I walked away from that messy side of town. I wasn't about to be there when the real royal guard showed up.

"E- Excuse me?" said a sweet, silent voice. I turned to see the girl I was fighting to protect.

"Yes...?"

She didn't respond at the sight of me. I didn't even know what I looked like, but I could imagine.

"... Favored hoof, blood dripping face, black eye, and a bandaged horn, that felt more painful than the rest of these bruses... Is that what you see?" I asked her. She had a hurt expression on her face. I knew it. Turning away from her, I hopped on my front left hoof with a limping back hoof on my right.

"No!" She said straight out. "You look brave!"

"This looks brave?" I asked, not turning to look at her, but stopping to hear her out.

"... Y- Yes..." She hesitated. And I laughed.

"Then I'd hate to see what dead looks like." I continued on. I heard her follow after me. Why would she? Don't I scare her after what I did back there? Man, I wish I had lost more brain cells. I started to think about that final punch I delivered to Flash Sentry.

Correction, that punch I almost delivered to Flash Sentry.

He was cowering, still saying that he was sorry with his hooves up to block the punch that was an inch from connecting. Why did I hesitate? Nightmare Moon didn't when she took my horn's purpose from me. But I left him there. Showing mercy wasn't something Vinyl taught me. I guess I was my own student since I left the team. I feel... Not like a coward... But like a...

"Hero." the mare behind me said. I turned to her, now at my side. She took my hoof over her shoulder and helped me walk.

"I don't understand..." I confessed.

"You showed that guard something that he needed to see," I waited for her to answer, "Kindness."

She then told me of what happened after I left them all there. She said that Flash Sentry confessed guilty to the guards on duty, and pointed them in the wrong direction of where I left. I was shocked.

"You have an impact on people, and I want to know more of this drive you have. Where are you going now?" she asked.

"First, you name..." I said, depending on her more as I felt my legs growing weaker.

"Fluttershy." She said, "And you're Phoenix, correct?"

"Twilight Phoenix Sparkle... But you can call me what whatever you want..."

"Phoenix it is then..."

We kept walking forward down the empty street, and I told Flutter Shy I was heading back to Ponyville to settle a fight. At Knuckle Brick Corner. I was... Returning home...

And here I thought, that fighters didn't have friends...

Fighters Don't Have Friends... Will Return Soon.

Author's Note

We'll see if this idea gets any attention. If not I'll save it for later.
It just feels good to read about Twilight kicking butt hoof to hoof.