“I met an old human today. Outside a town in a land called Germany, I wandered, and came upon a place I had never seen before. Years ago, humans were gathered, some lucky enough to die with poison, the rest left to starve. As the old human sat there, he began to tell me what had happened in this place, all the terrors of that still haunted this land. I asked him if he was a prisoner there. He shook his head, and said “No. I was a guard.” Now, the old man spent his days in repentance, hoping to make up for what he did. In my talks with Bellephoron, I thought I’d come to know man in its entirety. What a foal I was.”
-Excerpt from the private journal of Luna

………………………………………………………………..

Lero leaned against the doorway leading into the embassy gardens, basking for a moment in the warm summer wind as hummingbirds and insects milled about the various flowers. A small smile across his lips, he raised the cup of coffee in hand to his lips, taking a sip as his mare wandered the grounds. The last few days had been an ordeal, the human mused as the liquid ran down his throat. Rainbow, while not yet her former perky self, had regained a bit of the light she had before, and after her first night of recovery, demanded to be allowed to explore. Out of the corner of his eyes, Lero saw something, and standing straight once more, the human tensed, eyes flashing as they locked fully at the corner of the garden. One second later he relaxed, and raised his mug in greeting.

Raising his hand back in greeting, Malcolm shifted his ammo belt further up on his shoulder, then dusted off the front of his shirt with the opposing hand. Raising his brows, Lero watched as the human made his way to his mare, the guard apparently getting a new limp in his travels through the grasslands. As he drew closer, Rainbow Dash’s eyes narrowed, a small scowl in place. Seeing this, Lero sighed. He loved the mare, but she could be such a hot head at times. She hated the idea of anyone helping her, even in the extreme circumstances she’d been under, so having Lero, along with two of the guards assigned to protect the elements, had been a serious blow to her ego. And Malcolm, of course, enjoyed teasing her. Rolling his eyes, Lero upturned his mug, and watched as the human finished his trek. Laying the cup on a low wall, Lero crossed his arms, and waited for the show.

Malcolm tilted his head, and lifting Dash’s head slightly with a finger under her chin, he said “Well, well, what is this? Is our pretty little desert flower losing some of her wilt?”

Eyes flashing, Dash snarled, her jaw drawing back in a flash from the hand, and her teeth snapping at them. Raising his brows, Malcolm drew his fingers back in a flash away from the gnashing teeth, and quipped “Ahh, I see she’s more like a desert cobra.”

Leaping back, now healed wings flared, Rainbow Dash pawed the ground with a hoof, and lowering her close to the ground, snorted, the output of breath kicking up a bit of dust on the ground. Smirking back, Malcolm lowered his ammo belt a shell off his shoulder to the dirt, and placing his shotgun and revolver next to them. Stepping in front of his belongings, the human took his stance. Whinnying in equine fury, Rainbow Dash charged. Standing up on her hind legs, her fore hooves blurred as she shot them out. Ducking under the blows, and with a feint to the left, Malcolm made a right hook. Yelping in pain, the mare fell back onto all fours, and snarling again, whirled around, then in a split second later, kicked out her hindlegs in a buck. Grinning, Malcolm stood to the side, then with a couple of slight hops, was at Rainbow Dash’s side. Lero winced at the muffled whumps of Malcolms blows connecting. Sobbing, Rainbow Dash collapsed, and drew a couple of quick gasps. Lowering his arms, Malcolm walked over to the hunched over mare, smile now gone.

“Dash, are you…?”

The mare suddenly stood fully, then leaped at the human. Grabbing a foreleg in both hand, Malcolm turned his body slightly to the left, his hip against the mares stomach, giving him the proper leverage for the next move. Yanking down, Malcolm drew the Pegasus over his shoulder, and with a pained yelp along with a couple of loose feathers coming loose, Rainbow’s eyes rolled comically in her sockets a moment, then scrunching up her muzzle, she glared up at the human.

“Damn it all! You beat me again!”

Smirking, Malcolm bent down to held Rainbow Dash up. Rolling onto her stomach, the mare stuck her nose into the air, and huffed “I don’t need your help! I can get up on my own.”

Sighing, Lero walked over to the two hunched figures. After kneeling down, he gently stroked Dash’s withers, and slowly her scowl turned into a discontented pout. Leaning down slightly, Lero kissed his mares cheek, then straightening up once more, gave a shrug.

“Well, you tried your best love. But even though you lost, I have a lovely gift for you anyway.”

Reaching into the satchel at his side, the human paused a moment, taking a sadistic thrill in his wifes eyes widening in anticipation. With a flourish, Lero drew a brown faux leather collar from the bag. Pressing a hoof to her mouth, Rainbows eyes teared up in an instant.

“Big guy… you… you remembered.,.”

Suddenly, Malcolm yanked the collar from Lero, and ignoring his comrades shout of dismay, and the Pegasus covering her head with her hooves and began groaning, the soldier read the gold tag hanging in the middle of the collar.

“Property of Lero, Lyra, and Twilight. If lost, please return…”

Making a face, Malcolm tossed the collar back to Lero.

“What the hell…?”

Scowling, Lero began putting the collar around his mares neck, and said “Something that’s none of your business, Malcolm.”

As the polychromatic equine gently leaned up to kiss her mate, their friend rose, shaking his head.

“You guys are weird.”

Author's Note

Well, another chapter folks^^ Enjoy. Sorry this ones kind of on the short side. And as always, constructive criticism is always welcome