Ezio vs Harmony

Got to run... got to hide... can't stop moving... can't stop running... no... no...

"No!" Ezio shouted, waking himself up. He could not describe just how much he hated lucid nightmares. He shoved the covers away and went to go take a long, soothing bath to calm himself down.

He got the water running and thought about what he had to do today... when he realized he didn't HAVE anything he had to do today. He was no longer under command of the princesses, no longer killing Equestrians... he should be gone by now, really, yet he stayed at this place as if it was his home. Maybe that's what it was now.

He stopped the water and his thoughts and sank into the tub. It had been too long since the last time he got a chance to relax. So peaceful...

His ear twitched as he heard the door open to his room. He should've known to lock the door, but... it probably didn't matter, anyway.

"Who's there?" he called.

"Ezio! It's Phoenix. I just thought I'd let you know: you're being put on trial again today!"

"WHAT?!"

He jumped out of the tub, ran across the room, and opened a cabinet, where he put the suit from the first trial. It probably could use some washing, but for now it would have to do. He quickly threw it on and went out to meet Phoenix.

"On trial? Again? Explain!" was all he could say.

"Look, Ezio. Now's not the time to freak out--"

"THEN WHEN IS?!"

"Ezio! Get a hold of yourself! You're on trial again, and that's that! Now, I have some questions I have to ask you before the trial."

"All right... fine. Ask away."

"Let's start with what happened."

"C'mon, you already know!" Ezio shouted. "No need for me to add anything in."

"Just tell me what happened... both times."

"I was sent to go kill both the victims, Pinkie Pie and Applejack."

"You were 'sent' to kill them?"

"Yes. A got a letter in the mail. Here, take a look."

"... accused of being Templars. Hm. I think I've seen this before."

"The thing is, they weren't Templars. It was a trick."

"Now, the Princess already told me you did it, but I want to hear it from you: did you kill these ponies, Ezio?"

"... Yes. I did. I stabbed those two to death."

"Truly?"

"I had a reason to believe that they were the enemy. I wouldn't have killed them if they were innocents."

"Enemies?"

"The Templars. They rule with an iron fist, crushing out all those who stand in their way... except for a my group."

"Your group?"

"The Assassins. We have survived hundreds of years of Templar rule, surviving in the shadows, slowly taking out their leaders one by one. However, they sometimes find us, and kill us as soon as they can. It's a feud that's been going on since... nopony knows. Too long, most likely. One of our groups will win out in the end."

There was a moment of silence between the two.

"Phoenix?"

"Yeah?"

"You will defend me, right?"

Phoenix hesitated for a moment.

"Of course, Ezio."

"Thank you."

"... On one condition."

"Name it."

"I'm doing this for the Princess, not for you. If she changes her mind... I may not be able to defend you at all."

"I'll take that risk."

"Oh, and before I forget... you're not hiding anything from me, are you Ezio?"

"Of course not. I have to trust you. You know that."

Phoenix saw those familiar locks and chains of lies. There were five.

"I don't think you understood the question, Ezio."

"I understand it. I have nothing to hide from you."

"I don't believe you, Ezio."

"What?"

"You're hiding something, and I think I know what it is."

"Really? If you know, then why don't you humor me with this thing I'm apparently hiding?"

"I will. I have all the proof I need right here."

"Go ahead. Try me."

"You said that you don't know how the feud started, right?"

"Correct."

"Then why wouldn't you question why you fight the Templars?"

"They're bad people! They kill others!"

"Don't you do the same?"

"Of course!..."

"Then you must have another reason to fight them, right?"

"So what?! What does it matter to you?"

"It's personal, isn't it?"

"Yeah! It doesn't matter, though."

Phoenix saw one of the locks break.

"Ezio, what did the Templars do to you that was personal?"

"... They attacked my group! They destroyed my town! It was a safe haven until they started their attack!"

"Sounds personal... but that's not what I'm looking for."

"What?!"

"You see Ezio, you care about your town, but it runs deeper than that, doesn't it?"

"That... that's none of your business!"

Phoenix saw another lock break.

"No, Ezio. It is my business."

"How?! It doesn't have anything to do with you!"

"A lot of things about you don't relate to me... except this. It relates to the crime here, doesn't it?"

"NO! No it doesn't!"

Phoenix saw another lock break.

