Sweetchard's View
It's funny how much floors are underappreciated.
Like, if you keep looking long enough at these dusty, cracked tiles, you can make out all kinds of little funny stuff, like animal shapes, letters, even faces. You could spend your whole life looking at the floor without it getting boring, really! Without ever having to look up again, even!
“Sweety..? Please look at me...”
But the floor's so interesting right now! It's nice and simple and isn't trying to break my heart..!
Crispy nuzzles at the underside of my jaw, pushing with her snout to force my head upward, away from the comforting floor. I find myself caught by her eyes, those big blue pools it's usually so easy to get lost into, but this time I'd rather close my own, if only it could make this awful mess disappear entirely..!
“You understand why we have to do this, don't you..?”, she asks softly.
I... I can't believe it!
“Heck no I don't!”, I blurt out. “Why did you do somethin' like this!?”
“It had to happen sooner or later...”, she frowns grimly. “I told you all, that they would find us!”
“But that's not policemen or Brigade goons we're talking about here, they're children!”
“Children that didn't think twice before taking pictures of us!”, she shoots back. “If we hadn't stopped them in time and smashed their phones, what do you think would've happened? Maybe all the city would already know we're here! We didn't have any other choice but to act!”
“'We'? Is Sassie in on this?”
“She agrees with me.”, Crispy nods.
I look away, wishing so desperately that she's joking... But she sounds to sure of herself, so determined! What could I do? What am I supposed to do!?
Crispy doesn't let me alone with my thoughts for very long, going around to face me again: “Sweetchard, I know this is hard to admit, but we can't put all our trust in any human from now on, not for something as essential as our own survival...”, she says, sadness and resentment in her voice. “You have to see it Sweety, they could do anything to us, and there's nothing to prevent them! Nothing but standing strong, as ponies, and protecting each other! Otherwise we're just targets, defenseless...”
“But... That'll change, with what Violette's doing, right?”
She snorts, rolling her eyes. “I admire Violette's resolve, but her end goal is just not realistic. As if humans had any reason to ever treat us like equals!”
“You... You're sure?”
“I know I'm right.”, she asserts without any trace of doubt. “I wish I weren't, that I could believe in humanity's better qualities... The world just doesn't work like that, unfortunately. But whatever happens, we'll always have each other, won't we..?”
She touches snouts with me, our breaths and scents mingling, and I don't have the strength to pull away.
It's... It's so tempting to just let go, to just follow her lead..!
But what she's doing, how she's doing it, that's not right! It's not because we need to protect ourselves that we should start foalnapping children!
Yet I don't want to get into an argument with her..!
“Crispy, I... You may be right, but...”, I mutter, pulling away. “Locking people up, children, that's...”
“I don't like it, trust me I don't.”, she interrupts, ears drawn back. “But someone needs to take care of what others can't bring themselves to do, for our own good! If I need to dirty my hooves to protect you, to protect us all... Then I will.”
But..!
“Don't look at me like that, Sweety... I'm not a monster either, we will take good care of them as long as they're here. I only had to lock them in there because I knew some of the others wouldn't understand, I need a little time to tell them about it. In the meantime we should find a way to get to a new refuge, not so close to humans. That way, everybody will be happy!”
“Yeah, fat chance lady!”, comes the angry voice of the girl in the room; she must've been listening in. “You freaks won't get away that easily after what you've done!”
Crispy gives me an 'I told you so' kind of look, before addressing the girl: “Please calm down, I promise this is only temporary. I've brought you something to eat and some blankets, so be nice and cooperative, okay?”
With everything I didn't even notice that Crispy had left a little parcel by the front door, along with a bunch of folded fabric. She must've put the food away while she helped prepare dinner.
“Sweety, could you help me? I hurt myself earlier, and—”
“And I'll hurt you a lot more when I get out, you damn bitch!”
“Hey!”, I snap, giving a quick buck to the wall, the whole building rattling for an instant. “Watch what you say, girl!”
Crispy pats my shoulder: “It's all right Sweety, after all we can both understand that it's not pleasant to be locked in a cage, even if it is for the greater good. As I was saying, I need your help to shift the bags a little, just so that we can open the door enough to give them the things.”
I huff, my sudden anger vanishing just as fast as it came. It's true that we do know what it feels like to be held against our will. That's not something I'd ever wish on children, as potty-mouthed as they may be...
“Sweety? Come on, we don't have all night. After what the unicorns did, Laurence could get suspicious if we're outside for too long.”
... What if I'd want her to..? After all, if Rafale intervenes, it'd probably be to free the children. Even with what Crispy said, I'm not sure that'd be a bad thing.
But Crispy would try to stop her, and... And what would happen, if they fought?
I could never abandon Crispy, I... I would do anything for her..!
“Hey, hurry up, would you?”
Shaking my head to chase the unpleasant thoughts away, I shift my focus to the task at hoof. With the both of us it's foal's play to move the heavy bags a little, enough to allow the door to open just a crack. I lean against the bags while Crispy fetches her stuff, and that's a good thing – I feel someone slamming bodily against the door from the other side! Of course, between the weight of the bags and me leaning against them, it doesn't do much more than make the wood groan.
“Please stop, you could hurt yourself!”, Crispy scolds as she gets to the door. “Now take this, and—”
Crispy whinnies in surprise as a slender hand grabs her fetlock, trying to pull her leg through the crack!
I don't think as I lunge forward, and clasp the girl's wrist between my teeth. I just catch myself in time to not bite, only exerting enough pressure to be noticeable. “Let her go..!”, I snarl.
A dark, humorless chuckle comes from the other side of the door. “Why? You think I've got anything else to lose right now!?”
I increase the pressure just a bit. “Your hand, for one..!”
She calls my bluff and doesn't budge, so I clamp her wrist even tighter.
I can hear her beginning to cry from the pain, and my stomach churns at the play of delicate bones and cartilage under my teeth.
“Don't hurt my sister, please!”
The girl is pulled backward, probably by her little brother, and between that and what I'm doing to her she finally lets go! I back away, and Crispy doesn't waste time in pushing the food and blankets through the door before closing it.
I still have the taste of the girl's skin on my lips.
... Oh gosh what am I doing!? I could've really hurt her! She was just trying to get away!
Why did I have to react so violently!? I'm so disgusted with myself, I can feel the bile rising..!
My retching barely avoided, I watch numbly as Crispy finishes securing the door. Sure she doesn't look happy, and her ears are folded back, but that's all; how can she be so unruffled after what just happened? Is she really that much stronger than I am..?
Or maybe she's just less sensitive by nature, or less...
...
NO!! I know Crispy is a good mare! She's only reacting this way because she's still hurting after what her father did to her, that's all! I shouldn't judge her like this, she's doing what she can!
I give her a soft headbutt to the shoulder as she comes closer, and she sighs while nuzzling at my neck. “Thank you for your help Sweety... I know this is hard for you, but you did the right thing. We are doing the right thing.”
“Hey mister horse!”, the muffled, still strained voice of the girl sounds from the other side of the door. “You're really dumb if you believe her!”
I snort in annoyance, and turn towards the front door. “Come on Crispy, it's already late enough...”
... And I don't want to stay in this place a second longer.
This time the cold, humid outside air is just what I need, and I inhale deeply as we walk towards the house. It's certainly easier to think here, with the problem removed from directly under my nose. Yeah, she should have told us about it right away, but it's not that big of a deal, and I'm sure Crispy knows what she's doing!
Yeah, it's nothing to worry about! She reacted like any of us would have, she did what she had to do! I've no reason to be mad at her!
...
Come on Chard, just think about something else, and... And just try to forget the taste on your lips..!
On impulse, I dip my head to the ground, and bite down on the wet grass, tearing out a clump of blades. It tastes like grass, with a smack of dirt, but at least it gives me something to focus on.
Just think about the grass, and keep on chewing...
Just keep on chewing..!
Amber's View
I went to bed so early yesterday, right after dinner, that for once I had almost no issue getting up bright and early! That left me just enough time to wake up at my own rhythm, stretch deliciously, enjoy a light breakfast, wash and brush my beautiful mane and tail back to their regular glory...
