Jason rose with the sun the following the day. He slowly got up off the bed, feeling the weakness in his right leg as he stood.

That doesn't feel too bad. Jason thought to himself. I guess the muscles haven't atrophied as much as I feared. Or maybe Twilight's magic healed more than just the bones.

He limped over to where he had left his clothes. He put on his underwear, skivvy shirt and trousers, cinching them tight with his brown MCMAP belt. He left the blouse, boots and socks on the bed as he began performing a few stretches to work the built up tension out of his limbs.

His muscles burned, protesting the sudden exertion as he moved between the various positions that used to be routine. He finished his exercises and stood to his full height. Well at least the ceilings are built to a normal height. he thought as he looked up. It might feel a bit claustrophobic if they were scaled to the furniture. He stood at 6'1", so even among Marines he was tall. He walked back and put on his socks and boots, blousing the trouser legs around the top of the boots with the two boot bands that had been left in his pocket. He picked up the blouse and was about to put it on when he noticed his chevrons were missing from the lapels.

*Sigh* I guess I'll be a Private for a while, at least until I can get replacements. He thought as he slipped his arms through the sleeves and secured the blouse with the four buttons on the front. He fastened his cuffs as he walked toward a mirror on the wall.

He smoothed the blouse against his body as he inspected himself in the mirror. He had lost weight during his stay. After all, the only food the hospital could serve him were various salads and other vegetables. He shuddered as he recalled the time the hospital had attempted to serve him a hay and daisy sandwich.

He didn't mind the diet, but he would need to find a way to acquire at least some animal protein. I'll probably only be able to get fish around here. I'm sure the locals wouldn't be too thrilled if I walked into town one day carrying a deer carcass. He was going to miss red meat, but he'd get by.

Satisfied with his appearance, Jason moved toward the door. I'll make sure to thank Rarity again. She did a really great job fixing these. I can't even tell they'd been ripped.

He opened the door and left the room. Most of the hospital was still asleep and he spent some time exploring. He was surprised at the level of technology they possessed, observing the many pieces of machinery located throughout the building. He saw X-ray machines, CT and MRI scanners as well as various laboratories and research stations. The machines, he noticed, were not digital. They had managed to find some way to transfer the data into an analog format and printers were attached to the machines so they could read the results of the tests.

He eventually found the reception area, which was staffed by a yellow mare with light blue hair. He approached the counter.

"Good morning ma'am, I'm Cpl. Sinder and I am looking for some directions."

The mare looked up at him and her eyes widened at his appearance. "Ah! Good morning Cpl. Sinder, you must be the alien Nurse Redheart has been taking care of! It's nice to meet you. now what can I help you with?"

"I'm being released today. However I was hoping to get a little breakfast before I left. Is there a cafeteria here where I could get some chow?"

She looked at him thoughtfully before she replied. "We do have a cafeteria here, but I'm afraid there is a small fee to eat there. Unless you have some way to pay, I'm afraid you'll have to wait in your room until the meal cart makes it's rounds."

Jason nodded. "I understand ma'am, Thank you for the information." He said.

"Not a problem." she responded. "If theres anything else you need, feel free to call." she returned her attention to the magazine she was reading as Jason turned to return to his room.

On his way back, he came across Nurse Redheart as she exited another recovery room.

"Good morning, Nurse." He said with a wave.

She looked towards him and smiled. "Good morning yourself, Corporal. It looks like you've healed nicely."

"Never better!" he responded happily.

"So what are you up to, wandering around out here? I expected you to stay in your room."

"I felt like going for a walk. You wouldn't believe how relieving it is to be able to move around freely, especially after being bedridden for so long"

She nodded. "I can certainly understand that."

"I was actually looking for the cafeteria to get some morning chow, but I guess there's a fee, and I certainly don't have any way to pay. I was just headed beck to my room to wait for the food cart."

She shook her head. "How about I pay for you? I just finished up my morning checks and was just about to get some breakfast myself. I wouldn't mind having some company while we eat."

