The Day Everything Changedby TheSakrament666ChaptersA Slip Of The TongueSearching For LeadsCoping With The PainHelping Though UnwantedTears That BurnGathering EvidenceWe've Got Him NowGetting Ready Court Case - Part OneCourt Case - Part TwoAfter The Rain/The Day Everything ChangedA Slip Of The TongueIt was a gloomy, chilly day. The grey clouds blanketed the sky, thunder going off in the distance. A gust of wind ran through the town, bringing leaves and other debris. Scootaloo was going to be late. She raced on her scooter to the schoolhouse, just in time for the final bell to ring. She rushed inside, and sat down at her desk. Miss Cheerilee, the school teacher, walked in from the hall, setting her bag down beside her desk. After straightening the papers on her desk, she cleared her throat, getting the class' attention. "Good morning, everypony. Today we're going to learn about simple multiplication tables. Apple Bloom, Twist, come hand out these worksheets." The fillies in question went up and took the papers, then started handing them out. When Apple Bloom went by Diamond Tiara, the other filly stuck out her leg, making Apple Bloom trip, and fall flat on her face. "Hahaha! Good job, blank-flank. Maybe your special talent is falling over like the loser you are!" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon laughed with each other, until Miss Cheerilee came up to them, her face unsettlingly close. She glared at the two bullies long and hard. "I think I'll be seeing you two in my office, after school. And you will help Apple Bloom pick up those papers, understood?" She growled at them, making the two fillies gulp in tandem. They nodded in response, to which Cheerilee turned her back and went to her desk. She began to write on a slip of paper, her look one of absolute disgust. Apple Bloom finished handing out the papers, then returned to her desk, holding back tears. Beside her, Scootaloo attempted to comfort her friend, but didn't want to be called out for interrupting class. She just sat there, looking at her friend, pain etched on her face. She wanted to say something, but couldn't. The rest of the lesson continued without incident. Although there were many nasty looks from the two bullies, the Crusaders were generally left alone. The lunch bell rang, and the trio made their way outside amid the crowd. They sat down under their usual tree, and ate, occasionally carrying on conversation. Just then, Diamond Tiara mad her way over to Apple Bloom, and glared down at them. "So, you think you've stopped me? Just because I'm in detention? I'm going to make you wish you never existed blank fla..." Just before she finished, Scootaloo got up and bucked her square in the jaw and forehead. Diamond Tiara just looked up in fear, as Scootaloo towered above her " Don't. EVER. Talk to her that way. AGAIN!" Scootaloo shouted. She raised her legs up and bucked again, knocking Diamond out cold. Scootaloo started to sit back down, when she realized all eyes were on her. She ignored them, finishing her food. After a moment, Miss Cheerilee ran out of the school house, over to where Diamond Tiara lay, unconscious. "Who did this?" All hooves pointed at Scootaloo, and Miss Cheerilee sighed. She picked up Diamond, and turned to Scootaloo. "You. I want a word with you, in my classroom. Everypony is dismissed!" Cheerilee stared sadly at Scootaloo. "I have to take Diamond to the hospital, go wait in the classroom until I return." She walked off, carrying Diamond on her back. Scootaloo looked at her friends, who still had looks of shock from the fight, and headed off to the classroom. ::: Miss Cheerilee looked at Scootaloo, sighing heavily. She had always been a nice, friendly filly. Today, she had seemed to lose her composure. She took a deep, long breath, "Scootaloo, you do know why you're here, correct? You hurt a fellow classmate without any proof of provocation, and I want you to talk about this. What's going on? I just want to help you." Scootaloo looked at Cheerilee, and what she saw made the teacher want to cry. Scootaloo had a mixture of pain, anger, sadness, and frustration in her eyes. She had bruises on her neck that had been hidden by her mane. Her wings, now unfurled, had scratch marks on them, a few of them were scars. bruises also lined the bottoms of the wings. Cheerilee burst into tears, and rushed to hug Scootaloo. She accepted, and the two stayed there for a few minutes, just wrapped in an embrace. Cheerilee was crying, and Scootaloo tried her best to comfort the mare, but started crying herself. After a while, when all the tears were gone, Cheerilee regained her composure. "Who did this to y-you?" asked the mare. Scootaloo looked at the floor, staring at nothing in particular. Cheerilee sighed. "I know you may not want to talk about this, but I want to help you. Please, Scootaloo... at least tell me how long this has been happening." Scootaloo bit her lip, making sure to bite hard. "About two years now. I can't say who, but he's very, very bad. He, h-he..." Scootaloo started crying again, and Cheerilee had to hug her tight to stop the shaking of the little filly's body. She shushed her, and told her it was okay if she didn't want to say. Scootaloo looked at Cheerilee, and said, "He rapes me, and beats me." After that, Cheerilee couldn't hold back anymore. Her tears turned into those of not just sadness, but rage. Then she heard Scootaloo mumbling. "...he's my dad, but..." Cheerilee suddenly picked up Scootaloo's face. "What did you just say? Something about your dad?" "N-nothing, just a slip of the tongue, honestly!" The little filly was a bad liar, even more so than when she was scared. "Scootaloo, Nopony can help you if you keep bottling it up. Just trust me." She smiled, offering a hoof to the weeping filly. Scootaloo took it, and stood up, taking shaky breaths. "You know I'm here for you, and I always will be." Scootaloo allowed a small smile to poke through, and nodded. Cheerilee hugged her again, and waved her goodbye. Cheerilee sat down at her desk, looking for Scootaloo's papers. She didn't find records, however, she did find an old address, that she couldn't recall ever seeing before. Determined to find out what was going on, she set out for the Mayor's office. Author's Note Okay, this'll be my first shot at a Scootaloo-centered fic, because I felt like doing this. Anyway, hope you're enjoying. Searching For LeadsCheerilee stopped just outside the Mayor's office. She knocked at the door. "Come in." said a voice, and Cheerilee pushed the door open. She looked around. The walls were adorned with bookshelves, with many tomes on Ponyville's history, and another great many on Equestria in general. The floor was polished oak, but the walls were a nice, deep cherry wood. Several paintings hung on the walls, depicting previous mayors. A large window resided behind a pony, sitting at a desk. She kept typing, not taking her gaze off of the typewriter. She blandly stated, "Hello, I'm the mayor's secretary. Do you have an appointment to see the Mayor?" Cheerilee walked up to her, and had to stand up on her hind legs a bit. "Umm, I'm here to search for family records for one Scootaloo." The pony nodded, gesturing for her to sit. So Cheerilee sat, and the pony went to a large filing cabinet, which even had a ladder that you used, as it stood at least half a height taller than a normal pony. She looked through the cabinet, searching for a file that matched the request. Shaking her head, she turned to Cheerilee. "There are no records describing the pony called Scootaloo. Is this her real name?" "Yes, I'm sure of it. She wouldn't lie." The pony wiped her glasses. "I'm sorry ma'am, but there are no family records for this filly." Cheerilee's gaze dropped, and she lowered her head. "Thank you, Ms. Secretary." She turned and walked out of the building, tears building up. She just wanted to help Scootaloo, why did everything have to be so difficult! She kicked at a small stone, and sat down, defeated. Her thoughts wandered to the poor filly, bruised and beaten, crying into her shoulder. The thought that someone could do that to a small, defenseless filly sent Cheerilee into a rage. She would find out who it was, even if it took all of her life. ::: The Cutie Mark Crusaders were all in their treehouse, sitting on the floor. Scootaloo was asleep, she had said that today had been stressful to her, so she took a nap. What she forgot, however, was to keep her wings to her sides, so her injuries were in clear view. The other crusaders grew worried, and wondered if Miss Cheerilee knew anything about this, or if she even caused this. At this thought, they laughed. Miss Cheerilee wouldn't do this... right? They were there for hours before Scootaloo stirred. Upon seeing her friends were staring at her wings, she quickly closed them. Apple Bloom looked extremely sad, and Sweetie Belle was on the verge of tears. "Guys, I-it's fine, just a few scratches, that's all." She knew that her excuse was lame, but it was better than having to explain why she was covered in marks. But alas, she had to do so anyway. "Scoots, they aren't just marks. What happened?" "Yeah, if it's yer problem, it's our problem too." Scootaloo just looked at them, pain in her eyes. She took several deep breaths, and recounted her story. "I've always been a bit slower than other ponies, as you know. My wings still haven't formed properly, and my math skills are mediocre. Well, my father doesn't like me being slow. He sees me as a weakling, a no g-good, useless pile of crap..." She started to feel tears form in her eyes, but she continued. "My father is a drunk, rowdy, lying thief. He cheats at everything he can, and he thinks he can get whatever he wants just by taking it. One day, he was especially drunk, and threw a bottle at me, which hit my wing, cutting it. He then looked at me angrily, shouting at me, then he... he... he had his way with me, his own daughter..." She couldn't take it anymore. She completely broke down, and her friends could only try to comfort her. They all embraced, and shared their tears. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle didn't know what it was like, but they felt immense pain just the same. Pain for their friend, and her struggles. ::: Cheerilee hunted around town, asking if anyone knew who Scootaloo's father was, or where she could contact other family members, but Nopony knew the answer. Her hooves had started to ache, so she sat down, exhausted. It began to rain, and she stared into the sky. What a fantastic time for you to show up. She sat there for a while, under cover of Twilight's tree. She saw some lights come on, and she got up, wet and exhausted. She knocked on the door, and waited. The rain was icy cold, and the fierce winds only added to it. Finally, the door was answered by Spike, Twilight's loyal assistant. He remembered Cheerilee immediately, and beckoned for her to come inside. The house was inexplicably warm, then she remembered that an alicorn lived here, of course they would know temperature magic. She heard hoofsteps, and turned to see Twilight Sparkle, their newest Princess, descend the stairs. She greeted her warmly, and asked if she would like some tea. Cheerilee accepted, and Twilight put the kettle on. They talked for a bit about school, and if they were learning anything about the Griffons yet. After a while of this, Cheerilee had to ask her question. "Prin... Twilight, do you know who Scootaloo's father might be. The unicorn thought for a bit, and said she would Write to Princess Celestia later. Cheerilee's eyes dropped, and she said goodbye. Once she was out the door, and out of earshot, she cried. She hurt for the little filly, and was just trying to help. But nopony know her father, so there were no leads. She was losing hope. Author's Note Well, I'm enjoying writing this very much, so let's see where this goes. Coping With The PainThe Crusaders were in their clubhouse, drawing pictures. The air was warm outside, and a breeze traveled across the town. The three filly's were silent, the only noise being the wind howling through the walls. The world outside meant nothing, and they thought about everything that had happened to them previously. They thought it had been difficult, but it still held no comparison to Scootaloo's torment. They merely thought, and not a word was said for what seemed like decades. Finally, Sweetie Belle broke the silence. "So, Scootaloo, how have you been dealing with this all that time?" Scootaloo laughed a bit at this, and took a bite of her sandwich. "My dad's a drunk, remember? So he'll leave a few of his unopened or unfinished drinks lying around, or I go to the store and purchase snack cakes. Lots and lots of snack cakes." Seeing her friends worried looks, she continued. "Well, what would you have me do! I can't just go out whenever and get my own liquor." They sighed, knowing that the only way to get anywhere was to keep speaking. "Scoots, this ain't the way. Ya remember when we went to that cave, 'cause we thought it'd be fun? You didn't seem like you were ever NOT happy. Besides, you usually have us around. Drinking isn't the way ta handle this. Let us get hel..." "NO! You can NOT get help! You have no idea what he'd do to me if he thought I went to get help. I've already asked Miss Cheerilee not to get involved, but I know her. She cares too much. I'm going to have to stay away from school for a while, unless he's too drunk to notice. Maybe then I'll actually be able to eat food, snack cakes are hardly sustenance." Her friends felt sympathy for her. They never liked seeing anypony sad or desperate like this. Then, Apple Bloom knew what she could do to help. "Hey, come over to the house, we could at least get ya fed." Scootaloo brightened up a bit at this, and nodded. They all filed out, and across the farm, where the Apple residence was located. ::: "Umm, Scootaloo, are ya sure you're alright? Ya seem mighty... peckish." The young filly was eating like it was her last meal, wolfing down her entire plate, then she erupted a small burp. She blushed, then thanked them. They sat around chatting for a bit, but the question came up. "Scootaloo, why're ya so hungry? And where did those brui..." Scootaloo coughed, earning a smack on the back from Apple Bloom. Scootaloo recovered, and said, "What? I'm just hungry, yep, that's what it is, and what were you saying about busses? I don't kno..." Apple Bloom spoke up, not being able to contain it anymore. "Scootaloo is being abumfed." Scootaloo shoved her hoof in Apple Bloom's mouth, giving her a glare to rival Fluttershy's stare. Applejack looked at them with absolute curiosity, but let it go. "What she means is, um, I'm being as cool as usual, heheh..." Scootaloo made a look towards Sweetie Belle, who just slowly shook her head. Scootaloo looked back at Applejack, but she just looked confused. Scootaloo gulped, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She cleared her throat, and said, "Well, I better be g-going, got a busy schedule, so yeah, bye..." She walked out the door, and the rest of them sat there, puzzled. Apple Bloom just shook her head and started crying. Applejack tried to comfort her, but questions were running rampant in her mind. What was that about, and why did she dodge the questions? And why do I get the feeling she's hiding something? She wanted answers, but she wanted them from Scootaloo herself. She helped clear up the dishes, and went to her work again. ::: Miss Cheerilee sat at a bench, eating her lunch. She was losing all hope of finding out who Scootaloo's father was. She had searched almost everywhere she could think of. Except Canterlot. Maybe the Princesses would know. She jumped up and rushed to the train platform. She was just in time to buy her tickets, and stepped into the train. After a few hours, they arrived at Canterlot's train platform. As soon as she stepped out, she was met with a messenger. He gave her a