//------------------------------//
// 3. Trial by Wood: Sunlight and Wind; Bell, Book, and Candle. 
// Story: No One For the Gallows But Me 
// by Coyote de La Mancha 
//------------------------------//

Surprisingly, Rainbow Dash chose to ride in Pinkie Pie's car along with Sunrise and Princess Luna instead of simply running to their destination. And while she'd said it was just to keep Pinkie from getting lost (which had earned her a good-natured raspberry in response), Sunrise had observed that the blue girl had gone out of her way to keep her window down on the way there, and was now quietly combing her newly dried hair as the humans emerged from their various vehicles.  
Rarity, meanwhile, was appraising their destination with an approving eye.  
“How utterly perfect,” she said. “A perfectly charming counterpoint to its surroundings.”
Turning to her friends with a smile, she added, “Rather like finding a rose in a field of marigolds, isn't it? A little out of place, perhaps, but hardly unwelcome.”
Fulttershy smiled quietly as several brightly-colored birds swirled around her, singing happily as they shared their avian news.
“I do like it here,” she said. “The animals all seem happy.”
The others were inclined to agree. Leaving their vehicles in a small curbside lot (which was surprisingly free of charge), they made their way along the sidewalk, the old neighborhood showing them its history in the faces of its buildings.
On one corner, they passed a bungalow converted into an upscale martial arts studio. Farther along, a small hair salon, similarly transformed. Across the street, an antiques store, coexisting next to a real estate agency. Once a regal residential district, and then apparently having fallen on hard times, the entire block had been converted into upmarket businesses... a few of them also featuring small signs announcing them as historical buildings. All of them with beautiful yards with trees and flowering shrubs, all of them carefully and lovingly preserved against both the elements and the ravages of time.
“Hey, Dashie,” Pinkie chirped, “How did you know about this place?”
For her part, Rainbow Dash shrugged a little uncomfortably as they continued their walk.
“Remember what I told you guys before, about changing my major? Well, I've been coming here for a while now. Just, y'know, trying to get ready.”
Sunrise frowned. “Ready for what?”
“Law degree,” Rainbow explained. “I mean, I've got a free ride from the athletic scholarships, so I may as well use it. But there's no sense in going for the Olympics anymore when I can outrun a plane, you know? So...” her voice trailed off and she gave a vague gesture into the air.
“Aw, don't let her fool ya,” Applejack drawled. “She's gotta plan. Our girl's goin' for the ECLU. Gonna be a defense lawyer fer them as need it most. Like Leo Wineglass, Welara Kunstler, that Darrow fella, an' whatnot.”
Sunrise stared. “That's... awesome.”
Coloring slightly, Rainbow Dash jammed her hands in her pockets as she stumped ahead. “Well, y'know. I had to have some kind of plan. In case we, um, --oof!”
Rainbow Dash staggered forward as Pinkie Pie tackled her from behind in a full-strength friendship hug.
“Oh, Dashie!” Pinie cried dramatically, one hand upraised to the sky. “We'll never um!”
There was some good-natured chasing and laughter then (Pinkie using the other Rainbooms as unwilling cover, desperately dodging the suspiciously human-speed vengeance of her friend), and a quick wrestling match between the two girls, and after a few minutes the humans' spirits had been restored.
Behind them all, Princess Luna quietly squeezed Sunrise's hand.
“We'll be home again soon,” she said quietly. “Both of us. Mark on my word.”
For her part, Sunrise looked down and said nothing.





Their destination was on the far corner, with a variety of flower beds in its front yard, along with an old oak flanked by two well-maintained bushes. The birds that had been accompanying Fluttershy chirped their farewells and flew into the oak's dense foliage, which immediately began rustling with excitement. As they approached, they could make out some more trees in the back yard, sheltering what looked like an old furnished patio. In the front yard, meanwhile, stood a rough-carved and brightly-painted wooden sign board, proclaiming to all who might approach from either direction of traffic:

.

Lectern’s New and Used Books
  

	.
When placed against against the surrounding old-world dignity and high-income businesses, the white bungalow-turned-used bookstore certainly seemed out of place. As Rarity had observed, it was certainly not what one would have expected. Yet, at the same time, it seemed to absolutely belong exactly where it was. Stubbornly remaining in defiance of whatever so-called progress might try to uproot it, weathering whatever changes the neighborhood might undergo.
The bell above the door jingled merrily as Rainbow Dash led the way into the place, calling, “Hey, Mister Lectern, we're here!”
