C.O.L.T.S II

Three Hours Earlier.

Big Mac had never felt this good his entire life, the hot clean water in shower washed away the dirt, blood, sweat and any other foul particles on his body. His armor had been completely taken off and though he felt naked without it, he felt much more free with it off. All of his wounds had healed save for his ear which had been cut off. After the warm water soothed and relaxed his fatigued and tense muscles, he got out and dried off. He felt like a new pony as he looked in the mirror. He heard his stomach rumble and remembered he hadn't eaten in nearly a day, or eight years for that matter. He headed downstairs to the food court of the hotel the ponies at Dodge Junction had given him for free. He hoped nopony would swarm him when he went in as he desired to eat in peace without much commotion as was his nature. He surprisingly found it to be devoid of life save the cooks who were making the food.

"I figured you might want some peace and quiet form the mobs of fanponys out there." The hotel owner said.

"Thanks, ah appreciate it." Big Mac said as he got a plate of hay fries.

"Um sir, my son is a huge fan of the COLTS. He wants to be one when he is older. Could I get your autograph to give him?" The hotel owner asked nervously. Big Mac was shocked, when he was bucking apples at Sweet Apple Acres he never imagined ponies would ask for his autograph.

"Eeyup." Big Mac said as he signed a picture of Big Mac in his COLT armor. Apparently he even had his own action figures and arcade games now.

"Thank you so much sir! If there is anything I can do for you!" The owner said.

"Actually." Big Mac said realizing he never asked anypony how long he was gone for. "How long was ah gone for?"

"Eight years." The owner said. Big Mac was relived it was only eight years instead of a hundred meaning his family and friends were all still alive. Since he did not age while he was in suspended animation, his sister Applejack was now technically the oldest apple sibling as Big Mac was biologically twenty years old while Applejack was twenty six. He shrugged off the odd though as another question formulated in his mind.

"Mah teammates, what ever happened to them?" Big Mac asked.

"They were all found and are alive and healthy." The owner said ignorant of the fact Discord had wiped their memories.

"Thanks thats all ah needed to know." Big Mac said as he dove into his food which tasted like heaven after eating wild grass in the Everfree Forest. After he had his fill he went back to his room and laid down on the bed for a while. He couldn't wait to see his family again even if Applejack was not technically older than him. He heard a knock at the door and ran over there. He looked through the peephole and saw General Blue River with two Marine escorts. Big Mac opened the door and saluted the general.

"Well this is a sight I never thought I'd see again." Blue River said smiling observing Big Mac. "At ease COLT, it's been far too long."

"Eeyup." Big Mac said.

"I'm sure you are eager to see your team and family again, am I correct?" Blue River asked.

"Eeyup!" Big Mac replied.

"You will in time, I have a chariot outside ready to take you to Canterlot but first I need a debrief." Blue River said.

"Eeyup." Big Mac said.

"Guards, make sure nopony enters this room!" Blue River said to the Marine escorts.

"Yes sir!" They replied as they shut the door and guarded it. Blue River then turned to Big Mac.

"Deadeye, Autumn, Biltz, and Shadow were found two weeks ago and when they were found it took a team of doctors and technicians to remove them from cyro-sleep. I doubt you had access to either in that cave so how did you escape?" Blue River asked.

"I was taken by a feller by the name of Discord to a King Sombra." Big Mac said. Blue River's ears perked at this.

"Did you say Discord?" Blue River asked interested.

"Eeyup, apparently the two are working together." Big Mac said. Blue River already had a feeling of that so it was no surprise.

"What else did you find out?" Blue River asked.

"He offered me to join him to overthrow Celestia and Luna but ah refused. He then picked me up and said if ah didn't do it by choice he would make me. He zapped me with some fancy magic but it didn't work. Turns out that the same spells that were used to make the COLTS were the ones he used to make his own super soldiers. Because of that he claimed he could control me but since the elements of harmony purified me and mah team ah was immune to it." Big Mac said.

"Interesting." Blue River said. "What happened next?"

"He had two of these things called Mordras attack me. They were so strong! Ah killed one of em but mah ear got sliced off and mah armor got completely destroyed!" Big Mac said.

"I was wondering what happened to your ear." Blue River said.

"Ah ran into the forest to escape and a patrol of the Mordras came after me, ah killed another one and escaped. After days of running, ah came to Dodge Junction where ah saw the airship fallin and here we are." Big Mac said.

"Quite a story." Blue River said. "Listen, what you said here is classified above 'top secret'. If what you said is true we could be in some deep crud."

"Ah understand sir." Big Mac said.

"Right, lets get you back to Canterlot." Blue River said as the ponies boarded the carriage for Canterlot.

