I grew up in Vermont myself, it’s a beautiful area to live. I grew up in a small town Wallingford, not a huge population, and it was really spread out a bit, but that wasn’t too bad. I was an only child. One of only two kids in my entire school to have a May birthday and we were both born May first of the same year. Most everyone else I knew was born in summer or fall.

I was an only child, now don’t get me wrong, that has it perks, but after my father died, when I was 12, the house started to get lonely. Mom did her best, between bills, and taking care of me, but there was always an emptiness with just the two of us, especially during the holidays.

For the most part I was your average kid. I was named Walter after my grandfather apparently. Though sometimes I think it was because my dad loved the TV Show MASH. Most just took to calling me Wally. Ok so some in school took to calling me Wall-E for a while, but every kid goes through that.

As a child of the 2000’s I did the usual stuff, video games, superhero movies and comics. Suffering through several reboots of characters like Batman and Superman. Internet parties with my friends playing games like Ghost Recon, and Medal of Honor. But I wasn’t one of those to be totally cloistered inside.

Sports, I was never one that could watch sports. I couldn’t just sit and watch a football game or baseball game. I had to DO. In school I was on our soccer team, I played football a few times but since our equipment wasn’t donated and my family couldn’t really afford the bill for all the gear, soccer was my outlet.

I wasn’t a stellar student, I did ok with the normal stuff, math, science, but English was always a hit or miss. It’s not that I couldn’t read or write, just the material seemed so dry and boring most times. Read and write a report about Romeo and Juliette? Ok fine, but what if you don’t like Shakespeare? I had always preferred the adventure stories, it doesn’t have to be magical adventures either. Books like Lord of the Rings were fine though in places very dry for me. On the other hand I loved Tom Clancy’s work.

Tom Clancy, I think he’s the reason I joined the military. Well that and the fact that I couldn’t afford to go to college. To me the military was a real life adventure book. It’s a chance to go and do things, things other people only read about or pretend to do by playing games on the computer.

I breezed through basic training making some friends there. After that I spent a little time in Afghanistan. I didn’t see any heavy combat myself the first time, but while there I applied and was accepted for ranger training school. That was probably the happiest day of my life.

Or the start of the worst weeks of my life, since Ranger school makes basic training look like a boy scout camp. Most nights we were only allowed about three hours sleep, and the physical and mental training was intense. The washout rate was extreme and, I won’t lie, I almost washed out more than once. If not for Yiska's help in flight suit training for example I might not have passed that course. Some people would fail for physical reasons. Washing out for physical reasons is the hardest because everyone can have a bad day where they are not feeling up to their best. If it costs them just those few seconds on a course or firing range that's it.

There were nights I just had to wonder if I was doing the right thing. If the rangers was really for me. I wasn’t a quitter though, and while the suffering was there, I never focused on that. There was one piece of humor that cropped up though. My instructors found that my after action reports always seemed to read like adventure novels. I had a certain way of putting the details down that kept it from being too boring.

For me The Rangers was going to be my career, a way I could help people, help my country. But at the same time, I knew there was another reason, one that was harder to explain. The best way of wording it would be: 'I do, so others don’t have to.'

May 3rd 2020, 1300zulu

“Well, my career is over” I say with a weak smile trying to make light of things. “Women are not allowed to serve in the rangers.”

“You are still a ranger until you are transferred out. That means you are still under MY command. You are still part of this squad and still have a job to do.” The LT says sternly. “Yiska, any luck with HQ?”

“Nightshade this is Twilight, I say again, we are Firewalled. Request extraction status?” Yiska shakes his head and checks the radio “I’m having a lot of trouble getting though sir. Something big is up. Hold sir. Nightshade this is Twilight, I confirm Firewall.”

“Twilight this is Nightshade Firewall confirmed, hostile patrols have been spotted in and around extraction point alpha, alpha is a no go. Safe house compromised, some kind of disturbance has many of the towns in the area in turmoil. Avoid if possible. Extraction point beta still open, window closes in five days. Nightshade out.”

“Beta? It’s a three day walk to beta but that will have us passing primary target. Beta’s in high ground away from civilization, that’s why it’s probably still open.” The LT looks down at me, “Think you can hang on for three more days?”

