//------------------------------//
// Chapter 91; The trial continues (part 1) 
// Story: The War of 1002 
// by Fireheart 1945 
//------------------------------//

James and Shining made their way out of the courtroom as the proceedings for the day finally came to an end. "Haven't seen such a trial since... well, ever," the latter said as they walked through the hallway.

"Nope. And it's not over yet. Tomorrow, the griffons get their turn." James frowned. "It's ugly, and it's not getting any prettier."

Shining stopped, and James stopped with him. "Do you really think that?"

"Cocoon was a bit too biased in my opinion. Okay, she allowed Fox a few breaks, but not a whole lot of 'em. Whoever's next up as judge needs to tone it down and be more fair, or else this whole trial is just a kangaroo court."

"Which is why we're changing things up a bit," came a voice from behind them.

James turned to see Princess Luna. 

"My sister and I have talked with Queen Cocoon, and she agreed that she was out of line, and she has agreed to make a statement as such," the Lunar Princess continued. "As such, we'll be making sure that no such repeat performance occurs."

"Well, that's good. It was miserable watching Fox try and defend with no leg to stand on."

"He has no leg to stand on, not that you're wrong about it being rather dismal," Luna replied.

"...this needs to be done right, otherwise, what's the point?"

"I agree with you," Luna said, still looking somber though calm, "so we're fixing things. We'll have non-changelings judging and making the calls for changelings, and non-griffons judging griffons. We'll also make sure there are no embittered individual among the judges.."

"I guess that's a good start. We'll need to be careful; if a relevant question is asked, the defense - and the prosecution - need to have their say."

"Indeed. In the meantime, you two look tired," she said, looking concerned. 

"Just not thrilled with coming back to all this," Shining answered. 

"Neither are We... er, am I. It will be a painful process, but law and order must prevail over darkness and lawlessness."

"I agree, but it should be a fair law and order," James replied. 

"No argument there. I shall see you both at the palace later."

James and Shining looked at each other as Luna walked away, hoofsteps ringing loud on the floor. 

"I hope this ends soon," Shining said, shaking his head. 

"I do, too." James leaned against the wall. "We'll make it through, though."

"That's not so certain for us, outlander."

James turned to see Fox and Amalda right behind them. "Please pardon us," the young changeling Queen said,  looking shy at the moment. 

"It might be easy for you, the victors," Fox said, looking flustered. "It is much different for the defeated. My hive has to pay reparations and will be hated for years, perhaps centuries, to come."

"To be fair, your old queen did enslave other hives, and tried to conquer Equestria," Shining pointed out.

"And because of our old Queen policies, which we had no control over, we are despised for that."

"Why do you even bother to defend her, then? Why make everyone hate you more, and make yourself look like one of her supporters?"

"Because my current Queen has given me the task, and the Queen's word is law in the hive," Fox replied angrily. "And no one else would willingly take the job. Someone has to take it, in order for this justice system of yours to work. Or, more appropriately, from what I saw today, a kangaroo court."

"And you looked all too happy to take it, too," Shining said; James had rarely seen him get so angry. "You are defending the monster that impersonated my wife, and tried to feed on us. And you're up there, making us out to be liars, when we all saw what really happened."

Fox raised his head, his own eyes narrowed. "And what would you have me do? Roll over and play dead? I have a job to do, and a Queen, former and present, to serve. I will do it, in order to perform my duty to my Queen and hive. You have no right to criticize me for the job I must undertake."

"I'm not angry at you for doing it; I'm furious at you for how you're doing it."

"If casting doubts upon witnesses and and their testimony and the evidence is all I can do to defend my charge, then I will, be cursed to you and your justice system otherwise." 

Shining looked like he would explode. 

"That's about enough of that," James said quickly. "Far too much, in fact. Let's call it a day, and go home." 

"Again, easy enough for an outlander to say. We have days uncounted before we can rest upon our laurels again." Fox walked away, fuming. 

"Please do not be angry with him," Queen Amalda asked, concerned. "He is one of my most loyal servants, and even when my mother ruled the hive, we were very close."

Shining sniffed, then walked away as well.

"It must be hard," James sighed. "I'm sorry. This is quite the mess you've inherited."

"It is indeed," the teenage changeling Queen said, sighing as well. "My mother is one of the worst monsters to walk this Earth... but she's still my mother, and I still love her. I want..." she shook her head. "What I want isn't really relevant, given the attitude of the other Queens." 

"They don't have the authority from the treaty-"

"It doesn't really matter, you know. The treaty only ended one war. Another hive could easily start another one if they decided to. My hive must walk carefully, and so far, I've received several demands from Queen Nocturnal to give over more and more emotional energy and an increased number of workers to rebuild her hive."

"That's not legal."

