//------------------------------// // Cold Dark Night In October // Story: War Pony // by CreeperZone //------------------------------// Nightfall approached steadily. Basalt, Fury, and Glisten took the time to bury and pay respects to their fallen comrade. Despite Basalt’s argument against it, they lit a fire for Hopeful to lie beside in his restraints. Hopeful gazed into the dirt, grieving silently. “Was it worth it?” Basalt eased down to sit beside him, holding a blood sponged hoofkerchief to her nose. Hopeful remained unflinching. “Do you honestly believe that what you did was right? Justified..? Whatever..?” She sounded disconnected, speaking without a minuscule of energy. “You killed my friend, Hopeful. I know he shouldn't have done what he did to that child, but you have to understand his reasoning. It was a Pegasus. You shouldn't have brought it here, let alone help it.” Hopeful whimpered quietly, feeling like he should be crying, but he felt a void of tears in his eyes. Under his breath he spoke quietly. “I was... We were all, wrong... It's all just... Wrong...” “What are you gonna say? Pegasi are the ''good guys'', that they don't bomb our villages and steal our food and aren't the whole fucking reason for this war in the first place?!” Basalt lifted her voice at him, at the brink of crying, still attempting to process the two friends she lost today. Hopeful tilted his head up to the fire, “There's no reason for me to tell you why I did what I did... Telling you won't change your mind about the Pegasi, about us or even about the war...” Hopeful looked upon his blood-smeared hooves. “And if I did tell you... I would just seem like I've gone insane... And I can't even blame you... Before today I would have shot that filly... I already commanded the culling of that village...” He lifted his eyes up to the sky.  “Maybe I have gone insane... Sure feels like it... Just had my whole world turned inside out...” “Hopeful?” Basalt said gently. “Yeah?” he replied, lowering his head once more. “I used to think about how I'd die, a lot. This young, clumsy mare going into a war... I thought I would die dropping a mortar shell at my hooves and it exploding or something like that.” She looked upon Hopeful with cheerful eyes hiding her sorrow, “But then you became the leader... I saw you and I was inspired. I knew that under your command I would die fighting, like a real soldier... by your side...” She sighed, returning her gaze to the ground as it became hard to face him. “But now... Now you're going to get executed by a firing squad, which I'll likely be in, and then I'm probably going to get blown up while I sleep and then be shouted at by Fury for slacking post-mortem.” Basalt sat quietly for a few moments, debating in her mind. “I don't believe you’re crazy, Hopeful.” She picked up the bloody cloth for her nose. “I believe you were under a lot of stress. I believe that you saw your daughter in that Pegasus. I believe what you did was out of confusion and instinct, and I just hope you can forgive yourself before... you know...” Hopeful looked at her. “Are you saying you forgive me?” Basalt sighed. “No, I'm not. I don't think I ever could. That's why I'm hoping you can forgive yourself, so at least one of us can.” Basalt looked toward Glisten and Fury, packing up their things to finally leave. As she went to stand, Hopeful grabbed her with his hoof. “Basalt.” “Yes?” “You’ve probably lost all your respect for me, but this comes from a genuine place in my heart.” He put his hoof down. “Don't die a soldier. I will. You don't have to. I know it’s been glorified, to serve your country and die for it, but it’s no good death. After this is over, go start a family. Find somepony that you love with all of your heart and marry them. Have children and find out you somehow love them even more then you could have ever dreamed. Die as an old grandmother, one that told her grandkids stories from 'back in her day' and plays with them, even when it’s past their bedtime. A pony that is respected by others. A pony that dies a hero, not because she got blown to bits by a Pegasus bombshell, but because they made other ponies smile. Because you planted flowers and baked cakes for everypony. Be an inspiration to others. Write a book or poetry about how you survived the war. Play chess with your friends while you chat about the weather. Go make surprise visits to your family every day, just 'cause. Live the life I was denied. You don't want to die like me, just a name on a list, with nothing more for a legacy than a gravestone that reads ''Traitor'' in some old, forgotten graveyard... As I was told by some private on my first day, there's no need to be a war hero. I sure as shit ain't one. For your own sake, don't try to be one either.” “I...” Basalt whipped away a tear from her eye. “I promise.” In the following hours they walked back home, silent the entire journey. Glisten couldn't face Hopeful, Basalt used the time to think, leaving Fury in charge of their prisoner. Fury devilishly smiled as he forced Hopeful forward with the threat of his bayonet looming behind Hopefuls skull. Fury knew that he would finally claim leadership after Hopeful's execution. They arrived a while past sunset, approaching the town from its north, all shivering. It was pitch black. If not for the small slit of light leaving the gun nest, they wouldn’t even see the town. At their arrival, they were