Trial of a Changeling

by twilightsparkle3562

Kuwaga Defends Himself

Chapter 13

"Kuwaga Defends Himself"

After a very emotionally draining night, Twilight joined Celestia and Luna at the side entrance of the throne room as they prepared for another day of the trial of General Kuwaga. It was very clear that all three alicorns were very concerned for the well-being of Princess Cadence. Cadence's emotional testimony were still freshly on the minds of everyone who had been at the trial the day before and one wondered if Cadence would continue overseeing along with her fellow equals.

"Cadence?" wondered Luna as they saw the pink alicorn run up to them. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to finish overseeing the trial with you," panted Cadence as she tried to catch her breath from running. "I know that you want me to not participate, but I feel like I must for the sake of Equestria and the Crystal Empire."

"We are appreciative that you wish to continue," advised Celestia, walking over to her niece. "But it is probably for the best that…"

"I continue doing my duty," interrupted Cadence, her voice firm with authority. "Aunt Celestia, just because I suffered the most out of the Changeling Invasion, it doesn't make me a victim. I will fight back and I will survive. Furthermore, nothing would make me more satisfied than watching Kuwaga beg for mercy."

The sounds of Cadence's voice made the three alicorns feel their spines tingle with fear. Cadence was a pony that was sometimes prone to flying off the handle, especially since she had assumed command of the Crystal Empire along with Shining Armor. The Changeling's were her greatest enemy, far greater than Sombra and far greater than Tirek.

"Very well, Cadence," said Celestia, using her magic to open the side doors to the throne room. "If you feel up to continue overseeing this trial with us, then so be it."

Cadence followed her fellow princesses into the throne room and as she walked up to the benches, she kept her eye on the caged Changeling which was a telltale sign that all of the emotions were poured out of her.

This was a creature that had almost destroyed her wedding to the colt of her dreams and now, she wanted justice along with the rest of Equestria. Cadence's hard stare unfazed Kuwaga, for he merely just smirked at the glare that Cadence was giving him.

"We call on General Kuwaga to make his defense," called Celestia, as the throne room silenced. The cocky Changeling looked up to the princesses with an amusing grin, almost as if he was going to win this trial and secure his freedom, despite all of the testimony that was made against him.

"Well," he began, chuckling. "This has been a poor and pathetic excuse for a trial, hasn't it? Here we all are, all have gathered to watch a farce being presented by these four alicorns. You scare me even less than the ponies we had attacked in our conquests."

Celestia pounded her gavel loudly at Kuwaga, much to his annoyance. In his mind, Kuwaga was starting to gain the upper hand in his so called "defense."

"You are to make a defense, Kuwaga," she said sternly. "Not to make snide remarks at us. Continue and your chances for a valid defense will be denied. Do we make ourselves clear?"

"Very well, then," he said mockingly, unknowingly digging a hole deeper and deeper to get out of. "Then, I will make my defense according to the rules you govern, Celestia."

"That is Princess Celestia to you!" snapped Twilight, insulted that Kuwaga was mocking her mentor and superior. "You will show us respect in our presence, Kuwaga!"

Kuwaga merely let out a small chuckle and remained as cocky as ever, much to the disgust of not just the princesses, but also Private Centipede, who was growing embarrassed and angry to be associated with this creature that was treating the trial almost like a game, a game that he was destined to lose given his cocky behavior.

"Respect?" laughed Kuwaga. "Why should I give you respect after you all denied us the chance to feast on our source of food? The love that makes Equestria what it is. You refused to give to us, so we had no other choice but to resort to the methods we used."

"So what?" thought Private Centipede, his eyes scowling. "That isn't true now and the more you become, the more respect I lose for you!"

And again, Kuwaga didn't care. All that the murderous bug could do was come up with ways to try and give a valid defense as possible and it wasn't changing the minds of the princesses.

"You see, we need to survive," continued Kuwaga. "How do you keep your kind alive and prosperous? We don't turn belly down and beg for food. All we do is approach villages and ask for your love and we move on. It's the food chain that we desire and had you complied, we wouldn't have done what we did."

None of the princesses were convinced by this, for they all believed that Kuwaga was lying. Based on the testimonies that had been presented, Kuwaga did order his soldiers to kill the ponies before absorbing their love. However, it was a decision that they themselves would not make, but rather the jury that was sitting on their far left.

"If you find me guilty and punish me for my crimes," finished Kuwaga, his smug smile disappearing to a small look of anger. "Then you are sending a message to Equestria that killing those who seek food is all right and damn you all to Tartarus for all I care!"

With those words, Celestia pounded the gavel and the court was adjourned, leaving Fancy Pants and the rest of the jury to decide whether Kuwaga was to be found guilty or not guilty.

"He's just tightening the noose around his neck," remarked Twilight to Celestia as they left the throne room with Luna and Cadence. "Do you believe a single word he says?"

"I do not," replied Luna. "However, we must wait for our fair and impartial jury to decide whether General Kuwaga lives or dies."

So, the waiting game had begun and throughout the rest of the night, everypony waited for the verdict to be announced. Finally, the next morning, an announcement was made throughout Canterlot:

"A verdict has been decided," cried one of the town criers. "A verdict has been decided!"