"Like I said, if Nocturnal wants to start another war, she can, and we don't exactly have the army to keep her out. None of the other Queens would rise to our defense, and I suspect that many would take the chance to jump right in with her. They would win easily and quickly, even if we broke the stipulations limiting our armed forces. Many of them still possess Allied military technology that they scrounged from the battlefields, after all."

James paused to reflect upon that. Changelings had scavenged matchlocks and rifles of several combatants, which would make them into a formidable force, especially against a hive that didn't have access to that technology. "I see your point," he reluctantly said at last.

"And since it would be a new conflict, the old treaty would be effectively dead, and they would be able to impose whatever they wanted." She sighed again. "It feels like... I'm going to be a ping pong ball for the other hives no matter what course of action I take."

"It doesn't have to be like that. My Lord provides for those who love Him and call upon Him in their hour of need."

"And what Lord is that?"

James felt a small smile cross his face as he began to speak. "A Lord willing to give His very life for us, and rise again in victory over death..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day began much as the one before it. The crowds were kept in check this time, but the shouting, if anything, increased as the prisoners were led into the courtroom.

"Call to order!" the same Guard as yesterday shouted. "The Honorable Judge Queen Metamorphosis presiding."

Metamorphosis was in the judge's seat this time. "Order in the court," she said, more confident than Cocoon had been. "Today, we shall begin the prosecution of the former king, who falsely wore the title of emperor and slaughtered untold numbers of his own people."

"Bring in the accused!" 

The former griffon king was dragged in, looking bruised; his feathers were badly ruffled, and his clothes were torn. 

Shining leaned in to whisper in James' ear. "Another night where he tried to refuse to do what the guards told him."

"I figured as much. And another horseshoe print in his chest."

"Yeah. He tried to claw the guard's eye out, so..."

"I see."

"The guard almost didn't. That's what earned him the new bruises."

"Whatever was needed for self defense."

The former king didn't look regretful, unless he regretted his victim fighting back. He glared at the Princesses, the Confederate Griffons, and the Queens. Hate filled his eyes, and he seemed to be trying to will his enemies to burst into flame. If that was so, it wasn't working.

It was, however, catching the ire of the audience. Shouts began to ring out. 

"Traitor!"

"MURDERER!" 

"SCUM!"

"You killed my son in your war!" 

James drew back as if stung. That call was much too like the letters he'd received during the war. 

"Order!" Metamorphosis called, but the crowd was riled up.

"KILL HIM!" 

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" 

"DEATH TO THE TYRANT!"

"SILENCE!"

Everyone turned to look at Luna, who had been the one to shout. 

"This court will have order," she went on. "Anyone not mature enough to behave themselves will be removed and not allowed back inside. You have all been warned." She sat back down. 

"Right," the Queen said, motioning with her gavel. "Raneiro, formerly the king-"

"Emperor." 

Metamorphosis paused and lifted an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"I am the rightful Emperor of the Griffon Empire, and I denounce this trial as illegitimate and unlawful."

The audience began to heat up again.

"Regardless of whether you personally accept it as legal," Luna said, speaking up again, "it is legal. You will not interrupt the judge again."

"You do not have any authority over me!"

"I have more than enough to have you forcibly muzzled and gagged, if you keep going on in contempt of court."

"I agree with His Majesty," Blackfeather said. "This trial is unlawful; how dare any of you traitors accuse my lord of treason?!"

"We can do it for you as well, former general," Luna warned. "For all the defendants today. You will accept our rules, or at least act as if you do. Failure to abide by them will lead to the punishment I've mentioned." Luna turned to Metamorphosis, whispered to her for a moment, then sat back down again. 

"The chief defendant is warned not to speak unless spoken to again."

"Tyrant," the ex-king said. 

"How dare you, the tyrant, accuse others of tyranny!?!" a griffon in the crowd shouted. 

BANG! "Order!" the Queen shouted. "Enough of this. Guards..."

Two Royal Guards came up. One of them, a tawny unicorn, levitated a muzzle in front of the former king. The other, an earth pony, held up a thick cloth, obviously for use as a gag. The ex-king's claws had been tied together, so he would be unable to stop them from doing what they threatened. Meanwhile, more Guards, a couple of pegasi, flew up to the griffon who had been yelling and forcibly removed him from the room.

"This is your only warning," the Queen continued. "As I was saying, Raneiro, former king of the Griffon Kingdom, you stand accused of crimes against sapient species, of murder, of conspiracy, of planning and attempting to enslave ponies, of conspiracy against your feudal subjects, of abusing ponies, specifically unicorns, in order to use their powers for your weaponry, and of destroying entire clans in order to bolster your crumbling state, as well as tyranny over your race and those you unfortunately conquered, however briefly. How do you plead?"

