From Hooves to Hands; the Dust Remains

Packing up his camp gear he decide it may be time to move from the area, if the mercs came back again he shouldn't be staying in anyone place to long. Grabbing his helmet he decided to head to Fluttershy's, she was friendly with the wildlife and must know a few good places he could camp.

When he arrived at the cottage he felt something was off. Knocking on the door an unfamiliar face answered. "Well hello, who are you?" The woman at Fluttershy's door asked him.

"I'm a friend of Fluttershy's... and you?" The woman had hair similar to Shy's except it had spots of grey in it and wasn't as long.

The woman chuckled. "I should have expected she hasn't mentioned us. I'm Monarch, Fluttershy's mother. You must be Walker." Do they all have names that have to do with butterflies?

She waved him in, all the while giving him a look over. "So how did you and Fluttershy meet exactly?" She asked.

He sat down on the couch and placed his helmet on the coffee table. "Um... Her and her friends pulled me out of the forest, she was the first person I met when I woke up in the hospital." He said, fully aware he was being judged.

"And why do you um... wear so much protection?" She asked noticing the pistol holstered on his side, as well as the armor and the various rifles in his bag.

Pulling his .45 he looked it over. "Better to have something and not need it, than to need it and not have it."

Monarch knew Fluttershy would come looking for her in moment and asked one last question. "Do you like my daughter?" Wasn't expecting that one.

Looking at the woman he knew she expected an answer. "Define like." He was stalling of course.

"Do you like my daughter in an intimate way?"

"Intimate?"

"Funky."

"Get jiggy with it?"

"Doing the sideways hussle."

"Stop, it's hammer-her time?"

"Getting down with her bad self."

"...fresh as a fro with a comb and blue suede suit?"

"Word."

"No jig?"

"Would you shake the bed like an earthquake?"

"She in it?"

"DO you want her in it?"

"You okay, cracker."

"What?"

"Are we not in character anymore?" He asked as Fluttershy walked through the back with a man who looked about the same age as Monarch. Must be her father.

"Walker? What are you doing here?!" She seemed nervous about something.

Monarch spoke before he could. "We were just chatting. Gale this is Fluttershy's friend Walker, I believe he's a security worker of some kind."

Standing and shaking the mans hand he corrected the woman. "I'm no security worker, more of a... courier." He told them.

"For a courier you have quiet a nice grip. What were you in the military?" Gale asked him.

He just shrugged. "Something like that, I was high priority civilian asset for a few battles, though I lead a thing of troops in assaulting a carrier and escaping before the intercontinental rocket platform hit the carrier with war heads from the atmosphere." Gale and Monarch gave him a strange look before smiling like they knew what he was talking about.

"I like the get-up you got going on here. Where'd you get it?" Gale asked him looking at his body armor.

"I received it when a man died."

"So he left it to you?" Am I being fucking interrogated?

"Something like that." He said remembering the Third Street Municipal Building.

"Walker, can I um... talk to you outside... if that's okay." He nodded and followed her outside. "I-I'm sorry about my parents, they've always been a bit questioning of my friends."

He just waved it off. "You're their daughter, they have a right to be protective of you." She looked at him with her big, sad, teal eyes and he broke. "Alright, I'll just tell them something important came up in town and I have to leave."

She smiled and walked back inside, he following close behind. When they walked back in her parents were looking down at a news paper.

"Walker... is this you?" Monarch asked holding up the paper. Sure enough a picture of him holding his .45 at the crook who tried to steal from the flower lady. Above it read the headline "New Hero in Ponyville, vigilante justice returns."

Grabbing the paper he read it aloud. "A few days ago the elements of harmony walked into town with a stretcher carrying a man covered in armor. Now said man is returning the favor by saving the town. In the few days he's been here he's single handedly defeated the bandits that have been plaguing town, saved a business owner from being robbed, and defeated the town bullies. Look out Ponyville, a new vigilante has stepped in, and seems to be out-doing not only Rainbow Dash, but also The Mysterious Mare-do-Well. Whoever you are new guy, Ponyville thanks you."

Monarch and Gale looked over at him with wide grins. "Looks like courier has a new meaning." Monarch laughed.

"So Walker, why didn't you tell us you were a hero? And if you aren't a courier what are you?" They looked at him like they had just met a king.

He sat down and looked at his lap. "I'm no hero, I'm a monster." They gave him a strange look. "You ever looked man in the eyes as he died, and knew that you killed him. Hell of a thing killing a man, take away all he's got, all he's ever gonna have."

Fluttershy rubbed his back. "Walker's been through some stuff. He doesn't have any family left, or many friends." She told them. "His father died protecting his work and his mother died during Childbirth. He's had a rough going."

Standing he grabbed his helmet and made for the door. "Oh, don't go! Join us for tea. We'd love to hear some of your stories... if that's okay with you." Monarch said.

"Ma'am, any stories I have aren't that grand. Only really good stories I have is two or three from my last few days here. And," He looked at a blushing Fluttershy. "I'd like to save those for a rainy day."

"Can we hear one?" Monarch asked. Sighing he sat back down and thought for a moment.

"Let me tell you the story of the second day I was here..."

Fluttershy's parents were cracking up by the end of the story. Fluttershy stood to the side blushing a deep crimson. "Y-you walked d-down in your nightie?" Her mother asked rhetorically.

