Twilight was surrounded by townsponies, frantically gathering her up.

"She's breathing, but she's barely conscious!"

"Where are those paramedics!?"

"Where's the fire department!"

All very good questions. Questions that burned inside a fearful Applejack who stared at a large, burning tree. So hot was it that it was causing her eyes to fill with tears. That's what it had to have been; the heat.

"Big Mac!" she shouted. "Can y'all hear me!?" She didn't hear a response. Instead she heard the various sounds of the tree burning - shattering glass, creaking and groaning. She reeled back as the pressure of the flames caused one of the windows to shatter onto the street. "Big Mac! Ah'll find a way to save you!" she shouted again and began to frantically look around.

The window immediately toward the entrance had been blocked - almost the entire front part of the tree seemed to have collapsed into it, enough to expose what remained of Twilight's bedroom, if only slightly. Structurally speaking, it was not likely to continue standing long; this she knew, and this she feared. She ran a quick circle around the house; there was one window which wasn't blocked by debris and, in fact, had shattered open, but the room beyond was almost completely ignited. She wondered if maybe that room had been full of books that, for whatever reason, weren't on their shelves in the main room?

The orange mare continued her journey around until she came to a stop. Another window, but it was completely blocked by several of the branches that had fallen off the house when the top of the tree seemingly exploded, and they were burning wildly, making getting past them in a timely manner very unlikely.

Eventually, she ran back to the front, trotting in place, fear taking hold of her. "Big Mac! Big Maaaac!" she shouted.

"Here we come, Big Guy!"

Applejack turned around to see Rainbow Dash gallop down the road, a look of determination etched on her face. Behind her were several pegasai pushing rain clouds, high enough to go over the tree. The pegasus stopped before Applejack and nodded. "Is he still in there?"

Applejack's jaw worked wordless for a minute before she spoke. "How did you--"

"Flutters moves pretty fast when she's scared" said Rainbow, rubbing the back of her neck. Applejack turned to see that Fluttershy had actually been among the ponies pushing the rain clouds which were now perched over the tree. The ponies positioned themselves among the clouds and all at once began to hop frantically on them, causing small, localized downpours that fell into the flames, suffocating them but not fully defeating them, filling the air with smoke and steam.

"That's one tough fire... everypony! Grab more!"

The pegasai began to dart around, grabbing whatever clouds they could and bouncing on them to get what little water they could draw from them. Everypony's attention soon was drawn to a spectacular sight - a large, white pegasus with tiny wings pushing a very large cloud towards them.

"Don't worry, lil' buddy! Here comes Snowflake! YEEEEEEAAAHHH!"

He positioned the massive cloud formation above the tree and flew high above it. Quickly, he slammed down, driving his back hooves into the cloud and flexing his forelegs in an awesome display of power that was half heroism - half showing off.

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

As he collided with it, the cloud seemed to burst like a water balloon and release a massive stream of water that poured over the tree and brought more steam into the air. Much to Applejack's happiness, it seemed to smother a great majority of the flames that had taken out so much of the tree. "That's it everypony!" shouted Rainbow Dash. "Keep 'em coming!"

Pegasai kept coming back with more clouds and jumping on them, putting out the flames piece by piece. It was not as effective as what could have been done by the Fire Department, but at the very least they might buy some time. It all seemed to be working so well, when there was a loud crackling, groaning, and wailing sound. Applejack and Rainbow both stared at the tree, eyes dilated.

They watched as the entire second level of the house collapsed into the tree, tearing much of the top half down, bringing branches, leaves, and assorted things in the house down, the collission causing a plume of flame to envelope the new source of kindling and whatever of it had not been soaked.

It was then that Applejack heard the loudest scream she had ever heard in her life.

It took her a few seconds to realize it was her.

Finally, they heard a siren sound as several pegasai in Fire Department uniforms sped towards the scene, pushing a large, black cloud with a hose jammed into it along with them. Rainbow could tell at first glance it was highly condensed water; that it would produce more than it's size implied, a practice done to help make transportation easier without sacrificing output to assure it reached it's target before they burned to death. Two more arrived as well, and the pegasai pulled up the hoses and unleashed streams of water.