The former king looked around, at the angry audience and at the new leaders of the Griffon Confederacy who had taken their place in the front seats of the circular chamber, at the newspaper reporters - including Quick Quill - and at the Royal Sisters whom he had planned to usurp. He looked at them all... then grinned in a nasty way at the Queen.

"Innocent by reason of being Emperor."

That one sentence might as well have set off a bomb; the entire chamber exploded in outrage. If the screaming and yelling had been loud before, now James was surprised that the roof hadn't been blown to the moon with all the noise. Even Luna's shout of, "SILENCE!" wasn't enough to overcome the reaction of the crowd. 

Metamorphosis banged her gavel, not that that did any good for about a minute and a half. When the crowd finally got quiet enough for her to be heard, she fairly yelled, "Order! Order in the court! Silence, all of you!" 

Finally, the roar of the crowd subsided. 

"The chief griffon defendant has chosen the not guilty plea," the Queen continued. "We will act like adults and not children in response to this. Can we PLEASE keep this a trial and not turn it into a three ring circus?"

"Who says it wasn't already?" Shining muttered, and James nodded, irritated that the trial wasn't proceeding.

"Now, the attorney for the prosecution will make his opening statements."

"You bet yer wings I will," a griffon wearing a kilt and shirt said, standing up and walking toward the judge. "This beast, this tyrant," he said, pointing to the ex-king, "is a monster who slew thousands upon thousands 'o 'is own people, tried to destroy our way 'o life, and sent dissenters to tha front lines in orda ta be rid 'o 'em. Meanwhile, 'e purged the army, killin' our officers an' wipin' out entire hitherto loyal regiments, all fer more power; I meself was lucky ta escape with me life. An' all that was fer 'is 'empire'. Not ta mention, 'e enslaved ponies and used 'em ta make weapons 'o war and had designs on tha Princesses 'o Equestria.

"I say, and my fellow griffons wiv me, say that these crimes warrant tha death penalty. We shall have justice fer all tha dead, even if it takes a hundred years."

He turned to the Queen. "Tha's all, yer Honor."

"I see," she replied. "Don't make any more threats. Now the defending attorney may make his opening statements."

A griffon in military clothing stepped forward. While his uniform was much more elaborate than those of the Equestrian soldiers present, it was stripped of any military decor.  

"I'm surprised they let this guy in," Shining said. "He's one of the old king's supporters."

"Well... you can't say that he'd get a good lawyer from anywhere else, would you? Any other griffon lawyer would help destroy him."

"Yeah, there's that..."

"Did he participate in anything? The terror attack after the surrender? Administration in the government?"

"No, he's clean... so far as we were able to see. And, like you said, he was the only one who wanted the job."

"I will now make my opening statements," the royalist attorney said, speaking in an impeccable British accent and unfazed by a number of jeers and boos sent his way by the anti-royalist party. "Our honorable emperor has been badly slandered by the parties opposing him. His efforts to build the griffon nation have been wildly misunderstood, and the late war is mis-characterized-"

"It was a power grab!" Shining hissed furiously. He wasn't the only one; ponies, zebras, and horses were angrily whispering, some glaring with rage. 

"His Majesty did what was necessary to build a functioning state, and to right the historical wrongs done to us and the contempt shown us by other races, all of which sought, and still seek, to hold us down."

"Yeah, I wonder why!" a pony from the audience yelled. 

"Order!" Metamorphosis countered. "The defending attorney may proceed. And no more interruptions." 

"As I was saying, before I was interrupted by an uncouth pony, His Majesty sought to right these ancient wrongs, by claiming it through what necessary means as were there. When Equestria refused to share the duties of the sun and the moon, by refusing to accept that others have as much right to control such bodies as they, we had no recourse but war."

Luna continued to sit, and was attempting to maintain a neutral face, but the latter accusation made her eyebrows narrow and her teeth appear for a moment before she managed to regain control. Celestia frowned, and Cadence was just as angry as her husband. That was nothing to say of the rising tensions in the audience, and if it wasn't for Metamorphosis raising a hoof for continued silence on their part, the ponies present might have started shouting again.

"Sadly, we lost that war for justice, and now our just ruler has been imprisoned and shamed by the victors of the conflict. If not for the interference of other powers in a war not concerning them, history might well have been different-"

The noise started up again from the audience.

"-but as it stands now, His Majesty must be defended, and he shall be." The loyalist attorney folded his arms. 

A rumbling arose from the assembled griffons, who looked daggers at the attorney, who merely smiled in a malevolent way in return. 

The rumbling rose to shouts, and one griffon began to rise in pure anger.

All of a sudden, a transparent blue curtain descended upon the audience. The griffon who had apparently been about to attack banged his fist against the shield, followed by the rest of the audience, but they failed to break through. In fact, one couldn't even hear their obvious yells and attacks upon the shield. 

