The whole crowd continued to watch in terror with Luna continuing to show them the tortures Abacus suffered at Hoofstrong Prison Center. Abacus's muffled, agonizing screams echoed throughout the room as he was being exposed to numerous methods of pain, suffering, and humiliation. The memory of him getting raped on the first day of his suffering evaporated like smoke, and changed to another day, and another room. The door opened to reveal Abacus being forced into the room by Rotten Eggs and two other guards with his front hooves tied behind his back, and a ball gag in his mouth.
"Right, Abacus Scum, the smarty pants," Rotten Eggs said. "It's the plug chair for you!"
Abacus looked up to see that in the center of the room was a seat with a rather large, metal plug on it and wires connected to it. He looked in horror as Rotten Eggs and the guards began to laugh sadistically.
Rotten Eggs grinned. "Put him on the chair!"
Abacus struggled as Rotten Eggs and the guards began to bring him towards the plug chair. When they reached the chair, they positioned and began to push Abacus down on to it with Abacus struggling in vain against the larger, stronger ponies. The crowd gasped with the sound of Abacus screaming and crying in pain through the ball gag. A few moments later, they see Rotten Eggs and the guards beginning to walk out of the room. Rotten Eggs stopped and looked back at Abacus who was crying in pain with a pleasurably sadistic grin.
"See you in the morning...maybe."
Rotten Eggs turned to a switchboard on the wall next to the door that had two switches with one saying "Vibrate" and the other saying "Shock" written above. He flicked both switches, and the muffled, agonizing screams of Abacus Sum echoed as he closed the door behind him. The crowd could not believe what they were witnessing.
The memory once again evaporated like smoke, and changed to another day and another location. This time to a prison cell. The sudden sound of the door of the prison cell unlocking echoed in the room, and soon followed by a weak, beaten, and bounded Abacus being thrown into his cell by Armstrong, Rotten Eggs, and his guards. Abacus cried from the pain and abuse he just recently endured, as Armstrong, Rotten Eggs, and his guards began laughing.
"Poor widdle baby. Hurting. Cwying for his mommy to come and save him." Rotten Eggs laughed.
Armstrong chuckled. "That reminds me. You don't have a mommy anymore. Because your dumb-ass bitch mommy's dead."
Abacus weakly looked up disbelievingly with tears in his eyes. Armstrong grinned seeing this.
"That's right, scum. She died of cancer, slow and painful." Armstrong chuckled sadistically. "Too bad she never got to see her baby before she died."
"She would've died of a heart attack hearing you scream." A unicorn guard said.
The unicorn guard used his magic to make the steelectric collar shock Abacus, and making him once again scream and cry in pain. Armstrong, Rotten Eggs, and the guards began laughing, enjoying Abacus's pain.
"Go on and cry all you want, because she's dead, trash!" Armstrong grinned with sadistic satisfactory. "You ain't never going to see your fucking mommy ever again, Abacus Scum!"
Armstrong, Rotten Eggs, and the guards walked out of Abacus's cell laughing, closed and locked the door behind them. Abacus was left alone crying from the pain, and from his mother's death. Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Warden Rehab, and Lock Down began to growl in anger, while Fluttershy, Rarity, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo teared up at what they were watching. Seeing what those cruel, cold-blooded, sadistic monsters had done to him was so detestable to witness.
The memory once again evaporated like smoke, and changed to another day and another location. It showed the same smooth concrete floored room, but in another time. The crowd sees Abacus in the memory bounded to the same strange table with a ball gag in his mouth, and was surrounded by Rotten Eggs and the guards. Armstrong sat close by watching everything with his savage dog, Reaper by his side. Abacus was filthy, and scruffy like he had not bathed for many days. He was crying for mercy from his captures, knowing good and well what they were going to do to him. They looked at him with the same evil, sadistic grin, as they were laughing.
"I got the sweets again," Rotten Eggs said. "Anypony else got them too?"
The guards nodded in unison. One of the guards approached Abacus from behind him as his tear-filled eyes watched the guard with pure terror. The crowd once again began to watch in horrible shock as the sound of Abacus's muffled, agonizing screams echoed throughout the room. Armstrong smiled with sadistic pleasure at watching his guards have their fun with Abacus. His dog, Reaper gave the same sadistic pleasurable smile with him. Rotten Eggs came over, standing in front of Abacus as he looked up with terror and pleading for mercy.
Rotten Eggs removed the ball gag from Abacus's mouth. "You know the routine. And if you resist..." He directed him to Armstrong's dog, Reaper. "You know what will happen."
The crowd exclaimed with grossed out expressions at what they were watching, until the sound of a scream was heard. But this scream did not come from Abacus, this scream came from Rotten Eggs, and it was a painful and terrified scream.
"Get him off me!!!" Rotten Eggs screamed.
Rotten Eggs continued screaming, until he let out an even louder scream of agonizing pain. The crowd watched as Rotten Eggs collapsed on the concrete floor, crying in agonizing pain as he covered his crotch area. A puddled of blood slowly began growing in size around him. Abacus looked on with a psychotic rage-filled face and blood all over his mouth. Then his face and eyes started to change back, like he was coming out of a trance. It was the same way Twilight and the others saw with his fight with Storm Dasher, Coco-Nut, and Officers Law and Order. He was in shock at watching Rotten Eggs crying and screaming in great, agonizing pain, for he began to realize just what he had done. Armstrong growled, enraged at the sight of one of his favorite guards injured so badly by Abacus.
