//------------------------------//
// Chapter XXIV 
// Story: Lessons in quirks 
// by Mike84 
//------------------------------//

	"And which, pray tell me, are the 'given circumstances' that cause this suspicion?" Frank asked. Apparently the entire situation and everything Mayor Mare had told before had sufficiently prepared him for the mayor's ruling as to not give any sign of surprise. But while he remained calm Twilight believed to hear an undertone of suppressed anger. She herself was a lot more surprised by the mayor's announcement than Frank let on to be. 
"There is not a pony, other than you, who has left the party before Mr. Rich did without having been seen by others and therefore having an alibi for the evening—", Mayor Mare began.
"Not so!" interrupted Twilight fiercely. "I left before Mr. Rich did and Spike was fast asleep. That argument could be used against me and probably against some of the others too."
"I should rephrase that", Mayor Mare said. "There is not a pony other than Mr. Blanket whose reputation and long term residence to Ponyville doesn't preclude any suspicions in this matter who left without company granting them an alibi."
"Reputation and long term residence to Ponyville precluding suspicions in this matter...?" Frank began, but apparently Mayor Mare had now talked herself into making her case clear. 
"Would you, Mr. Blanket, include a princess of Equestria or the representatives of the Elements of Harmony including those of honesty, generosity, kindness and loyalty into your circle of suspects?"
"No, I didn't say that!" Frank cried, casting an apologetic look at Twilight. 
"Then we agree that there are ponies who can reasonably be ruled out from the suspicion. Next point is the motive. Were ponies to whom we talked before correct in understanding that you do not have a fixed residence?"
"Yes", Frank said. Twilight couldn't tell if it was anger or embarrassment that made him blush. 
"So an interest in obtaining bits, if given the chance, could not be excluded."
"Given the chance!" Frank almost spat out the words. "I have never even been to Ponyville before yesterday! Mayor, I don't even know where in Ponyville Mr. Rich lives! Why is it that the ponies who got the least bits are presumed to be the most unscrupulous in obtaining them?"
Mayor Mare took a deep breath, but remained calm. "Mr. Blanket, you yourself have asked for the circumstances, do you want me to stop?"
Frank clenched his teeth and Twilight was about to say something when he, with a tone of resignation said: "Proceed please!"
"There has been word that you have been threatening young Miss Rich."
"This is ridiculous!" Twilight blurted out. "Did she tell you that? Rest assured mayor that Mr. Blanket did not threaten young Diamond Tiara, but only gave her a stern lecture about bullying another kid as Mr. Blanket had witnessed. I heard it, Applejack heard it and if our words are not enough Rarity and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were there too! It had absolutely nothing to do with... this."
Mayor Mare made a conciliatory gesture. The outburst of Twilight seemed to have drained some of the passion that her previous little speech seemed to have given her. 
"Young Diamond Tiara didn't mention this at all when she was here this morning. Some other ponies we talked to earlier may have picked up her saying it on the previous evening. It may be seen as an indication of an aversion against Mr. Rich and his family."
"I do not even know him", Frank said still with the voice of resignation. "We didn't even talk at all yesterday."
"There is yet another thing you must consider, Princess Twilight", Mayor Mare continued. "Somepony here has committed the deed. I have always lived here in Ponyville. There is nopony here in Ponyville who I think is capable of such a crime. You, Princess Twilight, haven't lived here for nearly as long and still I think you got to know the ponies of our town well enough. Can you name a single one, colt or mare, here in Ponyville who you believe could do this?"
Twilight hesitated but then shook her head slowly. There was absolutely no pony in Ponyville who she could, even in her wildest dreams, imagine as an unscrupulous thief. The way things stood, this left only Frank, whom she could not imagine as a thief anymore than any of the others. Though she knew him for a much shorter span of time... though she had seen him put on so many faces and attitudes that she had not foreseen...
"But mayor...", she pleaded, "...this is just as it was with Zecora! Just because nopony knew her everypony thought of her as evil and whatnot. This is the same mistake all over again!"
"I know", Mayor Mare mumbled quietly. She then tightened and looked squarely at Frank.
