//------------------------------// // Episode 10: The Nightmarish Turnabout - Investigation Part 1 // Story: An Epic for Gilgamesh // by zaleacon //------------------------------// Darkness swallowed the room, with only a single, small lantern giving it any sort of visibility. The stone floor was painted with blood, the source of which lay not far away. His heart had stopped beating not twenty minutes before. The second figure, which looked in on the scene from the outside, fell to the ground in shock. “N-no…” she muttered. “I was… I couldn’t’ve…” She raised a hoof, stained red. At her side lay a conical dagger, the entirety of which was, of course, also blood-soaked. “This is wrong… this shouldn’t’ve…” The figure muttered. Her eyes were transfixed on the body that lay unmoving beneath the swinging light. “I-I wasn’t… I-I’m…” Her eyes suddenly rolled back in her head, and the figure fell into the blood before her with a soft splash. -- An Epic for Gilgamesh -- -- Episode 10: The Nightmarish Turnabout – Investigation Part 1 -- -- Written By ZaleAcon -- One would not have expected anything different that day, on the thirtieth of October, and with only one day until Nightmare Night. It was a calm, peaceful day, without a single cloud in the sky, and – perhaps more poignantly – without any major issue having happened, at least not in Ponyville. Twilight sat at her desk, looking through one of the books on dimensions (specifically, The Theory of Parallel Worlds by famous Griffish scientist Cyan Faltair) that Cerulean had left behind. She had leafed through its pages one by one, scanning each several times in an effort to discover some information on Gilgamesh’s predicament. Twilight sat back and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She had been at it for… well, according to the clock, it had been at least eight hours, but she was barely halfway through the book. If it had been for a more lenient reason, especially if she was just reading for personal fun, she could probably have finished it in half that time, but under the current circumstances such was not an option. Even though she had not given herself time to rest after the previous night’s party, Twilight could not stop. After all, who knew how long they all had before another paper beast was sent after them? Even if Gilgamesh was as good a swordsman as he had both claimed and had proven – and definitely well-versed in his world’s magic, as the previous day’s lesson showed – that the monsters had jumped in power so exponentially from the magic-resistant insect to the massive, fire-breathing dragon was terrifying to her. Yes, she and her friends could fight if need be, but they were hardly warriors; even given their track record for fighting against several dozen deadly creatures in the time Twilight had lived in Ponyville, that did not change the fact that they were still ill-equipped to fight a threat that was completely unknown to them. Twilight sighed and looked back over the book’s pages. Even if it took her several more hours, she had to be prepared for any threats. She was not about to let Gilgamesh carry her friends and her away from danger any longer, and wanted to ensure that she could do anything to help when the situation would inevitably arise. A sudden knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and Twilight groaned loudly. “Spike?” she asked. “Can you grab that for me?” Spike, who had taken the foolish route of staying up all night with Twilight, yawned. “Yeah, uh… sure, Twilight, sounds good t’me…” He yawned again and blinked his eyes that he was visibly struggling to keep open. He stumbled his way over to the door, pulling it open and allowing the sunlight to stream in. “Hey there,” Spike mumbled. “Can I help you?” He rubbed one of his eyes with his left hand. “Er… yes, if you would,” came an unfamiliar voice from the other side of the door. Twilight turned toward it, and the form of a messenger – one who, surprisingly, wasn’t Glass – came into view. The messenger rubbed the side of his head with a beige hoof. “Sorry to bother you so early in the morning, sir,” he said, “but I was given a letter from somepony who wanted me to get this to you quickly. Said it was ‘urgent,’ he did.” The messenger reached into his saddlebag, pulled out an envelope, and placed it on the ground. “Ah, yes, here we are. Looks like this is right, sir.” He nodded down at Spike expectantly. Spike blinked as though he were confused and placed his claws on his chin. “Uh… why’re you…? Oh, wait! Right, I’m, uh… S-sorry about that.” He opened a drawer next to him, pulled out ten bits, and handed them over to the messenger. “Sorry,” he repeated, “we just haven’t had a messenger who waited long enough for a tip in a while.” “Glass?” “Glass.” The messenger nodded. “Yes, I understand.” He counted up the coins and nodded again. “Yes, I understand indeed. Thank you for your patronage, and I do hope that you make use of our services in the future!” Without another word, the messenger turned around and dashed off, presumably to another exciting adventure. Spike picked the letter up and dusted it off. “Hey Twilight,” he shouted over to her. “You want me to read this for you?