As Balance Dictates - Chapter 1 (As Ponies Dictate)

>For years, balance has been a crucial thing for everything and everyone.

>What is taken is returned, what is given is received.

>There is a consequence to every action and every action has consequence.

>You have been following a standard guideline such as this for many years now.

>You are Anonymous.

 

>And you are...surrounded by colorful equines.

>"Ponies!"

>Ponies.

 

>Here you stand, amongst a group of ponies, attention focused on you.

>Some are fearful, some curious. One is very curious, as you can plainly see.

>You glance down at your legs to see a purple pony inspecting your lower half.

Ahem.

>It flinches then slowly looks up at your dead stare.

>It's not like you were trying to intimidate it, that's your normal, emotionless stare. There wasn't much to say either at this point.

>You turned and began to walk towards a forest in the distance.

>"W-Wait!"

>You halt in your great expedition and turn around to see the purple one once more, this time outside of the crowd that followed in her wake. You crossed your arms and stared expectantly.

>"Uh...who are you?"

>That's a good question. But to breath your name was to breath a title given to you by someone who has controlled you for many years. Breaking free of that grasp, you can title yourself properly. However, since she did not know such a thing, you use a moniker to hide your true identity nowadays.

Anonymous.

>Silence slowly set the stage.

 

>"Well Anonymous...care to explain why you're here?"

Strolling by.

>Silence again.

>"I haven't seen your kind before though...what are you?"

Human. If you never heard of my species, that's fine. I have never heard an equine speak. That's a fair trade if you ask me.

>"But...you're probably the only human that exists in Equestria! Can't you stay and chat for awhile? There are so many things I'd like to know!"

What's your name.

>"P-pardon?"

Your name. What is it?

>"Twilight Sparkle."

Well Ms. Sparkle. Since we seem to now be on equal ground, I will have this chat with you. After that, I will leave.

>"But where will you go?"

As long as I am no disturbance to this village, it matters not.

>"B-but you can stay he-"

Shhhh...listen.

>Complete silence...save for a different sound. It took many years of training to hear even the slightest sound amidst the silence and many years more to hear color. And this color sounds...

>Navy, almost dark blue. Like the night sky. And the sound itself...

>Energy concentrated into a bolt, made for a purpose of either a blinding light to confuse or if strong enough...to harm.

Zenith, activate.

>"What?"

 

>You pull out the long, sharpened sword from its holster on your back in time to hold back the dark blue bolt with your own energy from the blade.

>You deflect it over to the left, where it hits the ground and fizzles.

>After the event passed, you sheathed your blade and looked back at Twilight.

I'm ready for talking now. Whenever you are ready, we can go.

>She just stares back at you, jaw dropped.

>"W-What...H-how..." she can't say anything. But that's okay, the ear-ringing voice covers for her this time.

>"FOUL CREATURE, WHO DARES TO HARM THE PONIES OF THIS TOWN, YOU SHALL BE PUNISHED!" the voice booms.

>You see the charging pony in the sky, glowing the same hue as the bolt of energy that was shot at you earlier.

I seek no fight.

>"THEN YOU SHALL BE CONSTRAINED!"

>Another beam is fired at you.

>You stand still and let it hit you, and the world goes black.

 

>Until you re-awaken in what seems to be a prison of sorts.

Hmph.

>You sit up and check Zenith. Zenith is currently gone, at the moment.

>It is across the room, in its case.

Zenith, come.

>The blade gets up and flys through the bars and into your hand. You adjust the case's straps around your shoulder and sit down once more, awaiting whatever fate that may await you.

 

>Minutes turn to hours, and hours thankfully do not turn to days, when a guard comes down and spots you.

>"He's awake, Cell-B5."

Bingo.

>He looks at you quizzically, then just shakes it off and walks away. You smirk.

>Moments later, a purple pony approaches your cell.

Hello again Twilight Sparkle.

>"Anonymous! I'm so so so so sorry for this.

It was not your fault. Nor was it the fault of the other pony involved. It was my own fault, for wandering into territories unknown to me and greeting a race unknown to me.

>She just looks down and pouts.

However, you made a pretty good impression of your races kindness.

>With that said, a small smile was elicit from her.

I must ask though; will I be released?

>"You're being taken to court, actually. I'm here to help with your defense."

Twilight, I cannot ask that of you. I will defend myself.

>"Please, it's the least I could do for what happened earlier!"

As I have said, it was not your fault. Plus, don't forget, later we still have that chat. And I won't break that promise over some small issue like this.

>"Small issue? You're going to court!"

>Just as that was said, more guards came towards your cell.

>"Anonymous. We've come to bring you to the court room. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will be presiding. You are to address them as such."

Understood. Lead the way, sirs.

 

>You arrive in the courtroom of what appears to be a castle based on what you've seen.

