Episode 16: "Freedom of the Press"
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Returning to the confines of her Castle of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle stood in front of her bedroom mirror remembering her recent anxiety driven hospital stay. Everything that was discussed in the royal suite was racing through her mind. As a princess, Twilight had expected to be criticized in her royal duties. It was the nature of the game, but it didn't have to have been the way it did.
"Ah, Spike," Twilight said as she saw her royal advisor come into her bedroom. "Tell me something, this hearing that the Canterlot Chronicle is putting together…how do you think it will be?"
"Well…these two journalists…they did get hard on you. It's just the nature of the game of being a princess. That's their living." Spike replied.
"That's just it," Twilight sighed, turning to face Spike as she adjusted her large crown. "I want them to understand that sometimes journalism can cross the line. I don't want them to lose their jobs because of me. You're my royal advisor, what do you think I should do?"
It took a moment for Spike to think, but he eventually came up with an answer. "If I would say anything,"He proposed "I would say that if you are to attend another one of the royal press conferences, you need to remember your p's and q's as well, not forgetting to dot the I's and cross the t's."
A sour look fell on Twilight's face when she heard that.
"Plus, that's just your opinion on what happens to them," Spike remarked. "It's really the Canterlot Chronicle itself that will make the final call."
"Yes, I just hope it's the right one. Those journalists did put me back in the hospital, but I can't just see them be fired because of what they did to me. It wouldn't be right." Twilight insisted.
Spike scratched the back of his neck in confusion as Twilight made her way down the stairs to her dining hall. He could sense that Twilight was conflicted in seeing the journalists being merely disciplined and not being fired for conduct unbecoming to a journalist.
As Twilight came down the stairs, she saw Celestia answer the door and a dark brown pony with a curly mane and black rimmed glasses and wearing a white shirt and black tie stood in the doorway.
Right away, Twilight could see that this was no ordinary pony. "Fair Press?" She whispered to herself. "What's he doing here?"
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Stepping into the castle, Fair Press looked up and saw Twilight on the stairs. Immediately, he lowered his head in respect. "Princess Twilight?" He asked. "I just thought I'd come by and…"
"No need to explain, Fair Press," Twilight acknowledged as she came down the stairs. "I think I know why you are here. It's about those two journalists of yours."
"Yes," Fair nooded. "Being a judge of character, I wanted to prepare you for what's to come and answer any questions you may have."
"Fair Press insisted he'd come for your sake, Twilight," Celestia added. "He's a respected journalist in Canterlot and has a son who has issues similar to yours."
Immediately, Twilight felt a sense of respect for the Canterlot Chronicle's head of operations.
"Shall we go to the dining room?" Twilight offered and Fair Press followed her along with Celestia.
Stepping into the dining room, Twilight found that Luna and the rest of her fellow princesses were seated around the dining table, while Grubber brought in an extra chair for Fair Press to sit down at.
"Um, what are you all doing here?" Twilight asked.
"I asked them to come here and support you," Celestia answered. "Besides, it gives Grubber something to do in the kitchen, right?"
The personal hedgehog chef of Twilight nodded in acknowledgement and left as Twilight sat down in her usual seat while Spike joined her on her right.
"Well, I do appreciate you going out of your way to speak with me," Twilight nodded. "And thanks for your concerns regarding my recent hospital stay."
"The Canterlot Chronicle has a ton of respect for you, Princess Twilight," Fair Press replied, taking a sip of coffee. "However, some of our journalists do have the audacity to go beyond their job description. Let me be the first to tell you that we are not a bully organization."
Rainbow Dash, still angry over how Twilight was treated, snorted in disgust. "Heh, that's the understatement of the day," she grunted. "If they still want me to come and fight them, I'll…"
"-Rainbow!" Twilight sharply interrupted the Princess of Loyalty. "Please! Not here!"
"With all due respect to Princess Rainbow Dash," Luna declared. "I would be sorely tempted to do the same thing if journalists like that attacked my reputation or your reputation, Celestia or any of your reputations."
"Indeed, I had to reprimand the journalist who wrote that article about you not wanting fillies to go on their field trip." Feeling slightly embarrassed, Luna slid back from the table, only for Celestia to pull her back.
"I have my reasons, Celestia," Luna said, pushing herself from the table again, only for Celestia to push her back to the table. "What? I don't want to relive that moment."