letter, and told her to sign. She did, and right after that, she looked around again. Great towers rose up like spines before her, and a lush park was off to one side, the trees moving in the gentle breeze. The air was mild, and Cheerilee found herself enjoying it all, until she remembered her letter, and her reason for coming here. She unfurled the letter, and read. Miss Cheerilee, we understand you have concerns you wish to speak about. Please come to Canterlot Castle, and we shall continue this conversation. Princess Celestia She set off for the castle. It stood high, shimmering in the sunlight, and stained glass windows flared as if on fire. Cheerilee was stopped by a guard, and asked what her business was. "I am here to hold an audience with Princess Celestia, I have questions I need answered." The guard nodded upon seeing her letter, and let her through. Upon entering, she didn't even notice the ornate halls, or the wonderful décor, but simply walked to the throne room. She entered, and saw the Princesses at their places. Princess Celestia looked up and saw Cheerilee walking toward them. "Ah, Miss Cheerilee, I'm very glad you could come. I understand you have a predicament involving a filly from your school?" Cheerilee nodded, after bowing, and said, "Yes I do. The filly's name is Scootaloo, and I'm looking for her father. I assumed you would know?" Celestia nodded, and replied, "Why yes, he's one of my best advisors. Her father is Fancy Pants." Author's Note Dun dunn DUUUUUNNNNN!!! I bet you all were expecting Flash Sentry or something else, but isn't that a bit cliché? And also I'm trying to write longer stories, because short stories to me don't hold much enthusiasm. I obviously still take requests, because I enjoy writing, but I am trying to branch out a bit. And as always, constructive criticism is appreciated, and if you spot a mistake or two, please also note what chapter they are on, to save us all time and trouble. And if you dislike, don't hesitate to say why! Thank you. Helping Though Unwanted"Come on Scootaloo, mah sister's gonna take us to a surprise she planned for you!" Scootaloo looked surprised. "A surprise, for me? This doesn't make sense, something's up." But she followed nonetheless. It was a relatively cloudy, breezy day. The leaves were starting to fall, and many trees lay barren, preparing to lie dormant through the months to come. They made their way through Ponyville's streets, and finally came to their meeting place. Applejack was waiting for them, and made her way over. "Alright, Ah've got some business to take care of fer a few minutes, so go run around fer a little bit, ya hear?" The three fillies nodded, and ran off to roll around in leaves. Applejack smiled, but that was soon replaced by sorrow. The marks on Scootaloo's body were clearly visible now, and they made her want to break down right there. But she had an objective. She made her way to Ponyville Medical Centre. She stepped in, and was greeted by a nurse with a clean white coat, and a light pink mane. "Hello, I'm Nurse Redheart, how can I help you?" "Yeah, I was wonderin' if you could check on this filly, her name's Scootaloo. She's got marks all over her neck, and Ah think she's being beaten up, but I don't know by who." Nurse Redheart checked her list. "Yes, we could take her today. Just come in when you're ready." Applejack thanked her, and went to pick the fillies up. They were still fooling around in leaves, so Applejack sighed. "Come on, y'all, we've got to get a move on!" The fillies bounded over, shaking off the leaves as they went. They walked behind Applejack, but were surprised when they say where they were. "Hey sis, what're we doin' here?" Apple Bloom asked, confused. But Applejack led them through the doors. Scootaloo started sweating, and turned to run. But Applejack held her closely. "Ah know you don't wanna do this, but Ah'm tryin' ta help." Scootaloo continued to struggle, but Applejack's firm grip never let go. Scootaloo was kicking and thrashing. "You lied! You just wanted me to come so they could examine me!" "Ah never lied, sugarcube. It's a surprise, alright. We're gonna find out what's happened to ya." Scootaloo's eyes widened. "No, please! He'll beat me or kill me if he ever finds out! Please..." Scootaloo gave up, realizing her futile attempt at escape wasn't getting her anywhere. Nurse Redheart saw them, and lead them to the room Scootaloo would be examined in. An X-Ray scanner sat over on one side, and a gurney on the other. A small rolling table was by the bed, holding everything from stethoscopes to otoscopes. Nurse Redheart had her lay down on the bed and, seeing no other option, Scootaloo obeyed. Redheart checked her thighs, stomach, and neck. She found the bruises, and several lacerations. She also found several broken bones, and finally discovered that the skin under Scootaloo's wings was severely maimed. Nurse Redheart felt for the filly, seeing these sights. She sighed, and wondered who could have done this. "Well, she has severe leg and wing fractures, most likely caused by a blunt object making impact. She's lucky not to have had her lungs punctured, because she has three cracked ribs. And, there's damage to the vaginal walls." Applejack was shocked, and had an expression of complete disgust. "I honestly don't know who could've done this." Scootaloo looked away, and Applejack spoke to Nurse Redheart. "So, any other things Ah should be aware of? Or is this all?" "I think that's everything. I suppose you could bring her back every so often, just to make sure her bones and wings mend. If they don't, she could possibly never be able to fly." Applejack looked at Scootaloo, she knew how much flying meant to the little filly. She thanked Miss Redheart, and the four of them walked out of the building. Applejack took them to an ice-cream vendor, all the while mumbling to herself. "Who could do that to a little filly..." Scootaloo just sat there, eating slowly. It was evening, and the sky was a mixture of reds, oranges, blues, pinks and purples. And a slight breeze ran through the air, making the trees sway, almost like they were dancing. Once they were done, they headed to Fluttershy's, hoping to cheer Scootaloo up. She had been silent the entire time, which worried Applejack. "Sugarcube, you haven't said a word this entire time. Somethin' eatin' at you?" Scootaloo just looked at her, her expression not showing anything but sadness, and she sighed. Applejack just sighed, and they continued in silence. They finally reached Fluttershy's house, and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, Fluttershy opened the door, smiling at the site of the fillies. But it soon diminished, seeing Scootaloo's expression. She had them come inside, then put on a kettle for tea. Applejack, with Scootaloo's permission, told Fluttershy about their visit to the hospital. Fluttershy listened intently, eyes widening at the part with the lacerations, and nearly breaking down when told of the damage to her nether regions. Fluttershy asked to see under her wings, and Scootaloo obeyed. The site was sickening. But Fluttershy was used to grotesque sights, as a few of her creatures were predators. She comforted the filly, and they all sat there, pain and sadness the main emotions. But there was also anger. Fluttershy told the three fillies to go to her room, because there were some board games up there, and waited for them to be out of earshot. When their hoofsteps faded, she turned to Applejack. "Do we know who did this... this... repulsive act?! I-I mean, if you don't know, that's fine." Applejack just shook her head. "Yes, but Scootaloo won't say his name. Just the fact that it's her father." Fluttershy, being the motherly mare that she was, flew over to a dresser. She pulled out some inflatable mattresses, and set them on the floor. She then folded her table up, so that it was no bigger than a desk. Applejack stared. She didn't know her furniture could do that. "Just a little something I worked on over the summer, for when they had their sleepovers here." She smiled sheepishly, and lastly closed the window, remembering the weather outside. "Well, I was goin' to ask you if you wanted to have 'em for a while, but you're way ahead of me." Applejack called the fillies down, and told them they would be staying at Fluttershy's for a night or two, and that she would tell Rarity and Big Mac where they were. They settled in for the night, and Applejack saw herself out. She walked home, with only her thoughts, as the wind continued on. Author's Note OH NOES! Her dad is a right proper evil knob, he is. What will happen NEXT?! Only I know silly. It's a SECRET. *Laughs maniacally. Anyway, thanks' for reading my stupid nonsense. Tears That BurnCheerilee was shocked. She had heard of Fancy Pants before, but she never knew that he was Scootaloo's father. Why then would she come in dirty, and why would she be starving? Unless he had abused her in more than what she'd admitted. Her soul burned with rage, and she stifled a frustrated scream. She took a deep breath, which helped a bit. "Do you know where his place of residence is?" Princess Celestia gave her a map, and pointed her in his direction. She thanked her, and went on her way. I'd tear his eyes out of their sockets if I didn't have to worry about teaching. Her head was swimming in thoughts. Fancy Pants had always seemed like a sophisticated, well-mannered colt, and he was married as well. So then why and how did he do these things and yet seem clean? Well, he was an important pony, and most of your time, when you're respected like that, is spent visiting and chatting with other celebrities, or attending balls. Cheerilee's legs ached, but they finally put her at her destination. Fancy Pants' mansion was almost as large as it was lavishly decorated. Great white walls rose high, above the trimmed trees that decorated the lawn. Large windows lined the sides of the mansion, and the shingled roof was colored in a shade of light blue. She was broken from her trance when she heard a noise. She looked around, trying to locate the source, but to no avail. She realized that it came from the house, and walked towards the door. She knocked, and waited for a moment. The knob turned, and a pretty mare answered the door. Her mane was a very light pink, and her coat was even more white than Ponyville's local fashionista, Rarity. Her slender build looked as if she could snap in half, which Cheerilee would surely do to her if she couldn't control herself. But she was able to hide her anger rather well. She simply smiled, and asked if Fancy Pants was home. "Oh yes, he is in his study. Do come in." She led her through the lavishly decorated halls. Portraits hung up on every wall, and a soft, deep purple carpet adorned the floor. They approached the study, and Fleur Dis Lee let her in. Towering bookshelves lined the walls, almost up to the ceiling, filled with great tomes on nearly every subject. A great globe sat in the center of the room, and around it was a circular desk. The room was illuminated by a crystal chandelier, casting lights around like a prism. Several velvet covered armchairs were placed around the room, and everything seemed to have the color scheme of the ocean, with blues and greens making up the majority of the furniture, with just one different color, being the cherry wood. In the main chair, Fancy Pants was sitting, reclining with a rather large volume. He looked up, and saw he had a visitor. "Ah, a guest! It has been quite a while since I last had an audience with somepony. Please, sit, and I'll have Fleur bring some beverages." He made his way to the door, but Cheerilee stopped hm. "Actually, I came here because of Scootaloo. She's been coming to my classes later than usual recently, and I've seen lacerations and bruises on her body. I was hoping you would have an explanation?" Fancy Pants started adjusting his position, rather stiffly. "I did not have any knowledge of these injuries, thank you for bringing them to my attention. I will try to have them examined firs thing. In the meantime, would you like some tea?" He offered her a cup, but she politely said no. But she decided it would probably be best not to bring up Scootaloo's accusations, and instead opted to observe his behavior. His eyes started to glance around, seemingly aimlessly, at the room. He coughed, and adjusted his tie. "So, about Scootaloo. Has she been behaving? She can be rather aggressive sometimes, and she tends to be rather disobedient. I've tried to talk to her, but she cares not to listen." Cheerilee knew he was lying. She knew a liar when she saw one, and this was no exception. His body language, his expression, his tone of voice, all matched a liar perfectly. She was disgusted, but chose not to show it. Se simply forced a smile, and finished her tea. She then left, saying she had a busy schedule. As she left the house, her thoughts swam. He's a bad liar, but I only hope he doesn't lash out at Scootaloo for this. And I wonder how I can get proof. ::: Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were back at their clubhouse. Scootaloo was worried, Miss Cheerilee had been gone since lunch. She knew she'd try and get help, she just hoped that she didn't involve her father. The thought of him made her eyes start to water, tears burning with hatred welling up. No filly her age should have to go through what she did. She was going to kill him, she thought. She had had enough, and the rage was at a boiling point. She wondered if Cheerilee thought she was lying, or if she didn't have anything to go on. Winds picked up outside the clubhouse, and they moved the building slightly. Thunder sounded. It was going to rain, and Scootaloo needed somewhere to stay. She couldn't, no, she wouldn't go back to him if it was her last action in Equestria. ::: Miss Cheerilee made her way home. The cloudy sky mirrored to her mood, and as the rain started pouring, she sat down. Let it rain, let ALL down! I will not let that little filly down. I swear it on my life. She looked up at the sky, feeling the rain pour, like emotions, down onto her face. Her hooves were wet now, so she couldn't finish her work. But she cared little. Scootaloo was not going to suffer any longer than needed. She would prevail, if it was the last action she made alive. Author's Note OOH, swearing' on your life, are we? I wonder, what's next? (<--- reference) Looks like Scootaloo and Cheerilee were thinking the same things. What a coincidence! (not) I am very much enjoying this one. By the way, just to be clear. If I don't have any activity on this site for a month or more, either my internet or computer broke, or I've been killed by someone. So yeah, keep that in mind. Also, I don't like the way they spelled Fleur's name, but if that's the way they spelled it, so be it. But just for further nothing's, it's original proper spelling is Fleur De Lis. Gathering EvidenceIt was another cloudy day, and the leaves were all gone. The winds were strong, and the cold nipped at Cheerilee. She was making her way to Rainbow Dash's house. Since she wasn't a Pegasus, she couldn't quite get to it, so she rang the bell, placed there for Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash saw Cheerilee outside, and flew down to greet her. "Hey, Miss Cheerilee, what's going on." So Cheerilee related the events of the past few days, and over time, Rainbow's eyes got wider. Cheerilee finally finished, and noticed Rainbow Dash's eyes filled with unadulterated rage. She was frightened, or she had never seen such emotion from the cyan mare. "So that's why I need you. You're exceptional at pranking ponies. Which means you can get into and out of locations without being detected, correct?" Rainbow Dash nodded, a curious expression adorned her face. "Good, I want you to go to Canterlot. Slip this bug into Fancy Pants' mansion. There are three bugs. Slip one into his room, and slip another into