Next Chapter. yup you guessed it! Skullcrusher was originally based off of Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann from Full Metal Jacket

The COLTS continued running until they were at the base of the Everfree Forest. Two pegasi pulled a stealth carriage to pick them up to take them back to COLTS-01. As they flew they stripped their armor and masks off and put one standard military vests. They reached the COLTS base in fifteen minutes. They got off the carriage and saw the new recruits running and getting screamed at by the trainers. The COLTS made their way into the command center where Colonel Striper was waiting for them.

"COLTS excellent job!" Striper said praising COLTS Omega on their debut mission.

"Thank you sir!" The COLTS replied.

"Listen up I got a new assignment for you." Striper said walking to his desk and lighting up a pipe full of grassweed. "Since Ponyville has a tendency to get surprise attacked I'm stationing your team there for a while incase Gore tries to make another run."

"Sir aren't we needed elsewhere?" Deadeye asked. He understood Ponyville had to be protected but it seemed a little less important compared to the other places that were being attacked.

"Listen captain, Ponyville has been attacked twice in the last six months despite it's distance from the frontlines. Not to mention the elements of harmony currently reside there. The grifs are somehow sneaking their way in and until we find out how you will stay there understand?" Striper said.

"Yes sir." Deadeye responded. Big Mac was overjoyed that he would be in his home for a while.

"While your in Ponyville you will not put on your COLT armor unless the situation calls for it. You will go by your previous military ranks and names." Striper explained. "To me you boys are COLTS but to the public you are all still Marines."

"Aye aye sir!" The COLTS said.

"So Ponyville huh?" Blitz said as they headed towards the carriage. Being a city pony Blitz had always wondered what country life would be like. He had heard great things about the tiny town.

"That's where ah live!" Big Mac said excited.

"Nice, I heard it's awesome there!" Blitz said as he boarded the carriage.

"Ohh i'm not liking this." Shadow said. He was nervous about going to a whole new town where he didn't know anypony. He had spent over a whole year completely isolated in the ruins of his hometown so suddenly being thrown into a town full of life was not something he was looking forward to.

"Come Shadow the captain's looking!" Autumn said trying to get Shadow to calm down before Deadeye noticed the ponies breakdown. Autumn had become quite a kiss-ass and was always trying to impress Deadeye.

"Shadow how in the hay did you make it past basic?" Deadeye asked a little confused. After the ponies were aboard the were flown back to Ponyville. As they were nearing the edge of the forest Shadow couldn't take the pressure and he passed out and fell over the side.

"SHADOW!" Blitz screamed as the pony fell nearly eighty feet to the ground. A drop like that would have killed a normal pony but the COLTS alterations made them near indestructible.

"Great! How can this guy endure the most grueling training and do the most dangerous job and be fine but faints when he has to meet a new pony!" Deadeye scowled. The carriage hovered for ten minutes as they tried to find him through the dense brush.

"Anypony see him?" Deadeye asked agitated.

"Nope." Autumn and Blitz said. Macintosh saw a yellow pegasus with a pink mane he recognized as Fluttershy pulling something out of the brush, he looked closer and saw it was Silent Shadow.

"Hey there he is! Let's go get him." Autumn said as he prepared to jump out but was stopped by Macintosh.

"No." Big Mac said. If there was one pony he could trust with Silent Shadow, it was Fluttershy.

"Are you crazy?" Autumn asked.

"Trust me, he's in good hooves." Big Mac said.

"Captain what are your orders?" Autumn asked Deadeye.

"We leave no pony behind but the thought of him waking up in a stranger mare's house is pretty amusing." Deadeye said chuckling. This was the first time any of the COLTS saw him laugh. "He's so shy, imagine his reaction when he wakes up to a mare, she was kinda cute." Autumn and Blitz looked at him like he was crazy but orders were orders so they let him be.

10 minutes earlier.

