Star Shine headed back to Feather Quill's as fast as he could. Part of him really wanted to drop by the library and question Firefly some more over just why he had quit being Diamond Tiara's guard but any delay could just make things worse in the long run. He scanned the crowd below him as he flew above hoping against hope to see a particular pony. With any luck he hadn't been at Rainbow Dash's for too long and could catch him before it was too late. By sheer force of good fortune Star Shine spotted Shining Armor as he flew over the library. Shining Armor was about to reach the library when Star Shine suddenly landed in front of him. Shining Armor was trained in how to handle surprise attacks and also to take things in before he reacted, so even more luckily Star Shine didn't end up in a world of hurt. Star Shine took the envelope out of his mouth and held it in his forelegs.
“Hey sorry I can't really talk cos I have to get back to Feather Quill, but ask that guy in the library why he quit. Oh, ask him his name too. You get that?” Star Shine said very quickly, in almost an impression of Pinkie Pie. Shining Armor nodded to show he understood the message and Star Shine took off again before Shining Armor could respond verbally. Shining Armor watched him leave.
“What..the hay?” he asked himself quietly, a little bewildered. He shook his head and entered the library and saw “the guy” that Star Shine was referring to. He was the only pony who wasn't there when Shining Armor had originally left so he had to be who Star Shine was talking about. Twilight and the rest looked up when they heard Shining Armor enter.
“Welcome back Shining, how'd it go?” Twilight asked him.
“I'm not sure to be honest Twiley. We might need a little more than what Cheerilee gave me.” Shining Armor replied a little sadly. “Who's your new friend?” he asked, nodding in Firefly's direction.
“More.” Firefly replied before Twilight had the chance to. Being a guard meant he'd always wanted to sound like a badass at least once in his life. Guarding a little girl hadn't really given him many chances to do that. Firefly smirked to himself as he checked it off of his mental checklist. “Name's Firefly.” Firefly said as he extended a hoof to Shining Armor. Shining Armor chuckled as he bumped it. He'd always wanted to sound like a hero himself and, unlike Firefly, he'd managed to do it on more than one occasion.
“I have a message for you from Star Shine.” Shining Armor said to Firefly.
“Star Shine? You ran into him?” Twilight asked curiously. She had no idea that Star Shine had managed to take several trips and was slightly confused as to how the two could have met given how quickly Star Shine left. “He left right after you did...” she muttered, pondering aloud.
“He had an envelope with him and said something about going back to Feather Quill.” Shining Armor said to explain as best as he could.
“Well anyway what's the message?” Firefly asked. They could worry about what Star Shine was doing some other time, when it really mattered.
“Oh, right.” Shining Armor said. “He wanted to know your name and why you quit whatever it is that you quit.” Shining Armor explained.
“Oh, that's easy. I already said my name. Didn't realise I hadn't said it. Not exactly used to giving it out.” Firefly explained. “I quit being Diamond Tiara's guard this morning.” he added. He winced and flinched, expecting some sort of attack from Shining Armor. Everypony else he'd said that to had attacked him and he was well aware of who Shining Armor was. An attack from him would have hurt quite a lot. Shining Armor didn't really react, much to Firefly's surprise. With no attack coming his way, Firefly chose to continue with the explanations. “I needed to tell you what more I could offer you anyway. When I first got here I said that I saw Diamond Tiara in Rainbow Dash's house that day she got in a fight with Scootaloo.” he explained.
“She was in the house? You're right, that is more. I'll need to send a message out and could probably get a search ordered as soon as with that.” Shining Armor said, cutting Firefly off.
“Oh that's wonderful darling.” Rarity chimed in.
“It sure is! We can get that meanie and be done in time for lunch.” Pinkie Pie added shortly before going quiet as her mind pondered just what she would probably be having for lunch if they finished in time.
“It is, but you also asked me why I quit and I haven't said that yet.” Firefly said. All eyes were laid on him again as the ponies waited for him to continue and explain. “Ye see, I knew she had been inside the house but that wasn't really reason to quit. She could have just gone in for some reason. For all I know Twilight coulda sent her inside the house and not outside it.” Firefly began.
