Athena Cykes: Courtroom Révolutionnaire: Turnabout of a Titan

by InvinciblePony2375

Rating: teen
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Adventure, Shining Armor, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Alternate Universe
Length: 5553

Shining Armor is indicted with Tirek's murder, but Twilight can't defend him. Who would you call as defense if Phoenix Wright is unavailable?

My name is Athena Cykes. I'm a defense attorney and an analytical psychologist. It's been about a year since I joined the Wright Anything Agency and five months since my most recent case up until today. I never thought I'd be thrown into a case this bizarre: finding myself in a world where pastel-coloured ponies are sentient and taking on the defense of a white unicorn indicted with a murder charge, but that's the easiest part to comprehend. Weirder things happen consistently after my arrival, but that hasn't stopped me before.

The defense is psyched and ready to rock!

Published 2014-10-16 03:30:09 UTC
Last updated 2014-10-16 03:30:09 UTC

Investigation Day 1-1: How To Take It All In?

Athena Cykes: Courtroom Révolutionnaire

Turnabout of a Titan

Investigation Day 1-1:
May 10, 2028 8:57 a.m.
Wright Anything Agency

“Hey, where is everybody?”

When I entered the office, I found out I was the only one present. It felt rather lifeless without anyone around. I caught sight of a note left on my boss’s desk. I decided to take a look at it and found out it was co-addressed to me.

Dear Apollo and Athena,

I have been called by the Legal League of Attorneys for another exchange, this time in Paris, France, so I’ll be out of the office until Saturday, May 13. Trucy will be accompanying me, so I’m leaving you in charge of the office. I know you two will do fine on your own. Take care; I’ll be back soon. Sincerely yours, Phoenix Wright

“Boss, I’d figure that you’d tell us this stuff ahead of time,” I groaned. “I guess it’s just me here until Apollo gets here.”

I decided to get the background tasks out of the way: organizing some small files, watering the plant, and clearing the desks to be ready for a new day. “Well, that went faster than I thought. Only three minutes have passed.”

Suddenly, a throbbing headache struck me out of my thoughts. I was starting to lose balance as I stumbled back to the door. My vision started to blur, but I saw unusual achromatic images flash before my eyes: a giant ram destroying a structure, some kind of demon attacking a horse, and what I could only guess was two other horses fighting. I grabbed the doorknob, but all I succeeded in doing was locking the door (for some reason) instead of opening it before I lost nearly all consciousness and fell to the floor.

“Why? What’s…happening…to…me? I…can’t be…dying. Someone…please…help…”

