The moment Twilight saw the newspaper floating in Cadance's magic, and the stricken look on her sister in law's face, she knew something was wrong. But it was the title of the paper that confirmed it.
"Is it about Equestria? Is there something going on?" Twilight asked.
Cadance shook her head as she floated the paper over in her magic, which Twilight caught. "Equestria is fine for now. But."
Now Twilight was really worried. "But?"
Cadance sighed. "Just, read what it says Twilight. You need to know about this."
Twilight gave her a look, but decided to see what she meant and opened the Canterlot Times to the front page. Her jaw dropped as she read the headlines.
"Diarchy in shambles! Princess Celestia and national heroes condemned following the failed Changeling Invasion. Princess Celestia temporarily removed from power as ponies question her decisions over the last few months."
"In an unprecedented move, Parliament voted overwhelmingly to condemn the actions taken by Princess Celestia Sol Invictus, former Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor, and the Elements of Harmony, before and during the wedding of Princess Mi Amora Cadenza and Shining Armor."
"When question why nothing had been done when Twilight Sparkle brought up her worries to her friends and mentor, Princess Celestia was on record as saying. "Twilight had nothing but base accusations against who I thought was my niece. Someone she had not seen in some time."
"And yet it never occurred to you to at least give her the benefit of the doubt?" Lord Fancy Pants asked. "I do not know her well, but she does not seem one to throw something like that around without good reason."
"There was a wedding going on," one Rainbow Dash interrupted at this moment in the interview."
"For a pony none of you aside from Twilight herself knew. A pony none of you even knew existed before you were invited to help with the wedding preparations. One who had done nothing but insult you since the moment you arrived. I see nothing but your own greed and lack of belief overcoming what I assumed was a strong friendship," Lord Blueblood is on record as retorting.
That caused Twilight to wince. She and the Blueblood Family had never gotten along in all the years she had been Princess Celestia's student. But they had at least respected each other. Coming from Prince Blueblood's father, that was a glowing compliment.
"On top of all of that, there was a known threat against Canterlot. One that yourself, Captain Armor, provided a shield for the city against. Yet in the end, it seems you forgot or ignored that fact," Fancy Pants continued.
"Captain Armor had no comment to give on this statement."
The bulk of the article was mostly the Judiciary Committee's questions and the defendants' answers. None of what Twilight read helped her mood. In fact, it made it worse, and it again made her question why it had all almost gone wrong that day several months before.
Only at the end did Twilight find what she was looking for again. And all it did was make her heart sink.
"In a move nopony ever thought would come to pass, the full house, in conjunction with Princess Luna herself, voted to strip Princess Celestia of all her powers as a princess temporarily, and sentenced the Bearers of Harmony to 6 months community service."
"Princess Luna summed it up when she finally spoke after the vote. "I believe somepony once said it best, sister. You have a lot to think about. Maybe this time, it will actually stick with you. This kind of thinking cost you myself a thousand years ago. This time it nearly cost you everything."
"Ponyville took the news as well as one could expect. Granny Smith, Matriarch of the Apple Family, said it best I feel. "Ah raised my grandaughter better than this. Twilight might be on the odd side now and then, but she's like family to all of us. And family don't do this to each other."
Twilight did smile a bit at the glowing praise from Granny Smith, but she couldn't help but go back to something else as she looked at Cadance. "Can they do that to Princess Celestia?"
Cadance nodded her own mood down. "If Aunty Luna herself also voted for it, then yes they can. It's not widely known, but if one princess if found guilty of failing Equestria, then the next princess in line can make whatever verdict she wants on the punishment."
It clicked for Twilight. "And since you're here, Princess Luna is. What about Shining though? They never said what he got."
Cadance nodded. "Because we're married, what happens to him is left up to me." She sighed. "But I feel he's suffered enough as it is. Your parents are doing worse than I ever could."
Twilight rolled her eyes. That was an understatement if what she was hearing from her mom and dad was any indication. "But what happens to Princess Celestia now? Who's raising the sun?"
Cadance looked out a nearby window at the star. "Aunt Celestia still is. It's the only duty she has at the moment. She told me that she is taking a long vacation, and not to look for her."
Twilight's eyes grew large. "She's what?! Where did she go?"
Cadance shook her head. "I don't know. She didn't say. Aunt Luna is now in charge of Equestria. From what I hear, she's not any happier about it than we are."
Twilight couldn't really blame Luna for it as she sighed and set the newspaper on a nearby table. If she was in her shoes, she wouldn't be any different. Though with nothing bad seemingly not being said, Luna must have been doing a good job so far.
She wondered though where Princess Celestia had vanished too. With the sun still rising and setting on schedule, she was obviously fine whever she was, but Twilight was still worried about her mentor.
As mad and annoyed as she was at the whole thing, she had never wanted any of this. Not even in her most vindictive moments had she wanted it. She didn't even think it was possible.
But there it was.
I can't wait to read what happens next, keep up the good work!
It's a good thing the feed also shows new chapters, because the tracking feature didn't tell me about this. Might want to put up a blog or something in case it happened to everyone.
