I had calmed down considerably after a hot bath back at the hotel. Dash was finishing up with my mane while Fluttershy gave my wings a quick once-over to ensure I looked presentable at Soarin’s bail hearing.
“There, you look good as new,” Dash said. She put the brush down and stepped back so I could see myself better in the mirror.
My mane had grown longer in the time I had been female and I enjoyed how it looked when freshly combed. The light blue highlights peeked through the yellow hair and I smiled, assured I looked well enough to appear in court.
“Thanks Dash, Fluttershy, it means a lot.” I gave a slight smile that barely lifted the corners of my lips. I was still trying to distance myself from what had happened and think about it in my mind one small piece at a time.
“There’s one other thing…” Dash made eye contact with me before speaking again. “When we get back to Ponyville you should talk to a Doctor about what you’re going through.”
I sighed and nodded. “I guess that’s a good idea, we’ll see how I feel when I get back.” I had avoided professional help so far and had no desire to have someone poking around inside my mind. There was a pretty bad track record to back up my dislike of people knowing my inner thoughts.
“We’re not asking,” Fluttershy said. I turned to look at her but she fell silent, just giving a gentle smile and a pat on my wing as she finished with it.
“If you want to have a deeper relationship with us you need to accept we’re partners in this. You can’t go around deciding what's best for yourself and ignoring everypony else anymore. We love you Dawn, and if you keep what you’re going through to yourself the next unlucky stallion that sets you off might not be so lucky… and if you love us you need to get better to ensure you’re not taken from us and sent off when someone else decides you need help for you,” Dash explained.
There wasn’t much for me to say and I choked back some tears. They were right and I was lucky to be off the hook this time, perhaps I needed help more than I realized. I definitely didn’t want to get thrown in the looney bin and maybe having someone paid to listen to me complain for a few hours a week would help.
“I’ll do it, I don’t want to lose either of you.” I wrapped a foreleg around each one of them and gave a big group hug. They were quick to return the hug and we waited there a few moments as my mind wandered back to the alley. The part of the whole ordeal that scared me the most wasn’t that I’d been threatened, it was that I lost control and took my anger out on the mugger… and I enjoyed it.
My friends and I met up at the courthouse before heading inside. The bail hearing was a simple affair, as Twilight had kept assuring me. Only a heartless judge would give a violent offender bail in front of the victim of said crimes.
“Okay, Dawn, this is your lawyer. He’s highly recommended by Celestia,” Twilight explained. “Swift Justice, this is Dawn.”
I eyed him from head to hoof, my teeth grinding a little. He was larger than me, as most stallions were now. His coat was brown and his mane black, with a white highlight. The unicorn had the scales of justice as a cutie mark, and if cutie marks were proof of skill, I’d take that over a gavel or book any day. Within a few breaths I had fought back my urge to be distrustful and on-guard.
“Nice to meet you.” I shook his hoof quickly and let go.
“Now the hearing will start in five minutes. Once we’re inside, it’s crucial you don’t speak to the judge unless he addresses you. And whatever you do, do not rise to any insults, accusations, or other shenanigans the defense may pull. If they can get a rise out of you to create a little disorder in the court it will distract the judge from the matter at hoof.”
I nodded and caught myself at the end of a long yawn, blushing a little as I looked down. “Sorry, it’s not you… I didn’t get much sleep.”
“Don’t worry about it. I found precedent to have your arrest record sealed and with any luck, the defense won’t be able to find out about it and use it against you.”
“I appreciate the gesture, but since when have I been lucky?” I asked.
“Well there was the time you beat me in a race, or the time you beat Fluttershy at a quiet contest,” Dash stated.
“Oh,” Pinkie added. “Don’t forget the night we played monopony and twister!”
I shook my head and looked down, but let out a giggle anyway. Of all the times to bring up something silly like that, of course Pinkie would do it now when I needed it most. “Thanks, Pinkie.”
“It’s time to go in, we’ll all be sitting in the row behind you but there is an extra seat in the front row for Dash or Fluttershy,” Twilight explained.
I looked at the two of them wondering which to choose. I wasn’t sure if Dash would be holding me back, or I’d be holding her back, from beating the crap out of Soarin. And I wasn’t sure Fluttershy would be strong enough to hold either of us back. Fortunately for Soarin, the lawyer did just tell me not to cause a ruckus in the middle of a courtroom. It didn’t take a genius to know how that would end up.
“It’s okay,” Fluttershy said. “Dash can sit with Dawn.”
