and

“We can ferment radishes, can’t we? That makes gin, doesn’t it?” SmoothBlock looked over the vegetables she had gathered and placed on the table in the “brewery”

“Gin is usually potatoes or corn, and you’re thinking beets for rum.  If we had more wheat, you might be able to get some beer, though.” says Cream Puff, eying the improvised still.

“Beer, some beer would be nice. Think we could get Maize to go for it?” SmoothBlock rubbed her chin and lifted a barrel with her magical field.

“I think she’s growing more, but you’ll have to wait for harvest.  by ‘more wheat’ I meant ‘any wheat that isn’t flour’.  I milled all of it, I think.”  Cream Puff searches her memory, wondering if she had left any besides what Maize would need to plant another crop.

SmoothBlock put her head inside the barrel, holding it over her head with both hooves as she sat on her haunch.

Cream Puff gives the mare an odd look, wondering if she should leave the still in her hooves.

“It’s so you can’t hear me cryin...” SmoothBlock popped the barrel off her head and stuck out her tongue.

Cream Puff chuckles.  “Some simple juice won’t kill you, Smooth.  If you’re that hard up, though... hide a barrel of whatever juice you like somewhere.  It won’t be particularly strong, but in a week or so, it should do until we can get something real.  And we aren’t so hard up for drinks that we’ll miss a barrel.” she says with a smile.

“Thanks Puff, you're a dear. Maybe I can try beet juice?” SmoothBlock looked over the still again. “Do I need yeast?”

She shakes her head.  “Beet juice should work, but you don’t really need yeast.  Just leave it open with a cloth over it for a day, then seal it back up and let nature do it’s work.  Filter it, maybe distill it further, then drink.”

“Barrel, cloth, beet juice. Heh, all here. Guess I’ll get on that. Anything else you need? I really ain’t got much to do now that some pony is digging the ‘moat’ instead of me.” She levitated the lid off a barrel of beet juice.

Cream Puff thinks for a few moments.  “A real kitchen would be nice, but that’s more on the carpenters than you.  Any luck getting down to stone?  A granite top would be nice to work on.”

“Water everywhere, just a unit down, I would need to hook up a pump to drain it. I don’t know if we got the wood to spare.” Smooth placed a pigtail cloth over the open barrel.

“I know Holly is working her flank off to fell the trees, and the carpenters are working to get it turned into buildings.  Not too surprising they can’t spare the time to make a pump.”

“I’m trying to make it myself. Not going so great. Making gears out of wood is hard, I tried talking to the carpenter ponies, but they get all awkward around me. Puff, am I intimidating?”

SmoothBlock drew out a cigar and lit it with a cantrip.

“Intimidating?  No, not really.”  She considers leaving it at that, but she’s never been accused of being subtle.  “More like... distracted.  Like you wouldn’t remember details about making something complicated like a pump.”

“Oh, damn, well, gotta keep trying I guess. Not a lot of stone coming on the caravans, as in none so far, we got enough to make the well and that might be it.” Smooth took a long drag of her cigar.

Puff idly waves away the smoke with a wing, glad pegasi are able to manipulate stuff like that so easily.  “I’m sure you’ll get it eventually.  We’re hardly supposed to be a mining settlement, but it’d be nice to not have to import heavy stone.”

“Yeah. Hope I can at least dig us a well. Fresh water would be nice for, well, pretty much everything.” Smooth inhaled the smoke through her nostrils and smiled, holding the cigar in her magic.

“Ain’t that the truth.  Think all that water you’re hitting could be funneled into a well?”

SmoothBlock rubbed her chin and rolled her eyes from side to side a few times. “Yeah, but it would be muddy, unless we put it in clean cistern, with an under current.”

“Or no current.  Still water will let stuff like that sink.”  She shrugs.  “Either way, a well would be nice, for the hospital and my kitchen.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” She took another puff off her cigar “How did you mix tomato juice with peanut butter anyway?”

Cream Puff gives her a grin.  “Trade secret!”

“Heh heh, damn things are tasty.” SmoothBlock nodded, went to the juice press and loaded it with wild tomatoes.

Puff chuckles.  “You’re the second pony to tell me that.  Flamberge likes them, too.  They aren’t bad, but I don’t think they’ll exactly be the next food craze to sweep the nation.” she says with a smile.

“Must just be your skill then, heh ha.” SmoothBlock tapped off the ash from the tip of her cigar “Has Maize been sleeping outdoors again? I’m kind of worried about her.”