Armstrong turned to his dog, as he angrily commanded, "Reaper, kill!"
Reaper growled and barked viciously as he charged at Abacus at Armstrong's command. Abacus was still bound, and unable to defend himself. He stared with a look of fear at Reaper charging at him, and to that, he realized he was going to die. Before Reaper could go for his throat, Abacus moved the left side of his face in order to shield his throat in the nick of time. The crowd once again began to watch in horror at seeing the dog attack Abacus with a sound of vicious growling and barking, along with screams and cries from Abacus himself. Children in the crowd began to cry to their parents in horrible fear. Princess Celestia began to feel bad, and thought it had gone long enough.
"That's enough, Luna," Celestia said. "Please stop!"
Luna, without saying a word, lifted her hoof in refusal, and directed Celestia to look at an area in the shown memory. Then a few seconds later, the prison doors burst open and a large group of royal guards raided the room.
“ROYAL GUARDS!”
"LETS MOVE! GO-GO-GO-GO!!"
The crowd watched as the numerous voices shouted, and the sound of the dog yelping in pain echoed for some moments. One of the royal guards who had killed the dog rushed over to Abacus, who was screaming, and crying in pain. The guard was shocked at seeing the shocking mauling injury to the left side of his face.
“I NEED SOME HELP HERE!” The royal guard shouted as he undid the ropes bounding Abacus, and tended to his wounds.
A couple of other guards tended to Rotten Eggs. "THESE TWO NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION!"
"Get those two to the hospital! Immediately!"
The royal guard captain who made the order came into view. He was a white unicorn stallion with a mane that was moderate sapphire blue with moderate cerulean and dark phthalo blue streaks, along with wearing purple and gold armor. Twilight's eyes widened, for she knew all too well who that stallion was. It was none other than her older brother.
"Shining?" Twilight said.
Shining Armor turned to Armstrong and the other guards, who were captured, and tied-up with ropes and chains. "You're all under arrest, in the name of her royal highnesses of Equestria!"
Armstrong growled at Shining Armor and the royal guards, as the memory evaporated like smoke, and the area began to stay neutral. The crowd was shaken up at what they were all just shown, Twilight and the others especially. They had never expected Luna to show the horrible things that Abacus had suffered. After a few moments of silence, Luna spoke out, but this time in her normal voice.
"I have other things to show you of Abacus's memory," Luna said. "Now watch."
Luna made the area change to another location and time. This time to the inside of a court room. The crowd saw Abacus sitting in a solitary stand in the court room, guarded by two royal guards. His hooves were bound in chains, his steelectric collar had rope connected to it held by the mouth of one of the guards, and his head was down with hopeless sadness. Lawful Eye sat at a desk in the court room before the judge. He was a dark tangelo unicorn stallion with a thick short black mane with tight, small curls, and had a short black beard.
The crowd soon realised that they were now looking at the retrial of Abacus taking place in Equestria supreme court in Canterlot.
“Miss Lawful Eye," The judge said in a deep, raspy, African-American voice. "Do you have anything you wish to say before I deliver my final verdict?”
“Yes, your honor." Lawful Eye stood up from the desk. "Fillies and gentlecolts of the court. Mr Abacus Sum’s sentence and conviction was nothing more, nothing less than a sick crime of evil corruption and conspiracy by the evil ring operating between a police and investigation force, and a high security prison. The ponies from the police investigation force, that was sworn to serve and protect, framed an innocent stallion for his money, like they did to the many other victims before and after him. This case just shows how the lives of innocent ponies can be ruined by the corruption, and greed from police investigative teams like from Canterlot, who have no regard for life. That is all, your honor.”
Lawful Eye sat back down at her desk in the court room. The judge sat there with his hooves together thinking, with the court all silent waiting for the judge to speak.
The judge sighed and looked up. “Miss Lawful Eye. Your little speech was words of truth. And I for one personally agree. Of all my years on the bench, I had never encountered a case as serious, and horrific as this. It is without a doubt the worst case of police corruption, and conspiracy that Equestria has ever encountered. This case is one that will shock me from this day. It is unimaginable to think about the horrors, along with such sickening suffering one must have endured throughout such an ordeal. And with the evidence before me, I hereby find the prisoner, Abacus Sum, not guilty on all charges against him." He smacked the gavel with his magic.
The ponies in the court applauded at the judge's verdict. Lawful Eye smiled and shed a tear of joy that the case was over, and that her dear friend, Abacus was going to be a free pony again. Abacus however showed no signs of joy, and he just sat there with his head down in the same very hopelessly depressed state.
"Order." The judge smacked the gavel a few times. "Order!"
The ponies in the court stopped, and remained quiet at the judge's order demand. The judge then turned to Abacus. "Mr Sum. Do you have anything you wish to say before the courts?”
Abacus said nothing. He just closed his eyes, and slowly shook his head as sad tear escaped out of his eye, and ran down his horribly scarred cheek.