... And it was for that?
Seriously, what's the point of getting here so early if it's just to have to wait hours in this room? Okay, it's only been an hour and a half, but it certainly feels longer!
At least I have a little more space to pace than in yesterday's cell, and the fancy conference room is clearly well cared for by the cleaning staff and its users. Oh, and our water came in small plastic bottles, instead of a dog bowl. For now the judiciary is proving itself a tad more respectful than the police was; I'd wager that we have to thank Antoine's influence for that.
Violette told me we had other allies in the place, but only one young lawyer named Sophie came to see us, and she was very nervous. Which wasn't exactly reassuring, considering she's to be Violette's lawyer for this audience... According to her, the same people who pushed for the audience to be moved are now battling for dropping it altogether. I would say 'what a surprise!', but it's still too early in the day for sarcasm.
So we wait...
And wait a little more...
Urgh..! “Is this gonna take all day..?”, I groan.
“Please calm down Amber, I need to focus.”
“What are you trying to focus on exactly?”, I mutter, Violette still busy perusing her precious folders. “You've reread that stuff, like, ten times already...”
“And I will keep rereading it until I know it by heart, so please stop interrupting me every five minutes.”
I grumble a bit at her curtness, but even if there wasn't that anxious scent coming from her I'd understand that she's really stressed by all this... I don't know the first thing about all this legal stuff, so I suppose that being a good filly is my best way to help her.
So we wait even more...
... Until finally Sophie the lawyer comes back, followed by five other humans:
The first is a middle-aged woman, with graying hair and a prominent hooked nose. She's closely followed by a tall man, with black, slightly balding hair, and a woman with glasses and her blond hair in a ponytail. The last two are a petite woman with short black hair, and a red-haired man with a roundish face and a beard, who closes the door behind them.
I hurry to get back on my seat alongside Violette. Sophie sits next to us, trying to hide her discomfort, while the first three humans take place directly in front of us on the other side of the table. The other two are content to sit on the side, though.
Without much surprise, they all look at us with some degree of amazement, and it's only once they've had the chance to stare to their heart's content that the gray-haired woman pulls some official-looking documents from the folder she entered with:
“Today, for the case opposing the plaintiff Raphaël Inquimbert, represented by Maître Sophie Blanchard, against the Chief Prosecutor, this tribunal will be composed of: Mr. Meyer, vice-president; Mrs. Licher, judge; Mrs. Vigne, registrar; Mr. Pelle, deputy prosecutor; and myself, Mrs. Lartoud, president. Maître Blanchard, could you, uh, please identify your client?”
Sophie points to Violette: “This is my client, Mr. Raphaël Inquimbert. Mr. Inquimbert requests from the council chamber of the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Toulouse to certify that he is in possession of status of another species, as well as sex. This request has been notified through the bailiff on May 6th, 2020 to the Chief Prosecutor of the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Toulouse.”
“Very well,” the president nods, “now that we're done with the formalities... We all took a long, hard look at the various elements of the case, especially the extensive report composed by Mr. Inquimbert himself, the multiple sworn statements from family, friends, and colleagues, and the dossier from his doctor and expert to the court, Dr. Rossignol.”
Wait... They had a copy of Violette's precious folders from the start? Why did we have to care about her backpack then!? Was it just so she could study it!?
Okay Amber, calm down..! You don't know how this things are supposed to work, she could have a good reason. Like, if they were so reluctant to give her an audience, maybe they could've 'lost' the documents she sent them?
Anyway... If only now they could stop with the whole 'Raphaël Inquimbert' stuff, with Violette just next to me it feels more than a little weird..!
The president continues her declaration: “In essence, the plaintiff requests for the tribunal to attest of his identity, despite his, shall we say, uncommon physical situation. Do you have something to add, Maître Blanchard?”
“No, Mrs. Lartoud. Everything has been notified accordingly, and my client is available to answer any question of the tribunal.”
“All right. I think you wanted to begin the questions, Mr. Meyer?”
“Indeed.”, answers the tall, black-haired vice-president, before staring at Violette. “In your request, 'Mr. Inquimbert', you suggested that not recognizing your identity was equivalent to condemning you to civil death, which as you note, was abolished by the law of May 31st, 1854. However, I fail to see how you would be exempt from 'civil death', as it is. After all, the law of 1854 is only relevant to persons, as civil death was considered to be an attack on the dignity of human persons. To put it bluntly, this law doesn't concern you in the first place.”
Violette frowns slightly, but maintains her composure otherwise: “Mr. Meyer, I will not contest that, as the case details, I may not be considered to be human anymore in the biological sense. However, I am still very much a person, with a civil identity which is currently put at risk by my unusual circumstances if it is not attested by the tribunal.”
“I'm afraid that your qualification as a 'person' is only conjectural at best, 'Mr. Inquimbert'. You must understand that, right now, we are faced by what looks, for all intents and purposes, to be a talking animal, rather than a person.”
Yikes, the gloves are certainly off, full-on dehumanization from the beginning..! Well, not de-'human'-ization, of course, not in this sense, but the idea stays the same. It's not something I've no experience with, having lived as a woman, a person of color, a trans person, and a trans woman of color. Oh, and homeless too, can't forget that one... I'm pretty sure that's the first time Violette really has to deal with it, seeing how she seems as much surprised than offended.
“Then what would you consider to be convincing evidence that I am a full-fledged person, Mr. Meyer, other than the simple fact that I am currently talking to you..?”, she asks dryly.
“The precise definition of 'personhood' is subject to philosophical debates, but in this case I think, and my colleagues agree, that personhood can be recognized as long as sufficient empirical evidence is presented of both sentience and self-consciousness. What's more, you will understand that, even before questions of sentience can be asked, we need to make sure that this is not just some kind of elaborate farce... To this end, I'm sure that you will consent to examinations by tribunal experts, both physical and psychological?”
“Dr. Rossignol is a certified tribunal expert, I fail to see how any examination could be more thorough or informative!”
“It has been noted, and I agree,” the gray-haired president intervenes, “that even though the report of Dr. Rossignol is invaluable and will be duly considered, some issues of impartiality have been raised. Moreover, I think that none of us, in this situation, would argue against further examination of what is, quite frankly, an unprecedented situation.”
Sophie and Violette lean towards each other: “I don't like this, this isn't going according to plan..!”, the human whispers.
“Neither do I, but I don't think we have much choice...” Violette turns towards the tribunal members: “Then I consent of course, provided that these examinations can be conducted as soon as possible.”
What do you mean, 'as soon as possible'? Don't tell me they'll just punt us away to a later date just for more senseless examinations!? Not after everything we've done to get here!
“As it turns out, you're in luck, 'Mr. Inquimbert': we currently have two experts in the building fit for the examinations we require, which is quite unusual...”, says the VP, though he doesn't look too happy about it. Could we have Antoine to thank for this good fortune? “In these circumstances, I propose that the examinations be conducted right away, in this very room.”
Wait, what?
“Excuse me, but that would be a violation of privacy!”, Violette protests.
Now the VP's looking quite smug: “Considering you presented yourself naked, I fail to see how privacy could be a concern of yours...”
Oops... We, er, didn't really think about that, did we..?
“I couldn't have a suit completed in time...”, my fellow unicorn says; can't tell if she's lying or not though.
“Of course, if you would be too indisposed, we could always reconvene another day, once both examinations are done...”
Violette gulps, but doesn't back down: “No, we will do these examinations right away! I have nothing to hide!”
Oh gosh... I hope we won't regret this..!
Laurence's View
A little tap from my feather stylus – wouldn't describing it as a 'pen' also be accurate in its way, I wonder? – and the call is released. It felt so good to chat with Séb, to talk about stuff, how he's doing, if Sainfoin is behaving himself, how the job hunting's going... A little slice of normal life, of my life...
*sigh*
Why must there always be this... This gut-wrenching emotional backfire, each time I manage to grasp at this evanescent feeling of normalcy? Maybe it's a question of contrast, each miserable drop of reprieve highlighting all the more starkly the endless sea of agony...