Scootaloo's room. Then the final one will remain with us, but you need it to set them all up. Got it?" Rainbow Dash saluted, and flew off to Canterlot as instructed. All Cheerilee had to do was wait now. ::: After half an hour or so, Rainbow Dash arrived at Canterlot. Great grey clouds were covering the sun now, and a fierce wind had picked up. Rainbow had to be swift. She had a job to do. She asked about where Fancy Pants' mansion was located, and found herself upon the front lawn. She marveled at the sight, but continued. She inspected the outside of the house, and found a hatch, used to get in or out of the cellar, in case of emergency. She squeezed through, thankful for her athletic, slender build, and crept to the door. The air smelled foul, and something squelched under her hooves. She tried not to think about the possibilities of what it could be, and continued, nearly gagging. She found the door, and stepped into the hall. She hovered a bit, before finding the study. Pushing open the door, she was met with a noise, which sounded like a snore and a pool emptying. She rolled her eyes, looking around. Fancy Pants had fallen asleep in his arm chair, a book in his hooves. She looked around, looking for a good location to place the device. She settled on a spot under the globe, and made her way out. It's a really good thing my wings aren't very noisy, that could've been catastrophic. She assumed his room would be upstairs somewhere, so she made her way to the staircase. Just when she reached it, she heard a loud noise, then realized that Fancy had adjusted in his sleep. She searched the house for an hour, wondering how many rooms this colt had, and finally found the rooms. She hid one under Scootaloo's bed, at the very end, and went to place the other on. But when she got in his room, she saw something moving on the bed. It was his wife, Fleur. Rainbow started sweating, and snuck out slowly. After shutting the door, she bolted out of a nearby window, into the inky blackness of night. ::: She flew back, and the sun was starting to rise. Rainbow finally found Cheerilee sitting at a table at a restaurant. She handed her the bug, and told her how it went. "Good, now to get Scootaloo. She won't like this, but it's the only way to catch him." The sun peeked over the horizon, as they made their way over to Fluttershy's. When they got there, Fluttershy told them that the Crusaders were most likely at their clubhouse at Sweet Apple Acres. As they made their way there, a cold wind picked up, and small debris and hair flew in their faces. They got to the farm, and saw Applejack getting ready to start work. They greeted her briefly, and stated their business. Applejack immediately became straight faced, and lead them to the clubhouse. Once they reached it, they heard noises inside. Upon opening the door, they were met by three fillies, trying to comfort each other, to little avail. They saw Cheerilee and Rainbow Dash at the door, and stood up. "Scootaloo, we need you to do something. We have a device that will help incarcerate your father, but we need you to do something. We planted bugs in your parents' house, but we need you to be there. If he tries to hurt or use you, the bug will record the sound. Then, we can take him to court. Do you understand this?" Scootaloo nodded slowly, then looked at Rainbow Dash. "Look kid, I know you may not wanna do this, but we're gonna put your father away, hopefully for life. I know you're a brave filly, you just need to do this one last time." Scootaloo hesitated, then nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "Do you promise?" Rainbow Dash smiled at this. "I promise. This will all be over soon, just trust us. Come on, let's get you all some milkshakes." They all made their way to Sugarcube Corner, where their friend Pinkie Pie greeted them. "Hi Dashie! And you've brought Miss Cheerilee! I hope you don't mind but I've got a big order and I have to make it so..." Pinkie's gaze fell on Scootaloo, who's frown upset the pink mare greatly. "Aww, don't frown. What's with all the gloomy McShroomy attitudes?" Cheerilee pulled the mare aside, and recounted the events that led her here. Pinkie's mane and tail deflated, and a sad look settled in her eyes. "I c-can't believe s-someone would do that t-to a little filly like her..." The mare broke down, and Cheerilee only just escaped being drenched. She finally managed to calm Pinkie down, and told her if it wasn't much of a bother, she required six milkshakes as soon as possible. "Coming right up." Pinkie went about preparing the confections, and Cheerilee returned to the group. After their orders were received, they talked about the plan. "Okay, Scootaloo, we're going to go over it again, the entire thing. We've set up listening devices in the house. One in your room, one in his. If he tries anything at all, we'll hear, and Rainbow Dash will be outside with Flash Sentry. You'll need to act as normally as possible, though. If he gets suspicious, who knows what he might do. But once we have enough evidence, which will include your body, and the sound from the bugs, we'll have everything we need to take him to court. You have to cooperate, and I promise you'll never have to go through this again." Scootaloo nodded, and hugged Cheerilee. She smiled, and in return embraced the filly. "Alright, let's get this over with." At the train station, they got their tickets and boarded the train. Once on, they tried their best to get comfortable, but they were too anxious. It was going to be a long night. Author's Note What will hAppEN NEXT? Anyway, we're close to ending this, kind of. I've wanted to get more into this, but I really don't want this to turn into one of those "You have one million words to read" type things. I could do it, you know. Anyway, stay tuned for the case Cheerilee vs. Fancy Pants We've Got Him NowThey arrived at Fancy Pants' mansion, just before the sun completely sank. Scootaloo was shaking, and Cheerilee tried to console her. She was frightened, just as they all were. But the job had to be done. She pushed Scootaloo gently ahead, and nodded for her to go. Scootaloo gulped, and opened the door slowly. Coincidentally, her father had been descending the steps at that moment. He was drunk again. He started yelling at her, asking where she'd been. He started throwing things around, a few of them hitting Scootaloo's body. Cheerilee winced at this, but resisted her urge to ram him. She would get her chance. Fancy Pants continued to toss objects around, and something hit the door. It slammed with a mighty force. For hours they waited, huddled around the bug. They listened for something, anything, that could be incriminating. Flash Sentry was posted at the window, waiting for his moment. Cheerilee and the others were telling stories to pass the time, while a gentle breeze caressed them. The moon washed a gentle glow over them, as the stars twinkled like silver overhead. They heard noises in the house throughout the entire night, but nothing came from the listening device. Crickets chirped, and the hedges seemed alive in the wind, writhing and rippling in an eerie dance. Then, around midnight, they heard a crash and a voice from Scootaloo's room. "Come here, you little brat. Make me feel good." Rainbow Dash lost all of her previous meals, and Cheerilee had a look of pure, unadulterated disgust. Noises were heard from the device, and they made Cheerilee's stomach flip. The sounds of a bed rattling, combined with his grunts, and Scootaloo's whimpers, made Cheerilee lose it. She signaled Flash Sentry and Rainbow Dash that it was time, and they bolted through the window. Fancy Pants froze, and Scootaloo sighed with relief, rushing to Rainbow Dash and Cheerilee. Flash Sentry read Fancy Pants his rights, and carted him off to hold him until a trial could be prepared. Cheerilee and Scootaloo shared smiles. If fate smiled, it would all be over soon. ::: "Well, what did you want to tell me?" Cheerilee and Rainbow Dash were at Twilight's library, and sat around her table, drinking. The air inside was permeated with smells of cinnamon and licorice. They sat drinking their tea, and Cheerilee decided to answer the question. "We finally got him. Fancy Pants is now in custody, pending his trial. We have several witnesses, including Applejack. If the courts don't believe her, then this will all be hopeless, and Scootaloo will never forgive me. But we also have audio evidence. I had Rainbow Dash install listening devices in their rooms, and I had them set on record." Cheerilee smiled to herself, and took another sip. "That may not be sufficient evidence. Granted, Applejack is the Element of Honesty, and you have a Royal Guard as a witness, but regarding the audio tape. Unless it's high quality, he could bring up the argument that it could be anypony's voice on there. Do you have anything else?" "It's got high quality, the sound is just below what we hear currently." Cheerilee thought for a moment, and said. We also took Scootaloo to the hospital and Nurse Redheart examined her, so we can bring her in too. The medical forms and the results should help, right?" Cheerilee was getting worried now, and the clouds outside grew darker. "It will help, I'm just making sure you have everything before this starts. I'll be on the trial too, but they may not let me participate because we're acquainted, and it could look like I'm siding with you." Cheerilee gave Twilight a suspicious look. "Look, I am on your side, but I need to think fairly and not have a bias. I must do my job fairly, if they let me participate." Cheerilee nodded. "I know. I never said anything about you not being fair. But please, look at everything beforehand. Study every loophole, and look at every law book. But pleas, help me make Scootaloo's life better." Twilight nodded, then pulled a book off of her shelf. "Law In Equestria. I've read a bit of this before, then I ran into some distractions. Like Tirek." She shuddered at the memory. "I'll try to get your case together, and I'll try to make a formal presentation for your evidence." Cheerilee hugged her, and thanked her with such intensity, that Twilight almost suffocated. "That's a-alright, please. l-let go of me." Cheerilee blushed, and let go of her. Twilight struggled to breathe again, and showed Cheerilee a document. "This is what I've managed to gather currently. It has the order in which you'll show your evidence, it has the names of the witnesses, and it has the medical records for Scootaloo. Finally, it has photo evidence, including the X-rays showing the broken bones. That should be all we need, if anything else comes up, you can set it up during the court recess. The court is being held on Thursday. Seeing that it's Tuesday now, I suggest you get your witnesses notified, and try and get some sleep. You'll need it. Fancy Pants has the most expensive layers in Equestria, and they'll stop at nothing to make sure he goes away clean." Cheerilee nodded at this, smiling. "Thank you Twilight. And by the way, is it possible, if we win this case, for you to, uh, get a crtain document for me?" Twilight smiled, knowing what the mare meant. "Of course, I'll get it signed as soon as you win." And they left each other, in the brisk, cold night, the moon casting it's cool glow. Cheerilee was confident she would win. Author's Note Now that posh bastard will get what's coming to him (excuse my language) Anyway, we're a few chapters or so away, hope you're enjoying. Getting Ready Getting Ready The next two days passed by painfully slow, and all the while dark grey clouds loomed overhead. Ponyville as a whole had learned about Scootaloo's predicament, and offered their support. They all knew the filly, and didn't like to see any of their neighbors suffer this way. Cheerilee told them if they wanted to help, try to comfort her during the trial. They all agreed unanimously, and were told where they would be needed. Nurse Redheart was especially eager to help, and even had a bag full of different sweets. Cheerilee was surprised, and happy, to see how everypony seemed eager to help. Filthy Rich had even dragged his daughter, Diamond Tiara, and her friend Silver Spoon, into the fray. Cheerilee always looked at Silver and saw a filly who just followed Diamond for a friend, and she empathized with the filly. Cheerilee had taken law classes, so she would know what to do, and Twilight had hired a lawyer, Legal Rebut. And of Course, Pinkie Pie was planning a surprise party for everypony once Fancy Pants was locked up. Rarity had seemed rather shocked to hear that he was the pony that was doing this, but quickly regained her composure, and walked off to "design that little filly a magnificent dress unlike any other" and to absorb the information. Thursday finally came, and everypony in town was tense. Dark clouds hung over Equestria, and rain started to make it's presence known. They all met at the center of town, wearing all of their best clothes. They all knew this filly as their own, and would do anything for her. They all looked after each other as family in Ponyville, and they all helped where they could. Scootaloo was the fast paced, hard headed filly, and everypony was in awe of her scooter abilities. After a few minutes of idling, Mayor Mare stepped onto the platform, along with Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Cheerilee. Everypony in the crowd hushed, and the mayor began. "Citizens of Ponyville, one of our own needs our help. We all know the filly Scootaloo, her optimistic, go-getter attitude. Well, she has been through torment for years, and just a week ago, light was shed on her situation. Her father has been beating and abusing her for years, and now, she's going to fight back. But she'll need us, not only to comfort her, but to be there for her. Thanks to our school teacher, Miss Cheerilee, had learned about the ordeal, and immediately moved to help the filly. She gathered some evidence against him, and caught him in the act of forcing intercourse upon his own daughter." Cries of outrage floated up from the crowd, and the Mayor had several ponies calm them down. "Please, let me finish. He has not only done this, but his name was a respected name throughout Equestria. Her father is Fancy Pants, in Canterlot. But in addition to sexual abuse, he physically abused her as well. So much so that several places, bones in the filly's body were broken, especially the ribs, hips and wings. This is why we must be there at the trial, and support her any way we can." The crowd stomped their hooves unanimously, Mayor Mare nodded, and Miss Cheerilee stepped up to the stand. "Hello, everypony. My job as a school teacher has made me very close to your children. I know every one of them as much as they let me in, and they know me. Anypony who knows me also knows that I'd do anything for my students." She started pacing the stage. "My soul tears apart, every time I see a foal abused, or abandoned, and I've known Scootaloo for a long while. So when she lashed out at a classmate, Diamond Tiara, I pulled her aside to find out why. Then I saw her body. Lacerations and bruises, mostly on the neck, were made visible. At that moment, I wanted to destroy whoever did that to her. I hunted everywhere I could, and finally identified him. It surprised me, but filled me with unspeakable rage. It took a few days, but we finally got enough evidence against her father. Tomorrow is the trial, and Princess Twilight Sparkle and myself have bought everypony's train tickets. The court will be held in Canterlot Castle, one of the rooms there has been remodeled for instances such as this. And Princess Twilight," Everypony stomped their hooves for their local Princess, and Twilight couldn't suppress a blush. "has helped immensely at putting Scootaloo's case together. I want everypony to show her a big round of applause." At this, the crowd went ecstatic. The roar of the crowd suppressed even the growling