Welcome Home Soldier

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 2: Signing Up
Chapter 3: Back Home
Chapter 4: Recruit
Chapter 5: New Beginnings
Chapter 6: Rules Of Engagement
Chapter 7: Echoes Of War
Chapter 8: Casualty
Hearth's Warming Special!
Chapter 9: The Trip
Chapter 10: Chance
Chapter 11: Reflection
Chapter 12: Corporal Sharp Shooter
Chapter 13: Challenge
Chapter 14: The Harvest Celebration!
Chapter 1: Next Stop Ponyville

Prologue

"War! War! Saddle Arabia falls into civil war! Read all about it!"

The papercolt yelled out. Ponies naturally were interested in this bit of news, as war seemed to have been a thing of the past for at least 700 years. Even ponies who normally would pass by the papercolts picked up the newspapers to read about this war overseas.

Sharp Shooter normally didn't bother with the news very much, Equestria was very peaceful, and he was content with his life and studies. Of course the conflict in Saddle Arabia had been the hot topic for months now, and so, some were not surprised at all that war broke out.

Saddle Arabia, like Equestria, were a monarchy. Its royal family loved by the ponies, and the country had many beautiful traditions and an amazing culture. Princess Celestia had made several trips there, and the two kingdoms got on well.

However, a faction had risen up, a faction claiming to want representation for the common pony. As far as Sharp could understand it, no pony had really complained before, sure there were issues, but no tyranny what so ever. Of course, he could not be expected to know all the details, nor could the public here in Equestria.

Maybe there was some backstory they were simply not aware of. But at any rate, this faction had started to become violent a few months back. Staging riots, planted bombs, and begun a campaign of fear and terror.

Details had become more confusing and somehow the faction had managed to grow enough to start a minor civil war. Saddle Arabia was fighting a war with no clear enemy, the rebel militia had no clear uniform, as well as no clear goal. They claimed to do it for the common pony, but so far, their actions had spoke more of a sort of coup than anything else.

Everything about the affair was just big one confusing mess, but Sharp still felt bad for the ponies living in the hot zones. Street battles, riots, bombs, shootings, the Saddle Arabian government were spread thin.

All of this however, did little to effect Sharp, or anypony else in Equestria, he continued living his life as normal. No reason not to.

As Sharp sat in his room, reading, as he often did during the sunny afternoons. A knock on the door brought his mind out of his relaxation and immersion of the book. "It's open." He called, sitting up in his bed as he closed the book.

The door opened, and in stepped his long time friend, Pin Point. Like Sharp, he was earth pony. Unlike Sharp, he was explosive and adventurous, always seeking out and trying new things. Sharp liked to talk about doing all the things Pin did, but often did not have the nerve, or conveniently had an excuse why not to do it.

Sharp was a thinker, a dreamer, and despite his special talent being that of an expert markspony, he had really no intention, or interest, of using it for anything.

Pin was the exact opposite, he liked to do all the things he thought of, often without regard for his own safety. He lived life as he wanted it, and did not waste time on dreaming about and wish he could do things, he would just do them. Sharp envied that about him, and often found himself wishing he could sometimes just do what Pin did, take a chance and live a little.

Like always, Pin had this huge grin on his face, signaling that he just had an awesome idea, something he had to share with his friend, Sharp. "Sharpy, what are you doing in here on such a nice day?"

Sharp sent his old friend a small smile as he stood up. "Enjoying summer vacation in my own way, what are you up to?"

His yellow coated friend gave him a grin. "This!" He reached into a small saddle bag, the kind of which you had that only held a few bits and whatever else you may needed when out in town. Pin placed a flyer on Sharp's desk, and with big letters it said.

'Join the Equestrian Volunteer Peace Corps'

'Help defend Saddle Arabian civilians. '

'Police districts.'

'Keep order.'

'Save lives.'

'Join Today.'

Then at the bottom were a bunch of recruiting information like minimum age, recruitment office, and so forth. Sharp frowned, then looked at Pin again. "You want to join the army?"

Pin chuckled. "It is not your typical army, Sharp. We are going to be a peace keeping force. We are not going to the front lines to fight, but protect the civilian population and help keep order."

"But, we need training, and.." Sharp was not sure about this. "Wait a minute." He looked to him. "You are expecting me to join up with you?"

"Of course I am!" Pin smirked. "Listen, I went to the recruitment office to hear what it was about, we are going to be trained by a mix of Equestrian and Saddle Arabian officers. Saddle Arabia has provided weapons, training, while Equestria provides food, soldiers, and uniforms. It's a mission to save lives, not take them."

"But, we carry weapons?"

"For self defense, and to defend the civilians. There is a meeting this evening for those interested and with questions, they are going to explain everything!" Pin's voice suddenly became a bit softer, and his smile more gentle. "We've always talked about going to see the world, Sharp. Here, we can see a new country, and even do some good." He placed a hood on his shoulder and gave him that sly smirk he had worked up after years of getting them into trouble. "I'm gonna join up, but come on, for once, why not join me and go on an adventure?"

Sharp looked at him, then the flyer. They had often spoken about going places, with Sharp writing about their adventures, finding lost treasures, seeing exotic places, just like Daring Do did now. But, Sharp had never really been that far from Trottingham before, and now his best friend was expecting him to sail overseas as a soldier?

It was dangerous, surely it had to be dangerous and not as simple and easy as he made it sound. Still, it was a chance to see Saddle Arabia, and as Pin said, they could do some good and help those not fighting.

"Well.. It won't hurt simply going to see what it is all about, I suppose.."

"That's the spirit, you won't regret it, I promise!" Pin laughed, and gave his friend an excited hug.

Author's Note

Should be said I know sharpshooter is spelled in one word, just liked the name for him two be two part.

Chapter 2: Signing Up

Trottingham: 30 Months Ago.

A lot of ponies had shown up to this meeting, many of them were ponies Sharp and Pin knew from their school days. Some were older, ponies who were either outraged, or were simply looking for a paying job. Sharp didn't know too much about the conflict, only the surface of it, and he didn't need a job, so why was he here?

Well, Pin Point wanted to sign up, wanted to see the world and do some good. Sharp had never been as brave as Pin, and so he forced himself to be here, to at least see what all of this was about. Who knew? Maybe he could be a clerk, or something. At least he would get overseas along with Pin Point.

Sharp knew one thing for sure though, his dad would not like this. He was a well respected shop owner, and he expected Sharp to take over one day. Sharp hated the store, not because running a store was bad or anything, but because his father was so intend on him running it one day. To Sharp, the shop was nothing more than an anchor, binding him to a fate he never wanted.

Of course, he didn't have the nerve to tell his father.. Like with so many other things, he did not dare to take a chance. Going to this meeting was perhaps the most daring thing he had ever done, he had told his father he was at the library, reading. He had never lied to his family before, and he kept looking over his shoulder, afraid that his father would suddenly walk in and haul him out the door.

"Will you relax." Pin Point said, giving his usual trademark smirk. "He's not going to find out."

Like always, Pin had an amazing ability to read Sharp like his own books. Sighing, Sharp looked at his friend. "I'm just not sure.. My dad would fry me if he learned I was here, let alone signed up.."

Pin nudged his friend. "Listen, if we sign up, we are going tomorrow, okay? You don't need to tell him anything."

"Not sure my mom would like that either.." Sharp frowned.

"It's your life Sharp, if you don't want to sign up, then don't." Pin said, shrugging. "But don't let your dad run your life, whatever decision, make sure it's your own, okay? We still be friends no matter what you choose."

Sharp smiled. "Thanks Pin.."

The hall grew quiet as suddenly a stallion wearing an officer's uniform stepped up on the small stage. "Mares and gentlecolts, thank you for coming here tonight. I'm Captain Fairfax. As most of you have heard, her majesty, princess Celestia, has promised Saddle Arabia support in order to stabilize the country. She has authorized the creation of a peace keeping force 50.000 ponies strong. This has been done in order to help protect the civilian population, which will be your job."

A soldier trotted in from the side, dragging with her a map of Saddle Arabia. "As you probably know." Fairfax continued. "Saddle Arabia is not exactly small, there are deserts, mountains, and small villages scattered all over, which means their army is spread thin. Our job is to reinforce the areas that are exposed, giving the Saddle Arabians some breathing room. This will allow them to focus on fighting the rebels while we protect the exposed areas." Turning to the hall, he smiled. "But before we go into more detail, we are going to watch a small movie and then you get a chance to ask questions. After which there is a chance to sign up for the corps. For those of you who sign up tonight, you will need to leave tomorrow afternoon, so please keep that in mind, should you wish to join later."

Stepping to the side, the lights dimmed and a projector started. The room was filled with music as the opening text glided over the screen.

Newsreel Music

"Saddle Arabia, a beautiful and exotic country to the far east!" The announcer started off. "Here rules prince Annaba and his beautiful wife, princess Sapphire." The film showed the royal couple standing on a balcony waving, then showed the crowd of ponies waving back. "Yes, the royal couple is really adored throughout their country, and has a close relationship with her majesty, princess Celestia."

So far there was nothing new, there was some film of the landscape, cities, deserts, some more of the royals, some with and without princess Celestia, nothing Sharp or the other ponies gathered didn't already know.

Then there was a loud boom, and an explosion. "However, not all are happy with the state of things.. Some would rather use violence than their voice, as seen here at a cafe in the city of Sehlala." The pictures was horrifying, they didn't show anypony dead, but they did show the destruction and the guards carrying stretchers away.

"These rebels has issued no demand other than the abdication of his majesty, prince Annaba. There is no negotiation, no sign of peace, and so, the violence continues."

There was pictures of more attacks, some clips with Saddle Arabian soldiers moving down the streets, and some sounds of rifles being fired.

"The situation has gotten so bad that prince Annaba has requested for her royal highness, princess Celestia, to send them help. With the Saddle Arabian forces spread so thin, many towns and areas are left unguarded and unprotected."

The next clip showed Celestia signing a piece of paper, and as soon as she did, they clip changed into a clip of ponies training and marching.

"It is a call for help, a call Equestria will not deny. Her royal highness can be seen here approving the creation of a peace keeping force that will be sent to Saddle Arabia. We can already see the first recruits training. Looking good boys."

A bunch of clips were played, showing what the recruits did, training, reading, chatting, marching, and so on.

"The corps will be 50.000 strong, divided into five divisions. These stallions and mares are all part of the first division, all recruited from the royal guard and guard veterans around the country."

Pictures of officers yelling orders, ponies running obstacle courses and loading a ship made it look hard, but effective. Every pony there was impressed, and all looked awe struck, even Sharp had to admit, it all looked very exciting.

"But 50.000 ponies are a lot, and so the volunteer act was signed, allowing civilian ponies to sign up directly to the peace corps. Here they will be trained in modern warfare, such as the revolutionary new weapons such as rifles, machine guns, and of course, artillery. Whoops, yes, remember to cover your ears there private."

Sharp couldn't help but feel a little intimidated, the weapons they showed seemed so big and powerful. Rifles.. He had heard of these things, but he had never seen one in real life. He had shot with bows and crossbows as a kid, practice ones of course, which was how he earned his cutie mark. If he picked up a rifle, would he be good at it?

"So what is life like over there? Well, an important job is patrols, give the population a sense of law and order. Your job may vary, one day you are patrolling and the next, you might stand in the street directing traffic."

Once again, pictures of saddle Arabia, and this time, Equestrian soldiers patrolling and doing all sorts of tasks.

"In order to keep the area under observation it has been necessary to establish lookout posts everywhere. The situation in the country has to be watched carefully, reports sent in, maps drawn up."

The next clips shown was Equestrian soldiers relaxing, walking around the town, sitting at cafes, or reading books.

"Of course, not everything is work. It is important for every soldier to get some time off, and as representatives of Equestria, it is important to be on a good hoof with the local population. Smile girls!"

A group of female soldiers smiled and waved at the camera, making somepony in the hall whistle, and thus making a lot of the stallions laugh. The film continued explaining things about the country, making a few more cheesy jokes until it finally came to the end.

"All in all, it is your job to be a beacon of hope and protect the defenseless! Yes, sign up and help create a better tomorrow!"

The film ended, and as soon as it did a lot of the room broke out in cheers. Pin Point did it too, and Sharp could not help but cheer a little as well. It all looked exciting, exactly like the adventures he and Pin had been talking about. The whole country pretty much seemed like one big Daring Do adventure, how would they be able to resist?

The cheering died down once the captain trotted back up on stage, smiling, but still had a serious expression. "Alright, alright." He said, like if he was calming down a classroom filled with foals. "I will be honest with you.. This is not a vacation, you will be trained as soldiers, and you will be expected to kill, should the need arise.. You will be the enemies of the rebels, and they will try to kill you.. Keep that in mind before you decide to sign up.." There was silence, one that had not been there before. It was like that fact had only now hit them all. "Now.. Are there any questions?"

The rest of the meeting were just some basic information and some of them asking questions. Sharp listened the whole time, not sure what he wanted to know the most. He was mostly concerned if he could even work up the nerve to sign the papers and join up.

He could just hear his father yell and scold him, telling him he was going to stay in Trottingham and tend to the store. The mere thought of spending his life in that place made him shiver. He liked his home, he liked his family, but his father insisted that he was going to stay here and work on something that was his dream, not Sharp's.

"So, Sharp, what do you think?" Pin asked, bringing Sharp back to reality.

"Oh, uhm.. Well.." Sharp frowned, not really sure about what to answer. Pin in turn frowned, not because he needed Sharp to come. He wanted his friend to do what he wanted, but he knew Sharp well enough to know if he stayed, he could never get out from under his father's shoe.

"Sharp, come on.. Sign up here, or don't.. It's your choice.." He said more calmly than Sharp was used to. "If you are afraid, that's okay.. If you don't think this is for you, that's okay too.. But don't stay because you're afraid of your dad.." Pin placed a hoof on Sharp's shoulder, gaining his full attention. "Do what you feel is right.."

Sharp sighed, feeling bad that Pin always had to give him a pep talk. It was about time he made decisions for himself, did he want to join his friend on this adventure? Yes.. Was his dad going to be pissed? Yes, beyond pissed in fact.

Taking a deep breath, Sharp looked at his friend and nodded. "You're right.. If I stay, I'll never get away.. Let's do this."

Pin smirked. "Come on then, let's get it over with!"

Both of them went to the recruitment sergeant and signed up like so many others who were here. It seemed the majority had signed up, many of them talking about how they were looking forward to it. Sharp was pretty nervous, but it felt good, the contract was signed and even if he wanted to, he would not be able to get out of it.

The sergeant handed them some papers and a ticket each, telling them to pack lightly, get their papers and go to the train station the next day on a specific time. While Pin was ecstatic, Sharp could not help but feel dread. He was excited and terrified at the same time, which he guessed was a normal reaction.

So far however, he wasn't sure what he feared most, leaving home for the first time, or telling his family he joined the army.. No matter what, it was time for him to make his own decisions, he just needed to face the music.

It went as well as he expected..

"You did WHAT?!" His father yelled.

Sharp had returned home after the meeting, his family was gathered in the living room, enjoying a nice evening with a radio drama, which was promptly turned off as Sharp announced the news. His mother looked horrified and scared, his sister looked the same, but more confused than horrified.

"I.. I joined the volunteer peace corps.." Sharp repeated, not daring looking his father in the eyes. "I'm leaving tomorrow.."

"Sweetheart, oh.." His mother sobbed. "What were you thinking..?"

It hurt most seeing his mother and sister reacting, he knew it had nothing to do with dreams or right or wrong, they were simply scared. His strict father however, he only had one thing on his mind, even now. "And what about the store?! What if you get hurt, or killed?! What happens to the store then!?"

That made Sharp look up in pure disbelief. "The store..?" He said in almost a whisper, like he could not believe that was what his father was thinking about. He knew his father was strict, and not good with emotions, like ponies normally were, but this, this was cold and cruel, even for him. It was beyond selfish. "I can be killed, and the only thing you can think about is your stupid store..?" Sharp sounded cold, neither angry or sad, just cold, like he had lost all emotion.

"You're not a soldier, Sharp. You're a darn dreamer, always with your head in the clouds! You will never amount to anything like that! You have a good and solid future here, you're stupid for ruining such a stable life." His father said firmly.

That made Sharp snap. "I HATE THE STORE!" His father's eyes went wide in shock, while Sharp's eyes teared up, but he still glared. "You're a cruel and selfish pony who never supported anything I've done! I can die down there, dad, your son, could die! The only thing on your mind is that stupid store, not me.." Sharp felt the warm tears run down his cheeks, falling to the wooden floorboards below, but he didn't care. "The store is your dream.. It's not mine... I don't care about it, just like you don't care about me.."

There was a heavy silence, and at that point his mother was sobbing while his sister tried to silently comfort her. Sharp was shocked at himself, but he was too upset to really notice. He had never talked back to his dad, never yelled at him, and never told him he hated the store.

It all seemed stupid, in a normal family it should have been a simple task to say no and follow ones own dreams. But his father was strict, and he had from the very moment Sharp was born, decided where he should go in life. But enough was enough, and although it broke his heart, Sharp could simple not take it any longer.

After the silence, his father's wide eyes turned to a glare. "How dare you.. I've given you everything you needed, you are damn spoiled and you don't appreciate what I have done for you!"

"The only thing you have ever cared about was that store! You never cared about me!" Sharp yelled, feeling his heart was going to shatter. It was like all the years of frustrations had been building up to this moment, all the things he wished he had said before suddenly came flooding out, and each thing he said seemed to anger his father, and shock his mother.

Everything spoken between them in those moments were spoken in anger and desperation. His quiet household had become a battlefield, a war between father and son. Only when there was nothing more to be said did they stop. Both of them had vented their frustrations, and if Sharp was being honest, he felt like both of them had lost..

"Well.." His father then said. "I guess you made your feelings quite clear.. Go... Go to Saddle Arabia then.." He turned around, refusing to look at Sharp. "You're no longer my son.."

That was the last thing said between them. Should Sharp have stayed? Maybe, but he just couldn't, he had been disowned by his own father who seemingly cared more for his own ambitions than his own son. There was nothing more for him here. His mother and sister cried, and although he loved them, he could not find it within himself to stay.

Without another word spoken, Sharp left the living room, and went to his own to pack up what few things he needed to bring. He was devastated as he packed his stuff, and yet, he had to admit he felt a strange calm. Sharp did not wish to break his family, he did not wish to ruin anything, but, having finally stood up to his dad, how petty a reason it might have been, for some, filled him with a sense of confidence.

As he finished his bag, the door opened and in stepped his little sister. "Sharp.." She said. "Are you really going.. I'm sure dad will get over it.."

Sharp smiled a little, he didn't have the heart to tell her he thought the old stallion would probably never get over it. "I'm sorry.. I didn't wish for it to go this way.."

His sister sighed. "I'm not even going to ask you what you were thinking.. Just.. Be careful, okay?"

Sharp nodded. "Always.." The two of them embraced each other, she buried her head in his chest, and he put a hoof on her mane. "Look after mom, okay..?"

"Mhmm.." She mumbled and started to sob softly.

The two of them held each other for as long as they could, right up until it was time for him to leave. Sadly, Sharp had expected this ending, and so had asked Pin Point to wait outside so he could stay at his place.

When outside, his mom looked him over like he was a colt going to his first day of school. She tried to look brave, but he could see she was on the verge of tears. "Okay, so.. You remember to write, okay?"

"I will, mom.."

"You brush your teeth, make sure to eat and drink plenty.."

"Mom.."

"And, behave yourself.. You will be so handsome in uniform, so don't make a mess of it.."

Sharp could not help but chuckle, and so too did his sister who put a hoof on her shoulder. "Mom, it's going to be okay, Sharp will be back before you know it, right?"

Sharp frowned. "I will be gone for at least two years.." He saw them both frown, and his mom was about to cry. "But I will write, and I promise you.. You will see me again, I'll be back.." Soon enough, they all embraced one another, his mom probably hugging him tighter than he could hug her. "I love you.."

"I love you too, my big colt.." His mom sighed, wiping a few tears away.

After a few more seconds, the three of them let go, and Sharp started to walk away, keeping his eyes on them. His mom wiped her eyes yet again, waving at him like he was going to school for the first time.

On the street waited Pin Point, and when he saw Sharp waving goodbye, he knew what had happened. Frowning, he stepped up to him and said. "Sharp, I'm.. I'm so sorry.."

Sharp simply sighed. "It would have happened at some point.. Come on.. We better go.." Smiling to his mom and sister, he waved one final time before he turned and walked away, not looking back anymore, only ahead.

Chapter 3: Back Home

Opening his eyes, Sharp found himself in a bedroom. It was still dark, but he could see the sky was turning orange. By reflex, he had woken up at the break of dawn, he didn't even need to look at a clock, he knew by instinct what the time was.

He laid in bed for a few seconds, his mind coming out of it's slumber and the well of memories his dream had been plagued by lately. It was a strange feeling suddenly laying here, not hearing the trumpet's signal the start of the morning, not having somepony burst in through the door and wake him and his section mates up.

Although he had slept peacefully on the ship that brought him and his platoon mates, it still had a sense of military discipline. Now, there was nothing but the peace and quiet of the morning. Birds chirping outside was the only thing that broke that silence, and Sharp almost found it too quiet. There was no horn playing, signaling the day's beginning. No sound of hooves moving, orders being yelled, or anything for that matter other than the birds. There was only silence...

Once, Sharp would have begged for a morning like this, peaceful and quiet, but now, he missed the noise. At first Sharp tried to go back to sleep, trying to relax, but his body was wide awake, and so was his mind. So with sleep not within reach, or nothing better to do, Sharp decided to get up and unpack his kit.

Getting up he made his bed as he would do back at camp, making it so neat that a sergeant could toss a coin at it, and it would bounce right back up. He had no idea by the schedule of his work yet, and he could not hear any hoof steps, so maybe work did not start for some time. Whatever the case, Sharp decided to be productive, and so got out his entire kit, except for his MP-99 Equestrian Rifle. Funny enough, the rifle itself had been invented and produced in the Griffon Kingdom, and they were the first ones to implement it in their army.

The one that Sharp and his fellow soldiers received had been modified from the original rifle, the MG-99 rifle, which was made for Griffons. But receiving an order for these rifles meant that they needed to be fitted out for ponies, giving birth to the MG-99 little brother, the MP-99. Saddle Arabia had first bought the rifles for their own army, but when Equestria agreed to send troops in order to secure more exposed regions, they agreed to provide equipment, such as rifles...

Unfortunately since Equestria had not ordered these rifles, it meant if a rifle got damaged, needed new parts, or anything to modify it, like getting a scope, it meant you had to buy it from Saddle Arabia. Equestria simply didn't have the logistics for it, which was another headache to deal with. Soldiers like Sharp had basically paid for their own rifles, and the army could no longer rightly claim it belonged to them, which meant, the rifle belonged to Sharp.

It had been an eye opener for him, it showed just how unprepared Equestria really was when it came to modern warfare and overseas missions. It made him and a lot of fellow soldiers frustrated, and after becoming an officer himself, he could see how much it frustrated the officers as well.

It had taken a long time before the logistics were up and running before Equestria could provide soldiers with everything they needed themselves. At that point most of the soldiers stationed in Saddle Arabia had already re bought everything they had, so the improvements only benefited later arrivals.

Sighing, Sharp laid everything out on his bed, making sure not to make a mess. Everything was put out in military efficiency and precision, giving a nice organized view of his equipment.

Bayonet and a steel helmet.
Standard entrenching tool.
Standard issue 'Diamond Dog Grey' field tunic.
Standard issue 'Diamond Dog Grey' field trousers,
Standard issue 'Tornister' knapsack.
Brown leather rear jackboots, magically enchanted to allow for bipedal movement.
Brown leather webbing and six ammo pouches, allowing for a total of 60 rounds of concentrated magic ammo per soldier.

Of course then there was all the tools used to maintain his equipment, and personal hygiene. There was also a few personal belongings, such as a journal he had kept, a deck of cards, and of course an envelope full of pictures. Doing his time in Saddle Arabia, they had taken a lot of pictures, which could sound insane, but it was not of any battle or anything like that. But like when they were at a cafe, talking with locals, having a good time.

Despite some of the times being horrible, it was easy to forget all the good times, which was why he treasured these pictures. They served as a reminder of the bonds he had formed during his time there, showed that at the end of the day, they were just ponies like everypony else, they were not cold machines who felt nothing and cared about no one.

Still, he did not dare open it. In his heart, he wanted to see those happy memories again, be reminded of the good times, but that would also mean being reminded of the pain of those who were no longer with him. Some of the ponies in those pictures, smiling, laughing, they were gone, now only alive in his memories.

Sighing, he left the envelope unopened and put it in the desk drawer. It was about then he felt the tears in his eyes. "Fuck.." He whispered, having not realized he had been letting the tears flow. Taking a deep breath, he wiped away the tears and started putting everything into his closet. Everything was placed neatly, well made, and like on the bed, he made sure it was efficient.

Sharp closed the door, making sure to lock it so no curious filly could by accident get to his rifle. There was no rounds in it, and the safety was on, but he didn't want to risk it. After hiding the key, he left his room and silently made it downstairs.

To his surprise, or maybe not surprise, Granny Smith was already working in the kitchen. Sharp had been drawn there after smelling the delicious smell of pancake batter being cooked. It smelled great, and Sharp soon found himself standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

Granny spotted him right away. "Well, aren't you up early? Good morning to you Sharp. Figured you would be sleeping in today."

"Well, you get used to getting up early in the army." He replied politely.

She was smiling, but it suddenly vanished. "Listen sonny, please don't judge my granddaughter too harshly.. I won't excuse her attitude, but.." Granny seemed to struggle with how to form her explanation. "Most youths today haven't faced the sort of hardships you have Sharp. It's easy for them to judge you because they can't understand what it's like to be there, to experience what you have.."

Sharp thought back to what Applejack said to him yesterday. Your kind is not welcome here, and, your sort, going overseas only to cause trouble. Had she meant those words? It certainly seemed like it at the time, but fair was fair, she didn't know him, and he didn't know her. Maybe it was a case judging before knowing, in which case, perhaps once they got to work together, her perception would change?

The fact was, Sharp had no idea what ponies back home had been told, he had no idea what those returning home had done while he was here. He had no idea what he had missed, other than princess Luna's return thanks to princess Celestia's student, and her friends. He couldn't remember the details though, he hadn't really cared all that much.

Sharp was not above forgiving her if she apologized, he'd rather be on her good side than her bad. Granny had a point, most ponies would probably never understand, and it was not like there wasn't reasons to be displeased with the war over there. The thing that bothered him was that the army in it's entirety were blamed for failures of command, intelligence, accidents, or individual soldiers.

It wasn't fair to those who had done their best, who had come to help, put their lives on the line, and managed to help ponies. Suddenly they were being labeled as monsters, war criminals, terrorists, when in fact nopony outside those who had been over there knew what they were talking about.

Looking at Granny Smith he could see she felt the same, young ponies had been spoiled by the generations of peace, few understood what it had taken to achieve such peace..

Sharp sent her a reassuring smile, not wanting her to worry. "Of course not. I'm not angry with her, I'm sure once we get to know each other things will be better." He was not sure he believed it, but he hoped it was true and they could simply move on.

Her smile returned. "Thank you sonny, now, how about you take a seat and I have you a plate fixed?" She asked, placing another hot one on a plate. "Big Mac is still outside doing morning chores along with Applejack, they should be back in a few."

Looking outside, he could see it was early, but not so early breakfast couldn't be prepared. Sharp was surprised he hadn't heard anypony trot around, he was more focused than he realized when he was unpacking his kit. As much as he was not used to sit around doing nothing so early in the morning, he decided to suck it up and sit down.

"Thank you ma'am." He said.

Granny Smith simply chuckled, she was quite fond of Sharp already. "You know, I myself was a NAAFI mare when I was younger."

Sharp smiled, somehow not surprised. "Really?" He asked interested.

Granny nodded, flipping the pancake before turning to him, pouring him a mug of coffee. "You betcha! We used to have an army camp not far from here back in the day. I would go there to earn a few extra bits." She let out a happy sigh. "Those were the days.."

The Navy, Army and Air Force Institute, or NAAFI for short, was a social club for the enlisted ponies. It was where they could go after a hard day's training. It was where they could socialize, buy some coffee, tea, other goods, and of course, flirt with the mares behind the counter. It wasn't hard to imagine young Granny Smith being quite popular in the NAAFI, her accent probably an added bonus.

Taking the mug in his hooves, Sharp could already tell this was real army coffee. It wasn't so much about strength, but about a perfect balance. NAAFI mares had perfected the art of making a cup of tea or coffee. Sharp strangely felt at home, and after taking in the smell, he took a sip. His whole body warmed, and he instantly relaxed.

"Wow.." Was the only thing he could say, which made Granny smirk in victory.

"Eeyup! Still got it!"

It was then that the door opened and in walked Applejack and Big Mac. "Morning." Big Mac said to the room.

"Morning." Sharp replied.

"Good morning. Come and sit down." Granny Smith smiled, making them all some plates with pancakes.

Sharp caught Applejack looking at him, but when she saw him looking at her, she averted her eyes. Something had changed, she didn't glare at him, she didn't look disgusted by his mere presence, but she wasn't happy with him either. Was it guilt he saw in her? Maybe, but right now he would not push the issue. If she felt the need to talk to him about it, he would be ready to hear her out.

"Where's Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked, seeming to latch on to the first conversation that didn't had anything to do with Sharp, not that he minded.

Granny looked back at them. "That filly is sleeping in again, Big Mac, go on upstairs and wake your sister."

"Eeyup."

The massive stallion left the kitchen, leaving Sharp alone with Granny Smith and Applejack, who still seemed uncomfortable as they sat at the table in silence. It didn't bother Sharp, he simply enjoyed the coffee, and each time he happened to catch Applejack looking at him, she would avert her gaze, pretending to be looking at something else.

A few times he was tempted to ask her to simply say what was on her mind, but he wasn't looking for a confrontation, neither did he wish to ruin the mood at the breakfast table. Finally Applejack opened her mouth to speak. "You will be working with Big Mac today, he will show you what to do."

Sharp looked at her, she still didn't look him in the eyes. "Understood." He replied, almost sounding stiff, which was probably a bad habit. Whenever he had a strict officer, a pony that was bothering him, or somepony creating trouble, Sharp had learned to go the basics of army responds methods, short sharp replies.

"It's Applejack's day off today." Granny said. "So just stick to Big Mac and he'll take care of you."

Applejack sighed. "Granny, I told you, I can stay and do my part and-"

"No." Granny said firmly. "With Sharp here we can finally take some rest days. You have today, Big Mac will have a day off tomorrow."

Applejack didn't look pleased, but she didn't argue the point anymore. Sharp learned something not just about the family, but of Applejack as well. She was a hard worker, she wanted to work with her family, do her part to keep the farm going. Despite their first encounter, Sharp found his opinion of the mare rising.

Big Mac returned, this time with a little filly trotting along slowly behind him. She yawned, still not seeming fully awake yet. Without thinking, little Apple Bloom jumped up on the seat next to Sharp, while Big Mac took a seat next to Applejack. "Morning Apple Bloom." Sharp said carefully, seeing the filly was still half asleep.

"Mawning..." She yawned again.

Granny chuckled, and being the family mare that she was, and knew her grandfoals like no other, she fixed Apple Bloom a plate of delicious pancakes, and placed it in front of the little filly.

It only took a few seconds for Apple Bloom to register the pancakes, once she did, her eyes widened, and her whole body woke up. "Pancakes!" She exclaimed and dug in right away, chewing happily which made the rest of the table chuckle. She swallowed, then looked around like if she was first noticing them now. "Morning everypony!" She then looked at Sharp, seeming almost surprised, but still gave him that wide adorable smile. "Oh! Good morning mister!"

Sharp smiled a little. "Morning Apple Bloom."

The filly just grinned, taking another huge bite out of her stack of pancakes, looking happier than a pig in dirt. "So.." She said, swallowing another mouthful. "Are you starting working today?"

"That's the idea." Sharp replied, glancing at Applejack, who quickly moved her eyes to anything but him. "What about you? Are you in school?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "Mmhm, miss Cheerilee is really nice, and I go with my best friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!"

"Sounds nice." Sharp smiled, taking a bite of his pancakes. "So, do you have a habit of getting into trouble?"

Apple Bloom blushed. "Well, I wouldn't call it trouble.."

"Ahem.." Big Mac hummed sternly, making Apple Bloom flinch.

"We.. We just wanna get our cutie marks." Apple Bloom defended, a sheepish smile on her face as she knew full well the kind of shenanigans her and her friends usually got into.

Sharp snorted in amusement, then chuckled. It reminded him of the days he and Pin Point would go out, trying to get their own cutie marks. While Pin was the more daring of the two, he still managed to drag Sharp into trouble no matter how much Sharp tried to avoid it.

"So how did you get your cutie mark?" Apple Bloom asked, seeming excited to find out.

"Uhm, well.." Sharp was not really sure if he should tell her. Not that the story itself was bad or anything, but he was afraid what sort of follow up questions that could lead to. "One day I was trying to shoot a bow, and, well, I was really good at hitting the target, always dead center."

"Wow, so you must be really good at shooting!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

Sharp in turn simply nodded a little, forcing a small smile as he got his coffee. "Yup.. I never miss.." He said in a somewhat sad tone.

Picking up on that, Applejack looked up at the clock on the wall. "Better get ready for school AB, I walk you there."

Apple Bloom looked up on the clock, she hadn't noticed the change in Sharp, which was probably a good thing, so she simply nodded and got down from her chair. "Thanks for the food Granny, see ya later Sharp!" The filly called as she ran out of the room.

Granny chuckled. "There is more energy in that girl than a tornado."

Applejack got down from the chair. "I'm gonna take her to school, you're sure you don't need my help today Granny?"

Granny Smith simply shook her head. "You go on ahead. With Sharp and Big Mac here we will do just fine."

"Alright then, well, you two have a ni-." She stopped, looking at Sharp for a second, but then turned her attention to her brother. "Have a good day.." And with that she left.

Sharp was left to wonder if she was trying to figure her own feelings out. Was she conflicted? At any rate, he had a job to do and he hoped he and Applejack could clear the air at some point. Big Mac and Granny was thinking the same thing. However, for now there was work to be done.

"Well." Big Mac started. "I'm gonna show you the ropes, then I will take Granny Smith to the market. Let's get going."

Sharp nodded. "Thank you for the meal Mrs Apple, it was delicious."

"Don't you worry none." Granny Smith said, waved the two stallions off, and wished Sharp good luck on his first day.

Big Mac took Sharp around the farm, giving him the basic tour, showing him the barn, the animals and gave him the basic layout of their orchard and their lands. While it would take time for Sharp to fully understand and memorize it all, he had the basic idea down already.

Big Mac figured with Sharp's training a map could help a lot, and so Big Mac got him a map of the Apple family lands. He showed him the area he would be working at, took him there, and showed him how to do it.

While Sharp was in no way a weak pony in any shape or form, it took more than physical strength to make the apples fall into the baskets. It took technique, Big Mac could probably snap a tree in half if he had a mind to, but he delivered just the right amount of force in the right place, making the apples fall into the baskets he had placed around the tree.

"It takes practice." He said, moving the baskets into the cart with Sharp's help. "Don't you worry none, we don't expect you to get it right the first time. Just do your best and I will be back to help you out before you know it."

Sharp nodded. "Understood." Once again, he used a default answer, but there wasn't really anything else he needed to say or ask.

Big Mac looked him over, and Sharp found it was hard to read Big Mac, but maybe he was thinking the same about Sharp. Before it got weird, the red stallion nodded and turned around. "I'll see you later, better start practicing."

That made Sharp smile a little, and he nodded. "I will do my best."

The two stallions parted ways, and Big Mac left Sharp to start work. He had instructed him in what to do, so Sharp would not have to many problems, and he would get back before things would become too difficult.

The job itself was simple enough, place the baskets around the tree, buck the tree until the apples fall into the baskets. Move the full baskets into the cart, move the empty ones under the next tree. This would repeat until the cart was full, or he ran out of baskets to use.

Afterwards, he would haul the cart back to the barn where they would be sorted, something he still needed to learn. Big Mac figured he would get back before Sharp would get so far, but at least work had started and a few baskets could be filled before his return.

Sharp started his work, it was hard, it made his legs wobble a bit whenever he hit the tree wrong. Big Mac made it look so easy, and he imagined Applejack had similar skills. Still, the apples did fall, although at a slower rate than what Big Mac had managed, and Sharp needed to buck the tree several times before there was no more apples to get down.

Although his legs felt a bit sore, he had been in the army long enough to know his muscles would get used to being used this way. He continued, ignoring the pains of the muscles, knowing it was about mind over matter. One by one the baskets were filled up, Sharp moved the full ones to the cart, then brought the empty ones to the next tree.

While the work was tedious, it gave him a chance to use his body, which in turn took his mind off things. He felt better when he did something, lately he had been feeling like everything was too quiet, like everything stood still. He needed to do something, because it felt like if he stood still for too long, he could die.

Although Sharp had slept relatively peaceful today, he had problems relaxing at times. Tonight he had been lucky, despite him dreaming about his time in Saddle Arabia, the memories had thankfully not turned into nightmares like they usually did. Maybe it had something to do with the new princess? Rumors said that she could visit dreams, help ponies with their nightmares, maybe that could have been the reason for his calm night? He had no idea.

He could deal with the nightmares he told himself, but he hated the sounds, the echos of battles that could haunt him, even when he was not sleeping. Thankfully it had been nothing major, but at times, he had found himself thinking for a second or two he was back there, or that somepony was taking a shot at him.

It was stupid, in his mind he knew it was stupid, but he could not ignore the feeling of danger. It was a sudden need to take cover, a sudden need to yell out commands for a squad he no longer commanded, to bring up his rifle and return fire. Thankfully these feelings only lasted a second or two and he could bring himself under control before his body would act out of reflex.

He hadn't told anypony, not even his family. Sharp knew of others who experienced the same things he did, some had it worse, others had it easier. It was not something they had spoken about, and while Sharp had encouraged the soldiers under his command to seek help, he found himself unable to do the same.

Stubbornness? Perhaps, or maybe it was pride? Maybe it was just the simple belief that what he had he could manage himself, maybe it was the belief that it was nopony else's business and he alone could handle it. At least, that was what he hoped.

As Sharp continued his work, Applejack went to Ponyville to meet up with her friends. She was a little surprised Pinkie Pie had not made a surprise party for Sharp, normally she would greet any pony new to town, ask them a bunch of questions, and then later on the day hold a massive party.

That didn't happen this time around, which was unusual for Pinkie. However, as Applejack and her friends sat down for tea and cupcakes, Pinkie was the first one to approach the subject of Sharp.

"Sooooooooooooooooooooooo, how goes it your new housemate?!" Pinkie asked excitedly, looking like someone who had been trying to keep their excitement back for a long time, but she always looked like that.

The other turned to Applejack, clearly curious about what Pinkie was talking about. "Housemate? What are you talking about Pinkie?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh! Didn't you all know? Yesterday this soldier pony arrived in Ponyville, he looked all sad and serious, but Granny Smith helped him and now he is at Sweet Apple Acres!" Pinkie explained, her voice moving a hundred miles per hour.

The mentioning of a soldier arriving at Ponyville surprised them all, none of them knew of anypony from Ponyville signing up. Moreover, they were surprised one was living at the Apple household. "So darling." Rarity started. "How is he?"

"Well, he's.. Uhm.." Applejack was not really sure what to answer, her mind raced in order to find the right words, but none came. What could she say? She hadn't known the stallion for more than a few hours, and yet, she had seen fit to judge him. After dinner yesterday, Granny had scolded her, reminding her not to judge anypony before she knew them, a concept she liked to think she was familiar with.

"I don't really know, haven't really done anything to get to know him yet.." Applejack said, sounding and looking ashamed, something that the girls picked up on very fast. "I told him to, leave." The others looked confused, Applejack was never the type to turn away anypony who needed help. "I said some things, and I'm not proud of it. It was wrong of me to judge him without getting to know him first, it's just, well.." She hesitated, not looking at her friends. "I don't know how to tell somepony I don't really trust I'm sorry.."

Twilight frowned, she knew the war had not been popular, nor was the decision to send troops overseas. Twilight had an insight most ponies didn't, and so she knew the pressure, and the hard decisions Celestia had to make on a daily basis. She knew some of the failures, not in detail, but she knew some of the impossible tasks the soldiers had been facing, not to mention how unprepared they really were for an overseas mission that was supposed to be basically a guard force.

While Twilight did not claim to understand it all, or know what the right answers and solutions were, she did think it was unreasonable to blame the troops on the ground. There were many problems, and none of them simple. Maybe she was biased, her brother was a royal guard after all, and he had seen bad ponies, fighting ponies and monsters, he had never been to war though.