“I’m pretty sure she’s been using the dorm.  She’s pretty timid, but I think she was just exhausted from... well, farming.”  she says, unsure if SmoothBlock was aware the poor mare cried herself to sleep.  “I still can’t believe she took poor Morning Dew to a bed.”

“I know right? Mare is a hero, really cares about us. Wish I could do something to make her feel more welcome here. Like, you know, like she belongs.” SmoothBlock tapped her cigar on her muzzle.

Puff nods.  “Just need to give her time and be friendly.”

“I’ll give it a shot.” SmoothBlock pressed the tomatoes into juice. “any juice you need for cooking up anything special?”

Cream Puff thinks for a few moments, then shakes her head.  “Nothing in specific.  I like cooking with just about everything, and tomato juice is the only thing I’ve really had any requests for yet, heh.”

“Back to work for me then. I’ll see about that table, maybe I can pull some stone from the aquifer with my magic.” SmoothBlock stacked the barrels of tomato juice.

“I should get back to the kitchen, too.  I hope your hooch goes well, take care!”

“Have a lovely day, Puff.” SmoothBlock smiled and waved.

Two long scenes to follow...Sorry about the length, though nothing that important happens in them, and if you don't care about Flamberge/Crosshair, they are entirely skip-able.

The first scene to follow takes place the day after our first scene, so the Badger Pony hasn’t arrived yet, nor has Praetorian or Redhat.

 and

Flamberge stands in the training field. He has his sword in his hooves, and is cleaning the blade, while waiting for Crosshair to arrive.

Crosshair was /totally/ not napping and woke up late as she arrived hurriedly, her mane was slightly messy and unkempt and she panted as she almost crashed into the ground in front of her commander, giving him a salute, “Morning Commander!” She managed with an energetic smile.

Flamberge places a hoof to his helmeted head and shakes his head, “Good morning Captain.”

Putting his hoof back upon the ground he adds, “Get your armor on and make sure you have a full quiver, we are going out to explore the area, we need to have a better idea of the lay of the land if we are going to defend this area.”

The mare saluted sharply, and with a ‘Yes sir!’ she’s already gone to gear up, putting on her armor and helmet before returning just seconds later, geared up and ready to follow her commander away to patrol the surrounding dangerous lands of mystery and unknown.

Flamberge spreads his wings, "We are going to begin by circling the area from above, keep an eye out for any signs of large animals, and especially campsites other than ours."

He smiles, "And try and keep up." and then he takes off, Crosshair followed close by. Keeping eyes out on their surroundings, and even armored, she doesn’t show to be any less energetic.

The two ponies fly around the area for a while, making a circle a couple miles in radius around the camp. Some wild boars were spotted a ways away, but they were heading away from Duskfields and were thus left undisturbed. Nothing else out of the ordinary was seen.

"Captain!" shouts Flamberge over the sound of wind in his ears, "We are going to land down there," he gestures, "and head back on hoof."

Flamberge then makes a loop in the air and goes in for a landing at a speed a bit higher than was strictly safe. Crosshair, however, was not so used to land in a crowded forest in armor, and as she circles around to land, she crashed face-first into a tall tree at a speed faster than what she’d liked, luckily, her helmet probably saved her life from that cash as the tree suddenly stops her motion with a big thick loud ‘Thunk!’

When Flamberge hears the 'thunk' he rushes over to Crosshair, who was motionless upon the ground. "Crosshair! Are you okay! Don't try to move yet." he says, fearful she may have injured her neck.

Crosshair was seeing stars, and have the worst hangover ever. “I’m fine Commander!” She said, or at least that’s what she tried to, it actually came out more as jumbled mumbles and groans as the world just kept spinning and the ground decide to dance. All she could hear was ringing from her metal helmet crashing into the tree, as she tried to stand up, she realize that she’s absolutely covered in snails.

She freaked the fuck out.

Flamberge tries to calm the frightened mare, "Crosshair, calm yourself! You just hit your head you need to stay still," he says, oblivious to her true source of fear.

Her injuries all forgotten, she tries wildly to shake the slimy snails off of her to no anvil. “SNAILS!” She screamed at the top of her lungs, possibly scaring away woodland critters in the surrounding area as she freaked out.

Flamberge realizes the source of the mare's trouble, and springs into action. "Crosshair! Freeze and I shall get them off you!" he orders.

Crosshair stopped and froze as ordered, but her legs were quivering and trembling, her eyes looking nervously from side to side rapidly, her pupil dilated into a small dot as she held her breath, trying to hold herself together, which isn’t working out too well.