That was all I could manage to say before I blacked out completely.
~~~~~
May 10, XXXX 9:00 a.m.
Castle Round Table…I guess?

Darkness…I could see nothing but a pitch black void for what I felt to be an eternity. The only thing that caused me to escape that void was a troubled voice:

“Oh, I knew this was a bad idea. Thanks a lot, Twilight. I told you I wasn’t as good as you with this task. Not only did I turn a foreigner into a pony through this, but I brought in the wrong foreigner.”

I managed to open my eyes, but what I saw caught me off guard. I knew I wasn’t at the office. I was in some colourful meeting place; by the looks of it, it looked like it belonged to a royal family since I caught view of six crystal thrones…well, seven counting the smaller one I almost missed. Nonetheless, what threw me off the most was the source of the voice: a cyan-coated stallion sporting a teal, white-streaked mane.

“How is that possible?” I whispered to myself.

This caught the attention of that stallion.

“Ah, you’re awake,” he said. “Listen, I want to apologize for what happened. I didn’t intend on bringing you here, but I failed on finding who I wanted.”

“So, would you know about my headache and why it happened?” I asked, but as I rubbed my forehead, all sorts of warnings were going off in my mind. I could tell Widget would be glowing yellow since I immediately panicked.

“What the…why do I have a horn sticking out of my head!? Why does my face feel misshapen!? Why do my limbs look like giant marshmallows!? How did I end up with a tail!? Why is the Mood Matrix symbol tattooed on both of my hips!? WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED TO ME!!!?”

“Please, calm down!” the stallion told me. “Look, I promise I’ll get everything sorted out as fast as I can. I’m sorry I’m in such a rush, though. There’s something important going on, and I don’t have a lot of time to find Phoenix Wright.”

For some odd reason, hearing the name of my boss calmed my nerves, even hearing it from a talking equine. I decided to ask, “You know my boss?”

This caught him off guard. “Wait, you work for him?”

“Sure do,” I replied. “I’m Athena Cykes, analytical psychologist and defense attorney of the Wright Anything Agency.” I showed him my badge.

“I guess foreign badges are designed differently than ours,” he commented, staring at my badge. “Nevertheless, if you’re as capable as your boss, then you may be just what we need.”

“Is there some courtroom trial happening soon?”

“Precisely. The defendant still needs a definite defense attorney. I was originally offered the position, but I don’t feel like I can handle the case alone. That’s why I wanted to find your boss and ask him for help.”

I felt compelled to help the stallion out, despite not knowing everything about the case ahead. “Well, perhaps I could evaluate the case and see if I can help you.”

“Thank-you, Athena,” he responded. “I’m sure the defendant will be pleased.” He then interrupted his thoughts and said, “Oh, where are my manners? I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Lightning StarBlade XXV; just call me Lightning Star. I’ll be willing to answer any questions you have.”

Soon, Lightning Star told me about his world, Equestria as he called it. He talked about how the populous comprised primarily of different types of ponies: earth, which sounded like regular horses upon description, pegasi, which could obviously fly but could also control clouds and weather patterns (news to me), and unicorns, which could perform various feats using magic. (That alone took a while to wrap my head around.) He also told me about recent events that transpired, including the development of the castle we were in and its owner. He then told me about Mr. Wright’s first visit and the TS-5 case, which he served as the defense. In turn, I told him about how Mr. Wright hired me and the cases I was involved in, both as leader and co-counsel.

“So I’ve told you the general information about our world,” he finished. “If you have any other questions, I can try to answer them.”

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

LIGHTNING STAR

“So you’ve told me about the heroes and rulers of this land,” I began. “What about yourself?”

“Me? I take on requested jobs in Canterlot, usually as an analytical chronicler, but at times as an investigator,” he answered. “I set up a business with my friends there, and we specialize in all sorts of professional and freelance work.”

“Did you ever work in a court?”

“Well, I have experience as a defender in a few court settings. However, this case would be the first time I’d be going to the Canterlot District Court itself. Hopefully, you’d be willing to join.”

“I’ll see if I can be of any help.”

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

UNUSUAL DEVICE

I suddenly noticed something strange attached to Lightning Star’s left foreleg. By its first appearance, it looked electronic. “Pardon me for asking, but what’s that device on your foreleg there?”

“This?” Lightning Star lifted his foreleg. “It’s called the Virtua Gauntlet. It works as a holographic notebook and an electromagnetic vision screen. I can document and analyze all sorts of things with it. However, it serves a deeper purpose for me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Only those I can trust to keep a secret know about it, but I feel like I can trust you as well. This device is a part of me.”

“You mean it’s like a prosthesis?”

“It’s more like a battery, actually. Ever since I was young, my magic ability was handicapped. This was developed by the Crystal Empire Research and Development Lab a year ago, spearheaded by Shining Armor, and it allowed me to use magic like any other unicorn. Long story short, it’s the reason I have many different abilities to this day.”

(I guess I can see where he’s coming from,) I thought. (After all, I remember what it was like in my childhood.) I then promised to keep his secret safe.

I noticed something catch Lightning Star’s attention. “Speaking of Shining Armor, we have to head to Canterlot. It would be best if you can meet the defendant as soon as possible.”

“Oh, right. I still have to evaluate the case. Lead the way.”

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

PONYVILLE
CANTERLOT
EVERFREE FOREST

CANTERLOT STREETS
~~~~~
May 10, XXXX 9:45 a.m.
Canterlot Streets

“Ugh, how can you manage walking on all fours like this 24/7?” I moaned, stumbling across the street in a futile attempt to gain a sense of quadripedal balance.

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Lightning Star told me. “You’re actually doing great for a first-time.”

I ended up tripping over my hair (mane?) soon after. “Agh! Nuts to this! I’m going bipedal! I don’t care if I look like a weirdo!”

I picked myself up and managed to stand upright. I started walking as I normally would have, but I ended up pratfalling back to the ground after a few steps. All I could do was groan at my shortcoming as Lightning Star helped me up.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I answered. “Only my pride is bruised.”

