Things were not as they normally were in the land of Equestria. The state of normalcy that had spread across the land after the events of the wedding of Shining Armor and Princess Cadance had become slightly broken. Strange things were ahoof, as was made obvious by the arrival of the bizarre creature that had been taken into Canterlot Prison. Word spread across the city quickly after the incident had happened. The story that everypony knew was that early that morning, a conductor pony was attacked by a creature the likes of which nopony had seen before. An hour after the creature had been imprisoned, a notice was sent out to the members of the city, stating that a trial for the creature would be held at the Equestrian High Court building at ten that morning. Needless to say, many ponies were interested in the creature, and many wanted to attend the trial. The High Court room however, was not big enough for all of the ponies that wanted to attend. It was only big enough for forty ponies to attend. One of the ponies that had been granted permission to attend was Lyra Heartstrings. She was in town visiting her friend Octavia, who had also been allowed to attend. Little did Lyra know, however, that in attending the trial, she would have a dream of hers become a reality. She would see something that she had only seen and read about in books of ancient legends, and tomes of forgotten lore: a Human.

AAA

Jack, the human that everypony throughout Canterlot was talking about, was just waking up from the passed out state he had been in. He realised that he was in a bed, his head on a pillow, and his body on a blanketed mattress. He groaned, flopping on his side. He was ready to go back to sleep once more, but when he reached his hands up to place one under the pillow and one on top of it, he came to know that he couldn't. His wrists were constrained in cuffs, and the chain holding them together didn’t allow him to place his hands comfortably. “Blimey, that’s just great...” He reached under his glasses and rubbed his eyes lightly with his knuckles to get the sleep out of them, and looked around once he was able to see clearly. He was in a prison cell, but it was not as gritty and disgusting as the one he’d visited in Canada. It actually looked well kept, and for the most part, unused. He stood up, getting off the bed he’d been lying on, which like the rest of the cell, was rather clean. He looked his body over, and saw that he was still wearing everything he had been when he passed out. Everything was still in his pockets as well, which meant he still had his Rum Chata. He walked over to the steel bars, and saw a guard trotting down the hall of cells. He’s probably only here because I am. He grasped the bars and tried to look farther down the hall. At one end was a dead end wall, and at the other end, was a set of stairs. Just like the Imperial Prison at the beginning of Oblivion...

The guard trotted by Jack's cell, and upon seeing the human awake, stopped in his tracks to turn and face him. He spoke, his voice deep and stern. "Ah, finally awake I see, you criminal scum." He wore a scowl as he spoke, clearly showing his distaste in speaking to prisoners. "I suppose you're wondering where you are. You are in the Canterlot Prison, where those who steal from, assault, and murder ponies are sent when those crimes are committed in Canterlot. In twenty minutes, I am to escort you to the Equestrian High Court building for your trial. I would enjoy my time life as a potentially innocent... whatever you are, if I were you." The guard stood there silently for a moment, waiting to see if Jack would speak. Jack kept his mouth shut, however, as he knew better than to mouth off to a guard. "Though I don't know why a trial was ordered if you can't talk, dumb creature..." He turned and trotted over to the stairs. It was obvious he didn't like his job. Prison work most likely wasn't what he thought of doing when he became a guard.

As the guard trotted up the stairs, Jack breathed a sigh of relief. He was never good with authority figures: Cops when he lived in America, Mounties when he moved to Canada. And it seemed that he wouldn't have a good time with the Equestrian Guards as well. It wasn't that he committed crimes often, hell, he'd never even done drugs before, and he only walked places when he knew he was going to be drinking. It was just that police of any form put him on edge, they made him afraid that he might do or say the wrong things in their presence. There had been more than one account of him getting knocked out by a cop just for saying something sarcastically, or telling a joke. It was one of the reasons he liked Canada so much. Mounties were more understanding and fair rather than judgmental and punishing. From what he knew of Equestrian Guards, they were like a mix of the two. They seemed judgmental, but fair. More likely to roll their eyes at your jokes than knock you out for them. As far as Jack was concerned, that was fine by him.

