Thief of the Frontline

Chapter 7

The morning was mostly like any other in Ponyville.  The sun was just coming up over the horizon, the birds were chirping as they emerged from the trees, and ponies were waking up to begin their daily routines.  Everything was fine, except for one small thing.  There was a huge freakin' pile of rubble and a huge freakin' whole in the ground to go along with it.  Foxtrot noticed this as he walked into town and couldn't help but just stand there and look at the carnage in awe.  "Holy crap," he said to himself under his breath.

Some other ponies, less civilized ones of course, would have used much stronger word choice, but Foxtrot's words did a pretty good job of summing the scene up.  Leading from the small military installation was a giant sink whole around six feet wide that ran all the way to where the old stone bridge had once proudly stood.  It was now a broken heap of stone and mortar that was scattered throughout the creek bed.  The house, which acted as the outpost, was half collapsed on one of its sides as well.

"Yeah," Foxtrot thought.  "I think you got it, Nightfall."  There had been times when he was in the guard when he saw damage from attacks by small bands of protesters, but none of it compared to this.

The number of guards patrolling the area had easily tripled.  There were several walking in the street out front, one posted on each of the rooftops of the surrounding buildings, and even more working to clean up the mess that had been left.  There was even a large escort guarding a pony that Foxtrot recognized as a Grand Captain.  His armor was gold and had much more intricate insignia than the other guards.  His helmet's crest was made of red horse hair instead of the metal that the other guards wore and his armor's overall design was much more sleek and shiny.

The Captain walked along the brick path with what had to be at least fifty guards before stopping in front of what appeared to be another officer.  The Captain gave a signal with his right hoof and all but three of his guards dispersed to secure the area.  The officer gave a quick solute to his superior.  "Permission to report the situation sir," he said in a firm, official sounding voice.

"Permission granted," the Captain replied in a just as official tone.  "What happened here?"

"Well sir," the officer started." It's not good.  Somepony broke in last night and as you can see, blew up almost half the base.  We have at least four dead, six wounded, and two more missing.  We are currently in the process of clearing the rubble now.  From the looks of it, they used an old escape tunnel to sneak in and plant explosives in the armory underground.  The detonation caused the ground to collapse, bringing half the place down with it."

"Was the tunnel guarded at all times?"

"Yes sir.  The tunnel had been bricked off years before I became in charge of this installation.  To be sure that it was secure, a single guard was always posted on the bridge above the entrance."

The Captain looked at the base commander questioningly.  "Only one guard?" he asked sternly.  "Why weren't more posted at the biggest defensive weakness?"

"Sir.  No civilians were aware of the existence of the tunnel."  The officer was now visibly sweating under his silver armor.  "I only posted one guard on the bridge so that no attention was brought to it.  If you post guards on something that seems unimportant, then ponies will begin to wonder why someone would go through all the trouble of guarding it.  That's the way I figure it.  Sir."

"I suppose this strategy makes since, but if a guard was always posted, then how is it that these attackers made their way into the tunnel undetected?"

"The guard responsible of the night shift failed to show up, sir.  He is currently being held for questioning.  I talked to him myself to see what I could find out, but he claims to not remember ever having guard duty on the bridge."

"Then let me go talk to him.  Perhaps I can make him remember."  Without waiting for the officer, the Captain walked off toward a cluster of guards standing watch over a pony who sat between them, shackled to the ground.

As the Captain's Lieutenant, who wore a silver with blue crest version of his armor, and two standard guards, who both held large halberds, walked passed the base commander, he sighed a little in relief that it wasn't his head that would be on the chopping block for this disaster.

As they all approached, the guards in charge of the prisoner all saluted their higher ups.  The ex-guard, now a prisoner who had been stripped of his armor looked up with a sad, guilty expression.  "What's the matter," the Captain began after a brief moment of silence.  "Did you not like your position?  Was it not prestigious enough for you?"

The young white coated stallion remained silent.

"Well, don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry sir, but I really have no idea what you're talking about." he said.  "I honestly don't remember ever having the bridge as a posting at night."

