All I Had to do was Stop

My parents immediately hired a lawyer for me as soon as they got off the phone and now they're wasting their hard earned money for somepony to represent and defend me in court. I almost wish I hadn't called them, it's not like I'm not guilty of an atrocious act, what's the point. I sat in a jail cell in the village police station waiting for my parents and their lawyer to show up. Oh, Celestia, I hope they don't waste their money bailing me out. I committed an equinicide, they'd have to remortgage their house for that.

Never in my life have I felt like such a lowlife. Just because I was in a hurry, I killed a young foal and now, I waited for the process of my paying for it to begin. We all make mistakes but not like this. Just when it finally seemed like I could at least get a moment of peace and quiet to think about what wound me up here and probably soon the Equestrian penitentiary however, a commotion seemed to erupt outside my cell. Much to my confusion, several police officers darted and dashed about all over the building in what seemed a panicked frenzy.

"Get out there and block the entrance!" The police chief who arrested me ordered his subordinates. Don't let any of them in the building, they're about to start a riot out there!"

"Sir! They're starting to throw things at the windows!" Another officer hollered.

"Then don't hesitate to arrest anypony who causes any trouble! We don't tolerate vigilantes in this town!"

I just didn't know what to make of it. A riot? Unrest in the streets of this quiet little town? This day possibly couldn't get any worse. Well, that's where I was wrong. I could vividly hear the shouting and swearing of furious ponies outside the barred window that connected my holding cell to the outside. Out of curiosity, I stood on my hind legs on the cot in my cell and peaked out the small window and sure enough, there were dozens, maybe even hundreds of angry ponies throwing whatever they could get their hooves on at the building.

The fire and fury in their eyes was even scarier than the look the police chief gave me. Other ponies were sobbing as they embraced each other but judging by what happened today involving me and that colt, they all had one thing in common. The sudden realization literally made my heart physically ache, I truly felt like I was having a heart attack. The ponies trying to push past police officers and throwing things at a government building could only mean one thing that just crushed me down to my very soul. My whole town wanted to lynch me.

I couldn't look at the eyes of these ponies for a second longer and dropped myself down onto the cot in the fetal position and began sobbing myself soaking wet. Not only have I taken a precious life, I turned my community, my home town into riot zone. Never before has there been nearly this much unrest in the streets and I only had myself to blame. Oh, and now my parents are on their way here as I speak. What if they get attacked by the angry mob? Everypony knows each other in Trottski, they're bound to know who my parents are. They could hoof me right over to them to tear me limb from limb for all I care, I just want them to leave my parents out of this.

No matter what I did, no matter how hard I covered my ears, I couldn't tune out the shouting and chanting of the crowd of ponies who sought after my blood. All I wanted to do was just drift off to sleep and preferably never wake up again but the mob of pissed off ponies wasn't about to grant me any serenity. Another agonizing hour ticked by as slowly as time could allow until finally, my parents showed up with the lawyer they hired. For the first time today, I breathed a sigh of relief that the angry townsponies didn't attack my parents as there wasn't so much as a scratch no torn item of clothing on them.

My Mom and Dad were absolutely speechless when they entered the room with the holding cells to see me locked in one of them like the scum I felt that I had become. All my life, my parents have openly expressed how proud that are of me and everything I have done and just like that, I had been reduced to a total lowlife. My Dad was always very emotional and more quick to tears than my Mom but to see me locked up in that cell was just too hard for them to see and I could add them to the growing list of ponies I had hurt.

"Young lady, I think I have an idea just crazy enough to get you out of this!" The lawyer, a unicorn stallion beamed as an officer escorting the trio unlocked my cell.

Typical lawyer. I don't like this guy already. I know what I did and now he's going to try to help me get away with it? Well, he and the officer who unlocked my cell who I think must be the department's sargeant lead me and my parents to one of those rooms with the one-way mirror in it where we all took a seat at a table. Myself, my parents, and our lawyer sat on the opposite side of the police officer while our law expert here opened up a briefcase and pulled out some papers, hell if I know what they even were.

"I've got more than enough proof here that your chief coerced my client into telling him what he wanted to hear!" The lawyer began as he flipped through the papers. "You call this a statement?!"

"Have you completely forgotten that a young foal just died today?!" The officer retorted.