The streams poured onto the burning remains of the trees, dousing the flames and putting them out in more effectiveness than the townsponies had enjoyed in their attempt to save the structure and the pony trapped inside. It had taken several minutes, and all of the clouds were nearly drained by the time the fire had finally been defeated. Much of the tree was already lost, either burned to crisp or collapsed in on itself.

Applejack could only stare in dismay at the scene as ponies milled about, hearing the questions fly, hearing voices, and seeing paramedics finally arrive.

"Was anypony inside?"

"The princess was but she got out!"

"I think somepony ran in there after her!"

"Did they make it back out?"

"What happened? How did this happen!?"

Applejack could only stare as a team effort began. Several ponies rushed forward and began throwing debris aside, milling about, treading carefully trying to find the stallion that had been buried beneath the rubble. All sound seemed to leave the world as she stared at the scene, unable to process it. The smoke, the shouting, ponies frantically trying to find a survivor...

"Oh my word! What happened!?"

Applejack didn't even turn around to see her friend approach her. Rarity ran to her side, eyes wide. "Dear, what happened!? Where are Twilight and Spike!?"

Applejack shook her head and pointed to Twilight Sparkle, who was already being put onto a stretcher and had a breathing mask on her face. As if on queue, she heard somepony shout. "We've got a dragon!"

The ponies helped the small purple dragon out of the wreckage, his expression dazed, but he was okay, and conscious, if covered in a lot of soot. Rarity rushed to him and took him from the ponies that had helped him. "Oh Spikey Wikey! What happened in there!? How did you survive that horrible mess!?"

Spike groaned. "I... I woke up and saw the library was burning... I was going to go out and get help, but just when I got to the door... I think.... something hit me?" He whimpered and put his claws on his face. "I feel like I got kicked in the head..."

"Oh poor dear!" shouted Rarity. "However did you survive!?"

Spike couldn't help but smile at the attention he was getting. "I'm a dragon... really tough scales and fireproof..." he put a claw on his head and mumbled. "Still hurts though..." Without further hesitation, Rarity pulled the dragon into a firm hug and looked to the ponies who had helped him.

"Thank you so much!"

"Welcome ma'am, but we still gotta find one more!"

Rarity blinked and looked over to see Twilight on a stretcher. "Who else was in there?"

"I think we found him!"

Everypony turned to see two stallions throwing debris aside hurriedly and impatiently, and then reaching their hooves down. "He's... heavy.... somepony give us a hoof!" Without hesitation, a few more ponies (more than was probably needed) rushed over. Some began to peel debris away to help, while others pried the victim free. Applejack rushed towards the tree and watched as the ponies brought with them their find.

The massive red stallion.

Big McIntosh.

His eyes were closed, most of his fur was missing. His body riddled in burns, bruises, and gashes.

"He's not breathing!"

"Paramedics! Get another breathing mask! Somepony administer Mouth-to-mouth!"

Applejack was quick to leap forward, rushing to her brother. "Outta mah way!"

The stallions balked. "Crazy mare, what are you doing!?"

Applejack stared down at her brother, the tears in her eyes welling up. "Big Mac, ya better not die on me!" She placed her ear to his chest, hoping, praying for something, for a good sign.

She heard it.

It was faint... but it was there.

"He's still got a heart beat... He's still alive!"

She quickly threw herself up and planted her hooves on his chest and began to pump them rhythmically. "1... 2.... 3.... 4.... Come on Big Mac..." She brought her face down and a hoof up, covering his nostrils as she placed her muzzle against his and forcibly breathed into his mouth. Pulling back, she pumped her hooves again, tears falling from her to her brother. "Y'all can't leave me... Ah ain't losin' another family member, not if Ah can help it..." Once more, she brought her face down to breathe into him, and pulled back to continue pumping his chest.

She whimpered as she stared at her unresponsive brother, pumping frantically. "Please Big Mac..." she pleaded, her voice crackling, losing any sense of confidence it had had earlier, "Don't do this to me..." Once more, she brought her muzzle to his and breathed into him, pulling back and pumping, whimpering. "Don't... leave me..."

She continued her frantic attempt to revive her brother for a few minutes, pumping four times, plugging his nostrils and breathing twice into him.

Finally, she stopped and stared at him.

He lay still.