thunder overhead. Twilight's blush was so red that Big Mac looked pink in comparison. She waved, then pulled Cheerilee aside. "Look, we need to get going if we're going to get there. It's two in the evening, and it takes a while to get there, as I'm sure you are aware of." "Yes, very much so. The time it took me to travel there I could have finished an entire Daring Do book." They chuckled at this, remembering Rainbow Dash's obsession with the series. A while later, everypony was at the train station, and once they all boarded, they were off. They tried to get some sleep, especially Scootaloo, but sleep eluded them. The entire ride passed painfully slow, and all the while the rain never stopped. Cheerilee looked out the window, and anypony who looked at her could see how perturbed she was. Looking up into the night sky, she prayed to Celestia that everything turned out okay in the end. They all finally arrived in Canterlot, and made their way to a hotel, which Twilight had so kindly reserved. They got very little sleep, and what they did get was fitful and erratic. The next day was the trial, and they weren't getting any sleep tonight with that on their minds. The light from the sun, hidden behind the clouds, woke them up, and a chilly wind nipped at them, as they made their way towards the castle. The court would start in an hour, and they could not be late. Author's Note Okay, next up is the trial, what will happen? (I love building suspense, or at least as much as I can.) I hope you lovely people are enjoying, and I also hope that this makes up for my rubbish little short stories of the past. Probably not, but anyway, read on to find out what happens. ;3 Court Case - Part OneThe courtroom was filling fast, and still more were making their entrances. Family members of Fancy Pants had been notified of the accusation against him were appalled that these types of offenses could even be connected with his name. Child abuse, both physical and sexual? He was a married man, surely he wouldn't do such a thing. "All rise for Princess Celestia." The entire room rose to their hooves, and turned to see Princess Celestia entering the room. She sat down at the bench, and sighed. "At ease, let's just get this over as fast as possible. Firstly, the prosecution must state the case." Legal Rebut, the lawyer Cheerilee hired, spoke. "Your Highness, my client, Scootaloo, went to school one morning. There, her teacher noticed severe bruising around the neck, and lacerations along the bottom of her wings..." "Objection, Your Honor, those marks could have been caused by anything. A careless filly walking into a bush or the like." Fancy Pants' lawyer, Legal Aid, spoke up. "You make a good argument, but the cuts in question were rhythmic. They extended along the entire bottom side of her wings, and the bruises were along her neck, as if she had previously had something around her neck. We have photographic evidence to support this." "You have no physical proof that my client was the one who created the marks, it could have been anypony in Equestria. Unless you have witnesses, this is an enormous waste of time." "We do, in fact, have witnesses. Several, to be precise, and one of them is one of the Elements of Harmony, Applejack." The courtroom gasped, as Applejack stepped up to the witness stand. She turned to the rest of the room. "Ms. Applejack, can you tell the court what you saw?" Applejack cleared her throat. "I can. We were ivestigatin' one night, 'cause we were concerned 'bout Scootaloo. We had set up a bug in his house, because it recorded audio..." "Objection, Your Highness. That was an invasion of privacy. You had no right to plant that device, and you certainly had no right to do so on random claims from a filly, that's clearly not in a normal state of mind." Applejack was fuming. "We have evidence. And I saw him in the act." The court mumbled and murmured, and Celestia banged her gavel for silence. "You may present said evidence. And you, Legal Aid, I expect you to retain a better tone of voice. Continue." The evidence was brought in to the room. There was a slideshow setup, and Legal Rebut stepped up. "These are pictures of the marks on Scootaloo's body. There are long, straight cuts here, here, and here." He pointed at every mark individually. "And several more here. You can clearly see the bruises on her neck here as well. Next, we have x-rays from a medical examination. These are her broken ribs, and you can see that several were close to puncturing her lungs. In addition, I would like to call Nurse Redheart to the stand." "You may do so." Celestia was getting slightly disturbed. Nurse Redheart sat down at the stand. "Nurse Redheart, correct? Would you care to tell the court what you discovered?" Nurse Redheart nodded. "I can." She walked over to the screen. "As has already been mentioned, the filly has several lacerations along her wing, legs, and neck, along with severe bruising along the neck area. But she also had severe vaginal damage. I suggest everypony offended by nudity to turn away." She switched the screen over to the next slide. "As you can see, there are several marks along the vaginal walls, as well as bruising of the cervix, here. Multiple abrasions can be seen here, and here. These are all signs of rape, and therefore may act as the evidence to support such claims." Legal Aid stepped forward. "These marks could have been caused by anything, or anypony. You have no real proof that my client was the one who committed these acts." "Ah, but I do. I found a clear white substance near the backmost walls. I extracted the substance, and upon examining it found it was pony semen. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to take a sample from your client." This time, Celestia spoke up. "I'm sorry but we can't allow that, as it is indecent and the specimen has the ability to be tampered with. You must find another way to proceed." Nurse Redheart sighed. "As you wish. May I summon Flash Sentry to the stand?" "You may, but can I ask what you need of him?" He was the guard who arrested Fancy Pants, and he was also a witness. But before I summon him, may I play the audio tape we recorded?" Celestia nodded, and Redheart produced the tape. She set up the device and pressed play. The sounds from that night played, and the entire court could hear breaking and smashing, and then sounds of a stallion grunting. And then his words. "Come here, you little brat. Make me feel good." The jury was shocked by this, and mumbled to each other in hushed argument. Nurse Redheart had on a small smile, and turned to the courtroom. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, that was the voice of Fancy Pants, you heard it yourselves! You cannot deny it's his voice..." "Objection, Your Highness. That tape could have easily been tampered with, and could also have been staged with any number of stallions." "It was his voice on that tape! You can't deny it!" "I can, and I am. Any number of stallions could share his tone of voice. And anypony could mimic his accent. Your 'evidence' can't be proved." "Do remember, I still have another witness. Flash Sentry." Flash walked over to the stand. Celestia looked at him with a quizzical expression, then looked at the clock. "I'm sorry, but this will have to wait. We will have a thirty minute recess, in which time you may get your case together, and we an think with clear heads." Celestia banged her gavel again, and everypony filed out of the room. Celestia looked at Cheerilee with Scootaloo, and sighed. If the accusations were true, she would be sure that after Fancy Pants' sentence was finished, she would banish him, personally. Author's Note Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter, where Cheerilee's case will get some unexpected help. ;) Anyway, as usual, I hope you're enjoying, and if not, tell me why. I appreciate constructive criticism. Thank You! Court Case - Part TwoThe recess dragged on. Cheerilee was conversing with Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash, when suddenly the signal came to go back inside. Everypony filed back in, and Celestia reassumed her seat on the bench. She banged he gavel, again, and stated to the room, "The court summons Flash Sentry to the stand." Flash Sentry went back to the witness stand, his face not showing any emotion. After he took his seat, Legal Aid spoke. "Please repeat the events of the night you allegedly saw my client perform the act." "Well, Ms. Cheerilee had seen me before, and we kind of knew each other. Anyway, she asked me to accompany her to Fancy Pants' residence. She had set up the device, as you know, and asked me to be there to catch him. When she gave me the signal, I burst in the room, and found him with his phallus in the filly's... uh... I'd rather not say the word." Celestia nodded. "That's alright. Please continue." "Alright. Well I had busted him like that, and continued with the arrest. He smelled strongly of alcohol, and seemed highly intoxicated. And I carted him off to the guard barracks, holding him there until I could place him in the jail." Celestia wrote something own, planning to commend Flash Sentry after this, for his brave acts. He knew Fancy Pants was a friend of hers, and still didn't care about upsetting her, and just did what he felt was his job. "Legal Aid, what do you say in defense of your client?" "Your Highness, my client was in a drunken state when he allegedly committed these acts. He cannot be held responsible..." "It was his choice to drink that lead to him become inebriated, therefore his actions are still his own." Legal Aid sighed, running out of options. He had to think. "Your Highness, I request a ten minute recess." "Overruled, you had time to get your defense together, now continue." Legal Aid started sweating. He spoke to Fancy Pants, for a while, then came back to the floor. "My client would like to plead insanity." Celestia froze. The insanity plea was uncommon, and there were very little ways around it. "I have seen this stallion in the past, not a few days ago, and he seemed perfectly sane." "How can you be sure? The mind can deteriorate at an alarming rate..." "Have you forgotten that I am a Princess? You have no authority over me, so I suggest you take your seat." Legal Aid was alarmed at her outburst, and quickly sat down. Celestia turned to Legal Rebut. "Do you wish to bring anypony else?" He cleared his throat. "Yes, I would. May I call Scootaloo to the stand.?" The room was filled with whispers, until Celestia slammed her gavel down. "Scootaloo is a minor, and therefore cannot testify without parental consent." "Ah, but you forget one thing. She ultimately decides to speak. She can still take the stand." Celestia sighed, and shifted in her seat. "You are correct, you may summon her if you desire." Legal Rebut smiled, and told Scootaloo to sit up on the stand. Celestia eyed her, and she doubted she could do this. The filly's face was adorned with expressions of sadness and anger, most likely towards her father. Celestia sighed. "You may speak." Scootaloo was shaking, but she started anyway. "Well, for years my father has been abusing me, and Ms. Cheerilee eventually noticed..." "Objection, Your Honor. Firstly, who is this Cheerilee figure? And how are we supposed to believe a child, in a matter that she doesn't fully understand." "Overruled. I have met Ms. Cheerilee, and she seemed to really care for Scootaloo's well being. Secondly, Scootaloo, do you know what is happening, why you're here, and what your father is being accused of?" Scootaloo nodded. "Yes, what's happening is my father is on trial, the reason is because I told Ms. Cheerilee what had happened to me, and she went off looking for him." Scootaloo wiped her eyes, and turned to Celestia. "I don't want to talk anymore, can I be excused?" Celestia nodded, and the jury jotted down their notes. Celestia was very annoyed, and tired. "We will resume court in half an hour, during such time the jury will decide their verdict. Court adjourned." Again, all the ponies in the room filed out, anxious for the decision. Cheerilee, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo sat around, talking about the trial. "You did fine, Scootaloo. The jury has enough evidence, they should be able to charge him as guilty. But we just have to wait." Scootaloo nodded, and they all continued to sit there in silence. The dark clouds still hung in the sky, threatening to release it's content. The time passed by the same as before, seemingly stretching on for hours. Finally, the last call was made for them to return. They once again sat down, and Celestia slammed her gavel again. "The jury has reached a verdict. We find you, Fancy Pants, guilty of second degree foal abuse, and first degree rape. The sentence is fifty years in the Royal Dungeons. After the sentence is fulfilled, you will then be banished from Equestria, never to return. I will also release a warrant for the arrest of Fleur Dis Lee, seeing as she most likely knew this was happening, yet didn't report it. This case is now closed, and you may all return home." Everypony was either hugging in joy, or crying their tears. Twilight went up to Cheerilee, and handed her a document. "Here, this is the one. You can ask her now, or when we get back to Ponyville, your choice." Cheerilee smiled, tears filling her eyes. "Thank you." she said, and ran off to talk to Rainbow Dash. Twilight smiled, and went out the door. The clouds had cleared, and the sun shone brightly overhead, the smell of wet grass filling her nostrils. Cheerilee had finally found Rainbow Dash, and pulled her aside. "I have a question. I know you adopted Scootaloo as a sister, but would you mind, uh..." She whispered in Rainbow's ears, and she nodded at Cheerilee. The teacher smiled, and hugged Rainbow tightly. Then, everypony met at the train station, and went on their way home. Author's Note I wonder, what that document was about, hmm? (laughs maniacally) ONLY I MAY KNOW (for now) Anyway, thanks' for reading so far, as always. Friggin' nitpicker's... After The Rain/The Day Everything ChangedPonyville was cheerful again. The sun was bright, a lovely breeze drifted through, and birds and insects sang in harmony. Miss Cheerilee made her way to Sugarcube Corner, where she had the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash waiting. She held her paper like her life depended on it, and finally rounded the corner to where the confectionary sat. All of them were sitting at a booth, and Rainbow Dash and Twilight were conversing. When they saw her, they smiled so warmly that Cheerilee thought they were going to melt their treats. "Hey Miss Cheerilee, glad you finally came. Twilight's spell wasn't going to last much longer." "Rainbow Dash, my spells are perfectly capable of withstanding long durations of time without rest." "Yeah, yeah, save it egghead. Anyway, Cheerilee, you gonna give Scoots the thing?" Cheerilee smiled, and stepped over to Scootaloo. Scootaloo, I know that you've had a hard life, and I know that you don't know me all that well. But now that you don't have parents, I was wondering if you'd like to come live with me instead." Scootaloo stared at her, beaming. "I know that Rainbow Dash is your adopted sister, but you should still..." She was cut off by Scootaloo jumping up, embracing her tightly. "Of course I would, Miss... I mean, mother." Miss Cheerilee smiled at this, and they stayed like that for a while. Rainbow Dash smirked and nudged Cheerilee. "You look after that filly. If you don't, you'll never forget it." Cheerilee smiled. "You don't need to worry about that, I'll never let her suffer again." The rain had been stopped since the court ended, and now a perfect warmth settled over Ponyville, caressing everypony with the hope of better days. Author's Note Well, that's the end. I hope you enjoyed, and if not, tell me why, please? I can't learn if you don't help me. Anyway that's all for now, bye.
