Next Chapter.

After one more hour, the COLTS were dismissed from their posts. The COLTS training and augmentations allowed them to function on nearly no sleep so none of them were tired.

"Man I'm glad that's over!" Blitz said happy they were done.

"Don't get to happy, we are coming back here tonight." Deadeye said. He could feel his eye healing itself but it would still a while before he could take his bandage off.

"Thanks for the info killjoy." Black Soul thought to himself. The soldiers headed back to Ponyville and decided to get some coffee and donuts so they headed to Sugarcube Corner. The six ponies sat down at a table as Big Mac went up and ordered their stuff.

"Six coffees and sixty donuts please." Big Mac said.

"Sixty donuts?" Mrs Cake said with disbelief. "Okay dearie, it might take a few minutes.". Big Mac nodded and decided to stand up there instead of going back to sit down. He thought back over the last year, from his decision to join the Marines, meeting Redwood and Skullcrusher, his first date with Luna,Redwood's death, going insane on the griffons, Deadeye recruiting him for COLTS, and now. He had experienced quite a bit and he hoped the war would end soon.

"Here you are dearie." Mrs. Cake said as she gave Macintosh the plate of donuts and six coffees.

"How much do ah owe ya?" Big Mac asked.

"Soldiers get their food for free." Mrs Cake said.

"Now Mrs. Cake, ah know you are raising two foals so take this." Big Mac said placing one hundred bits on the counter. Mrs. Cake opened her mouth to protest but Big Mac was already gone.

"Fine! Here's your stinkin bits!" Autumn said as he and Shadow gave Blitz the fifty bits they owed him.

"Move over, ah'm carrying a lot of stuff." Big Mac said as he tried to get in but Shadow was blocking the way. Big Mac put the donuts and coffee down and the soldiers began to feast. Meanwhile upstairs, two guards decided they needed some coffee after protecting six mares and three fillies all night.

"Soarin, I'm going to get a cup of joe, you want one?" Skullcrusher said with a yawn.

"Yeah that'd be nice." Soarin said as his eyes closed and he dozed off for a moment. Skullcrusher took one more glance at Applejack who was sleeping. He went downstairs to get his coffee when he saw Big Mac.

"Macintosh!" Skullcrusher said getting the red stallion's attention.

"Sgt?" Big Mac asked.

"Who is this?" Black Soul asked.

"Equestrian Cross recipient Sgt Skullcrusher so I'd advise you show some respect!" Deadeye said.

"Listen Macintosh, last night two grifs broke into your house and tried to take Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Soarin and I were able to deal with them but we moved the six elements of harmony here so they would be safe." Skullcrusher said.

"Wait, two grifs snuck into Ponyville?" Shadow asked.

"Wonder why the COLTS didn't see them." Blitz said.

"Cut the crap Lance Corporal, I know you are all COLTS." Skullcrusher whispered.

"Excuse me sir but how would you know?" Deadeye asked.

"Cause I know for a fact Macintosh is one so you all must be COLTS as well, don't worry your secret is safe with me." Skullcrusher said. The COLTS were a little nervous Skullcrusher knew who they were but they decided he was a stallion of his word so they let their worries slide.

"So they are all upstairs?" Autumn asked.

"Yeah, actually me and Soarin were up all night guarding them and we are exhausted. Would you mind watching them for a few hours while we get some sleep?" Skullcrusher asked. The COLTS all mentally cursed, they just did guard duty all night and now they had to do it all day!

"Sure thing." Deadeye said unenthusiastically. "Stallions let's go!". The COLTS all headed upstairs and saw a passed out Soarin laying on the ground snoring and drooling.

"Leave him, he looks comfortable to me." Deadeye said. Skullcrusher came up to and passed out the moment he hit the ground. The mares soon began to wake up to a pleasant surprise.

"Autumn!" Sweetie Belle said as she jumped on Autumn's back and hugged him.

