//------------------------------//
// Chapter 04 - Runes; Trial of Arcadia 
// Story: Twilight Daylight: Dawn of Equus 
// by thedarktome 
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The trial of Twilight "Arcadia Nova" Sparkle. A fallen Queen who came and disrupted the fates of millions across the globe of Equus. A battle took place that could be felt all the way from Breighton. The stars in the sky turned lifeless, overlayed by a violet haze before lightning struck down from the heavens. They could see the battle from here.

This pony could see it further. They saw the lightning strike the rivers of Manehattan, the forests beyond the Everfree. They were certainly rich with magic. She couldn't wait any longer. This nationwide shutdown was going to keep her back from her research no longer.

She shimmied out of her Manehattan studio apartment with her camera and equipment in tow. A trench coat covered her features, blending her in under the shadows of alleys until eventually reaching the Friendship Express. A station swarming with Equestrian citizens moving from one location to another. As far as they were concerned, she was a blue coated mare with a trench coat on and a plethora of technology.

Upon boarding the train and riding out into the morning sunrise, she reached into her bag and pulled out a folded up map she quickly unfurled. Five flashes, five locations. One, the Everfree Forest. That was a no no, Ponyville was swarming with military from both Psera and IHT this morning. Getting over there would be impossible, foolish, and dangerous. She would come to that later.

Two; the Canterlot City Dump. During the Great Metal Shortage, they conducted experiments at a local welding factory, to test how the metal would hold up and whether experiments would work. That was the second flash.

Three; all the way north to the Crystal Empire. Too far, try that this evening.

Four; The Badlands, home to the changelings. How it even reached over there was another reason Snap Seed was out this early. Lightning typically sticks to the epicenter of the event. This lightning zapped all the way maybe forty miles from Canterlot. Strange. Suspicious. Arcadia Nova was up to something. She wasn't done. Her work was beyond admirable, there was no way Snap Seed was going to put this down.

"Coming up, Canterlot City!"

Great, her stop. Snap Seed quickly folded up her map and stowed it before before the train could come to a complete stop. As expected, the city of Canterlot was too close to the scene to be concerned with her appearance. The pony hiding under a trench coat. She could see all the ponies leaving their homes and rushing to the edge of Canterlot Mountain. They would bother her none.

She walked through the crowds moving to see the transfer of the incredible Twilight Sparkle. If she were to be honest with herself, Snap Seed too would want to honor her role model with a send-off of luck. But this? This was much more important. She could feel it in her horn.

There it was, Canterlot Dump. Fenced off from the rest of the public, it lacked its security. While the rest of Canterlot City bathed in luxury and brand new material, this was the home of the old. Where red dust gathered and built up over time. Where factory workers tended to watch the process of turning old metal into new metal, so that metal never ran cold again. But on this day, this day that will change lives forever, it was abandoned. As empty as the sea's surface. Perfect. They were too busy watching Arcadia's extraction. She has a good thirty minutes.

Snap Seed pushed open the gate and granted herself access to the facility. All was quiet. She reached up and threw off her hood, revealing her blue coat and black ponytails. She dropped her bag on the dirty ground and reached in, pulling out her favorite device. A reader, designed to measure feedback from magical events. If that lightning struck here, then it certainly left something behind.

She picked up her bag once more and continued walking the grounds. The wand was waved back and forth. She continued deeper into the facility, constantly looking over her own shoulder to ensure she wasn't watched. So far, so good. Although, curiosity did spike. How were they even going to transfer Twilight?  It couldn't have been easy.

Focus, Snap, focus. She continued her journey. Low readings at every twist and turn until finally she reached the center of the facility. Like a switch, they jumped so high that the number wasn't even on the device anymore.

Snap Seed froze her steps and excitedly waved the wand around. The lightning struck here. Or somewhere in this region. But where, exactly? Where could it have landed?

"Think, Snap, think," she scolded herself. Where does lightning hit on a normal basis? They hit the closet metallic material. Normally, a spire or pole of some . . . Rod.

Snap Seed raised her reader to the building itself. She was done walking around it. The lightning must've hit it. The center had a few platforms on it she could teleport to. Snap was no Twilight, but any unicorn could do a few feet.

