//------------------------------//
// The Trial 
// Story: Flight 
// by wkblack 
//------------------------------//

Canary found herself draped over a muscular back like a pair of saddlebags. The pegasus beneath her was cantering over rocks by the sound of it. Opening her eyes a hair she saw Fuchsia's hooves beneath her, Lime trotting ahead of her, and Blitz following from behind. 
Her thoughts flashed back to the changelings. Hyacinth had taken a heavy blow and the others hadn't looked much better. Where are they taking me? Where is Echo? Flitix? Elytra? Hyacinth? I hope they're okay. The fight replayed in her mind and she winced. Those pegasi were so well trained. If they were part of the Storm, then why were they wearing the Cloud's insignia? What's going on‽ 
Canary bit at her lip. Her legs were still in hobbles. Walking would be difficult and running impossible. Canary worked at the hobbles but they didn't budge. Without some tool it would be difficult, if not impossible for her to get them off. 
She imagined kicking Fuchsia and rolling off her back, but her heart sank. In her mind's eye, Blitz jumped on her before she even got on her hooves. She ran through the scenario a dozen different ways, but each ended in capture and more injuries. No, she thought to herself. Now is not the time. She felt at peace with that, as if her heart were being hugged. 
“I'm not a changeling,” she whispered. 
No response. 
Canary filled her lungs this time. “I'm NOT a changeling!” 
Blitz stumbled over the canyon rocks but kept his eyes from meeting hers. 
Well so long as they don't stop me… Canary told them her entire story from her capture back in Woodburn to her escape from Korporis. The trio of pegasi made no response. She told it again, but her captors wouldn't so much as whisper. 
A grey mare with aqamarine eyes stood centered in the canyon, blocking the path. 
“Cirrus!” Canary kneed Fuchsia's stomach, making the large mare fall to the ground. Cirrus had been Canary's personal pupil in the Storm and one of her best friends. Canary shuffled as fast as she could towards her old friend but Lime jumped on her from behind, tackling her. “Cirrus, help! They think I'm a changeling!” 
The grey mare nodded to Blitz. “Bring her in.” 
Canary pushed off Lime and climbed to her hooves. “What?” 
Fuchsia restrained Canary and Cirrus walked up to her. 
“You need to stand trial for your murder.” 
“What murder‽” 
“The murder of the Storm's Second-in-Command: Canary Tiger.” 
Canary did a double take. “You think I killed myself‽” 
“You took her place in our town—you stole Canary's life from her in more than one way, just like the other changelings.” 
“What‽ Changelings don't do that! They can't feed off the dead!” Then Canary frowned, remembering the Foxford hive. 
Lime pointed his hoof at Canary. “See her face‽ She's lying!” 
“No! Only one hive tried to do that, and they're dead now!” 
“We've just been ignoring her,” Blitz explained to Cirrus. 
Canary growled. “Why don't you believe me‽” 
Cirrus raised an eyebrow. “Aether saw you transform.” 
“What? No! That was Echo!” 
Lime held his battleclaws up to Canary's neck. “I'm tired of this—let's get her back to Woodburn. Aether will want to judge the changeling herself.” 
Canary brightened. “Aether escaped‽ How‽” 
Cirrus and Blitz exchanged glances. 
“And how did you all escape?” 
“Aether saved us.” 
Canary's jaw dropped. “But she was in Korporis too!” 
Blitz nodded. “We had lost track of time by then—the months felt like years. When Aether broke into our cell we thought we were hallucinating.”
Cirrus picked up. “The door hinges were like warm butter under her hoof. The hinges screamed as she tore the door from its hinges. Then we saw her: eyes glowing gold. And her wings—” 
“They seemed to be completely made of light, the same color as her eyes.” 
“She was invincible! With her help, we all escaped and took back Woodburn from the Cloud!” 
Canary's jaw was still down. “That sounds like magic—that's impossible!”
Blitz shrugged. “She said she learned how to feel the Heartwind—something she felt pushing her onward. Whatever it is, it worked.” 
“Has she figured out how it works?” 
Cirrus shook her head. “She hasn't felt it since Korporis.” 
“Have any of you felt it before?” 
Blitz looked Canary up and down. “You pull off a convincing Canary.” 
“Because I am her!” 
Blitz sighed. “I wish you were.” 
“Aether will listen—then you'll see!” 
Lime chuckled. “She'll see through you in an instant, right Blitz?” 
Blitz caught himself staring at Canary then shook his head. “Yes, right.” 
Canary didn't resist when Fuchsia threw her over her back. Aether knew her better than any being in existence—she'd see the truth. Blitz and Lime stayed near Fuchsia as they headed down the canyon. Trees now sprung up at the canyon's sides, trunks gnarled and contorted by the Four Great Winds. Memories of Woodburn flooded her vision, overlaying the forest around her. 


