As I opened the door to the station, I was greeted by a dark pink unicorn mare with a deep purple mane sitting at the front desk.

“Good morning, Ranger McDonald,” she said cheerfully.

I blinked as I shuffled in, leaning on my cane and closing the door behind me. “Amethyst Star? What are you doing here?” I asked with a little surprise. I knew her; she was the adopted daughter of Derpy, and sister to Dinky.

“Oh. Well, Golden put an ad out yesterday for somepony with organisation skills to run the front desk and act as a receptionist. So, here I am.”

She had the right attitude, the smile, the warm tone: I knew of her from reports I had seen, and stories told around the campfire, that she had fought to keep Dinky safe during the changeling invasion of Canterlot.

I wouldn’t need to worry about her if anything happened here. “Oh, well, good morning then, and please, just call me Shane, Miss Star.”

She gave a nod. “Fresh coffee in the break room, if Deputy Bolt didn’t beat you to it.” Oh, I knew I was going to like this one after not even a minute. She knew what was important.

“Thank you, Miss Star,” I nodded to her, limping around the counter and through the bullpen for the door to the break room.

Just as I reached the door, Lightning opened it up and smirked. “Hip still not feeling better, Sir?” she queried and offered out a mug of coffee to me.

Taking it in hand, I leaned on the cane some and took a sip, glancing down to the pegasus mare. “Slowly getting better, day by day.”

She walked past me. “Yeah, sure, and from what I hear the reason you were out yesterday isn’t helping,” she laughed, but before I could retort she continued seriously, “I have a flight patrol out along the edge of Ghastly Gorge. We got a report of some diamond dogs digging around. Going to make sure they’re on the up and up.”

I grunted. Did the whole station know why I was out yesterday? AJ had kind of made sure to keep me home, it was the first day we could be physical since the night of the Gala. True to her word, she made up for lost time, and no, I ain’t complaining one bit. A bit sore, yes. A bit worn out, that too. But complaining? Nope.

“All right,” I nodded in acknowledgement. “Don’t confront them if you see them, just observe for now. Grab Cort or me if you think something funny is going on.”

Lightning sat down at her desk in the bullpen and looked back at me. “Sure thing, Shane,” as she set about doing her morning routine of paperwork and checking warrant sheets. I limped my way over to my office and unlocked it, walking in and making note of the pile of papers in the center of my desk along with twenty or so folders.

I heard Amethyst call from the front, “I put the reports from Canterlot command on your desk, Ranger. There’s also a stack of papers you have to sign for my employment. Then Golden said you have to fill out all the blue-colored sheets for the city. Something about tax disbursement?”

I muttered under my breath as I sat down and leaned my cane against the desk. “‘Become a Lieutenant’, they said, ‘it will be fun’, they said… bullshit.”

Right at that moment I heard a squeak. My head snapped up to see Fluttershy standing in my door, her face was turning bright pink and her wings flared forward to cover her mouth. It was only then I heard, “Oh, and Miss Shy is here to see you, Ranger.”

What a wonderful start to the day.

---

So, Fluttershy; once she got over admonishing me for my language with a look that chilled my blood for a heartbeat, filled me in on things going on. Seems she had decided to open up a sanctuary out on the south end of town, not far from her home. She wanted to let me know that we would be seeing a lot of things going on, and a lot of items being brought in by train. I let her know if there were any problems to please come get one of us, or one of the guards in town.

Speaking of, a new Equestrian Guard station was being built, conveniently, right next door. Kind of made sense as now Town Hall, the Ranger substation, and Royal Guard station would all be in the same vicinity. Add that to the fire station down the block and it makes for a nice neat way to get emergency services, and for us all to help out faster.

I had managed to get through all of the paperwork and currently had the old Peacemaker torn down for cleaning. I was just wiping down the cylinder when I heard the bell on the door ring. Looking up and out the door to my office, I noted a blond maned orange pony walk in and grinned. She had a bag held by the handles in her mouth and sat it at the counter.

“Well, good afternoon, Miss Applejack, how are you today?” greeted Amethyst with a warm smile.

“Why, just doing as well as Ah can be on this beautiful day, Amethyst. So yer working here now? Good thing, somepony has to keep this group of troublemakers in check,” she remarked with a smirk on her muzzle as she looked for me.

I got up from my desk, grabbing the cane, and heading out just as the unicorn behind the counter laughed. “I will do my best, Applejack, but I have my work cut out for me as it is, I think.”