“Thanks,” I replied. The lawyer was first into the courtroom and Dash and I followed him in. It was my first time in a courthouse of any kind and this room seemed to be made of polished darkwood. There were three rows of benches on each side of an aisle, as well as some chairs and tables for the defense and prosecution.
The only pony in the room presently was a burly Earth pony in a uniform, who I figured must be the bailiff. He looked like I’d expect a football linebacker to look if one was turned into a pony. My gaze quickly went to the chairs set out for us. I followed Dash and took the middle seat on the right side, with the lawyer sitting between me and the aisle.
The bailiff waited until everyone was seated and turned to the door behind him and walked through. He walked out with a couple ponies following him.
The temperature seemed to drop and my muscles tensed up as I saw Soarin led in by the bailiff. He was wearing an orange prison uniform that seemed to wrap around his torso and wings, appearing more a restraint than a fashion statement.
Before I could look away he glared right at me. I felt pain in my teeth and I bit down and tensed up further, refusing to look away. I didn’t want him to think I was scared of him and given the chance, I felt it was him who should be scared of me. My body however disagreed, wings trembling slightly, as I felt Dash’s hoof on my side.
The tense moment lasted until Soarin reached his seat and sat down, breaking eye contact. I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding and relaxed my muscles, smirking slightly. He hadn’t broken me and now he knew it. More importantly, now I knew it. For one tense moment I had stared him in the eyes and not backed down.
“All rise for the honorable Judge Gavel,” the bailiff shouted.
I got to my hooves and looked to the door opening on the left, seeing one of the oldest ponies I had met since Granny Smith walk in. He had grey fur and white hair, with a gavel cutie mark. The judge was a unicorn, and I had to wonder exactly how old ponies lived to. Without a hint of color left in his mane or fur I was guessing like one hundred fifty or something.
“Take your seats,” The Judge said.
After everypony had sat down, I slid a little closer to Dash and held onto her foreleg. The room was too cold and imposing, making me feel small. Perhaps it was because less than a dozen ponies were in a room meant to seat four times that alongside a jury. Perhaps it was because it was my first time at a court of any kind.
“Let’s keep this brief, mares and gentleponies,” Judge Gavel stated. “The defense has requested that bail of five hundred thousand bits for Soarin be waived and Soarin allowed bail of his own recognizance. Is that correct?”
“Yes, your honor.” My gaze drifted to the defense lawyer who seemed scruffy. His mane, coat, tail, they all just looked slightly frizzled like he’d stuck a hoof in an electric socket, and yet not so ruffled as to look unkempt. He was more like McGruff the crime dog, which caused me to wonder if they had a McGruff the crime pony equivalent in Equestria.
“The prosecution can present its case against waiving bail.”
“Thank you, your honor,” Swift said. He stood up and took a step forward towards the judge. “Our argument is a simple one. The defendant is accused of assault, rape, ponynapping, and is alleged to have been in possession of several schedule one drugs. Releasing him on bail regardless of the amount would present a flight risk and a threat to the safety of my client.”
He waited until the judge finished thinking about the brief statement and nodded. “Take your seat. The defense may present its case.”
“Thank you, your honor.” The grizzly pony stepped forward with a wide and disarming smile, flashing a look my way. “While I agree wholeheartedly with the defense in theory, let us remember these crimes are only alleged. Soarin is an upstanding citizen, member of the Wonderbolts, and a reservist in the armed forces. He has no criminal history, no history of drug or alcohol abuse, and comes from a respected family.”
“We know enough about him to know he poses no threat to others or a flight risk.” The pony took a step back and gestured towards me. “In fact, we know less about her than him. No birth certificate and no records, civil or criminal. It would be unjust to leave him sitting in a jail cell for months awaiting trial when his accuser could be an insane drug addict from Saddle Arabia for all we know.”
I grimaced and tensed up enough that Dash grabbed me with a hoof, though I had not intended to give the defense lawyer the ass-kicking he was cruising towards.
“So your honor, at the very least my client deserves monitored house arrest if not full freedoms allowed a pony on bail.”
The judge seemed to be writing something and finally looked up. “Is that all? Or do you wish to insult the alleged victim some more?”
The defense lawyer was caught off-guard and I had to bite my lip to suppress a chuckle which would have made the awkward silence much worse than it already was. I had a feeling I’d like this judge.
“My apologies for any ill-perceived notions I may have given the court. I’m sure the alleged victim is a fine, upstanding mare whose records were merely lost in a fire. We can save that debate for the trial, but is Soarin’s clean record and lifetime of service not worth bail when the accuser has no such record at all?”
