"What I've found oddest here is the pegasi love of Patton. Looking at them, the equines strike us as more the Lord Byron-esque swordsman types, would appear to be more followers of Sun Tzu, but Pattons biography is a best seller among the flighty fuckers." -Private journal of Mesa

Day 5 of transfer 0800, outskirts of Sweet apple acres

Mesa ambled down the road on his patrol, apple recently purchased from the farm in hand. Though his cover was that of a simple guard, he was in fact on orders of both worlds governments to solely keep an eye on the elements. As much as Celestia wanted them to have a normal life, they were a valuable asset to the state's defenses. And since she couldn't exactly dispatch an entire battalion, or even a few guards from her own army due to politics, she could plug the Corps. As part of the agreement, members of the Corps could be called on to supplement the defenses of territory, or act as soldiers in times of threat. While this policy was rarely used on Earth, the Diarch's had taken advantage, and while many of the human Corps members bitched when they were sent to someplace like the Crystal Empire, or the Badlands, all in all the various perks and increased pay was more then sufficient, one of said perks being during the spring, and early summer months when many lonely heat consumed mare could usually find a more then willing human stud to service her. All the fun with none of the commitment, Mesa thought as he chucked the apple still whole into the bushes. While he sort of liked the idea of it happening someday, the soldier knew that bringing up young urchins of any species was no fun.

Speaking of no fun... Lero was walking down the same road he was, toolbox in hand. From what he was able to establish, Mesa knew that Lero was more or less a jack of all trades around town. As the walked up on each other, they stopped. Mesa nodded.

"Sup."

"Hey... Mesa was it?"

"Yeah?"

Lero shrugged, and kicked the dirt a little with his right foot "Sorry."

"Its okay. And I'm sorry about your brother. He was a good man."

Lero nodded, and with that, the two humans parted ways.

.....

As he continues his way into town, Mesa thought of Jacob. They were never romantic, or even slept together at all for that matter, but the night he died was one of the worst nights Mesa ever weathered. Jacob was... important to him. He didn't love him like he did Paul, but still... the guy was quiet, like Mesa was, but more approachable. While most of the barracks  were filled with the usual blowhards and dicks, Paul usually in the thick of it, he and Jacob just silently sat in a corner, talking or checking their gear. Of course, that night his husband died as well, but the pain he had was different for both of them. As he walked, his mind wasn't focused, and he suddenly felt something sharp poke him in the stomach, and he let out an ommph, taking a surprised step back. Rubbing the spot, he looked down and into a pair of lavender eyes hidden somewhat behind a pink and purple forelock. Sighing he said "Twilight Sparkle, right?"

She gulped, and weakly nodded her head. Mesa did a double take. She looked, for lack of better term, like hammered shit. The mane he once saw as firmly set into place was frayed and sticking up. Her eyes were bloodshot and sad, as though she'd been crying, the fur under them darkened by the skin under them turning that shade from exhaustion. Kneeling slowly so he could look at her evenly, he said 'Ma'am... Mrs. Sparkle, are you all right?"

Nodding again, she gulped and worked her jaw a moment, then said 'I'm fine Mesa, and please call me Twilight."

Mesa winced as she rubbed her throat with a forehoof. The raspiness of her voice made his throat hurt at the sound.

Chuckling, and wincing at the simple sound, Twilight continued 'I'm sorry I'm such a fright, good sir. It's been... rough the last couple of days.'

Sighing himself now, Mesa scratched his forehead. 'No Mrs Sp... Twilight. I'm not sorry for telling your stallion, but I am sorry for what I what I put you through."

Twilight smiled softly, and looked away a moment. She rubbed her right  foreleg with the opposing legs hoof a moment, then said 'You were right though."

"Ma'am?"

She looked down. "About me not knowing anything about humans. I mean, aside from Lero, I've had no actual contact with your species."

Shit... the diarchs and Shining were right, Mesa mused to himself. Repressing a shudder from the memory of the impromptu visit from his current commanding officers the day after his first encounter with the Lero herd, he rubbed the back of his neck. He had to salvage this AO. Hearing Twilight sniffle and the way her ears drooped and the downcast of her  eyes, he amended, and I'd better do it now. Rubbing the back of his, he struck on an idea.

Smiling softly, he said “So, why don’t we fix that?”

Raising her head, she tilted her head thoughtfully, and the sad look in her eyes retreated somewhat. Seeing this, Mesa went into the next step.

