Forgive and Forget

Chapter 1

Almost a month had passed after Rainbow Dash was kidnapped by Frank Morrison. In time he became the most wanted thing in all of Equestria all of the guards were sent out every town had a guard post. The Everfree forest was occasionally patrolled, random signs of Frank had been found food disappeared from stalls; apple tree may have been picked which was in full bloom the day before. Celestia, Luna, and Twilight were in the throne room talking about the events of the last 29 days. “We still have no leads on him. We’ve been searching for weeks.”

“Of course sister but we can’t give up he has Rainbow Dash.”

“Yes! We miss her!”Twilight shouted. The princesses looked at her shocked she had this outburst. “Calm down Twilight.”

“I’m sorry.” Celestia put one of her wings around her. “Twilight we know you miss your friend.” Suddenly a guard burst in. “Your highnesses! We have a new lead on the human!”

“What is it?”

“Fluttershy went missing…” Everyone froze and Twilight was crushed.

Frank was crawling through the underbrush heading to the apple orchard he had run out of apples the night before and he saw the signs of winter approaching so he went to grab as many apples as possible. He finally reached the end of the forest and stood up as he exited it was still daylight but it was a risk he had to take. When he stepped out he ran across the small field into the orchard and jumping onto a tree picking apples.

Fluttershy was out looking for a chicken she had gotten out of the coop. She was walking across the field. She wandered into the edge of the Everfree Forest searching for the chicken. Bushes shake as she passes through them. She stood in a clearing getting startled by the smallest sound. A bush rustled and Frank stepped out noticing the pony. “Shit…” The pony started to scream but Frank was already hushing her with his hand. Slowly Fluttershy’s vision started to blur as she tried to scream. Frank watched as fear engulfed her face she kicked him but he held tight. Once she was knocked out he stood over her body. “Shit what do I do…?” He picked her up and carried her back to his camp. When he came back Rainbow Dash looked his way. When she saw Fluttershy she exploded in anger. “Frank what have you done!” He glared at her. “I had to Rainbow Dash she’s not dead if that’s what you’re thinking.” Rainbow Dash struggled against the restraints.

“Rainbow Dash calm down!” He stepped over to stop her from hurting herself because of the restraints. She bucked her tied back legs and hit his leg. He cried out in pain as he fell to the ground holding the leg. For him the pain was unbearable but it wasn’t broken. Rainbow Dash sat their looking at him he seemed to have been incapable of feeling pain when she first was kidnapped. She looked at him and felt guilt. He finally stood up his eyes seemed to be lit with fire he picked up Rainbow Dash by the throat. “I have no problems…with killing you…” He said between deep breaths.

“I’m…sorry…”

“There is no sorry about it!” He threw her into the tree and the air was blown from her lungs.

“I should just kill you I’m going to die anyway!” He pulled out his magnum which Rainbow Dash had figured out after a week in his care.

“Frank…don’t…do…this…” She pleaded with him. Her voice was so quiet in Frank’s head his heartbeat and the sounds of the forest filled his head. Finally he heard he weak voice it knocked him back into a small kind of reality of what he was actually doing he noticed he had a live round loaded and aimed right at her head. He lowered the gun. “I’m…sorry…” He tossed the gun away and knelt down next to Rainbow Dash. He reached down to the restraints and loosened them just enough she could walk. “If I ever get like that again get out of here.” She looked at him in shock.

“What about Fluttershy?”

“I’m going to keep her here of course but… I don’t know what were gonna do…”

“About what…?” He just stared up at the sky looking at a range of clouds and the setting sun. The next day consisted of just sitting around and talking, Fluttershy woke up later in the evening before. Fluttershy just sat in the corner and barely talked to anyone. Rainbow Dash and Frank started to talk over the fire through the night. The night was very cold. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were sitting together shivering. The fire was dying and Frank couldn’t risk going for wood. He looked at the ponies hoping they could stay warm he was wrong they were already shivering. “Damn…” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were sitting together for the warmth of course suddenly a blanket was draped over them she looked up to Frank smiling. “Here try and stay warm now I can’t have you dying look bad for my image.” Rainbow Dash chuckled weakly.

