Hilo Airbase, Hawaii.
28th May, 17.30

It seems that the news crew has arrived to Hawaii, great, there's even more people that need extra protection, they shouldn't be here at all, after they had interviewed Colonel Talbot and Mad Dog, the leader of the Eagle Squadron, they finally leave to a town called Naalehu with some ground forces, apparently it's safe, they don't seem to be worried at all, most of the crew present has already been into conflict situations, however, they still have no experience using guns, maybe they aren't taking the conflict with seriousness, after all the progress made by the Eagle Squad, the ANM forces are retreating from Hawaii.

After a big meal consisting of... you didn't know what was in it, you always hated the army dishes, the meat wasn't well cooked enough and the vegetables always tasted like carton, although they gave you the necessary nutrients you needed to remain in the air the whole day.

"Hey Eagle One, Colonel Talbot needs you immediately!"

You head out to the Headquarters picking up a faster pace, apparently it's an emergency situation and the Colonel was requesting you to deploy in action, after you arrive to the intel room he says to take off immediately. He would debrief your mission once you were inside the plane, you search for a SMG and a pistol, after you equip them, you head out to the hangar only to find the technicians and other ground personal already placing your harrier on the runway.

"Hop in sir!"

You open the canopy of the harrier and sit down, turn on the engine, the laptop and the HUD. You check the weapon and navigation system to see if everything is in order.

Ready...

Liberation

Hilo Airbase, Hawaii.
28th May, 18.00

"Our ground troops have reported ANM forces moving into the town of Naalehu. We can't let them establish another stronghold there, but we have reports that the town is partially populated. You have to make this a surgical strike - take out the enemy units but keep collateral damage to an absolute minimum."

MUSIC

Oh damn, this is a critical situation, the ANM is not only a bunch of dangerous soldiers, but they are also cowards, they went into the still populated city, you better hurry, who knows what will they do to the women and children.

You take off quickly and turn Southwest, thanks to the AutoNav. Naalehu appeared in the HUD immediately, just a pair of miles away, you spot multiple enemy ground forces and MiG21s, they immediately launch their missiles towards you, they sure know how to give a warm welcome, fortunately, you were well aware now in how to dodge their missiles, increasing the speed and decreasing the altitude gave you the opportunity of making them waste their ammo. You don't mind fighting back with them, the most important task was destroying the tanks in the middle of the city, you decided to do a quick air-strike with the homing Air-to-Ground Maverick missiles.

When you arrive you spot three Apache helicopters and two F-15 jets, already shooting at you with their rotatory cannons, unfortunately, they succeeded hitting your plane, they even got a clear shot in the canopy, dang, they could've been able to blast your brains if you didn't move, the AutoNav. confirms the hits muttering an infamous voice that says "DAMAGE TAKEN", reminding you to stay alert.

You decide to start with the jeeps in the outskirts of the town, they were carrying soldiers and supplies, a LOCKED legend appears in the HUD and you release the first missile... It's a successful hit, you release the second, and the third, not missing a single shot, the explosions begin to turn into fuel catching fire and letting out a lot of dark smoke, you quickly turn around and switch to the Sidewinder missiles, taking advantage of the speed of the harrier you get near a helicopter and shoot it, not even waiting for the lock, a bright explosion covers your left, the enemy looks confused, they never expected a quick attack made by a single element of the U.S.A., you decide to continue the attack on the forces in the city center. You'll have to rely on the Mavericks and open spaces between the buildings.

After a fifteen-minute struggle with tanks, and a clever use of Vultures and Mavericks you managed to free the town of ground enemies, you spot a single truck leaving Naalehu, the results were better than you've expected, you could destroy the enemy tanks without harming civilians or buildings, the last ones fighting were the F-15 jets and the Apaches, you can't believe you forgot about them, and also that they couldn't hit you, you must've moved pretty quickly to keep them searching for you, in a matter of no time, you bring the aircraft down, the last jet was trying to go back to its base, it was useless, it took too much hits, you release three rockets.

