Twilight went on to explain how her and Princess Celestia had decided to help him out of sympathy of Scootaloo and the guilt and they felt for James’ final moments as the person who protected the Crusaders. She went on to explain that after James had been transformed Celestia said that it was also a thank-you for stopping Equsetria from being invaded. James had no clue why they would go to such trouble to save him.
“Why though?” asked James, “Why did you decide to help me?”
“Because there was something about you that we liked,” said Rainbow Dash.
“Princess Celestia said that she had never heard of such feats that you accomplished,” Pinkie Pie said.
“You know about the set-up that ended in a dictators downfall?” James asked.
“We know some stuff about you,” Twilight said.
“And we always take care of our friends,” Rainbow Dash said.
James opened his mouth to continue but he saw Rarity and Applejack galloping their way over to him.
“Are they here to see how I’m doing as well?” James asked.
“I don’t think they look too happy,” said Rainbow Dash.
“There he is!” James heard Applejack shout.
“She’s annoyed about something,” James thought, “And it’s going to involve me.”
Applejack and Rarity skidded to a halt in front of James.
“What in the hay is your problem?” Applejack said.
“Do you know what you’ve done?” Rarity said.
“No,” said James, “No I don’t know what I’ve done so why don’t you tell me?”
“Have you seen the state of my little sister?” Applejack asked.
“No. How is she anyway?” James said.
“She’s depressed,” Applejack said.
“Same goes for Sweetie Bell,” said Rarity, “She’s refusing to do anything now because of you.”
James was starting to get irritated, he had put his life on the line for their sisters and Applejack and Rarity seemed to forgotten who brought them home safe and sound.
“Don’t pin this all on me,” James said.
“Oh I will pin this on you, James,” Applejack said, “You’re lucky I haven’t brought Big Macintosh with me.”
“He only says two words,” James said.
“But he’s a lot more aggressive than you would think,” Applejack said.
“I think you should’ve brought him as well,” Rarity said, “See if he understands his barbaric human ways.”
“Applejack, Rarity, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Twilight said, Applejack and Rarity ignored her and stepped closer to James.
“You’ve done nothing for our sisters, you’re a menace to them,” Applejack said.
“I’ve done way more for them than you two have ever done in your entire lives,” James said rather angrily. Applejack was then right up in James’ face looking him in the eyes.
“You know I’m the best apple bucker around here,” she said.
Without a moments hesitation James pulled his knife from his belt and held the tip at Applejack’s throat.
“Do you know that I know a hundred ways to kill a person?” James asked, his teeth gritted and eyes burning with fury. Applejack backed away from James and rubbed her neck.
“So what have you done for our sisters?” Applejack asked.
“The night when Apple Bloom had a major physiological breakdown,” James said, “She was worried that she would never get home and I comforted her and got her back to sleep. The day when Sweetie Bell got stung by a jellyfish and had to go to the doctors and get a blood extraction, I held her hand the whole time. Those kids have become attached to me like no other, you know why? Because I was a complete stranger who wanted to do something good for someone else. I protected them until the end.”
Applejack sighed and dropped her gaze, Rarity followed suit and rubbed the back of her head. Applejack walked over to James and held out a hoof.
“I’m sorry about snapping at you, you did more than I hoped,” she said, “Friends?”
James put the knife back in his belt and looked uneasy about acceptance, but he took her hoof and shook.
“Friends,” he said with a nod.
“I would like to apologize as well,” Rarity said, “I’ve just been really worried for Sweetie Bell.”
“I think I know what’s wrong,” James said.
“You do?” Applejack asked.
“They don’t know I’m alive,” James said.
James, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash did a tour of the town while they looked for the Crusaders. They stopped at several different places so the townsfolk could introduce themselves to James, James was more than happy to meet anyone who walked up to him. He did do a bit of showing off with his knife skill when he helped some fillies and colts with cutting a massive watermelon. Just after they introduced James to Cheerilee and the Cakes at the schoolhouse they found the Crusaders sitting on some tree stumps sulking, James was lucky to come up from behind them.
“Just wait here,” he told the others.
What are you going to do?” Applejack asked.
“I’m not going to scare them but give them a nice shock,” James replied.
He trotted over to the kids and listened to what they were saying.
“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Sweetie Bell said.
“We tried,” Apple Bloom said, “My sister says that these things happen.”
“What? Your best friends getting blown apart and dying in front of you?” Scootaloo said.
“The blood,” Sweetie Bell whispered.
“We did what we could,” Scootaloo said, “He’s in a better place now.”
“I wish I could say good bye to him,” Apple Bloom said.
James trotted over and stopped behind them.
“How ye’ little lasses doing?” James asked in a Scottish accent.
“Not well,” Sweetie Bell said.
“Why, what’s the problem?” James asked.
“Our friend died four days ago,” Scootaloo said.
“Ach, what a shame,” James said, “Shouldn’t you kids be bawling your wee eyes out?”
“I did that for three days straight,” Apple Bloom said.
“Was there something that he always said?” James asked.
“It was some famous quote,” Scootaloo said, “But I don’t remember it.”
“Was it something like ‘Who Dares Wins’?” James said in his regular voice.
The Crusaders froze after the last three words, they slowly looked behind them at the owner of the voice.
“James?” Scootaloo asked.
“Did you miss me?” James replied.
The Crusaders almost jumped on James when they realized that their friend and protector was alive and well. They jumped up and hugged James, crying that he was okay.
“I thought you were dead,” Scootaloo said.
“Well I’m not now,” James retorted.
“James, why are you an earth pony?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Simple,” said James, “I would be dead if I wasn’t.”