Interviews With Equestrians

by Jmaster49

Subject 60: Anarchist's Judgement 2

I waited patiently while the crowd talked amongst themselves. I couldn’t help but wonder just who this guest was that they wanted to bring in for further evidence against him. Part of me was surprised. Not to be self-righteous, but I thought that I would have made a prime candidate to speak some words against the unicorn with the history I had.

Or maybe the individual they had planned was a better choice because of their lack of connections to him? I had no idea. However, when I considered that Trixie was alerted to make her move, I put the numbers together.

“Oh...I know who she’s going for.”

Once those few minutes had passed, Twilight called for silence. “Order!” she slammed a gavel down to catch the attention of everyone in the room. “Our guest speaker has arrived to say a few words about Neighsay and his actions.”

It was true.

Trixie herded Quick Draw into the room and down the aisle between the congregation seats. The yellow earth pony mare took a seat next to her.

“Quick Draw,” Twilight addressed her, “Please stand up and make your case to the ponies of the jury. Don’t worry, you are completely free to speak your mind here. Nothing bad will happen.”

I couldn’t believe it. Quick had quite the fearful expression on her face. Just what was done to her to get her to do all of this? Why was she afraid? I patiently waited to see what she had to say.

Her red eyes glared at the unicorn for a moment before she took a deep breath. Now relaxed, she could finally make her piece. “Alright...to be perfectly honest...my family was barely around when I was younger, so I had it hard. When I got older, they sort of stopped caring about me. So I focused on myself until I became an officer.”

This was somewhat true. Though I never knew that her parents weren’t as supportive as she claimed. That detail was news to me. But the rest was entirely accurate, so I said nothing. I needed to hear her out.

“But before Pale even took this case...N-Neighsay...made me tip him off about everything Pale Vestige and his crew were doing!” she screamed out with a pained, saddened breakage in her voice. “I’m sorry, Pale...you’re my best friend...and I never should’ve betrayed you that way.”

I looked up at her teary, emotionally destroyed face. I had never seen her in such a state before. It made me both equally sad but also furious. I wanted to do unholy, unimaginable things to that geezer of a unicorn, but I reigned in my emotions for the time being.

Twilight spoke up. “And just why did you turn on one of your detective friends?” she asked while she focused her gaze on the rightfully embarrassed Neighsay, “What--or who--made you do such a thing and why?”

Quick Draw sniffled, and dried her tears with a hoof. Her usual, stoic disposition had returned. That’s one thing I could always count on her for: The ability to remain focused. “...I did it because he made me believe that Pale was going to die if he kept down this road. I didn’t want to believe it. But his arguments were too convincing...he said that ponies such as my own parents and everyone I knew could be at risk if what he did went wrong!”

“Neighsay, is this true?” Twilight asked with a curt tone.

The unicorn cleared his throat once he gathered his thoughts. “Ahem--well...I was not lying when I said that. Pale Vestige’s actions could very well have disrupted the natural Equestrian order by opposing the law.”

Twilight continued her barrage of counterpoints. “Awfully hypocritical coming from somepony who chose to conduct experiments on citizens without express permission. Whether they were safe or not isn’t even a factor. The fact that you’re a major figurehead doing these sorts of things behind all of our backs is deplorable!” she shouted as she pointed her hooves to the congregation.

Unfortunately, Neighsay would double down. “As I said before. I had a good reason to keep it hidden. Whether or not you agree with that reason is none of my concern.”

The purple alicorn tilted her head. “Then what is your concern?”

“The results,” the geezer responded, “the methods at which we go about knowledge are secondary to the knowledge itself. You of all ponies must understand that, Princess.”

The crowd silently stared at her as they waited for her rebuttal. From my limited understanding, it was true that Twilight did go about utilizing reckless spells at one point. The Want It-Need It, which caused everypony to go nuts for an old doll, a time travel spell that was entirely unnecessary, attempts to make the Winter Wrap-Up go by faster with magic, not to mention various other spells that she had attempted but were banned from using in the pursuit of knowledge.

After a moment of silence, the purple alicorn would respond. “Yes. It’s true. I did often forgo the safety of those around me in the pursuit of knowledge. I’m not perfect, and I can admit that. Heck, to this day I still diddle around with spells and artifacts of mysterious origin in my spare time.”