"Sweetie Belle! I was only gone for a day!" Autumn said laughing at the fillies enthusiasm.

"Yeah but me and Rarity missed you!" Sweetie said.

"Really?" Autumn asked.

"Of course we did darling." Rarity said as she woke up and shone her eyes in the sunlight.

"Pssst, Fluttershy." Silent Shadow said. Fluttershy slowly raised her head and looked right at shadow.

"EEP!" She squeaked as she hid behind her mane. "Oh it's only you Shadow."

"Stallions come here!" Deadeye ordered as the COLTS all huddled up. Deadeye whispered in a voice so quiet only the COLTS enhanced hearing could pick it up.

"What is it sir?" Autumn asked.

"Remember that the grifs are after them, each of you will look over them. Since there are only six of us and nine of them some of you will have more than one."

"Ah'll take mah sisters." Big Mac said.

"Sorry Mac but I have a certain pony I want watching the little ones." Deadeye said.

"Fine ah'll take AJ and Rainbow Dash." Big Mac said. Applejack was with Rainbow Dash more than any other of her friends so it would be easier to watch the two of them.

"I'll take Rarity." Autumn said. He wanted Sweetie Belle too but he knew Deadeye had somepony special to watch over them.

"I got Pinkie Pie!" Blitz said happily.

"I guess I'll take Fluttershy." Shadow said.

"Good, I'll take Ms. Sparkle." Deadeye said.

"Wait whose watching the foals?" Black Soul asked.

"I'm glad you asked, you are." Deadeye said.

"WHAT?" The ponies all said rather loudly drawing attention from the mares.

"Sir you are trusting HIM to watch over three fillies?" Autumn said.

"You want ME to babysit?" Black Soul said. "Sir what is the meaning of this?"

"One, it is punishment for you being such a whiny insubordinate jack-ass and two, you could use the fresh atmosphere that fillies bring." Deadeye said. "And if you mistreat them I will rip you to shreds."

"OHHH!" Black Soul moaned but took his responsibility.

"Good disperse." Deadeye said.

"What were you guys doing Blitzy?" Pinkie asked. "You weren't even talking!". The mares didn't have the super hearing the COLTS did so to them it sounded like they weren't talking at all.

"We were checking out the Captains new tattoo." Blitz said.

"Oooh can we see?". Pinkie asked.

"Sorry Pinkie but the tattoo had military codes on it that the public can't see." Blitz said.

"Ohhh!" Pinkie said rather sadly.

"Hey, I got two hundred bits on me, let's go have some fun!" Blitz said as he took Pinkie's hoof. He was careful not to squeeze to hard so he wouldn't hurt her.

"YAY!" Pinkie said. As the two walked out Deadeye mouthed words only Blitz could hear.

"Whatever you do, don't lose your temper!" Deadeye said as Blitz gave him a nod and the two left.

"Rarity?" Sweetie Belle said. "Can we go to the park and have a snowball fight?"

"Sorry Sweetie but it too dangerous." Rarity said.

"That is why uhh." Deadeye said trying to think of another name for Black Soul. "Bunnyhop will escort you.". Black Soul gave Deadeye a death stare.

"Bunnyhop?" Black Soul whispered to Deadeye in an enraged tone.

"Yay! Come on Mr. Bunnyhop!" Applebloom said as she grabbed his hoof and led him outside.

"Really? Bunnyhop? You couldn't think of anything else?" Black Soul whispered. "It's degrading enough to wear this stupid outfit!"

"Oh Bunnyhop! You better get going! Your favorite pine flowers are in bloom!" Deadeye said smirking. Black Soul was ready to explode when he saw the other COLTS laughing at him. The CMC grabbed him and headed out the door.

"Is anypony else going out?" Deadeye asked. "If so tell me so one of us can escort you."

"I need to get some stuff from my library." Twilight said. "Can I go?"