The judge nodded and the defense lawyer took his seat next to Soarin. For several minutes everypony sat there looking around and not making eye contact. The judge finally looked up to address the court. “Upon consideration the court has decided the defendant poses too great a risk for bail, at any amount. He will remain in custody until the trial—”
“Your honor, I object!” the defense lawyer shouted as he jumped to his hooves.
“Quiet! I’m not some lawyer to be argued with. I’ve made my decision based on the evidence at hoof, court is dismissed.” He lifted and banged the gavel before getting up to leave.
“All rise!” the bailiff said.
Everypony got up as the judge left the room. The bailiff escorted Soarin back through the door towards the holding cells. This left the rest of us to start to file out of the room, past the defense lawyer who was waiting in the aisle and staring right at me.
“Dawn, right?” he said. “I’m Saul Creed from Manehatten, you may call me Creed.” He reached out a hoof for me to shake, but I chose to just stand there giving him an unamused stare. “It’s not everyday I get to meet a pony who is claimed to have saved Equestria and holds such friends in high places. I just wanted to let you know before the trial starts that nothing I say should be taken personally, it’s my job as a defense lawyer to ensure my clients receive a fair verdict.”
I looked at his hoof again thinking about whether I should shake it. Part of me bet his fur would be greasy and that if I were to check his saddlebags I’d find snake-oil and miracle tonics. At least now I knew the kind of pony we’d be up against and I was sure a pony like Swift Justice, who knew how to take a shower, would easily win in court.
“Oh, don’t worry.” I smiled and looked him in the eye. “I’m sure ponies stopped taking anything you say personally or seriously years ago.” I walked past him with no further glance or acknowledgement towards Applejack who was holding the door open for me, Dash, and Swift. She was smirking slightly and I was so very tempted to look back and see the stupid look on Creed’s face.
Once out into the hallway and the door closed, Dash gave me a big hug, pinning me against the wall. “You did great, and that was so awesome! This trial is going to be over in ten seconds flat!”
“Thanks, Dash.” I wiggled my way out of the hug to give Fluttershy and then every other pony a hug in turn. When I got to Swift I just offered him a hoof shake. “Thanks for making this painless… I wasn’t sure what to expect but this wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought.”
“Don’t celebrate quite yet, the trial won’t be as polite. Enjoy the time from now until the court date and spend time with your friends and family, I’ll keep in touch with Twilight who has volunteered to facilitate communication between us.”
I nodded and turned to the other ponies, yawning widely. “I think we should head back to the hotel.”
“Wait!” Pinkie objected. “There’s a sundae shop just two blocks over! I’ve got it all planned out with the owner, we’re gonna have banana splits for everypony!”
“Ya know I don’t eat bananas,” Applejack said.
“Oh, you’ve got an apple split, don’t be silly! What do you say, Dawn?”
I smiled and licked my lips. “Anything chocolate sounds amazing right now.”
Yeah, Soarin didn't have a chance.
Yes he WAS a Wonderbolt so he has the training and speed to flee if he wanted to. Then the charges themselves are enough. Nice littel update.
I would think that since Dawn is MALE, and is PREGNANT with SOARIN'S foal, that that would be enough.
And if they don't believe that he's male, if they need to they can just get Celestia to confirm it
If I was in a relationship with a partner that said anything even close to that I would be out the door faster that you can say "go fuck yourself, I am my own person".
I want to see the defendants face when he finds out dawn's actually male....
6195523
Well when you're current situation is losing control of your emotions entirely and almost killing someone due to the PTSD of days of rape and torture and refusing any kind psychiatric help, then yeah, your significant other(s) have the right to put their foot down and demand you do something to fix it.
You're right too though, you could walk right out the door and stay the course that almost landed you in prison due to mental instability. Such are the choices adults are allowed to make.
6195429 There is the off chance that Dawn's foal isn't Soarin's but Fluttershy's so that piece of evidence is kind of lacking dependability.
Don't you mean prosecution?
We know Soarin did it... but that judge seemed a little too bias for my taste... makes me feel uncomfortable.
6195429 6195617 Also, I imagine that there's some sort of protocol in place to prevent royalty from interfering with the legal system, which I have no doubt Soarin's lawyer would use to get the case dropped, if given a sliver of a chance.
Woooooooooooh! Amazing chapter once again!
Hehehe, Soarin is fucked! 8D
He go be somepony's little beeatch in prison, mehopes.
Nice update!
Wut? The evidences all have been comfirmed as real, valid and all that good stuff. And with that amount of stuff against him...Eh...what the fuck is going on? I though this matter were done with.
