''I understand your concerns, Fluttershy,'' came the voice of Twilight Sparkle as she trotted through the corridors of Canterlot Castle along with a timid yellow pegasus on her side. ''Trust me, I do. You've had to deal with these sort of things with animals lots of times but I'm afraid this was something big and different.''
''But Twilight,'' she spoke softly, ''I know she did something wrong but don't you think that's only because she was somehow misguided? There have even been protests happening outside.''
Out the window were seen a bunch of creatures waving lit up torches in the air with angry faces.
''Some Princess of Friendship! How could you do that to an innocent child?! No wonder you stepped down to cover yourself up and make Celestia and Luna at fault here!''
Twilight quickly covered the windows with curtains by her magic, releasing a sigh.
''We've taught her friendship lessons,'' Twilight reminded. ''We've given her chances but she refused to acknowledge them all. Even Chrysalis seemed unbothered. It's their life, Fluttershy, and all we can do is try to guide them to the right path even if it may not seem to work all the time.''
Fluttershy nodded. ''I understand but maybe we shouldn't have sentenced her to a harsh punishment? We could've just put her in a room listening to your friendship lessons.''
''I keep hearing creatures saying that,'' Twilight said, raising an eyebrow. ''You too? What's wrong with my friendship lessons? And didn't we already do that with her?''
Fluttershy instead said, ''I agree with the crowd outside, Twilight. Believe it or not. She's just a child.''
Twilight's ears pinned back. ''I know, but it isn't my fault! I'm trying, okay? Ponies always expect me to make decisions, this or that. They expect me to have all the answers and which is why I've now finally said something. You don't know what it's like to be put on a pedestal, Fluttershy.''
''Twilight! Do you really think I don't know what it's like? I've been put on a pedestal because of Rarity even though I didn't like it! But guess what? I had to keep going for my friend until I finally told everyone about the discomfort of it all. That this wasn't who I was and what I wanted.''
The unicorn frowned, head hung low. ''Yes, I can't believe I forgot about that situation, Fluttershy, after helping you out with that. I'm sorry for snapping back at you.''
''It's fine, Twilight,'' Fluttershy said, smiling sympathetically and placing a hoof on her shoulder. ''I'm just glad we've finally spoken out our feelings about this.''
The doors to the throne room had swayed open with two guards posted on each side. Twilight tried the best she could to ignore the upsetting glance from the orange pegasus and kept her head held high as she entered inside along with her yellow pegasus friend.
''I believe this has been the third time you've come to us like this, Twilight,'' Celestia countered, smiling plaintively. ''Did we really do you that dirty? At least not all of your friends are here.''
Twilight trotted further in, putting up a sheepish smile. ''Don't worry, princesses. It's not about that. We just wanted to talk to our mentors.''
Luna tilted her head, forming a somewhat grin. ''Oh?''
''The riots outside,'' Fluttershy pointed out quietly. ''It wasn't our fault! We did it to protect them from a filly clever enough to take away the magic all across, but...''
''But Fluttershy here can't help but feel like what we did was cruel,'' Twilight finished off her friend's sentence. ''While I agree too, we did what we had to do. Cozy Glow betrayed, threatened, and stole magic across Equestria and these creatures need to understand why we did what we did.''
''But don't you think she's only done that because she got no parents?'' Fluttershy asked, frowning.
Twilight blinked. ''She has no parents?''
Fluttershy nodded. ''She told me that when she and the others got transferred to the Friendship School to get reformed by me.''
''Well,'' said Twilight, trying to think up what to say next. ''Just because you don't have parents doesn't mean you have to do bad things. Take Applejack for example. She's lost her parents during her youth, remember?''
''Yes, but what if Cozy Glow never knew her parents?'' she asked, resilient to keep going. ''Just thinking about it sends her to rage? Misguided mindset?''
''While you make such a valid point, Fluttershy, I believe we should ask Cozy Glow about this ourselves rather than jumping to conclusions. We mustn't think she's somewhat a stray animal.''
''I've never said that,'' said the pegasus.
''I know, but...'' Twilight trailed off, biting her lip.