"Yes, yes it does! You outright attacked the representatives of the Elements of Harmony... not because they threatened your group, but because of your own selfish needs!"

"How dare you!"

"You wanted the power for yourself!"

Another lock broke. So close...

"All right, fine! I did want that power! Who wouldn't want it?!"

"It's true anypony would want it, but you needed it for something... something personal."

"Really! Then, Mr. Lawyer, why don't you tell me what it is, with evidence!"

"That's easy."

Phoenix produced the letter Ezio gave him.

"THAT's you proof??? Ha! I knew you had nothing!"

"No, Ezio. This is everything. Ezio, is your entire family in this group, the Assassins?"

"Yes! Of course! We stay together! Separate, we fall apart!"

"Then it seems you've fallen apart already."

"Wright... you'd best explain yourself."

"This letter is written to you... from your uncle."

"So what?"

"If your entire family was in on this... wouldn't it be your father that would lead the group?"

Ezio put a shocked look on his face, then narrowed his brow and looked angry again.

"Don't you DARE... talk.. about... my... father..."

"Ezio... you said they find the Assassins sometimes. That they kill them."

Ezio didn't respond.

"The killed him, didn't they, Ezio? The Templars killed your father?"

"... I've got nothing left to hide now, do I?"

Th final lock broke, and the chains disappeared.

Ezio sighed. "Here's the truth... the whole truth. Years ago, before I even knew of the Assassins, much less partaking in their actions against the Templars, my father and my brothers were arrested for reasons unknown to me. My father, in his jailed state, passed me a letter to give to a man he trusted... one he thought could help."

"'Thought' could help?"

"The man I gave the letter to was to defend him that day. Defend my family. He... he betrayed them. He did nothing to defend them. He let them hang... my father, my two brothers... one of those brothers, my younger one, that had nothing to do with the Assassins. From that day forward, I swore revenge on those who took my family from me... I put on the Assassin armor and joined the fight against the Templars. I had an escape from all the internal torture, but..."

"But what?"

"I've said too much already."

"Ezio, please. Just ell me the rest."

"... I kept myself sane by killing the Templars... but my mother had no such outlet. She was driven to mourning for her husband and sons. She never left her room... for years, even. If Monteriggioni had not been attacked, she'd still be there..."

"You did help her get out of that, right?"

"She's safe, with my sister in Roma."

"Ezio, I had no idea--"

"Don't you start feeling bad for me. You have to focus on defending my case in court today."

"Speaking of which, the trial starts in five minutes. We'd better get moving."

*****************

The courtroom was bustling. Many ponies had come to see the trial today... even more than last time. Ezio was a little nervous as to why they were all here.

Ezio went to the defendant's stand.

The Judge's hit his gavel on the desk.

"Court is now in session! The re-trial for Ezio vs Harmony may begin. Is the defense ready?"

"Yes, your honor."

"And the prosecution."

"Trixie doesn't see a reason why it shouldn't be ready."

Phoenix felt like slapping himself in the face. Why... always... third... person...

"Very well! Would the prosecution call up it's first witness?"

"Your Honor, the prosecution calls the Great and Powerful Trixie to the stand!"

"Um... Ms. Trixie, is that not yourself?"

"Yes. Trixie is the only witness Trixie could find... and the only one Trixie needs."

"Okay... would Ms. Trixie take the stand?"

Ezio watched the only witness Phoenix had to work with walk up to the stand. He hoped the Phoenix knew what he was doing here.

"Would the witness please testify what she saw for the court?"

"Of course."

---Witness Testimony--

"I was walking down the road that night, just casually, when I heard somebody else nearby.

I turned the corner, and I saw him! The defendant, climbing into the window of Sugarcube Corner!

I knew he must be up to no good. I got a little closer, but had to hide when he came back out the window.

I knew he killed Pinkie Pie by the blood on his clothes. Had I known this would happen, I would've stopped it..."

"Hm... All right, Mr. Wright, you may start your cross-examination now."

Phoenix looked focused... very focused. Ezio didn't want to break his concentration here.

"I was walking down the road that night, just casually, when I heard somebody else nearby."

Hold it!

"You heard somebody else?"

Objection!

"Grasping already, Wright? Just let Trixie go on with her testimony, and you'll know who Trixie's talking about!"

"I"m not... grasping..." Phoenix had a semi-anger, semi-embarrassed look on his face.