He walked over to his cell cot, pulling his pint glass and Rum Chata out of his pockets along the way. He sat down on the bed, opened the bottle of rum, and saw that he only had a third of the bottle left to drink. Ah, what the hell... He set his pint glass down and finished off the bottle of rum, downing it quickly. He wanted to steady his nerves, for he hated being his usual jumpy and nervous self. He set the empty bottle down on the bed, and as he did, his eyes were drawn to his pint glass, or more specifically, the picture upon it. That's right... I'm in Equestria now. And that means I'm closer to her than I have ever been before. My very dreams could come true if I meet her... It was then, however, that he remembered his predicament. That's if I'm not sentenced to life in prison or... death in my trial... I don't think Equestria is the kind of place with a Death Sentance, but I can never be too sure. They didn't talk about crime and punishment much in the show, besides banishment to places and being turned to stone. He shook his head and cracked his neck before stuffing his pint glass back in his pocket, and hiding his rum bottle under his pillow, not knowing what else to do with it.

It was then that he heard a voice emanate from across the way, within the shadows of the cell opposite his. It was bestial in nature, and rough, like the voice of someone who had not had a drink for days. "Another prisoner? Baltharzar never thought he'd see another prisoner in here!" From the shadows of the cell stepped a Diamond Dog, covered in obsidian fur that was mangy and unkempt. His eyes were as golden as bits, and were very inspecting, almost rudely so. They were the eyes of a thief, eyes that searched the bodies of others for valuables. One of his ears was jagged, as if something had tried to bite it off. Lastly, a red scar started from his forehead, and ran down his cheek to stop at his neck. Baltharzar looked Jack up and down curiously. "What are you? Pale skin, stands on two legs, and has next to no fur? You must be a balding monkey! Tell me monkey, if I play you a song, will you dance to it?" He laughed, and when he did, it sounded similar to a garbage disposal being turned on and off.

This is just great, now I have my very own Valen Dreth... But I can speak back, unlike in the game. He smirked mischievously, and stood up to walk over to the bars. "You're one to talk about looks, mutt. You look like a big greasy wookie hairball." He could have come up with something better than that, and he knew it. But for the time being, petty insults would have to do. He couldn't be bothered with focusing on insults. He had other things on his mind, like his trial, and whether or not he was going to live another day.

Baltharzar laughed once again, a smile upon his muzzle. "I like you, monkey! Tell you what, I'm getting out of here in a couple weeks. When I do, I'll see about breaking you out. If you're still alive, that is. You and me can steal gems together!" He did a small dance, and clapped his hands. "You and me, stealing gems from those stupid ponies, just like I did before I was caught! We'll be swimming in rubies, emeralds, opals, and if we're lucky, diamonds! Ha ha ha!"

Jack put two and two together, and realised just what Baltharzar had unintentionally told him. "Wait a minute, you stole gems from ponies, and you're getting out in two weeks? How long have you been here?" If Baltharzar, who also wasn't a pony, stole gems and isn't a pony, didn't get a life sentence, then he might not be in such a bad situation after all. Gems are worth a lot, I'm assuming, and if Baltharzar stole as many gems as I think he did, and yet he wasn't sentenced to life in prison, I may have hope yet... What am I even really in here for? Did I do something after I passed out? Or is it the fact that I'm a human, something never seen in Equestria before?

"Baltharzar has been here for two weeks already, monkey. I was sentenced to a month in this horrible place, and had my claws shaved down and rounded so I couldn't try to dig my way out. Ponies think they are so smart, but I'll show them, I'll steal all of their gems!" Baltharzar rubbed his paws together in a greedy way as he spoke. It was evident how hell bent he was on stealing gems, especially from those who locked him up.

