Peace. For the first time today, peace and quiet.
Carmel sat in his favorite stall in his favorite cafe. Celestia knows he deserved a moment of respite. It had been a long day and there was still work to do. The weary stallion closed his eyes, feeling much older than he was.
Carmel started thinking on the work left before the day was out. Let's see... I have a planned meeting with the Ethnic Minorities of Ponyville Union, then I have to attend the Moon Party's official Candidate announcement banquet, and I can't forget Doctor Whooves asked me to be the best stallion at his and ditzy's wedding. The rehearsal dinner is tonight, and I can't miss it for the world. Work, work, work...
He smiled, despite the growing mound of work. But for now, I have a few seconds of peace. The union isn't expecting me for another fifteen minutes. Perfect time for me to grab a mayflower sandwich and rest a bit...
His time of peace was cut short, however, by a mare's voice. "Excuse me. Are you Carmel?"
ARGH! CAN I REST FOR ONE SECOND? He opened one eye and looked at the purple unicorn. Why does she seem so familiar? "Yeah. I'm Carmel." He stretched. "Take a seat, I can tell you have a question for me."
The mare Midnight? No, that's not right... (Her name always reminded him of some mushy vampony romance book, but he couldn't put his finger on it.) hesitantly took a seat across from him. She thought for a moment before speaking. "Thank you. My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I..."
"THAT'S IT!" Carmel suddenly shouted, getting some very funny looks from the other patrons. He looked around sheepishly. "I apologize. Go on."
She cocked an eyebrow. "...I am the Princess' personal student. She has sent me here to Ponyville to study the magic of friendship, but she never told me about... This."
Carmel looked at her oddly. "This... meaning..?"
"You were leading a rally earlier this morning. I happened to be in the area at the time, and I heard you speaking..."
Carmel's jaw dropped. "Wait. You're telling me that you had no idea about the stallion's rights movement?"
Twilight nodded. "Exactly. I am new here, you see. I admit, I was very excited to see my very first democratic election. I mean, I grew up in Canterlot, where Princess Celestia personally chooses all government officials.The idea of a leader being chosen by the people was fascinating and foreign to me."
Carmel finished her thought for her. "But, when you got here, you realized Ponyville isn't as democratic as you thought." .
Twilight smiled sheepishly. "Pretty much. I'm surprised the Princess didn't warn me about something as vital as an entire town stuck in the middle ages."
Carmel seemed to not be listening. He interrupted, "I remember you, you were the pony in charge of Winter Wrap-up last year. First time I can remember we have ever been on time." He chuckled to himself.
Twilight didn't share the joke. "I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind."
"I don't. Ask away, Twilight Sparkle." Carmel smiled.
"Let's start at the beginning. You mentioned in your speech that stallions are not allowed to vote, own land, or travel freely. Could you please explain these laws to me?" She looked at him quizzically.
"Sure thing, Twi." He cleared his throat. "All our troubles started with one simple phrase that was poorly thought through. I quote the Ponyville Constitution:'And in this new towne, henceforth named Ponyville, evyre Mare of good standing and upright character shall have a vote in all elections and laws.' That is in the preamble, drafted by the first settlers here, including the Apple Family."
"The same part that gave Ponyville its uniquely democratic system. I am familiar with the Ponyville Constitution, though, I never thought..." She trailed off.
"Exactly. The problem was the lack of thinking things through. The original lawmakers were mostly mares, because the stallions of the time were busy with building, working, and feeding their families. It was well known and commonly practiced that mares would simply represent the family legally."
Twilight thought for a second. "I guess that makes sense, if there is harmony between the stallion and the mare there would only be one vote necessary."
Carmel nodded. "And it did work, for a time. The problem is that this law never got changed. Colts grew up. Young families had foals of their own, fillies and colts born into a developing frontier city, kind of like Appleoosa. Many colts, just like fillies, had dreams of greatness. One wanted to run for mayor, he happened to be my great-grandfather. I'll get to my family history later. Anyway, the times quickly made that particular part of the constitution outdated,"
Twilight sighed. "But the law stayed."
Carmel frowned. "Not only did it stay, the situation got worse. Approximately seven years after the founding of Ponyville, a law was passed that said only tax-paying voters could own land. This was to stop ponies known as 'squatters', who sat on land until it sold at incredibly inflated prices."
Twilight nodded. "But this had the side effect of barring Stallions, who could not vote, from owning land as well."
"You catch on quickly." He smiled. "Now, stallions of the time decided these new laws were a bunch of hayseed, and so there was a mass exodus of Stallions from Ponyville. This left the problem of..." he cleared his throat, "Male-to-Female ratios. Ponyville was killing itself off slowly. As more Stallions left, less were there to marry and work."
"So, how did the lawmakers react?" Twilight said naively.
"In the worst possible way. Exactly twenty years after the founding of Ponyville, a new law was passed stating that Stallions born in Ponyville could not leave without official purpose and documentation."
"That part is the hardest for me to accept. Stallions are not allowed to leave Ponyville? While the other two laws are certainly unfair, that one is just..."
Carmel cut her off. "Outrageous? Believe me, I know." He quickly looked around, and then said in a quieter voice, "Many stallions run from this town anyway, because the moment we leave Ponyville the laws here no longer affect us. We are simply considered Equestrian Citizens. Have you ever wondered why the ratio of stallions to mares is so lopsided here?"