Flamberge walks over to the mare and brushes most of the critters off with a few swipes of his left wing. The few that remain he picks up by the shell with his pony mouth and tosses them aside. The last one he plucks off her in this fashion had been sliding down her left cheek.

Having removed the last of the snails he speaks again, "There that's the last of them."

Even with the last of them out, the mare still looked like she’s about to cry, her legs all stiff and limp like jelly at the same time, and it’s obvious she’s having a little trouble breathing again after being covered in snails like that.

Flamberge attempt to sooth the visibly upset mare, "Shhhh, it's okay Crosshair, they are gone, you are fine, everything's fine, there is no reason to cry. Just take a few, deep breaths."

Crosshair struggle to regain control of her breathing, and with his help, began to calm down more and more, enough to finally move her legs and wings again.

"Here." says Flamberge in as calming a tone he can manage, as he begins to hover in the air, his forehooves still touching Crosshair, "Let's go sit on a cloud where there are no sn...things around."

Still shaken, Crosshair nodded silently. She’d love to be anywhere but anywhere near the possibility of having more snails fall onto her. And clouds sounds like a mighty fine place to be.

Flamberge leads Crosshair to a small cloud above the forest and the two pegasi take a seat.

The smaller pony took her seat, tucking her legs close under herself and her wings even closer as she tries to quiver all those slimy feeling off of her. And trying not to embarasses herself further in front of her commander. “I-I’m sorry.. f-for Freaking out, Commander..” she apologized.

Flamberge nods, "Its okay, a lot of ponies have irrational fears, why, if it had been me, and the snails were replaced with rodents, I wouldn't have done much better...not that you are allowed to tell anypony else that, Captain."

That actually made her smile and calm her down a little, she giggled before quickly stifles it into a grin. Doing a little salute. “Aye aye, Commander.” but that only made her return to giggling.

Flamberge smiles and chuckles a bit with the giggling mare, "Sooo. Snails? Any idea why they bother you so?"

Crosshair shudders just at the mention of them alone. “They’re all so.. Slimy and icky and have weird eyes and-” She shudders once more. “They’re just so disgusting!”

Flamberge nods, then before he can respond notices a small snail he had missed was hanging on Crosshair's mane, in an attempt to remove it without the mare noticing, and possibly panicking again, he says, “Yes, I suppose that makes sense,” and moves a bit closer to her and reaches around her to grab the snail with his hoof and then flicking it away to plummet to a snaily death some hundreds of feet below the cloud layer.

The small mare blinked in confusion as she feel her commander touching her mane like so, blushing faintly across her face. “Commander?” She asked, unsure of what he’s doing. But not moving away.

Flamberge blushes, realizing what his actions might have been misconstrued as, and knowing how inappropriate that would be with her being his subordinate, so he moves away his hoof and moves himself away a bit as well.

"Uh, sorry, you just had, a... leaf, in you mane, it's gone though." he lies.

She smiled at that, clueless as ever. “Ah, Thank you commander!” She said sweetly. plucking another string at his heart no doubt.

"No problem," replies Flamberge, still blushing.

The two ponies spend the next hour or so sitting upon the cloud keeping watch over the surrounding area, before heading back to town, and calling it a day.

Months later.

4th Limestone, 269

Flamberge and Crosshair, are walking along the edge of the town, when they hear a mare’s scream. Flamberge and Crosshair take off into the air toward the source of the sound. When the two militia ponies arrive on the scene they find one of the new migrants under attack by a Honey Badger Pony. The farmer had numerous stab wounds along her right legs and was struggling to get away.

Flamberge lets out a mad cry and slams into the Honey Badger at full speed, Crosshair was the next to slam both of her forehooves onto the badger pony, both of them effectively tackling the honey badger to the ground where It was doomed to be beaten with violence to make a diomedian blush. Crosshair had her crossbows out and whacking at the thing over and over again when her hooves just aren’t beating it enough.

The thief quickly passes out without putting up much of a fight and then in short order lays dead on the ground. Though the enraged militia commander does not stop his assault. Several moments pass, the badger's bronze helmet had been collapsed under the onslaught, badger pony brains leaking out the visor, every bone in the creatures body had been ground to meal, it was barely identifiable as a pony creature at all any more.

At some point during the beating, Maize arrived and carried the injured pony to safety.