“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight hissed, aghast. “This is a book store! It's like a library!”
“Oh, I think my delicate nerve endings can survive Miss Dash's exuberance,” the proprietor smiled.
The shop owner was an older man, the halo of his remaining white hair crowning his brick red face. With his bow tie and white button-up shirt, his well-pressed slacks and oxford shoes, he might have stepped into view from a back room, or from a century prior. But his frame was still strong and spry, and his green eyes were bright, shining merrily over his round reading glasses as he took in the sight of Twilight, Sunset, and Rainbow Dash.
“I confess, when Miss Sparkle said 'we' in her text, I had been hoping that she'd finally made...” He stopped as the rest of the group filed in behind Twilight, last among them Sunrise and the princess. His eyes went back to Sunset, with her arm around Twilight's waist, and then back across the other members of the group.
His smile broadened, and he gestured towards the book-filled expanse behind him.
“Well,” he said to them all. “In any event, welcome to my little kingdom. All you see is at your disposal. I have iced coffee ready, if you'd care to take it here or on the patio. And if you need help finding anything, or there's something you need ordered, just let me know.”
He nodded slightly to twin plaques near the stairs that led up towards even more shelves filled with books. Next to the one saying, We Reserve The Right To Refuse Service To Anyone, was Please, No Food Or Drink Beyond This Point Or Upstairs.
“And I have been appraised that this is a matter both urgent and sensitive,” he concluded with an upraised hand, “And of course I respect your privacy. But on that one percent chance that I can somehow help with whatever you're dealing with, I hope and trust you will let me know.”
“We surely will, sir,” Applejack nodded. “And thank you.”
“No, thank you,” he replied, his smile returning. “Any friend of Miss Sparkle is most welcome here.”
As the other girls moved forward into the various rooms and their shelves, Mister Lectern looked back to Twilight. He gestured towards Sunset, asking, “And if you have time for introductions...?”
“Oh! Right! Sorry!” Twilight blushed. “Sunset, this is Mister Lectern. He owns the world's best book store. Mister Lectern, this is Sunset Shimmer.”  
Blushing deeper, she added, “We're engaged.”
Sunset extended her hand and Mister Lectern clasped it, his keen eyes giving her a once-over before shining with approval.
“So, I'll admit I'm curious,” Sunset asked. “How long have you and Twilight known each other?”
“Oh, she and I first met when she was about nine,” Lectern smiled. “When I asked her why she didn't just go to her school library, she said she'd already read all the books there. I thought she was exaggerating, of course. But then, I didn't really know Miss Sparkle yet.”
Sunset grinned. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”
The two of them exchanged a pleasant chuckle, while Twilight looked at the ceiling and good-naturedly waited for the moment to pass.  
“Well, while I look forward to speaking with all of you more, I mustn't keep you,” the older man nodded. “Miss Sparkle, will you be working in the front room or outside?”
“Outside.”
“I'll bring out some coffee.”
While their friends began their search, the two young women headed out back and began to arrange the tables and chairs. After a few minutes, Sunset shot her lover a teasing look.
Twilight gave her a puzzled glance. “What?”
“Just wondering.”
“What?”
“Well, you know. Backing you up when you need help, childhood anecdotes, coffee for your homework, appraising the fiancé... and the guy lives in a book store... so, I'm just wondering.”
She gave a slight pause, cocking her head before asking, “Did I just meet your dad?”
Twilight gave an exasperated sigh, shaking her head as she smiled. “You're terrible.”
Sunset grinned and gave her a quick kiss.
“Always,” she said, putting her arms around Twilight.
“And a bad influence, too,” Twilight added, returning the embrace.
“Can't be helped,” Sunset added, touching Twilight's forehead with her own.
“Nothing to be done,” Twilight agreed happily.
For a few seconds they simply stood in the shade of the tall oak trees, enjoying the sunlight and the breeze.
“Well, time for me to ruin the moment,” Sunset sighed.
“Yeah,” Twilight agreed, walking towards the table. “I've got some research to do first, I should probably get on that.”
Sunset gave her a brief, puzzled look, then nodded. “Okay, cool. I'll grab some books.”
Twilight nodded as well, already setting up her phone at the patio table. Sunset smiled to herself despite the stakes.
Because, seriously, was there anything more beautiful than Twilight geeking enthusiastically on something that had caught her interest?
Sunset shook her head, her smile growing as she re-entered the store to join her friends in their search.  
No. Absolutely not.





