That scream, Applejacks scream, it cut through the pain and sorrow of what I had watched happen like a knife through steamed vegetables.

This was one of my friends, the stoic one, the one I had never expected to ever scream like that. A sound of pure terror from the voice of a mare that had never done such before.

I reacted faster than I ever had. I didn’t even think as I snapped a teleport spell off, appearing next to Applejack. Before the tingle of the aether subsided I was taking in the scene.

My wings were held open by the adrenaline flowing through me and time slowed when I saw AJ atop Shane, who was lying on the floor beside the bar. Dark red blood pooled at his side, stained his shirt, and was on his hands. I couldn't panic, not yet; a friend was in danger and I had to act.

I shouted without thinking about it as the leader in me took over. I knew Rainbow was right behind me from the rush of wind. I could feel Celestia as she teleported in next to me followed by Luna by how their magic signatures tickled my horn.

“Rainbow Dash, get Applejack out of here, now! Cortland,” I called out to the unicorn I knew would be running into the room, “stabilize him. Luna, get the medics in here.” I was shouting out orders without thinking of just who I was yelling at, and frankly I didn’t care. I felt Luna’s magic flare and she was gone, leaving a flash of light in her wake.

I saw Applejack clinging to Shane, fighting Rainbow from pulling her away. I looked at Celestia. It must have been something in my eyes, or perhaps in my tone of voice, because she did exactly as I asked. “Help her.”

Ponies were gathering around now, blocking the way of help. I stomped my hoof, wings still spread wide. “Guards, get everpony back! Clear a path for the medical ponies.”

A second after my command every nearby guard was pushing ponies back while others forced a path from outside the crowd to us, creating a guarded path with the standing at attention along the way. With all the stress, the emotions, the pain; I could hear the whispers and muttering so I turned to see Cortland sweating through his coat, his hooves were wet with blood. He was holding several cloth napkins over Shane’s hip with a powerful amount of magic.

I saw Celestia holding Applejack in a foreleg while Rainbow Dash was trying to calm her down. I gave a worried look to Celestia, but she returned a look that told me Applejack was in good hooves right now. I could hear Luna’s voice from down the hall approaching. “Faster, Ranger Shane needs help now!” I think I used the canterlot voice, but my attention was elsewhere.

“Can you stop the bleeding, Cortland?”

He shook his head slightly, his focus on Shane. He spoke hesitantly. “Not all of it, something is blocking my magic, I slowed it down but I can’t seal up the wound.” I could hear the strain and effort in his tone as he focused.

Seeing everything starting to come together, I felt my wings relax and lower slightly. However, my heart wouldn’t slow down. I looked at Shane’s face. “Shane, please be okay.”

Luna’s arrival was loud, followed by several pounding hooves and I stepped aside as she arrived. She looked at me then Shane and then she picked him up in her magic Setting him on the gurney they were pushing.

I appeared in the castle’s hospital entrance and commanded the medical ponies to fetch us aid, and they did fortwit. Granted, I may have used the royal voice, but I believe I should be forgive on this instance. I watched as they wheeled my friend, Shane, into the ER, then returned to the entrance and waiting room, and waited with bated breath. I felt the magic in the air shift just before Tia arrived with Fair Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

I informed them that we had to wait while the doctors performed their tasks. Shortly after we settled and Fair Applejack, the rest of her friends arrived.

Fair Applejack was laying on a sofa, eyes shut, head down and resting on her fetlocks. To her sides offering comfort, were Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. They both looked tense and worried, their heads resting on Fair Applejack’s back. It seems that even after all the years I was gone pegasi are still very caring, and fiercely protective over those they consider family, I wonder if pegasi are as kind to others outside their ‘flocks.’

Pacing back and forth in front of her friends, wings tucked but clearly quite on edge, was Twilight Sparkle. Nearby but on a different sofa sat Rarity with Pinkie Pie and they were both clearly concerned.

I stepped to my sister I spoke softly, “Elegant proof that Twilight has embraced the Pegasis nature in her, is it not, dear sister?”

She glanced to me then back to her former student. “She took charge, I am quite proud of her,”

Shane is our friend, Tia. He is an officer of the crown, yes, but there is no doubt in my mind he is a good and true friend. Seeing my sister in distress, I place my wing over her back and nuzzle her neck.

I was quiet for a moment, then Tia spoke in a soft tone. “They gave Applejack a small sedative, Sister, she was inconsolable. I do not like the idea, but it has let her relax for the moment. So much has happened in such a short time, we should have-”

I lifted my wingtip and touched it to her lips to quiet her. She just gave a nod and turned her attention back to the others.

