[Some scenes were lost in the archives. No question is to be asked about the time frame lost. There will be no warning about this directive.]
This extract was reconstructed from the trial of the monster known as Honest Havoc by the Lunar Princess, following the second breakout by the Eldritch Entity referred to as Discord.
We let out a strong sigh as we settled down into our seat at the front of this royal courtroom. After a few frantic days of administration, disaster relief and public appearances, we were finally ready to put the final nail on the coffin to this sordid affair.
Namely, the fate of the creature that had started it.
The sight of the creature had our whole being protest in revolt. Not only had its actions brought down ill upon everything we hold dear, but it reeked of Chaos, of its old master, currently imprisoned and being placed under the greatest surveillance. In some ways, it felt like looking straight at the statue itself.
According to the preliminary investigation, there was a reason to that. Our old enemy had been reported to have escaped while the sealing spell still existed after all. This one was the piece of power left behind, given flesh. It was, according to a number of our experts, a mass of chaos moved by a strange spirit.
The strangeness could be dealt with. After all, one of the bearers that saved us is said to possess a bigger zany bone than the original Draconequine, of whom we will report no more lest we disturb our realms more than we already did. The important thing to know, the one thing that could influence our judgment was a simple and single conviction we held from the moment we saw it.
If it ever made contact with Discord’s prison, the draconequus would be freed instantly.
[Revealing this information will incur consequences reserved only to the greatest of criminals. No exception.]
I held back a shiver, refusing to let our subjects see any weakness on her part. In such troubled times, a show of strength would serve to remind the world, and more importantly our little ponies, that Equestria still stands.
The trial thus began as planned.
--
The accused is made to stand before a crowd of ponies and juries. Amongst them is the Bearer of the Element of Honesty.
To be perfectly honest… Ah mostly cooled down after Ponyville was saved. Mah family was alright, there wasn’t lots of need for repairs beyond a couple of stuff that should be covered by the town’s wisest investment: insurance.
So, yeah, Ah was onboard with comin’ to see the trial up close, ‘specially after the Princess asked us personally. It’s supposed to be mah Element anyway. Wouldn’t want to be left out of it.
Yup, got that right, ma’am, the stallion entered with two mean looking guards on both side of him.
Him.
Honest Havoc.
He looked… kinda like a foal, weird patchwork appearance aside, Ah mean. Seriously. Once he sat down in the middle of the courtroom, alone in that big empty space, he really struck me as one.
No idea what he was doing there, no idea what to do, about as sheepish as a real sheep with a hoof in the cookie jar. And skittish like Applebloom five minutes before she started crusading.
…Ah really can’t remember why Ah’d gotten so angry with him before. No, no, Ah mean that in a rhetorical way! Yeah, Twi told me about that big fancy word, so what? That guy – and Ah refuse to say ‘It’, ye stuck-up fool – is completely off his rocker.
Dunno where you grow up, but in Ponyville, we don’t have the ones not right in the head take full responsibility.
T’was the thing I kept thinking about the whole time, because around us, near the stands where all mah friends were, it was just a bunch of ponies looking ready to stampede. Good ponies Ah’ve dealt with mah whole life had their eyes narrowed on him, on Honest Havoc, with the intent to make him pay.
Ah know what he did. He can’t go unpunished. Sure.
But Ah’m still worried he’s gunna get more than he deserves.
--
The accused is asked to explain the situation in full. The witnesses and crowd watch. Amongst them is the bearer of the Element of Kindness.
I… I flinched when he started talking. His voice i-isn’t pleasant to hear. I always feel like somepony is hurt when he speaks. There’s pain in there.
A-anyway, he started explaining what had happened, without interrupting himself too many times. He said there was somepony else near him, but I didn’t see anypony. Then, he mentioned they were all invisible and others existed in another dimension!
I-I… was scared. I didn’t like the idea of being looked at by ponies I don’t know.
Through his report of the events… I found out I was right. He really did hurt.
He told us a lot, but I did not understand it all. It was a bit confusing… I-I’m sorry, I should have paid more attention. There were words he used that didn’t make sense to me, but from what I remembered… he had seen us before… and really like us.
It is important to note that for a few minutes, the interviewer was unable to get much information out of the bearer of the Element of Kindness. Reports said she was blushing and hiding from the recorder.
