“All right,” Hank said to no one in particular as he put the butt of the shotgun on the ground and pulled his legs toward his body, “Let’s. Fuckin’. Move.” He grunted out each word, pushing his legs under himself and standing for the first time in over two hours.

Taking a second to wobble back and forth on his stiff and numb legs, the man slowly got his balance back over the next few minutes of deep breaths before giving a curt nod and taking his first steps.

Painful and stiff as he picked them up and put them back down, Hank fought the urge to limp and instead walked confidently toward the dugout where Luna and Celestia were. Amazed at himself that he was even on his feet and using his arms so quick after having his legs and arms battered in the fashion they were he gave a few low laughs at the thought that is had only taken, a large hit of narcotics, all his suture string, gauze, and what had to have been over ten pounds of meat.

“Yeah, only.” The man huffed at his own thought, looking down to the shotgun in his grasp and opening the chamber to check if it was loaded out of habit, even though he knew it was as empty as it could be.

Still unable to keep a small frown from crossing his face at the result of the press check regardless, Hank looked back over his shoulder to his fire that was still burning and pushed down the impulse to put it out. Usually he would put it out and bury the evidence just to make himself as hard as possible to track but he didn’t figure it mattered when a half mile of forest was now reduced to barren ash, while some far off areas still smoldered and smoked. No he didn’t figure his small cooking fire really mattered in such a circumstance.

Having to tear his eyes once more from the absolute spectacle that Celestia had created, Hank kept pushing with his legs, working them looser and looser with each step he took until he reached the edge of the dugout and was able to look down and see the still comatose body of Celestia and the sleeping body of Luna next to her.

“I think it would be wise to get moving.” Hank said loudly and clearly causing the small alicorn to jolt awake and look around for a few seconds confusedly before finally settling on the upright form of the human looking down at her.

“Y-You’re walking!” Luna said in a surprised tone while getting up herself, “How?”

Gazing down at the royal pony with a leveled look, the man didn't even care to respond as he slowly made his way down the slope into the dugout. As time past the blood that started in the bodies of the Shucks he had places around the hole to camouflage and mask the scent of the ponies had all leaked out and created a very slick and sticky mix with the heavy clay soil the Everfree was rich with.

Cursing slightly as his feet started to go out from under him the man barely caught himself as he reached the bottom with freshly aggravated muscles.

Doing his best to get the kinks out of his back Hank grumbled something unintelligible before turning his attention back to Luna, “Are you ready to get out of here?”

“Of course,” Luna nodded, “but I fail to see how we intend to do so.” The lunar princess looked over her shoulder to the still resting form of her elder sister.

Taking a quick look at Celestia as well, hoping she would at least be awake after the few hours they had rested Hank nodded with a sigh, slinging the shotgun around his front instead of over his shoulder, “Suppose I’ll just carry her.”

“Carry her.” Luna pointed at her sister, “That huge pony, over five kilohooves through dense woods and rough terrain? I don’t think you understand how difficult that will be, not even considering your broken frame.”

Face as dead as a doornail Hank stared at Luna before moving past her, “I think you need to stop underestimating me. Fatal mistake.”

Kneeling down next to the prone form of the filthy white pony Hank did a few diagnostic checks on her before deciding she was stable to move and rolling her over so he could grab onto her hooves.

“At least let me help you get her on your shoulders,” Luna interjected, knowing she would never change the human’s mind.

“Just give me some space Luna, I have a lot of experience carrying the wounded and dead. People that were a lot heavier than your sister.” The human huffed, as he twisted to the side and pulled his left hand and arm that had a hold of Celestia’s front hooves over his head while wrapping his other arm under her rear and pulling as well.

Heeding the man’s advice with a frown, Luna watched as in one motion Hank slid her sister onto his shoulders and stood up, having to stand a little leant forward to keep Celestia from falling off his back.

“Alright, let’s get the fuck out of here before we overstay our welcome even more.” The man said without a hint of strain in his voice as he walked past her and up the embankment over the dead shucks.

Shaking her head at the man Luna made sure her sisters and her own sword were secure before following after the human, the blood soaked soil that clung to her hooves bringing back distinctive memories as she trudged through it.

As Hank, Luna, and Celestia by extension, enlarged the gap between themselves and the plateau that had been clean cut and retrofitted as a mass grave, Luna found herself increasingly impressed by the human’s toughness and stamina. Through the half an hour they had been making their way forward Hank had started outpacing the midnight mare despite his wounds and the added weight her plus sized sister provided.

Clearing her throat as she walked beside the man as he stopped and started scanning their surroundings as he had done in a very methodical pattern for the entirety of their hike Luna tilted her head to look up at the man as he scanned around, “I get the vague impression you’re well practiced in long range expeditions.”

“Very.” The man answered promptly before starting back into his quick pace through the forest.

“Yes. However, I am not at the moment, could we slow down a little?” Luna said with a huff, her legs and lungs burning with exertion, the complex terrain being much more taxing on her four legged form than Hank’s more agile two legged position.

“Sure.” Hank agreed with no qualms unlike the first time she and her sister had complained about his breakneck pace.

Relieved with his approval, Luna was quickly able to catch up with the man as he halved his speed and took place on his right side, “I appreciate it.”

“No problem,” The man reassured, honestly happy to slow down and give his screaming thighs and calves a small breather, though he’d never admit it.

“How far have you traveled on hoof in one day before?” Luna asked as their pace turned into more of a stroll.

“Depends on what you mean by ‘day’, you mean a twenty four hour cycle or around twelve?”

Surprised that he had enough data to need clarification on her parameters, Luna decided to go for the largest number, “Twenty four hours.”

“Ummmmm, that woulda been about… forty-ish. That’s what the map said as the crow flies but you can never really go in a perfectly straight line so a little more than that I guess.”

Eyes widening at the answer, Luna reflected inwardly at herself and decided even more that she needed to get into better shape, “How long did that take?”

“On that day, I ran and walked for about twelve hours, twenty four miles to the first target, then I fought a little, did what I needed to do, then left in a hurry sixteen and half miles to my final point where I again did what indeed to do and then promptly slept for two days straight.”

Eyebrow raised in curiosity, Luna had a feeling she knew what he had meant by ‘doing what he needed to’ but once again needed to know for sure. It didn’t help that hearing about Hank’s exploits always found a way of making the princess wonder almost like a child with how different and wild they were, “And what was it you were doing?”

“Closing off a main route of travel of the infected with a large amount of explosives, I blew up a bridge. Well finished blowing it up. It was already pretty fucked up from an attempt when the corps of engineers tried to blow it hoping to stem the movement of the fast movers in the early days of the end, didn’t end so well for em.”

The man said with a grim undertone making Luna frown, barely even able to imagine what the scene had to have looked like.

“But I got it done, brought the hate so their deaths weren’t completely in vain. After that though I left for another small town just to see how it had fared and after I realized the answer was bad I stuck around and bloodied the water for a little bit while also sending and trying to receive radio communications… to no avail of course.”

“You not knowing how to quit isn't a new phenomenon I can see.” Luna looked up to see a small smile come across the man’s face at her comment.

“What else is there to do in the apocalypse? It’s do and die, might as well get some shit done before something takes you out.”

Though she understood what the man was getting at, it still didn’t answer the question of just why he did everything he did. It didn’t answer what motivated him so strongly to push through four years of unbelievably hard days. She didn't know why she did but Luna absolutely needed to know how and why he kept going.

“I understand, but what motivated you to keep going like you did?”

Hank didn't answer immediately like last time, instead he looked around for a few seconds as his jaw clenched and unclenched repeatedly. Luna could tell the man was thinking about what to say, if he even decided to tell her, she had been around him long enough to know that when he was thinking really hard or mad that the muscles of his mandible would very obviously flare as he clenched and unclenched his jaw.

Minus the obvious and universal tells of anger or happiness, the small detail with his jaw was the only tell Luna had been able to decipher for the usually stone faced man. Eventually though Hank stopped with his tell and brought his head back to forward and took a deep breath before looking down at Luna to address her question.

“When I kill people I feel good.” Hank said with a completely flat, emotionless face that forced a small shiver to shoot down the lunar princess’s spine.

Truth be told, Hank had tried to formulate a better way to say what he just had but he was also a man who put a great value on being direct and to the point. He’d want Luna to do the same so he figured he should just stay truthful to himself and the truth in general.

“I see.” Luna responded, obviously at a loss for words.

Silence falling between them, minus the sounds of blades and gear clunking as they walked, Luna and Hank continued to walk side by side through the uneven terrain for a few minutes more before Luna just couldn't keep her thoughts to herself anymore.

“Surely that is not the only reason Hank.” She broke the silence causing one of Hank’s small eyes to lock onto her as he kept his head forward.

“It’s not.” The man admitted a moment later, “but it’s a large part of why.”

“What else is there?” Luna couldn’t help but prod deeper.

“Why do you care so damn much?” Hank asked, keeping his voice leveled and flat.

“Nothing but pure curiosity, the situation that was thrust upon you is completely unthinkable. The fact you survived is amazing to us and… I… just want to know how you managed to overcome such a situation.”

Staring forward as he mulled over Luna’s explanation for her extreme interest, Hank eventually came to find no flaws in her explanation and decided to be more forthcoming with his motives, “It’s simple Luna. I was enraged that my world fell, that my family and friends all died, that the virus made a mockery of the people I once knew and loved turning them into ravenous pack huntin’ monsters. I was full of hate, rage, and sadness. Killing made that all go away while I was fighting, so I fought. It was my only passion, my only entertainment, it was all I cared to do.”

Completely enraptured by Hank’s explanation, Luna eagerly nodded for him to continue when he stopped and looked down at her.

“So I set my own mission. My dad made me promise I wouldn’t kill myself, that I fight no matter how bad it gets in the month between the start of the end and his death so I couldn't take the easy way out. Instead I figured that even if there were a hundred million infected out there every single one that died was a step in the right direction. I decided that my mission in life would be to kill as many as possible starting with the small town I lived kinda close to,” Pausing for a second Hank cleared his throat, “Let’s just say I was onto bigger projects after the first winter.”

“Like the bridge?” Luna interjected.

“Like the bridge.” Hank confirmed, “So why do you fight? You know why I fight so why do you?”

Not expecting the man to turn it around on her Luna took a second, even if she already knew the answer. “To eliminate the threats that befall our nation and citizens.”

“Really?” Hank looked down at Luna, irritated.

“What?”

“I answer honestly and you’re gonna give me that polished political bullshit?”

“My answer is not bullshit.” Luna bit back, “Me and my sister did not just fall into the positions we now hold. We wanted them and fought for them for many years to uplift our fellow ponies. Much blood has been shed for that cause so no, it is not polished political bullshit.” Luna scoffs.

Walking a few steps further Hank took his time on thinking about Luna’s response before vocalizing his own, “I apologize.” Hank said, looking down to Luna at his side for a second.

“Usually when someone answers like that they’re just trying to make themselves look better despite what they’ve done. When I think people are hiding their true intentions or reasons it pisses me off pretty quick. I misjudged.” Hank explained.

“Why would you not believe me?” Luna looked up to the man obviously hurt.

Stopping in his tracks, Celestia still on his shoulders, the human did a quick scan of their surroundings before taking in a long deep breath while looking up to the treetops.

“Where I’m from there is nobody, and I mean nobody, that killed for noble reasons. At least not solely.” The man said with a sigh, “So….” The man paused to take a deep breath again to steady himself, “On the rare circumstance you met another person that wasn’t some variant of infected, and they start going on about how just and noble they are in spite of the end of the world… You kill them.”

Shaking her head, Luna didn’t understand, “w-why?”

“Because they were lying.” Hank said firmly, “And they were trying their best to get you to drop your guard around them so they could pull one over on you.”

“Have you…. Seen that before?” Luna asked as they started moving again.

“I have the scars to prove it.” Hank responded not turning his head while he kept looking forward.

