Witness Testimony
-- The Discovery of the Body --
Zecora:
That evening, I was tending to the plants near my home.
Two little ponies passed, heading towards the castle dome.
For a while I waited, but return they did not, so I chose to head home at an agile trot.
But soon I heard a strange, far-off sound. I ran to where those ponies were bound.
On my way, a small shadow my eyes did track. But it jumped away before I could react.
Upon arrival, what met my gaze I'll not forget for all my days.
A pony's body, still, with blood around his head, turning earth to mud.
Once I was sure that he was dead, to the police I quickly fled.
Athena:
(Can life cut me a break already!? It's hard enough sifting through testimonies without having to decipher them first!)
Judge:
It must've been horrifying to see a dead body that night. Hmm... but if the Everfree Forest is as dangerous as you say it is, well, wouldn't bodies be a common sight?
Zecora:
Most creatures are clean with the food they hunt. But a corpse in the open? A surprise, to be blunt.
Athena:
You saw... blood on the ground... around the body?
Zecora:
Of all the life that he had bled, a ring of red lay around his head.
Athena:
That's... That's impossible! We checked the area ourselves! Even this photograph shows there was no traces of blood! Your testimony is completely contradictory!
Zecora:
Do not point your rage at me. I have told you all I've seen.
Luna:
Perhaps I can shed some light on this matter.
Athena:
?!
Judge:
Do you have something that can explain this contradiction, Prosecutor Luna?
Luna:
Of course, Your Honor. I'd look rather silly if I didn't.
Judge:
Very well. Please explain for us.
Luna:
As was just stated, this witness was the one who reported the body to the police. She accompanied them to the crime scene, and they found it in exactly the same state as she just described - the victim lying in a pool of his own blood. I have here a photograph of that very scene.
Judge:
Hmm, you're right. The victim DOES appear to be lying in a pool of blood.
Athena:
But... why was it gone the next day?
Luna:
That will become clear soon enough. First, the prosecution would like to submit this evidence to the court, along with this photograph.
Judge:
Hm? And what is this?
Luna:
It's a cape, Your Honor. The emblem on it denotes it as belonging to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the group of which the defendant, Scootaloo, is a member.
Athena:
(That must be the third cape that Private Eye said the police had taken for examination.)
Luna:
As you can see in this earlier photograph, two more of these capes, as well as the fabric used to line their undersides, laid in this wagon attached to the scooter. It likely goes without saying, but this wagon also belongs to Scootaloo.
Judge:
Great wickering stallions! Just what were the defendants up to in that forest?
Luna:
We'll cover that in a moment. For now, I would like to draw further attention to this cape here. Upon testing it, we found that it was absolutely drenched in the victim's blood.
Athena:
What?!
Judge:
The cape... was covered in blood?!
Twilight:
You mean... someone tried to clean up the crime scene?
Luna:
I can't imagine that to be the case. Going by where this cape was found, I'd say there's another, more likely possibility.
Judge:
Where was it found?
Luna:
This cape was discovered underneath the victim's body. Specifically... ...under his head.
Athena:
... Gnk! You mean... That pool of blood Zecora saw...
Luna:
It appears as though the little Golden Pixie has figured it out. When the police went to examine the blood, they discovered that it wasn't blood at all. It was actually... ...this cape right here!
Athena:
aaarrrrggghhh!!!
So she was on the wrong track all along, then?
Looks like it, yup.
Luna:
Now do you understand, defense?
Athena:
Uuuggghhh...
Luna:
When the victim fell to the ground after being stabbed, he must have fallen on top of this cape. Any blood that seeped from his wound would've trailed down his face and been absorbed by the cloth. When the witness came across it, she mistook the cape for blood due to its red color. The fact that there was no blood at the scene is completely irrelevant. After all, it was the police themselves who removed it.
Athena:
NO! This... this can't be right!
Dragging things out isn't like this for those two children is just cruel, even IF they're guilty! Why can't that lawyer see that?
Judge:
Order! Order! My word! It seems as if the defense's argument has been completely overturned!
Luna:
Indeed it has, Your Honor. Despite what they claimed, it's clear that the body was never moved. The scene of the crime was undoubtedly at the foot of the bridge. The blood on this cake proves it. And as luck would have it, I have one more piece of information that will crush the defense's rebuttal once and for all.
Athena:
(No... please... no more...)
Luna:
Upon examining the area where the cape lay, thanks to forensic spell-testing, we discovered traces of blood... ...UNDERNEATH the area around the victim's head.
Judge:
Really?
Luna:
It seems as if the cape absorbed more blood than it could handle, and some of it leached through to the ground below. Further testing of this blood revealed that it belonged to the victim. Your Honor, I submit to you the photo of the victim's body, as well as the blood-stained cape, as evidence.