A Slip Of The TongueIt was a gloomy, chilly day. The grey clouds blanketed the sky, thunder going off in the distance. A gust of wind ran through the town, bringing leaves and other debris. Scootaloo was going to be late. She raced on her scooter to the schoolhouse, just in time for the final bell to ring. She rushed inside, and sat down at her desk. Miss Cheerilee, the school teacher, walked in from the hall, setting her bag down beside her desk. After straightening the papers on her desk, she cleared her throat, getting the class' attention. "Good morning, everypony. Today we're going to learn about simple multiplication tables. Apple Bloom, Twist, come hand out these worksheets." The fillies in question went up and took the papers, then started handing them out. When Apple Bloom went by Diamond Tiara, the other filly stuck out her leg, making Apple Bloom trip, and fall flat on her face. "Hahaha! Good job, blank-flank. Maybe your special talent is falling over like the loser you are!" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon laughed with each other, until Miss Cheerilee came up to them, her face unsettlingly close. She glared at the two bullies long and hard. "I think I'll be seeing you two in my office, after school. And you will help Apple Bloom pick up those papers, understood?" She growled at them, making the two fillies gulp in tandem. They nodded in response, to which Cheerilee turned her back and went to her desk. She began to write on a slip of paper, her look one of absolute disgust. Apple Bloom finished handing out the papers, then returned to her desk, holding back tears. Beside her, Scootaloo attempted to comfort her friend, but didn't want to be called out for interrupting class. She just sat there, looking at her friend, pain etched on her face. She wanted to say something, but couldn't. The rest of the lesson continued without incident. Although there were many nasty looks from the two bullies, the Crusaders were generally left alone. The lunch bell rang, and the trio made their way outside amid the crowd. They sat down under their usual tree, and ate, occasionally carrying on conversation. Just then, Diamond Tiara mad her way over to Apple Bloom, and glared down at them. "So, you think you've stopped me? Just because I'm in detention? I'm going to make you wish you never existed blank fla..." Just before she finished, Scootaloo got up and bucked her square in the jaw and forehead. Diamond Tiara just looked up in fear, as Scootaloo towered above her " Don't. EVER. Talk to her that way. AGAIN!" Scootaloo shouted. She raised her legs up and bucked again, knocking Diamond out cold. Scootaloo started to sit back down, when she realized all eyes were on her. She ignored them, finishing her food. After a moment, Miss Cheerilee ran out of the school house, over to where Diamond Tiara lay, unconscious. "Who did this?" All hooves pointed at Scootaloo, and Miss Cheerilee sighed. She picked up Diamond, and turned to Scootaloo. "You. I want a word with you, in my classroom. Everypony is dismissed!" Cheerilee stared sadly at Scootaloo. "I have to take Diamond to the hospital, go wait in the classroom until I return." She walked off, carrying Diamond on her back. Scootaloo looked at her friends, who still had looks of shock from the fight, and headed off to the classroom. ::: Miss Cheerilee looked at Scootaloo, sighing heavily. She had always been a nice, friendly filly. Today, she had seemed to lose her composure. She took a deep, long breath, "Scootaloo, you do know why you're here, correct? You hurt a fellow classmate without any proof of provocation, and I want you to talk about this. What's going on? I just want to help you." Scootaloo looked at Cheerilee, and what she saw made the teacher want to cry. Scootaloo had a mixture of pain, anger, sadness, and frustration in her eyes. She had bruises on her neck that had been hidden by her mane. Her wings, now unfurled, had scratch marks on them, a few of them were scars. bruises also lined the bottoms of the wings. Cheerilee burst into tears, and rushed to hug Scootaloo. She accepted, and the two stayed there for a few minutes, just wrapped in an embrace. Cheerilee was crying, and Scootaloo tried her best to comfort the mare, but started crying herself. After a while, when all the tears were gone, Cheerilee regained her composure. "Who did this to y-you?" asked the mare. Scootaloo looked at the floor, staring at nothing in particular. Cheerilee sighed. "I know you may not want to talk about this, but I want to help you. Please, Scootaloo... at least tell me how long this has been happening." Scootaloo bit her lip, making sure to bite hard. "About two years now. I can't say who, but he's very, very bad. He, h-he..." Scootaloo started crying again, and Cheerilee had to hug her tight to stop the shaking of the little filly's body. She shushed her, and told her it was okay if she didn't want to say. Scootaloo looked at Cheerilee, and said, "He rapes me, and beats me." After that, Cheerilee couldn't hold back anymore. Her tears turned into those of not just sadness, but rage. Then she heard Scootaloo mumbling. "...he's my dad, but..." Cheerilee suddenly picked up Scootaloo's face. "What did you just say? Something about your dad?" "N-nothing, just a slip of the tongue, honestly!" The little filly was a bad liar, even more so than when she was scared. "Scootaloo, Nopony can help you if you keep bottling it up. Just trust me." She smiled, offering a hoof to the weeping filly. Scootaloo took it, and stood up, taking shaky breaths. "You know I'm here for you, and I always will be." Scootaloo allowed a small smile to poke through, and nodded. Cheerilee hugged her again, and waved her goodbye. Cheerilee sat down at her desk, looking for Scootaloo's papers. She didn't find records, however, she did find an old address, that she couldn't recall ever seeing before. Determined to find out what was going on, she set out for the Mayor's office. Author's Note Okay, this'll be my first shot at a Scootaloo-centered fic, because I felt like doing this. Anyway, hope you're enjoying.
Searching For LeadsCheerilee stopped just outside the Mayor's office. She knocked at the door. "Come in." said a voice, and Cheerilee pushed the door open. She looked around. The walls were adorned with bookshelves, with many tomes on Ponyville's history, and another great many on Equestria in general. The floor was polished oak, but the walls were a nice, deep cherry wood. Several paintings hung on the walls, depicting previous mayors. A large window resided behind a pony, sitting at a desk. She kept typing, not taking her gaze off of the typewriter. She blandly stated, "Hello, I'm the mayor's secretary. Do you have an appointment to see the Mayor?" Cheerilee walked up to her, and had to stand up on her hind legs a bit. "Umm, I'm here to search for family records for one Scootaloo." The pony nodded, gesturing for her to sit. So Cheerilee sat, and the pony went to a large filing cabinet, which even had a ladder that you used, as it stood at least half a height taller than a normal pony. She looked through the cabinet, searching for a file that matched the request. Shaking her head, she turned to Cheerilee. "There are no records describing the pony called Scootaloo. Is this her real name?" "Yes, I'm sure of it. She wouldn't lie." The pony wiped her glasses. "I'm sorry ma'am, but there are no family records for this filly." Cheerilee's gaze dropped, and she lowered her head. "Thank you, Ms. Secretary." She turned and walked out of the building, tears building up. She just wanted to help Scootaloo, why did everything have to be so difficult! She kicked at a small stone, and sat down, defeated. Her thoughts wandered to the poor filly, bruised and beaten, crying into her shoulder. The thought that someone could do that to a small, defenseless filly sent Cheerilee into a rage. She would find out who it was, even if it took all of her life. ::: The Cutie Mark Crusaders were all in their treehouse, sitting on the floor. Scootaloo was asleep, she had said that today had been stressful to her, so she took a nap. What she forgot, however, was to keep her wings to her sides, so her injuries were in clear view. The other crusaders grew worried, and wondered if Miss Cheerilee knew anything about this, or if she even caused this. At this thought, they laughed. Miss Cheerilee wouldn't do this... right? They were there for hours before Scootaloo stirred. Upon seeing her friends were staring at her wings, she quickly closed them. Apple Bloom looked extremely sad, and Sweetie Belle was on the verge of tears. "Guys, I-it's fine, just a few scratches, that's all." She knew that her excuse was lame, but it was better than having to explain why she was covered in marks. But alas, she had to do so anyway. "Scoots, they aren't just marks. What happened?" "Yeah, if it's yer problem, it's our problem too." Scootaloo just looked at them, pain in her eyes. She took several deep breaths, and recounted her story. "I've always been a bit slower than other ponies, as you know. My wings still haven't formed properly, and my math skills are mediocre. Well, my father doesn't like me being slow. He sees me as a weakling, a no g-good, useless pile of crap..." She started to feel tears form in her eyes, but she continued. "My father is a drunk, rowdy, lying thief. He cheats at everything he can, and he thinks he can get whatever he wants just by taking it. One day, he was especially drunk, and threw a bottle at me, which hit my wing, cutting it. He then looked at me angrily, shouting at me, then he... he... he had his way with me, his own daughter..." She couldn't take it anymore. She completely broke down, and her friends could only try to comfort her. They all embraced, and shared their tears. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle didn't know what it was like, but they felt immense pain just the same. Pain for their friend, and her struggles. ::: Cheerilee hunted around town, asking if anyone knew who Scootaloo's father was, or where she could contact other family members, but Nopony knew the answer. Her hooves had started to ache, so she sat down, exhausted. It began to rain, and she stared into the sky. What a fantastic time for you to show up. She sat there for a while, under cover of Twilight's tree. She saw some lights come on, and she got up, wet and exhausted. She knocked on the door, and waited. The rain was icy cold, and the fierce winds only added to it. Finally, the door was answered by Spike, Twilight's loyal assistant. He remembered Cheerilee immediately, and beckoned for her to come inside. The house was inexplicably warm, then she remembered that an alicorn lived here, of course they would know temperature magic. She heard hoofsteps, and turned to see Twilight Sparkle, their newest Princess, descend the stairs. She greeted her warmly, and asked if she would like some tea. Cheerilee accepted, and Twilight put the kettle on. They talked for a bit about school, and if they were learning anything about the Griffons yet. After a while of this, Cheerilee had to ask her question. "Prin... Twilight, do you know who Scootaloo's father might be. The unicorn thought for a bit, and said she would Write to Princess Celestia later. Cheerilee's eyes dropped, and she said goodbye. Once she was out the door, and out of earshot, she cried. She hurt for the little filly, and was just trying to help. But nopony know her father, so there were no leads. She was losing hope. Author's Note Well, I'm enjoying writing this very much, so let's see where this goes.
Coping With The PainThe Crusaders were in their clubhouse, drawing pictures. The air was warm outside, and a breeze traveled across the town. The three filly's were silent, the only noise being the wind howling through the walls. The world outside meant nothing, and they thought about everything that had happened to them previously. They thought it had been difficult, but it still held no comparison to Scootaloo's torment. They merely thought, and not a word was said for what seemed like decades. Finally, Sweetie Belle broke the silence. "So, Scootaloo, how have you been dealing with this all that time?" Scootaloo laughed a bit at this, and took a bite of her sandwich. "My dad's a drunk, remember? So he'll leave a few of his unopened or unfinished drinks lying around, or I go to the store and purchase snack cakes. Lots and lots of snack cakes." Seeing her friends worried looks, she continued. "Well, what would you have me do! I can't just go out whenever and get my own liquor." They sighed, knowing that the only way to get anywhere was to keep speaking. "Scoots, this ain't the way. Ya remember when we went to that cave, 'cause we thought it'd be fun? You didn't seem like you were ever NOT happy. Besides, you usually have us around. Drinking isn't the way ta handle this. Let us get hel..." "NO! You can NOT get help! You have no idea what he'd do to me if he thought I went to get help. I've already asked Miss Cheerilee not to get involved, but I know her. She cares too much. I'm going to have to stay away from school for a while, unless he's too drunk to notice. Maybe then I'll actually be able to eat food, snack cakes are hardly sustenance." Her friends felt sympathy for her. They never liked seeing anypony sad or desperate like this. Then, Apple Bloom knew what she could do to help. "Hey, come over to the house, we could at least get ya fed." Scootaloo brightened up a bit at this, and nodded. They all filed out, and across the farm, where the Apple residence was located. ::: "Umm, Scootaloo, are ya sure you're alright? Ya seem mighty... peckish." The young filly was eating like it was her last meal, wolfing down her entire plate, then she erupted a small burp. She blushed, then thanked them. They sat around chatting for a bit, but the question came up. "Scootaloo, why're ya so hungry? And where did those brui..." Scootaloo coughed, earning a smack on the back from Apple Bloom. Scootaloo recovered, and said, "What? I'm just hungry, yep, that's what it is, and what were you saying about busses? I don't kno..." Apple Bloom spoke up, not being able to contain it anymore. "Scootaloo is being abumfed." Scootaloo shoved her hoof in Apple Bloom's mouth, giving her a glare to rival Fluttershy's stare. Applejack looked at them with absolute curiosity, but let it go. "What she means is, um, I'm being as cool as usual, heheh..." Scootaloo made a look towards Sweetie Belle, who just slowly shook her head. Scootaloo looked back at Applejack, but she just looked confused. Scootaloo gulped, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She cleared her throat, and said, "Well, I better be g-going, got a busy schedule, so yeah, bye..." She walked out the door, and the rest of them sat there, puzzled. Apple Bloom just shook her head and started crying. Applejack tried to comfort her, but questions were running rampant in her mind. What was that about, and why did she dodge the questions? And why do I get the feeling she's hiding something? She wanted answers, but she wanted them from Scootaloo herself. She helped clear up the dishes, and went to her work again. ::: Miss Cheerilee sat at a bench, eating her lunch. She was losing all hope of finding out who Scootaloo's father was. She had searched almost everywhere she could think of. Except Canterlot. Maybe the Princesses would know. She jumped up and rushed to the train platform. She was just in time to buy her tickets, and stepped into the train. After a few hours, they arrived at Canterlot's train platform. As soon as she stepped out, she was met with a messenger. He gave her a letter, and told her to sign. She did, and right after that, she looked around again. Great towers rose up like spines before her, and a lush park was off to one side, the trees moving in the gentle breeze. The air was mild, and Cheerilee found herself enjoying it all, until she remembered her letter, and her reason for coming here. She unfurled the letter, and read. Miss Cheerilee, we understand you have concerns you wish to speak about. Please come to Canterlot Castle, and we shall continue this conversation. Princess Celestia She set off for the castle. It stood high, shimmering in the sunlight, and stained glass windows flared as if on fire. Cheerilee was stopped by a guard, and asked what her business was. "I am here to hold an audience with Princess Celestia, I have questions I need answered." The guard nodded upon seeing her letter, and let her through. Upon entering, she didn't even notice the ornate halls, or the wonderful décor, but simply walked to the throne room. She entered, and saw the Princesses at their places. Princess Celestia looked up and saw Cheerilee walking toward them. "Ah, Miss Cheerilee, I'm very glad you could come. I understand you have a predicament involving a filly from your school?" Cheerilee nodded, after bowing, and said, "Yes I do. The filly's name is Scootaloo, and I'm looking for her father. I assumed you would know?" Celestia nodded, and replied, "Why yes, he's one of my best advisors. Her father is Fancy Pants." Author's Note Dun dunn DUUUUUNNNNN!!! I bet you all were expecting Flash Sentry or something else, but isn't that a bit cliché? And also I'm trying to write longer stories, because short stories to me don't hold much enthusiasm. I obviously still take requests, because I enjoy writing, but I am trying to branch out a bit. And as always, constructive criticism is appreciated, and if you spot a mistake or two, please also note what chapter they are on, to save us all time and trouble. And if you dislike, don't hesitate to say why! Thank you.
