With the Wendigo King finished off and peace restored to Canterlot City once more, Inferno and Sunset drove Timber off to the hospital. Timber was lucky enough to survive that ruthless beating he took and it got his sister worried for him. Even she thought Eternal was gonna kill him, but was glad he didn't.

Later on, after everyone arrived at the hospital, Heat found the rest of his family in the waiting room, looking worried. There was his mom, Principal Celestia. His aunt, Vice Principal Luna. His oldest brother, Blue Flare, who looked like Eternal Flames, but with blue hair and next to him was a woman with red hair and faded pink skin with teal eyes, wearing a purple long-sleeve shirt and indigo skirt.

Sitting next to Heat's mom was a man in a black business suit. He had long, red hair just like Eternal, the same sapphire eyes as him, too, but his skin was orange like the color of Heat Blitz's hair.

"Mom? Dad?" Heat asked, getting their attention. They all gasped and ran over to him, surrounding him in a group hug.

"Honey, where have you been? We've been worried sick about you!" Celestia said.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous it was for you to be out there? What if that psycho got his hands on you and did you in?" the man in the business suit said.

"Dad, I'm okay now. But this isn't the time to talk about me, is Eternal okay?" Heat asked.

"He'll be fine, just tell us if you're hurt anywhere," Blue Flare said, brushing it off, much to Heat's and the crimson lady's disappointment who was standing next to Blue Flare. "What? I can't rest easy knowing you might've been hurt badly."

"Oh and it's okay for you guys to brush off Eternal and let him die alone?" Heat talked back in a fit of anger, trying to hold back the tears.

“Damn!? I didn’t think he had it in him.” Inferno said in surprise and exhaustion. The spell he cast on Eternal, really took a lot out of him.

Later, the doctor walks into the waiting room and walked up to Heat and his family. "Doctor, is Eternal alright? Will he live?"

"Well, I have some good news and some bad news," the doctor said. "The good news is we've managed to stabilize him. However… despite the lack of physical wounds, Eternal Flames suffered some massive blood loss which caused him to slip into a coma. There's no telling when he'll wake up," the doctor said. Heat's heart dropped hearing the news about his brother's condition and took a step back.

"C-Can I please… go see him?" Heat asked.

"Sure, follow me and I'll take you to him," the doctor said. Heat followed him close behind and so did the beautiful crimson woman next to him. She stayed next to Heat's side, patting him on the shoulders.

The others followed them as well, but kept their distance, except for Inferno, Sunset and Twilight as well. After they reached the room Eternal was in, Heat's heart was shattered. Eternal Flames was hooked onto an I.V and a life monitor. His pulse was steady, but his face still had red blood stains and he was unconscious, not moving a muscle.

"No… Eternal… what have I done?" he asked himself, running up to his unconscious brother and sat by his bedside. He took his brother's hand and sobbed heavily. "No! Why did it have to be you?" he continued weeping while the others watched.

Twilight, Sunset, and Inferno can’t help but feel so much sympathy and sadness for their friend. Seeing how he weeps over his brother who is now in a coma, one that they don’t know if he’ll awake from. Soon Twilight walks over to her boyfriend, wraps her arms around him, embracing him while shedding tears of her own. Soon Sunset and Inferno soon walked up and joined the two in their embrace. The four stayed in their group hug, never leaving Eternal’s side until the nurse asked them to leave the room.

Heat gave his brother a big hug and whispered "Get well soon, bro. Be strong." and left with the others, hanging his head down.

"I wish there was more we could do, Heat. I know how much he means to you," the crimson woman said, hugging Heat.

"Sis… none of this would've happened if...if they didn't leave," Heat pointed at his own family, turning his gaze away from them before walking past them and out of the hospital.

"Sis? You mean like as in… "sister?" Twilight asked, approaching the woman.

"Yes, my name's Crimson Ruby. My husband is Blue Flare," she gestures to the man with blue hair and snow white skin. "I'm Heat's sister-in-law and a family therapist."

"Crimson? Why is Heat so upset with his family?" Sunset asked.

“Yeah, he seems to be on good terms with them when we met. Now he’s all… “I’m a lone wolf” kinda guy.” Inferno added.

"If it's alright with all of you, why don't we take this conversation over at my house. I'll let you all know why he's acting this way," Crimson said. "And I mean "all" of you." she gestured to her in-laws and the group of friends. "You guys seem like really good friends with Heat and you're wanting to help him out, so I've got nothing against you. Come on."

So everyone left the hospital and all followed Crimson. In the midst of all this, Crimson was completely upset with how things have turned out. Hopefully this therapy session will get her own family to stop this nonsense.

---

After hours of driving, everyone arrived at Crimson's house, which was two stories tall and looked very spacious. There was a straight pathway leading to the front door. Crimson walked up and opened up the door, walking in with everyone else, then closed it once everyone was now inside.

"Have a seat, everyone," she said. The large group all sat on the large couch, some sat on the carpet floor since there was no room and Crimson stayed standing. "Okay, you're probably wondering why I called all of you here after what Heat said."

"Yes, I want to know, too. Why's Heat so angry at them?" Twilight asked.

"The reason why Heat's so mad at his family… and why Eternal's in his coma… is because you guys failed as a family to be there for him," Crimson pointed at her husband and in-laws. "Daddy, or should I say Blaze Burn, you neglected to give him any sort of attention because of the old "I've got multiple businesses to run" excuse. There are things in this world that are more important than money and work. And that's family."

"Crimson, I do provide for our family… even if my marriage to my wife ended on bad terms," Blaze Burn said, looking at Celestia.

"Providing isn't enough. There comes a time when a father has to spend quality time with his own sons. How much time did you spend with Eternal?" Crimson asked calmly, yet stern.

Blaze was gonna answer, but couldn't find the right answer. Crimson knew he never spent any sort of quality time with Eternal.

"Blue Flare, I'm mostly disappointed in you," Crimson glared at her husband.

"Me, what did I do?" Blue Flare asked.

"Remember what you said earlier about Heat asking if his brother was alright? You told him he's fine without knowing the condition he was in. I'm starting to think you don't care about him as much as you care about Heat Blitz," Crimson said. "And as for you two…" she pointed to Celestia and Luna. "The only reason you didn't give him enough love… or showed how much you loved him… is because you two were just too afraid of him and whether or not he might come after you."

