Eyes of the Accused

Ace began waking up after the day before.

He could only think about his promise to Cloudmane but he was sure that if Hawkfeather hadn’t already assumed he didn’t survive and sent some messenger to tell her about it, it wouldn’t take long before she would be told.

Ace knew that she would probably break down into tears, “I will return to you” he whispered to himself. Ace looked at Spitfire, she wasn’t moving probably still unconscious from the crash or dead, Ace hoped that she was just unconscious but she hadn’t been hit by any falling debris and when he couldn’t feel anything he looked around to discover that he wasn’t hurt either.

Ace decided to get back into Hawkfeather’s old room, it was far less likely to cave in and Ace decided not to leave the wonderbolt behind, he told himself that he had gotten them into this death trap and he would get them both out of it. Ace got up on his hooves and walked over to Spitfire.

he could hear her breathe, knowing she was still alive Ace decided to get her back to the room, maybe he could get there there before she woke up again, He managed to get her on his back again and he soon found himself back in the room.

Ace did his best to leave Spitfire on the bed without her waking up and as she didn’t Ace considered it a success.

He found the message he had been reading before the bomb went off, he didn’t bother reading it as he told himself that Hawkfeather would pay dearly for this, the commander probably considered this an accident or something just as worthless but he made one mistake, he underrated Ace and assumed he wouldn’t survive as the castle began crumbling.

Ace looked around, most of the room was still organized, there was a few pictures that had been scattered around below the drawers and normally they wouldn’t draw any interest as they where all pictures of the wonderbolts Hawkfeather used to fly with and the pictures spoke their own language, Hawkfeather had been close friends with all those around him, even Spitfire.

Ace couldn’t believe what he could see, a picture of Spitfire and he recognized what kind of picture it was, Hawkfeather had been in love with her, Ace found it odd that he would be in love with her, she was obviosuly younger than him.

It was just like Ace was in love with Cloudmane with the difference that he and Cloudmane where equal age.

Ace thinking was aborted when he could hear as Spitfire began waking up, Ace decided to throw away his smashed goggles, they where more of a nuisance to him now.

“You alright?” Ace asked.

“Been better, but at least i’m not dead” she replied obviously tired from the fighting before. “well. as you seem to be enough awake to remember what I tell you I got good news and bad news, good news are that we are safe for now, bad news are that we are trapped under I don’t know how much rubble.” Ace told her knowing that there was no use saving it, it was the truth and Ace didn’t feel any need to lie in this situation, “Im not sure I can get us out of here or if they will ever find us, but I haven’t been able to see any light from up there.” Ace continued, he could see that Spitfire was cold, Ace wrapped the sheets that was on the bed around her to make sure she wouldn’t catch a cold and he removed her goggles, they where smashed and pretty much useless.

“Im going to see if I can find some sort of escape route.” Ace told her before he left, he didn’t stay long enough to hear if she replied and he hoped she wouldn’t, it was cold inside the room and outside the room was even worse, Ace knew that if it got much colder it wouldn’t even be safe to sleep.

As he kept searching for an escape route he soon found that there was no way out from below all the rubble. But he did find a scroll supply which was just about half empty.

“Not a bad find, this will be useful.” he thought to himself before he felt a creeping cold sneaking around.

“feels like its sometime in the morning.” he told himself and decided to take some scrolls, he had to raise the heat in the room if they would survive a little longer and with some luck some pony would find them while they still alive.

He got back into the cold room and he soon began stacking parts of the wooden furniture to make a fire and he soon placed an empty scroll in the stack and realized that they had nothing to start a fire with.

Ace decided to at least try it and placed a well aimed lightning bolt at the scroll which caught on fire immediately and began warming the room.

Ace looked into the fire trying to figure out who to punish the worst.

Hawkfeather or his bomb making daughter, he somehow felt himself forced to do it as he watched the fire.

Ace felt the heat from the fire surrounding him and everything in the room. Ace decided to light the torches on the wall for some extra heat and light and aimed carefully at each torch, he didn’t want to make the situation worse if he missed a torch but he could only find two but it was better than nothing, sure they pretty much only provided light and extremely little warmth.

He found himself a comfortable spot on the floor close to the burning fire but it didn’t take long before Spitfire asked him to join her on the bed instead telling him that they should share it as there was more than enough space on the bed for them both.

Ace come thinking of that the room wasn’t entirely safe and if this would be where he would die he could at least spend some time with the wonderbolt, he climbed the bed and carefully laid himself next to her, his mind was chaotic at that point and the only decision he could make was that whatever happens the suit wouldn’t be removed.

He didn’t want to cause his whole world to turn even more chaotic than it already was.

He fell asleep but was woken up by the sound of the corridor outside caving in limiting them both to only the room.

Ace looked around the to make sure the fire was still burning and it was, seemingly burning brighter but he knew that it wouldn’t make sense and ignored it as he noticed that it seemed to provide more heat now.

