I woke to a soft bleeping, I turned my head and saw a heart monitor. Kind of freaky to see the line that represents your whole life-force.

I looked over to the beds either side of he, my head span as I turned it.

Shining had some kind of drip going into one of his legs. What happened to him?

Ebony's face was slightly swollen and there were some stitches along his nose. I hope that doesn't scar...

There was no one else in the room, just three beds, three patients, their respective bed-side tables and in my case- a machine. Other than that there was just a door and a couple small windows behind me, near the ceiling.

I was sitting their half-conscious for a while before I thought about my hand. I lifted it up and looked at it. My shoulder didn't hurt as I lifted it, so I was either still under the effects of some drug or spell, or my shoulder had finally healed. My hand was still all there thankfully, I feared for a second that they might have cut it off, unable to save it. It was wrapped in bandages, but I could see that there were stitches on both sides of my hand. Damn, if that scars, that's going to be one helluva story to tell. And one helluva scar to show off too.

I put my hand down and laid my head back. Listening to the sounds of distant birds through one of the small over-head windows. I had been out for a long time, it was at least the next morning. I sat there peacefully 'thinking thoughts', as I like to put it, when I heard Shining groan.

"You okay?" I asked.

He rolled onto his side to look at me. "Wh... what happened?" He looked down at my hand. "Your hand!"

I sighed. "Yeah, stabbed right through." He gasped. My words were slightly slurred, according to Shining's recount of this. "Don't worry, I returned the favor. To his throat."

"Dan... you scare me sometimes." He rolled back over and looked to the ceiling.

"Hey, Shining." He looked back to me. "I did your job." This is what I remember saying, I am very sure now, in hindsight, that I had some kind of drug in my system.

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I killed Forge, man!" I said, throwing my good arm up in triumph. One... Heavy... Drug...

"Dan, that's not a good thing."

"Yeah... yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm high on something right now..."

He gave me a very dead-pan stare. "Looks like it."

"...I also broke Ebby's face." I said, shrugging.

"...Ebby's? ...Face?" He lifted his neck and saw Ebony's nose. "Dude, why'd you do that?"

"To get him out... of the way of the guy..."

"Hm... I would have liked to see this little fight of your's. Forge was a trained professional when he left..."

"Bitch I kicked Celestia's personal guard in the face! Nothing can defeat me!"

He sighed. "Yep, they gave you something. Shows how serious your hand was."

"It was pretty bad... I got his blood in it... reckon I will have magical pony-powers now? Cause I have his blood?"

"Erm... sure Dan, Sure." He said in the same tone a mother would use when their child just asked 'when is daddy coming home?'

"Awesome..." I slurred as I slumped into my bed slightly.

And with that I fell asleep. God I was out of it. Whatever they gave me, it was good stuff. Since I'm a 'medical specialist' maybe I can... 'Prescribe' myself some later... If I can find out what it was...

***

A little of nap later I was woken, now a lot more sober, by a nurse.

"Dan? You feeling okay now?" She asked in a diabetes-sweet voice.

"Yep... no, not really. I still feel kinda weird. But I don't feel like I've been stabbed, so I'm probably fine."

"Trust me, you are far from fine. Your body went into shock, after we got you here. We almost lost you."

"Oh, well that sucks."

"...Yes it did. But you seem to be making progress now. You should stay in here for a couple weeks and let that heal." She said, indicating to my hand.

"Nah, I'm leaving in maybe a couple days, max."

"Dan, you need to let it heal."

"What do you think I do in my spare time? Warfare? It'll be fine, I barely do anything active, never have."

She sighed. "If you say so." She started for the door she came from. "You have visitors waiting, you want to see them?"

"Send 'em in one by one. Let them decide the order." She nodded and walked out.

I looked to the other beds to find them empty. I then looked at the window it looked... earlier. Oh shit, when she said I went into shock, she meant AFTER I woke up the first time. Damn, I bet Shining had a great time watching my life hang in the balance.

I wonder what Ebony remembers... maybe he just thinks I hit his head against the table for no reason, I hope someone explained what happened... actually... only Cadence saw the whole thing. But she probably has PTSD now, judging by the face she had on her.

My thoughts were cut off as Celestia walked into the room.

"You doing okay, Dan?" She asked, sounding almost sincere. I could tell there was something more pressing on her mind.

"Considering I just killed someone... I'm..." I sighed. "I'm okay." It was starting to settle in; the fact I had killed someone.