"Th-That's not true, we… we just…" Celestia said.

"No! No excuses. You guys should be ashamed of yourselves. In most cases, especially ones like this, being the middle child of the family, like Eternal is, can be a huge struggle. Do you recall all the times he put himself in danger, whether inside a boxing ring or like what he did on the news? He might've done that because he's not afraid and to be a hero to all. But I think he did it because he wanted you to acknowledge him," Crimson explained.

"What about us? Did we do anything wrong?" Twilight asked.

"No, you didn't. You girls and his little brother… you were there for each other. However, there is one other individual who still worries about him… isn't that right?" Crimson called out loudly. And right away, an elderly voice spoke back.

"You couldn't be more right." and out of the hallway, an elderly man, probably in his mid 60's came out, holding a baby girl in his hands. The man had faded orange hair, red skin and blue eyes, just like Blue Flare and Blaze Burn. The baby had scarlet hair with blue streaks done in a pigtail and had snow white skin like Blue Flare, but her eyes were teal like Crimson's.

The elderly man's eyes wandered over to Inferno and right away "Well, if it isn't Inferno Blaze. Didn't think I'd see you on an occasion like this," he said.

“Commander Flame Blast!” Inferno got up from the couch and saluted to the elder man, who gave a salute in return. “So…. This is your family. To be honest, sir. I didn’t see that coming.”

Crimson, Celestia, Blaze Burn, Blue Flare, and Inferno’s friends soon became confused on how the two even knew each other. As for the baby, she just smile and laugh while she was in her grandfather’s arms.

“Wait!? Inferno, how do you know this man?” Sunset asked.

“Yeah, grandpa. How did you know this young man?” Blue Flare asked also.

“Flame Burst was my commanding officer during my time in the military. He led me and my squad in the operations against the terrorist organization, the Sons of Sombra.” Inferno explained, happy to see his former commander once again.

"And it's good to see you too. So, if my old ears aren't failing me, did I just hear that Eternal Flames isn't doing so well?" Flame asked.

"No sir. He suffered some massive blood loss and slipped into a coma. Heat won't even speak to his family, let alone, look at them," Twilight said.

“And respectfully sir, Eternal is one tough dude. I mean after taking each blow, he never seem to go down. Especially with his injuries.” Inferno added. “But then later, he passed out because he took more damage than he should.

"What are you talking about? How do you know about his injuries?" Celestia asked.

Inferno and the girls then later felt uneasy about the question. Until Inferno finally spoke with nervousness in his voice. “Hehehe…. You guys are gonna laugh at this.”

"What have you done to my son, young man?" Blaze Burn asked with anger

“Well…. Uhhhhh…. I’m the one who put him in the hospital.” Inferno answered.

"You… did… WHAT?!" Blaze Burn exploded. "YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU ALMOST KILLED MY SON?!"

“Yeah! In my defense, your son hurt my friends and nearly killed my girlfriend!” Inferno rebutted and then points at Celestia. “And your wife here, knows that I have really uncontrollable anger issues when it comes to the people I love get hurt. And the way your son spoke to me…. IT REALLY BLEW MY TOP OFF!!!” Inferno’s eyes soon turned pitch again. But then all of a sudden, Inferno soon felt extremely exhausted from his outburst and then falls to the floor, frightening everyone in the room.

"Inferno, take it easy!" Sunset said, holding onto Inferno. Her eyes looked back over at the others, who weren't looking so happy. "Wait, before you hold a grudge against him, there's something you should know… Inferno also helped Eternal by healing his injuries. He stopped him from bleeding out more than he should. It’s because of Inferno, your son is still holding on to life right now.” Then soon Twilight and Rainbow Dash gets up from their couch and helps Sunset set the now exhausted Inferno down on the couch to rest.

"Well… at least that's something to be proud of. But back to the situation at hand, I'm starting to believe Eternal never truly recovered from the trauma back when he was a kid," Flame Blast said, looking down.

“Sir, that’s not all.” Inferno said in a weak, tired tone. “When we were fighting, Eternal somehow manages to shake off my attacks every time I trade blows with him. But my attacks were also damaging his body, but…. It’s almost as if he never even felt the pain from them. What happened to Eternal during his time being a hostage…. Something tells me that might be the reason.” He stated.

"That's not the main reason," Crimson said. "The main reason is because he feels his own family has rejected him. Rejection is what drove him to feel no physical pain. And no amount of that can drown out what emotional pain has caused him. In other words, he needs closure… because his family messed up. The only people who ever cared about him was his own little brother, me and his grandfather." Crimson turned to Flame Blast.

"And how do you suppose they reconcile with him? They're much too afraid of Eternal," Flame Blast said.

"They suck it up and just roll with it… like Eternal did these past 7 years," Crimson said bluntly as she crossed her arms.

“And they ensure that this doesn’t happen again!” A voice spoke to the whole group. They all turned their heads to see Fleur De Lis standing by the living room entrance…. And she looks very unhappy.

“Because of you people…. Your son is in the hospital. And not only that, my son is in weak condition because of it!” Fleur growled.

“Mom…. I’m…. Fine.” Inferno replied, but his tired voice proved to her that he’s definitely not fine at all. Sunset and the girls try their best to make him comfortable on the couch so he can properly rest. Fleur then looks over to Flame Blast, and soon her anger demeanor died down a little bit.

“Flame Blast…. It’s been a while.” She said.

"Yes, though I'm surprised to see you here. How did you know about what's been going on around here?" Flame asked.

"More importantly, how do you know Flame Blast, mom?" Inferno asked.

"I knew her husband back in his younger age. He was a very good man, my best friend… and a true hero," Flame said.

“Wait. My dad was in the military?” Inferno asked.

“Indeed, Inferno. Your father and Flame fought side by side in the ‘Shadow War’. Flame was injured and 3 members of their squad when a missile nearly devastated one of their convoys.” She explained

“I ordered your father to retreat, but instead Magnus stayed and carried us to a safe house. He stood by the windows and gunned down all enemy contacts in the area. He held them off for 13 hours until reinforcements arrived. After that day, I was glad he denied my orders…. Cause then he proved to be the most loyalist man there ever was.” Flame said.

