Second Chances II: Love and Courage

Second Chances II: Love and Courage
By Hero541
Chapter 21: The Hearing

Josh and Twilight stood side by side in front of the doors to city hall. Only about a week ago, the human had set foot in here and seen the beginning of Filthy’s campaign to discredit him and have him forced from his home and the mare he loved the most. He looked down to the lavender unicorn next to him who had done her mane up in a bun in the back, feeling butterflies raging in his stomach. Twilight glanced up at him and, upon seeing his face full of nervousness, smiled at him.

“You worried?” asked, trying her best to seem comforting.

“Just a little…” replied Josh, trying and failing to return her smile.

“It’ll all be just fine, I promise.” said Twilight, placing her hoof on his arm, trying to comfort him.

Behind Josh stood two police unicorns, both having a rather loose grip on the human’s wrists behind his back with their magic. Together, the three ponies and human stood there, not one saying a single thing as they awaited the opening of the doors to city hall. Thought after thought frantically raced through Josh’s head as he stood there. He wondered what could possibly await him behind those doors, what kind of bearing this would have on this whole situation. Maybe, with any luck, some of this shit’ll get cleared up now…

After what seemed like a silent eternity, the doors opened, and the four beings began to make their way inside. The area looked much different from the last time Josh had been there. At the head of the rotunda, where the stage would have been, sat a judges bench and a witness box. Row after row of benches for the audience lined the walls, making a narrow pathway leading up to the front. Situated right in front of the judges bench was the seats for the defense and the plaintiff, and sitting there was the one thing in all of Equestria that Josh hated more than Discord himself.

“Well well,” said the pompous stallion, turning and glaring at Josh, a smirk painting his face, “you showed up after all.”

“Didn’t really have much of a choice on that, now did I?” said Josh taking his seat at the defense’s place.

“I suppose you didn’t.” said Filthy, sneering at the human.

“Filthy!” called a voice from behind the judges bench, “Watch your tongue.”

Mayor Mare stepped out and took her place at the judge’s seat, glancing back and forth between the ponies and human before her.

“We were just exchanging some idle banter, your honor.” said Filthy, glancing up to her.

“Let it be just that then.” she said, glaring at the stallion, “In my courtroom, you will be civil to Josh, whether you like him or not.”

“Understood."

Mayor shuffled around a few papers on her desk, which Josh could tell was more for looks than anything else. After a few minutes of perusing the documents, she adjusted her glasses on her muzzle and looked down to Josh and Filthy.

“This hearing, as your both aware, I’m sure, is to bring forth the case of Mr. Filthy Rich vs Mr. Josh Daniels.” she said flatly, “Josh, will you please approach the bench?”

Josh complied, rising and making his way over to the bench, Twilight joining him as he took his place. He stood before Mayor Mare perched high above him. She smiled slightly as she peered down at him.

“Josh Daniels,” she began, not breaking eye contact with the human as she addressed him, “you have been charged with second-degree battery. How do you plead to this charge.”

“Mr. Daniels pleads guilty, your honor.” said Twilight.

“And, I believe you have agreed to a plea deal?”

“Ye-“

“No.”

Twilight glanced up at Josh, unable to hide the shocked expression that came over her face.

“We agreed to a plea deal!” she said, her eyes widening as she looked to the human, “You said so yourself!”

“Was that recorded?” asked Josh, turning towards the lavender mare.

“Uh… no… But, that doesn’t mean-“

“Then, as far as anyone here knows, I never agreed to it at all.” he said flatly, turning back to the mayor, “I’m not taking a plea deal.”

“May I ask why?” said Mayor, glancing over the top of her glasses towards the human below her.

“I’m not gonna give him anything else to possibly use to recruit more ponies against me.” he said, pointing towards Filthy Rich, “If I take a plea deal, it’ll seem like I’m trying to weasel my way out of this whole scenario. You guys gave me a pretty cushy offer, and I’m not willing to take advantage of it if it means that he’ll just make more ponies hate me.”

All eyes traveled to Filthy Rich, who had a rather uncomfortable look on his face.

“What?” he said, his voice high and incredulous.

“I’m sure you’re aware, Josh, that there isn’t a law of any kind protecting what you did.” said Mayor, a look of concern on her face.

Josh turned back to her, “I’m aware.”

“You may want to reconsider that decision, Josh.” said Mayor, “I’m not sure what penalties are like in your world for something like this, but I can assure you that a jail cell is the least of your worries, especially since you are foreign.”

“I’m not going to reconsider.” said Josh, staring into the mayor’s eyes, “I’m not taking the deal. I didn’t do what I did to protect myself, and even if I was protecting myself, there was no threat to my life. I did what I did to protect Vinyl’s honor. I’m sure you’d have done the same for somebody you love.”

