//------------------------------// // Scales of Justice // Story: Elements: Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children // by Nightmare_0mega //------------------------------// It had been quite the odd day for Twilight Sparkle. She was minding her own business, attending flight practice with Rainbow Dash, trying to get to grips on her abilities as a newly minted alicorn with brand new wings when Spike interrupted with an urgent message. It was a direct summons from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, inviting her to attend a dinner to discuss undisclosed matters. Despite the assumed seriousness of the letter, to say she was thrilled was an understatement. There was only one caveat, however. Due to the unique circumstances she was in, even among her friends, she would have to bring her charge along for the meeting. Mantis, the strange, bipedal creature that wore a skin tight black outfit and a orange lens gas-mask, was said charge under her care. Each of her close friends had been granted custody of their own extra-dimensional being, and each of them boasted terrifying powers and abilities that could easily compete with the best and brightest of any race. Or perhaps, it would be more apt to say they could match the most violent and diabolical villains they could ever encounter. Whatever one's viewpoint on them, it's clear they were something not to be trifled with. And Mantis was far and above the most dangerous, capable of ignoring laws of reality, nature, and magic entirely, manipulating the world around him with but a thought. However, on the day he attacked Canterlot with the floating hospital room he piloted all the way to the castle, the mentalist ended up accidentally forging a connection that left himself and the new alicorn inexplicably bound. Sharing memories and minds, due to a spell gone wrong, and creating new magic in the process. For all the danger he possessed, he now had an anchor that kept him from doing the very thing his mind constantly screamed at him to do. With that said, there was no doubt any cordial behavior he presented was merely an act. Empathy, for the most part, wasn't high up on his list, and thus any camaraderie with him was very much an uphill battle. Knowing this, it was quite daunting to even assume how he'd behave in Canterlot after being brought back there on more diplomatic terms. Would he be trusted enough to not pull some sort of action that could get everyone in the immediate vicinity in trouble? She sighed to herself, now sitting in a flying carriage drawn by Royal Guards, heading straight for the capital of Equestria: the epicenter of the land's harmony. The country below whizzed by innocuously, with lush greens blurring with all sorts of colors of nature and settlement. Twilight's eyes lifted towards the sky, gazing listlessly at the comparatively slower moving clouds that passed them by, almost trying to placate her boredom of the rather quiet and uneventful journey. She then let her eyes trail back inward to the seats she and her guest were riding. Mantis' thin frame sat silently before her, his eyes fixated on his, for a lack of a better term, warden, whom tried to pull her gaze away. The ride's boring nature turned awkward, as Twilight was still not used to seeing such a creature sitting before her, especially so stiffly. She gave a cough, and thought for a moment on what to say, but the mentalist beat her to the punch. "Returning to my scene of the crime." Twilight almost choked at the thought. It wasn't something she was too keen on bringing up so casually. "I suppose so," she gently responded, trying to deflect the topic entirely with such a nondescript agreement. "It'll be... interesting to be there for a proper visit," he added. "Mantis, please remember this is a meeting between the Princesses, which means we have to be on our best behavior," she warned. Mantis gave a half hearted laugh. "You should have said that towards a mirror." Twilight puffed at the response. It was no secret to him that she idolizes the Princesses, especially Celestia, even though she had become one herself. Sharing thoughts had made that clear enough. Even without some of Twilight's memories swimming in his head now, she was easy enough to read just by casual glance that even the dullest mind could pick up on it. After all, a stoic, poker-faced individual Twilight was not. "I will behave to the best of my abilities," he iterated, "Though, considering circumstances, I certainly hope this doesn't end up being a waste of my time." -o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o- "And that is why I propose we initiate a new oat tax," declared a young, white coated, blond maned gentlecolt. His expression was triumphant while his light brilliant arctic blue eyes gazed around the table, hoping to see a captive audience. "A preposterous idea," objected another, much older pony, "An oat tax would just prove to be more of a hassle than its worth. Not to mention that stocks in both the oat and hay industries would plummet if ponies become more hesitant to purchase it." "I agree. Funding this project in such a manner is asinine," a dapper looking stallion added, black mustache bouncing at every syllable. "The House of Commons would SURELY take umbrage over such a half-baked suggestion," a thinner, older gentlecoat, balder than a polished rock, interjected. "Who cares about the House of Commons?!" exclaimed the young gentlecolt. "They do nothing but complain about us nobles, especially with those that retain seats." "This all started with your idea for the new facility in the first place!" the black mustached lord argued. Back and forth, the nobles at the table bickered about budget and plans of its use in a loud, and ultimately pointless, manner. Both Mantis and Twilight's eyes shifted to and fro between each lord that spoke up, trying not to interject on matters unnecessarily. To the left of Twilight, Princess Celestia, the stark white alicorn with a flowing multi-pastel colored mane sat, calmly sipping her tea with a small stoic smile, with her sister, Princess Luna, the deep blue alicorn with a flowing mane of a moderate sapphire and a grayish persian blue that glittered with stars, sitting right next to her doing the same, but with a slight frown instead. What was intended as a small dinner meeting to discuss emergency plans ended up being a formal banquet upon the demand of the youngest member of the House of Lords; Prince