“I accept your apology.” Luna said after a few seconds of silence. Now she knew why the man didn’t believe her and found it impossible to even be upset at him for not. His world was so far beyond awful that even being nice, or the outward expression of being nice was a sign of someone trying to backstab you. It was a level of horrible that was foreign to even Luna and Celestia because at least they were surrounded by those they could trust even when things were at their worst.

Hank didn’t have that. He wasn’t even afforded the luxury of trust on his planet. Everything had been taken. His past most certainly explained his trust issues and made her think that those trust issues might be even more deeply rooted than the man even showed. It also came to her mind that the worst thing that could ever happen to the human other than losing another he loved would be if someone he trusted betrayed him. She could only imagine the outlash of rage that would follow such a revelation for the man and gave a small nod to herself that she would never, NEVER, break the trust that Hank had put in her. Even if that amount was small. She simply couldn't bring herself to even think about the pain that would bring the already damaged man.

“I appreciate it.” Hank responded to Luna’s acceptance of his apology.

Falling into silence for real this time the three continued to make their way back to relative safety. All the while Hank had their surroundings in check while Luna did her best to keep vigilant as well but found her mind filled with so much she had a hard time from turning inwards while also devoting most of her remaining attention to compulsively checking to see if Celestia had started to stir every few steps. So far absolutely no signs of responsiveness had shown themselves but all of that changed when she noticed one of her sisters' rear legs twitch.

Devoting more of her attention to her sister Luna watched as the twitches grew more frequent and stronger. At the same time Hank noticed the change in his cargo and slowed his pace while looking over his left shoulder to Celestia’s face, seeing the previously comatose pony’s face scrunched in discomfort with lips tight and eyes screwed shut.

Not doing much more than acknowledging that she was coming to Hank turned his back forward and kept walking.

“Is she waking up?” Luna asked.

“Thinkin’ so.” Hank confirmed, feeling more of her twitches through his shoulders.

Without much more waiting both Luna and Hank had their answer when Celestia suddenly tensed as she took in a large gasp, much like when Luna had first awoken, and immediately started coughing.

Looking back over his shoulder with a small smile Hank’s eye met Celestia’s quickly as she continued to cough. Her eyes wide and confused, a fair amount of shock still on her system, Hank looked back away from Celestia to once again get a read on their surroundings due to the increased level of noise they were now emitting.

“Welcome back to the land of the living sister!” Luna said with a fair amount of amusement in her voice, “Does it not feel great to be alive!” The dark furred mare added knowing that Celestia was most certainly hating every second of her existence as the magical exhaustion became a part of her consciousness.

“W-where am… are we? What h h happened?” Celestia struggled to get out between the coughs and groans of pain.

Hissing at the burning in his calves, thighs, and lower back Hank grunted as well as he slowed his pace even more, “We’re heading back. The main cell was completely destroyed.”

Celestia didn’t reply. She heard what Hank had said and registered it but her body and mind was so alight with pain and confusion that she didn’t even know that she was being carried by the man. All she knew is that she was bobbing around, had seen a blurry image of the human’s face and had heard both his and her sister’s voice.

Purely focused on heaving more and more air into her lungs, as certain pain bled away it was replaced with nauseousness as the nerves in her stomach reactivated and objected heavily with the amount of blood and other fluids that had filled her stomach through her hail mary.

Finding it harder and harder to take deep breaths while gagging as she fought to keep from throwing up as her head and neck swung somewhat limply from the position she was being carried in, Celestia found herself losing the battle with her stomach and spinning head.

Groaning as the swirling feeling in her stomach got worse and it became almost impossible to breath from her throat closing up the solar princesses’s eyes suddenly snapped fully open from their half closed state and ner neck muscles instantly tightened bringing her head in line with her body before her stomach fully revolted against its contents and sent them up her throat and out her mouth with an awful involuntary contraction of her abdomen.

Sputtering as she coughed and spit, Celestia breathed in a few good deep breaths before her stomach tightened again, forcing more of the blood and bile from her stomach until it was empty.

Gasping for breath while dry heaving a few more times Celestia let her neck go limp again as she caught her breath and recovered from the forced evacuation. As the headache and swirling in her stomach started to dissipate, the white mare was finally able to open her eyes for the first time and actually register what she was seeing once she blinked all the tears away.

Finally able to look around, the regal pony realized at last that she was no longer on the plateau, or anywhere near it for that matter, and that she was also being carried on Hank’s shoulders as she looked over his head.

As her surroundings came more and more in focus as Celestia’s body slowly but surely returned to some form of normalcy she by chance happened to look down to the ground and in the process caught something that made her stomach sink.

Through the process of her stomach emptying itself Celestia had managed to aim nearly all of it at Hank and had covered his entire left side in her vomit from shoulder to knee.

“I-I am so sorry.” Celestia weakly apologized once she realized what she had done.

“It’s okay.” Hank said simply.

Feeling like Hank’s shortness was related to his anger, which would be warranted after being thrown up on twice, Celestia wanted to make sure he really knew she was sorry.

“No really Hank, I’m so sor-,”

“I was a field medic Celestia.” Hank cut off her apology, making her close her mouth, “I’m far past caring about being thrown up on.”

“Regardless. I’m sorry.” Celestia apologized anyway.

Knee giving out for a second, Hank stumbled for a second before regaining his footing and pushing forward, “Just don’t make a habit of it and we’ll be fine.” The human grunted.

Small stumble not going unnoticed by Luna, and especially not by Celestia since she was finding on his shoulders, concern for the man started to grow for both Celestia and most certainly Luna who knew just how badly injured he was; where Celestia was more or less clueless to his torn up state.

“I think we should stop and rest.” Luna suggested while looking at the mans shaking legs.

“I agree.” Celestia chimed in while Hank blew them both off with a huff.

“Can’t. Our scent trail is even stronger now because she threw up and since I’m covered in it.”

Face falling at the mention of her mishap Celestia stayed quiet as she rode on the human’s shoulders while Luna shook her head as Hank pushed harder and picked up the pace.

“Need I remind you about the grievous state of your wounds?” Luna said, speeding up as well.

“No. I feel them fine.” Hank huffed as they rounded a small bend only to be met with a quaint and tranquil pond on their right, only about ten yards away.

“Look.” Luna pointed to the body of water that seemed to be fed by a small spring coming out of the tan moss covered rock formation directly next to it, “This is the perfect chance to stop, rest, and get cleaned off.”

Looking over the body of water like it was holding the Loch Ness monster itself, Hank shook his head slowly before he looked at Luna, “No. We need to get out ASAP.”

“I do think it is a good idea. After all you said the Shucks were gone.” Celestia said as Hank started to turn and continue on.

Growing impatient with Luna and the voice on his shoulder Hank sighed, “We just don’t have the time. Can’t risk it.”

“Listen to me Hank.” Luna said and walked in front of the human to block him, “You said that you were a medic right?”

“I did.”

“Then you know how important it is to stay clean, especially when you have open wounds like all of us do, especially thou.” Luna explained, “Not only that but it would also help neutralize the scent trail we may have.”

Mulling it over in his head, gritting his teeth all the while the human grunted, “We don’t even know if that water is contaminated or not, we’re downstream.”

“It’s a natural spring.” Luna said looking over her shoulder to the tantalizing sight, “And we’re three hundred hooves away from the stream.” Looking up at the human with a small smile Luna did her best to reassure him it would be alright, “You know I’m right.”

Starting down at the deep blue alicorn Hank closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “Fine.” He finally grumbled, but we make it quick, and that’s only if the water looks and smells absolutely clean.”

A wide smile spreading across her face Luna quickly turned and headed down toward the medium sized pond.

With a sigh the man begrudgingly followed after the small alicorn with Celestia still on his shoulders.

“How long have you been carrying me?” Celestia asked from her spot on the human’s shoulders, his hands still holding onto her rear and front legs.

“About three miles.” He answered as they neared the water.

“It looks and smells absolutely clean!” Luna called out.

“You didn’t have to do that Hank.”

“I wasn’t going to fucking leave you, and we weren’t staying.” Hank said sternly while turning his head just enough to look her in the eye.

Not knowing what to say, the words that she was going to use to respond to him died in her throat causing her to just quickly nod and look away from the human.

“I would’ve carried you and Luna out, I don’t care.” Hank hissed through his teeth as he lowered himself to a knee once he got to the water’s edge. Taking a second he then let go of Celestia’s rear legs with his right hand and let the arm droop to his side limp, the appendage having gone numb over a mile ago.

As Celestia’s rear end slid off his back the pony did her best to get her hooves under her before shakily standing for the first time in hours.

Once Hank realized she could stand on her own he then let go of her front legs and let the large pony disembark from his shoulders entirely. Wobbling a little as she took her first steps, the feeling still returning to her legs, Celestia walked past the man on the way to the water and finally got a good look at the state Hank had been left in after their battle. Unable to take her eyes off of him as he slowly lowered himself into a sitting position, his head hung, her breath hitched once she noticed the grizzly punctures and cuts that lined his legs under the thick layer of dried gore that covered him.

She desperately wanted to say something to the man that could convey how grateful she was but figured that it wasn’t the best time for that and turned to locate her sister who was belly deep in the water already and looking back at her and the man with a sad smile on her face.

Reciprocating the look Celestia took her first step into the cool water that was quickly followed by another and another as she waded out to her sister encouraged by the refreshing nature of the cool water and the prospect of getting clean.

Wading deeper as the pair wordlesly and slowly made their way toward the rock formation that surrounded the spring on three sides. As they approached the stones an old familiar scent drifted to the two princesses' noses making them both pause and look at the rocks that were covered in thick light gray and green moss at the waterline.

“What luck!” Luna exclaimed and made her way to the closest patch of the lichen, “Castile moss! Remember when mother used to collect it when we were foals? It always made my coat feel so good.”

“How could I forget!?” Celestia smiled as well and followed her sister who was already pulling some of the moss off the rocks with her front hooves and soaking it in the water.

Once Celestia reached the rock wall as well and started to collect her own bundle of the “miracle moss” as their mother had called she looked over with a smile as Luna brought her now soaked and frothy bundle of moss to her nose and took a deep breath, remembering the scent the soapy moss gave off, one of the main scents of their childhood.

“Oh my goodness.” Luna muttered with a sigh, “Do you remember when mother would boil some over the fire? The house smelled so wonderful for days.”

Thinking back to that time thousands of years ago Celestia gave a somber smile at the thought about the much simpler time, “I do sister.”

“Ever wish you could go back?” Luna asked, opening her eyes after her trip down memory lane had reached its conclusion.

“Every day of my life.” Celestia replied as she brought her hoof full of moss to her nose this time and took a deep breath that flooded her sinus with the mixed scent like pine needles and wet grass.

“I feel the same way.” Luna confessed, “Much simpler times.”

“That is an understatement.” Celestia laughed, getting a chuckle from Luna as well, as she started scrubbing her face with the moss, doing her best to remove the dried blood and grime that made her face feel tight.

Bringing her head back above water after thoroughly washing her face Celestia took a satisfied breath as her face dripped water and her mane clung to her head and neck. Watching Luna do much the same, Celestia looked at the face of the pony in front of her that looked much more like her sister instead of somepony who had gone twelve rounds in the boxing ring.

As both ponies smiled at each other, no doubt thinking the same thing they both started to remember that there was a third in their party and at the same time turned their heads to where Hank had been to see that the human was still exactly where he had sat down.

Smiles fading, Luna called out to the man who was sitting with his knees pulled up, his arms resting on said knees as his head continued to hang down, his chin touching his chest, “Are you not going to clean off Hank? There is lots of castile moss! It feels wonderful.”

If the human had heard her he didn't show any signs of it as he continued to sit there unmoving.

“Hank?” Luna called out with more volume and worry, this time getting a reaction from the human in the form of a small twitch in his right hand before his head slowly started to rise to address the source of his name.

