Case #6: The Trial of Steel Wing (Part I of III)
Judge Celestia: Upon the Throne of Justice
Part 7: The Trial of Steel Wing (Part I of II)
Steel Wing was not really the proper name for the pony that stepped off the armored train in Canterlot. He walked uneasily, with crutches to aide his fragile front legs. The cracks that run up and down his body threatened to let him shatter if a strong wind tumped him over. He stutter-stepped while minding the gap, but made it onto the platform without incident. Heaving a breath, he looked up to see his recipients.
No less than forty armored guards stood in column-and-rank formation waiting for him. The train-bound guards gingerly undid the manacles on his back legs under Twilight Sparkle’s instruction. It was like handling a crystal wine-glass, or their mother’s finest china. Only the gentlest of touches would do. The train-bound guards freed Steel Wing and then returned to the armored car, their burden complete. Steel Wing looked at the Canterlot soldiers, each armed with a club or night stick instead of their usual spears. It would only take one good swing if things got out of hoof, and Twilight Sparkle would have to spend another year or so putting him back together. A clipboard was signed, salutes exchanged, and the armored herd split itself down the middle to receive the prisoner. He stood in the middle of the wary, angry group of ponies and they began their march down the street. As a cursory and rather symbolic gesture, a strong rope was put around Steel Wing’s neck in case he decided to bolt, or even fly. Not that the skeletal monstrosities on his back could lift him into the air, that is.
Twilight Sparkle got off the train next, bulging suitcase in tow. Shoving her way through the ranks she finally fell in beside Steel Wing. She offered him a kind smile, but his eyes were on the pavement. The purple mare glanced around. From every window and doorway ponies stood, curiously staring at them. Some shook their hooves and shouted obscenities, while others made sure to keep their foals back and out of sight. Who knew what the monster would do if some pony weaker than he got into his path? “We’ll be okay,” Twilight offered softly. The thrum-thrum-thrum of marching soldiers didn’t help to ease his mind. Steel Wing gave her a glance, but said nothing. The pavement hurt his hooves to walk on. Minding his crutches, Twilight murmured quiet encouragement to him as the palace crawled into.
“You’ll fry for what you did, monster! They’ll break you into itty-bitty pieces and scatter them in the wind! Luna is the best Princess! You’ll fry!” Somepony shouted at them from a rooftop, hurling a stone at him. Steel Wing looked up at the death missile with tiny pupils, mouth going agape. Twilight teleported two feet in a snap of instinct and the stone struck her in the side. She gave a yelp, feeling the bruise forming already. She smiled apologetically. She could’ve just... y’know, grabbed the stone with her magic, but she didn’t think fast enough. A pair of guards were already on the rooftop arresting the assaulting pony by the time the two of them looked up. Throw rocks at the Sun’s Favor’d Foal, would he?! They wrestled him to the roof’s shingles to put a wing-bar and chains on him. Steel Wing picked up the stone to look at it, but the nearby growl of several guards made him drop it again and wilt his ears. Twilight rubbed her side rather painfully, but seemed okay.
By the time they got to the palace, only a few more arrests were made. The hatred was palpable. Steel Wing only prayed nopony would try to tackle him. He would break like fine china and be no more. They passed under the grand arches and the drawbridge was raised, a rare event for Canterlot to see. But, this was important and every precaution was being seen to.
The high ceiling’d halls and stain-glass windows didn’t seem as friendly to Steel Wing anymore. He knew the shouters and angry ponies were right. He was here to be punished— more than likely to die. But, if they wanted to have due process it was the least he could do to stand there and take it like a stallion. The very least.
The golden double doors of the throne room rose up to meet them, and the forty guards filed in in groups of four, leading the prisoner in as they did so. Twilight looked about. All the pews and seating were empty, and a small handful of guards stood shoulder to shoulder between the throne and the accused. A phalanx formation. They’d spared no caution in this. They’d all read the reports and heard the stories. A pony so strong he could smash through a barrier not even mighty Celestia could? He’d be lucky if he could see Celestia directly, if she hadn’t been on a raised dais upon the throne.