"That's pretty amazing," Twilight said.

"Yes, and I'm very proud of him for serving our country," Fleur said softly… until her pissed off demeanor returned. "Now, as for all of you…"

Inferno looks at the family in front of him and later mouthed, ‘I am so sorry.’

"You will all do well and show your son some love and compassion or he will forever resent you for the rest of his life or else you'll have to answer to ME! GOT IT?!" Fleur hissed. "Families do not neglect their own for the stupidest goddamn reasons like fearing your own child, or thinking they'll just bring you down! That is NOT how families act! Do you understand?"

The group, aside from Crimson nodded in agreement. Flame looked like he kept his cool, but secretly, he needed a change of pants.

"Inferno… would you like me to drive you home?" Fleur asked calmly.

“Can I come with you, Ms. Fleur. I want to be sure Inferno doesn’t exhaust himself again.” Sunset asked.

“Sunset…. I’m not…. Gonna pass out.” Inferno said as he tried to get up from the couch, but later stumbled when he tried to walk. Sunset and Applejack managed to catch him before he could hurt himself.

“Let’s just git ya to ya to into the car.” AJ said as she and Sunset help walk Inferno towards the front door and outside of the house. The girls helped Inferno into the passenger side of Fleur's car while Fleur got in the driver's seat. After Sunset got in with them, Fleur started up the engine and drove off.

During their drive, Inferno finally falls asleep as Sunset petted his head like he’s a cute puppy and then laid against him and then took a quick nap as well.

---

The very next day, after school let out, Heat headed straight for hospital to check up on Eternal to see if he was awake. When he got there, to his surprise, his family had got there before him. All of them bringing gifts to Eternal.

"What's going on here?" Heat asked.

His family were all quiet, not saying a word to him. Until Crimson got impatient with the silence and became the first one to speak. “Well we, mostly they, decided to check up on Eternal during our free hours, to see if he’s made a good recovery.” She said.

"You… came here to check on my brother? Why the sudden change of heart, you didn't give him a second thought for so long, why start now?" Heat asked, quirking an eyebrow skeptically.

"We had some time to think it over and realized that we haven't been acting like a real family. And we're gonna try and make things right," Blaze Burn said.

"And also because Fleur scared the crap out of us," Blue Flare said.

“She did what now? You all met Fleur.” Heat asked.

"Yeah, she was one of my clients some time ago. I called her over to my house while my husband drove us there. She and I are pretty good friends, she even gave me a few tips on how to be a great mom." Crimson said.

"And it turns out Fleur's husband saved our grandpa's life during the war," Blue Flare said.

"Okay, I didn't know that. But just to make sure, you guys are really being here for my brother, not to stop me from seeing him?" Heat asked.

"We're positive, Heat Blitz. If you're gonna keep seeing him, we're gonna see him with you. It was our fault we let Eternal end up in his current state. And it was our neglect that made him think we had given up on him. It's a big mistake we're not gonna make again," Celestia said.

"And we're sorry if our neglect had somehow hurt you too, son.” Blaze Burn said. “We never gave the love and support that Eternal needed. Now we’re willing to fix the mistake we made, and start on a clean slate.”

Heat smiled slightly and ran up to his family, giving them a big hug. "Promise me you'll stick with us now and forever." he said.

"We promise, son. And… we're so proud of how much you've grown," Celestia replied, shedding a tear. Finishing their touching moment, the whole family sat all around Eternal's bedside. As he laid there, unbudging, the silence broke.

"You know… he looks so peaceful when he's sleeping. Have you ever noticed that?" Crimson asked Celestia.

"Yes. I remember when he was just a little boy, he used to sleep all snug in my bed when Blaze Burn was on a business trip or working overtime. Heat used to do that, too. But mostly he just wanted to be near his big brother," Celestia said.

"You certainly haven't changed at all, even after your divorce," Flame said to Blaze Burn.

"Hey, you try having to pull in a night shift as a rookie for some drunken meathead who liked slacking off," Blaze chuckled.

The family stood by Eternal for a couple of minutes, till they heard knocking sounds. They all turn to the source and see Twilight, Sunset, and Inferno who looks like he’s recovered well from his tired state, Twilight also carried a flower bouquet with a get well card on it, for Eternal.

“Hello,” Twilight said. “We thought we stop by and give Eternal a gift.”

"Oh, hi there, Twilight. Come on in, by all means," Heat replied. Twilight walked in and so did Sunset and Inferno, who were also bearing gifts.

"Heat Blitz, you never really introduced us to them," Blaze said.

"Dad, this is Twilight Sparkle. She's my girlfriend," Heat said, patting Twilight on her shoulder.

"You have a girlfriend? Aww, that's so sweet. See, I knew you'd find someone, but I had no idea she would be so beautiful and adorable," Crimson complimented.

“Thank you,” Twilight replied sheepishly.

"And these two are my bestest friends, Inferno Blaze and Sunset Shimmer. These three and these other girls at school helped me out when I was being bullied," Heat said. "Twilight helped me the most during my time of need."

"How did you two get together?" Blue Flare asked.

"We sang each other our songs that confessed how we feel about each other. And what he did to me was an experience I'll remember for a long time," Twilight said. "Heat ran up to me and picked me up, spinning me in the air and then brought me down and kissed me." Twilight instantly blushed at the mention of her first kiss.

"Hehe, wow, son. Who knew you grew such a huge set of balls if you felt that strongly about this young lady," Blaze Burn said.

“Dad!” Heat shouted in embarrassment. Soon everyone in the room began to laugh, and soon Heat joined in the laughter.

"So, is Eternal doing okay?" Inferno asked.

"He hasn't woken up yet, but he's still stable,” Heat Blitz said. "There's no telling when he'll wake up, but I hope it's soon."

“Let’s hope it’s sooner.” Sunset said.

"That reminds me, you said you were being bullied before. How long has that been going on?" Blaze asked.

Heat sighed, not liking having to bring it up. But he put up 3 fingers and said "3 years."

"Where is that bum right now?" Blaze asked, trying to keep his anger in check.

"Eternal landed him in the hospital after he almost tried to kill him," Heat said. "And I don't mean he just pulverized him, he nearly killed him by choking him to death."

“But then Heat and Sunset got in the way. He knocked Heat off, nearly killed Sunset, and… then I beat the crap out of him. So technically we've all been through a lot.” Inferno added.