“No matter what I look like, I’ve still had Ranger training. If things don’t get much worse, and we have to go past or near our primary target anyway…”

The LT kneels down and sighs “I know where you’re going with that corporal, and no. We are a effectively a man down, and I don’t want to bring you into a firefight in your condition.”

“Yes sir, I just hate feeling like I cost us this mission.” Looking down at my hands I take a breath. To this date no woman has been allowed to serve in the Rangers, period. Rangers are a forward combat unit, and the army has never opened it. This means after this mission, I’ll probably end up in some lab somewhere at worst, dismissed from the rangers at best.

The LT kneels down and helps to adjust the straps on my helmet, “Does that hurt your ears?”

“A bit but I can take it sir. I just have to keep them laid down, but it sounds like I’m listening to the world through ear muffs.” I kind look up and hum once “And I don’t think I can fit the low light goggles on with my horn.”

“I’m really reluctant to have you without your combat helmet on, but if it gets too painful, you are allowed to use your brush cap. I’d rather cut holes in the helmet with a KA-BAR then have you walking around unprotected.”

“Thanks for the concern LT.” Trying to stand I almost tumble over catching myself against a tree, quickly the LT helps me to sit down again, “Something’s wrong with my feet.”

The LT looks at me for a long moment before motioning Henry over. Quickly they undo and slide off my boots. I hadn’t taken my boots off in almost two days now. Seeing my feet being replaced by hooves though is probably the least shocking change. Carefully Henry checks out my hoof and lower leg, “It looks like its slowly spreading upwards. I don’t know if he can walk like this.”

Oh heck no, pushing myself up I get my balance on my hooves for a second then stomp one on the ground. “I’m not a stretcher case yet, LT.” While it takes a few moments to get my balance properly on my hooves I manage a few good steps looking back at my comrades, “I can still walk.”

“Ok change up, Sgt Donaldson Hand take the corporals HK416 and give him the M110, corporal you’re in the middle with Henry, I want him to keep an eye on you at all times. Understand? Sergeant you’re taking up the rear.”

With a nod I hand over my rifle to the Sergeant. Taking his sniper rifle I shoulder it. I knew I wasn’t expected to use it unless it was an emergency. More just carrying it to keep the weight spread between the squad. Not that I wasn’t qualified, I just knew the LT had no intention of letting me fight in my condition… my condition that just doesn’t feel right at all.

Even with hooves we were making good time. In some ways I seemed to be having it easier than the others. My hooves having an easily time finding perches or grip on the jungle floor. My legs also seem to be taking the impacts better than I had hoped. My tail swung occasionally at the buzzing of insects. It wasn’t totally automatic per say, I still knew I could control it if I wanted to… I could still feel it.

Yiska moved up beside me, “Don’t worry, we’ll get you to the evac site. You just need to stay calm.”

“I am calm.” I said looking at him a little confused.

“I’m not an expert on horses but, the way your tails thrashing and such, I would say you are anything but.”

I glance back at my tail and huff. “Tattle tale.” Looking to Yiska I grumble once, “Sorry. I’m just frustrated, confused, scared, and probably half a dozen other terms right now that I have no right being while on a mission. I know its natural but normally I don’t feel them this strong."

“Hormones…” Henry says.

I scowl, “Look, just because I’m a girl now doesn’t mean...”

Henry shakes his head “No, I was just thinking, for the change to progress this fast, you must be flooded with hormones, so that’s probably going to be causing total havoc on your emotional control centers of your brain.”

I open my mouth to argue then close it, “Ok point there.”

Yiska looks over concerned “So how did the vision quest go?”

“Controlled dreaming? It was strange, it’s like, I could almost remember something, but when I woke up it was gone. I couldn’t hold on to it. I must have looked in bad shape though.”

I shifted the weapon and walked on quietly. My mind kept running in circles, trying to find something to grasp on to, something to remember. I knew something was missing but I couldn’t figure out what, this on top of the physical changes…

Stumbling forward I hit the ground, grumbling. Looking back the LT quickly calls a halt and Henry comes over to check me out.

“Are you ok?”

Getting up slowly I shake my head, “No, Henry, I can’t… stand up properly.”