Blueblood, the young white and blond unicorn stallion that sat with an air of self-superiority. Said demands included said budget discussion, as well as "evaluation" of Twilight's new social standing. "Then perhaps we should get the opinion of the newest member of the Crown," he suggested with a sly look upon his face, obviously up to something. "Certainly Princess Twilight Sparkle wouldn't object to this?" His words were said with a hint of animosity. Reactions were instant. The Lords at the table balked upon the suggestion, Twilight herself felt flabbergasted from suddenly being singled out, and Princess Celestia raised an eyebrow mid-sip. The silence was thick, but it only lasted a moment as Princess Luna's own thoughts on the matter pierced it easily. "How darest thee, Nephew, to place such responsibilities on one that is yet to learn them?!" "What better way to learn, dearest Aunt?" he smugly retorted, "If she is to be part of the Royal Family, then she should be educated on such matters, preferably sooner rather than later. It'll certainly help pull her away from... gallivanting about in some backwater town like some common mare." It was then that Twilight glanced over to her former mentor, and noticed her ever serene smile faltered ever so slightly, before returning to how it was. As offended as Twilight was for Blueblood's callous words about her and her friends, she couldn't imagine how the Solar Monarch felt. Surprisingly, it wasn't any of the Princesses that spoke up against the stinging comments from the noble, as Mantis stood up with a heavily filtered laugh through his mask. "Quite the statement coming from a noble that slings mud like a peasant toiling in filth, all while trying to curate favors from your superiors in an effort to accomplish your selfish, and utterly juvenile desire. Even more impressive is that you're willing to burn the public's own resources to see it through, when you know damn well that you, like most of the pathetic uppercrust that you've joined, have more than enough funds to launch this project ten times over. But this was never about the money in the first place, was it?" "What are you-?" Blueblood tried to interject, but Mantis continued, unshaken by the growing animosity coming from the prince. "It's all about power and control, with a little pettiness thrown in. You want to create a benefit where there is no need for one, let others take the fall for the compensation, and get around a personal gripe you have for a local establishment that already provides the service you request. It would honestly be an impressive motive if you weren't such a colossal fool." "How DARE YOU, you bipedal abomination!" "Mantis," Twilight pleaded, "That's enough." "How are you the fool, you ask? Why did you ever think this flight of fancy of yours would ever get off the ground? All of the nobles here disagree with your proposal. Celestia here would most likely shut you down as well, even if you decide to enact your plan "B" and rob from the treasury." Everyone gasped at the statement, before looking to the prince in shock. Blueblood's own face, despite already being as white as driven snow, seemed to have what little color remain drain from it. "Oops," Mantis said in faux-embarrassment, "Was nobody supposed to know about that?" "I-I would never do s-such a heinous action, especially to my own Aunt," he declared. "But you were willing to drag a fellow royal into the mud to try exercise a sense of superiority, even go so far as to plan to accuse her as a co-conspirator when the time was right. That's why you said she wouldn't 'object' to your idea." The nobles murmured among themselves. While they didn't appreciate the slander from the creature, they couldn't deny something seemed off about Prince Blueblood's behavior from the start of the meeting up to now. Twilight placed a hoof upon Mantis's own arm, about to plead once again to stop, but the mentalist had no intention of listening. She turned her attention to the two Matriarchs, hoping they could step in, but the two simply kept their eyes on their extra-dimensional guest, fully invested in what was going on now. "You knew Ms. Sparkle is new to Royal business, and therefor knew she would be less likely to object at face value. However, as I have stated, you are a fool. As a former student of your own aunt, and an accomplished academic in here own right, did you not consider the possibility that she could out your sordid schemes? Of course you did, because you know all she wants is to keep quiet until she's able to speak about matters that the Princesses themselves wish to address to her." "ENOUGH!" Luna suddenly barked in the Royal Canterlot Voice she and her sister were famous for. Everyone grew silent, even Mantis, who simply crossed his arms with a small chuckle. "We do not fully know what thou is planning, dear Nephew, but the proposal at its surface level has been denied by Royal Decree. Thine interjection of the original intention of this get-together between members of the throne has done naught but waste precious time. The dinner is concluded. Thou shalt take your leave, House of Lords." "B-but-" Blueblood floudered. "Oh be quiet, you silly boy," the thinner noble chastised, "We've already ired the crown enough to be subjected to the Voice. Do not push the issue for your sake as well." Prince Blueblood gritted his teeth and growled, having been shut down by a foul creature and his own aunt, with nothing to show for it. He rose from his seat in aggravation and made his way out of the banquet hall. The other lords, whom all at least gave a bow and small apology after rising from their seats, all followed the young noble soon after, leaving the royals and their guests alone. The tension in the air began to deflate as Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, only to shoot Mantis a glare. "What the HAY was that all about?" Twilight barked. "What Mantis did was very out of line," Celestia spoke in a calm, motherly tone, "But I suspect you had your reasons." Mantis was quiet for a moment. "I needed to end that farce," he stated simply. "Because we actually are short on time." "Oh, are you a telepath, as well?" Mantis asked jokingly. "Just long lived." The princess gave a sigh, "Indeed. If we would have let our nephew continue his foolish game, we would never be able to deal with the matter at hand." "Which is?" Twilight asked, before suddenly covering her mouth for blurting out of