Bail
Rarity had been in the middle of enjoying a rare day lounging about, her latest commission complete, when a rather loud and brisk knock sounded at her front door. She did not recognise the knock, it certainly didn't belong to any of her friends, they all had quite distinctive knocks. Inwardly bemoaning the interruption to her hard earned rest, she got up and headed to the front door.
"By Celestia, it is simply impossible to have a moment to one's self in this town."
Opening the door she was surprised to find a young looking police officer waiting patiently outside. The lad couldn't have been much more than a colt, still possessing as he did that somewhat awkward lankiness associated with teenage growth spurts.
"How might I help you, Constable?" she inquired politely, flashing a smile.
The constable flustered a little at Rarity's appearance, something she had gotten used over the years, especially from the younger members of the male (even the occasional female) gender. He pulled himself together with admirable speed though.
"You are Miss Rarity Belle, is that correct Madame?" he managed to get out.
"Why yes, I suppose I am," she replied. "What can I do for a fine stallion such as yourself?" A bat of the eyelashes and another smile. She did enjoy the odd bit of teasing here and there.
Managing to maintain his calm despite Rarity's flattery, he presented her with a sealed scroll.
"I was sent to deliver you this from Twilight Sparkle. She chose to send her one sanctioned message to you."
Taking the scroll with a quizzical look she asked, "Are you implying that Twilight has been imprisoned?"
"That is correct, Madame," he confirmed. "Now, I must be off. Good day."
He doffed his hat as he spoke before turning on his heel and leaving. Watching the extraordinarily polite and formal young colt go, Rarity closed the door and sat to open the scroll. The seal was that of the Ponyville Police Department (PPD) rather than Twilight's usual cutie mark seal. Breaking the wax she opened it and read the obviously hastily scrawled note.
Rarity,
Sorry to bother you, but I'm in a bit of trouble and I really need your help. Could I ask a huge -
'Huge' was underlined several times
- favour and get you to post bail for me? I'll pay you back I swear, I even have the bits in the library!! I'll owe you one, make that several.
T.S.
With a raised eyebrow Rarity finished the scroll and put it down. What could she have gotten herself into? Of all their friends, Twilight was perhaps the least likely to break the law. Driven by curiosity as much as generosity, Rarity rose to her hooves again and went to find her purse.
***
As Rarity approached the small police station, she heard a shout from behind her. Turning she saw Applejack trotting to catch up.
"Hello Applejack, what brings you to this end of town?"
"Got a letter from Rainbow asking me to bail 'er out, of all things," drawled the farmer, sounding equal-parts amused and bemused.
"Funny, I'm here for a similar reason."
"Rainbow send a letter to you as well? Figures she'd send more than one."
"Not at all. I got a letter just like you but the one I received came from Twilight," a smile now playing across Rarity's lips as the pieces began to fall together.
"What the hay have they got themselves into now? I swear, those two can be as bad as the Cutie Mark Crusaders when you put 'em together. Them two being an item is gunna take years of ma life."
"Of all the ponies though, how could TWILIGHT SPARKLE end up doing something that would get her arrested?" Rarity pondered.
"I suspect Rainbow was the major contributor to this rucus. She better not be draggin' Twi down with her"
The two continued to discuss just what their friends could have done to end up behind bars as they walked into the station and approached the front desk. The pony behind the counter appeared to have been doing the cross-word when they walked in, but had hastily tried to look like he was doing something important as they stepped up to talk to him.
"We're here to post bail for two of our friends; Miss Twilight Sparkle and Miss Rainbow Dash."
The pony deftly pulled out two pieces of paper from among the chaotic piles on his desk and handed them over.
"Ah yes, the two newest guests of her majesty," the aging stallion quipped. "Fill out these and post the amount stated, and they're free to go."
Once the forms had been completed and the uncomfortably large sum of money had been handed over, two very sheepish looking ponies were lead out to the reception area.
"Now what in tarnation have to two ejits done to end up in the pokey?" Applejack all but demanded once they were all outside. "And more to the point, what did ya' do to cost me and Rares quite a big chunk of bits?"
The two guilty looking ponies both started exclaiming at the same time that it was the others fault, and that they would pay them back. A growl and a glare from Rarity shut them up.
"Now, you two are going to treat Applejack and myself to lunch, and you are going to explain exactly what happened. You owe us that much at least." Her tone did not broker any arguments, and neither Twilight or Rainbow were stupid enough to protest.
***
Rarity finished daintily wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin, and laid it down on the table strewn with the remnants of lunch.
"Now, you two better tell us how you ended up in prison or I'll see to it that you go straight back."