Quickly Henry pulls out a pen and pokes my legs causing them to twitch. Yiska moves behind me and takes off my pack. “LT we’ve got a problem.”

Kneeling down the LT looks at Henry “How bad is it?”

“It’s bad, I’m not sure he’s going to be able to keep walking. He’s not paralyzed but his spine and hips have changed. He’s leaning further forward when he walks. With the pack it's throwing his center of gravity off. I think we’re going to need to stretcher him out.” Shaking his head, Henry looks up to the LT, “The change seems to be picking up speed, fur is moving up faster, even his face is starting to change.”

The LT looks at me sternly “You girl, are going to give me ulcers, now, you are a stretcher case. Yiska, Henry, Sanchez and I will take turns.”

Watching as they set up a stretcher for me I grumble softly. “I’m not a girl, ok maybe because this stupid change I am but I’m not. “

Henry chuckles looking at the LT. “Hormones.”

Yiska glares at Henry, “Henry thinks he’s got a massive hormone surge going on that could be affecting his emotions and judgement a bit.”

Nodding the LT looks down at me “Just rest a bit, and I was joking about the girl thing, relax”

Lying back in the stretcher, I close my eyes, and take a deep breath. Look deep into the mind, focus, concentrate, ignore the Yoda jokes. I can feel the energy around me, I can feel my horn as it starts to glow.

Taking a hoofstep back I look up at King Aspen, horn glowing softly.

“I will not hurt you little one. You could have killed that rockidile, why didn’t you?”

“The rockidile? It wasn’t doing anything wrong, it was just protecting its home and I was the intruder there.” I let my hornshine fade lowering my head.

“But you are here for the tymberwolves?”

“That’s different; they have been attacking farms outside of the woods. Stopping them isn’t about protecting myself, it’s about protecting others.”

Walking around me King Aspen flicks his tail and I suddenly feel very small again beside him. To me, he’s nearly the size of Celestia. At least that’s how it seems, “So tell me Twilight Velvet, what exactly does your mark mean?”

“My cutie mark? It’s three stars, representing the three aspects of magic.” I stand proud, I’ve always been proud of my mark.

“Yet they are not equal size?”

“Only Celestia would be equal in all types of magic, I’m strongest in one but actually can cast spells related to all three. Summon lighting for example would normally be a pegasus but I have a spell that can do that, or making a plant grow, most unicorns would use a time effect but I can mimic the way earth ponies do it with a spell.”

“So that is how you earned your mark? By casting spells?”

“No, it’s so much more than that. A pony’s cutie mark normally appears when they have found something they truly love doing, something that’s important to them… that makes them happy… you might be a dancer because it’s fun, but that’s not always enough for a cutie mark. Dancing for fun verses dancing for the pure joy and freedom it brings, not just to you but to others, how it helps bring out their emotions too. And realizing that that is what you want to do for ever… That’s when you earn a mark.”

“So you wanted to study, to learn?”

“No that’s not it either, I wanted…. Adventure, I wanted to go out and do things, to make the world better, safer. I got my mark when I realized that not every pony could protect themselves. One of my friends had wandered into the forest and got hurt badly. She almost died. I realized, if I could have used magic I could have got in, got the herbs she needed and gotten out. She would never have had to risk herself. So I learned my first spell and used it to sneak in to the Everfree. I used a spell to camouflage myself, I used my telekinesis to get the owlbear away from the herbs by making branches rustle. Then moved in getting the herbs she needed. There was thrill there; I had done something with my magic that made a difference… And when I got back and gave her the herbs, and saw the smile on her face, my mark appeared. From that day I stated to learn spells. To go on adventures, and of course to help ponies by protect them when I could. I’m neither a shield who would stand and defend, nor a sword who would attack, I’m a generalist hence, my three stars.”

Nodding once, King Aspen slams his hoof down and states loudly, “So you are, Twlight Velvet.”

“I’m Twilight Velvet,” I say opening my eyes sitting up a bit in the stretcher.

“Who’s Twilight Velvet?” Yiska says, blinking.

“I… have no idea…” I lay back down blinking. “I think that’s my name but… I have no idea why.

Yiska chuckles “Another successful vision quest I see.”