turn. Celestia giggled a little at her former student's wanting niceties, knowing she's still not used to seeing herself as an equal. "Tomorrow, myself and Princess Luna have official business in Saddle Arabia. We will be gone for three days, possibly four. And we need somepony we can trust to handle day court." Twilight froze in nervousness. "Y-you want me to run the castle?!" "No, no," Luna interjected, "We've already delegated the tasks to take care of the castle at large. Due to the recent... changes in Equestria, my return included, our tasks have become somewhat hectic. If we had half as much to do, we probably would have never bothered you with such a burden." Celestia continued off of her sister's clarification, "So, with this in mind, we ask you to assist us with this favor, by taking charge of Day Court and addressing the public with their thoughts and grievances. We have already arranged room and board for your stay here in the castle while you undertake this task for us." "I-I'm honored," Twilight uttered in surprise, "Thank you for putting this much trust in me! Oh, but what about raising the Sun and Moon?" "Oh, don't worry, we will have that covered even while away." Celestia continued. You aren't quite ready for that yet, my little pony. "Please," Luna then ushered, "Follow us to your room." With that, the group of four left the banquet hall, trailed by a few servants and guards that attended to serve their duties. Mantis paused for a moment, gazing back to the exit the nobles used. He hummed in curiosity for a moment, before continuing to follow his hosts towards their temporary lodgings. -o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o- The room Twilight and Mantis were granted was quite the extravagant location, seemingly reserved for important guests. Silk curtains draped over a tall, elegant window with an excellent view of the outside gardens. Symbols of the sun, moon, and stars printed in very reserved patterns, circling the room. The walls were a lovely shade of deep blue while the floor was a pristine white marble with a red velvet carpet laid out in key locations. Two beds, one with drapery, the other without, had fluffy white pillows and a deep purple bedding that invited comfort to its guests and users. There was even a washroom facility adjacent to the room they were stationed in for next few days. It was, at first glance, seemingly going to be a very comfortable weekend. Despite this, the two did wonder why they were given the same room, albeit with separate beds. Mantis asked as much before the two were left alone to their own devices. Turns out that, while Celestia believed Twilight to be a very capable mare and highly trustworthy, she still had some reservations against Mantis. The mentalist couldn't deny his impression on the Princess, especially considering his "formal" introduction. He did leave the Royal Guards in a state of chaos during his first ever visit, to say the absolute least. She was courteous enough to tell him the truth of the matter out of Twilight's earshot, to save the fledgling alicorn the anxiety, as well as lay down some ground rules. Finally, before being left alone, the two were granted official seals for their temporary position of running the court. The mentalist did query the reason why he was to receive one too, and Luna confessed that, against better judgement, Mantis does represent a very important position as an ambassador in his own right, and thus is granted similar privilege as his warden. It was certainly a very interesting circumstance. As the two princesses left to prepare to depart for their overnight diplomatic travel, Twilight and Mantis were left in their room to relax for the remainder of the evening. Court was postponed until the following afternoon, where Twilight would take over the duty, accompanied by Mantis as well as a few handlers and guards for added security. For the remainder of the night, they were given free access through the castle, but strongly urged to return to their room at a reasonable hour. With the few hours they had, Twilight decided to give Mantis a rather animated tour of the Palace. Nostalgia walked with her as she guided him down the luxurious halls, pointing out the mundane locations, quarters, and offices that they passed by, almost as if she was leading him to an area in the castle she had always wanted to show off. Sure enough, they approached a grand set of double doors that, when opened, lead the the castle's grand library, filled wall to wall with all sorts of books, tomes, and scrolls, from the common to the rare. "I haven't had a chance to read everything yet, so it still holds a very special place on my personal bucket list," Twilight confessed. Mantis had vague fragments of memories confirming this, though he could understand why she held such high regard even without said thoughts. Back when he was still living in a world that made more sense to him, as part of a special covert operations unit known as FOXHOUND, he had spent many, many afternoons occupying the archival libraries at the main headquarters. Sometimes it was for a mission, and he would need required research material. Other times it was simply to kill a few hours while he waited. If there was a pastime he held onto fondly, it was sitting down with a book and a cup of his favorite coffee. Looking at this library resurfaced those old, bittersweet memories. Out of curiosity, or perhaps a kindred sense of nostalgia, Mantis floated towards one of the higher shelves and gently plucked a book from its resting spot. "The Illusionist," Mantis read aloud. "Oh, I've read that one. It a tale of an earth pony stallion capable of performing magic. He used it to trick a noble of foul intent into giving up his position in the court by turning public favor against him." "I believe I've heard of something similar in my old world," he confessed, placing the book back in it's proper location. "Part of a collection of short stories, if I recall." "The... Barnum Museum?" She thought out loud, the name so unfamiliar to her and yet so real. "Correct." "I'm still not used to the fact that I have some of your memories in my head." "You will get used to it eventually." Twilight hummed to herself in thought for a moment. "I suppose you had to go through that over and over again through your life." Mantis didn't respond, and instead floated over to a different section and plucked out a new book. The title read; Limiting Objects and