"Nearly killed? What saved her?" Luna asked.

"Heat Blitz. He saved her life by catching her before having a chance to hit the ground. He's got a lot of heart," Inferno said.

"My body felt pretty sore from the impact, but I'm fine now," Heat replied.

“Which reminds me…. Heat, I owe you one for saving Sunset. So after this wanna head over AJ’s house and get two fresh bottles of cid-” Before Inferno could finish, the lights in the hospital room suddenly turn off. Not only that, but also the machines that hook up with Eternal, were also turned off. “Uh, are the lights supposed to do that?” He asked after.

“No. No, they’re not.” Blue Flare said in response.

Soon after a few seconds, the back-up generators of the hospital kickstarter the hospital machines, but the lights weren’t back on.

“Well at least the back-up generators are online.” Crimson said.

“Yeah, but the lights aren’t on. What’s up with that?” Sunset responded.

“I don’t know,” Inferno replied. “I’ll go find any doctors or hospital staff nearby and ask them what’s up with the power outage.”

"On the bright side, at least the back-up generator kicked in just in time to keep Eternal alive. But the big question is why did the power shut off?" Heat asked.

“That’s what I'm about to find out. Any volunteers to come with?” Inferno said.

"I'll go," Heat said.

"Count me in, too," Blue Flare said.

“Alright let’s go. Everyone hold down the fort till we get back.” Inferno said. Then soon he, Heat, and Blue Flare scanned their surroundings all around the hospital, searching every nook and cranny for the source of the problem.

But so far, they didn’t find any personel in the rooms or hallways. "It doesn't look like we're getting anywhere, where are the damn doctors?" Blue asked.

“No idea, Blue.” Heat replied. “It’s not like they walked out of the-”

“HEY YOU GUYS! OVER HERE!” Soon the two brothers heard Inferno call out to them. The brothers rushed over to where he’s at. But when they got there, what they saw horrified them. They found Inferno on his knees, next to a bloody body of the doctor who was helping with Eternal’s recovery. And soon they looked all around the hallway they find other bodies lying around, covered in blood.

Heat gasped and stumbled back. Blue Flare could only grunt in frustration.

"If I find the motherfuckers who did this, I'll either make sure they hit death row… or I kill those fuckers myself," Blue snarled.

“In that case,” Inferno then reaches into his jacket and then pulled out a Glock 19 pistol and hands it over to Blue. “You’re gonna need that. Whoever is in the building, they’re definitely not friendlies. Oh, and Heat ...” Inferno reaches into his jacket again and pulled out another Glock 19 and hands it over to Heat. “You may need that also.” He said as he reaches into the back of his pants and pulls out another Glock 19.

“Okay we’ll split up into three’s.” Inferno stated. “Blue, you take the west side of the building. Heat, you take the east side. I’ll patrol the hallways from here. Keep your phone on vibrate and call if you spot anything.”

"Wait, are you serious?! I've never even shot one of these guns before, let alone killed anybody with it," Heat said, feeling nervous.

"Heat Blitz, there's always going to be a time when we run into people who are just pure evil and this is one of those times. You can't negotiate with whoever killed these people or they will kill you on the spot. Can I count on you to be strong?" Blue asked.

"I… I… alright I'll do it," Heat hesitated.

"Good. Alright, let's move out!" Blue ordered.

The boys went their different directions, Blue went west, Heat went east, and Inferno patrolled the main hallways. They had their guns up and pointing at whatever’s in front of them. They moved swiftly and silent so that they can remain undetected. They searched the building for several minutes, but found no traces of the invaders.

As Inferno patrolled the hallways, he became aware of his surroundings He listened closely for any signs of movement or gunfire. As he continued his long search, he then pulls out his phone and calls the others.

“Guys, any luck in your searches.” Inferno said. “What’s your status?”

"There's nothing on my end," Heat said. "What about you, bro?"

“Negative. I got nothing.” Blue responded. “Inferno, how goes your search?”

“Nothing, I found natta. Everything’s all clear.” Inferno said, but before he hung up, he heard a loud noise at the south end of the hallway where he’s at. It shows that they’re location is identified. “Ignore what I said. Meet me at the southside of the building.” He said as he ran over to the source of the sound.

"10-4. I'm on my way," Blue said.

"I'm coming, too. But whatever you do, don't die," Heat said.

“Heat, if there’s one thing about me that is true. It’s not dying.” Inferno replied as he made all the way to the south end of the hallway and into a big section of the hospital. Soon Heat and Blue manage to meet up with him, and then the three scanned their surroundings. They looked around the area, finding nothing or no one around. Until Inferno felt Blue tapping his shoulder and then points towards the section where the elevators are. Inferno looks over and sees three individuals wearing black hoodies and kevlar vests. They were also carrying rifles and looks as if they were talking. Inferno, Heat, and Blue decided to get closer to hear what they are saying. As they got close, they manage to hear the three clearly.

“Do you think they’re really here? Cause all I see is a bunch of pathetic doctors and sick people.” The #1 individual said.

“They are here. The boss said so, and he’s even got intel saying that they arrived here an hour ago to see some chump in a coma.” The #2 individual replied.

“These two girls better be worth it, or otherwise I’ll blow their brains out.” The #3 individual said as he tries to get the elevator working.

Inferno, Heat, and Blue heard all they needed to hear, but what they were confused about is what they had mentioned.

“What did those guys meant about ‘two girls’. You don’t think...” Heat said.

“Yeah. I don’t think those guys came here for a slaughter.” Inferno replied. “I think they’re after Twilight and Sunset.”

“What?! But why?” Heat asked.

"Shit! If they're after the girls, I'd better call Crimson," Blue said, dialing her number. The dialing tone rang twice before his wife picked up. "Baby, listen. I need you to lock the door and keep everyone out of sight. We've run into a snag with a couple of terrorists who might be after Twilight and Sunset." he spoke quietly, but clearly.

"What? Why are they--" Crimson asked before being cut off.

"Just keep everyone safe and don't let anyone near the door until I say otherwise," Blue said.

“They hold out for long, you two head back over there and guard the room. And if one of them tries to reach it, do not hesitate to gun them down.” Inferno stated.

