Phoenix held his breath as the envelope was opened.
Pausing dramatically, Trixie pulled out what looked like a series of large glossy photographs and began slowly floating them around the courtroom in a moving circle like a airborne slideshow, giving everyone in the gallery a good look at each picture in turn. As the images registered, pony and human jaws fell open all throughout the chamber…
And then the equine audience exploded with laughter.
“Wow, Rainbow Dash! Who would have thought!” a unicorn mare called out, leaning over the rail and nearly dropping out of the stands, consumed by the helpless laughter that seemed to afflict everypony in the courtroom.
“I didn’t know you were into that kind of stuff, Rainbow Dash!” a pegasus pony piled on, wiping tears from her eyes, reducing her own laughs to giggles only until the next photo came into view.
“M-My sides hurt!!” a guffawing earth pony stallion exclaimed from where he was rolling around on the aisle floor, having fallen completely out of his seat.
“My word! These are c-certainly—“ The Judge cleared his throat, trying admirably to maintain a sense of decorum even as that of his courtroom had been destroyed “—Interesting photographs…”
“Oh… dear,” were the only words that came out of the mouth of a shocked Phoenix, whose mind had nearly ceased functioning at the moment the images registered. He had felt his heart, brain and soul go straight down to the soles of his feet when Trixie had opened the envelope, certain it was the end of the case. But now?
Nothing in his entire career had prepared him for… the pictures!
“P-poor Rainbow Dash!” Twilight agreed, blushing furiously again but unable to keep from giggling herself despite the predicament they were still in as the images floated by.
For her part, a mortified Rainbow Dash sat very rigid, her eyes wide and cheeks flushed scarlet as she heard the laughter and ridicule rain down on her. “MY LIFE IS RUINED!!!” she wailed, forced to watch as her carefully cultivated image of ‘coolness’ was utterly obliterated in front of all her friends and fans.
“As you can see, Your Honor, the defendant has some very… bizarre tastes!” Trixie stated gleefully as she added fresh pictures to the magical slideshow, humiliating Rainbow further as the laughter and comments erupted anew.
“Uh… wait!” Phoenix snapped out of his reverie and snatched a picture out of the air; his hand tingled as it disrupted her blue aura. Hope her magic doesn’t turn my hand into a hoof or give me a third eye or something! he belatedly worried, having no idea what pony magic could do to him. “What was the point in showing these pictures, Trixie? How do they relate to the crime in question?” he demanded to know, waving the crumpled image at the showmare.
As the guffaws from the gallery faded to scattered titters, Trixie turned her attention back to Phoenix, snatching the picture back from him and floating him and Twilight a complete set in a separate envelope. “They were in the victim’s bag, weren’t they? That alone means they are important evidence! Do you truly think Trixie would be so low as to show these pictures for the sole purpose of humiliating the defendant?” the mare magician asked, putting on a hurt look.
That’s EXACTLY what I think you did! Phoenix was all but certain, trying to force his mind back to the matter at hand, certain he’d never get those images out of his head. ”I have to ask, what were these, uh… pictures… doing on the victim anyway?” he wanted to know, motioning towards the envelope he’d been given but not about to open. If I have my way, I will never EVER look at these again! he promised himself, fearing he’d be seeing them in his dreams and waking hours for the rest of his life.
“How should Trixie know?” the showmare shrugged, looking very pleased with herself. “Maybe he was just into this sort of thing. Or maybe he had an odd fetish that only Rainbow Trash could satisfy!” she suggested with a leer at Rainbow, who was now laying her head face down on the rail with her hooves over her ears.
You said these pictures were important evidence, but you’re not going to explain why? Now I KNOW you brought them out just to embarrass Rainbow Dash! Phoenix glared at her, but could do nothing about it.
“In any case, the court accepts these… uh… photographs as evidence,” The Judge said formally as he received his own copies of the pictures, then put them aside without looking at them.
With that, The Judge cleared his throat and the courtroom finally settled down. “After that little interlude, can I declare my verdict now, Ms. Trixie?” The Judge asked.
“Most certainly, Your Honor!” an immensely satisfied Trixie invited, sitting back and leaving Rainbow Dash to face her fate. “The prosecution is only too eager to hear it!”
“Phoenix! Do something, quick!” Twilight pleaded in a sharp whisper, sensing the looming outcome of their case.
But Phoenix felt completely lost, his shoulders starting to slump. “I’m sorry, Twilight, but I don’t know what to do! I’ve never encountered first degree murder with a storm cloud before!” he told her, his hands white-knuckled as he gripped the rail under severe stress, feeling his last threads of hope for a turnabout starting to slip away. Every trick he knew, every objection he’d made, and everything he had tried in the trial had been ineffective against Trixie, whom he was increasingly forced to admit was the equal or better of most prosecutors he’d fought back home.