Just then, I noticed a green unicorn mare walk up to us. For some reason, she was smiling at me.

“You trying to learn how to walk on your hindlegs as well?” she asked.

“I guess you could say that,” I replied. (It’s not like walking as a human, that’s for sure.)

“Yeah, it’s not that easy, but I’m sure you’ll end up wowing us all.”

“Excuse me, Lyra,” interrupted Lightning Star, “but we’re in the middle of the trial preparations.”

“The trial? Oh that reminds me,” she responded. “You’re the current defense leader, right?”

“That’s correct. Why do you ask?”

“Princess Twilight asked me to deliver this to you when you got to Canterlot.” She handed him a small envelope.

“Great! If I don’t see Twilight anytime soon, give her my regards.”

<< “Envelope” added to Court Records. >>

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

LYRA HEARTSTRINGS

“So what’s up with her?” I asked Lightning Star. “She seemed fascinated by my attempt to walk upright.”

“Lyra is an…innovative unicorn,” he answered. “She usually searches for creative yet unconventional methods of performing certain tasks. Some of her methods even baffle me.”

“I’m still here,” Lyra interjected.

“Hey, that’s a compliment. I’ve yet to see another pony do what you’ve done.”

“Oh, really? Thanks.”

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

LYRA’S JOB

“Lyra, if I may ask,” I began, “are you involved with the upcoming trial?”

“Actually, yes,” she told me. “Princess Luna offered me a position as her assistant bailiff, so I’ll be assisting in court tonight.”

“Oh, so that’s why you gave Lightning Star that envelope on Princess Twilight’s behalf.”

“I usually do freelance work around Ponyville and sometimes perform my music in Canterlot, but this is the first time I’ve been offered something so high-end. I’m actually a bit nervous about it.”

“You and me both,” Lightning Star added.

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

WAY AROUND CANTERLOT

“We’re actually supposed to meet with the defendant,” I told Lyra. “Do you know where the detention center is?”

For some reason, Lyra gave a blank stare after I asked the question. “Detention centers are for the smaller cities in Equestria. Canterlot doesn’t have one.”

“She’s right, Athena,” Lightning Star said. “Canterlot uses the castle dungeons to hold defendants on trial.”

“CASTLE DUNGEONS!? WHAT KIND OF LAW SYSTEM ARE YOU PONIES RUNNING HERE!?”

“It’s not like that!” Lyra interrupted. “There’s a sector of the dungeons that is exclusive for defendants on trial. It’s really well-kept and well-fortified. It’s not like some torture chamber or anything; that would be inhumane.”

“I’m sorry I hadn’t mentioned that sooner,” Lightning Star said. “In any case, we should be headed there.”

“All you have to do is follow the north path. You’ll reach the castle and you can get a guard to guide you to the dungeons.”

“Okay. Thanks, Lyra. We’ll see you tonight.” With that, Lightning Star led me to Canterlot Castle.