Snap focused and squeezed her eyes shut. Then teleported twelve feet in the air to one of the factory's rusted platforms. It creaked and swayed with her arrival. This thing was not structurally sound.

She teleported again to another platform, working her way up until finally she reached the top. A rod pointing to the sky must've absorbed the lightning. But what did Arcadia leave within it?

The reader no longer mattered. It was here. She searched the factory's roof and felt it's surface. It was here somewhere. It was... Snap seed turned her sight upwards when she bumped into a wall sticking up from the roof. There it was.

The reader fell from Snap's hoof. Her mouth agape with wonder and awe. She reached into her bag and pulled out a camera to take a picture of a rune embossed into the building. A big one, bigger than her entire body. It glowed weakly with magic. But Snap knew otherwise. A weird upside down "U" with a single line cutting through it vertically? She's seen this before hundreds of times.

"If this, then that," Snap whispered to herself. More pictures were taken while her mind came up with possible reasons for what it meant. Either this was a spell for the fight she had with the Princesses, or this was for something else she was preparing for. What did this mean?

Only time and research would tell. She swallowed hard and stowed her camera. She had to get this information back to Manehattan quickly. But not just yet. Now that she had what she came for, she could watch the process. Twilight was leaving for her sentencing this morning, and Snap had an unobstructed view.

She quietly crept towards the edge and watched the sun rise over the horizon, basking only a glimpse of light upon her before disappearing behind the shadow that was Twilight's containment cell. So that's how they were doing it. Instead of taking her out of the pyramid, they were lifting the entire pyramid. Her security must've been too tight. That's why all the ponies were gathered at the edge of Canterlot's mountain. They didn't have to look too far. The pyramid itself was humongous, twice the size of Ponyville. Lifting it required Psera's new technology. Snap was sure Queen Arcadia made those vehicles.

Snap watched the Pyramid pass over Whitetail Woods before heading out towards the ocean. Where were they holding her trial? In the middle of the sea? It no longer mattered. Snap grabbed her bag and began her journey back to the ground. This place would fill up again soon, and she had more sites to visit.



So this was how they were doing it. What did they call them? Helicopters? A little out of Celestia's comfort zone to be within such a tight metallic structure with no open roof in the air, but it was close to the Pyramid. Cadance was clearly having trouble with it. Grabbing whatever surface was available instead of sitting back and enjoying the ride. Her daughter was amused and Shining was watching the pyramid from an adjacent helicopter.

They were joined closely by Secretary Manny. How nice of her to see the send of Twilight Sparkle up close and personal. The look on her face was telling Celestia she wasn't enjoying it, staring out the window to the pyramid below them watching Containment move through the air.

Celestia asked through the headphones she was wearing, "This is very interesting technology."

"Yes," Manny replied. Her eyes didn't move from the Pyramid. "They were put through many trials to get the dynamics right and cost over a billion shims. But it's a new way to fly. As were one of her many visions." She gestured to the Pyramid. "She developed and created the first one. A shame we have to use her technology to move her to her own trial."

There were a lot of things Twilight created for Psera. Some they've already seen, some they haven't. Twilight "Arcadia Nova" Sparkle's name will go down in history under many categories. Loving mother, Queen, teacher, mage, inventor, innovator, the most powerful pony in history to ever exist. But now, at this very moment, she was the enemy, and had to come to terms with the crimes she has committed.

The minutes blazed into hours. Aquatas lining the seas watched the Pyramid's movement from below. Witnessing as over fifty helicopters carried the heaviest building they could ever hope to manage. Until finally they were approaching the landing zone. After all countries decided against hosting Twilight Sparkle on their soils, there was only one place left to go that was in between them all: the ocean.

A slab of ice had been created, thick enough to hold her prison, hundreds of ponies, the Legends of Psera, and the helicopters, surrounded by an endless sea of Aquatas. Celestia could see the Senate Board and their judges. The ponies in charge of Psera, the creatures in charge of the Dragon Lands, and many more spotted the stands that would surround Arcadia's prison. Celestia could see Fresh Dawn and her thick security amongst the stands with Her Majesty Molten Ice, Gardeen, some other pony, Princess Merry, and the rest of the Fire Family.