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Spike, but I think I can handle this.” She magically pulled the letter from his claws, floating it over in front of her face. “Urgent, huh?” she murmured. “Wonder what’s so urgent about it…” She flipped the envelope over, and read the return address on the back. It was an unfamiliar area of Ponyville, but the fact that there was an address in the first place made her feel more at ease. It was better than getting a letter like Fluttershy did, at least. Her own address was written in clear, blocky letters that looked as though the writer had done so deliberately. Twilight carefully opened the envelope, making sure not to damage it in case she would need it later, and slid the letter out from within. She unfolded the letter itself, blinking as it came into view. “Huh,” Spike said, looking at it over her shoulder. “I can’t read a word of it. I doubt I could even if I was awake,” he added jokingly. The letter’s contents were completely different from the blocky lettering on the envelope, instead being an extremely defined cursive that made the process of deciphering its contents difficult. Twilight smiled to herself. “You want me to read it out loud?” “Sure, if… uh… if you want,” Spike said. “Okay then… Uh, let’s see here…” Twilight coughed and began: “’Dearest Princess Twilight Sparkle, Third Princess of Equestria, Former Student of the Princess of the Sun’…” She lowered the letter and grimaced. “This is going to be a long one, isn’t it?” “Don’t stop there,” Spike urged. “Keep going!” “Alright, alright…” Twilight said with a chuckle. “Ahem, where was I…? Oh, right. Ah… Third Princess… Former Student… Ahem, ‘I regret to inform you of a most egregious plight of which I am faced concerning a close friend of mine, and one of which I must request your aid in. Though, in the most honest of senses, I find what has befallen my friend deplorable at best, I am unable to partake in the matter on my own due to various reasons equally deplorable, and none so shameful as my own inability. Thus, I must turn to you for aid, as was recommended to me by said friend, whom you know well already. As I despise the art of wasting one’s time on unnecessary and irrelevant poppycock’–“ “’Poppycock’?” Spike asked, raising an eyebrow. “Yep, that’s what it says,” Twilight replied. “Anyway… ‘As I despise the art of wasting one’s time on unnecessary and irrelevant poppycock, I must address the situation at hand (or, in this case, would you proclaim it to be hoof? Regardless, the outcome remains unequivocally wretched), in that it is one of – if the not the absolute most – traumatic and problematic experiences which my friend has yet to face. I speak, of course, of the events that transpired upon the crossing of yesterday’s darkness to today’s earliest light. A nightmare, one may call it, yet even that would be far too generous a title. My friend, she was placed unto the gaol for a crime of which she is not guilty – a transgression that, for those who dared to call her so, is unforgivable – and awaits for one to grant her the aid and respite she so craves. Thus, my request is simple: I desire for you, Princess Twilight Sparkle, to assist my friend in reaching her liberation. This is no simple matter, but I know that you are no simple pony. Regardless of your answer, I can do nothing but give you thanks for, at the very least, humoring my request for aid in this darkest of times. In the case that you decide to take upon yourself this challenge, my friend awaits you within the prison in Canterlot. Otherwise, again, I thank you for, at the very least, taking the time to read my plea for your help. My thanks be to you.” Twilight took a deep breath. “Wow, that was even longer than I thought.” “Sure was,” Spike muttered, rubbing the side of his head. “But does it really just cut off like that?” “Yeah.” Twilight turned the letter over. “There’s no signature or anything. It’s weird. I mean, obviously it’s some creature’s friend, but I wonder who it could be?” “Whoever it is, they’re really pretentious.” Spike rolled his eyes. “I mean, who talks like that? I’m pretty sure that was more formal than the letters you get from the princesses! No, wait, I’ve been reading Princess Celestia’s letters for my whole life, and she’s never once used the word ‘egregious.’” Twilight couldn’t deny that. “But to be fair,” she said, “I’m kinda on a first-name basis with the two of them, and Celestia’s always been really informal around me. But still, you do have a point. Whoever wrote this must be really cultured.” “Or pretentious,” Spike repeated. “Maybe, but I don’t know.” Twilight looked back at the letter. “Still, somepony put a lot of time and effort into this, that’s for sure. And… well, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.” “You’re gonna go look into this person’s friend?” Twilight nodded. “Yeah. I’m… uh… I might as well, right? Besides, princesses are supposed to help creatures out who’re in trouble.” Spike grimaced. “But, uh… well, are you sure that it’s safe?” “What do you mean?” “Well, um…” Spike rubbed his hands together. “She’s in jail, right? And you can’t exactly be sure if she’s really innocent, or if the guy sending this just wanted to help her out, or what…” Twilight nodded again. He had a good point. “But I think I…” She paused, searching for the right words. “I think I should at least look into it, don’t you? If somepony’s really in trouble, it’s my job as a princess to give them all the help I can.” She glanced over at the book that lay open on her table, fighting the urge to go back to reading it. “But if I do that, I’ll lose the chance to learn more about this stuff… and then Equestria as a whole could be in trouble! Argh!” She placed her front hooves to the sides of her head. “Uh… Twilight?” “Of course, I could just take the book with me and read it on the way… but that’d be too heavy, plus the detention center’s all the way in Canterlot, and that’s a good half-hour away at least… I could go, check on this pony, see what’s wrong, come back, and then finish