Ren's POV
We soon arrived at the Golden Oak Library later that evening. Twilight was not sure what Spike would make of having another pony staying on such short notice. Though she did not worry about it too much since she knew that Spike was a flexible little guy.
"Well, here we are." Twilight said, as she opened the door with her magic.
We entered the library's door. Lawful Eye looked around herself in the first room. She saw shelf after shelf of many kinds of books around the rounded room.
"Spike!" Twilight called. "Spike, I'm back!"
"Twilight." Spike came running down from upstairs, and stopped in front of Twilight. "You left early this morning without waking me up and telling me. Where have you been all day?"
Twilight rubbed her head. "Sorry, Spike. Applejack came by very early this morning to get me and the others to help her. Abacus was found at Sweet Apple Acres."
Spike blinked. "Abacus? You don't mean-?"
"Yes." Lawful Eye stepped forward towards Spike. "The one in yesterday's paper that's been released from prison."
Spike turned to Lawful Eye. "Huh? Who are you?"
"Oh sorry, Spike," Twilight said. "This is Lawful Eye."
Spike blinked. "Lawful Eye? As in the Investigator Detective from Fillydelphia that was mentioned in the paper yesterday?"
Twilight nodded. "The very same. She's going to be staying with us for a while to help Abacus."
Spike straight away turned his attention to Lawful Eye who was looking at Spike as if she was analyzing him. The way she looked at him through her glasses with her light brown eyes made him slightly uncomfortable. Though Spike did his best not to say anything about it, Twilight could obviously notice that he was getting uncomfortable being looked at that way.
Twilight cleared her throat. "Well, uh... how about we get dinner started? We should still have some of last night's vegetable casserole in the refrigerator."
Spike nodded. "Sure. I'll go get four plates and heat'em up. Be right back."
Spike turned around, and made his way into the kitchen to get everyone's dinner ready. Twilight was a little concerned at the fact Lawful Eye was going to eat leftovers. For if having a guest staying with them was not so sudden, they would made something fresh.
"You don't mind having some of our leftovers from last night, do you?" Twilight asked.
Lawful Eye shook her head. "Not at all. I love vegetable casserole, leftovers or not."
Twilight quietly sighed in relief at Lawful Eye's answer. It made her feel better that she had a house guest that was not fussy about food, especially keeping a good first impression towards others was always a top priority to us. A few minutes later, Spike came back from the kitchen with the four plates of heated up vegetable casserole. He placed four of them on the table in front of us, before sitting down at the table.
Lawful Eye smelled the steam of the reheated vegetable casserole on her plate. "Mmm. This casserole smells quite good."
"Spike made it," Twilight said. "He's a good little cook."
Spike blushed. "Oh, come on, Twilight."
We began to eat, with Twilight and Lawful Eye levitating a fork full of food with their magic. Nearing the end of our meals, something about Lawful Eye got us thinking. In fact, it got us thinking ever since we first saw her.
"Abi! Oh, Abi. I've been looking all over for you. I was so worried. Why did you run away?"
"It's okay, Abi. It's okay."
"Abi?"
We were puzzled as we recalled the way Lawful Eye behaved towards Abacus, and Fluttershy and Rarity's conversation. Soon we began to suspect something from it, since we knew it was not how someone with a profession in investigation and policing would be towards a client.
"Hey, Detective?" Twilight asked.
Lawful Eye looked up at Twilight. "Yes, Twilight."
Twilight briefly hesitated to ask since she knew it probably was none of her business, but she felt that she had to know. "We were just wondering. Since you arrived here in Ponyville to find Abacus, we couldn't help but notice how you interact with him, especailly calling him "Abi". Forgive us if this is none of our business, but we must ask you. Do you have some kind of close connection with him?"
Lawful Eye looked at us with both of her eyes locked on to ours for a few
Lawful Eye's eyes then looked down sympathetically. "I guess it's obvious. You see, Abacus... he's my best, oldest, closest, and dearest friend, along with his late wife, Tiger Lily, since we were kids in kindergarten."
Twilight blinked. "He's your best friend?"
Lawful Eye nodded. "That's right. Tiger Lily and I met him in kindergarten in our childhood in Fillydelphia. I'll never forget the day we first met."
Twenty-seven years ago...
A group of little fillies and colts were sitting on a patterned carpet in a kindergarten class room of Fillydelphia Elementary School. They were listening to a teacher doing a fun class activity involving a story of a bear involving mathematics.
"The big, brown bear got his pot of honey, and got one more to go to the party," The teacher said. "Alright children. Can one of you tell me what one plus one is in this little story?"
"Two?" A little, dark brown earth pony colt with grey hair said.
The teacher smiled at the colt. "That's right, Abacus. You have a good little talent for numbers."
Suddenly, the class was interrupted by the sound of the school period bell ringing throughout the whole school. The bell meant it was time for lunch and recess.
"Well, time for recess, everypony." The Teacher said.
Every little filly and colt made each of their ways to their lunch boxes, and went out of the back of the school building and into the schoolyard. Little colt Abacus sat down on a bench, and opened his lunch box to eat his lunch. He was about to start eating when he was approached by a slightly bigger earth colt with a moderate olive colored coat, and a pale, light grayish olive and light yellow patterned mane and tail.
"Well-well. If it isn't Abacus, the smarty pants." The colt said.
Before Abacus could react, the mean earth colt swiped his lunch out of his grasp, and on to the ground. "Hey! My lunch!"
"Yuk! Only a smarty pants like you eats garbage like this." The mean colt began to stomp on Abacus's lunch into the ground with his hoof.
"No!" Abacus said. "My mommy made that!"
"Too bad, smarty pants! Why don't you eat out of the trash?!" The mean colt laughed horribly.
