Thankfully, the destroyed milkshake that had splattered his vest was washable, though that did not hinder the scathing glare Dusk gave the fillies in annoyance. They had seemingly been left unscarred by the Milkshake War, the milks and shakes somehow completely missing them. The room had been splattered in a plethora of colors and liquids, decorating the walls with the sugary delights.
Prosa sighed. “Now would be a good time to see if we can get our Marks in cleaning up.”
The point was understood, and the three fillies each grabbed their own mops from Pinkie and began washing down the walls. Prosa was quick to join them, first flicking off the remnants of a shake from his vest before washing his mop against the walls. Soon, their combined efforts managed to clear the space of all of the residue, leaving it spick and span.
Pinkie didn’t seem mad at them for the mess. She scrubbed down the walls twice as quickly, smiling and humming to herself the entire time. She did her best to cheer up the girls, encouraging them to keep trying. She offered buying them shakes to cheer them up; but they surprisingly turned her down, deciding to try and move on to another way of earning their Marks.
They left Sugarcube Corner, tired but determined smiles on the fillies’ faces. Prosa walked behind them, quietly listening as they rattled off more of the list, sometimes putting in his own suggestions.
Soon, they had covered most of the town, going in and out of various shops, returning outside tired and still blank. Coin counting at the bank ended with Scootaloo accidentally locking one of the bank tellers inside the vault; and, while the visit to the hospital was nice, the constant sound of groaning ponies eventually drove them out (though Dusk stayed for a little longer to exchange a few words with Redheart). Their disappointment, however, was mostly put aside with their joyful hearts, happy to be out and about—and with Dusk Prosa, nonetheless.
Their next destination—though they were wary of it—was the schoolhouse. They trotted up the path towards the red, wooden building, Scootaloo mumbling something about this being a dumb idea. Dusk stayed silent, eyes glancing around; he had actually not been to this side of Ponyville, and was eagerly taking in all the details.
His thoughts were suddenly stopped when he bumped into Sweetie. He was about to admonish her, when he saw that Scootaloo and Apple Bloom had also stopped. They all stared ahead at something, disbelieving looks on their faces. Dusk frowned, thinking something was wrong. He glanced ahead, eyes peering forward to whatever it was they were looking at.
His frown deepened into a scowl at what he saw.
A crying, purple-grey unicorn lay in the middle of two fillies. The fillies were saying something, making the pegasus only cry harder. At the distance that Prosa and the girls were, they could not tell what they were saying; but they could easily tell that it wasn’t anything remotely nice. The fillies that surrounded the pegasus were both earth ponies. The first was a pink filly with a purple-and-white mane, with a small tiara for her Cutie Mark. The other was a similar grey to Prosa, with a white-grey mane and a pair of rounded glasses. She had a spoon with a heart at the end as her Cutie Mark.
As they approached, the words soon became clearer.
“I thought the Crusaders had it rough, but you’re even worse!” shouted the pink filly, grinning evilly.
“A blank flank, and a retarded mom?” added the grey one. “Wow! What terrible luck you have!”
The shivering unicorn pleaded, “Stop saying that!” But her cries were drowned in the bullies laughter.
“Who are they?” Dusk whispered to Sweetie.
The white unicorn noted that there was a particular edge to Prosa’s voice. “Diamond Tiara is the pink one,” she answered, “and that’s her friend, Silver Spoon.”
“And the unicorn?”
“Dinky Doo. Miss Ditzy’s—”
“Daughter,” he finished, a vehement tone in his voice.
“That’s just low!” Scootaloo whispered as they got closer. “Picking on Ditzy just because she has funny eyes! Everypony knows there’s nothing really wrong with her!”
Apple Bloom nodded, scowling. “Ah guess those two haven’t gotten the memo.”
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon heard them approach, and turned, seeing the fillies and Prosa standing before them. “Oh, look, the blank flanks!” Tiara taunted. “Come to play with your other loser of a friend?”
“Don’t ya dare call Dinky that!” Apple Bloom shouted, glaring angrily at the two.
“Why?” Silver Spoon asked with a dark grin. “Don’t tell me you actually care!”
Diamond, meanwhile, saw the company that the Crusaders were with. She let out a disgusted snort. “Ugh! Really, Apple Bloom? First a blank flank, and now you’re hanging out with that creepy stallion?”
