The early afternoon rays of Celestia’s sun crisscrossed through the dense foliage of the Everfree. In the center of a circle of trees, a blood drenched mare in leather armor lay. Around the unmoving form, in the brush, odd shuffling and snorts could be heard, and guttural words spoken. The brush parted as a pack of coal grey furred boars walked to the clearing. Across their snouts, heads, and bodies, various tribal paints of red a blue were seen, given by a sow to wish the hunters luck. And what luck they had. Tongue flicking out to reveal fangs, the boars snorted and walked slowly towards the mare.
The largest boar’s eyes narrowed, and bowing their heads, the others stood back. Smirking, the boar walked forward.
“Today, our ancestors have blessed us brothers!”
All those assembled stomped and gave squeals and bellows of agreement.
“As our leader, who denies me my share?”
All shook their heads, giving squeals and snorts of submission. Looking forward again, the boar licked his chops, and leaned in. She smelled delicious… Suddenly, his ear twitched to the right, and he jerked up, then his body jerked sideways as and odd thump echoed. The shaft of the arrow going through the boars head quivered a moment, and eyes rolling into the back of his head, the boar jerked and twitched a moment before laying still. Three more of his pack leaped forward… thunk… thunk… thunk! Two laid dead, passing the same as their leader, the last screamed and collapsed, the arrow through his haunch.
Suddenly, the mare jumped up, and they camoflauge from her wings fell, revealing the blades attached to them. Eyes narrowing, and a grim smile across her muzzle, Cloud Kicker said “Gotcha!”
Screeching in fury, the remaining five boars charged. Whirling around, Cloud bucked the lead boar hard under the chin, sending him sailing up. As he sailed through the air, another odd whistle, then thunk! Suddenly, the boar jerked sideways in midair, and was pinned to a tree by an arrow through the skull. Turning back to face her opponents, Clouds wings blurred, one slicing through a boars leg artery, the other taking of the bottom half of its jaw. The other two boars, screeching now in horror, turn to run, but as they passed under a tree, a shadow fell. Both boars let out a cry of horror as twin blades sliced through their backs, and while one went still immediately, the other pawed worthlessly at the ground, before giving an odd gurgling sound and dying.
Eli walked through the bushes, and nodded towards the mare. Scowling, she flicked of the fresh gore from her weapons.
“Cutting it a little close there, weren’t you?”
Rolling his eyes, Eli quivered the arrow, and shouldering the bow, nodded towards the kneeling human. Slowly her scowl faded, and walking forward, she tilted her head. Eli had pulled the blades out, and laying them crossed over the dirt. Folding his hands, he began to pray. Cloud Kicker sat on her haunches waiting. Early on, when she and him started patrolling, she had learned he wouldn’t answer when he did this, and it was best to wait. In her own life, while she did believe in the afterlife, and Elohim was part of her days, much of the prayers and principals of the faith of humans still made no sense.
“Forgive me Cloud…” Garret leaned down, and picking up the twin swords, wiped them clean.
“Prayers for the wicked must be attended too.”
At the word, Cloud Kickers ear flicked, and she spat on the ground.
“Do they really deserve it?”
Garret shook his head.
“It wasn’t for them. It was for me.”
Cloud Kicker sighed, then winced, a stab of pain rushing up her wing. Looking over her shoulder, she saw a gash behind the blades, and realized one of their tusks must have got her. She jumped slightly at the human kneeling down next to her, and turned her head back to Garret. Smiling gently, he began undoing the wing-blade.
“Here, let me help.”
As Garret worked, Eli wandered the skirmish field, blade drawn, pausing at each corpse, and driving it home. Afterwards, the boars heads would be collected, and turned in at the Town Hall. Looking up, Eli held out his hand. Slowly, a yellow leaf drifted down, and catching it, Eli regarded it a moment.
“It's already fall. Where does the time fly?”
………………………………………………………………………………..
Ponies and humans bustled about the town of Ponyville, taking down the various decorations of Nightmare Night as keyed up and sugar high foals ran back and forth between the legs of very irritated adults. The humans of the town had quickly adapted to the various traditions and holidays of their neighbors, but still retained many of their peoples own. In point, the day after Nightmare Night, ironically, was the humans day of the dead. This day, humans gathered in cemetaries and raised glasses to the lost, laughing and remembering those who have gone home. Some ponies had adopted this tradition as well, though for them, it was a more somber affair
Micheal stretched as he walked, and lacing his fingers behind his head, followed the foals of Ponyville as they made their way through the cemetery. It was the anniversary of the grey fillies horn heads mother. Seeing how distraught the foal was had disturbed the human in ways he was to gruff to admit. Even his cousin Alula was unusually gentle, draping a wing over her back as they walked, the other filly, Silver Spoon he believed was her name, was at the other side of the unicorn, nuzzling her gently. All the young human could do was stay silent, completely out of his depth in this pack of girls.