"Ragahh!" shouts the enraged Flamberge as he continues striking it, blind to the world around him. Crosshair panted and blinked as she came out of her battle high, finally realizing what’s going on she went wide-eyed at the sight before her in surprise. “Commander! It’s dead! You can stop now!” She tried to shout at him through his enraged shouts, having to try and pull him away from the pulp.

Flamberge does not cease his attack, not until Crosshair touches him, when he turns to her, and appears about to strike her next, his face still contorted in rage. He only barely manages to stop himself in time.

The commander sits down, breathing heavily, and sees the blood on his hooves and the mess beside him.

Crosshair had recoiled with wide eyes, startled and somewhat frightful at the thoughts that her commander looked like he almost tried to strike her down like the honey badger.  

"...Crosshair...What...what happened?" asked Flamberge still shaken.

She quickly shakes away her fright, “You.. uh, went brutal on that badger pony, sir.” She answered.

"Was anypony injured...did I hurt anypony?" asks Flamberge his eyes fixed on the ground.

“Just the honey badger thief, sir.” Crosshair answered, quickly calming down from that little scare. “You didn’t hurt anypony.”

Flamberge stands up, looks at the corpse again, and says, "I...I need to get cleaned up. Excuse me." He move to walk away from the mess, toward the forest. He passes Praetorian on the way and tells him to take his squad and search the area for more Badger Ponies.

Worried about her Commander’s safety and of what he might do alone, Crosshair followed. Quickly catching up to him “Are you alright, Sir?” she asked with concern.

Flamberge stops, seems to think to himself, then says, "I... no." he continues walking.

The smaller mare followed close by. “With your permission, sir. What’s wrong?” she asked.

Flamberge looks around, there were too many civilians around, all reacting to the recent attack, “I...can’t tell you. Not here, at least, come with me.” he continues walking toward the forest.

Unconcerned of her own safety, Crosshair followed her commander with complete trust to the forest.

Flamberge leads Crosshair to a small stream in the woods, he leans down and begins to wash the blood and mud from his hooves, and does not look at the little mare, "Crosshair, you know, I've been in a number of fights over the course of my life, but... I can't remember a one of them."

That surprised her. “You.. can’t?”

He shakes his head, "No, I remember the build up sure but," Flamberge pauses, "then it all goes black, I wake up with their blood on me, and no memory of how it got there, when I go into that state, I just lose all control, I've even hurt my own best friends. I shouldn't have taken this position. I should have said no. I'm not fit to Command anypony. I thought I could control it, but I can't. I should go back to Coupledye, I should leave."

Seeing her Commander blabbering and breaking down in front of her, Crosshair couldn’t help but to walk up close to him and wrap her forelegs around his neck as she sits down, pulling him into a hug with her hooves stroking his mane softly. “No you shouldn’t.. If there’s a stallion who I can trust my life on, and knows what he’s doing, It’s you. You’re the best Commander I can ever ask for, Sir.”

Flamberge leans into Crosshair, allowing her to stroke his mane, "But Crosshair, what if next time... . The first thing I remember after blacking out, was the sight of you recoiling from me, if I hadn't stopped... I never want to frighten you like that again, and, if I had hurt you, I couldn't live with myself, Crosshair. Just being here I put everypony at risk, especially you... and the rest of the militia. I should go back to Coupledye, work in my father's blacksmith shop like he wanted."

She smiles at him reassuringly. “Commander, I’m a Markspony. I won’t be there to recoil at you the next time, Today I just have had forgotten my bolts is all.”

“So instead I attack Praetorian, or Redhat, or someother pony?” questions Flamberge.

“It won’t happen, Commander.” She said with confidence.

“It’s happened before, what makes you so sure it won’t again?” he asks.

“Because it didn’t happen this time, Commander. You stopped yourself. You can control it.” She urged on.

“Well,” begins Flamberge, “I think I was only able to stop because it was you, Crosshair.”

“Me? What makes me so special?” questions Crosshair.

“Because Crosshair, I think, I love you.” answers Flamberge looking into her eyes.

A scene from later I pieced onto here as it finishes it up.

That stunned her, It stunned her worse than crashing into that tree a while ago. She just stood there, blinking as her little pony brain tries to process what she just heard.

Flamberge realizes it was a mistake to blurt that out, she was his subordinate gods damn it,there are lines that shouldn't be crossed. He tries to pull away from her while says, "I...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that..."

Crosshair blinked and shake her confusion out of her when she feel him pulling away from her “Oh!.. um, it’s.. It’s alright, Commander. Really! I’m just.. r-really surprised..” She said, rubbing the back of her neck with a wing as she feel a burning blush coming up. “I just never thought... w-well.. I mean, I don’t think a mare like me could...”