"Yes Ms. Sparkle. I will be your escort." Deadeye said recalling her name. "Is he coming too?". He said again pointing to a snoring Spike.

"No he needs his sleep, he is a baby dragon after all." Twilight said as the two left. Deadeye was not sure what to talk about with Twilight on the way. He, like Silent Shadow, had never talked to girls when he was younger since most of life consisted of training.

"So Captain." Twilight said. "How is your eye doing?"

"It's good, the medicine you gave me helped." Deadeye said.

"I'm glad to hear that." Twilight said. "I have another question."

"Yes?" Deadeye replied.

"I have seen large stallions but you are double my size. How did you get so big?" Twilight asked as they entered her library. Deadeye was stumped he had to think of something fast.

"Well I ate my four basic food groups." Deadeye said as he put his hoof behind his head.

"I guess that would be logical but this requires further study, would you mind taking your uniform off?" She asked.

"I hope he isn't creeped out by that, I just want to get a closer look at his anatomy." Twilight thought

"Well uh okay." Deadeye said as he stripped his uniform off. This was the first time in a very long time where he was bare. Twilight began rubbing her hooves around his body. He got nervous a little but she only stayed on his front. She felt rock hard muscle beneath his warm white coat. She came to a stop where she felt a divot in his shoulder.

"What's this?" She asked. Deadeye completely forgot about it. That was where he was stabbed when he was injected with the alterations.

"Oh that?" Deadeye said. "I've had that since I was born."

"But there is one on you other shoulder as well." Twilight said. "In fact.". She said as she moved her hoofs towards his flank. His heart began to beat fast and he began to sweat from nervousness as she touched his flank. "There are divots on your hips to!"

"Well uh-"

"And your spine feels weird as well." Twilight said as she felt his lower back. Deadeye was now worried, it wouldn't be long before she put two and two together.

"Um, Ms Sparkle, not to be rude but I don't really feel comfortable right now." Deadeye said trying to get out of this before Twilight figured out he was a COLT.

"I'm sorry why didn't you say something earlier?" Twilight asked as she gave him his uniform.

"I didn't want to be rude." Deadeye said as he put on his uniform. He could hear a fly buzzing nearby and went to smack it. Deadeye hit the fly but he also hit a table and completely destroyed it from his strength.

"That table was made of pure metal!" Twilight said in disbelief.

"I AM SO SORRY!" Deadeye said as he backed up on his back hooves and fell over into a bookshelf and knocked it over.

"What the hay is wrong with me? Why can't I control myself?" Deadeye thought as all the books fell on his head one at a time in a comical scene. Deadeye expected Twilight to scream at him but instead he saw her giggling.

"Aren't you mad?" He asked.

"Of course not!" Twilight said. "Not to be mean but that was one of the funniest things I've seen in a while."

"But I knocked over everything and broke that table." Deadeye said.

"Well I won't be staying here for a while so what does it matter?" Twilight said as she grabbed the books she came for and walked towards the door. "Shall we?"

"Yes of course." Deadeye said as he walked out with her. "What is happening to me? I can't control my strength, I am getting this weird feeling in my stomach and why do I find her so... pretty?"

XXXXX

Come on Mr. Bunnyhop!" Scootaloo said as the CMC led Black Soul to the park where they wanted to have their snowball fight.

"Alright we are here, now what?" Black Soul demanded.

"OK Mr. Grumpypants" Applebloom said. "We're gonna do this!". She said as she threw a snowball at Sweetie Belle.

"HEY!" She yelped as she took a snowball of her own and threw it at Applebloom.

"So it is like war?" Black Soul asked.

"Well kinda, you just throw snowballs at each other." Scootaloo said.

"Snowballs huh?" Black Soul said as he picked up a pile of snow and crushed it into a ball. He was than nailed in the face with snow.

"Woah!" Black Soul said as he wiped the snow off his face. He scanned the area and saw Scootaloo laughing.

