Virtue is busy reading over the testimonies from Glaive and Panacea as she waits for Stiletto to come speak with her about the fiasco. She already had a pretty good idea of what she was going to do, and was now trying to work out how to bes be diplomatic about it all...
Stiletto enters Virtue's office, this was beginning to become a recurring event, "Hello Lady Virtue, you need to talk to me?"
"Yes, come in," she says with a weary tone in her voice. She pushes the testimonies aside. "Did anypony tell you what this is about?"
Stiletto shakes her head "No, but if I had to guess, I would say it is about the pony that has a grudge against me."
"Yes... that's right," she responds, motioning for Stiletto to take a seat. "He's gone and collected some testimonies..." she continues, intentionally skipping over the names, "...and is pushing for as severe a penalty as there can be for the damages..."
Stiletto tilts her head "Who exactly is pressing charges, he had better not have harassed other ponies into fulfilling his personal vendetta."
Virtue looks away, no longer able to skim over the details and keep other ponies out of this. "He convinced Glaive to press charges... he also asked Panacea to tell her side of the story. She didn't want to press charges herself, but she did tell me all of what happened."
Stiletto close her eyes "I see. This is just a little out of line do you not think? Are citizens normally subject to this level of personal attack?"
Virtue shakes her head. "It does seem a bit excessive to me... but there's little I can do about it. Now that charges have been filed, I have to do my job," she says in a low voice.
Stiletto raises her head and nods "I would one thing first, who are the charges filed with?"
"That would be me," she replies, tapping a small stack of papers on her desk.
Stiletto nods "So this will be fully your decisions, with no over sight into your actions? I ask for clerical purposes only."
Virtue nods in turn. "That's right. It's just me... and the law," she says, making a small motion toward the dusty tome next to her.
Stiletto sighs "Do you think it will end with this? Will he leave you alone after this?"
Virtue is silent for a moment. "I... don't know. I dearly hope so." She looks up. "I hope he leaves you alone as well."
Stiletto stands ready "Then I will accept your judgment. What ever it may be."
Virtue lets out a drawn out breath. "Alright." She picks up a paper and pretends to read it carefully. "Indigo pushed for jail time, which I am permitted to sentence you for... but it seems quite excessive. He also pressed for the largest fine possible, which was several thousand bits." She gives Stiletto a weak smile. "But that's also excessive..."
"Since you've already replaced the chair and apologized... I'm only going to give you the minimum fine." She pauses for a moment, verifying the numbers. "That works out to six hundred bits. It's... the least that I can assess."
Stiletto reteaches into he saddle bag and produces one gold dragon that she places on the table "There."
Virtue gives her a slightly confused look. "Thank you, but that's a bit more than the fine..."
Stiletto looks to the side "Consider it a donation on behalf of the Deutschmeiner nationhood. I will need no more then a note of recondition." *Coughs* "I also do not have anything smaller on me right now." She looks at the ground
Virtue nods and gives her a small smile. "Thank you. Perhaps we can put this behind us now... and it would probably be best not to tell Indigo that I lowered the fine." She sighs. "I'm sure he will question things when you're not jailed."
Stiletto stands at attention "He might be deterred from further harassment if I was at your door."
Virtue shakes her head slowly. "I'm sure that would be effective... but I fear it would just agitate him secretly... and he may do worse then." She smiles. "But I do appreciate you looking out for me."
Stiletto nods "I would once again like to offer my serves as a royal guard, to your person Lady Virtue."
Virtue continues to smile. "Again, I fear that might stir up trouble..." She reflects that so far such a thing would be unnecessary, and hopes it continues to stay that way. "Fortunately, I don't think I am in any physical danger. If that changes... well, you'll be one of the first that I speak to."
Stiletto shuffles her hooves. "I worry about you Lady Virtue, I am sorry, but I do. Please come to me, for any help you might need, with anything."
Virtue gives her a single nod. "Thank you Stiletto. I really appreciate your thoughts. If you're going to be alright after this, then so will I."
Stiletto closes her eyes and sighs "If it will bring an end to the harassment. I have nothing against this troubled individual, but from now on he had better leave me and my liebt in peace." She turns to leave
Virtue watches as Stiletto moves to leave. "I hope this will be the end of it all too. I think maybe it finally will be."