Author's Note

Hey there, the few people who actually read my stories. How are you? The first part is missing but it's not that important. It's not exactly a PREVIEW but more like I'm already done but I dont have the first part. I still plan on putting it back when I get back from the U.S to the Phillipines. I wasn't allowed to bring my laptop and the first part was in that laptop. So it's either wait for a whole month and publish this thing complete or publish this now and tell everyone I'm still here writing and I'm not dead. I mean, I laugh at holocaust memes so I must have no soul. Anyway, I would like to thank the people who upvoted because you were my inspiration to continue this story. Uh just to let everyone know, I didn't spend my time playing Fortnite or Roblox. No, I spent it on My Little Pony: Magic Princess. It's a better game than both of them. What am I saying? Nobody cares about what I say. Anyway, have fun reading, I guess. Does it make it worse if I typed this on my phone?

A day in Ponyville(Preview)

Hektor steadied his breathing before peering in to his scope. There, just over a hundred yards away and barely covered by the dense forest of the Everfree, was a small group of changelings wandering ‘aimlessly’. They were easy to see with their black chitin and their obvious lack of any knowledge about stealth but once they got inside the Everfree, he would often lose them. He wished that he could engage, kill them all, slaughter any of them who tried to come near, make them lose interest and flee in terror but no. He wanted to know what they were up to and this is what has to happen if he wanted to. And even if he didn’t, majority of the populace would condemn him of cold-blooded murder, even if they were the enemy. Because this was Equestria, where the rules of engagement are simple yet punishing at times: Fire only if fired upon. While he particularly disliked this, he had to follow. In just a week, these ponies had done things that made him question what would have happened if he had attacked them instead of helping. He sighed, neglecting these thoughts and instead focusing back to what he was doing previously.

“Damnit, where did you bugs go?” He scanned the dense greenery for any movement but came up empty. “Blast it. And here I am, thinking I could know of their plan but I let them get away again.” With a sound of frustration and slight agitation, he began packing his things so he could go back to Ponyville. He wished he could continue but the last three days of wandering the outskirts of the Everfree forest felt like a big waste of time and if he were being honest, it probably was. He picked up his crudely made Mosin Nagant and holstered it on his shoulder. He began to put everything else in his bags but stopped. One of his rations was missing. He cursed under his breath and began to take inventory of everything else he had. He found everything to be in good order but noticed a gash in one of the satchels. The tear was pretty new and couldn’t have been more than a day since it was there.He sighed and proceeded to grab his belongings. He hoped to get this fixed by Rarity at a low cost. Rarity might be a talented designer but most of her clients were rich to a degree and unfortunately, he came nowhere near the amount of wealth they had. After all, being a member of the Royal Guard doesn't pay very well and Rarity usually makes and creates but not exactly to fix. The fashionista is very creative and all but she costs more than usual if you want something custom made. The same could be applied to his satchel, which he had designed to stand against severe weather conditions.

He could amount the price to about seventy bits to get his satchel patched up. He only earned about fifty bits a week doing this guard stuff which was a bummer. Even more so is the fact that sooner or later he was going to have to get his own necessities. Spike had been generous enough in waking up very early and cooking him some food. He assumed that Twilight woke up early as well so he usually finished early and leave by the time she woke up. Adding the lack of bits and his desire not to be a dead weight to those around him, it meant that he was a bag down. He sighed to himself and picked up his belongings. He strapped on his bags and camping equipment before walking off into the direction of Ponyville, the sounds of his boots stepping on wet soil being his only companion. He just wished it didn't rain last night. It not only dampened his surroundings, it also dampened his spirit.

Back in Ponyville, things were still the usual. Mares bought their grocery, the few stallions that were there were constanly being watched over. There was the constant threat of something crazy happening in Ponyville. You know, the usual. However, things were slightly a bit off in The Crystal Castle.

Twilight yawned as she tried to keep awake. She and her friends had been debating about what to do with that Starlight mare and it had been going on all night. Normally, she was used to being up all night but that was on an activity she enjoyed doing which was reading. She loved her friends and all but combining that and their very extreme sense of politics... well, things aren't exactly fun.

"Girls, please. No need to shout. I know that this is serious but we need to keep a level head. As a Princess of Equestria, I need to have an unbiased and sound judgement. If I am to keep that up, I atleast need my loyal friends and advisors to be that as well."

Majority of the occupants in the Crystal Castle's Map room nodded but Rainbow Dash slammed a hoof onto the table/map."I get what you mean Twi but we can't just let her get off scot free. You hear what she did, actually scratch that. You SAW what she did. There is no way you're saying that you're gonna let her get away with it simply because she was reformed. And how do we know she truly changed?!"

"Now now, Rainbow Dash. No need to get antsy. I'm sure she regretted her actions, right? Heh heh he." Rarity looked at the other elements and saw the unconvinced look on their faces. "I can't believe I managed to say that with a straight face." She muttered to herself, embarrassed. Applejack took this opportunity to voice her agreement with Rainbow.

