Dimension Jumper

by redtau

Trial of a Dimension Jumper

The guards led me, through upper halls and past stately rooms. I had never had a good idea of where I was, only that I was in the dungeon of what I'd assumed was a large fortress. It was only now, walking past banners and tapestries, over plush rugs and dodging well dressed servants, that I surmised my location.

I was in the castle. Not the ruined one in the Everfree, though there were many familiar design elements. This must be the main castle in Canterlot. I was in the capital city, and had been the prisoner of royalty. I wondered if Princess Luna had been the one to carry me back, but dismissed it as unlikely as she had been asleep from the tea.

A few turns later and I was led into a courtroom. Not like the Day or Night Court of the castle, but more like a room for trial.The room was shaped like an operating theater, and noble ponies, families, and reporters filled the benches, their animated murmurs floating down to me. Before me were a panel of three judge ponies in black robes, one of each pony race. Above and behind them were two large thrones, both currently empty. Facing them were two tables. The one on the left had an legal looking pony frowning at me and waving towards a floor cushion. The one on the right had another lawyer pony and Twilight Sparkle. Between the tables was a witness stand, facing the judges.

I sat on the cushion and glared at the pony seated next to me. I had seen him before in the interrogation room twice, but I only now realized that he was to be my lawyer. He seemed about as happy with me as I was with him. He said something quietly to me, but it was gibberish. After a moment of waiting for a response he shook his head and sighed in frustration.

"LLA ESIR!" a guard pony called out. The murmuring of the audience stopped and everypony stood. My lawyer dug a hoof into my ribs to encourage me up.

I had only seen the pony who walked in as an image in a history book, but there was no mistaking her. Princess Celestia, draped in royal jewelery and wearing an aloof expression walked in and sat in one of the thrones. As she sat, we sat. The guard who had announced her began to speak.

"Gnitneserp eht Erutaerc sv eht Noitan fo Airtseuqe, segduj Thgiarts Ebircs, Koob Dnuob, dna Eselagel gnidiserp. Eht desucca si degrahc htiw neetneves stnuoc fo tfeht, enin stnuoc fo tluassa, dna eno tnuoc fo nosaert. Woh seod eht tnadnefed daelp?"

I could tell that last bit was a question, but it took a sharp prod from my lawyer before I realized it was directed at me. I stood. "What would you like me to say? I couldn't understand any of it."

"Tahw did ehs yas?" the pegasus judge asked. Princess Celestia raised an eyebrow.

The door to the court opened and Princess Luna strode in. Well, for the first few steps. Then she staggered slightly and leaned on the wall for support.

"Retsis!" Princess Celestia's face and voice were full of surprise and concern. "Uoy dluohs ton eb tuoba ni ruoy denekaew etas!"

I for one was happy to see the moon princess. "Luna, it's good to see you're alright."

Luna blinked at me. "Tahw did ehs yas?"

And that was the last straw. I was hungry, tired, emotionally scarred, and sick of it all.

"Of course you can't understand me." I groaned. Luna's horn glowed slightly as she carried herself to her throne. "Why would I expect you to understand me? It's not like anyone else can."

"Well now we-"

"I mean the spirit in my arm was my bucking translator. Even Twilight Sparkle figured that out when we first met. Of course then she shut it off in the hospital and tried to cut me up." I didn't notice the gasps from the audience above.

"Now wait just a-"

"And then I'm chased out of town and hounded by guards whenever I return. And I go through this whole long thing to get home using the Elements of Harmony and OF COURSE it doesn't bucking work.": I was waving my arms and ranting now.

"You tried to use the-"

"So I lost my only companions and I've been stuck in a glowing cell, which is DAMN hard to sleep in, for a week. All your guards have done is drag me about, shout questions at me, and knock me unconscious. You all treat me like I'm going to rip the castle to shreds if you blink."

"If you would just-"

"You insist on feeding me things I can't eat, ignore the fact that I have been SPEAKING GIBBERISH FOR DAYS and finally drag me into a courtroom? If this is Equestria's idea of justice then you can take the whole proceedings, all the guards, the doctor, the bucking idiot sandwich maker, and this entire trial and shove it right up your sun painted backside!"