met by Spring galloping up to them with a lantern from his post in the gun nest. He shouted his greetings as he ran. “YOU’RE BACK! Oh, I was getting so worried once the sun went down. I thought you might...” His lantern emitted a faint orange glow, illuminating the faces of Hopeful, Fury, Glisten and Basalt against the contrasting black abyss at their backs. “Wheres Quick? Did he..? Hopeful?” Spring became concerned with spotting Fury holding Hopeful at gunpoint. Hopeful lowered his head, then began trudging past Spring and going toward the town. Fury quickly followed suit. “Hopeful ain't your captain anymore. He betrayed us,” he said to Spring, passing by. Spring turned to the two mares. “What? But, but... What do you mean? What happened to Quick?” Glisten decided to follow Fury, hanging her head low. Her eyes were moist and shining against the lantern flames from her frozen tears. Basalt replied to him, “Quick didn't make it... Hopeful, well... He fucked up, and I don't think there's a saving him anymore.” She put her hoof onto Springs shoulder to comfort him. Spring rapidly turned his head to watch the faint outline of the group walking away. His jaw dropped, eyes widened as he realized the severity of the situation. His jaw shook as he tried to formulate a sentence. Giving up, he grabbed Basalt's hoof and pulled her in for a hug. She hugged back tightly, shutting her eyes. Fury brought Hopeful to his room. Getting a key from the front desk, he locked Hopeful inside, leaving Glisten to guard the door as he went to the radio to report Hopeful’s crimes against Earth Pony kind. Once Fury had gone, Glisten threw down her rifle to the side, leaned back against the door, and covered her face in her hooves. Hopeful, on his side of the door, found himself doing the same. “Glisten?” Hopeful said turning his head to the door, hoping she could hear him. She did, but chose not to respond. “I know it doesn't mean much... But... I'm sorry... I can't imagine what you must be going through...” Hopeful paused, listening for any signs of life outside of his prison. “This is the last time we'll get to talk alone. I don't have much time... And I know you don't want to talk to me now, but... I'm asking just in case... I want you to have the chance to tell me anything you need to before it’s too late... Even if you want to tell me to go fuck myself cause I'm some sort of Pegasus sympathizing bastard, I'd want to hear it.” Glisten felt her heart sink into her chest, eyes falling and head becoming heavy. She did not respond. “I get it... You don't have anything to say... I'm just making sure... So I don't leave any loose ends when I go...” Hopeful sighed, allowing the silence to prevail. Fury's voice came barreling down the hallway from the other side of the town hall. “Glisten, I've talked to the ponies at command. They say they'll be sending over a general as a judge, but if what we’re saying is true, then it certainly calls for capital punishment!” Glisten was almost mad about how happy Fury sounded, like this was a good thing that was happening. She stood up, reached down for her rifle, and wrapped the strap around her chest. Looking back at Hopeful’s cage, she leaned into the door. “I wish things went differently, Hopeful. I really, really do.” She then turned and trotted down the hallway. Hours passed. Soldiers came and went, taking shifts in guarding Hopeful. Hopeful stayed silent, lost in thought. Around midnight, when Spring arrived, which Hopeful knew as Spring told whoever was standing outside the door that he would be taking over for now. A few minutes later, Hopeful heard his voice again from outside the door. “Psst, Hopeful? You in there?” He paused for a sigh before answering. “Where else would I be?” They Hopeful's ears perked up from hearing the click of the lock sliding open. He sloppily made it to his hooves and turned to face the door, which Spring opened gently. His face was splashed with blood. He had a black eye and his mane was messier than usual. He had a wide smirk on his face. “I've got some news.” “What in the heavens happened to you?” Hopeful's worries for himself quickly evaporated, replaced with concern for his friend. “That's part of the news!” Hopeful rolled his eyes. “Well, go on then.” “So, after everypony was caught up on your crime... what you did earlier, Fury started making claims for leadership, and it seemed that no pony was going to go against him. But then I thought ''What would Hopeful want me to do?'' so I decided to stand up to him and told him I should be the new captain, which he really didn't like, so we ended up in a fight!” Hopeful gasped. “YOU BEAT UP FURY?” “Well, no... I say ''fight'' but really he just punched me in the face and knocked me unconscious.” Springs smile dimmed for a moment before picking back up. “But then apparently while I was out, the others rallied up behind me and voted for me to become captain out of pity!” He let out a sigh, and with a half smile Hopeful said, “That's good for you, Spring. At least one of us benefited from this.” Hopeful slumped down onto the ground. “So is that everything you wanted to tell me..?” Spring looked awkward. “Well, there is something else...” “I know... It’s the only thing I can think about anymore...” Spring walked into the room, the floorboard giving a gentle creak as he walked. “I was... Told all about... 