The next day had the castle quite busy in looking up every shred of remotely relevant legal facts. Twilight sat at a wide table, organizing it all into some kind of order. "Celestia is likely to use this defense." She pointed. "A figure of nobility or royalty who employs lethal magic in defense of an innocent shall not be held liable." She pointed at Silver. "You are not innocent. We have to prove that."

Silver scratched behind her head. "I was kind of in a cell, with a magic blocker."

Night nodded. "And yet... you were still lethal."

Twilight smiled at Night. "Good thinking! So long as you had your teeth, you were a deadly combatant, horn blocker or not. You've already killed a pony with them before. You've also fought in service of the crown of the Crystal Empire. A soldier is not an innocent."

Twilight shuffled the papers. "Here. A unicorn that has recently increased in at least three grades within the span of a year should be judged leniently if their control should waver, provided they are willing to submit to education and further training."

Fast tilted her head. "Well... wouldn't you be? What's wrong with that one?"

Twilight clopped the top of the table. "If I take advantage of that, Celestia will use it to give me a pathetic ruling."

Silver pointed at Twilight's midsection. "You are not a unicorn. You're a princess."

Twilight extended a wing. "Excellent point." She made a quick note and found another paper. This is how the day went, with finding defenses Celestia might use to pardon or lessen the crimes put against her and figuring out a way to puncture them. They paused only for meals, and by the time the sun began to set, they were all ready for sleep. Twilight curled by herself under the blankets, eschewing the close contact of the others. "Thank you all, for helping... I hope you'll all be there, tomorrow."

They all gave agreement that they would be there, and soon sleep settled over the herd.

The next day, a chariot arrived early in the morning to take Twilight away. Twilight pointed at Silver. "She comes along. She is one of the victims." Soon they were off, leaving the others to make their way to Canterlot their own ways. They were taken through the castle swiftly to a small room with little save a few plush chairs. They settled in them and waited.

The door opened and Celestia entered, closing it behind herself with her golden magic. "It is not too late, Twilight. Are you certain you wish to proceed with this?"

Twilight nodded firmly. "I am. I'd rather be an honest failure than a false hero. The ponies of Equestria deserve to know that even princesses follow the rules."

Celestia nodded softly before smiling. "Whatever happens, I am very proud of you, my darling student. You are standing by your convictions, and they are good ones. I may be your opponent today, but you have my respect and admiration."

Twilight turned dark red through her fur at Celestia's words, shuffling uncertainly. "I... thank you... I would be more worthy of praise if we weren't here at all."

Celestia turned to Silver. "You have been the center point of much strife, and yet much hope. You are a force of change, once human, now princess. It is little wonder you get along with Discord so well. I blame myself for not finding more time to tutor you in our ways."

Silver shrank back a little. "Why are you talking as if I'm on trial? I didn't do anything wrong."

Celestia departed without another word, the door closing with her golden magic behind her.

Silver looked to Twilight. "What was that about? I didn't like the way she said that at all."

Twilight furrowed her brow thoughtfully. "I don't know, but I don't like it either. She must have found another angle..." She performed the calming motion of a hoof while breathing. "Whatever happens, we'll stand together, right?"

Silver smiled at that, feeling the fear vanish. "Yes. Together. During and after."

They were escorted out some time later, led to the Day Court, which was filled to bursting. News of the trial had spread quickly, and everypony who was anypony was there to ogle the event. Silver was led to the witness bench, while Twilight took the position of the accused.

It seemed two princesses were required for this, as both Luna and Celestia were presiding. Luna pointed at Twilight. "You stand accused of causing the death of an unborn foal, and the release of war magic outside the scope of battle. For the record, how do you plead?"

Twilight rose up to her full height. "I plead guilty to both, but why have you renamed the first?"

Luna tilted her head. "It cannot be murder if it was accidental. Surely you did not intend it, did you?"

Twilight shook her head slowly. "No..." It made the accusation against her weaker, but the truth was the truth.

Murmurs spread through the crowd as they began needling Twilight for every detail of the day, from the start to the end.

"Why," asked Celestia, "did you fly Silver to Canterlot instead of letting her take the train as anypony else? You are still developing your flying ability. Surely it had risks, even without attack?"

Twilight considered a moment. "I wanted to get here and back as quickly as possible. I wanted to research the possibilities of opening a new portal to Silver's old world."

Celestia nodded softly. "And you had to return to retrieve Silver, is this correct?"

Twilight nodded quickly. "That is correct."

"If you didn't need to return, you would not have been flying when the attack occurred?"

Twilight tilted her head slightly. "I... suppose?"

Celestia waved a wing. "That will be enough. The court calls Princess Silver Stars to the stand."

Silver moved up to the stand nervously and settled down onto her haunches. The extra inches of princesshood allowed her to see over the podium while sitting, unlike the last time she was called to the stand. Celestia and Luna started from the top, grilling Silver about every detail of the day.

