Celestia rose the sun from her palace window. She took a moment to admire the beautiful landscape when she noticed something else. A purple unicron rushing into the city from the train station. Celestia followed Twilight until she saw she was headed for the hospital. Celestia smiled as she knew Twilight was headed to her brother. Twilight burst through the hospital doors where she looked frantically for her brother. She saw Cadence and assumed that's where her brother was so she ran over. She began to cry as she saw her older brother covered with bruises and cuts.

"Hey Twiley." Armor said as Twilight got closer. Twilight was speechless as she collapsed into her brothers arms. He gave a her a long tight hug before releasing her. She looked at him, her eyes were red with tears.

"I'm so happy you're alive!" Twilight finally cried out. "Who rescued you?"

"I don't know, they just said they were my 'rescuers'" Armor replied as he gave his little sister one more hug. Twilight's family was together once more.

XXXXX

Macintosh awoke again to find he only had one more day left! He had to make this last day count. He went downstairs and saw Applejack and Applebloom were already up. He must have slept in.

"G'mornin Big Mac!" The sisters said.

"G'mornin." Macintosh replied. "Listen ah need to tell y'all somethin."

"What?" Applebloom innocently asked.

"Ah uh need to be deployed to Hoofington, ah probably won't be in any battles though." Big Mac said hoping his lie would get past his sisters.

"Hoofington huh? That's no small travel." Applejack said and she was right, Even by train or flight it was an three day trip from Ponyville to Hoofington.

"Well that's alright ah mean, we can visit him right?" Applebloom asked.

"Ah'll be gone fer six months and its to dangerous fer civilians to be in that area." Big Mac said hoping his lie would work. He was never a good liar and the fact his sister was the element of honesty didn't help either.

"Y-you mean, we wont see you for six months?" Applebloom asked as she teared up. Big Mac went to hug her, he knew it was hard for his sister when he was gone for twelve weeks but now he'd be gone for twice as long.

"Ah'm sorry Applebloom, its ma job." Big Mac said. "Remember ah left for five months with Steel Tank and Gunny to train for that wrestling match in Manehattan and you were alright?"

"Yes." Applebloom said.

"It'll be just like that only one month longer." Big Mac said "When ah get back ah'll help you and yer friends with yer cutie marks."

"REALLY?" Applebloom said happily as her tears dried up.

"Eeyup!" Macintosh said as Applebloom kissed him on the cheek. Applebloom left the kitchen as Applejack gave Macintosh a funny look.

"What?" Big Mac asked.

"You remember yer drill instructor?" Applejack asked.

"Eeyup Sgt Skullcrusher" Big Mac answered.

"Well, ah ran into him the other day and he..." Applejack said nervous at what Big Mac's reaction would be. "Asked me to get food with him.". Upon hearing this Macintosh ears perked up, he thought of how much torture he had to endure with that pony but than realized it isn't his buisness to interfere with his sister's life.

"DId he now?" Big Mac asked.

"Yup, you shoulda seen him, he's a brave one when it comes to fightin but when it comes to talkin to the other gender he's almost worse than Fluttershy." Applejack explained with a smile on her face.

"Whattaya mean?" Big Mac asked.

"Let me tell you." Applejack said.

The previous day

Skullcrusher and Applejack were walking to a cafe to get a bite to eat. Skullcrusher was well-groomed and his uniform was spick and span, wether it was because of his job or because he wanted to impress Applejack is unknown. Skullcrusher was nervous, Applejack could tell so she decided to break the ice.

"So Sgt, Ah was wonderin." Applejack began to say.

"You can call me Skullcrusher if you'd like." Skullcrusher whispered.

"You sure? Don't you want to be called by your rank?" Applejack asked.

"Trust me, I got plenty of young stallions calling me sir everyday." Skullcrusher said with a nervous laugh.

"Well Skullcrusher ah was wonderin, ah've seen the recruits get yelled at and punished a lot. Is all that yellin necessary?" Applejack asked. Skullcrusher felt it was a dumb question but that he realized she was just a civilian and didn't understand war very well.

"You see Ms." Skullcrusher began to say.

"You can call me Applejack." Applejack said.

