The girls returned to the library to hatch a plan in earnest now that they had some focused perspective. After some hours the night crawled into the early morning, and they had solidified what they meant to do. While they were going to attempt to make an appeal on Adam's behalf they decided that if things didn't go well they would resort to the Doctor's plan. Twilight composed a letter and left it for Spike to deliver as soon as he awoke. The others also made the necessary preparations for an emergency trip: Fluttershy leaving extra food for her animals, and the others leaving notes to their various ponies, whether siblings or employers. At a little past two in the morning they went to the railway station, eager to catch the first scheduled train to Canterlot. After some listless napping and a few more hours passing, the five o'clock train was ready and waiting.
"Most be somethin' serious," the conductor exclaimed when he arrived at the station to see six mares already awaiting him, "Hopefully nopony died or nothin'". They paid their hard earned bits, and were on their way in a matter of minutes. The temptation to sleep was great and one after the other the Elements dozed off in their seats, as the gentle movement of the train rocked them each to a blissful slumber.
Twilight was awoken by the sound of Pinkie excitedly exclaiming, "We're almost there; just a tiny few more minutes!" Stretching her forelegs and yawning a little, she glanced out the railcar window to her left. There they were: the shining spires of Canterlot, her first city. Though Ponyville was now her home she still held great affection for the resplendent capital. It was just a little afternoon judging by the angle of the sun: the express tickets they had all purchased had seen to the conductor going full steam, cutting down the usual half day journey to almost eight hours.
"Do I really have to stay behind," Rainbow Dash asked again in frustration.
"It's for the best," Twilight replied, "We don't know if Bunsen Burner still wants you for your connection to Adam, and you don't have the immunity that I do, so it's best if Rarity and Pinkie stay with you until we're all ready to move together to get him out."
"Like I need defending," the pegasus grumbled.
Applejack gave her a sideways smirk, "We'd rather not hafta go in and break out another friend on top of all the others we've already gotta wrangle, 'specially if you went in with your usual method'a diplomacy."
"What's that supposed to mean," she asked indignantly.
" 'Kickin' down the front door and takin' names isn't quite gonna work here," the earth pony replied bluntly.
"Cooler heads do need to prevail for the moment, Rainbow Dash," Rarity declared as she put a hoof on her friend's shoulder, who looked at her with a grumpy expression, "Your passion is appreciated, but needs to be channeled at the right time and in the right place."
The pegasus grumbled to herself about 'passion' and something about where it could be stuck, but Pinkie abruptly interrupted, "While we're on Dashie Duty can we do some reconnaissance at Donut Joe's? We need to be sure that we're in the best condition possible, and that doesn't happen on an empty stomach!"
"Canterlot Station in five minutes," the PA system said in the conductor's calm voice, "Canterlot in five minutes. Please begin gathering your things and be seated. You will be allowed to exit the compartment when the train has come to a full stop."
After they had each grabbed some belated breakfast and wake-up coffee, the Elements split as they had planned. Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight briskly made their way to the upper terrace, each contemplating what exactly they meant to say, and their mutual fatigue making them all quiet. At long last they arrived. Canterlot Square, the most central hub of the upper terrace, where all government buildings were located, the most important of which being the Houses of Lords and Common-ponies, and of course Canterlot Castle. An enormous fountain sat in the center of the square, it's streams serenely shooting up to the sky to trickle back down over the shape of a featureless Earth Pony statue.
Twilight glanced once to each of her present friends, asking, "We ready?"
Fluttershy, with a rare certainty in her voice that neither of her friends could recall she'd last had, said, "We are."
"Ready as we'll ever be," Applejack said after she'd gotten over her initial surprise, "Let's storm these gates!"
"Asking politely is more likely to help you get your audience, though," the guard nearest the front doors to the castle declared, a slight smile on his face as the girls realized he'd been listening, "Welcome back, Twilight Sparkle. Princess Celestia is expecting you in the Proclamation Chamber."
Twilight lifted a hoof and nodded, "Thank you, sir."
The three were ushered into said chamber a few minutes later by a set of guards, who quickly excused themselves and returned to the antechamber outside. While they had been to this part of the castle many times before, Fluttershy and Applejack couldn't help but once again gaze up at the many stain glass windows, each depicting an important moment in Equestrian history. Discord's defeat, the First Golden Diarchy, the Rise and Imprisonment of Nightmare Moon, the brief Rise and Dissolution of the Solar Empire, the Redemption of Princess Luna, and the Reimprisonment of Discord.
"Ah'm definitely never gonna get used to seein' muhself up there," Applejack muttered.
"Me either," Twilight and Fluttershy replied nearly in unison.
As they approached the thrones set up at the front of the vast chamber, Twilight was happy to see her mentor there waiting for them. She was however surprised that Princess Luna's seat was vacant, as she had asked for both of their presence in this matter. Twilight stopped just in front of the first step to the two thrones and bowed, her friends following suit, "Princess Celestia."