"Why don't YOU eat out of it instead, Rotten Eggs?!"
The mean colt called Rotten Eggs turned to where the voice of a filly came from. Only to find himself getting shoved into the nearby trash can, with the trash can tipping over, and covering part of him in foul smelling garbage.
Rotten Eggs got up from the garbage. "Eww!"
Rotten Eggs looked to see the one who pushed him into the trash can was a dark grey unicorn filly, with a chocolate brown mane and tail, and light brown eyes. He walked towards the filly, growling and pounding his fore hooves. "Now you're going to get it, girly!"
The filly glared, unintimidated by the colt bully. "You can't hit a girl."
"I can too," Rotten Eggs said. "Take this!"
The filly ducked as Rotten Eggs swung a punch at her, she instantly retaliated by punching him back in the face. The punch was able to stun Rotten Eggs, and caused him to falter for a moment. Just before Rotten Eggs could retaliate, the filly twisted her hind legs before her, and landed a hard buck square into his snout. The force of the buck made Rotten Eggs fall back into the tipped out garbage with a loud "SPLOSH". Rotten Eggs got up, covered with squishy, foul smelling garbage, and noticed blood slowly dripping from his snout.
Rotten Eggs began to sob. "Ow, my nose! I'm telling on you!"
Rotten Eggs ran off crying. The little unicorn filly then turned her attention to Abacus, who was sitting on the ground crying over his ruined lunch.
"Are you okay?" The filly asked.
Abacus sobbed. "My lunch."
The filly gave Abacus a hug. "Never mind. You can come with us." The filly pointed at a light brilliant tangelo colored unicorn filly, with light brilliant vermilion and green striped mane and tail, and had a tiger lily flower in her mane sitting under a tree close by watching them.
"My friend and I can share our lunches with you." She released her hug. "And don't worry. That horrible boy will never bother you again."
Abacus sniffled and wiped some of the tears with his hoof. "Thank you."
Abacus soon sat down with the two fillies on the grass of the schoolyard under the tree. The two fillies opened their lunch boxes, and took out two sandwiches that were each cut in half. They then each offered half their sandwiches to Abacus.
"Do you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?" The tangelo unicorn filly asked.
Abacus nodded. "Oh, yes please."
The dark grey unicorn filly smiled. "Oh, my name's Lawful Eye."
The tangelo unicorn filly smiled. "And I'm Tiger Lily. What's your name?"
"Abacus. Abacus Sum."
Tiger Lily smiled. "Abacus. That's a nice name."
Lawful Eye took a bite of her remaining half of her sandwich. "So, Abacus, what do you want to do when you grow up?"
Abacus took a bite of one of the two half sandwiches he got. "I want to be an accountant like my mommy. And what about you?"
Lawful Eye smiled confidently. "I want to be a policemare, a detective and a lawyer, and put all the bad guys in jail."
"And I want to own a flower shop," Tiger Lily said. "But I'd like to be somepony who likes to help out anypony in need."
Abacus took another bite from the sandwich, only to get a bit of the jelly on his nose. The two fillies began to laugh.
"You've got jelly on your nose, Abi." Tiger Lily said.
Abacus tilted his head. "Abi?"
Tiger Lily smiled. "Yeah. "Abi" is a cute nickname."
Lawful Eye nodded. "Hey, yeah. So why don't we call you "Abi"?"
"Abi." Abacus smiled. "My mommy calls me that."
The three children, now friends, began to laugh playfully as they enjoyed their lunch together.
Back in the present...
Lawful Eye smiled as she remembered the day she and Tiger Lily first met Abacus in their childhood. It was one of her most cherished memories of their friendship.
"And you see," Lawful Eye said. "It was because I fought off a horrible playground bully, that Tiger Lily and I met Abacus. And after sharing our lunches with him, we became best friends instantly."
Spike blinked. "Wow. Talk about friendship at first sight."
Lawful Eye nodded. "That's right. As the years went by, he and Tiger Lily became so close that they fell in love. When they reached twenty-two, they got married."
Lawful Eye looked at her bag laying on the floor on the other side of the room, and with her magic, she pulled out what looked like a photograph. She levitated it in front of us where they took hold of it. We looked at it. It was a picture of an unscarred, happy Abacus in a nice looking suit. Next to Abacus was a beautiful light brilliant tangelo colored unicorn pony, with light brilliant vermilion and green striped mane and tail, wearing a wedding dress and veil standing in between Lawful Eye and a grayish brown colored earth pony mare with dark fuchsia mane and tail and wearing grey framed glasses.
"Hey." Twilight said. "That unicorn with Abacus? Is that…"
Lawful Eye nodded. "Yes. That's Tiger Lily with Abacus on their wedding day about eleven years ago. I was their best mare."
"Wow! She's beautiful." Spike cleared his throat when we looked at him. "…Of course not as beautiful as Rarity. Rarity's much more beautiful."
We continued to look at Spike awkwardly at what he said. At that moment, Spike began to embarrassingly smile at us looking at him. "Uhh…I think I better check on dessert."
Spike quickly ran out of the room and into the kitchen to check on dessert before it got any worse. We saw that Lawful Eye was somewhat confused by what she heard Spike say.
"Sorry about that," Twilight said. "You see Spike has a big crush on my friend, Rarity."
Lawful Eye tilted her head. "Really? A dragon being infatuated by a pony." She adjusts her glasses. "I've seen some strange things, but I've never seen anything like that before."
We chuckled. "I know."
Lawful Eye cleared her throat. "Anyway. About two years after they were married, they decided to move to Ponyville, as a quiet change to city life in Fillydelphia. I had to stay behind, because of me being a private detective and lawyer in the city, but we always kept in touch by letters, or when they visited Abacus's mother once every month." She showed the picture to us again, and pointed to the grayish brown colored earth pony mare in the photo. "In fact, that's her right there."