"Ok Applejack." Skullcrusher said. "Discipline is the foundation of any soldier, in order to survive in combat you must execute everything perfectly.". Skullcrusher noticed a Marine private sitting down on a bench when he was supposed to be guarding the mayors office.

"Poor guy just got unlucky." Skullcrusher said as lost his nervous expression and put on his mean face and he huffed up and walked over to the sitting Marine. From what Big Mac told her, Applejack knew this wasn't going to end well.

"PICK YOUR BUTT UP PRIVATE!" Skullcrusher screamed scaring the Marine. Applejack jumped because she had never heard Skullcrusher scream before and she was used to him talking quietly.

"SIR YES SIR!" The Marine replied as he quickly stood up.

"WERE YOU TAKEN A DUMP OR SOMETHING?" Skullcrusher asked. Applejack chuckled a little but knew for the poor Marine at the mercy of Skullcrusher's wrath, it was anything but funny.

"Sir no sir!" The Marine replied.

"Private why are you lookin at me? Are you in love with me or something?" Skullcrusher asked.

"Sir no sir!"

"Oh I guess you don't think I look good in my uniform!" Skullcrusher yelled.

"Sir the sergeant looks absolutely fantastic in his uniform!" The recruit yelled.

"Oh so you are in love with me. what are you a colt-cuddler or somethin?" Skullcrusher screamed.( Way to rip off Jarhead, I know)

"Sir no sir!" The Marine replied.

"Than stop lookin at me and stand at your post or I will buck you in the foal-maker!" Skullcrusher yelled. The Marine nodded and went to his post and stood completely still. Skullcrusher walked back over to Applejack who had her mouth open. Now she knew why the troops were so disciplined. What she had just heard was absolutely unbelievable.

"He was lucky, if he was still in boot-camp I would have PT'd him to death." Skullcrusher said to himself before turning a shade of crimson red when he saw Applejack and realized he made a foal out of himself.

"Ah dont know what to say." Applejack said.

"I'm sorry if you had to see that but I have to make sure the Marines are always on the job." Skullcrusher said a little embarrassed with himself. If he was Applejack and had heard the garbage that came out of his mouth he would have left immediately.

"It's okay, Ah've seen worse." Applejack said even though she really couldn't pick out any time she had heard such profanity before. She knew Skullcrusher was extremely embarrassed right now so she tried to pick her words carefully.

"You sure it was alright? I mean I said a lot of inappropriate stuff back there." Skullcrusher said looking down as he covered his eyes with his hoof out of embarrassment. "I understand if you don't want to go with me now."

"Trust me sugarcube it's alright." Applejack said as she picked his chin up with her hoof and winked at him remembering his reaction from last time. Skullcrusher's face went even redder as he began to pant with nervousness. Applejack chuckled as she found his reaction to be rather cute.

"Um, yes well let's get some chow." Skullcrusher said nervously.

Present

"Alright that part where he yelled at the one feller ah believe but the other stuff is doubtful." Macintosh said refusing to believe that his former terrifying drill instructor was as shy around mares as Fluttershy was around well anything.

"Big Mac when have ah ever lied to you?" Applejack asked. Macintosh thought about it for a minute and realized his sister was right.

"Okay ah believe you, it's just ah can't picture Skullcrusher bein all nervous and shy." Big Mac said.

"Oh wait till ah tell you what happened next." Applejack said laughing at the memory.

Previous Day

Skullcrusher and Applejack found a cafe to eat at and sat down. Applejack and Skullcrusher ordered the same thing and patiently waited for their food. This cafe also happened to have a dance floor. Applejack got up and grabbed Skullcrusher's front hoof.

"Applejack! What are you-" Skullcrusher began to say.

"Come on! Dance with me!" Applejack said as she pulled Skullcrusher away from the table.

"But I don't dance!" Skullcrusher cried as he was thrown on the dance floor with Applejack.

"Come on sugarcube! Just do what ah do!" Applejack said as she began to dance. Skullcrusher attempted to do so but life in the Corps destroyed any civilian talent he used to have. His dancing was rather atrocious to say the least. He looked and saw several ponies looking at him with disapproving looks, Skullcrusher growled angrily as the ponies backed off. Skullcrusher was overjoyed when their food showed up and he could get off the dance floor. He ate his food awkwardly.