“What about you? What are you going to do?” Heat asked.

“I’ll buy you time. Just go and make sure everyone’s safe.” Inferno stated as he got up from their hiding place and moves silently towards the three invaders. Not before turning around and looking back at Heat and Blue. “Go!” He whispered. The brothers understand his intentions and then runs back to the room where the others are at. Leaving Inferno to deal with the three hostiles. He slowly gets closer to the three, stalking them like a panther with its prey. Using the shadows as his cover.

As he finally got closer, he then raises his gun straight at them, ready to strike.

“Hey, you heard something- ARH!” The #1 invader screams in pain when Inferno shot him straight in the shoulder. He falls to the floor, screaming in pain. The other two became known of Inferno’s presence and then tries to draw their rifles, but were too slow when Inferno jumps at them, disarming the two. After that Inferno engages the two in close combat, throwing punches and kicks. Everytime they tried to land a blow, Inferno was always dodging them faster than any normal human being. Inferno grabs one of his opponents by the arm and then slams them to a wall before body slamming them to the ground. The other tries to choke him from behind, the young man then headbutts them and then grapples the attackers body and body slams him to the floor while then giving him several punches to the face. As the first attacker finally got up from being shot in the shoulder, he then sees Inferno busy dealing with his comrades and then walks towards his objective, unnoticed.

As Inferno delivered his final blow with a hard jab to the terrorist’s face, he then grabs his pistol and then shoots him straight in the head. And soon he aims it at the other terrorist lying on the floor, groaning in pain, and shoots him twice in the head. Inferno finally takes a breather, but then realizes something off. And that’s when he realized, the third one is gone. He quickly takes out his phone and calls Heat. “Heat! Blue! Heads up. One of them is coming your way!” He then hangs up and runs towards the Eternal’s hospital room, hoping to reach them in time.

"10-4! We're kicking it into high gear!" Blue said. "Come on, Heat, pick up the pace!"

"Hey, I'm running as fast as I can, I'm not Sonic the Hedgehog," Heat argued.

Both brothers sped up their pace, finally reaching the door to the hospital room their family and the girls were in. Blue Flare cocked his gun and checked both sides of the building. Heat did the same thing, though he was quaking in his shoes. His heart raced a million miles more once he and Blue heard running footsteps. They were coming closer and closer with every second.

"Get behind me, bro. This is gonna get messy," Blue said, aiming his gun. Seconds later, the off-duty cop locked his gaze on the target. The man at the end of the hallway, cocked his gun and aimed it at the brothers. Both Blue Flare and the terrorist fired their weapons. Blue Flare, though he shot his target, he only got him in his right forearm, making him drop his gun and shout in agony.

However, Blue Flare also took a bullet straight to his right shoulder and he was in just as much pain as the terrorist. But even with his dominant arm unusable, he used his left hand to fire the rest of his rounds at the terrorist. However, his shots only got his other arm, his legs and his midsection, which made him yell out in even more pain. Just as quickly as the pain coursed through his body, the terrorist collapsed to the ground, but was still breathing. Blue ran over to the terrorist and pinned him down using his entire body weight.

"Heat! Hurry! Finish him off!" Blue yelled before grunting in pain. Heat gulped and slowly approached the pinned terrorist. Once he got to him at point blank range, he moves his gun away from him.

"Before I do the unthinkable, I need to ask you. Who are you after and why would you take the lives of innocent people just to get your hands on these two girls?" Heat asked.

The terrorist said nothing, but grunted in pain from his gunshot wounds, staring at Heat as he stared back. But finally the terrorist finally had the guts to speak to the young man. “So we can spread a new terror upon societies around the world. So that a new order shall replace it. Where the powerful commands the weak. And our leader shall bring us the new order…. And the 7 teenage girls in this town…. Will be our key.” He stated.

"Seven…" Heat then gasped when he realized. "...You're after Sunset and Twilight and the rest of their friends, aren't you!?" While the two brothers were focused on the terrorist, one of the people in the hospital witnessed what was happening and recorded the incident on their phone, keeping themselves hidden.

“Hehehe…. Isn’t it obvious.” The terrorist replied. “And their power will serve greatly…. To the Sons of Sombra.”

"You're stupid! Only a brainless bum from the slums would order his bum underlings to attack a hospital… with a trained off-duty cop still inside," Blue said, crossing his arms, sitting down on the terrorist.

"What you're doing is unforgivable! What would your parents think, or the people of your country and the people that govern it?" Heat asked.

“I have no country! Nor loyalty to any political power! The Sons of Sombra are my family. And it always will be.” The terrorist replied. “But I can tell you this. My boss and many of my comrades, will burn and tear this town to the ground to get your friends and rip their power right out of their bodies, painfully. And if you think you can stop us. Hehehe, then you got another thing coming-” Before he spoke his last words, a gunshot was heard and the terrorist fell on the ground, with a bullet hole in his head.

Heat was too caught up in the terrorist's ambition to realize he hadn't finished him off. He tried to find a hint of sorrow in the man's words… but none could be found. Just pure evil that sickened him to his very core.

"I suppose not every human being is as redeemable as Timber. It's a shame such people exist in our world. Inferno Blaze was right about you. There's nothing more I can do to save this man and it's far too late now. All I can do is this…" Heat places his hand on the terrorist and forms a cross on the man's forehead. "God bless you."

As the two brothers stood silent for hour, Inferno runs into the hallway and stood by the two. “Yeah guys. Did I miss anything?” He asked, until his eyes fell on the body of the dead terrorist on the ground. “What the hell happened to him?”

Before the brothers could answer him, suddenly another gunner came out of nowhere and tried to shoot them. But Blue was quick on the draw and shot the gunner right in his leg, which sends him stumbling to the floor. Heat and Inferno were surprised.

“Okay…. HOW MANY MORE GUNNERS ARE IN THIS HOSPITAL!” Inferno shouted in frustration.

Heat's eyes went from calm and concerning… to bitter cold, just like Eternal Flames. He slowly walks over towards the gunner, cocking his gun without a shred of fear. The remaining terrorist tried to get up, but Heat shot him in the other leg.