Flamberge now confused and already blushing with embaressment asks, "What do you mean? A mare like you could what?"

“W-well sir, I just.. don’t think that anypony would.. um.. love, a mare like me..” She said out with folded ears.

"Captain, what would ever make you think that?” asks Flamberge, “You are a strong, clever, and beautiful young mare, anypony's dream come true. I can't believe you didn't have all the young stallions fighting over you back home."

That made the poor mare blushes even further. “Well.. I’m too eager, brash, does things without thinking first and a little dumb according to other ponies..” she said, lowering her head slightly.

Flamberge smiles, "Well, it may be true, that you act a little over eager sometimes, and it wouldn't hurt you to learn to think before you leap sometimes, but I find those qualties of yours quite endearing Crosshair, and you are certainly not dumb, no matter what anypony else might have told you."

Crosshair pawed the ground softly and shyly with a hoof as she smiles up at her commander with a faint blush. “Thank you, Commander.. but.. You’re my Commander, wouldn’t you deserve somepony.. better?” she asked nervously, as if still unsure if what she heard was right.

Flamberge shakes his head, "I don't want anypony better, whatever you mean by that, I want you...but I understand if you would prefer a pony more level headed than me, or somepony smarter, or somepony with a job less likely to lead them to an early grave. But when I said I love you Crosshair, I meant it. I can't imagine better than you."

She finally smiles up some. “I’d be honored, Commander.. If.. If you don’t mind me, I’m quite.. um, inexperienced with love.. nopony really loved me before besides family..” She spoke again, embarrassed.

"Well then, we have that in common Crosshair," replies Flamberge.

“Perhaps, Commander, perhaps.”

Flamberge was confused by her usage of the word perhaps here, but thought it best not to pry, at least not right away. Flamberge moves back to be beside her, "We'll need to head back to town soon," he says, "they'll be wanting to know where we are....but let's wait a few more minutes first, okay?"

The mare smiled a happy smile at him. “Of course, Commander.”

 and

Temperance was sitting in his small office, paging through his books.  The new arrivals meant a lot of things had to be updated in his notes, so he was already setting to that.  More beds, more housing, food rations... this was going to take a while.  He frowns as he looks at the numbers.  At least they had plenty to get by. Before he can continue, he is interrupted by a knock at the door.

He looks up from the stock records he was tending to.  Now, who could that be?  One of the newcomers?  He steps over to the door and pulls it open.  “Yes?  Can I help you?”

On the other side of the door stands a bespectacled unicorn mare, with saddlebags across her back. “Mr. Temperance? I’d like to have a word, if you aren’t too busy.”

Temperance shakes the confused expression from his face and makes a smile.  “Oh, yes, of course, come right in.”  He returns to the far side of his desk and motions for her to take a seat.  “What did you want to talk about?”  What was this mare’s profession again?  Had he even asked yet?

The mare takes her seat gratefully. “Well, I suppose I should introduce myself first.” She holds out a hoof. “Dr. Serenity, Doctor of Equine Psychology, Coupledye University.”

Temperance accepts the hoof and gives a slightly weak shake.  “A pleasure to meet you Dr. Serenity.”  He raises an eyebrow.  “It seems you’ve already heard of me.”

Serenity nods. “Yes. I was asked to come out here by a Dutchess Virtue. She mentioned you frequently.”

At that, he’s completely unable to contain his surprise.  A tiny flicker of a glower forms on his face, but he quickly contains it.  “Oh, she did?  That... that’s interesting.”  He studies her briefly.  “A doctor of psychology, you said?  So... is that why she hired you?”

“Yes. She mentioned her own experiences with managing a new settlement, dealing with incompatible personalities, and the much deeper issues that seem to be so common among those who settle out here.”

That sounded like Virtue.  That sounded a lot like Virtue.  He nods slowly, putting the pieces together.  “I see.  Yes, she told me she’d had innumerable issues with that.  Fortunately, we haven’t had any problems with that out here.”  Not yet, anyway.  Maize was worrisome though...  “I’m not sure how much work you’ll have, I’m afraid.”

The doctor nods. “I understand. Still, I’d like it if you’d tell me about any odd behavior you notice. And most importantly, please let ponies know that if they have any problems, or just need to talk, I’m always available.”