If Dash arrest gets brought up, there is the fact she is pregnant and traumatized by what Soarin did to her.
Methinks Soarin likes bananas.
6196062 I was about to say the same thing about the court system but I don't know if that would apply to this fic as well.
Very good. Though I don't think Dawn should have sunk to the lawyers level and insulted him like that, if anything he should have returned the hoof shake and leave, but that's just me.
Again though..I really hope that you don't make some sort of harem romance. If you could find away for their to be both a male and female Dawn then that would be fantastic(should be possible in a world of magic). I get the feeling that is what you are planning on doing anyway. What with the picture from Dash of humanity 2 that had the male dawn laying with Dash and the female Dawn flying with Fluttershy. Hopefully that is what you're planning.
Looking forward to the next update. Would also like to see how the other Wonderbolts are feeling about all of this sometime as well. They were close co-workers of Soarin's after all.
Saul Creed, a reference to Saul Goodman by any chance?
I actually tensed up a bit as I read this. Good writing, and the court was quite unexpected... but it was hinted the judge wasn't an idiot so it went exactly as everyone thought.
Then again, it isn't over yet so... yeah. Can't wait for more!
Soarin and his slimy lawyer just got blew out of the water.
I am trusting that Kaidan has a few vary good chapters in mind for the trial and for this grate story over all.
I have followed this series from the start and I can say it is supper good.
I know book 1 kind of started as a simple spoof and book 2 was kind of a clop but dang book 3 has all kinds on intrigue and a really super strong story base.
I just cant say enough good about the D O H story's.
Harts Fire
Another great chapter I has read! But... Dawn beat Fluttershy at a quiet contest?!?!?! When was that?! Did I forget about the chapter that was in or was that something that happened during a period of time not written about?
At least the judge isn't an idiot... can't wait to read the next chapter. Well, I can, but I'd prefer... you know what I mean.
6197596 Now I have a voice to go with him thanks +1 stache
Damn it, too much suspense, for what Dawn has in store for him/her.
But great job on this story, keep up the good work.
A defense attorney only has one job, and that is disproving the evidence provided by the prosecution. The burden of proof is all in the hands of the plaintiff, well, the prosecuting attorney. The defendant is innocent until proven guilty. And even though we as readers and the main characters know Soarin is guilty as sin, it is all up to Swift Justice to prove it. And he will have to prove it to a bunch of stranger ponies who do not know Dawn or Soarin. Which will be kind of difficult since Soarin is a celebrity of sorts. I am sure it will not be easy to find twelve ponies in Canterlot who have never been to a Wonderbolts' Derby, never been to a Grand Galloping Gala, never been rescued by the Wonderbolts, or never have been to a charity benefit. Jury selection is a long and tedious process. However, I think that it will be a lot easier in this story since Swift Justice and Saul Creed are not the main characters. I bet the jury will be selected "off page" as it were. Because reading about the vetting of twelve red shirts would be more tedious than actually being one of those red shirts.
This was another great chapter. I am fairly certain that the next chapter will not be about jury selection, so I eagerly, yet trepidatiously, await it.
~KBO.
This is the best birthday I've ever had!
Kinda confusing without commas. "…him, with no further glance or acknowledgement, towards…" would sound much clearer.
Other than that, excellent chapter.
If all else fails, have Twilight conjure up Phoenix Wright. He'll get the job done.
6195857 the judge also looked at the evidense not only just the claims, and I am pritty sure that he would have allowed bail would he only listened to the claims,
But that is your opinion that he is bias, not mine
im so..SO sure, that despite all efforts the "assault on a harmles unicorn in the alley" will make it difficult to stand in court.
still
even the bail hearing went TOO smoothly, aside fom a little reaction from dawn.
There just HAS to be something happening between this and the trial, that would discredit Dawn further, aside from the alley accident.
Yea, now i just have to wait and see
6206885 wait but he is a deference attorney...
Oh god you're doing exactly what I think you're doing. Noooo, not after three stories, don't do this to me, I thought these stories were clearly about Dawn and Dash. Fluttershy just barging in and making this a threeway relationship just kind of ruins it for me.
UP
DATE
WHEN
You know, this whole sequel is coming rather badly. Too forced, both in terms of creating tragedy for drama and for what happens in it. This whole trial plot line is a particularly bad offender. Pretty much it's only serving to make half the readers go full torture revenge porn in the comments about Soarin, while at the same time being incredibly ridiculous in how it's being pulled over. Seriously, he was not written as potentially ambiguous from a uninvolved third party, he downright kidnapped him, poisoned said person into changing his gender than raped and impregnated him*. At that point bail shouldn't even be considered, even if it turned out that he actually somehow innocent.