Taking her glance off of her younger sister, Celestia rejoined the conversation. "What I don't want is any forms of retaliation whether they be physical or not," Celestia cautioned. "I say that as a princess and I say it now as a private citizen."
"The same here," Applejack raised her hoof in solidarity with Celestia's decision. "I play by the rules, even if I am severely provoked."
The rest of the table nodded in agreement. "Forget Ms. Hothead over here," Pinkie Pie remarked to Fair Press. "She took it kind of personally."
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When the formalities were concluded, Fair Press began the meeting.
"Now I just want to give you a picture of what is going to be happening," Fair Press began. "There will be a disciplinary hearing because both Dirty Scoop and Dirty Press performed not to the standards of journalism but of their own personal intent. The Canterlot Chronicle performs by the rules and these two did not do so."
Clearing his throat, Fair Press turned his attention over to Twilight. "Princess Twilight," He declared. "Given that you were the target of my journalists, is there anything you would recommend in terms of suspensions or even terminations?"
Without hesitation, Twilight gave her immediate response. "I don't want terminations," she said firmly. "Whatever you do, I refuse to see ponies lose their jobs over something like this. What they said was harsh, but it was part of their jobs."
All the ponies at the table were taken aback by this declaration, including Spike.
"Twilight, remember that these were the ponies that put you in the hospital," Spike cautioned. "They can't just be let off scot-free."
"Yes," Twilight replied. "But I also know that they need to make a living. I mean, what would you do if they were in their horseshoes?"
The entire table fell silent and shocked by such a suggestion from Twilight herself.
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"Twilight!" Celestia gasped! "How could you say that about the ponies who did this to you? You know how we all feel about your mental health!"
"Yeah,," Spike added, touching Twilight's right front leg. " I speak for all of us when I say that I can't stand seeing you curled up on the floor again and crying your eyes out."
Twilight took in a deep sigh knowing firsthoof what her royal advisor meant.
"Yeah, that's Fluttershy's job, right?" Pinkie Pie asked Fluttershy, who merely took a sip of tea.
"I've been working on it, Pinkie," Fluttershy replied. "Besides, I've got other things to worry about, such as Discord spying on Grogar for one."
"I say we forget the hearing and just go right to the chase!" Rainbow Dash declared. "If you don't like it, then that's your problem! Excuse me!"
"Sorry about that, Fair Press," Twilight chuckled with an embarrassed look on her face. "Rainbow's not called the Princess of Loyalty for nothing."
"I understand," Fair Press acknowledged quietly. "She does have a right to be angry though considering you are one of her closest friends, Princess Twilight."
"But again, we play by the rules," Applejack reminded. "I say we teach them a lesson and be done with it. That's my honest opinion."
"If you say so, Applejack," Rarity sighed. "A line should be drawn somewhere, but I don't know if it should be by our hooves."
"Yeah, if you say so." Pinkie Pie added.
"Still, I agree with what Twilight said about forcin' these ponies out of work because of their behavior," Applejack declared. "That ain't how we do things! Mind ya, that this is the first time we've been confronted with this here behavior."
"I'm afraid this has happened before, Princess Applejack." Fair Press sighed, taking off his glasses for a moment and wiping them with a napkin.
"It has? When?" Rarity asked and a clearing from Luna's throat caused the entire table to turn to her.
"Luna?" Twilight remarked. "When did this happen to you?"
"There was an article that was written about me after the Tantabus incident," Luna sighed. "Whoever wrote that article clearly had it in for me and said that I was not fit to be a princess, that I should still be up on the moon. It was a slap in the face, but I didn't say anything about it out of respect for my self respect and dignity."
Celestia felt shocked at such a confession from her own fur and blood. "Luna, why didn't you tell me about this?!" She gasped.
"It was my burden to bear, Celestia," Luna answered to her shocked sister. "Not yours because you didn't rule the night."
"Well, did you see who wrote the article?" Celestia questioned. "Luna, they may be the same two ponies who interviewed Twilight!"
"That's because they are the same two ponies," Fair Press confessed, much to Celestia's horror. "Dirty Scoop and Dirty Laundry have been known to cross the line a few times with their stories and I will confirm that they did write that story about you, Luna. I specifically disciplined them afterwards and warned them not to cross such a line again, but it seems my warnings fell on deaf ears."
