Chapter 8
"Start of the Trial"
On the day of the trial, General Kuwaga was brought out of his cell in the dungeons and placed in a cage similar to the one he was in at the Crystal Empire. The guards escorting him into the throne room gave him nothing more than incredulous stares knowing of the inevitable outcome that would decide his fate. In fact, security around Canterlot was tightened in case of any Changeling rescue attempt.
In the throne room, only a few selected ponies were selected for the gallery, particularly Twilight's friends and family along with all the ponies testifying against Kuwaga along with Private Centipede, while several of Canterlot's important ponies, including Fancy Pants, were on the jury. Celestia and the other princesses were sitting in high benches in front of Celestia's throne that was overshadowed by them.
"Nervous?" whispered Twilight to Cadence while they waited for the prisoner. "If you are, then you are not alone. Who knows what that bug is going to react to during this trial?"
"Well, I am a little nervous, to tell you the truth," replied Cadence. "The Changelings were close to taking the one pony who truly loved me away from me and ruining the most important day of our lives."
Cadence was right, the Changelings did indeed try to rob Cadence and Twilight of the most important day of their lives. For Cadence had a dream of being married to the stallion of her dreams, Shining Armor, with Twilight beside them both as his best mare. It was because of these monsters that happiness was almost taken away from them.
"I wonder how Aunt Celestia and Aunt Luna are handling themselves," remarked Cadence, quietly looking over towards the two royal sisters with huge stacks of papers in front of them, detailing all of the crimes that Kuwaga had committed against Equestria. "They are probably just as nervous as Twilight and I are."
Just then, the doors to the throne room opened and the royal guards entered with General Kuwaga caged and chained like a wild animal as everypony stood up and looked on to one of Equestria's most notorious criminals. Kuwaga remained steadfast and hopeful that he would be rescued by his fellow changelings that were loyal to him.
"You are all cowards," he thought to himself as he was brought in. "When I get out of this, you all will suffer the wrath of her highness, Queen Chrysalis, especially you, Shining Armor along with that hook horned pony you call a mentor."
Kuwaga looked over at Shining Armor and Lock Down, who were unfazed by his caged fury. For they knew that no matter how hard he would try, Kuwaga would never escape and harm another soul for as long as either one of them would live.
"General Kuwaga of the Changelings," cried a guardspony, addressing the court as Kuwaga was laid down before Equestria's four princesses. "Charged with the crimes of war, kidnapping and murder."
"General Kuwaga," began Celestia as she looked down at all of the papers that detailed Kuwaga's acts against Equestria. "Your crimes are so many that I scarcely know where to begin. But before we do begin, is there anything you wish to say to these honorable ponies present?"
Kuwaga said nothing, for he just sat in his cage looking up at the princesses with a small growl, trying to show his displeasure to them. It took a while to wait for a response, but Kuwaga stayed silent.
"Very well then," remarked Celestia. "Your silence means that you wish to say nothing and a plea of 'Not Guilty' will be entered. Let us proceed."
"Let the first witness approach," cried a guardspony as a young pony dressed in peasant garb approached the princesses, standing next to Kuwaga, who recognized the pony as one who had tortured a long time ago.
After bowing to the princesses, the pony took off his hat and looked to Kuwaga nervously.
"Young colt," began Luna, looking down at the pony. "A few months ago, the defendant led an attack against your village, is that correct?"
"Yes, your highness," replied the pony. "We lived in a village at the edge of the Crystal Mountains and our village lived off of love for one another. Weddings were a regular event in our village. We viewed them as a symbol of what makes Equestria the land that it is."
"And do you remember when the Changelings first attacked?" asked Celestia. "Take your time in trying to explain what had happened."
The pony took his time and after a few moments, he sighed and then lowered his head for a moment, before raising it back up towards the princesses. He was nervous, but he had to say what needed to be said if there was any chance of Kuwaga being convicted for any of his crimes.
"Well," began the pony. "We were holding a wedding in the village one night. It was my daughter's wedding. She was to be married to a pony that I treated like a son. Just as our village pastor was about to pronounce them mare and colt, we heard a loud scream and it was one of our fellow villagers being attacked by a changeling. Before we had a chance to react, this monster swooped down with a hoard of Changelings and proceeded to attack us before we even had a chance to fight back."
Hearing this made Twilight's friends flinch in fear, especially Fluttershy, who buried herself in Applejack's chest while she looked on with a stoned face expression.
"How many ponies were killed or captured?" asked Celestia.
"About 50 were captured and imprisoned, including myself," replied the pony. "A majority of the village was killed when they had no love to give to the changelings or they refused to hand them over."
"We had to survive, you foolish pony," snapped Kuwaga and Celestia pounded her gavel to silence Kuwaga.
"The prisoner will be silent!" she commanded, the authority in her voice filling the entire throne room as Kuwaga did as he was told before Celestia turned her attention back to the pony.
Even the sound of her voice made the peasant pony feel uncomfortable, giving the gravity of the situation that shimmered before him. Then again, Celestia was going to stop at nothing to secure a conviction.
"Now then," she said calmly. "How many of your fellow villagers managed to escape?"
"Not very many," remarked the peasant pony, his voice filled with fear. "If you could see the dead bodies of the murdered villagers, then you would know what these monsters were capable of."
Kuwaga just scowled at the pony and waited for the moment when he would get a chance to defend himself. However, he would have to wait until all of the accusers had their say against him.
"Thank you," replied Cadence to the peasant pony. "You may step down and return to the gallery."
Bowing to the princesses, the peasant pony returned to the gallery, but not before looking at the captured Kuwaga one last time, sitting down and allowing the next ponies to have their say against the Changeling general…