"Mr. Blanket, did you do it? Did you take those bits from Mr. Rich's home?" 
Frank returned the look and his face changed to an expression of grim pride and there was not a trace of resignation in his voice when he said firmly: 
"By Celestia and Luna and all of Equestria, I did not!"
Mayor Mare nodded. She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again she looked somewhat tired aged almost beyond anything that she achieved by dying her mane gray for the sake of a distinguished appearance. When she spoke again, her voice was soft and not that of a prosecutor: "Mr. Blanket, I do believe you. But I cannot believe anypony else here in Ponyville could have done this either. But what I believe is irrelevant either way."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked. 
Mayor Mare tipped against the scroll on her table with one hoof. "It is all in the municipal laws established and agreed upon by the time Ponyville was founded. By these laws Mr. Blanket must be kept in custody and stand trial."
"Then these laws are stupid!" Twilight called. "All there is, is that we don't know him as long as others and that he hasn't been in anypony's company for some time. There is no way anypony in their right minds could find Frank guilty on that basis!"
"Still we must keep these laws", Mayor Mare said. "Or agree to change them in an assembly or..."
She fell silent and looked at Twilight almost as if she hadn't seen her before.
"What?" Twilight asked suprised. 
"You are a princess!" Mayor Mare said. 
"So?" Twilight asked confused at this sudden realization of the mayor.
"Your royal authority could be accepted as overriding municipal law in this matter! If you insist on Mr. Blanket's release from custody he may leave with you. The veto of a princess can overrule the law in a matter such as this one."
Twilight's jaw dropped a little. She noticed that for the first time ever her role as a princess was put to the test. The realization sent a shiver down her spine. She felt lost suddenly and didn't know what to say. 
She cast a look at Frank. The colt shook his head. 
"Don't, Princess Twilight", he said. What anger, resignation, or grim pride had been in his voice before had given way to a calm almost solemn determination.
"I didn't do it and you yourself said that no pony in their right mind could find me guilty on the basis there is. If the law requires me to be remanded, then it must be so. Laws agreed upon by many ponies should not be overridden by the vote or the veto of a single one, princess though that she may be." 
The words didn't miss their effect on anypony present. Inkhorn and Featherscribe who had been silent for a while exchanged an approving look, Mayor Mare nodded looking impressed while Twilight was raking her brain for any Pony Shakes plays or other pieces of literature from where Frank might have taken these words, but couldn't think of any. 
"I hope there aren't any objections to me taking my saddle-bags with me to custody?" Frank asked. "If I got to stay at a place for a while I would like not to waste my time there but continue with my studies. After all I got a lot of notes to order."
Mayor Mare nodded: "Of course, Mr. Blanket."
"Excellent", called Frank cheerfully breaking into a broad smile as if he had just been invited to another party. 
Mayor Mare was looking perplexed. 
All tension seemed to have fallen from Frank and with a humorous tone he asked: "So which way to Ponyville's dungeon?"
"But of course we don't have a dungeon in Ponyville!" Mayor Mare gasped.
Frank cocked his head and asked: "What are we going to do about it then? Shall I be chained to the fountain on the town-square?"
"Mr. Blanket, I thought that you had understood the seriousness of all this..."
"I most certainly did, Miss Mayor. But now that decisions have been made and nothing will be changed about them I may make the best of it just as well and have what laughs I can take along."
"Frank, did Pinkie Pie tell you that kind of thing today?" Twilight demanded to know.
Frank shook his head: "No she didn't, but if she had, she would have been right anyway." He shrugged. "So, for lack of a dungeon, which accommodation do you have in mind for me, mayor?"
Mayor Mare blushed and there was an awkward silence. So uncommon was the idea of any pony being held in custody in Ponyville that apparently nopony had even given any thought to the question where the detainee was to be kept. The situation was so utterly absurd that in spite of everything Twilight couldn't help snorting a little. 
"We could bring him upstairs", Featherscribe suggested. "There is a latch on the hatch to the upper storeroom." 
"If I am to be stored there...", Frank said, fanning himself with his hat, "...please make sure I got enough water. It will be hot up there."