Judge:
Very well. The court accepts them.
Crime Scene Photo 2 added to Court Record.
Bloodstained Cape added to Court Record.
Judge:
Defense, care to share your thoughts on the matter?
Athena:
(Not if I don't want to get held in contempt of court...)
Luna:
It seems the Golden Pixie has been rendered speechless in the face of such irrefutable evidence.
Athena:
(Ugh. Just... ignore her! Ignore everyone, okay? I'm not gonna lose! Time to get my brain in gear! There HAS to be something off in her theory. Luna's saying that the body was never moved... The reason there was no blood at the scene is because it was absorbed by the cape... In that case, the victim would've stood up after being knocked over by Turning... Afterwards, Scootaloo hit him in the head with the scooter, which knocked him to the ground again... Is there anything wrong with that series of events?) ... (Wait a second... If the victim was standing UP when he was stabbed, then wouldn't it be impossible for—)
Judge:
MS. CYKES!!!
Athena:
Aaah!
Judge:
Do you, or do you not, have any objections to the prosecutor's theory?!
Athena:
Uhh... you bet I do!
Luna:
Feigning confidence will get you nowhere, defense.
Athena:
Your Honor, the defense would like to point out a flaw in the prosecution's theory.
Judge:
Then get on with it!
Athena:
Y-yes, Your Honor! The issue has to do with the victim's fatal stab wound being inflicted while the victim was standing upright. I would think stabbing an adult at such a height would be nearly impossible for a child, correct?
Luna:
You forget that the owner of that scooter is a pegasus. What's stopping them from simply flying up and stabbing him that way?
Athena:
Funny you should mention that. I heard something from the defendant in question yesterday that clears up this matter. Namely, the fact that Ms. Scootaloo... can't fly.
Judge:
Wh- whhhaaattt!? Order! Order! Prosecutor Luna, is this true?
Luna:
...
Judge:
If Ms. Scootaloo can't fly, then there's no way she could've stabbed a stallion in the head while he was standing!
Luna:
Of course she couldn't.
Athena:
(Can I take you by surprise at least ONCE in this trial?)
Luna:
What the defense has said is absolutely true. I have the medical report from Scootaloo's doctor right here. Contrary to other pegasus fillies her age, her wings haven't fully developed yet, and thus, she cannot fly.
Judge:
But if you knew that, then why were you arguing that she could've stabbed somewhere she couldn't even reach?
Luna:
Now, when did I ever claim that?
Judge:
?!
Athena:
?!
Luna:
All I ever claimed was that SOMEPONY stabbed him whilst he was standing upright. If it was impossible for Scootaloo to have done so, then that leaves only one option, doesn't it?
Athena:
!!!
Luna:
Turning Page is a talented unicorn for his age, and levitation is a relatively simple spell to learn, even for colts and fillies. I'm sure he'd have no problem levitating the scooter up to his father's head, and stabbing him with it.
Athena:
RGH!!!
Twilight:
Princess Luna, if you choose to claim that, then Scootaloo would've done nothing wrong, am I right?
Athena:
!!!
Luna:
...
Judge:
Princess Twilight! Please, explain what you mean!
Twilight:
It's simple, Your Honor. If Turning Page was the one who assaulted his father, and then proceeded to stab him in the head with the scooter... ...then Scootaloo would be completely innocent - nothing but a bystander at most. Am I right, Princess Luna?
Turning:
...
Luna:
Heh. We shall see.
Twilight:
...
Luna:
First, I think it's time for the defense's cross-examination of our witness. We've been putting that off for long enough now.
Athena:
(Oh yeah. I kinda forgot that Zecora was even here.)
Judge:
Very well. Let us begin the cross-examination.
Cross Examination
-- The Discovery of the Body --
Zecora:
That evening, I was tending to the plants near my home.
Athena:
You were tending to plants?
Zecora:
Yes, my plants must grow up strong, lest a potion turn out wrong.
Athena:
Including that poison joke in front of your home?
Zecora:
Yes, they're blooming but not quite grown, since only recently they were sown.
Athena:
Are these plants of yours heart to find?
Zecora:
Many flowers around my home can't grow without the forest's loam. They're so rare that to meet my needs, I search the forest for their seeds. I tend to them both day and night, and harvest them when the time is right. But poison joke differs, it's often seen in a sprawl. But at this time of year, it hardly grows at all.
Athena:
So you scour the forest for plants. Did you happen to do that on the day of the murder?
Zecora:
I searched quite long that day. From dawn to dusk, I was away. When I got home with the seeds I sought, I tended to my garden plot.
Athena:
Did you happen to visit the Castle of the Two Sisters that day?
Zecora:
Yes, for along that castle's cliffside, sometimes rare flowers peek and hide. Sadly when my search was done, I left without finding a single one.