"That sounds great! I'll make sure to pay you back as soon as I can."

She shook her head again before looking at him with a smile. "No, it's fine. My treat. Follow me and we'll head on over."

He followed her to the cafeteria. The pony collecting money looked at him with interest, but didn't seem surprised to see him. Word must have gotten around about me. Jason thought to himself. It'll be nice not scaring the crap out of everyone I meet. Nurse Redheart paid for them and they entered the hall.

The food was laid out buffet-style, with a good variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers and...

Are...are those waffles? He thought as he walked toward the food in question. They sure are! Oh man I haven't had a waffle in years. Let's just hope they aren't made out of sun-flour or something like that. He smirked at his own pun as he took a couple and placed them on his plate. He collected some other fruits and a glass of orange juice before joining Nurse Redheart at her table.

"You know, I was surprised at how advanced this hospital is. I know you ponies were smart, but I had no idea you possessed quite this level of technology." He said as he began using a knife and fork to cut up the waffle.

Nurse Redheart swallowed a Morning Glory before answering. "Yes, we are quite proud of our equipment here. This hospital is actually one of the most advanced medical research stations in Equestria. Most of our machines have been designed in-house, and our budget allows us to purchase anything else we need."

"Wow, that's really impressive!" Jason replied before popping a piece of waffle into his mouth. Almost as impressive as how good this is! Man, if all their regular food tastes this good I'll have to be careful. I might get fat... Of course, after four months in the 'Stan anything can taste like a 4-star meal. He swallowed before continuing. "It's no wonder you were able to patch me up so well. You must be over-qualified to look after just a couple broken bones."

"You flatter me, Corporal." she responded light-heartedly. "Of course you are probably one of the most interesting patients I've ever had. Treating an entirely new species is an experience some ponies around here would die for!"

They continued talking through breakfast. After they finished, they began walking back toward the reception center.

"So Corporal, what plans do you have for today after you leave?" The nurse asked.

He thought for a moment before responding. "I don't really know. Twilight said she would be back to collect me this morning. She'll probably want to show me around town. Although I do need to speak with the Mayor, she wanted to see me after I was released."

Nurse Redheart nodded. "You know, you are very lucky to have made a friend like her. She's special that one, you be sure to take good care of her.

"You don't have to tell me twice." he responded with a smile.

"Well I should get back to my rounds, you take care of yourself Corporal." She said.

"Thanks Nurse, you too."

She turned and walked away. He glanced around the room and proceeded to sit down in one of the chairs. He miscalculated the distance and fell the extra foot into the short chair. This is going to take a while to get used to. he thought. His knees were up to his chest and he extended them, trying to get more comfortable. He reached over and picked up a magazine to kill some time while he eagerly awaited the unicorn's arrival.

"Jason." Twilight said.

He awoke with a start. He had fallen asleep in the chair while he was waiting for her arrival. He stretched as he stood, attempting to get the blood flowing through his legs. He had gained the ability to fall asleep pretty much anywhere and in any position. Beds were not readily available when he was in the field, and as such he had grown accustomed to drifting off in uncomfortable positions. It was both a blessing and a curse. It was nice being able to rest when he needed to, but he often fought the sandman in situations where he needed to remain awake. He remembered more than a few times where he had drifted off while he was standing up in lines at CIF and for chow, much to his embarrassment as the Marines awoke him when a gap had formed in the line in front of him.

He felt the pins and needles flowing out of his legs as he greeted her.

"Good morning Twilight! You're here earlier than I expected." He said as he glanced at the clock. It had only been about forty-five minutes since he sat down. The clock showed that it was about half-past eight.

"Of course!" She responded. "We've got a busy day ahead of us. I know you need to speak with the Mayor and I wanted to give you the grand tour of Ponyville before we get you situated at my house, at least until you can afford a place of your own."

He hadn't thought much about where he was going to stay after he was released from the hospital. He wasn't really surprised at her offer. Still...

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose, and I'm sure the Mayor could find a place for me to stay."

