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Chapter 11,819 words
Chapter 23,105 words

Chapter 2

The Royal Court was again busy with the chatter of the hundred or so ponies gathered for the afternoon session. The members of the press gossiped and compared notes from the morning session where Twilight Sparkle had been accused of attempting to murder Princess Celestia. The evidence was looking damning and the pony who had given evidence against Twilight, Trixie, was now in the public gallery sitting on the back row, unknown to Twilight's closest friends who sat two rows in front.

The chatter fell silent as Judge Haystack returned gingerly to his position at the head of the court, his old bones creaking as he hoisted his rump onto the chair.

Up in her own viewing box, Princess Celestia had clearly been crying during the break. The stress of recovering from her poisoning and the overwhelming evidence that her most beloved student had been the poisoner weighed heavy on her shoulders. She could not believe that Twilight would ever do such a thing but the evidence told a grim story.

"Bring forth the accused."

Judge Haystack clopped his hoof on his desk and all eyes once again turned to the defendants entrance. Twilight stepped back into the courtroom and again tried to catch the Princess' gaze to no avail. She had been unable to speak to the Princess since being arrested. Surely the Princess could not believe she was the poisoner? Trixie's statement could be cast into doubt but it was still Twilight who had been the only one to visit the Princess only moments before she was struck down by the poison. Twilight's eyes filled with tears. Had she made a mistake? Had she somehow picked the wrong ingredients for her trick potion? No. Absolutely not. No pony could get haricot beans and ragwort confused. Somepony must have tampered with the Princess' drink earlier, Twilight decided.

"All assembled today, we will now hear a victim's statement from her royal highness, Princess Celestia, before a closing statement from the accused. Following this, the jury will retire and I shall expect a verdict before the court closes this evening. Those in the public gallery are reminded that there will be no leaving, no toilet breaks and no disruption until the end of the session."

A commotion outside the court room caught the attention of most in attendance. A door opened and Spike the dragon entered wearing a rather snazzy shirt and tie. The gold and black tie clashed terribly with his purple scales, Rarity thought idly before reminding herself that this was not the time or the place.

Spike was out of breath but jogged over to the court porter, handed her a note and ran back to the public gallery to sit with his pony friends.

The porter examined the note before trotting to the judge and passing it on. Twilight looked up at her dragon assistant with a questioning glance - Spike grinned and gave his friend a thumb's up as chatter started amongst the reporters.

"Quiet please. It would seem that we have a witness who is prepared to give evidence on behalf of the accused. This is highly irregular. Your highness, as the representative of the royal house as well as victim of the crime, will you allow this unconventionally late witness to stand?"

The Princess nodded and whispered into the ear of one of her guards who poured her a fresh glass of water.

"Very well, bring in the witness."

All heads turned to the witness stand as the door opened and a collective gasp was heard as in walked a large female gryphon.

Rainbow Dash groaned and whispered to Pinkie.

"Gilda? Oh great, this isn't gonna be good."

Pinkie shook her head and hissed to Spike.

"Are you crazy? Gilda hates ponies! She hates ponies so much she'll want to chop Twilight's head off herself, now, in front of everypony!"

Spike put his claws behind his head and rested back against his seat.

"Don't worry Pinkie Pie. Spike's got it all under control! You'll see."

Rarity whinnied and looked down her nose at her dragon admirer.

"I hope so Spike because time is running out! And I told you not to wear a tie that clearly does not.."

Judge Haystack banged his hoof to regain control of the courts attention.

"Quiet there in the public gallery or I shall have you all escorted out!"

Gilda stretched her wings and yawned before turning to the public gallery and looking up at Rainbow Dash. Gilda didn't look as angry or aggressive as the last time their paths had crossed.

"You are Gilda, is this correct? Of the Gryphon Mountains. You were told before entering the court that the evidence you give is under oath. Do you understand?"

"Yeah dude."

The judge banged his hoof causing Gilda's pupils to dilate.

