Over 5 centuries ago, halfway through Celestia's millennium long reign, a rebellious political faction attempts to take over Equestria and start a new pony republic. Celestia is accused of crimes against ponykind and put on trial in an effort to remove her from power. Celestia must defend herself, and her actions, against the conspirators who aim to take over her kingdom. The fate of friendship and the future of Equestria hangs in the balance.
Told through the perspective of Princess Twilight reading the story to Luster Dawn.
Cover art by Decoy the Skeletal Boy:
https://www.deviantart.com/theflamingalberto
https://twitter.com/skeletal_boy
Chapters (3)
Can't wait for part 2
This was great. Can't wait for the next part!
“Completed”
*Boop* I've added this story to my library, so that it's easier to read anytime that the author posts an update.
11153693
Oops
Interesting and thought provoking. Well done, I will watch with intrigue.
This is cool,
Er... unless I'm unfamiliar with colored pastel equine law... the second someone revolts or openly attacks a ruler, regardless of split custody/leadership, in so doing, that invalidates their original creed and oaths. The fact that Luna revolted, and laid no claim to her revolt (aside from 'jealousy', which we probably will get into in the next chapters) has nothing to do with parliament 'voting' or anything of that nature. It is in combat/war (depending on Lunar Rebellion head-canon or otherwise) in that there was no other way except to defend herself and had to banish Luna in order to prevent additional damage to property/person.
I eagerly await Trotwell's evidence and testimonies.
11154145
Correct. Parliament examined Celestia’s actions after the fact and determined they were justified. They also wanted provision that if something similar happened again (and time permitted government action) that Parliament could intercede as well and not just the Princess.
11154167 Siblings of a ruler rebelling against the ruler usually resulted in EXECUTION back in the day.
Celestia was much nicer. She just fired the Deus Ex Rainbow Laser, which has effects so arbitrary per-villain, there's no way she could have known it would send Loony to the Moony! How could she? Based on experience, she likely thought it would petrify Luna as it did to Discord, the only one else they had ever been used on.
11154177
Probably not Petrify, but maybe to .. do something. Anything to keep her from hurting her, herself and the ponies of Equestria.
Depending on if the Elements have their own plan or machinations, or is one of those "Literal" DEMachs, shoved her to the moon.
11154167
Yes, but they're going about this in a very weird loop. They're going to try and debase her by citing something (that we haven't seen yet), and in so doing, verify that their SOE was legitimate. But nothing they've given so far has any actual concrete proof, and all they've done was set up a precedent, which still isn't enough in the grand scheme. It is through Celestia letting them speak that this has any legitimate grounding to move forward...
This is technically where the Phoenix Wright fans would quote ol' Judgey where "if you can't provide any evidence THIS ONE TIME, I will throw the case out and blah blah blah."
Interesting. Very interesting. So much I want to see about how this got here, but presumably a lot of that will be covered in the remaining parts.
For one thing which might not, Luna being a last-minute replacement certainly explains some stuff. (I do wonder if Celestia really blames her for her rebellion, or if she's just using the most useful presentation of the facts.)
11154284
Besides the legalities, one also has to consider the political realities, like who has how many supporters and where. Granted Celestia, unlike human monarchs who wound up in this position, can likely free herself even without popular support - but that would mean war, and she doesn't want war. She needs to undermine the other side's legitimacy while not letting them undermine her own, and a trial actually works for that - but she can't make it easy for them.
been waiting for a story like this for a while. Thank you.
Oh I can tell this is going to be a good one.
Oh and does anyone else really want to punch Olivander Trotwell in the face? Like really really hard?
I wonder just how valid the charges against her are. For sure looking forward to the next installment
hmm...An interesting premise to be sure, and I will definitely like to see where this is going, but some of the dialogue at the beginning with Twilight and Luster felt a little bit...wooden at times, like reading one of those old comic books where the bad guy always has a grandiose speech spelling out their "masterful and convoluted" plans. Also if this is supposed to take place hundreds of years before the present, perhaps have some old-timey speech to reflect that. I by no means say these things as an attack on the author, just my personal opinions and thoughts.
In other news, I used to take part in a youth court program where excepting the judge, the entire court was run by youths for youth defendants (usually speeding tickets and other such offenses) I don't know if it's still going.
I was trying to remember how this was so familiar. Then I realized Olivander Trotwell is just Oliver Cromwell, and Celestia is taking the place of King Charles. God I’m an idiot. Though this is seeming to go much better for Tia than ol’ Chuck.
11155358
Lol you're the first one to notice. We'll see if Celestia gets a better ending than Charles I
11155394
Well, at the least no one can say any of the writing is unrealistic, as it actually happened. They can't complain about your plot, only their own history. Kekekekeke
The strong take from the weak.
No one in Equestria at Trotwell's time can be considered 'strong'.
None worthy of the elements either.
Pray tell, who would seal the Mad God when he rises?
Zayum!