As the women spread out to begin their hunt, it was difficult to determine whether the place felt more like a business or a home.
The front room, for example, was definitely a home. To the right of the entryway, a fireplace added to the cozy ambiance despite being unlit due to the summer heat. On its mantle, a pair of ancient brass candle holders, each with a long white candle, also unlit. The area before it was well furnished, with a few round coffee tables and a baker's dozen restored overstuffed chairs arranged into two semi-circles flanking it.
Behind the far set of chairs, oak stairs led to the upper floor. Behind the nearer set, sunlight cheerfully streamed in through the picture window, providing a view of the front yard,  its sheltering oak trees, and the elderly neighborhood beyond. A trio of corner lamps supplied additional light, softened and absorbed by the dark wood and earth-toned walls. Meanwhile, three overhead fans rotated slowly, their own lights off. Various maps from across the centuries adorned the walls, ranging from a modern map of Canterlot to hand-drawn medieval maps of Europe.
To the entryway's left was an antique bar converted into a cashier area. A pair of digital tablets rested comfortably upon it for sales and returns, book-ending their technological ancestor, a huge antique register of brass. Upon it hung a placard reading, Time Marches On. Behind the bar, a glass-enclosed case contained the more valuable treasures. Among these were a boxed set of Anne McCaffrey 's Dragonriders of Pern, autographed by both author and cover artist, and an original printing of Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote.
But as the women passed by the stairs and further into the store, the business face of the little shop presented itself, and they were quickly surrounded by the aisles of their host's wares. What walls could be seen here were earth toned, accented with the building's original wainscoting and crown molding. But for the most part, they were rendered all but invisible. The store's shelves stood proudly as they had for decades, covering most of the walls from floor to ceiling with books of all subjects, neatly dusted and organized, supported and protected in their oaken frames.
While their hunt went on, the front door jingled again, and they could all hear Mister Lectern happily welcoming the Principal and Vice Principal as well.
Eventually, one by one, the teens returned to the patio table with the first round of their treasures. There they saw that a tray and several coffee pots, along with creamer, sugar, and a set of durable earthenware mugs had somehow materialized during their search.
The two sisters were already sitting with Twilight, sharing a look that was difficult to read. Twilight, meanwhile, was working on something furiously on her phone, tapping on the holographic keys it projected onto the table before her, even as it created a three-dimensional screen out of light above.
Princess Luna and Sunrise were the last to arrive, arms loaded with tomes from a legal encyclopedia. As gently as they could, they arranged their finds in several stacks beside the others, and sat at the foot of the table, with the Rainbooms sitting on both sides between them and Twilight herself.
Seeing that the rest were seating themselves and that the book store's back door was staying closed, Twilight hit a holographic key, prompting the illusory screen to rotate and face the others. Slowly, the screen began to scroll through its images and text.
“Okay, so,” she began, “This is the girl the police picked up. Her name is Aurora Borealis. She’s sixteen.”
Sunrise stared at her friend in horrified dismay. “Sixteen?”
Rainbow Dash's eyebrows arched. “Holy crap. She looks just like you guys.”
The other friends had to agree. Granted, there were some striking differences. In most of the pictures, for example, the girl in the photos favored long t-shirts worn over long skirts, usually with a leather jacket she’d worked over with white paint and decorated with fantasy pins. One picture showed most of the jacket’s back as it scrolled past, which featured the phrase Stop The Fucking War splashed diagonally across it in white. And, unlike either Sunset or Sunrise, she wore a lot of rings.
But her skin color, if not identical, was amazingly close to theirs. And her hair was a strikingly similar clash of red and gold; the left half shaved off, the rest shoulder length. Her eyes were green instead of cyan, but her mugshot was in black and white, hiding that difference as effectively as the mall security cameras had.
Rainbow Dash frowned, standing and leaning forward. “Waitaminute,” she muttered.
As the security footage scrolled past, there was an arrest record, witness accounts, a search warrant for her home and the results of said search, notes on Aurora’s family…
“Seriously?” Rainbow Dash demanded, staring at Twilight. “You hacked the cops? I mean, yeah, totally awesome, but… seriously?”
Pinkie Pie leaned farther over the table for a better view. “Oooooooo! Anybody else getting Iron Maiden Two vibes?”
“It’s not that big a deal,” Twilight said, growing more uncomfortable by the minute. “And it’s not like the police were going to cooperate. Besides, if Shining tried to get me that information, it could be traced back to him.”
“But not to you?” Rarity asked, one eyebrow raised.