reading… Oh, but what if an attack happens while I’m gone?! Oh, Celestia, what’ll I do then?!” “Twilight?” “What?!” she suddenly shouted, whirling back toward Spike. Her eyes were wide and possibly bloodshot, but she was too ingrained in her panic-attack to notice. Spike slunk away. “Um… Wh-why don’t you just go up to Canterlot to see what’s wrong, and I –“ he gulped, realizing that he would probably regret what he was about to say “– and I’ll take notes on this thing for you.” Twilight suddenly brightened up considerably. “Oh, thanks Spike,” she said. She nuzzled him, and added, “I’ll be sure to get you something nice later.” “Heh, sounds good to me.” Spike puffed out his chest. “I’ll take the best notes you’ve ever seen!” “I’m sure you will.” Twilight grabbed her saddlebag, slipping it on carefully. “Uh huh, let’s see what I have here… I’ve got the letter, the envelope… Actually, that’s all I need, now that I think about it.” She stepped over to the door, pulling it open with her magic. “Okay, Spike, take care! I’ll be back soon!” Spike saluted. “Sounds good, Twilight. See you then!” With that last exchange, Twilight stepped out the door, beginning her walk to Canterlot and, more importantly, to the prison where the letter sender’s friend was in peril. Twilight’s hooves clacked against the pavement as the prison came into view. It was a short building, about the height of a typical house in Ponyville. However, it compensated by being half as wide as the block it was situated on. The prison was made entirely out of brick, with barred windows throughout the compound, and two steel doors out front. Twilight shuddered at the sight. It was a place that most ponies avoided, and for good reason. Given that few serious crimes were committed in Canterlot, the prison did not usually have many occupants (which spoke volumes, given that it was a joint prison between both Canterlot and Ponyville). The lack of creatures, sounds, and any signs of life in general made it look empty, especially with how disproportionately large it was. Twilight even recalled hearing rumors that the place was haunted by the souls of those who had been falsely accused. She trotted over to the door and raised a hoof to knock on it, before hesitating for a moment. Was she truly about to enter a prison? Even if it was relatively unoccupied, was it worth it? This whole thing has to be a mistake, she thought, still struggling with her attempt to crack her hoof against the heavy, steel doors. Maybe it would have been for the best if she had never left home in the first place. But then she recalled the letter itself, which rested in her bag. It had not been a demand for help, but a plea. It was clear that, whoever had sent it, he or she wanted to protect his or her friend. Did she have the right to deny the sender that? To deny them the chance to see somepony they clearly cared for enough to request that Twilight, a princess, could help her? Technically, yes, she did have that right. But what kind of princess would refuse something so heartfelt, from somepony who had reached out to her in their time of need? In that case, she would have no right to claim any such title. Twilight breathed in slowly and knocked her hoof against the door. How many creatures had she helped in the past two weeks, with nothing in return but personal gratification? Gilgamesh, Grant, Vinyl, Octavia, Fluttershy, the whole of the Canterlot Police Department, and probably several others. She was not going to back down in the face of a new creature in need, regardless of the circumstances. Several agonizing seconds later, the door slowly opened inward, having been pulled by a guard on the other side with a too-small hat and a nametag that read “Winter Snap.” “What b-brings you h-here today, Princess?” he asked, clearly struggling to keep calm in the face of royalty. Twilight reached into her bag and pulled out the letter, handing it over to him. The guard read it over carefully, handed it over to her, and nodded. “Y-yes, so you want to s-see the mare who we a-arrested last night, Princess?” Without waiting for a reply, he said, “F-follow me, please.” Twilight did just that, following the guard down the small, dimly-lit hallways of the prison towards the detention center. Or, at least, that was her assumption of where they were going, as she had never entered the prison before. After a short walk, Twilight found herself standing outside a large, locked door, similar to the one outside. The guard stepped up to it, placed a key in the lock, and opened it with a gusto that seemed unbefitting somepony who had spent the entire journey stuttering. “H-here we are,” he said. “Please be p-p-patient, Princess; the perpetrator– Ah, the defendant will a-arrive shortly.” Twilight stepped into the detention center, and found that it was surprisingly large. The room was a rectangular prism, thirty feet long and wide, but only around six or seven feet tall. A large wall separated it into two equal sections, with the middle cut out and replaced with a thick layer of glass. Only a few holes in the top to allowed any sound to go through. In addition to all that, there were two seats on opposite sides of the wall, and even a compartment, seemingly in case either side had something to give to the other. Twilight tapped her hoof against the wall impatiently while the guard stood by the door. “It’s a s-safety precaution,” he had told her when she asked why it was necessary for him to stand by. “N-not that I think y-you-you’re untrustworthy, of-of course, but I… ah… I c-can’t go against the rules. S-sorry, Princess.” She understood it completely, of course; though