I turned the corner, and I saw him! The defendant, climbing into the window of Sugarcube Corner!

Hold it!

"Where were you standing?"

"I stood on the corner nearby, opposite of Sugarcube Corner."

"Continue..."

I knew he must be up to no good. I got a little closer, but had to hide when he came back out the window.

Hold it!

"You hid?"

"Yes."

"Why did you feel the need to hide?"

"Because..."

I knew he killed Pinkie Pie by the blood on his clothes. Had I known this would happen, I would've stopped it..."

Hold it!

"You say you saw Pinkie Pie's blood on his clothes?"

"That's right!"

"Trixie, how did you know that the blood was Pinkie Pie's blood?"

"I, uh... i-it was in the last trial! That's when I heard about it."

"And you didn't know Pinkie Pie was the one killed before then?"

"Yes! Exactly!"

Phoenix thought for a moment.

Objection!

"Your Honor, that is a lie!"

"Is it? Really?"

"Of course! And I have evidence to prove it!"

"Heh heh heh..."

Phoenix looked at Trixie, the one who laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Mr. Wrong... you're not suggesting that that letter from the last trial is your evidence?"

"It is."

"Too bad, Mr. Wrong. All evidence from the last trial has been confirmed to be either forged or faulty."

"W-WHAT?!"

"You can't use any of it!"

Phoenix didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wright, but the witne-- I mean, prosecution, is right! All evidence from that trial is now disregarded and not able to be used in court."

"Very well..." Phoenix said, and Ezio shot him a negative look. "I have other evidence proving this!"

"Well, what is it?"

"The witness's own testimony!"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"She knew that Pinkie was the one killed because... of the last trial, obviously."

"Then how is this contradicting the testimony?"

"Because, Your Honor, of where the witness was standing... or should I say 'hiding'?"

"Elaborate on this, Wright."

"She says that when Ezio left out the window, she hid. If she hid, then... she couldn't have seen the blood on Ezio's clothes!"

"Mr. Wright is right, Trixie. The court orders you to change your testimony to explain this!"

"Easy. Just listen to this."

---How I Saw the Blood--

"You see, when Trixie hid, it was in a very specific spot.

There were some bales of hay nearby, so Trixie ducked into one of them.

Trixie looked out from the straws around me and saw Ezio and his blood-stained clothes!

The defendant is guilty! He killed Pinkie Pie!"

"Bales of hay?" asked the Judge.

"Yes. There were some nearby, like I said. The investigation team even got them in the picture here."

(Picture of Sugarcube Corner added to evidence.)

"Mr. Wright, your cross-examination?"

"Of course, Your Honor."

"You see, when Trixie hid, it was in a very specific spot.

There were some bales of hay nearby, so Trixie ducked into one of them.

Hold it!

"You say you jumped into a bale of hay, like the ones in this photo?"

"Yes, of course."

"That contradicts this evidence!"

"Explain, Wright. Show us on the photo where this contradiction is."

"It's right... here!"

"The bales of hay?"

Phoenix shook his head. "Look closer. What's that on the hay there?"

"Why that... that's blood!"

"Precisely! So, I ask, if the witness truly hid in this bale of hay... then why is there blood on that hay?"

"Interesting deduction! Trixie! Do you have an explanation for this?"

"Um... well... yes! Yes, I do!"

"Please add the explanation to your testimony."

"The murderer walked by the hay bales and accidentally rubbed some of the blood on that hay!"

Hold it!

"How did he manage to do that?"

"He brushed by it."

Objection!

"Look at where the blood is on the hay in the picture, Trixie. It's on top of the hay!"

"So?"

"The killer couldn't have left that blood there because the blood would've been on the sides of the hay, not the top!"

"Very interesting, Mr. Wright! ...What does it mean though?" asked the Judge.

"I'm glad you asked. Here's what I think happened that night. Trixie waits at Sugarcube Corner for Pinkie Pie. When she gets home... Trixie stabs her, a fatal wound. It doesn't kill her immediately, so she tries to go up the stairs to her room to the phone that was sitting on the side table next to her bed. Then another pony, or possibly Trixie again, stabbed here in her dying state. Upon leaving the place, she hides in the hay as to not be caught, leaving blood on it!"

"That's very interesting, Mr. Wright. Do you have some other proof that these events happened?"