"Let this be a warning," Luna said loudly. "This shield will prevent the audience from physically attacking the defendants, and will prevent their calls from being heard. This shield will remain in effect until we next have a break. If we have further outbreaks, the shield will be used again."

At least that quiets the crowd, James thought. Though I'm not sure if doing this is the right way to go...

"Objection," Rusty said as things calmed down. "I object to the history lesson of the opposing attorney. This is a court, not an alternate history novel."

"I object as well," the Griffon Confederate added.

"I only told the truth," the royalist said haughtily, clearly offended. "After all, my opponents have given their presentations of recent history. Why should I be limited?"

"Ahem," Metamorphosis coughed, trying to contain herself. "Let's get back to the proceedings. The prosecution may call in their first witness. And don't give us an altered version of history; stick to known facts."

-----------------------------------------------------

"Please state your name and profession," Rusty said.

"Raymond, formerly of his majesty's army," the griffon on the stand replied, with undisguised disgust. "Now of the ruling council of the Griffon Confederacy."

"What happened on the day the chief defendant usurped the clan leaders?"

"I can't tell ya what happened everywhere; only saw what happened with my own two eyes. However, just ta sum it up, the army went completely nuts."

"Could you elaborate on that?" 

"Simple; one of them royalists came into mah tent and said ah either pledge loyalty to his majesty, or I could die. Had a bolt in mah mini-bow, and he went down 'fore he could pull his gun on me."

"And you were not the only one? That is to say, did you see this happen to others?"

"Did I... The entire camp was full 'o shootin' an fire, and all them royalist scum running around, saying they was gonna kill griffons if they didn't pledge loyalty... Ah think ah can say, cursed yes ah saw it happen. Me and a few others were fortunate ta get out alive!"

"What did you do then?" 

"Did the only thing we could think of; high-tailed it outta there, with as many griffons we could bring with us. Found out in the next few days that it wasn't just us; they were doin' it ta all the clans, all over what was the kingdom."

"Did the royalists claim to be working for the king?"

"Claim?" Raymond said, as if stunned. "They was boasting about it! Glorifyin' in it. You'd have thought the king - their emperor - was one of the gods!"

Griffon members of the audience - now behind the shield - seemed to start talking to one another. 

"Were there other atrocities that you witnessed?"

"Too many. One would be too many."

"Do you have any specific examples?" 

Raymond's eyes suddenly seemed to gloss over. When he next spoke, it was as though something had drained out of him. "We came across a village as we were withdrawin'. It belonged to the White Wings Clan, and apparently, they hadn't accepted his new authority. Everyone... everyone we found there was dead. Fighters, on the ruined and burned walls... females, in their houses... even some dead children, an' a couple smashed eggs. Entire place was burned. Only clue why was a note on the gate. It said, "Death to all enemies of the crown."

There was dead silence.

"We found tracks leadin' away from the town... seems they dragged off whatever kids they didn't kill. To where, we didn't know. We could only continue our withdrawal, and hope they didn't find us before we found enough fighter ta resist 'em."

Raymond shook his head, as if trying to exorcise the memory. "We allied with Equestria not long after that," he said, the life returning to his voice. "We were mostly glad to. Mostly."

Rusty had been standing there, mouth slightly agape, as Raymond had told his tale. Now, he tried to recover. "T-thanks for your testimony. No further questions."

"I wish to cross examine the witness," the royalist attorney said. 

"Go on, then," Metamorphosis replied. 

The royalist griffon strode up to the podium with the characteristic swagger that had marked so many Imperials; James found himself struggling not to hate him by extension as he stopped and turned toward Raymond.

"Brigadier, you claim that an entire town was burned and slaughtered. How do we know it was by Imperial troops? In fact, how do we know that this village existed?"

Raymond's eyes flashed. "Oh, so royal tax returns don't reveal its existence? The tax collectors wanted ta suck every last drop before the war started, and they wouldn't have missed it."

"Not an answer to my question. What evidence exists in the here and now that proves this village existed in reality and not your treacherous mind?"

"Objection!" Rusty bellowed. "Insult and provocation!"

"Sustained."

"How-"

"How do we know that town existed?" Raymond said threateningly, claws tearing up the podium as he spoke. "Ask the White Wings. They'll tell ya. Ask their clan leader, if he's still kicking. That is, if ya didn't burn him alive too."

"Contempt of court," the royalist lawyer said haughtily. "You will respect the rule of law."

"Like you people did?"

"Your Honor, I ask that the witness be censored for disrespect of court and for, what was the phrase? 'Insult and provocation,'" the royalist said, turning to the Queen.