Naalehu is safe now, you did what you were told, still, it doesn't make it any better knowing that you could leave a couple of unarmed ANM soldiers alive, you were not prepared to see them die under your cannon fire while they were raising their hands in a clear act of surrendering, begging for mercy, this was not like you... so... what made you do that? You land on a building and grab your SMG, you descend trough the stairs and open a door only to find the news crew along some civilians and four dead marines, the news gal bursts in tears when you tell them that the town is free from the opposing forces, giving you a big thankful hug, the civilians cheer while the rest of the news crew record the aftermath of the battle, apparently, they didn't look nervous at all, it seems that this was the first time the news girl was in a battle, she was so stressed, you ask where was the rest of the team.

"They were...*snif* captured by the ANM... we were held as hostages in this building until you arrived. They were outnumbered and then captured, they were heading south in a large truck." She answers.

You call back to the HQ to report the success of the mission, and the situation of your colleagues.

"Damn it!" Talbot shouts. "I guess this is a job for the Special Ops team, well done Eagle One, return to the Eagle Nest for your next orders. Over!"

.....

.....

Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville
Two weeks after arrival, 06.00

"Come on sugar cube! Get up! Those apples ain't gonna pick themselves!"

"Ughhh Applejack, do I really have to get up early?" You reply. "Besides, what's the point? I've been carrying buckets full of apples for two weeks straight, you have hundreds of apple trees, and we only picked a small part of your orchard!"

"Why shoot, of course ya' have to get up early, don't cha' remember ya' said ya' wanted to help me, besides, yer' a military man remember? Your superior err...Tablon? would be very dissapointed! Quit actin' like a filly and get up or there won't be any breakfast fer' you!"

"Talbot" you correct and roll over in the bed grumbling, she giggles and walks over to you, she places a hoof on your shoulder and whispers into your ear in the sweetest tone she has ever made. "Please get up sugar cube."

"See, that wasn't so hard was it? I'll be happy to help you today... mom."

You both share a laugh, then she scolds; "Let's get goin' ya lazy human!" .

After a really tasty cereal bowl with apple slices that Granny Smith prepared for you, Applebloom asks if you go to her school to pick her and her friends up, at noon, you don't think that's a good idea, mainly because you don't know how other ponies will react in your presence, sure, everyone you have met already were good intentioned, (even Granny Smith, who already accepted you in her farm, finally realizing that you meant no harm.)

"Awwww come on mister, pleeeeeease, mah' friends will be happy if you come ta' our school! Ah've told to all my classmates about you! They still don't believe me! Especially that mean Diamond Tiara, she says I'm a liar and she's mean to you, if you came to our school you would shut her trap!."

"I don't know Applebloom, I don't..."

"Please mister, Sweetie Belle asked me if ya' could come with us to her sister's boutique, her sister Rarity will be glad ta' make new clothes fer' ya'."

"That's not a bad idea actually, but her sister hasn't met me yet, how can I ask for new clothes when I'm not a pony and I have no money?"

"OH! That's no problem at all, she's a very generous and a classy mare, she just won't let you go in the town with yer' dirty ol' uniform..."

"What about the other citizens, wouldn't they think I'm a dangerous being, wouldn't they treat me like a monster on the way there?"

"The school is at the outskirts of Ponyville, nopony will see you if you take the right path, you can come with Applejack, she'll introduce you to all her friends, pleeeeeeeeaseeeee?..."

"Ughhh fine, it's up to Applejack, I mean, if she's not that busy."

Both of you turn your heads to Applejack, waiting for an answer.

"Aw, shucks, alrighty then, but we'll hafta work twice as hard to recover that lost time and pick up more apples ya' hear?

...Crap, it's going to be a long day.

...

...

"Hey sugar cube, take a shower! It's time to pick Applebloom up, and hurry up, we don't wan't to keep her waitin'!"

