"Is this a joke?" Featherscribe called fiercely. "Your pet owl? Is this some display of contempt for the court?"
"Princess Twilight, this is a rather unusual call", Lady Justice said with her eyebrows raised.
"Unusual but not unheard-of", Twilight pointed out. "There have been a number of legal cases in Equestrian history in which the testimony of non-ponies without the ability to speak common language have been regarded even to the point of determining the sentence."
"It is true that there have been such special cases", Lady Justice confirmed. "And you think that your owl can give a testimony relevant and sufficiently clear and unambiguous?"
"He is smart enough to help me in the library, finding books I am asking for. You may put him to the test. Owlowiscious...", Twilight said, turning towards her owl. "Please give us one hoot for 'yes' and two hoots for 'no', did you understand?"
Owlowiscious gave an affirmative hoot.
"Owlowiscious, can you land on the pedestal beside me?" Lady Justice said, making sure to neither look at, nor indicate the pedestal in any other way.
Owlowiscious hooted once and as he did so spread his wings. A moment later he landed on the very pedestal Lady Justice had spoken of.
"He doesn't have any difficulties recognizing ponies either. Owlowiscious, please land on Featherscribe's head."
"Oh no!" Featherscribe said, spreading his wings in a defensive gesture while backing away towards a curtain. "Pick somepony else for that!"
Twilight shrugged. "Would you like to pick somepony? Just so you see I am not giving any secret clues with my commands?"
"Owlowiscious, fly to Frank Blanket!" Featherscribe said, looking at the crowd.
Owlowiscious flapped over to Frank who offered his head as a perch.
"We can admit this witness", Lady Justice decided. "But Princess Twilight, how did you learn your owl saw Mr. Blanket as you say he did that night?"
"After I got home myself, some time after Mr. Blanket had left the party, I was talking to him. I was wondering out aloud where Mr. Blanket had set up his tent. When he heard this, Owlowiscious indicated the spot on a map that was lying around. I then checked out from the library's balcony and sure enough the tent was right where Owlowiscious had pointed on the map. He must have seen how Frank... Mr. Blanket, I mean, set it up. Isn't that so, Owlowiscious?"
The owl gave an affirmative hoot.
"Did Mr. Blanket see you too?" Twilight asked.
Owlowiscious didn't give a clear response but spread his wings in a rather clear imitation of a shrug.
"He did not", Frank commented dryly, pulling a sardonic face. "He was rather tired that evening and got to sleep as soon as he had his tent set up."
"And you, owl, are certain that it was Mr. Blanket whom you saw?" Featherscribe asked, earning himself an affirmative hoot from Owlowiscious.
"No chance at all it could have been a different pony?"
A denying double hoot came from Owlowiscious who also hopped from Frank's head onto one of the saddle-bags and pecked the unmistakable hat that was attached to it.
"Now seriously, Featherscribe...", Twilight said, "...who else do you think would walk out on the green at night wearing Mr. Blanket's hat to set up Mr. Blanket's tent?"
The pointed question provoked some laughter from the audience, causing Featherscribe to give a conceding wave with one hoof.
"And this...", Twilight added, granting herself a triumphant smile, "...rebuts one of the main reasons for Mr. Blanket's detainment. Contrary to what was known at the time, he does have an alibi for the time after leaving the party. I was back at the library less than an hour after Mr. Blanket had left. There is no way he could have headed to Mr. Rich's place, the location of which is unknown to him, commit the theft, head out for the green, set up the tent and get to sleep in such a short time."
"Fair enough, Princess Twilight", Featherscribe said. "Though we only got the defendant's own word that he was asleep at the time. While we presume it most likely that the theft was committed in the absence of Mr. Rich, the possibility remains that it was committed later throughout the night. Did you, owl, guard Mr. Blanket's tent for the rest of the night?"
Owlowiscious uttered two hoots.
"Mr. Blanket couldn't have committed the theft", Twilight insisted. "Nopony could have done it without the use of magic." As she spoke the last words she was looking directly at Mr. Rich and hoped that he understood the reference of her words to Swallowtail as well.
"The thief stole no less than six bags of golden bits, each of which so heavy that they are very difficult to lift. Almost nopony could possibly lift six of these bags, so a thief without the ability to use magic would have had to return several times. This would take long, require the thief to break into the house more than once and there is hardly a chance for this to go unnoticed. Moreover, if lifted rather than magically levitated the money bags will give a noisy clinking which would definitely be heard and draw the attention of anypony in the house. I got to admit right away that I cannot present you whoever stole the money, but whoever did must have been able to use magic. Mr. Blanket however, as everypony can see, is an earth pony and incapable of using magic. There is no way he could have done it."
Again, a murmur ran through the rows of assembled ponies and Twilight took a deep breath. Her logic was irrefutable. She felt that the points concerning the necessity of using magic had convinced more ponies than Owlowiscious' testimony had.
"Did Mr. Rich lose his memory because of magic too?" the earth pony Bon Bon called from one of the rows.
Twilight was somewhat caught off guard by the question. It appeared Dr. Horse's estimation that Medical confidentiality didn't mean much in Ponyville was quite true. For the sake of discretion and also because of her intention not to spill the beans about the possible threat of a powerful but unknown and elusive magic attacker, Twilight hadn't really planned to address this point at all. But everypony in the hall was looking at her expectantly now and there was no way to just dodge the question. She cast an apologetic look at Mr. Rich. He looked somewhat resigned.
