After Pinkie Pie gave her solemn promise, she sat down in the corner and whimpered as Fluttershy drooped a wing across her shoulders. Every pony in the room took the time to hug Pinkie Pie separately but lightly, before returning to the case at hand.
Twilight took hold of the wood with the eyelet and wrapped her aura around it, examining it closely, as Quill Feather took notes on what Twilight said. "Ok, hardened pine, standard 2" aluminum bolt, clockwise thread. On the underside, there’s a small hole with a steel pin pointing out approximately one inch from the bottom of the bolt. Regarding the bottom of the bolt, I don't recognize the substance covering it. I can make out it's a gel component, but I don't know what it is. The gelatin component’s soaked into the wooden piece in a spot about six inches wide." Keeping her aura locked around the wood to preserve it, she wrapped it tightly into a plastic bag and sealed it. Placing it into her saddle bag. "If you want a chemical composition on the gel, I am going to need to run some tests on it. I could have the answers by tomorrow or the morning after that."
Quill Feather had also gone over the two folders of the paperwork inside, listing places, dates, and different ponies that were in the group. Names weren't listed, but just a description of the pony and their cutie marks. However, some of entries had N/A listed for their cutie mark. "I'm going to have to pour thru these descriptions. We should be able to detain these ponies, but who the others are, I have no idea."
"Princess Luna, Princess Twilight, I can have three undercover ponies do the arrests, all I need is the ok." Wind Shear offered. "All I need is a copy of the names and descriptions, and we can swoop down and bring them in."
"Please do, the sooner we get these dangerous ponies out from society, the better." Luna had agreed. "Unfortunately we do not have the names of any of these ponies, but I’m sure you will be more than capable of succeeding with what information we do have. I also want you to arrange with the on-duty guardians to start revolving shifts. Three guards each, until we find out if there are any guards that are members of this group."
*****
Princess Luna had another letter waiting for her when she, Celestia, and Quill Feather returned to her office. This time it was from the ruling family of the Gryphon Empire, no doubt from the sitting queen herself, as she was the one that did most of the dealings with other dignitaries and staff. Luna remembered that all of the dealings Celestia, herself and the staff had with the gryphon queen tended to go over rather smoothly. After formalities were exchanged, everyone was very pleasant and polite with each other. Celestia had mentioned that the talks took place every few years, or when a new ruler was crowned through the family. The last crowning was of the current queen after the king at the time retiring due to old age, with the queen taking sole rule eleven years ago.
Opening the letter, Luna began to read the exquisitely neatly written letter out loud so the others could know what had been written.
[Dearest Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,
I have received word from our Baltimare emissary Sahmek about the situation regarding a rogue gryphon in your capital of Canterlot. I have also read the somewhat fanciful newspaper stories that have landed into my lap discussing what has happened.
Firstly, my heart goes out to those guardians that lost their lives in the line of duty seeking to capture the ones you feel are responsible for the attempted assassination of the gryphon you are currently caring for. Send our condolences please to all their families from myself.
There are a few concerns that Sahmek had brought to my attention, and I hope any answers he has given for your questions have been satisfactory. If the rogue gryphon had a paw in the planning of any deaths to your guardians, I would ask that any ruling you make would consider penalties equal to if a pony had done such things here in our kingdom.
As you might not know, we handle our criminals somewhat the same, but with some small differences that Sahmek had outlined in his letter to you. Mainly, the wings being clipped until the sentence has finished.
However, any gryphons found to have committed murder, have their wings severely clipped, this consists of the primary feathers being removed for good. Two support bones are also removed so as to prevent the wings from being able to support the weight of the body. They have use of their wings to flap, but they would be unable to fly. They are then exiled from our lands. The exiled are only expected to live for one, maybe two winters, eventually succumbing to the elements.
That is the way our capital punishment is dealt out in the gryphon kingdom. However, since the gryphon is in your lands, and the offence enacted within your borders, I will accept whatever punishment you decree. I simply wish to emphasise that if true, his actions caused the loss of life of your subjects. I just ask that you use your best judgement. As I would use the same if our roles were reversed.
I would love to visit Canterlot again perhaps when this all blows over.
If there is anything further needed, please send a message and I 'will' make certain things are done. You have my word.
With warmest regards.
