The group of ponies said their thanks to Zecora and started to back down the trail to Ponyville.
"I can't wait to get some sleep." Tucker said. "I feel exhausted."
"We're all tired dipshit." Church muttered. "Though you're looking worse than Grif is."
"I feel quite good actually." Grif said with a chuckle. "How about you Sarge?"
"Besides the awful taste in my mouth, not too bad." Sarge said.
"I guess the blues are just fond of complaining." Grif said.
"Last time I go out of my way to save your lazy ass..." Church muttered.
They heard a snap to their left and they all turned to see a group of timberwolves following them. Sarge stepped in between the two groups. The timberwolves glanced at each other and disappeared back in to the bushes and trees.
"What did ya do to 'em?" Applejack asked.
"You don't want to know." Sarge said with a wicked grin.
"I would. Timberwolves are cunning, but they aren't easily scared." Twilight said. "You must have done something pretty bad to them to make them back off like that."
"Let's just say I may have bucked one so hard it may have..." Sarge started, pausing to think of a suitable word.
"May have what?" Church asked.
"Exploded." Sarge grunted finally.
"What do you mean by exploded?" Twilight asked.
"What does it sound like?" Sarge chuckled. "One of them pounced on my back to bite my neck. After it did, I kicked it in the body and it became firewood."
Twilight stared nervously at the others then back to Sarge. "That's impossible." Twilight said in disbelief. "Timberwolves are made out of extremely thick bark. It would take much more force than a buck to take one of them down, even more to 'explode' them as you put it."
"Maybe it didn't explode, but I sure as hell made the others back off." Sarge said. "All I know is that they left me alone after that."
Twilight thought for a moment and decided that she would have to think about this later.
"I just can't wait to get some sleep." Tucker said.
"Me too. We'll need our rest for tomorrow." Rainbow Dash said. "The Wonderbolts show is going to be so awesome. It's too bad that none of you guys are going."
"Actually me and Simmons are attending said event as well." Rarity said.
"Oh, are you buying tickets tomorrow too?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"No, me and Simmons got invited to it so we are going together." Rarity said.
Spike then glared at Simmons but Simmons avoided his eye contact.
"That's cool. Maybe we'll see you guys there." Rainbow Dash said.
"Maybe." Rarity said.
"Hey Tucker?" Rainbow Dash said.
"Yeah?"
"What happened back at the cave?"
"I don't know but it was pretty fucking cool." Tucker said excitedly.
"What happened?" Twilight asked.
"You should have seen it Twilight." Rainbow Dash said. "Tucker was fighting a cockatrice and out of nowhere, Tucker started to shoot electricity out of his body-"
"He shot electricity out of his body?" Church asked.
"Yeah, and then he charged his wings with it somehow and took the cockatrice to the back of the cave, and then when he was in there, the electricity shot out of both sides of his right foreleg, and it looked like a blade. And then he used the blade-thing to cut the cockatrice’s tail off."
Church looked over to Tucker and then nodded. "Looks like you brought it here with you."
"What do you mean Church?" Twilight asked.
"Before we came here, Tucker had this weapon." Church said. "An energy sword."
"What's an energy sword?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Sounds cool."
"It's exactly how it sounds, a sword that was made out of pure energy." Church said.
"Is he the only one who had one?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah. When he first found it and used it, it became tied to him. Like, he was the only one that could use it." Church said. "I'm guessing that it got carried over when we came here."
"But it was out of juice after the fight with the Meta." Tucker said.
"It must have gotten recharged somehow then." Church said.
"Maybe it was when I hit you with lightning." Rainbow Dash suggested.
"That would make the most sense." Church said. "I wonder what made it come out like that though."
"I think Sarge did that too!" Caboose said.
"Sarge never had a sword Caboose..." Church said.
"When I was with him at the place with the food and things-"
"The marketplace." Applejack filled in.
"Yeah the mark-it place!" Caboose said. "When we were there he kicked this one guy and it sounded like his shotgun!"
"I remember that." Sarge said with a laugh. "I sent his ass flying so damn hi-"
Sarge then grunted and thought for a second.
"What is ‘t'?" Applejack asked.
"I remember hearing that sound when I kicked the timberwolf too." Sarge said.
"You must have brought a remnant of your shotgun with you, but rather than a physical appearance it gives you the power to kick as hard as the shotgun hit." Church said. "That would explain why you sent him flying backwards, and why the timberwolf exploded."
"Then why din't the trees break when Sarge helped us harvest 'em?"Applejack asked.
"It might be related to heart rate." Twilight suggested.
"I would bet it’s either that or adrenaline." Church agreed. "When Tucker used his ability or whatever, it was when he was fighting the cockatrice. Same with Sarge when he fought the stallion and the timberwolves. We should look into this more later." Church said as they reached the edge of the forest. "But for now I think we should just get some rest. It's been a long fucking day."
They all shared a quick goodbye as they entered town and split up. Church, Twilight and Spike soon arrived back at the library, Twilight heading straight to bed. Spike however, was sitting on the balcony.
"What's on your mind?" Church asked.
"Nothing." Spike said quietly.
"Even though I've been here for a short time I already know when you're lying." Church said, chuckling for a brief moment. "It's about Simmons and Rarity, isn't it?"
Spike looked at Church and nodded his head. Church sighed and sat next to him.
"I think he is only going with her as a friend." Church said. "Not anything more, so you shouldn't be worrying."
"Maybe, but I can't help but feel that that could change..." Spike said sadly.
"You can't think like that. If you do the only person ending up hurt is yourself." Church said.
"Maybe you're right." Spike looked at the moon and sighed. He then stood up and started to make his way back in to the library. "You're a good guy, y'know that Church?"
"Get to know me more and you won't think that for long." Church said with a laugh, patting Spike on the back.