“Of course,” Temperance replies with a tiny smile.  He taps his hoof idly on the desk for a few moments.  “Actually, doctor, there is somepony you may want to go see.  One of the farmers.  Maize.  She seems very evasive, to the point of sleeping out in the fields instead of with the rest of us.”  He considers if he should say more, and decides to add, “She is beginning to worry me a bit.”

“Thank you, sir. I’ll see about speaking to her as soon as I can. Where might I find her?”

He sighs.  “She pretty much stays out in the fields permanently.  She has two braids, I’m sure you’ll recognize her.”  He glances down at the list of things that still needed to be built in Duskfields and said, “I, uh... imagine you’ll need someplace to really work.  It’s... going to be a while before that’s possible though, I’m afraid.”

The doctor sighs. “That does make my job a bit more difficult, but I think I can manage.”

“Sorry,” he says with an apologetic expression.  “If I’m not here, feel free to use my office though.  It’s probably the only place remotely private out here for now.”

“I appreciate that, thank you very much. Would you mind if I kept my books in here as well?”

He shakes his head.  “Oh, no, if you can find somewhere to stash them, feel free.”  There was plenty of room.  At least until he found a better place to get her situated.

 and

Maize wanders through the rows of plants on the farm plot, checking the health and growth of each with tender care.

Cream Puff makes her way to the field, humming to herself.  When she spots Maize, she waves and heads more for her than simply the field.

As she finishes looking over a slightly wilted sunflower and giving it some water, Maize looks up and spots Cream Puff. “Oh, hello,” she says softly, her weak, shy voice not always easy to hear.

Puff smiles at her and flutters over the plants, not wanting to disrupt Maize’s work.  “Heya Maize!  I’ve actually been looking for you.  Should have expected to see you hard at work.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s hard...” Maize lets her head drop, obviously unused to being praised. “I’ve always liked growing things.”

“Just because you like it doesn’t mean it’s not hard work.  You’re also really good at it, Maize.  The wheat you grew was great, should keep everypony in fresh bread for a good while.”  Puff wings slow circles around Maize, enjoying a bit of quiet time with the soft-spoken mare.

Maize just shrugs and looks back down at the plants, resuming her inspection. “I’ve been wanting to ask... why does everypony keep praising me for helping Morning Dew?”

“Because you reacted to help her before anypony else.  And I mean actually help her, not just beat the stuffing out of the badgerpony.”  She lands carefully beside Maize.  “You helped her when everypony else could only stare.”

“But... that’s all I could do.” Maize’s head dips a bit. “It’s not like I was doing anything brave, like protecting her.”

Puff rolls her eyes a bit at that.  “You got her to the Doc, and basically snatched her out from under that badger pony’s nose.  Nopony else had the guts to get anywhere near her, but you carted her to a bed like the wind.”  She gently tries to lift Maize’s gaze with a wing.  “Don’t cry about what you can’t do, but be glad in what you can.”

Maize looks up at her, a bit teary-eyed, but smiling a bit as well. “I... I guess... I guess I’m just not used to being praised. Father always told me I wouldn’t ever be good for anything, and Mama didn’t really ever talk to me much. I used to think it was because she didn’t really like me, but...” She looks down and sighs. “I don’t think I should talk about this.”

Cream Puff lays a wing over her withers, hoping to reassure the mare.  “It’s alright, Maize.  I think they missed out, and I think you’re a good pony.  Just remember you’re not alone, and you can always talk to me, ok?”

Maize sighs again and looks around at the plants. She checks out one of the sunflowers, a fast-growing one that was already noticeably taller than the ones around it. “D... do you think Morning Dew would like a sunflower by her bed? I mean, if one grows fast enough to bloom before she gets well...”

Puff smiles and nods.  “I think she’d appreciate it, Maize.  Even if they aren’t her favorite, it’s the thought that counts.  I know I’d love one if it were me.”

Maize smiles and nods. “This one might bloom pretty soon at the rate it’s growing.” She looks around. “Oh, I also meant to ask. Are there any other plants I need to be growing?”

Puff thinks for a few moments, then shrugs.  “A good variety is the most important thing.  Wheat and sunflowers are great foundations for a meal, but ponies don’t live on bread alone, heh.  Pretty much whatever you want to grow is fine.”

Maize nods. “Anyone ask for anything?”

“Heh, I’ve had a few requests for the tomato juice and peanutbutter sammiches, but that’s it so far.”

“I can try growing peanuts if we have any.” Maize looks around. “I think we’ve got tomatoes growing somewhere in here, too.” The mare heads down a little more until the two reach a bare crater in the field, about the size of a pony.

