“…You know what I said? Wh-wha-what I said, what I said was- was- what I said was, I said, Listen for a moment I said- What I said wa-“

“DANG IT JUST SAY WHAT YOU SAID!” Star Grazer was ready to strangle this pony. He had an hourglass cutie mark and was brown with a strange darker brown mane. He carried some kind of pen thing in a saddlebag of his. He was so annoying and stammered so much!

“Well I was about to before being rudely interrupted… Anyway, what I said was- What I said was, ‘No, I don’t like carrots.’” Star Grazer almost lunged at the pony before Light Dasher tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey Star tell me something. What does your cutie mark mean?”

“Oh this thing?” He looked back at the cutie mark of a scroll in a black crescent moon. “Well that is a long story really.”

“Well I’d rather hear a long story about my friend than this guy.” She pointed toward the brown mane colt who snorted.

“Well it all started when I was teenager. I was extremely late in finding my Cutie Mark and was bullied a lot for it. The bullying was pretty bad and what in the name of sweet Celestia is that!?” He pointed toward the pile of griffons and a small mound in the ground.

“I guess the ponies ahead of us ran into trouble…” They looked in disgust as a stallion grabbed a shovel and began burying the rest of the bodies. Star Grazer grabbed a shovel and helped in burying the bodies.

They all continued their journey in silence. Star Grazer looked at all the other ponies’ tired faces. They weren’t sullen but they were most definitely tired. He looked at Light Dasher who didn’t seem affected at all. Her face was a little dirty but besides that she didn’t look tired, sad, or anything. She probably is trying to hide it… or she is one tough mare!

“War… War never changes…” The brown coated stallion said.

“Hmm?”

“Oh, nothing my good man! Just a quote I heard in my travels.” Star Grazers raised an eyebrow.

“You travel a lot?”

“You could say that yes.” They both stopped and stood in silence for a moment.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Are you going to tell me where you have traveled?”

“I’ll have to decline. That is a tale for another time. Look at that we are here!” Star Grazer deadpanned. That talkative pony brings up a topic he actually wants to listens to and he goes mute?! The nerve!

“Hey snap out of it we gotta find our stuff.” Light Dasher clapped her hooves in front of him.

“Your stuff was missing too?” Star Grazer was genuinely concerned.

“Well yeah but no big deal though. Not like I had anything important.” She turned her head and grimaced. She had left the ring in her bag.

“Well let’s ask Blueblood. I he should be around here somewhere.” He glanced around as the ponies unpacked items and pitched tents. He saw a two of his members from his portion of Team Green Bean walking around. One was a dark blue pony and the other a grayish color. He approached them. They saluted as he got closer.

“At ease guys.” He chuckled as they smiled. “Have you seen Blueblood?”

“No sir. We haven’t seen that pony since the mission at Windforge… Sir!” The gray pony shifted and had of look of yearning.

“Something the matter solider?”

“Sir? Not to be rude but why is Blueblood in the team?”

“Well that is a simple. He is a great fighter and earned his keep and though he has some… quirks… he has a sense for detail! At least this is what I think is the reason.” The answer seemed to satisfy the two ponies and they saluted before walking away. Star Grazer wasn’t exactly reassured by that however.

Star and Light Dasher walked around the camp. The small cluster of tents that were set up was beginning to flourish into a small town. The more he looked upon the scene the more he kind of liked it. The tents were a kind of reassurance. Like a family at a home. Somepony you can always go back to! At this thought he smiled. He was interrupted from his stupor by a gray pony with a clipboard.

“Hello, Officer Star Grazer?” The gray pony picked up a pencil from his clipboard.

“Yeah but no need for the formalities Star Grazer is fine.” The pony smiled.

“Yup, just checking on who is present. Light Dasher?”

“Eyup! But you have to call me Officer!” She scowled at the pony, shrinking back a little.

“Uh... Yes! Officer Light Dasher, mam.” The gray pony took a step back. Light Dasher giggled at pat the pony on the back.

“Geez! I’m just messing with you!” They all laughed.

“Alright, glad to have you here!” He awkwardly smiled with the pencil in his mouth and walked away writing.

“I like that pony! He is a cool dude.” Star Grazer nodded in agreement.

Light Dasher looked behind her and nudged Star Grazer. “Hey look.”

“Huh?” She pointed at Prince Blueblood placing down a stake. He noticed them and motioned for them to come to him. They approached a stern looking Blueblood.

“Hey. Your stuff is actually in front of this tent. Let me finish putting the stakes and it’s all yours.” Blueblood picked up a single stake and walked over to the string lining the tents edge. Star Grazer and Light Dasher watched him place down and slam the last stake into the ground and walk away.

“Hey where you goin’?” Light Dasher called out to Blueblood.

“Huh? I don’t know. Why?” Blueblood lazed his eyes toward them.

“Well I mean you appear, do something out of character, and then disappear.” Blueblood seemed taken aback by this.

“Are you saying me being friendly is ‘out of character’?!”

Star Grazer cleared his throat. “Well you aren’t typically the most selfless pony around…”

“Hmph! I’ll have you know I am more than just another pompous fool! Admittedly I was egocentric and arrogant in the past but that is just that, The Past!” Blueblood took on a more annoyed tone. “And I am not exactly welcome by these ponies. They see me for my past and nothing more. I don’t exactly have ‘friends’ here.”