Strengthening the Self. Thumbing through the contents, he noted that it seemed to be a text about utilizing certain objects to train the body and spirit. There was even a chapter dedicated to Unicorns utilizing magic dampening or cancelling rings to help suppress the desire to rely on magic while engaging in physical activities to help build a stronger physique. "Cancelling rings?" Mantis uttered. "Oh, yeah, those are for training and restraining purposes. A few can be found in a variety of gyms, including the one in the castle, and most law enforcement locations have one or two in case of... special circumstances." Her explanation started rather animated, but slowed to a timid clarification upon reaching a more dramatic part of the topic. "As in, dangerous individuals," Mantis suggested, "I suppose your world isn't always gumdrops and ice-cream." "We certainly try... but," Twilight looked away for a moment, "Nopony's perfect, and there will always be someone that wants to break the peace." Mantis scoffed, "Indeed." He then placed the book back upon its resting spot. "As much as I'd love to stay in the library," she started to say, almost wanting to do just that, "We should probably go. I have a lot more of the castle to show you." "If you insist," Mantis said, following Twilight out of the library. From there, they stopped by a variety of locations within the castle, including the ballroom, where Twilight reminisced about some of the fun times she had there, and eventually the kitchen, where she had caught Princess Celestia sneak in late at night to rob the cooler of a few cake slices. As the hours finally wound down to the end of the day, the two individuals returned to their room for the time being. It was going to be a full day tomorrow, and Twilight knew that they were going to need all the sleep they could get. Even Mantis knew it would be a good opportunity to enjoy the brief luxury while he had it. -o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o- Bright and early on the next day, after moving through the motions to get the morning rolling, Twilight and Mantis attended Day Court. Set within the throne room, the service was quite simple. Ponies near and far from all across the land would schedule to gain audience with the matriarchs of Equestria, either to rectify grievances, grant permissions, settle disputes, and, on rare occasion, pass judgements upon the criminally charged. Celestia once described the ordeal as a mother tending to the endless desires of the children, which she freely admits is as condescending as it sounded. However, it had been a function of the Crown in general for generations upon generations, and tending to the public's individual matters directly ended up working out far more than it would if it were handled by committee. So here, taking the center throne, Twilight Sparkle sat, flanked to her left by Mantis who sat in a chair of his own, whom crossed his left leg over the right, sipping a cup of coffee that, whenever empty, was replaced by a brand new, fresh cup. To either side of them stood a guard each, the one closest to Mantis eyeing the human with slight trepidation, remembering vividly the incident of his invasion. Before them, seated between the throne and the present party, was the court scribe, diligently recording the conversation between the crown and the guest, for legal and archival purposes. The proceedings ended up being relatively mundane, just as it was described to them prior. Most guests simply asked for favors, opinions, or decisions on relatively personal matters. Some still came today as part of the last leg of their process to get permission for a project or event, after having gone through proper channels in other corresponding bodies of the government. It was when the rarest occurrence of court duties, the judgement of the criminally charged, that Mantis finally spoke up after silently watching. Without turning to the acting Princess, he asked, "Does the crown handle all judgements against the prosecuted?" Twilight perked up from the genuine curiosity, "Actually, no. It's normally only for serious matters. Petty crimes are usually handled entirely by lower courts. All matters USED to be handled by the Crown, but due to the widening rule over Equestria, and subsequent population increases, it became necessary to create said lower courts to alleviate the excess strain." "And what of petty disputes? Why do your rulers insist on getting involved with those matters?" "A small dispute between ponies can be easily resolved by anyone, really, but it's just that some come to get a wise opinion from the crown itself. Legal matters, however, have to go through the proper processes first." "That doesn't answer my question," Mantis uttered in annoyance. "Can we please get on with the matter at hoof?" A pony with a fair light tan coat with a black slicked back mane and sharp suit said with irritation. "Guilty, five years." Mantis snapped back quickly. Twilight was too shocked to respond. "Wait, what?" The other pony, a thin and grayish unicorn with a light brown mane, balked. "Is that too harsh?" Mantis asked with a hint of condescension. "Yes, it's too harsh," Twilight shot at Mantis, "According to the summary, this pony is charged with minor theft." "Three counts," Mantis added, "With a count of destruction of property. And how many times have you been charged before that?" The convicted pony shrank under the haunting gaze of the mentalist, "O-only once." "In Canterlot. You've also been convicted in Trottingham as well, it seems." "How did you-" he exclaimed before he slapped his own mouth shut with his own hooves, but it was too late. The room gasped at the very, very guilty outburst. "So, you're a repeat offender, charged a total of three times thus far, and have other crimes under your haunches that you dare not speak of, lest you further be punished," Mantis chuckled to himself. There was always something fun about watching an individual squirm under the pressure of their own dirty laundry being aired out for all to see. "I could give a detailed report to your lawyer 'friend' here, as I'm sure he'd be VERY interested in what you've done in your little career." The convict looked to the lawyer, who glared back at him, before turning his gaze to the ground, "N-no... I get the point. I accept." Mantis smiled beneath his mask before he sat back in relaxation on his seat and took another sip of his coffee. Twilight glared at the