Jack woke to a dark room, as he looked around taking in his surroundings. There was a table and a chair along with the bed he was on where the only things in the room.
He went to get up when a pony rushed into the room saying "Sorry, sorry I didn't know you were awake."
"Ah no problem?" Jack answered a little confused "How long have I been asleep, it feels like I haven't eaten anything for weeks." He continued as he sat up.
"Heh funny you should ask, you have been in a coma for two weeks oh and my name is Stretch but every pony calls me Stre." The mare responded with a sweet smile.
"What?" Jack asked alarmed "Did you say 2 weeks."
"Yep, you were brought in two weeks ago." Stretch said as she checked Jack's vital signs. Then she walked over the table and chairs and lit a lamp which lit up the left side of the room. With the extra light Jack could see Stretch's coat and mane clearly, her coat was pure white and her mane was light orange with silver tips. "But you should be healed, so do you hurt anywhere?" She asked.
"No" Jack answered then continued with "I do feel stiff, if it's ok with you if I get up and walked around."
"Yes by all means." Stretch said and Jack started getting up when she continued, "Two things, first your ID tags say Jack C Reeds that is your name right?"
"Ya that's my name." Jack said with a nod.
"Ok good and if you want I can help you walk to the eating area." Stretch responded.
"Sure" Jack answered with a nod then he pulled his hind legs out from under the covers and sat at the edge of the bed for a moment then, got off it and nearly fell over. He quickly regained his balance and made a sheepish smile at Stretch to which she smiled back. "Could you please lead the way?" Jack asked. Stretch nodded and walked out the room with Jack in tow. The hall was long with many rooms branching off on both sides alternating left and right, the walls had nothing but lights and wire on them which he figured was for power.
It was a short walk, when they got to the eating area it was empty but Stretch asked him to sit and wait so he did and she rushed out into a door with Kitchen wrote on it. All he thought about was if he should say anything about how he got on the building or where he came from but after thinking it over he figured it was best to hide it less it needed to come out.
The door swung open and Stretch came out "Sorry for the wait, there was no warm oat paddys so I had to warm some up." She said as she set a tray down in front of him then say down across the table from him.
"Oh no worries." Jack said with a smile. When he saw what a oat paddy was he realized it didn't look as bad as it sounded and he happily ate it.
"So you’re luckily Derpy's unit was in the area." Stretch said looking at him.
He stopped and looked up from the tray and responded with "Derpy? Who is that and why?"
She looked a little confused then said "Oh you must be a freelance soldier, that would be why you don’t know who Derpy is. She is one of if not the most feared pony in this city and, she and her unit take pony rescue very serious."
"Well I'm grateful then." He responded right when a pair of double doors swung open and two ponies rushed through carrying a stretcher with a pony on it who was screaming, as they passed a third pony came by and Stretch stopped him. The pony was a unicorn who was covered in sweat, dirt and blood and he was levitating something wrapped in bloody rags.
Stretch sighed and turned to Jack as the other pony rushed after the other two and she looked at Jack grimly "He loss his front left leg to a artillery shell just a few minutes ago and the rest of his squad was killed on impact."
"But I didn't feel a thing and is he going to make it?" Jack responded.
Stretch looked up at the ceiling, "He should." then she looked at Jack with a serious face and continued "The fort is built so one could not feel attacks, so watch squads are needed." She sighed again and went on, "You have a day to work your muscles after that you are being sent to the fort on the edge of the Great Garden. Your things should be in your room, I'm sorry I have to go." and with that she rushed down the hall leaving Jack in the eating area.
Jack finished eating then made his way to his room all the way he could hear the injured pony screaming. When he got to the room all his stuff was there, after a quick check he started his workouts. After 3 hours of doing various workouts his muscles felt better and he sat at the table with his log book. It was quiet it had been for a hour and he was ok with it as he opened his log book and looked at the pictures of his family, a feeling of emptiness filled him and he wondered if he would ever see them outside a picture. He stared at it for 15 minutes then closed the book, then got up walked to the bed and got in saying quietly "I will fight so no other families need to be torn." and went to sleep.
"Hey wake up!" A voice said which startled Jack, and as he got up the pony laughed and continued, "So your the new one coming to join us? Well get your stuff and follow me." Jack did as the pony said and they were walking out in two minutes. They neared a door when the pony spoke, "It started snowing last night so careful were you step so the any ice is covered up." Then he opened the door.