//------------------------------//
// Invisible threats, and more drain bamage 
// Story: Haylo: Crimson 
// by Zarius9998 
//------------------------------//

With last night's...travesty...out of my mind, for the most part, anyway, Artemis and I borrowed a Mongoose to go retrieve our own equipment from the drop pods. We would have done it last night, but it was agreed that we would rest in friendly land first. We were all tired. Artemis drove while I held on the back...for dear life. Even with my magnet lock, it was still one hell of a rollercoaster ride for my life. She's not a bad driver, no, just...a reckless one.

Aside from the motor, grinding of brakes, screams of delight, and bangs from collisions...the trips were all in silence. I figured she was too embarrassed to talk to me due to her little "incident" the previous night. We first gathered my gear, having to climb a small cliff and gather it all in the side of it, since it hit the cliff at an angle and dug itself into the cliff face. I almost fell multiple times, and I even jumped off and caught my LWC since it slipped out of my hooves on the way down. I was able to catch a piece of the cliff and save myself, climbing down without any more mishaps.

Once down, I clipped and latched everything on to it's proper place: grenades to my left hip, pistol to my right hip, LWC to my back, and knife to my chest.

"You all set?" Artemis asked, to which I nodded, "Alright. Nice catch, by the way. Wish I caught it on tape."

I shrugged, climbing back onto the back while she started the motor again. We raced off through the forest-like area, heading towards her stash next. It wasn't much further than mine was, and we reached it in only five minutes. Her pod was, luckily, just stuck right in the ground amidst the trees. She hopped off and started gathering-up her stuff, while I looked around the area. It was just a forest-land like any you'd normally find on Earth, as long as it hadn't been decimated by war, anyway. I checked my motion radar out of habit, since I always felt weary when there was no movement on my radar what-so-ever...

'Wait...' not even Artemis was on my radar...yet she was moving a good amount, so she should have set-off the radar, yet...nothing. I quickly grabbed my pistol, darting my eyes around the area in search of anything out of place, 'This isn't good...' I looked through the treetops and spotted clear skies. The storm had passed, so it couldn't have been what was causing this.

When Artemis noticed my odd behavior, she paused in slinging her enormous rifle, "Undertaker," around her to give me a look from behind her visor, "What's up with you?" she asked.

"Check ya radar." I answered, continuing to scan the area.

She paused again to do so, then, "What abou-" she cut herself off, quickly raising Undertaker and aiming it directly at, what I first thought, was me.

"Whoa-!?" I jumped back as she pulled the trigger, my ears ringing and my teeth hurting. Her rifle is designed to fire extremely powerful rounds which are made for the specific purpose of ripping vehicles apart. Putting this together with special long distance and heavy bullets...whatever it touches it ripped to shreds and scattered across the land. Still, packing this much power comes with a setback...actually, it comes with a kickback...A HELL of a LOT of kickback. It's like getting bucked by the entire Apple family at once.

I rolled back to my hooves in time to see Artemis slam into the tree behind her, her rifle bouncing and rolling away a few meters. Looking behind me, I saw two trees falling down and the blue, green, and red stain of...whatever she shot at...because it had exploded. Looking over my own shoulder, I saw that some of that mush was on my back. Deciding that it would be best to bring a sample back so we could figure-out what the hell just happened later, I scooped some of the mess off my back and into a thin sample container which came, by standard, in every drop pod. After that was done, I turned to Artemis to find her still slouched over, back against the tree.

'Did...did she get knocked out...?' I wondered, kneeling by her and waving a hoof in front of her visor. I looked above her to find that the tree was severely bent and cracked where she had hit, specifically her head...that rifle should NEVER be fired unless you're as set and prepared as possible...