"I cannot condone such animosity in this peaceful world," Heat said in a deep tone, slowly advancing while pointing his gun at the man. "Taking the lives of innocent people just for the sake of power and dictation. And to show no remorse or any heart. Inferno Blaze was right about the lot of you. There is no place in our society for your savage kind!" and just as he got close enough, the gunner got real wide-eyed.

"What did you say? Who's name did you just spout out?!" he asked.

“My name. Jackass.” Inferno said, crossing his arms as he stood by Heat, along with Blue Flare, glaring at the frightened gunner on the ground.

"No! NO! NOT YOU!!!" the man said.

"It's time you met the rest of your "family" and repent for your sins. God bless you," Heat said coldly as he pulled the trigger… ending it all. A few seconds after coming to his senses, the color in his eyes came back and he stepped back, dropping to his knees before dropping the gun in shame. "What have I done?" he asked himself. "I'm such an idiot!" Heat slammed his fists onto the floor. "That's the 2nd time I've killed someone! What kind of a monster am I?!"

"Heat, don't lose your head now! You had a more noble purpose that caused you to kill that little dirtbag and you shouldn't beat yourself up so hard," Blue said.

“If didn’t do it, he would’ve hurt Twilight and Sunset, killed your brother and your family. And believe me, in all my years of killing in the military… Family was my one reason.” Inferno stated. “Heat…. What you did is not out of cold blood. It was to defend your family and loved ones. And that’s what matters.”

"I… I guess you're right. Twilight and my family mean so much to me. Losing them all would be like taking my entire world away. I'm glad they're safe now, but using these just isn't my style," Heat said, sliding the gun on the floor back to Inferno. The ex-military sniper took his gun back and patted Heat on the back.

"I can respect that. You're a man, pure of heart and soul," Inferno replied.

"We'd better go check on the others, see if they're okay," Blue implied.

“You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up.” Inferno suggested.

The brothers nodded their heads and walked back to the room where their family and friends are at. Inferno stayed by the dead gunner, observing him with suspicion. “How did you know who I am?” He asked the corpse. As he observed the gunner’s body, he later notices something on his vest. Though it was covered in blood, he couldn’t describe it, but he could tell it was some sort of badge. Inferno wiped off the blood till it was more visible, and then gasped to see what the badge was. Something he hadn’t seen, since the military operation in Siberia.

"I should've known it was you guys. But man, you motherfuckers picked the wrong town to cause trouble." Inferno said, clenching his fist. He then got up from his knees and began walking back to the others, with a thought that…. War has followed him home. "Well, I'm not gonna have them do as they want… if only I had my magic back at full strength. Time to get old school.” He then reaches into his pocket and brought out his phone. He types in an unknown number and then brought his phone up to his ears as it waits for the unknown caller to answer. Until it was answered.

“Hey, this is Inferno.” He responded. Then soon the caller responds to his message.

“Wait, Inferno Blaze?” the caller asked.

“Yes. The Inferno Blaze. Question, do you still remember the vault, the one I keep my ‘toys’ in?” Soon after minutes of silence, the caller responded.

“Yes. It’s untouched for years and covered in dust. Why do you ask?”

“Well, it’s about time I brought them out to… ‘play’.” Inferno said with an emotionless tone.

“Shall I have them delivered to your apartment?” the caller asked.

“Yeah. And also…. Bring a couple of boxes of my specials too, while your at it.” Inferno stated. “Also…. Have security around the house doubled. And make sure my mom is safe.

“Already done. Being seeing you again, Master Blaze.” the caller said.

“Be seeing you too, Bristle Wing. Have a nice day.” Inferno replied before hanging up just as he reaches the room. He knocks on the door and establishes his presence. "Everyone, it's Inferno. You can let me in now." And soon, Sunset opens up the door and lets her boyfriend inside.

"Are you okay, are you hurt anywhere?" Sunset asked with concern. "What were all those gunshots about?"

“4 gunners had infiltrated the hospital, killed 5 of the medical staff. I manage to take out two of them without a scratch. Heat and Blue took out the other two.” Inferno explained.

"Wait, are you saying that Heat shot and killed someone?" Twilight asked.

"You should've heard him when he scolded the bums. He was pissed! But he still said "God bless you" when he killed the last guy," Blue said.

"Yup, that does sound like Heat, but man, remind me to never get on his bad side," Blaze said, shivering at the thought of him killing someone.

"These are the years when a man changes into the man he's going to be for the rest of his life," Flame Blast reassured, before looking at his grandson. "Just be careful who you change into."

"I'll remember that, grandpa. But man, that was a scary situation, I thought I was gonna die,"

“Well Heat, you better get used to it,” Inferno replied. “Cause it’s only the beginning.”

“Why is that, Inferno?” Sunset asked.

“Caused I just found out who these guys are,” he replied. “They’re the terrorist organization that I and Flame Blast help take down years ago.”

"So… the Sons of Sombra have risen once again, have they?" Flame Blast asked.

“Yeah. And now they decided to cause panic in our little town. But the question is, i don’t know why they did that.” Inferno replied.

"They're after Sunset and the other girls. They want to harness their magic by literally ripping it out of their bodies as painfully possible. My guess is they want to use it to take over the world and bring order against the weak," Heat said.

“What!? But why would they do that?” Twilight asked.

“It’s their memo. ‘The strong will rule the weak, and the ill would be put out of their misery’. Argh! Sometimes that saying really angers me.” Inferno stated.

"That's disgusting!" Sunset said.

"And I have a strong hunch they'll come after your girls again," Flame said. "With your current condition, Inferno, we'll have no choice but to step up security and put the girls under protection as well as all of us.

“That won’t necessary, Flame. Even at my weakest, I’m still quite deadly. Besides the last time I fought the Sons of Sombra, I massacred every single one of them. They practically fear me for as long as I live. They’ll never show themselves. At least for awhile, giving us time to prepare if they do.” Inferno stated

"Let's hope so. I don't want my friends harmed by those jerks!" Sunset said. Inferno pulls his girlfriend into a hug.

“Don’t worry, babe. I defeated them before, I can do it again.” He reassures her.

"Before you do that, I think you need to see this," Celestia said, pointing at the TV installed onto the wall. The TV displayed a special news broadcast and the cameras were focused on the hospital they were inside.

"We've just received shocking news. The people who were evacuated have just confirmed that 5 of the medical staff in the hospital were reported shot and killed. But what we've discovered from 18-year-old Wallflower Blush live footage she captured from inside the building. This brave young lady captured the events that took place on this ominous day," the news anchor said.

