I gave a long exhale as I sat at Berry’s bar, watching the mare set out our signature shot glasses. I glanced over at Dust, Cort, Twilight, and joining us for the first time were Twilight Velvet and Love Tap. I can safely say we all looked the same; tired, worn out, mentally and emotionally drained.

We had just come from dropping off the whole crew of foals with Pinkie, who along with the Cakes, Rarity, Jackie, and Dash, were helping keep their minds off things. After the elation of Pip getting his cutie mark wore off the reality of what had been done and said hit them all. With Tap’s help we had got them all over to see Emerald Glow in an emergency session. They, along with their families and ourselves had snacks, talked to Glow, and tried to help the foals work through things.

Cheerilee was going to be ok, all she had was a good knock to the head and a lump to show for it. I will give this to the teacher mare, she was more concerned with her students than herself and it took Cort and several of the guards to get her to stay put at the hospital.

Scoots was doing good, sprained wing muscles and a nice bruise to brag about. I had noted Rumble did a lot of pacing around her and seemed to puff up when anyone came near her. I think Dash noticed it too and she had pulled me aside and explained a few things about Pegasi and their nature. Seems the little gray colt might have some feelings for the orange filly since he was being very defensive of her.

Dinky had a burned patch of fur on her side, but was doing ok. I had to get in Derpy’s face to get her to calm down. Seems the wall eyed mare wanted retribution, up ‘til she heard what happened to the unicorn thatd done it.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were the bigger concerns; they were taking the fact they had hurt another pony quite hard. AB’s kick had not only broke the stallions leg, but shattered the bone in fourteen places from the elbow all the way up to his withers. That pegasus would never walk right again. Jerk was currently in Ponyville General under heavy guard as the doctors tried to put his leg back together. Poor Apple Bloom just clung to Granny Smith, sobbing when she was told about what she’d done. AB was worried and pushed to find out what her kick had done, anypony, er, anyone can see she regretted it deeply.

Sweetie was a bit worse off, having become almost inconsolable when told what happened to the unicorn mare. When she had flared and fired her bolt in panic, it struck the mare right in the face. The unicorn she had been fighting currently lay in a induced coma to block the pain while she waited her turn in surgery. Her left eye was gone, her horn cracked almost in half, and she didn’t have fur or mane on her head anymore; scarred for life.

It’s those facts; that a friend of her daughter and just a filly herself, almost killed the bad unicorn. That’s calmed Derpy down and sombered her mood. Tap’s little boy, Buttons I think his name is, was sticking rather close to Sweetie. Things like this bring out the feelings in ponies, hell they bring out the feelings in anyone.

It killed me that there was nothing I could do; they had to work through this with their families. No charges were being leveled at the foals because they were defending themselves. However, that is small comfort to a little filly whose whole nature is kindness and genuine empathy for others.

“We’re doing everything we can for them, Shane.”

I glanced over at Twilight, who looked just as worn out as I felt. I gave her a nod and noted everyone had a full shot glass in front of them. I lifted mine up and gestured for them to do the same.

“The job stinks, and we see people-” I paused, “-ponies,” getting a smile from Twilight, “at their worst moments, but we do it to keep every… creature, safe.”

I saw them all nod, and as a group, we downed our shots. Both Velvet and Tap coughed getting the rest of us to chuckle. Turning to face her daughter, Twilight Velvet looked at her. “You didn’t seem to have a problem drinking that,” she commented wryly.

Twilight smirked at her mother and shot me a look with a wink. “You get use to it, Mom.”

---

I was up early the next morning, mostly because I didn’t sleep too well. Jackie was still over at Sugarcube Corner with AB and the rest, an impromptu sleepover had happened and I know the foals, and their parents slash guardians, were all going back to talk to Glow this morning. Glow and I had canceled our usual appointment; the foals were far worse off than my broken ass was.

I was just about to leave when a knock came at the door to my room in the barn. I blinked in curiosity since no one ever knocked. I limped over, one hand near the grip of the peacemaker hanging on my hip and the other braced against the wall to keep me supported while I glanced out. There stood a very tired, very worn out, and very fidgety Pip. I relaxed, let my hand relax off my gun, exhaled and opened the door. I glancing down. “Pip, what are you doing up so early?”

With that accent of his, coloring every word, he looked up at me with pleading eyes. “Please, Sir, I need ta talk to somepony that isn’t a…” he paused.

I finished up for him “A mare,” I stated in understanding, “I get it,” I said stepping out of the way and gesturing him to enter. “Come on in, I’ll put some coffee on, you want a water?”

