Numbers

Justice

For the next two days, whenever Twilight wasn't managing the restoration of Ponyville, she was weeping for the losses of Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, Rainbow Dash, and other ponies that have either not been found or confirmed dead. Sometimes, Pinkie had walked into her room where they'd cry together with Tempest occasionally checking up on them.

Usually, Twilight would stop sobbing to ask questions about the fleeting romance between Pinkie and Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie would stop to answer. Eventually, they'd break down and start crying again.

The morning of the third day, Twilight, her marefriend, and their friends took a train to Canterlot among many other ponies that wanted to witness the trial of Princess Celestia, the former co-ruler of Equestria. When Twilight remembered that she was such, it was hard to process that their trusted leader had attacked and killed in her own land.

As Twilight leaned against Tempest and looked away from the window, she noticed that Applejack and Rarity were not sitting together. Instead, Applejack sat in the upper left corner of the seating area and Rarity sat in the lower right corner of it.

"Tempest, do you think they broke up?" Twilight gulped.

"Broke up? No." Tempest kept looking at the floor. "But something as devastating as this is sure to hurt relationships."

Twilight knew that this was worse than anything Equestria has faced before. Luna never killed in her rage, and neither had Chrysalis or even Discord. Celestia was the one out of all immortals and leaders that went to this extreme, and Twilight knew that many ponies would study and analyze her as a historical figure, wondering what motivated her to succumb to evil.

Was...was it unrequited love? Did I lead her on?

Twilight wasn't ready to answer the question she asked herself, and just sat in silence as the train made it's arrival in Canterlot.

Everypony stepped off the train and went through a line of advanced security that lead to the castle. Every unicorn was to wear a magic-restricting ring and every pegasus was to wear a belt restricting their wings. Every possession was to be put in one of the lockers before each pony walked into the recently dusted and beige courtroom. It hadn't been used in centuries, but that was going to change.

Celestia stood in the corner of the room with her horn and wings restricted, staring at all the ponies coming in from the tall cage she was placed in. Every time a new pony walked into the room, Celestia's ears perked in hopes for Twilight to walk in. Unfortunately, Luna had suspected her anticipation and tied her muzzle shut until the trial was almost over. No matter, she still had a chance to speak in her defense later on.

She saw Princess Cadance walk in, her determined stride turning into a hesitant walk as she noticed her adopted aunt in the cage. Shining Armor, who was walking beside her, whispered in her ear, and she resumed her stride. Celestia's confidence wavered, knowing that the Princesses would likely rule unanimously in favor of a severe punishment if she didn't come up with a strategically planned speech that'd win back the hearts of her beloved and her sister. If that worked, then perhaps a much lighter punishment would be ruled from 2-1 of the Princesses.

Countless hours had passed planning away in her mind when the great and beautiful Twilight Sparkle walked in the room with Luna on her right side and Tempest on her left. But Celestia hardly noticed them, never taking her eyes off her one and only.

The three princesses took their places behind their respective judge platforms on the left of Celestia's cage. Luna stood behind the highest platform in the middle, Cadance sat on her right next to Celestia's cage, and Twilight sat on her left, farthest from her former co-teacher.