A Case for The Cutie Mark Crusaders
“My… my necklace! It’s gone!” Diamond Tiara yelled when the class returned from recess. Everypony stopped what they were doing, and looked up. “I put it right here,” she pointed, with her hoof, to the top of her desk, “And now it’s gone! Somepony must’ve stolen it!”
“Diamonth Thiara, who could’ve stholen it? Who would’ve stholen it? Nopony wasth in the classthroom we were outhide,” Twist tried to reason, but Diamond Tiara wouldn’t listen to anything. The class looked back down at their books and papers.
“Oh really? I think I know exactly who did it. And I’m going to tell.” Diamond Tiara stuck out her tongue, with a pouting frown on her face. Silver Spoon walked over to her friend, trying to give her support. Soon enough, the bell rang, and everypony got to their seats. The students gathered their things for the next class: social studies. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stomped over to Apple Bloom's desk and blocked the seat.
“Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, excuse me… please,” Apple Bloom couldn't stand dealing with their bullying. It came far too often.
“I know that you stole it, Apple Bloom,” Diamond Tiara hissed, “and you won’t get away with this.”
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon tried to block her way, but Apple Bloom managed to get past them. The two bullies walked away with a "humph", and Miss Cheerilee entered the classroom.
“MISS CHEERILEE!” Diamond Tiara yelled, making everypony go silent. She gestured to Apple Bloom, who was across the room. “Apple Bloom and I seem to have a bit of a PROBLEM.”
“Problem?” Miss Cheerilee walked over to Diamond Tiara's desk, and cocked her head. “How can I help?”
“Apple Bloom,” Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes, as if it was disgusting to say her name, “Should be prosecuted for for stealing my necklace!"
“Oh, so you have an allegation, Diamond Tiara?” Miss Cheerilee stroked her chin, and mumbled, “I have an idea.”
She walked to the front of the room, and stood in front of the blackboard. “Today, class, we will be having a trial. We will decide if Apple Bloom, the defendant, is innocent or guilty.” Miss Cheerilee explained. “Our jury, the group of ponies who decide the verdict of the case, will consist of Featherweight, Dinky Doo, Pipsqueak, Berry Pinch, Snips, Snails, and Rumble. Apple Bloom is the defendant, and Scootaloo will be her lawyer. Diamond Tiara is the victim, or plaintiff, and Silver Spoon will be the lawyer for the prosecution. Sweetie Belle will be our judge, and I will be the bailiff. Our witnesses will be Twist, and your recess monitor, Bulk Biceps.”
Everypony nodded, understanding. Miss Cheerilee then explained to each group what they would have to do in the trial, and she set up the classroom.
“All rise,” Miss Cheerilee said, gesturing for the class to stand up. “The Court of Ponyville Schoolhouse is now is session. The Honorable Judge Sweetie Belle is now presiding.”
Sweetie Belle entered the classroom, and sat behind the desk at the front of the room. ”Please be seated." The school ponies sat in their desks. "We will now begin the case of Diamond Tiara versus Apple Bloom. Diamond Tiara is accusing Apple Bloom of stealing her necklace. May we have your opening statement, Miss Silver Spoon?”
“Yes.” Silver Spoon said, standing up. “Diamond Tiara is accusing Apple Bloom of stealing her necklace. The class went to recess, and when Diamond Tiara returned to the classroom, the necklace was gone.”
“Miss Scootaloo, could we now hear from you?” Sweetie Belle said, and then giggled a little, whispering “that rhymed.”
“I know, and you know, that Apple Bloom did not steal Diamond Tiara’s necklace! I am determined to keep Apple Bloom innocent! She didn’t steal it!” Scootaloo was awfully competitive; she often got worked up over the littlest of things.
“We will now hear Diamond Tiara’s side of the case.” Sweetie Belle sighed a little. She wasn’t the biggest fan of Diamond Tiara either. “You may call up your first witness, Miss Silver Spoon.”
“I call up Twist.” Silver Spoon said. Twist rolled her eyes and sighed, like Sweetie Belle, but walked to the front of the classroom.