I apologize… I never liked attention, and this brought back a few memories of the time I was a model.
…T-t-thank you, sir. Please don’t bring it up again.
Well, from what I understood, Honest Havoc did not mean to do it. He only wanted to have a little fun, to have a break.
Princess Luna… she yelled really loudly at that, s-something like “DO YOU THINK OUR WORLD AND LIVES EXIST FOR YOUR AMUSEMENT!?”. Sorry! I was just trying to tell you about the trial.
…I think… I think Princess Luna was too harsh on him. O-oh! I know that she was very stressed because of all the things that have happened. I just thought… she could have been nicer?
He said he was sorry. H-he… he was crying when he said it. Sobbing and asking for forgiveness. Doesn’t that count?
…Yes, I remember which Element Twilight says I now represent…
--
The accused has been muzzled at the request of the general audience, after it had been recognized that he had temporarily lost control of his mouth. While there is some peace and quiet (despite the persistent gnawing of his metallic restraint by the accused), the Lunar Princess has chosen to hear the reports of experts and witnesses. Amongst them is the bearer of the Element of Generosity.
And then the second expert came in. I must apologize for it, but my first thought was one of distaste. A gauntly look, bags under his eyes, split ends? No, this stallion did not take care of his appearance very much, nor his health if the state of his coat was any indication. No wonder he hid it under that long hooded cloak. The motif on his back was interesting, though I could not quite catch all of it, and that fabric...
Yes, yes, excuse me, I did not mean to start daydreaming. As I was saying, his appearance was surprising enough on its own.
However, my eyes caught sight of a minute glint in the area of his cutie mark. There was little to be said about it, for it only looked like an ordinary test tube, as many academics seem to get, according to Twilight.
But that imperceptible light, I knew, was the sign of a glamor.
…How did I know? Sir, I am a fashionista, I work in an industry where how to appear and how to be are arts in themselves. I had to teach myself some spells in the domain on my own, believe me. That pony was definitely hiding his true cutie mark.
What for? I could not tell and I still cannot imagine the true reason for this.
Regardless, the Princess must have had good reasons for permitting it. I’ll speak no more of it.
The other detail that caught my intention was his horn. At the time, I could not hold back a wince of sympathy for the poor dear. His horn had the stigma of a crack! You cannot understand how bad I felt knowing that stallion had gone through such a terrible ordeal.
No, no, I am not implying anything by that, madam. I am simply saying that a horn injury is a wound that can ever truly be understood by one who possesses a horn. I could not pretend to know how severe a wing injury is, but this scar on the expert’s body told me he had to suffer from a broken horn at some point.
…
I did go on a rather extended tangent, didn’t I? My apologies.
In any case, the expert started to explain some simple facts of biology about Honest Havoc. He apparently presented a number of characteristics that are otherwise exclusive to a number of species.
Fire breathing amongst others, like having three stomachs, a brimstone horn and a prehensile lion tail.
I will not deny that a number of my compatriots prudently leaned away from the accused. I could and still do understand their reasoning. Honest Havoc had so far made a few insightful comments about the nature of time and ranted about the unfairness of the world of fashion in the same sentence. What kind of logical conclusion would there be to link between the two?
Oh, this stallion was quite mad, I’m afraid to say. The pony on the stand seemed to share my educated opinion, as he mentioned that, despite being unable to reach consensus, psychological evaluations deemed him unstable and anything from sociopathic to prematurely bipolar.
Thus, considering the number of dangerous attributes he possessed and the clear instability of his psyche, this expert recommended that he remained within custody of the Crown. He would be a danger to himself, but most likely others, should he be allowed to roam free.
I felt a guilty pang of pain in my chest as the poor dear saw his freedom slip away. He made no noise, stopped testing the solidity of his muzzle and slumped down. His gaze met no other’s, he was simply taking in the news. With a surprising moment of acceptance, might I add.
Yes, yes, that was the moment I made my intervention. A scandalous thing, I know, but I felt it was important to bring attention to this little detail. Not to mention, it made my little sister’s friends so happy!
Oh, please, what could go wrong with inviting the Cutie Mark Crusaders to testify? Nothing, I tell you.
