Not only is Pinkie Pie accused of murdering ponies in Equestria, but also attempted murder of the sister of one of her best friends, and only Twilight has enough faith in Pinkie to defend her.
In less than a year, there had been three unfortunate victims of murder in Equestria, and Pinkie Pie had a connection with all three. After a failed murder attempt on Apple Bloom, Pinkie was arrested as the prime suspect.
With Pinkie now facing three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder, only Twilight has what it takes to clear her friend's name, even if that means having going against another one of her best friends.
Will Twilight be able to keep all of her friends safe and happy, or will evil forever wipe the smile off of their faces?
Family means a lot to anypony. They provide the support to keep you strong when you're weak. They give you warmth when fear chills you to the bone. They give you something worth living for when you feel worthless. They give you love. So much love that it's possible for you to lose rational thinking.
Hatred and anger exists in all. They provide power and initiative, giving one the urge to exact revenge and achieve justice, whether it is you or a loved one that his harmed. It's ironic that such negative emotions stem from love itself.
Applejack, a farmer from Ponyville, is a prime example of a pony who possess all of these emotions. Her love for her family is equal to no pony. Therefore, the limits of her rage is potentially unlimited.
Before Applejack one day, inside the darkness of the family barn, was a most horrific sight. Her emotions left her nearly blind, but she saw everything. The colors pink, yellow, and red. She saw her friend Pinkie Pie with a knife, her little sister Apple Bloom, and blood all around them. It was the most traumatizing thing Applejack ever saw, leaving her to say but one thing.
February 12, 1:00 PM Ponyville Hospital Waiting Room
I've never seen Applejack like this. I can't really blame here though. Her sister almost...ugh...
One day passed after the terrible events that happened at the barn of Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight Sparkle and her friends all visited Apple Bloom with Applejack that morning, but they all had to leave eventually. After a few hours, the only two left was Twilight and Applejack themselves. On the other side of the waiting room, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, two very close friends of Apple Bloom, were also waiting to hear something.
None of them were allowed to see Apple Bloom due to the doctor's request, and the fact that they couldn't get any updates on the filly's condition tore them all apart.
"I really don't know what to say, Applejack." Twilight said. "Maybe I just shouldn't talk at all."
"It's fine, sugarcube. The silence here is killing me too." Applejack said. Tears were filling up the mares eyes as she began to talk again. "Th-the doctors all told me that she doesn't have much longer. And here I am sitting out standing out here babysitting those two over there." Applejack said, referring to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
"Don't talk like that. I sent a letter to Celestia as soon as you told me what happened. We should be expecting some of Canterlot's best doctors to be coming through those doors any time now!"
"Aww, shucks. They better."
Ponyville has always been such a peaceful and quiet place. Twilight thought. Who would've thought that...that her of all ponies...doing such a thing to Apple Bloom
Doubting the situation, Twilight decided that it was time for her to ask Applejack some important questions. She knew it wasn't the best time to ask, but she had to get to the bottom of it all.
"Applejack...the pony you saw. Are you sure it was..?"
The tears kept coming down her face, but Applejack also began to grow angry. "Yeah. Without a doubt. Pinkie Pie was stabbing my little Apple Bloom! I'll never forget it! I'll never forgive her!"
"That's still really hard to believe. She's been arrested, but nopony in town actually believes it." Twilight said.
"Believe it, sugarcube. Pinkie tried to kill her in cold blood!"
Pinkie Pie? A killer? I've seen her cry when I bit the head off of a gingerbread pony. Although, that could've been because she wasn't the one who ate it. Twilight thought.
"There's no room for doubt. She tried to kill my little sister!"
"How are you so certain? I mean...Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked.
"How many times do I have to repeat myself? I saw the pinkest pony I've ever met in my barn and...UGH! How can you not believe me!" Angry that Twilight wouldn't believe her, Applejack walked out of the waiting room, hoping to enjoy some fresh air outside.
"Applejack, wait!"
Twilight followed Applejack outside, hoping to calm her friend down. As soon as they went outside though, they began to hear an odd sound. Once that slowly got louder and louder.
"Is that a bee or something?" Applejack asked.
Well, it's definitely not a robot frog. Twilight thought. She then began to listen to the sound carefully as well. "Wait. I think that's a siren?"
Just as Twilight noted, she and Applejack had heard the sound of a siren, which got louder and louder. They looked out at the horizon and saw that something was also coming closer and closer to them as the sound got louder.
A large, red vehicle, which looked like a large metal platform, filled with police ponies, was being pulled toward the hospital by several police pegasi. At the front of the vehicle was a small, but grown up red pony that was leading the team.
"Move your plot, pal! Canterlot police coming through!" The red pony said to a pony who nearly got run over.
She didn't recognize him at first doing the cop being in a crowd and moving fast, but as he got closer and was able to be heard, Twilight realized exactly who was coming.
"That's Star Cestus!" Twilight said.
"Ain't he that big cop guy you said was involved with Rarity's trial a few months back?" Applejack asked. "He doesn't look that big to me. What's he doing in Ponyville?"
After spotting the hospital, the vehicle was put to a complete stop after the pegasi stopped pulling, though it was a harsh stop. As quickly as it stopped, three ponies, all three looking being doctors ponies, jumped off and ran inside the hospital.
"Alright, the doctors are in! Too Sweet Apple Acres!" Cestus said.
As quickly as they stopped, the police ponies ran off as they head to their next destination: the crime scene. It looked almost as if nothing had actually happened.
Uhh...Twilight? What just happened?" Applejack asked.
"From the looks of it, I think the doctors I asked for have just arrived." Twilight answered. "But why the police escort? What are Canterlot's police force doing here in Ponyville?"
"Maybe they heard about Apple Bloom and want to take Pinkie in."
Oh no. That might actually be it. Twilight thought. "You should probably stay here with your sister. I'm going to go check out things out."
Without giving Applejack a chance to object, Twilight spread her wings opened and took flight, chasing after the police, with the hopes of learning why they were in Ponyville, leaving Applejack behind.
February 12, 1:15 PM Sweet Apple Acres Outside The Barn
Well, there they are. They sure got active in a hurry. I hope this won't be too serious. Twilight thought.
Wasting no times to ask questions, Twilight spotted Star Cestus and flew to him. There were already police ponies from Ponyville that were investigating the scene, but Twilight saw that Cestus's squad had quickly taken it over.
"Alright, guys. This is the case that's been haunting us for months." Cestus said to his officers. "As soon as we get caught up with what's already known by the townsfolk, I want you all to check every nook and cranny for evidence. I'll knock out all of you if so much as a cookie crumb is left unchecked!
"YES SIR!"
Given their order, the officers dispersed to get caught up to speed by Ponyville's police. As Cestus's speech was finished up, Twilight took the chance to talk to him.
"Cestus..." Twilight . "I'm sorry, but considering the circumstances, I'm not sure whether or not it's good to see you again."
"Ahh! Princess Fat ca--err, I mean...Twilight Sparkle. It's always good to see you again. But...your right, today is probably not the best day."
This is actually similar to when we first met. I came to see Star Cestus when Rarity got arrested for attempted murder a few months ago. We had a rocky start, but I'm happy that we were able to part ways on good terms. Twilight thought, remembering her first encounter with her new friend. "So Cestus, what's Canterlot's police commissioner doing in Ponyville."
"Actually...it's Inspector Cestus now." Cestus said, which was followed by a sigh. "After what I did a while back, I got demoted. But hey, it's better than getting fired."
I'm not surprised that he got in trouble, but I am that he didn't lose his job. Oh well, he's a good pony. Twilight thought. "Anyway, so what's going on here?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to spread information like that around yet."
"Not even to a princess like myself?" Twilight asked. Oh geez. I just played the royalty card again. That's how we had a rough start the first time
While still unsure about it, because Twilight was a princess as well as a friend, Cestus quickly decided that there wouldn't of been any harm in telling Twilight as she basically outranked him anyway.
"Alright, but first, give me a hand here. I heard information goes around fast in a place like Ponyville. What can you tell me about the crime that happened yesterday?"
"Okay, let me think." Twilight said. She then thought carefully about what she remembered to give Cestus the proper information. "According to my friend Applejack, she saw my other friend Pinkie Pie in that barn with her little sister, Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom was stabbed several times and is being treated at Ponyville hospital. It's really tragic."
"Yes, Princess Celestia told me to bring those doctors along because you asked for them." Cestus said. "So if she was stabbed, I'm assuming the weapon was a dagger?"
"Correct. The police found the dagger when...hey, wait! How did you know it was a dagger? Everypony else guessed it was a knife." Cestus sighed as Twilight asked her question. "It's because this isn't the first innocent. Before I say anything, will you promise to keep this to yourself? We want to wait one more day before we make this information public knowledge."
"O-of course. What happened?"
Cestus looked around to make sure there weren't anypony else around, as he wanted to be very careful. "Over the past six months or so, there has been three recorded murders."
"TH--TH-THREE MURDERS!!?" Twilight shouted for the world to hear, much to her embarrassment. Fortunately, there were no locals nearby at the time.
"Yeah, it's pretty bad, pal. On average, there's only like a single case of first-degree murder in Equestria every five years or so, which is pretty stunning in the eyes of other nations. But we've been after the first serial killer Equestria has had in like decades.
A serial killer? In Equestria? Now I understand why he wants to keep quiet about it. If word gets out that there's such a dangerous pony in Equestria, the chaos would be insane. Twilight thought. "Let me guess. You think that what happened here is connected to your killer."
"Right. There have been two key factors that linked the three murders before together. First, is the weapon used. A custom made dagger. They were found during each investigation and each one were identical to the other. If our reasoning is correct, then this dagger should be a match as well."
I actually hope it isn't a match, because I think I have an idea as to what the second key factor is. Twilight thought with dread. "Tell me. What's the other thing that's linked these cases together?"
"Well...in this case, as well as the three I just mentioned..." Cestus said, not liking what he had to say next. "Your friend, Pinkie Pie, has been the main suspect since the first murder."
It was just as Twilight feared. Not only did Pinkie get accused of trying to kill Apple Bloom, but unlike the case her friend Rarity was involved in several months ago, Pinkie was accused of committing three actual murders. Even if the police, and even Applejack, think that Pinkie did it though, Twilight refused to accept it as a possibility. It was just impossible to her.
Day 1: Investigation: 1 Cute, 1 Crazy, and 1 Crazier Pony
Twilight was shocked. Pinkie Pie, the single most innocent pony she has ever met, being a serial killer. While Pinkie was a very surreal pony, the idea of being that evil made Discord, the lord of chaos, look normal. But, Star Cestus was serious. He and his police force had came to Ponyville so they could bring Pinkie Pie in.
"I'm sorry, but you guys got the wrong mare." Twilight said. "Pinkie Pie is no killer."
"Yeah, well that's for the court to decide." Cestus said. "By the way, it's going to be held tomorrow, here in Ponyville, assuming both the prosecutor and the princess show up."
Oh, right. Since this will be a murder trial, it will need Princess Celestia's attention right away.
Twilight remembered everything that happened when Rarity had the same problem. She was accused of a crime that she didn't commit and would have the world's shortest trial because nopony would defend her. Just like Rarity, Pinkie not only needed a good friend to be by her side, by a good lawyer to prove that there was a mistake.
"Twilight will prove Pinkie's innocence!"
"Right. I'm going to defend Pinkie Pie and prove that--wait, who said that?" Twilight asked.
Just as Twilight decided to represent Pinkie Pie at the trial, someone else spoke her mind. Twilight and Cestus turned to a nearby tree , which was where the voice came from. While Cestus was confused/shocked by it, Twilight recognized the young, squeaky voice she heard.
"Sweetie Belle?" Twilight said to the tree.
"No. I'm...uhh...I'm Fluttershy?"
After winding up his front hoof, Cestus hurled a punch at the tree, causing it to shake, and thus, causing the unicorn filly hiding within to fall to the ground. The child smiled awkwardly as the two adults looked annoyed at her.
"Is this your kid, Twilight?" Cestus asked.
"No, this is Rarity's little sister, who SHOULD be back at the hospital!" Twilight said.
"And miss out on the chance to catch the one who hurt Apple Bloom? I think not!" Sweetie Belle said.
Cestus quickly got annoyed by how needlessly complicated things got all of a sudden and turned to Twilight. "Alright, pal. Since this kid is your friend, I'm going to let you deal with her. I need to get back to my investigation."
Without giving Twilight a chance to give him a response, Cestus left Sweetie Belle with her and continued his investigation, leaving behind a disgruntled alicorn and a happy little unicorn.
"So where are we going to start our investigation?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Well, I was thinking we would go see Pinkie--WAIT A SECOND!" Twilight said after she realized what she said. "I'm not bringing you with me."
"Oh, come on! I heard you let Spike help you when you played lawyer with Rarity!"
"He's my assistant. He always helps me. He's like a paid employee."
Sweetie Belle got the biggest smile on her face and gasped as soon as Twilight said her last sentence. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY ME?"
This is starting to feel like a very one-sided conversation. Twilight thought.
Twilight knew that if she kept talking to Sweetie Belle at that rate, she would snap, and she needed her sanity to figure out everything that had happened the day before. So, Twilight took a deep breath, exhaled, and calmed herself down,
Between a dying Apple Bloom, an accused best friend, and Sweetie Belle, I needed that. Twilight thought, who felt ready to talk again. "Tell me. Why do you want to help me so much?"
"Because my family owes you one. You got my sister out of trouble back in Canterlot" Sweetie Belle said with a big grin."
Hmm. I have the strangest feeling that she's lying. Maybe I should use this chance to test out an old spell. Twilight thought.
Using her magic, Twilight's horn began to glow a very light green. As she expected, the area around Sweetie Belle turned dark and a couple of chains mysteriously appeared around her. Overlapping the chains was a single red box that appeared shortly after the chains. As Twilight hoped, a psyche-lock appeared.
Ahh. Good to know that I haven't forgotten how to use the magatama spell. Twilight thought. This spell helped me a lot when I acted as Rarity's lawyer, since I can use it to find secrets a pony tries to hide.
As Twilight only wanted to test the spell and also had a good idea as to what Sweetie Belle's secret was, she deactivated her spell. Since she knew she wouldn't be able to get rid of Sweetie Belle due to her persistence, Twilight came to a decision.
"I really can't believe I'm about to say this, but...I guess I can let you tag along." Twilight said. "But this is already something little kids shouldn't get involved in, so if it gets too much..."
"YES!" Sweetie Belle said, not caring about the chance of getting kicked off from Twilight's side.
I guess I was able to win Rarity's freedom partly because I had some help. As long as she doesn't get in my way, there shouldn't be any problems.
After giving in to Sweetie Belle's demands, Twilight aloud the filly to tag along, hoping things don't get too gruesome for her little friend. Twilight knew that Sweetie Belle's real goal was to help avenge Apple Bloom, so she figured it would've been better to keep a close eye on her anyway so Sweetie Belle wouldn't do anything foolish.
On their way off of the farm, they found out that they weren't the only civilian ponies who were at the crime scene. From a distance, they saw a pegasus pony who was watching the whole thing with delight. Twilight and Sweetie Belle walked up to him to see what he was doing.
"Excuse me sir, but this is a crime scene. You probably shouldn't be here." Twilight said.
As soon as Twilight said that, the pegasus started to laugh. He was a dark gray pegasus with a light gray, spikey a mane, and a mask for a cutie mark witch each side either having a black or white half. He also had pitch-black coloured wings, which was odd for a pegasus pony since their wings usually match their coat. Overall, he was an odd looking fellow, and to Sweetie Belle, a freaky one.
"Uhh...Twilight? Can we go now?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Yeah....sure." Twilight answered with discomfort. Goodbye, very obvious suspect.
The strange pegasus laughed at Twilight again, which caused her more discomfort. Finally, after doing nothing but laughing and mocking, he finally spoke up.
"You and I both know she did it. You're wasting your time with her." The scary pony said, scaring Sweetie Belle more. "I'm sure nopony would want to see another filly hurt, like your friend here."
Is this guy threatening me?Twilight asked herself.
As he had no other reason to be around, the gray pegasus opened his black wings and quickly flew off before Twilight could ask any other questions. After hearing what he said, she didn't want to chase after him and leave Sweetie Belle behind.
"Twilight...?'Sweetie Belle said.
"Sweetie Belle, I think I'm going to want you to stay by my side at all times now. In fact, remind me to tell Rainbow Dash to keep a close eye on Scootaloo too. Until than, let's head to the detention center to speak with Pinkie Pie."
While Sweetie Belle felt less encourage to get involve, she followed Twilight anyway not just for her safety, but because she really did want to help. Twilight was at least pleased that she already had a potential suspect for Apple Bloom's attack. The question that bother her though was...
Just who was that pony and how is he involved in all of this?
February 12, 1:55 PM Ponyville Detention Center Visitor's Room
After Twilight and Sweetie Belle arrived, they asked if they would be allowed to see Pinkie Pie. While it would normally be impossible for non-lawyer ponies to see a main suspect, when it comes to her friends, Twilight will always be willing to pull the princess card.
The two sat and waited for Pinkie Pie to come and talk with them, but Pinkie took a long time to arrive. Twilight started to get worried for her friend while Sweetie began to grow impatient.
"What's taking her so long?" Sweetie asked.
"Maybe she's in the bathroom." Pinkie said.
"For 10 minutes?" Twilight asked.
It took a while before either Twilight or Sweetie to realized that something was wrong. The two turned their heads and saw that sitting between them was the one they were waiting for. As they found Pinkie sitting next to them, they jumped out of their seats in surprise. Not only that, but they were expecting Pinkie to of been on the other side of the room where the glass wall would separate them.
"Pinkie Pie! H-how did...why are..." Twilight stuttered. "Pinkie, you shouldn't be over here."
"Really?" Pinkie asked. "Oh right! You're my visitors!"
After realizing where she was, Pinkie dropped to the ground and seemingly vanished before Twilight and Sweetie. Then, she raised up from where she was suppose to be in the first place. Twilight didn't know how Pinkie did that, but that was the least of her worries.
Right off the bat, Twilight noticed that something was odd with Pinkie, or at the very least, odder than usual. She looked as happy and cheerful as usual, but every now and then, one of Pinkie's eye would randomly twitch. She didn't look stressed though, but genuinely happy.
"Twilight! I'm SOOOOO glad you're here! I've been here since yesterday and they won't even let me leave to work at Sugarcube Corner! Think you can help me out?"
Well, at least we're finally talking. Twilight thought. "Pinkie Pie, do you know why you're here?"
"Yeah, I apparently have like three murders or something, which is really weird because Fluttershy has like five of them at her cottage. She even showed one last week."
Sweetie Belle freaked when she heard what Pinkie said. "Twilight! Has Fluttershy killed five ponies?"
"No, she didn't. Pinkie, those are murder of crows. Birds. You're here because you've been accused of killing three ponies, as well as mortally wounding Apple Bloom."
"OOOOOOOHHHHH!" Pinkie Pie said as she realized what was actually going on. She then began to ponder with herself comprehend her situation. "Wow, I guess I really am in trouble, aren't I?"
NOW YOU REALIZE THAT!? Twilight thought, once again on the verge of insanity.
As soon as Twilight calmed down, she used her magic to make a small item magically appear before her, which was a small badge that had the symbols of the elements of harmony around it with the element of magic in the center.
"Pinkie, this is my Equestrian attorney's badge that Princess Celestia gave me a few months ago. With this, I am a legal defense attorney. I'd like to personally defend you in this case."
Attorney's Badge was added to the evidence.
"Oh, you mean like with Rarity's trial!" Pinkie asked. "That was so exciting! You were like OBJECTION! and Discord was all OBJECTION!. Even the judge was all like OVERRULED! On wait. He didn't do that."
Twilight and Sweetie Belle were both confused by Pinkie's choice of words, but that was a good sign since it meant that Pinkie was acting normal, but again, Twilight noticed that Pinkie would actually twitch her eyes, which wasn't normal for her. Even less frequently, a part of Pinkie, like her hoof, would shiver, but Pinkie would still look genuinely fine.
Something's not right here. Pinkie seems too comfortable. Twilight thought. "Pinkie, is everything alright. Ever since I walked in here, you've been shaking like you have your Pinkie Senses."
"Hmm...my tail isn't twitching and my knees aren't wobbly. The only time my body acts like that without predicting anything is when..." Then, a simple thought entered Pinkie's mind that caused her to gasp very loudly. "Twilight! Can you do me a HUGE favor?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"I haven't been able to take my medicine since I got arrested and haven't take it last night or this morning like I should've. Think you can bring it here for me?"
"I think I can do that. Where is it?" Twilight asked.
"I always keep a bottle of it next to my bed. It's a green bottle. You can't miss it."
It occurs to me that if Pinkie acts how she does while on medication, I'd hate to see her if she's off it. Twilight thought. "Alright. I'll fetch it while I'm off investigating. But before I leave, we need to officially make me your lawyer."
"Oh, right!" Pinkie said as she pulled a few pieces of paper out from her mane. "The police told me to give these to whoever I want as a lawyer. I was going to call my friend Sunny Justice, but you're even better."
As soon as Twilight was given the papers to sign, with the nearby guards acting as the witness of the signing, Twilight officially became Pinkie Pie's defense attorney. Technically speaking, Twilight was ready to walk into court.
"So what are we going to do now?" Pinkie asked.
"Well, me and Sweetie Belle have to go back out there and find some evidence to clear your name. That and find out what actually happened." Twilight said. "Actually...Pinkie, you've been accused of stabbing Apple Bloom."
"WHAAAT!!?" Pinkie said as she finally showed an emotion other that cheerfulness. "Applejack's sister died?"
"No. She's alive, but she's definitely not well right now." Twilight explained. "Now this is important. Where exactly were you yesterday? What happened before you were arrested?"
"Hmm...actually, I can't remember much of anything that I did yesterday."
"Why's that?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I remember seeing you at Sugarcube Corner yesterday."
"Yeah, but that's all I remember. Honestly." Pinkie said. "Here's my day: I woke up, ate breakfast, baked some cookies, went out for a walk, took a nap, and I was arrested. That was mostly until noon, but I think it was 5:00 when they took me in."
She napped for five hours? I have hard enough time believing that Pinkie can even sleep. Twilight thought. But that means she knows nothing about what happened. This will make proving her innocence difficult.
Since Pinkie had no useful information she could share, Twilight thought it was time to head out to get some work done.
"Alright Pinkie. I'm sorry are visit was so short, but I need to get back out there. The more information I can get on this, the better I can help you."
"Okie doki loki. Just remember to bring me my medicine like I asked." Pinkie said, which was followed by another sudden shiver. "Oh, and tell Applejack I said hi! I'm sure she needs all the love she can get. Poor Apple Bloom." Pinkie said with sadness.
"Alright! Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get my cutie mark for helping Pinkie!" Sweetie Belle said, who was excited to start the investigation.
Twilight rolled her eyes, but smiled at Sweetie Belle's enthusiasm. With Twilight's agenda in ordered, she gave a final goodbye to Pinkie and was off with Sweetie Belle to search for evidence. With what Twilight had learned and the unanswered questions she had, she desperately wanted to learn more details of the crimes. She knew where to start, but she still had a lot on her mind.
Supposedly, Pinkie Pie had brought Apple Bloom into her barn yesterday and tried to kill her. And yet, I believe that Pinkie wasn't lying to me. Then there's that weird gray pony. I didn't even catch his name. On top of all of that, there's three actual murders where Pinkie is the main suspect. I've heard so much, yet I know nothing. Just what is going on here.
February 12, 2:20 PM Sweet Apple Acres Outside The Barn
"It already feels like we've been running in circles." Sweetie Belle said.
"There's only so many place for us to go right now." Twilight explained.
After becoming Pinkie Pie's official lawyer, Twilight returned to the crime scene to begin an actual investigation. Since coming back, the Canterlot police looked much busier than when they first arrived since they had managed to settle in. Twilight was jealous because she was the only one who didn't do anything yet. She looked around to ask Cestus for help, but he was nowhere to be found.
"Alright! With all of these cops here, you'll have lots of help, Twilight!" Sweetie Belle said.
"It's not going to be that easy. Before we can check out the crime scene, we have to wait for these guys to finish their investigation." Twilight explained.
"That's stupid. You're a princess. You should be like their boss or something." Sweetie Belle said.
"Not while she's being a lawyer, pal."
After hearing her talk, Star Cestus, who was off the farm, walk in from behind to meet up with her. Two other ponies walked as well, following Cestus. One was Applejack, the other was a blue unicorn who Twilight didn't recognize.
"Hey Twilight, since you're here, I'd like to introduce you to the prosecutor of this case." Cestus said. "This here is Hope Ray. Hope, this is Princess Twilight Sparkle."
"You're the princess? It is a great honor to meet you." Hope said as he bowed before his princess.
Twilight took a good look at the new face she met. He was a unicorn pony with a light blue body, and a white colored mane, which was curled up to resemble a curved mohawk. For a cutie mark, Hope had a yellow and white shield. Twilight noticed the irony of how a cutie mark more appropriate for a defense attorney was given to a prosecutor.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. But like Cestus said, I'm only aloud to act as a defense attorney if I don't mix my ranking as a princess with it." Twilight said, which she not only directed to Hope, but to Sweetie belle as well.
Hope found what he heard to of been very odd. He needed a moment before he could give a response. "Observation #1: A princess in Ponyville has no value for their position."
"WHAT!? I take pride being a princess. Princess Celestia was the one who gave me the honor!"
"Observation #2: Princess Twilight is easily enraged." Just as Hope was saying, Twilight started to get more and more angry Hope's choice of words. She had to calm down fast, so she took a deep breath, and exhaled out to calm down. But...
AGH! It didn't work! I still want to punch this guy! Twilight thought, who was still angry at Hope. "Can we just move on to important business?"
"Sorry, Twi." Applejack said. "But you have to leave this to our lovely friends here. Mr. Ray here is going to make sure they put Pinkie away for good."
Oh my...Applejack really does think Pinkie did it, doesn't she?
"It's fine, Miss. Apple." Hope said. "As the defense, she's entitled to know about the crime scene. I myself have only been in Ponyville for a few minutes, so we may as well hear Inspector Cestus out now while we're both here."
Wow. I think I actually like this guy. At least he's more professional than Discord was as a prosecutor.
Much to Applejack's dismay, it was agreed that Twilight and Sweetie Belle would get to learn about what was found at the crime scene, and so the group entered the barn to hear the briefing of the case.
Inside the barn, Twilight and Sweetie Belle noticed how much the barn had changed since the incident. Police tape blocked the way in since the day before, so the group had to walk under it. There was also some tape and poles surrounding a spot in the very center of the room, and underneath it was a red stain, which repulsed Sweetie Belle as soon as she saw it. It went without saying that that particular spot was where the crime happened.
"Alright. Now here's what we've learned." Cestus said, prompting the rest to put on their listening ears. "Sometime in the early afternoon yesterday, about 1:00 PM I believe, Miss. Applejack here entered the barn and found Pinkie Pie inside, who at the time, was trying to murder the child in this case."
"If I heard correctly from Ponyville's police, Apple Bloom was stabbed, right?" Twilight asked.
"Right. I managed to get this dagger here from the station in town while me and Applejack picked Hope Ray up at the train station."
Cestus then showed the weapon in question to the group. Through the plastic bag, they saw that the dagger was completely blade, from the handle to the blade itself. The blade itself was still stained with some blood. Once again, the sight of Apple Bloom's blood scared Sweetie Belle.
She really is too young for this kind of thing. Twilight thought. In any case, I'm glad I've finally seen some evidence to work with.
Black Dagger was added to the evidence
"This dagger should've been dusted for hoof prints, but the case seemed so cut and dry that they didn't seem to of bothered." Cestus said.
"Observation #3: Ponyville's police force is quite lazy." Hope said. "In any case, I brought the hoofprint records, so we can compare the prints right now."
"Hoofprint records?" Twilight asked.
"This case has been going on for a very long time, your highness. Fortunately, I have the file of the entire case right here, which includes a record of hoofprints from every pony involved in this case."
"Sounds important. Can I get a copy of that file?"
"I'm afraid it's still confidential. I can, however, give you a copy of the hoofprint records. I'm sure you'll find it useful."
Hoofprint Records was added to the evidence
Not the kind of evidence I was hoping for, but it's better than nothing. Twilight thought.
"The analysts will need copy too before tomorrow." Cestus said. "Anyway, we've also confirmed that every window in this barn was shut. The barn door was the only entrance open, and it's been confirmed that she saw both Pinkie Pie and the girl entering."
Not good. NOT GOOD! Twilight thought.
While Twilight started to sweat from stress getting piled up on stress, Hope nodded with a sense of satisfaction. With only one way in and out, if the hoof marks matched up, then the entire case would be open and closed.
"I think I've heard enough." Hope said. "Be sure to take these print records and analyst the markings. If all goes well, this terrible case will finally be put the rest before lunch tomorrow."
"Now hold on! I know things look bad for Pinkie Pie, but I still plan to defend her until the very end!" Twilight said.
"I believe you. I'm just saying the very end will be tomorrow."
She knew Hope didn't meant it, but the more he talked, the Twilight hated him. Hope was acting calm, clear minded, and realistic, which was everything Twilight was trying to be.
"I'll leave you with the file." Hope said to Cestus as he handed over a very big file to him. "I'd like to settle in before I get my case ready."
"Need a place to stay?" Applejack asked. "There's plenty of space for such an important pony like yourself here on my farm."
"No thank you, Miss Applejack. Arranangements have already been made for me at town hall." Hope said to Applejack. Then, he turned his attention to Twilight. "It was an honor to meet you, Princess. I'll be seeing you tomorrow morning at the trial."
As he had no further business and needed to get ready for the trial, Hope left the rest of the investigation to Cestus and made his way off of the farm. In though Twilight was glad that she didn't need to talk to the prosecutor any longer, she still had a lot more to talk about with Apple Bloom.
"Applejack, I need to have a word with you. Sweetie Belle, keep Cestus company." Twilight said.
"Uhh....sure, Surgarcube."
Since Twilight was still skeptical about the idea of Sweetie Belle being her assistant for the case, she decided to leave the filly out of her conversation with Applejack. For the entire day, Twilight had been worried about her friend, so she was glad to have the chance to talk to her alone.
As soon as they were outside the barn, Twilight began to talk to Applejack. Since Twilight wanted an honest answer, she secretly channeled the magatama spell, which caused her horn to glow a very faint green, hoping she wouldn't see any psyche-locks.
"What is it, Twilight?" Applejack asked.
"Applejack, I know you're the element of honesty, but this is an important question, so I NEED an honest answer." Twilight said as she continued to channel her spell. "Pinkie Pie is one of your closest and dearest friends. You treat her like family. That said, do you really believe that she's the one who tried to kill Apple Bloom?"
"What? I..." Applejack stammered. She thought carefully about her words, unaware that Twilight was using a lie detecting spell. "I...I guess not. It does look bad for her, but I suppose there's a chance Pinkie Pie isn't responsible for this."
Just as Twilight had feared, many the area around Applejack went dark, and many chains appeared around her. After Applejack was surround by chains, five locks appeared overtop of them.
No, Psyche-locks. She must be lying. Twilight thought, sadden by what she saw. However, things got much worse from there. Wait. What's up with these psyche-locks?
Upon closer inspection, the locks around Applejack were very much different from the ones Twilight had seen before. Normally, a psyche-lock is red, but the ones around Applejack were black. Five black psyche-locks that Twilight had never seen before was hiding Applejack's secret.
These psyche-locks. These are unlike anything I've ever seen. They're...nauseating.
The sight of the black psyche-locks made Twilight more sick with each passing second. With Applejack looking right at Twilight, she naturally noticed Twilight getting sick.
"Twi? You okay?"
I'm sensing so much pain and anger from these locks that I don't think I'd be able to break them like this. I'm afraid to know how much suffering Applejack is going through right now. Twilight thought. She didn't want to leave such a thing unchecked, but she couldn't take anymore. Sorry, Applejack. These locks are too much for me.
As soon as she canceled the spell, Twilight collapsed on the ground. It happened so suddenly that Applejack wasn't even able to catch her.
"Whoa, there! You alright?"
"Yes. I'm fine." The sickly Twilight said. "Anyway, if you really think Pinkie Pie is innocent, show her some support. She misses you, and I'm sure she would love it if you visited her."
Applejack didn't like the idea of seeing Pinkie. She couldn't even look Twilight in the eyes as she thought about her options. Suddenly though, a big grin appeared on her face and was able to look at Twilight again.
"You know what? I think I will see her. Heck, I might even get her a gift." Applejack said, who became surprisingly upbeat. "I just need a few minutes and I'll be off to see her. Later, Twilight."
As quickly as her smile appeared, Applejack ran off. Twilight couldn't even say anything else before her friend left, not even a goodbye.
First the black psyche-locks, and now this. Applejack is not at all acting normal. I'll have to try and talk to her again after I finish helping Pinkie. Twilight thought, which then gave her another one.OH! Her medicine! I forgot about that
As she still had a busy schedule, Twilight went back inside to get Sweetie Belle to fetch the medicine she promised to bring back to Pinkie Pie. She found that Sweetie and Cestus was having a very familiar conversation.
"Look, I'm just saying that you're putting too much thought into it." Sweetie Belle said to Cestus.
"And I'm just saying that there's a huge difference between daggers and knifes, pal." Cestus said. "One is single-edged, the other is double-edged.
Twilight shook her, laughing at the interesting conversation she had missed out. "Come on, Sweetie Belle. We still have work to do. Good luck on your investigation, Cestus.
"Thanks. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for something that might help your case."
As she got all the information she could get at the farm, Twilight and Sweetie Belle left to get Pinkie's medicine back at Sugarcube Corner. Although she knew that evidence was important, one's health can't be ignored.
February 12, 3:00 PM Sugarcube Corner Pinkie Pie's room
While Twilight had been in Pinkie's room before, after carefully looking at the room and knowing her friend so well, a thought occurred to her about the room's state.
"Wow. It's surprisingly neat and tidy in here." Twilight said
"I expected that we'd had to swim through a sea of confetti." Sweetie Belle said.
"Well, at least this won't take long. I can already see the medicine bottle Pinkie asked us to get."
Next to Pinkie Pie's bed was a small table with a mirror on it. Right in front of the mirror was a small green medicine bottle. Sweetie Belle ran over to it, used her magic on it, and passed it over to Twilight. Both were pleased that they finally found an easy task.
A.M.P bottle was added to the evidence
"Well, that didn't take long." Sweetie Belle said.
"It just gives us more time to work on our case." Twilight said. While she had the intention to bring the bottle to Pinkie, she noticed something about it. "Hand on a second."
As soon as Twilight read the label on the bottle, she noticed something was up. The bottle had a prescription label on it, but it didn't had an actual prescription on it. In short, Pinkie's name wasn't on it. What was worse was the type of medicine it was.
"A.M.P? This can't be." Twilight said to herself. "These are Anti-Magic-Purgers. Unicorn medicine. It can't be Pinkie's medicine."
"Anti-magic medicine? That's a thing?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Why would you want medicine that makes your magic weaker?"
"These were made for children. I took them as a filly." Twilight explained. "When a child is gifted with a lot of magic, it's sometimes too much for their body. I actually had more magic in my body than an adult unicorn would normally hold."
"So you had to take that medicine?"
"Right. It kept my magic from overpowering me until I could control it better. Naturally, I've long since mastered my magic, so I don't need them."
"Cool. I wonder if Rarity ever had to take such medicine."
Most certainly not. These pills are exclusive to those who live in Canterlot. They can't be spread across Equestria because it can easily be an addicting drug. Does this mean...Pinkie Pie is...
"Hey look, Twilight! There's something under Pinkie Pie's bed."
Just as Sweetie Belle said, there was something under the bed. It was a small crate filled with little green bottles. Just like the one on the table, they were prescription A.M.P bottles, but with nothing actually written on them. Sweetie Belle was still unsure about what they found, but Twilight knew that Pinkie had been keeping a huge stack of illegally acquired drugs.
"Sweetie Belle, I want you to do me a huge favour." Twilight said. "I want you to promise me NOT to tell anypony about what we've found here today."
"Why, what's wrong?"
"I'm afraid if anypony else finds out about Pinkie's medicine, she might get in even more trouble than she already is."
"Why? It's just--"
"Sweetie Belle! Promise me!" Twilight said as she raised her voice.
"EEK! I promise." Sweetie Belle promised.
This is just getting better and better. Twilight thought sarcastically. Why does have so much? Unless...
Twilight remembered back at the detention center, Pinkie acted strange. Pinkie's arms would shake and her eye would twitch, and she claimed such things only happened when she didn't take her medicine. All of that and the addicting medicine found lead Twilight to one conclusion.
Pinkie Pie. You were suffering from withdrawal symptoms, weren't you? Twilight asked herself. "Sweetie Belle, I'm going to take you home now."
"WHAT!? Come on, I still want to help." Sweetie Belle complained.
"And you can. I'll be sure to bring you to the trial with me tomorrow. I just need to do some investigating alone right now." Twilight explained. That, and I need to talk to Pinkie Pie privately.
Since the medicine was the only thing they needed to get, Twilight and Sweetie Belle left Sugarcube Corner, and after that, Twilight brought Sweetie Belle home, albeit against the filly's will. It probably would've been alright if she was brought along since she already knew such much, but Twilight didn't want her to see everything.
February 12, 3:20 PM Ponyville Detention Center Visitor's Room
After bringing Sweetie Belle home, Twilight returned to meet with Pinkie. Like before, Twilight had to make sure Pinkie was on the right side of the room so she didn't get in trouble, but both were able to sit down to have a proper talk.
"Welcome back, Twilight! Did you get my medicine?" Pinkie asked.
"Yeah, about that..." Twilight said, glad that Pinkie also wanted to get straight to the point. Using her magic, she grabbed the bottle and showed it to Pinkie Pie. "I found this in your room, but there's no way it can be it."
"No, that's the right one. The green bottle that says A.M.P? That's what I've taken everyday since I was a filly."
"EVERYDAY!? ARE YOU INSANE!?" Twilight asked. "Actually, I'd rather you didn't answer that. But why have you been taking this medicine for so long?"
"I'm not too sure myself. Back when I lived with my Uncle Shepard, he told me that I had to take two pills everyday and I would stay healthy. I've done exactly that for all these years and I'm fitter than a fiddle."
Two pills everyday for that long? That's impossible. An addict's body would shut down from taking so much. How the heck can Pinkie take that many and not get completely destroyed?
When Twilight asked herself that question, another one occurred to her, but it was something she wanted to ask Pinkie. Before asking though, she began to cast the magatama spell for extra measures.
"Pinkie, I also found a crate full of A.M.P's. Those can only be prescribed in Canterlot, and even them, it's meant to be children medicine, not to mention it's expensive. How did you get all of it?"
Although Pinkie usually smiled at everything, she didn't feel so cheery after Twilight asked the question. "Sorry Twilight, but I don't think I should be saying anything."
While Pinkie was honest, it was clear that she was keeping a secret, and thus, the chains and locked were summoned around her, creating a total of four psyche-locks. While they were more bearable than Applejack's black psyche-locks, Twilight was still not equipped to breaking them, so she deactivated the spell.
"I can't say I condone the idea of hoarding so much drugs, but as one of my best friends, and one who still needs my help, I guess I can over look it for now."
"Great, but it's not a very big deal. It's just medicine." Pinkie said.
She must have no idea that these drugs are illegal outside of Canterlot. So why does she keep it as such a big secret? Twilight asked herself. "Pinkie, if you really don't know what kind of effect this stuff is doing, I'd rather if you don't take anymore until I have a chance to study you."
"You mean you'll be tying me back up in your basement? Sounds like fun! We can do it as soon as you win the trial. Speaking of which, how's it going?"
"Wait! You consider being tied up in my basement fun?" Twilight asked, but she quickly dismissed it. "Never mind. Anyway, things aren't looking really good. It looks obvious that you did it, and if they prove that, you'll be found guilty for committing three murders."
While Pinkie didn't look happy, Twilight was the only one between the two who looked downright miserable, but it could've been because Pinkie didn't take the whole thing seriously. Since Twilight was working so hard to help her, Pinkie decided it was her turn.
"You know, my Uncle Shepard always told me something when I felt down. The worst times we ever face in our lives are when we have to fake our BIIIIIGEST smiles." Pinkie said as she gave Twilight a huge grin. "The more one smiles, the more others will until eventually, everypony smiles for real."
"I don't know, Pinkie. This doesn't seem like something I can smile at." Twilight said.
"In that case, I'll smile for both us. Once I smile long enough, I know that you will too. As long as one of us do, I'm sure things will turn out."
Despite the bad situation they were both in, Pinkie was able to keep a consistent and genuine smile on her face. Even with the occasional twitches she had been going through, she gave Twilight a good feeling from the happy face. Though it started off as a weak one, Twilight was slowly able to give herself a small smile as well.
"Thanks Pinkie. I needed that."
"No problemo. Just promise me that you'll smile on your own too."
She has so much faith in me. If she wasn't so nutty, she would make a great defense attorney. Twilight thought. "Alright. I'll be sure to have the biggest smile ready for when I clear your name."
"YAY! Smiles for all!"
With the little pep talk she got from Pinkie, Twilight felt that she was ready to face whatever would come to her at the trial. She found little evidence, but was not empty-handed, plus, she knew she would get a lot more evidence during the trial, though it would mean she would have to think on the fly.
Regardless, Pinkie Pie had a smile that Twilight didn't want see be wiped from the face of Equestria and gave her too much to fight for, but even while confident, Twilight couldn't ignore reality. In a single day, many, many questions came to her attention and she doubted that they would all get answered in one day.
I don't know what to ask myself first. What is up with Applejack's black psyche-locks? Where did Pinkie Pie get all of those Anti-Magic-Purgers? How could she be framed for four crimes like these? And the one question that's really bothering me: Who in the world is that grey pegasus?
So many mysterious haunted Twilight, but to let her friends down would've haunted her more. For their sake, Twilight was determined to get answers to them all.
February 13, 9:45 AM Ponyville Courthouse Defendant Lobby
Well, here I go again. Back in a courthouse to defend a friend. Twilight thought.
Twilight sat nervously waiting for the trial to begin, know fully well that the fate of her most cheery friend was at stake. With so much at risk, she couldn't help but be nervous. She didn't want to look scared while in front of Sweetie Belle, but she still couldn't help it.
"Don't look so glum, Twilight." Sweetie Belle said. "We're only going into a trial. It's not like we're going to watch an execution...actually, I think I said that wrong."
YOU THINK!?
"Let me try again. By the end of today, Pinkie will be walking a free mare and the real killer will be locked behind bars."
"That's not how the legal system works, Sweetie Belle. It's a lot more complicated than that." Twilight explained.
"Are you sure? My friend let me played one of his video games where you play a lawyer that does exactly that."
Maybe I should've picked an assistant who's past experience didn't come from a toy.
As Twilight continued to prepare herself for the upcoming trial, she saw Star Cestus was getting ready as well. As soon as he saw Twilight, he walk over to have a pre-trial talk. Twilight could tell by just looking at him that he had quite a bit to say.
"Hey Sparkle!" Cestus said as he walked by. "Would you like the good news or the bad news?"
"Hi, Cestus. I'd rather end on a high note." Twilight said.
"Well then, the bad news is that we finished the hoofprint analyst. As you probably have feared, the prints on the dagger was a perfect match for Pinkie Pie's prints, so it's been confirmed that she handled the thing."
"Wow. That's REALLY bad news." Twilight said as she heard the guilty verdict in her head. "Please tell me you actually do have good news to go with it."
"More or less. You know how we think Pinkie killed two other ponies? It seems Hope is missing a witness for one of them, and due to other reasons, he won't be saying anything about another."
"Wasn't there three ponies?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Cestus sighed when Sweetie brought that up. "Yeah, Hope can still talk about one of them. The first murder, in fact. All he has to do is link the murders up with this crime and prove that Pinkie was responsible for one of them. If its proven she was responsible for one crime, then it'll prove she did all four."
Talk about an unfair advantage. In order to prove Pinkie's innocence, I'll have to debunk all four of the prosecution's claims. I don't plan on letting Pinkie down, but can this even be possible to pull off?
"Oh wait, I lied. There actually is one more bit of good news." Cestus said. "I brought you some evidence that can help your case."
"WHAT!?" Twilight shouted as she nearly fell over from shock.
"Well what are you waiting for?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Hand it over. We're so desperate we'll take garbage as evidence."
I wish she didn't just spoke my mind. Twilight thought.
With a smile, Cestus gave Twilight a plastic evidence bag. Twilight had hoped to of been given something that would shine in beauty and prove her case once and for all. Instead, the bag contained an apple core, having been completely eaten. Not even Sweetie Belle thought they would literally be given garbage.
"Cestus...I think that's your breakfast." Twilight said.
"Oh no, I didn't eat this morning. This here is evidence that scared Hope Ray so badly that he actually lost his composure. He actually asked me to hang on to it since he didn't want to have it, so I thought you'd want it instead."
Hope Ray wanted to get rid of vital evidence? But it's an apple core. Trash. What's so special about it?
Apple Core was added to the evidence.
"So what's the deal with it?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Is it magic? Poisoned? Does it have a built in dagger in it which makes it the real weapon?"
"I actually have no idea. I walked in his office less than an hour ago and just gave it to me. It wasn't found in our investigation yesterday, so it's either brand new evidence or Hope just wanted me to throw out his breakfast."
I hope Cestus is right. Could this really help out my case?
Twilight still had a lot of questions to ask about the apple core, but because time was of the essence, all she could do was wait for the chance to use it. Since the trial was ready to begin, she had no time to think about it and had to worry about more important things, mainly Pinkie Pie.
A long trial was ahead of her, so Twilight had to prepare herself for a tough battle.
February 13, 10:00 AM Ponyville Courthouse Courtroom 2
The time for the trial had arrived.
Twilight and Sweetie Belle took their place at the defense bench on the left side of the court area while Hope Ray arrived to take his spot on the opposite side. To the left side of Twilight's station was the judge's seat, which once again had The Doctor sitting there to act as the judge. To her right was the witness stand, but nopony was there at the moment.
Surround them all were four sections of seats for the public to watch, one behind Twilight and Sweetie Belle, one behind Hope Ray, and two behind the witness stand. and they were all filled up with ponies to watch the trial. With all of the important ponies there, the trial was ready to begin.
"Court is now in session for the trial of Pinkamena Diane Pie." The Doctor said. "Feels good to be back with my gavel in my hoof."
"The defense is ready, your honor." Twilight said. I still wish I knew how he knows the Princess so well. If I remember, it's how he got the judge job in the first place.
"The prosecution is...as ready as it can get." Hope said.
"Hmm? Are you saying you're not quite ready yet?" The Doctor asked. "And where's the defendant? I can't see her."
"That's the problem. An incident occurred this morning and the accused is being questioned about it, but the police has been having trouble talking to her. She'll be a little late today."
Late for her own trial? I wonder what happened? Twilight thought.
"I know it's a bit unorthodox, but I'm certain that for now, we can hold the trial without Miss Pie. She'll be arriving very soon whether the police makes progress or not."
The Doctor had to think about Hope's request, as, like Hope said, it was unorthodox. Fortunately. an odd request wasn't out of the question for an odd pony like The Doctor.
"Very well. If the defense doesn't have any objections, then you make proceed with your opening statement."
There wouldn't be enough time to get any extra information. May as well roll with it. Twilight thought, seeing no point in stalling for time.
"Very well. I'll begin." Hope said, who was ready to start his opening statement. "Two days ago at Sweet Apple Acres, the defendant, Pinkie Pie, was found stabbing a little girl name Apple Bloom. As bad as this crime sounds though, it is the least of the problem. Over the past six months, there have been three murders, all three performed in the exact same manner. This trial is not just about whether or not Miss Pie tried to kill the girl, but is also to decide if she killed those three other ponies."
All of Ponyville's citizens were under the impression that the trial was for the attempted murder of Apple Bloom, so it became a shock to the gallery when they heard that Pinkie Pie had possibly killed three other ponies. Twilight and Sweetie already knew that much and were, for the most part, unfazed. The Doctor, on the other hand, was unconvinced.
"Can't say I liked your opening statement." The Doctor said. "This trial is for the attempted murder of Apple Bloom, is it not? You would need some solid evidence to link it with a murder, let alone three."
Hope, in response, lower his head and shook head in disagreement. "It seems you've been misinformed, your honor. This trial is to decide whether or not Pinkie Pie is a serial killer and not just a filly abuser."
"It still sounds harder to swallow than a pear muffin. You'll need concrete evidence to support such a claim."
"Very well then." Hope said as he prepared his next move. "I now call the head of the investigation as my first witness."
As promised, a familiar small, red stallion took the stand. While Star Cestus was did what he could to help Twilight, he still worked for Canterlot's police, so by default, he was working for Hope Ray and against Pinkie Pie.
"Witness, please state your name and occupation for the court." Hope requested.
"Inspector Star Cestus. I'm acting as the head detective on this case." Cestus said. "Hi again, Twilight."
"Huh? Oh. Hi, Cestus."
Before any socializing could start between Twilight and Cestus, The Doctor slammed his gavel down to interrupt them. "I know when a friendly conversation is about to start when I see it. I'd love to join in, but we hear the details of the incident first. More specifically, the one from two days ago."
"Oh, sorry pal." Cestus said. "First, look at this diagram."
"This here is a rough sketch of the barn's interior, where the crime took place. Ponyville's police and the residence of the farm confirmed that all the windows and the back door was shut, so there was only one way in and out. The victim's sister saw the crime happen inside the barn, so it's obvious the defendant committed the crime, and thus, is the serial killer we've been after."
"This court will accept this diagram as evidence." The Doctor said.
Barn Diagram was added to the evidence.
The Doctor thought about Cestus's statement, and both agreed and disagreed with it. "It does seem clear that Miss Pie is the culprit, but I still don't see how she's a serial killer."
"That won't be an issue for long, your honor." Hope said. "The inspector has prepared a testimony that will make everything clear to all."
The judge is still not on his side. Maybe I can milk this. Twilight thought. Before the testimony started, she slammed her hooves down on the table to get the court's attention. "You seem very confident considering you're one step away from a penalty. Maybe you'd be willing to risk a big one?"
"The defense is right. You are making a huge claim." The Doctor said in agreement. "If this testimony doesn't hold water, I will have to hold you in contempt."
"Very well. I'll accept the risk." Hope said, not being the least bit intimidated by such a threat. "Observation #4: A princess will try any desperate attempt to keep control of the situation, even when they don't have control at all."
Gah. Does this guy EVER lose his cool? And will he EVER stop insulting me?
-It's important to note that Pinkie Pie has been the main suspect of all four crimes. -The key component of these crimes are the murder weapons, all of which are identical and custom made. -This black dagger here was the weapon used on Apple Bloom and is one of the weapons I just mentioned. -As if that's not enough, her hoofprints have been identified on this one, thus telling us what we already know.
It's important to note that Pinkie Pie has been the main suspect of all four crimes.
HOLD IT!
"Why had Pinkie Pie been the main suspect for so long?" Twilight asked.
"In all three of the murders, she had a connection to the case. In fact, the first and third murders were surprisingly similar." Cestus explained.
"Similar? How so?"
"They took place at a concert. I guess Pinkie is a fan of the guy, which is unfortunate since the last two concerts she went to see had murders. Can't be good for the pal's reputation."
A concert, huh? Pinkie always has been a music lover. Twilight thought. "What about the second case? What does it have in common with the others?"
"Well, you see pal--"
OBJECTION!
"Inspector, have you forgotten already?" Hope asked.
"Oh, right. Sorry, but by the order of Princess Celestia, all information regarding the second murder is being kept confidential unless it absolutely must be shared." Cestus said, narrowly avoiding trouble.
"I suppose it would be difficult to go against this nation's ruler's wishes. " The Doctor said. "Objection sustained."
Why is it being kept a secret to even the trial? It must've been particularly bad or something. Twilight thought.
Since there was nothing else Twilight could gain from the subject, she had no choice but to continue her cross-examination in the hopes to learn more.
The key component of these crimes are the murder weapons, all of which are identical and custom made.
HOLD IT!
"How do you know they're all custom made?"
"I've had all of Equestria combed in the hopes of finding others. All we found was some blacksmiths who found the craftsmanship to of been too finely done to of been mass produced. They're pretty sturdy too, so they weren't cheaply made."
"I'd like to see these weapons myself." The Doctor requested.
This black dagger here was the weapon used on Apple Bloom and is one of the weapons I just mentioned.
HOLD IT!
"Where did you find the dagger anyway?" Twilight asked.
"I got it from Ponyville's police, but they insured me that it was found right on the crime scene. Seems that the culprit dropped it after the witness caught her. I've got it right here."
As soon as Cestus brought out the dagger, Sweetie Belle turned away as she refused to see Apple Bloom's blood again. Twilight didn't want the dagger to haunt Sweetie Belle for long, so she went straight to the questions.
"Have these daggers been left behind during the murders too?"
"Yeah, it's how we know they're connected." Cestus answered. "It seems to of been a habit of the killer's."
"And what about Pinkie? Where was she?"
"We believe she ran out of the barn as soon as the witness ran in to save her sister. It makes senses since I'm sure she didn't want to get caught."
So Pinkie was never there when the police showed up. I better keep that in mind. Twilight thought.
As if that's not enough, her hoofprints have been identified on this one, thus telling us what we already know.
HOLD IT!
"I'm certain that Pinkie Pie is not the pony your after, so it's impossible for her hoofprints to be on the dagger.
OBJECTION!
"I believe I gave you a copy of the hoofprint records the other day." Hope said. "You should have everything you need to compare the prints this instant. In any case, the forensics team have confirmed it was the defendant's hoofprints."
Grr. If the police says so, then I can't argue. But how the heck could Pinkie Pie's hoofprints be on there. Twilight thought.
As The Doctor was finally up to speed, he banged his gavel to put an end to the cross-examination.
"That's quite enough." The Doctor said. "We may have strolled off topic, but the prosecution has made its claim. This court agrees that the attack at Sweet Apple Acres is indeed connected to the past murders.
"That's not all your honor. I have proven that it was Pinkie Pie who committed the crime at the farm." Hope said, which was followed by a single hoof slamming on the table. "Ergo, the defendant is our serial killer!"
As Hope made his point, the ponies in the gallery began to burst into an uproar, talking about what they were hearing with one another. The Doctor had to bang his gavel three times to make the court silent again.
"Order! Order in the court." The Doctor said. "Boy I sure missed saying that."
Not good. At this rate, a verdict will be handed down before Pinkie can even show up. Twilight thought in fear. Then, to get everypony's attention, she slammed both of her hooves on the table. "What about these murders then? We've heard so much about them and yet so little. "
"I suppose that is important to know." Hope agreed. "Very well, but keep in mind that I can only share so much. Inspector, you know to say."
"Right. Let's start from the beginning." Cestus said. "Like I said before, the first murder was at a concert of some sort, located at Manehatten. The victim was a mare named Copycat. Funny enough, she bared a striking resemblance to Miss Pie." Cestus said as he laughed at the irony.