He noticed Spitfire began waking up and she looked at him.

“Please, help me get this hood off.” she asked and Ace couldn’t come up with a good excuse not to and he managed to pull it down without much trouble.

“whatever she asks for next I will keep this suit as it is now.” Ace thought to himself as he looked her into her worried eyes.

“you think we will survive this?” she asked him without warning. “well I won’t give up just like that and if we get out of here I know some pony who will get this back.” Ace replied trying to hide his anger as he began thinking of how he had been betrayed and as he kept thinking about it the more painful it became.

He and Hawkfeather had been best friends and now he suddenly tries to get him killed by asking whoever made the bomb to make it explode sooner than Ace would expect it to. Hawkfeather was probably having the time of his life recruiting more and more Shadowbolts telling them that nothing would stop his reign.

Ace closed his eyes to hide the sorrow in his eyes and he tried his best to hold his tears but he couldn’t hold them back and he got up and walked past the fire hoping it would dry them out before the became visible, but as he was on the other side of the fire he could feel a tear running down his cheek and fell to the ground.

Ace managed to hold himself from making any sound as his tears fell to the ground and was soon dried out by the heat from the fire. Ace knew that when the time had come he couldn’t show any feelings, he had to be the merciless commando Hawkfeather wanted him to be as he killed the traitor and maybe his bomb making daughter.

He tried not to think about what he would do if he made it out from that rubble prison.

Ace went back to Spitfire who looked at him with a caring look, “what was that about?” she asked him.

“Nothing.” Ace replied trying to hide his feelings from feeling all alone again, this time it felt even worse than when he had been locked away in that hospital all alone, now he had a mare to talk to but he didn’t have any idea where to start so it was best not mentioning it at all.

He knew that if it was hard for him to keep his feelings at bay he didn’t know how she would deal with it. Ace knew he needed some pony he could talk to but he didn’t want to talk to Spitfire, they had been trying to kill each others but when they got trapped under all this rubble they both knew they had work together if they wanted to have the slightest chance of surviving this.

Ace got back onto the bed and he soon came across the idea that none of them had eaten anything for a while and he felt as his hunger began making itself known to him.

Ace didn’t want to think about it and he knew that if they wanted to survive they needed to find food unless they could find a way out soon. Ace laid down on the bed and he felt Spitfire moving closer to him, he felt as she was now directly beside him and he could feel as their suits where now making contact.

He looked at her with a confused look, “I always wanted a filly but I never found the one I could trust.” she told him.

“It’s not me, so don’t try it.” Ace replied somehow knowing what she wanted but he couldn’t tell her about Cloudmane and his relationship with her. He got up and walked away, “even if we really should fight each others I can’t help it, I don’t want to kill but what Hawkfeather has done towards me I feel like I must get back there and kill him before he gets another opportunity.” Ace told her, he didn’t have much interest in feelings left, not after being betrayed again.

“I know you have some pony out there and you want to get back I understand that but what if we never get out of here.” she told him after she had made her way to where he was standing. “what about the war? what if they find out?” Ace asked her.

“If we get out of here we can stop the war, show them that your commander is causing too much damage to innocent, not to mention he left you here to die.” she replied, Ace couldn’t believe his ears. It made perfect sense, Hawkfeather didn’t care whatever happened or who died as he sent them on raids and what not.

Ace looked at her as he removed his hood, “maybe after this war is over it could work between us but now is not the time or the place for this.” he told her with a serious look after he turned away knowing that there must be a weakness somewhere.

“just remember that you care for every pony, even those you shouldn’t need to care for.” she told him obviously knowing that he wasn’t what he appeared to be at first sight,

“I know.” Ace replied to her before he found what seemed to be a window covered by bricks matching the white walls of Canterlot Castle, they where obviously weaker than the rest of the wall but they where still pretty well placed and strong. Ace pulled up his hood before narrowing his eyes while focusing on the weaker spot.

“stay back this could get dangerous, i’m not sure whats behind this wall.” he told Spitfire and then he sent a lightning bolt into the wall which fell into pieces revealing the weather outside, the night was darker that it used to be. Ace soon made his way outside, there was no pony around. “good, maybe we could get out of here unnoticed.” he told Spitfire as she made her way out as well with some assistance. Ace looked towards Cloudsdale knowing what he had to do there, he had to stop Hawkfeather even if it included them both dying but if it stopped Hawkfeather it was worth it, he looked back at Spitfire, “go to Ponyville and stay hidden, I will come looking for you once i’ve dealt with my problems.” he told her and Spitfire seemed to know what he meant.

“Just remember that if it’s possible bring him to justice rather than killing him.” she told him with a worried voice before she walked to him and gave him a kiss. Ace had no idea if he should be happy or get mad, Spitfire left him in the rubble paradise.

“Be afraid Hawkfeather, be very afraid.” Ace whispered into in the dark sky as he looked towards Cloudsdale.