Hard Facts (HF) - My name is Hard Facts, Canterlot Daily, here to leave our readers a little more clarity on our current crisis. Good morning, will you please state your name please?
Quill Tip (QT) - Quill Tip ma'am. And the same to you.
HF - What position do you currently occupy?
QT - I am the Administrative Assistant for the Equestrian Department of Law.
HF - Very well then. Now, normally I would ease our way into the interview, but considering our current situation, I have been told to be blunt.
QT - Of course.
HF - First question. Has Princess Celestia attempted to commit suicide?
QT - Unfortunately yes.
HF - Is it possible for you to tell us the reason?
QT - She has shown signs of depression that were quite evident, but my employers would not appreciate me spreading rumors without any basis.
HF - Of course not. The Canterlot Daily is not some gossip column sold on the street. Second question, can you confirm or deny that Prime Minister has been given emergency powers?
QT - I can say with full certainty that no powers have been yielded to the Prime Minister, however Princess Cadence is currently occupying the throne as the de facto leader with emergency powers similar to Princess Celestia's reign before the creation of Parliament.
HF - And why is this?
QT - Most members are in agreement that the Parliament as a whole is too inexperienced to run this country efficiently, and according to royal law, in the event that Princess Celestia is unable to rule for any reason, all authority will be inherited by Princess Cadence. After this has been challenged by some, there was a compromise made that stated that unless Princess Celestia reclaims her power within a year and personally yield it to Parliament, Princess Cadence's main priority would change to focus on supervising Parliament so that they may rule efficiently.
HF - And with this, all of my questions have been answered. Thank you for your time.
QT - You're very much welcome.
---A Few Days Later---
(Hard Facts) HF - Good morning again Miss Quill Tip. I thank you in advance for allowing me to speak with you again.
(Quill Tip) QT - Good morning to you too.
HF - Let's get started then. While we at the Canterlot Daily do not print gossip and rumors, we do in fact take notice of them. One rumor being that the newly formed Equestrian Parliament is to be dismantled?
QT - I can confirm that Parliament is to be dismantled, and Princess Celestia is to be reinstated as the sole ruler of Equestria.
HF - How did Parliament come to this decision?
QT - After various cabinet members visited the hospitalized Princess Celestia, they managed to discover the reason behind her attempted suicide.
HF - And that is?
QT - Apparently she felt like her life wasn't worth living. Losing a sister and living with a great amount of guilt finally caught up with her. She specifically created and shaped the Equestrian Parliament so it could operate without her influence so the country would not crumble in political and economic ruin after her death.
HF - And?
QT - When the information was released to the assembly, the entire Parliament immediately held a vote. With a few dissenting opinions, the decision was made to dissolve the Parliament.
HF - Can you tell me their logic in that decision?
QT - If the vote favored the Parliament, we would have to operate without the supervision of Princess Celestia, and as it had been agreed, Parliament is still too inexperienced. Added to the fact that the new constitution was hastily written by a suicidal princess, there have been grievous errors detected that would've potentially ruined the country. On the other hoof, the return of authority to Princess Celestia was an attempt to keep her busy and from attempting suicide again.
HF - Has this proven effective?
QT - I cannot answer for Her Highness, but I can tell you that she is receiving tokens of appreciation from all around the country, some from across the borders. I saw her genuinely smile for the first time in three years, so I assume that the plan worked to some degree.
HF - Thank you much for this chance to see the inner workings of the Equestrian Government. While the interview is effectively over, is there anything you would like to say to our readers?
QT - I would like to remind all who are reading this paper that Princess Celestia is still a pony, and I urge you to visit her on a strictly casual basis. No fancy clothes, no expensive gifts, just a good conversation will do.
HF - Thank you for your time Miss Quill Tip.
QT - You're very welcome.
Quill Tip, Administrative Assistant for the Equestrian Department of Law
Hard Facts, Journalist for the Canterlot Daily