Looking over my shoulder, I ran off to grab her rifle before mounting-up, Undertaker slung around my body and Artemis leaning over my shoulder. I drove back, feeling paranoid that we could get jumped at any time, since whatever the heck is going on around this factory seems to point towards radio-disabling technology. Artemis actually stared to slide-off at one point, but I quickly threw my body back, somehow managing to drive, without crashing with my back hooves while catching and bringing Artemis back up with my front hooves. Once all was settled, I celebrated this amazing accomplishment mentally as I rode back into the encampment. After I parked, a couple solders, human and pony, came up to take Artemis off my hooves. I stepped off the Mongoose and looked over at Artemis as they removed her helmet. A little bit of dried blood had caked a small portion of her mane and face, apparently from when the back of her head slammed into the tree...plus, ever since her first run-in with Washington, that spot was always a bit soft.

"Get her into the infirmary. Treat for head trauma." a pony shouted as they carried her away in a stretcher, helmet resting by her chest. I swear, it amazes me that she got through everything without permanent brain damage...I mean, she'd swap a few words or sounds here and there once in a while, but nothing major.

"Hey! Squirt!" I turned my head to see Widow and Ghost running in my direction. Both had casual wear on, their armor probably laying on or beside their beds, "What happened to Artemis? Is she okay?"

I quickly explained to them what happened as we were gathering our gear, and how Artemis probably saved my life by shooting her convoluted rifle, but cracked her head in the process. I then showed them the sample I collected, which Ghost took and said he would take it to the local scientists to see what they had to say about it.

"I hope she'll be okay..." Widow muttered, holding her hands by her chest with a worried look. At this, I turned and stared at her in curiosity from behind my visor. Widow has never shown signs of emotion towards anyone, or anypoy since her last coltfriend...save for Ghost, of course, so...it would seem all of us are changing.

Widow has feelings, Artemis is in love, Ghost is becoming wary, and I'm...what am I becoming?...am I just a static soldier who kills and completes missions...a drone of war?...I shook my head, pushing these thoughts out of my mind. I would have time to dwell when we got back home, I had to keep my mind set on the mission at hand.

"Well...we'll have to wait until Artemis recovers before we enter, like we had planned." Widow stated, "Hopefully she'll be back up and kicking by tomorrow, but for today..." she patted me on the back, "Go enjoy yourself. I'm going to go discuss the findings from that sample with Ghost, then call Halsey and Luna to see how it should be handled and taken."

I turned and watched my commanding officer saunter off in the same direction Ghost went...although she was still doing "work," per say, I could clearly tell she was enjoying this day of calm.

And then it dawned on me: What do I do to "enjoy" myself here...? Wait...I don't even remember what I used to do for fun! Celestia DAMN this war! I AM becoming a drone!...the last, or...well, only really fun time I can last remember is Nightmare Night...oh, that was sure something. Luna, getting over her introversion and adjusting to the present day...I wished Luna was there to at least talk to...she was, still is, and always will be my favorite Princess...I snickered a bit, making my way to the infirmary.

'I know Luna is also the favorite of somepony else I know.' I laughed inwardly, making my way through the doorway, 'Guess visiting and talking with Artemis will consume a good amount of time.'

I approached the pony positioned at the reception desk. She was turned around and leaning over to grab something out of a box on the floor, so I leaned over to see what she was doing out if curiosity. Her coat was a soft blue, and her mane, a mix of white and cyan streaks, falling over her face slightly. Her long tail had a similar color. I next looked to her flank and saw she had an injection needle as her cutie mark...and that was when she came back up.

"H-wha!" she jumped back slightly, surprised to find me there, "Wh...where you staring at my flank!?" she asked, her voice raising slightly in anger.

I nodded my head yes at first...then realized what she was actually asking and started shaking it no, but after that, I started to decide that I shouldn't lie and began to shake yes again, but she held-up a hoof, looking down with a wry grin.

"N...nevermind, I'll just take that as a compliment..." she looked back up, a bright smile on her muzzle, "How may I help you, sir?"

I thought for a moment, attempting to put my mind back in it's right spot, then I took my helmet off to finally answer, "Ah'm lookin' for a new patien' ere named Ar'emis."  I explained, to which she slowly gained a frown of disappointment.

