“Erder! Erder ern the cert!”
A middle-aged mare held the gavel firmly in her mouth, and the sound of it striking the polished, wooden block echoed throughout the crowded courtroom. Ponies young and old in the gallery jumped up, leaning over the seat-backs, yelling and jeering as a cuffed, black pegasus was led inside. His eyes were dull but housed a sense of determination. His coat, too, had lost its luster, but still his muscles rippled beneath the light as he quietly followed his escorts along and sat down at the table beside his lawyer.
With the judge's persistence, the crowd eventually gave in to relative silence. She set her gavel down and waited, glaring out over the gathered ponies until even their muttering died away. Finally, she spoke. “It shall be understood that I will not allow this sort of nonsense in the court. Your contempt is not welcome here, nor is any impeding of the trial process.” She didn't ask if they understood; she didn't have to. Though some still shot bitter glances at the alleged criminal, the atmosphere of the room had changed to one of deference.
Regardless, the judge was satisfied, and she turned her attention to the jury seated off to the side. The selection showed a fair variety, at least in terms of species: whether pegasus, unicorn, or earth pony, no group significantly outnumbered another.
“Members of the jury,” she began, “you are here today to listen to the arguments and observe the evidence offered by both sides, and then to come to a verdict of either guilty or not guilty. In other words, your job is not to sentence the defendant, but to decide his guilt. Now, Mr. Scape Colt is here on one count of harboring or concealing terrorists, one count of treason, one count of advocating the overthrow of the government, and one count of activities affecting armed forces generally.” She looked from the jury to the defendant, who sat quietly, watching with a distant gaze. “Is that to your understanding, Mr. Colt?”
He nodded. “It is, your honor.”
With a slight nod in return, she returned to her previous instruction. “Mr. Colt is here because a grand jury found that there was probable cause that he did, indeed, commit these acts. But that is not to be dwelt upon. As the defendant has plead not guilty, he is presumed to be innocent until, if ever, proven guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt by the prosecution, so I urge you to pay careful attention to the evidence presented.
“The trial will begin with opening statements, if the parties wish to make them. Keep in mind that nothing within these statements is to be regarded as evidence. From there, the prosecution will present its witnesses, whom the defense will cross-examine, followed by witnesses for the defense, if it so desires, whom the prosecution will in turn cross-examine. At that time, the prosecution may offer a rebuttal case. Then will come the closing statements, after which you, the jury, will retire to deliberate. Do you understand?”
The ponies on jury nodded in response.
“Good. Before the prosecution begins, a few notes: should either party object to a question, as is their right, I may either overrule or sustain the action. If I sustain the action, proceed as you normally would; if I overrule the action, simply disregard it, as with stricken material. Please remember to give both parties a fair trial, and do not be influenced by sympathy, prejudice, or anything but the evidence presented. So as to avoid bias, do not talk to anyone about the case, including each other. That is what the deliberation is for.”
The judge took a quiet breath before offering another slow nod, her gaze rolling across the room before resting on the prosecutor. “Would you like to give an opening statement?”
“I would, your honor.” A gray earth pony stood. A silver streak ran through his black, ponytailed mane, a glossy, black tie at his neck, and he walked around the table to the podium with an air of confidence. He briefly addressed the ponies gathered to watch with a single, rolling glance, then turned to view the jury. “Fillies and gentlecolts of the jury,” he began, “my name is Glu Factre, and I am representing our highness Princess Celestia and our beloved land of Equestria. For, after all, it truly is a beloved land, is it not?” The stallion took a few slow steps nearer the jury box. His hooves fell heavy in the quiet room. “And what a tragedy it would be if Equestria were lost—but, as we all know, that nightmare of a thought almost became a reality. Just a year ago, Chrysalis, queen of the changelings, invaded Canterlot undetected and proceeded to scheme. Yes, the dark Queen Chrysalis plotted to overthrow Celestia and feed on the love of our land—on our love—like a parasite. She and her army of changelings would have taken over Equestria city by city, striking first at the heart and seeping through like a poison, infecting everything else.