"I do. There was a trail of blood on the stairs leading to the body. We thought it had run downstairs from the body, but now I see that cannot be. The blood must have run up the stairs as Pinkie was going to her room."

"Very interesting..."

Ezio was just watching the whole thing go down. this was actually very interesting... Trixie dealing the killing blow before he did? It was entirely possible...

"Tsk. Tsk." Trixie clicked her tongue at him.

"Something wrong, Ms. Trixie?" asked the Judge.

"Of course! It may be true that there was blood on the hay, but... how do you know whose blood it is?"

"Mr. Wright?"

"The investigation team seemed to miss the detail... I'm sorry to say that we need to have that blood sample checked."

"Very well. We'l take a fifteen minute break to have that blood sampled and identified. Court is adjourned for the time being!"

The gavel fell and everypony left the courtroom.

"Wright!" Ezio whispered sharply. He waved Phoenix over to a room. He closed the door behind them.

"You said you knew that the evidence was faked!"

"Quiet! They might hear us..."

"Well? Explain!"

"Ezio, you and I know that, and that is the only thing that is keeping us safe. If we are found out about this knowledge, the court session will end, and you will be hanged!"

"Fine, fine... so you lied to the Princess as well?"

"Yes, I had to. If she knew, then any interrogator could break her to get that information."

"All right. You got a plan here?"

"Not really... I'm just sort of winging it. I didn't know that the trial would be so soon, otherwise I would have some better evidence."

"Merda, you think you can win like that??"

"Probably. I dunno. I just know that if we lose, it's all over."

"Very well..."

They left the room again.

"It seems that it will be a bit before we get back in the courtroom."

"Ezio! There you are!"

Wright saw the Assassin freeze up and almost trip over his own hooves.  "Derpy?!"

The grey pony trotted up to him. "Of course it's me! Where else would I be at a time like this?"

"I don't know... home? Taking care of wounded ponies?"

"Ezio! You thought I wouldn't be here for you?"

"No, I just thought you'd be there for others."

"But why would I want to do that?"

"It's your job...?"

"Ezio, my business can wait for you. I mean, just look at this trial! The suspense, the action! All the turnabouts! It went from certain doom to... well... not-so-certain doom!"

Because that's reassuring, Ezio thought.

"Besides," she continued, "I need to make sure your wound doesn't open up under the pressure of the situation! Stress raises your blood pressure, you know!"

Aaaaaand now it's a medical concern. Great.

"Oh, yeah, and good job in there, Mr. Wrong!"

"It's actually Mr. Wright. Trixie just likes making fun of my name."

"Oh. Sorry. My bad. Anyway, you make sure Ezio gets out of this all right, okay? Promise me you will!"

"All right, I promise nothing bad will happen to Ezio."

Derpy put on a big smile. "Thanks, Mr. Wright."

"Court will now reconvene!" called the baliff.

"Well, looks like that blood sample got through testing quickly. It was nice meeting you... Derpy, wasn't it?"

"Derpy?  Who's Derpy? My name is--"

"Let's just go." Ezio interrupted, knowing exactly where that conversation would be heading in the next few minutes.

*****************

The gavel fell, and the courtroom silenced.

"Court is now in session. The results from the blood sample, Mr. Wright?"

"It seems that it came out to... Pinkie Pie, Your Honor."

"Pinkie Pie?"

"That's right. So I ask the witness... why was there Pinkie's blood on the hay in which she hid in?"

"Yes, why was there blood, Ms. Trixie? Please testify on this matter."

"I don't need to."

"Excuse me?"

"You see, the blood of Pinkie Pie was there... but how can you prove it was there when I was in that hay?"

"Easy." said Ezio. "The time of death of Pinkie Pie was near the time of 11 PM that night. Only a few minutes from that time the blood would've dried, making it impossible for it to get on anything in the area other than what it had previously had been on. If you watched Ezio leave the place without going into the hay, then it must be you who left that blood there!"

"Well... I... I... you cannot prove it was me! There's no blood on my clothes, see?"

"Only an idiot would wear the same clothes as they had duing the murder, especially with the victim's blood on it, Trixie. Of course there's no blood... on those clothes. However, there may be traces of blood on your coat!... and not the clothing type, just to clarify."

"Well-- I--"

"I say that the witness be tested for traces of blood!"

"How do you propose to go about that?"

Phoenix pulled out a bottle. "This spray should reveal any traces of blood, even if it was washed away."