"ENOUGH!"

Princess Celestia was standing at her throne glaring daggers at me, her face red with rage and embarrassment. Luna was shaking in fear.

No, wait. Not fear.

The moon princess pulled her hoof from her mouth and soft peals of laughter filled the court. "Ah hahahahaha. Tia, thou *snort* thou totally had that coming." There were more than a few guarded chuckles from the audience as well.

"Why did you choose now to speak?" My lawyer demanded angrily from me.

"The accused did not." The moon princess said. "I realized what was occurring and corrected it with a simple translation spell. Why was such a simple spell not cast before?"

"The creature had been noted as talking and understanding in all other records." The prosecutor said, referring to a thick folder of notes before her. "We assumed she was simply being stubborn." Next to her Twilight had the decency to look embarrassed.

"My little ponies," Luna addressed the court, "We are an alicorn of great power, and even we did not escape the touch of the Elements of Harmony unscathed. It was months before my power had returned enough that we might once more guide our moon." She grinned at me. "And our hair was hopeless at that time." She ran a hoof through her own ethereal locks, illustrating the point.

"Now that you understand us, this trial can begin properly." The unicorn judge said. "You are charged with seventeen counts of theft, nine counts of assault, one count of crimes against the nation of Equestria. How does the defendant plead?"

"Not guilty on all the theft, most of the assault, and somepony is going to have to explain the 'crime against the state' one to me."

"How are you not guilty of theft?" Twilight asked

"Hey, I borrowed those books properly." I retorted, "I even signed them out. They might be a little overdue, but there were SHIELDS keeping me from bringing them back!"

Twilight blushed again. "No, I mean you robbed a dozen stores from here to Appleoosa."

"I don't suppose anyone brought that box from the castle?" I asked looking at Luna.

"In truth, we have only recently regained consciousness." Luna said. "But we shall send pegasi guards to retrieve it."

"OK. The box contains a set of invoices." I waved to the judges. "You'll find that everything stolen was ordered by various ponies a day or two before, and paid for in advance."

My lawyer's mouth dropped. "You ordered and paid for the items you stole?"

"Then why steal them at all?" Twilight asked. "Why not just buy them?"

"Oh, that is a WONDERFUL idea." I said, sarcasm dripping in my voice. "Why, I can recall at least three such visits I made to Ponyville. You remember how well those went don't you?" The ice in my voice could have frozen a lake. Twilight grimaced and her ears laid back on her head. "Speaking of which, who do I talk to for compensation for that cart and supplies your guard shot up?"

"These invoices cover everything that was stolen?" The pegasus judge asked, dodging my question.

"Everything." I said. "The box the invoices are in also contains the library books and a few other treats. It was intended as a going away present. I staged the thefts to build myself up as a villain in the eyes of the Element Bearers."

"We shall reserve judgement on those thefts until we have the invoices." The unicorn judge said. "As for the assault charges."

"The only ponies you can think I assaulted are Scootaloo, Twist, that pegasus bully, and the Gryphon Elna. Anyone else is lying or just frightened by the sight of me."

"Then how do you explain the other four?" the earth pony judge asked.

"Scootaloo was running from me and fell off her scooter. I was trying to catch her when she fell." There was a gasp from the audience, and I looked up, easily spotting the beautiful Rarity. Her hoof was to her mouth in shock, and realization flooding her eyes. Next to her, Pinkie Pie was whispering to Rainbow Dash, and I could see a slow realization crossing her face as well. "Twist I saved after pulling her from the belly of a giant timber wolf. One I accidentally created while trying to defend some of the Ponyville town guard. The bully I just frightened, but I never touched."

"Why?" The prosecutor asked. Now that I could talk, it seemed everyone had questions.

"They beat up Ditzy Doo." I said.

Twilight looked confused. "No they didn't."

"Oh come on," I said, "On the day your guards chased me out of town and broke my wagon, I saw her crying in a back alley covered in purple bruises."

"That was poison joke." Twilight said. "Those bullies had dropped a whole barrel on her."

