Disclaimer:
... I honestly don't know anymore, if you're still reading this I hope you at least enjoy it.

Chapter 4

Airbrush slowly pushed back the air grate, climbing out and dangling her tail down into the shaft for Starscream to grab. He climbed awkwardy over her body and onto the sandy ground.

"Huh… Airvent… why didn't I think of that."

Starscream winced slowly standing up and shielding his eyes from the sun.

"So uh… now what?" Airbrush looked at him inquisitively.

"Now we attempt to find other humans for the time being."

"not much in the way of that out here… you could have told me we were in the middle of a desert."

"That won't matter much, theres town a few miles away, I can get help there."

"MILES? you're bleeding… do you have any idea how far that is on foot?"

"… I'd like to take the time to remind you that I'm used to being three stories tall by human measurements…"

"Obviously. could you FLY too, tin can?"

Starscream shut his eyes and scowled. "Lets just get going the sooner we get there the sooner you can leave."

Airbrush sighed and brushed up against him as they walked inviting him to lean on her. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to call you 'tin can'… well I did but I didn't know it was a huge insult."

"It's not that."

"Well you want to tell me what it is about then?"

"No."

"Fair enough… if its a any consolation I'm sorry for making you… whatever you are… "

"I'm a human… "

"THATS What one looks like? how could you mistake something like me for something like THAT!"

"I thought you were a newer model."

"I… okay… I can kind of see that logic… kind of… if i squint my eyes."

"Will you please… just be QUIET?"

Airbrush balked her ears folding against her head, whimpering softly. "okay…"

They trudged along in silence for the better part of a mile walking along the basin of a canyon before Starscream had to stop. He leaned heavily on the pony's back coughing, his throat dry from the arid desert and the pain from his injuries was not abating.

Finally he spoke again and Airbrush perked her ears not certain if she'd be allowed to speak in turn.
"Out of curiosity how long does pain last… on organic injuries?"

"Ah… sometimes if its minor not very long at all but for things like this you're probably going to be sore for awhile. I know my wing hurts still but its kind of dulled so long as I don't move it."

He rubbed his temples and sighed looking down at his hands. "When I wanted to study humans I didn't think I was going to experience what it was like first hand."

Airbrush covered him with her good wing and gave him a small smile. "We'll find a way to fix this, I'm sure the spell will wear off…"

"My energy feels inadequate to continue, I need to recharge."

Airbrush looked around canyon, finding a small overhang where they could rest.
"Its getting dark anyway, we can rest under those rocks for the night. Do you at least know how to make fire?"

"Not… a skill I currently have."

Airbrush chuckled. "It's all right I have fur." She walked slowly to the overhang and usherd him under it, he looked rather wary of the rocks above, deep lines of worry forming around his mouth. "It's perfectly safe… C'mon." She laid beside him and extended her wing over his back, curling it around him. He seemed surprised by the gesture but did nothing to swat it away. "Goodnight Starscream."

Starscream paused… looking at the pony who had seemingly already fell asleep, and then out into the canyon where night was stealing away the last scraps of daylight. He sighed and curled up under her wing, exhaustion washing over him he too quickly fell asleep.