Twilight Sparkle, Ace Attorney: The Royal Turnabout

by Animegx43


Day 2: Investigation: Locks and Chains

October 10
Detention Center
Visitor's Room

As Twilight had hoped, Discord wasn't at the detention center when she arrived herself. Since nopony else was there, Twilight was free to speak to Rarity without any interruption. Twilight and Spike asked the guard to bring Rarity in to for a visit, hoping to squeeze more information out of her.

"No sight of Discord? Great. No problems." Twilight said with a smile. "Ready to see Rarity, Spike?"

"You know I always am, but will she talk to us?" Spike asked. "You had to press her really hard to just to delay the trial."

Hmm. Spike has a point. She didn't tell us about Fancy Pants until the very last second. Twilight thought. "I guess it's secret weapon time."

"Secret weapon? What secret weapon?"

"A magic spell that I've learned a while ago. One from one of Star Swirl The Bearded old journals. It'll let me--"

"Twilight?" A mare's voice said.

Before Twilight could finish explaining her spell to Spike, Rarity showed up on the other side of the visitor's room. The topic of the spell was no longer important since her friend/client had finally showed up.

"Hi, Rarity. You doing alright in there?" Twilight asked.

"Well, I'm doing alright considering some of the guards here have been very nice to me." Rarity said. "They've been a little googly on, but at least I feel safe from the other ponies in here."

Why have I been worried about her? Twilight thought. "So...uhh...did Discord ask you anything after bringing you here?"

"Yes, he wanted me to tell him why I was at a Canterlot hotel with Fancy Pants. I didn't tell him anything though. Why should I? He's been trying to prosecute me!"

"In that case, how about you tell me what you were doing? I'm defending you after all."

Twilight was hoping that Rarity would've been more helpful after revealing that she was with Fancy Pants on the day of the crime, thinking that it was her big secret. Unfortunately, there was something else that Rarity was trying to hide.

"I'm afraid I have nothing else to hide, Twilight."

Yeah, I don't need a lie detector to know that you're a bad liar, Rarity. Speaking of which... Twilight thought. "Rarity, I want you to tell me with a straight face why you were at the Golden Horseshoe with Fancy Pants."

As Twilight made her request, she secretly began channeling a magic spell. While her magic usually makes her horn glow purple, the spell she used made it glow a very faint green instead.

"Fine. I was there with Fancy Pants for a little vacation. Just as I told you Yesterday."

As Rarity lied, the area around her suddenly became pitch-black. In front of her, several chains appeared out of nowhere and wrapped around Rarity, with two large red boxes linking them together. Despite what it looked like, Rarity was unfazed by what happened, as if there were no chains at all.

"AAAHHH! WHERE DID THOSE COME FROM!?" Spike screamed.

"Where did what come from, Spike?" Rarity asked.
"Th-those chains! And the boxes...and who turned off the lights?"

Rarity looked at Spike funny, has she had no idea about what he was talking about. Due to the glass window separating Rarity from them, Spike felt useless. incidentally, Twilight felt bad for not warning Spike about the spell she was casting when she had the chance.

"Don't worry, Spike." Twilight said to comfort her little friend. "You're seeing those locks and chains because you're right next to me as I'm channeling this spell. Rarity, on the other hoof, can't see them at all."

"Please, will somepony explain to me about these locks and chains?" Rarity asked.

"Right now, I'm using an ancient spell I found. I've been meaning to test it. I guess it works." Twilight explains. "The locks me and Spike are seeing are called Psyche-locks. Since we can see them, it means you're keeping a secret from me."

"Hey, how dare you try to read my mind! That's an invasion of my privacy!"

If I actually could read your mind, that would be REALLY helpful, but this is the next best thing. All I need to do now is to talk the truth out of Rarity and she should spill her beams.

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--Secret: Why Rarity was really there--

"Whether you like it or not, you're going to tell me why you were at the hotel, Rarity." Twilight stated.

"Try all you'd like. I'm keeping my lips tight. How would you like if I barged int your personal life?"

I guess she's right. Why she was with Fancy Pants isn't any of my business. Not a problem. There's something she's done that isn't personal. Twilight thought. "Fine. I won't ask you about Fancy Pants. Instead, tell me why you went to see Prince Blueblood."

"Wh-why..I...I just heard he was at the hotel too, so I thought I'd give him a visit. Nothing suspicious about that, is there?"

"A normal visit? No, but any visit is suspicious if you bring something like THIS with you..."

TAKE THAT!

"It's clear to everypony that you brought this gold bar with you, which is believed to be the weapon used in the crime. Care to explain it?"

Rarity was at wit's end trying to come up with an answer regarding the gold bar. "I...Well, I...you could make the argument that...that I was trying to give royalty as a loyal peasant. I'm sure Princess Celestia is always showered with gift herself."

Hey, she's right. How come no pony has given me any--oh no, Twilight. Don't become what Star Cestus has been ranting about. Twilight thought to herself. "You couldn't have been trying to give royalty a gift, especially when that gift belongs to this pony..."

TAKE THAT!

"On the gold bar you brought, the magic residue of an unknown unicorn was found on it. This only other pony can only be Fancy Pants, the only pony you know here who's rich enough to have something like this."

As Rarity stood in shock from what Twilight figured out, one of the two red locks around the chains shattered as if they were made of glass. Spike, still confused about what was going on, was surprised by the shattered lock.

"WHOA! Twilight, what just happened?" Spiked asked.

