21- Judgement (XX)
I flexed my foreleg, half paying attention to Bray Call. She flipped through the packet, highlighting an after action report from an engagement with Division-P aligned gangs in the outskirts of Manehattan.
“With the engagement with the Dockyard Dogs, we can expect a lull in the tertiary fighting. Also, the colts in blue over there will have an easier time- what with half of the gang either locked up or hospitalized…”
I nodded, “Sounds like you’ve all been busy while I’ve had my three-day nap.”
Bray paused and examined my foreleg, “How is it?”
I flexed again, showing off the two circular cracks on either side of my foreleg. The puncture wound had healed up, though there was a considerable amount of internal healing left to do.
“Sore. And I have to be careful not to get injured there again for the time being. The healing job was a rush. So that means no training for the time being.”
Bray nodded, “That’s a lot better of a prognosis than any injury I’ve seen in my time in the guard. Now, onto the next matter… Our efforts to stop the Parliament’s bill from coming to the voting floor have failed. Princesses Celestia is continuing to delay it, but… we’re not sure if we have the votes to defeat it.”
I glanced over to Celestia, who was busy conversing with her aide, Raven Inkwell.
“... Schedule a meeting between all of us, Bray. The Princesses and the Princes. Should this stupid power grab come to pass, I want contingencies in place.”
Bray nodded, “On it. Though it might be easiest if you just, you know, leaned over and asked. Isn’t that right, Princess Luna?”
Luna grunted, “Hmm? Yes, Phasma, whatever Bray Call said is correct.”
“You aren’t even listening!” I protested.
“Too late,” Bray smiled. “Her Highness agreed with me! Speaking of royalty… can I just say, I never expected to be here!”
The pony gestured to the throne room around us. The movement caught Luna’s eye, who gave me a smile before returning her attention to her own aide. I was sitting on a fancy chair to her side, while Thorax had a similar chair on the far side of the raised dais, next to Celestia. In front of us, four of Celestia’s special guards stood proud in their black armor. At the base of the dais, a pair of Red Right Hoof Chaplains stood on either side, closer to me and Thorax.
There were three chairs spaced evenly apart ahead of the dais. There sat Coxa, Cadance, and Vigilance. The changeling drone, alicorn, and thestral sat in quiet, staring ahead past the massive cordon of guards, towards the closed doors.
Beyond the line of Royal Guards, the throne room was filled to the brim with about two to three hundred ponies. Camera crews, news reporters, Parliament members, nobility, and ponies of all walks of life had filed in to witness today’s events.
“To be here, in the Princess’s throne room,” Bray whispered, “... it is something I’ll never forget. Not to mention what we’re about to witness.
“It’s going to be interesting,” I agreed, paying more attention to the pain in my leg than anything else.
Bay lowered the clipboard, giving me a strange look.
“How are you feeling, Phasma?”
I raised my eyebrows, “Slight pain. Otherwise… I don’t know. Jittery. Nervous.”
“I’d call you a liar if you said you weren’t nervous,” Bray smiled softly. “But we’re just observers…”
I looked ahead, “This is a long time coming.”
At the sight of a trio of Royal Guards proceeding up the cleared red carpet path down the center of the room, straight towards us, I rose from my throne. To my left, Luna, Celestia, and Thorax rose as well. The four of us stood tall, looking out over the sea of ponies and changelings.
Cameras began rolling as conversations died off. Celestia’s voice cut through the remaining sound, ending any lingering chatter in the room.
“Bring in the accused!”
The pair of orange doors swung open on the far side of the room. Escorted by no less than ten Royal Guard war mages and four Red Right Hoof Chaplains, Chrysalis strode into the throne room. She held her head high, glaring down her nose at us- though her intimidating looks were sabotaged by the clinking of her chains.
Chrysalis stopped at a wooden pulpit centered before us, in the middle of the path to the throne. The guards chained her to the little pulpit and stepped to the side. She leveled her gaze up at Celestia, glancing at me only momentarily. Celestia’s voice shouted out over the sound of cameras taking pictures and quiet whispers.