Metamorphosis looked at him, her face looking both annoyed and puzzled. Clearly, she was thinking of how to respond. Obviously, she didn't want to side with the royalist, and yet law was law.

"Your Honor?"

"I won't censure him," she replied at last, looking peeved that her thought process had been interrupted. "But consider him - both of you, actually - to be warned. For the very last time."

"Right then." The royalist turned back toward Raymond. "Where was this village? Could you pinpoint it on a map?"

"Ah doubt it," the other griffon said, biting back fury. "But ah know where we met the ponies not long afterward. Could lead ya to it from there."

"Which is an action that is conveniently unlikely for this court to do," the royalist said, looking as if he'd just bit down on something juicy.  

"Uh oh," James muttered. Shining said nothing, but covered his face with his hooves.

"You callin' me a liar?" 

"Objection!" Rusty yelled as Raymond got up from the podium, clearly on the edge of violence.

"Enough," Metamorphosis said loudly. "This is not a circus or a fighting arena. Everyone will behave like adults, or you'll be found guilty of contempt of court."

"No further questions," the royalist said, looking chafed at being called out. Raymond got up and flew back to the seat he had been sitting in before being called to the stand. 

"At least that's over," shining said, sighing. "Too bad there's more to come."

"I wish we could leave; I came take part in a court of justice, not a hate fest," James replied, leaning his head on his right hand. 

--------------------------------------------------------

"State your name and occupation," Rusty said.

"I am General Grayfeather, servant of His Majesty."

"Objection," the Confederate attorney said. "He ain't no general. He's a criminal, an' no more a commander than me own nephew."

"Your Honor-"

"Sustained," Metamorphosis said decisively. "Your defendants are prisoners, and are not in power."

"They were illegally-"

"You are entitled to your opinions. However, the facts stand; your former - and I mean former king and former general are now prisoners, indicted for horrendous crimes. They are not in power and do not hold their previous titles."

"As her honor wills it," the royalist replied, without any respect in his voice. 

Rusty turned back to Grayfeather. "What was your profession?"

"General to His Majesty."

"Objection; the tyrant is not a king!"

"Sustained."

"I am General to His Majesty," Grayfeather angrily repeated. "I refuse to recognize this court as legal, nor its petty rules."

BANG! "The defendant is warned for contempt of court," Metamorphosis said flatly. "He might remain king in your opinion, but you'll either obey the rules or be penalized. You are a defendant in a court of law, whether you recognize it as legal or not."

The former griffon general raised himself in an arrogant pose in response. Metamorphosis ignored this, and gestured to Rusty to continue.

"How long did the former king take to plan his invasion of Equestria?"

"You will answer the question," Metamorphosis said forcefully, after Grayfeather remained silent for about five seconds.

"Over a year. Perhaps two, if one counts the ideas discussed and dismissed before the final plan was in place."

"What was his plan for the defeated, had the war gone the other way?" 

"For them to be made citizens, if they behaved themselves and accepted our rule. If not, they would be, and were in fact, punished for their resistance."

"'Punished for their resistance...' So it's fine for griffons to rise in defiance of Allied troops, but a crime against civilized species for ponies to defend themselves, their culture, values, traditions, and rights?"

"Indeed."

Many of the ponies in the audience began angrily whispering to one another.

"His Majesty-"

BANG! "Warned again."

"My lord, then, had no other choice; the ponies resisted the invasion, and had to be treated in such a way as to be shown the futility of their resistance. Furthermore, ponies are a weak race; they rely on their Princesses, and fear and run from threats instead of fighting them, or they wait for the magic of friendship to save them. They are a physically strong, but psychologically weak species. As such, they had no right to resist the invasion of a stronger race; in a proper setting, the strong rule the weak. And furthermore, ponies who continued defiance against us would make a very good, strong workforce, especially when threatened or coerced."

"So having ponies slave for you, forcing unicorns to drain their magic into energy rifles, and starving Trottingham - in effect, holding the city hostage - was acceptable to the administration?"

"Yes, as I said, to break the resistance and punish the ponies for fighting us. In due course, after they had stopped resisting, we would have loosened our grip."

"In due course... and how long would that have been?"

Grayfeather shrugged. "However long it took for common ponies to stop defying us in any manner and for pony armies to stop fighting."

"You realize that these are atrocities?"

"They were necessities. The need to build a strong, centralized state demanded sacrifice, and the heeding of petty little rules would have hindered its foundation."

"So you and your liege deliberately disregarded the rule of law," Rusty said contemptuously.

"In your impaired view, yes."

BANG! "The defendant is warned; insult and provocation."

"It may be that we had to abrogate the old laws," the general went on, "but the results, if allowed to continue, would have lead to better results than staying with the old, flawed, weak system."