"No, it's fine. It won't be permanent and I would still like to help you get adjusted to life around here."

"if you insist." He said with a smile.

He began removing his blouse when she looked at him quizzically.

"What are you doing? are you planning on carrying that around all day instead of wearing it?"

"Ah, well you see without the cover, we aren't supposed to wear the blouse outdoors. I've never really understood that custom, but it wasn't uncommon to be chewed out for not wearing the cover outside."

"Oh! I'm happy you said something." she said as she took off her saddle bag. " Rarity stopped me on my way here and gave me this for you."

She pulled out the 8-point cover and handed it to him.

Jason was amazed. Rarity had reproduced the cover perfectly, the only thing missing was the identifying label usually stitched on the inside top. "Wow, that's amazing! I can't believe she was able to make this so quickly!" he said in shock.

"Well that's Rarity for you." She said with a grin. "She's an absolute miracle worker with a sewing machine."

He put his blouse back on. "Well then," he said, cover in hand. "Shall we go?"

"Indeed we shall." she responded, turning toward the exit.

They walked toward the door, which twilight opened with her magic. Jason set the cover atop his head as he walked into the Equestrian sun.

They had spent most of the day wandering around Ponyville. Twilight had introduced him to many of the town's citizens, including the Cakes, Cheerilee, and many of the town's shopkeepers. They had even run into the "Cutie Mark Crusaders" when they nearly ran him over with what appeared to be an improvised chariot. They were violently curious about him and overwhelmed him with questions before Twilight returned their attentions to the task at hand and they sped off.

They had spoken with the Mayor, who was surprised yet happy at the human's fast recovery. She had given him a certificate indicating his citizenship within Equestria and a permit to take up residence within Ponyville. Their meeting lasted around an hour before they made their way out and found something to eat.

Jason was starting to get annoyed about not being able to pay for anything himself. He had never liked to be a burden on anyone, and having so many other ponies buy him meals was starting to rub him the wrong way. Twilight had brought it up when she noticed his discomfort at their lunch. He quickly explained his problem and she dismissed it with a wave of her hoof.

"I don't mind at all, Jason. But if it really bothers you that much I'm sure there are ponies around town who would be more than willing to pay you for helping them out."

The thought had appealed to him. He wasn't sure how much he could help though. He had taken various woodworking and construction classes during high school, so maybe he could help on some building crews around town, and he was sure there were some other things that he could do to help out.

the sun was beginning to set when they finally arrived at Twilight's library. He was surprised when he learned that the large tree he had seen on the edge of town was actually her home, and even more surprised when he saw how big It was. He followed her inside and immediately recognized the smell of books. He looked around in shock when he saw the wealth of literature lining her walls.

"SPIKE, I'M HOME! THERE'S SOMEPONY HERE I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET! " she called as she entered.

A voice that resembled a young boy responded. "Hey Twilight! I'm upstairs cleaning. I'll be down in a second!"

"Who's Spike?" Jason asked, curious.

"Oh! Spike's my assistant, and resident dragon. I hatched him during my audition for the Magic Academy. He's been with me for years now. I can't believe I forgot to mention him while you were at the hospital."

"Wait, a dragon?" Jason asked, slightly worried. "He's not dangerous is he?"

"Oh heavens no!" Twilight responded with amusement. "He's still a baby, and he's the sweetest dragon you'll probably ever meet."

after a couple of minutes the young dragon appeared at the top of the staircase. He was only a couple of feet tall, and Jason had to suppress a snicker when he observed the pink apron the dragon was wearing.

"Hey Twi. Who'd you want me to..." He stopped mid sentence when he saw the human. "OH! You must be the human Twilight has been talking about! I tell ya, she has been driving me crazy these past couple of weeks. You're practically the only thing she talks about lately."

Jason looked at Twilight with a raised eyebrow. She blushed and looked away from him.

Spike reached the bottom of the stairs and walked over to where the two of them stood. "The name's spike." He said as he reached out his hand to shake.