"I'd like to submit the victim's autopsy report as evidence." Hope said as he handed out the report with his magic.
Copycat's Autopsy Report was added to the evidence.
Twilight and The Doctor began to read the report to get a better understanding of the murder. It was stated that after the victim was stabbed on the left side of her neck, she died from blood lost.
"This murder occurred at a concert filled with ponies." Hope explained. "No one claimed to of seen the actual murder, but countless eye witnesses acknowledges that both the victim and the defendant were standing right next to each other beforehand."
"And that's why Pinkie wasn't arrested, wasn't it? No one saw the actual stabbing?" Twilight asked.
"Correct. It was strongly believed that she did it, but there wasn't enough evidence to prove. Of course, there was nothing to prove her innocence either."
As things started to look bad for Pinkie, the gallery started to speak up again. Twilight could hear that, despite the lack of evidence, the ponies were believing that Pinkie really was the killer, thus adding more pressure to Twilight.
"Because the second murder is being kept silent, I'm not aloud to talk about it." Cestus said.
"I myself am not ready to talk about the 3rd murder since it requires a special witness who has yet to show up." Hope said. "For now, the farm attack and the first murder should be enough."
"It would be best if we kept focused, so I support the idea of just talking about the two crimes for today." The Doctor said. "Although, I'm not quite sure how much there is to talk about. As soon as the defendant arrives, I feel ready to hand down the verdict. I feel confident that it was indeed Miss Pinkie Pie who tried to murder the child."
"Not so fast! We haven't heard enough about that attack!" Twilight said. "You have a witness who claim to of seen Pinkie? Well then, let me cross-examine her!"
While the case looked as good as over, The Doctor nodded in agreement. "I guess it would be too soon for me to stop playing judge. VI agree. Let's see your witness, Hope Ray. For now, I'd say it would be a good idea to focus on the crime that happened at the farm. Should we run out of things to say about it, we'll continue with the concert murder."
"Very well. I will call my next witness up right now." Hope said, who showed no sigh of annoyance from Twilight's request.
This guy knows what he's doing. He's had everything prepared perfectly so far. He likely knows everything Applejack will be saying when she takes the stand. I shouldn't of expected any less than a pony who's an actual lawyer. This is where the battle will actually begin.
With the first real witness ready to take the stand and a highly competent lawyer pulling the strings, Twilight had to brace herself, for things were ready to go from bad to worse. Because of the unpredictability and complexity of the case though, she was worried if winning it was even possible, even with what was at stake.
It took a surprisingly long time for Hope ray to get ready, but after some time, his next witness was ready to take the stand. While the trial had already begun, the main event was just getting started.
"Witness, please state your name and occupation for the court."
Twilight predicted that Applejack would've been the one to take the stand since she was the one who actually discovered the crime at Sweet Apple Acres. Instead, it was another familiar Apple pony. An older green mare with an apple pie cutie mark.
"Ponyville's courthouse. Reminds me way back when my old friend Orange Glad was arrested. I was so happy when she won the case." The old mare said.
"Witness! Your name please." Hope repeated.
"Oh! Sorry, Sonny." The witness said as she realized that she forgot what she was suppose to do. "I'm Granny Smith. I'm the owner of Sweet Apple Acres, the head of Ponyville's quilting bee, top apple baker, president of--"
"Enough! The court only needed to know your main occupation!"
Wow. It looks like Hope Ray is finally biting more than he can chew. Twilight thought with a sense of guilty pleasure. But wait. Why is Granny Smith the witness instead of Applejack? Did she see something too?
After some frustrating attempts to get his witness focused, Hope was able to get Granny Smith to think only about the day the crime, which was a more difficult task then one would think. Unfortunately for Twilight, Hope was patient.
"Two days ago, your granddaughter found your other granddaughter in the barn with the defendant." Hope said to Granny Smith. "Is it not true that on that day, you saw all three?"
"You got that right, sonny!" Granny answered. "Pinkie Pie was on my farm and harmed little Apple Bloom! I remember it like it happened yesterday! Pinkie Pie was on my farm to hurt little Apple Bloom!"
Twilight was surprised from what she heard as she figured there weren't any other witnesses. "Y-you...YOU WHAAAATT!!!??"
"I said I remembered it like it happened yesterday! I may be old, but I don't forget easily." Granny said as she failed to understood Twilight's question. "I was able to count and memorize four thousand, eight hundred and twenty one jelly beans in a jar at the Apple family reunion twenty-six years ago while keeping track of the activities of all forty nine of the guests which quickly became fifty because my daughter-in-law just couldn't hold Big McIntosh any longer."
"WITNESS!!!" Hope shouted. For the first time, Hope had completely lost his composure. "Please, keep focused on the case at hand!"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. Got lost in my own nostalgia." Granny apologised. "What were we talking about again?"
"I believe we were talking about your granddaughter." The Doctor said. "Please tell about what you saw before the prosecution has a stroke."
Darn. I was enjoying the show. Twilight thought with delight.
"Hey, Twilight?" Sweetie Belle said. "What did she mean when she said her daughter-in-law couldn't hold Big Mac any longer?"
How old are these kids again?
Before Twilight was forced to teach Sweetie Belle where foals came from, Granny Smith was ready give her testimony to the court. Even if she didn't need to listen to the testimony, Twilight was afraid to answer the filly's question.
-I was sitting on the porch all day to enjoy the nice weather. -After waking up from a nap, I saw Pinkie Pie going into the barn, then shortly after, Apple Bloom. -I had my eyes on the barn until Applejack went in and screamed, which was when me and my grandson to it. -While my Applejack stood by Apple Bloom and Big Mac ran for help, I kept watch in case Pinkie Pie returned.
"So this makes two witnesses who saw the defendant at the farm." The Doctor said. "Where exactly were you again?"
"Allow me to show you the diagram Inspector Cestus brought." Hope said.
"It doesn't show the witness's house, but it still marks her position for when she arrived at the crime scene."
Barn Diagram has been updated.
This is impossible. I'm certain Pinkie is innocent, but now we know that the whole Apple family saw her there. There must be more to Granny Smith's testimony, but it sounds solid. Twilight thought.
I was sitting on the porch all day to enjoy the nice weather.
HOLD IT!
"So had you been sitting there all day?" Twilight asked. "Of course not. I had plans to invite some friends over for poker night, so I had spent my morning planning things out." Granny Smith answered.
"Is it safe to assume you're in a poker club as well?" Hope asked, which was immediately followed by regret." AH!! What have I done?"
"That's right, sonny! Back in my youth, I was known as Faceless Smith for having such a good poker face, which had won--"
OBJECTION!
"Your honor! I move we go back to the testimony!" Hope requested.
"Agreed. Witness, please proceed from where you left off." The Doctor said.
I guess Hope isn't too good with old ladies. Twilight thought with a smirk. Hold on! When did I get this sadistic?
After waking up from a nap, I saw Pinkie Pie going into the barn, then shortly after, Apple Bloom.
HOLD IT!
"How certain are you that you saw them? Is it possible that you just dreamed it all?" Twilight asked. "
"Don't be ridiculous. My dreams has a giant golden apple for a sun. The sun was perfectly round that day, so I know I didn't dream it." Granny Smith explained.
"Well...surely in your old age, things can get harder to remember, right?"
The Doctor shook his head in disagreement. "I suppose to any other judge would agree with you Miss Sparkle, but I personally can't question the senility of one who is younger than I am. Please continue the cross-examination?"
"Did the judge just say he's older than Granny Smith?" Sweetie Belle asked with a confused look on her face.
"I'm not buying that either." Twilight agreed.
I had my eyes on the barn until Applejack went in and screamed, which was when me and my grandson ran to it.
HOLD IT!
"So you went in the barn and saw Pinkie Pie stabbing Apple Bloom too?" Twilight asked.
"No, I didn't. Applejack took charge as soon as she saw me and Big Mac. She told him to go to town and get EMT's and me to keep watch outside the barn. She didn't want any other ponies to go into the barn unless it was a doctor."
"I don't know how much help I would've been." The Doctor said.
I'm pretty sure she didn't say THEE Doctor. Twilight said. "Did anything else happen as you watched the barn?"
"From when I heard Applejack scream to when help arrived, no other ponies were seen on the farm. I guarantee it."
As Granny Smith's testimony sounded more and more solid, things started to look worse and worse. Sweetie Belle started to lose hope, but a thought occurred to Twilight.
"Twilight, do you think Granny Smith is lying? That's the only way I can see things looking up for us." Sweetie Belle said.
"No, I don't think she's lying, but I think I did find a contradiction." Twilight answered. She then turned to The Doctor to make a request. "I think what the witness just said is very important."
The Doctor nodded. "I understand. Witness, please add your last statement to your testimony if you will."
As requested, Granny Smith touched up her testimony to give Twilight a change to find a contradiction.
Besides my family, I saw no other ponies on the farm.
OBJECTION!
"Hope Ray! Tell my why Granny Smith's testimony made no sense, now!" Twilight ordered.
"Observation #5: What obviously makes sense to me isn't true for everypony else." Hope replied.
"What happened to observation #4?" Twilight asked.
"I came up with it after hearing this witness's speech. I...don't wish to say it with her around."
The Doctor wasn't happy with how quickly the subject had been changed. "Miss Sparkle, I believe you made an objection. What's the problem?"
"The problem is that Granny Smith between the time she heard Applejack screamed and when Big McIntosh returned with help, she should've seen a pony that was in fact at the crime scene. My own client, Pinkie Pie!"
OBJECTION!
"This witness DID see the defendant at the farm." Hope said as he slammed a hoof on the table. "She must've escaped before the witness spot her again."
OBJECTION!
"That's impossible. We already that only the front gate was unlocked. There was nowhere else for Pinkie Pie to escape."
Twilight's argument caused an uproar with the gallery as it was a very good one. Since Pinkie entered a confined area with only one entrance, she would've only had one way out. In other words, Granny Smith should've seen her. To continue the trial, The Doctor slammed his gavel three times.
"Order in the court! Young lady, is this true?" The Doctor asked. "Did you not see the defendant leave the barn?"
"What? Who?" Granny Smith asked with confusion. She had to think back to the day of the crime, but after having the idea in her head... "Now that you mention it, the only time I saw Pinkie that day was when she went into the barn."
"Mr Ray, do you have an explanation for this?" The Doctor asked. "I don't know about you, but that's quite an oversight."
Hope had to think carefully, yet quickly about what he was asked. "There must've been another way out of the barn that the police didn't find. That's the only explanation."
"Impossible." Twilight said. "The barn had been investigated for two days by two different police forces. If there was another way out, we would know!"
Hope had to think again as his simple answer was debunked right away. as the doors and windows on the ground level had all been locked, there was no way for Pinkie to sneak out without Granny Smith seeing her. If that the case, there was the possibility that there was another oversight.
"Did either police forces check the windows on the upper level?" Hope asked. "If she didn't walk out the front door, she must've jumped out from an upper window."
"What proof do you have that she did such a thing?" Twilight asked.
Hope lowered his head and shook it to Twilight's question, finding the answer obvious. "My proof is that our witness didn't see her leave. Speaking whom, Miss Smith, do you know if those upper windows were open or not?"
"Hmm..." Granny Smith thought. "Well, we usually lock the barn up when we don't use it, but I'm pretty sure the up stair windows don't have locks or anything."
It was an interesting theory, especially since it was one that The Doctor started to like. Twilight had found a contradiction, but it was just about to be lost.
"Hey Twilight, why don't you say something?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Wouldn't you risk breaking a hoof if you jumped out a window like that?"
"I don't know. I've seen Pinkie Pie parkouring around the town. Knowing her, she could jump off of a high building to somehow fix a broken bone." Twilight explained. Although, this does give me a theory.
Not ready to back down, Twilight slammed her hooves on the table and began to make her counterattack. Not only did she had an idea on what happened, but she even had a suspect in mind.
"Your honor, I'd like to name a new suspect." Twilight declared. "Tell me, if you think of a pony who was somewhere high and couldn't turn back, how do you suppose they could get down?"
"Personally, I'd risk the jump. More fun that way." The Doctor said, but he was then able to understand the meaning of twilight's question. "OH! I see. If one was a pegasus, they'd be able to fly away easily."
OBJECTION!
"The farm is an all earth pony area. No pegasi were found. You have no evidence." Hope argued.
OBJECTION!
"You're trying to say Pinkie Pie left with no proof."
OBJECTION!
"I've proven beyond a reasonable doubt that she entered the barn at all. How she escaped is irrelevant. But if you really do have another suspect in mind, I've love to hear their name."
Twilight nodded her head. "Fine then. The name of my suspect is...
TAKE THAT!
Twilight promised the name of a pony that could've escaped from an upper window without the risk of injury. After she shouted "take that", two thoughts ran in her head. First, she had no proof. Secondly...
OH MY CELESTIA! I don't know his name!
"Does the defense have a suspect to name?" The doctor asked.
"Twilight, go on." Sweetie Belle said. "Tell them about...about...wait, what was his name again?"
Twilight had only met the grey, black-winged pegasus and never even bother to ask for his name. She didn't even know where he was. With no name and no evidence, Twilight was left with no choice.
"I...take back my claim." Twilight said with embarrassment and regret.
And just like that, the court was silent. Twilight had a good idea for a moment, but due to a lack of evidence, nothing could've been proven. While Hope's theory was a conjecture as well, it was still supported with already existing evidence. With nothing else to work with, the cross-examination was ready to come to a close.
As The Doctor was thinking about the situation, Twilight, Sweetie, and Hope all noticed that Star Cestus was walking up to them. He walked past Granny Smith and straight to Hope. All Cestus did was whisper something into Hope's ear and he walked away.
"Thank you Inspector." Hope said before turning his attention back to the court. "Ponies of the court, it seems that the defendant has finally arrived. Sorry for the delay."
"It's a shame she was so late for her own trial." The Doctor said. "Especially since I'm already prepared to hand down a verdict. I'd imagine that she would like to say something first, so I'm prepared to give her a chance."
Alright Twilight. This is your last chance. If Pinkie Pie herself can't say anything, then this will be it. If she didn't attack Apple Bloom, there must be something in her testimony that can prove it. The stressed filled Twilight thought. "The defense agrees with your idea. I'd like to cross-examine Pinkie Pie."
"Very good then. This witness is hereby dismissed." The Doctor said as he banged his gavel.
"Finally. I'll personally escort the witness out myself." Hope said, keep his happiness hidden from the court.
"Something tells me you don't like me, sonny." Granny Smith said. "Good luck, Twilight."
With Granny Smith no longer needed, she was escorted off of the witness stand as quickly as her old bones could move her, not because she was in a hurry, but because Hope was. Once again, it made light of the situation for Twilight.
She wished me luck? Is it possible Granny Smith thinks Pinkie is innocent?
A few minutes later, after Granny Smith left the stand, Pinkie Pie herself was brought to the witness chance to have a chance prove her innocence. The entire gallery expected to see the super party pony they all knew and loved, but the pony they saw barely fit the description. Rather than the smiling puffy-maned Pinkie Pie, the mare all saw was constantly sweating and shaking with her mane completely straight and hanging off of her head. She did not look well.
"Will the defendant please state their name and occupation." Hope asked.
"I-I'm...H-h-hi, I'm P-P-Pinkie." Pinkie stuttered, barely being able to speak. "I-I-I g-guess I'm...the d-defendant?"
Whoa. She looks horrible. Twilight thought. She then slammed her hoof down before Hope could ask any more questions. "Hope, what's wrong with Pinkie?"
"She's been behaving like this since this morning." Hope answered. "It's one of the reasons she came in so late today."
One reason? You mean there's another? Twilight asked herself.
"It's not important anyway. What's important is that the defendant is here."
The Doctor nodded in agreement. "I'd image that the court is only interested in what happened on the farm two days ago, so let's go with there. Does the defendant understand the charges?"
"I-I-I-I do. Mr. Cestus...Mr. Cestus told me e-every th-thing." Pinkie stuttered while wiping sweat off of her forehead."
"Very good. If you have anything to say about these charges, you are free to share your thoughts."
"Hmm...Miss Pie." The Doctor said. "I couldn't follow your testimony in the slightest."
"Hold on. That was a testimony?" Hope asked.
The ponies in the gallery began to spoke up to talk about Pinkie's "testimony", as they didn't understood what she was saying either. Twilight couldn't follow it either, but she had an idea as to why she couldn't.
"Twilight, what's wrong with her? She sounds like Rarity when she sees a handsome stallion." Sweetie Belle said.
"It's exactly what I feared." Twilight said. She had to work fast, so she slammed her hoofs on the table to once again become the center of attention. "The defense wishes to call for a short recess before the cross-examination."
"Request denied. The defendant will just have to give us a more detailed testimony." The Doctor said.
"You don't understand, your honor. This witness is clearly very sick. But I happen to have something that can help her." Twilight explained.
"You do? Please explain how you can help her." The Doctor requested.
TAKE THAT!
"This little bottle here has prescribed medicine for Pinkie Pie. She was telling me earlier that she hadn't taken her medicine for a few days because she's been in jail." Twilight explained. "It's clear to me that Pinkie Pie is acting like this because she's been separated from her meds. The court owes her for making her skip her medication."
OBJECTION!
"This pony is a killer. We owe her no such thing." Hope said.
OBJECTION!
"That has yet to be proven. That's why we are here."
"I have to agree on the defense on this one. I change my mind about your request." The Doctor said, show sympathy for Pinkie. "I will now call for a ten minute recess to let the defendant take her medication as requested. During the time, I'd advise the defense to bring her up to date."
Approving Twilight's request, The Doctor banged his gavel and called for the recess. There were a lot of mysteries in the case, but with Pinkie Pie's state, it would be impossible for those mysteries to be solved. Even then, after seeing Pinkie, Twilight became more concerned with Pinkie's health.
I knew it. Two pills of Anti-Magic-Purgers a day everyday has resulted in an addiction. Pinkie has been suffering from withdrawals and it's gotten worse since yesterday. Does this mean...does this mean I'll have to feed the addiction to save Pinkie? Why did this have to get so much more complicated?
February 13, 11:20 AM Ponyville Courthouse Defendant Lobby
Alright. I just bought some time. If only there was a real reason to stall. Twilight thought.
With a short break in effect, Twilight was the chance to give Pinkie Pie her medicine, but what she didn't tell the court was that the medicine in question was actually a highly addictive and illegal drug. Twilight was still questioning why her friend regularly takes such a drug, nor did she knew how Pinkie had such a huge supply of it, so she decided to take the chance to find out.
"Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Twilight." Pinkie said quickly and nervously. She then reached her hooves out to try and get her medicine. "I-I knew it was a b-b-bad idea for me to miss s-s--so many days. Gimmie!"
HOLD IT!
"You owe me an explanation. How the heck did you come across these things?" Twilight asked.
"I-I-I a-already told you. M-m-my uncle Sh-sh-shepard told m-me that I need them."
The guy who told her about that smile thing? Funny. She never said anything about him when I asked about her medicine. I wonder...
Interested in what was going on in Pinkie's head, Twilight began to channel the magatama spell once again. Even if faint green from her horn was bright, she knew Pinkie wouldn't of noticed it due to her condition. As darkness appeared before Pinkie, several chains appeared in front of her, as well as two red locks to connect them.
Only two psyche-locks this time, huh? She must not be as focused as yesterday. If I had a little more time, I'd definitely try and break these.
"Hey Twilight? Where did those chains come from?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"AHH! I forgot you were with me!" Twilight said as she deactivated her spell.
"Hey, maybe you wouldn't forget about me if you gave me something important to do!"
"C-c-can I get my m-m-medicine now?" Pinkie asked.
Because she still knew very little about why Pinkie was on the unusual drug, Twilight didn't like the idea of letting her friend take it, but with the withdrawal symptoms interfering with the case, there was no other choice. With her magic, Twilight took two pills out of the bottle.
"Okay. I'll give you your pills, but as soon as we get the chance, you have to tell me how and why you have them at all. Deal?"
"Yes! Deal. N-n-now gimmie!" Pinkie ordered.
I can't believe I'm actually feeding her addiction to save her life. I feel like I'm the worst best friend ever, but I'd be a worst friend if I don't do what I can to get her free. As soon as I prove her innocence, I'll see to it that I help her with this drug problem.
With Pinkie back on her medicine, Twilight was ready to get back to the trial. She knew it was at the tricky part, not to say that the whole ordeal wasn't simple. Before, Twilight had a rough idea as to what would happen during the trial, but because Pinkie Pie herself was ready to take the stand, whether she would act like her normal self or not, she wouldn't be able to predict anything that would happen next.
February 13, 11:26 AM Ponyville Courthouse Courtroom 2
With Twilight, Sweetie Belle, and Pinkie back inside, the trial was ready to resume, thus giving The Doctor an excuse to give his gavel a slam. That said...
"The trial of Pinkanena Diane Pie will now resume." The Doctor said. "Is the defendant ready to take the stand again?"
Twilight hesitated, but she nodded to The Doctor anyway. "Yes, your honor. In fact, she's at the witness stand right now.
Twilight's comment threw The Doctor off for a moment. There was indeed a pony at the stand, but she was a very different one. She was also a very pink mare, but unlike who was seen before, her mane was very poofy and a smile was on her face. Pinkie Pie looked calm as innocent as a child when ten minutes before, she looked the exact opposite.
"Let's try this again." Hope said. "Defendant, please state your name and occupation."
"Sure thing, since you said please. I'm Pinkie Pie. Wow, i can't believe I'm getting a first hoof experience at a trial! I love a good mystery book, so this i SO exciting! Thanks for bringing me here."
She certainly recovered fast. Twilight thought, who wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or stressed.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one fascinated with a pony trial, but could you please state your occupation for the record?" The Doctor asked.
"Oh, sorry. I actually do a lot. I'm a baker at a Sugarcube Corner and a freelance party planner." Pinkie said with a big grin. "I'll plan any kind of party for anypony. I'll throw birthday parties for the tiniest of tots, or special party for slightly more mature customers, if you know what I mean?" Pinkie said the last bit as she raised her eyebrows up and down.
"Twilight, I don't think I know what she meant." Sweetie Belle said.
"I'm afraid to know what she meant." Twilight answered.
Before things could get weird, Hope slammed his hoof down to become the center of attention again. "Miss Pie, do you understand the charges you're facing?"
"Hmm, let me think." Pinkie said as she thought about the case. "I'm accused of three murders, stabbing Apple Bloom, and smuggling sugar from the Griffon Kingdom, right?"
"Wait. What was that last part?" Hope asked.
"Stabbing Apple Bloom?"
Yep. We're dead. Twilight thought.
Convinced that Pinkie did in fact understood the charges, The Doctor continued the trial. Fortunately for Pinkie, he didn't question the sugar smuggling. "Then you understand how serious this is. As it stands, I feel I could pass down my verdict at any time, but before I do that, I want to give you a chance to explain yourself."
"Ooh, I don't know. I've been told to do that all week. Pinkie, explain how this drink was spilt. Pinkie, explain why you would hurt this pony. That second one wasn't because of the trial stuff, but because I got in a big fight with a guy made the cake twins cry."
We're SO bucking dead.
OBJECTION!
"Pinkie, can you PLEASE just tell us why you're innocent before you find any more reasons to go to jail again?" Twilight begged.
"The prosecution agrees. I'm sure the local attorneys can handle the petty crimes." Hope said. "If I recall, you had something to say before the recess."
With everypony agreeing that they only wanted to hear the important details, Pinkie was forced to think back to ten minutes, but she had a tough time remembering since she wasn't in the right mind at the time. After thinking so hard that it almost hurt, Pinkie remembered.
"Okay, okay, I remember! I think I know why I should be found innocent!"
"Remember Pinkie. I can only help you if you tell the truth." Twilight explained.
Suddenly, Pinkie became worried as the smile on her face disappeared, but it didn't take long before Pinkie smiled again, which showed Twilight that she wasn't worried at all. Pinkie Pie was ready to start her testimony.
--Testimony: I Did something else-- -I don't remember trying even seeing Apple Bloom that day, so I'm pretty sure I didn't try to stab her. -I DO remember trying to hurt somepony yesterday though. -I managed to get an orange and some poison into my jail cell. Don't ask how I did it. -I slipped the poison in and gave half of the orange to the guard outside of my cell. -And that's why I'm innocent. Not sure why, but Mr. Sunshine seems to think so.
"Hmm...interesting." The Doctor said. But then, after ignoring the obvious as first... "Wait...WHAT!?"
Normally, the ponies in the gallery would burst into chatter after hearing such a crazy thing, but after learning that Pinkie did actually attempt to murder a pony, the entire court went speechless. Pinkie Pie was well known in Ponyville, so from the start of the day, they were already convinced that Pinkie was innocent. Everything changed after the testimony. Twilight herself nearly had a heart attack and couldn't even speak up.
"Y-you..." Hope stuttered as he once again began to lose his composure, more so then when Granny Smith was on the stand. "The prosecution wishes to clear this testimony from the record."
"Denied!" The Doctor said as he slammed his gavel. "Now you're going have to explain yourself."
"W-what? What do I have to explain?" Hope asked.
"The defendant claimed that you think she's innocent because of this new murder attempt. I want some details."
"Oooh! Somepony else who knows why I call him Mr. Sunshine!"
Is this just because his name is Ray? Twilight asked herself. Wait, why is THAT the first question to pop in my head?
From the very start, Hope had been keeping a secret from the court. Since Pinkie had told that very secret to the world, he had no choice but to tell the court what it was.
"It's true. Last night, one of Ponyville's police officers was hospitalized after getting poisoned. He survived, but it came right out of nowhere. This is because it was so much different from the other crimes."
"You mean there was no dagger involved like the other four?" Twilight asked.
"Correct. Because a dagger wasn't used and the defendant never claimed responsibility, we assumed she wasn't the one who poisoned the guard."
"Well, I'm confessing my crime now." Pinkie said. "I waited until today because I heard it would help prove my innocence of the other murders. Still don't know how though."
"Pinkie Pie, the killer behind all of this has used a dagger before." Twilight explained. "If you really did poison the guard and not stab him, you couldn't be the serial killer."
The gallery began to talk again, but they still didn't know what to think. They didn't now whether to be happy that Pinkie couldn't of been a serial killer or be worried that she did still try to kill a police officer. Between Twilight, The Doctor, and all of Ponyville's citizens watching, the entire courtroom was filled with doubt.
Pinkie...why...this can't be true. Twilight thought. Unconvinced she would do such a thing, she spoke up. "I refuse to let my client...my friend...go on with this testimony. I'd like to proceed with the cross-examination."
"Well...as long as you realize that her testimony does technically help her case, then so be it." The Doctor said, approving the request. "Even with the previous evidence, I myself am finding it hard to believe Pinkie here can be ruthless killer."
With a cute and bubbly giggle, Pinkie herself made a comment before the trial continued. "Oh Twilight. Kind like Fluttershy, loyal like Applejack, and even honest like Rainbow Dash. Let me meet you half way there by saying..." In an instant, the bubbly smile on Pinkie's face vanished and was replaced by a stern face, almost like an entirely different pony was at the stand for a brief moment.. "I am dead serious."
-I don't remember trying even seeing Apple Bloom that day, so I'm pretty sure I didn't try to stab her.
HOLD IT!
"What did you remember then?" Twilight asked.
"You silly filly. I already told you. I was so tired and confused that I couldn't remember a thing. Heck, I've even forgotten my bank's PIN number. My guess is that I got tired and fell asleep."
After hearing the testimony, an idea rushed into Hope's head. "Is it possible you did try to stab the child and mentally blocked it. If's that's the case, you may not of been in control of your actions."
An insanity plead? That would get her found not guilty, but Pinkie's reputation wouldn't be annihilated.
"Nope. That can't be it." Pinkie Pie said. "I AM in control of my actions because..."
-I DO remember trying to hurt somepony yesterday though.
HOLD IT!
"I'm still not believing that you're able to hurt anypony, Pinkie. You don't even have a motive for doing that." Twilight said.
"Who says i don't?" Pinkie asked. "Maybe he was a big meanie? Is that a good enough reason to kill?"
The Doctor shook his head at Pinkie. "No my dear, that is certainly NOT a motive."
"Well then, maybe I'm just an evil pony. RAARRRR!"
"You know, she actually might be evil." Sweetie Belle said. "I've heard rumors about things she's done in her basement.
I thought those rumors were debunked when Rainbow Dash returned from her vacation. Twilight thought, annoyed by how Sweetie Belle actually believed Pinkie. Things like that is why ponies think she's scary at all. It's disturbing minds like those ponies who are truly crazy.
"Twilight, what are you doing?" Sweetie Belle asked. "We need to finish talking to Pinkie."
"Sorry. I was just having a mental rant."
-I managed to get an orange and some poison into my jail cell. Don't ask how I did it.
HOLD IT!
"Sorry Pinkie. I'm going to have to ask you. How DID you get that orange into your cell?"
"I snuck poison in, so how hard is it to sneak in some fruit?" Pinkie argued.
OBJECTION!
Hope spoke up and made a loud objection, but after he did so, he didn't say a word after. It was a very odd thing for him to do.
"I...ugh...." Hope said.
The Doctor naturally didn't like the outburst. "Miss Pie, could you please--"
OBJECTION!
"I have something to say." Hope said. "This time, I actually do. The defendant is clearly lying."
"Lying about what?" Twilight asked.
"The orange. She says she gave one to the guard. That's the lie." Hope explained. "That wasn't what the poison was used with."
"You don't say." The Doctor said. "Please tell us. What was the poison put in?"
Hope had an answer, but every time he tried to give an answer, he would stammer since he didn't actually want to say anything in the first place. It seemed that he was putting in more of an effort to keep his composure, but is afraid that he would lose again.
I get it. He wants to help prove Pinkie is lying, but is afraid he'll make it worse. Twilight thought. I wonder...could the thing he's trying to talk about be...
TAKE THAT!
"Hope, the fruit used with the poison, was an apple? More specifically, this apple right here?" Twilight said as she presented the apple core she had with her evidence.
As soon as the apple core appeared in Hope's line of sight, the sheer shocked caused magic to surge out of his horn like electricity. "W-WHERE DID YOU GET THAT!? CESTUS!!!"
Hope wasn't the only one who was surprised by the apple core. The mane on Pinkie's head literally flew off of her head before it landed back on her head, but throughout the whole thing, her face stayed in the same happy state.
"So the poison was used with an apple. Interesting." The Doctor said. "But I have to ask. How exactly does this change anything?"
"Actually, I think it changes everything when you consider what Pinkie said before." Twilight explained. "And all you have to do is replace the word orange with apple in her testimony. I'd like the testimony to be changed to match the new information."
As Twilight made her request, Pinkie began to sweat intensely, but like before, she kept smiling the same way, so it looked like she wasn't worried at all.
"Will the defendant please amen her testimony?" The Doctor asked.
-I slipped the poison in and gave half of the apple to the guard outside of my cell.
OBJECTION!
After a long and complicated cross-examination, Twilight had finally found the hole in Pinkie Pie's surprisingly difficult testimony. She hoped that the contradiction would prove Pinkie poisoned nopony.
"You said you gave half of the apple to the guard. What did you do with the other half Pinkie?"
"The other half? I...well..."Pinkie paused.
"She ate it." Hope interrupted. "That apple core was still in Pinkie Pie's cell, so we can only assume she ate the other half."
"Then there's no way she could've poisoned the guard." Twilight said. "At least without poisoning herself as well!"
Once again, Pinkie's mane jumped up from her head before landing back on top, all while Pinkie worked to maintain the same happy face. The gallery began to talk loudly as they talked about Twilight's discovery.
"So did she poison the guy or not?" "She couldn't of done it." "Maybe she only poisoned half of the apple." "Isn't this trial suppose to be about my sister?"
"Order! Order in the court!" The Doctor said as he slammed his gavel, silencing the court. After doing so, he thought of something. "Actually, I heard someone suggesting that the defendant could've only poisoned half of the apple. Is that possible?"
"There's an easy way to find out." Twilight answered. "We'll just have to run a test on the apple. If Pinkie DID poison only half, then there shouldn't be any on the apple core itself."
As Twilight presented the apple core, a pink blur swiftly flew across Twilight. As Twilight was briefly confused by what she saw, she didn't notice right away that the apple core she showed to the court had vanished before them.
"Huh...HEY! Where did it go?" Twilight asked.
"Twilight, look!" Sweetie Belle said as she pointed to Pinkie.
"Oooh, an apple! Thanks Twilight." Pinkie Pie said. "I completely forgot that I was suppose to take my medicine with food."
As it turned out, Pinkie Pie had grabbed the apple core using her mane like a limb. Twilight and Sweetie Belle was surprised by how fast it was done, Hope was surprised by the fact Pinkie was able to do it at all, but The Doctor was unfazed by it at all. Because of the confusion, nopony was able to stop Pinkie as she swallowed the apple core whole.
"Hmm hmm! Even an old rotten apple core tastes delicious!" Pinkie said with a smile.
"Did...did the defendant just eat poison?" The Doctor asked.
PINKIE! WHAT DID YOU DO?
Ponies were worried after seeing Pinkie eat the apple core which, as Twilight believed, was still poisoned. But after some time passed, Pinkie Pie, who supposedly poisoned herself, stayed standing on the witness stand completely unharmed.
"See? I only poisoned half of the apple." Pinkie said.
The court went silent. Normally when something so shocking was brought up, The Doctor would have to silent the room himself. After eating the apple and thus destroying important evidence, nopony could think of anything to say. All Twilight was able to do was to take note of what Pinkie had done.
Apple Core has been updated.
OBJECTION!
"Your honor, this doesn't impact the trial in the least. She's still the main suspect of the other crimes." Hope said.
"That may be true, but since she's tried to kill a pony outside the dagger method, it does create doubt." The Doctor said.
OBJECTION!
"Now that the apple core is gone, it's impossible to prove it." Twilight said. "For all we know, there wouldn't of been enough poison in the core to hurt her."
"Oh wow, The defense and prosecution teaming up to finding the truth Isn't that exciting?" The Doctor asked as he enjoyed the trial. "I will give you credit though. As of now, there's doubt for all of these crimes."
I guess it would make sense for Hope to be helping me. If the judge agrees with Pinkie, he won't be able to prosecute her properly. But if she does get a not guilty verdict like this, her life would still be over.
The Doctor had to think about his next move. With so much uncertainly due to Pinkie's claims, he felt it was impossible to continue the trial.
"I'll be perfectly honest ladies and gentlemen of the court. I'm completely stumped." The Doctor said. "As a judge, I have to make a verdict that's as fair as possible, but as it stands, I'm not sure what this pony is guilty of, if anything at all. If nothing else can be added, we may have to end the trial for today.
OBJECTION!
A very unexpected objection was made. It wasn't made by Twilight, nor was it Hope, not even Sweetie Belle said anything. The objection was called by a pony who had yet taken the stand. It was none other then Applejack, who was angry at the ponies of the court.
"Are you seriously buying this? What's wrong with y'all?" Applejack asked. "I myself would sooner buy something from the Flim Flam Brothers!"
"Applejack, what are you doing?" Sweetie Belle asked. "The trial is about to end soon so we can--"
"Be quiet, Sweetie Belle! Adults are talking here." Applejack ordered.
"Hey, don't you talk to my sister like that!" A mare's voice shouted from the gallery.
Before things could get out of hand, The Doctor slammed his gavel once to have silence. "Miss Applejack, what is the meaning of this outburst?"
"No offence to you Doc, but I don't see any reason for you to postpone this thing." Applejack said. "I think it would be best if you were to just end it all right here and now."
"You...think I should declare her innocent?"
Anger by what the Doctor said, Applejack slammed her hooves on the witness stand and said... "Guilty!"
The suddenly aggressive Applejack easily scared most of the ponies in the gallery and even Twilight and Sweetie Belle since such a thing said wasn't the norm from Applejack. It could be understood though since she had been through so much over the last few days.
Strangely enough, Pinkie didn't say anything about it. Instead, she smiled and left the witness stand so Applejack could take her place. Twilight found it strange that Pinkie would do it, but she was in position to question Pinkie at the moment.
"Miss Applejack, I don't want this trial to end yet either, but there's really not much left to do." The Doctor said.
"Wha'cha talking about? There's LOTS to talk about. You're just ignoring it all!" Applejack said. "There's my sister and that Copycat girl. Are you really just going to ignore them just because Pinkie tried to kill somepony else without the knife?"
"I do believe the weapon was a dagger."
"Same thing! The point is, nothing has actually changed. You guys are all just sounding like idiots!" I feel like I should take offence of that, but I'm afraid to. Twilight thought, who then gathered the courage to speak up about something else. "Applejack, do you really think Pinkie Pie is still the serial killer?"
"Any pony with half a brain can figure that out, sugarcube. Obviously she used something else as a weapon this time so that she would make it look like she wasn't the killer. Ask yourself this: What are the odds of there being another potential murderer when Pinkie Pie has been accused of everything already?"
The Doctor thought about what Applejack said. He was still uncertain, but he did think of an answer. "I suppose the odds wouldn't favor the defendant."
Oh no. I was so close to getting some extra time to prepare for tomorrow. Why Applejack? Twilight thought as things started to look bad.
"Observation #6: Farm ponies make deceptionally brutal prosecutors." Hope said. "I feel guilty that I didn't speak up first. Your honor, I'd like to her to stay as a surprise witness."
"That sounds fun. I'll allow it." The Doctor said. "If you may, please testify about your logic on why you think the defendant is guilty."
Applejack... Twilight thought, knowing she would have to cross-examine another one of her best friends.
--Testimony: Applejack's logic-- - Pinkie is an odd pony. When she wants something, she'll find a way. - It's hard for anypony to bring in a weapon, but anything else, like an apple, can be snuck in pretty easily. - By killing the first pony she saw without a dagger, her guilt of the other crimes would be questionable.
Right off the bat, Twilight found a contradiction that she wished to address, so she didn't even hesitate.
"That's very counter productive, wouldn't you think?" Twilight asked. "She tries to kill one pony so we'd think she kill another? What's the point?"
OBJECTION!
"Easy. Because she figured one murder under her belt wouldn't be as bad. She obviously isn't that smart though since in Equestria, even one act of first-degree murder can give you the death penalty." Hope argued.
"It's Pinkie Pie anyway. She has no sense of logic anyway." Applejack said.
Maybe I should just go ahead with the cross-examination. It was my mistake of trying to combine reason with Pinkie Pie. Twilight thought. "Okay, I'll overrule myself."
Right as Twilight was ready to begin the cross-examination, The Doctor looked at her with an unhappy look. It was clear that he wanted to be the one to say "overruled".
- Pinkie is an odd pony. When she wants something, she'll find a way.
Twilight was ready to speak up, but after carefully thinking about the line of testimony, as well as what was said moments ago, arguing would do nothing but waste time and make herself look bad. Since it was already a short testimony, Twilight wanted to keep it short anyway.
- It's hard for anypony to bring in a weapon, but anything else, like an apple, can be snuck in pretty easily.
HOLD IT! "So you think Pinkie brought in an apple AND poison?" Twilight asked. "Hope Ray, was there any poison found in Pinkie's cell with the apple?"
"None that could be found I'm afraid." Hope answered. "I'm still waiting on test to see what the poison even was. My guess is that the apple was already poisoned when she brought it in."
"No sugarcube, that couldn't of been it." Applejack said. "Pinkie only would've had the chance to poison it in jail."
"And why is that, Miss Applejack?"
"Simple. I'M the one who gave her the apple in the first place!"
"You..." Twilight stammered as she heard what Applejack said. "YOU WHAAAAT!?"
For a second time, a surge of magic blasted out of Hope's horn from shock. He didn't even get a moment to brace himself Twilight and Sweetie Belle nearly fell over from the surprise information too. The ponies in the gallery began to chatter among each other as well. For a few mere moments, the entire courthouse went into complete chaos.
"Order! Order! Order in the court!" The Doctor said as he slammed his gavel three times. "Young lady, do you realize what you just said?"
I certainly do. Twilight thought. But...could it mean...no, it couldn't.
"Rest assured fellas. I know what you're all thinking, but it's not true." Applejack answered.
Applejack's confession had quickly brought up an interesting possibility. From what Hope said, there's was a thin chance for Pinkie Pie to of poisoned the apple in question from her jail cell, thus, it would be logical if it was poisoned at the start. If that was the case...
Applejack's testimony wasted no time to bring courtroom into disarray. Not even Discord himself could muster such chaos. From what she had said, Applejack admitted to of brought the apple that was poisoned to Pinkie Pie, but by doing so, the possibility of Applejack herself poisoning the apple became open. First Pinkie Pie was accused of murder, then Applejack as a suspect. No pony in the court was silent.
"Order! Order I say!" The Doctor said as he slammed his gavel. "Well I say, this trial certainly made an unexpected turn. Do you realize what you just told the court?"
"I sure do, Judge." Applejack answered. "I even thought about the risk I'd face when saying it."
"It seems his trial met its next major twist." Hope said. "The prosecution wishes to name Miss Applejack as the suspect of the guard poisoning."
OBJECTION!
"You can't honestly believe Applejack would do such a thing, do you?" Twilight asked.
In response to Twilight's outburst, Hope slammed his hoof on the table and asked a question of his own. "Do you believe Pinkie Pie did it?"
Hope made a good point. With the current state of the trial, the only pony besides Pinkie that could've poisoned the apple was Applejack. The problem though was that Twilight didn't want to believe that either one of them could've done such a thing.
"Twilight, why is he helping us? Isn't he trying to get Pinkie in trouble?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"This whole poison mess hasn't been helping either of us." Twilight explained. "He obviously wants to clear things up so we can go back to the three murders."
"Why? Isn't it possible that the poisoning is connected to the murders? When you think about the timing, surely it's possible."
"It's just as Sweetie Belle said." Applejack said. "The guy that was poisoned was meant to be the fifth victim! I'm sure of it." Didn't you try to shut Sweetie Belle up two minutes ago? Twilight thought to herself.
"Not possible. The killer has made the black dagger their calling card." Hope said. "The dagger used in the second murder was deliberately left behind when there was no reason to do so."
"Really? Why is that?" Applejack asked.
"I...I can't say. It's still confidential information."
Twilight could tell that not being able to talk about the second murder was really killing Hope. There was so much about it that could help his case, and yet he couldn't use any of that information. Even Twilight wished he could say more.
"Sorry fella, but I think you lose." Applejack said. "If it makes you feel better, I can explain in perfect detail why Pinkie Pie could be both the killer and the poisoner. Ahem."
-Ever notice how Pinkie Pie is able to carry everything everywhere? -I swear that mane of hers is almost as alive as Pinkie herself. it's one of her crazier features. -She certainly hid a bottle of poison in her mane, and I doubt the coppers would've thought to look there. -With a hairdo-slash-backpack, she'd be able to stow away anything that she needed.
"So Pinkie Pie hides things in her mane, huh?" The Doctor asked. "Perhaps I should let mine grow out."
"Hope, did the police give Pinkie a thorough inspection when they arrested her?" Twilight asked.
"Inspector Star Cestus promised me. His exact words were: My men were so thorough that they should've bought her dinner first." Hope explained.
Am I the only one who realizes that there's a child in this room? Twilight asked herself in disgust. "But wait. That means there's no way Pinkie could've brought poison in."
"That should've meant she couldn't of brought an apple in, but look how easy she got that." Applejack argued.
I can't really argue with that kind of logic. Fortunately, there's logic I CAN argue with. Twilight thought.
-Ever notice how Pinkie Pie is able to carry everything everywhere?
HOLD IT!
"I'd imagine that she likes to be ready to throw a party at any time." Twilight said.
"That's Pinkie Pie alright, Sugarcube. She doesn't like to miss parties, so she usually just plan them on the spot."
I remember Pinkie said something like that when we first met. I never knew how true that ended up being. Twilight thought. "So you were saying?"
-I swear that mane of hers is almost as alive as Pinkie herself. it's one of her crazier features.
HOLD IT!
"You think her MANE of all things is one of her crazier features?" Twilight asked.
"Sure is. I remember a time when she used it to hold a flashlight." Applejack said. "Even crazier is when her mane vibrates."
The Doctor grew curious about Pinkie's mane as well. "Why, what happens when it vibrates?"
"If I recall, her mane vibrating means somepony nearby will walk into a glass door." Hope said. "Incidentally, a vibrating tail means that a prosecuting lawyer is nearby, which is how she knew my job when we first met."
So Hope even knows about the pinkie sense too? Boy, he must've been preparing for this trial for a long time.
"Miss Pinkie Pie is getting more and more interesting by the second." The Doctor said as he took out what looked like some sort of robotic pen. "My I have a little study session of her real quick?"
"Uhh, your honor?" Twilight said. "I'd rather not have you probe my friend."
While The Doctor was disappointed, he knew that there was more important things to deal with, so he put his gizmo away and allowed the cross-examination to continue.
-She certainly hid a bottle of poison in her mane, and I doubt the coppers would've thought to look there.
HOLD IT!
"If she was able to sneak poison in, why not bring the dagger? The prosecution claims that the dagger iconic!" Twilight said.
"Why must the dagger be used every time?" Applejack asked.
OBJECTION!
"The dagger IS important." Hope answered. "Just....trust me on this."
"I'm sorry Hope Ray. But evidence is everything in court." The Doctor said. "Objection overruled."
I certainly trust Hope on that. I just wish Applejack could trust Pinkie. Twilight thought. But I guess that would mean he has nothing, and nothing can be evidence. I hope I have evidence to use myself.
-With a hairdo-slash-backpack, she'd be able to stow away anything that she needed into her jail cell.
So if she needed something, she would it have it I guess...wait a second!
OBJECTION!
Twilight had to think about it for a moment, but after realizing that there was in fact something that Pinkie wasn't able to sneak in, she found a way to counterattack."Your entire argument is on the possibility of the police not giving a good enough search on Pinkie Pie, isn't that right Applejack?"
"It's the only way for her to of brought the poison in, Twilight." Applejack answered.
"Yes. It's the only way for Pinkie to of done it." Twilight agreed. "The thing is though, she didn't bring any poison into jail with her. Or anything else for that matter."
"Wha'cha talking about Sugarcube?"
"Logic, Applejack." Twilight said. She then used her magic to show Applejack the A.M.P bottle. "This is Pinkie Pie's medicine, which she has to take twice a day. She needed me to bring this to her the other day. If she was able to smuggle things into her cell, she wouldn't of needed me to bring this to her. "
In shock of Twilight's argument, Applejack's hat momentarily jumped from off of her head. This also made Applejack very angry as she stood in frustration.
"Yes, we've had a short break today so the defendant could take her medicine." The Doctor said.
"It's also medicine that Pinkie takes everyday because she needs to, yet she wasn't able to bring it with her. She clearly takes good care of her health, so she would probably prioritize her own health over some other pony's death."
OBJECTION!
"She's probably just crazy." Applejack argued.
OBJECTION!
"I have here a list of items that was confiscated from the defendant after her arrest." Hope said. "Items include: Party streamers, three cupcakes, a cannon of all things, and a plastic green bottle with some kind of pill. They aren't sure what its for, but its a perfect description for the bottle Twilight presented."
"There you have it, your honor. If Pinkie DID bring poison into her jail cell..." Twilight said. She then slammed her hooves on the table. "...the police would've found it!"
Twilight and Hope brought a lot of excitement into Ponyville's courthouse. With the combining knowledge of the two lawyer ponies, it was proven that it would be impossible for Pinkie to have snuck poison inside. But it still raised the question of who brought in the poison in the first place. The ponies in the gallery chattered with each other, asking themselves who did it.
FREEZE!
Before The Doctor even needed to slam his gavel to silence the gallery, another pony did it for him. The pony who quickly gained everypony's attention was Star Cestus.
"Sorry about that pal, but I think we've found something that you guys might find useful." Cestus said.
"Useful? Like what?" Twilight asked.
"First of all, I want everypony to know that the guard who got poisoned is going to make a full recovery, so try not to feel worried about him."
"Well now, that certainly IS good news." The Doctor said with delight. "But is that all you wanted to say?"
"Not even close, pal. Since you guys decided to talk about the poison incident so much, I decided have a few tests done and a few questions asked during the trial, and we've identified the poison that was used."
So we're about to find out what the poison itself was. How will it affect the trial? Twilight thought.
"The analysts identified it as a brand of pesticide called Ursa Flatline, a controversial brand that's only legally used in certain places in Equestria. Ponyville happens to be one of those places." Cestus explained.
Pesticide was added to the evidence.
"I even asked some farmers from here." Cestus continued. "Most ponies avoid using it around here, but as it turns out, a pony was found buying a canister of it at the market the other day. It seems our witness here decided to get rid of some pests, so to speak."
While there already was a possibility that it was Applejack that poisoned the apple, evidence to back up that claim surfaced. While the ponies in the gallery talked with each other about it, Twilight was thinking to herself about the new evidence.
It can't be true. Applejack...why...?
"Now hold your horses, fellas! You got the wrong girl!" Applejack said. "What proof do ya got that I even did poison the guard?"
"The pesticide that Cestus brought in for one." Hope answered. "You even have a motive."
"A motive for killing a cop?"
"A motive to kill the defendant, Pinkie Pie."
OBJECTION!
A pony who was hardly noticed throughout the trial had her voice be heard. It came to a shock to Hope, to The Doctor, to Applejack, and most of all, Twilight herself. The pony who raised the objection was none other than little Sweetie Belle.
"How DARE you accuse Applejack?" Sweetie Belle shouted with a squeak in her voice. "She's one of the nicest mares in Ponyville. There's no way she would do something so evil!"
"Sweetie Belle, shush!" Twilight ordered. "I don't want to see you get in trouble."
"But it's ridiculous. Applejack is everything that defines good. A good sister, a good worker, a good roll model, and so on and so forth. Even you don't think she did it, do you Twilight?" Sweetie Belle gave Twilight time to answer the question, but Twilight couldn't give her an answer. "Twilight?"
"Applejack, please be honest with me. It's what you're known for. Did you try and poison Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked. Much like with Sweetie Belle, Applejack took her time to think over the question. "Actually, never mind. I don't want to risk seeing you lie in court."
"Now hold on. I say we give her a chance." The Doctor said. "The witness will now give us a testimony on why she isn't the poisoner."
Applejack didn't take kindly to Twilight's behavior, but since she was in such hot water, she had no choice but to testify. Considering her position with Applejack and Pinkie Pie, Twilight started to believe that by the end of the testimony, she would be losing one of her two friends one way or another. Either lose one of their lives or one of their friendships.
-Okay, I admit it. I do have a motive and I would like to see Pinkie out of my life. -With all she's done to my family, I'm never gonna do a nice thing for her again. -But it doesn't change the fact that she's already confessed to the crime.. -The only reason she would confess to the crime is if she actually did it.
"Yes, I almost forgot about that." The Doctor said. "Earlier, Pinkie confessed to poisoning the guard, but denied committing the murders."
"The prosecution believes that she confessed to avoid the murder charges." Hope said. "I would like to support the possibility that she's responsible for both crimes, but with the evidence regarding the second murder, I simply can't."
"Well, unless you show us that evidence Sugarcube, then you ain't got nothing." Applejack said.
"In any case, the defense is now free to cross-examine the witness." The Doctor said.
While Twilight was given the okay to cross-examine Applejack, she was not looking forward to it. She knew that if she did, she would run the risk of losing Applejack as one of her best friends, but she had no choice since Pinkie's life was on the line.
This is the first time I wish I didn't find a contradiction. I may as well make it short and painless for all of us.
-Okay, I admit it. I do have a motive and I would like to see Pinkie out of my life.
-With all she's done to my family, I'm never gonna do a nice thing for her again.
OBJECTION!
"Applejack...you didn't just contradict the evidence. You contradicted yourself!" Twilight said.
"Twi, I know you're the smart one among us, but please make sense." Applejack asked.
"It's clear that you hate Pinkie Pie now, but that brings up a question I think we should've asked a long time ago. I'm not going to ask why you would bring poison to Pinkie. Instead, I want to ask why you brought the apple it was used with to Pinkie Pie!"
As soon as Twilight asked about the apple, Applejack's hat jumped into the air from the shock. It certainly made no sense for a pony to want to bring a gift to a pony she didn't like anymore, especially when it almost killed that pony.
"Welll...I...I wanted to show her that I still--"
OBJECTION!
"There! You were about to contradict yourself again! Now answer me. If you don't want to have anything to do with Pinkie Pie, why would you give her a gift?"
Applejack began to sweat like there was no tomorrow since a hole was blasted into her logic. She tried to think up of a reason for why she brought the apple to Pinkie, but no words could leave her lips.
"This witness has no motive for bringing a tasty treat to a pony who tried to murder her little sister." Hope said. "But she certainly has a motive for murdering such a pony."
"N-no. It was Pinkie. S-she..." Applejack tried to say.
"No. She didn't do a thing." Twilight said. "Pinkie Pie tried to confess to the crime, but I think I speak for everypony here that we don't believe it."
Applejack stood at the witness stand panting and sweating as she was pushed into a corner. As she got more scared by the second, she got even more angry by the fact that it was Twilight, one of her best friends, who was doing it to her.
"Applejack, you bought the pesticide used to poison the guard, you brought Pinkie pie, and you have the motive to do it. You have to confess." As Twilight raised her hoof back, she pointed directly at Applejack and said..."You're the culprit of the poisoning."
Many different emotions went through Applejack's head as Twilight accused her of such a crime. Anger, shock, sadness, all of which clouded her usually way of thinking. What amplified those feelings was that Twilight chose to defend Pinkie when all of the evidence pointed to her as the killer. At the peak of her emotional trauma, Applejack's eyes briefly turned red from hatred as she reached for her hat.
"TRAITOR!!!!"
Angry at her old friend, Applejack had tossed her trademark hat at Twilight, landing right on her face while she was still pointing at Applejack. The hat then slid off to reveal the shocked Twilight underneath. It reminded Twilight when she acted as Rarity's defense when she constantly got attacked.
Maybe I got a little carried away. Twilight thought. At least it wasn't a boot this time.
"SO YOU THINK I TRIED TO KILL PINKIE PIE, HUH? WHAT PROOF DO YOU GOT?" Applejack shouted with anger.
Hope answered the question since Twilight was still trying to recover from the hat attack. "Everything your friend said implies that--"
"Yeah, it IMPLIES that I did it!" Applejack interrupted as she was fuming with anger. "But if I could, In fact, let's end all of the doubt now by doing just that! Is that what you want? Nothing is actually stopping me from jumping over this stand and snapping her neck right now!"
As Applejack shared her idea, The Doctor slammed his gavel. "Calm down Miss Applejack or I'll have to treat you as hostile."
"It's worth the risk! Pinkie! Where did you go?!"
Everypony watching the trial began to fear for their lives as Applejack began to lose control of herself. It felt almost like there really was a killer in the room. Fortunately, The Doctor was quickly able to take control of the situation again after he banged his gavel three times.
"Order in the court! Bailiff, take this witness away for further questioning. I advise to keep her restrained until further noticed."
A few minutes later, after the police took Applejack away and the gallery settled down, the trial was able to continue. The room was silent after what had happened. The ponies in the gallery didn't know what to think, The Doctor was considering the best course of action, but most of all, Twilight felt horrible about what she had done.