"And not to mention poor Arithma was there too."
"She's Abacus's mother. Abacus and Tiger Lily spoke very highly of her."
"Abacus and Tiger Lily would make visits to her in Fillydelphia once a month. She even visited Ponyville a few times. She was such a nice pony."
"Nopony ever heard from her, or saw her again after that."
Twilight looked at the image of Abacus's mother with wonder as she recalled what her friends said about Abacus's mother the previous day. "So that's Arithma?"
"That's right." Lawful Eye said.
As Twilight looked at the picture, she scratched her chin, thinking of something that caught her attention. "Question. How come his father isn't in it?"
Lawful Eye cleared her throat. "Well, the thing is... Abacus never had a father."
I tilted my head. "No father?" I asked.
"Well, you see," Lawful Eye said. "Arithma was an asexual. She had no sexual attraction to neither stallions or mares. So she became a single mother through a sperm donor. Despite Abacus being diagnosed with mild autism as an infant, she raised him herself."
Twilight rubbed her chin. "I see. Asexuals do have the option of having children through sperm donors. And I didn't know about Abacus being autistic, even with all the books I've read about numerous medical conditions."
"Then one day, six years later, they told the wonderful news that they were going to have a baby, and that I was going to be the godmother of their child. That was a week before Tiger Lily's death." Lawful Eye sighed. "It was the last time I saw Tiger Lily alive. A few days after their last visit, I had to go to Manehattan to help solve a very difficult crime that took nearly four months, and required me staying there full time for that period."
I blinked. "That explains why you didn't know about Abacus and Tiger Lily." I said.
"That's right." Lawful Eye dropped her head in sorrow. "When I got home after that, I went to visit Arithma at her apartment, only to find her crying in grief. It was there she told me the tragic news, that Tiger Lily, one of my best, oldest, and dearest friends…was dead. And that Abacus was... charged with her murder. When I heard what happened, I…I cried. I cried at the fact that I lost not one best friend, but two. There was something else. Tiger Lily was not just a best friend, she was also my foster sister while both of us were in foster care. So it made it hurt all the more worse. And for a time, I blamed myself. If only I had not taken that case, Abacus would never have suffered. In some way, it was my fault."
"It wasn't your fault, Lawful Eye," Twilight said. "How were you supposed to know it would happen? It was a senseless tragedy that nopony could've seen coming."
Lawful Eye sighed and smiled. "You're too kind, Twilight. As my profession as a private detective investigator, and a part-time lawyer and prosecutor, I decided to take the case and investigate. But as you know, when I tried to visit him in prison, they turned me away, as they did to anypony else who went there to try and visit. Until one of the guards, who was the right-hand of Armstrong came forward secretly, and told me everything of what was going on there. While I tried to put the events of common prison torture and abuse to court, I organizsed for an investigation team of members of the FPI from Sydneigh to help investigate the evidence of the cause of the fire in Abacus's house. They succeeded in finding that the fire wasn't deliberately lit."
"That reminds me." Twilight turned her head and levitated what seemed like some newspaper articles to the table. "I did some research yesterday and last night on the case in Ponyvilles newspaper archives. According to the stories, the ones from Canterlot Investigation Force who investigated the case was Chief Inspector Blue Ward and Detective Lieutenant Cover-Up."
Spike came out of the kitchen to the table with a hot apple pie in one of his claws and a tub of ice cream in the other, and placed it on the table just as he heard Twilight mentioned the names. "Blue Ward and Cover-Up? Aren't they some of the best investigators in Canterlot? How could they have gotten the case wrong? I guess even the best investigators can make mistakes."
"Yes. It was a mistake. And that mistake caused so much loss to Abacus." Lawful Eye sighed.
"But there was another sad loss yet to come."
Twilight tilted her head. "And what was that?"
"About nine months into the investigation." Lawful Eye closed her eyes sadly. "Arithma had developed terminal stomach cancer. She was so heartbroken at the fact that she wouldn't get to see her son again, or even one last time. Five months later after her cancer development, she died."
Twilight put a sad hoof over her mouth. "Oh, no. That's so sad."
Lawful Eye said. "I was the last one to see her before she died. I remember what she said to me the day she died."
Eleven months ago...
Lawful Eye sat in a ward's waiting room of Fillydelphia hospital waiting on news on Arithma's condition. Just then, a Light goldish gray unicorn mare with a brown mane and tail, and a white doctor's coat came out of a room, and approached Lawful Eye. She got up from the seat as the unicorn stopped in front of her.
"How is she, doctor?" Lawful Eye asked.
The doctor sighed. "I'm afraid she doesn't have much time left. It's best if you go see her right now. She's been asking for you."
Lawful Eye sighed sadly. "Then I must see her, please."
he doctor nodded and lead her into the room. Arithma had a breathing tube in her nose, apparently feeding her oxygen. The heart monitor next to her beeped intermittently, and a nurse was sitting beside her bed, crying silently. Lawful Eye went to her bedside, where the frail, dying mare looked up at her.
…Lawful." Arithma said weakly.
Lawful Eye nodded sadly. "Yes. I'm here, Arithma."
Arithma breathed a gasped of air. "…I'm afraid…I can't hold on any longer...to see my baby again."
Lawful Eye sniffled. "I'm so sorry."
Arithma raised her hoof very weakly, reaching out to Lawful Eye. "Lawful…please...come closer."
Lawful Eye moved closer and took hold of Arithma's hoof.
Arithma struggled to take another breath. "…I want you to promise me something. Please…get my baby out of that prison nightmare he's in."