prisoners were carefully secured so they could not use their abilities to escape, visitors were not. In the case of a visitor trying to break somepony out of prison, there needed to be guard nearby to either stop them or slow them down. So still, she waited in an awkward, prolonged silence for the sender’s friend to show up. It was hardly a short wait, either. Time passed slowly and it was all Twilight could do not to fidget in the darkness and stuffiness of the room. It was around then that she wished she had taken the book with her, rather than just leave it back at the library with Spike. Heck, she wished she had taken Spike with her, if only to have somepony to speak with whom she was more comfortable. But unfortunately she was on her own, and did not have anypony willing to speak with her, so Twilight was forced to continue to wait, feeling the time pass by ever-so-slowly, until the door on the opposite side finally opened. Twilight sat up suddenly and forced herself to look professional as the subject of the letter walked into the room. As said mare came into view, however, Twilight felt her eyes widen in shock. She had been led in by at least two guards, and muttered under her breath as she sat down in the chair before noticing Twilight. The mare suddenly smiled, the look of discontent completely washing off her face. “Hey, you made it! Heh, I’m glad, ‘cause I was really starting to get worried you wouldn’t show up!” Twilight could only stare, slack-jawed. At last, she was able to say the mare’s name. “Cerulean?!” It was unmistakably her; the coat and mane were both the same, but her horn had been covered with a black, semi-transparent stone called “anti-crystal,” which absorbed and nullified all kinds of magic that came near it. As a result, it was ideal for imprisoned unicorns. “H-heh, yeah…” Cerulean grinned sheepishly. “Sorry about all this, Princess. I, uh… I didn’t wanna involve you in this, but my friend insisted on sending you a letter.” She raised her hooves. “And here you are!” “Here… I am,” Twilight repeated dumbly. Cerulean grimaced. “I, uh… I bet you have a ton of questions, don’t you?” “More than you think.” “Yeah, I… Probably.” Cerulean looked down, avoiding Twilight’s eyes. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this. Like I said, this was my friend’s idea, not mine. Told me you’d be able to defend me, and such.” Twilight blinked. “Defend you?” “Huh? Oh, yeah.” Cerulean grinned. “Y’know, defend me in court? Because I’m on trial? For murder?” “For murder?!” Twilight sputtered. “No, I’m sorry, but I didn’t know any of that! And… and I can’t defend you! I don’t even have a license, or any experience, or anything!” “Wait, didn’t he say that in the letter? I thought he would’ve…” “You mean this letter, right?” Twilight pulled out the letter and pressed it against the glass so Cerulean could read it. “There isn’t a single mention of court or murder in there!” “Let’s see…” Cerulean looked it over. “That’s not true. I mean, didn’t you see this? It clearly says, ‘help my friend reach her liberation’ and ‘the events that transpired upon the crossing of yesterday’s darkness to today’s earliest light.’ See there?” She pointed to the letter. “It’s a bit obscure, yeah, but those are supposed to refer to the murder and defending me in court. I can see why you’d be confused, though.” She rolled her eyes, and muttered, “And after I told him to ask you about this and everything, too? Ugh, sometimes I wonder why I even bother with him…” “Maybe it says that, but–” Twilight paused. “Wait, didn’t you say that it was his idea to ask me?” “Okay, I lied a little, but still.” Cerulean grimaced. “I can’t write for beans, but it was his idea to get an attorney. Sorry about the confusion there, since his writing’s more flowery than your average meadow. I just recommended you, that’s all.” “Oh, so that’s all,” Twilight deadpanned. “Like the fact that you forgot I’m not a defense attorney. At all.” And why was it necessary for somepony else to recommend an attorney? “Hey, it should be pretty easy,” Cerulean insisted. “I mean, I know that you’re really smart, Princess; heck, I think you’re a genius, if I’m gonna be honest. So all you’ve gotta do is get some evidence, make up a case, and get me out of here.” “How smart I am doesn’t matter, here!” Twilight snapped. “Finding evidence, making a case, and getting you found innocent are all things that require extensive time, research, and forethought. Do you realize how difficult this actually is?” She placed a hoof to the side of her head. “I guess that’s a no, then, huh?” “Yes, it’s a no! Cerulean, I’m sorry, and I really do want to help you, but I’m not a good candidate for this. I don’t even have the legal right to defend you, and like I said, my experience is non-existent.” Twilight grimaced. “I’m sorry, but can’t you find an actual attorney?” Cerulean shook her head. “I can’t,” she replied, “’cause nopony’s willing to take my case, and the few who are are way too expensive for me.” “Huh? But why not?” “It’s a murder case, Princess! The first one in Canterlot in four years!” Cerulean sighed. “Do you realize what will happen to a pony who defends me if I’m found guilty? And there’s a lot that’s pointing to me being guilty!” Twilight nodded. If she were found guilty, her attorney would likely be seen as a social pariah at best. Given the harshness of Canterlot’s socialites, being declared as somepony trying to get a convicted murderer back into society would completely ruin their reputation. But in that case, it only raised another question. “Then why,” Twilight asked, “are you requesting a princess to