"Twas the morning and a week before Hearth's warming Eve. The royalty slept calmly, even though it was quite balmy."

Alex raised his head and looked at Luna.

"Luna, Why are you in here?"

"Waking you up and warning you." She said calmly. "Discord is awake and excited."

"You woke me up for that?" Alex said putting his head back down. "Luna, if you wake me again, I'll re-enact a scene from a cartoon where the person smashes the alarm. Now shoo."

Luna sighed and exited the room. Alex opened an eye and got up.

"I wonder what's got him so riled up?" He said yawning. "I might as well go out now before he causes to much damage."

Before he opened the door, he put his ear to it and struck out with a hoof while opening it in one swift motion. Discord stopped in mid-air and went through his door.

"Nice try you old goat." Alex chuckled as he saw him get up.

"Now is not the time for that!" Discord said with a large grin. "Now's the time to play in the snow! See ya!" He snapped his talon and disappeared to leave a snowpony.

"Ok... That's some way to start the morning." He rolled his eyes as he went down the hall.

He passed multiple guards, faculty and even Discord's kids who were dressed in winter gear. Inside his mind, he thought desperately to what was going on.

He passed by a window and slowly back tracked, an actual smile slowly forming.

"I cant believe I forgot." He said grinning at the cover of snow outside. "It's time for this little soldier to go MIA and go play." He smiled even wider at the memories from when he had been studying the residents.

The warm coca they drank, the childish behavior coming from them all, and even the embarrassing sweaters they wore because they didn't want to upset their grandparents.

He was too busy looking around the halls at the decorations that he bumped into Celestia. She gave a warm smile before adjusting the Ginger Horse hat on her crown.

"Good morning Alexander." She said. "What's got you in a good mood?"

"Haven't you seen all the snow!?" He practically yelled. "I love winter! Even if I never actually had a Christmas party... Or was even invited... Or had one mentioned to me." His smile deflated as he thought about his own Christmas experiences. "My Christmas's sucked actually."

"Christmas?" She asked. "Is that your version of Hearth's Warming Eve?"

"What?" He said coming out of his thoughts. "What about Christmas? Oh, yeah. It's my worlds version of your Hearth's Warming Eve."

"Maybe you could tell me about it while I go make sure the roofs are Discord proof."

"Why would you need to make sure the roofs are Discord proof?" Alex asked trotting next to her. "Couldn't he just snap his fingers and they turn into jello?"

"He has no intention of doing so. Atleast, not after he trapped himself in a mound of jello." She smiled recalling him blurred in Rainbow jello. "He was stuck in there for an hour. And what made it worse was that the mix he used, had essence of rainbow in it."

"I almost feel bad for him. Because I wasn't there to see." He said rustling his feathers. "What the? Am I molting?" He noticed the small tufts of feathers falling behind him. "I wonder what my wings would look like without the feathers?"

"It seems your feathers are being replaced with a set better suited for winter." She said. "You should really get a dustpan."

"Yeah very funny. Pick on me because I'm balding." He said playfully. "But you wanted to learn about Christmas? Well, all I know about it is that it's the most wonderful time of the year for businesses to sell stock. Candy stores to sell candy from last year and have an increase in break-ins."

"I think Hearth's Warming Eve is very different." She said frowning. "Ah, here we are." She smiled, looking at her sister glaring up at Discord.

Alex looked up and saw Discord peering over the edge of the roof, Luna looking up at him disapprovingly.

"Hey," Alex nudged Celestia in the shoulder. "Watch this."

He crept forward, sticking to the wall, listening to Discord snicker up above. He got right underneath him and took a hoof full of snow. He aimed with his magic and added a few bits of energy to it.

He threw it and heard Discord yelp as he fell down, the snow following quickly in a rush.

Discord poked his head up, the snow making an even bigger beard on him. And they began to laugh.

"Look at you!" Alex laughed. "Your own joke turned against you!"

"No ones ever gotten me before!" Discord laughed, rolling in the snow. "let's find another roof and do it again."

"You will not!" Luna said tugging her husband by the ear. "You promised to help set up decorations with the kids. And your going to do it now."