Rainbow and Twilight both glanced at each other, faces aglow with embarrassment and hooves shuffling under the table. When no explanation was forthcoming, Applejack let lose a very loud "ahem".
"Well, officially we were charged with...er, there really is no nice way to say this..." Twilight began but trailed off.
"Out with it then!" demanded Applejack.
"...public indecency," Twilight mumbled. Rainbow looked away and Twilight looked back at the floor.
At this revelation Rarity nearly fell off her seat, and Applejacks face hit the table so hard surrounding patrons looked over with concern.
"WHAT!?" screamed Rarity, once again attracting uncertain glances from the surrounding clientele. Twilight and Rainbow made desperate Sshhh-ing motions.
"Geez Rarity, not so loud please!" pleaded Rainbow Dash.
"There better be a damn good explanation for this," deadpanned Applejack, having lifted her face off the table again.
"Well..." Rainbow began hesitantly. "We were in the library, and things started to get a little...hot and heavy, if you know what I mean."
"Totally your fault," muttered Twilight sulkily.
"It was totally YOUR fault! I was-"
"Get on with the story," Rarity said, cutting Rainbow off before the couple could get into an argument.
"Anyway," Rainbow went on. "We were getting a little...carried away, and-"
"I guess I forgot to lock the library door," Twilight continued with a wince. "Because some parents and...er, some...foals came in."
"You were having sex on the library floor in front of foals!?" hissed Rarity with such venom, that Twilight thought she should probably go to the hospital.
"No, no, no, not sex exactly," she hurriedly reassured.
"But we were certainly putting on a bit of a display," Rainbow explained. "That is to say, things were on display that were most certainly not foal-friendly."
"Celestia, I thought that mother was going to hit me," Twilight remembered with a pained expression.
"I think the stallion was too busy trying not to hang to be angry," Rainbow snickered, before being silenced by a death stare from Rarity.
"Of all the irresponsible, idiotic things..." Applejack muttered darkly.
"It really was an accident! I forget it's a public library sometimes, just because I live there doesn't mean I own it." Twilight sounded extremely apologetic.
"You two better have learned your lesson," Rarity admonished. "Now, I'm not going to waste my breath telling you off Twilight, I'm sure the Princess will have a lot to say about the matter."
Twilight blanched visibly at this. Rainbow actually moved her chair further away for fear that she was going to vomit up her lunch.
"You on the other hand Rainbow -"
"Please Rare, I'm really sorry! I would never do that deliberately, that is so not me. I just, wasn't thinking..." Rainbow rubbed the back of her head with a hoof and looked at the floor.
"Not with your head anyway," Rarity returned, scathingly.
"It's only 'cus I'm sure you two are genuinely sorry, and that it really was an accident, that I'm not angry with you," said Applejack, the anger lifting from her features. "But you still gotta make sure you two learn somethin' from all this, it was awful stupid."
The two ponies nodded their heads vigorously, sincere looks plastered across their faces.
"Besides, we have community service as punishment as well," lamented Rainbow.
"Can we please laugh about this now?" Twilight asked hopefully, looking between Rarity's disapproval and Applejack's disappointment.
"Well, I suppose it is rather funny. You were just unlucky if was foals that interrupted your...moment," Rarity smiled.
"So Twilight, how does it feel to have a rap sheet," rainbow teased.
"I already had one," Twilight replied, her sheepishness returning.
"How the hay did I not know that!?" Rainbow shot back.
"Seriously Twi? You have a rap sheet?" asked Applejack, brow raised.
"And here I thought you were the model of good behaviour, Twilight," Rarity said with some surprise.
"Hehe, well a lot of it can be attributed to accident and ignorance," Twilight said, trying to brush it off.
Rainbow was leaning forward in her seat now, eager to find out what her girlfriend had been up to.
"Well go on dear, do tell," said Rarity, an amused twinkle in her eyes.
"Okay, let's see...four counts of reckless magic-use, two counts of property damage, two counts of casting illegal magic, one count of drunk and disorderly, one count of casting while under the influence, one count of resisting arrest, and now the public indecency charge."
Twilight finished counting them off and looked at her friends. All three bore incredulous looks, jaws hanging open.
"What?" asked Twilight defensively. "Like I'm the only one at this table that has a rap sheet. I know for a fact Dash had one before today."
"Yeah, for speeding!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Like anyone is surprised by that."
"I can't speak for Applejack, but I have managed to keep my nose clean thus far," confirmed Rarity.
"I ain't had no run ins with the law, that's for damn sure," said Applejack, looking almost insulted at the insinuation.
"Ha! Looks like you're the only one Twi," Rainbow looked jubilant. "I'm dating a bad girl. SO. HOT."