I can't believe I did that. I accused Applejack of such a horrible crime. What if she didn't actually do it? Twilight asked herself.
Whether Twilight was read to continue or not, the trial went on.
"Alrighty then, let's move on." The Doctor said. "Hope Ray, how is the witness?"
"The police have taken her away for questioning, but I fear that they won't accomplish much." Hope answered. "While it seems obvious that it was Applejack who poisoned the apple, the lack of evidence will surely win her freedom."
"Hmm...that will be problematic. Well, at least now we can get back to business. We got ourselves more than sidetracked..
"If I recall, you were going to hand down your verdict before we talked about the poisoning."
Oh shoot! I don't have time to be depressed. Twilight thought.
"I'm sorry, but I think I'll need a little reminder in why I thought that." The Doctor said.
"Absolutely." Hope said. "it was regarding young Apple Bloom. At the crime scene, one witness, Granny Smith, saw both the defendant and the filly enter the barn while another witness, Miss Applejack, saw the actual crime. The defense questioned why the defendant was never seen escaping and how she escaped, but with no evidence, the prosecution believes that the means of escape is irrelevant."
That's right. I was going to argue that a pegasus would've been able been able to escape like that, but I couldn't prove that there was another pony at the farm that day. Twilight remembered.
"Hmm...yes, that sounds about right." The Doctor said. "In hindsight though, I think I was being a little too hasty there."
"I disagree. With the evidence we have and the witnesses I brought in, it's still clear cut that the defendant is guilty."
OBJECTION!
"Half of your evidence and witnesses hasn't even been brought into court." Twilight said.
OBJECTION!
"While I haven't been able to share the evidence regarding the second and third murder, the first murder and the attempted murder have already been proven to be true."
OBJECTION!
"So far, we've just been talking about the attempted murder. We haven't even scratched the surface of the first actual murder!"
"I agree with the defense." The Doctor said. "I suppose if I'm going to send a pony away for several counts of murder, I should here a bit more about at least one of them."
Hope thought that the trial was as good as over, but since The Doctor agreed with Twilight, the trial would have to continue. He was calm, patient, and confident anyway, so he ultimately saw no reason to argue.
"Very well, your honor. We shall discuss the murder of Miss Copycat. Afterwards, you can decide our next course of action."
With everything regarding the poisoning behind them all for the time being, Twilight and Hope were able to continue with the main issues and continue the trial as originally planned. While everything they talked about looked as if they got sidetracked, they both knew that the unanswered questions regarding it would affect the entire case.
I'm sorry Applejack. Twilight thought. I want to talk about what you've been going through right now, but this trial is moving too fast to let me take a break. I just hope you know that everything I'm doing for Pinkie is what I would do for you too. I just need some time. Please wait for me.
The trial took a very crazy turn, but with the combine efforts of Twilight Sparkle and Hope Ray, things started to get back on track. The only problem was that the track was one Twilight didn't actually want to be on.
So far, the attempted murder of Apple Bloom was discussed, then poisoning of a police officer. It was time for the first actual murder of the case to be touched upon. While Twilight and Pinkie had the advantage of there being a lack of crucial evidence, there was no telling what Hope had up his sleeve.
"As I mentioned before, the first victim of the serial killer was a mare named Copycat." Hope ray explained. "She was reported to of been together with the defendant over 6 months ago at a concert of some kind. The cause of death was blood loss, caused by a stab would to the victim's neck, more specifically, the left side front of the neck. Only a pony right next to her could've inflicted such a wound."
"I see." The Doctor said as he processed the murder summary. "Sounds like a cut-and-dry case."
"Indeed it is. Shall we go straight to the verdict?"
OBJECTION!
"Nice try, Hope!" Twilight said. "If it was so cut-and-dry, why wasn't Pinkie Pie arrested for it already?"
"I appear to of underestimated you, Princess." Hope said. "As the defense said, the police were never able to arrest Miss Pie. This was because of the lack of evidence."
"How is that possible? Wouldn't the dagger used decide it all?" Twilight asked, which was immediately followed by a thought. Wait. Did I just complain about Pinkie's innocence?
"When the dagger was found, no hoofprints were found, leading the police to believe that a pair of boots were used to avoid leaving prints. The only basis on Pinkie's guilt was that she was the closest to the victim. Since it wasn't enough for a case to be built on, Miss Pie ultimately walked away."
Because of the lack of evidence, the ponies in the gallery weren't sure of what to think. Pinkie was the most obvious suspect, but there was no proof. It was something that made them all wonder if Pinkie could've committed any of the murders.
OBJECTION!
"Ponies of the court, I'm not quite done." Hope said. "While no hoofprints were found on the dagger, let me ask you a question. The defendant was accused of two more similar murders in less than a year with the third committed at a concert like the first. Would this strike you as a coincidence?"
The Doctor shook his head in disagreement. "No, I would definitely call it a pattern."
OBJECTION!
"You can't persuade the court without evidence!" Twilight argued.
"I agree, your highness. I'd like to submit as evidence the dagger that was used in the first murder."
Black Dagger has been updated
"Now this is where things get tricky. This particular dagger has no prints on it. So on its own, it can't prove the defendant is guilty." Hope explained.
OBJECTION!
OBJECTION!
"Don't interrupt me, Princess."
Did...did he just tell a princess not to interrupt him? Twilight thought in shock. I'm glad he treats me equally like I'd want other ponies, but if there was a time I wished otherwise, it's now.
"As Inspector Cestus mentioned at the start of the trial, the three murders and the attack at Sweet Apple Acres have all been done by the same culprit. It's been proven that Pinkie Pie is responsible for hospitalizing Apple Bloom, who committed the crime using the same black dagger. That's my proof that we have our killer."
OBJECTION!
"But what proof do you have that Pinkie Pie attacked Apple Bloom?" Twilight asked.
"We've just had two witnesses who clarified it. Our honorable judge was even planning on announcing a verdict because of them."
OBJECTION!
"And please don't interrupt ME this time." Twilight said. "Anyway, we can't take either of those testimonies seriously anymore."
"I see. I assume this is because you can't trust your friend anymore?" Hope asked.
That comment silenced Twilight for a moment. She found it to of been a low blow considering Applejack's trust was brought into question, but she couldn't let that stop her.
"Granny Smith's testimony had a big hole in it. She claimed to of seen Pinkie Pie go into the barn and was guarding the only open door in the barn, yet she never saw Pinkie try and escape!"
The Doctor nodded in agreement. "Like Miss Sparkle said, while that witness did see the defendant, it's hard to know what to think of her testimony. To think I almost handed down a verdict right there."
"And like you said, because of Applejack's behaviour has been called into question and has become suspicious in her own right, we have to discredit her as a witness!" Twilight continued.
OBJECTION!
"Miss Applejack is only suspected of trying to poison the defendant. A completely separate matter. As far as these murders go, her testimony is still valid."
"Object..." Twilight began to say, but she didn't finish her objection. "Ugh...if I object, I'm just going to get overruled, aren't I?"
"More than likely, yes." The Doctor said. "The court agrees with the prosecution's claim. As long as we're certain that Miss Pie is responsible for the attempted murder of Apple Bloom, then she's most certainly responsible for the real murders."
Twilight hoped to stray away from the most recent crime so she could get more information to counter it, but the damage was done and was slowly adding up. She couldn't find anything to prove Pinkie was innocent of the Apple Bloom attack, so she pressed on to learn about the first murder.
"Alright. Let's change the topic a bit." Twilight said. "What about the victim of the first murder. All that I know about her is that her name was Copycat."
Hope began to flip through his files to give Twilight the answer to her question. "I wasn't involved in this case until the third murder, so I have limited knowledge of the first victim too. All I know is that she looked nearly identical to the defendant."
HOLD IT!
Much to the shock of the ponies in the court, Pinkie Pie had ran up to the witness stand with an excited look on her face. On the other hand, Twilight wasn't very excited when she saw the crazy party pony making such an outburst.
"Copycat? She was awesome! It's a shame about what happened to her though." Pinkie said, sounding sad at the end as she genuinely felt bad for Copycat. "But at least we still had a great time. Look at this!"
Seemingly out of nowhere, Pinkie took a photo out and showed it to the court. Since Twilight was grasping at straws, she didn't feel discouraged to take a good look at it.
"I know that's you on the right, Pinkie, but who are those other ponies?" Twilight asked.
"Those guys? I don't know, but the orange pony, the one who bares an eerie resemblance to me, is Copycat! This is us when we were hanging out at Jersey Devils concert. I didn't even meant to get that group. I guess I stretched my arm out too far."
What Pinkie is able to do is scary sometimes. Twilight thought.
"The Jersey Devil? That actually exists here in Equestria?" The Doctor asked, but he quickly retracted it. "Uh, never mind. But...actually, yeah. What's that about the Jersey Devil?
"The Jersey Devils are a band I love!" Pinkie said. "Weird. You've talked about the concerts I went to this whole time, but you didn't know what they were called? And how could you not know about them? They have some of the best music."
OBJECTION!
"The court doesn't have the slightest interest in your taste of music." Hope said. "The court also no interest in your photo either."
"Aww, what's wrong with my picture?"
"It took place before you killed the victim, so it's irrelevant. Where did you get that thing anyway? Cestus promised me that you didn't bring anything on you."
"I didn't bring it in. It was already here. I keep different photos of me everywhere, just like how I leave balls all over Ponyville. You never know when you want to go on a nostalgia trip, right?"
The court went silent. The citizens of Ponyville had just witnessed a level of randomness they had not seen before. Twilight knew about Pinkie's hidden stash of balls in case she wanted to play, but the hidden pictures, especially such a specific one hidden in the courthouse, was new to her.
"Actually, I've been wanting to ask something." Sweetie Belle said to Twilight. "I was wondering why there was a picture of you wearing a lampshade under the table. Is it one of Pinkie's?"
"UGH! Give me that!" Twilight said as she fired a beam of magic at the photo Sweetie Belle found, disintegrating it. How did Pinkie get that picture?
As Twilight was dealing with the embarrassing photo, The Doctor took a second look at the photo relevant to the case since he wasn't sure what to make of it. "I see two pretty mares in this photo, but that's about it. Miss Pie, why do you think this picture is important?"
OBJECTION!
"I just said it. It's not important." Hope said before Pinkie could answer. "Unless this picture showed a pony stabbing the victim, I refuse to let it be submitted as evidence."
"Hey! I love that picture!" Pinkie said.
Before an outburst could be made from either Pinkie, Hope, or even the gallery, The Doctor slammed his gavel down. "Order! I suppose that photo really doesn't have anything to do with the crime. Does the defense have any objections?"
Twilight had to think about whether or not she had an objection, especially after hearing what Hope was saying. That picture seems to really made Hope angry. Why does he want to dismiss it so badly?
"Well, if the defense has no objections..."
HOLD IT!
"Your honor, can I please look at that picture again?"
Since it was a reasonable request, The Doctor passed the picture down to Twilight so she could have another look. She was under the impression that something about it would help Pinkie's case, but she couldn't quite put her hoof on it.
OBJECTION!
"Even the defense is finding that picture to be useless." Hope said as his anger began to show. "Dismiss it."
"No! Not yet!" Twilight said without thinking, thus pushing herself into a corner. Oh, why did I say that? I can't think clearly knowing that two of my friend's butts are on the line right now. What do I do? What do I do?
"Well, Miss Sparkle? Do you have any objections?" The Doctor asked.
Sweetie Belle was worried about Twilight, but she didn't know what she could've done to help. Twilight was beyond stressed and her refusal to give up fed that stress. After looking at Pinkie and staring Sweetie Belle in the eyes, she slammed her hooves on the table, took a deep breath, then exhaled. Pausing and breathing always helped her calm down before and it didn't fail her again.
Okay Twilight. Let's think this over again. Perhaps I need to turn my way of thinking around. I've been trying to find what's hidden in this picture, but like Hope said, it didn't take place during the crime. So maybe...maybe instead of thinking what happened when the picture was taken, I should consider what happened AFTER the picture was taken.
Once again focused, Twilight took a close look at her evidence while she had Pinkie's picture. That was when she finally found the importance of the picture. The one thing Hope was trying to hide.
"My word, it seems Miss Sparkle has become a mute" The Doctor said. "Not a good thing for when you need to talk a lot. "Don' worry your honor. I'm fine." Twilight said. "And I'm prepared too. This picture proves that Pinkie Pie is innocent!"
OBJECTION!
"Ridiculous. This photo has nothing to do with the crime." Hope argued.
OBJECTION!
"This picture has EVERYTHING to do with the crime!" Twilight counter-argued. "Since Copycat was still alive in this picture, it goes without saying that it was taking before the crime. Now tell me, does this picture not look weird to you?"
The Doctor shook his head, baffled by Twilight's question. "I'm sorry, but I see nothing wrong."
"Then allow me to show you. Here's the part of the photo that contradicts with the crime!"
TAKE THAT!
"Hmm? The victim?" The Doctor asked.
"Correct. More specifically, the victim's neck." Twilight explained. "Based on Pinkie and Copycat's position in the picture, it's clear that Copycat was on Pinkie's left, and with the crowd from the concert, there would be no way for it to be the other way around."
"Okay, but what's the problem?"
"Take a close look at Copycat's autopsy report. Remind me how she died."
As Twilight requested, The Doctor took out his copy of Copycat's autopsy report . 'Let's see here. She died by a stab wound on the left side of her neck." The Doctor said. After realizing what he had said, he read the report again to make sure he didn't make a mistake. "FANCY THAT!"
When Twilight's discovery became obvious to all, Hope became horrified, discharging magical energy from his horn as a result.
"This entire time, the police believed that Pinkie Pie stabbed Copycat to death because she was standing next to her. But if the stab wound was really found where this report said it was..." Twilight said as she pointed her hoof out to the court. "...then it would be impossible for Pinkie to be the killer!"
The gallery went crazy when Twilight found the contradiction, and it was one that would change the entire case. Pinkie Pie was believed to of murdered Copycat, but because of the positioning of the ponies, a ray of hope was shined upon Pinkie, which ironically, was almost blocked by Hope Ray. Before things went out of control, The Doctor slammed his gavel three times.
"Order! Order! I will have order in the court!" The Doctor demanded. Despite the craziness, the gallery managed to calm down. "Well, at least you all are more behaved then ponies I've seen in Canterlot."
After the loud outburst, there was a long silence in the courtroom. it wasn't until Hope thought of something to say.
"Observation #7: While Princess Twilight may have her flaws, she arguably has 20/20 vision." Hope said, complimenting Twilight's discovery. "To think I tried to dismiss something that's clearly important evidence. I no longer have any objections about the picture."
That's because you knew it was damning evidence. Twilight thought.
Pinkie's photo was added to the evidence.
"I have to say, I'm stumped right now." The Doctor said. "With this new evidence, the accusation on Miss Pinkie Pie is now questionable."
"Correction: Pinkie Pie murdering the first victim is questionable." Hope said. "There is still nothing to prove she didn't try to kill Apple Bloom. The hoofprints confirms this."
"But this trial is to decide whether or not Pinkie is the serial killer." Twilight said. "And with this picture, we can conclude that she isn't!"
"Alright, alright. Calm down you two." The Doctor said as he slammed his gavel. "Now allow me to express my opinion. Ahem. As of right now, there is strong evidence for and against the defendant, but for both cases, I haven't seen any conclusive proof of either or. If both sides are out of evidence to share, then we've hit a brick wall."
After thinking about, Hope came up with a solution. "I think we've done all we can today. Unless the defense has an objection, I think it's time for me to make a closing statement."
He's right. There's no way the judge can make a fair verdict today. I could use some time to find more evidence anyway. Twilight thought. "I agree. Go on."
"Wise choice, Princess." Hope said. "Fillies and gentlecolts of the court, while I feel a mistake has been made, I understand if you don't wish to find the defendant guilty today. I failed to bring enough solid evidence to prove my claim, so I plan on making up for it. Tomorrow, I will bring in the evidence that will prove that Miss Pinkie Pie is responsible for the second murder, and thus, our serial killer."
That's the highly confidential murder, isn't it? Oh no. How can I prepare for something I know nothing about? Twilight thought with horror.
"Very good, Mr. Hope. I will use this time to speak with Princess Celestia so that I can know what to expect." The Doctor said. "I suggest Miss Sparkle does the same. Court is now adjourned."
Making his decision final, The Doctor slammed his gavel one last time for the day, ending the trial for the day.
February 13, 1:05 PM Ponyville Courthouse Defendant Lobby
"AAAAHHHH! WE'RE SO SCREWED!!!" Twilight screamed.
Even though Twilight had managed to stall for time, she quickly found herself up the creek without a paddle. While she did investigate the farm for the Apple Bloom attack and there wasn't much evidence against Pinkie regarding the Copycat murder, the mysterious would likely doom them all.
"Twilight, what's wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"What's wrong? WHAT'S WRONG!?" Twilight asked before having to calm herself down after realizing she yelled at Sweetie Belle. "Sorry, but we're in trouble right now. This second murder sounds pretty bad and I don't know how to prepare for it."
"It can't be that bad. None of the first three didn't get Pinkie in trouble."
"But Hope sounded really confident. It's possible that there's been new evidence found since then. But if it stays confidential until tomorrow, I won't have enough time to investigate."
"But you're a princess! Why can't you just order them to tell you?"
"I think I've mentioned this before. For the sake of a fair trial, I'm not allowed to enforce my rank as a princess to gain an advantage for the trial." Twilight explained. Which is REALLY ironic since I'm the one at the severe disadvantage. Our system is broken.
While Twilight was thinking of what to do next, she noticed two friends of hers walking by. Pinkie Pie herself, who was given another day, and Star Cestus, who was escorting her out of the courthouse. Twilight ran to them to try and pry out some information.
"Hi Twilight." Pinkie greeted. "You did a super awesome job in--"
"CESTUS!" Twilight shouted, interrupting Pinkie. "I need to know who else was killed! What's this second murder about? Who died? Why is it a secret?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down pal. You're talking a mile a minute." Cestus said. "I'm sorry, but I can't say anything. It's out of my hoofs."
"Yeah Twilight." Pinkie said. "Even I made promised to keep my Uncle Shepard a secret."
"PINKIE!!!" Cestus shouted in anger.
Her uncle? The guy who she mentioned earlier? I didn't know he was a victim too. Now I REALLY need to know what happened. Twilight thought. She couldn't afford to lose Cestus at that point since he was her only friend who knew anything about the case. As she got an idea, she blurted it out of her mouth. "I'll pay you fifty bits to tell me!"
Cestus was shocked from what Twilight said. Twilight had actually offered a bribe to one of Canterlot's best police officers to disclose highly confidential information. It was an idea Twilight did not actually think the idea through.
I hope there's room for one more in Pinkie's jail cell. Twilight thought.
"Oh what the heck. I could use the money." Cestus said with a sad look. "Fine. Where should I start."
Oh yeah. I forgot he's poor. Now I feel guilty for exploiting it. Twilight thought, feeling like a jerk. "Well, I'd like to investigate, but I have no idea where to start."
"You can start at my uncle's lab. It's in the same town my family's rock farm is." Pinkie suggested. Saying caused Cestus to give Pinkie a very angry look. "What? You were already going to tell her anyway."
Wow. At this rate, I won't even have to pay Cestus. Twilight thought with delight, but her smile quickly went away. Wait a second. Pinkie's rock farm. Flying there and back would take hours. I still want to investigate the Apple Bloom incident. And Applejack...
Twilight was given a lead, but it was one that made her pressed for time. With the time she would spend at Pinkie's hometown, she wouldn't be able to investigate Ponyville. On top of that, it was already early in the afternoon, so she was already losing time. She was facing a desperate time, so she was forced to take desperate measures.
"Cestus, instead of that fifty bits, how would you like to make five hundred?" Twilight asked.
"Sold! What do you need?" Cestus said with a smile.
That was easy. I'm starting to question this guy's dignity. Twilight thought. "Alright, I'll cut to the chase. If Pinkie's uncle Shepard really is the second murder victim, I'll need to investigate the crime scene. Where did he die?"
"Well, you're already paying me, so..." Cestus said. He then looked around to make sure nopony was watching. "Like Pinkie said, he has a lab at her hometown, which is also his home. That was where his body was found. Do to the absurdity of his death though, I can't really explain it since we're not completely certain."
"I was afraid of that. In that case, I have a job for you. Since I won't be able to investigate her, I'd like you to keep a close eye out for evidence that can help prove Pinkie's innocence. The reason I couldn't win the trial today was because ponies still think it was Pinkie who attacked Apple Bloom."
"I did poison that guard though." Pinkie said.
"Fascinating." Twilight said before turning back to Cestus, not believing a word. "So what do you say? Can help me? I can't win this without you."
As the head of the investigation, Cestus technically worked under Hope Ray, the prosecutor. Because of this, he wasn't allowed to directly help the defense. However, because Cestus had a history with Twilight where he owes her a big favour, not to mention the pay he would get, he felt that he had to help.
"Alright fat cat. You got yourself a deal."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" Twilight said as he jumped and gave Cestus a big hug, grateful for what he promised to do.
"Hugged by a princess. Don't know whether I should tell that to the Misses or not." Cestus said.
"If you pull through, I'll hug her too!"
After a good laugh between the two, as well as Pinkie who joined in, the two ponies made their plans to start their investigations. Cestus had to escort Pinkie back to jail for questioning while Twilight had to learn more about Pinkie's Uncle Shepard. Since Cestus agreed to help, Twilight felt a lot of pressure lifting from her shoulders. There was a lot to do with so little time, but it all felt doable.
Right before leaving with Sweetie Belle, Twilight thought about one more thing. She didn't just want to learn about Apple Bloom's attack. There was a mysterious grey pony that she wanted an eye to be kept on.
"Hey Cestus! One more thing I want you to watch out for."
February 13, 1:17 PM Ponyville Detention Center Visitor's Room
After a few hours at the court house, the trial had ended for the day to allow everypony involved in the case to get ready for the next day and they were all busy. Twilight Sparkle had to leave Ponyville to investigate the murder of Pinkie's uncle Shepard, Hope Ray had to get the details of the second murder declassified, and lastly, Star Cestus had to investigate the attempted murder of Apple Bloom.
After making a deal with Twilight, Cestus agreed that he would lean towards Twilight and the defense to give her an advantage, even though he's suppose to be working solely for the police and the prosecution. He put a lot at risk to do what he was doing.
Damn it fatcat. How did you talk me into this? Cestus asked himself. Oh right. Five hundred bits. I'm officially a dirty a cop, but at least I can't go any lower
Not willing to let his actions let him feel bad, Cestus got started on his investigation, and the first thing he did was speak with the defendant, Pinkie Pie. He had just brought her back to the detention center from the courthouse, so he was already able to start his interrogation before Hope or the other officers would arrive. Since Pinkie sat on the other side of the visitor's room with a sad look, Cestus had to start it off soft.
"Hey pal, what's wrong? You looked insanely happy at the trial earlier." Cestus said.
"Twilight left Ponyville without really talking to me that much. She was more interested with you." Pinkie answered.
She's being accused of murder and THAT'S what she's sad about? Cestus asked himself. "Look, she left town so she could look for some evidence to help you. She even has me to help you girls out. I'll even ask questions that I'm sure she would ask you."
"Oh! So it's going to be like talking Twilight? Or a guy version of Twilight?" Pinkie asked as she quickly got back her smile. "Alrighty then. Ask anything you want, Guylight!"
She certainly recovered fast, but something tells me I'll be the one needing recovering soon.
Since Cestus had a number of questions he needed to ask, he sat down, made himself comfortable, and got himself ready to talk to Pinkie. He found it weird how she was able to keep smiling as much as she did, but he didn't question it.
"You seem awfully happy for somepony on the verge of a death penalty."
"Meh. I've lived a good life. Have you?"
Note to self: Don't expect to get any real answers out of this mare. Cestus thought, feeling that he would have to be as detailed as possible. He began by taking out and showing his police badge to Pinkie. "I know we've already met, but lets be formal. I'm Inspector Star Cestus and I'm in charge of this case."
"Hi. I'm Pinkie Pie. I'm the defendant of the case." Pinkie said with a smile.
"Yes, I already...ugh...never mind. Look, don't tell anypony, but I'm going to see if I can help you and Twilight win the case, so if I ask you a question, I want you to answer me truthfully. Alright pal?"
"Yep."
There we go. She's odd, but thank heavens that she's at least simple minded. I should probably just ask simple questions. Cestus thought.
Cestus wasn't entirely sure where to start since there were so many mysterious and Pinkie was so random. He decided to start off casually so Pinkie wouldn't get intimidated, but he still kept it serious by talking about the crimes.
"So you're fairly certain that you didn't actually kill those ponies. You don't even look scared. Why are you so confident?" Cestus asked.
"Easy. I have the bestest best lawyer in the world." Pinkie said with glee. "After all, Twilight has never lost a trial in her life!" "That's because she's only ever been in one trial before this one."
"It's still a perfect record." Pinkie said as she smiled with a squee.
She is technically correct. It's not the best kind of correct, but oh well. Cestus thought, but he quickly dismissed it to talk about something more important. "If you didn't commit the murders, then I guess you didn't try to murder the little girl either. Is that what you're claiming?"
"Apple Bloom? Never!" Pinkie Pie said as she lost her smile. "Applejack is like a sister. Well actually, we might even be sisters. Actually, I might be her forth cousin twice removed by a fifth cousin, but if that's the case, then Apple Bloom might by my forth cousin twice removed by a fifth cousin too, and I would never try to hurt family. Especially when they might possibly by a forth cousin twice--"
"ALRIGHT! ENOUGH!" Cestus shouted in anger. My Celestia, now I know how Prosecutor Hope felt when that old lady was on the witness stand.
As silly as Pinkie was being, between her claims and her trust in Twilight believed in, Cestus started to believe that Pinkie may of been innocent after all, but with the lack of evidence, he couldn't acknowledge it as a police pony. It didn't help that there was evidence that proved Pinkie really was at the crime scene.
"The owner of the farm, Granny Smith, saw you walking on the farm with the kid. And your so called sister three times removed or whatever saw you stabbing her too." Cestus explained. "Are you denying that you did any of that?"
"I don't know." Pinkie bluntly answered.
"It's hard to deny it. The evidence is...what do you mean you don't know?"
"It's actually the weirdest thing." Pinkie Pie said. As she talked on, she didn't try to put on a goofy face like she did before, showing that she really was willing to cooperate. "On the day I got arrested, which was when Apple Bloom got hurt, I was asleep for most of the day. I had a normal morning, but I suddenly got tired and didn't wake up until five. I went to bed early the night before, so I thought something was wrong with me."
"You don't say." Cestus said. So Pinkie Pie was asleep for most of the day. Very odd. I should keep a mental note about it.
Pinkie's nap: Pinkie was supposedly asleep during the time of Apple Bloom's stab attack.
Evidence is the only absolute way to prove something, but finding evidence alone will not help me. As the head of the investigation, I also need to use logic. If I keep oddities like this in mind, I should be able to find leads and evidence that I'd otherwise miss.
"Hey Mr. Star! Are you alright?" Pinkie asked. "You've been quit for a while now."
"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something." Cestus said. She must feel the same I do when I talk with Twilight.
Cestus was happy that he was making some progress, but he needed more information. Pinkie clearly didn't know anything about the crime, so he decided to next talk about the crime Pinkie claimed that she did know.
"You seem insistent that you poisoned the guard that was stationed here yesterday, even when it's clear that it was Applejack."
"No, I actually did do that one. The guy was a jerk." Pinkie said, but cestus didn't believe a word she said. "Sure, I talked with him a few times and he snuck a cupcake for me to eat, but he was still a jerk."
How come the guards that work for me don't give ME cupcakes? Cestus asked himself. "But this pesticide bottle was found at Applejack's home."
"Of course it was. It's HER pesticide. She uses it for work."
Okay, I walked right into that one. Cestus thought.
"Look, I know we're not at the trial any more, but if you want to, I can argue with you on how I'm the criminal and Applejack is innocent. Deal?"
"Hmm...as a matter of fact, that's a good idea." Cestus said in agreement. "Miss Pie, feel free to give me your testimony on why we should believe you."
"Huh? But we aren't at the trial anymore?"
"That's perfectly fine. You may not be under oath, but I am more than willing to listen to a testimony, by you, right now. If I see no contradictions in your logic, I'll surrender on the topic. Deal?"
"Oh yay! I only got to play witness once today, but Applejack got to do it three times!" Pinkie said, being surprisingly excited about the idea. "Okay Mr. Star. You have a deal."
Perfect. If I can prove that she couldn't of been the poisoner, maybe I'll find some new information.
-I'm the poisoner because I'm the only one who was anywhere near the guard. -I'm Pinkie Pie. You know I can get anything, do anything, and be anywhere. -It's easy for me to smuggle in the poison, pore it on the apple, and kill anypony who eats it. -And that's why I'm your girl!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "See? Isn't it obvious?" Pinkie asked.
Cestus nodded in agreement. "Yes. It is very obvious that you are a big fat liar."
"Hey, you said you would give up!"
"Only if I didn't see any contradictions. If I may, I'd like to share you my rebuttal."
Pinkie began to laugh at the word Cestus used, once again making light of he situation. "Re-butt-al. Wait, what's a rebuttal?"
"It's an argument. It's like when Twilight corss-examined you. After you give me your statement, I'll try and counter it with one of my own. As it so happens, I've actually found a flaw in your testimony."
"Oh, so now you're going to expose the truth? Cool. Let's hear it!"
Does she realize that what I'm going to do is will call her out on her lie?
-I'm the poisoner because I'm the only one who was anywhere near the guard
HOLD IT!
"You make it sound like you were the only one in a jail cell that day." Cestus said.
"That's because I was. Ponyville has a strong empathize on community, so crime is fairly low." Pinkie explained. "In fact, anypony who would have to go to an actual prison I think has to be sent somewhere else."
[It seems that every moment I spend here, I'm given more reasons to move. Yet again, no crime means no work for a cop. Cestus thought. "Alright, so crime isn't a typical issue. But that doesn't explain why or how you could try and hurt somepony without a reason."
"Oh, that's easy." Pinkie Pie said, which was followed by a giggle.
-I'm Pinkie Pie. You know I can get anything, do anything, and be anywhere.
HOLD IT!
"With that logic, you could easily be the killer I've been after for the last six months." Cestus said.
Pinkie had to brainstorm from Cestus's argument. The more she thought about it, the more she agreed with it. She began to ponder about some things, but Cestus didn't like where she was going.
Shoot! I almost forgot that I'm suppose to be HELPING her! Cestus thought as he got angry with himself. "Never mind! Forget what I just said! NO! Don't literally forget everything I said!"
As Cestus began to panic, Pinkie started to look at him funny. "You're a really weird pony, you know that?"
AAAAGGGHHH!!!
Before he could punch himself out until he was unconscious, Cestus got his act back together and allowed Pinkie to continue her testimony. He was only one step away from exposing the contradiction, which he was thankful for since he was afraid of making another mistake. It goes without saying that arguing with Pinkie can drive anypony mad.
-It's easy for me to smuggle in the poison, pore it on the apple, and kill anypony who eats it.
FREEZE!
After shouting out his version of the usual "objection", Cestus called out on Pinkie's logic with utmost confidence. "Sorry pal, but you're way off there."
"I've been told I'm off in many ways. Can you be more specific?" Pinkie asked.
This girl ain't right. Cestus thought, feeling bad for Pinkie. "Ahem. What's off is that you said you covered the entire apple with the pesticide used to poison it.
"Yup. Best way to make sure it gets eaten, right?"
"Exactly." Cestus said in agreement. "But if that's the case, there would've still been a bit after it was eaten, much like Twilight argued in court earlier. But if there really was poison on the apple, why would you willingly eat it?"
As Cestus countered Pinkie's argument, the mane on her head briefly jumped off of her head before landing back on, despite the fact that she wasn't wearing a wig or anything.
"Tell me Miss Pie, how did you survive getting poisoned when the guard had to get hospitalized?" Cestus asked. "Please. I want to help you. Me helping you means Twilight is helping you."
While Pinkie smiled at Cestus, she was sweating like she ran a marathon. She had a secret she wanted to keep, but she didn't know how to hide it much longer. She eventually realized that since Cestus was putting in so much effort her and Twilight and became a little more cooperative. A little.
"Now I still insist that I tried to poison that guy, BUT, I think I know why I lived." Pinkie said. "It's because I'm--"
FREEZE!
"I swear by the name of Princess Luna, if you say something like "Because I'm Pinkie Pie", I will--"
OBJECTION!
"That's only half of the reason. To be perfectly honest, I eat that pesticide all the time!"
Note to self: Have Pinkie serve jail time at a looney bin. Cestus thought. "Alright, now you have more explaining to do, and while I know I'll regret saying this...please explain in full detail."
"Well..." "Pinkie said with a smile. "I don't usually eat any apples other than those at Sweet Apple Acres since they get SO big, juicy, and delicious that eating anything else just taste like bleh. On top of that, they grow hundreds, if not thousands of apple trees and I could just eat them all! Especially the Apple family's personal orchard, but I know I can't eat those."
Times like this, I wish we Equestrian cops were allowed to wield guns. Cestus thought. "Alright pal, what does this have to do with you and the poison?"
"Applejack's personal apples are SOOOOO big and yummy looking, but I know I can't eat it because then Applejack and her family wouldn't have any food themselves. So I instead lick their apples. The apple skin tastes so good. Though it could've been the chemicals from the pesticide they used. or maybe both! Or maybe its from the gum I chew on when I lick them."
I want to shut her up so badly, but I REALLY don't want a repeat of the Blueblood incident. Cestus said, suffering more and more from each of Pinkie's words. However, there was a glorious light at the end of the tunnel of questioning. "Wait, are you telling me that you regularly ingest the pesticide?"
"Yep. I got sick a few times and had to get my stomach pumped once, but it's worth tasting those apples." Pinkie said.
"Interesting." Cestus said calmly, finally having an understanding on Pinkie's situation. "While I have a friend who can make a detailed list on why it's NOT worth getting your stomach pumped, it appears that you have somehow built an immunity to this type of pesticide. How you haven't died before that though is still a mystery."
"Meh. I'm Pinkie Pie. It's normal." Pinkie answered as she shrugged.
Pesticide has been updated
This won't exactly help me since it all it means that the pesticide can't hurt her. As long as I can actually use this information, I should be able to get my pay. Cestus thought. Oh, and we'll be able to get Pinkie off the hook too.
Since Cestus couldn't think of any more questions to ask where he would expect to get a clear answer from, he decided to get up and get ready to leave to continue his investigation elsewhere. He hoped to find a witness who was a bit more "normal" than Pinkie Pie. "Well, I need to get out of here, pal. So many ponies to question and so little time."
"Okie Doki--" Pinkie began to say, but gasped loudly before she finished. "Wait! Can you do me a HUGE favor?"
"I guess...or maybe I shouldn't." Cestus said, being afraid of the favor. "What is it?"
"Ever since Applejack got here, she's look really, REALLY sad." Pinkie said. As she brought Applejack up, she began to look sad since she felt bad for her friend. "She looks naked without her trademark cowgirl hat. Think you can find it for her?"
"Ehh, she probably has a closet full of them." Cestus answered.
I'm not even going to fight this. But she really seems to want to help Applejack, even though Applejack tried to kill her. I guess I've been really hard on her. Cestus thought as he began to feel bad for Pinkie. "Alright. I'll keep an eye out for it."
Applejack's hat was added to the evidence.
"Oh thank you, Mr. Star! If I could, I'd hug you! OH! Or maybe I'll make you a cake. NO WAIT! A party! After I throw a party for getting released, I'll throw a party for you helping me! And if you decided to move to Ponyville, I'll throw you a welcoming party, and then I'll throw a party for..."
I think I'll just leave now.
With Pinkie Pie preoccupied with party throwing plans, Cestus began to slowly sneak away from her so that he could leave and get starting on the actual investigation. He suspected that by the time he would leave, Pinkie would still be talking up a storm. As he left the visitor's room and made his way to the exit, he walked into a pony he didn't expect to see so soon. As he tried to leave, he saw Twilight Sparkle walking into him.
"Twilight? What are you doing back so soon?" Cestus asked.
"Ah! Inspector! Yeah, I just wanted to ask Pinkie Pie something important." Twilight answered.
"Well you better ask quickly before Prosecutor Hope gets here. I'll see you when you get back."
Cestus had a busy day ahead of him, so he couldn't stay behind to talk to Twilight anymore. He learned something new about a piece of evidence, promised to look for a hat, and even had a mental note of something worth thinking about. Since he plan was to investigate the stabbing, he decided the next course of action was to check out the crime scene.
He hoped something was missed at Sweet Apple Acres, but if something wasn't, things would not look good for Pinkie Pie, which in turn would not look good for Twilight, which in turn would not look good for him. On top of all that, he had to keep it a secret that he was favoring the defense. One little mistake and he would be useless to Twilight.
Day 2: Investigation: Check This Barn. Check This Barn
February 13, 1:51 PM Sweet Apple Acres Outside the barn
I'm so glad I'm out of that place. I wonder how long it took Twilight to grow patient with Pinkie. Cestus asked himself.
After finishing his questioning with Pinkie Pie, Cestus arrived at Sweet Apple Acres to start his investigation. While his job was to help prove Pinkie was guilty, he made a promise to help Twilight by finding evidence to prove Pinkie's innocence and he planed to keep that promise, partly because he would get 500 bits if he succeeded.
The Farm had many officers from Canterlot checking out the scene themselves, but since Cestus was the head of the investigation, he had free rein of the place. After showing up at the farm though, he noticed that ALL of his officers were outside.
"Hey you there! Over here!" Cestus ordered.
"Yes sir!" A nearby cop said as he ran over to his superior officer. "What is it pal--I mean, sir?"
"You're all suppose to be checking every nook and cranny of the place! Why is nopony inside the barn? That's where the crime actually took place!" Cestus asked.
"Sir! We're all afraid to go in there. While investigating, we all some shadow that was moving around inside freaking us out. We've been waiting out here hoping it leaves."
I'd question if any of my stallions are even qualified to be police officers, but considering my cutie mark is for boxing, that might be hypocritical. Cestus thought. "It might just be a giant rat or something. I'm sure it just needs a good stomp."
annoyed, Cestus walked over to the barn to start his investigation of the barn as he found a great opportunity. Since his officers were too nervous to go inside the barn, he would be able to do whatever he needed to do without getting in trouble himself, assuming nopony went in with him. As he went to the front gate, he also noticed the barn gate had a lock on it, but it appeared to of been broken off.
"How long has this lock been broken?" Cestus asked.
"Sir! The family confirmed that it was not broken before. We believe the killer broke it to get inside.
So the killer had to get in by force. That sounds important to remember.
Broken lock: The killer wasn't able to simply unlock the door.
"Alright, now listen up! I'm going inside to check out the crime scene, so make sure nopony else goes inside without my permission. This includes you guys. Understand?"
"Yes sir! I'll be waiting out here in case you need me."
With nopony else left to bother him, Cestus walked into the barn without so much as a struggle. On top of that, he was able to investigate without any suspicious ponies trying to sneak in. That is, except for one who already breached the security. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 13, 1:54 PM Sweet Apple Acres Outside the barn
It's good to be the boss. Cestus thought. "Alright pal, whoever you are, get up and leave!"
As he was warned, something had snuck its way into the barn and Cestus didn't want to start looking around until he got rid of the current problem. As his voice echoed inside, the sound of ruffling was heard. Cestus kept having turn to around to try and find the source, but the noise kept moving around, making it difficult to isolate..
"You're interfering with police business, pal! Show yourself now and you'll just get a slap on the wrist. Don't, and I'll just punch you!"
"You wouldn't punch a little...AH OH!"
Finally hearing the voice of the troublemaker, Cestus ran to it as quickly as he could before they had the chance to escape. He chased the culprit to a big stack of hay where there would be no escape. He had the perp cornered.
"Alright, whoever you are pal, get out here!"
After a long moment of silence, besides of few sounds coming from the hay..."Uh...bawk bawk...bawk?"
It took him a moment to realize it, but after hearing the voice up close..."You're just a kid!"
Cestus then stuck his hoof into the stack of hay to find the child inside. As soon as he felt something that wasn't hay, he pulled his hoof out and forced the filly out, holding her by the tail. She was an orange pegasus with a purple mane. Even though she was caught, she still tried to put up a resistance with Cestus.
"Hey, put me down! I'm investigating here!" The filly said.
"Investigating? You don't even have a cutie mark. You're even suppose to be here."
"Are YOU? Your cutie mark is boxing gloves, so I doubt your an investigator."
"Ohh....if you weren't just a little boy, I'd show you how I earned my cutie mark, so consider yourself lucky." Cestus said angrily.
"I'm a girl!" The filly corrected.
As soon as he learned that the intruder was a girl, Cestus dropped her from the shock. He felt very embarrassed for making such a mistake and had a hard time staying mad at her for doing something so stupid when he himself did something even stupider. Regardless, Cestus didn't want to let any pony, let alone a filly, interfere with his work.
"Look here...um..."
"Scootaloo, one of the founding member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders and number one Rainbow Dash--"
FREEZE!
"Little Scootaloo, I am Inspector Star Cestus of Canterlot and I'm the one in charge of this case. My task is to look for evidence to find the truth of what happened." Cestus explained.
"So am I!" Scootaloo said. "Apple Bloom was the one who was attacked and she's one of my best friends and I want to see to it that the whoever did it gets what's coming!"
"I see. So you wish to see Pinkie Pie convicted?"
"No, I want to see her and Twilight win! I know for a fact that she's innocent." Scootaloo answered.
"A nice thought, and even I want her to be found not guilty, but as of now, nothing is known a fact."
Scootaloo laughed at what Cestus said, feeling confident with herself because of it. "Then You really do need my help, because I know something you don't."
Probably because you got here before I did. Cestus thought. "Very well then. Please tell me what you know. I'm sure all you did was find a pinecone or a peanut. Actually, we've been trying hard to find a bottle cap." Cestus said sarcastically.
"What? No, I didn't find any garbage like that! If you have a minute, I'll be more than glad to tell you what I found."
Hehehe. And that's knockout. As soon as she tells me what she knows, I'll give her the bum's rush.
Do to Cestus's choice of words, he made Scootaloo much more cooperative by tricking her to share her discoveries. After having to argue with Pinkie Pie, Cestus was glad that his next challenge was a kid. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Testimony: What I've found--
-Anypony could easily escape through the open window! -Pinkie Pie has gotten in trouble because she was the only one "seen". -That doesn't mean nopony else could've gotten into here.
Feeling no reason to drag this on longer than he needed to, Cestus decided to completely skip the rebuttal and attacked Scootaloo's logic immediately.
"Pal, I'd like to share with an important piece of evidence.
"Really? Awesome!" Scootaloo said with excitement as she was handed a piece of paper, but her smile quickly disappeared after getting it. "Wait, this is just a picture of the barn."
"This picture shows that the windows in the barn were closed and only the front gate was opened. You said somepony could've escaped through a window, but that appears to be impossible."
Cestus made a good point and Scootaloo realized it, but something was still wrong. Scootaloo took a moment to look at the diagram closely, and upon further inspection, she discovered that something was missing.
"Mr. Cop, does this picture only show what's on the ground floor?" Scootaloo asked.
"Yes, seeing that's where the doors and windows are at." Cestus answered.
"But I remember you guys talking about it at the trial today. There's a window up on the roof, isn't there? That's the window I'm talking about."
That's right. I completely forgot about that. Cestus thought. Because none of the witnesses saw Pinkie escape the crime scene, Twilight argued our culprit got out that way. She didn't have evidence for it, so maybe that would be a good place for me to start. Time to check out the crime scene.
The barn was a big place, but fortunately there was only a few places of particular interest. As Scootaloo pointed out, there was an upper floor that he could look around at, but Cestus decided to save that area for last since he was already on the ground floor.
The first thing Cestus did was take a closer look at the windows on the side of the barn. He tried to open them up, but to no prevail.
"So these windows are still locked I see." Cestus said.
"Yeah, I heard they wanted to keep the place look exactly how it looked when the crime happened." Scootaloo answered.
"That's right. It seems my officers did a pretty good job."
After thinking about the crime scene, another thought quickly rushed into Cestus's head. He had somehow forgotten that Scootaloo was with him. After realizing that, he gave her a light smack on the back of her head, causing Scootaloo to hold her head in pain.
"Hey kid, you're interfering with police business here! Go home already!" Cestus ordered.
"Ow! That hurts! I'm getting an adult!
"I AM an adult, pal. Now move it!"
"No way. I made a promise to Apple Bloom that I would do anything to get the guy who hurt her." Scootaloo said with persistence. "I can't go back to the hospital empty-handed. I don't care if I have to look everywhere and ask everypony in town!"
She has good intentions. I can even see a level of determination in her that rivals Twilight's. But really, the reason I'll have to bring her is because she'll probably get in my way until I let her. Cestus thought. "Fine. You can help me out, but only if you do exactly what I tell you to do."
"YES! You got it!"
I like kids and all, but I'm suddenly less tempted to have any of my own.
As he had no choice but to drag Scootaloo along, Cestus continued to investigate the scene with a new companion. All he hoped from her was that she didn't get into his way.
After making sure there was nothing at the windows, Cestus walked over to the other end of the barn. He found, hidden behind a big stack of hay, a large wooden chest.
"Oh wow, I didn't know the Apples had treasure." Scootaloo said with excitement.
"This isn't treasure, kid. It's just a supply chest." Cestus answered. "It was found when the trial was taking place. This is where a bottle of pesticide was found."
"You mean that stuff that showed that Applejack tried to poison Pinkie Pie? I still don't get why she would do that."
I immediately regret the decision of letting her come along. Cestus thought. "I haven't actually seen this chest myself. Let's take a look ourselves, shall we? I won't rest until I've inspected every suspicious nook and cranny"
After lifting up the lid, Cestus and Scootaloo took a look at what was inside. The first things that stuck out were two bottle brown bottles that Cestus recognized.
"It appears this family stocks up on this brand of pesticide." Cestus noted.
"I heard you could kill bears with this stuff." Scootaloo said "Applejack and Granny Smith won't even let us play anywhere that has this stuff."
It must be some very potent crap. The only reason anypony would choose to use this over actual poison is if they were really confident in the results. Pinkie, you can deny it all you want. It's clear that Applejack was the poisoner.
It wasn't just the pesticide that in the chest though. At the bottom, there was a small white bottle. Cestus reached in to check it out since he couldn't read the label. He was shocked to find that it was something not related to farming.
"What's that?" Scootaloo asked.
"Hmm...judging from the label, it appears to be some kind of sleeping pill." Cestus said. "Most ponies keep these in their bedrooms."
"You're not saying it was Applejack who used these on Pinkie, do you?"
"Possibly, but since the victim was her sister, it's absurd to believe that she tried to kill her, not to mention her alibi." Cestus explained. "Either way sleeping pills found at this crime scene can't be a coincidence."
Sleeping Pills: Found at the crime scene. Mighty suspicious.
"Scootaloo, I believe we've got ourselves a lead." Cestus said. "All we have to do is use some logic."
"Logic? How do we use that?" Scootaloo asked.
"Why it's easy. All you have to do is push the logic button and you can sort things out."
"Wow, is it really that easy?"
Surprised and angered by Scootaloo's naiveness, Cestus took his two from hooves, placed them on the side of Scootaloo's head, and began squeezing the filly's head like a vise. Naturally, Scootaloo ended up screaming because of it.
"No, you little....ugh...never mind." Cestus said as he let go. "Look, just give me a moment to think.
Cestus began to think about the odd item found, as well as another odd story he heard earlier. On their own, they didn't add to much, but together, something brand new was discovered.
Sleeping Pills: Found at the crime scene. Mighty suspicious
Pinkie's nap: Pinkie was supposedly asleep during the time of Apple Bloom's stab attack.
"You wouldn't know this, or rather I hope you don't, but on the day of the crime, Pinkie claimed that she was asleep for most of the day." Cestus explained.
"And you think these sleeping pills are why?" Scootaloo asked.
There may be hope for this kid after all Cestus thought. "Exactly. The simple fact that these pills exist should prove that Pinkie was asleep that day. At what point that day is still a mystery though. If we're lucky, we might find an alibi for Pinkie."
"But what about the real killer? We're after them too, aren't we?"
"That will be the easy part. My theory is that the real killer is the one who used these on Pinkie Pie. All we have to do is to examine this bottle for hoofprints. I even have a record of hoofprints of everypony who's involved in this case. Just give me a few minutes."
After taking the bottle, Cestus walks outside the barn to meet with the officer that promised to stay out there. Cestus asked him to examine the bottles for prints, the pony took out some white powder and a brush, and before very long, Cestus returned to the barn with a hoofprint sample taped on a piece of black paper.
"Tadaa! Solid, concrete evidence!"
"That's awesome! Who's hoofprint does it belong to?"
"Let's see. Where did I put those records?"
With the hoofprint sample in one hoof and his records in the other, Cestus began to compare the hoofprint found with the ones on his records. He had to look through several prints and was surprised that it took him so long, but he was eventually able to find a match. The results he found, however, was something he did not expect.
"It....it appears that the bottle of sleeping pills were handled...by Pinkie Pie."
"What? You're not saying that Pinkie Pie is the crook we're after, are you?" Scootaloo asked.
"Good question. These prints should've proven Pinkie's innocence, but the it appears to be contradicting with itself."
"Great. What now?"
"It doesn't make sense now, but maybe we'll find more evidence to help us later. For now, we have to keep moving forward." Cestus explained. But it's definitely something that will bug me to know end.
Odd Hoofprint was added to the evidence.
Sleeping Pills was added to the evidence.
"Okay, kid. I think now's a good time to check out what you found on the upper floor.
Since everything of interest was examined on the ground floor, Cestus allowed Scootaloo to show him what she found on the barn's upper level. Scootaloo pointed out a ladder that she used before, allowing them to climb up to the top.
"I still don't get why there's an upstairs to a barn." Scootaloo said.
"It's just a hayloft. Lots of barns have them" Cestus answered. "But if I find out you're that the first pony that went up here was you, then I'm giving my entire squad an uppercut."
Once they were on top, Cestus found that the hayloft stretched out from one side of the barn to another, and just as Scootaloo said, there windows, one in particular was wide open. While it didn't look like the others were locked, the one window still stuck out the most.
Yep. One uppercut for each member of my squad. Until then, it's time to look at every nook and cranny.
While Cestus planned to do a thorough investigation, there was only one particular thing that he found of interest at the window. At the bottom of the window, there was a black feather, one that looked to of belonged to a pegasus.
"EUREKA!" Cestus shouted.
"A black feather?" Scootaloo asked. After coming up with the same conclusion, she gasped at it. "It must belong to that weird guy Sweetie Belle told me about."
"Weird guy? Who was he?"
"I don't know. Sweetie Belle told me about him yesterday when I went to see her. Some creepy gray pegasus with black wings was threatening her and Twilight. He must be the one we're after.
I remember Twilight briefly describing him to me right before she rushed off. I Didn't think much of because of how vague she was, but I guess she wasn't kidding. Cestus thought. "Unfortunately, we don't know anything about this guy, kid. But, if he has black feathers like you said, then he's worth questioning. Either way, this feather is crucial.
Black Feather was added to the evidence.
After finding the feather, Cestus decided to return to the ground floor with Scootaloo. He was very happy with the evidence and became confident that Pinkie Pie was set up. He didn't find enough to clear her name, but he found enough to want to keep looking around
With his work in the barn done, Cestus and Scootaloo made their way out of the barn. Cestus was proud of the work he accomplished so far, partially thanks to Scootaloo. It put the stallion in a good mood.
"I'm starting to see why Twilight always bring a little kid with her. I think I'm going to keep you as a little good luck charm.
"Me? A good luck charm?" Scootaloo asked. She then quickly took a at her rump, but her smile quickly faded when she saw nothing on it.
With every nook and cranny checked at the barn, Cestus and his assistant were left at a dead end, but as the two began to ponder about their next move, Scootaloo saw something in the distance. A pony who wasn't with the Canterlot Police. In fact, it was a pony who was suppose to be WITH the police.
"Hey, that looks like..."
Cestus saw what Scootaloo was looking at too, but he was able to identify the pony much quicker. It was a familiar pink pony who should not of been anywhere near Sweet Apple Acres.
No way... Cestus thought in horror. "GUYS! THE DEFANDENT HAS ESCAPE!"
The officers turned to Cestus when he suddenly screamed, but then turn their attentions to Pinkie Pie as they all finally noticed her. Reacting quickly, they all began to chase after the escapee, but as soon as Pinkie saw them, she began to run away.
"Oh, no you don't, pal!" Cestus said as he began to chase after Pinkie himself.
Leaving his new little friend behind, Cestus ran like the wind and caught up with his fellow officers. They were all well trained officers that represented Canterlot's law, but even then, they were surprised to find that Pinkie Pie was out running them all.
The cops at the front jumped forward to try and grab Pinkie, but every attempt failed when she simply hopped out of their way. After the last of his officers failed to catch Pinkie, Cestus himself got himself closer and closer, but couldn't quite catch up.
"Stop! Don't make this harder then it has to be!" Cestus ordered. "I'm sure we can
"What? No way! Twilight told me I couldn't trust you." Pinkie said.
"Wait, what?"
Before Pinkie could give Cestus an explanation, she doubled her running speed, thus becoming too fast for even Cestus, a stallion in his prime. The sudden burst in speed surprised Cestus enough to halve his own, but he kept moving forward. Two unicorn officers then managed to catch up to Cestus to support him.
"Alright guys. Formation-T! Now!" Cestus ordered as he stopped running.
Upon hearing the order, the two unicorns began to use their magic on a small, nearby tree. With their combined, they managed to pull it out from the ground, roots and all, then tossed the tree to their commanding officer. In return, Cestus got up on his back legs, and when the tree got close, he hurled the biggest punch he could throw, sending the tree flying at an extreme speed toward Pinkie Pie.
"Sorry, Twilight. It had to be done."
As Pinkie looked back, she saw the tree coming toward her. In response, Pinkie stopped running and turned around to see incoming tree. The sight of which caused her to freeze in place. That was when the most shockingly horrifying thing occurred.
As the tree was about hit, Pinkie Pie firmly planted her hooves into the ground, sprung her head forward, and before the tree could land, electricity emerged from out of the tree, causing it to explode in less than a second. As a result, Pinkie was left unharmed by the experience.
"W-wh..."Cestus stuttered as he failed to comprehend what he had seen
With everypony else too far away from Pinkie, she continued to run off, escaping into the Everfree Forest where the rest of the police would not be able to catch up. It's hard to blame them, considering they were chasing a pony that moved at such speed and somehow blow up trees.
Cestus worked hard to provide proof to defend Pinkie Pie, but after escaping police custody and doing what she had done, she was in more trouble than ever, and to an extend Cestus as well.
February 13, 2:30 PM Sweet Apple Acres Outside the barn
It had already been a crazy and exciting afternoon. There was a high-speed chase to capture an escaped suspect that ended in failure and the destruction of an unfortunate tree. It was a shame considering how well the investigation was going it happened.