"Enough!" the Captain said loudly and angrily.  "Your excuses will not work on me.  Because of you, four of your comrades are dead.  Your disregard for your duty will not go unpunished."  Before continuing, the Captain noticed another guard passing by.  "You there, Private," he called out.  "Did you know any of the ponies killed in this attack?"

"Yes sir," the Private replied in a sad voice.  "One of them..."  He stuttered.  "One of them was my brother."

"My condolences to you and your family," the Captain said.  "I hope you can find comfort in knowing that he died while honorably doing his duty to defend Equestria."

"Thank you sir.  With your permission, I would like to go and inform my family of his death."

"Your wish is granted," the Captain said sincerely.  "And again, I am sorry for your loss."  He looked back at the prisoner, who now held his head down low, letting his mane cover his face.  "This is your fault.  Now tell me why you weren't at your post!" he yelled angrily.

"I told you.  I have no idea what you're talking about.  I can't remember anything about being assigned to the bridge."

"Enough of your lies!  Perhaps you were the one who let these terrorists in.  Yes, you are a traitor to us all."

"No sir!  I..."

The Captain interrupted before he could even begin.  "Liar!  You are nothing but a traitor!  Where is your loyalty?!  Where is your honor?!"  He motioned to his Lieutenant who levitated a sword into his hooves.  "This is what you deserve for your crimes."

The prisoner looked up.  He looked as if the guilt and fear were literally eating him alive on the inside.  "Please don't kill me sir," he said through deep, ragged breaths.

"I'm not going to kill you."  He dropped the sword at the young stallion's trembling hooves.  "If you still have any honor left, you'll do it yourself."

The prisoner looked down at the sword in total fear.  He couldn't bear this any longer.  He hated himself for what he had done, or at least left undone.  "I'm so sorry," he said quietly as his tears began to drip and pool on the blade that laid before him.

"Then make it up to us," the Captain demanded angrily before turning around and leaving the prisoner with what could possibly be the final choice he would ever make.

The prisoner remained looking down for several long seconds.  "What's wrong with me?  Why can't I remember?  Why?" he whispered to himself as he collapsed.  He continued crying in shame.

The base commander stood there for several moments as the Captain and his guards walked past him.  He looked back and made sure that his superior wasn't looking and then kicked the sword away, out of the reach of the grief stricken pony.  "Stay here and keep an eye on him," he said to the prisoners guards.  They both nodded and saluted as their commander took off to rejoin the Captain.

"Poor guy," Foxtrot thought to himself as he watched all this unfold from the top of a tree.  He knew that the ex-guard was innocent.  He had to be.  There was no way in Tartarus that Nightfall would ally himself with a royal guard, even if they were crooked.  He looked around again at the scene.  The Captain and base commander had moved inside, no doubt to further discuss the details of the attack.  He would have to gather further information from another source.  Another quick look revealed a single guard standing alone outside of the fence.  This was good.  He could start small and work his way up.

"Excuse me sir," Foxtrot said politely as he approached after leaving his spot in the tree.  "What's happened here?  My family and I heard a loud bang last night."

The guard replied with what Foxtrot had expected.  "Move along citizen, there is nothing to see here.  This is Royal Guard business."  The official response to any questions ever asked by civilians.

"Please sir," Foxtrot replied.  "My children are terrified.  Could you just tell me what happened so that I can assure them that everything is alright?"

The guard rolled his eyes before responding in the same deep, official guard's voice.  "There was an attack by a small group of rebels.  The Royal Guard is currently looking into it.  I assure you that you and your family will be safe."

"Well, he's good at his job.  I'll give him that,"  Foxtrot thought to himself.  He then responded out loud.  "An attack!  What kind of attack?  It was a bombing wasn't it?  Oh no, if rebels have bombs powerful enough to cause all this, then surely nopony is safe!"  He exaggerated his breathing and sped up his talking as he went to give the illusion that he was panicking.  He knew that if one thing guards couldn't ignore, it was panic.

"Sir, I need you to calm down and take a deep breath," the guard said.  "I don't know all the details at the moment, but I promise you that everything is going to be fine."

"Fine!  No!  Nothing is fine!  How could rebels possibly create something that could cause this much damage.  What if these terrorists go after civilians?"