“But a question remains...” He paced a brief moment, looking up slightly as though in thought. A few naïve onlookers may have even followed his gaze. But it wasn't drawn out for too long: “How had Chrysalis managed to infiltrate our well-defended Canterlot as undetected as she had? Surely it would be impossible, given our fine Guard...” There he paused again, letting his words sink in as he slowly looked over each juror. “Unless, of course...such a guard was responsible. And thus investigations began. Eye-witness reports, video recordings, and even a confession from the defendant himself indicate that he had indeed gone behind closed doors with Queen Chrysalis.
“The defendant has been charged as the judge previously explained: with treason, and terrorism, and other acts as black as Luna's night. Were it not for immediate assistance and outstanding bravery and luck, the defendant's actions would have thrown all of Equestria into the tattered hooves of Chrysalis. Of course, of this indictment the defendant pleaded not guilty. It is your job, fillies and gentlecolts of the jury, to pay close attention to the evidence and to ultimately decide the defendant's guilt. Thank you.” With a light bow of his head, Factre was finished. He turned with a light sweep of his tail and quietly returned to his table.
As the judge shifted her attention, another stood. The defense attorney's coat was a light brown, his mane and tail darker and in pronounced tufts angling back, following the contour of his spine. In contrast with the prosecutor's, his light-blue eyes shone a more youthful glow, his confidence residing in something other than a stiff, long-running professionalism. “Fillies and gentlecolts, my name is John Smith,” he began, resting a hoof on the defendant's shoulder, “and this is my client, Scape Colt.” With a subtle, friendly push off Colt's shoulder, Mr. Smith approached the podium. His green tie bounced idly against his chest. As he rested his forehooves on the podium, he quietly cleared his throat before looking at the jury with a respectable smile. “I see before myself a smart group of ponies, and I mean that with the utmost sincerity. I have no doubt that if I were to spend time with each of you, I would discover brilliance. But with that, you ponies have the obligation to exercise that brilliance, and today provides a perfect opportunity for just that.”
Mr. Smith left the podium and walked nearer the jury box, though not in the same slow, dominant manner that the prosecutor had. He retained a certain bolstering joviality, eyes not demanding but trusting. His head was held high, and he drew the jurors to attention as he offered them his own. “Members of the jury, my client is innocent. Wrongly accused of vile acts, Scape Colt, a trusted guard, a beloved son and brother, has been subject to ridicule and harassment, and, members of the jury, if we cannot provide justice today then he shall be subjected to an even harsher life.
“I understand that tensions must be high. What almost happened one year ago was terrifying: I, too, was there, and I, too, was a victim of Chrysalis's attack. But punishing the innocent is not justice. It never was and it never will be. What Scape has gone through thus far is already excessive, and we can't change that. But we can decide what happens next. All that is required, fillies and gentlecolts, is a shadow of a doubt: one broken link in the chain that would connect him to the crimes he supposedly committed. One question you might have as to how the evidence marks him as a guilty pony. I assure you that there will be several gaping holes in the opposing evidence. Do not make up your minds until all of the evidence has been presented, as only then can the truth of the matter be seen for all that it truly is. And as you leave to deliberate, ponies of the jury, over the fate of our Mr. Colt, I ask that you return with a verdict of not guilty.” Having met each of the juror's eyes, Mr. Smith slowly dipped his head. “Thank you.”
As Mr. Smith returned to sit beside his client, the judge nodded, idly resting her hooves before her. “Thank you, Mr. Factre and Mr. Smith. Mr. Factre, would the prosecution begin with witness testimonies at this time?”
Again he stood. “I would like to call Ron Flash to the stand.”
A young stallion stepped up to the stand, reaching up to brush his blond mane out of his blue eyes. He shuffled slightly before raising his hoof.”
“Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you Celestia?” asked the court clerk.
“I do.”
The judge was satisfied. “Prosecution, you may proceed.”
Mr. Factre nodded in thanks before looking at the stallion. “Mr. Flash, you are a photographer, yes?”
He lightly smiled. “Yes, I am.”
“A paparazzo, correct?”
A bit of pride escaped his almost sheepish grin. “Yes, I suppose you could say that.”
“And what did you see pertaining to this case?”
Ron looked out to the defendant and gave a slight nod of indication. “I saw a guard flirting with the princess.”
“You mean Queen Chrysalis, correct?”
“Yeah.”
“Could you point to the guard you saw?”