"Not only that, but he even illegally detained my client by taking her keys and forcing her car to the curb with his aura!"

"If she'd left the scene, she'd be a hell of a lot more sorry than she is now!"

The officer is right though. I'd be committing a whole new crime altogether if I left. Of course he's going to ignore the fact that a young life got snuffed out because of me. Oh, Celestia, why the fuck did my parents hire this guy?

"And I even reviewed video footage from one of the cameras on that school bus!" The lawyer continued. "The driver clearly didn't allow nearly enough time for other traffic to clear and didn't even bother checking to make sure all other cars were stopped!"

"I'll have you know, that poor stallion couldn't get himself behind the wheel of that bus after what happened and now he's retiring earlier than he planned because of this!"

"That's no concern of ours! Look, this is an open and shut case! Next week, when she goes before the judge, she'll be back home and out with her friend before you can say-"

"I'm going to plead guilty!" I said, cutting the lawyer off.

The lawyer, my parents, even the cop in the room looked at my like I had just sprouted a second head. I love my parents more than anything in the world and I know they just want to protect me but it had to be done. If I trotted, the whole town would never rest until they had my head and if I simply get away with it, it would be nothing but an insult to the colt who lost his life and those who loved him. I'm a grown mare and I am going to face the music for what I did. I am going to step up, shut up, and pay my debt to my community.

"Creampuff! Sweetie, you don't have to do this!" My mom gasped.

"Puff puff, you can't go to jail! You just can't!" My dad sobbed. "You'll get chewed up and spat out!"

"Miss Lime, you could completely avoid any jail time!" The lawyer said. "Worst case scenario, you could trot out with probation or a fi-"

"I just killed somepony!!" I shouted, leaving the room so quiet, I could only hear the breathing of everypony here. "Mom...Dad...I love you two so much, don't ever forget that...but I won't be able to sleep at night ever again if I don't do something. Did you see those ponies out there? Didn't you take a second to look at them and think about what they're going through? Those ponies just had their hearts torn out and smashed to bits. Those are ponies who are in agony over what I've done. I didn't just hurt a few ponies, I destroyed my home town."

"Humph. Well, there goes my case." The lawyer huffed as he began stuffing papers back into his briefcase. "Whatever, I'm still getting paid for showing up. Your court hearing is next Wednesday. If you plead guilty, the judge will simply decide your sentence. Good luck, you'll need it."

After pretty much telling me to go fuck myself, the lawyer finished packing up his papers, slammed his case shut and trotted out the door, leaving me, my parents, and the police sergeant to discuss the situation.

"I'll be honest with you, young lady." The sergeant said. "When we first brought you in earlier, I thought you were just another scumbag but now, I take it back. You're one brave girl for owning up to it like this."

"Thanks but I don't think I'll have a single positive thought about myself for a long time to come." I replied, tears still flowing down my face."

"You're remorseful." My Dad said. "That's okay. It means you have a soul."

"Sweetie, you're the strongest, bravest pony I know." My mom said as she patted me on the back. "I mean it."

"Be that as it may..." The sergeant began again. "...I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. She could end up going away for a very long time if she isn't so lucky. Though she has no prior record, equnicides aren't taken into account like that. If the judge has it in for her, she could do the same time as somepony with a long rap sheet."

"Well, surely Judge Sweetenjust will understand." My Dad added. "I mean, of course she didn't do it on purpose."

"Oh, it's not going to be the village judge doing the hearing. Unless she's bailed out, later tonight we'll be transporting her to the county lock up where she'll then go to court over in Oswaggo. The local system doesn't deal with equinicides, that's for the county and Judge Ironclad to handle."

Knowing that Ironclad is very well known to be a tough judge, my Dad, with a nervous look on his face, pulled his checkbook from his pocket followed by a pen. Don't even think about it, Dad.

"How much is her bail?" My Dad asked.

"Dad, I'm not letting you do this!" I snapped.

"Puff Puff, we're not leaving you locked up here for a minute longer than we have to. How much is her bail, sir?"

"One hundred thousand bits." The officer replied, earning a river of tears from my Dad.

