Next Chapter.

"FIRE!" The unicorn commander shouted as hundreds of unicorns fired spells, arrows, and spears at the griffons.

"Come on we gotta help!" Deadeye yelled as he ran up to one of the catapults and bucked it causing it to collapse. The other COLTS did the same and began bucking the artillery or picking up large rocks and smashing them. Eventually all of the catapults and artillery were taken out except for one cannon.

"FIRE!" The griffon said as it fired a cannonball straight at Big Mac. Macintosh stood there as the cannonball approached him. He put up his hooves and caught it, he then wound up and threw the cannonball back at the cannon killing the remaining griffons and artillery.

"That was fer Black Soul!" Big Mac shouted.

"WE GOT INCOMING!" Recoil shouted as thousands of griffons began converging on the ponies position. The COLTS and unicorns took cover as the griffons began firing on them. There were no pegasi so the griffons ruled the air around Manehattan. The COLTS soon ran out of arrows for their crossbows and had to start using swords to kill the griffons. The unicorns had fired numerous shots into the sky calling all soldiers in the city to come help. The griffons then brought in a small assault cannon. It was nowhere near the size of the ones the ponies had just destroyed but it was still a threat. The griffons fired it and it blew several unicorns to pieces. The aerial griffons began swooping down and picking up ponies and carried them hundreds of feet into the air and then dropped them so they fell to their death. Shadow was taking cover when a pony that had been dropped by a griffon splattered right in front of him. Suddenly, all the griffons began falling down dead, Autumn looked and saw thousands of pegasi flying in and engaging the griffons. Thousands of Marines flooded into the city and began cleaning out the griffons.

"Sir! Reinforcements have arrived!" Autumn shouted.

"Excellent! Let's get our city back!" Deadeye said as he and the other COLTS charged the remaining griffons and slaughtered them. The ponies artillery began firing on the beach to kill any griffons trying to make an escape. The bombardment ceased after ten minutes of leveling the beach.

"Contact High Command, we've taken back Manehattan." Deadeye said as more and more ponies came into the city and secured it. A large cry of victory echoed across the city as the smoke began to clear.

XXXX

"GORE! What is the meaning of this!" Von Griffon screamed as he flipped over his desk in fury.

"Of what my lord?" Gore asked.

"You failed to bring me either Princess Luna or the elements of harmony!" Von Griffon yelled. "Not only that! The ponies have taken back Manehattan!"

"My apologies my lord, we did manage to kill thousands of ponies and a COLT." Gore said in an attempt to defend himself.

"Well there is come good news I suppose, seeing as this plan failed, what is our next course of action?" Von Griffon asked.

"Operation Doomsday." Gore said as someone walked into the room. "It appears our informant is here!"

"General Silver Star, I'm glad to see you could make it!" Von Griffon said as the earth pony walked in. "Have you learned anything else?"

"Plenty." Silver Star said smiling as his eyes glowed green.

XXXXXXX

Back at Ponyville, Skullcrusher had regained consciousness. The events of last night were a blur as he only recalled what happened up until Gore knocked him out.

"Ow sonofa-" Skullcrusher said. If he had a nickel for every time he had been knocked unconscious he would be a millionaire. Upon seeing him awake, Applejack ran and tackled him to the ground causing him to hit his head again. She covered him in kisses as she hugged him tightly. Applejack remembered how devastated Celestia was when Black Soul was killed and Applejack never wanted to experience something like that ever.

"Applejack?" Skullcrusher asked as Applejack continued to embrace him.

"Ah'm never losing you!" Applejack cried.

"Why did I almost die again?" Skullcrusher asked. Applejack looked at him as she described what happened last night.

"Poor guy, he deserves an Equestrian Cross for that." Skullcrusher thought as he was informed of Black Soul's sacrifice.

"Ah'm sorry ah'm so clingy right now but ah don't what ah'd do without you sweetheart." Applejack said.

"Don't you worry.' Skullcrusher said as he pulled her next to him. "I'm never going anywhere.". Applejack smiled as she nuzzled Skullcrusher. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was sitting by Soarin's side in the hospital. He had no injuries and he would be alright when he woke up. Rainbow realized the time to tell him was now. Soarin moaned as he awoke.

"Soarin." Dash said.

"Rainbow? ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT ABOUT THE PRINCESSES? DID WE STOP THE GRIFS?" Soarin asked. Rainbow felt touched by Soarin's concern for her and every other pony.

"Yes, we are alright." Rainbow said. She told Soarin how Black Soul was killed.

