It was early morning, pre-dawn. The nobles were gathered in the loose line they formed to get into the still-closed court. We were among them. Though a guard stood nearby, we were trusted to stand in the line without being locked down physically.

The other nobles kept glancing over. They had known me well enough to know I didn't used to have pony legs or a twitchy tail. I couldn't be sure if the change had raised or lowered my appraisal in their eyes. I guessed that the change itself was odd. Most creatures didn't just change parts.

A soft cough caught my attention. Soft Word had snuck up on us. "Do you mind if I cut in with you?"

I waved for him to join us and he did so with a smile. "You appear to have been busy. Are you attempting to go native in a most literal display?" His horn glowed and I felt my tail being gone over, which was an odd sensation. I was not used to things touching that limb I had not had for most of my life.

Easy reached up, casually flicking his horn and banishing the reaching magic. "Keep it on your head. Ask someone before you go touching, seriously. What's up, Soft?"

Soft smirked faintly. "Miss Breeze, you haven't changed." He glanced towards the guard standing across the room, watching us. "You've gained attention, and I imagine the reason for it will be brought to light today. Are you well, minus the obvious?"

Was I? "I think I can put a lot of things to rest today, in theory." I patted where the scroll was tucked away gently. "I have a better understanding of the big picture."

"Good to hear." He put a monocle in place lightly. "They're about to open, and I will root for your success, Sir."

He had called it, the doors opening and ponies strolling inside to take their places. Miss Mason, the guild matron of the builders, bumped against me as she went past. I could see her glancing at me purposefully, but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

We took our seats, Easy to my right and Soft perching to my left. They sat up on the bench as a pony might, and I tried to sit the human way, as less comfortable as that was with pony legs. I didn't plan to give up that though, so there I sat.

The council emerged with proper pomp, and they even managed to get through the greeting of the day without descending immediately into arguments. Good for them. Or they were all focused on something already.

The moment the greeting was complete, Celestia looked directly at me. "The court calls Ian Langerman. Please step forward."

I hadn't been asked to step forward last time. "May my manager come with me?" I stood up without delay, gesturing to Easy. "She has information the court will want to hear as well."

Easy cringed even as she tried to smile. "Thanks, boss," she harshly whispered.

"The court recognizes Easy Breeze. Please step forward," She pointed to the podium beneath the level of the council members. "As some of you are aware, I entrusted Mister Langerman with a delicate assignment. I hope we will all see the fruit of it."

No pressure, right? I moved down the aisle, hundreds of pony eyes following me as I took the stand and Easy popped up beside me, an unsure smile on her face. "I bring news, mostly of the good variety. I think this ugly affair can be put behind us, but there are other things to be concerned with."

A heavy slam brought everyone attention up to the war-leading council-stallion. "Her forces are still very-much present, and they are not unarmed. How can you even imply this matter is anything but immediate and dire?"

A thought tickled at me. "You have a point. Her followers are dangerous, perhaps." I looked to Psychic Grannie, sitting there looking back at me. "You were there when it started. Which of the council members were present on that fateful day?"

She looked surprised at the question. "I don't like thinking about it, but I can remember it clearly." She started pointing out the council members, but didn't point at the war-leading one. "We were all there."

The war leader pointed at himself. "Except me, of course. My position was a result of that day."

"And you've done a fine job," I said with a smile. "But about that day. The spear that was thrown, how far and accurately can a spear be hurled by a pony?"

He snorted softly. "In the correct teeth, nearly as far and well as you wish."

"So it wasn't magic?"

He blinked, confused at the idea. "Mm?"

Psychic grandma raised a hoof. "It wasn't glowing when it flew through the air."

I raised a lone finger. "Are you trained in spear use?"

"Of course!" he hotly defended as if insulted by the question. "One of the best. Why? Why are we even entertaining the word of this deformed half-pony to begin with?"

The court murmured in agreement. Why were they listening to me?

Time for bigger guns. I drew out the scroll. "On this is the spell that allows a group of unicorns to move the sun and moon."

Gasps rolled out, replacing the quiet whispering.

Celestia sat up tall. "That spell is outlawed, Mister Langerman. We would not want any other unicorn to sacrifice themselves, or damage Equestria through its use."

I waved the scroll at her lightly. "And yet, it cannot, must not, be buried and forgotten. The lives of everyone hinged on avoiding just that." I brought my hands together, the scroll trapped between them. "Though I hope for your long presence, nothing in this universe is assured. If something happens to you, the duties you fulfill must fall to another. Without this knowledge, that is impossible, and all must suffer for the hubris of it."