“Yeah right, I’m not even Native American. How many vision quests have you had?”

“One, when I was little, my father took me into the medicine hut, to commune with the ancestor spirits. I remember something about running across a field on all fours. The wind, the howls, and two misshapen eyes watching. Swear I had nightmares for a week. I blame it on not eating, near heat stroke, and the wacky tobaccy my grandfather used. Seriously who puts a six year old in a small tent filled with smoke and herbs and doesn’t expect them to hallucinate.”

“Let me guess, after that you didn’t want to have anything to do with the medicine huts?”

“Eyup, that’s when I decided, the old ways where not for me. I learned them because I had to but never really practiced them again.” He says as he sets down the stretcher.

Looking back I see the LT setting up for tonight’s bivouac, “LT dinner time? I’m starving.”

“Yeh, but no fire, and keep that horn shine down, were only a few hours from the drug factory. I hate having to bring you this close but it’s the fastest way to the evac site.”

Nodding slowly I open my rucksack pulling out today’s mystery MRE. “Oh finally, the Coveted Cheese Steak, probably the best MRE there is aside from the meatloaf.”

“Lucky, last two days you got stuck with veggie packs, those are just awful”

Nodding I open the top, and with heartfelt contentment, cheese stake, the best meal in the pack, I take a bite.

Now, Lyra Heartstrings a nice light aquamarine in color, though she’s not as dark as say, Lightning Dust who’s more of a turquoise, but still well into that spectrum of green. Me, after that one bite, I fell somewhere in between the two. Which is pretty impressive since I, first started as a pale grey, and second, didn’t know who either of those two are.

Leaning over the side I quickly threw up. Panting had I looked at the pack and gave it a smell. This almost made me want to throw up again. Not a good sign at all. The LT was the first to come over; taking the MRE he gave it a small then taste. “Seems fine, Henry you're up.”

Henry had me open my mouth first and shook his head “His teeth have changed, I think he’s gone herbivore. Um Jay, you used to do deer hunting, tell me what you think?”

Jay’s turn to take a quick look and nod. “Yep, that looks familiar. Guess you should have saved that veggie burger for today huh.”

Shaking his head the LT kneels down and goes through my pack “OK everyone meal swaps, check your bags for any veggie dishes.”

While it may seem funny, not having proper food can be a major problem. Everyone in the squad knows it and within a few minutes all my remaining packs are swapped out for veggie versions. Not a bad thing, the veggie meals have just as much calories and such as the meat meals, but just the idea… that I’m missing out on my cheese-steak because of this…

No lights, hostile territory, one man down and on a stretcher, and just a few hours from our target. I knew somewhere fate is laughing at us, we failed because of me, and because of me my squad at risk. Turning on my side I close my eyes. What changes tomorrow will bring? I really don’t want to know at this point.

“I said, I don’t want to know. Are you not listening?” Stallions some times. I stood on the south west wall of Canterlot Castle. It was mid-afternoon and a gentle breeze teased my mane and tail causing them to dance. The stallion behind me, a medium blue royal guard with darker blue mane and tail, looked annoyed at my defiance.

“It’s my job to inform you of these things.” He said stomping a hoof once.

“I’ve grown up in Canterlot most of my life, I attended Celestia's school for gifted unicorns, I know which areas of the city are of limits. I know the laws.” I let out an annoyed snort.

“Then you know these ramparts are off limits for any but military personal. I will have to detain you.” Stepping forward he went to put a hoof on my flank.

“If you can catch me you mean.” With a chuckle I jumped off the rampart going nose down like a pegasus in a dive, plummeting towards the rocks below. One thousand one…

“WHAT!” The guard unicorn screams as he looks over the edge. He watches me fall, my tail flapping behind me like a streamer, “Someone call a pegasus quick!”

And... NOW! My horn flashes and I wink out. Now here’s where the fun comes in, I had fallen for about one and a half seconds, nose down. So when I come out of my teleport, with my new direction facing horizontal to the ground…. *POP* I was in a full gallop across the grass laughing my head off. There wasn’t a need to start from a dead stop, and even if he teleported he’d have to get his speed up to match mine.

