Chapter 20: The Situations We Find Ourselves

“Look what we’ve gotten into”

Night now reigned as ruler. Luna’s moon cast its shadow high in the skies, a full moon showing despite the distant cumulus clouds that gently flowed by in the breeze.

Workers from all over Manehattan began making their way back home, their jobs done. Eager to meet their families awaiting their arrival.

Meanwhile back at the police force base of operations, MDA, Streamlight contemplated his recent meeting.

Streamlight sat alone in his office. He did not say a word nor did he move much as he heard his comrades and colleagues in the department of MDA close up and leave their offices and positions for the night.

The unicorn’s thoughts were a jumble. Much needed to be done, much needed to be changed. His talk with Applejack and Rainbow Dash had proved that.

The very fact that they didn’t know much about the difference types of ghouls despite living in the same environment as the very ones who had been trained to capture and fight them, showed just how little trust or even workmanship the investigators had with the ponies.

Sting had argued of course that it wasn’t the ponies that needed to deal with them, but the investigators that needed to deal with them.

That had been a mistake. The younger investigator hadn’t chosen his words wisely enough and nearly made Streamlight go into a fit of rage. Just thank the stars that he had better control of his emotions or else things would have ended ugly for both him and that CCG investigator.

Knock Knock Knock

Streamlight blinked, his hands still neatly folded on his desk, his coat hung over his chair and his gun in its lock behind him.

The knocks on his door had disrupted his thoughts. It was for the best anyway, he needed to take a break.

“Come in.” He said after a few minutes of silence.

Sergeant Golden Reign, opened the door and walked in. He had an MDA badge on his dark blue shirt, gleaming lightly underneath his jacket. The sahara yellow earth pony came right up to Streamlight’s desk and stood there staring at him.

The two said nothing to each other. One merely stared at his colleague, the other stared right back with a raised brow in response.

Slamming both hands on his desk rather suddenly Golden grinned at his friend and said. “Come on ya lazy arse. I’m taking ya out for a drink, and ya can’t say no.”

“No” Streamlight promptly stated turning himself around in his revolving arm chair.

The strong hands that only a strong earth pony could have, gripped the back of Streamlight’s cushions and with a strong yank, pulled the seat back so it was on two of its wheeled legs.

Streamlight had to grab both armrests on either side of his seat to keep balance or prevent himself from falling over. He grimaced.

“The hell do you think you’re doing you nosy walking tank of pain in my ass?!” though the rest sounded more like “msaking phmnk mf main mn mm massmsdasdwefsad” due to the hand that covered unicorn’s muzzle.

“Shhhhh” Golden said with a smile. “Just let this happen.”

Streamlight’s eyes widened before smacking his allies hand away, yielding an audible ow as the detective jumped out of his seat and moved towards a corner of the room. “Dude” he said hesitantly. “We’re cool and all but, I’m not into stallions.”

Golden reign rubbed his hand rolling his eyes at Streamlight’s comment. “I didn’t mean that, besides I told you I don’t think you’re cute when you get all grumpy like this. And you’re also not my type. I mean-”

“Alright I get it, jeez. “ Streamlight stated with a bit of a frown. “Didn’t need to be so blunt. Still got feelings you know” he stated as he fixed his chair back into correct place.

Golden Reign stopped rubbing his hand and stared at his friend. “Do ya now? Over the last couple of days it’s been hard to tell with all that happened.”

The junior detective didn’t reply to that comment. He didn’t need to. Streamlight knew where Golden Reign was going with this.

Moving over to his closet the stallion’s horn glowed a sepia brown that surrounded the case holding his gun and punching in the code quickly. Golden Reign moved over to his desk and sat on the edge as he watched his friend silently.

“Ya’ve been real distant lately bud. Ye had a lot of us 'ere worried. Even Chief Scrimmage was worried about yer ass.”

Still Streamlight did not reply as he took his mag V out and checked the clip. 6 kagu bullets were within it. He shoved the clip back into the gun. And took another mag out of the draws with his magic. Taking one of the bits of ukaku casing, then taking a regular bullet, Streamlight focused.