represent you?” “Because everypony already likes you,” Cerulean said. “If I were found guilty while you’re defending me, it would just look like another case of Princess Twilight Sparkle trying to help somepony in need. And if I’m found innocent? That only bolsters your reputation, right? Besides, who’s going to speak out against a princess?” “I’m still not an attorney, though,” she pointed out. “Even if I do take your case, I’ll never be accepted in court.” Cerulean nodded. “Yeah, I get that. I thought about that, too.” She smirked. “You’re a princess, right? Not to mention you used to be Celestia’s pupil. I’m sure that you can get away with giving yourself the right to defend a single case. It’s not like the public’s gonna go into an uproar over you helping a… well, a friend, I guess? I’m not sure if I really count, but eh.” Twilight could hardly argue with that logic, flawed though it was. And if she was the only one willing to give Cerulean the help she needed, did experience really matter? She had been left alone, with nopony giving her a second glance, and she was begging for Twilight’s help. And she was not the sort of pony who would leave a creature to suffer without aid. Twilight sighed. “Fine,” she said, “I’ll look into it.” Cerulean sat up quickly, meeting Twilight’s gaze. “Y-you will? Really?!” “Yeah, I…” Twilight paused. What could she say? What was there to say, really? That she knew Cerulean was innocent? She had no knowledge about the case, so how could she make such a claim? She did not even know when the trial would be, who the victim was, or any circumstances. “I’ll look into it,” she repeated. “I still owe you from the other day, anyway. So when’s your trial?” “It’s, ah…” Cerulean rubbed her hooves together nervously. “It’s… it’s tomorrow, actually.” “T-tomorrow?!” Twilight cried. “Y-yeah. Tomorrow at, uh… at… ten in the morning…” Cerulean mumbled, looking down at her hooves. Twilight felt her eye twitch. Of course the trial was tomorrow. Why would it not be? What reason did it have not to be? Given her luck, she supposed she was lucky that it wasn’t that evening. She pressed a hoof to her forehead and groaned. “Ugh… Are you kidding me…?” It was no secret that Equestrian trials were brief compared to those of other nations, but to have a trial just a day after Cerulean’s arrest seemed absurd. “S-sorry, Princess. I, uh… I guess I shoulda told you that first, huh?” “No, no, it’s fine,” Twilight lied. She grimaced. “Still, though, that’s a pretty tight schedule… I guess I should get going, then.” Cerulean nodded. “Right. Sorry I can’t be much help in this either.” She rubbed a hoof over her forehead, brushing away her mane. “I have a bit of information, but not much. I know where the crime took place, but I don’t know a lot of other stuff about it.” “Where was it?” “The Canterlot Police Department. The victim was in a special holding cell, I think.” Cerulean rubbed the back of her head. “Like I said, I don’t know too much about it. If you need any information though, you just have to ask.” “Alright, I think I’ll go check out the crime scene.” Twilight grimaced. In a mere hour she had gone from studying alternate dimensions to somehow agreeing to take on a murder case. Why her life was so complicated, even she did not know, but that was hardly the time for self-pity. “So I’ve taken your case,” Twilight said. “Is there any paperwork I need to do or anything?” “Shouldn’t be,” Cerulean replied. “You just needed to say you’d take my case. It’s the police department’s worry now.” It seemed like they were going through a lot, weren’t they? First a murder on their premises, now even more paperwork. Twilight stepped down from the stool. “Okay,” she said, “I’ll be back to check in on you later, alright? For now, I’m going to see what I can find.” “Sure, sure.” Cerulean grinned. “I trust you, Twilight; I know you can probably get me outta here, so now’s the time to see if I’m right.” Twilight walked over to the steel door and looked over at the nearby guard. “I’m ready to go.” The guard suddenly jerked to attention, and said, “Y-yes… yes, Princess! Please, follow m-me.” Within minutes, Twilight stood outside the prison, and felt her eyes readjust to the sunlight. The air seemed fresher, and the world seemed far brighter than before. No wonder so few creatures went anywhere near the prison; it seemed to absorb the life of anypony who even dared to draw close. Her hooves clacked against the stone path as she walked away. Twilight had a destination in mind, but it was hardly the Canterlot Police Department. Even being able to call herself an attorney, that made no difference when she did not have the skills or education of real lawyers. So even if she would probably be returning to the prison in just short time, Twilight did have an idea of where she planned to go first. She needed somepony who could help her in court, who could act as something of an assistant. It would have to be somepony who was intelligent and thoughtful enough to link together facts to create a case, somepony who was stubborn and loud enough to get his or her thoughts across, and somepony with a good enough eye that he or she could locate vital clues. Yes, as much as she theorized she could potentially regret the outcome, Twilight had to give herself every advantage she could afford. Reading about cases, the legal system in Equestria, and such were important, yes, but none of them made a difference if she had no experience in the matter. Any allies who could help her were more than welcome. And – though again, she feared she would regret the decision – she knew just who she had to ask. It