A young pegasus still obviously a filly, turquoise with amber and gold mane and tail landed beside the Guard unicorn, “you called for a pegasus?”

Shaking his head he looks down at the running unicorn. “Not anymore. Who was she?”

“One of the EUP Volunteer’s I think.”

“She’s EUP? Then…” He thumps his head against the rail, “she was authorized to be up here.”

Yawning I rub my muzzle softly with a foreleg, my chest hurts, my neck hurts, my back hurts, my legs hurt… Ok let's just say it, I hurt. I feel like I’m tied down, just because of how tight my clothing is right now. I let out a soft whimper which gets the attention of Henry.

“Oh damn, LT Help.” Grabbing his KA-BAR he comes over quick and starts cutting off the last of the clothing that has been so tight around me. The military uniforms are made NOT to rip so had been bunching up or worse digging in a bit as I changed thought he night.

You know, a butterfly emerging from a cocoon might be a nice picture way of saying it, but first, I’m no butterfly, and second, those combat vests and webbing are no cocoons. Panting a bit I stumble to my feet shaking my head and tail at the same time then blink. “I’m… not on my hands and knees am I?”

“Nope”, at about this time Henry decides he’s going to channel Big Mac.

“I have fur, and a muzzle… don’t I?”

“Yep”, Henry says still staring.

“I’m a horse aren’t I?”

“Yep.”

The LT shakes his head “More along the lines of a pony, or unicorn given the horn. Can you walk?”

Taking a deep breath I move one hind leg forward, then the other, than realize… my entire center of gravity is now heading straight for the dirt as I face plant, “Nope.”

Getting back up I close my eyes, and try again. Feeling my legs move, feeling the different muscles as I take one step, then the next. Feeling the ground as it hits me in the face. Stupid ground. For the next 10 min, the rest of the squad takes turns watching me, in a cross between interest, pity and mirth, as I slowly master the art of not getting hit by the ground.

By about 20 min I’m almost prancing around a bit getting more and more comfortable, “come on if a foal can learn to walk in five min I should be able to do better”

Yiska chuckles “It’s been 20 min. Yep, you lost to a foal.”

Drooping my head and tail I feel myself blush, yep I’ve been served. Curiously I look over at the LT who’s got the leftovers of my combat uniform and webbing, my rucksack, and his rucksack and are currently tying them together. “What are you doing?”

With one move he picks up both packs and drops them over my back so I have one sack on either side, with the webbing over my back like some kind of mule. Standing somewhat shocked I slowly look back blinking. “LT?”

“If I just put your pack on you you’d fall over to one side. You’re not carrying a weapon, uniform or armor, so you should be pretty balanced. Can you walk or is the load to heavy?”

Still in shock I take a few steps forward then nod, “doesn’t feel too heavy.”

“If you can walk you’re not a stretcher case, and that frees up two men to fight, basic training.”

“Yah, I know, I just wasn’t… expecting it. “ I say looking down a bit.

“You turn into a talking unicorn, and carrying a pack is the thing that surprise you?” Yiska says chuckling.

Almost instantly my ears go up again swiveling. Yiska see's my reaction and instantly raises his hand. On alert he takes a knee as does the LT. I think my hearing got better, because I’m sure I hear crying now. Great, why did I have to have a white coat, seriously. Henry was quick to notice and put a poncho over me quietly. It gives me some sort of camouflage. I crouch down trying to make myself as small as possible. The crying was getting louder.

First into view was the pony, mostly because of her colors. She was pale grey olive in color coat wise, but her mane and tail were a brilliant red. Her tattoo was that of a bunch of grapes and a strawberry. Stumbling as she walked, she had a black and white halter on her face, rope around her neck and what looked like a rope around her torso tying down a pair of wings. Something inside me just told me how wrong this was…

“What’s this now? Three or four?” A man says in Spanish as he whips the ponies flank with a length of branch causing her to jump.

“Four I think, Ornada’s got word out that he’s paying 300 a head for them now. I can’t believe we found this one right in Tortuguero.” second man is carrying a shotgun as he walks, “this will feed my family for a month.

Laughing the two keep walking down a trail, the sound of the wooden branch hitting her flank again fills my ears as the crying slowly fades back into the distance.