“No, not to me,” Twilight admitted. “Back when I was a kid, I designed a lot of the technology law enforcement uses today. I knew Shining wanted to be a policeman, and I wanted to help out.”
“What kinda stuff?” Applejack asked.
Twilight slumped a little self-consciously. “Oh, just basic stuff, you know. Tracking technology, alarms, automated drones, infra-red cameras, data assimilation and sifting programs, internal security programs, triple-redundancy firewalls, um, that kind of… thing…”
Her voice trailed off as the others stared.
Smiling, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna exchanged a glance. Then, each of them moved behind her and put their arms around Twilight's shoulders.
“Twilight, please don’t take this wrong,” Luna said. “But times like this...”  
“...when you're performing maybe a dozen felonies for the sake of the greater good...” Celestia continued.
“...we’re very glad to be your friends now, and not your teachers,” Luna finished with a wink.
Twilight managed a weak smile while the others chuckled, and then the meeting went back to business.
The key, Rainbow Dash explained as she started passing out books, was not merely to show legal cause for charges to be dropped. The key wasn't the law almost at all, per se. The key was that there were people involved. And people had, many times in the past, completely ignored witness testimony and physical evidence in the face of a confession. Add to that the accused's physical resemblance to Sunrise herself, and they would have a very difficult time convincing anyone, especially a judge or district attorney, to even listen to them. Much less rule in their favor.
The district attorney, Rainbow further explained, had been running ads for his re-election for a while now. Ads that had been doubling down more than usual on his traditional 'tough on crime' message.
So, it wasn't going to be just a matter of legally admissable evidence. The stakes were too high to just hope that the DA and/or the judge would listen to logic in the face of a signed confession. They had to find an argument that was legally airtight. A precedent that would not merely justify Aurora's release, but actively demand it.
But over time, as the stacks of books on the old table continued to grow and the sun continued its slow journey across the heavens, the breakthrough they were looking for never emerged.
“We still have evidence, though,” Fluttershy began. “We--”
“Sure, sure, but how do we even get her in front of a judge?” Rainbow demanded to the sky. “As far as they're concerned, they've got the bad guy! No offense,” she added with a glance towards Sunrise.
Sunrise gave a resigned shrug. “None taken.”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Look, my point is, how do we keep the cops from just tossing Sunrise out as a crank? Why should they believe her, or any of us?”
“Shining's a police captain,” Twilight pointed out. “He can get Sunrise into the system, no problem.”
“We also have the gun,” Fluttershy said softly. “That should be pretty, um… convincing…”
Her voice trailed off as her friends stared at her. Then, Rarity cleared her throat.
“H-hm! I’m sorry, darling, but… we what?” she asked.
“Um, well, you see, we were in a park,” Fluttershy explained quietly to her lap. “And I didn’t want someone finding it the next day. Especially a child. So, while we were leaving, I picked it up and, well…”  
Again, she lapsed into silence, staring at her hands in her lap.
“Okay. So. Once again, Flutters saves the day,” Sunset smiled. Putting a hand on her friend’s shoulder, she added, “You know, you ever get tired of saving our bacon, we may be hosed.”
While a blushing Fluttershy returned Sunset’s smile, Rainbow ran her fingers through her hair.
“Okay, so we’ve got our in,” she said. “And proof besides just another confession. That's good. That's really good. But it still leaves... well, everything else.”
She sighed, and continued, “Making anybody in authority listen to us at all is still gonna be a challenge. And I mean, at all. Much less getting the charges against Aurora Borealis dropped when she’s already confessed.”
“We did find those presidents—” Pinkie started.
“Precedents,” Rainbow Dash corrected with an eyeroll. “And sure, there’s a few. But nothing that's a guarantee.”
“Also, there’s getting Sunrise out again later,” Sunset added.  
“That’s not a priority,” said Sunrise.
“Bullshit,” Sunset snapped.
“Your incarceration is not an acceptable conclusion to this,” Twilight added, eyes narrowing over her glasses.
“You’re my sister now,” Sunset added, half-standing. “And I’ll be thrice-damned to Tartarus before I let you rot in a cell somewhere!”
While Twilight put a calming hand on her lover's shoulder, Princess Luna squeezed Sunrise's hand again.
“Thou'rt outvoted, my love,” she said gently. “Accept it.”
While Sunrise gave a sad smile and squeezed back, the faculty sisters exchanged an uneasy glance.  
“We… may know someone who can help,” the Vice-Principal said.
“On which part?” Rarity asked.
