I slowly woke up on the floor, a stiff pain in my back. I looked around the still dark room, Applejack had thrown the covers off the bed and apparently kicked me off the side. My uniform was a testament to it, two large brown hoof prints stained the pure white back.

I felt a huge amount of sympathy for her husband, I don't think I could put up with being constantly kicked. I found my backpack and walked quietly out of the room. The sun wasn't even up yet, why was I awake?

I gave a long groan as I stepped lazily down the stairs and wandered outside. The cold morning air was rather nice, drawing away the stuffy heat that had accumulated over the night. I searched around the sky and saw the Druid sitting in high orbit. I had a strange moment of anger in my hazy state. "Why is everything freaking white and blue with us..." I walked around the empty space in front of the farmhouse, "I just don't get it." I looked at my arms, "Eh." I grunted in defeat. "I guess space makes people crazy."

I wandered around the edges of the common area, eventually finding some strange pump. I stared at the ancient device as I put together what it was. The give away was the bucket of water sitting next to it. My biggest problem was my complete lack of knowledge on how to work this stupid thing.

"Come on Issac you're a smart guy...mostly." I mumbled as I dumped out the old water and dragged the bucket under the spigot. I crouched down, sitting on the back of my legs as I stared at the device. I let my hand meet my face as I just failed to grasp it, "Am I stupid?" I pushed off the ground before grabbing the pump. I eventually found a moving part and started drawing water. "Barbaric." I kept working the pump until the bucket overflowed, "Bloody barbaric." I grabbed the bucket and walked off towards the barn and started undressing.

I reached into my bag and found an old bandana. I unraveled it and dunked it into the bucket. Once the rag was soaked I brought it against my body. I patted down my body and tried to dab the days filth off of me. I wiped down my arms and sat with the rag across the back of my neck.

I stared at the horizon as the sun slowly rose. A cockerel gave a loud cry from on high. Over the loud cry I could here someone walking over, "Who is it?"

"Just me." Apple Bloom's soft voice broke the still morning. She walked over and did a quick circle around me, "Those are permanent?"

I looked at the painted lines all over my body, "Yeah, they grow along with us but they never leave." I traced the spiral on my sternum, "That's a long way of saying yes, it's permanent." I washed off my chest and tossed it on a fencepost.

"Weird...I guess it's kinda like our cutiemarks." I cocked an eyebrow and turned to face the beaming yellow mare.

I shrugged, "I guess so. You might want to go somewhere else, I'm gonna change." I reached into my backpack and pulled out a change of clothes. I pulled a new undershirt on and brushed the hoof prints off my jacket. Apple Bloom had sat on her haunches and was watching me, "So you're just gonna sit there?"

Apple Bloom scooted an inch or so away, "Well I- kinda..."

I cocked an eyebrow, "Is this because of the markings or because I'm a guy?"

Apple Bloom quickly realized what he meant and started blushing, "I didn't mean like- I just wanted ya see if-"

"Yes...they are all over my body, head to toe including my privates. You're not the first to ask so don't worry." I stood up and went behind a bush and quickly changed my pants. I walked back completely dressed again, "People always ask about the marks. It comes with being a Cale." I walked over as I tucked my things away, "It's actually beautiful to look at, I remember this one girl, her lines were very sharp, very clean looking. She was beautiful but she always felt like people were staring at her. I think she killed herself. I'm not sure." I could see Apple Bloom growing rather uncomfortable, "I'm kidding, it's just a story Cales tell. Mostly to get people to stop staring. Cales are known for, being rather attractive. I like to think I'm the exception, mostly cause I'm sick of people talking about the fucking marks."

Apple Bloom looked at her hooves, "Sorry, I didn't-" I waved her off and hoisted up my backpack.

"It happens. It's not all bad though, you can never tell when I miss sleep with the bar across my eyes." I gave a weak laugh and shook my limbs out, "So does your school start soon?"

Apple Bloom stood up and walked past me, "We got some time. You wanna help me with the trees?" She smiled wide as she walked past me and towards a large collection of trees.

I looked around and decided to follow her. She strolled up to a tree and turned around, rearing up and kicking the tree extremely hard. A loud rumble later and a load of apples fell into two buckets placed around the base of the tree. She gave a soft groan before going to another tree and kicking it. I just watched, eventually reaching up and grabbing an apple from the tree.

"So you just kick em?" I asked as I bit into an apple, "It doesn't hurt?"

Apple Bloom gave a shrill squeak as she slammed her back legs into a tree. It was rather impressive to see her muscles tighten up from the use. She lowered her back end and let her rump back against a the tree, "Yep, phew, not as good as Applejack or Big Mac, but I can do it pretty dang good!"

