All sound from the world around him bled to silence, occasionally the whisper of a train horn managed to slip pass the walls of melody which clogged his ears, though as quickly as they came they would dissipate into the cloud of music that blared from his headset. He sat alone in a train booth, his knees hugged against his broad chest while the shadows of dancing canopies slithered past his still figure.

Hope had been drained from his narrow eyes, leaving with him a shallow facade decorated not with emotion, but dejection manifest.

Licking his sudden dry lips, he pauses a moment to offer a glance to the letter delivered to him by the Human Conservation Association. The organization had approached him with a proposition, the suited mare who delivered said letter had paraphrased its contents. Essentially, the HCA had learned that a refugee, Walter, had fled the Griffon Empire to avoid the horrors of war. They offered protection, financial support, housing, but in return he would essentially become property of the HCA, akin to that of a parent-offspring relationship.

Drawing his narrow brown eyes across the envelope sealed by a wax embroidery, Walter molested the paper construct in deep thought, his thick fingers tracing a non particular pattern across the envelope's flesh. Pursing his lips, he furrowed his brow and decided to open the letter and read its contents, admittedly curious of further information.

Dear Walter Barnes,

It has come to our attention that you are a human refugee with acceptable qualifications that fall under our special criteria of citizens in need. You will be granted access through the Equestrian border upon agreement that your first stop will be HCA main headquarters.

We will discuss matters as to how you will be compensated for your unfortunate circumstances and provided housing and financial support.

No matter what age you are, or what job you get, you will never cease to receive our support. Further information of proposition will be discussed in person at HQ. Please enjoy your train ride, we are here for you Mr. Barnes.

Sincerely, Snow Drop, Vice President of Refugee Affairs.

"Hmph" Walter mumbled, clicking his tongue absentmindedly as he read over the letter.

They sounded sincere enough, although ponies do have a notorious habit of being more nice than they actually are. For the majority of his life, he has lived within the confines of the Griffon Empire. He had heard small bits of rumors and stories of Equestria, but most of it being biased mockery of the supposed 'softer' and 'hypocritical' neighbors to the west.

The only time he managed to gather more information about Equestria is when he and many other preteens his age were drafted into the required service time amount; a law where at the age of twelve all capable children must enroll into a small police branch of the military. He had served the minimal three year requirement before being allowed to return home, and during his service he only learned of Equestria's history of subjugation of the thestrals in olden times and how advanced their military might has grown since the Great War.

"Equestria, huh?" Walter mumbled as his deadpan eyes lazily danced across the letter before shifting towards the window to his right.

"It looks nice... You would've liked it" Walter said as he pinched a worn photo from the table before him, examining it closely.

The photo contained a mature man, about his mid thirties. Of course judging by how young Walter and his older sister were in the photo, the man is much older now than he was then. He stood around six feet tall, tired yet happy chocolate brown eyes, and a thick bushy beard that is well trimmed to compliment his masculine jawline. He is dressed in a plain white tank top and camouflage pants with combat boots, subtly hinting towards military background.

"So happy..." Walter commented on the photo, his eyes sinking into the joy held between the members of his family.

After gazing emptily at the photo for what felt like minutes, Walter tucked the photo into his wallet, returning the leather contraption to his pants pocket. Resting his heavy arms on the table, Walter gave a low groan, locking eyes with an invisible opponent of a nonexistent staring contest seated before him.

An image was missing from this train cabin, it was his older sister Jessica. Walter had to board a train separate to the one of his sister, there were so many people trying to evade the war, and many of the Imperial Guardsmen had arrived to cherry pick the deserters out of the crowd. Walter is unsure as to where the train is scheduled to reach, all he knows is that she will be somewhere in Equestria, most likely far from where he is going.

The passenger he had been traveling with since boarding had left at a stop long ago, leaving Walter to his own devices. He enjoyed the peace, it helped him relax, yet it also allowed the silence needed for reality to sink in. He most likely is never going to see his father again, who knows how long it'll be until he is reunited with his sister.

Dragging a breath of air into his lungs, the large man decides to lay his head in silent defeat upon his pillow of arms, adjusting slightly in his seat so he was more comfortable in his hunched over form. With a final draw of breath, Walter exhales slowly, welcoming the embrace of slumber.

Walter is awoken from a sudden jerk forward, snapping awake he straightens his posture, blinking owlishly at the empty seat before him. Once he had cleaned his vision of eye crust and the blur of sleep, Walter yawned and turned his gaze towards the window beside him. His eyes are greeted with the appealing sight of Canterlot Station.

Gathering his things, tucking the opened letter into his back pocket, Walter scooted out of the booth and exited the cabin. After grabbing his luggage, a suitcase and military grade backpack, Walter swallowed air deeply into his lungs, exhaling slowly. It was time, to live without his family, to live without happiness. He wondered how long he would last, living on the dwindling hope that he would one day be reunited with his family.

Deep down he knew it wouldn't happen anytime soon.

