Fuck. Jason thought to himself nervously, his brow beginning to sweat under the black leather band of his white dress cover. Do I bow or do I salute?

He stood at parade rest, his limbs stiff. The dress blues he wore were tight on his body. Not too small, but tailored to be form fitting as was custom. The uniform complimented his features nicely, making him quite the impressive sight to behold.

But, as is the curse of all dress uniforms, they were designed for appearances, not for comfort. The tight fitting jacket limited Jason's movements, and he had to be careful not to rip the material by moving his arms in ways the uniform was not designed for.

The jacket was stressed slightly as Jason held his hands in the small of his back, his feet spread slightly and pointed at a forty-five degree angle. The heat of the late summer evening was not unbearable, but was far from comfortable and Jason was beginning to sweat into the white undershirt he wore beneath the black jacket.

Twilight stood to his left, Rainbow on his right. Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy stood beside them, all eagerly awaiting the Princesses' arrival. Almost every citizen of Ponyville had gathered around the town square, excited whispers filled the air as ponies crowded the narrow streets, attempting to get the best viewing positions possible.

Jason was just about to bend over and voice his question to Twilight when he saw the Mayor approaching quickly.

"The royal carriage has been seen just outside town. The princesses will be here within minutes!" The Mayor was beaming in excitement. "It isn't often the princesses come to our small town, so as you can imagine their visits, no matter how short, are cause for celebration."

Jason took a quick glance over the rapidly growing crowd. "That seems to be an understatement, Mayor. Everyone seems to love them, truly and unconditionally. Most of the world leaders of Earth would envy this kind of devotion. It's uncommon where I'm from to have this many supporters without any protesters."

"What possible reason could anypony have for protesting the princesses?" The mayor seemed appaled at the thought.

"Maybe they don't like the way they've been running things. Problems with their policies and such." Jason looked at the mayor with a smile, attempting to keep the conversation friendly.

The mayor looked at him indifferently. "Ah...Yes I suppose that makes sense. But we don't have that issue. Princess Celestia has maintained peace in Equestria for over a thousand years. And ever since your marefriend and her friends saved Princess Luna from herself, they have both ruled with kindness and compassion. We love them because they love us, Cpl. Sinder, and we would do anything for them because they would do the same."

Jason chuckled lightheartedly. "You ponies are extremely lucky to have leaders like those. Ponies would not fare so well if your politicians were like ours. Corruption runs rampant in our government, each person has their own secret agenda and goals. Unfortunately, for the most part, those goals are not for the benefit of the common man."

The Mayor gazed down the road, a serious look on her face. Jason was a little concerned at this reaction. He looked toward Twilight to find her already looking up at him. She wore a familiar expression and shook her head slightly. We'll talk later. Jason may not be good at reading other ponies, but he could read Twilight very well. Jason nodded and looked down the road.

He could hear cheering in the distance, and as time passed, it grew louder. His nervous anticipation piqued when he saw ponies throwing confetti and cheering at the bend in the road.

His breath caught as he witnessed the princesses for the first time. They were taller than he was expecting. The white one, who he assumed was Princess Celestia, was closer to the size of a normal horse, her shoulders just slightly lower than his head. Princess Luna was smaller, kind of in-between the size of regular ponies and her larger sister.

He watched in wonder as their manes drifted on invisible currents of magic. Celestia's pastel rainbow and Luna's midnight-blue hair drew him in, and it took effort for Jason to regain his senses. He shook himself quickly before assuming the rigid position of attention, unconsciously trying to extend his height in a vain attempt to gain a few inches.

The princesses approached slowly, taking the time to greet each pony as they passed, exchanging pleasantries and asking the occasional question. Jason waited patiently as the princesses made their way through the crowd. Jason could wait, he was good at waiting.

Jason's mind grew foggy and his vision swam. His balance was a little off and he began swaying slightly. Twilight looked at him in concern.

"Jason, are you ok?" She asked.

The question caught Rainbow's attention and she quickly turned her head toward him.

"Whoa there, big guy! you don't look so good..." She said, worry beginning to creep into her voice.

"I'm fi..." Jason began.

He didn't finish.

Jason's vision went dark as he blacked out, his previously precarious balance now non-existent as he fell face first towards the ground.

The two mares beside him reacted in simultaneous urgency. Twilight's horn glowed as she enveloped the unconscious human in magic, slowing his fall. While Twilight attempted to stop him, Rainbow quickly flew to catch him. She managed to slide her hooves under his chest and head, preventing him from smashing into the ground. Twilight released her magic after gently setting him down and Rainbow rolled him over, keeping one hoof behind his head.

Twilight quickly ran to the human's side, Rainbow turning her head and looking at her with worry.

"What's wrong with him?" Rainbow asked, hoping Twilight would have the answer.

"I...I don't know... He seemed fine this morning." Twilights own worry shown from her voice. She gently laid a hoof on Jason's chest.

She looked down on her stallion for a moment before shaking her head and turning her attention to Rainbow, who was looking down at Jason.

"Rainbow, stay with him. I'm going to go find a nurse." She said with determination.

"That will not be necessary."

Twilight's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. She turned her head quickly and found the royal sisters standing behind where she sat. They looked down towards the small group before them, concerned frowns on their faces.

The other mares they had been standing with now formed a small circle around the downed human, giving them space to tend to him. They bowed their heads toward the princesses when they noticed their presence.

Twilight's instinct screamed at her. Her own training and the loyalty to her teachers and rulers demanded she bow to the pair, but her devotion to Jason rooted her to the spot. Rainbow Dash, who still supported his head, was having the same conundrum.

"Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! Forgive me for not rising." Twilight blurted out, looking at the princesses apologetically.

"There is no need to apologize, Twilight Sparkle." Princess Luna said calmly. "We understand that one's stallion must take priority, especially in situations such as these."

Twilight was relieved she had been able to convince the princess that the Royal Canterlot Voice was not needed in these situations. She still didn't know what was wrong with him and was afraid the incredible volume of Princess Luna's voice could create...problems.

"Thank you for understanding, Your Highness." She bowed her head slightly in gratitude before looking up and glancing around the ring of ponies that had surrounded them. "Please!" she called out gently. "Can someone please find a nurse?"

"IMMF RIGH HERF CSHILD." Twilight heard a muffled voice and quickly looked to find the source when she saw Nurse Redheart running toward them, a medical bag gripped in her teeth.

Twilight stood and moved aside as the nurse positioned herself next to him. She pulled out a stethoscope along with a thermometer, bandages and a few other medical supplies from her bag before tending to the downed human.

It was several minutes before Jason slowly regained consciousness, his head spinning as his vision slowly focused. He was overtaken by a slight sense of vertigo as he was levitated onto a stretcher.

"Urgh...What happened?" Jason groaned.

Twilight and Rainbow were at his side in an instant, concern apparent on their faces.

"Dude, you passed out! We should be asking you! what the hay happened?" Rainbow exclaimed.

"How do you feel, Jason? Are you okay?" Twilight asked.

Jason closed his eyes and shook his head quickly, shaking off the last traces of dizziness from his mind. "yeah...yeah I'm fine..." As his mind cleared, it became immediately apparent what had happened to him.

He propped himself up onto his elbows before brining his hand to his face, covering his eyes in angry embarassment. "Such a fucking BOOT!" He exclaimed to noone in particular.

The two mares standing beside him glanced at each other quickly before looking at him in confusion.

Jason sighed. "It was my fault. I locked my knees when I was at attention. We're always told not to do that for this exact reason. Cuts off blood circulation and makes us pass out."

He looked toward the pair, an embarrased smile on his face. "I guess I was trying to make a good impression and blew it." His eyes widened. "Oh god the princesses saw, didn't they?"

"Indeed we did."

Jason winced when he heard the voice. She had only said three words, but Jason could hear the powerful tone and pure regality of her voice in that simple statement.

Jason immediately stood. He fought the sudden wave of dizziness as the blood rushed to his head. He turned toward the source of the voice. He assumed the rigid position of attention, his hand snapping to his forehead. He winced slightly as he realized the cover was missing from his head.

FUCK! Jason thought to himself, his face blank as he held the salute. That'd be an ass-chewing for sure.

His voice was calm and steady as he spoke. "Good afternoon, Your Royal Highnesses. Corporal Jason Sinder, reporting as ordered."

Jason watched as the princesses regarded him with thinly veiled surprise. Jason couldn't help but notice Princess Luna's small grin at his discipline.

Princess Celestia's surprise was quickly replaced by a kind gentleness as she smiled. "At ease, Marine."

Jason was surprised to say the least. Never did he expect anypony to use the proper military phrasing, much less his title. At least not without him having to explain it. He hesitantly went to parade rest.

The Princess continued. "We are perfectly aware of your discipline and bearing, but you are not in service to our government. We are here to meet you as a citizen, and we would like you to behave as one. Please, we would much prefer this to be a relaxed conversation."

Jason's demeanor relaxed slightly. He kind of wanted this to be a relaxed meeting, but he wasn't stupid. He was speaking with the two most powerful ponies in the entirety of Equestria, and he refused to fall into the trap of complacency. He would answer all of their questions to the best of his ability, but he was going to maintain his discipline, like he was speaking to his Commanding Officer. "Yes, Your Majesty. I will do my best."

Celestia's smile widened as she saw his muscles relax. "Now, if you'll come with us, I have asked the Mayor to prepare the town hall for our meeting. There is much we must discuss."

Jason walked with the princesses. While he was unconscious, he had been moved away from the center of town and the crowd who gathered there. As they walked past, the crowd erupted into cheers. The Princesses maintained their regal appearance as they passed, and Jason couldn't help but notice more than a few angry glares directed toward him.

He ignored them as he walked with the Princesses, Twilight and Rainbow following close behind, along with their other friends. The royal sisters asked many questions, mostly trivial courtesies as they headed towards the large building next to the town square. How has he been? How well was he adjusting? What kind of jobs did he do? Those kinds of questions.

Jason could tell that they already knew the answers. Twilight had been writing them letters diligently, and he was sure she had been including a lot of information about him.

Their idle conversation lasted until the group finally arrived at the town hall. Jason was surprised when he saw the two white stallions, gilded in shining golden armor, flanking the large double doors of the building.

This was the first time Jason had seen the Guard, and he fought the urge to greet them. He was curious about the military-esque ponies. He wanted to see how they might compare to the Marines, but he saw the set of their jaw and knew instantly that they were on duty and wouldn't respond to him anyway.

The guards opened the doors and the Princesses slipped inside. Jason followed closely and the doors closed behind him, shutting the rest of town behind them as they stopped in the front chamber, just outside the main hall.

"Corporal Sinder." Princess Celestia said. "I'm sure you have realized by now that we already know a great deal about you. My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, has kept us well informed on your...Achievements and progress. From what she has written, you are adapting very well to our society and are doing quite a bit to assist the ponies of Ponyville."