Fluttershy was out gathering some more herbs for the wounded troops. It was hard to find any now that winter had come and most of the trees had died. She was struggling to pull the plant off of it's vine went she heard a slamming noise nearby. She squealed and dove for cover behind a bush, she slowly came out and went to the source of the impact noise. She gasped when she saw a massive gray stallion with a black mane in a Marine's vest laying on the ground surrounded by a small crater. and was covered with blood. She began to panic, should she try to get him out herself or should she get help? She didn't know if she could move the large stallion by herself, he had to almost twice her size! But if she left he might die. She decided she had to get him out herself. She grabbed the back of his vest with her mouth and began to pull but the stallion didn't budge. He was heavy! She called out some of the animals so they could help her move the stallion but most were in hibernation or migrated so the only help she had was from angel and a few other hares. It was a long process as they only moved about a foot each minute but they were moving him.

"What happened to him? He must have landed hard if he left a crater! Poor pony, I'll help him." Fluttershy thought to herself as she approached her cottage. With one final heave, she hoisted him onto her couch. She than took a rag to wipe off the blood and to her surprise there were no open wounds. She checked his temperature and he was fine, he was breathing alright aswell. She put her head on his chest to listen for his heartbeat. It sounded normal and for some reason she didn't want to get off, his chest was so warm. She looked at his face and admired it. She thought he was cute. She then suddenly realized what she was doing and jumped off, her face burning red. She put a blanket over him and than started a fire in her fireplace.

"I better let him get some rest." Fluttershy said as she put her scarf and boots back on and went outside. The COLTS carriage arrived in the center of Ponyville. The ponies all stared at Deadeye, Macintosh, Autumn, and Blitz.

"Why they all starin at us?" Blitz asked.

"How often do you see ponies our size?" Deadeye said. The ponies realized they were being stared at due to their unnatural size. "Listen up, nothing about COLTS do you understand? No showin off your strength and no uniform wearing unless I order otherwise got it?". The ponies all went their separate ways. Macintosh sprinted for Sweet Apple Acres but not at full speed so he wouldn't give away his identity as a COLT. It felt so good to be home, the house came into view. He took some time to savor this moment before he went to open the door. He stopped and realized if he opened the door full force he would rip it off of its hinges. He silently and gently opened the door.

"Ah'm back!" He said but nopony responded. He continued to search the house. "Applejack? Applebloom?". He looked at the calender and saw Applebloom had school and the Applejack must be picking her up. He than ran to the Ponyville Schoolhouse. It had begun to snow again but this time it was more peaceful and gentle compared to the raging blizzard the occured earlier. He walked in and heard Cheerilee talking to her students.

"Alright everypony, before you leave I want to you to come and say your Hearths Warming Eve Wish." Cheerilee said. Big Mac listened to all the foals wishes, many of them were for certain things they wanted for the holiday "Applebloom how about you go next?"

"Go on sugarcube." Big Mac heard Applejack say, she must have been their picking her up.

"Ah wish mah brother would come back from Hoofington! Ah miss him so much!" Applebloom said. Big Mac felt his heart warm up in the intense cold. Fate was smiling on him today, he had come at the perfect moment. He walked in.

"Ah'm here Applebloom." He said. Applebloom and Applejack turned to see their big brother smiling at them.

"BIG MAC!" The two sisters said as they tackled their brother to the ground. It was such heart warming moment there wasn't a dry eye in the room. All of the foals, their parents, and Cheerilee were crying. For a moment, Big Mac looked into the sky and could of sworn he saw Redwood Oak smiling down at him.

"AH MISSED YOU!" Applebloom cried as she held on tightly to her brother.

"Ah missed you too" Big Mac said. Even he began to cry. Outside the schoolhouse walked Deadeye who peeked inside and saw the beautiful moment. He felt a tear go down his cheek as he smiled. He wished so bad that he had family left to go to but they had all perished. He envied Big Mac but at the same time was happy for him. Deadeye went to the top of a hill where nopony was looking and began to sob to himself.

XXXX

Silent Shadow awoke to find he was in a warm home where a fire was raging. He had a blanket covering him as well.

"Where am I?" He asked. He knew he was in a pony's home but whose? He got up and looked around for some clues. He heard a voice humming from the kitchen. Shadow snuck over as quietly as he could making no sound whatsoever. He peeked his around the corner and saw a yellow pegasus with a pink mane fixing some hot chocolate. She was humming an old lullaby that Shadow's mother used to sing him when he was younger.

"She's so beautiful." Shadow thought to himself as the mare turned around and saw him. She was frightened and she squealed and hid behind her mane.