Suddenly, the princesses all began to get a sense of déjà vu, remembering the Gabby Gums incident involving Applejack and Rarity's younger sisters, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. But this time the target was not just Twilight but also Luna.
"But,like Twilight," Luna spoke up. "I don't wish to see them fired. Perhaps a demotion, but not a termination."
Fair Press felt conflicted by this suggestion and realized that he had been put into the lion's den. "Um, of course…" he stammered, rising from his seat. "I will take into consideration all of what you have said for the hearing later today."
"Good, you may go." Twilight said, dismissing the journalist from the dining hall.
Once he was gone, Twilight and her friends finished their breakfast and were soon on the royal train to Canterlot for the hearing.
"Luna was targeted by these guys because she was unfit for the throne?" Twilight sighed, looking up at the ceiling of the train car. "What is wrong with these ponies, Spike?"
"Not everypony or everycreature will have the same vision as you, Twilight," Spike remarked. "I mean, if I was running a newspaper, I would not take this kind of behavior lightly."
Still Twilight felt conflicted at what was in front of her and as the train neared Canterlot, she continued to ponder the possible outcome in front of her.
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At the Canterlot Chronicle headquarters, Dirty Scoop and Dirty Laundry sat in their office looking over their notes for their soon to be published article about Twilight.
"Hey Scoop?"Dirty Laundry asked, catching his partner's attention. "Is it just me or am I starting to get second thoughts?"
"About what?" Dirty Scoop asked in a gruff voice. "That what we said about Princess Twilight wasn't entirely true? Maybe, but at the end of day, we're just doing our jobs."
"But do we have to do it at the expense of a pony's mental health?" Dirty Laundry asked, looking back down at his notes. "I mean, seeing you bring her highness down like that…it just doesn't seem right. What were we solving going after her so much?"
This made Dirty Scoop drop what he was doing and turn towards his partner. "What did you say?" He furiously asked, leaping out of his chair and slamming his partner against the wall of their office.
"I'm saying that there are lines that we should not have crossed," Dirty Laundry answered. "Did you see her highness being whisked away? Did you hear her crying out? I…I refuse to accept the fact that we witnessed it."
But Dirty Scoop merely smirked in sarcasm and dropped his partner on the ground. "Refuse to accept it?! You saw what happened, idiot! Seeing a story like that drives up the profits, and ponies are going to be buying this story left and right! We can't pretend we never wrote it or never saw what we clearly saw."
Releasing his grip on Dirty Laundry, Dirty Scoop watched him clatter onto the floor and stepped back, determined to stick to his guns. "Why must you be in such denial, Dirty Scoop?" Dirty Laundry questioned. "Tell me, why?"
Straightening his tie, Dirty Laundry kept a close watch on his partner as a knock on the door to their office was heard.
Opening the door, a reporter peeked into the office."Their highnesses are here, guys," he said. "Better get down to the conference room."
So, both unicorns proceeded to their hearing with one still in denial and the other wanting to set things right by any means.
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Making their way down to the conference room, the two colts stood in the doorway flanked by four of the building's security guards. Knocking on the door, Dirty Scoop and his partner awaited anxiously for the meeting to begin.
"Come in," Fair Press called and the two unicorns peaked through the doorway towards the conference room with its lights turned off, except for the table itself. "And take your hats off!"
Doing as they were told, they took off their hats and closed the door. They entered the room and approached their superior, the six princesses and the two former princesses seated with the other heads of the newspaper.
"Good day, your highnesses and gentlecolts." Dirty Laundry stammered in a low voice.
All Fair Press could do was look at the reports in front of him and shake his head in disappointment. "Do the both of you understand why you are here today?" He firmly asked, but the two colts didn't answer. "Well, do you?"
"Yes, yes, I think I do, Mr. Press," Dirty Laundry nervously replied. "It's because we harassed her supreme highness, Princess Twilight, over her restrictions meant to defend us from Grogar, and brought up things that were not the subject of that conference. I can assure you that…"
But Dirty Scoop was silenced from a raised hoof from Fair Press.
"I don't think we need to be reminded of that," Fair Press declared. "The both of you have been here before because of similar actions in the past, such as writing an article about a former princess who just happens to be with us today."
The two unicorns turned their attention over to Luna, who gave them both a scowl of personal disgust.
