//------------------------------//
// Grumpy Old Horse Men 
// Story: Ofolrodi 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

"This is dumb," Flynn grumbled, sitting with a scowl on the front end of the dormant wagon.  "This is dumber than dumb."

"Save your breath, pal," Logan grumbled back.  Both Heraldites sat, looking up at the steeper heights of the mountain.  From their lower vantage point, Rainbow Dash and Ariel and Wildcard could be seen ascending swiftly to scale the peak of the natural formation.  "The decision's already been made."

"Well, it's a dumb decision," Flynn exhaled.  He looked back at where Kepler kept an eye on a bound Seraphimus.  "Made on a dumb impulse by idiots... idiots who are dumb."

"Rainbow and Ariel have performed recon hundreds of times before.  You never busted their chops then.  Why now?"

"Because we don't have the means of catching up with them!"

"You mean you don't have the means."

"Dude..."

"Double dude on you!"  Logan spat.  He turned towards the balding stallion with a dull smirk.  "Trust me—I know a thing or two about what it means to be blueballed by fate.  Don't sweat, baldy.  You'll get your magic mojo back.  Until then, could you kindly stop bitching about every little thing?"

"What he said," Seraphimus droned.

"Ha-hah!"  Kepler added.

Flynn folded his forelimbs and scrunched down.  "Hrmmmmmmmmmmmmnnngh..."  His mechanical eye rotated and locked loudly in place.

Logan sighed.  "What now?"

Flynn spoke beneath his breath.  "I don't like how chummy this gang's gotten with our prisoner," he mumbled.  "Especially you."

"I smacked her in the back of the head over a month ago," Logan said.  "How is that 'chummy?'"

"Yeah, and you let her survive," Flynn spat.  "You know what that means, right?  I'm damned surprise you haven't slept together."

"Is a certain egghead jealous?"

"Cram it, Big Show!"

"Hahahahahaha..."

Flynn exhaled in a huff.  "This is how shit starts turning into a cesspool... the moment we let our guard down."

"You'll notice she's still in chains."

"You know what I mean."  Flynn's natural eye gave the stallion a sideways glance.  "She damned well nearly killed us all off at the World's Edge.  Doesn't matter how well you can teach a parrot to sting.  A vendetta's a vendetta... and that shit doesn't die."

"It does for some of us."

Flynn groaned.  "Don't project, Logan.  You suck at that.  Your big fat ass always gets in the way."

"At least there's a sexy intermission."

"I'm serious, dude..."  Flynn squinted at him.  "What ever happened to the Big Show from months ago who was ready and willing to chop the griffin's skull off so Rainbow could stop shouldering the burden?"

"Ehhhh..."  Logan leaned against the frame of his axe.  "I dunno.  Maybe there's some sense to what the Austraeoh says.  Maybe the show ain't over for the Commander of the Talon."

"Now who's getting soft?"

"You think about all the nasty things we've done—waiting to serve as Eljunbyro with the power of Odrsjot..."  Logan glanced over.  "...and you tell me that you don't believe in 'second chances.'"

Flynn avoided his gaze momentarily, but ultimately returned with:  "Not every other soul you meet is your daughter, Logan."

Logan clenched his jaw.

"Or that crazy mate of yours either—"

"You don't think I know that?"  Logan grunted.

Flynn bit his lip.  "S-sorry, Big Show.  I was just—"

"Nah... I get it."  Logan stared up at the mountainside.  "In the end... the only ponies we can look after is ourselves.  And I—for one—wanna make the best out of every chance I get.  It'd royally suck if we all just stumbled into karma... ... ...like Bard did."

"What more can you expect of us here, Big Show?"  Flynn gave the larger stallion a somber look.  "I mean... really?"

Silence.

"We can only do right by following the Austraeoh," Logan said.  "So far... that hasn't led us astray."  He sat up straight.  "So... for what it's friggin' worth... I'm giving what Rainbow Dash wants the benefit of a doubt."

"You think the stupid buzzard in chains will follow suit?"

"Hell... I dunno.  I don't really care.  If she knows what's good for her, she would."

"If we all knew what was good for us we'd never have left Wyvern Point."

"Heh... yeah..."

"Heheh..."

The two stallions watched as the distant specks ascended the mountainside.  The dark speck flew closer to the prismatic figure.

"One thing's for sure."  Logan nodded with his head.  "The Austraeoh's got the best damn protection she could ask for."