So if he stole gems and was only sentenced to a month in here, the justice system is either pretty lenient, or he's a horrible thief... Jack nodded to himself, feeling as though he got as much information as he needed out of Baltharzar. He walked back over to his bed to sit down upon it and think further about his situation. Who is the judge of the Equestrian High Court, I wonder? Or an even greater idea, what if there is more than one judge? And if there is, who are they? Background ponies? Or perhaps ponies never seen in the show, like the conductor pony I saw? What if the princesses are a part of the High Court? There were so many questions and variables floating through Jack's head that he didn't even hear the guard come back down the stairs and trot in front of Jack's cell.

It was the guards voice that made Jack's head snap up from pointing towards the floor. "Come on, you dumb creature. It's time for me to escort you to your trial. Judgement awaits."

AAA

To say the court room of the Equestrian High Court was imposing simply would not do justice to the grandeur and sanction which it beheld. It was larger than any courtroom he had ever seen or been in, and it was thrice as fancy as any he knew of as well. The ivory wood bench, which had eight matching seats behind it, also matched the white marble floors and layered pillars that the room had. Red and blue silk banners: displaying Celestia's and Luna's cutie marks respectively; hung upon the inward sides of the pillars, adding an almost Persian touch to the room. Behind a ivory wood bar and opposite the bench, was the public galleries, with seats full of ponies of different colours and races, all waiting for the trial to begin. On the floor between the bench and a small oak wood chair that had been brought out for Jack to sit upon close to the bar, was the symbol of the flag of Equestria, painted upon it masterfully. As Jack stepped into the room, he gasped in awe at the eminence before his very eyes, hardly able to believe it was real.

Jack chuckled to himself. Then again, I am in a world of talking ponies, so I don't think believing something isn't real would be a plausible way of thinking right now. He walked over to the oak chair as the guard had directed him to before letting him in the court room from the side door for the accused. As he did, however, the ponies in the public galleries began to whisper about him, some gasping at his appearance. He looked into the galleries momentarily to see if he recognised any of them, and to his surprise, he did. Amongst the usual Canterlot citizens, were two musicians. Lyra and Octavia, sitting next to each other. He could hardly believe it. He wasn't expecting to see any ponies he could recognise for a long time, and yet attending his trial were two he knew of fairly well. One more than the other. He wanted to wave at them, but he didn't think it appropriate, considering his status as a criminal. It would probably just come off as creepy or slightly crazy because of that fact. He did, however, notice that Lyra was staring at him with a dropped jaw and wide eyes.

Lyra was in a state of utter shock. It was her turn to believe something wasn't real. Standing before her very eyes was a Human. A creature she had spent countless hours in both the Canterlot library researching. She had been fascinated by them for years, since she was a filly. Sure, her special talent was playing her lyre, but that didn't mean she couldn't have hobbies on the side. The study of Humans was one of them. The way the Human body worked, the different bone structures they had, it made her read on in awe. Though they were just tales, long forgotten legends that barely anypony even spoke of anymore, she wanted to believe they were real. Somehow, some way, she just knew they were. And the moment that she saw Jack walk into the court room, she knew: She was right.

Jack sat down in the chair that had been designated as his, and brought his attention to the empty bench, taking note that the two seats in the middle were a bit taller than the others, which he could guess who they were for. The guard that brought him to the building trotted up to the bench to stand beside it along with three other guards, two of which were on the other side standing next to a witness stand. After a moment of silence, bells ringing on the outside of the building to signify the coming of ten o'clock, ante meridiem. All at once the guards spoke, their voices bouncing off the walls of the room. "The trial of the assault of Daisy Axel II will now commence." After they finished their sentence, six ponies came in through the tall doors behind the bench, each standing beside a seat. There was two of each pony race, all of them mares.

Jack could barely believe his ears. Assault? All he had done was give her a hug! The guards spoke once again after another moment of silence. "All rise for the arrival of the honourable Princess Celestia." The doors behind the bench opened in a sparkling golden light, and as the form of the Princess of the Sun trotted in through them, horn alight, every pony in the room stood up from their seats. And so did Jack. Every pony, including the guards, was baffled. Celestia raised a brow ever so slightly at Jack, confused as to why he would stand for her. Nevertheless, she maintained an air of nobility and seriousness, like a judge normally would.