Present Day

"That is hilarious!" Big Mac said as he chuckled. "I gotta go out to town for a while. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Ok see you later Big Mac." Applejack said as she sat down and thought back to the part of yesterday she didn't tell her brother. She remembered what happened...

"Somethin wrong?" Applejack asked as she ate. She noticed Skullcrusher had been staring off into space for a while now.

"No." Skullcrusher said.

"Come on tell me." Applejack said.

"It's just ever since I joined the Corps I can't do anything but yell and kill now" Skullcrusher said sadly. Applejack's cheerful mood went to one of sorrow. She got down off her seat and walked up to him.

"That's not true. Ah'm sure you're good at other stuff too." Applejack said trying to comfort him.

"No I'm not!" Skullcrusher said. "Applejack, this is never easy for me to say but in the short time I was in combat I killed nearly two hundred griffons!". Applejack remembered how hard it was for her brother when he killed thirty three, she couldn't even imagine how hard it must be to kill nearly two hundred.

"Skullcrusher, ah don't think yer a killer or a yellar." Applejack said.

"Really?" Skullcrusher asked as he turned around and looked at her in the eye.

"You bet sugarcube" Applejack said as the two looked at each other for a long time before Skullcrusher looked at the clock and realized he had to go train a new platoon of Marines.

"I'm sorry Applejack but I have to go! Uh would you like to do this again?" Skullcrusher asked.

"Of course ah would." Applejack said.

"Okay uh see ya!" Skullcrusher said as he ran outside and ran into a Marine who forgot to salute a nearby officer.

"SAY SOMETHING! YOU LITTLE MAGGOT! I'M GONNA RIP OFF YOUR FOAL-MAKER!". Applejack chuckled at Skullcrusher's yelling and wondered how a pony could be so intense and and loud yet so shy at the same time.

xxxxxx

Rarity was walking through town to get to Sugarcube Corner when she saw a group of soldiers sitting together. They were having a rather disturbing conversation.

"Yo how many kills did you get at that last battle?" A soldier asked referring to the battle that took place three days earlier.

"Only eight. How bout that one rookie who got thirty three?" Another soldier asked.

"I know dude, thats ridicoulous. He had the highest kill count out of anypony. They're calling him the 'Beast of Ponyville'." The other soldier said.

"Than yesterday he tried helping that one little grif from those guys in Iron company who were beating him."

"What? So he kills thirty three of these beakheads and now he tries to defend them? Whose side is that guy on anyway?"

"Who knows but I don't care. I hate those jerks in Iron Company anyway."

"Wish I could kill more of these buckers, every last one of them grifs deserves to die."

"You should have seen this one grif that I killed" A unicorn said as he began to talk in a high pitched voice with his hoofs up. "Oh please don't kill me! I have a wife and kids!" He said impersonating one of the griffons he killed. The soldiers all started laughing about it. Rarity felt really disturbed at these comments so she walked away. She also felt bad for how animalistic the war had caused these soldiers to become. She continued on her path to Sugarcube Corner.

"Hiya Rarity!" Pinkie Pie said as she walked outside covered in frosting and sprinkles.

"Hello Pinkie." Rarity said. "Is everything going alright?"

"Yep! Big Mac will get the surprise of his life when he sees this!" Pinkie said as she headed back inside. Pinkie had taken three days to prepare this party so it must be a really big one. Rarity hoped Big Mac would like it, she also wondered when she would see Autumn Leaf again. Unforunately for her it would six months before she saw him again. Autumn Leaf had recently been discharged from the hospital and was heading to the barracks. He was in a dark alleyway when he heard a voice.

"Where exactly are you going?" The voice asked.

"Whose there?" Autumn said as he got into his battle stance. An earth pony wearing black armor walked out from the shadows.

"Who are you?" Autumn asked.

"Captain Deadeye, Covert Operations and Lethal Takedown Squad Omega" Deadeye explained. Autumn took note of how massive Deadeye was, he was still slightly shorter than Celestia but larger than the average pony.

"A COLT?" Autumn said as he figured out the acronym. "You mean, they're real?"

"Yes and I have noticed your loyalty to this nation." Deadeye said.

"Are you asking me if I wanna be a COLT?" Autumn said.

"As a matter of fact I am." Deadeye said.