"This is a court of law and you will refer to me as 'Your Honour'!"

"OK Your Honour! Sheesh!"

The judge shook his head at the insubordinate young gryphon, his age making him rather inpatient with adolescents. He scrutinized the note he had been handed again.

"I'm told you have some evidence which may throw doubt on the accusations against Twilight Sparkle. Please start from the beginning, speak clearly and describe what it is you saw Ms. Gilda."

Gilda ran her claws through the crest on her head and began to speak as clearly as she could, unfamiliar with being the integral part of such a formal gathering.

"Well uhh, Your Honour, I was chilling out in Ponyville a few nights after the summer solstice and like, I saw something weird. I mean, I see weird stuff all the time in Ponyville but no-one knows I'm there 'coz I usually hide on the rooftops, ya know?"

The judge raised an eyebrow.

"No, I do not 'know', Ms. Gilda. Why the rooftops? Why were you in Ponyville?"

Gilda shyed away from the judge's cynical glare.

"I, umm, lost a friend there and upset a few ponies. I'm like, totally not welcome there and sometimes I just sit on the rooftops and watch my ex-gal-pal. It sounds weird, whatever, deal with it."

Judge Haystack sighed and rubbed his forehead. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash exchanged glances, Pinkie did the 'loco in the coco' motion and pulled a silly face.

"Ms. Gilda, please tell us what you saw the evening in question."

"Yeah, so I was on the roof and I saw that Twilight pony going into her library. I mean, thats not the weird bit dude."

The judge glared, urging Gilda to hurry before his patience ran out.

"So she's gone in and I see this weird pony I've never seen before, she's like acting all you know, shifty. She opens the window in the library and magick'd something out. I was like, 'Woah! That takes some balls!', you know? Like, boldly stealing! But she didn't steal. She had took a glass bottle, you know like the ones they give you to wake you up? Yeah smelling salts. Like that and she pours it out onto the floor, puts something in it and puts it back and closes the window! I was like, W T F."

The reporters in the public gallery were scribbling furiously in their notepads. Twilight looked aghast. Was Gilda telling the truth? Had someone tampered with her potion?

"Ms. Gilda, thats a lot of detail to see from a rooftop."

"Dude, I'm half-lion, half-eagle, I can see for miles."

"And did you see where this pony poured the contents of the glass bottle? It may be required as evidence."

The porter magick'd another piece of paperwork to the judge.

"Already done, dude. That awesome dragon in the gallery got the alchemists to check it out, those guys were cool. They showed me how to.."

Judge Haystack gave Gilda another glare and she knew to hush. The paperwork was an alchemists report explained that a liquid was found at the location given by Witness G on leaves and grass. The liquid was a mix of haricot bean extract and bicarbonate. The notes added that the recipe was commonly used as a home-made cure for constipation and was also known to young ponies as a mix which could be used in practical jokes to cause extreme flatulence. It was also mentioned that hoof prints in the grass were found and that more forensic evidence could be acquired if necessary.

Up in the gallery, Trixie looked nervous. Her plan was falling to pieces. She turned her head and saw that a Royal Guard was blocking the exit.

"Well Ms. Sparkle it would seem your story about the intentions of your practical joke are looking more likely. Ms. Gilda, the mysterious pony you saw tampering with Ms. Sparkle's potion - would you recognize her if you saw her again?"

Gilda smiled and closed her eyes. She was really starting to enjoy the attention of all these ponies, she could definitely get used to it.

"Like, of course! She's right there dude, at the back of those ponies!"

Gilda pointed up at Trixie and everypony in the court turned to look. Pinkie Pie's turned to look and instantly her hair sprung into curls.

"You! You big meanie! You'll pay for this!"

Judge Haystack clopped his hoof angrily.

"Silence! Guards, arrest the suspect!"

The Royal Guard behind Trixie roughly grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and placed a hood over her head, a commonly used technique in restraining unicorns and snuffing out their magical abilities. Trixie screamed from under the hood.

