About three hours later, the other two humans and I were standing outside the train that was heading back to Ponyville.

"You sure you want to stay here? Celestia probably won't like it." I said to Williams, who only had his M1 Garand held loosely in hand. Duffy looked around for a second with a frown on his face, before going inside the train car with the others.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Williams asked. As if Dawn was listening to him, a flash of light blinded us and I felt another body slam into me, sending us to the ground. I landed face first.

"YOU HAD TO ASK!!" I shouted, clutching at my nose, which was broken yet again. Someone on top of me groaned before rolling off and to the side. As I stopped moving, I found out that I was very wet, and there was water pooling next to me.

"Ugh..." The unknown person coughed, before retching and getting more liquid on me.

"Please, Williams, tell me that isn't vomit..." I groaned, blinking the whiteness away.

"It's water, actually. And I've never seen a British uniform like that before, either." The paratrooper responded, probably kneeling next to me.

"Wh-Where am I?" The guy asked with a mild Scottish accent.

"On a train platform. What happened to you, soldier?" I responded, sitting up and shaking water off of me.

"I... Fell off of a ship and into the ocean. My combat suit dragged me down... Oh God, am I dead?" He muttered. Once I was able to see clearly, I was able to get a good look at him.

'Jesus, that's the Ranger Combat Armor from Fallout!' I thought, shaking my head and looking again. He had a British flag, but colored black grey and white, on the shoulder facing me, a mask that looked like it attached to the helmet was on the ground, and the armor was black.

"Yes and no. You've been given a second chance at life, but you're not on Earth anymore." I answered as I looked around us. There was an AA-12, a .357 Rex magnum revolver, 2 hand grenades, and what looked like breeching charges scattered around us. I scrambled to make sure the grenades weren't hot, before putting the explosives into my backpack with the grenades that I've confiscated from Williams. I was very lucky those two didn't become hot, either.

"Well... Where the hell is here, anyway?" He asked, collecting his weapons as Williams helped me to my feet. After securing said weapons, he slid on the mask, confirming my suspicions.

"A land of colorful talking ponies, my British 1st lieutenant." I said as seriously as I could. "Welcome to Equestria." I then slid open the door to the train behind me so he could see inside. Standing right behind the doorway was Twilight, Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy. Fluttershy probably knew my nose was broken due to her freaky animal voodoo stuff. AJ was concerned about me, and the other two were looking at the Brit with awe in their eyes.

"Huh..." He muttered, staring down at the four.

"Before I forget; what's your name?" I asked, turning to him.

"1st lieutenant Blake Mactavish of the British SAS special forces. And you?" He answered.

"Mark Durnkinscoff, used to be a corporal of the USMC EOD division, but now I'm a General in the Equestrian Military." I answered, giving him a nod. Williams blinked and gave me a salute when I turned to him, causing me to sigh. "Do I look like a hardass to you? Can the saluting shit, I'm not in uniform."

"Sorry, sir." Williams said, lowering his hand.

"And cut the 'sir' crap. I worked for a living back on Earth." I said, before waving him off. "Go on and do shit with Luna, we'll be fine." Williams nodded and jogged back towards the palace, avoiding the Day Guards that were watching him with a suspicious look. Blake just sighed, shook his head in defeat or something, and stepped onto the train, me following after him. While I stepped onboard, I quickly realigned my nose and supressed a scream of pain.

'This is getting way too common...' I thought with distaste.

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy quietly asked as I took a seat near Applejack, looking at the blood on my face.

"Not really. I broke my nose again, but fixed it, and the gash on my face could use some stitches." I answered, before locating Rarity. "Hey, Rarity! You have a needle and some white thread?" I called out, getting her attention.

"Why yes, I happen to have some. Why do you ask?" She said, raising an eyebrow.

"Need it for something practical. You'll get the needle back, I promise." I replied, holding my hand out. She levitated some thread and a needle into my open palm, while Blake looked at the needle as if it was going to go flying into his throat. If Duffy gave any less of a fuck, he'd be giving negative fucks.

"This'll sting a little..." Fluttershy calmly said once I handed the makeshift stitching supplies to her, turning my head to the side softly.

"I've had worse." I said without moving my mouth, wincing a little as I felt sharp metal going through my face. While my face was getting punctured, I looked over at Blake to see him trying to talk to Duffy.

"It looks like it'll hold, but when we get back I want to restitch it, if that's okay with you..." Fluttershy said when she finished, getting quieter at the end. I smiled rassuringly and nodded, before turning towards Applejack.

"How're you doing?" I asked, poking her shoulder.

"Ah'm doing fine, sugarcube. Ah'm more worried about ya, at this point." She responded.

"Considering that I was drugged last night, I could be worse off." I answered. She looked very down, and I internally facepalmed.

"So... Ya didn't want to do... that with me?" She whispered, looking down with an expression that just said 'sad'. I sighed and put an arm around her back, forcing her to get closer to me.

"That's not what I said, Applejack. I didn't want to have sex so soon, but I wasn't thinking of not bonding with you further. I was just hoping for our relationship to develop a little more, before we got that far." I said, rubbing her ear with my only thumb. She seemed to sag in relief and closed her eyes, feeling content with me fucking around with her ears.

[At the train station in Ponyville]

I was the first one off, looking around the platform before nodding to myself.

"Perfect; nobody out here just yet." I muttered, waving Blake and Duffy out.

"What's the plan, Mark?" Duffy asked, looking around.

"Going to secure you two a place to stay. Dash, you willing to put up with Duffy?" I asked, turning to the cyan pegasus.

"Uh, he's not able to stand on clouds though, right?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Twilight, you able to do a spell for him?" I asked, looking at her.

"Yes, if Duffy'll come with me to the library I'll be able to cast it." She said. At my nodding, the three walked off, leaving me, Blake, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack standing around. Pinkie went off to make up a 'Welcome to Equestria' party for us humans. Well, the ones in Ponyville, anyway.

"Rarity, you willing to put up with Blake here?" I asked the unicorn, turning to her.

"Why of course! It can get very lonely with only Opal for company..." Rarity exclaimed, beaming up at Blake.

"She'll probably want your measurements, so give them to her when you two arrive at Carousel Boutique, which doubles as her home." I muttered to Blake, who nodded.

"Alright lass. Show me our home, then." Blake said to Rarity, who trotted off with him in tow.

"I need a beer so much right now..." I muttered, running my hands over my face.

"There's a bar in town, actually." Applejack said, causing my attention to snap towards her.

"Where." Was all that I said. It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

"Outskirts, near Fluttershy's cottage. Since yer goin' towards her place anyway, Ah don't really need to show ya..." Applejack informed me.

"Thanks love. You sure you don't want to come with me?" I offered, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah don't hold my alcohol that well..." AJ muttered, blushing. I shrugged.

"It's alright with me. Not everyone's made for drinking." I said. "Well, shall we go off then?" I asked of Fluttershy.

"Okay." She said in that quiet voice of hers.

An hour later, I was enjoying a few of Ponyville's finest brews.

Sorry for the wait; personal reasons. Merry Christmas!