I nearly bit the apple in half, "Pretty dang good indeed." I looked back at the buckets full of apples. I walked over, stuffing the apple in my mouth and biting down while I started hauling two buckets towards the commons. I pulled the buckets to the front of the barn and ran back to find Apple Bloom.

We worked in conjuncture to sort out ten more barrels before she stopped me mid walk back with two more, "Should probably go get ready. Issac...Issac you can stop."

I wasn't ignoring her, but I also wasn't about to leave a set of barrels in the middle of the path, "Go ahead, I'll be next to the barn." I kept hauling as Apple Bloom walked beside me, "You can go get ready, I won't get lost."

"Alright then," Apple Bloom started off, turning around and watching me before hurrying off.

I finished hauling the buckets just as my phone started going off, "Praise to the mother, what do you need instructor?"

The instructor gave a long sigh, "You know my name Issac, you can use it. Anyways, you're alive so I'm assuming everything went over alright?"

"Aye, two signatures, several others contemplating. Maybe you can pick me up a little earlier...just a thought."

"Issac there is a good reason we're not bringing them on board right away. The techs are still developing vaccinations for the natives." That was a fair point, I had to get numerous shots just to be allowed onto the Druid in the first place, and these were aliens so I suppose it would take some time, "But they said they should be done in a week or so, after that we'll be taking them back to Caledonia for basic. You excited about heading home?"

"Ecstatic. I'll be able to visit my family- oh wait, they're dead." I snapped hard at the instructor.

He was silent for some time, "Wow, just wow. Ya know I was hoping at some point you'd find a girl and quit being such a whiny little kid, Cale or not you still should...either that or jerk off, be alone, and shut the fuck up about it. You can't have it both ways, either do something about not having friends or family and bitch at me, or don't and shut up."

I took a mental step back at the instructors words, "I- you just-"

"Yeah I did. Issac you need to calm your uppity ass down, life is too short to by this angsty with someone who just wants to help. Praise the mother." He hung up.

I quickly pocketed the phone and sat on the rim of a bucket, I'd just been called out by my instructor like a punk. What an asshole, however right he was, still an asshole. With no recourse available I decided to just start walking towards the school, letting my anger simmer down as I walked.

I realize my snap was somewhat unprovoked but still, what he did was just uncalled for. "Such an asshole." I muttered to myself as I walked along the dirt path towards the school.

I got lost on the way to the school, wandering around the common areas of the town and looking through the windows. I really wished I had some god damn money, some of the food in the windows looks rather good but in my poor state I was buggered.

"Huh!? That's him!" I heard a girly voice ring out from behind me as I stared into a window. I swung around like a top and saw immediately greeted with a tuft of grey hair in my face.

I took a step back and got a clear view of two ponies, one from the school, the other a larger stallion with the same grey coat as the girl, "Uh, hello. How can I help you?"

The stallion looked over at the girl, "Go on Silver, I'll talk to him."

That was her name, Silver Spoon or something Silver. She quickly nodded, "Yes Daddy." She started walking off, leaving me face to neck with the stallion.

The stallion quickly walked to my side, joining me at looking into the window. "You're not what I expected."

I turned around and looked back into the window, "Sorry. I think I can help regardless, did you need something?"

The stallion slowly looked over at me, "Yes, you talked to my daughter about leaving Ponyville, why?"

I looked around, a small crowd was gathering around me, "I would be more than happy to explain everything I told her class...maybe not here though."

The stallion looked around at the crowd, "That might be best, follow me." He turned away from the shop and started off.

I gave one final look back into the shop, blindsided by a pink face pressed against the glass and smiling wide, "Fucking hell!" I took a step back before hurrying off towards the stallion. I joined up with him and we walked through the town, "Sorry about that...something in the window...something...pink." I looked nervously back at the shop.

"The owners keep a rather eccentric employee. Now about my daughter, what did you tell her? Word for word."

I looked up at the sky, the Druid was still lightly visible, "Look up," He stopped and craned his head up to the sky, "That's where she would be going. It's an offer from Caledonia to Equestria, we're offering advanced education for a minimum of two years in a military academy. After those two years any and all applicants are given a choice to return to Equestria, enlist in the Caledonian military, or apply to visit other planets as either students or workers."

The stallion looked hard at me, "Your name, I don't think I got it."

"Issac, and yours?"

The stallion looked me up and down before nodding, "Sterling Silver. Now, I have other questions."

"And I have answers." I retorted with a smile. It seemed to be well received. We walked around the town, him asking questions and me answering them.