Athena:
... Uh... Just to confirm... The body didn't happen to be at the foot of the bridge at that time... did it?
Zecora:
I understand what you mean to say. But no, the body wasn't there that day.
Luna:
We already know when the victim died. It was long after this witness was scouring the area for plants. Stop wasting our time with these pointless questions, and move on.
Athena:
(Well, at least I got SOME information. Not exactly sure how helpful it was, though.)
Poison Joke updated in the Court Record.
Luna:
Please continue, witness.
Zecora:
Two little ponies passed, heading towards the castle dome.
Athena:
Did you happen to see who they were?
Zecora:
Of the colt I had no clue, but the filly was Miss Scootaloo.
Judge:
So you saw the children walking through the forest that night?
Zecora:
It surely was a curious sight: two foals traveling solo that night. The forest's danger is well-known, so I thought, "What are they doing alone?"
Athena:
(They were going to settle the blackmail with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, but I can't bring that up yet, it'll just be rejected outright.)
Luna:
These two ponies... Was there anything about them that caught your eye?
Zecora:
Scootaloo looked frightened, but that wasn't so strange. The forest scares anypony of any age. The colt was holding something thick, not with his hooves, but with magic.
Luna:
And what was that?
Zecora:
It was a bolt of fabric, rolled. The moonlight showed that it was gold.
Athena:
(That checks out with what Scootaloo said yesterday. How Turning Page offered to carry it for her, just in case.)
Luna:
This matches what we found at the crime scene, as there was a roll of golden silk left behind in the wagon.
Judge:
It would seem that way.
Zecora:
He also carried a weapon, a sword of solid wood. Given where they were going, I thought this was good.
Luna:
And I'm assuming this sword was in one piece, am I right?
Zecora:
Indeed, there wasn't a single crack. The sword appeared fully intact.
Judge:
So the defendant's sword really was whole while heading to the scene.
Luna:
And it then broke when he used it to attack the victim.
Judge:
Hmm, indeed. That's seeming more and more likely.
Athena:
(Rrrgh! At some point here, I need to counter with how the sword REALLY broke, but I'm still missing the evidence to support Turning's version of events... One way or another, I'm going to have to find it soon.)
Judge:
Witness, please continue your testimony.
Zecora:
For a while I waited, but return they did not, so I chose to head home at an agile trot.
Athena:
You just stood on the path and waited?
Zecora:
It would not have done to stand and wait, for time has an unchanging gait. Along the central path nearby some plants were quite nearly bone dry. These I tended by the light of the moon, expecting the foals to come back soon.
Athena:
How long were you waiting for them?
Zecora:
I worked from 9:45 to about 10:10, so a half-hour had nearly passed by then.
Athena:
And you just stood there, taking care of plants the whole time? Weren't you worried about two kids going so far into the forest by themselves?
Zecora:
Of course I was - who wouldn't be? After all, they were in the Everfree. But for all that time there was no sound, nor any sign that they were found. On the path I kept one eye, in case they returned, or another passed by.
Athena:
I guess no one ever came, then?
Zecora:
No one did, neither pony nor foal. I finished my work without seeing a soul. So, I decided to head home and rest, until I heard something that brought dread to my chest.
Zecora:
But soon I heard a strange, far-off sound. I ran to where those ponies were bound.
Athena:
A... noise??
Zecora:
It sounded unlike anything I'd ever heard - not a bear, manticore, wolf, or bird. I could hear it echo around, a strangely loud, metallic sound.
Athena:
You mean like... A clang???
Zecora:
It was a particular tone to hear... though clang does suit well with what reached my ear..
Athena:
(This again!? First a fabric roll, and now a clang!? Any other similarities to the case from two days ago I should know about!?) Do you... know when you heard this... clang?
Zecora:
As soon as I heard it, I checked the time. It was 10:15, right on the dime.
Athena:
And do you know where it came from?
Zecora:
I know not, much to my shame. I could not tell from where it came. I remembered where the children were headed. The sound coming from there was a thought I dreaded.
Athena:
So what did you do then?
Zecora:
I made up my mind to find the foals. Reaching and protecting them were my goals. That plan was briefly sent awry, when something weird caught my eye.
Zecora:
On my way, a small shadow my eyes did track. But it jumped away before I could react.
Athena:
A small shadow?
Zecora:
I wish I could describe it more than just "weird," but it left as soon as it had appeared. Still, it was rather odd to me, so I included it with my testimony.
Athena:
Do you know when and where you saw this... shadow?
Zecora:
Five minutes after would be the 'when,' so I'd wager it was 10:20 then. 'Where' is difficult, I must confess, as Everfree has no address.
Luna:
Here witness. Point it out on this diagram.
