//------------------------------//
// How to be Kind 
// Story: How to be Cruel 
// by Erisn 
//------------------------------//

His name was Tirek and he was a murderer.

Was, in past tense.

Celestia looked down at the blood spattered rocks and bits of red and black hair that was all that remained of Tirek. There wasn't even much of that left behind.

Tartarus, the hell of Equestria was dark and terrible place. For any being exiled there, it was an empty purgatory guarded only by the ferocious beast Cerberus. But today, or rather, this evening, Tartarus was full of life.

And light.

The Princess of the Sun stood in Tartarus, surrounded by her royal guard. Imposing ponies all, muscular clad in shining armor. The princess herself radiated a faint light in this darkness, and her eyes were cold and serious as she surveyed the carnage. The guardsponies, brave as they were, blanched and shuddered at the sight of Tirek's remains. For all their martial might, they weren't used to death.

And why should they be? It was a mark of pride in Celestia's mind that even her subjects born to defend and serve didn't know violence. Equestria was a peaceful land. That made the criminal who had perpetuated the crime even more heinous.

Celestia turned, and her royal guard straightened to attention, awaiting her orders. Behind them and in the shadows Cerberus huddled, a mass of bone, tooth, and claw that nevertheless trembled when Celestia glanced at him. The guardian of Tartarus knew its master was displeased, and rightly so. But Celestia had a more pressing task to deal with before she addressed Cerberus's failure.

"Go," she ordered the captain of her royal guard. "Bring me back the pony responsible for this. Don't let your guard down around her, and tell no pony else of your mission."

The guard pony nodded and saluted once before wheeling around and galloping off. It would take him an hour or two to exit Tartarus and apprehend the criminal, Celestia knew. He would have to first fly to Canterlot, rally the rest of the guards, and then travel to Ponyville. By then it would probably be nightfall.

Celestia could only hope that her captain really did watch himself on his mission. Any pony cunning enough to infiltrate Tartarus and kill Tirek, even imprisoned, was a dangerous threat.

But still. Celestia shook her head and went over to the cowering Cerberus. He flinched as she approached, for the expression on Celestia's face was not a pleasant one. Nor would be the coming spell that Celestia readied. Nevertheless, she had to know more. And Cerberus's duty had been to guard the prisoners -- if he didn't like what she had to do to find the answers she sought, it was his fault for failing his duty.

Celestia's spell flashed out from her horn and engulfed the gigantic three-headed dog. In an instant, Celestia was gone from Tartarus, and then back in Tartarus, but at a different time. Cerberus prowled the labyrinthine depths, snuffling about and maintaining his constant vigilance. His ears pricked up and Celestia looked as a faint noise emerged from the darkness.

She held her breath. The memory of Cerberus growled and prepared to leap as the hoofsteps got closer, but then the dog's attitude changed, and he began to wag his tail and smile. 

The pony came into view, and Celestia's heart stopped. She already knew who it way -- had sent her guards off in the absolute certainty that it could only be this one pony. But still, seeing her now, she could still hardly believe her eyes.

Celestia breathed one word. The name of the killer. The murderer in Tartarus. The pony she would meet that very night in chains, or in death.

"Fluttershy."

To be continued in How to Be Kind.