Noctiphobia

Prologue

The pure white Pegasus stood blindfolded with his wings tied to his body on one end of a Catapult-like contraption that more resembled a giant modified see-saw. There was a crowd around the fences surrounding the contraption. A grey Unicorn stood at a lectern behind the Pegasus reading off a sheaf of papers. They were a list of crimes.

“...Stealing strawberries from the cornerstore, maliciously bullying three young colts, striking another pony repeatedly and the attempted murder of our beloved nurse Red Cross. Before we banish you forever from the lands of your birth town of Coltsvale, do you have any last words to the people?”

The white Pegasus grimaced.

“I am innocent of all charges. The True culprits can and will be brought to justice.”

The town mumbled under its breath. The unicorn at the lectern shook his head.

“Last requests?”

The Pegasus snorted derisively.

“Let me go.”

A brief stir of laughter swept through the crowd. It was silenced a moment later as another Pegasus ascended rapidly into the sky. Then he fell, aimed for the softly padded opposite end of the see-saw contraption. He was going too fast, everyone could see that. There was a cry from the grey unicorn and the contraption flung the white Pegasus further than it had another ever before.