//------------------------------// // Epilogue: After the Fact // Story: Over Land and Sea // by Wessexbrony //------------------------------// August, 2007 “Rainbow Dash is here, Muffin!” “Be right there, Mommy!” As Dinky left her room and headed downstairs, she thought about the events that had occurred since her return home. Saturday 26th May Dinky finished putting the last of her items in her bedroom, which had not changed since she'd last slept in it nearly a year ago, and went back down to the sitting room. She realised, as she entered, that Derpy was talking on the telephone, and caught snatches of the conversation. “...just out of interest, when do season tickets go on sale? Beginning of June? Well, I’ll speak to Dinky about it tomorrow and ring you back.” On the other end of the line, I put the phone down. It seemed that Derpy really had enjoyed her trip to Stamford Bridge back in December. At any rate, I’d still be keeping in touch with Dinky, just as I still kept in touch with Lyra after my family had hosted her as part of the exchange program. Sunday 27th May “Right then, so it’s one renewal, and one new one,” I said, as I jotted down the details, “In that case, I’ll sort it out when they go on sale next Monday. And the trip to Wales? That’s after the end of the school year...I don’t see why not. After all, I’m sure you could do with a break after everything that happened. Anyway, I’ve got to go, the doorbell’s just gone.” I walked over to the door to discover a pony from the embassy with another pony I didn’t recognise. “Sorry to bother you, Mr Spencer,” the embassy pony said, “But there’s something we need to discuss with you. May we come in?” “As you know, Belladonna Nightshade was arrested last week,” said the other pony a few minutes later, having introduced himself as Habeas Corpus, “And her trial is due to begin the week after next. As you took care of Dinky Hooves for eleven and a half months, we were wondering if you would be able to give evidence.” “I do have something,” I said, and I went to the study to retrieve it. “This letter, signed by Belladonna, was given to me when Dinky arrived here,” I said, a minute later, “It effectively told me to get rid of her old identity; change her surname, make sure she knew that she was my daughter now - which sounds pretty ridiculous when you think about it - and effectively shut Derpy out of her daughter’s life. I found it to be extremely cruel, and Dinky managed to see it and it really upset her.” “And what did you do?” “I told Dinky that I wouldn’t be giving Belladonna the time of day as she had no jurisdiction in Britain, and that if she tried to order me around I’d report her to the British Embassy in Canterlot. In addition, I got Rainbow Dash to lend Derpy her season ticket for Chelsea’s home game against Reading, meaning that the two of them were together for Christmas.” “Well, I think we’ve got what we need,” Habeas Corpus said, “Please report to the Equestrian Embassy next Tuesday to give evidence via audiolink.” Friday 16th June “All will rise.” Derpy and Dinky both stood as the jury returned from deliberation. Belladonna, standing in the dock, occasionally glared at them. At the beginning of the week, another letter had arrived from the Foal Protection Agency, telling them the date on which the trial would conclude. In it, Autumn had said that while it was their choice, going to see the verdict being delivered might offer closure. Of course, that wasn’t the end of their business with the Foal Protection Services. The agency would be going on trial itself in September as a result of Belladonna’s actions, and there was serious talk of a large damages payment. The trial had lasted two weeks, and Derpy and Dinky had both given evidence. Autumn, Lyra and several employees of the agency had also given evidence, as had Dinky’s guardian via audiolink from the Embassy in London. Even Blueblood had given evidence - as Equestria’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, he’d spent a month dealing with the fallout from Dinky’s relocation to London, and had been summoned to 10 Downing Street the day after it had happened. For those following the case through the news, a guilty verdict looked inevitable - although Autumn had also said that even if Belladonna was found not guilty, she’d still been blacklisted from any government position higher than cleaner or cafeteria worker. “Have you reached a verdict on which all of you are agreed?” the judge asked. “We have, your honour.” “On the charge of perverting the course of justice, do you find the defendant guilty, or not guilty?” There was a pause. Then- “Guilty.” “And on the charge of misconduct in a public office, do you find the defendant guilty, or not guilty?” Another pause. Then- “Guilty.” “Belladonna Nightshade,” the judge said, “We have heard, in this court, about how you used your authority to cause almost a year of untold misery for a mother and her daughter and gambled with their happiness. We have heard how you damaged Equestria’s relationship with the United Kingdom, and how you sabotaged your employee’s