A Hunter In The Dark

Equestria
Date unknown
Time unknown

"Uh.... hi." Before he could even react a blue blur smashes into him causing pain from his injuries to flare up making him groan in pain. After the initial shock of being slammed to the ground were off Woods looks at his assailant and what he saw was a deep magenta color staring back at him with a glare that meant buisness. 'ah oh maybe I should have knocked first.'

The rest of the girls stood up but didnt make a move to help more shocked than anything else. While the white alicorn just sat there sipping on her drink and the blue one looked intrigued about what was gonna happen next.

"WHO AND WHAT ARE YOU! WHAT DO YOU WANT HERE, ARE YOU A SPY HERE TO DESTROY CANTERLOT!" Yelled the prismatic pegasus that Woods will now call skittles.

"Ugh... man last time I was in this position with a girl it was after dinner, and she seemed to really enjoy her self with what she got for dessert."

Every thing in the room stops while the rest of the girls excluding the white alicorn seemed to go from shock to down right horror at the comment. The rainbow pegasus just stares down at him with shock but quickly turns to embarrassment as she let's her eye roam down to where she was sitting. With a very bright red face and little yelp in surprise from her she quickly jumps off of him joining back with her friends. With a groan Woods sits up looking at all of the mares in the room while rubbing his aching side. All of the females except the rainbow one who is looking away in embarrassment just stare slack jawed at the man. With a groan of pain and more energy than he would have liked to admit Woods stands up and places his had on the chair in front of him to help him stand.

"Sigh... you really shouldn't be walking around Sgt Woods not after the kind of injuries you had when you showed up in the castle throne room. I must say I have never seen my sister so frantic about something before. Even so I am very surprised that you are walking around after how much blood you lost as well as breaking multiple bones when you slammed into wall after flying through the portal my sister said you came through." The white alicorn says as she takes another sip of her drink 'I think it might be tea could be wrong but that's what I'm gonna go with'

"I'm sorry ma'am but how do you know my name and rank?"

The white alicorn just looks at him unlike everyone else in the room she radiates a sense of calmness.

"It was on those tags that you wear as well as on your uniform as for your rank it seems that your millitary has the same rank structure as ours. And my name is princess Celestia. "

Woods mentally face palms forgetting he had his name and rank on his blouse.

"Well I wouldn't say the whole millitary each branch has different ways for rank if anything my branch might be the most similar."

"Well if that is the case you must be an nco am I right rank 5 of the enlisted rank structure?"

"Yes ma'am that I am. I do have one other question if you dont mind me asking?"

"Not at all ask away."

"Why are you still so calm while everyone else is well shocked out of their wits end like the most dangerous thing in hell just crawled out of a hole and devoured a puppy?"

"Sgt I have been around for a long time and have seen many things that rank all over the weird spectrum. As for the way they are acting you sustained incredible injuries, injuries that our medical team thought you wouldn't wake from that and you when you came to this world you not only crashed into a wall but you fell on top of the captain of the night guard and knocked her out cold and were bleeding heavily, it also might have something to do with that comment you made to rainbow dash and being from another world."

"That was very long explanation for a relatively simple question that you just gave."

"I dont know what you wish for me to say theres alot that could be cause for something and none of what I could say might even be the right answer I only gave what I thought to be right."

Woods just looks at her with dull eyes not knowing on what to say but he has noticed something off about the situation.

Taking a breath Woods looks dead at the Princess 'I really hope I'm right about this.'

"Well then if that is it could you pls call of the kill squad before someone gets hurt mainly me since I'm in the condition that I'm in." Everyone's eyes just got a whole lot bigger in realization as they look between Celestia and Woods. Even Celestia's eyes got a little big in surprise before she regained her composure. Lifting a hand multiple unicorn ponies appeared two of which had spears pointed to the humans throat, they back off and proceed to go back to their positions around the room.

"If you dont mind me asking Sgt, but how did you know that they were there?"

"Easy you talked to long and gave a very weird and hard to follow explanation that and your cpl over there slightly scuffed the ground getting closer to me it was faint but I still heard it your talking just further gave reason to something being up." From hearing that the female guard that made the noise looked away in embarrassment.

"I congratulate you on your receptiveness to the situation around you but I'm still curious as to how my talking lead you to believe such a thing even if you didnt hear the scuff on the ground how did it help in anyway?"