Twilight stopped. "But... isn't that..."
"Illegal? So now, stallions wanting a better life is illegal? What is worse, in your opinion? Simply hopping a border and running or denying a colt his dreams of greatness?"
Twilight hastily spoke up. "Point taken. Continue."
Carmel huffed. "Sorry, that is kind of a touchy subject for me. Anyway, about my lineage. My great-grandfather, one of the original settlers, was against this law from the beginning. His wife was the only one to vote against the ratification of the Ponyville constitution, a fact I am constantly reminded of. Every generation my family has fought this law, trying to sway public opinion to our side."
Twilight spoke a bit quieter. "You mentioned that your father..." she trailed off.
"Died in jail? Don't worry, I am okay with it. It's not like he was mistreated or anything, it was a heart attack. He was 60 years old on the day of his death." He said, almost as casually as he had been speaking previously. Twilight could tell that the story still weighed heavily on him, however. The normal spark in his eyes was gone, and suddenly the twenty-something stallion looked old and tired in her eyes.
"I am so sorry." Twilight had a sincere tear in her eye.
"I stepped up to replace him at the head of the Stallion's Rights movement that year. I was twenty three at the time, four years ago. I remember that we had one of the best turnouts in history, if not the best. It was the Stallion's Rights voters who elected Mayor Mare."
Twilight shook her head. "That can't be true. Mayor Mare is, from what I hear, one of the most anti-Stallion's Rights mares in Ponyville." Her eyebrows furrowed.
"She wasn't when we elected her. Mayor Mare promised us change, hope, and freedom, but only a week after her election, she banned holding rallies in public without a permit, which is only attainable..."
"Let me guess. By voters."
Carmel nodded. "Sad as it is to say, Mayor Mare went to great lengths to stop us from having a turnout like that again. I wouldn't be surprised if she was already plotting ways to stop us now."
Twilight thought back to the rally. The policeponies... "Is that why law enforcement showed up to the rally?"
Carmel smiled. "Yup. Probably came to arrest me."
"And you don't have a permit, I'm guessing." she said flatly.
"Nope! Never even seen one."
"So, why didn't they stop you?" Twilight was slightly horrified and slightly curious.
"My good friend Carrot Top has one. I can speak under her name in public, as long as she is present. The law can't touch me for the rally today." Carmel chuckled. At least, not about that particular law...
As Carmel resumed the conversation, though, he didn't notice the two policeponies enter the cafe, and singling out his table, the head one made a beeline for Carmel.
"Are you Mr. Carmel Candy?" She said in a gruff voice.
Carmel turned, and made eye contact with the uniformed detective. He smiled warmly at her. "Good evening, Inspector JaMare." He laughed at his own pun. "I am kind of sad that you don't recognize me. It was me who went with you to the prom all those years ago. Ring a bell? You and Berry got drunk, and the band filed a restraining order, and..."
"Mr. Carmel, you are under arrest."
Carmel's smile melted like a snowman in a tanning booth. "Under arrest? For what, exactly? As you well know, all my permits were in order."
"For thievery, inciting a riot, and disturbing the peace."
"That is outrageous! I never stole anything! You have no proof." Carmel shook his head.
"A vendor says you stole a crate of apples from her to use for a stand and it was destroyed." She said bluntly. "The rest of the charges, you have no way to refute. You have the right to remain silent..."
He shook his head. "I can't believe this! one measly crate?"
"...can and will be used against you in a court of law..."
As she started cuffing Carmel, he looked over to Twilight. She looked like a deer in the way of a stampede. "Don't worry, Twi. I have been arrested more times than I can count. I'll be back on the street in no time." He smiled hopefully at her.
"But... But..."
"Can I ask you to do me a favor, before I leave?" He said, confidently.
Twilight, who's expression was a mix between shock and horror, weakly asked "What?"
"Tell Whooves that I'm gonna be late for the rehearsal dinner." Carmel laughed as the policeponies pulled him out of the cafe.
---
"Twi! Twilight! Are you okay?" A voice pierced the blackness.
Twilight slowly opened her eyes to see a pair of blue ones looking back at her. "What happened?"
"Well, I was walking down the road, well, maybe not walking, it was more like skipping, you know how I like to skip, but anyway I was skip-walking (or is it walk-skipping?) down the road plotting a recepie for my cherry-chonga I am going to make for Mrs. Cake tomorrow, when suddenly my back leg kicked. Of course, when my back leg is a kick'n that means that Twilight is about to faint, and so I rushed here to the cafe and found you lying on the ground like this!" The pink party pony said, seemingly without taking a breath.
Twilight had been slowly getting up throughout the rant. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Pinkie, but do you know where a stallion named "Doctor Whooves" lives?"
Pinkie smiled. "Of course I know where he lives. He lives in D. Whooves 42 wallaby way Ponyville! But you won't find him there now because he is busy at the rehearsal dinner for his wedding which I helped plan and ohmygosh I'm gonna be late!" Pinkie said, suddenly taking a determined look. "Sorry, Twilight, but I gotta go. I Pinkie Promised I would help tonight and I am almost late as it is."
Twilight thought for a second, then said "Do you think I could come with you?