Lawful Eye nodded. "I…I promise."
"Since I'm…not going to be here anymore…you're the last thing he has in this world to turn to." Arithma struggled to take another breath. "Until he's free, I leave everything I have to you. Look… Look after him for me. Promise me."
Lawful Eye sniffled as tears began trickling out of her eyes. "I… I will. I promise I'll make you proud."
"And...I want...to be buried next to Tiger Lily...in Ponyville." Arithma groaned. "Would you...honor my request?
Lawful Eye sobbed and nodded. "Okay."
"When you get him out…tell him that I…love…him….."
The soft, monotonous droning echoed from the heart monitor throughout the whole room. The doctor and nurse dropped their heads sadly.
"Arithma? No. No!"
Lawful Eye sobbed as she collapsed on the side of the hospital bed crying next to the limp, lifeless form of Arithma.
Back in the present...
Lawful Eye dropped her head down in sadness as she recalled the last moments she had with Abacus's mother when she died with her at her side.
"Oh god." I whispered sadly.
"I was the very last pony she ever saw," Lawful Eye said. "She was heartbroken to know she would not get to see her son one last time. And after making a promise to get him out, and to look after him, she died with me by her side. And it struck another blow to my heart to know that Arithma, Abacus's mother, the very last relative that Abacus had in his life…was dead."
Twilight frowned. "Poor Abacus. I'm so sorry."
"Afterwards, when she died, everything she owned was to go to Abacus, but instead went to me." Lawful Eye looked up. "And she was buried next to Tiger Lily here in Ponyville."
I blinked. "What? She was buried in Ponyville?" I asked.
Lawful Eye nodded. "It was her dying request. At any rate, when I received word from a guard from the prison, the FPI investigation team from Sydneigh secretly organised a secret undercover investigation. I even formed a secret task force with them that we dubbed "Task force River". However, getting an approval to do so would've taken a whole eight months. But that was, until I received this a week later."
Lawful Eye once more looked at her bag laying on the floor on the other side of the room, and with her magic, pulled out what looked like a scroll. She levitated it in front of us, where Twilight took hold of it with her magic, and opened it up to read it. Our eyes moved as we read it quietly, until we suddenly stopped with a look of surprise.
"I don't believe it." Twilight said.
Spike tilted his head. "What is it, Twilight? What's it say?"
"It's an approval letter." Twilight turned her attention back to Lawful Eye. "Who sent you this?"
"It doesn't say," Lawful Eye said. "There was no name on it. All it said was it was from somepony who's been watching for some time."
"From somepony who's been watching for some time."/span. And on the end of the scroll was a symbol. The symbol was of two alicorns, one white, the other blue, circling around a burning sun and crescent moon. We looked at the symbol with our eyes widen with surprise, for it was a symbol we knew all too well.
"It can't be," I said. "This is the symbol of Canterlot royalty. Was it from Princess Celestia?"
"I don't know." Lawful Eye pointed on the opened scroll with her hoof. "As you see, it has no name."
Spike looked at the symbol on the scroll. "It had to have been. There's nopony else who uses that symbol."
"Well, whoever it was, they knew about what was going on with Abacus," Lawful Eye said. "So with that approval, as well as the help from the guard, Sydneigh's FPI investigation team organised an eight month investigation, with an agent to go undercover as a prisoner serving a life sentence being sent to Hoofstrong Prison Center. During the eight months of his stay undercover, he saw exactly what I most feared. That Abacus, as well as other prisoners, were being sadistically abused, and tortured in every way possible. The agent that went undercover took it as well."
"And that was their biggest mistake." Spike said.
"Indeed it was. With that, it was enough evidence to arrest and convict Armstrong and all of the prison guards for several counts of first degree abuse, rape and pony cruelty. One police stallion sent a request to Rantaro to help them, he accepted and joined in. The prison was quickly taken over by Equestria's royal guards, where Armstrong and all of the prison guards were captured and arrested. Finally, I got to visit Abacus in prison for the first time in over two years. Rantaro was at Hoofstrong when I arrived." Lawful Eye groaned. "Only to see the damage that was done to him."
Three months ago...
Lawful Eye flinched as the heavy metal door slammed shut behind her. Right in front of her was a unicorn royal guard standing. She could not help, but notice that he had a scar on his right shoulder that just showed past his armor. A feature that made him noticeable from other royal guards there. The unicorn royal guard made a little grunt directing her ahead into the intimidating and dreary prison of Hoofstrong Prison Center.
"This way, ma'am." The royal guard said.
As Lawful Eye followed the unicorn royal guard, her mind was racing with mixed feelings on what the condition of her dear friend was. She had received word that Abacus had been mauled in the face by Armstrong's vicious dog on the day the royal guards stormed and took over the prison. He had been briefly taken to hospital for treatment under the royal guard escort. While there, he was also tested for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, due to him being raped by Armstrong's guards.
Lawful Eye continued to follow the royal guard down the hall. She walked past the many barred prison cells, hearing the many sobs and moans of imprisoned male and female ponies. She even saw the state they were in. Many were very thin from starvation, scarred, and were even disfigured beyond recognition from the horrific tortures they suffered. Unicorns and pegasi had little stumps on their heads and backs where their wings and horns once were. She also noticed that all of them were wearing steel collars around their necks. The sight of all this made Lawful Eye wince with anger and disgust. The only thing new she saw with the prisoners was that they were all wearing orange jumpsuits. One of the other new rules and regulations that had been implemented since the royal guards raided and took over. Rantaro was also there, checking to make sure everything is ready for Abacus's retrial. He saw Lawful Eye and continued on.
"How much further is it?" Lawful Eye asked.