Coming up to the stone, Dinky sniffled.
“Hi mommy…” laying the flowers she was carrying, she rubbed her nose with a foreleg as her friends sat next to her.
“I’ve… I’ve been doing real good in school… and Sparklers fine too! She’s been helping out at the restaurant, and Dash is the best god…” the filly choked off a sob, “… the best godmom ever.”
Unlacing his fingers, Micheal's hands lowered of the back of his head. Looking, his right hand gently rubbed the left arm, as though it hurt…
The still smoking cigarrete glowed white hot as the dark blonde woman regarded her son. A smirk appearing across her face, she said “Come here.”
Eyes wide, Micheal shook his head. Smile twisting into a scowl, the woman snarled, “Arm up, now.”
Eyes brimming with tears, the boy walked forward, clenching his eyes shut. Snorting, the woman clenched his wrist.
“Didn’t I tell you to do what the nice man told you to do?”
“Yes mommy.”
The cigarrete inched closer.
“And did you do what the man said?”
“No mommy….”
“Time for correction…”
Micheal jumped slightly as Alula nudged his shoulder. Tilting her head, she frowned.
“What are you spacing out for?”
Shaking his head, Micheal said “What now?”
Snorting, Alula turned and rolled her eyes. Males were so weird sometimes. Smiling, she trotted back to the stone memorial.
“You okay Dinky?”
Sniffling again, the filly nodded.
“I miss her.”
Smiling, Alula put her wing across her friends back again.
“I know the feeling.”
A sudden wail caused all gathered to suddenly jump, and turn to the sound of the scream. Before anyone could speak, Micheal was already running towards the sound.
…………………………………….......
A blue coated foal pulled his head out from under a bench, a Pegasus knight plushy clenched between his teeth. Under the bench , a voice cried, “Don’t, please!”
Sneering around the mouthful, the colt the doll through the air to be caught by a brown coated black maned colt, who guffawed as he tossed it in the air to catch in his teeth again. Turning back to the bench, the blue colt snorted.
“Why not try and stop us freak?”
A sneer across his muzzle, the other bully dropped the doll, and put a hoof over it.
“Yeah, come on freak. Come out, maybe we’ll go easy on you.””
“Please….!”
Shrugging, the brown colt bent his head down as he said “Suit yourself.” Gripping the ear, he tugged on it while he pressed his hoof down.
“No, your hurting him!” under the bench, holed forelegs covered a hatchlings head as the young changling sobbed. Suddenly, the laughter turned to shouts, then a scream. Uncovering his head, the changling chittered in fright as he watched one of the bullies, who now sported a bloody nose, carrying the other on his back. Dusting of his hands, Micheal picked up the doll, and walked to the bench. Kneeling down, he held it out.
“This yours?”
The changling foal whimpered as he covered his head again.
“Hey, come on, its safe.”
The foal only shook his head, wings rustling against his back a moment. Sighing, Micheal rubbed the back of his neck.
“Hey Micheal, whats…” Alula gaped, then she growled, “Whats a bug doing here?”
“Alula!”
Everyone, even the changeling foal, jumped. Features stern, Dinky walked up, and shook her head.
“Bad girl!”
“But Dink’s…”
“How can you be such a bitch?”
Alula winced, the sting of such a word coming from her best friend causing a splinter to stab through her heart. Bottom lip quivering, Alula sniffed, her wings drooping.
“I’m not a bitch…”
“Girls…” Micheal interrupted.
Both ponies looked at him.
“What I’m about to do… if you ever tell anyone, especially dad I did this, I’ll do to you what I did too those two. Understood?”
Not waiting for a response, Micheal cleared his throat, then began to softly sing. As he sang, Micheal slowly laid the doll down. Seeing one blue eye uncovered , the human continued. Giving a soft chitter, the foal slowly drew the doll to him, cuddling it to his chest, tears still falling. Slowly, the changeling squirmed forward, now giving a gentle chirping noise
Smiling, Micheal backed up as the changeling crawled out, and sitting on his haunches the foal clutched the doll to his chest with his forelegs. Nodding with satisfaction, Micheal asked “Better?”