"You didn't JUST kill somepony Dan. It's been 3 days."

I blinked. "Damn, I was out for a while huh?" She nodded. "Hey, do you know what happened? Or do I have to explain it to you?"

"Cadence was basically traumitised and nopony has been able to give a full report without breaking down. But I have a better, and quicker idea than you just explaining it yourself."

"Hm? And what's this brilliant idea?" I asked, somewhat suspicious.

"If you let me, I know a spell that lets me extract memories-"

"Nah, I want to keep this one. It's... sobering."

"Dan, let me finish. This spell can extract a pony's memory, without removing it. I have already designed in to only work for the last couple hours-worth of memory. I can then take that memory and bind it to a com-scroll. And it-"

"It makes a video?"

She huffed. "It makes a video, yes."

"Sure, sounds pretty cool to be honest, too bad it's for this though, I'm not sure if I want to see that again."

"You will probably have to, so you can answer questions better later." She put her horn to my head. "Are you ready?"

"What should I expect to feel?" I asked, a little nervous.

"Nothing. Are you ready?"

"Sure."

Her horn glowed and a blue whisp of light began circling her horn. She retracted her horn and put it to a scroll. Her eyes were closed the entire time. The scroll lit up, a screen appearing on the blank page. It was a still image of me and Ebony waiting at the Palace gates.

"Hm, that IS pretty cool." I approved,pointing at the scroll.

"I thought you'd like it, I had to abandon my duties for a few days to design it though. You touch the scroll and it starts, it will not stop till it reaches the end. Then it returns to like it is right now."

"Hm, cool. Who can I show?"

"Only ponies you think either should know, or can handle it's contents. Speaking of which, care to watch over it with me? I can tell you don't want to but..."

"It had to be done, it's fine. Lets just get this over and done with."

"It's okay Dan, I'm sure it was you or him, or at least from the little information they have been able to collect..." She tapped her hoof on the scroll's image and it started moving.

-"It's so nice to see you again, Ebony!" Cadence ran into the frame and hugged Ebony within the first couple second of the video.-

Celestia raised her eye brows, surprised.

"Hm, that's pretty good timing. It's still quite a ways from the fight though."

"There is no way to skip unfortunately. I hope you didn't do anything you don't want me to see during this."

"I hope not either. I can't remember... wait isn't this a memor-"

"Not how it works." She quickly retorted.

"Then how-"

"Magic."

"Fine."

Eventually we got to the bit where I saw Forge from across the street. The screen seemed to move with the focus of my eyes, zooming in on the pony.

"That's him." Celestia gasped. "And... he's not looking at you during that Dan, he was looking at Ebony. That means this was a what a pre-meditated attack."

"Why does that matter? He's dead."

"Unless you want to be arrested for murder, I suggest SUPPORTING the evidence that's in your favor." She quickly added.

"Oh yeah..."

We watched on.

"Here he comes." I said, pointing to him in the crowd.

-"Be ready" I said. Shining passed out.-

"Hm... perhaps Ebony's meal was tampered with?" Celestia said to herself.

"I don't know, ask the doctors what they reckon it was. Just watch, it's about to happen."

Then the flash in my periferal happened. Celestia flinched as Ebony's head impacted with the table. "Was that really nessisary Dan?"

"Well... It suprised him and got Ebony out of the way. So I think it was worth it."

Celestia flinched again as I jumped at him and my hand was impaled. "Dan, that was insane."

"It wasn't THAT impressive, jumping is easier for me than it is for you ponies, less legs."

"No... I meant you, you're insane."

"I don't see your guards anywhere in this picture, do you? Nobody helped. If I had not have done that then he would have just slit Ebony's throat and ran off. I might be insane but at least I did the right thing." She nodded slowly. I did the right thing...

It was rather strange so see the knife slide down my hand, tearing the flesh, without feeling it. It made me realize just how much damage had been done. Celestia gave my scarred hand a sorrowful look.

-"This is for what you did to Chrome mother-fucker." I dropped Forge onto the knife.-

This time, I could hear all the noises he made as he suffered, it was reasonably quick, but still, there was a moment of agony in his eyes and a silenced, bubbly scream.

"Dan... that was actually very well maneuvered."

"Yeah, thanks. Cause I had time to think about maneuvering." I said sarcastically. I looked at the blood leaking from his throat, unlike when I was actually doing it, this time I saw his eyes drain of life slowly, I saw the exact moment he died. "Dude... I feel horrible..." I rubbed my face, as if to try and clean myself of this. I found my eyes slightly wet, I discreetly wiped them.

