"Your Loyalty or Your Life!"
When the trial reconvened the next morning, Celestia and Luna arrived in the courtroom awaiting along with the rest of the gallery the start of witnesses testifying against Blackheart and his comrades. The first to testify was a doctor from Rainbow Falls who had used to be Blackheart's personal physician.
"Dr. Novocain, you were the primary doctor for the defendant, Blackheart?" asked Jack, beginning his questioning. "Were you not?"
The elderly aged stallion looked at Jack and answered his question.
"I was the primary physician for Mayor Blackheart, yes," he answered. "For about 5 years even before his appointment to mayor of Rainbow Falls."
"And according to testimony, you were not only the primary care physician," continued Jack. "You were also the responsible one for carrying out executions on those who were never given a trial?"
Dr. Novocain turned away from Jack for a moment and took in a deep sigh to gather his thoughts.
"I didn't want to do it," he sighed. "But, it was my job and it was either their lives or mine."
"So it was," remarked Jack. "And it was also my belief that you tried to talk your way out of the position that you were in, is that so?"
"Objection!" cried Hans, rising from his seat, looking directly at Judge Hangman's Noose. "This witness is not on trial!"
"But he is a witness nonetheless," countered Jack. "And his testimony is vital to the outcome of this trial."
"Objection sustained," answered Hangman's Noose. "The witness will answer."
Following the judge's orders, Dr. Novocain looked at Jack and returned to answer Jack's question. The elderly doctor took an enormous gulp at the thought of airing out such a touchy subject.
"It was about a few months back that I was put in the worst position of my life," explained Dr. Novocain. "Blackheart came to me with a request: to put to death a pony that had stolen a loaf of bread. When I saw the pony I was told to kill, I had a feeling that this pony was poor and needed to feed his family. I couldn't bear myself to kill him and wanted to release him, but that was not the case."
Dr. Novocain turned his attention away from Jack and briefly glanced over at Blackheart, who made a slitting motion across his throat with his hoof. He was frightened and scared, even though his boss was in the dock. In fact, he couldn't help but think of what would happen if this evil mayor was acquitted of his crimes.
"Did you bring up the possibility of this pony's life to Blackheart?" asked Jack, causing Dr. Novocain to briefly turn away. "Please answer the question, Doctor."
"I did," answered Dr. Novocain, looking towards Jack again. "He told me that I had no other choice because it was either his life or that I take his place."
Jack considered the matter and decided that there was no more further questions that he needed to ask the doctor.
…
Taking his seat, Jack allowed Hans to make his way up to the dock to question the witness.
"Your life or the life of the poor pony, Herr Novocain," remarked Hans, sighing heavily. "Were you aware that you were working under the law of Blackheart and not the law of Equestria?"
"Yes, I was," answered Dr. Novocain. "But, how was I supposed to know, Herr Horsebein? If I learned that Blackheart was not going to follow the laws of Equestria, I would never have been his personal doctor."
"Doctor, were you aware of a meeting with the defendant Red Flames about three days before the capture of my clients conducted by the Princesses?" asked Hans. "He came to you with a request, did he not?"
The doctor briefly looked baffled at this question and Celestia was horrified to discover that Green Sleeves was a candidate for execution by this doctor. The princess of the sun glared at Red Flames and her eyes crossed with fury.
"Yes, he did come to me," answered Dr. Novocain. "I was horrified to hear what he asked of me to do. He wanted me to inject some dangerous medicine into his wife whom had betrayed him because she didn't want to be part of the marriage anymore."
"You liar!" shouted Red Flames, rising from his seat.
"ORDER! ORDER!" screamed Hangman's Noose, banging his gavel loudly to silence the courtroom. "ORDER! Put that colt back in his seat and keep him there."
It took a few minutes for the courtroom to fall silent again and once the courtroom calmed down, Dr. Novocain continued the testimony.
"Red Flames told me that I didn't have any choice but to obey to his orders," explained Dr. Novocain. "I've seen the pain that Green Sleeves was in. She didn't want to be a part of this poor excuse of a marriage. In fact, I didn't want to be in Rainbow Falls anymore serving mad ponies."
