//------------------------------// // Chapter 28-Dreamweaver-Take 6 // Story: My Little Pony Bizarre Adventures - Part 1: Ponyville Central // by LateBronyWriter //------------------------------// Dreamweaver-Take 6: All seven mares trot through the dark of the night in complete silence, the seriousness of the occasion robbing them all of the desire to talk on the fear that it will lead them back to the previous conversation. Even Pinkie holds her tongue as they walk wordlessly down the dusty hallways of the castle, following the light of the Princess’ horn like a star. Avoiding conversation, the mares distract themselves by taking in the beauty of the broken windows, the intricate carvings and the many suits of armor and ruined tapestries as they pour their focus towards avoiding the issue at hoof. Gliding through the dark as silently as shadows, their short trip seems to stretch for hours, without a single pony able to tell how long they had been walking for. Like the children in the back of a carriage on a long trip, the mane six are left following and waiting to reach their unknown destination, not knowing how much farther it is or whether or not they will arrive in the next few minutes or next few seconds. Thus begins a war between the encroaching madness of silence, and the enormous discomfort of the allegations placed upon the most respected and benevolent pony of the land. Needless to say, due to her close relationship to the Princess, Twilight Sparkle is the first to crack, her tumultuous mind no longer able to take a thought of her mentor a second longer. Trotting up speedily up to Princess Luna the lavender mare clears her throat, gaining the goddess’ attention. “Um, Princess Luna?” Twilight says, meekly breaking the silence. “Yes, Twilight? Is something the matter?” the cobalt mare asks, turning her head to the lavender mare behind her, knowing full well that things could not possibly be right with the purple librarian. “Well, I feel like everything’s the matter right now.” Twilight smiles sheepishly. “But my question is an important one. You said that the power of the Corpse is too great to be controlled.” The Princess nods affirmatively. “Yes, that is correct. Originally we needed the power of the Corpse to defeat Discord. However, after a time I came to sympathize a bit with the saints who protected the Corpse and kept it from the hooves of the common pony. A power that great is far too easy to abuse. The temptation alone could drive a pony to madness” “Right….” Twilight says with a hint of depression. “Well, my question is this: If you don’t think its power should be used, then what are you hoping to do by gathering pieces of the Corpse? I mean, you’re behind the force that is pulling all the Strange Stones and Red Stones here, right?” Luna chuckles at the unicorn’s suggestion. “No, Twilight, I am not responsible for that. It is the Corpse’s attempts to reform itself that is pulling the Stones into the forest; it is not my doing.” The Princess of the Night stops and turns to face the lavender mare. “However, your question is an important one, Twilight, so I will answer it with complete truth.” Luna looks from Twilight to the rest of the group. “The Corpse did save ponykind once upon a time, but its purpose has since then been fulfilled. It is thanks to abuse of it’s power that much sorrow has entered the world; I myself am only one such example. Therefore, I wish that the Corpse be destroyed so that a new, better world might blossom from the ashes of its destruction.” Her piece said, the Princess of the Night trots back down the hall, a smile on her face. “However, enough talk, we are almost there.” “Destroy the Corpse?” Twilight asks, trotting after the Goddess. “How?” “In my time here I was able to ‘ask’ the Corpse how I might achieve this feat. And in doing so the Corpse itself answered that, once all the pieces were gathered together, one would be able to destroy it ‘to pave the way for the right way’.” The Princess gestures with her wing, leading them down a last hallway as the light from outside glows faintly in the distance. “Perhaps it is a lie, or perhaps it is the truth. But we think it to be the truth. Even were it not, were a single piece of the Corpse to remain in the world it would still be capable of creating disaster. And that is my primary motivation in gathering the Corpse, unimpressive though it is.” “But Princess,” The lavender unicorn rushes to catch up with the Goddess. “I understand why you want to destroy the Corpse. If you aren’t pulling the Stones towards the Everfree….” Twilight asks with no small amount of confusion “What is? You said the Corpse was pulling itself together, but that would mean…….” “There is no more need for talk.” The Princess comes to a stop, a slight smile on her face. “We are here.” The six mares come to a halt on the ruins of an old stone patio, leaving behind the darkness and stuffiness of the castle for the wide-open space of the castle gardens. Though left untended for over a thousand years the plants still seem to grow in an orderly fashion, though every pot and stone barrier has been overgrown with greenery and flora of all kinds and shapes. Wild flowers and plants