A/N: I... literally have no explantaiton for this. Creativity people. But before anyone says anything - don't question this, I did join the Planes and Cars characters.

The good ones have pasts

Disclaimer: Disney/Pixar owns all recognizable characters.

"You don't know what he's been through," Maru had suddenly spoken from next to him, making him jump. "I do. But nobody else does. They judge him for what they see, but they never try to look into his past. Same with just about everyone here, all around us. I bet your kids have some history."

Ethan nods, crossing his arms and watching his friends, and Maru's friends, interact. Finn was currently standing in front of a very muscled stallion, who Maru had introduced him as Blade. He was the chief, and Finn was flicking his ears back and forth as if he was trying to figure out if he should challenge him or not. Both stallions necks were arched, noses to each other's, so Ethan could only guess they were figuring out dominance.

Ethan drew in a breath. "Yeah. I get that. Finn's got some serious issues and bad PTSD from some missions, but has a simple backstory. Holley on the other hand, has really bad anxiety, horrid PTSD, and is extremely skittish. She was abused when she was little, was trained from the start to be an assasin for some organization, but she was to sweet or something. They tried hurting her into doing it, but she wouldn't. That's when we found her, took her in and retrained her to be a spy. She's a pretty good fighter, but only when Finn is by her."

Slowly nodding, Maru glanced over at Cabbie. Standing with his hind leg titled, rest his head but obviously alert. Making sure nothing happened to anyone. That military training still hard wired into his systems.

"Cabbie was pressured to go into the military by his parents. Fought, nearly got killed, transferred here. Scars on his belly show it all. Dynamite had a rough life with an abusive father. Blackout had to fight his way through his life, with various bullies and even an abusive mother. Drip had parents that liked to get drunk. Pinecone has an abuisve ex boyfriend, and Avalanche was beat up as a young colt. Till he got bigger than all of em," Maru cut off to chuckle, shaking his head fondly.

Ethan looked over at him. He wasn't looking at him, but at his team.

"Dipper doesn't have much of a past, same with 'Lifter and Patch. Dusty, I know, has an abusive stepfather somewhere and his mother died, I believe. And Blade watched his friend die, watched many others die, and I know he had a couple of abusive friends and an abusive... father, I think. Me? I don't have much to tell. Other than I was a city kid and living life on the streets."

Ethan hummed, staring back at the team as well as his own friends. He glanced to his left as he heard a happy squeal, only to see Holley giving chase to Dynamite, Pinecone and Dusty.

"Sounds like they all came together because of similar pasts. They help each other through whatever problems they have."

Another soft chuckle from Maru. "I can't tell you how many times. They save one another from hell, whether it be when their awake or asleep. Blade has literally jumped through fire before to save 'em."

Ethan's eyebrows raised a bit at that. A few moments of silence passed as the two stood by each other, watching everything around them. At one point, Finn had actually struck out at Blade, only for both to throw their heads up and walk in separate directions.

Ten minutes passed before Maru broke the silence yet again. "So, what about your team? What's with them?"

Ethan sighed, putting a hand to the back of his neck, "From what I know, only a few of them have bad pasts. I know Lightning and Jackson both had abusive parents, or at least one. Jackson had a mentally abusive trainer. Cruz had a mother and father that mentally put her down as well. Doc watched his racing career fade into a dream after he had his wreck. And Sarge went into the military, Sheriff has had a few bad fights. Other than that I don't theirs much to any of them. Pretty normal."

"... what about you? If you don't mind me askin'."

Ethan shook his head. "When I was a kid I used to get bullied by the older kids, then came home to a drunk dad. Most of the time. When I was old enough I got into CHROME, trained and got a partner. His name was Harley, and he was a big gelding. He had his faults, like the rest of em did. I worked with him for nearly nine years before he was unfortunately shot and killed on a mission. He hesitated with something, and the enemy took the chance to get him. Not too long after that, I got my second partner. A smaller gelding, Prix. He was stocky, but short. He really couldn't get over a fence much higher than five and a half feet, which often lead to some trouble, and that was his demise. I only worked with him for a bit before he got shot."

Maru frowned, looking over at him, "'M sorry."

Ethan waved his hand, "Finn works for me. I've never met a more willing horse. Or fearless, for that matter. He ain't scared of anything. That horse has literally run into fire, gunfire, and jumped off buildings into water before," a soft chuckle from both males. "Scared the hell outta me to a couple times. He's disappeared and then reappeared to save my butt quite a few times now."

"Sounds like a nice partner to have in the field."

"He definitely is." Both whipped around when they heard some squealing, then pounding hoofbeats. Lightning was leading a small group of both PPAA and RS horses on a chase to catch whoever, and some of them were bucking.

They both laughed, glancing at each other before looking back in front of them.

"It's nice to know they get along."

"Yeah. I'm glad Finn's enjoying himself. Usually he doesn't relax around new horses."

"Don't blame em."

"Who knows, maybe he senses the connection. A connection where they've all been broken, beaten, only to ride up from the ashes and be a new person. Maybe they all sense that, and that's why they get along so well. I rarely see Blade get into a fight with these guys, and I know what temper he has."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Ethan slowly shook his head, "Their amazing like that. They just... they know. And that's the glory of it."

A/N: yeah, it's midnight here. I feel really bad for not posting anything on my other in-progress story. But I really haven't had any inspiration for writing it. I also hope this makes sense... because it's midnight here... and my brain isn't cooperating.