Walker stood and grabbed his helmet. "But I really must be going. If I'm to find a place to camp by nightfall I'll have to leave now." This elicited a groan from Gale and Monarch.

"You could always stay the night here... if that's all right with Fluttershy." Monarch said. so that's where she gets her shyness.

They all looked at Fluttershy. At first glance she was grinning like they had never seen; but as soon as their eyes found her the grin disappeared. "I-I suppose he could. I suppose he'll be taking the guest room and I the couch."

Walker looked at her with questioning eyes. "Why wouldn't you be sleeping in your own bed?"

Before she could respond Monarch answered him. "Oh we asked Fluttershy to let us sleep in her bed; we figured it was probably more comfortable than the guest room bed."

Now he was getting mad, he may not have really had parents but he knew that just because they wanted something they couldn't take it; what made it even worse was that it was from their own daughter. "That's bullshit! Fluttershy you take your bed, they take the guest room and I'll sleep on the couch."

Fluttershy went to speak but her father beat her to it. "Excuse me young man, but you will not just order that we not sleep in her bed."

He turned to Gale with a look that could kill a deathclaw. "You want me to sleep in her bed," They didn't seem to understand. "- with her in it."

Gale seemed to form an idea. "Well I mean that would solve some problems. There no one has to sleep on the couch and since you aren't a couple so you won't be sleeping as close and taking up as little room; where me and Gale will be snuggling."

She smiled deviously as Fluttershy blushed deeply and Walker seemed to be formulating a torture scheme. Gale caught onto her plan and added. "I think that's a great idea, I mean Flutters it isn't like you didn't share the bed with Rainbow Dash; just friends."

"Alright," Walker said. "We'll share the bed, but if I hear moans coming from your room tonight I'm kicking in the door just to make sure everyone's okay." The way he said that so calm made them wonder if he was joking.

WIth the argument over they retired to the kitchen to begin dinner. When Walker suggested playing some music Fluttershy decided to splash some water back on him; payback for that story. "Walker, Twilight told me she heard you singing with the music. Apparently you were very good, mind giving us a demo?"

AT first he seemed confused, until he went back to his usual straight face, "Sure, as long as you dance with me afterward." Before she could respond he placed his helmet on the counter on it's side so the speakers could play. Turning up the speakers he hit a button on his Pip-Boy.

Suddenly music flooded the kitchen, Big Iron.

He began to sing, his deep voice contrasting to the higher octave of Marty Robinson. They watched as he laid his weapons out on the table and began to clean them, with his eyes closed.

After the song he hit a button and another song began to play; a slower, gentler tempo played.

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He stood and walked over to Fluttershy. Grabbing her hand he pulled her close to his body. When the music started he began to gently sing in her ear. They twirled around the kitchen until Gale and Monarch joined them.

"I'm in heaven... and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak..." He whispered in her ear. His warm breath on her ear, along with his deep voice and soothing words were enough to send chills down her spine and then some.

Blushing a deep crimson she tried to think about what he was doing. Is he just flirting? Is it because of last night? Maybe he likes me... but we just met...

After the song ended they all returned to making dinner. When dinner was over Walker still sat at the table cleaning his guns. "Are you going to be going to bed soon?" Fluttershy asked him.

All he did was nod in response and continued working on the weapons. Sighing she headed to her bed room.

After an hour she began to grow worried as why he wasn't coming to bed... after ten more minutes she got up and went to see if he was okay. Walking down stairs she found he wasn't there... no trace of him being in the house was even there.

On the counter sat a note. "Fluttershy, I packed up my things as well as cleaning my dishes. I'm sorry but I won't be taking your bed. Your parents seem to forget you're an adult and that the things in this home belong to you; not them. I know of a place just up the creek where I'll be camping, just in case you need me." SHe read aloud to herself.

"He seems to care about you more than he lets on." A voice said from behind her. Jumping she turned to see who it was. Behind her stood her mother. "Fluttershy sit down and let me tell you a story."

Sitting her mother began. "When I was young I had a lot of gumption. I ran around and got in trouble a lot; i was a lot like your friend Rainbow Dash. One day my boyfriend at the time took me to a Wonderbolts race. When we arrived I was just excited to be there. Well my boyfriend started to get aggressive, he only brought me there because he wanted sex in a stall and I wouldn't give it to him."

Not seeing where the story was going she was about to say something when her mother interrupted her. "When he hit me because I wouldn't give it up, a lone guard walked up and asked if there was a problem. The guy tried throwing it as if everything was fine and dandy... When the guard said he knew he was lying a fight broke out. The guard beat my boyfriend and had him arrested. When it was over he asked if I was okay to walk home, with a bloody nose and black eye he walked me back to my parents home. The guard was your father... after that day we knew we loved each other. If a man is willing to risk his life to protect you... or even disrespect your parents and leave in the night without warning; because he wouldn't humiliate you by sleeping in your bed; keep him, men like that don't just grow on trees."

Fluttershy smiled at her mother. "Thank you mom but we aren't like that; he's just a nice guy over all. You saw the paper."

Rolling her eyes her mother gave her a quick hug. "I know I did, that's how I know he's a good guy... get some sleep sweetie." And she did, a restless sleep... as if something bad was about to happen.