bloom and flower sporadically as if the plants themselves could not decide what season it is. The gardens, though, are still lush and green, the many trees that dot the paths having endured time itself, from the age of their great, great grandsires, the trees that inhabited the gardens in happier times when the two Princesses were together and all was right with the world. The stone patio they rest on, despite its age and the fact it is covered in honeysuckles, maintains its ancient majesty, instilling a calming aura into the party. Statues of various ponies and creatures stand steadfast against the force of time, a few still in pristine condition with only patches of mold attesting to the fact that they have been enduring the wild elements of the Everfree. Others not so fortunate lay scattered on the ground, their white-washed marble fragments attesting to the monumental force of the Everfree and of nature. Yet for all the majesty of the garden and the stonework around them, the eyes of the entire group are drawn to the center of the garden and the white glow that encompasses the stone fountain. Resting in the middle of the engraved stone fountain, glowing with the intensity of the moon above, sits a large barrel-shaped fragment of the Holy Corpse. The Corpse’s chest appears to be large and flat, with two half-formed vestigial limbs that appear to be arms of some kind. What one could call the neck points upwards as the main body slouches against the fountain proper, its glowing radiance spreading across the entire garden. “Fabulous…..” Rarity mouths, her eyes barely able to take in the wild beauty of the garden and the majesty of the Corpse at the same time. “….Just….. Wow,” Fluttershy says. “It’s so pretty!” Pinkie’s eyes glow at the sight before her. “Too bad it wants to eat our brains.” “…..Yeah, real awesome. Is that it?” Dash’s wings extend in excitement as she gazes upon the beauty of the Corpse. “Ah reckon it is, Dash.” Applejack takes off her hat in reverence. “I reckon it is.” “Princess?” Twilight asks, tugging her gaze away from the glowing light before her. “Is….is that…….” “Indeed, Twilight,” Princess Luna says, finishing the flabbergasted mare’s thoughts for her. “That is the Holy Corpse, or most of it, anyway. What you see before you is the Heart of the Corpse, its literal still-beating heart that has drawn all the other pieces to it here in the forest, and despite my greatest magics and intentions I am still unable to move it.” Twilight gazes upon the majestic and gentle glow of the object in front of her, it’s radiance both calming and beautiful to behold. Yet there is no doubt in her mind that the object in front of her is capable of tying time in a knot at the slightest whim, its unearthly power radiating outwards from its center like the pulse of a star. The mare begins to break out in a cold sweat as she can practically hear the Corpse’s heart beating across the garden, or perhaps the loud thud that she hears is her own heart racing. “So…..” Twilight gulps, “…..I guess that this is the part where you ask it what Princess Celestia was planning with the Corpse?” “Actually, Sparkle…..” Princess Luna turns to face the lavender unicorn. “…..I was hoping that you might be able to converse with the Corpse. Indeed, the reason that I have brought you here….” the Princess gestures to the garden around her - “…Is because I believe that you might be worthy to wield the Corpse in my sister’s place, as the next Chosen.” The entire crowd grows silent in the wake of Princess Luna’s announcement, everypony waiting for the lavender unicorn’s mind to process the Goddesses’ request. Twilight blinks once, twice, pointing to herself as if expecting that another pony named Twilight Sparkle would spontaneously pop into existence behind her. Yet much to her dismay the Princess nods, one affinitive nod that insures that she is talking about her, the Twilight Sparkle in front of the goddess of the night. Taking the news that she has been chosen by exiled royalty to wield the power of a God about as well as any pony could expect, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Representative and private protégé to Princess Celestia begins to freak out. “ME?!” Twilight yells as she backs up from the Princess, her body on the edge of hyperventilating. “But-But-But-But-But I don’t want to control that kind of power! Can’t you ask it whatever you need to ask it?” “Nay, Twilight, it can only be you,” Luna says, taking a reassuring step towards the Twilit mare, lowering her head to eye level. “I have tried to move this Corpse from its spot yet it does not listen to me, nor does it heed my words any longer. I nearly destroyed the world in a jealous fit of anger and thus the Corpse has declared that I am…… unworthy.” The Princess takes another step forwards. “Yet you, Twilight Sparkle, might be worthy enough to ask it what you desire, to gain its power so that others might not.” The Princess takes another step towards Twilight as Twilight takes another step back. “You have proven that this location is no longer safe. If you could have found this location, then it will not be long until our enemies come here in pursuit of the Corpse’s power, ponies