"Will the trial be going underway as soon as she wakes up?"
"I don't know. We're still having a hard time disconnecting the spell between her and Twilight. When we finally release Princess Twilight of the several spells layering her brain, it'll be much easier to follow through the trial."
"And where is the wand she carried around?"
"In a safe locked up, somewhere deep in the Crystal Empire where she'll never find it. Oh! She's waking up!"
Star woke up feeling well rested, but her heart immediately dropped when she was looking at Princess Luna and one of her guards.
"I would say good morning, but it's not." Princess Luna said staring Star down with cold eyes. "I was wondering why Twilight would want to take a second student so soon after taking her first one. And now I know why."
Star cowered on the bed she was on and looked at her surroundings: a dark grey dreary cell with a hole to go to the bathroom. And chains that had cuffs attached to all four of her hooves keeping her on the bed. There was an opening with three bars at the door for air.
Star did not say anything, her hearts dimmed to a dark pink and she looked away from the Princess.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle should be lifted of your witchcraft soon." Princess Luna told Star. "And after she's recovered, a trial to determine what will happen with you will commence."
"...has anyone asked to see me?" Star whimpered, longing for the comfort of her best friend.
"No." And with that, the Princess and her guard left the cell and a click was heard. Which Star assumed was her locking the cell door.
She waited till she could no longer hear their hoofsteps and screamed out of anger and sorrow, trying to kick the cuffs off her hooves.
How was I caught so easily?! It was that creepy zebra witch! She didn't even have a wand and she could tell every last spell I cast!
Star stopped her tantrum and collapsed on her bed making it wet with tears. As soon as she could find a way out of this cell, she'd find that pony that stole her Dimensional Scissors if it was the last thing she did.
It had been two weeks since Marco and most of the Mane 6 had found Zecora at Ponyville telling them all what had happened in rhymes. Starlight had also showed up with great concern for her teacher.
Fluttershy was very respectful of Marco still but became much more quiet. They didn't interact much as him, 5 of the Mane 6, Starlight Glimmer, and Zecora all stayed in guest rooms in the Canterlot castle.
Fluttershy didn't tell the others the secret Marco had kept, and Marco was surprised that she spared him from a bunch of angry ponies. But that didn't change the fact that he felt horrible that Fluttershy hardly talked to him possibly because she felt hurt and betrayed that the stallion that she let in her cottage was letting Star brainwash her friend.
I should've told her sooner, maybe I would've appeared as a hero to her or at least not a coward...I gotta make up for this.
He realized he cared for her ten times more than any of these ponies here, she was heavenly in a sense as her kindness knew no bounds. He blushed as he remembered he screwed up badly, and she didn't give him hell. But that didn't keep her from feeling hurt.
The eight ponies were split into two rooms that had two bunk beds each, and Marco had a bottom bed with Applejack in the bed above him and Starlight and Zecora in the bunk bed across from them. His heart sank as he realized one way or another, they would find out the secret he kept.
After all, Princess Celestia told us that witnesses would have to speak at the trial. And that includes...me.
He heard a knock at the door and Applejack climbed off her bed and opened it to a guard levitating paperwork with his horn.
"Hello, are you guys waiting for Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Applejack nodded. "The spells have been lifted from her brain. Even though she's pretty tired, she insists she's ready to see you all."
"Okay, thank you sir." Applejack brightened up at the prospect of seeing her friend again. "Let's go."
The ponies in the other room showed up and all of them went to a hospital across from the castle and made it to a room where they opened the door and saw Twilight in the hospital bed with droopy eyes and a small smile.
"Twilight!" Pinkie shouted, only to be shushed by the doctor in the room.
"How are you?" Fluttershy asked gently as she walked up to her friend. "Are you OK?"
"I feel free." Twilight whispered, her smile grew. "I felt so trapped in there. Zecora, thanks a million for returning me my freedom."
"Thank Starlight, she is the one that set things right." Zecora replied, looking at Twilight's student with pride.
"Starlight Glimmer, thank you." Twilight smiled. "Marco? Aren't you Star's friend?"
"Yes." Marco answered nervously.
"Did you take part in this?" Rainbow Dash growled, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I didn't help her...but I did not tell anyone when I found out what she did." Marco confessed. "I'm extremely sorry, I had no idea she'd go this far and how bad it'd hurt you guys."
The whole Mane 6 except Twilight and Fluttershy looked shocked. Applejack then glared at him.
"I let a coward into my barn!" Applejack snapped. "And Fluttershy let a coward in her cottage! For the love! You're such a disgrace-"
"I did not let a coward into my cottage!" Marco shook as he heard Fluttershy's angry tone for the first time. "Marco was confused as his friend was going left and right making bad decisions. And yes, he was worried and probably felt scared. But it was for his friend!"
"He's not a coward." Fluttershy whispered. "He was just trying to do the right thing."
Marco was shocked as this was way more than he deserved after his screw-up. His wings twitched and his hooves shuffled awkwardly.
"Th-thanks, Fluttershy." Marco stuttered.
Applejack narrowed her eyes at Fluttershy and Marco knowingly while everyone else minus Twilight was gawking at them.
"I forgive you Marco." Twilight reassured him.
"So that's it?" Applejack huffed. "We gonna let Fluttershy's coltfriend here decide he's rightfully forgiven?"
"What? Fluttershy's not my...I never said that!" Marco snapped. "Twilight and Fluttershy were so kind to forgive me and I didn't even deserve it let alone ask for it!"
"I mean, he didn't exactly brainwash Twilight right?" Rarity pointed out. "That was Star's doing."
"Fine, but I don't trust you in my barn again." Applejack said to Marco.
"That's fair." Marco sighed.
"Who needs a barn when you could hang with the Wonderbolts?" Dash smirked and flipped her hair back in a boastful manner.
"Maybe, but I'm not a good flier." Marco replied. Fluttershy smiled and Marco assumed that perhaps she wasn't a good flier either, after all she lived in a cottage in a forest.
He felt less tension in the room and was relieved, although he knew now that Twilight was back to normal things would soon go downhill all over again.
Star scowled when she heard hoofsteps towards her cell. She had lost count of how long she was here, and assumed it had been several weeks, and had hated how they've treated her with generic hay to eat and only allowed her 5-minute showers twice a week when back in Mewni she had one every day with only the richest of soaps and lotions.
She flinched as she was exposed to more bright light when she saw Princess Luna open her cell door and enter the cell.
"Twilight Sparkle has been fully recovered of the spells you've cast." Princess Luna explained. "She's recovered from the procedure and she's been able to answer our questions properly. Therefore a trial to determine your penalty will be held...tomorrow."
Star's jaw dropped after the Princess told her the news, she felt all her crimes come back to her mind like a tidal wave. And not only that, but Twilight saw the spells that she cast...and knew she was a human.