//------------------------------// // A few good men // Story: Mean and Green // by Gallants //------------------------------// Enfield got up just as Night Fox came home from school, she walked to the bathroom breathing heavily, and looked into the mirror, eyes bloodshot, and shivering, she was cold and wet, "Why?" she questioned turning on the shower for warmth, stripping she climbed in, "Where was I, I never served in the woods?" she loudly questioned herself scrubbing her body, trying to feel clean. As she climbed out and patted herself dry she rolled her shoulder and walked out, brushing her mane back. "Hey feeling better?" Sabine asked looking down at the filly. "I'm not angry anymore if that's what your asking, just really exhausted," she said, before looking up, "I woke up freezing, and soaking wet, was my bed wet too?" she asked heading down the stairs. "Yeah, I wasn't going to mention anything I can only imagine how rough this all is for you," Sabine gently said, "I just took your sheets and blanket downstairs to get washed." she said walking into the bathroom and turning on the water. "It's just sweat!" she called out over the running water. "I hope," she mumbled reaching the bottom and seeing Moth playing along with Night and her dolls, "Ms. Moth, I'd like to apologize for my outburst earlier, it was uncalled for and I damaged your walls without good reason." she apologized, Moth stood up and swooped up the marine. "Although I'm upset about the walls, I'm happy that you seem better," she said nuzzling the filly, "and repairing the walls won't be too much of an issue nor too expensive, and your apology is greatly appreciated." she told her putting her on the couch and giving her a nod before going back to playing with Fox. "I should be punished," Enfield said causing Moth to stiffen, "I made a mistake I reacted inappropriately, especially to people who have been nothing but kind to me," she continued, "at least have me do the repairs to the wall, I know how to do it, I'll even paint all the rocks out front." she offered climbing down and looked out the window to see the lack of rocks in the yard. "You don't need to be punished, you just need to feel safe," Moth said not getting up this time and getting an over-the-shoulder look from Enfield, sighing, "but if you really feel like making it up to us, you can help Sabine patch the wall." she relented lifting up the royal guard doll and making a swooping motion with it. "Mom, that's a unicorn he can't fly," Night Fox complained, "he should stay here," she instructed putting her mom's foreleg to the ground, "and then he shoots spells at the bad guys," she said, "and then they can be arrested so they can become good guys." she cheerfully said. "Easier to just kill them," Enfield said causing Moth to cover her daughters' ears, "I'm just saying, rehabilitation is hard, and if you're needing to stun someone there's not going to be an easy way to rehab them," she explained, "I just put three to four rounds in someone instead of trying to arrest them unless we had direct orders to bag them for the spooks." she told her before Moth stood up and grabbed her leg dragging her into the kitchen. "I understand, I was a child soldier too," she firmly told her, "but you will not talk about your experiences in Saddle Arabia around Night Fox are we understood?" she questioned pressing her against the wall, getting a nod from Enfield, "good, now if you want to talk about it I am here, I understand, I saw horrible things as well." she said a lot more quietly pulling her into a hug. "I was never in Saddle Arabia," Enfield said before her eyes widened, "Holy shi-" she started a cabinet falling down cutting her off, looking over to it before looking back to Moth, "This whole world must be a weird parallel to my own," she said, "I wasn't a child soldier, I'm in my early 20's, I was a marine a designated marksman," she explained, "I'm not a child, although I never did have a loving family." she quietly said leaning into the hug. "Well, this is awkward." Moth said not knowing what to do except hold her tighter. "Wait you were a child soldier, I killed people who made children fight for them," Enfield grimaced, "thankfully never had to shoot a kid myself, but I heard stories from snipers and other DM's that had to; they had a lot more trouble sleeping than me," she said. "I was a rebel, rebelling against our government, they forced children into mines and killed anyone who dared to speak out," Moth said twisting so she could more comfortably hold the fi-mare, "There weren't too many adults left willing to fight, so while in the mines I killed a guard and led my fellow slaves out." she parted onto Enfield, "I haven't even told a rock this stuff, only Sabine knows, but I haven't told her everything," she softly said, "I still wake up in a cold sweat some nights, it's why my wing is injured couldn't get it properly treated in the field," Moth took a deep shaky breath, "maybe we can try to help each other, share war stories see if just talking can help us sleep better?" she asked tears running down her eyes. "Yeah, I, I think I'd like that." Enfield said starting to cry as well. "Are you two okay?" Night Fox called out walking over, "Why are you crying?" she asked laying down next to them. "It-It's nothing baby," Moth said unwrapping her leg and pulling Fox in, "Sometimes you get really stressed holding all sorts of things in and you just need to cry." she said kissing the forehead of her daughter, Night Fox nodded and crawled in closer to the two ponies. Sabine came into the room just the three were standing up, Enfield and Moth wiping their eyes of tears. The griffins eyes scanned the room before settling on the fallen cabinet, "Oh by the crown, did you get hurt?" she asked getting next to us getting a shake of her head, "I'm sorry I thought I properly put that up, I'll check the other ones to make sure they're stable." she said helping Moth get all the way up. "No, Enfield and I just had a big breakthrough, we have an understanding now," Moth said hugging her wife, "We're going to be staying up later and having talks about our shared experiences." she told her with a nod, motioning for Enfield and Fox to leave. The next few months leading up to winter break were simple between Enfield helping with the walls and cabinet. Along with Moth and Enfield sharing stories of their time in their respective sandboxes, Moth talking how her part in toppling the government and then fighting the new government which was somehow worse got her extracted, as Equestria engaged in a swift fight with them, she was given a stipend for her desire to see peace and freedom for her people. Enfield even became closer with Night Fox, joining her in a few pretend games with her dolls. "So we're heading north to Vacation in a nice resort, at the request of the Princess," Sabine said getting an eyeroll from Moth as they boarded the train in their jackets Enfield already taking off her saddlebags, vest, and undoing the zipper on her jacket, "So I hope we can expect you two to behave?" she asked, Enfield gave a quick light salute, Night Fox imitating her before she pulled her sister into a hug. "This is going to be so fun!" she squealed tightly holding onto Enfield, "Oh we should learn how to ski together, wouldn't that be fun?" she asked letting go and hopping on the trains bench. "Sure, wouldn't hurt to add another skill to my repository," she said putting her hoof on the stewardess', "I'd rather keep my stuff at the base of the seat please." she firmly stated, the mare looked over to Moth who gave a nod and the stewardess left. The next few hours were spent with a game between them as night approached. "If you need you can take the bed," Sabine offered opening, getting a shake of the head Enfield stretched out and closed her eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep. "There you are," a strained voice called out, "I have spent two months searching for a host," looking around Enfield lay her eyes on the dripping form of Nightmare Moon, "I won't even take control I swear," she said pain filling each word, "I just need somepony to absorb magic through so I can forge my own body." Enfield took a step back noticing she was human again and drew her pistol. "I'm not interested in any Goa'uld host taking bullshit," she said, "I haven't seen you in months, so I know the nightmares aren't your fault, I'm just sick." she firmly stated flicking the safety off her pistol. "Please I can protect you from the nightmares," she said, "I don't want to die, you are the only pony who isn't shielded from my presence," she begged, "I can offer you other things, a way home perhaps? I will place the best researchers on it when I'm in control." she offered need in her eyes as Enfield's breath hitched and she pulled her pistol into a compressed ready.