Phoenix Wright - Turnabout Storm!

by Firesight


Part 29 - Apple Cruising

Ponyville Detention Center
Front Desk
June 10th, 1:00PM

Twilight was lost in thought as she was escorted out of the meeting area, though she found it more and more difficult to concentrate on planning her next move when the guards kept giving her amused glances, looking like they were finding it increasingly hard to keep from laughing.

Okay, and just what’s so bucking funny? she wondered in exasperation as they reached the front lobby and she went to sign out. She finally realized something was wrong when the clerk behind the admissions desk took one look at her and started giggling as well, the unicorn mare taking pity on Twilight and floating her a vanity mirror. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Twilight took a look in it…

And gaped as she realized her head, chest and forelegs were spattered in ink, including two particularly large smears from when she rubbed her face and temple offset by a comically blackened right eye from giving Fluttershy a Pinkie Promise!

The secret out, the guards could restrain themselves no longer, rolling on the floor laughing hysterically as she dashed to the little filly’s room to wash it off, her ears burning with embarrassment.

Ten minutes later, she emerged with a clean coat—it had taken no small amount of soap and magic to get all the ink off—but could do nothing to hide her bright red cheeks as she made the long walk out of the Detention Center through the lobby, eyes fixed straight ahead, enduring a steady stream of whispered jokes and stifled snickers from the guards and workers as she went. She would have teleported directly outside if she could, but the Detention Center’s magical suppression field included an enchantment that blocked it in order to prevent unicorn prisoners from escaping.

Struggling to compose herself, Twilight trotted down the stairs out into the plaza. Okay! Inkstains aside, I’m not doing so bad! I found a brand new piece of information all by myself! she boasted to herself, still feeling flustered. HA! See, this lawyering gig isn’t so hard after all! I just have to slip in Fluttershy’s cottage and snag that piece of paper she was talking about, she planned, not paying attention to her surroundings. There probably will be a lot of police and investigators around analyzing the animals, but they shouldn’t mind me.

Lost in thought and lingering embarrassment as she pondered her next move, she didn’t see the other pony coming her way until she accidentally bumped into her.

“Ah!” Twilight nearly fell over her, but just managed to maintain her balance. “Sorry.”

“Not at all. Excuse me,” said the unfamiliar unicorn mare, giving her violet counterpart a briefly annoyed look before closing her eyes and stepping around her.

“Right, sorry,” Twilight apologized as the other mare went on her way. Who was that? I’ve never seen her before, she wondered, not recognizing the bespectacled but immaculately groomed dark grey unicorn mare with tan eyes and a chestnut mane. Don’t know who she is, but I’m certain I’ve never met her before. I would have remembered somepony with an eyeball cutie mark, she mused, wondering what special talent it signified.

“Hey, Twi!” A young voice broke into her thoughts.

She glanced down to see a familiar yellow-furred filly with a red mane and tail and wearing a large pink bow standing next to her. “Huh? Oh! Hi, Apple Bloom,” she nodded distractedly, watching the other mare head up the street. She’s headed towards Sugar Cube Corner. Odd, she doesn’t exactly look like the type who’s into sweets! Twilight thought, not able to put her hoof on why the gray unicorn made her feel uneasy.

“Whatcha doin’? Reckon you seem really deep in thought,” Applejack’s younger sister asked curiously.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just conducting an investigation, that’s all,” Twilight answered automatically… and then all but bit her tongue as Apple Bloom’s orange eyes widened with excitement.

“INVESTIGATION?!” the young filly yelled in delight.

Twilight cringed. “I-I mean N-NO! I’m not doing anything like that! Just another boring day in Ponyville for me!” she laughed nervously.

But the cat was already out of the bag, and Apple Bloom wasn’t so easily dissuaded. “Oh! Oh! Let me investigate with oua! CUTIE MARK CRUSADER PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR!!”she proclaimed herself at the top of her lungs.