His horn glowed brighter a few sparks flying out here in there as he concentrated on the material that made up the koukaku. From concentration alone, Streamlight sensed cells. Thousands and thousands of cells that moved gently as his magic touched them.

Turning his sights onto a single bullet he had taken out of the mag. He then focused the structure of these cells and their hardened form on the bullets casing and its own structure, the casing, the cordrite and the entire bullet as a whole. Golden Reign watched silently as his friend worked, binding the cartridge to the cells that formed the very item that had marked his first attack that fateful night.

A small bead of sweat began to form around Streamlight’s forehead as he worked. He wanted to have this extra magazine in case he needed it when he went on his rounds later tonight, so he focused and poured a bit more magic into it.

A sizzling sound came out of his horn, and the nerves within expanded and released more magical energy, which in turn released more magic working to bind the copied structure and bullets within the mag together. Finally after a few seconds, the detective felt something connect within his mind and opened his eyes to see his work.

The bullet he’d been holding in his magic now had the same shell as the kagu bullets in his gun. “Phew” he sighed, looking at the rest of the mag to make sure everything had worked.

Once done Streamlight slipped the magazine he’d been holding with his magic into his pocket. Before closing everything up and placing the kagune shard back in its case. His usual friend that made him these materials had left town after Sweet Treat’s death.

Streamlight hadn’t heard from him since. The pony had been a close friend to both families and the blow had hit him just as hard as anypony else.

He’d be on his own in making these from now on. Luckily Craft had been able to give him the basics to figure out how to combine these two before he left.

Luckily.

“So is this what ye been doin’ nowadays?” Golden asked staring at Streamlight as he closed the closet and grabbed his coat. “Making these, bullets for a threat that rarely appears, and when it does is smart enough to get out of the way before even our best teleporters can track it down?”

Streamlight sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead, ignoring the small pain in his horn. He’d overworked himself a bit too much then.

“Streamlight you got to take it easy.” Golden said gently as he followed Streamlight out of the detective’s office and watched him lock up. “I mean, ya can’t keep doing this. Ye don’t eat much nowadays, ya seem almost obsessed with finding ghouls. Ya sleep on the afternoons, I mean come on Stream. This isn’t you.” he said morosely.

Again Streamlight sighed. “What do you want me to do then? The only reason I sleep in on the afternoons is-- yes I know I never did that before,” he stated upon seeing Golden’s quizzical gaze. “but things have changed.” He told the earth pony.

“There are still ghoul attacks going on and we’ve got no way to counteract them.” The unicorn pulled out the silver clip holding the newly enhanced bullets. “This here, is what can stop them. But because the freaking Board, won’t listen to what I have to say, we’re still facing casualties.” He stated with a snort, his left ear twitching just a bit.

Golden sighed, pulling his jacket a bit over his chest to avoid the slightly chilly breeze. “I get what yer saying Stream, but are you sure that this isn’t about-”

“No” Streamlight roughly interrupted, his tone harsh.

Golden Reign held his tongue. The matter involving Sweet Treat was still a delicate topic. It was best he didn’t tread on that already thin line.

Both stallions walked down the night road in silence for quite sometime.

Streamlight cleared his throat a second later and spoke in a almost low, less hostile and more welcoming voice. “I’ll go down to Rowdy Roads with you, I don’t drink but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk.”

Srgt . Golden Reign smiled at his former partner, before wrapping a strong arm around Streamlight’s neck and pulling him in with a wicked grin on his face. “That’s my stallion.” he teased.

“I told you I’m not into-”

“I know.” Golden Reign said with a grin, still keeping his friend locked as they walked. “And you’re still not my type.”

Kaneki moved silently through the empty streets of Trancelvania. Not a soul could be seen at this point even though the moon had been out only for at least three hours now.

But it was better this way. No prying eyes would be watching him as he moved around the city searching for a means of sustenance, and no guards would be active at this time of day if his hunch was right.

Luckily it was.

Luckily.

Hearing a twig snap in the distance broke that luck, and made Kaneki stop moving almost instantly. The boy turned his head in the direction of the sound, down the road where he’d been just a few seconds ago and saw nothing. No one and nothing but the lit lights of a sidewalk and a nearby dark house that had a sign placed in its front yard saying “For Sale.”