“Read the charges!”
Cadance spoke up from her central seat in front of Chrysalis, matching Celestia’s volume in the echoing chamber.
“Chrysalis, former Queen of the Fourth Hive and the Hive Eternal. You stand before this tribunal accused of violating the peace of Equus, countless crimes against the pony race, murder and butchery of your own children, and crimes against the rights of life of the changeling race. How do you plead?”
Chrysalis smiled, baring her fangs at the court, “Why, innocent, of course! All my actions were in–”
The immediate outrage and uproar in the room was silenced by Cadance stomping her booted hoof against the arm of her chair.
“Order! We will have decorum here! You were not asked to explain your actions, Chrysalis. Only your plea. Your actions will be put under review by this tribunal of our three kingdoms. It is in review of the evidence brought before this tribunal that your innocence or guilt will be determined. The scope of your crimes are so heinous that there will not be the standard defense and plaintiff of your case. Only us three judges, and you.” Cadance rose from her chair, looking up at Chrysalis. “I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Principality of Equestria. I stand to judge you in the name of the ponies of Equestria which you have wronged.”
Elder Vigilance rose from her chair, “I am Elder Vigilance of the Duchy of Vallachia. I stand to judge you in the name of the ponies of Vallachia, a neutral party.”
Coxa rose from his seat, “I am Chamberlain Coxa of the Fifth Hive. I stand to judge you in the name of the changelings of the Hive Eternal which you have wronged.”
Cadance raised a hoof to us four seated above and behind her.
“It is by the grace of us Princesses of Equestria, and the King and Princes of the Hive Eternal, that this tribunal has been granted the authority and power to place judgment upon you, Chrysalis. May Harmony have mercy on your soul.”
Chrysalis looked at me specifically and gave an almost imperceptible nod before she answered, “I’m a changeling, Princess Cadance. Harmony wants nothing to do with us!”
-Two Hours Earlier-
The cold air of the dungeon stole the heat away from my body. The love-enriched gel dried away with each step, giving my chitin a slight rainbow hue as we walked. Ahead, four Royal Guards looked up at our arrival.
As they crossed their spears against the door, one of them spoke to me.
“There are no scheduled visits for today.”
I leveled a glare her way, and the pony’s confidence started to crumble, “Since when did I need to book time in advance?”
The guards shared a glance before their leader answered, “... You know why, King Phasma. Security is tighter today for a reason.”
“Let us in,” Luna said, catching up to me. “You might try to refuse Phasma, but do not attempt to refuse me. I say we have authority, thus we do.”
Once again, the guards shared a nervous glance. But I could sense their resolution already shredded. After a few seconds of hesitation, they lifted their spears, unbarring our passage. Grunting, I pushed the heavy metal doors open with my telekinesis and strode in. Luna followed a step behind, shutting the doors behind us.
Chrysalis looked up from her couch behind the iron bars. The book she was reading lowered from her muzzle and she tucked it under her barrel as her eyes scanned every inch of us.
When I came to a stop before her cell, Chrysalis dry heaved and rolled her eyes, “You reek of love, Phasmatodea. You had better not come straight to me after coupling with your alicorn lover without properly cleansing yourself! I thought I taught you how to be presentable in public!”
I bared my fangs at her in a snarl, “I emerged from a healing pod not fifteen minutes ago. You know why we are here.”
She sighed, “Yes. The date of my… trial. I would tell you that this is all an exercise in futility, but you and the ponies seem so dead set on making a whole show of this. I suppose I can appreciate that. Appearances are everything, are they not? Are you planning on telling me why you were in a healing pod, Phasmatodea?”
Absent-mindedly, I rubbed my healed foreleg against my chest.
“Division-P attacked. They attempted to kill me. They did not bring enough assassins.”
Chrysalis stared at me. Her eyes furrowed and her nose twitched as she stared me down. In an instant, she vanished from her spot on the couch and slammed against the bars of her cell. I leaped back in surprise, adopting a defensive posture at the same time as Luna interposed herself between us, shielding me from Chrysalis.
