The Curious Case of the Missing Saddlebag (Davroth, Invite Only)

[Davroth]

They had finally arrived at the scene of the crime, and it was full of eager witnesses who were already sure that Milky was the only one possibly guilty of the crime.

The young mare just stood there for a while while one after another testified how she was the only one suspicious on the crime scene and that the she should already confess and get this over with and give the bag back. It didn't take long for her to loose her temper.

"Pointing hooves, are we?" She snapped at the group that had gathered outside the tavern now for questioning. "You might think I'm just some country bumpkin on her first trip to the city, but I know my rights! None of you has testified to have seen me take the bag, and none of you saw me leaving with the bag. So where is your proof it was me?"

She was furious. That was the heartland for you. The sheriff back in Appleloosa had been tough on her, but he wouldn't have stood for that kind of baseless accusations.

The crowd had gone surprisingly silent, and so had the rest of the street. Milky was breathing heavily, awaiting a reaction by this miserable pile of presumptuous jerks.

"Well? I'm listening."

[RarityDash]

"Pointing hooves, are we? You might think I'm just some country bumpkin on her first trip to the city, but I know my rights! None of you has testified to have seen me take the bag, and none of you saw me leaving with the bag. So where is your proof it was me? Well? I'm listening."

Radiant had, for at least a moment, begun to doubt whether the mare she had apprehended was indeed guilty of the crime she was accused of. This mare, if nothing else, spoke with conviction as she attested her innocence. It would be enough to sway many. However, upon returning to the crime scene, she found nothing save accusations bandied in this mare's direction. Such a thing did not bode well for her. The case against her was looking more complete with each pony who spoke. Watching it, Radiant almost felt sorry for her, as much as she tried to silence such thoughts; it was a sign of weakness. All the same, there came a point when she felt the need to step forward.

"'Where is their proof?' Well, where is yours? If you are not guilty, then who is?" Radiant questioned, glancing at her closely. "The bag is gone, so someone must have taken it. The crowd casts their suspicion on you and no other suspects have been named. What do you have to prove that they're wrong besides your word?"

Radiant gave a rigid nod and looked from the mare to the crowd and then back again. "After all, if you are nothing but an unfortunate scapegoat, the true culprit is still at large."

​

[Davroth]

Milky Quartz' eyes flashed at the guardsmare. "I'm the defandant." She proclaimed, rather proud that she remembered that word for one of those lectures she had been given by different members of law enforcement about her rights. "And as such I am to be considered innocent until proven guilty."

She then eyed all the self-proclaimed witnesses sternly, her eyes gleaming figuratively. "All you have are a couple of testimonies, and none of them claims to have seen me actually take the saddle bag." She pointed to one of the stallions on the scene in a slightly rude fashion. "And this stallion's testimony even lines up with what I said. The saddle bag went missing, and everyone tried to pile on me and make me out to be the guilty one!"

She gave it some thought, then said: "Considering they are still all here..." She looked at each one of them. It wasn't a large group, and she was pretty sure nopony had left. "The saddlebag is probably still here. Hidden somewhere..."

Her piercing gaze wandered to the group again, half hoping one of them would break. But no such luck so far.