What an Interesting File... - Based off of Mickey is Forced to Choose Between Goofy and his Country

    "Did you find the files?" Tanuki asked as he saw his long legged, ginger partner return. They were both dressed in an American soldier's uniform. They were in a forest. Both of them knew that they were somewhere in Vietnam. It was just the two of them, and nobody that was within earshot. They both made eye contact, Red eyes filled with certainty that helped Tanuki feel some comfort. Tanuki thought of Red like a brother in arms. He was very happy to have such a guy by his side.

    "I did, however I found something else." Tanuki looked to the files that were in Red's hand as he stood a little over 12 feet away. Dark green grass covered the area as there was nothing but the wildlife to break the silence around them when Red's voice vanished after coming upon Tanuki's ears. Tanuki's dark eyebrows furrowed into confusion, before he could ask what, Red already was one step ahead of him, "I found a dossier... I read it. Tanuki, do you have any idea what the Americans are doing to these poor people?" Tanuki felt a lump in his throat as he didn't know what was in the dossier, but he knew it wasn't anything good.

    "Red..." Tanuki was hesitant, "Destroy it." His voice was oddly stern, despite the anxiety that was proceeding to swim through his body. He didn't want to know what his fellow comrades were doing to these people. He was only there based on orders, that was all. So was Red. Everyone was there based on an order. That was all. Tanuki watched as Red stayed rather still. An eerie breeze gently ran between the two of them as rising tension became clear to both soldiers.

    "Tanuki, we have to get this to the press. The world needs to know what's happening here. It's not right, Tanuki, and you know that." Red's voice matched Tanuki's stern tone. Tanuki began to feel himself shake. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, knowing how to calm himself down when he was getting to be in one of these situations. However, he really didn't know how to get himself out of this one. 

    "Hand over the document. We need to destroy it, Red." Tanuki felt his heart shake with the rest of his body. He took in another deep breath and continued doing so when Red went on with his argument. Tanuki hated butting heads with his friend, but sometimes it was just needed and they never saw eye to eye. 

    "I'm serious, we need to leak it, Tan-"

    "That's treason!" Tanuki took a step forward, his hands in fists behind him. His hair brushed out from under his helmet and gently over his eyes, which were getting teary eyed with panic, "Red, we would get killed if we did that, are you stupid?!" Tanuki's voice signaled that he was beginning to panic. He didn't want to know what his fellow comrades were doing. If that got to the press, he and Red would die. 

    "It would save thousands of lives, Tanuki," Red's voice was calm. He remained in his stance, which was slouched with his left hand in his pocket and his right hand with the documents that he retrieved, "Come on. This war is pointless. You know that. We can go home if we leak this. These people can finally live in peace and be safe and not have to worry if the next day is going to be their last. Wouldn't that be nice, Tanuki? If we could go to a bar or something and laugh and drink, knowing that we did something good?"

    "Red-"

    "Once the people see what's happening here, they won't want this war anymore. I don't want this war anymore, and I know you don't either." Red cut off Tanuki, "We'll get to go home, Tanuki." 

    "I have nothing at home," Tanuki snapped back, "Everybody left me except you. And this war is all I have left. War is the only thing I know now. Give me the document." Tanuki's fists tightened as he continued to speak, "We're soldiers, dude. We don't question what our orders are. We act. Wasn't that evident in our training?" 

    "Tanuki, we know what's right. I know you know that leaking this dossier is right. It will be for the better of the world, which is what you always strived for. Good soldiers don't always have to obey every order-" Red was cut off by Tanuki even though his voice rose.

    "Good soldiers always follow orders!" Tanuki almost shouted, "That is the utter point of soldiers! And I'm giving you an order right now," Tanuki's hand shakily grabbed the gun and pointed it at Red, "Hand over the file." He was now taking nothing but deep breaths at this point. Red could see that Tanuki was shaking like a leaf, but he remained calm. The silence was hugging Tanuki like a python on its prey, so Tanuki broke it, "Look... we can't let that information get out, man. We just can't."

    "It's our moral obligation, Tanuki." Red said calmly, despite him looking at the face of death right now, "If you want these damn files that badly, you're going to have to kill me."

    "Red- No-" Tanuki choked out, "Don't make me choose- Come on-" Tanuki's sight got blurry with tears, he felt the hot presence of them on his cheeks as they fell, "Red... you're like a brother to me." He took a breath and tried to exhale, with it coming out as a forced down sob. Red saw his body shake and took another deep breath. He saw nothing but the red irises of his friend staring into his brown ones.

    "Then look me in the eyes when you do it." Tanuki heard Red's voice shaking, "I trust you in whatever choice you make, Hiro." He tensed up at the loving nickname that Red gave him long ago, "Remember, I will love you whether you pull that trigger or not. You will be my best friend whether you pull that trigger or not. You're my family no matter what anyone says. I love you." 

    A strong silence between the two as Tanuki's mouth opened as he was trying to breathe. He couldn't take Red's eyes staring at him so gently, but firmly. The lump in his throat began to hurt. His legs were shaking and in moments he was on the ground, trying to gasp for air as he felt himself shake. He was on his hands and knees before he felt himself being picked up and sat down in the grass, with warm arms wrapping around him as he felt more warmth on a side of his body. Tanuki navigated his way to the person's shoulder where he buried his eyes in. He knew it was Red. Tanuki knew that he was safe here. Tanuki wracked out sobs into his friend's shoulders. Red was right. This was the only way out.