Face flat with emotion like usual Luna and Celestia could see the tiredness in his eyes despite his stone face and both felt worry for the man. After all, he wasn’t immortal like they were, all the human had was toughness that neither Celestia or Luna could understand. Regardless of his otherworldly resilience, biology has a limit, and it looked like to the sisters that the man was nearing his.

“You really should get in the water Hank.” Celestia added, his small eyes snapping to her in that unsettling way they always seemed to, “You will feel infinitely better if you get cleaned up and let your body relax.”

Knowing they were right, Hank grunted and pushed himself to the water's edge and quickly dipped his left hand in. Sighing at the crisp feel of the spring water he then slowly started using his wet hand to scrub his right arm.

The water that left his skin a deep red compared to the crystal state it arrived in his ministrations did little to dislodge most of the dried blood and grim that had thoroughly stained his skin.

“Hank,” The solar princess called out, once again getting the man to look at her, “You’re never going to get clean that way. And you need to get those clothes off to get yourself truly washed off so your body can focus on healing instead of fighting off an infection.”

“Yes friend Hank, join us in the water. It feels most lovely.” Luna encouraged with a smile as the man looked at them with a completely unreadable expression.

Eventually shaking his head Hank returned to his previous technique, “I’ll be fine.”

“Hank.” Luna said in a leveled tone as she started to wade over to the man, “Your clothes are soaked in blood. You will get sick if you don’t take them off and wash off.”

“I know what I’m doing Luna.” Hank replied in the short tone he used when he didn’t want to talk about something.

“I don’t doubt that for a second.” Luna smiled as her torso breached the water, “But you also know I’m right.”

Setting the bundle of moss she had already soaked next to the man she gave him a smile when he turned his head to look at her, “It stings when it gets in a wound but it is not that bad.”

“Thanks.” Hank gave a half smile and a nod before going to pick up the surprisingly coarse moss.

“Could you also help us?” Luna asked, getting the man’s attention.

Looking up to the mare and seeing that she was motioning to the now soaked bandage Hank nodded and motioned for her to get closer so he wouldn’t have to move anymore than absolutely necessary.

Obliging Luna came a half step closer to the man who reached up and undid the bandage tacks before unwinding the compression bandage that wrapped all the way around her barrel before pulling the gauze away from the series of deep cuts.

Tensing a little due to the sensitivity of the wound on her ribs, Luna hoped that by asking for help the way she had she would make the man less afraid to do the same if he needed it. Showing him that there was no shame in getting assistance regardless of how self reliant and tough you may be.

“There you go.” The human said, gently pulling the last bit of packing out of the deepest cut.

“M-many thanks.”

“Want me to wash it out as well?” Hank asked, making the lunar princess shake her head no.

“We will have our sister assist with that, thank you though.” She declined, being truthful but also not wanting to aggravate the wound anymore in that instant, “Do you want any help getting your shirt off?”

“I can manage myself.” Hank shut her down instantly, getting a small frown from the midnight mare.

“Okay Hank.” She relented and started making her way back into the water. Upset that he wouldn’t let her help him, Luna sighed as she reached her sister.

“I just wish that he’d stop being so resistant to help.” Luna said quietly, looking over her shoulder for a brief second watching the man scrub at his arms, the red water pouring off of him, before turning back.

“Maybe he will, maybe he won't.” Celestia replied equally as quiet, “We’ve never known anypony like him before so who knows how long he’ll be like that. Maybe he always has been.”

“I don’t think so sister.” Luna shook her head, “I think the trauma he’s been through and his environment changed him more than we, or even he, even knows.”

Taking a quick glance herself Celestia raised an eyebrow at her sister while she started scrubbing at the large blood stain on her chest, one that was strangely very tender, “You think it was that bad? I’ve never really learned what he comes from all too much, just that there were these “infected” as he calls them.”

“Yes.” Luna nodded her head, “But I think even that is more gruesome than he even lets on.”

“You think it was worse than his planet dying of sickness?”

Eyes wide, still nodding her head yes Celestia lowered her head to her sisters ear, “Really!?”

“Really.” Luna said as Celestia pulled back, “It wasn’t just a sickness sister, it was an infection that turned his species into rabid cannibals, like zombies.”

“He really meant that when he said it all that time ago!?” The white alicorn said aghast.

“He did.” Luna confirmed.

“What else do you know?” Celestia pressed, extremely curious about Hank’s background. Her mind alight with speculation and theory.

“N-Nothing that I would be able to explain, you’ll have to ask him,” Luna confessed much to Ceelstia’s disappointment, “Oh, wait there is one thing.”

“Yes?”

“Never, NEVER. Call him young or anything of the sort. I thought he was going to knock my head off like he did you.”

A little surprised by the tip Celestia gave a quick glance over at the human to make sure he wasn’t listening in before turning back to her sister, “Really? Why?”

“I think he’s a lot younger…” Luna whispered the word almost imperceivably quiet before pausing to look at the man as well, “Than anypony thinks he is. I also think he’s afraid that others wouldn’t take him seriously if they knew his age or would pity him. Whatever reason it is you cannot call him as such if you want any hope of growing a relationship with him.”

Clear to Celestia that Luna was deadly serious about the somewhat strange rule Celestia made sure to take metal note of what Luna was telling her. She most certainly could not afford anymore bumps in the road between her and Hank if she ever wanted him to like her.

Speaking of the man, both of the mares turned when they heard a grunt come from the human as he fought to get himself back on his feet, “Ight, now that you’re both done talking about me, or whatever it was you were whispering about.”

Hank said getting both Luna and Celestia to stiffen a little thinking they’d been caught they both relaxed as the man kept going, obviously having not heard the specifics or not caring.

“I want you to both turn around and face away from me until I tell you it's alright to turn back around.”

Raising their eyebrows at the demand more than a request Luna and Celestia both looked to each other obviously both thinking the less than decent connotations to such a demand.

“Why?” They both asked in unison, the multiple hundreds of years together making the pair more alike than different most of the time.

“I’ve already seen enough of both of your rear ends today being stuck behind both you slowpokes.” Hank said with a groan and he dropped the tattered plate carrier to the ground next to his revolver and shotgun, “I’ve decided that you’re right Luna, and I want to get in the water.”

“What does that have to do with us turning around?” Celestia pressed, a slight red tint on her cheeks.

“Cause I don’t want you lookin’ at me.” Dropping the suspenders to the ground next the man revealed.

Standing tall with nothing on but his blood soaked white t-shirt and blue jeans had already started to examine what had previously been covered by armor and gear.

Easily able to tell they were looking at him in just the way he disliked the human frowned, “You’re both already doing it so just turn around to make this easier for me.”

“I’m sure there is nothing wrong with your physique Hank, we have been nude around you for all the time we have known you so do not feel like you need to stay modest.” Luna explained.

“It’s different.”

“We fail to see how.” Luna rebuked.

“Luna….” The human huffed while he grabbed for his knife, “I’m in tremendous pain and I would like to soothe some of that so if you could cut the shit I would appreciate it.”

Ears going a little flat Luna simply nodded and turned around while motioning for her sister to do the same who did after looking at the man with a less than enthused look.

Able to do nothing but listen, both ponies did just that and soon heard the sound of a knife cutting through fabric as the man seemingly started cutting his shirt off. Ears rotated to face rearwards both Celestia and Luna were able to hear the man grunt as the continued sound of fabric tearing made it to their ears.

As they continued their best to listen since they couldn’t watch all the sounds coming from the man fell silent for a few seconds before they heard him take a few deep and rapid breaths followed by a sudden tear that sounded a lot wetter and less like just cloth than before.

Immediately after the horrible sound a muffled scream came from the man followed by a thump and the sounds of anguish as the man choked on his own throat in pain unable to get breath.

The sounds of pain were too great to ignore any longer, Celestia and Luna both started to turn their heads to see what was happening to the man only to be stopped by a thundering yell from the very human.

“I SAID DON’T FUCKIN’ LOOK AT ME!” Hank yelled from his spot on the ground causing the pair to snap their heads back forward, “AhHRGG. FUCK!” The man yelled again, hitting the ground that was made up of small brown pebbles with his left hand as he pushed himself onto his knees.

Finally getting the trembling under control the human looked back at his lever right side where his right hand was pressed to the deep gashes that had been unceremoniously ripped back open when he had torn away the shirt that had apparently grown into the wound.

Still catching his breath as he watched his blood drip from around his hand, that couldn’t even cover the entirety of the wound, to the ground the human coughed a few times before getting himself back up onto shaky legs.

After making sure that the two princesses were still facing away from him Hank undid his leather belt and pulled free of his completely ruined blue jeans and hung in over his shoulder as he took his pants off leaving him completely nude minus his black underwear and boots.

With the addition of a few deep breaths and the return of his right hand to the torn open fresh skin the man then squat down and unclipped his bayonet from the alice suspenders and threaded it onto the leather belt before shinching it down to his waist. Untying his boots as fast as possible after the human stood back up straight relieving some of the pressure on his wounded body

Hand still pressed to his right side Hank kicked off his boots and pulled his socks off before approaching the water and slowly walking in. The cool water was a stark difference to the humans' high body temperature; he couldn't help but let his breath hitch as he got up to his waist in the deeper part of the pool away from Celestia and Luna.

Pausing just for a moment to acclimate Hank took a deep breath and quickly submerged himself to the neck. Gasping for air the man let out a surprised cry at the sensation of the cool water flooding into open wounds all over his body.

“Can we turn around now?” Celestia asked as the human was still acclimating.

“Y-yeah.” Hank answered now that his body was out of immediate view.

Immediately doing so both ponies looked at the back of the human’s head as he sat still in the water facing away from them.

Knowing something was obviously wrong after all the yelling Luna wadded closer to the human in the hopes of checking on him before stopping once she noticed the heavy red tint in the water that marked the path the man had taken to his current spot.

“Are you okay Hank?” Luna asked with heavy concern in her voice as she watched the area of red tint expand from around the man.

“Just need a minute.”

“Are you sure you don’t need anything?” Celestia asked from behind Luna, equally concerned with the amount of blood in the water.

“Just some of the moss.” He replied without turning around.

Wordlessly turning to gather the large amount of castile the man would obviously Celestia turned to look at the human one last time before peeling some off of the rock.

“Did you pull your sutures out by accident?” Luna asked the man, referring to his outburst earlier.

Slowly spinning around to face Luna, Hank shook his head ‘no’. “I ran out before I even got to the ones on my side. The shirt got healed into the scab and live skin thanks to my quickness to recover and when I ripped it off it took some skin with it.”

Gritting her teeth in empathic pain at the explanation, Luna shook her head and closed her eyes tight just thinking about it, “Is it better now?”

“It feels like I'm getting stabbed over and over, but it’s a lot better than it was before.” Hank grunted, switching his eyes to Celestia as she approached with a large mound of the moss floating in front of her.

“Just throw it here.” Hank stopped the princesses’ advance, “Don’t wade through all the blood.”

“I’m not afraid of a little blood Hank.” Celestia smirked while resuming her advance toward the man.

“Why are you so hell bent on getting close to me? Just fuck off to your corner of the pond and I’ll fuck off to mine.” The human huffed and pushed himself further away from Celestia and Luna with an extension of his legs that caused the blood pool he had created and was sitting in to roll expand outwards.

Stopping at the water in front of her went from tinged red to RED as the blood on his body started to dissolve into the water and his wound kept bleeding Celestia couldn't help but stop and take a few steps back at the amount of blood in the water became apparent and slowly expanded towards her.

Looking up from the red water to the man who was even further away now and looking right back at her she focused on his still blood stained face and shook her head.

“Why are you so afraid of being close to us when you’re unclothed?” She asked while shot putting the bundle of moss towards the man.

Grabbing the bundle that landed with a ‘plop’ a few feet away Hank ignored the question as he started rubbing the moss together between his hands to activate it like Luna had done.

“Yes Hank. Why are you so bashful about showing your skin?” The smaller alicorn chimed in as well.