Helping Though Unwanted"Come on Scootaloo, mah sister's gonna take us to a surprise she planned for you!" Scootaloo looked surprised. "A surprise, for me? This doesn't make sense, something's up." But she followed nonetheless. It was a relatively cloudy, breezy day. The leaves were starting to fall, and many trees lay barren, preparing to lie dormant through the months to come. They made their way through Ponyville's streets, and finally came to their meeting place. Applejack was waiting for them, and made her way over. "Alright, Ah've got some business to take care of fer a few minutes, so go run around fer a little bit, ya hear?" The three fillies nodded, and ran off to roll around in leaves. Applejack smiled, but that was soon replaced by sorrow. The marks on Scootaloo's body were clearly visible now, and they made her want to break down right there. But she had an objective. She made her way to Ponyville Medical Centre. She stepped in, and was greeted by a nurse with a clean white coat, and a light pink mane. "Hello, I'm Nurse Redheart, how can I help you?" "Yeah, I was wonderin' if you could check on this filly, her name's Scootaloo. She's got marks all over her neck, and Ah think she's being beaten up, but I don't know by who." Nurse Redheart checked her list. "Yes, we could take her today. Just come in when you're ready." Applejack thanked her, and went to pick the fillies up. They were still fooling around in leaves, so Applejack sighed. "Come on, y'all, we've got to get a move on!" The fillies bounded over, shaking off the leaves as they went. They walked behind Applejack, but were surprised when they say where they were. "Hey sis, what're we doin' here?" Apple Bloom asked, confused. But Applejack led them through the doors. Scootaloo started sweating, and turned to run. But Applejack held her closely. "Ah know you don't wanna do this, but Ah'm tryin' ta help." Scootaloo continued to struggle, but Applejack's firm grip never let go. Scootaloo was kicking and thrashing. "You lied! You just wanted me to come so they could examine me!" "Ah never lied, sugarcube. It's a surprise, alright. We're gonna find out what's happened to ya." Scootaloo's eyes widened. "No, please! He'll beat me or kill me if he ever finds out! Please..." Scootaloo gave up, realizing her futile attempt at escape wasn't getting her anywhere. Nurse Redheart saw them, and lead them to the room Scootaloo would be examined in. An X-Ray scanner sat over on one side, and a gurney on the other. A small rolling table was by the bed, holding everything from stethoscopes to otoscopes. Nurse Redheart had her lay down on the bed and, seeing no other option, Scootaloo obeyed. Redheart checked her thighs, stomach, and neck. She found the bruises, and several lacerations. She also found several broken bones, and finally discovered that the skin under Scootaloo's wings was severely maimed. Nurse Redheart felt for the filly, seeing these sights. She sighed, and wondered who could have done this. "Well, she has severe leg and wing fractures, most likely caused by a blunt object making impact. She's lucky not to have had her lungs punctured, because she has three cracked ribs. And, there's damage to the vaginal walls." Applejack was shocked, and had an expression of complete disgust. "I honestly don't know who could've done this." Scootaloo looked away, and Applejack spoke to Nurse Redheart. "So, any other things Ah should be aware of? Or is this all?" "I think that's everything. I suppose you could bring her back every so often, just to make sure her bones and wings mend. If they don't, she could possibly never be able to fly." Applejack looked at Scootaloo, she knew how much flying meant to the little filly. She thanked Miss Redheart, and the four of them walked out of the building. Applejack took them to an ice-cream vendor, all the while mumbling to herself. "Who could do that to a little filly..." Scootaloo just sat there, eating slowly. It was evening, and the sky was a mixture of reds, oranges, blues, pinks and purples. And a slight breeze ran through the air, making the trees sway, almost like they were dancing. Once they were done, they headed to Fluttershy's, hoping to cheer Scootaloo up. She had been silent the entire time, which worried Applejack. "Sugarcube, you haven't said a word this entire time. Somethin' eatin' at you?" Scootaloo just looked at her, her expression not showing anything but sadness, and she sighed. Applejack just sighed, and they continued in silence. They finally reached Fluttershy's house, and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, Fluttershy opened the door, smiling at the site of the fillies. But it soon diminished, seeing Scootaloo's expression. She had them come inside, then put on a kettle for tea. Applejack, with Scootaloo's permission, told Fluttershy about their visit to the hospital. Fluttershy listened intently, eyes widening at the part with the lacerations, and nearly breaking down when told of the damage to her nether regions. Fluttershy asked to see under her wings, and Scootaloo obeyed. The site was sickening. But Fluttershy was used to grotesque sights, as a few of her creatures were predators. She comforted the filly, and they all sat there, pain and sadness the main emotions. But there was also anger. Fluttershy told the three fillies to go to her room, because there were some board games up there, and waited for them to be out of earshot. When their hoofsteps faded, she turned to Applejack. "Do we know who did this... this... repulsive act?! I-I mean, if you don't know, that's fine." Applejack just shook her head. "Yes, but Scootaloo won't say his name. Just the fact that it's her father." Fluttershy, being the motherly mare that she was, flew over to a dresser. She pulled out some inflatable mattresses, and set them on the floor. She then folded her table up, so that it was no bigger than a desk. Applejack stared. She didn't know her furniture could do that. "Just a little something I worked on over the summer, for when they had their sleepovers here." She smiled sheepishly, and lastly closed the window, remembering the weather outside. "Well, I was goin' to ask you if you wanted to have 'em for a while, but you're way ahead of me." Applejack called the fillies down, and told them they would be staying at Fluttershy's for a night or two, and that she would tell Rarity and Big Mac where they were. They settled in for the night, and Applejack saw herself out. She walked home, with only her thoughts, as the wind continued on. Author's Note OH NOES! Her dad is a right proper evil knob, he is. What will happen NEXT?! Only I know silly. It's a SECRET. *Laughs maniacally. Anyway, thanks' for reading my stupid nonsense.
Tears That BurnCheerilee was shocked. She had heard of Fancy Pants before, but she never knew that he was Scootaloo's father. Why then would she come in dirty, and why would she be starving? Unless he had abused her in more than what she'd admitted. Her soul burned with rage, and she stifled a frustrated scream. She took a deep breath, which helped a bit. "Do you know where his place of residence is?" Princess Celestia gave her a map, and pointed her in his direction. She thanked her, and went on her way. I'd tear his eyes out of their sockets if I didn't have to worry about teaching. Her head was swimming in thoughts. Fancy Pants had always seemed like a sophisticated, well-mannered colt, and he was married as well. So then why and how did he do these things and yet seem clean? Well, he was an important pony, and most of your time, when you're respected like that, is spent visiting and chatting with other celebrities, or attending balls. Cheerilee's legs ached, but they finally put her at her destination. Fancy Pants' mansion was almost as large as it was lavishly decorated. Great white walls rose high, above the trimmed trees that decorated the lawn. Large windows lined the sides of the mansion, and the shingled roof was colored in a shade of light blue. She was broken from her trance when she heard a noise. She looked around, trying to locate the source, but to no avail. She realized that it came from the house, and walked towards the door. She knocked, and waited for a moment. The knob turned, and a pretty mare answered the door. Her mane was a very light pink, and her coat was even more white than Ponyville's local fashionista, Rarity. Her slender build looked as if she could snap in half, which Cheerilee would surely do to her if she couldn't control herself. But she was able to hide her anger rather well. She simply smiled, and asked if Fancy Pants was home. "Oh yes, he is in his study. Do come in." She led her through the lavishly decorated halls. Portraits hung up on every wall, and a soft, deep purple carpet adorned the floor. They approached the study, and Fleur Dis Lee let her in. Towering bookshelves lined the walls, almost up to the ceiling, filled with great tomes on nearly every subject. A great globe sat in the center of the room, and around it was a circular desk. The room was illuminated by a crystal chandelier, casting lights around like a prism. Several velvet covered armchairs were placed around the room, and everything seemed to have the color scheme of the ocean, with blues and greens making up the majority of the furniture, with just one different color, being the cherry wood. In the main chair, Fancy Pants was sitting, reclining with a rather large volume. He looked up, and saw he had a visitor. "Ah, a guest! It has been quite a while since I last had an audience with somepony. Please, sit, and I'll have Fleur bring some beverages." He made his way to the door, but Cheerilee stopped hm. "Actually, I came here because of Scootaloo. She's been coming to my classes later than usual recently, and I've seen lacerations and bruises on her body. I was hoping you would have an explanation?" Fancy Pants started adjusting his position, rather stiffly. "I did not have any knowledge of these injuries, thank you for bringing them to my attention. I will try to have them examined firs thing. In the meantime, would you like some tea?" He offered her a cup, but she politely said no. But she decided it would probably be best not to bring up Scootaloo's accusations, and instead opted to observe his behavior. His eyes started to glance around, seemingly aimlessly, at the room. He coughed, and adjusted his tie. "So, about Scootaloo. Has she been behaving? She can be rather aggressive sometimes, and she tends to be rather disobedient. I've tried to talk to her, but she cares not to listen." Cheerilee knew he was lying. She knew a liar when she saw one, and this was no exception. His body language, his expression, his tone of voice, all matched a liar perfectly. She was disgusted, but chose not to show it. Se simply forced a smile, and finished her tea. She then left, saying she had a busy schedule. As she left the house, her thoughts swam. He's a bad liar, but I only hope he doesn't lash out at Scootaloo for this. And I wonder how I can get proof. ::: Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were back at their clubhouse. Scootaloo was worried, Miss Cheerilee had been gone since lunch. She knew she'd try and get help, she just hoped that she didn't involve her father. The thought of him made her eyes start to water, tears burning with hatred welling up. No filly her age should have to go through what she did. She was going to kill him, she thought. She had had enough, and the rage was at a boiling point. She wondered if Cheerilee thought she was lying, or if she didn't have anything to go on. Winds picked up outside the clubhouse, and they moved the building slightly. Thunder sounded. It was going to rain, and Scootaloo needed somewhere to stay. She couldn't, no, she wouldn't go back to him if it was her last action in Equestria. ::: Miss Cheerilee made her way home. The cloudy sky mirrored to her mood, and as the rain started pouring, she sat down. Let it rain, let ALL down! I will not let that little filly down. I swear it on my life. She looked up at the sky, feeling the rain pour, like emotions, down onto her face. Her hooves were wet now, so she couldn't finish her work. But she cared little. Scootaloo was not going to suffer any longer than needed. She would prevail, if it was the last action she made alive. Author's Note OOH, swearing' on your life, are we? I wonder, what's next? (<--- reference) Looks like Scootaloo and Cheerilee were thinking the same things. What a coincidence! (not) I am very much enjoying this one. By the way, just to be clear. If I don't have any activity on this site for a month or more, either my internet or computer broke, or I've been killed by someone. So yeah, keep that in mind. Also, I don't like the way they spelled Fleur's name, but if that's the way they spelled it, so be it. But just for further nothing's, it's original proper spelling is Fleur De Lis.
