18: The Heart's Turnabout, Part 2 - Playing for Keeps
“I’m sorry. Would the prosecution please repeat that?” Trixie asked, finally breaking the silence that had descended over the courtroom. “You’re claiming that Snarkle took advantage of that spiky-haired ape in his sleep?”
The Nightmare’s grin got broader. “Indeed I am, Your Honor. But let me now expand—Twilight Sparkle raped Phoenix Wright not once, but twice while in Equestria. This first time came the night before the trial of Sonata Tarot, when she forced herself on him as he slept. The second time…” she closed her eyes and smiled. “The second time was even more egregious and will be discussed in due course.”
All watching were stunned silent. “What? No she didn’t…” Phoenix finally found his voice, but his thought was cut short when he remembered that in the days leading up to Sonata’s trial, he’d had some very odd dreams and worse… woken up without any clothes on two mornings in a row, finding them discarded by the side of his improvised mattress. He hadn’t thought much of it at the time… which, as he thought about now, was even more odd; his memories of that night seemed strangely fuzzy. But… that’s… she wouldn’t have… she couldn’t have… he struggled to come up with an explanation but found none while beside him, Luna went uncharacteristically quiet.
The Nightmare glanced at him, then grinned triumphantly. “If you don’t believe me, then just look at the defendant and see for yourself…” she invited, appearing very pleased with herself. With that, they all turned to Twilight where they beheld her partially rousted from her stupor, now wearing an uncertain and very guilty expression.
“I… I… I don’t know…” she looked confused. “I’m not sure. I might have…” she finally admitted in defeat. “I’m so sorry, Phoenix… forgive me…”
“Forgive you?” the red-shirted doppelganger snarled, causing her eyes to tear up again. “It’s just like I said—she couldn’t take no for an answer!”
Trixie’s gavel came down with a sharp rap, her expression hard. “Well, then. Trixie didn’t think you capable of such a thing, Sparkle…”
“She isn’t, Your Honor! There is no evidence to support such a claim!” Mia quickly pointed out.
“Oh no?” The Nightmare grinned. “Witness… how did you wake up the morning of the trial?”
“Naked as the day I was born!” he replied heatedly.
“And I assume you did not go to bed that way?”
“Of course not! Think I was going to have my clothes off around her?” he all but sneered.
“Well, then, Your Honor… something happened to remove them.” The Nightmare shrugged nonchalantly.
“Something does not equal rape, Your Honor. There are any number of explanations of what could have happened. Without definitive testimony or evidence, no conclusion to this supposed incident can be drawn,” Mia insisted.
“I was there!” The faux Phoenix shouted.
“By your own admission, you were asleep!” Mia retaliated.
“The defense’s argument is valid,” Trixie broke in. “Without proper eyewitness testimony or evidence, I cannot conclude that there was, in fact, a rape or anything else untoward that night. Therefore, let me ask one question. Twilight Sparkle, do you recall anything of the night in question?”
“We can’t take the defendant at her word, Your Honor!” protested The Nightmare. “By her own admission she isn’t sure, and she has every reason to lie!”
“That does not mean she can offer nothing relevant. We will be the judge of whether she is being truthful or not!” Trixie countered before Mia could. “By all accounts, the only ones who could recall anything of what happened are her and Phoenix Wright. Besides which, it is the duty of this court to hear all possible testimony and review all evidence before reaching a ruling, tainted though the testimony may be. Therefore, by this court’s order, the defendant will take the stand. Objection overruled!”
Outside, Luna and Phoenix watched as The Nightmare visibly fumed at being shot down. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Trixie’s actually not that bad of a judge!” Phoenix marveled anew.
“’Tis true, she is quite skilled in the legal profession,” Luna agreed. “She certainly was quite an opponent for thee, from what we have heard from our sister.”
Unable to hear that bit of byplay, Trixie turned her attention to Twilight again. “I will repeat my question, Twilight Sparkle: Do you recall anything of the night before Sonata Tarot’s trial?”
Twilight was hesitant, but eventually looked up, her mind turning with some difficult as she struggled to recall those events. “Well, it wasn’t specifically the night before, but two nights prior to Sonata’s trial…”
—— Witness Testimony ——
What I RecallI d-don’t remember much about that night; it was quite some time ago. I do recall waking up next to Phoenix in the middle of the night, after some… interesting dreams. From the lack of a teleport trail, I reasoned I must have sleepwalked there and crawled into bed with him. I was so embarrassed by the situation that I teleported back to my room. I had my nighttime assistant keep watch the next night, which was the night before the trial, to make sure I didn’t do it again.
“That’s all I can remember,” Twilight finished, a tremor in her voice as understanding dawned on Phoenix.
So THAT’s why I woke up naked? But then… how did my clothes get back beside my bed? Unless… an unreasoning fear gripped him again.
The Nightmare interrupted his thoughts. “Your assistant obviously didn’t do a good job, given that Mr. Wright woke up without his clothes the following night as well.”
Twilight flinched at that. “I don’t know how that happened, I don’t remember much of anything about that night…” her eyes flitted nervously; both Phoenix and Mia could sense the doubt and fear in them.
Mia visibly grimaced, Phoenix was also surprised to see that even Luna suppressed a wince at that. The Nightmare’s gaze flickered over to her briefly, a sly smile touching her face before returning her attention back to Twilight. “How convenient. You remember exactly what you did two nights before the trial, but the night that’s most important at this juncture, you can remember nothing of?”
“It is unfortunate that we don’t have any clear testimony as to the night in question,” Trixie noted. “Without it, we cannot prove one way or another whether Sparkle did, in fact, rape Phoenix Wright.” Even she looked troubled.
“Ah, but Your Honor, we do have some testimony that could be related to these events,” The Nightmare reminded Trixie with a grin. She then gave Mia a pointed look. “Don’t go easy on your cross-examination just because she’s your client, counselor. And do try not to rely on your plunging neckline or short skirt to sway the judge. ’Tis doubtful such charms will work here.”
“To say the least!” Trixie rolled her eyes.
“You needn’t worry,” Mia replied, crossing her arms and turning her attention on Twilight.
—— Cross-Examination ——
I d-don’t remember much about that night; it was quite some time ago.
“How do you not remember much about that night, Twilight Sparkle? Thanks to your magic, you have perfect memory recall if you wish, is that correct?”
Twilight blinked hard, like she’d never even thought about it before. “Yes. Yes it is…” she admitted. “But…”
I do recall waking up next to Phoenix in the middle of the night, after some… interesting dreams.
“Interesting dreams?” Mia echoed.
“I’ll just bet!” The red-suited Phoenix snarled while the real Phoenix increasingly wanted to strangle him, but couldn’t break through the barrier to do so.
For her part, Mia ignored him. “About Phoenix Wright?”
Twilight cringed. “Yes,” she confirmed.
“Sexual ones?” The Nightmare prompted, her grin growing.
“Yes,” she further admitted, her voice little more than a squeak.
“Then please tell this court how you got from your bedroom to Phoenix’s locked one, which was downstairs…?” Mia asked, more gently.