"Sir, please remain calm.  There are no bombs capable of doing this.  We believe there may have been something in the ground that contributed to the explosion.  These rebels only got lucky, that is it.  Now if you could please move along I have to get back to my patrol."

Foxtrot nodded, satisfied with the guards answers and walked away letting him go back to his duties.  He had to admit, that guard had handled the situation extremely well, but without even realizing it, he had given Foxtrot all the information that he needed.  There was something in the ground.  This meant that it wasn't Nightfall's fault that the entire place had almost gone up in flames.  He just wish he knew what it was that ignited to cause so much destruction in the first place.  What Foxtrot did find out would have to be enough.

The small, dark, enclosed space that the shamed guard now found himself in did little to comfort him.  Each brick, each iron bar, made him feel more and more distant from the world.  It was like the sun and moon had forsaken him just because they found it amusing.  He lied on the floor, not moving, to alone and grieved to muster up the strength to even walk over to the hard, cold bed that sat in the corner.  Four of his friends were dead and it was all his fault.  How could he ever forgive himself?  He wished that he had taken his own life when he had the chance.  The thought faded away when he heard the sound of hoof steps approaching him.

"Alright Private," a familiar voice said from behind.  "We'll start from the beginning.  Why weren't you at your assigned post during the attack?"

Turning around, the caged pony recognized the other guard as Sgt. Steadfast.  He looked troubled.  "I don't know what you mean, sir."

Sgt. Steadfast raised an eyebrow.  "Oh really?  Why not?  You were assigned to that bridge only a couple of nights ago.  Surely you didn't just forget, Private Striker."

"No sir, I would never forget my duty," Striker responded quickly.  "I've always done my best to carry out the orders of those above me."

"That may be true, but it doesn't change the fact that you let everypony down.  Many believe that you were fully aware that the attack would be occurring and intentionally left your post, but I want to hear your side."  Sgt. Steadfast opened the bared door and stepped back.  There was a table set up in the middle of the room just outside the cell with two chairs facing each other.  After taking a seat, he motioned for Private Striker to sit as well.  "So tell me what happened."

Striker walked out of the cell that he had been confined to for the last several hours reluctantly.  His legs were still wobbly from hearing about the deaths of his comrades.  Eventually, he found his bearings and took a seat at the table across from the Sargent.  "I don't know exactly why," he began with a shaky, nervous voice.  "But I can't remember the last several days before the attack.  First I was doing my usual rounds at the base and next thing I know, I'm being dragged off."

"So you claim to be suffering from memory loss then," Steadfast said calmly.  "What's the first thing you remember after losing your memory?"

"Well sir, I remember being under the bridge lying on my side next to my rifle.  The sun was just coming over the horizon."

"Why do you think you may have been under that bridge?"

"I honestly don't know sir.  I was so confused when I woke up that I just went back to base to stand guard at the front door like usual, but Private Thrust was already there.  When I asked what he was doing there, he told me that he would be at that position from now on.  He said that it may have something to do with the new recruits and the posts getting changed around."

"So you thought that your position had been given to someone else?"

"Yes sir.  I've always guarded that one position so I didn't even know that a guard was ever posted on the bridge.  After seeing that all the other positions were filled, I figured that I would be reassigned in the next day or two.  That was the case with a few others."

"This all seems to mostly add up.  Correct me if I'm wrong.  You were assigned to the bridge night shift, but because you lost your memory, you didn't remember being put in that position.  Also you didn't know that the bridge was a post so when you saw that all the other positions were occupied and that there were several excess personnel, you assumed you were also an extra.  Therefore, the bridge was left unguarded."

"I suppose so, sir."

When exactly did you wake up with memory loss?"

"Yesterday morning, sir."

"Well then," Sgt. Steadfast put his hooves on the table and leaned in close.  "I think I see how you may have lost your memory, but first, I need you to give me one small detail.  Did you experience any headaches after waking up that morning?"

"Yes sir.  It felt like somepony had banged me up pretty badly on the top of my head.  Also I have a bruise there if you would like to see it."