“I definitely sent her outside.” Twilight said defensively. “But er...do go on.” she added, backing away sheepishly as Firefly glared at her for interrupting him. When Firefly turned back to Shining Armor it was his turn to back away sheepishly as Shining Armor was glaring at him. That glare could probably avert a battle.
“Well uhhhh...as I was saying...” Firefly began, regaining his nerves. Shining Armor softened andd stopped glaring at him, which definitely helped Firefly calm down. “This morning when I read the story I asked her if she knew anything about it, seeing how she was working there yesterday. I couldn't believe somepony could do such a thing myself. Then she quietly and calmly told me that she did it.” Firefly explained.
“Wait, she openly admitted to you that she did it? She told you right there and then that she did?” Shining Armor asked suddenly. Speculation was one thing but an outright confession was a whole other thing entirely. Firefly really was so much more than they could have hoped for when it came to finding Diamond Tiara guilty. Shining Armor made a mental note to thank Star Shine for catching what he did and asking him to ask Firefly for more information.
“...Yeah.” Firefly replied, looking down. He'd done it; He'd damned the little girl that he had loved so much at one point. “She was...manic. She was calm when she told me she did it, like it was the easiest thing in the world to do, or say, but when I asked her why she did it and got angry at her she lost it. I guess it wasn't the reaction she was hoping for. She wanted me to react how most ponies in town did. She's really lost it. She kept going on and on about how all of this proved that Scootaloo needed to be punished and that she was right. I think she truly believes her own delusions.” Firefly explained, looking and sounding progressively more depressed. He was coming to terms with reality as much as Diamond Tiara was. Part of him had wanted to simply get help for Diamond Tiara and to try and bring back the little girl that he had known and loved. The sweet little thing who had smiled at him and who just needed a little love. The more he thought about it and the more he saw the damage that Diamond Tiara had done, how hard ponies were fighting to fix it, it became more real to him that she was probably already long gone. Maybe that sweet little girl never existed. It was best he told them everything he knew and leave nothing left unsaid. She really wasn't worth lying for. He still believed she needed some help. He just wasn't sure what that help was anymore, or how the ponies around him would react if he had asked them to help Diamond Tiara.
“Hey Spike, you around anywhere buddy?” Shining Armor called out. “I need two letters taken, post haste!” he added. Spike was in front of him a second and seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He was also holding two pieces of parchment and an inkwell with a quill in it. He placed the inkwell on the ground and prepared to write a letter, waiting for Shining Armor to dictate to him. “Oh wait, before I do, I'm not sure how well your delivering works. One of these letters is for that Star Shine guy, can you get a letter sent to him?” Shining Armor asked. “The other will be for some of my boys but we can send it to Celestia and have her deliver the message if we need to.” Spike nodded at him.
“Should be alright to as long as he's not moving and doesn't notice it.” Spike answered.
“Yep, we should be good. Spike sends his letter direct to the pony it's for. I recommend sending the other one straight to Celestia, it's easier for him to do if he can picture the pony in his head.” Twilight said, offering an explanation as to just how Spike's ability to deliver letters worked. Rarity oohed and Spike blushed a little. Pinkie Pie giggled a little at Spike's blush but not too much. She didn't want to give away that she knew Spike had a crush on Rarity. “It'd be great if we could get a letter to Star Shine before he and Feather Quill do watever it is they're planning.” Twilight added, musing aloud again. Shining Armor took it as a cue to hurry up and dictate his letters to Spike.
“Alright I'll send the one to him first then. Listen up Spike, and write this down.” Shining Armor said. Spike readied his quill and prepared to write. Shining Armor dictated both letters to Spike. As he was dictating the letter for Star Shine he got an idea to send one to Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo as well. They would definitely want to see what he was planning to do. Spike took down all the letters and then sealed them up and prepared to send them on their way.
“Bye bye letters!” Pinkie Pie called out as they disappeared in a puff of green flame.
“Bye bye Diamond Tiara.” Firefly added with some melancholy.