He gave a half little smile, “Oh, thank you, Sir, but I’ll have a coffee as well. It’ll help me get a bit more chipper, I’d say,” he said with a little more energy and confidence as he trotted in.

I watched as he climbed up on the sofa. “None of that ‘Sir’ stuff, Pip. You can call me Shane, okay?” I told him more than asked as I put the percolator on top of the stove to heat. “You should be with the others,” I commented as I leaned back on the small sink near the stove.

He wouldn’t look up at me for the moment, but I heard him mutter. “I c-can’t, I can’t let them see me like this, I c-c-can’t let Diamond see me like this.”

I shook my head and walked over, sitting down on the edge of the sofa to look at him. I put my hand on his withers as I spoke to the little guy. “You can’t carry that weight, Pip. I get it, trust me; I get it more than you know… but you can’t carry that on your back or it’ll break you eventually.” I exhaled and looked at the window curtains. “You know, I got some really sound advice from someone who, well, I would have never expected such from.” He looked up at me, tears were welling up but he wasn’t crying. I sat down next to him and tapped his chest. “Don’t let all that hate fester in there Pip; it will burn you up and leave little to nothing of the pony you are for Diamond to love.”

He was quiet for a long time; long enough that I heard the pot finish its cycle and got up, walked over to the pot on the stove and pouring two cups, one of my new ceramic cups and one an earth pony mug made for them to hold with a comically large grip. I offered out the cup of coffee and he took it. Sniffing and making a bit of a face he asked a question I wasn’t expecting. “Do all Rangers drink this?”

I chuckled and gave a nod. “All the ones I know at some time or another, but it is hot, so go slow and sip. It takes getting use to.”

He was again quiet for a time, looking at the surface of the coffee in his cup before he spoke again. “I-I think I...” he was quiet again, then he looked up at me. “Sir Shane, how did you tell Applejack how you felt about her?”

Oh boy, this was a line of questioning I was not ready for. I took a long sip of coffee and then looked back down at him. “It wasn’t easy for me Pip, but,” a thought started to form, an idea and I felt a grin come to my face. “I may have an idea to help you out,” I whispered loudly while leaning in to speak with him…

---

I signed off on the clipboard and handed back to the armored unicorn stallion in front of me. “There ya go, sergeant, I officially sign over custody of the prisoners to you for transport. Thank you again for coming all this way to get them.”

The golden armored stallion shook his head. “Our pleasure, Ranger, so have they said anything?”

I glanced over where a shackled pink earth pony was being loaded onto a caged chariot with four solar pegasi hitched to it. A quick glance to the side of that told me the one pegasis that had survived the fight intact, was being loaded into another such chariot.

“The pegasus keeps saying over and over, she is sorry and just needed the bits. I suspect she will talk once Ranger Swords gets her alone.”

I snorted, “The bitch ain’t said a word,” many of the guards flattened their ears at my choice words. Yeah, they were more like me; A tougher sort, solders.. However, ponies still had that reaction to harsh or crude words. So be it, I wasn’t going to change the way I talk just to save a few ears.

The lead Stallion gave me a nod, turned to his group and bellowed out, “I want unit one on chariot one, and two on two,” he quieted once he had their attention, “we’ll fly side by side formation.”

“Good luck, Sarge,” I said to the sergeant as he walked for his ride home. Seeing him look back at me again he we shared a nod. “And you, Ranger; nice seeing you again, Sir.”

I shook my head as they took off, watching them fly off into the distance, heading for the castle on the mountain. I did note one odd thing; Spoiled had looked back at me with a blank look, not one of hate like always. She had not looked away once as they flew off.

---

Over the next week I had seen tons of paperwork, two meetings with the school board to assure them the foals were okay to return to school, and one large meeting with many parents to assure them that the rangers and guard were keeping a eye on things. Ponies seem to appreciate a good panic now and then.

I was glad when it was Friday as I had plans to help Big Mac out on the fence line. Jackie was taking the week off since she was pretty tore up about seeing her little sister as bad off as she was. In fact, two nights ago, AB had come to the barn room crying in the middle of the night, a bad dream. I remember Cassidy doing the same so, after a quick talk, Jackie and I let her sleep between us for the rest of the night.

Applejack had broken down that first night after the sleepover at Sugarcube corner. I had ended up holding her all night long. No fooling around, no frisky stuff; just holding her close and listening to her sleep. I lay there knowing how much she hurt over all this. I couldn’t sleep that night, my mind going over all the things I wished I had the power to change.

I looked up from my thoughts as Golden slammed the door to my office open and rushed in, shoving a telegram at me. “Shane! You need to read this, now.”

