The Warden: Part 2, The Crusader and The Warden

by FortressLegacy

Chapter 14: Reconciliation

Ten minutes later, Apple Bloom had relit the fire and helped the Warden get closer to it. He was still somewhat weak, but improving by the minute. She also recovered RAD, who despite being damaged, seemed enthralled that the two ponies had survived the encounter. Still unable to make delicate movements, the Warden verbally guided Apple Bloom, and instructed her on how to get the drone back into working order. After doing so, the two ponies sat quietly, listening to the wind in the trees and the crackling of the fire underneath the starlit skies.

After a long period of silence, the Warden finally spoke.

"Thank you for saving me."

Apple Bloom looked up at him for a moment, then back at the fire.

"You're welcome." She said in a tone that revealed the mixture of emotions that she was feeling. Anger towards herself for pushing the Warden to lash out at her, sadness upon realizing that the princesses were not who she thought they were, lingering wariness of the Warden, and the helplessness that came with trying to grapple with all these feelings at once.

The filly and the stallion both sat in silence, staring at the fire once more in near complete silence as they struggled with their thoughts.

"Why?" The Warden asked, breaking the silence.

Apple Bloom tilted her head inquisitively.

"What?"

"Why would you go to such lengths to save me? After how I let loose, I didn't think you would ever be willing to risk your own hide to save mine. Not only that, but it gave you a chance to run. But you stayed and saved me nonetheless."

Apple Bloom glanced downwards, thinking about why she had gone to such extremes to rescue him.

Why did she stand her ground and save him?

After a minute or two of deep thought, she began to answer.

"Ah guess it's because of what ya did for me." She replied, warranting a questioning look from the Warden. "Ya saved me from that spider, the manticore, and those timber wolves. Not to mention that you went so far as to take me back to Ponyville, make a brace for mah leg, and put up with me in general! After all that, abandonin' ya just didn't sit right…"

The Warden nodded thoughtfully.

"So it was out of fairness?"

Apple Bloom paused to ponder if fairness was really the only reason she saved him.

"... Eeyup." She replied after thinking for a moment. "Although, it wasn't the only reason."

One of the Warden's eyebrows lifted slightly, indicating curiosity.

Seeing this, Apple Bloom continued.

"Mah sister and her friends, they never stand aside when somepony's in trouble. They always try to help them if that pony needs it." She explained, adding; "An' if that pony or creature is doin' wrong, they do all they can to help 'em do what's right. Ah guess that's rubbed off on me."

The Warden nodded in acknowledgement, looking back into the fire. Then, he sighed, shook his head, and rubbed his forehooves against his face.

"Apple Bloom?" He asked, sounding remorseful. "I'm sorry for lashing out earlier. You didn't deserve that."

Apple Bloom looked back at him, some sadness evident in her gaze.

"Are ya sure that it wasn't mah fault?" She asked, sounding sorrowful as well. "Ah mean-"

"It wasn't your fault at all!" The Warden interrupted, catching himself before he got too loud, lowering his tone. "I… I let myself lose control."

"But Ah brought up Princess Celestia when you told me not to." Apple Bloom protested.

"Well… That's true." The Warden admitted, shooting an earnest look at her. "But that was no reason for me to unleash myself the way I did."

Apple Bloom glanced downwards, pondering whether or not he was correct.

Meanwhile, he sighed again and shook his head.

"I lost control of my anger, and made you feel like you were at fault. I mistreated you, badly."

Apple Bloom looked back up at him, her eyes shimmering slightly in hopefulness. Gradually, her feelings of guilt and sorrow for his outburst were being dispelled, replaced with a sense of relief.

Perhaps there was a chance to set things right between them. Should she accept his apology?

After all they had gone through, it didn't seem right to simply reject it.

Incidentally, why was she so hopeful that they would be on good terms with one another?

This question resonated within her, dominating her mind.

Was it because he seemed to be generally good? Sure, he was staunch in his beliefs and somewhat coarse, but the more Apple Bloom got to know the Warden, the more she began to see the kindness and goodness lying underneath. While Applejack wasn't nearly quite as difficult to read, Apple Bloom saw some similarities between her and the Warden in how they acted.

Or was it out of pity that she wanted to set things right? His outburst definitely shed some light on his past, that was certain. He had suffered a loss that was nigh unimaginable to Apple Bloom. It caused her pain to know that she had lost her parents, even though she had no memory of them. But the thought of ever losing her remaining family suddenly after being with them for years, like how the Warden lost his, was far more painful. He didn't mean to take it out on her, he was just angry and upset at those responsible. Would it be heartless of her to reject the apology of a saddened and sorrowful pony?