"I can assure you both that we, the heads of the Canterlot Chronicle, will not tolerate such conduct by our journalists," Fair Press remarked. "Your recent behavior at the royal press conference was not done with the respect of this organization. Do you deny it?"
"I do not deny it, sir." Dirty Laundry answered.
"I deny it!" Dirty Scoop coldly answered. "Because it's my opinion that the supreme princess is not fit for the throne! Not after what she's done!"
"Your opinion?" Celestia angrily asked. "I'll have you know that…"
"Celestia, not now!" Fair Press advised, motioning her to stand down. "Why do you deny your actions, Dirty Scoop?"
"Because a journalist has the right to say what he or she wants to say!" Dirty Scoop explained. "The public deserves to know that their ruler is doing these stunts for attention. And I believe that the killing of Hopper the Changeling justifies my beliefs!"
Suddenly, Twilight sharply rose from her seat in anger!
Dirty Scoop shot back. "I am sick to death at your incompetent leadership and the decisions you and your royal cronies display! You are not princesses fit to lead this kingdom into war!"
"So we would much rather surrender to Grogar?" Twilight asked. "Is that it?"
"We will not win this war with your leadership," Dirty Scoop declared. "Your actions have proven that."
"We weigh the pros and cons and make the best decision we can," Twilight remarked. "But you are right. My soldiers are not just soldiers. Yet they have put their trust in me. And I, not you, Dirty Scoop, command this army along with my friends."
"Now you hear me and you hear me well," Twilight continued after taking a deep breath. "You both may have had a point and I forgive you both. Maybe some of my actions were not the right call to make. But fighting me over them won't change them. It won't bring Hopper back from the dead."
"Dirty Laundry," Fair Press answered. "Out of the both of you, I see that you are remorseful for your actions, both involving Princess Twilight and former Princess Luna. To this end, you are to remain where you are, but you will undergo retraining in accordance with our policies."
All Dirty Laundry could do was sigh in relief at his second to Twilight and the others, he turned and left the room. Once both were gone, Twilight took a deep sigh of relief.
"Glad that's over," She sighed. "I hate to admit it, but they were right. I thought executing Hopper would send a message to our enemies, but what it really did was unnerve our allies. All I can do now is work to undo the damage."
"So, what else do we do besides that?" Spike asked Twilight.
"We move on towards preparing for the confrontation with Grogar," Twilight answered. "And whatever the consequences may be, we must be prepared to face them!"
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so the prisoner is like a game of chess to you,Twilight?
so murder a hapless prisoner to strike fear to the enemy is a right choice? wow,did she just commit a war crime?
so if you don't kill a prisoner,that meant you surender to Grogar,got it!
fighting over what? they just say their opinion,what others ponies/creatures do on their opinion is their own business,not your
ahh yes,silence the press
10896071
Literally can't add anything to this. You've captured my feelings on this chapter perfectly...
He's basically admitting that they were grifting.
Twilight has finally admitted to her mistake. But how much damage will it do before all's said and done?
Finally Twilight kind of just admitted to her mistake.
Though I wonder if the hearing there will backfire due to many ponies most likely siding with Dirty Scoop there.
Celestia, what Luna did was an accident.
So Celestia kind of need a bonk on the head for that.
Don't forget to mention Spike is there too.
I didn't know Spike was there too till he spoke at the end.
Till the end I thought Spike got excluded from the hearing, which would be a problem since he should be by Twilight's side due to being her Royal Advisor.
I wonder why didn't he make any articles on how Luna and Celestia kept failing when a bad guy attacks or purposely not helping?
Rainbow Dash's line literally confirmed the latter part in the season 9 premiere with Celestia and Luna(the latter presumable forced to stay out of it as shown in the season 3 premiere) purposely not helping in order to "train" Twilight.
Celestia needs to be called out on that, Luna's reputation can't handle it unlike her's due to Luna lost a 1000 years of ruling.
If a reporter like that was writing bad stuff about Twilight and the Tantabus incident with Luna, doesn't make sense for them to not be writing articles for all the failings the Royal Sisters suffered too. Especially with what happened in the movie and in the series finale.
Really, that damage Discord's plan had done to Luna and Celestia's reputations should be acknowledged there.
For Discord to know his plan done more damage than he thought while the sisters realizing the damage in the first place.
Especially for Luna's case instead of her ignoring/brushing it off.