Gathering EvidenceIt was another cloudy day, and the leaves were all gone. The winds were strong, and the cold nipped at Cheerilee. She was making her way to Rainbow Dash's house. Since she wasn't a Pegasus, she couldn't quite get to it, so she rang the bell, placed there for Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash saw Cheerilee outside, and flew down to greet her. "Hey, Miss Cheerilee, what's going on." So Cheerilee related the events of the past few days, and over time, Rainbow's eyes got wider. Cheerilee finally finished, and noticed Rainbow Dash's eyes filled with unadulterated rage. She was frightened, or she had never seen such emotion from the cyan mare. "So that's why I need you. You're exceptional at pranking ponies. Which means you can get into and out of locations without being detected, correct?" Rainbow Dash nodded, a curious expression adorned her face. "Good, I want you to go to Canterlot. Slip this bug into Fancy Pants' mansion. There are three bugs. Slip one into his room, and slip another into Scootaloo's room. Then the final one will remain with us, but you need it to set them all up. Got it?" Rainbow Dash saluted, and flew off to Canterlot as instructed. All Cheerilee had to do was wait now. ::: After half an hour or so, Rainbow Dash arrived at Canterlot. Great grey clouds were covering the sun now, and a fierce wind had picked up. Rainbow had to be swift. She had a job to do. She asked about where Fancy Pants' mansion was located, and found herself upon the front lawn. She marveled at the sight, but continued. She inspected the outside of the house, and found a hatch, used to get in or out of the cellar, in case of emergency. She squeezed through, thankful for her athletic, slender build, and crept to the door. The air smelled foul, and something squelched under her hooves. She tried not to think about the possibilities of what it could be, and continued, nearly gagging. She found the door, and stepped into the hall. She hovered a bit, before finding the study. Pushing open the door, she was met with a noise, which sounded like a snore and a pool emptying. She rolled her eyes, looking around. Fancy Pants had fallen asleep in his arm chair, a book in his hooves. She looked around, looking for a good location to place the device. She settled on a spot under the globe, and made her way out. It's a really good thing my wings aren't very noisy, that could've been catastrophic. She assumed his room would be upstairs somewhere, so she made her way to the staircase. Just when she reached it, she heard a loud noise, then realized that Fancy had adjusted in his sleep. She searched the house for an hour, wondering how many rooms this colt had, and finally found the rooms. She hid one under Scootaloo's bed, at the very end, and went to place the other on. But when she got in his room, she saw something moving on the bed. It was his wife, Fleur. Rainbow started sweating, and snuck out slowly. After shutting the door, she bolted out of a nearby window, into the inky blackness of night. ::: She flew back, and the sun was starting to rise. Rainbow finally found Cheerilee sitting at a table at a restaurant. She handed her the bug, and told her how it went. "Good, now to get Scootaloo. She won't like this, but it's the only way to catch him." The sun peeked over the horizon, as they made their way over to Fluttershy's. When they got there, Fluttershy told them that the Crusaders were most likely at their clubhouse at Sweet Apple Acres. As they made their way there, a cold wind picked up, and small debris and hair flew in their faces. They got to the farm, and saw Applejack getting ready to start work. They greeted her briefly, and stated their business. Applejack immediately became straight faced, and lead them to the clubhouse. Once they reached it, they heard noises inside. Upon opening the door, they were met by three fillies, trying to comfort each other, to little avail. They saw Cheerilee and Rainbow Dash at the door, and stood up. "Scootaloo, we need you to do something. We have a device that will help incarcerate your father, but we need you to do something. We planted bugs in your parents' house, but we need you to be there. If he tries to hurt or use you, the bug will record the sound. Then, we can take him to court. Do you understand this?" Scootaloo nodded slowly, then looked at Rainbow Dash. "Look kid, I know you may not wanna do this, but we're gonna put your father away, hopefully for life. I know you're a brave filly, you just need to do this one last time." Scootaloo hesitated, then nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "Do you promise?" Rainbow Dash smiled at this. "I promise. This will all be over soon, just trust us. Come on, let's get you all some milkshakes." They all made their way to Sugarcube Corner, where their friend Pinkie Pie greeted them. "Hi Dashie! And you've brought Miss Cheerilee! I hope you don't mind but I've got a big order and I have to make it so..." Pinkie's gaze fell on Scootaloo, who's frown upset the pink mare greatly. "Aww, don't frown. What's with all the gloomy McShroomy attitudes?" Cheerilee pulled the mare aside, and recounted the events that led her here. Pinkie's mane and tail deflated, and a sad look settled in her eyes. "I c-can't believe s-someone would do that t-to a little filly like her..." The mare broke down, and Cheerilee only just escaped being drenched. She finally managed to calm Pinkie down, and told her if it wasn't much of a bother, she required six milkshakes as soon as possible. "Coming right up." Pinkie went about preparing the confections, and Cheerilee returned to the group. After their orders were received, they talked about the plan. "Okay, Scootaloo, we're going to go over it again, the entire thing. We've set up listening devices in the house. One in your room, one in his. If he tries anything at all, we'll hear, and Rainbow Dash will be outside with Flash Sentry. You'll need to act as normally as possible, though. If he gets suspicious, who knows what he might do. But once we have enough evidence, which will include your body, and the sound from the bugs, we'll have everything we need to take him to court. You have to cooperate, and I promise you'll never have to go through this again." Scootaloo nodded, and hugged Cheerilee. She smiled, and in return embraced the filly. "Alright, let's get this over with." At the train station, they got their tickets and boarded the train. Once on, they tried their best to get comfortable, but they were too anxious. It was going to be a long night. Author's Note What will hAppEN NEXT? Anyway, we're close to ending this, kind of. I've wanted to get more into this, but I really don't want this to turn into one of those "You have one million words to read" type things. I could do it, you know. Anyway, stay tuned for the case Cheerilee vs. Fancy Pants
We've Got Him NowThey arrived at Fancy Pants' mansion, just before the sun completely sank. Scootaloo was shaking, and Cheerilee tried to console her. She was frightened, just as they all were. But the job had to be done. She pushed Scootaloo gently ahead, and nodded for her to go. Scootaloo gulped, and opened the door slowly. Coincidentally, her father had been descending the steps at that moment. He was drunk again. He started yelling at her, asking where she'd been. He started throwing things around, a few of them hitting Scootaloo's body. Cheerilee winced at this, but resisted her urge to ram him. She would get her chance. Fancy Pants continued to toss objects around, and something hit the door. It slammed with a mighty force. For hours they waited, huddled around the bug. They listened for something, anything, that could be incriminating. Flash Sentry was posted at the window, waiting for his moment. Cheerilee and the others were telling stories to pass the time, while a gentle breeze caressed them. The moon washed a gentle glow over them, as the stars twinkled like silver overhead. They heard noises in the house throughout the entire night, but nothing came from the listening device. Crickets chirped, and the hedges seemed alive in the wind, writhing and rippling in an eerie dance. Then, around midnight, they heard a crash and a voice from Scootaloo's room. "Come here, you little brat. Make me feel good." Rainbow Dash lost all of her previous meals, and Cheerilee had a look of pure, unadulterated disgust. Noises were heard from the device, and they made Cheerilee's stomach flip. The sounds of a bed rattling, combined with his grunts, and Scootaloo's whimpers, made Cheerilee lose it. She signaled Flash Sentry and Rainbow Dash that it was time, and they bolted through the window. Fancy Pants froze, and Scootaloo sighed with relief, rushing to Rainbow Dash and Cheerilee. Flash Sentry read Fancy Pants his rights, and carted him off to hold him until a trial could be prepared. Cheerilee and Scootaloo shared smiles. If fate smiled, it would all be over soon. ::: "Well, what did you want to tell me?" Cheerilee and Rainbow Dash were at Twilight's library, and sat around her table, drinking. The air inside was permeated with smells of cinnamon and licorice. They sat drinking their tea, and Cheerilee decided to answer the question. "We finally got him. Fancy Pants is now in custody, pending his trial. We have several witnesses, including Applejack. If the courts don't believe her, then this will all be hopeless, and Scootaloo will never forgive me. But we also have audio evidence. I had Rainbow Dash install listening devices in their rooms, and I had them set on record." Cheerilee smiled to herself, and took another sip. "That may not be sufficient evidence. Granted, Applejack is the Element of Honesty, and you have a Royal Guard as a witness, but regarding the audio tape. Unless it's high quality, he could bring up the argument that it could be anypony's voice on there. Do you have anything else?" "It's got high quality, the sound is just below what we hear currently." Cheerilee thought for a moment, and said. We also took Scootaloo to the hospital and Nurse Redheart examined her, so we can bring her in too. The medical forms and the results should help, right?" Cheerilee was getting worried now, and the clouds outside grew darker. "It will help, I'm just making sure you have everything before this starts. I'll be on the trial too, but they may not let me participate because we're acquainted, and it could look like I'm siding with you." Cheerilee gave Twilight a suspicious look. "Look, I am on your side, but I need to think fairly and not have a bias. I must do my job fairly, if they let me participate." Cheerilee nodded. "I know. I never said anything about you not being fair. But please, look at everything beforehand. Study every loophole, and look at every law book. But pleas, help me make Scootaloo's life better." Twilight nodded, then pulled a book off of her shelf. "Law In Equestria. I've read a bit of this before, then I ran into some distractions. Like Tirek." She shuddered at the memory. "I'll try to get your case together, and I'll try to make a formal presentation for your evidence." Cheerilee hugged her, and thanked her with such intensity, that Twilight almost suffocated. "That's a-alright, please. l-let go of me." Cheerilee blushed, and let go of her. Twilight struggled to breathe again, and showed Cheerilee a document. "This is what I've managed to gather currently. It has the order in which you'll show your evidence, it has the names of the witnesses, and it has the medical records for Scootaloo. Finally, it has photo evidence, including the X-rays showing the broken bones. That should be all we need, if anything else comes up, you can set it up during the court recess. The court is being held on Thursday. Seeing that it's Tuesday now, I suggest you get your witnesses notified, and try and get some sleep. You'll need it. Fancy Pants has the most expensive layers in Equestria, and they'll stop at nothing to make sure he goes away clean." Cheerilee nodded at this, smiling. "Thank you Twilight. And by the way, is it possible, if we win this case, for you to, uh, get a crtain document for me?" Twilight smiled, knowing what the mare meant. "Of course, I'll get it signed as soon as you win." And they left each other, in the brisk, cold night, the moon casting it's cool glow. Cheerilee was confident she would win. Author's Note Now that posh bastard will get what's coming to him (excuse my language) Anyway, we're a few chapters or so away, hope you're enjoying.