"Not too far now, ma'am," The royal guard said. "Cell number 132 is just ahead."
They continued to walked down the hall, until eventually the royal guard stopped and motioned to his right to indicate to the unicorn that they had arrived. Lawful Eye gulped as she felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach. It had been a very long time since she saw her dear friend. She was very excited to see him, but at the same time, worried and scared to find out what became of him. Lawful Eye looked through the bars of the door of the prison cell. She could hear the sobbing of a stallion as he laid on his bed with his back facing the door. Though his back was turned, she could see he had bandages wrapped on the left side of his head. Lawful Eye also noticed he had a steel collar on like every other prisoner. Though he was wearing a jumpsuit, she could see his dark brown coat, and his grey mane and tail was somewhat scruffy.
Coming closer to the bars, Lawful Eye summoned the courage to speak. "Abi?"
Looking to the inside, Lawful Eye could see the ears of the dark brown earth pony perk up at the sound of his pet name being called. Very slowly Abacus rolled over and turned his half bandage face towards the door of his cell. When his eyes came in contact with Lawful Eye's, his eyes welled up at her. Lawful Eye's eyes welled up too, for she knew she had found her dear friend for the first time in over two years.
"...Lawful." Abacus said.
"Oh, Abi." Lawful Eye smiled and sobbed with joy. She then put her front hooves through in between the bars, and opened them up to welcome him into a hug. "Dear Abi!"
The scruffy earth pony stallion, still sobbing, got up from his bed, and came to her. It had been the first time Abacus had seen a face he knew in a very long time. He jumped into Lawful Eye's arms, and Lawful Eye tried to hug Abacus as best she could through the bars. Just then, Abacus suddenly screamed as he fell backwards on to the concrete floor of his cell in pain. Lawful Eye noticed that Abacus's steel collar was glowing with yellow sparks of electricity surging around it. It was then she realized to her great shock that the royal guard was causing the collar to shock him with his unicorn magic.
"What in Equestria are you doing!?" Lawful Eye yelled at the guard.
The glow of the guard's horn faded. "Prisoners are not allowed to touch visitors." His response was matter of factly, but at the same time conflicted.
Lawful Eye turned her head towards the door of Abacus's cell, as she heard the loud sobs of the stallion.
"Abi." Lawful Eye leaned on the bars of the cell that separated the two ponies. She felt helpless to come to her friend's side. "Oh, Abi. Please don't cry."
Lawful Eye's heart dropped as she watch helplessly at the sight of Abacus bursting into tears on the cold hard concrete floor of his cell.
Back in the present...
Lawful Eye groaned with a mix of sadness and anger as she finished recalling the sad incident of when she saw Abacus for the first time in prison.
"Oh no." I whispered. Rantaro was silent when he came back after three months and didn't speak to us.
"His scarred, bandaged face, and his depressed condition was horrible to see." Lawful Eye closed her eyes with sadness as a small tear escaped her eye. "But worst thing of all to see was what happened when I tried to hug him through the bars of his cell. Because he was not allowed to have any physical contact with any visitors, that guard shocked him for it. I had never seen a full grown stallion break down into tears like he did. He didn't deserve it."
Twilight frowned. "That's so sad. And I don't understand why he had one of those steelectric collars on like all the other prisoners."
Spike cocked his head. "Ste-what collars?"
Twilight turned to Spike. "Steelectric collars. They're collars made out of steel. Each one of them is enchanted with an electrocution spell that are put on the necks of prisoners. When a prisoner gets violent or rebellious, it's used to shock, stun, and even incapacitate them with a painful shock of electricity by the magic from unicorn members of the prison security." She rubbed her chin. "But aren't they strictly used for only the most dangerous and violent prisoners?"
"They are," Lawful Eye said. "But Armstrong and his guards put those steelectric collars on all of them to torture and break them for their own sick pleasure."
Spike shoved a spoon full of apple pie and ice cream into his mouth and ate. "Well, why couldn't the new guards simply just take them off?"
Lawful Eye sighed. "Because it was not that simple. The new warden of Hoofstrong filled me in on the details."
Three months ago...
Outside Abacus's cell, Lawful Eye turned her head towards the royal guard that shocked Abacus. She glared at him, her eyes smoked with anger at what the guard had just done.
"You...!" Lawful Eye shouted through gritted teeth. "How could you?! You're a monster!"
The royal guard looked conflicted at what Lawful Eye had said to him, but barely managed to maintain his composure.
"Detective Lawful Eye, I presume?" A deep, but calming male voice said.
Lawful Eye turned her head in the direction where the voice came from. At the T-ended section of the corridor stood a middle-aged unicorn stallion. His coat was a very dark grey, almost a black color, his mane and tail was purple and black patterned, and had deep emerald green eyes. He was also close to average size, unlike the other stallion prison staff.
"Who are you?" Lawful Eye asked, her voice still angered.
"I am Warden Rehab, the new warden assigned to this prison facility." Warden Rehab motioned to the left corridor indicating Lawful Eye to follow him. "Come to my office. We'll talk." He then turned to the royal guard. "Clock off early today and wait in the recreation room. We'll have a talk when I meet you there."
The royal guard nodded, and walked down the corridor. Lawful Eye then followed Warden Rehab down the left corridor towards his office at his request.
Warden Rehab opened the door to his office with his magic, where he and Lawful Eye entered. Warden Rehab directed Lawful Eye to the chair in front of his desk.
"Do sit down." Warden Rehab said.
Lawful Eye took a seat in front of Warden Rehab's work desk, with Warden Rehab taking his seat at his work desk.
Warden Rehab cleared his throat. "I assume you know why I wanted to speak to you? I saw the whole thing, Detective."