Needless to say, it sucks.
Anyway... I put the phone away in my bag for the time being, and I turn toward the door just as Sweetchard enters our shared bedroom. He looks... Well, I'm not sure exactly, but since this morning he doesn't look like he usual does – he typically holds himself straighter, with a more willful stance and at least the shadow of a cocky smile on his face. Right now would be more like he just ate a very sour lemon.
His strange state seems to be so distracting for him that he does a double take when he notices I'm in the room.
“Oh, sorry Ra, didn't know you were here...”, he mutters, moving to leave, his ears folding back.
“It's all right, I was done.”, I'm quick to reassure him. Though... “Why did you call me 'Ra'?”
Not that I don't have some idea regarding the answer, unfortunately, but on the bright side my simple question is really efficient at snapping him out of his unusual attitude, which he trades for startled alertness:
“Uh? Oh, well, huh, like 'LauRrrrrence', you know..?”
Really..? I put my stern face on to make clear I don't buy his flimsy excuse for one second, but... I guess I can let it go, this time, if only for the effort at not hurting my feelings. “I see... Oh, by the way, Séb says 'hello'.”
Ah, that makes him smile a bit: “I hope he's doing alright?”
“More or less.”, I shrug. “Sensaz is all but sunk, so he's looking for work elsewhere. The police interrogated him to see if he had anything to do with the... Well, the 'Brigade incident',” I specify once I've pushed back the lump that formed in my throat, “but they didn't charge him with anything. Oh, he would like to talk to you about what he got from your apartment, but he said you didn't answer his messages.”
I assume this is guilt that briefly etches itself over his features: “Oh, yeah, I... I didn't check my phone in a while, I... Well, I'll give him a call later.”
And that brooding look from earlier is back...
This is definitely not normal. Chard isn't the kind to let himself be bogged down by unpleasant feelings – for good or ill – and he's usually quite good at remembering to use my real name when he knows I'm listening. Until now I thought he was just feeling a bit under the weather for some reason, and I could almost think that he tried to avoid me... Clearly there's more to it.
But that's also an occasion to improve our relationship! After all, if we are to keep working together in the future it's important than I show a sufficient amount of concern for his daily well-being. That's how you build trust between individuals!
Okay then, I need to look approachable, and supportive. I've had years to perfect suitable expressions to convey my intentions, but now it's so hard to translate them accurately through a pony face! I'm pretty sure some of the muscles I have to use aren't the same... But I still have to try, so I go for a 'light concern smile': “Are you all right, Chard? I can't help but notice that you look preoccupied by something. May I be of assistance?”
I expected either acceptance or reluctance, but instead he looks at me with his eyebrows furrowed, and one corner of his mouth pulled back as if in disgust: “Huh, please, do you have to smile like this..?”
Hey, I'm doing what I can! But let's not waste the opportunity if he can help me improving: “Like what? How do you want me to smile?”
“Well, huh, not like that..?”
“Come on Chard, that's not enough, I can't work with just that! Try to be more specific, please.”
“Well, uh,” he stammers, “like this, I guess..?”
He smiles, albeit a bit stiltedly. His lips only pull enough to make his wide incisors visible, not showing the diastema separating his canines from his premolars. It leaves the impression of a more or less human denture, from a distance.
So that's how they do it..! But there's so little movement, especially at the level of the cheeks!
Ah, I get it, I should've been more observant of pony faces – with bigger, longer muscles, just as much movement as for a regular human face can be performed with a fraction of the contraction!
“Thank you, that was quite illuminating!”, I grin.
“But why are you trying so hard?”, he asks. “I mean, it looks like when you're not thinking about it, it just works naturally, like, right now!”
Hmm, now that he mentions it, it's true that, when I grinned without actively trying to, only the frontmost parts of my face acted, just like him. This confirms my hypothesis, but is still very strange... All my life I've been used to conceptualize my face as a vertical apparatus, with the association of movement in the lower and upper portions allowing to perform various emotions, yet now it's like a part of that lower portion has been grotesquely pushed forward, while the upper portion has become enlarged. Like my skull has been pulled apart, and someone who never saw a living human tried to stitch it back together...
God this is going to make me sick..!
“For me there's nothing 'natural' about using this body..!”, I hiss.
But I'm on a mission right now, I can't let this revulsion interfere! I mute my turbulent feelings and force myself to get back on tracks:
“Anyway... Now that my intentions can be accurately interpreted, what is troubling you?”
Chard's bemused expression switches to something far less friendly as my focus comes back where it should. “Nothing...”, he growls, his head lowering slightly.
We do not have the same definition of 'nothing', evidently... I walk swiftly to get between him and the door as he's turning to leave: “Chard, I trust you. You can trust me if you have a problem.”
I don't like the idea of doing nothing when one of my allies is being inconvenienced by an issue I could help alleviate. I thought people liked to talk about their problems? Why is he looking even more upset as I'm expressing my concern over his happiness? This is not supposed to be the adequate reaction!
Maybe I should be more direct: “I don't know, is there any problem between you and Crispy?”
I mean, couple issues are quite common in series and movies and such, right? Crispy represents a major part of his social interactions, it'd come to reason that she may have a role in his obvious emotional turmoil. The fact that he reacts first by surprise then by more annoyance would suggest I'm not wrong, so what should I do now?
Physical contact can be a strong sign of familiarity between individuals and it's not something I do lightly, it could help in making him understand that I'm on his side. A simple light touch on his shoulder should do the trick!
“We can talk about it if yo—”
“NO!”
I don't even have the time to complete my movement, as he uses his head like a wrecking ball against my upper chest, shoving me roughly to the side! I trip, the damned wings on my back trying to get out from under my sweater, and I fall – on one of our cots, fortunately, so my impact with the floor isn't as painful as it could've been.
That said, it doesn't make it pleasant either...
Well, that'll teach me, to try and be nice!
Chard stood frozen during the couple seconds following his attack, huffing in apparent anger, but now he comes toward me, eyes wide: “Ra– I mean Laurence, I– I'm sorry!”
My first instinct is to get away from him – I roll aside and jump to my feet, back to the wall, ready to react to his next action. His sudden aggressiveness isn't apparent anymore, however. If anything, he looks as if he had received a punch in the face.
Did he really act without meaning to..? How do you hit someone like this without it being a conscious act? There must be a reason, and I'd be surprised if it weren't directly linked to his sour mood.
So I ask it plainly: “Why?”
His eyes dart from left to right, as if the answer were trying to hide itself in some dark corner of the room. “I... I don't know, I'm sorry, I didn't think!”, he blurts out.
Well that's too easy, Chard! There has to be a reason! If it didn't come from you, then it must have been me! “Did I do something wrong?”
“I... No. No Laurence, you did nothing wrong, I'm sorry...”
So I am the one who's pushed across the room, and now he is the one looking like he's suffering. I'd say 'this stallion is crazy', but that's the easy way out again. “Then please tell me why.”, I question. “Considering your behavior, I have no doubt that you have at least some inkling as to what is troubling you – enough to attack me without direct provocation.”
“I said I'm sorry, okay?”, he retorts, on the defensive. “I must be tired, that's all.”
That's not a pertinent excuse. He doesn't leave me time to interrogate him further though, all but fleeing out of the room.
Hmm...
Honestly, I don't want to care. I gave him a chance to talk if he really wanted to, and the only thing it did was exploding in my face.
But...
If anything, Chard's good at fleeing from his problems – case in point. Yet his current one is bothering him so much that he lashes out a barely the possibility of talking about it... What kind of problem could cause this? I doubt it'd be over a trivial matter... Some investigating could be warranted, just in case.
*sigh*
I have a bad feeling about this...
Amber's View
Just like I feared, the physical exam was really uncomfortable for Violette... Especially as their first 'expert' turned out to be a veterinarian! I can't believe it would've been what Antoine had in mind!
It must say something that the VP kept his smug smile all along...
The old veterinarian removes his latex gloves, still looking quite bemused; I doubt he expected to have to examine a living Equestrian pony today!
