MLP: Friendship is Forgiving Part 1

WHACK! Spirit was punched across the muzzle by a Changeling Captain. He tried to move out of the way but he was bound to the chair by rope and held in place by a Changeling Grunt. WHACK! KICK! SMACK!

“Sssso, Major Tough Sssspirit, quite a title! Let'ssss put it to the tessst. I will stop this senseless beating and free you only if you give me the information I need.” hissed the Captain.

Spirit replied, “Major Tough Spirit, Equestrian Ground Forces, Service No. 8, 3—”

WHACK! KICK! SMACK! The same hits were dealt again.

“I had it with your ussselesss banter!”  Shouted the Captian. “We know you're planning a massssive counter-offenssssive. When, where, how! Ansssswer me!”

Spirit began to repeat his last statement, but was once again met with a flurry of punches and kicks. Spirit would never break, not only because it's in his name, but he knew the information would guarantee the attack to fail and many more of his fellow soldiers would die if he gave in.

“You impresssss me Major.” Conceded the Captain, “You threw away any care you have for yoursssself in order to ssssave otherssss. How touching. Let'ssss see how you fare when the life of your comrade issss put on the line...” The Changeling Captain pauses, “And only you can ssssave him.”

Two more grunts trudged into the room dragging a white Equestrian Unicorn behind them. He was severely beaten and was swaying in and out of consciousness. Blood ran down and soaked his bruised and swollen face and caked his silver mane. He obviously had taken many shots to the ribcage as well and suffered broken ribs. Not to mention his left hind leg was snapped. The Colonel was still able to recognize him immediately, though not from facial recognition—it was too disfigured—but by the look in his eye. The unicorn was Private First Class Silver Shine. Even through he had taken an astonishing amount of torture, the unicorn still burned of desire in his glowing orange eyes. The desire to always fight for the just cause. Major Spirit had long lost this desire he once had. Anger and revenge has taken it's place since Duke was killed in action.

Tough Spirit met Silver Shine on a routine check of the front line. It seemed everypony was low in morale. It had been raining for three days and temperatures approached freezing. If a pony wasn't suffering from some sickness, then they would be soon. Spirit was accompanied by, now Lieutenant Skies when he came across Silver Shine who was smiling in spite of it all.

“Soldier!” Major Spirit called, “What is your name?”

“Sir, Private First Class Shine, sir!” The soldier replied.

“How are you feeling?”

“Sir, I feel good and ready to fight, sir!” PFC Shine replied.

“So you're not cold, wet, and tired?”

“Sir, no sir! If you asked me, I'd say it's the middle of July, and I'm sun bathing, sir!”

Major Spirit Chuckled, “I like you're spirit, soldier. It reminds me of my own. Keep this up, and you will take my place.”

“Sir, yes sir!” The private loudly replied with pride.

Spirit paused for a moment. He noticed his conversation was drawing the attention of nearby soldiers, so he asked another question, “Do you have a family at home?”

“Uh, yes sir?”

“Tell me about them.”

“Yes, sir. I have a mother, father, and a little brother.” Confused, Silver Shine stopped.

“Go on.” Spirit said inquisitively.

“Well, like all overly loving parents, they were upset when I joined the Equestrian Army, but I felt a duty to serve my country and protect the ones I love. In the end, they're very proud of me. My little brother wanted to follow in my hoofsteps—Celestia bless him—but I made him promise not to. He's too smart. Just wait and see, Shining Bright will be the next Start Swirl The Bearded!”

Silver Shine was in Lieutenant Skies' platoon. Hinting on Spirit's plan to raise morale, Skies added in. “Talking of your little brother again, private? My son could fly on his own when he was only one year old! You don't see me bragging how he'll be the next great Wonderbolt, though he will be.”

A couple soldiers chuckled.

Another Unicorn also spoke up, “My cousin could cast a teleportation spell when she was only a few months old, but it was every time she sneezed.”

