The Warden: Part 2, The Crusader and The Warden

by FortressLegacy

Chapter 16: Showdown

Ponyville was still a few miles distant, but the downward trek off of the pass enabled the pair to make good time. They made their way down, away from the rocks and pines of the mountainside and down into the temperate forests that were familiar to Apple Bloom.

Once again, they were surrounded by trees that were ablaze with all sorts of colors. From red to yellow, from orange to brown, the spectrum of colors was spectacular.

When they were within a few miles of the center of town, Apple Bloom finally began to recognize her surroundings. They weren't too far from the orchard now, and she began to direct the Warden towards her home.

A couple of hours had passed since they had gotten over the pass, and the sun was getting low in the west. Apple Bloom could not help but be reminded of the accident that had occurred three days before, which had happened about this time of day.

She wondered how Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were at that moment, and how happy they would be when the Cutie Mark Crusaders were finally united once more.

She wondered about Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny as well, and how overjoyed they would be to see her once again.

Her heart warmed up as these happy thoughts went through her mind. Her happiness only grew in intensity as apple trees began to appear, row after row. With a sudden, joyful realization, Apple Bloom recognized where she was!

Home.

Then it occurred to her that the Warden was cutting straight through the orchard, instead of taking the main road in.

"Hey, mister Warden?"

"Yeah?" He replied, looking around apphrensively.

"Why're we cuttin' through the orchard? The main road is only a short distance away."

The Warden stopped and kneeled down.

"Because I don't want to draw a bunch of attention, least of all from your sister." He explained as Apple Bloom hopped off.

"What do ya mean?" She asked as he pulled out his poncho. "Ah kinda want ya to meet her, along with the rest of mah family!"

He shook his head.

"I've already met her, remember? I didn't make a very favorable first impression, either."

It was all Apple Bloom could do from planting a hoof onto her face. She had completely forgotten that Applejack had fought him at Canterlot.

"That being said," he continued; "I'm going to cover up my cutie mark, I'm going to drop you off, and I'm going to leave. The last thing I need is to be accused of foalnapping you, on top of charges of attempted murder of the sisters. Furthermore, I want you to keep my identity, and everything I have told you about myself a secret, understood?"

"Eeyup…" Apple Bloom sighed as she nodded.

She had been hoping that she could tell her sister and her friends about the adventure she had alongside the Warden, in addition to telling them about how she had befriended him.

He had a good reason behind this, though. She really didn’t want to put him into needless danger, and keeping quiet about who he really was seemed to be the safest thing to do. To expose him would be very unfair, after all he had done for her.

Still, her heart sank upon realizing that he wouldn’t have the opportunity to make more friends and clear his name. Or in the very least, show everypony how noble and good he really was.

Then, a whooshing noise in the air above the trees caused both ponies to look upwards as a curtain of leaves fell to the ground. Through the now bare branches, a trail of rainbow colors darted overhead.

Apple Bloom's heart skipped a beat.

Could it be?...

A familiarly raspy voice then called out from behind them, and it was unmistakable.

"Apple Bloom?!"

Both the Warden and Apple Bloom whipped around to see Rainbow Dash staring at the pair, her tuscan eyes wide in shock.

Apple Bloom was euphoric to see a familiar face.

"Rainbow Dash!" She cried, bolting towards her as quickly as she could, her orange eyes shining bright.

"Oh no…" The Warden murmured.

Apple Bloom immediately slid to a halt upon hearing him say this. His voice was laced with apprehension and surprise.

Seeing that she had stopped, Rainbow Dash spoke in a serious tone with an angry expression.

"Apple Bloom? Get away from him. Now."

A confused look came over the filly's face for a moment, then she remembered that Rainbow Dash was there at Canterlot as well.

His cover had been blown, that much was clear. While this could be bad for the Warden, this meant that Apple Bloom could try to explain without fear of compromising him any further.

"Now hol' on a second!" She exclaimed. "This ain't how it seems, trust-"

That was as far as she got before she was forcibly hoisted into the air, and in less than a second, she was being flown away from the Warden, towards the barn, carried by Rainbow Dash.

"Hey!" Apple Bloom shouted angrily above the rushing air. "Stop!"