"I remember." He said. "A Draconequuis can't even play on his own roof." He pouted, wincing as she dragged him by the ear.

As they departed Alex looked back at Celestia and saw her smiling.

"I've wanted to do that for so long. Ever since the first time he'd done it to me." She said. "Well done."

"Hey, it's just a little game." Alex said. "And you know, while I was studying this place. I got curious and decided what it was like here. No one ever gave you a present though."

Her ears folded back while she scraped a hoof across the ground.

"It's not because I'm royalty. It's because they think I may not like what they got, afraid of what I might do. I don't mind not getting anything." She said without any emotion. "They're just nervous I suppose."

'Maybe I could fix that...' Alex thought. 'But I'll need the guards and staff first.' He thought grimly. "Hey, Celly, would you mind if I borrow the guards and staff at the end of the day? Atleast until Hearth's Warming Ever?" He gave her his best puppy dog eyes.

"What for?" She asked tilting her head to the side. "Alexander, what are you panning?"

"It's a surprise. So, how about it?"

"I'll ask them if they are alright with it. Now, do you have anything to do?"

"I was going down to Ponyville to see what Sparkles is up to." He said. "Why? Afraid I'll see something you don't want me too?" He grinned.

"No, I'm just trying to make conversation."

"Celestia," he lit his horn. "Woman never just want to make conversation. I know from experience." He disappeared, leaving her slightly fuming.

Ponyville.

Alex appeared in the air. Or, atleast until he fell, hitting a lamp before the ground.

"Stupid teleportation..." He grumbled. "I'm starting to hate magic."

"Hey! Hey Alex!" Pinkie said hopping along. "Do that again!"

"I'd rather not." He said. "Shouldn't you be working at the corner? You know with all the customers wanting hot beverages?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Cake gave me the week off!" She said. "Why are you down here?"

"Hell if I know." He said before stopping. "Deja vu."

"I know that feeling too." She said. "Why don't you come with me to the school house?"

"Why not? I've been wanting to go over there."

"I know a short cut! Follow me!" She then ran into an alleyway across the street.

'hat's right, follow the demented abnormality of physic's into a dark alleyway.' He thought. 'What could possibly go wrong...?' He rolled his eyes in response. 'God dammit, now I'm annoying myself.'

He gave a quick glance around, making sure there were plenty of witnesses before going in.

"Weird pink, physic defying, crazy pony, are you here?" He asked looking around.

He felt a hoof on his shoulder, he looked over and saw Pinkie smiling brightly.

'Why do I have the sudden feeling she's going to try and kill me and then dump my body in a ditch in the forest?' He thought. "So, wheres the short cut?"

"Just follow me!"

Sh surprised him when she picked him up and threw him into a trashcan, she jumped in as he straightened himself out. He was about to say something when he saw her pull out a toilet bowl handle from her mane and stick it on the trash can. She pushed it down and they began to spin.

Everything from that point was a blur, multiple colors flew by, dark's and lights. Some of them were leaking, others were blowing sand or dust through.

A sudden brown was coming up ahead, obscured slightly by a wall of thin black. He frowned when he saw her put on a helmet and get behind him.

"You sneaky little son of a bitch." He said, crossing his forelegs before smashing through the black wall.

Mrs. Cheerilee was starting class when she felt a sudden rush of air from behind the board. Curious she put a ear to it, and pulled back right as Alexander and Pinkie came crashing through.

Instead of sliding into the students, who were in the back of the room now, they stopped in the air. Alex looking around strangely as he floated above the floor.

"Pinkie!" He yelled. "Get me down right now!"

She gave a giggle before poking him, he fell tot he floor, glaring at her.

"P-Pinkie..." Stuttered Cheerilee.

"Don't worry about the board Cheerilee, I've got a spare!" She pulled out a small black stack of board cuts and neatly arranged them into frame. "Alex came here to teach some school stuff! I'll come get you later Alex! Bye!"

She then jumped into a trashcan, Alex looking in it before looking at the students who were going back to their desks.

"Alex, was it?" Cheerilee asked walking up to him.