“I see." The judge sighed. "Mr Sum. Nopony can imagine the amount of hurt you suffered. Wrongfully convicted ponies commonly feel emotions ranging from anger and loss, to paranoia and betrayal. The long-term effects of many wrongfully convicted ponies can experience ongoing psychiatric dysfunction and have long-term difficulties reintegrating into society. But you, Mr Sum, were framed. Framed by the police investigation team that society trusted to find the truth. And on the behalf of everypony, you have our humblest apologies. You will be given 120,000 bits in compensation. That's 60,000 for each year of your sentence. It won't fix everything for you, but it should be a start to help get you back on your feet. I would also suggest some psychological evaluation, testing, and perhaps treatment for you, Mr Sum. You will be required to appear in court again in six weeks’ time to testify against Armstrong, his guards, and the former police investigators involved. In the meantime, you will be sent back to Hoofstrong Prison Center, where you will be officially released, and walk out as a free pony tomorrow morning at 10 am. I wish you, Mr Sum all the best of luck for the future.” The judge then turned to face Lawful Eye, and the other ponies in the court room. “In addition, there will be a further compensation hearing on the nineteenth in three months time at 11 am. Court is adjourned."
The judge hit the gavel to end the court, and many ponies at the court who were sitting on the benches began to leave. The pegasus royal guard gently tugged on the rope attached to Abacus's steelectric collar.
"Alright, Abacus," The pegasus royal guard said through the rope in his mouth. "Come on, let's go."
Lawful Eye watched from her desk as Abacus got up from the stand at the guard's instructions, and began to follow the guards out the back door. His head remained down in that same very hopelessly depressed state.
The guards had nearly reached the door with Abacus when Lawful Eye got up from the desk and halted the guards. "Wait." She walked over towards them. "I just need one moment."
The unicorn guard standing behind looked at Abacus, then at the pegasus guard in front who nodded at him. He then looked back at Lawful Eye, and nodded permittedly. "Be quick, ma'am."
Lawful Eye turned to Abacus. "Abi. I'm so happy that this is all over now. I wish I could give you a hug, but I can't touch you." She noticed Abacus's eyes began welling up. "But don't worry, Abi. When I pick you up tomorrow, the first thing I'm going to do is give you the biggest, warmest hug you could ever ask for. That's a promise. I’ll hold on to your money for you. And we’ll make these monsters pay for what they did to you and everypony else in six weeks’ times. I’ll see you tomorrow, Abi.”
Lawful Eye nodded at the guards indicating she was done. The guards nodded back and continued leading Abacus to the door by the rope attached to his steelectric collar. The guard in front holding the rope attached to Abacus opened the door, then the two guards along with Abacus entered and closed the door behind them just as the area evaporated like smoke.
The area then changed to the inside of Warden Rehab’s office, just as the door of Warden Rehab's office opened. Lock Down and another royal guard entered, with Abacus in restraints. They stopped in front of Warden Rehab's desk.
"Do have a seat, Abacus." Warden Rehab said.
Abacus slowly and depressingly sat down in front of Warden Rehab's work desk, with Lock Down and the other royal guard standing on either side of him.
Warden Rehab presented the forms, and cleared his throat. "Well, Abacus. You're just a few steps away from being officially free." He placed the forms down in front of Abacus. "These forms are filled out, and all that's left is for your signature on each of them. Though you will be required to testify against Armstrong and his guards, and the members of the Canterlot Police Investigation Force in court in six weeks’ time. And that all this has to remain classified. That means, apart from us, Lawful Eye, and any of the members of Task Force River, and royalty, you must never talk about this to anypony until this is revealed with permission. Do you understand these terms?"
Abacus did not say anything, he just sadly closed his eyes and slowly nodded. The Main Six looked at each other at what they witnessed, finding out the truth of what was said. As well as finding out the reason that it was to remain top secret. They watched as Warden Rehab levitated a pen to Abacus with his magic, and pointed with his hoof at the bottom of the forms.
"Just sign right here, and here." Warden Rehab said.
Abacus depressingly took the pen in his mouth, and leaned forward to sign the forms. He slowly writes his signature on each of the forms, and puts the pen down. Warden Rehab took the forms and inspected each of Abacus's signatures. He looked up at Abacus, and smiled.
"Everything checks out." Warden Rehab turned to Lock Down. "Take Abacus to block four."
Lock Down nodded. "Yes, Warden." He turned to Abacus. "Well, Abacus. Let's get going."
Abacus got up from the chair at Lock Down's instructions, and walked out of Warden Rehab's office with the Lock Down, and the second guard. Warden Rehab began to follow them as the area evaporated like smoke once again, and change.
This time it changed to Lock Down and Abacus standing around in the lobby of Hoofstrong Prison Center. Lock Down recognized it as to when Abacus ran away before Lawful Eye could meet and pick him up. He watched his past self in the memory converse with Abacus.
"Well, Abacus," Lock Down said. "Looks like your nightmare is over. Your first day back into the outside world starts soon. No more chains, no more barred cells, no more steelectric collars. It's all behind you. I don't know about you, but if I were you, I'd be planning a real nice vacation somewhere. Like Sydneigh, or Manehattan, or Las Pegasus. In fact, I hear Hawhinny is really good this time of year. I think you'd need that after all this."
Abacus did not show any joy from his situation at all. Lock Down tilted his head, puzzled as he saw another sad tear come out of his eye, and down his cheek.
"Why still the tears? You're a free pony now." Lock Down smiled positively. "I bet all your friends and family will be so happy to see you, and are probably planning the biggest "Welcome Home" party for you when you get home."
Abacus shook his head. "...No."
"No?" Lock Down asked. "But what about your mother? Surely she'll be so happy to see you?"
Abacus winced and shook his head. "No, she won't."
Lock Down blinked. "But she's your mother, Abacus. She won't care if you were in prison."
