Buck’s sniper rifle jolted as the round left the chamber, the thirteen millimetre round flew true to its target, smashing the Brutes soft brains all across the lavender unicorn that it was assaulting.

“Twi! Are you okay!?” Applejack dragged Big Mac over to where Twilight was lying limp on the floor. She was unconscious and her horn was chipped, besides the fact the Brutes brains were smeared over her like jam on purple toast, she was alright.

Twilight started to wake; she had lost all connections with consciousness when the empty shell that was the Brute’s body landed on her “Wha- what happened?”

“It’s alright, that Brute thingy dropped on ya, that other human fellow killed it!” Applejack motioned towards Buck.

Re-attaching his sniper to his back, Buck called over to his brother in arms “Rookie? You better not be dead, so help me if you are, I’ll end you!” Buck dashed over to the Rookie, he was gasping for air, the Brute’s stomp severely winded him, but luckily nothing was broken.

He sat up coughing as Buck gave him a quick once over “You’ll be fine, now we have to focus our attention to the drop-ship” He grabbed the Rookie’s hand and helped him up.

As if on cue, the Pelican drop-ship piloted by Berit landed in front of the smouldering wreck that was Fluttershy’s house.

The entire pony company froze on the spot, but since the Rookie was calm, they were calm.

Scootaloo looked anxiously towards the Rookie, and Applejack picked up on her zeal and took her to one side, far out of earshot of anyone else in their company.

Applejack was genuinely concerned for her tiny orange comrade, “What’s tha matter Sugarcube?”

Trying not to make eye contact, “I...I...I nothing...” Scootaloo pawed at the winter ground sheepishly; it was obvious to see she was being coy.

Applejack cocked her head. “Sugarcube ya can’t lie ta me, ah am the element of honesty,” she sounded slightly proud as she declared it.

“Well I uh...” Scootaloo let out a long sigh, knowing she would have to get it out eventually. “Fine... I feel really... safe around the Rookie... he’s kinda got a dad sorta feel about him...”

Applejack was speechless; this was an alien, which she had just met. “Sugarcube... ah don’t know what ta say... he’s not your dad and ah know he saved your life an all but we still don’t know anything about him...” she trailed off at the heartbroken look on Scootaloo’s tiny face.

What Applejack was not expecting what happened next.

Glaring straight into her eyes, Scootaloo yelled, “IT’S ALRIGHT FOR YOU! YOU HAVE APPLEBLOOM AND BIG MAC AND GRANNY SMITH AND LOADS OF COUSINS AND LOADS OF FRIENDS! ALL I GOT IS THE CRUSADERS!” tears were streaming down Scootaloo’s face, matting her orange fur.

"IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!"

The next part was barely audible compared to her prior outburst “I don’t have anybody that cares...” with that Scootaloo sank into a ball on the floor, her purple mane the only thing visible on her head.

If there was one word to describe the filly, it would be bereft.

Applejack was disgusted that she had hurt this filly, but she knew she was right. “Ah... ah... ah’m mighty sorry Sugarcube, ah didn’t...” she was cut off by a very loud “HELL YES!”

Turning back to see the cause of the commotion, Applejack observed Buck driving out the Pelican in a huge jeep, on its back was a huge roll-cage. The Rookie was balanced onto the back of the Warthog as it descended the Pelican’s ramp, he had a long green case in his hands.

Buck jumped out of the jeep and took the case off the younger ODST’s hands “Rookie, go double check that Phantom, if any other Brutes survived, we might have a problem...” The Rookie acknowledged and moved cautiously towards the wreck.

The Phantom was split into two parts with a diagonal crack going from the cock-pit to the tail, Buck’s pod had smashed straight through the centre of the troop bay. There were three dead Brutes in total, two Jackal snipers and five dead grunts. The Rookie noticed two moving Unggoy, a deacon and a minor.

“We got something!” The whole group, Ponies and human alike, looked to the Rookie. Buck sauntered over to where he was pulling the unarmed Grunts from the wreck.

Buck grabbed the deacon a punched him. “Alright you little methane sucker, what are your Brute buddies planning?”

“Fliyap don’t know Brutes plan! Flipyap don’t like Covenant, Flipyap wanted to stay with Elites!” Shockingly, the Deacon was panicking.