"Of course", Mayor Mare agreed. "The windows up there can be opened and there are also the stairs up to the cupola. Since you are no pegasus I think it is okay for you to go up there if you want to." 
"Wonderful", Frank said and Twilight couldn't even guess whether he was being sarcastic or if this was actual, genuine enthusiasm. 
Suddenly Mayor Mare blushed a little. "You are not a unicorn either..."
"Yes?" Frank said half confirming half asking. 
"Well, the laws say that any pony detained must wear a magic suppressor ring throughout the time of the detainment."
Frank squinted up at his forehead. "Any pony detained?" he asked.
"It doesn't specify unicorns in the law text", Inkhorn confirmed. 
Mayor Mare took a little dusty box from a shelf, opened it and brought forth a dark metal ring on a chain. 
"Maybe we can just hang it round his neck on the chain", Featherscribe suggested. 
"Really?" Frank asked. "No disrespect, mayor, but I am not sure who of us makes it more difficult to appreciate the seriousness of all this."
"It's what the law says", Mayor Mare insisted. 
Frank rolled his eyes and allowed for the chain with the ring to be hung around his neck. 
"You realize this won't have any effect, don't you?" Twilight asked. "I really think when all this is over the old laws should really undergo a thorough examination. Lack of need to put them on the test may have caused them to be somewhat out of touch with reality."
Mayor Mare just nodded but didn't say anything. 
They left the room and Frank was led up the stairs which Twilight had rushed up the previous evening in pursuit of Fluttershy. The storeroom was baking hot and stuffy. Without being asked to do so Inkhorn and Featherscribe rushed to cast open the small windows. 
"Charming", Frank commented nodding at the boxes and shelves with folders, files and some books. "It looks like I too am to live in a library now. I'll let you know if there is anything of interest here, Twilight. If there is no law against ponies detained reading what reading materials there may be in their gaols?"
"This is not a gaol", Mayor Mare sighed. "And you may read whatever you find here. I doubt any of it will be of much interest to you though."
"Will you look at that!" Frank called enthusiastically, pointing at an old fainting couch standing between some stacked benches and tables. "With some dusting it could get quite comfortable here in this jail!"
"It is not a jail", Mayor Mare protested. 
"Must I refer to it as storeroom?" Frank asked. "Somehow it sounds a bit degrading to live in a storeroom."
"More degrading than dungeon, gaol or jail?" Mayor Mare asked slightly irritated. 
Frank shrugged. 
"One of us will be downstairs at any time, so if you need anything you can knock on the hatch", Mayor Mare said. "And of course we will make sure you are not trying to escape." She added sternly.
"But why would I try that?" Frank asked. "In a sense it seems to me that my situation has significantly improved. A large room, furniture, an own library, a cupola on top it all and service personnel present at any time...", Frank stopped and suddenly looked remorseful. 
"I am sorry", he said with a serious tone and looking at Mayor Mare, Inkhorn and Featherscribe in turn. "That was inappropriate. You are doing your job and you are acting in the interest of your town. But as I said, I am not whoever stole Mr. Rich's money. I do hope your attention given to me will not distract you from finding whoever really did it."
Mayor Mare nodded. 
"May me and my friends visit Frank, mayor?" Twilight asked.
"Of course. I do hope that this unpleasant business will be over soon."
"Frank, I'm going to visit Mr. Rich and ask what he can tell me about what happened", Twilight said. 
"It won't be too much", Inkhorn pointed out. "As I said, he doesn't remember most of yesterday."
"And maybe that is an important detail to exonerate Frank!" Twilight said. "I'll tell the others what happened. I'm sure they will help too." 
"Thank you", Frank said with a little bow.
Mayor Mare, Twilight, Inkorn and Featherscribe left the room and Featherscribe closed the hatch and locked it with the latch. 
As Mayor Mare headed towards her office, she turned around to Twilight one more time and quietly asked: "What is it with him? These sudden changes of moods and everything."
"He is a bit quirky...", Twilight answered, "...and I don't think I understand everything he says or does. But I am certain that he is not a thief!"