He rose a pointing hoof toward Scape Colt.
“Thank you. Now, what exactly did you witness, Mr. Flash?”
“Standing nearby, I saw the two walking about Canterlot one night. Scape Colt wasn't wearing his armor at the time. The two were talking and laughing.”
“Did you hear what they were talking about?”
Ron Flash shook his head. “No sir. I don't know what they were talking about, but they were definitely together.”
“Did you take a photograph, Mr. Flash?”
“Yes, sir, I did.”
“May it please the court, the prosecution would like to admit the photograph as evidence.”
The court clerk's horn glowed a soft violet, and a photograph surrounded by a similar glow floated up to the bench. Her eyes flickering over the photograph for only a moment, the judge nodded, and the evidence was lowered to Mr. Factre. It followed him as he stepped up to the jury box. “Here we have Mr. Colt in Chrysalis's company. They don't exactly seem to be strangers, do they?”
“Objection, your honor!” Mr. Smith calmly called out. “The jury should not prejudge the evidence.”
“Sustained. Mr. Factre, allow the evidence to speak for itself .”
He lightly dipped his head. “Yes, your honor.” The photograph floated back to the court clerk, and Mr. Factre stepped away again. “That is all I have for Mr. Flash at this time.”
“Very well. Mr. Smith, would you like to cross-examine the witness?”
“Only briefly, yes.” The brown pony stood and took the prosecutor's place on the floor. “Ron, you've seen a lot of ponies in your time as a photographer, haven't you?”
“Objection! That's irrelevant!”
The judge glanced at Mr. Factre before looking to Mr. Smith, who quietly held her gaze. “Overruled,” she said. “Go on, Mr. Flash.”
“I have, yes,” said the photographer.
“You've seen ponies exhilarated, ponies enraged, and all ranges of emotion, right?”
“Right, of course. Those often make for the best pictures.”
Mr. Smith smiled. “I imagine they do. So when you saw Scape Colt with Chrysalis, did they seem to be plotting?”
He paused. “No, sir.”
“Did they appear angry or vengeful in any way?”
“No, sir,” said Flash.
“If you had to place an emotion on the scene, what would it be?”
“Objection!” Mr. Factre called out again. “Calling for a conclusion!”
“Sustained.”
Mr. Smith nodded in deference before turning back to the photographer. “Why were you on that street that night?”
“I'd received a call from a friend that the princess was out with another stallion.”
“And why did that strike your interest?”
“Because Princess Cadance was supposed to be getting married to Shining Armor within a week, and my friend said that the stallion wasn't him.”
“Shining Armor—the captain of the royal guard, yes?”
“Yeah, that's him.”
Mr. Smith nodded, glancing out toward the gallery for a moment, his tail idly flicking back and forth behind him. “Now, Mr. Factre was asking if you saw Chrysalis with Scape, and you confirmed that. But now you say that you took the picture because it was Princess Cadance with Scape Colt. I'm not mistaken, am I?”
“Well, no, not really. At the time, Queen Chrysalis had shape-shifted to look like Princess Cadance.”
“So you had no reason to believe that the princess you saw was an imposter?”
“No, sir.”
“Thank you.” Looking up to the judge, Mr. Smith nodded. “I have no more questions for Mr. Flash.”
“Very well. Mr. Factre, would you like to re-examine your witness?”
Sitting upright, the prosecutor replied with a steady, “No, your honor. I would next like to call to the stand Agatha Digis.”
A few moments later, the mare stepped forward and up to the stand, swapping places with Flash. She rose her right hoof and was sworn in.
After receiving a small nod from the judge, Mr. Factre began his questioning. “Agatha, at the time of the crisis one year ago, you were working in surveillance, correct?”
“That is correct.”
“And as Celestia had ordered increased security, more cameras were put into place within Canterlot, correct?”
“Correct.”
“What did you see pertaining to the trial at hoof?”
“Well...” Her eyes shifted to Scape, then fell to the stand. “It was night, around eleven o'clock, and I saw her open the door to her room and invite him inside.”
“And by her and him you mean Chrysalis and Mr. Colt, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Go on.”
“Well...there was no audio so I don't know what they said, but he stepped inside and they closed the door.”