Nodding, he said “Yeah… Well, I won’t be patrolling all the time you know. So,” he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck again, “Why not in my off hours I come to the library and we can talk. You can ask me questions about my life, and being a soldier.” As he spoke, Twilights eyes brightened, and a small smile began to play across her muzzle as he finished his proposistion. Ears perked fully now, she said softly, “You’d… You’d do that for me Lieutenant?”

Nodding firmly, he replied “Absolutely, Mrs. Sparkle.”

For a moment, they only looked at each other, then Mesa jumped slightly in his kneeled position as Twilight suddenly squealed excitedly, and sitting back on her haunches clapped her fore-hooves together, then leaping forward she took the man in her forelegs in an embrace, saying “Oh, thank you , thank you so much!” Feeling the soldier tensing under her, she gasped, and scooted back, rubbing the back of her neck with a hoof

“Uh, sorry. I sort of forgot how touch shy you guards can be.”

Chuckling, Mesa visibly loosened, then replied “Not at all Mrs. Sparkle. I’m honored to be hugged by a hero like you.”

Blushing under her fur, she giggled and rose of her seated position. Taking the cue, Mesa rose as well, and after a quick dust off, said “So, when would you like to do this?”

Tapping her chin with a hoof, she made a thoughtful humming noise a moment.

“Well, do you have time this afternoon?” Receiving a nod in assent, she nodded back. “Well then, It’s a date, Lieutenant.”

“Please, Ma’am, Its Mesa.”

Smiling now, she turned and as she walked away said, “Ok, Mesa. And I’m Twilight.”

………..

Twilight hummed happily as she lifted an apple telekinetically from her saddlebags, and took a bite as she bounced down the street to her place of work. The last few days had been particularly bad. After she got home after that night, Lero just sat on the couch, looking at the floor, not answering when she talked to him. Poor Lyra stood up all night with her, nuzzling her neck and singing softly. The morning after, Lero had apologized, and of course Twilight forgave him. But as for her herdmate…

Blushing at the sudden warmth in her heart at the thought of herdmate, she took another bite of her fruit, chewing thoughtfully. Lyra was one of the kindest, most warm mares the lavender equine had ever come across, but could be a beast when someone threatened her loved ones. Chuckling, she shook her head at the memory how she practically hissed in anger when their stallion entered the bedroom. Sighing, she chucked the apples core into a nearby trash can as she swallowed the last mouthful. As she came upon the libraries door, she thanked her lucky stars that Dash was on deployment. She shuddered to think what the rainbow maned mare would have done if she’d been in town.

Feeling another fluttering in her heart at her other lover, she wrapped the handle of the libraries door, and opening it, thought “Well, at least things are looking up for us now.”

“Why, hello dear.”

Eyes widening, she looked in the direction of the voice, and seeing the white and purple maned older mare standing in front of a bookcase, lips pursed and brows raised, eyes still carrying the coldness from all these years, she sighed, and said meekly “Hello mother.”

……….

Twilight laid her head mournfully on the libraries table, rubbing her temples with her hooves as her mother perused the shelves, occasionally wrapping a book in her magic and idly flicked through the pages. Seemingly oblivious to her daughters distress, she continued, “Really dear.  Wasting your time in this tacky and wretched little library. You bring such shame on your family wiling away your time when you could be teaching in some of the most prestigious universities, could see the world…”

Scowling, Twilight said “Mom, I…” Whirling around, Velvet snapped “Hold your tongue when mothers speaking!”

Wincing, Twilight bit the inside of her cheeks. She could remember years back as her mother and Shinings mother engaged their children in some petty squabble, using the foals as pawns in their game of her fathers approval. For years, Twilight Velvet had pushed her little girl relentlessly, saying “I refuse to let that… mare beat me. You, my little filly, will not lose out to her son.” Looking at the disapproving of her mother, Twilight scowl returned as she remembered the night Shining ended it. Overturning the dinner table and the meal it bore, he shouted and kicked, telling the two mares and his father he refused to play this game anymore, too which Night Light, and asked “What game? Why are you so upset Shiny?”

When he found out, he was, for lack of a better term pissed, and told his wives in no uncertain terms if they didn’t stop, they should consider themselves out of his house. They both relented, but Twilight remembered the day before she left for Ponyville, her mother saying to a friend “Oh, that filly. She’s just so dull. never does anything, just spends all her time with those dusty books in a dark corner.”

Gulping, she ventured “Mom, may I ask something?”

