//------------------------------//
// The Trial 
// Story: The Stone Chisel Way 
// by King Genesis 
//------------------------------//


Arc I - Chapter I - The Trial


They finally caught him. After dealing with that stupid stallion for so long, they saw him messing around Ponyville looking for prey, but once the Royal Guards came to action he decided to run. Luckily, they could catch him on time inside the Everfree Forest, where the desperate robber, listening to the guards' celebration, started shouting nonsensical gibberish in front of its audience. Now, being on the ground and about to be sentenced, Stone Chisel has decided to let himself go. The kingdom even wanted to give him a lawyer for his protection during the judgement on Ponyville, but the thief denied the offer by saying: "I don't need those."

Nice things always come to an end, he thinks while looking at the doors that hide the trial that's been made for him. The robber, after gaining the feats of stealing clothes in the Great Galloping Gala and almost having the Crystal Heart on his hooves during the Faire, has accepted his fate. He has escaped so many times from the kingdom's hooves, thanks to that mysterious thing he robbed from his mentor's homeplace which helped him to develop each one of his biggest robberies, he started getting tired of the game. He robbed the Gala and the Faire (although not having the Heart), two of the most important festivals of the land, what could he do after it? He has already won and laughs because he is the only one who can understand it.

"What's going on here?" asks someone around. The Royal Guards make a gap for him which attracts Stone Chisel's attention, turning around to look at who's talking. At that moment he looks at that white stallion with the blueish mane who he has heard many times during his Faire heist's plan... Shining Armor. "I seriously don't understand why are you laughing, Stone Chisel. If I were you, I would be ashamed of your actions, especially about what you did at the Crystal Faire."

The light grey stallion laughs. "You don't understand, Shines," he answers, which makes the Crystal Empire prince mad.

"And what I don't understand... Stone Chisel?" He asks, madly approaching the smiling thief. "From my point of view, we are in the trial where the princesses will sentence you to something for a long period of time because of what you did... I don't see the part where I don't understand."

"Yes," answers the robber. "Maybe you are right, but tell me... you've got to admit my plan to blind the ponies with black mist on the Crystal Faire was really cool."

Shining Armor gets really furious after hearing this, but instead, he decides to just don't answer and turn around, due to this could lead to something worse. Now, Stone Chisel goes back to where he was, being escorted by the Royal Guards around him. He knows that thanks to his mentor's mysterious stone, he can easily escape from this place, but right now he feels quite disappointed because the infamous amulet didn't work while trying to get the Royal Guards off him on the Everfree Forest. He dares to whisper one more time the spell he knows by memory... but nothing happens. What is happening? Why is this isn't working?





Few times in Equestrian history there has been such a big and important trial against an earth pony. Born in Manehattan and raised to be the next generation of his father's gem company, how could this simple stallion be sentenced in a trial where all of Ponyville, along with other figures from outside the town, is present and completely against him?

Iron Pick and Poofy Lantern are the names of the two earth ponies who gave birth to one of the most troublesome, annoying and also complicated thieves in all of Canterlot: the light grey stallion with a silver ring pierced in his left ear, a dark grey chisel as a cutie mark, and named Stone Chisel. He wasn't an evil creature, like those who shall not be mentioned, but was a pretty clever stallion who found his life purpose in stealing from others and planning heists. Besides, not only he was a clever one, but also a pretty bothersome pony who always, always found a way to mock or laugh at everyone around him, even if he was losing the fight.

The Princesses still feel this is too much for an earth pony, but Stone Chisel has been mentioned (and cursed) by the town so many times they thought this was the way to end his evils, so both Celestia and Luna are now on their thrones, knowing this may be the last trial they will ever hold while controlling the Kingdom due to their retirement plan. From one side of the castle, all of the inhabitants of Ponyville are waiting for the trial to start. In the front of the crowd, Twilight and her friends, along with Spike, Cadence and Starlight Glimmer are waiting for the doors to open, while other ponies are shouting for justice behind them so loud that the Royal Guards, who are in the other side, beg for them all to be silent. Far away from the inhabitants, Iron Pick and Poofy Lantern are hiding under tunics, presenting the finale of his own son. 

"Silence," softly exclaims the Princess of the Sun, and doesn't talk until everypony stops talking. "The trial shall begin. Let the doors be opened."