"I will always do whatever I can to help, Your Majesty. These ponies have, for the most part, treated me fairly and with kindness and seem to have accepted me into their community. I cannot say what happens when I'm not around, but when I am, the ponies are very respectful. But, I must say that without Twilight and her friends, I would still be struggling. Their friendship has been the most positive piece of this experience, and, as I say often, possibly one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me." He turned to gesture to where the group of six mares had been and was surprised when they were not there. A touch of nervousness crept into his mind as he turned back toward the princesses.

"Forgive us, Corporal, but we have asked that your herd and their friends remain outside." Princess Luna said, her expression becoming serious.

The absence of the mares troubled Jason quite a bit. He knew that the princesses probably didn't mean him harm, but their presence had steeled his resolve. Now, he stood alone with the two alicorns and he felt very small.

"Yes... There are questions we have that we must ask in private. You are still welcome in Equestria, of course, but there are a few things we would like to know. Call it a test of sorts." Celestia said.

Jason's nervousness grew. A test?...A test of what? Jason remained silent, waiting for the princesses to continue.

"First question." Luna said with determination. "What are your intentions in Equestria?"

That, is a HUGE fucking question... Jason thought as he began thinking of an answer. The Princesses waited patiently as he arranged his thoughts. He compiled his response fairly quickly, but ran the statement through his head a few times before speaking. "Your Highness, the only intention I have is living. I want to help as many ponies as possible, to make myself useful. I'm not looking to make waves in society, just to blend in like I've always been here, like I belong here."

"A fair response, but it seems to lack ambition." Celestia said flatly. "You do not want to, say, have others conform to your standards of 'normalcy'? To make our society more like yours?"

"That has never been my intention, Your Majesty. I am the only one of my kind in the whole of Equestria. I am not so selfish as to have others change their ways for just one alien."

He saw the touch of a grin pass over Luna's lips before Celestia spoke. "Your modesty is certainly admirable. Now, next question: What do you have to offer to our world?"

Another big question. "It is true that my particular skill set is not particularly useful to such a peaceful world, but I have a few insights on tools and machines, as well as some techniques and methods that could assist the laborers of Equestria. I have done many jobs around Ponyville, ranging from repairing small watches all the way to building homes for the growing population. Some would call me a jack of all trades. However, even though I can do quite a few different jobs, I am by no means an expert at any of them. The only thing I have absolute confidence in is being a Marine."

"Which brings us to our next question." Princess Luna said. "Given the opportunity, would you consider entering into military service for Equestria?"

That question kicked like a mule. He didn't know. He loved Ponyville, but had never even considered the possibility. He knew he had a lot of information that could be useful to the Guard, but his methods would be extreme. He was trained to kill people, a skill he wasn't sure would be received well within the Guard ranks.

His mind turned to his motivation for joining the Marines in the first place. He joined to defend his home, his family and his country. He was willing to fight for them, and die for them. He thought of Twilight and Rainbow. The home they shared. The countless citizens of Ponyville who had welcomed him with kindness. He felt more connection to this small town than he had ever felt for New York. The answer came easily after that sudden realization.

"Yes... Yes I would Your Highness. If I was ever called upon to defend my new home and the ponies who live there, I would not hesitate to take up arms against whatever may threaten it. My life means nothing compared to those I love. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack... They mean far more to Equestria than I ever will. They have done things that have changed the world, and always for the better. I promise, if anything were to ever endanger them, or any of the citizens of Equestria, I would lay down my life for their defense."

The Princesses' eyes widened in surprise at the determination in his voice. They understood immediately that this was far more than a simple answer. This was an oath, a promise to them as much as to himself. This was far more than they were expecting. The Guard had it's oath of enlistment, of course, but they had never heard anypony promise their lives to the defense of Equestria. They looked at each other quickly before returning their attention to the Marine before them. He stood at a stiff parade rest.

Jason's heart was pumping, adrenaline flowing through his veins. He had only felt like this once before. The day he stood on the parade deck of Parris Island, short minutes after completing the Crucible. He had flashbacks of his Drill Instructors moving down the ranks of his platoon, stopping before each Marine and handing them the small metal insignia. The day he had earned his Eagle, Globe and Anchor.

He once again fought back tears of pride. Only after he had said the words, did he understand the truth of what he said. He felt a greater devotion to Equestria than he had ever felt for Earth and America. He had been devoted to his home country, but there were constant reminders that there was evil within America. The prisons were filling and he had seen more than one violent crime in his life. He knew of the slime and corruption that ran rampant within big corporations and politicians. He knew that there were a lot of officials who were willing to trade his life and the lives of his Marines without much of a thought.

He had seen none of that in the months he had spent in Equestria. He felt a greater determination at defending and preserving the innocence of this world. He would fight as needed to protect those he loved. He would fight so normal ponies wouldn't have to.

The Princesses' faces grew into warm smiles as they regarded him with newfound respect. Princess Celestia spoke. "We had come with more questions, but that answer has erased any kind of doubt we may have once shared. We are grateful for your obvious devotion."

"Indeed we are. You show more enthusiasm towards duty than we have ever seen." Luna added. "Which is quite the statement. We have lived more than a thousand years, and have never met anypony so willing to sacrifice themselves for Equestria."

Jason shook his head slightly. "Please, your Highness, do not misinterperate my words. I will fight to defend this land, but I will not simply roll over and die for it. I will take any means necessary to eliminate any threat there is to my home and the ponies I care for. If this fighting takes my life, so be it, but I will continue fighting until the last breath is taken from my body."

