You awake in the same alley you were attacked in. It is considerably brighter out now, the sun already having risen some distance into the sky. As you attempt to rise, a fresh bomb of pain detonates in your head, leaving you reeling and nauseous. Against your better judgment, you slowly rise, blinking heavily in the bright mid-day light. You glance around, desiring nothing more than to get your saxophone and go home. You spot the case, badly battered but intact, at the end of the alley. You rush over as fast as your foggy mind allows you to, opening the case and cradling your instrument in your hooves. It is intact, save a broken key at the top. Other than that, no major damage has been inflicted to the object.

"Thank Celestia for small favors." you whisper to yourself. While attempting to balance the case on your back to allow for easier transit, you notice, to your dismay, that your jacket has become torn in several different places. There goes your last piece of formal wear.

"No... This was a gift!" you cry to no one in particular. Downtrodden mentally and physically, you decide to simply head for home and cut your losses. As you attempt to walk out of the alley, you notice an increasing, shooting pain in your left forehoof that refuses to go away, if only becoming worse every passing moment.

"Great. Just great." you make a mental note to see a doctor after you get your personals sorted out, seeing as you have been relieved of most of them by the attackers.

You struggle out of the alley and onto the main road, attracting more than a few stares from the passerby, making you blush. Nopony should see him like this. Broken, beaten, disheveled-"

"Oh my stars! Are you ok?!" a familiar voice startles you, causing you to turn sharply, exerting your wounded hoof and almost forcing you to double over with pain.

The voice belonged to none other than Rarity, the pony who, had you not intervened, would look strikingly similar to your current appearance. she was accompanied by a purple unicorn, both carrying small saddlebags filled with various items most likely purchased at the shops nearby.

"Miss Rarity! Um- well, yes... I'm fine. I'm so sorry you had to see me like this-" you try to run, instead tripping and landing on your probably broken hoof, causing you to suppress a howl of pain, instead emitting a small whimper of discomfort.

"Oh, no! Please, let me help you up!"

"No, I'm fine!" you insist. "I just need a second. Please, It really just looks worse than it really is."

You struggle to rise to your feet, finally succeeding, only to drop your instrument.

The unicorn accompanying Rarity sprung into action. "Please, let us help you! You look like you were attacked!"

"Well, I was, as a matter of fact." you spill. "Miss Rarity was cornered by several unruly looking thugs, so I... distracted them. Miss Rarity got away; I didn't." you say flatly. "Now if you will excuse me," you slur, dark splotches of inky blackness beginning to obscure your vision, "I have to go home. I wish both of you a good day." You keel over, shiver slightly, and then close your eyes. All goes dark.