Chapter 8: Wounded
"That should about do it." Applejack said.
"Glad I could help." Josh replied.
"With Big Mac sick, Ah didn't think the barn would ever get finished." She sighed. They stood back to admire their handy work. Suddenly, they heard a large thump. When they turned around, they saw two small unicorns, Snips and Snails, running towards town.
"What's goin' on?" Applejack asked.
"Ursa Major!" Was their only response.
"What is an Ursa Major?" Josh questioned. They heard another, closer, thump. They turned again to see a massive, purple bear smashing through the orchard.
"That's an Ursa Major." Applejack squeaked.
"Applejack, I need you to warn the others and start evacuating the town. We don't know what this thing can do. I'll hold it off until everypony's safe." Josh said, drawing his knife and handgun. He had his armor, but he was missing his forearm guards and helmet.
"G-got it" She answered. She took off towards Ponyville. Josh turned to the approaching behemoth.
"Alright bear. Let's dance." He growled, taking a combat stance.
/
The rest of the gang were strolling through town.
"I don't think that Trixie will go around flaunting her magic here anytime soon." Rarity said. Trixie, an electric blue unicorn in a cape and wizard hat, huffed in irritation, then trotted away with her nose held high.
"Yeah, Twilight, that was pretty awesome." Fluttershy complimented.
"It was nothing. She just needed to be taught a lesson." Twilight replied.
"Hey, is that Applejack?" Dash asked.
"Gals! We need to get everypony together at town hall!" She shouted.
"Whoa, calm down. And where's Josh? I thought he was helping you." Spike said.
"T-There's an Ursa Major at the farm! Josh told me to evacuate the town while he holds it off." Applejack panted. Twilight began to focus her magic.
"Where are you going?" Pinkie asked.
"To help Josh." She replied, teleporting away.
/
Twilight appeared a few hundred hooves from the farm. She could see the Josh fighting the bear close to the barn. As she began to gallop to him, she saw the bear raise its paw.
"No!" She screamed. Josh looked at her a split second before the bear's paw made contact. He flew through the barn wall, and several pieces of the roof burying him. Twilight turned to the bear, who had heard her scream.
It charged at her and she was barley able to summon a shield. The bear started to beat on the solid purple energy. A few more hits and it broke through the shield, only to be stopped by another one. Twilight could feel her energy draining with each hit. As the bear broke through her second shield, she collasped on the ground, barely concious.
The beast prepared to strike, a blue blast knocked it back. An electric blue unicorn lifted Twilight up with magic.
Trixie?! What is she doing here? She thought.
"You still owe the Great and Powerful Trixie a rematch." The unicorn she had beaten said before teleporting away. The last thing Twilight saw was Josh climbing out of the wreckage and charging at the bear.
/
"Now calm down everypony." Applejack said in vain. She and the others were standing in front of the crowd of ponies at city hall.
"Yeah, Twilight and Josh have everything under control." Rarity added.
Trixie and an unconcious Twilight teleported on stage.
"What happened? And where's Josh?" Dash asked.
"I...(pant)... saved Twilight, but the human was injured and alone when Trixie left." Trixie said weakly before passing out. The crowd became quiet, and they could now hear the gunshots and roars in the distance. The crys of panic started again when the shots ceased.
"We have to help him!" Dash cried as she leaped into the air. The entire way to the farm, Dash could still hear the roars of the bear. She became worried when its angry bellows stopped.
When she arrived, the bear lay motionless on the ground, but there was no sign of Josh. Dash searched until she found what she had been dreading. Josh's gun, shoulder paldron, and some of his blood sat on the ground. Dash broke down and began sobbing.
When the rest of the girls arrived, they saw the entire scene.
"Oh my Celestia." Rarity gasped.
"Dash, I'm so sorry." Applejack said before she began crying.
"AHHHHH!" Fluttershy screamed. Everypony looked at her, then saw that the bear had started to move and...
"Get this thing off of me!" Came a muffled cry. They all pushed the bear off to reveal Josh. He stood up and grimaced.
"Thank Celestia you're okay!" Dash squealed as she hugged him tightly.
"Ahhhhhh!" Josh screamed in pain. She let go of him, and he pulled a lever on his armor, which released the chest plate. Along with three deep gashes in his chest, several ribs were poking out of his skin.
"Wow." He said simply as he passed out.
/
Josh woke up in a hospital room. He sat up and looked around. There was another bed in the room, but it was empty. He spied Rainbow Dash sitting in a chair, crying. She looked up and saw him awake. She ran to his side and hugged him carefully.
"What happened?" He asked groggily.
"You fought an Ursa Major. You killed it, but you got hurt pretty bad." She explained. He nodded, remembering his battle with the beast. "Afterwards, Celestia showed up and brought you here."
Josh was about to ask another question when the Princesses and the girls, plus Spike, burst into the room.
"How are you doing, Captain?" Luna asked.
"I think I'm-" He was interupted by a solemn faced doctor pony.
"I'm sorry to inform you, but due to his massive blood lose and broken bones, we have no way to help him." He spoke regretfully.
"Can't you just zap him with magic and be done with it?" Dash almost yelled.
"His body doesn't respond to healing spells." The doctor replied. "He doesn't have long." He then walked out of the room. Dash began to sob.
"Isn't there anything you can do?" Twilight asked, turning to Celestia.
"There is one thing. With enough magic, we could turn him into a pony. But to do that, we would need the power of three Alicorns." Celestia spoke.
"I think I could help with that." Leonidas said. He was speaking through Josh's wristcom. "When we first met, I separated the active core of the wristcom to short out your magic. If I separate the core, then activate it, then it should give you enough power to cast the spell."
"Leonidas, there's something you're not telling us." Josh accussed.
"...If I do this, it will destroy the device's circuits. To override the safety mechanisms, I have to be directly connect to the wristcom." He sighed.
"But that will destroy you!" Josh exclaimed.
"It is a sacrifice that I am willing to make. Do it." Josh sighed and transferred Leonidas to the wristcom. As the Princesses began focusing their powers, Leonidas spoke one last time.
"It has been an honor serving with you." There was a bright flash and... nothing happened. The wristcom sparked before dying as Josh layed down.
"It didn't work." He said. Dash began sobbing. Josh sighed and began to sing his favorite song softly.
"There will be a day, with no more tears
No more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day, when the burdens of this place
Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face
"There will be a day, with no more tears
No more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day, when the burdens of this place
Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, I'll hold on to you always..."
Josh drew his last breath, and passed away. Nopony noticed the charcoal gray pony in the next bed.