"Are you kidding?!" Rainbow shouted back, looking at her with an expression of pure consternation. "Heck, no!"

There wasn't a lot that Apple Bloom could do. To try and break free while she was in the air was a bad idea, so she instead tried to think of a way to explain to Applejack or Big Mac how the Warden had saved her.

She didn't have very long, however. Thanks to Rainbow's speed, they landed in the barnyard within seconds.

"AJ?! Big Mac?!" Rainbow shouted at the top of her lungs. "Come quick!"

Applejack was the first to appear, poking her head out of the barn doors with a confused look upon hearing Rainbow's frantic cry.

The moment that her eyes met Apple Bloom's, Applejack's expression instantly changed from confusion to sheer joy.

She bolted out of the barn, running faster than Apple Bloom had ever seen her run before.

"Apple Bloom?!" She cried, her big green eyes shimmering brightly in the diminishing daylight.

Despite the dilemma on her hooves, Apple Bloom could not help but begin to run towards her older sister, her longing to reunite with her family taking all control.

When she finally reached her, Applejack scooped up Apple Bloom into an extraordinarily strong embrace, which the filly gladly accepted.

"Oh, you're back! You're safe and sound, thank Celestia!" Applejack cried, tears beginning to run from her closed eyes.

Just then, the sound of heavy hooves galloping near announced the arrival of Big Mac. He came running out from the orchard, his expression was similar to Applejack's.

"Little sis!" He bellowed, sounding far louder than he usually did.

Applejack let Apple Bloom go, and Big Mac picked his youngest sister up with complete ease, also shedding tears.

Then Granny Smith came shambling out of the house, as quickly as she could go. Big Mac, laughing joyfully, carried Apple Bloom over to her, and set her down gently for Granny to embrace her.

"Ah thought ya was a goner, little 'un!" The old mare exclaimed, hugging her little granddaughter tightly. "Ah was worried 'bout half to death!"

Apple Bloom returned the gesture, openly crying now. "Ah know! B-but Ah'm back!"

Meanwhile, Applejack turned to Rainbow.

"Where's that stallion who got her back? Ah'm about to make good on mah word!"

Rainbow shuffled awkwardly.

"Well, now that you asked, you can forget about kissing him. We've got a big problem."

"What'd ya mean by that?" Asked Applejack, her smile fading a bit as her eyes showed confusion.

"You are not going to believe this…" Replied Rainbow, making eye contact with a dead serious expression. "It's the Warden."

Applejack's smile completely disappeared.

"Huh?"

"It's him!" Rainbow cried, sounding a bit exasperated. "He doesn't have his suit on, but he's got the same cutie mark that was on that armor, scars that align with the Warden's wounds, and those eyes are unmistakable!"

Applejack's face visibly hardened over the course of a few seconds, and her jaw set slightly. She turned to Apple Bloom, who was looking right back at her.

"Apple Bloom," she asked, suddenly sounding stern; "do ya know if Rainbow's right?"

Apple Bloom debated whether she should tell the truth. If she were to be truthful, would she be selling out the Warden? After all that he did for her, how could she do that?

On the other hand, the Warden was not at all who she was led to believe that he was. Would it be fair to him to not show the others that he is not the mindless killer they likely thought him to be?

"Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked again, now sounding and looking more concerned than angry.

Apple Bloom made her choice. She took a breath, hoping that she was about to do the right thing.

"He's the Warden." She answered quickly, her stomach twisting anxiously as she did so.

Everypony fell into a shocked silence.

After a few seconds, Applejack looked at Rainbow with an expression that gave Apple Bloom chills. Before she even spoke, Apple Bloom could tell that Applejack was incredibly angry.

"Rainbow… Do you know where he is?"

The pegasus nodded.

"He doesn't have his armor?"

Rainbow shook her head.

Applejack nodded, and spoke again.

"Then we can get ‘im if we’re quick. Rainbow, lead the way."

Apple Bloom felt her stomach drop. She did not like where this was going.

"Now hold on!" She protested. "Ah know that he attacked the sisters, but he ain't like what y'all might think-"

"Apple Bloom, he tried to kill the royal sisters!" Applejack interrupted, noticing the brace on her leg. "An' what happened to your leg!? Did he hurt ya?!"