"That's easy as marines we are trained to notice the small stuff just as much as the big. For example the door to my room was unlocked and un guarded no one was in the halls or in the room when I got here and I mean no one no staff guards or civilians that I'm sure you allow to come within the castle if they are on diplomatic missions or just to talk your ear off with issues and that was just the big stuff. The small stuff was your demeanor when I first showed up while everyone else had varying levels of shock you were calm didnt move didnt say anything just sat there like even if I tried something I would be stopped before I even tried the way you did things before talking and the long conversation told me you were stalling to allow your guards to time to get close, there was also the scuffing sound I'm sure there was more but what I had seen and heard told me enough that something was up, but I wasn't completely sure so I basically took a shot in the dark."

Celestia didn't say anything more stunned than anything her sister was The first to recover.

"But how, what kind of training do these Marines go through that could allow them to notice every little detail of not only the area around them but the people and the way they act?!?"

"Its simple in our line of work and the people we fight against makes us very aware of situations and people, we have training that helps us notice the area but the whole people thing comes with experience and a little bit of training."

As the rest of the room just looks st him Celestia and her sister give him a look of less distrust and more intrigue.

"If I may be so bold into ask but where are you from and what happened to you? From what the princesses told me in the letter they sent you shouldn't be walking or alive at this point." The lavender alicorn finally speaks but what she asks catches him off guard.

'Should I tell them of what happened to me? Telling them where I'm from isn't to bad not like I can go back, being dead and all in that world.'

Around the room the ponies give him looks of wonder and caution while the rainbow one who's name is Rainbow dash apparently is still looking away but keeps glancing up with a blush.

"Well where I'm from is easy, I'm from a planet called earth in a country named the United States of America or U.S.A. for short the state I was born and raised in is called Texas in a city called dallas why I went into it like that I couldn't tell ya. As for what happened to me it was a op gone wrong my team and I were to go in to a village in Afghanistan to eliminate a high value target that was giving weapons and ammo to the terrorist group there well in intel we got was fake and we walked right into a trap..." As Woods tells his story the group listens intently and gives the man the respect he deserved. After his story he was looking at the ground anger and sorrow in his heart one in particular noticed this and slowly made her way to his side am placing a hand on his back softly rubbing it as if to say that everything is ok and it wasn't your fualt.
"Um I dont know all that you have been through, but if you ever need to talk you can come to me.... if that's alright with you?"

Looking upnto the girl that walked to him it was the butter yellow one giving him a small but warm smile.

"Thank you but I'm not gonna burden any of you with the demons of my past I've seen things that would make even the strongest of men break, and I'm not around with some of it."

The blue female looks to him with concern but regains her composure.

"From what you have said you were a soldier of your world and that you fought to protect not only your home but for those that couldn't protect them selves if I am not mistaken. So why would you not be proud of the things you have done?" The blue alicorn asks with confusion.

"Ma'am the way war is fought where I'm from can be some of the bloodiest and most brutal shit you can be a part of maybe not as up close and personal like it is here if what your guards weild is anything to go by. We dont have to worry about just getting shot but where we are fighting in the world we have to worry about IEDs and the terrorists using children against us and in a combat zone when your men are in danger you have to make the call."

"If you dont mind me asking what are IEDs?" Asks the purple alicorn.

"IEDs also know as improvised explosive devices are a very common threat to infantry personnel, light armored vehicles, and tanks. Very dangerous cause they could be extremely unstable and very sensitive making them very hard to properly deal with while being sure to not get blown up or ambushed while trying to dispose of the IED."

"And you have experience with these devices?"

"Yea I do I've been blown up a couple times luckily it wasn't that bad and all I had to deal with was a few minor injuries and a massive headache after words."

The purple alicorn looks like she wants to as more but a look from Celestia stops her.

"Sgt if it's anything to go by I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that but from what you've said you should be dead so why aren't you?" The blue alicorn asks.

"I'm a very stubborn basterd is all I can think of. Anyway enough of this talk you all know who I am so who are you all?"

Everyone looked about the room to see who was gonna go first Woods was gonna ask the princesses to start but the purple alicorn stepped forward before he could do anything.

"Well if no one else is gonna start I guess I will. Hello I'm princess Twilight Sparkle as well as one of the elements of harmony. And these are my freinds Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack. You already met Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy." Twilight states pointing to each pony as she calls out the names.

Applejack steps forward offering her hand .
"Howdy there as twi said I'm Applejack I along with my family run sweet apple ackers down in ponyville." The farm pony says with a smile.

"Its nice ta meet you." Woods grabs the females hand giving her a firm shake.

The next one to come up was pinkie pie.

"HI IM PINKIE PIE DO LIKE PARTIES WHAT KIND OF CAKE DO YOU LIKE... OMG WE HAVE TO SET UP YOUR WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA PARTY!" Before the very hyper girl could say more a lavender glow surrounds her muzzle effectively shutting her up.