"Well, nopony says you have to become best friends." Twilight said, feeling a bit sad if that was the case. "But, maybe an apology can be the beginning of a fresh start?" She suggested, hopeful.

"Yeah, you're probably right sugarcube.. I just feel awful about it. Now I'm not saying I'm suddenly comfortable having him around, but I do owe him an apology, and at least a chance to prove me wrong."

Rarity nodded. "Quite right darling, although none of us are big supporters of the war, I think it's fair to say you have treated the poor stallion unfairly."

Applejack sighed, nodding in agreement, as did the others. The war in Saddle Arabia was complicated, so much so that most ponies were doubting their involvement in the conflict. Ponies had been killed, soldiers, rebels, and civilians. It shook the very core of the harmony Applejack and her friends represented, and although all of them had their own opinions about the matter, none of them liked what was going on.

Maybe the harsh reality was that Applejack, and other ponies like her were simply tired of the war. War is terrible, it was something that shouldn't happen, but it does. Equestria had not been involved in any wars for hundreds of years, they prided themselves in being peaceful, looking for peaceful solutions rather than fighting.

Was it pride that created her outrage? If she was being honest with herself, she had no idea why she felt such distrust and disgust towards ponies like Sharp. She, out of all her friends, had every reason to be supportive of them. Granny Smith's words echoed in her mind, hammering the point home, which in turn made her feel ashamed.

Would everything be alright after she apologized? Would her distrust vanish then and there? Probably not, but it was something she would have to work on, and that started with apologizing to Sharp, it meant starting over. She owed him and her family that much.

"When everything is settled, we can hold a welcome to your new home party! I can bring my party cannon!" Pinkie said excitedly, brightening the mood.

The rest of the day continued without problems, and Applejack had lots to think on, fortunately, her friends were supportive and encouraging. Unlike Applejack, Apple Bloom was fascinated by Sharp, like any foal, royal guards, wonderbolts were cool and interesting.

Although they might not understand everything about them, they knew enough to be intrigued. She had told her friends everything, and so Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and of course, Sweetie Belle, all hurried down the dirt road to get to the farm.

"He had all sorts of stuff, I've never seen any royal guard wearing all those things." Apple Bloom explained.

"Did he come from Saddle Arabia?" Scootaloo asked, seeming excited.

Apple Bloom thought for a few seconds."I think so, my sister and Granny mentioned something about that."

Sweetie Belle looked to her two friends. "Do you think he can help us finding our cutie marks?"

"I'm sure he can! He has a cutie mark in shooting with a bow and always hitting the mark." The girls all got excited, a new pony in Ponyville meant a new chance to learn how to get a cutie mark.

On their way they saw Big Macintosh walking at a steady pace down the road. "Howdy girls, what are you doing in such a hurry?" He asked, coming to a stop.

The three fillies looked up at him, smiling. "We are going to see mister Sharp! He can help us get our cutie marks!"

The other two nodded, seeming as excited about the prospect as Apple Bloom. "Well, you girls don't bother him too much, we still have work to do, and he can't play before we're done." Big Mac said, being gentle, but firm enough to let the fillies know there was no negotiation.

"Awwww.." The girls all let out, trying to give him the puppy eyes, but Big Mac didn't budge. "Fine.. We promise not to bother him.." Apple Bloom promised, and her friends nodded.

"Well, off with you then. I'm heading to town to see if Granny is alright, you three behave yourself."

"We will!" The three crusaders said in unison, and they parted ways. Apple Bloom led her friends down the last bit of dirt road towards Sweet Apple Acres, she figured Sharp would be out in the orchard since Big Mac just left, and so she steered directly towards it once home.

It didn't take them that long to locate Sharp, he was still bucking the apple trees, looking a bit winded and sweaty, but also looked quite determined. "Hey mister!" Apple Bloom called as her and her friends trotted towards him.

Sharp stopped what he was doing and looked at them, smiling. "Apple Bloom, hey. How was school?"

"It was okay, we got cookies after our last class." She said happily.

Sharp smiled. "Lucky you."

Nodding, she gestured to her two friends. "These are my friends. Scootaloo."

"Heya!" Scoots smirked and waved, Sharp nodded back. "And this is Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie Belle smiled. "Hello."

Sharp nodded to them both as a small greeting. "Hello girls, nice to meet you. I hear you girls have some sort of club?"

"You bet!" Scoots exclaimed.

"We are looking for our cutie marks!" Sweetie put in. "Together we are!"

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

They all called out in unison, the declaration seemed well rehearsed, so Sharp couldn't help but find it funny. He chuckled a bit, and then went back to his work. "Well, that sounds cool. You out crusading or something?"

Sweetie nodded. "Mhm, we're looking for things to try out to discover our special talent."

"We hoped you could maybe help us, Apple Bloom said you are an amazing shot!" Scootaloo said, walking a bit closer to examine his cutie mark.

Sharp flinched at that statement, but recovered before any of them noticed. "I guess you can say that.."

"But my brother made us promise not to bother you while you're working, so we just stopped by to say hello." Apple Bloom reassured Sharp, which did indeed make him relax a little.

"Sounds like you got a busy afternoon ahead. I have to work, but maybe we can talk later?" The three fillies seemed satisfied with that answer and all started to head off.

"Sounds good, see you later mister Sharp!" Apple Bloom and the others waved at him, and Sharp waved back until they were out of sight.

Sharp then returned to his work, having gotten better during the hours that had passed. He was tired, sore, but it felt good. The trip back home had left him irritable, his body had missed being used, and now he had a chance to get exhausted, to be able to work and forget whatever laid buried deep within his mind.

Big Mac had been nice enough to work with, Sharp was nowhere near as good as Big Mac when it came to bucking trees, but he was kind enough to give him tips on how to improve, and how to avoid injuries. Though not a big talker, Sharp found him intelligent, and wise beyond his years.

As cheesy as that sounded, Sharp had learned a bit more about Big Mac, and through him, more about the Apple clan. He was the oldest sibling, had to work from an early age, pretty much took over all his father's duties when he passed away. Macintosh didn't want or like to speak about the death of his parents, and Sharp didn't press him on it.

Mac had been the stallion of the house, had to grow up faster than his sisters, which was why he didn't allow himself as much free time as Applejack or Apple Bloom had. He had helped Applejack with her homework, helped Granny take care of Apple Bloom, been taking whatever workload he could to make it easier on the family.

It was strange in some ways, not in a bad way, but Sharp had the impression he didn't confide in others as fast as he had with him. Big Mac had his own dreams, his own opinions and aspirations, he had told Sharp about a few of them, seeming surprised he had confided in Sharp as much as he had.

Sharp found himself respecting Mac, and thus saw him as a friend. Sharp couldn't help but wonder if in Big Mac he could perhaps confide in him about the things he had experienced. He wasn't sure he wanted to, yet.

A call suddenly interrupted Sharp's thoughts. "Mister!!" Sharp looked over and saw an orange filly run towards him. It was Scootaloo, she seemed scared, so much so Sharp immediately stopped what he was doing and moved towards her.

"Scootaloo, what's wrong?" He asked, sounding urgent, but still calm.

"It's Apple Bloom, she fell down a tree, she's hurt!" Scootaloo said, trying to hold back the tears.

Right away Sharp feared the worst, had she hit her head? Broken a leg? Did a branch move itself into her body? His heart started going faster, by reflex he told Scootaloo to take him to her, but he hardly noticed it. His thoughts moved faster than he could catch and hold onto them. Flashes, echoes, they were coming back.

"We need to get out of here now!"

"Sharp! Call in the strike!"

"MEDIC!"

He gritted his teeth, forced with all his mental powers the images back, trying to stay in the here and now. When they got to the tree and he saw Apple Bloom, everything around him seemed to come into focus, like if the sight had made his mind flick a switch, making him focus on Apple Bloom like he could focus on a friend that had been wounded.

He knew this feeling very well, his mind was by reflex going into combat mode, even though there was no battle to be fought.

Apple Bloom was sobbing, and Sweetie Belle tried to comfort her the best she could. When sharp got closer, his mind started to calm down a bit, her head seemed fine, and her leg didn't seem broken, at least, from what he could see at first glance.

"It's going to be okay Apple Bloom, I'm here." She seemed to calm down a little, but she was still hurting, and the tears still moved down her cheeks.

"I.. Sob...I fell from the tree.. Sob.." She whined, and Sharp looked up at the tree. Seemed like the railing of the tree house had snapped, so she had to have been leaning on it.

Looking back at her he nodded. "I know, it's going to be okay. Just going to look at your leg, just take deep breaths. Kay?" Apple Bloom nodded, and her friends both moved close her, trying to calm her. Sharp in the meantime looked over her legs.

All seemed fine, but her right hind leg, it was bloody, and the cause seemed to be be a nail from the railing that must have cut her leg as she fell. It was a nasty cut for sure, but she wasn't in any danger, but it was probably hurting like hell. Frankly Sharp was impressed she wasn't screaming in pain.

After a quick examination, he could conclude nothing was broken, and the blood had stopped, she was just hurting and it didn't take much for the wound to let out more blood when it was disturbed. Since it could stop itself it was clear she wasn't going to loose enough blood for her to die from it, and since the body reacted to it as it should, Sharp was relieved to know she was going to be just fine.

"It hurts.." Apple Bloom sobbed.

Sharp nodded, knowing there was not much he could do out here. "I know it does sweetheart, come on, I'll carry you back home and then we have you fixed right up." He got Apple Bloom onto his back and started to trot back towards the farm.

"Girls, do you know where Apple Bloom's family keeps their first aid kit?" He didn't really know if they did have a first aid kit, but he imagined a family such as the Apple family had to have one, and thankfully, both fillies nodded. "Okay, Scoots, why don't you run ahead and find it? Then we-." Before he could say more she was off like lightning, her tiny wings flapping as much as her body would allow them.

Apple Bloom tried her best to be brave, Sharp could see she was strong, but at the end of the day she was just a foal wanting to cry and be comforted. He didn't imagine he could provide the kind of comfort her family and friends could, but at least he could get the pain to stop.

Soon enough they arrived at the house, and walking inside Sharp spotted Scootaloo who had spread everything from the first aid kit out on the dining table. Sharp could feel Apple Bloom tense at the sight, but Sharp was quick to calm her. "We don't need all that. Take the gauze Scoots, and Sweetie Belle, can you find a cloth and soak it in water?"

Both fillies confirmed and went on to get Sharp what he needed. In the meantime he walked into the kitchen and sat Apple Bloom down on the kitchen table so her hind legs hung over the edge. Sweetie came over with the wet cloth, and Sharp washed his hooves. Once done, he took the cloth and started to clean the wound.

It was a mess with all the blood, but it looked worse than it was. He carefully cleaned the wound, removing the blood from her fur, making sure not to disturb it too much so the blood would start up again. Apple Bloom winced a few times, but otherwise didn't speak. A few sobs now and again, but she was otherwise calm, wiping away her tears as she seemed to be more relaxed now.

It was natural, her body had been full of adrenaline, the pain of the cut and the fall shocking her, he guessed she probably didn't react to it the first few seconds. Dizziness, confusion, pain, it was all very overwhelming, but she would be fine, and he imagined when it all was over, she would most likely fall asleep.

"You're doing fine, Apple Bloom. Don't worry, it's not as bad as it looks." He smiled, making sure she knew he was calm, and not alarmed, which in turn helped her calm down as well. He then took the gauze and placed it over the wound, he looked to Apple Bloom's friends.

They had blood on their hooves, not their own, but it did look a little scary. "Girls, why don't you go wash up?" The two of them didn't look like they wanted to leave their friend, but looking at their hooves they decided it might be a good idea to get cleaned up, besides, an adult was with them now, so everything would be fine.

"I'm sorry.." Apple Bloom suddenly said, surprising Sharp.

He looked up at her, but didn't stop his work. "For what?"

"I didn't mean to scare everypony, or pull you away from work." She said, sounding genuinely ashamed like she had done something bad.

"Well, did you mean to fall down and cut yourself?" Sharp asked, looking back to her leg.

She responded quickly. "No!"

Sharp chuckled. "Then I don't know why you should say sorry. These things happen, it's not your fault." He said simply, things like this just happened from time to time, and she was not seriously hurt. Maybe it would be good to take her to a hospital, just to make sure he hadn't missed anything, but he didn't think so. "Though you might wanna take it easy for the rest of the day, okay?" Apple Bloom relaxed and gave him a nod. "Good girl." He said and finished with the gauze.

"What in tarnation?!" A voice boomed from the door, making both Apple Bloom and Sharp jump a bit. "What is going on here?!"

Applejack was confused and upset, something Sharp didn't blame her for. The sight must have shocked her, there were blood stains here and there, a bloody cloth, and some dried blood on Apple Bloom's hind leg. Thankfully, Applejack didn't jump him, beating him up, the sight had simply shocked her.

From the gauze she quickly figured Apple Bloom had got herself hurt, and after some explanation from Apple Bloom and her friends, Applejack calmed, and even looked thankful towards Sharp. When Big Mac and Granny Smith returned the whole story was told one more time.

Sharp was thanked for reacting so fast, and Granny even mentioned making a pie for him later, which he had to admit sounded rather nice. Big Mac told him to take the rest of the day off, even though it was not something he was used to, he gladly welcomed a bit of peace.

So as the Equestrian sky was turning orange, Celestia's sun was setting in the horizon, Sharp sat at the porch, taking in the evening air. He didn't really think about anything, he didn't allow himself to. He was tired, but content with the day's work. It was about then that the door to the house opened, and a mare's voice spoke to him.

"Enjoying the sunset?" Applejack asked. Sharp didn't really reply, he simply made a noise and nodded a little. "Mind if I join you?"

Sharp shrugged. "It's your home.."

She frowned, but didn't say anything to it, she simply sat down next to him. Although he didn't look at her, he could feel how tense she was. Her voice hadn't implied she was about to yell at him, so he imagined she was upset.

"Something on your mind?" He finally asked after about a minute of silence.

Letting out an audible sigh, Applejack nodded. "Listen I... I wanna apologize for my behavior yesterday." That was certainly not something he expected to hear, not right now at least. He turned his head to look at her, and she continued. "It wasn't right what I said, and it was unfair. It wasn't my place to tell you to leave, and there was no reason for it. I judged your uniform, not the pony who was wearing it, and I'm sorry.."

He doubted she was fully comfortable with him yet, but he could see and hear she was making an effort to meet him. Looking ahead again, he took a few seconds to let her words sink in. Then, he spoke. "I'm not sure what happened here. When I departed there were so many ponies waving us goodbye, wishing us good luck. Now I'm back home and we see ponies with signs, calling us names." He looked at her again. "Can you explain that to me?"

It was a fair question, after all, what had made her judge his uniform and what it represented, what had made her take that decision, and led her to believe what she did. She sighed, not sure she could look him in the eyes. "The war is not over, none of us can see it ending any time soon." She started, and Sharp had to agree, he didn't see this conflict ending any time soon either. "We heard stories, saw pictures, films, read the papers. Now I don't normally care for politics, but things just didn't seem right to me, or others."

Sharp knew some of the press had not been very favorable about the mission overseas, not that they should not tell the facts, but they seemed to like painting the soldiers as the ones who were responsible every time, not taking into consideration what the circumstances were, or if the troops could even do something about those circumstances.

Strangely enough such papers mostly came from Prance, a country who had denied Saddle Arabia any support. Had the press really represented them so badly that their homeland had turned? No. It wasn't as simple as that, Sharp was smart enough to know things was rarely that simple.

"Some of my family." Applejack continued. "They joined up as well." Sharp's eyes widened and he looked at Applejack in shock. If that was true, why did she object to him so much? "I was angry, I think they should have stayed at home and minded their family, I didn't think they should involve themselves in something we could do little about. I guess I was angry and afraid that we would loose them." She sighed, looking up to the sky. "It ain't right that I took it out on you, or other soldiers.. I just.. I just hate this war and what it has cost."

It seemed she was dealing with a lot, and he understood. All of this, the war, the rebels, returning soldiers, confusing stories, it was all so much to take in for a normal pony. Heck, Sharp didn't understand it half the time. But he had spend enough time over there to know he had done some good, he had seen it, and that was what kept him going, knowing that at the end of the day, he had done some good.

"I'm not really sure what to tell you." He admitted, sighing a little. "But I agree, it all seems senseless, and I have seen enough of my friends get hurt to know I hate what it has cost, but I have to believe it was for something, otherwise.." He looked to the sky as Applejack did. "Otherwise I think I would break apart. The things we have given up, the things we've seen, the things we have done and the ponies we've lost, it can't be for nothing."

They both sat in silence for some time, both letting their words sink in. Then Sharp spoke again, and without hesitation he said. "For what it's worth, I forgive you."

Applejack turned to him, smiling relieved. "Thank you partner.." She held out her hoof. "Mind if we start over? Howdy, I'm Applejack."

Sharp looked at her hoof, then at her. He smiled and placed his hoof on hers, shaking it. "Sharp Shooter."

"Well then Sharp Shooter, welcome home."

Author's Note

Here we are, newest chapter. ^^

I would have gotten it out sooner, but with the shut down of the site for those two days, I lost some of my progress. The chapter also exceeded my expectations on how long I thought it would be, but I think this was a nice addition and I'm happy with how it turned out.

I hope you guys liked it, and I hope you will continue to read it. Thank you. :eeyup:

Chapter 4: Recruit

Author's Note

This chapter turned out longer than I imagined. I wanted to cover certain parts during his training so we could see a little more into his past, hope you guys enjoy it.

Also had to make a correction, in chapter 2 Pin had said they would train in Saddle Arabia, I decided to change it. I have corrected that in the chapter, but it's just so you guys don't get confused. :3

Edited by: Jason Monroe

The speech the sergeant gave is taken from sergeant Alistair Rae, it is the best. XD

Chapter 4: Recruit

Greenfield Army Camp: 30 Months Ago.

Day 1.

"Sharp." A voice called, disturbing the deep slumber Sharp was in. "Sharp come on, we're nearly there." Pin Point shook his friend a little, getting Sharp to groan as he slowly opened his eyes. The sight that greeted him was unfamiliar, unlike normal, he hadn't woken up in his own comfortable bed, no, he was sitting in a passenger car of a train taking him to his new home.

He, along with Pin Point, had boarded the train early in the morning, and after 8 hours they were finally arriving in the town of Greenfield. It was here that they, along with other ponies from all over Equestria, would be trained at the newly constructed army camp.

Some of the ponies traveling with them had come all the way from Canterlot or Manehatten. There were very few pegasi with them, but most of them wanted to serve in the air force where they could do more good.

Groaning, Sharp rubbed his eye and looked out the window. Indeed they were coming to a town, more and more buildings passed them, and he could feel how the train slowed down. The mood was high, everypony, being male or female, all chatted and prepared themselves for what was to come.

Pin smirked. "You nervous?"

"Yeah, who wouldn't be?" Sharp asked, then looked at Pin's smirking face. "Except for you I mean."

Pin chuckled. "We'll be fine, don't worry about it. Some yelling and running might do us good anyway." The platforms of the station came into view, and the first ponies they spotted were some angry looking stallions in uniforms. "Here we go," Pin smirked and nudged Sharp.

The train slowed down even more, but even before it fully stopped, the stallions outside started to yell, trotting up and down the platform, banging their hooves on the side of the cars, yelling at the ponies to hurry up and get out.

"Come on, hurry up!"

"Everypony out!"

"Move it!"

That made everypony inside the train scramble, trying to get their bags, while trying to hurry out. It was total chaos as everypony tried to be fast, but at the same time trying to avoid others who were looking for their luggage. Those who made it out fast were not praised, but instead ordered to stand still, and as more ponies came out they started to form lines.

"Faster!"

One stallion got out, but he tripped along with two other ponies. The corporal was over them instantly. "Come on get up! Get up! Where's your bag?!"

"Uhm, I, uhm, I don't know?"

"What do you mean you don't know?! Come on, find it find it find it!!"

It was total chaos, ponies who had never ever moved so fast in their lives were suddenly being yelled at, ordered around, barked at by these muscle heads with great booming voices. Pin was having fun, while Sharp felt nervous and prayed to Celestia he would not be spotted.

Finally after about 6 minutes of chaos, everypony was finally assembled into four ranks. The corporals had stopped yelling and there was a dead silence across the platform, only the sounds of the train broke that silence. After a while, one of the corporals spoke up.

"Right, we are going to escort you to Greenfield Army Camp. You will keep up, you will not go around town, you will not stop, you are in the army now, you belong to us. If you have not taken a piss before you got off, then too bad, you are not to stop or walk away before we tell you to."

There was a pause, everypony stood still, nopony daring to move an inch. After about 30 seconds, the corporal yelled a command. "Right turn!" Ponies turned right, trying their best to make it look like they were professional soldiers already, but it was all an undisciplined shuffle of hooves with no timing or style, some even turned left.

"Let's move!" The crowd of ponies started to trot, escorted by the corporals. Down the streets they went, passing stores, homes and onlookers alike. Some foals walked with them, but still held a certain distance so the corporals would not chase them away.

They were not even in uniform yet, but as stallions passed mares on the street, they couldn't help themselves but to puff out their chest and stand a bit taller. Sharp simply felt his cheeks burn as they passed a group of mares eyeing them. Pin found it funny and nudged Sharp a little, making them both chuckle.

Finally the base came into view, and they passed the gate, and the gate guard who saluted them all as they passed him. Sharp and the others were not the only ones here, all around the parade square they were other ponies who had either just arrived, or had been here for some time. The whole square was alive with activity, commands being yelled out, marches, beatings. If Sharp had any illusions that this was going to be a walk in the park, then they vanished right at that instance.

They were stopped, and one by one the corporals called their names so they could be divided into their sections, led by a very angry looking sergeant. He trotted back and forth, looking every recruit in the eyes, inspecting them from hoof to ears. No one dared to speak or whisper, the glare from the sergeant made sure of that.

Sharp did his best to stand still, but when he felt an itch he reached up with his hoof to scratch it, instantly the sergeant was over him. "WHY ARE YOU MOVING?!" He yelled. "Don't move!"

Pin smirked and couldn't help but snort in amusement, the sergeant was on him in a blink of an eye. "You, get down! Get down now! Give me 10 you little shit, come on!"

When everypony was finally assembled into a full platoon of 40 ponies, the sergeant stood with his corporal, looking over them all and started to address them. "Now settle down and listen in! Pin your ears back, and engage that gray blob in your skull. You are all now, from this moment forward, members of the Equestrian Peace Corps!" He noticed one of them giggling and he was on him right away.

"You!" No one answered. "YOU! Get out here!" The pony who had giggled looked to the booming sergeant, then pointed to himself as if to ask if he meant him. "Who else do you think I'm bloody talking to? You look like something has been stuffed up your ass and bent in half, now stand over here, and turn to face that way!" The recruit did so, still smiling a little as he stood and faced the platoon. "What's your name lad?"

"Night Haze."

"What?!"

"Night Haze!"

"Night Haze what?!"

"Sarge!"

"Sarge?! How many times do I have to say to new recruits that I am not a sarge?!"

"B-but what ar-"

"Shut up! Shut, up!" He took a deep breath before continuing. "There are sages in this army, surSARGE, maSARGE! And if you ever call me one of those, I'll stick a rifle right up your paSARGE, lad! Do you understand!? That will straighten your spinal cord out, if you bloody well got one! Now get back in there you equine question mark!"

If there was any doubt about who was in charge, they vanished right in that instance. The next thing that happened was the corporals taking them to get their welcome pack, which consisted of a hard foam mattress, course cotton sheets and basic eating utensils.

Other than their own belongings, which were few, they also had to carry the sheets, utensils, and the foam mattress all at once. Their mugs were placed on top of the mattress, which made it easy for them to fall off and land on the floor, which they often did, the corporals were on them straight away.

"Where's your mug?"

"O-on the floor corporal."

"What's it doing on the floor? Where? Where is it? Why can't I see it?"

"I-it landed on the floor and rolled-"

"Where? Where is it?! WHERE IS IT!? GET ON THE FLOOR AND FIND IT!! Get down there and find it!" The stallion put down everything and started to get down to the floor, looking for the mug among the crowd of ponies trying to balance their stuff and get out without dropping anything. When the mug was found the stallion stood up, showing the mug to the corporal, who promptly took it and threw it out of the window. "Don't, drop, your mug!"

"Yes corporal!"

It took time, but soon enough the sections were gathered outside, all carrying more than they could balance, still they tried. "On the word go we want you to run to the barracks and get to your rooms, five ponies per room. If you drop anything it's mine. Do you understand?"

"Yes corporal!"

"Standby!" The two sections of ponies mentally prepared, ready to sprint for their lives while still hoping to get everything they had to the barracks in one piece. "GO!" The chaos began, two sections, 40 ponies all at once started to run, which was near impossible without dropping something.

The two corporals followed them, picking on whoever dropped something or were moving to slow for their liking. "Move! Come on, move your fat flanks!" Whenever ponies dropped something, being a blanket or mug, they would attempt to pick it up, but the corporals simply ordered them to move. "Leave it! Keep moving!"

Sharp did his best, trying to hold everything at once, balancing what he had on his back and still keeping his mug in his mouth. They all ran through the doors, Sharp stood back along with a few others as most tried to squeeze through the door at once, making the scene more chaotic.

The yelling kept going even as they entered. "Stand by the walls!" The corporals yelled out, stopping those ponies who were just about, or had gone into the rooms. When every pony was lined up alongside the wall, the corporals stood at each end of the hallway, only one spoke.

"Those of you who dropped something take one step forward." Those who had, did, which was many. Sharp had been lucky, Pin, not so much. The corporal nodded. "You ungrateful shit heads, those things were gracefully given to you by the crown, and you have the balls to drop them!? Get outside and wait for orders! Move!" The hallway lit up with life again, ponies tried to run out again, some leaving their stuff, others taking it with them. "Leave it!"

The corporal left with those who had exited the building, leaving the remaining ponies with the second corporal. When the hallway was completely silent, the corporal spoke. "Right, get inside, unpack, make your beds. You have about 35 minutes before we come back, so get busy." With that the corporal left the many recruits to themselves, which caused them all to exhale and sigh.

Some started to chuckle and laugh, a few complaining about the treatment, but mostly the mood was good. Sharp let out a relieved sigh, he had survived the first two hours of his stay here, only two years to go.

He stepped through the door, seeing his three new roommates were already readying their beds. Pin was also sleeping in this room, but who knew when he'd be back. The three ponies noticed him enter, but only one kept looking at him with a friendly smile.

There were three of them, a unicorn with a white coat and a silver mane and tail, his cutie mark was a metal grey shield with a silver star on it. He barely looked at Sharp, when he did it was only with a look of disdain.

The second one was an earth pony, he had a green coat and ginger mane and tail. His cutie mark was a four leaf clover floating in a glass that Sharp could only assume was filled with beer. He looked annoyed, grumpy, and he didn't seem to care about Sharp one way or the other.

The last one, the one who was smiling at him, was a massive zebra. He was tall, muscular, looked like he could break down the wall if he wanted. His cutie mark was not something he could decipher, it looked like waves of some kind, maybe a river? In any case, it wasn't something Sharp could tell. The zebra stepped forward, spoke to him in a friendly, but deep voice.

"Hey there, name's Zandre," he said and stuck his hoof out, which, after Sharp put down everything, returned.

"Sharp Shooter." Sharp replied, moving over to the last bunk bed and started to get his bunk ready.

Zandre went back to his own bunk, but he didn't stop his conversation. "So where're you from?"

"Trottingham, you?"

"New Colt City." Zandre said, pulling the linen over the mattress.

Sharp looked at him, surprised. "Manehatten?"

Zandre smirked, looking back at Sharp and winked. "My mama is from Equestria, I've lived here all my life."

"O-oh." Sharp blushed a little, now that he mentioned it, he couldn't detect any accent. "Sorry..."

Zandre simply laughed, trotted over and put his big hoove around Sharp, pulling him into half a hug. "Don't be sorry, it's a common mistake!" He laughed, making Sharp blush more, but still smile as Zandre made no big deal about the mistake and even found it amusing. Zebras were rare in Equestria, not that they weren't welcome, but Zebras preferred their own nation, the large open savannas, and the climate.

The white unicorn cleared his throat, gaining both their attention. "If you two are quite done fooling around, then let me remind you both we only have 35 minutes to get our room in order." His accent was all high and mighty, so it was not hard to figure out where he was from.

"You from Canterlot?" Sharp asked, which simply earned him a snort.

"How very well deduced, I'm shocked you're not already an officer."

Sharp frowned, but before he could reply, the last pony spoke up. Like the unicorn he had a thick accent as well, but it was nowhere near as refined or snobbish. It was clear he came from the Highlands to the far north, they loved potatoes, pints and fighting. Though that was just a stereotype, like most of them were green and had ginger manes, well, if that was a stereotype then this stallion embodied everything about it.

"How’s the weather up there in your ivory tower?" He asked, smirking as he was putting up a small poster inside his locker.

Sharp noticed it, so did Zandre, and they both trotted over to get a better look? “Who is that?" Sharp asked, having to admit the mare unicorn on the poster was beautiful, and alluring the way she was posed.

The pony stood up a bit taller and smirked. "This lads, this is Fleur de Lis~." He said, purring as he spoke her name. "The most beautiful mare in all Equestria."

They all looked at her beautiful.... Eyes... Colts will be colts after all, and the pony seemed the most proud of it, like he had brought a lucky charm. "She will get me through the worst of times." Chuckling he turned to the two of them and stuck out his hoof. "Name's Clover Hoof."

Sharp and Zandre introduced themselves before turning to the unicorn again. "And what about you then?" Zandre asked. "By what name may we address you?"

The unicorn let out a long and annoyed sigh before turning to them. "You may address me as Silver Star." He looked to the poster behind them and scoffed once again. "I have met Fleur, trust me when I say she will have no interest in ruffians like yourself."

Clover glared. "Shut it dickhead, you don't know anything."

The door suddenly opened and an exhausted Pin Point trotted in. "By the sun, he's merciless.."

Sharp hurried over and helped him get his stuff to his bunk without dropping it. "You okay?"

Pin nodded. "Yeah, been better, but I'm okay. Missed anything good?"

"Well, these are our roommates." Sharp said, gesturing towards the three ponies.

Zandre smiled. "Hello, I'm Zandre."

"Clover Hoof, good to see ya laddie."

Silver sighed and returned to his bunk to finish. "Silver Star."

"Pin Point." Pin greeted and sent them all a nod, he then looked back at Sharp and grinned. "So? We're finally here!"

"Yeah, but are you sure this was a good idea?" Sharp asked, looking a bit worried as he returned to getting his bunk ready. "I mean, we haven't even been here for a day and my body is already arching." Sharp was well aware it was his body getting used to all of this, some of his muscles had either almost never been used, or been used in the manner they were being used now.

Pin smirked. "That's the old Sharp talking. Remember, this is an adventure, no one said adventures were supposed to be easy." Pin nudged his friend. "Don't worry, we'll get used to it, and soon enough it will be second nature."

Sighing, Sharp nodded. "You're right, sorry, just.. Never been so far away from home before."

"Wanna go back?"

Sharp didn't need to think about it for very long. "No."

It wasn't like there was anything for him to go back to. If he did, his father would have him work harder than he had ever done before, burn his books, make life a living hell before he was back in his good graces. He was a strict and bitter stallion, and Sharp refused to go back to that sort of life.

Pin smiled, patted his old friend on the shoulder. "Good, I'd hate getting all the glory to myself."

Sharp let out a dry chuckle, getting back to work while he mentally scolded himself. He couldn't keep second guessing his decision. He was here now, he had decided to go, he had signed a contract, there was no way out, and he needed to come to terms with the consequences of his decisions.

He needed to take a page out of Pin's book and simply go with it, he was in the army now, no way around it now.

Day 2.

"Gentlecolts, mares." They all stood on the parade grounds, the whole platoons, 40 ponies, all in their new uniforms. "Now what you are wearing is the best the crown has to offer you. What you are wearing is an honor, an honor I tell you, and you will be grateful, am I right?"

"Yes sergeant!"

"Now, other than your helmet, your boots are your most important part of the uniform." The sergeant gestured to his own. "These here are enchanted with the ability to allow you to walk without any problems on your hind legs and hind legs only. This is important for when you are out on the battlefield or on patrol."

One of the corporals stood up without trouble, walking back and forth on his hind legs to demonstrate. The sergeant continued to explain. "Your boots are meant to giver you greater mobility on the field, and help you handle your rifle better."

The corporal got the rifle, started to walk around, muzzle pointed down. "Kneeling position is important, it gives you a better handle on your weapon when firing." The corporal got down on one knee and took aim at an imaginary enemy. "A kneeling position will also make you a smaller target if you are not on the ground. During patrol you will have to kneel down when you stop in certain areas, this will make you harder to hit, and make you able to use your rifle faster. Thank you corporal."

He got back down on all fours and trotted away. Sharp was not sure how this was all gonna work, but he was not about to question him, he was too young to die after all. The sergeant gave them all a hard glare, then yelled out. "Well?! What are you waiting for, stand up!" There was hesitation, and some started to try, but it didn't go fast enough. "Come on, get a move on before I'll have you all beasted!"

Ponies started to move, trying to stand on two legs, which looked easier than it actually was. Most fell back on the rump, others to the side, very few managed to stand up more than five to ten seconds. Sharp gritted his teeth, it was not as much physical hard as it was difficult to balance, he along with his roommates fell on their asses more than once.

The corporals didn't yell out insults, instead they went around and gave tips on how to stand, how to balance and how to walk. It was a strange experience to say the least. When the entire platoon were finally up on their hind legs, the sergeant smirked. "Well done lads and lasses, but that's only part one. Let's turn up the heat a little, right turn!"

They had minimum drills this morning, but now doing the drills on two legs was something different. Ponies started falling, some turned left, others tried to turn without losing balance, sad to say, the entire platoon looked like a bunch of clowns.

"We'll keep practicing this until you get this, is that understood?!"

"Yes sergeant!"

Day 8.

"Come on, move your flanks!"

It had been over a week, each day felt more painful than the day before. Of course there was a sense of accomplishment at the end, but once again Sharp felt he was behind the entire platoon.

They were all running, this time with their entire kit and even their MP-99 Equestrian Rifle, a weapon they had not tried to fire yet, but had to get used to moving with. Not only were they wearing all their kit, not only were they running at a time where the humidity was awfully high, but they also had to run on their hind legs, something many still had trouble doing.

The heat was unbearable, which made them all pant and sweat like they had never done before. Sharp felt his uniform becoming gross and soaking, his mane was sticky and wet, sticking to his forehead. He was no longer sure if he was running with his platoon, or behind them. The echoes of the shouts from the sergeant seemed to become fainter, the whole world started to spin, and before he knew it, Sharp landed on the ground.

He didn't black out, but it was like the world around him was not as it seemed. His eyes saw it as it was, but it was like his mind could not comprehend it all. He felt like vomiting, if he did so he had no idea. Some pony ran up to him, though who exactly it was Sharp could not tell.

Speaking seemed like a good option at the time, but it came out as nonsensical sounds. The blurry outlines of the pony became multiple shapes, all moving around him. Sharp tried to move, but something held on to him, something heavy that pressed down on him. Sharp didn't like the feeling, he yelled, he moved, but the world around him faded until finally he passed out.

It wasn't clear how long he had been out of it, but when Sharp finally opened his eyes he felt like a broken down wall. His eyes scanned his surroundings, he was inside, infirmary it seemed. He still smelled of sweat, so he had probably not been here for that long.

Before he had a chance to get up, a deep voice spoke. "Welcome back to the world of the living." Sharp knew that voice, and instantly by reflex he tried to sit up and salute, but a strong hoof held him down. "Easy son." It was the sergeant, sitting on the chair next to his bed.

Sharp relaxed, looked around, then back at the sergeant. Much to Sharp embarrassment, he had forgotten the sergeant's name. Ponies in the platoon simply referred to him as the cannibal and had this love hate and respect relationship with him.

"What happened..?" Sharp asked.

"Heatstroke." The sergeant replied. "We got you here as soon as we could."

It wasn't what Sharp wanted to hear, not that any explanation would soften the blow of being embarrassed in front of the entire platoon. As if sensing his frustrations, the sergeant decided to give him some encouragement.

"Sharp, do you know why I'm such a hard ass on you?"

"To make us better?" Sharp said, thinking it was logical.

"Partly, but I have to break you all down so I can build you up again, brick by brick. You don't just put on a uniform, it is not just about being able to give me one hundred push ups if I ordered you to, it's just as much about mental strength." He pointed a hoof to Sharp's head. "Everything you need to be a good soldier is up there, it's all in your head."

"But I'm just, I'm just not a very good recruit. I keep falling behind." Sharp sighed.

"So? The fact is you kept working until you collapsed, which reminds me to tell you to listen to the signals your body is giving you. You have a canteen filled with cool water for a reason." The sergeant chuckled. "You're not the first to try their best and fall down, the trick is simply to get up. All in your head Sharp." Sighing, the sergeant got up and put back on his beret. "You rest up now lad, your mates are here to see you."

Nodding, Sharp felt a bit better after the accident. As soon as the sergeant left, his roommates came in, looking relieved to see Sharp awake. Pin Point, Zandre, Clover Hoof, and even stuck up Silver Star.

"Good to see you awake Sharp," Pin said as a greeting, sitting down on the bed next to Sharp.

"You had us worried," Zandre continued.

Clover smirked. "Silver ass was the first one with you."

Silver Star let out a sigh and shook his head. "I was merely doing my duty, you imbecile." Silver Star replied, looking to Sharp. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted, and I'm thirsty." Sharp couldn't help but find the display of his friends amusing. Silver Star still acted like an arrogant prick at times, but he was slowly opening up to them little by little, even if him and Clover couldn't stand one another.

"Well, you and me both." Clover replied and sighed, getting a glass of water, another thing he hated. "Here you are mate."

Sharp gladly accepted the glass with water as it was offered, he downed everything and let out a satisfied sigh. "Thanks."

Clover then turned to Silver. "And I have no idea what imbe-something means, but I'll assume it's a compliment!"

Silver shook his head. "I need a drink.."

"Water?" Zandre offered and held a glass out to him.

There was a moment of silence in the group, then Sharp started to laugh, shortly followed by Pin, and soon enough they all started to laugh, even Silver. Even if Sharp didn't have the confidence he wanted yet, he was still happy that he and his group was getting closer, so far, it made it all worth it.

Day 10.

Shots rang out one by one, there was little to no sounds other than the rifles shooting. The corporals walked up and down the line as the many recruits practiced their shooting for the first time. Sharp was still waiting in line, Pin was right behind him, smirking.

"Come on Sharp, you got this." He whispered.

"I hope so, I've never tried shooting one of these things." Sharp whispered back, which made Pin groan.

"It's in your name, and marked on your ass by the way, I think you got this." Pin chuckled, which made some of the others chuckle as well. "It's your turn to shine."

"No pressure then.." Sharp mumbled just as his name was called.

"Sharp Shooter, you're next."

"Yes corporal!" Sharp hurried over to the position, got down on his stomach and got his rifle.

The corporal leaned down, handing him five rounds. "Okay Sharp, hit the target when I tell you to. I don't expect you to do perfectly the first time, it's just to help you get used to the weapon." Sharp only listened with half an ear, he loaded the rifle, took aim, and waited for the word of command. The corporal put up his binoculars. "Fire."

Sharp took in a deep breath, then slowly let it out as he squeezed the trigger just the right way.

BANG!

Sharp didn't wait for the result, he pulled the bolt up, then back, letting the empty cartridge out before putting the bolt back, letting the new bullet into its place, ready to fire once again. All of that happened in less than a second, when he was ready the corporal looked at Sharp with impressed eyes.

"Dead center, nice shot."

"Thank you corporal." The others around had seen it, some just stood in awe, those who knew Sharp, like his roommates smirked and cheered a bit, well, at least until the sergeant walked over and demanded silence on the firing line.

"Fire."

BANG!

"Hit, dead center. Again, fire."

BANG!

"Shit. Hit, dead center. Again, fire."

BANG!

By now every pony there was watching, not to mention taking bets. Of course, those who took bets against Sharp had no idea about his cutie mark, which meant Pin would make a nice amount of bits by the end of this.

BANG!

There was silence, every pony waited for the result. Sharp already knew it as he pulled back the bolt, letting the empty cartridge out. The corporal slowly lowered his binoculars, looked to Sharp who simply looked ahead.

"Hit.. Dead center.."

Day 14.

It was evening time, Sharp and his roommates all enjoyed some card games and some stories within their room. Despite the rough start, Silver Star was just as much part of the group as Sharp was. Though he and Clover, nicknamed Ginger, were still at odds with one another from time to time, the group's bonds were strong.