“Very well then…” said the mayor hesitantly, readjusting her glasses again.

Josh looked down at Twilight who gave him a look that could wilt a plant. The human silently apologized to her, before looking back up to the mayor for further instruction.

“You two may take your seats again.” she said.

Josh and Twilight turned and made for their places, the unicorn leaning in and whispering to her friend as soon as they took a seat.

“Why did you agree to the deal yesterday if you were just gonna refuse it here?”

“I kinda did it so… so you’d… uh… stop talking…”

Twilight huffed a little before turning back to face forward, her hooves crossed over her chest in protest. The day before, when they had met to discuss what they would do at the hearing, Twilight had babbled on and on about all kinds of legal stuff that Josh didn’t understand. The whole time, he just would either agree or disagree with what she posed, based on whether or not it sounded remotely interesting to him. Not the best strategy in hindsight…

“So, your honor,” said Filthy, rising and addressing the mayor, “if he’s already admitted his guilt, and refused to take a plea deal, a foolish move by the way,” he glared at Josh for a moment, “then why are we here?”

“A preliminary hearing is a requirement in Equestrian law, Filthy.” she replied flatly, “We’re here to get the facts straightened out.”

“The facts were already supposed to be taken care of!” said Filthy, raising his hooves in the air and scowling, “I was told the investigative teams talked to every pony who was present that day!”

“The facts for the trial are taken care of.” replied Mayor, glaring down at Filthy, “However, there are a few facts that I’d like to clear up right now that don’t really pertain to the case.”

“And what would that be?”

“Why have you begun this little crusade against Josh all of a sudden?” she asked, pointing a hoof at the human, “You have claimed before that you’ve had this information about his past for some time. Why is it just now you’re beginning this as opposed to when you first discovered it?”

Filthy’s usual smirk returned, along with a malicious glint in his eyes.

“My dear mayor,” he began, staring at her with an icy gaze, “I had to have time to plan out my next move. And believe me, I had ample time to do so.”

“So you always planned on starting this at this exact time?” said Twilight, jumping up and glaring at the stallion.

Josh put a hand on her purple chest, causing her to look to him.

“Just keep calm, okay?”

“But…”

Josh gave her a hard look, causing her to flatten her ears against her head and sit back down.

“I never had an exact time to begin this, to be honest.” said Filthy, turning his gaze towards the human and unicorn across from him, “Opportunity has a funny way of knocking sometimes.”

Twilight was about to say something more when Josh gave her another hard look. She held her words as her eyes met his, seeing the urgency in his gaze.

“You know, Filthy,” said Mayor, drawing the attention of the stallion back to her bench, “I can’t understand how you can be so spiteful to somepony who hasn’t done anything to you or your family. I just don’t see any logic in what you’re saying. It’s all just hate speech at this point.”

“And likewise, Mayor Mare, I don’t see how you can be alright with this!” said Filthy, pointing a hoof at the mayor, “How can you just so blindly trust a creature like this? What if the first thing he had done when he got here was hurt somepony?”

“Well, it wasn’t, Filthy.” Mayor replied, smirking a little herself at the stallion, “Josh has done nothing but abide by the law since arriving in Ponyville, as far as I know.”

Josh thought back to when he first was in Ponyville, more specifically, when he visited Twilight for the first time. He had yelled at her and called her “fucking useless”, an act which he quickly felt remorse for after being taken in by Rarity.

“But it very easily could have been.” replied Filthy, his gaze narrowing as he glared at the mayor.

“That’s all speculation!” shouted Twilight, pointing a hoof at Filthy and glaring, “That has no bearing on this case!”

“Tell that to the jury.”

“You mean the jury of ponies that you’ve undoubtedly turned against me by now?” asked Josh, speaking for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Filthy just smiled devilishly at the human, “I had to do something to give myself a bit of an advantage.”

Josh had to resist the urge to leap out of his seat and choke the stallion again. If not for Filthy, life for Josh could be just like it was before, and he could be happily living in Ponyville with the love of his life and his friends. But, this hateful pony obviously wouldn’t ever allow that, not even if Princess Celestia herself tried to protect Josh.

“Well, unfortunately for me, I can’t bar you from continuing your little rallies.” said Mayor, “However, I can punish you for inciting a riot.”

“Just send the bill then.” said Filthy, his tone smug and condescending.

“I guess there’s not much more we can do here, I’m afraid.” said Mayor, her voice full of frustration and exhaustion, “Court is adjourned. Josh, your trial date will be set by tomorrow. I’ll make sure to stop by and let you know when it is.”

