Mostly Routine Patrol

Two ponies walked along a sunlit path, shadowed by leaves from the canopy overhead, prepared for whatever their journey held in their way.

“Shadow, are you feeling alright?”

“What? Oh, yeah… my barding’s just really warm today. Isn’t it really warm today? Like, I was sweating in the briefing, but now I’m just really warm.” Shadow flapped her batlike wings to get more air flowing around her, to little effect.

Sterling shrugged, indifferent. In his opinion, as long as the job was done in the end, comfort wasn’t required. “Not really. Been mild since Wrap Up.”

Slowly moving her wings still, Shadow shook her head. “Stallions. Whatever, it’s probably just the sun heating up the metal.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? The metal is enchanted to maintain a constant temperature based on the individual they’re bonded to. If there’s a problem with your armor, we should turn back and--”

“No! I am not putting this mission on hold and risk getting reassigned to some stupid ‘defend the town’ detail where we spend all day on patrol and don’t save a single creature. I joined up to kick bad guy flank, and I aim to do just that,” she grinned at him proudly, showing her longer canines. “Plus there are crickets, grasshoppers, and mantis along the route! Nummy.”

He looked askance at her from under his helmet. “Are you weird for a Thestral, or just weird to everypony?”

“Both! C’mon, you’ve eaten crunchies,” she stepped closer and bumped her armored flank to his, not moving him from his stride a bit, “wanna split the first couple? I call heads!”

“Eyuck, I’m not suffering through the gooey bits. Also, two meters apart at all times. Regulations state--”

She groaned loudly and stepped away from him and took the lead. “You’re so boring when we’re on duty! Loosen up and have some fun, or all that saltiness is gonna rust you in that barding before day three.”

“Need I remind you that I’m mission command officer? If you’re going to be disrespectful, I’ll have to include it in my AAR.”

She turned around, walking backwards to look at him. “We’re the same rank. I’ve known you for five months, and we’ve been partners, nay, teammates for two. You’re only a pain in the flank when we’re on patrol, and you haven’t done a single thing about my attitude in any of our missions,” she turned around and lifted her chin. “I don’t think you’re gonna start now, so nyah nyah!”

Shadow galloped ahead and he watched her go, a small smile wormed its way onto his muzzle. “Over two meters, finally.”

…

“It’s been forever! Why’s it so warm still? Stupid armor,” she knocked her hoof against the chestplate, “make me cool again.”

“If it were that easy, every foal would have barding. Now stop assaulting your armor and keep an eye out for trouble.”

“But I’m so bored. How many days have we been walking? It’s gotta be at least four by now, right?”

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, barely noticeable under the helmet, but he still did it. “It’s been two hours. We can still see Canterlot from here,” he looked behind them and she did the same, nickering in frustration.

“Can’t I just fly ahead and report back every couple hours?”

Sterling felt like asking her to stop talking, but he knew that was the perfect way to get her talking about her life, specifically her former roommates and dating experiences. The number of both are staggering in number, as though the mare were destined to travel across the land and make as many contacts as possible.

“No. We must remain close with one another in the event an emergency occurs and we need to communicate. What if a predator attacks from the bushes and I’m unable to call for help because I’m struggling with it? There’s an equal chance that a large predator with wings may see you as an easy target since you don’t blend in with the sky during daylight hours.

She waited for him to catch up and sided with him. “Aw, I knew you liked me!” she bumped her helmet to his. “But if I’m in danger, you can just use that pointy horn of yours to cast some interdimensional portal that’ll suck the monster into another reality,” she made a sucking sound ending with a pop.

He couldn’t help but snort in humor. “You should really stop reading those comics, they’re rotting your mind.”

She hopped in front of him and held a forehoof out to stop him. “They’re awesome! In issue #175, Timber and Star Flash Versus the Beast With a Thousand Mouths; Timber stomps the ground so hard he makes a sinkhole in Manehattan’s Central Park to hold the creature from the pits of Tartarus while Star Flash finishes charging her newest spell learned from the Mage of Myster-E.

“A hole appears showing a city made of metal with flying carriages and ponies with rocket packs full of missiles and bombs from the seventh dimension! Star Flash uses her magic to teleport the monster into their reality and we get to see the monster shrieked in a thousand voices, some calling in Ponish for help as it’s blown to smithereens!”

She took wing and landed on her hooves heavily, then thrust her forelegs in front of her shouting ‘pshe-eeew’. Sterling couldn’t help himself and chuckled, getting her attention. “Ha, I knew you’d love it. I’ll give you the Pits of Tartarus; Released and Reborn arc for a few days when we get home. Well, to the barracks. Home is wherever I rest my rump,” she winked her eye, “not on who, though.”

After rolling his eyes he resumed his walk. “That constitutes sexual harassment, you know.”

“Ha, you said ‘ass’.”

He groaned quietly in reply.

…

“What time is it? Can we rest, get some food in our bellies, drinks, desserts?” she asked hopefully and looked at the sky. “It’s gotta be at least 7, we left at 7. That’s enough walking, right? C’mon, Sterling… you didn’t even wait when I went pee! I had to catch up after getting my armor secured,” she pouted, “and after all that talk of safety and closeness.”

“I was watching you, you were safe.”

“Ew! I know a lot of ponies that like that stuff, but I didn’t think you were into watersports.”

