Chapter 17: Trial and Error

Everyone was staring in shocked disbelief at the guardspony. The silence continued until Twilight finally found her voice.

"What!?"

The guard coughed and opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Sandova.

"So you are saying that after listening to the testimonies of everypony present there you deduced that it was murder? Considering this you know that there were at least fifteen other dead ponies in that room, of which I am quite sure that you'll try to blame me for that as well, you can say that the one responsible is a very dangerous person. Now, whose brilliant idea was it to send in only two guards to deal with what looks like the worst criminal you've encountered in decades?"

The guard's eyes widened, and he lost most of his confident stance. Nevertheless, he walked towards Sandova and motioned for his partner to follow him. Before he had made two steps his path was blocked by every other occupant of the room. Applejack snorted and eyed the guard with contempt.

"Now hold on, yer sayin' that Sandova is under arrest fer savin' all of us from that monster?"

Ranbow Dash nodded at her friend's words.

"Yeah, he's the freaking good guy here. He saved our lives, and maybe Equestria!"

The rest joined in, and the situation looked close to escalating. Sandova was simply lying in bed with a bemused expression, looking at the guard with a smirk before clearing his throat.

"Guys, while I appreciate your effort I think I can handle this. Please, let the good stallion do his work."

Everypony in the room, including the guards, looked at Sandova like he had gone mad. Twilight, again, was the first to find her voice.

"Have you gone mad!? This is clearly-"

"Please Twilight, don't get yourself into trouble now. I can handle this,"

Sandova looked back at the guard, who couldn't help but feel cold from the glare he was receiving.

"Now, you say that it was murder. Either you haven't listened to any testimonies or you are simply incompetent. Furthermore, you will not be able to take me with you."

"We are authorized to use force if needed, we will only say this once, sir."

Sandova gave the guard a wide smile, as if he was expecting this.

"Then by all means use it, for I will not willingly go with you. Bear in mind, though, that I am a still recovering patient in this hospital. If you take me by force you are prepared to do bodily harm to someone that is both injured and unable to defend himself. Even if your course of action was legal, which it isn't by the way, you will still need to explain yourself to the public."

At this point Sandova's smile had become downright sinister, and the guard couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable.

"Now that we averted that possible scandal, how did you deduce that it was murder? Did detective Crystal Clear keep his job or something?"

"Chris-, I mean Detective Chrystal Clear did not make it through the night, you will also be tried for your hoof in this. Now stop this charade and cooperate."

Sandova's smile disappeared, replaced by a glare that seemed to cause the room's temperature to drop.

"I will not cooperate, I will not go with you and I will certainly not stand for this injustice. You want me tried in court? Then so be it. But remember,"

Sandova gave the guardspony a grin that matched the chill of his glare. The guard involuntarily took a step back and gulped.

"corruption will be punished, severely."

The guard froze, how did he know? No one except for Abyss knew all the ponies he'd bribed, so how could this offworld freak possibly-

"If you're done realizing how screwed you are, could you please leave? Visiting hours are nearly over and I would like to spend some more time with my friends."

Muttering incoherently the guards left. Sandova watched them leave with a mix of smug satisfaction and dread. How in Nine Hells would he be able to fight a case against a corrupt court? Silver tongue or no, if his fate was decided before the trial had even started he was screwed.

"Uuhm, Sandova? A-are you alright?"

Sandova sighed and gave Fluttershy a wry smile. He had his friends, so he wasn't completely hopeless.

"No Fluttershy, I'm not alright. No matter how many facts point to my relative innocence, a lot of evidence also points to my guilt. The fact that I'm certain that the court is corrupt is not helping either."

"Corrupt? How could the court be corrupt?"

Crescent Moon answered before Sandova could, much to his surprise.

"Because the 'victim' had more than half of this city's officials in his pocket, and they are capable of anything tosave their sorry flanks. There is a reason nopony messed with Abyss, you know."

Sandova shrugged and grinned at Crescent Moon.

"Well, until I came along. That guy was a pushover compared to the monsters that inhabit my world. The legal stuff is rather annoying, though. I could manage a fair trial, but a corrupt trial is very difficult to win,"

Sandova slumped in his bed, trying to fight off his memories.

"Believe me, I tried."

"Oh quit your moaning already. What happened to the confident asshole that saved our collective flanks?"

Eleven heads whipped towards the door, where Hard Facts leaned against the frame. Sandova perked up a little, and Moonless Night smiled.

"Detective, what a pleasant surprise."

She arched an eyebrow at Sandova.

"And why should you be surprised that I'm here? All your other friends are here as well, so why shouldn't I be?"

"Heh, good point. I just assumed that you were too busy with wrapping up both the abduction case as Moonless Night's case to come here."

