//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 (End of Part One) // Story: The Book of Friendship // by BillyColt //------------------------------// Chapter 10 It was the dead of night, and Scroll was in the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror. He was an absolute mess, all bruised and beat up. He remembered how in school bullies used to pick on him, but they usually left him alone after they’d taken his lunch money or suspended him from a flagpole. Turning on the water, he dunked his head under the faucet. He took his head out and shook it, spraying water everywhere. He looked back in the mirror. Now he was a wet absolute mess, but at least he felt better. He took a case and put it on the edge of the sink, opening it. In it were several pairs of glasses, a small contact lenses container, and a monocle. He took out a pair of glasses and put them on his face. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, and he smiled. He still looked like a mess, but... well, there really wasn’t anything that mitigated it. He and his friends were safe, he supposed... Friends. He had actual friends now. He walked out of the bathroom, and back into the bunk room. Clip was snuggled up in the bottom bunk, and Barrel was snoring in the top bunk. Tap had been sleeping on a bench in the main room, and White and Scroll had set up a blanket and pillows on the floor. Except the blanket seemed to have been pushed aside - White wasn’t there. “White?” Scroll whispered. No response. He walked over to the door and opened it, peering out. Since General Storm’s forces had left, the clouds had left the sky, leaving the full moon and starlight to illuminate town. The night sky was not completely pristine, however. There was a column of smoke coming from the center of the town - a bonfire, to get rid of the bodies of the enemy dead. He looked around and saw a solitary white figure walking down the road, heading in the direction of the docks. He followed slowly, not saying anything, as the unicorn went down. The streets were filthy, littered with blood, spent bullet casings, and debris. The docks were almost completely smashed - the pegasus ponies realized that the earth ponies relied on trade, so with no place for ships to land, it’d make the recovery that much more difficult. White walked out as far as he could and sat down, staring at the sea. There were no sounds save for the waves of the ocean churning. Scroll walked up next to White and looked at him. “It seems so far away, doesn’t it?” asked White. “Back home. Like it doesn’t exist, and we’ve woken up from a dream and been yanked out of a very comfy bed.” “I know what you mean,” said Scroll, sitting down. “What’re you doing out here?” “I’m waiting for the morning,” said White. “It’s hard,” he confessed, “it’s hard to go on believing in friendship and harmony when you see stuff like this. When you see ponies who will kill each other over... over nothing. When you see them living in squalid conditions and cursing each other and not caring if the pony next to them lives or dies. But as bleak and as terrible as everything is, I think that if I can see the sunrise...” he took a breath, “I can know that everything I believe is true.” “Can I sit with you?” asked Scroll. “Sure. You kinda already are.” “Thanks...” said Scroll. He followed White’s gaze out at nothing in particular. “You know... I know what you mean.” said Scroll. “Sometimes I don’t know if we can really win. I don’t know if the... if the friendship stuff is really true enough to help everypony here. I don’t really know how much I believe in it. But... I believe in you, White.” “Well, thanks,” said White, “that means a lot to me.” There was a shout from in the town, near the bonfire. The Brothers ignored this and just looked out at the dark, calm sea. “I was scared,” said Scroll. “I thought I was gonna die.” “So did I,” said White, looking at Scroll. “I was worried about you, White,” said Scroll. “When I saw that they were killing unicorns, all I could think about was... was...” his voice trailed off. “What happened to you?” White asked, changing the subject. “When I woke up I saw you, and...” “A soldier beat me up,” said Scroll sadly, “the only reason he didn’t kill me was because he forgot his gun.” “I...” White said softly, “I don’t know what to say... I’m sorry.” “It’s okay,” said Scroll, “I’m alive, anyway. I just... I just wish I could be as brave as you are.” “Aww, don’t say that,” said White, throwing a foreleg around Scroll’s shoulder, “I’m not that brave. I hid in a toilet!” Scroll laughed nervously. “In a toilet? Wow... so that’s why you were in the shower for ninety minutes?” “Nnnnnnot long enough!” White laughed. “I mean, there was a dead body down there!” “Eesh...” said Scroll, squirming a little, but still laughing. “Y’know, this really is a terrible, horrible place.” “And we’re having a pretty terrible time,” conceded White, “but we just gotta keep bucking, y’know? Never give up and all that.” “Uh-huh,” said Scroll, “like - OOH!” he exclaimed, almost jumping in his seat. White looked at him curiously. “It’s like that one story - when Twilight and her friends went to the Grand Galloping Gala, they had a terrible time...” “Uh-huh?” “But that was okay,” said Scroll, “because they had each other. And when you have...” he looked at White, “when you have a friend, you can bear it.” White smiled at him. “Well, look who’s a little scholar pony?” he said, rubbing a hoof on Scroll’s head. “Anything else in that head of yours you’re not telling me?” “Well...” Scroll said, smiling sheepishly, “I know this seems like something really silly to say, but... I’m really, really glad I met you. You’re my first friend, and I think you’re my best.” “I’m glad I met, you, too, Scroll,” said White. “No, but...” Scroll said, almost choking on his own words, “I... I want you to know that you’re the most wonderful pony I’ve ever met in my life.” White smiled at him. “You know something, Scroll?” he asked. “What?” asked Scroll, looking at White. “I think you’re pretty wonderful, too.” White nudged him. “My wonderful, brave little scholar.” Scroll smiled and looked up. “The stars are going away,” he said. “It’ll be dawn soon.” A single ray of golden sunlight pierced from the horizon, lighting everything up. “So,” said Scroll, “does this mean we sleep in today?” End of Part One