Luna's smile widened. "As is expected. Now then, shall we explain to him the other reason for our visit, dear sister?"

"Indeed we shall."

Jason looked at them curiously.

Luna continued. "You see, Jason, may we call you Jason?"

Jason smiled slightly. "You are the Princesses of an entire land. You could call me Monkey and I would respond."

"All right Jason, my sister and I have a small wager. She claims that the Guard is a significant fighting force, capable of defending Equestria at a moments notice." Luna paused, giving Jason a serious look.

Jason nodded in understanding. "But...?"

A small grin formed on her lips. "I believe the exact opposite is true. I do still have memories from when I was Nightmare Moon, and I have more than a few of the Guard showing their incompetence. Neither of us are particularly well versed in military practice, and leave much of that job to our generals."

Princess Celestia continued for her sister. "What we would like from you, as a combat veteran, is an honest appraisal of our prime force. In order to settle our wager, they need to either pass or fail an inspection from you."

Jason's eyes widened slightly at the implication. I'm supposed to inspect an entire fighting force?!? Jason recovered from the surprise quickly. "It would be an honor, your Majesty, but if I may ask, what would you consider a 'pass'?"

"We leave that up to you, Jason. Inspect them, and give us your honest opinion on their capabilities." Luna said.

"I can do that your Highness. When did you want me to perform the inspection?" Jason asked.

A mischievous grin spread across Princess Luna's face as she turned toward the door to the inner hall. The large doors were enveloped in blue magic as she opened them.

"Right now..."

Jason's heart skipped a beat as he witnessed the huge formation filling a vast majority of the large chamber. A single path ran down the enter of the room. The formation, broken up into eight platoon-sized units, stood on either side, facing inward.

Jason ran his eyes over the formations, taking in the general appearance of the unit before beginning his in-depth inspection. Jason noticed they were all stallions. As he looked over the formations, he noticed that stallions of the same species shared coat and mane colors. Unicorns were a charcoal gray with white tails and matching plumage on their golden helmets, while pegasi and earth ponies shared a white and blue color scheme. Jason assumed that the color of their hair and coat was considered part of their uniform. From a distance, Jason was impressed. The ponies standing before him appeared decently disciplined, or at least well-practiced at standing at attention.

Jason moved to the left of the path and slowly walked in front of the formation, closely inspecting the front rank of Guards. Their armor was well polished

The princesses stood at the doors, waiting patiently as Jason conducted his inspection. As he walked in front of the assembled stallions, he noticed nearly every stallion following his movements with their eyes.

He finished his pass of the left side and began made his way back to the front of the hall, inspecting the remaining formations on the right. They looked impressive, certainly, but there was something missing. There was no intensity in the stallions, no devotion to the formation. Jason knew they thought this was more of a chore than anything.

Jason made a second pass, this time walking between the second and third ranks of the formations, getting a closer look at the stallions who would normally be hidden by the ponies in front of them.

He saw more than a few eyes widen in surprise and worry as he looked over the rear stallions.

He could now easily see the tue state of these guards. The front stallions obviously took extensive time cleaning their armor, since they were the ones who would be seen. As he looked over the back ranks, he saw many sets of tarnished armor, unkept plumage, untrimmed tails and ill fitting uniforms.

Jason finished his pass of the right formation and didn't even bother making his way down the opposite side before quickly making his way back to the princesses. He came to attention directly in front of them, a look of impatient anger on his face.

"They fail, Your Highnesses." He said, his voice tense.

The princesses' eyes widened in surprise at the determination in his voice.

Princess Celestia spoke up. "That was a very fast verdict, Jason. Do you care to elaborate?"

"They lack discipline. It is extremely easy to spot for a trained eye, but these guards only do the bare minimum required to please you. The personal appearance of the guards in the rear ranks is horrendous, a lot of them don't look like they've cleaned their armor in months. They also have no bearing."

"What do you mean by bearing?" Princess Luna asked.

"Permit me a demonstration, Your Highness."

Luna nodded and Jason turned to the first fromation on the right, centering himself directly in front of the assembled stallions.

"Who is in charge of this unit?" Jason asked.

"I am, Sir." Jason's eyes were drawn to the stallion at the very front of the first rank. He was surprised at the stallions appearance. He was a unicorn, yet his coat was white as opposed to the dark gray that was used among the other unicorns. Jason was curious as to what might give this stallion the right to break the uniformity of his unit.

"Front and center, Guardsman." Jason said quickly.

The stallion walked over and stood in front of Jason, lifting his head to look into Jason's face. Jason looked over the Guard's armor. It had the same basic shape as the rest of the guards, however the color scheme had been customized. Other than the borders of the golden plate, the armor had been colored a deep lavender. Jason could instantly recognize where he had seen the color before. It was the same color as Twilights coat. Jason's eyes then noticed the pink six pointed star that adorned the armor directly below his neck. Realization crept into Jason's mind.

"What is your name, Guard?"

"Shining Armor, Sir. Captain of the Royal Guard." The white stallion said.

Jason nodded. Well...Shit...I was really hoping to meet him in a better situation than this. I hope I get a chance to talk to him later...He's going to hate me for this Jason thought to himself as he inhaled.

"Your unit is unsat, Guard. Your front rank looks to be the only stallions in this whole unit who have even touched their armor to clean it. Some of these Guards are so fat they barely fit in their armor. There is no uniformity in their tails and there are helmets back there that are missing chunks of plumage. How the hell did you let them come to this inspection in such a sorry state?"

Shining Armor blinked, his eyes widening in surprise. "Uh...Well I...Uh" He floundered for the words.

