As the three fillies continued to walk through the dark forest, their fearful eyes trying desperately to find anything of some sort of familiarity, an owl hooted off in the distance. The terrain they were moving through was so thick and difficult to maneuver in that they had to move in single file while holding branches out of the way for each other. After nearly ten minutes of trekking through the thicket, Apple Bloom grunted in annoyance as a branch Sweetie Belle was holding snapped back and hit her on the snout.

"Ow!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

"Sorry, Apple Bloom. It slipped out of my hooves." Sweetie Belle hastily apologized.

"It's alright. My muzzle just hurts now." Apple Bloom muttered, rubbing her muzzle.

"Hey, do you girls see that?" Scootaloo asked, pointing ahead of them.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both squinted as they followed Scootaloo's hoof to try to see what she was pointing at. Off in the distance, just ever so faintly obscured by the dense vegetation around them, was what appeared to be light.

"I think that's somepony coming to find us!" Scootaloo chirped, excitement filling her voice.

"Well what're we waitin' for? Let's get outta here!" Apple Bloom breathed a sigh of relief.

The three fillies quickly trotted toward the light, their hooves pounding on the dirt and plants in their way. As they approached, the light grew brighter and brighter, until it was clear as day that there was some sort of flickering flame casting the light.

"They must've brought out lanterns to look for us." Sweetie Belle thought aloud.

"Hey! Over here!" Scootaloo called, just as they finally made their way into a clearing.

All three fillies skidded to a halt as they finally managed to get some breathing room from the claustrophobic forest. However, their elation was perilously short lived as it became immediately apparent that the light they saw did not belong to a rescuer at all. In fact, the light was cast by a small fire that flickered in the small breeze that managed to wisp between the trees and into the small clearing.

Before any of them could question what a small and hastily made fire was doing out in the middle of the woods, a twig snapped ahead of them. All three fillies immediately tensed as they glanced in the direction of the noise, their fur bristling as a wave of fear washed over them.

For the second time in just as many seconds, they were utterly shocked as Cooper walked out from behind a shrubbery across from them, a small pile of sticks held in his arms. He didn't appear shocked by their presence at all, in fact, he regarded them with a look of familiarity as if he knew they were there long before he saw them. With what little they knew of the man from his past before arriving in Equestria, it wasn't a stretch to assume he had.

"Cooper?!" The three fillies exclaimed in surprise.

Cooper nodded toward the trio of fillies as he continued to walk over toward his small fire without a word. They quickly followed after him, three pairs of eyes sharing confused looks as they reached the fire. Cooper set the pile of sticks down beside the flames, taking a few of them and adding them to the pyre to ensure the burning did not cease. He gently cupped the outside edge with his hand and blew into the blaze, making flames lick upward into the sky as they consumed more wood.

"Coop'?" Apple Bloom questioned, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

Albeit after a moment to ensure the fire did not sputter out and die, Cooper looked up to her as he sat down beside the source of warmth and light.

"Hey, girls." He replied, quietly.

"Cooper, what are you doing out here?" Sweetie Belle questioned.

"Ponies are saying you hurt one of your guards for some reason." Scootaloo added.

"Then you ran off outta town and everypony's been lookin' for you all day!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

As the three fillies rattled off their questions, Cooper nodded along, his eyes falling to the flames before him. His gaze lingered there for a while, long after the questioned had finished and he realized the three were waiting for answers. He eventually let out a quiet sigh and met their gaze once more.

"It's true. All of it." Cooper admitted, earning a shocked gasp from the fillies.

"What? But why?" Scootaloo pressed.

"Why would you hurt your own guard?" Sweetie Belle added.

Cooper's eyes fell back down to his hands, "I'm dangerous..." He admitted, more to himself than anyone else.

"Dangerous?" Apple Bloom parroted.

Cooper was silent for a moment, as if he was struggling to find his words. When he finally did respond, his eyes stayed on his hands, his head hung low.

"You know how hard it is to keep a fire going?" He asked.

"Um... what?" Scootaloo squinted in confusion.

"Fire needs three things to burn. Fuel, air, and heat... I got really good at making fires after the bombs fell and we lost everything... needed some way to keep Mia and Sarah warm." Cooper continued, ignoring Scootaloo's question.

"What does that-" Sweetie Belle began, but halted as Apple Bloom held up a hoof to silence her.

At her questioning look, Apple Bloom quickly whispered, "Hang on. Let 'im talk for a second." She instructed.

"I guess life's a lot like fire. You just need three simple things... something to live for, something to die for... and something to kill for." Cooper muttered, tossing another twig into the flames.

After a moment of silence, Cooper continued, "I had all three for a time... then I lost them all. I really started to wonder why I lived and they didn't after a few years... why I continued to live despite everything... then I met Twilight." He explained.

"Princess Twilight?" Sweetie Belle parroted, raising an eyebrow.

