//------------------------------// // Letting Off Steam // Story: Coming Home // by The Gunny //------------------------------// Battle Cry turned and looked at Rainbow Dash, the sadness was evident in his eyes though he hid it well. He took a sip of his drink and looked at Dash expectantly. “Battle Cry, um....Are you okay?” Dash asked, Battle Cry looked at her for what felt like an hour before stating. “No.” He looked her in the eyes. “I’m not okay, not in the slightest. My Wife is cheating on me, I can’t speak to my own daughter and I didn’t even get a heads up about it.” He looked like he was going to blow a gasget. “I thought we were friends Dashie, What happened to ‘you watch my flank I watch yours?’” “Battle Cry...” Dash began but before she could start to formulate a response the older Pegasus put a hoof on the fuming soldier shoulder. “Easy son, don’t say anything you're gonna regret.” He said cautioning, he looked at Dash. “Sorry Miss, he’s had a hell of a night.” “damn right about that.” Battle Cry said as he lay his head down on the bar only lifting it to take the occasional sip. “Now they’re gonna stick me with weather duty for sure.” Dash bit her lip for a moment before putting a hoof on Battle Cry’s shoulder. “Hey if you want you can come sit with me and my friends.” Dash said sincerely, she didn’t know why but the poor stallion looked like he flinched at being touched by her. Battle Cry looked at his companion who nodded. “Sure Dash, and...i’m sorry.” Battle Cry said, he got up from the bar with his drink and headed over to the table where Dash’s friends sat. The pink one smiled widely at him and before he knew it, pulled out a small cannon. The soldier’s eyes went wide and he ducked under the table. *BOOM* “Get out of here Private! Thats an order!” Sergeant Iron Wing shouted, Battle Cry shook his head. “Not without you sarge!” He shouted back “INCOMING!” The sound of incoming artillery echoed through the air as the rounds rained down on the position Battle Cry had just been in. “Sergeant!” “Sergeant!” Battle Cry shouted as he hit the floor, the sound in the building drained as did the color from the pink mares hair. On the ground looking like a kicked pup, was Battle Cry. All eyes were on him then on the pink mare who’s hair deflated like a balloon. Rainbow Dash looked at Battle Cry before helping him up, he looked around at the concerned faces of everypony in the building. “Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow Dash shouted in a voice she rarely used because it sound far to much like her mother. “Don’t pull the party cannon out infront of him!” Battle Cry was shaking as he looked around like a hyper alert squirrel. “Its okay Bats, she didn’t mean it.” “I-I-Is it safe, N-N-No more explosions O-O-Okay?” Battle Cry stammered almost like Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash escorted him to an empty seat at the table while the rest of the girls stared at him with looks of sympathy. Life eventually returned to the silent room as did energy to the pink menace, but the fear that something could happen was far from gone. “Okay, everyone this is Battle Cry. He’s not normally so jumpy.” Dash said trying to lighten the mood. “Pleasure to meet y’all.” Applejack said. “Charmed to meet one of Equestria’s finest.” Rarity added. “O-O-Oh Hi.” Fluttershy meekly squeaked “Sorry I scared you!” Pinkie shouted, Battle Cry’s eyes landed on the lavender one and instantly he snapped to a salute. She laughed. “Relax, I’m not as bookwormish as I used to be.” Twilight giggled, Battle Cry seemed to relax a bit. his shaking had ceased for the most part and his hyper vigilance was less than it was before. “thank you ma’am.” Battle Cry said, he looked at all the ponies and smiled. “Well you all know my name, I take it Dashie filled you in on my problem.” “Simply Dreadful that such a stallion, a guardian of equestria no less, be put through this. If you need anything my door is always open. “Rarity said, Battle Cry nodded to her. “I’ll keep that in mind ma’am.” Battle Cry said in his stoic voice, Dash nudged him a bit. “What is it you like to do for fun around here?” “Well theres, Partying, Baking, Cooking, Eating Apple Pie, Playing who wants to be a billionmare, eye Spy! Ooooh theres so muc to do in ponyviillleeee!” Pinkie began to sing (One Song and Dance later) “Nice song really, but were the massive timberwolves in tiaras and tutu’s really necessary?” Rainbow Dash asked, a very tense looking Battle Cry nodded his agreement to the statement. “Of course silly filly! Even the massive space armadillo was needed!” Pinkie said with a chipper tone. “yes...that was quite.....Interesting.” Rarity added, Battle Cry sighed as he finished he drink. “I-I think I’m t-t-to fucked up to fly....” Battle Cry muttered, Rainbow Dash looked at the now drunken pegasus. He needed somepony now more than ever and she owed that to him. “You can come to my house, just promise you won’t get sick.” Rainbow Dash said, Battle Cry nodded and grabbed hold of the Rainbow Maned pegsus’s tail. “Not too tight. Okay girls, I’ll see you all tomorrow.” With that the two pegasi flew off into the sky towards Rainbows house. “What do you think he was so jumpy about? I mean sure a cannon out of no where is a big surprise but why did he yell ‘Sergeant’ like that?” Twilght asked “More importantly, why was Rainbow Dash so....not Rainbow Dash? She’s normally never like that.” “I think he may have some demons to face, I wouldn’t be surprised if that ‘sergeant’ had something to do with what ever gave him all them scars.” Applejack added. “I-Its not nice to talk about other ponies behind their backs.” Fluttershy muttered and with that the conversation came to an end and the ponies went their seperate ways. (~~~~~) Battle Cry trotted from the door to the couch in under ten seconds before plopping down and staring at his hostess. “What?” She said, Battle Cry smiled widely. “I-I T-Think I need....a k-k-k-” Battle Cry stammered, Rainbow Dash put a hoof over his lips, she giggled and looked at his scars curiously. “Okay bats, tell me how you got those scars...” She said, Battle Cry shook his head. “Can’t talk about it...to many bad things, you wouldn't look at me the same way if I told you.” Battle Cry said semi coherently, he leaned over on the couch and let out a loud snore indicating he was done speaking for the night....