Astro put his hoof on his forehead and lowered his head. He was having a difficult time taking in the news that Deadeye had given him.

"No, no, no, they can't be all dead." Astro said in self-denial.

"I am sorry but it is true, we are the only COLTS left." Blitz said. Astro couldn't believe this! Recoil, Striper, Wrench, Sidesweep, Blue Spectre, all of them were dead. He looked at the royal sisters and had mixed feelings. How could Celestia allow something like this to happen?

"I'm sorry I need a minute." Astro said as he stepped outside and flew away to calm his thoughts.

"He's going to hate me for this." Celestia said sadly.

"Your highness, everypony was fooled by Gore's treachery. I know he will find in his heart to forgive you. After all, we did." Shadow said sweetly. Shadow always knew exactly what to say. Celestia could see why Fluttershy liked him so much.

"Thank you Shadow." Celestia said.

"How does he do that?" Autumn asked.

"Do what?" Blitz asked.

"Be so shy but always say the right thing to cheer somepony up! What do you think Mac?" Autumn asked but did not get an answer. "Mac?"

"Where in the hay is he?" Deadeye asked.

"He was just here a minute ago." Twilight said.

"Wait where is my sister?" Celestia asked.

XXXXXx

Luna led Big Mac to her private quarters on the other side of the castle.

"Um Luna where are we goin?" Big Mac asked.

"To our private quarters." Luna replied as they walked up the tower. Luna's personal guards stood still and at the ready at the door to her room.

"Guards, thou are relieved." Luna ordered as the guards reluctantly left their post.

"Are you sure you wanna stay unguarded?" Big Mac asked.

"We got a COLT with us, how much safer can we be?" Luna asked as the two entered her room. Big Mac was impressed, it was very large and spacious. It had numerous paintings and sculptures of anything night-related. What stood out the most was her bed, it could fit atleast five ponies on it.

"So what brings us here?" Big Mac asked.

"We wanted to show you something." Luna said as she used her horn to unlock a door that was on her wall. It glowed brightly as the magical lock on it disappeared and the door opened. Macintosh stepped inside and saw a large glowing rock.

"While we were on the moon, we gathered moon rocks and diamonds and brought them back here for unknown purposes. When I was freed by the elements, I didn't know what to do with them so I kept them in here." Luna explained.

"Well they are very purdy." Big Mac said as Luna began to break off a piece of the moon rock and used her magic to tie a string through it.

"Here take this." Luna said as she put around Big Mac's neck. "It is a good luck charm."

"Well ah don't know what to say." Big Mac said as he admired the shiny foreign rock around his neck. He was never one for looking fancy but this rock sure did have a nice look.

"There is nothing to say, you have done more for me than I can ever repay you." Luna said as she looked into his eyes. Big Mac became lost in her deep blue eyes. He had never seen more beautifully colored eyes his whole life. The two leaned in for a kiss as they wrapped their hooves around each others neck. The two fell backwards onto Luna's bed. Luna lie on top of Big Mac as the two continued to passionately kiss each other.

"Big Mac?" Luna asked.

"Eeyup?" He replied.

"Do you mind taking your armor off? It's pretty uncomfortable to lay on." Luna said. Big Mac nodded his head as began to take off his COLT armor. He put the several hundred pound armor on the ground and sat on the bed. Luna got back on top of him

"Is this better?" He asked.

"Yes, much better." Luna said as she felt his warm and muscular body instead of the rough and cold armor. The two resumed kissing as Luna moved up and glided her hips upwards causing Macintosh to get excited in his lower area. Both realized what had just happened as Big Mac burned up and Luna jumped away flushed red.

"Ah'm sorry!" Big Mac said as he proceeded to put his armor back on.

"No its okay it was my fault." Luna said as Big Mac looked in the mirror ashamed of himself.

"Ah don't think we should do that again." Big Mac said. "We ain't even married."

"Not yet." Luna said jokingly. "But you are right, I just lost control."

"Ah understand." Big Mac said as he gave Luna a quick hug. The two embraced each other for a while before they decided to head back to the throne room.

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Autumn had decided to retreat from all the drama and walked to the Canterlot gardens with Rarity.

"Autumn, I don't think I ever asked about your family." Rarity said.

"I have three brothers, Spring Leaf, Summer Leaf, and the youngest Winter Leaf." Autumn said.