Zandre placed his cards, grinning. "Good luck next time kids." They all groaned, tossing the cards at the makeshift table they had made in the middle of the room. Zandre was the oldest of them, maybe also the most mature. He had a wife, even a foal. His reasons for being there were more in line with the newsreels, he wanted to make a difference, fight the good fight and protect the innocent. He was certainly an idealist, something Sharp could relate to in some ways.

Clover had more simple reasons for being there, he did not claim he had any big dreams or ideals he needed to uphold. He was there for the simplest reason of all, money. The Highlands to the north were harsh, good places to grow potatoes, to make good whiskey, but there was much poverty there, and they lived very divided into an old class system. Clover didn't complain though, he looked for a job, and the army just happened to have one, simple as that.

Zandre and Clover worked well together, so well in fact they had been chosen to operate the machine gun. Zandre would be the one carrying the machine gun, while Clover would be the helper, carrying more clips, the tripod, not to mention his own weapon. Both of them were used to hard work, so it didn't bother them. Sharp noted however it would probably be better to have three ponies operate the machine gun, allowing them to move faster and divide the workload more equally. Still, it wasn't up to him.

Silver Star, a unicorn from Canterlot, son of an aristocrat, no surprise there. What was surprising however was his ambition to become a royal guard. He had tried once, but failed, he was then told his only way to get accepted was to join the army, or the peace corps, which was probably going to be the standard army soon enough. Silver acted worse than he was, Sharp thought, sure he could be all high and mighty, but he did give helpful tips, advice and helped where he could. He was far from lazy, something Pin and Clover had expected him to be.

Interestingly enough, Silver Star was to be a medic, which meant if any of them got hurt, he would be the one putting them back together. Sharp and Pin on the other hoof were going to be simple rifle ponies, but they wouldn't be alone, they had their section and their platoon, which meant they all had a part to play, everypony from machine guns, rifles and medics, not to mention radio operators, artillery, supplies, and of course the new and terrifying beasts known as tanks.

It was all very foreign to them all, Sharp was not even sure how to feel, it was like the world was suddenly spinning faster. Everything he knew replaced by something newer, spears replaced by rifles, cannons replaced by artillery and tanks. The world was changing, and Sharp felt like he was right in the middle of it all.

"Sharp." Pin called, earning him his attention. "Ready for another round?"

Sharp nodded. "Sure."

Before they could deal out the cards again, the door went up and in walked a corporal, making all of them stand up at attention. The corporal gave them a nod, making them all relax. "Evening, I have some letters." He reached into a saddle back and got them out. "Zandre, Clover Hoof, Silver Star, Pin Point." As he listed the names he hoofed them the letters, turning and left Sharp as the only one who didn't get a letter.

It was the second time he hadn't got any, and the others knew it. Only Pin knew the intimate details of his father disowning him, but the others knew enough to see it hurt Sharp to not get at least one letter. Even so, he refused to let his situation bring the others down, and so turned to them and smiled.

"So, what did you get?" He asked, taking a deep breath to calm himself down and keep whatever emotions he had hidden. He didn't want his friends to worry, even though it was quite clear they would do so either way.

Zandre sighed and then played along, smiling a bit. "It's from my wife and daughter." He sat down, opened up the letter, so did the others and the room became silent. Sharp didn't want to disturb, so he sat down, shuffling the cards in silence.

Day 25.

"Drink drink drink drink!"

The mood was good, it was that time again when the recruits from Greenfield could go out and blow off some steam. Most chose to go out drinking, they of course still had to be in uniform and behave themselves, but that didn't stop them from going out to party, get drunk, and of course for some, get laid.

Sharp and his friends had gone to the local pub, it was the place they came every time they had time off. Like with so many others, if you wanted a place to feel at home, then this was the place.

Sharp downed the last bit of his beer before he let out a breath. "Ahh, that hit the spot."

Pin laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Hey, look over there." Sharp turned his head towards the bar, and of course, there sat a group of mares, but not just any mares, pegasi from the air force. Pin had always had a thing for pegasi, not to mention they looked cute in their uniforms, a fact Sharp could not deny. "I think I'm in love."

"Which one?" Sharp asked his friend, smirking a bit as he looked to his empty glass.

"Does it matter?"

Sharp snorted, looking back at him. "Pretty sure it does since you're in love."

"Now they are tasty." Clover cut in, looking at their direction.

Silver rolled her eyes. "Thought you were in love with Fleur?"

"Can it." Clover replied sharply, smirking as he looked over the mares. "They are tasty."

"Well, you guys have fun, I'm off the market, so, I'm going to play some darts." Zandre said before he stood up and left. Silver Star had no interest either, so he stood right up and joined Zandre.

Pin smirked, looked at both Sharp and Clover. "So, you guys in?"

"I'm with you brother." Clover confirmed, but Sharp was a little more apprehensive.

"I'm not really sure, I'm not good with-" before he could even finish Pin pulled him up from his seat and dragged him towards the mares. "G-guys, come on, I'm not good at these kinds of things."

Pin laughed. "Only because you haven't had enough to drink and the right wing pony at your side." They made it up there, Pin was of course closest, Clover right behind him, and behind Clover was Sharp, trying his best not to be the focus of this attempt. "Hey ladies."

The three mares turned, looking at the stallions that had approached them. "Can we help you?" The one closest to Pin asked with a small grin, the other two giggled.

"Well, I don't know if you've heard, but we might be going to war soon." Pin said, making his voice playfully dramatic. "Might be the last chance for us to meet that special somepony."

The Pegasus chuckled. "You might not have noticed." She said, gesturing to their uniforms with her wing. "But we might be going to war too."

"All the more reason for us to use the time we have left." Clover cut in, while Sharp felt like an idiot, at least until the mares started to giggle some more and seemed at least polite enough to give them a shot.

"Well, we just have to see how good company you boys are." The mare smirked and turned towards the bar.

Pin smirked right back and turned as well. "Can we get some drinks over here?"

Sharp was surprised that worked, but he never had the skills Pin had. He was always better with the mares, since there were three of them, then maybe that would mean tonight was the night he could break out of his shell? Well just as they were about to get to drinking and get to know each other better, a group of fine light blue uniformed stallions turned up.

"Why don't you amateurs move over and make way for some real soldiers." They pushed Sharp and his friends to the side, looking at the mares who frankly did not look impressed. "How about some time with some real heroes?"

The style of uniform, the insignia, these were royal guard cadets. "Excuse us, we were having a good time with these gentlecolts, would you mind?" One of the mares said, but the stallions were already half drunk and hardly cared.

"Aww, come on, why not spend some time with us? We are the elite.." The stallion insisted, once again, failing to impress any of the mares.

Pin spoke up. "Hey, why don't you take your spears and show them off elsewhere, this place is for ponies who wanna fight, not just look good in uniform."

The stallions turned to him. "What did you say?"

"He said you look like shiny pricks." Clover put in. "Now fuck off."

The tension rose, but none of them spoke, instead the two groups of stallions just stared at one another. Then, one of the cadets smiled. "Sure, we'll leave you to it then." Sharp and the others relaxed a little, but before he turned away he swung his hoof, punching Pin so he fell to the floor. "But not before we teach you not to lecture your better-ARgh!" Before he could even finish that sentence Clover was tackling him to the floor.

"Clover!" Sharp called, but Pin tapped Sharp, making him look down at him.

"Avenge me.."

Sharp frowned. "What?"

SMACK!

A second cadet launched at Sharp, giving him a slap across his muzzle before they tumbled to the ground. At this point of course they had attracted the attention of every cadet and recruit in the pub, which of course escalated to a full on brawl.

Landing beside Pin, the two friends looked at each other, then back up at the cadets. Without speaking they kicked the legs of the cadets, making them fall down, giving themselves time to get up and tackle them. Sharp had not been in a fight since school, and even then he was losing. Now he had been trained, he was side by side with his friends, but most importantly, he was kicking their royal guard asses!

Day 26.

"So, gentlecolts. I hope you had a good time in town." Sharp, Pin and Clover stood at attention in the most dangerous place in the entire camp, Captain Fairfax's office. He was the highest authority on this camp, and he would decide what consequences their actions would have.

None of them was stupid enough to answer him, all three of them had small injuries from the fight, nothing serious or scarring. The captain looked at the report in front of him, read a few lines, then leaned back in his chair and looked at all three of them.

"You are wearing the uniform of the crown, we have to maintain a good relationship with the locals, and then you go ahead and do this. What in Celestia's name were you thinking?" His voice was calm, but it had an edge to it.

Pin tried to answer. "Sir, those pricks started by punching me after we defen-"

"I don't care." Fairfax replied. "You were involved in a fight with cadets of the royal guards, now I have to send a report to Canterlot, explaining why three of their cadets will return with bruises." Looking to their sergeant he asked. "And what is your opinion sergeant?"

The sergeant thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Well sir, I'm trying to teach my lads how to act like gentlecolts and fight like lions, I'd say they defended the honor of those lasses and kicked some ass. If you ask me sir, I'd say they are starting to look like soldiers."

Sharp and the other two smiled a little. "Stop smiling." Fairfax ordered, but looking at him, Sharp could tell Fairfax was trying hard not to smile himself. "You three will be on kitchen duty for the rest of the week, and I'll deduct two days’ pay." They were disappointed, but knew full well they had gotten off the hook easily. "Hope it was worth it gentlecolts."

Pin was the one to answer, again. "Well I got a mare's number and name after the fight sir, I'd say it made it worth it."

Sharp and Clover had to bite their tongues in order not to laugh, and despite his stoic expression, Captain Fairfax smiled slightly. "Sergeant."

"Sir?"

"Escort these recruits out please."

"Sir!" The sergeant turned to them and yelled out. "Left turn! Quick march! Left, right, left, right!"

Day 42.

The bands had been playing, friends and families had gathered to see them. The speech the captain had delivered was uplifting, it had filled them all with hope, and yet, as Sharp stood there alone, amongst the crowd of uniformed ponies saying farewell, he felt more alone than he ever had before.

Soon he would have to go up the ramp to the massive steel ship that would transport him and his friends to Saddle Arabia, but still, no one had come to see him off. He had sent letters, but never gotten a reply. He had figured his dad would not show, but his mother, his sister, that had been unexpected. His mom had made him promise to write to them, a promise he had kept, but he had never heard back from them.

All of his friends had family come to wish them good luck. Zandre stood with his wife and daughter, Silver Star stood with his parents, even Clover stood and smoked with an elderly stallion that had to be his father. Pin Point also stood with his parents, and although he knew they would wish him good luck, they were here for their son, as it should be.

He mostly had a mind to simply board the ship and just wait for his friends onboard, but before he could make up his mind, Pin trotted over and patted him on shoulder. "Hey, I'm sorry."

Sharp knew what he meant, but there was nothing to do about it. "It's fine, I expected this from my dad, but.." He trailed off. "Never mind, let's just get onboard."

Pin nodded, and just as they were about to trot over to their friends, a voice called out. "SHARP!"

Both of them turned to see a mare run out of the crowd and towards them. It was Sharp's little sister, a sight that made Sharp happier than he had expected. Pin smiled and nudged him. "I'll be with the others."

Sharp simply nodded absently and took a few steps forward. He bare got four steps before the mare embraced him. Sharp hugged her back, smiling. "You came.."

Pulling away she smiled. "Of course I did, I'm sorry.. But, things haven't exactly been easy since you left.."

"What do you mean?" Sharp asked, frowning.

"Well you know dad, grumpy as ever, but.. He is letting his anger out on customers, he isn't really doing well Sharp. If it continues, we may even lose the shop." Sharp could see his sister didn't like this conversation, she even seemed guilty somehow.

His gut was hurting, and he figured it had something to do with his dad. "What's going on?"

Finally, she relented. Taking a deep breath, his little sister gathered courage and spoke the truth. "Dad is sick, and mom can't take care of him and the store at the same time. I had to pitch in, but I still have school, so.. We.."

"You came to ask for money?" Sharp asked flatly, he didn't mean to sound like it, but he had hoped this could just be her saying goodbye, not about their father, again.

"No, I mean yes, but it's not like that Sharp!" She said, her voice trembling.

Sharp shook his head. "Hey, it's fine.. You don't even need to ask."

"So you'll help?"

"Family first, I can't do anything right now, but I will figure something out.." Sharp said, looking at her. As much as he didn't like his father, or hated the store, it was not fair for his family to be punished. He had no idea it was going so badly at home, but he could help just until they got everything back up.

"Sharp! Get a move on!" The sergeant called over as most of the newly trained troops were boarding the ship, waving goodbye to their loved ones.

Sharp's sister wiped away a tear. "I wish you could stay.."

"I'm sorry.." Sharp leaned in and hugged her. "I'll write as soon as I get over there, say hey to mom for me."

"I will.." The two held each other for as long as possible. It was not until the sergeant yelled out one final time that Sharp let go. "Take care of yourself, and come back home!"

Sharp waved as he half ran to the ramp. "I will.. I love you!"

"I love you too!" She called back, crying as she watched her brother vanish into the steel structure.

By the time Sharp got inside he could already feel the vibrations of the engines coming from deep within the ship. He hurried down the halls and up the stairs, his friends trying to keep up. When Sharp came up on deck and ran to the railing, the ship was already moving away from the port.

Quickly he looked around, and either by fate or by luck he spotted his sister, waving at him with a smile. He smiled back and started waving, not sure if she could see him or not.

The ship moved out the seas, and farther the ship sailed, the more ponies left the railing and went back inside. Sharp on the other hoof choose to stay outside. He kept looking at the shores of Equestria, which was getting smaller with every passing minute.

His friends had gone below, leaving him with his thoughts. Despite spending six weeks in basic training, it hadn't really hit him yet. It was only now that he stood here on the deck of the ship it really, truly hit him.

He was going to war...

Chapter 5: New Beginnings

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 6: Rules Of Engagement

Camp Solaris, 45 minutes to midnight.

It was dark, it was cold, and Sharp had a mind to simply collapse as soon as he got to his bunk. Having traveled for hours on end ever since the ship arrived, he was exhausted. So were his fellow soldiers, many were of course excited to have finally arrived at their camp, some simply wanted to get some rest.

Camp Solaris was one of many outposts set up to patrol and watch this province. It was the home of 200 soldiers, plus officers and other personnel. That might not seem like much, but there were around five outposts spread out, which meant all in all 1000 ponies would be watching the province.

It wouldn't be enough to make a major difference, that was the general feeling in the company, a few patrols here and there would hardly do much to hinder any rebel activity, but then again they were only a small piece in a much larger puzzle. They were here to do a job, give a sense of security to the locals, give support, and stop any rebel activity they might come across.

In theory that sounded simple enough, but in actual practice it would mean they would be walking targets out there, the rebels had become known for not shying away from taking shots at Equestrian soldiers. In fact, it had only been a few days ago a few ponies had been killed by a mine. The news had been shocking, and the whole ship had seemed to be mourning.

Right now though the mood was good, the garrison stationed here happily talked to the newly arrived company. Sharp's company was meant to replace the one already here for some months, so the current company could be given some light duties and relax for a bit before returning to replace them again.

There would be a few weeks of introduction, then Sharp's company would have fully replaced them. Many officers stayed here, so it wasn't like they would be totally lost. A brown earth pony stallion walked around, he was the platoon leader by the looks of it, greeting them one by one.

"Welcome, hey. Nice of you to join us, had a nice trip?"

He was open and nice enough, but still held that air of authority. Whenever some pony had a question he would gladly tell them what he could, making sure they understood perfectly what they would be facing out there. He wasn't the only one, the soldiers from the company they would be replacing also shared their experiences, giving them all a good picture of what they could expect.

"We fired 400 shells yesterday," the platoon leader, Solar Armor, said.

Pin looked shocked. "400?"

Solar Armor shrugged. "We were being hit by enemy mortar fire, so we replied with 260 mm, 120 mm and 105 mm shells." He laughed a little as some of the ponies around found it a little funny. "Then we called in an airstrike, so it wasn't a boring day."

"What's it like out there?"

The platoon leader took a moment to think. "The rebels are a bit more aggressive than what I had expected, they are about 800 meters from Solaris and are fully alert and aware of us. So you will probably get some experience with them relatively quickly."

"Good to hear there's something to work with." Zandre put in, which made Solar Armor nod.

"I promise you that you won't be bored out here."

After the introductions and small talk they were all sent to their barracks. Their punks were already laid out, but before they could lay down and get some sleep they all had to unpack all their equipment. Despite this being a boring and tiresome task, none of them complained. They unpacked their stuff, cleaned what they needed and of course checked and cleaned their rifles. Not that they had been used, but they hadn't been cleaned since they left Equestria.

"I'm so fucking tired." Clover mumbled, putting boots in the wooden locker. Looking over at Pin he smirked. "Is that cheese?"

"Yeah, and you can't have any. It's my dinner."

"It's your dinner?" Clover snorted in disbelief, sitting down on Pin's bed beside him. "We already got dinner, so that is a snack at most, share."

"No, go away Clover, it's mine." Pin smirked and nudged his friends. He looked up from his rifle and over at Sharp. "Sharp, you've been quiet, how are you feeling?"

Sharp shrugged as he placed his helmet on top of his wooden locker. "I'm alright I guess, it's just, after all of this training, all the time we spend waiting on the ship, I thought I would be more prepared for the task ahead."

"We all feel that way," Zandre cut in. "We can train for years and still feel nervous, and we haven't even been out on patrol yet."

Silver Star laid down on his bunk, levitating a book he had brought from home. "It's a scary thought." They all turned to him. "To think that just 800 meters away, the enemy could be watching our every move."

They all became silent for a moment, but they knew he was right. They were watching the province, so of course somepony would be watching them. For all they knew they could come under fire the next day, one of them could step on a mine or be hit by a bullet. There was only so much you could do to prepare for that, the rest was simple luck.

They all went to bed after some more chatting, all thinking they would fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. For Sharp however, his thoughts kept him awake for some time. It was like everything leading up to this point ran through his head, his family, his friends and everything he had endured so far. How many would be standing when their time was over? He could only hope and prey they would all get to go home together.

It took time, but eventually they all fell asleep.

When morning came it was just how it had always been, a corporal or sergeant walking in and demanding ponies get up. At this point their internal clocks had become so good they would just start to wake up right before the officer walked in. This was an important skill to learn, because it gave you a more pleasant awakening.

The day started with getting dressed, a hot shower and some breakfast. Since they had arrived late last night they were giving time to adjust. When ready, the commanding officer of the outpost showed them around, giving them a layout of the camp and explained how it worked and what they could expect.

Even though they were trained to know these things it never hurt getting an extra explanation. Sharp definitely felt better getting shown around, having a chance to talk to some of those who had stayed here for some time. When the official tour was over they all got a small break, getting some time to smoke and chat before they had to get ready and move out.

A group of veterans were talking to them, and suddenly one asked them. "Was it you guys who treated the wounded a month ago?"

A blonde maned stallion nodded. "Yeah, unfortunately it was me and my friend that found those boys that died. We were the first ones on scene, and it's just chaos. I move around trying to see if there were any mines around. Then when I get around the vehicle I hit one of those boys with the light from my torch right in the face. He was just staring out in the air, he was already dead of course." There was a creepy silence for a few seconds, then he went on. "I closed his eyes, covered his face. The last one, there wasn't much left of him. I walked around for six hours and collected body parts. Everything, an ear, a leg still in the boot, a heart that was just laying in the sand...It's hard to describe."

Another veteran decided to add something. "You're not monsters or cold because you are suddenly laughing about something idiotic. You need something normal when you're in that situation because it's just so fucked up and unreal."

Sharp felt like his fur was turning grey, or like he had to throw up. He had heard about it of course, but he had never imagined it to be so graphic. He could see some of the others in his group were thinking the same. Some might not want to admit it, some even managed to not look affected, but Sharp was sure everyone was just as nervous as him.

Patrol 1.

They were all gathered in a tent, it was large, and all who were going out on patrol were gathered here, plus a few officers who oversaw it all. It was Solar Armor who gave the briefing. Everyone was excited, though it was also scary. "Alright, since you left Equestria there has been nothing new in the rebels' goal. They are still aiming to destabilize the safety of the province in hopes of undermining our efforts."

He stepped aside, letting the officer in charge of contact with the locals step forward. "Right, the patrol of the day. When you get to some of the villages and you're in contact with the locals, I would advise that when you have eaten your rations and if you have something you don't like, or have not eaten, then share it with the local foals to create a more friendly image of us. Alright? Thank you."

Solar Armor stepped forward again. "Rules of engagement! Remember, self defense can also be before they have opened fire. If you can confirm weapons or you spot ponies moving into position. Any questions?" No one raised a hoof, Sharp got the feeling every pony just wanted to get out there and get a feel for the area. "Right, get out and get yourselves ready."

It didn't take long for them to do so, they stepped outside, put on their kit, their helmets, checked their weapons and ammo. Sharp could feel his heart beat a lot faster, he knew they were well trained, and they just needed to stick to that and work together.

Still, as he took a deep breath to calm himself he took a look around, there was silence, many seemed to be taking this moment to calm themselves and gather their thoughts. A glance towards Pin revealed he was unusually quiet, that unnerved him. Pin was usually the one jumping into dangerous situations, comforting Sharp and giving him the push he needed to move forward.

Maybe the reality of it had finally sunk in, maybe it was the knowledge that they were risking being shot, or the stories the veterans had told. Whatever it was it had left an impact on all of them. Trotting closer, Sharp placed a hoof on Pin's shoulder.

"You okay?"

Pin looked, then nodded. "I'm fine, just, nervous about the patrol."

"I know what you mean," Sharp confessed. "I'm nervous as well, but we’ll get through it, together."

Pin smirked. "Look at you, all confident and such. Maybe the time in the army has been good for you?"

Sharp felt his face heat up in embarrassment. Maybe the time in the army had done him some good, he had gotten more confident in the things he did, he was stronger than he was when he first arrived at basic training. So yes, he had changed, but he still looked forward to getting back home, continuing some of the books he left behind, if his father hadn't thrown them all out by now.

"Alright, line up and let's move out!"

Taking a deep breath, the two stallions exchanged glances and gave each other a supporting nod before they got into formation. They started to march out, following each other with some space between them so not to be taken by enemy fire in a group.

The trick was to make oneself as small a target as you could, hence why each time they had a stop they would get down on one knee. Before they would be on all fours, but now, now they were walking on their hind legs, holding their rifles in their hooves with the muzzle pointing down.

The ground was sand and dirt, only a few patches of green created a diverse picture. Small rivers moved along the landscape, giving life to what was near, but the farther you got from the rivers the more sand and dirt you were likely to see.

Their patrol took them along these rivers, then up behind some rocky hills and then towards some of the compounds and farms. Whenever they encountered a group of locals there was almost always a group of foals with them. They knew the drill, whenever they saw the soldiers they would run up and ask for stuff, some in the patrol handed out whatever they wanted to spare from their rations. Nuts, some bread, nothing much, but enough to keep the foals happy.

Others would point them away, taking a sterner approach as they wanted to keep the civilians at a distance. Sharp himself gave one kid a bag of nuts, but that was it. The hot sun was shining from a cloudless day, making the march twice as hard. They moved through a small field, one of the locals got angry and yelled at them, Sharp imagined he wasn't happy they marched through one of their fields, which was understandable enough.

They had a break, the interpreter talking to a local for some time, trying to gather information about the rebels. A veteran told Sharp and the others it was a losing battle, if they spoke to them the rebels would simply come by and kill them at night. That sent chills throughout Sharp, were the rebels really so cold to their fellow ponies?

The rest of the march was quiet, nothing from other patrols, no pony firing on them, it was just a long and exhausting march. Once back the mood was mixed, ponies laughed somewhat as they shared their experiences out on patrol. One showed his back, it was covered in mud as he had slipped near a small river. Another complained they didn't get into battle, but shrugged it off soon enough as that was just part of the experience as well.

When they had taken their heavy equipment off they all met in the same tent as before getting ready for their debriefing. Solar Armor stood once again before them all.

"Right, let's begin the debriefing. The patrol itself, how do you think that went?" He asked out in the open, waiting to see if any of them spoke up. When nopony did he decided to continue. "individual responsibility was pathetic, it stank. How many of you got down on one knee every time there was a short stop?" He waited again, this time a few ponies raised their hooves, but it was far from the number Solar Armor wanted to see. "Alright, so 8 out of 40. Can we just agree that you simply need to do better? You might as well get it into your thick skulls now, because suddenly you're out there and not getting down on the wrong moment and then suddenly: zikka." There was a silence as he made sure they understood how serious this was. "So get down on one knee... Right, anything else?"

The communication officer stepped forward. "Just wanted to let you all know what I got out of today's patrol, uhm, it wasn't much. You have to remember they are farmers and right now we are stomping down their crops, so all I could talk about today was their crops. Be a little more mindful next time."

With nothing more to say they all went back to get some food and to relax for a bit. Sharp on the other hoof would rather be alone for a while. He wasn't upset, he wasn't really sure what he felt other than he owed his sister a letter. She and their mom must have figured he was here by now and was probably worried for him.

If Sharp was being honest he was more worried about them. His family hated owing any pony anything, which meant for his little sister to ask him for money was no small thing. He didn't really wanna write, but he knew he had to. So finding a quiet spot he got pen and paper and started writing.

Dearest sister.

I arrived at camp Solaris yesterday evening, the trip across the sea was long and boring. Though I could not help but marvel at the ingenuity of the ship itself, not to mention the power it brings. It is a beast of iron and steam, carrying not only troops but massive 870 kg shells capable of firing them up to 27,600 meters.

My first days were spent doing drills, learning what to do in an emergency in case we were attacked. By whom I have no idea, it is not like we are at war with a seafaring nation. The rest of the time was just spent waiting around, walking on deck, playing cards or talking.

Now that I'm actually here I almost miss the ship and the cool air of the sea. Saddle Arabia is hot just like you would imagine, the terrain is dusty and dirty with very little water to feed what little green grows out here.

You know I don't want to worry you or mom, but I know you will worry even more if I don't tell you about it. I was out on my first patrol today, I got to see the area for the first time. I won't lie, we were in danger while we were out there. We were told that 10 rebels could easily start firing even if we are a group of 40 ponies.

It's a bit scary I admit, but I'm lucky to have my friends with me and I'm sure we will do just fine.

This is a short letter I know, but there is not much to tell yet. I'm still getting used to the life around here, but hopefully next time I write I have something more interesting to tell you.

Give mom a big hug from me, give dad my best. Money is included in the envelope.

Your Loving Brother.
Sharp Shooter.

Patrol 2.

Once again Sharp found himself out in the hot sun. It was only his second patrol, but he had hoped he would have gotten used to the heat by now, that didn't seem to be the case however. As he was walking on his hind legs, rifle in his hooves, he felt the sweat running down his neck, along his spine and towards his flanks. The feeling was uncomfortable, but the veterans had told him he would get used to it.

Right in this moment Sharp was not sure he believed them, but for now he simply had to endure it like everyone else. The veterans had been helpful, they had given them all sorts of tips to make life out here easier. When they were rotated back to a city to do light duties it would be the perfect time to buy items that would make life in camp more comfortable.

Sunglasses was one item they recommended, an extra pouch to attach to their belts to carry something extra, like bullets, bandages, or even some extra water if one had the energy for it. Anything that would make life easier was a must buy, things like entertainment was second.

Not all soldiers agreed on that of course. Sharp and his friends knew all too well that a cold drink and the company of a mare could do wonders for you. Back home it was the NAAFI mares who stood behind the counter. They sold them chocolates, toothpaste, coffee, and always had an ear ready when they wanted to complain about the sergeant or when one missed home.

Sharp did miss home, his books, the calm life of Trottingham and the cute milk mare that came around each morning. What was her name? Milkyway, yeah that was it.

"They could easily place a mine around here." Someone said behind him as they stopped and knelt down. "That's a pretty creepy thought."

Clover scoffed. "Yeah, but there is just as big a possibility that we walk around it, it would be pretty stupid for them just to place them randomly."

The conversation made Sharp frown, for a moment, just a single moment he had been allowed to relax his mind. Only to then be brought back to the reality of the dust and the heat. They started to move again, crossing a dried out field towards a line of bushes and trees.

Suddenly shots rang out and ponies started to yell. "DOWN! DOWN! DOWN!"

Sharp felt all his senses being dialed up to ten, everything screamed at him to run or fight. Thankfully his training kicked in and by simple reflex he moved down onto the dusty ground. He could hear the bullets fly above him, some hitting the ground around him and his squad.

"Sharp! We're too exposed out here, get ready to draw back to the wall behind us!"

"Yes sir!" Sharp replied and looked to the others. "Ready to draw back to the wall behind us!"

"Move! Move! Move!"

It all seemed so unreal, even as he got up and started to run back. It was like time around him had slowed down, as if his mind tried to make sense of what was happening around him. Ponies were shooting at him, they intended to kill him. It was a fact he knew about even before he got to Saddle Arabia, but it was like it only just now hit him that he could get hit by a bullet at any time.

Sharp, along with other ponies, hid behind the dirt wall. Bullets flew above them hitting a few of the branches of the dry trees. Out of the corner of his eyes, Sharp could see others returning fire. Zandre and Clover were getting the machine gun in position, unleashing an unrelenting stream of bullets to suppress the rebels fire.

The sounds of the machine gun jolted Sharp back to present, forcing his mind to focus as his training kicked in. He moved the rifle over the wall and took aim. It was hard to describe one's special talent and how it manifested. At times it just seemed like any other ability, other times it was almost like a magic spell that made him extra aware of whatever he was aiming at.

Sharp had never actually fired upon a living creature before. It was what he was trained to do, to return fire with the intent to kill or disable the enemy. There wasn't any room for hesitation, but still his experience was far worse than what the others were experiencing.

To them they just had to fire in a direction, not feeling what he did. When Sharp took aim it was like his eyes focused on the target, the living creature itself, like he could see the pony right in front of him. Feel what he felt, his heart rate slowing down as he felt the slight vibrations of his target's heart. This was not to say it physically happened, but he knew he could feel it, it was like he entered almost a trance like state.

His target was afraid, his heart rate galloping while Sharp's calmed. In any other case he would have thought about that young stallion, how he was probably just as afraid as him. What events had let him to that point? What had made him join the rebels? Was he like Sharp? Did he like books? Did he have a family that was angry with him or missed him?

All of these questions were forced out of his mind as he focused on him. The sad truth was, no matter his reasons, he was firing upon his comrades in arms, his brothers and sisters. At the end of the day Sharp would rather kill the stallion than lose one of his own, and so, taking in a deep breath and calming his mind, he gently squeezed the trigger.

Author's Note

Thank you to Hoodwinked MCShelster for providing me with the amazing artwork for this chapter!

And also thank you to Green Epaulette for letting me use his artwork as inspiration for my character Sharp Shooter.

And to Jason Monroe for the editing work!

Chapter 7: Echoes Of War

"He's not breathing, weak pulse."

"Come on, come on -------, wake up!!"

"Sharp, relax, keep calm. ----- none responsive."

"Double amputation, critical condition."

"Where the fuck is that medevac?!!"

"Keep calm Sharp, keep calm. You need to stay with me, okay? We're going to get ------ help. Sharp, Sharp?"

"Sharp?"

A voice called gently to him, it was like a lifeline back to the light. Sharp had no idea what had happened, but as he slowly opened his eyes and he saw Applejack sitting next to him, he could guess he had somehow fainted. His eyes moved around, looking at his surroundings, quickly it became clear he was no longer at Sugarcube Corner.

"Where am I?"

He asked weakly, earning him a worried look from the orange mare. "We're at Twilight's library, we carried you here after you," she stopped herself, hesitating.

"After I, what?"

Applejack let out a sigh, looking worried to tell him whatever had happened. "Honestly," she began. "I don't rightly know what happened.. After Pinkie Pie fired the cannon you just started screaming. You leapt to the floor, crawled for a bit and then you started to shake.." Her eyes glistened with tears. "You just kept screaming, we had no idea what to do, so Twilight put you under a sleeping spell, sedating you." Sharp didn't like seeing Applejack like this, he’d rather see her smile.

"Well, I'm here now, I'm back.." He reached out with his hoof, placing it over hers to calm her down. It helped, but only a little as she still looked at him with worry.

"What happened to you?"

How was he supposed to answer that? The easy answer was to say he didn't know, and frankly, he didn't. He didn't know why it happened, but he was not unfamiliar with this phenomenon. He had seen it happen before, soldiers who got wounded, or ponies who had not been able to cope with the stress. They all had names for it, none of them medical recognized, so mostly it was just nicknames. Shakies they called them, it was a horrible name, they all knew it was no fault of their own, what they had seen, what they had experienced, they had just snapped.

Sharp had just about seen it all, done it all, so it came to no surprise to him he carried the echoes of war with him. Only question left was what he should do now? As far as he knew there was no cure for his condition, there was not even a term for it. From what he had heard the condition was simply written off as insanity, or temporary insanity. It was wrong, all wrong, and Sharp hated it, and he hated himself for having made a spectacle out of himself.

"Sharp?"

Applejack's voice cut through his dark gloomy thoughts, his eyes turned to hers and he somehow felt more calm looking into them.

"I.. I don't know, I've seen it before, but what actually happened I have no idea.."

It was the truth. As much as he wished it to be different, as much as he wished to deny it he could not turn away from what had happened. Nightmares, that was all he thought it would be, but it was clear now he had far larger problems.

"Maybe I can help.."

Another voice joined the conversation, and both Sharp and Applejack turned their heads to find Twilight standing in the doorway. She smiled, though Sharp could quickly see it was filled with, not fear, but nervousness. It was a look that unnerved him, he had seen such looks before, and it usually came before some really bad news. She trotted closer, but her steps were slow, as if afraid he would suddenly leap at her with a bayonet if she startled him.

"You gave us all quite the scare, are you alright?"

"I guess that depends what you mean by alright," Sharp groaned as he still felt like he was going to vomit. "I'm alive, but.." He moved his foreleg around a little, it felt sore.

Twilight nodded understandingly. "You dove under a table, you probably struck your hoof pretty hard from that dive."

Sharp sighed, sitting up straight despite the worried looks he got from the mares. With another look around he could confirm they were alone, he was grateful for that. He didn't need ponies all around him right now, he was thankful for having been taken somewhere else, and he was even more thankful for the fact that the place they had taken him to was not a Hospital, or a mental asylum.

"Where're your friends?"

"They are either home or still at Sugarcube Corner, helping Pinkie clean up after the party." Twilight's frown deepened, and it was clear as day that something had her worried, a lot. "Pinkie, she.. She's really sorry for what happened, she feels like it was her fault.."

"Well tell her there's nothing to be sorry about," replied Sharp without hesitation. "It's not like she knew this would happen, or there was a risk for it, hell, even I didn't know. Even if I did I should just have told her and refused to go. She's about as much to blame as myself, and none of us knew, so I say we're pretty much even.."

Twilight notably relaxed, so too did Applejack. It would have been easy to blame Pinkie Pie, some part of him even wanted to do just that. Sharp however didn't want to lash out, he didn't want to assign blame for something nopony could have predicted. He'd might as well blame princess Celestia, the doctors, the whole stinking system that had failed him and his brothers and sisters in arms. Sure, there was blame to go around, but Sharp did not want to waste his time on that, he was a soldier, and it was just part of the life path he had chosen.

It was a tough pill to swallow, and he knew not all returning ponies shared that sentiment. He didn't fault them for their anger, they had every right to be pissed, to feel let down and now excluded from the ponies that had two years ago waved them goodbye like heroes. Those who still had family and friends that accepted them back, they were the lucky ones. The rest was left on their own, confused and angry, questioning every single decision they had made.

It hurt just to think about, it was like a rusty knife in Sharp's chest to think his brothers, his sisters, those who had chosen to fight for someone else and put their lives on the line, that they were being discarded like used tools. In his mind, Sharp knew it was not that simple, but in his heart he knew that was what they felt like, discarded.

Who was there to blame for that? Who could they blame for their scars on body and mind? No one, they had volunteered into an army that did not have the experience needed for the task ahead. The lessons learned had come at a high price, Sharp's only way to justify any of it now was with the hope that there would be drastic changes to better the armed forces. At least then his pain had been for something.

"Sharp, if you don't mind, could I ask you some questions about your time overseas?"

He narrowed his eyes, already feeling apprehensive about this. Sharp didn't want to share his experiences with somepony who had not been there. It was not some soldier code or that other ponies would be too stupid to understand it. The simple truth was while they may understand the situations, they would not understand the emotional strain.

It was the pony aspect of it, one could look into history and understand there was a battle and why it was fought. At times one could even easily identify the good and the bad, one could easily judge right from wrong, put the reasons for the battle up on a scale of morality and see which of the reasons had more merit. To them though, the faceless soldiers were just numbers on a page, a shadow in whatever story Sharp could tell.

You could always understand and maybe even feel bad for the nameless ponies in your mind, but nopony could ever truly understand what it was like to be one of those soldiers. Never.

"No."

His tone was colder than he intended, that much was clear by how Twilight flinched at his answer.

"I'm sorry, but with all due respect Miss Sparkle, what do you hope to gain from my answers?"

Twilight didn't understand, it was clear from the way she looked at him. Sharp didn't have a problem with Twilight, but he could tell she would only be interested in the academic side of things, the numbers, the details of his feelings. He knew that, because it was the exact same enthusiasm he had whenever he read a history book.

"Well, it could serve to better help other soldiers who might return." She didn't seem to notice she used the word might. "Your experiences could be valuable to begin research, then we can better understand how to give the proper care."

It all sounded very good, and Sharp could see it all came from a good place. Twilight really cared, and he appreciated that. There were just a few problems that he needed to address first.

"Miss Sparkle, can I ask, are you a doctor?"

"No, but I-"

"Are you a psychiatrist?"

"N-no, bu-"

"A psychologist?"

"No.."

"Do you have any influence in the institutions they work in?"

"No.."

"Then I'm sorry Twilight, I know you want to do good. Though other than a letter to the princess, I don't think you can do much. As for me, you're simply not qualified to even begin to help me in any professional capacity."

Twilight seemed a bit deflated, he didn't want her to feel bad, but he did need her to understand. She wasn't done however, she tried one more time, either to get him to open up, or justify her curiosity.

"But if Celestia knew how you were affected then-"

"She knows," replied Sharp, his voice a little more stern now. "Miss Sparkle, princess Celestia has lived for over a thousand years, she has seen battle before. She might have forgotten after so long since the last war, but I doubt she would not know about these episodes by now. What she'll do about it I have no idea.. Send your Letter Miss Sparkle, urge her to do something if nothing is being done, but don't ask me to share.. I've been here for three days, I've only been home for four. Don't expect me to open up so quickly."

Silence befell the room, and Twilight didn't look him in the eyes. She really wanted to help, he knew that, but he just couldn't, he needed time to recover himself. Not wanting to take advantage of her hospitality he stood, his nausea had vanished and he felt a lot better.

"I'm sorry Twilight.."

Sharp added, not wanting to leave her with the idea that he was angry with her. Quickly she stood and shook her head with an understanding, but still disappointed smile.

"No, I understand. Please let me know if I can help in any way."

"I will, Twilight, thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight sugarcube."

Applejack added as both she and Sharp made their way out of the library. Already he could feel Applejack's eyes on him, he wasn't sure if she wanted to protest his stand or not, but he was not in the mood to have that discussion right now.

"I'm sorry.."

Said Applejack, surprising Sharp as he turned his head and looked at her. The surprise must have shown on his face, and she gave a low chuckle.

"I know Twilight can be, well, excited. It comes from a good place, and I think you did the right thing." She gave him a look, then the faintest of smiles. "Just because I am a simple country mare doesn't mean I don't know when it's time to put one's hoof down."

"You don't think I was wrong?"

"That's not really for me to decide.."

Sharp was taken aback, he had thought Applejack would give him a scolding, or at the very least told him he was wrong. Instead, she agreed with him? That filled him with relief, and as they walked he felt a little less worried.

"We all have things we don't wanna talk about, or are ready to share.."

There was a sadness to her tone, it carried so much weight, she didn't even look at him as she spoke. He knew that tone, it spoke of pain and sorrow, didn't take a detective to figure out what she was talking about. Sharp had never asked about it, it was none of his business, and so he would not push the issue.

"You were stern, but you were also understanding, I don't think anypony can rightly ask more than that. You don't need to worry, you don't have to talk about anything you're not ready to share, but you should know she will probably not be the last one to ask you."

Sharp frowned, he knew what Applejack said was true. After tonight everypony in Ponyville would know for sure he had issues, that he was a soldier. His little episode would just fuel the rumor mill, it couldn't be helped.

"I know.."