"This is outrageous," Lawful Eye said. "How can you treat them like this? Leaving steelectric collars on them, and shocking them."
Warden Rehab sighed. "I understand your anger, and I and all the guards here share it, but you have to understand that it's not our fault. The prison system of this facility is under the high maximum security class act. And because of that, the major protocols, including the major rules, and the steelectric collars being equipped can't be changed without legal processing. Some rules and regulations like allowing visitors, and having the prisoners wearing jumpsuits can be changed, but other rules have to be changed by legal government policy which can take as long as eight months to recalibrate."
Lawful Eye frowned. "No. Oh, Abi. All he wanted was a hug from me, but he can't without getting shocked. It's not fair. He didn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve any of this."
"I agree," Warden Rehab said. "No prisoner here deserves this, but until this is legally resolved, Abacus will just have to follow the rules like every other prisoner. It's just the way it has to be. I and all the guards here don't want him or any of them to ever get shocked. For I've seen the psychological effects of what those collars can have on some ponies."
Lawful Eye dropped her head sadly. She thought Abacus would not have to suffer anymore, but it seemed that he was not out of the woods yet. She was at least relieved that the new prison warden seemed very caring and trusting.
Several minutes later, Lawful Eye came back to Abacus's cell with Warden Rehab. They saw that Abacus had not left the very spot he was left. Warden Rehab used his magic to insert the key to Abacus's cell, where he then turned the key, and unlocked his cell door. Abacus looked up with his teared-up eyes at the sound of the door of his cell unlocking. At the sight of Warden Rehab, Abacus quickly huddled himself up into the corner of his cell in horrible fear, shielding himself with his hooves.
Warden Rehab turned to Lawful Eye. "You stay out here."
Lawful Eye watched has Warden Rehab open the door of Abacus, and entered, closing the cell door behind him, as she watched through the bars of the cell door. She so wanted to comfit Abacus, but she knew that she could not touch him. She felt so helpless.
"Abacus Sum." Warden Rehab said.
He slowly approached Abacus, with Abacus huddled up in the corner of his cell, trembling and whimpering. When Warden Rehab's shadow was over Abacus, Abacus shielded his face with his hooves, and closed his eyes tightly, bracing himself for whatever torture that was going to come to him. Warden Rehab then kneeled down on his knees to be on Abacus's level.
"It's all right. I'm not going to hurt you."
"Abi, it's okay," Lawful Eye said, watching through the bars. "This is Rehab. He's the new warden here, and he really cares about you very much."
Abacus remained huddled up in the corner of his cell, trembling, sobbing, and whimpering. Warden Rehab stayed kneeled down to his level to show he meant no harm to him, and that he wanted to speak to him on equal grounds. "Listen to me, Abacus. I'm sorry you got shocked by the guard, and your fearful distrust to prison staff, especially stallion staff is quite understandable, but please understand that it's not our fault."
Warden Rehab sighed. "If we could take those collars off at will, we would, but it's not as simple as that. The arrest of Armstrong and his guards has left this prison facility with so many legal complications that will take some time to legally sort out. You're allowed to have visitors, but you're not allowed to touch them. It's the rules. And as much as we hate it, we have to enforce them. I and all the guards here don't want you or anypony to ever get shocked."
Lawful Eye leaned towards the bars. "Abi. I can't touch you, but I'll come and visit you when I can, I promise. I have the courts to give you a retrial in three months time, so I'm going to get you out. You can be sure that Warden Rehab isn't anything like that monster, Armstrong. He really does care about you. So please, for both his and your own sakes, just follow the rules. Be brave, and wait patiently. You can trust him."
"You should listen to your friend," Warden Rehab said. "I give you my word, Abacus, that I and any of the guards here are never going to harm or abuse you."
Abacus began to stop shielding his face with his hooves, though he was still very fearful. Seeing this, Lawful Eye decided to say something he might be relieved to hear. "Oh, Abi. I have some other good news to tell you. The hospital sent Warden Rehab the results of your blood tests. The results says you're clear of any STD. That's really great news."
"Indeed." Warden Rehab stood up. "You are one very lucky pony."
"Like I said, Abi," Lawful Eye said. "I'll come and visit you once a week, since I'll be working on getting you released. And I'll even bring some of your favorite cookies, triple chocolate chip.
"You like those with a hot cup of cocoa." She turned to Warden Rehab. "That is if the warden will allow it."
Warden Rehab nodded. "As long as I have some too, that would be fine. I'm sure we can provide something like that." He looked at Abacus. "And we could also provide some books for you to read too if you'd like."
Lawful Eye smiled. "That's a really good idea. He really likes the Daring Do series."
"Ah, Daring Do. And I think the newest story has been released." Warden Rehab turned to Abacus. "Do you want us to bring you the latest Daring Do story for you to read, Abacus?"
Abacus sobbed quietly. "...Mother... I want my mother."
"I'm sorry Abi," Lawful Eye said. "But she can't come and visit you right now. She's... not feeling very well. She sends her love to you though."
Lawful Eye and Warden Rehab watched on as Abacus continued to sob quietly in the corner, feeling a lump in each of their throats.
Back in the present...
Lawful Eye sighed sadly as she felt the same lump in her throat from recalling her first visit to see Abacus. "I couldn't bare to tell him the sad truth about his mother yet from all the pain he was already in."
"So you just basically lied about his mother's well-being to his face?" Spike asked.
"Hey!" I yelled.
Twilight elbowed Spike. "Spike! That wasn't nice."
