<<TRANSMISSION START>>

After an enriching one hour, The princess had totally filled me in on the situation.

In the 20 years we were away, the so called "Covenant" had cut a path straight through our territory. They struck at Nixas, working from the far reaches into the core worlds. The UPSC was totally overwhelmed by these new enemies. Now, even our beloved home planet Equestria has been overrun by them.

It struck me with a touch of sadness that I would probably never see another proper sunrise on Equestrian soil.

"Okay. Now that I know about it, what are we gonna do?" I murmured, pondering to myself. In response, Luna turned around and addressed the Helmsmare:"Full power to Yaasha, please." "Aye, coordinates locked, Chronal Matrix at you command, Princess."

"Launch us." Running up the power, the Helmsmare yanked on the activation panel. The stars stretched, and we slipped into the teleport field. "Transition successful. ETA, half an hour." Now she turned to me. "Yaasha is a secret military installation on the edge of the far reaches. It was built for one purpose. The Stallion-2 project. You've been selected as their newest recruit."

The sudden revelations really didn't surprise me. I mean, come on, what for a meeting with the princess if it wasn't something big? "Alright. Can I spend a bit of time getting my stuff?" I asked. "Sure. Meet in shuttle bay 14 in half an hour." She smiled.

Of course, the moment I stepped out of the bridge, I was again assaulted by one pink pony.

~~~~~

After half an hour and plenty of asking for directions, I finally stumbled down to shuttle bay 14, toting my sniper rifle and kit bag of BDU. Standing on the ramp of a Raptor troop transport was a pilot with a slightly bemused look on his face. "You Lance?" "Yep."

He turned around and walked to the cockpit. I picked the jump seat closest to the ramp and sat down. The ramp groaned as it slowly closed, the hold darkening. The pilot gunned the thrusters and the Raptor hopped up and forward, diving out of the hanger. I watched as the boxy Alliance Warhammer receded into interstellar space. Suddenly, the stars around it warped, and it moved towards to rift.

My heart started to pump faster as I thought that they were gonna leave us here. I also realized that Luna wasn't there. Twilight noticed my look of alarm and smiled. "Don't worry. They'll be back."

Descending through the atmosphere, the Raptor shuddered and shook like a thing possessed. Then the pilot opened the air breathing engines and smoothed out the ride. Rocketing toward a flat plain, the plane flared out for a bone-jarring landing. It idled over a very well worn patch of grass.

With a rumble, the Pelican started sinking into the ground as we slowly moved down a long shaft into a large underground cavern. The ramp lowered and the seven of us trooped out. Rows of scout transports lined one side of the large cavern. Another wall boasted some sort of battle tank. What caught my eye most actually, was the shadow of three mares.

"Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo?" My companions chorused. The three turned around. They approached us warily.

"How do you know our name?" The yellow earth pony asked. Applejack answered for us all. "I think I'll recognize my own little sis."

"You know, I still don't think that Luna forgave us for building that obsidian portal to that blocky, 8-bit world...." Scootaloo started.

The three of them immediately clammed up. "Nothing, sis! Absolutely nothing." Applebloom replied.

"Oh yes, the Stallion-2 project. Follow me." Applebloom turned around. Trotting after her, I pretty much kept to myself, quietly surveying my surroundings. We passed room after room down this long corridor.

Only our timely arrival at our destination saved me from saying anything I would have regretted, like the four letter word that was perched on my tongue. "Here's the heart of the Stallion project!" Sweetie Belle said. I peered through the door. Seven shiny tubes formed a ring around a center console. Each seemed to have its own operating console. Cables and wires stringed the sides of the room. We were led inside and shown to different tubes.

"Okay. Its simple. Place your hoof on the screen. Let the system read it, then a menu will pop up."

[Welcome, Lance]
[Please choose an option. Fill in all forms.]
[1) Skill increase]
[2) Designation]
[3) Code name]
[4) Weapon of choice]
[5) Special talents]

[Skill increase chosen]
[Specify what do you want to be]

[Sniper chosen]

[Choose another option]

I slowly trawled through the questionnaires. When it came to the 'Special talents' part, a dialog box popped up. It seemed that I could choose what sort of ability I would posses!

"Lets see, Stealth? Hm.. How 'bout airstrike? Or maybe calling in an AG 192 Gunship. Final decision Tac nuke? Nah."

"Everypony done?" Sweetie inquired. "Now, Just lie down in the pod, like a cryotube."

That simple? I lay down and the pod whispered close. Immediately, needles poked into my right foreleg. "Don't worry. It's part of the procedure. Now just sleep, and the system can begin."