that have much darker intentions.” The Princess extends her wings, making it clear that she is forcing a grave responsibility on the librarian from Ponyville. “I have tried, but I cannot move it even with all my magic; it is part of the reason I have stayed here to protect it from prying eyes. That is why I have brought you here, Twilight; I think that you might be capable of becoming the Corpse’s Chosen, the one capable of wielding its power safely and responsibly.” “But I don’t want this power!” Twilight exclaims, “I don’t want to wield a power that causes others to suffer. That’s why………” “I know, Twilight, you do not crave power, only the safety of your friends and those close to you.” Princess Luna places her hoof on the frightened unicorn. “But it is irrefutable that, if the Corpse remains here, it will most certainly be taken by somepony with less-pure intentions. That is why you must try to claim it, if only to keep it safe from others.” Luna smiles. “And who knows? The Corpse responds to the desires of the one who wields it. Therefore, should you wish for a world where no pony should suffer thanks to its power, then perhaps it will come to pass.” Twilight stops at this, as the idea of hope enters her mind that maybe, maybe this could all turn out alright. If she could use the Corpse’s power, if she could use it responsibly, then she might be able to set thing right, to put things back to normal. But could it really be that easy? The lavender mare looks behind her; she looks to her friends in her moment of doubt for a sign, and she is not disappointed. Looking back at her without a trace of fear in their eyes, the five mares that have already come through so much with her each give her an assurance in their own way. “Well, I’m not so sure about this, time space bending, that this Corpse can do,” Rarity remarks, “But if any pony could use it responsibly, then I believe it would be you, darling.” “That’s tha truth!” Applejack nods, adjusting her Stetson. “If in there’s any pony in Equestria that ah trust with that much power, it’d be you, Twi.” “Twilight, you are the most considerate, smartest and bravest pony that I have ever met,” Fluttershy says as all doubt leaves her voice. “We have faith in you, Twilight, and if this is what you have to do, we believe that you can do it too. All you have to do is have faith in yourself.” “Yes siree!” Pinkie grins. “You’re you, Twilight! We wouldn’t have come this far if we didn’t trust that you were who you are! So go on and level up to Super Alicorn Twilight so you can save the day like you always do!” “Just get on with it already, Egghead!” Dash hovers in the air, her confident grin spreading across her face. “We all know that you’re the only pony for the job. And even though you come in second in terms of who’s the most awesome in this group, I wouldn’t have any other pony take the lead!” Twilight eyes begin to tear up as a familiar cobalt alicorn places her hoof gently on her shoulder. “It appears as though all your friends have already spoken, Twilight, and they all have faith in you. The only question is, do you?” Wiping the traces of tears from her eyes Twilight grins back, her earlier fears, though still prevalent, now tamed by the powerful feelings of joy welling up inside of her. “Thanks guys. I suppose that I’m just nervous about wielding supposedly godlike powers that could destroy all reality. But I’ll give it my all like always!” “Don’t be, Twilly!” Pinkie jumps over to her friend, embracing her in a hug. “We’ll be with you all the while, so it’ll be fine.” “No, Pinkie.” Luna pulls the pink party pony back with her hoof. “Twilight must approach the Corpse alone. She alone has the questions that need to be answered, and she alone is worthy enough to approach it.” The Pink pony begins to tear up. “But-But Twilight needs us!” “Don’t worry, Pinkie,” Twilight assures her friends, “I’ll be fine, I just need to approach an entity of phenomenal cosmic power. How hard could it be?” With concentration, the lavender mare focuses her magic, causing a medium-sized lock box to materialize out of a pocket dimension the size of a small dresser drawer. “Besides, I think I already have a pretty good idea of how to get the Corpse’s attention.” Breathing in and out one last time, the mare levitates the box onto her back as she stares at the steps leading into the garden proper. Her friends at her back wait on the patio and watch as their friend steps ever closer to the mythic artifact pulsing with unknown life. In their hearts and minds, despite their faith in Twilight Sparkle and her ability to succeed, every one of them prays silently for her success. Each of them sends their confidence for their friend Twilight subliminally as they watch the mare step ever closer to the Holy Corpse. Stopping not four yards from the Corpse, Twilight Sparkle breathes in and out once again, calming herself for the confrontation at hoof. Clearing her mind of all miscellaneous distractions the mare lights her horn, the box on her back opening to reveal similarly glowing and pulsing pieces of the Corpse. The pieces pulse in time with the Corpse’s own sympathetic magic, the air becoming charged with an unknown