"I wish I wasn't so weak! I could have helped him!" Soarin said.

"You're not weak, you are one of the strongest ponies I ever met.' Dash said. "You got in between that huge griffon and everypony else like it was noponies business!" Dash said. Soarin smiled at her.

"Soarin." Rainbow said.

"Rainbow." Soarin said at the same time. The two laughed.

"You can go first." Soarin said.

"Soarin I." Rainbow said turning red. "I have always kind of liked you."

"Well I hoped so, we are friends right?" Soarin asked deciding to tease her a bit. He knew she was very tomboyish and wasn't good at this kind of stuff.

"More than a friend though, I-I." Rainbow said. Soarin knew what she was trying to say and he could tell she was nervous, he decided to stop teasing her and started talking.

"Rainbow." He said. "I have also liked you, you are athletic, fast, brave, loyal, and at the Gala last year you looked absolutely beautiful." Soarin said. Rainbow squeed at his comments. She couldn't take it anymore as she jumped on him.

"Soarin I love you!" She said as she squeezed so tight the soldier couldn't breathe.

"I love you too, will you be my special somepony?" He asked. Rainbow couldn't believe it, her life-long crush had just asked her out! She was so happy she felt like Pinkie Pie at a candy factory.

"YES!" She happily screamed as the two kissed each other. After kissing they heard someone whimpering outside.

"Who is that?" Soarin asked. Rainbow looked out the window and saw Scootaloo walking and crying. Rainbow figured she was still upset over Black Soul's death.

"Hey kiddo!" Rainbow said as she flew down. "Are you okay?"

"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo said. "No I'm not okay. Mr Bunnyhop is dead!"

"Hey I know it's sad but do you wanna stay with me and Soarin for the day?" Rainbow asked.

"Really?" Scootaloo asked happily.

"You bet!" Soarin said as he also flew down. Scootaloo idolized Rainbow Dash and Soarin was a Wonderbolt so this was like a dream come true.

"YEAH!" She said. She couldn't fly well yet so Soarin and Rainbow Dash each took one of her hoofs and then took off flying over the horizon. Scootaloo looked up and could of swore she saw a familiar alicorn smile at her from the sky.

XXXX

Manehattan had been retaken, about 63,000 ponies had been killed and 10,000 more injured. Eighty percent of the city was destroyed but the griffons lost over half their force.

"Gentlecolts." General Blue River said. "Excellent work here today, I'll be sure to put in a word with the princess."

"That won't be necessary sir." Deadeye said. "COLTS return to base!" Deadeye said.

"Aye aye sir!" COLTS Omega replied as they sprinted back towards COLTS-01 and Ponyville. It was a fourteen hour journey sprinting at full speed before they made it back to base. Striper was already there to welcome them back.

"Excellent work boys! You saved Ponyville and Manehattan!" Striper praised. "I do have bad news though."

"What?" Big Mac asked. Striper looked down as a tear rolled down his eye.

"Earthshock had to be put down, five doctor went to examine him and he attacked and killed the doctors so we had to put him down." Striper said. Recoil and Deadeye were the most affected by this. Deadeye, Recoil, and Earthshock were the original three COLTS and were also best friends. Recoil and Deadeye felt their rage build up but were able to suppress it. Deadeye wasn't sure how much more he could take, first Black Soul and now Earthshock. It was only a matter of time before he snapped.

"He will be buried in his home town and his name will go up with Black Soul's, Waverunner's, and Duststorm's on the Wall of Honor." Striper said.

"Damn it, DAMN IT!" Recoil yelled.

"He's dead?" Deadeye said. He refused to believe his friend was dead.

"It's okay captain." Autumn said supporting his captain. Autumn always aimed to please his seniors.

"I know this hard for you but honor him by pushing through this and continuing the fight for the cause he dedicated his life to." Striper said. Recoil and Deadeye felt Striper was right.

"COLTS, let's go back to Ponyville." Deadeye said as the COLTS headed back to Big Mac's home town.

XXXX

Back at Ponyville, the mane six were worried about the COLTS, they had just disappeared the night before and hadn't left any hint of where they had gone. After arriving in Ponyville, the COLTS went their separate ways. A regiment of one thousand Marines had been assigned to protect Ponyville, particularly the mane six so they weren't crowded in Sugarcube Corner anymore. Big Mac headed back to Sweet Apple Acres where he saw numerous patrols guarding the property. He entered his household and saw Applebloom sitting by the fire.