Getting Ready Getting Ready The next two days passed by painfully slow, and all the while dark grey clouds loomed overhead. Ponyville as a whole had learned about Scootaloo's predicament, and offered their support. They all knew the filly, and didn't like to see any of their neighbors suffer this way. Cheerilee told them if they wanted to help, try to comfort her during the trial. They all agreed unanimously, and were told where they would be needed. Nurse Redheart was especially eager to help, and even had a bag full of different sweets. Cheerilee was surprised, and happy, to see how everypony seemed eager to help. Filthy Rich had even dragged his daughter, Diamond Tiara, and her friend Silver Spoon, into the fray. Cheerilee always looked at Silver and saw a filly who just followed Diamond for a friend, and she empathized with the filly. Cheerilee had taken law classes, so she would know what to do, and Twilight had hired a lawyer, Legal Rebut. And of Course, Pinkie Pie was planning a surprise party for everypony once Fancy Pants was locked up. Rarity had seemed rather shocked to hear that he was the pony that was doing this, but quickly regained her composure, and walked off to "design that little filly a magnificent dress unlike any other" and to absorb the information. Thursday finally came, and everypony in town was tense. Dark clouds hung over Equestria, and rain started to make it's presence known. They all met at the center of town, wearing all of their best clothes. They all knew this filly as their own, and would do anything for her. They all looked after each other as family in Ponyville, and they all helped where they could. Scootaloo was the fast paced, hard headed filly, and everypony was in awe of her scooter abilities. After a few minutes of idling, Mayor Mare stepped onto the platform, along with Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Cheerilee. Everypony in the crowd hushed, and the mayor began. "Citizens of Ponyville, one of our own needs our help. We all know the filly Scootaloo, her optimistic, go-getter attitude. Well, she has been through torment for years, and just a week ago, light was shed on her situation. Her father has been beating and abusing her for years, and now, she's going to fight back. But she'll need us, not only to comfort her, but to be there for her. Thanks to our school teacher, Miss Cheerilee, had learned about the ordeal, and immediately moved to help the filly. She gathered some evidence against him, and caught him in the act of forcing intercourse upon his own daughter." Cries of outrage floated up from the crowd, and the Mayor had several ponies calm them down. "Please, let me finish. He has not only done this, but his name was a respected name throughout Equestria. Her father is Fancy Pants, in Canterlot. But in addition to sexual abuse, he physically abused her as well. So much so that several places, bones in the filly's body were broken, especially the ribs, hips and wings. This is why we must be there at the trial, and support her any way we can." The crowd stomped their hooves unanimously, Mayor Mare nodded, and Miss Cheerilee stepped up to the stand. "Hello, everypony. My job as a school teacher has made me very close to your children. I know every one of them as much as they let me in, and they know me. Anypony who knows me also knows that I'd do anything for my students." She started pacing the stage. "My soul tears apart, every time I see a foal abused, or abandoned, and I've known Scootaloo for a long while. So when she lashed out at a classmate, Diamond Tiara, I pulled her aside to find out why. Then I saw her body. Lacerations and bruises, mostly on the neck, were made visible. At that moment, I wanted to destroy whoever did that to her. I hunted everywhere I could, and finally identified him. It surprised me, but filled me with unspeakable rage. It took a few days, but we finally got enough evidence against her father. Tomorrow is the trial, and Princess Twilight Sparkle and myself have bought everypony's train tickets. The court will be held in Canterlot Castle, one of the rooms there has been remodeled for instances such as this. And Princess Twilight," Everypony stomped their hooves for their local Princess, and Twilight couldn't suppress a blush. "has helped immensely at putting Scootaloo's case together. I want everypony to show her a big round of applause." At this, the crowd went ecstatic. The roar of the crowd suppressed even the growling thunder overhead. Twilight's blush was so red that Big Mac looked pink in comparison. She waved, then pulled Cheerilee aside. "Look, we need to get going if we're going to get there. It's two in the evening, and it takes a while to get there, as I'm sure you are aware of." "Yes, very much so. The time it took me to travel there I could have finished an entire Daring Do book." They chuckled at this, remembering Rainbow Dash's obsession with the series. A while later, everypony was at the train station, and once they all boarded, they were off. They tried to get some sleep, especially Scootaloo, but sleep eluded them. The entire ride passed painfully slow, and all the while the rain never stopped. Cheerilee looked out the window, and anypony who looked at her could see how perturbed she was. Looking up into the night sky, she prayed to Celestia that everything turned out okay in the end. They all finally arrived in Canterlot, and made their way to a hotel, which Twilight had so kindly reserved. They got very little sleep, and what they did get was fitful and erratic. The next day was the trial, and they weren't getting any sleep tonight with that on their minds. The light from the sun, hidden behind the clouds, woke them up, and a chilly wind nipped at them, as they made their way towards the castle. The court would start in an hour, and they could not be late. Author's Note Okay, next up is the trial, what will happen? (I love building suspense, or at least as much as I can.) I hope you lovely people are enjoying, and I also hope that this makes up for my rubbish little short stories of the past. Probably not, but anyway, read on to find out what happens. ;3
Court Case - Part OneThe courtroom was filling fast, and still more were making their entrances. Family members of Fancy Pants had been notified of the accusation against him were appalled that these types of offenses could even be connected with his name. Child abuse, both physical and sexual? He was a married man, surely he wouldn't do such a thing. "All rise for Princess Celestia." The entire room rose to their hooves, and turned to see Princess Celestia entering the room. She sat down at the bench, and sighed. "At ease, let's just get this over as fast as possible. Firstly, the prosecution must state the case." Legal Rebut, the lawyer Cheerilee hired, spoke. "Your Highness, my client, Scootaloo, went to school one morning. There, her teacher noticed severe bruising around the neck, and lacerations along the bottom of her wings..." "Objection, Your Honor, those marks could have been caused by anything. A careless filly walking into a bush or the like." Fancy Pants' lawyer, Legal Aid, spoke up. "You make a good argument, but the cuts in question were rhythmic. They extended along the entire bottom side of her wings, and the bruises were along her neck, as if she had previously had something around her neck. We have photographic evidence to support this." "You have no physical proof that my client was the one who created the marks, it could have been anypony in Equestria. Unless you have witnesses, this is an enormous waste of time." "We do, in fact, have witnesses. Several, to be precise, and one of them is one of the Elements of Harmony, Applejack." The courtroom gasped, as Applejack stepped up to the witness stand. She turned to the rest of the room. "Ms. Applejack, can you tell the court what you saw?" Applejack cleared her throat. "I can. We were ivestigatin' one night, 'cause we were concerned 'bout Scootaloo. We had set up a bug in his house, because it recorded audio..." "Objection, Your Highness. That was an invasion of privacy. You had no right to plant that device, and you certainly had no right to do so on random claims from a filly, that's clearly not in a normal state of mind." Applejack was fuming. "We have evidence. And I saw him in the act." The court mumbled and murmured, and Celestia banged her gavel for silence. "You may present said evidence. And you, Legal Aid, I expect you to retain a better tone of voice. Continue." The evidence was brought in to the room. There was a slideshow setup, and Legal Rebut stepped up. "These are pictures of the marks on Scootaloo's body. There are long, straight cuts here, here, and here." He pointed at every mark individually. "And several more here. You can clearly see the bruises on her neck here as well. Next, we have x-rays from a medical examination. These are her broken ribs, and you can see that several were close to puncturing her lungs. In addition, I would like to call Nurse Redheart to the stand." "You may do so." Celestia was getting slightly disturbed. Nurse Redheart sat down at the stand. "Nurse Redheart, correct? Would you care to tell the court what you discovered?" Nurse Redheart nodded. "I can." She walked over to the screen. "As has already been mentioned, the filly has several lacerations along her wing, legs, and neck, along with severe bruising along the neck area. But she also had severe vaginal damage. I suggest everypony offended by nudity to turn away." She switched the screen over to the next slide. "As you can see, there are several marks along the vaginal walls, as well as bruising of the cervix, here. Multiple abrasions can be seen here, and here. These are all signs of rape, and therefore may act as the evidence to support such claims." Legal Aid stepped forward. "These marks could have been caused by anything, or anypony. You have no real proof that my client was the one who committed these acts." "Ah, but I do. I found a clear white substance near the backmost walls. I extracted the substance, and upon examining it found it was pony semen. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to take a sample from your client." This time, Celestia spoke up. "I'm sorry but we can't allow that, as it is indecent and the specimen has the ability to be tampered with. You must find another way to proceed." Nurse Redheart sighed. "As you wish. May I summon Flash Sentry to the stand?" "You may, but can I ask what you need of him?" He was the guard who arrested Fancy Pants, and he was also a witness. But before I summon him, may I play the audio tape we recorded?" Celestia nodded, and Redheart produced the tape. She set up the device and pressed play. The sounds from that night played, and the entire court could hear breaking and smashing, and then sounds of a stallion grunting. And then his words. "Come here, you little brat. Make me feel good." The jury was shocked by this, and mumbled to each other in hushed argument. Nurse Redheart had on a small smile, and turned to the courtroom. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, that was the voice of Fancy Pants, you heard it yourselves! You cannot deny it's his voice..." "Objection, Your Highness. That tape could have easily been tampered with, and could also have been staged with any number of stallions." "It was his voice on that tape! You can't deny it!" "I can, and I am. Any number of stallions could share his tone of voice. And anypony could mimic his accent. Your 'evidence' can't be proved." "Do remember, I still have another witness. Flash Sentry." Flash walked over to the stand. Celestia looked at him with a quizzical expression, then looked at the clock. "I'm sorry, but this will have to wait. We will have a thirty minute recess, in which time you may get your case together, and we an think with clear heads." Celestia banged her gavel again, and everypony filed out of the room. Celestia looked at Cheerilee with Scootaloo, and sighed. If the accusations were true, she would be sure that after Fancy Pants' sentence was finished, she would banish him, personally. Author's Note Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter, where Cheerilee's case will get some unexpected help. ;) Anyway, as usual, I hope you're enjoying, and if not, tell me why. I appreciate constructive criticism. Thank You!
Court Case - Part TwoThe recess dragged on. Cheerilee was conversing with Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash, when suddenly the signal came to go back inside. Everypony filed back in, and Celestia reassumed her seat on the bench. She banged he gavel, again, and stated to the room, "The court summons Flash Sentry to the stand." Flash Sentry went back to the witness stand, his face not showing any emotion. After he took his seat, Legal Aid spoke. "Please repeat the events of the night you allegedly saw my client perform the act." "Well, Ms. Cheerilee had seen me before, and we kind of knew each other. Anyway, she asked me to accompany her to Fancy Pants' residence. She had set up the device, as you know, and asked me to be there to catch him. When she gave me the signal, I burst in the room, and found him with his phallus in the filly's... uh... I'd rather not say the word." Celestia nodded. "That's alright. Please continue." "Alright. Well I had busted him like that, and continued with the arrest. He smelled strongly of alcohol, and seemed highly intoxicated. And I carted him off to the guard barracks, holding him there until I could place him in the jail." Celestia wrote something own, planning to commend Flash Sentry after this, for his brave acts. He knew Fancy Pants was a friend of hers, and still didn't care about upsetting her, and just did what he felt was his job. "Legal Aid, what do you say in defense of your client?" "Your Highness, my client was in a drunken state when he allegedly committed these acts. He cannot be held responsible..." "It was his choice to drink that lead to him become inebriated, therefore his actions are still his own." Legal Aid sighed, running out of options. He had to think. "Your Highness, I request a ten minute recess." "Overruled, you had time to get your defense together, now continue." Legal Aid started sweating. He spoke to Fancy Pants, for a while, then came back to the floor. "My client would like to plead insanity." Celestia froze. The insanity plea was uncommon, and there were very little ways around it. "I have seen this stallion in the past, not a few days ago, and he seemed perfectly sane." "How can you be sure? The mind can deteriorate at an alarming rate..." "Have you forgotten that I am a Princess? You have no authority over me, so I suggest you take your seat." Legal Aid was alarmed at her outburst, and quickly sat down. Celestia turned to Legal Rebut. "Do you wish to bring anypony else?" He cleared his throat. "Yes, I would. May I call Scootaloo to the stand.?" The room was filled with whispers, until Celestia slammed her gavel down. "Scootaloo is a minor, and therefore cannot testify without parental consent." "Ah, but you forget one thing. She ultimately decides to speak. She can still take the stand." Celestia sighed, and shifted in her seat. "You are correct, you may summon her if you desire." Legal Rebut smiled, and told Scootaloo to sit up on the stand. Celestia eyed her, and she doubted she could do this. The filly's face was adorned with expressions of sadness and anger, most likely towards her father. Celestia sighed. "You may speak." Scootaloo was shaking, but she started anyway. "Well, for years my father has been abusing me, and Ms. Cheerilee eventually noticed..." "Objection, Your Honor. Firstly, who is this Cheerilee figure? And how are we supposed to believe a child, in a matter that she doesn't fully understand." "Overruled. I have met Ms. Cheerilee, and she seemed to really care for Scootaloo's well being. Secondly, Scootaloo, do you know what is happening, why you're here, and what your father is being accused of?" Scootaloo nodded. "Yes, what's happening is my father is on trial, the reason is because I told Ms. Cheerilee what had happened to me, and she went off looking for him." Scootaloo wiped her eyes, and turned to Celestia. "I don't want to talk anymore, can I be excused?" Celestia nodded, and the jury jotted down their notes. Celestia was very annoyed, and tired. "We will resume court in half an hour, during such time the jury will decide their verdict. Court adjourned." Again, all the ponies in the room filed out, anxious for the decision. Cheerilee, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo sat around, talking about the trial. "You did fine, Scootaloo. The jury has enough evidence, they should be able to charge him as guilty. But we just have to wait." Scootaloo nodded, and they all continued to sit there in silence. The dark clouds still hung in the sky, threatening to release it's content. The time passed by the same as before, seemingly stretching on for hours. Finally, the last call was made for them to return. They once again sat down, and Celestia slammed her gavel again. "The jury has reached a verdict. We find you, Fancy Pants, guilty of second degree foal abuse, and first degree rape. The sentence is fifty years in the Royal Dungeons. After the sentence is fulfilled, you will then be banished from Equestria, never to return. I will also release a warrant for the arrest of Fleur Dis Lee, seeing as she most likely knew this was happening, yet didn't report it. This case is now closed, and you may all return home." Everypony was either hugging in joy, or crying their tears. Twilight went up to Cheerilee, and handed her a document. "Here, this is the one. You can ask her now, or when we get back to Ponyville, your choice." Cheerilee smiled, tears filling her eyes. "Thank you." she said, and ran off to talk to Rainbow Dash. Twilight smiled, and went out the door. The clouds had cleared, and the sun shone brightly overhead, the smell of wet grass filling her nostrils. Cheerilee had finally found Rainbow Dash, and pulled her aside. "I have a question. I know you adopted Scootaloo as a sister, but would you mind, uh..." She whispered in Rainbow's ears, and she nodded at Cheerilee. The teacher smiled, and hugged Rainbow tightly. Then, everypony met at the train station, and went on their way home. Author's Note I wonder, what that document was about, hmm? (laughs maniacally) ONLY I MAY KNOW (for now) Anyway, thanks' for reading so far, as always. Friggin' nitpicker's...
After The Rain/The Day Everything ChangedPonyville was cheerful again. The sun was bright, a lovely breeze drifted through, and birds and insects sang in harmony. Miss Cheerilee made her way to Sugarcube Corner, where she had the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash waiting. She held her paper like her life depended on it, and finally rounded the corner to where the confectionary sat. All of them were sitting at a booth, and Rainbow Dash and Twilight were conversing. When they saw her, they smiled so warmly that Cheerilee thought they were going to melt their treats. "Hey Miss Cheerilee, glad you finally came. Twilight's spell wasn't going to last much longer." "Rainbow Dash, my spells are perfectly capable of withstanding long durations of time without rest." "Yeah, yeah, save it egghead. Anyway, Cheerilee, you gonna give Scoots the thing?" Cheerilee smiled, and stepped over to Scootaloo. Scootaloo, I know that you've had a hard life, and I know that you don't know me all that well. But now that you don't have parents, I was wondering if you'd like to come live with me instead." Scootaloo stared at her, beaming. "I know that Rainbow Dash is your adopted sister, but you should still..." She was cut off by Scootaloo jumping up, embracing her tightly. "Of course I would, Miss... I mean, mother." Miss Cheerilee smiled at this, and they stayed like that for a while. Rainbow Dash smirked and nudged Cheerilee. "You look after that filly. If you don't, you'll never forget it." Cheerilee smiled. "You don't need to worry about that, I'll never let her suffer again." The rain had been stopped since the court ended, and now a perfect warmth settled over Ponyville, caressing everypony with the hope of better days. Author's Note Well, that's the end. I hope you enjoyed, and if not, tell me why, please? I can't learn if you don't help me. Anyway that's all for now, bye.