From the lack of a teleport trail, I reasoned I must have sleepwalked there and crawled into bed with him.
“Do you make a habit of sleepwalking, Miss Sparkle?” Mia had to ask.
Twilight swallowed. “Well, n-not to my knowledge…” she admitted, the tremor in her voice growing. “I-I’d think my assistants would alert me if I was.”
“Then it would appear that your behavior was out of character that night, even allowing for sexually charged dreams,” Mia said with a glance out towards Luna; Phoenix thought he saw her eyes narrow at the alicorn princess for a moment and a brief, unspoken conversation passing between them. “And then what did you do?” the late human lawyer asked.
I was so embarrassed by the situation that I teleported back to my room.
The Nightmare’s voice sounded. “Twilight Sparkle. You of all ponies should know full well that when there is physical contact with someone, a teleport spell will take them along for the ride and severely disorient them.” She closed her eyes and smiled again, her tsk-ing tone reminding Phoenix of Franziska.
Trixie looked up sharply. “You’re right!”
“Of course I am. Yet Mister Wright woke up none the worse for wear in his bed this next day… save for one simple fact?” The dreamstalker spirit arched her eyeridge and glanced over at Phoenix’s evil twin.
“Save that I was buck naked!” he completed the sentence, slamming his hands down on the rail he stood at, standing at The Nightmare’s side like he was a co-prosecutor.
“Now how would that have happened?” the alicorn apparition asked casually.
“Twilight?” Mia prompted. “Answer truthfully. It’ll be okay,” she promised, even though Phoenix was no longer certain it would be.
“Well… I…” Twilight was visibly squirming. “With much practice, I’ve taught myself to exclude objects from teleportation through careful focus and by pulling back my aura to my own body.”
“You can?” Trixie was very dubious, her brow furrowing. “Trixie has heard such a thing is only barely possible, and that it would require very precise concentration and control!”
“Which she would hardly have if being felt up in bed by Phoenix Wright,” The Nightmare suggested slyly, causing Phoenix’s cheeks to flush as be began to remember his own dreams that night, focusing on one in particular where he was holding and caressing Twilight only to have her suddenly disappear from his arms.
Then that was… REAL? He realized, both excited and aghast, but had little time to consider the matter before The Nightmare moved on.
“So what happened to his bedclothes, Twilight Sparkle?” the alicorn apparition followed up with a grin, glancing at Phoenix and leering like she knew what he was feeling. “Answer truthfully!”
“Well, I was able to focus enough to exclude Phoenix from the spell, but…” she couldn’t immediately finish.
“But what?” Trixie herself prompted, leaning over her bench to stare at Twilight intently, trying to read her.
“But… I forgot to exclude his clothes,” she admitted in defeat. “So since they were in contact with me, they came with me. I literally teleported them right off him,” she slumped, causing Phoenix’s jaw to drop open. “Wh-when I realized my mistake, I hurried back downstairs and dropped them at the side of the bed b-because h-he was naked and I didn’t dare to try to redress him...” She didn’t finish but she didn’t have to as her aura abruptly flashed pink.
“You ‘forgot’?” The Nightmare all but mocked her. “Judging by your reaction just now, it sounds like something you wanted!”
Trixie’s expression again changed to one of disgust. “Were you that eager to see that furless monkey naked, Snarkle?”
Mia broke in authoritatively. “Ponies rarely wear clothes, Your Honor. So it’s perfectly reasonable that in her panic she just didn’t think to exclude them. And I would further point out that if she wanted to do anything to him, she had the perfect opportunity right then and there. But she didn’t take it; instead just teleporting away,” Mia grinned and tucked her hair as she spoke, her point causing both Trixie and Twilight to blink. “So if the prosecution is claiming that my client was trying to take advantage of Phoenix Wright the whole time, then the defense points out that she had a golden opportunity she didn’t use. Far from trying to take advantage of him, she in fact went to great lengths to not disturb or wake him. Hardly the actions of a rapist.”
For the first time, Phoenix saw Twilight’s head come up fractionally. “Y-You’re right…” she realized, even from within her induced stupor, The Nightmare’s tendrils being forced from her fractionally.
The Nightmare frowned. “She still took his clothes off and probably saw him naked afterwards.”
Mia gave her a deadpan stare. “Then at most, she is guilty of ogling a stallion, not raping him. And last I checked, admiring an attractive ‘flank’ wasn’t a crime.” She winked at Phoenix as she spoke, who blushed—Mia had never once done anything even remotely flirtatious with him while she was living, but since she had died…
The alicorn apparition stared at her, than smirked. “Well, I suppose you would know, Mia Fey, since that entire outfit of yours seems designed to emphasize your own,” she snickered, looking the taller human over from head to toe. “Tell me, did you enjoy turning the heads of your male judges and prosecutors? Or were you just so poor a lawyer that you had resort to scanty clothing and sex appeal to win your cases?”
The narrowing of Mia’s eyes told Phoenix that the insult had registered, and it was only then he realized that The Nightmare was right—that Mia did dress provocatively, even in life. Why? Did she just like being showy? Or was she really trying to gain an advantage in a male-dominated occupation? he suddenly wondered before Mia broke his train of thought.
“We’ll find out by the end of this case, demon. Or are you just so poor a prosecutor you have to resort to cheap cheating and tawdry putdowns to win yours?” she needled back.
“Enough!” Trixie brought her gavel down, sharply, her face screwing up in distaste at the direction the conversation had gone. “Though Trixie highly doubts Snarkle unclothed Mister Wrong by accident and finds her behavior more than a bit creepy, that does not even remotely rise to rape. Move on!” she ordered, turning back towards Mia.
I had my nighttime assistant keep watch the next night, which was the night before the trial, to make sure I didn’t do it again.
The Nightmare broke in again before Mia could. “But you did do it again! Because Mister Wright woke up without clothes on a second time!” She all but leered at Twilight as Red Phoenix crossed his arms and glared.
“Twilight. Did you end up in bed with Phoenix again that night?” Mia asked calmly.
“No!” She shook her head sharply. “I drank some tea before going to bed to try and relax. In fact, I slept well and woke up much more refreshed. My nighttime assistant, Owlowiscious, told me that I had not left my room and neither had Phoenix,” she finally recalled, her thoughts seeming to come a second or two slower than normal under The Nightmare’s influence, who, Phoenix at least noted, didn’t seem to be trying to make her lie.
“That doesn’t rule out a teleport, Your Honor,” The Nightmare quickly pointed out with another sly grin.
“Did you sense any teleport trails, Twilight?” Mia followed up.
“No, but…” far from being reassured by her own answer, Twilight slumped again.
“But, teleport trails fade out quickly, disappearing completely in a matter of minutes. So that proves nothing,” Trixie finished for her.
“Tell me, Twilight Sparkle. Do you remember any dreams that night?” The Nightmare suddenly asked.
“How is that even remotely relevant, Your Honor?” Mia asked the question Phoenix would have in her place, pointing across the pit.
“Oh, it is indeed relevant, my late opponent. I request the court’s indulgence on this matter, Your Honor. I believe you will find the answer quite illuminating.” she said with a look out the barrier towards Luna, whose jaw was set as she watched.