She clenched her eyes shut and lowered her head, tears streaming down her cheeks and falling onto the stallion's barrel. She took her hat off and pressed her forehead against his. "Big Mac..." She began to choke as she placed her hooves on his cheeks. Rarity placed a hoof over her mouth, her makeup streaming down her cheeks. Rainbow was biting her lip and holding her hooves against her chest, feeling her heart ache more than it had earlier that day. Fluttershy was openly sobbing, while not crying loudly. Spike simply stared, unable to process everything that was happening. Snowflake marched towards the scene and his expression dropped as he was followed by Lyra and Caramel. The three bowed their heads mournfully, with Caramel sniffling a bit.

Twilight watched the scene. She was conscious - at least enough to know what was going on. She stared at the downed stallion, a weak sense of horror in her expression. He had risked his life to save her. He had run into a burning building, injured himself, and even sacrificed himself so that she might live. It didn't seem fair to her at all.

The memories of their fight echoed in her mind. He was willing to forgive her for the horrible things she said. He rushed to save her when he knew she was poisoned. He had given her her precious doll without a fight, even when he could have fought for it.

That stallion... he deserved to live.

She wouldn't let it be known she didn't try to give him what he deserved.

Twilight's horn glowed with faint magic and reached out to the stallion. She let her will focus into him, taking in the entirity of his being, filling him with energy. He was still alive, if fading... the least she could do is keep him from fading too much. Focusing, she poured as much magic as she could into the stallion, and focused on a secondary task.

She began to massage his lungs and airways, gently trying to coax the contanimation therein out of him. He had enhaled a lot of smoke, she knew, and the collapsing of the structure had probably added ash to that. Applejack's work had done a bit in helping move it about, but it was not quite there yet... she didn't know, and Twilight couldn't tell her, that he might still be saved. Desperate, she pressed as much of her weakened magic as she could... struggled... she could feel the blockage in his airways moving around... she could...

Big Mac coughed wildly, sputtering up ash and soot, breathing in rattled, ragged breaths. Applejack's eyes widened, and quickly she began to pump his chest again. "Stay with us, Big Guy! Somepony get those paramedics over here! Where are they!?"

The paramedics were paying attention to Twilight - their number one priority as a Princess of Equestria. "Princess, please stop using your magic! You're weak, you don't want to exacerbate your situation!"

Twilight's horn stopped glowing and she smiled, nodding. "Sorry... just making sure I could do something..." She closed her eyes and sighed in relief as Applejack pumped her brother's chest and gave him breaths, ushering a few more coughing fits, until eventually some ponies hurried to her and her brother and placed an oxygen mask over his muzzle.

"He's still with us! Somepony get a stretcher over here!"

Applejack choked, and let out a half cry, half laugh of relief as her friends rushed to her side and the large stallion was hefted onto a stretcher. Rarity patted Applejack's shoulder as did Rainbow, who was surprised when the orange mare turned to her and hugged her tight. At first she seemed a bit uncomfortable, but her expression softened and she hugged her friend back. Snowflake sighed in obvious relief, wiping his hoof across his forehead, then looking down to see a familiar buttery yellow mare whimpering at the scene. She turned to him and sniffled, his eyes darting around a bit, before he held a hoof out. She came close to him and hugged tightly, crying tears of relief into his side as he patted her shoulder comfortingly. Spike looked up to Rarity, who looked back to him and smiled in relief. Suddenly, Spike closed his eyes and puckered his lips slowly, pushing forward. Rarity smirked and rolled her eyes and gave him a small kiss on the forehead. He seemed disappointed at first, but quickly just accepted what he could get with a shrug.

It was then that Twilight thought she saw the most surprising thing happening.

Pinkie Pie and Pokey Pierce. Both of them were helping the paramedics with Big McIntosh, loading him onto the emergency transportation wagon. She knew for a fact Pinkie wasn't a paramedic, and yet she was working quite effectively. She supposed it made sense - a pony who liked to spread joy would be just as likely to save lives as anypony else. After all, what greater joy is there than to give the gift of life? Pokey Pierce, on the other hoof, was questionable - after all, his tendency to stab things made him the least likely candidate she could imagine to be helping injured ponies. Still, he seemed to be doing an excellent job, so who was she to judge?

Eventually, she herself was hefted up and pushed into a wagon. She smiled a bit as she watched the red stallion disappear behind two doors as his were shut, briefly before her own was shut.

'Anypony would be lucky to have a friend like you, McIntosh... and everypony deserves the chance to know it...'