She sighed as she looked into the fire, the dancing flames reflecting off of her eyes.

He was a lot like Trouble Shoes, in some ways. He was a lonely, misunderstood stallion who really seemed to be in need of a friend.

Perhaps that was why she wanted to set things right: She wanted him to have a friend.

He didn't deserve to live a life of loneliness and sadness. Nopony does, especially if they are clearly sorry for doing wrong and are genuinely good at heart. The Warden fit this description exactly.

What's more, accepting his apology would be what Applejack, Twilight, and the others would do, right? At the very least, she was certain that Fluttershy would've done so if she were in Apple Bloom's position. After all, she gave Discord a second chance when nopony else did. Why wouldn't she do the same for the Warden?

Apple Bloom looked back towards the Warden, who had put his face into his hooves yet again. She could tell he felt awful about his outburst.

At that moment, she made up her mind: She would accept his apology.

Not only that, but she was going to do everything in her power to try and show him the magic of friendship! He clearly needed a friend, and she was going to be one for him!

"Ah forgive ya, mister Warden." She said quietly, looking at him with an earnest expression.

The stallion remained still for a moment, but his ears visibly perked up. Then, he turned his head and looked at her with an expression which she had not yet seen from him.

He looked… Touched?

"You do?" He asked hesitantly, skepticism present in his tone.

Apple Bloom nodded.

"Eeyup… Ah can tell you're mighty sorry for what ya said." She replied, pausing before adding; "But Ah can also see why you were so mad. Losin' your family like that, Ah can't even begin to understand how that must've felt like…"

The Warden's expression turned thoughtful, before sighing slowly and raising his head. He looked back into the fire, clearly in thought.

"Thank you…" He said quietly, looking sideways at her.

Apple Bloom smiled slightly and quietly nodded in reply, any and all feelings of dread, resentment, and guilt completely replaced by relief.

It seemed as if things were turning out alright after all.

Both ponies went silent, watching the dancing flames, listening to the occasional crackle or pop. Crickets chirped around them, and the chilly breeze from the nearby mountains rushed through the trees above.

Then, the Warden coughed and began to speak.

"Do you want me to answer any questions you might have tomorrow?"

Apple Bloom glanced at the Warden in surprise.

"Do what now?"

"I'll be willing to answer any questions you might have about me or my family tomorrow." The Warden clarified, looking back at the filly. "You deserve some straight answers after the kindness you've shown me."

Apple Bloom had to take a moment to process this offer.

"Are ya sure?" She eventually asked, sounding uncertain. "Am Ah goin' to upset ya again?"

He shook his head, taking a slow breath.

"I can't guarantee that I won't be upset, but I won't take it out on you again, believe me."

Apple Bloom remained silent, internally debating if she should take up his offer. While part of her was eager to jump at the chance to get some answers to some of her more pervasive questions, another part was urging for caution.

Did she trust him?

She probed her innermost feelings and deductions, trying to determine the answer to this question.

While his outburst had definitely hurt her trust in him, his apology and his previous actions made to save her outweighed the damage done.

Yes. She trusted him.

Slowly, she stood up and walked over to the Warden. Then, she placed one of her forehooves up on his shoulder, and smiled.

"Alright. Thanks, mister Warden." She said, nodding slightly as she did so.

The Warden's eyes softened, then a slight smile began to appear on his face. It wasn't a smirk, unlike how Apple Bloom had seen from him before. Instead, it was a genuine, happy smile; slight, but genuine.

This observation made Apple Bloom's heart jump a little. For the first time since they had left the cottage, he seemed to be showing signs of genuine happiness!

After a few seconds, she lowered her hoof and stepped off to the side as the Warden stood up.

He sighed, looked back into the fire, and closed his eyes.

"We need to get more rest." He remarked, moving to where he was laying before the chimera's attack.

Apple Bloom nodded, and went back to her spot next to the fire, curling up inside her poncho while the Warden did the same in his spot.

As she closed her eyes, her thoughts swirled around what had happened. She had gone from being afraid of the Warden to being trusting of him once again in the course of an hour.

Not only that, but her perception of him had evolved. He wasn't simply some mysterious and noble hearted figure who seemed to be bigger than life. He was a pony who was struggling with his anger and guilt. He was a pony who needed a friend to pull through.