"Who else?" He replied. "I can just leave, I can see your about to start or have started."

"Actually, it's always nice to learn about a new culture."

"Do you think that's really a good idea?" He laughed. "Me? Telling them about my world!? I'd mentally scar them!" He wiped away a fake tear. "Why not?"

He turned to the students, mind a complete blank.

A small filly raised her hoof. Diamond Tiara.

He narrowed his eyes at her, making her silently put her hoof down.

"Yes? You had a question?" He said through gritted teeth.

"Y-yes..." She said, cowering underneath his gaze. "W-What is it you did? Occupation wise?"

His eyebrows rose up, his glare going away.

"I was a king and a soldier." He said. "I took care of the whole countries finances, local issues and ect."

Applebloom raised her hoof. Her gave a small nod and turned his gaze momentarily back to Diamond, who, was surprisingly keeping her trap shut.

"Ya said there was a war? What did yall use to fight?" She asked in child like curiosity.

"Lot's of things," he smiled slightly, remembering all the tests. The explosions and fire. "Genetic creatures, non-nuclear bombs, nuclear bombs, liquid nitrogen, oursleves, mecha's and my hammer."

"What was the first one again?" Cheerilee asked.

"The genetic creatures? They were animals, man-made, by combining other forms of life to make a new form that couldn't have formed naturally. Like Cinnamon for example."

"Cinnamon? Who's Cinnamon?"

"Give me a second, I'll get her." He raised a hoof before lighting up his horn.

In a small flash, a serpentine figure appeared. It was brown, covered in brown and black scales with the only exception being the red hourglass on it's for-head. It had seven legs, six eyes which shone with a yellow-tinted intelligence.

And the two fangs on it's lower jaw stretching out to swallow a mouse.

"Cinnamon!" Alex scolded. "Stop that! It'll ruin your dinner!"

She sucked in the tail and stared at him, gave a hiss and climbed onto his head.

"I don't care if your were hungry now. You should have waited."

She gave another, longer hiss this time.

"Fine, but don't come to me when your an over-sized twinkie with legs."

"What is that?" Cheerilee asked backing away from the small creature.

"That?" He frowned. "Cinnamon is a she, and she, is a snape. A cross between a cotton mouth rattle snake and a black widow."

"Is, she safe?"

"Yes, she is a bit difficult at times, especially when it comes to food. Which reminds me of a story I have saved in my armor. Separate from Rex of course, he'd never let me live it down if he saw it."

His horn lit up again, and his suit, weapons and all, stood in front of him. He gave a large grin before taking the helmet off.

"Close the windows a little, were in for a heck of a ghost story." Alex said. "And yes, I was scared stupid. So very scared..." His eyes widened slightly as the images began playing on the new board.

A door was just closing, Alex turned and looked down a silver plated hall. The stainless steel reflecting the metal of his won armor.

He raised the M16 level with his shoulder and began forward.

"Outpost one," he said. "I'm in and no sign of life. Are you sure there were other undocumented figures here? Over."

"Affirmative sir," came a reply. "There had been two dozen reported incidents. Over."

"I'm going down to the barracks. Over and out."

He lowered the gun and walked quietly along the hall, the only noise being his boots as they landed with each step.

He stopped at a corner, put his back to the wall and peered around.

Nothing.

He got out and continued walking. Multiple doors passing by. The cafeteria, armory stairwell, armory, emergency stairwell and finally the barracks.

"I'm at the entrance to the barracks. Over." Alex said.

Nothing but static was heard, he sighed and grabbed the handle.

When he opened the door, it was blown from his grasp as a torrent of air swept past in a second. He raised his gun up, flashlight scanning the room ahead.

"Whoever has been terrorizing my soldiers had better come out!" He yelled. "If you do, you will not be harmed. If you fail to comply, I will personally tear your arms off and beat you to death with your own ribcage! I have done it before and I will do it again!"

Nothing but a soft moan from ahead was heard.

"I repeat! I will kill you if you do not come out!" He yelled going in.

There was a figure standing at the far end of the barracks, clad in armor, obviously male from stature.