Zecora:
You have my thanks, Princess Luna. Now let me fill this lacuna. Ah, yes, it was this spot right here, or, at least, someplace near.
Athena:
So just... on the path?
Zecora:
I thought we were on the path towards collision, but then it jumped out on my line of vision.
Luna:
For those unaware, the Everfree Forest is notorious for being absolutely pitch black at night. The intense tree cover prevents most forms of light from reaching the forest floor. However, this incident occurred on the night of a full moon, so SOME light was able to illuminate the areas that lacked direct cover from trees. Unfortunately, the rest of the forest remained as pitch black as one would expect it to be.
Athena:
Was there any detail about the shadow you could make out at all? Shape? Size? Anything?
Zecora:
Even in darkness, there was one distinct feature. At the very least, it seemed like a small creature.
Athena:
Small? Like... a child?
Zecora:
That's what I thought, after what I'd seen. I looked for them, seeing only the forest's green. I tried calling out, hoping they would return, but if they had responded, I could not discern. Perhaps they cared not to heed me well, or perhaps my voice drowned under the howling swell.
Athena:
Howling?
Zecora:
Yes, and quite loudly, for one main reason: tis now the timberwolves' hunting season. Whenever they are on the prowl, they raised their canine heads and howl. On that night, they were easily heard, and they kept going, undeterred. When they stopped, I do not know. By then I knew it was time to go.
Athena:
What do you think made them howl?
Zecora:
Who is to say? Certainly not me. Into a timberwolf's mind, I cannot see. As I have told you, it's their hunting season. But truthfully, it could be for any reason.
Luna:
Let's focus on what we CAN answer then, shall we? Witness, what did you see once you arrived at the scene?
Zecora:
Upon arrival, what met my gaze I'll not forget for all my days. A pony's body, still, with blood around his head, turning earth to mud.
Athena:
But it wasn't blood. It was a cape, right?
Zecora:
I'll admit my interpretation was flawed, but if you don't have a problem, don't needlessly prod.
Athena:
You didn't check to make sure?
Zecora:
When I came upon the former guard of the law, he stillness shocked me; not a breath did he draw. Creeping closer to his still build, I hoped my fears would be dashed by thrills. But my suspicions proved correct, as I realized when I checked his neck. No pulse of life-giving blood I found. He was as dead as winter's ground.
Athena:
And... what did you do after that...?
Zecora:
That gruesome discovery sent me reeling and gave me a terrible, sickening feeling. The moment I reclaimed my head, I glanced about, filled with dread. There were still the children I needed to find, and their fates were plaguing my mind. Thankfully, as I looked around, no other bodies could be found. Merely a scooter and a wagon lay amidst the frightening horrid display.
Athena:
There was no one nearby?
Zecora:
Perhaps the shadow of which I'd caught sight was one of the children in mid-flight. The other could have simply hid while farewell to that scene I bid. But that's just one thought in my mind, since no other figures I did find.
Athena:
Y-you sure? There was nobody there at all? Maybe... uh... hiding in the trees, or something?
Luna:
Continuing to press the issue won't yield a different answer, defense. I suggest you move on before you waste all of our time.
Athena:
(Well, excuuuuuuuuuse me, Princess! Nothing wrong with double-checking, now is there?)
Luna:
Witness. What happened after you found the body?
Zecora:
Once I was sure that he was dead, to the police I quickly fled.
Athena:
Did you happen to run into anyone on your way there?
Zecora:
While leaving the forest I saw not a soul. It was, ironically, a more pleasant stroll.
Athena:
I see. And how long did it take you to get to the police station?
Zecora:
I'm not sure. My sense of time dissolved amidst the thoughts of the crime.
Luna:
Let's puzzle it out, then, shall we? Witness, you claim to have left your house at 10:15. Is that correct?
Zecora:
Yes, it is exactly as you claim. I left right as the odd noise came.
Luna:
From there, you headed to the scene of the crime, which we have confirmed was a roughly 15 minute walk. This means you arrived around 10:30. Next, you examined the scene. How long would you say you stayed there?
Zecora:
While it doesn't feel right to make a guess, I'd say five minutes, more or less.
Luna:
So you left at 10:35. The walk out of the ruins and then back through the forest is approximately 35 minutes. The police station itself is another 10 minutes away from the forest. This puts the witness arriving there around.. 11:20 that night.
Judge:
Those are some very nice calculations, Prosecutor Luna!
Athena:
(Oh, come on! Don't be THAT impressed!)
Luna:
The best is yet to come, Your Honor. I have here a report from that very station. It confirms that this witness notified the police of a body around that time.
Athena:
Ghk!
Judge:
Order! Order!
Athena:
(Great. Instead of casting doubt on her testimony, I just made it even MORE reliable. Come on... Oh, this is just hopeless! There's not a single contradiction! What am I supposed to do?!)
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