Author's Note

Hey, everyone! Sorry that this is a little late, but I hope you've enjoyed "Cult of Luna" in the meantime. Now, it's time to put this story to rest and move on to the next one. I'm thinking that Dash needs a story from me. I've never done one that focused on her, so be on the lookout for that!

As always, happy reading and thanks so much for your support!

The Showdown

The villains advanced on the hapless captives, who began grabbing at their bindings. Twilight and Moon Dancer were looking for any way possible to escape. The ascending ruler attempted to use her magic to break the bonds, but every time she did so, she found that her magic fizzled out uselessly. “What the hell?” She asked in bewilderment.

Common Law laughed. “It seems you’ve discovered my newest creation. Yes, not only am I a dashingly handsome and daring lawyer, but I’m also an inventor on the side. There are three metal elements that are locked to the bottom of your chairs. These prevent any magic from being used, for as we all know, magic…is for the WEAK!”

He turned and gave vicious looks to his associates, and it became abundantly clear that he did not like them, nor did he consider their magical abilities something to be impressed by. He considered himself an Earth Pony Fundamentalist, and he was not about to have magic skew any of his plans for Equestrian domination. “You see,” he went on, “magic is not something to be awed by or drool over. It is something that benefits only those who can use it.”

“Oh, really?” Twilight asked mockingly, “then how come you’ve been the beneficiary of everything these two mares have done? As far as I can tell, you haven’t lifted a solitary hoof to help them!”

“I didn’t need to!” Common roared, “I figured that I would just…take advantage of their abilities the same way I take advantage of each of my clients: by promising them complete and absolute rubbish in exchange for getting what I want.”

Twilight saw the hurt visibly enter the faces of the two mares. Fuchsia and Pearl looked as if their entire lives had collapsed. Common Law seemed to have left the unicorns in disarray, locked within prisons of his own making. “But…Common,” Fuchsia said, “you said we were all gonna rule Equestria as a team. You promised us that we’d be just as powerful as you would be!”

Common Law eyed them with hatred and malice. He made it clear that his lies were only meant to advance his own position within Equestria. He cared nothing for the ponies that were left in his destructive wake, and that unfortunate body now included both Fuchsia and Pearl. They were going to be taken to court, tried, and punished for a crime they had committed on behalf of somepony who lied to them. They had realized their mistakes, but it had been too late.

“Oh, Fuchsia!” Pearl cried, “I just can’t go to prison! I just can’t!”

“You should’ve thought of that before you robbed the Canterlot Mint!” Moon Dancer thundered, “look, I feel for the two of you at having been exploited by this absolute disgrace of a pony here. But at the same time, the two of you could have enjoyed peace and happiness if you’d only given yourselves to friendship and harmony instead of this reckless lifestyle.”

“Moon’s right,” Twilight said, “when we feast from the Tree and Elements of Harmony, then everypony is better off. But when we feast from the seeds of hatred and lawlessness, then everypony gets hurt. Look at yourselves, Fuchsia and Pearl. Just look at the damage you’ve done, not only to Canterlot, but to your own lives. I’m sorry, but you have nopony to blame except you.”

Fuchsia and Pearl looked at each other, and Twilight saw tears of regret and remorse form in their eyes. They recognized that their entire operation had been a complete and total sham, and that Common was the only pony who would benefit from its success. They realized that the only hope they had now was to let the princess and the detective loose from their bonds. Perhaps then, they will show us some kind of mercy, Fuchsia reasoned.

“Let them loose!” She commanded to Pearl, and the two quickly undid the bonds that held Twilight and Moon down.

“What the hell are you doing, you idiots?!” Common Law asked in a rage, “those are our prisoners, and you’re setting them free?! Do you not care about ruling Equestria anymore?!”

“Frankly, no, we don’t!” Fuchsia roared, “you can take advantage of other stallions and mares, but not us! You’ve been scheming and conniving ever since day one! The only difference is, we thought we were a part of the plan. But it turns out, we were nothing more than fodder for you to feed the Equestrian court system!”

Common Law growled at them, but Fuchsia continued, unfettered. “I know what your dumb little plan was! You were gonna take all the money and run off as Pearl and I took the fall for these crimes! Then, you were gonna use that money and prosecute as many innocent ponies as you could until you cheated your way onto the very throne of Equestria! You would have even torn down the very rulers of our nation, if it meant getting your way!

With all four princesses imprisoned, Equestria would have looked to anypony to lead it. You would have come forward with all your pomp, circumstance, and the fact that you would have locked up the four biggest alleged criminals in Equestrian history, and demanded that you be given the throne. Thank goodness they found my wedding ring and submitted it as evidence! You were gonna drive Equestria into the dirt!”

Common didn’t say anything, but screamed and hurled himself at Fuchsia. When Moon Dancer and Twilight saw that he was actively attempting to physically take advantage of her, they jumped on him. He bit and slashed at the two, drawing blood with every hit. Moon Dancer felt his teeth meet with her flank, and he suddenly got on top of her. “Mm…” he said, in a voice that was somewhere between complete sleaze and a snarl, “I’ll bet you haven’t changed since our wedding night…”

“TWILIGHT, HELP!” Moon screamed.

Twilight shot Common Law with a magic blast that stunned him, and he fell over onto his side. “We’ll have no raping in Equestria!” The ascending princess roared as her eyes glowed with majesty, “that I can assure you! You will be tried, and you WILL be condemned for your actions! As a Princess of Equestria, I formally charge you with the masterminding of the robbery of the Canterlot Mint! I also charge you with numerous crimes and violations against the Attorney Code of Equestria! Furthermore, I charge you with attempted sexual assault against three mares this day! I shall personally see to it that you are either sent to prison forever, or destroyed for these evil deeds!”

She turned from him and eyed the two accomplices. They seemed to shrink before her, and they dropped to their knees and begged for mercy. She smiled at them and helped them up. “Please,” she said, “there’s no need to beg. I believe you two have had a magnificent breakthrough today, and I know that The Pony Penitentiary has a wonderful program that encourages friendship and harmony. Perhaps, while the two of you do your time there, you might learn these things and emerge as better ponies. I’m sorry I have to arrest you now, but know that I believe in you.”

With that, Moon Dancer slapped hoof cuffs on all three of them and led them outside. The ponies gathered there cheered when they saw the princess and the police officer emerge with the captured criminals. “Give ‘em hell, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash yelled.

“Indeed, darling!” Rarity agreed, “though…I wouldn’t have put it quite so crassly.”

“Listen up, everypony!” Twilight said, “these three shall be duly tried and sentenced for the crimes they have committed. But let this serve as an example! This is what happens when we allow the spirits of disharmony to reign supreme in our lives. Let us always look to friendship to solve our problems.”

The crowd cheered again as Moon Dancer led the criminals to a waiting police cart. They were quickly transported away, as Twilight turned and met her friends. They noticed that one of her ears was bleeding and she was covered with various scratches and bruises. “Twilight…are you going to be alright?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, Fluttershy,” Twilight said, “I’m gonna be fine. There’s nothing that can break me, as long as I have you all by my side.”

The six friends met in a joyful group hug, as Twilight declared that The Case of The Canterlot Mint was officially closed. Then, they all went back to Ponyville, happy in the knowledge that their friendship was as tight as ever, and they wouldn’t have to concern themselves with this crime anymore.