On to the update itself, well, that certainly wasn't in my predictions for the outcome of the trial.
Shame to see this is the beginning of the end, but if you're running low on things that feel right to put in, then it's for the best to wrap it up while it's still coherent in your head.
10058055
What did you expect to come out of the trial? Everyone walks away fine and dandy? Celestia got the worst since, as princess, she should have at least given some consideration and looked into Twilight's claims.
Very few of the nobles like Twilight, and the feeling is mutual, but even fewer like getting invaded by love sucking parasites.
So far, you're the only one to say something about the tracking feature. It might have just been you.
10058634
I'm not sure I had an actual outcome in mind. I think I just didn't consider it in the right perspective, but yes, gross negligence nearly resulting in conquest (possible actual charge against Celestia) certainly warrants a stiff penalty. And once it got to the point of an actual hearing, then some kind of penalty was bound to happen. I'm just not sure I'd have ever considered temporarily stripping her of authority. Though to be fair, there aren't a lot of other things one could personally do to her, that aren't negated by her position, so it makes a lot of sense.
In the end, it makes sense as a penalty, it just wasn't anything I'd considered, for whatever reason.
As a side note, in the reading of the article, during Blueblood's statement, you have him say "known of you" when it should be "none of you" knew Cadance.
10058634
looking forward to more chapters in the coming time ... very eager to read ... keep up the great work!!!
Hmm.
10058656
In my opinion, though all Twilight was saying was "She's evil!" how would you feel if someone said that about your niece? I personally feel different about the canterlot wedding tbh, not to step on your toes or anything.
I honestly think giving the elements of harmony a punishment reserved for criminals for 6 months despite all they've done for Equestria is a little much.
And you mentioned greed and lust? where did lust come in?
10067532
You probably wanted to address most of that to the author instead of me, but I'll answer with my opinions. Punishment for the Bearers wise, community service is a slap on the wrist style penalty when you don't want to or know they can't afford fines, or when the defendant is famous and you want them out in public serving their "sentence" to show you've "punished" them. Given the personalities of all involved, none of them except maybe Dash will be all that bothered by having to do it.
I imagine what Blueblood was saying was lust for power/recognition (Rarity and Dash especially) rather than the usual definiton.
10067532
Yes, Twilight was spouting nonsense with nothing to back it up. But here's the thing. Princess Celestia could have at least given her some benifit of the doubt. If Twilight had been wrong, I feel she would have taken whatever lumps everypony gave her for it.
The Mane 6? They frankly have no justification for the way they acted. They didn't know Cadance at all, and she had done nothing but insult them the whole time. Did they care? Not one bit, and chose her over Twilight.
I could go on, but it would take forever. Greed I feel was them choosing the wedding over everything else. Lust I don't remember saying.
Their punishment is meant to show that, no matter who they are, they are not above the law or being held accountable, not only for the wedding, but also the Gala. It's never said, but the Gala mess was also partly in it.
Like I said, it's too long to keep going.
10067600
You said it best I feel. Their reputation, as is, is shot. Won't show much more of it since the story is ending within a few chapters, but there it is.
10067603
"For a pony none of you aside from Twilight herself knew. A pony none of you even knew existed before you were invited to help with the wedding preparations. One who had done nothing but insult you since the moment you arrived. I see nothing but your own greed and lust overcoming what I assumed was a strong friendship," Lord Blueblood is on record as retorting."
That's where I saw the declaration of lust just to let you know.
10067612
That's the one. I don't remember literally everything I write. I stand by what I said though.
10067616
But how does lust fit into the context? Lack of belief would be better.
10067630
Yeah. In hindsight, it wasn't the best choice of words that I used. I just updated it. See if it works better now.
10067669
Looks good.
In the poor guy’s defense, he was under the thrall of a mind control spell at the time. And when a soul sucking bug monster you’ve maybe never even heard of before appears before you shape shifted into the perfect likeness of the one pony you love and trust more than your Princess In Chief herself, it’s only natural to have your guard down and be an easy mark for such a thing.
Everyone else involved didn’t have that excuse, though.
You have no idea how happy this makes me finally seeing what Celestia, the other element wearer's, and Shining Armor deserve for what they did at the wedding, never watched the episode but what I heard at the end just made me angry, Shining Armor disowned her, her friends left her, and Celestia abandoned her.
Did they have a right to not believe her? Yes! Of course they do, she didn't act rational, she just accused of Cadance being evil, but although they didn't have to believe her and i don't blame them for it, i blame them for what they did and didn't do, they shouldn't have left her and abandoned her, do you even know the alternatives if Chrysalis didn't trap Twilight in those caves? She had an opportunity to actually kill Twilight, she could have died and they would have never known!
They should have asked for evidence and talk it out and comfort Twilight, that's how it should have gone.
But the thing that makes me upset the most is after everything was over, AppleJack was the only one who apologized on the behalf of Twilight's friends, they never apologized to Twilight personally, not even Shining Armor or Celestia!
You have absolutely no idea how happy this 1 chapter makes me feel. It's nice to see them get what they deserve while also seeing Twilight not being the one giving them what they deserve, because that usually ends badly in alot of stories.