"When ever one of the psyche-locks breaks like that, it means I'm getting closer to getting a secret out." Twilight explained. "If I can break the second one, then Rarity will be more helpful. Although, I've already proven that Rarity had Fancy Pant's money and brought it over to Prince Blueblood. Now's she's just being stubborn."

Rarity, at first, felt hurt from what Twilight said. While she didn't like the idea of Twilight calling her stubborn, after looking back, Rarity realized that ever since she got Twilight involved in the case, she had been nothing but stubborn. After finally realizing that herself...

"You're right, Twilight. Here I am, the Element of Generosity, giving you absolutely nothing, What a fool I've been."

As Twilight finally got through and reached the Rarity she knew so well, the second and last psyche-lock shattered as well. As a result, the chains quickly unwrapped Rarity as the darkness around her vanished.

--Secret Unlock Successful--

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"Alright, darling. Feel free to ask me anything that you want now." Rarity said.

Twilight had many questions to ask and so little time. She decided to get back on track and ask about the gold bar.

"I still don't understand why you took something of Fancy Pants and brought it to Prince Blueblood's room. What were you doing?"

"Actually, Fancy Pants himself wanted me to do that. He...well..." Rarity said. "No. I promised to tell you everything, and I'll be damned if I don't!"

"Rarity, language! Spike is here." Twilight said.

"Don't worry, Twilight. I've heard her say much worse while working at the boutique." Spike said.

I'm afraid to ask what she actually does there now. Twilight thought.

"Anyway, the reason I brought the gold to Blueblood was because we wanted to bribe him to over turn something. Something neither of us wants to see happen in Canterlot." Rarity explained. "I didn't say anything because if I said that to the court, I'd have a bribery charge on me as well."

Over turn something... Twilight thought. "You mean Proposition G3? I remember hearing the captain of the guard mentioning it a few times, but I haven't had the chance to look into it."

"Oh, it's an awful thing Blueblood has been trying to make happen, darling. Basically, if it happens, taxes in Canterlot will be dropped a little for high income ponies, but to balance it out, lower in-class ponies in Canterlot will have their taxes almost doubled. It's insane!"

Oh, so it's about changing the way taxes work. Wait, doubled taxes? Twilight thought. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard! Why would anypony want a tax like this?"

"Well, do keep in mind that Canterlot is mostly a rich pony city." Rarity said. "Anypony in Canterlot who makes an average earning is consider a minority, so they really don't have much to say. It doesn't really matter anyway, since the whole thing is being decided by the Canterlot Counsel."

"Hey, is that the ponies that wouldn't let Rarity just walk right out, even though your a princess?" Spike asked.

"Actually, it's what Canterlot has instead of an actual mayor." Twilight explained. "Since Princess Celestia and Luna both live in Canterlot, it was believed that a mayor would simply be overshadowed by the princesses. Instead, an anonymous group of ponies, chosen by Celestia and Luna themselves, act sort of like a team of mayors instead."

"Anonymous my hoof! Blueblood has made it clear that he's in the group to everypony in the city!!"

So Prince Blueblood openly admitted that he was one of Canterlot's leaders, abused the power and came up with a tax that would take money from less fortunate ponies for himself? Geez, I'm glad somepony smacked him. Twilight thought, thinking very lowly of Blueblood.

Rarity had given Twilight a lot of well needed information. It was clear why royalty wasn't well liked by common folk in Canterlot, and more importantly, what Rarity was doing at Blueblood's room

"So Fancy Pants wanted to convince Blueblood to keep Canterlot the same, even though he would've benefit from such a tax?" Twilight asked.

"Of course, darling. He's such a great stallion, never looking down at anypony. He strongly agrees that rich or poor, strong or weak, we should all be treated fairly. The real reason he wanted me to come was so I could help bribe the prince without Fancy Pants getting caught. And...that's when I found him out cold."

Maybe I shouldn't tell her that this gives both of them motives Twilight thought. "Wait, did you say you found him out cold while holding the gold?"

"Well, yes. I thought it was obvious."

While Twilight freaked out from her epiphany, she was also excited by it. "Rarity! That means the gold bar you brought couldn't be weapon used to attack the prince!"

Rarity had the happiest look on her face after what Twilight said. For the first time since getting sent to jail, she heard good news for her case

"OH THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" Rarity said with excitement. "If it weren't for this glass wall, I'd be hugging you right now!"

"Would you care to hug your attorney's trusted assistant as well?" Spike asked.

"Oh, Spiky Wikey, I could kiss you both right now!" Rarity said, making the baby dragon very, VERY happy.

"No time, Spike. We still have a lot to do." Twilight said. "We may know Rarity is innocent, but we still need proof, and the only way to do that is to investigate. I'd very much like to talk to Fancy Pants for a bit since he's somewhat involved in this."

"Oh, well then let me right down his address for you." Rarity said. "I'm sure he's more than willing to help you out in your investigation."

"That would be great, Rarity. I promise you that when I come back, I''ll have everything I need to end this trial tomorrow." Twilight said. I think I'll also make a note about Proposition G3, since that's going to be important.

With a lead about another pony involved with the case, Star Cestus investigating the crime scene for her, and understanding a possible reason as to why Prince Blueblood was attacked at all, Twilight's investigation was up to a good start. She still had a lot to do, but she was certain that Rarity's innocence would happen. There was only one small problem that she didn't want to share with her friend.

If everything Rarity said was true... Twilight thought with sadness. ...then it's possible that it was Fancy Pants who's responsible for all this.