Abacus looked at Lock Down looking very upset. "How can she even care?! My mother is dead! She's been dead for nearly a year!"
Lock Down eyes widened with shock at both Abacus's outburst, and at how he knew about his mother's death. "How do you know that?"
Abacus winced, struggling not to burst into tears. "...Armstrong. ...They told me."
"Poor widdle baby. Hurting. Cwying for his mommy to come and save him. Hahaha!"
"That reminds me. You don't have a mommy anymore. Because your dumb-ass bitch mommy's dead. That's right, scum. She died of cancer, slow and painful. Hehehe! Too bad she never got to see her baby before she died."
"She would've died of a heart attack hearing you scream."
"AHHHHH!!!"
"Hahaha!"
"Go on and cry all you want, because she's dead, trash! You ain't never going to see your fucking mommy ever again, Abacus Scum!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Lock Down was in great shock after hearing Abacus's retelling of what happen, speechless at what he heard. Abacus glared at Lock Down with tears in his eyes.
"You've been lying to me! All of you have! And all this time, I already knew the truth!" Abacus began to cry struggling to keep his anger. "So if you say I have so much waiting for me, you're wrong! I have no home to go home to! I don't have any friends and family waiting for me! I have nopony at all!!"
Abacus began to sob and cry with his head down, as he turned away from Lock Down.
Lock Down reached his hoof at Abacus. "Abacus, plea-"
Abacus turned around to Lock Down before he touched him. "LEAVE ME ALONE!!"
Abacus turned back and continued to cry his heart out. Lock Down's heart sank to see Abacus like that, it also sank more to find out that he knew the truth about his mother's death the whole time. And the fact that Lock Down did not know about Abacus's mother being dead, and that it cruelly came from Armstrong and his guards made everything so much worse.
"I'll get Rehab," Lock Down said. "He'll have a talk with you about it. Just wait here, Abacus. I'll be back."
Lock Down walked back through the security door to go and get Warden Rehab, leaving a distraught Abacus alone in the lobby. Abacus continued to sob in the lobby for a few moments, until he looked at the entrance. He focused at the view of outside with tears in his eyes.
Abacus spoke to himself. “I’m all alone… All alone…”
After saying that, Abacus ran out of the lobby, and out the prison. He ran as fast as his hooves could, with tears in his eyes. Not even looking back. The memory then evaporated like smoke.
The area then changed again to show an area outside in the dark at night time. It had apple trees, and a kids clubhouse built on one of them. The Main Six, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders almost immediately recognized that the area was the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse located in a secluded, private part of Sweet Apple Acres.
They turned their heads as they heard something coming from the sound of rustling bushes. From the bushes, stepping out into the moon light was Abacus. He was scruffy, and very exhausted. He looked at the apple trees around the area, for he knew he was at Sweet Apple Acres. He picked an apple off one of the closest apple trees, and was slowly about to take a bite when a raindrop landed on his snout. Soon, a downpour started, with thunder rumbling. Abacus looked around until he noticed the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse close by. He then climbed up the ramp, opened the door of the clubhouse, and entered to take shelter inside, closing the door behind him.
Inside the clubhouse, the crowd watched as Abacus went into a corner of the clubhouse. He took a bite of the apple he just picked, and winced when he chewed it. The apple he was eating was sour due to it not being ready to be picked. He kept on eating it because if it being the only source of food that was around. Abacus was so hunger, that he even ate the apple core, which tasted worse than the sour apple itself. He dropped his body on the clubhouse floor, and began to cry as the rain outside continuously fell. Twilight and the others looked on with a look of pity seeing Abacus in the memory. Sweetie Belle, though she did not see nor met Abacus, could not help, but feel sorry for him. She had never seen a full grown stallion cry like he did, but after witnessing what he went through, she did not blame him.
The memory once again evaporated like smoke, and changed to the same area, but during the daytime. Abacus was asleep after not sleeping very well, and did not sleep until dawn. He woke up, in the middle of the day for the sunlight was too bright for him to try and sleep. He got up and wiped his eyes, before looking around the inside of the clubhouse. Inside, Abacus saw numerous things around the clubhouse. There were craft materials, posters, a podium, and a map of Ponyville that looked to be roughly drawn by a child. It was there Abacus realized that this was a children's clubhouse. He looked at one of the kid drawings, and began to tear-up. The drawing reminded him of how he was going to be a father to a child he would never know due to it perishing in the horrible house fire along with his wife. Just as Abacus put the picture back down, the door to the clubhouse suddenly burst open, to reveal two familiar little fillies, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo holding a long, thick rope made into a lasso.
"BUST THAT BURGLAR!!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo yelled in unison.
Abacus jumped, startled by Apple Bloom and Scootaloo charging at him. Apple Bloom then threw the lasso that successfully caught him around his neck.
“I got him!!" Scootaloo held on to the rope and pulled when Abacus bolted for the door, almost effortlessly taking her with him. "Whoa!" She held on to the rope as Abacus ran out the clubhouse door. He turned while going down the ramp, causing Scootaloo to turn, and hit her head on the opened door. "Ow!"
Scootaloo fell over backwards letting go of the rope while she covered the right side of her face with her hoof. She struggled to get up with her head still throbbing as Apple Bloom came rushing past her, running after Abacus briefly. Apple Bloom watched Abacus run off with the rope falling off, and disappearing out of sight. Scootaloo got up, and walked over to Apple Bloom. She moaning from the throbbing pain on the right side of her face.