"And you consulted no one? Clan leaders, economic giants, such as may have existed at any rate, and commoners?"

"Why would we? A true ruler does not ask common folk or inferiors for their opinions of their actions. It is the duty of the subject to obey, regardless of personal feelings."

"So, even assuming such a draconian change could take place, not only were the rights of subjects not considered, but economic troubles that might appear weren't even discussed?"

"No."

"So if the economy crashed from your little ploy, it wouldn't have mattered?"

"Such matters were up to the Imperial treasurer."

"Hunger, starvation, killing off all who are even remotely threatening to your plan... none of that mattered?"

"No," Grayfeather said, looking somewhat irritated. "Only His Majesty matters."

Rusty looked to be barely holding in his anger as he said, "No further Questions."

"I would like to cross-examine the defendant!" the royalist lawyer shouted at once. 

"Do it, then," Metamorphosis said. "Just be mindful of the rules. And no more bending history to suit your narrative."

The lawyer didn't even bother to acknowledge her comment. Instead, he simply strolled up to the podium. "General-"

BANG!

"Excellency-"

BANG!

"Mr. Grayfeather, then," the royalist said, shooting a dirty look at Metamorphosis, "The old king was without the power necessary, bound by the old ways that have held us back for so long."

"Watch it," Metamorphosis warned. 

"Your Honor, you really must learn to differentiate between what others truly believe and what you want to be true."

Gasps rang out across the courtroom. James, who had been slouching in his seat, sat up. Shining was shocked, as were so many others in the room.

Metamorphosis looked like she had been slapped across the face, but she quickly rallied. "That's it; I've warned you time and again. You are now charged with contempt of court."

The royalist cocked his eyebrow at her. "And here you decry us as tyrants."

The Queen motioned to two Royal Guards. "Remove him." 

The Guards came up on either side of the now former attorney, who offered no resistance, other than keeping his beak high in the air, as he was led from the courtroom.

"We'll have to find a new defense attorney," Luna said, not looking at all pleased at the prospect. "Someone neutral.  And the trial must go on; it's not even noon, and it would be a waste of time to adjourn for the day."

"And yet it must be, by law," Metamorphosis said. "Or at least, until someone is found as the defense attorney. I must, therefore, call an adjournment despite how distasteful it is, until a defense attorney is found."

-------------------------------------------------------

James chewed on a piece of buttered bread in a side room. Sitting opposite him was Shining, who was eating a sandwich with flowers sticking out between the pieces of bread. 

"Didn't think he'd get fired so fast," the stallion remarked. 

"It was going to happen; he bent history too much."

"He did." Shining frowned, pausing before chewing on his sandwich. "All that... garbage about ponies being a slave race..."

James couldn't help but think of the status of horses and ponies and all domesticated animals back home. He shoved it down. It's different, he told himself. The ones back home are animals. These ponies and other... people are, well, people. They have laws and speech and writing. It would be wrong to use them like we would our own horses and ponies and cows and what have you. It is wrong, which is one of the reasons we're here.

"...I mean we're friendly and help one another, and yeah we sometimes pull carts and carriages, but we do that because it's the most convenient way for us to bring stuff and other ponies from one place to another. We're not inferior because of that! And we won the war. Who's that general think he's fooling?"

James, who felt a little embarrassed after his previous thoughts, tried to recover. "We won, yeah."

"Yeah, and he still thinks griffons are superior!?"

"Defeat sometimes isn't enough to make someone lose thoughts of superiority," James replied. "In fact, given the animosity that he's facing, he's going to cling harder to it and take his treatment as proof of his people's supremacy."

Shining sighed furiously. "He's not getting away."

"No, he's not." James sighed too. "And this trial is becoming a festival of hate. I wonder why the changeling's present aren't throwing up from all the hostility."

"I actually talked to one earlier," Shining said. "He said that hate tastes terrible, and many of the changelings are in a bad mood recently - even outside the courtroom - because so many of the emotions they've been eating are negative."

"That makes sense. Here's hoping they don't choke on all that stuff before its over."

"I... I hope they don't either."

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"...the Honorable Judge Fire Fox presiding."

Fire Fox was a crystal pony. He was clearly a member of the Crystal Empire's nobility; he wore a white and blue robe, one adorned with symbols of the smaller pony nation, and on his head rested a set of laurel leaves. The Empire, as of now ruled, more or less, by Shining and Cadence, had seen relatively little of the war, and as a result, the various rulers and former commanders had agreed to Fire Fox's appointment as a judge.

Another crystal pony, named Farsight, looked as if he might have belonged to the Crystal Guard prior to Sombra's attempt to take over. He had a scar that came down across his right eye, and while he was wearing a merchant's clothing at the moment, he clearly looked like military material. He would serve as the defense for the former griffon king. 