“Where are Rangers Cortland and Crossed Swords?” I asked.

She glanced down the hall. “I sent them with the medics through the other entrance. Ranger Cortland was in mana burnout and still trying to push. Lulu, he cast long past his burnout point than any unicorn I’ve seen in a long time.

“He pushed so hard to keep the wound closed,” she said softly, “he was starting to draw from his own lifesource.”

I nodded. “Just one year ago, a creature none of us had ever seen in Equestria came to us. He was scared, out of place, in pain, and friendless. Now Tia, look. Look at who sits here, and the friends that risk their lives for him, as he does them.”

She put her own wing on my withers smiled just a tiny bit. “He will make it,” her smile hardened. “he has to.”

I had lost ponies before, many that I had known very well. It is a downside of being as long lived as an Alicorn. However, this time it was far more than just a friend I’d lose. Shane had done something new to the land. He had brought something new to my little ponies.

A new way of law, a new outlook, and while I lamented the violence that came with it, in the end my country, my ponies, in time maybe the world will a better place for it.

I was glad Lulu was at my side as I stood there watching over five friends, one of which a Princess of Equestria, all support and stand in protection over their earth pony friend.

Poor Applejack, I found myself concerned as I looked at her sleeping. Somepony had thought to clean the blood from her leg and get her out of the dress she had been wearing. Lying there, now sedated, protected in what I knew to be a dreamless sleep now, thanks to my sister.

How would she cope? Nothing has happened to her to this effect, not even the loss of her parents, from what I’ve heard.

I thought back to my own life and the last lover I had. Shining Lance, and I felt myself with a soft smile at his memory. It had been over a thousand years since he passed on. I had yet to feel I was ready for another love in my life, despite him being the sixth husband I had been with.

Shining Lance had died young, taken from the world during the wars with the necromancer Grogar. It was my shame, that his loss, is what pushed me too far. Grogar and his hordes had paid the ultimate price, as had what was now called the Badlands and thousands of troops whose only crime was siding with the necromancer.

I quietly asked the universe to spare Applejack that pain.

A glance up at the clock showed that it was now four hours since they had rushed our human friend into surgery. I certainly knew the best of the best surgeons were trying to save his life. I only hope that they know enough of his biology and anatomy.

A noise caught my attention and I turned giving a soft gasp. This, in turn, caused Luna and the rest to turn and gasp as well.

Ranger Cortland stood in a doorway with shaking legs and supported by Captain Crossed Swords. The unicorn stallion’s eyes were sunken in slightly and he was obviously still exhausted. He had an IV in his leg and stand with three fluid bags trailing just behind him.

Mana drain was a serious danger to unicorns at a base level, and at the point he was reaching he would have begun to drain the energy from his body and lifefore. Ranger Cortland had pushed himself to near death, quite literally.

I felt I had to speak up. “Sergeant, you should not be up and out of bed.”

He saw the looks of worry from all around as he slowly walked into the waiting room like a old stallion to a sofa bench and gently sat before Captain Crossed Swords left him be.

“This stubborn foal wouldn’t stay in bed,” the captain stated, “he threatened to check himself out, so this was our compromise.”

Ranger Cortland’s voice croaked. “I-I did my best princess, I just couldn’t stop the bleeding. I, I tried with all my skill,” he grew quiet as many ears drooped, the closest friends of Applejack were looking with worry at the proud stallion that was placing the blame on himself.

I was about to speak up when a throat cleared from the doorway and gathered our attention again. I saw a scruffy looking unicorn doctor who looked like he had not shaved in days. He moved with a limp in his step, looked tired, and worn out as he approached.

“Of course you couldn’t help him, but this will make you a real hit with the mares. However, going by the fact you are out of bed I suspect you are, indeed, an moron,” he said before he looked at me and I gave him a nod.

“Doctor House,” I acknowledged the unicorn who has been a pain in everypony’s flank for years. He was the best at what he did, so it was often overlooked, as were his addiction to painkillers.

“I assume everypony here can be talked in front of, or should I excuse those I find to be idiots from the discussion?” He levitated out a pill bottle from his pocket, opened it, dry swallowed a pill before returning it to his pocket, and referred to us. “The lead ball has been removed and we had to stitch him up by hoof. The reason the idiot over there couldn’t stop the bleeding-”

Rainbow Dash snarled and spoke up. “Hey, dude, show some respect!”

