//------------------------------// // Karak Chai // Story: Mean and Green // by Gallants //------------------------------// "Who is this carrying our daughter?" Sabine asked looking the woman up and down. "This is my best friend Rana," Enfield answered, "and she's carrying me because she thinks I'm adorable-" she told Sabine and Fox, "-and because it's not really the first time she's done so." she continued with a sigh. "It's not, we used to drink near the wire-" Rana said with a happy look in her eyes, "-and the corporal here could never know when to stop, drink herself into a stupor every Friday and I'd make sure she'd make it back to her barracks in one piece," she told them, "Although I always preferred Karak Chai." "I-I see," Sabine said sitting back down as Night Fox ran over. "Your clothes are different than Enfield's," she said, "And you're inside now, you can take the mask off." her cheerful and adorable demeanor caused Rana to let out another squeal. "Ohh, she's so cute~," she said putting Enfield down and squatting down and getting closer to Night Fox, "Well, Enfield and I served in different groups, I was Bahrain Security and she was a U.S marine," Rana explained, "And my religion says women are to wear modest headwear when I joined the security forces, I swapped from a niqab to a balaclava, keeps me modest and fits better under my helmet," she explained removing her helmet and putting it down on the desk, "and thank you, corporal, for saving me, again." she said holding me close before putting me down on the bed. 'What a lovely woman, now I see why you care for her so much,' Nightmare said, "It's no sweat Rana, honestly I saw the uniform and balaclava and prayed it was you," Enfield told her undoing her vest, "I mean someone needs to buy me some absinthe and be my drinking buddy after all." she said laughing gently putting down her vest. "Absolutely not, you might have been a grown woman before, but you are in a child's body now, I'm happy you gave up smoking-" Moth said causing Rana to enthusiastically ruffle Enfield's mane, "-but you certainly can't drink do you have any idea what that will do to your body?" she asked getting a frustrated groan and nod from Enfield. "Yes mom," she whined dropping her head onto the mattress before looking at Rana, "Hold me," she commanded, Rana happily dropped onto the bed next to her, pulling her in, "We're drinking behind her back," she whispered into her ear getting a hum and shake of the head in return, "Traitor," she playfully spit out, 'When I rule you shall have all the absinthe you desire my host,', Nightmare triumphantly announced, "Thanks Nightmare." she grumbled out. "Hey I know I just sort of barged in carrying a woman-child," Rana said, "But I haven't had a bed in 2 months and have been living in dug-out snow caves, hoping to wake up in the morning could I borrow a bed or a sofa?" she nervously asked, looking between the three beds. "So, Rana huh, impressive girl, confident, dangerous," Nightmare said as she sat in a cafe with Enfield who looked around, "I've been doing some hormonal cleaning-" she quickly got a hard look from Enfield, "I live here too now, I haven't gone delving into your memories if this place is familiar It's because your subconscious designed it like this," she told her, the look Enfield was giving her softened, "Now would you like some brain juice tea?" Nightmare asked offering a cup. With a sigh Enfield sat across from the inky mare and took a sip of the offered tea, "Karak, been a while," she said, "Wait brain juice tea?" she asked leaning forward, "The fuck does that mean?" she questioned her accusingly. "Just that the flavors come from your memory," Nightmare told her getting a slim smile and a nod, "I wouldn't do anything to damage my host, that would be foolish," she scoffed taking a sip herself, "Ohh that is good," she said, "Now friendship, is it always soo... emotionally filling?" she asked taking another sip. "Can be, Rana and I have a great friendship, really the only friendship I have that's super close," Enfield told her, "don't get me wrong I like Night Fox, I don't mind playing with her but I'm 23 mentally speaking and she's a child," she groaned out leaning back, "bit weird innit?" she asked blowing air through her lips. "I mean it can be if you were trying to like have sex with her," she said, "You aren't right?" she questioned getting a shake of her head and a disgusted look from the woman, "good because I'd kill us both then being stuck in a monsters head," raising her hoof she took a sip, "This is amazing before I get you sent back I'll need a recipe for this." she praised. "Probably tastes better than it really did, rose-colored lenses and all that," Enfield told her, "Ohh, think I could adjust where we are if I think really hard about a particular place?" she asked the mare. "Most likely, mnemonics do influence the dreamscape quite a bit," Nightmare told her, "Just don't take us to anywhere repressed." she begged, putting her cup down. "God no, anywhere repressed is repressed for a reason, I wouldn't put my worst enemy through that shit, let alone you," Enfield reassured her, "my childhood was a mess, why do you think I was such a perv as a teen?" she asked getting a shrug and nod in return. "Could we be friends?" Nightmare asked, "Because I think you would be a good one to start with." she said nervously. "Why did you come back to me for a host, why not try a different species?" Enfield asked her getting a small roll of her eyes. "Something about how the pony body absorbs magic makes them compatible with me," She told the woman, "Can't communicate or even detect with other species, it was a miracle I could even detect you let alone speak and inhabit you, knowing that you are some hyper-intelligent lightly haired ape," she explained getting a pursed-lip look from Enfield, "No offense." she meeped out. "A little taken," Enfield said, "So I'm guessing despite your best efforts you can't actually take control of my mind or body?" she asked getting a sleek smile from Nightmare. "So you noticed?" she asked getting a crisp nod from Enfield, "I can't your brain is built differently, not compatible so to say," she told her, "and even if I could make it compatible the years of undealt with trauma would make me want to kill myself," she said whistling, "no offense meant again," "None taken there, I know I have deep-seated issues," Enfield said chuckling before she noticed Nightmare about to say something, "and no therapists, I'm handling it," a shake of the head from Nightmare Moon, "Yes I am." she said causing Nightmare to laugh, Enfield joining in not too long after. "You really aren't handling it, not one bit," she laughed out before her head was slammed into the table a groan escaped her lips, "I see you've begun to master your mindscape, or you've become much more aggressive with me." she said seeing the glare in the marines eyes. "I was able to bottle about 20 years of mental trauma and emotions without an outburst," Enfield told Nightmare, "You are damn right I am just being more aggressive because I have perfect fucking control over my emotions and mental state," she said standing up, "So don't you even think about trying to control me, because I will resist and have you removed from this brain." she threatened looking at the now shy form of Nightmare Moon. "I understand, you are in control, I can't take it from you," she said letting out a deep breath, "I will not hurt you or attempt to do so after I have my own body." she said swallowing fighting her natural instinct to stand up for herself.