"Now, listen here. In the very least, we punished Discord by taking away somepony that he cared about for atleast a little while. Ah don't see why it's fair not to give this gal what she deserves. It'll be like.. well, actually ah can't think of something." Everypony groaned as they realized this was being stretched for far too long. Even Fluttershy was unusually bored and silent when normally she'd try to be respectful and listen whenever somepony spoke.

"Fine," Twilight confessed." This is getting us nowhere. If we can't reach an agreement that Starlight Glimmer should not receive punishment, I'll have to bring this up to Celestia and this will be brought up to court where she won't have the same amount of leniency that we are currently giving her. It's obvious she's guilty as can be but she's changed. If we try, we can shape her up like we did to Discord. Who agrees with me that she shouldn't receive punishment?" Twilight herself raised her own hoof and she was accompanied by Rarity.

"I personally believe anypony could change, no matter how much of a brute they might act."

"Okay, who doesn't agree?" Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash's hooves rose up. Only Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy didn't, with the former confused by who to listen and is currently undergoing a mental breakdown and the latter who was afraid to upset anypony and decided to abstain. Twilight sighed.

"If that's the case, I have no choice but to bring her to court. Whatever happens to her, it'll be the fault of the parties responsible." Upon hearing this, Rainbow Dash and Applejack both gulped upon realization that this pony's blood was on their hooves if she got executed and this terrified them. But before anypony could say anything, Spike showed up.

"What about Hektor? His opinion could be valuable. After all, his opinion is heard by Celestia himself." Spike objected.

"Yes, I know that his opinion is very valuable as Princess Celestia takes his words into consideration but I have not met him long enough to trust him. The few encounters I had with him was during the search, the few moments I got to talk with him and our quick encounters with each other. I wanted to ask him questions about what he knows so I could learn about him and get a quick gist of his true nature. He somehow managed to evade all my attempts on this and adding the fact that I don't trust him, I don't really want to hear his opinion."

"But Twilight-" Slike was quickly cut off.

"No buts Spike. His opinion might be of some importance to Celestia but it doesn't matter for me. The only time his opinion would matter in this case is when this reaches court and seeing how we are at a stalemate, I will unfortunately have to send Starlight Glimmer to Canterlot and be judged by Celestia herself. I declare this meeting adjourned."

Starlight Glimmer was currently seated in one of the lounge areas, waiting for what the outcome would be. She had thought about what she had done and realized that leniency was a pipe dream. She had gone back in time with the purpose to prevent an important event from happening, resulting in the destruction of Equestria. If she even got away from this, she would be thanking Twilight til the end of her days. If she didn't, she would stand no chance with Celestia. She sighed, wondering why did she even think setting up a village was even a smart idea.

Her ears perked up as she noticed the sound of hoofsteps got closer and much more louder. She got up from her seat and waited for them at the door. When the door opened, she was greeted by Twilight, who didn't look very happy, Dash and Applejack, who refused to look her in the eye and Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy, who tried to give her an encouraging smile. Twilight approached her with a face that only meant bad news.

"Starlight... I'm sorry. I tried my best but..." From that alone, she knew. Her head drooped down to the ground as she knew she had no chance with Celestia. If even Twilight couldn't get her friends to be convinced, how was Celestia going to give her any leniency when even the Princess of friendship couldn't get her closest friends to forgive her. In the end, she was grateful Twilight even tried. She didn't deserve to be forgiven. Not after what she did.

"It's okay Twilight. I understand."

"It's really great to see you acting postively even after such bad news. I promise I'll make it up to you in court. Celestia was my mentor so I hope she can lessen your punishment if I declare that I will make you my pupil."

Starlight smiled at her, knowing somepony believed in her, even if she didn't even believe in herself. "It's okay Twilight. Atleast you tried. In truth, I don't deserve any of this. What I've done-"

"Is in the past." Twilight interrupted. "I have seen the new you. I know that you have changed. I believe in you." Twilight flashed her a smile.

Starlight smiled back. "Thank you Twilight. You're going through so much effort just for me." Starlight yawned, as she hadn't gotten much sleep throughout the night. Twilight noticed this.

"Starlight, if you're tired, you can follow Spike. He'll lead you to Hektor's room. It's the only room that's maintained and outfitted with furniture. I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Twilight suggested, secretly using Starlight as a test subject to see what Hektor was like if he was alone with a mare. 'Sorry Starlight but I might as well since I did everything for you and all that.'

Starlight, being too tired to question who Hektor was, simply nodded and began to follow Spike, looking forward to taking a rest now that she could finally sleep free from the fears that plagued her the night before.