"Count me in, I'll do whatever it takes to defeat the grifs." Autumn said. Deadeye felt relieved he didn't have to argue like he did the others.

"I like your attitude kid, meet me at Sweet Apple Acres tonight." Deadeye said.

"Aye aye sir, I wont let you down!" Autumn said as Deadeye disappeared from sight and headed towards COLT command

One hour later, COLTS COMMAND CENTER- Location unknown to public.

"Are you sure captain?" Colonel Striper, the head of the COLTS program, asked Deadeye.

"Positive. The grifs said that none of our troops would be a match for the Steel Talons." Deadeye said. "Not only that, that sick freak Captain Gore is the head of it".

"Gore" Striper said with a hint of disgust. "Captain you know that with your biological alterations you have the strength of nearly fifteen stallions right?"

"I know that sir but who knows what these grifs do to their soldiers? They might have the same alterations as I do." Deadeye said. "Not only that, I have seen Gore rip a stallion into two pieces with his bare claws, surely that's not normal."

"I see Captain, we have one more alteration to give you though." Striper said.

"What is that?" Deadeye asked. His previous ones had given him super strength, speed, reflexes, senses, and healing so he wondered what could still possibly be done.

"Can you walk on your back hoofs?" Striper asked. Deadeye attempted but could only do it for a short while. Ponies weren't made to stand on their back legs.

"No sir." Deadeye said.

"You're next alteration will reshape your pelvis and spine so you can bend it a full 90 degrees allowing you to walk on all fours and on your back hooves." Striper explained "I must warn you the pain for this one is extreme.". Deadeye hesitated at first, the alterations given to him and the other COLTS were extremely dangerous and painful. Only a stallion in absolute perfect and peak physical shape can survive the excruciating process, they had lost about twenty ponies due to complications with the alterations.

"Why wasn't I given this one with the others?" Deadeye asked.

"Because you need the healing ability in order to survive this one. This bascially destroys your pelvis and lower spine and reshapes it to the desired fit. If you didn't have the super healing process you would become paralyzed." Striper said.

"Fine, I'll do it." Deadeye said as he prepared himself for the pain. He entered a hospital room where Recoil and Earthshock lay also.

"Excellent Captain." Striper said. "Bring in the surgeons.". Deadeye closed his eyes as he and the other COLTS prepared to enter a whole new world of pain.

XXXXX

Macintosh was on his way to Sugarcube Corner. Applejack had asked him to pick up an order of cupcakes from Pinkie so he made his way to Ponyville's number one sugar house. Big Mac went to the front door and knocked, nopony answered so he slowly opened the door and snuck in. He didn't like what he saw.

First, all the lights were off.

Two, nopony was there.

Three. Macintosh could feel somepony or something was there. He got into his battle stance and prepared for what awaited him.

"SURPRISE" A bunch of voices yelled as the lights came on scaring the living daylight out of Macintosh as he screamed out of fright. He was relieved to know that it wasn't a bunch of griffons trying to ambush him.

"Uh oh did we scare him?" A voice said. Macintosh recognized it as Fluttershy.

"Oh I didn't mean to scare him!" Another voice said. Macintosh recognized this one as Pinkie Pie's.

"Uh big brother?" Applejack asked as she helped her brother up. "Did we scare ya?"

"Eenope, Ah just thought there was some grifs in here waitin to ambush me." Big Mac said.

"By the way Big Mac, somepony's here to see you." Twilight said.

"Really?" Big Mac said. "Dont tell me its the COLT fellow" Macintosh thought. His thoughts were interrupted when a certain blue alicorn descended down the stairs from Pinkie's room. Macintosh felt his heart stop.

"Hello Big Macintosh." Luna said.

"Hello yer highness." Big Mac said as he bowed along with every other pony in the room.

"You can still just call me Luna, you know." Luna said as Big Mac looked up at her.

"Sorry Luna" Big Mac apologized as the two walked over to a table and sat down. Macintosh's manners took over as he pulled out Luna's chair for her. Luna gave him a smile as she sat down.

"Thank you Big Mac." Luna said.