"And yes..." I grumbled, "It's permanent." I ran my hand along my arm, "People always ask, without fail."

The stallion gave me a concerned look, "I'm sorry, they're just rather...unique."

"It's fine."

"First thing my Spoon mentioned."

"That figur-"

"She said you look: pretty." He gave a soft chuckle before going stoic, "Do you like my daughter?"

I froze, "I just got here...I've met like...ten people."

He stared at me, "Are you staying somewhere? Silver said you left with one of the Apples. Did they not give you a place to stay?" He asked with a laugh.

I just stared at the floor, "Yeah, my instructor and me are kinda different, unorthodox."

"Well it's settled then, you can stay with us for the day!" He stood tall, "I'm sure my Spoon will love you."

I started trying to back away, "I don't think-" I was cut off by Sterling pushing me along the path, "I'm not- I- okay...." I gave up as Sterling started pulling my along by my sleeve, "I not even into horses, is it because the paint?" I whispered to myself as I found myself being dragged to some strange fate.

"I really don't think-"

"Nonsense, you look like a fine colt. I have to be honest, I'm just glad she showed some interest in a colt for once, her and that Tiara filly always made me nervous." Sterling shoved me towards a wealthy looking home, "I don't much care if Rich's child is a filly fooler but I don't want my daughter paired with a mare."

I just stood there, dumbfounded, "You're worried your daughter's a lesbian...so you brought me, an alien, to do what exactly?"

Sterling gave me an annoyed look, "When she gets home just talk to her, you never know what will happen. Oh, one last question about your academy: how much does it cost? It sounds like a prep school so I'm prepared to-"

"It's free...in fact you'll be eligible for Caledonian subsidies, and if you so chose, augmentation, gene therapy, or other forms of medical assistance."

He reared up and held his hooves out at me, "Whoa whoa whoa- back up, it's free?"

I slapped myself across the brow, "No...we pay you. It's to incen-"

"So where's that paper." He rushed past me and pushed the door to the home open and scrambled about. I just stood infront of the house and debated running away. Surely I could find another applicant. Was this one really worth losing the rest of my day? Then again, what else did I have to do today? Even if I did have something to do my small excursion with the Apples was rather pleasant, this might be somewhat similar.

When I came back to reality I was standing in a foyer, "How did I..." I looked behind me at the doorway, "I don't remember walking in here." I think I might be losing my mind.

"Ah there you are, here." He pulled the form from his side and held it out for me. I took it from his mouth and looked it over, "It's correct right?"

I check the forms, "Yes, congratulations on securing your daughters educational future with the greater state of Caledonia."

He gave a quick nicker, "I'm more worried about her meeting a colt. Ponyvilles a bit limited in that department so I figured this would be a good way to get her out there."

I looked up and past his left shoulder, "What a loving father." I tried my best not to sound appalled.

"Aren't I, in fact." He turned to the front door, "I'm going to go pull her from class, no reason for her to sit around in that den of mares and low brow colts." He grabbed a hat off a rack near the door and hurried out.

Again I was left standing in the middle of another's house, "For the love of the Mother I have no idea what is going on."

"He's something else isn't he." A warm voice broke my mumbling. A mare with a beautiful silvery mane walked over, "How are you, I like your markings."

I looked at my feet and shook my head, "Every time. I'm good-" The mare could obviously tell something was wrong, "I'm really, really, really confused."

The mare gave me a motherly smile with a small laugh, "We do live in confusing times, humans in Equestria, ponies in space, that metal thing next to the moon." She gave a warm chuckle, it was so genuine it caused me to smile inadvertently, "But however confusing things may be, you can always count on the simple things to take your mind off of it. Speaking of which, would you like to help me cook?"

I just smiled my answer and followed the mare out of the room.

Porcelain put the final touches on the meal, sticking a half a roll into each bowl of soup, "And just like that it's done."

I ducked down, eye level with the tabletop, "Bloody brilliant." She had made a meatless stew that still looked amazing, "Absolutely bloody brilliant!" I slammed the table, causing the plates and silverware to jump.

"Well I'm glad you like it." Porcelain laughed, "My husband never was a huge fan of potato soup."

"His loss." I leaned my body onto the table and stared into the steaming bowl. I stared at the bowl until I realized something, this family, their names are really similar. Porcelain...Sterling...Silver Spoon. I wondered if it was a joke, eventually deciding it would be better not to ask.

I felt a soft touch on the back of my ear followed by a warm pass of air, "You know...my husband hasn't mounted me in a while...and you're really pretty."

My body spazmed, sending my knee straight into the underside lip of the table, "Damn! My god damn knee!"