“Well of course you have friends! Blueblood! Did you think you were all alone in this little army?” Light Dasher put a hoof around him.

“When you say it like that it seems childish but… yes”

“Awh come on! We’re your friends! Why wouldn’t we be? Especially me!” Blueblood looked down at his hooves. Perhaps he does have friends. Maybe he was just too absorbed to notice. Light Dasher’s stomach grumbled.

“Hehe. Guess I'm hungry. Let’s grab some grub!” Star Grazer and Light Dasher let go of him, starting to walk. “Hey you coming? We kinda’ need you to come anyway… We don’t know where the mess hall is!” Blueblood chuckled and quickly caught up to the duo.

Blueblood didn’t realize how fast time had gone by. By the time they had gotten to the mess hall the cook was just closing. He quickly made the trio a few platefuls of fries with what was left of the hot grease. They made a small fire pit in front of the ten Blueblood pitched. Strangely enough he never felt so full from so little.

“How did so little fill me up?” Star Grazer grinned.

“I used magic. I made the fries larger.” Blueblood squinted.

“Ok two questions: 1. How did YOU manage to use magic? 2. How were the fries bigger? They looked the same size to me!”

“Well it turns out anypony can use magic really. It is just a lot harder because I don’t have a horn to channel that energy. It works something like this. Your horn is directly connected to your brain. It is something like a hose.” Blueblood and Light Dasher stared at him quizzically as the flames flickered in the night. “A hose is used to focus water into a specific area at greater distances. Your horn works the same. It focuses the magic in you and releases it in a solid concentration across a greater distance.”

“So that’s how magic works! I never knew that. The more you know!” Light Dasher grinned and played with her feathers.

“That still doesn’t explain how you can use magic Star.”

“Oh well instead of a horn I use my hooves. The surge of magic has to flow through a much longer distance so it isn’t as strong. It also takes more energy for me to do basic things.”

“But Star, a spell for enlarging a solid item is something typically only unicorns with advanced training can pull off.”

“let’s just say I did a lot of studying.”

“You remind a lot of another pony Star. She was very studious and worked closely with Princess Celestia. My, she was gorgeous. I tried to court her a few times but she was more interested in books than relationships.” He laughed to himself.

“Well who knows? You might meet her again!” Light Dasher elbowed him.

“Well I don’t think that will happen. She is the Element of Magic. She saved Equestria twice and I left a poor impression on her friend Rarity.”

“Twilight Sparkle? Huh… Well you can always find a new mare!” Her smile for whatever reason made Bluebloods cheeks warm. It was probably just the fire.

“Ever the optimist are we?”

“You gotta’ be! Otherwise we’d be sad all the time! Besides you’re a great looking Stallion. Which reminds me, you changed your hair! It’s shorter!” Blueblood reached a hoof to his hair.

“Oh yes! I cut it. It was beginning to get in the way.”

“I like it!” Light Dasher yawned and stretched her wings and hooves. “I’m tired. Is there anything to sleep on In there?” She pointed to the tent.

“Yes there are two readymade beds and an extra set just in case.” Light Dasher sat up and stretched.

“Well when you two are done chatting have Star set up the third bed. Goodnight!” She yawned again and walked into the tent.

Star Grazer ad Blueblood both watched the tent for a moment longer before looking into the slowly dying fire. A few minutes passed before Star Grazer sighed and stood up. He walked over to a small nearby woodpile and threw some logs into the fire. The flame blazed as it accepted more fuel.

“So…” Star Grazer clapped his hooves together.

“So…” Blueblood kicked a rock.

“You like Light Dasher?” Blueblood’s head snapped toward Star Grazer. He checked for any hint of play. Finding none he cleared his throat.

“Well I’ll admit she is pretty. However I don’t really intend on pursuing romance in the military.” He paused for a moment and chuckled at the thought.

“Huh ok…” They both stared into the fire again…

“Do you like her?” Blueblood still stared at the fire.

“Well… Yeah. She has been really good to me and well…” He stared off into the flickering orange flame. Blueblood looked at him and smiled.

“Don’t worry. I have no interest in the mare however enticing she may be.” Star Grazer looked at his smiling face warily.

“Thank you… I think.” Blueblood stifled a yawn.

“I’m feeling tired as well. It is alright for me to sleep in the tent with you?”

“Yes of course! I’ll just be sitting out here for a little more.” Blueblood nodded and went into the tent.

Star Grazer turned his gaze to the fire. It flickered in the black sky with its orange and yellow glow. Its warmth permeated the cold night air and made him feel cozy and comfortable. He inched closer and that cozy heat became irritating. It bothered him and he felt slight sweat on his brow. He inched even closer and the flame felt slightly painful. He stepped away from the fire into the cold. The bitter air sent chills through his body. Star Grazer kicked dirt onto the fire. The red and yellow puffed out and in its wake glowing red embers. The embers groaned and crackled and he kicked more dirt onto them until they completely went out. Leaving Star Grazer surrounded by the dark and the cold. He nodded and went into the tent to let sleep take him.