Celestia took her seat, and her voice resounded from her lips, as loud as the guards, but calmer and more reserved. "You may be seated." Jack surprised Celestia once more as he sat down just as all of the ponies behind him, and the judges beside Celestia did. She knew at that point that not only did he understand her, but he respected her enough to stand and sit for her. No Diamond Dog or Changeling would ever do the same things, or act as civilised as Jack. "This trial is being held because we've been told the accused can speak. So before we begin the proceedings, would the accused like to introduce himself?" She could tell Jack was male from the mutton chops he had, and from the shape of his body, even though it wasn't Equine in form.

"Yes." Jack said, earning gasps and more, frantic, whispers from behind him. He stood up once more, only to get down on a knee. "My name is Jack Robert Spade, your majesty. I hail from a town called Edmonton, in land far, far from here, known as Canada." He spoke only in a polite manner, not a hint of sarcasm or rudeness in his voice. "It is an honour to be before you, Princess." Jack had read enough medieval stories and seen enough British shows and to know exactly how to treat royalty, and he was going to pull all the stops he could to show her that he thought of her as nothing but royalty. He stayed kneeled upon the ground, looking up at her respectfully, all the while the judges and the ponies in the public galleries were confounded by him.

Not only was Celestia perplexed by Jack, she was pleased at how he was treating her. As polite and reserved as he was being, it was almost as if he was a law-abiding Equestrian citizen. But still, there was the accusation that he assaulted another pony, and she would not let that stand in her land. Assault in any form is unacceptable, and those who do it should be punished. "Good, you may sit, Jack." Jack did just as he was told, and she continued, her tone unchanging. "Now then, you are being accused of assaulting Daisy Axel II, a resident of Canterlot. I do not know how it works in Canada, bit assault is not taken lightly here in Equestria. Before we bring Daisy out to tell her account of what happened, how do you plead to this accusation, Jack?"

"Not guilty, your majesty. I would never hurt a pony unless I was trying to defend myself or a friend from them." It was at that point that every pony in the room knew the trial was going to get even more interesting that it already was. Diamond Dogs and Changelings were quick and proud to announce their guilt. Jack however, knew that he was innocent, and it was easier to tell the truth than it normally would be because of that fact, especially because of the slightly tipsy state he was in from his rum. He hoped that as long as he remained confident in his innocence, and spoke politely like he was speaking, that Celestia and the judges would know he is innocent. But that was just a hope. He was a strange creature in a foreign land, and he knew for a fact that whatever Daisy said when she spoke at the witness stand would be what sent him to death, jail, or freedom. His life was in her hooves.

Celestia once more raised a brow lightly. She wondered if Jack was telling the truth. He had been nothing but humble the whole time since the trial began, and he did not seem like the kind to lie about his crimes unless he absolutely had to. When he had declared that he was innocent, she could hear the tone of his voice tell volumes about how he felt. A skill that she had learned from being a Princess for over a thousand years. The tone of his voice was one of proud exclamation of truth, yet at the same time beheld an underlying sense of fear. Fear that his words would not be believed, no matter how true they rang. Without a shadow of a doubt, Jack intrigued her. "Very well. The court calls to the stand Daisy Axel II to recount her account of what happened this morning."

From the side door opposite the one Jack came through, came Daisy, looking just like she had earlier that morning, minus her conductor's outfit. As she trotted up to the witness stand, whispers came from the public galleries once more, whispers of how she didn't look like a pony who had been assaulted, and whispers of how maybe Jack was telling the truth. Daisy stood in the witness stand, looking almost like she didn't want to be there. She looked nervous, as well, most likely from the presence of Princess Celestia. "G'day, Princess." After she spoke, she cursed inside. She hated the accent that she had gotten from her father in that moment, it made being formal harder than it was supposed to be.