This time, it was Twilight who gave Phoenix fresh strength, putting a hoof over his hand as it rested on the rail. “You said you wing it all the time, right? Well, wing it!” she implored him, her efforts and tone of voice suddenly and very strongly reminding him of Maya.
Remembering his teenage assistant and knowing how disappointed she—to say nothing of her late older sister!—would be if he gave up now, Phoenix stood up straight again and squeezed Twilight’s hoof in gratitude, vowing one final, all-out effort to save Rainbow Dash. He took a deep breath, and…
“What is it, Mister Wright?” The Judge asked in some annoyance, ready to bring down his gavel for the final time. “Unless you can present evidence, I am not interested in another of your fishing expeditions!”
Phoenix forced himself to sound authoritative even though he knew he was on thin ice with The Judge. “There are still a couple questions that need clarifying, Your Honor! First, how can the prosecution be so sure my client was at the scene of the crime? If I recall correctly, she was picked up at her home! Not on location,” Phoenix groped, knowing this one slim thread was likely his last stand.
“Trixie already told you that, you imbecile! Her hoof marks were on the cloud and her feathers were all over the clearing! Don’t you think that’s incriminating enough?” The showmare stood her ground, her insults pushing Phoenix’s already-abused buttons further and forcing him to bite his tongue to prevent a particularly ugly retort from escaping his lips.
He had never wanted to defeat someone—somepony—so badly in his life, and he had to forcibly remind himself the object was not to beat Trixie, but prove Rainbow Dash innocent, and that would be much harder with the contempt citation his comment would have been certain to garner.
Bet Maya would have enjoyed it, though! He allowed himself a small grin, knowing she’d hate Trixie even worse than him, having far less patience than he did for obnoxious and insulting individuals. “Yes, but the cloud could have been moved by someone else and the feathers could have been gathered from anywhere she’d been! I assume they can fall from a pegasus’ wings just as hair falls from your head?” he looked to Twilight, praying he hadn’t just made yet another invalid assumption about ponies, but to his relief, she confirmed it with a quick nod.
“I may not have proof yet, but that she was framed by another pony is a possibility, and one this court must, in good conscience, explore!” Phoenix insisted, turning from Trixie to make his appeal directly to The Judge. He might be fickle, but he’s also not one to leave any stone unturned before he pronounces verdict!
The Judge gave a heavy sigh, closing his eyes as he considered the request. If it was anybody but him… he reminded himself of all the times Phoenix Wright’s wilder claims and theories had been proven correct, or at least not entirely off-base. “Though it seems highly unlikely to this court that the defendant was framed given all the circumstantial evidence the prosecution has presented... it is also true that the prosecution has not yet conclusively proven that she was the one who triggered the killing bolt,” he conceded reluctantly, having been looking forward to a quick verdict so he could get some sleep after a long night and then be allowed to explore Equestria in earnest.
Phoenix’s heart leapt. “Exactly! So the defense moves for a continuation until tomorrow so the prosecution and defense can investigate this possibility in more detail!” If he says yes, that’ll give me enough time to conduct a more proper investigation! To say nothing of getting to do what I should have last night and STUDY! he thought ruefully again, strangely certain Twilight was never going to let him live it down.
“Any objections, Ms. Trixie?” The Judge turned to his right.
Seeing that The Judge was wavering again, Trixie let out another theatrical sigh. “Looks like this is going to drag out a bit longer.” She rolled her violet eyes, then smiled. “So be it. That just means Trixie can toy with Mister Wrong for a little longer! But there is no need for a continuance, Your Honor. Trixie in fact has another witness that can put the defendant near the scene of the crime at the time of the murder!”
“This one has to be Fluttershy,” Phoenix stated with certainty to Twilight, wondering why she wasn’t brought out to testify earlier. Doesn't make sense—if Trixie had a witness that could place Rainbow Dash at the scene, then why didn’t she call her to the stand first?
Twilight nodded, her expression troubled. “I wonder what she saw? She wasn’t able to tell us last night.”
“Guess we’re about to find out,” Phoenix knew, eagerly awaiting her entrance. As things stood, the case was all but lost; his only remaining chance for a turnabout was to find new contradictions in fresh testimony and evidence.
“The prosecution will bring out their next witness,” The Judge instructed, and Trixie again nodded to the unicorn bailiff.
It took several minutes of coaxing before Fluttershy finally came into the courtroom, escorted by a large earth pony guard. She reluctantly entered the witness box, looking very afraid and uncomfortable to be the center of attention of so many other ponies, hiding her eyes behind her bangs as she had the previous night when Phoenix had first met her.
“Witness, state your name and occupation,” Trixie directed.
But Fluttershy didn’t respond. She was all but cowering behind the stand, teal eyes barely visible over the podium.
“Witness! Get out from under there and state your name and occupation!” Trixie ordered more sharply, getting annoyed again.
