//------------------------------//
// Choices 
// Story: Are You a Bad Pony? 
// by Harmony Pie 
//------------------------------//

The night was silent and sweet. I took a deep breath of the warm summer air, tinged with the scent of fresh roses and moonlit waters. A gentle, whispering wind danced across the darkened horizon, where the golden flecks of dusk had long ago sunk into a deep canvas of a million little stars. Crickets called cheerfully out to each other in throbs of music, and the breeze drifted over my fur with the lightest brush. 

I tilted my head up at the silvery, full moon, ita surface covered by the shape of a lonely mare. It sent a cool glow to the land below—a beacon of hope. With a sigh, I managed a smile, before sweeping my gaze down. Beneath the balcony lay the sleeping town; dark with shadows, and silent in slumber. 

I tucked my head over the smooth rail to peer further down, filling my heart and vision with the sight of my peaceful children. It was times like these that I cherished so dearly, when I could take a break from the hetic activities of the Day Court and admire the serene beauty of the ponies at night. Of course, it wouldn't always be like this; when I could just simply push away all my fears and doubts until sunrise, but for now... it was nice. 

My lips lifted up, and I tucked my wings closer, imagining all of Canterlot asleep in their warm beds. Mothers kissing their foals goodnight before the lights were switched off, ponies young and old dreaming of wonders unknown to even Equus. 

Their little houses and dimmed lights were scattered across the patchwork of dark greens and blacks—an uneven quilt sown by old, tired hooves—but it was my kingdom, and that was what made it worth it. I closed my eyes, letting my cheek slide against the cool bars of the balcony, trying to listen to what true peace sounded like. 

"...rincess Celestia?" 

I jerked up, my ears swiveling on their own accord. The call came again, closer than before. "Princess Celestia!" It was shrill, but quiet with uncertainty.

With a little grunt, my golden bedroom door creaked open, and a shadowed face peered in. Her dark eyes flew across the silent bed, before moonlight drew them to the balcony. 

"Twilight?" I asked in surprise, watching her stumble forward with a little gasp. Twilight's horned head tipped up, and she closed the door behind her small form. As she took her steps into the dark room, she tripped over the old rug to the balcony, where I quickly wrapped her up in my wings with the beginnings of a chuckle. My student. But the laughter soon died in my throat when the silver light from the moon above illuminated her lavender face. 

Twillight's deep purple eyes shone with a quivering fear, their usual innocence and laughter having disappeared. Her lips were set into a tight line, as if the filly was willing herself not to cry, and her small ears pressed flat against her head. "Princess Celestia," she mewled once again, her body hovering beside mine. 

My breath left me for a moment, and I slowly brushed back her curled navy bangs from her forehead. "Twilight," I sang in a whisper, favoring her name like a mother, and drawing it out with a lilt. The filly trembled slightly, not quite meeting my gaze. I frowned, bringing my wingtip to her muzzle. "You do know you can tell me anything," I said in a hushed tone. 

Twilight swallowed, making a noise in the back of her throat like she wanted desperately to say something, but couldn't find the words. I lifted her chin up ever so gently so that she could see my eyes. "You do trust me, right?" I inquired, smiling. Of course she did. Twilight was my precious student, the one I had known for almost two years. The brilliant unicorn who laughed at my snide comments about the delegates, and sat proudly in my lap to watch the morning sun rise over the mountains. She was the filly who ran to me when the students at my school grew too cold-hearted, or when a grade hadn't been perfect. 

I expected Twilight to whisper out a nightmare she had; a dream that could simply be fixed with a warm hug and a cup of hot chocolate. But, when the unicorn finally looked up at me, I knew something was very wrong. Twilight took a shuddering breath and pressed her her cheek against my chest, shaking. My eyes widened, and I furrowed by brow. My fur soon became wet with tears as she sobbed, her cries coming out in little bursts. 

"It—it's n... not, no... Please, I-I ju..stt thought that it can't... t-t-true!" 