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you." Shadow said as he moved closer. The mare looked away but responded.

"Um it's okay." She said. She had such a gentle voice.

"What is your name Ms?" Shadow asked.

"My.....am.......is.....f...shy." She said quietly.

"What?" Shadow asked.

"M-my n-name is Fluttershy." She finally said.

"I am Private Silent Shadow, were you the one who pulled me in here?"

"Yes but um I- You didn't mind did you?" Fluttershy asked.

"Of course not I am very thankful." Shadow said. "Thank you."

"Oh it was nothing really." Fluttershy said as she turned away again. Fluttershy didn't know what to feel about this pony. He was in the military and Fluttershy hated the idea of killing. Although she felt scared at having this killer next to her she also felt safe cause she knew he would protect her from all threats. Shadow was also nervous. He had never been around girls much and being quiet didn't help much either.

"You have a beautiful voice." Shadow said. He had no idea how to talk to girls.

"Oh um thank you." Fluttershy said blushing. "Would you like some cocoa?"

"Yes please." Shadow said. Fluttershy took another look at how massive he was. Shadow was still shorter then Celestia but still considerably larger than the average pony. She handed him a mug which was relatively small in his large hoofs. The two sat there quietly drinking their beverage, both of them were scared to start up another conversation. Shadow decided since he was a soldier he should have some manners and tried to bring something up.

"I see you like animals huh?" He said noticing the many animals around her home.

"Oh yes, It's one of my favorite things to do!" Fluttershy explained. Shadow looked at her and admired her. She seemed so innocent while he had the blood of so many on his hands.

"Um what do you like to do?" Fluttershy asked.

"I don't know, all I have done for the past year is live in my destroyed town and take down griffons." Shadow said before realizing that was a poor choice of words. Fluttershy opened her mouth in shock.

"Um your not from Appleloosa are you?" She asked. Shadow knew where this was going.

"Yes." He admitted.

"Are you the-" She said before pausing again. "The Ghost of Appleloosa?"

"Yes." Shadow said. He had gained a reputation because he killed the griffons in Appleloosa so silently and quickly that someponies claimed there was a ghost in Appleloosa killing the griffons.

"I understand if you don't want me to stay now, I'll leave." Shadow said as he got up.

"No!" Fluttershy squeaked. "You can stay."

"Really?" Shadow asked.

"Of course, it's very cold out there." Fluttershy said.

"Thank you again Ms Fluttershy." Shadow said as the two sat by the fire. In the center of Ponyville, Solar Blitz was headed for Sugarcube Corner, it was quite chilly but due to his enhanced body, he felt no cold at all.

"I should have asked for that cute girls name." Blitz thought as he searched for the pink pony he saw earlier. He saw the damaged Sugarcube Corner and headed over. There were two giant holes in the wall where a pony and a griffon were thrown, lots of blood covering the floor, and the body of the dead Steel Talon was being slowly taken out by overhead pegasi. He saw a mare carrying her foals on her back, he recognized her from earlier when he was fighting the griffons.

"Excuse me ma'am?" Blitz asked.

"Yes sir?" She said.

"Um do you a pink pony that works here?" He asked.

"Oh you mean Pinkie Pie? She's staying with one of her friends till Sugarcube Corner is all fixed up." The mare replied.

"Thank you ma'am, my name is Lance Corporal Solar Blitz." He said introducing himself.

"Mrs Cup Cake, my husband is stationed at the western front right now." Mrs. Cake said. Blitz wanted to know how the COLTS did at their debut performance so he asked her.

"Mrs Cake what exactly happened here?" Blitz asked.

"Some griffons came in and attacked, two soldiers in there tried to stop them but the griffons were too strong for them. Then five ponies in black armor came in walking on their hind legs! They defeated the griffons and then left without a word." Mrs Cake said.

"What did you think of the ponies in black armor?" Blitz asked.

"They were so strong and incredibly good fighters, If I had one of them walking around Ponyville I'd never feel scared again!" Mrs. Cake explained.

"Heh heh, you got five of us walking around Ponyville." Blitz thought. "Thanks for the into Mrs. Cake I appreciate it."

"No problem dear." She said as she walked away with her foals.

"Pinkie Pie hmm?" Blitz said as he set out to find the pink pony.