Having taken the last bite of your dinner, you gently lift the plate and head to the kitchen sink. You usually stay at your aunt’s house during school nights, as your parents are too busy to take care of you. But you’ve been here for four hours now and found no sign of your aunt or her roommate. Their dog, Simple, has followed you the entire time, looking more than a little worried. You walked him, fed him, did your homework, fixed your own dinner, ate, and have now finished cleaning up.

Normally you’d find a note in the kitchen if something was wrong. But searching high and low revealed nothing.

You have no idea what most of that means, but you do recognize The Crystal Empire. Such a place is far to the north and out of your reach. Even if you went by train, you have no money. Train tickets cost money, after all.

Tootsie: Hello? I hope it’s okay that I walked home from school by myself. Usually somepony picks me up. But you weren’t there. Hello? Lyra? Aunt Bon-Bon? Simple, do you need to go out? And your bowls are empty. What’s going on here?

Bon-Bon: Ugh! Lyra! You’d better not have gone to the human world!

Bon-Bon: Still no word on Lyra…

Bon-Bon: As unlikely as I thought it’d be, I looked anyway. Nothing.

Bon-Bon: What kind of emergency would have made her do that? And to leave without telling me? No. That can’t be it…

Bon-Bon: I’m going to look back through her blog. Maybe she mentioned something.

Bon-Bon: Okay. So, Lyra never came home yesterday. And originally I was really angry because I figured she went drinking. But I-I went to work and came home. And then I searched all over town and I can’t find her anywhere. Nopony’s seen her. If anypony knows anything, please let me know. I’m very worried.

Champagne: Tootsie, have a seat.

Liza: Yes sir.

Champagne: Let me make one thing perfectly clear. Your mother and I will not support you financially forever. We couldn’t if we wanted to. And we don’t. We have meticulously plotted out your course, from education to business owner; president of a major floral production corporation. You have a very bright future ahead of you. Your mother and I have assured that.

Liza: Yes sir…

Champagne: But… None of that amounts to anything if it’s not what you want.

Liza: S-sir?

Champagne: You will not abandon the path we have set for you. Not yet. There are opportunities available now that cannot be wasted by indecision. You will continue your studies, as we have assigned, until you graduate from high school. After that, the future is yours to decide. The only thing I require is that you stand on your own four hooves. I will not have my only daughter scraping to make ends meet. Do you understand… Liza?

Liza: Yes sir! Thank you, daddy!

Champagne: I love you. Now run along and play.

2) Bon-Bon: Not oooooohhh! Sssshhhhhh! I never should have started responding to these!

3) Bon-Bon: Stop it! I want her to be happy! He makes her happy!

4) Bon-Bon: If you asked her, she’d say no. But I also heard her say once when she was drunk that she used to have a crush on Gilda.

Bon-Bon: And don’t repeat any of this to her! Please!

1) Bon-Bon: She didn’t used to be… She was a dreamer. Then when her dreams came true she just assumed that’s how life is supposed to be. And that we all have the same dreams.

2) Bon-Bon: Of course I do. She knows I do. But she doesn’t feel the same way… And as long as she’s in a relationship, there’s no way that will change.

???: Bonnie! Sister! Good afternoon! Good to see you!

Bon-Bon: Hello, Ribbon. Why the fanfare? Liza! Your mom’s here!

Ribbon: What? Can a mare not be pleased to see her sister well?

Bon-Bon: Not usually, no.

Ribbon: I’m sorry. Is this not a good time? I thought we might speak for a bit since…

Bon-Bon: Since Lyra went to Canterlot for the weekend. But you already knew that, didn’t you.

Ribbon: Guilty as charged! Ah haha! Hello Tootsie! MmmMM! Go wait in the carriage please. Such a good filly! Ah ha… [Clearing throat] Yes, well. Since I knew you’d be alone this weekend, I thought “What an excellent time this would be for my dear, dear sister to make a new friend!”

Bon-Bon: You didn’t.

Ribbon: They’re waiting behind the carriage!

Bon-Bon: Rebecca! You brought some stranger to my house?! Get rid of him!

Ribbon: Her! It’s a her! I know you like mares so it’s a filly this time!

Bon-Bon: Get rid of them!

Ribbon: Bonnie, if you’d just-

Bon-Bon: NOW!

Ribbon: [Sigh] Very well, Bonnie. As you wish.

Bon-Bon: [Incomprehensible muttering] Don’t believe this…

Ribbon: There. I hope you’re pleased with yourself. She wasn’t exactly easy to find. Somepony, a single mare your age no less, willing to come all this way for somepony she’s never met.

Bon-Bon: That’s because it’s ludicrous! What’s wrong with you?!

Ribbon: Wrong with me? I have a ten-year old daughter and my big sister has yet to be in a serious relationship! A mare of your stature living with a-a roommate! All that I can do to dance around the subject in conversation!

Bon-Bon: Excuse me?! I work forty-plus hours a week and still spend more time with your daughter than you do!

Ribbon: Exactly! You could be the name in confections for all of Equestria! Instead you waste away in this-this three bedroom/two bath outhouse with that-that vagabond, gypsy… Drifter!

Bon-Bon: … What did you say?

Ribbon: She won’t stay here, Bonnie. It doesn’t matter how you feel about her! She won’t stay here forever! It’s not in her nature. Not in her lower-class upbringing! She’s a-

Bon-Bon: I swear to Celestia-if you call her a street urchin one more time.