The gigantic doors are opened by the Royal Guards, who let enter that robber surrounded by a horde of guards protected by golden armour and even the Prince of the Crystal Empire, Shining Armor. Ironically, Stone Chisel is the only one in the whole castle who has a wide smile on his face. His parents and the Princesses show absolute disappointment, while the ponies and even the Royal Guards let him know they are there to look at him suffer. Suffer after hearing the sentence of his life. "HELLO PONYVILLE!" shouts the daring stallion, smiling at the crowd which is booing him. "Thank you for your love! I love you too!"

That only makes the boos and the hate increase even more, so much that the Royal Guards have to interfere, only to calm Ponyville down. "Finished?" asks Shining Armor to the robber, very angrily. "This is not a playroom, Stone Chisel! We are here to hear the sentence you shall deserve!"

However, Stone Chisel, instead of getting intimidated by Shining Armor's menacing attitude, only smiles at him. "I'm quite not sure about that," he says. "I bet your ears are too tired of hearing royal stupidities you've become deaf." Shining Armor, who fell in that playful joke of Chisel's, tries to show him his anger by pushing him away, but his wife Cadence stops him, getting out of the crowd and slowly touching his mane. Princess Luna calms the waters down, asking for an order in the trial. Once the Royal Guards get in their position while the rulers of the Crystal Empire get inside the crowd, the sisters look at each other, asking inside them who will start. "Um..." dares to say Chisel. "I'm not a pony who likes hurrying up things but... would you already say I'll be in the Tartarus forever and put me there directly, just to get out of this waste of time faster?"

The crowd jumps in shock and a bunch of boos rise again on the roof. Twilight gets surprised, looking for the first time at someone so disobedient with the princesses that it can't be real. The Princesses, on the other hand, don't answer his taunt and ask for silence. Stone Chisel then observes that, on the roof, Discord is floating and also observing his destiny. "We'd like to do that too, Mr Chisel," affirms Luna. "But we're afraid you need to learn and remember what you did against our beloved community for your benefit. In my opinion, we need to review one more time all of the evils you have done to Equestria."

"Sure," answers the robber. "No problem. I'll be glad to remember my plans one more time." 

Whispers are heard everywhere in the castle while Flash Sentry, the Royal Guards' leader, covering his blue mane with his characteristic golden, shiny helmet, starts reading a scroll being held by Luna's magic. "Stone Chisel, born in Manehattan, son of Iron Pick and Poofy Lantern who are found present during the Castle's court, has been sentenced, due to..."

Chisel laughs. "Oh horse, here we go."

"Planned robbery, working along with Manehattan stallion Stolen Bag, which is still free and wanted alive."

Stone Chisel is still surprised at how they haven't caught that stupid Stolen Bag yet but doesn't say anything. "The famous one," shouts Chisel. "Keep going."

Flash Sentry gets angry but doesn't say anything and keeps reading: "Use of chaos magic."

"What?" exclaims the robber, driving the crowd mad one more time. "I've never used chaos magic for real because I was never a wizard of chaos."

"It is confirmed that you used chaos magic during the Crystal Faire's heist you did, Mr Chisel," interrupts Flash Sentry, showing his naked anger to the thief. "And with that, I talk about the infamous dark mist which blinded everypony and could not be destroyed by clear magic, which lets us know that wasn't clearly unicorn magic. And please, I beg you, as the Canterlot's Royal Guards' leader, to be respectful and morally correct while hearing your sentence."

"Jeez," adds Chisel, looking at him. "Stop being so freaky, Flash."

"I'm not being a freak," exclaims the leader while getting off his position, making a small gap between the guards to let him in. "And for you, I'm not Flash, I'm the Leader of Canterlot's Royal Guards, sir Flash Sentry."

"I appreciate you told me that," says Chisel, "but I didn't ask you." The Leader, instead of losing his mind and attacking the thief, decides to turn around, take a breath and keep reading the scroll, especially when the Princesses warn him with a look he will never forget.

"Last but not least," exclaims the leader. "You are accused of ruining not one, but two of the most important festivals of our lands, the Great Galloping Gala and the Crystal Faire, by using chaos magic, and although it's not confirmed whether you performed chaos magic spells at the Great Galloping Gala, we are more than sure you may have used it, by bringing disharmony to our beloved community. You ruined these festivals for the main objective of robbing the guests' belongings, such as hats, hand fans, monocles or ties, and I forgot to say your sentence has worsened after admitting you tried to steal the Crystal Heart. Moreover, you stole Fancy Pants' golden monocle, valued in more than a thousand golden bits."