He said in a long and tired sigh, the only thing on his mind was to get to bed, this whole ordeal had left him pretty drained. Despite how the evening had started the open star filled sky did bring a smile to his face. The gentle breeze felt good, and he could feel his body relaxing. Once out of town and back on the dirt road towards Sweet Apple Acres, he took a moment to stop, look back out at the fields before him, the tall grass waving like the sea in the wind. Applejack noticed him stopping and did so as well, she didn't speak, seeing Sharp was fine and simply looked out at the landscape. After a few seconds he spoke.

"I've always liked the quiet life, a simple life. I often dreamt of adventure, like the heroes in my books. There was nothing better than sitting in the shade of a tree, feeling the soft grass beneath me, the gentle summer breeze in my mane, just to relax with a good book and a snack." He chuckled. "I wanted adventure, but inside me I knew I was probably never going to leave Trottingham, so my only escape was my books.. My father was a strict stallion, which can be good in some ways, but he was no dreamer, which meant he didn't like me dreaming of a future away from what he wanted me to do.." Sharp closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he shared this with a mare he had only known for three days. "The day that I signed up, it was the only time I truly felt I had taken my own destiny into my own hooves.."

Applejack thought back to their confrontation at the dining table: 'It's complicated.. We didn't exactly part on the best of terms when I went to Saddle Arabia.. We don't talk much now..' She frowned, but still she did not speak.

"My father was less than pleased, he disowned me. It was pretty hard, but I had made a choice, you know? Despite my sadness and fears I somehow felt free." He turned, looked into her green eyes. "Now I'm no longer a soldier, but I don't feel free at all.." He let out a sigh, turned his head and looked to the landscape. "I'm not even sure who I am anymore, I feel, broken.." That was the best word for it, broken.

He didn't have family anymore, he barely had friends, so what was he to do now? His life in Ponyville had hardly just begun and already he had made a total ass of himself. Applejack regarded him for a moment, letting his words sink in. He had just been talking, not really to make a point, but just talking. She liked that, not that he was obviously in pain, but that he entrusted her enough to give a little part of himself. It was a truth about him, he was broken and felt lost, not an easy thing to admit. She trotted up beside him, not sure if it was her place to say, but that had never stopped her before.

"Well, you're welcome to stay and find out, maybe we can help you?"

Sharp smiled a little, but didn't look at Applejack, he just stood there beside her, looking at the stars.

"You think your family is going to let me stay?"

"Ya kidding? I think Granny and Apple Bloom likes you too much to let you go."

Both of them shared a laugh. It felt good, and Sharp looked at her with a grateful expression. "Thank you, Applejack, I needed that."

She smiled and gave him a small nod. "Anytime sugarcube, anytime."

The next morning felt like a gift, Sharp had not been sleeping very well, and to him, morning could not have come fast enough. He had nightmares before, but this time it felt more vivid, like even if he woke up he could still smell the gunfire, feel the sand on his hooves, hear the sounds of battle.

He had no idea how much of the night he actually slept, even when awake it felt like a strange middle ground of being half aware of his surroundings, and half dreaming. He was so tired, but he didn't want to go back to sleep. A glance out the window told him it was way past the time he usually got up, it was only confirmed by the smell of breakfast coming from downstairs.

Sighing, he got up and made his bed, trying to make himself at least a little more presentable, and then walked downstairs. As soon as he entered the kitchen the apple family members looked at him.

"Mornin' sonny, you're finally up, just in time for breakfast! Sit down." Granny grinned and fixed him a plate.

That was not what Sharp had expected to hear, he had expected questions, a lot of them. Mostly he had expected Apple Bloom to look nervous, or scared, but she just smiled at him with her mouth full of breakfast. Big Mac in the meantime enjoyed a cup of hot coffee and a sandwich, not paying him much mind other than a polite morning greeting, then he returned to reading the paper.

Applejack gave him a kind smile, much kinder than what he was used to. Well, that was not quite true, she was polite enough, and smiled at him a lot more after they made up, but the smile she was giving him now, it was much more, warm? What had made this change? Was it pity? After hearing about his background yesterday, did she pity him? No, that was not right. He wasn't sure how exactly he could tell, but he could. It was not like it was an unpleasant smile, he quite liked it and he found himself smiling back.

"Well, we have a long day ahead of us!" Granny declared after putting a plate in front of Sharp. "Applejack, Big Mac, I expect you to step it up today while I'll take Sharp Shooter to the mayor's office." Sharp raised an eyebrow, looking at the old mare with a bit of confusion. "Don't look at me like that, sonny. You've been here for four days, it's time for you to register as a resident here."

Now he their eyes turning to him, but he did not look at them, just at Granny. He was confused, did she really want him to stay here, at Sweet Apple Acres, working for them? After yesterday he had actually assumed Granny would politely, but firmly, ask him to leave.

"Uhm, well I.."

"Unless you have other places to go?" Granny said with a slight grin, seeming to read his fears, but was polite enough not to talk about it in the open. Sharp shook his head, almost looking ashamed, but Granny just smiled. "Alright then. So you will come with me and Apple Bloom, and you two get started in the west orchard."

"You got it Granny!"

"Eeyup."

Sharp was still a little stunned over Granny's hospitality, but he didn't complain. In fact, it did make him relax slightly, knowing he wouldn't have to find a new place to live, or work. When everything was said and done, he had a good place here. He doubted he could live at this farm forever, but it was at least a place for him to begin a new life.

Once breakfast was over and done with, Sharp found himself in the company of Granny Smith and Apple Bloom. After breakfast and some cleaning they had taken off towards Ponyville. Apple Bloom's leg was doing much better, still a little sore, but she could at least walk by herself and play outside again.

Apple Bloom did most of the talking on the way to town, talking about all sorts of adventures she and her friends had been on. Sharp didn't mind, her stories were quite interesting and it was a nice distraction. Granny didn't talk much either, only once in a while would she reply to something Apple Bloom said, either confirming something, or correcting.

They had barely trotted into Ponyville before ponies began to greet Granny as she walked by. All of them seemed to have a lot of respect for the older mare, and Sharp could easily understand why. Granny Smith was probably the oldest resident in Ponyville, at least as far as he knew, so she had seen a lot, seen many of the ponies grow up. She took Sharp straight to the mayor's office, not wanting to dance around the issue or waste time, that was their first stop of the day.

"Well good morning Granny Smith." A young secretary said from behind a desk. "How can I help you this morning?"

Granny walked straight up to the desk with a polite smile, Apple Bloom by her side and Sharp only a few steps behind. "This here young fella has moved in with my family, he needs to register."

The mare understood instantly and levitated some papers to the desk. "Of course, here are the forms Granny, you need to sign as well to confirm he is moving in at your address."

"Alright, we have them papers done in no time, come on sonny."

She nudged Sharp over to the side where a few tables and chairs had been set up for ponies waiting, although right now they were the only ones here. They sat down, and Sharp began to look over the papers. They were simple enough, write down simple information like his name, age, last known address and current occupation. He wasn't sure what to write in that last part, his time was up, but he still had some connection to the army. Deciding to play it safe he just wrote, farmer, and was done with it. Granny co-signed the form, and it was done.

"Thank you, welcome to Ponyville sir."

Sharp just nodded and mumbled a small thank you before they walked out of the building again. Apple Bloom seemed eager. "What now, Granny?"

Granny put her hoof to her chin and thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose we should go to the market, then I reckon we could stop by the park for some ice cream. What do you say to that?" Apple Bloom nodded eagerly. "Alright then, Sharp Shooter, mind coming with us?"

Sharp wasn't sure, he didn't mind at all, but he still felt a little too exposed. After yesterday's events he would rather stay at the farm and do some work. However, it seemed Apple Bloom had other ideas. She hurried over to him and gave him the biggest puppy dog eyes he had ever seen in his life.

"Aww, please Sharp, please! Come with us! We're going to have so much fun! Promise!"

"Well, uh... I don't see why not, it's the least I can do."

"Yay!"

Sharp relented, and Apple Bloom was satisfied. In his private thoughts, Sharp couldn't help but find it amusing he had been defeated by a little filly, but what the hay, if Apple Bloom was happy and he could help Granny Smith out, then some time in town would be worth it.

"Well then, let's not waste the day light!" Granny declared and they were on the move.

Their trip started at the market, Apple Bloom enjoyed going around and looking at all the different things being sold. The most exciting things typically came when out of town sales ponies showed up and set up a stall. They would have some things you couldn't easily obtain in Ponyville, if not Equestria.

Granny seemed on good terms with many, if not all, of the owners of the stalls. Many times she stopped and greeted them, talked prices, or haggled for a deal. Apple Bloom was by no means a newborn, but Granny still asked him to keep an eye on her, which he did.

Sharp was first wary of the looks ponies gave him, he had been correct in assuming they would look, but none of them were hostile, just a little nervous, or even concerned. Granny paid them no mind, and soon enough, neither did he. Sharp decided to carry whatever Granny Smith bought, which was not much, so it was hardly a bother to him.

Once done with all their shopping, the group made their way towards the park, but in doing so they would pass Sugarcube Corner. Sharp stopped, wondering if Pinkie Pie was okay. Twilight had mentioned she was feeling guilty, and the two hadn't talked since yesterday. Of course there was every chance she would be okay, but he didn't like to imagine if she was not, and he hadn't come by and told her they were okay himself.

So, looking to Granny Smith and Apple Bloom he waved them on and said. "I'll catch up, just need to check on something."

Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion, but Granny was quick to usher her along and gave Sharp a nod in the process. "We'll be waiting at the park. You come and find us there when you've concluded ya business."

Sharp gave a nod back, grateful Granny understood so fast and did not pry. He turned to the building, the sight kind of giving him nausea when thinking back to what happened. Still, there was no crowd inside, and hopefully not some sort of cannon, so he took a deep breath and walked towards the door.

The little bell above the door rang, signaling somepony had entered the store. Sharp had not been here before without the crowd, so it was the first time he really got a good look at it. The place was rather cozy, and had a warm feeling to it. There were some tables and booths for customers to sit and enjoy their pastries, and at the end of the room a counter.

Behind the counter stood two ponies, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. The stallion was tall and thin, a rather gangling pony with yellow fur and an orange mane. The mare was smaller, a little plump, but had warm and kind eyes. She had blue fur, and a very strange mane color Sharp could not put his hoof on, redish?

They spotted him quickly, and at first it seemed they were going to smile, but then a flash of recognition sparked in their eyes and they started to frown. They didn't seem unfriendly or hostile towards him, more concerned as he made his way to the counter.

"Excuse me, my name is Sharp Shooter, you must be Pinkie's, uhm, parents?" He asked in a questioning tone.

"Oh no, sorry dear." The mare said. "We're not Pinkie's parents, this is our shop and she works for us, and rents a room upstairs. Though we do see her as part of the family." She smiled a little as she talked about their and Pinkie's relationship, but then the frown returned as she looked him in the eyes. "We heard what happened yesterday, and we're so sorry."

Carrot Cake nodded. "That we are, but please understand that Pinkie meant no harm, she just gets excited when-"

Sharp held up his hoof, stopping Mr. Cake in his tracks. "Don't worry, I'm not here to yell at Pinkie, or you. I came because Twilight told me she feels guilty, and I just wanted to come by and tell her I do not blame her for what happened. It wasn't her fault, and I would hate it if she trotted around feeling guilty for something she didn't know about."

Both of the ponies visibly relaxed, letting out a relieved breath they had no idea they had been holding. "Thank Celestia.. Pinkie has been very upset since yesterday.." Mrs. Cake explained, nodding towards the backdoor leading to the kitchen. "She's in there working. I'm sure she will be happy to know you're okay. Please, go in."

Sharp offered them a short thank you, and walked through the doors and into the kitchen. Didn't take him long to spot the mare, although when he saw her he was a little surprised. Her normally bright pink color seemed to have faded, not much, but it was like the color had dulled slightly. Her mane was no longer puffy, it sat straight, which was not a bad look honestly, but it was a far cry from the mare he met the day before.

"Pinkie Pie?" Sharp called gently.

The mare jumped slightly, her eyes widening as she looked around for a moment until she finally noticed him. "Sharp Shooter? What are you doing here? Are you okay??"

Sharp trotted towards her, and he could see how Pinkie almost seemed to shrink down as he came closer. "Pinkie, I came by to see if you're okay?"

She looked at him, clearly surprised, and clearly not what she had expected him to say. It reminded him of his own surprise this morning, how he had not expected Granny to let him stay, or how he expected a firm scolding, but did not get one.

"I'm fine," Sharp assured her. "Twilight told me you were feeling bad?"

Once again she looked away, her eyes drifting to the cookie dough. "It's just, it looked like you were hurting, like you were really really hurting, and it all came after I fired my party cannon." Sharp had no bucking clue party cannons even were a thing, but apparently they were. "So I was afraid I had hurt you.."

Again, it would have been easy to blame Pinkie, but that would be unfair. She was just trying to bid him welcome to town, nopony intended for it to happen, and nopony knew it could happen. He didn't blame Pinkie, and she should not feel bad about anything.

"You didn't, you didn't do anything that wasn't already there.."

"But!"

"Pinkie," Sharp cut in. "Thank you for throwing a party in my honor. Despite what happened I am thankful for the thought and the effort. What happened wasn't your fault, you had no idea it could happen, neither did I. If I did, then I would have told you, and respectfully declined your invitation."

Her eyes seemed to be holding back a few tears, but she removed them with her hoof. "I'm so sorry.."

"Come on Pinkie, you have nothing to be sorry for." Sharp didn't really know Pinkie Pie, but he still felt it was right when he walked behind the table and gave her a forgiving hug. She was surprised, but quickly embraced him, sobbing a little as she let out all the fear and guilt that had been building up over the night. Sharp just let her get it all out, not minding doing this if it would help her feel better. It wasn't like he hadn't done this before, Pinkie kinda reminding him of his younger sister, maybe that was the reason this felt a bit calming to him too.

They stayed like this for a few minutes, then Pinkie drew back, looking much better, though still a little emotional. She smiled slightly as she looked at him. "Maybe we could try again? Just a small gathering, with no cannons, promise."

Sharp nodded and sent her a warm smile in return. "I'd like that."

The two parted ways and Sharp was happy that he could help Pinkie. The Cakes even thanked him as he was leaving the store, and he could not help but think he had made a small connection there. At least when they looked at him from now on they would not think of him as the crazy stallion with mental issues.

A few minutes later he joined Granny Smith and Apple Bloom at the park. Granny was relaxing on a bench, watching her granddaughter run around and playing with her two friends. Sharp decided to join Granny, so after taking off the saddlebags he sat down beside her.

"So," started Granny after a few moments. "How'd it go?"

She didn't need to clarify what she meant, Sharp understood. "It went well.. I think we're okay."

Granny chuckled. "A real gentlecolt." Sharp let out a small laugh in response, but did not argue her point. Both of them sat there in silence for another minute or two, then she continued. "You're a good pony, Sharp." He looked at her, but Granny just kept looking at her grandfoal. "It's not fair what happened to you, or to any other of those young ponies. It's not right, and some won't come back the same. You yourself have probably changed a great deal I reckon."

Sharp returned his gaze forward, letting out a tired sigh. "I probably have.. It's like I can't imagine myself as who I was before the war."

"War changes you," Granny nodded. "Some more than others, but you change. Most ponies go through their entire life without having to make the choices you had to make, without compromising their lives or their morals. Most ponies will never have to go through the trials you had to go through." She let out a sigh, then leaned back slightly, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "Not that morals are not important mind you. If I had my way, and I'm sure most would agree, then every conflict would be solved peacefully. That would be an ideal world."

There was a time Sharp felt exactly that, felt that the world should be able to solve their issues with talk instead of force. But, Sharp had come to terms with that for good or for ill, force was without a doubt the final method of resolution for any conflict. "The world is rarely ideal.."

Granny nodded. "Sadly, it is not.. Which is why we should count ourselves lucky some are willing to do what must sadly be done. It is a choice not everypony can make, and you made it sonny. You've done your duty, and now it's time for you to come home."

He looked at her again, a confused look in his eyes. "I... I don't understand.."

"You're still there, aren't ya? You can still hear the sounds, smell the smells, it's like you never left at times."

Sharp frowned, how did she know that? He looked forward again, leaning back as he tried to come to terms with what she said. Then he nodded. "Sometimes, it's like I'm still there.. I have nightmares, and sometimes sounds make me flinch, like I'm expecting an enemy to jump out of the shadows.."

Granny nodded knowingly. "I've seen it before, though I imagine it was on a much smaller scale than this. Back then we called it battle fatigue, though I don't think they use that term anymore."

"So, what do I do?"

"You keep moving forward, you keep living." Granny replied, a sudden sad tone touching her voice, like if she had said it before. "You're strong, Sharp, so you keep moving. Everyday, try and be better than the day before, push ahead and try and come to terms with your past. Not all wounds can be fully healed, Sharp, but, they can be treated, they can become manageable."

He looked at her, but she still didn't look at him, she couldn't. "You've seen this before?" It was more of a statement than a question, and Granny nodded in confirmation.

"I told you I was a NAAFI mare. Well, some of those boys were involved in a particular nasty battle with some changelings.. We lost some good ponies, lost them way before their time. The others, they were not the same, and many quit the guard. Most did alright, but some, some could not recover, and I wish I could have helped them.. But it was out of my hooves." She looked to Sharp, giving him a stern look.

"I can't help all, but I can help you. You have work, and you have a home, not all will be so lucky. So, Sharp, you don't need to talk about anything you don't want to, but please, for the love of apples, do your best, keep living, and know that you're not alone." A small smile appeared, and she looked back out at Apple Bloom. "You're not an apple, but you could be, and I think you make a fine one too."

Sharp wasn't sure what to say, he was stunned. A smile crept onto his face and he looked ahead as well. Before he knew it, he felt some warm tears moving down his face. He wished his own family would greet him like that, showing him the same kindness instead of dancing to his father's tune.

"I.. I don't know how to tha-"

"You probably make a good husband for my Applejack too." Granny suddenly declared, doing a complete one eighty on the conversation.

"Um, I, I don't.." Sharp stammered, not sure how to respond.

"She's stubborn, but she needs somepony who can handle her. If you decide to court her, then you must be double as stubborn." She chuckled. "But then you will be an Apple, and I can get my great grandfoals."

And just like that the moment had vanished, and Sharp found himself blushing. "I've not even known her for a week, Granny!"

"Well I have a feeling in my old bones, and I'm a good judge of character!" She grinned. "You just wait and see."

Before Sharp could reply Apple Bloom ran over to them. "Granny, can we get ice cream now?"

"Yes!" Sharp said, jumping on the opportunity to escape this conversation. "Come on, you can pick whatever you like."

"Yaaay!"

Granny watched as the two made their way across the grass and towards a small ice cream parlor. She chuckled, then leaned back and looked to the blue sky above. "One day at a time, Sharp. Just keep moving forward.."

Chapter 8: Casualty

The wind was howling over the large hills, the sand moved about like a living creature, shifting as frequently as the sea. Yet in its own desolate way, it was quite beautiful. It was hot, and endlessly challenging, but beautiful.

It had taken Sharp three months to really and truly see the beauty of this land, and in those three months he had been part of several engagements with the rebels. Now he was on guard duty along with his squad mates and their corporal. They guarded a checkpoint along one of the roads leading to one of the bigger cities. Their job was simple enough, search anyone who wanted to go through, check for weapons, note their identity, and if all is well, allow them through.

The checkpoint consisted of two fortified positions on each side of the road, then some open space leading to the cliffs, and between the positions and the cliffs were a sea of mines. They had not been placed by Equestrian forces, they had been placed by the order of the city commander, their ally. There was no fence to speak of to keep ponies away from the minefields, only a few warning signs separated by ten meters were placed along the field.

Their positions were holes in the ground, half a meter down, then a lot of sandbags, a few openings to allow them to fire through, and of course a simple roof that kept rattling in the wind. The position on the right side of the road housed the machine gun, always at the ready, sticking out of the position like a spear or a thorn, signaling danger and sending a powerful warning. Behind it was Zandre, the only zebra of their squad. He was as strong as they came, and as calm as the summer breeze. His helper was Clover Hoof, an earth pony from the Highlands with a love for alcohol and a good brawl. Mostly they sat in the hole as the machinegun always had to be ready.

The left side position was bigger, it held a communication line, four bunk beds, a table, and supplies. Like in the machine gun position, there too was an opening facing the road, ready to fire if necessary. The only time they would spend time down there was to get out of the sun for a bit, take shelter from smaller sandstorms, or to eat and sleep. Silver Star, their medic, and the only one from Canterlot, mostly found himself down there. Out of all of them, he was probably the one who had grown the most. Sure, he could still come off as a big arrogant, and he often argued with Clover Hoof, but he was as much a soldier as any of them, and a good friend.

Other than Silver Star, their corporal also often sat down there, doing the reports and communicating with command back in the city every so often. He was a mild mannered stallion, not as old as Zandre, but not as young as Sharp. He was a good corporal, and he shared a close bond with his squad.

That only left Sharp Shooter and his best friend Pin Point. They had the immense honor of standing guard and acting as spotters out in the open. They moved around the positions, walking back and forth here and there, using their binoculars to look across the fields of rocks, sand, and the road leading up to their checkpoint.

They had been here for three stinking days, only relieved late at night, and then moved back out early in the morning. 12 hour shifts, and they all hated it. The road was not well traveled, very few ever took this road, in the three days they had been out here, only four ponies had come through. It was not like they didn't understand why it needed to be guarded, but it was just so boring, and nopony in the company wanted to get this post as their assignment.

Still, today was a better day, the wind was gentle, and it cooled them down in the hot sun. Sharp could appreciate that at least. Pin on the other hoof groaned loudly. "When does our shift end?!"

"In six hours, you're halfway there." Sharp replied as they trotted towards the checkpoint. Both walked on their hindlegs, carrying their rifles in both their front hooves. Despite having gotten used to it, it still felt rather strange to be moving like this. "We only have tomorrow left, then we can enjoy some free time, and the city," said Sharp, trying to cheer his friend up.

Pin simply groaned. "It's not just about the assignment, we need to clean our uniforms when we get back, and all that sand, it gets in everywhere."

"You would have to do that anyway!" Their corporal, Shadow Mist, laughed as he got up from the makeshift bunker. "Anything to report?"

"No, nothing sir," replied Sharp.

"Just like an hour ago, nothing." Pin put in.

Shadow nodded. "Alright, you better get into the bunker, command has apparently noted a small sandstorm heading this way, nothing serious, but I rather we keep close so we don't wander into the minefield by mistake."

"Yes sir," both ponies acknowledged as they both went down into the bunker. Silver Star was sitting down there, his helmet and most of his heavy equipment was off.

"Anything to report?" Silver asked in an almost mocking tone.

"Very funny.." Pin responded as he took off his helmet, placed his rifle at the wall and sat down on a bench. "There is never anything to report, and now we are going to be stuck here."

Sharp chuckled, sat down across from Pin and took off his helmet. "We could play cards, then Silver could do his job and keep an eye out for us"

"A sand storm is coming, I would not be able to see anything before it was right in front of us." Silver replied. "Besides," he continued with a smirk. "I need to be ready to put you guys back together if you end up getting shot."

"You're always such a ball of fun.." Pin mumbled, getting out his rations. "By the way, did you hear back from your father?"

Silver sighed and moved over to sit with them. "No, not yet. I've tried writing to him again, but still nothing."

"I don't get it," said Pin. "If you want to be a Royal Guard so much, why not stay back in Equestria and reapply?"

"I'll get more experience here," said Silver and took the deck of cards. "Besides, somepony has to save your asses when you get yourself shot."

It only took an hour for the sandstorm to hit, it wasn't anything dangerous, it was mild compared to what it could have been. Still, one didn't want to be out there, it was hard to see anything, and when you moved up the road you wanted to make sure to stick to the road and not fall off the cliffs, or trot into the minefield.

Sharp, Pin, Silver and Shadow Mist sat around the table playing cards, thinking no one would be idiotic enough to try and travel along the road in this weather. Fate however seemed to have other plans, it started with the phone ringing, it came from the bunker on the other side with Zandre and Clover. Shadow stood up and went over to answer.

"Yes?"

"Somepony is coming up the road."

"What? In this weather?"

"See for yourself sir."

"Alright, standby." Shadow put down the phone, walked over to the opening they had covered with planks. He slid it open and just as Clover had said, somepony was making their way up towards them. "He must have some balls.." Shadow mumbled and went back to the phone. "Clover, put on your gear and meet us outside."

"Wha? Aren't I a helper?"

"I don't think the machine gun is going to be too much help here, besides, in this weather we need to be extra careful."

"Alright, as you say, sir."

They both hung up and he turned to the three ponies sitting at the table. "What's going on?" Sharp asked.

"Somepony is trying to get through, you know the drill. Silver Star, I want you to join us out there, can't be too careful."

"Sir."

"And put on your masks and goggles, it's going to be hard to breathe and see without them."

They all donned their equipment and made their way outside. The wind was not too strong, not enough to make it hard to trot, but it was enough that they had to speak louder than normal. The sand swirled around them, making the task at hoof much more difficult, and annoying.

With their corporal taking the lead, Sharp and his three squad mates followed, trying their best to stand on their hindlegs with their rifles, but the wind made it extra difficult. The wagon had at that moment made it close enough for the driver to see them, a local, hitched to the wagon seemed to tense up as the five of them made their way towards him.

Shadow Mist stepped up, trying to look as friendly as he could through his mask and goggles, but it was a losing battle. Sharp could hear him introducing himself, and asking a few standard questions. The local started to talk in a mix of his own language and theirs, making it hard and confusing to make heads or tails out of anything.

As far as Sharp could get out of it, he was on his way to the city to visit family, he was not doing anything illegal, something he repeated again and again. Poor corporal Shadow tried his best to calm the stallion down, telling him he was not under arrest, it was just a checkpoint to make sure he was not transporting anything illegal.

It took several tries for the corporal to finally make the stallion understand he was not being arrested, and they were just going to search his wagon, get his name, and then he would be allowed to continue, easy, right? Well it would have probably been easier if they didn't argue in the middle of a bucking sandstorm. Finally the stallion seemed to understand, and he reluctantly agreed they could search his wagon.

He ordered Sharp, Pin and Clover to start the search while Silver stayed with him and the still tense stallion. Pin started to examine the bottom of the wagon, trying to see if there was anything strapped in place to keep it hidden. Sharp could not see what Clover was doing, best guess he was checking the sides of the wagon to see if anything was hidden.

Sharp in the meantime made his way to the back and up to the entrance. The whole wagon was made of wood, almost like a house on wheels. Making his way to the door, he opened it up, expecting to find nopony inside, but he was wrong. Sharp had barely made it two steps inside before he saw something move.

"Hello?"

He tried, but no one responded. It only took him three more steps inside before he spotted it, a bundle of blankets shaking. Took him about a second to figure out what it was, and when he removed the blankets he found himself to be right. A filly, looking up at him with terrified eyes. Poor thing, Sharp estimated she was no more than seven years of age, or around there. She had probably never seen a soldier like him before, and he probably looked scary with his mask and goggles.

"Hey little one, it's okay, I'm a pony." He said soothingly, hoping to calm the foal down. Reaching up he pulled down the mask and the goggles, giving her a warm smile. It seemed to calm her a little bit, but she was still nervous. Sharp couldn't blame her, he tried his best to explain everything was fine, and her father was right outside. She didn't understand, probably couldn't understand Equish. Well, hopefully she understood he meant her no harm.

"Sharp." Someone called from the entrance. Sharp turned around, finding Clover standing near the door. "Pin needs your help."

Sharp nodded, putting back his goggles and mask, giving the confused filly one last look before he went outside. "There's a foal in there, can you keep an eye on her?"

"I'll search the wagon." Clover agreed and the two switched places.

It took a moment to spot Pin, but he quickly found him lying under the wagon, seeming to fiddle with something. "You found something?" Sharp asked, making his way down to him.

Pin shrugged. "Maybe, whatever it is, it was well hidden. Probably just some valuables he doesn't want the city guard to get their hooves on. I hear they can be a bit greedy."

Sharp nodded, laying down beside him and looked up. Above was a cocoon like package, something long wrapped in thick white fabric. Sharp reached down, pulling out his knife and started to cut at the thick rope keeping the package in place. Whatever it was, it was well wrapped, well protected from the elements. If it was something valuable it would be a nightmare to wrap back up, so before they got too far, Sharp placed a hoof on Pin, stopping him from cutting more of the straps.

Pin didn't ask why, he simply looked on as Sharp reached up, cutting through the fabric itself. It was quicker, and easier to fix if nothing was amiss. Unfortunately, something was. Sharp spotted weapons, not just any weapons, but rifles, Sharp recognized them instantly.

"Pin.."

He scooted closer to Sharp, looked up and gasped. "Holy Celestia.." Pin looked over the size of the package. "There must be about a dozen.. Maybe more, maybe less... It's hard to tell." He looked at Sharp. "Go tell the corporal, I'll see if I can get a better look."

Sharp nodded, moving out from under the wagon. This was not going to be very pleasant, of course, maybe there was an explanation to all of this, but whatever it was, they had to detain the stallion until he and his daughter could be taken to the city and interrogated by the local authorities, a process they had very little to do with.

"Sir." Sharp said, gaining Shadow Mist's attention. "We found weapons, they're hidden under the wagon." Maybe it was his tone of voice, maybe he had seen Sharp coming up from under the wagon, whatever it was, the stallion knew what they had found. He started shouting, talking fast in a confusing mix of their language and his own.

Shadow did his best to calm him down, but nothing seemed to work. "Calm down, calm down!" It was getting out of control, the large stallion seemed to become aggressive, not that he was going to attack them, but he seemed to have a mind to just run off.

Suddenly the stallion became quiet, gave a brief look towards the wagon, then yelled something, pointing in the direction of the city. Before Sharp could figure out what he was doing, Clover yelled. "Sharp!!" Looking back to the wagon, Sharp saw Clover rounding the corner, looking frantic. "The foal!"

Neither the corporal or Silver understood, but Sharp did. His eyes widened as he looked towards the checkpoint, then moved his eyes more to the right just in time to see the foal vanishing from sight. Panic shot through Sharp like a lightning bolt, he dropped his rifle, got down on all fours and ran after the foal.

"NO! STOP!"

"Sharp!" His corporal called, but Sharp didn't listen.

The foal had no idea about the cliffs, or worse yet, the minefield! His heart pounded, his mind went blank, the only thing he focused on was the foal. He had no idea how far he had gotten, but it didn't matter, his worst fear became realized when he saw a flash, then felt the sound of the upcoming, BOOM!

Sharp fell into the sand, his ears hurting, giving a painful ringing sound. As far as he knew, he wasn't hurt, but his mind raced, he tried to get up, tried to move forward in a desperate attempt to reach the foal. Before he could get much farther though, he was grabbed by several hooves, dragging him back.

Sharp screamed, trying to fight it. He couldn't accept what had just happened, he refused to. In the end, it was of no use. Clover and Pin were dragging him back while the corporal and Silver, soon to be joined by Zandre, wrestled with a crying and screaming stallion. Sharp looked at him with anger in his eyes, but at the end the anger was washed away with sadness and pity.

He had sent his foal out in that minefield, not knowing about it made little difference. There was a sandstorm, and whatever he hoped to accomplish by sending his seven year old out there, it was apparently worth the risk. Now he understood though, hearing the explosion, he knew full well what he had done. He had sent his daughter to her death....

In the days that followed Sharp found himself depressed. An investigation had been launched, but found no wrongdoing. Sharp didn't agree, he felt justice had not been served. Captain Fairfax had sent him and his squad back to outpost Solaris, they still had time off, but it was so the reporters from Prance could not get a hold of them.

The father had been arrested, having tried to smuggle in weapons, and having ties to the rebels, it was an easy decision for the Saddle Arabian authorities. Sharp didn't feel any pity for the stallion, but he didn't think prison could punish him anymore than his own guilt.

Sharp replayed the experience over and over again in his mind, trying to find blame, trying to figure out what he should have done differently. Clover was supposed to watch her, but the filly had climbed out the window. Pin could have spotted her from under the wagon, but had probably not heard her thanks to the wind. Then there was the father, shouting to his daughter to run to the city. Apparently she was supposed to warn whoever her father was going to meet with.

The thought of involving a foal in something so dangerous, to send her into a sandstorm, it frustrated him, made him angry. Then there was his own failure, he had failed in reaching the foal in time, failed to save her, and now she was gone. The sound of the explosion kept repeating in his mind, like a terrible echo.

The only good thing that they had determined was that death had been instant, the foal had felt no pain, wouldn't even have realized what had happened before everything just ended. It was a hollow comfort, because Sharp could not understand the insanity of it all. A foal, not even at the age of ten, running into a sandstorm as per ordered by her father and then just gone, just in that instant, seven years of life snatched away in just a second.

Sharp changed after that, a part of him died along with that little filly. That day would forever be burned into his memories, and Sharp would never be the same again.

Hearth's Warming Special!

Author's Note

Happy Hearth's Warming Everypony! :ajsmug:

This chapter is not canon in a timeline sense. It is canon in a story sense, just not in the time it is happening. As you all know Sharp Shooter is helping with the harvest, so it would be a strange jump to winter out of the blue. :rainbowlaugh:

Still, I figured this would be a good special to make. :twilightsmile:

There will be no spoilers, just some small teases, but you can if you choose just decide this does not happen in the story, or you can decide it does happen to him later on. :derpytongue2:

Its up to you. Please enjoy! :yay:

Hearth's Warming Special!

Early morning, just like always.

Sharp knew too well he could sleep in as much as he wanted to today, but he simply could not. Today was Hearth's Warming, a day he for the last two years had been spending in Saddle Arabia. It was strange suddenly being home, celebrating this day in Equestria once again.

He moved in his bed, tilting his head to look out the window. It was snowing, something he hadn't seen for two years. Deep inside he could actually feel slightly excited, he used to love the snow. Still, that certain part of him was missing, that certain part that kept him from fully embracing the excitement.

Perhaps it was simply because it had been so long since he could celebrate at home, or perhaps he missed his fellow soldiers, trying to smile and be excited while at the same time preparing to go on another patrol. No, all of these things did nag at him, but it was not what kept him from being excited.

He knew why, and sadly, this house only made things worse for him. It was what Applejack had that he did not, a family.

His own was back in Trottingham, and although not on horrible terms, they had somewhat grown distant. Sharp knew full well he would need to write his mother and sister, in fact, he had already done so the night before. It was harder to write than he imagined, there was so much he wanted to say, but yet so much he wanted to keep from them. It made writing something personal hard, and so he stuck to some simple holiday greetings and a brief summary about his life at the farm.

The letters were just one part of the problem though, what bothered him the most was he no longer had that close family connection with them like he once did. Unlike Applejack and her family, his bond to his own was thin, or mild warm at best. He didn't blame them, he didn't hate them, things had just changed. Then again, he hadn't made any attempt himself to fix things, to make it better.

That was on him, but they too had not done anything to reach out. Again, he didn't blame them, he knew he himself was not ready to do so, and so understood if they too were not ready. However, this was a time for families to be close, to enjoy this holiday together, but here he was, away from his own, that's what hurt. He had no family to enjoy his first ever Hearth's Warming Eve back in Equestria.

It hurt more than he liked to admit. Before he had the whole camp, hundreds of friends, hundreds of like minded ponies who were all celebrating away from their families as well. Back then they could find comfort in one another, understand and be there to cheer each other up, because they were all in the same boat after all.

Here however, here he was alone, and Applejack and her family would only serve as a reminder what he did not have. Sharp sighed, having still not bothered trying to get out of bed. He didn't want to be a downer, didn't want to bring the rest of the Apple family down because of him. They deserved to enjoy this special day like a family without him getting in the way.

But what could he do? Maybe he could rent a room in town? Though the taverns were probably filled up with visiting family members, so getting a room might prove a bit difficult. Another option could be simply stay up in this room, get some food up here so he could make it through today without needing to go out much.

That just seemed foalish, and not only that, they would know he was up here, which would make them feel like they were excluding him, bringing down their mood. The third option was to just leave for the day, spend the day riding on the train to and from another place, he had done that before when he was a soldier, so it would not be that hard.

Sharp groaned, not really wanting to do anything. He didn't like any of the ideas, he just wanted peace, just wanted to sleep without nightmares, without having to worry about anything or any pony. Just peace and quiet..

Though as somepony knocked very excitedly at his door, he could tell that wasn't going to happen. Letting out another groan, he rolled out of bed, surprised that somepony else was up at this hour besides him. As he got out of his bed however, he glanced to the small clock, seeing it was almost seven.

How long had he been laying there just thinking? Apparently he was so deep in thought he had not noticed time passing by.

"Mister? Are you awake?"

Apple Bloom's voice asked through the door. Apparently the little filly was up early as well, then again his own little sister could never sleep in on this day either, so perhaps he should not have been surprised at all.

"Yes, I'm awake, Bloom." Sharp called back.

The door opened, and Apple Bloom stuck her head inside. "Happy Hearth's Warming!" She greeted with that big smile of hers. Before Sharp could answer, the little filly had made her way through the door, and hurried to him. "Granny said she wanted to talk to you about something very very very very very Important!"

She seemed to almost shake in excitement, clearly something important was up, but nothing bad. Sharp couldn't help to smile a little at the overly excited filly. "What does she want to talk to me about?"

Apple Bloom shook her head, starting to bounce in place like Pinkie Pie always did. "No, I can't tell you, it's going to be a big surprise!"

"But you know it?"

She nodded. "Yeah! But I won't tell, so come on!" The little filly took his hoof and started to tug him, trying to get him to come along.

"I'm coming, don't worry, but what about my bed?"

"That can wait! Come on, hurry!"

When finally out in the hallway, and the door to his room closed, Apple Bloom hurried down the stairs, seeming excited about whatever Granny Smith was going to talk to him about. Before he could move a muscle to follow however, somepony came up behind him.

"She seems more excited than a mouse alone in the pantry." Applejack chuckled, looking at Sharp. "Morning partner, you're up late."

It seemed like Applejack had noticed his early mornings was a constant, even if he could sleep in. "Yeah, well, I woke up hours ago, but I was sort of just laying in my bed, thinking."

"About your family?" Asked Applejack, knowing this time of year could not be easy for him.

"Among other things." Sharp confessed. "I've written some letters, but if I'm being honest, I did not know what to tell them. I just wrote some best wishes, and told them a little bit about this place, nothing more."

"Are you sad that you're not spending Hearth's Warming Eve with them?"

Sharp nodded, seeing no reason to lie about that fact. "Yes.. Its my first Hearth's Warming back home, and I had hoped I would get to spend it with my family."

Applejack nodded, understanding such a wish. She herself could not imagine being away like that, not being able to go home to her family and loved ones if she wanted to. Family was very important to Applejack, so it hurt her to see somepony having such a strained relationship with his own. That however was just something she needed to accept, not all ponies were as close with their own as the Apples were, that is just how things were.

She would have suggested taking the train, but even if he took the next one leaving in the direction of Trottingham, he would only get there when the celebrations had long since ended. "So, what are you going to do?"

Sharp shrugged. "I don't know yet, I'll figure it out."

"Shaaaarp! Come on!" Apple Bloom called from downstairs.

Applejack chuckled. "You better go before she gets into trouble."

Sharp just smiled and did as advised. Apple Bloom was a lively filly, and she had cheered him up a lot during these past few months. It was nice to have a sense of innocence, a reminder of simpler things, foalhood imagination and fun. It would be a lie to say Sharp hadn't grown closer to the Apple family, in fact, he had become quite fond of them all.

Granny was very supportive, always ready to lend an ear, or give advice. Big Mac, he had become a close friend, almost felt like a brother at times. He was helpful, ready to help with anything, or get something done. A nice pastime they had found was wrestling, or enjoying some cider by the lake, just doing small talk. Sharp had the feeling Big Mac talked more to him than anypony outside the farm.

Then there was Applejack, they had gotten off to a rocky start, but now they had spent several months together and the whole hostile air had vanished. He admired her spirit, her honesty and diligence. She was fun to be around, and the two had spent long hours working together, talking about this and that. She had even managed to get him to open up, no small feat if he had to say so himself.

In his private thoughts, Sharp had to admit she had become the sunshine of his day. Each time he saw her smile and laugh, it felt like being warmed up by the sun. When thinking back, he could come up with a few different moments during their time together that he might have started feeling this way.

Sharp however did not want to put a word on that feeling, not because he did not want to, but because something deep inside him feared admitting it..

Shaking his head, Sharp decided to try to put it all out of his mind and just focus on the here and now. He made his way to the kitchen, a wave of pleasant smells hitting him all at once. Granny was cooking and baking, dozens of things going on at once, but still the old mare made it look so easy and simple. Sharp could not help but look a little lost, he had seen battle that was less chaotic than this.

Then she spotted him. "Ah, there you are sonny!" She exclaimed, and Apple Bloom came bouncing in from the side.