"Twilight," she said with her usual sense of warmness, "I'm happy to see you again, but am somewhat surprised at the immediacy of this visit. Spontaneity is unlike you!" She got up from her throne and descended the stairs to meet Twilight, "Are you alright? You seem troubled."
"I know this was relatively sudden," Twilight exclaimed, "but I feel I must speak to you about yesterday, specifically about Adam."
The Princess took note that the friends her student had brought were the Elements of Kindness and Honesty. It didn't take much thought to understand why they were here, even if Twilight hadn't just told her.
"Where is Princess Luna, by the way," Twilight asked as she looked around.
"She's currently assisting with defensive efforts, and won't be able to join us," the Princess replied, before looking at her student with the same type of melancholic expression she'd shown the day before, "I know you mean to see the good in all things and peoples, just as I taught you: the risk to the herd if the Ruined truly are returning though is too great. The threat they could pose, not just to us but to all nations, is too great to be ignored." Realizing her wording and seeing the slightly hurt look on her student's face, she backtracked however, "I didn't mean to imply you aren't taking this seriously, Twilight. Forgive me."
"It's alright, Princess," Twilight said with a small sigh, "and I have to admit that I was beginning to think similarly on how the Ruined should be approached last night, that is until Spike helped remind me of something. Do we truly act against an individual for the supposed sins they share with their race because we expect, without evidence, that they will act the same way? Spike is different from other dragons, and if nothing else I believe Adam is different from the Ruined, and not just myself, but my friends as well."
"Yer Majesty," Applejack interjected, "Ah understand what may have happened yesterday doesn't match with our description of him, but we each had moments where we were present with him, and he never once acted with hostility. Tempers' are bound tah flare when it feels like somepony's out tah get you, and while Ah know that's not much excuse for what Ah'm told he did, how he acted wasn't how he usually is."
"I understand you want him to be innocent," the Princess said with a sigh, "but the evidence as it stands alone is enough to keep him under observation, even if he were a pony. Assaulting a government agent is a serious crime. Then on top of that the possibility that he kidnapped Ms. Heartstrings, and he could be in custody for some time." She paused in thought for a moment, nodding her head a little as she verbalized, "Still, your example regarding Spike does hold merit. If we could be certain he is different from the Ruined and that he poses no threat he could be released, that is if he is eliminated as an abduction suspect and his case for assault looked over by a magistrate."
"Your Highness," the once quiet Fluttershy spoke up, a determination in her eyes, "Given the implication of who he is, could you be so certain there would be a juror in Equestria who would judge Adam's case impartially? I work with animals, and I have seen kind, wonderful creatures be mistrusted and feared because of their nature, their reputation, or for what they eat. If we can't even be objective with our friends in the animal kingdom, how could we offer him such an impossible chance? Furthermore, as stated in the Dawn Compact section, 'Regarding Unrecognized Species', I quote: "Any representative of a heretofore uncontacted species that can prove itself sufficiently aware will be granted the most basic of earthly rights, that is to be granted the most basic form of citizenry and asylum in the country they choose to live, to seek and obtain legal counsel in any foreign nation, to be presumed innocent until proven their guilt, to defend their reputation and life, and to be able to, without obstruction, live in peace with their fellow kindred of all races, so long as they do not bring to harm any of said kindred."
She pointed her hoof at the Princess, "You accepted that Adam was sufficiently aware when you agreed to help him, and though you may not have intended for it to be so, Adam's right of innocence has been violated in regards to his association with the Ruined, and it was only after provocation that he assaulted a government official. A trial for his tangible crimes can come when there is ample evidence, but if nothing else we'd like to visit our friend, please."
The room was silent for several seconds, as more than one set of eyes looked at the yellow pegasus for her surprise defense of the accused. The only thing that moved during that time was Princess Celestia's mane, waving idly across unseen currents. She then blinked, her head craning back slightly as she absorbed the entirety of the argument.
After a moment or two the Princess nodded, "You're all too right, Fluttershy. I have made a mistake, but perhaps here we can take the first step towards correcting it." She smiled, "Thank you for helping me find the right perspective, all three of you. I will send for a guard to take you to meet with your friend."
Twilight, still slightly bewildered by what had just happened, nodded stiffly and absently replied, "Thank you, Princess."
"Now then, there are some still outstanding issues that must be taken care of regarding this matter," she said as she rose and left the room by way of a side door near the throne, "I must speak with Luna and my councilors. Farewell for now."
As the promised guard escorted them out of the room, Applejack looked over to Fluttershy and exclaimed in shock, "Where'd you learn somethin' like all'a that? When-"
"Twilight's not the only one who reads in her free time," Fluttershy replied with a small smile, to which the purple unicorn cocked her head and chuckled a little.