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

PONYVILLE
CANTERLOT
EVERFREE FOREST

CANTERLOT STREETS

CANTERLOT GREAT HALL
~~~~~
May 10, XXXX 9:58 a.m..
Canterlot Castle Great Hall

When we reached the castle, I couldn’t help but stand in awe of the interior design. “Wow, are all the castles in Equestria this beautiful?”

“Pretty much,” Lightning Star replied. “If you ask me, each can be described as an artist’s paradise. That’s partially why it’s such an honour to gain an audience with any of the princesses.”

“I wish I could spend a whole day just to explore and admire everything within the castle.”

“You’d be surprised how many times I’ve been saying that.”

Just then, a golden pegasus guard came up to us. “Excuse me, but what business do you have at Canterlot Castle?”

Lightning Star spoke up. “Flash Sentry? I thought you’d recognise me from earlier this morning. Princess Twilight assigned me as the defender for tonight’s trial.”

“Oh, it’s you, Lightning Star. I thought you’d be coming alone.”

“Well, if I may ask, why are you here instead of your usual position in the Crystal Empire?”

“Princess Cadance had me transfer to Canterlot for the duration of the trial. I’m supposed to spearhead the investigation team, and we’re going to be heading out in a few minutes to continue.”

“Well, we’re supposed to meet with the defendant. Any chance you know the way?”

“Sure. The dungeon sector you’re looking for is down the east hall at the set of iron doors.”

“Alright. Good luck out in the field.”

As we headed down the hall, Lightning Star asked me, “Hey, Athena, why did you suddenly panic at the mention of dungeons? Would there happen to be any in your world?”

“Well, dungeons are nothing but cold, dark, stone caves with iron cage doors attached,” I said, “and nowadays, they’re so archaic that they’re too dangerous and unhygienic to be considered good detainment.”

“The dungeons in Canterlot do look like that, but those types are found deep within and are a lot safer and cleaner than they sound. They’re meant for more serious offenders. Minor offenders and defendants are kept in a different sector, as Lyra told us.”

Just then, we came across two guards standing in front of a set of iron doors. (So that’s where the dungeon is? Remind me not to do anything to set off the guards. This is scary enough.)

“Halt!” one of the guards commanded. “Only guards and lawyers are permitted to enter.”

“You’re in luck,” I told them. “I’m a defense attorney.”

“Present your identification!” the other one demanded.

“Here you go.” I showed my badge to them. (I’m glad I still had it when I came here.)

“What is that? A rare coin?”

“Are you attempting to bribe us?”

“What!? No, I…”

“You cannot pass without valid Equestrian identification. If you don’t have any, turn back now.”

“Don’t bother trying to pay us off either, or else we’ll throw you in the slammer directly.”

(What have I done? I haven’t even been here an hour, and I’ve already set these guys off!)

I couldn’t be more thankful for Lightning Star interrupting them:

“Sirs, I cannot stand idly by as you talk ill of my co-counsel!” He opened the envelope he received and pulled out a pink heart with gold lining. “This is the identification you require to see. I am the acting defense leader, and so long as she is under my supervision, she is permitted entrance alongside myself!”

I was shocked to see someone stand up to guards like that. I thought for sure he’d be yelled at or something, but…

“Well, then, why didn’t you speak up earlier?”

“Just keep your co-counsel in check next time.”

“Permission granted,” they finished in unison. “You may enter.”

“Talk about your close shaves. Follow me, Athena. Let’s find the defendant.”

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

PONYVILLE
CANTERLOT
EVERFREE FOREST

CANTERLOT STREETS
CANTERLOT GREAT HALL

CANTERLOT DUNGEONS
~~~~~
May 10, XXXX 10:00 a.m..
Canterlot Dungeons

I was rather surprised at the quality of the defendant dungeons. They weren’t ragged or worn down as I first expected. Some guards directed us where we needed to go, and we soon stopped by one of the cells. We didn’t immediately see the defendant, but two things crossed my mind as we waited.

“Wait a minute! What do you mean I’m your co-counsel!? I thought you wanted me to take the lead!”

“You still need to assess the case,” Lightning Star reminded me. “After all, you haven’t agreed to anything yet. Even if you had done so earlier, I’m still stuck as the defense leader until we make the necessary arrangements to submit a substitution of attorney petition.”

“Oh, right…but what was with that pink heart you showed the guards?”

“This is our own design of the defense badge.” He brought it back out to show me. “Unfortunately, nopony seems to recognize badges that are foreign to Equestria. This is one of the two only accepted identifications for lawyers here, the other being the district badge.”

(That pink heart is the defense badge?) I thought. (Why do I suddenly feel like I’m an eight-year-old again?)

<< “Envelope” updated to “Equestrian Defense Badge” in Court Records. >>

Just then, we heard something weakly say, “Is somepony there?” A white unicorn stallion walked up to the door. His blue mane and tail were in disarray, and his eyes were dulled and looked lifeless.

“Shining Armor…” Lightning Star uttered. I could tell by his broken tone that he was distraught.

“Are you the defendant for tonight’s trial?” I asked the imprisoned unicorn.

“Yeah, my trial is this evening,” he replied. He suddenly broke into a coughing fit. “Sorry,” he added after he stopped. “I haven’t been well since the incident.”

I turned to Lightning Star, only to see him turn his head away with a pained expression on his face. (Poor thing,) I thought. (He looks like he’d burst into tears at any moment. This must be why he wasn’t confident in taking this case alone, but I should try to get his spirits back up.)

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

RELATING TO YOU

“I know there’s something causing this despair in you, Lightning Star,” I said in the most comforting tone possible. “Would you be able to tell me what happened?”