“Well, ladies and gentlemen, I can assure you that this is a real creature, not some movie prop or robot.”, he concludes without surprise. “This is a mare, a very unusual mare admittedly, but a mare nonetheless.”
“In your opinion,” asks the blond judge, “could any kind of surgical or genetic procedure account for a change from a human male to this mare, as the plaintiff claims?”
“To be honest, your Honor, that would be simply preposterous.”
... Dang it.
“However,” the veterinarian continues, “I could neither propose any kind of explanation on how this mare could have been bred from regular horses. To my knowledge, this would be an unprecedented level of complexity for a genetically modified organism. In this situation, I would conclude that we are in the presence of a natural being, even if its origin remains mysterious. The fact that it is not unique,” he notes, gesturing at me, “would lend credence to this idea. In all likelihood, this is a new species... I must admit, this is quite exciting!”
Ah, finally someone who doesn't just see us as a nuisance! Even if he 'it' us...
“This is coherent with the report of Dr. Rossignol.”, the president confirms. “Have you reached a conclusion regarding the possibility of self-consciousness?”
His enthusiasm diminishes significantly at this new question: “I... I do not think I have the qualifications to give a definite answer on that specific matter. I suppose it would necessitate rigorous testing of multiple individuals, certainly more than just a physical exam. This mare is sentient yes, of course, as the subject could react to external stimuli and express that reaction emotionally. It also reacted to basic tests of self-consciousness.”
I admit, it was kinda funny to see Violette's deadpan expression as she was asked if she could recognize herself in a mirror.
“To conclude,” the veterinarian resumes, “I will say that, outside of physical appearance, which is clearly animal as we would usually qualify it, the subject appears to enjoy a degree of self-consciousness not unlike yours or mine. I would thus be inclined to validate the plaintiff's claims.”
“Thank you doctor, you may take your leave.”
Yes! Our 'dear' VP certainly doesn't look happy, though...
As the old veterinarian finishes to gather his stuff and goes for the door, he stops by Violette's seat, bending down to whisper to her: “Please excuse me for having been overly clinical, ma'am... I wish you good luck.”
Violette nods, smiling slightly, though once he's gone she quickly goes back to full-on seriousness as she addresses the tribunal: “As your expert so helpfully noted, I am both real, sentient, and endowed with self-awareness. Three points that should have been readily apparent by the simple fact that I am speaking to you... I do not understand how my self-consciousness, and further my personhood, could be doubted. I am a person, evidenced by my capacity to interact with you on an equal footing. I use a complex language, the same as yours; am I not, Amber?”
“Oh, er, yes, of course!”
“I can also take deliberate actions, the same way I took a chance in requesting and attending this audience, despite all the personal risks it could entail. All these points, from my own researches, are detailed in my report, including an extensive bibliography...”
The blond judge nods. “I personally find these arguments quite convincing.”
Ah, I was sure she'd be on our side!
“If we grant you personhood, then where do we stop?”, the VP scoffs.
Eh... Here's one who's definitely not on our side..!
He goes on, naturally: “Should all horses be granted the same rights, then? I don't see why that should be the case, when other primates are still considered to be nothing more than animals.”
“Please, Mr. Meyer, this is straying from the limits of the present case...”, the nice judge remarks.
“I don't see how!”, he retorts. “Some gorillas can communicate with sign language, can they not? Yet no serious court of law would grant personhood to the whole species!”
“Interesting example that you use here, Mr. Meyer...”, Violette muses out loud. “You would then be quite interested to know that, since 2007, the autonomous province of the Balearic Islands has granted legal rights to all great apes, including gorillas. Multiple jurisdictions around the world have also attempted, and some succeeded, at granting at least degrees of legal personhood to apes or cetaceans. But of course you would already know these details, as they are extensively described in my report.”
“Yes, yes, of course!”, he claims... “But it doesn't change the fact that French law doesn't recognize any kind of person other than the human one!”
“Which is why we have this debate.”, Violette nods with a sly smile. “I would recommend the section of my report, on the definitions of personhood, specifically the discussion over the Paradigm Case Formulation of Persons. Following this principle, humans are only persons 'incidentally', and considered as such by default. Removed from a biologically, flawed definition of a person, you cannot prove that you are a person, yet I wouldn't doubt it either...”
Well well well, I can see someone hasn't done his homework, our dear VP looks completely out of his depth!
“As it may be,” he grumbles, “it's not because you would indeed be some form of person that you would be the same person as Mr. Raphaël Inquimbert.”
“Again, Mr. Meyer, I would direct your attention to the multiple sworn statements included in the case, as well as the conclusions of Dr. Rossignol.”
“While I agree that Mr. Meyer seems to have overlooked some details concerning the case,” the president declares, “his suggestion of requesting a second psychological evaluation is still deemed appropriate.”
The VP is only too happy to be so validated: “And for good reason, it is absolutely essential to this case to establish if the plaintiff is the same person as Mr. Inquimbert. Our first expert has concluded that there was no realistic way for this mare to be the product of the physical alteration of a human male, and yet you would have us believe that it could be done? While neither being the same species, nor the same sex? On what ground would you, should you, be considered the same person?”
I can feel Violette's growing tense, her expression souring: “Again, you can find a psychological evaluation in my report. But please, if you have a second expert qualified to perform one, I'd be happy to oblige! I'm not going anywhere...”
Well... I suppose we do have all day...
*sigh*
Sweetchard's View
I keep pulling away at the old, flaking wallpaper. The wall looks... relatively okay under it, I guess. I'm not really knowledgeable about these things, but somepony has to do it.
Especially as Crispy thought it's better if she, Sassie and I are the only three to work in the outbuilding for now. It's just more prudent, she said. Until she finds the right opportunity to tell the others about...
About...
*sigh*
Let's get back to wallpapers, shall we..?
We need to tear down everything in the room before taking care of the renovation, strip it to the bones really. It's good for me, 'cause my mood right now doesn't really fit fine ungulate work. Tearing things down, however? That's downright cathartic..!
I still wish I was with Crispy though... Just enjoying her presence, chatting about nothing and everything, and... And just being together without a care in the world! But that's not possible at the moment, because there has to be somepony here, so the others don't suspect anything...
Heck, I don't even know if it's effective at all! After I... Well, after I... After I lost my composure with Rafale, she's been giving me lots of side looks, and I know she thinks there's something fishy going on. I don't want to lie to her, or... Or acting more like a stupid dumbass, or... Well, maybe that's another reason Crispy pushed me into working here this afternoon, I guess...
Come on Chard, don't think about all that for now, focus on your task. At least that's something you can't mess up. Right?
So pulling the wallpaper away... I'm halfway done, though it'll need some cleanup before we can put something new. I wonder what this room will be used for? Considering we're now supposed to find another place to live, according to Crispy, I'm not sure if what I'm doing is really productive in the end...
Whatever! Crispy knows best, I shouldn't protest. That's the most cautious course of action. I don't want to...
To...
Urgh, stupid brain!! Why do you always try to push me towards the things I don't want to think about!?
Was it like this before I got my current body? Was I always such a—
No, dang it!! I'm not a coward!! I'm just... I just refuse to let myself be stopped by...
...
Okay, wallpaper Chard, just think wallpaper..!
I'm just pulling another strip when one of my ears turn towards the outbuilding's main room. It could be the girl still trying to make some noise, she's been doing that regularly. Maybe that's also why Crispy wants the others to know there's somepony working here, to explain the noise... Gosh I hope she doesn't hurt herself, she hasn't done anything wrong! It's just a security precaution, why can't she understand that?
... Why can't I believe that..?
Urgh, whatever! Wallpap—
Wait.
There's voices too.
Is it Crispy? I can't help but smile at the thought, I really wouldn't say no to a little snuggling right now!
Leaving the stupid wallpaper, I saunter to the main room.
And I see Bilberry and Rafale, removing the heavy bags that block the children's door.