"Wha-? No!" She shouted back. "In fact, he saved me sever-"

"Granny, keep her here while we go and deal with 'im!" Applejack commanded, cutting off her younger sister once again.

"Eh?" Her grandmother questioned back, sounding confused. "But ain't he the one who brought Apple Bloom back?"

That question went unanswered, for Applejack, Big Mac, and Rainbow went rushing off into the orchard in the direction that the Warden once was, leaving Apple Bloom alone with Granny.

"Well, how'd ya like that?" The elderly mare huffed. "I thought I raised them children to show more gratitude towards ponies who deserve it! Well, not Rainbow Dash of course, on account that she ain't- Anyway, if that stallion brought ya back, he deserves better!"

Apple Bloom looked at Granny Smith.

"Why didn't she let me finish?" She asked angrily. "He ain't at all who they think he is!"

"You mean he ain't jus' some sort of mindless fightin' machine?" Granny asked. "I figured 'bout as much."

Apple Bloom came to the realization that Granny was actually believing her.

"Hol' on! Ya believe me?!"

"Bet yer bow Ah do!" Granny replied. "Yer sister never told me why he went after the two princesses that day, but Ah've been around long enough to know that a pony doesn't do somethin' like that without some reason or 'nother."

Then a disturbing thought occurred to Apple Bloom.

"Oh, Celestia! What if somepony gets hurt?!” She cried, her eyes widening in alarm. “Ah need to stop 'em!"

"Then go, young'un!" Granny replied. "Ah ain't gonna stop ya!"

That was all the permission Apple Bloom needed. She immediately bolted away, running as fast as she possibly could with the brace on, in the direction that the others went.

---

Two minutes later, she was still running. Although she had lost sight of the others long ago, the disturbed leaves showed the path they took, allowing her to follow along. All the while, her knee was hurting more and more as she ran, but she didn't slow down. If they were fighting, somepony was going to be hurt. While she wasn't worried for the Warden, she was worried for her siblings and Rainbow. None of them knew of the various gadgets that he carried, and the images of the possible injuries that he could cause arose in her mind's eye.

Then, she heard Rainbow give a loud cry, shortly followed by the sounds of crashing underbrush in the near distance.

That didn't sound good.

She continued to run, closing the distance between her and the source of the sounds.

She burst through some underbrush, and was greeted by a chaotic sight.

Rainbow Dash was lying on the ground, her sides heaving heavily as if she were trying to catch her breath. The Warden was in the clutches of Big Mac, and Applejack was running towards them.

"Hold 'im! Hold 'im!" She shouted, turning around as she prepared to buck the ensnared Warden.

"Stop!" Apple Bloom shouted, trying her hardest to make herself heard. "Please! Stop fightin'!"

Her cries went unheard as the fight continued. Right as Applejack coiled her hind legs in preparation for her blow, the Warden picked up his own hind legs and delivered a deep kick into Big Mac's gut.

"Whooof!" The red stallion groaned, the air having been forcefully ejected from his lungs.

The Warden then shifted his weight forwards, causing the dazed stallion to tumble forwards with him. Applejack immediately stopped her attempted buck, stumbling backwards awkwardly as she prevented herself from accidentally kicking her brother.

The Warden shoved Big Mac up and away with his hind legs, pushing him directly into Applejack, who toppled over.

She rolled away just in time to dodge a vicious stomp by the Warden, and she responded with a swift jab to his face, which made contact with an audible smack. The Warden swayed a bit from the blow, and Applejack tried again.

This time, moving with precision and swiftness, the Warden blocked her attack. Then he responded with a harsh blow to her head, knocking her sideways and causing her hat to fly off. Impressively, Applejack remained upright, although she was visibly disoriented by the strike.

After shaking her head in an effort to clear her head, she gave a furious cry and charged the Warden. But he was ready, and he caught her in a hold, lifted her up, and slammed her into the ground. She gave a stunned groan, and lashed out with one of her forelegs, catching him in his side. He visibly winced and gave a brief grunt, but maintained his hold.

"Taser," He shouted with pain in his voice; "on!"

He lifted his foreleg up, and the taser that was on it crackled to life.