was time to pay Gilgamesh a visit. “Eh? A trial?” Twilight fidgeted. “Er, yes, a trial. In court.” Gilgamesh placed one of his eight hands – which led Twilight to wonder how he managed to maneuver them all so well – on his chin. “I appreciate the offer, but I can hardly accept such a thing! Court is hardly exciting enough for my tastes.” Twilight nodded and pressed her hoof against the closed door of Gilgamesh’s house, mentally evaluating the lack of good lighting. “I get that,” she said, “but–” “But nothing, Twilight, but nothing!” Gilgamesh sighed. “Believe you me, my small friend, that I would love to grant you aid in this most dire of predicaments, but how, pray tell, could I do such a thing? What you ask of me goes against what I– wait,” he said, cutting off his own train of thought, “are you even a lawyer?” “It’s a long story,” Twilight mumbled, “but yes, I am a lawyer. Kind of,” she added under her breath. “Apparently princesses can be whatever they want.” “A political leader who blatantly disrespects the law? Isn’t that tyranny?” “Apparently not,” Twilight deadpanned. “Well, as much as I would like to debate the legal ramifications of what you’ve done, I wouldn’t. Which is why I am hardly suited for a court of law.” Gilgamesh shook his head. “I’m a warrior, Twilight!” He suddenly struck a pose, pulling the sword from its sheathe and pointing it to the sky. “A legendary hero of legendary… ness… who goes out into the field of battle and skewers his foes upon the spear or sword or what-have-you of legend! Does that sound like a figure fit to stand in a court of law?” Twilight sighed. She was afraid it would come to this. “Gilgamesh, what do you know about the Equestrian legal system?” He replaced his sword back into its sheathe. “No, I cannot say I am, but the system of law hardly changes between worlds, I would imagine. Though with Exdeath, it was less fair, and more for the sake of fun.” He shuddered and placed a hand on his perpetually-helmeted head. “So you know nothing about our legal system, then?” Twilight asked, leaning forward a bit. Gilgamesh hunched over. “Nothing that I cannot readily assume, no.” Ignoring the triple-negative, Twilight said, “The Equestrian legal system’s… kinda weird, really. To put it simply, there’s a lot of yelling, objecting, drama, and all that stuff.” She paused. “I’d try to explain it completely, but it’s hard to talk about it without a visual representation. Basically, just think about every debate you’ve seen –” “I’m suddenly very bored.” “– to the tenth power,” Twilight finished. “Just… I just want this to stick, alright? Think of it like a, uh… like a fight, okay?” Gilgamesh straightened up. “Very well.” “But with, um… but you’re fighting with… words. Yeah, that’s it. You’re fighting with words, not weapons or magic. Think of… ah…” She waved her hooves around, trying to recall a time when a similar incident had occurred. “You remember when Fluttershy was threatened, right?” Gilgamesh placed a hand on his chin, stroking a non-existent beard. “When I first met… ah, what was his name…? Dire, yes? Prosecutor Dire?” “Yeah, exactly.” Twilight continued to think, attempting to find any way she could get out of having to take the case alone. “Before that, though. You remember when you talked with Discord, right?” “Yes, yes, I recall. Speaking of which, is Fluttershy’s cottage still surrounded by fire?” “I… I think so. I haven’t been there in awhile, but that’s not the point! When you and Discord were talk– debating, you remember that? When you got him to let you in?” Gilgamesh nodded. “I do recall that, indeed. But why is that so important?” “That’s basically how a court battle would play out. More or less.” Twilight desperately hoped that the phrasing would convince him. “Like that, you say?” Gilgamesh continued to stroke his chin. “I suppose there is some merit to be seen in such a confrontation, but where is the risk? The danger? What thrill is there to a duel when one side’s victory is meaningless?” “You’ll be fighting to keep a creature – an innocent creature – from being maybe executed. There’s your sense of risk.” She paused. It was time to push it further. “Besides, uh… didn’t you say that you were a hero? Isn’t it a hero’s job to save a creature in need?” Gilgamesh paused. “Well… yes, I suppose so.” “And what kind of brave warrior backs down from a fight?” Twilight asked. She may not have had Vinyl’s level of psychological mastery, but even she could read Gilgamesh like a book. “Don’t you want to challenge this new, unknown foe to a… uh… to a… word duel?” “I back down to no foe!” Gilgamesh said. “How dare you even insinuate such a farcical statement?!” He grabbed the hilt of his sword and pulled it out again. “For such a claim, Twilight Sparkle, I shall take your challenge! Fear me, unknown prosecutor, for I, Gilgamesh, shall cut you down!” “That’s the spirit!” Gilgamesh suddenly paused. “Wait, did you just manipulate me?” Twilight fidgeted. “Um… Kind of, I guess?” He shook his head. “Remind me, Twilight, to work on building my resistances to this sort of manipulation. However,” he added, “I cannot deny that you have intrigued me with this concept. Fighting a new foe in a courtroom with the purpose of rescuing an innocent proclaimed guilty, where the punishment is to walk forever with the burden of my failure?” He grinned. “It sounds more exciting than I’d first imagined.” “So you’ll really help me with this?” “Of course, why would I not? It’s not as if I have much else to do, anyway…” Gilgamesh shook his head. “So, when is this trial. And, furthermore, who is it for?” Twilight blinked. Of course, why had she not told him sooner? “It’s for a friend of mine,” she said, “and the trial’s… um, you might be a bit annoyed when you hear this…” She rubbed her forelegs together. “It’s tomorrow.” “Tomorrow?” Gilgamesh asked. “Perfect.” “Huh?” Gilgamesh placed his sword back in its sheathe. “I have been feeling quite a bit of… perhaps the term that would describe it in its best of words would be ‘bloodlust.’ So few true battles in so many days does such a thing to grand warrior of my fantastic caliber! But now… well, I suppose it would be best if I were to thank you, no?” He laughed. “Ha! Let the criminals of the world fear, for here comes their justice! And that justice is me, Gilgamesh!” While Gilgamesh continued his laughter, Twilight could only sigh in relief. Obviously there were other choices, but – much as she hated to admit it – Gilgamesh seemed the most likely to give her help in the case as a whole. It was not necessarily that he was brilliant, but he was clearly intelligent enough to make the most of his surroundings. Not to mention those strange tangents of his, which would no doubt be helpful in a courtroom environment. Twilight looked over at him. “Gilgamesh,” she said, “c’mon. I think now’s as good a time as any for you to meet my… our client.” “Very well,” Gilgamesh said. “After all, the only way to properly prepare oneself for a case of such a magnitude as this shall inevitably be would be to learn the most basic of details before any other matters reveal themselves!” He pointed to the door with all the arms on the left side of his body. “Lead us, Twilight, towards the one in need of assistance, and I promise you I shall grant he or she the chance to escape to a life of freedom from the confines of the accursedness of fear!” “Um… right.” Twilight nodded. “The prison’s awhile away by foot, actually. It took me about thirty, thirty-five minutes to make it there when I went to meet with her. I’ll fill you in on what I know on the way up there.” And so, without further ado, Gilgamesh and Twilight began their long, slow, and informative walk from Ponyville to Canterlot, where they hoped to meet with their client and – perhaps – to shed light on just what had occurred the night before. There were still some questions she needed to ask, after all. “So this creature in danger…” Gilgamesh mused, “you said her name was Cerulean, did you not?” The two stood in the meeting room of the prison, which seemed extremely cramped and musty with three creatures on one side of the glass. It was obviously not designed for so many creatures, but Gilgamesh probably filled it up the most, with his head nearly touching the low ceiling. The guard, of course, looked terrified, though that was probably more the fact that Gilgamesh had insisted on bringing his sword in. “Yeah, that’s her name. Cerulean.” “And she was imprisoned for murder, yes?” Gilgamesh hunched over a little, giving himself more room to breathe. “That’s right,” Twilight said, “because of course we couldn’t’ve gotten a client for something like petty theft or jaywalking. Had to be murder.” Gilgamesh rolled out his shoulder. “Well, that just makes it all the more invigorating for I, Gilgamesh, to solve this most wretched of crimes, does it not?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “I guess.” She rubbed the back of her head. “It just feels like we’ve been doing so much for these past two weeks. When we finish this case, I think I’m gonna go on a vacation.” “Hmph, I don’t understand your lack of a love of adventure. Especially for one so selfless and heroic as yourself, Twilight, I find it strange that you could despise these grand escapades.” “That’s easy for you to say,” Twilight muttered. She yawned, and remembered that the previous night had been spent not sleeping. “My idea of fun doesn’t exactly involve climbing a mountain and fighting a dragon.” “Suit yourself,” Gilgamesh muttered. “Ah, but do you see that? It looks as if our client has arrived.” Twilight looked up as the door on the opposite side opened and Cerulean stepped in. She stepped over to the opposite side of the wall, sat down on the chair, and grinned. “So, uh… so does this mean you’ve found something?” “No, not yet,” Twilight said. When Cerulean’s face fell, she continued, “I actually wanted to ask you some questions about the crime itself, if you don’t mind.” “Huh? Oh, sure, sure.” Cerulean blinked. “Wait, hold on. Who’s that guy over there?” Twilight looked over her shoulder. “Oh, him? He’s Gilgamesh; he’s helping me out with this case.” Cerulean grinned. “Hey, I thought you seemed familiar! I think I, uh… I think I met you a while back, right?” Gilgamesh placed a hand on his chin. “Met me a while…? Ah, yes, did you not run into me on the street? Literally?” “Heh, heh…” Cerulean laughed nervously. “Let’s just let bygones be bygones, okay? Okay.” She paused and placed a hoof on her chin. “Actually, I don’t think I introduced myself, did I?” “You are Cerulean, yes? The defendant?” Gilgamesh grimaced. “Huh? Oh, yeah, how did you know? Did Twilight tell you?” “Well, yes, but…” Gilgamesh trailed off and placed a hand to his forehead. “I probably could have guessed that without her help, though.” “Huh? Oh, you mean the whole ‘Cerulean is blue’ thing, right?” She chuckled. “Heh, yeah. I’ve always thought the parents around here name their kids after the most unoriginal things. Me included,” she added with a smirk. “Right?!” Gilgamesh shouted. “Thank you! I’m glad some other creature thinks that!” For some reason, Twilight suddenly foresaw a friendship built on the singular idea that Equestria’s citizens were named stupidly. Hopefully there would be