The Greatest Lesson of All
It was just like any other day in Maretime Bay, nothing was out of the ordinary: The sun shone as it always did, there were only a few clouds at best in the sky and the city by the bay hummed and bustled with life. It was still mostly just earth ponies, but now pegasi and unicorns were paying a visit on a regular basis and the earth ponies had gotten used to it.
It seemed like the kind of day where nothing of significance was going on. But for one pony, Sunny Starscout, there was something really important that she had to do. She'd already left her recently repaired home at the lighthouse, skating her way through the city with her destination clear in mind: The sheriff's office. More specifically, the jail cell housed within it. The cell currently had one occupant, a stallion who had not been out for several days now. And that stallion was the reason for Sunny's visit.
Sunny skidded to a halt outside the building and took off her skates. This wasn't really a formal visit, but she still wanted to convey how serious it was (at least to her). After taking a minute to compose herself, she trotted up to the doors and knocked gently three times.
The doors soon swung open as Hitch, his badge shining anew (he'd probably just got done polishing it), stepped forward to greet his unexpected guest. "Oh, Sunny," He did his best to keep up his usual sheriff composure. Even if Sunny was his closest friend, he was still sheriff and he had to treat her like he treated any other law-abiding citizen. "Can I help you with anything, today? You here to file a report on something? Did you lose something?"
Sunny shook her head. "No, Hitch. You and I both know why we're here."
The sheriff seemed to briefly frown as he looked back to the jail cell. "You really sure you want to see him? After everything he did?" Hitch questioned.
The earth pony mare nodded (her alicorn status had been temporary and very shortly lived). "I need to see him, Hitch. I'm worried about him. I know it's silly of me to do so after everything he did, but he is or at least was my friend. Sprout may not have been as close with me as you were, but we still grew up together."
Hitch nodded back quite slowly. "Yeah, I know. But even when we were kids you two were always fighting and arguing, you always complained about how wrong he was about pegasi and unicorns. You're lucky I became sheriff before he could, he would've had you kicked out of town on day one of being sheriff if it were up to him."
"Maybe that's true, but he's still a pony like you and I. He made mistakes," Sunny insisted. "There's something very important I need to discuss with him. It can't wait any longer. If I don't do this soon I may never get around to it! Please, let me talk to him."
Hitch wasn't entirely convinced of Sunny's logic. After all, it had been her house Sprout had attacked and ultimately destroyed. And that was only the tip of the figurative iceberg when it came to the "crimes" Sprout had carried out during his brief stint as emperor. Hitch could still well remember the talk he'd had with his former deputy when he'd brought the law down on the unsuspecting stallion.
It had only been a day since Sunny had convinced the three pony tribes to stop fighting and living in fear of each other. She'd already reverted back to being an earth pony, a little disappointed that she didn't get to enjoy her wings or her horn but also relieved that she could still live a normal life (more or less).
With the threat of an invasion now no longer relevant, Sprout was quickly tossed out of power and returned to being Hitch's deputy. He'd expected Hitch to be upset with him, but even he couldn't have anticipated what his longtime partner and childhood friend would do to him.
Hitch was waiting for Sprout when he came into the sheriff's office that morning, ready to start work as if nothing had happened. But as soon as Sprout took one look at Hitch's orange eyes he gulped, they didn't look friendly at all. They conveyed a look of great displeasure and even possibly disgust. "H-hey, buddy," Sprout stammered as he took a step back. "Uh, about the whole 'emperor' thing."
"Don't even bother with your excuses, Sprout," Hitch coldly remarked with a snort. "It wasn't funny, somepony could've gotten hurt."
"Y-yeah, but nopony did. So what's your point?" Sprout innocently inquired. It seemed he didn't fully grasp the consequences of his actions.
Hitch could only shake his head. "You don't get it, do you? You seized power in my absence without my permission. You attacked innocent ponies who'd done nothing wrong. You destroyed one of the oldest homes in Maritime Bay, endangering the lives of three ponies in the process. And of course there's the whole 'stirring up an angry mob' thing. And that's only the list of crimes I can think of off the top of my head."
Sprout stammered and stuttered. "But... but..."
Hitch stomped a hoof down. "Save it, Sprout!" He sternly threatened as he trotted up to his deputy to the point where they were snout to snout. "By the power invested in me as sheriff of Maritime Bay, I hereby place you under arrest. You have the right to remain silent."
"You... you can't do this to me!" Sprout whined! "My mommy won't let you! She says I just made a few mistakes, that's all."