Luna waved a hoof. "You used your lunar pony emotional magic to signal Princess Twilight Sparkle?"

Silver nodded. "I don't think it worked, but I tried."

Celestia rose up. "I have come to a conclusion." All eyes turned towards her. "Princess Twilight Sparkle is guilty, at her own admission, but she was not in her right state of mind. She was corrupted and misled by her." She pointed at Silver. "Even just before the incident, Princess Silver Stars flooded Princess Twilight Sparkle with a tumult of emotions, confusing her. It is little wonder that she behaved erratically. We cannot punish Princess Twilight Sparkle severely for a crime she committed while under such influences."

Twilight hopped to her hooves, striking the railing before her. "Tha--"

"Silence!" boomed Luna in the Royal Canterlot voice. "You have not been recognized by the court."

Celestia nodded lightly. "The corruption runs before then. Why was the Princess in the air? Silver Stars. Why did she have to go back and forth, giving the assailants time to find and intercept her, Silver Stars. Who did she think she had to strike so violently for? Silver Stars." She leveled a hoof at Silver Stars. "You are a bad influence. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Silver looked like she was caught in headlights. This wasn't supposed to be her day to be accused. She shuffled in place, but no words emerged from the chaotic mess that her thoughts had become.

Fast rose up in the crowd with a shout. "What a bunch of nonsense!"

Luna struck down with a hoof. "Silence!"

When the silence returned, Celestia nodded "Good. Luna, what is the word from the royal examiners?"

Luna shook her head. "No sign was found of any further death save what was discussed already."

Celestia pointed at Silver, then Twilight. "I sentence you both to isolation rehabilitation until such time as you learn better control of your magic. The ponies of Equestria should not fear their princesses."

Guards moved to escort both away swiftly as the crowd exploded with excited whispers. Silver wriggled against the guard that grabbed her. "I didn't do anything!" She saw Luna's horn glow just before she went limp, falling asleep in the guard's grip.

Twilight let out a soft sigh, allowing herself to be led away with a sullen look, but not fighting it.

Later, Silver awoke on a pile of cushions. Twilight was there, looking just as sullen. There was little else in the room. "What happened?"

Twilight clopped a hoof on the ground. "She did it... She found an out." She sank her head down and put her hooves to either of her temples. "Ugh, she always finds an out. She got us both accused of lesser crimes instead of letting me face the larger one."

Silver frowned. "She doesn't always want to find an out... She didn't find any out when I needed her. So... what do we do?"

Twilight huffed angrily. "We sit here and wait. A pony comes along once in a while and talks with us about our feelings and our magic, and when they decide we're better, we can go."

Silver shuffled upright, "Not that I'm complaining, but why are we... together? Didn't she say isolation?"

Twilight shrugged. "We are isolated from everypony else? I'm not sure."

Silver rose up and moved over to twilight. She lifted a hoof, then brought it down on Twilight's head in a light bonk.

Twilight looked more confused than hurt. "Ow? What was that?"

Silver settled beside Twilight. "I'm still angry, but this is stupid."

Twilight leaned against Silver a little, and they fell to silence. Time passed slowly. The lights in the room suddenly went dark. No food arrived despite their hunger. "They're taking this isolation thing a bit far." Twilight frowned softly. "Maybe this will be a more serious punishment than I thought."

Silver closed her eyes. "They can't stop me from escaping in my dreams. I'll go talk with the others."

Twilight smiled. "That's a great idea! Tell them what's going on so they don't have to worry at least."

Silver slowed her breath and calmed her heart, a technique she learned as a human that worked as well as a pony. In, one heartbeat, two, three, out, one, two, three. Over and over as the heartbeats got slower. She faded away into the dream world.

Luna stood before her as she opened her eyes. "No."

Silver scurried back a few steps. "Jeeze!"

Luna followed after Silver. "No. Go back to your room. I am not to permit you to wander the dreamscape." With a wave, Silver was sent back to her Earth room.

She went for the door and found it was locked. She tried imagining the door open, then simply imagining herself somewhere else, but none of it worked. A new idea came to her and she hopped onto her uncomfortable computer chair. She pulled up gmail and started typing an email to [email protected]

I have no idea if this will work,

Twilight and I are safe, but they're keeping us in isolation from everyone else. They haven't even brought us any food! How long has it been since the trial? There's no clock in here to see the time.

Love,
Silver Stars

She jammed send, then went to flop on her bed and wait to awaken. It felt odd to be a bored pretty princess in her human bed, and she giggled at the thought of it. "If I wandered in right now, as a human, I would be soooo amazed." She tapped her chin thoughtfully and mused idle thoughts. There was little else to do.

Author's Notes:

OBJECTION!

There are typos in your testimony!