'it…’” Spring sat down in front of him. “The way they said it... It was like they weren't talking about somepony they knew... Neither Basalt nor Glisten mentioned your name once... Like they were speaking of a stranger...” “I don't blame them... I don't feel like myself either...” Hopeful began staring into the void in his heart once more. “Hopeful, I'm not very good with touchy feely stuff, as you know. Can we just skip the bit where we act all sad together?” Hopeful gazed up at him. “You’re not mad I killed Quick?” “I'm sad about it, but I'm not peeved or anything. I wasn't that close with him, so It'd be hard for me to hate you for it... Really, I just wanted to know why. They said it was something to do with a Pegasus Filly that Quick killed, but they didn't go into any more detail than that.” Hopeful squinted his eyes closed, trying to remember the events without crying. “I was...” He sighed and placed a hoof on his forehead. “I’d just shot the pegasus. Just by dumb luck I saw her. She was the one who killed Joyful and Sugarcoat... I shot her down and I found where she landed to make sure she was dead. As it turns out she was protecting her daughter from the gunfire, my gunfire... I hit her in the leg earlier when I was just shooting into the clouds... I never got her mother’s name. I guess she never got mine either... Didn't stop us from ruining each other’s lives...” Hopeful’s focus shifted to his flank, pondering his cutie mark. “Three smiling suns... Not the cutie mark of a heartless villain... I wonder what it meant, who she was... She died defending her daughter, so... Whoever she was, she was good. She was willing to give her life for Celestial... I would have done the same for Sugar.” Hopeful looked up toward Spring, noticing that he has been going on a tangent. “When I saw the filly, I knew what I had done. I realized something... I know it'll sound crazy but... Pegasi and Earth Ponies are no different, not in motives, not in fears, and that probably also includes the Unicorns to be honest... We're all just trying to do what’s best and pointing the blame on each other... That's why I tried to help the Pegasus. That's why I lost control and killed Quick. I just couldn't believe the mindset that all Pegasi are evil anymore.” Spring stared in marvel. “Is that really what you believe? The Pegasi don't want us dead?” “I didn't say that, of course they want us dead. The same as we want them dead, but it’s not about food or weather. It’s because we don't trust each other enough to believe that the Pegasi aren't causing the snow or to share our resources.” “Hopeful, while I may not agree, I understand what you’re saying... But how can anyone apart from the Pegasi be the cause of this weather? It’s not like Earth Ponies or Unicorns can touch clouds and fly.” “That's the one part I've still got to figure out. Why all of this is happening now? Why was there peace before and what changed that?” Hopeful dropped his head into his hooves. “Sadly it doesn't matter to me anymore, getting executed tomorrow and all.” “Yeah...” Spring stood himself up. “Thank you for talking to me about this. I honestly wish I could stop having to fight anypony. Be it the Pegasi or Fury...” Spring turned to door. “Thanks for understanding...” Hopeful turned to the window in his room, boarded up from the outside with wooden planks. He watched the snowflakes fly past the cracks in the barricade. Spring left the room, spun around to the door and looked at him. “You know, it’s a shame that you can't just walk out of here...” Hopeful raised an eyebrow at his tone of voice. “The only way to get out would be to knock out the guard, and even then you would have to bust through the door to do that...” Spring raised the but of his rifle in his hooves. “I mean, it shouldn't be that hard, this lock being just a regular, flimsy door lock, seeing as it wasn’t built for a prison. I bet it could come loose with one or two...” Spring Slammed his rifle against the side of the door, the lock that was embedded in the wood tore away, “good hits...” Spring looked up with a beaming smile at Hopeful. “But then taking out the guard, that could be a problem... Unless you happen to be guarded by some fool with a history of being bad at military stuff, somepony like that would probably even fall asleep on the job.” Spring slid down against the wall and shut his eyes. Yawning, he said “Somepony like that might even leave the key to the backdoor just lying there next to him...” Spring dropped a steel key to his side, opening one eye to see if Hopeful was catching on. Hopeful grew tiresome. “Spring, I get what you’re doing here, but there's no real point to it anymore. Even if I got out of this place, I would just die of starvation, or freeze to death, or get bombed... I appreciate the thought, though.” Spring sat up, trying to beg him. “Come on, Hopeful, there is no way dying here is better than even a chance of survival out there. I know you feel like shit and you've lost a lot very recently, but please, don't let this be all for nothing. You said it yourself that there is still something you need to figure out... Plus, I doubt you'll be starving or freezing to death with all this camping gear.” Spring reached behind the door in the hallway to pull a bag into sight of Hopeful. Hopeful looked surprised. “Did you... Did you plan this ahead..?” “Of course! I've even got the rest of the troop distracted, nopony else, apart from the mayor, is even in this