"Command this is General Blue River, COLT Omega Two had been found, I repeat COLT Omega Two has been found." Blue River said into a magical radio to COLTS-02. Big Mac could hear the cheers from where he was sitting.

"Copy that General, we'll inform the family." A COLT-II said back.

"General?" Big Mac asked.

"Yeah son?" Blue River replied.

"Who were you talkin too? Are they new COLTS?" Big Mac asked.

"After you disappeared the COLT-II program was launched. Unfortunately, the secret to making and training COLT-I's died with Colonel Striper. We found some old records in the ruin of the original COLT base and we were able to remake the augmentation spells. However the COLT-II's are nowhere near as strong or fast as you are." Blue River said.

"So there are no COLT-I's? Big Mac asked.

"Other than you and your team no. Like I said, only Striper knew how to properly train COLTS and plus since there is no war, the need for lethal super soldiers has gone. The COLT-II's act more as a peacekeeping police force rather than a spec ops unit. I believe you may know a few.:

"Who is one that ah would know?" Big Mac asked.

"Your former DI, Lt Skullcruser, Commander Soarin, Corporal Pipsqueak, Private Featherwieght, Private Rumble, and Sergeant Spike." Blue River said. Big Mac couldn't believe what he was hearing. Skullcrusher was a COLT now? And Pip the little guy? And who would have guessed Spike.

"Wait isn't Soarin a pegasus? Ah thought only earth ponies could be COLTS." Big Mac said.

"As I said before, the COLT-II training is not as rigorous or dangerous as the COLT-I training was. Because of this it is not exclusive to earth ponies as much anymore but tradition was kept as only earth ponies could join even now. An exception was made for Soarin because of his many battles and service." Blue River said.

"Ah see." Big Mac said as the carriage went over the horizon towards Canterlot and home.

XXXX

Pip almost went deaf from the loud cheers of the ponies when it was confirmed that Big Mac was alive.

"I knew they couldn't kill him!" A COLT-II shouted loudly.

"HAOOH!" They all shouted. Pip decided he should inform Applebloom, she would love to hear this.

"Commander permission to leave sir?" Pip asked the second-in-command CO.

"For what reason?" The CO asked.

"To inform the family." Pip said.

"Permission granted COLT." The CO said as Pip took off towards Ponyville. He couldn't wait to see the look on Applebloom's face when he told her the news. He ran for about thirty minuteS before he reached the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres. The sweet scent of apples fill his nostrils as he searched for the mare. He found her in the fields with her nephew.

"APPLEBLOOM!" Pip called out. The mare turned her head and saw Pip in the distance.

"Pip?" She said as the stallion ran down to her.

"Applebloom I have something really important to tell you!" Pip said.

"What? What is it?" She asked.

"Your brother, he's alive." Pip said. Applebloom's mouth dropped. She hadn't seen her brother in eight years! Was he really alive?

"Mah brothers alive?" She said quitely. "MAH BROTHERS ALIVE!" She shouted in joy as she hugged Pip.

"Aunt Applebloom? Does this mean I'll meet Uncle Big Mac?" Little Mac asked.

"Of course it does sugarcube!" Applebloom said happily as she embraced her nephew. "Come on! Let's go get Aj and Skullcrusher!".

"Hop on my back, we'll go faster if i run." Pip said as Applebloom and Little Mac mounted on Pip's back as he prepared to take off.

"Hold on!" Pip said as he sprinted full speed. The trees turned to blurs as he picked up speed. They eventually reached the restaurant where the whole incident had taken place.

"We're here." Pip said to Applebloom and Little Mac who were holding tightly onto his armor. "Hey you okay?"

"Please Pip don't ever do that again." Applebloom said as she got off completely dizzy from the ride.

"Sorry." Pip said embarrassed as he helped Applebloom to her feet. He then walked into the restaurant to see the COLTS and mares hugging each other.

"Bloody hell did I miss something? He thought to himself. Then he remembered why he was here.

"What is it Pip?" Applejack asked.

"They found him! They found Big Mac!" Pip said as the room went dead silent. You could hear a pin drop till Deadeye went up to Pip.

"If you are lying I swear I'll-" Deadeye said as Applebloom entered.

"He's tellin the truth! Applebloom said to Deadeye. The room went silent once again before erupting in cheers and tears.

"Ma am ah gonna see uncle Big Mac?" Little Mac asked his mother.

"Sure thing honey!" Applejack said sniffling. Skullcrusher, Soarin, and Spike came running in.

"Did you hear?" Spike shouted.

"We sure did!" Twilight said happily.

"Honey!" Skullcrusher said as he nuzzled Applejack. "He's back!"

"Ah know. Mah family is together again." Applejack said as she hugged her husband and son.

"What are we waiting for lets go see him!" Rainbow shouted as she began to fly out the window.