mentalist. "What the HAY was all of that?" she whispered in a seething tone. "Doing my duty," he replied simply, "We have the same privileges, after all, and I'm VERY comfortable to utilize it when need be." "You can't just make a decision like that out of the blue." "Why not?" Mantis questioned, "He was clearly guilty, already convicted, and was going to serve time already. Might as well lump in the rest of his deeds." Twilight grit her teeth in frustration. "That's not how it works." "No, but this is more efficient." And more entertaining, he thought. "Mantis," Twilight started, "I demand that you refrain from acting on your own like that from this point forward until the Princesses come back. Do you accept?" She gave a sharp glare towards her ward, whom sat and stared at her in silence. Mantis thought for a bit. In truth, there really wasn't much she could do to stop him if he were to entirely disregard her. Sure, she was an Alicorn now, which puts her in the same realm as the two matriarchs that gave him a distant, but still very present, feeling of foreboding if he were to ever get on their bad side so brazenly. However, he could easily tell that, despite this fact, she was still very limited in power with no real clue about her own potential. The only truly effective thing she could do would be to contact said Lunar and Solar rulers to report on further misgivings he may bestow, which would put a stopper on his curiosities. "Well?" Twilight asked, "What is your answer?" He took a very deep, filtered breath, as he chose his words carefully. "I will refrain from acting out of turn." "Good." Twilight accepted the answer with a smile, turning back towards what would be the next guest, resuming her actions for day court. Mantis sipped his coffee again, deciding to pay close attention to how the proceedings functioned, knowing he'll need to know for what was to come. -o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o- Late into the night, floating through the relatively vacant halls of the castle, Mantis calmly observed his surroundings, keeping his eyes peeled for his target of the night. Every time he passed a member of the castle's staff, he made sure to flash them his personal clearance that was given to him and Twilight by the Princess herself. Some remained skeptical of the human's solo presence, especially deep into the darkest hours of the fading day, but all would ultimately let him by without further resistance. His first destination was the library. Upon reaching its doors, he quietly slipped inside and headed for the front desk. A small, elderly mare sat behind the counter, reading to entertain herself through the long, relatively boring shift. It only took a moment for her to notice that someone had approached the desk, but when she did, she gave a small gasp in surprise. In all honesty, despite hearing of Twilight and "Mantis", as she heard him being referred to as, she didn't quite know what to expect. Of all of the creatures she could guess, a strange, skinny bi-ped wearing a creepy gas mask was not one on the list. "O-oh, I apologize, deary," the old baby blue unicorn said, gently brushing back a loose strand of her greyish pink mane, "You gave me a bit of a fright. What can I do you for?" "I would like any texts regarding magic powered devices," Mantis stated. "Oh, yes, you'll find a few in the non-fiction area, between section .599 and .699. Failing that, you could find a few more in around section .900." "Thank you," he responded simply, turning away from the senior librarian and approaching the non-fiction wing of the Library. In truth, he could have just quickly read her mind and be done with it, but he felt something deep inside that told him to give the library its due respect. Which meant being pleasant with the supervisor of these archives and following protocols and courtesies. Whether that was due to fondness from his years back at his old home, or some lingering memories of his warden, it didn't matter. Besides, it would be best to play nice as to not arouse suspicion. Soon, he came across the location he was looking for, and the section he was told to search. He looked through each book that caught his interest, one at a time, leafing through the table of contents first, and checking the chapter that may have yielded the answer he sought. When one book didn't have an answer, he'd move on down to the next, and the one after, and the one after, until finally, after a fair few minutes of searching, he found what he was looking for. Carefully he read the text and kept a mental note as to what it looked like and how it worked, making sure he had all of the details right. The text in question was much more comprehensive than the one that only talked about the device being used as a training tool. Mantis smirked under his mask, and gently put the book back into its proper place. As he floated away, the librarian called out to him, "Were you able to find what you were looking for, deary?" "Oh yes," he gently replied, "Thank you very much for your help." With that, he slipped back out of the archives and entered the castle halls once again. With knowledge at his beck and call, he began looking for his next target location. It didn't take him very long to find, as he soon laid his eyes upon a facility he'd normally never bother to give the time of day: the gym. Slipping inside, he noticed that the room was quiet for the most part, save for a singular deep grey stallion training on a piece of equipment. From the looks of the armor off to the side, said pony was likely of the royal guard, and from a quick flip through his mind, he was intent on spending another hour here. Mantis couldn't wait that long. The mentalist approached the pony, whom soon noticed he was no longer alone and at first reacted in surprise, probably from believing no one else would be training at this hour. His surprise turned to disdain as he realized who it was. "You," the stallion said in a gruff voice, laced with venom, "Can't believe the Princess just let you run free. In the castle, no less." "I apologize if I'm making you... uncomfortable," Mantis said. "That's an understatement," he spat, "How 'bout you take your lanky flank outta here. Certainly make me less uncomfortable." "I'm afraid I can't. I have business here." "Here, really?" the stallion sneered, "You look like you could barely lift a twig. What could you possibly want in a gym?" "That's nothing you need to be concerned