He'd been awake for a while now, but just couldn't be bothered enough to open his eyes. He'd been listening to the faint chirping of some cheerful avian or another, and the occasional clatter or creak echoing through the home as Derpy got up and got ready for work.

The faint weight against his chest and the whisper of steady breathing let him know that, as usual, he was up before her. He tilted his head down, taking care not to disturb her as he did so. He watched in silence as even as she slept, her sparkling blue-black mane danced and flowed of its own accord. Leaning down, he brushed his lips against that shimmering, and breathed deep the scent of one of the few things left on this planet he cared about. One of the last he loved.

Moving inch by inch, taking care not to disturb her well deserved rest, he slipped out from under her, gently lowering her head onto a pillow in his stead. Satisfied that he hadn't awoken her, he stepped over to the window, a thin bar of bright light, the incandescent orange that only existed in the early morning carved a path across the room, well clear of the bed and the resting deity.

He watched the faint stirrings of the town outside, muted by distance and the thick glass. He watched in silence as life sprang forth from every angle and door, spilling into the streets bit by bit. The serenity and peace of the empty night giving way to vibrant motion and purpose, to strength and life. He found it beautiful. Even more so as he knew it was only half of the story. Here, invisible to the world beyond those window panes, and in one of the few times when his thoughts were his alone, he wavered.

~I could just...forget it all. Pretend none of it ever happened. Forget all that was and all that I suspect is coming...only concern myself with now. It would...be easier. I could forget the names and faces of those I've buried. I could let their stories fade into the darkness...~

He watched the figures below moving about their business, carefree and oblivious to the darkness that ran just under the surface of this intricately constructed facade.

~I could be them...live a peaceful, simple life and let all the rest of it drop away. Be a brother, a friend, a...~ He glanced back to the sleeping form. ~...be whatever she needs...~

He stared at her for a moment, the faintest of smiles dancing across his face. He considered himself fairly articulate, reasonably intelligent and well spoken. But, looking at her now, watching as she snuggled in a little deeper to the pocket of warmth he'd left behind...he couldn't find words strong enough to justify what he felt for her. He could put voice to the words, say them a thousand different ways and take days to do it, but the sounds would pale and fall far short of expressing the reality of it.

That glimmer of a smile faded as a flash of light from the bedside table caught his attention. He moved to it with practiced silence. A trick of the light had cast a flare from the grainy, glass encased photograph which sat there.

Thirty two smiling faces looked up at him. Gleaming in armor proudly brought to a mirror sheen, the massive oaken doors of the Lunar Citadel acting as the back drop. They stood proudly, brothers and sisters in arms, the first real family some of them had ever known. They stood smiling in full ceremonial plate on the cobblestones of Canterlot.

Those exact same stones that would soak in their spilled blood less then a week after this portrait was taken. Only two of those faces had left that courtyard alive. The rest had sold their lives dearly, fighting to defend the doors pictured behind them.

Those doors had held.

He remembered every face, every name...and how each and every single one of them had died. He'd met parents, siblings...children of those pictured, and he knew they'd never been told the truth of how or why their loved ones had met their end. There were only four beings in existence who knew exactly what happened that day, and it had been made damned certain it stayed that way, over his objections.

A black hoof rose to the puckered indentation in his chest. It throbbed, twisting with a deep pain that sought to drain him of his will. But it wasn't the scar that ached. He stared at that simple photograph, silent and motionless.

~I won't forget. I won't turn away, I won't pretend it never happened. I won't hide from what's coming...~

A splash of liquid hit the picture frame.

~I won't forget them. I won't forget their bravery, I won't forget their strength. I won't give up, I won't die, I won't let their memory fade. One day their story will be told...one day they will be honored as they should be...I can't...I won't rest until then.~

A second drop obscured those pictured. A black feather swept it away.

~I'll fight as long and as hard as I have to to bring us to that day. Maybe then...maybe then I'll see you all again.~

He turned and left the room. The one eye he hadn't lost that day was as clear as his mind. From below, he heard happy humming, and the occasional, usually off key singing. It was a siren song that lured him in.

He made no noise as he stepped into the kitchen, but she knew he was there anyways. The hefty forms of her mail bags sat on the table, empty and folded into themselves, next to which was her carriers cap, immaculate, the bronze plate over the bill polished to a bright shine.

"Mornin Behemoth, tea should be ready any second..."

