Last Stop on the Mail Route

Ponyville has been out of sight for a few minutes now, scrolled far into the distance, now out of view as the angle of the train veers away. Dinky has settled in, the initial excitement wearing off as she stifles a yawn. We did get up pretty early to catch this train, so I wouldn't be surprised if --

-- And she's snoring. It's a fucking 'Honk Shoo, Mimimi' snore too, which Derpy and I share a knowing, quiet laugh over.

Since the inside of the train is pretty warm, I slip my jacket off, leaning over the table as I cover the snoozing Filly with it, like it's a big blanket. Derpy smiles at that; once it's draped over the filly, she leans on her side and uses her wing to tuck Dinky in. She mouths a 'Thank you', before getting settled in her own seat again.

"So. Do I get a turn to ask a personal question?" She asks; we're speaking a touch quieter to not wake Dinky, but the trains general ambience keeps things comfortable.

"You can ask me whatever you want, whenever you want. Just be careful what you ask for." I smile, my good foot jostling as I get comfortable myself.

She throws me a surprisingly flirtatious look in turn.
"Careful with that, Mister Muss. I still haven't forgotten how you took our tickets." She purrs.

Wow, alright. Stronger reaction then I thought. I fan myself, making a 'phew' noise, getting a giggle out of the teasing mare.

"Was that a little too much?" I ask, smiling. "Just trying to play in the same field. I recall a certain somepony... kissing my teeth."

"...I quite like your teeth." She admits, giving me a half-lidded stare. "They're... you, are very interesting to look at. I find myself looking at them often."

"What, you into carnivores? Sharp teeth, Biting? Wonder how Derpy would taste with Barbecue sauce..." I joke, rubbing my chin. She giggles, sighing and laying her head on her hooves.

"...Maybe one or two of those." She admits, still watching me.

She was being a bit forward, today. Did this Mare have a kink for Teeth and Biting? Oh, boy. Mentally jotting that one down for later. So, definitely, absolutely going to try nibbling her ear when she isn't expecting it.

I huff softly, giving her a raised eyebrow.
"Before we get a little too distracted; what was the question you had?"

She snaps out of her playful mood a little, nodding. Since I was willing to ask about her Strabismus, I figured the line of questions she might have for me was probably similar in nature.
"...Does it hurt? Your leg." She starts, pointing at my prosthetic, currently sat against the train wall, beside me. "I notice you tend to take it off now and then."

"Prosthetic is padded around the stump, so I can go for most of the day just fine, as long as I get a few chances to sit. Running or over-exerting, though, and it could start to bleed." I explain, tapping the metal rod that connected stump-holder to foot.

"Really? Why would it bleed?" Derpy asks, concerned.

"I've got a chunk of metal in my stump, for connecting the leg. I forget the details, but imagine its like..." I mutter, trying to think of an analogy. "Imagine you were flapping your wings, and they kept rubbing your saddlebag. Even when they started to get raw, you kept going. They'd bleed, right?"

She makes a little 'Ohh', nodding. It wasn't quite a 1:1 explanation, but I think that covered the basics of the idea.

"Do you ever... hm. I'm not sure how to ask this." She trails off, pursing her pretty lips. I noticed I tend to stare at her face, a lot.

"Miss it?" I guess.

She glances, and after a pause, nods.

"Not really much of a point to. Sure, some days there's an itch that I can't scratch; phantom limb or whatever its called, but what happened, happened. Wishing I had it back isn't gonna make my day any better, so I chug onwards." I explain.

A pair of Colts and a Foal walk past us down the Train center, the Foal asking it's parents about the bathroom.

"And... do you mind if I ask what did happen?" Derpy asks slowly, worried it's a sensitive topic. I tilt my head back, thinking.

"I'm sorry if it's -- " She goes to say, but I hold a hand up.

"No, you're fine. I don't mind, It's just complicated to explain, in Pony terms." I offer, and she nods, expecting me to drop it. She glances back attentively as I hum aloud, starting to try and summarize it in a... Pony-Friendly way.

"I was a... you guys have Soldiers, right? Army?" I start.

She shakes her head. Right. Equestria didn't have much of a military-type deal outside the Royal Guard force and those Wonderbolts. I think Luna's time was when they had soldiers, an army, that kind of thing. War is a far foreign concept to most of Equestria, now.

"Uh... like the Royal Guards, but less prolific. And instead of just guarding the castle, we would go all over the world to..."
What's the best way I can explain this without bring up Earth-World Politics with a Pony?
"...serve our Country. Our Equestria."

"And you got hurt during it? Protecting your Equestria from Evil?" She guesses.

I glance out the window. That was a loaded one.
"...Things aren't good and evil, there; but, myself and plenty others went to other places to try and protect our home. For some, it was as simple as that. There was bad, and they were sent to do good. Others served because it had benefits, like Citizenship. Or a Hellcat."

She nods, silent as she listens; though 'Hellcat' gets a curious look.

"And... I got hurt, alongside a few others. Think of it like... we stepped on a hidden magic trap, that we didn't know was there. And it blew up." I summarize. "Took my leg, and a chunk of debris hit my face. Did less and more to some of the other guys. I was one of the ones that got to go home, after that."

I lean my head back, groaning. I've come to terms with it, but it was never a comfortable topic. I was the lucky ones in that situation; my gaze growing distant as I remember. The smell. It makes me scrunch my nostrils. I sink further into my seat, until I'm almost fully reclined and taking up both of my spots.

