Magical Barrier remained silent underneath the bedsheets, listening to the conversation outside of his room.

“And you’re certain he is okay? There will be no lasting effects?” The soft regal voice of Princess Celestia.

“None, Princess. His side healed up wonderfully and his leg will heal just fine, as long as he doesn’t do anything…unintelligent.” the voice, who Barrier mentally identified as Doctor Horse stated.

“Unintelligent? You mean like fighting an evil spirit with the powers of an alicorn when he can barely stand?” The voice was scratchy and familiar, though he couldn’t quite place it.

“Rainbow, that’s not very nice.” That one was…Twilight?

“What? He looked ready to fall over when we saw him. Just callin’ it like I see it Twi.” So, that was Rainbow; one of five ponies that had accompanied Twilight to the Everfree Castle, Barrier mentally noted.

“I’m surprised he was standing at all, Rainbow Dash. He did spend a thousand years magically sealed with Princess Luna, after all.” Princess Celestia again…Barrier could never get tired of her voice; it had always had a soothing, motherly quality to it that was hard not to enjoy.

“Princess Celestia, is everything okay?” Twilight began, “You look…worried.”

“Yes, everything is fine…I was just thinking about how Barrier is going to handle all of this. He was always very distant towards my sister and me, and everyone dear to him has long since passed…” Celestia’s voice faded into a depressed silence.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself for the coming conversation, Magic Barrier spoke for the first time since he had awaken. “Worry not, Highness…I’ll persevere.” His voice, unlike the previous day, held an air of professionalism; he wasn’t speaking to a nurse and doctor anymore, he was now speaking to his commanding officer and his tone and attitude reflected such.

“Ah, Mr. Barrier, you’re awake.” The doctor turned to the visitors, “I’ll leave you ladies to it…just remember, don’t let him move around, and try not to stress him out. He still has a lot of healing to do.” Bowing his head respectfully to the princess, the doctor trotted away.

The three visitors walked in, Celestia and Twilight each taking a side of his bed while Rainbow Dash floated lazily at the foot, sizing him up.

“Your majesty.” He threw a tired salute, bowing his head as much as he could in respect.

“At ease, Magic Barrier; formality is unnecessary at this time.” Princess Celestia wore a hint of a smile.

“So this is the stallion that looks like your brother huh?” Rainbow floated over the bed, almost muzzle-to-muzzle. “Not bad…not bad at all.” Rainbow raised an eyebrow when she realized that the unicorn wasn’t paying attention to her. Following his gaze, her eyes rested on Twilight’s flank. “Oh-ho-ho” Dash’s grin got wider. “Looks like you’ve got an admirer Twilight.”

Raising an eyebrow, Twilight followed Barrier’s gaze to her own flank, a light blush lighting up her face as she realized that he had been staring at her.

“What can I say, it’s a very nice flank.” Barrier smiled softly, a chuckle escaping him as Twilight turned even redder. “Princess Celestia…I know it’s probably futile to ask, but can you send me back to my own time?”

The Princess’ hint of a smile vanished almost instantly. “I’m sorry my little pony, but I cannot. You were pivotal in the initial banishment of Nightmare Moon; time travel is far too complex to risk sending you back.” Princess Celestia’s gaze drifted down to the ground.

“Figured as much…well, we can’t win all the time. Since I’m stuck here, I guess I should try and figure out where I go from here…I don’t imagine my savings gathered interest for the last thousand years…” he fell silent, briefly tuning the outside world out as he lost himself in thought.

“You know…” Celestia began, snapping the unicorn back to attention, “you could always return to your job as a royal guard. We have a positions open for senior advisors.”

“I quit the guard didn’t I?” Barrier replied matter of factly. “And senior advisor, really? Am I that old?”

“Well, you are over a thousand years old,” Twilight made her presence known “Perhaps you could be a historian of sorts,” her inner scholar was giddy at the possible knowledge, despite Princess Celestia coaching her to remain calm and not ask any questions before Barrier had even awoken. “We don’t have any particularly accurate history books about life before Nightmare Moon!”