Manny grabbed the mic attached to her headset. "Set her down!"

They slowly rotated the pyramid, casting a shadow upon the ice. The Pyramid gently and carefully dropped onto the ice. Small cracks appeared upon this magnificent glacier, but the cords holding her prison in their grasps were cut, and the journey was complete. Her journey, anyway. Now it were their turns. The Helicopters landed amongst the Aquatas. Those who could fly soared back to the stands and sat amongst their respective parties. For Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart, that would be with the Fire Family. 

Upon arrival up to their seats, they shared hugs with Molten and the rest. Flurry quickly bounced over to Fresh Dawn. Embracing her cousin as tightly as she could.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized.

Fresh Dawn said nothing but delivered a pat on the back. Celestia greeted, "Hello, Fresh Dawn. How are you?"

Fresh Dawn glanced up to her with a sneer. They weren't friends. They were barely family. "Don't talk to me."

It was clear there was bad blood between them. The only pony on her side right now from Equestria, as far as Celestia could tell, was Flurry Heart. Other than that, she was not looking forward to speaking with any of them. So Celestia left and flew over to the judge panel. She and Luna would be one of those passing Twilight's sentence.

The trial was beginning. The soldiers were getting in position around the stands. The judges were taking their seats. The Elite and Arcadian Royal Guards were preparing their chains for their former queen. But how would they release her? When would they?

Judge Berry, an older stallion with a deep blue coat, a light blue mane, and navy blue eyes banged down a gavel. Pictures were taken, voices were hushed. He set it down and spoke into a microphone. "Today we bring to trial, previous Queen Twilight "Arcadia Nova" Sparkle for the following charges."

He raised a document. "Crimes against ponykind such as one thousand four hundred and seventeen counts of assaulting a federal officer, fourteen counts of destruction to Aqua Guard Property, one count to threat of damage to Aqua Guard property. And this is all from Psera."

Dragon Lord Ember raised one of her own. "Eighteen charges to assault on dragonkind, forty charges to murder of dragon kind."

The charges grew longer and longer as time passed until, finally, it landed on Equestria. Celestia raised one of her own. "Four counts of Assault to Royalty, five hundred counts of assaults to a Federal officer, multiple counts of Dark Magic Usage, multiple counts of destruction to property, destruction to federal property, vadalism to property..."

Okay, this was getting ridiculous! Fresh Dawn couldn't believe what she was hearing? Vandalism? What, did mom spray paint something? Highly doubted. Knowing Equestria, they probably counted her on drawing runes on their land without permission. That was a law there?

"...and Threaten to Capture," Celestia wrapped up.

It took five more minutes to name the charges. Overall, they were incredulous. With most of them even comparing her to true criminals, which Dawn knew just wasn't true. Oh, how she wanted to get up and say something. Instead, she kept her mouth closed and chose to use her ears instead.

All in all, there were nearly a three hundred different charges brought forth against former Queen Twilight "Arcadia Nova" Sparkle, Saviour of Psera. Once they were all brought forth, Judge Berry took off his glasses and rubbed his face.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen," he said to himself. "Present the accused!"

Oh boy here we go. Murmurs erupted from the crowd. Dawn shuffled in her seat. Her hoof was grabbed by her cousin Flurry Heart, reminding her that she wasn't alone. She was sure the pony inside of that pyramid wasn't the same one that went in.

After a loud alarm, the hydraulics of the pyramid began pushing out the sides of it in a slow fashion. The Elite guards with their weapons and chains stood at the corners, waiting for the four sides to lower. The steel interior was revealed. The sunlight crept into the darkness that was her prison, falling onto her violet coat.

Nearly to the icy surface under their hooves, all were exposed to the pony that used to be Queen. The mighty Queen Twilight "Arcadia Nova" Sparkle, Saviour of Psera was no more. Instead, what stood in her place, was a pony that made Dawn gasp and cover her mouth with her free hoof. She wasn't alone.

Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. Not even. She was about as tall as Dawn, with a horn as small as a foal's. A coat as sickly as a newborn's, and wings too small to even allow her to fly. And her face . . . lowered to the ground where they couldn't see it.

"They took her life," Dawn whispered to herself.

Pictures were taken, voices murmured amongst the crowds. Even the judges were astonished.