“Ah don’t remember everything, but Ah do know he was around us a lot, and we’re fine. Though Opal’s been looking at us weird recently.”
“Yeah, he was not mean,” Scootaloo added. “He took us on a trip around town, said he wanted to help us get our Cutie Marks. I wasn’t listening to his whole spiel, because that stallion can talk! But yeah, he brought us on stage and danced a lot. It was kinda funny.”
There! That was all that happened.
…Yes, I will pay the fine that they got for accidentally making the Princess’ stand explode! Don’t remind me of that! I was the first mortified, thank you very much! The nerves of you!
The way I recall it, ponies appreciated my sweet sister’s intervention.
“And I got my cutie mark!” Sweetie Belle squeaked, spinning and spinning in place to look at her flanks. The audience’s reaction matched my own, as my heart melted in my chest. “I can’t believe I actually got it! Oh, it’s perfect! I wouldn’t have gotten it without all this!”
Princess Luna’s expression changed slightly afterward, as her delicate eyebrows furrowed together by an inch.
…Yes, I could tell from my place in the stands! I am a fashionista!
Oh dear, I can hear Sweetie practicing! I must go!
--
At the request of the Princess, the defendant was allowed to take off the muzzle, provided he did not start talking about things that were irrelevant to the situation.
The look he had before kinda reminded me of something. Something something about liver, beans and chianti! But WHAT?!
Here, can you hold this lamb and this ‘Silence’ sign? I am trying to put on a play for the Ponyville’s hospital, it’s going to be great! But yeah, what Hony reminded me of, I still cannot tell.
But, but, but I will be able to, one day, when ponies expect it the least…
Okay, okay, sorry, Mister. I didn’t mean to scare you. Your aunt Pinkie will take care of the ghosties.
On track? What tracks? We’re in a tiny little room with a recorder and a giant soda.
How did I get that here? Through the door, duh.
So, what was I saying? Oh yeah, Hony had just earned the freedom to talk. Luna wanted more clarifications for his motives and how exactly he knew about us. Those ponies with the glasses and the notebooks hadn’t been able to get him to say, apparently.
Hony looked happy to volunteer actually. He hopped a bit, stretched his legs and tapped the floor.
“You sure you wanna hear this part?”
And then he smiled! Yup! A good fat smile, but it wasn’t just a ‘happy’ happy smile, no, it was that one where it’s a little higher on one side than the other, and it’s almost like you’re daring ponies to do something.
Dashie always do that too!
Well, anyway, it’s fine. Princess Luna did want to hear what he had to say. And wowbadonza! What he said made the crowd silent fast.
Tiny us moving inside electronic boxes called TV? I saw no problem with the idea. We could already have big us on the screens in the movie theater! So that was the next step?
I’m glad everypony will know what the future holds in store for us, rather than just being the only one to. Pinkie Sense for everypony and everyothercreature!
...
What do you mean that’s not how it works?! Awwwww…
Peh, that doesn’t matter! Hony’s story was super fun to hear. It’s really nice to know that people like to hear me sing and want to make other smiles too! No idea why he blanched at the mentions of cupcakes. Perhaps he is a muffin stallion.
I’ll convert him later. For now, his story time.
We were even more famous on his side of the Universe. What are the odds? Rarity looked happy enough, but Fluttershy and Dashie weren’t. Hmmmm, maybe this would require something to help them later. A party, maybe.
Hony’s voice was a lot more… hmmm, what could be the good word? Fanta-riffic? Confidentastic! That’s the word! He was looking like he was just given the chance to hold his own grandfoals!
But his ears drooped down quick! He muttered something under his breath that I didn’t catch.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said louder. “I’ll never see them again.”
Now his smile was unhappy…
--
Another wave of witnesses has been given permission to explain what they saw or what they went through at the hooves of the one commonly referred to as Honest Havoc.
Luna invited a bunch of ponies to talk about what the guy did to them. This part, it really did piss me off. It was hard to just stand there without giving that Havoc a piece of my mind.
Though, right now, it was that little Diamond Tiara filly that was crying her eyes out in front of the audience, with her father holding her while she wailed about the horrible stuff that happened to her.
Being one hundred percent honest? I didn’t really mind that the brat got what was coming to her. Scoots told me some of the stuff she says to the other kids.