"Didn't think we'd find a pony to represent their enemies, at least one from the actual country of Equestria," James noted. 

"I didn't either," Shining replied. "I think even those of us willing to accept the job would be worried about being seen as traitors." 

James gave a soft grunt in response; the trial was about to recommence.

"The prosecution calls the prime defendant, the former king of the griffons, Raneiro of Gryphos, to the stand," Rusty said. 

James sat up in his chair. 

The former king hadn't moved. His head was still high and his beak was in the air. 

"Raneiro of Gryphos has been called to the stand," Judge Fire Fox said, loud enough for all to hear. 

Raneiro didn't budge. 

"The defendant is ordered to come to the stand at once."

"I am Emperor; I will NOT be called to the stand by an inferior."

Bang! "The defendant is hereby held in contempt of court. Guards, bring him to the stand, and keep him there during questioning."

The prisoner struggled, but, being tightly bound, wasn't able to do much as the two Royal Guards handled him onto the stand. He attempted to bite the ear of one of the Guards, who managed to avoid it and responded by holding his spear to Raneiro's neck.

"Additional charge added," Fire Fox said. "Attempted assault within the courtroom."

"Now then," Rusty said, "state your name."

Raneiro remained silent.

"State your name, please."

The former king did not budge his beak; he only glared at Rusty, as if the latter were a disgusting piece of gunk left on a dinner plate.

Bang! "The defendant will answer the question!" 

"I am the Emperor of the griffons! I will not answer to a worthless peasant of an inferior race in an illegal trial!" 

The courtroom all but exploded. Ponies rose from their seats and screamed at the ex-king, and even Rusty was unable to hide a look of disgust on his face, though to his credit it didn't last for more than a second or two. Between the shouting and the noise of the gavel and everything else, James could hear nothing coherent. 

"SIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEENNCCE!!!!!!"

Only Luna's shout was able to cut through the noise. 

"WE DID NOT CONVENE THIS TRIAL SO THAT A MOCKERY WOULD BE MADE OF JUSTICE!" she screamed. Then, gathering herself, she added, much more quietly but just as forcefully, "The defendant will answer the prosecution's questions, or there will be consequences."

"Like what?" the former griffon king said, not even looking at Luna but still staring in disgust at Rusty.

"You will be held in contempt of court, and not allowed to defend yourself whatsoever. If that's what you want, it can be arranged... along with being bound and gagged so you don't cause any more problems."

The former king did not respond with words, but a bitter sort of frown set itself upon his face.

"Now, for the last time, state your name, please."

"Raneiro, Emp-"

"What was-"

"You did not let me finish, you worthless, uncouth peasant."

Bang! "Insult and provocation!"

"Oh, so now you hold to your so-called laws, so long as its against me?"

Fire Fox was about to bang the gavel again, but Luna raised a hoof, and he desisted. "We already know your opinion of yourself; you are not emperor, whatever you may think. Hence why he continued. We don't need to hear your false claims about being a ruler when you in reality are a prisoner who was dethroned by the winning side of a war."

"Hypocrite."

"Says the tyrant with no power anymore, and yet who acts as if - and perhaps believes - that he still does." Luna turned her head to Rusty. "Continue." 

"Thank you, Princess. Ahem..." Rusty turned back to the chastened prisoner. "Now, what was the purpose of the war you started?"

"To conquer an unworthy species that thought it had exclusive right to control the sun and moon, and to bring the new empire to stage as the greatest world power. Too long have we been in the shadow of ponies, who are unworthy of such an honor, and it is long past time that another species take the stand."

"I see."

James looked at Farsight. The defending lawyer looked embarrassed, knowing that his client was incriminating himself. James felt sympathy for him; he probably hadn't wanted this job, and now his reputation would likely suffer due not only to defending a hated tyrant, but also from the failure of the ex-king to recognize reality and engage in a meaningful defense. 

At least he's being honest. Not that that's going to make him any more loved.

"When did you decide upon this course of action?"

"Upon my father's death."

"Might I ask why you chose to purge the clans, in the middle of a war no less?"

"That is simple. The clan system was in the way of our nation attaining true greatness. Their leaders were not giving the Crown the power that rightly belonged to it, and as such, griffons who ought to have been on the front lines from the beginning were idling in the fields, useless. The clan system should have died long before I inherited my father's realm."

"So that excuses slaughtering those who disagreed?"

"Objection!" Farsight called out. "Leading."

"Sustained."

"Allow me to rephrase the question; why did you take the actions against the clans that you did?"

"Objection; the question is obscure."

"Then why did you choose to attack the clans and kill their leaders?"

"Also simple; they refused to accept my authority. In so doing, they proved themselves traitors."