Oh NO! What have you DONE, Twilight?! She suddenly wished she could go back in time ten seconds to slap a hoof over her mouth, vowing to someday invent a spell that would allow her to do just that. “Um, Apple Bloom? Aren’t you supposed to be in school?” she suggested hopefully.

Apple Bloom shook her head. “Nope! Ah got a day off because of the trial! Miss Cheerilee said it was okay as long as Ah gave a report on testifying afterwards!”

Twilight was in disbelief. “You were given the whole day off from school because of that? I would have been put back in magic kindergarten if I missed a day of my classes!”

“Magic Kindergarten?” The young filly tilted her head.

Twilight sighed. “Yes, Apple Bloom. Magic Kindergarten is a real place and you will be sent there at the first sign of defiance,” she explained, rubbing her head again, doing a double-take when she suddenly worried there could still be ink on it.

“Ah might help you, having the day off and all!” Apple Bloom suggested, but Twilight wasn’t interested, knowing all too well how the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ help had turned out in the past.

“Look, Apple Bloom—this is grown-up work; nothing a little filly like you should be doing,” she tried desperately to reason with the young earth pony.

“Please Twi, Ah’ll be a big help! Ah promise!” she insisted, looking downcast.

Twilight put her hoof down. “The answer is no, Apple Bloom!”

“Pleeeeeeeease!” the young filly said, putting on her cutest, saddest face.

But Twilight was unmoved. “No means no!”

“Plleeeeeeaaaaassee! she tried again, redoubling her efforts, looking as adorable as she could.

“I said—”

“PLLLLLLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSEEE!!!”Apple Bloom kept pestering her, her voice growing more piercing and grating.

UGH! It’s like talking to a WALL! A very loud and shrill WALL! Twilight thought, resisting the urge to clamp her hooves over her ears, thinking that the young filly’s nagging could give Rarity’s whining a run. Oh, wait! “Hey, Apple Bloom! If you want to help me, I know another way you can!” she announced, causing Apple Bloom’s ears to perk up eagerly. “I want to discuss what happened in court today with you.” I had planned to speak with her anyway, might as well get it over with now?

But instead of being excited, Apple Bloom’s expression dropped. “No!” The young filly shook her head sharply, taking on a pouting look.

Twilight’s muzzle fell open. “What? Why not? I thought you wanted to help me!”

Apple Bloom looked angry. “Ah said Ah wanted to investigate, not answer a buncha boring ol’ questions! Reckon I did enough of that in court today, and Ah didn’t get a cutie mark for it, either! So yer gonna let me investigate with ya, Twi. ‘Cause otherwise? Ah ain’t talking!” she announced with a scowl, sitting down on her haunches.

Twilight’s eye twitched. Grrhh! Why you little…! she thought to herself, trying to contain her frustration while attempting to persuade the young earth pony. “Please, Apple Bloom, I really need to talk to you about the testimony,” she asked politely, but Apple bloom had suddenly developed a strong interest in an earthworm crawling at her hooves, paying her no mind. “Okay, how about if you talk to me, I’ll get you a big rainbow lollipop from the candy store?” she offered a bribe that seemed to give Apple Bloom at least temporary pause, only for the young filly to shake her head hard. “Apple Bloom?”

“Investigate or no deal, Twi,” she said again, some of her big sister’s stubbornness in evidence.

“Two lollipops and a shake from Sugar Cube Corner?” she tried again, knowing she’d get an earful from Applejack later for indulging her like that and spoiling her dinner, but Apple Bloom just looked more annoyed. Well, you’d never be able to bribe Applejack either! Twilight grimaced, knowing that when it came to their family, Apples didn’t fall far from the tree.

Worse, Apple Bloom seemed to know she had the upper hoof as the two stared at each other, each waiting for the other to give in first. But after several minutes, Twilight realized she was wasting valuable time, finding herself left with a single inescapable option: “Fine! You can investigate with me!” Twilight surrendered with a frustrated facehoof.