As Hektor entered the Town Square, he looked immediately for Blitz, knowing that he had to report back to high command, even though the only thing high about them was probably the stick up their ass. He didn't trust the female guards because he knew stallions were looked down upon as weak and helpless and some took this to the extreme, making things as simple as asking questions more difficult than not asking and winging it. He scoured the marketplace, looking for him. He wasn't hard to spot, since his gray coat and blue eyes stuck out among the brightly colored ponies there, not to mention his shiny as fuck golden armor. He saw a glimpse of him near Sugarcube corner but lost him when he got close. He gave up and decided to head to the Crystal Castle, wanting to take a rest after the long trek that he had managed.

He opened the door and found it to be dead silent. He thought to himself that they must be asleep but It's nearly noon so Twilight must have done an all-nighter. He wandered through the castle, eventually stumbling into the kitchen and inevitably, Spike. He greeted Spike with a casual wave.

"Hey Spike. Where is everyone else?"

Spike shrugged. "They're back in their homes, asleep. Twilight is in her room, currently asleep as well. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night. In fact, she only got in bed just a few hours ago." He waltzed on over to one of the refrigerators and opened, grabbing a cheese sandwich and popping it into a microwave. For a very unadvanced society concerning technology, microwaves really seemed out of place. Then again, they were powered by magic, not electricity, so it was all significantly easier.

He waited for his sandwich to be heated up as he prepared a glass of cold lemonade. The microwave made a 'ding' sound and he knew it was done. He grabbed it and ate it in silence, occasionally taking sips from his lemonade. When he was nearly finished, Spike came through the door.

"Hey Hektor. There's a mare in your room by the way." Hektor nearly choked on his sandwich at this. When he could finally speak, he grabbed his lemonade and drank it before finally responding.

"What the hell Spike? For the last time, I. Don't. Need. A. Mare. Thank you but no thank you. I am not a typical stallion. I can take care of myself just fine." By this point, Spike had backed up quite a considerable amount.

"Woah woah there big guy. I didn't do it! I swear! Pinkie promise! It was Twilight! She told me to bring her to your room."

He groaned at the prospect with dealing with a mare who thinks that she's some hot stuff. "Why Spike. Why my room? What about yours?"

Spike had blushed considerably. "Twilight probably would have but the thing is... Heat's coming up and Twilight knows what I'm like when I get overpowered by any desire." Hektor didn't know what heat was. So like every curious idiot, he just had to ask.

"What's heat?"

Spike blushed even more profusely, embarrassed to speak about such a topic, even if it was a fully grown adult. "It's... basically mating season. Except mares get a bit... too close and aggressive in my opinion. They're very possesive with stallions, seeing as how they have a mindset that they took care of the stallion, they should get their turn. Unfortunately, the mares might be relieved by the end of it but I'm not sure about the stallion's well-being."

"Oof, that sounds real bad." He winced at the prospect of getting fucked until you're practically dead. "But what about what you said about desires?"

Spike stammered at the question. "U-um.. I o-often don't get asked the question but.. basically what I said is that Twilight's afraid I'll fuck the mare until she's walking funny. This is why I often wear face masks to avoid smelling pheromones." Oh.

"Alright then, Spike. Take care. I'll go up to my room after I finish this sandwich." Spike nodded in understanding.

"Alright, I'll get going now." He said as he left the room. Hektor, all alone, knew exactly why Twilight did this. It was a test. He hadn't got a chance to speak with her yet so she probably doesn't trust him. She was testing him if he would take advantage of a sleeping mare who was all alone and exhausted. Of course, he wouldn't. There was a big difference from commiting war crimes to practically molesting someone. While he did find some mares as beautiful, he doubted he'd be having sex with any of them anytime since most of them don't think that much of him. Of course, there was no way he was taking advantage of anyone but when the heat strikes them, he wasn't sure if these mares wouldn't take advantage of him.

He shrugged it off and left the kitchen after cleaning up his mess. He climbed up the stairs and made a beeline for his room. He wasn't sure who was in his room so he slowly opened the door. The first thing he noticed was the soft sound of someone snoring. It sounded so heavenly to his ears. The soft snores struck a chord in his heart. It sounded so peaceful, melodic, which contrasted to what his ears had often heard back on Earth. The second thing he noticed was the faint smell of something odd in the air. He couldn't place what it was so he just ignored it.

He entered the room completely and saw her. Spike wasn't kidding when he said there was a mare in his room. The mare was splayed out across his bed, deep in slumber. He slowly stepped forward, acknowledging the possibility that Twilight was watching him or in the very least recording this room. Slowly but surely, he made it across the room and stood there by the edge of the bed. He wanted to take a rest but he didn't want to disturb her. He picked her up slowly by her shoulders, noticing how soft her coat felt on his hands. He moved her across the bed and tucked her into bed and draped her with his blanket, making sure she stayed asleep. He watched her sleep and found her to be almost angelic. The rise and fall of her chest was hypnotizing and the way her flank was covered up by her tail, covering her-

'Woah woah there. Didn't I just say that this was probably a test. I look really creepy just standing there, watching her sleep. I just met her, there is no way I am going to be checking her out in such a compromising position.' He thought to himself. He couldn't help it, he's a male and this was all programmed into him. He was born with the natural instinct to look at a female and check her features out.