Eventually Kaneki turned his head away from the street and looked forward, waiting one second to see if something would happen. When nothing did he continued on his way towards the inn, though in reality he was heading towards a different route.

Whatever was following him, clearly wasn’t normal.

Pinkie leaned slightly over the edge of her hiding place and watched Kaneki’s figure continue moving down a different road away from the inn. Her eyes narrowed.

“Pinkie, why exactly are we following Kaneki outside at this time?” Rarity asked in a hushed voice, though the annoyance in it was clear.

“Isn’t it obvious? He’s been hiding something for a long time now. And my Pinkie senses haven’t stopped acting up since. It’s time I figure out just what he’s hiding. OH! He’s moving, come on Rarity!” she whisper shouted as she gave chase.

Rarity stood up from her hiding spot and frowned following after Pinkie once she managed the wrinkles out of her gown. She hated walking out in this attire, but Pinkie had woken her out of bed so quickly that she hadn’t had time to pick the right clothes for this little incognito investigation.

A loud sigh escaped Rarity as she followed after Pinkie, but soon enough she too stopped as her ears perked up and caught the sound of something nearby.

Rarity turned to look behind her, but just like Kaneki had, she saw nothing but a moderately lit street and buildings as far as the eye could see.

“Rarity!” Pinkie whispered right in front of her, making the unicorn mare jump in fright, her horn releasing a few sparks followed by a slight squeak escaping her.

Pinkie quickly shushed her friend “Quiet! We don’t want Kaneki to....to.....” she trailed off over something behind them.

Rarity having enough, moved Pinkie’s hand away from her muzzle and huffed loudly. “Look Pinkie, I understand you’re worried about Kaneki but it's late. I’m not wearing the right clothes for this outing, and these colors simply don’t match my-”

Pinkie’s squeak interrupted Rarity’s babble.

“Oh what is it now?”

The only thing Pinkie did was point weakly in front of them. Rarity turned her already vexed expression towards the source of Pinkie’s unimaginable force for silence.

What she saw made her turn a paler shade of white as her ears lay flat on her head, and her jaw dropped with widening eyes.

“Oh my...”

Kaneki ran. He ran and he ran as fast as he possibly could, jumping from roof to roof. Hopping from place to place, and launching himself forward as fast as he could following the sounds of screaming, hoping he wasn’t too late.

Eventually the screams stopped.

And when they did to so did Kaneki.

Frantically he began searching the streets from his rooftop. Frantically he tried locating the correct location that would take him to them. That would take him to those two, before it was too late.

Emotions that he had long since abandoned in his process to protect all and those he cared for began to slowly resurface.

Anger was the first. Why had they risked it. Why had the bothered to follow him to such lengths in spite of the danger they may face. Was it just some stupid spur of the moment that led them on to follow him like this so late into the night? Or was it Pinkie’s curiosity in where he went that had finally pushed her over the edge to do such an investigation.

If there was a god out there Kaneki thanked him now. If it hadn’t been for Kill Shot he would’ve never been so familiar with this area enough to maneuver properly.

Then suddenly, Kaneki halted his breathing.

Something sounded off in the distance. It was like a cling, a loud crash between two objects, it was- a fight.

Launching himself over to a rooftop diagonal to his right. Landing on the rooftop shingles hard, several slid off as the boy, quickly rolled, picked himself up and took off at an incredible pace jumping onto another rooftop whenever he ran out of ground. Finally Kaneki stopped at the finally building and saw it.

The thing he feared would happen the most.

His friends in danger.

Kill Shot now clashed weapons against the wings of a ukaku user, his quinque like blades making contact with the hardened claws of the ukaku wielder. Around that ukaku wielder. Several other ghouls that now surrounded the fighting investigator, and the girls cowering in the corner too overcome with fear to move.

Then something happened. Something horrible.

One ghoul got desperate, and launched itself right at the frightened Pinkie and Rarity. And if it weren’t for Rarity pushing Pinkie out of the way, and ducking herself the ghoul would have left a detrimental mark right then and there.