Prosa narrowed his eyes, but said nothing, trying to control his growing anger. Dinky looked up, her eyes filled with tears. The sight wrenched Dusk’s heart, and he nearly let out a low growl.
“He’s not creepy!” Sweetie defended. “Once you really get to know him—”
“Get to know him?” Diamond cut her off. “I didn’t think you were that dumb, Sweetie! I mean, hanging out with a user? Come on, surely you know how stupid that is!”
“He’s not a user!” Sweetie protested. But Diamond and Silver wouldn’t listen, laughing down her protests.
“Oh, this is hilarious, Silver Spoon!” Diamond cackled. She pointed at Apple Bloom, “We’ve got a farmer who can’t buck apples—” She moved her hoof over to Scootaloo; “—a pegasus who can’t even fly—” Her hoof rested on Sweetie; “—a unicorn who can’t use magic—” Her hoof landed back on Dinky, actually slapping her; “—and a stupid, blank flank unicorn with a stupid mom!”
Her taunts made Dinky sob loudly, and Dusk’s anger heightened to dangerous levels. He took an advancing step, standing in front of the Crusaders. Scootaloo made to follow him, enraged, but a hard hoof stopped her. She looked up at Dusk in surprise—and then in fear, as his brow had furrowed up and his body was shaking all over. He let out a low growl, making the bullying fillies pause.
“What, you think you’re a dog?” Diamond taunted.
The taunt did little but annoy him, and he took another step. It seemed like a dark aura was surrounding him, and his eyes seemed to flash brilliantly. His lips curled up, revealing bared, clenched teeth.
“Enough!” he simply commanded. His voice held huge authority, putting so much power behind one, simple word. With the same power, though, he poured fear and anger, and the very atmosphere seemed to burn with his fury.
“Leave. Her. Alone.”
Tone dripping dangerously into malicious intent, it seemed that it was taking all of his willpower not to bash those fillies’ heads in.
His voice was enough to make them quiver. Yet they stood their ground, glaring at Prosa defiantly. “Why should we?” Diamond asked, trying to appear uncaring.
He took another step, bending low. His eyes narrowed, the pupils shrunk to pinpoint pricks , his gaze locked on the fillies like he was targeting them. If looks could kill, Diamond and Tiara would have been completely vaporized.
“I think you know well enough why,” he spat, pressing his face into hers. “Do not be ignotae, nor play stultae with me.”
They were caught off guard by his foreign tongue, and by how harsh he had spoken the words. “W-what?” stammered Tiara, backing up slightly, only to bump into a petrified Silver Spoon.
He took another step, pushing them with his own presence away from Dinky. Her sobs were drowned out by his rage, and a wave of pure spite washed over his mind. He glanced at the fallen filly, eyes cloudy, a storm of emotion burning up inside. His gaze then snapped back at the bullies.
“Ponies like you absolutely disgust me,” he said darkly. “Cretins who exercise fear, just to place themselves above others… beasts who consider themselves so superior as to shame and ridicule those they perceive as less…” He gaze hardened, and his voice became a mere whisper. “Monsters are what they are. What you are.”
Backing them against a nearby tree, he craned his neck so that he was at eye level with them. A tough, cold, unforgiving glare carefully held back his explosive fury at Dinky’s bullying. As the Crusaders watched in shock, they noticed that the very air seemed to dip into cold; the stallion’s attitude has somehow morphed the atmosphere into one where harshness reigned supreme. Adding to that effect was the way Dusk carried himself; as a predator, a vigilante, somepony not to be angered at any means.
Fear clutched all the ponies’ hearts, but the Crusaders tried to fight down the feeling, watching Dusk with growing unease. They had never seen him become this furious, this fearsome—and in such a short while as well.
“Your kind makes me unimaginably, irrevocably sick. And believe me when I tell you, I have seen the darkness in ponies’ hearts. I have witnessed terrifying things that lay in ponies’ hate and ignorance.
“You are monsters. Beasts. Wendigos, wobberjacks, the deadliest demons from Tartarus incarnate. But above all else, you are cowards—afraid of anything that might usurp your supposed ‘power.’ And I know how to deal with cowards—permanently.”
He leaned forward. “You will stop. You will cease this senseless act of intimidation. And you will run.”