Raising her right brow, Velvet nodded.

“When I left… you said I was dull…” Looking up from the table, she watched as her mother frowned. “Mom… I… I did all that for you…”

Lips pursed a moment, Velvets eyes narrowed as she said softly “Are you… blaming me for your shamelessness?”

“No… Mom… I was…” Twilight winced as her mother snorted and shrugged. “Perhaps your right. Your obvious failures are mine as a mother…’ Velvets features stiffened into a grimace “And undoubtedly your fathers coddling.”

Twilight lept to her feet, mouth working, and Velvet snapped “Perhaps its time for a change. Perhaps I should leave your precious daddy for his weakness.”

The lavender mare winced, falling back on her haunches. In unicorn circles, it was not uncommon for matings to be more political then the other equine subspecies. With his marriage to Twilight Velvet, Night Light was graced with a very generous dowry, along with Velvets personal allowance from the family trust. And though it baffled both of his children, more then that, he loved Velvet, and had done everything he could to make her happy, succeeding to a degree. A divorce would break his heart, and Twilight was loath to even elicit a threat in the matter. Sighing, she hung her head in defeat. Smirking in her victory, Velvet opened her mouth to continue, but was interrupted by a soft voice saying “Twilight?”

Whirling around, Velvet frowned at the interruption. Mesa stood leaning against the door, arms crossed, and frown of his own set . Eyes not breaking with the glaring matriarchs, he asked “Is she bothering you ma’am?”

Shaking her head, she opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by her mother “Good sir, would you be so kind as not to interfere in my herds business?”

Bolting off the door, Mesa stalked across the floor. Seeing the movement, Twilight stammered “Uhh… Mesa its ok… you don’t…” seeing his warning gaze, she snapped her mouth shut. Locking his gaze once again with Velvets, he snarled “Listen here, you stupid cunt, we’d better get an understanding.”

Velvets jaw dropped as her daughter gasped at the expletive. Pointing a finger an inch from the stunned mare, Mesa said in his silkiest most intimidating voice “If you ever, ever come here, and verbally abuse or threaten her again, I'll come down on you like a ton of bricks."

Finding her voice again, she shouted, sparks flying from her horn "How dare you, you worthless mon...."

"Finish that sentence ma'am, and you spend the next five days in a cell."

Snapping her jaw shut, she glared at the human, and hissed "The diarchy will hear about this, I promise you that, young man..."

Snorting, Mesa crossed his arms "Go ahead.They'll be the ones to tell you that they told me that her students life and well being is my priority." Seeing her right eye begin to twitch, he smiled pleasantly folding his hands behind his back "Of course, feel free to bring your concerns to them. I'm sure Celestia and Luna would adore addressing your treatment of your daughter."

Jaw flapping, sputtering in anger, she was cut off from her diatribe as Mesa continued "Go ahead, mess with me. See where it gets you. By the time I'm done, you'll think God in all his glory reached down and squished you like a bug."

Eyes bulging, she glared daggers at the human, who merely looked down, eyebrows raised. Setting her jaw, Velvet stuck her nose in the air with a hmmph, and stomped out, slamming the door as she left. Groaning, Twilight covered her head with her hooves, whimpering "Damn it Mesa. Why did you do that?"

Looking away from the door, Mesa responded "Twilight..." taking her hoof away from her eyes, and watched as the human sat cross legged in front of her. "Look, like I said, your health and well being are my priority. I refuse to allow you to be abused in such a way."

Sticking her bottom lip out, she raised her head. "You heard her... she'll...'

"Do nothing. She's not going anywhere in her situation."

Brows knitting together, Twilight tilted her head quizzically. Shrugging, Mesa clarified "Twilight, your mothers family is more or less destitute. Financially, your father has no incentive to keep her around, though from what I've heard, he adores her."

Twilight gaped. "She's... she's broke? But... she's a professor..."

"They've revoked her tenure. Not only that, from what I've heard, she's not well loved at the university and is on thin ice."

Twilight shook her head sadly, and rose. "Umm, Mesa, could you wait a few minutes. I have to send a letter home to see how I can help."

As she walked away, Mesa said "Twilight, your really going to help her after this?"

She looked back, and smiled softly "She's my mother, and despite everything, I still love her."

Mesa grunted, running his fingers through his hair. "Ma'am, you are a better person then me."

Next Chapter: Chapter five The third degree Estimated time remaining: 23 Minutes