Queen Esmeraldes Nazzhu
Gryphon Empire ]
*****
The next few days were hectic, as Quill Feather poured over the paperwork files from Granite Pie, and from EMMRS. Comparing names, cutie marks and stories. With the help of Starlight Glimmer, they had a good idea of who was in charge of the group, and who the members were. Quill Feather had moved her sleeping quarters into her office, adding a bed for herself, only going out of her office when accompanied by Princess Luna and Wind Shear to keep herself safe. There were always two guards outside her door.
The newspaper had another headline. "Gryphon under Lock and Key for Deaths of Six Ponies in WhiteTail Woods Massacre." with a rehashed story about all the events. There was an additional blurb from the defense attorney saying that all the ponies that are outraged about the gryphon's actions should sing or whistle 'Ring around the Rosie' loud enough for the gryphon to hear. The defense attorney also called for a hearing in front of both princesses in three days time, with full newspaper coverage to try to oust the gryphon from the lands.
Ryuuzan had been moved to maximum security solitary confinement, not for the danger he posed, but to keep him safe. Guards were shifted around every two hours, per Luna's orders. However, during random times, Ryuuzan would hear different guards start whistling 'Ring around the Rosie', scaring him immensely. Food was brought to him through the door... but other times the tray was upturned and food was spilt all over the ground in front of the door. Luna would visit him occasionally with Wind Shear who translated what had happened with the food and the whistling. The more the guards sang, the more Ryuuzan recoiled into himself, eventually reaching the point where Ryuuzan was reduced to covering his ears and rocking in the corner until long after it had stopped.
After a series of meetings between the princesses, the hearing was agreed to be held in three days.
Pinkie Pie had become incredibly difficult to find around the castle, but when she was seen it tended to be at the memorial for Granite Pie. Princess Celestia had buried him will 'full' military honors and had received the title of “Hero to the Crown” for his service. Pinkie had worked in the bakery up to the day of the memorial. It was obvious to everypony just how bad the loss of her grandfather was for her. Her mane had lost all of it's poofyness, becoming straightened, she had even dyed it black, leaving only a small pink strip. She hadn't uttered a single word since being in the recovery room with Rainbow Dash. No parties were planned, but everypony understood that it was for Pinkie Pie's benefit. After such a significant loss the party pony needed some time to grieve. After the memorial, Pinkie had not been seen in town at all. She simply disappeared.
Individual ponies were found and arrested from the listings that Quill Feather and Starlight Glimmer found while pouring through the two folders of paperwork found by Granite Pie. It seemed that the lists were attendance rolls for private meetings and applications for new members in Canterlot, neighboring towns like Ponyville, and the larger cities surrounding the capital. The ponies that were arrested each had parroted the same request, to be represented by F. Hay Baily during questioning.
The day before the trial started, an assembly of ponies were waiting at the landing area where three teams of armed escorted ponies provided the security detail for guests of the Canterlot Crown. When the carriages landed, Princesses Celestia and Luna had met the ruling Queen Esmeraldes Nazzhu, of the Gryphon Empire. She had decided to visit Canterlot to attend the trial / hearing for herself and her dignitaries.
Night time in Canterlot consisted of guards doubling patrols, and raids were focused on the addresses of alleged members of the terrorist group, but no additional ponies were found, or even the identities of the 'others' or the members marked N/A on the cutie mark identifiers.
Hooded individuals kept to the shadows in the towns, moving and keeping track of all guard movements. But as soon as guards came close to identifying them, they disappeared, usually in a flash of unicorn magic. Witnesses only saw hoods and maybe a horn, even the occasional image of a sharp beak, before disappearing out of sight.
The morning of the trial, all the newspapers from the neighboring towns were in Canterlot, covering the 'Trial of the Century.' as it was titled in the news. The trial would be held in the main hall of Canterlot Castle, since the throne room wouldn't hold all the attendees.
As Quill Feather was getting her paperwork started, she heard her guards open her door as Starlight Glimmer ran into the office out of breath. "Miss Glimmer, good morning, but what is the big hurry? You're not late at all."
Starlight Glimmer had shook her head, her eyes wide and her voice was up in octave. "No, it's not that! I found Pinkie Pie. Look at this!" She slammed the newspaper down, with a picture of the defense attorney; grandstanding for a comment at the steps of Canterlot Castle, with Morning Mist at his side. But at the back of the group, was the unmistakable face of the newly black straight-haired Pinkamena Diane Pie off to one side. "She's sided with the Defense! This is disastrous!"
"Elements of Disharmony, Pinkamena Diane Pie joins Defense team at Trial of the Century. Team Bailey will now have the Element of the Last Laugh."
All Quill Feather could do is sit right on the floor in utter shock.
*****