I don't have time to think, I charge through the room, pushing them away! They were almost half-way through already, I can't let them continue, Crispy would be furious! I plant my hooves on the floor, my back to the door, facing the two ponies that are now looking at me in shock.
“Chard, what's happening here!?”, Rafale demands, squinting a hole through my skull.
“None of your business!”, I snarl.
“Oh, really? That's an interesting perspective, considering there's someone locked in that room!”
“Did you do that?”, Bilberry asks with wide eyes, like she doesn't quite believe it.
“Of course not!”
Dang it, I hoped Crispy or Sassie would've kept Rafale in the house! What am I supposed to do now!? Should I just fess up? No, Crispy wouldn't want that!
“All right Chard,” the pegasus says slowly, her stance getting a little less tense, “let's get a few things straight, okay? In this room, there are two children, human children. Could you please explain to us why they're in this room, and why the hell you want to keep them here!?”
“It's for our own protection!”
“What, seriously!? But they're just kids!”, Bilberry blurts out.
“Oh don't worry, I think I get it...”, Rafale mutters, gesturing with a hoof at the young earth pony mare, before staring at me with a look of disapprobation not unlike a mother scolding her foal: “Did your brain fully migrate to your nethers, Sweetchard?”
I grit my teeth and paw at the floor, refusing to acknowledge her barb.
Bilberry doesn't quite get it, it seems: “Uh? What are you talking about?”
“That 'for our own protection' spiel,” Rafale answers with a sneer, “that's not something he would say. If anything, he'd be more likely to take unnecessary risks in the face of danger, real or imagined. No, right now, he's just parroting Crispy..!”
“You keep her out of this!!”, I bark!
“Come on Chard, we both know that you're an imbecile, but a goodhearted one. Capturing children, sequestering them in a room? You wouldn't do this on your own, and I think you're just as appalled as we are by it. But if it meant protecting her, now..?”
“Wait Sweetchard, is it true?”
I look at the young mare, her face showing plainly her dismay and growing disgust. “It's not her fault!”, I argue. “She only... She only did what she thought was right!”
“It's not because you love her that you have to look away if she does something bad!”, Bilberry counters. “You should try to get her out of trouble, even if it's her fault!”
“You're the ones causing trouble!”, I yell. “She has the situation under control, we just have to do as she says!”
“Stop playing dumb, Chard! I know you don't like it, but you have to tell her you don't agree with what she's doing!”
I stomp on the floor, shattering the tiles: “I can't do that!!”
“'Can't'..?”, Bilberry repeats, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “What do you mean? Are you afraid of her..?”
“No!”
“Then what, are you, like... You're afraid she'd dump you, just because you disagree on something..?”
My lack of any answer other than an angry growl prompts her to continue:
“You know, she won't give up on you just because you disagree, otherwise she—”
“She will!!”, I shout! “I know she will!”
Darn it, I didn't want to say that out loud! And now Bilberry's looking at me with pity! I HATE it!!
Rafale almost seems to find it funny: “When did you become so insecure?”, she scoffs. “You've always been quick to fight for your own opinions, and now you just let her walk all over you..? What changed, Chard? Why do you know she would do it..?”
I...
I just know it! Because...
Because...
I force my eyes shut, as my mind isn't quick enough to smother the thoughts. Thoughts of the dreams.
Of how they end.
Of how... How the Crispy of my dreams, she...
She..!
“I don't want it to happen again,” I scream through my tears, “and I don't want to lose her! She's everything I've left!”
The stupid tears keep on coming as I desperately try to think of something else, anything else, but I can't control myself anymore – I didn't even notice how I fell on my haunches..!
Please..! I don't want to remember that..! I love her, that's the only thing that should count! It's the only thing that's important! I love her, and I'll do everything I can so she keeps loving me..! Everything so she... So she doesn't leave me again!!
I hear soft hoofsteps coming towards me, and open my eyes to see the tear-blurred shape of Bilberry getting closer.
“Then you must help us, even if it means protecting her from herself.”, she says, barely a body-length away and still slowly walking towards me and the door. “Please Sweetchard, let us get thr—”
My body reacts almost on its own, as I jump back to my hooves and use my bulk to knock Bilberry to the floor. Wiping the last of the tears with my fetlock, I get back into a fighting stance. “I'm sorry, I just can't let you..!”
Rafale helps a shocked Bilberry to get up, glaring at me. “So what will it be now, Chard? You're going to pummel us both into submission..?”
She knows I would.
And as I realize it too, it makes me want to puke..!
“Please, I don't want to hurt you..!”, I beg them.
“I don't want to hurt you either, Chard. But, fortunately, there's still another way to deal with this problem.”
To my surprise, the pegasus simply turns, going for the front door.
There's only one reason she'd do that!
“You don't touch her!!”, I growl!
She answers with a humorless chuckle: “Chard, I'm not like you. I only punch people when I don't have any other choice. If Crispy's the one in charge, I just have to have a little talk with her.”
“Leave her alone!!”
“Then you have to help us correct her mistakes, before it explodes in everybody's face!”, she retorts. I answer her withering look with one of my own, though she certainly doesn't seem to be impressed. “Keep an eye on him, Bilberry – for his own sake if nothing else. I'm going to—”
She's interrupted by the front door opening, from the outside. Sassie and Crispy enter, both looking grim.
Dang it, no..!
“Well, that'll save me the trip.”, Rafale remarks dryly. “Crispy, would you care explaining why you have your boyfriend playing prison guard for two children?”
My mare doesn't let the jab touch her, standing tall and firm as she stares back at Rafale: “I'm doing what you'd be too afraid to do.”
The one-eyed pegasus bursts out laughing. “Haha, seriously? You seriously tell that to me!? That's just rich!” Her laugh turns to simple snickering, as she controls herself. “Ah, sorry, the nerves I guess. Anyway! Crispy, we're getting these children out of here. Please tell Chard to let us proceed.”
“No.”
“'No'..? Then please give us a very good reason, because your boyfriend couldn't come up with one on his own.”
“Isn't it obvious?”, Crispy glares with contempt. “We were discovered. We couldn't let them get away, and tattle to any random human they came across that they'd seen ponies here. Isn't it how the Brigade found you last time..?”
“Hmm, no. Chard may have been seen, yes, and that's why he was targeted, but that was his own damn fault for acting like an idiot. As for what happened with the Brigade, I think I remember that we got into trouble because these guys were keeping two innocent ponies prisoner... Funny how the tables have turned, huh..?”
“Oh I'm sure there's an interesting philosophical debate to be had on the subject of the victim aping their aggressor, but the current situation has nothing to do with that! We are protecting ourselves! I wish we had a choice here, but for our sake, we don't!”
“Okay, because you don't seem to see much further than the tip of your own snout, let me spell it out for you: it's too fucking late!! They're children, they have parents! Parents who will look everywhere for them, and who will call the police when they can't find them!”
“That's why we must find another safe place as soon as possible! We're just keeping them here, temporarily, until we can get away! It's neither ethical nor legal maybe, and I don't like it, trust me. But it's pragmatic, and necessary! I thought you, of all ponies, would understand that easily.”
“You just forgot, I'm not a pony. Allow me to show you then, what I am not 'afraid' to do, even if I don't like it either.”
Rafale turns away from Crispy, and right towards me:
“Chard, stand aside.”
Her voice is devoid of any emotion as she utters these words. She puts a first hoof in my direction, and I shiver despite myself. That's ridiculous, I'm bigger and stronger than her, and she's still hurt, she doesn't stand a chance!
...
Oh gosh what am I thinking!? “Please, don't do that! You could hurt yourself!”
“It only depends on you, Chard.”, she answers, still walking towards me. “We all know that what you're doing is wrong. Playing hostage-takers any longer can only end badly for us. That's why you will let me open this door, and we will talk with these children like civilized beings, and we will find a solution.” She arrives in front of me just as she completes her sentence, and whispers only to my ears: “Because I won't let you waste everything Violette and Amber are fighting for... I don't want to hurt you either, so just act like I forced you, this way she can't be angry with you, all right..?”