Huffing with a great amount of annoyance the human started scrubbing his arms down with the moss while still ignoring their questions. While he was very annoyed with the situation he couldn’t deny that the moss did work and smelled very good. It made quick work of the dried blood and caked on dirt leaving behind nothing but clean cuts and scarred skin, he’d definitely need to bring a good amount home for future use and so Zecora could freak out about some new plant.

“There is no need to hide your visage Hank.” Luna spoke, taking the man out of his musings and causing him to look up to the two sisters, finally sick enough of their pressuring to speak.

“Look goddamnit. I don’t bring up the shit you hate about yourself like when you were the long toothed version of yourself Luna. I try not to bring up your pacifistic failures Celestia. So stop trying to bring up my disfigured body. I don’t like fucking talking about it and I sure as hell don’t like being looked at! DROP. IT.” He growled while washing off his torso underwater.

Silence taking over the pond as the trio continued to look at each other silently as they soaked in the cool water, “You’re not disfigured Hank. You’re scarred, there is a large difference.” Celestia was the one to press the issue this time.

“I'm not going to argue about the state of my body.” Hank responded, throwing the completely blood saturated ball of moss away and grabbing another one to finish his torso, “Everyime you look in the mirror you recognise yourself, I don’t have such a luxury. You already get to see my face, neck, and arms. I assure you it doesn’t get any better anywhere else.”

“You’re scarred Hank, stop being so hard on yourself by saying you’re deformed, you have a very healthy and muscular physique.” The solar princess replied.

Hearing the compliment but ignoring it Hank just shook his head with a long exhale, “Alright well in that case let me set a bomb off fifteen feet away from you, cut and stab you, bite and rip your skin off, and then set you on fire to the point your skin melts. Let that all heal and then look a picture of yourself before and tell me that you don’t fucking look deformed.”

Staring daggers at the pony that looked back at him with soft eyes Celestai shook her head, “I’m sorry you feel that way about yourself, but I think you’d feel better about your image if you accepted it and didn’t try to hide it as much.”

“Easy for you to say.” starting on his legs, being careful of his cuts, Hank laughed, “You don’t look like a living cutting board. You have a perfectly smooth unmarred body.”

“You’re blowing it out of proportion.” Looking at the scars on his face and left arm for a moment the white pony accused.

“I assure you. I ain’t.”

“And I assure you that you are.” Celestia quipped back with a grin while Hank grit his teeth in anger.

“Don’t think that because we’re in the water I’m any less lethal, I’ve drowned plenty of people.”

“And you expect me to believe that you’re going to drown me?” Celestia said with a raised eyebrow as Luna shook her head frantically not for her sister to egg him on.

“Oh calm down Luna he’s not going to do anything. He won’t even get out of the water enough to show any skin below the neck.”

Ignoring the comment once again, Hank kept washing himself and stayed silent as Celestia obviously tried to rile him up.

“What was it you called me earlier today Hank?” Celestia questioned, looking from her sister to Hank who kept his eyes on the water as he cleaned his lower half.

“Could you remind me as to what you said I was?” She asked in a sweet almost motherly tone.

“A bitch.” Hank growled out in a tone the exact opposite of Celestia’s.

“Ah that’s right,” The white pony hummed with a small smile on her face.

“I won’t help you.” Luna said simply, already knowing what her sister was going to say and transpire.

Dismissing the comment with a flippant wave of her hoof Celestia smiled and continued to poke the bear.

“Well I might have been scared to fight a wave of Shucks but at least I’m not afraid of showing a little skin.” Pausing for a moment as the man grumbled again she waited for the quip to set in before continuing, “So you tell me who the bigger bitch is Hank?”

Practically vibrating with anger, Luna took a step away from her still grinning sister immediately before the man clenched the ball of bloody moss tight in his right hand and sent an absolute piss missile at Celestia’s face.

While the projectile missed its intended target only because the solar princess was able to dodge it Celestia laughed as she looked at the bundle off moss that landed behind her, “I think you’re losing your touc-”

Words dying in her mouth when her eyes settled on the spot that Hank had been but where a small ripple only resided now Celestia gave a quick look to Luna who only responded by taking another step away from her.

Snapping her head back forward and scanning for the man while taking a few slow steps backwards Celestia’s heart nearly shot out of her throat as she caught a large white shape rapidly approaching her under the water.

Try as she might to avoid the torpedo and move, it was too late, and in a blink of an eye the man was already upon her.

Rearing up on her rear hooves in a panic as she tried to flap her wings to take off the man breached the water and grabbed her under the ribcage and shot to his full height before throwing her back down into the water with a yell that quickly went away for the large white mare as she was forced underwater from the body slam.

Coughing as she scrambled to the surface to get air back into her stunned lungs Hank let her wheeze for a second before grabbing her by the snout and pushing her head to the bottom of the shallow pond while sinking to a knee.

Panicking as she was held on the bottom of the pond by her snout Celestia thrashed her legs, hitting the man repeatedly to no avail, in an attempt to free herself. Holding her breath the best she could, it was in that moment as her lungs burned and she had no prospects of getting free herself that the solar monarch realized that maybe, just maybe, she shouldn’t prod the man so hard. Especially not in the water.

On the other side of the water line Luna looked on in shock as Hank held her sister at the bottom of the pond, the water around the man splashing like mad as her sister obviously struggled against his vice-like grip.

Despite the attempt on her sister’s life happening right before her, Luna couldn’t help herself from looking at the man’s body and drinking in all the scars that covered just his upper back and shoulders.

Just as Luna looked at the tattoo between his shoulder blades the human decided that Celestia had been without air long enough and grabbed her under her front arms before harshly pulling her out from the water and holding in front of him.

Gasping for air and coughing the water out of her lungs all at the same time Celestia didn’t fight back in the man’s grasp as she got her bearings again. Just about to get her breath back and open her eyes she was suddenly spun around and put in a loose chokehold under his right arm as the human stood to his full height and started making his way to deeper water.

Gritting her teeth because of the pressure on her neck Celestia tried her hardest to pry herself free by pulling his arm open but found no give as the water started to get deeper, now up the human's mid stomach.

Stopping at the edge of where he could feel the depth fall off the human laughed as Celestia continued to struggle in his grip. Reaching over with his left hand the man seized the mare by grabbing her under the head by the neck and pulling her around to face him while holding her under the left arm with his right hand.

Now face to face at an arm's length Celestia continued to breathe heavily as she looked to the man with wide and scared eyes before her eyes drifted south and focused on his chest and upper abdomen.

Instantly met with the cuts that continued down his neck and the chunks of skin that were missing from his left pectoral from bite marks she looked down further to see a huge swath of crossing cuts, punctures, and divots combined with deep and long bubbled over gashes from what must have been a knife.

Wrenching her head back up to eye level Celestia looked at the man in the eyes for a second before looking back at his shoulders and chest and the various healed over cuts and a few bites which resulted in the man wrenching her head up harder making her gasp.

“Impolite to stare. Deep breath.” Hank simply said as the mare started to frantically shake her head ‘no’ and grabbed on tight to his forearms.

Ignoring her silent plea the human pulled the pony closer to himself before putting his hands just at the bottom of her ribs and pushing her as hard as possible, sending her backwards six feet with a mighty splash.

Rolling his neck and taking a deep breath Hank dove forward to intercept the mare before she could scramble away from him.

Hank’s form slipping back under the water the white alicorn’s head and front legs surfaced for a moment before she was unceremoniously pulled back under the water with one last loud splash. Left looking at the spot where her sister had just disappeared, Luna watched the ripples expand from the point as the water settled as she thought about what she had seen on Hank’s back.

She had never seen such scarring before, despite her numerous years in war. The large dent in his left side that was the epicenter of sorts for the large crisscrossing scars and red discoloration of his fair skin was what really put the princess off. That wasn’t all, he had every size and depth of cut from shoulders to lumbar, plus three deep cuts across his lower back from just earlier that day.

It was no mystery to Luna why the man was so torn up, five years in hell with a confrontational fighting style could turn the most untouched of ponies to a living cutting board like Hank had said.

Despite his appearance Luna still wanted the man to stop hating how he looked, even if he could never look “normal” ever again it didn’t mean that his body wasn’t something to be proud of. She had no difficulty believing that most of the scars on his body had been near lethal wounds, and for him to still be living, let alone be the force of nature he was, was a testament to his toughness and willpower.

As the water completely settled Luna slowly grabbed her bundle of moss and started cleaning her barrel the best she could while wearily watching the spot her sister had been pulled under. There was no way she was going to get involved with…. That. Not when Hank was just as quick in water as he is on land, she had no idea that humans could swim so well.

Meanwhile under the water Celestia frantically attempted to escape the man as they twisted and turned around each other as Hank dragged her to the bottom. Despite how hard she tried to get away from the man it was impossible, whenever she ended up above the man he was instantly there to wrap her up and pin her under him before pushing her down further.

Eventually Celestia gave up fighting and let the human push her to the pebble bottom off the pond. Gently impacting the floor of the pond with her back, Celestia opened her eyes as Hank hit the pond bed directly after her and anchored himself over top of her by holding onto the short vegetation that sprouted from the pebble bottom before straddling her stomach with each of his legs and squeezing down on her, locking them both in place under the near crystal clear water.

Going nowhere until the man let her, Celestia was stuck staring up into Hank’s anger filled eyes as he stared down at her. As she was stuck at the bottom of the spring fed pond, held down by the enraged human, Celestia finally realized that she had probably gone too far in prodding at the man’s sensibilities. After all, just because he was on speaking terms with her now didn’t mean that he liked her, as displayed by their current situation and the look on his face.

Though since she was already being punished for her words and anything more serious would be murder the large mare decided that since his arms and legs were occupied and the water was clear she might as well get her fill on seeing what he looked like in his entirety since the opportunity would probably never arise again.

Looking away from his face Celestia ignored the slight burn in her lungs and looked over the man on top of her from knee to neck. Too many to focus on any single past injury the pony finally settled on a large patch low on the right side of his abdomen that looked like something had torn into him with dull enough claws to rip instead of cut. Covering the roughly one foot by one foot patch of his abs and obliques the pony could still see the muscle underneath the skin despite the scars and couldn't help but bring her left hoof to the spot and gently touch to quell her curiosity.

Celestia could’ve mistaken her hoof for a knife from Hank’s reaction to being touched. Even touching him ever so gently she could feel his muscles contract instantly as he flinched away from the touch before making himself relax.

Locked onto his nude torso the mare slowly brought her hoof back to the spot and rested it there for a second taking in how strange his smooth skin felt compared to a pony before slowly running her hoof down the entirety of the scar feeling every little bubbled over line and crease where there wasn’t quite enough skin to fill in what was missing.

Before the alicorn could truly get her fill though Hank’s hand wrapped around her hoof and pushed it away, a clear sign that he didn’t appreciate her touch. Before the man could pull his hand away from her hoof however, Celestia grabbed around his wrist and held his appendage in still while she looked into his eyes and pulled his hand toward her left side.

Hank had not been lying when he said that he was a human cutting board. He hadn’t even been lying that his scarring was so severe and widespread it changed how his body would look if he were “normal”. What the man hadn’t alluded to was the fact that the scars made him look better. But maybe that was Celestia’s own mareish opinions showing their head, though she also failed to see how any other mare could decline such a sight when the opportunity arose.

It was clear that Hank felt that his physical appearance made him look disfigured however and the white alicorn just couldn’t have that. She knew that he’d never listen to words though, he most likely already had been told that his scars didn’t detract from his appearance, he was a pon-person who needed to be shown not told. So Celestia did just that by bringing his hand to her side and pressing it hard to her side where her own network of scars lay hidden underneath her once non stained white fur.

While it took the human a second to figure it out, once he did he tensed his fingers to push through her fur and drug them down her side much like she had done to him. Eyes going from angry to curious as he felt along her side the human quickly realized that under her fur was a network of scars much like his own left side, though different in texture.

Where his own was composed of raised lines and missing pieces hers felt more… flat and…. smooth, like the few burns that he had from molotov accidents and close calls in burning buildings. Buildings he had light on fire with himself inside admittedly.