Celestia smiled kindly at Daisy, nodding her head slowly, silently telling her to relax. As she spoke, her expression returned to the solemn one it had been before. When Jack noticed her do that, in his mind he swore to never get in a poker competition with her, because not even his friend Shay had as good of a pokerface as her. "Daisy, would you please tell the court what happened to you earlier this morning? And take your time, I know it is not easy to remember such things." Celestia could see Daisy was perfectly fine, but she had to stay her observations to herself. She had to keep to the invisible script within her mind, lest she influence the judges beside her to make a decision based on her opinion, rather than their own.

Daisy swallowed hard. She knew that the whole trial was riding on her words, and it felt as if she was carrying Equestria upon her back. She took a deep breath, and spoke. "Well, my day had begun as it usually does. I started my shift as the conductor of the Canterlot Shipping Express, and I was doing a routine check to make sure the night shift didn't forget to deliver any packages the night before. And as I was checking one of the last two goods wagons, I bumped into..." She looked over at Jack, who was hanging on her every word, fear in his eyes. "Into him. He told me he was a Human, and then shortly afterward, he fell forward and hugged me, and started to... cry." She saw Jack blush a bit. He wasn't used to letting people besides his friends know that he cried. He'd always been raised to believe crying was something only a weak man did. He cried more than he liked to admit, and he felt ashamed of himself because of it.

Daisy swallowed and continued the rest of her story. It was the intensity of the situation that was making it hard for her to speak, not the fact that she had to remember what happened. "Then one of the other ponies I work with, Jittery, thought he was assaulting me, and went to go get the guards. Then he slipped off of me, and fell asleep. That's all that happened." Daisy sighed with relief to be finished with the story, and Jack sighed at the same time she did. He relaxed in his chair, whispering something to himself, just barely under his breath.

"Thank the gods..." Jack could barely keep himself together, he was so relieved. He had an urge to laugh happily, knowing that everything was going to go smoothly from that point forward. His luck had helped him out once more. Or rather, luck had not helped him, but the power of truth had. He told the truth, and so did Daisy. He was sure to be let go, and be free to travel across Equestria, like he had only ever done in dreams and fantasies he had. He wondered where he would go first. From Las Pegasus all the way to Manehatten, there was just so many places to go, things to see, ponies to meet. Those thoughts could be handled later, however. He just had to get through the rest of the trial. But what is the rest of the trial going to be like from here on out? He knew better than most that not everything always goes as you think it might.

Celestia turned to Jack, her expression one of interest. Jack swallowed, wondering what she was going to ask him. She stared straight into his eyes, almost as if she was staring into his soul. She wanted to know more. And she wasn't going to let the trial end until she was satisfied. "Jack, would you care to inform us as to why you cried? What would warrant that reaction from you upon seeing Daisy?" The ball was in her hooves at that point, and Jack could tell. He could feel the immense amount of power she beheld in that moment. If it had been audible, it would have been almost deafening.

So that's what it's like to be royalty... Jack swallowed once more, and tried to regain his composure. Relax, Jack, just answer her question with nothing but truthiness, and you will prevail. He sat up in his chair, back completely straight, all eyes on him once more. "Your majesty, I have not lied during this trial, and I am not going to start lying now. I cried, I admit it. I cried because the second I saw Daisy, I knew where I was, where we are right now: Equestria. Long have I dreamt of being here, in this land, ever since I first learned of it. You ponies value things that I hold dear, from kindness, to acceptance of one another, and finally, friendship. I cannot think of living anywhere else." He stood from his seat, the ponies behind him gasping, and the guards tensing up, ready to strike if they needed to.

He began to pace back and forth, gazes following him as he did. "Your majesty, where I come from, hatred, war, and death are common things. I had friends there, sure, but they were but small specs of light in an otherwise dark, hopeless, and lonely land. When you think about just how horrible the land I come from is, it's no wonder why I would want to come here, to a place that is the exact opposite of it." He stopped right in front of his chair, and turned to face Celestia once more. "I would like- no, I would love to live here. Of that I am more sure than I have ever been, about anything else in my entire life." He paused, clearing his throat and swallowing. "So please, your majesty, before you make your verdict, take every word I have said into consideration, for that is exactly how I feel. And, if even after doing that, if you do not deem me worthy of being an Equestrian Citizen..." He was beginning to choke up. "Then... Then I will accept my fate," he held out his hands, and fell to his knees before the symbol of the Equestrian flag. "with open palms."

