Beneath the Surface

"I know, I know..." Ician murmurs. "I've had my world dropped out from under me before, too. I'm just glad you're safe... and, uh, should I get you a towel?"

She shrugs. "I'm still terrified, but yeah, I reckon that would be a start."

Ician nods, and reluctantly releases Divine from his embrace. He trots over to the bathroom and returns shortly with a large towel firmly encased in his telekinetic grip.

"Here you go." Ician rubs her very thorougly and completely dry, the towel ending up as soaked as can be. He moves back to the bathroom and deposits the cloth in the laundry basket, then comes back to the main room and resumes his embrace. "Better?"

She nods and cuddles into him. "Mhmm~" THe door opens, Ruby wordlessly stepping inside and hugging them both.

"I see you've returned." Ician remarks to Ruby, accepting the hug. "Do you know what just happened?"

"I can take a pretty good guess." She kisses them both. "I'm glad you're both safe~"

"I'm glad you are, too." Ician murmurs. He looks around. "We're approaching the capital soon. Are both of you ready to go?"

Divine nodded repeatedly, and kissed him. "B- But... I have to go back to Fillydelphia soon..."

"Oh..." Ician glances out of the window as the mountains near Canterlot draw ever closer. "Oh, no, I wouldn't worry about that. In fact... in fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that the Captain has bigger plans for you. For both of you."

"P- pardon?" She asked quietly. "What do you mean?"

"... The first time, when I met you in the Bar? It wasn't the first time I'd heard your name." Ician blinks distantly. "The Guard has heard of you, all the way in Canterlot. And the Captain has told me before that he'd like you as a Canterlot judge. Your reputation... precedes you. Greatly."

"Really? I didn't think I was that well known..."

Ician makes a face. "Er... well, you're right, in a way. You're not personally well known, per se, but your track record of convictions impressed many. Especially the Captain. He has a distaste for criminals, you see."

"I see... And what about Ruby?"

"I'm sure she'll be rewarded for her part in this, too." Ician's tone darkened. "I hate to deconstruct my superior's motives, but... they want a judge who can get as many convictions as possible. It makes the Prosecutor's Office - still a part of the government, as is the Guard, mind - look good. And they'd probably accede to as many of your demands as they can so that you'll give them the verdicts they want."

Divine chuckled darkly. "They're in for a surprise then."

Ician smiles. "Really, now?"

"I work for justice alone. ANd even if I wanted to bend my will, they'd have a quite the job cut out for them."

"The obvious answer, then, is that if somepony had been deemed suspicious enough to be dragged to court they're probably guilty of the crime they've been accused of." Ician shakes his head. "Anyway, this is just a prediction. I can't confirm anything until it's been confirmed for me... though I will say that I know how the higher-ups in the Guard think."

"Don't you want to hear what what my demands would be~?" She purred quietly.

"Um..." Ician blinks. "I'm pretty sure they can't be too extreme; there's always a threshold. And the Captain, I think, won't go that far to accommodate you, since the Prosecutor's Office is not the direct concern of the Guard..." He grins slyly. "But do tell me. What are they?"

"I want..." She said dreamily. "I want to marry you two, I want my eyes back... and I'd like what I asked for on my sixteenth birthday... though extended a little bit."

"Uh... Ah." Ician smiles. "Excellent demands, I think. But, uh... how is the Guard supposed to give you back your eyes? And for that matter... what is it that you asked for on your sixteenth birthday?"

She giggled. "I don't know how they get me back my eyes. Replace them maybe? As for my sixteenth..." She mumbled something about princesses.

Ician blinks. "I'm sorry, what was that? Did you say something about Princesses?"