It's not that it was just more than what my parents were willing to pay, they simply couldn't afford it. I'm both glad that it was out of their budget but at the same time crushed that it hurt them to see me locked up like this. I live up to my name, I am a total creampuff. I will either endure jail or die in the process. With nothing else we could do and visiting time brought to an end, my Mom and Dad gave me one last hug before they left for home. Still, the crowd of enraged townsponies stood outside the police station but again spared my parents from any physical harm though I was told by another officer that they had some verbal harassment thrown their way.

With the last of any necessary paperwork and other formalities taken care of, I was once again fitted with hoof cuffs and lead to the front entrance to the precinct where the mob seemed to be waiting for me. Dozens of officers from other departments must have been called in to assist as they formed a line on both side of the paved trotway to keep the angry citizens at bay while they bring me to a waiting county squad car. It was sickening to see what I had caused. All these ponies were out for my blood and the police had to protect me, the criminal from them. If it weren't for my parents who would have been hurt, I would just let them tear me apart until they were satisfied.

"On three." An officer who flanked me on my right said. "One...two...three!"

The second the officer to my right shouted "three", he and another officer on my left pushed the door open, grabbed me by the forelegs and rushed out towards the waiting car driven by the county sheriff and a deputy. As soon as us three exited the building, the crowd pushed against the officers forming the barrier even harder, causing several of them to skid backwards as their hooves dug into the ground. Many of them had drawn their batons at this point and started taking swings at ponies to keep them back.

None of my hooves were even touching the ground, the two cops who escorted me out were literally carrying me. I hung my head low both because I didn't want anypony to look at me and because I was afraid of getting hit by a vengeful hoof or a flying object, it was that bad. Finally, we reached the car and the two officers shoved me into the back seat, slammed the door and took off to deal with the crowd who was now giving chase as we pulled away. Finally, we were on the highway and on our way to Oswaggo, a city of about eighteen thousand in the center of the county it was aptly named after. From there, I would be spending the next few days in a holding cell until my court hearing.

The following Wednesday...

The courtroom at the county courthouse was jam packed with ponies both staff and otherwise. I sat at a table next my my asshole of a lawyer, my parents at a bench just behind us and a crowd of pissed off ponies behind them. Several uniformed bailiffs stood between me and them to ensure order. I couldn't help but notice that not a single one of my friends showed up but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Our waiting finally ended as a door on the opposite side of the courtroom opened.

"Order! All rise!" The bailiff nearest to the door called out.

As myself and everypony else in the courtroom arose to our hooves, an older, gray pegasus mare with a silver mane tied in a bun entered the room. I had never seen her before but since this mare donned a traditional black robe, I knew right away she must have been Her Honour, the notoriously tough Judge Ironclad herself.

"Please be seated!" The same bailiff called out as the judge took her seat. "The court in the case of the ponies of Equestria versus Creampuff Lime is now in session!"

After shuffling a few papers about on her desk before her, the judge turned her attention to me, giving me a stone cold look of utter distaste.

"Miss Lime, you're being brought up on the following charges..." Judge Ironclad began. "Unlawful passing of a school bus, one count...reckless driving, one count...endangering the welfare of foals, one count...and criminally negligent vehicular equinicide, one count. How do you plead to these charges?"

As per proper etiquette for addressing a judge, I stood up on my hooves to answer her.

"G-guilty to each ch-charge, your honour." I stuttered as I struggled to stifle tears.

I could hear my parents quietly sobbing behind me as the crowd started murmuring, I could even hear various comments from several of them. Some of them took me aback and most I would expect.

"Really? She's owning up to it?" Said a mare in the crowd.

"I thought for sure she'd try to weasel her way out of this." Said a stallion.

"I was hoping she'd plead not guilty so they'd fry her worthless ass." Said another mare.

"Order!" The judge shouted as she smacked her galvel down on her desk. "We're all adults here, I shouldn't have to remind you that we're in a courtroom! Now act like it!"

To say she was intimidating would be a grave understatement. Just like that, every single pony in the room shut right up. After a brief pause, she turned her glare back to me.

"A plea of guilty..." The judge said as she cocked an eyebrow at me. "Alright, you're making it a little easier on everypony then. I'll be in my chambers deciding your sentence for the time being."