"Can we ask him now Granny? Can we? Can weeee?!"

Granny laughed. "Hold on now, take it easy little missy." She stroked the filly's mane in order to calm her a bit, then turned her head and looked with a grin towards Sharp. "Applejack tells me you have no plans for Hearth's Warming?"

"Uhm, no, I'm afraid not." He replied, thinking she might ask him to leave for today. "If you are going to have family over, I can find another place to sleep tonight?"

Granny grimaced, seeming a little confused, then almost offended, and then finally an understanding look came about her. She waved her hoof, as if to dismiss him. "Don't be silly, you live here, which means ya family. I just wanted to make sure you had no other plans for tonight."

Sharp was taken aback, he had thought she would ask him to leave. Not because of any ill will or anything, just to give them some family time, he could understand that. He really hadn't counted on her to ask him to stay. His surprise must have shown on his face, because Granny's smile seemed to grow.

"I, I don't know what to say. Thank you Granny."

Granny snorted, waved her hoof again. "Don't you fret none, you're family after all, and family is always welcome in this house."

He smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed, but happy as well. "Thank you."

Apple Bloom beamed, jumping up and down. "You're gonna stay! You're gonna stay!"

Before Sharp could reply or even try to calm the little filly, Granny cut in. "Then maybe you can help Big Mac and Applejack fetch a tree? I'm sure they would appreciate some help."

"Then we can decorate it together!" Apple Bloom cheered.

Sharp nodded. "Alright, I'll lend them a hoof," replied Sharp, then looked at Apple Bloom with a small grin. "Then we can decorate it as soon as we get back. Sounds good?"

"Yeah!" She bounced around, cheering, clearly excited for the day ahead.

"You better skedaddle, sonny. Otherwise I might not get my grandfoal to help me taste the cookies I've made." The older mare grinned, distracting the filly with the promise of cookies, and giving Sharp a way to slip out without much notice by Apple Bloom.

"I wanna bake, Granny!"

Sharp took the opening Granny had given him, and left while Apple Bloom were distracted. On his way towards the front door, he came across Applejack, she was sitting at a smaller table writing a card. She looked up, then sent him a knowing smile that made him stop.

"Did she invite you to stay?"

Sharp nodded, smiling, though be it a little embarrassed. "She did, she was quite insistent."

"That's great!" Applejack declared, standing up and trotted closer to him. "I'm glad that you're staying, if anypony deserves to enjoy tonight, it's you."

He chuckled, shaking his head a little. "Far cry from what you said the first time we met." Applejack winced a bit, and mentally Sharp scolded himself for bringing it up. Applejack had dwelled on it enough, so he shouldn't bring back old wounds. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know sugarcube, but you're right, and I was wrong." She let out a deep sigh, but still smiled at him, though be it a little more subdued. "I'm not the kind of pony that can't admit it when she's wrong, you have more than earned your place here." She looked away, focusing on the window so not to look him in the eyes. "I'm glad I was wrong, and I'm glad that you're staying for Hearth's Warming Eve.."

Sharp blushed, feeling that warm fuzzy feeling return to him. "You are?"

She looked at him with a small amused smile, then nudged him with her hoof. "Of course I am, sugarcube. Ya part of the family, you have earned your place here." Then she blushed. "You're a hard worker, honest, strong, kind. We would feel mighty awful if we just went on and threw you out like that."

The two of them stood in silence, both of them trying to figure out what to do, or what to say. "Applejack, I.."

"Oh, look at that!" Applejack suddenly interrupted. "We better get going, standing around here all day will get us no tree, and we are losing daylight." And with that, she was out the door, leaving Sharp alone all blushing and confused.

"Go get her sonny!"

Came the call from the kitchen. How she had heard, he had no idea, but he did as asked and hurried outside to join Applejack and Big Mac. As soon as he did step outside however, the first thing he experienced was the wave of cold that seemed to wash over him. A far cry from the warm cozy fireplace warm farmhouse, not to mention Saddle Arabia.

Sweet Apple Acres was covered in snow, and the snowflakes were still gently making their way to the ground. Sharp couldn't help but smile, he had seen snow in the weeks leading up to this day of course, but that feeling of wonder had still not left him yet. It had been two years since he last saw snow, and now he could enjoy it once again.

He stepped off the porch, his hoof making contact with the snowy cold blanket of white. It felt good, felt familiar, and so it did not bother him. Not that it would have otherwise, he was a pony after all, so walking in snow would not bother him until he had spent hours out here.

Making his way over to the barn, he spotted Big Mac loading some tools into a medium sized wagon. Applejack stood near the front, getting it ready for Big Mac to be hitched up to it. They hadn't noticed his presence until he was close enough that they could hear the snow make sounds beneath his hooves. Macintosh was the first one to speak.

"Mornin','' greeted Mac, giving Sharp a small nod. Sharp returned the nod, and Mac made his way to the front. "Applejack tells me ya gonna be joining' us tonight?" Sharp nodded again, earning him a smile from the large workpony. "I'm happy to hear it, but we should get going to fetch that tree. It's colder than a banker's heart on foreclosure day at the widows' and orphans' home."

It was true, it was pretty cold today, and Sharp almost regretted not getting a scarf like Applejack had, or a cap like Big Mac. Still, it didn't bother him enough to run back inside and get something, so he let Macintosh get hitched up to the wagon, and then followed them outside to the road.

After a little while Sharp spoke. "This will be interesting, I've never gotten my own tree before."

"Didn't you have Hearth's Warming trees in your home?" Applejack asked, casting a glance over at Sharp.

"Oh yes, we did. Though we always got them from a merchant down at the market, we've never gone out to get one directly from the forest before."

Applejack couldn't help but smile, Sharp looked more excited than he probably realized, some of the real him breaking through the cracks and emotional armor he had made for himself. Well, that was not really fair. Sharp was amazingly open when it came to himself, there were just certain things he would rather avoid talking about, which one could hardly blame him for.

But he always seemed to have a certain sadness about him, like something was holding the real Sharp back. Applejack had seen it before, had seen him being more himself. It was like he allowed his emotions to take over, like something deep inside him had been allowed out of its cell. It was hard to explain, but she liked that Sharp, the Sharp she worked with, the Sharp that made her laugh. She had feared he would close himself off today, but it seemed he was opening up to the idea of spending Hearth's Warming Eve with them.

They kept walking down the road, passing another farm before Macintosh suddenly turned, making his way through the snow and towards the treeline. Applejack followed, staying behind the wagon so Mac could work on clearing a path through the snow. Sharp in the meantime followed Applejack, he trusted they both knew what they were doing, and so did not question they had suddenly trotted off the road.

They kept trotting, moving farther into the forest. Sharp could smell the pine trees, hear the smaller branches crack beneath them at times. "Watch out for swinging branches, partner." Applejack warned, and Sharp looked up, just in time to duck his head out of the way of a branch that came swinging.

"So which one are we going to get?" Sharp asked.

Applejack smirked. "We have a place we like to go, sort of a tradition between us siblings." She explained, making Big Mac chuckle. "Apple Bloom is still not old enough, but I think next year she will be able to make it here without much help?"

"Eeyup," confirmed Macintosh from the front.

"Make it to where?"

"You'll see."

Both Applejack and Big Macintosh seemed very secretive, and yet excited to take him to this secret place they were talking about. He wasn't gonna argue, they seemed to be having fun and so why not jump into it himself? Allowing himself to immerse himself in the joy of it all? He wanted to, he knew he wanted to, but something deep inside just didn't feel like he should. It was like he was a guest, still. A guest that was still afraid of acting too freely, like he might offend his hosts.

The feeling confused him, he had been living with them for months now, and that feeling had largely passed, so why did it come back to haunt him now? Perhaps because he felt this was different, Hearth's Warming was a time for family, but was he really family? They said that he was, they meant it too, he knew that. It was just that little voice inside him, that one that told him he did not quite belong.

"We're here." Big Mac declared, stopping in his tracks and unhitched himself.

Sharp seemed to have been spacing out again, not noticing how far they have walked, or where here even was. He looked around, found that they were in fact standing on top of a steep hill. Didn't seem to bother the two Apple siblings none, in fact, they seemed excited.

Applejack could see Sharp looked a little confused. Chuckling, she trotted over to his side. "You gotta look this way to get a better understanding, sugarcube." Placing a hoof under his muzzle, she gently turned his head to look at the view from top of this hill.

Sharp gasped, his mouth hanging slightly open. "Wow.." From on top of this hill, they had an amazing view of the pine tree forest. It looked majestic, especially with all that snow, it was like something straight out of a grand painting. "It's beautiful." He admitted, a smile growing on his face. "I can understand why you like coming here."

"The view is just part of it." Applejack replied, turning away from him and trotted to the wagon where Big Mac was getting something out. Sharp followed, curious to see what this was about. When he got closer, he saw Big Mac had brought out three sleds. Now he started to get the picture, although he looked down the hill, it was very steep. Applejack noticed the look, smirked and nudged him with her hoof. "Don't you worry none, we do this every year."

"Eeyup."

"But you understand why I wanted to wait bringing Apple Bloom out here?"

Sharp nodded. "Yeah, I see your point."

"Pa used to take me up here." Big Mac said, looking at the biggest sled, which was understandably for him. "Took me out here for the first time when I was ten."

"Then Big Mac took me when I hit the same age.. Since, Pa only got to take me once."

Both of them became silent, their eyes looking at the landscape around them with a new spark. Sharp knew they were remembering, seeing things he could not, remembering a happy time, and he did his best to stay as quiet as possible. He knew what they were feeling, he himself felt like that at times when thinking back to his old friends, living or dead.

Sharp looked at them both, staying in the background so not to disturb their moment. However as he looked at Applejack, seeing her looking around, recalling every detail she could about that one time her dad took her here. She looked vulnerable, alone, and even though he was not sure it was his place, he trotted up beside her, placing a hoof on her shoulder.

His touch surprised her, but she didn't move away. Instead she looked at him with eyes that gave him the sense that she was grateful. Happy to know he was there if she needed support, and yes, he would be there to give it if she needed it. In response, she took a step closer to him so they stood side by side, closer than before. Neither of them spoke, because no words were needed.

How long the three of them stood there, they did not know, but suddenly Big Mac seemed to recover. "Well now, let's not stand around here all day." He gave his sled a small push with his hoof, bringing it in front of him. "Any of you fancy a race to the bottom?"

Both Applejack and Sharp looked at him, then at each other, both started to smirk, turned around quickly to get their sleds, and 3, 2, 1, and they were all off, racing to the bottom of the hill.

They zoomed down the hill, Sharp was a little taken aback by the speed at first, but quickly got used it. He leaned forward, letting as much air pass over him as possible. Applejack passed him on the way down, laughing. "Yeeehaaaw!"

Sharp was about to yell something after her, when suddenly a red rocket seemed to pass him. It was Macintosh, dashing through the snow, and with a speed that would have made even Rainbow Dash jealous, he passed his sister and reached the bottom of the hill 6 seconds before Applejack, and 14 seconds before Sharp Shooter.

Only one problem, Sharp had not tried to sled down such a steep hill before, and never with so much speed. The Apple siblings were used to turning the sled, and digging into the snow in such a way they would stop, like skis. When Sharp tried, he dug in too deep, as a sled was not a pair of skis, it was a bit more tricky, and so when he did so, his sled came to such a sudden stop he himself was thrown off!

"WHooa!!" He yelped, landing in the snow, tumbling down the hill the last few meters, but funny enough had not lost any speed. If anything, his speed only seemed to have been increased thanks to the sudden send off from his sled. Looking up at him, he must have looked like a giant snowball.

It all happened so fast, Sharp had no idea how far he was from the bottom, or which direction he was going. Though for a moment as he rolled around, he was sure he saw something orange.

Then he heard it. "WHAT IN TARNA-OOUFHHH-WHHOOAA!!!"

He collided with something, or somepony. Sharp could feel it, but it did nothing to slow him down. He felt somepony else bump against him more than once and before he knew it, he was stuck to the pony as they were both pressed into the center of the snowball of doom.

It was all a big mess of confusion, so he was not able to focus on who it was, or what the buck was going on, but then suddenly, everything stopped, and it was like the snowball exploded! The sudden stop shook them free, but still buried them in the snow.

Laying on his back, Sharp panted, after a few seconds however, he noticed he was not the only one. He opened his eyes, and to his surprise, he found Applejack holding onto him, her head pressed into his chest, her Stetson hat gone, her mane and tail free from the bands she had placed.

When he finally had gotten his heart rate under control, this time not going into a panic attack, something he didn't even think about right now, he gently poked Applejack. "Hey, Applejack, are you okay?"

She opened her eyes, those beautiful green eyes of hers. They looked up at him, making his heart flutter. It took her a few moments, but soon enough she realized she was on top of him. "Oh, y-yeah, don't you worry partner. Are you?" She blushed, but made no move to get off.

Sharp nodded, and like her made no move to get up. "Yeah, I just made a bad attempt at slowing down."

Applejack let out a small laugh. "You don't say?" Both of them laughed a little, though still did not move. "You got to be more careful, sugarcube, I might not be around to slow you down next time."

"I'm pretty sure you did not help the situation." He smirked, adjusting his position. "But point taken." Sharp looked her over, feeling warm despite being surrounded by snow. "Your mane.." He pointed out, and she noticed the bands had come off. Little chance of finding them, so she would not bother. "I like it like this."

She blushed. "Thank you.."

"Are you two coming out? Or should I tell Granny she should be expecting great grandfoals anytime now?" Big Mac yelled from outside their snowy nest.

They both looked at one another, their blushing increasing to the point Sharp was almost sure they could melt the snow around them. It was Applejack however who broke the silence, and she did that by breaking free of the snow. She burst through, looked around for a few seconds, then spotted her brother smirking at her.

"Don't you dare, mister! And why didn't ya come and help us out?!"

Mac laughed. "You seemed okay enough to be having a conversation, didn't want to intrude."

Applejack blushed even more. "You heard that? Why you!" She picked up some snow with her hoof, quickly forming it into a ball. Big Mac seeing what she was doing quickly ran for cover behind a pine tree. Just in time too, the ball hit the tree with such force the snowball exploded into pieces.

She wasn't done though, quickly she got out to pursue her brother, but he was already forming up his own ammunition. In the meantime, Sharp sat up, a little confused, but seeing the siblings in an all out snowball fight did make him smile. He was about to get up when he suddenly spotted Applejack's Stetson hat. Knowing she would want it back, he picked it up and looked in the direction of the battle.

"Hey Applejack, I found-Oufh!"

No one is spared in a snowball fight.. Snowball fights, they never change...

A lot of time was spent in the snow, Sharp almost felt like a foal again when he and Pin would run around in the snow, throwing snowballs or sled down the many hills of Trottingham. Before they knew it, it was long past lunch, and they could all start to feel the cold.

It helped when Big Mac found the tree they were going to take. When they took turns using the long saw, their bodies quickly heated up. Even so, all of them would not mind the warmth of the fireplace right about now. So right after securing the tree to the wagon, and hitching Macintosh to it, they were on their way home.

Big Mac followed the path they had taken before, leading the group towards the road once again. Applejack and Sharp followed behind, both of them exhausted, but in a good way. Both of them had lots of fun on the sleds, and it had turned into a snowball war or two at times.

Sharp, despite himself, could not help but smile. Applejack glanced at him, smirked, giving him yet another nudge. "You better be careful or it will get stuck like that."

"What?"

"Your smile." Applejack giggled. "You don't keep your smile so long, it suits you."

Sharp turned his head away, trying his best to hide the small blush forming on his cheeks. "Sorry, I guess I just forgot how to enjoy myself so much that the smile is still there when the fun is over."

"That's alright, hon." She assured him, giving him a smile of her own. "You just need more practice."

Sharp let out a snort of amusement. "Yeah, I guess that's true." They shared a laugh, then after a few seconds of silence he spoke again, his voice a bit lower now. "Applejack, thank you for today. I think I really needed that."

"Anytime, sugarcube." Applejack assured him, smiling.

A few minutes later they arrived at the farm. Big Mac got there first, having trotted a little faster than Sharp and Applejack in order to give them some space to talk. Already he was carrying the tree inside, when Sharp suddenly stopped near the gate to the farm.

Applejack stopped, turned around and looked at Sharp with a puzzled expression. His smile had vanished, and instead of looking at her, or at the farm, he looked down at the snow. "Is something wrong, Sharp?" She asked, her concern clear in her voice.

Sharp sighed, his breath showing in the cold winter air. "I don't know if I should join you. I don't want to intrude."

Applejack raised an eyebrow, this again? When was he going to understand he was part of them now, that he was not, and would never be intruding. She trotted up to him, standing so that she could look him directly in the eyes. "Now you listen here." She placed her hoof under his muzzle, moving it up so he would look at her. "You're part of this family now, and we would never be inviting a pony to spend this day with us if we didn't want them there."

"But-"

She placed a hoof over his mouth, shushing him. "You can be as stubborn as a mule, and as thick as a fencepost at times." Applejack chided, keeping her hoof over his mouth. "I know what you're thinking, but you're here now, and you made a promise to Apple Bloom, remember?" He nodded, and she removed her hoof. "Good."

"I just don't feel, I don't know, I guess I'm just still finding my place. My own family you know, then me being part of this. I feel like I want to be part of this one, but leaving the other behind is like betraying them." His ears flattened, he looked away again, ashamed of saying it, but it was what he felt.

Once again, Applejack's hoof found his muzzle, and she again guided him to look at her. Her eyes were filled with warmth, comfort and understanding. "Sharp," she started, her voice gentle. "Family ain't who you're related to, it's who you make it with." Sharp looked into her deep emerald green eyes, feeling himself warm up. "Besides, even though you are not there with them, it ain't like you have forgotten them."

She turned towards the farm, waiting for Sharp to join her again. This time he did, trotting up beside Applejack, giving her a grateful smile. She gave a smile of her own, and the two started to trot towards the farm, when suddenly she started to sing.

"When family cannot be here,
Havin' journeyed far and wide.
We sing a song to honor them,
To remember days gone by."

They trotted through the door, a wave of warmth hit them both, and Apple Bloom and Granny stood ready with a cup for each of them. They each got one, and the song continued like it was a well rehearsed event.

"So take your cup and raise it high,
Just as surely I'll do mine.
And laugh we will at stories told,
As we smile at days gone by,
As we smile at days gone by."

"For family not here, my dears,
Havin' journeyed far and wide.
For loyalty and kindness both,
We smile at days gone by."

"Our paths will cross again one day,
In time to reunite.
For family is always near,
Even when the seas are wide."

"So take your cup and raise it high,
Just as surely I'll do mine,
And make a toast for family,
And the tales of days gone by."

"For family not here, my dears,
Havin' journeyed far and wide.
For loyalty and kindness both,
Take joy at days gone by.
For loyalty and kindness both,
We smile at days gone by."

At the end of it, Sharp felt himself smiling, having helped little Apple Bloom decorating the tree as the song went on. He had gotten a hug from all of them, and by the end of the song, he had joined in along with Big Mac, raising their cups for their families.

Once ended, they all shared a good laugh, when Applejack suddenly came trotting up to him with a small flat package. "I got you something for Hearth's Warming."

Sharp frowned. "For me, Applejack, you shouldn't, I haven't even gotten anything for any of you."

"Don't you fret none, sonny." Granny said, smirking. "Hearth's Warming is not all about presents, besides, having you join us is good enough."

Sharp knew she meant it, but if he was going to spend next year with them as well, he would make sure he had something for each of them. "Now it ain't nothing special mind you." Applejack noted, seeming a little giddy and nervous about it. "But it's from all of us."

"If it's from all of you, then it's special to me." Sharp assured them. He ripped the wrapping paper open, and after 3 seconds he found himself holding a beautifully carved wooden frame. It was only 8×10, but it was big enough for getting a large picture inside, which it did not have.

"Still missing the picture though." Granny said.

"But we're going to take a group photo right now!" Apple Bloom cheered, then put her hooves over her mouth. "Sorry, I ruined the surprise."

Big Mac chuckled. "I think Sharp would have figured it out already." The large stallion trotted away, and after a few seconds came back with the camera. "Now, all of you stand by the tree."

All of them gathered, and Sharp could feel something inside build up. It was hard to describe, but it felt like a bubble of a feeling that just wanted to burst, fill him with happiness and excitement. He put the frame down, then joined the Apples near the tree.

In front and center was Apple Bloom, she was the smallest one, so she should be front. Right behind her, on each side stood Applejack and Granny Smith, both of them smiling warmly. Sharp Shooter joined Applejack's right side, standing right beside her. Once the timer was set, Big Mac hurried over, and joined Granny Smith on her left side, smiling that usual calm country boy smile.

CLICK!

And that was that, Apple Bloom cheered, bouncing over to the camera. "I can't wait to see it!"

Sharp smiled, rubbing the back of his head. "Thank you, all of you. I can't say how much this means to me."

Granny waved him off with a hoof. "Think nothing of it, sonny. The least we could do." She noticed he was about to move to get the frame. "Stop! Where do you think you're going? And you too Applejack!"

Both Sharp and Applejack stopped in their tracks, both looking confused. "W-what is it Granny?" Applejack asked.

Then Granny seemed to get this knowing grin. "Traditions are traditions, and we respect them in this house." She pointed to something above them, and both looked up.

Mistletoe!

Applejack blushed, looking shocked. "Wha? Huh? Th-that wasn't there before!" She said, looking to her Granny again, who was hoof bumping Apple Bloom, both of them giggling. "Granny! Apple Bloom!" She tried to scold, but it was no use.

Sharp looked at her, he himself blushing. "Applejack, it's not like we have to-Mffm?" Before he could finish it, he felt Applejack's soft lips meet his. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her cheeks burning red. Sharp's heart fluttered again, his whole body warmed up, and his legs felt like jelly. Her lips were soft, sweet, with a hint of apples.

CLICK!

Not Sharp nor Applejack noticed it, instead, their lips departed slowly, both of them seeming to need a moment to slowly restart their minds. "Uhm.. Wow.." Sharp said in a low voice.

"T.. Traditions.." Applejack mumbled, trying to justify it in order to get back to reality.

"You know you could have kissed him on the cheek." Said Big Mac, smirking as he ate some cookies.

Sharp nodded. "That was what I was going to say, before you.." Applejack blushed even more as the realization dawned on her. She pulled down her Stetson, covering her face as much as possible. Feeling a little bad, Sharp did the same as she did to him, putting his hoof under her muzzle so she would look at him. He gave her a warm smile, and said. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Applejack."

She smiled, seeming to calm down. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Sharp."

They both just looked in each other's eyes, both almost seeming lost in the other's. "You know Apple Bloom took a picture of that kiss, right?" Mac chuckled.

That brought Applejack right back. "She did what?!"

Before Sharp knew what was going on, Applejack was running after Apple Bloom up the stairs. Mac laughed, and so too did Granny, who pulled out the camera. "Now we need to find the best picture for that new frame of yours."

Happy Hearth's Warming!

See you in 2021!

Chapter 9: The Trip

It had been a few weeks since Sharp first arrived In Ponyville. Since then, he's been spending his time settling in, and working on the farm. Turns out, Sharp quite enjoyed the work.

He had never had any ambitions about becoming a farmer, neither had he ever thought the work would ever interest him in the slightest. Despite that, he found the simple, yet hard life quite fulfilling. It allowed him to keep moving, to not sit alone and be idle. He was surrounded by beauty, and it felt good to be a part of it.

He still had nightmares though, some nights were better than others, but the work helped him not to dwell on it. Sharp mostly stayed at the farm, it was not that he didn't like Ponyville, but if he could avoid going there, he would. This meant he formed a strong bond with Big Mac, as both stallions preferred to stay at the farm and work on their chores.

Big Mac was impressed with Sharp, despite him only having done this for barely a month, he had been able to keep up with the large red stallion. Granny suspected that Big Mac was happy to have another stallion in the household, somepony he could talk stallion stuff with. Since Big Mac had grown up in a house full of mares, it was nice to find somepony he could relate to a little more.

Sharp returned the sentiment, happy to work alongside Big Mac and learn from him. He had also become accepted as a family member, unofficially of course. At times he would pick up Apple Bloom from school, help Granny with something, or even compete with Applejack. It felt good, and Sharp could rightly say he felt happy for the first time in ages.

His days mostly consisted of working alongside the Apple siblings, sometimes something would happen in Ponyville, and Applejack would have some sort of crazy story to tell, some adventure or some sort of lesson. As entertaining as those stories were, Sharp still preferred to stay away from all such adventures and just keep working.

Today he was working on top of the barn, helping Big Mac with replacing some wooden beams and fixing the roof. The sun was pretty cruel to them that day, but neither of them complained. The two of them were sweating as they moved around, but still they kept working.

Big Mac held up a plank for Sharp, and sitting near the edge he took it, and pulled it up. "Got it." confirmed Sharp, and Big Mac let go. When he had placed the plank on the roof Sharp took a moment to wipe his forehead and look up at a cloud free sky. "It's hot today.."

"Eeyup."

Big Mac replied in his usual manner. It was kind of funny, Granny and Applejack insisted that they had never heard Big Mac talk so much with any pony for a long time. Sharp couldn't help but feel a little honored that somepony like Big Mac accepted him. Having lived here for almost a month, Sharp learned a lot about the Apple family, such as the fate of the apple sibling's parents. Big Mac had to grow up pretty fast, he left school to work on the farm alongside Granny, helped raise Applejack and Apple Bloom. It meant Big Mac had to put aside his own dreams, for the family.

Sharp respected Big Mac a lot, but it was still a dark reminder of how bad his own bond was with his own family. Despite not having any bad relations with his mother and younger sister, Sharp could not help but feel something had broken between them. Maybe that was why he felt such affection towards the Apples, maybe he was trying to find in them what he could not have at home.

Sharp and Mac made great progress, but they needed a break, and so sat down on some stacked planks, enjoying the cool breeze. It was in moments like these Sharp felt most relaxed, hard work and then a nice cool breeze. Although, what was already a nice break was about to get even better.

It was at that moment little Apple Bloom approached the two stallions, doing her best to balance a tray with two glasses filled with cool apple cider. "Heya Big Mac, Sharp, Granny thought ya could use some apple cider!" She explained with a smile that could probably sell barrels of the stuff.

"Mighty kind of you." Said Big Mac with a playful smirk.

The tray was placed between them, and Sharp quickly took one and smiled at Apple Bloom. "Thanks little Miss Apple."

Apple Bloom positively beamed at him, then with a skip in her step made her way back towards the farmhouse. Sharp took another sip of the Apple Cider, but then a low chuckle caught his attention. Glancing to his side, he found it was Mac doing the chuckling.

"She's really taken a shine to ya." Mac pointed out, taking a long sip from his glass.

Sharp simply shrugged, but couldn't help but smile just a little. "She's a good foal, she reminds me of my own sister."

Mac glanced at Sharp, he had never really spoken much about his family. He knew they were not on the best of terms, mostly with his father, but Sharp didn't hate them. It was hard for Mac to understand it, the Apple clan had always been close, family came first. Sharp didn't seem like a disloyal type, so was it the other way around? After all, Sharp had told them they did not agree with him joining up, kind of like how his own family didn't like the idea.

They would have supported Mac in the end, but he was needed here, and so he did not enlist. Some of his cousins had, and the whole Apple clan were behind them in support. He had no doubt that when they returned they would get a warm welcome, unlike the one Sharp and many other soldiers got.

"Have you written them?" Asked Mac suddenly, catching Sharp a little off guard.

He looked at Mac, who seemed to be deep in thought. Sighing, Sharp looked down at his glass with apple cider, as if he was going to find any answers floating around there. "No," he finally admitted. "I haven't had any contact with them since I left Trottingham."

Big Mac, a stallion close to his family did not understand it at all. Yet, he would not judge Sharp, his family was not comparable to other families, and he should not put the same expectations on others like that. Even so, he could not help but ask, "why not?"

Sensing Mac's confusion, and genuine interest in him, Sharp decided just to tell him. "I would not know what to write. I wrote to my sister a lot when I was stationed over there, but the more time passed, the fewer the letters got." It was not an easy thing to admit, just saying it aloud made him feel guilty. "Guess I'm scared. My father, I don't know how the old dust ball even thinks about me anymore. My mother is probably worrying sick, and my sister too. I know I should write them, just don't know what.."

While it was still confusing, Big Mac understood, and would therefore not press him on the matter any further. Instead he took a sip of his apple cider and leaned back, enjoying the relaxing breeze and the view. "If you hadn't become a soldier," started Mac, shifting the conversation. "What would you have become?"

"Hm.." Sharp hummed in thought, the question was a good one. "I guess I would have been running my dad's store."

"Is that what you wanted?"

Sharp shook his head. "No, I guess, if I had to choose myself, I would have become a teacher."

Big Mac chuckled. "I can see that, maybe you should ask Miss Cheerilee, I reckon she can help you out with a dream like that." Sharp knew the name, she was Apple Bloom's teacher, but Sharp shook his head.

"No, I don't think I could get into it now." There was a small pause where he looked up into the sky, watching the clouds for a few moments, then let out a long sigh. "No, it's too late for that. If I'm to do something, this might be better work for me. It's a better distraction."

Mac mulled over his words for a bit, thinking about what Sharp could have been like before he went away. A quiet one he imagined, one who enjoyed a simple life with his books. Mac could relate, while it was not a life full of adventure, Mac had a good life, simple, quiet, but good.

He was about to say something, but just before the words could leave his lips, Little Apple Bloom came back. "Sharp! Granny says to come and meet her at the house."

Sharp looked at her, then shrugged and finished his juice. "Alright then," said Sharp, then put the glass down and gave Mac a pat on the shoulder. "Be right back."

"Eeyup."

"Lead the way, little lady." Sharp smiled, making Apple Bloom giggle.

The two of them trotted from the old barn over to the main house, quickly Sharp spotted Applejack and Granny Smith. They in turn quickly spotted them, and smiled. "Well there he is." Granny exclaimed. "Sonny, I need you to help Applejack here with a special delivery."

"Special delivery?"

Applejack nodded. "We have some distant family on a rock farm. On a day's travel from here, we supply them with apples once in a while. Normally me and Big Mac would go, but since you're here, he can finish the barn and you can help me move the cart."

"Oh?" Sharp looked back at the barn, not sure if he liked the idea of letting Mac work on it alone, Besides, he knew the way better, so perhaps it would be good if he helped Applejack, and he stayed back and worked on the farm.

As if reading his thoughts, Granny chuckled. "Don't you fret none, Big Mac is going to be just fine, and you need to get out of here once in a while. You can't stay hidden here forever, sonny."

Sharp looked back at Granny, who was smiling, knowingly. Then, she made a nod towards Applejack with a small grin, something Applejack didn't notice, but he did. He looked at her granddaughter, who looked more concerned about him than the trip. "You don't need to push yourself," Applejack said, turning to look at Granny Smith. "Granny, if Sharp doesn't feel up to it, then I can take the cart to the rock farm by myself."

Sharp didn't want to cause any trouble, and he especially didn't want Applejack to pull a cart by herself. "What? No!" He quickly interjected. "No, you don't have to do that, Applejack. I'll help, together we'll be back home in no time."

Granny smiled. "Darn tootin! I like the sound of that, you kids get yourself hooked up, me and little Apple Bloom are going to get your tent and some food."

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom cheered excitedly.

The two vanished into the farmhouse, leaving Sharp and Applejack alone. Applejack blushed slightly as she said. "You really don't need to do this, I can take care of this no problem."

Sharp just shook his head. "No, it wouldn't be right to let a mare go off and pull a cart all the way there by herself, it isn't right."

Applejack's blush increased. "Well alright then, just don't start complaining later on."

Sharp just chuckled, trotting with her over to the barn and the cart. Big Mac eyed them when the two of them approached. "Big Mac, Sharp and I are going to deliver some apples to the Pie farm. Can you spare ya helper?"

Big Mac just gave a nod. "Eeyup. Should be finished with the barn soon anyway."

"Great work you two!" Applejack cheered, looking proudly at the old barn. "This old barn really has needed a good overhaul, we just never had the time."

"Eeyup."

They both turned their attention to Sharp, both smiling. "You've done good here, partner," said Applejack. "Thanks to you, we're ahead of work for once, and not delayed."

"Eeyup."

"Shucks, I don't rightly know what to do with all that new free time. I might find myself a hobby." The farm mare giggled.

"That's music to my old ears!" An older voice said, it was Granny of course. She and Apple Bloom came trotting up to them, carrying a tent and a basket filled with food. "Big Mac, go on ahead and load the apples into the wagon."

"Eeyup."

The large red stallion went inside, quickly followed by little Apple Bloom, leaving Sharp alone with the two mares. Granny smirked. "It is high time you learn how to be an apple mother! That starts with learning how to run a house, look after the foals, and still be able to kick some flank out in the fields!" Granny declared, much to Applejack's horror. Though then added. "Though still being able to make one heck of a dinner by the day's end."

Sharp was more than a little bewildered. "Uhm, well, she, wha..?"

"GRANNY!" Applejack scolded, her orange fur almost turning as red as Big Mac.

"Well ya right, Applejack. You're not a house mare in any traditional sense, ya strong like any Apple mare in this family. But look at ya." Before Applejack could protest, her grandmother had already made her way to her, pointed to Applejack's hind legs. "Ya see here sonny, these thunder thighs are good and sturdy, well made for foal carrying. How do you like them apples?" The older mare grinned.

Apllejack was practically shaking, she wasn't crying, nor was she angry, but she was in a state she had no idea what to say or do. Meanwhile Sharp was finding it hard to say anything else, other than a few confused mumbles. It only stopped once Big Mac and Apple Bloom returned to their company, bringing out with them the wagon.

"Right!" Granny smirked. "Let's get you two youngin hitched!"

At that point both Applejack and Sharp Shooter's eyes widened as they both exclaimed a big. "WHAT?!"

Granny just chuckled. "To the wagon," she clarified.

Both of them blushed, looking each their way in order to avoid any embarrassing eye contact. "Oh," both of them mumbled under their breaths.

Soon enough both of them were hitched to the wagon, and the Apple family wished them well on their travels, waving goodbye as Applejack and Sharp Shooter pulled the wagon down the dirt road. Between the two of them, the wagon was hardly felt. Of course they would still be tired once they stopped for the day, but it would be much easier on them as they worked together.

As they moved down the road, none of them spoke for the first few minutes. Neither of them knew what to say to the other after Granny's teasing, which was of course silly they both thought. They were adults, and there was no reason to act like a school colt and filly. Even so, with both of them having very little romantic experience, the mere thought of them getting into such a relationship did make them both feel funny.

Sharp thought back on when he and Granny went to the park with little Apple Bloom. She had spoken about him courting Applejack, among other things. It would have been easy to dismiss if he knew for certain he didn't find her attractive, or charming, though Sharp could not deny Applejack was rather beautiful, and charming.

She was strong, honest, and she had put her beautiful well trained flank on the line more than- dammit! No, uhm, her thunder thighs have hel-fudge!

Dammit Granny!

His face was burning, and he felt his heart flutter a bit. Feeling he should say something, he looked up and turned his head to face her, only to have her do the same and speak at the same time as him.

"Listen I-"
"Listen, sugarcu-"

"Oh.." Both blushed, looking away again.

"You go first, partner," said Applejack.

"No no, it's fine, you first," replied Sharp Shooter.

"Ya sure?"

"Of course, go head, Applejack."

She nodded, trotting for a minute in silence to gather her thoughts. "I hope ya don't put anything into what Granny was saying back there. She means well, she jus’ gets carried away sometimes, that's all."

"Oh, yeah, of course." Sharp nodded. "I understand, we're just friends after all, and there does not have to be anything romantic between a mare and a stallion just because they work closel-" He could feel her body press against him at times as they walked. "W-work closely together."

"Darn tootin!" Applejack agreed, smiling some, even though she could not keep her blush from showing. "Granny just gets some crazy ideas at times. Don't get me wrong, sugarcube, it’s not that ya a bad lookin' fella."

Sharp nodded. "Yeah.. Well it is not like you lack looks." He said, feeling like an idiot, trying to think of something nice to say. "Your flank is way nicer than Fleur De Lis's." SHIT! "Uhm, no, I mean.. Darn it.."

Applejack was surprised for sure, and looked like she had no idea if she should be flattered or offended. "That's, nice? Thank you."

Sharp sighed. "No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that, I just meant you're very attractive, and I would not be shocked to find out lots of stallions look your way when you walk through town.."

She blushed, then smiled and chuckled. "That sounded nicer, don't you think?"

Sharp laughed a little. "Sorry, when you spend two years with a bunch of stallions you kinda.. Well, you know."

"What?" She asked, coking her head to the side.

"You kinda forget how wonderful mares can be."

Applejack let out another chuckle. "Didn't you have mares serving as well?"

Sharp nodded. "Yeah, but most worked in the air force. At camp Solaris we didn't have any mares to talk to."

It was true enough, at the outpost, mares had sort of become a myth. It sounded a little foalish, but if there was one thing stallions had learned during their time in dessert, it's that mares are wonderful.

They were these mysterious creatures of wonder, grace, and life. Each time they would go to the city, mares seemed so much more beautiful than they had remembered. Their eyes, their manes, the way they trotted, the way they talked. It all seemed so foreign to them, and they loved every second in their company.

It was kinda funny, the army truly did make the best gentlecolts of stallions, perhaps because the other branches had more mares than in the army. It meant whenever they would FINALLY see one, they were on their best behavior. Sailor ponies in the navy could be charming, sure, but they were more brutish, depending on the job, though they were closer to the army than the air force.

The flyers were usually the most arrogant bunch. Loved to show off, and often acted like the elite. So it wasn't a secret when off duty there were some rivalries between the three branches, and some fights for a mare's attention. There was no hate or bad blood between them, but there was competition, and Sharp had participated a little, at least before everything went downhill.

Applejack noticed Sharp's change, it was subtle, but she could see he was in deep thought. "You okay there?"

Sharp let out a sigh. "Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled. "Just a lot of memories you know."

"Well, don't you go daydreamin' too much, mister. I'm not going to pull for both of us." She giggled, bumping him with her hips.

He chuckled, shaking his head a little. "Sorry."

"Don't you worry about it, hun, I'm just teasin' ya. But you better start moving, or we'll be delayed."

The two started trotting a little faster, wanting to push themselves today. Both of them were used to working hard, and this was a great way to work out. Though after an hour or so, the two started talking again. Sharp had noticed it was so easy to get lost in conversation with this family, that being Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and even Applejack.

Sharp found himself telling more and more about his life back in Trottingham, which was in all honesty, not that interesting compared to the life Applejack was living. She laughed at that. "Sugarcube, my life was nothing but farm work each and every day before I met Twilight. Before she came to town you could hardly tell my days apart."

He looked at her, but then she quickly added. "I'm not complaining or nothin', but had I just stood back and done nothin', I would never have the adventures I have now, nor the friends. My life is richer thanks to that, and although I've faced more trials than I would have liked, it has shown me life can never stay the same. It will always change." She looked at him, then blushed. "Sorry, didn't mean to preach there."

Sharp chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "No, no, I know what you mean," replied Sharp, looking ahead again. "I would probably be stuck at home, learning to take over my father's shop if I had not enlisted."

"And you didn't want that?"

He shook his head. "No, as a foal I wanted to be a writer, but my father thought it a waste of time." Sharp could still hear his dad scoff at the idea of his son becoming a writer. It wasn't a secure job, while owning a store was much more secure, even if it failed, he would still have hard assets to use.

To Applejack, it sounded so strange not to want to continue something a family had built from scratch. The very farm she worked on had been in their family since her great grandfather, and she couldn't imagine any other passion. Applejack however still recognized the fact that not all ponies wanted that, and indeed not all born into the Apple family wanted to be farmers or even work with apples.

Still she felt some guilt over how she had talked to him during his first dinner with her family. She had told him families should stick together, but those words were spoken in frustration and mistrust. She was fully aware not all families were as close as her own, and simply assuming Sharp owed his family anything was presumptuous. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Sharp didn't seem to hold a grudge, in fact, he had been quite the gentlecolt.

"I don't hate my dad," Sharp suddenly said. "But I wish things were different between us.."

"Have you ever thought of going back there? To talk to him about it?"

At first, Sharp didn't answer. He wasn't ignoring her, but he looked like he was searching deep within himself to find a real answer. After some time, he sighed, shaking his head. "I don't think I could face him, not like this, not right now. I would knock on the door, and he would expect to see his son, but he would only see a stranger. The colt he raised would be nowhere, and standing before him would be a stallion most of Equestria seems to hardly think of as a pony anymore."

Another pang of guilt shot through Applejack, thinking back on how she first greeted him. Of course, telling her this was not to make her feel guilty, but it was what he felt was happening, what he had seen happen. He told her as much. "When we first departed to Saddle Arabia, we were sent off with bands playing, waving family and friends."