Apple Bloom immediately sprouted a huge smile. “YAAY! CUTIE MARK CRUSADER PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR!!” she bellowed again, jumping for joy.

I can’t believe I caved in to her demands! Twilight grimaced, wondering if Phoenix ever had to strike deals to gain information in his own cases. “I gave you what you wanted. Now can you tell me about what you said in court this morning?”

“Sure thing Twi! Whaddaya wanna know?” Apple Bloom asked, all eagerness again.

The older mare let out a heavy sigh as she levitated her quill, ink and scroll paper back out of her saddlebags, trying to refocus her thoughts, half-thinking she could get the information and make an excuse to break her promise afterwards. That lasted until she suddenly saw Pinkie Pie’s head emerging from a nearby barrel behind Apple Bloom with an angry, warning look, shaking her head sternly at her before sinking back down and disappearing.

Twilight swallowed hard. How does Pinkie DO that? she wondered for the millionth time, though after her disastrous—and rather painful—experience with trying to disprove her friend’s Pinkie sense, she knew she’d probably never know.

Focusing instead on a mystery she hopefully could solve, Twilight began to interview Apple Bloom, holding the quill and scroll paper up with her aura, very happy to have her magic available and that she didn’t have to write manually again. “Well, first off, what you said in your testimony is kind of… um… well, impossible,” she told the young filly, not happy that she had to draw on one of Phoenix’s observations.

“But Ah was telling the truth, Twi! Honest!” Apple Bloom insisted.

Twilight gave her a skeptical look, casting a wary glance back at the barrel. “Fluttershy told me that she was watching the forest all night, and I don’t think she was lying.”

“So? What does that have to do with me?”

“She said she didn’t see you leave the forest, which seems impossible if she was watching the only path in or out. So where exactly were you when you got out?” Twilight wanted to know.

“Hmm…” Apple Bloom thought about that for a moment. “After the big flash of lightning—or whatever it was—Ah was blinded and stumbled around dizzy for a bit. Hay, reckon I just about felt ready to throw up after. When Ah could open mah eyes, Ah was a little ways away from the pathway on the outside of the Everfree,” Apple Bloom recounted, elaborating on her trial testimony.

“Where was that in relation to Fluttershy’s house?” Twilight wanted to know.

Apple Bloom had to think about that. “Um… sorry, Twi, but Ah ain’t sure, really. I didn’t see her cottage, but reckon Ah wasn’t exactly looking for it, either. Just knew Ah had to get home, and Ah was real happy to be out of the woods.”

“I’ll bet,” Twilight understood, recognizing at least one new piece of information in her statements as she jotted them down. “This flash of light that you thought was lightning, Apple Bloom—what was it like?” she followed up.

Her yellow brow furrowed as she tried to remember. “Reckon it was like a camera flashing in mah face. It was so bright Ah thought it was lightning, but it’s strange—it didn’t make any noise,” Apple Bloom recalled.

“That is strange,” Twilight agreed. If it was lightning, how could there have been no thunder? She wondered to herself, exasperated at having to acknowledge yet another of Phoenix’s points were valid. “So why did they bring you in to testify, Apple Bloom? Wouldn’t Zecora have been a better choice? She lives in the forest, after all,” Twilight mused.

Apple Bloom shrugged. “From what I heard, they were going to get her instead of me, but she went to sleep right after Ah left. Reckon she was really beat from brewing potions all day.”

“And none of the lightning woke her up?” Twilight asked in disbelief, her quill pausing in mid-word.

’I heard not a sound, for I am a deep sleeper. If you need a good witness, ask the filly or zookeeper’.” Apple Bloom quoted Zecora, pulling off a surprisingly passable imitation of the zebra mare’s voice.

Wow, Zecora must sleep like a rock! Twilight thought as she finished writing her latest note, wondering if it might be worth it to interview her anyway. “Did you see anything else strange in the forest that night, Apple Bloom?” she asked.