Walter made his way off the train, his luggage in tow. As expected he recieved odd glances and stares, whispers muttered in the distance. Equestria isn't exactly thriving with humans, spotting one is a rare sight to see in these parts, especially such a large one like Walter. He paid no mind to it, he assumed it was common for ponies, especially residents of Canterlot, to be wary of outsiders.

Walter wandered into the station's main hall, where ponies of all different colors meandered about, tending to their own devices. Things grew somewhat silent aside from a breeze of hushed indistinct whispers once Walter's presence was acknowledged. Humans aren't really as common as they once were, there are humans that live in Canterlot, but the majority of them work for the princesses and live within the Royal Palace.

Walter didn't care really, he's used to it by now. Being gawked at like the eighth wonder of the world isn't as bad as being looked down upon like diseased pests like he and his family were in the Griffon Empire.

Approaching the front desk of the station, Walter is greeted by the sight of a young mare clad in a crisp blue and white uniform outfit complete with a cutesy looking cap. Canterlot is the center of flashy fashion so it came to no surprise to see such a thing. Upon noticing Walter, the mare blinked in surprise. She gawked for a few brief moments of silence before clearing her throat, blushing out of embarrassment.

"Sorry sir, my name's Cloud, how may I assist you today?" the mare introduced herself, offering a sheepish smile.

"It's fine, I require a map of Canterlot and directions to the HCA main headquarters" Walter responded in a flat tone of voice, causing the mare to visibly flinch.

"R-Right then, let me get a map for you and show you how to get there" she said as she quickly scrambled to acquire a map.

After scrambling through her desk to acquire a map, she finally managed to find one. She researched the path to HCA main headquarters on her computer before drawing out directions for the large human. Once completed she handed him the map and the separate sheet of written directions.

"Thanks" Walter murmured as he grasped the papers between his bulky digits.

"Y-You're welcome sir, please have a good day" the mare replied and waved awkwardly as the human walked away.

Once Walter left the station, Cloud inhaled sharply and bit her bottom lip. Glancing over at her coworker, who had secretly taken several photos of the interaction, the two squealed quietly and giggled.

Outside the station Walter is greeted by the rather lively sight of Canterlot, a city bursting with colors, culture, and style. Everybody seemed to be rather cheerful and in high spirits, it was spring after all so all the markets and other local businesses were digging into the vibrant spring break themes.

Following the instructions that the mare gave him at the station, he managed to make his way to HCA headquarters, picking up some lunch along the way. Once arriving at the front desk, he was escorted to the third floor of the building where he was told to wait in a chair until this Snow Drop lady is ready.

Walter waited patiently, playing around on his phone for what felt like fifteen minutes or so when he heard the door to his right open up. Glancing over he saw an average sized beige cream colored mare dressed in formal attire approach him, her white mane tied back into a bun, a pair of maroon glasses sat comfortably upon her visage.

"Good evening, you must be Mr. Barnes, I'm Mrs. Drop" the mare greeted, extending her hand to him.

The mare nearly toppled backwards once Walter stood, standing about a foot and a half taller than her. She adjusted her glasses, her cheeks blushing red as she looked at him up and down.

"M-My, you're so big! Are you sure you aren't half minotaur?" she gasped, smiling up at Walter awkwardly.

That's what she said

"My mom and dad were just regular humans" Walter replied.

"I-I see, well then, lets speak in my office shall we?" Snow Drop said as she gestured to her office.

Walter nodded and entered the office with her, taking a seat in front of her desk. She began organizing a set of papers, occasionally glancing over at Walter who, to his own device, is scanning the room out of curiosity. Once she had her papers in order, Snow cleared her throat, bringing the attention of the large human man to her.

"Now then, we're going to be filling out your profile. I'll ask you a series of questions and you just have to answer as honestly as possible, okay?" Snow inquired.

"Affirmative" Walter replied flatly with a small yawn, scratching the scruff along his jawline.

"Right then, how old are you?"

"19"

"Date of birth?"

"May 15th, 1997"

"Oh, so your birthday is coming up soon? That's neat" Snow said as she scribbled information down on his file.

"Alright, what's your height?"

"One-hundred ninety-nine centimeters"

"Weight?"

"One-hundred sixty kilograms"

"Damn..." Snow muttered quietly to herself as she recorded this information onto his file.

"Hair color brown, eye color brown, Caucasian" she muttered to herself as she filled out some other basic info that didn't require his input.

"Sexual orientation?"

"Pansexual"

"Education?"

"Standard high school education, standard military training and education"

"Right then" Snow nodded, writing every bit of information down.

After some time passed, Snow Drop tucked his file neatly into her desk before pulling out a small collection of papers. Carefully glancing them over to make sure they are all there and in correct order, she cleared her throat and brought her eyes to meet Walter's.

"Mr. Barnes, I will now explain to you the purpose of the Human Conservation Association, if you have any questions feel free to speak up afterward" Snow Drop says as she then cleared her throat, licking her dry lips.

"Alright" Walter nodded.