"Hmm... since many of you seem to have heard about it anyway, Mr. Rich did lose some of his memory to the day before yesterday and yes, it is possible, likely even, that this was the result of an abuse of magic."
"What about Miss Cheerilee?" the same filly who had not understood Frank before called out loud. "I heard she lost her memory too! Was she also attacked by the one who attacked Mr. Rich?"
The silence after this question was absolute and everypony was staring at Twilight now. With a little fright she realized that her role had switched all of a sudden. These ponies were no longer listening to a counsel for the defense in a hearing and they were no longer listening for the sake of something to gossip about. These ponies were now listening to their princess and they wanted to know about a threat that concerned all of them.
Twilight knew that a lot depended on her next words. The last thing she wanted was a panic about a menace that nopony could identify at this time.
She walked up to the edge of the stage and let her look wander along the rows of the assembled ponies, looking them straight into their eyes, hoping that she herself looked as calm and confident as she hoped for the ponies assembled to remain.
"It is possible and even probable", she said. "We do not know yet who did it, but we will do everything we can to find out and stop this. Everypony should stay calm and not allow for fear to get the better of us. There is no need to panic or to lock yourselves up or anything of that sort. It may be a good idea, however, to avoid staying by yourselves for the time being."
Once again murmuring was running through the rows. Twilight was relieved that there wasn't any kind of overreaction. Her recommendation to avoid staying by themselves had been a spontaneous intuition, but one that Twilight felt made sense under the given circumstances. For the moment the ponies present seemed to have completely forgotten about the hearing. When Twilight turned back she noticed that Mayor Mare and Lady Justice didn't look any less concerned than some ponies in the audience. Frank rubbed his forehead with one hoof as if he had a headache. Featherscribe's forehead was all frowns. He turned towards Lady Justice and said:
"Your honor, I think everypony is somewhat distracted now. I got some questions to the defense and also would like to present some points so far not addressed to the court. Maybe there is time for a short intermission for everypony to get focused again before we proceed?"
Lady Justice nodded.
"Princess Twilight...", she said loud enough to silence ponies in the hall even without using her gavel, "...is there anything more you would like to add at this point?"
Twilight thought for a moment but then slowly shook her head. "Not now. I agree with Featherscribe that a short break may be a good idea."
"We interrupt the hearing and will proceed in five minutes!" Lady Justice proclaimed and struck the pedestal with the gavel again.
Instantly the murmuring started again, louder now than it had ever been during the hearing itself. It filled the hall like the humming of a huge swarm of bees. Twilight was rather relieved that the ponies were talking among themselves rather than assailing her with questions, many of which she probably would have been unable to answer.
She walked to the edge of the stage where Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Rarity stood. Spike was following her and hesitantly, as if worried it might be misinterpreted as an attempt to escape, Frank approached too. Owlowiscious was still seated on his back.
"That was great, Twilight!" Spike called as he caught up to her. "No way they could not release Frank after this!"
"And the party can begin!" Pinkie Pie agreed with a broad smile.
"Yes, but what's the matter with old Featherscribe?" Rainbow Dash asked with a frown. "Doing his job is one thing, but doesn't he seem a little overeager to you?"
Twilight too had been surprised about the grim vehemence of Featherscribe and she somehow couldn't help having a bad feeling about what he would do next. No doubt, the matter of the money bag in Frank's sleeping back would be discussed. Twilight was prepared to present it as the framing attempt which she was convinced it was, but somehow she felt as if there was something she had overlooked or didn't know about.
"Perhaps he wishes to make a mark as a lawyer to somehow boost his career?" Rarity suggested quietly. "I mean, winning a court case in which a princess of Equestria is representing the other party is something that might get him some attention."
"Featherscribe never seemed eager for another job to me", Applejack said.
Twilight shrugged.
"Princess Twilight...", Frank said quietly enough so no other bystander could overhear it, "...what you just said... do you expect that there will be more attacks by... that attacker?"
"I hope not, but I guess it is for the better everypony knows at least that there is that possibility. It may make it more difficult for that attacker."
"Frank, are you alright?" Rarity asked. "You look...", she hesitated.
"Terrible?" Applejack suggested.
Rarity gave Applejack a frown, but 'terrible' was probably the word she would have tried to euphemize.
"I don't feel very good", Frank admitted.
"Stage-fright?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Rainbow!" Twilight admonished her. "This is not some kind of performance show! Even you wouldn't feel well on this stage in that role!"
Frank shook his head. "That's not it. I don't know... just don't feel very good. Didn't sleep very well. A bit of a headache. Never mind." He mustered a smile.
Twilight remembered the tired appearance of Frank up in the storeroom but down here in the better lit hall she also noticed he was looking rather pale. She was almost certain that this had something to do with what Luna had told her during the night, but she felt that this was nothing to be discussed or figured out during the short break of the hearing.
"Is Fluttershy not here?" Frank asked as he looked at the others.
"Oh, I didn't have a chance to tell you before you were on the stage, Twilight", Rarity said. "I went to Fluttershy's place before I came here to pick her up. She is very sorry, but she says there is a real emergency with her feathered friends and she cannot leave them alone."
"An emergency?" Pinkie Pie shouted, causing Twilight to hush her with a quick spell. She didn't want to permit Pinkie to start the kind of panic she had been relieved hadn't come up after her previous revelations.
Some nearby ponies were looking their way, but in this moment there was the loud sound of Lady Justice's gavel on the pedestal again, calling for the continuation of the hearing.
"Good luck", Applejack said to Twilight and Frank as they turned back towards the middle of the stage.