Mr. Factre nodded. “You brought the corresponding tapes, correct?”
“I did.”
The judge looked down to her clerk. “Go ahead and play the video,” she said.
With a small nod, the mare's horn began to glow its violet again, and a rectangular image appeared in the air. It showed Scape Colt walk down the hallway to a door and knock. Only a couple seconds passed before a petite pink pony answered the door, her mane bright and colorful. The two ponies smiled and briefly spoke before the princess stepped aside, allowing Scape Colt to move past her and into the room. Then Princess Cadance closed the door, and the video came to a stop.
Mr. Factre nodded to Agatha and the judge in turn. “That is all, thank you.”
“Alright. Mr. Smith?”
“Yes, I do have a few questions for the witness,” he readily replied, getting up and taking his position before the mare. Again he greeted her with a smile. “Ms. Digis, when did Scape Colt leave the room?”
Her eyes turned upward as a little frown crossed her muzzle. “Not long after. Maybe...ten minutes after he was let inside? He seemed a little frazzled.”
Mr. Factre raised his head slightly. “Objection! Nothing pending, your honor!”
The judge nodded. “Sustained. Disregard the last statement,” she said. “Mr. Smith, continue.”
With her permission, he asked Agatha, “Do you have the rest of that night's recording?”
Ms. Digis blinked, though began to slowly nod. “Yes, I do.”
“If it please the court, I would like to see the video from ten minutes after Scape Colt's arrival.”
After meeting the judge's glance, the clerk brought up the video once more. The time stamp sped ahead until the door burst open and a pony sped out of shot, then the video rewound and played in regular speed. What Agatha had said was accurate: The door quickly opened and out ran a flustered black stallion, the door left ajar for a few seconds until Cadance poked her head out. Given Scape Colt's expression, she only seemed a little frustrated before shutting the door.
The gallery had begun to mutter again, casting glances at Mr. Factre, who only allowed his ear to twitch. Mr. Smith's smile had grown slightly, and he looked toward the bench. “Thank you. That's all.”
“Ms. Digis, you're dismissed. Mr. Factre, would you like to call anyone else as a witness?”
While Agatha left the stand, Mr. Factre stood and shook his head. “No, your honor.”
“Very well then. Mr. Smith, would you like to call forward any witnesses?”
“Yes, I would.” Mr. Smith stood up straight and said, “I call to the stand Mr. Neo Shield.
A white pegasus pony stepped up to the stand. He looked to be as strong as Colt, though his coat was well-kept, retaining its healthy shine. He was then sworn in.
“Neo, what is your relationship with Scape Colt?”
“We've known each other for a long time,” said the stallion, his folded-in wings shifting slightly as he spoke. “We enlisted as guards around the same time and have been in the same patrol since.”
“You know him well, then?”
“Yes, sir, I believe I do.”
Mr. Smith nodded, looking back at his client for a moment. “What was Colt's relationship with Princess Cadance.”
For an instant Neo grinned before wiping it away. “Colt has always admired her from afar. It wasn't until recently that they ever really got to speak to each other.”
“When do you mean by recently?”
“The early stages of this case, sir.”
“What about the photograph or the video that was shown?”
“That was not Princess Cadance, sir.”
“To your knowledge, did Mr. Colt think that it was?”
He nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Did you think that it was Princess Cadance?”
“Yes, sir,” he said again.
Mr. Smith paused, nodding, his gaze lightly trailing off as he brought a hoof to his muzzle. “Do you believe that you were the only one who had been fooled by Queen Chrysalis?”
“No, sir.”
“Alright. Now, according to you, Mr. Colt had romantic feelings for Princess Cadance. Am I correct in saying that?”
“Yes.”
“Did he ever act on those feelings?”
“No.”
“Then how did Chrysalis, at that time shape-shifted to appear exactly like Princess Cadance, come to be in his company?”
“She asked him personally, sir.”
“I see.” Then Mr. Smith began to pace as one would when thinking. “We watched the second part of the recording just a few minutes ago,” he began. “We all saw Scape Colt quickly leave the room. Do you know why?”
“Yes. Chrysalis began behaving highly inappropriately.”
“How do you mean?”
He shifted in his seat, though his gaze remained forward. “She solicited various sexual activities.”