"As you should. But as I was saying... where did you learn that?"

"I didn't. I made it up as I went along."

"...you impaled your hand... on a whim?"

"...yes."

"I was right you are insane."

"Just keep watching..."

-I was now in the hospital bed. "Bitch I kicked Celestia's personal guard in the face! Nothing can defeat me!"-

"Okay, maybe not." I said, rolling up the scroll. I could hear it keep playing, but the sound was very muted.

She rolled her eyes. "Dan, you would do well in the military. Plus, if you did join, you could potentially avoid the charges you will be facing."

"I'm not risking my life for any country, not even my own. Though if it comes down to it... I guess I would have no choice. I'll think it over."

"Good... And remind me to never let you into power."

"Oh I will, I would hate it." I hate responsibility.

She rolled her eyes. "Who'd you want to see next?"

"Who's out there?"

"Chrome, Feather, Ebony, Luna, Your other guard and the fashion designer."

"Hazel thread?" She nodded. "What's she doing here?"

"Turns out she came into the restaurant just as Forge did. She noticed the knife and froze in the doorway. She fled when he pinned you. According to her."

I sighed angrily. "She didn't help?"

"She feels terrible Dan. Be easy on her. If you decide to see her."

"Okay, I'll try. Just..." I exhaled. "Send in Ebony. He deserves to know first, I probably permanently ruined his face."

She nodded. "It's not permanent, by the way. According to the doctors the re-creation went perfectly and the stitches should leave minimal scars if any."

"Good, I'd hate to have done something like that to him..."

She gave me a pained smile and left.

A couple seconds later the door exploded open. Slamming into the inside wall and bouncing shut. I turned to see very pissed looking Ebony.

He took a very long breath, trying to cool himself. "Dan... why'd you do this?" Great, no one explained it to him. He saw my hand. But didn't make a comment.

"Ebony. Just watch this okay? This is my prospective of things." I started the video. And he reluctatly sat next to me. He shrugged off any attempt I made of comforting him.

-I slammed Ebony's head into the table-

"SEE! WHY'D YOU DO THAT?! THAT EXPLAINED NO-" He saw the knife.

-I pounced on Forge, my hand, impaled.-

He gave a pained look to my hand then looked back to the video. Tears already forming in his eyes.

-"This is for what you did to Chrome mother-fucker" I skewered him on his own knife.-

He flinched at my use of language, then completely froze up as I stabbed Forge. He watched, completely un-moving as I removed myself from the corpse.

I closed the scroll, that's all he needed to see.

"D...Dan?" I looked to him. His eyes were wet and his face was covered in streams. "You saved me?"

I nodded. Clearly showing I regretted actually having to kill him though.

He was about to say something but choked on his emotions. He smiled and hugged me instead. I returned it, with a much less enthusiastic face.

"Dan?" He could probably taste it.

"Ebony. I am so very grateful. So very, very grateful that 'whatever's up there' gave me the will to save you. But... I killed a pony, Ebony. Another... living, breathing being..." I sighed. "Even if killing someone meant saving millions of people, and I did it, I would still feel bad about killing that one person. Because I know, somewhere in that broken mess, was a pony that truly cared. He was just miss-guided, blinded. Why fate had to do this to me; I don't know. Just forgive me for not showing how happy I am for seeing you safe again, it's being overshadowed by something bigger right now."

Ebony nodded. "Well... thank you anyway... I know it doesn't change what happened, even if it was for the best. Sorry about earlier I... I didn't know." He began backing towards the door.

"It's fine, Ebony, really. I'll come around, don't you worry. Just get Chrome, Feather and... Steel on your way out, okay?"

"Sure thing Dan. I owe you big-time." He said sadly, as he closed the door.

Again, a couple seconds later, the door opened. A lot more slowly this time.

Chrome came in with his head lowered. Feather looked sympathetic, she probably knew exactly what I was going through. If anything, she had it worse that I did. Steel didn't look like he wanted to be there. Celestia probably dragged him there.

They all came in silently. Feather probably told them too, she likely had a lot of experience with that kind of thing.

They all stood a respectful distance from me. I looked down at the scroll.

"So, you guys want to see what happened? Or are you just here to talk?" I looked up at them. "Oh, and welcome back Feather, sorry I'm not really in the mood for any joyous reunions at the moment."