But he did leave a mark. He cut Rarity’s cheek.

And Rarity’s surprised cry, made something fester within Kaneki. Something, inhumane and primal. Something animalistic.

And before the half ghoul knew what he was doing, he’d launched himself right into the fray, completely ditching his mask as he landed.

Kill Shot slammed one blade into the masked ukaku wielders wing and felt a restraint as the shards stopped his weapon cold. But with a grunt and angered shout he thrusted the ghoul back and managed a slash that went unseen in the masked ghoul’s direction, before turning to the sound directly behind him and pointing an extended ukaku blade right at Kaneki.

No one moved when that happened.

Pinkie Pie rushed over to Rarity, held her tightly and moved further away from the ghouls and in a direction more in favor of the senior investigator and the stranger before them.

But when the smoke cleared after this strangers descent all Pinkie needed was a single glimpse, and she knew right then and there who’d came to her aid.

“Ka...neki...?” she said in a breaking voice full of emotion, as she held the frightened Rarity tightly.

Four ginkaku tentacles extended from the boy’s back. Four tentacles that loomed over the boy like shadows loomed over a mass. The boy turned only the side of his face that revealed his normal eye, and looked at the girls.

They were terrified, confused, yet he saw a slight sense of relief from them upon the two seeming him and Ren standing together.

That feeling was quickly sunk when Kill Shot pointed his weapon at Kaneki, making Pinkie’s expression shift from fear, and slight relief, to utter horror and bewilderment.

Kaneki turned his attention to the investigator and saw the wild look in his eyes.

Associate Senior Investigator, Ren Tokoshima, was a kind man when Kaneki first met him. But back then, when he’d been fighting to protect Rainbow Dash, Kaneki had seen a different side to that gentle side and observant nature.

The look in Tokoshima’s eyes spelt death. But upon realizing it was Kaneki after a few seconds and no movement had came from either side, the investigator dropped his weapon and pointed it back at the other ghouls hungrily eyeing them and the girls.

“I made a mistake. I let these ones get away when I was doing some patrolling earlier. I apologize to you two” Kill Shot said to the two mares as he faced the other ghouls.

Kaneki glanced back at them, they merely shook their heads and Rarity offered a choked up whimper before completely breaking down. The half ghoul turned his attention to his...own, and referred his response to the investigator.

“They understand” he said silently over Rarity’s crying and Pinkie’s gentle shushs.

Kill Shot only nodded in response.

“Kaneki?” a familiar voice said, making Kaneki look forward to another masked ukaku wielder that now parted the group of ghouls before them.

“Kaneki Ken?” the voice said in shock. Kaneki raised a brow in response as his kagune loomed over his head in attention to the voice.

The masked ghoul took of his mask and smiled grimly. “It’s me. It’s Ayato.”

Kaneki didn’t say a word. His hands clenched tightly, but he didn’t speak. Then in an instant he had launched himself forward.

Ayato dodged and a fatal strike and increased the distance between him and Kaneki, allowing the other ghouls to surround him.

A single order commanded the group to attack as Kill Shot prepared for battle.

“Eat to your hearts content.”

Savage roars filled the air as the ghouls launched themselves at the investigator and half-ghoul, some attempting to jump over and reach the two mares.

The situation had grown grim, but try as they might, not a single ghoul made it over Kaneki or Kill Shot.

Blood flew, the air grew sick with a putrid and disgusting scent as the fight raged on and Rarity was forced to cover her eyes while Pinkie watched only glimpses.

It was a horrid battle indeed.

The last thing Pinkie Pie and Rarity remember, was the smell of blood. The shouts, the shrieks, the screams of monsters. And Kaneki and Kill Shot’s efforts in the fight.

That night, blood painted more than one block.

Two stallions exited a pub shop, with one supporting the other. Streamlight held his friend with his arm thrown around him. All while leading Golden Reign down the road. His ally had drank a little too much and was currently tipsy.

Not tipsy enough to not have his senses, but tipsy enough to do something stupid if he didn’t have support.

“Damn it.” Streamlight cursed as he supported his friend down the road. “Why are you so fucking heavy?”