Her voice was cheerful and bright. She was obviously wide awake in spite of just how early it was. She'd always loved mornings. He moved over to the stove where she was standing, and poured a mug for each of them right as the kettle began to whistle.

"Good morning little one, sleep well?"

He set her mug down and took a long sip of his own, delighting in the way the heat flooded his body, stirring into motion muscles that were taking their sweet time getting up to par this morning.

"Hmm...yeah, mostly..."

As she turned and sat across the table from him, she slid a steaming plate across to him, the lack of conviction in her voice was clear. He took a bite, marveling once again in her culinary prowess before inquiring further.

"Only mostly? Whats on your mind?"

"Just a...dream..."

She pushed her food around on her plate, taking a moment. She continued before he could ask what about.

"I dreamt I was...we were back in that alley. And the guy with the green eyes...and he was...you couldn't stop him this time, an he..."

Behemoth set aside his fork, looking across the table in silence until she looked up, finally meeting his eye.

"That'll never happen Derpy. That piece of trash will never bother you again. He and his bastard friends are being hunted as we speak by the Lunar Guard. Even if they haven't caught him yet, he's running scared, probably half way to the Griffon Kingdoms by now."

"Yeah...probably... it was just a silly dream..."

"Trust me, he's nothing, a ugly speck of the past. Hell, even if he was stupid enough to come back, I'd-"

Her face changed, taking on a harder angle and she frowned.

"No, Behemoth, I don't want you to go on like that. You're...that's not who you are any more. I don't want you to do any more fighting. I want you to...be a farmer like Macintosh. I mean, I know about you training a bunch of guards in the Everfree, but..."

Behemoth's eyebrows shot up. No one was supposed to know about that...he chastised himself for thinking she wouldn't catch on. She was a damn sight brighter then most gave her credit for...even he forgot that from time to time. She continued.

"...But, no more fighting, okay? You won't tell me what happened. With the eye...an the wing an the chest an all the other scars...and I don't think I really wanna know, but I see how much it hurts you. When you kinda...stare off into nothing...kinda like you're looking at something nopony else can see..."

He closed his eyes with a sigh. Nodding slightly as he listened to her speak her mind.

"Your face is blank, but the look in your eye...I've never seen pain like that before. An I've seen...a bit. It's like...you're blaming yourself for something...like..."

She looked down, focusing on the slowly cooling plate in front of her. Silence reigned, broken finally as she spoke again, her voice choked up, cracking, almost a whisper.

"Like you want to die."

Silence took hold again, the creaks and dull pops of a wooden home warmed by the sun the only sounds permeating the residence. He stood, moving around the table to her, and knelt down, embracing his little sister tightly. Cheeks touching, forelegs and wings wrapped around each other. He spoke, his voice the almost-whisper hers had been.

"Sometimes I do. Sometimes, I feel I should have."

He drew back until their eyes could meet, noses almost touching.

"But that passes soon enough. I know I can look...rough when I...slip, but trust me sis, I'm not going anywhere. That life is behind me. It...comes back from time to time, but it's the past. There's just a few little things I need to take care of, to make sure it stays the past."

She sniffled a little, and blinked the wetness in her eyes away.

"Ya know...that wasn't really the answer I was hoping for. This whole, cheerful reassurance thing...you kinda suck at it..."

He smiled and stepped back, the tension in the room fading.

"Yeah, I keep hearing I have to work on being more chipper and upbeat. But I won't lie to you, you know that. If you ever do, for whatever reason, want to know about all this..."

He motioned first to his eye, then his damaged chest after letting his words trail. She picked up where he left off.

"You'd tell me? I thought it was a...secret or something."

"A little, the full story could cause a bit of...trouble were it ever to get public, but mostly it's just...ugly. Just be sure, that if you ever do get curious, that you REALLY want to know."

She nodded, seeming to consider this carefully as she finally took a bite of her breakfast, and he returned to his own.

"Hmm. I don't think I really want to know. Not right now anyways. I mean, you're here, an you're okay now...even if you...'slip' to somewhere else every now an then...but, just remember two things."

His response was an inquisitive raise of his eyebrows.

"Remember that if YOU ever wanna talk about it, I'll listen. Might not like it too much, but I'll listen."

If it was possible, even more affection swam into his one golden eye. It took him a few seconds to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat and respond.