This session would make the record books for the quickest one in history, I'll bet. After excusing herself to her chambers, Judge Ironclad stood up and trotted out the door of which a bailiff held open for her. There I sat waiting for my entire future to be decided, next to the lawyer my parents wasted their money on. I would soon pay my debt for the crime I committed and hopefully bring some closure to the family and friends of the colt I killed. Oh my Celestia, that poor little colt. His poor parents who sat in the back of the room, and his little sister who would now grow up without her brother. That's when it hit me. There was still time! Clutzy Luvvie's funeral was earlier today and I was told that he hasn't been buried yet! There's something I have to do before I get locked away, my conscience will never rest until I do! I just hope the judge has an ounce of mercy of me just so I can do it.

"M-Mister Mako?" I said quietly to my lawyer.

"Hm?" Mako asked.

"I need your help. Please, I...there's something I need to do...it's on a personal level."

"What's that?"

Without making eye contact, Mako tilted his head to lend me an ear. I had one last request before I would take my punishment and I would be forever damned if I couldn't carry out my little plan. As I whispered my idea into my lawyer's ear, it drooped at what I had just said to him. He then turned to me with an expression of both surprise and what I think was...touched I guess is the word I'm looking for.

"I...Okay...I'll ask her." Mako stuttered as he began to stifle tears of his own.

After a few more minutes of waiting, the judge returned to the room, myself and everypony arose, sat back down and awaited the news of my fate. After seating herself, Judge Ironclad took a pen in her mouth to jot a few things down, dropped the pen back down onto her desk and turned back to me.

"Miss Lime, stand up and approach the bench." The judge ordered me.

I didn't hesitate for a moment and slowly, quietly trotted over and stood shaking before the judge, my head hung low and my ears folded back. This was it. Starting tonight, I would be a prisoner of Equestria. I would no longer have a name but a series of numbers embroidered upon an orange shirt I would have no choice but to wear. I just hope my lawyer speaks up before it's too late. I don't want to try to escape justice, All I want is to save my soul and calm my conscience.

"Miss Lime, I have decided your sentence." The judge said to me in an ice cold tone. "First however, I'd like to throw in my two bits...You took a life, Creampuff. Really, seriously think about that. Not only is a young foal dead, but your entire town is in utter agony of the loss of not just one but two lives. In a way, you're dead too...dead to the ponies in your community. I pity you, miss. Even after you get out of prison, you're going to have a long, difficult life ahead of you. And for what? Because you were in too much of a hurry. It's a shame, because now, I hereby sentence you to ten yea-"

"Objection!!" My lawyer shouted as he burst from his chair

"Mister Mako, have you finally lost your mind!? You can't just toss in a last second objection before I sentence somepony!"

"Your honour, if you would just hear me out, please! My client has but one final request before she receives her sentence."

Again, the crowd began murmuring amongst themselves as they must have been surprised that I, the convicted killer of all ponies would have the nerve to make a request. I thought for sure she was gonna up and chuck her galvel at me to save her desk another blow from the look she was giving me. The crowd even began getting louder and a few ponies even booed at the idea.

"Order!!" The judge shouted as she gave her desk several good smacks. "I will have order in this courtroom or I'll have everypony cleared out!!"

Again, everypony in the room shut right up and the judged turned back to Mako.

"A request huh?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow. "Ohhohoh, this oughtta be good. Get over here and make it quick, I don't wanna be in the same room with her for a minute longer than I have to."

Without a moment's hesitation, the lawyer trotted over to Judge Ironclad whom had her head tilted and an ear open much like he had before. As he whispered in her ear, she gave a few interested nods as she listened intently. Very slowly, her expression changed from bemused to that of shock, again much like Mister Mako had after listening to me. I thought for sure she would simply scoff and get on with the sentencing but to my surprise, she turned to me with quivering lips and drooping ears.

"Y-you want to..." Judge Ironclad stuttered before covering her mouth. "I uhh...erm, excuse me, everypony, I need to go to my chambers again."

The judge then suddenly flared her wings and darted towards the door and if not for the bailiff's quick action, she would have flown right into it. The only thing for us to do was wait. I had no idea she would react that way. Had my request struck a chord with her somehow? It sounded like she was about to give me ten years behind bars. Well deserved if anypony were to ask me but all I could ever ask for is this one little chance to try and make things right or at least take another baby step towards it.