"Well over five-hundred years ago, Discord unleashed a powerful chaotic spell that merged two different realities into one. Humans were thrusted into Equestria, and with them they brought weapons and technology beyond comprehension. Through Discord's influence, the humans waged war on Equus, leading to centuries of chaos. Luckily, with the power of the elements of harmony and the princesses, Discord was defeated, however he left one thing behind before his defeat: humans" Snow Drop began as she paused to take a drink of water.

"With what remained of humanity free of Discord's influence the princesses decided, instead of condemnation, they saw to it that humanity is rehabilitated and adjusted to their new life on Equus with the aid of equinity. Thus, the Human Conservation Association was created. Humans within the reach of the HCA have recieved countless of generous benefits and support, many humans under HCA guidance have lead successful and happy lives. In return however, humans must be appointed an appropriate guardian that will execute bi-monthly check-ups to assure that their human is doing well. The guardians will have the same rights and control as a parent would" Snow Drop paused, before scooting a contract towards Walter.

"Do you consent to the HCA and all guardians assigned to you are hereby granted paternal rights and power over you?" Snow Drop inquired.

Walter kept his quiet demeanor for what felt like a few minutes, he held an expression of deep thought as he contemplated his options. He knew this would most likely happen, however he has been preparing himself to do what he must to be accepted into Equestria, for his family's sake.

"If I feel a guardian is overstepping their boundaries and abusing their powers?" Walter inquired.

"You may report to the HCA headquarters and we'll relieve the guardian of their post and will be replaced by whomever you deem fit" Snow Drop responded.

"While under the authority of HCA am I still permitted to use my training to protect myself if I deem myself or others endangered by threats of any kind?" Walter inquired.

"Under the circumstance that your training meets Equestrian regulations. I know you've lived in the Griffon Empire all your life, but I must ask that you restrain yourself when the situation comes that you must defend yourself or others so that those who have committed the assault may be persecuted under the jurisdiction of Equestrian law" Snow Drop replied.

"I only stayed the minimal requirement amount, the only training I know is basic training" Walter explained.

"That's what concerns me. Griffon standards of basic training are far more gruesome than that of Equestrian basic training. To put it simply, we focus on subduing and surviving, Griffons focus on killing or be killed" Snow Drop retorted.

"Understood" Walter nodded, "I will restrain myself to the best of my abilities"

"Thank you" Snow Drop smiled.

The interview continued on with a few bumps and grinds here and there, but all in all it went rather well. Snow Drop had concluded the interview and had began to organize a temporary home placement until a more permanent residency is decided.

"Okay then, I've organized a temporary homestead for you to lay your head for a couple days until a permanent home is decided. You will be escorted by one Private Storm who will act as your Guardian until further notice. Any questions?" Snow Drop smiled as she placed all the files created today into a neatly sorted box of folders.

"Yes, just one. Where is my sister?" Walter demanded in a calm voice.

Snow Drop froze, pausing as if overcome with sudden paralysis. She managed to break free of her stillness and casted a disconcerting stare towards Walter.

He did not like the look she gave him, not one bit. It was a look of pity.

"What. Happened. To. Her" Walter demanded, his deadpan expression turning more serious and frustrated.

"Mr. Barnes, please remain ca-"

"Mrs. Drop if I was not calm I would've made a broken straw out of your neck right about now. Tell me where my sister is, I know you have some sort of idea about it. We were separated at Griffonstone Station, and I have the right to know where my family is" he demanded adamantly.

"Your sister is... Missing. Shortly after the train's arrival to Apple Loosa, her cabin was found vacant and it appears that there was a struggle; the room was a mess, but there's no sign that your sister was harmed... I'm sorry" Snow Drop hesitantly informed.

Walter's expression wavered between shock, fury, and anguish. It was an ugly amalgamation of the three powerful emotions, it was brief, but just catching a glimpse of said expression churned something in Snow Drop's chest.

"Mr. Barnes, Walter, I assure you that the HCA are doing the best we can to locate your sister. We will find her, I promise you" Snow Drop explained.

"...I'm going to make something clear to you, Mrs. Drop. I'll give you and your little club here a month to find my sister. She's a tough bitch, she's been in the Imperial Guard longer than I have. But if I don't start seeing satisfying results, I am going to push what skills I have to my fullest extent to find my family, and if I find out that a single strand of hair on her head is harmed..." Walter paused, before a dark and sinister grin spread across his face like venom infecting the bloodstream.

"Heads. Will. Roll" he muttered, causing a chilling sensation to crawl up Snow Drop's back.

Walter's expression returned to its normal deadpan visage, the image of that sinister smile burnt inside of Snow Drop's mind. He cracked his neck as he turned his back to Snow Drop, preparing to leave her office.

"Where is this Private Storm?" Walter inquired.

"She should be waiting for you in the main lobby, she's a black furred pegasus with blond hair" Snow Drop hesitantly responded.

"Affirmative..." Walter said as he opened up the door, before slowly turning his head to meet the gaze of Snow Drop.

"One month..." he coldly muttered before slamming the door shut behind him.