"That's...thanks Derpy, I'll remember that...and the second thing?"

"Just...I know you're probably gonna have to tussle with these jerkwads again...an yes, it's a word...but when you do...be careful, okay? You've still got ponies that love you, an we...don't wanna lose you again..."

As she finally ate, he stared at the top of her lowered head. His response after a few seconds was hushed.

"Okay."

She looked up, speaking to him through a mouthful of food, a little light returning to her face.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Pinkie promise?"

"...I don't know what that means."

She finished chewing, frowning a bit as she mulled it over.

"Yeah, I don't really know either, just that it's got something to do with pegasus envy and putting baked goods in ponies eyes..."

Behemoth mirrored her frown.

"That's...an odd combination."

"Yeah. I mean, I get the pegasus envy thing, we are kinda awesome, but as for confections in the eye? Why not just eat em?"

On that rather side tracked note, the two of them finished their meal together, the discussion turning to more light hearted topics. All too soon, she dropped her dishes in the sink, gathered up her bags and cap, and was out the door and gone. Stopping just long enough to give Behemoth a little hug at the door as he saw her out.

"And another exciting day begins..."

He spoke to himself, but a rattling faint heard snore from upstairs seemed to be in agreement.

- - -

It was a few hours later, edging on towards the afternoon, when he and Mac stepped in through the back door into the kitchen. They were dirty and disheveled, coats matted with sweat and rich soil. They were breathing hard...Behemoth maybe just a little harder.

"Not a bad mornin at all B,"

Mac spoke first as his dark companion crossed to the fridge, rummaging around inside and taking longer then strictly necessary, enjoying the recirculated cool air.

"A few years on 'n that little orchard we just put in'll be almost as nice as mine, just a bit smaller...heh, like most things a yours."

Ignoring that particular juvenile pun, Behemoth continued rooting around, partly to hide the grin it had caused. Finally turning with the smile mostly gone and a glass bottle frosted with condensation in each prehensile wing, Behemoth spoke, depositing them on the table as he did so.

"Yup, today was a good start. Thanks for the help, Mac."

Mac disregarded the thanks with a casual shrug and grunt, more interested in taking a long pull from the frosted bottle.

"Hell, it's nothin big, least I can do after all the help you've been up at Acres."

They sat in amicable silence, enjoying the respite from the mid day heat building in what was looking to be a cloudless early summer day. As the two cooled off, the silence was interrupted by a rattling snore from upstairs. It's surprising verbosity and deep bass tone almost seeming to rattle the home to its foundations. Behemoth glanced up at the ceiling, an eyebrow arching. After a moment of silent contemplation, he looked back across the table.

The two stallions looked at each other in silence for a span of seconds, waiting to see if that remarkable outburst would repeat itself. Once satisfied that it wouldn't, Mac was the first to speak.

"Ok, what in the holy bearded hell was that B?" Mac jabbed at the ceiling as if the target of his inquiry was in any doubt. "Sounds like you've got a damn bear hibernating up stairs. That wasn't lil Derpy was it, cause if it was...that'd be kinda impressive..."

A dry chuckle broke loose as Behemoth took stock of the faint look of awe on his friends face. The way Mac was staring at the ceiling was as if he were expecting some mighty power to descend from on high...not too inaccurate a possibility given where that sound had originated.

"Nah, Derpy's at work, that was my...she's my...hmm."

Behemoth frowned as he considered the best way to finish that sentence. Mac noticed his difficulty and managed to tear his attention from the ceiling.

"She, huh? So there's a lady snoozin upstairs an she's yer...what? Marefriend?"

Behemoth shook his head, the frown still etched across his face.

"Nah, nothing that...official. She's my...she's a...female associate."

Mac stared at him, blinking slowly several times at Behemoth's interesting choice of words.

"...Female associate."

"Yup."

"Living with you an Derpy."

"Indeed."

"An yer plowin this 'female associate, arentcha?"

"...Something like that."

Mac continued staring, his disbelief obvious. He let that awkward silence hang for a while before responding, taking another long drink in the process.

"Well alright then. So, when am I gonna meet this mysterious 'female associate', gotta make sure she's up to snuff."

Now it was Behemoth's turn to take on a look of disbelief.

"Up to snuff? The hell you talking about?"

"Yup, yer my friend, gotta make sure she's good enough for ya...even though for you it is kinda a low bar..."

