"Starlight, what are you doing?"
"Helping Ponyville, that's all."
"In the middle of the park?"
"Yes..."
"With yellow paint?"
"Yeah..."
"What are you doing?"
Starlight was annoyed now. With a long, frustrated sigh, she threw her yellow spray can into the air. Not even bothering to catch it, the can plopped on the grassy ground of the park. A very confused Princess of Friendship (who was failing mightily in approval polls) simply watched the peculiar unicorn.
"Isn't this vandalizing public property?" Twilight asked as she pointed at the large yellow circle in the middle of the park's field.
"This is no more vandalizing than putting a warning sign before a cliff," Starlight replied.
"Or putting an insulting sign in front of Rarity's house?" Twilight added smugly.
"That wasn't vandalizing, that was protesting."
"Whatever..."
Starlight picked up another spray can and began to shake it. While whistling some generic tune, she went to work spraying bright neon yellow paint all over the grass. Not even ten feet away from her first circle, she made another identical shape.
"There's no powerlines underneath there," Twilight told her casually.
"I know!" Starlight huffed. "This isn't about stupid powerlines. This is much more important."
"You know, if you don't stop, I'll escort you out of the park," Twilight said in her nice tone.
"When you realize the importance of my work, you'll hail me as a hero," Starlight told her with a grin.
"Well, until then, you're just a vandal," Twilight shrugged.
When Starlight completed the second circle, she threw the can away just like the first one. "Alright, these two circles are places of freethinking where neither side throws arguments to the other." She gestured at the first circle. "These ponies may think what they want and the ponies in the other circle may think what they want. Less arguing, more friendship, no? So both of these circles may be safe from prosecution. It will be illegal to throw a differing opinion in the circle."
"I'm confused..."
Starlight leaned on the princess. "Ponies argue, right? Well, this will protect ponies from mean bigots who simply wish to spread more harm. They'll sit in these selected circles and be themselves without judgement. I had one of these in Our Town. It was by the Cutie Vault. I call them 'Safe Zones.'"
"That sounds great and all, but what prevents ponies from shouting over the paint barriers?"
"It's a work in progress," Starlight shrugged nervously.
"Then what's the next step?"
"The next step is to turn these paint circles into actual structures and allow safe zones to be implemented in all sorts of areas. Schools, parks, other public areas. And with these safe zones, we shall have places of peace and healing. No arguments, no sadness, everyone wins!"
"Uh-huh... Don't we have these already?"
"We do?"
"Yeah, like your home?"
"Now why would that be a safe zone?"
"Cause 'home, sweet home?'"
Starlight shook her head. "No. Safe zones must be a place of no differing opinions and a place of friendship. At home, you have siblings and ugh, parents. Everypony can have differing opinions, even if they are family. Families argue, families demand, families have brats. No, it would not do. Besides, why lock yourself up from the world and stay in your home?"
"How's that different than locking yourself up in safe zone?"
"Well, safe zones aren't supposed to be just by yourself. There will be others in the safe zone that have had similar trials, same viewpoints, and mutual interests. It will also help make lasting friendships."
Twilight nodded her head. "I see. Why not just go out and make friends rather than relying on this?"
"Because rejection is a hard thing. So is finding someone in this vast world that thinks like you. There are more bigoted jerks than there are good ponies."
"Who are the bigots in this case?"
"Why, those who will mock these safe zones of course."
"So if I use one, I won't be a bigot?"
"Well....yeah?"
Twilight then walked into the safe zone circle and plopped down with a smile. Starlight raised a brow but said nothing at the alicorn's movement. The princess cleared her throat and pointed a rude hoof at Starlight.
"Your safe zones suck," she said triumphantly.
"Hey!" Starlight snarled. "You jerkface!"
"Uh-uh huh!" Twilight silenced her. "I'm in a safe zone, you can't throw any insults at me."
"That's not how it works!"
"What was that? Can't hear you over the yellow paint," Twilight smiled.
"You are misusing the system! This is for ponies to use to be safe from other opinions, not throw out nonsense!"
"What's the problem? I'm using this safe zone like I think it should be used. I say this safe zone is great for making curt and rude responses to other ponies. Since you have a differing opinion, you can't say anything against me. I. Am. Right. You. Are. Wrong. Bigot!"
"This is so stupid!" Starlight gestured madly at the princess. "You don't even know the first thing about safe zones! This isn't a safe zone, this is a hate ditch! Ponies who do this are just surrounding themselves with like-minded jerks that no one will ever prove wrong! If nopony can get to these bigots, who will tell them they're wrong? If they just stick themselves in such hate-ridden infested and diseased locations, they'll always be ignorant sons of bitches!"
"What was that? Sorry, your differing opinion doesn't register here. I'm in a safe zone, baby!"
"Boo, you whore!"
Starlight snorted through her nostrils very horse-like and stomped away. Twilight, giggling to herself, jumped out of the circle and called out to the fleeing pony.
"Starlight, wait! Don't you just realize what you said?"
"I know that I speak absolute truth!" Starlight yelled back. "Ponies like you are the reason we need safe zones!"
"But you yourself just explained why safe zones are bad! Don't you realize that?"
Starlight slammed her hoof down. "I did nothing of the sort! Now go meet some ponies who actually believe in something good and truthful! Don't surround yourself with idiots that think like you. Because they are just as wrong as you!"
Starlight ran off in anger. Twilight's eye twitched and twitched again. She cringed and then buried her face in both her hooves and her wings for doubling effect. She mumbled something but soon unburied herself to look in the distance. Her head simply slowly shaking in disappointment.
"Well, Applejack, looks like Starlight has overthrown you as world's most stubborn pony..."
"Hey who vandalized the grass?!" a pony shouted.
"I think it was Princess Twilight!" another yelled.
"What an asshole!" a stallion snarled.
"Hey! That's racist, jerk!" another stallion yelled at the first.
"Oh no..." Twilight sighed.
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