Why!? Why no one normal!? You were supposed to be the normal one! Sore pregnant mare, protective brother, pompous father, lusty wife. Why the fucking stereotypes, fuck! I dug my fingers into the table. I just got here and I already hate this place, I miss the rain, I miss the people, I miss the Druid! Porcelain let her neck rest on my shoulder, "I wonder how you taste."

Sterling's voice overtook Porcelain's soft breathing, "Porcelain, we're back!" Thank the Mother, thank you! Porcelain pushed away and righted herself, "Ah there you are," Sterling walked in. I turned around and tried to hide my scowl, "Issac, trying to steal my mare?" He glared at me for a moment before laughing.

"Dad..." Silver Spoon walked in, "Leave him alone."

"Oh come on, it's just a joke-"

Silver Spoon walked past him and over to me. She looked at me hard, studying my face before leaning over to my ear, "I am so sorry." She whispered into my ear.

"Look at that, don't they look cute together?" Sterling asked with a laugh.

"Very cute." Porcelain made sure she was out of sight of Sterling and licked her lips seductively.

Ahhhhhh! My mind! "Dad..." Silver Spoon moaned at her father.

"Oh fine." Sterling walked past and looked at the table, "Potato again, how...great."

The parents walked over to the table, bickering about the food. I shared a long staring match with Silver Spoon, a quick mental conversation communicated perfectly between us.

I am so sorry, he said he wanted to meet you.

No, I'm sorry. Your parents are...

Crazy.

Yeah, is that why you wanted to sign up?

Kinda...we can talk later, they're starting to stare.

I nodded to Spoon and followed her to the table. I took a seat on the side, across from Spoon. The two parents kept at their bickering even after we all started eating. I downed all I could eat in an instant, "Look at that, eats like a beast but still so lean," Sterling started laughing, "Must be built like a workhorse!"

I felt something brush my shin as Porcelain started talking, "A big strong workhorse."

"Should get him something better than this," Sterling bumped the bowl of soup in front of him, "Better than potatoes I mean."

Porcelain and Sterling quickly started bickering again. Silver Spoon seemed to have had enough and simply stood from her seat and wandered off, "Oh hey...she's leaving...someone should go check on her." I muttered out loud, "No don't get up, I'll do it." I stood from the table and hurried after her. I paused in the foyer. Run Issac, run, this is your chance!

But no matter how much my brained screamed at me to run I was actually concerned about the new recruit. I hurried around the house until I found a door slightly ajar. I hurried over and peeked in, "Silver?"

"Yeah." She mumbled to the air, "Come in."

I did, "So uh...they do that a lot?"

Silver had laid back on her bright pink bed, surrounded by piles of plush dolls, "Every day, I'm used to it by now."

I walked over to the side of the bed and sat on the edge, "That's rough, really rough. How long has this been going on?"

Silver closed her eyes and shrugged, clutching a doll to her chest, "Who knows. It's been long enough that this is normal to me."

I just stared at her, eventually looking at my knees, "Okay...that's not rough, that's fucked up."

"You have no idea. It's really bad when my dad brings in stallions to meet me, then they end up spending the night with my mom while dad sleeps on the couch. I think he thought you were one."

My eyes were wide open as I stared at the hardwood floor of her room, "Wow...that is...I need a new word for how fucked that is. Wago...that's wago."

Silver gave a short, defeated laugh, "So when do I get to leave?"

"End of the week."

"Alright then. You can leave if you want by the way, I know my mom was probably falling all over you, you probably don't want to have to put up with it...or maybe you do...I don't know."

Fucking hell, how the fuck do I deal with this!? "Do you- you want a hug?"

Silver sat upright, "A hug...you think a hug is going to make my life better?"

"It's worth a try." I threw my arms out in her direction. I got an annoyed look in return, "Come on...this is all I have left."

Silver rolled her eyes before rolling onto her legs and walking over. She sat on her haunches next to me and wrapped a foreleg around my back. I let my hands wrap around her and slowly rub up and down her back, "Okay-" Silver tried to pull away immediately, "Stop it!"

"Not yet." I tightened my grip slightly and slowed my movements, "I can feel your heart beat...you're really not okay are you."

"Shut up!" She tired her hardest to get free, "Let me go!"

"I'm not gonna let you go like this...calm down and I'll let you go."