The two of them shared a quiet chuckle at this, Mac's laughter bass and booming even though he toned the volume down out of consideration.

"Ya know Mac, you really are kind of a dick."

"Mmmhmm, just a bit...c'mon now, ya don't expect to me keep up that 'eeyup', 'nnnope' crap even around you, do ya? I just do that to confuse folks, you should know better."

"True, true...at any rate, I don't know when you'll meet her. She's kind of...well, no one 'sides me an Derpy...and maybe Twilight, knows she's here...she doesn't really want to make a big scene. Trying to stay out of the spotlight, you understand?"

Mac's eyes shot open from their usual state of half lidded calm, the particular implications of this not lost on him.

"Aaaaah, I get it, scrawny lil Behemoth, hob knobbin with some fancy celebrity... probably other kindsa things goin on with knobs 'round here too...so, what's she do, acting, music? Nah, don't tell me, you shacked up with onea those, Wonderbolt mares, didn't you?"

Behemoth laughed, slightly surprised at just how into this Mac had gotten all of a sudden. His enthusiasm for this mystery stronger then anticipated.

"No nothing like that, she's in... environment management."

The enthusiasm that had filled Mac near to bursting went away, and he deflated like a large, leaky red balloon.

"Environment management, you mean like the weather patrol?"

"Eh...something like that."

"Well hell, that ain't nothin to get famous for...I don't think you're tellin me the whole story here, B. Again."

Mac polished off the last lonely dregs at the bottom of his bottle, eying it wistfully with what just might've been a hint of sadness.

"Well, whatever the real story is, bring her by for dinner tonight. Her an Derpy both. It's long past time the two of ya, Derpy especially, spent more time with the Apple clan. An that way, I can meet yer mysterious 'female associate', an she won't have to worry about makin a scene."

Behemoth mulled this over, likewise finishing off his own beverage before responding with a nod.

"Yeah...yeah, that just might work. I'll talk to em, we'll be by a little after nightfall, that good?"

"Yup, that'll do."

Mac nodded and stood, heading out into the living room and towards the front door.

"Alright, it's settled, see ya then, B."

"See ya then, Mac."

The door clacked shut, and just like that, Behemoth was alone again, his thoughts his only company.

"This, should be an interesting evening..."

- - -

It was a pleasantly warm evening, and the night sky was a true master piece, the moon full and huge, hanging in the sky like a brilliant white ripe fruit. The stars twinkling peerlessly in the cloudless blue black tapestry, it's beauty still a pale parody of that of the being that had created it.

Luna had wanted to make tonight memorable. Something every being who looked into the sky before dawn would recall with clarity and awe. She had succeeded. As they walked up the path to the Sweet Apple Acres homestead, Behemoth was flanked by Derpy and Luna, with the ever lovely and timid form of Fluttershy rounding out their interesting little cohort. They all found it difficult to tear their eyes away from the beauty spanning above.

"...and you're sure this is a good idea? They're not going to be tripping over themselves, bowing and carrying on? Because there are few things I've come to despise more then bowing..."

Questioning along this particular topic had filled the warm air since they'd left home, and had continued unabated since they'd acquired a rather startled, but enthusiastic Fluttershy from her pleasant cottage en route.

For the half dozenth time, still smiling, Behemoth answered. Though he spoke to Luna's concerns, his eye was following Derpy. Her grey form, humming quietly, was almost floating, skipping happily, stumbling occasionally, nearly dancing under the lush canopy of apple trees that swished quietly in the faint breeze. It warmed his heart to see her this happy, this carefree. He hadn't been able to stop smiling.

"I know these folks beautiful, they'll be a little...surprised, certainly. But the Apple family has never been particularly found of standing on ceremony. My best advice is, be ready for ten thousand questions...especially if the Crusaders are there tonight. Those girls will want to know...pretty much everything. About pretty much everything."

Several minutes later, they were standing together on the expansive front porch. The door swung open shortly after the first knock, silhouetting Mac, who's impressive form filled the doorway, standing there back lit by the warm illumination spilling out of the Apple family residence. A plethora of delicious scents accompanying him from the meal preparation well under way.

"Took yer sweet an easy time B, was starting to...think you...weren't..."

As he took in the figures standing in the lee of his ponderous winged friend, Mac seemed to forget the good natured ribbing he was prepared to foist, his train of thought derailing in a rather spectacular fashion.

