"Alright, so I've got some barriers up over the windows and doors, is that...?" Shining said, slowly trailing off as he walked into the room.

The white unicorn quickly noticed Earl staring blankly at a wall, his face holding no emotion. Shining turned around and glanced towards Big Mac who was still in the opposite room.

"Is he alright?" Shining asked quietly.

Mac glanced towards the room Earl was in and then back up at Shining, giving him a shrug.

"I'm fine." Earl called out, his eyes still fixated on the wall. "It's just not every day you see some shit like that."

"Ah know whatchu mean." Mac said, walking past the royal guard captain and into the main room with Earl. "Never thought ah'd see somethin's insides until today."

Shining raised an eyebrow. Out of all the ponies to be affected by the violence, he never expected Mac.

"Uhhh..." the white unicorn said, confused at what he should do.

"It's fine Shines." Earl replied, finally breaking his stare on the wall.

"Alright, well I'm gonna go get some sleep. Been a long day, you know?" Shining said, backing out of the room.

Earl simply nodded.

"So shit is really getting to you?" Earl asked, turning to Macintosh after a few moments.

Mac sighed and took a seat on the ground next to the former human.

"Eyup." He said.

After a few more moments, Mac raised an eyebrow and glanced towards Earl.

"How come you're tore up by this? I thought you were the Zed expert." He said with a chuckle, trying to make light of the situation.

Earl chuckled slightly in return.

"Nah, killing these things doesn't effect me anymore..." He said, looking towards Zecora's pool of blood. "It's just seeing somebody else dead..."

"Ah think that'd be tough." Mac replied, glancing towards the blood as well. "Did you know her?"

Earl didn't personally know the zebra, but had seen her on the show to know enough.

"Yeah. She was pretty awesome." Earl replied.

"Ya think the girls knew her?" Mac asked, referring to the elements.

"Shit..." Earl replied shaking his head. "I've got to tell them now."

"It's cool. I'll help ya out."

"Thanks Mac." Earl replied extending his hoof towards him.

The large red earthpony instinctively met it with his own, creating a faint crack.

A real brohoof... Earl thought with a slight smirk.

After a few minutes of silence, Earl glanced towards Mac and noticed the miserable look in his eyes. The thoughts of taking life swirled around the earthpony's mind like a wildfire of guilt. The grey unicorn felt it necessary to console him with one of his most famous techniques.

"Here," He said, levitating the Ipod out of his belt.

After scrolling to the artist he wanted, he set it to 'repeat all' and handed the device to Mac.

"What in tarnation is this, Earl?" He asked.

"Just put these on." The former human replied, levitating the headphones to him.

The stallion was confused but obliged anyway.

"Just sit back and enjoy the music." Earl said as he hit play.

Mac raised his eyebrow for a moment as the music started, and quickly took the headphones off.

"How the hell did you just do that?!" Mac asked, shocked.

"Uhh... magic." Earl replied.

"Oh." Mac said, putting the headphones back on.

Well, I just found my new explanation for everything... Earl thought.

Soon the miserable look in Mac's eyes faded as he listened to the music. Minutes later he removed the head phones.

"Wow, ahm surprised I've never heard that." He said. "Just one thing..."

"What?" Earl asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The singer was sayin' the name wrong the whole time. What the hell is a California?"

"It's a state..."

"Ah think It's pronounced Coltifornia..."

"The yellah one." Mac said with a chuckle.

Earl raised an eyebrow.

"Well fuck me running. You've got the hots for Fluttershy?!" Earl asked, surprised.

Mac simply chuckled and nodded.

"Dude, you could land her in a second."

"Heh, you're a funny guy." Mac replied.

"I'm serious, why haven't you talked to her at all?"

"Well, ah mean, the work on the farm, and uhhh, takin' care of Apple Bloom and..."

"Really? Those sound like excuses..."

Mac shot the grey unicorn a quick glare.

"Hey man, just sayin'." Earl replied, throwing up his fore legs in defense.

Mac chuckled and sunk back in his seat.

"What about you lovercolt?" The earth pony asked.

Earl laughed and sighed.

"Uhh... I don't really-"

"It's Twilight, aint' it?" Mac said, cutting him off.

Earl glanced quickly towards the sleeping captain and then back to Mac.

"Woah dude, keep it down!" The grey pony said in a hushed tone.

"Ah knew it!" Mac said with a laugh. "Well shucks, why didn't you just say so?" He continued.

"I don't know..." Earl said, trailing off. "We're not exactly from the same place, and some other shit like that..."

"Well shit, that shouldn't matter. You're a pony, she's a pony. Seems fine tah me." Mac replied.

Earl thought about his statement for a moment. He was one of them, and he wasn't going home anytime soon.

"I don't know, I'll deal with that later." Earl said, standing up from his seat.

He walked over to one of the magically barricaded windows and examined the time of night. The sun had slowly been making it's way over the horizon for a few minutes.

"Shit!" Earl said. "We need to get some sleep." He continued, glancing back to his newly acquired friend.

Mac chuckled.

"Ah don't think I'm gonna' be sleepin' after what happened today." He said.

"Whatever man, I'm gonna try." Earl said, promptly taking a sleeping position on the floor.

A few moments after Earl had shut his eyes, he heard Macintosh call out from the other side of the room.

"Hey, Earl." He said, waking the grey unicorn.

"What's up?" Earl replied.

"Any chance ah could borrow that music thingy of yours?"

The former human chuckled as he levitated the Ipod towards Mac and hit play.

"Just be careful with it."