"Bloom?" Big Mac said. Applebloom turned around.

"Big Mac where were you last night?" Applebloom asked. Big Mac knew his life would be so much easier if he just told his sisters who he really was, he didn't care what command would do to him.

"Bloom, get AJ, ah have something to tell ya'll." Big Mac said. Applebloom brought Applejack downstairs and they waited for him to talk.

"What is it Big Mac?" Appejack asked. Big Mac was about to reveal his identity when he decided he could not do it.

"Last night ah went outside to get some fresh air and ah ran into some of those attacking griffons and they pushed me all the way to the Everfree Forest an knocked me out." Big Mac lied.

"M-mr. Bunnyhop died." Applebloom said sniffling. Big Mac put his head down. He will never get that image of Black Soul with the spear impaling his body out of his head.

"Ah know sugar, he was a good pony." Big Mac said as his sister began crying again. "He's with ma and pa and Granny Smith now and he ain't in pain no more."

"But he is still gone forever!" Applebloom cried.

"Nopony's gone forever, we all meet him again someday." Big Mac said. This calmed Applebloom down a little as she stopped crying and smiled a little knowing Black Soul wasn't really gone. Big Mac was also sad not only from Black Soul's death but he figured since Luna was almost captured she would not be allowed to leave Canterlot and he would not see her for a long time. He went upstairs with his sisters to go to bed for the night. Autumn was heading to a local barracks to stay in when he saw Rarity and Sweetie Belle with ice cream. He knew that Sweetie Belle and Black Soul were close so Rarity probably took her to get ice cream to make her feel better.

"Autumn!" Sweetie Belle said as she ran to him in tears.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Autumn asked. He knew she was crying from last night but he had to act like he didn't know.

"S-s-some griffons attacked and they killed Mr. Bunnyhop!" Sweetie cried. Autumn felt rage and sorrow build up again.

"I'm so sorry Sweetie." Autumn said as he picked her up and hugged her. "It's okay to cry."

"B-b-but I miss him!" Sweetie cried.

"I know, he was a very brave pony and I know he must have fought very hard to stay with you." Autumn said. "You know he is still here?"

"What do you mean?" Sweetie asked.

"His body is dead but his soul is still with us, if you look in the stars at night, you might see his soul flying across the night sky. He will always be with us, just as a spirit." Autumn said. Sweetie stopped crying and she began to smile.

"R-really?" The filly asked.

"Yes." Autumn replied. "And I know he wouldn't want to see you so sad."

"I guess." Sweetie said as her tears finally dried up.

"How bout you go find your cutie marks?" Autumn said. "Have you tried wrestling yet?"

"Actually I don't think we have! Thanks Autumn!" Sweetie said as she trotted off to find her friends.

"Sweetie be back home soon! It is getting dark!" Rarity called out. Rarity went up to Autumn and just stared at him.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Autumn that was the sweetest and most beautiful thing I have ever heard." Rarity said as she leaned in and kissed him.

"It must be hard for her, losing one so close at such a young age." Autumn said.

"She is a strong filly." Rarity said. "I wouldn't trade her for any other pony in Equestria."

"Your a great sibling Rarity, much better than I was to my brother." Autumn said. He often picked on and beat up his younger brother because well, that's what brothers do.

"Come on darling, you look exhausted. How bout I make a kettle of tea?" Rarity asked.

"That sounds nice!" Autumn said as the two held each others hooves and headed to Rarity's house. Deadeye was also headed towards the barracks when he ran into Spike.

"Hey Spike." He said.

"Hey you're um-" Spike said trying to recall his name.

"Deadeye." Deadeye said.

"Oh yeah Deadeye! The one Twilight is always talking about!". Spike said causing Deadeye to turn red.

"She's always talking about me?" Deadeye thought.

"That reminds me, she wants you to come over." Spike said. "She's a little um well shooken up from last night."

"Why what happened?" Deadeye asked even though he was quite aware but he couldn't blow his cover. Spike said the whole story Deadeye never wanted to ever have to hear ever again.

"And I'm kinda scared too." Spike concluded. Deadeye felt bad for the baby dragon, it was bad enough for an adult to see something like that but for a child to witness such brutality was absolutely horrible.

"Sure thing, I'll stay there if it makes you feel safer." Deadeye said as he followed Spike to Twilight's house. He was having an interesting conversation and was taking a liking to the young dragon.

"So you wanna be a COLT?" Deadeye asked after Spike told him of the 'Young Colts'.