"AH SAID, EVERYPONY STOP!!!"

This time, Apple Bloom succeeded in making herself heard. All four ponies, including Applejack and the Warden, looked at the filly with a mixture of expressions.

"Big sis, quit tryin' to hurt 'im!" She huffed, stomping towards where Applejack and the Warden were, directing her gaze at him. "An' for Celestia's sake, turn off that taser! Ah ain't gonna stand for ya hurtin' mah sister an' brother!"

"Thanks for thinking of me…" Rainbow grumbled sarcastically, having finally managed to regain her breath.

Meanwhile, the Warden turned off the taser, but still maintained his grip on Applejack, who had an expression of pure consternation on her dirtied face.

"What in tarnation has gotten into ya, Apple Bloom?" She asked, sounding appalled.

"Ah was goin' to tell ya, but y'all jus' ran off before Ah could finish!" Apple Bloom retorted. "He saved me and brought me back!"

Applejack snorted angrily. "Did he knock ya upside in the head?! He left Princess Celestia for dead an' sliced Princess Luna's leg wide open!"

"While I didn't hit her in the head, I won't deny that I tried to kill the princesses;" The Warden said cautiously, lowering his foreleg with the taser; "But you really should listen to what your sister has to say."

"Oh! Like Ah would listen to your advice." Applejack scoffed. "Unlike her, Ah saw what you're capable of!"

Apple Bloom felt a fresh wave of frustration come over her. Her sister's stubbornness was getting to her. Thankfully, Big Mac spoke up next.

"Applejack, he's tellin' you to listen to our sister, not him. Just let Apple Bloom explain."

Applejack snorted again.

"Fine. But tell this ornery fool to get off of me first."

Apple Bloom nodded and shot a glance at the Warden, who looked skeptical.

"Are you going to jump me if I let you go?" He asked Applejack, who was still firmly held to the ground.

"Not if you don't give me a reason to." She sighed, still looking angry.

He remained silent and unmoving for a few seconds, then released her. For a tense moment, Apple Bloom half expected her sister to jump up and begin fighting again. But thankfully, she merely stood up, and backed away from the Warden, putting herself between him and Apple Bloom.

"Alright. Explain." Applejack commanded her sister.

"Applejack," She began; "Ah swear to ya, he saved me, three times! He found me right after Ah got teleported, an' he brought me back. Ah swear, Ah'm tellin' the truth!"

"Did he now?" Applejack said, almost sounding sarcastic. "Did he save you by bustin' your leg?"

"Seriously!?" Apple Bloom cried out. "He's the one who fixed it! Why would he hurt me just to give me the brace?!"

"She has a good point, Applejack." Big Mac remarked, trying to keep things calm. "If he meant her harm, why would he give her that brace to begin with? If he didn't, then who did?"

Apple Bloom shot a thankful look at her brother as he continued.

"An' didn't you say that Fluttershy said that her bird friend saw him rescue her from timber wolves?"

Apple Bloom was stunned. How did they know about that?

Rainbow Dash nodded, albeit somewhat begrudgingly.

"Yeah… What she described aligns with what I saw at the ravine… I- I think he did actually save her, AJ."

Applejack remained silent for a few more seconds, looking downwards while deep in thought. After a while, she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Fine, so he saved her." She said, sounding less angry than before. "But why? What's he hopin' to get out of it?"

Rainbow and Big Mac looked at each other and at the Warden, each pondering this question. Apple Bloom was shocked that her sister could be so callous to suggest that the Warden had an ulterior motive.

"Oh for cryin' out loud, big sis!" She exclaimed. "He saw that Ah was lost an' in danger, so he saved me! What's so hard to understand?!"

Rainbow, Big Mac, and the Warden each looked at Applejack, awaiting her response.

"Ah don't know!" She shot back. "Maybe he wants a pardon? A ransom? Possibly somethin' far worse?"

Big Mac's eyes widened slightly as he caught on to what Applejack was suggesting, and a slightly angry glint shone in his eyes.

"Apple Bloom?" He asked cautiously, "Did he hurt you at all, in any way?"

Apple Bloom was in disbelief. Was Big Mac being swayed by Applejack now?