“Recalling that moment is painful,” he seethed, “but it’s best that you know what happened.” He proceeded to tell us what he witnessed.
~~~
“Thank goodness you’re here! Shining Armor’s in danger!”

“He’s in danger all right: danger of being accused of murder.”

“What!? What are you saying!?”

“We received a distress signal from this area stating a unicorn killed something, and by the looks of it, he’s the guilty one.”

“You’re out of your mind! Shining Armor is the victim here! He almost DIED for crying out loud!”

“Murder is murder, regardless of the circumstances. We’re taking him in. Seize him!”

“You don’t know what you’re doing! He needs medical attention, not this brutish abuse!”

“Beat it, or else we’ll take you in as an accomplice!”
~~~
“That’s odd.” Shining Armor spoke up. “Nopony in the Royal Canterlot Guard would use threats like that.”

“It’s just not right!” Lightning Star shouted. “I should have taken that chance to save you!” He then hung his head and let out a defeated sigh. “It’s as if my past keeps coming back to haunt me.”

I put a hoof on Lightning Star’s shoulder causing him to look back up. “Lightning Star, I know what it’s like to have someone you care about in a situation like this and feel like you can’t help even though you’d be willing to do anything.”

“You do?”

“When I was a child, a close friend of my family was accused of killing my mother. Even though I knew he was innocent, no one believed me. No matter how hard I pleaded, he was still given a guilty verdict. There were times where I thought it would be impossible, but I managed to help prove his innocence seven years after.”

“So, I’m not alone on this.”

“I know this is unjust treatment, but I promise we will rectify this. It may not be easy, and it won’t be pretty, but it’s just like Mr. Wright told me: ‘The bleakest times are when defense attorneys have to force their biggest smiles.’”

“Does that mean…”

“I don’t care if this sounds like ‘shoot-first-ask-later’ mentality; I’m going to help you both out and take your case.”

“Athena, you’re a lifesaver. I can’t express how truly grateful I am…”

<< “Hug” given by Lightning Star >>

“…and thanks for the encouragement. I needed that.”

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

WHAT HAPPENED

“Okay, Shining Armor was it?” I began. “Do you remember the events that led up to the alleged crime?”

“More or less,” he replied. “It started last evening a bit before 9:00. I was at the castle ruins in the Everfree Forest, doing some research. I came across something intriguing, and I knew my sister would want to know about it. I left the ruins to meet up with her in Canterlot, but I was ambushed while traversing the forest.”

“You were ambushed? Who did that?”

“I can’t remember. I must have blacked out when it happened, but the guards said that Tirek was killed on the scene.”

Lightning Star was shocked to hear that, or at least that’s what I sensed when he said, “You’re kidding.”

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

THE VICTIM

“I don’t know anything about this ‘Tirek’ guy you mentioned,” I confessed. “Could you tell me about him?”

“To put it simply, he’s an enemy to Equestria. He tried to steal the magic of every pony and conquer their land. Originally, he was defeated by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, but he recently came back with a vengeance.”

“You mean last night, right?”

“What? No! Earlier!” Shining Armor was interrupted by another coughing fit. “My apologies…it’s just that he would have turned our home into a wasteland if Twily and her friends hadn’t defeated him. It’s rather frightening to think how close he came to victory.”

“Sheesh, this guy sounds like a demon.”

“Technically, he is,” Lightning Star chimed in, bringing up a picture of Tirek on his device.

When I saw it, I had to cover my mouth to muffle my scream. All I could utter for a few seconds was incoherent sounds due to the shock. (Why would you show me that!?)

“He was about to be judged,” Shining Armor continued, “but he managed to escape his prison, somehow.”

“There must be an accomplice,” Lightning Star said. “Tirek wouldn’t be able to escape in the state he was imprisoned without help.”

“I wouldn’t doubt that,” added Shining Armor. “Considering the villains we have to deal with, somepony could be aligned with him.”

“Well, I’m going to find the truth to clear your name,” I responded.

“Hold on a minute!” Lightning Star interrupted. “There’s something that’s bugging me.”

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

GUARD BEHAVIOUR

“When I told my account of what I saw, you said earlier, ‘Nopony in the Royal Canterlot Guard would use threats like that.’ Who else could have I encountered?”

“Well, I merely heard rumors being told,” Shining Armor said, “but there has been talk of a vigilante uprising in Canterlot.”