And what followed after that, shocked the group. Wallflower had recorded the actual footage of the boys taking out the last of the terrorists inside the building, including Heat's big speech against the one he immobilized. And when he gave the terrorist his blessings, he's seen shooting the terrorist before falling to his knees, blaming himself before the video cut out.

"What the… is she nuts?! Now the whole damn organization knows me and my brother are! We're… in… big… trouble," Heat said, petrified.

"Calm down, it might not be such a bad thing," Inferno said.

"How is it not bad?" Heat asked.

“I’m in the footage as well! Which means that the Sons of Sombra know I’m in this town, alive and kicking. Which means it’ll cause them to think taking this town won’t be easy. And they’ll stay away.” Inferno stated.

"That's right! They're aware of your reputation and the many members of their "family" that you've slaughtered," Flame Blast said. “Those bastards won’t even think about going near the girls, especially if they’re asking for a death warrant.”

"Yeah, but how long would they stand back until they take the chance?"

“Till they find out about his condition.” Sunset answered with worry.

“They’ll never find out about it, Sunset. I promise.” Inferno responded. “Besides, the only way for them to know about it is if someone from our group tells them.”

"Then we'd best not say a word about this until Inferno gets his strength back. WAIT! I completely forgot, what if those guys got to Gloriosa and Timber?" Heat asked in a panic.

Inferno, Sunset, and Twilight all soon had wide-eyed expressions on their faces after Heat brought that up. “Then we need to reach them before the Sons of Sombra find out about them.” Inferno stated.

"Maybe it's best if I go. I'm not one to brag, but I'm the only one who's fast enough to reach them, so all of you wait here and I'll be right back," Heat replied.

"Ae you sure you'll be okay, son?" Blaze Burn asked.

"For the first time in my life… yes. I'll be back as soon as I can," he replied. But by taking that one step, his wrist was grabbed by Twilight.

"Heat wait. Promise me you'll be careful, okay?" Twilight asked. Heat turned to is girlfriend and gave her a peck on the lips.

"I will. You be safe," he replied before she let him go and ran off. The others just watched in astonishment as the way he was acting.

"He's really changed a lot in these past few weeks," Sunset said.

“The dude’s full of surprises. In the meantime, I suggest we all head home.” Inferno said.

"Honestly, I don't feel comfortable leaving him here all alone… or Eternal for that matter," Blaze said, turning to the fiery-haired boy still in a coma.

"We don't have a choice. Either we stay here like helpless chickens in a coop waiting to get killed by the next raid, or we head out with Inferno. Think of it like this, if those Sons of Sombra soldiers know who we are and that we're comrades of Inferno, they'll know Eternal is also with him and won't come after him and same with Heat, Timber and Gloriosa," Blue explained.

"Exactly. So let's head out of here right now," Inferno agreed. The others were hesitant about leaving, but they had no other option. With heavy hearts, they evacuated the building. Everyone was still uneasy about leaving Heat Blitz and Eternal Flames, but at least it was the safest option to let them be. At least, they hoped so.

Meanwhile, Heat Blitz dashed throughout the hospital and stopped at every hospital room door to see if Gloriosa and Timber were inside. He searched 5 rooms, two of which were empty. The ones that were occupied didn't have the siblings. So, at the 6th hospital room, Heat was lucky enough to find them, so he knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Gloriosa asked from inside.

"It's Heat Blitz, can I come in?" he asked.

He got no answer from her at first, but when the door opened up, Gloriosa peeked out, looking confused about Heat showing up. "Heat Blitz, what brings you here? And what was with all those noises I heard?"

"Those were gunshots just now. We have to get you and your brother out of here while we still have a chance," Heat said.

"Gunshots?! Why were there gunshots?" Gloriosa asked, scared.

"I'll explain on the way out of here, now get your brother and follow me. It's not safe if you stick around here!" Heat urged.

"What's the point, as far as I'm concerned, this is what I get for all the shit I put you through," Timber called out from his hospital bed. "If they plan on coming back, I won't stop them from killing me."

"Timber!" Gloriosa said in shock.

"Don't waste your breath, sis. I'm just like all the other criminal scum who should've got what I had coming the moment I killed Inferno's dad… I'm no better than--" before Timber could finish, Heat walked over to him quickly and slapped him across the face.

"Timber Spruce, you shut up right the hell now!" Heat said, angry as hell.

"Ow! That… actually hurt!" Timber said in surprise.

"Good! Now listen here, Timber! I don't ever want to hear you say a single FUCKING word about wanting to die, because that is not why I spared your life! I did some things that I'm not proud of, in fact, I actually MURDERED one of the damn terrorists that came here! So quit acting like a quitter and get out of bed right now! Or so help me, I will drag you out of bed! Think about how your sister would feel if you died! Think of your mom and dad! They… loved… you and they still do! Do you seriously want to throw your 2nd chance at life away?" Heat asked, scolding Timber harshly.

“Damn!?” A voice said. The three people in the room look towards the person by the door which happens to be Inferno, who looks really surprised. “You always seem to keep on surprising me everyday, dude.”

"Inferno, you came back?" Heat asked. "Wait… you heard all of that?"

“Well Twilight kinda ‘demanded’ me to check up on ya, and I was standing by the door the whole time, so yeah.” Inferno explained. “And, FYI…. Twilight can be really scary sometimes.”

"How can she be scary?" Heat asked.

“Like a raging goddess about to kick you between the legs.” Inferno stated. “But to you, that’s never gonna happen. To me, that happens all the time.”

"That… I didn't know. Anyways, let's get these two outta here," Heat said.

"One problem… the doctors numbed my legs, I can't move," Timber said.

"I fail to see the reason why, but I'm gonna have to carry you," Heat replied. He reached under Timber's arm and dragged him off the bed, but because of Timber being a little heavier than him, he couldn't stand up right. "Holy crap, Inferno, a little help here, please?"

“Yeah dude.” Inferno then rushed over and then helped Heat lift Timber off his bed. Which just one pull, Inferno lifted Timber off the bed and places him over his shoulders, like he weighs nothing at all. With Timber safely secured, the boys and Gloriosa walked out of the hospital room and made their way towards the exit.

