Pinkie had just finished up her chores for the day and was bouncing out of Sugarcube Corner when she noticed Shiera just across the road, walking with a small limp and a grim look upon her face.

Pinkie Pie, whom did not like seeing any of her friends upset or in a bad mood, decided to see what was wrong.

"Sooo, whatcha doin'?" Pinkie asked, bouncing into step right next to her.

Shiera flicked her ears in annoyance, "Not now, Pink One. Leave me be..."

"It's Pinkie, silly! Also, are you hurt? You're limping! You should talk to Twilight about that, I'm pretty sure--"

"Not now, Pink One!" Shiera snapped, before storming off with a limp.
Pinkie recoiled in confusion, but before she could chase after her, Pinkie saw Spike running towards her.

"Hi Spike, whatcha doing?" She asked as she pounced in front of him with a smile.

Spike pauses for a moment, "Oh hey, Pinkie, have you seen Shiera anywhere? I wanted to talk to her..."

"Oh? What for?" Pinkie asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

Spike frowned, "Twilight and Shiera had a fight, and they each said some things I know they didn't mean..."

"Oh no! So that was why she was in a bad mood! Quick! She went this way!" Pinkie then snatched Spike by the claw and whisked him away as she dashes towards where Shiera had stormed off to.

It didn't take them long to catch up. "Shiera! Wait!" Pinkie Pie shouted as they caught up. Shiera twitched her ears in annoyance. "I thought I told you to leave me alone, Pink One." Shiera scowled as she continued walking.

"No, you only said not now, and then kept saying my name wrong and--" But as Pinky rambled on Spike noticed Shiera began picking up speed to put distance between them. "Shiera! Wait! We only want to talk!"

Shiera then pauses and stopped, turning to face him. She stared for a moment, looking between him and Pinkie Pie. She then sighed, "Fine, I suppose..."

"What's wrong? What happened?" Pinky asked.

Shiera rolled her eyes, "I was helping her to learn Battle Magic, and it was going well until she questioned my honor! Acting like I haven't been helping or honoring my part of the deal, who does she think she is?!" Shiera turned away in a huff, taking few steps before she stopped and collected herself.

"Well I'm sure Twilight didn't mean anything by it. I'm sure if you just talk to her you two can work things out..." Pinkie said, trying to comfort her friend.

Shiera rolled her eyes, still too angry to agree to such a thing.

Spike stepped forward, "Well, to be fair, you were a bit rough, especially in that Magic Duel you had...not everything has to be solved with violence, you know..."

"Wait, Shiera and Twilight had a Magic Duel?!" Pinkie gasped in surprise.

Shiera growled, "While that may be true, it is also foolish not to be prepared for it! Do you think everybody you meet is just going to be reasonable or even willing to talk? Don't you realize that once an enemy sees a weakness that they won't hesitate to exploit it?!"

"Hey, we've defeated many bad guys before, like Nightmare Moon, Discord, the Changelings, and King Sombra! And we did that with just power of friendship, and my cool moves of course..." Spike said with a smirk. "And we did that without being as rough as you tend to be...."

Shiera glared daggers at him, making him gulp and take a few steps back. But before Pinkie could intervened, Shiera sighed, "Rough? You think I'm being rough? It's obvious you've never had to fight for your life before. To have to fight to make sure you and your friends get to live another day. The skills I have and teach are purely to help further that goal. Twilight has a gift, and she could be so much more if she just followed my training. My soldiers had faith in me. And I did my best for them, and I do the same for her, and she dares question my honor?! And acts as if I am wrong for honoring our deal just because my method it isn't what she's used to?!"

"Well, Twilight's not a soldier, you can't expect her to act like--" Pinkie Pie interjected.

"WELL, I AM, OKAY?!!" Shiera snapped, her hoof stomping and her tone harsher than she intended.

She saw the frightened look upon both of them and relented, tears swelling in her eyes.