~~~~~

"Almost 100%. Most subjects rejected the modifications. Others became... different."

"No idea. These are strong ponies. They could either totally gum up the system, or come out stronger than ever."

"Come. Its been more that 72 hours. Time to go and welcome them back to reality"

~~~~~

I woke up in a empty firing range. "Whats happening?" I wonder to myself. There were no sounds of rifles discharging. Empty.

"Then you probably are inside your own dream. Here, I am tasked to train you the best I can in 72 hours."

"Wow. Training in my mind. Great idea, But don't dreams fade away once I wake up?"

"Normally, yes. But as we speak, certain chemicals are working within your brain, building memory links for your chosen profession. Here, I will quickly skim through what it had built already."

"Okay. Lets say your building a building. The chems in the real world are making materials, waiting to be used. Here, in your dream, I will help you build a strong foundation. When you wake up, You can immediately place all materials to use, provided correct stimuli."

"Uh... A SRS 45, With tactical rails and inbuilt Oracle thermal scope." I answered. PIT turned and moved over to a work bench. It started materializing the weapon out of thin air.

"Fancy. Do you know that there are currently only ten SRS 45's with your specifications?" PIT informed me.
It spun around. In its grip was a prefect replica of my rifle. "Any other weaponry?"

"Scientist have determined that the more realistic the dream, the more you remember about it."

"Hera you go." PIT handed me the clothes. I immediately put it on. "Look good. Lets begin."

Over the course of the next two days, PIT had run me through the test firing rooms, each boasting its own properties, ranging from sunny to overcast, dark or bright, forested or no-ponies-land, urban or rural. I excelled in all of it.
It slowly introduced me to the Mark.5 stallion powered suit and all its capabilities like auto medicine dispensers, the armor abilities and the special shield.
It also taught me all the different enemies that we faced.

The Elites were stronger, and should be taken out at range.
The Hunters were slow and correspondingly heavily armored.
Grunts and Jackals could be dealt with easily as they had nothing that could penetrate our armor.

In a blink of an eye, Two days passed. The final test approached. "So, let me get this right. All I have to do, is survive? Straight through that city, infested by the covenant? Just get to the LZ?"

"Only you and Rarity remain untested. Your other team mates already have passed their test. They will provide help. This Fluttershy? She will be at the LZ. Rainbow Dash will provide air power in her Avenger. Twilight will be in constant contact with you from the LZ. Applejack and Pinkie Pie are waiting at the halfway point, in an abandoned workshop. The scenario is that you and Rarity, the sniper and the spotter, is the last to extract, but covenant anti-aircraft have forced Fluttershy to stop on the other side of town. Are you ready?" PIT explained.

"As I will ever be." I reply. I suited up into the Mark.5 and harnessed all my weapons. PIT opened a door and gestured me in. Before I left, I gave the robot a quick hug and thanked it for its insights. Smiling knowingly, it shoved me through the door and waved. After I walked about 5 steps, It shut the door, and the door vanished.

<<TRANSMISSION END>>

Speaking to yourself again? You now have an awesome voice in your head that can provide battle insights.

Halo: Mane team

by NocturnalEagle

Chapter 3: Let the fun and games begin