As he told her that, he couldn't help but smile, thinking back to that day. It felt like another's memories, despite him remembering them so clearly. It was through another pony's eyes, shaded by his own innocence. Then he sighed, and continued.

"Then we came back, those of us lucky enough to do so, and to be able to go off on our own, were not met by the smiles and waves we had expected. While we didn't think we would be celebrated, we at least expected family and friends to celebrate that we had returned at all, but there was no pony there. Only a mob." He tried to sound civil about it, but his voice indicated the experience had not left him with a very favorable view of the protesters. "They were waving with signs, yelling out slogans, calling us out, some even spat at us."

Neither Applejack or her friends had ever been a part of any protests, neither had any considering joining one. They of course did not wish war, but they also knew they represented the elements of harmony. What they did, would reflect on Celestia. If they were part of such a protest, what message would it send to the ponies who supported it, or at least, the ponies who were over there, not to mention the soldiers themselves.

It was at times like this she wished she was just a simple apple farmer, never having to worry about all that fancy politics stuff. She was happy her and her friends had made a decision not to join any protest for or against the war. The whole thing was complicated, and none of them wanted to be symbols of either side.

"In any case," said Sharp suddenly, snapping Applejack back to reality. "I don't think I'm ready to face him, even if I was still the colt that left home two years ago."

Applejack frowned. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, it’s alright. It’s actually kind of nice to get it off my chest." He sent her a small smile, then shook his head again, as if trying to shake off the dark and serious tones of the conversation. "Now, let's stop being so grim. We have a lot of miles to cover!"

His smile was genuine, it seemed he really was feeling better after having talked about it. Applejack however, still felt a bit guilty, but she smiled and decided to enjoy the day.

The two of them continued to travel for many hours, only stopping for lunch, and then finally when they had to make camp. Sharp was used to raising tents, so while he did that, Applejack made the campfire. Applejack told Sharp they would reach the Pie rock farm the next day, late morning, and if they didn't stay for too long, they would be able to get home the day after.

The two started to work on their dinner, which didn't look like much at first, but with Applejack having cooked with Granny loads of times, turned their simple meal into something delicious. Sharp was impressed and pleased, while Applejack laughed and spoke of her time learning cooking from Granny.

The two of them had a good time, talking as they ate and enjoyed the gentle camp fire. They didn't stop chatting before long after the stars had come out, and after putting out the fire, they both retired to their sleeping bags. The two shared some final comments and goodnights, and went to sleep.

When morning arrived, the two of them got up early, ate some breakfast, and hitched themselves to the cart once more. Both of them yawned, both still a bit tired after having stayed up later than what they had planned the last night. Still, they were in good spirits, and soon enough they were both awake and pleased with their progress.

A few hours later the landscape changed. What had once been lovely green trees, grass fields, and an all around colorful environment, suddenly changed into something more boring and flat one. The few trees that were around no longer had all of those green leaves, instead they barely had anyone on them, and almost looked dead. All around the fields were rocks of every size, and when Sharp looked to Applejack to ask if this was it, she confirmed with a single nod.

This was the Pie family rock farm, it was their land. Sharp didn't even know there was something like a rock farm, but even though he now knew of it, he didn't have an interest in learning more. He was however interested in seeing the ponies who had raised Pinkie Pie.

When he did meet them, they were nothing like he imagined. Both were flat in tone, and formal in speech. Their demeanor was serious, but not unfriendly or unpolite. Sharp learned Pinkie had three sisters working on the farm, but all were out at the moment, and so they simply had to deal with the parents.

While Applejack discussed the price, and sharing some updates from their own farm, Sharp unloaded the cart, and placed the apples where Igneous Rock, Pinkie's father, told him to place them. After the deal was done, and Applejack paid, they offered them to stay for a bit. Applejack politely declined, telling them that they were close to finishing harvest, and they wanted to get home so they could finish the last bit with the family.

The Pies understood, and wished them safe travels. Once on the road again, the two tried to make good speed, so they could get a head start. Applejack was eager to return home, she didn't want to miss the last of the apple harvest. Sharp found her drive funny, but soon reminded her that pushing themselves too much would lead to them being of no use when they arrived home.

Reluctantly, Applejack agreed, and they continued on their way at the same pace as before. The rest of the day went by fairly easily, the two of them talked about a lot of things, mostly the easy stuff, small things they enjoyed or disliked, small experiences, nothing like war or hard adventures.

Sharp learned that Applejack liked the simple things in life. While she enjoyed a good challenge, and to push herself, she liked quiet moments too, like sitting out on the pouch and enjoying a glass of apple cider. She was a mare of many talents, other than farming, she was a decent cook, and knew a lot about fixing things. Sharp got an impression of a mare that had, from a very young age, to work hard. Sharp never had that problem, while his father was strict, he never had to work like Applejack did, never had he to worry about money, or if there would be food on the table or not.

Both of them had faced hardships, and Sharp found himself trusting her more and more.

When evening arrived, and they had eaten their dinner, Sharp looked up at a sky that was filling with dark rain clouds. Applejack sighed. "I knew I should have brought the weather schedule."

"Doesn't matter," replied Sharp. "We have the tent, and you brought playing cards, didn't you?"

She grinned. "You betcha, though I hope you know how to play."

Sharp grinned back, hearing the challenge in her answer. "I've been in the army for over two years, if there's anything I've learned, it's how to play cards. Bring it on, sweetheart."

After putting out the fire, they went inside, got out the cards, and some few snacks, and started to play. They played mostly for the bragging and teasing rights, but they were pretty evenly matched. Applejack won a few games, and so too did Sharp. Soon they could hear the rain hitting the tent and the ground outside, the drumming of water was relaxing. Finally, Applejack yawned.

"I think we better turn in for the night, don't you?"

Sharp nodded, putting away the playing cards before laying down. Unlike Applejack, he didn't go into his sleeping bag, he slept on top of it, which was just a habit. The two of them said goodnight, and went to sleep..

Krrrrhhh-BOOOOM!!

"ARGGghhhhhhHHHHhhhhhh!!!"

Applejack's eyes shot open at the sound of screaming, her heart was pounding, and looking around in slight confusion and urgency, she spotted Sharp, sitting up and looked like he was about to panic.

"Sharp? What's going on?" She asked, looking outside, but saw no trouble. Sharp kept panting, looking like he was panicking, as if he didn't know where he was. "Sharp?"

"I.. No no.. This is, this is not right.. Pin?" His words were confused, almost like if he was still half asleep.

"Sharp, it's me, Applejack," she tried, moving her hoof over and turning on the light from their little lamp. Only then did he seem to snap out of it, but as another lightning struck outside, he flinched, seeming to fight every instinct within his body to do something, anything. "Sharp?" She scooted closer, putting a hoof on his back. "It's okay, sugarcube, you're home, you're safe."

He looked at her, his eyes still looking like he did not understand. Then he came back, though still shocked and shaken. "No, I, I shouldn't be safe.. I.. No no..."

Applejack frowned, feeling as if her heart was about to break for him. "Sharp, shhh, it's okay.. I'm here.."

Sharp looked at her, tears in his eyes. "No, it's not okay.. I should be dead.."

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay, but I had some issues with this chapter, but I hope it was worth the wait. :twilightsmile:

Editor: Jason Monroe

Artwork: Hoodwinked MCShelster

Chapter 10: Chance

Chance..

It was something every soldier had to live with. Every time Sharp and his friends went on patrol, there was a chance that they would get wounded or even killed. There were things you could do to improve your chances, like taking cover, getting down on the ground, trying to make yourself as small a target as possible.

Communication was vital, so too was their weapons and training, their equipment, all of it would help their chances of survival. Even so, each and every one of them relied on chance, and the sad fact was, there was always a chance of getting unlucky. Having been in combat himself for almost a year now, Sharp had felt and heard the bullets fly above him. Each time he couldn't help but wonder how close he was to death.

So far he and his friends had survived the war, getting through it with only scrapes and bruises, none of them had been wounded as of yet. That didn't mean they got cocky, they, like every pony else, knew that it only required them to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. None of them were stupid enough to think they were invincible.

Perhaps that was the reason for the serious mood in camp Solaris right now. The 2nd platoon had been ordered to do a night patrol, the most hated duty of all of them. There was something about fighting in the dark that terrified most ponies, and other than the moon, there was hardly any light out there.

Of course it would be equally as hard for the rebels to see them, as it would for them to see the rebels, but that was a lousy comfort. They had just been to their briefing about tonight's patrol, and right now most ponies were just checking equipment and weapons, waiting for the command to go. Something was delaying the officers to give the command, as it usually came pretty fast after their initial preparations.

That was another thing soldiers hated, the wait. While every soldier appreciates a chance to rest, there is a certain restlessness that comes over you when waiting to go into danger. Most soldiers would rather get it over with, get out there, do their route, and then return home behind the walls. As of now, they were forced to wait, all of them itching to go and get it over with. They wanted to do it right of course, but they wanted to get started so they could get it done.

Sharp and his squad sat together, they were part of the third section in the platoon, which was 20 ponies. In Sharp's squad they were five ponies. Sharp, along with Pin Point, were rifle ponies. Silver Star, their only unicorn, was the medic. Zandre, a big muscular Zebra, carried their heavy machine gun, along with the earth pony Clover Hoof, who was the helper.

They were a tight group, having shared a room during basic training, they had gotten to know each other pretty well. Zandre was the oldest, and had become a sort of big brother of the squad. Even so, they were all quiet too, along with the rest of the platoon.

Sharp was sitting on a crate, right next to Pin Point. He wasn't speaking, his head was leaned back against the wall behind him, looking up at the moon and the image of the mare on the moon. Pin Point, like so many others, expressed their restlessness in small moans of boredom, looking around, trying to find something to hold his interest. He was of course not blind to the tense air around him, but a tense atmosphere had never stopped him from trying to lighten the mood.

It all started with Pin, as it usually did. He started off with a note, humming the first tune of the melody. It caught Sharp's attention, along with any pony else nearby.

"When the stallion in the yard came, oh see, oh see, oh see.." Pin turned his head with a grin, looking at Sharp. "Three guard ponies stood in row, and one, and two, and three." Sharp couldn't help but smile, even chuckling a little. "When the stallion asked his wife who those guard ponies were?" Soon Pin, Sharp, and the rest of the squad started chuckling, and more of the platoon started looking over. This time, Sharp joined in, finishing the rest of the verse with his friend. "See, it's three dairy cows that my mother sent to me. Oh, oh, oh, let it go, dairy cows with armor on, I am a stallion who can understand it all."

The entire platoon seemed to draw closer, some laughing while doing so, and soon enough they were all singing along.

When the stallion in the hall came, oh see, oh see, oh see.
Six guard boots stood in row, and one, and two, and three!
When the stallion asked his wife what those guard boots were?
It's six dice cups that my mother sent to me!
Oh, oh, oh, let it go, dice cups with spurs on,
I am a stallion who can understand it all!

When the stallion looked in the living room, oh see, oh see, oh see,
three guard caps laid in row, and one, and two, and three.
When the stallion asked the wife what those guard caps were?
It's three milk cans that my mother sent to me!
Oh, oh, oh, let it go, milk cans with hair on,
I am a stallion who can understand it all!

When the stallion in the bedroom came, oh see, oh see, oh see.
Three guard heads lay in row, and one, and two, and three!
When the stallion asked the wife what those guard heads were?
It's three white cabbage heads that my mother sent to me!
Oh, oh, oh, let it go, white cabbage heads with noses on,
I am a stallion who can understand it all.

When the stallion looked even closer, oh see, oh see, oh see.
Three guards stomachs lay in row, and one, and two, and three!
When the stallion asked his wife what those guards' stomachs were?
It's three mill sacks that my mother sent to me!
Oh, oh, oh, let it go, mill sacks with navels on,
I am a stallion who can understand it all.

When the stallion looked under the stomach, oh see, oh see, oh see.
Three guard dicks stood in row, and one, and two, and three!
When the stallion asked his wife what those guard dicks were?
It is three carrots that my mother sent to me!
Oh, oh, oh, let it go, carrots with eyes on,
I am a stallion who can understand it all.

When the stallion looked farther down, oh see, oh see, oh see.
three guard balls lay in row, and one and two and three!
When the stallion asked his wife what those guard balls were?
It's three potatoes that my mother sent to me!
Oh, oh, oh, let it go, six potatoes with hair on,
I am a stallion who can understand it all!

All of them laughed and sang, the whole mood had shifted, and it took a few corporals to get them to quiet down, but even they looked amused. They called for the entire platoon to get ready to move, and Sharp, along with the others, got into their positions, with Pin and the others behind him. "Move!" The command sounded, then the platoon moved out, splitting into two sections as they went out on tonight's patrol.

Fun thing about the desert, it got cold at night, very cold. Thanks to the moonlight bathing the sandy landscape in its revealing glory, Sharp could just make out his breath as he breathed out. Sharp preferred patrolling during the day, it wasn't exactly safer, but he felt more on guard, more in control. When it was dark out, it all felt so random, so much up in the air.

If he was going to get shot, he wanted it to be when the sun was out, and he could watch the blue sky above him. Suddenly, he was brought out of his thoughts by stumbling. Sharp almost dropped his rifle, not to mention falling snout first into the sand. Luckily, Pin had spotted it, and managed to pull him by his belt, keeping him on his hind legs.

Sharp mumbled an embarrassed thank you, and although he couldn't see it, he was sure that Pin was grinning and sending him a small smirk. Quickly Sharp started to secure his boot, while Pin swapped places with Sharp, taking his position. Once the boot was secure, he quickly got into Pin's old position, and continued the patrol.

No pony spoke as they moved through the darkness, no one dared to. The only time someone spoke was when giving a hushed order, and the hushed acknowledgement of order. For the most part however, it was silence, and they simply continued to move, hoping to catch rebels out and about.

They had, as far as Sharp was aware, never found any rebels. It wasn't that Sharp didn't think they were out there, in fact, he knew they were, but they had the tactical advantage by knowing the area better than them. It would be easy to avoid their patrols, keep a watch, move through the terrain with ease, even in the darkness. There was only so much they could learn when patrolling, and magical generated maps could only give you an idea of how it was out there.

Time passed, and Sharp felt like it had been hours, even if it hadn't. He was cold, and all he could think of was getting into a nice warm bed, though he knew once the sun came up he would want to throw off his blanket. His mood improved when they started to head home, he could hardly wait.

They moved between the fields, using the small paths the villagers had created. While they all felt their spirits rise, and the mood improved, knowing the paths and knowing they were heading home, none of them spoke. The only sound was of their hoofsteps, and their equipment.

It was then that it happened, Sharp didn't even have time to react. He looked ahead, his eyes finding Pin, who smiled back, stepping over a tiny hill of dirt to get to the next field, and then, nothing. The whole thing lasted maybe a second, but before he knew it, he was on the ground, his ears ringing, and his patrol yelling out things.

Sharp shook his head, trying to understand what had just happened. The world around him came back into focus, and the first thing he heard was; "MEDIC! PIN IS DOWN!"

"Contact, IED!"

Another yelled, which was when Sharp understood what had happened. Pin had stepped on a mine, and he was down. Sharp got up, leaving his rifle as he hurried towards where Pin had been. Somepony yelled for him to stop, as the area had to be checked for mines for, but Sharp didn't care.

"PIN!"

He found him quickly, but what he saw would be burned into his memory forever. Pin laid sprawled in the sand, his upper body bruised, his eyes looked like they had rolled back slightly, but that was nothing compared to his legs. His hind legs were a bloody mess, hanging onto one another by patches of flesh and broken bone. The sight was enough to make Sharp vomit, but he held it in, panic overruling any other concern.

"SILVER!"

Sharp called, hurrying down to Pin, helping him to sit up, trying to get him to remain in the here and now, not to mention the world of the living. Silver Star, their medic quickly came over, a determined look in his eyes. He didn't hesitate for a moment, and quickly started to work on their fallen friend.

"He's not breathing, weak pulse." Silver said, checking his vital signs.

"Come on, come on Pin, wake up!!" Sharp tried, feeling tears in his eyes as his best friend laid in his hooves, wounded, and likely dying.

"Sharp, relax, keep calm." Silver said, his voice even, and calm, but Sharp could still here a hint of his own panic behind the calm. "Pin none responsive. Double amputation, critical condition."

The whole world felt like pure chaos to Sharp, while he could only focus on his best friend, he still could hear the commotion around him. They weren't being attacked, but orders were given by their lieutenant, and calls sent and received by their signaller.

Pin groaned weakly, moving about, as if not knowing where he was, or what had happened. Sharp did his best to keep him from looking down at his own hind legs, knowing it would likely make him pass out again. "Pin, come on, stay with me." Sharp said, shaking him just a tiny bit, as to keep his mind alert and in the here and now. He only groaned a response, seeming to hover between being passed out and awake. Filled with dread, Sharp looked to his officer beside the signaller and shouted

"Where the fuck is that medevac?!!"

"Keep calm Sharp, keep calm. You need to stay with me, okay? We're going to get Pin help." The officer replied, a calm and collected voice, doing his best to get control of the situation.

Silver did his best for Pin. Like Sharp, he refused to let Pin die, but unlike Sharp, it was really up to him until they could get him back to camp. The whole thing was bloody and chaotic, Zandre and Clover were near too, wanting to be there for Pin. There was nothing they could do for him of course, but the five of them had been together since basic, and they were as close as brothers by now.

For Sharp though, he had known Pin since school, if he lost him it would be like losing a part of himself. Pin didn't deserve to die, not because he took Sharp's place, he couldn't bear the thought, or the guilt. Maybe a rational part of him would creep in and tell him it wasn't his fault, that Pin took his spot on his own, and it was just pure chance he stepped on the mine.

Sharp couldn't accept that, Pin was not supposed to step on that mine. It was meant for him, and him alone, a thought that would haunt him for a long time...

Author's Note

Sorry for the bad song. :twilightblush:

Artwork by: Hoodwinked MCShelster

Chapter 11: Reflection

"It was my fault.." Sharp mumbled, tears still running down his cheeks. "I should have been the one.. Not Pin, not him.."

"No, don't say that."

Applejack replied in a soothing tone, holding the crying stallion close. She had been listening to Sharp's tale, letting him cry and open up. Her heart broke for him, she had never seen a stallion cry like this, never seen any pony in such pain before. It hurt to see, and she found herself wanting to take his pain away. There was sadly not much she could do other than be there and listen to him, hopefully that would be enough for now.

Having laid down again, Applejack had pulled Sharp close, wrapping him in her hooves, trying to be an anchor for him during the storm. He responded to it, curling up near her, trying to keep his mind straight. It was like comforting a scared foal, but Applejack didn't think any less of Sharp for it. While she didn't understand fully before, she knew now just how broken Sharp was. Looking back, it was amazing how well he kept himself together, it had to be tiring.

Sharp continued to sob, though she could tell he was trying to get himself together again, trying to patch himself up, only to then be broken again by another roar of thunder. He was shaking, his breathing was fast and uneven, so she pulled him closer, letting her body shield him from the world.

"It's okay, Sharp, it's okay.." She whispered, stroking his mane, doing her best to keep him calm. It seemed to work, he shook less and less, and his sobs became less frequent.

After a while, he looked up at her, an embarrassed and even ashamed look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Applejack.. I didn't mean to-"

"No," she cut in quickly. "It's okay, sugarcube, you have nothing to apologize for." Applejack looked at him with kind and understanding eyes. "You're home, you're safe.." She hesitated for a moment, but then leaned forward slightly, planting a tiny kiss on his forehead. "Try to get some sleep, I think the storm is dying down."

Sharp blushed slightly, but then nodded. "Okay, maybe I should.." He was about to move to his own sleeping bag, but Applejack still held on to him.

"You can stay, I don't mind." She whispered.

"I don't know.." Sharp replied, having straightened out his body so much, laying so his head was on the same level as her. "I don't want to be a bother."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "You're not, and you never have been. Just go to sleep.."

Sharp let out a chuckle, taking a deep breath to calm himself, then closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Applejack."

"Goodnight, Sharp."

Morning came a few hours later.

The storm had passed, and now the sun was out, greeting Equestria yet again. The birds were out, greeting the new day with their chirping. Applejack, still in the tent, slowly opened her eyes, expecting to find Sharp asleep next to her, but he was gone. "Mmm, Sharp..?" She mumbled, sitting up.

"I'm out here." His gentle voice called from outside the tent.

Yawning once, she got up and trotted outside, not bothering tying her mane yet. She found Sharp, sitting by the campfire he had relit, looking at the morning sun as it slowly moved up from the horizon. "You're up early.." Applejack stated in a slight teasing tone.

"Sorry, I just couldn't sleep any longer." Sharp replied in a more flat and far away voice, like if his mind was hundreds of miles away.

Applejack frowned, trotting over to him and sat down beside Sharp. "Something on your mind?"

Sharp didn't reply right away, instead he sat in silence, simply looking out at the horizon. Applejack didn't push him, letting him gather himself and find the right words. "A lot of things," replied Sharp after maybe a minute of silence. "I'm sorry about the whole situation yesterday."

"No, I told you not to worry about it." Applejack said, putting a little sternness into her voice. "You've been through a lot, and after what you told me, well, I guess I don't really have the words for it, but you don't have to apologize." They sat again in silence, both thinking about the events of last night.

The pained expression on Sharp's face was still clear in her mind, his guilt written and tearful eyes as he told her the story about his friend Pin Point. "You never finished the story.." She suddenly said, surprising herself. She knew it was a sensitive subject, and yet she asked about it. For a moment she worried she might have overstepped, but if she had, Sharp made no sign of it.

Instead he let out a sigh, closing his eyes as if to recall the events after that night. "Believe it or not, Pin survived stepping on the mine, but he was never the same after." His eyes remained closed, but it was like he pressed them tighter shut as he spoke. "Pin was always the active daring pony that got you into trouble. After the explosion though, he lost both his hind legs, and was sent home."

Applejack was about to say that was a good thing, and he should be glad Pin survived, but she stopped herself from doing so. The way Sharp spoke told her it wasn't as simple as getting wounded and just going home, so she remained silent, listening to Sharp as he told her the rest of the story.

"Of course I tried to see him," Sharp said, letting out another sigh and opened his eyes. "But he didn't want to see me, he told me to go and leave him alone. I figured it was because he was still dealing with the loss of his hind legs, that he needed time to heal and come to terms with it." Sharp bit his lip, feeling a lot of emotions, but remained calm. "I only saw him again once after that.."

Sharp grew quiet again, seeming to recall his last meeting with his old friend. This time Applejack could not help herself, she asked the obvious question. "What happened?"

Again, he didn't answer right away, in fact, it looked like he really didn't want to continue the conversation. Still, he answered after a few seconds of silence, standing up as he did so. "He wasn't exactly thrilled to see me again.. Let's leave it at that." And with that, the conversation was over.

Sharp didn't blame her for asking, nor did he feel annoyed about the conversation itself. He had just reached his limit for now, and couldn't get himself to share anymore than that for now. Turning to the tent, he trotted inside and started packing, leaving Applejack to eat breakfast.

She wanted to comfort him, but she knew now was not the time. Right now he did not need comfort, he needed time to himself, and so she ate in silence.

Once Applejack had eaten breakfast, and gotten herself ready, they were on their way again. Sharp had packed away the tent and loaded into the wagon, so after putting out the fire and hitching themselves to the wagon, they were traveling down the road towards Ponyville.

Sharp seemed to be in a better mood now, and as they traveled they started talking again. This time it was back to the lighter topics, Sharp seeming eager to hear about the time they defeated Nightmare Moon, and saved princess Luna. He listened with interest, and she too found it interesting to hear how they had reacted at the time.

Sharp had been overseas at the time, so when the mare in the moon suddenly vanished, and they got strange messages from Equestria, she could imagine the panic it had caused. Thankfully, Applejack and her friends dealt with it before things went out of hoof, but it was nice to know that if they had failed, help would be on its way.

They continued to travel throughout the day, and as expected, they arrived back at Sweet Apple Acres in the late afternoon. They had barely moved through the gate and gotten to the front yard before Apple Bloom came running out of the house. She called out their names, and it made the two adult ponies pause.

Applejack glanced at Sharp Shooter, seeing a small smile grace his lips. She smiled, looking back at Apple Bloom who was running towards them. "There's no greater feeling."

"Hm?" Sharp looked at her, puzzled.

Applejack just chuckled. "There is no greater feeling than when you return home to your loved ones, knowing the ponies you care about have missed you, and are waiting for you with open hooves." She looked at Sharp. "You have that here too."

Sharp blushed, looking again at Apple Bloom who finally reached them, hugging Applejack. "You're back!" She hugged Applejack tighter. "I've missed you." Then, to Sharp surprise she looked at him, then slipped over, hugging him. "Both of you."

He hadn't expected a hug, well, maybe a little one, but not that she would have said she had missed him. Sharp looked a little unsure, glancing at Applejack who was just smirking knowingly. Letting out a relenting sigh, Sharp smiled and hugged the foal back. Apple Bloom giggled, unwrapping herself from Sharp and hurried towards the barn. "C'mon, Big Mac is in the barn. He'll help you get unhitched!"

When she ran off, Sharp looked at Applejack with a little shy smile. "Maybe," said Sharp, looking towards the barn, the house, and then finally Applejack again. His blue eyes looking straight into her beautiful green ones. "Maybe you're right."

Applejack chuckled, bumping her flank against his in a playful manner. "Don't think there's any maybe about it, sugarcube. Now come on slowpoke, if we keep standing out here we'll grow roots."

They went to the barn, and as Apple Bloom had said, Big Mac was there. He bid them welcome, asked how the trip went while he helped them get unhitched. Sharp let Applejack do the explaining, and was happy she left out the part with him breaking down. It wasn't his proudest moment, and he had wished Applejack had never seen him like that. Even so, he was glad she was there for him, something he wasn't about to forget.

Granny was equally as happy to see both of them back, giving them a hard time about being so slow. That was just playful teasing, but she was happy they were back and could help Big Mac focus on the last bit of harvest. Apple Bloom talked about all the shenanigans her and her two friends had been up to, which was quite a bit. Sharp was kind of amazed how much trouble three fillies could get themselves into.

Big Mac didn't talk much, as usual, but it didn't mean he wasn't sociable. Like before, he and Sharp found their brotherly bond return, and Sharp could feel Big Mac was happy to have another stallion to help him again. As for Applejack, she and Sharp had created a bond of their own. There was no denying that, and Sharp knew she had seen a side of him he did not want to show to just any pony.

She'd been there for him when needed her, when he was most vulnerable, and through that a stronger bond was forged. However their relationship had started when he'd first gotten here, it had been forgotten, washed away, and there was no longer any doubt about the friendship they now shared.

Or maybe, it was something else?

Sharp felt more aware of where she was sitting now, more aware of her whole being. While she had sat beside him multiple times by now, he couldn't help but feel extra aware when her body graced his. Her leg would suddenly touch his for a second when she moved, or her foreleg would bump against his own. He wasn't sure why, but it almost hurt him, but in a good way, like each time she touched him, whether by accident or not, he felt just a little bit more excited.

It was, of course, Granny Smith who put it into words. She cackled, gaining every pony's attention. "Well, looks like you two have gotten a lot closer. Can I finally expect some grandfoals?"

It was only then that Sharp and Applejack realized how close they were sitting to each other. Both of them blushed red, and each making a small scoot away from one another, though it only made a small difference. Applejack looked at Granny Smith, her voice embarrassed.

"Granny!"

Before she got any further, Apple Bloom cut in. "Grandfoals? Does that mean I'm going to be an aunt?!" She sounded excited about the prospect.

"What? Now hold on a minute!" Applejack exclaimed, turning her attention to Apple Bloom.

But before she could start denying anything, Granny Smith cackled even louder. "Eeyup! The Apple clan always seem to expand, now I remember when I was your age. Back then we could still host every family member in the barn!" She laughed. "So with the addition of your younglings, maybe we should."

It went on, and on, and on, and on. Applejack desperately tried to join in the conversation, trying her best to explain nothing had happened. Granny kept talking about the past, and the future, it was like seeing storytelling defy the laws of physics. Apple Bloom kept asking all sorts of questions, though when she asked where foals came from, Big Mac tapped out, and made Apple Bloom come with him and help him clear the table, much to her disappointment.

Poor Applejack looked like she was about to hit overload, but Granny seemed to notice and finally stop her teasing. Chuckling, she went to the kitchen to help out, leaving both Applejack and Sharp alone. The mare let out a long sigh. "Sorry about that, partner. You know how my Granny likes to tease."

Sharp chuckled. "It's fine, I've gotten used to it by now." The two sat in a bit of awkward silence after that, both of them trying to find something to say. Sharp was the one who came up with something first, though the transition from the subject was less than elegant. "I like your mane untied.."

"What?" Asked Applejack, looking a little bemused.

"I like your mane untied.. I just noticed it this morning, the way it looked on you in the light of the morning sun." He blushed, looking away. "You looked beautiful.." He blushed even more, but didn't come close to Applejack who looked away as well. "Not that you don't look beautiful now!" He quickly added, making Applejack giggle.

"I get it," Applejack replied. "Thank you, no pony has really called me beautiful before, except for family."

Sharp chuckled, looking over at her. "Well your family knows quality when they see it." He winched. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong."

"Sharp." Big Mac's deep voice called.

Sharp jumped in his seat, looking towards the red stallion. "Y-yes?!"

Big Mac looked slightly amused, but didn't comment on Sharp's nervousness. "Wanna grab a bottle of cider?"

"Uhm," Sharp glanced at Applejack, she smiled, giving a small nod. "Sure."

The two stallions made their way outside to the porch, a place they usually sat after a hard day's work. They found their usual spots, Big Mac had already gotten two bottles of Apple Cider waiting for them, so when they sat down they both opened theirs up, and drank.

Sharp hadn't realized just how thirsty he was, but when he pulled the bottle away from his mouth, he let out a loud. "Ahhh, that hit the spot.."

Big Mac chuckled. "Eeyup."

The two looked over the green scenery of the apple orchard. There were still apples on these trees, which was because the apple family liked to start the harvest farthest out, and then move inwards towards the farm. So when these trees had been picked, then the harvest season was over.

"Harvest will be over soon."

"Eeyup."

Sharp glanced at his red friend, then hesitated for a moment. "You think there still is a place for me here after the harvest?"

"Eeyup."

That wasn't really the question Sharp wanted to ask, and they both knew it. "You've brought me out here to have a talk about Applejack?"

This time the red giant's reply came later than usual. He took another swig of his bottle, then looked at Sharp. "You tell me."

Sharp bit his lip, what could he say? Or rather, what should he say? Looking back over the orchard, he thought back on his time here, on his time with Applejack. He couldn't deny there was something about her, something that he had only now started to realize drew him to her. She had seen him at his worst, and most vulnerable.

The first time being at the failed party Pinkie threw him, that was at his worst. Now she had seen him sob like a foal, listened to him as he recalled the night his best friend lost his legs. She knew of the guilt he felt, and his demons, and she had listened to it all without judging him.

Her opinion of him had changed dramatically since their first meeting, and had both moved past it, seeing each other as friends. But was friends really the end station for them? What did he want? What did Applejack want? He couldn't answer Mac, not because he didn't want to, but because he had not figured out the answers yet.

He decided to be honest, and tell Mac just that. "To be honest, I don't know yet.."

Big Mac just gave an understanding nod, almost like a sage. "That's fair, you just let me know when you figure it out."

Sharp gave a nod back, taking a swig of his bottle. "What about you?" He asked Mac, making the large stallion look at him again. "Have you ever been in doubt about your own feelings?"

"Eeyup."

"What did you do?"

"I figured it out."

Sharp let out a small laugh, looking at Big Mac. "Really? That's all you're gonna tell me?" Mac eyed him for a moment, looking back out at the orchard as he considered. Sharp smirked. "Is it a mare?"

"Eeyup."

"And you figured out your feelings for her?"

"Eeyup."

"Is it somepony I know?"

"Eeyup."

"Is it Fluttersh-"

"Rainbow Dash." Mac cut in.

Sharp was stunned for a moment, doing a mental double check on that one. "Rainbow Dash?? The element of loyalty? That Rainbow Dash?"

Mac chuckled, seeming to blush a little. "Eeyup..."

"Didn't know you liked that sort of mare." Sharp then said, his voice thoughtful. He didn't mean anything bad by it, but he supposed he was not alone in assuming Big Mac would go for someone like Fluttershy. "Have you told her?"

"Nope.." The large stallion seemed a little embarrassed, a sight Sharp was sure he would never witness. "But I don't need to."

"Why?"

Big Mac shrugged. "I'm a farmer, I like my quiet and simple life. A mare like Rainbow Dash, well, I don't think she would enjoy the kind of lifestyle I live."

True enough, while Sharp didn't know Rainbow Dash as well as Applejack or Big Mac, he didn't imagine she was the type to settle down into a quiet life. "What made you fall in love with her?" It was a strange turn of events, Big Mac had taken him out here to talk about Applejack, and now here he was, talking to Big Mac about Rainbow Dash.

"Hmm, that is complicated." Big Mac said, considering his words carefully. "Well, she is the most stubborn mare I've ever met, that's for sure. She's headstrong, and got the sense of a fence post." Sharp raised an eyebrow. "But, when she puts her mind to something, she works hard and never stops trying, even if she fails. She's tenacious, loyal, and.." He blushed. "She is very..." He hesitated, but Sharp got a sense of what he was trying to say.

"Athletic?" Sharp grinned, knowing it was just another secret and polite way to point out Rainbow Dash had a nice body.

Big Mac blushed even redder, if that was possible, but he nodded. "Eeyup.."

Sharp chuckled, seeing Mac's point now. If he was being honest, he could actually see them compliment each other pretty well. He took another sip of his cider, looking at the orchard, and the sun. "Well, you should tell her. Better to have tried and failed, than never having tried at all. Always wondering what could have been.."

Mac nodded, letting out a small sigh. "Sounds to me you know an awful lot about that?"

"More than I ever wanted to, comes with being a soldier. Always second guessing every choice you made, thinking of what could have been." Sharp explained, thinking back on the little filly, on Pin, and so much more. "I can't help but wonder what would have happened If I had stayed home, never went off to war." Sharp finished the bottle, placing it next to him. "I've learned to live with my choices, liking them or not, there is no point in thinking back, what's done is done." He looked back at Mac, sending him an encouraging smile. "So, I say, take a leap of faith, see what happens."

Mac listened to Sharp, feeling that while Sharp said he had learned to live with his choices, he got the sense he still lived with a lot of guilt. When he turned to look at Mac, his small smile almost took the red stallion by surprise. "Hm.. I'll consider it."

Sharp smiled. "Good." Then he stood, taking the now empty bottle as he did so. When he turned to head back inside, Mac looked back over at him.

"And what about you and my sister?"

Sharp stopped, not looking back at him. After a few silent seconds, he shrugged. "That's something I have to figure out, just like you have."

And with that, Sharp went back inside, going to bed not long after. The day's events, while nothing too exciting, still had been rather draining. Though as he laid in his bed, closing his eyes and thinking back, he could still see Applejack before him. He could still feel her touch, smell her. He opened his eyes to his dark room.

He wondered, was this love?

The following days were spent harvesting, with Sharp going with Applejack, and Big Mac able to remain, they were actually ahead of schedule. Big Mac had commented it was nice not having to worry about it this year, and Applejack fully agreed.

It meant that the Apple family could spend more time together as a family, to which Sharp was invited. The Apples fully treated him as part of the family now, and Sharp responded to it well. While he still struggled with his nightmares, he found himself relaxing more.

With their added free time, Big Mac helped Sharp setting up a shooting range. It was far away from where any ponies would normally travel, and they set it up so the bullets wouldn't just fly off, but hit a small hill of sand and dirt they had set up. Sharp appreciated it, and it felt strangely good to be firing off some shots once in a while. He even showed Mac how to use the rifle, letting him fire it a few times.

Granny still teased him and Applejack, but more than that, she was always there for him to talk to. While Granny had never been a soldier, she understood the struggles of one, and was therefore always ready with some advice. Sharp found himself turning to her whenever he was in doubt about his place in the Apple household.

Apple Bloom was still very much Apple Bloom, and treated him like an extra older brother. She was a sweetheart, and more than once had Sharp treated her and her friends to some ice-cream, even though Applejack would scold him for spoiling her.

Through Applejack, Sharp found himself in Ponyville more often than before. He helped her whenever they would open their stall in the market, or when she needed supplies. It started off as him just helping her carry whatever the farm needed, but with him helping, the extra time, they decided to make an event out of it, enjoy a lunch in one of the cafes, or just take a walk around the town.

The more they did it, the more ponies in Ponyville came to recognize him, and even started to greet him on occasion. That took some getting used to, mostly because he came from Trottingham, and even though it wasn't a city, it was still a town bigger than Ponyville. So he was a bit unused to the whole tight community kind of thing. Though he was starting to get used to it, even taking a liking to it, even if he preferred the quiet of the farm.

During their visits to town, Sharp started to visit Twilight's library from time to time. With his life calm again, Sharp found his old love of reading once again, and so visited to borrow books and read them back on the farm whenever he had time. When Granny saw him on the porch one afternoon with a book, she had joked he had started to grow roots. Sharp could hardly deny it, he was coming attached to this place. The Apple family, the farm, and Ponyville.

Maybe this was the place for him to settle? He would have to find out, for more than one reason.

One day, while out with Applejack they came across something Sharp hadn't thought he would see in this town, nor Applejack. After setting up the stall for the day, they saw protestors coming into town, all of them carrying signs and banners. They weren't doing anything bad, and they heard from another pony with a stall that they were passing through Ponyville to go to a demonstration in Canterlot.

While he was not in uniform, Sharp couldn't help but keep himself back, focusing on helping with the apples and other tasks, rather than the selling part, which he left to Applejack.

Sharp found himself watching the protestors, watching them as some waited for the next train, while others were preparing to do a march to Canterlot. Most of the protests hadn't been violent, and mostly they would happen without issue. Some ponies however couldn't help see soldiers as villains. They were against the war, and protested it, but they saw any pony who had joined up by their own free will as willing killers.

They had a right to feel however they wanted, but it was when they got into confrontations with soldiers that the trouble happened. Sharp felt sick to his stomach thinking back at the protestors that had yelled insults at him, even trying to spit on him.

Everything was going fine, until two stallions walked up to the stall, both of them were in uniform, both wearing steel helmets, and rifles. When Sharp saw them, he knew they had just come back from Saddle Arabia, both looked tired, and their eyes showed they had seen the same horrors as him.

Sharp stepped up to the makeshift counter. "Hey, you guys just came back?"

The stallions looked slightly surprised, if not a little suspicious. "Yeah, what of it?"

Sharp waved a hoof to dismiss his concerns. "I didn't come to call you names, I just wanted to say, welcome home."

A silence fell between the three stallions, and looking at each other, the two stallions understood. "You've been over there?"

"Over and back.. How are you doing?" Asked Sharp.

"Exhausted, looking for a good meal." One of them replied. "Where did you serve?"

"Camp Solaris." Both stallions looked impressed. "And if it's food you need, then you won't find better apples than the ones from Sweet Apple Acres." Applejack was already filling two bags with six apples in each and placed them on the counter. Sharp smiled at them. "My treat."

"Really..?"

Sharp gave a nod. "When I first came here, a mare showed me a bit of kindness. Like you I was tired, and felt out of luck. Her kindness gave me a chance at life. I know it ain't much, but hopefully this will help either way." Applejack smiled at Sharp, knowing he was talking about Granny Smith. The two stallions gratefully accepted the two bags, smiling, and seemed to actually relax a little.

"Thank you, brother." One said, and Sharp just gave a nod.

"Where are you heading off to?" Sharp then asked.

"Canterlot, we are looking to join up. We don't really have anything else to do, being a soldier is our job, so we figured we could join the guard force. We will be staying with my sister until then."

Sharp nodded, reaching out with his hoof and shook theirs. "Well, good luck to you both."

"Thanks, and thank you for the apples."

"Don't mention it."

When they said their goodbyes, the stallions left, getting a few glances from the protestors, but thankfully nothing happened, and no insults were yelled. Sharp returned to his duties, but soon stopped when he noticed Applejack giving him a look.

"What?"

Applejack just chuckled. "That was mighty kind of you, Sharp."

Sharp just shrugged. "It was just a few apples."

"It wasn't just the apples, you showed them some kindness. I could see how much it meant to them."

"I just did what Granny did for me." Replied Sharp, a little embarrassed about the compliments.

Applejack chuckled, rolled her eyes and trotted closer to him. "Well, I thought it was mighty sweet of you, and it just shows what kind of stallion you really are." To Sharp's surprise, she leaned in and nuzzled him. Then, realizing what she had done, she blushed, taking a step back. "Sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

"No no, it's okay.." Sharp quickly said, taking a step closer, putting his hoof on hers. "Thank you, Applejack. It means a lot to hear you say that."