“Watch your step, despot,” Luna growled. “You are on thin ice already. You do not want to find out what happens when you sink below.”
The imprisoned royal nodded to herself, content with her little scare- yet no smile or hint of pleasure was visible on her face. She looked past Luna, above the shorter alicorn’s head and at me.
“You shouldn’t fall for such cheap tactics. I know you don’t. There’s something more. Something you aren’t telling me, something that has put you off balance. I trained you to be above such sloppy threats. What aren’t you telling me, my son?”
Luna straightened up, but didn’t move from her spot between us.
Biting my tongue and trying to calm down, I answered, “It was hard fought. There was a chance I could have died.”
Chrysalis sneered, “Don’t try to lie to me, boy. You only embarrass yourself. I can read you like an open book. Spare me this pointless bickering and tell me the truth.”
“You do not owe her anything you do not wish to give,” Luna whispered back to me.
“Hmph. Thanks, Luna,” I whispered to her, grateful for her support. “... It was hard fought, but still one-sided. I slaughtered them, decorating half of Canterlot in their blood.” Luna’s disgust at my comment killed that train of thought before I could end it myself. “It was… where it happened. That’s what mattered.”
“Where it happened?” Chrysalis repeated.
I nodded, “An alleyway. At night. Just like last time, when…” I broke off, rubbing the back of my neck, finding my throat suddenly closing up in fear.
The former queen offered no insult or jest. She looked me over again, this time her eyes lingering on the foreleg I was hesitant to put weight on. Then she looked Luna over, judging the smaller pony.
“You killed them all?” She asked.
“No,” I shook my head. “The ponies stopped me before I could.”
‘Though, by the end, I was out of magic. My victory was not a sure thing…’
Chrysalis straightened up, looking down her nose at me.
“No one tries to kill a royal and gets away with it. If you or the ponies do not dispatch these assassins, I will. No one tries to murder my son and get away with it!”
“No one except you,” Luna growled. “Need I remind you that you are still living, thanks only due to the fact that we are far more forgiving than that?”
Chrysalis turned away from us, “Any death Phasma would have suffered at my hooves would have been temporary. Need I remind you that I am the most accomplished necromancer alive?”
Luna snorted, “Most accomplished living necromancer outside of Tartarus, perhaps.”
“You did not come here to trade barbs.” Chrysalis said, slowly turning back to us. “Let’s end this charade. If you plan on dragging me across Canterlot in chains, then stop delaying.”
“That will not happen,” Luna told Chrysalis.
“We’re better than you, remember?” I taunted mother dearest. “Today is the first day of your trial. Your actions as leader of the changeling race will be put under a microscope– that means to examine closely.”
“I’m aware,” Chrysalis rolled her eyes.
“Everything from your tyranny and executions of the drones to the invasion will be examined,” I continued. “Witnesses will be called and questioned. Drones and ponies both will lay out the facts of your actions, and a panel of three judges will determine your fate. The Goddess may have spared your life, but that does not mean you are saved from punishment.”
Chrysalis grunted, sneering at us, “So then. I plead guilty to whatever you say I am guilty of, then you throw me into a cell until you can drag me out to fight the Nightmares, is that it? Fine. Whatever gets this over with as soon as possible.”
“No.”
She frowned at me, “No?”
“You will plead innocent,” I commanded her. “You will fight to prove your innocence. You will question witnesses and build up your case to prove that you are innocent- that you either didn’t do these crimes or did them for a good enough reason to be excusable.”
“Why?” Chrysalis questioned. “Why should I play your game? What point is there to this?”
I stepped close, standing beside Luna, “I want to drag you through the mud, Chrysalis. I want you to show your reasoning for everything you did. If it’s good enough, that’s one less reason to hate the changelings. If it does not hold up, then that’s one more weight around your neck, dragging you down and keeping you further away from us and potentially endearing the changelings to ponies. Either way, the Hive Eternal benefits from your plea. Fight for your innocence. If you truly were doing Panarthropo’s work, you have nothing to fear, correct?”
