William and the six stood outside the E.E.A building in Canterlot. Waiting for the board to approve Twilight's proposal for a so called "School of Friendship" He slumped up against the exterior wall, his M249 was gone, but his black armor, and sidearm remained.
"Sometimes, I just want to run off into the Everfree and never return, but I stay here, because I know Equestria needs me, plus, it's Equestria-"
"Who are you even talking to?" He hard Applejack ask off to his right.
"Well, myself."
"I know that to you it may seem like all Equestria's against ya, but that ain't true."
"Eh, I know, but this world has a long history of turning it's back on creature's like me. Just ask Joey, actually don't, he's back in Ponyville because.... You know what, I don't know why he decided to stay home." He tapped his foot for a moment "And do mistake the tone in my voice for depression, it's nigh impossible to be depressed in a world like this, I just talk like this all the time."
"That still doesn't excuse you acting like a jerk al the time." Rainbow snarked.
"Your opinion is invalid. What else can I say? I always give my best."
"Ya sure have a strange way of showing it."
"Thanks, I've given Twilight enough time to plead her case, I ought to stop her before it goes to far." He yanked open the door, and walked inside. The interior resembled a court, it was oddly dark and overly ominous for one. He had come in at just the perfect time.
"As school for ponies to learn how to protect themselves?" He hear the head one ask.
"Hello there, E.E.A board." He stood beside Twilight and Spike.
"Who are you? " This caught William off guard, after saving both Ponyville and Canterlot, he expected his name, or at least his alias be more well known.
"Seriously? I'm the human that saved Canterlot." He could hear murmurs from both sides of the stands.
"I see, why have you come here?"
"Simple, just wanted to keep 'princess' Twilight here in check, can't have her going to overboard with the whole friendship thing, in my experience, that leads to civil war. Don't ask for the context."
"And why should we take the opinion of one alien soldier over that of a princess?"
"Simple, I'm reasonable, I may not have the diplomatic edge that she does, or friends, well... I do have friends, for the most part, I'm a lone wolf, and you know what? Do what you please, but when it all goes to hell, and it will go to hell. Please, come crying crying to me, because I'm the only thing in this world that can match said hell."
"Hmmm, that is a very...interesting way to put it. Well, you seem set in your way's, we'll give you that, we will have to put this to a vote, would you mind wait outside for a few minutes all 3 of you."
"But-"
"Enough princess." She scowled at William as they walked outside.
"Why are you against this, there's nothing evil, or malicious about friendship, why do you act like this? "William didn't respond, he folded his arms and slumped back up against a wall. Twilight turned to her friends.
"We've been over this before Twi, we may never understand him, but he ain't hurtin' anything, at least, not for the moment." She sighed and hung her head low as they walked back inside.
"The council has come to the conclusion that the creation of a 'school of friendship' would indeed be beneficial and, being that your work is in order, provisional E.E.A approval is granted." Williams feeling of professionalism lasted all of 4 seconds before he lost it.
"What the #### is wrong with you ponies? I swear, someday, you'll regret your decision, all of you."
"And pray tell, how will we regret it?" A few of them asked with a haughty tone William recognized all to well, the voice tone of a person who wanted to victimize themselves, to act as though they where somehow morally superior to him, and he hated it.
"That's classified."
"By who, the princesses?"
"By me." He turned around, an M4A1 rifle appeared in his hand, he pushed open the doors of the chamber, and left without another word.
"My, what's his problem?" One of the older council members asked.
"He's...well... let's just go with special, we've been trying to figure him out, to no avail." Twilight responded.
"Anyway... that aside, we will need to observe your school up and running before it can be fully accredited."
"Then please, join us for friends and family day, it'll be the perfect time to observe our progress!" Twilight beamed.
"I hate public gatherings!!!" Williams voice rang out.
"Uh, how did he hear us?"
"That's a good question, I'm not really sure."
3 days later...
William sat on the rooftop of the newly constructed school of friendship, much to his displeasure, so far, he couldn't find anything inherently wrong, aside from the eyesore of a paintjob. Below, he could hear the main six frantically running around, getting ready for it's grand opening.
"Damn, I just hate this place so much. Oh look, here comes the crowd now and- wait, is that Joey!?" He peered though the Acog scope of an M14 EBR marksmen rifle. His scowl deepened. He watched as Joey shot up into the air and headed for the rooftop. William stood up, balancing on the deep blue shingles of the building. Joey landed just in front of him, stumbling to find his balance.
"Hey William, noticed you up here, figured I'd visit."
"Hello there, I'm just wallowing in a pile of my own anger."
"That's understandable, but hey, why don't you go down and introduce yourself? You might find a few of them to be like minded."
"Not if they willingly went to a place like this, listen, Joey, there is a very good reason I don't like this place, and It's not just because of my general 'I'm not interested in caring about others, leave me to my firearms' demeanor, back on earth, I was right into my final year of collage when I was brought here."