“Nope!” Apple Bloom said quickly, only to blink as she remembered there was indeed something else. “Oh, wait! There was one other thing.”

Yet another piece of information somepony decided not to share! Twilight sighed to herself in annoyance, wondering idly how Phoenix got through his cases without ripping his pointed mane out. “What was it, Apple Bloom?” she asked, quill poised again.

The young filly rubbed the back of her head with her hoof. “Ah didn’t think this was important, but a little after the first lightning bolt scared—” Apple Bloom caught herself before continuing “—er, made me jump a little…”

You’re not fooling anypony! Twilight restrained an eyeroll. “Yes? What happened?”

“I heard something fall from the sky and hit the ground!” Apple Bloom recalled.

“Fall from the sky? What was it?” Twilight asked, trying not to sound too excited.

She thought for a moment, only to finally shake her head. “Ah don’t know. It happened just after Ah started runnin’ away—er, Ah mean walking away from the lightning bolt. I heard it land, but Ah didn’t bother lookin’ for it. All Ah wanted was to get out!”

“Do you remember where it fell?” Twilight hurriedly jotted down the information.

“Sorta…” Apple Bloom said a little tentatively. “Hey! Ah know! Ah’ll take ya there, Twi! See, Ah told you Ah’d be a big help!” she said with a big and eager grin.

There’s a murder by bolt of lightning, and within a minute of both something falls from the sky? That’s too close in time and proximity to reasonably be a coincidence. Whatever she witnessed must tie in with this somehow, Twilight sensed, thinking that that against all odds the filly might actually be leading her to something important. “Okay, Apple Bloom. I know I really shouldn’t be doing this, but I’m going to take you into the Everfree Forest with me.” She cringed internally, knowing what Applejack’s reaction to the news would be. “I want to find this thing you said fell from the sky.”

“YAY! CUTIE MARK CRUSADER PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR!!”Apple Bloom called out at the top of her lungs again, making Twilight wince, her hooves clamping over her ears an instant too late.

My poor eardrums! She consoled herself as she rubbed her abused aural appendages after the shout. “But first, we have to stop by Fluttershy’s cottage. There’s a torn paper at her door I have to retrieve.”

Apple Bloom nodded, but then thought of something else. “Oh! Um, Twi? Since Ah’m helping ya out, can ya go to the park with me and help me out with something, too?”

Twilight shook her head as she re-stowed her parchment, ink and quill. “No. I don’t have time for that,” Twilight told her, thinking she had much more important things to do. Like prove Rainbow Dash innocent!

“Fine. Then Ah’m not showing you where that thing dropped, then,” Apple Bloom said with a smug, mischievous grin.

Twilight ground her teeth again, knowing she had little choice but to accede to the conniving foal’s demands. “Okay! We’ll go to the park after we go into the forest!” she spat out the promise, suddenly wondering how effective a lawyer she could be if she couldn’t even deal with one little filly. And Phoenix said he’s dealt with child witnesses before? HOW?

“Thank ya so much, Twi! You’re the best!” Apple Bloom nuzzled her affectionately.

‘Thank you’? ‘You’re the best’? You didn’t give me a CHOICE! Twilight fumed in frustration, deciding the only thing she could do was make the most of it. “So besides that, have you noticed anything else strange these past few days?” she asked in casual conversation, though she didn’t really expect an affirmative reply.

To her surprise, she got one. “Oh! Uh, yeah, Ah did! It was Rainbow Dash!”

Upon hearing that, Twilight’s ears perked up. “Rainbow Dash? What about her?” she stopped and asked immediately.

“Two days ago, when Ah was on mah way to Zecora’s house, Ah saw Rainbow Dash…” Apple Bloom began to recount.

Entrance to Everfree Forest
~4 hours before the murder

“Hey, Rainbow Dash!” Apple Bloom called out as she noticed her grown friend pushing a large cloud above the entrance to the forest, waving a hoof at her in greeting.