The courtroom was entirely silent save for the ticking of the clock upon the wall. At this point, more than an hour had passed since we all last saw the judge and we were all getting antsy. I just wanted to know if I could die a somewhat happy and fulfilled pony when my own time comes. At long last, our wait was over as the judge appeared again and once more, everypony arose and sat back down. Her mane appeared somewhat disheveled and her eyes red and sort of puffy, like she had been crying. How could it be? She's the toughest judge in the Northeast of Equestria.

"Everypony who isn't courthouse staff, except the defendant and her parents, leave the room immediately." The judge said quietly.

I was surprised as everypony else and the crowd expressed it as they again chatted amongst themselves while the group of bailiffs escorted everypony as per the judge's orders. For a few minutes, she just sat there up at her desk and rubbed her temples as if she had a horrible migraine. With everypony now outside the courtroom, save for me, my lawyer, my parents and the bailiffs, the judge turned to me with a much softer expression than before.

"Miss Lime, stand up and approach me, please." Judge Ironclad said.

I did as I was told and stood before her again, my head hung low and tears creating a puddle underneath me.

"Your request is..." She began again. "...reasonable. It, um...it's...moving actually. It just...it made me look at you in a bit of a different way. You're not like a lot of the countless other mooks I've put away, you're actually quite brave. I've seen so many ponies cry fake tears and feign remorse but you...you really are aching over this, not simply because you're being punished but because you truly have deep regret for your actions. I felt morally obligated to take another look and reconsider your sentence, Miss Lime. At seven O'clock tonight, I will have officers escort you to a florist where they will then bring you to Faustin Max Funeral Home..."

Before she gave me her last choice words, Judge Ironclad picked her her galvel.

"...From there, you will be taken to the Northeast Equestrian Penitentiary where you will serve twelve months. May your time at the funeral home bring peace to you."

Hours later...

Celestia bless that judge for allowing me to do this, but a year? One lousy year for killing a young foal with my car? I feel like it's a big insult to Clutzy Luvvie and his loved ones but it can't be helped. From here on out, it's up to me to take the steps towards making things right. My first step would be taken once I climbed the steps into the funeral home with a bouquet of flowers in my hoof and two officers waiting for me at the door. The sun was setting on a beautiful Spring evening and the funeral home was completely empty, save for myself and sompony I would hopefully make peace with.

Very slowly, I trotted towards the end of the dimly lit room where a lone open casket sat atop a stand. As I trotted closer, my teeth began to clench followed by the inevitable waterworks. My breaths quickened and shortened as I trotted closer still. I had to do this, even if it killed me. I was given fifteen minutes and I had to make every one of them count. Finally, I reached the casket on the end of the room, and there he was.

There I stood before him, the precious, innocent little colt I senselessly, needlessly took from this world, from those who knew and loved him. The little guy was dressed in a nice little suit and his forehooves were folded around his chest with a red rose tucked between them. His mane was neatly combed and a sweet little smile adorned his face as he lay on his soft bed of light blue velvet that matched his coat. He was so beautiful.

With a shaky hoof, I gently placed the bouquet of flowers in the casket next to the other various items such as toys, comic books and pictures of family members. I wasn't finished yet, I had to say something, anything. Every time I tried to open my mouth though, my teeth clenched up tight and again my breaths grew short. I could only think of one thing as I stood there sobbing. This precious little ten year old foal is laying in that casket because of me. Because of me, everypony who knew and loved him had him ripped away. Because of me, he would never grow up and become the wonderful young stallion he otherwise would have been. Because of me, he's gone.

"I...I *hic* I'm s-so *sniff* so sorry!" Were the only words I could force from my mouth. "I'm so *hic* sor-sorry, little guy! I'm so sorry f-for what I *sniff* did to y-you!"

I couldn't help it, I just collapsed onto the floor and began bawling like a maniac. It was just hitting me so hard, I just couldn't stand up anymore while I shed my guilty tears and shivered on the floor before my innocent victim. I honestly highly doubt I'll ever forgive myself for what I have done. I couldn't get myself to do or say anything else at this point and after a few minutes, my bawling finally gave way to quiet sobbing for him. It seemed like my tear ducts were tapped out dry and the faint tapping of a couple sets of hooves behind me signaled that my time was up but I could go pay my debt knowing that I at least did what I could.

"Miss Lime..." One of the officers behind me said. "...It's time to go."