"I fail to see how that is relevant."
"It isn't, I just hate schools." He climbed down the roof, and into an open window. Just left of the main hall. He took it upon himself to interrupt what appeared to be a motivational speech from Twilight, who simply ignored him, and swung the door open, revealing roughly a hundred Eqestrian creatures, much to Williams prolonged irritation.
"Well, that was unexpected." Pinkie butted in.
"Damn, I'm losing my will to continue on, pun intended." He said nervously.
"Oh, students certainly traveled from far and wide to attend our school." Rarity said with a chuckle.
"Princess Celestia helped me reach out to all the kingdoms." Twilight responded. "After all, friendship is something that needs to be shared with everycreture."
"All these races, not a single Democratic Republic." William grumbled. Twilight trotted up to the head of the crowd.
"Welcome to the school of friendship, I'm your headmare Twilight Sparkle, please follow guidance councilor Starlight to sign in and get your class assignment's, then we can show you your living quarters." William's eyes scanned the crowd from under his blackened tactical googles. Something he had learned long ago "You're always more intimidating when the enemy doesn't know who you are." A particular group cought his eye. A light brown earth pony, and a blue gryphon. They seemed to get along reasonably well, then he heard a gruff voice call out what he could assumed was said gryphon's name. William didn't go in and introduce himself, he just watched from the corner of the room. And to his surprise, none of the creatures had made any move to greet him.
"Good, the less attention I draw to myself, the better." He heard the front doors swing open.
"Ponies!" A grandiose voice called, by the looks of things, it was a yak. He watched as this so called 'Prince brotherhood' introduced what he assumed was his daughter.
"This Yona yak! She come to pony school, make it better!" William chuckled.
"Simple and brutal, maybe this whole thing won't be so bad after all-" His enthusiasm faded when this "Yona" proceeded to have what he could only assume was a small phycological breakdown, only to trip, and break several, slightly expensive things, luckily, Pinkie was there to stop her before it got any worse. He shifted is gaze back over to the center of the room, where a dragon was dragging her daughter into the school, forcefully.
"Heh, Karen's, every dimensions got 'em." This time around, it was spike who greeted them. His gaze shifted slightly beyond them, to a very odd looking dragon. William knew what it was the moment he laid eyes on it.
"Changeling." His hand drifted ever so slightly closer to the weapons safety. He watched as a second Changeling approached the first one.
"Sorry, she's shy." Was his excuse.
"What is that!" He heard an energetic voice call out from the crowd. The Changeling transformed into an earth pony, and hid beneath Fluttershy's mane.
"I miss the day's when I was just me and my rifle, alone, in the middle of nowhere." He said to himself. He watched as a hippogryph greeted the Changeling.
"Wait just a moment." He counted the individual beings he had just witnessed up.
"Yep, six of them, just like I thought, Twilight's trying to find successors."
"Thank you for supporting the grand opening of our school, I hope you'll all join us for friends and family day to see the amazing progress you students are making." A cheer rose up from the crowd.
"Looks like schools in session." William groaned in anguish as the crowd began to sing.
"That's my time to bug out folks, I hope my presence made you every bit as uncomfortable as I intended!" William threw on a pair of noise canceling headphones.
"Much better." He followed the group of students, watching as they slowly fell into disrepair.
One song later...
"You know, I'm starting to think it's hardwired into every Equestrian being to join in when the singing starts, remember ,they're innocent William, there's no reason to put them down, I'll see how this goes!" He bickered to himself as he walked down the ornately decorated corridors. Going oddly unnoticed by the creatures around him.
"Is this what boring is? Am I bored?" He could hear the lavender hippogryph ask in a childish tone.
"Uh, please, these ponies are the heroes of Equestria?" he heard the dragon ask.
"Listen, these ponies saved all of us from the Storm King." William had heard enough.
"Hello there, it was actually me who killed the storm king, although, you won't find that on any official record." William approached them.
"Uh, who are you?" The group asked, turning their heads to gaze up at the massive figure in black armor.
"Name's William, don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt you, but first, promise me you will never, ever, sing in my company again, got that?" They nodded.
"But why?" he heard ocellus ask.
"Simple, it 'bugs' me. I apologize if you found that offensive. I've been stalking y'all since the moment you stepped claw hoof/talon in this building, and I've got to say, I feel your pain, I've known these ponies far longer than you have. It ain't getting better."
"What would you have us do?" Asked Ember.
"Nothing, just go about your lives. But take it from me, don't fight against each other, most of this friendship crap is just propaganda, but you're stuck here, so try to get along, I'll leave it at that." He looked out the windows.\
"Word of advice, I have I slightly more 'violent' way of dealing with those that wish to do me real harm, so if you hear gunshots later, just shelter in place. Running would make you 'collateral damage', and we can't have that now, can we?" He gave them a thumbs up, and left.