Diamond took a step back. “O-or what? You’ll tell Miss Cheerilee?” Before he could answer, she pressed on, “She won’t believe somepony as creepy as you!”
He narrowed his eyes. “I’m sure I could think of a more violent means of stopping you.”
He was so close that they could feel his warm breath on their faces. It seemed like smoke was coming out of his nostrils, so angry was he. "If you try anything remotely hostile, and I happen to catch wind of it… well… let’s just say that you’re not going to like what ten years of pain feels like on somepony else.”
He glowered at the two with such force that one might have thought he could have incinerated them with his eyes alone. “Are. We. Clear.”
Three, little words—and yet, they spoke volumes of his supposed intent. Fear raced down Diamond and Silver’s spines, and their limbs froze up in reflex. His gaze bore through them, analyzing their every weakness and uncertainty, bent on exposing them at a later date. Gradually, their limbs began to move, and they backed up into a full trot. They fled, scared tears running down their cheeks.
Such a sight made the others feel guilty—and though he did not show it, the same feeling gripped Dusk’s heart like a cold, iron vice.
Necesse erat, he tried to reassure himself. A necessary measure. Yet that unease remained as strong and as heavy as before.
He looked down at Dinky, pity filling his heart, replacing the guilt. Bending down, he took her hoof in his, helping her up. His eyes lost their intensity, falling back into a sympathetic gaze.
“Miss Doo?” he asked. The harshness of his voice had vanished, replaced with generous concern. He was answered by a loud sob, before the filly suddenly rushed forward and hugged him. Several shivering thank yous poured from the young one’s mouth, coupled with racking sobs.
“It’s alright,” he softly said, rubbing her mane. “It’s alright. I’m here, I’m here.”
A few moments passed, and Dinky’s sobs gradually subdued. She finally calmed down enough to stammer out something coherent. “Those mean fillies were making fun of Mommy,” she said tearfully. “I didn’t like that at all, but when I told them to stop, they started teasing and making fun of me instead!”
He gripped her close as another cry erupted from her. “There, there, young Doo. You have nothing to cry about.” When she gave him a confused look, he continued, “You readily stood up to them to defend your mother, did you not?” He smiled kindly at her. “In my eyes, that marks a true victory.”
Apple Bloom and the others walked over. “Are you okay, Dinky?” she asked.
Dinky nodded. “Yes. Thank you for asking.” Bloom and Sweetie gave the young unicorn a consoling hug.
Scootaloo bore a scowl as she looked to the road where the bullies had fled down. “They had better not bother you again, or else I’ll knock them upside the head—”
“Scootaloo.” Dusk’s tone was somewhat sharp, and she looked at him, confused. “Don’t.”
“Huh?”
He trotted over, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “I know you want to get back at them; but you shouldn’t want to resort to violence as a means of retribution.”
“Huh?” she still asked, confused by his words.
He sighed. “Violence isn’t the answer, Scootaloo. It only adds more pain. Threats of vehemence do nothing to douse the fire that bullies fuel.”
“Then what am I supposed to do?! Let them get away with it?!”
He gazed down the road. “… No. You defend yourself and your friends. But you don’t resort to physically hurting them.” His voice fell. “I don’t want you to fall down to my level…”
She was silenced by that, Dusk’s words sinking deep into her mind. Sweetie stepped forward, giving Dusk an unsure look. “So then what was that whole deal with Diamond and Silver then?”
“Empty threats, Sweetie Belle,” he said, frowning. “But threats nonetheless.”
A heavy silence fell between them, with Prosa doing his best to comfort Dinky. His mood had darkened, and he had a faraway look as he thought wordlessly. So many old methods rose to mind; so many weapons he could use, so many weaknesses he could exploit, if only to destroy the bullies’ resolve…
Looking at Dinky, and then at the Crusaders, he remembered why he hated that past. Their faces, like they had seen a darker side to a supposed bright knight, heightened his guilt; and he looked away in shame.
Sweetie, however, saw his pain, and was quick to comfort him. She gave him a quick squeeze, and he—hesitantly at first—squeezed her back.
Late noontime was fast approaching when the stallion and the fillies returned to town. They had offered to stay with Dinky for a while, partly because they wanted to make sure Diamond and Silver wouldn’t return, and partly because their previous enthusiasm had evaporated. The young, purple-grey unicorn clutched to Dusk as if her life depended on it, and would not leave the stallion’s side even as they entered town.
