Twilight adjusted her fancy tie with a little smile. "I'm totally ready."
Spike cocked a brow. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I am!" She produced a thick book entitled 'The Mare's Guide to Legalities'. "See, everything I need to know. Rarity really came through with this outfit." She patted herself down. "See, all ready."
The courtroom of Canterlot was packed with mostly curious ponies, looking down at Twilight, her assistant, and across at Starlight Glimmer seated in her own stand. Glimmer cleared her throat softly. "Twilight?"
"Yes?" sang Twilight, looking across at her opponent.
"I thought we made up?" Starlight glanced up at the crowd and back to Twilight. "Why are we here?"
"Oh you silly mare." Twilight smiled brightly. "You still committed several crimes that have to be answered for. If I let you go with just an apology, think of the precedent! We're still friends, but laws are laws." She clopped a hoof down on her book. "And, as princess of friendship, I have to see them carried out."
One of the ponies up in the stands, Bon Bon, leaned forward. "What'd she do, Princess Twilight Sparkle?"
Twilight twirled her hooves together. "Well, she almost destroyed Equestria, several times, plunging us into a dark alternative timeline that would have seen your lives utterly destroyed to despair and endless turmoil."
The room suddenly became quiet. "Sorry," peeped Starlight, shrinking. A tomato was hurled from the audience, only to be caught by a golden glow. Celestia had arrived.
"All rise for Princess Celestia!"
All the ponies stood up as she ascended to the judge's seat and took a bite of the fruit. "Very thoughtful of you, much better than the alternative. Attacking somepony in custody of the court is a severe crime." Without naming names or even looking towards the guilty pony, her message was clear, and no more fruit launched itself. As she settled, the all clear was given, and the other ponies settled back down. "Princess Twilight Sparkle, are you the prosecuting lawyer today?"
Twilight bobbed her head. "Yes I am, Princess Celestia. You're going to be so proud of me." She grinned like a foal expecting an A on her report. "Are you already aware of the nature of today's trial?"
Celestia gave a stately nod. "For propriety, you should repeat it."
Starlight clopped a hoof on her stand. "W-wait! Don't I get a say in this?"
Twilight rose to her hind legs and pointed across to Starlight. "Objection! You're in contempt of the court. Don't speak out of turn!"
Celestia softly clopped a hoof. "Calm down. Starlight, you'll get your turn, but please wait for that, or address a quick question to me, which must be directly related to what is being spoken of at that moment. Do you understand?"
Starlight nodded quickly and sat down, looking dejected.
Twilight brushed back her slicked mane, turned back for the occasion. "As I was saying, we're gathered here today to see judgement be done concerning the many crimes of one Starlight Glimmer. She employed dangerous magic, trespassed in my castle, and caused the repeated destruction and devastation of Equestria."
Celestia raised a brow. "These are serious crimes. I trust you have your evidence ready."
"Evidence?" Twilight sank to a seated position. "My word isn't enough? I'm a princess!"
Celestia raised a hoof. "There's a reason none of us are queens. We must provide evidence just as anypony else, for justice to be done properly. Are you ready to proceed?"
Spike smirked a little. "Still feeling ready?"
"Of course!" Twilight jerked upright. "I'm ready, your honor." She adjusted her tie a moment with fidgeting hooves. "Let's begin with her crime of tresspassing. She was witnessed by myself, Spike, and later the former Bearers of the Elements. This is an open and shut case." She brought down a hoof to clop on her book of law.
Celestia nodded. "That does sound simple. Where did this take place again?"
Twilight tilted her head. "My castle, your honor. Didn't I mention that?"
"Hmm, you had." Celestia shook her head slowly. "But she can't have trespassed there. That's a public building. Was she told to leave?"
Starlight quickly raised a hoof. "I was not, your honor!"
Celestia nodded at Starlight, then looked back to Twilight.
Trembling, Twilight sank back to her haunches. How could she have forgotten?! "I... She's telling the truth."
Celestia made a cross with a hoof. "That charge is dropped. Shall we move on to the next?"
Twilight tugged at the color of her finely tailored shirt. "Alright, the use of dangerous magic. She adjusted a spell of Star Swirl the Bearded, frightful and powerful, twisting it to her own ends."
"Like the time you traveled a week into the past?" asked Celestia.
Twilight went stiff. "Y-yes, but my spell only ruined my own week. Hers almost destroyed Equestria!"
Celestia cast her gaze cross the courtroom. "You have evidence of the damage she's committed? The spell you speak of is not, by itself, illegal."
Spike shrugged. "The scroll got eaten up by the spell, it's gone."
Twilight brought a hoof to her forehead. "There's one crime you can't deflect!"
"And that would be?" asked Celestia with a serene look of patience on her face.
"She wasted my entire day!" Twilight thrust a hoof across at Starlight. "Spike was there, he's my witness!"
Celestia looked down to Spike. "Do you verify this?"
"Y-yes, ma'am." Spike saluted sharply. "The whole day."
Celestia nodded. "Do you have anything to say in your defense?" She looked to Starlight.
Starlight looked up at the huffing and puffing Twilight. "I'm... sorry?"
Celestia nodded. "Very good. Please avoid doing this in the future. The time of the princess' is very valuable." She brought down a hoof, no gavels in sight. "Justice is served."
Twilight sank against her stand, defeated.
Starlight clopped her forehooves together with delight, bouncing up and looking ready to leave when she saw Twilight's frazzled state and approached her instead.
"Come to mock me?" asked Twilight. "I'm the worst lawyer ever..."
Starlight put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "You fought well, Twilight. I thought I was going to go to jail forever, or be banished from Equestria."
Twilight looked up from her arm to match eyes with Starlight. "Don't make fun of me."
Starlight smiled brightly. "I'm not. You did a great job." She offered a hoof. "I'll be good, promise. Next time you'll throw the book at me."
Twilight wiped her tears on her sleeve and smiled a little. "We'd better not meet like this again." She met the hoof with her own, and they left together with Spike.
Justice was served.
Author's Note
Princess Celestia can put right to wrong! But can she fix typos?