about." "A weird hairless monster, that throws around my brothers-in-arms with magicless magic no less, is telling me I don't need to be concerned." He slowly stood up. "What a joke. If you didn't have that seal of the Princess, I'd have tossed you out on suspicion of ill intent, let alone your prior actions... freak." "Charming," Mantis stated dryly, "And here, I thought most of your kind were more into peace, love, and tolerance." He grunted. "Regular ponyfolk, sure. Not the Guard. We protect the peace, not live in it. The world can be a dangerous place, and it takes us and those like us to stand on the front lines to defend against the monsters of the world, without you and your kind adding to the pile." Mantis frowned beneath his mask. He was done making small talk with such a cynical, meatheaded brute. Deciding to skip ahead, the telepath gave the guard a quick scan of his mind. A surprised look flashed upon his face for a brief moment beneath the mask, before it settled on a dry smirk. "You're going to need to leave now." "I have every right to be here, orange lens," the guard insisted. "I'm afraid it wasn't a request." As Mantis raised his hand towards the training guard, said stallion shifted to a defensive stance, ready for a fight, but something soon felt off. Before he realized what was going on, his vision blurred as his mind got hazy. "Wh-... what's-?" He faltered for a moment, almost dropping to a knee. "You will leave the gym." The guard stood back up in attention, but now with a dazed look in his eyes. "I think I'm done training for today," he muttered. "You will return to your quarters, forget I was ever here, and forget whatever else you were planning to do tonight." "I was all alone tonight." As the guard gathered his things and started to head out, Mantis stopped him for a moment. "... You will give me thirty bits." "Lunch money." The guard fished out the bits from his gear and left it nearby on a counter, where Mantis retrieved the shiny little coins, gently tossed them in his own hand for a moment with a chuckle, then slipped them into one of his pockets. With a creak of the door, the guard left wordlessly. Mantis then frowned for a moment, now being reminded of his time at FOXHOUND once again. He gave a small sigh, somewhat missing the long-gone days of playing that little game on a certain vulcan carrying colleague. Shaking his head of the thought, Mantis proceeded straight towards a locked cabinet. He chastised himself for a moment for not checking the guard for a key, but it ultimately didn't really matter. Checking the lock closely, he applied his abilities to the small device and it easily clicked. Wrenching the door open, he found a variety of training equipment. Weighted braces, restraints, pedometers, training dust, a first aid kit, and... "Bingo." Mantis reached in and retrieved one of the devices. This was exactly what he needed. With that, he exited the gym, careful to lock the cabinet once more before he left, and made a bee-line for the room he and Twilight were granted. Tomorrow was going to be a very fun day indeed. -o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o- The guards and attendants all stood at attention in the throne room, awaiting the arrival of the fledgling princess Twilight Sparkle and her companion Psycho Mantis. While the events of yesterday went rather smooth, the staff present couldn't help but feel on edge due to the mentalist's potential actions and the unknowns of his behavior. Considering that, they all collectively, but unknowingly, agreed he was about as volatile and random as Discord was whenever he visited, though they could never see the normally serious looking bi-ped pulling pranks or tricks. The door behind the throne swung open swiftly, catching everyone's attention. From the threshold floated Mantis, alone. Everyone's eyes grew wide as a sense of dread passed over them. "Uhm, Sir Mantis?" one of the handlers addressed with a shaky, cautious tone, "Where is Ms. Twilight Sparkle?" "Unfortunately, the Princess will not be attending this session. She's a bit... preoccupied. Currently locked in the bathroom. I suggest we leave her alone until she feels less... tied down." The silence was quite thick, but the staff all begrudgingly accepted the explanation. In reality, this wasn't exactly unheard of. While rare, even Princess Celestia herself, whom most ponyfolk see her as infallible and unflappable, was still susceptible to incidents that would confine one to the bathroom. It wasn't exactly a pretty notion, and one that would be kept relatively quiet among the current lot. "In her absence, I will be taking over court until she is ready to join us." Mantis then presented the seal both he and Twilight were given, "After all, I've been given the exact same privileges as the acting Princess was granted. I do solemnly swear to perform my duty to the best of my... ability." Everyone's hair at the back of their necks stood on end with that last word. It wasn't the tone in his voice, nor the already creepy filtered scratchiness that accompanied his words from the mask. No, everypony in that room felt a strange sense of 'wrongness' wash over them for a brief moment. Never the less, Mantis had legal rights to step in and there was very little they could do. All that was on their mind at that point as Mantis took his seat on his own chair beside the Princess' throne was whether they'd all regret Princess Celestia's decision to allow him such power alongside Twilight. "Bring in the first," commanded Mantis. Thus, the day proceeded... surprisingly well. Most ponies that had shown up for Day Court were of your standard fare, which allowed for quick shots of advice and guidance that all sounded normal, despite coming from Mantis. He almost seemed bored. It wasn't until the first legal dispute was ushered in where his interest piqued. Two ponies that were arguing about property lines and a tree. "If you would have moved that stars forsaken tree back a few paces from the fence, I wouldn't have had to do what I did!" The brown, rough and tumble looking stallion barked with irritation. "You straight up hacked its limbs, you dolt! If that tree dies, I swear I'll drag you back here myself to have you sued!" The female grey earth pony argued back, seething. "On what grounds?!" "Tree law, you absolute spoon!" "The court will now see the two of you," one of the handlers announced. The two approached, only to stop dead in their tracks