They stopped at Sugarcube Corner for a quick bite, Pinkie greeting them eagerly. Her smile fell when she saw the pain in their faces, her heart collapsing as she saw the tears in Dinky’s eyes. Quickly, she prepared for them several shakes and warm delicacies to cheer them up. Dusk politely declined, saying he would eat later.
While the filly’s chowed down, Dusk glanced around. The Corner was mostly empty, the lunch rush having already been served. Outside, the ponies passed on by, blissfully ignorant of the turmoil that was happening inside. Dusk approached Pinkie after a moment of hesitation, though he was unsure why he chose to move.
Pinkie had already caught on to the stallion’s weighted attitude, and with a frown she asked, “What happened?”
He shook his head. “Bullies. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.”
She nodded sadly. “Oh, those two… they’re such big meanies.”
“That’s an understatement.” With a surge his anger returned. “Driving a filly to cry? Making fun of a pony’s impaired vision? How low must they be to—”
“Dusk.” Pinkie placed a hoof on his chest. She spoke in hushed tones. “I get that you’re angry, but please, don’t be mean to them.”
“Too late,” he muttered darkly. “Those bullies need to learn their place…”
She was not thrown off by his attitude, pushing her hoof against him. “But yelling at them? Threatening them? How is that any better?”
“It isn’t. But it was necessary.”
She looked at him with uncertainty, her mane somewhat deflated.“I won’t be the one to judge. But… just try to be careful, okay?”
He nodded, his scowl losing some of its intensity. “Hopefully this is all the trouble I’ll be facing here.”
It was a vague statement, but Pinkie chose not to question it. She could tell that Dusk was fighting a wave of emotions, and didn’t want to possibly provoke him any further than those fillies did.
She glanced to where the Crusaders and Dinky sat. The girls were busy doing their best to keep the unicorn’s spirits up, and were definitely succeeding, judging by her small smile. Pinkie noticed that Dusk was also looking. Something akin to determination, a fiery emotion, rose behind his eyes.
“You’ll be taking her home, right?” she asked. By his gaze, she already knew the answer.
The fillies soon finished their meal, and Dusk and Pinkie walked over. With a curt nod, he signaled it was time to leave. He looked down at Dinky. “Address?”
She gave it to him, and he walked up front, hiding the fillies behind his larger frame. Pinkie couldn’t help but think it looked like he was protecting them from any outside threat. And the way he gazed out, with determined, steadfast, unwavering eyes, added to that.
It was enough to make her smile again, assured that Dusk would be true to his word, and she gave them a small wave as they left the bakery.
Dusk knocked on the door, the fillies still behind him. Ditzy answered the door soon after, and her face grew worried as she saw the stallion looking at her warily. He shuffled to the side, revealing Dinky. The smaller unicorn rushed forward and hugged her mom tightly, a gentle sob falling from her mouth. Ditzy held her tightly, eyes closed, before looking back up at Dusk.
“Tell me everything,” she said. Dusk nodded, and they stepped inside of Ditzy’s home.
It was a nice house, Dusk supposed, with warm yellow for its walls and green furniture all around. The occasional pine-wood decorative piece could also be found lying in the center of rooms, adding to the design. The house was simplistic in design, though Dusk couldn’t say that was bad. To the left of the entrance were a set of stairs that presumably led to Dinky’s room and the other bedrooms.
A set of hooves trotted down the steps, and the brown earth pony that Dusk had seen at the party appeared. “Ditzy? What’s happened?” he asked in a distinguished accent, seeing the shivering filly.
Ditzy responded by gesturing them all over to the living room. She, Dinky, and the brown stallion took a seat on the far sofa, Dusk and the Crusaders taking their own seats in the back.
“Oh, where are my manners?” Ditzy pointed the the brown stallion. “Girls, Dusk, this is Time Turner. He’s my…” She blushed in slight embarrassment. “… coltfriend.”
Dusk nodded. “There is no need for chagrin. A pleasure, Mr. Turner—or at least as close to a pleasure as one could get, given the circumstances.”
“Never mind the pleasantries. Just tell us what happened,” implored Turner.