He shook his head, trying to keep himself from looking at her in such light. She was probably a really kind mare and here he was looking at her without even a single ounce of respect for her privacy. He sat down by the edge of the bed and proceeded to take off his shoes. He placed them by the side of the bed and lied down. He tried to keep himself from her but couldn't help casting a glance at her every now and then. He closed his eyes in frustration and attempted to fall asleep. However, everytime he was about to fall asleep, his thoughts would wake him up. His mind went to multiple areas, from her face and onto her rump. She was really pretty, that he couldn't deny. Her pink coat and her purple mane with a teal stripe that resembled Twilight's stripe, it was all really mesmerising. She slept so peacefully that he couldn't stop thinking about her. And then it happened. His mind began to wonder towards more... revealing thoughts. His mind began to wonder how good it must be to have his cock inside her. Images began to appear in his mind and they involved her in very compromising positions.

His eyes opened and he closed them again. He didn't want to look at her once more lest his imagination run even wilder that it already has. He began thinking of other things to keep his mind from her. He thought back on the war that he had left behind. He thought about his old life there. He thought about his old friend, Gavrie Sertuv. Then he thought about the first World War, then the second. He remembered the Holocaust, Stalingrad, and finally, Afghanistan. With all of these dark thoughts, he began to forget about the mare beside him. Finally, his mind calmed down and he finally got the rest and mental peace that he had wanted. There was something about this mare that made her different from the others. He didn't know why but he didn't particularly care for now. He was tired and it was more important than anything else.

Luna smiled to herself. He must have known somepony was watching him. Clever, if it wasn't obvious he was trained to act cautiously. She watched him sleep, knowing that she had caught a glimpse of how he acted. While it was invasive to look into his thoughts, she was suprised by how dirty his thoughts had been. What blew her away were what he had been thinking to keep himself from thinking about her. Two World wars, a Cold war and millions of dead people. This was the sort of world he lived in? It brought her discomfort that her sister let somepony like him stay in Equestria but she digressed. He had been a valuable asset in the army, considering he had done more than any member of the Royal Guard. The changelings were on the rise, that she had no doubt but to see them already in Equestria is honestly astounding. She was pleased with his work yet she knew he didn't do it out of his generosity. No, he had done so to get away from the mares in Ponyville who were a constant annoyance.

Luna liked the idea of a trained military but she found the Royal Guard to be more of a... dissapointment. She watched his actions in both public and private and noted how militaristic he acted. He only answered when spoken to, knew how to keep his mouth shut, did a great job and most importantly of all, was competent in his job. He outclassed every mare in the Royal Guard except for herself yet he was treated like dirt. She had an outward appreciation for Guards who acted with discipline and respect. He was well-trained, respectful, disciplined, skilled, dangerous and competent. These were adjectives that Luna found invaluable in her soldiers yet had never found in any of them.

Majority of the guards who were stallions were very respectful when they were in front of royalty but she knew how they acted when no one was watching them. They spoke lewdly of the princesses they were meant to protect. Even more so of Twilight, since she had no actual fighting skill. She hated stallions with a burning passion. She had seen what they have done, more so those in the royal guard. The few that were there often harassed Twilight, often while she was asleep and defenseless. Those in important positions treated her poorly when no one was watching with some of them even asking for sexual favors or hinting at innuendos. She disapproved of them but she could do nothing since they were in high ranking positions and there was no solid proof against them except for what she often sees in Twilight's dreams. Luna frowned, saddened by the fact that one of her peers were being treated so badly. She thought back to Hektor and saw him as perhaps the perfect guard to Twilight. It was clear he took his job seriously. He was a stark contrast from the few guardsponies who were stallions. She saw the stallions who were supposed to protect Twilight, one of the more weaker princesses of Equestria, often make lewd comments about her. There were only three stallions Luna saw as trustworthy: Blitz Krieg, Big Mac and Hektor Plekanov. She saw no other need for any other military presence than them. Blitz and Hektor were excellent in their profession and Big Mac was a strong and independent stallion who would do anything to protect his siblings. This made them a deadly trio. All that was needed was to convince Celestia to remove every other guard from the little town. Well, perhaps replace them with batponies. After all, terror comes during the night, not in the morning where it was slightly safer.

Blitz Krieg wandered through the streets of Ponyville, avoiding eye contact the whole time. He had been looking for Hektor, who was supposed to be back by this time. He hadn't been able to find him which was a bummer. He then realized that maybe Hektor would probably take a rest first. He walked around looking for the Crystal Castle, which in all honesty wasn't the hardest thing to do. He knocked on the massive doors and stood there, waiting for an answer. After a few moments, the door opened and he was greeted by Spike's smiling face. Blitz had met Spike not long ago, having only been transferred to Ponyville this week when Hektor came.