"Are they all in the military as well?" Rarity asked.

"Yes, Summer and Spring are older than me so they were in the fight before me and my little brother Winter just enlisted eight months ago." Autumn said.

"All boys huh?" Rarity asked. Growing up with all boys would explain Autumn's violent temper and sarcasm.

"It was quite a fiasco in my house. We were always getting into fights with each other." Autumn said laughing at some of the memories. "But we always had each others backs when we needed it."

"What do you mean?" Rarity asked.

"Stalliongrad isn't a very nice town to begin with. It is full of thugs and gangs and I grew up in the middle of it." Autumn explained. "I still remember that one fight where we all got our butts handed to us."

Stalliongrad, Several Years ago

"Autumn?" A mare named Tundra called out.

"Yes mom? A young Autumn replied.

"Can you run to the grocery store with Winter and pick up some milk?" Tundra asked.

"Alright." Autumn said reluctantly as he went to get his nine year old brother. "Winter, we have to run out for mom."

"Now?" Winter replied.

"Yes now." Autumn said. Winter moaned as he got up and followed his brother out the door. Autumn and Winter proceeded down the streets cautiously, there was a lot of thug activity in this part of town. The two brothers went in a purchased the milk and were about to leave when Autumn had to use the bathroom.

"Stay right here I'm going to the bathroom." Autumn said as Winter sat down and waited.

"Well, well, well. Whats do weze have here?" A large earth pony asked as a gang of ponies went up to Winter.

"Looks like mommy sent him to get his milk!" A pegasus said laughing. "Did mommy send you to fetch her some milk?"

"Um yes." Winter nervously replied.

"Im pretty thirsty. How bout givin me some?" One of the thugs asked.

"Ok maybe just a little." Winter said as he poured a little milk into the cap which served as a cup. The thug slapped the cup away and took the whole jug and chugged it.

"HEY!" Winter yelled angrily.

"Ohh that hit the spot! Thanks squirt!" The thug said as he threw the jug at Winter. The glass from the jug shattered causing Winter's face to be cut up.

"HEY!" Autumn yelled. He had just come out of the bathroom. "What do you think your doing?"

"Heh another shrimp." A thug said.

"Nopony hurts my little brother except me!" Autumn yelled as he ran up and bucked one of the thugs in the leg.

"AHH! You little brat!" The thug said as he kicked Autumn square in the stomach. The thug was going to hit Autumn again when he was knocked down by two earth ponies.

"Spring! Summer!" Autumn said happily as his two older brothers stepped in.

"Who do you boys think you are picking on our lil bros?" Spring snorted.

"What you gonna do bout it cupcake?" A thug asked.

"This!" Summer said as he ran up and knocked the thug out with a well placed blow to the head. The thugs immediately converged on the four brothers as they tried to fend them off. The four brothers were overwhelmed by the group of ten thugs and were beaten and left on the street.

"Bucking punks." The thug leader said as the thugs walked away.

Present Day

"Oh my, that sounds dreadful!" Rarity gasped.

"That wasn't the last brawl the four of us got into." Autumn said. "We eventually gained a reputation as the toughest ponies around."

"Where are your brothers now?" Rarity asked.

"I dunno, I lost contact with them after I went to COLTS training." Autumn explained.

"Well I'm sure they are very proud of you." Rarity said.

"Yeah, I'm sure they are." Autumn said looking up into the sky as Rarity leaned into his shoulder.

"Sweetie Belle would love Winter. Winter didn't get his cutie mark till he was fifteen." Autumn said.

"Really?" Rarity asked.

"Yup. Nopony ever said anything to him though cause they knew his brothers would beat the livin daylights out of them if they did." Autumn said.

"Well you and your brothers certainly were close." Rarity said.

"That we were, that we were." Autumn said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Twilight do I have to do this?" Deadeye whined as Twilight buttoned the top button on his dress uniform.

"Yes, and there is no way you are getting out of this." Twilight said.

"Well your brother and I aren't exactly on the best terms right now." Deadeye said. Deadeye was still angry at Shining Armor for leading the assault on COLTS-01.

"You two seemed to be fine when you rescued me." Twilight said. "Besides I want you to meet my parents."

"I wish I still had family for you to meet." Deadeye said looking down. Deadeye had no parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins or anything. He was the last of his bloodline.