Dusk proceeded to fill them in on what had happened, with the Crusaders adding in their own details. Ditzy began shaking in fury as their full account was revealed to her. Time Turner did his best to comfort her, squeezing both her and Dinky, trying to mask his own rising anger.
Once Dusk and the girls had finished talking, Ditzy let out an angry snort. “I thought Filthy Rich was keeping control over that little beast of his!” Time Turner shushed her for the language.
Dusk raised an eyebrow. “Filthy Rich?”
Turner faced him and nodded. “That’s Diamond Tiara’s dad. He’s business partners with Silver’s father, which is why the two girls are friends.” He shook his head. “For some reason, he doesn’t see his daughter being the bully.”
The pewter stallion’s gaze narrowed. “A business tycoon…” he muttered, a deep scowl forming. I’ve had to deal with enough of those way back when.
“I won’t stand for this continued abuse!” Ditzy suddenly shouted, getting to her hooves and flaring her wings wrathfully. “If I have to tear down that idiot’s house just to get him to stop his daugher, I will!”
She made to leave, perhaps to rampage on over to the stallion in question, but was held back by her coltfriend. “Ditzy, please! You have to be civil!”
“I’ve been civil for far too long!”
“You’re scaring Dinky!”
That made her pause, and she looked at her young daughter guiltily. The filly had some tears in her eyes, scared of her mother’s reaction. Ditzy hugged her daughter, trying to comfort her. Time Turner joined in on the hug, and the three of them began to cry.
“I just don’t know what to do!” Ditzy wailed, holding on to her daughter sturdily. “I can’t do anything, Cheerilee can’t do anything; and Rich refuses to do anything!”
Dusk looked away, both out of a feeling of polite manners as well as a ton of sadness. The scene before him brought forth more painful memories; images of a torn past, of crying fillies, mothers, and fathers, ran past his mind, strengthening his guilt. He wanted to do something to help, to put Rich in his place.
I know one way… but I made a vow never to do that again.
He forced himself to look at the family. He bit his lip and clenched his teeth, holding back frustrated tears. He had to do something, and knew he could; yet, he wouldn’t. Deep down, he knew that his hypothetical action would result in more detrimental effects than positive ones. And no matter how badly his body and soul cried for vengeance, he could not bring himself to resume that ancient role.
And yet… perhaps there is one thing I can do.
He stood up from the couch, walking over to the sobbing pegasus. He placed a hoof on her shoulder. She looked at him, eyes welling up.
“Nil desperandum,” he said. “Do not despair. Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito. Yield not to misfortunes, but advance all the more boldly against them.”
Ditzy suddenly hugged him, gripping him in a powerful, emotionally-charged hold. He did not flinch away, letting himself be her rock of support in this dark sea.
“Stay home,” he advised, his voice suddenly as soft as silk. “There is no need to confront a dark world today.”
Soon, they broke the hug, and Dusk had to leave with the Crusaders. He gave a soothing hug to Dinky, and the Crusaders also gave their own comfort. With heavy, yet resilient hearts, they left, leaving behind the seed of hope in the small home.
Be strong, Miss Doo, Dusk prayed.
He looked at the fillies behind him, noting their tired looks. “Dusk,” Sweetie Belle said, looking up. “I… I don’t feel like pursuing my Mark for the rest of the day.” The others expressed similar sentiments, caught up in the wave of emotions that had engulfed them.
Dusk nodded, before saying softly, “Me neither…”
The Crusaders returned home much later, leaving Dusk alone in the center of town. He watched them go off in their respective directions. He had first considered walking home with them; but he figured that they’d be fine.
He shook his head, both in shame and anger. The outburst he had expelled had been violent, conjuring up images of a past he’d rather forget. Even though Diamond and Silver were being exceptionally cruel, they were still just kids. And kids could both be smart and stupid. He was fortunate that the Crusaders had not turned out as those two.
A part of him felt some pity for the bullies. Their actions were likely due to their upbringing; it was a common factor in all cases of bullying. Though he could not guess with Silver, he could assume that Filthy Rich did not have a tight hold on his daughter. The way she carried herself, the condescending way she talked, the way she regarded Dusk with indifference… it all screamed of a child out of control.
He wondered if that made her dangerous. Bullies, in comparison to the ponies he had met in his past, were comparatively minute in threat; yet, he recognized their potential to be a local hazard. He considered going after them, for a more elaborate talk; but decided against it. If Filthy is as smart as Manehattan said, then he ought to know what to do.