when they noticed not only was the Princess not there, but instead a strange creature sat beside the throne, one leg overlapping the other, hands clasped as if in anticipation. For the briefest of moments, they looked at each other as if sharing the same puzzled thought, only to gaze back towards the throne. "Is, uhm..." the grey pony started. "You sure you can help us?" the brown one interjected. "Trust me," Mantis spoke, spooking the two with his heavily filtered voice, "I'm more than capable of sorting your squabble." The two looked at each other again, feeling somewhat incredulous. "Ooookay," the grey pony said, stepping forward. "Well, the problem here is that this brute hacked off a bunch of limbs from my prized plum tree, and I fear the damage may be severe enough that it might have put the tree itself at risk." "Oh, for the love of-" the brown stallion started with a huff. "I just cut off a few so it wouldn't litter everywhere in my yard. Besides, I asked you repeatedly to move it back, and you refused to listen." "Moving it would have placed it dead center in front of my window, ruining the view!" "Oh, you'll live," he mocked, "On the other hoof, I shouldn't have to be forced to take care of YOUR blasted tree and its constant defecation on my side of the fence. Do you know how often I step on over ripened and rotten fruit that was left behind? "Alright, enough," Mantis interjected, giving the two of them pause. "If I allow you to continue, the both of you will turn this into a shouting match, and I'm not in any mood for such trite." "So, are you going to make her move that stars forsaken tree?" The brown one asked. "Are you going to make this imbecile pay for the damages?" The grey one followed up. Mantis raised his hand before him. The two clammed up, believing they were wordlessly being told to be silent. Regardless of their assumption, Mantis took the moment of silence as a respite, and concentrated in reading their minds. He saw everything, including the layouts of their properties, before he motioned his hand as if he were lifting something up at first, pushing it backwards, then gently putting it down. The two ponies tilted their heads in confusion, wondering if this strange creature before him was once a mime or something equally absurd. After that, Mantis sat back. "The tree has been moved," Mantis said finally. "E-excuse me?" asked the grey mare, concern washing over her. "It now sits in your back yard, since moving it anywhere in the front yard was very much out of the questions in your eye. That said, the grass of the front yard is badly damaged from removal of the tree, so you will need to have that fixed. I doubt you're precious plant will die off, provided you care for it as soon as possible." He then looked at the other complaining pony. "As for you, I will be ordering you to pay for the damages." "Why should I-?" "You did violate tree law, as well as performed an act of vandalism, and those are crimes you need to pay for. So, you will both supply financial support for the restoration of your neighbor's yard as well as assist her until the job is complete. We will send a representative to see the task is handled within reason so one party doesn't extort the other." The brown stallion sputtered and tried to object, but the finality of the situation, plus the promise of a mediator to supervise the process, kept him relatively silent. He cantered off in a huff, exiting the throne room. The grey mare, who gave a meek thank you and small bow, followed suit, wanting to get home as soon as possible to see the extent of the damage. Mantis sat back in his seat, somewhat pleased with himself. Not for righting a wrong or settling matters between others, but for exercising his power without the threat of repercussion. At least, for now. However, the show wasn't quite over yet. While he still had the line-up before him to deal with, Mantis was more eager for a particular guest to finally show his face. With sudden commotion going on from behind the door, he realized he didn't have to wait much longer. The doors thrust open harshly as a particularly well kept and familiar unicorn stallion marched in, his icey blue eyes starring at Mantis with Ill intent. The handlers attempted to get in his way, but were thoroughly ignored. He couldn't quite ignore the guards though, whom stood in his path in a defensive formation. Regardless of the fact that all princesses, current and future, were absent at the time, they still had a job to do. Mantis was leading the court by legal rights, and thus was to be protected as if he held the same title as Celestia. "I'm so glad you could join us finally," Mantis said, letting his fingers tap against themselves. "Don't you DARE act pleasant with me, you-" Prince Blueblood stopped himself before he spouted something that could get him in trouble. "And why, exactly, are you upset?" "Why am-?" He balked, dumbfounded, "You MUST be joking!" Mantis chuckled a little beneath the mask, "Indeed, I am," he stated sweetly. "You scheming, lanky creature. I don't know how you set this charade up, but you will rue it in the end!" "I don't believe I know what you're referring to. Perhaps you could explain it to me in... simple terms." "Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?!" Watching the angry noble, Mantis quickly scanned his mind, hearing his outrage loud and clear. He also noticed that he seemed to paying less and less attention to those in attendance. He decided to have a little fun. "I would, actually." Mantis stated, "Why don't you tell us exactly... what I did." Despite the fact Mantis spoke in a relatively even toned, even pitch voice, the last three words seemed to reverberate among those who were within the immediate area. Everypony's head felt a little strange, almost wanting to say something, but kept quiet due to not having a reason to actually address Mantis. It was Blueblood's own voice that actually answered. "You ruined my plan to usurp control over the castle!" He bellowed, strangely confident. For a moment or two, at least. Then his face fell as the color seemed to drain from his complexion just like it had back during the banquet. He slammed his hooves into his mouth, realizing what he had just done while his eyes cast down to the marble floor in shock. He gazed back up, and noticed Mantis leaning forward, elbows against his crossed over leg, fingers intertwining with each other to form a sort of bridge that the chin of his