Taking near the entirety of her left side Hank ran his hand back up her side taking in just how large the burn was completely oblivious to the effect his foreign touch was having on the princess. Traveling back to where he started the man kept following the burn scar upwards first passing her front leg and then starting up her neck.

Hank had to lean forward to keep following the burn as it traveled up her neck, its intense twisting pattern never ceasing under his fingertips, telling him that the skin under her fur had once completely melted down to a third degree burn at the least. Still, the burn continued up Celestia’s neck all the way up to her head which he gently took a hold of and turned slightly which resulted in a vibration to travel up his arm.

Looking away from the area he was so focused on he looked to Celestia’s face, her mouth half way open as a small burst of bubbles rose past him from her small gasp. Turning his attention to her eyes, still holding onto her head, the man met her lidded gaze as she looked up to him through the corner of her eyes before she turned her head for him to get better access to the location of her scar.

Taking advantage of the position of her head Hank felt the rest of the scar that traveled to just behind her left eye while being completely unable to unlock his eyes from hers. As the man reached the conclusion of the massive scar, something magnitudes bigger than anything even he had, Hank slowly pulled his hand away while Celestia turned her head back to a neutral position with a small smile across her lips.

Her scar was a secret that few knew to begin with when it first happened nearly fifteen hundred years ago in a particularly large and hectic battle. At the time her grievous and truly disfiguring wound was only known by those that had been near her in formation when it happened, her personal guard, her sister, and the small army of apothecaries that made the pain bearable and made it possible for her fur to grow from the melted and charred flesh. All of those ponies but one were gone now, her old wound could be considered one of the most protected state secrets and yet there she was showing a man who didn’t even like her.

She could lie to herself and say that she didn’t know why she was doing it but she did. She wanted the brutal human to like her and she felt that if he understood that she knew what it was like to be in pain and have your body forever changed that he wouldn’t see her as just some soft, out of place, princess. Also maybe that her jab at the man for being a bitch didn’t come from a place that wasn’t at least shared.

Despite her desire to be liked by the human, his feelings were still a secret to the slowly suffocating mare. While his face had fallen to what could be called “idle” from the clear anger it had held before it still revealed nothing to the mare trapped beneath him. Unbeknownst to her however was the human’s rapid inner monologue that was bouncing back and forth behind his stoic face.

While the human was more than content to stay under the water and play devil's advocate with himself Celestia quickly came to the realization that she needed to breathe again. Bad. After the excitement of exploring the man’s body and having him explore her’s to a minor extent had worn off, the need for oxygen quickly made itself Celestia’s number one priority.

Looking up past the man at the surface the large white mare struggled to free herself from Hank’s grasp to no avail and started to panic in earnest as the burning in her lungs became too much to bear and she realized that she still didn’t have enough magic to teleport or near enough strength to get herself out from under the large human.

Frantically tapping the man’s thigh to get his attention Celestia pointed to the surface to convey what she needed but had a feeling the heaving of her lungs and panicked expression did more to get the point across than anything.

Looking down to Celestia’s scared expression as she started to actually suffocate, the human had to admit he was impressed by her lung capacity even if it was far less than his own. He also had to admit, to himself, mostly that there was a small yet growing part of him that was feeling…. Something toward the pony princess.

He also had to admit that he didn't want to kill the pony by drowning, after all he didn't perform CPR on her for nearly twenty minutes just to kill her off only a few hours later. He did really like watching her struggle though, just one more thing that was slightly off in his head, the more his victims both in the playful and not so playful sense struggled the more fun he had.

Irregardless of that fact though he did know when enough was enough and with a wide toothy smile he got off of the mare and once again grabbed onto her midsection before pushing her upwards as hard as he could.

Watching her break the surface a few feet above him Hank then turned around under the water and surveyed the bottom of the pond, made possible by the insanely clear water and lack of sediment. His lungs just starting to tighten and burn, the man swam further away from where the two sisters would be to check out the deepest part of the pool for no other reason than pure curiosity.

Nothing out of the ordinary but a few crawdads that made the man smile and laugh as he thought back to being a kid and catching the small freshwater crayfish and then making them pinch him, letting them hang off of his outstretched arm as he freaked his friends out who were scared to get pinched. His nostalgic smile falling like all of them did once the violent details of how his friends died forced their way into his mind the man swam to the more shallow part of the pond where he could at least stand and breached the water with a strong gasp, his lungs right at their limit.

As the man shook the water from his head the second he opened his eyes he was instantly met with a huge bundle of castile moss that rammed itself into his face making him stumble back under water.

Getting his bearings back after the retaliatory attack the man surfaced again albeit slower and only revealing his head just past his nose. Looking at Celestia who had another ball of the moss ready with a large smile on her face the man rolled his eyes and stood up, revealing his torso and readied himself to either block or dodge the large ball of moss but surprisingly it never came.

Lowering his arms the man’s expression lowered as well once he realized the reason why the ball never came. Shaking his head at the two sisters who were obviously staring right at his torso the man shook his head.

“This is why I stay clothed. I don’t like all the staring.” The man explained lowering himself into the water once more, “And you just got an all you can see viewing so why are you looking so hard?” He said, singling out the one who had thrown the moss.

“Because we have never seen anything like you.” Celestia answered with a roll of her eyes, “Are we not allowed to be curious?”

“You can be curious and not stare like an owl.”

“What’s the point?” Luna spoke, “You hate beating around the bush so why should we?”

Foiled by his own logic Hank pursed his lips and stayed silent.

“Now stop hiding and get over here so I can wash your back off.” Celestia said whale pushing her mane out of her eyes.

Both Hank and Luna raising an eyebrow and looking at the alabaster princess she looked between them and huffed, “What!? His back is still coated in blood and dirt and I know he can't wash it himself. Can you?”

Both ponies now looking at him for his answer the man groaned, “Not most of it. No.”

“Well then get over here. There’s no point in doing half a job.”

He hated to admit it, really did, but the man did know that she was right and that he would feel better without the terrible itching the once dry blood was subjecting him too.

“Fine.” The human finally surrendered with a grumble making the white alicorn smile just a bit too wide.

Begrudgingly standing up and revealing his torso once again as he waded over towards the pair Hank pointed at Celestia, “You get too touchy and I’ll throw you around some more.”

Smirking, Celestia readied some more of the moss from the large ball she had readied and held it up while looking at the man as she approached, “I’m positivity shaking in my shoes.”

“Better be.” The man grumbled and stopped a few feet away from the pair, hesitation clear in his posture.

“What are you waiting for?” Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t like being touched.” Hank admitted with a very serious frown.

Picking up on his discomfort, Celestia softened a little to help reassure the man, “I’m not going to hit you or go rough, I don’t want to hurt you. All you have to do is tell me to stop and I will.”

“I’m not worried about you hurting me,” Hank clarified, “I don’t like… I’m not used to gentle touches, it makes me flinch and makes my muscles cramp.”

The admission caused both princesses' moods to sadden, their faces showing their emotion Hank sighed, “You’ll have to apply a lot of pressure anyway to get the blood and dirt off, I’d rather have it hurt than feel good in the first place.”

Lowering himself down on his knees and turning himself around to give Celestia access to his back the human fought the screaming voice in his head for exposing his back to the mare and waited for her touch.

Waiting a few seconds the man turned his head to look back at the princess, “Hurry up.”

Irritation clear in his voice Celestia took her eyes away from the cuts that were still open on his back and brought her eyes up to his neck and pressed her hoof with the moss to his skin making his back arch and his breath to catch.

Growling as he reset himself and forced his nerves to calm their shit Hank nodded for Celestia to go ahead.

Starting from top to bottom, rubbing the moss around in a circular pattern Celestia and Luna were both surprised by how much blood had been covering the man as the water once again started to take on a red tint.

“How did you get so bloody ?” Luna asked as more and more was freed from Hank’s skin.

A snort coming from the man he turned his head and looked at her for a second out of his peripheral before looking back forward, “Hand to hand will do that to you.”

“I guess your brand will, I have never been so covered from simple combat before.” Luna admitted thinking back on her old exploits.

“We fight a lot differently Luna, I’m more confrontational than you.”

“I don’t feel so.” Luna disagreed.

“Have you ever bit someone's throat out?” The human asked bluntly.

While Luna knew the answer in an instant it still took her a second to respond, “....No. We have not.”

Only getting a hum and nod from the human in response she knew he was right and abandoned the argument.

Meanwhile as Celestia fought through the grime that covered the man she splashed him to wash away the suds and blood she inadvertently uncovered the tattoo between his shoulder blades that she had seen small bits of but never in its entirety.

“Is this your full name?” the mare asked gently resting her hoof tip on the tattoo causing the man to flinch away at the light touch.

“S-sorry!” She rapidly pulled her hoof back, “I forgot.”

“Don’t forget again.” The man said harshly, “And yes, it is.”

Not even the man’s tattoo was free from damage Celestia assessed as she looked at the marking with all her focus. A single downward scar separated a part of the ‘H’ from the rest of the tattoo and she could tell that the mark had to have been made by a blade of somesort, it was far too clean and uniform for it to be anything else.

“Why do you have your own name marked on your skin?” Luna asked as she watched her sister start to scrub lower on the man’s back making him wince a little.

“I’m the absolute last of my name, figured it’d be good to put it in writing.” Hank explained.

“We are sor-.”

“Don’t Luna.” Hank cut her off with neither anger or sadness in his voice.

“Do you have any other tattoos Hank?” Celestia asked in an attempt to cut the tension.

“Part of one on the left side of my chest.”

“Really? I didn’t see one when you were drowning me.”

“You weren't looking at my chest so I’m not surprised.” Hank said with a smirk getting the attention of Luna who looked at her sister as her cheeks went from white to pink.

“Where were you looking, sister?” Luna questioned with a smirk.

“At my-”

Celestia’s turn to cut someone off she gently ran her hoof down Hank’s spine making him flinch completely away from her and nearly face plant in the water. It also got him to shut up as well.

“No need to say anything more than there was a lot to take in.” She said as Hank turned around with murder in his eyes which Celestia responded to with an even kinder smile.

Grumbling as he turned back around, just wanting to get washed up and back home he motioned for Celestia to continue with his right hand.

Doing just that the pony got a new section of moss and started on his low back. Just going through the motions with her hoof Celestia’s mind was free to wander and she quickly found herself thinking about the body of the man in front of her and just what she had truthfully been looking at a little. She couldn’t help herself, his underwear didn’t hide anything when they were wet and she had always had a healthy curiosity.

“Just what is the tattoo on your chest Hank?” She asked, terminating her own train of thought before things got out of hoof.

“It’s just my blood type.” The man answered with little care as he felt like it was nothing too out there.

To the princesses however it was rather strange. There were of course different blood types in ponies but any pony could give any other pony blood. The harmonic magic that resided in all of them made sure of it.

“Can all humans not share blood?” Celestia asked, pausing her mentrations for a moment.

“No. Hell no!” Hank exclaimed and turned to face the both of them, “Can all ponies share?”

“Well. Yes.”

Completely baffled by the admission the man seemingly had to take a second to digest the information before he slowly turned back around without saying a word.

“That is some fuckin’ bullshit.” He finally said, hitting the water with his left hand, “That must be really god damn nice. I can’t believe how easy you ponies have it. Incredible.”

“Well what is your blood type Hank?”

With a sigh Hank grumbled something else about ‘bloody bullshit’ before looking over his shoulder at Luna who was now sitting down in the water, “I’m just A P.O.S.” the man said with a slight chuckle.

“What?” Luna squinted her eyes at the man and tilted her head.

“My blood type is A positive and the abbreviation on my chest is ‘A POS’ or ‘A piece of shit.’.”

“I see.” Luna and Celestia both laughed at the explanation.

“Are there many human blood types?”

“Eight.” Hank answered immediately, showing how much his time as a medic had influenced him.

“I take it you know a lot about such things?” Celestia hummed, rinsing the suds off his lower back.