After the fiasco, Star Cestus and Scootaloo took a rest at the barn with the other officers, during which, an old doctor was wrapping up Cestus's hoof with a bandage due to his injury from punching a tree. The doctor was an unicorn with a white coat and a red mane and tail, but the red lacked color due to old age. For a cutie mark, he had a red heart with a white line in it to resemble a heartbeat.
After the doctor was done, Cestus flexed his hoof with delight from the job well done and congratulated the doctor. "Thanks, doc. Nice and tight. Just how I like it." Cestus said.
"Yes, it's great to know that a pony who has operated on the princess herself is good with a bandage." The doctor said sarcastically.
"Who are you anyway?" Scootaloo asked. "You've been around Apple Bloom all day, yet I've never seen you before."
"This is Doctor Ratchet. Canterlot's best doctor." Cestus answered. He then leaned down to whisper something into Scootaloo's ear. "Careful. He's a bit crank."
"I heard that!" Doctor Ratchet said as slapped Cestus's hoof, causing the stallion great pain. "You good?"
"Ahhh..yeah, I guess pal. Now I can focus on the important questions." Cestus answered. "Mainly: WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED HERE!?"
While his hoof was feeling better, a bigger pain was still bothering Cestus. He still couldn't comprehend the idea of an earth pony, even if they were as odd as Pinkie Pie, could blow up a tree with their mind. Doctor Ratchet didn't know what happened, so he didn't think much into.
"Well look, if you kids need me, I'll be back at the hospital. My break's over now." Doctor Ratchet said. As he had no other business to attend to at the farm, he began to make his way back to the hospital.
"Later Doc!" Scootaloo said, causing the old unicorn to grumble as he left.
Alright, enough of that. Now I got to think of my next move. I know now that there was another pony in the barn, most likely a pegasus, and I even have DNA proof. I guess I'll have to track the guy down. Cestus thought. "Alright guys, I have some important work to do. I want all of you to get off your plots and start looking for Miss Pinkie Pie."
"Yes sir!" The rest of the cops said in union.
With their new orders given to them, Cestus's officer's left him to search for Pinkie Pie, leaving their boss alone with Scootaloo, his new friend. With nopony else around, Cestus was able to move on with his real objective: Helping Twilight and Pinkie.
"So what are we going to do now?" Scootaloo asked Cestus.
"Well I'M going to go back out there to dig up some more dirt. You helped me out, but there's nothing else you can do for me now. You'd best run off home before your parent find out you're missing."
"Well actually, my parents are...HEY WAIT! I already told you, I'm not going to stop following you until I know what actually happened to Apple Bloom!"
A real truth seeker. You got to admire that in a pony. Cestus thought. "Look pal, I'm thankful for your help already, but unless you have a way to find the killer, I'm afraid you've used up your usefulness."
Scootaloo still wanted to help out Cestus and didn't want to be left behind so soon, so she started to think of a way to help out. She needed something to help find the killer. Then, after remembering where she was, she thought of an idea.
"Wait here! I'll be right back."
Excited to still be able to help, Scootaloo ran off for a few minutes, leaving Cestus behind. During this time, Cestus took the time to think about everything that had transpired.
Okay, let's think a little. When I was chasing Pinkie, she mentioned that Twilight told her that I couldn't be trusted. That's not something she would normally say Regardless of our somewhat unpleasant history. Speaking of which, something was off with Twilight when we met at the detention center.
Twilight at the center: Simply being there was very questionable.
As for Pinkie Pie, it should've be impossible for her to of escaped. Just how did she escape the detention center?
Pinkie's Escape: How was she able to escape the detention center
Then of course, there was the event itself. I think it's worth writing down in case anypony else wants to know about it. Where did I put my notebook?
After taking out a small note, Cestus began to write a small note to describe the crime. He wrote that at around 2:10, he saw Pinkie on the farm, destroyed the tree he and his officers threw at her, which then blew up. A small note, but it was a big reminder.
Cestus's Note was added to the evidence.
Cestus had asked himself many questions. While he was able to think up of several bits of logic, he couldn't think of any solutions. He feared that the case was beginning to get complicated.
But, as soon as he saw Scootaloo coming back, he decided to stop brainstorming until he got more information. When Scootaloo came back, she brought along a little friend. A brown and white Border Collie dog. The dog was very active and quickly jumped up to Cestus.
"Whoa! Hey there little guy." Cestus said to the dog. "What's his name?"
"HER name is Winona. She's Apple Bloom's farm dog." Scootaloo answered.
Sheesh. Note to self: Make sure I married a mare. Cestus thought after being seen as an idiot again. "Alright, so you stole a dog. What now?"
"What now? Can't dogs help track criminals or something?" Scootaloo asked.
"Perhaps, but police dogs need years of training to do such a thing."
"Good, because I've seen this dog helping around the farm since forever. She's probably the smartest dog in Ponyville."
If she can tell the difference between a boy and a girl dog, she'll already be smarter than me. Cestus thought. "Alright, I'm desperate for ideas anyway. I'll let you bring the dog."
As Cestus made his decision, Winona gave a happy bark, jumped up on him and started to lick his face. It was clear that she was a very friendly dog.
"Okay, Winona. Can you be a tracker dog?" Cestus asked.
*RUFF RUFF*
Yeah, I expected to get an answer like that. Cestus thought. "Alright Winona, I'm want you to catch the scent from this object."
TAKE THAT!
With the black feather he had found earlier, Cestus provided Winona with the scent of the mystery pony he and Scootaloo were looking for. As soon as she saw the feather, she began sniffing it. After getting a few good sniffs at it, she began to wag her tail and got excited, showing that she memorized the scent.
"Alright gal, now get him!" Cestus ordered.
As requested, Winona began to chase after the scent, running away from Cestus and Scootaloo to make her way to town. Cestus himself quickly chased after the dog in hopes of finding the owner of the feather. As the two ran off, Scootaloo grabbed her nearby scooter and began to chase after them.
Winona proved herself to of been a surprisingly effective police dog as she followed the scent down into Ponyville. More specifically, Ponyville's town hall. As Winona stopped to pick up the trail, Cestus and Scootaloo managed to catch up.
Once all three reunited, Winona began to close in on the source of the scent. She walked into hallway of the building with Cestus and Scootaloo following. The trail let the dog to a room with its door closed. She then started to scratch the door with her paw, wanting to go inside.
"So he's in there, huh?" Cestus asked. "Alright, stand back kid."
Wanting to catch the culprit by surprise, Cestus got himself ready to knock down the door instead of simply opening it. He got onto his hind legs, pulled back his hoof, and smashed the door open with a single punch.
FREEZE!
But, after punching down the door, they all found that nopony was even inside the room. It also wasn't until then that Cestus realized what room he just broke into.
"Oh right, this is the mayor's office, isn't it?" Cestus said. "I have a distinct feeling that this door will come out of my salary."
"Why didn't you just read the name plate on the door?" Scootaloo asked.
"Why didn't YOU?" Cestus asked.
"Hey, I'm not the cop who likes to pretend to be a boxer."
"Pretend? I'll have you know I'm one of Equestria's best...ugh...never mind." Cestus said as he lost interest in arguing. "Let's just go inside."
Since he knew he was going to lose to Scootaloo anyway, Cestus avoided defeat by continuing with the investigation. He allowed Winona to go into the office to sniff out the scent. She looked around to find where to pick up the trail, but she had great difficulty. It appeared to of been a dead end.
"So I guess for one reason or another, the guy we're after went into this room." Cestus said. "I guess we may as well investigate a little."
"Yes! Another chance to earn a cutie mark." Scootaloo said.
The room wasn't very big, but there were several major things that stuck out from everything else. The first thing that was spotted that stood out was the office's window, which was wide open. Cestus and Scootaloo ran over to it to check it out.
"Dang. They got out another window." Scootaloo said.
"The room still feels warm, so I'd imagine we just missed him." Cestus said, "In fact, I bet they saw us coming here and made a hasty escape. I'm afraid our little dog won't help us if they flew away."
"Then I guess we're stuck here."
With nothing else to look for at the window, the two continued their investigation of the office. The next thing of interest was an object that wasn't seen until they walked by the window. Laying right behind the office desk was a black portable safe. After crouching down, Cestus noticed that the safe itself had it's door wide open.
"Hmm...where have I...AH!" Cestus said as he got an epiphany. "I just remembered! Prosecutor Hope Ray is using this office. There's no proper prosecutor office in Ponyville, so he was allowed to work here."
"What does that have to do with the black box?" Scootaloo asked.
"It's his portable safe. He brought in here to hold keep his documents safe. The killer must've broken in to try and steal whatever he was hiding." Cestus explained.
"I guess safes like these are pretty easy to break into." Scootaloo said in agreement. "Rainbow Dash once showed me by putting your ear up to the door, you can easily figure out the combination."
So many questions raised from this kid and I'm afraid to ask any of them. Cestus said.
With nothing at the window and nothing left in the safe, it looked as if there was nothing left in the room. Just as Cestus was ready to finish up, he looked up and noticed one last thing. It was something up on a nearby shelf.
It was something small and shiny, but it was visible. Cestus didn't know what ti was, but he thought anything would help in his investigation. Unfortunately, the shiny thing was too high up for him to reach.
"Damn my short stature. I wish I was a unicorn like the fatcat." Cestus said. "Scootaloo, you want to be a good assistant, right? Go to the utility room and get me a stepladder."
"Wouldn't a ladder be better? That way you wouldn't have to lean it on the shelf." Scootaloo argued.
"No, its a ladder that you lean on something to climb up on it. A stepladder is sort of like a portable set of stairs." Cestus explained.
"You know, if you spent less time learning about ladders, you'd probably be a good enough detective to solve this crime."
"I'm not a detective. I'm a..." As cestus was making his argument, another thought occurred to him. "Hey wait a minute! You're a pegasus. You can just fly up and fetch it for me."
Scootaloo became silent went she heard Cestus's suggestion. Silence became awkwardness and awkwardness became a nervous smile on the filly's face. If Cestus was able to see psyche-locks like Twilight could, he would probably see them around Scootaloo.
"Uh...hehe...one stepladder coming up."
With haste, Scootaloo tried to run off to fetch the stepladder for Cestus, but as she ran to the door, she made a quick stop. Had she continued, she would've ran right into the stallion that was at the door. The sight of the stallion then brought fear to Scootaloo.
It wasn't just Scootaloo who was afraid though. After realizing that the pony at the doorway was Prosecutor Hope Ray, Cestus got nervous as well. Hope wasn't happy that Cestus, a filly, and a dog had broken into the office.
"Observation #8: Canterlot's police are getting smaller and smaller in physique." Hope said. "That or they're allowing children into the force."
Okay, I'm officially in hot water now. Cestus though. "Hope sir, I'm sure you're wondering why me and my little friend have broken into the mayor's office."
"Actually, I was wondering why the door was hanging by a single hinge, but now that you mention it, yes, I would love to hear a reason why I shouldn't fire you."
GULP!
"We're in here to look for the real killer!" Scootaloo answered. "WAIT! Cestus! This guy must be the guy we're after."
I wonder if I would suffer less if I just jump off of a cliff.
After using his magic to fix up the broken door, Hope walked into the room to confront the two intruders, but his attention shifted to the open safe that lied on the ground. For a brief moment, he forgot about Cestus and Scootaloo and ran to the safe. In doing so, he recklessly pushed Scootaloo into the wall.
"What happened to my safe?" Hope asked. "STAR CESTUS!!"
"Hey, hey ,hey! Don't look at me like that. It was wide open when I got here." Cestus answered. "What was in there anyway?"
"Important case files. More specifically, files on the second and third murder." Hope answered. "Now I need to have more copies of those cases sent here from Canterlot before tomorrow."
"Alright! That means Twilight--" Scootaloo began to say, but her mouth was quickly covered by Cestus.
"Twilight...might unfairly win the trial." Cestus said as he thought on the fly. The longer I stay here, the more suicidal I'm feeling.
Hope sighed as he managed to calm himself down. "It's alright I guess. I'm going to be seeing Princess Celestia soon to discuss the second murder. If I'm lucky, she'll have a copy of the files on her or something."
I highly doubt I'll be able to investigate the room now that Hope is here. Cestus thought. I may as well ended it from here.
While nothing else could be inspected in the room, the appearance of Hope at least have Cestus somepony to talk to. He had a busy day, so he didn't want to miss the opportunity.
"Pinkie Pie has become nothing less than a loose cannon." Hope said. "First she escaped police custody, and now this!"
"So you already know that she escaped?" Cestus asked.
"Right when I was about to question her. I ordered all of Ponyville's police to flip the town over to find her."
"Pfft. Me and the rest of Canterlot's police went after her, yet she still escaped my hooves!" Cestus said, but Hope wasn't at all impressed. In fact, he looked angry. "Ahem. The search is in vain. She escaped into the Everfree Forest about Twenty minutes ago."
"I see." Hope said as he went into a deep thought. "So first Pinkie escaped, then she broke into my safe, then she ran into the forest. Makes perfect sense to me."
"Hey, Pinkie didn't do anything!" Scootaloo said.
"Quiet kid." Cestus said to silence her. "Hope, during my investigation, I've been getting the impression that this entire time, we've been after the wrong pony."
"Excuse me?"
"While I was checking out the barn, I found this black feather that clearly belongs to a pegasus pony. I'd like to purpose to you that there's a possibility that there's a different pony behind these attacks and that we should be keeping an eye out for a black-winged pegasus."
OBJECTION!
"Inspector, I'm shocked. You've been in charge of this case since the first murder six months ago. You should know better than anypony that Pinkie Pie is the serial killer."
"Yeah pal, well my opinion tends to change when new facts come my way."
Hope began to think about the evidence that Cestus shared and began to process it. Cestus and Scootaloo hoped that he would changed his mind too, but they knew that it would've been asking for a lot. After some thinking, Hope spoke up again.
"You are a stallion of logic, correct? You and I have much in common. You've been mislead by these new facts, so if I may, I'd like to remind you of the old facts."
"Sounds reasonable." Cestus agreed. "Okay pal, let's here these old facts."
-Your black feather doesn't mean anything. -Pinkie Pie has been the prime suspect this whole time and no other suspects have risen. -The hoofprint data we've got proves this beyond any question. -Why I bet she even left her prints on my safe when she broke into it.
That's right. I even found Pinkie's hoofprint at the crime scene. Cestus thought as he began to doubt himself. I expected nothing less from logic made by Prosecutor Hope Ray himself, but I'm still certain that Pinkie is innocent. For now, I'll just have to find a hole in Hope's logic.
"It means a lot, sir. It means somepony besides the defendant and the Apples were at the barn, which, might I remind you, is the crime scene." Cestus argued.
"A pegasus has gone into crime scene. I won't argue with that." Hope said. "But answer me this: When did the pegasus enter the barn?"
Cestus began to think of a possible answer, but after considering one possibility, he became speechless. It was then that he found that his own logic was flawed.
"So you've notice. The barn isn't exactly a high class building. I'm sure lots of ponies came and left the barn. It's possible a pony from a past visit just molted at the time. Ergo, that feather likely belongs to a pony who doesn't even know the defendant, let alone the victim."
UGH! Now I know how Twilight feels as a defense attorney. This guy is good. Even worse, he's not even done his argument. Cestus thought, feeling a new level of empathy for Twilight.
-Pinkie Pie has been the prime suspect this whole time and no other suspects have risen.
HOLD IT!
"But surely the owner of this feather can be questioned, no?"
OBJECTION!
"You want to question the feather's owner? Fine, but you first have to tell me who they even are."
"Well...I'm under the impression that he's a grey pegasus with black wings. I don't know his name, but..." But after Cestus admitted that he didn't know his name. "Oh, I see what you did there."
Hope shook his head in disappointment, feeling shameful for Cestus. "For now, I'll meet you halfway. Even if we consider the possibility of a third party, Pinkie Pie is still our culprit. This is because..."
-The hoofprint data we've got proves this beyond any question.
Shoot. I actually found evidence earlier that actually SUPPORTS his claims. If I press him like this, all I'll do is make a bigger idiot of myself. Note to self: Don't be a lawyer. EVER!
-Why I bet she even left her prints on my safe when she broke into it.
HOLD IT!
Finally. A question he won't actually be able to answer. Cestus thought. "Why would she target your safe?"
"That can easily be answered." Hope said, much to Cestus's pain. "She must've overheard that I was sharing an office with Mayor mare for the duration of my trip here."
"But it's a safe! How could she break into it?"
"She broke into crime scene, so this doesn't surprise me.
As Cestus and hope argued, something in their conversation caught Scootaloo's attention. She found it odd, so she spoke up.
"Wait. Why would she have to break into the barn?" Scootaloo asked. "She has a key, doesn't she?"
"She has a what?" Cestus asked.
"A key. All of Applejack's closest friends, which includes Rainbow Dash, the most awesome pony ever, have spare keys that opens the big barn up. That way, if it was needed, they could use it."
"You don't say." Hope said. After hearing the bit of information Scootaloo shared, he became even more confident. "You hear that? Pinkie Pie had complete access to the crime scene."
Barn Access: Pinkie Pie owns a key to barn. AKA: The crime scene.
"A key...to the...wait a second." Cestus thought. This suddenly makes no sense. Thank Princess Luna! I have FINALLY found a flaw in his logic.
Barn Access: Pinkie Pie owns a key to barn. AKA: The crime scene.
Broken lock: The killer wasn't able to simply unlock the door.
"Tell me Hope. Have you had a good look at the crime scene yet?" Cestus asked.
"No, I've been busy with literally everything else. That's why I've been trusting the investigations to you. It's your job after all."
"And I think I've been doing a very good job. In fact, I've been doing such a good job that I think I deserve a raise."
Cestus tried to find an opportunity, but it ultimately failed. Hope was not amused and Cestus wasn't any close to getting a raise.
It was worth a shot. Cestus thought. "Anyway, you acknowledge that the best way for the defendant to enter the crime scene is simply by opening it, correct?"
"Of course. It's the most logical reasoning."
"Then your logic is flawed!" Cestus spoke up, feeling more confident then ever. "Right now, the lock used to keep the barn door closed is busted. The Apple family even confirmed that it wasn't broken before. This means the killer couldn't be any pony who could simply unlock it. If Pinkie Pie was the killer, she wouldn't need to of destroyed the lock!"
"W-what?" Hope asked. As the inspector pushed him into a corner, magic discharged from his horn due to the shock, just like in court. "But...but that doesn't mean she's innocent. She could've simply forgotten the key!"
FREEZE!
"And she couldn't have just dashed home to get it?" Cestus asked. "Tell me. What would be more likely to happen in this case? Would the killer really be somepony who would needlessly break a lock they easily could've unlocked?"
Hope struggled with the thought, but after thinking about it, he became calm once more, but still surprised. Cestus had made a very strong argument and it was one that Hope couldn't counter. After a few moments of clear minded thinking...
"Very good, Inspector Cestus. I concede to your claim. It IS a very good possibility. This is something I'll be sure to bring up with during my meeting with Princess Celestia."
YES! I did it! No idea how I did it, but I did it.
"You are free to continue with your investigation however you see fit. But keep in mind that I am still favoring the decisions I've made as of yet."
"I understand, sir! I'm just glad you are open to other possibilities." Cestus said. But more importantly, I now know beyond a reasonable doubt. Pinkie Pie IS innocent. I still don't know why she escaped, but I can't see how Pinkie could be the killer.
"In that case, I wish you luck. Whether it's Pinkie Pie or this mystery pegasus you suggested, I hope you bring either one of them to me by the end of the day."
Since the files he came for no longer existed, Hope allowed Cestus to be and left the office. He trusted that Cestus was making the right choices, so he didn't even question why there was a kid and a dog with them. This left Cestus, Scootaloo, and Winona, all alone in the mayor office.
"Whew..." Cestus said as he fell to the ground. "I think I almost got fired there. And I didn't even get a single piece of solid evidence from this whole ordeal."
"At least we got the key." Scootaloo said.
"Yeah, at least we...wait, what key?"
"Remember when Hope bumped into me?" Scootaloo asked. She then lifted up one of her tiny wings and revealed a silver key hidden within. "I guess when I hit the wall, it knocked the shiny thing we saw down. Turned out it was a key. Here you go."
Mysterious Key was added to the evidence.
"Hmm. I wonder what it's for." Cestus thought. "I'd ask Hope, but I'd be afraid he just take it back."
"Maybe it's evidence." Scootaloo suggested. "Maybe the pegasus we're after was looking for that key!"
"It's possible. Or it could be nothing." Cestus said. Or if it IS something, it might not help Hope if it was missing. Hmm...maybe I'll keep it. If it's important, hurting Hope may help Twilight. Or I could get charged for robbery, lose my job, and go to jail.
After thinking it over, Cestus decided to steal the key for the time being and secretly return it if he needs to. He knew it was a bad idea, but he didn't want to leave the room unless he had at least one new piece of evidence.
Regardless, there was still a big job that still had to be done. After putting away the key, Cestus got Scootaloo and Winona and decided to move out.
"Alright girls. We're after a pony who escaped through that window! I say we pick up the trail!"
*RUFF RUFF*
"Yeah! Let's get back out there! Maybe I'll get my cutie mark once we catch the killer. I've already figured out it won't be in stealing."
Again, I worry about this kid. Cestus thought. Don't worry pal. Whether you have a cutie mark for it or not, you will still be my little thief. Haha."
With nothing else to find at the office, especially since case files and keys had already been stolen, Cestus and Scootaloo made their way back outside to pick up from where they left off. There was still so many questions that were still unanswered.
There was, however, one thing that kept Cestus's mind at ease. The simple fact that he was making the right choice. He knew that Pinkie Pie was innocent, no matter how unlikely it looked.
After picking up on the trail with the help of Winona, Cestus and Scootaloo found themselves at their next destination: Ponyville Hospital. It was a rather odd location to be brought to, but so was the town hall, yet they were able to find some leads there.
They allowed Winona to keep sniffing around to find the scent of the killer, but she had much more difficulty. She walked around circles while trying to find where the pony she was looking for went, but she couldn't find the scent anymore without going backwards. As Winona gave up for the search, she reluctantly returned to Cestus with a sad look on her face.
"I was afraid of this." Cestus said. "He must've flown away or something. Sorry kid, but I think we just hit a dead end."
"Maybe they didn't go far. We have to look...somewhere, don't we?" Scootaloo asked.
But where exactly? Is there any reason why the killer would go to the hospital? Cestus asked himself. After asking himself the question, an answer immdiately came. There was indeed one thing at Ponyville Hospital that the killer would be after. "OH NO!"
Fearing the worst case scenario, Cestus charged into the hospital at full speed into the hospital, leaving Scootaloo barely able to catch up. There was only one thing at the hospital that would draw in the killer: Apple Bloom.
After barging his way through the front doors, Cestus looked for the nearest doctor or nurse that he could find. The first living thing he saw was, much to his surprise, a hippogriff, one with white and brown feathers. He was wearing a doctor's robe and was holding a clipboard, so he figured it was a doctor.
"Doctor! Do you know if anything happened to a patient named Apple Bloom?" Cestus asked.
"Hmm...Apple Bloom...let me check. Let's see." The hippogriff said as he began reading the notes on his clipboard. "Dear Celestia! She's not doing well at all!"
"Well I knew that much already. What I want to know is if anything else has happened."
"Oh, I'm afraid her condition has gotten much, much worse. I'm getting ready to go in and operate on her in a few minutes."
"Oh no!" Scootaloo said, horrified by what she was told. "How serious is it, Doc?"
"I'm afraid we must remove her prostate immediately."
Remove her...wha...? Cestus thought as he became disturbed by the doctor he was talking to. "Pal, you realize a prostate is a male only organ, right?"
"Did I say prostate? I meant tonsils." The hippogriff corrected himself.
"But she already got her tonsils removed!" Scootaloo said.
"Her medulla oblongata?"
The doctor's behaviour only got more and more strange as the coversatio went on. Cestus manage to reach a conclusion as to what was going on, but it was one that he didn't actually want to believe.
"Say pal...are you even a real doctor?" Cestus asked.
"W-what? O-of course I am." The hippogriff said nervously. "I have doctor coat, I own a set of golf clubs, and even a medical license. It's not here, but--"
"HEY! I SEE YOU THERE!" An old pony's voice screamed.
"Uh oh. Gotta go!"
Moving his legs as fast as he could, the hippogriff managed to run away before the old pony was able catch up top stop him. Cestus and Scootaloo were confused as to what in Equestria happened, but no words were needed to say that they didn't want to know what happened.
As for the pony chasing the doctor impersonator, it was Doctor Ratchet from earlier and he was well steamed. He had acted cranky when Cestus bothered him with his bandages, but this time, he was flat out angry.
"Ugh...he got away again." Doctor Ratchet said.
Again? If security is really that bad, then it's without question that something has happened. Cestus thought.
Since Doctor Ratchet, the pony in charge of taking care of Apple Bloom, was standing before Cestus and Scootaloo, they knew it was the perfect time to ask some questions. Doctor Ratchet even started to cheer up a little after seeing Winona, who he started to pet, and in return, he got kisses from her.
"So Doc, how has things been here lately?" Cestus asked.
"Oh, just sunshine and smiles." Doctor Ratchet answered sarcastically, losing his good mood in an instant. "First I got that weirdo playing doctor, then I had that pink weirdo coming back here, and then I miss my coffee break because of it. I sure needed that."
"Wait! What was that?" Scootaloo asked, who managed to catch the important little detail, just as Cestus did.
"The pink weirdo. Do you mean the defendant, Pinkie Pie?" Cestus asked.
"No, I was talking about the pink elephant. OF COURSE I MEANT PINKIE!"
This is much worse than I expected. Here I was hoping to find the actual killer I've been tracking, but it actually was Pinkie who we've been following? That's impossible.
"I-is Apple Bloom doing already?" Scootaloo asked.
"She's certainly a lucky filly." Ratchet said. "Definitely a strong one. The young at least have stronger bodies than this old fart."
"Can we see her? I-I know it's probably not the right time, but..."
"Well, she's stabilized, but she's still in a coma. But if you absolutely have to, I suppose I can supervise the visit."
Good old Auto Ratchet. He has an iron hip, but a golden heart.
To honor Scootaloo's request, Doctor Ratchet gave up his chase for the doctor impersonator and allowed her and Cestus to follow him to Apple Bloom's room. He even allowed them to bring Winona up to the room since he was Apple Bloom's dog. As nice as he was being though, the old doctor still kept a grumpy look on his face. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 13, 3:33 PM Ponyville Hospital Forth Floor
After a short elevator to a higher floor, the three ponies were taken to Apple Bloom's room, though before Cestus and Scootaloo were allowed to enter, Ratchet raised his hoof and made a hushing sound, telling them to be quiet as they slowly went into the room. They were in a hospital after all.
"Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo said as she walked in.
They didn't really know what to expect, but if they did, it would've been worse then what they'd predict. Little Apple Bloom was still in a coma caused by her injuries, and those injuries are only separated from the word due to the thick layer of bandages covering them up. She even had a ventilator hooked up to help the poor kid breathe, further showing her bad condition.
Winona let out a short, whining cry from seeing one of her masters in such shape, and while Scootaloo wasn't a dog, she looked as if she was about to do the same. Cestus didn't even know Apple Bloom, but he didn't look much better either.
"I was so close to finding the guy who did this. AAHHH!" Cestus said angrily as he slammed his hoof on a nearby monitor. "I'm going to catch the jerk!"
In his reckless moment of self-assurance, Cestus had hit the monitor much harder than he intended to, causing it to turn off. It especially didn't help that it was the heart rate monitor.
Oops. Cestus thought awkwardly.
"CESTUS! I NEEDED THAT!" Doctor Ratchet yelled. "Okay, you stay out in the hall and let the kid see her friend. Out, out, OUT!"
Before Cestus could break anything else or ruin the sad atmosphere any further, Ratchet used his magic to push Cestus out of Apple Bloom's room. The old doctor then chose to stay outside with Cestus for two reasons: To give Scootaloo and Apple Bloom some privacy. To keep Cestus from breaking anything else.
"Say Doc, if you wouldn't mind, I've got a question or two I'd like to ask." Cestus said.
"I hope you're going to ask if you can pay for the repairs on the hospital's equipment. Either way, go ahead." Ratchet said.
On MY salary? Heck no. Cestus thought. "Ahem. So you were saying that Pinkie Pie was not so long ago? What was she doing?"
"Oh, you're not going to believe this. She came in and tried to kill that kid again! As if she hasn't already been through enough already." Ratchet said as he got angry, even for him.
"WHAT? Did...did you see her yourself?"
"Who do you think was the one who caught her?" Ratchet answered. "She tried to take a pillow and smother her. We had to hook her up to that ventilator so she could breath after that. Would you care to smash that up too?"
He sure can hold a grudge. But to think that "Pinkie Pie" actually came back here to try and finish the job. Even if there as an eye-witness to see it though, something about doesn't seem right.
Cestus didn't want to believe that it was actually Pinkie Pie, but with somepony as stubborn as Doctor Ratchet saying otherwise, it would be hard to disprove. The best thing to do was to get more detailed information out of the doctor.
"Doc, if I were to tell you that I'm confident that Miss Pie isn't the serial killer I've been after OR was the one who tried to kill Apple Bloom, what would you say?" Cestus asked.
"I would give you a straitjacket and send you back to Canterlot kicking and screaming." Ratchet answered.
I don't even want to know if he was joking. Cestus thought. "Well right now, I'm going to give you a chance to prove that my hypothetical question is incorrect. Could you tell me what exactly happened when Pinkie Pie was here?"
"If it would speed this visit up so I can get back to work, then I'll happily play along."
-I left her side once while the filly was stabilized, and I guess none of the nurses noticed. -I saw Pinkie Pie smothering the kid as soon as I came back up here. -No other pony was in the room at the time. -I've never seen a pony as pink as her, so I knew it was Pinkie. -After that, she jumped out of the window and was gone.
"Hmm...doesn't really sound like ground breaking testimony." Cestus said.
"Testimony? This is a hospital, not a courthouse!" Ratchet argued. "Besides, I already said I saw Pinkie in there smothering the kid with a pillow! What more proof do you need?"
Everything he said...makes....perfect sense. Cestus admitted to himself, but he didn't want to say it in front of Ratchet. "But after you saw her, where did she go?"
"I already told you. She jumped out of the window."
Cestus shook his head, not happy with the answer. "No, I mean AFTER that. We're on the forth floor of this hospital. There would be no way for Pinkie Pie to escape."
"That's ridiculous. Why couldn't she escape? If anything, it was a great idea on her end."
What is he talking about? I know Pinkie is an odd one, but there's no way she could survive a thirty or thirty-five foot drop, especially since I didn't find a bloody corpse on my way in here. Why would he think Pinkie could survive it?
Ratchet's Claim:Something made Auto Ratchet think Pinkie can jump out of tall buildings and live.
Cestus had a lot of questions that he needed to have answered, but that's exactly what his rebuttal is for. He just hoped that Doctor Ratchet would be less cryptic.
-I left her side once while the filly was stabilized, and I guess none of the nurses noticed.
HOLD IT!
"Why would you leave the hospital? Didn't Princess Celestia personally tasked you to keeping Apple Bloom alive?"
When Cestus asked his question, Ratchet gave him a very angry glare in return. The fear-inducing look caused Cestus to remember exactly why the doctor left his post.
Oh, right. I had one of my guys go get him so he could bandage up my hoof. I guess I was the one who dropped the ball there. Cestus realized. Sheesh, Doc didn't even say anything and I lost this. No wonder I keep losing to Twilight in cross-examinations. I better just let him continue.
-I saw Pinkie Pie smothering the kid as soon as I came back up here.
HOLD IT!
"Before you say anything..." Ratchet said. "Yes, I DID see Pinkie Pie here."
"Th-that wasn't my question." Cestus said, even though it WAS the first question he planned on asking. "Uh... when did you say you saw her here?"
"I just told you. As soon as I came back." Ratchet said angrily.
"No. I meant when EXACTLY. What time was it?"
The doctor had to think about it to try and remember, but he came up with an answer. "About an hour ago, at ten after two. I came back like five or ten minutes after I patched you up. After that, I guess Pinkie went to the hospital to go after the unguarded filly. I guess that also would've been after you failed to catch her."
"You don't say." Cestus said, as a thought entered his mind. "Doc, could you, for argument sake, repeat that last bit of information?"
Ratchet groaned as he was asked the question. "It's not a good sign when youngins have worse hearing than an old pony like me."
-Pinkie Pie would've came here right after she gave you the slip, some time after 2:10 or 2:15.
FREEZE!
"Oh, freeze yourself." Ratchet said.
Never a dull moment. Cestus thought. "Something is wrong with your testimony, Doc. It contradicts with another pony's testimony."
"I thought I already made it clear that this is a hospital, but what the heck. So who's testimony did I contradict?"
With a smile on his face, Cestus answered. "It contradicts mine." Cestus then took out the note he wrote after Pinkie Pie escaped. "I chased after Pinkie Pie myself. She ran right into the Everfree Forest.
"Yeah? So?" Ratchet asked.
"It's simple really. At that time, me and most of my squad were waiting outside the forest waiting for her to leave, which also happened at 2:10. During the time you were there, she was never seen leaving. Therefore, we have to assume that during the time Apple Bloom was getting smothered, Pinkie Pie was still in the Everfree Forest."
"Baloney." Ratchet said. "Oh wait, I guess I should say it like, "BALONEY!", since that's how you ponies have been saying it."
Have we really been sounding like that? Cestus asked himself. "But with such timing, doesn't it makes sense?"
"Your claims are based off of something you couldn't see. Mine are based on what I DID see. Unless you can prove to the court that Pinkie was in the forest when I saw her here, then maybe I really should get you a straitjacket."
I guess he really was joking before about the straitjacket. Cestus thought. But he's right. After 2:10, we had no idea where Pinkie ran off to. Is there anything that can prove that Pinkie wasn't actually here?
Cestus was really thrown into a bind. He still believed in Pinkie Pie, but because he didn't have an answer to all of the questions, he would still be all alone with the obvious exception of Twilight, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. Even if convincing Doctor Ratchet wasn't important, convincing Prosecutor Hope and the rest of the court was, and if Ratchet was brought in as a witness, the trial would likely end in an instant.
As Cestus thought about his position, a nurse, after arriving to the floor via elevator, ran to Doctor Ratchet. She whispered a few things into his ear, and none of it was something he almost didn't want to hear.
"Where was she?" Ratchet asked.
"I don't know. I just know she's here."
"I see." Ratchet wanted to think about the situation in more detail, but he knew that he had no time to do it. He then stuck his head into Apple Bloom's room to call out to Scootaloo. "Hey kid! Your visit with your friend has to come short!"
"Why, what happened Doc?" Cestus asked.
"Well old friend, it appears that we're about to find out where Pinkie Pie was this whole time."
With the news that Pinkie Pie was at Ponyville Hospital, Cestus, Scootaloo, Winona, and Ratchet ran back down to the ground floor as quickly as they could, although the need for the elevator limited their speed. As they were told, the pink menace was found in the waiting room, sitting on a stretcher with police escorts all around her. Even though she apparently needed a doctor, she still looked like her usual bubbly self.
"Hi Cestus! Hi Scootaloo! Hi grumpy-looking doctor!" Pinkie greeted.
As Pinkie waved her hoof at the group, they all got a very a quick idea as to why she was at the hospital of all places. The tip of all four of her hooves had taken some serious damage. The pink fur had disappeared, and even the exposed skin was a burnt red and was flaking.
Wh-WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS MARE? Cestus asked himself.
Doctor Ratchet, as soon as he saw Pinkie's hooves, ran over to take a closer look. As a doctor, he didn't like what he saw.
"These are chemical burns." Ratchet said. "Miss Pie, what in Celestia's name happened?"
"It's a secret." Pinkie answered, being as uncooperative as possible. "All I can say is that I don't plan on doing it again anytime soon. It hurt a little bit."
A LITTLE?
"Nurse! NURSE! Help me treat this victim!"
Wanting to treat Pinkie as quickly as possible, Ratchet used his magic to push Pinkie's stretcher into the next room. The speed he went was amusing to Pinkie, as if she was on a ride. Since it was Pinkie Pie, the officers tried to follow her to make sure she wasn't going anywhere.
"Wait! You there!" Cestus said to one of the officers. "Where was the defendant? How did you find her?"
"Sir!" The officer answered with a salute. "We found her near Sweet Apple Acres. A young mare found her and reported it. She's right by the entrance."
As the officer pointed out, there was indeed a mare waiting who was standing by the hospital's entrance. She was a pony who Cestus was already familiar with, as well as Winona, who ran over to the pony. There was only one pony he knew with the orange coat and cowboy hat like she did.
That's Applejack. I guess they finally let her go. Does that mean she really didn't have anything to do with the poisoning?
Regardless of whether or not she was the one who tried to poison Pinkie Pie, it was clear that Applejack was the one who called for help. A question that needed to be answered though was: Why would she do that?
"Miss Applejack!" Cestus said as he walked over to her. "You of all ponies called for help?"
"Huh? So what if I did?" Applejack answered. She then nudged Winona out of her way. "Look buddy, I'm in a bit of a hurry, so let's just leave it like that."
FREEZE!
"Hold on, Applejack!" Scootaloo said, stopping Applejack. "We actually need your help! We're looking for the guy who framed Pinkie."
Did she just steal my freeze line? I liked it when everypony else just said objection. Cestus thought. "While I don't want the kid to speak for me, she's right. My investigation has lead me to believe that your friend was framed."
"Don't be silly. Of course she's your gal." Applejack answered.
"You seem so certain that Pinkie Pie was the one who tried to hurt your little sister. You definitely seem like the pony who would rather get revenge on her if you had the chance."
Applejack turned away from Cestus when he brought up that point. With such a desire for vengeance, she could've done much worse if she wanted to, but for some reason, she didn't. She had a reason that she did what she did.
"You don't know Pinkie Pie. She's not a pony that you can simply harm." Applejack said. "You could take any kind of weapon, find her, trap her, but you'll fail to harm her every time. Why? She simply had a sense for things like that. No pony brain is capable of comprehending it and nopony should either!"
Wow. She's scarier than Pinkie Pie herself. I sort of wish I didn't bring a kid with me. Cestus thought with fear. "Well look pal, if you were to tell me what you can, maybe we can both figure something out about Pinkie Pie. I've got some questions for you anyway."
"The questions can wait. I need to see my little sister. We'll talk then."
As she had no interest in talking to Cestus, Applejack tried to walk away to see Apple Bloom, but Cestus wouldn't allow it. He stopped Applejack by reaching out and grabbing her hoof.
"Now hold on there, pal! I made a promise to Twilight that I would solve this mystery, and if you really were a friend of hers, you'd help me help her."
Applejack was shocked from what she heard. In fact, Cestus was surprised that he said it. He wasn't suppose to tell anypony that he was working with Twilight, but it did manage to keep Applejack interested.
"Fine then." Applejack said. "Let's go somewhere private to talk. How about the farm?"
"Lead the way, pal."
With Applejack moving ahead, Cestus and Scootaloo began to follow Applejack as she began to lead them to Sweet Apple Acres with Winona following all three. Cestus had questions, but he wasn't the only one. Scootaloo stayed close to Cestus to ask something.
"Hey pal. What is it you're trying get out of her?" Scootaloo asked.
Great, now she's stealing my favourite word. Cestus thought before answering the filly. "I'm finding it hard to believe that Applejack has been honest with us, especially after seeing her at the trial today. I plan on getting the truth out of her, even if I have to punch it out of her."
"But how much can she really know?"
That was a question Cestus decided not to answer. Even though they made sure Applejack wasn't hearing, Cestus wanted to make sure she didn't know his real opinion was on the matter.
I don't know Applejack as well as Twilight does, so I can't put my trust in her. THAT will be my greatest weapon in our upcoming battle of wits. As soon as I knock-out Applejack, I will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she's the pony that I've been looking for all day.
February 13, 3:58 PM Sweet Apple Acres Cutie Mark Crusader's Treehouse
As Applejack promised, she brought Cestus and Scootaloo back to her farm so that she could engage a very interesting conversation with them. Before they arrived to the meeting place, they decided to bring Winona back home since they had didn't need her for the time being. Until then, Cestus had some questions he wanted to ask and Applejack, who agreed to answer them. Cestus had to admit that he was working for Twilight to pull it off, but information can be worth any price.
Applejack brought the group to a secluded area of the farm where a treehouse was located. This was the area Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo would come to play, so It was an ideal place for a pony to be alone.
"Alright, copper. What do you want?" Applejack asked.
"First, I'd like to ask you about yourself. You were taken in for being the prime suspect of an attempted murder, yet you were here at your home. What gives?" Cestus asked.
"Ha! Like you said, I was under suspicion, but nothing more. You guys had nothing on me, so they couldn't hold me. Don't feel bad though, your cop buddies had the same idea."
Oh yeah, this is Ponyville and not Canterlot. I guess if Ponyville's police were to have let her out, my officers wouldn't know right away. Cestus thought. "But even now, you're still suspicious."
"As if I care. As long as justice is served, you boys can do whatever you want with me."
Doesn't even care if she's innocent or not, all because she wants Pinkie Pie to go down. She must hate Pinkie more than I hate Prince Blueblood. I just wish a pony's dislike of another could be used as evidence.
Since Cestus had no evidence or lines of logic that could further prove Applejack's involvement with the poisoning, it looked like a hopeless venture. But since it involved Pinkie and potentially the pony he was after, he didn't want to let it go. He had to find an opening in the conversation before getting back to the subject he wanted to cover.
"Tell me, Miss Applejack. When and how did you find Pinkie Pie? I'm afraid that I'm still in the dark here."
"A good question." Applejack answered. "I found Pinkie Pie near the entrance to the Everfree Forest. She was walking, though not very well, and as soon as she was out, she sat down. Her hooves looked pretty bad, so I knew she wouldn't have gotten away if I chased after her."
"But instead, you called the police." Cestus said.
"Like I said, I would've taken my chance for revenge right there and then, but...but Pinkie.." Applejack said with a stutter as she couldn't find the right words to use. "I knew it would've been pointless."
"And yet, you tried to poison her anyway."
"That wasn't me! It was--" Applejack was about to say something, but cut herself off at the last second. She almost said something she didn't want to say, which sparked Cestus's curiosity. "Forget it. What's important is that I didn't do it."
Oh, I believe you. I know "you" didn't poison her. Cestus thought. "While that may or may not be true, Miss Applejack, I'd like to hear you explain why you think that."
"Now hold on! I already told your cop buddies why I'm innocent."
"Yes and I'm sure they will give me a full report on it, but I want to hear the story from your mouth too. Please give me your story on why you couldn't of poisoned Pinkie Pie."
Applejack was annoyed for having to explain herself again, especially since she already did it in court and in police custody, but since it would help her get rid of Cestus, she complied. What she didn't know was that Cestus was planning to lure her in so he can get her back into police custody.
-Alright look. I'm suspicious because I own that pesticide, right? -Well here's the deal. That's ALL you've got on me. -I own the pesticide, but that's the only suspicious thing I own -You have nothing else on me.
"Tell me, do you have any idea if anypony else could get their hooves on this pesticide?" Cestus asked.
"How the hay should I know? I honestly can't even remember where I got my jar." Applejack answered. "I just know it's not a commonly used type of pesticide."
So logically, the pesticide at the barn would've been what was used. I think I'm ready to give my rebuttal..
-Alright look. I'm suspicious because I own that pesticide, right?
-Well here's the deal. That's ALL you've got on me.
HOLD IT!
"Once could argue that your behavior in court is odd, could you not?" Cestus asked.
OBJECTION!
"And what exactly was odd about the way I acted? Was it because I was so aggressive towards Pinkie Pie? In case you've forgotten, she tried to kill my little sister."
FREEZE!
"We've been finding proof that she didn't!" Scootaloo said to Applejack.
"Kid, quiet down." Cestus said.
"No, no. Let her speak." Applejack responded. "I'd very much like to hear what you two found today."
"We can't. It's...it's currently classified information. We can't release to the general public."
"Yet a school girl knows about it?" Applejack argued.
"She's...an honorary junior detective." Cestus said quickly.
"An honorary detective? Does this mean I get a badge?" Scootaloo asked.
This is really backfiring on me. This is why I hate letting subjects change. Cestus thought. "Look, none of this has anything to do with this crime. Let's keep talking about the pesticide that you own."
Neither Applejack or Scootaloo were happy with that fact that Cestus got the original topic back on hoof, but Applejack continued from there anyway.
-I own the pesticide, but that's the only suspicious thing I own
HOLD IT!
"So you own the pesticide that I found at your barn. What you're saying is that that's the ONLY suspicious thing you own there. Am I correct?"
"Well, unless I have one of those killing knifes you showed in court today, then yes, the pesticide is the only dangerous thing I have at the barn." Applejack explained.
FREEZE!
Confident with the contradiction he found, Cestus gave a cheeky smile. "Miss Applejack, did you know that the pesticide wasn't the only thing that was found at your barn?"
"It wasn't?" Scootaloo asked. She began to think back to when she and Cestus was at the farm, and after a moment, remembered something. "OH! Those sleeping pills, right?"
"Exactly. We found the deadly pesticide in a chest, and sitting next to it was a rather suspicious looking bottle of sleeping pills. My theory is--"
OBJECTION!
"Your theories don't mean--" Applejack tried to say.
FREEZE!
"As I was saying...my theory is that the sleeping pills found at the barn was used to knock Pinkie Pie out." Cestus went on to explain. "You see, based on Pinkie Pie's testimony, she couldn't remember anything during the time your sister was attacked. I believe somepony used those pills on her so that she could frame her for the crime."
"I see..." Applejack answered. "And because I, a mare who's had trouble sleeping for the last few days, also happens to own a bottle of sleeping pills..."
"Exactly. Miss Applejack, I have a strong feeling that you are not only responsible the poisoning crime, but are also responsible for the attempted murder of Apple Bloom!"
Cestus was making a very wild claim against Applejack. It was something nopony, not even Cestus himself, could believe. The idea was so ridiculous that an objection was heard from one of his own allies.
FREEZE!
"Mister Cestus, that's....that's just dumb!" Scootaloo said angrily. "Why would Applejack want to hurt her own sister?"
"She's right, you know. I even have an alibi, what with Granny Smith an all." Applejack said confidently.
"Fear not, my little pony. I know it doesn't make much sense right now, but I plan on proving that the pony in front of us is our killer." Cestus assured. "I even have more evidence to back my claim up."
"You don't say." Applejack said curiously. "Alright big guy. Tell me. What's this evidence you got on me?"
Gave her a heck of a left hook. Time for the right. Cestus thought. "About those sleeping pills I mentioned, there's actually one more thing related to it that's worth bringing up."
TAKE THAT!
What Cestus then showed off to Applejack was the piece of paper that was used to capture the hoofprints found on the sleeping pill bottle. "Now I'm not going to deny it, but it seems that your hoofprints was not found on any of the new evidence."
"Of course not. That's because I'm not involved in this mess." Applejack answered.
"Actually, the prints found prove that you WERE involved." Cestus explained. "While yours weren't found, a hoofprint scan showed that the accused, Pinkie Pie, did have her hoofprints on your jar. This raises a very big question: If your sleeping pills and the pesticide found at the barn has nothing to do with the crime, how come this hoofprint says otherwise?"
As soon as Cestus asked his question, Applejack became startled. Her hat almost flew off her head and had to hold it down to keep herself from losing it. Naturally, she became very nervous after learning about the hoofprint.
"P-Pinkie's hoofprint? That's impossible!" Applejack stated. "When did...how did she...UGH!"
"These sleeping pills are not something Pinkie Pie should've been able to touch. Unless you can explain how she could, I think I need to take you back to the station for more questioning."
OBJECTION!
"I don't have to explain anything! She has a key to...she has a key to my barn. I'm sure when she took my pesticide, since she even admitted to poisoning somepony, she found my pills too."
FREEZE!
"Not possible. I found that the pesticide was still in that chest. If she did someone get it, she wouldn't have been able to bring it back."
OBJECTION!
"That I WILL explain. Do you seriously think the idea of me having more than one can of pesticide is out of the question?"
FREEZE!
"How could Pinkie possibly gotten this stuff anyway?" Scootaloo asked. "She's been in jail this whole time, hasn't she?"
That's true, but one could easily argue that she got the pesticide before she attacked Apple Bloom. Cestus thought.
With how things were going, as all the three ponies were doing was shouting objection and freeze back and forth, but it wasn't a subject that could simply be dropped. Cestus had to think very carefully to make sure he didn't miss anything.
Let's see. We found in the barn a bottle of sleeping pills that this broad claims to be hers, yet the hoofprints found...EUREKA! Cestus thought as he finally realized something big and rather obvious. "Applejack, are you certain that you own those sleeping pills?"
"Alright buddy, this is getting boring." Applejack answered. "Yes, for the hundredth time, those pills are mine."
A smile cracked on Cestus face as Applejack began to dig her grave. "Really? Well if you think about it, that's quite odd." To further support his argument, Cestus once again took out the hoofprint he showed earlier. "Pinkie Pie's hoofprint was found on the bottle. I know I saw to it that the prints were taken off of it. But here's the problem. Only Pinkie Pie's hoofprints were on the bottle. So my question is: Why aren't yours?"
Once again, Applejack became frightened by the argument. Her hat would've flown off of her head if she hadn't held it on her head tightly. This was a very big contradiction and Applejack couldn't even come up with a good explanation.
"Well...maybe Pinkie accidently wiped mine off?"
"No way!" Scootaloo replied. "You yourself said that you've been taking them because you're worried about Apple Bloom!"
"The kid is right. There's no logical reason for your hoofprints to not be on the bottle." Cestus explained.
OBJECTION!
"There's also no logical reason for Pinkie's to be on them." Applejack argued. "Unless you can explain that little detail, none of this mumbo jumbo matters."
UGH! She's right. There isn't any reason for Pinkie's hoofprints to be on that bottle. As a pony who's worked for AND against Pinkie, even I agree with that. So why are Pinkie's prints there?
Cestus was quiet, which wasn't good for keeping Applejack interested enough to stay. He thought very carefully about how Pinkie's hoofprints were on the sleeping pill bottle, no matter how illogical it seemed. It didn't help that the words "logical" and "Pinkie" don't mix well together.
Pinkie hoofprints...none from this broad...I wonder... Cestus thought. As an idea finally went into his head, he became more and more certain. I think it's about time I explain why I've been suspected this mare.
"Enough already!" Applejack said. "You two have wasted enough of my time already."
"Not so fast. I think I've just thought of something that may solve this entire mystery." Cestus said.
With an unimpressed look on her face, Applejack said..."I'm all ears."
"First, let's talk about something else with Pinkie's hoofprints."
TAKE THAT!
"Now as we've already confirmed at the trial today, the dagger used on your little sister had Pinkie's hoofprints." Cestus explained. "I'm not going to lie. I do honestly believe that the dagger in question was the weapon. That said, I would like you to ease my suspicions of you being the culprit."
"So you want my hoofprints, huh? Well I already gave it to you. The other day, your cop buddies asked me to add my hoofprints to their collection." Applejack explained.
"Yes, I remember that. We keep a well updated record of every pony involved in this case."
"Then I've got nothing else that you need."
Hearing Applejack's comment made Cestus laugh. It was at that point that he realized that he had complete control over the situation. "You want us to believe that, don't you?"
Cestus's choice of words confused Scootaloo, but it also caused Applejack to become very nervous. The more she acted this way, the more Cestus knew that his true believes was true, and he was ready to reveal what he had suspected.
"I truly believe that Applejack is an innocent pony. I'm not going to lie. But unless I can get the hoofprints of the pony before me, I won't be able to find the real serial killer."
"You lost me." Applejack said.
"Yeah, you lost me too." Scootaloo said, agreeing with Applejack.
"It's actually something I've suspected for a little while, but I admit that I was fooled too, Scootaloo. But because of a certain...something...about the pony in front of us, I made an interesting discovery." Cestus explained. "Truth be told, the pony you and I have been looking for this whole time right in front of us."
"Okay, now I'm REALLY lost." Scootaloo said in confusion. "Are you telling me that Applejack really did frame Pinkie Pie and hurt Apple Bloom?"
"No, I'm afraid not. The mare we've been talking too this whole time...is an imposter!"
The shock caused by Cestus's claim caused "Applejack" to jump in fright again, barely avoiding the loss of "her" hat once more. "Wh-what? Are you mad?" Applejack asked.
"Absolutely livid, because it's taken me so long to track you down."
FREEZE!
"Mr Cestus, she's not the perp." Scootaloo argued. "We haven't found any evidence that tells us she's not Applejack."
"Oh, that's right." Cestus said as he remembered something. "You weren't around when I learned a little something about Applejack, which creates a big contradiction in her own existence."
"Actually, now that you mention it, I haven't heard her say sugarcube once today, and that's her catchphrase."
"That just means his or her impression of Applejack is not a good one."
OBJECTION!
"Look at me! I'm an orange pony with apples as my cutie mark, long blond mane, and my accent is recognized by all. You can't tell me that I don't look like me."
"I agree. You bear an identical resemblance to her, right down to the littlest detail. But that's the problem. You look too much like her." Cestus explained. "This is because there's one little detail about you that shouldn't exist."
Applejack, assuming she was the real deal, got very angry at Cestus for the accusation. In the end, she challenged the red stallion"Well out with it then. What proof do you have that says I'm not the real Applejack? What do you got?"
TAKE THAT!
"Oh no, my little imposter. It's not what I have. It's what you shouldn't have. You see, when I went to see Pinkie Pie at the detention center, she told me that Applejack lost her precious hat at the courthouse. So why do you have it now?"
OBJECTION!
"Is...is th-the possibility of me finding it again s-so wrong?" The so-called Applejack stammered.
"I suppose not, but it still warrants further questioning. If you want to prove you're really Applejack--"
FREEZE!
"Cestus, she must be Applejack!" Scootaloo interrupted. "The pony we're after is a pegasus. Applejack is an earth pony."
"But is the killer really a pegasus?" Cestus asked. "Because I believe that our killer can be a an unicorn, pegasus, OR an earth pony."
Pony Type: the serial killer may be any of the three basic pony types (Earth, unicorn, pegasus).
"A pony who can be anything?" Scootaloo asked. "Wait...are you saying that...we're after a CHANGLING!?"
"Don't be silly. We found a feather that belonged to a pony, and changlings, as far as I know, leave no such thing." Cestus explained to Scootaloo. "But that does confirm that our killer does indeed have feathers."
The killer can fly: The black feather confirms that the killer is at least part pegasus.
"So you're saying I'm an alicorn?" Applejack asked. "I have officially heard it all, sugarcube. "
I bet if Scootaloo wasn't here, she would never of said sugarcube. Cestus thought. "But for argument's sake, let's pretend that the killer, and not necessarily you, could pass off as an alicorn. It would explain several interesting mysteries all at once."
The killer can fly: The black feather confirms that the killer is at least part pegasus.
Ratchet's Claim: Something made Auto Ratchet think Pinkie can jump out of tall buildings and live.