But Honest Havoc? He was. The whole time he was looking more and more of a downer.
“I… I’m sorry…” he kept saying.
Then, he sorta perked up, like, in a split second, and it was a bit freakish to just see the switch in his behavior go on or off. One moment, he looked mopey and hating himself, the next he was just looking nowhere with very bright eyes and a completely clueless look on his face.
He started chewing on his lips, enough that some blood tickled down. The fat mare two seats in front of me fainted on the spot.
Ah! Lightweights!
“Wait, did I do that? I don’t remember doing that. Can I do that?” And he sounded a lot younger all of a sudden. “Hey, Mister Weird Manedo! Can I actually do the discording thing from afar without meaning to?”
The hushed whispering that had been everywhere since the brat’s testimony had started disappeared in a snap. There was a thick silence, and I didn’t say it here, but I was silent too.
I think what he said sort of hit everypony at once.
I could feel the ponies around me shift in their seats, like they were getting uncomfortable or itching to take flight.
But him? He couldn’t read the atmosphere if he tried!
“Oooooooooh, okay, you mean old banana Discord did it. Alright, alright, I just didn’t get that right away, sorry, sorry. Okay, so after he made you serve Twist fruit punch, that’s where I come in, right?”
Right, judging by how quickly Twi was going through her notes and muttering something about the timeframe, that wasn’t quite what happened. Me? I didn’t even need to check through my notes. It was pretty obvious, and tongues started to untie.
Yeah, yeah, I get it. It was a big thing to get over for everypony, but this was that Havoc stallion’s trial, not Discord. In case you wanted to know, we kicked Discord’s flank, again, harder than before. So, no, I was not any more sympathetic than the rest of everypony for this brat. What did she want? Special treatment?
Princess Luna rather quickly requested that their grievances be taken to one of the psychiatrists that had been hanging around the places hit by Discord.
Okay, the look on Filthy Rich and his brat’s faces was absolutely priceless. AH!
And he stood there blinking, eagerly waiting for somepony to explain to him at what part he did act against her. Not kidding, he genuinely didn’t get it. He even asked the pony holding his leash about it, and the guy remained tight lipped.
I didn’t hear the other stuff he asked, but it sounded like a recipe for cake.
Eh, he wasn’t so bad.
--
The witnesses have all testified to what they saw. Princess Luna has called for the defendant to make one final plea, if he so wishes. The Element of Magic is watching him and her older brother coordinating the guards in the room. She is noted to be frowning at the time of the plea.
Princess Celestia is still unconscious. The doctors are saying that her vital magic had been almost consumed by the time she was found. Until it regenerated to its normal levels, she would remain unconscious. And she had the greatest magical power in the country.
Every book I read, every report I looked at told me that my mentor would recover from Discord’s attack. But I still felt angry, I could not control that. Every time Honest Havoc opened his mouth, I felt more strings around my heart, crushing it. It was his fault! It had been his fault from beginning to end!
He had made a deal with Discord.
He didn’t deny his crimes. He accused himself of more than what we knew. He claimed to have been a complete idiot who knew that it was a fool’s idea, yet chose to do it anyway, on the off chance that he could have a better life.
He said… choking… that he deserved the worst of punishments, for he had willingly blinded himself to the most obvious truths before they were thrown back in his face.
A part of me, one that had allowed me to use dark magic before, agreed. It was a little voice, whispering in my ears. It said that the one that had gotten to my teacher like that, that had hurt my friends, that had put us through TARTARUS… would get what he deserved.
…I am ashamed to say that, had the next events not happened, I might have still been thinking that way. It was when he started to plead with Luna that she punished him to illustrate the height of his crimes, like, and I quote ‘put me in a cotton candy factory with a muzzle and three late report cards’.
Just then, as I could feel an eye roll coming, his voice became quiet and a flash blinked next to his claws. One of them was resting against his chest at the time, and it was from that spot that the corruption spread.
The entire courtroom backed away when his coat took a tainted grey tone.
Even Princess Luna didn’t expect that. My first reflex had been to look at her, thus I saw the slight widening of her eyes when the discordance operated.