“More than the average person I’d say.”

About to ask another question about his medical career the princess gasped as the red suds washed away revealing the worst disfigurement she had seen on the man's storied body so far.

Deep and cratered on his left side, the gouge where skin and muscle had once been sank a good centihoof or more into his side and traveled multiple across, getting shallower at the edges. The side and depth of the wound wasn’t the only trait that was off putting; however, it was also a shade more red than the surrounding skin of his back showing that despite being healed over his body was still angry about the incident that had caused it.

“W-what caused this?” Celestia asked, having to hold herself back from tracing the various cuts and bubbled over lines that led from the wound, some ending as far away as the man’s right side.

A deep annoyed sigh escaped Hank’s lips and his head dropped a little at the question, “Which one?”

“The big one…” He heard Celestia reply before hearing Luna gasp as well.

“I told you I got blown up.” With a greatly annoyed tone he huffed, “Why do you think my entire left side is pockmarked with all these little… and not so little, cuts and shit?” examining his own arm Hank asked the two rhetorically.

“I believe you, I just didn’t know how bad it was.”

“Clear to see it wasn’t good.” The man said with a flat, unamused tone.

“What caused yours? The big one?” With a punchy air to his voice he turned to face Celestia, happy to put her on the spot since she had made such a big deal about his scars.

“Oh um well…” Celestia broke his gaze, looking to her sister for a moment who only responded with the look of ‘YOU TOLD HIM!’

“Wellllllll.” Turning away from Luna, mostly to escape the look on her face, she looked back to Hank, “When me and Luna were on campaign defending against a combined minotaur and griffin push-”

“Sister!” Luna cried out.

“What?!”

“You cannot be serious! You’ve kept that secret for over a thousand years, made ponies swear themselves into secrecy until death, and now you’re just gonna tell him?!”

“He already knows that I have the scar, what's the harm in telling him how it happened?”

“How does he know?” Luna looked between her sister and the man who wore a flat unreadable expression as always.

“Well I…. Showed him.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“REALLY!?”

“YES!” Celestia yelled back, “I showed him because he showed me his! It’s only fair.”

“Only fair.” Luna shook her head, “Is that what you two got up to under water? Explored each other's bodies, got to know each other a little more intimately?” Luna admonished her sister who looked away with a blush on her face.

“If I knew you were gonna be so damn jealous I woulda dragged you down there too.” Hank spoke up, causing Luna to look at the man with a deep scowl.

"Please. We consider you a good friend but I feel absolutely no attraction towards you."

"Fair enough. Monkey ain’t for everyone." Hank shrugged and started washing off his own lower back as he got the feeling it was going to be a while.

Being careful of the fresh cuts on his back, he quickly discovered that whatever was in castile moss stung like hell in a deep cut but did his best to ignore it by listening to the sisters bicker back and forth over what, to him, seemed like no big deal.

For a second he thought maybe it was the same for ponies when he made a big deal about not showing his body. Then again Celestia’s was completely hidden from view where all of his were extremely prominent. He knew damn well it was the first thing people or ponies saw about him. Maybe second thing for ponies since he was so much larger than him and his size seemed to be a point of interest for the equines. They were in the top three at least.

That did beg the question though: how did her fur grow on a burn scar? Especially one as bad as the one she was afflicted with.

Curiosity taking hold Hank tuned back into the argument from his thoughts and was immediately met with their raised voices.

"You're making it seem sexual when it wasn't!"

" "Wasn't sexual". " Mocked Luna while laughing, "Just because you have been able to fool the entire world for most of our lives doesn't mean that you can fool me."

"I'm not trying to fool you, you empty headed bird brain!"

"That is redundant fat flank!" Shooting to her hooves, Luna's wings vibrated at her sides, shaking water droplets free as she squared off with her sister.

Rising to her hooves in response, Celestia's wings spread a ways and started to vibrate as well, "I'll show you fat flank when I kick you back to the castle."

"As if you could turn around quick enough. Double wide." Luna shot back, borrowing Hank's nickname for her sister.

Eyebrows furling Celestia was about to charge her sister, her rear legs and wings tensing before a ball of moss slapped into the side of her head followed not a second later by one impacting Luna.

Both mare's attention now angrily shifted to the man who threw the moss they were met with the posture of 'try me' and decided to relax their posture.

"Watching you two has made me incredibly happy that I'm an only child." He laughed showing he wasn't actually upset, "Good use of double wide by the way Luna."

Smirking with pride at her sister Celestia only responded with a growl.

"While listening to you two bicker was just great I want to know how your fur grows on that burn scar. Cause my hair doesn't even grow on cut scars, let alone a burn.

"How'd you know it was a burn?" The large alicorn asked.

"Cause it feels like this one." Hank held up his right arm showing the burn on top of his arm and wrist, "Dumbass."

A small laugh and a smile on her lips from the playful name calling Celestia sighed and deflated a little and looked to her sister who just waved her on.

"When me and Luna were young… well young for alicorns. I was a hundred and fifty years old and Luna was just a baby at a hundred and forty eight." Still looking at Luna as she spoke, Luna shook her head at the comment with a smile.

"We were in a large battle like I said and the minotaurs have always been good at creating new things. In this particular battle they unleashed flaming oil filled bombs of sorts fired from massive trebuchets and I was unlucky enough to get caught in the spray of oil when it hit the ground." Celestia explained, that all too familiar far off look setting into her eyes as she relived the events.

"Obviously it covered my left side and burnt me pretty seriously, the small formation I was leading had it worse though. They were all but destroyed by the flames, only leaving a few left standing. It was an unfortunate stroke of luck…." Celestia trailed off while bringing her eyes back into the present.

"To answer your actual question though, as the battle wound down I was taken to our private quarters and a small army of apothecaries and surgeons were brought in to begin healing my wounds since my own biology wasn't enough to cut it."

Hank offered a hum in response along with a series of nods, “I didn’t have any of that with mine.” The man pulled his right arm back out of the water, revealing the burn.

“We actually considered, I say we but really mean I.” Celestia began again, “I considered letting the scar stay uncovered, letting the entire world see what had happened to me in battle.”

“Why?” Hank raised a brow.

“Image. As is everything in politics.” Celestia laughed, “At the time I thought it would be a good decision to show the world and our empire a strong face. To show that me and my sister were a force to be reckoned with. I am very glad that you talked me out of it Luna.”

“As are we.” Luna laughed, “looking at you was a painful sight.”

“So then why didn’t ya?” Hank chimed in, causing Celestia to turn and face him.

“Same reason: Image. We knew the war wouldn’t last forever and that in the future such a sight might be considered….unbefitting of a princess. That maybe our citizens would like a more friendly face when they looked at one of their rulers and not a half melted one.”

Humming again Hank gave one final curt nod, “You do realize that it seems awfully hypocritical of you to call me a bitch for not wanting to show my fucked up body when you covered yours right?”

With a reluctant nod Celestia sighed, “I do, yes. I hope you didn’t take my words too seriously as well, you seem to enjoy banter so…”

“I didn’t take it too seriously, Just didn’t want you thinkin’ you could get away with that kind’ve thing.” Hank explained with a grin.

“Should I start tackling you whenever you make fun of my sensibilities? I don’t know, like my weight?” The alabaster alicorn shot back with a smile of her own getting a hearty laugh from the human.

“You can try.”

Sharing a laugh once both human and alicorn had calmed down Celestia stood and started making her way toward the bank, “What is the problem you have with your scars anyways? I figured a stallion of your… temperament would appreciate such markings.”

“A few is fine,” The man groaned, “But so many you have a hard time recognizing yourself is too much. Same reason you had for deciding to have yours covered.”

“I completely understand. Though I still feel that you are too hard on yourself about your appearance.” Celestia said while looking over to her shoulder as Hank and Luna followed her out of the water, the human carrying a large bundle of the moss with him.

“You all say that but none of you live it. You had the choice to and you decided against it.” Hank rebutted flatly, “ And I don’t blame you a second for it. Given the opportunity I would do the same.”

Celestia simply couldn’t argue against that point. It was absolutely true, at one time she had the opportunity to live the life he was forced to and had gone the other way. There were other angles she could use however, “It’s different.”

“It ain’t.”

“Oh but it is,” Celestia watched unashamedly as the man bent over and started gathering his gear.

“It ain’t.” The man repeated.

“Your scars fit you better than an unmarked body ever would.” The mare explained, knowing it sounded a little bad.

Staying silent as he put his socks and boots back on, Celestia took his silence as an opportunity to continue further, “You know I’m right. Your scars fit everything you stand for.”

“You don’t know what I stand for.” The man growled.

“Protection of the incapable and the complete destruction of everything that would cause harm to said incapable?” Celestia cocked her head with a small smile, “Does that not describe you? Because I remember a certain incident where we got in a fight over where you did just that.”

The human quiet, minus a loud huff, she knew that she had gotten him, “You also like being the strong, scary monster that is feared by those you protect and especially the ones you don’t. Sound right?” She asked rhetorically, circling around so he had to face her.

Putting the bayonet back on his alice belt and suspenders the man looked at the large white mare unamused with her impromptu therapy session and roughly reconnected the sheath to the belt.

“All I’m saying is that you should be proud of the scars you have, even though I cover mine, I’m proud of it. Proud that I was strong enough to live through it. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t find it annoying that nearly every creature on this planet sees me as a big, soft, pretty, princess that has never been through anything, that I’ve had everything given to me.”

Being completely honest with the man was the only way she’d ever get him to even listen to her, and Celestia knew that. So she decided to let him see a side of her that only a rare few ever did, the non princess Celestia.

“Awfully egotistical aren’t we?” The man shot back while slingling the suspenders over his shoulders.

Rolling her eyes Celestia huffed, “There is nothing wrong with admitting a fact. Me and my sister are both very attractive mares. Would you hesitate to call yourself strong?”

“No.”

“Well there you go.” Celestia smiled sweetly, “But what I was trying to say is that nopony in their right mind could ever look at you and think you had it easy, that you weren’t as strong and resilient as iron. That you aren’t someone to, if not respect, than to fear because; “obviously that guy has been through and done things I can’t even imagine”.”

“Why do you care so damn much?” Hank shook his head.

“Because! It makes me sick that you hate the way you look when the way you look is one of the most visually powerful bodies I have ever seen. Your scars, even if from horrible, sickening, events are not something to hate and hide… they are something to be proud of! They show that despite all the odds you’ve been faced with you refused to quit. Instead you fought. Despite the pain you fought, despite the cuts to the bone, the melting of skin, the shrapnel, the infections you fought. That is not something to shun! Beauty does not command respect like a well worn body does."

Her smile widening as the volume behind her voice grew, Celestia took a moment and inhaled a deep breath before continuing, "Scars are not failures Hank. They're lessons, and victories."

A narrowed gaze and pursed lips is what Celestia was met with as she looked at the man. It was clear that Hank either didn't appreciate her words and or was suspicious of her

"W-"

"I don't have an angle, Hank." Celestia laughed and shook her head, knowing just what he was going to say.

"Just being honest…. I'm jealous of you." Celestia admitted causing the man to momentarily pause as he sorted out the remains of his plate carrier and looked up to the pony princess.

"Look at me," Celestia gestured to herself flaring her wings slightly, "Do I look like I've marched continents? Led grand armies? Like I've laid siege to countless capitals, conquered empires?" Shaking her head, Celestia stomped her hoof, "I look like I've done nothing but sat on my flank and gotten fat my entire life. My body tells no stories despite there being many worth sharing.”

Half expecting the man to take advantage of what she had said and make a witty comment like he was often liable to do Celestia frowned when no such comment arose from the man, in fact nothing came from the human but a blank stare even after everything she had admitted.