I must have looked really confused at that point. "Those were just purple dots....but poison joke should be simple to cure. I mean, I got it my first day into town and was cured in a few hours." My face got a darkened look. "Which reminds me, I heard she was FIRED from her job just for the minimal interaction I had with her!"

"She was your spy!" Somepony from the audience called.

"I will not treat any pony who associates with such monsters as you in MY spa."

"Order!ORDER!" The earth pony judge called. "The defendant will explain!"

"I met Ditzy Doo on my first day in town. When I met her again later that day, she was being harassed by bullies. No one else stepped forward to defend her, so I did." I grinned, "I gave them a bit of a verbal smack down."

"Liar!" "Traitor!" There was a few other calls from the audience, then a couple of shocked cries. Aloe, Lotus, and a half dozen others lifted from their seats in the audience and floated down to the court floor in a golden glow. If Princess Celestia had been upset with me, she was furious at her subjects.

"Guards, please escort these ponies to holding cells." The Princess said, a dangerous edge in her voice. "When this trial is over, I shall need to have....words with them." I saw every one of the assembled ponies shudder at that pause.

"You still have not explained the gryphon." The prosecutor pointed out.

"Oh I'm definitely guilty of that." I said, accepting my fate. "I broke her wings and leg. I dragged her to the Ponyville hospital afterwards, but I still attacked her."

"We beleive that thy actions were done in self defense." Princess Luna announced. "We have seen the scars your assailant left on the wooden clothing dummy she thought was you. Thy home had been invaded, and the gryphon gave no warning nor quarter in her assault."

"Thank you Princess Luna." I said. Then a thought hit me. "The crime against the state isn't for poisoning her is it? Because I did not do that either."

"Now wait one minute." Applejack called from the audience. "Ya said ya did right before we used the Elements against ya."

"She had drunk too much of my relaxation tea and passed out. I had spent all that time and effort painting myself as a villain so you would blast me with the Elements of Harmony. I couldn't give it all up by saying 'Oh gosh, thank goodness you are here! The Princess has accidentally poisoned herself and need medical attention immediately!' It would have ruined weeks of work and planing." I shrugged, "Not that my plans worked anyway."

"My sister's illness, though grave, is not upon your head." Princess Celestia announced to the court. "Your charge of crime against the state has to do with your collaboration and binding with the Nightmare and your failed plan to steal the Elements of Harmony."

"I wasn't planning to steal them." I countered, "I wanted to be banished by them. Home for me isn't someplace you can walk, swim or fly. I got here by extraordinary means, and I had intended to return and take the Nightmare with me." I held my left arm high so that everypony could see the scars on my wrist where D's crystals had been. "Instead, I banished my spirit companion, the companion in my right arm, and the Nightmare."

"Oh," My lawyer shuffled through the papers before pulling out a large glossy photo. "I guess you didn't understand me when I told you yesterday."

The photo was of me, passed out on the floor of the doctors office. My back bore all the expected scars but what caught my attention was the huge tattoo that spanned from shoulder to shoulder. Six black symbols in the shape of the Elements of Harmony were spread out, each contained in a black circle, Thick black lines connected each element's circle to the two closest to it.

In the center of the hexagon, in a blue so dark I thought it was black, was the mark of the Nightmare. The same mark that had scared the moon for a thousand years now marked my own skin.

Author's Note:

The trial has begun. Who can say what the verdict will be?
As always thumbs, comments and constructive criticism are welcome.
There may be minor edits and corrections will be ongoing to improve story flow.

Comments

[nighters]

so all her friends are just sealed in her body? thank goodness!! i thought they died! happy and glad but still this trial is gonna get ugly!

[Dragonfox]

Wow! Now things are cumming out. I can't wait to see the conclusion of the court. I wait in grate anticipation, for the next Chapter. Keep up the grate work you are doing whit this story. I hope to see the next chapter soon.

Dragonfox

[Max Caulfield]

YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! *gasp* YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! ( It may be hard to tell, but I am happy about what is currently happening...)

[Max Caulfield]

3032893 *Coming *grate *grate *grate *with

You're welcome!

[Vates Despero]

Treason, the thing you can't commit against a country you are not a citizen of.

[Dawn Darkling]

3034906
Methinks you fell for it.
He's been doing it for several chapters now.