Princess Celestia sat with a neutral frown, a rare expression indeed, on the golden throne. To one side stood a sandy-furred and orange-maned pegasus. Strange, thought Steel Wing. He wasn’t wearing a captain’s garb, but his helmet had not colored his mane like all the others. Usually all guards were supposed to look the same until they achieved rank. He must’ve been special somehow. The stallion next to Celestia scowled indiscriminately rather than holding his neutral guard expression.
“Stand in the circle here,” one of the guards bade Steel Wing. He lifted a crystalline hoof lightly, looking at the floor. The rug had been taken out and replaced with a rather advanced-looking magic circle. Twilight did not leave his side as they both stepped into it, and it flared to life with a pinkish light. It didn’t take Twilight’s supreme intellect to spot Shining Armor’s magical signature, but she did give a slight smirk. Her BBBFF could shield a city with his own will and magic— using a magic circle and shielding a small area would make said shield impenetrable. She looked around for a short time, but spotted his streaked blue mane in the crowd of armored ponies none the less.
“Be seated, all of you,” Celestia said, giving a light flick of her hoof. “Our prisoner shan’t escape this make-shift cell.” With some hesitation, the pews filled with armored ponies and soldiers, everypony on their haunches in case they had to spring into battle. Some of them even kept their clubs and night sticks in their mouths in case Steel Wing should spring out of the barrier like a Jack-in-the-box. Split second failures could topple nations. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, will you be seated as well?” Celestia asked rather than commanded.
“I’m here for the defense,” Twilight bowed deeply. “As Steel Wing may not be as deeply versed in law as some of the ponies present,” she paused to offer a coy smile, “And Equestria should have nothing if not fair trials under the law. I would like to volunteer to be his council and legal representative.”
“Very well,” Celestia murmured, “You are not a lawyer, Twilight Sparkle, therefore Steel Wing must give verbal consent before the court.” Her great head turned towards the accused, who wilted like her pink eyes might melt him on the spot.
“I consent,” he said after Twilight turned to look at him. “For legal counsel and representation.”
“Very well,” Celestia repeated. “You cannot claim a mistrial if you go this route. Do you understand?” she waited for him to nod. The dozens of soldiers present murmured darkly among themselves. “Order,” she said without passion nor tone. Instant silence. “We will wait until my sister Princess Luna arrives to begin, as she was the victim in this… series of events,” the white alicorn said delicately. “Noble Cause, please set up the stand for me?” she turned.
The small-winged pegasus nodded formally. Stepping down from the dais at Celestia’s side, he went to the corner of the room by a column. Reaching behind it he pulled a piece of furniture with wheels along. He positioned it next to the dais stairs to Celestia’s left, and locked the breaks so it wouldn’t roll away. Putting a raised chair in it, he tested to make sure it wouldn’t roll away and nodded a bit. Perhaps fifteen minutes of silence passed.
The white alicorn looked at Steel Wing with a mix of curiosity and revulsion, like a plague victim. It didn’t show on her face, but in her eyes. Only Noble Cause was close enough to see such details. Her eyes saw the past, during Steel Wing’s final moments:
Celestia stared as the strange creature teetered back and forth. She could see the massive cracks in his legs, along his barrel and in his face. Some sort of fleshy shell had been over him, but it was all but gone now. With a mix of pity and revulsion, she watched him try to stand over and over. Bits and chips of his legs kept coming off like so much slate stone. “What are you? Who are you?” she whispered, opening her wings in case it attacked.
It turned slowly, quivering all over with structural weakness. It made clinking sounds all over when it moved, like somepony was grinding glass with a mortar and pestle. “My name is… my name is…” he could speak, but it was broken and craggy. It gave up telling her his name when his front legs snapped off like brittle icicles. He fell forward onto his belly with an audible whimper, shaking like a leaf. “H-Help Luna...ah…” It fell face first, shattering into a million pieces like so much glass.
Help Luna, he’d said. Celestia blinked back to the present. Just then the massive doors of the throne room eased open. Princess Luna and only two lunar guards stood in the archway. Celestia straightened. Stepping forward at an even pace, Luna allowed the removal of many a helmet and the bowing of many a head as she passed. Even Twilight bowed as she approached. Steel Wing did his best with his crutches and shaking legs. Luna’s frown wasn’t pointed at anypony, but this was not a happy day. The nighttime Princess moved until she stood to Celestia’s right, at the plaintiff’s table. “Hullo,” she offered mildly, which made Celestia nod. Neither guard left her side, sitting idly less than five feet to either side of her.