“Shhhh, bud. Bud, ya’ve got to let loose!” Golden stated with a flail of his arm.

Streamlight rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Look let’s just get you home alright?”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure let’s just get me home” Golden echoed.

Streamlight shook his head and shifted his weight. “Come on you moron.”

Thus the junior detective helped the sergeant towards his home in Sessile Oaks. The trip to the drunken stallion’s home had been anything but pleasant. Golden Reign wouldn’t stop mumbling things that mattered very little to Streamlight.

Mostly involving the stallion’s current single status and how he should loosen up and get a good mare already.

All of which Streamlight frankly ignored as he dragged the idiot with him closer towards his street.

“We’re almost there Gold, just try to relax” Streamlight coached as he watched his friend push himself away from the detective to vomit. The detective just shook his head as his friend yaked up everything he’d drunk tonight.

When Golden Reign was done, the earth pony spat, then shuffled a good foot away before sitting up and staring at the sky.

“Better” Streamlight asked after a few minutes of silence.

“Ugh” Golden groaned in response, rubbing his face with both hands. Streamlight smiled lightly. The earth pony had tried quite a bit to get him to loosen up a bit back at the bar, half way along the line though is when the all those six mugs of cider started to kick in and make Gold act more like a his guardian datemaker instead of just a friend.

“Hey Stream” Gold croaked from behind his hands, his voice a bit lower than it had been a few minutes ago.

“Hm?”

“Try to take it easy every now and then would ya? I know ya miss her and all, we all do, but what’s ‘appened, ‘append. So, just do me a favor would ya? Try to take it easy a bit more and loosen up.”

Golden waited for a reply a few seconds. When he didn’t get one, he looked through a crack between his fingers and saw his friend smiling at him.

“Yeah” the detective said with a smile. “I will, thanks.”

“No problem.”

Moving to help his friend up Streamlight offered his hand to the stallion. A second later he smacked it away as something shot out at them.

A loud thunk slammed into a light pole just beside the two law enforcers, slightly bending it. Golden Reign, stared at what had hit the pole. Streamlight directed his attention to what was just ahead.

At that moment a wave of shock and terror filled Streamlight’s being. In an instant Golden felt an invisible force grabbing him by the jacket, dragging him up to his feet. Still too surprised and confused to realize what it was that had hit the pole, but Streamlight knew. He already knew what was coming without even needing to clearly see it.

He knew it because he’d faced it not once but twice, this now making it a third time.

“Get up” Streamlight urged. “Up I said! C’MON GET UP!” He shouted at Golden Reign still looking off in the distance as something, something came closer.

Golden fumbled to his feet and found balance at the last second as Streamlight took off down the street of Sessile Oaks. Before Golden could even ask he turned his head and looked in the direction Streamlight had been staring at and saw it.

A ghoul, one with two tails. Two large tails that almost looked like a kitten's but with claws. The girl came charging at full speed rushing towards the spot where Golden now stood.

Golden Reign stood frozen. He couldn’t find the will to move. His legs just twitched in response as he stared at this little girl coming at him with such a calm look on her face.

It sent a shiver up his spine.

Just when he thought it was over and the girl jumped above to deliver a deathly blow, everything went white. And then all of a sudden Gold was standing, or rather being dragged along by Streamlight’s magic.

The unicorn had teleported his friend to his side and was now ringing him along.

Gold looked at Streamlight and saw the look of urgency written all over the younger detective’s face. Streamlight had his weapon drawn, and was holding the other magazine that held 6 other ghoul-repellant bullets in them. Without even thinking about it, the detective tossed the serg his clip.

“Take your regular bullets out and use those!” Streamlight commanded, the sound of the ghoul completely slicing the light pole in half as it now crashed to the ground reached their ears, just as Gold himself now began to quickly change clips.

“Y-You’ve dealt with this other than that one time?” Gold asked as he shoved his regular clip into his pocket and replaced his gun with the modified one.

“Shut up and shoot!” Streamlight commanded.

Skidding to a stop as wasn’t easy as Gold watched this little girl fly right in front of his former partner, with both her tail like claws drawn. One made aim for Streamlight’s throat, the other attempted to stop the arm moving to his gun.