"Hey Spike. Have you seen Hektor? I've been looking for him all morning. He was supposed to return just this morning but it's almost noon." He asked.

"Hektor? Yeah, he came here." Spike answered. "He's in his room. I think he's asleep though. If you want, you could check if he's awake. I'm not really sure if he's asleep and I can't be bothered to because I'm still fixing the library."

"Oh thanks Spike. So uh, where do I go again?" Spike sighed, wondering why ponies had difficulty getting around the place. It was real simple if he was being honest.

"So you go up the stairs by the left and go straight ahead. It's the room with the yellow hammer and sickle on the door. Hektor himself placed it there because he gets lost looking for his room as well. Why do ponies find it so difficult? It's so easy!" Blitz giggled at his reaction. Perhaps he hadn't realized yet that he had lived his whole life organizing everything.

"Thanks Spike. Nopony really knows how much hard work you do remembering where every room in this castle is." He was halfway up the stairs before he heard him shout. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"

He smiled to himself. It was fun messing with the little guy. He knew how much hard work the guy put out everyday but it became a recurring joke between him, Hektor and Spike that nopony really notices him unless they were purposely looking for him or accidentally ran into him. He frowned at the thought. Spike was a good colt, he worked hard and was loyal yet nopony really cared. It was such a sad thing. By the time he had finished discussing it with himself, he was alreay infront of the door. A golden hammer and sickle adorned the front of the door. He had always wondered what it meant. It was clear it meant a great deal to Hektor but he never really understood why.

Slowly, he pushed open the door and found him to be asleep. He was about to turn when he noticed something. There were two snoring sounds. One of them was Hektor's snoring but there was a slightly softer, more feminine snoring. He turned back at him and noticed the tuft of mane sticking out. He inched closer to the bed and saw a pink mare beside him. Embarrassed to intrude on their privacy, he turned around to leave when he accidentally bumped into Hektor's weapon and it fell. It made a horribly loud sound and it made even more noise when it hit the desk. Afraid of being seen inside his room for fear of being caught invading his privacy, he panicked and ran outside. He hastily shut the door, his quick action making a lot more noise than he realized. He ran down the stairs, knowing he had woken them up. He passed Spike down the stairs and he gave him a heads up.

"Hi Spike! HewasasleepbutImighthavewokenhimup! Ifhecomesaskingifanyonecamebydon'ttellhimIwashere! See ya!" With that, he burst out the door and ran into Ponyville square, heading for Sweet Apple acres. Spike was left in utter confusion.

"Uh what?"

Hektor woke with a start. Someone had slammed the door shut and it made a hell of a lot of noise. He groaned because he knew it was probably Blitz looking for him. He sat on the edge of the bed and began tying his shoes on. He was nearly done when he heard some grunts coming from behind him. He froze. She was waking up. He didn't want to be caught by her. It'd be really difficult to explain. He hurried with his tying and bolted, grabbing his Kalashnikov and his helmet on the way out. He ran out of the room and carefully shut the door. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing he had narrowly avoided dealing with a tense situation. He began fixing his uniform as he walked down the hallway and down the stairs. He passed by the kitched where he found Twilight. He decided not to be rude and give a warm greeting.

"Good afternoon, Princess Twilight." He greeted as he bowed. He was careful not to set her off as he knew she was not a morning pony and was often grumpy when awoken unless given a cup of joe. She looked at him in suprise before smiling at him.

"Oh. Hi Hektor. Where are you going?" Now, Twilight wasn't stupid. She was suspicious of Hektor but she knew to keep her suspicions unfounded unless they were either proven or debunk. She gave him a friendly wave before taking a sip of her coffee. Coffee made her life slightly easier with all these stallions roaming around acting like she was a toy and had little authority. They were cared for and given everything they wanted but they acted like ungrateful pieces of shit. If she could, she would have blasted them to the moon but she couldn't. She'd get scolded by Celestia and that was the last thing she wanted. Still though, she respected Hektor because he was disciplined and respectful. But she knew it was mostly from his training since he was a soldier so she didn't know how much of it was staged or how much of it was genuine.

"I'm fine. I'm looking for Blitz. Think he went in my room looking for me." Upon hearing the name Blitz, Twilight's mood almost soured. She despised stallions who worked in the Royal Guard. They were abusive, lazy, and straight up incompetent. What's more, they have the gall to make inappropriate remarks and innuendos at her. Like did they really think she couldn't see through everything they said? She might not be a thousand years old but she knew well enough when somepony was giving her the bird. Still, she kept her cool, knowing that Blitz was Hektor's friend and he didn't go out choosing anypony as his friend.

"Oh okay. Is Starlight awake?" He turned towards her in slight confusion.

"Who?"

At this point, Twilight realized that she had forgotten to tell Spike to inform him of who Starlight was. She mentally face palmed. "Starlight Glimmer. You know? The sleeping exhausted mare that is weak and defenseless in your room?" She wasn't being very subtle but she had chosen those specific adjectives to see if she would get a reaction.