The group started laughing together. Joyful conversation and warm laughter filled the lines on a gloomy and cold day. One pony's ability to keep a positive outlook has spread like wildfire across the soldiers. Walking away, Tough Spirit wished with all his heart that Silver Shine would make it home, that he would not be another casualty in a long and drawn out war. He had a good heart and spirit and was driven to be his best for all of the right reasons. The world needs more ponies like Silver Shine.

Now, Silver Shine is brought to Spirit beaten, bloodied, and unable to even stand.

“I have a new deal. The nexssst words out of your mouth better be what I need to hear or elsssse...” Threatened the Captain.

Tough Spirit paused for what seemed like an eternity. He looked into Silver Shine's eyes. Spirit could tell Silver Shine was ready to die for his brother in arms and protect his family, by the reassuring smile he painfully brought across his face. Spirit couldn't be more proud of that pony in the face of death. There is no way he could let Silver Shine die though, but he couldn't give away the sensitive informaion; He wouldn't. Spirit tried to buy some time by lying.

“Two weeks from now, four battalions, at the Rocky Ridge Pass, two will run a frontal assault and draw your troops out of their position while while the other two flank. With the ridge in our possession, we can run a pincer movement on your main force.”

Tough Spirit's eyes locked with Silver Shine. Silver Shine eyes were filled will disappointment and hate. He was unaware it was a lie.

The Changeling Captain screamed, “You're lying! We have intel that there issss only two Battalionssss in that area, and thesssse reportssss are NOT wrong!”

Spirit quickly thought of a counter, “Two more will arrive shortly, within days.”

The Captain called his bluff again, “In thissss weather?! This blizzzzard hassss halted all travel. Any and all travel hassss slowed to a crawl! In this case, we sssshould then have at leasssst a month to prepare. Thissss is another lie!” He paused and gathered his composure, “You can't fool me. Thisss issss your fault. You forsssed my hoof.”

“No! This is in violation of the Canterlot Convention!” Argued Tough Spirit.

“You're right, but I don't ssssee a court here, now do I?”

“No!”

Tough Spirit kicked and squirmed, but could not free himself. He watched helplessly as an ax was raised above Silver Shine's head. Silver Shine was still staring at Spirit with anger. Silver Shine didn't know what to believe. What he saw though, was a selfish pony sacrificing the life of hundreds just for one. Spirit looked at Silver Shine for the last time. The desire in his eyes were gone; hatred and betrayal had abruptly taken it's place. Spirit felt a vast emptiness in his stomach, and guilt filled the void. He managed to destroy one pony's hope in justice—his belief in what's right—in a split second and, worse yet, just before his death. Spirit wanted to fix it; he wanted to explain everything, that he was lying to try and save him. The ax began to fall.

“NOOOOO!” Screamed Tough Spirit, jumping out of his seat.  The passengers and train workers looked at him bewildered. Once again, he had mistaken his nightmare for reality. One of the workers hesitantly spoke up and said:

“You don't have to get off here at Ponyville.”

Quickly, Tough Spirit reclaimed his equanimity and replied, “I apologize, but I do have to get off, I was mistaken that this was the wrong stop.”

The passengers and workers looked at each other and shrugged. These recurring nightmares have Spirit beginning to question whether rest was doing more bad than good. He quietly departed from the train and headed straight to town hall. He started to think about his time in captivity. He remember how enraged he was, how he managed to get free and the horrid things he did to escape. He was also able to espape with valuable intelligence on the Changeling's next move: the threat on Canterlot before the Royal Wedding. Once again, he was given another medal and promotion, and once again, he'd give it all away, just to save Silver Shine. It seemed every time Spirit pulled through for Equestria, he sacrificed a little bit of himself, his sanity and well-being. That was the job of a soldier though. Spirit shook his head trying to forget. He tried thinking about his mysterious new house, but to no avail.

What would my house look like?

I killed Silver Shine's dreams.

Would I have neighbors?

I let a Changeling kill Silver Shine.

Hopefully I can still obtain the keys from the mayor before her office closes.

It's all my fault.