Canterlot was burning. No, that was incorrect. When they talked about this day, years in the future, they will say that Canterlot was burning, but not any damage was actually done. For the most part, most ponies in Canterlot went about their business of serving the government, serving the people that served the government, or serving the tourists that came to see the ponies serving the government.
But for those in the know, the front page of the Canterlot Times told all. "In light of recent events," the editorial started. "We here at the Canterlot Times do apologize for the mean spiritedness of the political cartoon in yesterday's evening edition that featured the the Princess Twilight Sparkle, dressed as resplendently as Nightmare Moon upon her return, and labeling her as Tyrant Sparkle. We understand that this seemed to insult the Princess and hereby official and on the record apologize. However, we are currently consulting our Legal Consul and seeking a redress of our grievances against the fine slapped upon us hastily. It is one thing to ask us to remove something that may be offense with debate and discussion, but to tell us to remove it without such and then to fine us? We, the staff at the Canterlot Times, cannot and will not stand for it."
Similar letters were printed in the morning editions of the various other Canterlot newspapers, and apparently the EiC of the Canterlot Times sent it to all major newspapers in the Principality. It was printed on the first page of the Balitmare Sun, the Neigh York Times, the Las Pegasus Tribune, and the Vanhoover Courier. All around Equestria, people were reading about what Princess Twilight Sparkle had done.
There were opinions, arguments, and everyone was starting to pick a side. One side stood for the status quo of the way things had been since Parliament was instituted almost 300 years ago and that they certainly enjoyed the rights and freedoms Parlaiment petitioned from the Princess over the last 3 centuries, a Princess, it should be noted, that freely gave them when asked and took nothing away from them just because it didn't suit her temper!
The other side said that this was kind of Leadership that Equestria would need in it's future. A ruler that isn't afraid to get her hooves dirty, who's more then willing to step on somepony to get something done! This was the kind of leadership Celestia used to have. This is what lead to the defeat of Discord. The Defeat of Sombra. The Defeat of Nightmare Moon, and by the all that was good, they were thankful to have it!
Princess Celestia had almost every single newspaper with the editorial and opinions. Spread out over her large breakfast table, breakfast still on it's trolley. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She had already drained the carafe of coffee, and asked for another one to be brought to her.
"What have you done, Twilight? What have you done!" She separating the articles into who was for what she did and who was against what she did and tried to see if there was any kind of pattern to it. Which political parties were for it. Which ideologies. It seemed most of the voices against what she did was the Equestrian Democratic Party, and currently they controlled the Parliament, with support from the Liberal Equestrian Party and... the All-Night Party (which while it only had a single MP, brought upon because there was some po-dunk rock farming community that only had maybe 5 ponies vote and do a write in). On the other hand, the Equestrial New Independence Party, the Freedom Party of Equestria, and the People's Democratic Party were all for the new direction in leadership.
It was very telling that the right wing lunatics of Equestria fringe policy making was enjoying this turn of events. Because of course they were, they were the war mongers, they were the ones that said drinking water was a commodity, they were the ones that thought they should expel all non-pony sentients. Because cows and sheep do nothing and offer nothing.
What she really needed... was a well deserved vacation. Which she couldn't take because Cadance had to run the Crystal Empire, Luna was off doing official business in Seaddle (just what she neglected to mention) and she couldn't ask Twilight Sparkle because she was the reason why she needed a vacation in the first place! Rile up the Fourth Estate without even a having a proper scandal! The absolute nerve of her!
But, all was not lost. Her former most faithful student was currently still in bed, having not rose with the sun. This was alright. This was okay. It gave her time to plan. What she needed, what she really needed was to have a little intervention. And who better to have an intervention then some friends. She turned to the server that was standing next to her.
"Find someone that can fetch me the Elements of Harmony." She paused for a moment. "The bearers, not the jewelry." A plan was forming in her head.
Several hours later, in the Royal Bedchamber of one Twilight Sparkle, she was trying to stay asleep, and failing at it quite terribly. The fact of the matter was, she had the mother of all headaches, the source was probably all that drinking she did. All one cup of it. A single cup of wine shouldn't be so effective of giving her such pains, but it was certainly more to it then just alcohol.
Of course, at the small polite cough, her lids lifted and then snapped open as she saw all the regal eminence of one Princess Celestia, flanked by her friends, who wore a mixture of confusion and disappointment. Except Pinkie, who was oddly dressed in a jacket and tie and appeared to look mildly annoyed.