"Yup!" Spike said proudly.

"Well it is far from easy, only the most elite of the elite are even considered for candidacy." Deadeye said.

"That's why I'm starting now so I have a head start!" Spike said as the entered the library. Twilight was sitting in a corner sipping a cup of tea.

"Twilight?" Deadeye asked as he placed his trunk carrying his supplies on the ground. The unicorn turned around and Deadeye could see she was very distraught.

"Spike could you excuse us for a moment?" Twilight asked.

"Okay." Spike said as he went back outside.

"Twilight is everything alright?" Deadeye asked. Twilight ran into him crying.

"IT WAS SO HORRIBLE! THERE WAS BLOOD EVERYWHERE!" Twilight cried. Deadeye knew she must have been referring to last night.

"Hey it's alright, uh." He said. He was not good at comforting his own soldiers, let alone mares who had never seen such blood shed.

"But Princess Celestia lost her loved one!" Twilight said.

"Wait, Black Soul and Princess Celestia loved each other?" Deadeye thought. "Shhh Twilight, it's over now, the grifs are never coming back."

"How could you know?" Twilight asked.

"I hear the COLTS are stationed here." Deadeye said.

"Really?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, no grif is dumb enough to buck with the COLTS." Deadeye said. Twilight felt much better now knowing the COLTS were there.

"Thanks Captain, can I get you some tea?" Twilight asked.

"Um yeah that would be nice." Deadeye said as he walked into the other room and sat down. Twilight brought some nice hot green tea. Deadeye slowly drank the hot liquid and it helped calm him down.

"Maybe you should get some rest, you look awfully tired." Twilight said. This was true, Deadeye was rather tired from the past three days. Even a COLT needed sleep once in a while.

"Thats probably a good idea." Deadeye said.

"There is a spared bed in the guest room." Twilight said. Deadeye looked at his body.

"Twilight, I really don't think I'll fit on any bed here." Deadeye said as he laid down on the floor and soon fell asleep. Once he was asleep Twilight went to the trunk he was carrying with him. It was padlocked with such a strong chain only a COLT could open it. Unfortunately it wasn't magic proof and Twilight used her magic to quietly open it. She gently placed the chain on the ground and opened the trunk. She knew it was wrong to go through other ponies stuff but she had to figure out what has in there. She pulled out nothing out of the ordinary, a sword, dagger, and a canteen. Next she pulled out Deadeye's crossbow but what she saw next confirmed her suspicions. Deadeye's COLT armor, Twilight tried lifting it up with her magic but it was too heavy, she tried moving it physically but it wouldn't budge. She than found a dogtag.

Captain Deadeye. Covert Operations and Lethal Takedown Squad Omega.

"He is a COLT." Twilight thought. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard somepony behind her.

A rather upset Deadeye.

"OH! Deadeye I uh-" Twilight said.

"What are you doing?" He asked angrily as he slammed the trunk closed.

"I was just-" Twilight said.

"Snooping through my stuff and showing off my secret for the world to see?" Deadeye scolded. Twilight looked down.

"I-I'm sorry." She whispered. Normally Deadeye would have flipped out but since she just recovered from a traumatizing experience he felt he want a little hard on her and eased up a bit.

"Well since you already know I might as well tell you." Deadeye said. "I am a COLT."

"So that explains why you are so strong! And why you are always gone when the COLTS show up! And-" Twilight exclaimed.

"Listen Twilight, you cannot tell anypony!" Deadeye said covering her mouth. "Do you promise not to tell?"

"Yes I promise." Twilight said.

"Good we will speak no more of this and forget it ever happened." Deadeye said as he went to go back to sleep.

"Deadeye?" Twilight asked. "I just need to know one thing and I will never bring this up again."

"Fine, what is it?" Deadeye asked.

"Who rescued Shining Armor?" Twilight asked.

"My team did." Deadeye muttered.

"You mean you rescued my brother?" Twilight asked. Deadeye's eyes went wide.

"Well me and my team did." He said. Twilight ran up to him and kissed him straight on the lips. Deadeye froze but he eventually went with it and closed his eyes.

"Thank you." Twilight whispered as she left. Deadeye sat there both confused and in an odd way, happy. Twilight went upstairs feeling much safer now that a COLT Commando was in her home.

Uh oh! Twi knows Deadeye is a COLT and we all know she sucks at keeping secrets! Looks like that fuck General Silver Star is the traitor! R&R

"It is better to die young for something than to live long for nothing."