"Ha!" shouts Chisel, laughing. "How ironic... why would you buy gold with gold? That Fancy Pants must be an idiot."

A shout, accompanied by a growl is heard in the distance, inside the town's crowd. A wealthy stallion with now a silver monocle raises the roof by exclaiming: "YOU MANIAC! You destroyed one of my most valuable belongings! I came here to watch you suffer! To listen to the words that will declare your fate!"

The crowd gets wild again until Twilight Sparkle and her friends calm down everyone. "Mr Fancy Pants, please!" shouts Twilight. "We are not here to extend the chaos Stone Chisel has brought to us. We want everyone, even Mr Chisel, to handle this calmly."

Celestia nods her head while looking at her student, and now the only word that matters is the one the princesses will say. Every second of this trial was made for their word, and everyone there is not present just to remember what Chisel did in the past, but to listen to their beloved princesses pronounce the words everyone said and wanted to hear. Chisel, on the other hand, does not feel intimidated or nervous, he is just there, waiting for his sentence. "Mr Chisel," exclaims Celestia. "All in all, due to the actions you committed all this time, especially against the Great Galloping Gala and the Crystal Faire, you'll stay on the Tartarus for an undefined time, but my sister and I have decided not to lock you up for the eternity."

Once the Princess stops talking, the crowd, instead of celebrating what has happened, gets silent. Everyone is mentally processing what is happening right now and, although they are happy on the insides just because the most notorious robber of Ponyville has finally got what he had to deserve, they are still surprised at how these events are actually real instead of a dream. Chisel, ironically, raises one of his hooves and shouts: "Woo-hoo! Better for me."

"However," says Princess Celestia, attracting everyone's attention. "My best student, Twilight Sparkle, along with my sister and me have decided you could have an opportunity to get redeemed of your actions, and that would be becoming Mrs Sparkle's second student in the ways of friendship, along with Starlight Glimmer."

Some of the crowd wants to repudiate that, almost in silence, afraid of being listened to by the princesses... Stone Chisel must pay the price, they say, but once Chisel's smiling, sarcastic face drastically changes after hearing that, everyone keeps their mouths shut. Chisel doesn't have his goofy, mocking smile right now, but a serious gesture, frowning. "You say... I don't know what friendship is?"

Luna dares to reply to him. "According to the investigations of Mrs Sparkle and Mrs Glimmer, they have concluded one of the main causes of your mocking, challenging behaviour is your lack of friendship." What Luna says makes Chisel change his face again, but this time with an angrier grin. He's clearly mad.

"And what do you know about me, huh?" he shouts. "You clearly know me for what I do, not for who I am! You don't know anything about me!" Now, he turns his head to look at Twilight Sparkle, but he is stopped and almost attacked by Royal Guards. "You don't know me, Twilight Sparkle! You and your friends don't know who I am!"

"We clearly know who are you!" shouts Twilight. "And that's why I'm offering you this one-time opportunity to be my student along with Starlight Glimmer. Mr Chisel, everyone can change for the better..."

"Screw you!" shouts the furious stallion, making the crowd get shocked again, also waking up the boos. "I strongly deny your offer! I don't want to be your student! Nobody of you here, even my parents, knows who am I from my inside!" Chisel now tries to jump onto Twilight one more time, but she, while being protected from her friends, her student and Spike, traps him with his magic and fastly puts him back on the castle's floor, being imprisoned by the royal guards. The Mane 6 and the Princesses get disappointed at Chisel's reaction, thinking it would have been a big opportunity to change somepony for the better, but it didn't work. Stone Chisel gets trapped by the guards and his defeat is shown to the world. He hardly resists and he even requests to see his parents one more time, so the two mysterious hooded ponies approach the chaos just to hear what his son has to say. They are so disappointed with their son that they don't even get their tunics off, showing how much respect they have for him. "You know I did the right thing," exclaims Chisel, looking at his hooded parents. "I know you know... I did the right thing." His parents, surprisingly, don't answer him and just walk away, ignoring his words.