Ulysses stood idly outside, staring at the strange structure that was Twilights' library.
"You live inside a tree?" He asked, somewhat surprised. Twilight gave an awkward smile in return. "Strange."
"It's not that strange. I mean, It's just a hollowed tree," she said. "Why don't we go in?"
Twilight opened the door and stepped in, Ulysses right behind her. The courier looked around the room at all the books and shelves, remembering all of the pre-war books he would find scattered in the wreckage of The Divide.
"SPIIIIIKE! Can You come here please?" Twilight bellowed. There was a rustling noise before a purple dragon descended from upstairs.
"You need something, Twilight?" Spike asked. He turned his attention to Ulysses. "Who's this?"
"This is why I wanted you to come down. This is Ulysses. He's new in town," Twilight stated.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Spike," the dragon said, lifting a claw up for a handshake. Ulysses just stared at him.
"I'm going to ask him some questions. Can you get some paper and write down his responses?" Twilight asked. Spike ignored the courier's rejection, and mock saluted Twilight before running back up the stairs.
"You have a slave?" Ulysses droned. Twilight looked at him in irritation.
"Spike is my assistant. I've raised him since he was hatched," she said, defensively. Ulysses sighed and sat down on his haunches.
Spike came down moments later with some parchment, a quill, and ink. "Alright, I'm ready when you are, Twi," he said as he sat down at a nearby desk. Twilight soon took a seat as well.
"Alright, let's start from the top. What's your full name?" She asked.
"Ulysses," he answered.
"Where do you come from?"
Ulysses had to think for a moment. "The Great Divide," he answered solemnly.
"Where is that? It's not place I've ever heard of," Twilight asked, confused by the Courier's claim.
"The Divide, a place where the Old World sleeps. A place where shadows of the Bear and Bull show their markings," he said. Twilight was beginning to express annoyance with him.
"Ugh, what is the Old World? Why do you keep talking about it?"
"America, a nation. Valued Ideas of democracy and peace. Soon waged war with a country that did not. Canceled the other out, bathed the other in atomic fire."
"What does that mean?" Twilight was thoroughly confused now. Ulysses' words were strange. She didn't know anything he meant. "What is atomic fire'?"
"A weapon, powerful enough to almost destroy a nation. Leaves a mark of invisible fire in it's wake. The fire never burns, just changes."
Now Twilight was completely lost. Ulysses wasn't making any sense to her whatsoever. She let out an audible groan.
"Spike, do you have any idea to what he's saying? I can't understand a thing," Twilight said, exasperated.
Spike shrugged. "Sorry Twi, I'm drawing blanks on what he's saying," he replied, confused.
Twilight sighed. "Ugh, you are the most confusing pony I've ever met," she stated. "And I thought pinkie was weird," Ulysses stared at her flatly. He felt uncomfortable in her presence.
"Can I ask what your cutie mark is?" Twilight pointed a hoof to his flank. "I can't see it because your jacket's in the way."
Ulysses stared down to where she was pointing. He reached a hoof over to it and moved the tattered jacket aside.
A Legion bull stared back at him.
His mind was assaulted instantly with images of the Legion. Images of Dry Wells, New Canaan, and Hoover dam. He could see all the pain spread by Caesar, see the Bear trying to fight back. He seethed at the offending mark. The bull was something he hated more than anything else.
"What does it mean?" Twilight asked. She could see something was troubling Ulysses.
"Take it off," he ordered.
"What?"
"The mark. Take it off. Now."
Twilight looked at him in shock. "But that's the most illegal thing anypony can do!"
Ulysses glared at her, menacingly. "The symbol of the Bull has no place in me anymore."
"But-"
"You've never seen the Bull's savagery. Never felt the pain it's flag spreads," Ulysses was glaring at her.
"You can't take off your cutie mark! It's part of who you are!" She tried reasoning. Ulysses sighed and pulled the jacket back over his flank. He continued to glare at Twilight.
"Nothing is ever set in stone," he said. "War. War never changes. But men can, through the roads they walk."
Nothing he said was making any sense, and it was starting to anger Twilight.
"What are you even talking about?!" She shouted angrily. "Nothing you say makes any sense, whatsoever!"
"You know nothing of my life, my history. You berate me for something you have no comprehension of," he said flatly. Twilight almost lost her temper, but a knock at the door stopped her from losing it. She huffed and walked to the door.
"We'll finish this later," she shot at him. She opened the door to a smiling Zecora.
"Hello, Twilight, my young friend," she said. "To what matters do transcend? I heard a yell and shout, what is it all about?" Twilight sighed and pointed her hoof towards Ulysses.
"It's him. He's so confusing. Everything he's said so far make absolutely no sense. It's so frustrating." Twilight Explained. Zecora looked to where she was pointing. She saw him staring at her, no emotion apparent on his face.
"A stranger with a jacket tattered. He looks as though he's been quite battered," Zecora observed. Ulysses walked up to the doorway, continuing to stare at Zecora.
"My name is Ulysses," he said to her. She gave him a friendly smile.
"A name very strange to this land. To what meaning does it stand?"
"Taken from history. A man who united a nation, but lost himself to it."
Zecora nodded.
"While I enjoy a friendly chatter, I have come for a different matter. I found an artifact strange indeed, a pole lying alongside the weeds. A staff adorned with an eagle of gold. I can see by the markings that it is quite old," she reached behind her and pulled out a pole with an eagle on top. Twilight looked at it confused. Ulysses smiled under his mask.
"Old Glory," he stated simply.
"What?" Twilight asked
"Old Glory, my staff. Earned me the title of flag bearer," he replied. Zecora handed the staff to Ulysses. He grabbed it awkwardly with his hoof, finding it strange to grip it without fingers.
"What's it do?" Twilight asked.
"An Old World flagpole. Carried the flag of america proudly. It comes with me wherever I go," he said. Twilight gave a sigh.
"There he goes with the 'Old World' again," she said. Ulysses ignored her statement.
"You've reunited a courier and his flag. Thank you," he said to Zecora. She looked over to see Twilight muttering something under her breath.
Unbeknownst to them, a pair of violet eyes stared at them from the skies.
"I'm watching you, new guy."