"As you've already heard, "Pinkie" was at the hospital to try and finish off Apple Bloom, which ended in failure. Pinkie somehow managed to escape the room by jumping out of the hospital room, something that didn't surprise Doctor Ratchet."
"Oh, I get it." Applejack admitted. "He must've thought Pinkie Pie was a pegasus pony."
"Exactly. If Doc saw Pinkie flying with wings, he would've thought she was a pegasus, and since he never met her before, he wouldn't think she's an earth pony in reality."
Cestus's explanation using his logic cleared up one mind-puzzling mystery, but there was still more that he needed to clear up. To do this, he began to mix and match two more mysteries.
Pony Type: the serial killer may be any of the three basic pony types (Earth, unicorn, pegasus).
Twilight at the center: Simply being there was very questionable.
"Today at the detention center, after talking with Pinkie, I saw Twilight there, and she was acting as strange as...well, you."
The mare in front of Cestus took Cestus's comment as an insult, but it was also clear she was getting pressed harder and harder by Cestus's argument.
"If my theory is true, then that pony at the detention center was NOT Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight Imposter: Twilight Sparkle at the detention center must've been the killer.
Twilight Imposter: Twilight Sparkle at the detention center must've been the killer.
Pinkie's Escape: How was she able to escape the detention center?
"And that, ladies, solves the last mystery: How did Pinkie Pie escape from the detention center" Cestus asked rhetorically.
As soon as Cestus asked his question, Scootaloo figured it out. "Princess Twilight is the killer?"
Close, yet so far, kid. Cestus thought. "The killer, able to impersonate alicorn, disguised him or herself one, fooled the guards and Pinkie Pie herself and encouraged Pinkie to escape and hide in the Everfree Forest. Why there of all places is still beyond my knowledge, but that's where my logic has taken me. So tell me. Am I on the bits?"
The pony who claimed to have been Applejack began sweating and was shaking in fear, but the imposter was not ready to give into the accusations. She remained undeterred.
"There is still one major flaw in your reasoning, sugarcube."
"And what would that be, pal?" Cestus asked.
"I'm clearly an earth pony! I'm clearly not an alicorn! I'm clearly Applejack! Unless you can prove me wrong, all of that is mindless conjecture."
And that there was my limit Cestus thought. I was hoping that I pieced everything in well enough that I could just get her to come clean. It looks like I need a little more.
Cestus began to think quietly to himself to try and come up with something he might've missed with his reasoning. With everything he came up with so far, the logic seemed sound, but with no actual solid evidence, he couldn't prove the pony he was seeing was an imposter without leaving to find the real one, and again, with no evidence, he couldn't leave the pony in front of him alone to find the real Applejack. He was stumped.
I remember hearing from Twilight that when she was defending Rarity, there were times she had to turn her way of thinking around. Maybe I should do the same. Cestus thought as he began to rethink the case. Maybe...instead of thinking of how she can be an alicorn...I should figure out how she can pass off as an earth pony!
"Enough! I have a farm to take care of and a little sister to visit." The mare said. "I'm outta here."
HOLD IT!
"You leave this place and I'm chasing after you, pal!"
"You figured it out?" Scootaloo asked.
"You bet your flank I did. The evidence to prove that this pony is an imposter has been in plain site this entire time."
OBJECTION!
"How many times do I have to say this? I'm. A. Earth. Pony!"
"I disagree. If my new theory is correct, then you are, in fact, a unicorn." Cestus replied, ready to prove his point. "The thing that will prove that you are a unicorn is..."
TAKE THAT!
OBJECTION!
"Nothing you have will prove that I'm not Applejack. You have no evidence!"
"You are 100% right. I have no evidence." Cestus agreed. "But we've established, you do. Right now, you can counter every word I've said today, and there's only one thing that you need to do. And that, Miss Imposter, is to remove your hat!"
"Remove my...WHAT!?"
"What are you getting at?" Scootaloo asked.
"Think about. If the imposter really was a unicorn or an alicorn capable of disguising themselves, they wouldn't be able to disguise themselves a an earth pony since they would have a great big horn sticking out of their heads."
"But if she was a pegasus, how could she hide her wings?"
"I'm not going to pretend I understand everything." Cestus admitted. "I'm only assuming that she somehow knows how to hide her wings. But even if that's the case, how can a pony be able to hind something like a horn?"
"Hmm...well Sweetie Belle's father is a unicorn, but I never even knew that until...until after he took off his hat!"
"So my theory isn't even far-fetched." Cestus happily said. "Well? What do you have to say to that?"
At that point, the jig was clearly up. The Applejack imposter was sweating bullets and was hanging onto their hat as tightly as possible. "I-I...I'm not...removing..."
With a sense of success, Cestus punched his hoof with the other and smiled. "Then we've established that you are an imposter."
"But if this isn't Applejack, then where is she?" Scootaloo asked.
"Probably still at the detention center in Ponyville's police custody, but that's not important right now. It's time to figure out who this pony is." Cestus said. He then raised his hoof toward the Applejack imposter and made his order. "You are now to give us your real name and your hoofprint sample. I'm curious to see if yours will match what we believe to be Pinkie Pie's!"
With nowhere to go and having no other arguments to counter Cestus's claims, the imposter Applejack looked as if she was finally defeated. Cestus and Scootaloo were hoping to see a surrender, but instead, they were given a smile. The imposter had regained her composer.
"Good work. You finally found me." The imposter confessed, but kept up the Applejack act.
What is she up to?
"As a matter of fact, I DO have something under my hat I'd like you to see."
Lifting up Applejack's hat slightly, the imposter reached into the hat, but was careful not to actually reveal what they had underneath the hat. As she pulled out her hoof, she revealed that hiding underneath the hat was a long metal rod of some sort.
"Wh-what is that?" Cestus asked nervously.
"A cattle prod. Found it while I was here. I even overclocked it a little bit." The imposter explained. "I couldn't get myself a taser since they're so rare in Equestria and only Canterlot police can get them, so I got resourceful."
After pushing a button on the cattle prod, it became active. the imposter wasn't lying when she said that it was overclocked as the electricity could be seen sparking along the prongs. The imposter lunged toward Cestus and gave him a very painful shock, causing him to fall to the ground.
As soon as Scootaloo tried to interfere, the imposter gave the filly a stab from the cattle prod. Unlike the fully grown stallion, Scootaloo lost consciousness as soon as she was zapped by the overpowered cattle prod.
"Scoot...ow..." Cestus said, barely able to stand back up.
"Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to kill you two. I've got too much use for you two." The imposter explained. "For now, I just need you to take a little nap. I need to arrange a meeting with your boss next. Well...bosses."
Bosses? Does she mean Hope ray and...oh no...Twilight!
"Nighty night."
With a final jab of the cattle prod, the imposter delivered the final blow needed to finally knock Star Cestus out cold. As he began to slip into unconsciousness, he got a final look at the imposter, and right before his eyes closed, he saw the real pony behind the disguise.
It was a brief look, but Cestus saw him. A grey coated stallion with a spikey black mane, just as Twilight described. He knew that it was in fact the pony he had been searching for.
There he is...the serial killer. I've been searching for him for months and he's right in front of me. You were absolutely right, Fatcat. You were right. Cestus thought, feeling a hollow victory. I'm sorry Scootaloo, for getting you into this. I'm sorry Pinkie Pie, for not proving your innocence. And Twilight...Twilight Sparkle...I'm sorry for failing you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Februrary 13, Several Hours Earlier ???
"Are we there yet?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Just about. Sorry for the long wait, but we're almost there." Twilight said. "We'll be at Pinkie's home town really soon now.
"And hey, since it's been a little while, would it be okay if I took another look at the evidence we have so far? Just as a reminder?"
"Fine, Sweetie Belle. But you can't drop them again. I don't want to spend another 10 minutes looking through the ground finding everything again."
With another look at her organizer with Sweetie Belle, Twilight was reminded of everything she's found in the case so far as well as the ponies involved as she reached her destination. While she was hoping to find new evidence to defend Pinkie Pie, she also hoped that at the time, Cestus was making progress in his investigation.
February 13, 2:02PM Rocky Road Village Town Entrance
It was a long and tiring trip, at least for Twilight Sparkle since she was the one who flapped her wings for an hour, but after their all of that, Twilight and Sweetie Belle had arrived at Pinkie Pie's home village. Considering that Pinkie was born and raised there, it was a rather dark and gloomy looking place. There was greenery surrounding the area, but the trees nearby were mostly dead.
Pinkie Pie lived here? Twilight asked herself.
"If I can get a cutie mark here, I won't want it." Sweetie Belle said. "Twilight, how long do we have to stay here?"
"Not as long as I'd like. We need to gather up some information about Pinkie's uncle, find some evidence that the police hopefully missed, then get back to Ponyville so I can get ready for the trial Tomorrow."
"Wow. No wonder you bribed a cop to help you."
Ugh....I'm so glad there isn't a pony around to hear that. Twilight thought, feeling thankful that it was just her and Sweetie Belle. Then, a thought occurred to her. "Wait, where is everypony?"
As soon as Twilight thought about it, she and Sweetie Belle realized that much of the small village was deserted. While it looked like Twilight and Sweetie Belle were the only ones in town, the silence between them made it clear that there were indeed ponies around since they could hear ponies talking, but that wasn't the only thing they were hearing.
"Is that...music?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I think I hear singing too!"
Following their ears, Twilight and Sweetie Belle walked around the town to find the source of music. As soon as they found a local, they found a big crowd of them. It appeared that the entire town was gathered around the one area, cheering in glee as they listen to the music Sweetie Belle heard.
In front of the crowd was a small, crudely made wooden stage, barely big enough for the two ponies on it. One was a white unicorn with a long black mane, a black top hat, pointy ears, a goatee beard and moustache, wore a matching black vest, and a had a skull-shaped guitar for a cutie mark, as well as an actual skull shaped guitar to play with. The second pony was an earth pony filly who was completely black, from her mane to her coat, but her mane and tail also had some pink. What really made the filly a sight to behold though was the simple fact that, aside from her coloring, she looked like a filly version of Pinkie Pie.
"Thank you! Thank you! You guys are the best crowd I've ever had!" The unicorn said. "That is until my next gig, where I'll be saying the same thing to them too. Goodnight everypony!"
"Dad, it's 2 o'clock." The filly said.
"It's night time somewhere. Later everypony!"
After ending the show on a humorous note, the townsfolk applauded the entertainers one more time and allowed them to leave their stage and go back to their own lives with smiles on their faces. Even Sweetie Belle enjoyed the show, even though she only saw the last minute.
"Those guys sound pretty good. Would it be alright if we take a detour and see them?" Sweetie Belle asked.
I'm having the feeling that this won't actually be a detour. Twilight thought. "Sure thing, Sweetie. Let's get their attention before they run off."
With the two ponies in sight while the crowd dispersed, Twilight and Sweetie went to meet them. While Sweetie Belle wanted to meet fellow singers, Twilight was curious as to why there was yet another pony around who had her mane styled the same way as Pinkie Pie's. They ran over and found the singer with the filly riding on top of his back.
"Excuse me, sir? Can we have a moment of your time?" Twilight asked.
The unicorn turned his head and noticed Twilight as she approached him, noticing that she was an alicorn princess. With a smile, he answered her. "Young mare, if you can find us a place, I can give you a whole night."
"Uhh...no, a few minutes will be fine."
"A few minutes is all we need?" The unicorn said, causing Twilight to feel awkward. But, after a chuckle from the unicorn, he eased the tension. "Just kidding, miss. Just being playful for a fan."
"Aww, were you?" The filly asked. "Cause you know, I've always wanted a little brother."
ACK! That kid is more perverted than her father! Twilight thought, feeling more agitated than ever.
Fortunately, Sweetie Belle spoke up to once again ease the tension, and not a moment too soon. "You two sounded great a few minutes ago. I just wish we were here earlier."
"Actually, this wasn't even a planned show. We were just in the area, I was practicing, and before we knew it, we had a little concert going." The unicorn explained. "Though it can't be good publicity since nopony here even know who the heck we even are."
"I...I see." Twilight said, who still felt uneasy. "By the way...who are you two? I'm Twilight Sparkle, and this is my friend Sweetie Belle."
The unicorn and the filly looked at each other and smiled, knowing fully well what they were to do next. The unicorn got up onto his hind legs and grabbed his guitar with the front legs. At the same time, the filly balanced herself on her father's flank and took out a violin.
After the unicorn's horn glowed a light purple, flames quickly engulfed him, replacing the white unicorn with a black unicorn with fire coming out of his eyes. With everything set, the two ponies began to sing.
We have hearts black as coal! For we are the darkest, By reaping for your souls, Through the concert's harvest!
But we love our true fans On extreme levels. So please join our great clan, The Jersey Devils!
With the end of their short song, the black unicorn returned to his original white coat and the filly resumed riding her father. Sweetie Belle was entertained by the performance and clapped her hooves for the two ponies.
"That was awesome!" Sweetie Belle said with a grin.
"Uhh...yeah. You guys...had good effects." Twilight said. Can't say I'm into goth music though.
"I guess a real introduction is needed." The unicorn said. "I'm Coltaire, the lead singer of the Jersey Devils."
"And I'm on the strings, for I am The Pony of Doom!" The filly claimed.
I think I just met Equestria's next supervillain. I just hope I get her instead of something like a Tartarus prisoner. Twilight thought, hoping she doesn't have to face any actual evil forces in the future. Wait a minute. The Jersey Devils?
After looking through the evidence Twilight had with her, she took a look a picture she had where Pinkie Pie was with a crowd of ponies, as well as the first victim. She remembered that the reason Pinkie was there was to see the Jersey Devils, which included Coltaire and the Pony of Doom.
"The Jersey Devils...I've heard of you guys!" Twilight exclaimed, pleasing Coltaire at first. "Ponies have died at your concerts!"
As soon as Twilight brought up the deaths, Coltaire's hoof slipped off of his guitar from the shock. The fun loving stallion suddenly became much more serious.
"P.O.D, go play with this filly for a few minutes." Coltaire said to his daughter.
"Sure thing. I'll teach her the dirty words you can't say on the radio." The Pony of Doom said as she jumped off of Coltaire's back.
"Sweetie Belle, go keep yourself entertained for a little bit while the grown-ups talk."
Sweetie Belle was disappointed that she wouldn't be helping Twilight right away, but she reluctantly followed her order and went to play with The Pony of Doom. With the kids out of the way, Twilight was ready to ask what Coltaire knew, but first, she began to channel a secret spell, causing her horn to glow a very light, barely notiecable green.
"Let me reintroduce myself. I am Princess Twilight Sparkle from Ponyville. Right now, I'm acting as a defense attorney for the pony who's accused of murdering the two ponies that went to your concert."
"You don't say. It's a real honor to meet such a pony." Coltaire said, happy to meet a princess. "I guess the wings and horn together should've gave it away, but I've heard about sightings of alicorns whenever there's a rainbow or something."
Intersting. He's not bothered by the fact that I'm defending a supposed killer. Twilight thought. "The accused, my client, is a friend of mine. Do you know anything about a mare named Pinkie Pie?"
As soon as Pinkie's name was brought up, darkness surrounded Coltaire, which was followed by a number of chains that came out of nowhere to surround him. Once the chains finished appearing, two red locks appeared to link them together.
"I-I can't say I'm familiar of such a pony."
Psyche-locks: courtesy of the magatama spell. I haven't tried breaking these since Rarity's trial. I hope I know how to do this.
"I'm a little surprised that you're not familiar with Pinkie Pie. She's been to your concerts many times, and like I said, she's been accused of both crimes that took place at them." Twilight explained.
"Yes, I've played at some crime scenes, but both time that they happened, the cops wouldn't give many ponies much information, not even me. In fact, the third time the murder happened, this small red dude told me to keep quiet."
"Interesting." Twilight said. "Mr. Coltaire, I don't think you realize this, but you just contradicted yourself."
"Oh? How so?" Coltaire asked. "Hey, that rhymes! I should write that down."
"Uhh...yeah. Anyway, you said that the "third" time, you were told to keep quiet. From what I've heard, only two ponies died at your concert."
"Wh-what?" Coltaire stammered. "Uhh...must've been a slip of the tongue."
"A slip of the tongue? No, I think I know the real reason you said the "third" murder." Twilight claimed. "You've been keeping up with the murders somehow. You don't just know Pinkie Pie. You know her uncle too, who happens to be the second murder victim."
Twilight's claim caused Coltaire to go uneasy, causing one of the two psyche-locks to break as a result. His secret was leaking, but he wasn't ready to spill it out completely.
"Uh...oh! I get it now." Coltaire said, feeling more confident then before. "So your friend is Shepard Pi's niece, huh? Yeah, I know Shepard. He's actually a friend of mine. He use to live around here."
"So you know Pinkie's uncle, but not Pinkie herself?"
"That's right. Me and Pi use to be drinking buddies way back. I've heard about how he helped raised your friend, but I've never actually met her."
Now I know that he's lying. This pony says that he DOES know Pinkie Pie.
TAKE THAT!
"You claim you've never met Pinkie? I say that you've not only met her, but so has your daughter too! Your kid bares a striking resemblance to her."
"A coincidence at most." Coltaire answered, not feeling intimidated. "Unless you can prove to me that my kid looking like your friend isn't a coincidence."
TAKE THAT!
With her magic, Twilight showed a picture that she had to Coltaire. It was the picture of Pinkie Pie together with Copycat at the Jersey Devil concert, which was when the first murder occurred. Coltaire took only a glance at it, but he quickly noticed where Twilight was going.
"I've always found it ironic how a mare named Copycat looked identical to Pinkie, but I think I've finally figured that mystery out." Twilight said after making her discovery. "It makes perfect sense that she was a fan girl who modeled herself after your daughter slash band mate, who in turn modeled herself after Pinkie."
Twilight's logic was solid, so much so that Coltaire once again, scaring him so much that his hoof once again slipped off of his guitar. After getting back his composure, he realized that Twilight knew what she was talking about. As a result, the other psyche-lock shattered into pieces.
With both psyche-locks gone, the chains began to disappear while the darkness lifted from the area. Twilight had gotten the truth out and was proud to have done it despite the fact that it had been a while since she last broke a lock.
With the cat out of the bag, Coltaire became more cooperative with Twilight. "My little pony of doom!" As soon as her name was heard, The Pony of Doom jumped onto her father's back once again. Sweetie Belle returned to Twilight as well since her new playmate was called back. "Did you make a new friend?"
"I sure did. I'm now a Cutie Mark Crusader!" The Pony of Doom said. "I have no idea what that is, but I'm putting that into a song anyway."
"You won't believe it. Her name actually IS The Pony of Doom!" Sweetie Belle said with a smile. "And I've learned some words that I will never be aloud to say to anypony."
I've never letting these kids play with each other again. Twilight thought, regretting what had just happened with the kids. "So what can you tell me about you two and Pinkie Pie."
"You know Miss Pie?" The Pony of Doom said as she squeed to the thought.
"Yeah, we've met with Pinkie Pie a few times. I'm a friend to the family, she's a fan of me, it's ying-yang." Coltaire explained. "Like you said, my cute evil pony here is quite fawn of her. Pinkie's the one who styled her mane."
"She even babysat for me a couple of times. I would always eat SO much cake when she's around!"
It sounds like they know Pinkie very well. Why would Coltaire try so hard to hide that? Twilight asked herself. She then asked Coltaire another question. "So why are you two here anyway? Feels like a coincidence to meet you two here at this time."
"We're witnesses!" The Pony of Doom answered.
"Well said." Coltaire said. "You said you're defending Pinkie, right? Well, me and The Pony of Doom have been called in to tell our side of the story. We were actually supposed to be in Ponyville by now, which I'm sure is where the trial is, but we got lost."
"No we didn't. You traded our train tickets for cider!" The Pony of Doom corrected.
"Ignoring that. But yeah, we'll be a little late coming to the witness stand."
"What do they want you to say?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I'm not entirely sure. I just know that the prosecutor was the one who sent the message that summoned us to Ponyville to share our story of the third murder."
So these two are Hope Ray's witnesses. Maybe it would be better if they didn't come to Ponyville right away so I'll more time to learn about the third murder. Twilight thought, but then she felt guilty for thinking about such a thing
"But that's alright. Me and Daddy are enjoying our trip together." The Pony of Doom said. "We don't even want to go to the trial anyway. Especially Daddy."
"P.O.D, now you're starting to embarrass me."
"Please, you embarrass yourself as is with that get-up you wear."
"Oh ho! Well at least I DO wear something?" Coltaire said as he reached and gave his daughter a noogie, causing the two ponies to playfully laugh together.
Such an adorable pair. They're like the perfect father and daughter duo. And yet I still sense a dark secret hidden by them. Twilight thought. "One last question and I'll let you guys go. Why were you pretending you didn't know Pinkie Pie earlier?"
"Isn't it because Mr. Pi asked us not too?" The Pony of Doom asked.
"Yeah, he did. Sorry princess, but that's a secret I'm not ready to share." Coltaire admitted.
At that point, Twilight realized that she was still channeling the magatama spell. This was because the secret Coltaire was hiding caused darkness to surround him once again, which was followed by numerous chains that were sealed off by five psyche-locks.
Ah nuts. I don't have the time to interrogate a pony with a secret this huge. I guess i'll have to wait until the trial.
Wasting enough magic as is, as well as asking all of the questions she had for the time being, Twilight deactivated her spell and got ready to wrap up her conversation with Coltaire. She came to Pinkie's home village to learn about her uncle, but she was happy that she also got to run into a witness for the case. She just hoped that she would have enough time to investigate the third murder as well.
"Okay, thank you very much for your time, sir." Twilight said. "I'll see you both when you get to Ponyville. Remember, the second day of the trial is tomorrow."
"Ah, don't worry. We'll be sure to get to Ponyville before we miss it." Coltaire said.
"Assuming we don't walk by more fans. Or a bar for my Daddy." The Pony of Doom added.
"That's enough out of you. You make it sound like I have a problem." Coltaire jokingly said.
"You have many problems."
As The Pony of Doom mocked her father in a joking manner, the father and daughter duo made their way out of town to their next destination. On the surface, they sounded like a dysfunctional family, but spending a few minutes with them had proven otherwise.
"I like those guys." Sweetie Belle said. "The Pony of Doom said that she'd bring a copy of their new record for me when they get to Ponyville."
"Oh, well that's nice of her."
"I know. By the way Twilight, could I borrow ten bits?" Sweetie Belle asked, making a cute face and a squeeing sound.
Is the only way I'm able to get help for this thing is to pay for it? Twilight asked herself, not looking forward to the debt she'll likely have by the end of the case. "We'll talk about that later. I want to get to Pinkie's uncle's home. Let's get going."
Having spent enough time already talking with Coltaire, Twilight decided that it was time to investigate the second crime scene at long last. She didn't have another minute to lose, so she hoped to not walk into any other musicians.
February 13, 2:40PM Rocky Road Village Shepard Pi's Mansion
After walking around the town and asking some of the locals, Twilight and Sweetie Belle found the address for Pinkie's Uncle Shepard's home. He lived at a large house that was on top of a large hill at the edge of the village. It was very old and run down, looking almost as if it was haunted. Since it was still the middle of the day and there light out, the house didn't look scary, but rather depressing.
"Wow. This place looks like nopony has lived in it for years." Sweetie Belle said with a frown.
"But Pinkie's uncle hasn't even been gone for six months." Twilight noted. I guess there's no building inspectors for miles.
With nothing left to do but to actual go into the large building, Twilight and Sweetie Belle made for the doors. There was a large boulder that was blocking them, but Twilight used her magic to lift it out of the way. Twilight then tried to turn the knob open, but found that the door was locked.
"I think somepony doesn't want us to go in." Sweetie Belle noted.
"Canterlot's police probably doesn't want any other pony to go in." Twilight said.
"Wrong! I don't want ANYPONY to go in there!"
A firm and angry voice from behind frightened the two mares. A light-brown earth pony with a greying mane, a black fedora hat, and a piece of straw in his mouth, approached Twilight and Sweetie with the intent of chasing them away from the house. However, after Twilight turned to face him, the old stallion calmed down.
"Wait, aren't you my daughter's friend?"
"Daughter's...oh, you must Pinkie's dad." Twilight said, feeling relieved. "Mr. Rock or something like that, isn't it?"
"Igneous Rock, ma'am." He answered. he then gave Twilight and Sweetie Belle a much better greeting by taking off his hat and bowing down to them. "But I'm afraid that I still can't let anypony into my brother's home."
"Please, Mr. Rock. We need to go in there as soon as possible." Twilight pleaded.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I've got too much stress going on right now to let this place be a tourist attraction or anything. Maybe come back in a few days when my problem is dealt with."
"I can't. The trial will last for, at most, two more days. It'll be way too late."
When Twilight brought up the trial, Igneous raised an eyebrow in interest. "Do you mean my daughter's trial? The one that I've heard so much about recently?"
Oh thank Celestia. We're on the same page. Twilight thought. "Yes, and I'm not just Pinkie's friend. I'm also her defense. I've been spending the last few days doing what I can to defend her, but to do that, I need to learn what I can about Pinkie's uncle. His death will be the main topic for the trial tomorrow. Let me in so I can learn about this crime."
Igneous wasn't happy with the idea of letting strangers into his deceased brother's home, but since his daughter's life was at stake, he had no other choice. He nodded his head to Twilight and have her his approval.
Alright. Now I can finally get a good investigation started.
To allow the mares to enter the building, Igneous reached for a nearby rock and pulled out a hidden key underneath, something that caused Twilight to roll her eyes. Using the key, he unlocked and opened up the doors, giving them all access to the mansion.
"My brother has a lot of strange equipment and gizmos in this place. Please be very careful and do not touch anything." Igneous warned before leading Twilight and Sweetie Belle inside. "And we still have much to talk about."
You can say that again. I have a lot of questions to ask about Shepard Pi. Maybe Pinkie's dad can answer those questions.
February 13, 2:44PM Shepard Pi's mansion The Laboratory
With the assistance and approval of Pinkie Pie's father, Igneous Rock, Twilight and Sweetie Belle were allowed to enter the home of Shepard Pi, the second victim of the murders. As Igneous brought the mares inside, they shared their story on how they had been protecting Pinkie and why they needed to investigate the second crime scene. Throughout the entire case, Shepard Pi's impact had been left as a mystery to the general public and even some officials. It was time for Twilight to actually learn about him.
The room Igneous brought Twilight and Sweetie was by far the largest room of the mansion, the laboratory. It had many large pieces of machinery and every table was covered in clutter, some of which was simply garbage. Even though the house was so big, one could tell that lab was the most frequently used room.
Twilight was very impressed by the equipment Shepard owned. "Wow. Look at all of this stuff! B-45 hyper thermal scanner. A rainbow-energy gauge..." But as soon as Twilight saw one item in particular, she gasped in awe. "Oh my gosh! A type-40 cryogetic freezer!" Twilight said as she hugged the device.
"Hey, hey, HEY! What did I tell you about touching the things in here?" Igneous yelled, furious that Twilight broke her promise already.
"I don't care. I live here now." Twilight said as she fell in love with the machinery around her.
To talk sense into Twilight, Sweetie Belle walked up to her, grabbed her by the tail, and started to pull her away from the machine she was hugging. "Twilight, we spent a long time getting here. Don't get us kicked out already."
No...why must she be right? Twilight asked herself, realizing that she had to stop going gaga over Shepard's lab. "Fine. Let's start our investigation."
After she used all of her willpower to resist the call of her beloved devices, Twilight began looking for anything out of place, but with all of the high-tech machinery around, it was easy for her to get distracted. Thankfully, she was able to find something of importance, and it was stained on the floor in the center of the room. It was a red spot that had become dry over a long period of time and was something that made Sweetie Belle sick to her stomach.
"I-I guess we know w-where he d-d-died now." Sweetie Belle stammered.
But there's not even police tape here. If there was important evidence at this spot, they would've already taken it. Twilight thought, knowing that her investigation wasn't off to a good start. She took a look around to find something else. "Aha!"
While there was so much scientific equipment that Twilight would want to swipe on her way home, she found a very simple machine that had more importance then anything else. The security camera.
"If I can't touch the freezer, can I at least touch this?" Twilight asked Igneous, referring to the camera.
"I suppose, but when the police came, they took all of the footage." Igneous warned.
Come on! Surely they left something behind. ANYTHING! Twilight thought as she fiddled with the camera. After pushing a few buttons on the side of the camera, a red light started to blink while it began to make a noise. "Oh, no. Please tell me I didn't break it!"
A few moments later, the beeping stopped, much to Twilight's relief. Immediately after, a photo popped out from underneath. Twilight took it and hoped to have been given a useful picture.
"I don't know what I was expecting with my luck." Twilight said as she tossed the picture away. Sweetie Belle managed to catch the picture, laughing at Twilight's selfie.
"We are so keeping this as evidence." Sweetie Belle said with a big smirk on her face.
Selfie was added to the evidence.
I'll be so mad if that's the only thing we leave with today.
Twilight acknowledged that photographed pictures could be very strong pieces of evidence, but the one she took was nothing like that. After further tinkering, she found that there were no other picture she could get from out of the camera, concluding that the police had already taken the important ones, if not all of them.
Twilight then continued her investigation of the lab, keeping her eyes peeled for anything of interest, besides the machinery. The walls of the room was covered mostly in blueprints, schematics, and notes for other inventions and projects. However, there was one area in particular that was special. The section of the wall was covered up entire of photos of the Pie family
"I guess this guy really loved his family." Twilight commented. After scanning at the pictures, Twilight noticed one thing of interest. "Hey...is that...?
"That's Applejack!" Sweetie Belle said as she found the same photo.
"Ah! I remember that party." Igneous said as he felt a sense of nostalgia from the picture. "That was Pinkie's 18th birthday, which was when she became old enough to drink cider."
"What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I've drank cider before and I'm not even half of Pinkie's age."
"Some cider is only for grown ups, Sweetie Belle. You'll understand when you're older." Twilight explained to the confused filly. "And Applejack was invited?"
"Of course. She was one of Pinkie's best friends. It was a great party. Pinkie herself was the one who took that photo." Igneous explained. "Please don't ask me how she pulled that off."
I forgot. I've only lived in Ponyville for a few years. Pinkie and Applejack have probably known each other for a very long time.
Twilight began to remember back at the trial, when Applejack became the most hostile towards Pinkie, when it seemed that their friendship had ended completely. The Applejack Twilight remembered at the trial looked nothing like the Applejack in Shepard's photo.
"Heck, if I could, I'd go into jail and snap her neck myself. In fact, let's end all of the doubt now by doing just that! Is that what you want?"
"Calm down Miss Applejack or I'll have to treat you as hostile." The Doctor ordered.
Oh, Applejack. Twilight thought as a tear began dripping down her face.
"Twilight? Are you alright?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Y-yes. Yes. Yes, I'm fine." Twilight stammered, wiping her tear off so nopony could see her cry. "Mr. Rock, Applejack has a rather big role in this case. Would it be alright if I brought this photo with me?'
"Of course. I'm sure Pinkie would even need it now more than my brother right now."
Birthday Picture was added to the evidence.
Twilight had managed to find a picture that she knew was going to be useful, but it was still nothing that would help her defend Pinkie, so it was a rather hollow victory. After taking the picture off of the wall, she noticed another picture that stood out. One that wasn't even a photo.
"What's this one?"
"Huh. I guess its a painting Pinkie made for my brother." Igneous guessed. "Judging by the hoof print painted on it, Pinkie would've drawn this when she was young. Must've been back when she lived with Shepard."
"Wait...WHAT!?" Twilight asked as her jaw dropped. "Pinkie actually lived in this place?"
"Sure did. For a couple of years actually."
Great. Now I can't deny in court that Pinkie and Shepard had a connection. Twilight thought. "Wait. Your house can't be that far from here. Why did Pinkie have to live here?"
Igneous had an answer for Twilight, but it was difficult to explain, not just because it was a hard subject for him to talk about, but also because of the complexity. After failing to think of a proper answer to give to Twilight, he gave himself an idea. He thought of something that Twilight could actually use as evidence.
At the nearest bookshelf, Igneous rubbed his hoof across the book covers until he spotted the one he was searching for. He didn't want to hand over something that belonged to his brother, but he knew that the book was genuinely important to Twilight.
"Oh my gosh! I never he thought about what kind of books this guy could have." Twilight said while she clapped her hooves as she got excited again. She loved books far more then scientific equipment, so she didn't even hesitate to grab the book from Igneous with her magic. "What's this book about? Quantum physics? Astronomy? Maybe a combination of both?"
Igneous shook his head at Twilight. "That there is Shepard's most important book. It's his research notes and diary from studying my daughter."
"Research...on...PINKIE PIE!?" Twilight asked with a gigantic grin.
Twilight once spent a long time trying to understand the mechanics on what made Pinkie Pie tick. The entire ordeal ended in failure. With a book all about Pinkie in her presence, Twilight wasted no time to open the tome up to learn something she was guaranteed to not know about.
Today, I made the biggest blunder of my life. I made a blood donation to help some young who got hypervolemia due to an injury, something about a party howitzer or something, I don't know. I'm just glad Pinkie settled for a cannon.
Anyway, I somehow got a sample of my blood mixed up with a sample of Pinkie's and sent it to help the injured kid. Pinkie's blood type is fortunately double O negative, and this is also a suitable donor, so it won't hurt the patient, but now I fear that there will be another pony out there with something similar to the Pinkie Sense.
"Well, that at least explains something about another pony I know." Twilight said, who was surprised by the first page she had read, but after rereading the last two words, her smile returned. "AH! He really has been studying the Pinkie Sense! And I bet he even found out more then I ever could've."
"Shepard didn't just study the Pinkie Sense." Igneous explained. "He mostly studied the condition that caused it."
"The....th-th-the...." Twilight stuttered. She couldn't even finish her sentence. Instead, she went back into the book and continued to flip through the pages.
"Are...are you alright?" Igneous asked.
"She can't hear you." Sweetie Belle answered. "She's too far gone."
After tuning out her surroundings, Twilight glued her eyes onto the journal. She found a number of bookmarks that pointed out the more interesting pages and began looking through those ones first. It had been a long time since Twilight was excited as she was. Fortunately for Sweetie Belle and Igneous Rock, Twilight read the journal out loud so they could follow along.
I have finally deduced the cause for Pinkie's illness.
Pinkie claimed that she first started to feel like she did when she saw a very large rainbow. Based on her description of the event, it nigh-impossible, but still very possible, that the rainbow she saw was a sonic rainboom, something I'm still convinced is just a myth. But, theoretically, if it was real, it's possible that she absorbed some of the energy into her body, thus making her contain more magic than an ordinary earth pony is supposed to.
I will need to run some tests to confirm this theory. Either way, it wasn't a natural occurrence. I'm confident that I have everything to handle this though. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The problem has turned out to be far worse then I could possibly imagine. Something like this is so far from my predictions that I'm more than willing to accept the existence of something as silly as a sonic rainboom. In fact, the rainboom is crucial to my new theory.
It's common knowledge that all forms of ponies have a degree of magic. Some forms, like unicorns or alicorns, have much more magic then others. Pinkie Pie, however, is appears to be gifted with more magic then the average pony. It's very difficult to describe one's level of magic, but a comparison is easy in this scenario. Princess Celestia's alicorn magic, if possessed by a fully grown unicorn, could destroy them. Pinkie Pie, a filly who hasn't even had her cutie mark for a year, has magic that rivals the princesses.
The sonic rainboom appeared to have unlocked the hidden potential within Pinkie Pie. If she was a unicorn, the excess magic would've simply of blasted its way out through the horn in the form of a massively powerful spell. In Pinkie Pie's case, it rebounded back into her body with no place to go. This is very unhealthy no matter what kind of pony you are.
After reading the second interesting chapter of the journal, Twilight lowered it down to process everything that she read. A few minutes prior, she was extremely excited to read it. It was no longer the case when she stopped reading.
"Wow. Pinkie Pie was really sick as a kid, wasn't she?" Twilight said with a frown as she felt bad for her friend. Actually, she might still be sick.
With her magic, she used her magic to take out a piece of evidence: the bottle of pills that Pinkie Pie had been taken. After reading the journal, Twilight finally realized why Pinkie Pie had been taking medicine meant to weaken unicorn magic. Pinkie Pie had more magic then even an alicorn like herself.
"Such an addicting drug, but this entire time, it's been saving her life."
"So does this mean Pinkie is an alicorn princess?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"No, but if she was, I'd be afraid of how strong she could...actually, I've always been a bit scared of her."
"And I was scared when Shepard told me some of the things he said to me." Igneous said. "He wanted to keep Pinkie by her side at all times so he could monitor her conditions. That's why she moved here at the time.
"But she still seems sick. I think." Twilight said unsurely. "Was Shepard not able to cure her?"
Curious to know how Shepard's story ended, she started to flip through more pages to find something else of interest. After finding one of the last entries written, she began reading again.
With my newest invention, Pinkie Pie may no longer need those pesky Anti-Magic-Purger pills, which is good because smuggling those has been very tedious and expensive. Fortunately, my friends have been the ones doing the leg work. I've already sent a letter to Pinkie to come here as soon as she possibly can so I can test this out.
All these years, I've been giving those pills to Pinkie and making her suffer from the occasional withdrawal symptoms to keep her magic on par to an earth pony rather then beyond that of an alicorn, but with this device, she'll not only be able to stabilize herself, but become able to control her insane amount of magic. The and design of my creation will be drawn on the next page, as well as the rest of the entry.
Twilight turned the page to see what the invention was and how it worked, but it was the last page of the journal with nothing anything written on it. She was upset that she couldn't find anything, but then she became horrified by a new discovery. The reason she couldn't find the next page was because it had been torn out from the book.
"Where's the next page?" Twilight asked with concern.
"There's no reason for my brother to do that, but I don't remember the police finding that journal either." Igneous said.
"Somepony must've stolen it." Sweetie Belle said. After thinking it over, she thought of something else. "Maybe it's that pegasus we're after!"
"If we honestly think he's the real killer, then he must've." Twilight said, agreeing with Sweetie Belle.
As Twilight and Sweetie Belle brought up their favourite suspect, Igneous raised an eyebrow as he got interested. "You girls already know who framed my daughter?"
"We think we do." Twilight answered. "There was this suspicious grey pony back in Ponyville who practically confessed that he was the killer."
As soon as Twilight mentioned the color grey, as well as remembering hearing that she was talking about a pegasus, Igneous's eyes opened wide opened. An image of the pony described popped into his head and it was one he didn't want to have.
"Was this a stallion? If so, did he have weird looking wings?"
"How did you know?" Twilight asked. "But yeah. Most pegasi wings are the same color as our coat, like mine. This guy's wing color matched his black mane."
It was his worse fear. Twilight's description of the pegasus matched the pony Igneous was thinking of. He became really stressed as he began to sweat up a storm. The look on his face alone caused distress to Twilight and Sweetie Belle as they stared at the scared old stallion.
"Mr. Rock, do you know about this pony we're after?"
"I...have a good idea as to who you're looking for." Igneous answered. "He was an old neighbor of mine. He worked near my farm as the local blacksmith."
A blacksmith? If he was a blacksmith, it would explain how he got his hooves on such weird daggers. Twilight thought as she thought back to the murder weapons. Believing that it was the breakthrough she was looking for, she made an order to Igneous. "Tell me everything you know about him!"
Igneous tipped his hat down to think carefully about what he could remember about the mysterious stallion, but even somepony like Igneous, who was familiar with him, had limited knowledge. He was only able to tell Twilight what he knew.
"He was a smiling pony, way back when Rocky Road Village was gloomy. He was the only pony who had a consisstent smile on his face. He was like that for many years, giving me and my family the creeps." Igneous said to his listeners. After talking about the scary pony, he began to smile as he thought of something much more pleasant. "But that changed. The day Pinkie got her cutie mark."
"I remember that story." Sweetie Belle interrupted. "When she saw the sonic rainboom, it made her want to throw her first party, which made her whole family smile."
"That it did, little girl. I suppose I would smile from time to time for a job well done, but Pinkie showed me how to smile just for the sake of smiling. It was a good feeling." Igneous explained, which gave him the urge to smile, but it was short lived. "Eventually, she made the entire village smile regularly. All had a smile here, except for one."
Twilight didn't need three guesses to know who the one exception was. "The black and grey pegasus."
"That's right. It's without any question. The pony you are after is Masquerade!"
So his name is Masquerade, huh? Twilight thought as she learned the name of the evil pony who had been framing Pinkie Pie. The name alone made her clench her hoof in anger. "I won't let him get away with this."
As he saw the determination in Twilight's eyes, Igneous made a decision. One that he didn't originally intend to make. "I trust that you'll be able to protect my daughter and avenge my brother. For that reason, I will allow you to do what you may in my brother's lab. Good day and the best of luck."
After tipping his hat to Twilight and bowing his head, Igneous granted Twilight complete freedom over the lab and took his leave, putting all of his trust into her. Twilight and Sweetie Belle didn't entirely know what had happened, but they knew that a great opportunity was given to them.
"I guess this means he won't mind if we were to take this journal with us." Twilight said. "Actually, I'm going to take this painting Pinkie made too. I'm sure she'd love to know that her uncle had kept it after all of these years."
Shepard's Journal was added to the evidence.
Hoof Painted Drawing was added to the evidence.
Having officially acquiring two new pieces of evidence, Sweetie Belle made a comment. "Okay. So we got a picture of you, a picture of Pinkie and her uncle, and now journal. What's next?"
"To be honest, Sweetie Belle? I think we're done." Twilight answered, but neither she or Sweetie Belle liked it. "I know we haven't been here long, but I already predicted that the police would've picked this place clean. I'm thankful for learning as much as I have already. I especially would like to read more of this book."
"Well that's a bummer. I guess Mr. Cestus might've found some evidence for you while we were gone. Maybe he even knows something about this place."
"That's the spirit. I'll bet the information of the crime has already been declassified. I'm sure he can disclose it to me now. In any case, let's get going."
With a very important book in Twilight's possession, she and Sweetie Belle began to make their way out of the mansion and return to Ponyville. They didn't learn much about the case itself, but they did learn a lot about the ponies involved in the case. They learned the name of the real killer was Masquerade, and that he had a history with Pinkie, they learned what kind of pony Shepard Pi was, and of course, they learned about Pinkie's past medical history which still needed to be questioned.
But, everything was still linked to the case, So Twilight knew she would be able to use everything she acquired in the long run. She just had to be prepared for anything that would come her way.
"Twilight..." Sweetie Belle said as they reached the door. "Put it back."
With the unamused Sweetie Belle blocking her path, Twilight knew she was busted. Lifting up her wing, Twilight revealed a small gadget that she tried to smuggle out.
"But...it's evidence!" Twilight lied.
"Put it back."
Twilight still couldn't get over the technology that was within the lab, and thanks to Sweetie Belle, she wasn't allowed to steal a thing. It was probably best in the long run since it allowed her to focus entirely on the case and not on some toy.
"I can't believe you dropped the evidence again." Twilight said to Sweetie Belle, who was riding on her back. "That ate more time then I'd like to give up."
"Hey, I have small hooves and weak magic. Give me a break." Sweetie Belle rebutted.
After a long flight back from Pinkie's home town, Twilight Sparkle and Sweetie Belle had returned to Ponyville. They didn't come back home with much physical evidence, but they learned a lot nonetheless. Twilight even found a book that still had a lot more information for her to read.
It wasn't just the book that Twilight had. Before she left, she hired Star Cestus to look for any other evidence to help her case. Because of this, the first thing she planned to do after returning home was to meet up with Cestus to see what he had managed to dig up. As they were flying, Sweetie Belle was looking down below to watch Equestria from a pegasi's point of view, but she found something of great importance.
"TWILIGHT! GO DOWN!" Sweetie Belle screamed.
"Please don't tell me you dropped my evidence again." Twilight asked
"No! Look down! It's Masquerade!"
"What!?"
Just as Sweetie Belle said, the serial killer that they were looking for, Masquerade, was right below them. Masquerade, as well as another pony lying on the ground, were right by an entrance to the Everfree Forest. Masquerade was right over the other pony, so it was impossible to tell who he was with and Twilight was too high up to tell what was going on, but none of that mattered. As soon as Twilight saw the grey pegasus, she allowed her anger to take hold of her and nose dived down to him.
"MASQUERADE!!!" Twilight foolishly screamed at the top of her lungs.
As soon as Masquerade heard Twilight up above him, he quickly jumped flew back several feet to keep away from Twilight. When Twilight landed and met the villainous pony face-to-face, she almost missed the pony that was right next to her. Laying down on the ground where Masquerade was before was the blue prosecutor himself, Hope Ray.
"Hope! Are you okay?"
He couldn't say a word, but after hearing a grunt from the prosecutor, Twilight knew that Hope Ray was alright. He looked hurt, but alive.
"Hey, royal pain!" Masquerade called out. As soon as Twilight and Sweetie Belle turned his head, he turned around and began to spank his flank at the girls to mock them. "I hope Pinkie liked prison food! Hahaha!"
After taunting Twilight, Masquerade took off and flew into the Everfree Forest, but Twilight wasn't willing to let him out of her sight.
"Hang on tight, Sweetie Belle. This will be intense." Twilight warned.
"What about him?" Sweetie Belle asked as she pointed to Hope.
"He'll be fine. He's one of our enemies anyway."
With all of her attention focused on Masquerade, Twilight zoomed into the Everfree Forest at her top speed while Sweetie Belle was barely able to hang on as her princess flew them into the forest. Masquerade didn't fly very fast at first, but as soon as he saw Twilight tailgating him, he picked up the pace.
The two fliers flew past many obstacles. Trees, rocks, even a few creatures native to the forest, but neither one of them allowed themselves to crash and kept moving at a consistent pace. Twilight tried to fire beams of magic at Masquerade to slow him down, but she wasn't able to land a direct hit. After several failed shots, her aim began to get sharper and sharper, getting closer and closer to shooting Masquerade down.
When it appeared that he was going to get caught, Masquerade made a quick right turn and escaped Twilight's line of sight. In response, Twilight stopped the high-speed chase so that she could look around to find him.
Where did he go?
"AAAHHH!"
In a flash, Twilight felt it when Sweetie Belle was yanked off of her back. She then saw Masquerade flying away as she carried Sweetie Belle away, prompting Twilight to keep chasing after him. Why he went and kidnapped Sweetie belle became very clear as soon as he brought Twilight to a small clearing. Right when it looked like Twilight was going to catch Masquerade and turn him in, he pulled out a weapon and pointed it at Sweetie Belle's throat. A quick look convinced Twilight that it was one of the black daggers.
"You let go of her!" Twilight ordered as she started to charge magic up in her horn.
"Now now, princess. I've already stuck one of these babies into one kid. Don't think i'd hesitate with another."
Twilight would've loved nothing more then to blast Masquerade with every ounce of magic in her body. Unfortunately, he had Sweetie Belle at knife-point, who was completely immobilized by fear, so Twilight couldn't take any risks. After powering down her horn, she began to talk to Masquerade.
"Why are you doing this? Why are you hurting so many ponies?" Twilight asked.
"Why? Why, to get rid of Pinkie Pie, of course. It's a very simple goal." Masquerade answered with a smile.
"You killed three innocent ponies just so you could have Pinkie arrested?
"Arrested AND convicted." Masquerade corrected. "If you're going to be a fake defense attorney, at least get your facts straight."
Twilight was disgusted by the monster she was talking too. She had a hard time comprehending the fact that he was even a pony. If it weren't for the fact that he still had Sweetie Belle, she would've lost control of herself.
"I have to say, Princess, you came by much earlier then I expected. You almost ruined my plans. I was actually lucky that I got everything ready on time."
"Why? What more could you possibly be trying to do?" Twilight asked, but she almost didn't want to know the answer.
"Well for starters, this!"
After putting his dagger away, Masquerade flew back up into the air while keeping a strong grip on Sweetie Belle. After he got up high enough, he began to spin around and around until he couldn't go any faster. When he reached the peak of his speed, he released Sweetie Belle from his grip, sending her flying into the opposite direction, who then screamed at the top of her lungs. For that moment only, Twilight completely forgot about the fact that she was chasing after a murderer.
"SWEETIE BELLE!"
To keep the number of injured fillies to a minimum, Twilight chased after the falling Sweetie Belle as fast as her wings could move her. She was tossed awfully far, but Twilight had long since mastered the use of her wings, not that bad wings would've been a good excuse for letting a filly fall to her death. The sound of Sweetie Belle's scream alone gave Twilight all the more reason to catch her.
But, after a crash landing from Twilight who practically had to slide on the ground, she succeeded in catching Sweetie Belle, thus saving her life. After realizing she was safe, the filly smiled, jumped up, and gave Twilight a well deserved hug.
"You saved me! Twilight, you are now officially best princess!"
Oooh, I hope she doesn't say that around Princess Celestia. Twilight thought with unease. She wanted to think happy thoughts after saving Sweetie Belle, but she couldn't, especially after she found a wound on one of her wings. "Dang it. I think we lost Masquerade. I don't think I have what it takes to chase after him again like I did before."
"Can you still fly out of the forest?"
"I think, but I should probably be careful. Ugh..."
After letting Sweetie Belle back on her back, Twilight began to fly back into the air, but with great effort. She was able to slowly bring them both back out of the forest, but she wasn't able to keep airborne very well. The crash-landing injured her wing, so she couldn't fly nearly as fast as she did moments before.
Regardless, Twilight was able to fly out of the forest and landed safely at the entrance, right by where she found Hope and Masquerade. Hope had since then managed to get back onto his hooves too, but he was still disoriented. This at least gave Twilight somepony to talk to.
"Prosecutor Hope!" Twilight called out as she ran to him.
"Huh? What?" Hope said as he turned to Twilight. "Oh! Princess Twilight! Ugh...You wouldn't happen to know what just happened, would you?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing. Did you see Masquerade?"
Hope still looked dizzy, so he had to process what he had heard. "Mask...Demasque?"
Oh wait, he wouldn't know who that is. Twilight realized. "Never mind. Do you at least know why you're out here?"
"Oh! I do remember that. I was told to meet Inspector Cestus out here." Hope explained, happy that he was able to remember his meeting, but the memory made him rub the back of his head. "In fact, I think I got hit in the head as soon as I saw him."
Oh no. I hope he hasn't.... Twilight thought, fearing the worst case scenario. "We need to find him! Quickly!"
"Ughhh..."
"AHHH!" Twilight, Sweetie Belle, and Hope all shouted together.
Nearby the three ponies, there was a large bush that suddenly began to make moaning and groaning sounds as it began to shake. Before long, the source of the pain sounds, a familiar red stallion, made it's way out of the bush, stumbling as he took each step.
"Ow...did I lose my last boxing match?" The disoriented Cestus said as he held his head with his hoof.
"Cestus! Boy, I was worried for a moment there." Twilight said with relief. "What happened to you?"
"Agh...apples...tasers...I think there was something about a ladder." Cestus tried to answer, but he had trouble remembering anything. "Oh, and I think I got punched in the head."
"Let's tale you to Dr. Ratchet." Hope suggested. "We should make sure you're technically alive. Princess Twilight, could you help me bring him to the hospital?"
While Twilight's wings took a hit, her horn was still fully powered and healthy, allowed her to levitate Cestus off the ground, making it easy for her to carry him to Ponyville. Twilight could tell that Cestus had a very rough day before she came back to Ponyville, especially since she bribed him to help her investigation, so to help him to the hospital was the least she could do.
February 13, 5:19PM Ponyville Hospital Cestus's room
After Cestus was brought into a vacant hospital room, he was given a soft bed and a quiet place to rest his weary head. As he was resting and waiting for Dr. Ratchet to come to his room, Twilight, Sweetie Belle, and Hope had a conversation with another doctor. Or at least they thought the hippogriff in the room was a doctor.
"Don't worry, you're highness. He just needs plenty of bed rest and water and he'll be just fine."
Twilight sighed in relief when she heard her friend would be alright. "Thank you, Doctor Quill. Do you know what exactly happened to him?"
"Hmm...a good question. I should probably order for an autopsy."
"AUTOPSY!?" Sweetie Belle shouted in horror, but after a thought went into her head, she realized something. "Wait, isn't Mr. Cestus alive?"
"Hey...wait a second..." Cestus said as he gave a good long stare at the hippogriff. "Aren't you that fake doctor I met earlier today?"
"Huh? Oh, it's you! Well, you see...
The hippogriff began to think about what he should've said to Hope, but after thinking very carefully, instead of giving an actual answer to Cestus, he turned around, opened the door, and ran right out of the room. It all happened so fast that nopony in the room really understood what the hay had happened. Twilight in particular had the most confused look on her face.
So....that wasn't a doctor?
"YOU! GET BACK HERE!" Screamed a grouchy sounding voice. "GAH!!!"
As twilight and the rest of the group could tell, the real doctor, Auto Ratchet, wasn't able to catch up with the fake. As he had no other pony to chase after, he decided to take care of business he had with Cestus, bringing in an x-ray on his way into the room.
"Alright Cestus." Ratchet said. "It seems you've been electrocuted at some point and suffered a concussion from a blow to the head. But, I've seen you take abuse to the face, so I see no reason for you to be taking up a bed."
"Come on, Doc! My head is still sore." Cestus argued.
In response, Ratchet reached into his coat pocket, took out a bandage, and slapped it onto Cestus's cheek. "There, you're cured. Want me to kiss your boo-boo too?"
I think it would be smart if I didn't show him the boo-boo on my wing. Twilight thought wisely.
"Can you at least promise me you're treating Scootaloo better then you're treating me?" Cestus asked.
"Scoota-who?" Ratchet asked.
"Little orange filly, pegasus, has a scooter, adorable, but looks like a boy..."
"Cestus, you were the only one we found at the Everfree Forest." Twilight explained. "How do you even know her?"
"Oh, well that's an interesting story. The kid actually got past the security around the barn and forced me to let her hang around me. She helped me find evidence and..." As Cestus remembered the things she did with Scootaloo, he realized a possible explanation for what happened to her due to the last thing that happened to him. "Oh no! She and I were attacked by the real killer!"
"WHAT!?" Twilight shouted in shock.
"No...not Scootaloo too." Sweetie Belle said tearfully.
"Dagnabbit, Star!" Ratchet said angrily.
"I knew I shouldn't have let that kid stay with you." Hope said with a very disappointed look on his face.
I don't believe this. On his quest to frame Pinkie Pie, Masquerade has now caused harm to all three of the cutie mark crusaders. What kind of a monster is he? Twilight asked herself.
In the midst of the chaos, several police officers, who were guarding Cestus's room at the time, charged in to check out what was going on. When the officers entered, Cestus, despite still having the headache, jumped out of his bed to talk to his peers.
"Sir! Is everything alright?" One officer asked.
"Guys, I have a new job for you and everypony else! The pony who attacked me had also kidnapped a pal of mine! Once I describe her for you, I want to have every one of you guys to go out their and find her!"
While Cestus was giving his description of Scootaloo to one of the officers, the other walked over to Hope Ray to give a letter, which he then opened up and began to read. During this time, Twilight noticed that Sweetie Belle looked more depressed then ever. It was easy to understand since both of her best friends became victims to Masquerade.