“Sacrificing me to appease the pony masses, then,” Chrysalis said. “Fine. I see the merit in what you say. But why should I do all this when the end result will be the same for me personally?”
“You’ll do it for the Hive,” I told her.
“I will,” Chrysalis said. “But I demand something in return nonetheless. You will acquiesce.”
“And why is that?”
“Because you need me,” Chrysalis smiled. “I will put on your little show. I will stand by your side and fight in the greatest war our species has ever known. I will do as you command, and more. This is Panar’s will. But this means you cannot simply put me in one of your pony jails and forget about me. I need the opportunity to stay sharp. I need to train. To spread my wings. To become a better fighter. That means staying out of pony prison.”
“There are opportunities for all that while incarcerated,” Luna spat back.
“You dare take that risk?” Chrysalis mocked. “Everything is at stake. If I can train to be a fighter in your prisons, it certainly would be at a reduced capacity to fight compared to me being free to train and grow as I please.”
“You’re never going to do what you please ever again,” I countered.
She waved a hoof through the air, “You know what I mean. I need sparring partners. I need the royal library full of spell tomes and biology books. We need every advantage we can get our hooves on for this war with the Nightmares, correct? Is that not what you have been telling the drones and Royal Guards?”
I nodded slowly, “... Every advantage. You’ve been hearing far more than you should, prisoner.”
“By all means, punish me,” she continued. “But do so in a way that still lets me be of value to the Hive Eternal.”
“Meanwhile, the collar around your neck is as loose as possible?” Luna hissed. “Your honeyed words are useless. Neither of us have the power to determine what your exact punishment will be.”
Chrysalis cursed, “Moron! Do not tell me you surrendered all control to the ponies, little princeling!”
“Not all control, no,” I said.
Chrysalis scoffed and rolled her eyes, “Any lost control is control you’ll never get back.”
“Is that so?” I asked, sneering at her. “I’m sure you’re an all-knowing expert on rulership. How did solving our species-wide problems go for you? You want to know how much progress I’ve made?”
“Whatever,” Chrysalis mumbled. “I shall play my role in your little play as ordained. I will fulfill whatever meager sentencing is put upon me. But don’t think you can sequester me away forever, my son. As much as I enjoy sitting back and enjoying the fruits of the labor of others, I am not a mere drone. I am a changeling royal, leadership is in my blood.”
“Regardless of what the future holds,” I said, “you will be taking orders from me. You’ve shown that you are incapable of ruling without oversight.”
“If you are to rule at all ever again,” Luna emphasized.
Mother Dearest gave me an insincere smile, “I am not in disagreement with that, Phasmatodea. Panarthropo has shown that your side was the correct one- not to mention the fact that you had proven your point yourself when you and the alicorns faced us. You can ingratiate yourself with the ponies as much as you want; just don’t expect me to start writing petitions to the pony Parliament, attending tea parties, standing around in a circle singing, or whatever else ponies do when they are not standing around eating grass off the ground.”
“Good,” I said slowly. “Your cooperation is… appreciated.”
‘Goddess knows she could make all this as difficult as possible for us. Instead, she’s doing everything we want. At least that’s one less headache I have to deal with.’
“Is there anything else you came to say to me?” Chrysalis asked.
“There is.” I paused, waiting to get approval from Luna. When she gave me a nod, I sighed, “Your reward. For doing everything I say, for following my commands not just today, or tomorrow, but in perpetuity. That means forever, by the way.”
“A reward? My, aren’t I supposed to be on trial right about now? I thought those ended in punishment, not reward.”
Luna grunted, “We have decided not to keep this secret from you any longer. It is… potentially morally wrong to keep you from this truth.”
Chrysalis furrowed an eyebrow, prompting me to continue.
I pressed a hoof against one of the metal bars, “I know why your ritual to resurrect Princess Procho failed.”
Chrysalis laughed, covering her muzzle with a hoof, “Nhah hahahaa! That’s good! I am the greatest Fleshmancer in history- you couldn’t possibly hope to surpass my skill in that field! And I know your precious pony friends wouldn’t dare let you dabble in Necromancy. If I can't figure out the setback, neither can you.”