Dawn swirled Flurry around and glared into her eyes. "What the buck did they do?!"

"I-I don't know!" She turned to her mother. "Mom!"

Cadance answered, "Her magic may have made up more of Twilight than we predicted. She has no more magic, but it also seems to have drained her muscular capacity."

So magic was literally her mother's source of strength. She depended on that to live. Dawn was beyond furious. She could feel First Light beginning to poke her head out. Her eyes fogged over with the dark of the night, soul as black as her dark magic.

"Dawn." Mom. Dawn's magic crushed. She wasn't entirely gone. Dawn focused on Twilight. Her head moved so she was looking over her shoulder, staring at her.

"No," she mouthed. "I'll be okay. Calm down. Deep breaths, my little filly."

Dawn closed her eyes and did as told. She couldn't lose her temper here. Behind closed doors would be fine. But not now, not in front of all these creatures. Not in front of her own ponies who already want her to join Twilight.

Twilight turned back to the judge panel. To the ponies staring at her. The ones serving her sentence. The ponies who used to adore her.

Judge Berry spoke loudly. "Twilight Sparkle! You stand before the leaders of countries around the globe today as a terrorist! Not as a Queen, not as Psera's sworn protector, but as a pony who tried to destroy the lands and lives of many, and did! Today, we will be passing down your judgement. But first, we want to hear your words."

Twilight coughed into her hoof, a deep concerning one. She focused back on the Judge Panel and cleared her throat. "This mistake that you will make . . . will cost you more than you realize. I urge you rethink any decisions. For if you make the choice I think you will make, my magic, my services, my knowledge, it will no longer be in service to you."

Dragon Lord Ember stated matter-of-factly, "I think we will manage just fine without your influence over our countries."

Celestia, unbelievably, nodded supportively. "I second that. Your magic and power pose a massive risk to the financial and structural security of our homes. If you have everything to say but an apology, then we will move on with the rest of the trial."

They waited for her mouth to open. For the words I'm sorry to leave her lips. But they stayed shut. Instead, she lifted one of her chained hooves and pushed them on.

Her choice. "How do you plead against these charges brought against you?"

"Guilty. On all accounts."

Words and murmurs before the gavel was dropped. "Order!" Berry shouted. He focused upon Arcadia. "These charges equal beyond the death penalty, Twilight. Do you understand that?"

"I do," she answered. "As long as you understand that I have already experienced death. For you." She looked across the line of judges. "For all of you." She looked behind her. "And for all of your citizens."

"And they shall never be forgotten. But your power, your presence, is enough to start fires."

Madam Singe spoke up. "But considering everything that you have done for us..."

"And the sacrifices that you have made for all of Equus..."

"IHT and Psera have decided to single out our sentences for you. We don't know what the sentences are for the others, that is their business. But Equestria is ready to present their judgement."

Luna, the pony on the side picked up a single document as official as their laws and read it aloud. "This was not an easy decision to make. 'The crown of Equestria, Princess Celestia Delune, Princess Luna Delune, and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza hereby restrict and bar Twilight Sparkle, previous Princess of Friendship, also known as Twilight 'Arcadia Nova' Sparkle, asylum, visitation, travel, or any form of communication with Equestria and it's citizens. If Twilight Sparkle is reported or witnessed in visitation, travel, asylum, or communication with Equestria, she will be apprehended immediately and punished as deemed for by federal law enforcement.'"

Holy buck, they just kicked her off Equestria. Dawn would've been furious. But it could've been much worse. She got the lighter end of the bag of that country.

The Dragon Lands were next. Ember raised her claw and denied Twilight. "No, no, no. After attacking the dragons and killing twenty in one go, she's never allowed on Dragon Land property ever again. We'll attack if we see her."

Dawn expected that of her. She seemed more serious than Celestia. Breighton was next. Queen Farue shook her head. "I am sorry, Queen Arcadia. But you are simply too dangerous to be allowed on Breighton. We forbid you from ever nearing our waters."

Dawn shrugged. No one ever visits Breighton.

Prance. Consort Snow and his thick accent. "Twilight Sparkle will never step hoof on Prance."

What?! "Prance too?" Dawn whispered. Okay, a little worrying.