The showmare looked deep in thought for a moment, considering. “Trixie has no idea what possible relevance this could have… but will allow you to try and demonstrate it. However, come to the point quickly, or I will strike this line of questioning and penalize you for wasting this court’s time!” she threatened, a chill wind suddenly blowing through the courtroom.
“As you wish,” The Nightmare answered evenly, apparently unconcerned by the threat. “So, Twilight Sparkle? Do you recall any dreams that night?”
“Well… no…” she said, her thought responses visibly sluggish with The Nightmare’s ethereal talons still in her.
“And is that normal?” she further challenged.
“No. It isn’t…” she admitted. “I like to keep a journal of my dreams, but…” she trailed off again like she suddenly realized what was wrong.
The Nightmare grinned triumphantly. “Your Honor! The prosecution submits as evidence… this!” She materialized a single bound notebook, dissolving the protective enchantment Twilight had placed on it with a flare of her long horn. “This is what makes the question relevant. I believe the court will find this item most enlightening.”
“What is it?” Trixie asked.
“The defendant’s personal dream journal,” The Nightmare announced, materializing an additional copy for the defense.
“How… how did you get…?” Twilight protested weakly, starting to rouse herself a bit.
“
“If that item was not legally obtained, it is inadmissible!” Mia quickly pointed out.
“I assure the defense it was,” the armored alicorn apparition grinned. “You might say it was obtained for me by a concerned friend.”
“Concerned friend?” Trixie and Mia chorused.
“Indeed,” The Nightmare closed her eyes and grinned. “Understand, this is not truly here, but is merely a recreation from the memories of the defendant’s own scribe… who might have looked at it out of fear and anxiety that his mistress might leave him, looking for reassurance that she would not,” she gave her sly smile. “I regret he found little.”
“Spike peeked at it?” even under The Nightmare’s influence, Twilight was aghast.
“You can hardly blame him for that, Twilight Sparkle. As you have been all but obsessed with Phoenix Wright for months, you have paid him little mind and he has rightfully feared his abandonment,” she told her, causing Twilight to bury her face in her hooves. “This diary, therefore, is admissible as it has come into the prosecution’s possession via third-party action. And as it is taken directly from her scribe’s memories, it constitutes a valid witness account of its contents.”
“Memory recall spells are generally inadmissible in Equestrian Court, Prosecutor Moon!” Mia pointed out.
“Ignoring the fact that we are not in an Equestrian Court, Mia Fey… memory recall spells, much like your world’s lie detector tests, can be admitted on a case-by-case basis at the presiding judge’s discretion,” Nightmare Moon replied casually.
Trixie gave an expression of distaste. “Trixie would seem to recall that such a spell was admitted in the trial of Rainbow Dash… over Trixie’s own objections, she might add!” She was clearly still angry at the memory.
“In that instance, the witness in question was trying to prove her guilt, Your Honor. Such evidence was not being used against the defendant but rather to buttress the witness’s confession and a claim of self-defense!” Mia made exactly the point Phoenix wanted to.
Phoenix barely had time to wonder again how Mia knew that detail of the trial when The Nightmare interjected again. “There are other circumstances by which such evidence can be made admissible, Your Honor. Memory recall spells can be considered circumstantial evidence at the court’s discretion, particularly when there is other evidence or testimony in support of it. Here, we have a witness admission that there is a strange gap in her memory—one this item could very well help us fill in.”
To Phoenix’s horror, Trixie began to visibly waver. “Although this court agrees that introducing such evidence would be very embarrassing to the defendant… that is hardly a deciding factor, given the humiliation Snarkle visited on Trixie during her trial!” she snapped, glaring at Twilight and sounding like she very much wanted to accept the journal evidence if only to embarrass Twilight back. “We have testimony and supporting evidence that something happened that night. And I believe it was Phoenix Wright who always demanded that every line of investigation and piece of evidence be exhausted?” she pointed out with a wry grin.
“You are quite correct, Your Honor. And to quote our defendant’s now-former lover, are we not here to seek the truth?” She grinned triumphantly at Mia again, then shot a look outside her barrier at Phoenix and Luna, her gaze lingering on the latter for a moment, who was looking increasingly troubled, glancing back and forth between Twilight and Phoenix repeatedly.
“But of course!” Trixie looked anything but unhappy as she overruled Mia’s objection with a sharp rap of her gavel, then accepted the journal in her aura, bringing it to her bench and opening it.
The showmare scanned it with a growing smile. “Well, now… you have quite the imagination, Snarkle,” was the first thing she noted as Twilight cringed. “And as to question at hoof… there is no entry for the night in question, yet there are entries for every night around it…” she noted, then her lips quirked upwards even further as she turned the page. “Did you really dream about doing a dragon, Sparkle? I’m sure your scribe would be interested in knowing that!” she asked as she read one page, then scanned several more, her smile growing. “Dreams about your friends… dreams about the princess… aaaand you fantasized about Mister Wrong being the pegasus on the cover of one of your romance rags?” She made a face as Twilight looked like she wanted to hide again, shooting a pleading look at Mia.
“Your Honor, I fail to see the relevance of this ‘evidence’, aside from embarrassing my client!” Mia protested.
“She should be embarrassed!” Trixie replied happily, never losing her grin until she got to one page that caused her eyes to go wide and slam the book shut suddenly, staring at Twilight in shock.
“Ah. I see you saw that page…” The Nightmare said with a salacious grin.
“Your Honor, the defense asserts, once again, that there is no point to submitting the full journal as evidence!” Mia persisted.
“Au contraire, my human opponent,” The Nightmare smirked. “I do have a reason for submitting the full journal. It speaks to Twilight Sparkle’s character… her true character, that is!”
“How do you mean?” Trixie asked, finally tearing her gaze away from Twilight, her cheeks tinted slightly pink.
“Of all the fantasies described in this journal, how many would be feasible to achieve in reality?” the faux-alicorn asked. “None! Twilight Sparkle respects her now-former ‘friends’ too much to even think of asking them, my former sister has made it clear that she wishes to keep their relationship purely platonic, and Mister Wright’s prior experiences with magic have, understandably, made him very ‘gum-shy’, to use a human expression.”
Mia barely suppressed an eyeroll. “The term is ‘gun-shy’, Prosecutor Moon. And what is your point?”
“My point, Ms. Fey, is that while Twilight Sparkle presents the facade of a bookish recluse, she is, in fact, a perverse individual with ridiculous fantasies… and no previous means of achieving them. That is why, when given an opportunity to indulge such a fantasy with such an exotic partner who could not resist her charms or magic, she couldn’t help herself. Or to be more apt, she did help herself, to him!” she nodded to the faux Phoenix, who nodded angrily back.
Trixie looked like she was barely listening, still staring at Twilight with an open mouth. “Please don’t hate me…” Twilight begged her.
The showmare was trying very hard to retain her composure, her cheeks still flushed. “The journal… is circumstantial evidence that something happened that night. The missing entry is suspicious. Existing entries also indicate an obsession with Phoenix Wright… and some interest in magically induced non-consensual encounters!” she gaped at Twilight again.