"She gave me all three after I lost them... I didn't think I'd ever hold anything but love for her in my heart, especially after everything we'd been through... and then I wind up here and think that somehow, someway... everything is gonna be alright. It's a fuckin' magical wonderland for Christ's sake. Of course they can bring them back..." Cooper trailed off, shaking his head in defeat.

"Bring... who back? Your family?" Scootaloo pressed.

Cooper silently nodded.

"So... you asked Twilight to bring yer family back an'... she couldn't?" Apple Bloom surmised.

Cooper nodded once more.

"She couldn't bring them back? But Twilight is a genius! If anypony can bring them back, it's her!" Sweetie Belle protested.

Cooper mirthlessly chuckled, "My thoughts exactly... instead, she told me the truth... it can't be done. If she can't bring them back... no one can. They're gone, forever." He stated, his voice rife with melancholy.

The three fillies before him shared a sad glance with each other.

"So... then what happened?" Scootaloo pressed.

Cooper took a deep, shameful breath, "I... didn't take that news well... lost my cool and stormed off. She was trying to get me to calm down... see reason... I didn't want to hear it. I tried to storm off but Sky got in my way and tried to get me to stay. I don't... I don't know what got into me..." He responded, holding his head in his hands.

"Cooper... what did you do?" Apple Bloom pressed, gently.

Cooper continued to stare ahead in silence, his head in his hands and his eyes squeezed shut.

"Cooper?" Scootaloo questioned.

"I shot him! I just... I was just so angry and I didn't think and I shot him! For Christ's sake, I put a bullet in his neck!" Cooper suddenly exclaimed as tears leaked from his tightly closed eyes.

At his sudden outburst, the trio of fillies recoiled back slightly, but quickly closed back in as they saw the state the man was in. Before Cooper could protest, he felt a pair of forelegs wrap around his arm, and a small furry body press against him. As he sniffled and opened his eyes, he looked down to see Apple Bloom's face just a few inches away. She gave him a warm, disarming smile, before nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder, a gesture that made his heart melt even despite the pain he was feeling.

Following Apple Bloom's lead, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both similarly cuddled up to Cooper. Scootaloo mirrored Apple Bloom on his other shoulder, nuzzling and pressing her side against his, while Sweetie Belle climbed into his lap. She nuzzled against his chin, her fuzzy ears flicking against his cheek as she tried to wrap her forelegs around his chest, a task that she could only half-acomplish.

"It's okay, Cooper. It ain't your fault." Apple Bloom reassured him, squeezing him just a bit tighter.

As Cooper felt the three fillies snuggling against him, it was all he could do to wrap his arms around them and pull them in closer. He let out a few shuttering breaths as the tears subsided, though he still struggled to find the words to express his feelings after everything. Luckily, Apple Bloom was more than willing to speak first.

"Sky is alright. He had to go ta' the hospital, but they said he's fine. You didn't hurt 'im too bad, 'Coop." Apple Bloom offered.

"I can't imagine being told that there was no way I could get my family back, especially after everything you've been through and how much hope you must have had when you went to Twilight to ask her. I can't say any of us know what you're going through... but you aren't a bad human, Cooper." Sweetie Belle offered.

Cooper slowly shook his head, "I'm... dangerous... I've already hurt one of my friends... what if I snap again and hurt someone else? What if I hurt one of you? I could never forgive myself..." He muttered.

"We don't have all the answers... but we do have some knowledge on how it feels to be different or feel like you don't belong." Scootaloo added, nodding toward her blank flank.

Cooper snorted in amusement, "Yeah... yeah I guess you three do have some knowledge about that." He replied.

"Besides! Half of Ponyville was out here in the forest looking for you all day! They weren't angry with you, they wanted to help you." Sweetie Belle added.

"Yeah! We were out here all day lookin' fer ya'!" Apple Bloom chuckled.

"I'm sorry for making you all waste your time. I didn't want to be found." Cooper replied, quietly.

"Well duh? We knew that, otherwise somepony would've found you way sooner." Scootaloo teased.

"Cooper, why don't you wanna go back? I'm sure yer guard ain't mad at'cha. If he knew why you lost it, he'd understand, I'm sure." Apple Bloom offered.

"Yeah!" The other two agreed.

"It's not that simple." Cooper replied, taking the wind out of their sails.

"Why not?" Apple Bloom asked.

Cooper was silent for a moment, as if he was struggling to come up with the proper response. When he did reply, his answer came slowly, with a hint of bitterness to it.

"Back on my world... we used to send people to prison for doing what I did... a rabid dog would be put down for biting people in the street... it doesn't matter how bad that dog was abused. It's no different here... 'cept I'm the rabid dog... can't trust myself to not lose it." Cooper muttered.

"Coop..." Apple Bloom dejectedly murmured.