"Uh uh ummm....SPEAK GUARD!" Jason said, his voice raising.

"We didn't know we were being inspected Sir! We thought it was an exercise!"

"So you only care about your appearance when you're about to be inspected? That's fucking pathetic. Any Captain worth anything should be on their stallions all the time to make sure they look their best. How the hell did you get this job? You're obviously not qualified."

Shining Armor's eyes narrowed in anger. "How dare you... What right do you have to criticize how I lead my Guards?"

"Watch your mouth there, Guard." Jason interrupted.

"NO! I won't have my unit disgraced by an alien! What the hay do you know about military life?!"

Jason's response was even, yet tense. "Six years of active service. Two combat deployments. Participation in at least a dozen firefights." Jason paused as he inhaled, his eyes hardening as he looked down on the stallion. "Five confirmed kills." He said quietly. "I have far more true military experience than you could imagine."

Shining Armor's eyes widened as he learned this. He quickly realized that Jason had a much better understanding of military life than he had expected.

"Get back in formation, Captain."

Shining Armor moved back to his place in the formation, his face blank.

Jason walked back before the Princesses who looked at him in near-shock. They were not expecting this display.

"Did you see how quickly the Captain let his emotions take control of his thoughts? Bearing is the ability to maintain a cool head even under duress. If any kind of situation ever arises where they would need to react quickly to save other ponies, that little hesitation bred from emotions could mean the difference between victory and defeat. The Captain is not the only stallion here with the issue. There are other subtle signs present in every one of these stallions that they would fall to emotion fairly quickly. It's not an issue of devotion, but of poor training. Now, please understand Your Highnesses, the training I speak of will change ponies. They would be more effective in combat, but their demeanor will change. They might be more aggressive towards others, and will have a much tougher attitude. I would not recommend putting anypony through it unless there is an imminent threat to Equestria. I believe that these Stallions are good ponies. They wanted to join to protect the peace, and I respect them for that. I wouldn't want to change them unless it was absolutely necessary."

Princess Luna spoke up. "If a situation ever arose where we required you to provide this training you speak of, would you be willing to provide it?"

"Of course, Your Majesty, without hesitation."

"Good, Good... We will keep that in mind." Celestia said before turning to face her sister. They spoke in private for a short time. Jason watched as Princess Luna nodded and they returned their attention to the Marine.

Princess Celestia raised her voice, ensuirng everypony in the hall could hear what she was about to say.

"Corporal Jason Sinder, do you promise, from this day forth, to protect and serve Equestria and her citizens? To stand and defend the Royalty and our citizens from threats both foreign and domestic?"

The words were extremely similar to the oath he had sworn upon his enlistment in the Marines. The promise he was about to make would bind him to the defense of the nation and his home.

He did not hesitate in his response.

"I, Corporal Jason Sinder, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the land of Equestria against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and that I will obey the orders of the Princesses and the orders of the officers appointed over me, so help me God."

He repeated the oath from memory. The day he had first spoken those words had been one of the most important days of his life, and he had taken the time to remember them verbatim, adjusting to fit the situation of course.

The Princesses smiled. Celestia spoke. "Then, as of this day, The Princesses of Equestria do hereby commission you, Corporal Jason Sinder, into the Royal Guard, and promote you to the rank of Captain. All personnel of lesser grade shall obey any and all lawful orders given by you. You will be stationed here in reserve until such a day where Equestria may require your services. Congratulations, Corporal Jason Sinder, Captain of the Guard."

Princess Luna continued for her sister. "As is fit for your position, you may choose the symbol to adorn your insignia of grade. Do you know what you would like?"

Jason's heart was racing, his mind reeling with a surprised pride. He thought of countless possibilities for the design. After filtering through countless ideas, he was left with only two. He was just about to ask for the six pointed star, similar to the one Shining Armor wore, but thought better of it. He wasn't going to steal the unicorn's insignia, and decided that, if for any reason he was captured, he would not want anything to link him with either of the mares he loved.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I would like this, the Eagle Globe and Anchor, as my insignia." He said, pointing to one of the golden emblems placed on his collar.

"And so shall it be." The Princess said. She pulled up a piece of fabric which had been left on a bench against the wall and began transmuting it into a blue, shield shaped patch. He watched as the golden insignia was formed onto the patch.

Once completed, the patch was floated to Jason. He quickly looked at the patch and, satisfied with the appearance, gave the Princess a nod.

She moved the patch over his left breast pocket, aligning it perfectly with the seams and pressing it into place. Jason felt a slight warmth creep into his chest as the insignia was permanently attached to his uniform, directly over his heart.

The magic faded, leaving the patch in place.

"Congratulations, Captain." Celestia said with a smile. "I look forward to the achievements and service you provide in your new station."

"It is an honor, Your Majesty. I will do my best to represent the crown with pride and duty."

The Princess nodded before turning her attention to the formation of guards.

"Captains! Assemble before me please."

The eight officers separated themselves from their units and quickly made their way to the Princesses, forming a single line before them.

"Princess Luna and myself shall be returning to Canterlot today. The Guard will be allowed the evening to rest before returning tomorrow. Take the time to meet your new comrade. I'm sure many of you have questions, especially you, Shining Armor. Relax, enjoy the time off, and be ready to travel tomorrow. That is all, dismissed."

The Captains saluted and returned to their units. They spoke to their stallions quickly before dismissing them.

The Princesses turned to Jason.

"We will take our leave now, Captain. Return to your friends, I am sure they will be eager to hear of what took place here." Princess Celestia said, a warm smile on her face.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I'm sure they are."

