Strings of Fate

Chapter 8: The Argument

     She heard her friends gasp at the state of the library, and Rainbow whispered to Tempest, "Wow, you weren't kidding."

     "Twilight?" Pinkie stepped forward, her shrill voice leaping over the somber crystal walls.

Twilight looked up from Starlight's shoulder and stuttered, "G-girls?"

     "Twilight!" Fluttershy ran over to Twilight. "We came as quickly as we could." She wrapped her hooves around the troubled princess. All of Twilight's friends raced to Twilight's side; except for Tempest, who hung back.

     Twilight needs this time with her friends, she concluded. I won't bother interrupting them.

     Tempest stepped out of the doorway of the library, turned and left, but she could hear them talking, and she wanted to know how Twilight was, so she stayed behind the door to listen in.

     "We're here for you darling." Rarity said as she wrapped her hooves around Twilight. Every one of her friends was here with her to make sure she was okay. Her eyes welled up with fresh tears.

     "Thank you." She choked out, "all of you." she closed her eyes and let the tears fall as she felt all of her friends comforting her. Her friends stayed there as she cried her worries away. After a few minutes, she was able to calm down, and everypony released themselves from the group hug.

     "I don't know what to do." She managed to speak, "I can't find anything that would be a good solution to this and......." Twilight buried her face into her hooves as she felt her voice shake. "I'm so stuck."

     "What are your options?" Twilight heard Applejack's voice. She lifted her head from her hooves and looked at her friends.

     "Either give her a trial date where I'll have to sentence her to life in prison, or hand her over to the public." Twilight replied, "I don't want to think about what they would do to her if I did that." She closed her eyes and let out a shiver at the thoughts she was trying to supress.

     Thoughts of the public thrashing and tormenting the broken horned unicorn, where they resorted to violence and.... things she didn't want to think of. Twilight had to figure out a way from saving Tempest from both of those fates; she had to.

     "Well," Rainbow piped up, "I think you should set the trial date."

     Twilight stood up and stared in shock at the blue mare. Was she being serious?! "But I can't do that to her!" She argued, "She doesn't deserve life in prison, and she cartainly doesn't deserve anything worse."

     "You do realize you don't have to sentence her to life in prison, right?" Rainbow tilted her head in confusion at her.

     Suddenly, Pinkie jumps in between the two friends and chimed in, "Yeah, you're a princess! You don't have to do what the ponies tell you to do."

     Rainbow side-eyed Pinkie as she squealed. She continued, "You could always give her a lighter sentence."

     Twilight paused for a second. She was a ruler of Equestria; ponies looked up to her for advice and wise ruling. If she let a criminal of Equestria free, the public would surely be mad. She felt her heart ache as she realized she would have to sacrifice her newfound crush to a fate of lonliness and torture. "But...." She said, "But that's what they want; for her to spend her life in a jail cell." Twilight felt frustration bubble inside her chest. "I can't just not listen to them!" She fumed, "I'm a princess for crying out loud! I have to give them what they want!" Twilight turned to face her desk and took deep breaths. She had to make her friends believe that this was her only plausible decision because it was. The ponies of Equestria are counting on me to do what's right, she thought, and if it means throwing Tempest in prison for the rest of her life, so be it.

     Twilight heard hoofsteps from behind her coming closer to where she stood.

     "You don't have to, Twilight." Fluttershy spoke up, "Just like what Pinkie said. You're a princess, so....."

     Twilight blocked out the rest of what Fluttershy said.

     How dare she say that about Tempest! She doesn't deserve life in prison!!

     Twilight whipped around and yelled, "I can't believe you would say that, Fluttershy!"

     Everypony there went silent; eyes were widening, mouths hanging open as all of Twilight's friends stared back at her in hurt, disbelief, or anger.

     "What?" Fluttershy squeaked, "But-"

     Rarity stepped in between the two mares and glared at her.

     "How DARE you, Twilight!" Rarity's voice echoed throughout the room as she fumed at the Princess of Friendship, "You didn't even let her finish her sentence!"

     "She didn't have to!" Twilight's ears flattened, and she looked at the ground as tears started to form in her eyes.

     "Wait..." Rarity says slowly, "this is all because of--"

     "Yes, it is!" Twilight's voice wavered as she faced her friends. She started for the door to the rest of the castle. "I can't believe you guys."

     Twilight lowered her head as tears started to fall from her face. She walked out of the library, not noticing Tempest behind the doors looking at her in shock.