Derpy is silent for a moment, watching me with sad eyes. I think she understands, generally. The Ponies are by no means stupid... I hesitate to call most of them naive, either. They're just... the modern Pony is as far-removed from violence as possible, thanks to Celestia working towards that for the last thousand years.

"May I?" She asks quietly.

I turn, looking at her expectantly; Derpy slowly climbs around Dinky so as not to wake her, out of their pair of seats, and into the middle walkway. She approaches my side, putting a hoof up beside me, and watches me expectantly.

I nod, shifting slightly to make room.

Derpy climbs up, stepping around and over me -- before nestling in between my side, and my arm, similar to how Dinky had squeezed in beside me earlier. Since she's a fair big bigger than Dinky, though, it's half life she's laying on top of my side. She presses her face against my neck, her wings unfurling to wrap around me in a feathery hug, overt PDA be damned.

Actually, a quick glance at the rest of the traincar shows... most of the other Ponies were sitting pretty close to their others, hooves over shoulders or necks nuzzling. Forgot how big on physical affection these things are; which is further reinforced by the fact that most of the Ponies I know keep hugging me.

Derpy's warm, and she nuzzles against me, trying to comfort me.
"Thank you. For telling me." She whispers. "I know I haven't... explained everything to you, yet you were willing to explain yours to me."

"It's all good. I've had a long time to process it. It's just not my favorite thing to think about, you know." I whisper back. I plant a quiet kiss on her head, catching a whiff of her mane. She smelled nice. "What shampoo do you use?"

She stifles a giggle, shifting to look up at me. "A bold topic shift. Why don't I show you next Sunday?" Derpy offers quietly.

I give her a surprised look, mock-gasping.
"You shock me with how forward you are, sometimes, Miss Derpy."

A deep blush takes her face as she realizes the innuendo she unknowingly committed.
"I meant that... exactly how I said it, but... I guess I'll just have to stick to my word, then, lest I make myself a liar. Is it a date?" She whispers, her breath tickling my neck.

"You don't even have to ask; expect me at your door every Sunday, unless we make plans to meet somewhere." I whisper back. "French toast next week? Get some raspberries, some honey, syrup..."

She hums in contentment, seemingly quite fond of the idea.
"That sounds, delightful, 'non." She says, lifting her head to look over my face. God, I love those little freckles.

"Alright, Bubble-Butt, it's a date." I tease, giving her a playful, cheeky smile.

A playful hoof softly smacks my chest.
"Do not call me Bubble-Butt around my Daughter, Mister Muss." She warns sternly.

"Right, in private only." I tease -- she huffs, laying her head back into my neck.

"Numbnuts." She mutters, giggling.

"I'd be more upset, if I didn't know how deeply fond of me you are. Obsessed, I might even garner." I mutter back, stroking along her back with a hand.

"Obsessed?" She retorts, chuffing.

"We're on our way to a weekend-long date right now, and you've already got me planning the next one. Sounds like some serious attachment to me." I joke.

Derpy lifts her head again, giving me a more serious look.
"...Anon..." She starts, but a quick kiss planted on her nose puts her on pause.

"I know. This weekend is all about Dinky; and you. But to me, any time I get to spend with you is a date; I'll find times to spoil you and make you feel like a special Mare in between. Trust me?" I softly ask, watching those big, golden eyes stare back at... the ceiling, and my chest. But I know she's staring at me. It's in the nose, and where she points it; and I can feel the breath from hers on my own.

She kisses my lips, softly, for a single moment; a sigh slowly escaping her chest, as its over as quickly as she started it.
"Of course, Anon. I trust you. Just stop making my heart beat so fast, will you? Makes it hard to find the right words." She teases, smiling.

"You're the one that decided to climb onto me." I protest, pulling her a little closer.

Her face scrunches playfully. "You looked like you need a hug. I thought I was the best fit to give it to you."

"Of all the hugs you Ponies keep throwing my way, easily top ten. Top five, even." I nod in teasing agreement. She gives me a look, scoffing.

"You get hugged by other Ponies? And here I thought you wanted my scent." She rebuffs, lifting her wings off of me.

"Not willingly. You think any of these Ponies ask first before they throw themselves on me? Case included?" I retort, faking a scoff.

"Well, excuse me for trying to comfort a friend." She huffs, huffily.

"A Coltfriend, if I have the term right. And you're excused." I grin, getting a soft hoof-slap on the chest for my behavior.

"Then let me go, and I'll be on my way, right back to my seat."

"Mm... nah. Think I prefer you here." I hug her closer, not letting her up. "Make sure the... scent sticks, or something."

"Hrmph. Smooth. And clingy, for a top five."

"Never said where on that five your hugs fall. What if I was ranking individual hugs, and not hugs from particular Ponies?"

"Like that'd make it any better?"

"What if I said four of the top five were from you?"

She gives me a dry look. "And who might be this other, oh-so-prized hugger?"

I point past her, towards the snoring filly. "Dinky, of course. Who else?" I respond bluntly, with just a hint of cheek.

Derpy sighs, starting to laugh. She keeps it quiet so as not to wake the Dinkster. "Good answer, Mister."

It's such a bubbly, fun giggle. She looks at me, sighing.

I think I'm getting closer to counting out all those freckles. We stare at each-other's faces for a good while.

God or Celestia damn, I love this Mare.