Silver streets

The moon shone high in the sky, casting it's silver blanket over the town below, some ponies took this time to sleep, however, one was very much awake.

Switchblade sat on a bench, gazing up at the night sky and following the rays of light down; it was good for him to be calm once in a while, so for now he relaxed, contemplating the possibility of company.

Solomon Phoenix clacked her beak together as she breathed out the cool night air, watching the white wisps draw upward. She drew her white frock coat over her shoulders with a delicate claw. She was walking to the train station from a private engagement she had with an elderly couple wanting to memorialize their love.

Solomon couldn't help but think about what it would be like to be so old, having experienced so much and waiting for death, and once gone having nothing but the image of a portrait for those who knew you to remember you by. 'Why,' she thought to herself 'what a terrible way to go about life.' But what alternative was there? to live as if everyday was your last? Surely, such a lifestyle would lead to an early grave. She remembered the eyes of a certain criminal.

Softly, she began to sing a old tune:
"My lodging it is on the cold ground,
And oh! very hard is my fare,
But that which troubles me most is
The unkindness of my dear.
Yet still I cry, 'Oh turn, love,'
And Prithee, love turn to me,
For thou art the mare that I long for,
And alack! what remedy?"

In her musings, the griffin found herself sitting on a bench, back to back with another. She made a small gasp of astonishment, chiding herself for her obliviousness, and stared apologetically at the dirt ground.

"Oh! Pardon me, sir. I didn't think to see anyone at this time of night."

Switchblade suddenly became aware of the sound of a voice singing, dismissing it as one of his paranoid 'twitches', he continued to stargaze, until he felt a pressure on his back. Flinching slightly, he turned around to see that he was face to face with a griffin.
"Don't worry about it." Switchblade said casually "The only ponies out at night either have something important to do, or have something important to remember." As he tried to reposition himself to a less awkward position to give the griffin a bit more room, his sword slid out of its holster, clanging to the floor and slicing a few of his tail hairs off "Whew, that was close. But why didn't the triggerlock catch it?" he thought aloud to himself.

Solomon's blues eyes followed the hilt of the sword as it fell, wincing with the impact. She glared down at the weapon with despair and disgust. What an ugly, vile thing it was. She made no move to assist the stallion.

"Whew, that was close. But why didn't the triggerlock catch it?"

The griffin kept her stare as she answered his rhetorical question. "Oh. I wouldn't know, I'm sure." Her voice was hollow and flat.

Her head tilted as her gaze shifted to the stallion, a smile appearing on her face. "So you're of the Equestrian Guard then? An honorable position I'm told."

Switchblade made a movement that imitated spitting on the floor "There's no more honour in them than the criminals they hunt down, they mistake honour with pride. I left that position long ago, but still need something to remind me never to go back." he said with disgust in his voice "I'm a freelancer now, the only payment I take is voluntary contributions and if I can't crack the case then I refund double. I pride myself on being hated by the Equestrian Guard." he said, back to his calm voice, but a trained eye could see sadness and despair on his face.

He looked at the griffin with slight anger in his eyes "And don't think that I will try to provide reasons for the 'glory' of war; I still have nightmares about those conflicts; I have seen things that no sentient being should ever have to witness."

“Ah. I see. A Freelancer.” Solomon breathed, with a forlorn glance off into the darkened town.
”And don’t think that I will try to provide reasons for the ‘glory’ of war; I still have nightmares about those conflict; I have seen things that no sentient being should ever have to witness.”
“My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old lie:Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.”
The griffin recited clearly. “Its from an old Avian poet named Wingfred Owen.” She explained. She stopped talking for a long time, watching her hot breath swirl through the cold air.
“Have you ever killed anything?” The bird asked. Her wings ruffled and settled at her sides. Her talon toyed with a silver ruby ring.

Switchblade fell silent after her last question, only talking after around a minute "Members of my old unit became possessed by something during one of our missions, we were protecting a small town from these creatures, but none of us realised our misguidance until our leader gave the order to cleanse the town, I was the only one who stood against that order. Some of my closest friends turned on me, and some had to be eliminated due to their possession; they lost their minds. But I couldn't fight off an entire elite squad on my own, the town was 'cleansed' and I was left for dead. It took me almost a year to recover from the physical injury." he explained solemnly "From there, the military needed somepony to blame to make it seem like their 'honourable' general still seemed that way, so they blamed me for the entire incident."