To her surprise, instead of waving back, the cocky mare all but cringed at her voice, her tail spiking in fear. “Ah! That’s not me, I swear!” Rainbow Dash stammered, looking almost panic-stricken. “Oh, it’s just you, Apple Bloom,” she said in relief after she glanced back.

“Uh… what’re you doin’ with that big ol’ cloud, Rainbow? Ain’t the storm supposed to be on the other side of Ponyville?” Apple Bloom pointed out.

Rainbow Dash didn’t reply right away. She looked strangely nervous, her eyes darting back and forth. “Uh… look, kid. I need this cloud for something, so just pretend you never saw me, okay?” she said shortly, pushing the cloud deeper into the forest before Apple Bloom could reply.

“… and then Ah saw her go into the Everfree Forest with that cloud. She looked really worried, too. Ah was gonna tell everypony about that today, but Rainbow Dash told me to pretend like Ah never saw her. So that’s what Ah did!” Apple Bloom smiled at Twilight, seeking praise for keeping her promise.

Praise was the last thing on Twilight’s mind, her heart sinking as she realized the import of what the young filly had witnessed. Oh no! So Rainbow Dash really DID bring that cloud there, just as Trixie said! she realized in shock, finding herself with sudden and very unwelcome doubts about her friend’s innocence, nervously wondering what other purpose she could have had in moving the cloud into the forest. Rainbow Dash wasn’t REALLY planning to murder somepony with it, was she?

Apple Bloom’s smile dropped when she saw the worried expression on Twilight’s face. “Twilight? What’s the matter?” she asked in concern.

Her voice snapped Twilight out of her brooding. “N-nothing. Let’s stop wasting time here and go to Fluttershy’s cottage to get that letter,” she suggested, setting her jaw and telling herself as forcefully as she could that Rainbow might be cocky, obnoxious and even occasionally arrogant, but she was also the Element of Loyalty and categorically wasn’t a killer. There just HAS to be a logical and reasonable explanation for what she did!

“Alright! To Fluttershy’s cottage!” The filly said, skipping on ahead and not looking where she was going.

“Apple Bloom, slow down!” Twilight called after her, but it was too late—the young filly ran headlong into a pegasus pony, sending them both down in a tangle of wings and limbs.

Twilight rushed over to see if they were alright. “See, Apple Bloom? You need to watch where you’re going!” she chided the young filly, picking her up with her magic.

“I-I’m sorry for bumping into you!” the male pegasus said in a panicked tone before Apple Bloom could reply.

Twilight looked at the unfamiliar male, helping him up with a quick burst of magic from her horn. “It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault,” Twilight assured the other pony, getting a good look at him for the first time. He was a dark blue pegasus stallion with an athlete’s build and a light grey mane, wearing a set of flight goggles that sat high on his forehead over a pair of green eyes.

“Are you sorry? I don’t know!” the pegasus stallion asked, an odd expression on his face.

“Huh?” Twilight tilted her head at him.

“NOOOO!” He flared his wings and yelled into the sky. “You have to actually mean it when you’re sorry! You have to mean it and say it with lots of remorse!” he berated himself, dropping his wings to his side as a dumbfounded Twilight looked on. “I’M SORRRRY!!”the pegasus stallion all but screamed, raising his head and flaring his wings again.

For her part, Apple Bloom was amused. “He’s funny! He’s like a character in one of those storybooks!” she giggled.

That caught the odd pony’s attention. “Y-you really think I can have a book written about me?” he asked Apple Bloom, folding his wings back to his sides.

“Yeah! For sure!” Apple Bloom replied quickly.

What kind of book is THAT? ’Psychiatric Help 101?’ Twilight wondered, having to catch herself to make sure she didn’t say it out loud.