Lawful Eye held up a hoof. "Twilight, Ren. It's fine. Abacus's time in prison caused psychological damage as much as it did physical. He showed very specific behaviors, the psychologist who examined him in his brief visit to hospital identified them. You probably seen them. Flinching and shying away from touch, depression, post-traumatic stress, social withdrawal, fear of dogs, fear of stallions, griffons, and minotaurs." She sighed. "And with his mild autism, it makes it all the more worse."
"That's so awful." Twilight said.
Spike spoke to Lawful Eye. "But after what he went through, who can blame him?"
"When any guard in the prison went into his cell to give him his meals, or even walk by to simply check on him, he would cower into the corners of his cell in absolute fear." Lawful Eye adjusted her glasses. "Despite all that, Warden Rehab was very gentle and patient with him. He would go into Abacus's cell on some days for coffee and cocoa just to simply chat. Though Abacus hardly ever talked, and was so scared and depressed, Rehab thought it could help him to know there was at least one pony inside he knew he could trust. It was what he did with some ponies at the psychiatric hospital that he was previously warden at."
Twilight's eyes were filled with amazement at what she had heard Lawful Eye had said. "Wow. He was a warden at a psychiatric hospital?"
Lawful Eye nodded. "Yes. It helped that he had experience in that type of field. Three months later, Abacus was due to stand for a retrial. The evidence was enough to have an almost instantaneous, acquittal "not guilty" verdict."
One week ago...
Abacus sat in a solitary stand in the court room of Equestria supreme court in Canterlot, guarded by two royal guards. His hooves were bound in chains, his steelectric collar had rope connected to it held by the mouth of one of the guards, and his head was down with hopeless sadness. Lawful Eye and Rantaro sat at a desk in the court room before the judge. He was a dark tangelo unicorn stallion with a thick short black mane with tight, small curls, and had a short black beard.
"Miss Lawful Eye," The judge said in a deep, raspy, African-American voice. "Do you have anything you wish to say before I deliver my final verdict?"
"Yes, your honor." Lawful Eye stood up from the desk. "Fillies and gentlecolts of the court. Mr Abacus Sum's sentence and conviction was nothing more, nothing less than sickeningly unjust. Instead of help and support for his tragic loss, he was given punishment, and suffered all forms of abuse in prison by the guards and the inmates. This case just shows how the life of an innocent pony can be ruined by the stupidity and collective incompetent investigation skills of such investigative teams like from Canterlot. That is all, your honor."
Lawful Eye sat back down at her desk in the court room. The judge sat there with his hooves together thinking, with the court all silent waiting for the judge to speak.
The judge sighed and looked up. "Miss Lawful Eye. Your little speech was words of truth. And I for one personally agree. Of all my years on the bench, I had never encountered a case of serious incompetent investigating, along with such sickening suffering one must have endured through such an ordeal. And with the evidence before me, I hereby find the prisoner, Abacus Sum, not guilty of all charges against him." He smacked the gavel with his magic.
The ponies in the court applauded at the judge's verdict. Lawful Eye smiled and shed a tear of joy that the case was over and that her dear friend, Abacus was going to be a free pony again. Abacus however showed no signs of joy, and he just sat there with his head down in the same very hopelessly depressed state.
"Order." The judge smacked the gavel a few times. "Order!"
The ponies in the court stopped, and remained quiet at the judge's order demand. The judge then turned to Abacus. "Mr Sum. Do you have anything you wish to say before the courts?"
Abacus said nothing. He just closed his eyes, and slowly shook his head as a sad tear escaped out of his eye, and ran down his horribly scarred cheek.
"I see." The judge sighed. "Mr Sum. Nopony can imagine the amount of hurt you suffered. Wrongfully convicted ponies commonly feel emotions ranging from anger and loss, to paranoia and betrayal. The long-term effects of many wrongfully convicted ponies can experience ongoing psychiatric dysfunction and have long-term difficulties reintegrating into society. And on the behalf of everypony, you have our humblest apologies. You will be given 120,000 bits in compensation. That's 60,000 for each year of your sentence. It won't fix everything for you, but it should be a start to help get you back on your feet. I would also suggest some psychological evaluation, testing, and perhaps treatment for you, Mr Sum. In the meantime, you will be sent back to Hoofstrong Prison Center, where you will be officially released, and walk out as a free pony tomorrow morning at 10 am. I wish you, Mr Sum all the best of luck for the future." The judge then turned to face Lawful Eye, and the other ponies in the court room. "In addition, there will be a further compensation hearing on the nineteenth in three months time at 11 am. Court is adjourned."
The judge hit the gavel to end the court, and many ponies at the court who were sitting on the benches began to leave. The royal guard gently tugged on the rope attached to Abacus's steelectric collar.
"Alright, Abacus," The pegasus royal guard said through the rope in his mouth. "Come on, let's go."
Lawful Eye watched from her desk as Abacus got up from the stand at the guard's instructions, and began to follow the guards out the back door. His head remained down in that same very hopelessly depressed state.
The guards had nearly reached the door with Abacus when Lawful Eye got up from the desk and halted the guards. "Wait." She walked over towards them. "I just need one moment."
The unicorn guard standing behind looked at Abacus, then at the pegasus guard in front who nodded at him. He then looked back at Lawful Eye, and nodded permittedly. "Be quick, ma'am."
Lawful Eye turned to Abacus. "Abi. I'm so happy that this is all over now. I wish I could give you a hug, but I can't touch you." She noticed Abacus's eyes began welling up. "But don't worry, Abi. When I pick you up tomorrow, the first thing I'm going to do is give you the biggest, warmest hug you could ever ask for. That's a promise. I'll hold on to your money for you. I'll see you tomorrow, Abi."
Lawful Eye nodded at the guards indicating she was done. The guards nodded back and continued leading Abacus to the door by the rope attached to his steelectric collar. The guard in front holding the rope attached to Abacus opened the door, then the two guards along with Abacus entered and closed the door behind them, leaving Lawful Eye alone in the court room.