"Then your story might actually check out."  He leaned back in his chair and smiled.  "I didn't ever think you were a traitor, Striker.  I've seen your dedication to duty first hoof.  And now, I think you can prove that you aren't a traitor."

"How do you figure, sir?"

"Think about it.  Head injury.  Memory loss.  Waking up under the bridge.  According to the base commander, you were on that bridge the night before the attack, but not the night of the attack.  So do you think it may be at all possible that you fell off the bridge and hit your head and that that's why you can't remember anything?"

Striker's eyes lit up and he took his head off the table for the first time.  He was so relieved at what he was hearing.  "You mean, it's not my fault?  It's not my fault.  It's not my fault!"  He smiled the biggest smile he had ever smiled as he almost leapt out of his chair.

"Yes, I think you may be completely innocent.  Everything lines up to me."

"So does that mean I can get out of here?"

"Not quite.  I'll present this information to my higher ups, but it may be awhile before you're a free stallion again.  Also, you'll have to stand a trial, but I'm confident that the jury will rule you innocent."

"I... I understand sir.  Thank you for listening to me."

Steadfast grabbed a few papers in his hooves and then stood up.  "I hope you're comfortable staying in this cell for the next few days.  I'll see if I can pull a few strings to get you something to read."

"I think I'll be just fine knowing that everything is going to be alright, sir," Striker said as he walked back through the bared door, letting it close behind him.  "Thanks again."

Steadfast nodded and then left.  Striker was alone again.  It didn't matter to him though.  Soon he would appear in front of a jury, and then this nightmare would be over.  Everything was going to be fine.

Everything was no fine.  When Foxtrot returned to the castle, he found Nightfall lying under the table in his room looking more exhausted than he had when he showed up with the rifles.  He was clenching one of the small, green fruits that he had bought at the market the other day close to his chest.  The peelings of a few other fruits were scattered around on the floor.

"Nightfall," Foxtrot said.  "Are you okay?"

Nightfall didn't move.  He just laid there, like he hadn't heard Foxtrot at all.

"Nightfall!" Foxtrot said again, this time much louder.

Nightfall turned his head to look at his friend and then lifted it up from the floor only to hit it on the bottom of the table.  "Ouch," he moaned quietly as he crawled out from under the table.  He sat on the floor and slouched slightly.  "So what did you find out?  Did I not know something or am I just another low life murdering bastard?"

"Are you alright?  You don't look so good," Foxtrot said as looked at the depressed batpony.

"I'm fine," Nightfall snapped back.  "What did you find out?  How many dead are there?"

"Four, but..."  Foxtrot didn't even get to finish before Nightfall turned around and began to crawl back under the table.  "Nightfall," he continued.  "It's not..."

"SHIT!" Nightfall yelled as he slammed his hooves into the ground and then buried his head in them.  He lied silent for a few moments after that.  Foxtrot wasn't sure what to do about this.

"Nightfall, it's not your fault," he said as he walked forward and put his head down toward the ground to talk to Nightfall, who wouldn't even look at him.

"How do you figure?" Nightfall finally said after remaining silent for a few moments.

"There was something in the ground."

Nightfall shifted his head and laid it on its side against the floor.  "Something in the ground?  That's it?"  He didn't sound like he was very happy, quite the opposite actually.  "So what?  The fact that there was something in the tunnel I used to sneak in just makes the deaths of those ponies okay?  Is that what your saying?"

"We're at war, Nightfall," Foxtrot replied.  "We're all going to have to fight and kill before this is all over."

"Go ahead then, but leave me out of it."

"What?"  Foxtrot was now confused by what Nightfall was saying.  "Don't you want to fight for what you believe in?  Think about the opportunity that we're being given here."

There was a prolonged silence.  Neither stallion spoke, as if waiting for the other to say something.  Nightfall was the one to break the silence.  "Fight for what I believe in.  Fight for what I believe in.  Tell me Foxtrot, what do you think it is that I believe in?"

"What are you trying to say?" Foxtrot asked.

"Nothing, it's just that, I don't know if I'm ready to take life like this.  The commitment that would be required, it just seems like to much."

"Hang on," Foxtrot said as he put his front hooves on the table and pushed.  It slid to the side, fully exposing Nightfall.  "This doesn't sound like the Nightfall I know.  What ever happened to never giving up on anything, hating the king and all he stood for?"