Turning on a dime despite being magically held, Gold fired a direct shot into the girl’s leg and watched as her kagune recoiled when the koukau bullet met skin.

Both detective and ghoul skid to a stop. The girl held her bleeding leg. Streamlight slowly moved his hand towards his gun. Gold was slowly set back on the ground. Trying to levitate his friend while focusing on this fight would be difficult.

Gold cocked his pistol, then waited.

It was a stand off. Two enforces, one ghoul.

“Do ya often get into situations like this when I’m not around?” Gold asked never removing his eyes on the enemy.

Streamlight snickered. “Except on Thursdays.”

“Good thing today’s Thursday huh?”

A reply was never made as the little girl launched herself like a bullet at Gold.

Being an earth pony means being quick, and one with the earth. Knowing your surroundings, being smart and knowing how to change your situation when life gives you something unexpected are all part of being an earth pony.

Golden Reign knew what just to do as the ghoul came at him. Swiftly moving forward and falling to his knees, Gold allowed the small ghoul to fly just above him, narrowly missing him by an inch if he hadn’t moved a step sooner.

While she flew by Gold shot three rounds into her side. The girl screeched in pain as she flew by the two and came to a sudden stop while she skid on the ground.

The girl didn’t move an inch after those hits were delivered.

His partner whistled. “Wow” Streamlight said in impressive tones. “You still got it.” he said with a chuckle.

Gold helped himself up and snickered in response as he approached. “Hell yeah I do.”

“So what do we do with her?” Streamlight asked.

Gold looked at the unmoving girl. “Question is, is it still alive?”

“It is alive. It’s a she.” Streamlight corrected.

Gold shrugged, “Not in my book.”

Streamlight sighed. “Right. Of course. Why don’t you call back up, I’ll be here and keep watch.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Gold stated, turning in the other direction. Streamlight watched his friend go a good distance before pulling out a communicator in his pocket. The sound of static waves and krrgh* came as the Srg communicated.

Then all of a sudden Streamlight felt a gust of wind rush by him as he watched the girl go right after Gold.

Everything happened so fast.

On instinct Streamlight pulled out his gun and fired every round he had in his mag right into the girl’s head just as she jumped on Gold and firmly bit down between his neck and shoulder. The numbing yell Gold led as he heard that horrible crunch sound from within him before pain spread was probably more worse than feeling the injury itself.

The next thing Streamlight realized was he was using Gold’s gun to fire one more bullet into the ghoul’s head before moving over and checking up on his injured friend.

The wound was deep. It kind of looked like the girl had bitten through the muscle. For a second a nauseating feeling traveled into Streamlight’s throat, and he thought for sure was going to hurl, but he ignored it. Took off his coat and draped it over his dazed friend now laying on the cold ground.

“Cmon Gold stay with me” Streamlight said with some emotion in his voice. Applying pressure to the wound with one hand Streamlight took hold of the communicator with his other hand.

Krrgh* the line was dead. C’mon Streamlight begged, keeping a firm hand on the bleeding wound as Gold groaned from the pain.

He tried the communicator again. Same result. “C’mon” Streamlight pleaded. "Work." His hand starting to feel damp from both the blood from Gold’s wound and his own nerves starting to kick in.

“C’mon!” Streamlight shouted. Krrgh*.... Still no reply. Damn it! He mentally shouted in frustration, throwing the communicator down the road.

Streamlight weakly looked down at his injured friend. Gold was wincing but still conscious. But this wound. If it continued he’d die from blood loss.

A knot formed in the detective’s gut. There was no way in Tartarus he would lose someone else.

Looking around for any buildings, anything that showed there was a place he could go to get some help the detective saw no such thing. All he saw was an ever stretching street and light poles lighting that street. Gold's home wasn't too far from here along with the rest of the residents, but that's not what this injured stallion needed right now. A desperate look began to form on his face as he lifted Gold to a sitting position.

If I’m right, there should be a hospital a mile or so back. If I can just get us over there. Streamlight reasoned, his horn beginning to glow. “Hey” he whispered into Gold’s ear. The stallion’s ear twitched as he weakly glanced over at the detective.