~ ※ ~


Aether prowled low to the ground: a lioness stalking her fattened prey, eyes locked on the umbral cliff before her. Canary smiled. Aether did this often when reliving races. Her friend nearly let Canary forget they were in the middle of the forest in the middle of the night. 
“I can't believe you convinced me to visit from Feathermore. It'll take me weeks to catch up in my studies.” Canary said. 
Aether beamed up at the cliff as if it were the rising sun. “You won't be disappointed. I've never felt so fulfilled in my entire life! It felt was like I was meant to fly, like it's my purpose in life! You have to feel it for yourself.” The wind wove Aether's mane behind her like clouds in a deep blue sky. 
Canary chuckled. “That's why I'm following you.” 
Stones interspersed their path now as they neared the cliff's base. Aether climbed onto a large rock and reached down for Canary. “Thanks again for believing me.” 
Canary took hold and clambered upwards. “I have some questions though.” 
Aether nodded. “How could you not? The rest of Woodburn still doesn't believe me.” 
The winds howled louder as they scaled the cliff. Canary grimaced. The sash around her wings was the only barrier between her and the violent winds. “If you really can fly, then why didn't you just show them?” 
Aether sighed as she shimmied up a wide crack in the cliff's face. “I can't just fly whenever I want to—my wings aren't that strong. I can only fly when the winds are right.” 
“But the bats can fly without the wind.” 
“You're missing the point. We can fly! Us! Pegasi!” 
Canary shivered at the cool rock on her back, not yet warmed by morning rays. Aether climbed much faster than she. “So how did you fly without getting your wings torn off?” 
Aether chuckled. “Well it was an accident the first time—I fell while scaling a cliff. A rock had torn off my wing cover on the way down so the wind threw open my wings. I tried to keep them closed, but the winds were too strong—I barely managed to keep my wings from snapping backwards. It hurt like Tartarus to keep open my wings, but it kept me gliding in the air.” 
The winds hushed as she crested the cliff. Canary's heart stopped. From here she could make out the entire valley below her. Woodburn lay small in the distance with the eastern forest beyond. Night was fleeing the eastern sky, leaving its clouds a hazy orange. The northern mountains were covered with their thick mist as always. She could see the southern plains for miles, until they met the horizon. Even the black line of the Ravine was visible from here, breaking up the plains. 
Aether's voice broke her trance. “Breathtaking, isn't it?”
“I can see why you like it here.” 
Aether smiled. The rising sun made her mane's white streaks shine in contrast to the lavender blue. “Let's do this.” In a fluid movement, Aether tore off her wing cover and unfurled her wings. 
Canary had had nightmares about forgetting her wing cover—no one in their right mind would leave their homes without them. But now she couldn't take her eyes off Aether's wings—feathers so neatly arrayed, muscles so clearly defined, the majesty of opened wings. They're beautiful. 
Canary shook her head to focus. “This is crazy! What if a wind comes‽” 
“That's the entire point!” Aether chuckled. “Relax. You look like you want to hide under your bed!” 
Canary blushed. “Shouldn't we—” 
“Come on. I've flown twice already. You'll be fine!” Aether reached for Canary's sash but was swatted away. 
Canary pulled off her own wing cover and let it fall to the cliff. She opened her wings half a hoof and examined them. “It just feels weird… I'm not sure if—”
A gust of wind cut her off, howling past her ears. The headwind forced her wings open and dragged her across the cliff's face. She scrabbled at the terrain beneath her, hooves scraping over rock and ledge. Canary latched onto a bush at the edge of the cliff and held on for dear life. 
Aether leapt into the wind and spread her wings, letting the wind catch her full-on. As the wind blew her past Canary, she shouted out, “Open your wings!” 
“Are you insane‽” Canary watched an updraft carry her friend into the air. She shook her head. 
I'm going to die. 
Canary released the bush and opened her wings. 