Now I'm no Phoenix Wright, but there seems to be something extra fishy going on, apart from the obviously stated illegal expulsion of the Upper House and subsequent trial. Trotwell has some points though, who's to really say what happened all those moons ago on Hearth's Warming Eve...?
Can't wait for part two!
I'm glad y'all like it! part 2 comes out Monday
christ bro
Yas, queen! This is amazing! Can’t wait for the next part.
“The next part is when? ... A week?! But that’s too long. .... Okay, fine. I'll wait.”
Yikes... talk about Letter and Spirit of Law!
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It technically doesn't matter, as it was already ruled upon, what does matter is where it goes from here.
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11155317
Considering that the IRL version of Trotwell was a controversial figure, it seems that at the very least, we can see that Trotwell has personal gain in mind versus the wishes of the country at large.
"... and then she channeled the fires from the heart of the sun into the courtroom and the would-be usurpers all burned alive, briefly screaming as their flesh flash evaporated. The end."
"That's not a very nice story, princess."
"Maybe. Maybe not. It teaches a very important lesson, though."
"What lesson is that?"
"DON'T FUCK WITH THE SUN."
11156842
LMAO
Oooohhh, this is some spicy goodness. Can’t wait to see more
There's a quote I kept thinking of when I saw that Princess Celestia was being charged with treason.
Boiled down, it pretty much says "No-one will call your actions Treason if you actually succeed in overthrowing the current ruler."
I'm happy atleast this equestria learn there history and mistakes even the princess. Unlike others that censored their and surger coat there so much that some won't be written.
And he lost his strongest military power base. Highly influential generals of even a 'legendary' make, if there is no support/no trust, they can only win with the people's vote, but the lack of military strength leaves a vacuum.
Wait, so the Griffons are the "threat to our North" then? And the parliamentarians are doing this while the war is still ongoing? Why? That's way more treasonous, as at least as much of a hindrance to the war effort, than Celestia's inaction.
The Marshal, in particular, seems like he ought to be in the front organizing a retaliatory strike of some kind, not in the capital aiding a palace coup.
Say Trotwell "won", I get the feeling that he has less concern for the common people than he pretends.
The Grand Marshall accepted what seemed to be at the time a necessary evil so to speak but it looks like he was merely a tool. Change is necessary but the coup d'etat is not.
11159858
We haven't heard the end of this chain of events.
ah, part 3
Lacking the accused being drawn and quartered, so not entirely historically accurate, but hey, still a fun read!
For this amazing story, I grant you the highest honour I can bestow:
The Quintessential Folder.
Amazing!!
What I find most interesting about this story is the unfathomable weight Dewey's decision to vote neigh carries here. The story indicates pretty clearly that the vote would have gone the other way if he hadn't. The vote going the other way is a story untold, but there are some possibilities that are very dark indeed.
Maybe the Elements would never have reappeared again. It stands to reason that if that's the case eventually you'd probably have at least Discord and Nightmare Moon battling it out. Sombra would return eventually too, but I question his ability to hold his own against the former two. Maybe at some point Tirek would be thrown into the mix, maybe not. In this scenario I doubt there will be much love in the world, so I doubt Chrysalis and her changelings would play much of a role. The Windigoes might return though.
It's just one hypothetical scenario amongst untold others (perhaps it would all have been fine and our mane five would still appear, or the Elements would have found other hosts. Maybe something would have happened that would have prevented all our favourite villains from appearing in the first place). Whatever the case, fascinating how much power one little word from one pony has.
Of course, the same can be said for the action of Rivenbolt throwing the medal of honour on the table in front of Dewey. Or Ollivander going rogue, which was the catalyst for Rivenbolts' action. Still fascinating.
Hmmm, I'd have one question for the general, if he had sent word down the chain of command to prepare (he knew the the events and he did have the authority [unless overruled by the princess] to start preperations on his own authority) ...
That was nice.
Ollivander Trotwell was a single pony, right? It was a bit confusing that sometimes his first or last name was used which I didn't always remember. So some conversations were very confusing to follow.
11166826
You say that like this is based on a real event.
For the love of Celestia please tell me it is...
11167042
most forceful regime changes in history ended with exile or if they couldn't escape death.
Pretty much every way you can think of was used to kill royalty and nobility class people, read up on the French revolution for a more in depth list, though this wasn't the even close too the only time violent regime changes happened, it is one of the better recorded.
dethroning
I feel like Luster because I haven't put the pieces together either.
11167036
Its the same thing when someone uses your last name and first name in conversation.
Or when your mom gets ultra pissed and says your ENTIRE name.
11167844
Thank you
Fantastic job. Very well written.
11167042
It's loosely based on the trial of King Charles the I of England. The first part where Celestia questions the authority of the court is particularly true to history, as she uses the same arguments as Charles.
Historia Civilis' Can Monarchs Commit Crimes? (1648 to 1649), and The Trial of Charles I (1649) are the best videos on the subject I know if you want to know more. (There's also Mike Dunkan's Revolutions Podcast, which starts with the English Civil War)