“Hey, quick," Apple Bloom said. "He’s gettin’ away!”
Scootaloo groan. “He’s too far. We’ll never catch him now.”
Apple Bloom sighed. “Ah guess we’re not cut out ta be burglar busters.”
“You said it. Ow!" Scootaloo slowly uncovered her face to show a black eye. "It’s a painful talent to do.”
Sweetie Belle, after seeing the memory of what happened turned to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo with shocked look. "Burglar busters? You mean you did crusading without me?! I thought we agreed not to do any crusading until I got back?!"
"Sorry, Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said.
Storm Dasher in the crowd tilted his head at witnessing the memory of what really happened, beginning to doubt his thoughts on Abacus. "So...he didn't hit Scootaloo?"
Scootaloo turned her head to Storm Dasher giving him an angry, hateful glare that said it all. Luna overhearing Storm Dasher spoke out.
"That is right." Luna turned to the rest of the crowd. "Now watch as the truth of what happened with the other incidents shall be revealed."
The memory once again evaporated like smoke, and changed to show different times and scenes of Abacus's memory. The first was of the incident at Sugarcube Corner where Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon rudely taunted and provoked Abacus to the point of where he lashed out at them.
The next one was of when Coco-Nut and Honey Blossom's daughter, Buttercup got hurt. They see her run over a stick she failed to see, and fall off her scooter on to the path hard just across from the bench where Abacus was sitting. They then see Abacus come to Buttercup's aid, help her up, and began brushing her off, before they see Honey Blossom running over in a rage, shouted "Get away from my baby, you monster!!", assaulted him, and picked her crying daughter up and rushing off. Honey Blossom and Coco-Nut looked at each other with same feelings of doubt on their thoughts on Abacus as Storm Dasher.
The next memory was in the hospital, when the brick with the death threat note attached to it smashed through the window of his hospital room. And the last memory then showed the events of what happened at the cemetery. It showed Abacus, with Fluttershy and Scootaloo standing in front of the tombstones of the Tiger Lily and his mother. He looked at the writing on Tiger Lily's grave, and began to cry about it. They see Scootaloo trying to comfit Abacus, and him pulling Scootaloo into a hug, crying until they see Storm Dasher, Coco-Nut and Officers Law and Order come in. They see Storm Dasher and Coco-Nut advance on Abacus, and began to punch him with Officers Law and Order watching everything, allowing them to do what they did. Then they see Abacus go into a savage, unstable, psychotic rage, and lashed out with Officers Law and Order joining in against him. The fight scared the little children in the crowd, especially when they saw Abacus bite Storm Dasher like a savage animal, nearly taking a whole chunk off of him.
"Princess Luna, stop now," Celestia said. "They've seen enough of this."
Luna turned to Celestia and nodded. Her horn began to glow, and the memory once again evaporated like smoke. There was a blinding flash, and everyone covered their eyes. A moment later, everyone in the crowd uncovered their eyes, to find themselves back inside the town hall. They all looked in confusion on whether or not it was another part of Abacus's memory.
Luna, noticing this, spoke out to the crowd. "Your eyes do not deceive you. The memory is over. You never left the room at all."
Celestia stepped forward. "Now do you understand? Abacus Sum was, and is innocent of everything. Tiger Lily was killed by a tragic accident, not murder."
Luna noticing the children all shaken up and scared from what they saw, bowed her head down apologetically. "I am sorry your dear children had to witness all of those horrific things, but it was the only way to show the truth."
Lady Justice began to ponder for a moment with mixed feeling. "So...Abacus was really innocent?"
"Yes, Lady Justice," Celestia said. "And as you had witnessed in his memory, Abacus was a victim of horrible conspiracy that not even I was aware of until nearly a year ago."
"Hold on. I think we should have them tell it, along with the other two memories to show." Luna turned to the royal guards behind her. "Bring out the prisoners!"
A few of the royal guards nodded as they went backstage. The crowd looked on as the guards came back, escorting a row of ponies, and a familiar large minotaur on the town hall stage. There were three unicorns, and an Earth pony who was in fact the pony, Rotten Eggs. Two of the three unicorns were Blue Ward and Cover-Up of the Canterlot investigation team. They were bound in chains, and ironically had strange anti-magic devices made of metal locked on the horns of the unicorns. As well as steelectric collars on each of them. All except for one of them, a dark red unicorn stallion with a black mane and tail who had only chains, and an anti-magic device on his horn, but no steelectric collar.
"These are the villainous scum who did these horrific acts," Luna said. "And now I will show you the memories of the corrupted investigation team."
Luna levitated another of the three jars, and shot another lightning bolt like magic stream at it. The jar began to glow around the town hall, and a bright, blinding flash of light that engulfed the whole room. The crowd then found themselves inside an office in a building. Sitting inside the office, they see Blue Ward sitting at his desk. He looked up as Cover-Up came into his office.
"Blue Ward?" He asked.
"Yes, Cover-Up." Blue Ward said.
"We just got a letter from Ponyville." Cover-Up presented the letter and handed to Blue Ward. "The mayor herself has requested us to investigate on a house fire. This one has a fatality with one survivor."
Blue Ward raised an intriguing eyebrow as he read the letter. He looked up, nodded, and got up from his desk. "Organize the next train to Ponyville. This one could possibly be another good one."
"Right, Inspector." Cover-Up said.