“Good thing the cold hasn’t broken your sense of humor.” He sat next to the dying fire. Slowly he felt the effects of the cold and he started to shake uncontrollably. He clacked his teeth every so often causing Rainbow Dash to look up with a confused look. “You ok Frank?” He would always smile and tell her he was fine. After a bit the fire died and Frank was under one of the trees. “Thank god it hasn’t snowed…” He was curled into a balled figure trying to keep warm. The two ponies started to shiver once again but they were asleep. “Well at least if we die they die asleep.” He crawled over to them. He slowly moved them and removed the blanket. Rainbow Dash woke with the sudden cold. Wondering what was going on she looked up and saw that Frank was taking the blanket. She started to open her mouth but he shushed her with his finger. “It’s ok.” He sat against the tree and Rainbow Dash got an idea. She laid down next to him and he pulled Fluttershy next to him on the other side. He covered all of them with the blanket and they slowly fell asleep.

The next morning Frank woke up early the sun was still barely on the horizon. He looked to his sides to make sure the ponies were still there. Rainbow Dash was nestled next to him and Fluttershy was nuzzled into his side. He stroked both of their manes waking Rainbow Dash. “Morning Rainbow Dash.” She smiled. He slowly lifted the blanket and let Rainbow Dash crawl out from underneath. “Shhh…Be quiet Fluttershy is still asleep.” Fluttershy rolls in the blanket and opens here eyes. “Huh…how did this get here?” She moved the blanket and Rainbow Dash and Frank were watching her. Rainbow Dash smiled, “Morning Fluttershy.”

“Oh good morning Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy looked towards Frank and gave him a look that no one could fully understand was it anger or fear… “Hello Fluttershy once again I’m sorry about bringing you here…” She threw the blanket back over herself and shouted in her quiet voice, “Leave me alone!” He looked towards Rainbow Dash who just looked at him. “You did this.”

“I know that and I think I’m prepared to…” Suddenly guards burst from the trees causing Rainbow Dash and Frank to panic. Frank ran into the bushes while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were secured by the guards. “Stop fiend!” He continued to run through the woods. He jumped over a log which ended up leading down a steep hill. He slid down the hill and ended up in a near a small creek. “Frank you may as well give up.” Luna was standing before him with a large amount of guards surrounding him. He stood up and looked towards the arriving group Twilight and her friends and Celestia were standing at the edge. He reached into his bag. “Frank no!” Rainbow Dash yelled from the top of the ridge. “I hope I may be absolved of my sins against you and your people…but do nothing to Rainbow Dash I am at fault here.” He pulled out a photo. He looked at it for a moment then put it in his breast pocket. “Alright take me away.” The world went black as one of the guards knocked him out. “Captain what the hell was that for!?”

“I’m sorry your Highness.”

“He was gonna come willingly!” Luna was yelling at the captain, “Luna that’s enough!” Luna stopped yelling and Celestia motioned for the guards to take him away. Twilight was talking with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. “What did he do to you guys?”

“Nothing.” They both said. Twilight was perplexed.

“Nothing yet he held you hostage?”

“Yes. He really didn’t do anything just kept our hooves tied so we couldn’t escape but otherwise he didn’t do anything.” Rainbow Dash responded while Fluttershy sat in quiet agreement.

“So he kept you guys fed?”

“Yes he fed us with what he could find. He may have even saved our lives. We were freezing cold and he gave us his blanket. Even we he started to get cold he didn’t take it back. After a while we started to get cold again. We slept next to each other for warmth.” Twilight looked at her.

“I doubt he did that for you I think he did it for himself.” Rainbow Dash was shocked and hurt. How could Twilight just blatantly tell her everything he did was in his own interest? “Rainbow Dash he could have just wanted you alive so he could bargain using you as his chips.” Rainbow Dash shook her head.

“No! He wouldn’t do that he’s not some feeling less soldier!”

“But you saw the vision he just mindlessly killed those aliens.”

“But they tried to kill him!”

“He could have asked them to surrender!” Rainbow Dash took the last remark hard. Why didn’t he ask for them to surrender instead of just killing them. She couldn’t understand it.

The next day Frank awoke on a hard bed inside a cell. When he sat up he was greeted by a guard at the door. “Well look who’s up.” Frank grunted.

“What’s that human?”

“Nothing…”Frank sat and waited he knew eventually something would happen but what happened was what he didn’t expect. The door opened and Rainbow Dash entered. “Hi Frank.”

“Hello Rainbow Dash.” He didn’t move from the bed.

“Um…Frank?”

He looked towards her, “Yeah?”