"No!" She cried, sounding a bit emotional as she did so. "He did no such thing! Why can't any of y'all jus' believe me?!"

"It's okay, Apple Bloom." Said the Warden, breaking his silence. "They have every right to be skeptical…"

"B-but you did so much to get me home!" Apple Bloom responded, tears beginning to form in her orange eyes.

The Warden closed his eyes and shook his head. "I know. But I'm afraid that what I did at Canterlot is too much for them to think of me capable of doing good."

He went quiet again, opened his eyes, and looked at Apple Bloom with an earnest expression before speaking again.

"All that matters is that you are safe and back home now."

After a moment, he spoke to Applejack. "All I ask in return is that you let me take my leave in peace. Nothing more."

All the ponies present went into thought for a few seconds. Then, Rainbow Dash spoke up, sounding stern.

"Yeah, I don't think so! After what you pulled at Canterlot, we oughta lock you up!"

Applejack, for the first time since the confrontation started, spoke in a manner that was mostly calm.

"Rainbow, how exactly do ya propose we do that? Did ya already forget that he almost took all of us down a few minutes ago?"

Rainbow opened her mouth to respond, but then closed it shut upon realizing that she had made a good point.

"That's what Ah thought." Applejack remarked, shaking her head slightly before looking at the Warden. "He ain't gonna let us catch 'im, and like it or not, he did bring Apple Bloom back. That bein' said, Ah'm gonna let him hightail it outta here like he asked."

She paused, and a steely glint began to shine in her eyes.

"But rest assured; If Ah see ya again, Ah ain't gonna be so generous. Don't make us regret lettin' ya go."

"Understood." The Warden said plainly, nodding as he said so.

He then stepped to the side, looking around Applejack at Apple Bloom, who was looking saddened.

Indeed, her heart had been sinking lower and lower as it became clear that the others' prejudice against him was going to keep them from seeing him as she saw him.

To them, he was a criminal; A stallion that was to be hated and feared. But could she blame them? After all, they saw him attack the princesses at Canterlot. She didn't see that, although Applejack's description of that day was vivid enough.

Still, what she saw from the Warden had convinced her that he was anything but evil. He was kind, protective, and selfless. He loved his family dearly, and they were taken away because of the royal sisters.

He was broken, not evil.

Regardless, it was clear to her that he was about to leave, and the odds of them meeting again were low.

A strong urge to give him a proper goodbye and a final display of gratitude took hold of her, and she unexpectedly rushed forwards, trying to reach him.

However, Applejack caught her, holding her still.

"Apple Bloom!" She scolded, sounding surprised. "What in tarnation are ya doin-"

"Let me go, sis!" Apple Bloom shouted, trying in vain to struggle free of her sister's grasp. "At least let me say goodbye!"

Applejack didn't say another word, but simply picked up her younger sister and walked backwards, away from the Warden.

The Warden's eyes widened slightly, and he took an involuntary step forwards. Seeing this, Applejack and Rainbow each shot a fierce glance at him, compelling him to back away a bit.

"Leave." Applejack growled. "Now."

The Warden's eyes showed some sadness, and mouth opened slightly, as if he wanted to say something. But then, he closed his eyes and nodded, conceding.

To Apple Bloom's dismay, he turned around, and began to walk away. Her chances for giving a final farewell were fading away. Although her sister was not going to approve, she found herself determined to shout something to him. Doing her best to resist the emotions that were trying to choke out her words, she gave a final cry.

"Goodbye, mister Warden! Thank you for everythin'!"

Applejack shot a glance down at her, obviously not happy. However, Apple Bloom's attention was not on her sister, but on the Warden. He had stopped upon hearing her, and turned his head around to face her.

Despite the sadness that was evident in his expression, a slight smile appeared on his face.

"You're welcome, Apple Bloom." He said quietly, barely audible. "Thank you for all you've done for me."

Applejack's grip on Apple Bloom loosened a bit upon hearing that. Rainbow Dash's expression softened slightly, and Big Mac sighed. Still, they said nothing, and the Warden took a breath, looked away, and began to walk off among the rows of apple trees. All four ponies watched him without saying a word, until he disappeared among the trees.