- - -

The meal, in true Apple family fashion, was amazing. Also in true Apple family fashion it was, coincidentally enough, rather densely populated with apples. Granny Smith, unquestioned master of this particular craft, had adamantly refused the assistance of her guests. She'd finally conceded to allow the Crusaders to assist in preparation after they, in pursuit of some cutie mark or another, had somehow managed to start a not inconsiderable fire in the living room.

After his initial shock at encountering the Princess of the Night on his doorstep, and several awkward moments and mildly entertaining over reactions and attempts at fancy speech, Mac settled in, taking the new occurrence in stride with laudable speed.

Granny almost had a coronary event, but recovered with similar gusto, and the Crusaders, who were in fact present tonight, immediately swarmed the deity, orbiting around her like multi colored planets, their incessant questions and immutable vivaciousness bringing a warm smile to the face of the Lunar Deity at their diminutive inquisition.

In what seemed to be no time at all, the meal was ready and all those present piled into the dining room, seating themselves around the sizable table. As delectable as the meal was, it was the myriad conversations around the table that was the real draw of this evening.

Behemoth sat in silence, a smile permanently adorning his scarred visage, his good eye sweeping those seated with him. To his immediate left was Luna, grinning just as widely as he was and looking slightly flummoxed as she was surrounded by the energetic forms of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, barely having time to take a bite between the deluge of questions from Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and the as ever bow bedecked Apple Bloom.

Beyond them, Derpy and Applejack were deeply enthralled in discussion, Applejack delivering a dissertation on the minute details of keeping a farm this size running at capacity, Derpy listening intently, interrupting only occasionally to clarify a point or expand her understanding on a particular issue.

Yet farther along, sitting across the table from Behemoth, barely visible over the mountains of delicious food, Fluttershy and Mac were stealing furtive glances at each other, speaking in hushed, halting tones no one else would be able to over hear. Both of them were blushing profusely, to the point where it was even obvious on Mac. Of all those gathered, these two seemed the most uncomfortable. A discomfort that slowly faded, to the point where, after some time, they were actually making eye contact and smiling at each other as they spoke.

Finally, come full circle, seated to his immediate right was Granny Smith, silent as he was, watching her family and her guests with a contented, faint smile from her post at the head of the table. She caught Behemoth's eye as his gaze swept around. She spoke just loud enough for him to hear.

"Thanks for this, youngun, does my heart good to have a house this full now an again. It's good to have you back. After your parents...after what happened, you might as well be a parta the clan. You an little Derpy both. We missed you two 'round here, even if those two'd never admit it, proud as they are."

She nodded past him, the slight jab of her forehead indicating Luna. Behemoth followed that jab, locking eyes with his princess for a scant second, reading the smile on her face and the laughter in her eyes. Just as quickly, her attention was torn back to the Crusaders, and Behemoth's pivoted back to Granny Smith.

"You an the Prin...you an miss Luna...you did good, colt. You two're quite the match."

Behemoth smiled at the plain talking senior.

"Thanks, Granny."

"Mmmhmmm. I'll admit, was a lil bit surprised when she waltzed in with ya...s'pose ah shouldnta been, you always did aim high, even when you were just a little spit of a thing."

She took a sip of cider before she continued, the joyous hum of multiple conversations filling the room with a warm glow. The smile twinkled in her eyes even as she spoke.

"Now don't you go messin that up, y'hear, you've got a good thing goin on with her, don go ruin it like a damn fool."

"I won't."

She leaned in a little closer, and spoke a little quieter.

"You say that...but, there's somethin different about you. There's some...darkness in you, that you're doin a damn fine job of hiding. Trouble is, I ain't always lived the peaceful farm life, sonny. I've seen that look before. The younguns might not recognize it, but I do."

She took another sip, the faded orange of her eyes never braking from his. He hadn't moved an inch, but the change in his eye made it clear she had the entirety of his attention.

"I don't know what it is, an I doubt I'll ever know the full of it. But that's the kind of darkness that twists. That tears an changes. It'll destroy you, if you let it. Turn you into somethin foul an wicked if you ain't careful. Don't let it."

