It had been two weeks since Twilight’s birthday bash. Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash stepped off the train as they arrived in canterlot. Each one of the ponies was dressed in their best formal dresses. Rarity noticed pieces of paper with Twilight’s picture plastered to walls all around them. Rarity approached one and read it aloud for the girls.
“WANTED ALIVE: Princess Twilight Sparkle. REWARD: 500,000 bits.”
The rest of the group looked sad as Rarity continued to speak. “What ever do you girls think happened to her?”
“Beats me.” Applejack said. “We’d better get a move on though, look at the time.” Applejack pointed towards a clock.
After walking briskly for a while, the girls finally filed into and sat down in one of Equestria’s largest and most grand courtrooms. Grand white pillars lined the walls. There was a great judges bench, which towered over the rest of the courtroom. The background sound was immense, as the hundreds of ponies talked among themselves.
A door on the left side of the courtroom slammed open, and out came Spike, escorted with one guard in front, and another behind. Spikes claws were cuffed in front of him. Slowly, he was guided to stand before a small podium, which was dwarfed by the height of the judges bench.
Pinkie Pie waved at Spike, but she was unsure if he saw her in the immense crowd. “I hope she takes it easy on the little guy.” Said Pinkie Pie.
“Me, too.” Fluttershy replied.
After a few moments, a guard walked to the front center of the courtroom and announced in a loud voice, “All rise for her majesty, Princess Celestia!” Everyone in the room stood up and stopped talking, while Celestia entered the room from behind the judges desk.
“Please be seated.” Everyone sat down with the exception of the guards and spike, who was still standing behind his podium. “Spike the Dragon, you have already been found guilty for conspiracy to commit the murder of my beloved sister. Today is your sentencing. Do you understand?”
“No, I don’t understand why I’m here! What happened to Princess Luna?” Spike replied.
Celestia squinted her eyes at Spike. “We have already been over this. Your claw prints are on the knife you sent to Luna. We have also retrieved the letter which proves you knew she was under suicide watch at the time.”
“Will somepony please tell me what suicide watch is? I don’t understand!” Spike yelled out.
“ENOUGH!” Yelled Celestia, as she banged her gavel. “Spike we are not here to discuss the events that took place on that terrible night. We are here to discuss your sentencing. Do you understand?”
“Yes, your honor.” Spike said, as he looked towards the ground.
“Good. I like you, Spike, I always have, despite your actions recently. I want to give you the lightest sentence I legally can. So I am going to give you one, final chance. I want a truthful answer. No lies, no games, I only want the truth. This is your last chance, do you understand?”
“Yes, your honor.” Spike replied again.
“Good. Now tell me, where is Princess Twilight Sparkle?”
“I already told you a million times, she was executed in Mahaponny for not paying her drink tab!”
Celestia frowned and sighed. “We have been over this again and again. Ponies are not executed for not paying a drink tab, and there is no record of her arrest with the sheriff's office of Mahaponny.” Celestia paused for a moment contemplating how to sentence Spike. “Very well then. If you’re not going to answer truthfully, I have no choice. Normally, the punishment for the murder of a princess is death, but fortunately for you, you are a minor.”
Spike breathed a sigh of relief.
“Because you are a minor, I can only sentence you to the dungeon until you become an adult, at which point in time you will be freed. At which point in time you may do as you wish, but you will no longer be allowed within Equestria’s borders.”
“But I’m a dragon, that’s like 200 years!” cried out.
“Then that is your sentence. Guards, take Spike the Dragon to the dungeon and chain him to the wall. Make sure his claws are chained above his head. Spike shall be released in two hundreds years, on this day.”
“NO!” cried Spike.
“This case is now closed.” Celestia levitated a gavel and banged it onto her desk, signifying the end of the trial.