An indomitable silence fell upon the court room. Shock was on the face of every pony in the room, including Celestia. She couldn't believe what she had heard. The place Jack spoke of was worse than almost anywhere she had heard of. The only place that was worse was Tartarus. She, and everypony else was still for a moment more. Jack looked up at her, his eyes pleading, on the virge of tears. It was then, all at once, that Celestia's face changed. She wore a smile of kindness, and eyes of understanding and caring. It reminded Jack of the smile his mother had given him so many times before. Her look told him that she would make sure that by the end of the trial, he would be free. "Judges, what do you think? Should Jack be allowed to be an Equestrian Citizen, or should he be imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit?"

The judges looked from Celestia to each other, their faces saying what their mouthes weren't. They all turned their eyes upon Jack, who looked into each and every one of their eyes two by two, begging them silently. Just as he finished, and looked down once more, closing his eyes, and waiting for his fate, one of the earth pony judges stood. "I say he would make a fine Equestrian Citizen." Jack's eyes shot open.

A unicorn judge stood then. "I agree. He deserves a better life than he has had." Jack's head snapped up. As every judge voiced their approval of his citizenship, Jack slowly stood up, and by the time the six judges were done, he was in a full standing position. His eyes were so close to tearing up with joy, he was afraid to blink. The only pony left to speak was Celestia, and all eyes turned to her.

With a smile, and the spreading of her wings, Celestia stood up, her horn beginning to glow. "It has been decided then. By the power vested in me, Jack Robert Spade, I hereby name you a citizen of Equestria. Congratulations." Her horn flashed, and the cuffs on Jack's wrists unlocked with a click, and fell to the floor. The look on Jack's face was the same look Celestia had seen on her new apprentice when she had gotten her cutie mark: pure joy. Tears fell from Jack's eyes at that point, the floodgates open, and he threw his hands up in victorious glee.

"Yes! Yes!" He began to do a dance he had done many times before, a dance he liked to call his victory dance. The ponies in the public galleries cheered, some clapping their hooves together. Over the course of the trial, they had come to care for the Human, and wanted him to go free. One more than others. Lyra grinned happily as she watched Jack dancing before Celestia and the judges of the Equestrian High Court, who were all clapping their hooves together as well, smiles upon their faces. She cheered loudly not just at seeing the Human go free, but also at the chance to meet and talk to him. She watched as Jack finished his dance, and pointed playfully at Celestia and the judge, though his words were true. "I promise you, your majesty, and you, judges, you won't regret this! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Celestia chuckled humbly, and nodded her head at him. "Please, Jack. You are an Equestrian Citizen now. Addressing me as Princess Celestia is perfectly fine." Her horn glowed once more, and an enchanted gavel infront of her knocked loudly. "Trial adjourned!" She proclaimed with a smile. She politely excused herself to the judges, and turned to go back through the doors she had come in through, other important matters to attend to. Jack around to see that some ponies had left through two double doorways which had opened once the trial had been adjourned. The rest of the ponies were cheering him on and pointing towards the doors with their hooves. He smiled, and ran over to the bar, hopping over it, and jogging out of the court room.

He was able to find his way out of the building easily, following the directions on the walls and signs. Before he knew it, he was in the entrance room, the main doors before him. He opened the doors, and as he did, he took in a breath of fresh air, stepping down the long stairway to the building until he was halfway down. once he was he stopped, and looked around him, looking at the ponies, the streets and buildings of Canterlot, and the blue cloudless sky above him. He stood there with his eyes closed, basking in the warm light of Celestia's sun, not a care in the land.

That is, until the soft hoof of a mint green pony gently poked his hip.

Author's Note

And you guys thought that it was dead. ;P

I am back once again everyone. I have lots of inspiration now, and I will be working more on this story from now on. Sorry for the huge absence.

Rock on!