Was that payback for the flank comment? Inwardly, Barrier grinned at the unicorns comment about his age. “Maybe. It’s something to consider, if nothing else…I imagine I have a lot of history to read up on myself.”

“Twilight, could you give Magic Barrier and me a few moments in private?”

“Of course, princess. Come on Rainb-” Twilight trailed off, looking around the room. Rainbow was nowhere to be found. “Where in the hay did she go?” Twilight trotted over to the door, sticking her head out and looking around before stepping out of the room, muttering to herself.

As soon as Twilight was out of earshot, Barrier turned to the princess. “Your majesty, is she…?” He trailed off, waiting for Celestia to pick up the thread.

“Is she…what?” Celestia looked at him with a bewildered expression. After a moment, she began simply guessed as to what he was referring to. “Is she single? Even disregarding the one-thousand years, you’re far older than her, Barrier.”

Magic Barrier sighed and pressed both hooves firmly to his face, his horn lighting up as a third magical hoof pressed itself alongside them. “Nevermind, your majesty.” Shaking his head to clear it of the absurdity. “What did you want to speak to me about privately?”

“I wanted to apologize, Magic Barrier…I failed you. Because of me, you’ve lost everything you held de-”

“Stop.” He cut the Princess off. “By Sol, Princess, stop.” Barrier had his jaw clenched tightly as he mentally processed what he was trying to say. “It wasn’t your fault; the fault belongs to Nightmare Moon, and Nightmare Moon alone. Nopony else is at fault. We both did what we had to…I can live with that, no regrets.” No regrets, however, doesn’t necessarily mean no revenge, though Barrier kept that to himself. “Just…don’t blame yourself. I don’t think I could handle it if you blamed yourself, Princess.”

“Of course, Barrier.” The Princess nodded, a forlorn smile on her face. “I suppose I should let you get some rest…you no doubt have a lot of things to think about…“

“Yeah… I really do I guess.” Barrier couldn’t help but stare dejectedly at the bedsheets. “Princess?”

Celestia stopped.

“Can you tell the doctor I want to speak to him? Also, I need a favor…”

Several hours after the Princess had departed, Barrier awoke to the sound somepony entering his room; glancing up, he spotted the doctor approaching him, a tray of ever-so-excellent hospital gruel in his magical aura.

“Oh joy.” Barrier commented dryly, the smell of the bland food wafting around the room.

“Ah come on, it’s not that bad is it?” the doctor started “It must be better than the paste we were pumping into you, at the very least.”

“The paste is more desirable…at least I could not taste that.” Taking the tray of food in his own aura, Barrier sat it on the bedside table.

“The princess said you wished to speak with me?”

“Yes…did she mention the favor I requested?”

“She did, although I would ask you to reconsider…it would break doctor-patient privilege and I am not particularly comfortable with the request…”

“Sorry doctor, but this is really important to me,” Barrier felt guilty for forcing the doctor’s hoof on this, but he absolutely had to know. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

With a dejected sigh, the doctor nodded and pulled a needle from his coat-pocket. “Very well, but know that I do this against my will.” He quickly took a sample of blood, leaving the room immediately after.

Glancing down sadly, Barrier sighed and began to force the contents of the tray down, his mind running amok with possible scenarios should his hunch pan out.

Author's Notes:

So, here is Chapter 3; putting this out earlier than i originally planned, since I have an uncertain schedule today. As always, not certain of when the next chapter will be out; I can only promise within 7 days. So...yeah, rate, comment, etc,. Oh, this chapter is entirely self-edited/proofread at like...4 in the morning, so expect some errors here and there. Nobody is perfect.

Thanks to:
Havokwithak for keeping me company while I wrote this chapter as well as for shooting ideas back and forth.
Izanagi for editing.
DerRotSpassvogel All of my love.
<3 you guys like a fat kid loves cake.