The Forgotten Land. King Chancellor. A shake of his head. "Your potential for damage and control is too high a risk. You are barred from The Forgotten Land."

Saddle Arabia. King Haakim and Queen Amira both shook their heads. "She is highly dangerous and clearly unstable. We cannot allow her on our land. I am sorry, Twilight Sparkle."

The countries soon followed. Hoof Yun, Seaquestria and Mount Aris, South Neighton and North Neighton. They all . . . They all said no. She wasn't welcome on their lands. Mom was being banished by every single country on the planet.

Dawn shook her head. "They can't do this," she said. Merry placed a wing over her back and soothingly rubbed it. But Dawn was having none of it. She stood and pointed to the judge panel. "After all she's done..."

Molten interrupted her. "It's not about what she's done, Dawn. It's about what she could do. She's too dangerous."

Dawn pointed a hoof at her mother. At the shell of a pony. "Does she look dangerous?"

"Dawn, sit down."

The judges weren't done. Judge Berry delivered the final call for Psera. "In the words of the crown and senate, 'Twilight Sparkle will no longer share the same grounds or seas of a Pseratep. She, as well as her influence, properties, name, authority, permissions, and powers are no longer welcome within one hundred miles of a grain of Psera's sands or materials or properties.'"

A white noise blared through Dawn's mind. They just kicked her mother to the seas. She was stranded in an endless ocean. Anything that belonged to any of them she wasn't even allowed to be near. If they saw her, she would be arrested. Maybe even shot at.

"NO!!" All eyes and cameras flew to Dawn's seat. "No, this is too far!!"

"Dawn, you have to stay qu—"

"Shut up!! Get off of me!!" She slapped away Flurry's hoof and pushed aside whoever tried to hold her back.

She bounded down the stairs pointing at the judges on her way to Twilight's side. "I'm not just going to sit here while these barons disrespect my mother like this!! If it wasn't for her, they wouldn't even have a place to bar her from, let alone be alive! If it wasn't for her, Mr. Big Cat here..." She pointed to Judge Berry. "Wouldn't even be in that seat! If it wasn't for her, there would've been no Psera in the first place and no IHT! She brought your lands to life and she saved all of you from Maheera Dark! She provided you with refuge and protection when you couldn't protect yourselves and lost ten years of her life because of it!"

"Dawn, please," Twilight whispered.

"No, mom, I can't just sit here and listen to them disrespect everything that you have done for them." Dawn turned around and raised her wings out. "Citizens and onlookers! This is wrong! You know it to be wrong! My mother has been nothing but a role model, a protector, and a lover of all creatures. She has given us more than we have asked for, and we're allowing them to treat her like this?!"

"Dawn! Enough!" Twilight shouted. Dawn turned to Twilight in silence. Eyes wide, filled with sadness and rage. Twilight took a deep breath and held her hooves up invitingly. "Come here."

Dawn bolted into her mother's hooves and squeezed her tight, the second time of physical contact since she came back from the time pocket. But this time it was different. It was lighter, wasn't as fulfilling. Even amongst the coldest winters, Dawn remembered the inferno of love her mother held within her hold. Now it was barely even warm.

"The creatures of the world have spoken their minds," Twilight said. "No matter how unfair or wrong it is, we must respect their wishes."

"But mom..."

"Shhh." Twilight nuzzled the top of Dawn's head. "I know, my little Veola. I know. But this is what life is. We must respect it."

Twilight turned back to the judges and awaited their words as humbly as she could. Dawn was the complete opposite. She wanted to fight. She wanted to punch all of them. She wanted them to finally feel the pain they were inflicting upon their family. But if anyone here was deserving of respect, it was Twilight. She would respect Twilight's wishes, keep her mouth shut, and let it happen, no matter how much it hurt them both.

Judge Berry disregarded Dawn in favor of Twilight. "The judgements have been passed down. Do you understand these terms brought before you?"

Twilight nodded. "I do."

"You will never return to the lands of IHT or Psera ever again. Any attempt to return to Psera will be met with lethal force. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Then you are dismissed from our shores. Your services are no longer welcome, Twilight Sparkle."

And with a bang of Judge Berry's gavel, the sentence was passed.