//------------------------------// // Bard(V): Meet The Captain // Story: The Night Bard: The End of Dawn // by Iridescence T Wind //------------------------------// "Sometimes corruption is slowed by shedding light into what was previously shadowed." -Paul Wolfowitz ♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪ Sona had just knocked on the door revealing to the captain of the guard in the other room of his next visitor. With a gruff slightly agitated, "Come on in." as the only response she creaked open the door revealing what was to be the Captain's office. The office was simple, the details she recognized first was a large oak desk with two seats in front of it, small and presumably for those who were here for a short meeting, and one behind which was large and cushioned as well as slightly elevated and elaborate in trim; the intent being to intimidate the pony in the smaller seats. A plain bookshelf and trophy case decorated the walls, the later being filled with a large variety of medals and scholarships the captain had earned in life. The only other decoration around was a tinted glass double door which was currently open in the back of the room. To an balcony who's handrails had yet to be finished, "I'm outside if your wondering." the captains gruff voice replied to the unsaid question. Upon reaching the doorway she saw the captain, he was a middle aged stallion of healthy complexion wearing intricate half plate armor over his front half with a short simpler sword strapped to his waist. His hooves were well protected in sturdy leather boots though the odd thing out was the rather large hat that almost covered his cold blue eyes surrounded by a deep grey fur. The hat was large enough to stretch down around his back similar to that of a cape and had enough frills and colors to make a peacock dyed in rainbows jealous. It was ridiculous to say the least. Though she wouldn't notice his smirk as her jaw dropped subconsciously and wouldn't speak for several moments before the Captain of the royal guard asked her, "Was there something you needed or are you just wasting my precious time?" his smirk devolved into a frown. "I..." Sona began, "Am here to... report a rogue mage killed my entire village..." The captain rose an eyebrow, staring at her, "Tell me everything." and so she did, every last detail up to the point of when she left the ruins of her former home. ♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪ "I see..." The guard said, the story having been told to him. The sun was setting after Sona was done telling, then retelling the story with every single detail she could remember as the guard questioned her. The look of the Captain's face grew more and more grim as she recounted the dragon riding mage of a unicorn. Eventually he turned around, Moving around Sonata so that she was forced to turn her back to the edge of the balcony as she followed his movements until he was facing away from her, face concealed by the brim of his wide hat, "As captain of the royal guard I know whom you speak of." Sona beamed at the guard, a hopeful tone filling her voice, "And you're going to see justice dealt?" A chill filled the air as the captain replied, "He is a council pony of Princess Celestia, as such I am forced to execute order sixty six," he turned his head to give her an apologetic stare, "I'm sorry." The Captain's back hooves seemed to rocket off the ground, and Sona was barely able to register the buck before the impact collided with her, pushing her backwards... and off the edge of the tower, plummeting towards the ground below. It was a good few moments before she began to scream before she hit the gravel pathway far down below legs first. Her world turned red as pain flew through her body and the shadow of somepony looming over her was the last thing she saw before unconsciousness came to claim her. The Captain only sighed heading inside after pushing the Mare off. As a guard came into the room asking what had happened, the Captain explained in a well practiced neutral tone, "Another Mare has attempted to kill me, I managed to knock her off the edge before she could do any real harm though. Send the guard to fetch her corpse. If she isn't dead, put her out of her misery." The Guard sighed, "That's the third this week Sir." "I know." ♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪-♪ Darkness, pain, fear, sadness, and betrayal. All of these were what Sona had in this stupor. She cried openly in this bleak landscape, was she dead? She feared the answer, wishing for the comfort of her fathers arms and the sweet music of the village she used to know. How was it that the mages had always have their way while the people and even the law suffered for it. How could their rulers be so blind. Especially when it was said that nothing encompassed Celestia's all seeing eyes. It just wasn't fair... Darkness, her only comfort in this bleak unconscious mind of hers, this was all she had. Nothing else but the Darkness, and her tears as reality set in. Everything wasn't going to be alright, no law enforcement was going to save the day and no royal court would whisk up its magic and put everything to right. In all due perspective she realized her hopes had been a childish dream compared to how corrupted the mages were to turn a royal guard into killing survivors of an disaster for the criminal at hoof. Her resolve started to grow, why must the people suffer so much, her tears stopped flooding and came down to a trickle, thoughts that were usually reserved for adult ponies going through her mind as she thought over the legal system. Celestia was little more then a figurehead in this kingdom. All the real power went to the mages. the dirty, nasty mages who killed villages of innocent people as a pastime. Her hate concentrated, her anger grew larger and larger. and the world began to turn red. This surprised her, and she realized she could no longer see herself through this red light, it was growing blinding now and she tried to raise a hoof only to fail and hear muffled voices and see the red light soften as something intercepted it. The voices grew more clear, one a tomboyish feminine tone, "-in Tartarus did you grab this pony from Duty? Her body looks like it got ran over by a dozen carts if not more. and all of the bones in her legs are broken as well as several ribs." That was funny, she didn't feel hurt, Numb more then anything. Her mind returned to focusing on the reply, a simpler heavy voice with a thick voice, Duty presumably, "I found 'er after I saw 'er get shoved off the Captains balcony, on purpose mind ya." "Still... I have to wonder why you brought her to me of all ponies, you know I'm not a doctor right?" the tomboyish tone responded, a slight hint of worry in her tone and Sona could feel hooves moving along her body as they wrapped another splint along a broken leg and tied it straight. "Do ya' think I'd let Doctor Biz' near a filly like this? I don' trust 'is 'Surgerah' methods. Just not right to go digging into someponies vitals and messin' with their insides." "It's Surgery Duty." the female voice replied, slightly irked, though something caused her to sigh, "Alright, get your point..." Sona decided she had waited long enough, cracking open an eye, as one was bandaged, to peer at her rescuers. Though when she opened it she was staring straight into the scarlet eye of a dark yellow pony who had a scar over it, a grisly beard, and a wart on the side of his muzzle. Straight up close she saw every little detail from the smallest booger in his nostril to the jagged lines of improperly healed flesh that made up his scar. Let alone the deep soul piercing stare he gave her. Faced with so many details and such the close quarters her body decided to add the final push, removing a portion of her numbness and adding the proper pain as adrenaline tried and failed to ignite her flight or fight response in it's shoddy condition. Sona made a soft quiet yet highpitched, "EEEeeeeeeeeeeee!" and fainted on the spot, not moments after awakening. Duty would get a smack upside the head from his friend and only reply, "Wha' did I do to deserve that?" "You dolt..."