Jason kneeled, took the young dragon's hand in his and gave it a shake. "Nice to meet you Spike. My name's Cpl. Sinder, or Jason for short."

"Jason, huh? That's a weird name." Jason was slightly surprised at the dragon's somewhat brash attitude, but he smiled at him.

"Well I come from a weird place. I'll tell you about it when we have some time to chat."

"Sounds good to me!" Spike said with some excitement. "I was just about to start dinner, anyway. Does Daisy and bean lasagna sound good to you?"

Actually that sounds really fucking gross. Jason thought to himself.

"Erm, actually I can't really eat flowers. My body doesn't digest them properly." Jason respnded.

"Oh!." Spike exclaimed. Jason could see the dragon thinking as he ran through a list of other recipes. "What about vegetable stir fry? It doesn't have any flowers in it."

"That sounds better." Jason responded with a grin.

"Great! I'll get started on that right away!" He said as he turned and walked toward what Jason assumed to be the kitchen.

He stood and turned to Twilight. "So, what should we do until he's done?"

"Here, follow me and I'll show you where you'll be staying." She responded as she walked to another corner of the library.

She opened a door and walked through it, he followed and found what appeared to be a guest bedroom. It was furnished with a bed, a couple of chairs and a bookshelf. There was also a small desk in the corner, which was adorned with a few pieces of blank paper and some writing utensils. He saw his rifle, flak jacket, helmet and a few other things of his piled in the corner.

"Wow, this is a bit more than I was expecting." he observed, indicating the room as he walked over to his things. "Thanks again for taking care of my stuff."

"You're welcome. Sorry, this room isn't very big, but it will give you some privacy." She said.

"Oh this is more than enough space. Much more than I had in Afghanistan." He said, remembering the small room he had shared with another Marine.

He walked over to his stuff and picked up his rifle. After a quick inspection he found that the rifle and RCO were largely undamaged. some of the rail covers had been knocked off and there were more than a few scratches marring the finish. He would have to fire it to see if the RCO was still working properly, but the lenses hadn't been cracked. Upon closer inspection he realized that the weapon was extremely dirty and rust had begun forming in the compensator.

Shit, this is gonna take a while to clean. Looks like I know what I'll be doing tonight.

"I've been meaning to ask what that is." Twilight said, noticing his attention to the weapon. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Oh, erm...This is a rifle, an M16A4 assault rifle to be specific...I guess you could call it a tool of my trade." He responded. He sat the rifle down and removed a magazine from his flak. He pulled a single round from the mag and showed it to her. "It fires these, which use a small...I guess you could say explosion to propel this little copper piece at the tip to speeds faster than the speed of sound. You can imagine what something so small moving so fast could do to the intended target."

She shuddered at the realization of what the weapon was for, but was fascinated nonetheless. "Wow! I've never heard of a device being able to do that! would you mind showing me sometime? I'd like to do a little research on it."

"Um, sure." He was surprised at her interest in the weapon, despite knowing what it was for. "I'll have to be conservative with the ammunition though. I only brought so much."

"Would you mind letting me have that?" She pointed at the bullet, which he offered to her. She grabbed it with some magic and moved it so she could inspect it better. "I'd love to take this apart so I can see how it works."

"Sure, but be very careful when you take it apart. The gunpowder in there is under quite a bit of pressure and it wouldn't take a lot to set it off, which is not something you want to do unprotected."

"I'll be careful. Besides, If I can get it apart and figure out what it's made of, I might be able to transmute some more for you."

"Wow, that'd be great! I had no idea you could transmute things with your magic."

"I can do anything with magic! You'd be surprised. as long as I know what something is made of and how it looks, I can make pretty much anything."

"Really? Would you mind demonstrating?"

"Sure, thats not a problem. Was there something in particular you wanted me to make?"

He leaned over and removed the single Corporal chevron which was pinned to the center of his flak jacket and showed it to her. The chevron was badly scratched from the fall, but it would be enough to show her.

"Would you mind making a pair of these? I'm actually supposed to have a couple on my uniform."