After he had disappeared, Applejack let Apple Bloom go with a sigh.

"Well," she sighed, "that's that. Come on, let's get supper."

She turned around, walking over to her hat and putting it back on. Then, she began to walk towards the house, and Big Mac began to follow, along with Rainbow.

But Apple Bloom remained where she stood.

When the others realized that she was not following, they turned to look back at her.

"Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked calmly. "Are ya comin', sugarcube?"

Apple Bloom shook her head, staring in disbelief at her older sister.

This wasn't right. After all that the Warden had undergone to get her back, he deserved better than to be jumped and then sent on his way without even so much as a thank you.

Slowly, where sadness had been predominant in her soul, disappointment and anger began to creep in. Why couldn't they see him for who he actually was?

"So that's it?" She asked angrily. "We're just gonna shoo him away to fend for himself tonight?"

Applejack sighed, closing her eyes. "Apple Bloom, Ah told ya about what he did at Canterlot. He's dangerous, not to mention an enemy of the princesses."

"He only did that because they were the ones who made him lose his family!" Apple Bloom shot back. "He was confused, big sis! He says that he knows what he did was wrong!"

Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked as if they had been surprised in an unpleasant manner.

Big Mac looked a bit shocked. "What in Equestria are you sayin'?!" He asked, sounding completely astonished. "Are you actually suggestin' that the royal sisters did-"

"Hold on, Big Mac." Applejack sighed, closing her eyes and speaking with an uncomfortable tone. "She's tellin' the truth."

Big Mac turned to Applejack with a stunned expression. "She is? Then what- Did ya know this?!"

Both Applejack and Rainbow nodded somberly.

"Yeeeeahh…" Rainbow said hesitantly. "We were kinda told to keep that part a secret."

Big Mac was speechless. He simply sat still, processing what he had just heard about the royal sisters. Like Apple Bloom, he had no idea about the Warden's true motive behind his attack, thanks to the secrecy by the main six.

Meanwhile, Applejack spoke to Apple Bloom.

"He… He told you about that, little sis?"

"He did, and he said that he regrets tryin' to kill 'em!" Apple Bloom replied. "He ain't at all who you said he is, either!"

This compelled Applejack to look skeptically at her little sister.

"No?" She asked bluntly.

"No, he ain't!" Apple Bloom reiterated, her frustration nearing its climax. "He saved me three times! He kept me fed and safe, fixed mah leg, fought off monsters, an' carried me seventy miles back to Ponyville! He's kind, carin', and protective! He loved his family so much, when he lost 'em because of what the princesses did, he got angry! Ah mean for Equestria's sake, can't y'all at least understand why?!"

All three adults remained silent. Even Applejack's expression softened significantly as Apple Bloom continued.

"He told me that he regrets tryin' to kill the sisters. He knows that what he did is wrong. He's still angry, but who wouldn't after what’s happened to him?! He ain't evil! He's confused an' sad! He needs friends, now more than ever!"

Applejack now appeared to be at a loss for what to say. She looked at her brother, who was looking back at her with an equally helpless expression. She then turned to Rainbow, who narrowed her eyes and shook her head slightly.

Applejack sighed, closed her eyes, and shook her own head.

"Ah'm sorry, Apple Bloom. The Warden's jus' too dangerous."

"So's Discord!" The filly fired back, without any hesitation. "He's literally the apple buckin' lord of chaos, and he's done plenty of wrong in the past! Yet, y'all seem to be able to give him a second chance! Why can't y'all give a hurtin' stallion one?"

"A- Well…" Applejack tried to explain, but found herself stumped.

However, Apple Bloom's hopes for any resolution were dying away. If Applejack wasn't going to be swayed by her point about Discord, then what hope was there?

"Ugh!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, shaking her head and stomping past the adults. "Jus' forget it! Ah guess y'all ain't gonna believe me anyhow!"

"Apple Bl-" Applejack sighed, trying to console her little sister as she went past, extending her foreleg towards her only to have it violently swatted aside by the angry filly.

Applejack fell silent, looking at the ground, her green eyes showing no small degree of regret. She sighed again, and looked up at Big Mac, who was looking at Apple Bloom storming off.

"What'll we do?" Applejack asked her brother.