We're less than a hoof-width's away from each other, her single eye boring into my own, and—
I glance behind her, to her right, as Sassie takes flight and plunges towards her! The older pegasus has barely time to react, with Sassie attacking from her blind spot and crashing into her!
They roll on the floor, Rafale quickly getting the upper hoof despite the surprise, but Sassie evades her tackle and uses her wings to dash around her opponent, smashing with all four hooves against Rafale's back!
Sassie herself is caught off guard when Bilberry comes barreling right into her, pushing the American pegasus away to allow Rafale to get back up. From the corner of my eye I see Crispy getting closer to the scuffle, just as Bilberry and Sassie are about to attack each other again!
“Please, stop!!”, I shout as I rush to stand between the mares. “I don't want us to fight!”
“I'm not the one you have to convince, Chard!”, Rafale hisses. “But you can't stay neutral in this mess!”
“She's right Sweety, but for all the bad reasons! You have to help us!”, Crispy yells back. “We can't let them put us all in jeopardy!”
“STOP!!”, I scream at the top of my lungs, my thoughts a chaotic jumble of incertitude and fear and anger and pain and so many other things I don't have time to process! “I don't want to keep hurting my friends! I don't want my friends to hurt each other! I don't wan—”
“So long, fuckers!!”
We all turn towards the human girl, who used the distraction to push through the door, and is running outside at top speed.
Crispy's the first to react, cursing as she launches after the girl in a three-hoof gallop! Sassie then dives at Rafale, using her as a springboard to bounce towards the front door, kicking her in the face in the process. Bilberry rears up in surprise, but uses her backward momentum to pivot and propel herself into a run, pursuing the two mares!
I cast a quick glance at Rafale, who's still crouched on the floor, dazed, before dashing after the others.
Even with only three legs, Crispy has already caught up with the girl, and Sassie helps her in subduing the human, throwing her down against the muddy ground. I'm just behind Bilberry as the young mare charges bodily in the pegasus's back, knocking her away with little effort, before she uses her greater weight to roughly shove Crispy on her side! My mare cries out as she falls on her bad pastern, and I see red, picking up speed to drive right into Bilberry! She saw me coming though, and had just the time to turn around. She takes the blow shoulder-first, her hooves barely skidding on the mud as she stands protectively over the curled-up girl.
I back away, for fear of trampling the human, while Sassie and Crispy get up. Even surrounded, Bilberry doesn't show any sign of giving in, and she glares at me with absolute fury: “So that's how you don't wanna 'hurt your friends', huh!? Make up your darn mind, Sweetchard! Either you help me protecting a defenseless young girl, or you help these two nags into doing Celestia knows what to her!!”
“We don't want to hurt her!”, Crispy argues as she staggers towards Bilberry and the girl.
“Oh, so she gave herself these bruises for fun, that's it!?”, the blue earth pony all but roars at my mare.
Bruises? Looking at the cowering human, my eyes go wide as I do see at least two nasty blue contusions, roughly the size of a pony hoof, on her exposed, mud-caked arms.
“She... She must have done that while trying to escape! She was slamming against the door, I told her not to!”
“And that's supposed to make it sound better!? What kind of sick mind would think that!?” She turns towards me: “Did you know about this!? Or maybe you did it to her!?”
“N– No! And I'd never do that!”
“He lies..!”, the girl snarls. “Bastard tried to bite my hand off!”
“You WHAT!?”
I– But—
No.
Just no, Sweetchard. That's enough. You can't hide from this one. You shouldn't even try to hide from it in the first place, dang it!!
“She's right. I did threaten to bite her hand.”, I admit, ears drawn back in shame, but head held high, looking into Bilberry's scornful eyes, then at the girl's hate-filled gaze: “I'm sorry...”
“Don't take it on him!”, Crispy yells. “He only did it because she was hurting me, and it was only a threat! He would've never done that!”
“I wish I could believe it myself..!”, I spit bitterly. “But if she hadn't let go..? What would I've done, then..?” The stupid tears make me sniff... “I'm sorry..! I should've tried to do something from the start..!”
My shaking legs refuse to support me any longer, and I just let myself fall in the mud, still crying like an idiot...
I only look up when I hear hoofbeats, and see Alex cantering towards us from the house, dismayed by the despicable tableau that must be unfolding under his eyes: “What is happening!?”
“Trying to deal with some human intruders...”, Sassie answers snidely in English. “But there's some... 'lively disagreement' over how we should proceed.”
“Your friend is omitting a lot of important details in her description.”, says Rafale as she joins us. To my surprise, and of everypony else too, she's accompanied by the human boy, who walks alongside her, one hand holding a raincoat too big for him, and the other grasping tightly at the pegasus's sweater. Like I thought, he mustn't be much older than ten, eleven at most, while his sister must be around sixteen or seventeen, less young than I suspected. I let out a relieved sigh at the fact that he, at least, doesn't look like he's been hurt by any of us...
“Hey you dummy!!”, the girl calls angrily. “I told you to get away!”
He shakes his brown-haired head. “I don't want to! I can't leave you alone!”
While the girl groans, Rafale leads the boy to her: “Here, give your sister her raincoat, she's going to catch a cold in this weather.”
“Are you sure about that, Laurence..?”, Bilberry asks, gesturing at Crispy.
But it's me that Rafale glances at specifically as she replies: “Now that a certain big oaf has finally decided to stop acting without thinking, I think we're mostly all right, yes.”
Bilberry doesn't look fully convinced, but she still relaxes her stance, and helps the girl getting up. Or at least tries to, as the human clearly doesn't want to be touched by anypony. Not surprising unfortunately, after what we did to her... As soon as she puts her raincoat on, she motions for her brother to leave, but he doesn't budge from Rafale's side: “I don't want to leave yet!”, he declares.
“Did they hit you on the head!?”, his sister scolds him, to little effect. “These damn horses kidnapped us!”
“This one's nice!”, he counters, hugging a mostly-consenting Rafale. “They're like the ponies at the petting zoo you know, they get afraid easily. Maybe we could stay to make friends today, now that they let us out! Mom only comes home tonight anyway.”
“That was way too much information..!”, the girl groans anew, facepalming with a muddy hand.
“Actually, I heard somewhere that ponies are real experts at friendship.”, Rafale muses, looking at me, then at Sassie, and finally at Crispy. “Though you wouldn't guess it from this bunch... As it turns out, when I talked with this nice boy, he told me you attacked them without even trying to talk first.”
“I fully admit that it was a preemptive action.”, Crispy confirms with a frown.
“Oh, now you're upfront..? On what basis did you chose to act that way?”
My mare huffs, glaring at Rafale: “What is this, a trial?”
“Yes dear Crispy, it is one.”, the pegasus answers coldly. “And considering how you saw Violette's attempts to have you ponies recognized by the official law, I'm sure you'll be happy to note that this is a completely informal trial, with the verdict decided by popular vote. So yes, I really do hope you had good reasons to act..!”
Crispy clearly doesn't find Rafale's theatrics funny, but after looking at the others, how Sassie seems really unsure now, the disgust on Bilberry's face, the dirty looks from Alex, and my own pitiful state, she agrees to talk: “They both had phones, and took pictures of me and Sassie. They got in through the old steel gate, behind the orchard.”
“Yes,” the boy interrupts, “the other night we saw two unicorns go through this door! We wanted to know where they were coming from!”
“See? They were looking for us!”, Crispy asserts. “What would've happened if they had the chance to send these pictures? To show them to their friends, to their parents, to strangers!?”
“They were just curious!”, Bilberry counters. “What made you so sure they would've wanted to cause us any kind of harm!?”
“Because that's how humans work! You honestly think that if they knew about us, they'd just do as if we weren't here!? They'd see us as dangerous, as some new kind of vermin, they'd hunt us until they've made sure they got us all!”
Rafale raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “This is a quite extreme scenario.”
“You think so? I was one of them, just like all of us! Maybe you don't remember, but I know what they say when they think nobody's here to hear it! What humans truly believe, the hate and the scorn they all have in their hearts for those who aren't like them!”