He blushed and his white coat made it obvious. “What?! No! I meant the area, I’m not into that. Not even a little.”

She laughed and patted his armored back with her wing. “It’s cool, I’m just joking. Besides, I live with a no kink shaming rule. If that’s your thing, I’m willing to fly ahead and give you a show,” she said and laughed when his blush darkened and he looked away from her.

Several minutes passed with her teasing him and asking what his kinks were without an answer before he cut her off. “It’s nearly sunset. We can camp out off the trail and rest. You get first watch.”

“Finally. I’ve got the tent, you get the fire pit. Wanna double team supper? I’ve got grass, grass, or grass,” she pointed to the ground around them with a growing smile. “Or maybe I could have the yummy alfalfa oat chips? If I remember, three will last a pony a whole day in meals, as long as you drink lots of water with them.”

“Get the tent out, Shadow. I’ll gather wood and start a fire.”

She saluted with a wing. “Sir, yes sir!”

Turning off the path, she went in a ways and shook the saddle bags from her back, then started rolling the tent out to build it. Once done, she looked at the fire pit he’d made and the sticks in it. His horn brightened and sparks sparkled around the underside of the pile, starting it ablaze once the kindling caught.

Taking the gauntlets off her legs, she set them just inside the tent and quickly lay by the fire. “Oh, yeah. This’ good, exactly what I needed.”

He took his helmet off, showing his silver mane that flowed across his neck and shone in the firelight. She followed suit and let her purple mane free. Sweat matted parts of it to her neck, but she didn’t notice. “Wow, it’s like a hundred degrees cooler out here. Can I just go naked, it’d be so much better.”

He looked at her and opened his mouth, silenced by a raised hoof. “I know, I need my armor for reasons. I was just saying, there’s something wrong with the enchantments, I swear.” She knocked the chest plate again, this time softer with her armored hooves.

“Just wait a moment,” he said and scanned the armor with his magic.

“Oh, Sterling… I didn’t know you thought of me that way.”

This time he snorted in frustration. “Well, that’s two problems. The armory didn’t activate the enchantments with enough magic so your cooling spells aren’t working right. It’s a good thing I’ll be resting first.” He cast a spell for several seconds that left him panting and sweating across his brow.

She sighed and looked up, steam rose from around her neck and across the open spots of her barding. “Ahh, ah. I swear, this is amazing right now. It’s like being in a steam room, only I’m cooling off like crazy and I love it.”

He looked at her with interest. He’d never seen such a response from the spell, and he realized how tough she was, and attractive when covered with steam, like a mythical mare in a seashell she was shimmering and, dare he think it; sexy.

“Well, that was amazing. What’s the second problem?” she asked.

He smirked. “You haven’t taken out the chips yet, and I’m hungry.”

“Oh, yeah! Nummy time,” she got up and went to her pack, returning with two sealed packages. One meal for m’lord,” she took one in her teeth and tossed it to him over the fire. He caught it with his magic and tore it open. Grabbing his canteen, he opened it and dropped the chips inside and closed it, giving it a shake for almost a minute.

“It’s weird how you can do that and like the stuff. It’s like wet crackers that way.” She took a chip into her mouth and crunched it, washing it down with a gulp from her own water.

“It’s good this way, less trouble and it feels like a real meal. Celestia knows we’ll need that reminder before we get to the second week of this.”

“Ouch! Dumb bug,” she swatted at the insect that retaliated by shooting a web at her face. “Oh, you’re so dessert now,” she lunged and snapped her teeth at it, missing by a hair and biting part of its leg off before trying again, and on the third attempt she got it with a happy squeak and crunch that made her partner flinch.

“That was a spider. What if it was poisonous?”

“Then I’ll die with a full belly,” she squished it with her tongue to get the juice out of it and swallowed. “A happy belly.”

“Well, good for you. It’s been a long day, and I’m gonna hit the straw.”

“Wait, who’s gonna keep me company?”

“Well, there’s a spider somewhere around here. You can make friends with it and… oh, wait, you ate it,” he stuck his tongue out, then stood and took his helmet with him as he walked past her, catching her eye when she noticed his tail swaying with his steps and his mane bouncing with each step.

A closer look and she smiled at seeing how full his balls looked as his tail swayed just enough for her to see. Definitely gonna let that tap my thighs one of these days. Whew, it just got warm in here again.

“So, you never talk about yourself,” she said getting to her hooves and shaking in the cool air, “is there a Mrs. Stick in the Mud?”

He narrowed his eyes. “No, and I don’t plan for there to be.”

“Awe, c’mon. Maybe somepony you’ve had your eye on,” she turned to her bags behind her and flicked her tail to show herself to him. “Maybe not even a pony, specifically?” She looked back and to her surprise he didn’t look away. His gaze was at her tail, actually a bit below. She felt herself warming in a way the armor couldn’t help.

“I… can’t comment on that while on duty,” he swallowed loudly and looked into the fire.

“Aw, well, let me just get something… from the bottom of my packs.”

Her tail flicked while she was bending down for a second, he had a perfect view of her pussy. His thoughts went to indecent places until her tail swayed normally.

She finally stood up from her bag with a small black case she took with her to the fire and opened it, taking out a flute with the fingers at the ends of her wings. “What’d’ya say I play us a tune? This one’s called Dance of the Lustful.”

He lowered his muzzle into the ground with a groan.