Sgt Sanchez was the first to move, falling back to the LT, “Oranada’s at the location. They just came from Tortuguero which explains likely why the safe house is down… if more people are turning… It could be causing some chaos.”

Looking over at the Sgt my heart drops, I don’t know why but it does. “How many more?”

“He said total of four found. Ornada’s buying them.”

I look at the LT, “Our target's there, he’s holding hostages, I can still walk, run, see and hear. I can still be a spotter. “ I feel the anger building in me, I know this guy HAS to be stopped. He’s been known for human trafficking and sex slavery. I know these ponies are in the WORST danger. Planting my foot hard on the ground I look at him. “LT…”

Reaching over the LT’s first response is to… Thwack my horn causing me to stumble backwards. “Lights out corporal, you have to watch that. Keep your emotions in check. That glow of yours could give our position away. Now then, who is up for a little recon? We can at least take a look at what’s going on and gather some intel from a safe distance.”

The squad nods once. We stand up, staying off the path and moving through the forest we still make good time. It's only about an hour till we reach the factory, to use the term loosely. The compound is made up of several old shipping containers, a large hut, and a few smaller huts. An old generator provides power and about a half dozen people can be seen. Though by the looks of it, there are probably about a dozen more working in the shipping containers.

The pony can be seen being forced into one of the smaller shipping containers by an armed man. I can hear Eric talking softly, “Four using AK’s, probably 74’s. I see one AKS-74U, rest seems to be SKS’s. And I confirm target is in the house. We could take him out from here.”

I find myself moving more then I should be, almost prancing on the spot, I know I shouldn’t be moving but at least I’m quiet. Forcing myself to stop I take a deep breath. “LT, the Army is going to want intel and information on as many of, well whatever I am, as they can get. Our mission was capture or kill, any chance we can shift that to kill and rescue?”

Chewing on his lip the LT looks at the situation. “Ok, we do have the advantage here, they are under gunned, under armed. And yes, if people are changing the military and CDC are going to want as many subjects as they can get.”

Looking over the team, “Ok Jay, Sanchez, take up a firing position here, I’ll act as spotter, our first priority is Ornada, so once he’s down we will worry about the ponies. Eric, I want demo charges on each of the containers except for the one with the ponies, and if you can the generator. Yiska covering fire from the right side, take out anyone coming out of the smaller huts. Henry, you speak Spanish too, you’re with Walter, I want you two to sneak into the pony’s container. Keep them quiet, give them a once over, see if they can run. “

“You want Walter down there too?” Eric says blinking.

“He at least looks like they do, it might help keep them calm when we have to run. Our exit point is due south, once out of there we will be moving fast, so we’ll leave some mines in our wake to slow pursuit if any. Remember though ponies are low priority, if they cannot keep up, we will have to leave them behind.”

Everyone nods. “Once primary target is shot, we will set off the charges. That will be your cover to get the ponies out, or for you and Henry to get out. They are not our primary so I don’t want any of you getting killed for them.”

It took me a few minutes and a little help to get the poncho and brush cap on, at least it would provide some camo from my color scheme, but I suppose it could have been worse, I could have turned bright red.

Eric moved like a ghost, it took him nearly an hour to plant all of the charges, but there was more than enough cover from overgrown weeds, barrels and such for him to move around almost freely. No one in the area seemed to concerned with security. Fear is a powerful tool, and these people used it to make sure everyone stayed away. But they forgot that there are others that they should fear. And it is us that they should be terrified of.

Keeping as low as I could, I had taken the long way around with Henry, one of the things I found I loved about this form, was my senses; I could hear and see a lot more. Not better per say, but I found I had a much wider range of view, letting me know where everything around me was.

There was only one guard at the container. Backing up a little I stomped a hoof twice on the ground. The noise was enough to cause cause him to look in my direction for a moment. That was all the time Henry needed to put his hand over the guys mouth and silence him with the KA-BAR.

In the days of modern warfare, machine guns, gunships, sometimes a simple knife, like the KA-BAR can be the most powerful tool. We quietly move the guard back into the underbrush and move up. The container isn't locked so luck is on our side. All Henry has to do is open a latch and we slip quietly inside.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness my stomach sinks at what I see.