"Oh, her? I think she's still asleep. I had to move her in the bed because she took up most of the space." She was stunned. There was nothing in his voice that implied he took advantage of her. It was either that or he was very good at masking his lies. After all, he was a soldier. He was probably trained on how to deal with interrogations. 'We'll see about that Hektor Plekanov. I know you're up to something and I'm not gonna stop until I find out.' She silently said to herself as she looked at him. 'Mark my words.' His smile might fool everyone but not her.

"Alright. See you around." She said as she bade goodbye. Hektor waved back and waltzed out of the kitchen. She sighed. There was no reason to suspect him but she still was. He could be like Discord, ready to betray them at any moment. She brushed away these thoughts as she enjoyed the peace and quiet she deserved. Still, this coffee was a bit too dark for her tastes.

He knew it. Hektor recognized the subtle suspicion Twilight had. He was correct in his assumption that Twilight had puposely placed the mare there as a test. He was glad that he didn't arouse suspicion. He wanted to be in everyone's good books since he relied on them to get off on the right foot in his new life. He wasn't suprised that she was suspicious but he was suprised that she was stil suspicious for nearly a week now. Most mares only saw him as every other stallion. Celestia, Luna and Cadance saw him as a potential ally. Shining Armor saw him as someone he could rely on in having a good time. Twilight's friends saw him as a nice guy all-around. Although to be fair, they were a bit overbearing and really concerned about his well-being even though he could take care of himself. He appreciated the concern nevertheless. Twilight was a much different case. She saw him as a potential threat and good for her. She was thinking like a leader and he couldn't blame her. But to see her still suspicious of him even when everyone else had given up was a bit much. He relied on her for a lot of things like contacting the princesses, knowledge, and most importantly, a place to stay. The only way he was going to make her give up was if he gained her trust and showed her he was an okay guy. It was fine with him but it meant that it'll be awhile before any conversations with her stop being a paranoia-fest.

He shrugged it all off. He was gonna do it all someday. But for now, Krieg was more inportant. He wandered the streets of Ponyville, looking straight ahead and only responding with a wave when a filly got curious and began pointing at him. There was no need for a conversation. He was not gonna respond to a mare because there is no doubt that they're gonna ask "Where is your mare?" and he could honestly wish that he could say to them to go fuck themselves. But he couldn't because he had promised Celestia he wouldn't assault them, whether verbal or physical. Well, what if they were a assaulting him? Well, of course he wouldn't let them beat the shit out of him. Like they could even do that. The only thing they could beat the shit out of was a cock.

As he pondered on such things, he subconsciously unholstered his rifle and checked it if it was loaded. He checked to see if a round was chambered in before holstering it back on shoulders and then he realized. He didn't just load his rifle just because he got pissed off by how annoying these mares are, did he? He took a deep breath and calmed himself. He really did have an anger problem. He was the type of guy who was very difficult to anger but goes on like a pyschopath when he does. The guy who patiently deals with your yammering but will patiently cut your throat once he gets sick of you. He tried to think of happy thoughts but couldn't find anything. The only thoughts he had were of war, war and Afghanistan. He shuddered, as flashbacks of his time in Afghanistan began to resurface. He decided that enough was enough and paid attention back onto where he was headed. Somehow, when his attention went back to where he was going, he was somehow at Sweet Apple Acres.

He thought about it and decided to first check it out. After all, this was where he, Blitz and Big Mac first met. They had enjoyed a cup of apple cider and he enjoyed Big Mac's hospitality. It had been awahile, almost a week since he had last visited. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to say hi to a friend. He entered the orchard and remarked on how nice it looked. It had only been a week so it should have been expected.

He walked around, gazing at the apple trees in the distance as the wonderful scent of apples entered his nostrils. In his mind, he remembered the various confections he had tasted. Apple pie, apple fritter and apple sauce. He remembered who had greeted him so warmly. Applejack and her family. From what he could tell, Applejack was a stereotypical southerner, if her accent, love for the life on the farm and her close bonds with her family was a sign. Speaking of Applejack... there she was by the distance, bucking apples. He chuckled, remembering his reaction when he first heard it. It sounded so inappropriate yet in truth, it was just kicking apples down.

He slowly walked over to her in a leisurely pace. He liked Applejack, for she had a more open mind. Despite how stubborn she might be, he liked her because she didn't think of him as weak and something to be treated like a baby. She saw everything and judged it by it's efficiency and usefulness in work, not by it's gender. He got quite close to her before she even noticed him.

"Hey Applejack. How are you doing?" He greeted. Applejack turned and smiled at him.

"Hektor!" She exclaimed, taking a break from her bucking. "Glad to see you here! It's been so long since I last see you." No, it wasn't.

"Applejack, it hasn't even been a week." She rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed.