"Trust me, Sweetie Belle. Once this is over, all three of you be back together. Once Apple Bloom checks out, we'll even have our Twilight Time again."
Even Twilight's motivational speech couldn't help Sweetie Belle. at that point. One by one, Sweetie Belle was losing her friends. "I'm starting to wonder if he can take anything else from out of my life. You don't think Rarity will be next, do you?"
"Have faith in me. I promise that everything that has been taken from you will be brought back. I guarantee it."
Sweetie Belle was still upset and didn't show much improvement, but she agreed to keep hoping for the best and have faith in Twilight. She would love nothing more then to see both of her friends in the same room smiling again and Twilight was her best chance to get that.
"That should be about it." Cestus said as he finished his description of Scootaloo. "Now spread the word and help me find her!"
"Sir, yes sir!"
OBJECTION!
"Wait a second, Inspector!" Hope said to stop Cestus. "I need a moment of your time."
Cestus wanted to go and look for Scootaloo, but since his boss needed him, his hooves were tied, so he had to let his men go and look for Scootaloo without him. Twilight noticed that Hope wasn't happy with something, so she tried to leave the room too.
"Just a second, Princess. This concerns you too." Hope explained. He then walked over to Cestus to show him the letter he received. "Inspector, what's the meaning of this?"
With her magic, Twilight took the letter from Hope and began to read it for them all. "Prosecutor Hope Ray. As someone who supports your cause, I feel the need to warn you that Star Cestus, the head of your investigation..." As Twilight read the last bit, she paused. The began to sweat bullets when she realized what was on the letter. "...the head of your investigation has been helping the defense, Twilight Sparkle."
"I thought your behavior in my make-shift office was suspicious. is this why you tried to suggest the defendant was not guilty?"
"Now hold on! That letter must've been sent from the guy who attacked me, pal!" Cestus argued.
"Answer the question. Have you been helping the defense?"
Hope was furious at Cestus, and as both a prosecutor and Cestus's boss, he wasn't willing to let Cestus go until he knew the truth. Since Twilight didn't want Cestus to get into too much trouble and that it was inevitable that the truth would be spilt, she spoke up.
"It's true. Star Cestus has been helping me. He's a good friend of mine and I asked him to help me." Twilight explained. Cestus and Sweetie Belle even noticed that she was trying not to bring up the bribery. "I was the one who had him gather up evidence to help Pinkie, so you can blame me for anything he has done."
Sweetie Belle was happy when she saw Twilight help Cestus the way she did. Cestus was touched that Twilight would defend him and try to take the fall. Hope, however, felt nothing from the sentiment, as he was beyond angry with both Twilight Sparkle and Star Cestus..
"Inspector Cestus, as my subordinate for this case, you had to show your loyalty to not just me, but the city of Canterlot and Princess Celestia, to whom you made an oath to work obediently for, but you instead abandoned that oath. If you couldn't take that seriously, then I have no further use for you."
After getting scolded, Cestus looked to the ground in shame, acknowledging that he did commit a treasonous act to the Canterlot Police force for something like money. The only thing he was grateful for was that Hope didn't know about the money, but that wasn't enough to cheer him up.
"As for you Princess Twilight, it's bad enough that you tried to interfere and made a mockery of a profession that is law by pretending to be an attorney, but now your influence has caused me to doubt Canterlot's best officer and, from what I've heard, caused a child to go missing! Why somepony like Princess Celestia would allow you to play pretend like this is beyond my comprehension."
Twilight didn't expect to have been talked down the way she, but the things Hope said weren't entirely false. She really did make a pony from Canterlot's police go against the force, and by doing so, another child was in trouble. If it weren't for the fact that she was confident in Pinkie's case, she would've taken the attorney insult serious too.
As Hope Ray made his way to the exit, he said one final thing to them in his rage. "I prey the two of you keep your trust and respect with each other, for neither of you will have any of mine!'
Twilight and Cestus were left shocked and uneasy after everything that they heard. Cestus in particular looked completely destroyed after being talked down by his boss, but Twilight heard nothing that did any lasting damage to her.
"Doctor, could you leave us alone for a few minutes?" Twilight asked Ratchet.
"Sure. And uh...sorry, Cestus." Ratchet said. Afterwards, he left the room to get back to work and leave Twilight, Sweetie, and Cestus alone.
"Cestus...I'm sorry about what just happened. I know I'm part to blame for what happened, but--"
"Nah, forget about it, pal." Cestus interrupted. "I knew exactly what I was doing and I'm willing to take responsibility for it."
"It still stinks that you got in trouble for it." Sweetie Belle added.
"That it does, kid." Cestus said, which was followed by a heavy sigh. "That it does."
"Don't look to glum. Twilight is still going to pay you." Sweetie Belle reminded.
For some reason, that makes ME feel guilty. Twilight thought.
"I guess, but you want to know something? After awhile, it wasn't even about the money. Or for a friend either." Cestus explained, feeling a sense of strength that he originally lost from Hope. "It became about finding out the truth. I kept learning so much during my investigation that I kept wanting to find out who really had been killing those ponies. At this point, I'm just as certain as you are that Pinkie Pie is innocent."
Twilight was pleasantly surprised by Cestus. She felt that the only way she got any support for her case was because she had to pay for it, so to see Cestus feel genuinely concerned about the case caused Twilight to feel a newfound sense of respect for him. Even if Cestus's investigation rights were revoked, Twilight still felt that she could trust him to help.
"Even now, are you still interested in finding out the truth?" Twilight asked.
"Of course. I would love to know who the jerk that took my new little friend from me."
"Funny you should say that. I've actually learned the name of the pony we are after. And maybe I'll tell you the name if you start sharing some of your evidence too."
As they had some time alone, Twilight and Cestus spent several minutes talking about their day and sharing the information they obtained. Cestus talked about his run-in with a fake Applejack, his experience with watching Pinkie Pie blow up a tree, and he gave Twilight the one piece of evidence he had kept with him after getting attacked. She also took it as an opportunity to reorganize her evidence, separating the relevant bits and taking out anything she wasn't expecting to use.
"A hoofprint and a bottle of sleeping pills. That's all you could get me?" Twilight asked.
"Well, Scootaloo stole something from Hope, but...I guess she still has it on her." Cestus explained with a sad look on his face. "But hey. At least nopony will have it."
"That's the spirit." Sweetie Belle said. "If we can't have it, then neither can he."
That seems mean-spirited. Twilight thought. "So Cestus, what's your next move?"
"Good question. Hope probably won't want to see me until tomorrow, but I still need to see him before then. Even if I'm pretty much fired from the case, I'm still going to be his prime witness for the trial tomorrow. By the way, you didn't hear that from me. And if I were to share some information from you once he tells me it..."
"No. You've done enough as is. I wouldn't want to risk getting you to even more trouble. If you still want to help me though, could you do me a favor and escort Sweetie Belle home?"
"Aww, but I want to keep helping you." Sweetie Belle complained.
"I understand, but I need to get ready for the trial. I still want you by my side though, so don't worry. If you really want to help me, then make sure you're well rested for tomorrow."
Sweetie Belle wasn't pleased, but she couldn't argue with Twilight. "Fine. I'll make sure I'm the first one there so you can't start the trial without me!"
"You've got a deal. Oh, and Cestus, when your not busy, be sure to stop by my home in Golden Oak library. I've got some unfinished business with you."
"Understood. Come on, kid." Cestus said to Sweetie Belle.
With everypony's plan set Cestus grabbed Sweetie Belle's hoof and brought her out of the hospital room so he could bring her home. Twilight herself was ready to leave and head home to prepare for the upcoming trial. However, as she was ready to leave, she took a look through the room's window. A pony had caught her eye.
Making her way to the hospital was Twilight's currently dishonest friend, Applejack. As Applejack walked, Twilight noticed she had a certain something being carried with her: a big, shiny, red delicious apple. On an ordinary day, Applejack having an apple would be completely normal, but due to the recent events, the last thing Twilight needed to see was Applejack with an apple.
It looks like I have other unfinished business that needs to be taken care of. Twilight thought. Applejack's dishonesty, her vendetta against Pinkie....and those black psyche-locks.
"I'm sorry, but the police won't allow any visitors." A nurse explained to Applejack.
"Ah, come on! I just want to see her for a moment."
As she returned to the ground floor after visiting Cestus, Twilight found Applejack in the waiting room arguing with a nurse as she tried to get in to see Pinkie Pie. While she was sharing evidence and discussing the case with Star Cestus, she was told about the strange things that happened with Pinkie. Her escape from jail, her ability to destroy trees, and of course, being admitted into the hospital.
Considering Applejack was suppose to hate Pinkie at the time, Twilight knew her visit was suspicious. Her behavior had been odd and her appearance showed it. Twilight recalled that Applejack had lost her hat before, yet she didn't get a replacement. Applejack hated to be bear-headed, so it showed Twilight just how much was on the farm pony's mind.
"Come on, I'm a friend of hers. I just wanted to bring her a little gift." Applejack explained, presenting the apple she wanted to give to Pinkie.
Fool us once Applejack, shame on you. Twilight thought.
"Hi Twilight!"
"GAH!!!"
As Twilight had her eye on Applejack, she didn't expect to hear the voice of her client/friend come from right behind her, who was being escorted by several police officers and Doctor Ratchet. Incidentally, Applejack heard Pinkie's voice as well and tried to get to her, but she knew the cops would've made it difficult.
"I can't believe Rainbow Dash didn't tell me how much fun it is being in the hospital, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie said with glee. "Grilled cheese?"
"Grilled ch--" Twilight stammered as she saw the grilled cheese sandwich being pulled out of nowhere. "Where did you get that?"
"Well, it was just a normal cheese sandwich from the hospital, but I used the zappy-zappy thing to cook it. Too bad I broke it."
"WHAT!?" Ratchet screamed. "So you were the one who broke the defibrillator? Pinkie Pie, I needed that! Get her out of here!"
As the angry doctor walked away from Pinkie and the rest, the officers began to escort Pinkie out of the hospital. However, she wanted a moment with Twilight, so she had them stop for a moment.
"Just a second. This is my lawyer." Pinkie explained before turning to Twilight. She then took her front hooves, both of which where bandaged, and showed them to Twilight. "The job is done, just like you asked."
As soon as Pinkie gave Twilight the message, the officers brought Pinkie out of the hospital to return her to the detention center. Applejack tried to get to Pinkie, but she wasn't able to get close enough. Twilight wasn't able to put much thought into Applejack's actions because she was still pondering about Pinkie's last words.
Job? What job? Does this have to do with her escape?
In the end, Twilight decided to ask Pinkie Pie about her actions at a better time since she only had one good chance to get close to Applejack before she would run away. Her behavior had been questionable since the day before, so it was high-time for Twilight to ask about it.
"Applejack, I want to talk to you."
"Sorry, Twi. I'm...really busy right now."
As Applejack started to walk away, Twilight used her magic to grab Applejack by the tail and dragged back over. "That wasn't a question. You and I are talking. NOW!"
"Whoa there, sugarcube! If ya need to talk, I'll talk."
As Twilight had forced Applejack to stay, she released her grip on her so Applejack could turn around her. Before Twilight started to ask any questions, she began to channel the magatama spell, causing her horn to glow a very light, barely visible green.
Much to Twilight's surprise, the black psyche-locks appeared immediately. Normally, she would have to bring up an appropriate subject before a pony's psyche-locks would appear. In this case, the darkness, chains, and locks all appeared in front of Applejack as soon as the spell was casted.
Wow. Whatever Applejack is hiding, she must still have it on her mind. Twilight thought. The more she stared at the black psyche-locks, the more unease she became. She started to sweat, grind her teeth, and even got an upset stomach. Ugh...I'm not even sure if I can break these things before they break me.
"Twilight? What are ya doing? I thought you wanted to talk."
"Uh...yeah, I do. Let's start." Twilight said with great unease.
"Okay Applejack. I'm going to start by being completely honest with you. Right now, I can tell if you're lying to me or not, so for that reason, I want you to be completely honest with me." Twilight explained.
"You want me to be honest? Pfft. That's like asking Rainbow Dash to fly. You know I will."
"Really now? Then how come you were caught lying to the court this morning?"
"I told no lie, Twilight."
"Yes you did!"
"No I didn't."
Twilight sighed in frustration, feeling a lack of progression. This is going nowhere. Time to just shove it in her face by reminding her what she lied about.
TAKE THAT!
"Don't you remember the apple you brought in court?" Twilight asked. "The one you tried to poison Pinkie Pie with? You've been lying about that."
"If I recall, she was fine when she ate it." Applejack argued, not even phased by Twilight's logic.
As Twilight failed to break one of the black psyche locks, she began to feel even sicker as she felt a sense of darkness repel her. It was caused by the evil psyche-locks, which paused with the negative emotions that they contained. It was such a horrid feeling that Twilight didn't know what to make of it.
Such anger...such pain...and I'm feeling it too. I definitely can't break the locks that easily. It was my fault there that I forgot what Cestus said about Pinkie's immunity. But I can't give up now.
"Look Twi, if that's all you wanted to ask me, then I need to get going." Applejack said as she tried to end the conversation.
"Not so fast. I still have a few more questions for you. For example, why do you have that apple with you?"
"The same reason I brought her the apple yesterday. So that she would have a tasty treat to eat in jail. She's one of my best friends after all."
OBJECTION!
"You clearly don't like Pinkie Pie anymore."
"You know Twilight, I think you're starting to get carried away with that OBJECTION! stuff." Applejack claimed. But, she didn't make the argument that Twilight was wrong. "I suppose I don't like Pinkie quite as much as I use to, but I continue to say that I never tried to kill Pinkie Pie."
"Really? But this piece of evidence, which was shown in court today, says you did try to kill her."
TAKE THAT!
With her magic, Twilight waved in front of Applejack something that was proven to belong to her: the bottle of pesticide used to poison the apple in the first place. "Do you remember how the court found out that this bottle belonged to you?"
Applejack stayed silent. She even refused to look Twilight in the eye when she asked about the bottle.
"Me and Prosecutor Hope already proved that you poisoned the apple, and you even admitted that you brought the apple to the detention center.
OBJECTION!
A rather confident Applejack spoke up to counter-argue Twilight. "My my, Twi. Have you forgotten something? I was a bad, bad girl in court today. So none of that matters. Whether I said I brought in the apple or not makes no difference."
"What are you talking about? We all heard you say it."
"Sure I did. But you see, I was dismissed as a witness because of what I said. Therefore, everything I said in court today don't hold apple sauce."
Applejack's stubbornness had once again brought an abrupt end to Twilight's argument, despite the rock solid evidence and fact that she shared. As a result, the black psyche-locks had pulsed another wave of darkness, which Twilight felt the full force of.
Such stubbornness, and all it's actually doing is causing us both pain. She's completely ignoring the facts. Twilight thought as she felt Applejack's pain. It was at that point that she realized that conventional methods were useless. I got to start bringing up facts that even Applejack can't deny, and I'll start with something we already have on hand.
"Are you ready to let me go, Twi?" Applejack asked.
"Not on your life, Applejack." Twilight answered. "Now back to the apple that you brought to Pinkie. You're denying that you poisoned it, correct?"
"That's my story and I'm sticking to it."
"Then I suppose that you're going to claim that the apple you have right now is not poisoned either, right? Because I'm pretty sure that your trying the same trick again."
"Bah. You can't prove anything like that. Stop wasting my time so I can deliver this non-poisoned apple to Pinkie."
"You're not going to do such a thing. Applejack, if you really want to prove that the apple isn't poisoned...
There were several different ways for Twilight to have gotten Applejack to prove her innocence. She could've had her bring Pinkie a new apple, she could've confiscated it, but the third option was where she would pin Applejack into a corner, giving her no room to escape.
"Applejack, there's an easy way for you to end this talk of ours right now. I will gladly turn around and fly back home...if you take a bite out of that apple! Right here! Right now!"
"Wh-wh-what?" Applejack asked as she began to sweat bullets. With the apple in her hoof and Twilight in front of her, she had a hard time figuring out what to do next. "B-but this apple--"
"Will NOT be given to Pinkie Pie. You are to eat it right now where I can see it. If it's not poisoned, then you'll have no problem eating your favourite food."
Applejack became very tense. She had nothing to say to counter Twilight's argument, couldn't come up with an excuse to not eat the apple, and she had lost her footing in the conversation. Strangely enough though, while it was clear that Twilight had gotten the truth out, the black psyche-locks did not at all react. Applejack did, but nothing changed with the locks.
OH COME ON! Twilight screamed mentally. That should've taken out at least two of the stupid locks. What the heck makes these things so much different from the usual red ones?
As Twilight asked herself the questions that she couldn't answer, Applejack found that the only way she would've gotten out of her mess was to do the last thing she wanted to do. She had to tell the truth to Twilight, but even though she was ready to do the last thing she wanted to do, she got her smile back on her face.
"Alright, Twilight Sparkle. You got me." Applejack said, which was followed by a cruel sounding chuckle. "Everything you said is true. I tried to kill Pinkie Pie. Just as you said, this apple, as well as the first, was poisoned, and Pinkie deserves every drop of it after what she did to Apple Bloom."
"Pinkie didn't do it. How many times do I have to tell you." Twilight asked with grief.
"You can tell me an infinity-and-ten times and I won't be convinced. I saw Pinkie with my own two eyes."
"That wasn't Pinkie you saw! It was..."
TAKE THAT!
"After doing some investigating, I discovered that the pony you're really after is a pegasus name Masquerade."
"A pegasus? Twilight, the pony I saw was Pinkie Pie, who happens to be an earth pony. You're not telling me that he's a shape-shifter or anything, are you?"
Twilight froze in silence. Applejack guessed it perfectly, but Twilight doubted that it was a genuine guess. "Well...actually..."
"And here I thought Pinkie was crazy. So Pinkie Pie is a shape shifter. OOH! Better! The one who had been killing all those ponies is actually a changling! Is that it? To say that the idea is ridiculous would be an understatement. There's no question. Pinkie Pie is the culprit."
Just when Twilight lease expected, she felt a massive wave of anger and hatred coming from the black-psyche locks as they tried to blow Twilight away. She had never had to keep the magatama spell active for so long without making progress, and the constant pain she had to endure channeling the spell all the more painful.
This is getting me nowhere. I'm trying to get her secret out, but she keeps pushing me away with her anger. Twilight thought with great pain. However, after thinking the thought over again, a concerning thought occurred to her. Wait a minute. She already confessed that she tried to kill Pinkie, so that can't be the secret. These things should be gone by now.
Twilight was puzzled by the mystery of the black psyche-locks more than she ever. Every attempt to break them apart had ended in failure. The locks had been working so much differently from the usual ones that she had to start to think of some other way to break them. Like she had done in court, it was time for her to turn her way of thinking around.
Maybe the pain and stubbornness I'm feeling from Applejack wasn't born from the secret. Maybe...could these negative emotions be what's actually hiding the secret?
"Alright Twilight, you've paused long enough. What do you want to say now?" Applejack asked.
"Honestly, Applejack? I would like to listen to your feelings."
Applejack simply gave Twilight a blank stare. "Really? You want to talk about my feelings rather than these crimes or the trial?"
"Believe it or not Applejack, I think your feelings might actually be connected to everything that's going on. Right now, you have been hiding a secret from me. Maybe even from yourself."
"Wha'cha talking about now?" Applejack asked as she started to get angry.
"You've been very angry and have been in a lot of pain, Applejack. Trust me. I've been feeling it. For the past few days, you've been very stressed out over all that's been happening, haven't you.
"Wh-what? No, I'm not hiding anything else." Applejack claimed, but the lie became clear as the black psyche-locks pulsed out darkness again.
"Ugh...you're not fooling anypony, Applejack. You can't fool me, and frankly, you shouldn't be fooling yourself."
"Don't be silly, Twi. I'm the element of honesty! I am--"
"The worst liar ever." Twilight finished for Applejack. "The more you deny it, the more obvious it becomes to me. There's something that you're denying your true feelings about, and I think I know what it is."
Applejack gave a quiet growl as she looked angrily at Twilight. "Well since you're a master psychologist, how about you tell me what I've been thinking about?
TAKE THAT!
"The one pony that you've been going after, Applejack." Twilight explained as she felt confident in her guess. "Everything you've been doing, all of the hatred, anger, and stubbornness you've thrown at her. You've been using that to hide you're true feelings about Pinkie Pie!"
Applejack cringed when Twilight shared her thoughts. If she still had her favourite hat with her, it would've jumped off of her head like it did back in court. She tried to respond to it, but she got tongue tied at first.
"Now hold your horses, Twilight! I...I...I hate her. I hate Pinkie Pie." Applejack said, but she sounded so unconvincing that not even the psyche-locks reacted to what appeared to have been a lie.
Yay! I'm making progress at last. Twilight thought with glee. This here tells me that you and Pinkie have been closer than you remember.
TAKE THAT!
When Applejack saw the picture Twilight took out, Applejack took a step back with a horrid and sadden look on her face. In an instant, the memories of the photo, where she and Pinkie had partied.
"I remember that day." The sadden Applejack said. "We ate, drank, and were merry like we were going to die tomorrow."
"That's because once upon a time, you two were the best of friends, were you not? Long before I came to Ponyville. I'm sure you two got even closer after learning that you two might even be related."
"I...we...shut up!" Applejack ordered. As Applejack's rage began to build up again, the black psyche-locks began to pulse again, but unlike before, they continuously pulsed and built up. "Just...shut up! I hate Pinkie! HATE HER!"
While Applejack's psyche-locks were pushing Twilight back with more power than they had before, she pressed on, for she knew that the locks were to get dismantled. It was no longer about helping Pinkie get an acquittal or learning the truth. It was about freeing Applejack from her own torment.
"But she clearly loves you, just like how she loves all of her friends. Why do you think she tried to take the fall in court today for the poisoning crime?"
"Enough! ENOUGH!"
"Applejack, there's a simple fact that you simply cannot shake.
As Twilight made her final statement, she raised her hoof, pointed it at Applejack with utmost confidence while ignoring the black psyche-locks, and chose the best possible words for Applejack. "Pinkie Pie is your friend! She always has and she'll always be, and just like I will, Pinkie will be there for you until the bitter end!"
"N-n-never! Sh-sh-she..." Applejack stammered. "She...she can't be...she tried to kill...or did she...? UGH!!! But I saw her! I saw the crime...but that's not something she...ughhhhhAAAAHH!H"
Applejack's stubbornness had finally gotten the best of her. As she continued to fight keep her true opinion on Pinkie within, the black psyche-locks went into overdrive and began blasting darkness towards Twilight. The force was so intense that it even began to have a physical reaction on Applejack. Her head began ache, her body began to twitch, and her eye pupils were spazzing. As darkness reached the climax of its force, Applejack reached her limit. As her brain couldn't take anymore, she lost consciousness while standing on her four hooves, and fainted.
In the long run, even after all of that, Twilight was still unable to break the psyche-locks, but instead gave Applejack the mother of all mental breakdowns. She certainly felt bad for what happened to Applejack, but it had to have been said. She needed to know that Pinkie was still her friend. But, after all that had happened, Twilight knew that the least she could've done was to help Applejack off the floor. It was lucky for them that they were still at the hospital.
"I'm sorry, Applejack." Twilight said as she lifted her friend up with her magic. "I hope you can still hear me, but always remember that even in your darkest hour, we will all be your light. For your sake, I vow to find the killer. You will be Pinkie's friend again."
It had been a very, very long day for Twilight. She was the defense for the trial, she investigated an old crime, failed to chase after the real killer, and essentially knocked out one of her best friends. Even worse, there was a distinct possibility that most of all of that could be repeated the very next day.
I hope Applejack can get a good sleep after all of that. Twilight thought as she worried about Applejack.
"Psst."
"Hmm? What was--?"
"Psst. Over here, pal."
Twilight recognized the sound of the whispering voice. After turning to a nearby bush, she noticed that her police pony friend, Star Cestus, was hiding. He looked as if he had a bad night as he looked as if he was burnt all over.
"Cestus! What happened?"
"I tried to go inside to wait for you, but your dragon friend remembered me from when we first met. I don't think he likes me that much."
Spike must still be mad at him for what happened at Rarity's trial. Twilight thought as she thought back to when she first met Cestus. "I'll give you protection from him. Let's go in."
With Twilight by Cestus's side for protection, the two ponies went inside the library, where Twilight summoned a magical barrier to block a stream of green flames that otherwise would've hit Cestus. Twilight was comfortable, but Cestus still felt paranoid. Regardless, he came to the library because Twilight need to talk with him.
"So Cestus, have you talked to Hope again?" Twilight asked.
"Actually, yeah. He seemed to have cooled off a bit after...well, you know."
"Yeah, and I imagine that he's still mad at me for getting you to work for me."
"On the bright side though, you definitely got the trial in the saddlebag tomorrow thanks to yours truly." Cestus boasted. "I've seen the evidence that he's going to be using and already found a gigantic hole in it. Heck, he even gave me a good piece of evidence to hang on to."
"Really? Can I see it?"
As Twilight requested, Cestus handed over the new evidence that he had managed to swipe. It was a large, white bottle that had its label removed, which was carefully contained inside a plastic bag to preserve it. A look at one angle of the bottle showed that it was tested by the police since there was a visible hoofprint on it.
"So what is it?" Twilight asked.
"Earlier today, Pinkie Pie had escaped her jail cell and ran into the Everfree Forest. Since I already mentioned the tree incident, I'll skip over that." Cestus reminded, but he wanted to skip the part of the story he didn't want to remember. "Anyway, when we got her back, this bottle was found on her person. Hope didn't tell me what it had inside, but he seemed sure that it was a liquid."
"That's certainly suspicious, but what does that have to do with the case?"
"Oh ho ho! That's where the juicy bit comes. There were a set of hoofprints found right on it that obviously belongs to Pinkie. What's the problem you may ask? They don't match with Pinkie's record!"
"WHAT!? But...but who else could they belong too?" The shocked Twilight asked.
"Only one pony I can think of: Pinkie Pie herself."
"Then...then the hoofprint records must be wrong. Somepony must've tampered with it."
"That's precisely what Hope said. But even with that said, he still feels confident that Pinkie is the culprit. I guess he thought the bottle would've done more harm to his case then good, so he asked me to hang on to it until he legitimately needed it." Cestus explained, but after saying that out loud, he made himself depress. "Dang, now I feel bad for betraying him again, right when we made up."
"You know who's side your fighting for though." Twilight said as she tried to cheer Cestus up. "You want to find the truth and you're doing your best to find it. I'm sorry that I've gotten you into so much trouble, but for that, i can't possibly thank you enough."
Unlabeled bottle was added to the evidence.
"Speaking of thanks, I think it's time I give you your pay. Princess Celestia should've brought it over by now. One second. Spike! Spike!"
After calling over Spike, her dragon companion, and searched around the library, Twilight was pleased to find that the money she asked for did managed to arrive safe and sound. She had to go upstairs to grab it from where her bed was, but when she found it, she used her magic to lift the bag up and toss it down to the ground floor. Much to Cestus's surprise, the bag was very big and nearly crushed him as it landed on the floor with a huge thump.
"SWEET PRICNESS LUNA! WHAT IS THAT?" Cestus asked.
"Whew. That there is your money." Twilight answered.
"Yes, but geez. I only expected five hundred bits. This looks more like five THOUSAND bits. Maybe even more."
Twilight giggled to Cestus's shock. "Yeah, I might've wrote an extra zero when I wrote that letter to the princess." Twilight said, which was followed by another giggle.
"Wow. I don't know what to say." Cestus said. "Should I hug you for giving me the money I need to take my wife on the vacation to Manehattan we've been planning, or should I make fun of you for being a fat cat."
"Just call me a fat cat and I'll let your wife hug me for you."
Both ponies had a very rough day, so it was nice for both of them to finally get a good laugh together. With a trial starting in the morning, they needed to have as much morale as possible. Unfortunately for them, they were going to lose that morale.
As they were laughing, they heard the door knock three times. It was getting late, so it was odd for anypony to have been at the door at the hour. Twilight went over to answer, but after she opened the door, they were gone.
"Tst. Kids." Cestus said.
Twilight was annoyed too, but then she looked down and spotted something. "Oh! A letter."
Curious to see its contents, Twilight picked up the letter and began to read it. Twilight was put into a very good mood, but in an instant, the happiness was taken away.
"What do you got there?" Cestus asked.
"A letter...from Masquerade!" Twilight said in horror, who then preceded to reading the letter out loud. "If you don't lose the trial tomorrow, she will be victim number five."
After reading the short note, Twilight noticed the photo that was taped on the letter. After pulling it off, she and Cestus saw who the picture was of. Tied up was the missing filly, Scootaloo. While she was clearly unconscious in the picture, it was clear by the tears that she was in total misery due to her kidnapping. Cestus himself was heart broken by the sight of the picture.
"No...that poor kid." Cestus said as he felt a mixture of pain and anger, similar to how Applejack felt before. "I gotta get back out there and find her. Later!"
Without hesitation, Cestus ran out of the library to try and squeeze some more investigation in before it got too dark. He even forgot to take the money that Twilight prepared for him, but that wasn't at the top of his mind at that point. He only cared about finding Scootaloo before the worst imaginable thing could happen.
Naturally, this gave Twilight a lot more to think about. Pinkie Pie's life was not only in danger, but an innocent filly was too, but the easiest way to save the filly would've been to abandon Pinkie and break a promise she had just made to Applejack, neither of which she wanted to do.
"Masquerade...." Twilight said angrily to herself. "Just how far are you willing to go?"
February 14, 9:44 AM Ponyville Courthouse Defendant Lobby
Ugh...worst sleep of my life. The barely awoken Twilight thought. So much to think about, so little time to deal with them.
While Twilight was still trying to wake up, she could at least acknowledge that her little companion, Sweetie Belle, was able to keep alert. She looked like she was doing fine, but Twilight didn't tell her about the letter she got about Scootaloo yet.
"I'm here and ready to roll, Twilight! Are you ready to win the trial?" Sweetie Belle asked.
I'm not actually sure if I've got enough evidence to do that. Better not let her know that. Twilight thought. "I've already got a victory party ready."
"Awesome, but I hope it's not planned out too late, because we'll be walking in and walking out of there."
She's trying so hard to keep morale high. The least I can do is keep smiling.
Twilight did her best to get a smile on her face, and it was enough to keep Sweetie Belle's smile on her face. While she predicted that she was going to have a very stressful day, Twilight knew that Pinkie Pie would want to see her walk into the courtroom with utmost confidence, not just to put on a show for the gallery, but for her own sake as well.
Sweetie belle wasn't even the only pony with a happy look on their face. At that time, Star Cestus had arrived to meet up with Twilight, and much like Sweetie Belle, he looked very confident. He looked very tired, but happy regardless.
"Mr. Cestus! Did you find Scootaloo yet?" Sweetie Belle asked.
And in an instant, the smile on Cestus's face was wiped off. "Way to ruin my good mood, pal."
"I guess your search for her hasn't been going well, huh?" Twilight asked.
Cestus let out a big sigh before answering. "No, I'm afraid not. I had the guys who were investigating the farm to go around and finding the kid, but they couldn't find her. We even got some Ponyvillians volunteer to help. This one mare in particular who looked like she tasted the rainbow has been looking harder than anypony. Personally though, I feel more sorry for the shy looking one she's been dragging all around town."
Well, that will certainly mean two of my friends won't be here to support me. That's a shame, but I guess the more ponies out there looking for Scootaloo, the better.
"OH! That reminds me. The trial is going to start about a half an hour late, girls." Cestus said.
"What? Why is it getting pushed back?" Twilight asked.
"It was my idea actually. I figured the only way for that Masquerade jerk to hurt Scootaloo is if he knew you didn't forfeit the trial."
"WHAT!?" Sweetie Belle screeched with a squeak in her voice. "He's going to hurt Scootaloo if we win?"
And there goes the last shred of morale we had left. Twilight thought with disdain.
"He'll do no such thing. I plan on having my best officers give a thorough check to every single pony that walks into that room so that he can't possibly get in to watch the trial. If we're lucky, we'll might have our killer walk right into our hooves."
"It would take an immeasurable amount of luck to have him walk right and into a trap like that." Twilight said with realism. "But if things go smoothly, he shouldn't suspect a thing. In fact, I think I'll try and have a word with the judge while we still have some time."
"In that case, I got to get ready, too. I want to be able to make the contradiction in my testimony as obvious as possible for you. If all goes as planned, the trial will be suspended until tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Can't Twilight win today?"
"Not a chance, kid. The witness for the third murder STILL hasn't shown up yet." Cestus explained. "In order to solve the case, we need to discuss all three murders."
He must be referring to the Jersey Devils, Coltaire and The Pony of Doom. Since Scootaloo's life is in danger, ending the trial today would definitely be premature. I hope Cestus hasn't gotten in enough trouble to stop him from getting me the case file for that murder. Until then, I have to prove that Pinkie didn't kill her Uncle Shepard.
February 13, 10:30 AM Ponyville Courthouse Courtroom 2
It took an extra thirty minutes of waiting and preparation, but at long last, the trial was ready to begin. The audience had all taken their seats, Twilight and Sweetie Belle had taken their spots at the defense bench while Hope Ray to his at the prosecution's, The Doctor was sitting at the judge's seat, and Star Cestus was ready to take the stand as a witness. Everything was all set.
"Alrighty now. Court is now in session." The Doctor stated. "Is everyone ready?"
"The defense is ready, your honor!" Twilight said as she slammed her hooves on the table. Immidiately after doing so, she became disgusted."Eww, why is my table sticky?"
As Twilight was complaining about her dirty table, Hope was going through some last minute preparations. "If I may, I'll need a second to be completely ready."
In response, The Doctor gave Hope a nod. "Very well. While you're getting ready, I have an important announcement to make. As of right now, the police are handling a very delicate situation in the case, as it seems that a child has gone missing because of it. For that reason, I must insist that everything that is heard in this trial to not be muttered outside these walls until a verdict is finally handed."
He actually listened to my request. Good. Now hopefully, there will be no way for Masquerade to know if the trial is actually over or not unless I actually do lose. Twilight thought happily, knowing that Scootaloo was given a line of safety.
As Twilight stood and waited for the trial to begin, he noticed that something was missing. The pony who was suppose to be the center of attention in the court, Pinkie Pie, had not arrived. Twilight took a quick moment to ask cestus about it.
"Cestus. Where's Pinkie?" Twilight whispered.
"Not here, pal. Because of how she escaped yesterday, Hope asked for security at the detention center to be tripled. She's also been acting weird this morning. She's being twitchy and not making any sense, much like yesterday.
Twilight knew exactly what was going on with Pinkie, and it made her very worried for her friend. I forgot. She still doesn't have her medicine. Only now, I feel bad because she really does need it. Bringing Pinkie's medicine for her will have to be my top priority after this trial.
As Twilight finished thinking and Hope finished preparing, The Doctor slammed down his gavel, for it was time to begin the trial.
"Ready or not, here I come. Mr. Hope Ray, I 'hope" you're ready to give us your opening statement."
"But of course, your honor." Hope said as he gave The Doctor a bow. "Due to yesterday's trial and the defense's claims, there is no concrete evidence to prove or disprove whether or not the defense murdered Copycat or attempted to take the life of Apple Bloom. For that reason, I went to speak with Princess Celestia to declassify the case regarding the second murder victim, Dr. Shepard Pi."
"I see. And...?" The Doctor asked.
"My request was approved. I am now free to discuss to the court and the public the murder of Shepard Pi. There is much more concrete evidence in this case, and for that reason, today's trial will be to prove that Pinkie Pie is the culprit."
"Very good, but I do have one more question. What about the third murder? Will you be discussing that?"
"Ah yes. The murder of Time Charm, who, much like Copycat, died at a concert. Sadly, my witnesses for that crime has yet to show up here in Ponyville. But remember, due to the evidence submitted already, we'll already know that the pony who committed one of these crimes must've committed the rest."
I want to object to that last statement SO badly...but I can't because he's right. Twilight thought, who was angered by her own common sense.
In the end, Twilight was able to resist the urge to object long enough to let Hope summon his witness to the stand. This was when the second trial day would really begin.
Antsy to get started, Star Cestus wasted no time to get to the witness stand. He had a very smug look on his face as he was ready to testify.
"I'm sure Inspector Cestus doesn't need any introduction. Are you ready to discuss the second murder?" Hope asked.
"Ready and itching to go! I will now disclose the murder of Shepard Pi!" Cestus announced to the court. Once again, his face became long and depressed, but this time, it was his own fault. "Dang, I feel bad for being happy about talking about this stuff."
When it looked like Cestus was about to be quiet and be unfocused, Hope slammed a single hoof on his table, causing Cestus to get startled. At the very least, it got him focused on the case once more. With nothing else to think about, Cestus began.
"Several months ago, a local scientist in Rocky Road Village, by the name of Shepard Pi, was murdered. His death was caused by a stab wound aimed directly to his heart, most certainly causing an instant death. Just like the other crimes, the weapon was a uniquely designed dagger, but unlike the first crime, the defendant's hoofprints are on it."
Black Dagger has been updated.
HOLD IT!
"If Pinkie Pie's hoofprints were on the dagger, how come you didn't arrest her?" Twilight asked.
"Apparently, we didn't even find out that the hoofprints even belonged to Pinkie Pie until the third murder, which was when we finally realized the crimes were connected. We also couldn't find a motive at the time, so we let her off at the time."
They couldn't find solid proof that Pinkie was responsible until after so long? That doesn't sound right. Twilight thought, pondering how the investigation was handled so poorly, but for the time being, she had a more productive question to ask. "One last thing. Why exactly has this murder been covered up where as the others weren't?
"It was due to the brutal and, shall I say, disturbing nature of the case." Cestus answered. "We are absolutely certain that the only injury the victim suffered was the stab wound that killed him. However, his body was mutilated further afterwards."
"Mutilated? How so?"
OBJECTION!
"To prevent any ponies from getting sick, I request that Star Cestus does not go further into detail." Hope requested.
"Objection...uhh...hmm" The Doctor said as he was unsure of himself. "I'm not sure whether I agree or not."
"I'll put it this way then." Cestus said. "We are unfortunately not sure as to what the victim even looks like. Only recently have we even figured out whether he was an earth, pegasus, or unicorn pony."
The ponies in the gallery began to talk with one another as they heard the horrible details of the crime. On the bright side, they only heard the vague details regarding the body. Before things got too loud, The Doctor slammed his gavel down three times.
"Order! Order! Don't make me allow the witness to show a detailed photograph." The Doctor threatened, causing the entire courtroom to go silent.
Nice one, judge. Twilight though, who was just as disgusted as the rest of the ponies.
"Observation #9: The ponies in this town may actually have weaker stomachs than I do." Hope commented.
After a long, awkward silence in the courtroom, Cestus found a chance to once again speak up. "Can I testify as to why we think Pinkie is the culprit now?"
I hope so. This trial has already take a weird turn. Twilight thought with disgust. I remember Cestus saying that he was certain that I would find a contradiction. I hope it'll be as easy as he said.
With no other pony willing to object, especially since no pony wanted to hear how exactly the victim's body was mutilated, Cestus was ready to testify.
--Testimony: How we know it was Pinkie-- -Pinkie Pie apparently lived with the victim for many years, so they have a history. -We also know that Pinkie was there with him on the day of the murder. -We even have proof that she was right there. "wink" "wink" -There could be no other pony to commit the crime.
"Would this proof be the dagger you mentioned earlier?" The Doctor asked.
"Oh no. It's something completely different, but unlike the dagger, we have a good reason as to why we didn't find it the first time we investigate." Cestus explained with a great big grin on his face. "It's undoubtedly the most perfect, undisputable evidence in the case."
As Cestus was describing the new evidence, Twilight noticed that he was acting very suspicious about it. I bet that he's talking about the evidence with the flaw he mentioned to me earlier. Let's find out what it is.
-Pinkie Pie apparently lived with the victim for many years, so they have a history.
HOLD IT!
"So you knew that Pinkie use to live with her uncle too?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah, we found out when we talked with the family members." Cestus answered.
"Their testimony on their opinions of the murder is what initially led the police to believe that she was innocent." Hope spoke up. "In my opinion, they might've just been covering up for a family member."
OBJECTION!
"You can't prove that!"
After Twilight made her objection, The Doctor slammed his gavel down and nodded to Twilight. "I agree with the defense, though I'm afraid that the prosecution raises a good point as well. As much as I'd like to meet the family of a pony like Miss Pinkie, I'm afraid their testimony wouldn't be reliable."
There goes the option of calling in Pinkie's Dad. That would've been a great excuse to delay the trial. Twilight thought, saddened that she lost a good backup plan.
-We also know that Pinkie was there with him on the day of the murder.
HOLD IT!
"How can you be so certain? Surely there could've been another pony that was there at the day of the murder, couldn't there?"
OBJECTION!
"After investigating the crime scene myself, I am absolutely certain that only Pinkie was at the crime scene that day."
"If that's the case, then present the evidence!" Twilight ordered. "I want proof that only Pinkie Pie was there that day!"
At that moment, Twilight's worry about whether or not she could save Pinkie didn't seemed to have mattered. She felt the confidence and charisma that she needed to be a legit defense attorney, which was something that she sometimes forgot she even was. The ponies in the gallery, The Doctor, and even Sweetie Belle was shocked, yet impressed by Twilight. Hope, however, was unfazed.
"Inspector! Do as she asked." Hope ordered.
With an almost evil sounding chuckle, Cestus applied his order. "Sure thing, pal."
-We even have proof that she was right there. "wink" "wink"
HOLD IT!
"The suspense is killing me. Let's see this proof."
"Of course, Twilight." Cestus said. "After a second investigation at the victim's home, AKA: The crime scene, we discovered that the house had their own set of security cameras to monitor everything that goes on in the house."
"PONIES HAVE SECURITY CAM--" The Doctor shouted, but he silenced himself before he got too excited. "Err, I mean...the victim had security cameras?"
"He sure did. Good ones too. The guy had technology more advanced then what Equestria should even have."
Those wonderful, wonderful machines. Why wouldn't Sweetie Belle let me take one? Twilight asked herself depressingly. "So I'm guessing..."
"You for it, pal! We managed to print out a picture that was taken when the crime happened." Cestus explained.
"Only a picture? No footage of the crime?" The Doctor asked.
"Footage? This was a security camera, not a movie filming camera."
"You don't say." The confused Doctor said. "I guess I'm not familiar with your security system then. Perhaps a small explanation?"
"It's actually quite simple, your honor. These camera's work very much like a photography camera. I'm not quite sure how it works myself, but apparently, whenever a sound or something large goes by it, the camera will take a picture, which can then be retrieved later."
"I see. How resourceful."
It feels depressing that I'm probably the only one here who actually understood what the judge was thinking. Twilight thought. I wonder if I could create a camera like--
OBJECTION!
"Inspector! Your honor! You're both straying way off topic." Hope stated. "Please present the photo as evidence!"
"Oh! Sorry about that, pal." Cestus apologized. "Here you go. This is the decisive evidence!"
As Hope ordered, Cestus presented the photo that was taken by the security camera in Shepard Pi's camera. Since it was the evidence that Cestus hinted to Twilight so much, she knew that it was extremely important to get a good look at the picture.
Security Photo was added to the evidence.
As The Doctor looked at the photo, he saw right away how it was decisive evidence. "That pony on the right...is that the defendant?"
"Correct." Hope answered. "And the pony on the left...is the victim, shortly before getting killed by her niece!"
The crowd got restless when the contents of the photo was revealed. A pre-crime photograph to show the two ponies involved in the crime would be decisive evidence no matter what court it was brought to. The prosecution immidiately started the trial by presenting strong evidence.
HOLD IT!
"How do we know for certain that these two ponies are Pinkie Pie and Shepard Pi?" Twilight asked. I certainly know that it's Masquerade on the left.
With a very happy smile on his face, Cestus answered. "That's easy. You can tell by the shadow that the pony on the left is the earth pony, Pinkie Pie."
Following Cestus's explanation was one from Hope. "Furthermore, on the lower right of the photo marks the names "Pinkie Pie" and "Shepard Pi". This means that the camera also recognized that the two ponies were in the room." Hope explained. But as he looked at the photo, he saw that something was off. "Speaking of the photo...Inspector, i can't help but feel that this photo looks different from what I remember."
"Oh yeah, about that...I thought since the we could only see shadows in the picture, it would be a good idea to brighten up. I figured it would make finding out what's what a bit easier."
Hope shook his head, disappointed by Cestus's logic. "Brightening up a shadow only makes a brighter shadow. It does not add color to it."
"Really? Silly me." Cestus said, once again, with a smile.
No. He brightened the picture up for me. If what Cestus said was true... Twilight thought as she thought of her bold move. "Your honor, the picture presented to the court has a major contradiction in it."
"Oh?" The Doctor said as he took another look at the picture. "Are you sure? This looks like pretty damning evidence to me. As is, I'd say this is enough to declare a verdict."
"You are correct. It is enough evidence." Hope said to The Doctor. "The photograph makes the idea of the defendant being right there with the victim before he died an undisputable fact."
OBJECTION!
"I would like to make the argument that this photo IS disputable!" Twilight requested.
Hearing Twilight's request, The Doctor acknowledged it and gave his gavel a slam. "Very well, Miss Sparkle. Please explain to the court why the evidence is wrong."
Alright. Now I can tell the court what is wrong with the photo! Twilight thought happily. Then, after realizing the situation she was in, her happy thought became unhappy. Oh crud. Now I have to tell the court what is wrong with the photo.
As Twilight realized that she was biting more than she could chew, she turned and saw that Sweetie Belle had a weird look on her face as she focused her attention on the photo. Twilight could tell that the filly was on to something.
"Hey Twilight. Are they absolutely sure that the ponies in the picture is Pinkie and her uncle?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Did she find something wrong? Twilight asked herself. Let's see if I can find if something's wrong with this photo.
Twilight took a very close look at the photo in question. At first glance, it did look like Pinkie Pie was the pony on the right, but after a second careful look, she found the clue that Cestus found and made Sweetie Belle uneasy. In hindsight, it was a very obvious problem. Regardless, it was one Twilight planned to abuse.
TAKE THAT!
"Your honor, take a good look at this particular part of the photo! Does anything seem wrong?"
"Not really. All I see is the defendant's horn." The Doctor answered, but after saying it out loud, he noticed his own mistake. "W-wait! Isn't she an earth pony?"
"Exactly. Anypony who's ever met Pinkie Pie knows she isn't a unicorn, but this photo is implying that she is." Twilight stated, which was followed by a hoof slam on her table."Eww, it still feels sticky--I mean...THIS COULD NOT BE PINKIE PIE!"
The ponies in the gallery were shocked when they saw the photo, but became even more shocked when Twilight debunked the theory behind it. They had all been worried about whether or not their beloved Pinkie Pie was a killer, so naturally, they would feel better when Twilight found proof against it.
OBJECTION!
Unfortunately for Ponyville, as well as Twilight, Sweetie, and Cestus, Hope was not willing to let them have that relief. "You have been mislead, Miss Sparkle. Rest assure, the pony on the right is Pinkie Pie."
"Come on, pal. We may have to admit defeat here." Cestus said as he pretended to be on Hope's side. "I've seen the evidence. That isn't Pinkie."
As Cestus stood confidently at the witness stand, Hope simply shook his head in disappointment. "Have you seen THIS piece of evidence?"
With his magic, Hope presented his next piece of evidence: a metal ring, big enough to fit around one's head. The most obvious detail of the evidence was the small steel rod with a drill-like design to it. It looked almost like a piece of garbage. After noting the very unique design of the device, Twilight got a rough idea as to where he was going.
"Fancy that. You've got a...a...what do you got there?" The Doctor eventually asked.
"This is something belonging to the defendant and is what Miss Sparkle noticed in the photo." Hope explained, which was followed by a slam of his hoof on the table. "Fillies and gentlecolts, I present to the court...Pinkie Pie's horn!"
As Twilight heard Hope's claim, her brain stopped working for an instant. Even after realizing what he said, she almost didn't understood what she heard. "Pinkie's...PINKIE'S WHHAAAAAAAT!?"
At that point, the single most ridiculous piece of evidence was shown to the court. Every single pony in the courtroom, from the gallery to the witness stand, were surprised by Pinkie's supposed horn. For something like that to exist went against everything that was sound and logical.
Prosecutor Hope Ray had presented a shocking piece of evidence. After Twilight established that a unicorn who looked similar to Pinkie Pie was at the crime, Hope showed that with what appeared to have been a strap-on horn, meaning the unicorn very well could've been Pinkie.
"Fancy that..." The Doctor said impressed by what he was seeing. "Mr. Hope Ray, where did you find that?"
"I found this during my investigation of the crime scene. Unlike the first investigation team, I found this to have been important evidence." Hope explained. "After all, it proves the defendant is the one in the photo."
FREEZE!
"Hey pal, why didn't you show me that horn before? That's important evidence!" Cestus asked.
"Yes, it is. That's precisely why I didn't tell you inspector. I knew you would've shown Miss Sparkle if I showed you."
We can't even deny that. Twilight thought, embarrassed that Hope was spot on.
"Very good then. But before the court accepts this as evidence, could the prosecution please explain what exactly this is?" The Doctor asked.
"As you wish, your honor. This horn was one of the many inventions created the victim, Shepard Pi. According to my investigation, this was made to be artificial, yet perfectly working, unicorn horn."
HOLD IT!
"I was at Shepard's home the other day! How come I didn't find such a thing or his research?" Twilight asked.
"That would be because I took his horn and notes as evidence." Hope answered. "Speaking of which, I believe the horn should be presented as evidence now."
Artificial Horn was added to the evidence.
As The Doctor was given the horn, he inspected it with immense fascination. he appeared as if he was trying to figure out how to put it on himself rather than figure out how it worked.
"Most intriguing. I should see if Tick Tock can make something like this." The Doctor said as he inspected the horn, forgetting that he was suppose to be a judge. He eventually turned his attention back to Hope to ask a question, but not for the right reason. "Tell me, how does this contraption work?"
"It's actually quite simple. All you need to do is place it on your head and wear it so that the horn is where a natural horn would be, and that's pretty much it. From there, if you know how to actually perform magic, you can do it."
This must've been the invention Shepard made for Pinkie. As scary as the thought of Pinkie performing magic is, I can see the benefits. Twilight thought. "Where would the actual magic come from?"
"Same place as us unicorns. From within our own bodies." Hope answered. "The artificial horn would draw magic from the user's body, then they can use that magic to cast spells. The magic reserves from a pegasus or an earth pony isn't like that of a unicorn, but all ponies would have them nonetheless."
"If that's the case..." The Doctor said as he processed the new information in. "If the defendant had this horn, she could perform magic as well!"
The idea of Pinkie Pie of all ponies performing magic was a startling thought to the gallery. Even Twilight didn't want to think of the possibilities.
If Pinkie gets out of this mess with that fake horn returned to her, I'm confiscating it. I wouldn't want to see her try to turn ponies into cupcakes.
"Now hold on a second!" Sweetie Belle said to the court. "What proof do you have that the thing even belongs to Pinkie? Or for that matter, how do we know it even works?"
"Smart girl." Hope complimented. "Truth be told, there are actually several witnesses who can confirm that this is a perfectly working artificial horn."
OBJECTION!
"I'd like to cross-examine this witness!" Twilight stated.
"By all means, Miss Sparkle. My main witness is already at the stand." Hope answered.
FREEZE!!
"What are you talking about, pal? I've never seen Pinkie with a horn or anything!" Cestus angrily said to Hope.
"But you have seen her perform magic, have you not?" Hope asked as he held up a report with his magic. "I have here a report, written by you no less, stating that while you and two other officers were chasing after the suspect, who escaped police custody, she seemingly destroyed a tree with her mind."
"That's impossible. I was right there with her and saw no horn on her head. " Cestus explained.
"Yet, the only logical reason for the defendant to perform such an act is if she had the ability to perform magic." Hope rebutted.
OBJECTION!
"Pinkie Pie is FAR from logical!" Twilight argued.
As serious as Twilight sounded, The Doctor wasn't able to take it all that serious himself. "Overruled. To this day, I have never seen an earth pony obliterate anything with absolutely nothing. The court hereby accepts the possibility that the defendant uses this horn. That is, if the prosecution has proof that this horn belongs to her."
"As I mentioned before, this horn was found in the victim's home, as well as notes regarding it. From them, we found that the victim, Shepard Pi, made the horn specifically to allow her niece to use magic. There is no argument. This horn belongs to her."
"Now hang on. Let me see if I got this straight." Sweetie Belle said. "Are you saying that Pinkie Pie was using magic by using a fake horn that you have?"
"I see you've caught on. Good for you." Hope said. "As I mentioned before, she had escaped police custody, but was later captured again. After a short investigation, we found several items that belonged to her. We know this because of the hoofprints on them."
"I see." The Doctor said. "And I assume that includes this artificial horn? That seems to make perfect sense."
OBJECTION!
"Actually your honor, it also clears up another mystery."
I'm starting to regret cross-examining Cestus now. Twilight thought as she began to sweat bullets.
"As the Defense pointed out yesterday, there was an oddity with the first victim's stab wound." Hope continued. "Miss Twilight brought up that Miss Copycat's wound that killed her was on the opposite side of where Miss Pinkie Pie was. I think it's clear to understand how to clear up this little contradiction."
The Doctor nodded in agreement. "Yes, of course. If Pinkie could perform magic, she could've plunged the murder weapon into a pony regardless of where she was."
OBJECTION!
"There is clearly no unicorn horn in the photo that was presented to the court yesterday!" Twilight shouted.
OBJECTION!
"There was also no murder weapon in that photo, and yet it appeared shortly after said photo was taken. As you can see, this is why I've been hoping to discuss the second murder, Miss Sparkle." Hope said as he slammed his hoof on the table. "My logic is flawless!"
It appeared that Hope was ready to claim victory as the evidence was pointing towards Pinkie. It was reaching the point where the ponies in the gallery, all of whom were friend's to Ponyville's party pony, started to doubt whether or not Twilight could save her. Things were looking bad, but Twilight wasn't willing to let Hope drive her in a corner.
Stay calm, Twilight. Just think this rationally and wisely. He's claiming that because that artificial horn was found where Pinkie escaped to, which was the Everfree Forest by the way, and had her hoofprints, she must be guilty. My only hope is to fight against that evidence. Fortunately, I have just the thing to do the job.
"Miss Sparkle, you've been very quiet." The Doctor commented. "Do you have any further arguments?"
"As a matter of fact, I do." Twilight said as she nodded. "I believe that I have evidence that the prosecution needs to explain to the court."
HOLD IT!
"M-Mr. Judge? Can you hold on a second?" Sweetie Belle asked, but she turned her head back to Twilight before she got an answer. "Twilight, I know the evidence you're about to show them, but something isn't right."
Sweetie Belle's concern baffled Twilight. Hope presented evidence, there was a contradiction, and she had evidence to point it out. It was implied that the items handled in the Everfree Forest was done with Pinkie's hoof, but Twilight knew that another pony could've done it. The opportunity was almost too good to be true. At that point, Twilight realized the problem: It was too good to be true.