A quiet, collective gasp sounded out from the gallery, a sweeping silence following swiftly after as the green-tied stallion continued.
“How do you know this?”
“Scape Colt told me, sir.”
His pacing ceased, and he looked out to meet Scape's eyes. Then, with another small nod, he looked back at the witness stand. “Thank you, Neo.” Mr. Smith stepped away.
Assuming he had finished, the judge addressed the prosecutor. “Mr. Factre, would you like to cross-examine the witness?”
“I would, your honor.” As Mr. Factre stepped past the defense attorney, his tail lightly flicked to the side. More whispering broke out in the gallery, dying away by the time the earth pony spoke. “Mr. Shield, being a member of the Equestrian Guard, you were well-informed regarding the barriers protecting Canterlot around the time of the royal wedding, correct?”
“Yes, sir, all guards were.”
“Was it your job to protect the border? To ensure that nothing got in or out without permission?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And are you certain that nothing could pass through the barrier without permission?”
“Yes, sir.”
“As we tragically saw, however, the barrier can break. But we would have known had the barrier been broken. Isn't that true?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then somepony must have knowingly allowed Chrysalis inside, correct?”
“No, sir. Everypony thought she was the princess.”
“But,” he continued, “someone did indeed let her in?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you. Now, Mr. Shield, you said that Mr. Colt himself told you of Chrysalis's sexual advances. Is that correct?”
The guard nodded. “That is correct, sir.”
“For what reason would he not try to cover up his actions?”
“Objection, your honor!” cried Mr. Smith. “That's just argumentative and speculative!”
“Sustained.”
Mr. Factre flinched slightly, but continued on otherwise unfazed. “Mr. Shield, can you be certain that Mr. Colt was being one-hundred percent honest with you?”
Though seeming a little hesitant, the white-coated pegasus shook his head. “No, sir, I cannot.”
“You stated before that Mr. Colt had romantic feelings for Princess Cadance. If she did, in fact, solicit sexual activities, do you think he would reject the opportunity?”
The guard paused, glancing towards Mr. Smith. But when the earth pony raised no objections, Neo took a quiet breath before he answered. “Under ordinary circumstances, no. But certainly under the circumstances observed that night.”
“And what circumstances would those be?”
“Her engagement to our captain, Shining Armor.”
More mumblings broke out in the gallery, a little louder, less hostile than before. To ensure a quick return to silence, the judge clapped her hoof down onto the bench, and a hush again fell over the courtroom.
Mr. Factre stood still for a few moments, his eyes flickering across the stand, his tailtip giving the slightest of twitches now and again. “That is all.” He spun around and walked back to his table.
“Mr. Smith, would you like to call any more witnesses?”
“Yes, your honor. I now call Shining Armor to the stand.”
A few “ooh”s and “ahh”s sounded from the gallery as a majestic white unicorn stepped up to the stand, his bold, blue mane standing out from his red uniform. He sat calmly at the stand, his posture straight, attentive but calm, as he watched Mr. Smith approach. “Shining Armor, how long have you known Princess Cadance?”
“I've known her for years,” he replied with a small nod, a hint of a smile on his face. “She was Twilight's—my younger sister's—foalsitter when she was little.”
“And you say that you love her?”
At that question, the captain's ears twitched. But another beat him to the response: “Objection, your honor! Irrelevant!”
“Overruled,” came the swift reply, another light clapping of hoof-on-wood sounding out. “You may answer, Shining Armor.”
The stallion still seemed surprised by the question. “Yes, of course I love her.”
“And you two are married now, correct?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Now, Shining Armor, I don't at all doubt your love for Princess Cadance. If anyone has seen the way you two care for each other, I'm sure they would feel the same. But did you, Shining Armor, realize that Queen Chrysalis had invaded Canterlot disguised as your wife?”
“I—...No...” His gaze dropped slightly. “No, I didn't notice when she hid the real Cadance away. I didn't realize she was an imposter.”
An uproar of surprise broke out. Ponies yelled and stamped, some in revelation and others in disgust.
“How could you not recognize your fiancée?” one pony shouted out before the judge seized the gavel in her mouth. “Erder!” She shouted, her voice firm despite being muffled. A few more resounding claps of the gavel and the gallery began to quiet down again. The judge sighed as she straightened up, leaving the gavel resting on the block.