I pulled her closer, rocking back and forth in an effort to soothe her. "What... what's not true?" 

Twilight sniffled, shaking her head half-heartedly. She sighed softly, prying herself away from my embrace and sitting beside my forelegs. The filly wiped her face in vain, turning slightly to look over at the sky that sparkled like diamonds. Her hooves rose up in the air by her soft chest, and she seemed to be muttering to herself. 

"Twilight?" I prompted. I couldn't stand seeing her like this. Her pupils dilated, but she didn't say anything in response. It was only the music of the wind that carried a sound. When Twilight finally did speak, it was hardly above a whisper. 

"I was reading again, Princess," she said solemnly; too solemnly. Twilight fidgeted and she bit her lip. I smiled, relieved for a moment, though doubt still gnawed at the back of my mind. 

"Of course, my student," I began, "I'm not mad at you for staying up too late. Not at all. Why, as long as it wasn't too scary..." I trailed off, noticing Twilight's expression. Of course that wasn't the reason. 

Twilight squeaked, bowing her head. Her horn lit up with a magenta glow, and she lifted out a book I hadn't even noticed from behind her back. Placing it in front of her caused Twilight's eyes to shimmer with new tears. "I was reading this book," she finished softly, letting dread creep into her voice.

I examined it carefully, partly for the sake of the fragile unicorn, and brought it up in my own magic. It wasn't a significant book by any means; anypony would have simply seen a dusty, old brown cover holding many yellowing pages. On the front it bore the words Equestrian History in thin, curly black letters. She must have gotten it from the Reference Section, filled with hundreds of texts on history. Knowing my Twilight, she probably chose it for its length. 

"This book..." I murmmered, running my hooves over the thin pages, "is why you're upset?" Faust knows Equestria's history wasn't always perfect.  I stopped suddenly as my foreleg came across a blue bookmark jutting out from the middle. I looked up at Twilight, whose lips had returned back to the firm, straight position. 

I gingerly opened up to the page, wrinking my muzzle at the dust remaining. It seemed to be a chapter on the greatest accomplishments of Equestria. I skimmed the pages by the light of my horn, keenly aware of Twilight's grim silence. 

No. I read it again, my heart racing. 



Although there were many attempts to stop her, the Canterlot Killer suceeded time and time again to slip by, leaving every scene with the signature lily flower. It wasn't until a collection of Royal Guards managed to  figure out her pattern that Princess Celestia personally excuted her with the noose, finally bringing justice to the fifty six lives the Canterlot Killer had ended. Now a controversy, death by hanging is largely— 



No. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears, as the rest of the words blurred away. Just one little sentence, a little blip in history; but it wasn't going away. And neither was anything else. I couldn't do this, she wasn't ready yet! Oh, why did Twilight have to have such a love for reading? No, that was silly. Of course—

I was snapped out out my thoughts by a stuttering sob. "I just thought that maybe...maybe it was wrong, Princess," Twilight said, her voice cracking in childish sorrow. "But...” her eyes grew wide. “It’s not, is it?" 

I drew in a sharp breath, opening my mouth. Then I closed it quickly, faltering. Twilight was a smart child, anyone could see that. Could she not understand? I glanced back down at her. Could I not understand? 

"It's not like that," I started hesitantly. “You should know that our history was a bit rough... somethings needed to happen, Twilight." I tried to place my hoof over her's, but she pushed it away. I could see an ocean of emotions swirling in her eyes.

"But tha-that didn't need to happen, did it? She... she was a pony, and then you—" Twilight gulped, the wind lifting up her bangs from her tear-stained face. "You hung her?" 

I studied the shadows along the balcony and my throat went dry. "Yes... I did. I know now that it's a very harsh way to go..." I bit my lip. "No, no. It's not important, my student. She was just a bad pony." 

Twilight stared. "Are you a bad pony?" she whispered. 

The book spluttered out from my magic and thudded onto the floor. "M-me?" I asked. Her expression didn't waver. "No! I'm not a bad pony, Twilight!" So why did it sound like I was pleading? 