The two suited ponies left the office as the memory evaporated like smoke, and the area began to change location. The location changed to Mayor Mare's office, where Mayor Mare and Lady Justice were sitting inside waiting. The door opened, and Blue Ward and Cover-Up came inside.
Blue Ward stopped in front of her desk, with his unicorn stallion partner. "Ms Mayor? I'm Chief Inspector Blue Ward of the Canterlot investigation force." He turned to his partner. "And this is Detective Lieutenant Cover-Up."
Mayor Mare and Lady Justice nodded. "I'm Mayor Mare of Ponyville."
"And I'm Lady Justice, the local court judge."
"So let's get down to business," Cover-Up said. "You called upon us to investigate a house fire with a fatality and a lone survivor."
Lady Justice nodded. "That's correct. We both did. A very popular and beloved local pony couple's house burnt down the previous night. Abacus Sum survived..." Lady Justice sniffled, trying her best to be professional and not cry. "But his wife, Tiger Lily, didn't make it. And she was over four months pregnant. The fire fighting crew have recovered her remains."
Cover-Up took some notes. "I see. That sounds very tragic indeed, and for the husband especially."
"And where is Abacus Sum now?" Blue Ward asked.
"He's at his neighbor's place. He is most distraught of it." Mayor Mare adjusted her glasses. "Although, the story he told us of what happened is...very questionable."
Blue Ward tilted his head. "Questionable?"
Mayor Mare nodded. "Yes. He states that he doesn't know how the fire started. And that he heard a window smash, and that he saw the fire in the hall, and that Tiger Lily pushed him out the door before the roof collapse."
"There is just something not adding up to his version of the event," Lady Justice said. "And with no other witnesses, we suspect that he might have...killed her."
Cover-Up raised an eyebrow. "That is a serious accusation."
Lady Justice sighed. "Well, off the record, the mayor and I have had a bad feeling about him. Ever since he came to Ponyville with his wife from Fillydelphia."
"We really loved his wife, but something about him gives us a bad feeling. Though we never told anypony or showed it." Mayor Mare cleared her throat. "However, we could be wrong about him."
Lady Justice cleared her throat. "And since this town has no police force, we would like you to investigate it to see if his version of what happened is true."
"Well, having a bad feeling about somepony isn't evidence," Blue Ward said. "There is a possibility he could be telling the truth. That's what we're here for. To find out the truth. So you leave the investigating to us."
Lady Justice nodded. "But of course."
"I just hope our suspicions of him are wrong." Mayor Mare said.
Cover-Up cleared his throat. "The first thing we need to do is question the husband of the deceased. Where can we find him?"
The crowd watched as the memory evaporated like smoke, and once again change to another location. Blue Ward and Cover-Up knock on the front door of a house next door to the burnt out, blackened remains of what was once was Abacus and Tiger Lily's home. A moment later, the front door opened to reveal Derpy.
"Miss Derpy?" Cover-Up asked.
"Yes?" Derpy tilted her head. "What can I do for you?"
Blue Ward and Cover-Up presented their badges. "Blue Ward and Cover-Up of the Canterlot investigation force."
"Is Abacus Sum here?" Cover-Up asked. "We're here to ask him some questions in regards to the recent tragic incident last night."
"Oh sure," Derpy said. "He's in the living room. But I should tell you: he's very distraught."
Blue Ward nodded. "That's understood. Can we see him?"
Derpy nodded, welcomed Blue Ward and Cover-Up inside her house, and escorted them into the living room. Inside the living room, Abacus was sitting on the sofa crying from the tragic loss of his wife with his hooves over his eyes. Derpy sat down on the sofa next to Abacus, and patted his back to comfit him.
"Abacus? These nice police ponies from Canterlot are here to see you."
Abacus wiped his eyes, and sniffled. "Okay." He looked up at Blue Ward and Cover-Up. "Are you here to help?"
Blue Ward nodded. "Of course, Mr Sum. We're here to investigate on the mayor's request. We'd like to ask you some questions, and to tell us exactly what happened last night. Do you think you can do that?"
Abacus nodded and began to tell them exactly what happened. The crowd watched as the memory once again evaporated like smoke, and once again change to another location and time. It changed to the burnt out, blackened remains of Abacus's house the next day. Blue Ward looked at the house examining the scene, when Cover-Up came forward towards him.
"Found anything, Inspector?" Cover-Up asked.
Blue Ward turned to Cover-Up. "Well, it looks like the fire was an electrical overload in the kitchen's power socket behind the refrigerator in the kitchen. And I found out by checking records, they had that power socket replaced nearly a week ago. How about you on your end?"
Cover-Up smiled and levitated some papers. "Well, I've got something that will intrigue you greatly. What you said about this one being a good one could be true. Have a look at these."
Blue Ward took the papers and began to read them as Cover-Up explained what he had found.
"I did a check on he and his wife's personal information," Cover-Up said. "Apparently I found that there is a life insurance payout of over one point two million bits for his wife's death. And Abacus Sum has about five hundred and thirty thousand bits in his bank account, due to him being a very skillful accountant, and tax agent. This pony is a gold mine."
Blue Ward smiled at hearing what was told to him as he read the papers of information Cover-Up had just found. "Excellent. Looks like we got what we need."