“Your Honor, these are dreams. Fantasies. They have no basis in reality!” Mia tried again to object.
“Goes to state of mind, Your Honor. That she has such thoughts suggest a potential willingness to carry them out,” The Nightmare retorted. “And all dreams are influenced in part, after all, by subconscious desires in reality!”
“If we were to be punished on the basis of things we’ve dreamt or fantasized about, we’d all have to be locked up for life!” Mia quickly countered, making Phoenix cringe at some of things he’d dreamt about over the years.
The Nightmare looked at Mia and leered again. “Oh really? I do wish you’d been alive by the time I’d been released. I’m sure looking in on your dreams would have been most enlightening, spirit. What would I have seen? That perhaps you had an eye for Phoenix yourself?” she suggested with another toothy grin.
“Considering she gave me an eyeful every time I saw her, maybe she did!” The fiery Phoenix piled on. “So how ’bout it, chief? Did you really want some of this?” he motioned down at his red-suited body as the real Phoenix suddenly wondered from Mia’s sudden stone-faced demeanor if it was true.
“While both sides make some good arguments,” Trixie began, sounding exasperated as well as slightly freaked to Phoenix’s ears, “the fact of the matter is that, lacking as we are in evidence regarding the night in question, we can’t simply ignore even circumstantial evidence. That said, I will admit this journal solely on the basis of establishing Twilight Sparkle’s state of mind and a potential pattern of behavior. I will not allow anything from this journal to be used as evidence of guilt or innocence on the defendant’s part!”
The Nightmare seemed far from unhappy. “Then I submit, Your Honor, that as we have established that something happened that night, it is beholden on this court to determine exactly what,” she grinned again. “As you yourself have pointed out, we have several pieces of troubling circumstantial evidence. First, something happened that Twilight Sparkle did not wish to record in her dream journal, leaving a very unusual gap in the record. Second, Phoenix Wright woke up unclothed that morning. Third, Twilight Sparkle had many mating dreams regarding the defendant and other ponies, some highly questionable at that. And finally, by Miss Sparkle’s own admission, she might have done something to Phoenix Wright that night. Something she feels fearful and guilty about. The court may surely draw its own conclusions as to what that might be!”
Twilight’s shoulders slumped with each recitation, and The Nightmare’s tendrils sank slowly deeper into her the more convinced she became of her guilt. And worse, Phoenix was starting to wonder himself. Did she… could she…?
This time, the voice was sounded was not Trixie’s, thundering through the virtual courtroom with enough force to make Phoenix’s ears ring. The portal they were gazing through brightened and widened, and for the first time, Trixie saw them, her shocked gaze locking with both Luna and Phoenix in turn. “We have heard enough. We will not allow thee to smear our sister’s student again!”
“About time you spoke up, Lulu,” The Nightmare leered. “For a moment, I actually thought you were going to allow me an easy victory just to spare your own admission of guilt.”
“Guilt?” Phoenix asked while Mia nodded at the Nightmare’s statement.
Luna visibly deflated. “The Nightmare is lying… and yet, she is not,” she began, reluctantly. “We know what happened that night, and we would testify to it!” She faced the bench and a freshly-stunned Trixie. “If Thine Honor would not object, that is…”
“Princess… Luna…?” Trixie gaped anew, glancing back and forth between her and the creature she thought was Luna… or at least, had once been. “And a second Phoenix Wright…?” she repeated the gesture between Phoenix as his doppelganger.
“The real one, Your Honor,” Mia crossed her arms. “And as she says she has relevant information to what happened that night… the defense requests her immediate testimony!” She glanced over at Nightmare, expecting an objection, but none was forthcoming.
“By all means,” the dreamstalker spirit invited and shrank her barrier slightly, enough for Luna to enter and go to the witness stand, though she carefully kept Twilight and the bulk of the courtroom, including the Phoenix doppelganger and Trixie, within it. “We’re certain this court and Miss Sparkle will find the Princess’s testimony most enlightening.”
“What?” Trixie was confused, her mind having trouble keeping up with all the rapid developments. “How is she here?” she pointed a hoof at Luna. “I thought she was you!”
“She was once. We regret we had a rather… forcible separation.” The Nightmare gave her usual unpleasant grin as Phoenix took advantage of the partially withdrawn barrier to take his place beside Mia, in the co-counsel position. Wow, I haven’t stood here in long time. Not since before I made partner! he couldn’t help but note.
“The defense requests the testimony of Princess Luna, Your Honor,” Mia prompted again, sparing Phoenix a look. It’ll be okay, she mouthed at him, giving him a reassuring smile.
“The prosecution has no objection,” The Nightmare added. “In fact, I greatly look forward to the information my former host may share.”
With some effort, Trixie mentally caught back up with the proceedings. “Oh. Well… as both sides are in agreement, the court will accept this offer of testimony. Take the stand… Princess…” She added the title as an afterthought, her expression uncertain like she wasn’t sure whether she should bow or be giving her commands at all.
Regardless, Luna did so, standing behind the witness rail and facing the bench.
“State your name and occupation for the record, my former host,” The Nightmare ordered with a satisfied smile.
Luna glared, but answered. “Luna Nightfall. Princess of the Moon, Diarch of Equestria!” she stated proudly.
“Oh really? We thought Celestia was still keeping you from such royal responsibilities, carefully out of sight and mind of your subjects,” The Nightmare couldn’t help but needle.
Luna’s flinch told Phoenix a nerve had been struck. “That is… by our choice, demon!” she answered more sharply than she needed to. “And we would have thee know that our sister has trusted us with both the sun and moon in her absence!” she remembered, standing up a bit taller.
The Nightmare chuckled. “Ah yes. Your sister is off on vacation, engaging in her usual debauchery on Earth. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened had I possessed her instead,” she said almost wistfully. “’Tis certain her dark side was nearly the equal of yours, my former host. As we watched from the moon, we saw the lengths she went to in the war against the gryphons. She was truly a demon of vengeance at the end, and many died for it. In truth, I was quite impressed.”
“And what wouldst you know about that, foul demon?” a new, and very familiar voice to Phoenix’s ears broke in. He spun to see none other than Firefly walking out of the shadows to stand beside him. She was clad in the old uniform of the Bolt Knights, with her Captain’s insignia practically glowing. “You were not there. And you wouldst not know the suffering the invasion caused. My Princess did what she had to in order to end the war and spare both sides many years of further bloodshed. Her actions brought the conflict to an honorable end, and in time turned enemies into friends.”
Luna was no less shocked to see her. “You are… Captain… Firefly?” she dimly recognized from her own memory—she had been aware of the events of Equestria during her long banishment, even if she had been unable to affect them.
“Greetings to thee, Princess Luna,” Firefly bowed and instantly lapsed into more formal speech, matching Luna’s. “We never knew thee, but thy sister oft spoke of thee. She once said that if thou hadst been there, the war with the gryphons would never have happened.”
“True. Because we would have conquered the world long before and made the gryphons our subjects.” The Nightmare was starting to look angry again as the trial received another unplanned visitation.