Her green eyes turned up, looking into his with an intensity he hadn't seen before. "I only speak the truth.."

Sharp felt his heart beat faster and faster, it was like his heart was gonna explode. He was painfully aware where her mouth was, and how close it was to hers, but then a voice called out, snapping them both out of the trance.

"Uhm, excuse me! Can I get some service over here?!"

When the day was done, and the apples sold, Sharp and Applejack packed away the stall. The protestors had moved on without any incident, and it seemed everything was as it should be. Applejack trotted beside Sharp, who was pulling the cart along. She looked at him with a smirk. "You know I could have taken that."

"Wouldn't be much of a gentlecolt if I'd let you take it alone."

Applejack snorted. "I'm not some flower who can't handle herself."

Sharp just laughed. "I know, but you've worked harder than me today, so it's only fair."

"Whatever you say." Applejack replied with a roll of her eyes. "By the way, with harvest almost over, we were thinking of holding a party, you know, for family and close friends."

"Okay?"

"It isn't anything big, but we like to celebrate a good year, and good work, and you have well earned an invitation." She smiled at him. "What do you say?" Sharp still remembered what happened at the last party he attended, that didn't end well. As if reading his thoughts, Applejack quickly added. "No party cannons, promise."

Now it was Sharp that snorted, smiling as he shook his head. "Alright fine, but promise me I won't have to wear a suit."

"This ain't some fancy Canterlot ball, mister. This here will be a real Apple party!" Applejack grinned, and Sharp laughed.

As the two made their way down the dirt road, Sharp thought he saw a rainbow shoot out from the orchard. Rainbow Dash? But what was she doing in the orchard? Applejack hadn't seen, so he decided not to bring it up, could be she had just been napping on a branch again, or, maybe...

Once back, Granny called out to them. "Applejack, get ya flanks in here, your old Granny needs ya help!"

"Be right there, Granny!" Applejack called back, looking at Sharp.

He just waved her off. "I'll take care of the wagon, you go."

"Thanks." She smiled, then hurried off into the farm house.

Sharp watched her go, and it was only until she was fully out of sight that he moved towards the barn. When he came closer, he spotted Big Mac coming out of the orchard, he looked happy. It wasn't hard to guess why. "You look happy." Sharp called out, gaining the attention of the large stallion.

"Eeyup!"

"Does it have anything to do with that rainbow trail I saw earlier?"

Mac chuckled, looking a little embarrassed. "Eeyup."

Sharp grinned. "Congrats, Mac. Why don't you help me get this off, and then you can tell me about it."

"Eeyup."

The two stallions walked inside the barn, Sharp doing his best to park it at the right spot, though needed a little help from Big Mac. Once done, Sharp got unhitched. "Well, tell me, what happened?"

"I asked her to the Apple harvest party." Mac smiled proudly.

Sharp waited for him to continue, but when he didn't, he made a hoof gesture for him to go on. "Aaand?"

"And nothing, I asked her to the party as my plus one." Mac stated, seeming no less proud of it.

"Is a plus one even a thing to this party?"

"Nope."

"And you didn't tell her how you felt?"

"Nope."

"So, uhm, why are you so happy?" Sharp asked, not sure if he understood this right.

Big Mac just chuckled at his confusion. "I'm going to tell her at the party."

"In front of everypony?"

Mac made a face. "Nope, gonna wait until we can be alone."

Sharp smiled. "Nice. Well, I hope everything goes well for you." He said, about to turn away and head back to the farmhouse.

"And what about you?"

Sharp stopped, looking back at Mac. "About me?"

"Eeyup."

Sharp chuckled, sitting down on the floor. "You mean about me and Applejack?"

"Eeyup."

"Hmm." Sharp looked outside, thinking for a moment. Then he looked back at Mac, still smiling. "Yeah, I like her. She is a beautiful mare, she is strong, and kind. Her heart is as good as those sweet apples you sell. I've never met a mare like her." Then he chuckled. "Though, I'm sure you feel the same about Rainbow Dash."

Mac chuckled. "Eeyup."

The two smiled at one another, and Sharp let out a sigh. "I don't really have a plan like you do. You probably had more time to come to terms with your feelings, I'm still getting used to my own."

"So, what do you want to do?"

Sharp shrugged. "I don't know, see where things are headed, take it slow." Then he looked serious, his smile almost turning into a frown. "But I'm damaged, Mac. I have a lot of issues I need to get through, stuff I need to work out. I don't want to burden Applejack with that." Then Sharp chuckled a little. "You know I almost kissed her today?" Big Mac raised an eyebrow, but Sharp continued before he could ask any questions. "We were interrupted, but if we hadn't, I think we would have kissed."

"Is that a bad thing?" Mac asked.

Sharp simply shrugged. "I don't know.. Your family has done so much for me already, but my mind is still haunted. The trip to the Rock Farm only proved there is a lot I need to uncover. I don't know if I'm coltfriend material right now."

Mac frowned, almost glaring a little bit. "My sister can make that decision for herself."

"I know," admitted Sharp. "I'm just saying, I don't know if I could do it. Applejack is so strong and kind, she deserves a stallion that can be there for her all the time, and I don't know if I'm that stallion."

"Yakshit."

"What?" Sharp blinked, confused and surprised.

"Yakshit, you're scared." Mac said as a matter of fact, something that made Sharp glare a little bit.

"Are you calling me a coward?" Sharp asked, standing up.

"If you're afraid to go into a relationship with my sister, then yes."

Sharp let out a laugh. "Says the stallion that was afraid of asking Rainbow Dash out a week ago."

"Eeyup, I think you're scared of losing my sister." Mac replied, not backing off. The two stallions glared at one another, both of them feeling they were right. Then Big Mac suggested something Sharp hadn't seen come. "You'll come with me tonight, then we can settle this dispute."

Sharp shook his head, confused. "What are you talking about, Mac?"

"I'm telling you to shut up, come with me after dinner, and then we settle this." Mac smirked, seeming confident. "I have a challenge for you, and if you beat me, you won't hear another lick from me."

"And if I lose?" Sharp asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Then you tell Applejack how you feel at the harvest party." Sharp's eyes went wider, looking at Big Mac like he was crazy. Mac just smirked. "What's the matter, Sharp Shooter? Are you scared of losing?"

Sharp bit his lip. "Think again, Macintosh!" Sharp held out his hoof, and Big Mac met it, shaking on it. "You're on!"

"Eeyup!"

Author's Note

Artist: Hoodwinked MCShelster

Editor: Jason Monroe

Chapter 12: Corporal Sharp Shooter

"Hey Sharp."

A voice called, bringing the soldier out of his thoughts. He looked at the pony across from him in the truck, seeing Clover smirking slightly. When their eyes met, he nodded towards the sleeping ponies further inside the truck. All of them were young, fresh, their uniforms neat and clean.

They had just arrived the night before, and Sharp, along with Clover and a few other soldiers had been tasked to bring these new guys back to Camp Solaris. Thankfully they were using a truck, which meant they didn't have to march through the dirt road and be exposed to the hard sun. Not only that, but along with two trucks, one filled with these new soldiers, and the other filled with supplies, they were also escorting a new tank to the camp.

Looking at the fresh faces, Sharp could see how peaceful they looked, how much they relaxed. He could hardly blame them, the fabric that shielded them from the sun had a few holes where the wind could get through, coming out at the big opening at the end where he and Clover sat. It gave off this nice cold breeze that was just too relaxing to ignore in this heat, so Sharp simply looked at Clover, smiling slightly, and shook his head.

"Let them sleep, Celestia knows we could have used that when we first came here."

Clover let out a laugh, barely heard above the noise from the truck and the tires moving over the dirt road, not to mention the bumps. Looking back, they could see the monster of a tank following them. It really was an impressive beast of machinery, and Sharp still felt a sense of awe whenever he saw them in battle. Rebels always thought twice when they knew an Equestrian tank was in the area, mostly because they themselves had no access to such machines.

A standing order was that if a tank could not be salvaged, it was to be destroyed. No one wanted rebels to get their hooves on them, they were already enough trouble without them. Still, that didn't mean that tanks could not be dealt with, which was why no soldier took them for granted, or got cocky even if they had a tank with them.

"You know my little brother is a mechanic." Clover then said. "He would love to get his hooves on those, working on them."

"Did he join up?"

Clover shook his head. "Nah, mom wouldn't let him. Besides, he has a good job, no need to risk his future."

Sharp thought about it, about his future, and what that might hold. Then he looked at Clover. "And what about you?"

"Me?" Clover chuckled. "Well, if I can't get a date with Fleur de Lis, then I guess I'll stay in the army. You get a roof over your head, food, pay, and you know mares love a stallion in uniform." Sharp let out a small laugh, rolling his eyes. "What about you then? What are you gonna do when your time is up?"

It was a simple enough question, but Sharp didn't really know. His father still refused to talk about him, at least according to the letters his sister sent him, so he probably wasn't welcome at home. His best friend had been wounded, lost the use of his hindlegs and refused to see him, so, what could he do? He could continue in the army, but was that really what he wanted?

Sharp shrugged. "I haven't figured that part out yet, I guess I'll take some time to figure it out."

It wasn't uncommon for soldiers to talk about what they were going to do when they were back home. 'When this war is over', they would often say, then lay out a whole plan for all to hear. Silver Star was one such pony, wanting to go into the royal guard, while somepony like Zandre had more modest plans. Even Pin had talked about future plans, even teasing the idea about becoming an officer, that would never happen now, so what would Pin do?

Thankfully he was not gonna live without any help or means. Having been wounded like that, he was entitled to the grand package of pension and benefits. It was a poor substitute for his legs, but at least he didn't have to worry about work, or if he would be able to get anything to eat. As for Sharp, he didn't really have anything to return to, so maybe continuing in the army would be the right choice for him.

Clover smirked, giving him a playful kick with his boot. "Maybe you should consider joining the royal guard with Silver Star."

Sharp had to chuckle at that idea. "No thanks, while they are good soldiers, they're still using heavy golden armor and spears. I'm a rifle pony, I don't want to start using spears."

"Yeah, that is strange, why are they using spears?" Clover asked.

Sharp shrugged. "Logistics, they're investing so much into this campaign that they're prioritizing where equipment should go." He explained, leaning back on the wooden bench. "Also I think that they don't like the idea of rifles in the royal guard. I overheard a cadet calling them unsporting weapons, not for gentlecolts."

Now Clover let out a laugh. "So they rather use spears and get up close? Fucking snobs, at some point they will have to catch up and get rifles."

"I don't know if it's true." Sharp quickly added. "They may be changing as we speak, I don't know anything for sure."

There was a pause in the conversation, both of them trying to relax, but not so much they would fall asleep. To keep himself awake, Clover struck up another topic. "What about the summer sun celebration? Gonna hear it on the radio with the rest of us?"

"I don't know, I need to finish a letter to my sister, I've been putting it off for too long." Sharp replied, using the letter as an excuse to be alone.

Clover knew better though, and just gave him a look that said he wasn't buying it. "That's yakshit, you've been coming up with all kinds of excuses lately. Come on, we have free time, and it is a big event. Even here we are going to celebrate while listening to it live on air."

"Is it even being held in Canterlot this year?" Sharp cut in, trying to keep the focus off him.

"No, I think it's being held in some local town called Pon-"

A sudden explosion cut them off, while they could not see, they could hear it coming from in front of the truck, which was confirmed when their driver stopped the truck. The tank behind them came to a full stop too, while the new group of ponies they were transporting woke up and looked around, shocked and confused.

"What was that?" Clover barely managed to ask, before a familiar whistling sound cut through the air.

"Everypony out! Take cover behind the truck!" Sharp ordered, jumping out with Clover to get into position and cover the rookies. They'd barely landed on the dusty dirt road, before more bullets flew around them.

Sharp and Clover returned fire, but it was clear they were being attacked from both sides. Looking to the tank, Sharp waved at them, signaling them to drive up beside their truck to provide cover from their exposed side. Didn't take them long to do so, as the massive metal monster rolled up beside them, protecting their behinds as Sharp turned to the rookies.

All of them looked scared and confused, and Sharp could hardly blame them. Tough this was not the time to be gentle, he had to take control until they had control of this situation. "What are you all covering for, get your weapons and start returning fire! MOVE!"

Most of them yelled out in acknowledgement, took cover and started to return fire. Others were simply locked in place, shocked beyond reach at this stage. Sharp pitied them, but he had no time to shake them out of it, so he posted to stallions to keep an eye on them, to make sure they did not run off in a panic.

"Clover!" Sharp called.

"Sharp?!"

"Keep an eye on the rookies, I'll go check on the other truck!"

Clover nodded, loading some more bullets into his rifle. "Alright, we'll provide you with some cover fire!"

They sprang into action, not thinking about their own safety, but only about getting the rookies safely to their camp. It was an unspoken rule that veterans took care of the rookies. They were not soldiers before they had been in combat, that was how the veterans saw it. To them, freshly shipped soldiers were nothing more than a group of puppies, cute, sweet, and innocent. So it was up to them to keep them alive until they could survive on their own.

Sharp ran from the cover behind their still standing truck, moving towards the fallen and burning one that had been driving in front of them. There had been some supplies, plus the officers and their signaller. Sharp could feel the bullets fly around him, some even hitting the sand where he had just been.

When he came to the truck, he crawled into the back, out of sight of their attackers. He found what he had expected, two officers dead, and the signaller wounded. Likely both the drivers were dead, a reasonable assumption when looking at the fire that was eating away the front of the truck.

"HEY! ANYBODY ALIVE IN HERE?!" Sharp yelled, trying to make himself heard over the flames and the sounds of rifle fire.

"Sharp.. Here..!" The signaller responded, groaning out in pain. "I think my leg is broken.."

Sharp quickly moved towards him, and what he found confirmed the signaller's suspicion. The leg was broken, but it was something he could survive. Coming to a quick decision, Sharp pulled the poor pony out of the burning truck, sadly having to leave his officers behind.

Everything was happening so fast, but before he knew it, he had brought their radio pony to relative safety. Sharp had no idea why he did it, but before anypony else volunteered for the position, Sharp had effectively taken command. Nopony argued, either because they didn't want the job, or because they were just happy that somepony gave orders.

Sharp did what he thought was right, keep the stallions in order, maintain a defense, and signal for help. Maybe it was luck, or maybe their attackers were bad shots. Whatever the case was, they took no more casualties. When help arrived most of the attackers had fled, but sadly left one truck burning, and the other unable to drive at all.

The tank was the only vehicle still able to drive, but could offer no protection to the rest of them. Instead Camp Solaris sent two more trucks, and this time they made it all the way back.

The rookies were pretty shaken up, this was their first real experience in combat. Some cried, others threw up, and some just needed some alone time. Those ponies like Sharp, who had been there for a year, took care of the new privates. They gave them brotherly advice, shared experiences, and let the new ones share what they felt.

Nopony made fun of anypony for how they reacted. That was another unspoken rule among them. Ponies react differently to combat and stressful situations, and all of them had been one of those guys at some point. Crying, throwing up, or just needed time to process.

Other than the clean up and camp introduction to the new ponies, the commander held a service for the ponies they'd lost. Four veterans, four friends, four brothers...

Many drank that night, at least, those who were not on duty. Many more signed a letter to the family, telling them about how good these four soldiers were. It was the third unwritten rule, whether you liked or disliked a pony in the outfit, you still sent them off with the proper respect and honor.

Everypony signed the letter, even the rookies..

The next day the mood had improved somewhat, ponies were still sad and angry about the attack, but most had learned to deal with it. Not that they forgot, nopony ever forgot. But they were here to do a job, and they needed to keep their wits about them if they were to survive.

That morning however, something unexpected happened. Sharp was called into the office of the camp commander. Captain Fairfax was an excellent officer, everything was done with style and military precision. He'd also been the one to recruit Sharp in Trottingham, for that reason alone Sharp had a certain trust in him.

The older stallion sat behind a desk, looking calm and collected. He hardly looked at Sharp when he stood at attention, gave his name, rank and number. He simply gestured to a chair, asking Sharp to sit down.

Not one to argue with his officers, Sharp sat down without questioning why he was here. He couldn't read the words on the papers he was reading, but Sharp figured it was the reports of yesterday's ambush. Fairfax didn't say anything for maybe two minutes, then he sat the papers down, looked at Sharp with that piercing gaze of his.

For one painful minute nopony spoke, while Sharp was curious, he still did not dare speak before the Captain did. "You did well yesterday, Sharp." Captain Fairfax suddenly stated, but didn't smile. "I've looked over your record, though I hardly need to. You've been a frequent topic of discussion for some time."

Sharp didn't reply. He'd been in the army long enough to know when he should answer statements, and when not to. This was not one of those times where the officer expected a reply, or even cared about one. So with nothing from Sharp, Fairfax continued.

"You've been stationed here for twelve months, or at least nearly. In that time you've hauled home 73 kills." The captain still didn't smile, but Sharp could tell by his voice that he was pleased. "That is a good amount of rebels. rebels that won't bother us again." The captain noticed a shift in Sharp, and he picked up on it immediately. "Something on your mind? Speak up, Mr. Sharp."

"No sir," replied Sharp.

"Don't dance me around. Speak your mind, son."

Sharp felt a little conflicted, but he decided to do what the captain told him. "Well sir, I just don't understand."

"Don't understand what?"

"I signed up to maintain peace, to help civilians. I was told our mission was to support the local government, not fight their war." Sharp didn't want to whine, but he'd killed 73 rebels, 73 ponies. That was an insanely large number for somepony who went here to maintain peace.

Fairfax simply nodded, as if understood where Sharp was coming from. "I see.. Son, do you remember what I told you back in Trottingham?" Sharp was amazed Fairfax could remember him from Trottingham. Or maybe he'd just read his records, and remembered he'd been there himself.

"No sir.."

"I told you that this is not a vacation, you will be trained as soldiers, and you will be expected to kill, should the need arise. Well, that need has arisen, again and again. If you did not pull that trigger, you might have died, or one of your comrades. For whatever reason circumstances have placed you here, or the enemy, you have to make that choice. Kill, or be killed." Fairfax didn't question his orders, or at least, not in public anyway. "Let me give you the advice my own commanding officer told me once.. Soldier, shut up and soldier."

Sharp looked his commanding officer in the eyes, straightened in his chair, and gave a nod. "Yes sir!"

"Good, leave the politics to the ministers and princess. Now, for the reason I called you in. I think it's about time you moved up in rank."

This certainly came as a surprise. "S-sir?"

"Don't wet yourself, you won't make a large jump, but it is a start. Yesterday you showed the ability to command, to lead even in a stressful environment. You kept your head cool, and got the rookies through it in one piece. For that reason, I'm making you corporal."

It wasn't a high rank, and if he did command anything, it would be a squad. More importantly, Sharp didn't want a promotion, and the offer did startle him some. "I don't understand, sir."

"Look son, we need officers who can lead, who can fight. Too many officers these days haven't been in the kind of combat you and I have experienced. So I'm putting you on a command track, with luck, we can get you to sergeant soon after. First things first though, we'll see how you handle a squad."

Sharp was speechless, and he most of all wanted to reject the offer. Only, it wasn't an offer, not when it came from Captain Fairfax. "Sir, will any of my old squad mates be under my command?"

"No."

Fairfax answered straightaway, much to Sharp's relief. It wasn't that he did not want to work with his friends, but it would be too awkward to do so. More to the point, with him in official command of them, it would likely ruin his judgement. That was what he imagined anyway, and so too did the army.

"You will be assigned a new squad. Are you up for it?" Again, it wasn't a question he wanted an answer to. "Good, then you're dismissed for now."

Sharp stood up, and saluted his captain. "Sir!"

He turned on his hooves, and marched back outside. The sun shone down on him, and despite himself, Sharp looked up at the clear sky. Commanding a squad? Never had Sharp imagined he would command any pony, nor that he would be praised by his captain. If you could call that praise.

Thinking back, Sharp could no longer see himself as the quiet living colt in Trottingham. Now he was a soldier, he'd killed, he'd seen death, and experienced loss.

What would his family think if they knew all this? Could he even face them?

Suddenly, Sharp felt very alone, more so than he'd ever done so. Looking towards the barracks, Sharp decided to see his squad mates. They were his family now, and even though he felt low, he would not push himself away from them.

Not anymore...

Chapter 13: Challenge

So it had come to this..

Sharp had hoped it wouldn't, but Big Mac had called him out, and challenged him. Tonight, the two stallions would go out and settle this once and for all. While the big guy hadn't provided him with answers, or clues to where they were going, or what exactly they were going to do, Sharp prepared himself mentally.

Dinner was kind of awkward. While there was no bad blood between the two stallions, the tension between them was so thick that you could almost cut it with a knife!

They sat across from one another, silently eating their dinner. Applejack and Apple Bloom had long ago noticed something was up, but what exactly it was they had no idea. Granny was the only one who seemed totally unaware of the tension, or if she noticed she did not comment on it.

Despite the two stallions not talking, either to them, or to each other, they both still eyed the other. They were almost glaring, and Applejack was starting to worry if the two had a falling out, she'd never seen her brother, or Sharp, acting this way.

Sharp mostly felt like punching Macintosh, he was a big red hypocrite, and no pony called him a coward. On the opposite end, Macintosh glared back at Sharp. He was as stubborn as a mule, and as thick as a fencepost. Mac wanted to knock some sense into him, but they had both agreed to settle this his way, and that would have to wait until after dinner.

Finally, Applejack had enough. "Alright you two, would you mind telling me what the hay is going on between you two?"

"Nothing, Applejack.. Nothin at all, right Mac?"

"Eeyup."

Even though they replied, none of them looked at her, much to her frustration. She was just about to get up and voice that frustration, Sharp stood. "That was very delicious Granny Smith, thank you for another great dinner." He said almost stiffly, still keeping his glare on Mac.

"Eeyup." Agreed Mac, standing up too.

"Aww, thank you, boys." The old mare smiled, as if she didn't sense something was wrong. "Do you want some apple pie?"

"No thank you." Both said in unison, and then without another word, the two left the kitchen, and made their way out of the house.

Applejack was dumbstruck, looking after the two stallions as they left the kitchen. After a few seconds of confused silence, Applejack whirled around in her chair, looking at a still calm Granny, pointed towards the door and asked in a confused tone. "What in tarnation is going on here, Granny?"

Granny looked up from her plate, at first a bit confused, but then she smiled gently. "Don't mind them, Applejack. It's just stallion stuff."

"Stallion stuff?" Repeated Apple Bloom, slightly confused. "Is Big Mac and Sharp fighting?"

Granny shrugged. "If they are, they are taking care of it right now." Both the filly and the mare looked even more confused, stared in silence at Granny. She didn't elaborate, instead she just let out a wishful sigh. "Reminds me of when I was young.. You should have seen ya grandpa! He could throw a left hook before the other stallion had time to flinch!"

Now the two sisters looked at each other, exchanging worried looks.

The sun was slowly vanishing in the horizon, Ponyville slowly becoming quiet. So far neither Sharp or Mac had spoken, both just kept following the dirt road. Sharp of course followed Mac, as he was the only one knowing where this little duel would take place.

"You can still back out," Mac then said, still looking ahead with a determined look in his eyes.

Sharp snorted. "And back down from a challenge? I didn't get through a war to back down when insulted."

Neither of them were really in the mood for a compromise at this point. No words could be spoken that would soothe their frustrations, or tame their dispute. No amount of rational thinking, or clever points would stop what was about to happen. They both knew this, and both accepted the necessity, and the stupidity of all this.

The two made their way through the streets of Ponyville, and Sharp got a feeling this would not be a private confrontation, the kind you would see in the army. If you had a problem with a fellow soldier you would talk to them in private, if that didn't work they would usually take the matter behind a tent and fight it out. Sharp doubted this was what Mac had in mind, he imagined you really had to overstep to get some pony like Mac to beat you up.

They trotted for about ten minutes, moving between cottages, through streets, until they stopped at a building. Sharp could hear laughter, music, and talking. The smell of booze hung in the air, and one look at the wooden sign above the door told him all he needed to know. "The Golden Mare?" Sharp looked at Mac, who smirked slightly, and Sharp found himself smirking back.

"A bar?"

"No better place to settle this."

The tension eased slightly, but that didn't mean the challenge was off the table. Without any more words exchanged between them, the two stallions had an understanding. Whoever won, there would be no bad blood between them. This was more about honor now, while the terms of the challenge were still very much in place.

They made their way inside, many patrons eyed the newcomers, some probably recognizing Sharp, while all knew of Mac. Some waved, greeted him, or just gave him a polite nod as he passed. Most however, just eyed them. Not with unfriendly eyes, but enough that Sharp could gather that they knew something was up.

Sharp just followed, keeping his head high, his eyes fixed forward. He noticed Mac gain eye contact with a stallion behind the bar, then nod towards Sharp. through some inaudible understanding, the bartender understood instantly. Sharp decided not to comment on it, letting Mac handle whatever preparations he saw fit.

Mac soon found them a table, and the two stallions sat down. Once again they sat across from one another, just like they had done at the dinner table. This time however, the mood between them was more light. For the first few seconds, none spoke, they just eyed one another, sitting in silence. It wasn't until the bartender trotted up to them, placing two mugs of beer on their table that one spoke to the other.

"So, this is your idea?" Sharp asked, nodding down towards the mugs. "Drinking me under the table?"

A low chuckle escaped the red stallion. "Nope." He took the mug, and in one movement, he downed the beverage in one go.

Sharp was impressed, but would not let himself fall behind, and so he did the same. Having been away for two years had changed his tastes, before the war he could never see himself drinking like this. But after two years of fighting, living amongst so many stallions, he had changed, and once in a while you just needed to drink. Mac would have made for a great soldier, and truth be told, he would not mind having someone like him in his squad.

On the other hoof, with Sharp having changed so much, he dreaded thinking about what the war would do to Mac. Not because Mac was weak, heck, strength had nothing to do with it, being physical or mentally. You never knew how someone would react once the bullets started flying. Take the best recruit you have, put him in a combat zone, and only then will you see what he is truly made of.

When the mugs had been emptied the bartender got them two knew one, as if understanding whatever Mac was doing, it needed booze. "So." Said Sharp, eying his friend. "If this is not about drinking, then what do you have in mind?" Without another word, Mac put his foreleg up on the table. Sharp raised an eyebrow. "Hoof wrestling?"

"Eeyup."

Sharp smirked, knowing full well this could go both ways. "And if I win, I decide when I tell Applejack?"

"Eeyup."

"And if you win, I tell her at the harvest party?"

"Eeyup."

"Alright," Shrugged Sharp. "I'm game." He placed his foreleg on the table as well, and the two stallions locked their fetlocks in place. None of them started to push yet, both of them just looked into each other's eyes, both gaining a serious expression.

"Ready?" Asked Mac, and Sharp nodded.

Without another word, the two stallions tensed their muscles, and started to push. The table under them groaned slightly, and the pressure from the top got stronger. The first few seconds surprised both stallions, as none of them were able to move the other's foreleg. Both were locked in place, and their muscles pressed and pressed in the hopes of gaining some ground.

Their forelegs shook a little, tiny vibrations as they increased the pressure. The two stallions started to glare at one another, neither of them willing to back down. The table shook again, and by this time a crowd had started to gather. They were not used to seeing any pony hold their own against Big Mac, at least not for this long.

In the end however, Sharp knew he could not hold out. When push came to show, Mac was simply the stronger pony, and Sharp knew he did not stand a chance. The only reason he had held out for as long as he was, was because of the tricks he had picked up during his time in the army.

However, his endurance was failing him, and it was only a matter of time before Mac would win. The two of them gave another push, grunting as they increased the push. The ponies around them marveled at the display of strength, both stallions refusing to give up, sweat moving down their foreheads, and the table shaking beneath them.

What happened next lasted maybe only a second, Sharp didn't even fully realize what happened before he was on the floor. His strength was failing, and just as he felt Mac gaining ground, the table suddenly snapped, the leg somehow broke in two, sending the whole table crashing down, with the two stallions following right after.

First the two smacked into one another, then they fell to the floor. The mugs spilled beer, and the whole scene was total chaos. When the two finally sat up, blinking a few times as they tried to realize what had just happened. A few seconds of silence followed, but soon enough, the crowd of ponies who had been watching them started to laugh.

Took Mac and Sharp a moment to catch up, but when they looked at each other, and the mess around them, they too started to laugh.

Soon enough they had the table cleared, and helped clean up the mess they had made. Once done, the two friends trotted up to the bar, and ordered a new round. They pushed the mugs together in a cheer, and then downed the contents.

"I got to say, you're stronger than you look." Said Mac, smiling as he clearly was impressed. "Never had any pony hold out for so long."

"Well, if the table hadn't broken, I would not have been able to hold out for much longer." Replied Sharp, taking another sip of beer. "At any rate, you won, Mac. You won fair and square."

Mac looked slightly surprised. "But we didn't finish? It wasn't decided."

Sharp waved him off. "No, I knew I was going to lose. Had the table withstood the pressure for just a few seconds longer, my hoof would have slammed into it. I know when I'm out of league. You won."

"That's mighty honest of you."

Again, Sharp waved him off. "Fair is fair, I'm not gonna be a bad sport about it. Only, I just don't know if I can do it. What should I say to her?" His ears flattened, as the thought of confessing to Applejack made him nervous. It wasn't like he hadn't been with a mare before, but he had never really been in a proper relationship before.

"Just be honest with her." Mac pushed another mug of beer to him. "But let's not think about that now. Drink up, it's on me."

Sharp shook his head, smirking. Picking up the mug, the two stallions cheered once again, and started to drink. With the challenge over, the two friends could finally relax and go back to normal.

It was past midnight, Ponyville had gone quiet, and so had most of Equestria. That however didn't stop Mac or Sharp from singing as they trotted down the dirt road back to Sweet Apple Acres.

At this point the two stallions had been drinking for hours, laughing, sharing stories, and interests. As of now, they were very drunk, and very happy. This whole experience had helped them bond, and right now, Sharp had to admit he felt as close to Mac as if he was his brother.

Sharp decided to tell Mac just that, although it came out less elegant when he spoke the words. "Yor fucing.. Fucking grape, grabe.. Great! M-Mac!"

Mac replied, his words just as unclear as Sharp's. "You're greath, too!"

The two of them laughed, trotting down the road, wobbling, and swaying with each step they took. They continued to move, but more than once they stumbled, trotted into the wooden fence, or simply took a wrong turn. They just laughed it off, enjoying the cool night air.

Soon enough the two stallions passed the gate to Sweet Apple Acres, and the two giggled as they tried to make their way inside the house silently. The whole house was dark and silent, and as the two stallions tried to navigate the dark house, they more than a few times bumped into one another, or into something else that made a noise.

"Hehe, shhh! Shut the fuck up.."

"I'm trying, but I can't see.."

A small wooden table was pushed to the side, and Mac fell down. Both of them snickered. "You okay?" Sharp asked.

"Eeyup.."

Suddenly the light came on, blinding both the stallions momentarily. "What in tarnation is going on here?" Both of them looked up to face the voice. It was Applejack, standing at the stairs with a serious expression.

"Oh, oops.." Both of them said in a lone tone.

"What time do you call this?" She asked, looking both cross and annoyed.

Sharp narrowed his eyes, thinking about the question carefully. Once he thought he got the answer, he tried giving it a go. "Late..?"

Mac nodded. "Eeyup.."

Applejack sent them a deadpanned look. "You're drunk." It wasn't a question, but rather, a statement.

"Only a little," replied Sharp.

The farm mare sighed, knowing there was no reasoning with these two tonight. They would get an earful tomorrow morning, no point in doing it now. "Alright, we'll talk about this tomorrow, now both of you, get up to bed."

Neither Sharp, or Mac, argued, they knew it was safer not to tempt destiny, and just go along and get to bed. Though both of them were wobbling, and swaying, not looking like they were gonna make it up the stairs, not without help anyway. Mac was not going to be easy to get up there, so there was only one option for him.

"Gosh darn it, Mac. You're gonna have to sleep downstairs tonight." At first it looked like Mac wanted to protest, but seemed to think better of it and just nodded. "And you!" She turned towards Sharp, who jumped a little in surprise. "You're coming with me."

"Yes, ma'am.." He tried to take a step, but was about to fall.

Seeing the accident happen before it could develop, Applejack hurried to his side and steadied him before the fall. "Easy there, partner."

"Wow.. I think.. I think I had one too many.."

"I know, sugarcube." Replied Applejack, a small smile appearing as she helped him upstairs. She wasn't really angry, just a bit disappointed that her brother and her friend came home drunk, Apple Bloom didn't need to see this. Granny had explained stallions sometimes needed to blow off steam in their own ways. This just seemed... Excessive.

"Whoops!" Sharp took a wrong step, but was quickly steadied by Applejack.

"You're really drunk."

"Thanks!"

Applejack snorted a small laugh, clearly he wasn't all there yet. Soon enough they were all the way up the stairs, and making their way towards his room. Now that they had more room to trot, Sharp became more steady. Although he still bumped into her from time to time, Applejack didn't really mind.

The two made their way into his room, and Applejack prepared his bed for him. "Now get on in, you need to sleep."

"Yes, ma'am.. I do as ordered by my superiors..."

Sharp let out a small chuckle, then with as little grace as possible, he managed to get into bed. Once in, Applejack tucked him in, making sure he was comfortable. Normally she wouldn't do this for any stallion, but this was different, somehow. She didn't really know why she did it, she just felt like it.

"You have pretty eyes.."

Applejack looked up, a little startled. "What?"

"You have very pretty eyes.." He smiled, looking more or less normal now. She could see his eyes running over her, and for the first time she was with him, she felt slightly exposed. "I like your mane free like that.. It suits you.." His head laid back against the pillow. "You know, you have a great family.."

Applejack smiled, though blushed after the sudden compliment. "I know.. I love them very much."

Sharp nodded. "Mac is great, Apple Bloom is cute, Granny is wise, and you... You are the most beautiful and amazing mare I've ever met.."

"Sharp.."

Her heart raced a little faster, and her cheeks warmed up. Was this it, was this the time that they would confess to the feelings that had been building up these past few months? No, this wasn't the time, nor was it the place.

"Thank you, Sharp.." She said with a gentle smile, stroking his mane.

"You really are.." Applejack interrupted him with a hoof over his lips.

"Shhhh, hush now, try and get some sleep.."

Sharp nodded, and Applejack removed her hoof. "Goodnight, Applejack.."

"Goodnight." She leaned forward, placing a small peck on his forehead. "Sugarcube.."

Soon enough Sharp started snoring lightly, and Applejack made for the door. Her heart was still racing, and her cheeks still warm. She had been that close to take the next step, but she refused to do it like this. If Sharp felt something for her, then he should come to her when the time was right, and when he was clear headed. If their hearts were really connected, then she wanted to do this the right way.

She glanced back at him, smiling slightly as she saw him sleep soundly. With a little giggle, she trotted out of the room, and closed the door.

Author's Note

Sorry for the short chapter, and sorry for the wait. I had a bit of writer's block, and I did not want to stretch the chapter more than it needed to.

Special thanks to my editor, Jason Monroe, and my amazing artist, Hoodwinked MCShelster!! :pinkiehappy:

Chapter 14: The Harvest Celebration!

"Urgh.."

Sharp Shooter groaned, feeling the bright light of the sun hitting him in the face. His eyes felt heavy, but no way near as much as his head. Slowly he tried to sit up, but as he did it was like everything was spinning. His head felt heavy, yet light, as if his mind was floating around inside him, trying to settle down.

Letting out another groan, Sharp closed his eyes, thinking about throwing up for a moment. Thankfully it didn't come to that. A soft series of knocks sounded, and grumbling a bit to himself, Sharp turned his attention to his door. "Mm, yes..?"

With a soft click of the handle the door slowly opened, and in trotted little Apple Bloom. Smiling at him, she carried a tray with some light breakfast over to his desk. "Good morning, Sharp Shooter!"

Sharp winced at the high sound, but managed a pained smile. "Morning, Apple Bloom. What do you have there?"

With practiced ease the filly slid the tray of her back and onto the desk. "Granny thought you might need a light breakfast after yesterday." Apple Bloom said, turning to him with a cute smile. "Did you and Big Mac become friends again?"

"We were never not friends, AB," said Sharp. "We just needed to take care of something important. That's all."

Apple Bloom seemed pleased with the answer, her smile grew in size at least. "Applejack said once you've freshened up you should help out in the barn."

"The barn?" Repeated Sharp, sounding confused. This was normally his day off, besides he had a hangover for sure. "What is going on in the barn?"

"The harvest celebration." She giggled. "Did you forget?"

A second or two passed before it clicked for him. "Oh, yeah, right." He nodded, moving his hoof through his mane. "Seems like I'm still half asleep." Sharp chuckled, and Apple Bloom did the same before turning towards the door. "Thank you for the tray, Apple Bloom."

She looked back at Sharp and flashed him her trademark cute smile. "No problem mister!" And with that, she was gone once again. Sharp Shooter groaned, running a hoof through his mane before he made his way to the desk.

Granny Smith was in the kitchen when Sharp Shooter came down with the tray to return it. When she spotted him she smirked, seeming to find his hangover amusing. "Did you and Mac have fun last night?"

Sharp chuckled and placed the tray on the kitchen table. "Maybe a little too much, my head is hurting. Thanks for the light breakfast, it helped with the worst of it."

Granny chuckled and pushed the tray over to the sink. "Don't you worry about it, I'm happy to see you getting out there. I think Mac needed some stallion time too, that boy works too hard for his own good." She eyed him with a knowing grin. "So, who lost?"

"Well," Sharp chuckled when he recalled the dramatic scene that had entertained the other patrons. "I'd like to say he did, but he beat me fairly."

There was no hiding Granny's smirk, clearly expecting the answer. "So, what did you promise him?"

Sharp felt his cheeks burn slightly, and for a moment he considered trying to dodge the question. However there was no escaping Granny's penetrating gaze or sharp wit, so there was no point in trying to make the attempt. With a sigh, Sharp explained everything that happened the day before. Everything from him and Mac making the bet, to the events at the pub. Granny seemed quite pleased at the end of the story, and even let out a heartfelt chuckle.

"I see, well son, at the end of the day you're an adult, and you decide what you wanna do." Granny started, looking at him with a sort of motherly understanding. "There is no shame in not fully understanding one's own heart, or taking time to figure them out. My Applejack is a fine mare, and you yourself is a fine stallion. If you like her, then I do not see any reason for you to hold yourself back. Talk to her, confess if you feel like it is the right choice for you."

Sharp listened to every word, taking it all in. "Applejack is very special," Sharp admitted. "I'll admit, my feelings are all over the place, I'm not used to any of them."

"Do you like Applejack?"

"I do." Replied Sharp without hesitation. He was about to say more, but Granny raised a hoof and interrupted him.

"It is only a dance, son. It isn't a commitment to marriage." She reminded him. "You'll never figure anything out if you never make a move to find out."

Sharp winced, her words did not hurt him, but it was more the fact how true her words struck. "I.. I can't really argue with that logic can I?"

Granny let out a laugh. "You're not the first stallion who needed a push to make the first move!" She nudged him with her hoof gently. "Ask her to the dance. If there is something between you, I am sure you will see it by tonight. If not, then you will at least have had a good time."

"You seem so sure, Granny Smith."

"As sure as the Element of Honesty! Now, don't stand in here all morning, get moving. Mac is outside, and Applejack is waiting for you by the barn. We have a lot to do before the dance tonight." She said, turning around to face her kitchen again. "Now off with you, scram."

Sharp chuckled, and turned away. "Thanks, Granny."

With a smile on her lip and without looking back, Granny replied. "Anytime, sonny."

As expected the sun was shining, and the sky was almost free from clouds. As Sharp came out into it, he had to take a moment to get used to the strong sunlight. On the porch with a glass of ice-cold apple juice sat a red stallion and enjoyed Celestia's warm morning light. Like Sharp, Macintosh looked utterly exhausted, but seemed to be coming around slowly.

"Mornin'." He said in a tired drawl.

"Morning." Replied Sharp, and sat down beside the massive stallion. There was a moment of silence between them, a moment where they just let the nature around them fill that void. Finally after maybe a minute, Sharp said, "do you remember how we got back home?"

"Nope.."

"How we go to bed?"

"Nope.."

Sharp let out a tired sigh, but did smile. "We really had a lot to drink yesterday, didn't we?"

"Eeyup.."

"And we broke a table."

"Eeyup.."

"Still.. It was a pretty fun night, you want to do it again sometime?"

"Eeyup.."

A few seconds of silence passed between the two stallions, and then suddenly they both started to laugh. Although their laughter quickly died down as they winced, feeling the near resurgence of their hangover headaches. Still they smiled, and lowered their laugh to some light chuckling.

