//------------------------------//
// Chapter ? - Hospitality 
// Story: Distorted Vision 
// by Jigsaw 
//------------------------------//

Two weeks later...



Alibi awoke to the smell of rubbing alcohol. He looked around the pristine white room, I'm in the hospital. So, was that just a dream, or- His question was answered when he noticed two guards at the door to his room. They seemed upset, meaning his outburst in the cell wasn't a dream either. It also, obviously, meant they were the same guards. 

Alibi stretched, extending sections of his black shell before calling out to the guards. The taller guard said something to the other, who entered the room, "Well, you didn't leave me to die, so thanks for that. When's the trial?"

The guard smiled back at Alibi, "Last Tuesday, you'll be happy to hear that your outburst proved useful in my testimony." The changeling relaxed in his bed, rubbing his head, "No-one really knows that much about changelings, so we kind-of had to just bandage you up and hope for the best."

Alibi chuckled, still rubbing his forehead, "How long have I been out?"

"Almost two weeks," The guard bit his lip, "And they've been very eventful." 

Alibi's eyes widened slightly.

The guard pulled up a chair, "Right, so, when you nearly killed yourself in there, people in town started splitting. Some ponies believed you were afraid of us and we should help you, but others thought we should've let you die. This started a bit of a feud between the citizens, and you were the eye of the storm. Eventually, one of the groups that didn't like you tried to break into your room, which is why we requested to be here."

"It didn't take long for the princesses to catch word of this, and within a week, Celestia arrived. She gave a speech that went somewhere along the lines of, 'I'm ashamed in you for thinking Alibi is any less of a pony than you are', and Second Chance, the other guard outside, basically told the guards not to hold Berry Punch back any more."

Alibi interjected, "Wait, what happened with Berry?"

The guard laughed, "Oh, I love this story. Alright, when the anti-you groups first started forming, four ponies stupidly decided to discuss how much they hated you right outside town hall. This was before we started guarding your room, by the way, and I was on guard near there at the time. Anyway, I'm not allowed to start fights with civilians unless they're resisting arrest, so I just had to stand still and pray to Celestia someone else came along. Berry Punch happened to overhear the conversation, and started a one-on-four fistfight with the other ponies." 

"I guess they call her Berry Punch for a reason." She stallion laughed at his own joke before realizing Alibi was rolling his eyes, "Not funny? Okay."

"Anyway, I was just standing there watching her beat these other ponies to a pulp, and eventually three or four guards came to try and restrain her, and she ended up hospitalizing all four of the ponies plus one guard she managed to elbow in the face. I was almost discharged for not intervening, and I told the captain what I told you. He laughed at the 'Berry Punch' joke, though."

Alibi sat silently during the guard's gleeful recap of the last couple weeks, "Uh, I don't think I ever got your name."

The guard laughed, "I guess I forgot about introductions. Right, My name is Choke Hold. My partner outside is named Second Chance, and we're sorry about arresting you, even if it did turn out alright." Choke held out a foreleg, which Alibi quickly bro-hoofed., "Oh, and I got these fixed for you, I know it's not much, but I figured with all that happened, I should still try to be nice."

He removed Alibi's newly-repaired pair of sunglasses from his mane, and set them down on the side table before rejoining his partner outside the room.