“Even if you had, ’twould not have lasted,” a new, low and heavily accented male voice broke in, followed a pair of glowing eagle eyes approaching out of the shadows, which shortly resolved into a nightmarish-looking male gryphon dyed black and painted with red stripes, his appearance making Phoenix take an involuntary step back, his eyes wide. “’Tis certain we would have found a way to defeat you, Nightmare, as we did all others who threatened the gryphon nation. My race does not take kindly to captivity or slavery, and we, too, have our grievances against you for all the suffering you inflicted upon us even before the war with Equestria. We caged Celestia herself for a time, and be assured we wouldst have eventually done far worse with you!”
Far from intimidated by his demonic look and predatory stare, The Nightmare regarded him disdainfully. “Well. We do seem to be attracting more than our share of wayward spirits tonight,” she said with a note of annoyance. “Ancient gryphons hardly needed my help to inflict suffering on themselves, Layan Kaval. And I saw your conduct during the invasion of Equestria. Your claws are far from clean; the atrocities you and your fellow Red Talons committed against the ponies rivaled some of my own!” She gave another pointed-tooth grin.
“For which I repented and spent the rest of my life trying to atone,” he answered in equal disdain, unperturbed. “I would not be here unless I succeeded. Greetings, Captain!” He stood tall and saluted Firefly in what Phoenix could only describe as a Roman manner, forming a fist with his talons and hitting his right paw hard against his left shoulder with an audible thump.
“Greetings and welcome to you, Prelate, my old friend and foe,” Firefly returned the gesture with a more modern military salute with her hoof. “’Tis good to find ourselves on the same side of battle once more.”
“Aye. As we should always have been,” Phoenix just caught a grin underneath his black visage before he turned his gaze on the taller human, seemingly sizing him up. “A warrior of wits is no less a warrior to me, Phoenix Wright. Fear not our presence; we are here to help make sure The Nightmare does not escape.”
“What is going on here?” Trixie gaped again, this time at seeing two figures right out of her schoolfilly history books, famous soldiers from the great Pony/Gryphon war. “Why are you in my dreams?”
“As should now be quite clear, ’tis no mere dream, Trixie Lulamoon. But as to why we are here…” Firefly trailed off for a moment, taking a breath before narrowing her eyes and addressing The Nightmare. “We have been watching Phoenix Wright and Twilight Sparkle from the Summerlands, and we saw The Nightmare’s ugly intent against them. We are here to make sure she does not succeed or escape her long-awaited judgment. Many millennia have thee wandered free and many lives and nations have thee destroyed. Tartarus awaits thee, foul demon!”
“We?” Phoenix was scarcely less shocked, feeling increasingly faint.
“We,” a new accented voice replied as Wind Whistler stepped out of the shadows, followed by five other ponies, comprised of both stallions and mares, all pegasi dressed in Bolt Knight uniforms. They were joined by an equal number of black-dyed, red-striped gryphons, both males and females.
“Thou hast made a grave mistake, Nightmare. By showing thyself in the dream realm, thou hast left thyself vulnerable. ’Tis only your partial possession of Twilight Sparkle that spares thee, or we would end thine existence here and now.” Wind Whistler lowered her head and gave the apparition her most lethal stare. “But for now, we will simply keep you here. Know that you cannot escape… except in Twilight Sparkle’s body. But that battle we cannot fight, so we shall leave it to Mia Fey.” She nodded to the angelic lawyer.
“Your presence is appreciated, Captain and company. I believe I will have to visit the Equestrian Summerlands and Gryphon Valhalla now,” Mia grinned. “Though I’m afraid that with regards to ending her, you’ll have to get in line behind me.” She crossed her arms again, giving The Nightmare a predatory grin as the new arrivals spread out around the virtual courtroom, the ponies and gryphons pairing off. Surprisingly pleasant words and smiles were exchanged between the once mortal enemies as they took posts around the periphery of the courtroom pit, standing roughly in the places normal courtroom bailiffs would be.
Nightmare’s expression dropped slightly. Her gaze flitted from pony to gryphon to human and back as it slowly dawned on her that she was indeed trapped, only kept safe from several powerful spirits and the Moon Princess by her hostage. “So be it,” she sneered at some length. “This will just make my victory all the sweeter, to defy such sickeningly sentimental spirits.”
“Your victory is not assured, demon,” growled one large mare who planted herself beside Luna, who Phoenix noted bore cat-like eyes much like The Nightmare’s. Is she part thestral…? “Your arrogance sickens me. To think that my ancestors were corrupted by such a creature…!”
“Peace, Fell Flight,” Firefly said as she took position to the left side of the judge’s bench, the gryphon warrior named Layan Kaval to the right. “Whilst a valid point, we must wait for this trial’s end to act.” She nodded at Princess Luna. “I believe that you were about to offer testimony, Princess…?”
This served to jar some sense back into Trixie, who turned back to face Luna herself. “Yes… yes. Testimony first, worry about mental health later,” she mumbled, then cleared her throat, trying to master her nerves. “Your testimony, Princess Luna, if you please.”
“Of course,” Luna gathered herself carefully. “And we thank such honored guests for their assistance in this matter… though we fear it scarcely makes what we have to say less difficult.”
“Then start from the beginning,” Mia prompted. “You said you knew what happened the night in question between Twilight and Phoenix…?” she brought the trial back on track.
“Yes,” she visibly deflated again. “We hesitate to tell thee this, and under any other circumstance… we would not, but…”
“But what?” Phoenix was getting a very sinking feeling as he found his voice again, Wind Whistler at his side, offering him comfort and protection.
“Yes, by all means, my former host. But what?” The Nightmare showed her teeth again.
—— Witness Testimony ——
A Lunar Confession
What happened that night… ’twas our doing. We had gazed into the dreams of both Twilight Sparkle and Phoenix Wright, finding great desire and equally great tension between them. We feared for their sanity and their client’s case if said tension was not relieved, so… we arranged a dreamtime tryst. Twilight Sparkle and Phoenix Wright indeed mated that night… not in their own beds, but in the realm of dreams. By request, we removed all memory of the affair afterwards.
Dead silence fell in the courtroom as both Phoenix’s and Twilight’s jaws fell open, even Trixie looked stunned. “You helped them do it?” she had to ask even as she noted that Nightmare Moon looked quite pleased with Luna’s statement..
“Verily, we did,” the moon princess closed her eyes. “And we would hope this court would accept the word of the lunar regent herself that in the end, they did so quite willingly. That we would not have arranged matters unless we were certain they would.”
Trixie stared at her for a moment. “Trixie… won’t even pretend she understands this attraction of theirs or why you would do such a thing!”
“Thou dost not have to understand, Trixie Lulamoon. Merely rule on the case’s merits,” Luna reminded her. “But at a minimum, we would hope thou wouldst not give into blind bigotry or thy personal distaste of such a pairing. We had been given hope that ponies had moved past such petty things during our long absence.” She arched an eyeridge.
Trixie stared at her a moment longer, then shook her head sharply, as if to clear it. “Yes, well… if the defense would care to cross-examine?”