Standing without a word and turning away from Celestia and Luna, Hank scanned their surroundings idly as he thought about what had been said to him. While nothing made itself a point of interest to the man visually, the same could not be said for what he had heard. The fact that a ruler of an empire, an immortal demigod capable of vaporizing two square miles of forest, was jealous of him was something he had certainly expected to hear. Especially from a mare named Celestia of ponies. Out of all the emotions he felt that she might harbor for him like: contempt, hatred, disgust, anger, etc the overall positive, downright flirtatious, way she had been treating him as the day went on had been a surprising shift in its own right, but having her jealous of him was something else entirely that he didn’t understand.

Why would anyone want to look like him? All tore up like he was, so tore up that his lips didn’t even close all the way unless he consciously closed them because of the snarl the large scar on his face gave him. He supposed he could be worse; he still had all his limbs and appendages, still had his eyes somehow, and he was more capable than ever despite his outward appearance, but still there was a large part of him that didn't like the double takes people and ponies gave him, the lingering eyes.

Rolling his shoulders Hank cleared his throat and stood up straighter before turning and looking down to Celestia, “Your jealousy is greatly misplaced but how you look is entirely up to you, if you want scars get hurt and let it heal naturally. I don’t know what else to say.”

“Our anatomy doesn’t let us scar unless the wound is extraordinarily large or serious, like in my sister's case so many years ago.” Luna explained making the human nod.

“Then go get hurt badly.” Hank shrugged.

“If it were only so simple.” Celestia laughed, “Unfortunately the nobility and population at large would throw a fit if I so much as raised my voice at somepony or got hurt.”

“Weak.” Hank stated simply getting a head tilt from Celestia and Luna.

“What is?”

“You are.” The man chuckled, getting a narrowed frown from Celestia, “You are the ruler, or one of the rulers of an entire empire, thousands of years old, supposedly battle hardened, and able to vaporize two square miles of forest. Yet despite all that power you still submit yourself to some nobility as if you couldn’t tear their heads off at a moment's notice. It’s completely pathetic.”

“I don’t do it for my own benefit! I do it so fair and equal power is dispersed between me and my sister and the citizenry!” Celestia defended their current system of governance, despite her growing disdain for it.

“For the citizenry huh?” Hank nodded and looked off into the forest, “So you and the nobility somehow equals the people? Makes plenty of sense to me.”

Sarcasm thick in his tone Celestia huffed in annoyance, “Me and my sister aren’t dictators Hank, we care about what our populace wants and we want them to feel represented.”

Motioning for the pair to follow him as he checked his compass Hank sighed at Celestia’s explanation, “Then go to the people, not the nobility. The nobility don’t speak for the people… I’m not even from here and I’ve never interacted with this nobility but even I know that.”

“It’s more complicated than you even realize!” Celestia shot back.

“Oh my god!” Hank yelled, his arms tensing while he looked up to the sky, “Then un fucking complicate it!”

Taken aback from his sudden outburst Celestia and Luna leaned back when the man suddenly spun back around to face them.

“What part about: Insanely powerful, battle hardened ruler did you not understand!?”
Shaking his head and pinching his nose Hank cleared his throat and spit out some blood that had dislodged itself before continuing, “Are these nobles good… ponies?”

“No.” Luna instantly answered while Celestia hesitated.

“Do they have any consideration for the regular pony?”

“No.” Luna answered again.

“Are they greedy and self absorbed?”

“Yes”
“...Yes.” Celestia finally answered along with her sister

“Hang 'em.” Hank growled and turned on a dime before marching away and motioning them to follow once again.

A shocked expression crossed Celestia’s face at his words and she quickly turned to her sister to see how Luna was feeling only to see, not a surprised face, but a resolute one as the midnight mare obviously thought about something very deeply before suddenly coming out of it and quickly making her way to catch up to the human.

Surprised by her sister’s reaction and sudden burst of speed, Celestia galloped to catch up to the pair just in time to hear the tail end of what Luna must’ve really wanted to ask.

“...world corrupt?”

“The politician’s were. All bought out by large companies, kind’ve how these nobles sound.” Hank answered after a moment.

“Did you hang them?” Luna followed up.

“We should have.”

“We can’t just kill them for goodness sake.” Celestia chimed in getting a roll of the eyes from Luna.

“We most certainly could.”

“Times have changed sister.”

“We are reminded everyday.” Luna growled, “But I nary see a day where I think for the better.”

“You want to be seen as the continent conquering leader, you say you are right? You want to be that again?” Hank asked as he kneeled down and started covering his jeans and shirt with leaves and dirt.

“Yes. I do.” Celestia nodded even though the man was facing away from her.

“Then you need to act like it. A mare who has marched continents, laid waste to countless people who stood in her way, and conquered empires would not be afraid to burn a bridge that leads only to corruption, or crack a few rotten eggs.”

Satisfied that the shirt would act as a decoy for any potential followers and that it was far enough out of the way to convey a different heading than the one they were actually going to take Hank nodded to himself and pulled the compass free again, holding it out from himself on a flat palm with the elbow resting on his raised knee.

I can’t believe I’m saying this… A LOT of weird things have happened today. A lot.” The man gave a quick glance to the subject of most of the weirdness before looking back to his compass, “But the weirdest thing is that you’ve convinced me that you do truly care for citizens. Same for you Luna,” The man added, “So what’s the problem with holding power when you would use it for the betterment of the people? Cause I don’t see one. The real problem is letting bottom of the barrel, scum of the earth, weak, cowardly nobles limit your ability to help your people.”

Standing up and tucking the compass away again after getting their new heading, “If you let the weak and cowardly control you it makes you-”

“-No better.” Luna sighed, finishing what she thought he was going to say.

“No.” Hank corrected, pushing a large thorn bush out of the way with his leg and holding it down while motioning for the pair to pass him, “It makes you worse, cause even though you have the power and ability to make a change for the better, you don’t.”

Mulling what the man had said over in their heads, Celestia was even more upset with herself than before. In truth the man hadn’t said anything she didn’t already know, but hearing it from someone else was sobering nonetheless. Finding an individual who wasn’t scared to criticize not only her decisions but her very being, that wasn’t her sister, was incredibly rare. Even the nobles that spoke bad about her just what they thought was out of earshot, wouldn’t dare say anything remotely negative to her face.

While her sister went through her own thoughts, Luna was solely stuck in the past, she found that she spent a lot of time there despite being a part of current times once again. To say things had changed was an understatement, everything had changed, the buildings, the landscape, and worst yet: the ponies, including her dear sister.

Luna grit her teeth in anger at the thought. So soft and scared, weak, it made her disgusted to be a member of the same species when she saw some of their citizens conduct themselves. She knew it was harsh, but it was also true. Luna had no idea how ponies had lost their collective spine in her absence but it made her stomach churn just thinking about it, thinking about how weak they all were now. Their military was laughable, for every good soldier there were five more bad.

The midnight mare also couldn’t help but feel no small amount of anger at her sister for letting things slip to the point that they had. Just what had happened in the thousand years since her banishment that led to ponies and their collective society falling was a mystery to Luna, but she knew that her sister was the one at the helm the entire time it happened. There was most certainly some resentment within the younger alicorn directed at her sister for allowing so much progress to go to waste.

The fact that the change was even evident in her own sibling was something that really offput Luna. Sure, Celestia was still the competent, and caring ruler she had always been but she had lost her edge, her bite, her temper. It was almost like the real Celestia was hidden behind a half truth so convincing that the mare herself had started to believe it. Luna was willing to admit that a part of her feelings may just be nostalgia for the old times where she felt at home; but that was just a small part of her now. She was no longer sad that those times were gone, but mad that current pony society was a mockery of the greats it was built upon.

Nearly bumping colliding as Hank suddenly stopped, both princesses were pulled from their various thoughts and looked around for the sudden stoppage.

“The path I got us on is dense with foliage and bushes. It’s single file for a while.” the man explained while the two took in the fact that, yes, the underbrush was much thicker than when they came in.”

“Taking us back on a different path?” Luna asked as Hank nodded yes.

“Yeah, setting up an ambush would be too easy in this place, by taking an alternate route back I atleast take their ability to plan out of the equation.” The man explained, “So who wants point? I’m taking rear.”

“We shall take point.” Luna declared, making her way to the front of the file, “ We are smallest and most maneuverable in this environment.”

“Sounds good to me, stay spaced at least a body length apart.”

<><><><><><>

While the three had made it out of the thick underbrush a few miles ago and were making descent time out of the Everfree, if the increased amount of light filtering through the canopy was anything to go by at least, they had remained in single file formation more so out of happenstance than any tactic.

Luna, being the more fit of the pair as compared to her sister, and being the least injured as compared to Hank had pulled ahead of the other two by a good number of body lengths and was happily walking through the trees, enjoying her time out of the castle and just being alive.

Much slower than the lithe alicorn Celestia and Hank held much the same pace as they trailed behind with Celestia leading the man by a yard or two. Despite their close proximity neither had said anything to each other for miles, there was plenty to think and reflect on in the first place, no need to talk and complicate things.

Thinking about just how she was going to jostle her schedule to get back into the gym, of which she had an extensive personal weight room shamefully going idle, the white alicorn preemptively frowned at all the flack she was going to get for canceling and moving around various meetings. Everyone always thought they had the most important topic when they rarely ever did.

Quickly, Celestia forced herself to stop thinking about the negative and instead shifted focus on what she was truly excited to get back into: Fitness. While hard to believe by looking at the mare in her present form, at one time she had been nothing but lean rippling muscle. Celestia had always taken pride in her figure, and was especially proud of how she looked in the warring period that Luna and herself had fought through. That was long ago however, and a couple hundred years of peace make more than just a society soft.

Lucky for the mare though she still remembered just what she had done to achieve her intimidating figure, every movement, every rep, every second, the factor of gravitation multiplication she cast on herself all day everyday for months on end.

A wide smile growing on her face from the memories alone, the smile did falter when she realized that her diet was going to have to change drastically as well. She would be forced to trade away the cakes and perfectly presented desserts and immediately replace them with lots of fish, eggs, simple salads, and other perfectly inferior foods.

She mostly dreaded the eggs. She had always hated eggs by themselves, but she couldn’t deny the amount of easy protein. Plus she couldn’t deny the silky smooth coat that a high egg diet provided.

Thinking about her upcoming diet the white alicorn started to wonder just what it was that Hank ate to maintain his level of endurance and strength. She knew meat, obviously, she didn’t think he would’ve taken a bite out of a still beating heart of he was averse to eating meat after all.

Turning her head to engage with the human behind her, the words died in her mouth when she saw that he was staring directly at her flank. Looking at the man as he continued to stare at her the man’s eyes briefly met hers before going right back to her ass.

Amazed by his gaul, and complete lack of embarrassment for being caught brazenly staring at her, Celestia couldn't help but laugh at how different he was from any other stallion she had dealt with in the thousands of years she’d been around. A more sinful smile grew across her lips as she turned her head back forward again, letting the man look.

Finally having the evidence she needed to confirm that Hank was indeed attracted to her it was Celestia’s turn to be uncouth. Flagging her tail to the side Celestia took an extra long step knowingly exposing herself to the human.

Hearing a low growl behind her, Celestia’s ears swiveled to the vocalization as her head turned to look at the man again after her little tease.

The effect was extremely obvious on the human, one hand down by his legs pulling his underwear down further as his eyes looked right back into hers as he sped up to pass her, his jaw clenched much like when he was thinking about something.

Giggling as the man passed by her, she whipped his rear with her tail as he passed, getting another grumble from the man along with a look that made her shiver.

Now behind the man and watching him take a series of wider than usual steps as he no doubt tried to situate himself Celestia laughed again at the series of events. Half of her mind was screaming at her for acting so incredibly slatternly towards the human, but the other half only wanted more.

It had been so long since someone had shown interest in her like Hank did and had been brave enough to show their intention. It was refreshing to be able to act like a normal pony for once, and be able to exercise her more base desires that she for so long had kept hidden.

And it wasn’t like she would have done that for just anyone who had shown a fancy for her. The rough man had most certainly caught her eye, and even though she would deny it in sisterly conversation whenever Luna would bring it up she did have a “type,” and a long history of it.