Fluttershy cantered over at the sight of the strange animal, as she got close she saw Buck punch it once more, truth be told she was more scared of Buck than she was of this other, smaller alien.

He yelled at the deacon again “Why are the Brutes here!?” The Grunt whimpered and looked to its comrade who the Rookie was standing on with his pistol aimed at its head.

Fluttershy couldn’t stand the violence. “Oh... please stop... you’re hurting it...”

Buck barley heard her “That’s the idea!” Fluttershy was speechless, how could he be so cruel? Sure they were enemys but weren't there laws against this kind of thing?

Buck decided a change of strategy was needed, “Tell me what you know or your little orange buddy gets it!” he un-holstered his side arm and without looking aimed it at the second Grunt.

“NONONO NOT BARAR, ANYTHING BUT HIM!” Buck smiled under his helmet, they were getting somewhere.

“So, tell me what you know.” The deacon looked from side to side as if looking for Brutes before letting out a sigh.

“All Fliyap knows is that; Brutes made ship enter human slip-space before it closed. Then Fliyap hear that Brutes going to make all surviving crew go to planet in Phantom to kill the aliens, but some crew tired from weeks without food.” confident he had gotten all he could from the Grunt, Buck threw the Deacon to the over to were the Minor was pinned.

“You know what to do.” The Rookie curtly nodded, but he didn’t like killing unarmed enemyies. There was no other way.

Aiming his pistol, he was going to get a quick, clean kill, save the Deacon from any suffering and then he would have killed the Minor.

Only he couldn’t because Fluttershy was standing over the cowering Deacon.

The Rookie looked to the physical barrier between him and his whimpering target. “Would you mind moving, I don’t want to blow your adorable face all across the ground,” Fluttershy looked all scared, flattered and angry.

“He’s told you what you want to know, why can't you just let him go?” the Rookie lowered his silenced weapon.

Buck strode back to the Rookie’s position. “Because as soon as it regroups with its Brute buddies, it will try to kill us, plus it breathes methane, it won’t survive in this atmosphere for long.” The Rookie raised his gun again; he was stood uncertainly between Fluttershy and Buck. One was morally right, while the other strategically.

The usually shy mare was powered by a righteous rage. “He said he doesn’t like them guys anymore that you do!” The Rookie sunk his side-arm once more. The remainder of the group was looking nervously towards the argument.

Buck was irritation was starting to increase, “It could be lying!” the Rookie readjusted towards the Grunt Deacon.

For once Fluttershy wasn’t backing down “He may not be!” again the Rookie lowered his gun.

“If it is, it could kill all of us!” the Rookie hoisted his pistol and adjusted his aim.

“If he’s not, then you’ve killed someone innocent!” the Rookie lowered his weapon, was getting tired of this back and forth. He knew if Buck ordered him to take the shot he would, but he didn't really want to do it.

Much to the Rookie’s relief, Twilight interjected “Stop!” the two competitors dropped the argument and looked to the bloodied Twilight.

“If we will tie them up and stop the rest of the Covenant, they will have no-one to regroup with!”

Buck seemed like he was considering it for a minute before he piped up, “One problem with your plan there purple...”

Twilight was perplexed, how could this plan not work? “What’s that?”

“They still can’t breathe our air!” Twilight shrugged, she didn’t think it was a big deal.

“I have a spell that can allow them to do so,” Buck knew that it was a losing battle, but then something hit him.

“Wait, spell? Like magic?” if he wasn’t talking to a unicorn he would have burst out laughing, he had seen some crazy shit, but magic?

The Rookie glanced to him and gave him a look that aid  “Not the time” he motioned to the warthog.

“Right, hey purple cast that spell and get over here!” Twilight stepped away from Buck and used telekinesis to hover the Grunts into an open space.

The Rookie watched as Twilight's horn glowed lavender once again. making the annoying little methane sucking assholes, not so methane reliant, but still little assholes. The group could see that the chip in her horn was hurting Twilight, severly.

The process only lasted a few seconds, but as soon as Twilight finished the Grunts shed their methane tanks and yapped with joy, Buck was quick to kick them to the floor and tie them up and it was decided to leave them in Fluttershy’s shed, where they couldn’t do any harm.