He looked pointedly at her, and spoke.

"Ah know what he did at Canterlot, but Ah think Ah believe Apple Bloom when she says that he's had a change of heart." He explained. "After savin' her, the least he deserves is a place to stay for the night."

"Waitwaitwait, what?" Rainbow asked, sounding stunned. "Are you seriously suggesting that we let him into Ponyville?!"

"As a matter of fact, yes, Ah am." Big Mac replied bluntly. "It seems mighty hypocritical of y'all to give Discord a second chance but not give that stallion one."

Then, Big Mac's brow fell in a visible display of anger.

"Besides, after keeping everypony in the dark about the real reason behind his attack, y'all owe it to him."

Applejack shook her head, now looking ashamed.

"That is not what Ah wanted to hear," She said uncomfortably, "but Ah know that's the truth."

Both she and her brother then looked at Rainbow, who then sighed and slumped her head in defeat.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're right. If what Fluttershy said was true, that guy really put his life on the line to save her." She stopped to take a breath, and made her admission of guilt. "Apple Bloom's right… We're doing him dirty by chasing him off."

Applejack nodded. "Ah agree. The Apple family doesn't do wrong by anypony, 'specially anypony who has saved one of our own… Big Mac, are you thinkin' what Ah'm thinkin'?"

He nodded. "Eeyup."

"Then it's decided." Applejack declared, turning to Rainbow. "Go get Apple Bloom back here."

The pegasus nodded and zipped away, bringing back an irritated Apple Bloom mere seconds later. Before the filly could protest, Applejack had placed her upon her brother's back, and the ponies began rushing away in the direction that the Warden had departed.

"What's goin' on?" Apple Bloom asked, demanding an explanation.

Applejack sighed, and replied. "Doin' the right thing."

---

After a few minutes of running and calling out for the Warden, they finally reached him. He was standing next to the fence that marked the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, and was looking at the oncoming ponies with an expression of wariness and confusion. But when he noticed that Apple Bloom was with them, he relaxed a little.

The group came to a stop a short distance away, and the Warden spoke.

"What do you want?" He asked plainly.

Applejack looked at the others, sighed, and stepped forward.

"Uh- Ah- Well- We did some thinkin'..." She began, rubbing one of her forelegs along the back of her head in an embarrassed manner. "An' we think that we were somewhat harsh towards ya."

The Warden's ears perked slightly as he tilted his head, clearly paying close attention to Applejack as she continued.

"Ya saved Apple Bloom, and went through an awful lot of trouble gettin' her back here. That bein' said, you deserve a lot better than bein' chased off." She confessed, adding: "It's gettin' late, an' ya look kinda tired and beat up. Would ya…"

Her voice trailed off momentarily as she cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably before finishing.

"Would ya please consider stayin' the night, mister Warden? It's the least the Apple family can do after what ya did for us."

Apple Bloom felt a near unbearable surge of hopefulness clench at her heart.

The Warden's ears drooped slightly as his eyes widened a bit. He looked taken aback at this offer, and didn't seem very certain of how to answer.

Apple Bloom then decided to utilize a technique which she only reserved for dire circumstances. She gave a heavy sigh, put on a pitiful frown, and gave him the biggest bambi eyes that she could muster.

To her joy, this seemed to work! The Warden looked her way for a few seconds, sighed, and nodded.

"Very well." He answered.

Apple Bloom made a sound that could only be described as an overjoyed squeal as she jumped off of Big Mac's back and ran to Applejack, hugging her sister as tightly as she could.

"Woah there, sugarcube!" Applejack exclaimed, returning the embrace with a relieved smile.

Big Mac was smiling happily upon seeing this, and even Rainbow Dash could not help but smile a bit as well.

After a few seconds, Apple Bloom rushed over to the Warden, who was looking down at her with a calm, yet genuinely happy expression as well.

"Well?" He asked; "Lead the way."

Apple Bloom did not hesitate, taking one of the Warden's forehooves and proceeding to pull him along, leading the group back to the barn.

Comments

[ProgAltRocker]

Really hoping the Warden opens up and tells AJ and Dash about what happened to his family. Might start the ball rolling for Twilight to search for them