“On every part, theoretically,” Celestia said.
Smiling, Sunset cocked an eyebrow. “Oh? You… ‘know a guy?’”
“Y'all got a lawyer?” Applejack asked. “Like, a good one?”
Both of the sisters found anyplace to be looking but at their friends. Finally, Celestia spoke. “Not exactly. Let’s just say our own high school experiences were also…”  
“…memorable.” Luna finished.
Adjusting her glasses, Twilight peered at them. “You know, I thought you adapted to our adventures awfully easily.”  
“I guess that’s one word for ‘em,” Applejack muttered, leaning back.
“Not to mention, there’s never been repercussions, legal or otherwise, for anything that happened on school grounds,” Rarity mused. “Or even school activities at all, really. It was only when things happened non-scholastically that that anyone seemed to notice.”
“Unless they were magic themselves,” Fluttershy observed. “Like the Dazzlings.”
“I sense a sto-reeeeeee!” Pinkie sang happily, bouncing slightly where she sat.
“So?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Who’s gonna help us?”
“A… former teacher,” Celestia hedged.
“The important thing is, he can help,” said Luna, equally uncomfortable.
“Um, Principal Celestia? Vice Principal Luna?” asked Fluttershy, “What’s wrong?”
“Yeah, what ain’t you tellin’ us?” asked Applejack.
Both sisters shook their heads.  
“You aren’t our students anymore,” said Luna. “You can just call us by our names. And when we feel we can tell you, we will.”
“Just please, let us help with your problem first, as friends,” added Celestia. “Then we’ll answer as many questions as we can.”
The two rose then, and there was a slow flurry of hugs and well wishes as the sisters departed. Shortly afterwards, the book store’s doorbell had rung to announce their departure, and they waved again as they began their trek down the street, finally vanishing behind the neighborhood's bungalows and manicured plant life.
A cool breeze wafted among the remaining friends, rustling the leaves above them. Sunset and Sunrise looked at one another across the sea of borrowed books.
“I don’t like this,” said Sunrise.
Sunset shook her head. “Neither do I. But what choice do we have? They’re both adults.”  
Then, with a sigh, she shoved a book pile aside, adding, “And it’s not like we had any ideas.”
Twilight gave a helpless shrug.
“I had half an idea, but not a very good one,” she said.
“So? Spit it out,” Rainbow Dash said. “Maybe it’ll inspire something better.”
“Well, it involves getting Sunrise out again,” Twilight explained. “You know how I hacked the police database? I could, um, probably control or shut off just about anything they have. Alarms, locks, cameras, radios...”
For a moment, no one spoke.
“Are you… suggesting a jailbreak?” Rarity asked at last. 
“Oh, my,” Fluttershy said. “That does sound dangerous.”
“An understatement, I’m sure,” Rarity agreed.
“Direct though,” Applejack allowed. “I s'pose we'd have the element a'surprise, if nuthin' else.”
“Of course!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “No one expects the Sunny Perp Emission!”
But Twilight shook her head.
“There’s a huge difference between knowing how to control a system and knowing how to use it in a crime,” she said. “Huge. And there would be no margin for error. And none of us know how to be criminals. I think we’d just get caught. If not during the operation, then after. That’s why I didn’t bring it up before. It’s just a bad idea.”
There was a chorus of sighs and nods.
Sunrise looked at Princess Luna. “You’ve been pretty quiet, hon. Any thoughts?”
For her part, Luna took another sip of her coffee, then, seeming to contemplate its contents, began to speak.
“I certainly agree with Twilight that skullduggery is of no use to us here,” the princess replied. “For all that her knowledge of your world’s security may yet prove of some use to us, I’ve certainly no idea how. Even ignoring that her phone is obviously of her own design, the use of computerized telephones and their… applications? …that the rest of you have shown proves that your world has changed much since I was here last.
“As for the Two Sisters of your world, I… have a guess as to who they seek for aid,” Luna said carefully. “But I think it best to respect their privacy. Remember, they have greater knowledge of this world than any of us, if only through experience. Even more importantly, they know themselves. I think we should respect that.”
“Plus, the Sisters’re both right about one thing,” Applejack pointed out. “They’re our friends.”
“And, well, after everything they’ve seen us through,” Rarity added, “all the times they’ve helped us, they’ve more than earned our trust.”
“True,” said Twilight. “But I think we all know that being grown up doesn’t mean you don’t make mistakes. I just hope they know what they’re doing.”  
She gave a helpless shrug, adding, “Whatever it is.”