardless of the punishment. Foals like Cozy Glow had no regard for their own life. Why? Because they were never taught how precious life actually is in the first place!” I walked closer to her. I wanted Quick to listen to everything I had to say and pay close attention. “Don’t you get it? Individuals like Sombra and Cozy were never given proper guidance by any sort of parental figures as children. Because of that, they grew up with the idea that their actions had no consequences since no one was there to guide them. You tell me. Does that sound like a just world to live in? A world where you can be born into an unlucky situation and watch as everypony passes you by because they don’t care? How else would you act?!”
She leaned forward, now more interested in the point I tried to make. Is it possible that my words had finally gotten through to her? “Just what do you mean by that?”
“You were born in a home with the comfortable upbringing of your parents. Corkscrew had the safety of his parents. I was lucky to be rescued by a kind soul after dealing with horrible parents.”
Quick would try to refute my claim. “Oh? Then what about Scootaloo? Her parents are hardly ever around, and her aunts barely watch over her. Yet she turned out just fine. Babs Seed is the same way.”
But I already had a statement ready to pierce through such a point. “That’s because, like me, Scootaloo also got lucky. Far luckier than I was, even. One of the Elements of Harmony herself--Rainbow Dash--took to being what is essentially her older sister. Babs Seed is also related to an Element of Harmony, and has her Aunt and Uncle in Manehattan. Once again, they both lucked out. But even now, as we speak. There are loads of foals out there who don’t have anypony to watch out for them. Taking the time to give Cozy that attention she needs is going to show them that there is hope out there for them, and that they shouldn’t give up. That is what I want to show the world. But you…”
And then it hit me. Ghost’s warning regarding someone inside the agency, the fact that that hooded pegasus somehow knew of this trial before it would even occur…
“What?” she asked. “I never wanted this, but they offered me a chance to bring you down to your senses, so I took it. You’ve gone too far this time. Now you have to stop before I make you.”
I shut my eyes. “Quick Draw...please tell me you haven’t been feeding suspicious individuals information.”
She flashed an arrogant grin as she started to walk around me in a circle. “Well. You finally figured it out. Those folks you talked to with the hoods? I was the one who tipped them off.”
With a pained gaze, I looked at her again. What reason could there have been to sell out everything we worked for in such a way? “But why? Why would you do something like that?!”
“I figured that, if you were smart enough, you would’ve caught the hint and stopped. But I guess it’s too late for that.”
I rubbed the sides of my head with my hooves. This was too much to bear, and I wanted to resolve this case as soon as possible. “Quick Draw...undo whatever time freeze...thing you just cast. Do that for me, and we can discuss all of this later.”
“No!” she responded rashly, “Not until you agree to drop this case. I am not about to let you ruin your life over something like this like some sort of fool!”
I turned away, and looked over my shoulder. “If I’m a fool, then I don’t wish to be as smart as you think you are.”
Desperation filled her eyes. Her pupils darted around for an answer until she had one. With a crazed smile, she grabbed Corkscrew from his seat. The pegasus was still frozen in time like everyone else in the room, so he was unable to react. “If you agree to forfeit the trial, I’ll unfreeze time, and let Cork go. If not...then, you’re going to finally understand what I mean.”
I instantly turned back around, ready to fight. There was no way she could realistically harm another member of our group. It just wasn’t possible. “Quick...this is your final warning. Let the stallion go or else.”
“No! You just don’t get it do you?! Fine then! I’ll show you just exactly what can happen if you continue down this path!” Quick jumped out of one of the nearby open windows and ran with Corkscrew on her back.
As soon as she did, I was already close behind. “Quick Draw! Get back here!” I too, jumped out of the window. She ran through the streets of Canterlot, which were also all frozen in time. Just how powerful was this spell that she cast? No matter. I had to keep going.
I chased her down and out of the city. She stopped right at the edge of a cliff on the side of a mountain with the frozen orange pegasus held tightly in her grip as she stood on her hind legs. There was uncertainty, and pain within her eyes. Pain that I could almost taste.
“Quick...you don’t want to do this…”
Her knees quivered as she neared the edge. She spoke in a broken, heartfelt voice that felt genuine compared to the last time we talked. “I...I don’t...but I don’t want to lose you.”
I sighed. “You just have to accept the fact that, sometimes, we’ll all take risks in life for and around each other. But I am not going to hold back on my word for the feelings of someone else. You constantly act like you’re more mature, but Corkscrew respects my actions. Even if he disagrees, he isn’t going to activate a damn time shutdown spell just because he disagrees with me. No matter how valid his arguments may be.” I pointed at our young team member, “And that is why he has displayed far more excellence than you,” and I pointed at Quick next. “I was going to consider putting in a request to promote you. But this...if this is how you act, then you’ve truly disappointed me. Not as an agent, but as an individual as well.”
At last, my words cut through. She tossed Corkscrew aside. Despite what it looked like, she wasn’t crying. It was more like a quivering frown that a child would wear when they realized they had disappointed their parents. “...Pale...I…”
I walked over to her, and extended my hoof. “Come on. You’re better than this, you know.” She took my hoof.
“I...I’m sorry…” She put a hoof around me as she closed in for a hug.
Maybe I was right. Communicating and proper care towards another can get through to anyone.
Or so I thought.
“He bought it.”