“Please raise your right hoof,” Sweetie Belle said, and Twist did so. “Do you swear to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”
Twist nodded, “I dwo.”
Sweetie Belle said, “please be seated,” and Twist, once again, did as she was told.
“Say your full name, Twist,” Silver Spoon snapped.
“Twisth.”
“Did you see that the necklace was missing, when you returned to the classroom?” Silver Spoon questioned.
“Yeths, I did. I thaw the necklath when we went outh, and it waths…justh… gone when we came bacth.” Twist shrugged.
Silver Spoon had another question. “And… what did you say when Diamond Tiara realized it was gone?”
“I don’t remember my exthact wordths, but I thsaid thsomething like ‘who could’ve stholen it? Who would’ve stholen it? Nopony wasth in the classthroom we were outhide,’” Twist shrugged once again. “I’m not the besth at remembering thingsth.”
“Okay. That’s fine,” Sweetie Belle said, speaking up. “Silver Spoon, do you have any more questions for the direct examination?”
“No,” Silver Spoon responded.
“Now, Miss Scootaloo, would you like to cross-examine Twist?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Yes.” Scootaloo then quickly added, “please.”
“Okay,” Sweetie Belle said. “You may begin.”
“Now Twist…” Scootaloo said, standing up from her seat and walking over to the witness. “Do you have any fact or evidence that Apple Bloom did steal the necklace?”
“Oh…” Twist said, looking down, “no, I have no proofth. I only thaw that the necklaceth was missthing. Nothing elseth.”
“Okay, good.” Scootaloo smiled, and winked at Apple Bloom. “I’m now finished.” She sat back down in her chair.
“Twist, you may now sit back down in your seat,” Sweetie Belle said, and Twist returned to her spot. “Now, Miss Silver Spoon, would you like to call up your second witness?”
“Yes,” Silver Spoon said, smirking. “Diamond Tiara, I call you up.”
Diamond Tiara swaggered up, through the desks, and sat in the front of the room.
Sweetie Belle sighed, and signaled for Diamond Tiara to stand up and raise her hoof. "Diamond Tiara, do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?”
“Suuure,” she sneered.
“You may sit down. Silver Spoon, you may begin.” Sweetie Belle flopped down in her chair. She was not looking forward to this.
“Diamond Tiara, please explain the rush of emotions you felt when you realized that your necklace was stolen.” Silver Spoon was still smirking in her evil way.
“I was so upset! I was like ‘how could somepony be so heartless, so evil that they would steal my necklace?!’ I couldn’t believe my eyes!” She then glared at Apple Bloom, who was sitting down, across the room. “And when I spotted Apple Bloom, I just knew that she never owned a pretty thing, and she must be so jealous of me! She always has had a grudge against me. And I don’t know why!”
“Objection!” Scootaloo yelled, standing up. “Apple Bloom has never had anything against you, Diamond Tiara! You’re just a bully!”
“Bully? You think I’m the bully? Apple Bloom just stole my necklace!” Diamond Tiara stood up, and gestured at Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom was just scrunched up in her chair, looking down.
“Order in the court!” Sweetie Belle yelled. Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara instantly sat down. “Now, Silver Spoon, do you have any more witnesses?”
Silver Spoon shook her head. “No, I don’t.”
“Okay, Miss Scootaloo, you may call up your first witness!” Sweetie Belle said, smiling. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were her friends, and she was almost certain that Apple Bloom did not steal the necklace.
“Mr. Bulk Biceps, please be the next witness.” Scootaloo smiled. Bulk Biceps was kind of intimidating, but pretty cool.
Bulk Biceps got up, and stood in front of the chair. He lifted his right hoof.
“Mr. Biceps, do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“YEAH!!!” He sat down without any instruction, but Sweetie Belle was fine with this.
“Bulk Biceps,” Scootaloo began, “Did you see Apple Bloom go inside to steal the necklace?”
“NO! I did not. She was there the entire time.” Bulk Biceps shrugged, his huge muscles bulging.
“Okay. Was there any gap of time in which she could’ve stolen the bracelet?” Scootaloo asked.