The significance of the barren spot almost slips past Puff, but the gears turn and she soon turns to give Maize a stern look.  “Maize... you’re not still sleeping out here, are you?”

Maize notices the stern look and nearly prostrates herself. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know...” She seems rather like she’s going to cry.

Cream Puff immediately softens and hugs Maize.  “Oh Hun... you don’t need to sleep out here.  We have the dorms, and they’re even working on getting individual rooms up.  Why don’t you want to sleep in a bed?”

“I... I do, but... the dorms are so full of ponies, it’s much more comfy out here.” Maize softens her rigid pose and snuggles a bit into Cream Puff’s hooves. “The dirt’s nice and soft in the field, and the plants smell wonderful, and the stars and firebugs are like dozens of little nightlights watching over me...”

Cream gently pats Maize’s back as she thinks for a few moments.  On the one hoof, she doesn’t want Maize to think she has to sleep alone in the field.  On the other, she seems to really enjoy sleeping under the stars....

Buck it, she’s still not sleeping alone if she can help it.  “Hey Maize... how about a little camp-out tonight?  I’ll grab a cloud and sleep out here with you.”

Maize beams, but keeps her head down a little, still submissive. “You.. you don’t have to...”

She chuckles and meets Maize’s eyes.  “I want to.  You made it sound nice out here, and Flamberge snores.” she says with a smile and a wink.

Maize chuckles a little. “I don’t even know what ‘snores’ is, but I guess it’s not very nice...”

“He’s a loud sleeper, heh.  I’m told I snore a bit, too, but sleeping on a cloud tends to keep me quiet.”

Maize nods. “I don’t think I’d mind too much. The crickets and cicadas are pretty noisy at night, and it doesn’t bother me.” She paws at the dirt of her makeshift bed a little. “What’s a bed like?”

“How about you find out tomorrow night?” Puff suggests.

“I... I don’t know...” Maize sighs. “I don’t think I could even go in the dorm with all those ponies...”

“Is that it?  I can bring a bed out here, or at least the mattress.  I can almost guarantee it’s better than the ground.”

“I think that would be nice.” Maize looks at the ground. “I’ve never slept on a mattress. Father always made me sleep outside. Said I should get used to it, because I’d be sleeping there forever.”

Cream Puff puts a hoof on her withers and gives her a gentle squeeze.  “Well, now you can choose if you want to sleep outside or not.  It’s up to you, not him.”

“Y... yeah...” Maize nods. “I still... like it outside. But I think I might enjoy it once there’s a room built for me, too.” She looks wistfully at the sky. “I guess we’ll see.”

Puff smiles, picturing Maize curled up and sleeping peacefully in her own bed, a sunflower on the window sill.  “Yeah... we’ll see.”

 and

Maize, as always, tends to her fields. She doesn’t really seem to go elsewhere, except maybe to get food.

The day’s training being over, Praetorian makes his way over to the fields. The mare out there was the one he’d been meaning to congratulate on her rescue of the wounded farmer some days ago. Upon spotting the farmer, he nods to her, and says “Hello there, miss Maize.”

Maize looks up and spots the approaching soldier, her head quickly dipping back down. She says something unintelligible.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that,” says the soldier, with a friendly tone in his voice, as he moves closer.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Maize’s voice is only just audible now. “I said hello and asked how I could help you.”

“Oh, pardon my manners. My name is Praetorian, and I was just passing by and I thought I’d say hello to the heroine of the hour,” says the soldier, as he wonders to himself why the mare seems to be so frightened.

“Oh...” Maize blushes. “Thank you, but I don’t deserve to be called a hero.”

“You saved that wounded pony’s life. Without even having anything to protect yourself with. That’s fairly heroic,” says the soldier.

“But... heroes are supposed to be ponies who overcome their fear...” Maize lowers her head. “I was only more afraid of what would happen if I did nothing.”

Praetorian is ever-so-slightly concerned by the pony’s demeanour. “Still, you did a good deed, and without thought for reward. And did not Equinius write ‘How worthy of eternity is a national character that rewarded exploits so distinguished with honour only, and whereas it enhanced the value of its other wreaths with gold, refused to allow the rescue of a citizen to be a thing of price, thus loudly proclaiming that it is wrong even to save the life of a pony for the sake of gain’?”

Maize blushes a bit more and lowers her entire body a bit, seeming almost to be bowing in shame. “I... don’t know who that is... and I don’t really understand what all that means...”