Silver stopped struggling, trying her best to steady her heart. Eventually I felt her foreleg go limp around my neck, "I don't like being calm..." She mumbled, her voice growing horribly shaky. She gave a loud sniffle before talking again, "I always hung around with Diamond because-" She was losing her little battle with sorrow, "Because she would always be mean to everypony else, and I was mean, and it- I felt better about it. About them being stupid or broken." She finally lost it, crying like a baby into the crook of my shoulder, "I hate them, I hate them both!" She started sobbing into my jacket, "It's not fair, everypony else has normal parents, why don't I!?"

I let her bawl into my chest, "Holy shit...Issac Harding: emotional liberator." I made sure my hands never stopped moving over her back, "It's a good thing you signed up. We have people on the Druid that can help with this." I don't think she was even listening to me, lost in her own little world of depression.

Eventually her crying started to ease away. She let her forelegs fall back to her bed as I held her steady, "Are you gonna be alright?" I asked with as authoritative voice as I could muster.

She fixed her glasses, "I think- I- we leave soon right?"

"Right."

She smiled weakly, "Good. Now go, get out of here before you have to deal with them too...they'll show up yelling eventually."

I looked at the door to her room, "Yeah- no. I'm not leaving you alone after that just happened...besides your dad wanted us to be together I think..., point is they should stay away as long as I'm in here."

"I guess, but my mom-"

I cut her off, "I'm not leaving you alone to deal with that crap today...hell you can leave with me tomorrow if you want, I've just been milling around town anyways."

Silver looked worried, "When we leave...what should I take?"

I looked around the pink room, "Well you don't wear clothes so that frees up a lot of space. No personal electronics.... You can probably just bring whatever you can fit into a backpack."

Silver jumped off the bed and looked around the room, "I...I don't think I need any of this anymore." She pranced in a circle, "All this stuff, I'd trade it all for a new chance."

"Well let's not get all drama-"

"I don't need any of it! Yeah, I'll go up there and live for myself, away from them, for me!"

I stared at her from my seated position, "Yay?"

"And I'll- I'll- I don't even know what I'll do, but I'm gonna do it!"

"Woohoo?"

"And when I- I- ...Issac...do you feel light head-" She stopped mid word, falling to her knees and rolling onto her side.

I scrambled over and checked on her, she snapped awake seconds later, "By the Mother, are you alright?!"

"Yeah..." Silver rolled onto her stomach, "What happened?"

"I think you got a little excited there." I said with a nervous laugh.

"Huh? I don't...I feel weird. Can I lay down?"

"Okay..." I helped her to her hooves and over to the bed, "I'm gonna go grab that soup...will probably feel better if you eat something."

I hurried out of her room and through the halls. The bowls sat abandoned on the dining table. Something must have happened between the two. I was curious, but I was slightly more worried about not letting our newest recruit collapse again.

I grabbed a still warm bowl and hurried back. Silver was staring blankly at the wall, "You look like a zombie. Here eat." I set the bowl on her nightstand and stood back. She looked at it for a moment before laying back down, "I am your superior in the Caledonian military and I command you eat the food!"

Silver eventually lifted her body over and tried her best to eat, "Issac."

"Yes ma'am?"

"Thanks...but please don't tell anypony about this."

I nodded, "Don't worry about it. Besides I'm kinda mooching a room for the night so don't worry." I sat against the foot board of the bed and looked through my backpack. I found my e-book and started reading, "Eat and get some rest," I said, not bothering to dig my nose out of my book, "We can leave tomorrow morning."

I kept reading until something obstructed my light, I looked up to see Silver hanging her head off the foot board, "What is that?"

I looked back at my book, "A story about earth."

"Read it out loud."

I shrugged and turned back to my book, "And he ran across the fields of Gaul, spreading word of the roman advance from the south...."

I continued on until darkness came. Silver had fallen asleep at some point, leaving me alone in the darkening room.

I was about to try and go to sleep when the door creaked open, "Issac?" Porcelain's voice slithered it's way past the door, "Are you ready to feel like a stallion?" I stood up and walked over to her, pulling the door wide open. She took a step forward, biting her lower lip as she drew close, I could smell cheap liquor on her breath, "Ooo~ look at you. Come on." She reached down and grabbed my sleeve in her mouth.

She managed to pull my arm to length before I yanked my arm free. She stood in the hall, giving me a confused look, "Don't touch me, I'll be staying the rest of the night, but don't you dare touch me."

She smiled wide, "Playin hard to get eh? I like it a little rough too-" before she could continue I closed the door and pressed my back into it. Seeing what Silver Spoon had to put up with kind of made me glad my parents were dead.

I settled in as the mare started pounding on the door. First thing in the morning I needed to get the recruit out of here, maybe she could stay with the Apple until we leave. Next Chapter: Day 3 Estimated time remaining: 38 Minutes