"Yeah, and those 'mistakes' could've provoked a war or caused innocent ponies to get hurt, or worse," Hitch remarked as he grabbed Sprout by the hoof. "Now come on, it's straight to the cell with you. You can stay in there until I think about what to do with you. A piece of advice: You'd better start looking for a good lawyer, 'cause you're gonna need one."
Sprout was shocked, especially at how easily his partner overpowered him and led him away to a lonely jail cell tucked away in a back corner of the office. He was soon shoved through the door that was locked tight behind him, ensuring he wouldn't be escaping. "You're making a mistake, Hitch!" He tried to plead. "Come on! We're still friends, right?"
"Honestly, this is for your own good," The sheriff coldly remarked while turning his back to his now imprisoned deputy. "If anypony wants to get to you, they'll have to go through me first. Even Queen Haven and Alphabittle won't be able to touch you without my permission," He was quick to warn. "Of course, I'm not opposed to hoofing you over to them if they make a compelling case. And what happens then will be out of my control. So if I were you, I'd start trying to change my ways while you still have a chance." Then he walked away, leaving Sprout to be alone with his thoughts.
"I'm glad you're the one who did something about his behavior," Sunny said to Hitch as she looked to the keys resting on his desk. "What he did was wrong and he deserves to be punished for it."
"Exactly! Glad we agree," Hitch retorted. "So why are you here now? If you're trying to convince me to release him, don't bother. One way or another he's going to have to face the consequences of his actions. Nopony is above the law, no matter who they might be."
Sunny shook her head. "I didn't come to ask you to release him, Hitch. I just want to see him and to talk to him. There's something he needs to know."
Hitch saw fit to question. "You're sure you want to do this, Sunny? You don't owe him anything. I know you may feel partially responsible for what he did, but that doesn't excuse his behavior."
The earth pony mare pleaded. "Please, just let me talk to him! This isn't about me, it's about him! I didn't come here because I wanted to see him be punished more. I came here because I realized something important, and it's something he needs to hear."
Hitch took one look at Sunny and could see just how determined she was. Try as he might, he simply couldn't bring himself to say no to her even if he really wanted to. He reluctantly went over to his desk and retrieved the keys to the cell. "Fine. You can talk to him. But I'm going to be watching you the whole time. If he tries anything at all, I'm throwing the book at him: Figuratively and literally."
"That's why you're the sheriff." Sunny appeared to giggle as she followed Hitch to the back of the sheriff's office and to the jail cell, where she knew Sprout would be waiting.
Compared to the "dungeon" in Zephyr Heights, the lone jail cell in Maritime Bay's sheriff's office was anything but luxurious. It had a bed just big enough to fit one pony strutting out from the wall, held up by chains. A small sink, toilet and trash can all stood next to each other, looking as if they were only maintained to the bare minimum of standards. There was a single window with bars that showed the outside, but ensured no one could look inside (unless they could fly). And of course black bars as far as the eye could see.
Sprout just stood there in the cell, appearing to look quite sorry for himself if the pronounced frown on his face was any indication.
Hitch cleared his throat, getting Sprout's attention. "Listen up, inmate," He sharply rapped. "You've got a visitor. Be on your best behavior, or else."
"Whoever it is, tell 'em to go jump in a lake!" Sprout bitterly snapped without looking up. "I don't want anypony else to see me like this, not even my mommy."
Sunny Starscout wasn't going to take no for an answer. She took the keys from Hitch and inserted them into the cell door, soon hearing a faint click as the door was unlocked. She then stepped in and shut the door behind her, making sure to toss the keys back to Hitch for safe keeping.
Sprout finally mustered up the courage to look up and see his visitor with his own eyes. When he did he could hardly believe them. In front of him now stood the last pony he wanted to see. "You!" He gasped and jumped back a bit in surprise. "What do you want?! Come to twist the knife in some more?! Rub it in my face how I was wrong and you were right?!"
"You really think I would come all this way just to tease you and taunt you?" Sunny questioned the frustrated stallion.
"Why not?" Sprout questioned in reply, his tone of voice betraying the confidence with which he hoped to speak. "After that little speech you gave in front of the lighthouse, everypony started listening to you and stopped listening to me. So go ahead, I know what you wanna say to me."
Sunny only stepped forward, not caring at how defensive Sprout seemed to be. "You don't understand, Sprout. I didn't come here to make you feel down," She insisted in a gentle tone of voice. "I came here because I wanted to tell you something," Locking eyes with him she then said in no uncertain terms. "I forgive you, Sprout."
