//------------------------------// // Subject 110: Conflict of Interest // Story: Interviews With Equestrians // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// We couldn’t even get a word in before the crowd started cheering for us. It was a very weird sensation to be praised by others in such a large quantity. But since I was next to my two best friends, I couldn’t exactly say it was a bad thing. Although, credit did need to go to another pony as well. “...Cozy Glow was the one who gave us the idea on how to defeat it,” I spoke up over the crowd, “Because of her, we were able to win.” The crowd fell silent, and a sea of turning heads looked towards the far end of the masses. They moved out of the way, and exposed a bashful Cozy. “Um...hi, hehe…” she said with a wave of her hoof and a nervous chuckle. “AIE!” She yelped as she was grabbed up, and hoisted into the air alongside my crew and I. “Well this is hella new,” Cork commented, and reclined against the horde of ponies that held him up with cheers. “I think I like it.” Quick gave an exasperated sigh. Like me, she didn’t enjoy praise for her work, and it showed with her level of disgust. Rather than take it in, she started to think heavily on the situation that had just played out. “Hm…” Me? I couldn’t think at all with all of this cheering and shouting of praise. It was difficult to hear my own thoughts when everypony was saying how amazing we were as a team. Though I had to admit, it felt damn good to know that we were more than capable of coming together even after so long. In the distance, I even saw Rarity and Sweetie Belle. They were okay and...hugging a blue stallion? Was that...? Even after the crowd let us go, the Mayor came up to congratulate us! This was getting out of hoof now. “On behalf of Ponyville, we thank you for your work to defeat that...what was that, actually?” she asked. I tipped my hat. “...You don’t wanna know.” A few days had passed since then. Everything had returned to normal for the time being, until… I heard at a knock at my front door. Naturally, I went to answer it. “Hello?” Starlight was there. Her face was neutral as could be with those moderate blue eyes of hers deadpanning into my soul. “Meet me at the School of Friendship in five minutes.” was all she said before she turned away and left my doorstep. I was rendered confused, but I suppose there was nothing that could be done. I had no choice but to go see her. Part of me had some small hope that she would be able to give me an update on the situation regarding Elytra and her hive, but...from the way Glimmer trotted off in a slightly moody gait, I knew this was something she had a problem with. So I wasted no time. I arrived at the school within minutes, and headed straight to the office. There, Starlight, Trixie, and...Twilight Sparkle herself had all waited for me. Oh dear. “...What’s going on?” I asked. “Have a seat,” Starlight ordered from her desk. Trixie and Twilight stood on opposite sides of her. I sat down, and patiently waited for them to address me. Twilight stepped forward. “Pale...a few days ago, we found Neighsay dead in his cell. Do you know anything about it?” “What?!” Since when did that happen?! This was a new monkey wrench that was flung into my case. But then, I realized that I was a prime suspect. Luckily, I had an alibi. “I do not. I was fighting a gargoyle on that day with my friends. The entire town can act as my witness in that regard.” Trixie cut in. “Yes, we’re aware of what...you did.” She walked over to me with her head held high, “However, it’s entirely plausible that you hired somepony else to do the deed while you were busy to cover your tracks!” she leaned down towards me, and got far too close to my face for comfort. I could even smell her peanut butter breath. “Um…” I didn’t quite know how to respond until Twilight forcibly moved her off to the side via magic. “Hey!” The princess stepped forward, and cleared her throat. “Ahem. Apologies. Trixie has been on quite the disciplinary kick lately when interacting with the students,” she paused to glare at the blue unicorn, “Isn’t that right?” Trixie rolled her eyes with no verbal response. Twilight sighed, and looked at me with a pained set of eyes. “Pale...I take full responsibility for having you execute Svengallop before a public trial could take place. And I know you’re smarter than to go off and order a hit against somepony like Neighsay...but this is serious now. We have no evidence as to who ended his life, and logically speaking, you are the