"Uhm, yes...that way, on the right at the end..." she said, indicating the hall which led to her room, "Relation with the patient...?" she asked with a sigh.

"She's par' o' me team." I answered, "Crimson Team."

She suddenly brightened-up a bit, throwing me into a bit of confusion, "Alright then!" she quickly scribbled something down, which I thought was my visiting information, then handed it to me, "Here."

I took the paper in my hoof then read it...it was the name of a building within the base, along with a room number.

"Be there later, at, oh, let's say, six, hmm?" she asked, "I'll be off by then."

Before I could even comprehend what just happened, she shooed me off to Artemis' room, leaving me dazed and confused. After the door closed behind me, I just stared off into space...until I realized something else was staring at me.

Looking down, I saw Artemis, in just her patient gown, and the bandages on her head, of course, staring at me with a wry and devilish smile...I nearly had a heart attack, it was so creepy.

"Gatta girl aft'a ya, hmm?" she asked, swishing her tail and shifting into a position on her side, facing me while propping her head up with a hoof.

I stared back in confusion for a few seconds before realizing what she meant, to which I quickly shook my head no furiously...until I thought about it. I stopped shaking no, looking down in uncertainty.

"Heh, I heard the whole thing." she said, grabbing her right ear and winking, "Love these things. You should too, seeing as they saved your life earlier."

Remembering how she seemed to hear something right before she shot whatever tried to jump me, I asked her about what she saw before it, well...exploded.

"I dunno, really." she answered, sighing and rolling onto her back again, "Looked kinda like those bugger Drones, 'cept different, like they've been augmented or something." she rubbed her head, scowling, "I can't really remember anything 'cept for some blurry images and a really loud bang...well, two really loud bangs." she touched a sensitive spot and flinched, grimacing, "God, I'm ganna have severe drain bamage before too long..."

I gave her a worried look upon noticing the mishap in speaking which she didn't, but she didn't seem to notice the stare, either, "So what's the cute filly's name? Hmm...?" she asked, rolling onto her stomach and facing me with a curious smile, kicking her legs slowly behind her.

I shrugged, but then swiftly ducked under the remote which was flung at me, "Idiot! C'mon! First filly to take interest in you and you don't even attempt to get some flank? Are you gay?"

I blushed, cringing in surprise and shaking my head no...I hate it when she messes with me like this.

"Then grow a pair!" she laughed, clutching her sides, "Geeze! If you're so inexperienced at dealing with being hit on, then are you sure you're my team mate?" she asked between fits of giggles, "I mean, part of the reason I torture you guys is to get all of ya' out of your introversion when it comes to relationships."

I gave the mare a double-take...was she saying that all of that molesting was for the purpose of HELPING us!?

"I mean, Widow needs to try for love again...she deserves someone good to her..." she said a bit quieter, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling with a distant look in her unusually thoughtful eyes, "And Ghost just...well, needs a push to understanding how to deal with the 'other gender' without peeing himself, heh."

I thought about her words...and actually had to admit they contained validity.

"And you..." I froze, becoming oddly nervous as she gave me a seemingly deadly stare, "Try to stay alive, alright? You don't need my help, nor should you ever. Don't forget that you're a pony, NOT a monster like me."

I was taken aback by this...why was she telling all this to me? Was it the pain-killers dulling her brain? Or maybe the concussion messing with her mind...?

"Now hurry up, get out of my room, and get laid, Celestia damn it!" she kicked a small metal cart for medical supplies at me, knocking me out of the room. I hit the hallway wall with a grunt, then looked up to see the door slam shut. 

I rolled my eyes, 'Yeah...she's perfectly normal...which is what scares me...'

Rubbing my back and picking up my helmet, I turned to see a human staring at me in confusion. I shook my head no, indicating for him to move on. He shrugged and went on his way, allowing me sight to the clock at the end...it was five thirty. Remembering the time the nurse had asked of me, I quickly dashed out of the infirmary to go remove my armor and freshen-up a bit...Artemis didn't really expect me to get lucky that night...did she?