Now that she mentioned it, something does feel a bit odd. In fact, this entire trial has felt odd. The fact that Hope had the horn prepared the way he did...could this be another trap?
"Miss Sparkle, is everything alright?" The Doctor asked.
Ugh. Trap or not, this is my best chance to go on the offensive. If I can force Hope to give me new information, I'm certain that I can counter what he has next. Prepared to face a potential trap, Twilight continued forward with her original plan. "I'm ready to present evidence that suggest another pony handled the artificial horn."
"Very well then, Miss Sparkle. Please show me and the court why you think another pony could've been where Pinkie escaped."
Trap or not, here I come.
TAKE THAT!
With her magic, Twilight showed the court the piece of evidence that Cestus brought her the night before, the unlabeled bottle. Twilight still didn't know what exactly it was, but she knew the perfect time to present it.
"Fancy that. A pony milk bottle." The Doctor said with a smile.
Does this really look like a milk bottle to him? Twilight thought with discomfort. Regardless, she pressed on "To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what this is myself. What I do know is that this belongs to Pinkie Pie."
"Hmm. Makes sense. She looks like a young mare, so I'd imagine she needs her milk to keep growing."
"THIS ISN'T A MILK--never mind. The point is that this was found in the same place as the artificial horn was. The Canterlot police force can back me up on this claim."
"We sure can, pal." Cestus spoke, reminding the court that he was still at the witness stand. "Prosecutor Hope and even some of my subordinates told me themselves."
"Well, that's all fine and dandy and all, but if this bottle was really found in the forest, how does it change the case at hand...or hoof?
"This bottle has a set of hoofprints on them." Twilight explained. "Now if this belonged to Pinkie, then you would expect hoofprints to be found, but the problem is that these hoofprints do not at all belong to Pinkie Pie. This leads to only one possible explanation. Somepony else was in the forest with her!"
The gallery went into an uproar from Twilight's logic. The Doctor had to slam his gavel three times just to calm them down, but it's hard to blame then considering how intense the trial had gotten.
"Order! Order I say! Miss Sparkle, just where are you getting at?"
"It's simple. Cestus insists that he didn't see Pinkie wearing a unicorn horn when she apparently blew up the tree. If that's the case, than that must not have been Pinkie Pie." Twilight said. She than slammed her hooves down onto the table, ignoring the sticky spot she noticed before to finish her claim. "And these hoofprints proves that there could've been another pony!"
"Another pony...?" The Doctor asked. "But why would there be any other pony in the forest?"
"The same reason I'm defending Pinkie Pie. Because there's a pony out there trying to frame her!" Twilight claimed. "Your honor, I'd like to name a suspect."
OBJECTION!
Just as the gallery were eating up everything that Twilight was saying, an unexpected objection was made. Twilight felt confident enough to mention that Masquerade was a suspicious suspect, but Hope ceased that thought.
"Observation #10: The Princess Twilight, the defense, has officially reached her lowest point."
Trap sprung. Now to escape it. I just got to keep calm and get my evidence ready. Twilight thought as she prepared herself for anything.
"Mr. Ray, what exactly are you objecting to?" The Doctor asked.
"A good question. You see, Miss Sparkle was going to claim that because there were a set of hoof prints on the bottle she just presented that don't belong to the defendant, the possibility of another suspect would be strongly implied. However, the bottle proves no such thing."
"Since we're actually talking about this bottle...the defense said that this wasn't a milk bottle. If that's true, then what was actually inside?" The Doctor asked. "Miss Sparkle?"
"Huh? Well..." Twilight said, who was unsure as to what to say. "To be honest, I wasn't told what was originally inside."
OBJECTION!
"You know very well what was inside this bottle." Hope claimed.
OBJECTION!
"It was unlebelled when Cestus gave it to me. Not even he knew its contents!"
OBJECTION!
Hope shook his head in shame, upset that she wasn't willing to admit that she knew what the bottle was, even though Twilight genuinely didn't know what was inside. "I have several strong pieces of evidence showing that you know exactly what's inside."
FREEZE!
"That makes no sense! If there was such evidence, how come I don't know anything about it?" Cestus asked.
To break up the fight between the defense, the investigator, and the prosecution, The Doctor gave his gavel a slam to silent the courtroom. As heated up the courtroom battle was getting, it was important to keep order. "Before I see any further evidence, I must know what was in this bottle in the first place."
Hope nodded his head and began his explanation to the court. "This bottle was seen twice by the police. Once at the detention center, the other in the Everfree Forest. After the forensic team examined it, they discovered that it contained an extremely powerful acid. Enough to burn through a pony's flesh thirty times."
"Acid? You mean like from a lemon?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"That's citric acid, Sweetie." Twilight answered. "Why would Pinkie have something so dangerous? Shouldn't the police have known if she had something like that?"
"The bottle didn't appear dangerous to the guards. It was an unfortunate mess up on their side." Hope answered. "But the real reason they allowed it was because she got it from a mare they thought they could trust. That pony...was you, Princess."
"W-wait...WHAT!?" Twilight shouted, horrified by Hope's claim.
FREEZE!
"What are you talking about?" Cestus asked as he was the first to defend Twilight. "What possible reason would she have something like that? More importantly, why didn't you tell me about this?"
"Simple. I didn't trust you." Hope answered bluntly. "I predicted that you'd leak information to Princess Twilight, so I gave you information I wanted you to leak."
Cestus was shocked and hurt by Hope's choice of words, which caused him to jump back, but he recovered his balance by slamming his hoof on the witness stand. "Now look here, pal! What makes you think you could just use me like that?"
Probably because he knew that it would actually work. Twilight thought with a huge sense of embarrassment.
Before any further chaos can ensue, The Doctor slammed his gavel down to silent the court, as well as to get the court's attention. "I have a question now. Why exactly would the defense want to bring acid to the defendant?"
That was clearly the question Hope was waiting to be asked. He had a very confident look on his face as he prepared to give an answer. Incidentally, Twilight was given an extremely uncomfortable look on her own face. Yet again, it could've been because it was the first time she had ever actually seen Hope smile.
"Before we could've brought her back to jail, we had to bring the defendant to Ponyville General, who was then treated by Auto Ratchet, Apple Bloom's doctor. Her hoof's had suffered from horrible burns. It's clear what caused said burns."
OBJECTION!
"Are you saying Pinkie Pie would actually caused bodily harm to herself?" Twilight asked.
OBJECTION!
"Before you say anything else, she already confessed that she did it to the police." Hope answered, smashing any possible argument that twilight could make. "Anyway, it seems that the defense was afraid that the defendant's hoofprints would be an issue."
OBJECTION!
"Wait! I think--"
Before Twilight could be given a chance to object, The Doctor slammed his hoof down and interrupted her. "Overruled. Finish your theory, Mr. Ray."
"But of course. As I was saying, the defense appeared to have wanted her client to remove her hoofprints, thereby removing potential damning evidence from the equation. Fortunately, her plan was flawed by the start."
Hey! I make great plans. Twilight thought angrily.
"Furthermore, shortly after Twilight visited her client at the detention center, the defendant escaped. Coincidence? I think not." Hope explained. before finishing his claim, he slammed his hoof down on the table. "The defense not only had Miss Pinkie Pie remove her hoofprints, she helped her escape from jail!"
In an instant, the entire courtroom bursted in an explosion of an uproar. Not only was Pinkie accused of murder, but now Twilight was accused of evidence tempering and aiding and abetting a suspect.
OBJECTION!
"That's impossible! I was with Twilight the whole time! She didn't even go to the detention center yesterday! Cestus did!" Sweetie Belle argued.
"Well then, that's certainly a mystery then, now isn't it?" The Doctor said.
OBJECTION!
In response, Hope shook his head in disagreement. "You're honor, it's difficult to take the word of a child. Especially when said child his sitting next to the defense. Even a testimony from her would be suspicious and biased. We simply can't take her word for it."
As soon as Sweetie Belle made an objection to Hope, he was able to have it be overruled. No child liked to be silenced by an adult and Sweetie Belle was no exception. She tried her best to help Twilight out of her jam, but completely failed.
Good effort, Sweetie Belle. But he's right. Unless you have evidence, there's nothing you can do. But... Twilight had a good idea as to what was going to happen next.
The Doctor sat quietly in his seat as he thought deeply into the case. Hope was trying to make it clear that Twilight was responsible for letting Pinkie escape and making her burn off her hoofprints. After a moment of silence though, he realized that something was missing.
"I'm sure that the prosecution can bring in witnesses saying that they saw Miss Sparkle at the detention center to see Pinkie Pie. However, there's really nothing to stop her from saying that she didn't. Therefore..."
"You want evidence." Hope said, finishing The Doctor's sentence. "That evidence happens to be the bottle the princess graciously presented to the court. Allow me to give you a report on what was found on it."
Unlabelled Bottle has been updated.
After being given an up-to-date report on the acid bottle, The Doctor gave it a careful read to make sure he didn't misread anything. As a matter of fact, the first two times he read it, he thought he did misread it. After reading it for a fifth time, he knew what he read was true.
"it..." The Doctor said with hesitation. "It appears the hoofprints that Miss Sparkle mentioned was on it...was her own."
The entire courtroom went berserk. Cestus fell over in shock, Sweetie Belle gasped, and the gallery began talking without even trying to sound quiet. Twilight, after hearing the report, simply stood quiet. There was evidence saying that she had done something very illegal, but she didn't know how such a thing could even be possible.
"What!? "No way! Not Princess Twilight!" "Was that the right bottle?" "Could the princess really present fake evidence?
OBJECTION!
"That can't be real evidence! I never touched that bottle!" Twilight shouted.
But, The Doctor shook his head in disappointment. "It's quite clear that you did, Miss Sparkle. I'm sorry, but objection overruled."
This can't be happening. This is insane! How is something so ludicrous even possible? Did Masquerade steal my hoof or something and handled the bottle with it?
The questions in Twilight's head was driving her mad. In a fit of rage, she pounded her table with her hooves, hurting her hooves, venting some rage, making a little scene in front of public, and once again feeling the sticky spot on the table.
UGH! And on top of that, I don't even have a clean stand. What the heck?
Finally fed up with her sticky defense stand, she decided to take a closer look at it since she deemed it to be the easiest problem to solve first. It was also something that had bothered her since the trial began. Upon a closer look, she finds a clear, see-through substance was on the table.
Using her magic, she gave her table a thorough examination. There, everything that confused Twilight made perfect sense. As her magic touched the table, she saw, clear as day, a hoofprint stamped into the wood, right where the sticky spot was. It appeared that somepony had place glue over the stop where Twilight would repeatedly bang her hoofs on, leading Twilight to her final conclusion.
"Somepony DID take my hooves!" Twilight said quietly to herself.
With a set of her own hoofprints being taken, it became obvious to Twilight as to what happened. Masquerade had managed to acquire Twilight's hoofprints, planted them on the acid bottle, and then, after disguising himself as her, he gave Pinkie the bottle to make it look like she did. It was a perfectly executed plan.
It wasn't even Masquerade alone who pushed Twilight in her position. Hope made use of the forged evidence perfectly. Rather than simply presenting all of the evidence at the get-go, Hope made it so that it would be Twilight to either present the evidence or apply the logic that would ultimately ruin her credibility as a defense.
Unbelievable. I just got hit by a double whammy. By trying to help Pinkie, I allowed two ponies to make me hurt myself. What's worse is that even with this glue spot here, I don't have the right evidence to prove that I didn't actually touch that bottle. As Twilight understood her position and thought about the lack of evidence, one more question entered her mind. Can...can I even win this now?
A few minutes later, after the court was forced to be silent since they made so much of a ruckus due to the surprising turn of events, the trial was continued. Unfortunately, it seemed that the trial wouldn't last very much longer. This was further hinted as Cestus was dismissed as a witness, so he couldn't even help Twilight anymore. The trial had reached it's gravest point.
"As fun as it's been to play judge again, I see no reason to prolong this trial. Nor do I seem room for misinterpretation of the facts." The Doctor said, feeling very confident in his upcoming decision.
"Wait! What!?" Twilight asked in shock. "Your honor, this trial is far from over!"
OBJECTION!
"This trial has gone on long enough." Hope said. "Remember this decisive piece of evidence?"
"Right now, this is still indisputable proof of the defendant's guilt, which you have yet to disprove. Furthermore, you and I have both proven beyond a reasonable doubt that you helped her escape jail to dispatch important evidence."
OBJECTION!
"I...I didn't do that! I...I can even prove it."
Due to Twilight's lack of confidence behind her words, The Doctor didn't think too highly of her. "You are already skating on some thin ice, Miss Sparkle. As of right now, I can only accept the most concrete evidence from you, and only if can debunk anything that's already been established. If not, I will have to hold you in contempt of court."
Once more, as he felt confident in his case, Hope gave a light smile. "Since Twilight had already tried to submit false evidence and aided and abetted a suspect, I see no reason not to prepare for another upcoming trial. But in any case, we should probably end this trial."
OBJECTION!
"I..."
OBJECTION!
with a bit of anger, Hope slammed his hoof onto the table and snapped at Twilight. "You are not to speak unless you have something productive to say! In other words; Act like a defense attorney!"
As both the judge and prosecution not allowing Twilight to say anything unless it proves something beyond a reasonable doubt, with Hope in particular questioning Twilight's professionalism, her spirit had started to break. The court was getting picky when it came to evidence, and at the rate things were going, it was possible that Twilight would soon be in a jail cell herself.
"Twilight, just show them that glue spot on the table!" Sweetie Belle suggested. "Sure that would help, right?"
"Normally, there would be a very slim chance, but Hope could just argue that I did that. I hate to admit it, but..." Before she could admit anything else, she let out a very heavy, defeated sigh. "I think we've lost."
After The Doctor waited for a few moments, it became clear that Twilight had no further objections. Even he looked a bit sadden by the idea of ending the trial the way it was going, but he had to do what he had to do. With his decision ready, he prepared his gavel.
Pinkie Pie...Applejack...everypony...I'm sorry. Twilight thought sadly. I've failed you all.
"With all of the evidence prepared for me, I feel that there is only one decision I can make. As it has been proven that the defendant was at the crime scene, as proven with this photo, I acknowledge her as the killer. Therefore, we can establish her as the serial killer responsible for these crimes. For that, I find her, Pinkamena Diane Pie...
Then, Twilight heard the horrible word. The one she had been afraid to hear be used to end the trial she had worked so hard to fight against. The one word that would end it all.
GUILTY!
The entire court went silent. The happiest, most bubbly mare in all of Ponyville, was found guilty of three counts of murder. Normally, the ponies in the gallery would burst into an uproar, but the disbelief caused the exact opposite reaction. But none were as shocked, or as destroyed, as Twilight Sparkle.
"N-no..." Sweetie Belle said. "P-please Twilight! Do something!"
Twilight wanted to do something. She really did. But since a verdict had already been made and she had no other evidence to defend Pinkie, she was left with no other weapon to continue the battle. That said, the war, unfortunately, was over."
As the trial officially ended, The Doctor gave one final statement. "Due to the events that transpired here because of Miss Sparkle's actions, Pinkie Pie may appeal for a retrial with a new defense. However, as is, the evidence still holds. Whatever that may happen next, I hope you ponies will be able to handle it properly and justly. Court is now dismissed."
And with a final slam of The Doctor's gavel, creating a bang that sounded like a metal gate slamming itself shut. The trial was over. Pinkie Pie was declared guilty. Twilight's will to protect her friends at all cost, after a devastating blitzkrieg, was destroyed. All hope was lost.
OBJECTION!
But with the sound of a familiar voice, a small sliver of hope was found once again. The voice did not come from any other pony who had been seen at the trial up to that moment, so it came to a surprise to all when the voice was heard.
The sound of her voice was the one thing that got Twilight's mind out of the gutter and make her look up again. Standing before her on the witness stand was none other than the Element of Honesty, Applejack.
"Hold it right there, Doc! This here trial isn't over!"
"M-M-Miss Applejack?" The Doctor Stammered. "What are you doing here? How did you get there?"
"A good question." Hope agreed. "There is nothing else to be said. I've already gotten Pinkie Pie her guilty verdict."
"THAT'S WHAT i'M OBJECTING TOO!" Applejack shouted, angered at The Doctor and Hope. "Something here isn't right!"
The Doctor, curious about what Applejack was saying, spoke up again, despite being slightly scared of the oranage mare. "Well do tell. What isn't right with my verdict?"
"It's that picture you got. The one with Pinkie and her uncle. Something about it seems off." Applejack explained, though vaguely. "I'm not entirely sure what's wrong with it, but I'm sure it's not quite right."
She...she thinks something is wrong? Twilight asked herself.
Feeling confused by Applejack, yet also not overly caring, Hope decided to try and dismiss Applejack. "My little pony, rest assure that nothing is wrong with the evidence. It has proven that Miss Pie is guilty. Ergo, your sister has already been aveneged. The trial is over."
OBJECTION!
Much to Hope's surprise, as well as the rest of the courtroom, Twilight let out a loud, booming shout, one that echoed in the room and filled with confidence. She was given a final chance to save Pinkie and she refused to let it pass.
"Your honor! We have a new witness! I request that we let her testify!"
OBJECTION!
"A verdict has already been handed down. The time for a testimony has already ended!" Hope argued.
OBJECTION!
"This may very well be a crucial witness! It would be wrong to hand down a verdict this early!" Twilight argued, slamming her hooves on the table afterwards. "I'm certain this witness will change the outcome of the entire case!"
After a rather long period of good behavior, the gallery went into an outburst. Most of the ponies were ready to get up and leave mere moments before, but with what Twilight was saying, it seemed that they should stay in their seats.
The Doctor was rather unsure of what to do. On one hoof, he made his verdict already. On the other hoof, if he ended the trial right there, he could made a mistake. It was then that he made his choice.
"Allow me to express my opinion on the matter." The Doctor said. "As a judge, I should make a decision and stand by it. However, over my life time, I've seen that even the most peaceful and most utopian of societies can have imperfect law systems. So as a visitor and civilian of your home, I believe that to end a trial when there is still one witness that can be talked to would simply be premature."
"Th-then...?" Twilight tried to ask.
"Yes, Miss Sparkle. For now, I will let you cross-examine this witness. Unless of course the prosecution has any objections."
Hope was silent. He thought carefully about what to say, but nothing that he knew would help his case. "Is there anyway for me to convince you to end the trial right now?"
"Honestly? Probably not." With the slam of his gavel,, The Doctor's decision was made. "The new witness will now take the stand!"
Applejack's appearance in court was very unexpected, and considering what Twilight has seen every single time she's walked into a courtroom, that's really saying something, but it couldn't of happened at a better time. Twilight knew how much her friend had been suffering over the past few days, but it appeared that the talk they had the day before had finally sunk in. With newfound hope, Twilight prepared to cross-examine Applejack, find new information, and with any luck, finally unlock the black psyche-locks.
The trial had reached its most intense point. Pinkie Pie was given a guilty verdict due to undisputable evidence and Twilight herself being suspected of some serious crime, yet the trial continued on. By Applejack's request, she was given the chance to take the stand and try to convince the judge to take back the guilty verdict. This was Twilight's only chance to make a turnabout.
As the trial was still on, Hope gave the proper procedures. "Witness, please state your name and occupation to the court."
"I'm Applejack, a farmer of Sweet Apple Acres. I'm also the older sister of Apple Bloom, who got attacked and hurt a couple of days ago."
"If I remember correctly, you saw Pinkie Pie attacking your sister yourself." The Doctor commented. "Since I already declared a guilty verdict, why would you want this trial to go any longer? Are you hoping for me to declare her double guilty?"
"Nah, that's not it. To be perfectly honest, I'm not too sure why I want to do this. It feels like...it feels like I have to do this."
So she has a nagging feeling, huh? I wonder.
Using her magic, Twilight secretly casted her Magatama spell, giving her horn the barely visible green glow. As she predicted, she got same reaction from Applejack as before, causing the five black psyche-locks to appear around her. However, there was a big change from these locks compared from how they behaved before.
I still sense a dark and depressing force behind these locks, yet they seem more bearable. They aren't causing me all that much pain. Maybe Applejack isn't fighting that secret of hers as much. If that's the case, then I have to finish the job and break these locks once and for all.
"Alright Miss Applejack. What would you like to testify about?" The Doctor asked.
HOLD IT!
"If I could make a suggestion, I would like Applejack to talk about what she thinks about Pinkie Pie." Twilight said.
The Doctor was caught off-guard by Twilight, as he expected her to have stayed quiet for awhile longer due to her warnings. "Really now. But, wouldn't she want to talk about the case itself? She came in here saying that something about the evidence wasn't right."
Twilight shook her head in disagreement, believing that there was a better way. "Right now, Applejack's testimony won't exactly be reliable."
"Hey! What gives, Twilight? I came here to help Pinkie!" Applejack asked angrily.
"Are you really? Since yesterday, the uncertainly of what you think of Pinkie Pie has made this trial very complicated."
Giving a brief interruption, Hope said something that was on his mind. "Observation #11: The one thing Twilight Sparkle and I consistently agree on regards Applejack."
What's scary is that he's right. Twilight thought to herself. "Applejack, unless we know for sure where you stand on this entire case, we can't move on."
Applejack clearly got irritated as she stood on the witness stand, though not nearly as angry as she got the day before. Since even Hope agreed that it needed to be clear where she stood, even though he would've rather had the trial end, it was inevitable that Applejack would have to give her the testimony.
"Psst. Twilight. What are you doing?" Sweetie Belle asked. "If Applejack knows about a contradiction, we should let her just say it."
"I don't think she does. At least not yet." Twilight answered. "Before we can get her to reveal the truth, we need to help her realize what that truth is."
--Testimony: Pinkie Pie-- -To be honest, I don't think highly of her anymore. -Once upon a time, I would've given my life and all my apples to help her. -But then I saw her stabbing my little sis with my own eyes. -I guess I've never known her as well as I thought I did. -It's clear to me that she and I have never been friends at all.
"There. I tried to help you, but now you and Pinkie are screwed." Applejack said cynically.
An odd request resulted in an odd testimony, one which didn't actually offer anything to move the trial. As the gallery began to make noise due to their confusion, The Doctor slammed his gavel down to silence them all.
"I have to agree with the witness. Her testimony hasn't at all made me reconsider my decision." The Doctor said. "In fact, I dare say that this is a topic better suited for outside of the courtroom. Miss Applejack, can you please tell us why you wanted to take the stand in the first place?"
"That's exactly what I've been trying to say!" Applejack said firmly. "I...I...well...hmm...why did I come up here?"
"I thought so." Twilight said, who was happy knowing that she was right. "Right now, Applejack is still not thinking clearly. If I could have a few moments, maybe I help her."
OBJECTION!
"Unless you have a device that lets you read her real emotions or something like that, this court shouldn't be interested." Hope argued.
"That would be awesome!" The Doctor said with a grin. "Oh, but the prosecution makes a valid point. The reason I decided to hear this witness was because I thought it would bring up new information regarding the crimes."
But I'm certain that Applejack won't be helpful until she knows whose side she's actually on. I guess I have no other choice. Twilight thought grimly, "If you both seem to think that this will be a waste of time, then I have a proposal."
An eyebrow from both The Doctor and Hope Ray were raised. They didn't know what Twilight was preparing to suggest, but they were interested in the idea nonetheless, so they decided to hear Twilight out before making an objections.
"This trial has already gone on longer than any of you had planned, especially since a guilty verdict has already been handed down." Twilight said, who was fully aware of her situation. "I am so positive that I can draw new information from Applejack's current testimony, that I will let this be the last testimony of the day if I'm proven otherwise."
"Tw-Twilight...?" Applejack said in a surprised tone.
Twilight herself had raised the ante and wagered everything, including Pinkie Pie's fate, on Applejack's testimony. No pony in the gallery thought it was a wise idea and neither did Applejack herself. The Doctor had his doubts as well, but his job was to judge Pinkie Pie, not Twilight.
"I...guess I can allow that. Does the Prosecution have any objections?"
Hope stood at his stand silenced and uncomfortable. He knew the best option, but he didn't like it, which was why what he said next was painful to him. "I've got no objections to Miss Sparkle's proposal."
"Twilight, why would he let you do this?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Doesn't he want this to end as quickly as possible?"
"It's actually just as I planned." Twilight explained "He's afraid if we let Applejack testify about something else, things will go bad for him. He must feel confident that I won't actually draw out something new here."
"But...can you?"
I sure hope so. I'm risking a lot on this. It will all come down to whether or not I'm able to break those black psyche-locks. I'm certain that as long as those locks are around Applejack, she'll never fully co-operate and help Pinkie Pie. Let's get to work.
-To be honest, I don't think highly of her anymore.
HOLD IT!
"What did you think of Pinkie Pie originally?" Twilight asked.
OBJECTION!
"Surely an opinion on a pony can't be of any use to the court." Hope suggested.
In response, The Doctor shook his head, disagreeing with Hope. "The whole point of this cross-examination is to see if her opinion DOES have an impact on the trial. For now, I will have to overrule your objection."
As that was literally the only rebuttal Hope had left, he was left with no choice but to stay silent. While he stayed calm and composed for the most part, Twilight could tell that he was on the path of losing it.
He he he. That might actually shut him up for a bit. Thank Celestia that we have a judge who's actually giving me a chance at this. Twilight thought. "So Applejack, how did you like Pinkie Pie before?"
With no other objections from the prosecution, Applejack was able to continue.
-Once upon a time, I would've given my life and all my apples to help her.
HOLD IT!
"I know you well. You would do the same to any of your close friends, such as me. Pinkie Pie was no exception?" Twilight asked.
"Of course. The only thing I care for more than apples are my family, and you girls are family to me. What kind of family would I be to y'all if I didn't feel that way?"
As he listened to Applejack's thoughts on family, The Doctor started to shed a small tear as he was touched by it. "I certainly know that feeling. I may not be biologically related to my companions, but we're all one big happy family. It's a good feeling."
OBJECTION!
"Sure, if you know that they even are family." Applejack argued. "For all these years, ponies like her and Twilight were considered to be Apples. Heck, I recently found out that Pinkie might actually be part of the family."
-But then I saw her stabbing my little sis with my own eyes.
HOLD IT!
"Yesterday, we established that the pony in the barn may not of been Pinkie! There were to many unanswered questions regarding Pinkie's sightings." Twilight reminded. After all, unlike Masquerade, Pinkie can't fly out of the barn undetected.
OBJECTION!
"While it is curious as to how the defendant escaped the crime scene undetected, the simple fact that she was seen at all is suffice enough." Hope responded. "You did see her attacking your sister, did you not?"
"I-I did see her there. I'm pretty sure I did." Applejack answered, though there were some uncertainty in her words."
"You're pretty sure?" Twilight asked. "You mean you're not entirely certain?"
"Well, to be honest...ever since last night, I've trying to replay that terrible day in my head over and over. I remember seeing Pinkie there with the dagger in her hoof next to Apple Bloom. The problem is that that's literally ALL I can remember. I've had a nagging feeling that there should've been something else."
"Something else?" Sweetie Belle asked. "You mean something else was there?"
It looks like my theory is correct. Her doubts in Pinkie Pie has made her ignore the whole truth, meaning that we actually can get some new testimony from this. Maybe it's time to go straight in for the kill.
Deeming it time to reveal the contradiction in Applejack's testimony, Twilight got her evidence ready and requested Applejack to repeat the final part of her story. Since it's been made clear, at least to Applejack, that Pinkie Pie wasn't the friend she thought the pink mare was...
-It's clear to me that she and I have never been friends at all.
OBJECTION!
"Applejack. I know you've been really hurt for the last few days. In fact, it you're probably the most traumatized victim of this whole ordeal." Twilight said.
"To be technical, I'd say the child, Apple Bloom, has suffered the most." Hope corrected. However, his comment caused most of the gallery to give an icy glare to him. After taking notice of this and realizing what he had said. "Uh...sorry."
Yay. I'm not the only smart one who can make a fool of themself. Twilight thought happily, but she became serious again instantly. "You know that Pinkie has, and always will be, your friend. You can lie to this court, but you can't lie to yourself."
"Personally, I wouldn't want anyone to lie in court." The Doctor said.
Ignoring The Doctor's comment, Twilight continued to talk to Applejack. "When I look at this picture here, I see two best friends enjoying a party. You do remember this party, don't you?
"Yeah...I remember that day." Applejack said as she was given the photo. "It was her birthday, and she invited me to celebrate it with her family. We drank so much cider. We all had a great time."
"You can't possibly look at this picture and say that the two ponies in the center are not friends." Twilight said. "You know perfectly well that the magic of friendship can never die."
OBJECTION!
"I mean no disrespect, Miss Sparkle. Especially since you are a princess." Hope said. While he was trying to be polite to the princess, he ultimately shook his head in disagreement. "As good spirited the magic of friendship is, it's not something that can influence this court, nor can it change how this witness sees the defendant. By all that is logical, there is no magic or friendship between these two ponies."
The ponies in the gallery quickly agreed with Hope. As it appeared that Pinkie Pie was the one who responsible for all of the crimes, not to mention the fact that she was already found guilty, there would be no reason for Applejack to consider the crazy pink mare to be her friend.
OBJECTION!
But one pony disagreed. Applejack herself. "Now look here, blue boy! You've got no rights to say that!"
Applejack's sudden outburst caused Hope to jump in shock, causing him to discharge magic from his horn. While such a case happened a few times to him the day before, this was the first time he had done it that day, thus marking the first instance that day where he completely lost his composure.
"Things are certainly grim right now, but it's just as Twilight said. Me and Pinkie Pie are still friends. I remember that party like I remember the back of my hoof. The mare who invited me to that party was one I proudly called my friend."
Not only was Hope silenced by Applejack, but even the gallery had stopped talking. Below them all, they saw a mare who was trying to speak from her heart and they didn't want to miss a single word.
"But then that still raises some questions." The Doctor said. "Why would you still claim that you saw the defendant attacking your sister?"
"Because by all means, I did technically see Pinkie Pie there. I saw her. I freaking saw her!" Applejack said as she began to get emotional.
At that point, Twilight began feeling those emotions rising, so she decided to cast the magatama spell once more, causing the black psyche-locks to appear. While the negative energy she felt before still lingered, this time, they were being overpowered by a more positive force.
"But that doesn't mean nothing. Even after everything I saw, I realize that I still have faith in Pinkie Pie. I think I've always had it. If Twilight says that Pinkie wasn't the one I saw hurting Apple Bloom..." As Applejack continued to release her real thoughts and feelings regarding the case, Twilight saw that one of the locks had starting to shake. "Yes. Pinkie Pie is my friend and I know for a fact that she didn't do anything!"
And that was the secret she's been hiding from herself. Twilight thought. This entire time, she knew her friend was innocent. Now that she's overcome the stubbornness that sealed that truth away, then hopefully now...
One by one, each individual psyche-lock began to shake, with all of them shaking more and louder as another joined. After all five started, they kept shaking harder and louder. As the intensity of the locks reached its climax, all at once, the five black psyche-locks shattered instantaneously.
The anger, hatred, and pain that had plagued Applejack had finally ended. Suddenly, her mind was at ease. And an epiphany had struck her. One that would never had come to the angry Applejack's mind. Upon realizing it, Applejack slammed her hooves on the witness stand.
"Mr. Shepard!" Applejack shouted. "That's why I wanted to come up here!"
"Pinkie's uncle?" Sweetie Belle asked. "What does he have to do with any of this?"
"Twi! Show me that picture that had Shepard and Pinkie on it!"
Upon Applejack's request, the court showed her the photo that Hope presented before. The security picture that gave Pinkie her guilty verdict.
"Applejack, what did you remember?" Twilight asked.
"The pony on the right! That isn't Pinkie Pie. That's Shepard Pi!" Applejack answered, "I know this because he's not a pegasus! He's a unicorn!"
Twilight, Hope, and The Doctor were all originally quiet and calm upon hearing Applejack's claim. After processing the information, each of them made their response in the respective order.
"WHAT--!?"
"HOW...!?"
"Fancy that."
At that point, the gallery began to share the same reaction, causing the whole courtroom to go into an uproar. The Doctor, being the only one to have stayed calm, slammed his gavel down three times.
"Order! I will have order! Come on, you've all been so good lately." The Doctor shouted. "This is huge. Are you certain that the victim Shepard Pi was lucky enough to be unicorn pony?"
"Yes, I'm...wait, what?" Applejack asked as she realized what the Doctor said. "Bah, I know for a fact that he's a unicorn."
OBJECTION!
"We've already established that the unicorn in the security photo is the defendant." Hope remarked.
OBJECTION!
"This testimony completely changes that theory!" Twilight responded
OBJECTION!
"Her memory could easily be mistaken. The photo of the party you showed that they were drinking cider. She could've just been drunk that day."
OBJECTION!
"YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING SON OF A..." Applejack screamed before calming herself down. "That party there was when I met Shepard Pi. It may of been the only time I met him, but I met him !"
OBJECTION!
"Again, you looked quite drunk that day. Perhaps you saw him wearing a party hat and mistook it for a horn."
With the debate between the three ponies in the court, the gallery started to get riled up, forcing The Doctor to slam his gavel down to settle everypony down. Things were going very well for Twilight thanks to Applejack, but then Hope brought a very simple counter-argument: There was no actual proof. Even with Applejack's testimony, there was still doubt within it.
"Can't we just look at the auto report?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I'm sure it would tell us if he Mr. Shepard was a unicorn or not."
Before answering Sweetie Belle's question, Hope gave her a disappointed head shake. "Normally, looking at the autopsy report would be a great idea. Sadly, the state of the body was left...honestly, no word would be appropriate for a child. To put simply, we have yet to determine whether the victim was an earth, unicorn, or pegasus pony."
"That's easy to solve." Twilight claimed. "All we have to do is ask his relatives. All we would have to do to know for sure is call in Shepard's brother, Igneous Rock, as a witness."
OBJECTION!
"Nice try, Miss Sparkle." Hope said. "Naturally, it would be a biased testimony from one who happens to be the defendant's father. It wouldn't be reliable."
Well, it was worth a try. If only we had even the smallest piece of evidence to suggest that Shepard was a unicorn. Anything at all.
Twilight puzzled, and puzzled, and puzzled some more as she tried to figure if she had anything that could finish connecting the dots. The only lead she had that even suggested it was Applejack's testimony, but without other evidence, it wasn't enough. She had to go through her evidence to figure out what could prove Shepard's species.
Since Applejack met Shepard at Pinkie's birthday party, only one piece of evidence actually had any relevance to the case.
The key must be this photo. If Shepard Pi really was at the party, then why isn't he part of the group shot?
It was Twilight's last chance. She had to find a way to use the only piece of evidence she had that linked Applejack and Shepard together. She gave a thorough examination of the photo and did her best not to miss any details.
Wait a second! Could this be it?
It was very easy for Twilight, or anypony at all for that matter, to have missed such a small detail, but it became all too clear once she found it.
TAKE THAT!
"The proof is right here!" Twilight before slamming her hooves down. "Does that not look like a unicorn horn?"
Hope took a moment to see what Twilight was talking about. After focusing his eyes and looking up close, he found precisely what Twilight was talking about, causing him to once again discharge magic from the sight. "I...I don't believe it!"
"I'm afraid I don't either." The Doctor said. "I don't think I can see what you're pointing at."
"This may be a bit of a coincidence, but it seems that Shepard's horn, and most likely his coat too, happened to have been the same color as the wall in the background." Twilight explained. "I'm sure if he was blue or purple, the horn could've been seen easily. As for how we can't see him at all, the balloons were clearly blocking him from our view."
"Yes, that's it!" Applejack said in excitement. "I remember him being that brown color!"
"If that's the case...then that means Shepard Pi really was a unicorn." The Doctor realized. "And by that extension, the unicorn in the security photo is Shepard Pi as well."
"I'm glad you finally understand, your honor." Twilight said with a smile. "But that now raises an interesting question. If unicorn in that photo is Shepard, then who, prey tell is the other pony?"
Twilight had finally managed to create a huge sense of doubt in the evidence against Pinkie, causing the gallery to go into an uproar. Hope's entire case centered around the idea of Pinkie Pie and her artificial horn being the unicorn, but Twilight had proven that to be false.
OBJECTION!
"Through the process of elimination, the only logical explanation is if the pegasus on the left was the defendant herself." Hope explained.
OBJECTION!
"Pinkie Pie is an earth pony. Not a pegasus. Unless you have evidence to suggest that she also has robotic wings, you've got nothing!
OBJECTION!
"There may be no robotic wings, at least as far as I know, but the security photo still holds up as evidence. On the lower right corner, it states that the two ponies shown are Shepard Pi and Pinkie Pie. Ergo--"
OBJECTION!
"I'm sorry, but now that we know that who's the unicorn, I know who the pegasus pony is. The answer is quite simple." Twilight said confidently. "On the day of the murder, there were actually three ponies at Shepard's home. Shepard Himself, Pinkie pie, and a third party."
"Now you're just being silly. Nothing in the evidence even suggests that there were three ponies." Hope argued. "Since the camera's stamp says there were only two, what's your counter evidence?"
TAKE THAT!
As she already had the evidence prepared, Twilight used her magic to shoot it straight at Hope, who in turn stopped it in midair by using his own magic. There, he found another photo, one that literally stared back at him.
"You appeared to have given me the wrong evidence. This is just a poorly taken picture of yourself. I think."
I can't believe I'm actually showing him this. Twilight said to herself, embarrassed by her actions. "I actually took this by accident yesterday when I was investigation Shepard's home. It was taken by the same camera that took the other photo. As you can see, it has a stamp on the lower corner as well."
"That it does, Miss Sparkle, that it does." The Doctor said with an impressed tone, but he quickly grew confused. "Wait a moment. All I can see is your face, but this isn't your name here."
"Exactly. Sweetie Belle and I were at the house together with Igneous Rock, whose name is printed on the photo. I think it makes perfect sense that the names printed are only the names of ponies Shepard himself actually knew. After all, since that was my first time there, how would the camera know my name is Twilight Sparkle?"
The Doctor nodded in agreement. While he was impressed by the technology in Equestria, not even magic could work miracles like guessing one's name. "In that case, the camera must not show the names of ponies seen. It shows the names of ponies in the lab!"
"Therefore, if Pinkie Pie was unfortunate enough to of been in in Shepard's home on the day he died, then the photo would make it look like she was the one who killed him!"
For once, the astonishment caused by Twilight's arguments didn't cause the ponies in the gallery to go into an outburst. Instead, it caused them all to freeze. Even Hope was left speechless. Even The Doctor was left silent for a moment, but he eventually asked a very simple question.
"Does the prosecution have any rebuttals to make?"
He thought, and thought, and thought some more as he tried to come up with a logical explanation. But in the end, his mind was a complete blank. "No, your honor. The prosecution rests."
As it was all too clear that the defense was ready to rest as well, The Doctor saw no reason not to proceed to the final part of the day's trial. "In that case, I believe that it is now too early for me to declare the defendant guilty. I hereby retract my previous verdict."
I can't believe it. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I ACTUALLY DID IT!
"Now allow me to share my final thoughts for the day. We have now discussed the first two murders during the first two days of this trial. While the evidence does not provide enough solid evidence to prove the defendant's guilt, nothing says beyond a reasonable doubt that she's innocent either, even with the evidence that was just presented. I am therefore willing to let this trial continue on tomorrow. Do you all understand?"
"Yes I do. I'll be ready." Twilight said confidently.
With a bit of reluctance, Hope answered as well. "Yes, your honor. I'll see to it that my final witness will show up to it."
"You see to it that he does. From what I understand, trials like these, which must be overseen by Princess Celestia, have a three day limit. This means that regardless of what happens tomorrow, I will have to make a final verdict. I suppose playing judge for three days isn't bad. Until then, court will now be adjourned.
With slam of his gavel, The Doctor brought the second day of trial to a close. Twilight had survived the worst experience of her entire life, which was simply reversing a guilty verdict, yet the whole experience wasn't even over yet. She still had to return the next day to finish the job.
Right there, she made a mental list of her plans for the rest of the day: Investigate. Talk to Pinkie Pie. Find Masquerade. And of course, thank Applejack for all that she had done.
February 14, 12:54 PM Ponyville Courthouse Defendant Lobby
That was exhausting. Twilight thought.
Even though the trial was shorter than she first anticipated, it felt like it went on for days. Pinkie Pie had received a guilty verdict, only to have it be retracted thanks to Twilight's efforts. At first, she planned to run out of the courthouse to get ready for the final day, but after stepping out of the courtroom, she realized just how busy she would be, which caused her to fall down on a bench in exhaustion.
"Now's not a good time to sleep, Twilight. We need to get going!" Sweetie Belle reminded.
"Yes, yes. I know. Good thing I don't have a book right now or I'd never get up."
Since Twilight couldn't relax for long, she got herself back onto her hooves before she got comfortable. The few moments she did rest for made her look forward to a nice long sleep once everything was dealt with.
Unfortunately for Twilight, the courthouse wasn't a good place to rest. After the trial ended, many of the ponies from the gallery were still around, all of whom were making noise, but since the trial was over, there was no judge to silence them. They were all trying to leave, but they were leaving at a very slow pace. This was because the police had to escort each individual pony out one by one.
After the last visitor was escorted from the courthouse, only the police, Twilight, and Sweetie Belle were left in the courthouse. When all was done, Cestus and Hope were able to meet up with Twilight without having to worry about any other duties. Cestus looked sad and had trouble keeping his head raised. Hope, while he looked calm as usual, appeared slightly irritated.
"Hey, pal. Congratulations on today's trial." Cestus said, but he didn't smile or even said it joyfully.
"I've certainly thought too lowly of you. I've had to make it my twelfth observation of Ponyville not to underestimate you again." Hope admitted, but he tried to avoid eye contact with Twilight.
I sure am not sensing any good vibes from these guys. Twilight thought.
"I'm not sensing any good vibes from you guys." Sweetie Belle spoke out.
"SWEETIE BELLE!?" Twilight shouted. After quickly covering up Sweetie Belle's mouth, scared that she would say anything else, Twilight spoke up with a bit of embarrassment. "H-hi guys. What's with the long faces?"
Cestus sighed. "I just got dismissed from the case. As you can guess, Hope wasn't happy with the idea of me helping you girls. Ugh...I'm still in trouble from the Gilded Horseshoe incident, so I might even get fired for this."
Hope looked at Cestus with a disgruntled look. "How do you think I feel? This is the most serious case I've ever had to deal with and I might lose it now. But I suppose you've at least done everything I've wanted you to do."
"Can I at least keep looking for the missing child? I know I can't force my officers to help me anymore, but--"
"As long as you don't interfere with my case any further, you may do whatever you wish here in Ponyville." Hope said, granting Cestus permission to keep looking for Scootaloo. "Your highness, you be sure not to get yourself in any more trouble. Don't think I've forgotten about what you did at the detention center yesterday. Your actions will likely be a part of my next case."
Being the busy prosecutor pony that he was, Hope made his way out of the courthouse, leaving Twilight and Cestus, both of whom were on thin ice, alone with Sweetie Belle. They may have won the trial for the day, but not without major consequences.
Brutal. I almost forgot that I've been framed for evidence tempering and being an accomplice. We were talking about it like an one hour ago, but it feels almost like a month. On top of that, Cestus has no reason to be cheery either. I better talk to him.
As she felt bad for her friend, who was on the verge of being fired, Twilight put her hoof Cestus's back and began comforting him. "Hey, cheer up. We're doing great."
"Yeah, Mr. Cestus. Don't be sad." Sweetie Belle said as she jumped on Cestus's back.
The girls tried their best to make the sad cop feel better, but he could only respond to the happiness with a sigh, unable to get cheered up. "How can you girls torture yourselves like this? You've taken as many punches as i have and you still smile."
"Well, to be perfectly honest..." Twilight said, who paused halfway. She didn't even had an answer prepared right away. She had to think for a second figure out why she was smiling. "A friend once told me that during the worst of times, you need to fake your biggest smiles. If you do, then it could help others smile for real."
Cestus returned a blank expression on his face to Twilight and Sweetie Belle. "I know you two are friends with Pinkie Pie, but please don't tell me you two have caught her insanity."
That's a distinct possibility, actually. Twilight admitted to herself. "Look, this is probably the worst thing I've ever had to experience, and unless a giant monster comes and steal away all magic in Equestria, I can't really think of anything worse. Times like this, I really need to see some form of happiness. Normally, I could rely on Pinkie Pie for something like that, but...well, you know."
"Hmm...you sure have a strange friend." Cestus said before sighing, but after taking breath, he gave a small smile. "But you two are definitely strong friends, aren't ya pal?"
"Yeah, well...friendship is magic."
At that moment, Twilight and Cestus were able to let out a well needed laugh. Both were off to a start of a very bad day due to the chaotic trial, but where finally able to look back and laugh at it. By all means, they probably shouldn't, but just as Twilight said, it was something that they needed.
"You're right. I need to keep smiling. I need to keep my spirit high if I want to rescue Scootaloo from that jerk who attacked us."
That's right. I actually forgot about Scootaloo. But I'm sure Sweetie Belle didn't. Twilight thought, realizing that it wasn't just Pinkie who was in trouble. "By the way, have you had any luck finding her?"
"Well, we just finished a thorough search to every single pony who entered the courthouse and couldn't find the pegasus you described to me. We also reminded them that they aren't allowed to talk about the details of the trial. Her life will depend on whether or not you have gossips in this town."
That should mean that not every pony in town will even know what happened today. Theoretically, Masquerade shouldn't know what happened today, so he shouldn't do anything bad to Scootaloo yet. We'll need to find her before Masquerade finds out how the trial went.
"Hey, I just thought of a great idea!" Sweetie Belle said excitingly. "Since Mr. Cestus got fired, how about he comes work for us?"
"Hey, hey, HEY! I didn't get fired yet, kid!" Cestus said angrily. "Although, I guess that's not actually a bad idea. What do you think, Twilight?"
"That's hard to turn down. I need to try and look into the third murder, if that can even be possible, talk to my friends, and now try and save Scootaloo. I could use all the help I can get."
Happy that the three had agreed to team up, Sweetie Belle let out a happy cheer, for she felt that it became impossible for them to fail. "Alright. Let Team Starlight's investigation begin!"
While the child was excited, the two adults simply laughed at how adorable she was being. It wasn't a bad thing however. The more morale they can muster, the better they can handle the rest of the day. With the three on a roll, they decided that they had enough of a laugh and agreed to head out.
While it was important for them to find Scootaloo, the reality was that they had no leads as to how to find her. Until they could find something, the group had to keep their priorities straight, much to Sweetie Belle and Cestus's disdain. For the time being, Twilight had some very important business to take care of with Pinkie Pie.
February 14, 1:21 PM Ponyville Detention Center Visitor's room
After allowing Cestus to join her and Sweetie Belle with their investigation, Twilight arrived at the detention center's visitors room to finally reunite with Pinkie Pie. Twilight didn't get the chance to see Pinkie since the trial the day before. By that logic, one would think that Twilight would've been happy to see the friend she had been defending for the past few days.
Sadly, there was nothing to smile at once Twilight saw Pinkie As it had been a while since she had her medicine, Pinkie had once again suffered from her withdrawal symptoms, twitching and shaking unnaturally.
"H-h-hi, T-Twilight. N-nice to see...to see you again. "Pinkie stuttered. She once more appeared as a complete wreck.
"Hey pal, you don't look so well. Everything alright?" Cestus asked.
I guess I'll have to share with him the secret about Pinkie's medicine. Why does Star Cestus have to be a cop. Twilight asked herself. "Okay, Pinkie. It's time to take your medicine now. I'm sorry for not letting you take it properly before."
Using her magic, Twilight teleported Pinkie\s AMP bottle pass the glass wall, allowing Pinkie to grab it. Before, Twilight only gave Pinkie enough of the medicine to fight off the withdrawal symptoms, but since she now knew the reason why Pinkie was taking illegal medicine in the first place, she realized that it was something Pinkie really needed.
After popping two pills into her mouth, Pinkie didn't change at first. However, after a few seconds, almost instantaneously, Pinkie's mane returned to normal and a bubbly smile appeared on her face. When it happened, Twilight had blinked, so she had no idea as to how the process occurred.
"Uhh...better?" Twilight asked.
"Better. Normally, I would need a nutty chocolate bar to feel better, but all is good now."
Why am I more worried about her now? Twilight thought, but she shook off the question as an unimportant detail. "Pinkie Pie, if you don't mind, I would like to ask you some very serious questions."
"Okie dokie loki. I'll give you some very serious answers." Pinkie said, which was followed by a very goofy, almost angry look on her face in a failed attempt to look serious.
"Psst. Twilight." Cestus whispered. "I know I just joined the team, but mind if I just leave this to you? The last time I interrogated her, I was ready to rip my mane off."
"Welcome to Ponyville, Mr. Cestus." Sweetie Belle said.
Lucky for me, I'm an expert on this pony. I even have a little instruction manual to help me.
Twilight had waited patiently for a chance to talk to Pinkie about her illness, and with the help of Shepard Pi's journal, her questions would finally get answered. The journal had a lot of information, but Twilight hoped to learn more from Pinkie herself. She decided to start it off with a question she already knew the answer to.
"Pinkie, can you tell me what you know about your medicine?"
"Oh, you know. Antibiotics and some vitamins. Nothing illegal or anything."
I don't even need to use my magic to know that was a lie. Twilight thought as she saw through the poorly told lie. "So you're saying that the bottle that I just gave you, which is labeled Anti-Magic-Purgers contains something completely different?"
"Umm...yes?"
FREEZE!
"Did you just say anti-magic-purgers?" Cestus asked. "Auto Ratchet has suspected that somepony has been stealing those or something. I've been investigating it for a year now."
"Yeah, you can blame me for--OOPS!" When Pinkie accidently spilt the beans, she quickly tried to cover up her mouth. "Th-The bag's out of the cat!"
"Other way around, Pinkie." Twilight corrected. She then turned her attention back to Cestus. "Cestus, I've recently discovered that Pinkie is actually a very sick pony. She needs the medicine."
"But that stuff is suppose to be unicorn medicine, isn't it? Why does an earth pony need it?"
"Long story short, it's Pinkie Pie." Sweetie Belle spoke up. "Of all the things you've learned about her, is this really the strangest one?"
Cestus looked at the filly with a shocked look. He then turned his head to give the same look to Pinkie, who responded with a happy wave of her hoof. It didn't take him two thoughts to realize that Sweetie Belle was right.
"B-but that doesn't explain why, in a medical sense, does she need it."
Pinkie wanted to give Cestus an answer, but before she did, she looked around the visitor's room. She saw that while the guard was in the room, he didn't try to eavesdrop or anything. Regardless, Pinkie became quieter for the next part. "As you may or may not know, even earth ponies have magic. My Uncle Shepard told me that I was gifted with it."
Twilight then responded. "Yes, I've read his journal. Apparently, you have magic comparable to that of an alicorn. Is that really true?"
"Hmm. I know I just took my medicine, but since I haven't done it in a while, then maybe..."
Pinkie then started to do what may actually of been the strangest thing she's ever done. She first placed her medicine bottle in front of her, then she leaned down over it so that her face was right in front of it. She then closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and began to focus. The idea of Pinkie Pie focusing wasn't actually the weird part.
What is she up to?
It didn't happen right away, so Twilight and the group thought nothing would happen at all. Slowly, but surely though, it became happened. A pink, magical aura appeared around the bottle. Then, at a steady pace, the bottle raised upwards as Pinkie raised her head. None of the ponies knew where the magic came from right away, but it came to them, it came in an instant. The magic came from Pinkie Pie.
It was astonishing. It was the most amazing thing Twilight had ever seen. If she didn't see it for herself, she wouldn't have believed that an earth pony could actually cast magic. But not all great things can last forever. The strain was eventually too much for Pinkie to handle, forcing her to stop the magic, letting the bottle fall back down to the table.
Pinkie huffed and puffed after performing the feat, but she ended it with a smile. "Ta-daa!"
"But...how...could..." Twilight stammered, almost not believing that Pinkie had done what she had done. "How were you able to do that without a horn?"
"It has to come out somehow. If I focus and work really, really hard, I can force it out. Not really healthy for me though." Pinkie explained.
As Pinkie described her ability in detail, an epiphany struck Cestus. "Then the other day...you actually did blow up a tree, didn't you?"
Pinkie giggled. "Yep. That one was a real doozy. I thought I was going to get crushed. In hindsight, it probably would've just been easier to move 3 feet to the left like my Pinkie Sense told me."
"The Pinkie Sense...OF COURSE!" Twilight shouted. "Your body is filled up with so much magic that it must've been what gave you your Pinkie Sense!"
"Huh. You know, I never thought of that. I just thought my senses exist because the rest of my body was smarter than my head, but your theory sounds good too. Mine still makes more sense, but its still a good theory."
How the heck does her theory...never mind. It's not important. Twilight thought. "But there's still one thing that I haven't been able to figure out. How have you been getting this medicine? Apparently, some friend of your uncle's has been getting it to you, or so his journal says."
"I can't say. If I did, then my uncle's friend would get in trouble. It's sort of part of the deal we got going on." Pinkie explained.
Of course she wouldn't rat her little drug dealer out. It was worth asking though.
"Alright pal, let me at her." Cestus stated. "I'm a cop. I can interrogate her."
"Have you not learned anything about me?" Pinkie asked, being the one to state the obvious, much to everypony's shock.
"Alright, alright. Stupid idea." Cestus admitted. "You win this time, pal."
"Didn't I win last time too?"
Pinkie words stunned Cestus, silencing him in an instant. He got very angry at the pink pony and did his very best not to burst into anger, but much like before, it was a difficult task to hide that much rage inside a small stallion like himself.
"If you were somepony I didn't actually like, I'd probably punch you already."
"Aww, that's not nice...wait...punch. OH! That's right! My hooves!" After remembering something that she did, Pinkie pushed her hooves up onto the glass for Twilight to see. "Look Twilight! I burnt my hoofprints off just like you asked me to do."
Twilight and the group stared at Pinkie's hooves silently. Cestus, let alone Twilight and Sweetie Belle, should've been used to anything done or said by Pinkie Pie. Pinkie also sat awkwardly as she showed her hooves. After eight seconds of silence, what Pinkie said finally got through to the group.
Oh, right. That's an issue. This will probably not end very well. Now for the appropriate reaction Twilight remembered and thought to herself. "WHEN DID I TELL YOU TO DO THAT!?"
"Just yesterday. You came down right after Cestus came by to talk to me. I saw you guys walk by each other."
"But now it's obvious that it wasn't you, right?" Cestus asked.
"Right, because I was with her all day." Sweetie Belle remarked. "It was definitely Masquerade. Without a doubt! The only way it couldn't be him is if Twilight has an evil sister or something."
Pinkie let out a horrified gasp due to scenario Sweetie Belle suggested. "Of course! That all makes sense! She must've given me the key to get out of my jail cell so that I'd go to jail for certain!" However, after saying that out loud... "Wow. Even I think that sounded ridiculous."