“Did you keep us alive just so you could use us as bargaining chips?” Frank’s face immediately became dark. “At first…Yes…But after awhile we got to know each other I…”

“No…That’s enough…” She started to turn. “I’m not done. That’s what I was told to do…All of my kind are told to do that; capture and use to bargain if we can, but I couldn’t let you guys die. I’m sorry that I tried to hurt all of you if there listening in… I was just scared now I’m ready to face my fate do what you will just don’t hurt Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash hugged him he didn’t flinch nor did he hug back he sat staring at the wall.

Behind a one way mirror Celestia and Luna watched him and Rainbow Dash talk. They could hear everything. There was a mirror in the corner so if they wanted to look into his mind they could. They felt sorry for him he was scared not trying to hurt anyone but he did so he must pay right? They didn’t know. When they saw Rainbow Dash hug him and heard him accept his fate only then did they understand he felt but he kept those emotions bottled. “It’s not good for him.”

“I know but I think in his race. His kind are supposed to be tough and emotionless or at least on the outside.”

“Have you noticed he seems to be tormented in his sleep?”

“Yes I think this may remind him of something in his past.”

“I think we should get everyone together and look into his mind again.” They went back to looking through the mirror Rainbow Dash was still there but he was hugging her now too.

“Rainbow Dash thanks for all your help. If I die…No never mind…” She looked at him puzzled.

“It’s fine Rainbow Dash.” He let her go and she walked out of the cell. Celestia stepped into the room. “Well…hello Princess Celestia.”

“Frank.”

“Something you wanted?”

“I want to look into your mind.” He grunted.

“Now you’re sounding like the shrinks back on my planet.” He started to chuckle at his inside joke. “Ok so you want to probe my mind fine, go ahead.”

“Alright well if we may can we give you a sedative so you can sleep?”

“No I feel like sleeping anyway.” He lay down on the bed fully and she left. Soon the guards heard the quiet breathing of Frank sleeping.

“Alright everyone were going to look into Frank’s mind.” Celestia’s horn lit up and the mirrors image blurred once more.

“I hope you know what you’re doing Morris.”

“Oh calm down Henry.” Morris set the charge on the wall. Everyone went back around the corner of the alleyway. “Ok breach on my mark. One…Two…Mark!”He clicked the detonator. The wall exploded and they rushed in with their weapons up. He expected a lot of Covenant on the other side but the room was practically empty except for a few Elites on the other side. Their energy swords hummed to life as the squad fired at them. Rounds deflected off their shields and they slashed at the humans. The humans dodged and kept firing. “Humans…You will perish by our hands!” Suddenly one of the Elites cried out in pain. He fell to the ground half his face was blown out. All of the Elites roared and pushed against the humans soon they were being pushed into a corner. “Henry! Derek! Chuck! I want you guys to get out of here.”

“Morris we can’t just leave you!”

“Go! That’s an order I’ll hold them off and meet up with you guys!” The three run out of the alleyway that they were pushed into and the Elites cornered Morris. Morris reloaded his weapon and blasted the closest Elite. The Elites shield went down and he went down under the hail of bullets. Soon after a few minutes of tense keeping them at bay, it was down to Morris and a single Elite. Morris dropped his empty weapon and unsheathed his knife. The Elite laughed, “You think you can kill me with that puny blade!?”

“Well your shields are down.” The Elite laughed once again. “Bah! You shall not get passed my blade!” The Elite lunged and Morris dropped down low. Dodging the Elite, the Elite lunged again but when Morris crouched the Elite kicked him sending Morris sprawling to the ground. The Elite stepped on Morris’s chest. “You will pay for your insolence human.” He stabbed Morris in the leg with his sword. “You are going to die a painful death human.” Suddenly the Elites head exploded. “Morris!” The rest of his squad rushes in clearing the alleyway and the room they were in before. After they secured Morris they actually looked at what the room was for burnt corpses, half-eaten. “Food storage…” The image blurred out.

“Those aliens ate his race…?” Everypony was disgusted.

“No wonder he hides his emotions he’s horrible tormented with what he’s seen.” They all look towards the cell.

“Wake him.” They look towards Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Fluttershy doesn’t budge when they tell her it’d be best if he was comforted by people he knows the best. Rainbow Dash enters the cell and walks over to the sleeping body. She poked him with her hoof. He turned over, and his eyes slowly opened. “Hey Frank.”