~ ※ ~


The sound of breaking glass shattered Canary's memories and threw her onto Fuchsia's back. The flock of pegasi had left the trees and were crossing the clearing to her home town. Though all was familiar, everything had changed. Starlight lit the rubble of houses once known to Canary. Lime stepped on a ragdoll pegasus, drowning it with the muddy street. Not one house was lit—the town was silent. 
Canary had so often dreamt of returning, but never as a prisoner in her own town. The prison was small and, to Canary's knowledge, unused until now. 
“Your trial's at sunrise.” Fuchsia locked the bars behind her. 
The prison door slammed behind her. 
Memories of Korporis blitzed her mind, but Canary shook her head, clearing her mind. At least it's more comfortable. 
A chirp from above drew her gaze: a bright yellow bird sat between the prison bars, staring down at her. Stars faded from the sky behind it, hidden by the rising sun. 
Canary frowned. “Echo, I told you to not turn into me.” 
The bird chirped a laugh and jumped into the cell,changing into Echo's normal form. “Technically, it's not you,” he said, giving her a quick peck. 
Canary smiled. “Even the bird is too close for comfort, Echo. Besides, I like you better this way.” She held her head flush to his chest and listened to his pounding heart. 
“We caught up with you all an hour ago—”
“Is Hyacinth okay?” 
“She'll be fine. Her shell was cracked, but she can still function.” 
Canary sighed. “Thank goodness. And the rest of you?” 
“Better than you right now.” 
Canary nodded, gaze wandering to the prison bars. “This will be difficult.” 
Echo rose an eyebrow. “We escaped Korporis; I can break us out of here in a heartbeat. Don't be so pessimistic!” He reached for the lock, but Canary held back his hoof. 
“No—I can't.” Canary's breathing stopped. Freedom had been her goal for so long; she had never imagined turning it down. 
“Are you crazy‽ They could take your wings! They could kill you!” 
Canary shook her head. “They'd only be more convinced I'm a changeling if I disappear! I need to show them who I am. When I stand trial, I'll finally get a chance to explain what's going on.” 
Echo rose an eyebrow. “Did you feel nothing while they were taking you? They're not going to listen.” 
Canary kissed Echo's cheek. “Aether is my best friend—I'm sure she'll hear me out.” 
“I don't feel good about this. We should—” 
Canary lifted her hoof to his mouth. “Trust me.” 
Echo searched Canary's eyes. “Fine. Call for me if you need me—I won't be far. I'm not leaving this town without you.” He leapt up to the windowsill in a burst of green light and landed as a golden canary. 
“And change into some other bird!” she called out, shaking her hoof after him. 
The bird stuck out its tongue, puffed its feathers, and flew out the window. 


~ ※ ~


The winds brushed her off the cliff like crumbs from a table. Canary turned downstream, but the tailwind threw her like a rag doll and ruffled her feathers. She spun out of control, hurtling towards the forest below. 
I was right. 
Aether circled back and dove towards Canary. “Face the winds!” 
Canary managed half a scream in response and squeezed her eyes shut. 
“Facing resistance will give you more lift!” 
Canary took a deep breath. Calm down. Another breath. You can do this. 
“And relax! It hurts less if you don't resist!” 
If Aether flew then so can I. Canary snapped her eyes open and surrendered her wings to the western winds. 
The air left Canary's chest as if she'd hit a wall. Her atrophied wings screamed in pain as the wind filled them up, but the breeze carried her upwards, far above the rocks below. The winds calmed for a moment at the higher altitude, letting her catch her breath. A warm updraft filled her wings, caressed every feather, and sent her heart soaring as well. 
Canary gasped. From this height the sun stood above the mountains and lit the world. She could even see the western desert from here. Sunlight streaked across the land, racing from the clifftops down to Woodburn's tiny houses. 
“Oh, Aether! We're flying!” 
Aether beamed. “You'd better believe it!” She pulled in her wings halfway and fell into a steep dive. Canary mimicked Aether's actions and was soon at her side. 
“There's a forest path about a half mile up from here. Start easing up.” 
Canary opened her wings a hair, but the winds snapped them open completely and sent her tumbling into the forest below. 
Aether made a tight circle and landed next to her friend who was tangled in some branches. Canary smiled manically as she pulled her limbs from the branches. “That was amazing.” 
Aether punched Canary's shoulder. “I should have pushed you off earlier.” 
“I'll be jumping on my own, thank you very much.” 
Canary opened her wings and leapt from the branch. 
“Don't—!” 
Before Aether could finish, Canary had already hit the ground. 
Aether chuckled and climbed down the tree. “I told you you can't fly without the wind!” 
Canary shot Aether a glare and flapped her wings so fast her nose bled. Only her forehooves left the ground before she collapsed. Canary rolled onto her back and frowned up at Aether. “What's the catch?” 
Aether lifted Canary onto her back. “Flying without the wind gets us exhausted, but ignoring the wind tires us equally. If we want to fly like the birds, we need to fly with the wind.” 


