In which Twilight and her Friends are brought to Justice by Canterlot Nobility
"So...." Rainbow glanced around the cell. "What are you all in for?"
Twilight sighed, ruffling her wings. "The same thing you're in for, Rainbow."
Rainbow Dash tilted her head. "...really? Cause, no offense Twilight, but I thought you of all ponies wouldn't drink alcohol--"
Equestria's newest princess groaned, running her hooves down her eyes. Rarity shook her head, lidding her eyes and giving Dash a look. "I know you just woke up, darling, but do try to keep with the program. We've been arrested for mishandling artifacts of incredible magical power."
"...wow, Twilight, when you get boozed up you really fly off the handle, don't you?"
"I WASN'T DRUNK!" Twilight shouted. "NONE OF US WERE DRUNK!"
Rainbow tapped her chin. "Funny, I don't remember being arrested last night, but I do remember a bar--"
"Uuuggh." A purple head met a purple hoof. "Okay, Rainbow. Remember when we defeated Tirek?"
The pegasus nodded. "Yeah..."
"You know how my library was..." Twilight swallowed, unable to continue.
"Yeah. I'm... I'm really sorry about that--"
"And you know how the new crystal tree palace conveniently spawned from the Harmony Box?"
"I thought we were calling it the Harmony Chest," Rarity interjected.
"I preferred Harmony Seed," Fluttershy murmured. "Or Harmony Bloom, they were both pretty names--"
"Whatever! The point is there's a crystal tree now!"
Rainbow shrugged. "Okay, sure. The crystal tree palace thing. What about it?"
"The nobility is claiming that we made it to replace the library," Twilight grumbled. "Which apparently means we used the Elements of Harmony for 'personal' reasons, which is an abuse of ancient magical artifacts, specifically the Tree of Harmony."
The cell was quiet for a few moments.
"...Can I just take a moment to point out how dumb that is?" Rainbow asked calmly. "Cause it is really dumb. Like, Twi-give-me-a-big-word-here dumb."
"Preposterously dumb."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Applejack shrugged. "We're all in agreement on that point, sugarcube. This whole thang is plum stupid, on so many levels. But here we are." She lulled her head down and yawned.
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Um... what's up with her?"
"This cell is magically suppressed," Rarity explained with a small shudder. "It stops unicorns from using their magic, pegasi from being able to fly, and earth ponies from feeling their connection with the earth. Which apparently induces lethargy."
Rainbow Dash nodded. "I was wondering why Pinkie was being so quiet..."
"She's actually been catatonic since we were thrown in here," Twilight mused. "I'm actually pretty worried."
Applejack lazily lifted her head, prodding the pink pony. "Hey. Yer friends are worried. Say something."
"...dark..." Pinkie shivered. "Dark..."
"See, just a little existential horror," the orange mare declared. "Soon as she's out she'll be right as rain."
"I'm amazed you can dismiss this so casually."
"Ah'm only barely awake, Twi. Ah'm rude when Ah'm groggy." Applejack lowered her head. "'s a thang."
"Come on, AJ!" Twilight exclaimed. "I'm an alicorn, so I can feel ALL the effects of this thing, and I'm still standing straight!"
"Long night study sessions."
"...touché, AJ."
Rainbow groaned. "So, when are we going to get let out for the trial or whatever?"
Fluttershy smiled. "Oh, in about half an hour. Rasputin here has been so helpful keeping the time." She nuzzled a bearded rat with a smile. "Actually kept me from hyperventilating."
"...that is an image I did not need to see," Rarity managed.
"Hey waaaaait a minute." Rainbow Dash looked around. "If we're here because of the crystal tree palace, then where's Spike? He's got a throne too!"
"Except he's not a bearer. And he's still legally underage." Twilight narrowed her eyes. "And I would literally tear apart anypony who tried to put him in a cell with my bare hooves."
Rainbow Dash gulped. "...good to know. You, ah, know from experience?"
"Well," Twilight mused, "I was a filly at the time so the stallions survived--"
"On an entirely unrelated note," Rarity quickly interjected, "what do you think of the possibility of Spike dating?"
"Oh, that's perfectly fine," Twilight replied brightly. "I mean, so long as he didn't, you know, engage in bedroom activities before the age of majority."
"Oh, well, that's good--"
"And he'd have to tell me, obviously." Twilight nodded. "Hiding a relationship would be a terrible mistake."
Rarity inched away from her friend, glancing at her hooves nervously.
Rainbow Dash licked her lips. "So... Spike aside, what's the, you know, legal... thingamajiger about, you know, this? When we go to court, what's going to happen?"
"Well, we'll plead our case, lawyers will argue, the jury will convene..." Twilight smiled brightly. "I have the utmost faith in the Equestrian justice system. I'm sure we'll be let off easily."
***
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!"