"Hey." Twilight said as she nuzzled him. "It'll be okay, you're part of my family now."

"Thanks Twilight." Deadeye said smiling as the two headed to Twilights parents house. Deadeye was nervous about this. Not to long ago all these ponies wanted him dead.

"Twilight! Sweetheart!" Mrs. Sparkle said as she ran up to her daughter and hugged her.

"Hey pumpkin." Mr. Sparkle said as he did the same.

"Dad! You're embarrassing me!" Twilight said laughing as her dad hugged her.

"Who is that stallion?" Mrs. Sparkle said pointing to Deadeye who had not yet come in and was trying to hide behind a carriage.

"Uh!" Twilight said as she ran out and pushed Deadeye into the doorway. "Mom, Dad, this Captain Deadeye."

"Ah the COLT!" Mr. Sparkle said as he shook Deadeye's hoof. He was quite intimidated by Deadeye's massive size and reputation.

"Pleasure to meet you Mr and Mrs. Sparkle." Deadeye said in an emotionless tone.

"Come into the dining room, my son and daughter in law are cooking dinner." Mr. Sparkle said as he lead Twilight and Deadeye into the dining room. Deadeye hit his head on a low hanging chandelier.

"AH MOTHERBU-" He said before catching himself. "My apologies."

"Don't worry dear." Mrs. Sparkle said. Deadeye walked in and saw Shining Armor holding his children. A surge of anger shot up in Deadeye as he saw Armor.

"I believe you already know my son, Captain Shining Armor." Mr. Sparkle said.

"Yes, I do." Deadeye spat with a hateful tone. Twilight gave him a dirty look when she detected the anger in his voice.

"Well let's have supper." Mr. Sparkle said as Cadence came out with an assortment of pasta and steamed vegetables.

"So Captain." Mrs. Sparkle said. "I hear you are quite the soldier."

"Yes." Deadeye said as he took a bite out of his food.

"My son is also a good swordsman himself." Mr. Sparkle said.

"Yes, I'm sure everypony at COLTS-01 thought the exact same thing." Deadeye said as everypony dropped their silverware.

"Deadeye!" Twilight shouted in shock.

"What does he mean?" Mrs. Sparkle asked. The Sparkles knew of the framing of the COLTS but they were not aware that Shining Armor had personally led the assault.

"Oh you mean you don't know?" Deadeye said as he rose to his full height by standing on his back hooves.

"Deadeye stop this right now!" Twilight yelled.

"Your son here was the one who led the assault on COLTS-01 after we were framed!" Deadeye said getting angry.

"What?" Mr and Mrs Sparkle said at the same time.

"Buried quite a few bodies while he was there too!" Deadeye said as Shining Armor looked down in shame.

"Deadeye!" Twilight screamed at the top of her lungs. "OUTSIDE NOW!"

"Son, what does he mean?" Mrs. Sparkle asked.

"When we thought the COLTS were evil, I was put in charge of the assault on their base. I aided in the k-k-killing of all the COLTS there." Armor said broken hearted.

"It wasn't your fault Shining!" Cadence said coming to her husbands defense. "Everypony was fooled."

"It's okay son we don't blame you. But it appears you must make amends with this Deadeye." Mr. Sparkle said.

"I know, I know." Armor said. Outside, Twilight was giving Deadeye quite the ass-chewing.

"What is the matter with you!?" Twilight yelled. "Do you even realize some of the some stuff you just said?"

"Yeah but he-" Deadeye retorted.

"Do you have any idea how terrible and guilty my brother feels about this? He went into a huge depression and had to go to suicide counseling because he was so upset about this!" Twilight said.

"Do you have any idea how terrible I feel?" Deadeye said. "When you watch your only family die in your hooves than you can come to talk to me!"

"Listen." Twilight said in a much gentler and quieter tone. "I know this must be hard for you but I love you but I also love my brother and I don't want you two to be on bad blood with each other."

"I'm sorry Twilight, it's just- I don't know if I can ever forgive him for what happened." Deadeye said.

"You'll learn in time." Twilight said as she kissed Deadeye.

Author's Notes:

Looks like Deadeye is still pretty pissed off, not that I blame him of course. R&R I hope that scene with Luna and Mac wasn't too dirty.

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." - Albert Einstein