“You’re right! Maybe I can get a biography or something written about me; it’ll be a bestseller!” The stallion said, but then his expression suddenly dropped again. “Ngggh—NO! Then everypony will think you’re egotistical! You can’t have a book!” he told himself.

Twilight felt very creeped out. Is he… yelling at himself? On a scale of one to ten, he’s at least a twelve on the weird-o-meter! she thought, then slightly warily decided to ask his name. “Who are you?”

To her surprise, his manner instantly changed again. “The name’s Cruise Control! Nice to meet you, ma’am!” he said politely, holding out his hoof.

Though surprised at his sudden change in mood, she bumped it in greeting. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, and this is Apple Bloom. Pleasure to meet—”

But before Twilight could finish her sentence, Cruise started ranting again.“Uggggghhhh—No! You just called her ‘ma’am’! That’s like saying she’s old! Didn’t Mom tell you to never ask a lady her age? That’s just rude, you bloody idiot!” he harangued himself. “Though you didn’t exactly ask her age, you sort of just implied it… I’m still sorry!” he added as an afterthought.

I retract that—he’s a FORTY-SIX on the weird-o-meter! Twilight thought, suddenly wondering if she should make a call to Ponyville Hospital and tell them to bring a straitjacket.

“Ah’ve never seen you in Ponyville before, mister,” Apple Bloom said to Cruise, unperturbed by his strange antics.

His mood again changed instantly as he looked down at the young filly, breaking out in a warm smile. “That makes sense, since I’m not from here. I just flew in today!”

“So you’re just visiting or something?” Twilight asked with an askance look, getting whiplash from his repeated mood swings.

He shook his head. “No, I’m here to compete! The starting and finish line for the big race is in Ponyville this year.”

Understanding dawned on Twilight. “Ah! I see. So you’re racing in the Equestrian 500,” she realized, thinking that the flight goggles should have been a giveaway.

“Yup! That’s right! I just came in today from Manehattan! Nnngggghhh—you should have told them that earlier!” he shouted again as he finished his first sentence.

“Okay, okay! Just calm down! It’s alright!” Twilight cringed, noticing he was starting to attract attention from passing ponies.

“Ah was betting Rainbow Dash would win! She was representing Ponyville, after all!” Apple Bloom claimed, which only set Cruise Control off again.

“No! Why can’t you support me?I’m trying to win too!” he cried out, all but wailing.

Apple Bloom! He CLEARLY has self-esteem issues! Twilight shot the filly a warning look before turning her attention back to the odd pegasus. “So, Mister Cruise… you’re from Manehattan?” she inquired, hoping that was a safe subject to ask.

“Mmhmm—yup!” Cruise replied quickly, smiling again.

“Really? How good a racer are you?” Apple Bloom asked eagerly.

“Pretty good,” he answered with a sly grin, which quickly was subsumed beneath a fresh mortified look and another explosive outburst. “No! Don’t lie, you loser! You do awful, horrible, atrocious! Last place every time!” he proclaimed, getting more and more agitated.

“Every time?” Twilight tilted her head, thinking nopony could possibly be that bad. Well, unless it’s me playing poker…

“Every time! Dead last!” he confirmed, falling to the ground in frustration and covering his head with his hooves.

“Awww. I’m sorry!” Apple Bloom said in pity.

“Thank you,” Cruise said, looking up briefly, but then… “Nggghhh!”

Here it comes…! Twilight braced herself.

“Noooo! Now you’re pitying me! I feel so sorry for myself! Don’t worry; you’ll do better this year! Ah! Noooo! Now you’re pitying you! You look so pathetic in front of these two!” he cried, curling himself into a ball on the ground.

Far from being put off by his behavior, Apple Bloom tried to comfort him. “Ah don’t think you’re pathetic, mister. Ah know just how you feel,” she said in sympathy, but then gave a frown. “Ah can’t do anythin’ right either—Ah don’t even have a cutie mark yet! And what’s worse, mah big sister is mean to me all the time! She grounds me and makes me do a bunch of lame chores! It’s like she doesn’t even care about me at all!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, stomping her hoof in resentment and anger, leaving Twilight wondering where that particular outburst had come from.