Twilight stormed out of the courtroom furiously. "Guilty on all charges?! We didn't even control the chestbox of harmony's bloom seed! And that's a ludicrously overcomplicated name anyway!"
"Ah'm sorry sugarcube, but tha law's only as good as tha ponies enforcing it." Applejack shrugged. "And ta be fair, we got off pretty light."
"You call probation pretty light?" Rainbow groaned. "We're not allowed to leave Ponyville! I'm going to miss the Wonderbolts Cadet Orientation!"
"At least you can go next year," Rarity whined. "Prim Hemline's Ten Year Winner's Party only comes once a decade! Losing out on those connections could ruin my career!"
"I'm just glad to get out of that cell," Pinkie reported, her eyes straight forward. "I'm... I'm going to need a megaparty after that. I couldn't feel anything. Couldn't feel--"
The other mares all wrapped their forelegs around her. She shivered, but managed a small smile. "I... thanks. I think I'll be okay."
"Ahem."
The gathered ponies broke apart, looking to a stern-faced pegasus. He tapped his clipboard patiently. "I understand that this has been an upsetting day for you all, but the sooner we review the rules the sooner you can all return to--"
"Twilight, thank the makers!" Celestia galloped around a corner, her breath heaving as she skidded to a stop in front of them. "Oh, and your friends, that's perfect... oh, and Red Tape too. Ah. Hello."
"Good afternoon, your majesty. I was just about to explain the rights and restrictions the convicts are subject to."
Celestia blinked. "...Convicts?"
"Yes, miss Sparkle and her associates here."
Celestia paused for a moment. "Ah... if you don't mind me asking... what exactly were they convicted of?"
Red Tape stared at Celestia. "They... have been tried and confirmed of the crime of wielding powerful magical artifacts of Elemental power of their own free will for strictly personal gain. I had assumed you received the memo..."
"Ah. No. I did not."
The pegasus's eye twitched for a second. "...Ah, no matter. You are here now, and aware of the situation. Ahem. As I was about to state--"
"We are not allowed to leave a hemisphere extending ten miles beyond the official borders of Ponyville for any reason that is not life-threatening or world-threatening for six months, all artifacts above Common power will be confiscated from our homes for the duration and we will be subjected to weekly checks of our homes for any further artifacts as well as weekly magimedical scans to determine if we have had any interactions with any such artifacts," Twilight rattled off blandly.
"...quite." Red Tape gave her a look. "I take it you reviewed the case files?"
"No, I memorized as many laws as I could after I became Princess."
Red Tape's eye twitched again.
"Well." Celestia coughed awkwardly. "That is... unfortunate. I was going to ask you six to investigate some strange... ripples in the magic field, given your experience with unusual situations, but...."
Twilight sighed. "This was as much of a surprise to me as it was for you. We were only arrested yesterday!"
"What?" Celestia narrowed her eyes. "Yesterday? That is... hmmm. Red Tape?"
"Yes?"
"As of right now you are hereby assigned to be the parole officer of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony."
Red Tape's eye twitched a third time. "Ah, your highness, while I do have the, ahem, training to be put in such a position, I don't think any such papers have been--"
"I'll file them later, don't you worry. But for the moment I need to look into the paperwork myself. Misssing a memo could be an accident, but for the nobility to move so swiftly..." Celestia knelt down. "Red Tape, I am counting on you to make sure nopony abuses the paperwork surrounding the bearers."
The pegasus stared at her in abject astonishment. "Me?! But, your highness, surely there's somepony else who--"
"No, Red Tape. I need you to do this. I can trust you, right?"
"...Ah.... I... erm. Yes. Yes, of course, it's jsut--"
"Excellent. Twilight, I do apologize, but something has just come up. I hope to see you again soon!" Celestia trotted quickly around the corner, leaving the small crowd stunned.
"...Um..." Fluttershy awkwardly raised a hoof. "What, exactly, just happened?"
"Political intrigue. Worst part of being a princess." Twilight sighed. "Come on everyone, let's head for the train. When we get home we'll...."
Time seemed to freeze for a moment, none of the gathered ponies moving, breathing, even thinking. Shadowy forms peeled themselves from the walls, the ceiling, the floor, gathering around them on whispered words.
"This is the game," one said.
"What will they do?" asked another.
"We will offer suggestions," noted a third.
"On the morrow they will be gathered," explained a fourth.
"Then the votes will come in," a fifth trembled.
"And on the ring of the bell," the final whispered, "we will plant the winning phrase."
"This is the game," they all chanted. "The game of the fates. The game of the tale. Tell us what she will say."
"The die is cast," the shadows whispered among themselves. "Now is the time to see what shall result."
Author's Note
The votes trickled through their hands, spinning and spiraling into clusters. The largest bundle tightened, shrunk, and whispered into Twilight's skull....