"I thought I could control it... thought I could settle in and get over it... but I don't think that's in the cards for me. Every little thing sets me off and I can't risk hurting anyone else. Not Twilight, and especially not any of you." Cooper announced, a determination filling his voice as he sat upright.

Now looking down at the three fillies, he fixed them with a stern look, "You three need to go home... you need to go home and stay far away from me." He instructed.

"Coop', that just ain't true!" Apple Bloom argued.

"It's how it has to be." Cooper affirmed, shaking his head.

"Well... even if we wanted to, we don't know how to get back. We kinda... got lost in the forest looking for you." Scootaloo admitted, a sheepish look on her face.

Cooper let out a long sigh, "Figures... look, there's gotta be at least two thirds of town looking for you three. I can take you back to the trail, and you'll probably be found in about twenty minutes."

"You know how to get back?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"It's not that far. Besides, I know how to navigate when everything looks the same." Cooper shrugged.

"Well... what about the rest of the ponies in town? Are you just gonna run away from them too?" Apple Bloom pressed, a slight accusatory tone filling her voice.

"I'm not running away from anything. I'm just trying to keep you all safe." Cooper responded.

"By running away from us." Apple Bloom shot back.

"It isn't that simple-" Cooper began.

"It sure seems like it to me! There are dozens of ponies in town that would help you in a heartbeat!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

"I'm dangerous! I can't control myself and if it happens again, I don't think whoever I do it to will survive." Cooper countered.

"If yer so dangerous, then why haven't you hurt any of us?" Apple Bloom questioned.

Cooper rubbed the bridge of his nose with his hand, "Apple Bloom, you're too young to understand. This isn't something that I can control. You've just been lucky so far, which is exactly why as soon as I take you all to the trail, you're going to stay there until help comes for you." He instructed.

"Ah ain't too young to understand when somepony needs help. You need help, Coop', you just ain't ready to ask fer it. AppleJack gets the same way when somepony tries to tell her she can't do somethin'. It ain't weakness to ask for help. It's just... what anypony would do." Apple Bloom reasoned.

Cooper held her defiant gaze for a few moments. Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were too invested to speak, let alone move, and they awaited his response with bated breath. However, rather than a response from the man before them, a distinct voice in the distance made them all turn their heads away.

"Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo! Apple Bloom!" Twilight's voice rang out through the trees.

It was still far enough away that they could barely hear her, but there was simply no mistaking the voice calling out to them.

"Looks like Twilight's here for you guys. You'll be safe if you just head straight ahead, that way." Cooper announced, pointing directly ahead toward the woods in front of them.

"Coop', I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we ain't leavin' you." Apple Bloom declared.

"Yeah! We spent all day looking for you!" Scootaloo added.

"Besides, Twilight cares about you! How can you leave and not even say good bye to her?" Sweetie Belle protested.

Cooper sighed, "Why don't you kids get it... I'm doing this because I care about her. Because if I stay, I'm just going to cause more problems then I'd fix. She has enough to worry about without me losing it and killing one of her friends or worse..."

"You keep sayin' that like we don't get it. Thing is, we do. We just don't agree." Apple Bloom smugly explained.

"Come on, Cooper. Why don't you just give it one more shot? Now that we all know that you have this problem, we can make sure that it doesn't happen, or at least prepare for when it does." Scootaloo suggested.

"Yeah! We already know loud noises set you off. Ponyville is a pretty quiet town for the most part anyway." Sweetie Belle offered.

Cooper's shoulders slumped slightly, "You three really aren't going to leave without me, are you?" He muttered.

"Nope." All three of them answered in unison.

"-And if you try to ditch us at the road, we'll just call Twilight over and she'll just poof over to you with her magic." Scootaloo teased.

Cooper snorted and shook his head in mild amusement. Try as he could, he simply could not hold any kind of anger in his heart for the three adorable little fillies. He slowly looked up, past them to the forest beyond, his ears perking up as the familiar voice of Twilight rang out once more.

"Girls!? Are you out here?!" She called out.

So close, yet so far. A thousand things he wanted to tell her rushed past his mind, but every reason he could think of to stay away fought against them. He waged a mental war with himself, trying desperately to find any justification to stay away and not come back, however the longer he thought about it, the more he longed to see the lavender alicorn again. Truth be told, running away from the only one he could consider family any more was less and less appealing by the second.

"Fine... you three win." Cooper conceded, shaking his head.

"Woohoo! Cutie Mark Crusader Missing Creature Finders!" The three fillies cheered.

Cooper snorted in amusement at their spontaneous title choice. He got to his feet, allowing all three fillies to hop off of him and form a semi-circle in front of him, beaming smiles on all of their faces. The adorable sight before him brought a smile to his hardened heart.

He only just barely heard the growling behind him.

Author's Note

Hopefully this shows some redeeming qualities for Cooper, given all that's happened. Let me know what you guys think.