“The defense most certainly would!” Phoenix spoke up, shooting Mia a look that told her that he wanted to conduct the cross. “Please, chief. I can’t just be a spectator in this any more,” he added as an aside.
Mia looked at him, then nodded. “Keep your emotions under control, Phoenix,” she admonished him just loudly enough that only he could hear, then stepped back. “And remember that The Nightmare can use them against Twilight. Right now she can’t hear or see you, but she will sense any negative emotions you harbor towards her.”
“I won’t forget,” he promised, turning his gaze on the Moon Princess.
—— Cross-Examination ——
What happened that night… ’twas our doing. We had gazed into the dreams of both Twilight Sparkle and Phoenix Wright, finding great desire and tension between them.
“I have to ask… don’t you consider that even remotely an invasion of privacy?” Phoenix began. Is our relationship an open BOOK?
Her secret revealed, Luna did not flinch from his gaze. “Dreams are our realm, Phoenix Wright. They are part of the very night, and thus our very element, as much as the sun and day are our sister’s. ’Tis our job and duty to guard them. In truth, we rarely intervene in them, but if we feel by doing so we can help another pony—or human—then we would. Thou and thy chosen mate’s situation was such a case.”
“Twas hardly rare back in our day,” The Nightmare added easily. “You had no qualms whatsoever about invading the dreams of ponies and using them to your own ends.”
“We are not that pony any more!” Luna shot back. “And that we did so was thy doing, not ours!”
“Believe what you like, Lulu,” The Nightmare laughed derisively. “But I didn’t possess you because of your ‘sunny disposition’, as the humans say.”
We feared for their sanity and their client’s case if their growing tension was not relieved.
“Feared for our sanity? Do you really think we couldn’t control ourselves?” Phoenix pointed at her. He knew he was accusing her, but he was beyond caring, needing answers for both himself and Twilight—that only the truth would save them now.
“Perchance ‘sanity’ is too strong a word,” Luna admitted. “But we know from long experience that unresolved attractions and mating urges oft lead to short tempers, forgetfulness, and inability to concentrate on tasks at hoof. ’Tis an age-old story, one that has not changed in a thousand years, and one we sought to spare thee and thy chosen mate from. Tell us, Phoenix Wright, how didst thou feel the next morning upon rising?”
That gave him some pause. “Much better,” he granted, wondering why The Nightmare was not objecting. Far from being upset that she was now under threat from vengeful spirits and Luna was dismantling her rape allegation, she seemed surprisingly serene, even pleased. “I slept very well and awoke refreshed,” he confirmed.
“And did thy case go well?” Luna followed up, now all but cross-examining him herself, leaving Phoenix to wonder if she’d been involved in legal cases herself once, a millennium earlier.
He put the question aside as he nodded, some of his anger starting to ebb. “Very well.”
“Then we have no regrets, Phoenix Wright,” Luna closed her eyes. “Our intervention accomplished what we wished, for the good of many, not just thee. Our only regret is that we were forced to reveal our role.”
“Somehow, I doubt that’s your only regret, my former host…” The Nightmare needled, but otherwise remained silent.
So… we arranged a dreamtime tryst. Twilight Sparkle and Phoenix Wright indeed mated that night… not in the physical realm, but in the realm of dreams.
“Then… if it was all a dream, how were my clothes removed?” he leaned hard over the rail.
“By Twilight’s magic, acting through the dream,” Luna replied immediately. “In truth, we were surprised that her spell found its way back into the physical realm, but it did. ’Tis a rare phenomenon, but one we have seen before, where magic cast in dreams affect the waking world. ’Twas a symptom of thy mutual passion, nothing more.” She favored him with a grin.
“Then you watched the whole thing?” Phoenix’s cheeks flushed.
Luna hesitated for just a moment. “We stayed unseen, but yes, we did. In case we were… needed.” She visibly blushed.
“And you must have been so disappointed when you weren’t,” The Nightmare snickered, causing the heat in Luna’s—and Phoenix’s—cheeks to flush further.
“‘Needed’?” a shoulder slumping Phoenix had to ask.
“In case things went poorly and we needed to end the dream quickly,” Luna insisted a little weakly, then sighed as she realized she was an open book. “And we admit we were… curious… to see how such an unusual pairing would work.”
“And I’m sure you got quite the eyeful for it. ’Tis good to know your voyeuristic streak remains intact even without our presence, my former host,” the Nightmare said, her grin growing broader, making Phoenix decide the best thing he could do was move on.
By request, we removed all memory of the affair afterwards.
“By whose request?” a freshly jolted Phoenix demanded to know, doubt gripping him again despite Mia’s warning. Is NOTHING we did real?
“By thine own, Phoenix Wright,” she told him evenly, looking him the eye. “Thine exact words were: ‘we really needed that, Princess, but we also weren’t really ready for it. We’ve talked it over, and ask that you please make us forget what happened so we can go about this more properly later…’ she magically took his voice and intonations, causing Phoenix to flinch. “Be assured we were reprimanded by our sister for it afterwards, who reminded us that we could not simply toy with the lives of others and force such choices upon them, even in the realm of dreams.”
“Really, my former host. One might think you of all ponies would know better. Then again, perhaps it does come naturally to thee. After all, we remember how voracious your sexual appetites were when we were joined. Rivaled your sister’s, they did.” The Nightmare smiled and closed her eyes. “Shall we tell them about all the times we entertained your entire elite guard? And what was your Shadowbolt Captain’s name…? Star Sable? Had quite the love for your tail, he did.”
“Silence!” Any other time, Phoenix would have been amused by Luna’s blue cheeks going bright red in mingled anger and embarrassment.
“Or all the souls you corrupted simply by invading their dreams, terrifying or outright seducing them as needed, using their own fears and fantasies to bend them to our will?” The Nightmare went on. “At its finest, thy perversity even exceeded thy sister’s and young Sparkle’s here.”
“We say to thee, Silence!” she thundered more forcefully, her eyes beginning to glow white and a sharp wind beginning to blow even as her blush deepened further.
Far from being cowed, The Nightmare’s grin got wider. “Why so sensitive, my former host? Could it be because deep down, you know you are little different than I? That thou wouldst make a fine Nightmare even without our aid?” Either by accident or by design, she had lapsed back into olden talk. “’Tis certain that part of thee still exists even without our presence, if thou wouldst treat Phoenix Wright like one of thine old playthings.”
Luna’s eyes glowed with supernatural fury and lightning flashed all around the periphery of magical barrier, power far in excess of even what Trixie could conjure, a fact not lost on the showmare as she went pale at the display. “By our moon and our sister’s sun, we will see thee in Tartarus before we allow thee to possess another soul!”
“Ah, my dear Lulu, but ’tis not your choice. Pity,” she teased further.
A frazzled-looking Trixie finally found her voice again. “Trixie does not know what’s going on here… and is starting to very much wish she would wake up! How are you all here? Why am I dreaming about any of you?” she finally had to ask.
“As thou hast already been told repeatedly, ’tis not a dream, Trixie Lulamoon,” Luna said again with strained patience. “This trial is real, as is the judgement thou may visit upon Twilight Sparkle.”