I just barely managed to react to what followed. Her other hoof swung with a knife that cut into my chest a little. Thankfully, I managed to avoid a deadly stab when I flipped her over me. A classic wrestling sort of move. Suplex, I think it was called. The earth pony mare cried out in pain as her back hit the solid ground.
“Gah!”
With a grunt, I put a hoof against her neck. She said nothing, but I heard her sob quietly. I didn’t care about the wound itself, even though it hurt like heck. I was more concerned over why she did this. “And yet you forget that the hoof is quicker than the eye.”
From below me, she coughed due to the pressure I applied to her body. “Ack! Ugh! Hmm...there’s only one way to see this through to the end. Kill me. If you want to go this far for your ideals, then kill me!”
I thought about it, but what good would that do? Show that needless violence and last resort options were always key? No. I would not stoop to her level. “If you truly care for me as you so claim...then you’re going to tell me everything you know. Come on, Quick. You know that I am always here for you. Ever since we were kids. When we first met at the Academy, you shunned me but kept others from picking on me.”
No response. She looked away.
I applied more pressure on her neck. “In our first field operation, we took down a flock of Cockatrices together!”
I heard her mumble, but she still refused to speak. At this point I nearly had her choking.
“At Rank 7 we saved Corkscrew and the rest of our class from a school of Bite-acuda fish in the river!”
I heard her bones buckle under the pressure. But I refused to give up my assault of nostalgia.
“And when we graduated. What promise did we make?”
No response, so I yelled at her to get it.
“What promise did we make?!”
At last, she spoke. “That none of us would die before each other in the field!”
I let her go. “That’s right...so with that being said, you know I will never kill you. So you have no choice but to tell me everything.”
She sat up, and sighed. With no other options, she finally relented. “...Fine. There’s a book near Twilight’s throne that contains the words that lets you undo any enchantment.”
From behind, I hugged her. “Thank you Quick...and you know what else?”
“W..what?”
CLINK!
I slapped some cuffs on her hooves. “You’re under arrest for...well, lots of things. But you’re not going to jail. I have something different in mind…”
She looked at me for a moment, then gave an honest chuckle. “...As expected. If you let me off easy, I would’ve had a problem.”
“Shut it, and get moving.”
We made our way back to the castle where everypony was still frozen in place.
Well, except for one.
“There you are!” Twilight ran up to us both. “It took me a while, but I realized I was in a time-freeze spell. Luckily, I was able to break out. But I can’t seem to find a way to break everypony else out.”
Quick Draw spoke up. “Did you check the book under your throne?”
Twilight slapped her own forehead with her hoof. “Duh! Of course that’s where I left it. How could I forget. But wait, how did you…”
“It’s a long story,” I said, and pointed to the cuffs I had her locked in. “When you unfreeze your guards, take her to one of the therapy cells you have.”
Quick raised an eyebrow. “Therapy...cell?”
Twilight giggled, “Hehehe. Just a little thing I’ve been working on. Instead of banishing ponies, we offer them a chance to correct their mistakes. Fiddling with a little time spell won’t net you that much time.”
“...Hm. I suppose that’s fair. I...do have some unresolved issues.”
“Eee!” The alicorn squealed, and quickly corrected herself. “Ahem--I mean. That is very good. The first step into solving a problem is identifying that you have a problem.” The notebook appeared, and she flipped through it with her magic. “I think I can get you a slot with...Trixie.”
“Sounds...great.”
“And powerful,” I added with a snicker.
Twilight went back to the throne room, and undid the spell. First on her guards so that they were able to escort Quick Draw upstairs. Next, I brought Corkscrew back inside, and placed the frozen pegasus back in his seat among the front row.
On her way back, Twilight took a look at me. “Uh, Pale. You’re bleeding a little.”
I looked down at the scrape that Quick had given me. “Oh...yeah. I had a bit of a fight with her when I confronted her about the magic spell she cast.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve been practicing healing magic too,” Twilight looked at my wound with a predatory expression. She licked her lips, and grit her teeth. Her horn shone a shade of white before I felt a blast of magic hit me.
I flinched and shut my eyes. But when I opened them, I found no harm done. Wow! It worked. “That’s...awesome. Thank you, Twilight.”
“Not a problem. Now, are you ready to resume the trial? Just have to undo this spell…”
I had nearly forgotten. “Oh, and one last thing.”
“Hm?”
“Please question Quick Draw. She knows something about the hooded unicorn that attacked the recent gala.”
She nodded. “Understood. Anything else?”
“That is all, for now. Thank you for listening.” I took my seat next to my pegasus companion. “Ready.”
With an explosion of magic, the time stopping spell was undone, and everypony continued to move like nothing happened. Where were we? Oh yeah. The audience was going to give their opinions on the issue next.
That is, until a new member of the crowd slammed through the doorway.
“Hey-yo! It’s Princess FH in the hizz-ouse!” A wild Flurry appeared. She had a saddlebag on her that was full of files. I knew because I could smell the file paper. “Before you keep going, I have a few things I wanna say.”
I looked over and saw Shining Armor sigh. I don’t know if he was embarrassed, proud, or annoyed. Probably a mix of all three.
Twilight, however, was interested in what the young alicorn had to say. “So be it. Flurry Heart, please make your stance.”
She walked up to the front of the crowd, and winked at me. I didn’t know whether to feel confident or afraid.
Probably a mix of both.