"You little brat! Take this!" He thought as he threw a snowball at Scootaloo. He heard a loud slapping sound and saw Scootaloo get knocked back ten feet.

"Uh oh!" He said as he ran over to the filly with the other crusaders remembering what Deadeye said to him earlier. He turned over Scootaloo to see she had a large bruise under eye. Luckily Scootaloo was the tougher one of the group so she didn't cry, at least not to hard.

"OW!" She said rubbing her cheek. "That hurt!"

"Uh sorry, I threw it a little hard." He said with little care in his tone. Scootaloo gave him an evil look.

"Why are you looking at me lik-" He didn't finish as the CMC assaulted him snowballs.

"Oh now you're gonna get it!" Black Soul said as he picked up a large mound of snow and ran after the fillies. As he was running he tripped and he dropped the mound of snow on himself. He looked to see the fillies laughing.

"Come on Mr. Bunnyhop! Let's build a snow-pony!" Applebloom said. He found it hard not grin a little at the fillies antics. For the first time in a long time, he felt something.

Fun.

After running around for a while throwing snowballs, making snow-ponies and snow-angels. He fell to the ground and began to laugh.

"I've forgotten what this feels like!" He said. A snowball his his glasses off and they fell to the ground.

"Uh oh! SORRY!" Sweetie Belle said as she ran over. Black Soul tried to cover his eyes but Sweetie Belle had already seen them. He waited for her shriek but it never came.

"Why are you trying to cover your face?" Sweetie asked.

"Aren't you scared of my eyes?" He asked.

"No why would I be? They are a deep blue like my sisters." She said.

"Deep blue?" He said as he ran towards a frozen pond and looked at his reflection in the ice. He saw that his once red and dark eye had turned into his former blue normal eyes. Being with these fillies must be changing him and that's why his eyes changed back to normal. He also felt his once pessimistic and heartless personality change into a better one as well.

XXXX

"Gore why haven't our scouts returned?" Von Griffon asked.

"They must have been spotted and killed." Gore said with no care at all for his fallen comrades.

"I knew I should have sent the ST in to get them!" Von Griffon said. "No doubt those cursed COLTS are now guarding them!

"Hey." Gilda said. "Do you have Dash?"

"Sorry ma'am but our attempts were no successful." Von Griffon asked. "We will notify you when we find them though."

"Good, cause I got a score to settle with that lame pegasus." Gilda said as she walked back out.

"Gore, you have some new plan at all?" Von Griffon asked.

"Of course." Gore said. "The ponies are preparing for that stupid Hearths Warming Eve holiday in the settlement of Ponyville. Our informant has said not only the elements of harmony will be there but the two princesses themselves."

"Really now?" Von Griffon said. "Of course you know the place will be loaded with guards?"

"That's where Steel Talons team comes in. They will attack a nearby city causing the COLTS that are there to leave. Than I will personally lead another assault force of Steel Talons and infiltrators and take them all prisoner." Gore said. "Without the COLTS the other guards will be no match for us."

"You don't have to get both of the royal sisters, just one will suffice. If you capture one the other will surely give in to our demands." Von Griffon said.

"Which one should we take?" Gore asked.

"Celestia is much to powerful to be taken by force, go for Luna. She has been locked away for a thousand years so she will be easier to take." Von Griffon said. "Take the elements of harmony too."

"What about everypony else in the town?" Gore asked.

"Leave nopony alive and burn Ponyville to the ground." Von Griffon said.

"Yes my lord." Gore said as he began plotting his new plan.

"If this goes well we might not have to use the other plan to kill the COLTS. Of course it is always good to have a back up plan." Gore thought.

Gilda won't be making an appearance for a while so don't think I forgot about her and left that plot hole open. An I know, i know, all this stupid mushy stuff but you can't even begin to imagine what violent plans I have for later chapters! MWAHAHAHA! R&R

"But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it. Far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it shall never forget what they did here." - Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address.