The crowd blinked in confusion at what they said. Then the memory once again evaporated like smoke, and once again change to another location and time. It changed to the inside of Hoofstrong Prison Centre the next day. Blue Ward and Cover-Up waited in a hall outside a room, and a moment later, Armstrong, and two of his guards, Rotten Eggs, and a dark red unicorn stallion with a black mane and tail came out, and closed the door as the sounds of screaming could be heard, and muffled out when the door closed.
"Well, Blue Ward and Cover-Up," Armstrong said. "What do I owe the pleasure?"
Blue Ward smiled. "We came to inform you that we have another one for you."
"And he's a real gem." Cover-Up said.
Armstrong raised an intrigued eyebrow. "A gem, you say?"
Cover-Up nodded. "A one point eight million bit one at that. This one is an accountant and tax agent from Ponyville." He presented the information papers to Armstrong. "Have a look."
Armstrong took the papers and began to read them to himself silently. He began grin deviously. "Well, well! You aren't kidding! This Abacus Sum really is a gem!"
"Abacus Sum? He's in Ponyville?" Rotten Eggs glared vindictively. "Finally, I've found him!"
"Oh?" Armstrong asked. "You know that pony, Rotten Eggs?"
"I sure do. And his friend, Lawful Eye. She's the one who got me arrested seven years ago! And she busted my nose in kindergarten." Rotten Eggs grinned as he pounded his fist. "This is a good chance for me to get some payback them both. You can have the money, but Abacus is my real prize!"
Armstrong chuckled impressively. "You definitely are a real vindictive one, Rotten Eggs. No wonder you're one of my favorites. I'm glad I hired you to be part of our operation here. Very well." He turned to the dark red unicorn stallion. "Turncoat. Looks like we got ourselves another one coming here to add to the list."
"Indeed so, Armstrong." Turncoat said.
"Looks like we're in business," Blue Ward said. "We'll wait until he gets his life insurance payout after his deceased wife's funeral. Then after that, we make our move. And with the mayor and local court judge's secret dislike to him, along with their pasts, it'll be very easy. Much too easy."
Rotten Eggs came forward. "You have to watch out for Lawful Eye. If I know her, she will try and defend Abacus."
Blue Ward smiled confidently. "Don't you worry. We found out about her already, and that she's in Manehattan as we speak working on a huge case. We're intercepting any of her mail that will tell her this whole thing. She'll never know anything about it until it's too late."
"And what of the local electrician who worked on the kitchen power socket that caught fire?" Cover-Up asked. "Shall we convict him too, and have it look like he conspired with Abacus? Light Socket was in a way responsible for house fire that caused Abacus's wife's death. Or we could convict his mother, and make it look like a scheme between mother and son."
Blue Ward turned to Cover-Up. "No. Too complicated. Besides, if we do convict him, he wouldn't be worth very much anyway. We go for big gems, not small ones. As for his mother, no. We don't want to be too greedy, and risk arousing suspicion." He grinned sinisterly. "Beside, somepony has to be available to tell their friend the bad news. Too bad for poor Abacus, and his poor, dumbass, bitch mother. Huh? Not going to see her baby boy again."
Cover-Up grinned and nodded. "Yeah, Inspector. I'll be eating my heart out."
The crowd's eyes widened as Blue Ward, Cover-Up, Armstrong, and Rotten Eggs began to laugh sinisterly. Then the memory once again evaporated like smoke, a blinding flash, and the crowd found themselves back inside the town hall once again. The crowd was disgusted and betrayed at what they were just shown as they turned their attention back to the stage where the princess's and prisoners were stationed.
Mayor Mare scowled at Blue Ward and Cover-Up on stage with a look of anger and betrayal. "So all the evidence you presented to us of Abacus murdering Tiger Lily for the motive of money was all a lie?!"
Twilight was shocked and angered at what she had just found and witnessed. "Blue Ward and Cover-up. You two were some of the best of the Canterlot investigation force. Why?! How could you do this?!"
"Why, you ask?" Blue Ward scoffed. "I'm sure an intelligent smart ass like yourself could figure that out."
Luna turned to Blue Ward and Cover-Up, and glared at them threateningly. She raise a hoof pointing towards the crowd in a demanding manner. "Tell them the truth! And if there is any rebellious hostile moves-"
"Save your threats, Moony bitch," Blue Ward said. "We'll talk. It's all over now anyway."
Blue Ward and Cover-Up took a few steps forward on stage. The crowd glared at them as they were about to tell them the truth to their actions.
"So you want to know why? Then we will tell you." Blue Ward chuckled. "It's because we can. Because Abacus was inferior, like all others before and after him. We never cared but enforcing crimes, and bring justice. And on top of that, we and Armstrong's prison never got paid well enough. So then we turned to the method of putting innocent ponies like Abacus Sum in Hoofstrong for serious crimes that we framed them for, where for the last ten years we've been successful."
"And when we got them arrested, tried, and sentenced, we would get any fortunes they had, if any, as well as our salary from the government," Cover-Up said. "And Armstrong would get ponies to torture for his enjoyment. It was there did we form a partnership to our ring, with him and the prison getting a cut of the profits. As well as forming secret friendships with corrupted members of the royal guards and other police members, and even some high members of Equestria's criminal underworld. Getting ponies that had no other witness for their version of whatever happens, those were the easiest. And anypony we encountered that were true criminal, sadists, rapist, thugs, and brutes, we would organize for them to be sent to Hoofstrong. Then Armstrong himself would recruit them to secretly work as guards for him. If they got unicorns, his guards, and his right hoof pony, Turncoat would teach them the spells of how to shock ponies wearing steelectric collars."
