Waking up, all I could hear is the steady drumming of fingers against word. Opening my eyes, I look over to the noise to see Shadow sitting in the corner that I had claimed during my first night in this world.

Wait? How is she?

The events of last night flood into my mind and I find myself frowning. Right, that's how.

Seeing me looking at her, Shadow stopped her drumming on the floor and moved her hand in a wave. A smile sat upon her face at seeing me awake.

"Morning. Sleep well?" I ask while stretching my arms and back. I watch as Shadow shakes her hand to say 'sorta'.

"Yeah, I didn't sleep well either when I slept like that. Twilight, one of the ponies here, can take it off if you want," I explain as I stand and begin to slip on my pants. At that exact moment, the door opens to reveal a wide awake Applejack. I watch as she looks at me, my half-raised pants, and then to Shadow sitting in the corner. The look of confusion and hurt on her face almost tore my heart from my chest.

"AJ, it's not what you-"

SLAM!

"Damn it..."

I look at Shadow to see the questioning look on her face, with an added hint of victory.

"I explained to her why humans wore clothes and, well, this doesn't look like it would be a normal situation."

"I don't see why she cares..." I hear Shadow whisper as she starts to get to her feet. I roll my eyes but remain silent as I finish getting dressed, remembering to buckle my holster, with pistol inside, to my thigh.

Now dressed, I walk to the door and pass through it into the hallway. Hearing crying down the hall, I walk down it to AJ's door. I raise a hand to knock but hesitate. Finally, I knock two times against the door.

"Go away!" she shouts from within her room.

"If you'd just let me explain!" I shout back.

"I don't need no explanation! I know what I saw!" she yells. Exasperated, I throw my hands into the air before turning and walking to the stairs, motioning Shadow to follow. I hear the sucking of air from a sealing helmet but shrug it off as I stomp down the stairs and into the parlor. In said parlor was Apple Bloom, who was watching Shadow with wide eyes.

"There's another one of you?" she asks, bewilderment in her voice.

"No... well, yes," I begin, chuckling, "Shadow here is another Spartan but she's a different person."

"Oh... I see," replies the young filly before asking: "Ya heading into town?"

I look at the floor as the past night floods into my mind again. So much destruction. All because of some stupid slipspace bubble.

"Yeah, we are."

I almost fell to the floor when the filly collides with my legs, forelegs wrapped around me.

"Be safe," she says before letting go and going back to the book that she had been doodling in.

"I will," I reply, surprise from her actions flowing through me.

With nothing else to do in the house, I walk outside into the daylight. To my mild surprise, I see that the sun is only halfway through it's morning arc. I look back at Shadow to see that she does have her helmet on. She also has her Sniper Rifle attached to her back and her pistol to her thigh.

"Why do you have all that? You won't need it."

All I get in reply is a shrug. Sighing, I find myself rolling my eyes again today before turning and walking down the path towards Ponyville. In the direction of town, I watch as a column of smoke drifts into the sky.

Continuing the walk, I listen to the soft thumping of armored boots behind me.

"What happened to you?" I hear Shadow whisper.

"That's a bit of an easy tale," I begin, "When it was my turn to go through the portal, I was ambushed by a Knight and a Charger. The Knight hit the portal with a heavy weapon while the Charger knocked me into the man cannon. The heavy weapon damaged the portal, causing the Charger and myself to be dropped into the local Castle's ballroom during a dance. The Charger and I fought with me winning. It then blew up and I used myself as a shield to protect their Princess. Woke up in a medical wing and tada! I'm now here in this village working on a farm."

I look back at her to see her nodding in understanding. Looking forward, I chuckle and shake my head.

It wasn't long before we were walking into the town proper. Ponies moved around in an almost zombie like state, their glances to Shadow and me being ones of fear and confusion rather than the acceptance I was used to. A flash of rainbow blocked my view before it cleared, showing an upset Rainbow Dash standing in front of me.

"Princess Celestia is looking for you. She's at the... wreck, thing," she explains before flying off, possibly to assist with clean-up. Walking toward the park, I look at the destroyed houses to see many ponies trying to clear the rubble. I could feel pity for them but I knew it wasn't as much as I probably should be feeling. War dulls the emotions... along with everything else.

The walk to the park was short but with the combination of the stares of the ponies and the moving of rubble, it seemed like an eternity. Walking around a pile of rubble, I could first see the Pelican wreckage. Then I could see Celestia standing before the row of graves Shadow and me had dug the night and filled the night before.

As I walk towards the Princess of the day, I watch as she reads one dog tag and then goes on to the next. Approaching from behind, I step bout five steps back and look back to Shadow with a look that hopefully said: Behave.

"Princess?" I ask, looking back at said alicorn. After a moment of pause, she turns around to fully look at me, her wings spread in a regal manner.

"Ah, Mack," she then looks at Shadow and nods, "and friend."

"Her name's Shadow, Princess," at the look of her confusion, I add, "She doesn't talk much."

"I see," Celestia replies before glancing at the Pelican and graves, "What is all this?"

"The mass of metal in the ground is a crashed Pelican, Princess. A Pelican is a flying machine that my people use to deliver troops and material to and from the battlefield," I explain.

"And the graves are those of it's occupants?" she asks, glancing at Shadow.

"Yes ma'am. Besides Shadow, the occupants of this craft died during the crash. The graves are those occupants," a pause as I shift from foot to foot, "Those that we could easily get to, at least."

"'That you could easily get to'?"

"Yes Princess. The nose of the craft, which you can see is buried and broken, contains two more bodies. They are both buried underneath the dirt and are probably also trapped in the twisted metal."

"Ah," was her only reply as she turns to glance at the graves again.

"I apologize for burying them in the park, Princess. It's just that-"

"No," Celestia interrupts, raising a hoof to me, "don't explain. There is no need. I understand that you simply wished to honor your fallen comrades. Even so, it will take time to remove this... Pelican. Until a more suitable spot could be found and until the wreck is removed, the graves shall remain."

"Thank you Princess," I reply as I bow at the waist.

"Now. I'm assuming you were going to help with the clean-up?" Though she had phrased it like a question, the tone behind it was telling me that I only had one option.

"Of course Princess," I respond. It isn't a lie as I was going to help no matter what.

"Then you may leave to assist," she states before turning around to face the graves again.

Taking two steps back, I turn around and begin to walk to the houses, aware that Shadow still followed me.

"That was lovely," I hear Shadow whisper.

"Well, one of our ships did just crush four homes in her kingdom," I rebuke, looking back at Shadow to see her give another shrug. Yeah, just shrug it all off, Shadow, I think to myself as I roll my eyes again.

A/N: New chapter! Little on the short side but... I guess they've all been kind of on the short side.

As always: Please leave a review!