Her eyes fell, and Sandova felt worried.

"Hey, what happened? No need to get down."

She sighed, something was clearly bothering her. Crescent Moon and Bright Night shared a knowing glance.

"I got fired, for 'involving a dangerous individual in my investigation'. Celestia damned corrupt bureaucrats. I should've known that something like this would happen when I realized that Abyss was involved. Shady bastard owned pretty much half the city."

Sandova sat there, utterly shocked. The biggest heroes of the country get kidnapped and almost sacrificed and everyone that helped prevent this is punished? Sandova felt rage building up inside of him, and all around the room he could here that his friends shared his sentiment.

"That is ridiculous, just wait until the princess hears of this."

"Yeah, she will straighten this lot out."

Hard Facts shook her head, smiling sadly.

"I'm afraid that it will not be that easy. The princess didn't know about Abyss' evil at all, because the corrupt bureaucracy prevented any bad news from reaching Canterlot. The princess honestly thinks that nothing is wrong in this city. And even if she could, her hooves are tied. There isn't enough evidence to prove any of this."

"Yet."

Everyone in the room looked at Moonless Night, who smiled darkly.

"We need to reveal the web of corruption, if we pull that off everypony gets off without a hitch. You say that the corrupt ponies will do everything to cover their flanks? That includes betraying everypony involved in this. All we need is somepony that rattles them, acts as an uncertain factor. Or in this case, someone."

The room was silent, everyone was staring at Moonless Night with astonished surprise. Sandova then burst out laughing, breaking the silence.

"I like you, kid. We think alike. So, what's the plan?"

Moonless Night smiled, and Twilight couldn't help but feel eerily reminded of the human next to her.
~
"Order, the court is now in hearing."

It was five days after Sandova had been 'arrested' in the hospital, and the plan would be in motion soon. Everypony took a seat at one of the cushions in the back, while Sandova sat down on a stool. The judge, an elderly unicorn called Hammer Blow, looked at Sandova with a stern frown.

"Are you mister Sandova Asphyxious Mirell, human necromancer?"

Sandova stood up and replied with a confident smile.

"I am, your honor."

"You stand trial today for the murders of mister Abyss, the physical and mental abuse of miss Silent Whisper, the death of detective Crystal Clear, involvement in a dark ritual, conspiring to overthrow the government and involvement in the kidnapping of the Elements of Harmony. How do you plead?"

They were actually planning on blaming everything on him? Sandova had to do his best not to strangle the corrupt son of a bitch right there. Instead he looked him right in the eye and answered.

"Not guilty."

Sandova noticed a sadistic glint in the eye of the judge, and vowed to make the bastard squirm before the end of the day. Hammer Blow cleared his throat and spoke in a clear tone.

"Very well. The word is to the persecutor."

A teal pegasus with a slicked back black mane stood up, nodded to the judge and addressed the room.

"Thank you, your honor. I stand here today to help justice prevail. A terrible tragedy happened almost two weeks ago. I am of course speaking of the terrible kidnapping of our beloved Elements of Harmony. I have evidence to prove that the defendant has obstructed the investigation, fought with the Guard when he was reprimanded for this, and killed one of our brave defenders in the struggle."

The persecutor sighed dramatically and looked across the room with a sad expression.

"Brave detective Crystal Clear lost his life after getting hospitalized for the wounds he sustained thanks to this human's dark magic. After a wild chase through the city the defendant was found in a hidden room underneath the late Abyss' corporate office. The room was filled with dark artifacts and the remnants of a heinous ritual. Furthermore, the body of the late Abyss, along with fifteen unidentified bodies, were found as well. Abyss was impaled through the chest with an unknown weapon, the unidentified ponies were crushed by something we could not determine. Poor Silent Whisper had suffered from broken bones and was in a state of paralyzing terror."

The ponies in the room gasped in horror at the implications, and the ponies closest to Sandova scooted backwards. Sandova just smiled wickedly. When the persecutor saw Sandova's face he gulped loudly and suddenly seemed a lot more nervous. Sandova then turned towards the judge.

"Permission to speak, your honor?"

The judge nodded tersely. Sandova nodded back and cleared his throat.

"Could we stop this charade please? I'm getting sick of hearing you spout all of the hypocritical nonsense."

The persecutor was too shocked to answer, as was the judge. Sandova gave them a predatory smile and continued.

"I have in my possession the real testimonies of the Elements of Harmony, taken by guardsponies who aren't bastards like you. Furthermore, I am here to give you a chance."

The persecutor tried to speak up, but was silenced by a raised hoof from the judge.

"Please explain yourself mister Mirell, we do not take such accusations lightly."