Feather spoke first, in the quiet, calming voice she does so well. "We are here to do both, though we could do neither. If you want us too, we will leave. And... thanks."

"Okay, well gather 'round then. I'm only playing this once." They all sat around me on the bed, but left a nice distance. I played the video which had reset at some point.

None of them made any comments through the entire thing, except for some sympathetic and shocked mouth noises.

"Any questions?" I asked.

"Dan," Chrome said, rather hesitantly. "How are you doing?"

I sighed. "Physically, I'm fine, hand's a little battered though. But I still feel horrible. Dirty. What I did; needed to be done, but just because something is the right thing to do does not mean it's right... You know?"

"...and thanks for... you know." Chrome continued. He felt safer now that Forge was gone.

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm fine. I just need time now, really. To let it sink in and fade away."

Feather indicated them all to the door. The rest of them left without a word, leaving me and Feather.

She hugged me and I returned it. "Dan, if you ever need me, just say? Okay?" Funny, I said the same thing to her not to long ago.

I sighed happily. Putting my good hand on her head, ruffling her hair slightly. "Feather. It's good to have you back."

"You too. And as much as I hate to say it, and as much as you hate to hear it; I'm proud of you. You handled yourself very well back there. Rosewood is proud too, though he is a lot more... eager to show it."

"It's fine Feather, there's a side of me that's proud too." A side I wish I didn't have.

"And... I had a little talk with the CSI team, and managed to get you a present." She opened on of her bags and pulled out a familiar knife. The blade was almost the length of my fore-arm. Admittedly, it was a nice-looking knife, very sharp too. I knew that all too well.

I picked it up and waved in around in my hand slowly. Looking at it. "Thanks Feather. It's a nice knife, always... kinda wanted one of these. If I have to go into the military like Celestia suggested, I'll be sure to use it."

"Celestia told you to go into the military?" He eyes turning hard. But her tone didn't shift.

"Well, if the charges get pressed-"

"Excuse me." She walked away from me and out the door without a word. I put the knife on the inside of my belt, so it hung around my waste. The doctors had, at some point, put my belt back in the right place. I had tied it around my arm back in the restaurant.

A couple minutes later Hazel and Luna came in.

Hazel ran up to me and hugged me as soon as she laid eyes on me.

"I'm sorry, so sorry. I wanted to help I really did I jus-" I put a finger to her lips.

"It's fine. I've had a similar experience. My dog was attacked by another dog a couple years ago, I just stood and watched. My dog died. In the restaurant; I didn't. So it's fine. All harm done to me that night had already been done by the time you left, so you couldn't have done anything but endanger yourself." All 'physical' harm maybe...

Hazel dug her face into my clothes as Luna walked up and eye'd the scroll. "My sister says you have your memories on a scroll. Can we see them? I am interested in 'how it went down' so to say." I snorted. I remember saying that here only once, guess someone picked it up.

I pointed at Hazel, who pulled back. "I'm not sure if-"

"I can take it." She said, putting on a brave face.

"Are you sure? It's... graphic."

"Dan, I saw most of it happen. I'll be fine."

I sighed. "If you say so. You good?" I asked Luna, She nodded. I shugged and played the video.

Again, very little was said throughout the video.

Hazel was frozen. Luna seemed impressed. "You maintained control of a weapon even after it impaled you. Have you thought about taking classes?"

"At the moment, I'm trying to keep my mind off of any confict at all really." I said in responce.

She nodded understandably. "The first is always the hardest..."

I sighed. "Hazel, you okay?"

"...yes, just...I never expected anything like this from you Dan..." She looked up at me. "Who's Chrome? What did he do to them?"

"Chrome is a very good friend of mine. Forge, that pony, almost killed Chrome. Luckily I had time to save Chrome using a human revival technique. It was that that gave me my titles."

"Oh..."

"Yeah... 'Oh'..." The fact it was an act of revenge would probably bend the charges closer to me being punished in some way... I didn't know the laws of this place... Or what their 'sentences' were...

We all just sat in silence for a while.

They eventually left and I rolled over and went to sleep. I just need rest, this'll ware off eventually. I just need rest, I just need time.

Updated: ???/11/15 (Doing this at college, can't see the date right now)
-fixed some stuff regarding the story
-fixed grammar and a formatting error
-fixed some tenses

Probably the second-to-last chapter I have in stock before I have to start making new stuff. Oh god.

Its been so long I can't even remember what happens next. It's an adventure, even for me!