Josh nodded and rose from his seat, placing his arms behind his back so the guards could bind him with their magic. Filthy made his way out with haste, a move that surprised the human. Probably has another rally against me to get to.

“Josh.” said Mayor, causing the human to look at her.

“Yes?”

“I’m… sorry I couldn’t do more for you here. I really am.”

Josh said nothing, instead choosing to nod towards her before turning back to Twilight.

“Thanks for all your help, Twi.” he said, kneeling in front of her and smiling, “I couldn’t do this without you.”

The lavender mare responded by walking forward and wrapping her hooves around the human’s neck, hugging him tightly. Josh wished he could reach out and return her embrace, show her the same sort of love she was showing him. After a few minutes, she broke the hug and stepped back from her friend, her eyes becoming watery.

“Have a good night, okay?” she said, a smile forming on her face.

“I’ll try my best.”

With that, Josh rose and was guided by the two guards behind him towards the doors. His heart felt as heavy as ever as he stepped out into the fading Ponyville daylight. Slowly, the human made his way back to the jailhouse, and what would probably be another lonely and restless night.

*****

Josh stepped inside the jailhouse and was immediately greeted by Warden, who was smiling at him.

“How’d it go?” he asked, walking up to the human.

“About as well as you can imagine.” said the forlorn human, grimacing a little.

“I see…”

Warden just stood there for a moment, looking up at Josh with his eyes full of concern. The two of them had become rather close in the time that Josh had been in the jailhouse. The pony would stop by every day and chat with Josh at least a little, keeping him informed on everything that was occurring on Ponyville. If Josh had to admit it, it was nice to have somepony like Warden to talk to every day, somepony who wasn’t always telling him that it wasn’t fair and that Josh deserved better.

“Well, let’s get you back to your cell so you can rest for the night then, I suppose.” said Warden, turning and making for the door that led to the entry desk area.

Josh nodded, making his way behind the stallion. As he approached the door, he heard muffled arguing from beyond. It was a mare, and she seemed to be on the verge of tears as she addressed the stallion at the desk who opened and closed the door.

“What the hell’s going on in here?” said Warden in an annoyed tone, quickly opening the door and making his way inside.

Josh and the other two guards remained outside as Warden entered and began to talk to the mare. They couldn’t hear too well what was being said, but they heard enough to get an idea for what the problem was.

“Where is he then if he’s not here?!”

“I’ve told you, he’s at his hearing!”

“What’s the issue here? Why are you in here yelling at my guards, ma’am?”

“I wanna see my coltfriend! I haven’t seen him since he was put in here! I need to see him!”

“Just hold on a second.” said Warden, “Whose your coltfriend?”

“How can you not know! Do you even know who I am?!”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“It’s Josh! Josh Daniels!”

Upon hearing those words, Josh’s world came crashing all around him. Did she just say… my name? Is that…

“Warden!” he called, praying that the stallion would answer him, “Open the-“

Josh didn’t even have time to finish his sentence as the door flew open and his jaw nearly hit the ground. Standing before him was a beautiful cream colored unicorn mare with a shaggy blue mane and tail. Her eyes were a gorgeous crimson-magenta color, and they showed nothing but shock as she looked towards the human. As their eyes met, both Josh and Vinyl felt the world around them fall away. Neither one could believe what they were seeing, and yet, they knew full well what it was.

“H-hey.” said the human lamely, unable to find his tongue at this moment.

“Hi.” responded the mare, her mouth agape as she stared into Josh’s eyes.

“How’re you?”

At those words, Vinyl’s eyes began to fill up with tears. A huge smile came over her face and she began to laugh loudly. Without warning, she ran at the human who instinctively fell to his knees. Vinyl leapt into his arms, which he hadn’t even noticed had been released from their magical bonds. Together, the human and unicorn shared a long, loving, and passionate kiss, holding each other close as tears of joy fell from their eyes.

“I’m s-so sorry!” wailed the unicorn upon breaking the kiss, burying her head in Josh’s chest and sobbing, “I s-should have c-come and seen you b-before. I’ve b-been so lonely…”

Josh gently stroked her mane as he held her close, carefully shushing her as she lay in his arms

“It’s okay, baby. It’s all okay.” he said, feeling her soft fur beneath his hands, pulling her in tighter as they sat there, “You’re here now. That’s what counts.”

Together, the two lovers sat there, praying that this moment could last forever. They had each other yet again, and both were determined to never ever be separated like that again. Warden and all the other watched the loving sight with watery eyes. However, Josh and Vinyl never noticed any others there. All they needed was one another, and all the worries and fears they had before seemed to melt away as they kissed each other one more time.