Nothing is Over

Bronze Star made his way to where Marble was being kept. Reaching Marble's cell, he was greeted with the sleeping form of Marble.

"Marble." Bronze says trying to wake him. He only receives a groan from the sleeping pony. "Marble come on. Wake up." He says tapping on the bars. "Your going to make me come in there." With a frustrated sigh, Bronze opens the door. "Marble, you're supposed to meet with the princesses in a little bit." He says tapping Marble, until he spots a glass of water." Alright, you made me do this." With that, he dumped the water on Marble's face. Instantly, Marble jumped up. He turned to see Bronze standing there. "Your supposed to meet with the princesses." Bronzed deadpanned.

"That's today?" Marble asked.

"Yes." Bronze said as he turned to lead Marble.

As they walked, Marble took the time to reflect on all that has happened, and how he was supposed to teach the new recruits. The rhythm of their hoofsteps brought back a memory to Marble as he started to whistle to the beat.

Twilight and her friends made their way to the throne room where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were waiting. They could barely contain their excitement. Upon arriving, they were greeted by Princess Celestia.

"Rise my little ponies." Celestia said warmly.

They continue to wait for Marble so the ceremony can begin. After while they all started to hear a strange noise

"Does anypony else hear that?" Pinkie asked. The others all nod in agreement

"Yeah it sounds like somepony....whistling." Rainbow agreed. They all listen to the Tune. A minute later the door to the throne room opens. They all turn to see, Marble marching towards them. What surprises them is that Marble is the one whistling. He continues to march until stopping infront of Princess Celestia, bringing his hoof up to a salute.

"Princess Celestia." He says before turning to Luna." And you must be Princess Luna?" She nods

Princess Celestial clears her throats before starting. "Marble Force, these past several months have be long and rough. We have called you here to give you a new start at life. It is with my pleasure to say, Marble I give you full pardons over you. We look forward to seeing what your new life has to offer. Congratulations, Sargeant Marble."

The last part takes him by surprise." Huh sergeant?" He asks turning to Celestia, only getting a smile in responses the others cheered.

Marble was led to the dinning hall where a small party was set up for him. This time it wasn't a surprise party. They went about, playing various party games and eating different treats. As the party was winding down, everyone was gathered around the grand table, until Twilight suddenly remembered something.

"Oh!" She exclaimed." Marble, we have something for you." Twilight levitated his journal over to him." We found it in Ponyville, and we thought you should have it back." She said with a smile.

"Thank you."

"So Marble darling, what do you plan on doing, now that you have a new life?" Rarity asked.

"Well I think Princess Celestia would be able to answer that better." He replied.

"What do y'all mean?" Applejack asked.

"What Marble means is that, I offered him a position in the guard. Given his history with the Equestrian military, it would seam as the perfect opportunity for him." Twilight and her friends listen to what Celestia has to say. Marble however drones her out, having already heard it. He instead focuses on Pinkie. More specifically, a fork that Pinkie is idly spinning. He can feel his heart speeding up as his gaze is locked to it. He no longer hears Celestia talking, only the chanting from his griffon captors. He blinks and it's no longer a fork, but a revolver causing him to jump back.

"Marble? Are you ok?" Fluttershy asked. Their attention falls to Marble as they see him hyperventilating and shaking. "Marble?" Marble is snapped out of his thoughts as he glances around the room, slightly calming down.

'It's ok Marble' he thought to himself.' You're not in the jungle anymore.'

"Dude are you ok?" Rainbow asked." What happened?"

"It's just..... a flashback.." He said weakly pointing to the fork." I saw that fork spinning and it reminded me of something else."

"What was the else? If you don't mind me asking."

With a sigh, Marble answers." It was.....well when I was captured during the war. The griffons had this sick and twisted game that they would play with their prisoners... I was one of them." The girl release a gasp, and Marble takes a deep breath as he remembers his time as a POW.

I was thrown into a blood stained chair seated across from another pony, who I learned was named Emerald. The griffons were placing bits on the table, I guess as bets on who would win. Emerald was practically in tears.

"Please Marble, I-I-I don't w-wanna die!" He stammered through this tears. A griffon officer aproaches with a revolver. Inserting a single bullet, he spins the chamber before slamming it onto the table. The gun spins before stopping and pointing at me.

"You play!" A griffin yells while slapping me across the face.

"It's goin' to be alright Emerald." I say trying to calm him, even though fear was in my voice. Only for me to be slapped again.

"You! No talk play!" When I don't move, I'm met with another slap." Play!" He yells as he moves the pistol closer to me. Hesitantly, I raised the pistol to my head closing my eyes, I brace myself for what is to come.

*CLICK*

I drop the gun breathing a sigh of relief, as the griffons cheer adding more bits to the pot. The attention falls to Emerald.

"Please. Help me." He cries.

"It's going to be alright, Emerald." I reassured. I could only watch as he shakily raised the pistol to his head

BANG

The top half of his head was blown open. My cries were drowned out by the cheers from the griffons.

"I have a question." Twilight asks. "What's a revolver?" The glances from the girls makes him realize that they all had the same question from his brief and watered down retelling of what happened.

"Think of it like a crossbow, except there's a rotating chamber for six bullets. Those are tiny pieces of led propelled forward by tiny explosions within the bullet. It could fire bullets faster than any crossbow bolt. It was a distructive weapon for a less civilized age. Though given its size compared to our issued weapons, many of us would scavenge them off the griffons. They were easier to move around." He answered.

"So uh, how did ya get away from them griffons?" Applejack asked.

" I was saved by my team. Funny a few seconds later and it would've been too late." Marble grimaced about how close he came to dying had it not been for his team.

"Kill them both." The officer says as he leaves the hut. The grunt nods and unsheathes a small knife, before tuning the the first pony.

"Go to Tartarus." Was all he could get out before his throats was slit. The griffon then approaches me

" You are not strong, pony." The griffon mutters loud enough for me to hear. Just before he reaches me, the wall behind him explodes in as two ponies rush in. A couple of griffons run in from another room, only to be gunned down by the two ponies. As the dust clears, I could see that it was Lt. Riverwood and Mac.

"Marble?" He asks before turning to Bright Mac." Finish those bastards!" He turns his attention back to me as he checks my injuries." Thank Celestial your alive. Are you ok? Can you walk?"

"Yes, I can fight. I can f-." I say weakly before he cuts me off.

"Mac! I'm not hearing gunshots!"

"There ain't no use Lt. They're already bleeding to death."

Riverwood gets up and makes Mac face me." Look at what they did to your fellow pony! If you can't do it, then he will. Marble make them bleed faster." He says tossing me a rifle.