Easy raised a quivering hoof. "No one would want to use that... spell. Unless the sun or moon was literally your purpose or maybe you were the incarnate of magic or something, it would wreck you completely." She clopped the podium, standing tall despite her shaking. "Maybe not the first or second time, but you will break something important, and be left a husk without magic."

Celestia wearily sighed. "That is precisely why it was outlawed. What would you have us do, as an outside perspective?"

I could hear whispers and mutterings, though it was hard to make them out. They were all about me, that much I felt certain enough. "The spell must be kept safe, in more than one place. In the event of such an emergency, a pony should be allowed to retrieve it and use it. Ideally, it should be stored away from you, Celestia, just in case whatever caused your end would harm it along the way. To maximize the odds of recovery, several copies should be spread out as far as possible."

The war council pony slammed a hoof down on the railing around his seat. "And what stops a pony from taking one of these remote copies and causing untold damage with it?"

Easy shook her head wildly. "They wouldn't last long enough to do much of anything. No sane person would want to do this unless it was really needed. No insane person will survive it if they do it alone."

I had another argument. "We've already seen what happens." The room's attention focused on me anew. "She's had this scroll. She's the one that gave it to me. She had it for however long this struggle has endured, and yet the sun has not crashed into the world nor the moon been shattered. She sent me back here with guards and well wishes, knowing I was an agent of this very court. Even at their worst, ponies don't want to destroy the world."

Thump! The war pony was looking increasingly irate. "About that! How dare you aid and abet enemies of the state!? You had in your hooves vital intelligence and outright criminals in need of justice and it was by your word alone that they trotted free."

Psychic Grandma's horn glowed softly, and he fell silent. Not that he wasn't moving and ranting, but no sounds came out. He didn't even seem to notice the difference, shouting silently at me. She nodded at him, then looked to me. "I have caught the hint you provided. Tell me, what did she say when you told her of that fateful day?"

We were switching topics rapidly, but I felt we were still headed in the right direction overall. "She became furious at the idea that she, or her ponies, would have started the fight. She swore they hadn't."

With a dull thud, sound returned to the war council. He had rushed from his podium at Psychic Grandma in a flash and struck her, slamming her face with an angry hoof and sending her crashing down with a weak cry. Her spell was broken, allowing him to speak, "Arrest him!"

Celestia's wings unfurled wide as she recoiled as did most of the others in the court. The council coming to blows was apparently new enough. "You have broken a solemn oath," she intoned, standing up with a growing scowl. "There is a male that will be arrested today, but he has four hooves, not two."

"You sit down," he barked, pointing at the prone and still form of Psychic Grandma. "She cast a spell at me, silencing me and breaking the very same vow first. I only defended myself."

Another council-mare cleared her throat softly. "Even if we accept that at face value, your reaction was far more severe than warranted. She is an old mare and you... You punched her. Is she alright?"

~That may have been a mistake,~ drifted into my mind. ~I can't feel much. Make me proud, strange thing.~ Her voice faded from my mind an I felt fear grip at me. How seriously had she been hurt?

"Get a doctor!" I blurted out, which only got looks of confusion.

The doors leading out of the courtroom banged open as a pony in robes entered, half-glasses on her face. "Physician Steady Cast, reporting for duty," she announced herself as she trotted down towards the trouble.

Had the word doctor come in after physician? Whatever, I was glad she was there and just hoped leeching was not still the desired treatment of the day.

Guards were moving in, but they were not unified. Some looked like they wanted to grab the war-leader, while others moved to defend him. As soon as one reached to grab him, another grabbed that guard, and it devolved into a brawl almost instantly as loyalties were drawn and fought over.

A blinding flash had them all rubbing their eyes against the dazzling effect. Celestia was approaching, horn held high. "Enough! You will stand trial." She pointed the prone form of Psychic Grandma. "She will have her turn, as soon as she is capable. If the council has no objection, I move that you both have your station removed until such time."

The others nodded in easy agreement, muttering their thoughts. The same mare as before pointed at the fallen elder. "I hope she's alright, even if she shouldn't have done that. We shouldn't treat her like that."

And so it was that two council members ceased to be members of that council. That was not as I had planned... Still. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but..."

"Yes, of course." Celestia turned back towards me and the rest of the crowd. "Court will resume. See them to their rooms and to their comfort and care, but they are not to leave." She sat down on her throne with a soft sigh. "You raise an important point. If she wished to cause harm, she had the tool to do so for some time. Perhaps we have been looking at this from the wrong angle. Tell me, tell us, what is it she truly desires?"

Author's Notes:

I imagine you can put the pieces together at this point, yes? Shall we resolve this and maybe get to making Equestria a bright place ready for the future we know it could become?

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