most likely to have done something.” I huffed. I understood the investigative process very well. Innocent until proven guilty. But given just how much had transpired over the last year, I was indeed in a bad position. I almost knew what I was about to have to endure, but even still… “I see. So what do you want me to do?” “Well…” Twilight rubbed one hoof against the other, and broke eye contact. Her response was extremely delayed, so Starlight felt the need to interrupt. She pushed Twilight aside next, and stepped up to me. “We need you to remain completely off-duty for a while so we can properly ascertain what’s going on here. I know you won’t like that, but it’s for your own good so we can ensure that you’re innocent. If somepony else is out there, right now with Neighsay’s abilities, then that could spell bad news for the rest of us.” Well that was perfectly reasonable, I suppose. But...wait. No! There was still the matter of the Changeling! With Cheerilee holding her Class Reunion very soon, the amount of love shared between her and her students was bound to skyrocket and attract them to us. There was no way that I was going to just let this pass without any input. “I understand that, but with Elytra about, there’s--” Starlight held up her hoof to cut me off. “Don’t worry. Thorax has already assigned an elite set of his own Changelings to the situation. We’ve already found out where they’re located. Your input is not necessary.” She put that hoof on my shoulder. “Please. Don’t be foolish. I’m on your side here. You just need to stay home for a time while we sort this out, alright?” Was she really? Gah. This was such a sore to deal with. I wasn’t going to allow them to dictate what I could and could not do on my own time. The situation at hoof was too dire. Like hell I was going to be placed on some house arrest either. “If I may,” I replied sternly, “I really don’t have time for sitting idly at home. I have a feeling that these new changelings will attack when Cheerilee holds her Class Reunion for her now-adult students. A lot of love will be shared between them and it could serve as a prime target.” Twilight tapped her hoof against her chin. “Hm...that is a valid reason to be concerned.” And yet, Trixie decided to jump in against me next. “Are you kidding? Ponyville is filled with love all the time. If they wanted to attack by now, they certainly would have,” she scoffed, and rolled her eyes, “And besides. I doubt they’re even aware of that celebration. You’re being a bit paranoid--” “Ahem!” Starlight cut her off when she cleared her throat. “What Trixie means is...there’s no evidence to suggest that such an event will be attacked by any changelings. Thorax has reported that the Elytra Hive is being developed outside of Equestria. Nowhere near Ponyville.” She shot me quite the incredulous raise of her eyebrow, “That aside, do you have any evidence of the fact that they plan to launch an attack? Or is this all based on what you feel?” “...Rrrgh...” I grit my teeth. Due to her smooth sense of conversational navigation, I was boxed in, so to speak. Unfortunately, no. I had no evidence to present. Yes. This was based around what I felt at the moment. There wasn’t much else I could really say to prove the point I was trying to make either. Buck me sideways. Starlight sighed. “...Listen, all we want to do is find out who exactly offed Neighsay. Once we find out, we’ll allow you to return to your work. For the moment, you need to cooperate with us, Pale. Things won’t get any better if you don’t. So please, put your pride aside and listen to me--to us.” After a moment, I relented. “Fine. But if something bad happens, I’m not just gonna sit on my flank and allow it.” “You don’t need to worry about that either,” Starlight added with a downward wave of her hoof, “Trixie, Sunburst, and I will manage Ponyville--along with Twilight’s friends. Twilight herself is going to keep Canterlot safe, and she’s also going to have her brother keep watch over the Empire. Everypony will be on high alert so your services won’t really be necessary.” I glanced over at Twilight. The purple alicorn didn’t say a word. All she did was look down with a silent nod of agreement. This was apparently how it had to be. Not on my watch. “So that’s it, then?” I asked with an annoyed glare, “You just want me to sit out and do nothing at all while you all supposedly take care of things on your own?” Starlight scoffed, and returned with an equally annoyed glare. “Ach! ‘Supposedly’? What are you talking about? Twilight