"Pri-princess Celestia! Girls! What are you doing in my room?" It was her room when ever she was to stay in the Canterlot Castle. She was told that she would have her own domain, if not to rule over, then to rule from in some time and was more then welcome to stay in the Castle while in Canterlot.
"Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student. You still have so much to learn. So much to understand." Celestia started, sighing. "You were presented with a conundrum. Certain ponies thought your handling of the Parliament scandals were heavy hoofed. I thought they were as well, but once you explained and I truly saw what was happening, I thought better of it. The press is always one to over blow things, but to see you make a decree over something as innocuous as a mocking doodle." She shook her head.
"But... but... but Royal Secretary Chamberland didn't say that it was illegal. That what I did was beyond my royal appointment." She was grasping now. Surely she had some kind of lesson learned from that miniature horse that would explain what the heck was going on.
"Twilight, Neighville has his position only for one reason. The reason is that he has two immensely useful talents when it comes to ruling the principality. One, he is an absolute expert at navigating the swampy morass that is the Equestrian Parliament. A caliber such as he is truly once a generation. Two, he can not say no for the life of him. The Royal Secretary position, over the centuries, has turned into a glorified yespony position. They only need to agree and tell you what is going on in the Parliament. Advisers tell you if you should do something before you have the Secretary write up the decree." She was talking to her like she was a filly again she really messed up.
"Darlin'." It was Applejack that first spoke up. "I'm just a humble earth pony farmer from the sticks, but... once the Princess told us what you did, it seems kinda... ya know... dishonest. Oh, sure the Canterlot Times shouldn't have printed that little doodle. I getcha, I really do. But you shoulda talked with them first, I think. Let them see your side of things before you went bringing down the iron hoof. That's my piece." In her simple folksy ways, Applejack managed to make a very good point. Twilight did seem to rush off.
"Ahem. Your Grace." That was Pinkie... what was she doing in that ridiculous get up, even for her. She looked like she was trying to dress like Mayor Mare.
"Pinkie, what are you doing dressed like that?" Twilight asked... it was... weird how she was still in bed, but she really didn't want to get out and she probably looked terrible and this was most certainly for the best.
"Oh, I'm absolutely sorry, Your Grace, but if it would please you, I would prefer to be referred to as MP Pie, representing Equestria District 9 and the All-Night Party." There was not a single hint of humor to her voice.
"Wait, wait, wait... Pinkie Pie... is a member of Parliament? How did none of us figure that out?" That was Rarity. This was rolling down hill faster then anyone would think.
"I would be happy to explain the wheres and hows of my current position in the Equestrian Parliament, my duties at Sugarcube Corner, and as the top party planner in Ponyville." She turned back to Twilight. "Back to my question, Your Grace. It is my understanding that while the Equestrian Alicorn royalty has power of veto, command over the guard in times of war, and even the ability to enforce laws, I was under the impression that actual use of such power was rarely called upon by the diarchy as it felt, and I quote Princess Celestia, Princess of the Day and Sun, 'unbecoming of my little ponies, I should respect them enough to let them rule themselves.' Black and white, it seems the preferred method of handling things such as a unflattering political cartoon would be talking with the newspaper in question."
"... Pinkie, is there an actual question in there?"
"Just a statement of precedence and how I feel about the matter, Your Grace. And as much as I hate to say so, you can bet the All-Night Party will be voting with Equestrian Democratic Party if they manage to find a way to limit your power until your mature enough to use it." She turned to Celestia and bowed. "With your permission of course, Princess Celestia."
... ... ... this was weird. This was weird and frightening. Even for Pinkie.
"Well, I know what I want to say. Twilight..." Applejack was well thought out if simple. Pinkie was damning, what was Rainbow Dash going to do. "Just because you're a princess now, doesn't mean you should turn into a jerk." How succinct.
"Girls, Princess. I understand that you're all upset. I really do. I was just... the Council told me that I needed to take charge, to act, not react. A Princess shouldn't be a fire fighter or a police officer. They must active, not passive."
"... the Council? You mean that band of malcontents that my sister deigns to keep around because they seem mostly harmless?" Celestia looked at her wayward and naive student.
"Uhm... yes? Princess Luna asked me to sit in on the Night Court meetings, and while they were weird the first couple times, they really make a lot of sense and they really are harmless for the most part. Sure, they're admittedly evil and Nightmare Moon loyalists, but as long as they think Luna is playing an extremely long game to retake the throne, they won't act without her say so." At that, Celestia put a hoof to face.
"Lulu, what did you do!"