Forgive and Forget

Chapter 2

Frank was lying on his bed when the door opened and the princesses stepped in. He stood up, “Hello your highnesses.” Celestia looked to Luna who hadn’t seemed to notice that you used “your highnesses,” it was odd but she quickly shook it out of her head. “Something wrong Celestia?”

“Nothing’s wrong Frank thank you.” He sat back down. “Now what did you come to talk about?” He crossed his arms and laid his back against the wall. “Were here to tell you that you can leave the cell now.” He sat up straight, “What? I ‘m free to leave now?”

“Yes.” He stood up and walked out into the hall. They followed, “Come on let us show you to your more new living quarters.” He looked at Celestia.

"Did you just say living quarters?”

“Yes we’ve been studying some of what the thing on your ship calls logs. It’s says bedrooms are referred to as living quarters.”

“There is no need to use my terminology Celestia that is something I wouldn’t even think you would use.”

“Why not?”

“Military terms aren’t usually used by anyone outside the military.” She grinned.

“What? Is it something I said?” Frank was confused.

“Oh nothing.” They finally arrived at a large door. “Here is your new room.”

“Thank you Celestia. Thank you Luna.” He gave them a bow and entered the room. As he entered the room Pinkie Pie launched a bunch of confetti. “Hi Frank!”

“Hello Pinkie Pie.”

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“Thanks everybody!” They all went to partying, Vinyl Scratch was the DJ of course and everypony was dancing. Frank was leaning against the wall, Rainbow Dash walked  over, “Hey Frank why aren’t you dancing?” He looked down to his leg. “Oh…You can’t dance because of the leg? How hard is it to dance you were running fine…?”

“That’s only when its necessary. Either way I wasn’t much of a dancer.”

“Come on Frank! You can at least try can’t you?” He sighed.

“Fine…Come let’s go then.” They stepped into onto the dance floor. It was awkward for  Frank to dance, but he tried as best as he could. “Yeah I see what you mean by not being able to dance.”

“I’m trying aren’t I?” Rainbow Dash laughed. They danced and partied through the early afternoon soon the party died down. Twilight and the rest of the ponies remained. She stood before Frank. “Twilight do you want something?”

“Yes I want your reaction.” Frank became confused.

“Reaction to what?” Twilight reached into her bag with her magic pulling out a small photo. Frank’s head face twitched slightly.

“Where did you get that?”

“We took it off you once we captured you.” She raised it up so he could see the actual photo; he started to reach for it. The photo burned reducing to ash. He froze, “Do you know what you have done Twilight…?”

“Yes I just burned a photo of yours.” Everyone looked at Twilight then turned their attention to Frank his face twitched his hands were clenched into fists. Rainbow Dash started to ask about the photo when Frank stepped up to Twilight. “You…should…not have done that…”Suddenly Twilight was thrown across the room. “Twilight!”

“No! Do not help her. She knows what she has burned! That picture was all I had left!” He walked over to Twilight who was still dazed and trying to get up. He grabbed her throat and lifted her. “I won’t kill you but you may live with the same pain I live with.” He looked straight into her eyes they were filled with fear. “Frank put her down!” Rainbow Dash pleaded.

“She burnt the only picture I had left of her!”

“Who is she!?”

“My sister…” Suddenly he dropped Twilight. He walked over to the bed. “Twilight you have just burnt the only remaining picture of my dead sister the last of my family.” Rarity and Applejack helped Twilight to her feet. “Frank…”

“Rarity…Applejack…let her walk on her own she can feel the pain I walk with can’t she.” Twilight’s leg had a large gash down it blood trickled out. “Go take her to the doctor’s. I will talk with Celestia.” Frank walked out of the room. Leaving everyone else to digest what just happened. “What just happened?”

Rainbow Dash stepped up to Twilight. “You just saw the killing machine you thought he is.” Twilight shivered, “His eyes they had no remorse he looked like he was just gonna kill me and walk away.”

“Maybe you deserved it Twilight…” Everyone looked to Fluttershy as if she just said she was from the pits of Tarturus. “You think she deserved that? Nopony deserves to be beaten like the way I am!”

“Twilight did. Twilight you have been learning the ways of Friendship.”

“Yes but I don’t…”

“Well maybe the lesson here is to forgive your friends and forget what they did. No go get that cut looked at.” Twilight limped out of the room. “Come on Fluttershy let’s go see Frank.” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy left the room, leaving Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity in the room with their thoughts. “What just happened?”

“Ah’ don’t know Rarity. Ah’ just don’t know…”

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy entered the throne room to Frank explaining to Celestia about what he did to Twilight. “Frank are you ok?” He looked towards them, “I’m fine.”

“Celestia what are you gonna do about this?”

“I’m going to do nothing.” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are shocked.

“You’re not gonna do anything!”