Ribbon: You’re better than this! Better than her!

Bon-Bon: Get out of my house!

Ribbon: Does she even love you back-?

Bon-Bon: I SAID GET OUT!

[BLAM!] [Locking mechanism]

Bon-Bon: … [Sniff] … [Sob] … [Sniff]…

B: You can’t do anything about it anyway. Maybe nopony can.

B: Nightmare Moon was a mere ten generations ago, yet it was reduced to legend. Myth. Chrysalis, Discord, Sombra, Tirek- Ponies might be aware of Tartarus, but if they really knew what it housed? And all that pales in comparison.

B: Fear. Fear breeds panic. Panic breeds fear. And it all just makes things easier for them. Fear gives them opportunity. Panic and it’s already too late. Too late for you. Too late for your family. Too late for your friends.

B: Control, sedation, peace- Peace above knowledge. Peace above fairness. Peace above happiness, if necessary. It’s the only way we’ve slowed them this much.

B: Altering minds? We should be so lucky. Those involved are completely aware. Struggling for an eternity until there’s no will left to fight. Then watching in horror. Helpless against forces beyond their control, without so much as the strength to call out. To end their own suffering. To prevent the suffering they will soon cause.

B: And yet you ask, like a brave little foal. As though knowledge will somehow protect you. And I say to you again…You have no idea what fear is. If you did, it would already be too late.

B: You still don’t get it, do you? They know who you are. They were watching you. They were the ones that took your house. They know what you can do and they can track you. Any ace-in-the-hole you could have provided is gone, if it ever safely existed.

B: This is not something one pony can solve.

B: Consider your residence back under your ownership. Any animals that were once there are not any longer. No traces of any chemicals were recovered either. No obvious structural damage was reported, but if you find any it will not be covered by the Equestrian government as you were not a taxpaying citizen at the time of the incident.

B: You are not to be found in the sole possession of any unapproved creatures from this day forward. You are not to be found in the sole possession of any unapproved chemicals from this day forward. No structure under your ownership is to be found trapped or enchanted from this day forward. You are not to be found preforming magical experiments outside of designated, government-funded facilities from this day forward.

B: I can reveal very little about the operation and it’s results. Something happened, which resulted in something happening. The building and it’s surrounding area are now considered safe for entry. I would recommend, however, that you choose to live in a more populated area for safety’s sake. But that is legally up to you.

S: [Audible sigh] Well, now that he’s gone, allow me to try and re-record this.

S: I, of course, meant no offense to you as a pony. You were merely preforming your job, as was described to you, and to the best of your ability, I’m sure. However, that does not alter the facts that lay before us. The very formation of the group you belonged to was a horrible idea, even for its time. It was unregulated and lead to a number of other, similar organizations as members came, went, and continued their work elsewhere. The repercussions of which are the subject that began this very dialog. It was a immeasurable breach of security and due to its goalless, unguided nature yielded little to nothing of practical value by its eventual and merciful closure.

S: It was a large expenditure at its time and a failure overall. By today’s standards, it was downright criminal (speaking from a legal position, of course). Tens of thousands of bits are spent annually to this day in efforts to recover the dangerous, inefficient, and sometimes incomplete spells produced and distributed during that time. I can only assume its founding and operation was a combination of misinformation and numerous oversights. However, that is not the subject of this discussion and I only add such a digression in direct reply to your notably defensive comment. I mean you no disrespect, but this was most certainly not “necessary at the time.”

S: As a potential legal witness, I’m going to pretend I never read that second paragraph, as there is very little contained within that is not incredibly illegal. It also does not touch upon the only subject I requested information on; the act of entering. You only mentioned exiting during an automatically activated emergency (which, to me, sounds like a fire escape hazard for a single resident). At this particular moment, I’m lead to believe your residence was seized due to the contents found within, which would make it very difficult to overturn. As vague as you were, these are not things meant to be under the ownership of a single, unregulated individual in an isolated environment.

S: However, either before, during, or after his rather large, loud, and considerably vicious rant, B relayed that he still required some sort of timetable for this series of events. Did it happen a month ago? Possibly a year? Several years? He considered this of at least moderate importance from his tone. I had difficulty following his somewhat unexplored line-of-thinking, so I myself cannot explain exactly how or why this may be of value. But, regrettably, I would consider whatever he may have in mind your most likely chance of recovering your home at this particular juncture. My condolences in that regard.

S: “Spell Creation Team”? Why, Equestria hasn’t funded anything that bloated and directionless since-

B: Nevermind. Get on with it.

S: Right then. I’m afraid I will have to request further clarification if I’m to be of any assistance. You see, there are certain methods of home defense that are considered unsafe and excessive. If your residence possessed any such instance… there is little that can be done. If you are worried about the security of the structure, then you may indicate so and I will keep such a message from the public eye.

B: Alternately, I need to know when this happened, who exactly you contacted, and how you contacted them.

S: Alternately? Are you insinuating that one ideology is to be chosen over the-?

B: Just answer the questions and then you can get back to your political whatever.

S: As much a delight as ever, I see.

S: That certainly does not sound like proper procedure, but perhaps the answer lies in the question: How exactly was your front door not accessible via “normal methods”?

S: Further, did you ever contact Canterlot directly about this issue? I feel there’s a detail obscured somewhere in all of this.