~ ※ ~


Canary frowned at the sky outside. If only the prison faced east. The sky had turned from black to blue without a trace of red. Morning was on the doorstep, and every bird's chirp reminded her of Echo's promise. Don't panic—Everything will be okay—Aether will listen, she repeated for the tenth time. 
Click. 
Canary shuddered. Will I ever stop jumping at that noise? 
Two pegasi stood silhouetted in the doorframe: Cirrus and some stallion she didn't recognize. Silver battleclaws gleamed at their forehooves. “The Counsel is ready for you,” Cirrus said, holding up an iron bridle. 
Canary's wings twitched. She backpedaled, tail brushing against the cell's back corner. “Please no—anything but that! I'm not going to fight—you really don't need to bridle me!” 
Cirrus rose an eyebrow. “The real Canary would be willing to stand trial. Put on the bridle yourself if you want to convince us.” The bridle clattered to the cell floor.
Canary nearly vomited. “Please let me go without it!” 
Cirrus scowled. “Put it on.” 
The bridle taunted her from the floor. Her mind screamed as she approached the cursed object. Her mind pushed her body onwards—it felt like crawling through thick weeds. Cold metal met her face. Though tears pushed for the surface, Canary held them down and searched Cirrus's eyes. 
“Are you happy now?” 
Cirrus unlocked the cell door and yanked Canary from the prison. 
Woodburn's citizens lined the streets, reminding her of Feathermore markets. Can Woodburn really house this many pegasi? As they neared town center, stares from the crowd grew increasingly aggressive. Words choked in Canary's throat and her gaze fell to the ground. 
Canary sidestepped a marble wing and recognized the rubble around her as the remnants of NightWing's statue. Town center was beyond recognition: where stalls once stood now sat a semicircle of thirteen chairs bordering the far edge of the clearing. Cirrus locked Canary down to the ruined statue's foundation and took her seat. The central chair stood taller than the rest and, with a little gold paint, could pass for a throne. When Canary's eyes rested on its possessor, her jaw dropped. 
“Aether‽” 
There her old friend sat with the rising sun as her crown and wildfire in her eyes. Her mane was ragged—even more so than usual—and her coat unkempt. But Canary forgot it all when she saw  Aether's sides. Her wings once ran long down her back and rippled in the wind; they could sense a breeze from a mile away; they were wings that rivaled the dragons' of old. Now broken bones jutted out of scabs where her wings had been. They had been severed at the humerus, barely two hooves from her shoulder. Red stained her coat where the stumps met her sides. 
“Aether! What happened to your wings‽” 