"I'm very sorry to hear that." The griffin mumbled, still toying with the ring on her finger. "Equestria is very different than were I come from." the cold air reminded her of her arctic home

She thought for a while on a great many things, continuing to stare out into the dark streets "You mentioned you are a freelancer?" She straightened her frock coat and squared her shoulders. "I have task that might be suitable for you. Should you need the pay. I don't have much, I am only an artist by trade, but I will compensate you for you're work."

Switchblade nodded slowly "Okay, I'm listening." he said in response to the offer "But if you'll find it hard to pay, then I'll work this assignment for free." he said.

"I'll pay. It wouldn't be proper." The griffin replied quickly. "I have an... well you see... There's a... Mmmm." The griffin spoke in starts and stops, gesticulating to try and find the words she wanted to say.

She quickly reached into a satchel and brought out a pad of paper and a peice of charcoal, and a pair of paint stained gloves. Gingerly she donned the gloves and started to sketch a smattering of curved lines, a few more steady strokes and the vague shape of a pony was formed. The face and mane were filled, then shaded.

The griffin gave the Stallion the finished product.

The mare was young and fiery. Athletic of body, her mane was shaved on one side, and wavy on the other, with a bright discolored strip running through it. Her toothy grin exuded confidence and grit. In the corner of the sketch was a skull and crossed swords, with a simple crown tilted on top.

"Her... Cutie mark." The griffin explained, pointing to the symbol. "Her name..." She took back the sketch and scribbled on it as she spoke. "Is Calico Blastsides. A pirate, thief, and brigand that..." The griffin took a deep breath, and straightened her back. "...The authorities don't pay her much mind, but she in dangerous and I need her found... Mr..."

Switchblade nodded with understanding as he watched the drawing take format, he analysed the finer details of it and then saw the cutie mark 'a pirate?' he thought to himself "My name's Switchblade, don't worry; I'll find your friend." he said reassuringly.

"She is not my friend, Sir." She snapped.

"She is naught but a petty criminal who steals from honest folk, and terrorized the coast. A pirate, Mr. Switchblade."She stopped to take a breathe, calming herself, and explaining.

"Half a year ago I was captured by her and her band of rogues. She claims to be an honest and fair to those she robs..." The bird leaned back, her face as cold as ice.
"A pirate is a pirate, Mr. Switchblade. The very essence of what they do and the way they act hurts those who work for the meals on their table. They are all slavers, thieves, and killers.They must be brought to justice. I need your assistance to find evidence against her."

Switchblade nodded "My apologies for my assumptions, it just sounded like a kidnapping more than a warrant." he looked through a wad of folders he had with him "Ah yes, she is already wanted with a bounty. Must have been the efforts of another freelancer." he said, more to himself "Well, Madam, any ideas on where to start?" he asked.

"Please, my name is Solemn Pheonix." The griffin introduced herself, flashing a pleasant smile to the stallion before narrowing her eyes in thought.

"Somewhere to start..." She echoed. "No doubt she would be somewhere in... or perhaps..." Her beak clacked together pensively. "She is mostly likely in Manehattan, Appleoosa, or here in Ponyville. She has a tendency to travel about. I'm not sure why she isn't on the ocean as per the usual, but I know she's turned up. She tends to frequent Public Houses, and other such establishments."

Solemn squeezed her talons and stared at the cold ground. "I'm sorry I cannot give you more to work on. She is something of an enigma, even having met her."

"Well." Switchblade said "Let's hope I'm just as much as an enigma as her, otherwise we may be walking in circles after each other. Shall we check around this area first for anypony that might know more than us, however unlikely that is."

"Oh. So soon?" The griffin seemed surprised, in a mild way. "I'm by no means an expert in these matters, Sir. What... whatever you might think is best." She motioned for him to lead the way. "I imagine if she stopped by Ponyville, she would have gone to the local pub." Solemn reasoned.

To be perfectly honest with herself, she wasn't too sure what she would do when they found who she was looking for.

Switchblade smiled "Brilliant, let's go search at the pub first; even if she isn't there, you can bet somepony will have information on where she could be." he said, leading the way to the tavern. (if you could make the next scene in the tavern subforum, I would be grateful)