The changling nodded. Clutching the doll with a foreleg, he jumped forward, and wrapped the other legs around the human, making a happy cat purr as he nuzzled the humans neck. Rolling his eyes, Micheal began counting off in his mind.
Three… two…. One….
All three fillies made dawwwing noises, even Alula! Patting the changlings back, Micheal looked over his shoulder. Raising a brow, he mouthed Not… one… fucking… word… get me?
…………………………………………………………..
Eli lifted up the cloth sac, and with a grunt thumped it on the table. Behind the desk, Sparkler raised her brow slightly.
“And this is…?”
Patting the top of the sac, Eli smiled and said, “This my dear is the heads of that pack of boars that’s been terrorizing folks round here. I also understand the mayors offering a reward.”
The unicorn nodded, and horn bathed in her aura, she pulled out a bag of bits. Eli looked with a bemused expression.
“You seem awfully calm about this ma’am.”
Poking the sac with a hoof, Sparkler grimaced.
“I spend enough lunches with Cal not to be to grossed out by this sort of thing. And in any case, these fellows had it coming.”
“That’s an… oddly human sentiment.”
Opening the bag of bits, Eli began counting them out on a nearby desk.
“So, Sparkler, mind if I ask you something?”
Lifting up the bag, her muzzle scrunched in disgust, the unicorn shrugged.
“I guess…”
“Why do you walk with a limp?”
Sparkler flinched, and for a moment the bag wavered in mid air. Horn flairing again, Sparkler steadied it.
“What… what do you mean?”
Eli continued out his counting, but said as he did “You walk with limp in your hindleg, and theres an old scar at the joint, suggesting you were worked on at one point.”
Sparkler winced and slowly lowered the bag. Taking a breath, she looked down.
“My foster father…”
Eli paused in returning his coins to his bag.
“Shit kid… I’m sorry…”
Smiling weakly, the mare made a slight waving motion with her hoof.
“Its okay Eli, you didn’t know.”
The human nodded, and walked back to the desk.
“Hey… for what its worth kiddo, I know what that’s like. If you need someone to talk too…”
“I appreciate it Eli.”
……………………………………………………………..
Scourge glanced over at the pegasus next to him, a slight frown in place. Sighing, he sat down, and leaned back against the wall of the towns library, his sword leaning against his shoulder. Wing blades clinking slightly as the mare gave the appendages a slight twitch of agitation, the female turned her head fully to glare at the human. Her mane, which was in similar bands like their mistress Twilight, was gold and black, and cropped short in a traditional military style. Her body covered in green-blue fur. Golden eyes now narrowed, she hissed, “Hey, get up!”
“What’s your problem now child?”
Gritting her teeth, the mare hissed, “You are a Guard of her royal highness Princess Twilight Sparkle, and as such, must maintain a proper state of decorum. And as I’ve told you before, my name is Storm Kicker.”
A small smile playing across his lips, Scourge quipped, “You’re a child to me, little girl. Hel, Celestia and Luna are children compared to me!”
Eyes flashing, Storm continued, “That’s Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, show some bucking respect!”
“So child…”
“Storm, damn it!”
“… Your mom and dad doing okay?”
Storm Kicker twitched, and scowl fading into a neutral line, the mare pawed at the ground.
“Don’t… don’t try changing the subject…”
Sighing, Scourge shifted, and in a kneeled position next the mare, patted her shoulder.
“Want to talk about it champ?”
Storm’s brow furrowed, and sighing, she gave a small nod.
“Mom thinks I’ve betrayed her, and Stars been having a rough time of it since they dishonorably discharged because of Cloud’s mom… But the worst is dad…”
“What has Typhoon said?”
Smiling bitterly, the mare shrugged her wings.
“He says he couldn’t be more proud of me. He doesn’t like I took the oath with at least consulting him and mom first, but…” the mare gave a slight giggle.
“I’ve also gotten letters from relatives and clan members, complaining my foal-stupid father is driving them up the walls bragging his little fillies the personal guard of not only a Princess, but the personal protégé of Celestia herself…”
“That’s a good thing… isn’t it?”
The mare gave another shrug.
“This is… it’s just this is the first time he’s ever been proud of anything I’ve done.”
