Returning to the temple and letting the girls catch up, the younger ones decide to help Brandon with his arm, burned severely. "Ok, girls, just dip the rag in the water, I think I'll let Spike do the rest," he instructed. Sweetie Belle looked hopeless, "Brandon," Sweetie Belle said, "I'm scared...I haven't seen Rarity or my parents in a year! What if they're all..." Brandon interrupted her before she started crying. Sometimes it seemed like all he did was comfort crying ponies. "Stop thinking like that," he told her. Applebloom looked sad, too "An' I haven't seen Applejack that long either! Rainbow Dash took us to find that monster, 'cause we were certain it ate Scootaloo! But I was hopin' I'd find my sister, too." "Both of you! Stop that. Only idiots think like that and I've known you for over a year. You three are the smartest, most ambitious anythings, ponies or humans, I have ever met. I have a friend that told me if you give up on someone then they might as well be dead," he smiled at them then looked at Fluttershy. Surprisingly they were laughing and talking as if nothing was wrong.
The three fillies smiled and Spike said aloud, "Ok, Sweetie Belle, all you have to do is put this on his arm," he handed her the cold rag. The filly unicorn had the rag on her nose, shivering and walking toward Brandon. "Ok," she told him, lift up your sleeve!" He started lifting his sleeve up, trying to get the clothes to avoid contact with the burnt skin, "Hoping this will get you a Cutie Mark in nursing?" Sweetie Belle started getting excited, "Wow, I never even thought of that! Do you think that could happen?!" He chuckled, "Possibly." The filly started putting the rag on him, making him flinch a little. Any colder and it would've turned to ice. "Wow," Sweetie Belle looked at his arm, "Are those your muscles? They're, well, not giant, but they're really tight." He looked at them, "Yeah, my leg muscles are more fit than my arms. I'm usually a kicker," Sweetie kept looking at them, "They're still pretty big."
Fluttershy walked over, "The bigger they are, the bigger the monster he can handle!" Brandon looked at her and the others following her, "Hey, beautiful," they kissed, but was interrupted by Rainbow Dash, "Ha! I bet that's not the only thing big on him, right Fluttershy?" She nudged her old friend in her rib cage, indicating it was a joke. Fluttershy started slowly backing away, blushing, "I, uh, I wouldn't know anything about that, Rainbow Dash, you'll have to ask somepony else," she said nervously. "Oh, don't think I don't know about you two! I was coming over one day and I saw-" "Rainbow!" Twilight stopped her, "there are children here!" She nodded over to the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Spike. The fillies didn't really understand what was going on, but Brandon did get a thumbs up from Spike. With all of the books Twilight had in the library, there was no doubt he read about this stuff out of curiosity, or even taught by Twilight.
Applebloom took a moment for the adults to finish arguing about whatever they were arguing about, and finally asked, "Brandon, could ya, um...head out to Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow and let my family know I'm okay? I bet they're awful worried 'bout me." "Sure," he told her as he put on a new, less burnt shirt, "I'll go do that tomorrow, I'll also bring any home belongings anypony might need. Shy, I hate to say it, but I'm bringing a bath canvas and a tub. All of you smell like sh-..." Fluttershy gave him a warning look, "Crap, I mean. All of you smell like crap, even though I can't say anything for myself." Somehow every pony found this funny, and started laughing.
For the first time in forever they had a reason to smile, even if it was just a bath.