"The court will see this through." replied the Judge.

"What?! This is an invasion of privacy! I deny the test!"

"You do realize that if you deny the testing, you acknowledge the fact that there was blood on your coat, Ms Trixie?"

"... Urgh! Fine! Test me!"

...

The spray was used on her coat... and it came out positive.

"There! See? Trixie was involved in this crime!"

"Hold on!" shouted Trixie. "You-you can't prove that I had that blood on me on the day of the murder!"

"Wrong, Trixie. When other time would you have traces of the victim's blood on your coat?"

"I... uh... urrgh..."

"Trixie, there is significant evidence that the murder had something to do with you, making you, one way or another, an alibi." stated the Judge.

"Wait! WAIT!" yelled Trixie. "I can explain! I didn't want to say this before, but now it seems I have to."

"Trixie, are you saying you withheld information from the court???" asked the Judge, surprised.

"Yes, but I swear it was for good reason! Let me tell you how I got this blood on me!"

"Very well. The witness will testify, accurately, how she got the blood on her coat."

---The Blood in my Coat--

The explanation is quite clear on this subject.

I didn't want to say it before, but it seems I have to now.

I went into Sugarcube Corner that night... after the murder.

I wanted to see what had happened in there, to see if I could still help Pinkie Pie.

I stepped in some of the blood on my way up the stairs, and that's how I got the blood on my coat.

"You entered the place of the murder?!"

"Yes. I didn't want to say it before because I knew Mr. Wright would use that to tie me to the crime, but it is the opposite."

"I see... Mr. Wright, you may start your cross-examination."

"Yes, Your Honor."

The explanation is quite clear on this subject.

I didn't want to say it before, but it seems I have to now.

I went into Sugarcube Corner that night... after the murder.

I wanted to see what had happened in there, to see if I could still help Pinkie Pie.

Hold it!

"From what I know, you held a grudge against Pinkie Pie and her friends. Why would you feel the need to help her?"

"I didn't know that it was Pinkie Pie... and even so, I wouldn't let an innocent pony just die!"

Phoenix contemplated for a moment.

"Very well. Continue."

I stepped in some of the blood on my way up the stairs, and that's how I got the blood on my coat.

Hold it!

"You stepped in the blood?"

"Yes, I did."

"Let me ask you a question, Trixie. When did you enter Sugarcube Corner after murder?"

"It was at... 11:08 if I remember."

"That's quite precise." commented the Judge.

"There was a clock on the side table next to Pinkie's bed. That's the time it read."

"Is that really the time you saw, Trixie?" asked Phoenix.

"Yes, of course!"

"I hate to say it, but..."

Objection!

"What?!" yelled Trixie.

"You say you saw the time, and it read 11:08... and that was the time you got the blood on your hooves. But that cannot be!"

"What do you mean, Wright?" asked the Judge.

"By that time... the blood would've already dried!"

"That is quite the contradiction! Trixie, explain this!"

"I-- uh-- urgh-- URGH!"

"You can't explain it, Trixie?" asked Wright. "Well luckily, I already have. You went into Sugarcube Corner that night and killed Pinkie Pie!"

"NO! NONONONO!!!!"

"Admit it! You did this!"

"DAMN YOU, WRIGHT! HE DID IT! HE KILLED HER! GIVE HIM DEATH! DEATH, I SAY!"

"ORDER! I WILL HAVE ORDER!" the Judge shouted, hitting his gavel against the desk again and again.

Silence.

"Trixie, tell the court truly... did you kill Pinkie Pie?"

"... Yeah, I did it! I'm not sorry for it, either!"

"Very well. I think I'm ready to give my verdict now... the court finds Mr. Ezio Auditore--"

Objection!

"What... Ms. Trixie?"

"I may have killed Pinkie Pie... but what about Applejack?!"

"This is true.. Ezio was also charged with this crime as well."

"The defense sees no reason to continue, Your Honor."

"Why is that?"

"Because there is no longer a prosecution."

"Whatever do you mean, Wright?"

"The one and only witness, Ms. Trixie, has been found guilty of this murder. She can no longer be a prosecutor under the current condition. Thus, the case... is over, due to the resting of the prosecution."

"Mr. Wright, as always, you are right. The trial is over. There is no longer the prosecution for this case, thus the trial ends here. Now as I was saying... I find the defendant to be..."