SFM: Hague

Breathing violence and love, I was born on the scene.
Now it runs in my blood, yeah you know what I mean.
When I'm dead and gone, will they sing about me?
Dead and gone, will they scream my name?

Some time ago I came across a ponyfic entitled "Chrysalis visits The Hague." Being a Political Scientist (it says so on my degree), as well as the son of an attorney, the title alone was enough to intrigue me.

The premise is pretty straightforward: Equestria has manifested on Earth and the United Nations have established diplomatic relations with the nation (think of a Conversion Bureau style scenario, except the Ponies and Humans started working together instead of trying to kill each other). The newfound harmony is threatened though when Chrysalis, with the blessing of Celestia, is captured and brought before the International Criminal Court to be tried for charges of crimes against ponykind (this was written before the Season 6 finale and so only the events of A Canterlot Wedding as well as the Chrysalis issue in the comics are referenced).

The story follows Alexander Estermann, a Swiss lawyer who has the unenviable task of defending Chrysalis. What everyone anticipates to be an open and shut case soon turns into a major international affair, as Estermann and his team explore Chrysalis' past, dig into the nature of Equestrian politics and justice, and start to uncover clues that there might be something more going on in Equestria, something that doesn't paint the ponies in a good light either. 

Seriously though, this fic takes a rather intriguing premise and explores the possible outcome from it. What would happen if someone like Chrysalis was made to answer for her crimes? How would the ICC and the UN handle the investigation? Would their insistence that Chrysalis is innocent until proven guilty strain their relationship with the ponies? And is Chrysalis the only regent from Equestria with skeletons in her closet?

The setup as a whole reminds me a lot of A Few Good Men: a lawyer is tasked to defend someone that everyone presumes is guilty, only to discover that things are not what they seem. Add in plenty of interactions with the show's cast, enticing original characters, as well as hints that there's something else behind the insistence that Chrysalis is guilty by almost all ponykind, and you have one entertaining fic. And even though it hasn't properly started the trial yet, there's still plenty of excitement and thrills to be had until then.

So that leads us to this picture: this is my interpretation of the opening scene in the story. Chrysalis has been handed over to US forces who deliver her to The Hague. She doesn't come...quite as quietly as she does in this picture though, but this was just meant to give a general idea of what was happening.

Also the lyrics are from "Scream my Name" by Tove Lo, which I feel serves as a fitting theme song for this fanfic.

By the way, the fic itself can be found here: www.fimfiction.net/story/62981…

If you're in the mood for some political drama and international intrigue, you're gonna love it!

Marines/Weapons ported from Black Mesa
Plane is GTA V Cargo Plane.
Track: "Scream my Name" by Tove Lo: www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2D7Bc…