"Phew, OK, I'm glad it's over, man, I guess it's a good idea to visit Sweetie's sister after all, I don't think my uniform will endure that much, it's covered in dirt, sweat and it still has the blood stain on it."

"Tomato stain..."

"Huh?"

"Remember, keep it innocent for Sweetie Belle sugar cube." Applejack chuckles. "And yeah, mah' friend will make clothes only for you, but please, ask her to make it simple, she tends to... huh... prettify everything. She can be very superficial, but she's a nice mare."

"I'll keep that in mind, I guess I'll ask for another cammo outfit, exactly like this one."

After the shower you walk along Applejack to the school, you surely did not wanted to disappoint Applebloom and her friends, you don't spot other ponies, when you spot what its supposed to be a little schoolhouse you hear...

"What in Equestria is that thing?!"

"By the name of Celestia! What's that supposed to be?!"

"THE HORROR, THE HORROR!"

"ALERT PONYVILLE, A TALL CREATURE ENTERED TO OUR TOWN LOOKING FOR OUR SOULS"

"IT HYPNOTIZED APPLEJACK, SHE TROTTING ALONG WITH THE ALIEN"

You expected some ponies to be scared, but that's just a damn exaggeration, they quickly gallop away from you, Applejack remains silent, only rolling her eyes, finally she speaks...

"Ignore them sugar cube, those ponies are scared by anything that moves. Working with flowers all the day under the heat of the sun make them go...you know..."

"Batshit insane?"

"Err... yeah, Ah' guess, but, was the cuss word really necessary?"

"You said it yourself AJ, I'm a military man remember?" You chuckle.

A couple minutes later both of you arrive to the schoolhouse, you are kinda nervous, you don't really know how the other fillies will react, the bell rings, calling the day for the crusaders and her friends, Applejack decides to enter the school to tell her sister you came after all, so she can tell the others about your presence.

...

"Pfft so that mascot of yours came after all? Wow Applebloom, it must be nice to have a pet that obeys your brothers. My daddy has a lot of servants, but you don't have to pay to that stinking ape!"

"Hey, cut it off Diamond Tiara! He's not a pet, nor an stinkin' ape! He's our friend! Leave him alone!" Applebloom responds, obviously angry.

"Yeah! He's special AND a good person, unlike you... you... big meanie..." Sweetie Belle joins the discussion.

"Pffft whatever Sweaty Butt! Why don't you and your loser friends go find your cutie-marks at human taming or something like that? Since you like him too much?" Diamond Tiara replies.

"At least we have someone to play and spend our time with! Unlike you poor sad filly, always forgotten by her dad who likes his business more than you!" Scootaloo angrily shouts at Diamond Tiara.

"Oooh it is on Scootaloser! Get ready because I'm..."

"GIRLS! STOP IT!"

"But Miss Cheerilee... She started!" The three fillies point at Diamond Tiara.

"Tiara. Stop it, we'll meet Applejack's pe- I mean, friend! He's not from Equestria, So I'd like everypony to be nice to him, alright?" Cheerilee looks at her class.

"Yes Miss Cheerilee!" The foals reply.

"So Applejack, is this *ahem* human dangerous?"

"Don't worry Miss Cheerilee, he's not dangerous at all, he's pretty friendly, but Ah' must warn ya', he is not very fond of being called a monster, or ape."

"Oh, OK, let him in then!"

"IT'S OK SUGARCUBE, YOU CAN COME IN NOW!"

You open the door and enter the classroom, your skinny and tall figure surprises the teacher and the foals, an awkward silence is present until the Cutie Mark Crusaders run to you and introduce you to their classmates.

"He's from another world!" Applebloom yells.

"He was at his country's military and he saved thousands of lives!" Sweetie Belle adds.

"And he rides a totally awesome machine that can fly and shoot large tubes that explode!" Scootaloo excitedly adds.