"Dismissed." Princess Luna said.

Jason came to attention and saluted. After a nod from the Princesses, he cut the salute and turned toward the exit, exhilaration practically oozing from him.

Twilight stood, speaking with her friends. She had no idea what was going on in the hall, but she was sure that whatever it was, it was going to be big.

She heard the doors open and turned her head quickly to the building.

Jason emerged, beaming in excitement.

She ran towards him, her friends following closely behind her. Rainbow Dash, of course, won the race and landed in front of him. Her eyes were locked on his chest and her jaw had dropped in astonishment.

Twilight soon stood beside her herdmate and followed her gaze to the new insignia which adorned his chest. Her own jaw dropped as she recognized the symbol and the weight it carried.

"They...They made you a Captain of the Guard?" Twilight said in astonishment.

"That...Is... AWESOME!" Rainbow exclaimed.

Jason braced himself just in time for Rainbow's now-expected leap. He almost fell as she leapt into the embrace, wrapping her hooves around his neck and planting a loving kiss on his lips. He returned her kiss quickly before breaking contact, looking into her eyes. "I am indeed a Captain, but I will remain here in reserve until they need me."

Rainbow lowered herself to her hooves, Twilight taking her place in an embrace. "Congratulations, Captain Sinder." She said with a smile.

Jason kissed her, expressing his gratitude the best way he knew how. After a few seconds, Jason broke the kiss and leaned his head back. "By the way, your brother is here."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Shining is here? I had no idea he was coming! Did you get a chance to talk?"

"Erm...Yeah... But I'm afraid it didn't go as well as I'd hoped it would..."

Twilight raised an eyebrow towards him as she lowered herself to her hooves. "Really? What happened?"

Jason sighed. "I may have just embarrassed him in front of his stallions and the Princesses..."

Twilight's eyes widened in surprise. "Why? What did you do?"

"Here, we'll talk as we walk." Jason said as he began walking toward the library, the six mares following him closely as he told them about what happened within the town hall.

Jason walked into the crowded tavern, his freshly pressed cammies now adorned with a smaller version of the insignia he had been given. Twilight had been more than willing to make him one the size of his chevrons, and he had replaced the rank on his left lapel with the insignia.

It had been easy enough to find the large gathering of stallions on liberty. It seemed military men, no matter their species, shared similar hobbies.

No sooner than he walked through the door did the racket of the building die to absolute silence. Jason felt the eyes of every stallion in the bar upon him. Tension was thick in the air and Jason felt a lump forming in his throat.

Jason cleared his throat, attempting to shake off his nervousness. "Good evening gents. Don't stop your revelry on my account."

The room remained silent, contentious eyes staring at him.

Jason sighed. "Look, I know you are all upset with me. I would be too if some random pony did what I did to me. Understand that I was doing what the Princesses had asked of me. Never did I expect they would commission me like that. I promise you, unless ordered to, I will never do that to anypony again. I know all to well the embarrassment that comes from an inspection like that, and I do not wish it upon anypony."

"I also promise that I will do my best to bring honor to the Guard. Equestria is now my home, and I will do everything in my power to defend her."

Jason became quiet. He didn't know what else to say. The tension in the room remained and Jason felt like he was drowning in their stares.

After a short time, he heard a voice call from across the room. "Captain Sinder! Join us, will you?"

Jason looked for the source of the voice and soon saw the eight Captains seated around an isolated table at the very edge of the room. Everypony in the room simultaneously looked to the Captains before returning to their drinks. Jason raised a hand in acknowledgement before slowly making his way over to them, weaving between crowded tables as he worked his way closer to the group of officers.

Shining Armor waved a hoof toward him as he approached, the other seven Captains were staring at him in contempt.

Shining's horn glowed and a chair was levitated to an open space at the table. Jason nodded in thanks and sat.

Jason took a backward glance around the room. More than a few of the Guards were still staring at him. Jason returned his attention to the table and sighed. "Well... I've certainly made quite the impression."

He was surprised when he heard Shining Armor chuckle.

"You could say that again. But to be fair, you just insulted everypony in this room and then got promoted for it. I'm sure you can understand why that could be a little irritating."

Jason nodded in understanding. "Honestly, I never wanted this. I wanted to work my way up from the bottom, like any normal Guard. Never did I expect to be boosted up the ranks like that.

Shining looked at him incredulously. "Are you kidding? You have more true combat experience than anypony in all of Equestria. I'm kind of surprised they didn't make you a General. The information and experience you can provide us could be invaluable should we ever need to go into any sort of battle."

"That isn't something I wish on anyone, but if you understand the Princesses reasoning, I'm sure there are others who do as well. Why are you the only pony willing to talk to me? If anything, you should be the one who hates me the most. Given the fact I called you out directly..."

A half grin appeared on Shining's face. "I'm talking to you because you're dating my sister. I'm pretty sure you can understand that."

Jason gave a low chuckle. "Yeah, that's about as good a reason as any."

The unicorn's smile widened. "Here, let me get you a drink. If there's one thing that can get words moving a little, it'd be alcohol." He stood and raised a hoof toward one of the waitresses.

Jason was surprised, to say the least. He was expecting to be the one buying drinks tonight, as a way of making up for the embarrassment he had caused. His cargo pocket was bulging with coins.

The almond colored mare made her way over to them, eyeing the human a little before speaking. "Good evening, gentlecolts. What can I get for you tonight?"

" A round of drinks for us and our new comrade here." Shining said, gesturing around the table. "The strongest thing you've got."