force as the mare kneels to the ground before the Corpse. Her magic pulsing in time with the Corpse, Twilight begins to spin the fragments of the Corpse around her body, forming an arcane circle in the air. The circle glows brighter and brighter as the Corpse’s pulsing light pulses faster and faster along with the mare’s horn. Faster and faster the pieces spin around the mare as her eyes clench shut as tight as a floodgate. Suddenly the mare’s eyes open, glowing white, as the circle around her spins off her body towards the Corpse. The fragments touch the Corpse as the circle surrounds the artifact, the pieces of the Corpse flowing into the main body like water as the circle dies away. The Corpse pulses stronger now than before as the column of a spine grows out of the torso, the arms lengthening and the neck of the creature extending out of the top. The pieces once again reunited with the Corpse, the mare lets out a loud shout. “HOLY CORPSE,” Twilight shouts in the authoritative tone of the Royal Canterlot Voice, “I, Twilight Radiance Sparkle, Protégé to Celestia invictus Solaris, Goddess of the Sun, Friend to Nocturnes De Luna, Goddess of the Moon, do so humbly make a request of thee!” The mare bows her head once to the earth. “I have returned to you that which was lost to you, that you might answer a query and set doubts to rest!” Twilight bows once again. “I, Twilight Radiance Sparkle, ask this of you as a lowly mortal doomed to die, that you would clear doubt and set me on the path to truth!” The mare lowers her head to the earth, yet this time it does not rise. “I beseech thee in the name of thine! I implore you in the name of the Sun, the Moon, and the Holy Earth!” The garden is silence itself. No sound passes through the gentle glow of the Corpse, as the mare continues to bow her head down to the earth. Only her own ragged breaths fill her ears as Twilight waits patiently for a sign of any kind. Seconds pass, then a minute, then two, as the mare slowly gives up hope of hearing anything of value aside from her own heartbeat. Yet just as she raises her head to leave, her hope extinguished, a soft, loving voice fills her mind, the voice itself reminding Twilight of the gentle ringing of bells or the sound of the surf on a windy day. The voice is both kind and all knowing, reminding Twilight of the teacher that she left behind in Canterlot, a voice full of love and kindness. 'The long introduction, though proper, is not necessary, child of twilight. I know who you are, and who you were, and who you shall be. I know what it is that you seek. Yet let me hear it from thine own lips.' Jumping to her hooves the mare stares at the broken Corpse before her, eyes widening with wonder. 'What is your desire, oh child of twilight? What has brought you so far that you would request something of me, without your friends to guide your actions?' With uncharacteristic humor Twilight chuckles, letting out some of her pent up tension. “Well, to tell you the truth, until just now I didn’t really know, or rather I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted. I was pent up, confused, and twisted up inside. I was torn between hoofing the Corpse over to Celestia, trying to destroy it like Luna wanted, or worse yet keeping it for myself so I could use it to get what I wanted.” 'And? What is it that you decided upon? What is it that YOU desire?' “My desire,“ Twilight states, her conviction ringing true, “….my only real desire right now, is to have a clear direction; to know the path I must take to set everything right. That….. That is what I want.” 'The Corpse and its query remain silent for a few moments, as if the inanimate dead body is somehow mulling over Twilight’s request. Its alien mind processes her request until it finally responds.' '…..The desire to set things right. It is a powerful desire, young Twilight, and one that I can sympathize with. The desire for justice and goodness is very strong in you. It was no small wonder that you were able to hear my voice before.' 'To answer the first question that you have asked in your heart of hearts, the one that you seek the answer to most of all. The answer for that question is ‘YES’. Celestia has indeed used this vessel’s ability to insure prosperity for her nation and ponykind. Yet she has done this even after learning it would come at the cost of the nations and peoples of others.' Twilight’s heart sinks in her chest, only her last vestiges of hope and courage keeping her from falling to the ground as a sobbing wreck. 'Though it is not active now that I am separate from the circle that she has formed, deep in the mountain of Canterlot, should you give my body to Celestia it would once again work in the way that it always has. Time shall continue onwards in its cycle as it does and the nation of Equestria, though safe, will not change.' “But……” Twilight shakes as she finds the strength to utter a single word. “…But you can make it right, can’t you? You can…. “ Twilight mulls over the situation, the betrayal of her teacher still fresh in her mind as she struggles to think up a way out of the mess that she and her friends have landed in. “Can’t you do something to….. I don’t know, bring everypony back to life? Can’t you undo all the wrongs that you have done, or something like that?! Your power is infinite, you can do anything if your user desires it….. Right?!” '………No, that is not possible.' All hope shatters in Twilight’s breast. “What? Why not? You can do anything, you can bend time and space? Why can’t you make things right?!” '..