“Real? But you can’t be…” for the first time, there was genuine nervousness in her eyes as her gaze flitting back and forth between human and pony, living and dead.
“She is correct, Your Honor. So if you’ve had enough and wish to wake up, simply declare Twilight Sparkle guilty, because she very much is.” The Nightmare suggested evenly with a now-sly grin, turning the full force of her gaze on Trixie for the first time. “The longer this trial goes, I promise the worse it’s going to get. And if you continue to be less than helpful to my case, you might not be immune to my wrath yourself…” her grin turned sly even as her eyes turned angry.
“Immune? What do you…?” Trixie trailed off as her cheeks abruptly flushed hard and she began squirming in her seat, her eyes flitting to Twilight repeatedly and just as quickly tearing themselves away. “But… that’s… I’m not… stop this…” She clutched her head in her hooves, trying to drive the unwelcome desires away. “Stop this!”
“Stop what?” The Nightmare teased. “Stop bringing forth your buried feelings for Twilight Sparkle? Stop showing you how easily desire for her power and station can be turned into desire for her?”
“How dare thee…” Luna snarled, unable to stop her.
The Nightmare only intensified her assault, watching as Trixie’s aura turned a pale pink and her cheeks flushed further, her breathing starting to quicken. “Oh come now, my former host. All we have done is bring forth her hidden passions. In any event, ’tis hardly worse than what you did!”
Before anything more could be said, a wave of spiritual energy washed over them, stronger than the pulse Mia had emitted before. Both Luna and Nightmare were rocked back on their hooves by the wave, and Trixie shook her head as whatever The Nightmare had been doing abated. Mia’s body was noticeably glowing, now, a shimmering aura surrounding her, and her expression was one of tranquil fury. “If the prosecution and the witness are quite finished? This is a trial, not a place to air dirty laundry,” she asked archly, her voice having taken on an extra timbre. She then locked gazes with Nightmare Moon, and narrowed her eyes. “And if you want to win this trial, Nightmare, do so on your own merits. You can at least pretend to be a better mare than you claim Luna is.”
“Well, then. Perchance I can take your example instead, Mia Fey!” With that, she transformed into a very tall and voluptuous dark-skinned human female, her clothes, or lack of them, a direct mockery of Mia’s. “Tell me, is this better?” She made a show of cupping and kneading her large breasts, then leaned over her bench and propped her chin on her cupped hands, allowing Red Phoenix to leer at her as the assembled ponies and griffins all wore looks of open disgust.
Mia simply sneered, as did Phoenix and Trixie. “A little overdone, demon. Subtlety is clearly not your strong suit.” She crossed her arms, her expression one of annoyance.
“Yeah, it would be better… if I didn’t know you were a psychopathic demon who does everything for their own gain!” Phoenix added from beside her, not even remotely tempted by her despite his counterpart’s reaction, finding her new form more grotesque than attractive. Forming a conservative set of women’s clothes from the dreamscape, he threw them across the courtroom, and smirked as they hit the Nightmare in the face. “Either put some clothes on or change back to being a pony. You’re not being witty or clever right now, you’re just embarrassing yourself!” he pointed at her.
“The court concurs with the defense!” Trixie said with a venomous look at The Nightmare. “Any further attempt to influence the bench via magic will be punished… and quite severely!” Her eyes flashed blue in emphasis and suddenly The Nightmare was knocked backwards from her bench as Trixie displayed her own magical might, the magical barrier wavering hard for a moment as an icy beam struck her, briefly staggering her and disrupting her power before she was able to hurriedly restore her defenses.
“Impressive…” she granted, looking angry that her latest attempt to attack Mia had backfired, some grudging respect in her eyes as she retook her alicorn form. But despite her surprise that Trixie was able to affect her, The Nightmare wasn’t so worried about her as the human woman across the pit. She stared at Mia, and for the first time there was genuine wariness in her slitted eyes. “So, ’twould seem you have been holding back your power this entire time, spirit?”
The pony and gryphon spirits in the room smiled knowingly as Mia closed her eyes and crossed her arms. “For Twilight’s sake, yes. I could probably eject you forcibly from her soul myself, but doing so would harm her in ways that no magic can heal,” she noted, tapping her finger against her forearm in unconscious imitation of Miles Edgeworth. “Being the ‘ascended spirit’ that I am, I have powers no mortal does and in this realm, I can use them fully… as I imagine our new guests can as well. Trust me, had we met outside her dream, I would blast you back to whatever Godforsaken pit of Hell you crawled out of.” She flared her angel wings for emphasis.
The Nightmare sighed almost wistfully. “Ah yes. ’Tis been quite a while since I have visited the human hell. Such delicious torments visited upon the damned. Perchance I could use the vacation,” she rejoined.
“Do not expect a pleasurable stay after we have stripped you of your power,” Firefly threatened, speaking up for the first time in several minutes. “Then, you will be but another soul for the true demons there to feast on.”
“Ascended spirit… human hell…?” Trixie repeated as she followed the conversation, looking back and forth between the pair and finally reaching a very uncomfortable conclusion. “Wait… you mean we’re inside Sparkle’s head? This isn’t my dream?” Her voice got shaky and eyes went very nervous.
“That’s correct, Trixie,” Mia said, looking up at the judge’s bench, speaking gently but firmly. “I’m sorry you’ve found yourself in the middle of this, but the stakes here are only too real. So be mindful of your words and actions. There is far more at risk here than your pride.”
For the first time, there was a look of fear in the showmare’s eyes as she finally realized the full scope and scale of what she found herself in. “Then… if The Nightmare wins… she takes Sparkle for a host?” She finally put all the pieces together, and realized the terrible power and destruction that could result from a corrupted, possessed Twilight… to say nothing of what she might do to ME! “But… that’s… no! Th-then I will find her not guilty right away!” she raised her gavel to deliver a hasty verdict.
“NO!” Mia shouted while The Nightmare merely laughed, dashing Phoenix’s sudden hopes. “You cannot. It must be a legitimate verdict, Trixie Lulamoon. One that results from proving Twilight innocent, both in your eyes and her own. Right now she believes she has badly hurt and possibly raped Phoenix Wright. Her fear of losing Phoenix and guilt over what she has done to him is what gives The Nightmare a grip on her soul.”
Phoenix voiced his first of the trial, to the surprise of all. “But that makes no sense! Twilight’s so powerful and so much stronger of spirit than that! She’s taken on that Nightmare and beat her before! So why would she go to pieces over… me?” he had to ask.
“Unfortunately, it makes perfect sense, as The Nightmare has tapped into two deep-rooted fears that all mares on some level possess, Phoenix Wright,” Wind Whistler spoke up from beside him, where she almost seemed to be acting as his personal bodyguard. “One is of being abandoned. The other is of harming a stallion. The first is borne of ancient times, when a herd was needed for defense and exile from one meant death. The second comes from our gender imbalance, where protection of stallions is paramount to secure both the survival of the species and that of future progeny. And therefore, to harm a stallion is the greatest sin a mare can ever commit. And Twilight Sparkle is now convinced she has done it,” Firefly’s lieutenant explained shortly. “We must admit, ’tis a superb strategy, one that uses Twilight Sparkle’s own instincts and innate fears against her,” she granted grudgingly.