"PINKIE! There will be time for that best not to overwhelm him after just waking up."

"Ok twi!" The girl just bounces away with a smile on her face.

Woods just leans over to Applejack to whisper in her ear.

"I got adhd and I dont think I ever acted that hyper is she ok?" Apple Jack just chuckles at the comment.

"She will be fine that's just Pinke being Pinkie."

The next female to come over Rarity.

"Its a pleasure to meet you darling my name is Rarity Bell, but Rarity will do just fine. If you dont mind me asking why would you wear such um interesting clothing?"

Well miss Bell that is my uniform for when I'm in combat it helps to make us a bit harder to see when in the desert we have uniforms for other environments but for where I was those were best. In where is my gear if you dont mind me asking Princess?"

"Celestia is fine Sgt, but if you most know we have your gear in a locked chest in my study and since you dont seem to hold any I'll intent against my subjects I will have it brought to you in ponyville where you will be staying with Twilight."

"Um ok you didnt happen to mess with any of it did you?" Woods asks with growing worry.

"No Sgt I would not allow anyone to mess with your stuff since we do not know how any of it works."

"Oh thank god. It's as you say alot of my gear may not be to dangerous but alot of it is. So I met rainbow dash and fluttershy dont know anything about them or well PINKIE pie for the matter but that can wait who is your sister?" Woods says only really needing to know names at this point.

"My name is princess Luna I am the co ruler of equestria with my sister."

"Now that that's out of the way, sgt I do believe that we should have you examined for you injuries to make sure you are ok to travel."

"Um ok after you pri... Celestia"

"Right this way."

After an unexpected godly amount of twist and turns the group makes their way to the medical wing of the castle. Looking around nothing really out of the ordinary can be seen castle staff and guards go about their daily jobs with only a few giving the human varying looks of indifference. Upon entering the medical area a nurse ran up to the princess bowing.

"Princess it's an honor may I ask about your vist today?" The nurse asked. Woods leans to get a better look at her she was a shorter one with blue and red mane and tail.

Good afternoon nurse Ambeance could you take a look at our new guest to make sure his injuries are healing properly."

"Of course your majesty. Sir would you pls follow me to the room?"

"Yea just lead the way." While woods followed the nurse he couldn't help but look more south than he should have been.

"Enjoying the veiw?" Woods head snapped back to attention looking at the nurses head seeing that she was glancing back at him with a giggle she turns back around and comes up to a door.

"Dont look so ridged I'm only joking I dont get much attention so I'm happy I still look good seeing as I haven't been working out as much as I used to."

"Uh sorry.

"Its alright anyway wait in here while i go get some stuff and we will start your check up and get you into the system."
After she leaves the room Woods walks to the table and hops onto it with a grunt as his side flares with pain.
Two hours later

Woods is walking back to the others next to his nurse just looking forward. The whole time she had been looking at him.

"Um Sgt how did you get that scar on your upper arm?"

With a Sigh Woods stops in his tracks and turns to the nurse.

"I was on a mission back home."

"What happened if you dont mind it looks pretty bad?"

"Well we were driving down a highway we used for transports normally we wouldn't use the same road a bunch of times at once but we had to get supplies to some of our guys that were running low well the insurgents we were fighting had placed an IED in the road our convoy hit it, my truck and I was on the gun on the top I was ejected whil taking shrapnel to my arm and leg I was the only one to survive from the explosion. The rest of the men in the other trucks fought off the ambush and got me back to base, when I came to I was in a bed with bandages on my leg and a cast on my arm. I dont know how I survived or why I did but I had nightmares for a year I still do but not just that one incident."

"Sgt I'm so sorry I didnt mean to open old wounds."

"Its alright it's a part of who I am now no need to hide it."
Back at the dining room Woods and nurse ambeance found the rest of the group and proceeded to tell them what was up.

"From all the test and x Ray's we can see Sgt Woods is safe to travel he still has minor spider web fracturing to his left ribs but nothing a bit of rest cant fix he is safe to travel but I will send a letter to the hospital in ponyville letting them know of everything the Sgt needs.
"Thank you nurse." The princess says smiling.

"Sgt I do hope that your healing goes well but we dont have much more time we really must be getting back to day court, I hope you do come back to vist."

"Will do Celestia and thank you for your hospitality." With that Woods and the rest if the girls make their way out of the castle. With why woods is here and the future uncertain Woods walks with his head held high and thoughts of the past on his mind Woods grabs the can of Copenhagen wintergreen from his pocket and puts a lip in.

'What do you want with me faust?'