“The Cloud stole them from me,” Aether snarled.
Canary's mouth opened and closed as she struggled to form words. “I'm so sorry. I escaped just as they were about to take mine,” she said, showing the white scar on her left wing. A few murmurs spread through the crowd. 
“Of course you did.”
Blitz walked center, addressing the crowd. “Pegasi of Woodburn: The trial for Changeling 47 will now commence. It is charged with not only dissimulation, but also betrayal and murder of a Storm officer; any one of these crimes warrants death.”
Canary's heart beat harder. 
“First, dissimulation, for the malicious falsifying of identity. You have taken the form of Canary Tiger including and up to this moment, and all forms of deceit are a capital offense. Our Glorious Leader Aether herself saw your transformation. Second, betrayal, for revealing the Sanctum's location to the Cloud. All seated here can attest to this. Third, the murder of Canary Tiger, Second-in-Command. Your being in her form is proof enough of this crime. 
“You may now give your defense.”
Canary gulped, the weight of a thousand eyes pressing on her back. 
“Hello, my f—friends.” Canary's gaze moved over each of the original Storm members. Cirrus, Lily, CloudChaser, Coral, Chartreuse, Aether, Blitz, Angel, Lilac, Skye, Twist, Mint. They once loved me—followed me—obeyed me. Now want to tear me in two. The heat of their anger singed her like a flow of lava.
Canary gulped. “I can't directly prove I'm not a changeling, but I can convince you that I'm the real Canary—there are some things only I knew, especially you,” she said, gesturing to the semicircle of chairs.
“Cirrus, you were always worried about your adequacy—worried about falling behind. You only felt unskilled because you were always at the edge of progress, constantly pushing your limits!”
“Coral—you were my best friend back in Feathermore. Thnanks for all the times you helped me get away from my desk. And thank you,” she added, “for understanding when I needed to stay.”
“Blitz,” Canary gulped. “I used to be afraid of you, funnily enough. You were such a strong advocate for the bats that I was at first against inviting you into the Storm. I'm so glad Aether convinced me otherwise; you quickly became one of our strongest leaders. But even before then, you were like a—” Blitz had loved her like his own, in his own way: motivating and pushing her to be her best. Still, she couldn't call him father. “—a great friend to me, when I lost my parents.”
Canary turned to center, focusing on her oldest friend. “And Aether, where do I begin?” She chuckled. “It feels like only yesterday we were running between adults' legs, racing to the schoolhouse. I never imagined how much our world could change while I was away in Feathermore. In our first flight, you—” 
“Enough!” Aether leapt from her throne, tears running down her face. All eyes were wide with shock, locked in on Aether. “Stop tormenting me! Take off her skin—you aren't worthy of it! She was my only friend, and you killed her!” Aether turned to the crowd and roared, “Pegasi of Woodburn, as you all know, it was by the Heartwind we escaped Korporis. As we left its clutches, the Heartwind spoke through me: 'Canary is not with us anymore.' I trusted this wind with my life.” Aether turned back to Canary. “I didn't think it was possible, but it's clear that the changeling had taken not only Canary's form but has somehow stolen her memories as well. If this is so, we cannot be safe until all deception is removed.” 
The crowd broke into discussion, neighbors challenging neighbors. 
“Does she mean—?”
“She's right!” 
“She couldn't.” 
“There's no other way!”
“What are you saying Aether?” Blitz asked, holding his breath. 
“Our goal is to liberate all truth. We've banished the Cloud from our midst and are ever increasing the borders of security. I see now the time has come to eliminate the greatest deceptions in all of Avondale. Changelings at their cores are lies. They're parasites, stealing love from the innocent. Canary would never sympathize with them. 
“Changeling 47 has opened my eyes. I see now that we will never have peace until your kind is exterminated from this land. Changelings must now become our primary enemy. If you feel any doubt, it's the changeling placing it in you. Fight it, my friends! The real Canary fought against lies. She fought against the bats' oppression and she would fight against the changelings too. Remember the life of the true Canary! Let us purge the land of lies together, united as one!” 
The crowd roared in agreement and two pegasi jumped forward from the crowd. 
“You're making a mistake, Aether!” the left one yelled out. 
The crowd fell silent.
“This one isn't the changeling. We are!” 
Both pegasi burst into flames and revealed their true forms. 
“Echo? Flitix? What are you doing‽” 
Echo stomped his hoof. “Changelings are not your enemy, Aether. You are! Your anger makes you hunt your friend. This is Canary! She's as much a pegasus as you are. I am the one who betrayed you!” Echo turned into Canary as she looked on the night of betrayal: wings fully plumed, eyes dark and soulless. 
Discussions roared louder than a dragon. 
“How are there two of them‽” 
Angel addressed Aether. “Do they not have to kill to take others forms?” 
“ENOUGH!” Aether shouted, eyes glowing red with fury. The crowd fell silent as a ghost. “It doesn't matter if every changeling in Avondale turned into our Canary—they're all lies! Seize the changelings!” 
Echo and Flitix grabbed her forelegs tight and jumped into the air. A golden pegasus and a silver pegasus followed right on their tail. 
“Wait!” Canary called out. “I need to show them who I am! I need to—” The two pegasi in pursuit seized her hind legs. Canary gasped. 
“Thanks,” Flitix called back. The golden pegasus winked at Canary, eye flashing green. 
“They're all changelings!” came Aether's shout from below. 
“No!” Canary reached desperately down to Woodburn below, but a gust of wind bore them up, making Woodburn shrink in the distance. The changelings whisked her away, flying her over the northern forest. 
“They are not in a mood to talk, Canary. You're going to get yourself killed some day!” 
Canary growled. “Let me die! They need to know!” 
Elytra glanced at the flock of pegasi pursuing behind them. “One thing's for sure: you're convincing no one today.”