Sprout could hardly believe his ears. This had to be a joke. "No way!" He protested. "How could you ever forgive me?! Say what you really mean to say to me!"
The mare just replied. "I already have, Sprout. It wasn't easy, trust me. But I knew it had to be done."
Against his better judgment, the stallion with a coat as red as a raging fire decided to question. "Why? After all I did, you seriously mean to tell me you can forgive me?"
Sunny nodded. "I do. I may not be able to forget what you've done, but I can choose how I let it affect me. By forgiving you, I can put it behind me," Then she added. "Besides, it's part of a lesson I've come to learn. A lesson I want to share with you."
"What's that?" Sprout nervously asked as he saw Sunny come closer to him. Even Hitch seemed to be a little worried.
But to the surprise of both stallions, Sunny just opened her hooves in order to throw them around Sprout. She pulled her other childhood friend and the one with whom she'd had a strained friendship with for as long as she could remember close, still maintaining eye contact with him. "How to forgive our friends when they've wronged us."
"S-Sunny." Sprout tried to say as tears began to build up in his eyes and threatened to leak out at any minute.
The earth pony mare simply shushed Sprout as she tightened the hug. "It's okay, let it all out. That's what I'm here for. That's what friends do."
The waterworks flowed without end as Sprout openly wept and sobbed. "I don't deserve you, Sunny! You deserve better! Hitch was always a better friend to you. He even left his job he loved so much just to chase after you, to try to keep you out of trouble like he always used to do. Meanwhile, all I ever did was fight with you and hide behind my mommy every time you tried to tell me I was wrong. And because of me, you lost your home, the only thing you had left to remember your dad by."
"No, I still have the memories," Sunny replied as she lightly stroked Sprout's mane with a hoof. "We didn't always fight, Sprout. There were times when even we could get along. Everything you've done can be undone, even my house can be rebuilt. And I hope someday you'll get to see it. It's just like it used to be, only better."
Sprout sniffled. "But why? Why would you tell me this? What's it matter to you if I know all of this?"
The mare just smiled as her sea green eyes sparkled. "Because I know there's still goodness inside of you somewhere, Sprout. I can tell just by how you're reacting. A monster wouldn't be able to feel what you feel, they would still believe they did nothing wrong and wouldn't care at all. A truly stone cold heart couldn't have shed tears the way you just did," The sparkle slowly faded as she then added. "The real question is, will you be able to find that goodness?"
"What do you mean? Can't you just pull it out or something?" Sprout questioned. "Or get one of your magical friends to do it? I mean, that unicorn. What's her name, Izzy? She's always going on about that lumin.... whatever it was she calls it."
Sunny Starscout giggled. "Luminescence, a pony's inner sparkle. And even she can't bring it out by herself for somepony else. It's up to that pony to find their luminescence, their sparkle," She then took on a more serious tone of voice. "You've done a good job of burying it beneath all that hate and jealousy. But now you've seen for yourself where that leads you. It's up to you though, Sprout. Only you can decide what kind of pony you want to be. Nopony else can make that decision for you."
Sprout remained silent. He didn't know what to say. What could he say in response to all of that?
Sunny then called out to Hitch. "That's all I wanted to tell him. Keep an eye on him for me."
Hitch gave a small salute. "I'll do the best I can, Sunny," As he inserted the keys into the cell door he saw fit to ask. "Do you really think he's capable of changing? Or is this just because you can't bring yourself to hate a friend, no matter what they might have done to you?"
"I meant what I said," Sunny said quite firmly. "But it's out of our hooves. All we can do is watch and hope for the best. And if Sprout does decide to change," She paused, putting a hoof to her chin before eventually finding the words she wanted to use. "Well, that's where we can make a difference." It wasn't long after she'd said that before she had departed the jail cell and left the sheriff's office.
Just like that, Sprout and Hitch were alone again. And now Sprout had something entirely new to think about. Could he really change like Sunny believed and hoped he could? Or was he already too far gone despite what she might believe.
Hitch gave his imprisoned partner a strange look as he prepared to get back to his desk. "I think we're both lucky to have a friend like Sunny," He told his fellow stallion. "A friend like her comes only once in a lifetime."
Author's Note
I don't know what's in store for Sprout in G5 proper. I can only hope that there's some addressing of what he did wrong.
I didn't just want this to be a story about Sprout getting arrested. I really wanted to dwell on the fact that he and Sunny at least used to be friends.