Twilight shook her head. "I know that you're nice and... wonderful," she said, almost with a smile. "But why would you do something like that?" 

I closed the book with a burst of telekinesis. "I-I... she put ponies to sleep forever. For fun, and I couldn't let someone like that be free. She was a bad pony," I explained softly.

"Why not put her in jail?" Twilight countered, shivering. She was aware of some of the horrors of the past. "She wouldn't be free then." 

"It was dangerous to others. The Canterlot Killer did very bad things. Society chose her punishment as," I sighed, "death." 

Twilight scrunched up her muzzle. "And you just went through with it? Nopony deserves that. Life is really special! But... you're saying if I do a bad enough thing, you'll execute me?" 

My stomach twisted into knots. I bowed forward until my cheek was against the filly's. "Twilight!" I exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Do you think I would ever, ever do that?"

The lavender filly shook her head. "No... I'm just—even if you hate me?" she asked.

I clenched my jaw, willing myself not to cry. "I could never hate you, my dear Twilight. Even if you set the whole world on fire, I would love you," I said, almost laughing despite everything. "Yet, I know you wouldn't. Do you know why?"

Twilight exhaled. "Because I'm a good pony?" she asked tentivly. 

I nodded. "And I like to think of myself as good. A good pony is one that is filled with kindness, and is gentle to others. Who tries not to bring harm, and stays true to themselves," I said.

Twilight finally smiled weakly. "I know that. It just... scared me," she told me. 

I nuzzled her, words still trying to push up past my lips. "Some ponies make mistakes, and that's normal. Heaven knows I've made so many of those," I chuckled fondly, enjoying my student's warmth. 

Twilight cocked her head, and stiffened beside me. "Only one of this kind?" 

I paled. "This kind?" I breathed. Twilight's eyes widened. 

"Have you kill—excuted more than one pony?" she asked, her small form trembling. 

I sat up slowly, my heart thudding. "Twilight, can I show you something?" I inquired suddenly. The filly in question squeaked, but nodded. I stood up on my hooves, stretching out my forelegs as I walked to the edge of the balcony. Twilight slowly followed behind, and I levitated her up onto my back. The filly grasped tightly around my neck, snuggling her warm face into my fur. I could feel her uncertainty and fear, but underneath it all there was the familar love. 

I sighed, making sure Twilight got a good view of the land below. "Do you see all of that?" I asked quietly, sweeping my white hoof through the air. Twilight remained quiet, although she didn't break her gaze. I continued, "This is my land. It's my kingdom, full of wonderful and sweet ponies like me and you. They have lives and families; they look up at me to take care of them," I said, looking up at the stars. 

"Now, imagine there's something or somepony hurting them. My beautiful ponies are disappearing, being robbed, getting killed. How would you deal with that?" I took off my crown and carefully placed it on Twilight's navy head, smoothing back her hair. I lifted her up to my shoulders. The filly stood tall, though her chin quivered. "Imagine being their ruler. You have to protect them. There's no other way. Wouldn't you do anything?" Twilight closed her eyes. 

I smiled softly at her. "The kingdom is larger than you can imagine. Twilight... I have done many things I regret, so many things. But I would never take them back," I said. 

"Do-do you understand?" 

Twilight tore her gaze away from the patchwork of land, and lowered herself into my back once again. Her tears glistened, but she rubbed them away. "I do. I'll try," she said, the glimmer of her usual joy returning. "I'm sorry that I—"

I took off the golden crown without a word, and wrapped her up in my wing as I sat. "No. Don't be sorry, my student. I'm sorry you had to learn it this way.  I can't hide from my past mistakes forever." 

Twilight snuggled in, using my wing as a blanket. "You're... not a bad pony," she breathed. "And I love you for that." 

I watched her for a moment, before I laid my head by her own. "I love you to the moon and back," I whispered. 

The book lay discarded on the floor.