I was in my office, but rather than stare at the board on the wall beside my desk and try to find the links I was missing, I was thinking about last night, about Jackie, about how green her eyes were, and the taste of apples and mint on her lips. I was in love with Jackie, but still in love with Shawna.

I was at a crossroads and I really had no clue what to do. I had prayed last night, asked god if he could hear me, to guide me, to show me what was right. My upbringing was screaming at me what I was feeling was sick, that I was and am an abomination.

However, if I tuned that out, I thought about what my heart felt and what Shawna would have said about it. I was sure she would have said go for it, Jackie isn’t a dumb horse. She is a talking, intelligent, loving, emotional woman who just happens to be in the physical form of an orange pony.

I was shaken out of my self examination by a frantic knock on the door. Looking up I saw Lightning standing there and boy, was she flustered. “Shane, they need you at the schoolhouse, right now.”

I blinked and swung my feet off the desk. I grabbed my stetson and slid it onto my head then reaching down and unlocked the top drawer of my desk, quickly pulling out the old peacemaker. I slipped it into the holster on my side without thinking as I went through the motions of getting ready.

“What is going on, LD?”

“I, there is a filly who… Shane, she has a black eye and is crying, Cheerilee sent for the guard, and the guard grabbed me and told me to get you right now!” she rambled quickly.

I placed my hand on her head as I passed. “Ok, you did good; just relax and grab your bags. I may need you to fly back for things. Come on, let's get going.” With a sense of dread digging at my gut I kept my composure and walked and jogged half way across town to the schoolhouse.

---

When I got there the kids out playing in the yard were all rather subdued and I didn’t see a problem amongst them. I noticed three fillies weren’t out there that made me nervous that one’a them’d gotten into a fight and I’d have to explain it to their sister.

I gestured to LD for her to land and wait. “Hang out here,” I told her as I took note of two of Twilight's guards talking. I leaned in and spoke in a lower tone to the Pegasus mare. “Listen in on them, see what you can learn that they might not tell us.” She give me a nod.

Stepping inside I took note of the door to the back office open with another guard standing near it. I walked over and he glanced up at me, then shifted aside and said in a low voice, “Inside Ranger but…” his mouth closed and he looked, upset. Took a lot to shake one of the guard. I said a prayer it wasn’t one of the three, but steeled myself for it.

I gave him a nod and walked in looking around. Cheerilee was standing next to Twilight, both looked quite upset too. Turning my head to the left a bit I saw six little ponies and I knew them all. The CMC, Silver Spoon, Pipsqueak; all were caring for Diamond Tiara who was crying into Pipsqueak’s neck, and I could see the bruising clear as day. She had a shiner that made me mad.

I walked to the mares and before I could ask what was going on, Twilight spoke up softly. “I think it best if she tells you Shane,” then looked up at the group. “Everypony, how about we go outside and let Ranger McDonald and Diamond talk, ok?”

Diamond Tiara’s head lifted, tear streaked fur and red bloodshot eyes paled in comparison to the huge hoof shaped bruise around her left eye and cheek. God, I could even see a shoe indention. “P-p-please, let Pip sta-ay,” she blubbered while holding onto the colt. I took note of him turn and look at me, then he set his jaw, tightening his hug around the pink filly.

“Please, Sir, she needs me,” in that cockney accent he had.

I glanced at Cheerilee and shared a nod before the others broke away led by her with Twilight at the back. Twilight, closing the door after herself leaving us three alone.

Walking over, I squatted down and looked at Pip first. “It takes a brave and loyal friend to stay at someone’s side when the chips are down Pip.” The young Trottingham born colt nodded with a bit of pride. It was not lost on me the look he gave me, there was more than friendship involved here for him.

Diamond started quickly, indicating she wanted to talk about it, badly. “It.. it was just an a-accident, Shane. I know she didn’t mean to do it, she hicupped with a sniffle, “I-I just asked if Pip could come over f-f-for hearths warming eve dinner. When she said no and called him a pauper I threw my breakfast on the floor. I-I didn’t mean to make her so mad, it’s all my fault.”

I felt my gut tighten, she had not said a name yet but I knew. I already knew what was going to come from the little pink fillies mouth when she started, but she confirmed it. What kind of a heartless creature could do this to her own child over something so mundane? A scolding, yes. Striking a child over spilled milk? Diamond’s mother lived up to her name.

Diamond broke down again starting to sob. “D-daddy is on a tri-trip to M-m-manehatten and... I want my daddy!” as she started to bawl louder and hug Pip with all her might, making the colt exhale a breath for a second until she relaxed her grip.

I set my jaw and looked back to the brown and white colt who just looked up at me. “Mrs. Rich,” was all he said. That tone he used, there was such hate in it. It didn’t belong coming from one so small and young, but there it was. He was mad, flat out angry and he wanted to lash out.

I needed to make sure he channeled it into something productive while I dealt with this. “Pip, I need you to do me a favor. I need you to be here for Diamond, ok? Whatever she needs,” I gave him an encouraging pat on the side.

The colt gave me a look and started to open his mouth but I shook my head. “I will take care of this.” I offered no room for talking after that. He nodded and turned away from my, placing his chin on Diamond’s head. He began to hum what I guessed was a lullaby and I got up to leave them alone.

I walked for the door, opening it, and scanned the classroom noting a princess, a guard, a purple teacher, and four very upset and worried looking fillies looking at a book cart to distract themselves.

They all looked up when my boots clacked on the floor and I gestured behind me. “Go on girls, Diamond really needs her friends right now.” Watching the four dash past me was a nice thing to see, but I still set my jaw and started for the exit door.

“S-shane what are you-” Twilight started as she flew to my side.

I lifted my hand with just my index finger held up to her lips to quiet her. “My job,” I said curtly, cutting her off. “Contact foal services, I need one of them here. We’re gonna need official options for when I’m done with this.” I gestured to the room full of sorrow. “And I need you three to make sure they know they’re safe by just being in the room with them.

I saw her nod “O-ok Shane, we’ll keep them company. What will you do?” she asked again. So I offered her an answer.

I pulled my hat down to hide my eyes a bit more, to look a bit more menacing. “I’m going to have a little chat with somepony, then place her under arrest,” I said as I walked outside. I saw LD and flew to my side quick as her namesake. Looking up at me with a worried look I glanced at her and saw her gulp. She had never seen me upset or mad, but she was about to.

“Lightning, please get Cort and tell him to make his way to the Rich estate. Then I need you to get over to Barnyard Bargains and find out where Filthy Rich is staying in Manehattan. I need you to fly with all your speed and might to find him, then bring him back on the first train you can catch.”

“What, uh, what should I tell him about all this?”

I looked down at her. “The only answer I want you to give him is Ranger McDonald needs him here, now.” I paused and added, “And so does his daughter.”

She trembled a bit, seeing how angry I was, but that it wasn’t focused at her and she knew it. She gave a nod and then a salute with her foreleg since she was still hovering. “I am on it, boss,” and with a puff of dirt, dust, and a streak of golden light behind her she was gone. I was glad for someone so capable and fast to be on my team since I knew I wasn’t gonna get Rainbow Dash.

Glancing over at the two guard I gestured to one. “Shield Heart, right?” He gave a nod. “With me, please.”

Ignoring the worried and confused looks of all the other little colts and fillies we walked away from the school, both of us ready to take on a hydra of a mare.

Author's Notes:

What will the ranger do! will evil triumph? Will Pipsqueak get some nookie out of all this? Find out in our next chapter!

Guest editor: Mocha Star