“Hey,” says the soldier, lowering himself. “Hey. What’s wrong? Gods above, even I don’t understand what that old windbag was talking about most of the time. And you seem to be a lot more down on yourself than I am. So...what’s wrong?”

Maize looks up a little. “I... you sound so smart, and... I never really got many ponies saying good things about me before, especially not smart ponies like you. It... just feels weird when somepony so much better than me thinks good of me. I mean,” she takes a breath and a glance around, “I used to live on the street. I’ve only seen a single book in my life, and whatever was in it looked like nothing but little nonsense scribbles. All I’ve learned, I taught myself.”

“Ah, is that it? Well, miss Maize, you’re a hero, so I can trust you with this.” He looks around furtively. “I only learned to read after my first five years in the army, and that was because I needed it for the promotion. So we’ve at least got a little bit in common. And here’s a secret that took me a long time to learn. Everypony that seems better than you or I, most of that’s just confidence and practice. I’m certainly not as good as you are at farming, so you’re better than me on that, I’ve never gone into a fight without armour and a weapon, so you’re better than me on that, too, and I’ve never been that much of a hero, so you’re way ahead of me there, too.” He pauses for a bit. “And... if you want to learn how to read, I can probably give you a bit of help there, too.”

Maize smiles. “You... would? I mean, I don’t want to be a bother...”

“Hah, not much of a bother to help a certified Hero of the Kingdom,” says Praetorian with a little smile.

“I... I would like that, then.” The farm pony stands back up, though her head still hangs a little low. She never really seems to hold it too high. “When... when do I begin?”

“Well, when do you want to start?” asks the soldier. “I’ve got training to do, but other than that I’m mostly free.”

Maize looks around. “If you’ll wait just a moment, then, I want to look at these last few crops...” She bows her head again. “If you don’t mind too much...”

“‘Course I don’t mind, take as long as you need.”

 and

Redhat walked up to the “kitchen” looking for some a decent meal, hoping he could get another “peanut butter and tomato juice” sandwich.

Cream Puff is just checking the stores of food, and gives the stallion an absent wave as she still has her head in a barrel.  “What can I get you, Hun?” comes her muffled welcome.

The pony smiled a little and walked up to the barrel. “Well, I’d kill for another one of those delightful tomato juice sandwiches.”

Her chuckle echos in the barrel before she pulls her head out to get a look at him.  “I never expected those to get so popular.” she says with a wide smile.

“Well, even they don’t, just more for me is suppose.”

She nods and sets about making the sammich for him.  “So, what’s your name, Hun?”

“The name’s Redhat”

She smirks and gestures at his headwear with a wing.  “Would have never guessed.  So, you’re in the military, yeah?”

“Heh... yeah I’m in the militia” he said, taking a seat.

“For how long?  You don’t exactly seem the type to make a career of it.”

“Just joined recently” he said, still smiling.

She finishes making the sammich and walks over to Redhat with it on her wing.  “What’s it like?  Praetorian seems a rather structured stallion.”

“It’s annoying.” he said, picking up the sammich. the stallion then made sure his hat was still nice and on the right spot on his head.

“Looks about like what I’d expect in the army.” she says with a shrug.

“No it’s not that. The stallion demands respect and shows me none.”

Puff gives him a bit of a flat look.  “He is your commanding officer.”

“I only give respect when it is earned. I can act, and pretend like I do, but if the stallion does something to me that offends me, I will do something about it.”

Cream Puff chuckles at him.  “Red, you ever think the military isn’t for you?”

“Yes, your point?” he said, giving her an odd look.

“My point is, I don’t think you can take him, and if you can get that chip off your withers, you might learn something from him.”

“Personally, I don’t plan on just dropping universal respect like that.”

“You need to give some to get some, Red.  He’s had 16 years in the army, I’d say that earns him at least a bit, even if he wasn’t your boss.”

“... That doesn’t give him the right to think himself better than me”

She chuckles again.  “I doubt he thinks that.  He might be more skilled than you, and have a lot more experience, but I doubt he thinks he’s ‘better’ than you.  I’m telling you, Red, get that chip off your shoulder sooner rather than later.  Otherwise, you’ll probably be digging that moat until we have an ocean.”

Redhat sighed. “Ugh... you have a point...”

She pats him on the shoulder.  “Of course I do!  I’m the chef!  And the one who prepares your meals is never wrong!” she says with a wink, then laughs.

Redhat laughed a little. “Yeah... thanks.”

“Any time, Red.”