“Fluttershy. I’m an animal caretaker.” Fluttershy’s reply was but an inaudible whisper.
“Can you please repeat that, young lady? I couldn’t hear you,” The Judge requested, cupping a hand to his ear.
“My name is Fluttershy,” she spoke again, and in fairness her reply was a little louder… by one or two decibels.
“Nope… still couldn’t hear you.” The Judge shook his head.
Watching painfully as Fluttershy struggled to speak, Phoenix got an idea. “Maybe I can milk this situation to our advantage,” he told Twilight in an aside.
“Milk it? How?” she asked, uncertain what he was planning next.
Phoenix addressed The Judge directly. “Your Honor! This witness clearly doesn’t have the ability to testify! So the defense moves again to suspend the proceedings of this trial for another—”
Fluttershy instantly perked up on hearing his voice, suddenly standing up straight and speaking in a loud, clear tone. “Oh, Mister Phoenix, you’re here! You haven’t died yet? There must be something very wrong. You look so frail and seem to be suffering more than ever right now!” She looked at him in concern, as if she was expecting him to burst into flame at any moment.
Phoenix couldn’t believe it. “You got the last one right…” he all but whimpered, wondering what he’d done to anger the trial gods.
“Mister Wright? Tell her to state her name and occupation, please,” The Judge asked him, but to Phoenix, that was just salt in the wound.
“But that’s the prosecution’s job! It’s her witness!” he began to protest.
“This witness was being difficult when Trixie was preparing her as well. That’s why she was not called earlier,” Trixie noted, and for once Phoenix had no doubt the mare magician was telling the truth.
“Given the circumstance… just do it, Mister Wright,” The Judge ordered Phoenix.
Phoenix let out a heavy sigh, feeling incredibly put upon. “Fluttershy,” he accidentally addressed her by name. “Uh, I mean Witness—state your name and occupation please,” Phoenix directed, taking on the role of prosecutor. Never thought I’d be saying THAT line! He didn’t like the taste of it at all, having a sudden image of an evil, red-suited version of himself on the other side of the courtroom pit.
“Oh, I’d be happy to, Mister Phoenix! I’m Fluttershy. I’m an animal caretaker,” Fluttershy introduced herself, smiling warmly at Phoenix, who might have been taken with her anew if he was in a better mood and not about to lose a trial.
Doesn’t she realize Rainbow Dash’s life is at stake here?
“Is it true you saw Rainbow Dash leave the Everfree Forest two nights ago?” Trixie asked, but Fluttershy hid again at the sound of the showmare’s voice.
“Mister Wright?” The Judge prompted.
Phoenix couldn’t believe what he was being made to do, his shoulders slumping as he spoke. “Is it true you saw Rainbow Dash leave the Everfree Forest two nights ago?” he repeated the question in an almost groggy, punch-drunk voice. This kind of backfired on me… he noted. But then again, how is that different from anything else I’ve tried?
“Oh! Yes, I did. I saw her flying out of the forest, and she seemed to be in quite a hurry!” Fluttershy answered him, sounding more serious now even as Phoenix’s heart sunk.
“Trixie thinks even you are smart enough to know what to ask her next, Mister Wrong!” The showmare smiled and sat back, thoroughly enjoying the scene.
Phoenix ground his teeth, but did so. “And at what time did you see her fly out?”
“Just after 8:40 PM,” Fluttershy announced, and with that, Phoenix all but felt the roof cave in on his case.
This time, it was The Judge who pounced before Trixie. “So the defendant was indeed in the forest around the time of the murder! Witness! You will—” he trailed off when he saw her duck back under the podium again.
“Hrm… Mister Wright, tell her she has to testify.” The Judge cleared his throat as he asked Phoenix to act on his behalf.
Now I have to do YOUR job too, your honor? Phoenix wanted to scream. “Fluttershy…”
“Yes, Mister Phoenix?” she perked back up instantly, smiling again and leaving Phoenix’s mind oscillating between the incredible awkwardness of the whole bizarre situation, and her undeniable adorability and beauty.
He gathered himself carefully before speaking. “Can you please testify as to what you saw two nights ago when you saw Rainbow Dash leaving the forest?” Phoenix asked, thinking he should at least have a gavel in his hand if he was going to pretend to be The Judge.
“Um… I don’t know what ‘testify’ means,” she admitted timidly, causing pained facehoofs from not just Twilight but half the gallery.
Phoenix was ready to turn around and bash his head against the wall behind him. “It just means, tell us what you saw last night,” he explained with far more patience than he was feeling, amazed he was able to keep his voice even despite the fact that internally he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs.
“Oh yes, I can do that! I’ll do anything for you, Mister Phoenix!” she promised, eager to be helpful.
But something tells me she won’t be! he was only too certain, having no idea how he was going to get out of this one.