“Vigilantes? There are ponies taking the law in their own hooves in Canterlot too?”

“I don’t have any solid proof, so I can’t confirm anything, but I know that you wouldn’t have dealt with the Royal Guard. When I was Captain, I had to enforce the strict code of honour each guard was bound by, even myself. If any guards did what you witnessed, they’d be court-martialled.”

“Vigilantes can be unpredictable at times,” I commented, “but wouldn’t they want to seek safety and justice like anyone else?”

“It depends,” Lightning Star answered. “As you said, they’re unpredictable. Some cause more harm than good, and some end up being enemies of the law. You can’t trust vigilantes completely to carry out justice.”

“At least we know what we could encounter. Now we can carry out our investigation.”

“Don’t get too far ahead. We still need to get the substitution of attorney petition completed so you can officially help. We can meet with Princess Celestia to get that straightened out.”

“Right.” I turned to Shining Armor and said, “Don’t worry, Shining Armor. We’ll see to it that you’ll be a free stallion.”

“Thanks,” he replied. “I’m counting on you.” He walked back deeper in his cell to his bed and fell asleep.

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

PONYVILLE
CANTERLOT
EVERFREE FOREST

CANTERLOT STREETS
CANTERLOT GREAT HALL
CANTERLOT DUNGEONS

CANTERLOT THRONE ROOM
~~~~~
May 10, XXXX 10:30 a.m..
Canterlot Throne Room

We reached the door to the throne room of Princess Celestia, thanks to the guidance of the guards, but when we arrived, a guard was blocking the door.

“Uh, Lightning Star, you go ahead,” I said. “I feel like I’m in enough trouble with the guards already.”

Lightning Star shot me a confused glance, but he obliged. “Excuse me, sir,” he told the guard while presenting the heart badge, “but we need to see Princess Celestia. It’s regarding the trial tonight.”

“I shall open these doors only when the current meeting is adjourned,” the guard replied. “Those are my orders.”

“That’s fair. We’ll wait.”

As soon as his conversation ended, we heard an argument going on within the room.

“What!? Why are you denying me the chance to work alongside the defense!?”

“Twilight Sparkle, your brother is the defendant. Any member of his family would be suspected of forgery if allowed to take the defense.”

“You of all ponies should know me better than that! You taught me so much! I received true friends thanks to you! You even said that I earned my title as the Princess of Friendship! What reason would I have to ignore your teachings!?”

“Enough! My verdict is final! You will have no involvement with the defense!”

“I don’t believe you! You put your trust in me so many times before, but now, when somepony is in dire need and I offer my all, you refuse and act uncharacteristically selfish!”

In the brief moment of silence, all I could do was look to Lightning Star. He gave me a shrug, telling me he knew nothing about what was happening.

“Leave me, Twilight. You have a lot to think about.”

“So that’s it? After all we’ve been through…hmph, so do you.”

The doors were slammed open by a purple mare storming out of the throne room. Before Lightning Star or I could say anything, she disappeared.

“Let’s just get this over with,” he told me. “It’s best the two get a chance to calm down.”

As we entered, I noticed the source of one of the voices: a tall, white winged unicorn with a multicoloured flowing mane and tail and wearing all sorts of golden accessories. The only thing I could keep track of was her stern face, which alone managed to strike fear in me and turn Widget dark blue.

“I’m very busy at the moment,” she told us, “so please make your work here quick.”

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

PETITION

“Princess Celestia, we need to submit a substitution of attorney petition,” Lightning Star said. “It’s of utmost importance that it gets confirmed as soon as possible.”

“Very well,” Celestia replied, pulling up a scroll and a quill with her magic. “This is for the defense, correct?”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“So who will be the new acting defense team leader?”

“She will.” He pointed straight at me.

I froze. (Why do I feel like I’m suddenly on trial!?)

Celestia looked at me with an unwavering stare. “And you are…”

“I-I-I-I-I’m A-Athena Cykes, a-a-analytical psychologist a-a-and d-defense attorney of the Wright Anything Agency.”

For some reason, Celestia was shocked to hear the name of Mr. Wright. I showed her my regular badge just to confirm everything, but that didn’t alleviate the shock.

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

PHOENIX WRIGHT

“How can a pony be employed by Phoenix Wright?” asked Celestia.