Nightfall stood up and faced Foxtrot for the first time since crawling under the table again.  "To be honest, I've always kind of thought that Solar and his ideas were one big joke.  Don't get me wrong, I want to do something to help put Twilight on the throne, but at the same time...  I just don't know."

"Is it the death?" Foxtrot asked.

"Partially," Nightfall answered.

"What's the other part?"

Nightfall stood there and yet another moment of silence consumed the room.  He knew exactly why he didn't want to fight.  He hated that he had to lie to Foxtrot.  To Paper.  To all the friends he had made in the last year.  Yes, the death was one of the main things that bothered him, that part was true.  The other part was simple, but he didn't know if he could let out his secrets yet.  "Keep your guard up!" one part of his mind screamed at him.  "Tell him.  He can help," another part said.  After thinking for some more time, he came to his decision.  "Keep your guard up," he thought.  "A lowered guard only results in a pile of bodies."

Foxtrot sighed.  "Listen, if you don't want to tell me, then just say so."

"Oh," Nightfall said quickly looking back up at Foxtrot.  "Sorry.  My mind was somewhere else."

"I hope you're thinking about what all this means.  Twilight has given us a chance at making the world a better place.  We'll still need your help though."

"Yeah, I'll think about what you said.  Right now I'm just going to go give Paper a follow up on the job last night.  He did well you know."

"Do you think he may be ready to take on some missions on his own?"

"No," said Nightfall.  "He has a long ways to go, but he shows promise."

"Try to keep him out of trouble.  He's a good kid."

Nightfall nodded.  "I'll do my best."  It was the only promise he could make.  He would have to be vigilant and watch his back.  Nightfall had found out long ago, as much he wish he hadn't, that the unexpected can show up at anytime and ruin your life.  He knew this all to well.  He exited the room and entered the hall where he walked for a few minutes before entering Paper's room.  Sure enough, Paper was still asleep.  Nightfall would have to train him to wake up at a decent hour.  "Paper," he called out from across the room.

Paper shot up like a rake that had been stepped on.  "Don't shoot!  I surrender!"  He looked around the room and sighed.  "Oh good.  It was just a dream."

"Nightmare?" Nightfall asked plainly.

"Yeah.  The guards had just caught me and were about to kill me.  I never thought I'd say this, but thanks for waking me up when you did."

"That's just classic paranoia," explained Nightfall.  "It will go away after a day or two.  Until then, just try to keep your mind off it.  Come on.  Let's get some breakfast and I'll give you a follow up on the heist last night."

Paper rolled out of bed and followed Nightfall out of the room and into the hall.  "Follow up?" he asked as they walked.  "What do we need to follow up on?  As far as I can tell, everything went smoothly.  Except for that explosion though.  I wasn't really expecting that."

"About that," Nightfall began.  "That's what I wanted to follow up on."  He hung his head as he continued.  "It killed four guards.  I thought you should know since you were there when it happened."

"Oh... um... that's good?  Right?" Paper said questioningly.  "I mean, that's what we're building up to or something so I guess it's good that we got an early start?"  He sounded even more unsure now.

"I understand where you're coming from, Paper," Nightfall replied.  "You're being told that war is war and that this is all normal.  It has to be done."  Nightfall stopped and turned to face Paper.  "You're like a son to me.  Did you know that?"

"Wait, really?"  Paper wasn't genuinely surprised by this.  He had always viewed Nightfall as both a friend and in a way, a kind of mentor.

"Yes.  That's why I want to show you something."  Nightfall took a right at the next intersection.  It wasn't the way to the mess hall.  Paper knew this had to be important.  The tone of Nightfall's voice was sincere which told him that he needed to see whatever it was that he was being taken to.

Nightfall stopped in front of a boring wooden door that was more plain than the others.  It was also suffering from wood rot, but that was normal for most of the original wood objects that had survived the years.  When they walked in, Paper was surprised to see that the room was just a normal storage area.  Something that a janitor would store his mops in with the exception that it was bigger than a simple closet.  Nothing interesting.