At that point, Mr. Smith dipped his head. “Thank you, Shining Armor. I have no more questions.”
“Mr. Factre, would you like to cross-examine the witness?”
All eyes turned to Glu Factre as he hesitated, searching for a response. The air of confidence he had held at the beginning of the trial had begun to fade, and now anxiety shone subtly in his eyes. “Yes, your honor.”
“Shining Armor,” Mr. Factre began, taking his place before the witness stand, “is it true that only you can cast the spell that created the barrier that covered Canterlot a year ago?”
“Yes, it's true,” he replied with a nod.
“And can it be broken?”
“Well, it was broken in the end,” he began, his voice trailing off slightly. With a blink of his eyes, however, Shining Armor quietly cleared his throat and continued. “It did break, yes, but only after I was too far weakened to maintain it.”
“If it cannot be broken, how would one enter Canterlot with the barrier in place?”
“Guards are always stationed along the main entryway,” Shining Armor replied. “They determine whether it's safe and appropriate for people to either enter or exit Canterlot.”
“Then someone did let Chrysalis in.”
“As Neo Shield explained, yes.”
“Thank you. I have no more questions.”
The judge nodded. “Do you have any more witnesses, Mr. Smith?”
“Yes, your honor,” he replied. “Just one. I would like to call Scape Colt to the stand.”
Again the sounds of surprise came from the gallery, though it was quickly hushed by its own before the judge could reproach them.
Once Scape Colt had taken the stand and been sworn in, Mr. Smith approached him with a smile. “Scape, how do you feel about Princess Cadance?”
“Like Neo said, I've grown fond of her.” His voice was fairly deep and calm as he responded, and now his eyes showed attentiveness.
“Were she not now married, would you consider approaching her to get to know her better?”
“I would.”
“What about before she was married?”
“I would, sir.”
“Even when engaged to Shining Armor?”
He blinked. “No, sir. Never in seeking a relationship, at least.”
Mr. Smith nodded, taking a few steps towards the jury as he spoke, connecting the jury box and witness stand. “Though you profess an attraction toward her, you would not approve of harming the relationship of another?”
“That is correct.”
“Good. Now, everypony here saw the photograph and the video that was played. We know that you did spend time with the princess—or rather, with Queen Chrysalis. Did she seek you out?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And did you offer any resistance?”
“No, sir. She approached me in a friendly manner.”
“Until she invited you into her room. Is that correct?”
Scape Colt didn't answer right away. His eyes met with the stand, then his hooves. He spoke with his gaze still averted. “Yes, sir.”
“And what there did she do?”
“What Neo said was correct, sir.”
“Please, tell us anyway.”
It was obvious the pegasus was still hesitant. “As Neo said, she presented herself...” He paused again. “Your honor?” he began, looking up at the mare, “Is that detail sufficient?”
“You may move on, Mr. Smith,” was her response.
He, in turn, dipped his head in deference. “One last question, Scape: Did you have any idea that Queen Chrysalis was not the pony she claimed to be?”
At that, the guard straightened up, his eyes glinting. “Not at all, sir. If I had known, she would not have been permitted within the barrier.”
“Thank you. That is all.”
“And Mr. Factre,” the judge said as she looked to the prosecutor, “would you like to cross-examine the witness?”
The gray pony held his breath for a few seconds. “No, your honor. That won't be necessary.
“Very well. Members of the jury, you will now hear the closing arguments of counsel.”
Taking a breath, Mr. Factre got to his hooves and began making his way towards the podium. He held his head high, but something was still amiss from his opening argument. Mr. Factre took a moment to brush a strand of his mane out of his face before looking up from the podium, first at the judge and then the jury. “May it please the court, I would like to begin by restating a few key facts. First, the defensive barrier surrounding Canterlot at the time of the wedding was nigh impregnable; it required a high level of magic to create the barrier alone, and while perhaps it could have been broken with a rivaling magical force, such an event did not take place. Queen Chrysalis was allowed inside. Second...” He paused, and quietly clear his throat. “We have seen both still-image and video proof that the defendant was spending a lot of time with Chrysalis—much more time than he had ever spent with Princess Cadance in the past. We saw them go behind closed doors, but what took place inside is a mystery—Who knows when else they could have sneaked off together? Third, the only testimony that provides any sort of explanation came from the royal guard Neo Shield, who admitted himself that Scape Colt could well have lied to him.