“Hey Rainbow Dash.” He sat up and he winced in pain and Rainbow Dash went to help.

“What’s wrong?” He waved her off.

“Nothing just some leg pains.”

“That’s the leg that the alien stabbed you isn’t it?” He nodded and she hugged him.

“It’s ok Frank. You can talk about what you saw were all here for you…” The rest of the group walked in. He greeted each one after learning the names he did not know. Twilight looked at him with disdain. “You are just a killing machine aren’t you?” Everyone looked at Twilight and Frank stood up.

“You can think of me as a killing machine Twilight. I can take it I have already been called that. Children have been scared of me because of the scars I bear.” He lifts his pant leg revealing a large scar. "I got this from the sword you saw," He lifted his shirt. There was a circular scar to the left of his chest. “I got this later on in the war I took a needle in my chest. So go ahead and call me a killing machine I survived what would kill many.” Everyone grimaced at his scars. Twilight looked at him. “I really don’t care about your opinion, Twilight. You are just one pony.” Celestia started to say something but Frank waved her off. “Yes I know it’s a disrespect to your people Celestia.” Twilight finally stepped up. “Frank…You just aren’t making me believe you’re not a killing machine. You killed aliens without asking them to surrender. You didn’t hesitate to even try to talk with us when you first woke up…”

“You know why I didn’t try to talk! I woke up in a strange place and walked out to ponies messing with my stuff! I meant no harm and your guards attacked me shooting one was a provoked measure I wouldn’t have shot otherwise!” He interrupted her.

“Frank! You still didn’t try to talk!”

“Do you not think I don’t regret that decision to this day!?” He roared. “I have been going over the same day, night after night in my dreams! You’ve seen my nightmares and my dreams each one is violent because that’s what haunts me!”

Applejack busts between the two, “Come now! You two ain’t gunna fight like this. Everypony just calm down ya’ hear!” Frank starts to calm and walks back over to the bed. “I’m done with you ponies, unless you have something more important to say?” They all started to leave the room, “Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy you two can stay if you want. Fluttershy its ok if you don’t want to stay I know you must not like me still…”

“No...I’ll stay...”

“I will too.” Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stayed in the room. “Why did you want us to stay?”

“I just want some company.” He looked up at them he was crying.

“Frank… why are you crying?” Fluttershy finally started to speak with a much more friendly tone.

“It’s nothing.” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy look at him their faces told him he could talk to them. “It’s Twilight…I know she means well but she’s right I didn’t try. I didn’t try to gain my senses.” Suddenly Rainbow Dash slapped him with her hoof. He felt his cheek and Fluttershy was shocked. “Don’t you ever say that about yourself! You aren’t a killing machine you can show emotions and compassion you showed us it when we were freezing!”

“I know…but what am I supposed to do. You two seem to be the only ones who know the real me.”

“That’s not true…well at least I think…The princesses think that you’re not this ruthless killing machine Twilight takes you to be.” Frank looked at Fluttershy. “Maybe, but can you be sure?”

“No.”

“Well we’ll just wait this out.” The door opened and a guard walked in, “Here’s your food…” He set the plate next to him. He grabbed the plate and started to eat with his hands being as courteous as possible. “I do get fed here don’t I?” Everyone  chuckled. “Yeah that you do Frank.”

“Better than apples eh?”

“Better than apples every day.” He nodded. Once again the door opened this time. Another guard came in he had a bandage over his right shoulder. “Hello.”

“What is with…Ah you must be the pony I shot.”

“Yes.” Frank stood up. He stepped towards the pony and put out his hand, “I must apologize for shooting you.” The pony put his hoof in his hand and they shook. “You are forgiven.”

“Now I hope we can forget the whole mess and possibly be friends?” The guard was completely caught off guard at Frank’s words. “You want to be friends?”

“Of course in my race accidents can allow them to meet new people and make friends.” The guard smiled. “Sure.” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy smiled.

Luna was standing on the other side of the mirror. She watched intently as Frank made a new friend with the guard. “He seems to be adjusting well.”

“Indeed.” Celestia stepped next to her.

Outside the castle beyond Canterlot a figure watched through a crystalline mirror the events inside the cell. “He does seem to be making good progress maybe soon we’ll be able to induct him into the plan. Frank Morrison one of the only humans to see the world of Equestria how will you fair in the next few weeks.”