The crowd responded with low mumbles of agreement. They were fully aware of Twilight’s antics from her youth.

“But the key difference is that I wised up over the years. I learned from my mistakes. Something you clearly haven’t done despite being far older than me,” she retorted with a deathly glare at the unicorn. “And after I made mistakes, I promised to always let Celestia know of what I intended to do. On the other hoof, you have refused to even get any approval for what you’ve been doing. Yes, your actions had good ideas behind them, but as the old saying goes: The road to Tartarus is paved with ‘good intentions.’ You weren’t thinking of keeping Equestria safe as a whole, you were thinking of your ego and keeping your own name in the history books.”

He scoffed, and rolled his eyes. “You don’t understand. You were privileged enough to grow up with everypony loving you. You had the Princess Celestia by your side and became an Element of Harmony!” he rose from his seat as he shouted at her, “I meanwhile, was never taken seriously by those who hated her as a colt. I meanwhile, thought of ways to improve the lives of our citizens by any means necessary. I meanwhile, fought tooth and nail just to get into the Royal Guard while your brother barely worked for it because of his natural gifted talent for magic. This world is biased towards those who have naturally gifted abilities,” he folded his hooves against his chest and raised his nose upwards with indignance. “All I’m doing is simply levelling the playing field.”

No chatter from the crowd this time. The room was dead silent. The tension in the air was so palpable, that one could very well cut it with a knife.

Finally, after a minute of eerie quiet, Twilight snarled under her breath, “Your words mean nothing.”

Neighsay tilted his head. “Excuse me?”

FLASH!

With a quick spark, Twilight teleported from her throne, and reappeared directly in front of Neighsay with a slam of her hooves on the stand he was in. “Enough. You’re full of pony dung.”

Everyone in the crowd leaned back with wide eyes. Myself included. None of us could believe that Twilight would take such an initiative against somepony. Even Neighsay himself was aghast as he leaned back in his seat with fearful eyes.

“I don’t give a damn as to what your past was like. I mean, I sympathize, don’t get me wrong. But that does not excuse abuse of your position and sending a pony to another dimension via a forbidden banishment spell from Starswirl!” I could hear her whinny in a deep tone to threaten the unicorn, steam exited her nostrils. “You should be ashamed of yourself. To not only try and hold a high position in Equestria, but to abuse it in such a way as well? You have no right to represent the EEA any longer.”

And with that, she teleported back up to her throne. I was impressed. Twilight had truly grown into her position over the years. A far cry from the passive pony she used to be.

“Ponies of the jury,” she spoke out, “the evidence is abundant, and overwhelming. What is your opinion regarding Neighsay’s actions? Should he be given another chance, or is he too far gone?”

From the jury stands, I saw Sunburst and Starlight nod at each other, followed by other members of the court that included Gallus, Flash Sentry, and Spike. They all conversed amongst each other for a moment or two. I almost didn’t even notice Shining Armor sitting there with a total death glare of contempt aimed right at Neighsay. I suppose the idea of one of his experiments being somehow related to his wife did not make him too happy.

What am I saying? He was pissed.

The crowd started to talk within themselves also. I took notes of the situation as I heard everypony’s opinions on it.

All the sudden, Trixie rose from her seat to say a few words, her coat-cape flapped in the non-existent wind. “I would like to offer my two bits on the matter. Trixie herself has endured loads of turmoil and hardship as a filly. She did grow up and cause some trouble, but she understood the error of her ways and learned friendship from Starlight.” She pointed her hoof at the pink-ish unicorn. “Starlight also found the error of her ways and improved herself. Lightning Dust, Diamond Tiara, Gilda, even the pony you utterly despise and banished to the alternate world with your magic--Pale Vestige--!”

When she pointed at me, I hid my face beneath my hat. I didn’t know whether to feel annoyed or embarrassed. Being called out in such a way was a nuisance when everyone with everyone’s stares locked onto me. But I couldn’t fault the counselor-magician for her use of myself as an example.

Trixie continued. “And so, I conclude that you have no excuse for acting the way you do as a fully grown stallion! Even the recently-released Cozy Glow is attempting to better herself as we speak!”

“But how can you be so sure?” Neighsay shot back, “She could be plotting our downfall right now!”