Cruise’s expression changed instantly, the male pegasus becoming very serious and solemn. “Don’t ever say that,” he stood up and instructed the young filly, his voice quiet. “Older siblings always care for the well-being of their younger brothers and sisters,” he told her in a strangely fervent tone.

The pegasus stallion noticed Twilight giving him a peculiar look. “O-oh, I mean... yeah, the Equestrian 500 sure is a tough race to compete in!”

Cruise Control’s abrupt change in attitude was not missed by Twilight. What was that about? He just completely 180’d there! she recognized with a furrowed brow, suddenly wondering if he was putting on some kind of act.

She’d barely had time to form the thought before his mood changed again. “Don’t worry about me, though. Things will be different this year!” he promised, wearing a confident smile for the first time.

“You plan on winning?” Apple Bloom grinned back.

He nodded quickly, giving the young filly’s mane an affectionate ruffle with his forehoof. “Exactly! Let’s just say a big burden is off of my shoulders, and now I can go all-out,” Cruise explained, his self-assured tone making Twilight think he suddenly was a whole different pony.

“Are you talking about Ace Swift? I guess him not being there will take off some of the pressure on the racers,” Twilight guessed, having a hard time keeping up with all his mood swings.

“Ace Swift?” Cruise looked at Twilight, his smile dropping instantly, but not ranting again to her great relief.

“You know, the undefeated pegasus racer that was going to represent Canterlot?” she reminded him. “He was the favorite to win.”

“I know who he is,” the stallion answered in a very low and measured tone.

“Then you probably know what happened to him?”

He nodded once, his lips tight. “Yes, I do. And to be perfectly honest, he got exactly what was coming to him. I hope it was painful,” he said, his eyes narrowing.

Twilight was appalled, her mouth dropping open in shock. “What?! How could you say something like that! An innocent pony was killed!”

“INNOCENT?!??!!” Cruise exploded, his face suddenly contorted in fury and causing Apple Bloom to take a hurried step back from his very real anger.“He was—! Ngh!” Cruise caught himself and made an awkward face, while Twilight watched him in silence, awaiting the inevitable. “No! You’re right, Twilight Sparkle! I shouldn’t say things like that! It’s very unbecoming of me!” the male pegasus said in a panic-stricken voice, all but shaking as he ended his sentence.

Twilight gave him a sideways look, more convinced than ever he was putting on airs, sensing he was hiding something behind his latest outburst. “Cruise Control? Do you have something against Ace Swift?”

The pegasus stallion fell silent at the question, looking like he was groping for a response. Then all of the sudden… everything in Twilight’s vision except for Cruise himself went black! Huh?

*BANG!* *CLANG* *rattle* RATTLE* *clang* *Bang* *rattle * *BANG!!!!”

As a shocked Twilight watched, a series of large chains appeared out of nowhere and began to noisily coil around the male pegasus, followed by three large red padlocks materializing in front of them.

“What? NO! No! Of course not! I respect all my fellow racers!” Cruise claimed again, but Twilight wasn’t listening—she was staring in alarm at the mysterious locks and chains before her.

“WHAT… WHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE?!” Twilight shouted even louder than Cruise had, rearing up in fright and making kicking motions with her hooves like she was trying to ward off an attacker.

Both Apple Bloom and Cruise Control gave her an odd look. “What the heck are what?” the latter asked, sounding genuinely confused.

“THOSE CHAINS AND LOCKS!!!!”she yelled again, motioning around him with her hoof, her purple eyes wide and darting, near panic.

“Chains and locks? What are you talking about, Twilight?” Apple Bloom asked in the same confused voice as Cruise.