“With all parties present, we will swear in,” Noble Cause announced. Going down the dais stairs he went to Princess Luna first. He lifted a hoof and she did the same. “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you Twilight?”
“Twilight?!” barked Twilight from where she stood. “Ponies DO THAT here?!” she said, face turning scarlet. She suddenly remembered herself, ruffling her feathers and scrunching her muzzle in embarrassment. She stared at the floor while Celestia actually cracked a smile. The newborn alicorn was going to be the most adorable rising power for centuries to come.
“Ahem,” Noble Cause said, shooting a look at Twilight before returning to Luna.
“I do,” Luna nodded solemnly.
Noble Cause nodded, marching over to the barrier that contained Steel Wing and Twilight Sparkle. He lifted a hoof. Steel Wing struggled for a few moments until Twilight leaned into him and supported his weight with her own. “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you Twilight?” he asked.
Steel Wing labored a hoof up thanks to Princess Twilight’s supporting his side. “I-I do,” he said.
Noble Cause stopped in front of Twilight with a puzzled expression. But there was nothing to be done about it. It was protocol. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you... you?" he asked. (The audience of soldiers had the good nature to chuckle just a little, as did Celestia. )
"Erm, so help me Celestia," Twilight amended, and that was good enough for Noble Cause.
Turning with a snap in his step, Noble Cause returned to his post. “Your Majesty this is case number 45109 in the matter of the Kingdom of Equestria versus Steel Wing. Parties have been sworn in you may proceed when ready,” he saluted when Celestia nodded to him. Returning to his post he let out a barely audible sigh. This wasn’t going to be pretty.
Celestia cleared her throat when she was ready to begin, setting a folder of paperwork aside. “Steel Wing, it is my understanding that Twilight Sparkle has reassembled your body after it shattered some time ago,” she began. “And that once you were reassembled it took Twilight several weeks to report to the proper authorities of these happenings.”
“Yes, your majesty,” Steel Wing said, “I basically had to learn to walk again. My body isn’t what it used to be.” He gestured mildly to his crutches.
“Twilight Sparkle, do you realize that you may be jailed for harboring a fugitive?” Celestia asked quietly. Twilight gaped at Celestia like she’d just been slapped. “Six weeks is a long time indeed for a such a pony to walk free with your knowledge.”
Twilight’s muzzle scrunched just a little, her eyes searching back and forth on a paper that wasn’t there. She coughed behind a hoof as she quickly regained herself. Spreading her wings in a rather bold way, the purple alicorn lifted a diplomatic hoof. “Princess Celestia, as I am an alicorn and stand among the top authorities of the nation of Equestria and all her holdings— being a princess myself— I find that one princess cannot jail another. Do you disagree?” There was some gasping in the audience. Noble Cause smiled with his eyes. They were testing each other. Feeling for strength.
“I do not,” Celestia said with a light smile. That was all she’d needed to hear. If Twilight was going to stand as Steel Wing’s defense, she could not fear her princess and former mentor. The simple act of argument was proof enough.
Luna shifted with a scowl, “Tell that to the history books.” Celestia had the decency to blush rather guiltily. Sealing one’s sibling in the moon… yeah… It hadn’t occurred to Celestia that Luna might pursue that in a legal fashion, but that was not for her to worry about today.
“Ahem!” Celestia embarassedly straightened once more, lifting her muzzle in a rather authoritative way. “Steel Wing, you are accused of the attempted assassination of one of the Princesses of Equestria, Princess Luna. You are accused of conspiring against the crown, aiding a former monarch to take the power of a foreign nation by force, and the injury of thirty-seven lunar guards of the night time court,” she glanced at the list in front of her for the number. “Among these crimes are grounds for life imprisonment, even execution,” Celestia struggled for a split second, for ‘execution’ was not a word spoken in her court more than once every decade or so. “In the interest of due process and a speedy trial you have been brought here today to answer for your crimes. With dozens of witnesses and a still-living victim the question of your innocence has already been decided. However, for the sake of protocol I am required to ask: How do you plead?”