That was, of course, assuming that Diamond did not warp the story somehow. Dusk had a feeling that she would.
He glanced up, noting the sun’s position, realizing that it was time. He turned, making his way to his house, all the while deep in his thoughts. A grim frown crossed his lips. It seemed that no matter how far he ran, no matter how much he tried to change, there was a part of him that would always remain as this intimidating stallion. The fear on the Crusaders’ and the bullies’ faces certainly contributed to that.
Is that who I will always be? he thought. This… intimidator? The Prime Intimidator?
He shook his head. No, he could not be that forever. Nothing was permanent; change was the one constant of life. The fools were the ones who did not adapt to a constantly morphing world; and by Celestia he refused to fall into that group of individuals.
One of the mantra’s he had learned from his School of Excellence days came to mind. He began repeating it in his head, using it as a way to block the growing feelings of lamentation and regret.
Omnia mutantur nos et mutamur in illis… All things change, and we change with them.
Soon, his house came into sight. He let out a sigh, before mounting the porch steps and entering inside. He peered at the clock, seeing that there was just enough time to perform one more duty. He gulped, mentally preparing himself for the inevitable task.
It’ll be over in just a second, he reassured himself, calming somewhat.
He went up the stairs, heading for the closet. Standing on his hind hooves, he brought down a white container that was cool to the touch. He knew that the cold would preserve the samples as long as they needed to be held. He opened the top, performing a routine check, making sure that the container was empty and clean. Nodding as he saw that it was, he returned back downstairs. He then headed for the kitchen, opening the freezer door.
Several racks of needles lay there, and he sucked in a nervous breath, cursing his phobia. He closed his eyes, as he struggled to breathe. The needles peered at him with angry faces, their points becoming the blades and knives of a corrupted city alley. He shot a hoof out, grabbing several needles, and placing them desperately in the container. He continued this action, with several pauses in between, until the freezer had been emptied completely. He snapped the top of the container shut, then slammed the door closed, letting out a ragged breath.
Somehow, in his haze, his dark sense of humor rose. I can take on wolves just fine; but when it comes to transporting these syringes, I’m always out of breath.
The container wasn’t too heavy, but he knew that he needed something to hide it. He bent down to one of the lower cabinets, bringing out a cardboard transport box that was the right fit. He placed the container inside, before closing the top and taping it. He carefully held the box on his back, perfectly balancing it. He nodded his head, before rotating and heading out the door. Time was of the essence; the faster he got this over with, the better for all involved.
His thoughts clouded his awareness of the environment, so much so that he was not aware he was at the post office until the doors suddenly jumped out at him. Stopping just short so that he wouldn’t bump into the glass frames, he opened one of the doors and stepped inside.
A somewhat bored looking stallion greeted him, but Dusk did not initially respond. Walking up to him, he reached behind and placed the box down. The gesture, though wordless, was easily understood: he wanted to mail this out.
The mailpony nodded, handing over a clipboard with some paperwork. Dusk looked around, making sure nopony was watching, before signing it, his flank glowing faintly. He quickly finished, handing the clipboard back to the stallion. He took it, making sure everything was in order, before moving the box to the back room for transport.
Prosa nodded a silent thanks, before turning to leave. As he left the building, he noticed out of the corner of his eye a pink and grey blur. He stopped, eyes darting around, on guard.
Several strained seconds passed, before Dusk snorted and shook his head. He figured he had to have been seeing things; it had been a long day after all. He sighed, then trotted his way back home.
“Did you see what was in the box?” Silver Spoon asked Diamond Tiara.
“How could I?” Diamond angrily whispered back. “The top was closed, remember?”
“Oh…”
The pretentious filly snorted. “Whatever! It was probably something lame, like an old notebook or something!” Her lips morphed into a sadistic smile. “Besides, we’ve got more important things to do than worrying about what he just sent out!”
“Such as?”
“Getting back at him, of course! I’ll have my father speak with him sometime later.” She placed on a mock pouty face. “All it will take are a few crocodile tears and some blubbering, and that stallion will be out of our manes for good!”
“You said it, DT!” Silver bumped her flank against her friend’s, both of them laughing as they made their way back home.