“No I’m not Twilight got what she deserved. I do think it may have been a little over excessive but she hounds him for no reason.” The doors open once again and Twilight entered. Celestia looked towards her. “Twilight, you have gotten what you deserved you have hounded Frank for no reason but to make him mad so you can prove a point. You burned the only picture of his sister…”

“Celestia I think that’s enough no need to lecture her she has had enough.” He walked down the stairs and looked into the eyes of Twilight. “Twilight you saw the way I get when I almost killed Rainbow Dash when she bucked me and I went this way when I failed to save my sister.” He knelt down to her. “Now I only want you to see me for whom I really am. I want you to look into my eyes again.” She finally looked into his eyes after just staring into his chest. “I don’t want to hurt you Twilight.” She just stared back down at the ground. “I’m not gonna get to you am I?” She shook her head. “Well I have only one thing left to do.” He hugged her. At first she sat there then she hugged him back. “I’m sorry for everything.” He released her, “its ok Twilight.”

The next day was Frank first day as an official guest of the princesses. Twilight and her friends went out with Frank for the day, while they were walking through Canterlot a lot of people scoffed as he walked by, “Seems my reputation is still in bad shape.”

Twilight nodded. “How‘s the leg?”

“Fine I still have a bit of a limp.”

“How bad is the limp?” He didn’t notice a limp but walking on all fours must disguise anything a human would see as a limp.

“Really small…It’s a lot like your limp actually I just put a little extra weight on the leg when I step with it.”

“That’s fine it shouldn’t bother you much does it hurt?”

“Sometimes…” He nodded. “Well what are we gonna do?” Rainbow Dashes stomach rumbles.

“Maybe we should get something to eat?” Everyone nods in agreement. “I know the perfect place.” Rarity chimed. She led them to a café. They sat down and ordered food. Frank was once more out of place he sat well above the ponies. “Aren’t you going to order anything?”

“No I’m not hungry.” Once everyone else’s food arrives they begin to eat. They talked through most of the lunch. He sat their listening and responded when asked a question but otherwise he was thinking. Finally he put his hands down and cleared his throat. “I think I need to work on my image.” Everyone looked at him.

“You think?” He chuckled. So he went on explaining that if he was to get anywhere in this place he’d have to get a decent image instead of the alien that tried to kill the princess.

“Do you have a plan?”

“No not really. Maybe make some friends inside the castle first.”

“How bout’ the guards?”

“You may have an idea there Applejack.” He tapped each of his fingers on the table in a methodical pattern.

After lunch Frank went back to the castle. He went to Celestia’s private library and knocked. “Come in.” He opened the door. “Celestia could I ask a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Do you think I could train with the guards?”

“I don’t see why not…”

“Shall we go see what their up to?”

“Yes.” They left the library walking towards the guard dining hall. They entered the hall; all of the guards looked their way and bowed to the princess then noticed the figure next to her. “What is he doing here?” A guard in silver armor with golden trim asked. To the dismay of the guards Celestia answered, “He is to dine with you from now on and to train with you.” He slightly bowed to the group of guards. When he looked back up he noticed the guard he shot was in the crowd. Celestia motioned for the guard in gold trimmed armor to step forward. “Frank this is Commander Lightning.”

“Hello Commander.” Frank put his hand out. The commander reluctantly put her hoof into his hand and they shook. “Looking forward to working with you.” After that Celestia left and the lunch resumed. Frank walked over to a corner of the room and stood there staring out the window. The pony he shot came beside him. “Hello, Frank.”

“Hey. I have a question what is the Commander like?”

“I don’t know how your commanders were where you’re from but she puts us all through the ringer during training.”

“So expect a hard time.”

“I would yes.”

“Alright thanks Topaz.” Topaz walked back to the table. Soon a bell rang and all of the guard stood up. A pony in pure gold entered. Commander Lightning stepped up to the pony and saluted. “Alright everyone! Let’s get moving to the target range.” Frank’s face twitched when he heard range. He started to follow the group when the Commander waves him over. He walks over, “Yes Commander?”

“This is the Captain Lieutenant.” Frank straightened and went into a crisp salute. “At ease. Now I hear you are to train with us?”

“Yes I am. I have one question though.”

“What is it?”

“Are you the one who knocked me out when I surrendered?” The captain gulped he had heard of the damage he did to Twilight Sparkle after she burned a photo of his. “Yes.”

“Good technique, but a little rough you could have given the person a concussion or killed them so a little softer would have been better.” The captain was shocked he expected a punch or something but all he did was compliment him on his technique and give him a tip. “So what are we doing on the range today?”

“We’ll show you.” He followed the Captain and the Commander to the target range. “Were going to do a simple team exercise, two teams pitted against each other.”

“What will I be using?”

“A modified crossbow of ours because you can’t do magic. It will still fire magical bolts.” The armorer came out of the blacksmith behind the range. “Here is your crossbow. We took one of your weapons and adapted the grip to it for this crossbow.”