“None of us may truly know when or how it happened, but the defendant was the only pony with the motive and means to allow Chrysalis through. He was the only pony known to have such intimate, unexplained contact with Chrysalis. With the terror that was unleashed one year ago, and the terror that could have befallen Equestria had Chrysalis not been stopped, I ask that you see that justice is served and convict the defendant for the crimes he has committed. When you retire to deliberate, remember your duties of deciding his guilt, as the ultimate responsibility lies with you. Thank you.”
Mr. Factre's eyes seemed distant as he turned and returned to the table. His tail twitched behind him until he sat down, and even then he stared nervously ahead.
Next stood Mr. Smith. He began not at the podium, but midway between the podium and the jury box. “Your honor, may it please the court,” he began, looking to each, “we have here a case that should not have come this far at all. The prosecution, despite all its work, all its careful elegance, essentially proved two things: Scape Colt was not where everypony expected him to be and was not with whom everypony expected him to be. But that, fillies and gentlecolts, does not prove him guilty.
“The prosecution's photograph and video evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Scape Colt had made contact with Queen Chrysalis, who at the time had cleverly disguised herself as Princess Cadance. Without a shadow of a doubt, we know that Scape Colt had entered her room with the door closing behind them. But another thing that Mr. Factre stated rings true: We have no idea what went on behind those doors. Almost nopony knows for sure. The only ponies who truly know are Queen Chrysalis and Scape Colt themselves, and Scape has testified, having sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help him Celestia, that he was not, in fact, scheming with the dark queen. No, this tale is not one of treason and harboring terrorists, but of a stallion whose soft spot for a beautiful mare has gotten him into a lot of trouble, despite the chivalry he displayed as he fled the scene out of respect for Shining Armor, his captain and friend.
“Members of the jury, the prosecution said that it would prove the guilt of Scape Colt, but it proved only that he was present at the time. Why, for all its work, was that all the prosecution was able to prove? Because that was all that could be proven. Scape swears that he did not know who she really was. And let me ask you, my fellow ponies, let me ask you, who among you knew that Queen Chrysalis was here? Who saw through her clever disguise to the dark pony beneath? I certainly did not. Shining Armor, Cadance's husband, certainly did not. Who, then, can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the royal guard Scape Colt knew? He claimed that he did not, under solemn oath, and it is not his job to prove himself not guilty; no, it is the responsibility of the prosecution to prove him guilty.
“The puzzle laid out for us by the prosecution had a few pieces, fillies and gentlecolts. The corners, maybe, perhaps a bit of the border. From their case, we can start to see the outline—but we're far from being able to see the entire picture. Of course, the mind is a brilliant thing, and the imagination unmatched; you could fill in the blanks, and you might be encouraged by the prosecution to do so. But that is not your job. The prosecution's job is to prove Scape Colt guilty beyond a reasonable doubt; yours, to take the evidence to deliberation and return with a verdict.
“May it please the court, I ask that as you deliberate you remember the points I have maintained. Mr. Scape Colt was indeed with the queen, but he knew not of her identity, much like you and I had no idea. Mr. Scape Colt had no motive to aid Queen Chrysalis in her takeover of our beloved land of Equestria, but rather, as a member of the Royal Guard, he had an obligation to protect Equestria. Most importantly, ponies of the jury, my client, Mr. Scape Colt, is innocent. I stand before you and ask that you see justice is served by returning with a verdict of not guilty. Thank you.”
Mr. Smith bowed his head for a moment or two before turning and stepping away, sitting beside his client once more. He smiled and whispered something into Colt's ear, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
And then the judge spoke. “Members of the jury, be sure to consider all of the evidence provided by both sides. Be swayed not by emotion, but by facts. Now, the time has come for you to leave the courtroom for deliberation. You will first decide upon a foreperson who will preside over discussion and the juror votes, and, when the time comes, to deliver the verdict. May justice guide your thoughts and discussion, and we will be notified of your decision upon your return.”