- - -

Behemoth and Mac stood outside, the early summer grass soft and cool under hoof as they lingered just beyond the golden orange glow thrown down the porch and across the yard from the brightly lit home at their backs. Muffled laughter and the sound of running water drifted out of the Apple home, punctuated now and again by the occasional clatter and thud. Granny had drafted the Crusaders into assisting with the clean up after dinner, and Fluttershy had quietly but firmly insisted on helping as well. Mac and Behemoth had been rebuked in no uncertain terms after offering their assistance, so had stepped out into the night.

On down the gently sloping hill which the residence dominated, the two brothers in all but blood watched three other shapes moving around the grounds, a hundred or so yards off. The shape in the lead identified as Applejack by her ever present stetson, and one of those following, Luna, by warrant of simple comparison of size. The third figure was just as plainly Derpy, no pony else moved in the carefree, easy fashion that she did.

The two stallions watched their siblings and princess in silence, neither speaking until those three had disappeared into one of the outlying buildings. The largest figure of the three stopped for a second as the last in the door, and turned to face up hill. Too dark to discern anything more then a silhouette, Behemoth still felt her gaze.

As she slipped in after the others, the brothers turned back, facing out over the undulating orchards that spread off down one slope and up another. They stood motionless, as the faint breeze carried the mingled scent of rich earth and ripe apples that was the olfactory signature of this place. It was a warm, comforting smell. The smell of home. Of life, of love, and of quiet strength.

After a few moments, it was Behemoth who finally broke the peaceful silence, speaking quietly, the subtle boom of his voice just covering the distance between them. Low and heavy, like barely heard thunder. His gaze steady, out over the fruit heavy branches.

"I've been places...that don't even have names. Seen things...I can't even describe. But of everywhere I've been, everything I've seen...This. Here. Now. It's the closest to perfect I've ever been. The closest to heaven."

After a moments delay, spent processing what he'd just heard, Mac's head shifted slightly, bringing the shape of his friend into sight. Even this close, his frame was little more then a shadow against shadows. A black space set against the midnight blue of Luna's sky, a stallion sized absence of stars.

"Really? What about the excitement, the Guard life? All the politics and intrigue...don't you miss that?"

Not a muscle moving besides his jaw, Behemoth responded, his words preceded by a weary chuckle.

"Heh. Guard life. Let me tell you something about the Guard life Mac, about the excitement and intrigue of Canterlot. All that life left me was a mangled wing, one less eye, a sister I barely know, and far too many dead friends. The ONLY good thing I took away from that life just walked into your barn...no, Canterlot can keep it's excitement and politics. I'm happy here, with this."

He nodded, that simple motion enveloping the world spread before them in silent harmony. It was another few moments, after his focus had shifted back out, that Mac spoke again.

"You love her, don't you B. During dinner, I saw the way you look at her. The way you lit up when she looked back. Like the weight of all that baggage you carry around just faded away. This isn't just some casual fling with royalty, you really do, genuinely love her."

It was a statement, not a question. It held a slightly off tone that might've been concern, but there was no doubt or question in those words.

"Yes. I do."

There was no hesitation, no mulling the answer over, it came as immediately and directly as if he were just asked if the sun would rise tomorrow. Mac smiled, shaking his mammoth head slowly with the kind of chuckle only Mac could pull off.

"How in Equestria did that happen? I mean, a guard an the Princess of the Night? No offense buddy, but how the hay did you manage to even catch her eye, much less start this little...relationship?"

This time, Behemoth's response was a little delayed, a little halting and hesitant. This was obviously not a topic he was fond of discussing.

"There was a...fight, a few years back. No, fight isn't the right word, it was an invasion."

Mac interrupted.

"Yeah, I heard about that from AJ, the...'change things' or somethin like that. What, you were rolled up in that brawl too?"

"Changelings, yes. Long story short, the Lunar Guard I was captaining fought hard, fought well...and died. Almost every single one of us sold our lives to keep them out of the Lunar Citadel. And we did, even though only two out of thirty two survived. After that...well, Luna saved me, and must've seen something in me she liked. Hell if I know what. I woke up in a private ward of the hospital, some weeks later, with her at my bedside."

Mac waited. When it was apparent that Behemoth had said all he was going to say, he turned to face his shadowy companion.

"I'm not stupid, B. I know that ain't the whole story. Whatever happened there's got you all twisted up, got your mind yanked around somethin wicked. One a these days, you'll have to tell me the whole story."

Behemoth sighed, tearing his solitary eye away from the serene vista, meeting Mac's for the first time since dinner.

"And one day, when I'm drunk enough or angry enough, I probably will..."