building.” Hopeful stood up and trotted toward the bag. With further inspection, he could see survival gear, camouflage and some food rations. “I can't believe I'm about to say this...” Spring bolted up with happiness. “Am I right? Or am I right?” Hopeful said, with a sigh, “You’re right... But aren't you worried you’re letting out a Pegasus sympathizer and a murder?” “Well, I thought about that a lot while I was trying to find an extra, non-bloody, camouflage sheet and I've come to the terms that. While I may never believe the Pegasi aren't out to kill me and everypony I know, and while I do think what you did to Quick was horrible, I do know you’re my friend, and I know you’re a good pony at heart, so, Hopeful,” Spring put a hoof on his shoulder, “I forgive you.” Hopeful then brought him in for a hug. “At least one of us can.” He vaulted the bag onto his back and walked around to where the hallway turned for the back exit. He turned at the corner to look at Spring one last time. “Is this goodbye?” Spring, getting comfortable in his knock-out position smiled back. “It’s not a goodbye... hmm... it’s, it’s an ‘until next time.’” “Well then, until next time, good buddy... And hey, promise me you won't screw up as bad as I did being Captain.” “Not screw up? An unarmed prisoner just knocked me out and is about to escape! I've already screwed up!” His grin was infectious, leaving Hopeful smiling with him. “Till next time Spring.” Hopeful saluted. “Till next time, Sir.” Spring saluted back. Hopeful looked back at the town, only visible from the flicker of lights in window cracks. He stood there a moment, wondering if this was going to be the end of his journey, wondering if he would see his friends again. Wondering what he was going to do now that he was alone, cold, and singled out by his own race. He was no longer an Earth Pony as far as he saw it. Now, he was just pony. He swirled around, facing away from the village to see the path ahead. It was pitch black. His path was one he could only follow blind. He sighed, and began trudging through the snow once again. Once he would get far away enough from the village, he would start a fire in some forest or cave to keep him warm, but until then it was only his own heartbeat keeping him warm. He forced himself to continue on forward, stopping himself from looking back. Thoughts of his wife, daughter, and Wicker emerged again as he tried to fill the void of his mind to distract him from the numbing, frosty burning his hooves felt as he went along. Something strange happened though, he began smiling. He had just cheated death and it was time for him to start his life over. He finally figured out how to make Wicker proud, what he could do that would make Sugar Coat smile and what it would take for his dreams of Joyful to stop turning into nightmares. It was not about getting revenge, it was about forgiving and making amends. He looked up into the black abyss of the clouds, grinning with delight. A weight has been lifted from his shoulders like never before, the burden of hatred had gone from his mind. He felt like a new pony with a new mission. The fact he had no idea how he would accomplish it didn't bother him. The joy of freedom, both mentally and physically had put an end to all doubts he had held. He felt a new purpose. He even believed he had finally figured out what his cutie mark means. Ever since he had gotten it, the day he met Joyful for the first time and gotten those bullies to apologize to her back in playschool, he’s always felt somewhat out of place with it. He knew it meant he was good at teamwork, but the last few days had given him a brand new perspective on it. Maybe he thought, just maybe, helping end this war was his destiny... Just doing it in a less conventional way. As he wandered he remembered that one song he loved to hum to his daughter, he loved the tune but never really understood the lyrics until this moment. So for the sake of it, and since no one was around, he decided to sing it aloud as he walked. “My legs are weak, my heart grows old, the battle is over and done. As hope seems bleak, I have been told, that tomorrow bares a rising sun. “If you wonder why I act like a statue, it’s because nopony warns that you, will fall with nopony to catch you. But then again all is fair in love and war. “That is why I do not fear, when I remember you my dear, for I can see you right here, if I were to just look through death’s open door. “Until the day I die, I will always wander. Never asking why, I will never find her. “And I will try, to rest in slumber. On this cold dark night, In October... “I just hope that you know, I miss you to this day, even in the darkest times. It just goes to show, that whatever I say, will never pay for my crimes. “I loved you more than the world, more than a Diamond, a Pearl, or any other girl. But now it seems you have gone. “It is now I am left alone, with nothing but my sins to atone, with no pony to call my own, I'll wander till my time is done. “Until the day I die, I will always wander. Never asking why, I will never find her. “And I will try, to rest in slumber. On this cold dark night, In October... “I can’t see the path ahead so I'll follow your voice. I am sorry for what I said, but it surely was no choice. “To see you again I'd give anything I own, for you, I'll never stop to fight. But sadly I'll just wander alone, On this cold, dark October night.