“Hey, c’mon stay with me” Streamlight spoke in a commanding yet gentle tone. “Look. I’m going to get you help, alright. Just hold on.”

Gold didn’t say much, he was breathing heavily. He winced when he tried moving, and speaking only seemed to make the wound hurt even more. “You're...still...not my type” the serg weakly managed.

Streamlight would have chuckled at this, but there was no time for that. A life was on the line here so he ignored the statement, and focused his concentration on that hospital he’d seen on their way back.

A slight twinge of pain crossed his face as his horn began shooting off sparks. It was still a bit warm from earlier, but he needed to do this.

C’mon just a bit more, Streamlight thought with desperation. His horn gained an overglow. It still wasn’t enough magic. He’d used up most of his energy making that clip they’d used in fighting this girl.

She wasn’t moving anymore.

This time the detective made sure of it.

Sweat began forming as the seconds ticked turning into minutes. Streamlight could still feel Gold’s blood soaking through his pelt, soaking through his cloths, and slightly oozing out of the jacket. Where his hand now was, he was sure of it. A bone had definitely been broken.

He didn’t know enough healing magic to fix injuries like this. Just enough to heal minor wounds. If he didn’t hurry he’d end up losing Gold when he could’ve done something. Losing Sweet Treat was hard enough. Partially losing Silver Star was just as bad, she hadn't visited him in awhile. Losing a friend he’d known for years on top of working with when joining the force...that would just be too cruel.

A part of Streamlight knew for a fact he wouldn’t forgive himself if he did nothing and waited for some form of ambulance to reach them. They didn’t get there quick enough the first time. They wouldn’t this time.

The more concentration Streamlight put, the more his head began to ache. His horn was growing warmer by the second, beads of sweat was now slowly dripping from his forehead, sliding down his face and his body was starting to grow warm from the exertion.

Just a little more he kept telling himself through the pain.

Just a bit longer.

It felt like minutes had passed hours almost but the unicorn knew it was all in his mind. Each second passing, the more blood seemed to soak into both their pelts and the more pain Golden Reign seemed to be in.

Pouring his will into the act, Streamlight’s horn lit brighter than a torch in the darkest cavern as a third casing of magic surrounded his horn and sparks shot out of it like an actively lit group of firecrackers.

Then in a large burst of light, they disappeared. The action caused something within Streamlight to break. It felt like a part of him, a bone possibly. It didn’t matter. When he opened his eyes they had appeared at Manehattan General Hospital.

A nurse just leaving her post for the night saw a weak Streamlight with a cracked horn moving towards the hospital with a injured pale yellow stallion moving towards them.

Streamlight never made it to the door, collapsing with Gold still firmly in his grasp.

A group of nurses were sent to retrieve the two in a rush along with one or two security guards.

Gold was admitted instantly to treatment.

Hours later a barely conscious Streamlight who had refused treatment in his daze despite the nurses urges, stumbled up to Doctor Care and asked him how Gold was doing.

The doctor assured the barely conscious unicorn that his friend was fine. And he’d done a good job applying pressure to the wound in time. All Gold needed now was rest.

Junior Detective Streamlight passed out, almost instantly once that assurance had been made with a weak smile on his face. It was only as he allowed his consciousness to slip did Streamlight realize, just how much in pain he was in.

The strain he'd put on his body in using more magic than it could handle would be costly. His cracked horn would especially prove troublesome

How much trouble this would bring him, was yet to be determined.

For now all he wanted to do was sleep. Sleep...and hope everything would be alright the next day.

Author's Note

Finally.

We've finally reached the end.

I know to some this probably doesn't seem like a fitting end for the story, but I spent the last two days while thinking of this where I wanted it to end. And ultimately I concluded that it was best I end it here before I bite off more than I can chew.

I do plan on making a continuation of this, but that's a long time away as I have other stories I want to work on and other things that need my attention. Regardless though any questions you have, I'll be willing to answer now that this story is over.

Thanks for sticking around so long and I hope to make more interesting stories that catch you're attention.

And as always, Enjoy.