//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10 
// Story: A Noble Death 
// by LSTS Connor 
//------------------------------//




“Hey, buddy! You know that if you used your wings we would be a lot faster!”

Came the yell from up above the Spartan dragging assorted building materials behind her down the damaged street. Looking up Six made out the familiar face of Pixy hovering above, a smaller payload of materials in her hooves. Confused She cocked her head to the side slightly as she looked up at the fellow pegasus before looking back at her own armored wings tucked against her side.

“You...uh…you know can fly right? Those wings aren’t just weapons buddy.” Continued Pixy, as she landed next to the still inspecting Spartan. Six didn’t visibly react to her presence, her attention seemingly focused on her wings, but Pixy couldn’t really be sure with Six’s helmet obscuring her face.

After a quite tense first encounter between the guard and Six at the town hall, the soldiers had stopped looking at her as if staring at a monster but one of admiration at her actions. Sure the bloodbath she left was monstrous and caused several guards to lose their lunch at first sight. But once the news came in from Spear, Pixy, Sparrow, and Lily about the Spartans bravery allowing them an avenue of escape from the once occupied city.

As such the soldiers began to look at Six in a completely different light. Especially Pixy, who seemed almost glued to the Spartans side since she was released from the field hospital.  Some distrust was, of course, still evident but that was in the minority among the soldiers who had heard of her bravery. 

Six had still yet not met the leader of this division but had been told that they would make their appearance soon. But that they were quite excited to meet this local hero among the troops. And with no combat in their immediate future, Six took to help the logistical aspect of the Division.

It definitely made helping with the rebuilding of Las Pegasus much easier when Six, and in turn, Pixy volunteered to help with the transport of materials into the city itself.

Just as Pixy was about to comment on what the Spartan was doing, Six beat her to it.

“How much weight can you lift and or carry whilst flying?” Asked the Spartan, much to her fellow soldier’s confusion.

“Uhhhh... “ She turned her head to look at her own wings, metal clanking as her helmet tapped against her armor.” Not sure really... I haven’t measured but I can carry another pony pretty easily, so maybe 150kg? Could be more could be less, I’m not really sure.” She flexed her wings slightly before looking back at the larger Pegasus once again with a questioning look. “Why do you want to know anyway?”

“I needed a baseline for the average Pegasus.” Responded Six, briefly looking back at her armored wings, before grabbing her materials and once again making her way towards the city center. Pixy followed close behind, confusion still evident on her face at Six’s response. Her eyes studied the Spartan’s armor as they moved along the street. It really was something else compared to her own. It was like night and day both literally, as Pixies armor was golden and Six’s was black and figuratively in terms of protection.

From the shield that prevented anything from even touching her armor to the metal that wasn’t even scratched by their blades. And there Pixy was in the standard-issue enchanted guard armor whose only purpose was to make every guard look identical. As well as general protection but once again it was nothing compared to Six’s full body protection. 

‘That armor must be enchanted to the Sun and back as well’ Pixy surmised. And then there was the sheer size of Six. She was at least as tall as Princess Luna from her perspective, and for a pegasus to be such a size was almost unheard of in Equestria. The questions were beginning to mount up, and now that they were no longer in danger. The argument of ‘don’t question it right now, there are more important things to deal with’ had since lost its leverage.

 ‘I’m sure a few questions won’t hurt...’ 

“Hey, can I ask you something, buddy?” Began Pixy cautiously.

“Only if you tell me why you keep calling me buddy.” Responded Six looking back at the pegasus behind her.

“You did save me and my squad’s life soooo…” She twirled her hoof in front of her.

“...heh alright. What do you want to know?” Asked Six with a small laugh, her pace unchanged.

“What armor is that and where did you get it?” Asked Pixy curiously,  her hoof unceremoniously poking said armor. Her hoof, however, was swiftly swatted away by Six’s wing.

“That’s Classified Private” Came the voice over Six’s helmet speakers.

“Okay, fine Lieutenant.” She stuck her tongue out at the Spartan. “Can you at least tell me what you mean by ‘Sierra-B312’ in your name? If you’re gonna play soldier, you can at least tell us what you mean by that” That got a reaction out of the Spartan as she stopped walking, and turned to face the smaller Pegasus. And although Pixy could not see her face through her visor, she still visible shrunk away from the gaze she knew was boring into her.

Pixie’s comment had done one thing which Six thought was impossible. She had struck a nerve. A nerve Six didn’t know she had. She had been told far worse and it never affected her so why now? Why had her comment annoyed her so? It didn’t make any sense. So why was she now glaring at this Pegasus for a simple jab at her designation?

Then it hit her.

It was because it was her designation she made fun of. 

Her identity.

One of the only things she had left from her own species. 

From her time in the UNSC. 

Her time back on Reach. 

Her time with Noble.

It was all she had left. It was all she ever was and wanted to be since she was a child. And it now also served as a memory of what she left behind. And having that be made fun of? Having it being used as the butt of a joke? 

That did not sit well with the Spartan.

“Pixy.” Came the harsh tone through Six’s helmet, causing said pegasus to flinch in response.”You will not talk to me like that ever again Private, are we clear!?” Spoke Six with such force it was as if being reprimanded by the captain of the guard himself.

“Ma’am, Yes, Ma’am!” Shouted Pixy in response, unconsciously saluting the Spartan. Fear was evident in her voice, but not the sound of standard fear. But the fear as if one had just called the captain fiancé fat just as he round the corner. Basically, unless you followed this order to the letter, you could kiss your career goodbye.

“Good. Now get out of my sight.” Ordered Six only to sigh shortly after. ”I need time to think.” 

“Yes Ma’am!” And just like that Pixy had taken to the skies, redoubling her transportation efforts, leaving the Spartan alone once again. Leaving Six with her thoughts of what had just transpired. 

This was a first for the Spartan. She was always calm and collected and had never before been filled with such...anger? Annoyance? Disrespect? Whatever it was she couldn’t be sure. But she could only hope that such a reaction would never happen again. She was a Spartan and Spartans don’t let their emotions get the better of them.

And unknown to our Spartan, is that their conversation and her subsequent outburst had not gone unnoticed by prying eyes.