Well, they've got the foals' attention, they instantly become interested in you. And begin to ask you things, you can only give out a sigh, relieved from the tension you calmly answer their questions, noticing only a look of disbelief from a pink filly with a light purple and white mane wearing a tiara, it seems that she is the brat who picks on Applebloom and her friends, a purple hoof touches your back, it was the teacher's, trying to introduce herself.

"Hello, mister... uh..."

You reply by stating your name and rank.

"Oh, OK, I'm Miss Cheerilee, it's such a pleasure to meet the fillies' new friend."

"The pleasure is mine Miss Cheerilee." You politely praise her teaching abilities from all the stories you've heard from the Crusaders, adding that you wanted to meet her personally. After all, she's pretty patient with the Crusaders and their antics. Thing that sometimes can get you on your nerves, she starts to feel more comfortable around you, she chuckles at the short anecdotes you can pull out from your time staying here. She finally says.

"Well, that's it for our special guest, remember kids, be nice to him, I, for one, welcome him to Ponyville, please give him an applause."

The foals cheer and clap their hooves on the floor, everypony was ready to leave, so you walk out the school house along Applejack and the Crusaders, you can't believe it, these ponies have good souls, they don't mind with the fact that an alien arrived to their world and... OUCH! You catch an small rock to head. It was thrown by the flower ponies from earlier, and they brought more ponies to give you a proper welcome.

"There it is! The monster that hypnotized Applejack!"

"Oh no! He also hypnotized the foals and Miss Cheerilee! BEGONE YOU MONSTER!"

The crowd starts throwing rocks at you, you can't dodge them forever, you need help, Applejack quickly intervenes.

"What in tarnation are ya'll doing?! He's not a monster! He can't perform magic either! He's a human being! He's not evil!"

"SHE'S CLEARLY UNDER ITS' CONTROL, DON'T BE FOOLED!"

That's it, you decide to reach your pistol inside the holster, a good bullet in the air will scare them away, you pull out the gun and...

"STOP IT!!!"

That voice... seems familiar...

"Huh?" The crowd turns around... it's Twilight!

"What in the name of Celestia are you doing?!"

"We are trying to scare that monster away Twilight Sparkle, we don't know what that thing has done to Applejack, Cheerilee and her students! Go away, you are not helping at all!"

"Daisy, stop this nonsense, he's not a monster, he's a human being, and YOU are the one who is not helping at all! You can't throw rocks at ponies, or other species, and make others to be afraid of them! What's wrong with you?"

"But... but we don't know his intentions, he may be a criminal, or a carnivore!"

"And throwing rocks at him will make all of you know him better?! No? That's what I thought, leave him alone, he's now a creature under Celestia's Protection, certified by this document!" She levitates a scroll and shows it to everypony."

The ponies drop their rocks and leave mumbling, Applejack and you walk over to Twilight, thanking her for her intervention.

"So your princess gave me a certification? Without even knowing about my appearance, or how I ended up here?" You ask Twilight intrigued.

"Oh, no no, she knows about you, I've told everything about you in my letters, and this paper is actually a citatory, she and her sister, Princess Luna want to meet you, in our capital city Canterlot, they will decide if you are capable of being around us, they also need to check your harrier, and discuss its potential in Equestria, they will give you full documentation and rules, they want to meet you next week."

"Oh... that's... great... I suppose, I hope they don't treat me like a menace!"

"That's very unlikely, I've told them that you have been working with the Element of Honesty at her farm, so they trust you and your intentions. After all, you were a soldier, and you follow rules."

"Well, yeah, I guess you are right Twilight, I'll be looking forward to it. So... Sweetie Belle, you said you were taking me to your sister's place right?"

"Uhhh, Oh Yeah I did!" Sweetie replies, with an adorable voice crack, "Yes mister, she'll be happy to help you out, after all, you can't meet the princesses with those ugly clothes, let's get going!"

...

...

To be continued...