"Thank you, your honor. You see, I know that I'm getting framed here, as do you. So let me give you a chance to get clean. Abyss is dead, which means that the money you were receiving from him has stopped flowing. So why would you use me as a scapegoat? To save yourself from losing face as soon as the information of his bribes gets leaked to the public. By setting up a reasonable scapegoat you hope to deflect the attention of the public."

Sandova picked up a glass of water and took a sip.

"But there is one problem in that plan, the scapegoat is me. And I have no interest in taking the fall for you. You can use a rigged trial to get rid of me, or you can spill the beans and get yourself a lighter sentence."

Both the persecutor burst out laughing, as did more than half of the ponies witnessing the trial.

"So this is your attempt to evade justice? Trying to blame us, the righteous ponies who want to convict a dangerous being like you? You are not only a heinous criminal but also dare disrespect the noble court? If that is all in your defense then this trial is over."

Sandova's smile only got wider and more self-assured.

"Funny, because I have friends who know the true story, and if that gets leaked to the public you will have a lot to explain. Not to the citizens of Manehatten, they are used to this. No, the princesses themselves will get a full briefing from their most trusted subjects. If you won't admit the truth, they will uncover it. Besides, locking me away won't solve anything."

"And why would that be?"

Sandova's smile disappeared, replaced by a glare so cold both the judge and the persecutor recoiled.

"Because no prison you throw me in will be able to contain me. And when I get out, I will make it my life's mission to make sure the corruption in this city is cut out like the cancer it is. Mark my words, all the corrupt officials will face the wrath of a necromancer who has nothing to lose."

Now the ponies in the room actively tried to escape, but found the exits blocked by the Elements of Harmony and some Manehatten Guards. Twilight raised an eyebrow at the leading officials.

"Going somewhere? But the court is still in session. Unless, you already know the outcome?"

The crowd quickly became agitated, panic only just beneath the surface. One sharply dressed earth pony stallion stepped forward and spoke as haughtily as possible.

"We could hardly expect to remain in a room occupied by a deranged and dangerous criminal that specifically said that he would harm us."

Sandova startled the room by laughing. When the haughty stallion turned around to demand an explanation Sandova cut him off.

"Do you realize that you just admitted your guilt? I said that I would only harm those that were part of Abyss' web of corruption. The fact that you feel threatened raises suspicion, does it not? Now this is your last chance, admit your guilt and I think the princesses will be merciful. Continue your disgusting charade and I will ensure you that I will not."

Silence reigned in the courtroom. Everypony in the room was too afraid to answer the tall human, and even some of the guards seemed nervous. Their former colleague hadn't told them of this particular aspect of Sandova. Eventually, the judge spoke up.

"All right, I was bribed by Abyss to ensure any possible political opposition was quenched. I can call names and point hooves, just promise to give me a fair trial."

Before Sandova could say anything the persecutor slammed the judge to the ground.

"Shut up you old fool! They have nothing, nothing! Can't you see that they're bluffing?"

"I believe I have heard enough."

Everypony froze. There, in the middle of the room stood none other than princess Celestia. The deity fixed the persecutor with a stern frown, and the pegasus looked close to passing out.

"Smooth Cover, I am very disappointed in you. All these years I had a nagging suspicion that something was going on in this town, but I had no idea that the persecutor responsible for the conviction of fifty-three criminals was corrupt. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Smooth Cover reacted quicker than expected, and he had smashed a window and flew outside before anypony could stop him. He made it halfway across the street before he got tackled into the ground by former detective Hard Facts. While the dazed pegasus was led back inside Celestia turned towards Sandova.

"Sandova, while I disapprove of your methods I am glad to see that you are indeed the good friend Twilight said you were. It saddens me that you had to resort to violence, but a powerful divination spell revealed that you did in fact act in self defense. I, Celestia, hereby declare you innocent and cleared of all charges."

Sandova and his friends sighed in relief, but the deity wasn't finished.

"But allow me one warning. If you ever back up on your threat I will make sure that you regret it, am I clear?"

Sandova looked Celestia straight in the eye, his face a stern mask.

"Then let's hope the corruption is over, or we both have something to regret."

The doors opened and the Manehatten Guard entered to arrest the corrupt officials. With them came Moonless Night and his family. Sandova greeted them enthusiastically.

"Hey kid, your plan worked like a charm. Thanks a bunch."

"Heh, no problem. So, now that you're cleared of all charges, what are you gonna do?"

Sandova walked towards his friends, a bright smile on his face.

"I am going home."

Author's Note

Whew, finally done. Man, you will not believe the amount of essays I have to write. I couldn't even write even when I had inspiration. anyway, this warps up the Manehatten arc, hope it was satisfactory.