Mac spoke up after a few seconds, gesturing with his hoof towards the barn. "So, you're going to do it?"

Sharp looked over at the barn, seeing Applejack move a few boxes inside. With a smile and a simple nod, Sharp replied, "yes, yes I am. Although I lost our bet, I will ask her to the dance because I want to, not because I have to."

Big Mac nodded in understanding. "Best reason there is."

"Yeah, although I needed a push from a friend, and some wise words from your grandmother to realize that." Sharp smirked and stood up. "I should get going. Applejack is waiting for me to come over and help, I think."

"Eeyup."

It was late morning, so Sharp had missed some of the morning chores. By the looks of it, Big Mac had missed them as well, but Sharp wouldn't put it past him that he had actually gotten up and powered through, hence why he looked so bad now. As he approached the barn, he half expected a mild scolding from Applejack, but as he came closer and she saw him, she simply looked at him with an amused smile.

"Well look at what the cat dragged in." She said with a bright grin. "How are you feeling there, hon?"

Sharp felt his cheeks burn with mild embarrassment, but still smiled. "Like I've been hit by a lightning rod and left outside in the rain."

Applejack giggled. "You must be alright enough to work if you can joke like that."

"I'll do what I can, just tell me what you need."

The two moved towards the barn while Applejack started to explain what they needed to get done. "We need tables, chairs, and we need to get the decorations up." As they entered, he could see she had already moved a lot of unopened boxes inside, and some folding tables and chairs. "We also need to set up the stage, but before all that, we need to give this place a good cleaning out."

The barn was pretty spacious, and while it was not dirty per say, it was not ready to host a dance/party tonight. "Well, I guess we better get to work."

"Now that's more like it!" Applejack laughed and turned around to get to work.

However as Sharp had noted when they entered the barn, they were alone, and if he was going to ask her out, then what better moment than now? "Uhm, Applejack? I wondered if I could talk to you first?"

Applejack stopped, looking back at Sharp with a raised eyebrow. "Sure, what's digging at ya?" She asked, turning around to face him again.

Sharp paused, turning his body to face her as well. He felt his heartbeat increase in speed, his nerves increase. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he put a hoof behind his head and looked away. "Wow, uhm.. I didn't count on this being so hard."

"What's hard?" Applejack asked, tilting her head in confusion, and slight concern. Her beautiful green eyes seemed to sparkle with such honesty and kindness that it made his heart feel like it was getting hogtied.

"You would think things such as asking a pretty mare out to a dance would be easier when you're an adult." Sharp smiled, feeling his blush increase. Applejack looked at him with a surprised and stunned expression. "I guess some things just never change, no matter how much growing up you have done." With a determined look in his eyes, he looked her in the eyes again. "Applejack, would you go to th-"

"Yes."

Sharp blinked a few times, had he heard that right. "E-excuse me?"

Applejack noticed his confusion and smirked knowingly. "I said yes. Yes, Sharp Shooter, I would love to go out with you. Now stop standing there with your muzzle open and get to work, we have a lot to do!"

"Uhm I, I mean, yes ma'am!" Sharp shook his head to rid himself of the confusion and quickly went to work on the barn.

"That's better, I'll need to get some things from the attic. I'll be back soon." She said with a smile, then trotted outside, out of view, and out of hearing. Before moving towards the farm house though, Applejack moved up on her hooves and moved her legs up and down in excitement as she let out a hushed squeal. Her heart was fluttering, and it felt like she could walk on air!

"Applejack?" A voice suddenly asked.

Applejack yelped and came to an instant stop. "A-Apple Bloom, what are you doing here?" Applejack asked, hoping to avoid the obvious.

The little filly looked with bemusement at her sister. "What, uhm, what made you so happy, sis?"

And just like Sharp before, Applejack felt a blush moving across her face, and a sense of shyness she had not felt since her school days. "Well I.. I was asked out, Apple Bloom." She replied, smiling gently. "Sharp Shooter, he asked me to the dance tonight."

It would be an understatement to say it was a busy day for the Apple household. Everypony was helping, cleaning, cooking, setting up, decorating, it was a lot of work. However it wasn't farm work, and after having worked on the farm for so long, Sharp felt it was more relaxing than actual work.

While they all moved around fast, it did not feel too busy. It was hard to explain, they had a deadline tonight, but at the same time it didn't feel like they were pressured in the same way. Maybe it was because farming was for the survival of the farm and way of life for the Apple family. This however was more for private matters and had less serious consequences if they did not get everything done in time. That was not to say they did not work hard to make it, but it seemed more like play than work at times.

Apple Bloom had fun decorating, and Sharp had to help her several times reaching difficult places, or give her advice. It was clear that she enjoyed herself, and Sharp could understand why. This was not about work, but about spending time with family and friends, not to mention celebrating the hard work they had put in. At some point her two friends joined her, and Sharp was somehow stuck working the barn and looking after them, not that he minded.

Big Mac did more of the outdoor work, putting up large poles that would hold up string lights. There was no doubt in Sharp's mind that it would be very beautiful once the light was on, and the sun had lowered. Apple Bloom told him that it was a good place to dance, winking at him several times as she said it.

Granny Smith and Applejack did not work with them with decorations, or setting up tables and chairs. No, they were too busy in the kitchen, making all kinds of treats and food. They could all smell it out in the open, and it was hard not to get hungry while working and smelling the many aromas coming from the open kitchen window.

Other than Apple Bloom's friends, it was purely an Apple family project, well, and Sharp. It wasn't that they could not accept help, but this was an event they liked to throw for themselves and their friends, to them it was a matter of pride. Sharp had heard Pinkie Pie beg to help with the planning, but while she was a good party planner, this was an Apple affair. Despite her pouting, Pinkie seemed to really respect that.

It once again reminded Sharp how lucky he was to be a part of this family, or at least be accepted enough that he felt that way. Granny had taken him in when his family did not want to, and now he was helping setting up a proud celebration they looked forward to every year. He had spent time with Apple Bloom, gotten to know her friends. Worked alongside Big Mac, even got drunk with him.

He had even turned a relationship that started off on the wrong hoof around. So much had happened since he first arrived here, and now that he could finally take a breather and look back on the journey he had, Sharp could see just how far he had come. Even the nightmares seemed to have become lesser, but that was more of an exception rather than the rule. He was getting better, Sharp felt sure of that. What he also felt sure of, was the role the Apple household had played.

He owed them a lot..

There was a lot of chores and work Applejack found to be fun and satisfying. Bucking apples was always a great test of strength and skill, especially when competing with Big Mac. Seeing the result from a job well done was also the best feeling in the world. Yet out of all the things Applejack enjoyed doing, cooking was a secret passion of hers.

Not that it was something she wanted to do all the time, but she could bake some mean pies that could give even Pinkie Pie a run for her money. Although, while she enjoyed the simple yet delicate process of cooking, she mostly enjoyed it because it gave her time alone with Granny Smith. When they were in the kitchen, it was sort of their time together, something private and calming. It was something she wished she could have had with her mother, hence why moments such as these were so special to her.

It was a chance for them to talk, nothing in particular. Sometimes about life, the farm, family, friends, memories, day to day stuff. It was really a moment for her to just relax and enjoy the moment. "So tell me, Applejack. Did Sharp Shooter ask you out for the dance tonight or what?"

Applejack's ears flew straight up, her eyes widening, and her body froze in place. "Wh-what?"

Granny rolled her eyes playfully. "Come now, Applejack. You didn't think ya old granny didn't notice how much you tried to get yourself noticed?" She grinned, even chuckled a little. "Ahh, to be young and in love again. It really reminds me of my time in the NAAFI." She let out a long dreamy sigh. "It was how I met your grandfather, you know. He was so handsome in his uniform."

Applejack relaxed a bit, but still blushed. "I thought grandfather worked on the farm?"

Granny smirked. "Oh he did. Most of the other lads went to town to drink, but your grandfather came here to work in his off time, only to see me." She almost sounded young now when she giggled. "My father got a fit when he finally figured out he came from the camp." Granny let herself enjoy the many memories for a few moments longer before returning her attention to Applejack. "But don't you change the subject, missy. Did Sharp Shooter ask you to the dance?"

Applejack looked away, her cheeks burning, and her heart beating a little faster. "Well, I.. Uhm, yes..."

"Hoy dang, so he finally did it."

This made Applejack look back at Granny. "What do you mean by that?"

Granny rolled her eyes. "You two have been dancing around each other so much that I get motion sick just by looking at ya." She retorted. "It was clear to anypony that he wanted to ask you out, and you wanted him to ask!" Applejack's blush increased, but Granny just smiled. "There is no shame in it, Applejack, I'm just happy you're finally taking the next step."

"Granny! I.. I don't even know if this is the right step." Applejack replied, trying to find the right words. "I've never even been on a date with a stallion before.."

Granny snorted. "Neither had I until your grandfather finally managed to sneak by my father to ask me out." It was amazing how normal Granny could make such a statement sound. "But it's good to be nervous, you wouldn't be nervous if you didn't care about him." Her smile became less of an amused one, and more gentle and she placed a hoof under Applejack's muzzle, and guided her to look at her. "You're an amazing mare, Applejack, and any stallion would be lucky to have you."

Applejack smiled slightly. "Thank you, Granny.. But what if I say something stupid?"

Again Granny snorted. "In my experience it is always the stallions who manage to put their hooves in their mouths." She chuckled. "Besides, I promise you, he is just as nervous as you are, if not more."

"You think so, Granny?"

"I know so." Granny started with a confident smile. "If he wasn't nervous, I would not waste two bits on him. I promise you, it took a lot out of Sharp Shooter to ask you out."

"He's been to war, Granny. I don't think he would be scared to ask me out."

Granny snorted, raising an eyebrow. "You think the way of the heart isn't war? Think again, missy. A date can be a battle, not with any enemy, but with one self. To overcome your own doubts, to take chances of being rejected, or mess up when you want to present your very best self. It's a battle believe me, but so is life. If you don't take chances, then you haven't lived. Trust me, Applejack. For Sharp Shooter to ask you out, that was a huge thing for him."

Applejack frowned, not sure she understood. "Why?"

"You think I'm going to fight this battle for him?" Granny asked with a teasing grin. "Oh no, this is something he should share with you himself, when he is ready. Though take my advice, go and just enjoy the dance. It is only one evening, not a decision that will bind you to one path for the rest of your life." She chuckled. "You will know if you made the right choice by the end of the night. I did."

"You really think so, Granny?"

"I know so." Granny insisted. "Now, let's get back to work, we have a feast to prepare!"

The day ended, and evening was starting to roll over the farm. The last few hours had been spent getting ready, and a battle to get time in the bathroom. Thankfully for Sharp and Mac, they managed to get done before the war began between the two sisters.

Sharp didn't have anything fancy, not really. The most of the things he owed was stuff he had brought back from Saddle Arabia, and there wasn't anything in there he thought suited the occasion. It was Big Mac that came to the rescue, lending Sharp a black bowtie. It wasn't much, but he didn't intend to wear anything else too, so Sharp didn't complain. Not that he would either way.

Other than himself and Mac, Granny Smith was out and greeting the arriving guests before anypony else had a chance to. Everypony from Ponyville who could attend arrived little by little, all congratulating them on their hard work. Some ponies even congratulated Sharp on his hard work, but he told them he only did what he was told, which always made them laugh.

Granny handled the more formal greetings, while Mac and Sharp stood to the side looking handsome, both of them waiting. "Are you nervous?" Sharp suddenly asked Mac, eying his friend.

"Nnope." Mac quickly replied. "Well, maybe a little."

Sharp chuckled. "I'm sure it will turn out good. Rainbow Dash is a good mare. Applejack always talks well about her, even when it comes to her complicated sides." When Mac glanced at him with an eye raised, Sharp simply grinned. "Oh come on, she did not mean it in a bad way, and neither do I."

Sighing, Mac nodded. "She is a stubborn one, but I like that about her. She can do anything she puts her mind to, and she has the will to see it through."

"I know, I feel the same about Applejack.." Sharp admitted, smiling to himself. "At any rate, I do believe your date is here."

Mac looked up, and just as Sharp had said, there was Rainbow Dash, making her way down the path to the farm. She looked more nervous than Sharp would have imagined, but still excited. Mac smiled, taking a deep breath, and left to meet up with her. Sharp watched as he did so, meeting her before she got too close to the farm.

Sharp couldn't help but smile as he watched the two greeting one another. Both looked nervous, unsure, but at the same time happy. "In all the time I have known those two, I never imagined they would find one another." Applejack's voice suddenly said behind him.

"I was surprised too." Sharp smirked, not turning around yet, feeling his heart pound faster in anticipation. "Then again, I didn't think I would have a date for tonight.."

Applejack's low chuckle made Sharp smile. "I didn't either. Luckily a certain stallion asked me out."

"He sounds lucky." Sharp replied. "Do I know him?"

"Pretty well. Although, he is keeping me waiting."

"Scoundrel." Sharp teased, then started to turn around to face him. "I'm sure he will be right.... There..." Sharp's words seemed to vanish as he turned and saw her. Like him, she didn't wear anything fancy or complicated, choosing instead to wear something simple.

Her mane and tail was loose, and in her mane were several white flowers, even a sort of crown of flowers on top of her head instead of her trademark hat. She stood there, looking timid, vulnerable, as if the mere fact that he was looking at her made her exposed. It took a moment before Sharp found his voice.

"Wow, Applejack.. You look.. I mean, just.. You look beautiful."

A small smile graced Applejack's lips. "Thank you.. You look really good as well."

Sharp chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Well, the bowtie does make me stand out." The two shared a laugh while Sharp approached her. "But really, the flowers, your mane, you really are beautiful." He took her hoof in his. "I'm lucky you said yes."

She looked into his eyes, and bit her lower lip. "Do.." She hesitated for a moment, but then took a deep breath to gather her courage. "Do you want to watch the sunset with me?"

Sharp looked around, the part was already getting started, even the music. However as he looked into Applejack's deep green eyes, he could not imagine anywhere he would rather be than by her side, alone. "Sure."

As everypony else was joining the festivities, Sharp and Applejack made their way into the orchard. The sun was still up, but it was making its way down, revealing the first few stars in the darkening sky above. The two of them didn't speak, simply enjoyed the quiet, the tranquility of the orchard, the sounds, and the colors. At times they would glance at one another, sending smiles now and again, but still not saying a word to each other.

Soon enough they arrived on a small hill in the middle of one of the fields, overlooking the rest of the trees, and the sun moving down. Both of them sat down, and side by side, they simply enjoyed the view. After a while though, Applejack spoke up. "You really did a lot for us, you've worked really hard."

Sharp chuckled, waving the comment away with a hoof. "I think you and your family did more for me than I could do for you. A home, work, food, even new friends." His smile vanished a bit, looking more serious. "If I'm being honest, I don't know where I would be if it wasn't for you. I was pretty scared when I first came back. Didn't know where to go, or what to do, I simply left everything." He turned his head, looking at her. "Applejack, your family has done so much for me, maybe even saved my life."

Applejack looked back into those earnest blue eyes of his. "Sharp, I.."

He then smiled, looking forward again towards the horizon. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring the mood down. I'm just saying that I.. Well, I love this place, I love your family."

She just stared at him for a few seconds, shocked, yet happy that he had bonded with them so much. She then smiled, then looked to the horizon again too. "I'm glad you are here. Honestly."

"Me too," answered Sharp. "I got to meet so many amazing ponies. Even got a date with an amazing mare, I didn't think that would happen in my lifetime." Hearing Applejack giggle made his heart flutter.

"You really are a charmer, aren't you?" She teased.

"Well, you bring it out. Just like you bring out every ponies best sides."

The two looked at one another. "I was pretty horrible to you at first.." Applejack admitted. "I'm just glad you forgave me."

Sharp rolled his eyes. "That is the past, Aj, I think you have punished yourself enough for that. Besides, we are here now, together, and there is no place I would rather be."

"You really mean that..?" She asked, her voice lowering slightly.

Sharp nodded. "I would not dare lie to the element of honesty.."

"You really are no good smooth talking scoundrel." Applejack said, her voice going softer as the two moved closer and closer to one another. "I knew you were trouble."

"Maybe a little trouble," Sharp admitted. "But the good kind of trouble."

"Shut up.."

Their lips met in one gentle and loving kiss, the two of them having moved completely on their own. So many feelings and thoughts ran through them, but none of them could really focus on them. The only thing that mattered to them right now at this moment was this. Their kiss, which only grew in passion for every second that passed.

Sharp as if his heart was about to burst through his chest, while Applejack felt so hot that she could melt ice by standing next to it. Their troubles, their doubts, any unhappy thoughts seemed to vanish in this one happy moment, one they both wanted to last forever.

The soldier, and the farm girl..

Their lips slowly parted, both of them already wishing to return to the blissful moment. There weren't any words they could say that could describe the feelings going through them. No explanations or words they could say to one another that they didn't already know just by looking into each other's eyes. Was there more to explore? Yes. Did they know for certainty this was what they both wanted? A wise pony might say no, but right now in this very moment, none of them had any doubt that this was something they liked to explore.

And no matter what they found, no matter what the future might hold for them, they would face it together...

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait. I got stuck several times, and there has been a lot going on. I hope this chapter was worth the wait, despite there is a lot of talking and so on. :twilightsheepish:

Artwork by: Hoodwinked MCShelster

Chapter 1: Next Stop Ponyville

Two and a half years later.

"Next stop Ponyville!"

The conductor called, bringing Sharp Shooter back to reality. He had been sleeping it seemed, then again, he was exhausted. He only arrived back from Saddle Arabia by ship late afternoon the day before, along with others who's tour was up.

The sight that had greeted them at the port was not pretty, protesters, a lot of them, saw Sharp and his friends as criminals, murderess villains only going there to fight. Sharp knew better, it was not why he had gone.

Still, the opinion was one much of Equestria shared, and now here he was. In uniform, his helmet resting on the seat next to him, his heavy backpack and rifle on the seat across from him. No reason not to use the space since most of the passengers were avoiding him anyway.

Using the last few bits he had, Sharp had traveled back to his home town of Trottingham, but it was no longer his home. Ponies he had known had either been with him in Saddle Arabia, or stayed behind, now outraged at them. His father had never liked the idea of Sharp going, in fact, he had forbade him from doing so, but at that time it was far too late.

Their last words had been spoken in anger, and neither his mother or sister could calm the old stallion down. When Sharp left, his father had disowned him, told him never to come back, and so, he did not. He did however have something to do in Trottingham, a promise to keep to those who had not made it. Now that his promise had been kept, nothing was now binding him to his home town.

Of course he managed to see his mother and sister, though happy with his return, he could see they looked at him with different eyes. He could not blame them, because he knew exactly what they were going through. Looking at his reflection in the window beside him, he too no longer saw a familiar face, but instead the face of a stranger.

Though his features were the same, like his blue eyes, his brown mane and dull toned coat. And yet, he did not recognize himself, the hopeful and dream filled eyes he once looked upon the world with were gone, purged from his eyes by the fires of war. He had changed, and he knew Trottingham was no longer his home.

He had bought a ticket on the night train, planning on just leaving everything behind and start a fresh. Strangely enough he didn't have to give his uniform, rifle, ammunition or anything up, so not knowing what else to do with it, he brought it along. It had been a part of him for so long, he could not bear the thought of selling it.

"Next stop Ponyville!"

The conductor said again, moving down the train car. He stopped next to Sharp, giving him a look he could not quite interpret. "You heading for Canterlot son? Because that is the last station after Ponyville."

Sharp looked at the elderly stallion. He was grey, grey coat, a thick grey mustache , and of course, a grey mane and tail. He looked like he was born to look old from the day he first greeted the world. His eyes were full of experience from the years he had been alive, and the look he gave Sharp was kind and holding a secret understanding.

"Uhm, I don't know.. How is Ponyville..?" Sharp asked, not really having any plan for where to go, he might as well have gotten off a few stations ago, hadn't he been sleeping that is.

"It's nice. Small town, friendly ponies. Got a bit more lively lately though, with the princess's student living there and all." The old conductor said, scratching his chin in thought.

Sharp remembered reading about Ponyville once or twice, and yes, he did recall seeing the newsreels about this unicorn mare, her friends, and the return of princess Luna. That had been all they had talked about for days, a new princess. But of course, the interest died down quickly after that.

"It's a great place to start over." The conductor finished. "Good luck son."

He left Sharp with his decision, and since Sharp did not have much money to make it in Canterlot, he figured a nice rural town may be exactly what he needed to start over. Seeing the town come closer, he put on his steel helmet, strapped it tightly so it would not wiggle around, then got his backpack and rifle.

When the train came to a full stop he got off, and as soon as his hooves touched the stone platform he got a lot of looks. Ranging from disgusted, to afraid, to simple confusion. He sighed, trying to ignore the looks and murmurs. They didn't understand, they never would, and so it was easy to forgive them for their ignorance.

Whatever personal feelings he might have towards the civil war, and his role in it, they had a right to feel about the war however they wished, he just wish they did not judge him and his fellow soldiers so quickly. After all, they all went in the hopes of saving lives and doing some good.

Leaving the train station, he went for a walk, to look around the town, maybe find some work, and hopefully find a home. The town itself was nice enough, it's cozy cottages gave it a peaceful air about it, which was probably why seeing a uniformed and armed soldier walking through the streets probably seemed too foreign to the locals giving him looks.

First order of business was to look for a job, if he had a job he had income, and if he had income he could safely invest in a small house. He didn't dare spend one single bit on a house if he did not have a job, should be easy enough, he did not need much, and so he would take any job as long as it paid enough for him to live.

Sadly however, it was not that easy.. The first place he tried was a small cafe, in the window was a sign saying they wanted help, and so, Sharp went in to talk to the owners. The owners seemed nervous and very uncomfortable, they came with all sorts of excuses, but finally the truth came out.

"We're sorry, but, to be in this industry you need to have an welcoming air about you... I'm afraid, our customers will be scared off by you.."

Had he not went to Saddle Arabia to serve, and if he had gotten that message, he would have not understood. But Sharp had gone, and he knew something in him had changed, something that was clear to others. Still, it was quite annoying, but he still thanked them for their time and went on his way.

As he walked, he tried to convince himself it was just one place, and surely there would be other places for him to seek employment, surely some place would take him on.

And so, he tried, and tried, and tried. And, again and again, he was rejected. He tried everything, lumber mill, cleaner, even as a nurse at the hospital, or janitor at the school. Every place that looked for workers rejected him, sometimes they were polite, or came with a reasonable explanation why he couldn't get the job, other times, they simply lied or had to hold themselves back from spitting at him.

At that point, Sharp had accepted he wasn't going to find a job here, and the uniform probably didn't help with his odds. He didn't want to discard it, his uniform and equipment had become a part of him, and so he dared not get rid of it. So for now he decided to get something to eat, and then try his luck in Canterlot.

Dammit, he could go for something juicy, a nice red apple would do the trick. His stomach growled and so he made his way towards the market he had passed earlier.

It was as lively as one might expect, lots of ponies calling out their wares, prices and whatever good deals they had. He could smell the freshly baked bread, which tempted him a lot, but no, he wanted fresh fruit, something that had been a luxury item in Saddle Arabia.

Then he spotted them, big, red, shiny, juicy looking apples. He could practically feel the water leak from his mouth. As he got over, he noticed nopony behind the stall, so he decided to simply look and spot the best looking apples for when whoever was running this stall would return.

"Dang it!"

He heard a mare's voice shout angrily from behind the stall. It had a heavy accent, and it was not hard to imagine whoever had yelled was having some troubles. With nothing else to do, Sharp trotted up behind the stall, only to find a green elderly mare, and an overturned crate with apples.

She was mumbling small curses under her breath as she picked up the apples one by one. Sharp could see it would take ages for her to get done, and so he decided to give a hoof. "Ma'am? Need some help?"

The mare looked up, and her eyes seemed to scan him for a moment in slight confusion. "Are we at war?" She asked, as if trying to remember if she had forgotten.

Sharp chuckled slightly. "No ma'am, Equestria is not at war."

"But ya a soldier, aren't you? Which company are you with?" She asked, scratching her chin.

He had to admit, he was surprised, it seemed like she knew something about army structure. "Uhm, the 4th company of the Equestrian Peace Corps."

When mentioning that a light bulb seemed to light up in her mind, because her expression changed from thoughtful to recognition. "Oh yeah, that's right.. All that business overseas then, you just got home?"

Sharp nodded. "Yes ma'am, yesterday in fact.. Trying to find a new place to settle down.. So far no luck.."

Granny frowned. "Hm, sadly many young ponies take peace for granted.. Tell ya what, you help me with these here apples, and you get some of them for free, what do you say?"

"Ma'am." Sharp smiled. "That's the best thing I've heard all day, you got yourself a deal."

While Granny tended to the stall, Sharp collected all the apples, did his best to sort them, so those too damaged did get on top so Granny could inspect them herself, as instructed. All the while he felt his hunger grow, and just by the smell alone he could tell these apples were gonna taste like heaven.

Once his end of the bargain had been fulfilled, Granny gave him four delicious apples. Sharp happily took a bite of the first one, and as he did, he felt his eyes water in pure bliss. "Mmmm, so good..."

Granny chuckled. "You must have missed simple things like apple for some time, or you know your apples." Scratching her chin she smirked. "Say, how about you come work for me back at the farm? If nothing else, you'll have a roof over your head, and food in your belly. A few bits too until you get back on your hooves."

Sharp was surprised, this older mare seemed to give him the chance others refused to. Smiling, he nodded. "Ma'am, you must be Celestia in disguise.. Thank you."

The old mare gave a toothfull grin. "You can keep your flattery soldier, and start out by helping me with the heavy stuff. Why don't you put your stuff over there and get to work?"

Sharp gave her a salute, and smirked. "Yes ma'am."

It seemed things were looking up for Sharp, sure, he was still tired and needed a good home cooked meal, but at least he had found a place to work and a place to sleep. He took off his helmet, heavy backpack, belts, and placed them under the counter of the stall, along with his rifle, that way they could keep an eye on it as well.

The day was rather peaceful, without all his gear, ponies were more willing to talk to him, but he could see they still eyed his uniform warily. It was at least better than before, and he did have a good time with Granny. She was witty, had lots of stories to share and was not afraid to speak her mind.

Time passed fast, and before he knew it, it was time to pack up and go back to her farm. At first they waited, somepony was supposed to help her. "Dang it, where the devil is Big Mac?" She asked, looking slightly annoyed. "I can't load up the cart myself!" Sighing, she looked at Sharp. "I'm sorry sonny, I know you must already be tired, but could you help an old mare out?"

She didn't even need to ask him, of course he would help her. "Of course, don't you worry about a thing ma'am, just tell me how you want it."

Nodding in agreement, he got to work. The stall itself would keep standing, but everything from baskets, left over apples, and so on went in the wagon. Sharp worked fast, and placed it exactly how Granny Smith wanted it. As he was placing the final baskets in the wagon, they heard hoofsteps galloping towards them.

"Well I'll be.." Granny said. "Now you show up, just as we are done packing."

Sharp looked over from the stall and saw a massive red stallion. Sharp had to admit, that was one big stallion, his muscles were clear and he was pretty sure he could kick Sharp into the next town over if he wanted to.

"Sorry Granny.. Apple Bloom and her friends got into some trouble." The stallion said in a deep voice. Looking at the already packed wagon he looked around. "Did somepony help you?"

Granny started to smile. "Just hired an extra farm worker, come on out son." Sharp quickly grabbed his equipment and walked out from the stall. "Sharp, this is Big Macintosh, my grandson." She said with a smile before looking at Big Mac again. "This here is corporal Sharp Shooter, he just returned from Saddle Arabia, he needs a job, and a place to stay."

Big Mac looked Sharp over, mostly his uniform, and of course his rifle, which was a rare sight in Equestria. It was not an uncommon reaction, however, Big Mac managed not to look disgusted, instead he held a neutral expression, but not an unkind one.

"Thank you for helping my grandma.. I appreciate it." He said in his deep voice before putting his hoof out there.

Sharp reached out and shook it with his own. "No problem, but I'm pretty sure she helped me more than I helped her."

Granny chuckled. "Now, let's not stand out here all day. Put your things in the wagon and let's get home."

Big Mac nodded to Sharp before he attached himself to the wagon. Sharp placed his backpack, rifle and helmet inside the wagon, and walked up beside Granny Smith and Big Mac. With everything taken care of, the three of them set off, trotting down the road and out of Ponyville.

The dirt road led them away from the town, up to some smaller houses and farms. The landscape was beautiful Sharp had to admit, and there was a certain peace here he had not felt for some time. Soon enough the open fields got replaced by tall and healthy apple trees. It was a forest of apple trees, and all of them had the most juicy looking apples hanging from them.

Sharp took his time admiring the trees, it was truly beautiful, and his stomach seemed to agree as it started to growl, making Granny Smith, and even Big Mac let out a chuckle. "Hungry?" Granny smirked. "Well, don't you worry none. As soon as we get home, I'm going to get dinner started, Big Mac will show you the guest room once he's put the wagon back in the barn."

"Eeyup." He simply replied.

Sharp smiled. "Thank you.."

Soon enough they went through a small gate, and it didn't take long for them to reach the home of the Apple Family, Sweet Apple Acres. Sharp had never really been on a farm before, but this was exactly how he had imagined one. It was nice and cozy, and the three of them quickly made their way towards it.

"Now you listen here. Other than myself and Big Mac here, my two granddaughters also live here, Applejack and Apple Bloom, you'll meet them at dinner I imagine." Granny told him, and Sharp nodded in understanding. "So get your stuff and wait out here while Big Mac get the wagon in the barn, I will go on inside and get dinner started."

"Sounds good, and thank you again." Sharp smiled, and got his backpack, rifle and steel helmet.

"Don't you worry about it one bit." Granny smirked. "We like company." And with that, she trotted inside the house, leaving Big Mac and Sharp Shooter behind.

Sharp looked to Big Mac. "You want any help with that."

"Nope.. Don't you worry none, I'll take care of it." He simply said and pulled the wagon away. With nothing else to do, Sharp allowed himself to sit down on the porch with his equipment beside him. He could take in the view, enjoy the peace, the sounds of the wind moving through the leaves of the apple trees, enjoy the color change of the sky as Celestia's sun was slowly moving beyond the horizon.

Yeah, Sharp could get used to this peace. Though the peace was short lived as a small voice spoke to him. "Howdy mister!" Sharp looked towards the voice and found a small filly standing right in front of him, looking up at him with her big curious eyes.

"Uhm.." Sharp must have spaced out since he didn't see the filly at all before she had spoken up. "Hey little miss.. You must be, Applejack?" He said in a questioning tone.

The filly laughed a little. "Nah, that's my big sister. I'm Apple Bloom."

Sharp chuckled, he had to admit, the filly was adorable. "Well, hello Apple Bloom, I'm Sharp Shooter, I'm going to stay here for a while and work here."

Apple Bloom's smile widened a bit. "That's great! We could really use a hoof." Her head tilted and she pointed to his uniform. "What's that?"

"This?" Sharp asked as he put his hoof to his chest, and Apple Bloom nodded. "This is my army uniform."

"Are you a royal guard?"

Sharp smiled. "No, I don't have the style for that. No, I was a soldier of the peace corps.." He explained, not really wanting to go into more details about that to a little filly who probably knew little, if anything, about the civil war in Saddle Arabia.

"Ohh, so you protect ponies?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I'd like to think so.." Sharp replied with a smaller smile.

"Apple Bloom!" A second voice called, and both Sharp and Apple Bloom looked towards where this new voice called. That's was when Sharp saw an orange coated mare wearing a hat, glaring at him. "Apple Bloom, go inside to see if Granny needs some help with dinner."

Apple Bloom groaned. "But Aj, I-"

"Go." The mare, who Sharp assumed was Applejack, said sternly.

Apple Bloom sighed, then looked to Sharp. "I better go, it was nice to meet you mister!" She called as she ran into the house.

Sharp nodded. "You too." He then looked towards the mare, who was now marching towards him with a look he could only interpret as anger. "Uhm, you must be Applejack?"

"That's right, and who are you?" She asked, not sounding polite at all.

"Sharp Shooter, Granny Smith was kind enough to offer me a place to stay, so I-"

"No."

"Excuse me?" Sharp asked, not sure he heard that right.

"I said, no." Applejack repeated. "Your kind is not welcome here."

"My kind?" Sharp asked, but already had an idea about what she meant by that.

"Yes.. Your sort, going overseas only to cause trouble.." Applejack replied firmly. Sharp sighed, it was not like he had not heard all those things before, how he and all the ponies who went to Saddle Arabia were just a bunch of bullies. It made him wonder what exactly they had been told about the conflict. Did they think they were an invasion force? "You can find somewhere else to sleep, because it's not going to be on my farm."

"Hold on there." The voice of Big Mac interrupted, trotting over to them. "Granny has offered him a place to sleep, and he will be working for us, starting tomorrow."

Applejack did not look pleased one bit. "No, this is a place for hard working ponies. He can't stay."

Big Mac's usual calm changed into a more serious and firm look. "This here is a family farm Aj, and like it or not, Granny Smith invited him to stay. Now I might not know about all that fancy element stuff, but I know enough to give somepony a chance. If not, you are free to go in and talk to Granny Smith about it."

That seemed to shut Applejack up, either because she wanted to avoid a confrontation with Granny, but something about elements or something seemed to make her think twice as well. Sharp did not understand what Big Mac meant, but it seemed to calm Applejack down somewhat.

"Fine.." She mumbled, then looked at Sharp. "You can stay here and work, but I don't trust you. And stay away from our sister."

Before Sharp had a chance to reply, Applejack was already inside the house. Sharp sighed and stood up. "Guess that sentiment has spread across the entire country.."

"Eeyup.." Big Mac replied, sounding apologetic. Sharp was not sure what his stance was, but to be honest, he didn't care. He was decent enough to give him a chance and look past his uniform, and so he could respect Big Mac. "Now come along, I'll show you to your room."

Taking his stuff, Sharp followed Big mac into the house. From the moment he stepped in, Sharp could tell this was a close family. The house pretty much bathed in memories, every picture, every floorboard and blanket had a story. They passed some family pictures, and Sharp stopped at one of them.

It was with a younger Granny Smith, two ponies, and three foals. Big Mac, Applejack, and little Apple Bloom, who was probably not even a year old. Sharp found himself staring at the picture, and as he did, he could pretty much feel the warmth and the love they must have for one another.

"Our parents." Big Mac said, trotting back over. Sharp was about to say he had figured that much out, but something about Big Mac's tone told him there was something painful about it. He had heard such a tone before, and so he didn't even hesitate when he said.

"I'm sorry.."

Big Mac understood, he did not need to ask how Sharp knew, he figured he had seen ponies grieve a lot, and so he simply nodded. "Thank you.. Now, come on then.."

Without another word, Sharp followed Big Mac upstairs. At the end of the hallway to the right, Big Mac entered a room, which Sharp followed. The room was nice, had a single bed, a closet, a desk and a chair. It was pretty clean, but impersonal, but that was to be expected from a guest room.

"This here will be your room." He pointed to Sharp's rifle. "Please keep that under lock, don't want Apple Bloom or her friends to get too interested in that thing."

Sharp understood and gave him a firm nod. "Have a habit of getting into trouble?" He asked, as he put his things away.

Big Mac snorted. "Apple Bloom and her friends can be a tornado of trouble.. Just a fair warning.."

Sharp nodded, understanding quite well. Luckily, the closet could be locked, so it would be no problem, he just needed to hide the key, or keep it on him if he put on a shirt. It would feel strange suddenly not having to wear the uniform anymore, it had pretty much been who he was over there.

"Dinner should be ready soon, I'll better go wash up a bit." Big Mac said and left the room.

Sharp simply nodded, looking himself in the mirror that hung from the closet door. For so long, he had just been a soldier, his uniform, his number, his rank, it had been all he was. Sighing, he took it off, carefully folding it and placed the boots at the end of his bed, and the shirt and pants on top of the bed, along with his belts and pouches.

He turned to the mirror again, and who he was was a mere stranger. What most stuck out however was his cutie mark, since it was covered up by the uniform, his cutie mark could only been seen on his helmet, as it had been painted on there. Small markings to quickly identify him in his platoon.

His cutie mark was a round bullseye, blue ring, white ring, and then in the middle a blue dot. Amazing something that sounded so harmless would mean he was talented at killing. Sighing, he decided to head downstairs, trying to move normally again, but the lack of a uniform made him feel, almost exposed, like more vulnerable. Guess it was something he should get used to again.

The only thin he had not removed from his uniform however was his dog tags. They had been told never to remove it, and so he never did, not even now.

As soon as he entered the dining room, a pleasant smell of home cooked food hit his nose, and he let out a happy sigh. "Well I'll be, so that's how you look." Granny smirked. "Come on over and take a seat, I was just about to call you."

"Thank you ma'am." Sharp smiled and took a seat next to Big Mac, who was already there along with his two sisters.

Applejack and Apple Bloom both sat on the other side of the table, while Granny took her usual seat at the end. When they were all sitting, and Granny gave her permission, the family started to take what they needed. There was plenty of food to choose from, but with a family of farmers, Sharp wasn't surprised, especially with a big stallion like Big Mac.

As they filled up their plates, Granny struck up the first conversation. "So, Sharp. Tell us, where are you from?"

"Oh, well, I'm from Trottingham." He replied with a polite smile, and got some mashed potatoes on his plate.

"Really?" Granny asked. "You don't have the accent.."

"Well, I have been stationed overseas for two years, the accent kind of goes away little by little." Sharp smiled, understanding her confusion. Took some time before he got over his accent, it had provided some members of his platoon plenty of entertainment at times.

Granny chuckled, nodding. Apple Bloom was the next one to ask a question, one that was a bit more personal, but understandable. "Do you have any family in Trottingham?"

Sharp nodded. "Yes, I have a dad, mom and a little sister, she is a few years older than you though." He replied, still maintaining his polite smile, but he rather not talk about it.

Then it was Applejack's turn, her voice was not polite or friendly like Granny's or Apple Blooms, she barely even looked at him as she asked. "Why didn't you stay with them in Trottingham..?"

Sighing, Sharp put some salad on his plate, and poured some water into his glass. "It's complicated.. We didn't exactly part on the best of terms when I went to Saddle Arabia.. We don't talk much now.."

Granny frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that Sharp.."

Before Sharp could reply with a thank you, Applejack spoke up again. "Guess they didn't approve of you becoming a soldier then?"

Sharp looked at her, shaking his head. "No.."

She looked at him now. "Family should stick together.."

He nodded. "They should, but they should also try and be understanding.."

"Depends on what they are being asked to understand. Senseless violence is not something one should try to understand, or support." She said, her voice cold.

"True, which is why some ponies think they can help protect those who cannot protect themselves.." He replied, equally as cold.

She started to glare, forgetting her family was even there. "More violence is rarely the answer.."

"You're right, but I didn't go over there to be violent. I went to help.." Sharp said, starting to loose his appetite.

"But you only made things worse.."

"Applejack!" Granny's voice suddenly yelled over the table, shocking both Applejack and Sharp. "That is enough, we are trying to have a nice dinner, that is no way to speak to a guest. Now apologize to Sharp Shooter." It was not a request, it was an order, Sharp had spend enough time in the army to lean that.

However, he could see Applejack was going to force herself to say sorry, which he was not interested in. If she didn't mean it, it would be pointless. Instead he stood up. "I'm sorry, I think I'm a bit tired.. If you will excuse me.." He stepped away from the table and bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you for the meal.." He had hardly had a chance to taste it, but from the little he had tasted, he could tell it was great, he just couldn't stay here right now. "And thank you for letting me stay here.. Goodnight.."

He went upstairs to his room, leaving Applejack to get a scolding from Granny Smith. Sharp sighed, not feeling up to unpacking yet. He was exhausted, not only physically, but mentally. It had been some time since he had a chance to sleep in a bed he didn't have to share with other ponies.

Before he had a chance to get into it though, a knock on the door made him turn. "Come in.."

It was Apple Bloom, carrying a tray on her back. "Hey mister, sorry for coming in, but me and Big Mac thought you might like a little snack in case you got hungry again."

Sharp couldn't help but smile, he took the tray to his desk, and ruffled her mane. "Thanks, Apple Bloom.."

She smiled back at him. "No problem! Goodnight mister Sharp!" She called and ran out again.

Chuckling to himself, Sharp ate the snack she had provided, which tasted amazing. With a somewhat fulls stomach, Sharp got into the soft bed. It felt so foreign to him, and he spend a few moment moving, rolling, and adjusting himself. It had been so long since he had been in a real bed.

Finally, he managed to get in a somewhat comfortable position. And after thinking about the day's events, he finally managed to close his eyes, and fall asleep...

He just hoped tomorrow would be better...