"Catch," Nightfall said.

Paper caught whatever it was that Nightfall tossed to him in his magic.  He looked at it carefully.  "A rusty old, guard helmet?  What's so special about it?"

Nightfall pointed to his left.  There was a tall mirror with a long crack that ran its full length standing in the corner.  "Put it on and look in the mirror," Nightfall commanded.

Paper did what he was instructed.  "I don't get it.  What am I supposed to be seeing exactly?"

"Tell me what you already see."

"I see me wearing a really old helmet.  It's kind of uncomfortable you know."

"Take it off then.  Look in the mirror again.  What do you see now?"

Paper took off the heavy plated helmet and set it down beside him before looking into mirror again.  "I see me," he said.

"Now put the helmet back on.  Put this on too."  Nightfall slid a large plated chest piece across the floor to Paper who reluctantly put the helmet back on.

Paper put the cuirass on and looked back into the mirror.  "I look like a really old guard," he said as he looked back at Nightfall who stood there calmly.

"Now stand at attention.  You look almost identical to a soldier guarding the castle, don't you?"

Paper nodded.  "Yeah, I guess I do."

"Now take it back off again.  Tell me what you see in the mirror."

Paper sighed, but complied.  He levitated the helmet off his head and set it on the floor again and then undid all the straps on his armor with his magic.  He let it drop to the floor wit a clang and looked back into the mirror one last time.  "I see me.  What does this have to do with anything?"

"Every day after a guard's shift ends, they go home, take off their armor, and wash the white dye out of their coats," Nightfall said in an almost sad tone.  "Would you be able to recognize them as guards without all that gear?  What would they look like to you?"

"Well, wouldn't they just look like..."  Paper paused, leaving his mouth half open as he stared at Nightfall.  After a moment, he found his voice.  "Normal ponies."

"That's all the guards are, Paper.  Normal ponies doing a job.  And because of me.  Because of my actions, four of them are dead.  Gone forever."

"I don't know what to say," Paper said.  "I feel... terrible."

"I don't want to see you do a bunch of things that you'll regret later in life.  That's why I want you to come with me."

Paper looked at Nightfall in total surprise.  "You're leaving?"

"No," Nightfall responded.  "I thought about it last night and I almost went through with it, but I realized that I couldn't just abandon all this.  There's still a chance to make things right."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"We're going to run a series of jobs against military installations, houses of nobles that support the king, anything we can to help support this rebellion.  If this comes to open warfare, then we need to be in a position that allows us to skip out on the bloodbaths that are no doubt on their way."

"That seems kind of cowardly, Nightfall."

"No it's strategic," Nightfall said.  "If you come with me, I can guarantee that you'll have a better chance of survival and the best part is that you won't ever have to kill anypony."

Paper thought for a second.  He had just been made what was probably the most convincing offer in his life.  It didn't feel right to run away from the big fights, but at the same time, after what Nightfall had just showed him, he didn't want to fight anymore.  He still wanted to contribute though.

"You don't have to give me an answer right now if you need more time to think.  Just know that you did really well last night at that outpost, and I could really use a partner in all this."

"I'm in," Paper said as Nightfall began to turn to leave.  "I'll help."

"Glad to hear it,"  Nightfall said.  "Go get some breakfast.  We can talk some more later.  Oh, and don't tell anyone about this yet."

Nightfall and Paper exited the small room together, but took off in different directions down the hall.  While Nightfall was no doubt walking back to his room to do whatever it was that batponies usually did during the day, probably sleep, Paper walked into the makeshift mess hall that was set up in one of the castle's largest rooms.  Everything was arranged like it had always been with four tables in the middle of the room and two more where one would get food at the back.  Paper walked up to these two and looked at what was available.

"Good morning, Paper Cut," a middle aged stallion said from behind the first table.

"Oh hey, Butter Knife," Paper replied.  "You wouldn't happen to have anymore pancakes would you?  I love pancakes."

"Sorry buddy, but that was kind of a one time deal.  We do have plenty of cereal.  Also, Nightfall brought me some... well... whatever this thing is," he said holding up a small green fruit.  "I think he said it was a gauka or yauga or something."