"Its strange, their DNA isn't all that diffrent to ours, i was worried it wouldn't work"

Buck motioned from Twilight to the Warthog. “Hop in the back, we’re gunna need you to convince the towns-people we liberate that we’re good guys,” and Twilight nodded In agreement and jumped up. Buck jogged off towards the Pelican.

The Warthog was a run of the mill troop transport, driver seat, passenger seat and a roll cage that could fit about six marines. Fluttershy and Applejack decided it would be a good idea to get back to Sweet Apple Acres with Big Mac, Applebloom and Spike since the patrolling Phantom was taken down.

The Rookie moved a select few guns from the Pelican to the warthog, a Spartan laser, shotgun, sniper rifle, SMG and lots of ammo. Along with his original guns it made quite the armoury.

Buck was sat in the cockpit of the Pelican, and he activated the coms. “Berit, before I transfer you to my armour, I want you to send the max amount of explosives as you can towards the Covenant ship. We can’t risk taking any chances.”

Berit’s voice betrayed no emotion as she spoke in a cold, empty tone. “Yes, sir.”

____________________________________________________________________________

Pinkie pie was bunkered down in Rarity’s boutique, once her Pinkie-sense went off, she went straight to Applejacks farm, but there was no answer so she checked the boutique. Unfortunately, Rarity was already gone when she arrived. Sweetie Belle on the other hand, was hidden in a chest and Pinkie managed to pry it open.

As soon as she pulled the child out of the chest, she was forcefully hugged and cried onto. For more than half an hour, she tried to interrogate the terrified child to find an answer. It was still early and it was winter, Rarity wouldn’t have just got up and left. “Sweetie Belle please, just tell me what happened to Rarity!”

She was cowering, “It was the giant monkey alien things!” Pinkie was sure she would have noticed something like that on her way there if it was true.

“Rarity told me to hide while she checked to see if it was safe or not, then there was a scream and I haven’t heard anything since!”

Pinkie scoffed sceptically “I doubt it was big meanie beanie aliens, I mean what are the chances that...” she was cut off by a gruff voice from outside.

“I smell more! In there!” Footsteps could be heard getting closer to the door, Pinkie’s senses exploded with danger, she would have ran or cowered in any other circumstance, the amount of danger emitting off the newcomer was unnaturally vast. But she had a filly to protect.

She angled the child’s head so she was staring directly into her eyes. “Sweetie Belle, do exactly as I say, okie?”

Sweetie Belle nodded too terrified to do anything else.

“Okie dokie lokie, here is the plan...”  Pinkie suddenly became rigid “wait... Twitchy tail...”

_________________________________________________________________________________________

The drive towards Ponyville was only a few minutes long, being only about a mile off, but once they arrived all the buildings looked as if their doors had been smashed inwards.

Berit, Buck and Rookie decided it would be a good idea to get a good vantage point of the town, to check the enemy’s location, for they were sure they would have set up a camp somewhere. A large pointed building with manikins around the outside seemed a safe bet.

The boutique was almost directly straight ahead, aside from a sharp right turn in the street.

The Rookie sat back down in his seat, he looked back through the Hog’s roll-cage to his furry purple passenger “Twilight what’s that building?”

“That’s the carousel boutique! It’s where my friend Rarity lives!” The Rookie put the pedal to the metal, leaving the Hog’s wheels to spin slightly on the frosty floor before blasting off towards the shop.

Buck was nearly thrown out of the passenger seat “Whoa, Rookie calm it down! What’s the matter?”

“A Brute and a squad of Grunts are getting close to the building,” Twilight gasped, she knew that Rarity wouldn’t be able to save herself, if she whined like she did to the Diamond dogs, the Brutes would just kill her or worse.

Twilight addressed Buck, “Umm, has it been known for Brutes to...” she trailed off.

Buck turned in his seat to face her. “You kind of need to be more specific Purple”

“To torture their prisoners...?” Buck’s silence was answer enough for Twilight; she tried to stifle a sob as she thought of her friends being ruthlessly beaten.

The Rookie stopped the Warthog behind a building close to the boutique, making sure not to alert the maroon Brute and his five orange Grunts who were moving through the seemingly deserted town, straight towards Rarity’s boutique.

The Rookie watched the Brute approach the door to the building, he overheard it growling and pointing “I smell more! In there!” and there was no time to plan, he needed to act.