“Not all humans are like that, Crispy, and you know it. Just look back at these past two weeks, at the persons who helped us without a second thought, without asking anything in return. What about Solange Prévost, the woman you described as a friend, who treats you almost like a daughter, who saved my life?”
Crispy doesn't look as confident now, but she doesn't back down: “She's... She's different, that's all!”
“Being a bigot is not normal, you sick mare!”, Bilberry sneers. “That's just you!”
“Oh no it's not just me! It's everyone! And everyone's hiding it, because we have to keep up appearances! Is it your pony brains that made you all into a bunch of wide-eyed idealists!? That made you forget how awful human beings can be to each others, as soon as they have the opportunity to do so!?”
Rafale shakes her head: “That's sad... You really think that people would just kill each others, if they could get away with it?”
“I don't have to 'think' it, I know it!!”, Crispy yells, her face reddening from her rage. “Did you all live on another planet during the past twenty-five years or what!? We're even worse than Arabs or Jews or gays or whatever, because we're not even the same species! We're at the absolute bottom of the ladder, maybe just above rats and cockroaches! That's why we can't afford to lower our guard! That's why we have to defend ourselves! Is it so hard to understand!?”
“Well that's some serious hypocrisy right here...”, Bilberry scoffs.
“What!? What hypocrisy!?”
“She's right.”, Rafale nods. “Crispy, don't you realize that you just acted like those persons you so clearly despise? If you allow yourself to act so harshly because you believe that others could do worse things to you... Well isn't that self-fulfilling? Look what you've done...”, she says, gesturing around. “To these two kids. To us. To him...”, she concludes, pointing in my direction.
Crispy looks at me, laying in the mud, eyes crusted by dried tears, and I can see her rage slowly crumbling into despair...
“I did what needed to be done!!”, she all but wails. “I didn't like it, but I didn't have a choice!! I did it for all of you!! Can't you see it!? It's us or them!!”
Her anger isn't enough anymore to completely hold back her tears, and she begins to choke, allowing Rafale to ask her another question: “Crispy... Could it be that the thing you're so much afraid of, in the end, is just that someone would do to you what you would do if the roles were reversed..?”
It's like the poor mare has been slapped in the face, and she's crying openly as she staggers towards me: “Sweety, please..! Tell me you understand..! Please tell me you understand!”
Pulling myself up, I gulp, not sure what to tell her.
I don't want to say something she doesn't want to hear, but...
But we can't keep on like this..! It's my fault, I never should've let things escalate so much in the first place!
As we come face to face, and I see the desperate hope in her eyes, my heart breaks at what I know I must say:
“Crispy, I... You know, not all humans are like your father...”
Her tentative smile vanishes, but I can't stop now.
“Sure, some can act like monsters sometimes...”, I say, glancing at Rafale, who nods sadly. “But not all of them, you know..? If we want humans to give us a chance, well, I guess we have to give them one too...”
A voice in the back of my mind is screaming at me that I've made a horrible mistake, as Crispy's face contorts into renewed anger, and I can't help myself – I flinch, and look away.
Please, please, please, don't throw me away, I beg you..! I love you, but I can't let you destroy yourself like this..!
I wait for the blow, or something, I don't know, for I don't even know how long either, but nothing comes... So, after a moment, I bite my lip, and I dare turning towards her again.
She looks sad, and distressed. My poor, sweet Crispy looks like I just abandoned her... But I didn't! And I'll never abandon her! Whatever she's going through, I'll be by her side! It's just that, sometimes, I'll have to steer her in the good direction..!
“Hey, honeybunch,” I mumble through my own tears, “it's gonna be okay, alright..? I'm with you, I'll always be with you, and I'll help you, alright? You remember, our song..?”
She nods with a sniff, and together, we sing softly:
“You and me, side by side,
There's no more need to hide..!
Whatever we're up against,
We'll not fall again to angst..!
All the hurdles we may face...”
Even if they come from inside...
“... We'll win in every case..!
We'll withstand any weather,
'Cause we will be together..!”
We hug tightly, crying on each other's shoulder...
“Sweety, I... I'm so sorry..!”, she breathes. “I never wanted to hurt you like this..!”
“It's okay... I'm a big colt, you know..? But... It's not just me...”
“Yes, you're right...”
We disentangle, to find everypony, and every human, looking at us. Some with pity, others... Well, with less kindness. I don't think we deserve better...
“I'm sorry..!”, Crispy cries. “I thought... I thought I was doing the right thing..!”
Rafale sighs. “The worst is that I believe you really did...” She then turn to the children: “Come on, we should get inside, at least to clean you up. I'll get you back to your home.”
She leads the humans inside, followed by Bilberry, and soon by Sassie and Alex, who launch into their own hushed conversation.
We both stay against each other, sitting in the mud, as our tears are washed away by the first drops of rain...
Amber's View
“I– I'm sorry, but I don't think I can keep doing this interview in these conditions..!”
Well, their so-called 'expert' is proving to be very lame! How can you talk seriously with someone when your interlocutor doesn't stop laughing when he looks at how your face moves..? Especially when you're asked to talk about deeply personal stuff?
We knew that humans could have weird reactions at seeing us speak, but going into fits of giggles? Even the tribunal members look annoyed!
“Very well doctor,” the president grumbles, “then from what you managed to see, do you think that we are truly facing a person, and not just a smart animal..?”
“Oh, definitely a person, your honor. As for if this here person is indeed Mr. Inquimbert, well, I can say that the plaintiff at least thinks that she is this person, and acts and reacts accordingly. Though of course, a 'before-and-after' comparison would be very interesting in this situation, if not essential.”
“Thank you, doctor... You can take your leave.”
And you won't be missed..!
The 'expert' hasn't even completely left the room that our charming VP goes back on the offensive: “So, as we suspected, it is still not possible to establish with absolute certainty that the plaintiff is, or ever was, Mr. Raphaël Inquimbert... In that case, I would recommend that—”
“Please excuse me?”, comes a man's voice from the door. “May I enter?”
We all turn towards him, and though I don't recognize this middle-aged, stocky fellow, Violette does: “Yes..!”, she breathes.
“Who is it..?”
“Jules Rossignol, my doctor..!”
Oh!
The president blinks in surprise: “Dr. Rossignol? I was told you wouldn't be available for this audience.”
“Yes, I was quite miffed when I learned that our audience had been moved and I wouldn't be able to get back here in time...”, the doctor comments as he goes to sit on the 'experts' chair, winking at Violette on the way. “Fortunately, I met a very helpful person who gave me a lift.”
Oooh, well-played Antoine! The VP doesn't look pleased at all... Which I think is great!
As for the president, she actually looks relieved: “It's nice to have you with us, doctor. We had to call for additional experts, but their conclusions all followed yours, as they were noted in the dossier you provided for the current case.”
“Other experts, you say? Why, are my competences called into question? I thought my dossier was quite thorough.”
“It was.”, the president agrees. “But one of us expressed doubts regarding your impartiality, considering you are a personal acquaintance of Mr. Inquimbert, and it was thought more generally that additional professional opinions could still be valuable.”
“Very well, then if more information is better, you'll be pleased to know that since my original dossier has been submitted, I had the opportunity to conduct similar studies on other identical cases of humans turning into equines.”
“What!?”, the VP blurts out. “Please don't tell me this is an epidemic!? We just spent half the day in the presence of these creatures!”
This makes the doctor chuckle. “No, I do not believe this condition is contagious in any way. Most subjects, or 'creatures' if you prefer Mr. Meyer, didn't have any form of contact between each other beforehand, and after extensive discussions no specific element could be linked to the onset of their sudden transformation.”
“So once again, you confirm that it is truly some kind of transformation?”, the blond judge asks.
“Absolutely. And I can also confirm that Mr. Raphaël Inquimbert is sitting right here.”, the doctor says, pointing at Violette. “Only photos have been included in the dossier, but if necessary I can also provide a video file depicting most of Mr. Inquimbert's transformation in one single continuous take.”