Back in the present...
Lawful Eye looked up as she recalled the last time she had seen Abacus.
"The next morning, me and Rantaro went to the prison to go pick him up at 10:15 am. But when we got there, he was gone. Warden Rehab told use that he went running off because one of the royal guards of the prison mentioned about how is mother would be so happy to see him." Lawful Eye dropped her eyes. "But he shouted at him about how he knew all along about his mother's passing, because Armstrong sadistically tormented him about it."
Twilight's eyes widened. "So...you're saying...?"
"Yes," Lawful Eye said. "I think that was the other reason why he ran away. Because he felt deceived, because he felt he had nothing left, because I didn't tell him the truth." She sighed deeply and closed her eyes sadly. "Oh Celestia, this is all my fault."
Twilight reached out and placed a consoling hoof on Lawful Eye's shoulder. "You were only doing what you thought was right. Don't blame yourself. You just wanted to let him down about his mother gently."
"Yeah," Spike said. "If there's anypony to blame, it's that monster, Armstrong. Besides, what you told him about his mother not being well enough to see him was actually sort of true, from a certain point of view."
Lawful Eye looked back up. "I guess you're right. After that, I went looking for him by putting a missing pony report. Over a week of searching, I was nowhere near to finding him. That was...until two nights ago."
"Two nights ago?" I asked. "What happened?"
Lawful Eye hesitated before speaking. "Well... It was because of a dream I had."
Twilight tilted her head. "A dream?"
"I know it sounds crazy," Lawful Eye said. "But a voice in this dream told me to come here to look for him. It's the reason why I really came here."
"Lawful Eye! Rantaro!"
"Who...who's there?"
"Lawful Eye, Rantaro. Go to Ponyville. Abacus is in Ponyville."
"What? What do you mean?"
"Go to Ponyville!"
As Lawful Eye recalled the very dream that made her come to Ponyville, she could see that we were each giving her a funny, confused look.
Spike scratched his head. "So... you're in Ponyville because some voice in a dream told you to come here?"
Twilight rubbed her chin. "What I want to know is who that voice was? And why you didn't come here in the first place?"
"We don't know whose voice it was," Lawful Eye said. "I didn't recognize it. As for why I didn't search here in the first place: It was because I didn't think he would want to return here, especially since the townsfolk would be distressed about it. The next day, I took the next train to Ponyville."
Twilight rubbed her chin. "And that's how you ended up here in Ponyville."
Lawful Eye nodded. "That's right."
Spike began holding up two bowls of ice cream with a slice of apple pie. "Well...who's up for dessert?"
"Oh, thanks, Spike," I said. "We should eat it before the ice cream gets too soft."
Spike began to hand out the bowls of apple pie and vanilla ice cream. When he handed Lawful Eye's serving, he looked at her funny. Lawful Eye could see that there was something the little dragon wanted to say that was troubling him.
"Hey, uhh…Lawful Eye," Spike said. "I wanted to apologize."
Lawful Eye tilted her head. "For what, Spike?"
Spike twiddled his claws. "Well, for… you know. About some of the things I said. Like about you lying to Abacus's face, and all. I didn't mean to sound like a jerk."
"It's fine, Spike." Lawful Eye said.
Spike shifted his feet. "Also... What I said about Rarity being more beautiful than Tiger Lily earlier. I'm sorry I sounded very offensive or strange. It's just… well... I sort of have a cru-"
Lawful Eye stopped Spike from explaining by putting a hoof over his mouth. Spike looked at Lawful Eye, who gave him an understanding smile. "It's quite alright, Spike. You don't need to explain. You have special feelings for Rarity. Right?"
Spike gently nodded before Lawful Eye moved her hoof away from his mouth.
"It's okay to have feelings for somepony you love." Lawful Eye sighed. "At least you're brave enough to admit and show it. Unlike myself."
Twilight and Spike were surprised to hear that. Spike more so than Twilight. "Huh? What do you mean? Do you have a crush on somepony?"
Twilight turned to Spike. "Spike! That's none of your business."
"No, Twilight," Lawful Eye said. "It's fine. Spike is right. I do have feelings for somepony. It's… well… It's Abacus."
Spike's eyes widened. "What? You have a crush on Abacus?"
Lawful Eye nodded. "Yes. I've always had feelings for him, ever since we were kids."
"Well, that's great," Spike said. "Why don't you tell him?"
"Because he's still suffering from the loss of Tiger Lily." Lawful Eye sighed. "Besides, I'm afraid that if I tell him how I really feel about him, he won't feel the same."
Spike tilted his head. "How do you know he won't?"
"I don't span class know," Lawful Eye said. "I'm just afraid he won't. Perhaps I will tell him, but not until I feel that the time is right for me to. He needs a little time for his heart to heal. But for now, he needs help getting back into society."
Twilight nodded. "You're right. Helping Abacus must come first. I promise that my friends and I will do everything we can to help."
Lawful Eye smiled. "Thank you, Twilight, Ren. And tomorrow, I should contact Warden Rehab to tell him that Abacus has been found. He'd want to know about this. Maybe he could help too."
"Sure," Twilight said. "And I'm going to contact the investigation force headquarters in Canterlot about the case with Abacus. I want to research as much as I can about this case."
Spike sat down at the table and began eating his bowl of apple pie and vanilla ice cream again. "Well, let's get into our desserts."
We turned our attention to our desserts. Twilight and Lawful Eye then began to levitate their spoons with their magic, scoop the first spoonful of ice cream and apple pie, and eat it. We ate our dessert, with us realizing that the task of helping Abacus starting tomorrow.