''Girls!'' came the exclamation of Celestia's usually diligent voice. ''I understand your frustrations about the riots going on but everyone has their own opinions that they want to voice out much like how you did, Twilight.''
Twilight shrunk, then perked back up. ''But their opinions...!''
Celestia arched an eyebrow at her student's wailing who instantly silenced down for a while. She smiled once the two of them calmed down now.
''Now I recall there was a saying from Steven Magnet saying 'don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice', where he was considered to be an unlikely source?''
Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged glances with each other and said nothing this time.
Luna stepped forward. ''We've faced riots like these our whole lives. The world can't always be seen as peaceful. I remember my sister telling me of riots happening after my seal on the moon saying how it was wrong to banish thy own sister before their memories of me died out.''
She continued, ''it was stupid. They never appreciated my night and never came into an acknowledgment that maybe my transformation of Nightmare Moon happened because of them not equally praising me alongside my sister.''
Celestia wrapped her wing around her sister.
''What she's trying to say is,'' Celestia resumed, looking out the window, ''everyone can have their opinions but sometimes they get a bit away with their liberty of speaking up. Fire torches, shoutings...''
''And which is why we want to make this world a better place,'' Twilight spoke, defiant.
Celestia smiled. ''While it may seem that easy, there's always going to be some filled with prejudice and perhaps make others have the same mindset too. Remember that incident with Tirek and Discord?''
''When Discord betrayed us to join his side?'' said Twilight.
''Discord thought ponies were tricking him with 'fake' kind personalities, secretly still hating him, but Tirek only brainwashed him to think in that way as he did a thousand years ago.''
''One pony could manipulate a whole nation's mindset,'' Luna added. ''Like what Cozy Glow did with the whole school after you guys taught them about friendship. Everyone and everything was undone by one filly.''
''But then at the end friendship conquers all!'' Twilight countered, not wanting to falter.
''Not everyone,'' Luna replied, and then did Twilight soon falter, ears pinning back in place.
''Then what do you suppose we do?'' Fluttershy asked, determined to not give up.
''Continue to guide them to the right path,'' Celestia advised. ''Not only because it's the right thing to do but because it could also make a difference in someone's life and can spread like word of mouth.''
''But we've already been doing that,'' Twilight pointed out.
''So keep going,'' Celestia said. ''There's plenty of obstacles to face. There's never really an end no matter how much we do to change the world's mindset.''
Twilight thought about it for a fraction of a second before lifting her head up to glance at the seated princesses, nodding her head with an understanding, determined smile plastering on her face.
She turned to Fluttershy. ''Well? Wanna go out there and make a difference to this world?''
''Of course!'' Fluttershy said in return before turning back to the princesses. ''But, uh, I still have one more question yet to ask.''
''Go ahead,'' Luna put forth.
''If everyone's lives are unfair, does that make everything be fair?''
Celestia sighed. ''We keep hearing this...''
''...Yet have no answer for it,'' Luna finished.
''Perhaps, but everyone faces different struggles like the higher class we get everything a pony dreams of. The luxury, glory, money... but it's all a cover-up. Sometimes we want something more despite having ponies who have to work to get where we are right now.''
''The world is not sane and never will be,'' said Luna. ''As we said, there's always going to be obstacles to face to get what we want but we still keep wanting more. Sometimes what we need is in front of us all this time.''
Twilight smiled and turned to Fluttershy. ''My friends.''
Luna nodded. ''Exactly.''
''Thank you so much for this, princesses,'' Twilight said with a smile. ''You've taught us once again.''
''We teach each other,'' Luna corrected. ''Now go. Enjoy the rest of your day with the rest of your Ponyvillians.''
Twilight nodded and trotted out the throne room's doors with her friend on her side.
''Well, that actually went pretty well,'' Twilight murmured, walking through the hallway.
''I guess so,'' Fluttershy conceded. ''But now I believe we have to go face Applejack and Rainbow arguing again.''
''Do you think they will finally make out after this?'' Twilight brought up the question in which her friend cowered behind her mane. She sighed. ''Yep. Some things never change.''