-Canterlot Castle, Canterlot-
-13th Waxing Moon, 5:45 P.M.-
While I am flattered by your offer to take this case I’m afraid that I’m unable to take due to my current schedule.
My Sincerest apologies,
Brief Case, Canterlot Attorney at Law
Celestia’s eyes traced over the words on the letter, feeling her heart drop. With a causal flick of the hoof, the letter soared through the air and into a bin. That’s the fifth one this week. Celestia sighed as she pulled out another piece of parchment and began writing out another letter.
The usual clean and composed room of the princess was in complete chaos. The bookshelves were now mostly bare, their contents laid strewn across the floor. Small cups of coffee were stacked several feet high by the bed stand with sweet wrappers littering the ground beneath them. Ink ran across the desk, dying Celestia’s one pristine white coat with blackish-blue ink.
Compared to the state of the royal quarters, Princess Celestia looked even worse. Heavy grey bags hung underneath her magenta eyes. Her once flowing mane that captivated the masses with its pastel colors seemed greyer as it clung to her back. Feathers stuck out at weird angles, her wings in desperate need of preening. Jotting down the last sentence, she grasped the letter in her magic and watched in vanish into the air.
Clank.
A small chittering noise made Celestia’s ears perk up as a small tea set was placed on to the side of her desk. A diminutive purple dragon stood beside Celestia, his green head fin only coming up to her wing joints. “Princess, are you okay? I was calling for you six time already.”
Stretching out a wing, the alicorn pulled the small dragon into a warm but feathery hug. “Thank you, Spike,” Celestia said pulling the purple dragon tight against her body. The motherly warmth radiating off Celestia warmed Spike, a muffled welcome coming through her wings through the loving embrace. Releasing him, Celestia took a long sip from one of the cups, the tongue biting bitterness helping her focus her thoughts.
Several books levitated off the floor in a golden aura, snapping open on top of Celestia’s desk. Several marks were added, as Celestia pulled a feather from her wing and began scribbling down notes on a piece of paper. “Princess, you’re acting like Twilight on one of her study binges,” Spike said, earning him a sad smile from Celestia.
“While I appreciate your concern Spike, I can’t sleep, now yet at least.” Celestia leaned back, popping her joints loudly as she tried to ease the growing tension in her back. “As long as I’ve ruled over Equestria, murder is one of the crimes I’m glad rarely occurs in my nation.” Pushing herself up, Celestia trotted over to her bed, levitating several books off of the blankets. “A great crime has occurred and I refuse to stand by and let an innocent pony suffer,” she said as the books snapped open. “But trust me Spike, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“I doubt your words, sister,” came a regal sounding voice from the doorway. A midnight blue alicorn stood between the doors of Celestia’s chamber, her dark blue eyes settling on Celestia.
“Luna, shouldn’t you be dealing with the Night Court?” inquired Celestia, lifting up her head.
The smaller alicorn half-smiled as she walked into the room, “I called for a small recess. I find so many of these ‘requests’ to irksome to even bother answering.” Stepping over a few pieces of paper laying scattered around the floor, Luna stood over her older sister. Tossing her starry, ethereal mane out of her face, the princess of the night approached her sister’s beside. “Tia, you haven’t visited the realm of dreams in nearly a fortnight. What ails you dear sister?”
Celestia started to speak, but failed as her crumpled form collapsed onto her bed. “I feel as if some of my worst fears have come to life, dear sister.” Celestia gathered enough strength to rise up again to meet her sister eye to eye. “Is this case so simple and clean? For as long as I’ve reigned over this kingdom, the truth is never as clear as we would expect it to be. I will never decide who shall live and die, Spike. That is why I established a legal system so that justice will be carried out.”
A small, white envelope popped into existence in front of Celestia, floating down onto her bed. Opening up the letter, Celestia’s eyes scanned over the contents of the letter until she crumpled it into a ball and flicked it into the growing pile of rejections. “That was one of the last few defense attorneys in Canterlot,” she said with a hint of despair.
“Sister, please. You’ve done all that you can." Leaning against the side of the bed, the smaller alicorn placed a caring hoof against her sister's shoulder. "It would take a miracle to save this pony. Somepony who could-“
“Saves a griffon from unjust accusations in Manehatten.”
The two diarchs looked over at Spike who was holding up a newspaper. On the front cover was a blue earth pony stallion standing side by side shaking hoof to claw with a dark feathered griffon. A navy blue nimbus surrounded the newspaper, yanking it free of Spike’s grasp.
Rookie defense attorney, Clear Truth, pulls off a Not Guilty verdict for accused suspect, White Gale. Gale was placed under arrest last week under suspicion of murdering a journalist on top of a skyscraper at night. Trust walked into the courtroom and turned around the whole situation, leaving everypony in awe.