He jumped out of the driver’s seat of the Warthog, turned the corner and tossed a frag-grenade a good twenty feet and right into the middle of the group of Grunts; killing all of them bar one.

The Brute turned to see the Rookie running towards him, un-holstering his pistol with one hand and picking off the remaining Grunt with a single skilfully placed bullet, meanwhile he un-clipped his assault rifle with his other hand and brought it level with the Brutes chest, firing with deadly accuracy.

The Rookie emptied his clip into the Brute captain’s armoured chest, depleting his shields. Stopping dead in his tracks, the Rookie threw down his rifle and aimed his pistol with both hands towards the ever nearing Brute, the first two shot bounced off the Captains maroon helmet. Before the Rookie could fire a third shot he had to roll to the side to avoid being smeared across the road like butter by a berserk Brute.

Buck vaulted from his seat just a few seconds after the Rookie, but he couldn’t keep up. As soon as he turned the corner, the Rookie had killed the remaining Grunt and was going head to head with the Brute. Buck knelt down and yanked his rifle to bear. He fired three shots towards the Brute as the Rookie rolled left of the rampant beast, the shots stayed true and impacted in the Brutes knee, chest and head. It was definitely dead.

Buck spoke through his coms. “Rookie secure the building, I’ll bring the gyp round.”

“Yes sir,” The Rookie jogged the rest of the way to the building, as he reached the door; it swung open to reveal a pink pony.

“HiimPinkiePieisawyougetridofthosebigmeaniesandthatmeansthatyourmyfriendnowsothatmeansyouneedapartyOHandyouneedawelcometoPonyvillepartyaswellwichisgoodbecauseiamthequeenofpartys!” She didn’t even stop to take a breath.

“You’re Rarity?”

She rolled her eyes “Pffft, No silly I already said I’m Pinkie Pie! Why would I be Rarity? Oh, because I’m in her house and you’ve never met us before so anyway what’s your name?”  The Rookie’s eye twitched slightly at the overly energetic mare.

“Uhh, call me Rookie, everyone else does,” He was surprised that she wasn’t scared of him, but then again he wouldn’t on the other hand be surprised if Twilight said she was brain damaged.

The bubbly mare was physically bouncing, staying in the air much longer than physically possible “Okie Dokie Lokie!”

The Rookie looked round to see Buck finally driving towards the Boutique “So... is there a Rarity here?”

Pinkie’s mane for lack of a better word deflated at the mention of her friend “I don’t know where she is; when I got here her little sister said the big ape aliens took her.” The Warthog approached the building slowly as to make as minimal noise as possible, a Warthog has a very distinguishable sound.

“Pinkie Pie!” Twilight jumped out from the back of the Warthog and embraced her pink friend, “Have you seen Rainbow Dash or Rarity?”

“No... The apes took Rarity and I haven’t heard from anypony else since yesterday”

Twilight explained what had been happening to Pinkie, about the Covenant and how dangerous they were. Shortly after, they told Sweetie Belle to get in the gyp, and if she was with them, they could defend her. If she was alone and a Brute patrol came past... nobody wanted to think of the potential outcome.

Meanwhile Buck and the Rookie moved to the top of the Boutique, and it was obvious to see a camp in the centre and patrols moving through the small town.

Berit’s voice emitted from Buck’s armour. “Sir, our best plan of attack would be to take up sniping positions and to...” she was in low power and prone to make mistakes.

Buck cut her off. “Maybe, but they would start executing prisoners as soon as the first shot is fired.”

Rookie turned to his head to face Buck. “Sir, if you look to the center of the camp, where they are holding the prisoners, it looks like they have some sort of arena. If I distracted them, you could sneak up and assassinate the majority of the dangerous targets before they have a chance to cause any damage.” Although this was probably the most the Rookie had spoke in about six months, Buck hated it when his squad used formalities, it meant that they weren't comfortable with him and if they weren't in harmony then they wouldn't be as successful as they used to be. But then again, becoming the UNSC poster team and then losing three people is generally bad for a team anyway.

Buck turned to face him fully, their visors reflected each others. “It’s a good plan, but you would be putting yourself in a lot of danger. I know you're good with your fists kid but close quarters with Brutes?”

“I can do it, wouldn’t be my first time neck deep in Covenant... but this time I have a plan.” Buck patted him on the shoulder and motioned for him to move back downstairs to the Warthog.