She liked how rough he was. There was no polish in his speech or his actions, he was who he was and he didn’t hide it. He was unashamedly a fighter, a killer, and he was ruthless. Watching him repeatedly take charge and control of various intense situations with complete confidence was one of the hottest things she had witnessed in a looong time. Since Eseric Stone over a thousand years ago, her last worthwhile hook up.

A part of her wished that Hank had shown up during that conflict, he would have been a perfect general for the unique brutality the Eastern griffon front required. Her face fell into a deep scowl just for a moment as she remembered the details before pushing past them again.

In truth though she was glad he was here now though, because even Eseric wasn’t capable of the things Hank was, there was no way a singular pony could hold the tide against the Shucks. Only the most animalistic brutality worked on the Shucks and she wasn’t sure anypony that wasn’t herself or her sister was capable of such violence.

Maybe Hank’s skills would have been wasted on the griffons Celestia found herself wondering as she looked over his exposed back for the hundredth time. She had no real idea how the man would operate in a conventional conflict but she had a hunch it wasn’t pretty.

After all, even griffons break with enough pressure… and fire. They didn’t need their hearts ripped from their chests like Shucks did.

Sighing to herself and clearing away the tangent she had entertained for long enough Celestia smirked to herself realizing that she had a little crush on the man despite her more logical side saying that was a disaster waiting to happen.

“You know these woods well Hank. It is very easy to get turned around in the Everfree.” Luna spoke for the first time in miles, seeing the edge of the clearing Hank resided in coming up.

“Nah, just know how to use a compass.” Hank laughed, “I’d never been that deep in before.”

“Whatever you say.” Luna shrugged, “Would you happen to have any water ready to drink at your home? I’m parched.”

“I am too,” Hank agreed, “And yeah. If Zecora is home she’ll fix you right up. If not: the pitcher is in the black box on the far end of the counter past the sink, glasses in the cupboard above.”

“Thank you very much.” Luna looked back and gave the man an appreciative smile before starting into a gentle trot as she exited the treeline and made for the cabin.

Stopping just a few feet away from the edge of the clearing and watching as Zecora jumped the fence out of the lush garden, the unexpected appearance of the Zecora startled Luna making her spin around but soon after start laughing as Zecora did as well.

A small smile on his own face for watching the display, even though he couldn't hear anything more than a muffled word here and syllable there he knew exactly what they were talking about as Luna gestured with her hoof towards the spot she had exited causing Zecora to turn her head and look at the spot he was watching from.

Quicking turning her head back to Luna though they both headed for the interior of the cabin where they would no doubt have a small conversation on just what a fridge was. Looking behind him now that Luna and Zecora were inside, he scanned the woods to ease his own paranoia that they were being stalked more than out of any suspicion that they actually were, he would have noticed long ago if they actually were being pursued.

Catching Celestia looking at him with a smirk on her face as she caught up to him as his sight line shifted from far to close.

“Did you enjoy staring at me all day?” The human asked, having felt her eyes on him all day.

Laughing at his question Celestia instead answered with her own. “Did you enjoy staring at me like a piece of meat?”

<><><> Not gonna lie, it’s just straight up porn from here. It’s all sexual tension. If you don’t like that kinda thing, call it here, you’re not missing anything important <><><>

Just passing him as she asked the question Hank’s impulsiveness got the better of him, “Yeah….” he trailed of just as she almost got pat him before suddenly grabbing on to the base of her tail with his left and her right hip with his right and pulling the large alicorn into himself.

A massive gasp escaped her mouth as her eyes shot open wide and her body went stiff. Celestia had trouble breathing for a second as the man’s hands gripped hard onto the large sun print on either side of her flank.

“W-what are you doing?!” The mare exclaimed through gasps and coos as the human’s hands continued their menstruations.

“I think it’s pretty obvious what I’m doing.” Hank laughed while pulling Celestia tighter into himself, making her groan.

“If what I feel pressed up against my… Hnf,” Celestia was cut off by a particularly hard squeeze, “I-is anything to go by I think the implication is rather… clear.”

“Oh yeah? Like showing me everything that's under your tail? No implications there huh?”

“Maybe…” Celestia said breathily, doing her absolute best to keep herself calm, “You didn’t even ask.”

“Ask what?” Hank laughed again as the mare shivered from his now light touch he slowly drug over her cutie marks.

“Ask if I wanted you to start playing with my flank like some horny colt at prom.”

Raising an eyebrow Hank decided to play along, “Alright. I’ve been known to be too straight forward at times.” Letting go of the huge ass he was very much enjoying his time with Hank then took a half step back, separating himself and the very worked up pony.

“Decide for yourself. Go ahead and walk on out of here if you want and I’ll never do anything like that again.” The human promised, “Or back yourself into me and I’ll start where I left off.”

Celestia wished that she could say that she thought about it really hard. That she was at least conflicted about what to do…. She wasn’t, and in an instant she rammed herself back into the man and hummed when she felt his hands again. “It’s been over a hundred years. And you just had to mess that up by giving me a horn job.”

Laughing, Hank shook his head, “Don’t expect me to feel bad for you. It’s not like I knew anyways.”

“You know what you’re doing now.” Celestia stated, and started slowing grinding herself against the man eliciting a grunt from the human.

“Yes. I. do.” Hank confirmed, raising his right hand before slapping it down right in the middle of the sun on her right flank.

With a resounding slap Celestia let out a small scream of surprise and pain before quieting herself with a hoof and whipping her head around to face the man.

“I think you look good with a handprint on your ass.” Hank said, idly rubbing the spot he’d struck as the mare looked at him with wide, wild eyes, “No clue how the red shows through fur but I’m happy it does.”

“You have no idea how much it hurts to get spanked on your cutie mark like that.” Celestia berated the man.

“Not a damn clue.” The man smirked with the crooked snarl the scar gave him, “But…,” Pulling his equipment away from Celestia’s and looking down at the equally soaked fabric of his underwear and the source of said lubrication, “Somethin’ tells me it didn’t hurt that bad.”

The brief moment he pulled away allowed Celestia just enough time to snap herself out of her lust soaked mind and reign it in a little bit to realize that things were moving really really fast and it was getting very hot all of the sudden.

Turning her head back forward as Hank continued to what felt like expertly feel up every inch of her she let out a shaky breath, “We really shouldn’t be doing this… I shouldn’t have initiated this by flirting with you, knowing you have a mare friend. A-and you umpf,” She was forced to stop as the man squeezed a particularly sensitive spot, “You shouldn’t be doing this because you have a mare friend. S-she right over there!”

With her words the man actually stopped but kept his hands on her hips, stopping her from pulling away and keeping her heart rate pounding, much like his.

“Celestia.” Hank said in a leveled tone.

“Yes?” The mare turned her head to look up at the man.

“What I am about to do to that zebra is going to make this look like a formal handshake.” He said with a completely serious face and tone.

“She’s going to smell me on you…”

“I know.” The man nodded, “I’m gonna tell her all about this too.”

Celestia went stiff at the admission, “Please don’t. I- I just can’t have this get-”

“She’s not gonna tell anyone.” The man said with a surprising amount of honesty, “But to make it fair I’ll tell you a secret as well so we both have a little blackmail on each other. Might even make you feel better about…this,” Hank punctuated with a small push forward into Celestia that made her moan.

“W - well?” Celestia egged him on getting him to sigh.

“She wants me to date more than one girl. As in more than just her.” Hank revealed, causing Celestia’s eyes to open a little wider when she realized what was going on.

“Maybe you can actually help me out here,” The man continued, causing Celestia’s eyes to open even wider at the clear request for help, “You’ve been around the block for a while so are these “herds” a real thing?”

Laughing at the question Celestia quickly quieted down, “Yes Hank,” She giggled again, “They are. They have been around forever, and even though they’re less common now it’s still a common relationship type for ponies and zebras especially.”

“Seriously?” the man looked somewhat surprised to hear the answer he got, “I thought she was just weird and fuckin’ with me to be honest.”

“No she’s not. I assure you.” Celestia smiled at the man who was still holding onto her hips, “So who’s the other mare she wants to join you two?”

“Apple Jack. I guess those two really hit it off, and I’ve known for a while that AJ has a little thing for me.”

Celestia couldn’t help but ‘ooooo’ at the revelation getting an eye roll from the man, “You two would go well together.”

“Think so?” The man questioned, “We’ve been a little rocky at times.”

“Hank.” It was Celestia’s turn to have a completely flat face, “We’ve tried to kill each other before. Early today you had a dagger pressed to my ribs! Now you have your dagger pressed to my marehood!” Moving side to side as she mentioned it she felt the man throb at her entrance and had to bite her lip as he groaned again.

“I-I think you can get over it.”

“Y-yeah.” Hank cleared his throat in an attempt to regain some composure, “I’m bigger than a dagger though.”

“Awfully egotistical aren’t we?” Celestia smirked at the man, parroting what he had said earlier.

“Nothing wrong with stating a fact right?” He shot back.

“I suppose not.” The mare hummed as Hank’s hands started to drift further and further rearwards.

“Spread your legs a little Celestia.” He said softly, making her heart stop.

Was it actually happening, after over a hundred years was she finally going to get some relief? The white alicorn’s mind raced and she obliged the man.

“N-no need to call me Celestia; we are so far past formalities. Tia is fine…”

“Alright. Then in that case you can go ahead and use my name. Even though you have been for a while I’ll at least make it official that I don’t hate you anymore and that our relationship isn’t strictly hostile.”

“I’m happy to hear it.” Tia huffed as his thumbs dug into her large rear while he grabbed as well before he spread her, revealing it all for him to see.

“Jesus you are really worked up.” Hank exclaimed, savering the sight for as long as he could, before letting go of her and moving beside her after one last good squeeze.

“W-what are you doing?” the white mare asked as her heart thundered in her ears.

“I’m sorry but that’s all I got for ya. Me and Zecora have a lot of talking and a lot of sweating to do.” The man explained, looking at Celestia with a smile.

“Then we have a LOT of unfinished business.” The alicorn said forcefully while she did her best to cool her own embers.

“I guess we do.” The man smiled wider and with that stepped into the sunlight and started making his way towards his house.

Following a ways behind, Celestia wanted to give herself as much time as possible to cool down and dry off before linking back up with her sister; who would no doubt have about one million questions and admonishments as well for her.

Reaching the cabin Hank opened the door to see Zecora and Luna unsurprisingly in the midst of a household appliance talk.

Both ponies turning to look at him Zecora’s face went from happy to shock at his shirtless and pantless form while Luna’s eyes went wide as well.

“I don’t mean to run you off Luna but me and Z are about to get… busy.” The man said, never once unlocking his gaze from his girlfriend.

“Oh? OH!” Luna shot to her hooves, easily reading the look he was giving Zecora and noticing the prominent bulge in his underwear, “It was great talking to you Zecora! Bye!”

Not even offering a farewell in return as Luna zipped out of the door Hank was holding open, Zecora’s eyes never left Hank’s as he closed the door and locked it before dropping all of the gear he was holding and starting on his suspenders.

“H-honey are you okay?” In a quiet voice Zecroa asked, the cuts and bites far too large and fresh to ignore.

“Let’s take a shower.” Hank instead responded, ignoring her question.

Instantly on her hooves Zecora rushed to the bathroom and watched with bated breath as the human followed her and closed the door behind himself.

This is a big'n. Fully realize things got heated really quick at the end, hence the disclaimer, but I like writing that kinda thing from time to time and after 20k words I deserve it so if you didn't like it I don't really care. It was time for Hank to show his horny side anyway, he hasn't done much of anything with anyone yet in this entire story so it's time to change that.

Please comment and such, I like reading em. Also this may be the also new chapter in a while because I really really wanna re do the first 3 or so. They are awful and it'll give me a chance to write in a new setting and explore new methods of violence.

After that, expect a slice of life chapter or two before things get really really exciting.

this fits the chapter's tone I have 60 thousand of these things around my house, its deafening at night. Also the town I live close to got hit by a tornado so that was exciting