Turnabout Storm Parts 55-56 Updated... · 7:01pm Sep 30th, 2018
In all the rush to get a second Firefly chapter completed by September's end, I forgot to announce that I had a couple more TAS chapters updated as well.
Part 55 - Myriad Truths is the Announce the Truth chapter of the story, and didn't need too many updates aside from the usual cleanup and trying to make a bit more clear why it's so dangerous what Phoenix is doing in getting Sonata to testify--if he proves her memory invalid, all her testimony and confession goes because it's now a contradicted account and there's nothing otherwise to support it, meaning The Judge has no choice but to leave the guilty verdict in place.
Part 56 - Verdict has a new addition over what was there before. It never sat well with my prereaders, or me as I thought about it, that Rainbow faced no punishment for what she did. She stole a cloud from her own job site, used it to threaten Ace, and it's possible that if Ace had been standing directly over the golf club, the bolt might have been drawn to it and hit him despite Rainbow's intentions. So The Judge now addresses that:
Ponyville District Court
Courtroom #2
June 11th, 6:17 PM
“Now that the murder charge is dispensed… there are some additional matters to adjudicate before we adjourn at the end of this very long day,” The Judge announced once the cheers had died down. “I’m afraid, Ms. Dash, that even though I find you innocent of murder, I cannot fully absolve you of blame in this matter.”
“Huh?” Rainbow Dash looked up at him.
“It is clear from this trial that you did not intend to kill or even hurt the victim. But I cannot condone your actions in stealing that cloud and using it to ‘scare’ him. It was extremely reckless and dangerous of you, and for it, you must be punished.”
“But Your Honor! I was careful! I made sure he wasn’t standing under the cloud!” Rainbow protested before Phoenix could, but The Judge just shook his head.
“And what if he had been standing on top of or right beside the golf club, which you apparently did not know was there, Ms. Dash? Would the bolt not have been drawn to it—and him—regardless of where you aimed?”
“But…” Rainbow’s expression dropped as the considered the point—one Phoenix hadn’t even thought of himself. “If it was close enough… yeah, it probably would have,” she conceded. “I didn’t even think of that. I’m sorry, Your Honor.”
“At least you admit it,” The Judge acknowledged in an approving tone. “Next time, Ms. Dash, go to the police and do not try to deal with such criminal matters as blackmail on your own!”
“With respect, Your Honor, I think Rainbow’s actions ended up saving a life—Ms. Tarot’s!” Phoenix pointed out. “Had the events not happened as they did, the confrontation between Ace and Sonata would likely have still occured but could have had a far worse outcome.”
“Perhaps. But as there is no way for us to know such things, I leave that judgment to a higher court, Mister Wright,” he answered pointedly.
“Yes, Your Honor.” Phoenix took his meaning immediately, but couldn’t help but wonder if the ponies would as well. Is there a pony deity or afterlife? he asked himself idly.
“You’re right, Your Honor,” Rainbow conceded. “I shouldn’t have done it. I screwed up and I’m sorry.”
His expression softened a bit at her hangdog expression. “You are a fine young filly, Ms. Dash, if a bit on the impulsive side. May this be a reminder to you to think through your actions and consider their consequences. Regardless, I checked during the last recess and by Equestrian law, I am allowed to render judgment on lesser charges in place of a higher one, even without a plea agreement. Thus, it is my intention to find you guilty on one count of reckless endangerment in the second degree. For it, you will be fined two hundred bits, and given a suspended six-week sentence… unless there are objections from either counsel?” he asked after not immediately hearing one.
“No, Your Honor.” Trixie didn’t even look up.
“None, Your Honor,” Phoenix answered after a glance at Rainbow, who shook her head at him. He’s right. On this point, Rainbow’s guilty, and even she knows it. “The defense does not contest.”
“So ordered,” The Judge rapped his gavel once to make the ruling official. “Then next in line is the question of your actions in this trial, Mister Wright!” he said, his expression turning stern again.
As always, feel free to give the updated chapters a read. Two more TAS updated chapters await preread and will be posted shortly.
Turnabout Storm really does have some messy fallout, huh? It seems like a total clusterf*ck of the highest order!
Actually, it could have all been avoided if the police Ponies simply noted the electrical marks along Ace’s neck. A lot of MLP plots seem to have this quality, huh...