She shook her head slightly in disbelief. Was she really becoming a friend to the Warden, of all ponies?

Despite the outlandish nature of this, it felt like the right thing to do. It was what Fluttershy did for Discord, and now it was about to be what she would do for the Warden.

---

"Rainbow! Is that mah sister's bow!? Where did ya find it!?"

"I-in some canyon on the other side of the mountains…"

…

"Rainbow, what else?"

"Well… I-it was…"

…

"Rainbow?"

"A-are you completely certain that you want to know?"

"Ah am. What is it?"

"We… Found no more evidence of Apple Bloom there, and it was mixed in with a pile of rubble left behind by a recent rockslide."

…

"Applejack?"

…

"Are… Are ya completely certain that none of y'all found anythin' else?"

"I'm afraid so, AJ…"

…

"Applejack, this doesn't mean that she's dead. Like Rainbow said, there was no other evidence of her anywhere around. She could have just simply been through there, or maybe she lost the bow and the wind carried it there."

"Then why can't Ah shake the feeling that something has happened to her, Twilight?"

"Applejack, we have to be optimistic! It is the only way we are going to get through this!"

"Hopes an' dreams ain't gonna keep her alive. It's been two days. Two days, separated from her kin, and lost somewhere out there! Ah want to be hopeful! Ah want to believe that she's survivin'! But with each passin' hour, mah hopes keep givin' way to dread!"

…

"Mah baby sister is out there, and all we've found is her bow next to a disaster site. Ah ain't feelin' very optimistic."

Click!

Creeeaaak!

"Applejack! Applej- Whoops, sorry Rainbow!"

"Woah! Look out, Fluttershy!"

"Fluttershy? What is it, sugarcube?"

"Yeah! Why all the excitement?"

"Oh, Applejack! I have exciting news! Apple Bloom's alive!"

"She is?!"

"Yes!"

"Woohoo! Yeah! That's awesome, Flutters!"

"Oh thank Celestia…"

Sniff!

"Need a tissue?"

"Eeyup. Thanks Twi."

"Well, where is she? How'd you find out?"

"So, as you know, I sent out word to my animal friends, and they started spreading the word all around. As it turns out, one of my bird friends came across another bird who saw two ponies; a filly and a stallion; running from timber wolves up over the Unicorn Range."

"Timber wolves? For real?"

"Well? Don't keep me waitin'! What happened?"

"That bird followed them, and the ponies went into a ravine to try and escape the wolves!"

"Did this ravine have a rockslide?"

"I- It did! How do you know?"

"Never mind that! Keep goin'!"

"Well, I had to ask my friend to tell me this next part a second time, it was so incredible. The stallion carried the filly back up the other side of the ravine and set a trap for the timber wolves. When the wolves tried to climb up after them, the stallion caused a rockslide, destroying the wolves!"

"What?! This guy sounds awesome!"

"What about the filly? Is it her?"

"The bird led my friend in the direction that the ponies went, and my friend tells me that the filly is actually her! She didn't have her bow, though."

"That settles it, then. The odds are in the favor of that filly being Apple Bloom!"

"Where are they now? Where are they going?"

"Well, my friend says that they are moving directly towards Ponyville! If I remember right, he said that they were about twenty-five miles to the Northeast."

"So… This stallion is bringing her home?"

"I would assume so! He seems like such a good pony for him to go through such lengths to keep her safe."

"I would say so, too."

"Heh heh… I feel more relieved than a tree that's survived Hearth's Warmin'! If Ah see that stallion, Ah'll be liable to kiss him on the cheek!"

"Heh! I'd love to see you do that!"

"This is all wonderful news, Fluttershy. Even so, I don't think it would hurt to keep up the search for them. What do you think, Rainbow?"

"We can try, but Cloudsdale said that an unstoppable air mass is going to bring clouds and rain to that area tomorrow. It's going to be difficult."

"Hm... We still should try. Tomorrow, we'll keep up the search, but it sounds like she'll be here tomorrow if that stallion keeps his pace up. Yawn! Regardless, we all need to get some sleep."

"Will do, sugarcube. Ah think Ah'll actually be able to sleep better tonight… Thank you, Fluttershy."

"You're welcome, Applejack. I think I might be able to sleep better tonight, too."

"I think we all will."

"Alright, good night everypony!"

Clip clop clip clop clip clop

"By the way, AJ; I'm gonna hold you to your word."

"What? 'Bout me kissin' the stallion?"

"Haha! Yeah."

Creeeaaak!

Click!