Before either of them could continue, happy, feminine voices and laughter drifted up to them on the pleasantly warm air. In tandem they looked down hill at the trio of figures trekking up towards their mildly lofty position.

"Just not tonight."

The first to reach them was Derpy, bouncing giddily out ahead of her companions, approaching her brother with a grin that seemingly put every tooth in her head on display. She stumbled a bit on her way, up, narrowly avoiding a face plant into the fragrant grass, but recovered quickly and continued, hardly noticing.

"Hey! Applejack says I can stay up here tonight, an tomorrow she's gonna... 'show me the ropes', an I'll help her around the farm!!"

Behemoth couldn't help but grin. It wasn't that often that someone showed such enthusiasm for farm labor. In comparison though, it promised to be a nice diversion from mail delivery. As a more pleasant diversion to him, Luna strode up next to him, giving the side of his neck a passing nuzzle as they met.

"Heh, well alright then. Have fun up here little one, but be sure to get plenty of sleep, farming can be a lot of work..."

After a nod of greeting to her monolithic brother, AJ chimed in next.

"Heck, if she's half as helpful as her brothers been recently, we'll get everythin done tomorrow in record time."

The front door squeaked open, and Granny Smith and Fluttershy, having seen the Crusaders off to bed, stepped out and joined the others in the splendid perfection that was Luna's evening. They moved up onto the expansive porch, Granny seated in the antiquity of her old rocking chair, the others making themselves comfortable wherever they found the space.

They sat there for hours, deep into the night, the passage of time only marked by the inexorable advance of the full moon across the flawless sky. Any trepidation or shock at the shared company was long since forgotten, the discussion pleasantly trivial, nothing of Equestria shattering import being discussed. It made for a nice departure from the recent norm.

All too soon, their eyes starting to droop and after more then one contagious yawn had made it's way through the group, and they decided to call it a night. Granny, AJ and Derpy said their goodbyes and slipped of into the house in search of warm dreams and warmer beds. That left Luna and Behemoth, Fluttershy and Mac standing together in a loose group.

Luna and Behemoth, long since at ease with one another, stood together casually, the truncated length of his wing splayed across her back, the length of their bodies resting together.

In stark contrast, Mac and Fluttershy had kept a bit of distance, each leaning in to speak before darting back to the relative safety of their own little bubbles. The fact that they were both waiting for the other to make the first move was painfully obvious to Luna and her scarred companion. Finally tired of watching them dance around the subject that he was certain would only end in happiness, Behemoth decided to broach the subject they were perhaps too bashful or self conscious too.

"Well Mac, it's been a great night, but I suppose we should be going..."

Walking together, he and Luna moved slowly down the path towards Ponyville proper. He turned back and smiled, as if thinking of something on the spur of the moment, as if he hadn't spent half the evening planning it at all. Catching his friends eye, the reflection of the moon catching in that golden sphere, Behemoth spoke cheerily.

"Hey, I've got an idea Mac, why don't you walk Fluttershy to her place...just to make sure she gets home alright, of course. It would be the gentle colty thing to do."

As he suggested this, Mac shot him a look over Fluttershy's head and out of her line of sight. His eyes were unusually wide, and the mix of anger and consternation on his face was only mildly disturbing. It was a look that, interestingly enough, simultaneously thanked Behemoth and made silent promise of significant personal harm at the next possible opportunity.

"Well...uh...I don't know if I shou-"

Hesitation clear in the slow bass of his voice, the barely there breathy whisper of Fluttershy managed to override him entirely.

"Oh that would be lovely...umm...unless you're busy...or don't want too..."

Mac, not fool enough to not notice how surely he'd just been cornered, was also not stupid enough to turn down the chance to spend a little more of this evening with the peerless beauty of the mare that had held his eye for years. Mac silently nodded his agreement, not quite trusting his voice.

He made a sound of acquiescence that wasn't quite words, then the mountainous red form and the significantly daintier yellow disappeared into the lush orchards, any hint of their shapes swallowed by the dense foliage after only a few steps.

The last two stood there, alone in yard for a few moments. The only sound the whispering and swishing as the fingers of the faint wind ran through the apple trees. Three eyes turned to the sky, taking in the wide tapestry without word or distraction. Then, just as silently, they moved off as one, vanishing into the trees, lost to the world.

And followed by two green eyes.