"No, no! Princess, that potion was never meant for you, I promise, oh please! Don't have me executed!"

The guard pulled her from the room and the sound of Trixie's screams echoed around the court as she was taken down into the dungeon.

Princess Celestia burst into tears and looked down to Twilight Sparkle. She had doubted her most faithful student's guilt but the evidence had stacked against her. Ever the pragmatist, Twilight looked up at her princess and smiled with tears in her eyes.

The reporters chunnered to each other and scribbled, behind them Twilight's pony friends hugged each other before grabbing Spike and pulling him into a massive group hug.

"Order, order. It would seem that you no longer have any charges to answer, Ms. Sparkle, although I would recommend in future that you abstain from practical jokes against royalty. Trixie will be sitting where you are now in the following weeks and from her behaviour today she will seemingly have a difficult time defending herself. Court is dismissed, the defendant is free to leave. Anyone still in the courtroom in five minutes time will be arrested."

A final bang of his hoof ended the session and Twilight's guard removed the chains from her legs. Twilight reared-up in joy and planted a kiss on the guard's nose before running to her friends who were trotting down from the gallery.

Gilda watched as the six ponies were reunited, Spike running along behind them before scampering up Twilight's side to sit on her back and hug her neck.

Applejack hugged Twilight and kissed her on the cheek. Twilight's bruises hurt as she was hugged from all angles but she didn't mind.

"We never doubted you, sugar cube!"

Rarity produced a comb and began to groom her friend's mane.

"Oh Twilight, we missed you so! I'll show you how to cover up that black eye with makeup, oh you poor, poor dear!"

Pinkie was bouncing up and down holding Rainbow Dash's hooves as Gilda walked over to them, Fluttershy nervously moved away and comforted Twilight who was crying with delight.

"Hey, dweebs. You miss me?"

Pinkie Pie hugged Gilda almost knocking her over, the gryphon looked mortified. Dashy joined in and Gilda tried to suppress her smile. This lame pony stuff certainly wasn't doing anything for her street-rep.

"Wheee Gilda, why did you help our friend? I thought you never wanted to see us lame-o ponies again?"

Pinkie grinned and stared at Gilda. For Gilda, trying to hide her happiness was too much - she smiled back at Pinkie.

"When I heard someone had hurt Princess Celestia, I wanted to kick some ass! But when I was listening to the Ponyville town crier last night while I was chillaxing on Dashy's rooftop, dude, what I saw weeks ago with that sneaky pony suddenly like, clicked and I realized that woah, Twilight is probably innocent. Thats when I went to see the little purple kid who Twilight hangs around with"

Spike heard himself being mentioned and waved to Gilda from atop Twilight's back. Rainbow Dash ran her hooves down Gilda's wing and smiled at her old friend.

"You know, Gilda. You could have just knocked on my window and we could have talked..."

Pinkie squeaked and shook her head.

"Oh oh! But, but, but if you two had been talking, Gilda would never have seen Trixie doing that mean trick on Twilight!"

Fluttershy timidly approached Gilda and smiled.

"You are a good gryphon, Gilda. Thank you. Can we be friends, that is, if you don't mind?"

Twilight hugged Gilda from behind and all six ponies gathered.

"Thank you Gilda, for saving me. And thank you, all of you, for believing me. I couldn't ask for better friends. Now lets get out of here before that grumpy old judge throws us all in the dungeon, I have a serious hankering for some ice cream!"

Dash and Pinkie each held one of Gilda's talons and pulled her along.

"Coming, G? I got some new moves to show you. Queen Lame-o's gonna take you to school!"

Gilda sighed and allowed herself to be escorted, "Only for you Dash. But please dude, easy on the hugging. These feathers don't groom themselves you know..."

The ponies giggled and headed off to Sugarcube Corner, watched from above by the still tearful Princess Celestia. The Princess' horn glowed as she magick'd a scroll and quill.

"Dear Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student.