attempts to allow Ms Hooves to see her daughter. You believed that as a high-ranking public servant, as you were so fond of saying, you could do as you pleased, but you had a duty to serve the public, just as I, as a high-ranking public servant, do - and it is a duty I would be failing in if I did not impose a suitable sentence. Therefore, for the crimes of which you have been convicted, I sentence you to thirty years in prison.” “Yes!” Derpy shouted. “That will do, Ms Hooves,” the judge said. “Don’t get too comfortable,” Belladonna snarled, “You haven’t seen the last of me. I’ll be back, and when I am I’ll see to it that you and your daughter are separated for good! Make the most of your time together, because I can assure you, it won’t last…” As Belladonna continued to rant, Dinky looked on in anger. After all she’d put the two of them through, she had the nerve to say such things? She opened her mouth to protest, but Derpy got there first. Unbeknownst to Derpy, something had stirred inside her when Drogba had scored against Liverpool back in December, and it had only increased after Christmas and as the football season had reached its conclusion. And now, she became aware of it. “Oh, go and boil your head, you contemptible nag!” she retorted, “It’s over! I win, you lose, I have my muffin back, and you’re going to prison! You won’t be able to do anything to us again, not today, not tomorrow, not ever!” “Ms Hooves,” the judge said, “Another outburst and I’m afraid that I will have to ask you to leave the courtroom!” “Don’t worry, Your Honour,” Derpy replied, “I’ve said my piece. Let’s go, Dinky.” The two of them walked out of the courtroom as Belladonna was carted off to prison. Saturday 28th July Dinky looked at the five new photos adorning her chest of drawers. Each of them showed her and her mother hugging in front of a narrow-gauge steam locomotive on five different railways - The Ffestiniog, the Welsh Highland, the Talyllyn, the Welshpool and Llanfair and the Vale of Rheidol. Her former guardian had taken them around Wales for a week, and to all the famous little railways. He had, in fact, begun organising the holiday in March, when Manchester United had still held a nine-point lead in the title race. In his home in Coltsborough, Kick Off picked up the list of TV Fixtures on the kitchen table and took it into his study. The season would be starting soon, and he now knew the first games that he’d be covering. Sunday 12th August I accepted a hug from each of the three ponies as we met up outside the entrance to the apartment block. After a long wait, the Premier League season had finally returned. Gone were Watford, Charlton and Sheffield United, relegated at the end of the previous season. Replacing them were Sunderland, Birmingham City and Derby County, and Chelsea were starting the defence of their title at home to Birmingham. “So, who do you think will be relegated?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I’m going to say Sunderland, Birmingham, and one of Wigan, West Ham or Derby,” I replied. Last season, with all its success, drama and eventual euphoria, was history, although it would live long in the memory of football fans for years to come. The four of us, with Dinky on Derpy’s back, set off for the match, laughing and joking with each other. A new season was underway, and all the hopes and dreams and expectations which went with it. As for certain other parties... In September 2007, the Foal Protection Agency were fined 1.5 million bits for the numerous ethics and transparency violations committed by Belladonna during her stint as director. They were also ordered to pay Derpy Hooves 5 million bits in damages. In a subsequent interview with Equestria Daily, Autumn Scamper admitted that it would take years for public confidence in the Foal Protection Services to be restored. Autumn Scamper was herself criticised by the Ministry of Social Affairs in their inquiry into the events of June 2006, as they concluded that, had she checked the evidence given to her to ensure whether or not it was genuine, Dinky would not have been taken away. The ministry also ruled that the Foal Protection Agency were to appoint an official to ensure that all future cases were handled correctly and all ethics and transparency regulations were adhered to. Lyra Heartstrings received a bunch of flowers and a basket of freshly-baked muffins (placed under a permanent freshness spell by Twilight) from Derpy, as a thank you present for the emotional support she'd received while separated from Dinky. Spoiled Rich was charged with failing to report a crime, and was tried the week before Belladonna. She threw Belladonna under the proverbial bus, and was ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work at the Ponyville Post Office. She was also sent to Coventry by the rest of Ponyville when it was revealed that she was the pony who'd expressed concern about Derpy to Belladonna. Armando Fontana left Everton in July 2007, moving to Valencia for £7,000,000. Most Evertonians, Sweetie Belle included, were delighted to see the back of him.