//------------------------------// // 27: Raising Questions // Story: Bear, Scribe and Paladin // by Speven Dillberg //------------------------------// The Knights gathered outside the small interrogation room couldn’t help but be confused. The most prevalent question amongst the elite soldiers was ‘Why?” What purpose did the stallion have for breaking into what was essentially an ambassador’s room and going through her things? They had only heard stories, true, but what they had heard about the biped with the unsettling appearance was not pretty. What was confusing them the most at that moment, though, was the choice of interrogator. Firebolt turned to his brother. “Are we really gonna send her in?” Frost Lance was just as confused. “Yeah, I don’t get it either. She’s not one to hurt somepony.” Blink just snorted. “We don’t need to hurt him, only make him think we will.” “All right then, let’s get this over with,” a fourth voice said. The owner was another Knight, the only thing signifying her status the small broach with the twelve-pointed golden Knight Star she wore around her neck. “Lieutenant Field Surgery,” Blink said with a smile. “Just call me Surge, I keep telling you that,” the mare retorted, her cropped blood-red mane bobbing slightly against her off-white coat. “Okay, Frosty, what do we need out of him?” “He was found going through the belongings of one of the otherworldly guests,” he explained. “We need to know what he was looking for, and why.” “Wow.” She hadn’t been informed about why he was under arrest, but she would never have guessed anything like that. “Which one?” “The one that calls herself a ghoul,” Blink answered, frowning a little. “I still refuse to believe what you idiots said about her broken arm snapping back into place on its own.” The mare pushed her way past the stallions. “That’s physically impossible.” “Ask the commander,” Clarion Call suggested. “He was there.” “I doubt I’ll get a demonstration, so I don’t really have much choice,” the medic unicorn mumbled. “Hold up!” a boisterous voice called out, followed by the sounds of heavy galloping. “Blossom, you are not taking part in this,” Field Surgery yelled back. “The name is Martial Glory,” the other mare retorted angrily, the pair of swords on her back bouncing loudly against her armour. Unlike the rest, she was fully armoured and ready for battle. “Glory, what have we told you about running around all the time in your armour?” Frost Lance asked, tilting his head. “I’d rather not spend half an hour getting this stuff on before a mission, thank you very much,” the other unicorn replied haughtily. “No telling when something’ll happen.” “Glory, this is an interrogation. You going in there, completely armoured and armed, we’ll be lucky to get anything outta him,” Firebolt added. “And what we do get will need to be cleaned up.” “So?” she asked, her golden tail swishing about. “I heard about what he did, he deserves to be scared.” “Glory, no,” Blink said harshly. “Don’t make me pull rank.” The mare glared at the stallion through her helmet. After a few seconds, she gave up. “Okay, fine. Ruin my fun, why don’t you?” she asked bitterly. Blink rolled his eyes. “You can go in, but leave your swords here.” The mare brightened up considerably. “And your hatchet. And if Surge tells me that you went and used those hoof-blades, you’ll be on guard duty. For Blueblood.” Glory gaped. “That sexist pig? Are you serious?” “Then don’t do anything to make me put you through that,” Blink replied with a smile. “If you weren’t my superior I would smack you so hard, sir,” she growled. “And that’s why I can get away with this,” Blink replied, chuckling a little. “Now go, we need that information,” he added seriously. “Yes sir.” Field Surgery found herself joined by the incredibly enthusiastic Martial Glory, now deprived of all her extra weapons. “Really?” she asked, ignoring the sweating stallion. “Hey, I volunteered,” Glory answered with a shrug. “Can I beat him?” “No, Glory,” Surgery retorted angrily. “We need him to talk.” “So? I break his jaw, you fix it. That’ll work.” Field Surgery glared at the other mare. “Okay, fine. Be that way.” “I swore to use my magic to heal,” she explained, “not to maim. I won’t heal him just so you can hurt him again,” she told her sister-in-arms angrily. “Then how are we gonna do this?” The stallion had stopped sweating, instead just sitting there, completely confused about what was going on around him. Why were they arguing? “Err, aren’t you two meant to - ” “Shut up,” Glory replied. “We’re thinking.” Surgery just sighed and turned to their guest. “Before