“Luna and I are the most knowledgeable Soulmancers alive now,” I announced.
Chrysalis’s joking mood slipped away as she thought, “Soulmancers? I suppose if you want to learn how to swim, you must start at the shallow end. Then tell me, fledgling, what has your dabbling in the matter of souls discovered? That Procho’s soul failed to bind to the egg? Your very presence here is testament to that fact, princeling. Anyling could have figured that out.”
“Her soul never made it to the Nine Halls,” I declared. “She never made it to the afterlife.”
“She still dwells here on Equus,” Luna added.
The former queen chewed on our words. She started pacing her cell, spinning on her hooves each time she reached the end of her small space.
“... Never reached the Nine Halls? She’s alive?! Impossible! I saw her body! There’s nothing that… Then again, Panar knows what’s down in the Underhive… How did you learn this?” She reared back and placed both forelegs on the bars in front of me. “Where is my daughter?!”
I stepped back slowly, “You’ll get your answer if you swear your fealty and comply with all my orders.”
“You already know my answer,” Chrysalis said slowly. “As I said before, you have proven the merit of your methods on the battlefield, to say nothing about the fact that the Great Weaver has given her direct approval. You have my fealty, King Phasmatodea. Where is she? Where is Princess Prochorodes?!”
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I still find it odd how compliant chrysalis is after all the bs she was dealing, but they do need to move things along, so it is good she is working with them at least
Nice. Nice indeed.
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She effectively received direct orders from her God that Phas is the way to go, and she's deeply fanatical to Her word. Disobedience to Panar is basically heresy.
Good points!
Chrysalis could potencial use more usual Necromancer rituals and abilities to use against the parasite army of darkness.
But I guess that would be moral wrong or something...
This chapter was pretty good, I wonder If we get a
'ace attorney' like chapter or three, unless the stuff happens off screen.
Pretty sure soulmancy is no little thing to learn, perhaps one out can be transferred to a necklace to create a Harry Potter like Horcrux?
Or some pulls a Cortan and Master Chief mutual beneficial symbiosis?
Maybe placing one's soul into a golem? Iron Mare guard soldiers, made out of metals and rare stones.
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The fact that Totakeke changed her from a cardboard cutout to a religious fanatic probably helps.
More best princess Luna wholesome stuff with best bug-
♡
waifuhusband Phasma?Or do we get some cuddle action from Coxa and Lacewing?
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👍
👍
She might not like Phasmas way of doing things, but as long as the results coming in? Acceptable means to a end. That was what always counted for her in the end.
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Good points, it would seem Panar has some very loyal and faithful followers in these times.
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And it most likely gets a lot better
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Phasma has a good carrot: knowledge about the fate of Procho. And what Elmoz said. And, above all else, Chrysalis is content to sit back and let Phasma do all the hard work. She is clearly capable of improving her situation in her cell, and she knows the more troublesome and gruesome fates are off the table.
So she's doing the equivalent of just sitting back and sipping a cocktail, watching Phasma do all the hard work.
That carrot is insanely good, after all when a necromancer does all she can to bring back a daughter and fails...despite all of her skills. Knowing why she failed and the true fate of the child she would defy the cycle of life and death for...yeah...that'd make her listen.
these plans for Chrysalis are looking really good. but will she truly go along with them? yep she will.
Carrot braised in the most expensive brisket juice. She was already accepting, but now she has personal motive. A good move to keep the belligerent distracted.
Prochorodes was his sister in the hammer, right?
Chrysalis was obedient before, now she will be eager to please and not just follow to the least acceptable result.
On Youtube there are a few really good
'mlp X Ace Attorney'
Video for Bronys to enjoy.
This would make a great case!
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Half of her, at least.
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At least, what everyling considers a god (I have impression that Panar is rather ther race's Source).
The carrot there is that freedom and information gives her chance of retry
I wonder if there is a way that Necromancy allows to block the usage of dead bodies? Seems to be the perfect magic school to do so.