"Hang on Dash, not everypony here can fly." Soarin said calming his fiancees rash attitude.

"Oh eh sorry." She said.

"I'll call in a carriage." Pip said.

"No that'll take way too long!" Autumn said.

"I agree, Twilight could you teleport us there?" Deadeye asked.

"I'll try but it might now work, we are talking teleporting fifteen ponies here!" Twilight said. "Alright everypony let me concentrate." Twilight's horn lit up as a purple aura surrounded each pony. They hoisted into the air and with a poof they were gone. They all reopened their eyes to find themselves in Canterlot where Big Mac was alleged to be.

"Did it work?" Fluttershy asked.

"Why yes it did! Look there is Fancy Pant's mansion!" Rarity said recognizing the Canterlot landmark.

"And now we wait!" Twilight said. COLTS Omega, the COLT-II's, and the elements were all impatiently waiting for Big Mac but he hadn't shown up yet. They were all pumped and excited to finally see him again.

"Where is he?" Applejack asked after twenty minutes.

"Is he not here?" Pinkie asked. "Cause that would totally ruin the surprise party I made for him!"

"We've only known he's alive for ten minutes! How could you make a whole party in less then ten minutes?" Autumn asked confused.

"Its Pinkie Pie, she defies logic." Rainbow whispered into the stallions ear.

"Gotcha." Autumn said still confused at the pink ponies claim.

"COLTS spread out, try and find him." Deadeye said.

"Yes sir!" The COLTS replied.

"That wont be necessary captain." A warm and gentle voice said. The ponies all turned to see a large red stallion with an orange mane standing behind them smiling. Their hearts jumped at seeing the beloved friend and brother again after all these years. The mane six and Applebloom felt tears sting their eyes.

"Wow, y'all have changed a lot in eight years!" Big Mac said. "Applebloom! Your all grown up now! You even got yer cutie mark!"

"Big Mac!" She cried. She wanted to run and hug him but she too frozen in shock to move. Blitz was biting his lip trying not to cry but ultimately failed.

"Its him!" Fluttershy said happily.

"YOU KNUCKLEHEAD!" Autumn yelled as he gave Big Mac a noogie. "We thought you were dead!"

"BIG MAC!" Blitz said crying as he tackled Macintosh to the ground.

"Your really here!" Shadow said joining in on the dogpile.

"Ah missed you guys!" Big Mac said hugging his team mates. He was so happy they were all alive and unharmed.

"Alright this is getting gay again." Autumn said again noticing how long they were hugging.

"Hey Autumn remember when I told you to shut up? That order still stands." Deadeye said as he went up to the dog pile "Welcome back soldier, you've done us proud." Deadeye said holding his hoof out helping Big Mac to his feet. When Big Mac was on his feet Deadeye hugged him tightly. Something Big Mac was not expecting.

"Welcome back Big Mac." Soarin said clanking hooves with Big Mac.

"Big Mac ah missed you!" Applejack said going up to her brother and nuzzling him.

"Ah missed you too AJ." Big Mac said when he noticed a clump of red fur behind Applejacks legs.

"Um AJ who is behind yer legs.?" Big Mac asked.

"Oh Little Mac come meet yer uncle!" Applejack said. Big Mac assumed Skullcrusher was the father. Big Mac looked up to see his former DI smiling at him.

"I knew they couldn't kill you, after all it was me who trained you." Skullcrusher said clanking hooves with Big Mac.

"Eeyup!" Big Mac said.

"Private Macintosh! What did I say about saying 'eeyup' in my beloved Corps!?" Skullcrusher said in his mean voice causing the two to laugh. Big Mac looked down again to see a tiny colt with red fur and a yellow mane looking at him with green eyes.

"Um... hello." Little Mac said nervously. Big Mac bent down to eye level with the colt.

"Hi there, whats yer name." Big Mac said with a friendly smile.

"Little Macintosh." Little Mac said nervously.

"Ah'm Big Macintosh." Big Mac said. The two stood there staring at each other till Little Mac ran up to Big Mac.

"UNCLE BIG MAC!" He screamed jumping onto Big Mac's back. The two laughed as Big Mac hugged and kissed his nephew for the first time. Expressions of d'awww filled the courtyard they were in. After letting Little Mac go, Big Mac went up to Applebloom.

"You look just like ma did." Big Mac said as he hugged his little sister. "Still got yer half?" He said pulling out half a heart necklace.

"You bet ah do!" She cried pulling out her half of the hear necklace Big Mac gave her ten years ago when he first left for Marine basic training at Fort Hoovler. Applejack joined in as the three siblings held onto each other for what seemed like forever. There was one more pony Macintosh needed to see.

"Big Mac?" Macintosh turned to see a blue alicorn princess staring at him in awe. His heart burst out of his chest.