Blue Ward glanced at Rotten Eggs. "It was how we recruited Rotten Eggs here. When we heard from sources about his crime of a vicious string of rapes of mares in Fillydelphia, we sent a request for a transfer from the prison he was sent to for his crime, to Hoofstrong. There he was offered to be a guard for Armstrong." He turned back to the crowd. "As Cover-Up said: Ponies that suffered incidents alone without anypony else witnessing to vouch for their version of events was the easiest. And Abacus was perhaps the easiest out of them, and one of the most biggest shares. Usually we would keep pressuring them for a long time in an interview room, depriving the subjects of food, water and sleep until they would forcibly give a false confession, but we didn't need to in this case. With the mayor and the local court judge having a deep, hidden distrust and suspicion of him from the first day he came here, it was easy to convince you dumb fools to think he was a murderer. Too easy in fact, that it was laughable."
The crowd of the whole town was shocked and livid at what the former investigators had just confessed to them. Mayor Mare and Lady Justice began to feel a great sense of anger and betrayal at what they heard from the very investigators they trusted to investigate.
"So you took advantage of us to convict Abacus of murder?!" Mayor Mare said. "But there was no murder at all!
"And I tried, hoofed out a harsh guilty verdict, and sentence on an innocent pony?!" Lady justice growled. "We trusted you to investigate the truth, and believed you, and all this time, you were lying! You framed him! And it was all for your sick, evil greed to get Abacus's money! You scoundrels!"
Blue Ward laughed as he turned to Mayor Mare and Lady Justice. "That's because you two were the biggest, fucking fools of them all! Second only to Princess Sun Butt! We counted on your blind suspicions, and hidden hatred of him to make our plan succeed! We even checked you both out and found your pasts, and used both of those to our advantage. And we got a huge fortune from it thanks to the both of you!"
The words of Blue Ward made Mayor Mare and Lady Justice growl in rage. The crowd shared the same feelings, for now they knew the truth.
"All of this was happening right under the nose of everypony, even her royal highness herself." Cover-Up glanced at Luna. "That was...until her sister's return from the moon." He glanced at Lawful Eye. "And you. A mere private investigator detective from Fillydelphia, and that secret task force you formed with the F.P.I.."
"Well, you should've been more thorough when writing your fake reply letter posing as me," Lawful Eye said. "Arithma even suspected something was wrong, especially when you mentioned Abacus as just "Abacus", and Tiger Lily as just "Tiger Lily", while I always refer to them as "Abi and Lily" when I write casually to friends."
Blue Ward closed his eyes, and began to chuckle with both impressiveness and detest at Lawful Eye's observation. To think that one little mistake could caused their operation to be found out. Smiling, he opened his eyes up at Lawful Eye.
"Clever mare, Investigator detective," Blue Ward remarked. "Clever mare."
Rotten Eggs stepped forward. "Who would've thought that the detective who busted us would be same one who busted me nearly a decade ago, and busted my nose in kindergarten." He glanced at Lawful Eye. "I wish you could've been there to see Abacus suffer...before he did this."
Rotten Eggs turned his right side to the crowd, and cocked his right hind leg up at the crowd as high as the chains could let him. The crowd gasped with surprise and disgust, with many ponies covering the children's eyes at what Rotten Eggs was showing. Rotten Eggs smirked at the crowds reaction.
"Looks horrible, doesn't it? Wish you could've seen it in its glory. But because of Abacus, it will never function the same way again." Rotten Eggs dropped his hind leg back down, and turn his front back to the crowd, but eyeing at Lawful Eye. "But it doesn't matter, because Abacus will never be the same again either. It was so much fun torturing him while it lasted. Best revenge against you and him." Seeing Lawful Eyes enraged face, he smiled evilly. "That's right. And he cried throughout it all, just like a big baby. It was sad."
Lawful Eye growled through gritting teeth in anger, but restrained herself from lashing out at him. She knew that he was taunting her, and that he wanted her to lash out. Armstrong came up and stood next to Rotten Eggs.
"Like Rotten Eggs said: it was fun while it lasted," Armstrong said. "Seeing all the innocent ponies Blue Ward and Cover-Up brought for me and my men to have fun with. Torturing them, playing with them, and even killing them, stallions and mares alike for ten whole years. And if my men got the mares pregnant, we'd take their kids away after they gave birth, and we would sell them for slavery for a good price. Even though we usually used the stallion prisoners to forcible breed with them. It was so much fun."
"But that smarty pants, Abacus was one of those who never got that privilege to breed," Rotten Eggs said. "He was my bitch for me and the others to play with."
The crowd scowled with pure hatred towards the prisoner ponies and minotaur on the stage before them.
"You monsters!"
"You're completely sick!"
"You framed and tortured Abacus!"
"Those bastards deserve to die!"
The crowd began to shout numerous things in agreement and anger towards them.
"ENOUGH!" Luna shouted in her royal Canterlot voice, silencing the crowd before turning back to the prisoners and speaking in her normal voice. "Move away to the back!"
"Wait!" The dark red unicorn stallion prisoner came forward on the stage and turned to the two alicorn rulers. "Your Majesties? I wish to speak to the crowd. Please."
Celestia and Luna thought for a moment, before giving the prisoner a nod, permitting him to speak before the crowd knowing how genuine he asked to.
Continues on part 4...