I blinked at her, “Ok calm down, lets see what we have here,” I stated as I plucked it from her hoof. I started to read, and as I did I felt the blood rush from my face.

To: Lieutenant Shane McDonald. Stop

Come to Canterlot on the next train. Stop

Riot and breakout in Canterlot prison block A. Stop

My eyes locked on the next line.

Prisoner Milk dead. Stop

Signed. Captain Crossed Swords, 1st Ranger Company. Stop

I was quiet for a few seconds before I dared to speak. “Golden, find Cort; tell him to meet me at the station in ten minutes. Then find Dust, tell her she has the watch. Then go find Twilight, give her this.” rolled the paper up again. “Have her take Jackie and go inform Rich.”

She gave a nod, a calm to her face, but she had a grave look in her eyes. “W-will do, Shane.”

As she spun and ran out I got up and after she had gone, I got my belt on, sliding the peacemaker into place, then I grabbed my hat and my coat before I picked up my cane and headed out.

I glanced at the pink and purple mare at the front desk. “Amethyst, keep a lid on this; no one knows, no gossip, no talk.” I knew she had good ears and I was sure she had heard us talking.

She nodded with a deep look of sorrow on her face. “You have my word, Sir.”

A pony had been killed. Even if it was one as bad as Milk was, it affected them all.

“Soon as Lightning is here, you scoot down to the guard station. Have one or two of them walk patrol, let them know Cort and I are out of town on a emergency, and that Dust is in charge here.”

She gave another nod. “Yes, Sir.”

Yea… fuck this year.

---

“Ok what happened?” I asked as soon as I was inside the gate to the royal jail with Cort on my heels. Captain Cross had met us there and walked us along a long corridor. He shook his head at me then focused back to where he was walking.

“Still putting things together, but at zero-five-hundred this morning, at the breakfast line, a fight broke out. We know two guards were, not at their post,” I saw him give a dark look at that. “There were too few to break it up. Best as I have got so far, a diamond dog and a gryphon started it. It got out of control, things were being burned, and they shut down the gate system but...” I could see the damage as we walked down the hallways.

I could hear the hoots and voices of the prisoners down in the cell block. “Sounds like they’re still wound up.” We walked to a doorway and he paused.

“Shane, it ain’t pretty in there.” I gave him a nod and her opened it up. I noted it was cold in there, likely unicorn magic keeping it as such, and I saw why.

Strapped to a chair was Spoiled Milk. They had slit her throat, but what made the bile rise and make me gulp it back down was the fact there were large chunks of her missing, as if they were… bitten off. Two gryphons lay dead on the floor, side by side, a few paces away from her.

“Cort, you stay out there,” I told him just before I heard retching from him. A minute passed before I heard him mutter, “T-too late. Luna, preserve me, Shane. They, they ate parts of her,” he said. His body was threatening to throw up again, what little he had left.

I glanced over and then back to another pile of feathers near the back of the room where a large hole was in the wall. It looked to lead down into a tunnel, I noted as I was walking over. I used my boot to move the feathers before I realized I knew these feather patterns; it was the old Gryphon and his son, even a cursory glance told me they had died badly. Seems they were shivved and their throats cut, doesn’t matter in what order.

I looked at the sheets, torn into strips, that were tying their wings down, their beaks were closed and their eyes were open. I frowned at the sight as Cross came up next to me. “Best as I can tell right now, they weren’t part of it. Perhaps they said no, or something else, but their compatriots tied them up and killed them before escaping.”

I was still taking things in, but this did not bode well; not at all. I noted the wall was not broken from the inside out, but the tunnel led into the room. The rubble told me a lot, and it told me this was a jail break.

“Who’s gone?” I asked, standing tall.

Cort spoke, holding up a list he’d been given. “One of the guards gave this to me outside. I’m okay as long as I don’t,” he gagged, “don’t look at the bodies.” I took the list and looked it over, scanning it before I handed it back to Cross.

“Shane, this is every dog and gryphon you brought in.”

I frowned deeper. “Can you work this crime scene? I think it is time I talk to the princesses. Cort, you stay here and work with the guard and put pressure the ones that were not on post when the riot started.”

Swords spoke up. “They are expecting you; already let them know you were on the way.”

I exhaled and turned, but I couldn’t help but look at the bodies, the pools of blood around them, and I took a second too long at the look of frozen terror on Milk’s face. Yes, she was a bitch, but no pony deserved to die like that. Pony, person… damn it, Twilight.

Author's Notes:

Woo, Really am trying to get back up to 2 chapters a month folks but life has been kicking my butt.