Both mares laughed as I walked up. “Jackie, what has you out at this side of town?” I asked as I leaned down best I could and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

Ignoring the titter from Amethyst, Jackie blushed and brought her freckles to life while she smiled. “Granny figured ya left without lunch, so she whipped somethin’ up and told me ta bring it down to ya.”

I set my hand on her back and smiled. “Thank you, and thank her for me when ya get back, okay?”

She gave a nod and tilted her hat back with her hoof. “Ah’ve gotta get back to the market so,” she gestured with a hoof and I bent down again, getting a kiss on the lips from the mare. She whispered something that made me blush just before she turned and trotted out with a sway in her hips.

Picking up the bag I heard Amethyst sigh with a smile. “I hope I have that one day.”

I glanced at her with a smile. “I know you will, Miss Star, some stallion would have to be a idiot to miss that smile of yours,” I offered while limping back for my office.

---

Three days of quiet in a row and I knew that wouldn’t last. I looked up right as the door of the station slammed open and someone, rather somepony, trotted in. All I could see from my desk was the top of a small head and forehooves as they jumped up on the edge of the front counter.

“Somepony help! Oh, please help, help!” I knew that voice; it belonged to Lily.

Getting up fast as I could, I grabbed my cane. I heard Amethyst gallop from the break room, seeing her dash around the desks in the bullpen to the front. “Lily? What is it dear? Calm down, tell me what is going on.”

I was midway across the room when the little filly’s words hit me. “S-s-somepony is trying to take Diamond Tiara! I ran as fast as I could, please hurry!”

I snarled and spun back, marching into my office and snatching the old coach gun off the wall, checking to make sure it had two rounds in it as I tossed the cane aside and started to hobble as fast as I could for the door out.

“Golden!” I yelled, seeing her door starting to open to see what the commotion was all about.

“Get the Guard moving, find Cort and Dust!” I barked at her. I glanced down seeing Lily in tears and pointing her hoof to the east side of town.

“N-near the lake!” she sobbed, starting to get hysterical.

It was going to take me precious time to get there as hurting as I was, yet I still I ran out the door, pushing myself, ignoring the pain shooting up my side and down my leg as I did.

I came into view of the problem to see outright war. Well, not war, but there was one hell of a fight going down: I saw eight little fillies and colts and five more mares and stallions. I saw a light purple mare laying on the ground and instantly recognized her as Cherelle.

They were only about a hundred feet away, but with my pace it was gonna take me a couple minutes to get there.

Diamond Tiara was using her body to protect her teacher and in front of her, Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon faced off with a pegasus stallion. As I watched, Bloom spun and lashed out with both rear hooves in a buck meant for a tree into his forelegs, I heard his scream, and saw one of his legs bend in a spot it wasn’t built to.

I could see Scootaloo and another pegasus colt, little grey fella... Rumble, that’s his name! They were going hoof to hoof with a pegasus mare and I watched Scootaloo take a hoof to the side and let out a yelp, flying a good four feet to the side and rolling to a stop in the dirt. I put more effort into my motions.

Dinky and Sweetie had their horns lit up and both were sending sparkling bolts at a unicorn mare. The mare dodged to the side and tossed some kind of bolt of her own, making Dinky let out a pained yelp. At this, Sweetie looked like she was in a panic and her horn lit up. A bolt of light shot into the mare’s eyes and she screamed, falling over clutching at her face with her hooves.

By far the biggest concern I saw was Pipsqueak facing off with a large pink mare I knew, and hated, quite well. I was still too far away to do more than shout, and I couldn’t fire into a crowd of children.

Pipsqueak kept lashing out, trying to kick and hit Spoiled Bitch as the mare kept trying to bat Pip out of the way. It was clear she was desperately trying to get to Diamond and time slowed all of a sudden as I saw her hoof connect with the colt, sending him tumbling a good few feet away.

To the little guy’s credit, he came right back up, but even at a distance I saw his eyes. Hate, all that anger and hate he had for her boiled over. Suddenly there was a glint of sunlight off of what seemed to be metal, and I saw he had his knife out in hoof; the one I had given him.

Just I got closer and I yelled, “Pip, no!” but he was furious, blinded by it. I could see the blazes of hell burning in his eyes.

Spoiled seemed to understand she had crossed a line as she was backing up stuttering as she did. “N-n-now y-you p-put that down, young colt!”