“I think the pictures are sufficient, Dr. Rossignol, thank you. But as we are discussing your research, and considering that the reason behind Mr. Inquimbert's transformation could bear on our judgment, namely how much the plaintiff could have had an active, willing role in said transformation, could you tell us more?”
The good doctor seems happy to oblige: “Of course! Concerning the willingness of the subjects, none of them actively sought out the transformation, so I can confidently say that there was no act of volition at the origin of their physical change. In fact, this 'origin' is still quite the mystery. From all the cases I've reviewed, there is only one constant, and probably defining factor: age.”
“Age?”, echoes the president.
“Every single subject is twenty-five years old. Actually, all of them have had their birthday in the first days of May, May 1st for the earliest. This is probably not a coincidence.”
“But how could age cause this transformation, of all things?”
“In my opinion? There are only two possibilities. Either there was exposure to some as-yet-unknown element between conception and birth that predisposed these subjects to this unusual transformation – and with very little variability in incubation period and symptoms, and nothing in the subjects' history substantiating this hypothesis – or... well, I'm afraid the other possibility is far beyond my ability to comprehend, probably even beyond our collective knowledge of biology.”
“Are you suggesting... some sort of supernatural influence?”, the VP asks mockingly.
“I do.”, the doctor confirms with total seriousness. “Some subjects have exhibited abilities that could be colloquially labeled as 'magic' – levitation being the most prominent – with infallible replicability and consistent results. Could you demonstrate, Raphaël?”
“Of course, doctor.”, Violette smiles, levitating her folder into the air with practiced ease. While the judge and the president look on in wonder, the VP cringes back...
“This suggests that, in this case, 'magic' could reasonably be a significant factor. To be honest, this would greatly help us understand how these transformations are even possible in so short a time frame. The subjects' whole skeletal system is drastically altered in less than forty-eight hours, far too quickly for bone tissue to reshape itself naturally. With the pace of soft tissues changes I documented, the metabolic rate should skyrocket well above lethal levels, yet beyond elevated stress, mid-transformation subjects appear perfectly healthy. All the same, these abnormalities are at least possible, if highly improbable, from a biological standpoint. What is not is what happens to their teeth.”
What, teeth? That's hardly the most impressive change I could think of!
Dr. Rossignol carries on with his explanation: “Tooth enamel is more than ninety-five percent inorganic – almost a rock, basically. We don't have any inbuilt way of repairing damaged enamel because it is already dead, fossilized tissue. After their formation, our teeth are fundamentally static. And yet... The teeth of our subjects change just as readily as the rest of them. And I can attest they do not shed their previous dentition and grow a new one – I actually observed their teeth change shape, and there are no known or even suggested biological means for such a radical transformation to occur. So, the only conclusion I am left with, unfortunately, is 'magic'.”
Like I could expect, this isn't the most satisfying answer... “Are you sure the same result couldn't be achieved with some kind of new technology?”, the judge questions.
“Well...”, the doctor chuckles. “To paraphrase a famous author, a technology this advanced would be magic by any other name.”
No-one has any answer to that.
That must be why our dear VP decides to attack another way: “Dr. Rossignol, if I understand what you describe here, you would agree that Mr. Inquimbert has been radically, fundamentally altered from his birth state, correct?”
“Yes Mr. Meyer, that is correct.”
“Then what proves us that the person currently inhabiting this body can still be considered to be Mr. Inquimbert? If one is so thoroughly different to the point of being a whole other person physically, why should one be recognized as the same person from a legal standpoint?”
Violette straightens herself. “Mr. Meyer, change is what life is made of. Am I the same individual I was a month ago? No. But this is the case for all of us, because we change, we adapt. In my case, the magnitude of the change is just far greater than it usually is for most people. I fail to see how that alone should strip me of my rights.”
“Oh, then maybe we could talk about what you and your fellow 'subjects' have been up to since you experienced these 'changes'? Did you know that multiple terrorist attacks in our country have been linked to strange circumstances, beginning on May 1st? Is it only a coincidence, that the man you claim to be, Raphaël Inquimbert, has been suspected to foment terrorist actions in this very city?”
Terrorism? Why terrorism all of a sudden?
Especially as the only people who ever considered Violette to be a terrorist were wrongly-informed cops... And the person who accused her.
Wait... Could he be the source!? He's been opposing Violette since the beginning of the audience, and as a member of the tribunal he knew precisely when and where the audience would take place!
“Please, Mr. Meyer, these allegations, wherever they come from, have no bearing on the current case.”, the president frowns. “Our focus here is on Mr. Inquimbert's identity and nothing else.”
“And what an 'identity' it is!”, he rants. “If I am to believe Dr. Rossignol, a young man has been horrifically mutated and mutilated by unknown forces into the shape of a beast! Tell me doctor, have you even tried to evaluate what is left of your original patient in this inhuman head? How could you advocate for the acceptance of something so despicable!? This transformation should be opposed, we should try to find ways to counter-act it, not invent new laws to pander to the delusions and perversions of its victims! Because you,” the man roars, to everybody's shock, raising from his seat in his anger and pointing at Violette, “you are a perversion! You are an odious mockery of the man you claim to be!”
“Jean, that's enough!!”, the president yells at him. “This is unbecoming of you!”
As the darn VP starts to argue with the other members of the tribunal, I turn to Violette, and my heart tightens in my chest as I see tears in the corner of her eyes...
“I tell you,” the VP snarls, pointing at Violette once more, “if you allow this one to propagate its delusion, it will only make things even worse! Pandering to its folly is—”
“Shut up!!”, I shriek!
The disgusting man stares at me, with the same intensity as he did for Violette, and it only stokes my flame even further!
“Do you even know, sir, what it is to lose everything!? To have your most basics rights taken away, just because you were torn from the only life you knew 'til then!? When who you are is the only thing you have left!?”
“Please Amber, that's enough..!”
I huff, but obey Violette's demand.
“He's pushing himself into a corner...”, she whispers to me. “Don't give him any opportunity to get out.”
And she's right; with his latest outburst, the other members of the tribunal are unlikely to trust the VP's judgment... It's somewhat pleasant, to see that horrible man slowly realizing that he just put the biggest hole in his own argument.
We wait, as the humans sort their own problems out, until, finally, the president has an answer for us:
“After these... 'lively' debates, in light of the overwhelming evidence presented by the plaintiff and the experts, it is justified for Mr. Raphaël Inquimbert to have his civil status amended, to include both the species and the sex he now appears to be. In consequence, the Tribunal rules that his birth certificate will have to include the relevant mentions still to be determined, and that in this way, his civil status be upheld.”
This time I don't restrain myself; I hug Violette, and she hugs back!
We did it!!
“Amber, it's time!”
Mmmmh... I'm really gonna miss this simple hotel bed..! Why was this night so short..?
Well, of course I know... After Violette's ruling, we stayed at the tribunal with her doctor friend to initiate other procedures, for the ponies he had also worked with. That took us most of the afternoon, considering how slow all this legal stuff can be, and after that the three of us just enjoyed the rest of the day, with good food, good drinks, and good movies, partying right into the night...
Hence why it's just so hard to get up now..!
*sigh*
“Just five more minutes..!”
Violette snorts, and goes back to readying herself. I'm sure the driver can wait for us just a little longer, technically we have the room 'til noon..!
We got a call from Antoine too, can't forget about that... He was happy for Violette, of course, and if I heard it right, he could've some kind of surprise for us later today.
I wonder what'll happen now. If it's like they both hope, every pony in the country will be able to hold up to their human identity on paper, they'll have the same rights, they'll be protected by the law... Even if we still have to live in secret for now, the first stones paving the road to the future have been set in place.
But that's for later, right now I want to take advantage of every little second I have left with these warm covers!
I watch sedately, as Violette finishes what she had to do in the bathroom, gathers all her stuff...
“Come on honey, we're really going to be late now!”
*Groooooaaaaaaaaan*
I extract myself from the covers, rolling upright. “Jeez Mom, it's okay, I—”
We freeze, staring at each other.
...
I...
Did I..?
Seconds keep on tickling, as we're left desperately trying to process the enormity of what just escaped so naturally from my lips.