mask rest upon. It was almost as if the strange creature was grinning. The pale feeling coming from the young Prince turned to rage as his face boiled to a red color. "Oh please," Mantis cooed, "Tell us more." "How DARE you MOCK ME!" Blueblood screamed, his voice cracking at the last few words. Then, the word vomit began. "It was I who was supposed to run the court, not you! I knew I should have told Iron Lance to not dawdle, but he insisted on "bulking up" that night so he could snuff out any resistance. You and that BRAT were supposed to be incapacitated, while I would step in to perform these duties and GET THAT BLASTED SPA FACILITY EXTENSION IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS!" His words echoed about the room as everyone else remained silent. As his anger subsided, he realized that not only did he say too much, but he most certainly would be charged with a list of conspiracy crimes, all because he couldn't control himself. He staggered back for a moment, mumbling and stuttering like a small child that knows he's in the biggest possible trouble. The silence was then broken by the sound of hands clapping, as everyone's attention was brought back towards Mantis, whom was giving off the sound, slowly and mockingly. "Oh, well done. Doesn't that feel so much better? To just let the truth be free?" Mantis then gave a menacing, heavy cackle, that made everyone's blood run cold. The doors behind the throne room then slammed open with enough force and sound to grab everyone's attention. There, standing in the archway, was a very irritated looking Twilight Sparkle. "MAAAAANTIIIIIIS!" She screamed out in anger, rivaling the Royal Canterlot Voice. Everyone winced but the mentalist, who merely shrugged. "I suppose the game is over." He then turned his full attention to his very angry warden. "You're a little early, but I'm so glad you can join us." "Don't you give me that," she seethed, "Do you know how hard it is to remove a magic restraining ring from your horn while you're hog tied and gagged in a cramped bathroom?!" "You did WHAT?!" one of the guards shouted. "Oh please, I was being courteous. It's not like I would have physically knocked you out or thrown you in some closet or cellar, where you would have less of a chance to escape. Not unlike what Blueblood had planned." "And what does THAT mean?" She barked. "Oh right, you probably didn't hear, but the young Prince here," Mantis started, gesturing to Prince Blueblood, "Was intending on performing a personal coup on the two of us to push an agenda of his. He even payed off one of the guards to do the dirty work. Imagine that." "And your response was to tie me up and throw me into the bathroom!?" "It couldn't be helped," he shrugged. "And then payed off the guard that stood at our door to NOT help me?!" "I gave him a reasonable excuse. I just told him that you'd be stuck in there for a little while, and that you weren't to be disturbed." "He told me that you told him I was, and I quote, 'physically ill and stuck in the bathroom'. He also told me you gave him twenty bits to not tell anypony and keep everyone away so I wouldn't be publicly embarrassed." "Well, that's the much more extended version of events, but yes." "You are in so much trouble." "Not before you deal with this conspirator and the rest of Day Court. It's time for the scales to hold even," Mantis gestured to the throne. "Come. Sit." She huffed, approaching the throne while staring daggers at her personal charge. The anger certainly hid the absolute embarrassment she had over the situation, which was a small mercy. The last thing she needed was to be seen feeling self-conscious and humiliated over this whole cavalcade of nonsense. She sat on the throne, and turned her attention to Prince Blueblood. "A-acting Princess, I can explain," he started with panic laced in his voice, but whatever he was about to say was immediately interrupted. "This 'brat' does not want to hear your explanation," Twilight stated coldly, "I have full authority to punish you for your crimes, but I think I'll let Princess Celestia and Princess Luna know of the situation, and they will handle you instead." "P-please don't tell my aunties!" he pleaded pathetically. "You're dismissed, Blueblood. Expect to be called to the throne at a later date." With that, the guards escorted the young noble out of the throne room, who simply had his head lowered and tucked his tail between his legs. As the doors shut behind them, the peace and quiet came back to the throne room, and Twilight gave a deep, heavy sigh, before her eyes shot back to Mantis with ire. "As for you," she started, but was interrupted by Mantis rising out of his own seat and holding one hand up to interject. "I know. I will return to the room, where I will remain confined for the rest of the day. It's only fair." Twilight frowned, narrowing her eyes at him. "And we're going to have a long chat about what you just pulled." Mantis shrugged again. "Before I leave... in this order: Yes, yes, no, the blue one, yes, guilty, no, yes, waste of time, yes, yes, no, not guilty but has cancer, yes, yes, and she should really speak to her mother." Twilight gave a profoundly puzzled look before Mantis floated to the exit of the throne room and left the Princess to be to her own devices. Shouting after him, Twilight ordered, "NO COFFEE FOR THE REST OF THE STAY!" just before the door shut behind the mentalist, but she felt deep down inside that her words did not reach. She shook her head for a moment before recomposing herself. Just as the doors to let the next attendant in opened, one of the handlers leaned towards Twilight and spoke. "All things considered, you're handling this just like Celestia would have." She raised an eyebrow for a moment, not quite believing such a compliment, but couldn't help but give a small smile anyway. She still didn't believe she was cut out for something like this, but she decided to remain as dignified as possible to meet these expectations. With her attention back to the court's proceedings, she readied herself for the rest of the evening. The next pony stepped forward, hat in hoof, and began to speak, "Princess, I had been having a disagreement with a friend of mine and had just been proven right. Though, I feel bad about it the whole thing even though I'm right. Should I apologize?" Twilight gave a small smile. She new the answer right away, and was a little gratefully surprised that Mantis knew it too.