No flashback this time, instead cutting back to Ponyville, where the Cutie Mark Crusaders are discussing the mystery of Rarity's sudden return the night before and her shut-in behavior since. Despite Scootaloo's hopes of shooting for investigation cutie marks, the others think it best to let Applejack know and let her take care of the rest.
Rarity is dealing with the situation in her usual manner, worried that she will have to close up shop and leave Ponyville before Twilight comes back and wants her gone again. AJ shows up and threatens to buck down her bedroom door before dragging the whole sordid story out of her over breakfast back at Sweet Apple Acres. Looking at it from the outside, Applejack notes that Shining Armor was far too visibly in love with Cadance to have poisoned her, and that Twilight no doubt regrets her words already- and then it's right back to the city.
Back in Canterlot, Applejack and Rarity rejoin Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy, and they are apparently the first ponies to bother checking Shining's office since his arrest. AJ finds a note Shining made on potential matches to the description given by the apothecary, with Dawn's name emphasized, and from there it's off to Celestia, who fills them in on Dawn's history with her. As is standard for these things, she blames herself for Dawn's apparent rampage, though Luna notes from experiences that one's sins are firmly on one's own head. Celestia finally realizes that Countess Mercedes was in fact Dawn, and Applejack rushes off to intercept her and Twilight.
At long last, we get a look through Shining's clouded eyes as Dawn's spell (taking the form of a Palette Swap of himself) weakens from disuse. One Battle in the Center of the Mind later, and he awakens to his cell and calls for help, for himself and Twily....
