//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Heading Back // Story: The Happiness and Peace of Mind Committee // by FlanChan //------------------------------// The Happiness and Peace of Mind Committee Chapter 11: Heading Back “Attention, my loyal subjects!” Princess Celestia announced over the raging crowds storming into Canterlot. She was as graceful as a swan and she shone like the sun. To her side was her younger sister Luna, who had the beauty and mystery of the night sky, her coat the color of a starless night. “This is an outrage!” cried out an anonymous stallion. “Do you really expect us to listen to you at a time like this? You’ve ruled us for over a thousand years, and we’re tired of your favoritism and overall unfairness! We need a republic, not this monarchy!” Princess Celestia closed her eyes and her face became sullen. “I hate to say so outright and risk staining my public image, but I see at this point that doing so would have little effect. You all already think lowly of me and my sister, so I can speak freely,” she replied. Luna stayed silent, since she was never good with public speaking, instead trusting her older sister’s judgement. “You all are in no place to protest. You know nothing of running a government, and once you overthrow us for your idealistic form of power, you will come to realize that no matter how good it sounds on paper, it is impossible for you to carry it out exactly how you plan. Most of ponykind has its flaws, and therefore if you want a government led by common ponies, it will also be flawed.” “However,” Princess Luna spoke up. Everyone was a bit startled considering they had only heard her speak on very few occasions. “My sister is not claiming that we are perfect. Even as alicorns, we also have our faults. Just take my actions so many years ago into account, though many of you were most definitely not alive to remember. I let petty jealousy cloud my judgement, and that ultimately led to my downfall. But my sister is benevolent and forgave me, but it appears some of you haven’t done the same for me.” “But that’s just the problem!” another stallion shouted. “You can’t forgive someone for that! If she wasn’t your sister, you would have blown her to smithereens!” “And what makes you think she’d do something like that? I bet if you looked, for as long as she lived, my sister Celestia has never—” Luna snapped, but Princess Celestia raised a calming hoof. “We are not going to argue,” Princess Celestia instructed. “It is not worth both the time nor the effort. Some ponies will always be stubborn, that is their nature.” Luna stared back incredulously, then nodded. The sisters turned unanimously and walked back inside Canterlot Castle. There were cries and hollers as the crowd realized that the two rulers they were so furious with had just up and left the conversation. They shouted, but no matter what they did the sisters did not return. The audience dispersed in a huff, their anger brewing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Hm? We’ve been summoned to Canterlot?” Rarity questioned, looking at the letter Twilight levitated before them. “Yeah, I don’t get it either. But look! It’s signed by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna! What do you think it could be?” The group of friends exchanged worried glances. “Oh! Oh! Maybe they’re having a party!” Pinkie shouted excitedly, her poofy hair bouncing wildly as she hopped up and down. “Um… why?” Fluttershy asked. “There isn’t any occasion…” “Maybe it’s a ‘The whole country hates us’ party?” Rainbow Dash offered sarcastically. “Ooh! That sounds fun!” Pinkie giggled. “Wait, no it doesn’t! That sounds super duper politics-y boring!” “Rainbow does kind of have a point…” Applejack admitted. “That’s probably the reason why we’re going.” “Aww…” Pinkie pouted. “Can’t we just stay here? Why don’t we throw a ‘Politics Are Boring’ party instead?” “Sorry to say,” Twilight interjected, “but according to the letter we have to leave for Canterlot as soon as we receive the letter.” “What? We have to hurry to catch the train in time, then!” Rarity exclaimed. The six wordlessly sprinted towards the train station, and boarded without question since they were going under royal summon. The train ride was short, but as they neared the capital the streets were getting progressively flooded with more and more protesters. Was the riot really as bad as the news had said? They were quickly in the heart of town, right by the Grand Castle when they left the train. They had to wiggle through the crowds at every moment to make their way to the entrance, but by the time they had gotten there the two princesses were already out addressing the audience. Whatever they were summoned for must have been put on hold for the time being. “Fillies and gentlecolts,” Princess Celestia began. “I know that we are not on the best of terms, and that you are here not because of what I have to say, but because you want to burn this castle to the ground. Nevertheless, I bid you lend me your ears. Over the past couple of days I have been talking with a Miss Emerald Joy, and she has proposed quite an offer. She has agreed to cast a spell over the country to put your minds at ease and let you listen to reason, so you may not let your fury get in the way of what is right. And now, Miss Emerald Joy?” “Yes, thank you, Princess Celestia. It is an honor.” A young mare that could only have been in her mid-twenties took the microphone from the princess who in contrast was centuries old. Emerald was quite beautiful, with a nice green colored business dress to match her coat and her teal hair tied up in a professional yet still flattering matter, the stray hairs fluttering in the summer afternoon breeze. “Everyone! I understand how you must be feeling right now, I really do!” The crowd kept silent for the young lady, but still clenched their teeth in anger at the prospect of having a spell put on them to ‘let them see reason.’ Were they suggesting that the only reason they were like this was because their emotions were getting in the way? That was just an outright insult! “But please! Suppress anything you might be thinking to the very back of your head for just a few more minutes and listen to me with an open mind! I have been studying a type of magic that releases certain chemicals in the brain to make an individual as happy as they can be, with absolutely no negative thoughts! Impossible, you might say? I say otherwise! I’m going to cast it on all of you, alright?” While the others seemed to have loosened up a bit to the idea, Twilight got even more tense at the prospect. She turned to her friends. “Girls. We need to leave. Now,” she instructed, her tone as serious as she could be. Her friends immediately understood, and hastily followed after their friend. They pushed their way desperately through the crowd, then snuck into an alleyway. Twilight shifted her eyes back and forth, then pointed her horn towards the sky. Out shot a large plume of magic, and a glistening pink force field surrounded the six ponies. "What's going on, Twilight?" Fluttershy cried. "No matter what happens, we can't get that spell casted on us!" Twilight warned. "Why not?" Rarity asked. "Being happy sounds really lovely right about now..." "You don't understand," Twilight replied. "That spell isn't just a simple one that manipulates the endorphins in your mind like she explained. To simplify, it's more akin to mind control than anything else." "Why are they putting everyone under such a wretched curse, then?" Rarity lamented, pressing her hooves against her flawless cheeks in shock. But there was no time to answer, as the group looked on in wonder as a ripple of magic flowed out from the center of city, affecting all that it reached. It didn’t seem to be losing momentum as it wafted off into the distance, likely affecting all of the ponies in the country. Once the spell seemed well away from them, Twilight recalled her forcefield. They sprinted back towards the heart of the city to see what the devastating effects were. Even before they got there, they could tell that the enchantment had worked it’s magic. Everyone they passed was smiling ear to ear, relaxing their bodies so they slumped over like zombies. It was unnerving to say the very least. There was only one question that was currently running through Twilight’s head: what were the princesses thinking? Surely after their thousands of years of experience they would know about how the spell works, so why were they letting this ameteur enchant the whole country that they were running, and in this pivotal point of the rebellion against them? By extension, what was this Emerald Joy character thinking? Why would she approach them with such an outrageous proposition? Did she think that it would give her some sort of political position? Twilight scoffed. She know that Princess Celestia would never appoint a unicorns like her as any sort of political figure. But considering that she decided to let Emerald Joy brainwash all of the ignorant citizens, Twilight found herself questioning the judgement of Princess Celestia. She felt filthy for doubting her own princess, but she could hardly suppress the voice in her head telling her to shout out all of her grievances. The six mares pushed their way to the heart of the city, tired and out of breath. Emerald Joy was standing before the crowd with an overjoyed grin on her face, but it almost came off as manic. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stood behind her, their heads hung slightly and their faces sullen. Maybe they did understand the gravity of the situation that they had gotten themselves in? But why were they forced to go to such lengths? Princess Luna’s cold blue eyes lifted to survey the crowd filled with all of their subjects, lifeless smiles plastered on their faces. When they came to rest upon six members of the audience that were not sharing identical expressions with the rest, and those six being Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity no less, her eyes dilated and she inhaled steeply, but caught herself from shouting. Instead she brushed a hoof past one of her sister’s to get her attention. Princess Celestia lifted her head slightly and looked over questioningly to Luna, who directed her vision to the crowd with a nod of her head. Princess Celestia followed her gesture and also caught sight of the small group of friends. Her face softened, and a small smile danced on her lips. Twilight noticed the silent communication going on between the two rulers, her eyes dilating in response as she saw them look straight at her. What could possibly be going on? Twilight’s mind swam with questions and utter confusion. Princess Celestia turned to re-enter the castle, and she nodded her head for Luna to do the same. She was facing away from the crowd, so nobody was able to see the tear roll down the sun goddess’s divine face.