more substance than that if said friendship were to be true, but given how desperate Gilgamesh seemed for friends in the first place, it hardly seemed to matter. “So anyway,” Twilight said, “I’m sorry to bother you about this, but could you give us some information about the crime itself?” “Huh? Oh, sure. I’m honestly kinda surprised you didn’t ask me the first time around, but hey, whatever.” She breathed in. “Also, Princess? Don’t worry about it. If anything, I should be apologizin’ to you, not the other way around. “So anyway,” she continued, “let’s see here… Ahem! The crime was committed last night, between eleven and one, in a holding cell at the back of the Police Department. They were apparently keeping the victim there for… well, for some reason, I guess.” “You don’t know?” Gilgamesh asked, placing a hand on his chin. “No, I’m sorry.” Cerulean shook her head. “If I’m gonna be honest, I never even met the guy before.” Twilight cocked her head. “Wait… but why were you arrested?” “Yeah, I thought you’d wonder that…” Cerulean sighed and looked down at her hooves. “And here’s where things get weird. Really, really weird, actually.” “’Weird’?” Gilgamesh asked. “How so?” Cerulean said, “The murder took place in the holding cell, but the lock on it wasn’t broken or anything like that. So, I mean, logically the killer had to be somepony with the key, right?” She paused. “Take a guess where it was.” “You’re kidding,” Twilight said. “No, but I really wish I was.” Cerulean shifted in her seat. “But yeah, that’s right – the key to the cell was found on me, and I was found just outside the cell.” Twilight nodded. “So that’s why they arrested you? Because you were the only one with access to the cell?” “But what do you mean you were ‘found outside the cell’?” Gilgamesh asked. “Did someone just happen to find you in there?” “Something like that,” Cerulean said, “but… but if I’m gonna be honest, I’m really not too sure about what happened in there. I think… I think I was knocked out.” “By the real killer, perhaps?” Gilgamesh asked. Cerulean nodded. “Y-yeah, I… Yeah, I think so, actually. It makes sense when you think about it, right? Somepony stabbed the guy, knocked me out, planted the keys on me, and got away? I think that’s what happened, but nopony believes me. In a way, I guess… I guess I’m all alone, huh?” She chuckled bitterly. “All alone, with only you guys willing to listen to me.” “All alone,” Twilight repeated, and she suddenly remembered something. “’Every creature deserves aid in their darkest hour, no matter the circumstances.’” “H-huh?” “Your friend says that, doesn’t he?” Twilight asked. “And I think… I think that he’s right. Cerulean, I-I trust you. I know you’re not the one behind this.” “P-Princess…” Cerulean began to tear up. Twilight shook her head. “Please, if I’m going to be allowed to call you Cerulean, I think you can call me Twilight. It’s only fair, isn’t it? Plus… well, we’re friends, aren’t we?” Cerulean raised a foreleg to cover her eyes. “F-friends, huh…? Princess… er, Twilight… th-thank you. And… I’m sorry. I’m so s-sorry for… for everything up ‘til now.” “The same goes for me,” said Gilgamesh. “We shall do everything in our power to save you from this wretched place. On my honor as a grand warrior, I swear it.” He reached for his sword, but a quick glance over at the guard made him reaffirm that thought. “Believe you me, Miss… or rather, Cerulean, that I shall capture the true perpetrator of this foul act, no matter the cost to myself!” “Y-you guys…” Cerulean sniffed. “Darn it! I-I’m not crying, I swear! I’m just so… so happy, and this place is really d-dusty. Yeah. Yeah, that’s it, it’s dusty…” She pulled her hoof away, and was clearly trying to hold in the tears. “Ahem! Yes. If there’s anything else you wanted to ask me about, please do so. I’ll be more than cooperative.” Twilight smiled. Even with how much she had internally complained about the case, the fact remained that she was completely willing to help Cerulean out, no matter how hard it would potentially be. And with Gilgamesh’s help, she knew that she could do it; after all, idiotic though he was a lot of the time, Twilight could hardly deny how much she trusted him with her life, especially given that he’d saved it at least twice. “I think we’re good for now,” she said, and looked over at Gilgamesh. “C’mon, we’ve got a crime scene to look into.” She turned back to Cerulean. “We’ll be back before visiting hours are up with our findings, so just sit tight!” “Heh! Of course!” Cerulean grinned. “I know you two can do it. After all, Twilight… that’s why I requested you to defend me.” Gilgamesh nodded, and reached for the hilt of his sword again, much to the visible dismay of the guard. “Yes, then let us be off, and let us seek the truth of this most wretched of crimes! Fare thee well, Cerulean, and as Twilight said, please sit tight until we return!” Twilight leapt off the stool, this time with a renewed sense of excitement. Perhaps, in hindsight, Gilgamesh was right; she certainly was enjoying this more than she had originally anticipated. She and Gilgamesh followed the nervous guard to the front door and out of the building. They stood together, facing away from the building, for several, quiet moments, before Twilight nodded her head. “The police department shouldn’t be too far away,” she said. “So I guess it’s time we start discovering the truth behind what really happened last night.” “And discover it we shall. For Cerulean’s sake,” Gilgamesh said. “Now, my friend, let us be off, and let us begin our preparations for our duel with our newest enemy… in court.” To be continued…