It was another day for Starlight Glimmer as she made her way to the library room. When she entered, Twilight was in the middle of organizing some scrolls.
"Good morning, Starlight!" Twilight cheered.
"Morning, Twilight." Starlight replied with a smile.
"I hope you're ready because I have today's lesson all planned out!" Twilight began reading her list.
Starlight was hesitant about being Twilight's pupil, despite the fact that Starlight tried to brainwash an entire town or went back in time to change history. Luckily for Starlight, Twilight was willing to offer a second chance in friendship. Twilight was about to finish reading her list when she suddenly stopped.
"Twilight?" Starlight said nervously. She saw that Twilight was frozen in mid-sentence judging by her mouth still open. Starlight soon noticed that something else was strange. The birds flying outside one of the windows were completely still as if something stopped them. Everything around Starlight made no movement as if time stopped and she was the only mare moving. It got more odd when Starlight started to hear a siren from the distant. The siren grew louder until it sounded like it was very close to Starlight. Suddenly, a group of unicorns in black armor teleported all around Starlight with their horns aiming at her.
"Starlight Glimmer!" one of the unicorns called out. "You are under arrest for attempt of changing Equestrian history through time-travel! Surrender or we will use force!"
From all the panicking, Starlight used a force field to push the ponies away so she could escape. One of the unicorns shot a white beam that knocked Starlight to the ground. Before Starlight could make an escape, a few of the black-armored unicorns held each of her hooves to the ground. Starlight's horn light up for another spell but another unicorn shot a blue beam that covered it in a blue aura. Starlight kept concentrating, but no spell activated.
"Let me go!" Starlight demanded.
"We have captured the culprit." a mare in black armor called out. "Bring us back to HQ!"
A large light flashed everywhere in the room. Starlight was blinded by the light until her vision started to clear up. None of those armored unicorns were anywhere near Starlight. She saw that she was now in a large, white room with no window or door. No spells would work for Starlight because her horn was now covered in a metal-like shell. She also noticed that she was now wearing an orange jumpsuit, similar to what a prisoner wears in cells. There was a small tag attached to the left side of her chest with the numbers 040415 printed.
"Hello!" Starlight called out, but no pony replied. She kept running around and calling out to see if anypony will respond. Starlight's desperation of contact was interrupted when a green unicorn stallion teleported in front of her. The stallion had a pure white mane that was combed neatly across his face. His coat was light green but it was covered in a dark blue suit with a red tie.
"Greetings, Starlight." The stallion said. "My name is Echo Wave and please behave yourself."
"Where am I?!" Starlight demanded from being kept inside of the room for a long time.
"You are in one of the prison chambers of the Quantum Order." Echo answered.
Starlight raised an eyebrow from Echo's response. "What's the Quantum Order?" she asked.
"Throughout time and space, all parts of time are connected and time-travel has been a way to travel in those periods." Echo explained. "However, corrupted individuals took time-travel as an opportunity to change the history he, she, or it wants. The Quantum Order was then formed to stop these outcomes from happening and bring these criminals to justice."
Starlight figured out why she was brought here.
"You were arrested for your attempt to stop the Rainboom from happening and change the future of the Elements of Harmony." Echo added. "The Quantum Order was going to step in and fix things, but the past was somehow restored."
"B-but Twilight and I let the Rainboom occur and everything went back to normal!" Starlight confirmed. "If there were other changes I forgot to fix, couldn't the Quantum Order just restore the past the way it should've been?"
"Yes, if it was one change." Echo replied. "For some reason, you kept going back to the past and made so much changes that it created more timelines. It gets difficult for the Quantum Order to restore time-order when multiple timelines form."
Starlight started to get nervous because she felt like her past mistakes started to haunt her.
"I was a different pony back then!" Starlight claimed. "I will no longer do those evil things."
"The Quantum Order didn't think that they were going to let you cause disasters throughout time and get away scot-free." Echo said. "All they care about is preventing anymore changes from happening in time."
"W-what is going to happen to me?" Starlight said with worry.
"You will be given a trial for your crimes. A jury of ponies will determine whether you will be found innocent or guilty." Echo said.
"What happens if I'm found guilty?" Starlight asked with regret.
Echo stayed silent as he tried to figure out the appropriate way to answer. "If you are found guilty, the punishment will be the erasing of your existence."
Starlight was shocked from such a disturbing punishment. "What!" Starlight screamed.
"It is one of the last resort methods of restoring time." Echo said. "If the criminal is erase from time, then every change the criminal made will no longer exist."
Tears started to develop in Starlight's eyes. Starlight realized that she will have no chance of making up to her friends because she will disappear from their memories.
Echo placed a hoof on Starlight' shoulder. "Look, there can be a way to get you a not-guilty verdict."
Starlight's teary eyes looked at Echo to show that she was listening.
"The Quantum Order allows one lawyer to represent the accused in the trial." Echo explained. "Luckily, I just so happen to be that lawyer so I can get you that not-guilty verdict."
Echo's news was able to calm down Starlight a little.
"Before we begin," Echo walked away from Starlight. "you're allowed to talk to one pony you know when you're inside the prison chamber. Just say the pony's name and he or she will appear. I'll get a head start on our strategy to win your case."
"Thank you, Echo." Starlight said with a smile.
"No problem." Echo smiled back. He teleported out of the room. Starlight was once again alone in her chamber. She was able to figure out which pony she would talk to.
"I would like to talk to Princess Twilight, please." Starlight called out.
Twilight appeared in a few seconds with a confused look on her face. "Starlight?!" Twilight said as she looked around the room. "Where are we?!"
"Twilight," Starlight looked down to her teacher. "I'm in some serious trouble." Starlight explained everything about the Quantum Order and why they arrested her. It started to get difficult for Starlight when she brought up what will happen on her guilty verdict.
"I can't believe they're allowed to do such a thing!" Twilight was shocked as she process the info. "Erase from existence?! That sounds horrible!"
"It's their job, Twilight." Starlight said. "They have to stop criminals from changing history." Starlight looked more gloom than usual. "I may have stop being evil, but that doesn't change what happened in my past." The tears reformed in Starlight's eyes. "Maybe I do deserve a guilty verdic."
"Don't say that!" Twilight demanded. "You made new friends who forgive you for your past mistakes!"
Starlight just wiped the tears off her eyes as she finally calmed down.
"Look, I may not be allowed to attend your trial, but all of us will support you." Twilight assured. She gave Starlight a warm hug to make things better.
"Thanks, Twilight." Starlight said. "I need to meet my lawyer so I can prepare for my case."
"Alright," Twilight stood up so she could leave. "Good luck, Starlight!" Twilight was teleported back to her castle.
After a few seconds, Echo returned with some files in his hooves. "Shall we begin?" Echo said as two chairs and a table appeared.
Starlight walked over and sat in front of Echo as they figure out how to win this trial.