The mare nodded and walked away toward the bar.

Jason turned his attention to the other officers gathered around the bar. They all seemed distinctly unhappy that he was there. Jason sighed. "Look, gents, I know you probably hate me, and for good reason. But please know that what you saw today is not how I usually am. The only reason I did what I did is because the Princesses asked me to. Never would I have called out your stallions like that. I may pull you aside and speak to you about it, but only in private so you could take care of it in your own way. I've had the same thing happen to me many times, and I do not want to do it again. We don't have to be friends, but if we are going to be working together, we can at least be civil."

The seven stallions looked at each other quickly. Eventually one sighed, relaxing slightly before speaking.

"Look, Captain Sinder..."

"Jason."

The sand-coated earth pony raised an eyebrow toward him. "Pardon?" His accent had a bit of a southern twist, not unlike Applejack's.

"We're off duty... I'm pretty sure there aren't any regulations restricting how we talk to each other on libbo. I want this to be relaxed, so please, feel free to use my first name."

"Erm... Okay Jason. Anywho, we understand the Princesses told ya ta perform tha inspection, an' we respect your verdict. Ah guess we're jus' a little bitter 'bout their eagerness to promote ya so quick. We worked hard ta earn these ranks, and they just gave it ta ya without a second thought. What we wanna know is what qualifies ya fer such special treatment."

The almond-coated waitress returned and placed glasses before each of the officers. The group thanked her and she departed.

"Well that is certainly understandable. Are there any specific questions you had?" Jason asked. He took the glass from in front of him and lifted it to his mouth. His throat burned as the amber liquid slid over his tongue, leaving behind a faint apple aftertaste.

one of the other captains, a blood red unicorn, spoke up. "Yes, what kind of training did you go through? We know you're military, that's obvious enough, but I personally want to see if you're up to par."

"Fair enough..." Jason took another sip, thinking over his answer before speaking again.

He started from the beginning, talking about the strict screening he had gone through before he was even allowed to enlist. He then began telling stories of his time in boot camp, detailing the training and discipline that was instilled into him by his Drill Instructors over the three months on Parris Island.

He managed to get a few laughs from the stallions as he told them some of the funnier stories of the stupid things recruits did. The officers were beginning to warm to him as they learned the true depth of his training. The military was a part of him, and the Captains were quickly learning to accept him.

Drinks continued flowing as Jason spoke. After finishing his tales of boot camp and MCT, the other Captains began telling stories of their own. The group laughed as they drank, bonding as soldiers while they exchanged stories.

Jason was slowly becoming inebriated, his words flowing more naturally as he drank. During one of his stories, he raised an arm to emphasize one of his points. As he did so, his hand came into contact with a mug of beer, knocking it from the grip of a gray unicorn who was making his way behind them.

The mug shattered as it collided with the ground, spilling the alcohol across the wooden floor.

The room became silent at the noise, all eyes turning to the stallion and the human.

"Hey! Watch it, freak!" The stallion said, contemptious anger in his voice.

The other Captains around the table immediately stood and moved to the unicorn. "What did you just say, Guard?" Shining Armor hissed.

The stallion's eyes widened in surprise at their quick response to defend the human.

"Nothing to you, Sirs. I was talking to the freak."

Shining Armor moved closer to the stallion, causing him to sit and lean back to avoid touching the Captain. "You may want to rethink those words. Say them again and I will have you court-martialed."

"Stand down, Captain. I'll handle this." Jason said calmly.

Shining Armor cast a glance over his shoulder towards Jason. "You sure?"

Jason stood and turned toward the offending stallion. "Definitely. How can I earn any respect if I can't handle my own battles?"

Shining Armor backed away from the unicorn, allowing Jason to move and stand directly in front of the seated stallion. The unicorn was forced to crane his neck to look at Jason's face, the human towering a good three feet above him.

"Do you have an issue?" Jason asked, his voice calm.

The stallion stood, his eyes angry. "Yeah...Yeah I do..."

"Do you want to handle it?"

"Yes."

"Then let's handle it." Jason quickly undid the four buttons on the front of his blouse, followed by the cuffs. He slid the shirt off and laid it over the chair he had been sitting in.

"Outside... Now." Jason turned towards the exit and began walking, the gray unicorn following closely behind him.

Before long they found themselves facing each other in the street, illuminated by a single light from the tavern. Many of the guards had followed them out, eager to watch the fight.

They stood there for a few seconds, measuring up their opponent and looking for any kind of weakness. Before long, Jason assumed the basic MCMAP stance he had gotten so used to. His feet were staggered, his right foot to the rear and his left foot forward, giving him a solid base. His hands were brought into fists before his face, just in front of his mouth. His elbows were close together, using his forearms to protect his chest.

"Come at me then, you little shit." Jason said, his voice cold.

The unicorn's eyes flashed in anger and he crouched low, preparing to tackle the human.

This was a technique Rainbow had used countless times in their practice, as such Jason knew exactly what to expect. He waited for the stallion's legs to tense before he leapt.

The unicorn leapt forward, his hooves extended. He attempted to use his momentum to knock Jason from his feet. Jason sidestepped quickly, rotating his body and allowing the stallions hooves to fly past him harmlessly. Jason extended his forearms, knocking the stallions legs aside and disorienting him. Jason rotated his arm at the elbow, opening his hand and catching the flying stallion's chin in a vice-like grip.

Jason lifted the guards head, allowing his momentum to carry his lower body under his head, twisting him onto his back. Once the body had passed the head, Jason grunted and slammed the unicorn onto the ground. The guard gasped as the wind was knocked out of him.