"Prison key?" Cestus asked. Something about what Pinkie said made his brain work up. "Hmm...a key...AHA!"
As an idea popped into Cestus's head, he got excited. A level of vigor was given to him that not even Twilight was able to give to him. Whatever that was on his mind, he wanted to deal with it right away and waste no time.
"Twilight, you go on without me for a little bit. I need to try something! Bye!"
Barely saying a word, Cestus bolted out of the detention center. Twilight didn't even get a chance to say anything, like if he wanted help. He was in such a rush that he didn't even realized that he bumped into another pony on his way out.
"Huh. He must've needed the bathroom." Pinkie said.
What's he up to? Did he remember something important? I wish he didn't just run away on me like that. Twilight thought. "Anyway, I guess I may as well ask you a few more questions."
"No, your highness. It's my turn to ask her some questions."
The unexpected voice caught Twilight off-guard. As it turned out, the pony that Cestus had recklessly bumped into was his former boss, Prosecutor Hope Ray. While Twilight had spent a little time talking to Pinkie, it was clear that the prosecutor wanted his chance as well, and it was unlikely that he wanted to share.
"Visitor hours is over for now. Please allow me to get to my work." Hope requested.
"No way! You're a big meanie!" Sweetie Belle said angrily. "First you got Twilight in trouble, then you made Pinkie look guilty! Why should we let you near Pinkie at all?"
Staying calm and composed as usual, Hope handled the angry child perfectly by saying the one thing he knew would calm her down. "I have just received word that your little friend is up and active. I suggest you go see her while it's still visitor's hour."
"Apple Bloom? She woke up?" Twilight asked.
"I don't know the child, so I have no reason to really speak with her since she would have no new information that I'd be interested in. You two seem to know her quite well, so perhaps it would help her health to have friends around."
Oooh...this sneaky son of a...he's absolutely right. Apple Bloom probably needs to see her fellow crusaders, and I'm sure Sweetie Belle needs to see her too.
Twilight didn't want to leave Pinkie alone so soon, but she expected Hope to apply some pressure on her if she didn't leave. It didn't help that she was given a good reason to leave. She was really on the fence and couldn't decide what to do.
"Oh, it's okay Twilight. Get going." Pinkie urged. "Now that my brain is fixed, I'll be sure to make things very difficult for Mr. Sunshine. My mind is a complete enigma to even me."
"Pinkie..." The touched Twilight said. She still didn't want to leave Pinkie alone with Hope, but since that her client/friend insisted that she should leave, it made it much easier for her to make a final decision. "Alright. Just try and hold on for a bit. I'll be back again later."
"Okie dokie loki." The cheerful Pinkie said. "Alright, Mr. Sunshine. I just drove a smart pony mad for a second day in a row. BRING IT ON!"
If I could, I'd stay and watch her unleash hell on Hope. But, I have my priorities set now. Twilight decided. "Ready to see Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle?"
Sweetie Belle, much to Twilight's surprise, was actually quite sad when she was asked the question. Twilight expected her to of been very excited to see her friend after waking up from her coma, but rather than being excited, Sweetie Belle was quiet. Very quiet. In fact, she had been quiet for a little while.
"Sweetie Belle?"
"Yeah...yeah, I'm ready to go."
With little enthusiasm, Sweetie Belle was the first to walk out of the visitor's room, with Twilight following close behind. While Twilight came closer to learning the full details of Pinkie's medical history, she was still no closer to getting her acquitted. She would've asked about where she was during the third murder, but Hope made it so she would have to ask later on.
For the time being, she had to deal with her pouty assistant, even though there was still so much more she had to do. She was off to the start of an unproductive investigation, much to her disdain.
After getting very little new information from Pinkie thanks to Hope's choice of words, Twilight and Sweetie Belle took his suggestion and arrived at the hospital to see Apple Bloom, who had apparently woken up at long last. Twilight was relieved that one of her little friends were alive and well, but ever since she left the detention center, she noticed that Sweetie Belle didn't seem as happy as she should have been.
"Huh? Uhh...nothing." Sweetie Belle said without looking up at Twilight, which in turn gave the lie away immediately.
"Come on. Why are you so down? You've been like this since the trial ended. Help me out so I can help you out."
Sweetie Belle didn't feel comfortable, but since Twilight showed no signs of letting up, the filly had no but to speak. "I'm just worried about Scootaloo. I was hoping that the two of us would've been there with Apple Bloom when she woke up, but now we have to find Scootaloo. How am I suppose to break that to Apple Bloom?"
These kids have been put through enough as is. Twilight thought. "Listen. Scootaloo will be fine and Apple Bloom is finally up, and right now, she needs one of her friends to be one of the first ponies to see her after waking up. It'll be good for both of your spirits to see each other. So please, for all three of you, keep a smile on your face."
"I just wish I had something to help me smile right now."
Motivation would certainly have helped, and fortunately for Sweetie Belle, she would get exactly that. After the two walked into the hospital, they heard a familiar voice down the halls, mixed with familiar sounds. They immediately acquired Sweetie Belle's attention.
"...down the side...erupting volcano!" A voice sang.
"That voice....AHA!" Sweetie Belle said excitedly before running off to find the voice. "It's them!"
"Sweetie Belle, wait! Get back here!"
The happy filly ran quickly to find the sounds she heard, forcing Twilight to fly after the more energetic filly. Twilight was led to a ward filled with sick and injured ponies, with Sweetie Belle standing right by the entrance. The patients were all laughing and cheering as the ponies in the center of the room brought cheer to them. Twilight then realized why Sweetie Belle was so excited.
In the room were the two ponies they had met back at Rocky Road village. The traveling singing unicorn, Coltaire, and the black earth pony filly riding on his back, The Pony of Doom. The Jersey Devils had arrived in Ponyville.
"Thank you. Thank you. We'll be here all week." Coltaire announced.
"Unless we get kicked out first. We get in trouble a lot." The Pony of Doom said.
"Get well soon, guys."
After the Jersey Devils finished up their little show and made their way out of the room, they received a round of applause from the patients and nurses, as well as one from Sweetie Belle, even though she missed most of the show. When the filly clapped, Coltaire noticed her and Twilight at the door.
"Well well, if it isn't Princess Good-looking. Have you been following me?" Coltaire asked, flirting with Twilight.
"Dad! Do you really want your first restraining order to be from a princess?" The Pony of Doom asked.
I forget. Which of these two is the parent? Twilight asked herself. "Uhh, no. I live here. Anyway, I guess you two are here for the trial."
Coltaire answered. "Yeah, but when we got here, I was told that it was postponed until tomorrow. So, me and Doomy are going to settle down for a little bit and maybe get a gig while we're here. Also, I heard this place has the strongest cider in Equestria."
"Aww, how am I suppose to make fun of your drinking when you do it yourself?" The Pony of Doom sulked. "Oh wait. I can make fun of you getting lost and bringing us to this hospital."
The cheerful and teasing duo that were the Jersey Devils raised Sweetie Belle's morale, something that she was begging to get. There were a lot of smiles in the hospital, but Twilight didn't want to get distracted. She realized that she had a good opportunity to gain some information.
"Hey, Coltaire. Since I've got you, could I ask you a few more questions about the case?"
"I suppose so. I don't know where any of the bars are, so I'm in no hurry."
I hope he arrives in court sober.
With the witnesses for the trial before her once again, Twilight organized her thoughts and mentally wrote a list of questions she wanted to ask. She already learned a few things from the band during their first meeting, so that saved time. So, the first thing she wanted to ask involved a certain pony Coltaire knew.
"From what you told me, not only do you two know Pinkie Pie, you also knew her uncle, Shepard Pi. How do you know them?"
"We're just old friends. It really isn't anything complicated." Coltaire answered,
"Then why did you try to pretend you didn't know him? What kind of history do you have with Shepard Pi?"
Right as the Pony of Doom was ready to speak up, Coltaire used his magic to keep her mouth shut. "I'm not comfortable answering that. It's a private matter."
Hmm...should I...? Twilight asked as she prepared to cast the magatama spell. Before she finished it though, she stopped channelling it. No, I really doubt I have the evidence to prove he's lying. But I need to know.
Twilight thought out her words carefully. She believed that the things Coltaire knew could affect the whole case. She didn't know whether it would help Pinkie or hurt her, but it was still something that she needed to know.
"What if I told you that you're making it harder for me to save Pinkie by withholding this information?"
As a first, Coltaire gave Twilight a very serious looking glare. "What if I told you that I can't tell you, and if I did, then we would be the ones getting hurt?"
"Yeah! Don't screw us over!" The Pony of Doom yelled, but still kept her cheerful look.
As defensive as Coltaire had gotten, he eventually mellowed out. "Look, we've joked about doing illegal things a lot, but they weren't all just exaggerations. My history with Shepard Pi isn't something I want others to know about. I'm sorry."
In response, the Pony of Doom spoke up. "We aren't bad ponies. We just like doing bad things."
Coltaire was sad that he couldn't help Twilight as much as he could, but his daughter lightened the mood for him. While that was all fine and dandy, it still didn't help Twilight's case. At the rate she was going, her only hope was if she could get him to spill the beans in court.
"That's disappointing, to say the least. We really could use any help that we can get." Twilight said.
"Don't worry about that, Princess." The Pony of Doom said. "We're still on your side and will try and help as much as we can. Lying is allowed in court, right?"
I'm starting to wish they got lost on their way here. Twilight thought. She had reached the point in the conversation where she hoped to bring an end to it. As she prepared herself to leave, she realized that Sweetie Belle had already left. "Sweetie Belle? Where'd you go?"
"Your filly friend? I think she said something about seeing a friend." Coltaire answered. "She looked excited too. Her friend must have apple pie or something."
I guess Sweetie Belle is feeling a little better now. I'm still not sure how we should tell Apple Bloom about Scootaloo, if at all.
Since Sweetie Belle had already gone off, Twilight decided to bid Coltaire farewell for the time being. She was far from done with him, but because of how uncooperative he was being, she had no choice but to deal with other commitments. She gave him a little hoofshake, nodded her head, and was off to find Sweetie Belle.
"Bye, Princess." The Pony of Doom said. "Until my Dad hits on you again."
February 14, 2:01 PM Ponyville Hospital Apple Bloom's room
"And that's when your sister came in and saved the day!"
Much to Twilight's relief, when she walked into the hospital room, the first thing she saw was her little assistant smiling alongside the patient, Apple Bloom. With everything that the children had gone through, especially Apple Bloom, it was amazing that they could be as happy as they were. Twilight was afraid of saying anything, so she allowed the kids to have their fun.
But while the children were goofing around, adults had to be serious. When Twilight walked in, she saw another visitor. To keep an eye on Apple Bloom, Applejack was there, and she looked as gloomy as ever. She was still missing her hat as well, making her all the more unlike the Applejack she knew. On the bright side: The hatless mare made it clear that she was no imposter.
"Applejack. Hi." Twilight said.
"Oh. Um...hi there, Sugarcube." Applejack said, barely having her head lifted up.\
I finally have Sweetie Belle smiling, and now this. I just can't win today. Twilight thought. Since Applejack was there, she found it to be the perfect time to talk about something she's been wanting to talk about since the trial. "You were a huge help at the trial today. I wouldn't have been able to save Pinkie if it wasn't for you."
As Twilight tried to thank her, Applejack turned her head away. Twilight tried to give her some well needed kindness, but Applejack turned it down.
"Applejack, I mean it. You're the one who made it all possible."
Applejack finally spoke up. "I was also the one who started this whole mess. I insisted that I saw Pinkie Pie hurting my little sister and tried to do the same to her. Not only that, but she could still be found guilty because of it." She then turned her head back to Twilight, showing the tears on her face. "I almost lost my sis, and now I'm might lose one of my best friends. It feels like no matter what, I'm going to lose family, and it'll be all my fault."
I guess she has the right to be upset. But she doesn't have the right to blame herself for it. I should prove it to her that it's not her fault.
After digging through her evidence, Twilight found something to help lighten up Applejack's burden to show that she wasn't to blame., by sharing a picture that would prove that anypony would've been lead to the same conclusion.
"Do you remember this photo? The one where we all thought was of Pinkie, but was really of her uncle? This whole time, we've been deceived into thinking that the killer we've been after was really Pinkie. You weren't even the first one to think that it was Pinkie."
"Then I've been used. Definitely not a good feeling either." Applejack said. "To think I could let anyone control me with my stubborn ways like that."
"But you were able to fight it off. Trust me. When you were against Pinkie, you didn't do anything that would end her case. But when you barged into court today, you saved the day. Pinkie would be proud of you."
"Probably. But she'd be proud of me if I bucked a tree, so i don't know if that's saying all that much."
Twilight shook her head in disbelief, as she hoped to have settled the issue quicker, but was given a lot of trouble from Applejack. "Take my word, Applejack. We all understand what you've been going through and we've already forgiven you for everything you've done. Now we just need you to forgive yourself."
Applejack sighed. "Easier said than done, Sugarcube. But I guess that's something I'll have to keep in mind."
Maybe if I could get Pinkie Pie to forgive her, she'll lighten up, even if only a little. The pressure of getting Pinkie acquitted was bad enough as is, but now I have like a tenth reason to make it happen.
Twilight was sad that she couldn't make Applejack feel any better. She didn't want to admit it, but it was simply something that she couldn't fix on her own. She had no choice but to allow Applejack to deal with her problem on her own. It was unfortunate, but true. The adults weren't too happy, but as soon as they saw the smiles of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, both of whom were keeping their spirits up, which certainly helped Twilight and Applejack.
Before long, another visitor walked into the hospital room. The old unicorn doctor, Auto Ratchet, walked into the room with a clipboard and, as a rarity, a smile on his face. He came in with good news.
"Well Apple Bloom, based on how much energy you have, I'd say that at this rate, you'll be able to check out much sooner than we anticipated." Ratchet announced.
"Oh boy! I can't wait to leave. The sooner I do, the sooner I can get back to crusad--OW!" The hyperactive filly said before hurting her side. Not only that, but as she was bouncing around, she accidently knocked over an unused IV rack, knocking it into a nearby monitor. Naturally, the monitor broke.
"AAH! Apple Bloom! I needed--" The doctor was ready to snap at the filly, but given that she was an injured little filly, he had to suppress the rage. "Oh, forget it. Just try and get some rest."
The old stallion prepared to leave as quickly as he entered, but as he walked past Twilight and Applejack, he looked and noticed something. He used his magic to pick it up and showed it to Twilight.
"Princess Twilight, is this your book?"
"Huh?" Twilight said with a dumbfound look on her face. It wasn't until she saw it that she realized that she had dropped Shepard Pi's journal. Most likely when she showed Applejack an earlier piece of evidence. "AAHH! Thank you! Thank you! That's my most important piece of evidence!"
"Ugh. To think a clumsy one such as yourself could rise up to be a fatcat. Please be careful with your things." He scolded Twilight, sounding much like another pony that she knew. But before he handed the book back, he took a quick look at the cover. "Shepard Pi? Hmm. Well, at least you know who's books to read from."
"You knew Pinkie Pie's uncle? This is actually his own personal journal." Twilight explained.
"THAT GUY WAS HER UNCLE!?" Ratchet shouted, earning him a well deserve hush from a nearby nurse. "Ahem. Well, No. I don't even know a pony who knew Dr. Pi. He was very reserved, but he's provided a lot of service to Equestria's health care."
Interesting. I might be able to learn something from this. Twilight thought. "Applejack, would you mind watching Sweetie Belle for a bit? I'd like to talk to Dr. Ratchet for a bit."
"I guess so. Doesn't look like she'll be going anywhere." Applejack answered.
"Yeah, sorry Twilight. You'll have to try and investigate without me for a while." Sweetie Belle said.
"I think I can manage. Just keep your friend safe." Twilight said.
Upon Twilight's request, Dr. Ratchet was brought outside of the room to have a private chat. Since Coltaire shared very little regarding Shepard Pi, she hoped that she could learn something about the deceased uncle from somepony familiar with his work.
"Alright, Princess. What is it? Because to be frank, if it isn't about the whereabouts of the hippogriff that's been impersonating me, I'm not all that interested."
"Please. I'm in desperate need to learn about Shepard Pi. Anything you know about him could help my case. He has a big part in it." Twilight pleaded.
"Shepard, huh? Well, like I said, I knew of him, but have never met him before. He worked privately and had very little connection to the outside world. He specialized in medical technology, such as x-rays and radiation. Those and other machinery like the one that just got smashed! Ugh."
Or maybe things like that artificial horn. But if Shepard Pi worked exclusively on technology, then that means that something he's given to Pinkie doesn't quite add up.
Based on Twilight's findings, Shepard Pi gave Pinkie a number of different treatments to deal with her overwhelming amount of magic. These treatments includes the use of pills, which were outside Shepard's expertise. This raised a new question for Twilight. She decided that she finally found somepony to share the existence of Pinkie's pills to.
"Dr. Ratchet, do you recognize this medicine?" Twilight asked as she showed Pinkie's medicine to him.
"Yes, those are Anti Magic Purgers. They're made to force excess magic out of young unicorns that can't handle it." Ratchet answered. "Wait a minute! How do you have those? Are you the one that stole them?"
"Stole them? These are stolen?"
"You're darn tooting that they are. This is specially and carefully made. Very expensive to make and only done so at Canterlot. Even worse, we've had to constantly make more because they're always getting stolen by somepony."
Weird. I've never actually wondered how Shepard Pi got his hooves on these pills.
A.M.P bottle has been updated.
"But now I'm curious." Ratchet said, interrupting Twilight's thought. "Why on earth does Pinkie need such medicine. That stuff is some of the most addictive drugs in Equestria. It doesn't even give you a high or anything."
"Well...what kind of symptoms do unicorns suffer from when they have too much magic in their bodies?"
"Let's see...severe headaches, unintended magical discharges, or I guess if the magic can't get out, then theoretically, misplaced or misshaped organs. Just to name a few possible worse case scenarios."
Taking Shepard's journal back out, Twilight began flipping through the pages. Misplaced organs, huh? I think I found something like that in here when I was reading it last night.. Twilight skimmed through many pages, but found one regarding Pinkie's youth. It included an x-ray that was taken of Pinkie.
"Here we go. This says here that this x-ray was of when Pinkie's condition was at her worst. This was taken before she started to take that medicine."
"I'm an old and stubborn old doctor, my friend. Let me see it myself."
Twilight gave Ratchet the x-ray as he asked. Then, using his magic, he made the unseen image on the x-ray visible for him and Twilight to see. He was also given a medical chart from Twilight to help decipher what was shown. Due to Twilight's lack of understanding in the medical field, she didn't really know what to find.
However, almost as quickly as the x-ray image was revealed, Ratchet's jaw had dropped in shock and horror. He looked as if he saw a ghost. While Twilight didn't understand the medical charts, she at least knew that the old doctor believed him.
"Th-this is insane! This isn't pony anatomy, it's...i-it's a Celestia damn monster! And yet the body frame is clearly that of a little filly! How can this even be real?"
"You clearly have never met Pinkie Pie." Twilight explained.
The shock and horror overwhelmed the old doctor. He didn't know what to think of what he had seen. He looked through the pages that Twilight showed him, but it was still a lot of information for him to take in. On the bright side, he became interested in Twilight's case, meaning Twilight could have a potential witness for the trial.
"I need to look into this in further detail. I need to find the x-ray of Pinkie we took yesterday. Nurse! NURSE!"
Without saying another word to Twilight, Auto Ratchet ran off to study the medical charts in greater detail. Twilight didn't learn too much more, but she felt like she was making progress. With a sense of satisfaction, she decided to put her bottle and journal away.
Actually, now that I've got my evidence out, I may as well organize myself a little bit. I'll separate the things I need and the things I don't need and leave the useless stuff at my home. Don't want to lose anything important a second time.
For the next few minutes, she organized all of the evidence that she had been using, making sure that only the ones that still served a purpose was with her. Organized evidence makes an organized defense attorney for this organized princess.
"PRINCESS TWILIGHT!
As Twilight finished up, she heard a voice calling for her. Down the hall, she noticed a green mare with a police uniform on rushing to the princess. Twilight was nervous when she saw the uniform, but the mare didn't seem hostile in the slightest. In fact, she felt bad after seeing the police mare huffing and puffing after making a sudden stop.
"Princess...Twilight..." The out of breath mare. "I've been looking all over for you."
"Oh, great. Have you guys finally decided to arrest me for tempering with the evidence?" Twilight asked.
With how unproductive Twilight had been, the last thing she really needed was for the police to come after her. She would've preferred anything else. So one could only imagine how great Twilight would feel after hearing the best news she had heard all day. One that would lift a gigantic burden from her shoulders.
"No, no! Star Cestus sent me." The mare answered. "He's found the missing child."
"Officer, are you sure that this is the right way?" Twilight asked
"I'm sorry Princess, but I still don't know my way around this place."
Twilight wasted no time when she learned that Star Cestus had found Scootaloo. She followed the police mare that told her the news, but could tell that she wasn't particularly good at her job considering that she couldn't find where Cestus was before.
Oh, man. I swear, if this turns out to be a trap set up by Masquerade, I'm going to kick her--
"As you can see, we've arrived here safe and sound."
As the mare promised, Twilight was brought to Cestus's location. And, just as she mentioned back at the hospital, Scootaloo was right there with him. The missing filly was finally found.
Cestus and Scootaloo weren't the only ones there. A familiar blue pegasus was also there, keeping the younger pegasus tightly under her hooves. It was a huge relief for Twilight to see that a young friend of hers was finally safe, sound, and with ponies she could actually trust.
"Ah, Twilight! You got my message? Awesome." Cestus said.
After giving Cestus an enthusiastic salute, the green mare spoke up. "I'm going to return to my post before Prosecutor Hope Ray notices I'm missing, sir!"
"Very good. Just try not to get caught."
With a happy smile on her face, the mare made a hasty exit, leaving the scene before any other pony could utter another word. With the police gone, Twilight took the chance to ask a question.
"I can understand why Rainbow Dash is here since I heard she was helping to find Scootaloo, but why did you tell one of the Canterlot officers? Aren't they now under Hope's orders?"
Cestus gave Twilight a hearty chuckle. "My men are much more loyal than you think. In fact, that mare that brought you here? I trust her more than any other."
Looks like we're both getting good luck with ponies we trust. Twilight thought. "Anyway, how is Scootaloo doing."
"From the looks of it, I'd say she's getting strangled to death by rainbow butt here."
In response, the pegasus made an angry retort. "That's Rainbow Dash, pal." Cestus wasn't very happy with her choice of words.
"This...will be..."Scootaloo said weakly as Rainbow Dash held her tightly. "...the best...death...ever!"
I've been worried to death over Scootaloo's safety. Rainbow Dash is actually quite close to her, so I can only imagine the stress she's been feeling. Twilight thought. During that time, she also remembered that one other had been worried about Scootaloo more than anypony else. "Rainbow Dash, before you make Scootaloo lose consciences, can you do me a favor?"
"Yeah, sure. What's up?"
"Apple Bloom has finally woken up. Sweetie Belle and Applejack are both with her right now. Think you can get Scootaloo there too?"
"She's awake? Is she okay?" Scootaloo asked.
Before the filly was given an answer, Rainbow Dash answered the question. "I'm as good as there already. Ready to go, squirt? Just hang on tight."
"I'm definitely not going to let go after what I've been through."
After Scootaloo jumped on her back and held on tightly, Rainbow Dash flew up and dashed off as quickly as her wings could move her. The speed she moved at created a backlash that made Cestus lose his balance upon her departure. It was quite frightening for the unprepared stallion.
"Damn, she's fast. How much damage do you think she does with that speed?" Cestus asked.
I'd better not answer that. Twilight thought, avoiding a very dangerous question to answer. Crimes that her friend committed wasn't important at the time anyway. What was important was the crime that occurred right there. "Since you and I are the only ones here, how about you tell me about how you found Scootaloo here?"
After taking a quick look around his surroundings to make sure no pony else was around, Cestus decided to show Twilight the scene. Suddenly, the tone shifted and Cestus put his professional face on.
He walked over to nearby hole in the ground, which had a big wooden crate inside, as well as a shovel and another odd metal object. It was such a peculiar scene, but it made sense that they were the only ones who knew about it since it was in such a hidden area. Twilight didn't even know what part of Sweet Apple Acres they were even on.
"We were lucky. Masquerade kept the kid alive. I guess he would've let her go if Pinkie was found guilty. Mind you, we won it for the day, so I suppose she was kept buried in the ground right here."
"That's horrible! Couldn't she have just been tied up and gag somewhere?" Twilight asked.
"She was. In this box." Cestus answered, which made Twilight all the more disgusted. "Uhh...sorry. Anyway, Scootaloo told me that she was only put in there this morning. Had she have been a mare like you, she wouldn't have made it."
"I'm grateful that you found her before that happened, but that still raises a big question. How did you find her?"
"Well, because of the large size of this farm and how close it was to the Everfree Forest, I thought it was the only secluded area where nopony could find her. So logically, this was a good place to start."
"Yes, that does make sense. But how did you find her buried under the ground?"
Before answering Twilight, Cestus walked over to the hole, picked up the odd metal object, and brought it over to the princess. He had a very happy look on his face.
"I'm actually quite proud of this one. I managed to find a use to my metal detector!" Cestus explained as he handed the device over to Twilight. "I remembered that Scootaloo stole a key from Hope the other day. So I hoped that...no pun intended, that she still had it."
Huh. Neat. I wonder if I could've found more evidence if I had something like this. I wonder if I could borrow it from him some time.
Metal Detector was added to the evidence.
"And she held onto it this entire time?"
"She thought it would've been important. Whether it is or not, I'm glad she kept it."
Whether it is or not, I just pray that Hope didn't notice that it was gone. Twilight thought. After taking a good look at the key she recognized what kind of key it was, but it left a dumbfounded look on her face. "Cestus, are you sure that this was the key Scootaloo found?"
"That's what she told me. Why do you ask?"
"Do you have any idea what this key is for?"
"Didn't I just make it clear that I didn't?"
Okay. Okay. Stupid question. Twilight thought. "I've seen this once. This key should belong to Ponyville's police."
"Ponyville's police, huh? I know Hope is working with them, but I can't seem them handing over something like this to him. How do you even know what it is?"
"Well, there have been times like when Rainbow Dash tried racing some other pegasus, flew into a building that turned out to...on second thought, this isn't a good story to tell a cop. Point is, I've seen this key used a few times."
With the knowledge Twilight shared, Cestus gave her an unamused stare in return. "After this ordeal, I'm going to do some background checks on you and your friends."
Meep! Twilight thought nervously.
"But for now, I think we need to pay our prosecutor a visit. I still can't think of a reason for why he would have this thing. Even they can't just be given a key to see a prisoner."
"Then that key must've been stolen. Stolen by Hope! We actually have something on him!" Twilight said excitedly. "Where is he right now? If he knows something, I want to exploit the hell out of it! Oh...sorry for the language. And sorry for the power abuse."
"None taken at all. I want to take him down too. Last I checked, he was scheduled to talk to Pinkie at the detention center."
The detention center? Well, I hope he's already asked Pinkie the questions he wanted to ask, because I've got one for him.
February 14, 3:14 PM Ponyville Detention Center Visitor's Room
"The more you co-operate Miss Pie, the easier you'll handle your sentence." Hope explained.
"I'm trying to, but you keep asking the same questions." Pinkie said with a frown.
It was actually quite fortunate that Hope's interrogation wasn't going well. With the arrival of Twilight and Cestus, he was given two smarter, logical, and tolerable ponies to talk too. The only down side was that they came to interrogate him.
"Miss Sparkle, I'm afraid you chose a bad time to speak with your client. Please come back later." Hope said, hoping that Twilight would leave.
"Hi Twilight!" Pinkie said with glee. "Psst. Hope. Tell Twilight I said hi."
"I can hear you, Pinkie." Twilight answered. "This can't wait, Prosecutor Hope. You've got some explaining to do."
"I assure you Miss Sparkle. What ever it is, this case is a priority, so I suggest you leave before I call Canterlot's police over here. Or rather, what's left of them."
Taking offense to Hope's comment, Cestus spoke. "Find. Bring them over here so we can show you the key jail key that we found in your office."
Hope barely glanced at Twilight and Cestus before, but as soon as they mentioned the key, he spun his head right around to see them eye to eye. He wasn't please with the idea that there really was something more important than his investigation.
"One moment, Miss Pie." Hope said to Pinkie, who had no trouble waiting. "Where did you find that?"
Twilight answered. "Scootaloo swiped it when she was with Star Cestus yesterday. Which...I probably shouldn't have said out loud."
"Yeesh. Thanks, pal." Cestus said sarcastically.
"Yesterday? Back when Cestus was still working for me?" Hope asked with a hint of anger. "Inspector Star Cestus, I swear, when we get back to Canterlot, you'll be fi--"
OBJECTION!
"You can fire him later after you protect your own job. Now why did you have this key?"
To ensure that Hope would answer Twilight's questions honestly and truthfully, she began to channel the magatama spell. Sure enough, four psyche-locks appears before Twilight, as well as darkness and several chains behind said locks.
"WHAT THE--?" Cestus shouted. "Where did those come from?"
Hope raised an eyebrow when Cestus freaked out, because he couldn't see what Cestus was seeing since he wasn't standing next to Twilight. Incidentally, Twilight had to use her magic to briefly shut Cestus's mouth with her magic.
"Be quiet. These will help us." Twilight whispered.
"Now Hope, according to Cestus, this key was found in the Mayor's offices, which you're using as a temporary prosecutor's office. Is that true." Twilight asked.
"Yes, I am using Mayor Mare's office at the moment, but that doesn't mean that I've ever even touched that key." Hope argued.
Oh, wow. This is too easy. Twilight thought. "There's actually something you gave me when we first met that can tell us if you touched this key or not."
TAKE THAT!
"It's really simple. As small as this key is, it should still leave a print. So, with this list of hoofprints, which includes even yours, we can check if you've touched this key or not."
Twilight expected one of the locks to break, but oddly enough, nothing happened. Instead, Hope gave a cocky grunt. "Very well then. Inspector, check that key for prints."
It took Cestus only a moment to have a small toolkit ready to check the key for prints. With what he saw, or rather squint with his eyes and compared his findings to the prints on the hoofprint records. However, he didn't liked what he found.
"It's tricky to tell, but from what I see, there's only one set of prints on here. Pinkie's. I doubt that there's magic residue from a unicorn horn either." Cestus explained.
Twilight was left speechless. Nothing could be said. It was something she didn't expect to hear.
Hope went on to make a counterargument. "That makes sense. Pinkie Pie would've stolen that key and used it to make her escape. After which, she ran into the Everfree Forest, burnt off her hoofprints, and likely just forgot to wipe off the key and was likely found by you two. As for my accusation: Nothing but slanders and lies. Why trust corrupt police officer and a biased princess?"
Slanders and lies? I'm only acting as a lawyer. Not being a real one. Twilight thought angrily. Twilight was blinded by rage for a moment, but after thinking it over, she realized that there was a hole in Hope's claim. "We could be the most corrupted government officials, but we'd still have the truth on our side."
"The truth can be bent. Logic is unbendable." Hope claimed.
"And the courts would listen to this witness."
TAKE THAT!
"Remember. It wasn't me or Cestus who found this key. It was Scootaloo, who hung on to this key the entire time. If we can't make the claim that the key was found in your room, then Scootaloo can. And logically there would be no reason for Pinkie to leave the key in the mayor's office."
In a state of shock, Hope cringed while a magical bolt fired from his horn, much like during court, but while Hope was able to regain his composure, he wasn't able to regain the two shattered psyche-locks.
"I suppose it wouldn't be logical if Pinkie simply left the key in my office." Hope admitted, but he wasn't finished. "But if another pony would've gone in and left the key there, then that would be perfectly logical. Perhaps somepony like you?"
"Or...maybe just as logically..."
TAKE THAT!
"You've come to know me, Hope. You know that I couldn't have freed Pinkie from her cell during my investigation, even if Pinkie herself said I did it. There is only one pony who I can of who would benefit from all of this. The real killer, Masquerade."
Sure enough, Twilight made a good point. One that broke the third of the four psyche-locks. Hope tried to think of something to say in response, but he couldn't think of anything that wouldn't have simply insulted Twilight's intelligence.
"I'm not talking to you now, lawyer to lawyer. I'm talking to you as Twilight Sparkle and Hope Ray. While I have no way of proving it, I am convinced that you are working with Masquerade."
Hope's eyes opened wide. From the very start, he talked to Twilight with as a high profiled lawyer, so one could only imagine his surprise when his opponent talked to him outside of his title. He kept his professionalism intact, but his overall tone changed.
"Your highness, please take a quick look at my cutie mark." Hope turned to show Twilight and Cestus his flank, showing him the yellow and white shield that made up his cutie mark. "This represents my desire to protect Equestria. I chose this profession because I wish to protect."
"So you became a prosecutor?" Twilight asked. "A job that sentence ponies to imprisonment, or for Pinkie, death? Why not be a defense attorney?"
Hope shook his head. "You misheard. I wish to protect Equestria. Equestria as a whole, not every individual citizen. After all, not all are innocent. But even if they were wrongfully punished, if it helps all of Equestria, then that's a sacrifice I'd be willing to make."
OBJECTION! FREEZE
Twilight and Cestus were both disgusted by Hope's point of view. They each called him out for such a horrible thought. Hope's philosophy bothered Twilight so much that she accidently deactivated the magatama spell. This would mean that she couldn't break the last psyche-lock, but that was no longer what bothered her the most.
"Look pal, I know the average guy is a jerk, but the law is meant to serve all ponies, not screw them all over." Cestus claimed.
"And Pinkie is being accused of murder! Why would you let her take the fall for that?" Twilight asked.
Hope turned back to face Twilight and Cestus once more. "It's the logical choice."
"Pinkie Pie, the happiest and one of the nicest ponies in Ponyville is being sentenced to death. How is that logical?" Twilight asked.
"Tell me Princess. What do you think will happen once Pinkie is acquitted." Hope asked. "As you've found, Masquerade has had it in for Miss Pie. Clearly, he's been taking lives because he's wanted to frame her."
At least I know he can't deny that Pinkie is innocent. At least until court. Twilight thought. She then allowed Hope to finish his explanation.
"So tell me. What do you think will happen if she's found not guilty? If our "competent" police force don't catch Masquerade, he will surely kill again to make her suspicious once more. Now I have one last question. How many lives will YOU sacrifice to save your friend?"
That's...wow. We never have gotten any closer to find Masquerade, have we? Would he be so persistent? Would he go after Pinkie again?
"So far, Copycat, Shepard Pi, and Time Charm have all been ruthlessly killed. All because of Pinkamena Diane Pie. Two kids nearly died as well. Would an orphanage have to be burnt down before we end the madness?"
OBJECTION!
"Then let's capture Masquerade!"
OBJECTION!
"We have yet to capture him after six months. Why should we risk more lives if all he wants is Miss Pie? I repeat. Is saving your friend really worth putting so many more lives at risk for nothing?"
I don't believe it. Twilight thought. He...isn't completely wrong. Could that actually happen if we win this trial?
Both Twilight and Cestus were deep in thought. They never thought of what would happen after Pinkie would be acquitted. Cestus tried to hunt down Masquerade, but that's what nearly cost Scootaloo's life. Hope was a true devil's advocate, but as long as Masquerade was a true devil, neither Twilight nor Cestus could argue otherwise.
"Since all three of you know, I will stop wasting my time here. But before I go, I'm going to need that key back."
"Absolutely not! This is literally the only leverage I have on you!" Twilight stated.
"True. But I too have leverage on you." Hope claimed. He then used his magic to take out his own piece of evidence. It appeared to have been a simple clear and colorless crystal, but it was something Twilight had seen before. "Have you seen this before? It was left in my office."
Cestus spoke out. "Hey, that's a security crystal. Lots of places in Canterlot use it. They were even used in the Blueblood case a few months back."
After pushing a shard in, the crystal activated before Twilight and Cestus's eyes. The image that appeared before them showed Twilight and Pinkie together, with Twilight personally handing over the key to Pinkie so she could escape. By this point, they already knew that it was really Masquerade posing as her, but it was still a very convincing piece of evidence.
"I only wish to convict Miss Pie. Not you. If you expose me, I'll expose you."
"That's not me! You know that that's Masquerade!" Twilight claimed.
"Either give me evidence to prove it, or give me the key."
Ugh! This key would get him in so much trouble, but if anypony sees that crystal, I would never be trusted by anypony again. All of the evidence I've brought in could be discredited, but another lawyer could probably just take his spot. What should I do?
"Twilight?"
A voice that had hardly said a word had finally spoken. Behind the glass sat Pinkie Pie, with a long face and, instead of having her usual puffy mane, it was perfectly straight as if it was deflated like a balloon. The mane was even a darker shade of pink. Twilight had seen this side of Pinkie before. This was Pinkie at the peak of her depression.
"There's no reason for us both to be locked behind bars. Just give him the key and get the crystal from him."
"Pinkie..." Twilight was touched, but this wasn't what she wanted.
While Twilight still didn't had her mind made up, Cestus did. As he saw no other option, he took out the jail cell key and handed it over to Hope. In return, Hope gave Twilight and Cestus the crystal, ensuring that Hope couldn't use such a thing to discredit her in court.
"See you at the trial Tomorrow. Remember what we've talked about." Hope said as he bid her farewell. "Think carefully before you even show up. If I don't win, you will be held responsible for everything that happens after."
"One last question." Twilight requested. "Why are you so willing to give in to Masquerade's demands like this?"
Hope was already by the exit, but before he walked out, he turned and answered the question. "Him and I have a history."
And with that, the only piece of dirt Twilight had on the prosecutor, as well as the prosecutor himself, was gone. Her best chance for an easy win was out of the window. In fact, the investigation had gone so smooth up to that point, but in a matter of minutes, all of that morale was gone.
"I can't believe it." Cestus said. "Are we really expected to lose tomorrow? How can we lose tomorrow? I've been risking my job so we could win!"
"How do you think Pinkie felt? After everything Hope said, she was too depressed to even talk to us. But who can blame her?"
After confronting Hope and losing what could've been their in ace in the hole, the case took a grim turn once more. It felt as if even if they win, they would lose as long as Masquerade was out in the world, but because all that he wanted was Pinkie's head, it would make sense if he would stop if Pinkie was found guilty.
"So Twilight. What are you going to do?" Cestus asked.
What SHOULD I do? Can I really abandon Pinkie, even if it would be for the greater good? Twilight thought, giving herself an intense migraine.
She had to make a tough call, but it wasn't until she went through her evidence one final time before she made up her mind. She found the picture of Pinkie's birthday party, where she, her family, and even Applejack, were all having a great time because of the super party pony. It was one of the happiest times they ever had.
She then started to look through pictures she had of all of her friends in the library. Many of them were of Pinkie bringing joy and cheer to them all. Seeing them almost cured Twilight's headache. Simply losing these pictures would kill Twilight. But as far as she was concerned, it would take a giant, powerful monster to make her lose such precious memories.
"Hope is right. Saving Pinkie may ruin more lives. But if we let her down, I can imagine many more lives being ruined. My friends...the ponies of this town...Applejack..."
Cestus, knowing that Twilight had made up her mind, then made up his own. "I haven't known Pinkie Pie for long, but during the last few days, she's already driven me nuts." It was then that Cestus did something Twilight thought he would never do. He lowered his head, put a hoof across his chest, and bowed to a princess. "But if she's had as much influence on this town as I've been led to believe, then I will gladly fight along your side to save her."
Touching words said by a good friend. Touching words that assured Twilight that she made the right decision. No matter what would happen from this point on, she was more than ready to take the responsibility for her actions. Even if she would fail, whether by not winning the case or by allowing another victim to fall, this was a cause that was worth fighting form.
Masquerade. I know that you're out there. I know that you're trying to destroy the lives of many innocent ponies. Especially the life of innocence incarnate. I just hope that you know that as soon as I save Pinkie...I'm coming straight after you.
February 15, 9:30 PM Ponyville Courthouse Defendant Lobby
This is it. The final day of the trial. Twilight thought.
The time for the third day of Pinkie's trial had come. In accordance to the justice system's procedures in Equestria, no matter what goes on in the courtroom, the judge would have to decide whether or not Pinkie Pie was guilty or innocent. Everything that Twilight worked hard for built up for this day.
But she wasn't alone. There with her, right on time, were the two ponies that had been helping her more than anypony: Sweetie Belle and Star Cestus. Twilight could tell from the look of their faces that they were just as anxious to get the trial over and done with.
"I can't believe this will be our last chance to protect Pinkie Pie." Sweetie Belle said.
"I can't believe that I might lose my job for over this." Cestus said, who quickly realized that he said something rather inappropriate. "Oh, and to prove that Hope is full of crap."
"Yeah, so let's beat the crap out of him." Sweetie Belle, not minding her language.
Well, at least they're motivated.
On one hoof, Twilight was thankful for Sweetie Belle and Star Cestus's attitude since they were ready to storm into the courtroom and physically beat Hope Ray into submission, something that one of them was more than capable of actually doing. Surprisingly, the one who ws bringing the mood down was Pinkie Pie herself.
This time around, she was brought in to witness the last day of her trial, but whereas she was cheerful and talkative the day before, she had been completely silent throughout the entire morning. In fact, Twilight recalled how silent she was once Hope finished discussing his and Pinkie's connection to Masquerade. It was all too clear.
Twilight didn't want to see any of it. "Pinkie..."
But Pinkie didn't answer. She kept quiet. Fortunately, Cestus gave her a little slap and Pinkie reacted immediately. "0001!" Pinkie shouted, much to her embarrassment. "Oops. Please ignore that guys. That's my PIN number."
Good thing she didn't scream that during court. Not a good thing that she has such an easy-to-guess number though. Twilight thought as she felt both relieved and scared. "Pinkie, you haven't been yourself. What can I do to put a smile back on your face?"
Pinkie didn't give a reply right away. She didn't have a proper answer to the question. "Can you use that time travel spell of yours and make the day end already?"
Twilight gave a light laugh. "He he. I wish it was that easy. The best I can do is try my best to end the trial as quickly as possible. Just try and hang in there. It's almost over."
Once again, Pinkie resumed her silence, looking down on the floor to avoid eye contact as she returned to her thoughts.
Twilight let out a sigh before entering her own thoughts. I guess that's all I can do for her until we get the judge to say not guilty. It's high time I get ready. This will be our final battle. Feeling pumped and ready to go, Twilight was willing to put the nervous part of her aside. She felt as ready as she would ever be. "Ready to go in, Sweetie Belle?"
"You bet. I'm going to be there with you until the very end!" Sweetie Belle answered.
"And I'll be in the gallery, keeping a close eye on the kids." Cestus said. "If I pay more attention to the ponies, maybe I'll even spot Masquerade."
With Cestus and Sweetie Belle both there for moral support, Twilight knew that she had everything she needed. "As long as you're both there with me, that'll be more than enough. Let's go!"
February 15, 9:59 AM Ponyville Courthouse Courtroom 2
The trial hadn't even started, yet the entire gallery was restless. It was hard to blame them though, since the results of this trial would decide on whether the town's favourite party planner would be locked away forever. Tension was high.
Twilight looked up at the gallery from the ground floor. She recognized all of the ponies in the gallery, yet there was no Masquerade. There was, however, her closest friends watching, including Applejack, was sitting next to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who in turn were next to Apple Bloom's doctor, Auto Ratchet. Applejack stood out the most though since she was by far the most worried pony in the entire gallery. Applejack made Twilight feel like her life was also on the line.
It wasn't even just the gallery. Both Twilight and Hope were both making last minute preparations to ensure that they were ready. The Doctor even gave them an extra minute to prepare. In any case, the trial had to begin.
"The trial of Pinkamena Diane Pie shall now resume." The Doctor stated. "Is everyone of you ready?"
Twilight and Hope had a stare down from across the room. They both knew the answer.
"The prosecution is ready, your honor." Hope answered
"So too is the defense." Twilight stated.
The Doctor gave Twilight and Hope a nod. "And so am I. Let us get started. First, the opening statement from the prosecution."
"But of course." Hope said wasting no time to get started.. "As we all know, the defendant is accused of being a serial killing. I've provided evidence to argue that she's the killer, but Princess Twilight Sparkle has made numerous strong counter-arguments for the first two murders, as well as the attempted murder of Apple Bloom.
Had I proved she didn't commit those murders with certainty, we would've won. Twilight thought with regret.
"While I can no longer prove that Copycat and Shepard Pi fell by the pony accused today, what I can prove without question is that she killed the third victim, Time Charm. That will be my goal today."
The Doctor nodded, prepared to hear him out, "Very well. Enlighten us all then."
"But of course. I will now call for my witnesses to take the stand."
We're off to a good start at least. Twilight thought. I happen to already know who his witnesses will be. Sweetie Belle certainly does too.
As the two witnesses for the case entered the courtroom, the tension was so great that you could cut it with a knife. No pony were happy with what was going on, including Hope, who called them in. No pony, except Sweetie Belle, who was very excited.
The witnesses were newly made friends of Twilight and Sweetie Belle. The white unicorn stallion with a black mane and goatee, dressed fashionably with a top hat and a black vest, and a completely black earth pony filly with pink streams in her mane and tail, riding on the other's back. Given the circumstances, the two ponies were surprisingly laid-back.
"Witnesses, please give us your names and occupations." Hope requested.
There was a pause. The stallion and the filly gave each other a stare and a smile. After they nodded at each other, they assumed their positions. The stallion picked up a guitar and stood up on his hind legs, and in turn, the filly stood on his flank while taking out a violin. And then, after the unicorn turned his fur black and ignite his eyes with fire...
Fillies and gentlecolts of the courtroom, We've come to greet you all with a boom! Coltaire the alcoholic, and the Pony of Doom!
We sings our songs together as one, Like sirens in the eye of the storm! But tis not until, you come to us, That music is truly be born!
There was an awkward silence. There had been many crazy shenanigans going on during this trial, but no pony ever expected a witness to burst into song. Funny enough, there were a few ponies who gave some weak clapping.
"Oh, come on! The sick kids in the hospital cheered louder than that!" The Pony of Doom said.
The Doctor, much like the rest of the gallery, appeared confused by what he just witnessed. "So let me make sure I got that right. You two are musicians named Coltaire and the Pony of Doom?"
Coltaire answered. "That we are, Judge. Together, we are the Jersey Devils, a father and daughter-duo. But today, we came in because we know things you may need to know about."
"We're important witnesses!" The Pony of Doom said cheerfully. "By the way. How much do we get paid for this?"
I swear, this kid's cutie mark is going to be a business-type one if not for music. Twilight thought, fearing the filly.
"That reminds me. Twilight, can I borrow those ten bits now so I can buy that record?" Sweetie Belle asked.
She's already getting into MY wallet!!!
As everypony were about to get off topic, The Doctor kept things on track. "Alright now. Order in the court. So now I know you two are a band, but I would still like to know what you two have to do with the case?"
Coltaire answered. "Well, as you probably already know, two of the murders took place at concerts. Sadly, both of the shows were mine. Worse yet, my daughter saw one of them happen."
"It made my top five most horrifying things I've ever seen! Number four to be specific." The Pony of Doom claimed.
"I see." The Doctor said. "Then I'm sorry if this will cause any harm to a child, but I would like to hear a testimony about what this little one saw."
"Sure thing, buddy! Want me to talk about how much blood I saw pore out, or how many times he got stabbed?"
I think I'm already more traumatized than she'll ever be. Twilight thought, disgusted by the filly's choice of words.
At this point, Twilight expected Hope to try and pressure her not to be hard on a young child, but it's been made very clear out of everypony in the courtroom, The Pony of Doom had the strongest stomach. Twilight was in for a very disturbing ride from a very warped child.
-In between shows, I was taking a little walk around the concert hall we played at. -During that walk, I saw auntie Pinkie grabbing this green guy. -And...I...saw her taking stabs and him from the corner. -Which is impossible, since Pinkie Pie was with me at the time.
It sounded like a very solid testimony, but there was a very odd detail that everypony noticed about it. The Doctor, being the judge, spoke up first. "I'm sorry, but what was that last bit about? That seemed to have contradicted with the rest of the testimony."
"Oh, sorry your honor." Coltaire said. "That was me. We were sharing the stand, so I thought I could contribute to the testimony too."
"Well, the trial is unorthodox as is, so...what exactly did you mean?"
"As I told the guy in charge of this case, at the time that my daughter claim to have seen Pinkie Pie, she was with me in my dresser room, hanging out with me. I'm an alibi!"
The turn of events got the gallery riled up as expected. Two witnesses came in together, but each have a different story. It seemed like a self-defeating testimony.
Weird. Hope usually has these testimonies done perfectly. Did he not expect Coltaire's outburst? Twilight asked herself. After seeing an good opportunity to speak up, Twilight took it. "These witnesses are unreliable. They can't get their stories straight."
OBJECTION!
"Not true. The child is the one who's reliable. The father has nothing to back up his claim." Hope stated.
OBJECTION!
"Both of them gave us nothing but their word. To prove one is right and the other is wrong, you'll need to provide us with evidence that--oh, you son of a changeling."
"Your honor, I would like to submit this photo as evidence. It will prove my point entirely."
Murder Photo was added to the evidence.
"That's...pretty damning evidence." The Doctor admitted. "Not only do we see the defendant and the third victim together, but we can even see one of our witnesses right there."
OBJECTION!
"And to address the elephant in the room, yes, the defendant does have a unicorn horn in this picture. However, as the artificial horn has been addressed yesterday, this is no oddity."
Well, that saved me a hopeless objection to save for later. For now I have a few issues I need to sort out. Let's begin this.
-In between shows, I was taking a little walk around the concert hall we played at.
HOLD IT!
"How big was this concert hall?" Twilight asked.
In turn, the Pony of Doom answered. "I guess it's pretty big. Why do you ask?"
"From what we can tell, you were only taking a peak from the corner. Couldn't you have mistaken Pinkie for another Pink mare? I made an argument the other day when the first vic--"
OBJECTION!
"Even if she could only see the crime from the shadows, the photo that has all three of them is clearly the defendant, and even if it isn't, one who looks identical to her." Hope reminded.
And now, my hopeless objection didn't go to waste. Twilight thought, sweating bullets for forgetting a very obvious fact. Before she could embarrass herself further, she allowed the Pony of Doom to continue.
-During that walk, I saw auntie Pinkie grabbing this green guy.
-And...I...saw her taking stabs and him from the corner.
HOLD IT!
"I know if this would be an insensitive question to ask a filly your age, but...can you remember the exact details?"
"Yeah. I remembered being impressed by the stabbing technique that somepony like her was using."
I...uhh...I'm really worried about this kid. Twilight thought with grief. "Be serious. was there anything unusual that you noticed about Pinkie Pie?"
"You mean other than her killing a guy? Well...hmm...I suppose she did sound quite different than she usually did."
Ah ha! This could mean something. Twilight thought. She then decided to pursue the topic further. "How so? What made her sound different? Her voice? Her attitude?"
OBJECTION!
"The idea of a baker going on a killing spree is already suspicious." Hope argued. "Stick with what's relevant."
"B-b-but nothing coming out of this kid's mouth has been helpful. At least give me SOMETHING!"
The Doctor thought about Twilight's request carefully. "Miss Sparkle, I suppose I could let you continue, but I wouldn't unless you're very confident with your defense."
But I'm NOT confident! I've been given nothing to work with from the Pony of Pain-in-my-butt. It wasn't even the Pony of Doom alone that was bothering Twilight. The testimony she had to give was so simple and one-sided that no argument could be made against it.
"Take it from a kid, Twilight. You can't beat her." Sweetie Belle said. "We don't know all of the fancy words you adults use and only say what we can remember."
It's sad how that's the best legal advice that I've gotten during both of my cases as a lawyer. Twilight thought. "You're right. Putting my focus is what Hope wants. My real witness...it's Coltaire. If he really can vouch for Pinkie, then I'm going to make him"
-Which is impossible, since Pinkie Pie was with me at the time.
HOLD IT!
"Coltaire, can you tell us why we should trust you that Pinkie was with you and not your daughter?"
As Twilight asked the question, both Coltaire and the Pony of Doom became nervous, each shifting their eyes left and right, each time facing the direction that the other set of eyes were looking.
OBJECTION!
"The witness I intended for this court to listen to was the child. The singer is only here to act as her morale support."
Hope tried to object, but The Doctor shook his head in disagreement. "We have two ponies on the witness stand, so we will listen to them both. Mr. Coltaire, please go into more detail about your claim."
At last, Coltaire's odd comment could be addressed, but again, he hesitated to answer. "Well...like I said, at the time of murder, Pinkie Pie was with me in my dressing room. We were discussing...matters."
"Such as?" Twilight asked.
"Nothing relevant to this case. That much I can assure you. The fact that someone died there was purely coincidental. But what's important is that I'm an alibi for Pinkie, so that should prove that she's innocent."
The Doctor disagreed, shaking his head to the testimony. "Your daughter is also a witness, and evidence was provided to backup her claims. You must also do the same."
This is getting bad. I need that evidence. But how can....hmm...I think i have an idea. Twilight thought, having a hunch on how to get Coltaire to speak up. "Your honor, I'd like for our witnesses to give us a new testimony."
"A new one? What do you want him to say?" The Doctor asked.
"We've already established that Pinkie Pie and the Jersey Devils know each other. What I'd like to know is how they know each other. Perhaps learning about their history can shed some light on this mystery."
"Indeed it could, Miss Sparkle. Perhaps they do have a history." Hope spoke up. He followed the outburst by slamming his hoof on his table. "Or perhaps this whole thing is a big waste of our time. Since our witness has already given us outstanding evidence, I move to dismiss the stallion's new claim."
"Denied." The Doctor said without even thinking about it. "After what happened yesterday, I will not turn down any testimonies regarding the ponies involved in this case, especially since this will be the last day. Nice try though."
As Twilight was given permission to explore Coltaire's history with Pinkie Pie, he and his daughter became nervous. Coltaire started to strum his guitar while sweating up a storm while the Pony of Doom's eyes shifted left to right. Meanwhile, Twilight was calm and collected for once.
"Twilight, why are you making them talk about Pinkie?" Sweetie Belle asked. "We already know that they have a history with her."
"No, this is great. A lawyer should always know the answer to questions that they ask."
"Then why have you been spending half of your investigations IN the courtroom?"
"I have my reasons." Twilight said confidently, but mentally, she was wrecked. And that reason is that our law system is a load of crap. On the bright side, I'm now in control of this trial for the time being. But it's not just going to be their history with Pinkie I want to share. I know that their real fear is with their connections with Shepard Pi. Finding that connection will be our key to victory.
While it became a slow process, Twilight was still confident that they could find the proof needed to end the trial once and for all. The next lines of testimony will be what'll unravel it all. It should've been the easiest part of the trial so far, but there was one thing that bothered Twilight.
During the entire time, even when The Doctor approved of Twilight's request, Hope Ray never lost his cool. He appeared to have still been confident after all that happened. He hardly even gave Twilight a fight. He simply sat their with the exception of a few objections. What bothered Twilight was that he clearly knew something.