……Because that was MY wish.' Twilight stops her rant, as a calmer mind returns in the place of her frantic and confused one. “Your desire? You wanted this?” 'In a word, YES, and in a word, NO. True, you view Celestia’s actions as wrong. Yet it is thanks to her that all ponykind is safe and gathered under one banner. As they are once before, they are a herd with a shepherd that lies in greener pastures. And is it not the way of the world, that one must suffer so that another might partake of joy?' “But….” Twilight stops, her mind working overtime to walk herself through her own thoughts. Is the Corpse right? If living things have to suffer for others to live in happiness, shouldn’t the ones who live in happiness be them, the ones who possess the blessing of a god? Twilight shakes her head. “But… does it really have to be this way?” The lavender mare, bravely taking a step forward, asks her question again. “Can’t you make everyone happy: Ponies and Minotaurs, and Dragons and those that don’t live in Equestria? Even if it’s just a little, even if it doesn’t amount for much, can you save us from this mess?” '………I am as I have always been, an instrument of balance, of harmony. For one to have, another must have not. This is one of the many laws that govern this world. By the rules of harmony such a thing cannot be done with my power. Balance must prevail.' The mare falls to her hooves; never before had she felt this powerless in her entire life, as she realizes that her hopes were misplaced. There is no easy way out of this mess. 'But I see that you and others like you do not desire such a world. Neither you nor your friends, want a world of martyrs and sacrifices. Therefore you will all fight for a new one.' 'You will travel far and wide, across the breadth of the world. You will go South, North and back to the center in search of the right path. And you will be cast out persecuted and spit on for this one’s sake. You will face the true face of evil, be subjected to the darkest despair and some of you will not return, passing into shadow and fear. The entire world and all the ponies in it may turn against you; but rejoice, for such things must happen and come to pass.' Twilight flinches at the Corpse’s words, her mind recoiling at the thought of her friends dying, at the world turning against her. “But I don’t want any of that!” Twilight yells at the top of her lungs, unable to accept it anymore. “I don’t want my friends to die! I don’t want to suffer! Tell me a better way! Tell me a way I can save my friends!” The lavender unicorn runs up to the fountain, pressing her hooves against the fountain as if she could force an inanimate object to comply with her demands. “TELL ME!” she yells at the top of her lungs, her tears running down her face. '……….Unless Ponykind itself wishes me to leave, I am unable to do so. Yet should you gather all the pieces of my form as one then I promise you, a new world of friendship and magic will come to pass.' A small clicking noise fills the garden as the Corpse’s light begins to die down. Then suddenly the Corpse falls off its precarious post on the fountain, tumbling down to the ground. Almost reflexively the mare reaches out with her Stand, grabbing the stone body and dragging its heavy frame into her arms. 'Twilight Sparkle, you are not worthy of wielding this power as you are now. Yet you are brave and true, a hero in dark times rising; therefore, so that all should come to pass, you might carry me so that I might come to new shores.' Twilight begins to cry. “W-Wait! I still need more answers. What’s going to happen? How do I stop it? How do I talk to Celestia, after what she’s done? How do I save my friends?” The mare begins to bawl her eyes out over the stone figure as the light of the Corpse begins to fade away. 'Those that are and those that were shall be again. When the Corpse is gathered and wielded with justice, all shall be again and I shall return to harmony once more…. That is the prophecy you must adhere to for your desires to be manifest.' “Wait!” Twilight yells, “You can’t just leave us like this! You can’t just leave us alone to face this bucked-up world! You can’t expect us to save ourselves?!” The Corpse, though, ignores the unicorn’s protests as the glowing aura dies down around the dead body, causing it to revert back to its inherent stone form. 'Remember this single word, Sparkle, for it will guide you to your salvation, as well as the salvation of all ponykind……..' All its light fades out, leaving the lavender mare holding a fossilized stone body in her shaking arms, Twilight’s ears perk up as she prepares to hear perhaps the most important word in her lifetime. 