A great rumbling began in the areas of the audience where griffons were watching. The various clan leaders looked at their former ruler with pure rage in their eyes. 

"Traitors? I'm afraid I don't understand. They don't seem to have done anything differently than they did under your father."

"That's because my father, and his predecessors, were weaklings who did not bother doing what needed to be done. I saw that a united griffon empire was necessary for our supremacy, and these traitors blocked the way, at the price of their lives and the lives of those stupid enough to follow them. It is they who brought their clans to ruin; I was merely the sword who punished them."

"This is absurd!" one of the clan leaders shouted. 

BANG! "Order in the court!" Fire Fox yelled. "No further interruptions will be tolerated. The beliefs of the audience are not the subject of this trial. Either obey the rules of the court, or leave."

"I notice that not all clan leaders and their followers were killed. Might I ask why?"

"They were wiser than their idiotic companions, and chose to accept the new terms offered them. Thus, they had a place in my administration. Again, we needed unity, and by that time, the war going poorly, we needed every soldier and resource we could obtain. If I had not acted, we would have suffered defeat."

"Which you did anyway," Shining muttered. James nodded in agreement, and given the muttering in the courtroom, the same thought was bouncing around in the minds of just about everyone else. 

"Why did you order trebuchets from the castle to hurl fiery ammunition at your own capital after the Allies had entered?"

"You've answered your own question; the enemy were in my city, and as such we needed to throw them out."

"Were there not civilians in the city?"

"Perhaps, but their lives were worth expending for the sake of empire. In addition, many of those 'civilians' took up arms against me in the final battle, committing treason, and thus were made to suffer the punishment. They were no loss to the state."

"So the lives of the innocent were the same as those you term traitors?"

"If necessary for the state, yes."

"And the state is you?"

"Objection; leading!" 

"Sustained."

"No further questions."

L'etat c'est moi, James thought. "The state is me." That would sum up what he thinks of himself. 
Further muttering continued as he thought. 

"I wish to cross-examine my client," Farsight said.

"You may."

Farsight walked up until he was standing in from of the podium. "Sir, I wish to ask-"

"I neither answer to ponies, nor allow them to defend me."

There was a shocked silence. Fire Fox ended it by banging his gavel. 

"The defendant is out of line. We've already allowed for one of your loyalists to defend you, and he refused to stop breaking the rules. Presumably, all the other Imperialists - even those not guilty of war crimes - would 'defend' you in the same manner. We've selected a defendant for you, one whose nation has not been overly involved in the war and that was not ravaged by your forces. He is your defending attorney, like it or not. You can either accept Farsight as your defending lawyer, or you can defend yourself without a lawyer. Your choice."

Raneiro continued to regard the Queen with disgust. "Fine. I'll allow one of an inferior race to 'defend' me."

Fire Fox banged the gavel again, hard, as ponies around the room began shouting. "Order! As for you, former king, you will not engage in insults and provocation again. Is that clear?"

No answer.

BANG! "I said, 'Is that clear?'"

"Transparently."

"Good." Fire Fox turned to Farsight. "Continue."

Farsight looked outwardly calm as he began again, but James had seen his lips quiver during the ex-king's most recent outburst. Hard to defend someone who thinks of you as an inferior species, James thought.

"I wish to ask," Farsight said, "whether or not a significant threat existed prior to the events alluded to by my colleague."

"Prior to the elimination of the clan system?"

"Yes." 

The former king seemed to think before responding. "The clan system itself was a threat. It fractured our nation, keeping us divided. It had to end, or we would remain a backwater state." 

"Were any of the clan leaders aspiring to overthrow you?"

"Not as far as I was aware. But they easily could have resorted to such things at any time."

"And the... centralization of power... was a necessary step?"

"Utterly so." 

James watched as Farsight paused. It was easy to see that defending this client was not an easy job, not when he had already thrown away any conceivable defense. 

"Was there a specific threat? Besides the clan system, I mean."

"There was; that of our country not being all that it was meant to be."

That's the same thing, James thought, wondering why Farsight didn't just give into despair. Your whole defense is that the evil things you did were necessary for building a country, which is the defense every tyrant, from the most ancient kings to Stalin and Pol Pot, made! It doesn't work! You did these things! You! And you expect us to let you get off because you claim its all for the greater good?

"...No further questions, Your Honor." 

"I see." Fire Fox looked outside a window to his left. "I think that's enough for today. Court is adjourned until tomorrow." Fire Fox banged his gavel again - more softly, this time - and got up to leave. The audience, whispering and muttering to one another, got up as well. 

This is hardly a court, James thought, sighing. It's a madhouse of hate. And I fear I'm getting caught up in it. I fear we all are. It's going to be hard, but we have to find a way to bring justice without bringing hate with it.