“NO! She was outside like the rest of the class,” Bulk Biceps responded.
“Those are my only questions, thank you,” Scootaloo said.
Sweetie Belle then spoke up, “Silver Spoon, do you have any questions for Bulk Biceps?”
Silver Spoon shook her head. “No, I don’t.”
“You may now return to your seat,” Sweetie Belle said, smiling. Bulk Biceps got up and went back to his seat. “Scootaloo, you may call up your second witness.”
“Apple Bloom, please come up,” Scootaloo said, smiling. Apple Bloom got up from her chair and stood in front of the room.
“Please raise your right hoof,” Sweetie Belle said. Apple Bloom did as she was told. “Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?”
“Yes, I do,” Apple Bloom said, nodding.
Sweetie Belle then said, “you may sit down.” Apple Bloom did so.
“So… Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo began. “Did you ever leave recess to steal the necklace?”
“No! I didn’t leave once. Bulk Biceps told you that he saw me the entire time,” Apple Bloom explained. “I never left.”
“Objection!” Silver Spoon yelled, standing up.
“Oh be quiet, Silver Spoon,” Scootaloo said, rolling her eyes.
“Now Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle said, smiling, “we believe in due process, so Silver Spoon gets to speak.” She then sighed and added, “unfortunately”.
“She could always just lie! What if she did go inside and Bulk Biceps just didn’t see it?” Silver Spoon yelled.
“But Silver Spoon, she cannot commit perjury while under the oath,” Sweetie Belle explained. “Since she swears to tell the truth, she must tell the truth.”
Silver Spoon said nothing, but stuck her tongue out and sat back down.
“I assume that you do not want to cross-examine her?”
Silver Spoon shook her head.
“Okay, the jury will now decide a verdict based on the witness’ testimonies, and deem Apple Bloom guilty or innocent.”
The jury got up and walked outside. The students inside could hear inaudible murmurs, but nothing else.
The jury entered the classroom, and stood in front of their seats.
Featherweight walked up to the front of the room. “Our decision was based on Mr. Bulk Biceps providing Apple Bloom with an alibi, for the time when the theft occurred. We could not find her guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Additionally, there was just this gut feeling that you fillies,” he gestured to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, “weren’t lying, and there was no way that Apple Bloom could have stolen it. We have decided that Apple Bloom is not guilty.” He smiled.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle jumped and cheered, and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were frowning, rolling their eyes. Apple Bloom was just sitting there, happy that they were right.
Once the cheering died down, Twist piped up. “Wait a minuteth… if Apple Bloom didn’t stheal the neckalceth, then who didth?”
Everyone looked around, trying to figure out who did it. Miss Cheerilee walked to the front of the room, and smiled.
“I did,” she said.
In one accord, the entire class said a “whhhhhhaaaaaaaaat?” Bulk Biceps was smiling, and stood up, next to Miss Cheerilee.
“See, Miss Cheerilee wanted to teach you FOALS about the COURT, and TRIALS, today.” Bulk Biceps said, smiling.
“Pretty clever, huh?” Miss Cheerilee said, laughing. “I’m sorry if I made everypony feel guilty-- especially you, Apple Bloom-- but it was all good in the end, right?”
Everyone, including Apple Bloom, responded with “right”.
Miss Cheerilee trotted over to her desk and took the necklace out from one of the drawers. She gave it to Diamond Tiara.
“You better keep a closer eye out on that thing,” Silver Spoon said, smiling.
“Oh, shut up!” Diamond Tiara said, elbowing Silver Spoon. She doubled over with an 'oof'.
The bell rang and everypony filed out of the classroom. Miss Cheerilee exclaimed a happy, "goodbye, class!" and was lucky enough to catch Apple Bloom smiling at her. Soon enough though, everypony left.
“So…” Bulk Biceps began, “What WOULD'VE happened if they deemed Apple Bloom GUILTY?”
Miss Cheerilee laughed. “I would have had her stay for a lunch detention, order a pizza, and explain what really happened.”
There was a bit of a pause.
"Or maybe, I'd let her keep that brat's necklace."