"...I am...okay? I'm a soldier, that is my life. I have seen wars and pain, dying and suffering! And I have seen many of my comrades and friends die and be slaughtered as we fought for freedom and against tyrants! So many that I can't even count anymore..."

Tears dripped from her face as her mask finally slips, revealing the broken mare underneath.

"And then I arrive here and you want to tell me that everything I am and have sacrificed is a joke and that you can just magically friendship your way out of your problems? Well, Fuck that! That is the most delusional, naive bullshit I have ever heard!"

"S-Shiera..." Pinkie Pie said, trying to comfort her, but Shiera wasn't finished.

"I have seen how evil and cruel the world can be! I have seen honorless soldiers and scumbags murder innocent civilians for sport! And I avenged each and everyone of them with my magic and blades! And if you or Twilight even think that you can compare me t-to s-such--"

She was openly sobbing now, and only stopped her rant when she suddenly felt Spike hug her, followed by Pinkie Pie.

"It's okay Shiera....no pony thinks that you're a bad pony..." Spike said, tears in his eyes.

"Yeah, we didn't know that you'd been through all that...and we are sorry for not understanding things from your perspective...I'm sure Twilight didn't mean to question you or your honor. You are the most honorable pony I know, and that's a Pinkie Promise." Pinkie Pie put a hoof on her shoulder for comfort. Shiera did not deny it.

"You're our friend, Shiera, and Twilight is too! We care about you, and I'm sure Twilight didn't mean to hurt you. She's a good pony too. I should know, she raised me ever since I was little," Spike said with a smile.

Shiera sniffed and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, though to no avail. "I'm not mad that she hurt me....in fact, I was proud. She's really gifted in magic and a fast learner, and clever too! One always gets a few scrapes and bruises while training, so that didn't matter to me. I just wanted her to learn to defend herself better, so that she could protect those around her, and especially you, Spike..."

"Hey, I can protect myself!" Spike protested with a blush.

Shiera chuckled, "I'm sure you can, but you clearly mean the world to Twilight, and I'm sure she would want to protect you with all her heart..."

"She's right, you know" spoke a voice from behind them.

Pinkie Pie was the first to speak, "Twilight? How long have you been there?"

Twilight flattened her ears and bowed her head, "Long enough...I had came to apologize to Shiera after I had noticed Spike had run off. And then I overheard your conversation..."

She pauses and looked up at Shiera, meeting her eyes, "I didn't realize you'd been through so much, and I realize now you were only trying to help...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you like that..."

Shiera sighed, finally wiping away the last of her tears. "I accept your apology, and I also apologize as well. I know you aren't used to the way I teach, and that my way is....rougher than what you are used to...and I'm sorry...I'm doing my best to honor our agreement, and I'm still not used to...all of this..." She says as she gestures to the world around them.

Twilight smiled, holding out a hoof, "It's okay, I understand. I'm sure I would have a hard time adjusting too, if I found myself in a strange new world as well....Friends?"

Shiera shook her hoof with her own and smiled, "Friends."

Pinkie Pie then bounced in between them and wrapped and arm around each of them have them both a smothering hug, "Hooray!! We are all friends again! You know this calls for? Friendship Cupcakes!!"

Both Twilight and Shiera chuckled in agreement. A cupcake definitely sounded good right now, and Shiera had a newfound respect for Pinkie Pie, and Spike too. It was nice to see that they cared, it was a feeling she hadn't felt in what felt like a long time....

_______________

Meanwhile, in a small alleyway several yards away, a pair of eyes watched the group as they interacted. The blue pony was too far away to hear the whole conversation, but that didn't matter. He had found what he was looking for...

A mare with a flank as blank as his own......

Author's Note

Yay! I'm not dead! Sorry for taking so long, but here it is! It will be a bit before the next chapter as I have other stories I need to work on, and o e in particular that I'm having writer's block on, but worry not, for I will continue!

Crowborn out!