"You there!" Alex said. "You by the wall! Who are you?"

The figure didn't reply, he just stood there.

"Alright, that's it. Who are you!?" Alex asked again grabbing the man by the shoulder.

Only for his hand to pass though him.

He froze momentarily, the camera looking momentarily at the gauntlet, while slowly moving up.

It stopped at the figures head. He was bald, pale skinned and had a handle bar mustache.

"General Bullock...?" Alex said backing away. "No, no your dead! I was at the funeral myself! Your dead!"

It gave another moan before going forward, floating over the floor.

"Stay back you undead bastard!" Alex yelled bringing up his gun again.

He pulled the trigger and a hail of bullets went flying out of the barrel, but only to hit the wall in front of it.

Alex dropped the gun and started to back away.

"Get back!" He yelled. "Go back to your hole in the ground!"

The figure stopped and cocked his head as if in confusion. His head bent back and he let out a loud screech. Soon, more moans were heard, coming from every direction.

As more hands came from the floor and walls, the video stopped.

"I'd continue but I was cursing a lot after that." Alex grinned sheepishly. "Any other questions?"

Silver Spoon raised her hoof, he gave her a glare but still nodded.

"Who was that?"

"The general?" Alex asked. "He was a... Good friend of mine. A good general too, he knew to put a few of the heavy infantry in the front with the smaller infantry, while letting most of the heavy infantry attack from above. He was a good man, I even knew his daughter. She was only two when he was killed..."

"That... That's... Horrible."

He blinked before looking back at her, her face was a complete blank. She looked down before back up at him.

"I could never imagine what it would be like if my dad... Died."

"Then don't." Alex said. "Why don't we move onto a better subject? You there, little grey colt in the back."

"Did you have any other friends?" He asked.

Alex's face fell, he licked his lips as he nodded.

"Yeah... I had a friend. He made every soldier smile, everyone he met became his friend. He was the greatest thing on base whenever we learned there had been a friend killed. He could make anyone smile, anyone forget the pain, he even came up with a few ideas that saved us before. It was devastating when he was shot."

"A bloody sniper took him out while he wasn't looking. We weren't even fighting!" His nostrils began to flare as his eyes hardened, the blood in him beginning to pump faster. "I watched him die in my own hands! So, do you know what I did?" He asked the class. "I set my hammer to full power, caught that... Murderer! And I killed every last one of them; all of them gone in a second, a second of bone crushing force, blowing them away like sand!"

"A-Alex, I think that's good." Cheerilee said. "I think we've learned enough for now. Why don't we go to Math?"

"What? Oh, I-I'm sorry about that. It's just... Painful, seeing every face, every name of every person that died." He shook his head as he left. "It's not something you can forget."

He shut the door behind him and trotted along the dirt path to town.

"A-Alex... Is that you?"

He saw out of the corner of his eye, Futtershy flying next to him. He grinned and nodded.

"S-Shouldn't you be wearing something? You might catch a cold or worse." She said. "Your not cold, are you?"

"No, if Rarity has told you anything, than you'd know I'm literally built for weather worse than this. So, why are you out?"

"I'm just getting a blanket from Rarity. Um... Alexander... Would it be alright if I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"W-Well, I like this... Colt." She said, blushing. "And I was wondering-"

"Just go tell Spike how you feel, he likes you just as much." He replied rolling his eyes.

"W-What! H-How did you know he was the one I liked? Wait, he likes me too?" She asked. "Thank you! I'm going to go see him right now! If... That's alright with you?"

"He's your guy, who am I to stop love?" He chuckled. "Well, I'm going to go teach the castle staff and guards how to sing It's a winter wonderland; and if you ask, it's a song and also a gift to Celestia."

He lit his horn and left her flying alone, she sighed and dropped down to the snow.

"H-Hey Fluttershy."

She looked back and saw Spike trudging thought he snow.

"S-Spike..?" She stuttered, feeling her eyes widened while her cheeks flushed.

"Um, I was wondering, would you maybe... Like to... Go out?" he asked, closing his eyes.

She tackled him to the ground with one yes.