After about a minute of thinking, she turns back to me, satisfied with her choice.

"Alright, how about we do this instead, we won't take your weapons, or tie your arms, but you will need to agree to a bit of extra security. Also, when you were fighting, you kept taking something out of those devices and replacing them. Is this loading the weapon? Assuming it works like a bow, that is. " She asks, using her tone to try and lean us to agreeing.

It's a tactic we've learned to notice.

"It doesn't work like a bow, but that's loading it alright. Each M9 magazine holds fifteen rounds, each M24 magazine holds 5. When we shoot fifteen bullets, we need to load another." I respond, trying to spare details until I'm indoors. Knowing how long that conversation would be.

"Alright, with that, I'd also appreciate you giving us anything that isn't loaded into the weapon now. To minimize the risk of you doing as much damage to us. Sorry if I'm coming off as pushy, but it's MY responsibility to make sure everypony stays safe. You're a serious concern here. I'm sure you'll understand." She states.

I take a moment to sit back and think about that. It's iffy, I don't like it. On the other hand, Elliot's right. We need them, and if that's what they offer, it's a risk I'll take.

I look at Elliot, shrugging. I nod to him, signalling it's his choice.

As expected, he turns to Twilight, nodding.

"Sounds good, I'll do it. Just don't bump them around, will you?" He says, handing the ammunition to the guard nearest him.

I follow suit, handing it to the Staff Sergeant. It wasn't until just now I realized the rank is one of the Army's, I gotta dig into this.

Handing the last M24 magazine to this 'Scarlet Swirl' character, which is when I speak.

"So, you were a Staff Sergeant, correct?"

The guard flinches a little, turning to the princess. He makes some sort of facial gesture before Twilight nods, with which they turn back to me.

"Yes, I am... Sir?" The last part comes off as a question, clearly uncertain of my rank.

I didn't know they could tell we were soldiers either, for all they knew, we were hillbillies with long range rifles.

"No, I'm not a sir. I'm a Sergeant, Sergeant First Class exactly. Elliot here's a Sergeant. I just wanted to know, what's your rank chart? Your rank caught my attention, as it's exactly named after one of ours." I comment.

The guard shows a hint of surprise for a moment, before responding, "Well, those are both ranks of the guard as well. It starts as Enlist, then proceeds to Private, Private First Class-" She continues to list, when Elliot and I pitch in and name the ranks in sync.

"Specialist, Staff Sergeant, Sergeant-" We continue, all the way to Sergeant Major of the... Well... She said guard, we both instinctively say Army.... Close enough!

I decide to ease out of the subject, my curiosity solved.

"Well, that's a strange coincidence. I wonder how that happened, but I guess I'll find out later" I say teasingly, facing Twilight.

Her ears fold back, and she breaks eye contact, but doesn't show any change of body language or expression.

Elliot clears his throat, trying to signal my sarcasm shining through again. Get used to it, I'm sarcastic ALL the time.

Often more than I bargain for, but what can you do?

"Alright, as much as I like the wolves and crap out here, I'm ready to start working on getting back home. Can we take off?" I ask, getting a little nervous with ammo this low near the forest line.

"Oh! Right, let's go, follow me." She orders, indicating it was aimed at the guards.

...I hope.

Elliot and I jump to the sound of crashing metal, similar to the sound of slamming the lid on a metal pot. Alot of them.

We both turn around, realizing it was the noise of the guard's armor, as they snapped to attention. They get back to the original formation, the Staff Sergeant standing just to the rear left of Twilight. As we approach the village again, the stares begin.

Something I always like to do to reveal that I'm not in a bad mood, or dangerous, is to act human. It wasn't something I learned in the Army, either. It's just, if you want somebody to like you, but doesn't trust you at the time, be funny. Act human, act alive.

This is why it's my job to joke with Elliot all the way to wherever the hell the escorts are taking us.

Author's Note

Yeah it was a kind of short chapter, I'm working on confirming I am still a full 80% alive, so you can expect updates. There's alot being planned right now. And if you were going to tell me I called Scarlet Swirl a "he", I know. You'll find out more about it later (recognize this feeling?). From now on, Elliot and Grayson will fade away from being 'soldiers' and start acting more civilian. This is due to the stress and hopelessness of the situation. They silently want to fit in, not survive. As their brains no longer decide this place to be a survival situation. It's more of a 'vacation' if you'd call it that. So expect the main protagonists to act more human, and less soldier! It's NOT an accident!