Pip just kept walking at her on three legs, knife held in the one fetlock. “Fuck you! I’ll kill you for hurting Diamond!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. The other fights had come to a stop and silence fell, other than the low wailing of the stallion with the broken leg, and the mare clutching her face; they were whining still.

The pegasus mare that had been fighting Scootaloo and Rumble took that moment to shoot into the air. “I’m so out of here!” she yelled as she took off, then got hit by a streak of rainbow and teal and gold at the same time. Sending the mare crashing into the ground with a thud, two pegasi pinning her down. I, however, did not have time for that.

I had to talk Pip down. He had anger in his eyes. I cursed myself internally for not seeing it had gotten worse, not better.

“Pip!” I yelled again. “Stop, don’t do this, son,” the rest of the foals were silent, shocked by the scene unfolding before their eyes.

He didn’t even so much as look at me, he just kept walking to Spoiled, who kept backstepping across the grass slowly, keeping the distance. “No, she is evil! She won’t ever leave Diamond alone! You swore she would pay; you didn’t, so I’ll make her pay!”

Gently lowering the shotgun as I stood my ground, I didn’t dare try to approach, he was far too on the edge. “Not like this, Pip. Don’t do this, don’t become a murderer. This isn’t justice, son, this is revenge.”

No longer yelling, and slowing his pace a little, he seemed a bit hesitant now, but the rage was still there. Off in the distance I could hear more ponies running toward us. I put my hand up to stop them without looking away from the colt. “Come on, buddy, put the knife down. She will pay, just not this way.”

The water works were starting, tears running down his cheeks. I saw Spoiled looking like she was about to turn and run, but I snarled before she could. “Bitch, you try and run and I will gun you down myself!” I suspect it had the desired effect as she flopped onto her rump right where she was.

“B-but she will just keep trying to hurt Diamond!” Pipsqueak wimpered.

The shaky voice of said filly chimed in. “P-pip, don’t. Please, don’t do this. She isn’t worth it. You can be a better pony.”

That did the trick. The colt, tears streaming down his furry cheeks, lowered the knife to the ground and let out a sob as six guards ran up. I glanced at them. “Arrest the pegasus there, the unicorn, and the one Lightning Dust and Rainbow have held down over there.”

The guard captain looked up at me. “What about this one?” gesturing to Spoiled.

I turned to Pip and spoke in a serious tone. “Pip, lift your right hoof.” He did just that. “I hereby under charter of the Canterlot Rangers, temporarily swear in and deputize Pipsqueak. Do you accept this charge, Pip?”

He gave a soft nod. “Y-yes, sir?” he said, sniffling.

I then flicked a glance over at Spoiled who simply sat there in shock. Pip just looked up at me, tears still in his eyes. “Pip,” I looked back down at him, “look at her, and repeat this.”

Pipsqueak nodded a second time, sniffling and did as I directed him to. “Spoiled Milk, you are under arrest for violation of court orders, felony foal endangerment, battery, and attempted foalnapping.” The colt blinked, then in his accent he repeated the words, glaring at the adult mare as he did. I gave a nod and took back control. “Captain, put that one in irons. I want her in solitary, away from the others.”

A purple armored unicorn gave a nod. “We will transfer her to the cell under the castle, Ranger.”

I looked at the colt once more. “Well done, you have done your duty. You are hereby discharged of your oath and are a civilian once more.”

More and more ponies were showing up. As they did, Lightning Dust strolled over and nudged me. I gave an acknowledging nod. “I know, I saw. Let him find it,” I said between us two, watching as the colt walked back over to where a worried Diamond clutched onto Scootaloo who was being checked on by one of the guard.

Lightning opened her mouth, only to be halted by a shake of my head. “Wait for it...”

It was Apple Bloom who suddenly yelled out, “Oh my, Pip, lookit yer cutie mark!”

There, on the colt’s flank; a star of silver, with a horse shoe in the center of it in yellow. We adults watched on as the trauma of the moment was forgotten by the foals. Even as the other ponies were all taken away, the colts and fillies jumped around with exuberant energy, essentially forgetting that they were just in a fight for their lives a mere few minutes ago.

“Guess we know what his destiny is, right, boss?”

I gave a nod, glancing down and picking the knife up from the ground. I looked at my hand and the knife as I gently closed it. “We do, and we have a long road to helping him understand it, Lightning.”