For once, Cruise Control looked to be at a loss for words, staring at Twilight for several seconds before giving a careful reply. “I’m afraid I don’t know what locks and chains you’re talking about. But don’t worry! I don’t think you’re crazy or anything!” Cruise said to Twilight, but just like clockwork, his ranting started up again. “Nggh—no, you do think she’s crazy! Don’t lie!”

This harlequin is calling ME crazy? “You’re telling me you two can’t see them?!” Twilight asked in disbelief—they were as clear as day to her; she experimentally tried to touch one only to find that her hoof passed right through! She recoiled in shock at that. They’re not tangible? What ARE these things? she thought, trying not to freak—for all her skill and study, she had never seen or heard of magic like… this!

“Twi? Are you feeling alright?” Apple Bloom asked in concern.

“I—” Why don’t they SEE them?! Twilight didn’t understand, tentatively using her magic to probe the odd energy she sensed coming from them and finding it strangely familiar. Wait, I KNOW this aura! It feels like— her thought trailed off as she remembered what happened in the last minutes before the trial.

“Hey! That’s the toy you were playing with yesterday, Nix!” Rainbow said with a knowing grin, recognizing the object immediately.

“Huh? Oh. Yeah, that’s mine. I must have mixed it up in the evidence we found. AND IT’S NOT A TOY!” he shouted at her.

Rainbow was unimpressed. “Ha! Whatever you say, Nix!”

“Can you pass it over here, Twilight? It’s a keepsake of someone I know,” he requested, holding out his hand.

“Sure, here you go,” Twilight offered. But as she enveloped it in her magic to float it over, the Magatama suddenly glowed a brilliant green within her purple aura.

“Huh?” was all Phoenix got out before the Magatama flashed a blinding white and dazzled Twilight, a wave of energy enveloping her. “WHAT THE—?” she heard Phoenix exclaim as she felt herself fall to the floor, finally opening her eyes to see Phoenix lying beside her.

Something tells me that wasn’t just a ‘good luck charm’. But what does this MEAN? Twilight pondered, finally starting to calm down, still staring at the ghostly chains.

“I’m sorry, Twilight Sparkle, but I was on my way to register for the big race! It’s in two days, you know! It was nice meeting you!” Cruise looked anxious to part company, not waiting for a response before starting up the road.

“Nice meeting you, too,” Twilight replied shakily, not paying much attention to his words, watching the locks fade out as he moved away.

“Bye-bye, mister!” Apple Bloom waved over at Cruise as he started walking off, but not before he started ranting again.

“NO! What if you’re late and they disqualify you for being tardy? This is why you should have woken up earlier today!” He kept at it until he was out of sight.

“There he goes. Reckon he’s still talking to himself,” Apple Bloom noted, looking down the road as other ponies gawked at Cruise, several taking an involuntary step back from him as he continued to loudly berate himself.

Twilight barely heard her, her eyes still wide. What was that lock business about? What ARE they? And why do I feel the need to break them? her mind raced, knowing she just experienced something extraordinary. Or maybe the better question is—HOW do I break them? Do I need a key or something? What made them appear like that? she asked herself, finding no immediate answers, but realizing there was someone who might have them.

“Twi?” Apple Bloom poked her in a foreleg, breaking her out of her trance.

“Oh! Sorry. I kind of zoned out there, didn’t I?” She blinked. “Okay, listen. Before we go to Fluttershy’s cottage, I want to check something, Apple Bloom,” she announced, a reluctant tone in her voice.

“The park?” the young filly suggested in excitement.

Twilight shook her head, her brow furrowed. “No, I just need to see… someone,” she said with a calm she wasn’t feeling. He HAS to know about it! she thought to herself, just hoping she could restrain herself in his presence long enough to get answers.

“Someone? You mean like somepony who isn’t a pony? Okay, lead the way Twilight!” Apple Bloom exclaimed as Twilight led them back towards the courthouse, her insides churning…

She was dreading having to speak with Phoenix Wright.