we start, we’ll need your name.” “Oh no, I have rights,” the stallion protested. “I’m not saying a word until - ” “Shut up,” Glory suggested. “You were found going through the belongings of an ambassador. That counts as treason, and we can hand you over to her if you refuse to cooperate.” “She’s right. You do what we ask, and we’ll treat you right,” Surgery told him reassuringly. “You don’t, well... we can’t be held responsible for whatever happens.” The stallion gulped. He had overheard what the skinless monster had said. He didn’t want to die. And he didn’t want to know what she would do to him before offering that mercy. “You gonna talk now?” Glory asked encouragingly. “We don’t need a name right now,” Surgery explained calmly. “That can wait. What we need is what you were doing in there.” The stallion gulped. “I... I was looking for anything dangerous.” The two mares glanced at each other. “Yeah, can you be more specific?” Glory asked. “Why go through her bags?” Surgery asked. “I already knew about her weapons,” he replied. “I had to see if there was anything I missed though.” “Were you looking for anything in particular?” Glory asked, pushing her helmeted head right into his face. “I was just told to grab anything dangerous!” he squealed. Then his eyes widened as his brain caught up with his mouth. “Oh crap.” “You were told to steal?” Glory asked, sounding ecstatic. “Ooh, this is big!” she squeaked, clapping her front hooves together. “Glory, no. No Guard brutality,” Field Surgery warned her, glaring at the other Knight. “We don’t beat up suspects.” “Oh come on!” the blonde mare moaned. “The last thing we need is organised crime in Canterlot! We have to send a message to those back-alley thugs before it becomes uncontrollable! Why else would they send somepony to grab anything dangerous from the room an alien is staying in?” The unarmoured mare just stared. “Really, Glory? Again with the conspiracy theories?” She sighed. “At least its more sensible than the one with the Dogs being led by a pony,” she muttered. Glory rolled her eyes at the other mare’s lack of faith. “Why else would the Dogs suddenly attack for no reason? They’ve had no problem with their slavery operations being stopped before.” “Why a pony? It could just as easily be a minotaur,” Surgery replied sarcastically. “So you agree it’s not the Dogs in charge?” she asked, completely missing the sarcasm. “Look, we have more pressing matters at hoof here,” the other mare replied, resisting the urge to facehoof hard enough to concuss herself. “Like who gave you the orders,” she said, turning back to the stallion. “Yeah,” Glory added. “Just who are you working for?” “I-I’m not working for anyone!” the stallion protested. “Anyone?” Martial Glory asked, seizing on the word like a wolf. “So it was a non-pony that sent you?” “Didn’t the pegasus who took a shot at one of the other aliens say he was paid by a non-pony?” Surgery asked, turning to her friend. “Yeah, a griffon or Dog.” The armoured mare turned to the stallion again. “Is that it?” Unfortunately, the stallion had decided that now was a good time to keep his mouth shut. Surgery took a deep breath and steeled herself. “If you don’t want to talk, fine. But it’s only fair you know this.” She leaned in closer until her snout almost touched his. “I know everything, everything, about how a pony’s body works. I can give you injuries nopony will ever see. Bruises that leave no mark. Broken bones that not even the best doctors in Equestria can heal. Is that what you want?” she hissed. “Y-you said you don’t hurt ponies!” the stallion squeaked. “No, I don’t. You’re a traitor to Equestria, though,” she hissed. “Just tell us, and you’ll be able to walk without it hurting,” Glory suggested. “I can’t! I never saw their face!” the stallion said, tears coming to his face. “I was just told that if I didn’t they’d kill me!” Martial Glory glowered. “So you have nothing?” she asked menacingly. Field Surgery and Martial Glory left the interrogation room a few minutes later, the prisoner left there to help him calm down. The other Knights were nowhere to be seen, having left when the pair had began. “Can’t believe I had to do that,” Surgery mumbled. “Neither can I,” Glory replied. “Scaring them is my job, not yours,” she added jokingly. “I feel sick,” the other mare said quietly. “You did what you had to,” the blonde mare said reassuringly, pulling the other pony into a hug. “Glory, your armour is freezing.” “Well excuse me for trying to make you feel better,” Glory replied. “Now come on, the Commander is gonna want to know what he told us.”