“Seriously, dude. How much do you weigh? You are like a puny feather here.” Inferno asked Timber while he was carrying him across the hallway. After minutes of walking, the four had finally left the hospital and walked over to Inferno’s Impala, where Sunset and Twilight waited.

The girls were relieved to see them all still in one piece. Inferno and Heat had to squeeze Gloriosa and Timber into the backseats. Heat volunteered to also sit in the backseat with Twilight while Inferno and Sunset sat in the front. With everyone on board, Inferno started up the engine and drove off.

"I'm glad you're safe, Heat Blitz," Twilight said, leaning next to her boyfriend. "You had us all worried, even me."

"I said I'd be okay and I am. Sorry for making you worry," Heat replied.

Soon he group drove out of the parking lot, and as they did, they were then greeted by news reporters and tons of people waiting for them by the entrance. When Inferno saw them, he immediately stopped his car, agitated that these people were blocking his path.

“What the hell!” Inferno shouted.

"They saw us on the news, it was bound to happen," Twilight said.

"I've seen celebrities get broadcasted before on the news, but this is a first for us," Sunset said, completely astonished.

"They're not gonna let us through so easily, so we might as well humor them," Heat said.

“Well I’m not a celebrity!” Inferno stated and then beaten the horn of his car, setting his statement and then starts his car. “Get the hell out of the way!” He screamed towards the reporters and people. And soon he drove slowly as he can, forcing the crowd to disperse until he stopped again when they surround him again.

"I'll take care of this, but odds of me surviving this is slim to none," Heat joked, getting out of the car with a sigh and then closed the door, approaching the news reporters. His eyes were hit with flashes from the cameras. "Hey, hey, whoa, settle down! One at a time!"

Inferno and the others watched this young man take the fall for them, being showered with questions and being blinded by the cameras.

"He's not the same scared boy we met back at the Sugar Cafe, that's for sure," Sunset said.

“He really isn’t.” Twilight added.

“This crowd better not make me run them over.” Inferno growled.

"Calm down Inferno or else…" Sunset leaned in and whispered, "...you can forget having your cock getting hot dogged in my breasts."

“I’ll go out and make sure this huge crowd doesn’t overcrowd him.” Inferno said with a more calming tone. Sunset knows ways to keep him on a leash. Inferno opens his car door and gets out of the car. He then stands by Heat Blitz, acting like his bodyguard keeping the reporters at a distance. But when he got out of the car, the attention suddenly turned on him. Seems that they all realized who he is.

"Mr. Blaze over here! Tell us, who were those men that attacked the hospital?" News reporter #1 asked quickly.

"What was their true intentions?" News reporter #2 asked.

"Who were the two men that shot down the other gunmen?" News reporter #3 asked.

“I’m not here to ask questions! I’m trying to protect my buddy here. So get the hell out of my face and let us get by.” Inferno stated as he push back the reporters who kept on coming without ease. They kept asking more questions, getting more annoyed every second.

"I'll answer the questions! In return, you let my friends go free. I'll tell you everything I know," Heat called out. And just like that, a path cleared up. Inferno gave Heat another astonished look and he gave him a thumbs up in return. Inferno nodded and ran back to the car.

"I owe you one big time," Inferno said before climbing inside the car and driving off quickly.

"Alright, gather your eyes and ears and listen carefully. The hospital was raided by a group of terrorist threats called "Sons of Sombra," Heat started.

"What were they after?" one of the news reporters asked.

"They were after 7 girls, two of them are mine and Inferno Blaze's girlfriend. They've heard of what these 7 girls have done in the past and wanted to enslave them," Heat twisted up the story a little bit so the reporters wouldn't think he was crazy. "However, they didn't count on Inferno Blaze residing here in Canterlot and they have a good reason for fearing him."

The news reporters all agreed and were aware of Inferno's handy work when he slaughtered thousands of these terrorist soldiers. “That’s all the answers I can give. Have a nice day and all of you be safe.” So after Heat gave them the answers, he walked through the crowd, ignoring the flashing cameras. Once in the clearing, he ran off as fast as he could. "Hopefully that bought them enough time.” And it did. When the reporters were drawn away, Inferno immediately drove his car from the parking lot and followed Heat while he’s running. He stopped so he can give time for Heat to get in the car.

“Hop in dude! We don’t have much time!” Inferno called out to him, urging him to get in the car. Without hesitation, Heat ran quickly by the side of the car, opened the door and hopped in. Inferno then starts up the car, and drove off before the reporters and camera men could catch up with them.

"I never get stage fright, but having a bunch of reporters suffocate me and surrounding me like that is an experience I NEVER want to go through again," Heat said.

"Guys! Can you believe we just pulled off, the greatest escape that all celebrities wished they pull off.” Sunset said enthusiastically.

“To be honest.... I didn’t think we could pull it off!” Inferno replied with a gleeful tone.

"But we did, thanks to you," Sunset said, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"You're welcome, babe. But none of this would've been possible if Heat hadn't intervened. Thanks a lot buddy," Inferno said.

"I'm glad I could help," Heat replied. Twilight giggled at Heat's modesty and then thought of something and then tapped Sunset and Inferno on the shoulders.

"I think I know how to reward him," Twilight said. Sunset and Inferno leaned in, but Inferno kept his eyes glued to the road. "How about we invite him to your place and have a massive orgy?" she whispered quietly.

Inferno and Sunset’s eyes lit up with surprise and their cheeks glowing red. Hearing Twilight propose something like that, really got their minds in hyper drive. And also it nearly bro

“Mmmm… Well there is a role play fantasy that Inferno and I had that we like to try out. I say it sounds like an excellent idea. After all Inferno and Heat did all the work, I think they do need to be awarded.” Sunset replied quietly.

“Alright. Can I please focus on the road!” Inferno responded.

"Sure," Twilight said, allowing Inferno to focus on his driving. It was a rough day for everyone, especially yesterday. From defeating Equestrian beings to taking down a terrorist organization, all this excitement has left this group of heroes exhausted. And nothing is more rewarding right now than a nice long rest. But the true road to recovery has yet to come for one such individual who has yet to wake up from his comatose state. When will he come back? Only time will tell.

Next Chapter: Chapter Nine Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 34 Minutes