The blue unicorn mare scoffed. “Hmph. Given how much you’ve lied to others over the years. I’d hesitate to believe anything you say at this point,” she commented and looked up at Twilight, “Princess, I think the jury is ready to close this case.”

Twilight looked over at the jury members who nodded their heads. Neighsay himself looked nervous with drops of sweat that ran down his body.

She prepared to give her verdict. “With all the evidence that has been presented. I find Neighsay…”

Comments

[Raistlin]

She prepared to give her verdict. “With all the evidence that has been presented. I find Neighsay…”

Innocent!

64.media.tumblr.com/c44a59b20e5334fc23546ec583a07b52/tumblr_n4uz6zpZ3g1sg3vmpo8_r1_250.gif

[Jmaster49]

10477193
XD

[asdtroi8895]

Well, that was certainly an emotional trial. I guess ponies don't really care to keep to professionalism during these. I don't think Neighsay is gonna get out of this.

[Neo4K]

Her red eyes glared at the unicorn for a moment before she took a deep breath. Now relaxed, she could finally make her piece. “Alright...to be perfectly honest...my family was barely around when I was younger, so I had it hard. When I got older, they sort of stopped caring about me. So I focused on myself until I became an officer.”

News to Pale and news to me, too.

“But before Pale even took this case...N-Neighsay...made me tip him off about everything Pale Vestige and his crew were doing!” she screamed out with a pained, saddened breakage in her voice. “I’m sorry, Pale...you’re my best friend...and I never should’ve betrayed you that way.”

Quick Draw sniffled, and dried her tears with a hoof. Her usual, stoic disposition had returned. That’s one thing I could always count on her for: The ability to remain focused. “...I did it because he made me believe that Pale was going to die if he kept down this road. I didn’t want to believe it. But his arguments were too convincing...he said that ponies such as my own parents and everyone I knew could be at risk if what he did went wrong?”

😠 Motherfucker! Even years later, he is still praying on the vulnerability of others just to prove a point!!

The unicorn cleared his throat once he gathered his thoughts. “Ahem--well...I was not lying when I said that. Pale Vestige’s actions could very well have disrupted the natural Equestrian order by opposing the law.”

Twilight continued her barrage of counterpoints. “Awfully hypocritical coming from somepony who chose to conduct experiments on citizens without express permission. Whether they were safe or not isn’t even a factor. The fact that you’re a major figurehead doing these sorts of things behind all of our backs is deplorable!” she shouted as she pointed her hooves to the congregation.

😁 You tell 'em, Princess Spark Plug!!

The crowd silently stared at her as they waited for her rebuttal. From my limited understanding, it was true that Twilight did go about utilizing reckless spells at one point. The Want It-Need It, which caused everypony to go nuts for an old doll, a time travel spell that was entirely unnecessary, attempts to make the Winter Wrap-Up go by faster with magic, not to mention various other spells that she had attempted but were banned from using in the pursuit of knowledge.

😟 Goddamnit. I knew he was gonna play that argument.

“But the key difference is that I wised up over the years. I learned from my mistakes. Something you clearly haven’t done despite being far older than me,” she retorted with a deathly glare at the unicorn. “And after I made mistakes, I promised to always let Celestia know of what I intended to do. On the other hoof, you have refused to even get any approval for what you’ve been doing. Yes, your actions had good ideas behind them, but as the old saying goes: The road to Tartarus is paved with ‘good intentions.’ You weren’t thinking of keeping Equestria safe as a whole, you were thinking of your ego and keeping your own name in the history books.”

😆 Again, you fucking tell 'em, Princess Spark Plug!!

He scoffed, and rolled his eyes. “You don’t understand. You were privileged enough to grow up with everypony loving you. You had the Princess Celestia by your side and became an Element of Harmony!” he rose from his seat as he shouted at her, “ I meanwhile, was never taken seriously by those who hated her as a colt. I meanwhile, thought of ways to improve the lives of our citizens by any means necessary. I meanwhile, fought tooth and nail just to get into the Royal Guard while your brother barely worked for it because of his natural gifted talent for magic. This world is biased towards those who have naturally gifted abilities,” he folded his hooves against his chest and raised his nose upwards with indignance. “All I’m doing is simply levelling the playing field.”

☹ 'Leveling the playing field.' By conducting experiments and causing senseless deaths to innocents ponies without a care in the world? 😠 How...the FUCK...is that leveling the playing field?!