"And yet, you didn't because you had a sense of loyalty that could not be overpowered," answered Hans, glaring at Dr. Novocain. "A loyalty that could not be broken unless you wanted to die because you broke that particular loyalty. It was either your life or your loyalty."
Dr. Novocain grew more and more uncomfortable with each word Hans drove into him. The elderly doctor was growing more and more uncomfortable and wanted to stop.
"Objection, your honors!" cried Jack, rising and walking up next to Hans. "The defendant is not on trial!"
"All of Rainbow Falls is on trial, your honors!" retorted Hans. "It was placed on trial when its leader was placed on trial!"
"Rainbow Falls is not placed on trial, you idiot," snapped Jack. "How could you assume that an entire town should be placed on trial based on one pony? You are assuming that every single pony who lives in that town is accused of the same crimes! Well, let me assure you…"
"Order, Order!" cried Judge Hangman's Noose as the arguing grew louder and louder.
"You don't have to assure me anything!" cried Hans. "All of Rainbow Falls is on trial whether you like it or not! And everypony will walk into this courtroom…"
"ORDER! ORDER!" thundered Hangman's Noose, ending the argument. "This tribunal will admonish both council and it will tolerate nothing of this kind again! We are not here to listen to outbursts of this nature, but to serve justice."
"Your honor," said Jack. "I made an objection."
"The objection is overruled," replied Hangman's Noose, quietly and then he motioned for Dr. Novocain to step down from the witness box. "The witness may step down."
The entire courtroom watched at the elderly pony stepped down, ending the intense drama that had just happened. Several more witnesses came forward, but they were all in low key manners.
…
Soon, the trial ended and everypony dispersed for the day. However, Celestia and Luna had far more important matters to attend to as they saw Princess Cadence walking towards them.
"How is Irish Coffee, Cadence?" asked Celestia.
"He is fine," answered the Princess of Love. "I think that Irish Coffee and Green Sleeves are in love with one another, but I'm just worried that there will be consequences if her ex-husband will find out."
"Mi Amore Cadenza has a point, dear sister," remarked Luna. "What should we do?"
"We take every necessary precaution into account," said Celestia. "We should have Red Flames isolated from the other defendants so as to not plan any kind of retaliation."
…
The princesses nodded in agreement and soon, word came that Red Flames was to be moved later that night.
"Why are you doing this to me?" demanded Red Flames as several guardponies escorted him down towards another cell in the dungeons. "Come, come! I demand to know why!"
"We have orders to isolate you," the guards said as they led him into his new cell. "Nothing more."
Once they arrived at the cell, which unlike the previous cells with bars, it was walled in and only a small peephole was in the door. Red Flames was pushed in and the door was slammed behind them.
"Must you humiliate me more, Princess Celestia?" Red Flames growled, punching a hoof into the wall of his new cell. "I swear that you will not get away with this! I swear it, do you hear me?!"
But, no one could hear Red Flames, but himself…
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That's what you get and derserve Blackheart! And I like that Irish Coffee and Green Sleeves are becoming a couple. It suits perfectly!
Why's another short chapter why just make a long chapter to end story here and now?
The witness is not on trial. And you have your objection rulings reversed.
Excellent chapter, and I can't wait for more to see those three dirtbags FINALLY get what's coming to them!
However, I think I might have found a couple of mistakes in this chapter.
No. 1:
If the Judge decided in Jack's favor, rather than Hans', then that should be "Objection overruled!"
No. 2:
I think you probably meant Dr. Novocain there, rather than Red Flames.
Other than those, great chapter.
8054219 Because... it's twilightsparkle3562's story, and this is the way THEY want to write it?
8054225 Good catch on the witness/defendant thing. I think I missed that one, even thought I caught the "objection" one.
Considering that his clients planned and attempted to kill the princesses, among other terrible crimes, all the potential evidence and witnesses, and the fact that the judge is called Hangman's Noose, if Hans has any sense he'd make like a rat and jump ship, Faust knows I would.
Just so you know, you made an error for one of the speakers of dialogue:
Dr. Novocain's name should be in place of Red Flames' here since the former was the one speaking and the latter had already made an angry outburst.
Idiot thinking one politican on trial means the entire town is on trial
Give it up Red Flames.