“What’s it shoot?” The armorer hands him the crossbow. Frank takes aim at a target. He fires the bolt hits making a large blue splatter on the target. “Like a paintball. Little drop…” The Captain and Commander looked at each other while he messed with crossbow. “Alright Lieutenant are you ready?”

“Yes and one more thing call me Morris…”

“Alright…Morris…That will take some getting used to…” Frank laughed, “Its ok Captain. Just a tradition in my family.”

Frank and his small team were set on the far side away from the entrance to the range. “Alright… So what are we gonna do?” Topaz was part of his team. “You are in command, Morris.”

“Alright I want all of you to stick with me when we…” He heard a large bell ring signaling to start. “Alright this is it! Let’s go.”

Morris crawled through the underbrush he was able to bring one thing from his small amount of gear. He brought odd netting that no one actually understood why. He looked to the group of bushes to his left and right and saw a member in each. His face was painted a camouflage color so at first his squad mates didn’t see him till he made a small amount of movement. He raised his hand and made a motion that symbols to move up. He got up to a crouched position and moved across the open area to another set of bushes. His squad mates regrouped here. “Alright Topaz you and I we’ll head up through the left. You two head up on the right.” The two whose names he did not known nodded and moved to the right. He heard splats and they say they were out. “Well…They known were here now.”

“Not really Morris they were out there not us.”

“Yes but they know we must be near no squad should ever split up for too long. Wait here I’m going to see what were up against.” He lies back down and crawls into the bush. He moves a bit of bush out of the way and looked out upon the open area before him. He saw the other team set up in the rocks overlooking the area. He looked towards the edges which had a large amount of shrubbery. He crawled back out. “Alright Topaz you and I are going to crawl through the bushes on the side of the range.”

“I’ll follow your lead.” They crept over to the edge of the range and lay back down. “Now we gotta take this slow.” They started the slow trek across a stretch of bush in improvised ghille suits.

The other team meanwhile was wondering where the hell they were. The Commander looked over the edge of the rocks scanning the area before them. “It’s almost been seven minutes since we shot the first two. Where are Morris and Topaz?” He looked over to the other set of rocks where the other two guards in his squad were sitting. “You two see anything!?” He hollered the guard shook his head. “Where are they…?”

“Alright Topaz I want you to take my crossbow.”

“And do what?”

“Eliminate those two.” He pointed to the guards closest to them. “What are you gonna do?”

“I’m going to take care of the Captain and the Commander.”

“With only your hands?”

“Not just my hands. Now wait to take out the guards till I give you the signal.” Frank snuck past the first two guards and sat lower on the rocks out of the sight of the Captain and the Commander. He looked over to Topaz who was still lying in wait. He raised his hand and clenched it. With the signal given he stepped up ever slowly creeping behind the unsuspecting ponies. “If this is what the Lieutenant calls strategy he is a fool…”

“He’s trying our patience’s seeing if he can get us to come out.”

“Nor is he right behind you…” The two ponies cringed and slowly turned. He was standing before them unarmed. “Your unarmed and you think you can take us on!?” The captain laughed. “Come now…it’s best to surrender.”

“I have my whole…team…” He looked to the other rocks and the two others weren’t there. He looked behind Frank and saw them walk out of the range with splats on their back. “There are still two of us. Take him down!” They raised their weapons but Franks moved before they fired he ducked doing an upper kick knocking the crossbows away. “I have effectively disarmed you. You lose.”

“Not till one team is splattered!” The Captain roared. The Commander just sat and watch she was about to join in when Topaz appeared behind her and threw her to the ground shooting her in the chest. Topaz looked back over the rocks and saw the Captain and Frank fighting hand to hoof as it were. Topaz stepped up onto the upper ledge, “Morris!” He tossed his crossbow into the air and Frank caught it. While he was distracted catching the crossbow. The captain bolted for his crossbow. They both spun and brought them up. Two clicks and a splat, the Captain looked down his armor was covered in blue. Nothing was blue on Frank or even near him for that matter. “How the hell!?”

“I destroyed the firing mechanism Captain. Good game though I hope to go through that again maybe this time you’ll try not to camp hmm?”

The three of them walked out of the range and into the waiting area. The Captain walked in, “The lieutenant and his squad has won.” The other two of Frank’s squad cheered. Twilight and her friends walked in, followed by Celestia. “I’ll talk it you all were watching eh?”

“We were…Tell me what did you covered your squad in?”

“In my military this is camouflage otherwise known as a ghille suit meant to blend in with the current surroundings and make the wearer look like anything but what he is.”

“Truly amazing…I think we should try to adapt this Captain.” The Captain nodded. He stepped towards Frank. “You did good out there Lieutenant I would be honored to have you be one of us. “ Frank was well…frankly surprised. (I did not want to make that pun forgive me.) “You want me to be a royal guard?”

“Yes. Do you agree Princess?”

“I do he is very capable.”

“Well I think I might just take you up on your offer.”