“Objection!” Twilight reared up, wings wide and a mighty grin on her face. Celestia flinched at her bombastic outburst, but the purple alicorn was ready to lay down her master stroke right there at the beginning of the trial.
To be Continued...
End of Part 7
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Part I of II? But, it, cliffhanger, objection!
Can't wait for the next chapter.
thumped
_________
img1.derpicdn.net/img/view/2012/9/7/91963__safe_twilight+sparkle_parody_ace+attorney_phoenix+wright_objection_artist-colon-dethlunchies.jpg
Princess of Books is Best Lawyer.
If they're going to proceed as if Steel Wing is a person, with legal standing, then has it been around long enough to be tried as an adult?
5507657 No-- tumped. Tumped over. You tump over a trashcan and its contents spill out. Thumped is an automotopea, and shattering glass does not make a thump sound.
5507674
Ah! My mistake, honestly have never come across that word in anything I've read / heard of. But thump in an Onomatopoeia. Still good chapter, and I'm eager to see Twilight Sparkle kick some legal butt. Afte all, until he busted himself to save Luna, his actions that hurt her and others were forced upon him by Sombra. Thus since he wasn't in control of his mental faculties, nor his body, against his will. He can't legally be held responsible for what someponyelse did with his body. That and since when freed, he used his free will to save Luna. I'm cheering for Twilight.
Nice chapter. It's very interesting to see Twilight acting like Phoenix Wrigth.
Or maybe she should have replied:
"Fugitive? Oh, your highness, he wasn't a fugitive. He has been in my lawful custody, that is, custody of the Crown of Equestria, with the full knowledge and approval of said Crown," she gestured to Luna. "And I wasn't harbouring him, but merely preparing him for his trial, seeing that in his previous state he was completely unfit to stand trial. The moment I deemed him fully cognizant, despite being only semi-mobile, I arranged for a fully armed transport to this court."
Part of me wants to throttle you for ending it right there. The other half of me is slightly more mature and thinks the first half of me is about as patient as a dog with a steak dangled in front of it and should therefore shut up and wait.
So...If one of them should go on a genocidal rampage, the peasants there have to sit there and take it?
I thought that Steel Wing was a golem? Can he be held responsible when Golems don't have free will per say?
Princess Luna vs. Princess Celestia on charges of Unlawful Imprisonment - end result, nothing because Princess Celestia used a less-than-lethal weapon against her sister after she was attacked with lethal force and had no control over how that weapon would react to her sister. As they've used it before and it turned their target to stone, there was no way Celestia could know that it would react so violently to her sister's disharmony.
Case dismissed.
Doesn't it seem kinda spiteful for them to bring him back to life just to punish him or even kill him again? If Steel Wing is "executed" can't Twilight just put him back to together again?
5507863
Indead, I believe that attempting mass murder of the populace by way of eternal night would qualify as high treason, which even as a Princess, Luna should still be held accountable to.
5508099 Since Steel Wing is a magical construct the y could disspell the magic that makes him "alive".
5509265
4: the weapon kills it's wielder, at a pivotal moment. I'm pretty sure that's a bug, not a feature.
Uh oh... Twilight's counter to Celestia's first probe was horribly weak and ill-considered. "You can't do that to me, because I'm a princess," is tantamount to an admission of guilt. This does not bode well for Steel Wing's representation in this trial. What she should have said is this:
This is only the first of three parts, and already Celestia has made a mockery of due process and the rule of law, first by attempting to threaten the defence counsel and then by declaring summarily that the defendant is guilty, before the trial has even begun. By turning the proceedings into such a blatant kangaroo court, Celestia has undermined any trust in her ability to render fair judgement. Even if the Equestrian legal system does not require her to recuse herself from a case involving her own sister and herself, her clear, openly admitted prejudice against the defendant would be grounds to terminate the trial and restart the proceedings with a neutral judge.
And I'm off to pull up the cornered theme from Phoenix Wright. Brb
5511594
...damn. m.quickmeme.com/img/cf/cf4afac9410f7440943a70a7fdcaf7aac9a6adf2ef5d33e47cc94bafdbad2c88.jpg