//------------------------------// // Chapter 25 - Reminiscent // Story: Pony-Z // by Black Light //------------------------------// Reminiscent Pete was sitting in the dinning room eating his meal half-heartedly. His mind continually wandering to the rooftop. He sighed. He had promised Twilight he would try not to dwell on it, but he just lost a comrade- no, not a comrade, a friend. How could he not dwell on it? Pete groaned putting his head into his hands and pushed his food away. His eyes drifted to the two guns that were leaning on the chair next to him. They had been entrusted to him. He let out a sigh. What did I do to earn this trust? He was trying to feel like it wasn't his fault, but he just couldn't. Every time he tried to consider the thought the rooftop came back to him. All his thoughts devoted to what he could've done. Outside the dinning room two humans and two ponies stood there looking in through a cracked door. "Should somepony talk to him?" Luna asked. "I already did." Twilight responded. "And what did he say?" Jay asked. "I'm not going to reveal anymore secrets that he told me. One time was one too many." Twilight told him with a small glare. He expression softened a little. "But he's certainly doing much better than he was." She said. "Isn't there anything we could do for him?" Luna asked. Liz just shook her head. "I don't think there's anything more we can do for him. We just need to make sure that he knows we're here if he needs help." She said. Luna sighed. "You're right, It just feels terrible not being able to do anything." Twilight looked into the dinning room with sad eyes. "Just think how he feels." She said looking at the depressed Pete. "He hasn't let those guns out of his sight since he got back." Luna said. "Yeah, Matt treasured those guns." Jay said. He chuckled a little. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that he had been born with them in his hands." "Why were those guns so important to him?" Twilight asked. "He never said specifically, but he said before that if he didn't have them he would've died countless times over." Liz answered her. "We don't even know if he was talking out zombies or when he was military." Jay added on. "Probably both." Liz said. "If he cared for them so, why did I see him taking them apart daily?" Twilight asked. Jay just chuckled. "He took them apart to clean them. Dismantled down to the smallest part, so that you can get a complete refurbishing. I'm pretty sure he cleaned them more than he cleaned himself." Jay told them. "Considering we had running water maybe once every two weeks it isn't that surprising." Liz responded. "You know what I was trying to say." Jay said rolling his eyes. The two put on bittersweet smiles. Remembering was a joyous yet painful experience. "So what do you think of Pete?" Twilight asked. "What do you mean?" Liz responded. "Well, Matt called him a friend before he -well you know. I just wanted to know your opinion." Twilight answered. Jay and Liz pondered for a moment. "Pete...well, Pete's Pete." Jay answered. Twilight just looked confused. Liz rolled her eyes. "What he means to say is that all of us have been through a lot together. We've saved each other's lives more times than we can count. If we didn't form some sort of bond over that then we aren't human. What that bond is though is hard to say." Liz explained. "I for one would consider Pete my friend. Pulled my ass out of the fire many times, and I would probably do the same for him." Jay told them. "Same for me." Liz agreed. "The real question is what does he thing of us?" She said. "And the answer is I don't know." The four jumped as the dinning room door opened and Pete looked at all of them. "If you're going to talk about me behind my back you should try being quieter." He told them. "But then again you two already knew this was going to happen didn't you?" He asked turning to face the two humans who had smiles, contrary to the two ponies who both had slight blushes of embarrassment. "Guilty is charged." Jay answered with a smile. Pete just sighed. He tightened the straps on the two weapons on his back and started to walk. "I'm going to head to the barracks to see if any of the troops are up for training. You're welcome to tag along if you want." He said as he walked by. The two humans just turned away. "Nah, you seen one guard lose to you, you've seen them all." Jay said chuckling. "That's kind of true too. They do all look the same." He said as both he and Liz walked off. Twilight fell into step behind Pete, Luna following as well. "How are you holding up?" Twilight asked as she accelerated so she was walking beside him. "Still have symptoms of depression, can't stop thinking it's my fault, haven't had a clear thought since." Pete told her. "But I'm not cowering in my room anymore, so that's improvement." He told her. "Um..." A voice said behind them. They turned and looked at Luna. "Am I suppose to be hearing this?" She asked. Twilight looked to Pete. Pete just shrugged. "Truthfully I don't mind you knowing that much. As long as you don't go telling everyone you see what I've said like a certain mare." He told her. "Hey!" Twilight said angrily. "I made a mistake okay, and I haven't told anypony." She told him. "Ooh, that's good. Are you going for the record? Do you think you'll last more than a few hours this time?" He asked her. Twilight just blushed and looked away. "Okay..." Luna responded uneasily. "So... why me?" She asked. Pete stopped in his stride. "Well...you've experience the same pain." He told her. She looked at him with confusion. "I didn't really see it at the time, but Matt...He was like a brother to me. The brother I wish I had. And I can't help but feel that his death is partially my fault." He told her. "And you understand what it's like to lose a sibling like that." He finished. Luna looked surprised for a moment, but it faded after a moment. "Do you think it was your fault?" He asked her. She thought for a long time. "I-I don't know. I feel like I played a part in it, but I don't really know it I feel like it's my fault." She said. Pete sighed. "Well, that's farther along then I've gotten so it looks like there's still some hope to be had." He said. Luna came up and gave him a small smile. "Just keep remembering that they wouldn't want you thinking it's you fault. It helps." She told him. Pete was silent for a moment, but managed to return the smile, it was weak but it was a smile. "Thank you, Luna." He said to her as he took up his stride again. "Are you still going to spar with the guard to get you mind off of things?" Twilight asked with some annoyance. "Well yes and no." He answered. "I'm still going to spar, but not to take my mind off things anymore." He told her. getting a confused look. "I learned to fight by instinct by being raised on the street, but I learned to fight by skill from a certain man." He explained. Twilight and Luna both smiled slightly as he explained. "I'm going to prove that those lesson's weren't for naught. I'm going to prove that I did deserve his friendship, and that he earned mine." Pete said with a stronger smile.