"I think it's pronounced guava.  Those are actually pretty good."

Butter Knife held up the small fruit close to his face, eyeing it curiously.  Then he sniffed it.  "I don't know," he said after a silent moment.  "Last time he brought me something, it smelled weird."

"You mean the durians?" Paper asked.  "Those are pretty good too... despite the smell."

"Anyway, there's plenty to eat, so feel free to grab whatever you want."

"Yeah, thanks," Paper said happily as he levitated a bowl of cereal into the air along with a cup of orange juice.  After saying goodbye and being wished a happy rest of the morning by his cook friend, Paper walked over to a mostly empty table.  There was only one other pony sitting there.  Twilight.  She had here head rested on what appeared to be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Paper sat down across from her.  "Twilight," he said.  "You awake?"

Twilight lifted her head up slightly and then dropped it back down.  This time resting her chin instead of the side of her head on the sandwich.  "Wha?" she said in a moan.  "What time is it?"  She yawned and then closed her eyes again.

"Around seven or eight I think," Paper responded.  "Did you not sleep well last night?  You don't look to good."

"I've just had a lot," she interrupted herself with another yawn.  "On my mind."

"Anything you want to talk about?"

Twilight didn't respond.  She lifted her head and looked down at her now flattened sandwich.  "Maybe," she said finally as she levitated her breakfast off the plate.  "I don't really know how to talk about it."

Paper Cut swallowed and put his spoon back in its bowl.  "Is it your friends?" he asked trying not to sound to sudden.  He didn't want to make things worse than they already were for Twilight, but something told him that it was best if he helped her get her emotions out.

Again, Twilight didn't respond for a few long seconds.  She just sat there.  A noticeable, deep sadness appeared to take over her.  Paper saw this and also remained quiet.  He would wait as long as he had to.  Then something happened that he had half expected.  A tear rolled down Twilights face.  Then another one from her other eye.

"Are you alright?" Paper asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Twilight replied in a sad tone.  "I just... I..."  She wasn't able to finish her sentence before more tears began to build up.  She laid her head down again, this time burying it in her hooves.  She let out quiet sobs from underneath her main that now hung over her face, hiding her from anypony that may have been passing by.

Paper gently put his hoof on Twilight's head and slowly stroked back and forth.  "Sssshhhhh," he said quietly.  "Everything's okay."

Twilight lied weeping for a few more seconds until she found the strength to respond.  "All my friends are dead," she said softly without lifting her head.  "I'm all alone now."

"Whoa!" Paper exclaimed suddenly.  "No.  You are not alone."  He stood up from his seat and then hopped on top of the table, causing some silver wear to rattle on the table top and then jumped back down on the opposite end.  He now sat right next to Twilight who was too grieved to notice.  Paper put his hoof under Twilight's chin and pulled her gaze up to his.  "Twilight, what made you think that you were ever alone to begin with?  You have me, Nightfall, Solar, even though he can be a pain in the flank, don't tell him a said that, and just about every pony here looks up to you.  If there is one thing you aren't, it's alone."

Twilight looked back down at the table for a second, wiped away her tears with her hoof and looked back at Paper who still sat there beside her.  He was right; she wasn't alone.  She smiled slightly.  Paper returned the gesture.  Then Twilight leaned in and gave him a hug.  "Thank you," she said, still crying.

Paper wasn't caught completely off guard, but it was still a surprise.  He wasn't exactly sure how to handle this as he had never had a mare give him a hug like this before.  Then he spotted Nightfall sitting in the corner watching them as if they were performing in theater.  He waved his hooves forward in a way that conveyed the message "Go on."

After seeing this, Paper Cut looked back down at Twilight and then placed his hoof around her in return.  He stroked the back of her neck and back.  Twilight let out a few more sorrowful sobs, but that was to be expected and Paper had absolutely no problem with the tears that he felt run off of Twilight's cheeks and onto his own coat.  He now felt fully relaxed, the first time since escaping the guard outpost.  All he wanted to do now was remain there with here in his hooves to comfort her.  His body against hers.  It would have been perfect if she wasn't so sad.  If he could have wished for anything at that moment, it would have been for her to be happy.