She looked over the rank quickly and smiled. "Oh that's easy." She left the room and moments later returned with two small pieces of metal. "I've had these for a while now, back from when I was experimenting with conductivity of magic. They should suffice."

"Could you make them black?" He asked, worried that the finished product would be the same brownish color as the lumps floating in front of her.

"Not a problem." She responded. She concentrated on the chevron in his hand and looked back at the metal. She closed her eyes and focused, letting her magic flow into the minerals.

Within seconds the lumps transformed into perfect recreations of the chevron. She inspected them quickly before floating them over to Jason, whose mouth had dropped in awe at her ability.

He quickly took the gift and pinned them in their appropriate positions on his lapels. He surprised her then by dropping to one knee and putting his arms around her neck, tightly hugging her.

"Thank you, Twi." He said, his voice showing his appreciation. She put one of her forehooves around his back and returned the gesture.

"You are more than welcome, Jason."

"DINNER'S READY!" Spike called from the kitchen.

They both jumped in surprise and removed themselves from their embrace.

"Shall we eat?" Twilight asked.

"After you my lady." Jason responded with a smile on his face.

They left the room together and went to enjoy the meal Spike had prepared for them.

A couple of hours passed and Jason was sitting on the floor of his room. He had disassembled the rifle and placed the various parts around him on rags to keep the lubricants from getting on the carpet. He was diligently scrubbing the bolt face when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" He called as he placed the bolt on a rag.

The door opened and Twilight walked over to him.

"Hey Jason, I was just about to go to bed and I wanted to see if there was anything you needed."

"Actually there was something I wanted to talk to you about." Jason quickly assembled his rifle and set it aside as Twilight sat next to him.

"Yes?" She asked.

"I wanted to talk about last night."

She looked at him quizzically. "What about last night?"

"The kiss."

"Oh...OH! The kiss." She began blushing. "Look, I'm sorry about that. It's just that I've never met anypony quite like you. You're smart, funny, and really fun to talk to. I felt like our personalities just clicked. I'm sure you'd never be interested in a bookworm like me, though. We're not even the same..."

He interrupted her by placing a hand on the back of her head, pulling it towards him. Her eyes widened as he leaned forward and kissed her. She tensed slightly before relaxing and closing her eyes, returning his kiss.

The kiss lasted several seconds before he finally removed his lips. "I would be more than interested, Twilight." He kissed her a second time. "In fact," He said after they separated again. "I'm pretty sure I love you."

He could see tears begin forming in her eyes. She threw her arms around him in an embrace, causing him to fall to the floor, Twilight laying atop him. He returned her hug and she leaned back to look at him.

"I love you, too." She said before kissing him a third time. He could feel her tongue pushing against his teeth and opened his mouth to permit her entry. Her tongue was much longer than his and he ran his own along the bottom of hers as she began exploring the details of his mouth, angling her head to better position herself.

She ran her tongue along his teeth, focusing on the small serrations of his front teeth and the sharp points of his canines. The kiss lasted until their lungs burned before they finally broke and breathed heavily.

"Wow..." She gasped. "Remind me to ask why your teeth are shaped like that."

"Well, you see..." She interrupted him by gently placing the tip of her hoof against his lips.

"Later. For now though..." She leaned in for another kiss.

They were interrupted when they heard a loud snore come from the top floor of the tree-house.

"I guess we should stop...Don't want to wake Spike." Jason said in a whisper, still holding Twilight in a tight hug.

"Yeah, though I'd rather not." Twilight responded. She pulled herself from his embrace and slid off him. Jason sat up and looked at her.

"See you tomorrow then?"

"Most definitely." She responded, leaning in and kissing him gently before moving to the door. "Goodnight, Jason."

"Goodnight, Twilight." And with that she left, closing the door behind her.

Jason stood and began preparing for bed. He didn't really have anything to hygiene with, so he undressed, folded his clothes and slipped into the too-small bed.

His heart fluttered with happiness as he drifted into his dreams.