"Really now? Heh, the days just pass so slowly that I didn't realize. Anyway, what are you doing here? Weren't you out of town?"

"Yeah, I was. Just got back here. I'm looking for Blitz. But before that, have you seen Big Mac, AJ?" She gave him this weird look before chuckling.

"Ho ho ho. Now now, you're not telling me you've already given me a nickname. Listen here pardner, AJ is a nickname used by ponies who are close to me so unless you're gonna propose, I'd say you start calling me Applejack." Hektor feigned shock and sadness.

"Applejack! Are you saying that I am not a close friend?! Oh my stars, how could you say such a thing?" Applejack rolled her eyes.

"Come on now. Of course you are. But I find it weird to hear somepony else aside from my friends to call me AJ." Hektor internally shrugged.

"Whatever you say, Apples. Anyway, like I said, you know where Big Mac is."

"Consarnit, Hektor. My name is not Apples. But whatever, if you say so. I think Big Mac is in the barn. Now I don't know why. I'll bet it's probably because he's spending time with his doll." Hektor was about to ask what she meant by doll but decided not to even ask. Fetishes are meant to be a secret.

"Okay thanks Applejack." He bade as he turned around and began walking over to the barn.

"You're welcome Sugarcube! If you need anything, come by me! If you could, could you help me with the upcoming apple bucking season? I'd appreciate it!" He thought to himself about what she said. Anything? Why, that sounds like something a mare in heat would probably say. Althought it was tempting, he liked the idea of helping her out with the Apple bucking season. She paid well if you were a hard worker and he really needed some bits to patch up his stachel. It was tempting. Certainly not an opportunity he would let pass. He'd like to think that she meant something else when she said apple bucking season. Why, it didn't sound so bad. After all, bucking an apple wouldn't be so bad. He didn't know why he was making up innuendos on the spot. He cleared his mind and tried to concentrate on where he was going.

After a while of boring walking, he reached the barn. It looked as drab as ever. He pushed the doors open and was greeted by the sight of Big Mac and Blitz drinking apple cider. They stopped what they were doing when caught sight of him however and Blitz visibly froze. He immediately went on his hind legs and placed his forehoof on his forhead, effectively recreating Hektor's salute. He smiled, knowing how much Blitz tried to be him. He had told him from time to time that he would never be comparable to a member of the Red Army but it was nice to see him trying so hard despite it. It was probably gonna get him nowhere but atleast he was slightly better than the average guard.

"No need to salute Blitz. I don't need a pompous entrance. I may be a higher rank than you but I work this job for a living. Cut the BS and lower your hoof down. If you had to salute me everytime I was around, you would be wasting your time." Now he was grateful to Luna for giving him the rank of lieutenant because she must have thought it more fitting to simply give him his old rank. Those who heard about it criticised her for doing so but she knew why she did it. Ranks were hard earned back on Earth and often required a long time of service in the field to even ascend. It should be like that here too. Those serving the throne should be ranked by the competency and skill, not by how privileged and rich they were. He despised the current commander-in-chief, Blueblood. He could tell straight ahead that he had never fought in a single battle and merely used the title as a way to bedazzle his name even more. Now Shining Armor on the other hand was more fitting but was stuck in the rank of captain when he served in the Royal Guard.

Blitz went back on all fours and sat back down. Hektor grabbed a spare mug and filled it up with apple cider. While he waited for it to fill, he decided to have a little chat with his friends.

"How have you been, Macintosh? Haven't seen you in nearly a week. Got anything good happening round here?"In typical Big Mac fashion, he had only one thing to say.

"Nope." Hektor rolled his eyes. How could anybody live their whole lives saying one or two words?

"Good." He said as he took a sip of apple cider. It was just as good as he remembered. He remembered to keep himself from finishing his cup, knowing that making this cider was hard work and he probably shouldn't drink any more. If he wanted more, he probably should pay for it.

As he was pondering on feeling guilty, he noticed a bright flash in his peripheral vision and heard the two of them gasp. He turned around and nearly dropped his mug. Standing in front of him was Princess Luna, princess of the night. He quickly went to bow, remembering to keep his eyes on her face.

"There is no need to bow to us, for as long as we are just going about our day, there is not a need to bow to us. You may rise." Hektor was really confused by the use of plural verbs even though it was only her but he brushed it off as old royal etiquette. He stood straight and smiled at her. She returned the smile.

"Ah, Hektor Plekanov. Perhaps the single most competent member of the royal guard, we bid thee a hello." He rolled his eyes.

"I'm not used to such speech Luna." She gave her own eyeroll.

"Please, it's hard enough to talk 'normal' but if you insist, then we shall comply. Am I speaking fine now? Is this okay?"

"Yeah, it's alright. Atleast it's understandable. So why did you come here Luna? Without even a single guard with you?" She waved the question away with a hoof.

"Please, I am not weak. I've dealt with my fair share of thirsty stallions. I can deal with unwanted advances quite fine." What?