I kept my composure, yet I knew this was going to devolve into a fight, so I quickly spoke up. “Rainbow, I understand Doctor House is a bit rough around the edges. Just let him speak and ignore his barbs.” Taking note of the glare Rainbow Dash was giving the unicorn I nodded for him to continue.

“The human has two screws made of nullstone in his hip bone, along with a four inch long stud of some kind, also made of the same material embedded in the hip bone. If I had to venture a guess, it’s the result of some kind of reconstructive surgery that I had no part of, so insurance can’t blame me. The musket ball was pressed right up to one of the screws and that is why magic wouldn’t work. My team had to actually cut it out of him, thankfully he’ll live with a hefty bill to pay.”

He gestured to Cortland. “The idiot hero of the hour over there nearly killed himself trying to keep his friend alive while the nullstone was draining away the magic as fast as he could pump it in, thus almost leaving me with a corpse and a half.”

He looked back to me. “The fact he lived at all is pure luck. The ball hit much higher, but he had this in a vest pocket, it deflected the bullet from his gut.”

From out of his pocket he levitated quite a few brass and metal parts, some stained with blood like rust. It looked to have once been a pocket watch.

We all heard Rarity gasp, then Pinkie remarked casually. “She passed out.”

She is known for being dramatic. So, looking back to house he continued. “It deflected the ball down, and away from major organs. He did take some bowel damage but we managed to get that under control. He will be on antibiotics for a while.”

“So, is he stable now?” I asked.

The unicorn shrugged. “As best as we can make him knowing what we know, and you’re lucky I happen to know a lot. We had only one pint of his blood; thanks to somepony over at Ponyville General for having the forethought to have him donate one, and we luckily got it here before we were done with surgery. We are still pumping fluids into him and obviously he’s still unconscious, but I’m certain a couple of you are going to insist on seeing him so I have to insist those morons wait until he’s less dead and prone to infection.”

I gave him a dip of my head. “Thank you, Doctor House, for your expert advice and assistance.”

He snorted and turned to limp his way down the hall. Pausing with his tail to us he looked back. “Make that idiot get back in bed if you value his life, or don’t. Just make sure he sighs out or dies after sunset when my shift is over.” Then he limped away.

I chuckled when I heard pinkie pie mutter, “Well, isn’t he just a lemon cupcake with no sugar.”

I glanced over at Cortland as he settled back into the hospital bed. I had almost carried the unicorn back down the hall and into his room with the nurse had following us. Now Cortland was being hooked up to the machinery that monitored him.

“You know, Cortland, the doctor was right on one thing. You are an idiot.”

It was a good few moments before I heard him croaking in response. “Ah know, but Ah couldn’t let him…” he hesitated. “He’s mah friend, Cap.”

I put my hoof on his side lightly. “I know Cort, I know. He’s mine too, but think of poor Golden, and what it would have done to her to lose both of you if you’d spent a few more minutes pushing magic into that wound.”

He grew quiet and I told him that my wife, Dusty, had grabbed Golden and taken her back home. They didn’t need to be around right now, and with Applejack being as upset as she was, it would just be worse.

I thought about Applejack, laying out there. I knew her pretty well and seeing her like that had shaken even me. I think it shook the princesses too, going by their expressions.

As time passed I spent it thinking about things while the sergeant slept; I heard the door quietly open and close and my ears lifted.

“Long time no see, Shade,” I said turning to look at the Lunar Pony Captain.

He spoke in his quiet but deep voice. “He will survive?”

I nodded. “Yes, both will.”

He gave a nod and looked at the sleeping unicorn as he stood opposite me on the bed. “He did a very brave thing. Stupid, but brave. They are not so dissimilar, are they?”

I had to chuckle at that. “No, in fact they are far too similar. However, you should see them work together.”

He grinned, showing all his pointed teeth. “I have, but I will carry back the news to the rest of my guard. There was…” he paused for a few seconds, “worry, in the night guard. Shane is well liked among them.”

I gave him a nod to that and watched as he stepped back into a shadow near the corner of the room, and melted into it. “They so creep me out when they do that,” I spoke out loud to nopony then went back to daydreaming.

Author's Notes:

Bit if a new twist here, just to try something new. Not only was Mocha Star our editor for this chapter, but he helped Co-write it. Some of what you read is his thoughts, worked in with mine. It was a lot of fun to do together, and may happen again in the future