'FRIENDS……' And the light dies out. “Twilight! Twilight!” Pinkie shouts as she jumps up to the lavender mare, “What did it say? I couldn’t hear anything. Was it good? Is the Princess innocent? Are those tears of joy or sadness? Pleeease tell me. I’m dying of suspense here!” “Twilight dear? Are you alright?” Rarity asks, rushing up to her unicorn friend with a great deal of concern etched on her muzzle. “We couldn’t hear anything. What did the Corpse say? Is Celestia innocent? Did it tell you how to use the Corpse’s power?” “Yeah, Egghead! Did you get some awesome new power or something?” Dash asks hopefully. “Dashie’s concerns are well founded,” states the Princess, “Has the Corpse chosen you as its bearer?” “Twilight? Are you okay?” Fluttershy asks, “Was it good news or bad news?” Yet for all these questions lobbed at her, the mare doesn’t respond to any of them. And, as if with ironic timing, the sun rises on the horizon, greeting a new day with its normal warmth and benevolence. Yet the day that greets Twilight, the day on which she has discovered such a horrible truth, is anything but a good day. And as the warm benevolent sunshine rains down on her head it only serves to reflect off the tears of sorrow that stream down Twilight Sparkle’s muzzle. And for the first time in her life, despite being surrounded by ponies that love and care about her, Twilight Sparkle has never felt more alone. ………………………. “And you are sure that this information is reliable? It was not planted, or falsified?” “You know I believe in her innocence, Princess. I believe it beyond a shadow of a doubt. But if this is a frame job, it’s a really, really good one Ma’am. It would have to be done by somepony who knows our reports and procedures inside and out…. Then again, given who we are after, this might very well be an attempt to lead us off the trail. To distract us while this traitor in our ranks strikes.” “Or it could be a chance to find out how somepony was able to falsify these files. If we could find any kind of hint among these incredulous reports by bringing in this pony……” “Your highness! Surely you must be joking?” “I wish I were, Shining Armor, but given this information and the sensitivity of the Holy Corpse’s existence, it is far better to be safe than sorry. Should anypony be, unintentionally or otherwise, revealing information about its existence, we must investigate.” “But you don’t believe any of this…..” “I believe she is innocent, Shining. However, if she has learned of its existence I need to speak with her immediately. If she has taken the Corpse’s importance to this nation the wrong way, then it is possible that the enemy could be using her to get to us. That is why you must go, you alone can bring her in and make her understand the importance of our mission.” “……Very well, Princess, if you think it is what is best.” The monarch of the sun, Princess Celestia, stands up on her throne in the empty chambers of the royal court, her grim face a testament to her utter seriousness. “Believe me, Shining Armor, this is something I do not do lightly. Now call in Zecora, she will be going with you.” “Zecora?” Shining Armor, captain or the royal guard asks. “Why her? It’s not that I don’t trust her or anything, but I’m more than capable of handling this myself, and I’d rather not draw attention to this.” “Zecora may not have a Stand, but her skill with investigation and paperwork is almost as good as yours, Shining Armor,” Celestia says as she walks off her throne towards the window facing Ponyville. “That, and she is an old friend of Twilight’s who has foalsit for her more times than I could count. If there is a pony in Equestria that I could trust to handle this, it would be her.” The door to the throne room opens with dramatic effect as a familiar zebra enters the room, bowing low to the floor as the door closes behind her. “Yes, Celestia? What is it you need? I came with all speed for your commands are true. Whatever it should be, know that I exist for you.” Celestia smiles at the Zecora’s accidental rhyme as she watches the zebra in the reflection of the window. “I have a very important mission for the two of you to undertake: you are to go to Ponyville with a contingent of guards and investigate the reports that we have received from there about some…… questionable activity.” The Princess turns to the two ponies. “There you will meet up with Sergeant Lightning Dust and our Stand agent Trixie Lulamoon to apprehend, Investigate, and clear, emphasis on the word CLEAR, the pony who reports have alluded to being the traitor.” Zecora’s face turns to one of surprise. “The traitor has been found? Should that not make us proud?” “No, Zecora, it should not,” Celestia states sadly. “Let me be clear: there will be no use of lethal force and you will treat her with the utmost respect, until you can discover the true source of the leak. I trust you to handle this matter seriously and professionally.” “But who would have you, in lieu of the truth, so worried, your Majesty?” Zecora asks, with worry setting into her otherwise calm demeanor. The monarch of the sun extends her wings in a majestic display of her authority and power as she makes her decree. “On Royal decree I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, authorize you to bring in Twilight Sparkle, Princess Representative of Equestria, on the charge of high treason!”