"Whatever Luna. So like I said, why did you come here?" Luna looked at him suddenly and looked around, noticing the stallions behind her.

"Oh. I see you have Blitz Krieg and Big Mac as your companions. Perfect, now that you're all here, I might as well continue."

"Continue with what?" She looked at him again with a serious look.

"Listen very carefully, Hektor and company. I have a very important proposition to all of you. That is, if you accept?" From how serious she was speaking, this must be really important. He looked at the two and called out to them to come close.

"Blitz! Big Mac! Come here! Stop staring at the princess's rear end and come here." The two visibly blushed and trotted towards him, avoiding eye contact with the lunar princess, the latter furling her eyebrows and giving them a look that told them to quit it.

"We're here. What's up?" Blitz asked, acting as Big Mac's spokesperson.
"Princess Luna is asking us of something. I'm asking you two if you're up for it. You two up for it?"

"Of course! Why not?"

"Nope." They turned to look at Big Mac.

"What? Why?"

"Nope." Hektor turned to princess Luna.

"Princess, how many do you need?"

"Just the two of you would be fine. I only asked Big Mac as an act of courtesy. If he doesn't want to, it's fine by me." He sighed in relief. He turned to Big Mac and gave him a look that said 'What the fuck mate?'.

"Alright Big Mac. If you don't want to, it's fine but please, get out. This is important and it has to be kept confidential. Am I clear?" Now Big Mac didn't like being bossed around but he saw that look Hektor sent him and he was more than eager to get of out of his view. So without a second more, he left the barn. Now that there were only two of them, they turned towards Luna, who watched them.

"I must say," She commented. "For a pony who came from a nation who embraced equality and fairness, that was a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"Insubordination... is very frowned upon and is not tolerated. If you disobeyed, you could get court-martialed." Luna nodded solemnly.

"I see. Very well then. Seeing as how you two are willing, I shall explain to you my predicament. So come close." They stepped forward until they were an arm's length away.

"Listen. This is very important and I came to you two specifically." She cleared her throat before continuing.

"Long ago, during Discord's short reign, stallions and mares were equal. But when he was defeated, he unleashed a curse that changed society forever. Many stallions were unwillingly changed into mares. It was his final prank, his last laugh. But it was not funny in the slightest. Not long after, it was clear that mares were superior in number. Under the guise of pretending to be concerned about birth rates, mares who saw themselves as the supreme gender, passed a law mandating that all stallions be taken care of, be kept at home and mares should be doing the stallion's work. It was a good ploy but they failed to realize one thing. Stallions were patriotic at the time. The one thing they cared for more than us was freedom. They took the new law and ripped it apart. They staged a revolution and fought for their freedom. It was violently suppressed, with many on both sides dead or injured. The stallions who survived fled and vanished into the frozen north. At the time, we thought that they had all died from the cold and we concerned ourselves with the ones who did not flee and remained for we thought they were the last ones. Then a few years later after we banished Sombra, an expedition team we had sent out to navigate the cold wastelands in the north stumbled upon a town. It was cold but life seemed to bustling in the little town. They returned and by that time, I was already banished to the moon. By this point, all of my knowledge concerning this subject I had gained from Celestia. She told me that after that expedition, she sent out an expeditionary force to conquer that town, for she knew about the stallions. Back then, she isn't the Celestia we know today. She was an inexperienced amateur when it came to leadership and she was foolish. She had sent out a great deal of soldiers out, but she lost many of them. They were inexperienced when it came to dealing with the cold and any attempts to assault the town failed. Despite this, they managed to capture some, which they saw as a victory. I do not know how many but if I am correct, about as little as fifty. When they were interrogating one of them, they managed to learn the Town's name. Stallionrad, he said. After this, Celestia came to her senses and was saddened by the amount of bloodshed she had caused and I know it still traumatizes her today. She stopped any attempts concerning the city and the city grew over time. Eventually ponies forgot about it and it became a myth." It was very fascinating but...

"This is very nice and all but what does this have anything to do with what you're asking of us?"

"Hold yourself there Hektor. I'm just getting to it. Just this morning, I received a letter from Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. They told me that the leader of the city of Stallionrad, King Vladmir, had approached them, asking for help. They did not specify what it was but they asked us if we would be willing to have a conversation about this. We accepted but the king had a certain condition. He would not come unless he was accompanied by a guard who was a stallion. There were two options, he would bring his own or Equestria supplied him one. This is where you come in. You will act as his guards and as an ambassador as well. If you agree to this, you must promise not to do anything to rouse his suspicion. There is no doubt that he will be testing you for any discrepancies with your loyalty. So act normal and courteous. The air and general feel surrounding this event would be based on how well you act towards him. Am I understood?" They only had one answer to that.

"Yes, your highness."

"I shall carry with me the honor of serving you as a member of the Red Army, the first communist of Russian origins to serve Royalty."