“Why thank you, my erstwhile assassin,” The Nightmare grinned, causing Wind Whistler to growl. “She is correct, Phoenix Wright. And unless Twilight Sparkle’s belief that she has hurt and used you is destroyed utterly… she cannot expel me. And with every moment that passes, my grip on her deepens,” The Nightmare grinned and boasted, completely unconcerned about announcing her intentions as Twilight seemed only barely aware of what was happening around her, unable to see or hear Phoenix or anything but what The Nightmare wished her to. “And thus far, Mia Fey you have convinced her of little. Only deepened her doubts.”
Mia’s eyes narrowed. “Hardly, Nightmare. By the Princess’s testimony, no rape took place that night. Your accusations are being proven false, and with them goes your grip on Twilight.”
“Does it?” the alicorn asked rhetorically, even lazily. “The point, now proven to both her and Phoenix Wright, is that their love may not be real. What my former host’s testimony proves is that they were forced together against their will, by those they believed were their friends and protectors. That their lives and emotions were toyed with by those more powerful than they. And therefore, can anything they have be real?” she asked in mock sorrow, causing Twilight’s lips to quiver and her eyes to tear up again as even Phoenix felt a pit growing in his stomach once more.
No… it’s not true…! he told himself, increasingly unconvinced as the lawyer part of him began to appreciate the depth and brilliance of The Nightmare’s strategy—accusations, even false ones, just being means to different ends, serving only to deepen distrust and divisions, driving a wedge between them. She’s lying… she HAS to be! he told himself, but was no longer certain he believed it.
Trixie’s gavel came down once more. “Despicable though I find you… if the only way to defeat you and end this nightmare is to fulfill the role given me, then I will do so,” she rubbed her head again, trying to process all she had just heard. To her credit, she finally succeeded with one final deep breath, and when she looked up again, her eyes and voice were clearer. “This court finds that the question of rape remains an open one,” she admitted reluctantly, then turned back to the witness stand. “Princess Luna, you say you arranged the dreamworld rendezvous between Twilight Sparkle and Mr. Wright. Was that all you did? This court now asks directly: was their meeting, in fact, consensual?”
Luna nodded sharply. “Aye. Whilst we may be severely ‘out of date’ with the current times, even one thousand years ago, we knew the importance of consent… despite what others may claim!” She gave The Nightmare an angry glare. “We brought them together, ’tis true, but what followed was of their own will. And we wouldst not have arranged it if we thought any harm would come to the mind or spirit of either party.”
In response, The Nightmare grinned. “But harm did come to them, Lulu. And we’re supposed to take your word for what happened? As you’re a master of dream magic and mental manipulation, how can we trust that’s all you did that night?”
I hate to admit it, but it’s a good point, Phoenix thought, increasingly downcast. Is even my own HEAD not safe from being manipulated by magic?! He slumped to the bench and clutched his head.
A wave of warmth and renewed hope passed through him as Mia put a hand on his shoulder, leaving Phoenix to later reflect that he had literally been touched by an angel. “She’s just trying to sow doubt and discord, Phoenix. She’s very good at it but you can’t give into it. For Twilight’s sake, stay strong!” she reminded him, pulling him back to his feet.
Momentarily stunned by the accusation, Luna finally opened her mouth to retort, but Trixie cut her off with a gavel slam. “Unfortunately, I’m afraid the prosecution is right in this instance. You have admitted to engineering a meeting between the defendant and Phoenix Wright, Princess Luna. With that in mind, we cannot take you at your word alone that you did nothing to ‘help things along’ between them. In which case the charge of rape in this instance… may pass to you.”
Everyone looked over at Mia, who was wearing a light smirk. “As it happens, there is more than just Princess Luna’s word to substantiate her claim.”
The Nightmare snorted and rolled her slitted eyes. “Ah, and here we see that you really are Phoenix Wright’s mentor; the infamous bluffs. Pay her no mind, Your Honor. ’Tis certain she cannot possibly back that claim up.”
Mia’s smirk only deepened. “I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss this out of hand, Nightmare. There were witnesses to the dreamtime meeting between Mister Wright and Miss Sparkle.”
“Now I know you’re bluffing!” The Nightmare sneered. “How can there be witnesses to a meeting in the dreamscape?”
Mia simply held her smirk. “Well, to judge from my own presence here, to say nothing of our gallery of guests—” she indicated the still-present Bolt Knights and Red Talons inside the courtroom, who grinned as well “—the departed are not beholden to the same rules that the living are, particularly when it comes to dreams. I found my way here and so did they, our ability to cross over helped by Luna’s dream magic weakening the barriers between the worlds. If Luna was present in another dream, I see no reason another spirit could not have done so as well.”
Trixie cocked her head. “Then you’re saying that there was another spirit who witnessed this… ‘dreamtime tryst’ as Princess Luna termed it?”
“That is correct, Your Honor. Two of them, in fact,” Mia confirmed with a nod. “We simply need the testimony of one of them to support Princess Luna’s claim.”
“Why just one?” Trixie asked. “Why not both of them?”
Mia sighed. “Because one of the spirits in question… was myself. Sorry, Phoenix,” she cast him an apologetic look as he stared at her, stunned.
“Thou wert there?” Even Luna was surprised. “But… we did not sense thy presence!”
“Because I didn’t want you to. Because I was trying to respect their privacy,” she said with a brief note of admonishment to the moon princess before turning back to Phoenix. “I was keeping tabs on you in Equestria and wanted to make sure you weren’t hurt. So if you will not believe them, then take me at my word that you were not raped or unduly influenced,” she told him as Phoenix leaned back heavily against the wall behind him, jolted by one unlikely revelation after another. “But I can’t provide testimony myself, as that would be a severe conflict of interest and the prosecution would merely claim that I am covering for my client.”
“Of course. Because you would be,” The Nightmare rolled her eyes. “And what of this other spirit? Where are they?” she made a show of looking back and forth repeatedly. “Or are you just bluffing, as your student so often does?” she asked with a contemptuous glance at Phoenix.
“Well, I had to learn it from somewhere…” his doppelganger crossed his arms and smirked from beside her.
“One moment.” In response, Mia tapped the blue Magatama that hung around her neck, which started pulsing with a blue light. Moments later, a pillar of mystic light burst down from the ceiling, momentarily blinding everyone. When their vision cleared, standing in the midst of the fading pillar was an earth pony stallion with a slate blue coat and deep purple mane and tail. Phoenix didn’t recognize him, but noticed instantly that his cutie mark matched Trixie’s, immediately deducing that an identical mark and similar coat meant he was likely an ancestor of hers.
Blinking his violet eyes, the new arrival glanced around, taking in the surprising scene. “Well, this is certainly different!” he noted in prize understatement. “I’ve made dramatic entrances before, but never one in such esteemed company!”
“G… Grandpa?” Trixie asked, her voice shaky.
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OW I absent blaming you i was more blaming the site because I Dident get any notification or maby it Dident tell me I don’t know but yeah sorry about the mix up.