I thought I was done for,” Gale told reporters, “I felt my wings melting underneath Celestia’s sun when I was in the courtroom. When I lost all hope, Trust came in and told me how he would find the real killer.”
Some are amazed at the fact that a murder trial was solved in only two days but Trust is unusual rookie with an even stranger method of solving a case. Afterwards-
“Sister, I believe I’ve found we’ve found our miracle.”
-Main Office, Clear Truth Incorporated-
-7:45 P.M-
A light blue earth pony sat a worn desk, looking at two large envelopes; one ripped open the other placed at the far end of his desk. “I thought after solving that griffon’s case I’d be getting more clients, it’s been more than three weeks and nopony has even showed up at the door yet. Might as well call it a night,” he said packing away the two folders inside a brief case.
I need some bits soon or I’m losing this place, Truth thought as he walked to the door. Locking the door and placing the key under the mat, he headed downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs, a large crowed was already swarming at the front doors.
Typical rush hour, may as well try and leave through the back again, brushing his spikey black mane down with a hoof.
“Excuse me. I need to see a, Mr. Truth,” came a voice from somewhere in the crowd. The utter silence shocked the earth pony more than hearing his name called out. Three unicorns in royal armor, were standing idly in the glass doorway. The setting sun's rays glinting off their armor as they walked into the building looking.
“Yes,” his voice a little coarse from the sudden tension. “Can I help you gentlecolts?” I wanted a client but I didn’t mean for this to happen, as he walked towards the group. Standing eye to eye with them, an uncomfortable ache running down his legs and into his hooves as the leader of the group stared him down.
“We wish to speak to you in private, Mr. Truth,” said the lead stallion. "We have an urgent matter to address that must be kept out of the public's ears."
Too late for that, feeling the crowd’s eyes drawing on him. “My office is upstairs. Please, follow me.”
Unlocking his office, the earth pony walked towards his desk as the guards followed in lock stop. Shutting the door behind them, the guards stood in the middle of the room like statues. “Now then, what can I do for you?” as his back leg began to erratically twitch.
“Her royal highness, Princess Celestia of Equestria, calls upon you, Clear Truth, to be the defense attorney of one, Fizz Pop, of Canterlot. The princess requires an immediate answer from you,” his gravelly voice ringing in his ears. “Do you wish to accept?
Truth's eyes went from wide to half lidded as the guard read off his report to the lawyer. “Okay, who set this up?” he blurted out, as his lips tightened.
“I’m sorry, sir?”
“This is some kind of joke, there’s no way that Princess Celestia sent some of her guards just so she could hire me as an attorney." You get a griffon off murder charges and I’d think I'd get some publicity. But, no, I'm still a clown.
“Sir, this is no joking matter, Princess Celestia named you for us to find.” Shifting the saddle plate on his armor, the guard continued to eye Truth with a leveled look. “You can either accept, or we shall leave. The choice is yours.”
Truth rocked his head from side to side, circumspect about their offer. Sounds almost too good to be true but then again but if this isn’t some kind of joke; this could be the case that puts me up on billboards.
“Well Mr. Truth? We’re waiting on your answer,” spoke up the guard.
“One second please.” Truth walked over to his desk and pulled out a bright red tie from the top drawer. A small plink was heard following. Bending over, he began tying up his red tie around the base of his neck. “Okay, let’s get to the train station.”
“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Truth, we can have you in Canterlot in ten seconds flat.” Stepping back, the other two guards walked past their superior to form a triangle formation in the center of the room. A crackling sound began to form as the three unicorns ignited their horns, shutting their eyes in concentration. The air started to distort wildly till a small tear began to form on the carpet and spreading out like water poured from a glass. A ring of light blue fire erupted up from the floor, an image of a white stone floor pooling into the open space.
“This is a warp portal, Mr. Truth, and it will take you straight to the princess, but please do hurry, this spell is very taxing on us,” said the guard as sweat began to run down the guard's mane.
The blue earth pony looked down at the misshapen portal beneath him. Peering through, he saw nothing but a solid white on the other side of the distortion. I can’t believe I’m actually going through with this, as he stepped up to the portal.
“Quickly, please step through. We can’t hold it open for much longer.”
Bending his back legs, Truth sprung forward into the whirling portal. A brief moment of weightlessness overcame him as he leaped through the portal, gravity releasing him from its grip. However, it quickly left him as he face planted onto a cold stone floor.
Guess I should’ve just walked through, rubbing the bridge of his muzzle. Looking behind, he could see his office through an red ringed portal before it began to ripple and shrink till it dwindled into nothingness. Thankfully nopony saw me just fall like a foal trying to walk.
“Welcome Mr. Truth, I’m glad you’ve decided to come."