The guards were already spreading in a circle around him. I recognized Shiny’s voice over the sudden clanks of armors. His horn already operated his spell, and a transparent dome fell over Honest Havoc.
It didn’t seem to register for the [sensitive information]. He…
He looked at Luna, then at himself with curiosity. I couldn’t get a read on him, I didn’t have the slightest idea what a being like him could think of when discorded.
He didn’t say a thing, not a word, not a noise, not any insane little giggle. His eyes were different, but they weren’t kind or unkind. They just… looked blank.
Then, quietly, he fell to his side and didn’t move.
My breath hitched up. W-was he…? No, that couldn’t have happened! Not like that!
More seconds passed in tense silence, before Princess Luna ordered one of them to move forth. An extremely bulky earth pony stepped through my brother’s shield and kneeled next to the stallion that might as well be a pile of books.
“He’s breathing,” said the guard.
But Havoc remained immobile, his gaze elsewhere.
It is still difficult for me to express precisely how I feel in regards to Honest Havoc. When my friends were put through the same treatment, when Discord used his perverted magic to turn them into their polar opposite, they all became destructive jerks. Him? He suddenly made Smarty Pants look like Pinkie Pie.
…Yes, I had that doll as a filly. It’s a classic edition, WITH the notebook and pencil.
Ahem… I’m sorry. I believe we were talking about my hypothesis about the discordance?
Well, if it inverts the core personality trait of a pony, if it makes them into their complete antithesis, then Honest Havoc’s core would be that of somepony that only desires to live happily.
…I’m sorry. I… I need a moment to think.
[This section of the interview has been blanked by personal request of Twilight Sparkle.]
It changed… many things…
That voice I mentioned stopped talking after that. Two others had taken its place to ask me questions I really disliked hearing. It didn’t stop even after he had been restored and his insane rambling had started again.
When Princess Luna left to deliberate, I felt my throat tighten. When she came back, I was nauseous.
--
Her voice rang over the courtroom and commanded the attention of all, most specially the accused.
“The accusations are as followed.”
Within her magical field, several papers started floating before her eyes.
“One charge of weakening the fabric of Reality. One charge of Forbidden Magic, of the subcategory: Dark Deal. Ten charges of possession and forced control of another being’s body. Disruption of peace. Reckless endangerment of foals. Six charges of property damages. Three charges of trespassing.”
He tried to speak up, doubtlessly to apologize again, but one of Shining Armor’s soldiers cut him off with a silencing hoof.
She continued.
“Through this trial, it has been demonstrated that you are guilty of those acts and pleaded for this verdict. This latter part being dismissed in regard to your inability to judge and interact with the rest of the world correctly. Regardless, there are no doubts about where the culpability of those crimes rest.”
Before her gaze, he gulped and shrank on himself. He seemed to ready himself for the worst.
“We have decided. Your punishment will be effective immediately,” she declared and swept the room one last time.
She saw ponies, her little ponies, that had been hurt once more because a Monster from before their time had been freed, that had suffered because of the actions of this one Honest Havoc. She saw each of their faces turned toward her with an expectation. It was she who had the responsibility to be just. It was no lesser weight.
“In regards to apparently repeated attempts at helping the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, as well as the lack of malicious intent and what is clearly a mental impairment, we shall be merciful.”
Even if, in her heart of hearts, she thought he did not deserve it.
The image of her sister, broken, danced before her very eyes. There had been a bite mark in her mane, but there hadn’t been anything to identify the source.
She banished the thought, for she could only look at facts and laws. She did not make them, she executed them. To the letter.
“Honest Havoc, you are henceforth considered a criminal of the highest caliber and immediately are to be placed under constant surveillance by the Dual Thrones. Your actions will become the responsibility of your handler, who has been chosen beforehoof.”
Her hammer fell down against the desk and echoed throughout the room with an air of finality. There would be no protest or outburst. Only acceptance.
On this signal, two of her night guards moved to the entrance of the courtroom. As one, they pulled upon the handles and a thunderous scraping noise boomed, making Honest Havoc jolt around.
She at least had the satisfaction of seeing him pale when the doors opened, when the one chosen started to trot inside. His were not the only eyes to widen in shock, and she took an almost juvenile pleasure in announcing the identity of the newcomer.
“Our nephew: Prince Blueblood.”