and her friends have saved the world numerous times from massive magical threats. Sure, I was one of them, but I’ve learned from my mistakes and am more than capable of fighting alongside her should the need arise. You on the other hand are just an officer. A competent officer, but still an officer. A few small skirmishes here and there are nothing compared to a full-blown war--which is essentially what we’re about to deal with if things get worse.” “There doesn’t have to be a war!” I retorted with a stomp of my hoof, “If we can clip their wings before things get any worse, we can avoid major damage occurring to the civilians.” “Then start being reasonable!” The dull pink unicorn paused, and took a deep breath to lower her voice. “Whoo. That aside, your main priority should be protecting Cozy Glow and keeping watch over her. What would she think if she found out that you had the gall to question the rational advice of those above you? Or are you just gonna fly off the rails again and kill whoever you want?” I took a step towards her, brows furrowed and teeth clenched hard enough to snap steel. “Oh? Oh! Okay, then. So you’re just going to automatically assert your own authority as correct and not even bother to give me a chance to prove myself? Or are you so arrogant in your own head that you don’t see me as worth the effort?” “Do you have a problem with me, Pale?” She took a step towards me as well--as ponies were inclined to do when challenged. Her nose was mere centimeters away from my own. Both of our magical auras became palpable the more we addressed each other. “Because if you do, then say it. Get it out loud and clear so we can all move on with our lives and do more important things than listen to you drone on like a--” ZAP! “ENOUGH!” Twilight shouted as she teleported between us. She took a deep breath of her own, and provided some distance between us. “Okay. Clearly there is a lot of high tension going on among everypony right now. So here’s what we’re going to do.” The princess looked at me, “Pale. Head home for the time being. Unless otherwise instructed, you have no need to worry about this case.” I still wasn’t satisfied with the outcome of the situation. “Hmm…” I huffed lightly under my breath. “Go,” she said with a commanding, yet soft tone. “You’re fine, Pale. I’m sorry this didn’t go as I had planned.” I nodded, and tipped my hat. “Understood. Good day to you all.” And I left the building to head home. I suppose I was indeed on my own for this. But who could have killed Neighsay? “Tch, what a busybody,” Starlight commented as she flopped down at her desk, “Why did you hire him again?” “Starlight...you’re not going to get along with everypony in life,” Twilight trotted over to console her, “You’re just entering a...different phase of life now that you’re a bit older. A more...debative phase in which your patience for getting along with others is way lower than what it used to be twenty years ago. As to why I hired him--it’s the same reason why I’ve recruited every other agent and officer pony in the last two decades: They’re skilled at what they do. We can’t reasonably protect Equestria on our own all the time--so it’s nice to have some help.” Starlight rolled her eyes as she propped up her hind legs onto the desk in front of her. “I suppose you’re right. I can’t expect to make friends with everypony I come across. Still, I wish he would just be a bit more understanding, and accept where he is on the totem pole regarding this situation.” “I agree with Starlight,” Trixie commented after staying silent for most of the time, “Whether he’s skilled or not, it doesn’t excuse him to be rude. Trust me, I of all ponies know what it’s like to be amazing and powerful but still a bit snobby.” Starlight sighed again, and glanced at the purple alicorn. “Far be it from me to tell you how to do your job. But if this continues, and he can’t at least respect what others have to say, I’d recommend benching him for a bit longer. Because it sounds to me as if he’s so hung up on uncovering the flaws of others, that he hasn’t stopped to consider his own. Somepony like that is a liability in the field, Twilight.” It was Twilight’s turn to sigh. She stood on her hind hooves for a moment as she rubbed her temples with both of her forehooves. Wrinkles from stress crackled along her skin with each rub. “My head...I need to get to the spa soon,” she mumbled before she gave a proper answer, “Don’t worry, Starlight. Pale is smarter than that. You’ll see…” “I hope so, Twilight. I hope so…”