Jason released his grip and stood. Believing his opponent to be defeated, he turned and began walking back towards the bar. The spectators watched, Jaws hanging limply in astonishment at the human's prowess.

Before Jason had taken five steps, he heard the gravel road crunch as the guard stood. He noticed a faint blue glow forming around his body. That mother FUCKER! Jason thought quickly. He dove to the side, attempting to break the unicorn's focus. He rolled as he hit the ground, scooping a few pieces of loose gravel into his hand. He came to his feet in a low crouch, facing the stallion.

The guard's horn glowed as he attempted to wrap the human in magic.

Jason threw one of the stones at the stallion. One of two things could happen. Either the unicorn will grab the stone with his magic, leaving Jason open, or the rock would hit him in the face, distracting him and leaving Jason open.

The guard winced as the stone smashed into his nose. Jason took the opening and closed the distance.

He looped one of his long arms around the back of the stallion's neck, wrapping his elbow around the pony's trachea. With his free hand, Jason grabbed onto the unicorn's horn. Jason stood to his full height, pulling the stallion to his hind legs. Jason placed the hand of the arm that held the choke into the elbow of his other arm, using it as leverage as he tightened his grip.

The stallion struggled slightly, so Jason wrapped a leg around his lower body and let them fall backwards. They hit the ground with a thud and Jason quickly wrapped his free leg around the stallions other hind leg, immobilizing them with his thighs and calves.

The stallion's forelegs flailed helplessly in the air.

"Are you done?" Jason's voice was calm and even.

"Screw you..." The stallion choked out.

"You know... I could kill you right now. It would be easy... just a little more pressure." Jason flexed his muscles for a split second, causing the stallion to gag before Jason released the pressure. "But I don't want to. We're on the same side, you and I. We both serve to protect our homes... The ones we love. It would be so much better if we could get along. But do not test me. I have more combat experience than anypony here. I have killed people, and I will not hesitate to do it again if anything threatens me or my home. Now then... Are... You... Done?"

The unicorn nodded and Jason instantly released him. The stallion wheezed as his lungs fought to bring in more air.

The guard rolled off and Jason got to his feet, brushing dirt from his clothes before turning to face the slowly recovering stallion. He extended his hand, offering to help the stallion to his hooves. The unicorn extended his hoof gratefully and Jason grabbed it, pulling him up. Jason held the grip and looked the stallion square in the eyes.

"No hard feelings?"

a respectful smirk formed on the guards face. "None at all, sir."

With newfound respect toward one another, the pair made their way back into the bar.

As Jason passed by the large group who had come out to watch, more than a few of them patted him on the back, and even more had comments to make.

"Awesome fight, Sir!"

"You really laid him out! Good work, Sir!"

"That was badass, Sir!"

The unicorn Jason had fought led him to the bar and placed a few gold coins on the counter.

"A drink, for myself and the Captain. The strongest you have!"

The bartender swept the coins from the table and poured them two glasses. They took up their glasses and the unicorn turned toward the ponies around the room.

"HEY! LISTEN UP!" he shouted.

The noise around the room slowly died as the soldiers turned their attention toward the gray unicorn.

"A Toast! To our new Captain! May he continue to kick ass and bring honor to the guard!"

the tavern exploded into cries of "Hear hear!" and various other cheers. Jason smiled and downed the entire glass of liquor. The cheers increased in volume as Jason held up the glass before slamming it mouth down onto the bar.

"A ROUND! A ROUND FOR EVERYPONY!" Jason shouted. The tavern redoubled in volume.

It was somewhere around three A.M. when Jason and Shining Armor finally stumbled through the library doors.

They were unable to walk straight, and knocked quite a few stacks of books and other items to the ground.

"Jason?" Twilight's voice was quiet and nervous. The racket they were making had awoken her and she peeked her head over the stairs before turning on the light with her magic.

"Twilie! It's..It's..It's so g-good to see you!" Shining Armor said.

"Twilie?" Jason asked, chuckling loudly.

"Shining! Why didn't you come by sooner! I...Was..." Her voice trailed off as she watched her brother and her herdmate stumble around the room. "Are you guys okay?"

"Never better!" Jason said loudly before letting out a loud belch. "Scratch that... Now I feel better."

The two Captains laughed together as Twilight walked down the stairs.

"Oh...Celestia, you guys are drunk!" She said in surprise.

"Oh, no...No no no not at all." Jason said as he caught himself from falling, knocking over an end table in the process. "Okay... Yeah we are. But just a little."

Twilight rolled her eyes before laughing lightly. "Come on... Let's get you guys to bed"

Twilight placed a hoof on her brother's shoulder, guiding him toward the couch. He was asleep before his head hit the cushion.

Twilight turned and looked at Jason. He looked at her with half lidded eyes and a small, sensual smile.

Twilight gave him an incredulous look. "No."

"What?"

"No! You're wasted! You need sleep!"

"Oh come on! It's like, my birthday or something!"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "No, and that's final." Her horn glowed and she grabbed Jason in a telekinetic field, levitating him off the ground slightly. She moved him towards his room and opened the door. Jason struggled feebly in an attempt to break free. Twilight walked him over to the bed and laid him down on his side.

"I love you, Twi." He said.

Twilight's eyes widened a little and she looked down on him. He had already fallen into a drunken slumber.

Twilight smiled and shook her head. She leaned down and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I love you too, Jason." She said before making her way out of the room, flicking off the lights before gently closing the door behind her.