>The courtroom contains ponies of all genders, colors and types. Unicorns, Pegasi and common ponies appear in the watching area which is rather packed. This sort of thing must not happen very often.

>You walk calmly over to your seat and sit, awaiting further instruction.

>Soon after, music begins to play, and everyone stands. You take suit in the action and follow along.

>"Her royal majesties Princess Celestia and Luna." a guardsman says.

>A tall, white combination of all pony types you've seen walks in. Shortly after, another one just like her, though shorter and dark blue.

>The one who attacked you out of fear.

 

>"You may all sit." the one named Celestia says. Of course, everyone does this including you.

>She turns her attention to you. Let it begin.

>"Anonymous the human," good enough. "you have been charged with terrorizing the village of Ponyville through nefarious acts. How do you plead?"

Not guilty, Princess.

>"The court takes that this shall not be changed at anytime throughout the trial?"

Correct Princess. I will stick to obtaining a not guilty verdict.

>"Very well. You may begin, prosecutor."

>A pony in a desk adjacent to yours stand up and begins to walk around and speak.

>"For years now, other races that hold elements above us such as height and power have attempted to frighten us or to take control of-"

Stop.

>Silence sets in as the pony looks at you.

>"Pardon me?"

Stop talking, sir. As much as I respect your position to speak freely amongst the courtroom against me, I must ask you to stop.

>Hushed murmurs are heard throughout the crowd. He had stopped speaking.

And now, a question for you prosecutor.

>"Yes?"

Where is your proof.

 

>"We have one witness. She is willing to speak against your case."

>You glance up at the dark blue Princess Luna. She returns the stare of which neither of you break.

Send her to the stand.

>"That's my job! Uh, I mean...the prosecution calls the witness of the deeds of Anonymous, Princess Luna."

>The talking from the crowd becomes louder and more apparent.

>The Princess walks slowly and gracefully over to the witness stand.

>Now the real case begins.

 

>"Now Princess Luna, you said yourself that you had seen Anonymous terrorizing Ponyville, so you took action and sent him here yourself, correct?

>"That is correct. We hath seen Anonymous in front of the entire townsfolk, turn around and walk towards the forest with only Twilight Sparkle, then draw his blade in a show of aggression."

I object. The witness has been misinformed and is leaving out key evidence.

>Silence sets in.

>"Explain yourself then, Anonymous." the prosecutor asks.

I had been strolling through the woods prior to arriving in Ponyville. When I arrived, I simply walked into town without any knowledge of anyone or anything that lived there. When the villagers slowly started to come out and inspect me, at that point I knew that I was ultimately a foreigner. Perhaps I would be unaccepted or in my case, felt uninvited to the town, so I began to leave. At that point, Twilight Sparkle came out of the group to ask me questions. It was at that point that I was attacked.

>"By whom, Anonymous?"

Princess Luna, prosecutor. A beam of dark blue energy was fired at me during my conversation with Twilight. Thankfully, I dodged it in time. However I was unsuccessful the second time around. And after that, we arrive at the end of our story, when I was brought here to testify my case.

>You turn to the Princess in the testimony stand.

Did I miss any points?

>"Prove that I attacked you. Without that, your case is nothing."

Hmm. I hope you aren't the sore loser type.

>You stand and place the your blade (sheathed of course) on the desk in front of you.

Be warned. I am now going to draw my blade. I will not cause any violence.

>Slowly, you draw Zenith out from it's case and reveal it to the crowd and Princesses.

When I said I dodged the bolt of energy, what I really did was deflect it using this sword of mine. When this sword deflects something, the energy emitted from the attack is forever placed within the blade, staying there forever. Unless I call out the energy from it's holding place. Hold on a moment.

 

>You place the blade on your desk.

Zenith...release.

>The blade lights up, and slowly but surely, a dark blue energy seeps from the tip of the sword into your hand.

Princess Luna. Is this not your magic?

>The courtroom is in uproar.

>She's cornered. She looks very panicked at the moment too. It wasn't her fault.

It's okay though.

>The entire courtroom settles down.

It was not her fault. I was an alien creature amidst her people, which of course, she seeks to protect. I would have done the same in her position, perhaps not as hastily of course.

>You turn and wink at her, then sit down.

>Princess Celestia is next to speak.

>"Jury, how do you find Anonymous?"

>"We the jury find Anonymous...not guilty."

 

>The courtroom cheers. It seems you've gained some fans.

>You look towards Princess Luna and nod.

>You stand up and begin to walk out. The entire courtroom begins to quiet down, to the point where your footsteps echo the room.

>"A-Anonymous...?" Twilight asks.

>You open the doors.

We'll have that talk Twilight. I promised, after all.

 

>You walk outside the courtroom and into the castle halls.