“Well, the thing is…I’m not from Equestria, and I’m technically not an actual unicorn. I was human before being brought here, and I worked for Mr. Wright in my homeland for a bit over a year now.”

“You said that you were a defense attorney, correct?”

“That’s right. I served as co-counsel for nearly all of Mr. Wright’s cases since I joined the agency, and I even served as defense leader in one case.” I felt my confidence build back up in my reminiscence.

“So why were you brought here instead of him?”

“He’s on an exchange visit with the Legal League of Attorneys, so he didn’t stop off at the agency this morning. I was the only one there at the time.”

“Twilight told me to bring Phoenix Wright here as a failsafe for the trial tonight,” Lightning Star explained. “Unfortunately, I’m not as proficient at this sort of thing as she is which is why Athena turned into a unicorn upon arrival. My apologies…”

“Don’t sweat it,” I interrupted. “I’ll get the hang of it; you said it yourself. Besides, human or unicorn, I’m keeping my promise.”

Celestia handed me the scroll she was writing on and said, “The petition is almost complete. All you need to do is give your signature, and the full authority as defense leader will be transferred to you.”

After hearing that and reading the scroll, I felt something telling me that the petition seemed incomplete. I was compelled to speak up:

“Your Highness, I propose a proviso upon this petition.”

“That’s a rather unorthodox request,” Celestia replied.

“I propose that Lightning Star, as my co-counsel, should be granted the same rights and authority that I would receive as defense leader. While I do have a career in criminal law and analytical psychology, he knows more about your land, the defendant, and the case itself, and I need him as my guide wherever I investigate without restrictions.”

The princess paused to ponder over my suggestion before answering: “Seeing as you are a foreigner, I can understand why such a request would be made. Therefore, I shall grant Lightning Star permission to keep his authority in your investigation, and he shall serve as your aid during court.”

“A-Athena…” Lightning Star stammered. He paused before he shot me a smile. “Thanks. I won’t let you down.”

“Trés bien! Let’s go prove our client’s innocence!”

<< “Signature” given to Celestia; “Defense Leader” position received >>

EXAMINE MOVE

TALK PRESENT

PONYVILLE
CANTERLOT
EVERFREE FOREST

PONYVILLE MEADOWS
PONYVILLE TOWN SQUARE

FRIENDSHIP RAINBOW CASTLE

Author's Note

Hey, guys! I hope you enjoyed the first part of "Turnabout of a Titan". Out of all the Ace Attorney / MLP crossovers I've come across, I hadn't seen one where Athena Cykes was the focus, so, why not take the opening and write a story?

Before we move on, I just want to clarify a few things:
1) OC's
I have a list of characters that are exclusive to this story; Lightning Star isn't the only one. They will be introduced at specific points as the story goes on, but I'll see to it that they don't steal the focus. After all, Athena is the protagonist.

2) Lightning Star
I really hope you don't think of him as a shameful self-insert. I've been working on his character structure for over a year now. In the context of this story, I was trying to fit him in a role similar to Raymond Shields while having a few personality quirks that could be related to Ema Skye and Apollo Justice.

Before you ask, yes, his handicap and device will be important to the story. I wouldn't put that in for no reason. If you want a visual reference, here's a rough drawing of him with a ponified Athena.
(Pardon my scanner; the full saturation isn't displayed.)

3) "Turnabout Storm"
You don't have to watch/read this to understand this story. (You would need to understand how an Ace Attorney story would be written, though.) This story acknowleges the existence of Turnabout Storm, and this story would fit in the timeline that it would be in, but it's not a mandatory viewing in order to enjoy this story.

4) Prosecutor
*Note*: Arguments like "Trixie because she's best pony" or "Edgeworth because he's chief prosecuter" are TOO WEAK TO BE WORTH ANYTHING!!! Don't do that!

Thanks for all your help. With your input, I was able to get one that would fit perfectly in the story. For your reference, I'll be showing who didn't make it throughout until we get to the trial.

Unfortunately for them, these six had zero votes and no valid arguments:
0 pts.
Octavia Melody
Klavier Gavin
Filthy Rich
Diego Armando (a.k.a. Godot)
Fire Streak (Wonderbolt [a la Zach Barnham])
Raven (Celestia's secretary [S3E01])

Well, that's all I wanted to say. I hope you enjoyed the beginning. If not...I promise it will get more interesting as the story progresses.