With a quick spark, Twilight teleported from her throne, and reappeared directly in front of Neighsay with a slam of her hooves on the stand he was in. “Enough. You’re full of pony dung.”

Couldn't have said it better myself!

“I don’t give a damn as to what your past was like. I mean, I sympathize, don’t get me wrong. But that does not excuse abuse of your position and sending a pony to another dimension via a forbidden banishment spell from Starswirl!” I could hear her whinny in a deep tone to threaten the unicorn, steam exited her nostrils. “You should be ashamed of yourself. To not only try and hold a high position in Equestria, but to abuse it in such a way as well? You have no right to represent the EEA any longer.”

😆 Oh, for the third goddamn time, YOU FUCKING TELL "EM, PRINCESS SPARK PLUG!!

All the sudden, Trixie rose from her seat to say a few words, her coat-cape flapped in the non-existent wind. “ I would like to offer my two bits on the matter. Trixie herself has endured loads of turmoil and hardship as a filly. She did grow up and cause some trouble, but she understood the error of her ways and learned friendship from Starlight.” She pointed her hoof at the pink-ish unicorn. “Starlight also found the error of her ways and improved herself. Lightning Dust, Diamond Tiara, Gilda, even the pony you utterly despise and banished to the alternate world with your magic--Pale Vestige--!”

Trixie continued. “And so, I conclude that you have no excuse for acting the way you do as a fully grown stallion! Even the recently-released Cozy Glow is attempting to better herself as we speak!”

😁 Well-spoken, Trix!

“But how can you be so sure?” Neighsay shot back, “She could be plotting our downfall right now!”

The blue unicorn mare scoffed. “Hmph. Given how much you’ve lied to others over the years. I’d hesitate to believe anything you say at this point,” she commented and looked up at Twilight, “Princess, I think the jury is ready to close this case.”

😌 Thank fucking God. Shut this bastard up already!

She prepared to give her verdict. “With all the evidence that has been presented. I find Neighsay…”

😮 Dude, what the hell?! Is the cliffhanger really necessary?!

[Jmaster49]

10477223
Yeah. Things are getting heated. Who knows what his sentencing will be...

[Jmaster49]

10477229
Yes the cliffhanger was necessary. I needed to give everyone time to relax after all that buildup. Stay tuned!

[GamePlayer64]

The crowd silently stared at her as they waited for her rebuttal. From my limited understanding, it was true that Twilight did go about utilizing reckless spells at one point. The Want It-Need It, which caused everypony to go nuts for an old doll, a time travel spell that was entirely unnecessary, attempts to make the Winter Wrap-Up go by faster with magic, not to mention various other spells that she had attempted but were banned from using in the pursuit of knowledge.

True about that. I mean she did change the eating habits of Fruit Bats and never bother to give them another source of nourishment.

He scoffed, and rolled his eyes. “You don’t understand. You were privileged enough to grow up with everypony loving you. You had the Princess Celestia by your side and became an Element of Harmony!” he rose from his seat as he shouted at her, “I meanwhile, was never taken seriously by those who hated her as a colt. I meanwhile, thought of ways to improve the lives of our citizens by any means necessary. I meanwhile, fought tooth and nail just to get into the Royal Guard while your brother barely worked for it because of his natural gifted talent for magic. This world is biased towards those who have naturally gifted abilities,” he folded his hooves against his chest and raised his nose upwards with indignance. “All I’m doing is simply levelling the playing field.”

Well that’s true. Anyone with unusually high magic is usually treated with special treatments. I mean Shining Armor became a captain of the guard as he could create a barrier that protected Canterlot but was easily beaten as his sister saved his hide.

[Jmaster49]

10477395
Yeah she made mistakes, but she learned from them.

Nepotism sucks, though.

[WildDancer101]

Twilight might be ticked that her parents didn't tell her about what Neighsay offered them.
As for the cliffhanger, I'm seeing this going in two ways: The jury declares Neighsay guilty, or someone crashes the trial via an attack.

[Jmaster49]

10477757
Given that they're Canterlot residents, it makes complete sense for him to have asked them. Back then, of course, they didn't realize it was for something so sinister. It was just your average "hey do you wanna sign up for the military?" sort of thing.