I am so, so, sorry. I have been so unwell from the poisoning that I could not defend you from the accusations that were made. I barely had the strength to stand on my own four hooves until last week and at that time I was presented with the evidence that was used against you.

I had to listen for the last week as your character was questioned and all the time I did not speak up and defend you. For that I am sorry, I had to wait until all the evidence was presented. Deep down I refused to believe you would hurt me but Trixie had certainly manipulated me. For an immortal, I feel a deep shame and naivety to have been tricked into believing that you had wanted me to suffer.

Trixie will be punished. She will most likely lose her life for what she has done to us. Oh Twilight, I cannot describe the pain I am in both from the anguish of having lost your trust, and the damage Trixie's poison has done to my body.

Please, come to see me tomorrow. My most faithful and beloved student, please forgive me, I have been so stupid. As you know, I can never have children and you are the closest thing I will ever have to a daughter.

Yours humbly,

Princess Celestia"

The Princess signed the letter and passed it to the guard.

"Please send this in one hour. Allow Twilight to relax with her friends before she reads it. Let us leave."

Later that evening, the six pony friends along with Spike and Gilda sat in Sugarcube Corner eating delicious looking sundaes. Even Gilda seemed to be having fun with the ponyfolk once Mr and Mrs Cake had put some rock music on the jukebox for her. The ponies had taken Twilight to the spa, the Lotus Sisters had opened it late especially for her. Applejack had put a brave face on things as she was massaged and groomed, Spike had sat outside eating some gems Rarity had brought to thank him for helping Gilda get a spot in the court case. Gilda had enjoyed having her beak polished but had drawn the line at having her hind claws trimmed. They were so very tickly.

After the spa, Rarity had opened Carousel Boutique and showed Twilight how to mask her black eye with make up while Fluttershy had gathered some herbal ingredients to apply to the small cuts Twilight had picked up sleeping on the gritty floor of the dungeon.

Rainbow Dash slurped the last of her sundae and spat a cherry pip at Gilda, who responded by pulling a tongue at the Pegasus. Dash had been wondering all evening whether to ask, but what the hay.

"Twi, ummm.. when you were in the dungeon, what did those guards do? I heard things can get pretty mean in prison."

Everypony objected, Fluttershy especially glared at Rainbow. Twilight however was not at all offended.

"Its ok girls. Rainbow, it was a horrid experience. I was bullied, spat at, hit. Although thanks to Rarity's fabulous makeover you wouldn't know now."

Rarity smiled at her friend and put her hoof on her shoulder. Twilight continued.

"As mean as they were, they were never, ummm, inappropriate. The guard to whom I gave a kiss on the cheek when I was freed? He was very kind. He told me he knew I was innocent and that deep down the Princess knew too. He even brought me flowers. He said it would make my cell less sad."

The ponies looked at each other and smiled.

"I think somepony has a crush!", giggled Applejack.

Twilight blushed and finished her sundae.

"Regardless, the thing I missed most while in that dungeon was you ponies and my most wonderful companion, Spike. You kept me going and hoping that I'd one day see you again, no matter how bad it got."

Everypony hugged as Mrs Cake brought over another round of sundaes and placed her hoof on Twilight's.

"Oh Twilight Sparkle, all of Ponyville is so happy to have you back! Mr Cake was so worried about Pinkie during your imprisonment."

"Thank you Mrs Cake, it is so good to be back!"

The ponies hugged as Spike jumped on the table, munching on his next sundae. Gilda sighed and joined in the hug.

"You ponies are SO lame."

Gilda ruffled her feathers and smiled down at Pinkie Pie. She tapped Dash on the shoulder and whispered in her ear.

"Dude, can I stay at your pad for a while? This place is pretty gnarly."

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Evilpresident

Evilpresident #1 · Aug 26th, 2012 · · ·

It's nice to see Gilda as a good guy for a change, though I think Trixie's rather... over the top. Or something like that.
Anyway, I like it. Upvoted!

Twilicorn