Furthermore, seriously, is the defense lawyer that stupid? Or is Celestia just so incompetent she can't properly create a new identity for someone in her own government? Because seriously, "We don't know anything about the alleged victim or have any paper trail about her." "Actually, we do, by the hoof of the Princesses themselves. All three currently residing in Equestria of them." I won't really comment upon he trying to "make nice" with Twilight after the trial, because while, really, it is is his job to try to defend his client as a lawyer but more than just a little bit stupid to expect the alleged victim to not take it personally (before even leaving the building, let alone giving him time to cool off), but it could be a potentially effective strategy to find material against said alleged victim, specially if it had been the case of the alleged victim lying about the crime for whatever reason.
In all, I gotta say that this sequel had a massive downturn in quality from the previous two fics, and that's not even entering the merits of complete tone dissonance from them.
* Which is also an issue because that's seriously stupid evil. He might as well have tried to do so in front of the Princesses for all that he could expect to have gotten away with it. And before you claim he's that much of a sociopath, if he's that bad he simply wouldn't have gotten to his position in Equestria before this whole thing happened.
Im dying for an update.
UPDATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Now i feel a little better
6256972 I bet there is a plot twist you'll not be ready for.
Comment to the maker: I have been reading this whole series from the start, And it just keeps going up and down... keep it up. I want to see something original something I've not seen before.
6301953 I agree with you.
Can you do more chapters
I just realized I wasn't following you. After reading these three stories, there's no reason not to follow you. So, have a follow! I'm going to go read your other stories now. Bye!
where's the first aid kit? Someone just got seriously BUUURRRRRNED
that one needs to go in my Big Book of Comebacks... actually, that would be the founding comeback; it's the first time I've had one good enough to warrant saving for posterity.
Edit: as an afterthought, I notice I'm out of chapters to read. Make more at your leisure, I guess. I've been struck with inspiration for a first story of my own, so that should keep me busy in the meantime.
6256972 I've also noticed a somewhat "forced" vibe when reading this story. Not that I'm trying to discredit Kaidan as an author since I know from reading and loving his previous works that he's one of my favorite authors on Fimfic. But the difference in quality between this story and the previous ones is just WAY too noticeable that I find I'm forcing myself to read it more out of obligation than entertainment.
6343602
I rather think that this "forced vibe" that is present in this story is due to the much smaller amount of "Slice of Life" and "Comedy" that Dawn is going through, possibly, because of him being mentally distraught and traumatized. While there is the humor and slice of life moments that have happened in this time frame, Dawn, himself, is the one telling this story so the focus of the individual here is rather different than what it was in the previous titles.
Some may not find dark stories to be very entertaining, and others think otherwise. How does one like Fallout Equestria where the characters find out about how Equestria dissolved into chaos and ruin through corruption and fear? How does one like Path of Exile where the exile unravels the mystery behind the corruption of Wraeclast where the entire existence of life in it is warped beyond belief?
It's rather clear that this story arc can be likened to the ways of how Discord's arc was in the previous stories with Dawn/Don's mind being clouded by traumatic fear rather than uncontrolled anger. I would also like to re-add the part where his mind not, particularly, thinking as rationally is what is also preventing the presentation to be as what it once was.
I'm rather enjoying this arc. It's something like what Dawn said as it turned the entire story over on its head while being flipped backwards. A definite change of pace in Dawn/Don's life that was needed to expand upon it IMO. I would have no doubt that Kaidan would bring back more of what the previous stories had once this arc is finished and Dawn/Don can start thinking ahead of him in life rather than drown himself in the past with this trauma.
It's not like we aren't going to see more action with the Crusaders!
We'll just need to endure through Dawn's life as well even when it gets down.
It'll only make the sweeter things much more sweet.
6314129
6362216
I found an article that may help with what you two are delving into:
https://drsharongalor.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/why-do-trauma-survivors-blame-themselves/
Good chapter Kaiden. Hope you're doing Ok in school. You have fun alright.
Please sir, can I have an update?
its a good series that I could not stop reading, I like and hope for to continue
6441406 You beautiful person you *hugs
You have completed such a beautiful task, thank yee kindly
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!
6441646 Oh you.
6441460 *after soaring mouth was gone I then ate him* Hmm... Taste like raspberrys...
6441737 With a hint of blood
Первая и вторая часть были просто великолепны. Но, тут полный мрак, что-то изменилось, вам разонравился персонаж? Или и на солнце бывают пятна?