From Hooves to Hands; the Dust Remains

They arrived at Rarity's boutique about ten minutes after the incident with the thief. As they entered a woman with purple hair looked down the stairs. "Oh Twilight, Rainbow Dash! Who is your... eh friend?" She asked with obvious distaste.

"I think you were there when they pulled me out of the forest." He said, introducing himself in a way.

Her eyes lit up. "Oh you're Walker! How nice to finally meet you! I'm Rarity." She said, offering her hand.

He gave her hand a small shake. Reaching in his bag he brought out the armor Joshua Graham left him. "I was just wondering if you could spruce up this for me, leave any holes not stitched, not stitched and all the burn marks and blood in it." He told her handing over the apparel.

She looked it over. "Why is that exactly? And are you sure you don't want me to just throw it out?"

"A man named Joshua Graham gave me this, he was burned alive in these very clothes. He protected men and women he didn't know or even really care for in these clothes. Then he gave them to me for safe keeping. Oh, and I'm going to wear them to the Gala."

She gave them a once over, they were a fine set of clothes. If she had to say anything about them it was, while they stunk, they seemed like the outfit of a warrior unmatched by most. They seemed holy in nature. "Eh... Very well! I shall find something to do with them." She seems kind, just a bit up tight for my taste. he laughed to himself.

Waling out he made way to his camp site. "Wait!" Someone called out from behind him. Turning he saw it was Rarity. "Would you like some clothes to wear instead of that ghastly armor?"

He looked himself over. "What's wrong with my armor?" This armor had been warn by soldiers for over 200 something years and was still in mint condition.

"Well nothing they just aren't... normal. Most people don't wear combat armor as a usual apparel choice." She had a point.

For a moment he seemed lost in thought. "Tell you what, tomorrow I'll come back and if I like what you've done to the stuff I already gave you then we'll talk." And without another word he walked away.

When he got back to his camp a strange sight met his eyes. Where he had his bedroll laid out sat Fluttershy with a picnic basket. "Hello Miss Shy."

She gave him a smile. "Hello Walker; I thought you could...um... use some company so I brought um... some picnic stuff. If that's okay with you of course."

Removing his helmet and duster he sat beside her. "I'd love some company just wasn't expecting any. Give me a moment and I'll put on something not so... combat ready." He said walking around the tree that stood behind them.

Walking back into view he was wearing a black flannel shirt with white squares and blue jeans. When he sat back down Fluttershy handed him a sandwich. "It's turkey."

"What's a turkey?" He asked taking a bite. "Whatever it is, it's pretty good." She smiled at him, when he wasn't being cynical he seemed pretty nice.

"So I hear you'll be coming to the Gala this year." You can do this Fluttershy. She thought.

He just waved it off. "Yeah, Twilight talked me into it. I'll probably leave after an hour. 'Specially if I have to hang around that pompous ass princess." He growled at the thought of it.

She scooted a little closer. "Why do you have a problem with the princess?"

Walker sighed and thought back to his 19th birthday. "When I turned 19 my dad left our vault. The overseer went crazy and tried having me killed, I barely escaped with my life. Then, not but a few days later a group known as the Enclave forced my dad to kill himself, he did it so the waters of life could flow freely. Then after a year with the brotherhood they forced me to kill the men and women of a town called Megaton, I still hear the screams. No matter where I've turned authority has reigned down like hail and tried to control everything in my life."

Looking down she could see his hand was shaking. Wearily she reached down and grabbed it, gently squeezing it. "The princess isn't like that. She's kind and sweet."

Gently squeezing her hand he looked pained. "All authority is the same. They use you, build you up so the pawns on the plate can beat the knights on the other end. They never realize that at the end of the day, the pawn and the king go in the same box."

Scooting ever-so slightly closer she rested her head gently on his arm and waited for him to ask her to move. Walker sighed and looked over the sprawling town ahead of them. "You people have things so easy here. You have dependable sources of income, free time, actual lives!"

She followed his gaze to the horizon. "It isn't that easy here. Monsters and bandits attack the town often and we usually have to save the world every couple of weeks." As the words left her mouth she began to remember all the good times she'd had with her friends on those adventures.

Walker pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "Saving people is a curse and destines a bitch. Not a day into the waste and I had to save a town and in the process got kids dad killed; because that was my 'destiny.' If I ever met the Fates... I'd give them what authority deserves."

Carefully waiting for his breathing to settle from the raspy breath he was taking she gently rubbed his back. After a moment he calmed down. Slowly she laid down and looked up at the stars. "Have you ever wanted to get close to the stars? Just float in space?"

Laying back he chuckled lightly. "I've floated once or twice. Mothership Zeta has a nice view. It's quiet in space, every sound is muffled and time seems to slow."

Giggling softly at how strange he was Fluttershy moved a little closer to him. "It is quiet beautiful out tonight, I've never seen the stars so bright." So strange how one second she can be as shy as possible and then as brave as a jet junkie.

For hours they just laid there, watching the stars. Eventually they fell asleep; side by side, hand in hand.