"Of course yer majesty." Macintosh said as he sat down. Mr. Cake brought out a plate of pastries for the two. Luna used her magic to pick up a cupcake and took a lady-like nibble out of it while Big Mac, who was so hungry he forgot he was in the prescence of royalty, practically swallowed a whole cupcake. Luna looked at him and giggled a little when she saw frosting and sprinkles all over his mouth.

"Is there somethin on mah face?" Big Mac asked as Luna began to laugh out loud. Big Mac mentally cursed himself as he struggled to find a cloth to wipe his mouth. After the two finished eating, Pinkie called all the ponies to the dance floor where a fast-paced dance was played. Luna and Big Mac were dancing all right to the fast pace music when Big Mac noticed that all the ponies were clearing off. Suddenly the fast music was replaced with slow-dance music. Big Mac looked and saw Pinkie on the DJ.

"Dagnabbit Pinkie!" Big Mac thought to himself. He looked up at Luna and some how found the courage to do what he did next.

"Um Princess, may ah have this dance?" Big Mac said as he held his hoof out. Luna's face lit up as she took Big Mac's hoof and was walked over to the dance floor. Luna was slightly taller than Big Mac was so it looked rather awkward when they both put a hoof on each other's shoulder. Luna couldn't help but notice how rock-hard and strong Macintosh's shoulder was. The two looked at each other, neither saying a word, they were too lost in the moment.

"You know you don't have to call me princess right?" Luna whispered into his war.

"Ah know, but you'll always be mah princess." Big Mac said as he held on tighter to her. The cutie mark crusaders sat in the corner and watched the whole thing unfold.

"Is she gonna kiss him? Scootaloo asked.

"Ah hope so" Applebloom said.

"Awwwww" Sweetie Belle said. Big Mac and Luna separated and looked into each other's eyes again. Their heads were slowly moving together. Suddenly the song ended and a new fast paced song was put on. The princess and the Marines separated from their embrace.

"Lets PARTAY!" Pinkie said as she pulled out her party cannon. Macintosh's eyes went wide when he saw the artillery and did not know that it was filled with confetti and balloons. Twilight saw the look in Big Mac's eye and knew it wasn't good.

"PINKIE NOO!" Twilight screamed as Big Mac remembered how that same weapon was used by both armies to kill each other. Time slowed down as Macintosh's warrior part took over and he screamed as he sprinted to the cannon and stomped on it with his hooves completely smashing it.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" He screamed in rage as he continued to smash even after it was destroyed. All the ponies in the room stood there with their mouths open. Macintosh continued to growl till he calmed down and saw what he did. Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle were all crying.

"A-ahm sorry, Ah." Macintosh said as he sat down and started sniffling. He didn't mean to do that. Luna was shocked at Macintosh's behavior but went and put her hoof on his shoulder.

"Big Mac?" Luna asked with concern.

"Ah'm so sorry! Ah need to go out fer a while!" He said as he ran as fast as he could till he got to Sweet Apple Acres. He could hear numerous ponies calling his name. He looked up and saw the moon had risen, meaning Deadeye would be here soon.

"I'm glad to see you didn't wimp out." Deadeye said as he walked out of the clearing.

"It's good to see you to sir." Big Mac said as he noticed Autumn Blitz, Silent Shadow, and Solar Blitz all with Deadeye. "Who're all these fellers?" he asked.

"Your fellow recruits." Deadeye said as a carriage pulled by stealth pegasi arrived. "Alright lets head out."

"WAIT! Ah havent said goodbye yet!" Big Mac yelled. Deadeye swung around and grabbed Macintosh by the throat.

"I gave you three days, THREE BUCKIN DAYS TO SAY GOODBYE!" Deadeye yelled. "Is any one of them dying?"

"N-no s-s-sir!" Macintosh said as he struggled for breath.

"Than they can wait six months to see you!" Deadeye yelled as he threw Big Mac to the ground. Silent Shadow went up to Macintosh and held out his hoof.

"Thanks" Big Mac said as Shadow helped him up.

"Silent Shadow." Shadow introduced.

"Big Macintosh." Big Mac said.

"Let's go! I don't have all night!" Deadeye yelled as the five ponies boarded the carriage. Big Mac looked over the side and down at Ponyville, he could make out the shapes of ponies who were still calling his name. He was sad he wasn't able to say goodbye but knew in the end it would all be worth it.

It was gonna be a long and brutal six months.